purpose withall the Lord promiseth Verse 15. that he would be with him and keepe him So Psal 34.15 it is set downe as a great consolation vnto the Saints that the eyes of the Lord are vpon therighteous Instruction Vse that we should labour not onely to be in Ierusalem but to be of it and then when Gods iudgements are abroad we shall be in no danger God will command his faithfull Angels to doe vs no hurt wherein if they should refuse to obey they must needs become diuels and reprobate spirits which is impossible Let vs labour therefore to be of the number of those that mourne for the abominations of Ierusalem that so we may be saued when others are destroyed Let vs grieue for the impietie and blasphemie and crueltie and impuritie that is in our Land so shall we haue a testimonie vnto our hearts that we are Ierusalem but as for those that are Babels Egyps Sodomes whose houses are full of voluptuousnesse pride gluttony drunkennesse worldlinesse and the like the Lord is likely to command his Angell to smite at them with a ful stroke for where should his sword light but vpon his enemies Verse 17. And Dauid spake vnto the Lord and said Behold I haue sinned Whereas indeed the people had prouoked the Lord most yet Dauid thought himselfe most guiltie and therefore he would haue Gods hand to haue beene on him and not on the people A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on an other and passe sentence against himselfe Doct. 6 A good man is most seuere against himselfe 2. Tim. 1.15 rather then against another So doth Paul Christ came into the world to saue sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe And as for matter of guilt so also for matter of punishment We see in Moses Exod. 32. that because the people were many and he was but one he intreated God that he might be wiped out of his booke rather then all his people should be destroyed But especially this point is verified in our Sauiour who when mankind was vtterly insufficient either to put in sureties Philip. or to discharge their debt did humble himselfe to take on him the state of a seruant and abased himselfe that he might bring vs vnto glory and endured a shamefull and painefull and cursed death that he might bring vs vnto eternall life And this commeth to passe Reasons first because good men are endued with that amiable grace of brotherly loue which causeth them not so much to seeke their owne ease 1. Cor 13. as the benefit of others but to lay the more vpon themselues that others may be the ratherspared Secondly they are adorned with that admirable vertue of Christian humilitie which directeth their eyes to other mens graces and their owne corruptions they hope the best of that which is in their brethren and finde out the worst of that which is in themselues This serueth Vse 1 first for reproofe of those that are readie to shift off all from themselues and though they be wholy or most in fault yet will lay the blame altogether on others Heere also are those hypocrites to be reprehended that will lay heauie burdens and require strict obedience of others especially of Ministers and yet they themselues make no conscience of any sinne be it neuer so contrarie to the Lawes of God or of man Others there are also that may iustly come vnder this reproofe that care not who want so they haue plentie nor who hunger so they haue sufficient nor who sinke so they swimme though it be by thrusting others vnderwater Secondly this is for consolation to them that can goe from their owne commoditie and ease credit so God may haue glory and his people good they are of the same spirit that Moses and Dauid and Paul were and therefore their reward in heauen and their praise on earth shall be sutable Mercifull men lose nothing if Nehemiah had gotten together all the money in that country and had attained to be King of Persia Nehem. 5.14.15.16.17.18 he could not haue procured himselfe so much true honour as he did by not taking all the stipend that he might haue done being a man of his place and by entertaining a great many that were in want at his table which he needed not to haue done and besides the good and deserued estimation that he got he could with comfort and so may all that are like him intreate the Lord to remember him in goodnesse which the Lord neuer failed to do The end of the second Sermon The third Sermon PSALME 12.1.2 Verse 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left for the faithfull are failed from among the children of men 2. They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart THese words containe in them a prayer of Dauid when hee himselfe was pursued by Saul and the Church of God was in great distresse when his friendes withdrew themselues from him and fewe continued in that holie profession of Gods name which formerly they had made Now in this prayer of his wee may obserue 1. First a petition Helpe Lord Seeing mens helpe failed and their power was bent against equitie and Iustice which should haue vpheld maintained it therefore hee appeales to an higher power and intreateth reliefe and succour from the Lord. 2. Secondly a complaint and that 1. Of the decay of good men and of goodnes in them There is not a godly man left c. Whereas superiours should haue ministred refreshing vnto the distressed or at least inferiours borne a burden with them they were now taken away when there was greatest need of them not that there were no good men at all for Gad and Nathan and Ionathan were now in the Church but in comparison of the aduerse part they were so fewe that they did scarce appeare to be any at all 2 Of the deceitfulnes of bad men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour c that is euery one of the contrarie side was full of craft and cunning vsing faire words but intending much mischiefe speaking with a heart and a heart as the Prophet saith that is a heart that made shew of one thing but meant the quite contrary seeming to be for Dauid when in truth they plotted against him Helpe Lord here we see his refuge Verse 1. he betaketh himselfe vnto God when he is forsaken of men Whence obserue this Doctrine that Although all humane helpes and earthly friends doe faile Gods people yet they are not helplesse Doct. 1 Gods childrē neuer helples nor hopelesse Albeit in regard of mans assistance they be vtterly destitute yet the Lord will be euer with them and alwaies stand for them Dauids argument here is not this Lord helpe for there be many that will ioyne with thee but this Lord helpe for there is none else that will helpe so that
