convert the heart of every one in it yet to keepe them from open and scandalous offences Certainly we do not make the right use we ought of this heavy scourge of God unlesse we be made thereby more carefull to reforme our families For this cause the Lord said He would not conceale from Abraham His purpose against the Sodomites because He knew that he would make this use of it For I know him saith the Lord Gen. 18. 19. that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him 1. Abraham upon the knowledge and observation of Gods wrath even upon the Sodomites would become more carefull to looke to his whole family and to reforme it 2. God would assist and blesse him in this his endeavour and he should see the fruit of it in his family 3. This care that Abraham had of his family should be a principall meanes to make good unto him all Gods promises to bring upon him and make sure unto him all the blessings and good things that God had promised unto him and without this he could have had no assurance of them O that we could once believe and take to heart these things Certainly one maine cause of this and all other judgements that are upon our Land is the want of care that is in them that professe themselves to be the people of God in reforming their families whether they of their family be drunkards or sober persons blasphemers or such as feare an oath uncleane or chast prophane or religious is all one to them The fourth and last way whereby we must make right use to our selves of this judgement is this it must make us more mercifull to them that are in distresse and more ready to relieve them Nothing will give us more assurance to be freed from the plague our selves or to find comfort and strength in it if God shall please to visit us by it than this When Gods heavy hand did hang over Nebuchadnezzar Daniel speakes thus unto him Dan. 4. 27. Wherefore O King let my counsell be acceptable unto the and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy vnto the poore if it may be a lengthning to thy tranquillity As if he should have said if any thing will lengthen thy tranquillity and keepe off the judgement threatned this is likely to do it Remember what ourblessed Saviour hath said of this Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Nothing will give a man more assurance to find mercy with God in the time of his distresse than this will Remember also what His holy Apostle saith of this Iam. 2. 13. He shal have judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy If either the plague or any other judgement seize upon that man that hath beene void of mercy it shal be upon him without all mixture of mercy he shall have no comfort of Gods mercy in it and mercy rejoyceth or boasteth against judgement The mercifull man shall not feare this or any other judgement before it come as other men do and if it do light upon him he shall rejoyce and find a comfortable sense of Gods mercy in it And remember this at this time especially now you have kept a day of humbling your selves before God know that there is nothing that will more grace our solemne services before God specially services of this kind nothing will make them more acceptable unto Him than when we shall therein manifest and declare our selves to be mercifull and bountifull unto the poore Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord Esa. 58. 6 7. to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye breake every yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that are cast out to thine house When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine own flesh SERMON II. Aug. 17. 1625. FOlloweth the duty whereby David expressed his love and compassion to these men he prayed for them For though this be not expressed in the first part of the verse where the duty is mentioned that he performed towards these men in their misery yet is it evident 1. By the expresse words of the last clause of the verse where he mentioneth the successe he had in the duty he performed for them and 2. by this also that he saith he fasted and humbled his soule for them for in all fasts and exercises of humiliation that Gods people have kept prayer was the chiefe duty they performed and all other things they did in those exercises they did onely to helpe and further themselves in prayer Esa. 58. 3. To make their voice to be heard on high and Ion. 3. 8. to make them cry more mightily unto God The Doctrine then that we are to learne from this example of David is this That a chiefe duty we are to performe to them that are in misery is to pray for them See the proofe of the point in five degrees 1. This is a chiefe duty whereby we do expresse the truth of our love unto any and whereby we may do them good When our Saviour had commanded us to love our enemies and to do good to them thâ—t hate us Mâ—t. 5. 44. He adds And prâ—y for them 2. This is duty that is to be performed by us â—owards all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. Yea even towards the wickedest men that live upon â—arth See how importunate Abraham was with God for the beastly Sodomites Gen. 18. 32. 3. This duty is to be performed specially for sâ—ch as are Gods people though it be but in outward profession This course Moses tooke to relieve Israel in a great extremity When God threatned He would destroy Israel Moses stâ—od before Him in the breach by maine force to keepe Him out to turne away His wrath Psal. 106. 23. How stood he in the breach How did he turne away Gods wrath from them By prayer Exâ—d 32. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God This course David tooke to relieve Gods people in the time of a fearefull pestiâ—ence that in a short time had consumed seventy thousand 2 Saâ— 24. 15. He was deeply affected with their misery as appeareth by the story but what course tooke he to helpe them he prayed for them 1 Chroâ— 21. 16 18. and so stayed the plague So did Moses in the very like case of the pestilence when â—râ—th was gâ—nâ— out froâ— the Lord and the plague was 〈◊〉 he chargeth Aarâ—n to tâ—ke his ceâ—ser and put fire therein from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put inceâ—se on it and go quickly to the coâ—gregâ—tioâ— tâ— make an attonement for them Nâ—â—b 16. 46. True it is that signified the intercession
