saith that our louing Lord and swéete sauiour Iesus Christ hath of his mercies not of your merits for you haue none reconciled you to God his father and to wash and clense you hath shedde his precious bloud that he hath paid the price of your ransome that by his righteousnesse you might be acquited and by this meanes become holy and acceptable to GOD our heauenly father the knowledge of these things is to the end wee should throughly cleaue vnto him say What meanes haue we to be saued by but onely by the frée grace of God seing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath of his infinite goodnes made full and sufficient satisfaction for vs and to the ende that our faith should rest therupō But may we lie still and sléepe like Swine No. No. We must awake we must repayre by Praier to God say Wherein is our welfare Euen in the death and passion of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus Therfore we must seeke it there for wée shall neuer finde it elsewhere neyther with men nor Angels And how must wee seeke it but by Praiers and supplications Then let vs pray vnto him and say O Lord seing thou seest vs farre from all goodnes giue vs the true feare of thee send downe thy holy Spirite into our hearts to reforme renue and direct vs in our waies True it is we are wretched sinners but forasmuch as we are members of the mysticall body of thy deare sonne our sauiour Christ Iesus we pray thee make vs righteous through him True it is that we are polluted and full of spottes but his precious blood can cleanse vs we are guilty of euerlasting death and in bondage to it but our sweet Sauiour and Lord Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it Wherefore O gracious God fill thou vs with thy holy sweete spirite that by his strength wee in our pathes and waies that we haue chosen may be ledde and conducted suffer vs not for any temptation to fall from thee What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he direct in the way that hee shall chuse Text. Doct. This beyng an Interrogation wee learne this Doctrine Litle is the flock and small is the number of them which truly feare the Lord. The reason is For although the most men seeme to pray the greatest nūber frequēting the assemblies where the word is preached as for others they euidently openly professe thēselues that there is no feare of GOD before their eyes séeme many times like painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within like Copper which resembleth Golde when it is not it like stage-plaiers that seeme to be Kinges and Princes when in deed they are starke and very beggers when they seeme as if they repented when their liues and conuersations doe euidently shew that they are not in substance that which thy seeme in shew Therefore most rare is the feare of God to be found whereby it cōmeth to passe that iustly vpon great cause the Lord depriueth the wretched and miserable worldlings of the Spirit of counsel and wisedome Vse The vse is That wee pray vnto God to giue vs his holy blessed spirite that wee seeme not to feare the Lord when wee are farre from it but that he will sanctifie our harts with sincerity that all hypocrisie being remoued farre from vs we may be so directed by the same spirit in our way that other seing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen And forasmuch as hypocrisie is so great and gréeuous a sinne as that it not onely deceyueth men but so displeaseth the Lord as hee many times although not alwaies nor al such persons plagueth and punisheth them in this life but much more in that to come Apo. 21. who shall haue their partes with the fearfull and Adulterers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I thinke it conuenient to handle this point seing that the most are such that they seing how odious it is in the sight of GOD may not onely detest it but also vtterly flie from it as a most mortall and deadly enemy Euen as the fowler A similitude of a painted Oxe to take the silly birds which with a painted Oxe which is not an Oxe but vnder the shape and likenesse thereof lieth in waite for the poore birdes that hee might take them and kill them So he which with a counterfaited and fayned holinesse will colour and couer impietie wicked purposes or whatsoeuer is against the will word of God hath not the feare of God but vnder the colour and shape of godlinesse and honesty séeking the prayse and glory of the world hée casteth in his head and worketh by degrees the ruine decay vndoing of others that hée may compasse their goods lands and possessions and gaine some honour and dignity among men 2. Tim. 3 5. Such men haue a shewe of godlinesse but as the Apostle saith haue denied the power thereof And although some hypocrites will sometimes seeme to forsake their riches and lende some to their neighbors and bestow some vpon the poore yet