remaine the burden of sinne Sinne The burden of sinne as light as it seemes vnto vs which by no meanes can stand in the ballance of so just a God must needs be very heavie most waightie because it provokes his anger presseth vs downe to hell by an offence against an infinite Maiestie against an infinite anger Sinne which lyeth vpon the conscience being the liueliest the most sensible and tenderest part of the soule doth vexe and disquiet it Whereas the griefe of afflictions lyeth properly vpon the senses perplexities in our Callings lyes vpon our spirits But sinne was the cause that made our first father after the commission thereof to hide himselfe from the Lord and to tremble at the very shaking of the leaues As also that Caine having perceived his offence was smitten with a deiected pale countenance and the sentence being pronounced was as a burthen and punishment vnto himselfe My iniquitie sayth he is greater then I am able to beare Gen. 4. though he had all the world at command yet he findes himselfe in a straight in his soule Even so the best men though more tender in Conscience couragious and patient in all sorts of afflictions yet are here impatient stooping vnder this burthen lie distressed in and by themselues David who so often repeateth in the Psalme 56. I trust in God and will not feare what the arme of flesh can doe vnto me yet findes himselfe pressed downe vnder the burthen of his olde man My finne O Lord Psal 51. saith he is continually before mee I see nothing else I haue sinned against thee O turne thy face from mine iniquities Not content with this as else-where to say vnto God haue pittie on me but here he calls to his succour the greatnesse of his compassions the full depth of his mercies to purge wash and wash againe to blot out his sinnes to create in him a cleane heart to renue in him a right spirit feeling nothing in himselfe which might abide the light of his countenance which turned not vnto him in steade of a pleasing light a countenāce iustly inflamed with wrath And thus that great Apostle also who was joyous and triumphing over all sorts of afflictions shrunke at this those others being pledges of helpe from God but this a kindler of his wrath those calling vnto him as it were from heaven and causing him to hasten his pace towards vs as at the cry of his Children But this which turneth away his eye and sequesters his presence from vs makes him forget yea and to renounce his Creature I repont that I haue made man Gen. 6. my spirit shall not alwayes striue with him it makes him to consent or rather resolue to blot out his Image with a curse and to determine in himselfe to destroy even all flesh from the earth with a Deluge And therefore let vs not thinke it strange that he changeth here both tune and voice that he who said Phil. 4.12.13 I know and am instructed how to be full and how to be hungry as well to abound as to want I am able to doe all things in Christ who strengthens me But now with a languishing speech changing his tune sayth Sinne dwelleth in me and in mee there dwelleth no good thing I haue not the power to performe that which is good I finde this Law in me that when I would doe good evill is present with mee How far off was he here from doing all things But on the contrary addeth Rom. 7. There is a law in my members which leades me captiue to the Law of sinne delivers me bound hand foote my feete fettered with sinne and consequently to death hell the rewards of sinne What burthen thinke we then he felt who before was so valiant vnder all other burdens when he cryes out in the end Vers 24. wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Well then seeing sinne in it selfe is so heavie in regard of God who is puritie and justice it selfe yea to hideous and so odious who shall be so bold then as to cast this burden vpon the Lord Shall we say vnto him as Adam did after his fall Gen. 3.12 The woman whom thou gavest me gaue me of the tree to eate Or as the prophane ones mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 9 19. Why hast thou not made vs better Whereof complainest thou for who can resist thy will Thus covering their sinne with blasphemie a sort of creatures who Contest against the Creator whose judgement sleepeth not What then is there no remedy to ease this burden Is it exempted from the lesson which here the Prophet giveth vs And if wee must lye downe vnder this burthen what will it profit vs to be relieved vnder any other burden yea rather here principally hath it place here it is wherein God meaneth properly to shew that his mercy is aboue all his workes to powre out his mercy and to open his bowels of compassion that by executing justice he may make his chiefe worke to appeare To vs sayth the Prophet a childe is borne Isai 9.5 to vs a sonne is given and his government is layd vpon his shoulder His government that is his power to saue his people from their sinnes vpon his shoulder for as much as he hath layd the Crosse vpon himselfe and vnto the Crosse hath nayled our sinnes And therefore the same Prophet sayth Esay 53.5.6.7 He hath borne our griefes and taken on him our sorrowes he was bruised for our iniquities The Lord hath made to come vpon him the iniquities of vs all the chastisement of our peace was vpon him Vpon him even vpon his shoulder therefore is it also added that his name