and that corruption that is euer present with vs is to vs a captiuitie For it keepeth vs from doing the good we would and causeth vs to doe the euill wee would not this the Apostle affirmed when hee said I find a law in my members Rom. 7.23 rebelling against the law of my mind and leading mee captine to the law of sinne This will prooue a dangerous captiuitie if wee doe not take heed of it if once we suffer the slesh to get the mastrie if wee doe not wrestle against her and resist her intisements at first like Eue shee will inuite vs to the forbidden apple with Putiphars wise shee striues to intise vs to lustfull pleasures but in the end shee will serue vs as Iahel did Sisara deceiue vs with false loue but in the end kill vs And as Dalila did Samson flatteringly let vs sleepe vpon her knees vntill shee hath shauen our locks bereft vs of all goodnesse and then giue vs ouer to our enemies the Philistimes the Deuill and his instruments who will put out the eyes of our vnderstanding and chaine vs fast with fetters of death Therefore it behooues vs Cor. 9.27 with the Apostle Paul to keepe under our body and to bring it into subiection and in this conflict betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit we must still pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Againe when by continuance in sinne man is not onely intrapt in the snares but also fast settered in the chaines of Satan so that hee is ruled at his pleasure and gouerned at his will This is a * Grauis quidem est caâ—tiuit as cor poralis quâ—â—ure liberlaâ— is a misso vâ—ct ram 〈◊〉 natur subditur 〈◊〉 caâ—timtas quam insâ—â—x c. Hillâ—r in â— c. Is 46.2 â— Tim. 2.25 26. dolefull and wofull captiuitie when not onely the body but the soule is thus captiuated to the Deuill Therefore the Lord meaneth not so much the Babylonish Idols as the Babylonians themselues when hee saith They are bowed downe and their soule is gone into captiuitie For this cause the Apostle aduiseth Timothy to instruct those that oppose the Truth that they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the Deuill who are taken captiue by him to doe his will But now sith the regenerate as well as the reprobate are still captiues to sinne For as the wicked are taken captiues by Satan to doe his will so the godly are led captiues to the Law of the sinne They may seeme both to bee in the like predicament and both their cases wofull and desperate ☞ I answere It is one thing to bee kept captiues in the snares of Satan and another thing to be carried captiue to the Law of sinne The former is meant of that voluntarie bondage whereby the wicked doe willingly mancipate and subiect themselues to Satan to worke all uncleannesse euen with greedinesse Epâ— 4.19 Vâ—câ—oriam non 〈◊〉 obtinet carosed in inuitum 〈◊〉 licet aâ—iquaâ—do à lege pâ—ceati captiuentuâ— nunquam tamen sine contra dictione Rom. 3. Paraeus in Rom. 7. But the Apostle complaynes that forcibly against his will yea he striuing against hee is carried captiue to sinne like a captiue who by sorce is haled by the enemie into seruitude whereas it is not so with the wicked for they willingly and of their owne accord run into all kind of villany without any wresiling against it or resistance Veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem Their feete are swifi to shed blood saith Paul Besides the godly haue a sight of their errors secle their insirmities know their owne weaknesse and knowing it doe wrestle and striue against it But the Deuill blinds the eyes of the wicked that seeing they doe not sâ—e so that they become past seeling and hauing their under standing darkned ☜ they are alienated from the life of God through the ignoranee that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Eph 4.18 Now the only way to shun and auoid this captiuitie is with our spirituall armour to arme our selues that thereby wee may cast downe imaginations and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. 2. Cor. 10.5 Wee must not giue our selues to lustfull pleasures For this captiuitie saith one was adumbrated and shadowed out in Samson for the Philistims had not put out Samsons eyes ☜ had he not slept before vpon Dalilahs knees Hector Pintus in Ezek. cap. 1â— So the enemie shall not blind vs nor fast binde vs in fetters vâ—lâ—sse we be besotted in wantonnesse And what would saith he the holy Scripture intimâ— e vnto vs by Nobuchadonosors putting out of Zedekiahs eyes binding him in chaines and carrying him to Babel but that the Deuil doth blind all those that are wholly addicted to voluptuousnesse and carries them captiues to their confusion Now to conclude this point whensoeuer wee are in captiuitie whether it bee of the body to man or of the mind to sinne whether it proceed as the Iewes did ex cordis ignorantia from want of vnderstanding For my people are gone into captiuitie for want of knowledge saith the Lord or whether it be ex carnis insolentia of the vnrulinesse of the flesh rebelling against the spirit or whether it come from the cruelâ—ie and subtiltie of the Deuill Here is out last refuge to crie and call vnto God with the Psalmist O Lord bring againe our captiuitie There is bona mala captiuitas a good and an euill captiuitie saith Chrysostome You haue heard now the seuerall kindes of the worst captiuities Now againe on the other part that subiection of Sinne and Satan purchased to vs by that great Conquerour our Sauiour Christ may bee called a captiuitie For hee hath taken away the captiuitie of the mightie and deliuered the prey of the Tyrant If. 49.25 and contended with them that contended with vs and saued his Children The Deuill like a strong man armed Luke 11.21 22. Reuel 13.10 kept vs captiues vntill Christ that was stronger then hee set vs at libertie so that as the Deuill led into captiuitie so he is gone into captiuitie O blessed victorie O happy captiuitie That wee may now say with the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy Victerie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thanks bee vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. But thou wilt say How is Satan captiuated Quest. when as the Apostle tells vs ☞ that wee must still wrestle and combate with him Epb. 6. 1. Pet. 5. And the Apostle Peter saith that hee still goâ—th about like a roaring Lion seeking whom hee may deuour I answere Answ Christ hath trodden vnder soot his power and might Christus dâ—monum destruâ—it potentiam interim circumeunt
