they here take and that which wee must take in the like distresse according to the measure of the affliction and as it is more publike or priuate so must be the measure of our lamentation To this there is a promise made in the prophesie of Isaiah c. That when our hands cannot help our selues nor our tongues preuaile with others yet then wee may relieue our selues by our prayers vnto God Isaiah 61. 12. c. for in that place the Lord vndertaketh that mourners shal be comforted c. God the Father sends his owne sonne and the Father and the Sonne doe send the holy Ghost that when men are mourning and seele their pouertie so as it breakes their hearts the spirit which is the comforter may minister comfort vnto them that when they feele their captiuitie and imprisonment as it were Christ Iesus may set them at libertie be they neuer so weake neuer so meane neuer so miserable neuer so sinfull if once they come thus to mourne they shall haue their hearts comforted though they bee couered with ashes God will giue them beautie for ashes and put on them the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines bestowing vpon them that which shall make them cheerefull euen the oyle of ioy not an earthly but an heauenly oyle And there is great cause why God should deale so with such kinde of persons for Reasons 1 1 Hee is full of pitie and compassion and therefore the prophet Ioel in his 2. Chap. vers 13. biddeth vs rent our hearts and not our garments Ioel. 2.13 that is bring inward sorrow that may crush and breake the heart and then turne vnto the Lord which if we doe wee shal be sure of reliefe and why the Lord is mercifull saith hee and our God is very readie to forgiue When wee see our children mourning and confessing their faults wee cannot but haue our bowels of compassion earning towards them If Iacob had stood by and heard his sonne Iosephs pitifull moane that in the anguish of his soule hee made vnto his brethren when they dealt so vnnaturallie with him would hee not haue pitied him and by strong hand haue rescued him from his cruell sonnes What shall wee then thinke of God he is farre more mercifull than Iacob was and wee are neerer vnto him than euer Ioseph was vnto his father And therefore when wee mourne in a holy manner certainely hee will arise and haue mercy vpon vs. Hee cannot slay when he sees our hearts full of sorrow and our eyes full of teares for the sighs and groanes of his people doe giue him no rest in heauen Secondly this godly mourning must needs be a speciall remedie in all manner of afflictions because it makes our prayers very forcible it sets an edge vpon our petitions and makes vs pray heartily feruently and strongly When Iacob wept in his prayer it was so effectuall that hee preuailed Genesis 32.11 When Gods people ioyned together to powre forth buckets full of teares drawne from the bottome of their hearts before the Lord they were marueilously helped 1. Sam. 7.6 for the great measure of their teares made their supplications more feruent and therefore it is said of Christ Iesus himselfe that in the dayes of his flesh hee did offer vp prayers with strong crying Heb. 5.7 and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death When our Sauiour was about the principal point of his mediatorship then did he gather strength vnto himselfe by this meanes Thirdly this must needs be very effectuall because it is exceeding forcible against sinne for when sorrow comes into the heart sinne goes out it will not lodge there vnlesse it bee cockered and made much of When euery one laments his iniquitie and mournes ouer Christ Iesus whom hee hath pierced by his sinnes then there is a fountaine opened to wash them from all euen from sins that made a separation betwixt God and vs. Zacharie 12. 13. Seeing then that this godly and holy sorrow is a means to make God pitie vs to make vs call earnestly vpon him and to expell sinne which might hinder vs from preuailing with him it must needes follow that of all remedies in times of distresse this is the best and surest Vse 1 This serues for instruction vnto vs to vse all meanes and furtherances whereby wee may attaine vnto this There are many afflictions abroad many neerer home in our owne townes and families nay there are many things amisse in our owne hearts here is a medicine for euetie one of our maladies let vs get it and vse it and all arguments and helps that may continue and increase it as the Nineuites hauing direction by the spirit of God as many of them as were his did when Ionah threatned destruction against their citie within fortie dayes they abased themselues and fell to mourning and vsed fasting to helpe it onward the people must shew it in their countenances the lowing of the beasts and crying of the infants must further them to this holy remorse and griefe for their great and haynous transgressions They had grieued the Lord by their iniquities and therefore now they would grieue themselues with godly contrition for them Hence it was that Gods people amongst the Iewes vsed to weare sack-cloth to lie on the ground and to put dust vpon their heads which were then meanes to further them in the worke of humiliation Therefore now that wee feare danger is neere vs let vs betake our selues to this holy mourning if wee refuse to doe it and still continue to be hard-hearted if the pestilence come into our families wee are likelie to be taken away with the first and to haue not only our bodies but our soules in danger and that of Gods wrath and euerlasting displeasure Therefore let vs seeke to haue our hearts mollified by this excellent meanes of God and for this end consider of the blessings of God plentifully powred downe vpon our nation