The soundnesse thereof both which are more fully laid open in that which goes before Thus much concerning the meaning and order of the words now let vs consider of such instructions as may thence arise for our learning Vers 11. And I will poure vpon the house of Dauid c. the Spirit of grace c. In that the Lord hauing promised that his Church shall bee brought to wonderfull excellencie doth set downe this as the meanes whereby he wil effect it that they shal haue the Spirit in great plenty powred downe vpon them this shall be the doctrine That the way to all happinesse and blessednesse Doct. 1 is to haue the Spirit of grace bestowed vpon vs. The Spirit of God is the author of all happinesse Whosoeuer hath not this though he bee neuer so great in the world hee is altogether wretched and miserable subiect to the curse of God and to continuall vexations and discontentments and on the other side whosoeuer hath this holy Spirit dwelling in his heart is an happy and blessed man though hee be neuer so much deiected and cast downe through outward afflictions and tribulations This point is euident in the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 32.13.14 c. where it is shewed that so long as the Spirit of God is withheld from men they haue grieuous ruines and desperate decaies among them and they still go from ill to worse being ill without and ill within but how long doth this continue Vntill the Spirit bee powred vpon them from aboue And what then The wildernesse shall become a fruitfull field That is those men and women that were like a wildernesse before bringing forth nothing but brambles and briars nothing but pride and worldlinesse and such like fruites of the flesh euen those men and women shall be as a fruitfull field being beautified and adorned with the vertues of Christ and with the graces of his Spirit and not onely so but likewise enriched with all good prosperity which the Lord seeth needfull for them Now the reasons why the Spirit maketh men so happy Reasons are these First Reas 1 because it doth mortifie and crucifie the flesh that is originall corruption Rom. 8.13 with all the lusts and fruites thereof It doth not lye still where it is suffering the soule of the party to be vnder the dominion of sinne but it abateth and consurneth it by little and little till at length his soule and body bee as cleare from sinne as Adams was before his fal So that looke how the Israelites did by degrees weare and wast the Canaanites out of the land till it was wholly brought in subiection vnto them so doth the holy Ghost destroy and root out the enemies of our soules not making them tributarie as Ioshua did some of the cursed Canaanites but spoyling them of their strength by little and little and at length vtterly consuming * This is to be vnderstood of the time of their dissolution as it appeareth by diuers other Doctrines of Master Dods as that on Isaiah Doct. 4. and Doct. 8. that God lookes not for perfection in this life See also the 3. vse of this Doct. Ephes 2.1 Rom. 8.11 1. Iohn 4.4 them so that they shall haue no place at all within vs. And as it killeth sinne so it quickeneth the dead soule and maketh the whole man apt and fit for euery good worke That Spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from a naturall death doth also raise vs vp from the death of sinne to the life of grace and putteth more spirituall strength into vs then the flesh the world and the diuell can bring against vs. Further more in the third Chapter of the second to the Corinthians Reas 2 there are three speciall reasons to shew the happinesse of him that is endued with Gods Spirit the first whereof is this That whereas all men naturally are like the Iewes who as it is there said when they come to the meanes of saluation haue a voile vpon their minds 2. Cor. 3.14 so that they can see nothing to saue their soules to further their repentance to cause them to beleeue in Christ Iesus and to place their hope and happinesse in him as soone as euer the Spirit of grace entreth into them this blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart is remooued and then they are enabled soundly to vnderstand and truely to applie the word preached vnto their owne soules Verse 16. Againe it is said in the selfe same place That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Vers 17. Till such time as that doth set men free they are held fast in the cordes and chaines of iniquity and are miserable slaues vnto the vilest slaue that is euen vnto Satan himselfe who is an Apostata and a reprobate and in the most wretched slauerie that can be imagined viz. to serue sin in the lusts thereof and which is the most grieuous of all the rest they shall haue the worst wages that may be euen the curse and vengeance of God while they liue and eternall damnation of body and soule after they are dead Now when the Spirit of Christ taketh possession of vs it causeth vs to disclaime the seruice of Satan and to become seruants vnto the liuing God Rom. 6. it filleth vs full of good meditations of holy desires and spirituall affections it furnisheth vs with ability to performe the duties of religion of our callings in a word it maketh vs willing and able both to do all maner of good and to resist all manner of euill So that after wee haue receiued the holy Ghost into our hearts we shall not say This is my nature and I cannot doe otherwise but with the Apostle Paul I can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee I wil neuer bee in bondage vnto my corruptions any more for grace shall haue the vpper hand of nature and the Spirit shall master the flesh and get the better of it Lastly it is added in the same place that by vertue of the Spirit wee see the glory of Christ in the Gospel and are changed into his image from glory to glory that is from one measure of knowledge and holinesse into another verse 16. Wee would thinke no price too great to be giuen for such a looking glasse as would make one that is deformed to become beautifull by the very beholding thereof how much then should wee esteeme the holy word of God which through the operation of the Spirit is made effectuall not to change the naturall visage which is a smaller matter but to alter the forme and shape of the soule and to make it very beautifull and amiable in the sight of God and of his holy Angels which was before time a most vgly and deformed creature This must needs be a maruellous great benefit for if the defacing of Gods Image be the cause of all our woe then the repairing thereof must of necessitie be the
a sort the torments of hell that they might partake of the ioyes of heauen the sound meditation thereof cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab though he had formerly been a rebell and was now newly reconciled vnto him yet hee mourned for him till the euening because he was a worthy man albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus who was not a worthy man but infinitly more worthy then all both men and Angels and not murdered by the treachery of another but killed by the sinnes of their soules the sins of their lips and the sinnes of their hands and if he had not been so killed they had been euerlastingly damned Put case that a man had one onely sonne which was to bee the heire of the family and hee of a sudden should find him starke dead would it not inwardly touch him and strike cold vnto his heart especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly been the cause thereof yes certainly it would go through his heart euen like a sword and such will be the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour as this very text witnesseth when they by the eye of faith doe see him heauy vnto the death crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe being ful of torment in his bodie and fuller of anguish in his soule and that for their sakes euen for their sinnes they cannot but be exceedingly moued hereat And a little to presse the other comparison vsed in this text if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah who yet died vnwillingly and without any intent to benefit them thereby how much more bitterlie should wee lament the death of our blessed Redeemer who was a farre greater and excellenter king then Iosiah was and yet willingly and freely laid downe his life for our sakes that he might free vs from eternall death and destruction both of our bodies and soules Questionlesse if wee haue any spirituall life and sense in vs this