glad for the Spirituall blessings then for any temporall benefits wee receiued by the like deliuerance Many were the blessings the Lord conferred vpon vs when hee deliuered vs from that tragicall Conspiracie but these were the principall the Church was not subuerted our gracious Prince the Churches Head vnder Christ and his royall Progenie was not destroyed nor the light of the Gospell extinguished And these should giue vs iust occasion to reioyce First with the Iewes Wee must preferre Ierusalem to our y Psal 137. chiefe ioy Then with Mephibosheth wee ought to preferre our Masters safetie reioycing that our Lord the King is come home in peace And thirdly Heere with the Iewes z 2. Sâ—â— 19.30 wee should make great ioy that wee haue the Law and the Leuites still amongst vs. Thus must we reioyce after this sort must wee exercise our selues at all such times but not giue our selues wholly ouer to delicacie and Musicke as the Israelites did in Amos a Amos 6.4 5 6 time nor yet spend the day in drunkennesse and wantonnesse as the Iewes did in Isaiahs b Is 5.11.12 time For they had the violl harpe timbrell pipe and wine in their feasts but they regarded not the worke of the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands But may wee not at such time vse lawfull sports Quest and exercise our selues in honest recreations Yea For first these pleasures of the bodie and mind which are of good report are indifferent if modestly vsed Answ Secondly honest exercise doth much relieue the debilitie of nature and doth quicken the dull spirits which else would be depressed and ouerladen with immoderate labour Yet in the vse of these lawfull pleasures some cautions must be obserued First they must be iust and lawfull ☜ Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are worthie loue whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are of good report of there bee any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on c Phil. 4.8 these things sayth the Apostle Secondly wee must take heed weâ— offend not thereby our weake d 1. Cor. 8. brother though in themselues they be f Rom. 14.15 21. indifferent yet must wee abstaine from the vse of things indifferent if they giue any offence to the weake Thirdly lawfull recreations must bee at seasonable times Vpon the Sabbath we must not doe our owne will it is the Lords day and wee must consecrate it as glorious to the Lord in honoring him not doing our owne wayes nor seeking our owne will nor speaking a vaine g Is 58.13 word Lastly wee must not exceede but wee must keepe a moderation in the vsing of these lawfull pleasures for he that reioyceth must bee as though he reioyced h 1. Cor. 7.30 not Wee must vse them as Ionathan tasted the honie onely for his necessarie i 1. Sam. 14.27 refreshment and as Timothie was to drinke wine onely a little to preserue his health and to relieue the debilitie k 1. Tim. 5.23 of nature and like Gideons Souldiers wee must onely but lap with the l Iudges 7.6 tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not drinke a full draught of them otherwise wee prooue our selues to be of the number of those who are called louers of pleasure more then louers of m 2. Tim. 3.4 God Now if wee obserue the words some what narrowly it must not be omitted Facti sumus laetantes non laetati sumus Quisacit beneficium facit gaud um qui â—os libâ—râ—t cosdem laetisicat Hugo Card. in locum that the vulgar Latine hath it Wee were made glad and not wee reioyced Because as Hugo sayth Hee that bestowes the blessing giues also grace to reioyce in the blessing and hee that deliuers vs doth also cause vs reioyce in our deliuerie From whence wee gather that God is the onely Author of all true ioy and he alone doth comfort vs after all our troubles It is he that changeth our griefe into gladnesse our mourning into mirth and that wipes away all teares from our eyes and crownes vs with euerlasting ioy which no man can take from vs. And therefore Dauid being troubled in soule and grieued in mind prayes thus vnto the Lord Make mee to beare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce But thou wilt now aske mee Quest. how thou mayest know that ioy that comes from the Lord from all other ioy I answere First Answ by the antecedent signes as first true humiliation for as God giueth grace to none but to the lowly so hee giueth ioy to none but to the humble and as darkenesse was before light so there must be first true contrition and then will follow true consolation Secondly it proceeds from a liuely hope for wee reioyce vnder n â—om 12.12 hope as the hope that Abraham had of Christs Incarnation caused him exceedingly to reioyce for mans saluation Againe it is knowen by the concomitants as first righteousnesse of life For the kingdome of God is not in meat and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy o Rom. 14.17 Ghost Then it is alwaies accompanied with these two