Nehemi 9. and vpon out selues in particular as they did in the day of their humiliation of whom Nehemiah maketh mention Let vs seriously recount how many mercies wee haue enioyed and how much they haue beene abused how many afflictions wee haue felt and how little wee haue beene bettered how many deliuerances wee haue found and yet how carelesse nay how rebellious we haue beene notwithstanding them all Let vs weigh with our selues what hurt our sins haue done vnto vs how many good thinges they haue turned from vs and how many euils they haue puld vpon vs and aboue all let vs remember what a huge weight and multitude of miseries they haue brought vpon our Sauiour namely debasement and humiliation sorrowes and sufferings assaults and temptations the heauie burden of our guiltines and the greeuous punishment due for our deserts the rage and violence of most malicious men and the wrath and displeasure of the most righteous God torments of bodie and terrors
fit cause them to bee at a stand and bring them euen to their wits end as it did these here but they will recouer themselues and get heart againe and though in their distempers they say God hath forsaken them which is a wofull thing yet they recall their words againe and at length betake themselues to the right meanes of recouerie which is to make their griefes knowne vnto God who is able to saue and readie to succour those that seeke vnto him This may bee euidentlie seene in Psal 88. vers 6. Psal 88.6 where the man of God bemoneth his case saying Thou hast laid mee in the lowest pit in darknesse and in the deepe Thine indignation lieth vpon mee and thou hast vexed me with all the waues From which words together with the rest in that Psalme wee may gather that hee was in wonderfull fore perplexitie Now in this extremitie what doth hee O Lord God of my saluation saith he I cry day and night before thee as if hee should haue said Though thou hast cut off mee yet I call vpon thee and though thy hand lie heauie vpon mee yet I pray still Isaiah 38.1.21 2. Kings 20.1 So Hezekiah was smitten as it seemes with the plague and that vnto death and was in such extremitie That hee chattered like a crane or a swallow and mourned like a doue and concluded that hee should goe to the gates af the graue and bee depriued of the residue of his yeares His case in appearance was desperate so that it was as hard to recouer him as to make the sunne in the firmament to goe backward yet hee set vpon the matter by prayer and obtained his desire insomuch that fifteene yeeres were added to his daies so that no man in the world had euer such a lease of his life as hee had So Ionah when hee fled from the presence of the Lord and was therefore cast into the Sea and swallowed vp of the whale beeing in a low dungeon where hee had neither sunne-light nor candle-light yet hee doth not thinke his case remedilesse as indeede it was not but hee cryed in his affliction vnto the Lord Ionah 2.1.2 and hee heard him Out of the bellie of hell did hee crie and God heard his voice and then as sinne and passion had brought him into danger so repentance and prayer did helpe him out of it Yea the Lord Iesus Christ when the burden of our sins and of his fathers wrath for the same was so grieuous that it made his soule heauie vnto the death and pressed bloud out of his vaines Luke 22.42 44. Heb. 5. yet the more horror hee was in the more feruently hee prayed vnto his father Reason 1 And the reason why Christians cannot by any distresse be driuen from prayer is 1 Because hee that is once Gods child is euer so and euery child of God Rom. 8.26 hath the spirit of prayer which will alwaies stirre vs vp to make requests with sighs and grones that cannot bee expressed If those that cast Gods seruants in prison could withall pull Gods spirit out of their hearts then they had done somewhat to the purpose but they may as well plucke the sunne out of the firmament as the holy Ghost out of their soules And therefore they can neuer bring them so low but they can cast their eyes vp towards heauen and make their complaint vnto their God And if he be with them in prison as hee was with Ioseph their restraint shall be farre more pleasant than their aduersaries libertie and they shal be able with Paul and Silas to sing Psalmes at midnight through ioy and gladnes Act. 6.25 2 Secondly Gods children haue faith in their hearts and the nature of faith is to beare downe all before it and to breake thorow al manner of lets and hindrances Therefore Gods seruants hold vp their heads because their faith ouercomes the world Joh. 5.4 And therefore wicked hypocrites faint because the world ouercomes them When Gods child goes vnto the dungeon faith goes with him and then hee will neuer giue ouer praying but bee more feruent in praying And this is certaine that in worldly helpes the deeper distresses wee bee in the least comfort they will affoord vs so spirituall helps the greater extremities we be in the more comfort will they minister vnto vs. When wee are helplesse and hopelesse then faith workes wonders and neuer shews forth it selfe so mightilie and powerfullie as when it workes alone Beautie and wealth and strength and other outward things of the same kinde when miseries lie heauie vpon vs and wee beginne to cast an eye to them expecting some reliefe and comfort from them will deale with vs as the high Priests did with Iudas When all went well with him they made shew of fauor and friendship towards him but when in the horror and anguish of his soule hee makes his mone vnto them crying out that he had sinned betraying innocent bloud they sent him away with a cutted and vncomfortable answere VVhat is that to vs say they Such cold