8. postulaa me c. desire of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thy inheritance c. If hee that was sole heyre of Heaven and earth haeres ex toto asse as the Romans used to stile them could no otherwise come by his inheritance but by way of petition to desire it afore he had it much more so is it with us where no desire it looke for no gift no prayer no grace We see in Esay God makes a gracious promise to his people that he would put away all their sinnes take them all into his favour as though they had never sinned but marke the condition for all these things I will be sought unto saith God So though God offer his grace to men hee will not force it upon them against their wills hee will have them sue for it hee will have them desire it or they may thanke themselves if they goe to hell without it and God may justly complaine of them as David did of Naball 1. Sam. 25. 21. All is in vaine that I have done for these men Seeing then there is no backwardnesse in God to make deniall of his grace but hee is willing to bestow it upon all that are desirous to imbrace it oh be not wanting to thy owne mercy ne deficias doe not faile of it 2. Seeing that grace is the Lords nè superbias be not proud of it doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Iames his word is cap. 3. 5. doe not magnifically lift up thy selfe aboue thy brethren whose graces are not so eminent as thine but rather as the eares of corne and the bowes of trees the more they are laden with fruit the lower they hang to the earth so the more God hath laden thee with his graces and favours be thou so much the more lowly in thy owne eyes and thinke not scorne to doe as thy God doe who though his Glory bee above the heavens saith David Psal 113. â— yet hee doth Abase himselfe to behold the things that are in the earth and as the more direct the Sunne is over us the shorter and lesser is the shadow so the more that Gods grace is over thee and in thee the lesser let the shadow of pride bee seene to come from thee for consider saith the Apostle what hast thou that thou hast uot received or what is that thou canst properly call thine owne but mendacium peccatum lying and sinne as our Saviour said of the devill Iohn 8. when hee speaketh a lye hee speaketh de suo of his owne God never put that into him so for thy sinnes thou must thanke thy selfe or rather indeede beshrewe and blame thy selfe for they are thy owne but if thou hast any grace or any vertue in thee thanke God for that for it is not thine it is the Lords seeing then thou art but a Tributary to God and hast nothing that good is but what thou art beholding and must be countable to the Lord for it nè superbias be not proud of it 3. Seeing Grace is the Lord to bestow on whom he pleaseth nè invideas doe not envie it let not thine eye be evill because God is good nor thinke the worse of another man because God is better to him then unto thee for Gods grace is his owne he may give it to whom he will When God shall take of his grace and of his good spirit as Samuel said to Saul shall give it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou what cause hast thou to be envious at this and not rather to humble thy selfe and thinke that as Daniel told the king cap. 5. 27. God hath weighed thee in a ballance and found thee minus habens wanting to God and to thy selfe and therefore hath justly with holden his favour from thee and given it to one that will use it better for his glory and for the Churches good farre be it from any child of God to Cherish in his brest the spawne of that old serpent the divell for envy is no better as the learned have well observed there is so neere a resemblance betwixt an envious man and the divell that in the booke of God the one is taken for the other so the divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an envious man Mat. 13. 28. an envious man is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devil Iohn 6. 70. How farre better would it become us in this respect to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels of heaven who now at Christmas time when they saw that our Saviour would in no wise take their nature which was far better then ours but tooke our nature upon him which was farre worse then theirs and which was most of all and would have gone most against our stomackes commanded them to worship it Heb. 1. 6. they were so farre from envying or taking offence at this as that elder brother did in the Gospel when the yonger was received to grace after his riotous course that even then they sung an Anthem for the joy of our happinesse and even to this day Saint Peter tells us 1. Pet. 1. 12. they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoope downe as it were in duty and love to honour the mistery of Christs incarnation and to admire the grace and favour of God to mankind In a word then seeing that the Honouring of Gods grace wheresoever it lights is a quality so Angelicall and the contrary so diabolicall let it bee thy practise evermore to reverence him that hath it to judge thy selfe unworthy of it seeke it in Gods name and get to bee partaker in it but in any case ne invideas doe not envie it 4. Seeing that grace proceedes from so holy a fountaine as is the Lord ne Abutaris doe not abuse it doe not vitiate nor staine it with sinne as Lot entreated the men of Sodome Gen. 19. 8. that they would not abuse the Angels of God seeing they were come to shelter themselves under the shadow of his râ—ofe so let me entreate you all in the name of Christ that you would not abuse the graces of God seeing they are come from heaven to take shelter and harbour in your brests and bosomes The Apostle speakes of some Iud. 4. that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and that 's a woefull kinde of Alchymie as one saith singularly well would we not esteeme that man prodigally foolish and mad that would spend all his time all his substance and all his industry to finde out a perverse Philosophers stone that should turne all the gold it touched into lead and drosse even such are they that pervert the grace of God and turne it into wantonnesse into lasciviousnes into all manner of scurrility and deboistnesse and never lin till they have made a poyson of an Antidote and baned themselves with that which would have beene their blisse lucerna dei in spiritu hominis saith Salomon Pro. 20. 27. The
prayes well can never speed ill In any case goe not out of doores without seeking of God how dost thou know what mischiefe may befal thee in the way if God be not with thee to protect thee but if thou hast sought to him he will be a sunne and a shield unto thee Psal 84. a Sunne to direct and guide thee a Shield to defend and save thee from all annoyances that may hurt thee Hee will give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes in viis non in praecipitiis in thy wayes wherein thou walkest with God as Enoch did not in thy headlong courses wherein thou runnest without God when thou runnest in the Divels way in the way of wickednesse and vanity thou art out of Gods protection and must never looke to prosper out of Gods wayes and out of Gods protection In all thy journies therfore do as Elkanah did 1 Sam. 1. 19. He rose up early in the morning to return to Ramath but he durst not set forward a foot till he had worshipped before the Lord Moses would not stirre a foot except Gods presence went with him Exod. 33. 15. beare thou that mind hold thou that godly resolution and my life for thine God will make thy way to prosper 3 You that are as Souldiers and men of warre if you be commanded to fight the Lords battels in causa Christi against his and your enemies and as Tertul. speakes cruorem cruore reponere to retaliate bloud with bloud to shed your bloud for Christ that hath shed his bloud for you doe you desire that your warfare should prosper then seeke to God before you set upon your enemies it is God that must cover your heads in the day of battell it is hee that must defend you from the danger of the enemie Beleeve it a man of warre without God is but a naked man though in the mid'st of all his harnesse Exod. 32. 25. it is said that Moses saw the people were naked after their great sinne how naked Non veste sed gratiâ praesidio Dei they were naked not so much for want of cloaths armes as for want of the grace favour and protection of God and no doubt as Ferus observeth Si tunc corruissent hostes if their enemies had then fallen upon them they had most shamefully foiled them Thus it is still let a man be never so well cloathed never so well armed never so well guarded and weaponed if he be stript of Gods protection by sinne hee lies naked and open to all disasters and therefore if ever any of you come upon that service first seeke the Lord and that is the way to prosper 4 You that are great projectors and plotters for your advancement in the world let me onely admonish you in a word that in all your plots you would beginne with the first mover and seeke to God before you set upon the meanes for it is a certaine thing no project can prosper without God when you have wrought a businesse and ripened it and as you thinke brought it to maturity if God be not sought unto he can dash it and blast it in a moment that it shall prove abortive like the untimely fruit of a woman Esay 8. 10. Take counsell together and it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree and it shall not stand for God is with us No good to be done without God Hannah gives this counsell in her song 1 Sam. 2. 3. Speake no more presumptuously let not arrogancy come forth of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him enterprises are established for any man to thinke or say that he is able of himselfe to bring an enterprize to passe hee speakes presumptuously hee takes more upon him than he is able to performe for mortall man hath not the knowledge to looke through a businesse to see all the circumstances of it all the wheeles that must concurre to accomplish it The Lord is onely a God of knowledge by him enterprizes are brought to passe one thing brought to passe by him is better than a thousand brought to passe by our selves without him because his mercy is over all his works that is as one wel expounds it as the warmth of a Hen is over al her egges to cherish and to hatch them so is Gods mercy over all his works to produce them so as shall be most for our good whereas if a man sit brooding over his own projects and think to hatch and produce them of himselfe with out God they wil prove but Cockatrices egges which when they are broken a serpent appeares some mischiefe or other to shame and blame themselves If you desire then that your projects should prosper and your enterprises succeed and come to good effect then seeke to God for councell and direction begge for the secret guidance of his spirit and the secret working of his providence and he shall prosper thy projects and bring thy enterprizes to passe 5 Last of all you that are in debt and distresse for want of meanes and maintenance I shall endeavour to give you counsell from my Text you know that godlinesse and honestie is not alwayes a defence against debt grace and goodnesse may keepe a man from unthriftinesse but it doth not ever keepe a man from povertie so that even the best the holiest the honestest men on earth may be in debt and deepe in arrerages not through any lavishnesse or riot of expence for Religion teacheth a good man to moderate his hands and to spend within the proportion and compasse of his estate but other wayes by the inflicting or ordering hand of God upon him to trie him Many wayes there be to bring a man into debt but there is but one way that I know to bring a man out of debt and that is this that is chalked out here in my text To serve and seeke the Lord. If God be truely served if the Lord be sincerely sought unto let a mans estate be never so poore his debts never so many his dangers never so great God will find a meanes to worke him out as the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pet. ◠9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation though the godly know not how they should possibly be delivered yet God in his secret wisedome knowes how to deliver them so God knows how to deliver a poore man out of debt though he himselfe know no evasion hath no meanes either in his power or in his view God is never at a stand never at a losse if we know how to pray he knowes how to helpe us What said the man of God to Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 9. when he forbad him to take the Ephramites into the battell against the Edomites because God was not with them Amaziah asked him what then should become of the hundred talents which hee had given them for their helpe Cannot God said the Prophet give
Iacob that we are lesse than the least of all Gods mercies there is not the least of Gods mercies but it is too great and too good for us And yet t is strange to see how few there be that thinke ill of themselves and well of their estates I meane that are well contented with Gods allowance but rather with the Prophets wife 2 Reg. 4. 6. who desired one vessell more when all was full before Nay some are so unreasonable and unsatiable that as the Prophet saith they enlarge their desire as hell some mans minde is like hell it selfe which though it swallow up a world of soules yet t is never satisfied but still gapeth for more that is the reason such a one can never be contented because though he may have a house full of money he can never have a heart full of money for why He hath a hell in his heart that never can be filled with meanes nor monies Why hath Satan filled thy heart saith Peter to Ananias when he lied to the holy Ghost to save his money Act. 5. 3. There is the hell in the heart that mans heart which is filled with the devill filled with covetousnesse and ungodlinesse must needs have a hellish heart yea his heart is a hell it selfe the very habitation and house of devils and woe be to that sinne that brings a hell into a mans heart in this world and brings a mans heart and soule into hell in the world to come Thus you see what comes of being covetous where God would have men to be contented Learne therefore from henceforth to set bounds to thy appetite to moderate your cares for the things of this life and to frame your desires to Gods appointment and that is the way to be content I have not yet done with this point for as I searched more narrowly into the originall word I found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that selfe goes before sufficient which put me in mind of another consideration and that is this namely That a man must be himselfe ere he can be sufficient I meane a man can never attaine to any true reall sufficiencie or contentment of mind till first he be himselfe Every man is not himselfe not onely fooles and mad men and drunkards are not themselves as we say not their owne men but every unconverted unhumbled unwakened sinner As it is said of the Prodigall sonne Luke 15. 17. that when he was converted Then he came to himselfe which implies that before that time when he lived in riot and excesse and in that wastfull way of wickednesse when he was glad to feede upon those siliquae daemoniorum those huskes of Devils which the text speakes of all that while he was not himselfe he never began to come to himselfe till he began to come to his father so to speake properly a man never comes to himselfe till hee come home to God by true repentance he is never his own man til he be the Lords Three things there be that make a man not himself and consequently make him unsufficient and uncapable of true contentment 1 Nabals drunkennesse 2 Nebuchadnezzars madnesse 3 Satans villenage That 's the reason that the Scripture cōpares unregenerate men to drunkards and mad men and slaves who of all others are truely said to be not themselves S. Paul saith 2 Tim. 2. 25. that a Minister that hath to doe with refractory sinners must waite if at any time God will give them repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may awake out of their drunken sleepe and become sober so the word signifies implying that as long as we muzzle our selves in our ignorance and goe on securely in our sinnes not grieving for them not striving against them not making conscience to reforme them all that while we are like drunken sots void of understanding we are not our selves As there is a wet drunkennesse too common in these dayes God forgive the world that sinne so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kinde of dry drunkennesse as the Prophet saith in another sense Esay 51. 21. Thou art drunke but not with wine Every sin that a man is bewitched unto doth for the time so infatuate and besot him that he is not himselfe hath not power over himselfe to refraine or repent of it till God awake a man out of this same drunken sleepe and give him wisedome to see into his sins and grace to forsake them Then and not till then doth hee come to himselfe Now as some are not themselves through drunkennes so others are not themselves through madnesse The heart of man saith Salomon Eccles 9. 3. is full of evill and madnesse is in his heart while he lives Now mad men are of two sorts 1. Some are furentes furious or raging mad like those Pharisees Luke 6. 11. that were filled with madnesse at the sight of the miracles which Christ wrought or like those that stoned Stephen Act. 7. 54. They gnashed upon him with their teeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word they grated and ground their teeth at him as if they had bin cutting with a saw for so the word signifies they were so mad and devillish that they could have found in their hearts to have sawed him torne him with their teeth Such mad men as these let them be never so little stirred or provoked or crost either by God or man how bitterly doe they curse sweare and rage and damne themselves to the pit of hel that it would make a mans heart ake and his soule tremble to heare and see it for feare least God should take them at their words Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their rage for it is cruell Gen. 49. 7. 2. Others are Amentes foolishmad I have said of laughter thow art madnesse faith Salomon is it not a mad thing for a man to laugh when he should weepe to sing and shoute when hee should sob and sigh to make himselfe merry with that which makes God and his Angels sorry Though we account this cheerefulnesse the holy Ghost accounts it madnesse Lachrimanum causas tripudiantes peragunt ridentes mortis negotium exequuntur saith a Father They that make a sport of sinne doe but dance a Galliard about the brinke of hell and if that be not the madnesse of folly judge yee Too many such mad men there are in th◠world of both these sorts and kinds I pray God of his mercy convert them and bring them into a better minde that they may see and bewaile their owne miserable estate through sin before God and so may come to themselves for yet they are not themselves and consequently can never attaine to any true contentment Adde hereunto those that are the servants and slaves the drudges and vassals of sinne and Sathan You know a servant is totius alterius is not his owne man is not a man of himselfe Even so and more