associats First A holy feare serue the Lord in feare sayth Dauid and reioyce before him with p Psal 2.11 trembling Secondly A quiet conscience and so the Apostle Paul reioyced for the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse hee had his conuersation in the q 2. Cor. 1.12 world Thirdly it may be knowne by the consequents or effects First Patience in aduersitie Wee reioyce sayth Paul in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth r 2. Cor. 6.10 Rom. 5.3 patience Secondly it causeth vs to vilipend and vnder-value all other ioy God forbid sayth the Apostle that I should glorie or reioyce in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ. Now if the Lord hath giuen thee grace to bee truely humbled for thy sinnes and hath giuen thee a liuely hope in the death of his Sonne and withall hath endued thee with a holy feare if thy conscience bee at peace with God if thou be patient in aduersitie and if you contemne all earthly and worldly ioy and yet inwardly thou art glad and ioyfull assure thy selse that that ioy that gladnesse proceeds of the Lord and all such may say here with the faithfull wee are made glad To conclude Lorinus sayth Wee are comforted or made glad as hauing forgotten their former troubles Quasi â—â—iorum obliti maâ—rum Lorin in locum so that the Iewes being now as it were rauished with their present felicitie and jocunditie Magnificauit magnificauit non â—emâ—è conâ—â—â—â—ur hâ—c duplicatin sed vâ— osteâ—deret magnam quam coeperunt Letitiam Chrysan locum they altogether forget their former woe and miserie Certainely they were greatly ioyed and great was
ectablish him with his free n Psal 51.12 Spirit And witnesse our Sauiour vpon the crosse when his Diuinitie did for a season obscure it selfe from his Humanitie Hee feeling the weightie burden of mans sinnes his Fathers wrath against sinne and the pangs of death for sinne cryed out My God my God why hact thou forsaken o Maâ—t 27.46 â—ee You see now how the Saints of God are certayne to be exercised both with afflictions internall and externall as the Apostle saith without with fights within with p 2. Cor. 7.5 feares For the godly without are beset and troubled with want banishment persecution punishments but they are vexed and grieued within with more grieuous afflictions when the soule and spirit doth wrestle with Gods anger and when the mind is troubled and the heart conceiues most sad and fearefull thoughts as if they were forsaken and cast away and therefore Dauid hauing tasted of this desertion in great sorrow and anguish of soule powres out this lamentable complaint crying vnto the Lord How long wilt thou forget me Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee How long shall I take counsell in my soule hauing sorrow in my bea rt daily How long shall mine enemies be exalted ouer me consider and heare me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes lect I sleepe the sleepe of q Psa 13.1 2 3. death Thus farre for internall afflictions now as for out ward tribulations we may assure our selues whilefl wee liue in this valley of r Psal 84.6 teares that wee must sowe in teares Afflictions will come vpon vs as the messengers of euill newes to Iob one at the heeles of another and one tribulation will follow vpon another as the Beare came after the Lion and Goliah after the Beare vpon Dauid For all that lute godly in Christ lesw must suffer Å¿ 2. Tim. 3. The reason why God afflicts vs. persecution Now if any should demand why God suffers his Children thus to be afflicted I answere That amongst many reasons wee may obserue these First 1. Ad prclendum To trie vs and proue vs for as pepper or any fell spice doth shew it felnesse when it is bruised and beate in a Morter euen so Gods children doe most manifestly declare their zeale when they are bruised or beate in the Morter of affliction Thus it pleased God to trie his seruants Ioseph and Iob. Secondly 2. Ad pargandum To purge from vs the drosse and dregs of sinne the siluer must bee in the fining pot before it * 〈◊〉 17.3 bee pure and the gold must passe through the furnace before it be perfect So must the Lord fine and purifie vs before we be vpright The godly are sometimes compared vnto Seed Anima fidelis prougone indâ—get 〈◊〉 ne producat malash ba. is 〈◊〉 mollâ—atar â—â—â—iesne 〈◊〉 Chrys iâ— locum and sometimes to Trees Now wee know that the Wheat must be fanned before it be cleane and the Trees must be pruned if wee would haue them fruitfull So the Lord with the fanne of afflictions must blow away from vs the chaffe of our sinnes before we be cleane and with the shredding knife of tribulation prune vs before we be fruitfull with afflictions he will plow vp the earth of our hearts and roote out the Weeds and Thistles that it may bring forth good seed Thirdly 3. Ad confirmindum To strengthen vs in the faith and confirme vs in our calling So long as we are in prosperitie we are apt to forget God to neglect our profession and to fall into most grieuous sinnes but when we taste of aduersitie wee call vpon God cleaue fast to our Calling and feare to offend As for example Dauid when hee was free from troubles walking securely vpon the top of his house and wanting nothing which his heart could wish he falls into one most grieuous sinne after another Bat when the Lord strikes him with his rod then hee falls to meditate vpon his Word to take heed to his wayes and to walke after his Lawes Thus much hee confesseth before saith hee I was afflicted I went a stray but now I keepe thy u Psal 119.67 71. Lawes Fourthly To confirme and make vs like vnto our Sauiour For as he bare his crosse 4. Ad conformaâ—dum so should we take vp our crosse and follow x Matth. 