will make vs loath our sinnes that brought our deare Sauiour so much woe and miserie and cause vs heartily to mourne for the same euen as a man would do at the sight of a knife or sword or some such like instrument whereby at vnawares hee hath slaine his child or wife or any that was neere and deare vnto him Especiallie if wee consider that God out of his meere loue gaue his onelie Sonne vnto vs when we deserued nothing at his hands but his heauie curse and vengeance to be executed vpon vs Iohn 3.14 and that the Son of God was content from the aboundance of his loue to bee so abased and vilified so afflicted and tormented for our offences this must needes worke vpon our soules if wee haue but the least drop of goodnesse in vs. But here some man may obiect and say Obiect Indeed if al this had been done for me alone you say wel if my heart were not altogether flinty and vtterly hardened I could not but relent at the consideration hereof but all Gods elect were the cause hereof as well as I. This doth nothing diminish the loue of God and of Christ toward you Answ and therefore it should no whit lessen your good affection towards him for your Sauiour suffered as much for your iniquities as if he had suffered for no mans else for your sinnes alone required an infinite satisfaction Againe Obiect it may be asked how the consideration of Christ his death can make vs mourne sith it is the happiest thing that euer fel out since the foundations of the world were laid and therfore may seeme to bring with it greater matter of ioy then of sorrow The answere hereunto is easie Answ because ioy and sorrow may very wel stand together as may plainly appeare in this similitude If any of vs had committed some notable offence and were thereupon apprehended and condemned and now going to the place of execution there to endure whatsoeuer torture the wit or malice of men could inflict vpon vs and at this instant some deare friend of ours in singular compassion toward vs should intreate that the execution might be staied that we might be set at libertie and hee come in our steed to suffer whatsoeuer our ill deeds haue deserued we could not but be glad that we speede so well in being freed from so much miserie and yet withall if we had but naturall kindnesse and common humanity in vs it could not but grieue our soules that so good a friend of ours should be put surety should be content to sel his lands and goods for the discharge of our debts we had iust cause to reioyce thereat and yet reason requires that wee should be touched with inward griefe for that we had been such bankrouts and prouided so ill for the state of our suertie Euen so the case standeth betwixt Christ and vs he did vndergoe those punishments which were to bee inflicted vpon vs and discharged those debts which otherwise should haue been charged vpon vs in regard of our freedome wee ought to take comfort and in regard of that which our Sauiour did and suffered for vs wee must bee humbled and grieued Which serueth for the great terrour of sundrie gracelesse persons Vse 1 who being rebuked for their sinnes will confesse that indeede they haue their faults and infirmities but did not the Sonne of God die say they to redeeme vs from the same Hee did so indeed if you belong vnto him and wil you crucifie him again by your wretched and sinfull behauiour Did Christ weepe and cry and sweate droppes of blood for sinne and will you make no better vse thereof then to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and to take your swinge in sinning because Christ hath made himselfe an offering for the same You proclaime vnto all the world that you are not led by the Spirit of grace and that you haue not a liuely faith in the merites of the Sonne of God for if you were a true beleeuer you would bee so farre from continuing in sin because Christ hath redeemed you by his blood that you would therefore abhorre it and eschue it because it cost him so deere Euen as one that hath any sparkle of ciuilitie in him if his friend haue endured great tortures to free him from the imputation of treason or haue been at great charges to deliuer him being cast in prison for debt will walke more circumspectly and aduisedlie all the daies of his life and will be so farre from aduenturing vpon those bad courses againe that hee will bee so much more carefull to auoide them by how much more paines and cost his friends haue been at for his redeeming Secondlie Vse 2 let this teach vs to exercise our thoughts often
excellencie I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should find a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily and by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace poured downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruants By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vpon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly be said that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death-they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate Iambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances to wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7.11 Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt 2. Chron. 35. they lamented for him very bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernment of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall be the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sense of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocritall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words wee see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospell and here is shewed 1 First what gift he wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2
of faith setting their heart and hope on him and through him expect to bee heard and relieued whence obserue this doctrine that the Spirit of prayer doth alwaies leade men vnto Christ Iesus It causeth them wholly to go out of themselues Doct. 3 and to offer vp their supplications in The Spirit of prayer doth alwaies direct men vnto Christ Iesus and through their Sauiour and Redeemer This was figured in the sacrifices that were offered vnder the Leuiticall law at which time if any one were polluted by any occasion or otherwise clogged with sins that hee had committed he was to bring his offering vnto the Priest and was to be sprinckled with the bloud thereof which did signifie the bloud of Christ by which all Gods elect were to be cleansed and a reconciliation betwixt God and them was to be procured For this cause Daniel though hee were a man much beloued of God and endued with the Spirit of prayer in a wonderfull measure yet hee desireth the Lord to heare him not for his sake Daniel 9.17 or for his peoples sake but for the Lord Christ Iesus his sake Therfore doth our Sauiour tell his disciples Iohn 16.23 that whatsoeuer they should aske the Father in his name hee would giue it vnto them Now the reason why the Spirit of grace doth alwaies direct vs vnto Christ in our prayers Reason is because it maketh vs see our owne vilenesse and wretchednesse and so consequently that we stand in need of the mediation of Christ Iesus Therefore in the couenant of grace after Gods people haue receiued the holy Ghost Ezech. 