comfort shall we receiue from any earthly supports and props whereon we rest and stay our hearts when we haue most neede of them they will stand vs least in stead So that wee may truely say of them as Iob did of his friends miserable comforters are yee all But as for those that liue by faith in Christ Iesus they are vnderlaide with better props than the world can afford for when they haue none other to deliuer them they can deliuer themselues by prayer and by calling vpon Gods name out of the lowest dungeon Vse 1 First this may serue to shew vs the difference betwixt the wicked and the godly in times of outward or inward affliction when they drinke both of the same cup and are plunged in the same miseries Cast a wicked man into a dungeon and lay him full low where hee can meete with no worldly helpe and what course will he take You shall see that either he will blaspheme God and bite his tongue for madnes as they that are spoken of Reuel 18. Or else hee will grow desperate and make away with himselfe as Iudas and Achitophel and other monsters haue done But let a godlie man bee laid fast in the same dungeon Act. 16.25 hee wil be full of ioy when the other is full of desperate griefe and sing Psalmes and powre forth many holy prayers in stead of the others imprecations and blasphemous speeches Peter and Iudas had both dealt vnfaithfully though in a farre different degree and manner with their Lord and master and were both in the dungeon euen in great perplexitie but Peter goes out confesseh this fault weeps bitterlie and gaines exceedingly by it Iudas on the other side sorroweth desperately and speedily dispatcheth himselfe Whereby doth manifestly appeare the different cariage of the faithfull and of infidels when they are both ouerburdened with sorrowes and miseries Vse
three supplications to the Iudge we would aske him presently But what answere receiued you If he should tell vs nay I neuer lookt to that we would not thinke hee should speed much the better for all his supplications Such is the case of hypocrites that draw neere vnto God with their lips but not with their hearts though they thinke themselues the safer and better for that yet in truth they are not because they had neuer in their liues any signe of Gods loue towards them for good vpon the making of their suites knowne vnto him And therefore let them get some of this store for that is it that will stand them more in stead than all the goods in the world Vse 2 Secondly here is a vse of comfort for them that haue lost the sight and feeling of Gods fauor Had they it euer at all Then they shall bee sure to haue it againe Psal 77.3.4.5.6 For this was Dauids case Hee did thinke on God and was more troubled hee prayed and his spirit was full of anguish and all seemed to make against him What then I considered saith hee the daies of old and the yeeres of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently c. He recounts with himselfe how faithfull hee had beene vnto God how mercifull God had beene vnto him and then his little sparke of hope and comfort became a great flame If a man haue old prouision he will doe well enough in the hardest times If one can say frō an humble and sincere heart Lord thou knowest that I haue shed many a bitter teare in secret for my sinnes I haue often with ioy praised thee for thy mercies and powred out my heart in singing Psalmes in priuate I haue sought thee in the night when no bodie was by when no eye was priuie vnto it and at such times thou hast vouchsafed to looke downe from heauen with a mercifull eye vpon me and hast filled my soule with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious c. If I say one haue these and the like euidences from former experience hee may assure his heart that God will still be found of him in goodnesse till the shutting vp of his daies and neuer withdraw his louing kindnesse from him Obiect Oh but now God frownes vpon mee and withholds his louing countenance from me Answer What then Hath there not beene a time when you could say God drew neere vnto you and beheld you with a fauourable eye Yes they cannot denie that why then neuer feare he will returne againe though hee hide his face for a time Albeit heauinesse may indure for a night Psal 30.5 yet ioy shall come in the morning For if God bee once ours hee is euer ours And this should bee the staffe and stay of Christians when they haue lost their feeling Vers 56. Stop not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry Here is shewed what seruice they brought vnto God they did not pray alone but sigh nor sigh alone but cry That is they drew forth their prayers from a feruent heart which was as a thirstie land that gapes for the raine and is euen readie to eate vp and to deuoure the clouds Which words afford vs this doctrine Doct. 5 That they that would not haue God to shut his eares against their prayers Feruencie in prayer requisite Ioel 2.13 must bee sure that they sigh and crie and that their petitions proceede from a broken heart and from an humble spirit So the Prophet Ioel bids them rend your hearts and not your garments c. For till the heart be euen puld in pieces by godly sorrow sinne and lust will not out and then there can bee no acceptance looked for with God either of vs or of our seruices Psal 51.17 Therefore Dauid saith the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wilt not despise Mark 7.34 1. Sam. 1.15 Therefore did Christ grone in his spirit when he prayed for that poore man in the Gospell So did Hannah sigh and weepe sore and powred out her soule before God Reason And there is good reason to moue vs to labor thus inwardly to bee touched For till wee haue the sense and feeling of