16. him For he hath suffered for vs leaning vs an example that we should follow his y 1 Pet. 1.21 steps For it is a true saying if we be dead with him we shall also â—â—ue with him and if wee suffer with him wee shall also reigne with z 2. Tim. 2.11 him Finally They serue to turne vs home vnto the Lord for whilst wee are in prosperitie wee play our parts like Ioab who would not come to Absalom before hee had set his corne fields on * 2. Sam. 14.30 fire And like the prodigall sonne who would not returne to his father vntill necessitie constrayned b Luk 15.20 him Thus wee see that afflictions are not onely certayne but necessarie Now the Vse wee must make of them is to follow the Apostles aduice to account it exceeding ioy when we fall into diuers c Iam. 1.2 3. temptations knowing that the trying of our faith bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh vs not asâ—amed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto d Rom. 5.3 4 5. vs. Let vs therefore with Isaak carry our faggots vpon our shoulders with our Sauiour our crosse vpon our backe For the Word of God must be fulfilled In the world you shall have e Ioh. 16. â—roubles And certayne it is that through many afflictions wee must enter into the Kingdome of f Act. 14. God And sure it is that all the faithfull must sowe in teares The second thing that we must consider in this place is the necessitie of afflictions For none shall reape in ioy but they that sowe in teares Wee must first labour in Christs Vineyard before we receiue our wages The Mariner first sailes and makes his voyage and abides many a boy sterous blast and rough tempest and after receiues the commoditie of his trauels and the benefit of his merchandâ—se Euery worke-man doth toyle and labour before hee receiues his hire The husband-man must plow and harrow before he reape And so must wee sowe in teares before we reape in ioy Diues when hee desired the heat of his tongue to be allayed with a drop of water from Lazarus finger it was answered That in his life time hee had pleasure and Lazarus paine so must he now endure paine whilst Lazarus is in pleasure If all men should reape in ioy then of all men were the wicked most happy if they should both liue at ease in this world and reape ioy in the world
Lam. 2 13. thee for her bruising was incurable her wounds were dolorous there was none to pleade her cause none to apply a plaister there were no medicines nor belpe for her all her Loners had forgotten her and sought her not for the Lord had striken her with a sharpe chastisement and with the wound of an k Ierem. 30.12 13 14. Bern. in Cant. enemie and now it onely remayneth that vnde morbus irrepsit inde remedium intret from whence came the sore from thence should come the salue and it is the Lord that killeth and giueth l Deut. 32.39 life woundeth and maketh whole bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth m 1. Sam. 2.6 vp who according to his promise gaue health vnto her and healed her of her n Iâ—r 30.17 wounds This serueth for our instruction whensoeuer we are deliuered out of any trouble or affliction to impute all the praise to God alone Iehosaphat when the Lord had giuen him a maruelous victorie against his enemies hee returnes to Ierusalem praising God with Viols Harps and Trumpets ascribing vnto the Lord all the glorie o 2. Chron. 20â— 1.6 29. Templum Oraâ—rium thereof Theodosius being told of the wonderfull ouerthrow of the Vsurper Iohn his aduersarie he and all his followers resorted to the Temple where they passed ouer the day with praise and thanksgiuing acknowledging that God by his owne Arme and power had cast downe that Tyrant And Fl. Heraclius being deliuered from Cosroe the King of the Persians Socrat. bist Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 23. and hauing his Kingdome freed from his tyrannie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did in the hight of his triumph at Bizantium openly praise God for his deliuerie and the more to shew his thankfulnesse did cause to be stamped vpon his coyne with his owne Image these words Glorie bee to God in heauen because he hath broken the yron doores and hath deliueâ—â—d the holy Kingdome of Heraclius if then wee bee freed from persecution let vs confesse with Dauid Reusu in Symle is Caes Rom. class 2. that saluation is of the p Psal 3.8 Lord if we be brought from the jawes of death and the gates of the graue let vs say with Ezekiah the Lord was readie to saue q Isai 38.20 mee and if wee bee brought from the deepe of destruction and the very gulfe of hell let vs acknowledge with Iona that mercy and saluation is of the r Ion. 2.9 Lord for the saluation of the righteous is from the Lord and he is their strength in the day of f Psal 37.39 trouble and therefore it is said here that the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Moreouer here we ought to learne in whom we should put our confidence and on whom wee should rely in time of trouble not in man nor in his strength for cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from t Ier. 17.5 God not in riches nor gold for they cannot saue vs in the day of the Lords anger and wrath they cannot deliuer vs in time of vengeance and u Pro. 18.11 Eccles 5.1 Ezek. 7.19 indignation not in the multitude of alliance and acquaintance for they in time of aduersitie like Dauids familiars will flee from vs and like Iobs friends will forsake vs not in Idols and works of mens hands which haue eyes and see not eares and heare * Psal 115. Quis tam demens qui arbitretur aliquem quod ipse non babet â—are alteri posse Lactâ—lib 1. cap. 15. de fals Relig. not and so cannot helpe vs nor yet in Saints deceased who