if ever wee hope to bee saved by that God whom we professe to beleeve 2. Opera 〈◊〉 workes of Charity and compassion to the poore Esayâ—8 â—8 10. Draw out thy soule to the hungry if thou beest not able to draw out thy purse or thy possessions then draw out thy soule in a tender compassion and commiseration of their miseries as it is said of our Saviour when he saw the poore people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowells yerned upon them why is it that Christ saith The poore yee shall have alwaies with you but that such as are rich and wealthy might make God some part of amends for their trespasses and sinnes by supplying the wants of the poore and needy that God may have honour from them both as from a Phisitian a Patient when a bodily cure is wrought both are joyfull both thankefull to God you know the place Dan. 4. 27. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse thy 〈◊〉 by shewing mercy to the poore if there bee any way in the world for a rich man to breake off the yoke of sin and Satan from his necke and to deliver his soule from the hand of hell it is by deedes of charity and workes of mercy to the poore I will have mercy saith God and noâ— sacrifice Hof â— 6. where mercy and sacrifice may stand together it is reason God should have both but it there must bee a separation if there must bee a defalcation that must be cut off God had rather lose his owne part then the poore should lose theirs God had rather lose a sacrifice or a worke of piety then the poore should lose an almes or a worke of mercy I will have mercy and not sacrifice I say no more but this shew mercy to the poore for Christs sake and Christ will shew you mercy for the poores sake and so much for the second sort of good workes which are Opera charitatis workes of charity to the poore 3. Opera Hâ—nâ—statis workes of honesty and good dealing with neighbours and strangers that is to doe as we would be done unto and to be as loath to doe wrong as we are to take it They say that honesty and plaine dealing is a jewell and he that useth it shall die a begger but wot you what one wittingly replyed That Begger shall go into Abrahams boâ—ome when all dishonest worldlings with all their dishonest gaines shall be damned like Dives to the pit of hell And therefore as you desire to escape that direfull slaughter-house of hell those everlasting burnings in that infernall pit be ruâ—e◠〈…〉 and see that you provide things honest in the sight of God men that if ever you shal come to be questioned as Iacob was by Laban how you came by your goods you may be able to say as Iacob did my righteousnesse shall answer for me And so much briefely for the three severall sorts of good workes which every Christian is bound by his beliefe and faith to God to do and to maintaine to the utmost of his power and ability It remaynes how this must be done and that you shall see by the sequell 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be carefull to maintaine good workes so wee translate it the word signifies somewhat more i. ut studeant that they study devise and beate their braines how they may doe good to those that stand in neede of their goodnesse according to that Esay 32. 8. The liberall man deviseth liberall things he studies upon his bed as a mother doth when her child is sicke what course to take what meanes to use to make the Church and the world the better for him Solomon saith Pro. 14. 22. Mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good i. Mercy in the promises and truth in the performances of Gods favour and goodnesse to that mans soule As on the contrary it is the brand-marke of a man that feares not God Psal 36. 4. He deviseth evill upon his bed it is bad enough to doe evill any manner of way though it bee ex non advertentiâ for want of good taking heede as Gods best servants doe many times and are heartily sory for it when it is done so that were it to doe againe they would not willingly doe it for a world but for a man in cold blood as wee say to lye and study and contrive a way to sinne and to project and plot his sinnes aforehand it is damnable and devilish And marke the place where a gracelesse man deviseth evill David saith In cubile suo upon his bed in the darke and silent night when a man should doe nothing but pray and sigh and grone and cry to God for mercy and grace and remission of sinnes then doth a wicked man lie and plot and beate his braines how to bee revenged on such a neighbour how to bring such a wicked enterprise to passe that the world may take no notice of it oh that such men would remember that woe Mich. 2. 1. Wee unto them that devise evill upon their beds and in the morning rise and practise it that is a degree beyond the former evill if a man hath had evill thoughts or evill purposes in the night as the best man may have the first thing hee should doe in the morning should bee to downe upon his knees to God and desire the Lord as Peter advised Symon Magus to pray Act. 8. that the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him but for a man first to devise evill without remorse of conscience and then to practise it what is this but to adde sinne to sinne and even with cartropes to pull downe the curse of God upon his owne head And therefore as you love your soules take heede of devising evill by your selves drive away those evill thoughts as Abraham did the fowles with the staffe of earnest prayer and as the Apostle saith Phil. 4. 8. If there â—ee any vertue if there be any praise in you thinke on these things that my text enjoynes you and when you have any leasure any spare time from the world devise in Gods name and beate your braines how you may compasse to doe some good worke which may tend to the right way of pleasing God and of saving your owne soules So much for that particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that beleeve in God must study and take thought how to maintaine good workes 2. To maintaine good workes the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies prâ—esse to bee before others to be a President or an antecedent in good works not onely to take example by others but to give example to others of goodnesse and well-doing as in giving of honour so in doing of good we must strive to goe one before another not singer and stay till we see what an other man will doe or what such a man will give to pious and charitable uses but strive to be the first
soule such a one is a very felon to himselfe and a very theefe to his owne soule Ier. 17. 17. as a Partridge â—itteth on egges and hatcheth them not so hee that getteth riches and not by right meanes nor to a right end shall leave them in the midst of his dayes at his end shall be a foole that is all he gets by his miserablenes he leaves al his goods behind him carries nothing with him but his sins so coram domino vacuus apparet appeareth before the Lord empty I meane of grace good works how can such a one hope to be welcome to God Others spare like him Luke 12. that they may say to their soules in future times Eate drinke take thy case c. such men God commonly disappoints when they thinke to take their pleasures God sends some evill Angel to take away their soules and then â—ujus c. whose shall those things bee that thou hast layd up Others spare pretending to have to keepe them when they are sicke that is not amisse yet many times God punisheth them in that they shall spend their meanes upon Phisitians as the woman with the bloody-issue did and be never the better Others spare to leave enough to their children that is good but if that be all see Iob 20. 10. â—lij â—ius placabâ—nt â—â—ndicos his children shall flatter the poore for bread i. an other shall possesse his meanes and his children come to poverty The onely true and right end of thrift and frugality should be to maintaine good workes and hospitality when a man spares from himselfe that he may have to give to him that needeth according to that of our Saviour Luke 11. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after our owne necessities are served then give almes of those things that are within saith Christ that is within our power or within the compasse of our abilities so Pro. 5. 15. first drinke the water of thy owne ciâ—â—erâ—e that is provide for thee and thine and then let thy fountaines flow forth first for our owne use then for the use of others For though Charity begin at home it must not end at home but impâ—rt it selâ—â— to the good of others And these b◠〈…〉 â—â—intayne good workes One thing onely remaines and that is the reason why they are to be maintained as David answered his brother 1. Sam. 17. 29. when hee questioned him why hee left the sheepe and came into the campe Iâ— there not a cause saith hee so say I If you desire to know why good workes must bee maintained Is there not a cause specified in the text These things are good and profitable unto men I could shew you divers other good causes and considerations for the maintenance of good workes I will but name them and conclude 1. Propter placentiaâ— Dei for the pacifying pleasing of God Heb. 13. 16. To doe good and to distribute for get â—oâ— for with such sarifices God is well pleased if we that so oft and so many waies displease anger God by doing ill will not some times and some wales endeavour to please him againe by doing good how can God take it well at our hands 2. Propter 〈◊〉 fidei for the evidence and manifestation of our faith as it is said Acts 14. 17. that God left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good c. his own good workes are his own witnes to testifie and prove the providence of his goodnesse to the sonnes of men so were our Saviours Opera 〈…〉 me my owne workes testifie of me that I came out from God so must wee have good workes to testifie the truth and goodnesse of our faith though as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Hee that beleeveth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe that inward testimony is sufficient for a manâ— owne satisfaction but not for the conviction of others therefore saith Saint Iames shew me thy faith by thy workes thou maist shew it to God in another kind but to mee thou must shew it by good workes For ubi opera non apparent extra fidem non 〈…〉 esse intrâ— saith a father where I see not good works without I will never 〈…〉 any 〈◊〉 within 3. Propter 〈◊〉 adversary our adversaries the Dapists they upbraid us as Peninnah did Haâ—â—ah with our unfruitfulnesse they crake that all our Churches all our Hospitalls and Colleâ—ges are theirs and albeit enough is said and done to breake the teeth of their slanders yet if it be possible let us as Saint Peter adviseth 1. Pet. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 muzzle them quite stop their mouthes and put them to silence by doing more good for so is the will of God saith he that with well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 4. Propter indigentiam mundi the poore we have alway with us wherefore but that as the Israelites in the wildernesse did helpe one another in gathering of Manna whence it came to passe that he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lacke so saith the Apostle â— Cor. â— should it be among Christians one mans wealth should supply anothers want that God may have glory from both as I said before 5. Prâ—ptâ—r consequentiam commodi from the profit and benefit â—â—â—ing from good workes which is the reason added in my text These things are good and profitable unto men The heathen man could say Ad utïlitatem omnes rapimur neque aliter ullo modo possimus All men living run hedlong after profit neither can they possibly doe otherwise now if ye will beleeve the Holy Ghost there cannot bee a more profitable thing then well-doing both for this life and the life to come not that I care for a gift saith the Apostle Phil. 4. 17. but I desire fruit that will further your account Every good worke that a godly man doth is put upon his score it stands upon his account so that when God and hee shall come to reckon at the last day hee shall have nothing to answer for but all his evill workes shall be forgiven him and for the good workes that he hath done shall he heare that heavenly voyce from the mouth of Iesus Christ Come thou blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for thee c. To which kingdome God of his mercy bring us for Christ Iesus sake to whome with the Father and the holy spirit bee given and ascribed all honour and glory be done and performed all service and duty from henceforth for â—ver more Amen FJNJS A SVMMER SERMON VPON ELIAHS PRAYER Preached in the Cathedrall Church of St. Pauls in LONDON on the last Sonday of Trinity Terme in the after noone being a time of 〈…〉 and drought By John Gore Rector of Wenden-lofts in Essex Printed at London by Thomas Cotes for Thomas Alchorn and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the
that knew how to tender and succour our infirmities because himselfe had a feeling of them in his owne nature This made him so tenderly affected towards the hungry multitude Matt. 15. because himselfe knew by his owne experience what an unsufferable misery hunger was This made him so compassionate towards the sorrowes of Mary and Mâ—â—sha Ioâ— 11. because himselfe was 〈…〉 acquainted with griâ—â—â— and sorrow And such was his compassion toward Peter in that state of desertion wherein he lay Luk 22. because himselfe knew and felt in his owne soule what a wofull thing it was to be forsaken of God And this is the assurance which the Apostle gives us that we shall obtaine mercy and grace from Iesus Christ to helpe and comfort us in time of need Heb. 4. 16. because himselfe had a feeling of the same infirmities and was a man subject to the same passions that wee our selves are sinne onely excepted In a word then as there is no Rose since the Creation but hath his prickles as well as his sweet leaves so there is no man living since the fall of Adam except our Saviour forementioned who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man both but hath his passions as well as his perfections his infirmities as well as his graces As Cyril observes there is no Rock of stone so hard but hath some cracks some clefts and seames in it whereat weedes spring out and grow so there is no mans heart so sanctified and filled with grace but hath some cracks some flawes in it whereat his sinnes and corruptions sprout and issue out to his no small regret and griefe And as we see by experience that there is chaffe about everie corne in the field and bitternesse in every branch of Wormewood and saltnesse in every drop of water in the Sea so is there infirmity and frailty corruption and passion in every man woman and child of what estate of what degree of what profession soever Eliah was a holy man a zealous man a man of God and yet a man subject to passons Let no man therefore be too forward or too severe in censuring and condemning the follies and frailties the weakenesses and passions of godly men or of the men of God such as Eliah was for alas they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject to the same passions that other men are Salomon tells us Pro. 27. 19. That as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man A man that lookes into the water or into a glasse shall see a face there in all points answering to his owne the same spots the same warts the same wrinkles and blemishes that he sees in the face in the water they are all the very same in his owne face there is face answering to face so doth the heart of man to man the same evills the same corruptions lusts and sinnes that thou seest in another mans heart breaking out into his life the very selfe-same are in thy owne heart his heart to thine is but as a face answering to a face in the water Observe the Apostles demand 1 Cor. 4. 7. and apply it to thy selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who makes thee to differ from an other man For by nature all are alike all equally devoid of spirituall grace and goodnesse and all equally prone to sinne and wickednesse how comes it to passe then that one man differs from another that one is holy blamelesse and undefiled in his way another licentious and loose and spotted with the world Answ It is not any thing in nature beleeve that for a truth but meerely that same Gratia discriminans as Divines call it that distinguishing Grace of God it is that which makes the difference betwixt one man and another Let no man therefore ascribe any thing to himselfe for his freedome from great offences but give God the glory of his grace which had made him to differ from the greatest sinner and if at any time thou seest another man breake out into passion or miscary in his way by some ill temptation reprove him in Gods name and pray for him when thou hast done and withall reflect upon thy selfe and say as Plato did Num ego talis uspiam Am not I such a one Have not I beene or may not I be as vile and as vicious as he Be not therefore too censorious nor too supercilious as the manner of some is but incline rather to thinke everie man better than to thinke any man worse than thy selfe if thou seest thy brother overtaken in a fault doe then as the Apostle adviseth thee Gal. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restore him with the spirit of meekenesse or as the word signifieth bind him up gently and lovingly as a Chirurgian doth a bone that is out of joynt Considering thy selfe saith he least thou also be tempted considering I say that thou art as he is and all men are as Eliah was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too like one another in that which is naught all subject to the same passions All as the Apostle saith shut up under sin And I pray God of his goodnesse have mercy on us all Amen Againe the consideration of this if it be rightly conceived may serve for a comfort and a stay unto such tender consciences as have sinned of infirmitie and like Moses in their haste have spoken unadvisedly with their lips not being able for the time to over-rule and bridle their passions It is some comfort to consider that the greatest Saints of God have sometimes beene of the same temper yea there is not a soule in heaven the soule of Iesus Christ onely excepted but hath beene sometimes subject to the very same passions And I said This is my infirmity saith the Psalmist Psal 77. 10. but I remember the yeares of the right hand of the most High i I consider and call to minde that God in former times and in the dayes of old hath had compassion upon the same infirmities in other men and why should I misdoubt he being still the same compassionate God but that he will have pitty and compassion upon the same infirmities in me But some man may say How shall I know and be assured that my sinnes are sinnes of infirmitie such as God will winke at and not rather sinnes of presumption and iniquitie such as his soule abhorres Answ A sinne of infirmity may be knowne two wayes 1. By the antecedent which goes before it and that is an honest resolution of a mans heart against sinne and evill when a man doth stedfastly resolve by the assistance and grace of God to separate himselfe from every knowne sin and to sanctifie himselfe in all holy duty and obedience to God striving by a holy desire and an hearty endeavour in nothing willingly to sinne against God but in every thing to please him and approve himselfe unto him if such a man chance to fall by occasion into a fault or be overtaken