36.31 it is said Then shall ye remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthie to haue been destroyed for your iniquities and for your abominations This is the first worke of the Spirit euen to set them downe that they should haue nothing to say for themselues but plainely acknowledge that shame and confusion that destruction and eternall condemnation is due vnto them if the Lord should enter into iudgement with them Now when they are thus abased and humbled in themselues then will they seeke to haue a part in Christ his merits that so both they and their seruices may bee accepted of the Lord through his righteousnesse and through his intercession which hee doth continuallie make for them which serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 and to shew that they are not led by the Spirit because in their prayers they rest not vpon the mediation and intercession of Iesus Christ but ioyne thereunto their owne merits and the merites of the Saints thinking by that meanes to preuaile in their suites and to obtaine their hearts desire Secondly it maketh also for the confutation of a number of ignorant men and women among vs that will bragge of their daily stint of prayers which they runne ouer and how they make no doubt but the Lord will accept of their requests and will grant the same and why because they liue honestlie among their neighbours and doe no bodie any harme and they hope withall that their good words and prayers doe deserue somewhat at Gods hands Alas poore simple people they little consider what it is to make a good praier for if they did they would goe quite out of themselues vnto Christ Iesus and labour for acceptance onely for his sake And as for these prayers which they so much stand vpon if euer it please the Lord to open their eyes and to waken their drowsie consciences they will be so far from thinking that they merite any thing thereby as that they will see great cause to be humbled therfore for that they haue dealt so hypocritically and carnally drawing neere vnto God with their lips when their hearts haue been remooued farre from him Thirdly here is another vse of consolation and of instruction both that if we will haue this testimony vnto our soules that wee pray in the Spirit then when wee haue the most feeling affections and purest desires let vs offer them vp in Christ Iesus let vs not play the Priests our selues as king Vzziah did lest we be smitten with a worse leprocie in our soules then he was in his body but let vs make Christ our high Priest to present our offerings before the Lord. So also when our prayers and thanksgiuings are most imperfect and weake let vs present them through him that so they may find acceptance with God being perfumed by the righteousnesse of his deare sonne Oh Obiect but I cannot striue nor wrestle with God in prayer as others do and as I my selfe haue sometimes done What of that Answ did not Christ Iesus offer vp strong cryes vnto his Father Heb. 5. And for whom shall those he effectuall but for such poore Christians as cannot so feruentlie call vpon God for themselues It is said Hebrewes 12. Heb. 12.14 That the blood of Christ speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Now we can easilie beleeue that Caine was in a dangerous case when the blood of Abel did call for vengeance against him and why should we not as throughly beleeue that they are in an happy case who haue the blood of the son of God to call for redemption and saluation and acceptation of al holy seruices in their behalfe as all true hearted Christians haue The want of this perswasion is the cause why we omit many excellent prayers and thanksgiuings which would bee very pleasing vnto the Lord being offered vp as sweet incense by our high Priest Christ Iesus and therfore let vs labour for an encrease of faith in this point that so God may not be depriued of seruice nor our selues of those comforts and blessings which are promised to all that call vpon him in truth And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him c. In that this great lamentation is set downe as an effect of their beholding of Christ whom by their sinnes they had crucified this doctrine may hence bee gathered that The due consideration of the death of Christ Doct. 4 The consideration of Christ his sufferings is a forcible meanes to godly sorrow is a most forcible meanes to breake the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow There is no such motiue to make men weepe bitterly for their offences as to weigh with themselues in a serious maner that they by their sinnes haue slaine the Lord of life that his bitterest aduersaries were not the causes of that his shamefull and painefull death which hee endured vpon the tree but that they themselues brought him thither Iohn 10.11 and were the procurers of that his bitter passion Christ laid downe his life but for whom euen for his sheep He was cursed that they might be blessed he was was wounded Isaiah 53. that they might bee healed hee suffered disgrace that they might bee brought to glory and endured in
that he is in the generation of the righteous Vers 6. Ye haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore In that the holy Prophet doth lay this vnto wicked mens charge as a hainous crime and as the cause of his strokes that were to bee inflicted vpon them this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning Doct. 3 that Iesting and scoffing at Gods children Mockers are grieuous persecutors Heb. 11. is a grieuous kinde of persecution and such as the Lord take speciall notice of In which regard the Apostle Heb. 11.36 speaking of the wonderfull great trials which sundry of the Saints did by faith vndergoe reckoneth vp this as none of the least of them that they had been tried by mockings In like sort when the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason of the vtter ouerthrow of the kingdome of Iudah and of their long and wofull captiuity he setteth downe this to bee one of the principall causes thereof 2. Chro 36.26 viz. That they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy This kind of persecution Ismael vsed against Isaac as the Apostle witnesseth for which hee was cast out of the Church of God Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 And this was one of the meritorious sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 26. 27. Psal 22. that they spit vpon him and nodded their heads at him and vsed taunting and disgracefull speeches vnto him and put as it were a fooles coate vpon him to disguise him and called him in mockage the King of the Iewes c. This I say was not the least part of his bitter passion through which he purchased eternall saluation for all his elect namely that hee endured much contempt and reproch both in the course of his life and at the time of his death Now the reason why Satan maketh choice of this weapon aboue others therewith to fight against Gods seruants is First Reasons because mans nature is subiect greatly to abhorre contempt and therefore cannot easily endure to bee vilified and disgraced by scoffing and reproachfull speeches and gestures Secondly Note the diuell knoweth that hee can get many souldiers to be employed this way Euery limme of his cannot imprison nor spoile Christians of their goods or of their liues but there are few or none but they can frame scoffes and iests against the members of Christ Iesus Euery boy can quickly grow skilfull at this as we see in Ismael 2 King 2. and in the two and fortie children that were torne in peeces of two beares for their mocking of the Prophet Elisha the very scumme of the people the vagabonds and rogues that run vp and downe the country can doe their master the diuel good seruice this way those that were the children of fooles and the children