shall be cased Wonderfull Counseller the mightie and strong God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace No other but he could be capable of such a burthen our Emanuell God with vs. The Lambe of God Ioh. 1.29 sayth S. Iohn Baptist that taketh away the sinne of the world hath borne them sayth S. Peter 1 Pet. 2.24 in his bodie vpon the tree being made sinne sayth S. Paul 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him and made a curse for vs vpō the crosse Gal. 3.13 that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon vs by him But thinke not here that thou who delightest thy selfe in thy sinnes and flatterest thy selfe therein who makest triumphs who art iolly and merry vnder this burden that thou hast any part in these benefits or that Christ should burden himselfe with thy sins wherewith thou feelest not thy selfe burdened thou must first feele them Vnto whom shall I haue respect sayth the Lord Esay 66.2 vnto him that is afflicted and hath a bruised spirit and trembleth at my word to such a one is it sayd Rom. 5.20 that where sinne aboundeth grace doth more abound On the contrary he sayth away from mee yee workers of iniquitie who make a trade thereof who make you pillowes thereof to sleepe vpon Should we sinne Rom 6.1.15 sayth the Apostle that grace might abound God forbid Know ye not that vnto whom soever yee yeeld your selues servants to obey his servants yee are vnto whom yee obey be it of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse Yee then that are servants of sinne who
hath it with the Creature with the whole order of nature with his armies celestiall terrestiall seeing all depend vpon his pay taketh the watch word from him who guideth their blowes and directs them as it pleaseth him even those which would seeme vnto thee mortall to be for thy health and for thy salvation Peace with the Elements for he bridleth the Sea moderateth the fire so as he who lodgeth vnder the shaddow of the Almightie Psal 91.1 needes not feare any thing which terrifieth by night or flyeth in the day which destroyeth at noone tyde Peace with the beasts of the field for he muzzells the mouth of the hungrie Lyon Out of the eater he giues meate and out of the strong he bringeth forth sweetnesse Iudg. 14.14 Peace with men though worse one to another then Lyons for sayth the Prophet Ps 56. God is on my side what then can man or flesh doe vnto mee Peace with death Psal the 3. so that although thousands should set thēselues in battayle array against mee I should not sleepe a whit the worse because he is on my side Peace with the graue and with hell for is it not he that bringeth to the graue and rayseth vs vp againe and what can death bring vnto mee but life Death which is but for a moment life eternall 1 Cor. 15. the 54.55 Death is swallowed vp into victory Our Lord Iesus hath not he triumphed for vs O death where is thy victory Henceforth where are thy triūphs Hell where is thy sting The power of sinne being now abolished by grace And therefore wee haue peace with all seing al their might and weapons turne to our peace all their curses into blessings all their gashes how terrible soever they may be are turned into balme their tempests into safe havens All these things I say and all others whatsoever worke together as sayth the Apostle vnto our good and that because of the loue of God which is purchased for vs by Iesus Christ for in steade of a judge he is now become a father and of a iust revenger a gracious protector disposing all against the haire to our victory to our peace to our glory and salvation Peace also amongst our selues with our brethren though some be hardly and not easily to be reconciled yet when we come to consider what and how many offences God hath forgiven vs and doth also daily forgiue vs even that God who is judge soveraigne Lord of all the world not sparing his owne Sonne for the ransome of our sins what offence then ought there to be so grievous vnto vs that should make vs to beare malice in our hearts against our brother or what pardon should seeme hard or difficult vnto vs be it to require be it to graunt to keepe backe or recover friendship with them But there is yet more for will they nill they thou hast peace with them though it be wanting on their part whilst thou giuest not place to wrath whilst thou renouncest revenge in doing good for evill Rom. 12.20 When thou holdest thy selfe for revenged by doing them good A glorious revenge and of a high straine farre more glorious then any other for ther by though they make not vse of it thou heapest coales of fire vpon their heads And such was that peace which David that valourous Prince had who overcame a Lyon with his strength a Goliah by his prowesse who had both given and also wonne so many battayles who fasted and put on sackcloth for his enemies who in the middest of the ruine which they plotted against him begged of God their life having them in his full power was contented with the skirt of his garment Lord sayth he if I haue not kept him who wrongfully oppressed mee let the Enemie pursue mee and take me let him treade my life vpon the ground and lay my honor in the dust Psal 7. A true figure of him who here leaues vnto vs his peace and yet more liuely in his owne example who prayed for those that crucified him and was crucified for them that