downe into the soule Though we cannot command or forbid the raine to water the earth as Eliah did if we can water and mollifie the earthen hearts of men with the supernaturall raine of heavenly Doctrine and make a dry and barren soule beare fruit to God Is not this as great a wonder as the other Though we cannot cause nor command the thunder as Samuel did to terrifie the people for their sinnes yet God hath his Boanerges his sonnes of thunder still that by ratling from heaven the terrible judgements of God against sinne and sinners are able to make the stoutest and the proudest heart upon earth even tremble and quake and fall downe before the presence of God and is not this as great a miracle as that of Samuel to bring an unhumbled sinner upon his knees and make glad to cry God mercy for his sinnes In a word though wee cannot cast out devils out of mens bodies as the disciples of Christ could doe if we can cast the devill out of mens soules by the powerfull Gospell of Iesus Christ is it not as great a wonder Beleeve it brethren the conversion of a sinner to God and bringing of a soule to heaven is absolutely without comparison the greatest miracle the greatest wonder in the world And these be the miracles wherewith it pleaseth God to grace the Ministers of the Gospel therefore ye observe that the Collect for Ministers runnes thus Almighty God which onely workest great marvels c. When a soule is sicke to the death with a surfeit of sinne is recovered and revived againe by that same healthfull spirit of grace which God together with his Word doth breathe into the soule it is so great a marvell so rare a wonder that the Angels of heaven rejoyce to see it I have held you over-long in the former part of Eliahs prayer which brought the judgment heare now in a word or two the Reversing of the judgement and I have done And he prayed again the heavens gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit It well becomes the Prophets of God to be mercifull Good Eliah had not the heart to hold the people too long under a judgement when hee saw hee had done enough to humble them he desires God to reverse the judgement As it is observed of the good Angels in the old and new Testament when they appeared to any either man or woman their method and manner was this Primò terrent deinde laetisicaâ—t they first terrified them and put them into feare then presently comforted them and put them out of feare Thus did Eliah with this people thus did Moses with Pharaoh that good man had not the heart to hold wicked Pharoah alway under a judgement but upon the least entreaty made suit to God to reverse it So dealt the Prophet with Ieroboam 1 Reg. 13. 6. when he had smitten him with a judgment and had him at the advantage that his hand was withered Ieroboam was glad to submit and say Intreate now the face of the Lord thy God and pray for me that my hand may be restored me the man of God had not the heart to deny him but immediatly besought the Lord and the Kings hand was restored and became as it was before When a judgement comes then Prophets are in season Abraham is better than a King in this case Gen. 20. 7. 17. Restore the man his own for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and ver 17. Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimeleeh c. Goe to my servant Iob saith God to his friends Iob 42. 8. and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept So Act. 8. 24. When Peter had denounced a curse on Simon Magus he was glad to crouch and cry unto him Oh pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me Thus ye see that judgements and plagues will bring Prophets into request men commonly deale with their Ministers as boyes do by Walnut-trees and other fruit-trees in faire weather throw cudgels at us in foule runne to us for shelter In the dayes of peace and prosperity we are past over as superfluous creatures of whom there is little use and lesse neede but when the wrath of God falls on the naked soule when the conscience is wounded within and body pained without then the Minister is thought on I say no more if you desire their prayers and that God should heare them praying for you in your extremity do not slight them doe not wrong them in prosperity Remember how Ahab and all Israel were glad to be beholden to Eliah to reverse their judgment and you doe not know how soone the case may be your owne therefore as you love your soules love those that have charge of them And he prayed againe c. When I looke into the Story 1 Reg. 18. I can finde no direct prayer that Eliah made for raine But I â—iud there a twofold prayer that he made 1. A virtuall 2. A formall prayer 1. A virtuall prayer not for raine but for their conversion Oh Lord saith Eliah bring backe or bâ—ing home the heart of this people unto thee vers 73. and this includes all other prayers that can be made A prayer for Conversion is a prayer for every thing Ier. 31. 18. When Epâ—ratm prayes for conversion Turne thou me and I shall be turned saith God I will surely have mercy upon him c. Such is the goodnesse of God that he will with-hold no good thing be it raine be it plenty be it any thing that is good for them from them that are converted and brought home by true repentance to him Therefore if thou standest in neede of any temporall mercy pray first for conversion and all other good things shall be super-added and throwne in unto thee or if thou prayest for any child or for any friend to doe him good indeed pray for his conversion and thou prayest for every thing that one prayer is instar omnium insteed of all the rest If hee be in an ill way desire God to bring him backe and for future things take no care 2 A formall prayer when he saw that the people were truely humbled and that their hearts were indeed brought home to God insomuch that they cried out with an ingemmination The Lord he is God the Lord he is God then hee buckles his head betweene his knees to shew the humble prostration of his soule and falls a praying to God for raine After humiliation any prayer comes in season Esay 1. Wash ye make ye cleane put away the evill of your doings c. And now come saith God and we will reason together now let us parle now let us confesse now pray and I will heare you Iud. 10. 17. When the Israelites put away their strange gods and turned themselves to the true God by sincere repentance and reformation the text saith
part of that service we owe to God as our Saviour intimates in the Gospel where he saith that Mary hath chosen the better part It is the doing of Gods Will and the fulfilling of his Word that makes our service entire and compleate and such as God would have it This lesson if we will not learne it by the Scriptures we may learn it of the very sencelesse creatures of the very Snow in my text for saith Iob God doth but speake to the Snow and say Be thou on the earth and there it rests till God removes it This is my second observation that the Snow is nuntius dei the messenger and servant of God and may teach man obedience to his Maker Therefore Christ expostulateth it as an absurd thing in men to cry Lord Lord i to professe and ingominate a verball subjection whereas really and indeed they would not doe so much for God as the very sencelesse and bruitish creatures 3. Moreover Iob tells us Cha. 38. 22. that God hath Thesaures nivis Treasures of Snow which he reserveth and keepeth in store against such time as the earth shall stand most in neede of it and so you shall observe in Scripture that God hath treasures in store for all kind of mercies He hath a treasure of raine as Iob tells us in the same place that is in the scorching heat of Summer when the earth doth even rend and split and gaspe for want of moysture as if it were ready as it wâ—re to give up the ghost then doth God goe to his Treasurie and fetch out that same pluviam munificam Psal 68. 9. gracious â—â—â—â—ching raine that refresheth the bowels of the earth and maketh the very Vallies as David spakes even to laugh and sing The same Prophet David tels us Psal 17. 14. that God hath Thesaurum alimonia a treasure of foode and provision for the belley Whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasure that is In time of dearth and famine when the city shal be forced to cry to the country as the man did to Paul Act. 16. 9. Come out of Macedonia and helpe us and when the countrey shall thinke as that Nobleman did 2. Reg. 7. that the scarcitie of provision is so great that if the Lord should make windowes in heaven it would all be little enough to fill the bellies of the people then doth God of his goodnesse provide for the poore then doth he goe to his secret and hidden treasure and by wayes unlikely and unexpected doth God take order for their reliefe that put their trust in him Beyond all these God hath one Treasure more more worth than all the rest and that is Thesaurus Gratia the treasure of his grace and goodnesse which he hath hidden and laid up in the Breast and Bosome of Iesus Christ Colos 2. 3. In him saith the Apostle are hid the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Therefore as in Egypt they that wanted any corne went all to Ioseph who had the Treasures and Storehouses in his owne keeping so let all that want grace repare to Iesus Christ who is the Lord high Treasurer of the graces of God Now these treasures of grace are said to be hid in Christ not as Moses body was hidden by the Angel to the intent that it should not be found but as the woman in the Gospel Mat. 13. is said to hide her leaven in the meale that the vertue of it may be diffused and dispersed into every bit of her bread In this sence doth God hide his graces in the heart of Iesus Christ that all we that are his sinful members may have a taste and a relish of the same graces that are in him according to that Ioh. 1. 16. Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace that is as one sweetly expounds it as a child in generation receiveth 〈◊〉 his parents member for member or as the paper from the Presse receiveth letter for letter or as the glasse from the face receiveth Image for Image so do we from Iesus Christ receive grace for grace that is for every grace that is in Christ appertaining to a generall sanctification as humility zeale devotion c. there is a grace in us if we belong to him in some measure and proportion answerable and agreeable to the same in him Thus â—re we through Gods mercy partakers of the same treasure with our blessed Saviour and we carry it about as the Apostle speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in earthen vessel therefore it stands us in hand to take heed of knocks and fals I meane into sin whereby the treasure of Gods grace may be endangered in us Thus you see that God hath treasures for all mercies and indeede his treasures are all and onely for mercy as for that same treasure of wrath Rom. 2. 5. that is ours and none of Gods God treasures up nothing but mercy it is we that store and fill his treasure with wrath as the Apostle saith Thou O wicked man after the hardnesse of thy heart treasurest up wrath for thy selfe against the day of wrath God doth not treasure up wrath for thee nor for any man else but thou treasurest and storest it up for thy self and therefore if God pay 〈◊〉 home in thy own coine and 〈◊〉 thy treasure upon thy own head thou must thank thy selfe In a word though God keepes the treasures of merâ—ie yet we keep the key at least we may if we will our selves for God hath given us a key that will open any treasure that God hath and that is humble prayer it is Clavis 〈◊〉 the key of heaven gates onely take heede that we doe not suffer the wards of this key to grow rusty for want of use least in the day of extremity when we come to the doore of mercy our key will not open it These things have I noted upon occasion of Iobs expression touching the Treasures of the Snow which God layes up in store for the earth against the time of neede that is in sharpe and bitter weather when the fruits of the earth lie naked and bare and have nothing to defend them from the cold and killing blasts of the winde and frost then doth God bring forth the snowes out of his treasury or out of his wardrobe as a vesture of Wooll to keepe warme the corne that it take no hurt as it followeth in my text Dat niâ—em sicut lanam He giveth Snow like Wooll And why like Wooll I suppose for two principall reasons 1 Propter albediâ—â—m for the whitnesse of it That Metaphor it pleaseth the holy Ghost to use elsewhere Psal 51 7. Punge mee with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow to shew what a blessed change and alteration Gods mercy and our repentance makes in the soule of a poore sinner who can tell where the spot was when the skinne is rinsed now the onely washing-lye for the heart and for the inward