our wants wee may well speake but wee can neuer pray till the heart be pained with sinne and corruption it is impossible to be feruent for the pardon of it as it is for one that hath no feeling of pouertie earnestly to intreat for a supply of his necessities and for one that hath no sense of his sicknesse to be an instant suter for the meanes of health Vse 1 First this serues for the reproofe of those that come with drowsie and verball prayers who deale like corrupt and naughtie Lawyers that looke for a fee and yet when they are at the barre tell a drowsie and idle tale without any feeling of their clients cause So many there are that come with words of course to intreat God to pardon their sins and strengthen their faith but neuer powre out their soules before God but onelie spend a little breath And they speed accordingly for their cold prayers bring but cold successe And this is true not onelie of the wicked Psal 32. but euen of the godly Dauid rored and cried but hee was neuer the better till hee confessed his sinne being inwardly grieued for the same but then both sinne and punishment were remoued at once This may teach vs to striue with the Lord in our prayers and supplications laboring for this crying and sighing that is so needefull and then dooing as here the Church did wee shall speed as they did Many there are that sigh in their troubles Iam. 5.9 But how Iames telles vs They sigh one against another and not vnder the burden of their sinnes nor through an earnest desire of Gods mercie They sigh vnder the waight of vnkindnesses that lie vpon them and clamor against men but haue little feeling of their owne vnkindnesses against God to bee humbled for them But these are sighs of the flesh and not of the spirit Let vs grone from a broken heart and the Lord will giue vs life Isa 57.15 when wee are troubled in spirit and the longer we waite and crie the greater measure of comfort we shall haue and the longer it shall tarrie with vs. Vers 57. Thou drewest neere Not in his essence for so is hee alwaies alike neere but in his mercifull presence and with gratious deliuerance Which words thus vnderstood doe yeeld vs this point of doctrine Doct. 6 That in the day that wee draw neere to God in prayer God will draw neere to vs in mercie God is as readie to heare as vve to pray when we send vp our petitions vnto him he will send downe speedie and comfortable helpe vnto vs. Those that are suters vnto God shall bee alwaies
contrarie to the Law and if I die I die But our Lord Iesus Christ goes beyond them all for when hee was in supreme excellencie hee was so affected with the wofull case of his Elect into which they had brought themselues by their owne rebellions against him that hee humbled himselfe Philip. 2.6.7 and tooke on him the state of a seruant and submitted himselfe to many sorrowes disgraces and sufferings not onely while hee liued but principallie when hee dyed as hath beene before in part declared that so he might deliuer his people from the wrath to come and from eternall death which they had deserued and must haue els indured Reasons 1 And there is great reason why the affliction of the Church should so affect vs and that first in regard of the communion that is betwixt God and them for they are called the Lords flocke his chiefe treasure vnder heauen his first borne yea the very apple of his eye and therefore being so deere vnto the Lord they should be deere vnto vs and we should haue a tender care of them and mourne in our hearts for any euill that befalls them as Ieremie did chap. 30. that the Lords flocke should goe into captiuitie Secondly we should be thus affected in regard of the communion that is betweene them and vs for they are our members yea neerer vnto vs then our bodilie members and wee should haue greater care of the whole Church than of our selues because it more concernes Gods glorie Howbeit indeede in caring for them wee care for our selues too labouring to preuent their afflictions wee preuent our owne and weeping for others miseries we get armor that will keepe off miserie from our selues And that there is no danger in dealing for the seruants of God may appeare in Exodus One would haue thought there had beene some great euill neere Moses and Aaron when they must fetch out of Egypt such a people from such a King not onely by petition but by command and threatning if hee would not yeeld wee would haue imagined that Pharaoh a proud man would neuer haue indured this at their handes and yet wee see they were in perill but of all others most safe 3 Thirdly the affliction of the church must needs work most vpon the hearts of Gods chosen because of the insultations and triumphs of the wicked against them when they cry out where is now there God Exod. 32.1 Numbers 1416. And that was it that Moses did vrge to moue God to spare his people when he threatned to destroy them for their Idolatry he intreats God to remember his great name and to spare them lost the Egyptians should say that hee had brought them out maliciously to slay them in the mountaines and to consume them from the earth or that hee was not able to bring them into the land of Canaan This is it that goes to the heart of the faithfull when they heare profane persons reuilling the hoast of the liuing God Oh these are your professors say they these are they which runne with their bibles to sermons these are they that were wont to brag that prayer would preuent or remoue Gods iudgements doe you not see that they are swept away by the pestilence as well as others that they were pinched with pouertie and necessitie as well as others that these and the like despitefull and bitter speeches and taunts doe wound the verie