Lord is nigh saith he to them that are of a broken heart If we would strive in our daily prayers when wee make confession of our sinnes to doe it with feeling and not formally it would not onley make our prayers more effectuall with God but keepe our hearts from hardning and bring them to a good temper Luk. 18. 13 14. When the Publican made confession of his sinnes with that feeling smiting upon his breast and saying God be mercifull to mee a sinner It is said â—ee went home to his house justified rather then the other Fourthly This daily accustoming our selves unto this worke of calling our selves to account and afflicting our hearts for our sinnes would make it more easy and familiar unto us when we shall have extraordinary occasion to betake our selves to it That which is said by the Prophet of the Lords chastening of us may fitly be applyed to this chastening of ourselves Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth and to have beene accustomed to stoop unto and to beare patiently the Lords afflicting hand By this that hath beene said you see it is good for us to be doing somewhat in this worke every day Yet are there five speciall times and seasons that will yeeld us great helpe in this businesse more then other times will doe The first fit time to worke our hearts to godly sorrow is presently after some fall we have received some grosse sinne we have slipped into A great advantage it will be unto us to humble our soules for it presently and without delay For first sinne newly committed may be better knowne and remembred with all the circumstances whereby it is aggravated And that is a great helpe to the humiliation of the soule as wee may perceive in Davids speech Psal. 51. 3. For I acâ—nowledge my transgressions and my siâ—â—e is ever before me Secondly The heart will not be so hardned by sinne that is newly committed but more easily wrought upon and softned then when sin hath lyen long upon it As a bone that is out of joint the longer it is neglected will be set againe with more difficulty and paine A Leopard may as soone leave his spots an Ethiopian his blacknesse as he can do his sinne that hath lyen long in it Ier. 13. 23. Secondly Another fit season for this worke is when wee prepare our selves to renew our covenant with God in the holy Sacrament For 1. at that time God requires of us a speciall care to examine our selves and call to mind our sins and to judge our selves for them else it is not possible we should receive worthily 1 Cor. 11. 28. 29 31. When thou bringest thy gift to the altar saith our Saviour Mat. 5. 23. as at the Lords table we doe offer and present our selves unto God our soules and bodyes as a holy reasonable and lively sacrifice unto him and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Teaching us that at that time specially we should remember and call to mind what our brother and much more what our heavenly father hath against us 2. At that time men if they have any spark of grace in them are apt to find in themselves some stirrings of their affections unto goodnesse some motions of Gods spirit some dispositions unto devotion and remorse for sinne Ministers that use to deale privately with their people at that time shall find them more easie to be wrought upon and so shal every man his own heart then at other times These good motions should bee followed without delay As it is said that they that lay at the poole of Bethesda stroue to get in so soone as euer the Angell had stirred the water Iohn 5. 4. And Iosuah so soone as God by a vision had stirred him up to search and find out the sinne that had provoked God against Israel Iosh. 7. 16. went without delay immediatly about it So should we doe in this case When we feele God begins to soften our hearts and to stirre up these good dispositions to devotion in us then should wee set our selves seriously to this worke of calling to mind our sinnes and bringing our hearts to sorrow for them For 1. when God stirs up such motions he knocks at the doore of our hearts and sheweth himselfe willing to enter in Rev. 3. 20. 2. Satan will bee ready to quench the spirit in these good motions As it is said he watched the infant to devoure it so soone as ever it should be borne Rev. 12. 4. Thirdly The dayes and times wee set apart for fasting and prayer upon whatsoever just occasion are a most fit season for us to goe about this work For 1. we find Gods people have had their hearts wonderfully softned at such times The Israelites in the fast that they kept for successe against Benjamin came into the house of God and wept Iudg. 20. 26. And in the fast they kept as Mispeh they wept so abundantly that they are said 1 Sam. 7. 6. to have drawne water as by buckets full out of their hearts and to have poured it out before the Lord. 2. This exercise of a religious fast is a great help and furtherance to this work As wee see heere in Davids example Psal. 35. 13. I humbled my selfe with fasting 69. 10. I wept and chastened my soule with fasting Fourthly When any judgements of God lye heavy upon our selves or our brethren that is a fit season to goe about this work When these men were in misery David fell heere to afflicting of his soule Psal. 35. 13. For 1. the Lord by every one of his judgements doth testify from Heaven that he hath matter against us as Naoâ—i saith Ruth 1. 21. Why doe you call mee Naomi seeing the Lord by taking away my husband and my children hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me 2. God by his judgements doth call upon us to examine our wayes and humble our selves before him Hag. 1. 5 6 7. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts coâ—sider your wayes yee have sowen much and brought in liâ—le thus saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes And Esa. 22. 12. In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning 3. God by his judgements softneth the hearts of men and worketh in them more remorse more pronenesse and aptnes to repent then at other times Iob 23. 16. God maketh my heart soft saith Iob and the Almighty troubleth mee A man shall find himselfe fitter to pray then then at other times and we should take the advantage and opportunity of this time for it Iam. 5. 13. Is any afflicted let him pray This hath beene oft seene even in many notable hypocrites who how profane soever their hearts have beene at other times yet in their affliction have found in themselves a disposition to pray and to repent Psal. 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him
THE DOCTRINE OF FASTING AND PRAIER AND Humiliation for Sinne. DELIVERED In sundry Sermons at the Fast appointed by publique authority in the yeere 1625. By that Late Faithfull and Worthy Minister of Iesus Christ. ARTH. HILDERSAM LONDON Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewster and are to be sold at his shop at the great North-doore of S. Pauls at the signe of the Bible 1633. THE CONTENTS OF these Sermons SERMON I. Doctrine GOds people ought to take to heart the miseries and calamities of others the judgements of God that are executed upon others Page 2 Reason In respect had â— 1. To them that are afflicted 3 2. To the Lord. 4 3. To our selves â— Vse 1. To exhort us to take to heart gods judgments upon our brethren visited with the pestilence 8 For. 1. It is a fearefull judgement and their case is lamentable 9 2. None of us can tell how farre it may goe how neere it may come to us 11 3. If this bee neglected by us it will prove but a forerunner of some more fearefull judgment 14 2. To exhort us to make right use of it 15 1. By examining our owne hearts whether those sinnes be in us that are the speciall causes of the Plague 21 2. By taking the right course speedily to make our peace with God 21 3. By increasing our care to reforme our families 23 4. By being more mercifull to them in distresse 25 SERMON II. Doctrine A chiefe duty we are to performe to them in misery is to pray for them Pag. 27. This duty is to be performed 1. Whereby we doe expresse our love to any and whereby wee may doe them good 27 2. For all that are in misery 27 3. Specially for Gods people 28 4. In an extraordinary manner when their misery is extraordinary 28 5. Publiquely and generally when the calamitie is common and