neither heare nor see vs all these like an Egyptian reede and like a broken staffe will faile vs if we leane vnto them but we must trust in him whose all-seeing eye doth behold our afflictions and whose all-hearing eare is euer open to harken to our lamentations and whose powerfull hand is euer able to helpe vs out of all our tribulations in him we must trust who onely can see the seruitude of his x Exod. 3.7 Israelites in him who can heare the complaint of y Psal 18.6 Dauid in him that can bring Ioseph out of prison Daniel out of the Den and Ieremiah out of the Dungeon in him who can restore sight to blind Bartimeus health to sicke Ezekias limmes to lame Aeneas and life to dead Lazarus yea and blessed are they whose hope is in God and who trust in the Lord that brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Their instrumentall and subordinate deliuerer was Cyrus The instrumentall deliuerer Cyrus of whom though hee bee not named in this place it shall not bee much impertinent to the purpose to speake of some things commended in him and to bee imitated of vs as First Many worthy and commendable parts in Cyrus First his thankfulnesse his worthy acknowledgement of Gods gracious goodnesse towards him in his preferment and promotion for whereas the Lord had giuen into his hands all the Nations of the Earth and had made him as sole Monarch in the East hee did not take the praise thereof to himselfe like Zaneherib bragging of his owne a Isa 36. and 37. chapters strength nor like Nebuchadnezzar boasting of his owne b Dan. 4.27 power but hee acknowledged all to haue proceeded from the God of c Ezâ— 1.2 1. Esd 2.3 heauen a memorable president to bee imitated and thought vpon by all who are beyond their expectation placed vpon the Stage of preferment for promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the d Psal 75.6.7 West but from him who arrayed Ioseph with fine lining and gold e Gen. 41.42 rings Mordecai with the Kings apparell and Crowne f Esth 6.8.11 Royall Daniel with purple and chaines of g Din. 5.29 gold and who brought Saul from seeking his fathers h 1. Sam. 9. Asses and Dauid from the i Psal 78.71 sheep-cote to hold the Scepter and weare the Crownes of Princes for thus shall it bee done to the man whom the King the King of Kings will honour Secondly Secondly his obedience to perform Gods will his mindfulnesse of Gods Precepts whereby it was foretold many yeeres before that Ierusalem and the Temple should bee reedified and repayred by him and withall his willingnesse and obedience to performe the same for first by publike Proclamation hee giues the Iewes libertie to returne to raise the walls of the Citie and to reare the Temple k 2. Câ—ro 36.23 〈◊〉 â— againe and besides he restores all the Vessels of gold and siluer to the number of fiue thousand and foure hundred to Zerubabel the Prince of ludah which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple A commendable patterne to be followed of all Peeres and higher powers they ought not with Manasses to pollute the House of l 2. Chron. 33. God with Shishake
So here the Iewes ouerioyed with the glad tydings of their deliuerance doubt like the Grecians of their freedome and are mistrustfull lest they be deceiued like men that dreame But the truth is the incredulitie of the Saints is often such that they thinke their deliuerance a thing almost impossible to bee brought to passe so that when they are in effect deliuered beyond their expectation they are doubtfull and mistrustfull and thinke themselues to haue but dreamed When godly Ezekiah lay siâ—ke vnto death and in a manner did altogether despaire of his recouerie the Prophet Isaiah comes to him and tels him from the Lords owne mouth Quando Iehoua captiues Sionicosin patriam reducere câ—â—pit prâ— gaudio ince dâ—bamus quasi somniantes quod in rel veritate magnitudine somniare videremar non reveia pâ—rcipere illud tantum bonum quo fiuebamar Scultet that the Lord had heard his prayers seene his teares and that he would adde vnto his dayes fifteene yeeres but Ezekiah as it seemes expecting nothing but death and as doubting of his recouerie for his better satisfaction requires a signe yea and esteeming it but a small matter a light thing for the Sunne to goe forwards in the Diall of his father Ahaz ten degrees hee desired that it might goe backe so many till what time he was like to them that dreame Againe their ignorance doth often cause this doubtfulnesse and astonishment as wee may see in the old Israelites when they were hedged in on either side with Mountaynes Ita sunt attoniti pro carnis sensu fideles vt eximia Dei Ecclesiam liberantis opera pro dignitate operantis satis expendere nequeant Mollerus when they had the Sea before them and the Egyptians marching after them they despaired of their deliuerie and murmured against a Eâ—od 14.11 Moses But what was the cause Because they vnderstood not the wanders that the Lord wrought for them in Egypt neither remembred they the multitude of his mercies but rebelled at the sea euen at the red b Psal 106.7 Sea and because they were like vnto them that dreame Thirdly the Saints of God are too often too forgetfull of the Lords former mercies and care of them The old Patriarch Iacob when he heard how his brother Esau was coming against him with foure hundred men was mightily afraid and doubted of his owne and his companies c Gen. 32.7 and 11. safetie and forgets as it seemes the Lords former kindnesse in protecting him so lately from the rage of his Vncle d Gen. 31. Laban Neither was this weaknesse wanting in godly Dauid who when he was to encounter with the Champion of the Philistimes and enter the duell with Goliah of Gath