〈◊〉 is that which is made with the ashes of our sinneâ— to 〈◊〉 and scoâ—â—â— our foules That soule which before wâ—◠〈…〉 or hell with wickednesse and 〈◊〉 of darkenesse being rinsed by repentance and renued by the Spirit of Iesus Christ becomes as cleane and white aâ— pure and unspotted in thâ— eyes of God as the driven Snow is in ouâ—s Take away 〈◊〉 iniquity saith David and thâ—◠〈◊〉 finde 〈◊〉 when God hath taken away a manâ— iniquity his sinnes are no more to be found than if they had never beene 〈◊〉 Esayâ— 16. Waâ—â— ye make ye cleane put away the evill of your doings from before my eyes c. What then Why then saith God ver 18. Though your sinnes be 〈◊〉 scarlet they shal be as white as Snow though they be red like crimson they shal be as Wooll You know that crimson and scarlet iâ— so deepe a dye that all the Art under heaven cannot alter it or take it out yet the Lord can make of a Slarlet-sinner a milke-white-Saint God can take out the deepest dies of sinne though they be sinnes in graine and the soule shall become as the Snow or Wooll that was never dipt oâ— stained Therefore when thou goâ—â—â— or lookest abroad in the Winter time and seest the Snow lie white as Wooll upon the ground then reflect upon thy selfe and say O that my soule were of this colour Oh that all the blacknesse and darkenesse the deformity and uglinesse of my sinnes were done away and that my soule were restored to that Candor and whitenesse and bright sincerity that this Snow doth represent Beloved It is not the outward brightnesse and beauty of the countenance and complexion that God regards where there is cor nigrum a blacke base heart within but it is that same decor ab intus that inward intrinsecall comelinesse that David speakes of Psal 45. 14. that makes the King of heaven take pleasure in our beauty Let neither man nor woman therefore boast or be proud of their white Out-side but rather labour and pray for a white In-side that they may be as Moses was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7. 20. faire to God for so the Originall hath it wee translate it Hee was exceeding faire but the Greeke signifies Hee was faire to God and when all is done that is the true beauty that commends us to God when the other beauty is withered and wrinkled and cleane gone then doth this Iâ—veâ—escere grow younger and better with age Whensoever therefore God sends a Snow doe not thou like a bruite beast onely trample upon it and tread it under foote but make some benefite of it to thy soule and say within thy selfe This is the colour oâ— my Saviour Revela Chapter 1. verse 14. The Saints in heaven are all of this colour as white as this very Snow in grace and glory Revelaâ— Chapter 7. verse 14. Lord make my soule of the same colour too that I may no longer resemble the devill in being blacke with sinne and iniquity but may resemble the Saints and Angels in being white with innocency and integrity Consider I beseech you why is it said 1 Corinthians 15. That flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God The meaning cannot be that the substance of flesh and bloud cannot inherit Gods Kingdome for then what should become of all the Saints and servants of God whose soules are gone beforehand into heaven while their bodies liâ— in the must expecting glory but the meaning truely is that the corruption of flesh and bloud cannot come within that Kingdome that is flesh and bloud as it is corrupted and defiled as it is blacked and besmeared and stained with sinne and Satan so it shall never come within the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and of God our heavenly Father but when flesh and bloud shal be washed and cleansed and sanctified by the grace and by the Spirit and by the bloud of Iesus Christ and become as white as Snow then is it come to the right colour then and not till then is flesh and bloud fit for Gods Kingdomâ— and for the blessed society of the Saints in light So much for the first reason why God is said to give Snow like Wooll for the purity and whitenesse of it 2 Propter 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of it for though the Snow â—e â—â—ld and â—â—illing to 〈◊〉 it is warme and comfortable to the earth like a garment of Wooll upon the backe of it to preserve and cherish the kindely fruites of the earth that in due time through Gods mercy 〈◊〉 â—ay enjoy 〈◊〉 Reason therfore with thy self if God so cloath the 〈◊〉 which is but scabellum Dei the 〈…〉 God the lowest and basest part of his creation Will â—e not much 〈◊〉 cloath thee O man that art Image Dâ—i the Image of God that carriest the stampe of God upon thy soule as the coine beareth the stampe of the King upon the side surely he that taketh care for Oxen will much more take care for Christians Hee that feedeth the young Ravens that call upon him will surely feede young Infants that call upon him Hee that Cloatheth the grasse of the field which doth him no service will certainely provide cloathing for us if we doe him any service as we ought to doe Remember how God provided for the Israelites when they were in the wildernesse where there was no new apparell to be bought God so provided that the old apparell which they had did neither weare out nor waxe too little for them but their cloathes grew as their bodies grew and their shooes grew as their feeâ—e grew and the one wâ—â— as lasting and as durable as the other Take no care therefore saith our Saviour meaning no distrustfull care what ye shall eate or drinke or what cloathes ye shall have to cover you Why for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have neede of these things Alas may some say this is but small comfort to tell a poore man be of good comfort for God knoweth thy wants or to tel a sicke man be of good comfort for God knoweth thy diseases or to tell a man that is undone be of good comfort for God knoweth thy losses c. I say this that God knoweth all things were but a feeble Cordiall if so be that the knowledge of God were not as it is accompanied and attended with the helpefulnesse and the goodnesse of God that wheresoever God knowes there is a want he takes a speedie course to relieve and supply it according to that 2 Chron. 16. 6. Oculi domini discurrunt c. the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth not harely to see and take notice of what iâ— wanting or amisse but to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose hearts are perfect towards him Doubt not therefore but stedfastly beleeve he that is so carefull to cloathe the earth will have a greater care to cloath thee
if thou belongest to heaven Lastly from hence they that are rich in this world may learne in a contrary sence to that of Lucifer to be similes altissimo like to the most high God I meane in goodnesse and tender-mercie we use to say dives quasi divus to intimate that a rich man should be to the poore as Moses was to Aaron in some fence a God Exod. 4. to succour and defend them in the time of need so then look how God above doth in the Summer time refresh the bowels of the earth with raine and in the Winter time keepe warme the backe of it with Snow so should they Philemon-like refresh the bowels of the poore that are pinched with hunger and Dorcas-like provide some cloathing for the backes of the poore that are not able to cloath themselves It is recorded of Iob to his eternall happinesse and honour that the loynes of the poore did blesse him being warmed with the fleece of his flocke Oh what a blessed thing it is to have the blessing of the poore and the blessing of God into the bargaine and all for the offalls of a mans estate Such a man shal be blessed in his name blessed in his person blessed in his posterity God will blesse a charitable minded man men will blesse him heaven will blesse him earth will blesse him all that ever have beene comforted or cloathed by him will blesse him too their backes will blesse him their bellies will blesse him their soules will blesse him his house shal be filled with blessings as a cruell mans house is filled with curses Therefore as David said of the men of Iabez when newes was brought him that they had buried the bones of Saul 2 Sam. 2. 5. Blessed be ye of the Lord the Lord recompence you this mercy So may I say of a mercifull minded man blessed be such a man of the Lord the Lord will surely recompence him mercy for mercy kindnesse for kindnesse and whatsoever cost he hath bestowed upon earth he shall finde it a hundred fold with God in heaven This lesson men of wealth and ability may learne of the very Snow or rather of the God that sends it not to lay all upon their owne backes Salâ—â—s sylvas as hee said groves and grounds and all to decke up themselves but lay something out upon the backes of Christs naked members that they may heare that comfortable doome at the last day Come yee blessed of my Father for I was naked and ye cloathed c. I had a conceit as I come by the way that the Snow did carry in it a lively resemblance of the state of this world in sundry passages I will but name them and leave them to your consideration 1. As the earth lies warme under the Snow and feeles not the bitter blasts of winde and frost which other poore creatures shrinke and smart for so fares it with the rich men of this world that lie warme with their wealth about them and have no feeling nor compassion of the cold and hunger the miseries and necessities of their poorer brethren So Dives being warme within had no feeling of poore Lazarus without now Dives signifies a rich man and Lazarus in the Originall signifies one qui auxilio destitutus est One that stands in neede of helpe and the intent of the Parable is to shew that the rich are commonly as destitute of pitty as the poore are destitute of helpe the one hath little or no feeling of the other sufferings 2. You may observe how the Snow goes by drifts the Wind fetcheth it off from one place to fill up another many a piece of ground is made naked and bare to fill up some ditch or pile up against some hedge and there it lies to keep those places warme that were warme before Even so doth the wealth of this world goe by drifts the winde of adversitie fetcheth it off from one man to fill up the unsatiable ditch of another man and many a mans meanes like the Snow is blowne cleane away from him and his posterity into the hands of Vsurers and rich Oppressoins to keepe them warme that were warme already to increase their wealth that had too much before just as Naboâ—hs Vineyard was blowne away from him and from his children into the territorie and demaines of wicked 〈◊〉 3. Looke how they boyes and other youths toyle themselves in the cold to make a Snow-ball that shall licke up the other Snow and laâ—â— when that is gone so doth many a covetous man toile himselfe in the world and licke up his poore neighbours with hard bargaines and cruell dealings and all this to rowle up himselfe a private wealth which when he hath done is but like a Snow-ball it may last for a time but vix gaudet tertiâ—â— heres it is a venture but some unthriftie Heire will waste it and melt it away as fast and as ill as ever his father got it 4. The Snow blindes a mans eyes that when he comes into a darke roome he can scarce discerne any thing Thus are many a mans eyes dazled with the vanities and vices of the world that when hee should come to looke inward into the darke corners of his heart to see how the case stands betwixt God and his soule like the blinded Sodomites he gropes at noone-day and cannot finde the doore of Gods mercy to enter at Salomon saith that gifts blinde the eyes of the wise In the Originall it is Pickim such as have their eyes open the meaning is that corruption and briberie so dazleth many a wise man that though his eyes be open to the world-ward to hell-ward they are blinde to God-ward and to heaven-ward and cannot see into the things that belong to the right way of pleasing of God and saving their owne soules 5. As many a dunghil and many a dirty slough is hid under a drift of Snow that a man can neither see it nor suspect it so is many a base minde many a false heart hid under a faire outside that will make profession and promises of favour and friendship to a man in prosperity but let him be cast or driven upon them in adversitie he shall finde them like a rotten quagmire under a heape of Snow a meanes rather to sinke him than to save or succour him at such a time 6. Lastly as Leontius said once to his sonnes pointing with his finger to his gray-haires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. when this Snow melts there will be a floud so let all old weather-beaten sinners pueri centuÌ„ annoruÌ„ as the Prophet speaks Esa 65. 20. that are aged in time and sin but children in grace and knowledge that have feathered their nests in this world and have nothing to take to in the world to come let them beware as he said least a floud of fire brimstone in the infernal lake do follow upoÌ„ the melting of their snowyheads upon the dissolution of their
sinfull soules and bodies These thoughts came in upon the by and therefore I will not stand to enlarge them but hasten to the next general part of my text as it followeth in the next place Spargit pruinam sicut cinereÌ„ he scattereth or sprinkleth the hoary frost like ashes 2. This I termed the Diligence of God He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor â—leepeth but when we are a sleepe God is awake when we are at rest God is at worke when wee are taking our ease within then is our God taking paines abroad to sprinkle the hoary Frost in the evening for our health and welfare in the morning The consideration hereof should move us not onely to praise God for his Day-mercies as David did Seven times a day will I praise thee saith he Psal 119. because hee knew that so and more than so often he was beholding to God every day that came over his head but also wee have just cause to remember God for his Night-mercies for his preservation and protection for his custody and care that hee hath of us in the night as well as in the day time Have I not remembred thee on my bed saith David elsewhere and thought upon thee when I was waking Psal 63. 7. So if thou hast forgotten God at thy board remember him on thy bed if thou hast not thought upon him in the day thinke upon him the more in the night and when at any time God holdeth thy eyes waking as he did Davids often then consider and call to minde Gods mercies and thine owne sinnes be thankefull for the one be humbled for the other and then lie downe in the peace of Iesus Christ And in the morning when thou walkest a broad and seest the hoary frost lie upon the ground like ashes then thinke with thy selfe this is the worke of Gods owne hands God hath surely beene in this place and I was not aware of it Now marke the manner of Gods working Spargit prâ—inam he sprinkleth the hoary frost that is hee doth it in such a secret insensible invisible manner that no man living can perceive it till God have done his worke and finished it and even so it pleaseth God to worke and bring to passe the regeneration of a sinfull soule my Father worketh saith our Saviour and I worke and yet both worke after such a secret way that untill a man be converted the worke of Gods grace cannot be imagined nor perceived as it was with our Saviour at his resurrection when he was risen he appeared and shewed himselfe but the manner of his rising or how or which way he arose and got out of the Sepulchre no man living saw or could conceive as Salomon saith that the way of a ship in the sea is not to be knowne or found a man may stand upon the shore and see the ship and the sea and the ship going on the sea but the way of a ship in the sea is unknowne and undiscernable even so the wayes of God in translating men out of the state of sin and death into the state of grace and life are sine vestigijs unsearchable and past finding out Many a one is troubled that he knowes not the very instant of his conversion and regeneration to God and therfore makes question of his Christian calling but you know there is great difference betwixt a man that is suddenly converted as Paul was like a brande snatcht out of the fire as Saint Iude speakes in the very heate of their sinnes and such as have the grace of God wrought in them by degrees as Timothy had sensim sine sensu now a little and then a little by the secret supplies of the Spirit of grace now it is an easie matter for the one to set downe the time and manner of their regeneration not so for the other But the effect of all is this if a man can finde in himselfe the markes of the Lord Iesus aâ— the Apostle speakeeth I meane the infallible signes and symptomes of grace as a desire to feare God a â—are to please him and a kindly repentance when he hath done amisse let him never make question of his owne conversion but take it as an undoubted evidence to his soule that God hath received him into the state of mercy wherein he will reserve him for ever unto Iesus Christ No man makes question how the frost is gendred when he sees it lie upon the earth because hee knowes it is the handy worke of God And so is this Againe â—pargâ—â— pruinam Looke how God doth with the hoary frost how he scatters it upon the grasse that no one spot of ground hath it all but every pile of grasse hath some sprinkling of it so he doth with all his heavenly gifts and graces no man ever was so happy to have the fulnesse of grace save only our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ All we have but our sprinklings a sprinkling of faith a sprinkling of zeale a sprinkling of repentance and other graces some more some lesse as God is pleased to distribute it Hence the grace of God is compared unto two things in Scripture which are both things of sprinkling namely Salt and Seed Our Saviour compares it unto salt Marke 9 ult Have salt in your selves and be at peace one with another Now you know They that season meate doe not lay their salt all on a heape but scatter it and sprinkle it all over that every part may be made savoury by it So doth God distribute to every man a measure of grace that his soule may be seasoned and all his services be made savoury to the Lord that he may smell in them as he did in Noahs sacrifice Odâ—rem quietis a Savour of rest Saint Iohn compares the grace of God unto Seed 1 Ioh. 3. â— Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne meaning sinne unto death Why quia semâ—n dei because the seede of God abideth in him Now you know no sower layes his seede all on a heape but scatters and sprinkles it all over his land that every furrow may have some part of the feed and yeeld him againe some fruite of increase Thus doth God sow the seede of eternall life in the mindes and hearts of all faithfull people there is no one that hath all grace and there is no one but hath some some sprinkling of every grace For this cause I suppose the bloud of Christ is called the bloâ—d of sprinkling Heb. 12. 24. in allusion to the Passeover where the bloud of the Pascall Lâ—mâ—e was sprinkled on the posts of the doore to save the house from the deadly stroke of the revenging Aâ—gel So is the bloud of Iesus Christ sprinkled as it were by the â—inger of God upon the soules and consciences of all peniâ—â—nt sinners to save their soules from death and to take out the blots and staines of all our sinnes Looke how Aqua fortis takes out the blots of Inke out of a