generall 29 Reason 1. The Lord is he onely that both inflicteth the judgment and is able to remove it 30 2. He commandes desires and lookes for this duty of us in this case 31 3. There is great power and force in this to relieve our afflicted brethren 31 Vse 1. To teach us what account is to be made of such as are true Israelites indeed gracious and mighty with God in prayer 33 2. To reprove such as 1. Either cannot pray or 35 2. Dâ—e not use to pray or 36 3. Will not pray 37 3. To examine our prayers and inquire how they have proved and what the causes have beene why they have proved noe better and these are 5. principally 39 SERMON III. David did not onely pray for his enemies when they were in misery but he did it in an extraordinary manner For his help in this prayer he clothed himselfe with sackcloth This was used much then in this case yet not as a religious but civill ceremony which we now are not bound to 4â— 50 Doctrine In the dayes of humiliation besides fervent prayer and the afflicting of our soules certaine outward and bodily exercises are to be used by Gods people viz. Certaine things are to bee done and perfermed as 51 1. Reading and preaching of the Word 52 2. Singing of psalmes 53 3. Almesdeeds 53 4. Censuring and reforming of grosse sinnes 53 Certaine things also are to be forborne in the day of our humiliation for our better helpe in this duty 1. All manner of meate and drinke 55 2. All costlinesse and neatenesse in apparell 55 3. Delights of all sortes 56 4. All workes of our calling And in these 4. points this abstinence is to be used for a whole day 56 5. Yea some abatement there must bee also in our naturall rest and sleepe upon this day 57 Yet are there 3. Cautions to be observed touching this abstinence 1. Outward abstinence is not the chief part of a true fast not the chiefe helpe to our prayers in it 58 2. The outward signes and helpes to humiliation must bee increased according to the increase and urgency of the cause thereof 58 3. The Law of outward abstinence in the dayes of humiliation must give place to the necessity and conveniency of man 59 Reason This abstinence is necessary in the dayes of humiliation 61 1. To helpe forward the inward humiliation of the heart 61 2. To helpe forward the fervency of the heart in prayer 62 3. To professe and make outward protestation both of our submission to God and of our repentance and desire to bee reconciled unto him 62 Vse 1. To teach us how to keepe our Fasts in the right manner 64 2. To exhort us to conscience and care in all these particular outward and bodily duties yet not resting in them but referring them to the right ends 65 3. To reprove sundry abuses which are chiefe causes of the ill successe of our Fasts 66 SERMON IV. DAvid afflicted his soule in his fast And what the meaning of the phrase is 70 Doctrine The chiefe use of a religious fast is to humble and afflict the Soule with sorrow and griefe And the chiefe thing that makes 〈◊〉 prayers powerfull with God at our fasts or any other time when they proceed from humbled and afflicted soules Yet every sorrow in this case pleaseth not God 72 Reason Of that sorrow Gods people have expressed at their fasts c. And with which God hath beene so much pleased 75 1. The fellow feeling of the miseries of others 76 2. When the Lord either by his judgements or threatnings hath declared himselfe angry with them 77 3. When they have seene God dishonored by the sinnes of others 78 4 When themselves have offended and dishonoured God by their own sinnes 79 Reason Why the Lord so much desires and delights to see his people humble themselves with sorrow and afflict their soules 80 1. The cause and roote from whence this sorrow springs 80 2. The end and effect that it tendes unto For first It makes the soule more capable of every grace and fit to receive it 80 Secondly It workes repentance unto salvation 81â— Thirdly It makes the Word and Christ and all Gods mercies sweeter unto us 81 Fourthly It makes us pray more fervently 82 Fiftly It makes us fitter to converse and walke with God 82 SERMON V. 1. Vse of the former doctrine is to exhort us to strive for this grace of godly sorrow and to be able to afflict our owne soules as David did 85 Motives to provoke us unto this 1. The example of Gods best servants 86 2. The promises God hath made unto this grace 91 SERMON VI. 3. THis is the best way to prevent the Lord from humbling and afflicting of our soules with his hand 99 Meanes to attaine to this grace of godly sorrow where in we are To use the helpe of others 1. A conscionable frequenting of the ministery of the Word 102 2. A willingnesse to bee privately admonished and reproved by some faithfull friend 106 SERMON VII THe meanes to attaine to godly sorrow and tendernesse
of heart wherin we are to be principall agents our selves for we may do much in this worke our selves are these 110 1. We must make choise of a fit time to goe about this worke 111 2. We must separate our selves from company and make choise of a fit place to doe it 118 3. We must seriously and impartially examine our owne hearts 119 4. We must cry earnestly to God to helpe us in this worke to blesse our indeavours in it 128 SERMON VIII NEcessary to have notes and signes given us whereby sincere and saving sorrow for sinne may be discerned 130 1. He that is truly humbled mournes more for the evill of sinne then for the evill of punishment 133 2. He mournes for sinne not so much in respect to himselfe as unto God because he is offended and dishonoured by his sinne 137 And 3. notes to try whether a man doth so 141. 142 THE AVTHOVRS Prayer before his Lecture THy Word O Lord is holy and pure as is thine owne Majesty and being sincerely preached worketh either to the salvation or condemnation of the hearers And we all that are heere assembled before thee at this time are of uncircumcised hearts and eares utterly unworthy by reason of that sinne wherein we were conceived and borne and of those actuall transgressions that wee have multiplyed against thy Majesty in thought word and deed from our first being untill this present houre once to set foot into thy Temple or to heare thy Word at all Vtterly unfit and unable by reason of our custome in sinne and the hardnesse of our hearts to profit by it when as we heare it So that Lord we are at this time in danger to be unprofitable hearers of thy holy Word and by being unprofitable bearers of the same we are in danger of thy heavy displeasure Yet forasmuch as it hath pleased thee in mercy to command us this exercise to appoint it to be the onely ordinary meanes whereby thou wilt worke Faith and repentance in thy children and the principall meanes whereby thou wilt increase them to promise also graciously that thou wilt accompany the outward ministery of thy Word with the inward grace and blessing of thy Spirit in the hearts of them that shall be reverently and faithfully exercised in the same We therefore in humble obedience to this thy holy commandement and in full affiance and confidence in this thy gracious promise are bold to present our selves before thee at this time Beseeching thee in thy sonnes blood to wash away all our siâ—â—es so as they may never bee laid to our charge againe either in the world to come to our condemnation or