still the marke and leuell they shoote at is to augment and encrease them A similitude of the soaring hawke for the silly bird For euen as the swift hawke entending to take the birde that flieth doth not presently when she seeth her seyse vpon her but rather at the first with fetching a compasse séemeth to forsake her but at the second or third flight she goeth towards her with a wonderfull force and incredible swiftnesse to take her in the ayre and to rend her in péeces Right so do hypocrites for at the first sight they will séeme not to regard neither thee nor thine but to continue the riches and promotions of the world but then they come and counterfeit a simplicity fowling for a greater matter then they presently sée and reaching at some greater promotion and higher dignitie then the present time and occasion doth offer but at the second or third flight when all thinges aunswere their expectation thou shalt perceiue that with all spéede and gréedinesse they will lay hold on those things which thou supposedst they had contemned These are doubleharted men they haue wicked lippes and handes that worke iniquitie these are sinners that go two waies and eternall woe is their reward The hypocrite goeth two manner of waies when he laieth vp one thing close in his hart the other he sheweth in his actions speaketh one thing doth another Such an one was Herod Math. 2. pretending a great deuotion towardes Christ and that he would worship him when hée was whetting his sword to destroy him True Christians lead their liues although not in perfection according to their profession and as S. Iames saith do shewe their faith by their workes All hypocrites whatsoeuer they would séeme to be do so farre differ from true Christianitie as the drosse of
great miserie and affliction for thou hast promised to saue all them that call vpon thy name for the remission of their sins Remember not the sinnes Doct. 1 1. Doct. In vaine doe wee pray to God to be deliuered from our afflictiōs except we pray for the remission of our sinnes both of our youth and all other afterward committed by vs. The 1. Reason is There is no hope for vs to obtaine grace except the Lord be mercifull vnto vs and how doth he loue vs except we be first reconciled to him and that by our Sauiour Christ Iesus and our confession and repentaunce of our sinnes Vse The Vse is therefore to teach vs in all our afflictions to acknowledge our sinnes to GOD onely séeing hee is gracious and fauourable to all his Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is necessarie for Gods people in their praiers to God to make vnto him onely a frée confession of their sinnes Psal 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hidde I mine iniquities for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgements Nehem. 1.6 I pray thee let thine eares bee attent and thine eyes open to heare the praier of thy seruant which I pray before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy seruants and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel which wee haue sinned against thee The 1. Reason is Els we obtaine no forgiuenesse Secondly Els we haue no assurance that we haue repented séeing confession doth alwaies accompany repentance Thirdly Otherwise wée cannot rightly and throughly condemne our selues and cleare the Lord for punishing vs. Fourthly By the confession of our sinnes we are the more humbled and the better prepared to praier The Vse is First to reprooue all them that iustifie themselues like the proud Pharise and offer vp their owne workes as the Papistes doe Secondly to reprooue them that will not beare sharpe rebuke for their sinnes nor bee contented to be censured by those meanes that God hath prescribed by his word for the same purpose Thirdly it teacheth vs to loue them that admonish vs often and reprooue vs sharpely when wee haue offended estéeming them our déerest friends and auoiding them that flatter vs Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Math. 18.18 Whatsoeuer you binde in earth c. seeing it is the meanes to bring vs to this confession which is so necessarie Text. Remember not the transgressions of my youth nor my rebellions Doct. 3 3. Doct. True repentance worketh in vs earnest and heartie praier The Reason is First In it we see our miseries in our selues and what néede wee haue to séeke to GOD for helpe Secondly It assureth vs of Gods loue to vs and readinesse to heare vs. Thirdly It encourageth vs to call on the name of the Lord who in our conuersion hath giuen vs experience of his vnspeakeable mercies The Vse is to teach vs to bee as diligent to performe this praier aright as wee are desirous to prooue to our owne hearts that our repentance is vnfained Doct. 4 4. Doct. All our praiers are to bee made to God alone Psa 50.15 Call vpon me c. Rom. 10.14 How shall they call vpon him of whome