paper so doth this precious bloud take out the blots of sinne out of the soule and blessed of God is that man that 〈◊〉 sprinkled with it All those sprinklings of 〈◊〉 in the Law of Moses were all but types and shadowes of this bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abell because Abel bloud cried for revenge but the bloud of our Saviour cries for mercy and drownes the cry of our deadly sinnes that â—ry and roare for vengeance And therefore iâ—â—â—ou hast not had the grace to keepe thy 〈…〉 spotted of the world but rather for want of grace 〈…〉 hast bestained and bespotted thy selfe with filthy lusts and sinneâ— then let me advise thee thus to doe as Ioseph of Arimaâ—hea went to pitaâ—â— and begged the body of Iesus Ioh. 19. â—8 So doe thou goe to God and begge the bloud of Iesus and desire the Lord to sprinkle it upon thy soule that thy sinnes may be done away and thy iniquities may be seene nâ— more for even this kinde of sprinkling is as easie to God as that whereof my Text here speaketh He 〈◊〉 or sprinkleth the hoâ—râ— frost like ashes Sicut cinâ—râ—m like Ashes Wee read Exod. â— 8. That Moses by Gods appointment tooke ashes from off the furnace and sprinkled them towards heaven and they bred botches and boyles and blames upon man and beast If God should sprinkle such ashes among us or if the hoary frost should bring forth such effects what a wofull case were we in How much cause therefore have wee as the Prophet speakes Hos 3. 5. to feare the Lord and his goodnesse in that being so unthankefull and so evill as wee are yet God is pleased out of his owne goodnesse and mercy not because we please him but because mercy pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. to doe us good and no harme all our dayes and to sprinkle such wholesome healthfull frost as shall doe every man good and no man hurt It is said Exod. 16. 14. That Manna which was called Angels-food not because the Angels did eate it but because the Angels did prepare it and bring it and make it ready for the peoples eating this Manna lay upon the ground like the hoary frost in the morning Doubtlesse it was to intimate that Manna is no more to God than ashes are to us and that if neede were rather than his people should famish God can turne the hoary frost into Angels food that we might live upon the one as the Israelites did upon the other forty yeares together David was driven to a low ebbe when hee said Psal 102. 9. Cinerem tanquam panem manducavi I have eaten ashes like bread I take it it was not so much out of necessity as to testifie his humility that hee did esteeme himselfe so vile a sinner that hee was not worthy to feede upon any better food and that dust and ashes were too good for him And so in the dayes of old they were wont in times of sorrow and sadnesse to sprinkle dust and ashes upon their heads from whence I take it our Ashwednesday hath its name being dies cinerum a day wherein men humbled them before the Lord in dust and ashes this they did to expresse the humiliation and deepe abasement of their soules that they thought themselves not worthy to be above ground but to be vnder earth in the grave dead and dissolved into dust and ashes I will not here presse the imitation of the ceremony but onely the observation of the substance of that act which concernes us as neerely as it did them and that is I would have you be as humble as sorrowfull as dejected and as pensive for your sinnes as vilely and basely and meanely conceited of your selves as they that strawed ashes upon their heads or as they that eatâ— ashes in stead of bread and mingled their drinke with weeping And so I come to the third generall point of my Text 〈◊〉 it followeth in the third place 3. Procijcit ejus glaciem sicut buccellas He casteth forth his iâ—e like morsels Me thinkes the Ice hath some resemblance of the state of this world which is dangerous two wayes 1. For slipping 2. For breaking 1. For slipping so the Fathers call the sinnes of the godly by the name of Lapsus slippings because like men on Ice they slipt and fell ere they were aware of it And David saith of the men of this world Psa 73. that God hath set them in slippery places Now a man that walkes in a slippery place had neede walke very circumspectly and very warily least he get a slip unawares that he cannot rciover himselfe without hurt and danger So the Apostle adviseth all good Christians to see that they walke Circumspectly Ephe. 5. 15. not as fooles but as wise A foole will venture to runne headlong on the Ice as if he were upon firme ground but a wise man will be very circumspect and wary and take heede to every steppe hee takes because he knowes the danger So should a Christian take heede to his wayes and if he finde himselfe going that he is ready to slip and fall from God into any sinne or to be carried headlong by the strength of his owne corruption or other temptation into any dangerous or wicked action let him then call unto the Lord as David did Psal 119. 117. sustenta me c. stay thou me up and I shall be safe like a man ready to fall he prayes God to uphold and stay him up For it is certaine a man hath not any power of himselfe to stay himselfe but that as Hanna tels us in her song 1. Sam. 2. 9. It is God that keepeth the feet of his Saints and staies them when they are going into an evill course And Moses tels us Deut. 33. 3. That God hath all his Saints in his hands as a Nurse hath her child and will not suffer them to fall into their own mischiefe and therefore our care must be by daily prayer to put our selves into Gods hands and desire God to leade us by his grace and his good Spirit and not leave us to our selves for then we shall surely slip and fall into evill That child that cares not to be led but will goe of himselfe gets many a knocke and many a shrewd fall but the child th at is fearefull and will cry to be led that child scapes many a broken face Therefore David desires God to leade him Psal 5. 8. Whereupon saith Musculus Duci caeâ—orum est puâ—rorum infirmorum c. to be led is a thing that properly belongs to such as are blinde and to children and impotent persons now if a blinde man or a child should goe upon the Ice without some guide to leade them what a dangerous case were they in even such are we without the guidance of God The Ice is dangerous and so is the world take heede of slipping 2. For breaking many a one we have knowne and heard
of that have ventured confidently on the Ice upon the Thames till it hath broken under them and they have perished irrecoverably so have many made a great shew in the world have beene in great dealings and beene confident of their fortunes till the Ice hath broken their credits have crackt and they sunke on a sudden See 2 Reg. 1. How securely Ahaziah walked on his wonted pavement fearing no danger nor distrusting any ill event and all on a sudden the floore that he walkes upon or some grate that was in the floore brakes under him and hee got such a fall that he never could recover it till his death It is not good therfore for any man to be too confident of his own estate vainely saying with Iob Chap. 29. 18. I shall die in my nest or with David Psa 30. 6. I shall never be moved but rather as the Apostle adviseth Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall For those that stand fastest upon earth have but slippery footing it is but a kinde of Ice take heede of breaking And yet there is another kinde of Ice which he that can breake or have it 〈◊〉 is a happy man and that is the Ice of sinne I meane the hardnesse of heart for looke how Ice hardens the water so doth sinne harden the heart and make it insensible of any danger and untractable to any goodnesse As long as the frost holds the Ice and the water are all one till the thaw comes and then it breakes into these buccellas these morsels that my text speakes of so as long as a man is frozen in the dregs of sinne and accustomed to aâ— evill course of life so long his sinnes and he are all one all the perswasions in the world cannot part them till God be pleased to send downe that same Gratiam mollificativam as Divines call it that same mollifying and melting grace that his heart begins to thaw and his sinnes and hee begin to part then doth he cast out those buccellas peccati those morsels of sinne by daily confession and contrition to God which before lay and wounded his conscience that he could never be at peace And this is that which the Scripture calls the breaking of the heart it is just like the breaking of Ice when the heart is dissolved with griefe and Godly sorrow and his sinnes begin to breake away by repentance and reformation of life then doth the Spirit of God which Zachary calls the Spirit of Grace and supplication doe as in the first creation Iâ—cubare super aquas sit and brood as it were upon these waters to hatch new graces to create a new heart and make him a new creature in Christ Iesus I might observe further how reverently how religiously the Prophet David speakes of the Ice and cold that he calls the Ice ejus Glacies Gods Ice and the cold ejus fâ—igus his cold to shew that God hath a hand in all ill-weather and that we ought not to blame the creatures but to remember their Creatour who for our sinnes justly is displeased But I hasten to the last part of my Text and that is 4. The compassion and tender mercy of God that God hath not the heart to hold his people long under a judgement but as in the tenth of Iudges when the people were throughly humbled his soule was grived for the misery of Israel and hee sent a remedy out of 〈◊〉 and as Davids heart after some space of time began to yearne after Absalan whom for his rebellion he had justly banished and hee must needes recall him home So when we relent God relents when we begin to bâ—e grieved for our sins then doth God begin to be grieved for our punishments when our hearts are melted within God melts the earth without as it followeth in the text Hitt Emi verbum lique facit c. He sendeth out his word and melteth them Hee bloweth with his winde and the waters stonâ— He sendeth out his word that is his command for so the ten Commandements are called Decem verba the ten words of God And hee bloweth with his winde in the originall it is flabir spiritus his spirit shall blow for the spirit of God and winde and breath of God are all one Now marke from the connexion of these two How the word of God and the spirit of God goe evermore together Hee sendeth out his word and bloweth with his spirit Iust as in the body of a man the veynes and the Arteryes goe ever together the veynes â—ary the blood and the Arteryes carry the spirits for every veyne in the body there is an Artery goes along with it So wheresoever there is a veyne of truth I meane where the word of God is faithfully preached there is vehiculum spiritus an Artery for the spirit of God to accompany and goe along with it to mollifie and intenerate that same nervum ferreum which the Prophet speakes of that Ironsinâ—w of unbeliefe and to make the word effectuall for the melting and thawing of the frozon hearts of sinners Now if you looke backe upon this kindly Thaw that God hath sent us after so long and lamentable a time of Snow and Ice and cold you shall see in it a lively resemblance of the inward and spirituall thaw and melting of a hardned heart that hath beene frozen a long time in the dregges of sinne and beene utterly uncapable of any grade untill such time as God doth send out his Word and melteth him and bloweth upon his soule with that same truely so called ventus favonius that favourable winde of his holy Spirit that makes the waters of repenting teares fall downe from his eyes I will but name the particulars and so conclude 1. The Thaw is alwayes accompanied with a change of weather the skie which before was faire and cleare and bright doth then grow cloudy and sad and darke with foggie mists and vapours that a man hath no pleasure to be abroad in it And thus it is with a repenting soule when God sends this Spirituall thaw a man shall finde a change of weather in his heart his joy will be changed into sorrow his mirth into melancholy his songs and merry tunes into sighes and sobbes and hee shall sensibly perceive the foggy vapours of his sinnes arise out of his heart into his head and come trickling downe in teares at his eyes It is said in the Psalmes that therefore the wicked feare not God because they have no changes but still continue in one estate of prosperity and pride and so think to passe a deliciys ad delicias from the joyes of earth to the joyes of heaven but that will not be if ever God intend to save their soules he will finde a time to send a thaw into their hearts and then let them tell me if they doe not finde a change of weather in their consciences 2. If it chance to thaw and then freeze againe
the next day this makes the wayes and passages worse than they were before So when a mans heart shall melt a little on the Sonday and freeze againe all the weeke after as Pharaohs melted for a time and then presently hardned again this relapse is worse than the former as water having beene once heate and then cooled againe growes colder after than before Wee see that even marble in some weather will stand on drops and yet retaines its wonted hardnesse so did Pharaohs heart and Sauls and Ahabs seeme to give and melt for a time but they grew hard againe too soone Take heede of that if thy heart begin to thaw desire God to follow thee with his grace that it may not freeze againe 3. After a thaw though the Snow for the most part be vanished and gone yet under hedges and ditches there wil lie some leavings of it as we call them a long time after so when it hath pleased God to melt a mans heart for sinne yet there wil be some leavings of corruption some remainders of his old sinnes in the blinde and secret corners of his heart So that the continuall care and daily practise of a Christian must be to finde out and purge out these old leavings of sinne that lie unmelted in his soule 1 Cor. 5. 7. 4. The thaw makes the wayes exceeding foule and cloggie which before were faire and cleane so till a mans heart be thawed he never perceives the foulenesse of the wayes of sinne how they bemyre his soule and clogge and hinder him in his passage to heaven Saint Peter calls the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a squalid foule and filthy place so the word signifies 2 Pet. 1. 19. a man shall have much adoe to keepe himselfe unspotted where so much filth and corruption is David found this and desired of God Psal 69 15. Eripe me de â—uto Lord deliver me out of the myre that I sinke not A wicked man thinkes the broad way to be the best way but a man whose heart hath beene thawed knowes it to be full of myre and sloughes and it is Gods mercy if they doe not sinke irrecoverably 5. While the frost holds the plowes are lockt out of the earth no seede can be sowne all husbandry is intermitted till God send a thaw and then their work goes forward So while men are frozen in sinne Gods Plow can make no worke the seed of his word can take no roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls the Ministrie of the word 1 Cor. 3. God husbandry doth no good till there come an inward thaw to prepare and make way for grace that mens hearts may be wrought upon by the powerfull Gospel of Iesus Christ then it is no griefe for a Minister to take paines in the Word and Doctrine of the Lord. Therefore Iohn Baptist was sent before to prepare the way for Christ and to thaw mens hearts by the preaching of repentance that they might be capable of the Doctrine of Christ who was to sow the seede of eternall life in the world 6. Lastly after a thaw comes a floud so after repentance follow teares It was Peters case Luke 22. 60. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he was yet speaking ere the word was out of his mouth his heart began to melt and hee went out and wept bitâ—erty It was one of Gods charges to his people Exod. 22. 29. that they should not delay their liquors or drink-offrings So we translate it but in the Originall it is non tardabis â—aâ—rymam tuam thou shalt not delay thy teares therefore if thou hast done any thing that needeth Peters teares and hast not shed them let me be thy Cocke doe it now what ever thou delayest delay not that for it is a ruled case in Divinity that no man can come to heaven with drie eyes therefore if thou findest thy eyes to be so dry and thy heart so hard that faine thou wouldest but canst not weepe for sinne desire God to smite thy heart as Moses smote the Rocke that the waters of repentance may gush forth in abundance or as the words of my Text are desire God to blow upon thy soule with the vitall blasts of his holy Spirit that these waters may flow to wa â— and clense and carry away the mudde and dregs and filth of all thy sinnes I have done with my Text. God of his mercy give a blessing to it for Iesus sake our Lord and onely Saviour Amen FJNJS VNKNOWNE KINDNESSE A SERMON Preached in the Cathedrall Church of St. PAVL in London Anno Dom 1635. BY IOHN GORE Rector of Wenden-lofts in ESSEX Printed at London by T. Cotes for Thomas Alchorne and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Greene-Dragon 1635. Perlegi hanc concionem cui titulus Vnknowne Kindnesse in quâ nihil reperio sanae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium THO. WEEKES R. P. Epo Lond. Cap. domest Ex aedibus Fulhami Maij 24. 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. Doctor DVCK Chancellor for the Diocesse of LONDON RIGHT WORSHIP I Remember that David Psal 23. 4. tooke as much comfort in the Rod wherewith he was smitten as in the Staffe whereby he was upholden And J consider that your Jurisdiction over me is as well corrective for what is amisse as directive in what is aright Take J beseech you this Tender from my hand as a testimony from my heart that J am yours in both and doe as kindly accept of the one as J embrace the other Thus nudus ad ignotum J prostrate my selfe and pray both for your temporall and your eternall welfare Your poore unworthy Friend IOHN GORE VNKNOVVNE Kindnesse PSALME 141. 5. Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reproove me it shall be an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head AS there are two sorts of sinnes against God sinnes knowne and sinnes unknowne I know my iniquity saith David of the one and Father forgive them for they know not what they doe saith our Saviour of the other so there are two sorts of kindenesses from man knowne kindenesse and unknowne kindenesse the knowne kindnesse is that which consists in charity in love and compassion to the poore like that which David shewed to Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not any of the house of Saul that I may shew the kindnesse of God unto him saith the King to Ziba that is that I may sustaine releive and doe him good as God in his kindenesse is wont to sustaine releive and do good to those that stand in neede of succour this is the kindenesse of God and that is a knowne kindnesse But then there is another sort of kindenesse that is unknowne such as the world doth hardly know how to discerne from an unkindnesse and that consists in smiting rebuking and reprehension and this is the kindenesse that David doth even begge for here in my Text.