at this time to bring a curse upon this our exercise Good Lord so sprinckle that blood of thy Sonne upon our consciences that we may be assured of thy love and favour towards us in him By it sanctify us at this time and thy word to our uses opening and enlightning our understanding so as we may be able to understand and conceave of thy word aright strenghtening our memories so as we may bee able to remember it softning our hard and stony hearts so as wee may be able to beleeve it to yeeld unto it to apply it to our owne soules to meditate and conferre thereupon to practise it in our lives and conversations to stirre up one another to the obedience thereof That this our exercise may tend to the increase of our knowledge and of our obedience of our Faith and of repentance the glory of thy blessed name and the everlasting comfort of our owne soules Heare us O Lord in these our requests in what else soever thou knowest good for us or any of thy Church for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour In whose name wee continue our prayers unto thee as he himselfe hath taught us Saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. SERMON I. AVGVST III. MDCXXV PSAL. 35. 13. But as for me when they were sicke my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my selfe with fasting and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome NOt to take up time in speaking of the former part of this Psalme these words have this coherence and dependance on that which went before David as a type of CHRIST having many mortall enemies doth in this Psalme by a Propheticall spirit pray against them or rather foretell what should befall them In this Verse and the former to shew what cause he had to do so he aggravateth their sin by their unthankfulnesse in dealing so badly with him that had deserved so well of them The parts of this Verse are two viz. a profession of 1. The kindnes he shewed to these men wherin observe the Time when he did it and the occasion he tooke to doe it When they were sicke Dutie wherby he expressed his love he prayed for them which is amplified by the extraordinary manner of it set forth by the Outward helpes he used in it Sackcloth Fasting Inward disposition of his mind in it he humbled or afflicted his soule 2. The successe and comfort he found in it Observe first Davids practise he was wont when these men were sicke to be affected with their misery which teacheth us that GODS people ought to take to heart the miseries and calamities of others the judgements of GOD that do befall others Seâ— for proofe of this both the examples of his servants and then GODS commandement also When Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar heard of Iobs misery they came to mourne with him Iob 2. 11. But he was a rare man for piety and authority also you will say see therefore another example of this duty performed towards them that were not so Did not I weepe for him that was in trouble saith Iob Chap. 30. 25. was not my soule grieved for the poore Yea see an example of this towards most wicked men Iudg. 21. 2. The people of Israel came to the house of GOD as we do now to professe their sorrow for the extreme misery that the wicked Benjamites were most justly fallen into Yea we are straityly charged by the LORD to do so to remember and thinke of them as if their case were our owne Remember them that are in bonds saith the Apostle Heb. 13. 3. as bound with them and them that are in adversity as being your selves also in the body Yea to do it with hearty commiseration Rom. 12. 15. Weepe with them that weepe Yea if the judgement be famous and exemplary we are commanded also to make publique and solemne profession as we do at this day that we are affected with their misery Levit. 10. 6. Let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewaile the burning which the LORD hath kindled Three speciall reasons and grounds there be for this Doctrine for we should take to heart the miseries and calamities of others First In respect had to them that are afflicted For admit they were not our fellow-members in CHRIST nor
our kindred or acquaintance nor our country-men admit they were meere strangers to us admit they were all most wicked men yet nature binds us to be affected with their miseries because they are our owne flesh Esa. 58. 7. Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh And he that hath not humanity and naturall affection in him certainly hath no grace but is given up to areprobate mind as the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 1. 31. Yea it is an argument of a cruell heart to be void of naturall commiseration and carelesse of other men whether they sinke or swim In this Cain first bewrayed his murderous heart when he said of his brother Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper And so did the chiefe Priests and Elders when hearing Iudas cry out of himselfe for his sinne and beholding him in the pangs of desperation they said unto him What is that to us see thou to that Secondly In respect had unto the LORD who by these judgements executed upon others doth manifest from heaven that His wrath is kindled that He is in a fury So that not to be affected with His judgements executed upon others is a double contempt done to the LORD Himselfe 1. In that we are not moved nor tremble to see Him angry Amos 3. 8. The Lion hath roared who will not feare It is hard to find a man so stout and couragious shall I say nay so senslesse or prophane that trembleth not sometimes at the fearefull thunder-claps and lightnings because GOD therein manifesteth His glorious power and because that though He strike not many with them usually yet some He doth but there is much more cause to tremble and be affected with His generall and extraordinary judgements upon others for thereby He doth not onely manifest His glorious power but His revenging justice also and anger against sin which is much more terrible than the other See a proofe of this Ezek. 32. 10. The Kings of the nations shal be horribly affraid for thee when I shall brandish my sword before them and they shall tremble at every moment every man for his owne life in the day of thy fall The Heathen that had no goodnesse in them at all when they should behold how terrible GOD was in His judgements upon His owne people should be in continuall feare that He would destroy them also As the scholler that is himselfe faulty and obnoxious to the rod when he seeth his master in a fury against any of his fellowes cannot chuse but tremble unlesse he be desperate This made the Prophet when GOD had in a vision manifested to him His glory Esa. 6. 45. when he saw the posts of the temple doore moved at the voice of the Angel that cryed and the house filled with smoke to cry out from the very consciousnesse of his owne sinfulnesse and deserts Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the King the LORD of Hosts 2. There is in this another contempt also done unto GOD because GOD never smites some but to warne all what is due to them and what they must looke for unlesse they repent Even those executions which the Magistrate doth by GODS appointment upon foule offenders are done chiefly to warne others Deut. 13. 