they haue not heard The 1. Reason It is he onely that can graunt vs our request Secondly We are not commaunded in the holy Scripture to call vpon any other and therefore if we doe it is not of faith and consequently it is sinne The Vse is First to reprooue the dotage of the heathen that praied to the Sunne Moone and Starres and of the Papistes that pray to Angels and Saints Secondly to teach vs to make all our praiers to GOD alone in the name of his Sonne Christ for such things as he hath promised in his word and in such maner as hee hath prescribed Nor my rebellions Text. Doct. 5 5. Doct. It is rebellion against the Lord to despise any of his lawes although all humane lawes should approoue vs therein The 1. Reason Reu. 19.16 God is King of Kings and will bee serued without exception Secondly Els God should yéeld vnto men Thirdly Wee are to obey men onely in the Lord and no further The Vse is First to reproue rulers that require obedience of their subiects to all their owne decrees not regarding whether God be disobeyed therby or no. Secondly to reprooue them that pretend mans lawes to excuse themselues in their sinnes as in the breach of the Sabboth contentednesse with the dumbe Ministerie putting of money to vsurie Thirdly it teacheth vs alwaies to hold this both in iudgement and practise It is better to obey God then man Act. 5.29 Doct. 6 6. Doct. It is our dutie so often as the Lord shal terrifie vs with his iudgements not onely to mourne sigh and lament but to repent vs not onely for our former sinnes committed in our youth but all other sinnes since which we can either call to mind hidden or vnknowne The Reason is The Lord may laye them all to our charge The Vse is that wee neuer flatter or stroke our selues in our vices but narrowly prye into them not into others as hypocrites doe but into our owne not to espie a moate in our brothers eye to cloke our hypocrisie but to pull out of our owne eyes not onely the beames but euen the verie moates therein But according to thy kindnesse remember me euen for thy goodnes sake Text. O Lord. Doct. 7 7. Doct. The children of God expect remission of their sinnes from none but from the mercy of God onely The Reason Sinne prouoketh Gods anger which is infinite and cannot be satisfied by any that is no more then a creature Secondly The Scriptures make the Lords mercie the first part of our righteousnesse Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered The Vse is To confute them that thinke they haue it in their owne fréewil to be saued Secondly To confute them that thinke to obtaine heauen by their merites Thirdly To reprooue them that seeke for the Popes pardons and Indulgences seeing it is the Lord of his méere mercie that doth pardon vs our sinnes Psal 25.8 Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The sence is The 2. part of the 3. Sermon I Doubt not at all of the remission of my sinnes neither yet heereafter to leade an holy and innocent life séeing I consider and weigh the great goodnesse and gracious bountie of the liuing Lord as also his righteousnes in performing his promises which among others are that he will pardon the sinnes of the penitent and direct the way
yet he will not heare them Solutiō The Solution is very easie if wee waigh wel what is said in the Psal 145.18 The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that call vpō him in truth There the Prophet sheweth that many seeke God howbeit fainedly By reason whereof wee be conuinced that there is none other meanes to rid vs of our miseries but onely that God should take vs to his mercy and be pitiful vnto vs. The very infidels call vpon him without regard of him notwithstāding that they scorne at religion and at all things that are spoken to vs in the sacred Scriptures concerning Gods prouidēce his mercy and grace which wee must looke for at his hands Therefore if they be pinched with aduersity they cry Alas my God And what compelleth them thereunto Euen their mother wit So the hypocrites and despisers of God may haue some forme or likenes of praying not onely to speake but to speake properly they cānot pray in déed for they are destitute of the Spirite therof frō their teeth outward whiles their minds are otherwise busied but oftentimes as men may perceyue euen with some harty affection for they are forced thereunto but yet is it not in truth For they haue not the knowledge to say My God calleth and allureth mée vnto him I shall not therefore lose my labour in comming to him Seing it is his good pleasure to reckon and accompt mee in the number of his deerly beloued children I will go to him not on a foolish rashnes and presumption but with obedience vnto the voice of my GOD trusting to his promise The hypocrites cannot speake this language therefore they haue no truth in them For they must haue faith and faith dependeth on the promises