until that day This kindnes the Officers could afford our Saviour Iohn 18. when he had thus spoken one of the Officers which stood by smote Iesus on the face with the palme of his hand This kindnesse Zedechâ—ah could afford Michaiah 1 Reg. 22 He went neere and smote him on the checke Doubtlesse if one in anger had smitten Ahabs or the High-priests dogge in that place and in that presence he should have smarted for it but this they thought was kindnesse good enough for them that durst doe no other but take it So that as Absalom said to Hushai when to his thinking he had shewed him a plot how to undermine his father David 2 Sam. 16. 17. Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend saith he so if this if smiting and baffling and backbiting be a friendly kindnesse a man shall have kindnesse and friendship enough as this world goes he shall never neede to begge for it he shall have it without asking but if he looke for any other friendship or kindnesse hee may chance to goe without it and fall short of his expectation such friends as Tacitus speakes of quibus deerat inimicus ab amicis sunt oppressi they that had no enemy to oppresse and abuse them were abused and oppressed by their friends such as these the world is full of and such kindnesse as Iul an shewed the poore Christians that would smite them on the one cheeke to see whether they would turne the other shall be offered a man whether hee will or no I say he that will take smiting kindly shall have kindnesse good store But that is not the meaning of my text The Originall is percutiat me in misericordia let him smite me in mercy or in compassion to my soule that would doe ill or worse if it were not smitten and well doth deserve to be accounted a kindnesse in many respects I will but touch them and passe them over 1 It is a kindnesse Reducere errantem if it be but a sheepe that is lost and gone astray he that will reduce it and bring it home to the Shepheard and to the fold it is a kindnesse you will say Now all we like sheepe have gone astray saith the Prophet and we acknowledge it daily to God in our publike confession We have erred and straied from thy wayes like lost sheepe Now the sheepe as the Philosopher saith is pecus erraticum a kinde of cattle that is given more to wandring and straying than any other whatsoever and besides that such is the simplicity and the foolishnesse of a sheepe that being once lost and gone astray it hath not the wit nor understanding of it selfe ever to returne and come home againe as a dogge or a spaniell will doe but wanders further and further unlesse some good body or other doe chance to seeke it up and find it and bring it home even such are we too apt to goe astray from God and to lose our selves in a labyrinth of sinne but have not the wit nor the grace of our selves ever to returne to the Shepheard and Bishop of our soules except some good body or other be a meanes under God to reduce to reclaime and bring us home to Christ Now hee that shall see his friend thus gone astray and shall by wholesome admonitions and friendly reprehensions endeavour to reduce him and bring him backe to God Is not this a kindnesse 2 It is a kindnesse Sanare aegrotum to recover on that is sicke and make one sound that is in a consumption such is a man farre gone in sinne as the Apostle saith of the Cretians Tit. 1. 12. they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill beasts slow bellies alwayes liers a man would thinke it a vaine thing to meddle with such as were so farre gone in a spirituall consumption so sicke to the death with a surfeit of sinne yet saith the Apostle doe not dispaire of their cure but rebuke them sharply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuttingly that they may be sound in the faith A rotten Cretian by sharpe reproofe may be made a sound Christian Thus when a man is corrupt in his conscience and rotten in his communication as the Apostle calls filthy discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rotten coÌ„munication Eph. 4. 29. I say when a mans soule is almost consumed and dead and rotten to God-ward he that by wholesome advice and heavenly physicke can recover such a one and make him sound in his heart and in his faith to God Is not this a kindnesse 3 It is a kindnesse Suscitare lethargum when a man is in a lethargy where sleepe may be his death or if a man should sleepe on the top of a mast where every nod may endanger his life hee that shall awake such a one before any harme befall him it is a kindnesse even that And such is the case of all impenitent sinners Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life Beleeve it security is as dangerous a sleepe to the soule as lethargy is to the body now when a man shal lie in wickednes as a carrion lies in rottennesse and shall sleepe away his salvation though his damnation sleepeth not He that shall awake such a one by stirring reprehensions least if he were let alone he might sleepe as Sisera did which God forbid who slept but never waked againe Is not this a kindnesse 4 It is a kindnesse Ligare insanum to bind a mad man to chaine up one that is bereft of his sences and wits who if they were at liberty might endanger himselfe and others now Salomon tels us Eccles 7. that the heart of man is full of evill and madnes is in his heart while he liveth see how Bedlam-like some men are in their fury and passion sweare and curse and even worry their God and Saviour when they are provoked by man they right their spleene upon God Yea if their words were the same indeed that they are said to be in effect if they were but swords and arrowes and rasors indeed that would peirce and wound the body as they wound and peirce the soule nothing should satisfie them but the lives and bloud and death of those that have offended them such mischievous such murthering words doe they spit like venom out of their hellish mouthes now then he that can over awe such a one with grave and sober reprehensions that can over-come and over-power and over-rule him with good language and good perswasions Ne quid loquare durius as God said to Laban Gen. 31. 24. and smite him so as that he dares not smite againe but cry God and his neighbour mercy for what he hath spoken and done amisse Is not this a kindnesse 5 Lastly it is a kindnesse Liberare perditum to save a lost man that is in imminent danger of drowning and death if he have not speedy helpe it was Moses case when he was in the river had it not been for
the kindnesse of Pharaohs daughter it was Ieremies case when he was in the dungeon had it not bin for the kindnesse of his speciall friends and it is the case of many a man that is fallen from God into a gulfe into a whirle-poole of sinne that winds and drawes and suckes him in there is no possibility that his soule should scape drowning and death if mercy helpe not out It is said of the Prodigall child Luke 15. 13. that he wasted his substance with riotous living so we read it but the Originall is more significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in proper termes He lived unsavingly as much to say as in that course that he tooke hee was a lost man and could not have beene saved had he not reverted and repented as hee did And such an unsaving life doth many a man lead in gluttony and drunkennesse in riot and prophanenesse c. that God cannot keepe his owne truth and save his soule Now he that shall see his friend in such a way of wickednesse that as he said Ipsa sicupiat salus c. if salvation it selfe should come downe from heaven and offer it selfe to such a one he would not hee were not in case to accept it Hee I say that by words of motion can worke upon such a mans heart can bring him to repentance that he may become salvabilis within the compasse and possibilitie of being saved Is not this a kindnesse If you will beleeve S. Iames Chap. 5. ult it is the greatest kindnesse in the world He that converâ—â—th a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Therefore as Saul said to the Ziphites when they came and told him where David was 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord for ye have had compassion upon me So he that hath any grace or but good nature in him will blesse God for such a Minister or neighbour or friend that will shew him the errour of his way that will tell him of his sinnes and take it as a mercie and a kindnesse and a compassion to his soule And so I come in the last place to the exaltation of this kindnesse above all that hath beene spoken It shall be Oleum capitis as the Originall hath it it shall be a soveraigne a precious and an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head When I first tooke this text in hand this seemed unto me a very strange and an uncouth expression if the Prophet had said It shall be a stone that shall not breake my head or a staffe or a club that shall not breake my head c. we had easily understood him but to speake of an oyle or a balme which we know to be so soft so supple so lith and gentle an oyntment that hee should speake of breaking his head with oyle it is strange I confesse it troubled me a while till at length I conceived it might be spoken by contraries as when a Physition gives a patient some pectorall or cordiall and saith Take this it will not hurt you his meaning is it will helpe and doe him good So this oyle shall not breake my head that is it shall heale it being broken by my owne corruption by Satans temptations and by the assention of such as flatter mee in my sinnes But why doth hee mention his head why doth he not say as well It shall not breake my arme or it shall not breake my legges c Answ The head you know is the principall part of man that which is neerest and gives life and influence to all the lower parts if that be broken all the body fares the worse It is a knowne place Matth. 10. Be wise as Serpents Now the wisedome of the Serpent they say consisteth chiefly in this that he will expose his body to any danger take any wound in his body so hee may but save his head because he knowes that his life lies in his head so is Christ our head and all our spirituall life lieth in him and floweth from him therefore our principall care should be what ever bodily danger wee expose our selves unto to hold life in the head hold faith and affiance in Iesus Christ But that is not all I take it when hee saith it â—â—all not breake my head his meaning is It shall breake something else about him that shall be better for him as thus It shall not breake my head but it shall breake my heart hee that breakes a mans head doth him an ill office that may endanger his life but hee that breakes his heart with that same hammer that Ieremy speakes of Ier. 23. 29. by the powerfull subduing Word of God doth him a right good office that may be a meanes though Gods blessing to prepare his soule for grace and make him a vessell capable of mercy for Deus Oleum misericordiae non infundit nisi in vas contritum God never powreth the oyle of his mercy but into broken vessels that is into broken hearts that are rent and torne as it were with remorse and sorrow for sinne As God threatned Hos 13. 8. I will rend the kall of their hearts rather than he will suffer sinne to dwell where his throne should be So this smiting is not to breake heads but to breake hearts which is better Or thus It shall not breake my head but it shall breake my sinnes-head or the head of my sinnes as David saith Psal 74. 14. The heads of Dragons are broken in the waters what are these Capita Draconum these heads of Dragons but capitall crimes predominant and master-sinnes that doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speakes that usurpe authority and domineere in the soule and threaten to devoure the conscience if they be not taken down and broken in the waters of repentance in the teares of godly sorrow for sinne Now he that can be a meanes to save his friends head and breake his sinnes head to cherish the one and crush the other Is not this a kindnesse worth acceptation If a man have an enemy that doth him wrong the Apostle counsels him to heape coales of fire upon his head Rom. 12 20. what are these Carbones ardentes these burning coales or coales of fire which the Apostle would have a man heape on his enemies head Surely I thinke he meanes no other then those Rom â— 9. Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon the soule of every one that doth evill upon purpose to vexe his neighbour Now thus stands the case Hee that revengeth his owne quarrell and recompenseth evill for evill hee heapes coales of fire on his owne head that is makes himselfe liable to the just revenge of God but hee that by patient forbearance commits his cause to God and renders good for evill he heapes coales of fire on his enemies head that is he saves himselfe from wrong and transferreth
a chariot to convey the other Sicco pede without wetting their feete to the land of Promise This is that which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12. 11. the quiet fruit of righteousnesse for though the bud and blossome of Righteousnesse I meane the first beginning of Grace and Christianity may be troubled and assaulted with difficulties and doubts and feares yet the fruit is alwayes quiet and the end is alwayes peace so that the Righteous while the live they live to the Lord and when they die they die in the Lord so both in life and death the Lord is theirs and they are his they never forsake the Lord nor doth the Lord ever forsake them I never saw the Righteous forsaken Ob. No may some say Did David never see the Righteous forsaken as when he himself cried out Psal 22 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so far from my helpe And doth not Sion it selfe which is the Church of God and mother of the faithfull complaine in like manner Esayâ—9 â—9 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten mee And did not our blessed Saviour who was Righteousnesse it selfe when he was in that biâ—ter passion upon the Crosse and suffered those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those unknowne and unexpressible torments did not he crie out to the amazement of men and horrour of Angels My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How then can David say He never saw the righteous forsaken Ans I answer in the words of a Father Quosdam deserit Deus quosdam desâ—rere videtur some God doth indeede forsake as he did Saul and Iudas and such others because they had indeede and in earnest forsaken and cast off the Lord other some God doth but onely seeme to forsake as hee did David and Sion and his owne blessed Sonne our Saviour As when some tender mother will seeme to forsake her childe and goe aside and hide her selfe onely to trie whether the childe will moane after her or no and then hearing the childs moaning she is wont to make the more of it than she did before Thus it pleaseth God many times to hide himselfe as the Prophet speaketh Esay 45. 15. Thou O God hidâ—st thy selfe O God the Saviour of Israel but it is onely to see whether we will make any moane after him and lament after the Lord as the Israelites did and groane and grieve for his departure Therefore as our Saviour when he heard them say He whom thou lovest is sicke Iob. 11. 3. he answered This sicknesse is not unto death so when it may be said Hee whom God loveth is forsaken it may be answered This forsaking is not unto death but when they seeme in the sight of others and in their owne sence and feeling to be most rejected and least regarded of God then is God nearest to their helpe and succor In a word there is a twofold desertion the one in sinne the other in punishment God may leave the Righteous to either or both of these that is hee may suffer them to fall into some grievous sinne or he may suffer them to lie long under some grievous punishment and yet not forsake them neither 1. Desertion is sin is when God withdraweth the assistance of his grace and leaves the righteous to fall into some great offence as he did David and divers others and of Hezekiah it is said totidem verbis 2 Chron. 32. 31. That God left him to try out al that was in his heart not but that God knew all before but Hezekiah did not know so much by himselfe nor would not beleeve that he had so bad so base an heart till he tried it and found it by wofull experience therefore God left him to himselfe to pull downe the pride of his heart and to make him humble and vile in his owne eyes Thus God left Saint Peter as you know but wherefore did hee leave him Our Saviour saith it was but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22. to sift and winnow him as wheat Looke then what winnowing is unto the wheat a meanes to cleanse it and purge it from drosse and dust and chaffe the same is temptation and sinne to the righteous a meanes through Gods mercy and their owne repentance to make them more cleane more holy more humble in the sight of God And for this cause I suppose that God who if he pleased could easily withhold the righteous from sinne doth yet in his wisedome leave them to themselves and let them fall that by falling they may have experience of their infirmity their infirmitie may draw them to humility humility brings them home to God and in God they have their quietus est a free and full discharge from all their sinnes 2. Desertion in punishment is when God casts the righteous into tribulation and anguish and then seemes to leave them and neglect them and take no notice of the burthen that lies upon them as you read Judg. 6. 13. the Angel of the Lord came unto Gideon and said God is with thee thou mighty man of valour Gideon answered Alas Lord if the Lord be with us how then is all this evill come upon us that good man could not perâ—wade himselfe but that God had quite forsaken him when he saw there was so much evill come upon them he thought that Gods goodnesse and their evills his mercies and their miseties had beene incompatible and could not have consisted nor stood together But Gideon was mistaken in that and so are the Righteous many a time and oft when they measure Gods presence by prosperity and hiâ— absence by adversitie For God is not absent when hee punisheth but onely seemes to withdraw himselfe and his favour that the Righteous might draw nearer and creepe closer to God as one that shivers of an Ague drawes neerer and creepes closer to the fire Thus you have seene the priviledge of the Righteous that notwithstanding their sinnes and notwithstanding their punishments yet they are never wholly deserted nor forsaken of the Lord. I come now to the last part of my Text and that is The continuance and succession of Gods favour and mercy that it doth not rest onely upon the Righteous themselves but extendeth and enlargeth it selfe to their posterity and to their seed Nee semen ejus querens panem nor their seed begging their bread This shewes the gracious descent and propagation of Gods blessing when it alights Like the Oyle that was powred on Aarons head it wet not his head and his beard alone as David speaketh Psal 1 33. 2. but went downe to the skirts of his cloathing so the mercy and loving-kindnesse of the Lord doth not rest and remaine onely upon the head of the family upon the righteous parents but descends and runnes downe to the utmost of their posterity and is derived from them unto their â—eed Here then come in two Points worthy to be resolved First