hee remembred how the Lord had deliuered him both from the iawes of the Lion the paw of the Beare and the remembrance thereof assured him of the victorie against this vnciâ—cumcised e 1. Sam. 17. Heathen But when Saul hunted after his life and thirsted after his soule Dauid doubts so much of his safetie that hee protests vnto Ionathan as the Lord liued there was but a step betweene him and f 1. Sam. 20.3 death yea and after a sort forgetting how the Lords hand wonderfully protected him from the hand of Saul he sayes to himselfe in his owne heart one day I shall perish by the band of g 1. Sam. 27.1 Saul and so in this case whilest Dauid doubts of his escape from Saul and Iacob feares his safetie from the hand of Esau they were both like vnto them that dreame These three things first the seeming impossibilitie of the deliuerance to bee performed and mans ignorance of Gods power to effect it and withall our forgetfulnesse of the Lords former mercies so often manifested doe cause this astonishment and amazement in vs yea distrust and doubtfulnesse when beyond our expectation such things come to passe as here the Iewes being so long detayned captiues vnder so fierce furious a Nation they thought it a thing impossible to bee set at libertie withall being either ignorant of Gods sufficiency or forgetfull of his former clemency they expected nothing lesse then their deliuerie and therefore when they were indeed deliuered they were doubtfull and amazed like vnto them that dreame But let not vs in our greatest extremities doubt of Gods mercies and albeit our case to our thinking be neuer so desperate yet let vs not be distrustfull of the Lords power for though Ezekiah expect nothing but h Isa 38. death though Ionah be wearie of his i Ion. 4.3 life and Eliah in great anguish desire to k 1. King 19.4 die yet God is both willing and able to succour and to saue them and albeit the Iewes deliuerance seemed impossible in their owne eyes yet was it not impossible in the sight of the Lord of Hosts For hee could bring them againe from the East countrie and from the West and cause them to dwell in the midst of l Zach. 8.6 7 9. Ierusalem euen when they were like vnto them that dreame Let vs auoid these two inconueniences ignorance and incredulitie For Sarah being ignorant of Gods power when the Lord promised her a sonne l Gen. 18. shee laughed for which shee was sharply reproued and rebuked of the Angell and the young Captayne being distrustfull of Gods sufficiencie to succour hispeople in the great famine was trodden to death in the Gates of m 2. King 7.22 Samaria Wherefore let vs not at any time be faithlesse but beleeue for if we haue faith all things are n Rom. 14. possible euen to those that are like vnto them that dreame Moreouer this their wondring at their vnexpected deliuerance should still put vs in mind of our Redemption Before the comming of our Sauiour ☞ all mankind was captiuated the Gentiles in Idolatrie and the Iewes vnder the Law and Traditions But at the comming of Christ the Gentiles were freed from Idolatrie Plura apud Sâ—ulretum and the Iewes from Traditions and the rigour of the Law yet euen then were they like vnto them that dreame Zacharias gaue no credit vnto the Angels words Luke 1. 20. and Mary her selfe said How shall this be vers 34. and at his birth the Angell did preach his natiuitie to the Shepheards and although they heard a multitude of heauenly Souldiers praysing God for it yet for their better assurance they must goe see Luk. 2.15 and when they had scene it they published it abroad and all they that heard it wondred but alas too few beleeued it they were so sorgetfull so ignorant Isai and Ieremiah and so incredulous although the Prophets had set downe the certaintie Isa 7.14 and 9.6 and Daniel had noted out the time Dan. 9.25 26 27. of his comming yet were they like vnto them that dreame Now before I conclude this first sequell that followed vpon their deliuerance viz. their coadmiration their
to come No but there is no such matter For woe be vnto them that are at ease in Sion woe be vnto them that are rich for they haue receiued their consolation woe be vnto them that are full for they shall hunger All these haue a Haruest by themselues and a Vintage of their owne when the Angell shall thrust in his sickle and cut them downe and throw them into that vnquenchable flame where they shall bee in torment for euermore And therefore I conclude with the Philosopher there is none more vnhappy then hee that hath not tasted of aduersitie Now let vs see the commoditie that the godly shall reape by their afflictions Whosoeuer soweth in teares shall reape in ioy The issue of their afflictions and the commoditie of their crosse is they shall reape in ioy As the afflictions of the Church were figured out by Noahs Arke by Moses bush c. so by the same was the saluation and safetie of the Church prefigured ☜ Noahs Arke was carried alofton the top of the Flood and not drowned Moses bush burned and was not consumed The Israelites passed through the red Sea and were not ouer whelmed The three Children went vp and downe in the Furnace but were not scorched Daniel was in the Lions den but not deuoured Peters ship was tossed but not ouer-turned Pauls boat was carried to and fro but not ouerthrowne and the Woman was persecuted of the Dragon but not ouercome All these plainly shew that the persecutions Vide Fabritium Laeâ—a cataâ—iâ—oâ— be omnis crux viâ—titâ—r in gaudiâ—â— sicut patet Deut. 32.39 1. Sam. 2.6 Iob 5.18 Esai 30.26 Matth. 