of villaines Iob. 30.8.9 as Iob speaketh who were more vile then the earth it selfe could make Iob their song and their talke Psal 69.12 Psal 35. and in like sort did the drunkards and pot companions deale with Dauid and the theefe vpon the crosse with our Sauiour Mat. 27.44 euen at that time when the fierce wrath of God was manifested vpon his body hanging on the crosse for that hee had been a notorious and hainous malefactor First Vse 1 this doctrine must teach vs to beware of deriding and taunting at good men for taking of good waies lest by so doing we become persecutors and bee proceeded against as enemies vnto God and his people It is not so safe for vs as many take it to be to exercise our selues in such kind of scoffing he is commonly held to be a sillie fellow that cannot gird at a Minister and at such as vsually resort vnto Sermons But let vs take heed of such nipping and biting speeches as tend to the defaming of any of Gods seruants or seruices lest we be cast out from hauing any communion and fellowship with God as scoffing Ismael was and be exposed to such plagues and punishments as the wicked Iewes were who mocked the messengers of God and reuiled our blessed Sauiour in such an opprobrious and disgracefull manner as the Scriptures doe record Secondly Vse 2 for as much as contemptuous and reprochfull scoffes and girds are such weapons as Satan putteth into the hands of his instruments let vs prepare for them and arme our selues against them Christs Disciples must not looke to be aboue their Master if wicked sinners reuiled and derided him wee must not imagine to escape their virulent and venemous tongues and therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs Heb. 13.12.13 that seeing he hath borne our reproch wee should beare his and for the ioy that is laid before vs Heb. 12.2 endure the crosse and despise the shame and so at length wee shall receiue the crowne of glory which is prepared for all those that in patience doe waite for his glorious appearing Now that wee may bee better inabled to beare these taunts and reproches How we may be inabled to beare contempt 1. Labour against pride let vs take this direction following 1. First labour against that inbred pride that is naturally in euery one of our hearts which maketh vs vtterly vnable to vndergoe disgrace therfore was it that though many of the chiefe rulers of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet they durst not confesse him because of the Pharisies who would haue excommunicated them and disgraced them to the vttermost and the reason is rendred in that place viz. That they loued the praise of men Ioh. 12.43 more then the praise of God they stood vpon their carnall credit and reputation among their neighbors and countrimen more then vpon that true credit and estimation which they might haue had with the Lord and his children and therefore was it that they were so loth to expose themselues for Christ his sake vnto the shame of the world whereas if they had had humble and lowly hearts they would haue denied themselues in their estimation among men and haue taken vp the reproach of Christ as an honourable crowne let this therefore bee our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly Consider what scoffers are to the intent that wee may more patiently endure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers bee viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed Sauiour Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage Obiect of great wit and learning that do mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Grant that they be great men in all the former respects Answ yet if they bee wicked and vngodly the holy Ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so
hainous crimes he must openly exclaime against their ill courses and as the trumpet spares none but wakens all both great and small so must hee deale letting euery one heare of his faults of what state and condition soeuer This was also laid vpon Timothie 1. Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare saith the Apostle and it was practised by our Sauiour who seeing that the Scribes and Pharisies made more account of their owne traditions then of Gods commandements and that they sought themselues in ambition and filthy lucre he doth sharpely and openly reproue them Matth. 23. and disgrace them and pronounce woes and curses against them The like doth Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. calling them a generation of Vipers and Paul meeting with Ananias a notorious hypocrite who commanded him to be smitten on the face for the disgrace of his person and of his cause Act. 23.3 hee boldly sets vpon him saying God will smite thee thou painted wall Now the reason why publike offences should haue open rebuke is First that others hearing it Reasons 1 may bee terrified from the same and so such sinnes may be lesse infections according to the place before alleaged Them that sinne rebuke openly 1. Tim. 5.20 that the rest may feare and so consequently bee restrained from the like courses Secondly that if it be possible the parties offending may be conuerted according to that of the Apostle The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts Tit. 1.12.13 slow bellies wherefore reproue them sharpely that they may bee found in the faith For when men are set vpon the stage and exposed to open shame they will take it to heart and if any thing will worke vpon them for their reformation this will and if they proue incorrigible notwithstanding this yet this benefit will come of it that they shall bee more inexcuseable in the day of the Lord in that they heard their sins so much disgraced and the vengeance of God denounced against the same and yet would not breake off the practise of them by sound repentance Thirdly it makes greatly for the glory of God when hee executeth his iudgements vpon them in this world for those that haue heard their grosse and hainous offences inueighed against and withall are witnesses of their wilfull continuance therein they cannot but in their consciences iustifie the Lord in his proceeding against them That was it especially that caused Dauid to shame himselfe publikely after that hee had committed adultery and murther that God might bee pure when hee iudged Psal 51.4 Otherwise men might haue thought the Lord too seuere in inflicting such punishments vpon him as afterwards he tasted of Here then in the first place is an instruction for Ministers Vse 1 and such as haue cause and calling to deale with offenders that they suffer not their mouthes to be shut by reason of the multitude or greatnesse of the persons that are faulty but according to the nature of the offence so to apply their reproofes accordingly if they dishonour God openly let them heare of it openly and if they will set their sinnes vpon the stage let vs set their shame there also that those that are witnesses of the one may be also witnesses of the other otherwise we shall be iniurious vnto God and vnto men vnto the offenders and vnto our selues because their blood shall bee required at our hands Therfore let vs carefully looke vnto this duty and the more opposition we finde against the performance thereof the more let vs pray for strength and courage to go through with the same knowing that it is a great deale better that men should be offended with vs for doing our duty then that God should plague vs for omitting our duty Steuen knew that most of those vnto whom hee was to speake would