offended him This Philosophy nay rather Chivalry how farre remote is it from that of the world Moreover he tells vs hereafter that hee leaveth it not vnto vs as the world doth Now peace in our selues behold the principal peace for in vaine will it be for vs to haue peace without vs if wee haue warre within vs health in the Cittie if the Plague be in our bosome if our conscience accuse vs if our sinnes warre against vs But is it possible to smoother sin in our selues Let vs if we can But who can doe it and who is it that doth not every houre kiddle it Yea rather giue fire as it were vnto it We would faine still the sting of Conscience Alas the remedie is worse then the disease What will it be but a gangrene in stead of an vlcer Let vs then imbrace that grace which God offereth vnto vs in Iesus Christ by a liuely faith Let vs awaken our Conscience to find out her sinnes to search her wounds to the bottome being assured that in confessing them it shall besayd vnto vs goe in peace and in laying them open it shall become our healing And which is more wee shall be strengthened in spirit to wrestle against flesh and bloud against all spirituall powers and wickednesses so that the flesh striving within vs against the spirit wee may notwithstanding say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 In that I liue now in the flesh I liue yet by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for mee Though I fight and the Combat be sharpe yet the quarrell is just and the issue certaine I haue kept the faith sayth S. Paul therefore the Crowne of righteousnesse is layd vp for me 2 Tim. 4.8 These things haue I sayd vnto you sayth our Lord vnto his Apostles that you might haue peace in mee in the world you shall haue affliction yea he foretold them of all sorts of afflictions Whence then is this peace He addeth but be of good courage I haue overcome the world and am now about to giue it the last deadly blow for you principally as for my selfe it is alreadie overcome the victory is yours which obtaines for you perfect peace that is your reconciliation with God and the consequent thereof a freedome from all perills and feare For if whilst we were enemies there being nothing in vs nor ought that could proceede from vs which did not provoke his anger wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5.10 being now reconciled his good favour being restored againe vnto vs shall wee not then much more be saved by his life He living in vs raigning for vs who vouchsafed to dye for vs Is not the Kingdome of God within vs to wit righteousnesse as the Apostle sayth peace and ioy Rom. 14.17 Hence it is that the Apostle amongst the fruits of
in Aegypt pray for thy Lord and Maister Be a Father vnto his people forget not thy thy kindred nor familie whether within or without in the Church or in the Common-weale but according to thy power as a feeling member thereof make them sensible of thy fidelity But art thou none of these but one of the cōmon sort it may be not because thou deservest not better then thinke with thy selfe that he who disposeth all thinges with waight number and measure who discerneth within thee that thou seest not thy selfe knowes best what is fittest for thee handles thee according to thy disposition hee takes that wine from thee which heated thy liver and therefore brought thee to this dyet And therefore bridle thine appetite and looke vpon his favours bestowed vpon others without repining liue without envie But hast thou beene in credite and reputation and art thou reiected be it by alteration of thine estate or by the Prince not of thy selfe be not discouraged thy fall is not great and seeing thou canst be no more reverenced vpon thy Chariot as a Ioseph let them reverence thee as a Iob although vpon a dunghill even by those holy consolations which thou hast learned hereby thy selfe and which thou shalt also leaue vnto others Beleeue mee that all those applaudings those flatteries those adorations which were given vnto Ioseph are now vanished in the ayre who nourished so many bodies and saved them from famine whereas on the contrary the holy speeches of Iob are consecrated vnto all eternitie for instruction and are so many perpetuall consolations reviveth and comforteth the soules of the Saints vnto this day and then this danghill being ordered by pietie wouldst thou change it for the smokes of a Court or for all the glory and treasures of Aegypt Art thou a Magistrate A Magistrate thinke then with thy selfe that he who judgeth here below shall be thy ludge from aboue and remember also that thou executest Gods judgement and not thine And therefore execute judgement and justice justice in helping the poore out of oppression judgement in chastizing the oppressor without exception without acception of person And hold godlinesse alwayes as thy sword in thy right hand poyse thy ballance straight not to make a false draught but to carry it even But art thou a private person A private person thinke then how much GOD hath spared thee who hast not to giue account of the goods of another nor of the bloud of thy brethren Arme thy selfe to suffer iniuries and ponder in thy minde in thine owne conscience the difference between such an high estate and thy meane condition whether in suffering or doing Hast thou beene a publicke person Of a publicke person becōming