Apostle Ephe. 1. 6 He hath brought into grace or he hath made us accepted in his beloved sonne Gratiam pro Gratiâ saith Saint Iohn elsewhere Ioh. 1. 16. Wee have received Grace for Grace that is for the grace and favour that Christ hath with God wee also are received into grace and favour with him For otherwise as Elisha told the King of Israel 2. Reg. 3. 14. As the Lord liveth were it not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat I would not looke toward thee nor see thee so stands our case with God wee are of our selves such vile bodies as the Apostle rightly termes us who shall change our vile bodies I meane sofoule and so full of corruption and lust and sinne so odious and abominable in the holy eyes of God that as the Lord liveth were it not that God doth regard the person the presence and the prayers of Iesus Christ our true Iehosaphat hee would not looke to us nor see us but that as hee saith himselfe This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased There come we into favour and marke that hee doth not say This is my beloved sonne which pleaseth mee well but in whom I am well-pleased which intimates a further matter unto us namely that our blessed Saviour doth not onely please God his father for his owne part but that God in him and for his sake is well-pleased even with them that are in themselves as the Prophet speakes even vessels wherein there is no pleasure Ier. 22. 28. Thou therefore that desirest to get into favour with thy God flatter not thy selfe in thy owne eyes thinke not that God will accept thee for thy owne person or for any other personall qualities or abilities that are in thee but as Iacob shrouded himselfe under the garments of his elder brother and by that meanes gott him the blessing of his father so doe thou shroud thy selfe under the garments of thy elder brother in Heaven I meane as the Apostle speakes Labour to be found of God not having on thy owne righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of Christ by faith Say as Tertullian doth Mihi vendico Christum mihi defendo Iesum claime thou thy part stand thou for thy right in Iesus Christ and as thou art a Protestant so make this protestation before God and the world that thou hopest for grace and mercy not by any merits or deserts of thy owne but meerely by the merits and by the spirit by the death and by the blood of Iesus Christ This is another infallible way for a man to finde the grace and favour of God that wanteth it Appropriare Christum to get an interest into Gods beloved Sonne our deare and precious Saviour 2. Now for the second question Hast thou found the favour of God and faine wouldst keepe it Thou must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Apostles owne word Gal. 2. 14. Thou must walke with a right foote to God ward or as Iohn Baptist expresseth it in other tearmes thou must Rectas facere semitas tuas Make thy paths straight the meaning is Thou must binde thy selfe to the good behaviour unto God thou must resolve against sinne and evill and set thy selfe constantly carefully sincerely to walke with God so farre forth as frailty shall permit thee so that though there fall out many intercurrent infirmities in the course of thy life for a man may etiam in bono itinere pulverem â—olligere gather dust and soyle even in a good way yet let it be the generall drift and desire of thy soule in nothing willingly to sinne against God but in every thing to please him and to approve thy selfe unto him which if thou dost see what will follow upon it Psal 84. 11. The Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke uprightly with him The Scripture saith of Enoch that hee was Raptus a facie malitiae snatcht as it were out of this wicked world as a brand is snatcht out of the fire and saved from burning that is Hee was translated alive from earth into Heaven and never felt nor tasted of death This you will say was an extraordinary favour of God but what might bee the reason of it Moses tells us Gen. 5. 24. it was because Hee walked with God the Apostle commenting upon it Heb. 11. 5. saith it was because He pleased God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word which signifies Hee gave God content or kept Gods favour and good will so then the way to keepe Gods favour and good will is to please God and give him content and the way to doe that is to walke with God as 〈◊〉 did But what doth Moses meane by 〈…〉 God how may that be done Ansâ—â— Generally A man may then be said to walke with God when hee leads his life in such a way as God doth best accept in the way of of godlinesse and honesty in the way of temperance and sobriety in the way of diligence and industry when a man hath minde on God in all his wayes and desires Gods protection and conduct to guide his feete into the way of peace This is in a generall sence and acceptance to walke with God more particularly A man is then said in proper sence to walke with God when hee walkes with none else but God as Isaack did when he sequestred himselfe and went out alone into the fields to meditate and to pray Gen. 40. 69. The word Suach signifieth both then went he out to walke with God And indeed there is no such time for a man to converse with God and as the phrase is in Iob to acquaint himselfe with the Lord as when he is solitary private and alone If any thing grieve a man or lye heavie upon his conscience when he is Alone he may freely disburden his heart into the bosome of God If a man have faulted any way or done amisse for want of good take-heed when he is Alone hee may freely and fully bewaile and bemone and even beshrew and shrive himselfe unto the Lord his God If a man want any good thing that 's requisite and necessary either for the body or the soule when hee is Alone he hath free and full opportunity to beg and to entreat it to win and to obtaine it at the hand of God No such time for a man to reconcile himselfe and to make his owne attonement and his peace with God as when he is Alone In a word then if thou dost desire to keepe the favour of the Lord and to abide in his grace and his good-will doe as Isaack did take one turne with thy God every day thou risest steale away from thy earthly occasions as our Saviour stole away from his earthly Parents to doe the businesse of thy heavenly Father or as the Apostles word 2 Pet. 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retire and repent Let no day passe thee without some commerce and
spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord it implyes that a man naturally walkes in darkenesse which is full of error and full ofterrour till God in mercy set up a candle in his soule I meane endues him with knowledge and grace from heaven that hee may shew him the path of life and to avoyd the snares of death Now you know that a candle naturally burnes upwards if you take it and turne it the wrong way and hold it downewards is dyes and goes out alone so fares it with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces and gifts of God as Witt and Wisedome Knowledge and Learning and all these are the candles of the Lord and are purposely given us to light us up to heavenward but if wee take Gods candles and hold them downeward turne them the wrong way and apply and abuse them to sinne it is much to bee feared the light of God will goe out and thou shalt be left at the length in a place of utter darkenesse Therefore as thou tenderest the favour and good-will of God and the eternall welfare of thy owne soule deale not with the graces of God as Iehu dealt with Iehorams messengers 2. Reg. 9. doe not turne them behind thee and make them serve against their owne masters but remember that if the sonnes of Iacob would not endure to have their sister abused Gen. 24. vlt. how dost thou thinke thy God will endure to have his grace abused and to be prostituted to every sinne In a word as Ruben said to his distressed brethren Gen. 42. 22. did not I speake unto you saying Sinne against the child and ye would not heare Oh be not you like them monitoribus asperi so carlesse and regardlesse of divine admonition but remember that you have beene spoken unto that you have beene warned of God not to sinne against your owne soules in this too common kinde but if the Lord have betrusted you with his grace labour to cherish it and as the Apostles word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 1. 6. to blow it or stirre it up as we doe a dying fire to kindle and quicken it by the use of good meanes but in any case ne abutaris abuse it not 5. Lastly seeing thou hast to doe with the grace and favour of God ne diffides doe not distrust it doe not make any doubt or question of it but it will bestead thee and befriend thee and be firme and sure unto thee at any time of need It is the Apostles owne advertisement 1. Pet. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trust perfectly on the grace that is revealed and brought into the world by Iesus Christ It is a thing that a man may leane his whole weight upon and venture his whole estate upon and paune his life and soule upon the certainety the truth and the infallibility of Gods heavenly grace to all that make their peace and put their trust in him Feare not Mary said the blessed Angel to the blessed Virgin for thou hast found favour with God as if he had said Let them feare that are out of Gods favour let them be distrustfull that are wicked and deceitfull that make no conscience of their waies but live in the displeasure of an angry God paveant illi let them feare but noli tu feare not thou be thou stead fast unmoveable in thy affiance to God for why Invenisti gratiam thou hast found favour with him in whose favour is life and whose grace will bee thy guid unto the day of death In a word then to close up this point As I said before so I say it over againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gird up the loyues of your mindes and trust perfectly to the Grace of God doe it not in any wavering or timerous or unconfident manner as if God were like the Poets â—enedos Statâ—o malesida carinis a trustles Anchor-hold to the seabeaten travailer or like those deceitfull Iewes Ioh. â— 24. to whom our Saviour durst not commit himselfe though they seemed to beleeve in his name Oh let not thy heart entertaine the least suspition the least jealousie of the faithfulnesse and fidelity of thy God but try him by thy prayers and trust him by thy faith and urge him with this Text that now is preached unto thee as S. Austin saith his mother Monica did Chyrographa tua ingerebat tibi Lord saith he shee urged thee with thy owne hand-writing tell him but how hard the world goes with thee and then say ere God have done with thee if thou dost not finde his Grace to be sufficient for thee And so I am come in the third place to shew you the efficacy and vertue of the Grace of God how and wherein the sufficiency thereof doth consist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text My Grace is sufficient The principall things whereunto the Grace of God and besides Gods Grace nothing else under heaven is available or sufficient are these that follow 1. Ad Condonandum to pardon and forgive us all our sinnes which would bee the bane and destruction of all our soules Grande est barathrum peccatorum meorum saith a Father sed maior est Abyssus misericordiae dei Great is the gulfe and whirlepoole of my sinnes but greater and deeper is the bottomlesse sea of Gods Grace and mercy see that place Rom. 5. 20. where sinne abounded Grace did much more abound Hast thou abundance of sinnes let not that disharten thee God hath abundance of Grace if thy sinnes be great his Grace is greater than thy sinnes and farre more sufficient to justifie than all thy sinnes are to condemne thy soule Onely ne desis be not thou wanting to God in thy prayers and repentance and his Grace shall never bee wanting to thee in thy pardon and forgivenesse What a golden sentence is that of S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou dost not thou canst not so much desire to have thy sinnes forgiven thee as God doth desire to forgive thy sinnes unto thee I forgave thee all thy debt because thou desiredst me said that gracious Lord to his ungracious servant Mat. 18. 32. intimating unto us that if God doe not forgive us ous debts if he doe not pardon and remit our sinnes we may thanke our selves the fault is our owne because wee doe not desire him for if we desired him he would doe it In a word then As our Saviour asked the â—riple Iohn 5. 6. Wilt thou be made whole so wilt thou bee made holy and cleane and fit for absolution from God dost thou desire in sincerity and truth to have thy sinnes remitted and thy soule absolved by the blood and death of Iesus Christ to have all thy misdeeds expunged and blotted out that they may be as if they had nevâ—â— beene Then take the Prophet Esaies counsell Esay 43. 25 26. put God in remembrance of these things it is a pregnant place I pray reade it and remember it I even I