not take a reproofe at his hands yet he saw that he had a calling to giue it Acts 7. and they had need of it and therfore he tels them roundly of their faults saying Ye stifnecked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe you c. Indeed hereupon they gnashed their teeth at him and stopped their eares that they might not heare him and so running vpon him with great violence and outrage stoned him to death but what lost hee by that hee parted with a fraile and miserable life and went presently to enioy an euerlasting and most blessed kingdome in the heauens Let vs therefore be resolute and couragious as he was and neuer feare the faces of mortall men knowing that there is no greater danger then for a man to neglect his duty nor greater comfort then to performe it though it bee the losse of his life Secondly is it so that open sinnes must haue open rebuke hence then let vs learne that if wee would not haue Gods Minister to lay open our shame before the congregation wee must take heed of grosse and foule and scandalous offences For if we liue in continuall swearing or Sabbath-breaking or brawling or whoring or stealing or any the like inordinate courses so that by our ill conuersation we cause Gods glorious name to be ill spoken of wee must looke to heare of it to our iust disgrace and if wee set light by Gods glory there is no reason that his seruants should make any reckoning of our credit Let men therefore be carefull to auoide publike euils or else prepare themselues for publike rebukes which are the best medicines for the recouering of their sicke and sinfull soules 8. Now goe and write it before them in a booke that that it may bee for the last day for euer and euer Hence ariseth this doctrine that That testimony shall abide with euery man Doct. 2 Gods testimony is euerlasting which God giueth him in his word Looke what the Lord saith of any one that shal stand firme and tarrie with him till death yea after death euen for euer and euer As here the Prophet Isaiah from the Lords mouth chargeth these cowardly Iewes to bee dissemblers and rebels this hath stood in record against them many hundred yeares and doth still their names are not yet healed nor euer shall be but all that liued and died in their impenitency shall haue their shame encreased in the day of the Lord and that shall tarrie with them for euermore This is also euident in the Scribes and Pharisies who though they carried away all the praise and commendation among men our Sauiour doth disgrace to the vttermost calling them painted sepulchres Mat. 23. that had faire outsides but within were full of corruption and withal denouncing many curses and woes against them now who are more odious then they what name of greater infamie among men then the name of Pharisee and what is the reason hereof surely this the word of God doth disgrace such kind of people and therefore it stickes so
men into straits neither will God spare his owne people when they take libertie in prouoking his maiestie but either they shall be straited in their owne hearts or else in regard of outward calamities or both and though the Lord will not condemne them yet will he afflict them Iehoshaphat was so foolish that he would make affinitie with Ahab and lest he should breake off that league of friendship that was betweene them he would aduenture contrary to the expresse word of the Lord to goe against Ramoth Gilead to battle with him now was not he in an exceeding great straight when the maine force of the battle was bent against him being supposed to be the King of Israel concerning whom a command was giuen to the Captaines by the King of Aram 1. King 22.31.32 that they should fight against none neither small nor great but onely against the King of Israel Yet would not Iehoshaphat take warning by this but after that he had beene rebuked by Iehu the Prophet 2. King 3. for helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord he yet ioyned with Iehoram the King of Israel against the King of Moab but was his successe any better then before No surely for howsoeuer they had the victorie ouer the Moabites with much difficultie yet before that was effected he was in a greater straight then when he went against Ramoth Gilead for there his owne person onely was endangerd but heere both he and his people together with two Kings and their armies besides were like to perish for want of water A further proofe of this point we haue in Ionah who discoursing with his owne reason thought it would be to no purpose but very dangerous for him to goe to preach at Niniue and therefore refused to yeeld to the Commandement of the Lord. But what wofull distresse did this disobedience bring him into when being in that sore tempest the sea did roare his conscience accuse him men were against him God was against him and there was no way for him but to be throwne into the sea and there to remaine three daies and three nights in the belly of a whale Iudges 16. The like may be seene in Sampson who being carried with boisterous lusts and immoderately and sinfully affecting that vile strumpet Dalilah could hide nothing from her but discouered vnto her very foolishly wherein his great strength lay namely in his haire and so that being cut off as a recompence of his folly and sinfull dealing he was betraied into the hands of his most deadly enemies the Philistims who puld out both his eyes bound him in fetters made him grinde in the prison house and besides made him a laughing stocke vnto those into whom he had formerly stricken a great terrour and amazement by his admirable valour and the strange enterprises atchieued by him Thus we may in part perceiue into what narrow straits sinne doth bring Gods owne children but this is especially verified in wicked men of whom it is said Psou 22.5 that thornes and snares are in the way of the froward they are hedged in with thornes and all their walke is vpon brakes they run to hell with great vexation they are intangled in snares continually and are neuer out of them they are caught in Sathans net and held fast by hardnesse of heart which neuer leaues them till either conuersion or vtter confusion doe befall them But this will more fully appeare in particular sinnes as first to giue instance in drunkards whose appetite doth prouoke them vnto that beastly abuse of Gods good creatures the wine delights their eye and pleaseth their taste and goeth downe merily Pro. 23.32.29.30 but in the end it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a cockatrice for to whom is woe to whom is sorrow c. Euer to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine for they ruinate and ouerthrow their estate they blemish and staine their names make their wiues to fall out with them their children to contemne them their companions to quarrell with them their best friends to loath them and after all this they are a burden vnto themselues hauing their wittes crackt and their bodies diseased and beeing fit for no place but onely for hell The same may be said of proud men doth not their sinne throwe them into great miserie Let vs consider a little of Hamans fall which was procured by his insolencie God knewe what crosse would most vexe his proud heart and that he sent him for whereas all Hamans honour could doe him no good vnlesse Mordecai would rise vp before him and doe him reuerence that was a thorne vnto him when hee could not make him doe it but when hee must honour Mordecai and be as a seruant vnto him that was a snare vnto his soule and