hearts of such as loue Gods glory and desire the prosperitie of his Saints and so cause them much to bewaile the tribulation of the Church Vse 1 Here are to be reproued all carelesse persons who so it goe well with themselues regard not the Church at all let it sinke or swimme all is one to them So they may bee free from the contagion and sitte quiet in their houses whatsoeuer becomes of their neighbours it skills not They drinke wine in bowles Amos. 6.6 and giue themselues to all excesse but no man is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph This is a great fault in these daies now many Christians are taken away and the sword of the Lord is stretched out still and many are smitten downe on euery side yet there is as much feasting and sporting and frequenting of wakes and that on the Lords sabboth as if all thinges went well with vs. Which argues strange infidelitie and is such a sinne as the Lord will pursue euen vnto death if it bee not reformed Isa 22.12.13.14 as the Prophet Isaiah threatneth In that day saith he did the Lord of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth and beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall dye and it was declared in the eares of the Lord of hostes And what followes therevpon Surely this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till yee die saith the Lord God of hostes Which being so it stands Magistrates vpon to vse their authoritie for the redresse of such things as are so dangerous to the whole state of the land But there is yet another greater fault amongst vs than this that hath beene named For many do not only walke securely in the affliction of their brethren but desire the continuance and increase of it in hope that they shall enlarge their possessions and better their estate by meanes thereof as if scarsitie of people did bring abundance of riches whereas in trueth it is quite contrarie But howsoeuer those that haue but a glimpse of Christianitie in them would rather haue the societie of others than liue alone in the middest of the earth 3 There is yet a third and worser sort than the former which come iustly vnder this reproofe Such I meane as long for sturs and mutinies and insurrections Poore men say they can get nothing but some fewe great ones carry away all and so they grow to murmuring and repining multiply speeches of discontentment grieuing and lamenting that at the taking away of the former Prince al things should bee so quiet and peaceable Downe say they with these Magistrates and with these Preachers this too much plentie yeelds vs nothing and therefore they could also bee glad of vnseasonable weather that through scarsitie of things there might arise some tumults and so they might get prouision from such as fall into their hands These haue bloudy hearts 4 Yet others there are that are worse than these who doe not onely wish for such troubles on the Church and Common-wealth before they come but reioyce at them when they are come And when others eyes are full of teares their mouths are ful of laughter as Ieremie chargeth the Moabites Hee magnified himselfe against the Lord Ieremie 48.26.27 Moab shall wallow in his vomit and hee also shal be in derision For diddest thou not deride Israell as if hee had beene found among theeues For when thou speakest of him thou art moued This was
set vpon Gods seruices only by fits and starts If they haue not present helpe from God they will seeke vnto the world and vnto Satan and to carnall meanes If they cannot mend their estate by prayer they will patch it vp by odde shifts if their hearts haue not present comfort from Gods spirit they will seeke comfort from iesters and leaud companions Commonly such people grow of all other most bitter against those holy exercises which they haue profaned and therefore could haue no benefit by them Such were they of whom the Prophet Isaiah speaketh who are so impudent and shamelesse that they dare expostulate the matter with God himselfe VVherefore haue wee fasted say they wee haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Isa 48.3 c See what bragges they make of their seruices they that doe least and worst commonly brag most But what saies the Prophet Behold in the day of your fast yee will seeke your owne will and require all your debts 4. Beholde yee fast to strife and debate c. 5. Is it such a fast that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and bow downe his head like a bull-rush c. Thus wee see what reckoning God makes of their fasting what account so euer they themselues make of it and yet if they faile of their expectation they will quarrell with the Ministers of God with the word of God and with God himselfe because vsing such exercises carnally they receiued no benefit by them Vse 3 3 This must be an instruction vnto vs whē we are to deale with those that are afflicted in their soules that we handle the matter warilie and circumspectly when their hearts are wrought vpon we should not help them too soone out of their sorrow but exhort them to waite for comfort frō heauen for all cannot be presently well with the soule and therefore it is good wisedome to aduise such still to hold on their course Haue they begun to examine their hearts let them rifle yet further into them Haue they begunne to dislike their sinnes and themselues for their sinnes let them get a more thorow detestation and holy indignation against them It is not good for one that takes physicke to giue vp the potion forthwith as soone as it begins to worke Peter as a wise physition gaue other counsell to his hearers that began to bee moued by his doctrine They had beene mockers and scoffers they had crucified the Lord of life and so