11. All Israel shall heare and feare and shall do no more any such wickednesse as this is amongst you But much more those judgements which the LORD Himselfe hath executed upon any either immediately or by His destroying Angels are intended chiefly for the instruction and warning of others The righteous shall see and feare saith David Psal. 52. 6. The LORD consumed the Sodomites in that fearefull manner to make them an example to those that after should live ungodlily 2 Pet. 2. 6. And the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram not onely out of that respect GOD had to the glory of His owne justice in taking vengeance on them for all their sinnes but that they might become a signe unto others as the HOLY GHOST saith expresly Num. 26. 10. Every judgement of GOD hath a voice and is a reall Sermon of repentance and the more generall and extraordinary the judgement is by so much the lowder and more audible voice it hath and it is therefore a contempt done to GOD when we regard it not nor hearken unto it Mica 6. 9. Heare the rod and who hath appointed it The third and last reason and ground of the Doctrine is in respect had to our selves For there is no judgement executed upon others specially if it be any whit publike and generall and more than ordinary but we all are to take our selves interessed in it yea to have had a hand in provoking the LORD unto it For as sinne is the cause of all GODS judgements that come upon a land so we must not judge them the greatest sinners alwayes upon whom they light Those eighteene upon whom the tower of Silo fell thinke ye saith our Saviour Luke 13. 4 5. that they were sinners above all that dwelt in Hierusalem I tell you nay Neither must we thinke that the sinnes of those whom GOD smites with His judgements are the only cause of the judgements or that He is angry with them only but know that He is aswel angry oft times with those that He spares as with those whom he smites and the sins of those whom he spares have oft a stronger hand in plucking down the judgement than the sinnes of those whom He smites have had Two notable examples we have for this in the time of David It was a fearefull judgement that GOD executed upon Vzza 1 Chron. 13. 10. The anger of the LORD was kindled against Vzza and He smote him because he put his hand to the arkeâ— and it is said Verse 12. that the judgement upon Vzza much affected David and made his heart quake And why so Surely because he knew that GOD was not angry with Vzza onely but with the whole congregation The LORD our GOD saith David 1 Chron. 15. 13. made a breach upon us for that we sought Him not after the due order He knew that the sinnes of the Priests and others that were spared provoked GOD to that judgement more than Vzza's did as appeares in the beginning of that Verse For because ye did it not at the first the LORD our GOD c. The second example is 2 Sam. 24. It was a fearefull judgement that is mentioned in the fifteenth Verse When by a pestilence that the LORD sent upon Israel in three dayes there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men and they that were slaine had doubtlesse sinne enough in themselves to deserve it but was their sinne the onely or the chiefe cause of that judgement no certainly the sinne of those that were spared was the chiefe cause of it as David confesseth Vers. 17. Loe
l have sinned and have done wickedly but these sheepe what have they done He knew well that not the sinnes of those that perished in that grievous plague but his owne sinnes had a chiefe hand in provoking GOD unto that judgement So that we see that there is no one man amongst us all that hath not just reason to be affected with GODS judgements upon the Land though himselfe be spared seeing that he is a cause of it as well as they that are smitten and it may be as great a cause as they nay it may be a greater cause than any of them were And this was that that made good Nehemiah cry thus in his prayer unto GOD Neh. 1. 6. Both I and my fathers house have sinned As if he had said that Ierusalem prospers no better I and my fathers house are as great a cause as any other We have heard the Doctrine which this example of David teacheth us delivered and confirmed in a generall manner let us now come to make use of it and to apply it to our owne case and to the occasion of our meeting at this time This Doctrine therefore serveth to exhort us unto two duties 1. That we would labour to take to heart and to be rightly affected with this judgement of GOD that is now upon London and sundry other parts of the Kingdome 2. That when we are rightly affected with it we would make right use of it to our selves For the first You will say it is a needlesse exhortation for who is not affected with this plague who is not affraid of it and wherefore come we hither els if we be not affected with it I answer That none of us I feare are sufficiently affected with it and that this is the fountaine and foundation of all good uses we can make of it either for their benefit that are visited with it or for our selves that we would labour to be affected with this judgement of GOD as we ought to be I will therefore shew you what just causes we have to be deeply affected with this judgement And they are principally three First In respect of the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe For wee shall finde this called one of GODS sore judgements Ezek. 14. 21. And when the LORD threatens that Hee Himselfe would fight against Ierusalem with an out-stretched hand and a strong arme even in anger and in fury and in great wrath Ier. 21. 5. He tels them in the next Verse how He would do this He would smite the city with a great pestilence Certainly the LORD therefore now fights against our Land yea He fighteth against it in fury and in great wrath Observe foure things in this judgement 1. What a waster it is Psal. 91. 6. it is called the destruction that wasteth at noone-day In a short time even in three dayes it consumed seventy thousand in Israel 2 Sam. 24. 15. A grievous judgement it must needs be when GOD Himselfe matcheth a pestilence of three dayes continuance as a thing of equall force to afflict and destroy with a famine of seven yeares and with flying by the space of three moneths before their enemies that pursued them as we know He doth 2 Sam. 24. 13. And hath not the pestilence that GOD hath now sent into our Land proved a terrible waster when in one weeke in one City it hath swept away three thousand five hundred eighty two 2. Consider how suddenly it takes them away that have beene smitten with it many that were well in the morning have beene dead of it before night it is therefore called the LORDS arrow Psal. 91. 5. It strikes and pierceth men suddenly with a deadly wound and Vers. 6. it is said to walke in darknesse And certainly sudden death though it be not absolutely to be prayed against yet it is to be esteemed a temporall judgement and a signe of GODS anger Let destruction come upon him at unawares saith the Prophet here Vers. 8. It must needs add much to the bitternesse of death when it comes so suddenly that a man can neither commend himselfe to GOD nor set things in order for the world before he die 3. Consider it is such a judgement as oft makes men destroyers of them whom they most love and desire to keepe alive the father setting at unawares the infection upon the child the husband on the wife a man on his dearest friend A great cause of humbling it is for a man to have killed any other man at unawares as you may see by that law Numb 35. 