therein was hee helde fast with horrible vexation and monstrous shame till death and damnation seazed vpon him The like may bee seene in riotous and voluptuous persons who are whollie addicted to followe sporting and gaming and surfetting and chambering and wantonnesse with such like sinfull delights of the flesh the world thinks that such liue a merrie life but iudge not too well of them they haue not paid all their shot as yet they haue miserie enough behinde that still pursues them and at length will ouertake them for hee that loues pastime shall be a poore man and hee that loues wine and oyle shall not bee rich Pron 21.17 and a Whore will bring a man to a morsell of bread pouertie shall followe at the heeles of such Prou. 6.26 as a swift Post and shall set vpon them as a strong armed man they shall be ouercome and vanquished and downe shall their estate goe euen to the ground Another instance may be in couetous persons who haue wealth in wonderfull admiration so that it is made the common god and most vsuall Idoll of the world and when they haue gotten it they and manie others thinke they shall haue great credit with it and manie times it so falls out that they are men of great place because they are of great substance they haue manie to attend vpon them manie to flatter them and to crouch vnto them and by their riches they may procure almost what they list doth not this now seeme to be an easie a pleasant and happy life Yet the Apostle telleth vs 1. Tim. 6.19 that they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction so that when wealth together with the loue of it flowes in on euery side men are as it were cast headlong into a sea of miserie and therefore it is added that the desire of mony is the roote of all euill for it doth not onely poyson mens hearts make them erre from the faith and bring them into the snares of the diuell to be
lead by him according to his will but it pearseth them thorow with many sorrowes for greedy wordlings are euer disconted and froward falling out with one and chafing with another so that those things which seeme to glad their hearts doe not indeed bring them any sound contentment because their desires can neuer be satisfied but especially because they are often times much crossed as when their sheepe or cattle miscarry their grounds prooue vnfruitfull their seruants vntrusty theeues set vpon them by violence to spoile them of their goods or subtill aduersaries by craft seeke to defraud them of the same with many such like occurrences which will neither let them rest quietly in the night nor liue comfortably in the day and the hearts of such couetous persons can tell them that manie times all other things doe them no good sithence they cannot haue some one thing which they would as the case stood with wicked Ahab in the matter of Naboths vineyard But suppose that these and the like sinnes should not bring men into snares in their life time yet at the time of their death when they must goe out of the world they will Iob. 27.8 for what hope hath the hypocrite when God shall take away his life though he haue heaped vp riches as the dust yet when God shall vnsheath his soule and put it violently from his body as a rustie sword out of the scabberd what good will all his substance doe him then It was his hope while he liued that he should still get more wealth but when death sets vpon him he is past that hope and for better hopes he hath none and therefore must needs be full of woe and full of perplexitie Then though he call vpon God he will not answer Pro. 1. â—6 8 and though he seeke him early he shall not finde him but God will laugh at his destruction and mocke when his feare commeth Because God called and he refused he stretched out his hand and he would not regard therefore when he crieth the Lord will shut out his prayer But set the case they be not in such perplexitie at the time of their death but that they die securely and goe suddenly downe to the graue as senslesse blocks or stones yet must they come before the iudgement seat of Christ and then they shall be paid home for all Ordinarily they meet with extremitie of anguish while they liue or when they die but if they doe not they shall not misse of it when they appeare before the Iudge of heauen and earth Rom. 2. but tribulation and anguish shal be vpon euery soule that hath offended of what estate and degree soeuer he hath beene Then their distresse and honour shall be such that when they arise out of their graues they shall wish to returne thither againe yea they shall desire that the mountaines and rockes might fall vpon them couer them from him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then they would thinke no paines nor torment too much so they might perish euerlastingly they could rather desire that an huge rocke or great mountaine might crush them in peeces and that they might perish as beasts than to appeare before Christ Iesus to receiue that fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed c This is the proper wages of sinne and of disobedience against the Lord it castes the committers of it into a wofull Labyrinth of distresses and miseries and good reason is there that it should be so because otherwise the hatefulnes of it and the hatred of God against it would not cleerely appeare so men would like better of the broad way than of the narrow and chuse to be rebells against the Lord rather than obedient subiects vnto him euen the best would doe this as well as the worst Which serueth First Vse 1 for instruction that we should beware of all kinds of sinne and consider what will come of it before we presume to rush vpoÌ„ it let vs looke before we leape lest afterwards we repent vs when it is too late Sinne will make goodly shewes of delight and preferment and commoditie that it will bring vnto vs that if we will giue entertainement thereunto it will neuer be a meanes of any disgrace vnto vs but will hide it selfe from the view of the world But what doth the Lord say of it Doth not he tell vs that it will breake out and flie abroad at length The adulterer would haue his wretched pleasure but not the iust reproach of his filthinesse But what saith Iob Iob. 31.3 Are there not strange punishments for such workers of iniquitie And though they may hide it from the eyes of men Verse 4. doth not God behold their waies and tell all their steps If Adam and Eue had considered what mischiefe would haue ensued on their eating of the forbidden fruit they would neuer haue tasted thereof but when they would beleeue the serpent rather then God did not they and shall not their posteritie for euer smart for it The Prophet Micaiah bid Ahab take heede of his iourney to Ramoth Gilead yet he would haue his owne minde let the prophet say what he would but when the arrow was shot into his side then he saw that Micaiahs counsell had beene worth the following but then it was too late and such is the folly and madnesse of most men they must haue their owne wils and their owne waies and will neuer hearken to those instructions that are giuen them either by God or by godly men till miserie haue ouerwhelmed their soules and they be past recouerie But let their follie teach vs to be wiser and let vs take heede of Sathans baites and of his sugred poyson Math. 4. he will make vs profers as he did vnto our Sauiour of maruellous great honour and pleasure and gaine that may be gotten by such and such sinfull courses but let vs neuer giue credit vnto him Iohn 8. for he is a lyar from the beginning but Secondly Vse 2 if we haue harkned too far vnto him already and haue fallen by our iniquitie let vs withall possible speede get out of that which holds vs in bondage and wrappeth vs in miserie and chaineth vs in many sorrowes and calamities let vs get sound repentance for it and striue for a reformation of it let not sinne keepe possession in vs and then iudgements shall not long continue vpon vs He that hath committed any grosse sinne is as it were a prisoner according to that of Salomon Prou. 5.22 His owne wickednesse shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne There is a iudiciall proceeding against him sinne commeth as an officer and chargeth the partie to stand then it apprehendeth him and bindeth him hand and foot as a malefactor it spareth not the mightiest Monarch in the world that is found guiltie before the Lord after there is a