a private and art thou now deprived deprived not having deserved it deprived peradventure having deserved better and more then deserved it also disrobed notwithstanding of scarlet brought to weare freese then thinke with thy selfe how often thou hast willingly vnclothed thee to go to bed and didst thou sleepe the worse to take thine ease thinke then with thy selfe that this costly attyre is such where the Mothe most breeds the Mothe of the Court as jealousie slander envie But rather remember how many Kings and Emperours being weary of wearing their Crownes impatient of sustaining and vndergoing the same haue cast them off detested them to finde rest vnto their minde and that by laying them aside Many also to seek the health of their soules which they thought could not stand therewith namely true pie tie this One thing necessary and yet pietie which abhorres neither Scepters nor Crownes but on the contrary makes them flourish when they beleeue it But to a very few hath the Lord vsually given especially to these great powers a capacitie to holde them vpon such dependences And from thence comes so many miseries in the world But besides be it thou be disrobed and further vexed in thy estate they grate thee they hewe thee know how that God hath his dimonds amongst men and we are beautifull if we be such Rough as they be he puties them vnder the Wheele of steele he polisheth them he smoothes them he cuts them in Taples in pomted ones c. Otherwise it could not be done and then they shew their hardnesse their water their fire their faith their sinceritie their zeale And therefore feare not that he who is so good a leweller should marre thee for in cutting away some of thy rubbish Note he giues thee thy forme by diminishing of thy waight he augments thy price Pretie teacheth it thee it telles thee that all things nothing excepted worke together for good Rom 8.28 helping forward the salvation of them that loue it but to speake it more warily to those that it loues Of an helth full constitution of body Art thou healthfull art thou strong it is a gift of God giue him thankes for it but abuse it not vnto disorder and violence possesse these as things that are but frayle Of a sickly constitution But art thou sickly and afflicted with infirmities and hath Sathan touched thy flesh afflict not thy selfe aboue measure thinke that these grieses are as so many summons and goads to vrge thee to pray vnto God to call for his grace nay rather prayse him Note How often are the sicknesses of the body sent for the health of the soule and haue kept vs from sinnes and other follies For sicknesses and adversities haue their songs of prayse no lesse then prosperities yea even as well as the greatest joyes in their divers accents and tunes of sweetnesse most harmonious we haue an example in David who sung more in affliction then when he was jocund yea even in adversitie hee seemes to redouble his melodie because our nature being little or nothing sensible of the graces of God is not touched vnto the quicke hath quickly enough or lightly passeth it over and according as his hand is light or heavie it leapeth it cryeth and will haue no nay vntill she be heard Note But know be sides O Christian that forrow hath her part to pl y as well as joyes that as fulnesse hath emptinesse succeeding it in order so sorrow hath her sweete relish which stirres thee vp to call vpon thy Creator in thy misery and hearest him answering thee by his holy spirit in his mercy who feelest him in thy soule from his sweete hand bringing a slumber vpon thy sorrowes binding vp thy soares who teaching thee causeth thee to see that they are but incissions of the surgeon and not the wounds of an enemy being guided by the judgement of loue and not by a fury of hatred Whence the Apostle willeth vs. Phil. 4.4 To reioyce alwayes in the Lord and againe to reioyce being in a season when the Apostle was full of combatts of persecutions and of Bondes himselfe being bound for the Gospell But obserue that he sayth in the Lord for as much
as pietie makes vs receiue it all from God and as from a father makes vs to take sicknesses afflictions of the body as a purgation for the health of the soule for as much as but one dramme of the loue of God manifested vnto vs by his spirit is of power to dissolue a sea of griefes there needing but one sparke of the spirit of God to cōsume all Of such as are learned In a word art thou learned I will further instruct thee for know thou that whatsoever thou knowest is not the thousand part of that whereof thou artignorant for he who was most expert in the knowledge of the matters of this life acknowledged that all his knowledge was but vanitie yea vanity more apt to puffe vp then to fill to make thee proud rather then truely glorious A learned ignorance There is also a certaine learned ignorance that one who is truly learned would preferre before all thy learning And therefore in praysing God for his graces referring them to their right end namely vnto pietie to the service of God without the which they are nothing be not then I pray thee too wise in thy selfe But art thou ignorant Of such as are ignorant or esteemest thou thy selfe to be so who darest not speake before others and art ashamed of thy selfe Be not therefore troubled I am about to teach thee how to be both better learned