of God which the wicked haue not yea neuer tasted of Againe wee must haue a féeling of our miseries so that when we approch vnto God we must be abashed of our selues we must be sory for our sinnes we must hate our selues and wee must acknowledge our selues to be excéeding miserable But the wicked and hypocrites haue none of all these Although then their mouths are open to call vpon God yet do they but blaspheme and vnhallow his holy name because their mindes are not sound and vpright Herba solaris A similitude Heliotropium the herbe of the Sunne so called because it windeth it self about with the Sunne in the morning very early it doth as it were behold the rising therof and all the day it followeth the course of the Sunne euer turning the leaues towards the same but the roote it neuer chaungeth stirreth nor mooueth but hath that stil fast fixed in the earth Euen so many will turne vp their eyes and handes to the sonne of righteousnes but it is onely in ceremonie and outward gestures for their rootes their hearts are farre and fast within the earth how can they then bée lifted vp to heauen where in déede their treasure is according to the words of our sauiour Christ Math. 6. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Such men will lift vp their handes eyes and voices towardes heauen to GOD and with such goodly gréene leaues will make a faire florish and beautifull shewe but their hearts and affections are surely sette vpon earthly vaine vile and transitorie thinges and are as farre from GOD as heauen and earth are distant the one from the other How then can they possibly in faith cal vpon the Lord that theyr prayers should bee heard And therefore they fulfill the saying of the Prophet Esay chap. 29.13 This people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee So then lette vs marke well that when God saith that hee will heare the prayers of all them that call vpon him hee meaneth that their prayers must procéede from faith and wée must bethinke our selues well beforehand of his promises thereby to bée encouraged to come vnto him yet wée must also acknowledge our selues to be as we surely are of our selues forlorne damnable and destitute of all goodnes and this we must be throughly perswaded of to the end that wée may resort to the fountaine of his goodnes and grace Now we sée there is no cause why we should thinke it strāge that God putteth hypocrits wicked men back whē they come to him For they come not with a willing mind nor a pure affection but they would willingly shunne and auoid his hand if it were possible Howbeit seing that they by no means possible that they can deuise can shift themselues from him they come to him by compulsion A similitude For euen as a theefe a murtherer or any other great malefactor being shut vp in prison would not willingly appeare before the Iudge but would wish in his heart that rather there were none at all but seing they are and must bee full sore against their willes that sinne might be punished and vertue rewarded they then humbly entreat him to shew mercie to them Euen so the wicked and hypocrites wish in their heart there were no God but seing he is and wil be they repayre to him not as being perswaded of him as of a louing and mercifull father but as a seuere Iudge but what profiteth that Therefore when we pray vnto God let vs offer vnto him free harted sacrifices let vs haue accesse to him with willing mindes assuring our selues that without him we are destitute of al things we want of all that appertaine to our good Moreouer let vs not doubt of his fauour towards vs seing hée hath promised it vnto vs but let vs alwaies beleeue that he is ready to receiue vs and wil not be deafe to our desires when we come to craue them at his hands True it is that God euery minute sheweth his goodnes towards vs and although wée presently perceiue it not yet doth he preserue vs from the miseries that hang ouer our head and putteth his louing hand betwéene vs and them So then wée cannot but be experienced of his grace in the time of prosperity know that wée are maintayned by the same but yet haue wée not so certaine and manifest experience of his fauour and helpe in prosperity as in aduersity For whensoeuer misery pincheth vs and death threateneth vs wée can discerne that we are wretched forlorne creatures if God should not step before vs to rescue vs. And to speake the truth more largely How great and grieuous were the sorrowes troubles anguish and griefe of our soules if wée had not this swéete consideration Yée sée then an euident Demonstration that God hath had and now hath mercy and compassion vpon vs. We sée therefore that affliction is that wherein God chiefly sheweth himself to be our sauiour Here we sée wherefore God saith in the Psalm 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee But shall we therefore inferre