5.4 Luk. 6.21 Ioh. 16.20 2. Cor 1.7 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Heb. 12.11 vexations and troubles of the godly are not permanent and perpetuall They shall not succumbe â—or sinke in the Sea of afflictions No they shall once be releeued once released and once eased of all their griefe They shall not alwayes eate of the bread of affliction They shall not euer sup of the bitter pottage They shall not continually drinke of the waters of Marah No the bitter waters shall bee salted and the deadly pottage sweâ—tned the one shall become holsome and the other healthfull Afflictions shall not alwayes be gnawing vpon them like the Vulture on the heart of Prometheus They shall not alwayes be exercised with troubles like Syciphus with the continuall â—olling of a stone nor for euer troubled with tribulation like Ixion with the turning of a wheele The faggot shall once bee taken off Isaakâ— backe and crosse of Simons shoulders and the whip from Pauls loynes and the fetters from Peters limmes For they that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy The Lord delights not in the death of any and therefore hee chastiseth his owne Children but in loue and for a short time till they amend and returne to him For hee vvill not contend vvith them for euer g Is 57.36 neither will he be alwayes wroth Ezekiels Cherubines had the face of a man mild and gentle as well as the visage of a Lion fierce and terrible shewing that hee is as well yea more merçifull to cherish vs then hee is wroth in chastising vs and in the Arke of the couenant was as well a pot of Mannah as Aarons rod. For our comfort that God will as well in mercie nourish vs as in iustice nurture vs. For hee is mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and of great h Eâ—od 34.6 goodnesse who though for a little time hee doe forsaâ—g vs yet with great compassion hee doth gather vs and though for a moment hee hide his face from vs yet with euerlasting mercie hee hath compassion on vs. Moreouer hee doth make a difference betwixt his owne elect and the reprobate the one hee chastiseth in wrath but the other in mercie the ones punishment is eternall but the others temporarie Wee read that before the old magistrates in Rome were carried bundles of rods with an axe Rods for petie delinquents but the axe for proud and incorrigible malefactors So the Lord chastiseth the godly with small twigs but hee bruiseth the vngodly with a rod of yron Hee deliuers the iuct out of temptation and reserues the wicked against the day i 2 Pot 2.9 of iudgement Is not this to our great comfort that wee shall be relieued our losses recompenced our paines released and our troubles rewarded And if wee sowe in teares wee shall reape in ioy But thou wilt say Quendo When shall wee reape The Apostle tells vs that in due time wee shall k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6. reape This life is our seed-time wherein wee must bee continually labouring plowing and sowing For man must eate in sorrow all the dayes of l Gen. 3.17 his life But our haruest is in the life to come for Blessed are they that die in the Lord they rect from their labours and their workes follow m Reu. 14.13 them Then as euery man hath sowen so shall he reape They that haue sowen dickednesse shall reape the n Ioh 4.8 same Hee that hath sowen sedition and strife shall reape irrecouerable o Pro. 6.12.15 destruction They that haue sowen the wind shall reape the p Hos 8.7 whirle-wind They that haue sowen to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption and they that haue sowen to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life q Gal. 6.8 euerlasting They that haue sowen righteousnesse shall reape a sure r Pro. 11.18 reward And they that haue sowen in teares shall reape in ioy Behold now the end of all your afflictions though you fall yet you shall Å¿ Mic. 7.8 rise If you suffer but tribulation ten dayes a short season and abide faithfull vnto death you shall receiue the crowne of t Reu 2.10 life The Lord will not suffer you to fall for u Psal 55.22 euer But when hee sees conuenient time hee will iudge x Psal 75.2 righteously Then hee will send good after euill as hee created light after darkenesse and he will change iustice into mercie as hee did water into wine But thou wilt say alasse the godly haue no ease at all in this life â—hey are in continuall sorrow in perpetuall griefe and hee that purposeth to liue a godly life must resolue alwaies to sowe in teares Truely thou art much deceiued for as there be diuers occasions for the godly to sorrow so there be diuers reasons for them to reioyce in their greatest afflictions for albeit they be heere in great trouble and tribulation yet they know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shall bee shewed vnto y Rom. 8.18 them Although they longed for desired happinesse be delayed yet they reioyce vnder z Rom. 12. hope Although they mourne for their corruption yet they reioyce for the testimonie of their a 2. C r. 4. conscience Though they grieue for