28. and what is it then to have killed them that are dearest to them 4. It is such a sicknesse as doth usually debarre men of many comforts that other sicke persons do enjoy First many that are visited with this sicknesse do want convenient attendance and lodging dying in the streets and high-wayes of whom that may be said Esa. 51. 20. Thy sonnes have fainted they lie at the head of all streets the fury of the LORD the rebuke of thy GOD. Secondly their friends dare not visit them which as it is a worke of mercy so it is a great meanes of comfort to the afflicted and such as CHRIST hath enjoyned us Mat. 25. 36. 3. Whereas none have so much need of spirituall comfort as they because the very disease makes them more subject to terrors and feares than others and is therefore called the terrour by night Psal. 91. 5. they poore wretches can have none to comfort them but may in anguish of soule cry out Lam. 1. 16. The comforter that should relieve my soule is farre from me So that in respect of this first consideration the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe they may cry to us all and to all GODS people throughout the Land as Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of His anger And will you not be affected with it Secondly if this will not serve come to a second cause we have to be deeply affected with it because none of us can tell how farre it may go how neare it may come to our owne dwellings In which respect though we may say as Namb. 16. 46. we are sure wrath is gone out from the LORD the plague is begun yet as the Psalmist saith Psal. 74. 9. There is not amongst us any that knoweth how long it will last or how farre it will spread Let no man say I am farre enough from London I dwell in a good ayre and we have taken good order to prevent all danger of this infectioâ—s disease no carriers shall come from thence to us no Londoners shall lodge amongst us These are good meanes I will not deny if they be used with that compassion that becomes Christians to shew unto them in misery and must not be neglected But all these cannot secure us from
the plague if we do not first make our peace with GOD all these are in vaine If we beare in our bosome the cause of the plague if we nourish and increase it daily I meane our sinnes we cannot be sure to keepe it from our townes and houses do what we can Know thou for a surety it is GOD that sends the pestilence as He saith 2 Chron. 7. 13. In this judgement above others we are said to fall into the LORDS hands as David speaketh 2 Sam. 24. 14. And as He sends it so He onely guides it whither it shall go and whither it shall not go whom it shall smite and whom it shall spare And though He do usually send it by outward and ordinary meanes yet alwayes He doth not so Some that live in the thickest of them that are infected and in a most corrupt aire do escape some that flie from the places infected into the purest aire are infected they know not how How many Physitians and Chyrurgions and nurses and keepers that have beene wont to visit the infected to sweat them to dresse their sores to wash their linnen yea how many that have daily conversed with them and lyen in bed with them also have beene knowne to have escaped the infection altogether Whereas many that have beene most carefull to keepe themselves from all that have been infected and to use all good preservatives against the contagion have beene taken by it No man may argue from hence as some foolishly have done that this disease is not in it owne nature more infectious than other diseases are No more than from this that the three noble Iewes that were cast into Nebuchadnezzars furnace received no hurt at all by it Dan. 3. 27. and that oft times one house in a street or roome in a house escape burning in the greatest fires that have beene heard of a man may conclude that fire is not in it selfe of a burning and consuming nature But in this as in the other the finger and power of GOD is to be acknowledged in restraining and setting bonds to this heavy judgement as pleaseth Him And this the LORD doubtlesse doth to hearten and encourage them that are whole to performe all necessary duties of mercy and love to them that are sicke And as the LORD can thus limit the plague of pestilence so can He if He please command it to go through our whole Land before it cease as He did through the land of Israel 2 Sam. 24. 15. from Dan to Beersheba Though we flie from it He can follow and pursue us with it as He hath done many and threatneth I will persecute and follow them with the pestilence saith He Ier. 29. 18. Though we shut our doores against it He can make it come in at our windowes as they complaine Ier. 9. 21. Death is come up to our windowes and is entred into our palaces Let no man thinke he can be sure to avoid this judgement by flying from it if he be not carefull to remove the cause of it and to make his peace with GOD. Do therefore before it come nearer to thee as the LORD Himselfe counselleth thee Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy GOD. And because thou canst have no assurance in thy selfe that thou shalt be able to avoid the danger of the indignation of this King that comes against thee for ought thou knowest with so great a power learne that wisdome that our Saviour directeth thee unto Luke 14. 32. While He is yet a great way off send an ambassage and desire conditions of peacewith Him If thou wouldst be free from the feare of the plague feare GOD aright Be not afraid saith the Prophet Esa. 8. 12 13. sanctifie the LORD of hosts Himselfe and let Him be your feare and let Him be your dread If we could feare the LORD as we ought we should not need to feare any thing els in the world Be sure to make thy peace with Him which how thou mayest doe I will tell thee by and by Thirdly and lastly to cause us to take to heart and to be affected with this fearefull plague consider that if this judgement be neglected as great as it is it wil be but a fore-runner of some more fearefull judgement than this is And as our Saviour speaketh in another case Matth. 24. 8. this wil be but the beginning of our sorrowes There is a judgement that this nation hath hitherto beene preserved from to the astonishment and admiration of all the world that is greater than this for it useth to bring this and the famine also with it I meane warre The sword of our bloudy and mercilesse enemies is worse than the plague This is plaine by Davids choice 2 Sam. 24. 14. Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great and let me not fall into the handof man And surely we have cause to feare that if this will do us no good GOD cannot endure to have His judgements despised Heare what He saith Levit. 26. 