wisedome that will not submit themselues to be admonished and ordered by the Lord so are they also which are vnwilling to come vnder Gods correcting hand which is indeed of al other most desireable And because the present occasion requireth it it will not be amisse to shew that the pestilence wherewith the Lord hath now visited this Nation is a fauourable and gentle correction and that this sword of the Lord is nothing so terrible as the sword of man would be if he should cause that to be drawne out against vs and that for these reasons First Reasons why the pestilence is a more fauorable stroke then the sword because heerein we may more immediately and cleerely behold Gods hand which is a meanes to draw vs to more speedy and earnest humiliation whereas if we were pursued by the sword of men we should be more distracted sometimes with feares of and greefe for the enemies violence sometimes with hopes either of mercy-from them or of aid from others all which do either vtterly withdraw vs from or much hinder vs in the worke of humiliation Secondly in the time of the pestilence the aduersaries of Religion haue not such matter of insultation as when warres are hote in the Land for then they would triumph in this or the like manner Now these forward men shall pay for it downe they shall all the sorte of them they were wont to brag that God would be their buckler and their shield their refuge and their strong tower of defence but what will become of them now thus would they insult ouer Gods chosen in the time of warre but in the time of this sicknes they themselues are exceedingly afraid euen at their wits ende knowing that hell and destruction gape for them whensoeuer death taketh hold of them whereas Christians are quiet and full of peace ioy in the holy Ghost knowing that if they die they shall go from earth to heauen from a place of miserie to a palace of glorie Thirdly this is a maruellous great mercie that there doth still remaine the face of a Church that the Gospell is preached the Sacraments administred the profession of the truth openly maintained whereas if there were a forraine inuasion or a ciuill mutinie insurrection the vsuall course of the minsterie and of the exercises of religion would be stopped which now is not onely tollerated but commanded Besides now there is a continuance of the state of the common-wealth Lamen 5. whereas when the sword rageth in a land the face of the honourable is not respected the Magistrates authoritie is reckoned a matter of nothing and all lawes must giue place to the wills of violent men Againe in the times of warre there is an vtter subuersion of all meanes of maintenance and comfort we cannot enioy our possessions nor dwell in our houses nor reape the fruits of our labours which now through Gods mercie is farre otherwise And as for our estate so euen for our liues and for our soules the case is better with vs in the time of pestilence then in the time of warres for then all our families wiues children seruants and all may bee barbarously slaine or worse vsed before our eyes or we before theirs and if not so yet they must be left to Idolaters and in danger to be vassalls of sinne and Sathan but now if death come it is nothing so lamentable if life bee graunted it is nothing so dangerous for though we be taken away yet our friends shall remaine with the Saints seruants of God and they that haue bene our Christian frieÌ„ds will be theirs at least there is very great hope of their happinesse both here and hereafter in regard of that liberty of the Gospell which through Gods goodnes is still maintained And therefore great cause haue wee to magnifie the name of God that when our late gracious Queene was taken away the Land must needs bee exercised with some heauie stroke or other that hee then miraculouslie deliuered vs from the violence of the sword of man and smote our Nation with his owne sword Now when this is said to bee a fauourable stroke we must vnderstand that it is so only vnto Gods children not to the wicked concerning whose departure out of this world it is saide that Hell followeth death If they bee not reconciled vnto God but liue and die in their sinnes Reuel 6.8 their case is fearefull And therefore is it a iust hand of God vpon impenitent sinners that they should bee horriblie afraid of that sicknes No sinne nor Sathan himselfe is so much feared of them as the pestilence nay nor Gods wrath it selfe and therefore they care not what foule sinne they commit whereby they are sure to incurre the Lords displeasure so their bodies may escape this plague of God But suppose they doe escape it if they be as full of impiety and iniustice and impurity as they were wont to be the Lord hath seuen times greater plagues behinde Leâ—it 26. and his reuenging hand will be stretched out against them still Therefore let them labour to make a good vse of this to humble themselues and turne from their euill wayes otherwise assuredly some greater punishment will light on their soules or bodies or both Verse 15. The time allotted being welneere speÌ„t the points following were but briefly touched So the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel c. and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seuenty thousand men Yee heard the cause of this before to wit because Dauid partly through pride and partly through vaine confidence had numbred the people whence this point may be gathered that Doct. 3 God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes Dauid was lifted vp Gods punishments are auswerable to mens sinnes Ioel. 1.5 because hee had so many strong and valient men therefore doth God lessen the number of them So Ioel 1.5 it is said Weepe howle ye drinkers of wine for the new wine shal be pulled from your mouth This was a most iust correction that they should be punished with scarcitie of drinke seeing they had before time so wretchedly abused the same In like sort doth the Lord meete with proud men turning their glory into shame as wee may obserue in Tyrus Isa 23.8 where the question is made Isa 23. Who hath decreed this against Tyrus that crowneth men whose Merchants are Princes whose Chapmen are the Nobles of the world And the answere is made vers 9. The Lord of Hosts hath decreed this to staine the pride of all glorie and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth So for couetous men they are many times brought to beggarie according to that of the wise man Hee that maketh hast to be rich Prou. shall surely come to pouertie Albeit they vse wonderfull diligence and be exceeding painfull and haue an excellent capacitie and a deepe reach for worldly things