exceedingly endangered their owne soules wherewith beeing charged by Peter and being pricked and stung in their hearts and consciences they aske the Apostles Men and brethren Act. 2.37.38 what shall wee doe He doth not tell them as some vnskillfull Ministers would your case is good bee not discomforted my soule for yours you shall doe well but hee bids them amend their liues repent and get sound and heartie sorrow for their sinnes that so beeing throughly humbled they might afterwards bee soundly comforted Doct. 4. The eye must affect the heart Vers 51. Mine eye breaketh mine heart The meaning of which words is that his heart was marueilously moued with the things that his eye did behold Whence this doctrine offreth it selfe for our learning That good men must vse their eyes to stirre vp their hearts to pitie and compassion that so they may be pierced with griefe and sorrow This wee haue proued vnto vs in the example of Christ Iesus the most absolute paterne of all holinesse Mark 6.34 For it is said of him by the Euangelist Marke That when he lifted vp his eyes and sawe the multitude which had no faithfull Ministers to instruct them his very bowels were moued with commiseration towards them because they were as sheepe without a shepheard In this regard it is that Salomon describing a good man Pro. 22.9 calls him a man of a good eye and saies of such an one That hee will bestow his bread vpon the poore hee seeth the faces of some pale and of others blacke by reason of long want and forbearance of foode Others hee beholdeth naked and colde and exposed to the iniurie of the ayre and of all sorts of vnseasonable weather Now hauing a good eye hee will not onely take a view of them but bee inwardly affected with the sight of them and from a tender and pitifull heart minister reliefe vnto them Hence was it Act. 7.23 Exod. 2.11 that Moses did not content himselfe to know of the miseries of his poore brethren the Israelites by heare-say but hee would goe out to see their burdens and how they spent their paines and their strength and after all were recompenced with stripes from their taske-masters which did so worke vpon him that it made him stretch forth his hand to auenge some of them So likewise in the Gospell of Matthew it is set downe as the propertie of all holy and religious persons Mat. 25.36 that they will goe to the prison to see and to the house to visit the distressed members of Christ and take all occasions to bring their owne hearts to pitie their poore brethren and will euen compell their inward parts to beare a burden with them that they may bee more helpfull vnto them Vse 1 Which makes greatly for the reproofe of those whose eyes and eares are as filthy sinkes to conuey all vncleanenesse into them who haue eyes full of adulterie 1. An adulterous eye that they cannot looke about them but they are stirred vp to beastly and vile lusts Who haue eyes full of enuie 2. An enuious eye that they cannot beholde their brethren that are equall vnto them or goe before them or come neere vnto them but presently they fret against them and others welfare is their woe and miserie Others haue a wicked eye 3. A couetous eye that they cannot looke vpon their neighbors cattle houses possessions and the like but forthwith their hearts are poisoned with a couetous desire of them and then they cast about how they may make them theirs and if they cannot they eate vp their hearts with discontentment as Ahab did Pro. 28.22 Agreeable to this is the place of Salomon where hee saith A man of a wicked eye lusteth after riches but hee shews there that God meetes with him for hee shal be so farre from getting more that hee shall not keepe that which hee hath but the more he runnes after riches the faster pouertie shall pursue him Another kinde of ill eye is a niggardly eye 4. A niggardly eye spoken of by the wise man in the Prouerbs Pro. 23.6 where hee giueth this counsell Eate not the bread of him that hath an euill eye c. that thinkes all lost that goes from him and all taken out of his stomacke that goes into other mens bowels hee will giue men a welcome for fashion sake but all that eate of his meate are a vexation vnto him and
from the stroakes of God as the pestilence or the like yea from the furie of Satan and from the assaults of sinne All other towers are but poore weake cotages Let men dwell where they will whither can they goe but death wil finde them out They may flie from the Plague but God will pursue them for he is not an archer that hath but one arrow or such arrowes onelie as will reach those that are neere but though they should runne to the end of the world hee is able to shoote at them and the arrowes of his vengeance will finde them out No strength can defend them when he comes against them with his strength nay all the power of men is but a broken reede and all meanes of no force in themselues If wee onelie vse them in obedience they will bee as a staffe to leane vpon if wee rest on them they will be as a broken staffe that will deceiue vs and giue vs a fall Vers 56. Thou hast heard my voice stop not thine eares 57. Thou drewest neere c. Whence this doctrine ariseth Doct. 3 That Gods children in their prayers and seruices doe marke and know how they speed VVe must obserue how we speed in religious exercises so that they cannot onlie say I thanke God at such and such a time I prayed but O Lord thou diddest then heare my voice then diddest thou draw neere vnto mee at such a time I was put to it and thou deliueredst mee out of great danger This wee see in the spouse who when her beloued was departed from her saith In my bed night by night I sought him Cant. 3.1.2 whom my soule loueth and found him not Shee had