18. If you will not for all this hearken unto Me then I will punish you seven times more for your sinnes And certainly I may say to all you that heare me this day if you regard not nor profit by this fearfull plague you heare of in London and in other parts of the Land GOD will either bring it home to you or a worse plague than it Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish The second duty that this Doctrine serveth to exhort us to is that we would make right use of this judgement of GOD that is upon the Land unto our selves And that standeth in foure points First seeing 1. GOD gives us in this judgement such cause of sorrow seeing He is angry and 2 not with the Londoners onely but with us with the whole Land and 3. it may be more with us than with them and 4. seeing we know not how soon this fire that burnes our neighbours house may light upon ours We must therfore examine every one of us our own wayes This direction is given us Lam. 3. 39. 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes As if the Church there should say why do men mourne and fret and take on so for this judgement of GOD that is justly fallen upon them Why do they not betake themselves to the right course for the pacifying of GODS wrath Which is this and this onely Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe to the LORD Every one of us should say thus within himselfe surely the LORD is very angry with the whole Land with every one of us and what have I done to anger the LORD thus to provoke Him to this wrath Ier. 8. 6 7. The LORD chargeth the Iewes that they did not know His judgement because no man said what have I done And so surely will He judge of us We know not the meaning of the
plague nor make right use of it unlesse every one of us enter into his owne heart aâ—d say what have I done To this end it wil be profitable for us to search the Scriptures and find out what were the speciall sinnes which either have brought the pestilence upon GODS people in former times or which the LORD hath threatned to punish in this manner and with this judgement For the first I find five great plagues of pestilence recorded in the holy Scriptures and the speciall sinnes that were the causes of them are also plainly set downe The first great plague we read of was that which is spoken of Numb 11. 33. The wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague And what was the cause of that plague Surely their murmuring and discontentment at their present condition their unthankfulnesse to the LORD who had brought them out of the land of Egypt Vers. 20. their loathing of Manna Verse 6. which the Prophet for the excellency thereof calleth Angles food Psal. 78. 25. and the corne and bread of heaven Psal. 78. 24. 105. 40. their lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt and longing to be there againe Numb 11. 45. Exod. 16. 3. Secondly Another we find mentioned Numb 14. where although the LORD was stayed by the prayer of Moses from smiting the whole congregation with the pestilence and from dis-inheriting them as He threatned to do Vers. 6. yet often of those men that were sent to search out the Land it is said Vers. 37. that they died of the plague before the LORD And the cause of this is said to be Verse 36 37. that they did bring up a slander and evil report upon the promised Land and thereby made all the congregation to murmure against Moses who had spoken so much good of it Thirdly Another great plague Moses hath set downe the story of Numb 16. 49. wherein there died foureteene thousand and seven hundred and yet then so soone as wrath was gone out from the LORD so soone as the plague was begun as we read Vers. 46 48. Aaron the true â—ype of our onely High Priest and effectuall Intercessour for us unto GOD went with his incense and stood betweene the dead and the living and made an attonement for the people and so the plague was stayed How fearefull a pestilence would that have beene if it had continued any time if it had not been presently stayed And the sin that provoked GOD to send this pestilence among His people we find to have been their murmuring and rebelling against Moses and Aaron the Ministers and servants of the LORD as it is plain by the 41 and 42 Verses of that Chapter Fourthly The fourth memorable pestilence that we read of is that which is recorded Num. 25. of which there fell in one day as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 8. three and twenty thousand Moses in setting down that story saith Numb 25. 9. those that died in the plague were twenty and foure thousand putting all together in that summe that perished at that time and for that sinne as well those whom himselfe and the judges had put to death according to the commandment of GOD Vers. 4 5. which may seeme to have beene in number about a thousand as those that perished by that plague which the LORD in His fierce anger as it is said Vers. 4. did send amongst them which were the three and twenty thousand that the Apostle speaketh of For that most of them that then perished died of an extraordinary pestilence and not all by the sword of the Magistrate as some learned men judge may appeare by that which the HOLY GHOST speaketh of it in other places as Numb 31. 16. There was a plague among the Congregation of the LORD and Iosh. 22. 17. where the very same words are used by Phinehas who had a chiefe hand in the staying of it and Psal. 106. 29 30. The plague brake in upon them then stood up Phinehas and executed judgement and so the plague was stayed And what was the cause of this strange and fearefull pestilence that consumed in one day three and twenty thousand Surely it was whoredome as both Moses Numb 25. 1 6. and the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 8. do expresly teach us Fiftly the fift and last plague we read of in holy Scripture was in Davids time the story whereof is set downe 2 Sam. 24. 15. this went thorough all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba in three dayes and consumed in so short a time no lesse than seventy thousand men And the cause of this plague was the pride of Davids heart and the confidence he reposed in his owne strength and in the outward meanes he had to defend himselfe by and to provide for his owne safety And besides these five great plagues I find also mention made of another dangerous and strange sicknesse wherewithall the LORD in his just judgement did smite and afflict his people in the Church of Corinth which though I cannot certainly say it was the pestilence because the text doth not expresly say so yet I may boldly say it was an epidemicall disease and grievous mortality most likely to be it Many are weake and sicke among you saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 30. and many sleepe that is die of it And the cause of this sicknesse and mortality the Apostle tels us was this that they came carelesly unreverently and without due preparation unto the holy Sacrament Thus you see what sinnes have brought the plague upon men in former times yea upon such as have beene GODS people by profession aswell as we And This happened unto them for ensample as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 10. 11. and all the seen samples are written and recorded in Scripture of purpose for our admonition And although we read of no plagues that are recorded in the holy Scriptures but those that I have mentioned and for those sinnes yet find we diverse other sinnes also which GOD hath threatned to punish this way GODS people were afraid that He would fall upon them and consume them with the pestilence as we read Exod. 5. 3. even for their negligence of His solemne worship and service though they were then in Egypt where they could not performe it without extreme danger And because Pharaoh had despised and hardened his heart against former and smaller judgements the LORD threatneth Exod. 9. 15. to smite him and his people with the pestilence To conclude the LORD did by His Prophet Ieremiah 21. 5 6. threaten in anger and fury and in great wrath to smite the inhabitants of Ierusalem both man and beast and that they should die of a very great pestilence because they stood out in rebellion against the King of Babylon and refused to yeeld unto him as GOD had commanded them whereby it appeareth that an obstinate refusing to obey the Word and commandment of GOD in any thing though it