so full consolation after our sorrow Let vs now with Peter weepe bitterly that wee haue denyed our Master with Ezekiah weepe sore for our o Isa 38.1 vnthankfulnesse and with Dauid water our Couch and wash our Bed with p Psal 6.6 teares that in the end the Lord may wipe away all teares from our q Reuel 7. eyes and to conclude sith this Verse doth immediately follow after the other which contayned the Prophets prayer for the peoples inlargement if you expound it of the charitable man ☞ learne hence with your pietie to your Creator to ioyne pittie towards your brother as did Cornelius to whom the Angell said Thy prayers and thy almes-deeds are come vp in remembrance before r Act. 10. God If you follow the latter construction ☞ then leatne with your prayers to mixe teares as Ezekiah did witnesse God himselfe who saith to him I haue heard thy prayers and I haue seene thy teares I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene s yeares The first of these expositions is not much dissonant from the purpose and the second is very consonant with the words yet there is a third Consule Fabritium in bune locum which is the most generall and most receiued construction of this place that is by this figuratiue phrase and allegoricall kind of speech is meant The afflicted Christian compared to a sower for three respects that all the afflictions troubles and tribulations of the godly shall haue an end and in the appointed time shall be finished Now our afflictions are shadowed out by sowing and the estate of a Christian is resembled to a Husbandman First For the antiquitie of that Calling Adam himselfe our great grand-father was of that vocation so was hee the first that suffered affliction Hee was exiled out of Paradise he got his liuing with the sweat of his browes he did eate his bread with sorrow he saw his wife bring forth with paine and griefe Abel murthered Cain cursed and Lamech in all villanie prophane and wicked Secondly For the vniuersalitie of that Calling 2. all sorts of people haue beene of it Numa Pompilius was taken from the plow and made the second King of the Romans Lucnllus Questor and Pretor was much delighted in gardning and Cyrus himselfe the great Monarch of the East was much addicted to planting But to leaue these Elisha the Prophet was called from the Plow Gideon the iudge brought from the threshing floore and Saul the King from seeking his fathers Asses so afflictions are common to all degrees and sorts of men Eliah the Prophet was persecuted by Iezabel Zachariah the Priest murthered betwixt the Temple and the Altar Samson the iudge had his eyes put out and was mockt of the Philistimes and Ezekia the King had all his bones broken like a Lion Thirdly For the great commoditie and gayne that the Husband-man reapes by that Calling as for example 3. Isaak who hauing sowed in the Land of Gerar within the space of one yeare reapt a hundred Å¿ Gen. 26. fold So the faithfull shall reape double for their afflictions witnesse Iob whose afflictions were many and losses great yet we see the Lord restored to him a thousand for fiue hundred fourteene for seuen and sixe for t Iob 42. three Now seeing this latter construction is most generally receiued as the most genuine meaning of this place In handling this point of afflictions I will note out first the certaintie of them WE must all sowe in teares Secondly the necessitie of them NONE shall reape in ioy but such as HAVE sowne in teares And thirdly the vtilitie of them WHOSOEVER soweth in teares shall reape in ioy As the captiuitie and miserie of the Iewes in captiuitie was many wayes prefigured yâ—a plainly foreshewed euen so throughout all Ages the afflictions of the Church haue beene both figuratiuely and in plaine termes foretold The troubles of the Iewes were figured out by leremiahs girdle ☞ taken from about his loynes and hid in the clift of a Rocke till it was good for u Ier. 19.1 to 13. nothing By bonds and yokes sent to Zedekia King of x Ier 27.1 to 9. Iudah by the Bricke hauing vpon it the purtray of Ierusalem against which the Prophet was commanded to build a Fort to set a Campe to cast a Mount and to lay Engines of y Ez 4.12 warre by the Prophets eating his bread with trembling and drinking his water with z Ezek. 4.18 trouble and how plainly it was foretold wee may * Ier. 4.5 to 19. 6. â— to 16. 8.1 to 4. 29.1 to 13. Isai 22.1 to 6. Ezek. 21.9 see Now the tribulations of the Church in old times were plainly prefigured by Noahs Arke floting on the flowing a Gen. 7.18 floods by Moses burning b Eâ—od 3.2 bush by the Israelites passage through the red c Eâ—od 14.29 Sea by the taking of the Arke of God by the vncircumcised d 1. Sam. 14.11 Philistimes by the three Childrens walking vp and downe in the fierie e Dan. 3. Furnace Againe vnder the Gospell by Iohns baptising of the people in f Ioh. 3.6 Iordan by Peters ship tossed betwixt wind and g Matt. 14.24 waues by Pauls boat tossed to and fro with the wind h Act. 17. Euroclydon and by the Dragons persecuting of the Woman into the i Reuel 12. wildernesse all these do plainly shew forth the tribulations of the Church and afflictions of the godly For the whole life of man is but a warfare Toâ—avita Clâ—istiani bominis â—â—ux martyrum câ—â— and euery man that is borne of a woman bath but a short time to lius and is filled with k Ioh 14.1 miseries With miseries internall and externall saith Saint Bernard with afflictions both outward in body and in ward in soule as for those of the body they are certayne and euident as for them of the soule ☞ they are either from the sight of mans sinnes when the soule of the faithfull is grieued for them witnesse Dauid where he complayneth that there was nothing sound in his flesh because of Gods anger neither rest in his boues because of his sinnes For his iniquities as he confesseth were gone ouer his bead and were as a weighty burden too heauy for l Psal 38. him Witnesse the Apostle Paul who taking a narrow view of his naturall corruption and the continuall rebellion of the flesh against the spirit cryes out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of m Rom. 7.24 death or they proceed from a spiritual desertion When God withdraweth himselfe from the godly for a time for their triall so that they doe not feele palpably in themselues the vertue efficacie and operation of Gods Spirit witnesse the Prophet who tasting of this spirituall desertion prayes earnestly vnto the Lord to restore vnto him the ioy of his saluation and to