not that ioy and refreshing as she was wont to haue from the vse of the priuate meanes and shee knew it and obserued it full well Then she went abroad and there found as little successe Afterwards shee comes to conferre with Gods Ministers how she might recouer her loue to Christ and the feeling of Christs loue vnto her and yet there shee had not that full successe as she expected Then she goes a little further that is as was before shewed waits patiently vpon God and then she found him whom her soule loued and tooke hold of him that is faster hold then euer she had done before She had paid so dearely for her negligence that she would be warie how she failed in her dutie any more So that when she sped well or ill she knew how it went with her This point is further proued vnto vs out of another verse of this Chapter of the Lamentation Lament 3.8 where these words are vsed VVhen I cry and shoute hee shutteth out my prayer Not but that God tooke notice of it and had a time to reward it but for the present he gaue them no answere They had hard hearts and God saw that one crie and shoute would not be sufficient to mollifie and soften them and therefore he lets them pray and cry againe and againe and yet still they had the repulse and they obserued to their great griefe Psal 66.18.19 Answerable to this is that in the Psalme where Dauid saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me But God hath heard me and considered the voice of my prayer Reason And there is reason why as they did marke how they sped so should wee also For vnlesse wee doe so it is impossible that wee should euer bee thankfull for that wee receiue or lay vp any store of comfort against the time to come If wee speed ill wee shall goe away without any care or studie to grow better if wee speed well wee shall depart without any desire of glorifying God or of confirming our hearts for afterwards Whereas diligent obseruation how God deales with vs would worke in vs great experience both for our humiliation and consolation For sometimes Gods seruants haue a comfortable answere to their sutes and then they come away as fresh and nimble and ioyfull as if their hearts had beene made glad by sweet and pleasant wine Ps 109.15 At another time they come limping and fainting away as if they had beene strucke on the head So for the Sermon now and then they depart from it as from some notable feast so merrie and comfortable as if they had made the best bargaine that euer they did in their liues at some other times they come out of the church hanging downe their heads and full of pensiuenesse as if they had receiued the sentence of death What is the cause hereof Profane persons thinke they are the melancholiest and vnconstantest people in the world But will not they themselues looke heauilie on the matter when they are crossed in things that are most deere vnto them And why then should they blame Gods seruants if they be sometimes merrie and sometimes heauie according as they are crossed or comforted in the worde of life which is more deare vnto them then all the treasures of the earth Howsoeuer they may charge them to be vnconstant yet indeede they themselues are more vnconstant For let them haue to deale with some great Iudge about matters of their estate and let them be told this day that they are likely to haue good and fauourable hearing that the Iudge likes well of them and of their cause how ioyfull and iocund will they be How will they talke of it and in a sort boast of it But let them come to the Iudge themselues the next day and let him frowne vpon them and tell them I vnderstand you are a leaud fellow I know your practises well inough looke to your selfe and acquite you well lest I strip you of your lands and life together Will not such a salutation cast them into their dumps and make them looke heauie and sad as if they were halfe dead And if one should aske them why are you so variable They would wonder why he should make such a question Haue wee not iust cause to bee cast downe would they say when the Iudge that gaue mee such good hopes before doth now looke and speake so wrathfullie against mee And wherefore then will you finde fault with Gods seruants who deale with the King and Iudge of heauen and earth in the matter of their saluation whose fauor they esteeme more than all things in the world and whose displeasure they feare more then all the mens in the world yea then death it selfe Why I say doe you finde fault with them if their comforts ebbe and flow as matters goe better or worse betwixt God and them Vse 1 This is for cōfutation of carnall hearers who are affected at all times alike They haue heard many hundred sermons but they were neuer more comforted at one than at another They are none of these changelings but the same men still But let such know that hee that doth neuer feele himselfe sicke it is greatly to bee doubted hee