and wise if thou wilt beleeue me nay if thou wilt but beleeue even that great learned Apostle who 1 Cor. 2.2 determined among his Corinthians to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him Crucified was notwithstanding rapt vp into the third heaven into Paradice where he both heard and sawe things not to be vttered and yet of all that he makes no reckoning in respect of this onely knowledge the knowledg of this one thing which is onely necessary on which they are all either grounded or confounded Let vs see then how pietie suffers not riches to make vs proud nor to turne favour into oppression greatnesse into violence health into disorder knowledge into vanitie but extracting these from it as it were poyson from Vipers to make thereof good Treacle turning it into the medicine of humaine societie being without this both dangerous and deadly to meddle withall It supplies also all our wants poverties infirmities afflictions and necessities as onely necessarie like vnto that hearbe Tobacco so much extolled in the New-found-Landes which alone is sufficient for meate and drinke for Clothes and for Physicke Wee say like to that Manna in the Wildernesse according to the Iewish Rabbines which fitted every mans taste whatsoever he desired else were there never so little of this drugge it would convert to it selfe and into it selfe every other thing See another Example in Saint Paul Phil. 4. ver 11. I haue learned sayth he to be content with that I haue I know how to want and how to abound every where and in all things I am taught as well to be satisfied as to hunger as well to abound as to want But heare how I am able to performe all things in Christ who giues me strength Phil. 4.13 in and by this his onely grace This onely grace of Christ doth furnish all being apt onely of it selfe both to pare away our excesses and to supply our wantes to make vs finde contentment in povertie and glory in shame And therefore sayth he elswhere God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the Crosse of Iesus Christ A poore glory wilt thou say in one Crucified He is dead indeede but is risen againe ascended into heaven and raigneth there Of which glory of which kingdome hee that is a member of Christ feeles himselfe alreadie partaker of Who thinketh it strange that the head being in heaven the feete should not haue a feeling therewith should not glory therewith though creeping here belowe on the earth And from this glory it commeth that the Apostle stiles himselfe putting it in the front of one of his Epistles Philem. 1. Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ in bondes for his Name Might hee not rather wilt thou say haue stiled himselfe with a more honourable title namely Rapt vp into Paradise as if he had beene equall to the Angells Note But his pietie this faith in Christ honours him and sanctifies his bondes so that to suffer in Earth for Christ is more vnto him then to be taken vp into heaven this ravishment being of short continuance but his sufferings which assure him of his promise to haue there an everlasting being and to raigne there for ever with him What is meant by this one thing But heere O Christian it may be thou desirest to knowe wherein this one thing properly consistes which hath so many vertues and onely can doe all things but thinkest and fearest that this knowledge is too laborious who seest so many bookes of so long studies written so many degrees to passe through to attaine to so high a knowledge And verily the mystery of godlinesse is great as Saint Paul telleth vs. 1 Tim. 3.16 That God was manifested in the flesh iustified in spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received vp into glory For of every one of these Articles there might Volumes be made The Angels themselues sayth Saint Peter desire to prie thereinto 1 Pet. 1.12 But for all this be not dismayd For God the Creator of man in his mercies would that this mystery should of right belong as well vnto the ignorant as vnto the learned by very Idiottes he hath converted Orators in the netts of poore Fishermen he hath taken Philosophers In one and the same Sea both great and small fish liue and swimme depths for the one and shallownesse for the other thou hast thy part in this mystery or rather thy priviledge though thou couldest not reade Vnder the Law it was sayd doe this fulfill the Commaundements of God and thou shalt liue A lesson proportioned according to that integritie wherein our first parents were created After so great a fall which displaced which bruised all his faculties and ours in him as over-matched For where is the man that ever did or could performe it But Christ our Lord by his perfect obedience not content onely to satisfie for vs but therewithall giues vs a lesson both shorter and easier that is this mystery of faith If thou confesse sayth the Apostle the Lord Iesus with thy mouth and beleevest in thy heart that GOD hath raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Wilt thou haue it in other words These things are written sayth S. Iohn these Gospels Ioh. the 20. and last verse that thou mightst beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeving you might haue life in his Name And wilt thou make it thine and appropriate it vnto thy selfe say then with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a true