am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes there 's a gratious promise but marke the condition in the next immediate words put me in remembrance saith God and I will doe it and not otherwise for though God remember all our sinnes and can tell them better than our owne soules yet he doth not remember them to our comfort but rather to our confusion unlesse we tell him and put him in remembrance of them so that the onely way to put our sinnes out of Gods remembrance is to put them into his remembrance the onely way to make God forget them is daily and hourely to declare them and put him in minde of them If therefore thou canst not be so good as thou wouldst be not ashamed be not afraid to tell God how evill thou art tell him how ungodly how unthankefull how unprofitable a servant thou hast beene unto him and desire God to mend thee and make thee such a one as he would have thee And as Ioseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus so goe thou to God and begge the Spirit of Iesus even that spirit of Grace and Supplication which the Prophet speakes of Zach. 12. 10. which will come downe from heaven and bring into thy soule first Supplications to prepare thee secondly Grace to assure thee of the free and full forgivenesse of all thy sinnes And then let thy sinnes bee what they will be sinnes of death sinnes of blood sinnes of hell if thou canst finde in thy heart to pray God will finde in his heart to pardon for his Grace is sufficient to doe it That 's the first 2. The second thing whereto the sufficiency of Gods Grace doth belong is Adconsolandum to comfort those sad and heavy hearts that can no other way bee comforted I should have fainted saith David Psal 27. 13. for all my worldly comforts but that I steadfastly beleeved to see the Lords good grace in the land of living that is to see it before he dyed therefore we reade 1. Sam. 30. 6. when he was in great distresse had neither house nor home to shelter him neither wife nor child nor friend be any to comfort to him but his owne very souldiers began to takle of stoning him Then saith the text David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Heare this thou poore disconsolate man that art as thy Saviour was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sad round about thou that lookest into thy purse and there is no comfort money is gone that lookest into thy cubbord and there is no comfort provision is gone that lookest into thy barne and store-house and there 's no comfort corne and wares are gone that lookest in thy heart and ther 's no comfort cheerefulnesse and joy is gone Then looke up to God and there is comfort to bee had if there bee any water it is in the sea if there bee any light it is in the sunne if there be any comfort it is in God Therefore the Apostle justly calleth him The God of all consolation 2. Cor. 1. because when all other comforts faile theres's comfort to bee found in God For beleeve this for a truth there is no mans case no mans estate no mans soule is desperate to God but when they are at the lowest ebbe at the rest stay at the most forlorne hope then doth God speake peace unto their soules then doth hee draw out those same vbera consolationes those breasts or dugges of consolation which the Prophet speakes of Esay 66. 11. and drops downe that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sincere milke of heavenly comfort to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart The Hebrewes observe that one and the same word nakam signifieth first to repent and then to comfort and it may bee well applyed to this purpose that true comfort belongs to none but such are truly penitent So our Saviour tells us that the holy Ghost whom he calles the comforter when he commeth the first thing he will doe is to convince the world of sinne that is first put men quite out of comfort in themselves then put them into comfort by their Saviour In a word then forasmuch as comfort cannot be had without repentance nor repentance bee endured without comfort nor either of these bee attained without God it remaines that as the daughter of Caleb besought her earthly father Iud. 1. so we beseech our heavenly Father to give us the springs above as well as the springs beneath I meane that Irriguum superius the spring of grace comfort from above as well as that Irriguum inserius the spring of sorrow and repentance from beneath and then let our discomforts and discontents be what they will wee shall have grace sufficient from God to countervaile them al and as Philip said to our Saviour Iohn 14. 8. Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us so though our sinnes confound us and our consciences condemne us Lord shew u◠thy favour as t is sufficient for us 3. The third is Ad sanandum His Grace is sufficient to cure and heale us of all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those bodily ailements and infirmities which God for sinne doth inflict upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those scourges and roddes as the holy Ghost termeth sore diseases Luc. 7. 21. for indeed they are the very rods which God useth to chasten and correct us for our follies I say there is no rod so sharpe no disease so sore but Gods Grace is sufficient to heale it and to take it off I am Ropeca saith God Exod. 15. penult I am thy Physitian or I am the Lord that healeth thee and if God be the Phisitian his Grace is the Physicke for whosoever be the instrument of our health God is the Authour his Grace is it that doth the cure Therefore in common speech when any outward malady doth befall us whereof we know no second cause wee use to say and we say well that it came by the Grace of God now if thou beleevest that it came by Gods Grace beleeve this also that by the same Grace it shall in Gods good time be remedied and removed and done away for as S. Iames saith in another case God giveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 4. 6. He giveth more grace and sheweth more favour to heale those that are sicke and broken in heart than to breake their hearts with sickenesse that were well and whole both are from the same Grace but the one more especially the other But then the maine point for satisfaction will be this seeing it is in the power of Gods Grace to cure all infirmities and that in a moment with a word-speaking as the Centurion said Speake but the word and my servant shall be whole Why will God suffer so many of his owne Patients that have no Physitian but
himselfe to lye languishing so long under his owne hand and seeme to take no notice of their miseies The best answere I can give is that of our Saviour to his Mother Iohn 2. 4. Nondum venit hora My houre is not yet come for you must conceive there are two kindes of houres wee have our houre and God hath his Houre As soone as wee begin to sicken that wee feele but any paine or finde the want of any ease then is our houre to be healed then doe wee cry out as t is fit we should Have mercy upon mee O Lord for I am weake Lord heale me for my bones are vexed Psal 6. 2. But God hath another houre and that you shall finde 2 Chron. 7. 14. When my people humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes that is when they are bettered and amended by my afflictions Then saith God will I heare in Heaven and have mercy upon them and heale their Land God complaines of that people in many places that their hearts were waxen fat that they would not see with their eyes nor heare with their eares nor understand with their hearts ne convertantur ut sanem Mat. 13. 15. lest they should be converted and I should heale them So that the time of our conversion is Gods healing-time First labour to be converted and then looke to be healed and not before So Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your sinnes may bee blotted out and then and never till then looke for a Tempus refrigerij a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. We read Numb 12. 14. When Myriam was strucken with leprosie Moses was importunate with God to heale presently out of hand Heale her now O Lord I beseech thee Heale her now No saith God I will not heale her yet shee shall stay the time that I have determined upon her for if her Father had but spit in her face should she not have beene ashamed and kept in for seven dayes c. So perswade your selves of this that there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an appointed time that God hath set downe with himselfe in heaven when and wherein his mercy shall appeare on earth for our recovery and till that time we must wait as David saith Psal 123. 2. As the eyes of a servant wait on the hand of their masters and the eyes of a mayden on the hand of her mistresse so doe our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us Marke that same donec misereatur untill hee have mercy that is though God shew thee not mercy this day nor to morrow nor the next day may be not till a long time after yet let not thy heart be dismayed but let thy soule truely wait upon God untill hee shew thee mercy let him shew it when he will In the meane time know thou art under the hands of a wise and gracious God who measures every dram ofsorrow that thou feelest who will not only be about thy bed but will ever make all thy bed in thy sicknesse and will so establish and under-prop thee with his Grace that though thy body lye in paine thy soule shall lye at ease though thy outward man consume and melt away for very heavinesse yet that same Interior cordis homo as Saint Peter speakes the inner man of thy heart shall bee so strengthened with might and armed with patience and guarded with peace that neither paines of death nor the powers of Hell shall ever be able to prevaile against thee In a word if ever it shall please God to cast thee downe upon that same Lectum languoris that bed of languishing which David speakes of Psal 41. 4. for that wee all must make account of though we now lie and laze upon our beds the time may come that wee shall lie and languish on our beds wishing as they did in Deuteronomy when t is morning would God it were evening and when t is evening would God it were morning If ever such a dolefull time should happen to thee I pray God of his mercy looke graciously upon thee and say unto thy bleeding soule as he did once to that forlorne Infant Ezech. 16. 6. Dixi in sanguinibus c. when thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live If God doe but say thou shalt live though thou wert in thy blood though thou wert in thy grave his word shall fetch thee for his Grace if it stand with his glory is sufficient to heale thee 4. The last and chiefest thing whereunto the Grace of God and nothing else but Gods Grace is sufficient is Ad salvandum to save the soule of every one that hath it The Apostle calls it The Grace that bringeth salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2. 11. for as the wickednesse of man bringeth destruction so the Grace of God bringeth salvation to every soule that entertaines it Saint Paul is direct Ephes 2. 5. By Grace yee are saved whether it be meant of the Grace of God within us which our Saviour compares to Salt Marke 9. 50. Habete salem in vobis c. have Salt in your selves and peace with one another because as salt preserves the flesh so doth Grace preserve the spirit from corruption and rottennesse in sinne or whether it be meant of the Grace of God that is over and above us I meane his favour and loving kindnesse which lightneth upon us from Heaven as we pray in our Liturgie let thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee Take it either way it holds good and true for by the one we are prepared for salvation by the other salvation is prepared for us the Grace of God within us prepares us for salvation the Grace of God over us prepares salvation for us so both wayes t is our happinesse By Grace to bee saved It was Gods mercifull promise Deut. 11. 12. Mine eyes shall be upon this Land from the beginning of the yeare to the end thereof such is Gods goodnesse where hee bestowes his Grace such a care hath God of their soules that his eye is upon them from the beginning of their conversion to the end of their salvation and as his eye is upon them to watch over them so his hand is with them to conâ—uct them in the right way of pleasing God and of saving their own soules Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thy hand as a Father leads his childe so doth God lead his Saints by his Grace and by his good Spirit from all things prejudiciall to all things profitable to his service and their owne salvation To conclude this point because as the Schoolemen say well Ad singulos actus desideratur Gratia a man hath need of Grace to every action that hee takes in hand and that he can doe nothing well without it let us all
desire of God as it is in the Collect That his speciall Grace may ever more prevent and follow us first that God would prevent us with his Grace to put into our hearts good motions good thoughts and good desires and secondly that it may follow us too as the water of the Rocke followed the Campe of the Israelites to the Land of Promise 1 Cor. 10. 4. so that Gods Grace may follow accompany and goe along with us in this world and never leave us never forsake us till it hath brought us to the end of our Faith which is the salvation of our soules according to that Psal 109. ult Dominus ad dextram c. the Lord is at the right hand of the poore to save him from all them that would condemne his soule where note that he doth not say the Lord is at their left hand which is as I may terme it the lazy hand to save men in their negligent and idle courses But hee is at their right hand which is the working hand to save all them that worke for their salvation and carefully use the meanes to save themselves which thing if thou make a conscience to doe though thy sinnes and thy enemies should conspire to condemne thee Thy God and his Grace will be sufficient to save thee And so at length I am come aboard the last and long-desired part of my text which containes the application of all in particular which hath beene spoken and delivered in generall drawne out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace is sufficient for thee so that as it is said of our Saviour Mat. 21. 45. that his doctrine was so punctuall and clapt so close to the consciences of his Auditors that the Pharises knew he meant them so by that time I have done with my text neither will I bee long in doing it I trust you shall perceive that Gods meaning was to you when hee spake to Saint Paul and told him that His Grace is sufficient for him Briefly than see what Paul was and say what thou art if your case bee the same your comfort is the same for God is no accepter of persons his Grace is as sufficient for the one as for the other 1. Saint Paul was Homo in Christo he was a man in Christ as you may see by the second verse of this chapter I knew a man in Christ that was taken up into the third heaven Art thou such a one I meane art thou regenerate and become a new creature for he that is in Christ is a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17 dost thou daily renew thy repentance and renew thy obedience and renew thy duty and devotion to God and is it a griefe to thy soule that so much of the old leaven thy old corruption remaines still in thy heart Then take this holy Scripture to thy comfort and assure thy selfe though thy conscience disquiet thee Gods Grace will be sufficient for thee contrarily if thou beest an old weather beaten sinner an old rusty drunkard swearer and that standest at a stay and gatherest sinne like an old tree that stands and gathers mosse I must say unto thee as Peter said to Symon Magus Act. 8. thou hast neyther part nor portion in this priviledge thou art not a man in Christ and consequently canst claime no interest in the grace and favour of God 2. Saint Paul was Homo in Cruce a man upon the crosse Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ and elswhere Colos 1. 24. I fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh whereupon saith a father quid deest passioni Christi nisi uâ— nos similâ—a patiamur what is or what can be wanting to the sufferings of Christ but that as he tooke up his crosse so we take up ours and follow him for vae portantibus crucem non sequentibus Christum woe to them that are crucified not with Christ that bare the crosse and follow not Christ but turne from him cleane another way It is well knowne that afflictions go under the name of crosses now a crosse was a peece of wood for a malefectour to die on there was no other use of a crosse but that Affliction therefore is called a crosse because it should have the nature and power of a Crosse that is it should be a meanes to crucifie and mortifie all carnall lusts and affections in us that the more we are afflicted the more we should dye to sin and the lesse life and power should our corruptions have in us Thus it was with Saint Paul is it so with thee dost thou wish and desire the death of thy sinnes dost thou make this use of thy afflictions even to die daily as the Apostle speakes dost thou every day drive one naile into the body of sinne I meane one sigh or grone to God against it dost thou labour to draw blood of thy soule as they drew blood of thy Saviour I meane the teares of true repentance and is it a death to thy heart that thou canst not die unto sinne and live unto God as thou shouldest and oughtest to doe Then looke no further for Harts-ease but to the words of my text and assure thy selfe what ever Crosses be upon thee Gods Grace in Gods good time shall bee sufficient to ease thee Contrariewise if thou beest one that dost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Setphen speaketh Acts. 7. â—1 one that dost fall crosse and contrary to all but to thy sinnes and art indeede a very crosse to God himselfe and to his good Spirit by thy perverse ungodly courses I must say unto thee as the Prophet Esay saith Esay 3. 6. Woe bee unto thy soule for thou hast rewarded evill unto thy selfe thou forsakest thy owne mercy and deprivest thy selfe of the comfort of Gods grace in the time of neede 3. Saint Paul was Homo in negotiis a laborious man a man full of imployments 1. Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more then all my fellow Apostles saith hee yet not I but the grace of God which was with mee there 's an honest acknowledgement by whom he profited and elsewhere hee tells the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 9. When I was with you and wanted non obtorpui I was not chargeable nor burthensome to any man The learned observe that word hath his weight from Torpedo which signifieth a Cramp-fish a fish they say that hath such a benumming quality that the cold of it will strike from the hook to the lyne from the line to the goad from the goad to the arme from the arme to the body of the fisher and so benum him take away al use and feeling of his limmes His meaning is that he was none of those idle drones that by their lazinesse and lewdnesse doe even chill and benumme and dead the charity of well-disposed people but as he laboured in preaching so hee wrought in his calling too and put himselfe to any paines