c. that wee must seeke God by all his meanes as in that place of the Canticles before alleged when the Church had lost Christ that is the feeling of his loue and the sense of that communion which formerlie she had had with him she vseth all priuate and publike meanes and at length commeth to conference with Gods seruants which few will doe till they be driuen to it of necessitie and then hauing waited a while she finds him whom her soule loued The same must bee our practise if one medicine will not serue the turne vse another Pray fast meditate conferre and then at last the Lord will be found in mercie But as we are slacke in vsing any of the meanes so shall wee faile in our comfortable expectation of fauor from God 3 The last rule is that we must vse the meanes diligentlie and in good earnest for if wee haue a base account of Gods mercies Iam. 5.16 Psal 72.12 it is iust wee should goe without them The prayer of the righteous auailes much but with this condition if it bee feruent God deliuereth the poore when he crieth If they would haue hearing there must bee crying God powres forth floods of grace Isa 44.3 but vpon whom On the thirstie ground Hence is it that a number reade and heare and pray and yet preuaile not because they doe it so drowsilie and carelesselie The Lord deferres to helpe them because they are not fit for helpe and doe not striue and wrestle in their prayers as Iacob did Hosea 12.3 Let vs therefore vse all the meanes and that with constancie and carefulnesse and then wee shall obtaine our hearts desire in mercie Vers 57. Thou saiedst Feare not Not that there came any such voice vnto their eares or that God vsed any extraordinarie meanes to speake vnto them but when they drew neere to God and cast their cares vpon him and laid open their sorrowes vnto him God did so comfort them as if hee had spoken vnto them they were content to make him their stay and to trust him with their soule and state and all and then hee pacified their hearts and gaue them an expected answere to their prayers Now in that God said Feare not the point is Doct. 7. God onelie frees the heart from feares That God onelie cancure the heart of feares If ten thousand Prophets had said vnto them feare not if God had not said so by his spirit they would haue feared for al that Reasons 1 For first men cannot remoue the cause of feare which God can Thence it is that the wicked flee when none pursueth them Pro. 28.1 whereas the righteous are bold as a Lion Because their sinnes are remoued and they reconciled to God through Christ who hath made a sufficient paiment for them to satisfie his fathers iustice 2 Secondly God onelie can giue saith which rids the heart of feare in which regard Christ saith Math. 8. why did you feare O yee of little faith Implying thereby that all our troublesome distempers proceede from want of faith Now because none can giue that but the liuing God therefore none can heale the heart of feares but onelie God 3 A third reason is because God onelie can put his true feare into our hearts Ieremy 31. Ezekiel 3.6 which is a mightie defence against false feares Godly sorrow is a strong fortresse against worldly sorrow and godlie ioy a strong bulwarke against carnall ioy Therefore it is said Psal 102.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. Hee shall not bee afraide of ill tidings Vse 1 First this confutes their follie and error that thinke if they goe two or three miles from the place where the sicknesse is and there haue their gates shut and all things carefullie looked vnto then they should not bee so fearfull as they are as if that outward meanes could cure the heart of feares nay that must bee the Lords worke If they carrie with them the pestilence of an ill conscience an heart full of couetousnesse full of pride and of worldly lusts death will enter into the window if it cannot at the doore and will finde them out and set vpon them at midnight as well as at midday For God hath a quarrell against their sinnes and hee will pursue them whithersoeuer they goe and how can they stand when the curse of God hath them in chase Will you feare the plague sore vpon the bodie and will you not much more feare it vpon your soules Will you fly from that that is but a medicine vnto the godlie and not from that which is the verie bane of the whole man In truth those that carrie with them a heart full of pride and lust and such iniquities as God abhors wheresoeuer they liue are in greater danger than the godly that liue in the pest-house it selfe hauing their hearts purified by faith and their hope setled vpon Iesus Christ And therefore thinke not to put away such feares by gaming and companie-keeping by eating and drinking and laughing for they will returne againe though they may be smothered for a time and an ill conscience will be a fearefull conscience Vse 2 Secondly this doctrine ministreth vnto vs this instruction that if we would be disburdened of feares we should go to God that can worke in vs a thorow cure Not as if the meanes of seruing Gods prouidence were to be neglected or as if wee should not walke circumspectlie and auoide the occasions of danger But when wee doe so we should not rest on the meanes nor thinke I am out of the place where the plague is therefore I am free from Gods stroke If one should say I cannot die till God haue appointed and therefore I may goe into places of infection this were a tempting of God but it were worse for a wicked sinner to thinke I am not neere places of infection therefore I am safe If then wee would bee soundly cured of feares Helps against feares 1. Prayer first let vs goe vnto the Lord with a broken heart and beseech him to put courage into vs and to giue vs assurance of eternall life and the ioy of the holy Ghost then come life or death wee shall not bee much dismayed This is one speciall meanes to free our hearts from vnnecessarie feares euen faithfull prayer as the Apostle shews where hee saies Phil. 4.6 In nothing bee carefull but in all things let your requests be made knowne to God c. He bids them not take away the occasions without but heale the heart within for then they shall bee safe enough The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe their hearts and minds in Christ Iesus that is in a blessed communion with Christ Iesus whereby they shall bee possessed with such peace as none knoweth what it meanes but those that haue tasted of it which quiets and sets downe the heart and minde and settles the same in the assurance