be such as may be coloured with the best pretences will provoke Him to punish men this way So then to apply all this unto our selves seeing it is evident that we and our nation are guilty of all these sinnes for every one of which we find in the Word that GOD hath brought and threatned to bring this judgement upon His people in former times seeing we have beene 1. most unthankfull unto GOD for our deliverance out of that spirituall Egypt and house of bondage wherein our fore-fathers lived and have shewed too much desire to returne thither againe and have loathed so long the heavenly food of the Gospell of CHRIST more than ever they did that Manna and 2. have brought up and entertained a most slanderous and evill report of the promised Land and of that strait way that leads unto it speaking evill of and scorning the life and power of godlinesse and discouraging others from it murmuring against and hating to the death such of GODS servants as either by doctrine or example do presse and provoke us unto it and 3 are so ready upon every occasion to murmure and rebell against the servants and Ministers of the LORD content indeed to give them the hearing but apt to tell them if they shall deale particularly and roundly with us and require of us obedience to the truth and practise of that that we heare and professe that they take too much upon them seeing 4. whoredome doth every where so increase and abound in our Land and 5. we are every whit as proud of our owne strength and as apt to put trust in the arme of flesh as David was and 6. the holy Sacrament is in all places so commonly prophaned and those holy things given to and received without difference by such dogs and swine as have no care at all dâ—ly to prepare themselves thereunto seeing 7. the publique and solemne worship of GOD is every where so much neglected and 8 we have so hardened our hearts against and profited so little by many other judgements whereby the LORD hath witnessed His wrath from heaven against us and sought to bring us unto repentance and 9. we do continually with so great obstinacy refuse to yeeld obedience to many of the expresse commandements of GOD. Seeing I say we are guilty of all these sinnes that are the proper causes of this judgement let us therefore impute this fearefull plague whereby GOD â—ath smitten the chiefe City and many other parts of our Land unto these our sinnes and justifie the LORD in this judgement the causes whereof are so evidently to be found amongst us yea let us all feare that He will execute His fierce wrath upon us in the same manner except we repent us of and forsake these sinnes And this is the first way whereby we must make right use unto our selves of this heavy judgement of GOD that is upon the Land The second is this that seeing the LORD doth thus declare and proclaime that His anger and fury is kindled and inflamed against us all it behooves us without delay by all meanes to make our peace with GOD and to seeke reconciliation with Him Acquaint thy selfe now with Him saith Eliphaz to Iob. Chap. 22. 21. and make peace with Him thereby good shall come unto thee This and this onely is the way unto true safety and comfort And marke that he adviseth him to do it now Now is the time to do it if ever we will do it now that His hand is so stretched out against us And we are strangely hardned in our sins if howsoever we have wretchedly neglected it hitherto we will do it now If any shall aske me what must I doe and what course must I take to make my peace with GOD I answer briefly and plainly that there be three things thou must do if thou wouldest obtaine peace with GOD and if thou canst do these three things thou needest not doubt to obtaine it 1. Thou must freely and fully and particularly confesse thy sinnes unto GOD even those sinnes which I have shewed to be the chiefe causes of this judgement I said saith David Psal. 32. 5. I will confesse my transgressions unto the LORD and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne 2. Thou must unfainedly and fully resolve with thy selfe to cast off and forsake these and all other thy sinnes Prov. 28. 13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall find mercy Though thou canst not quite leave them as who can do that in this life yet if thou canst unfainedly and without dissimulation desire and purpose and resolve with thy selfe to leave them all begging strength of GOD that thou mayst be made able to do it then hast thou forsaken them in GODS account and they shall not hinder thy peace and reconciliation with GOD. In this David tooke comfort I am purposed saith he Psal. 17. 3. that my mouth shall not transgresse and Psal. 39. 1. I said I fully resolved and determined with my selfe I will take heed to my wayes 3. And lastly Thou must strive by a lively faith to lay hold on GODS mercy in CHRIST and to get His bloud sprinkled upon thy heart CHRIST is our peace as the Apostle cals Him Eph. 2. 14. Neither can we with all that we are able to do make our peace with GOD but onely through faith in Him When the destroying Angell saw the bloud of the lambe sprinkled upon the lintell and side-posts of any doore he passed by that house and smote none in it Exod. 12. 23. The third way whereby we must make right use to our selves of this judgement that we see upon others is this it must increase our care to reforme not our selves onely but our families It is a vaine thing for any man to blesse himselfe or take comfort in his repentance without this care say not if I use all good meanes to make peace with GOD for my selfe I hope the faults of my family shall never be imputed unto me Search the Scriptures and you shall find there was never any man that was himselfe reconciled and at peace with GOD but his care was that his family might feare GOD and be in favour with Him as well as himselfe Cornelius though he were a Centurion and kept a great family and had souldiers to serve him yet feared God with all his house Acts 10. 2. So soone as Zacheus himselfe was become a sonne of Abraham a true believer salvation came unto his house too Luke 19. 9. Christ promised he should have a faithfull and a religious family So speaketh Eliphaz also to Iob Iob 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles No man that is himselfe truly returned unto the Almighty need to be discouraged in this if he do his endeavour God hath promised that he shall be able through His gracious assistance and blessing to reforme his family though not to
of Christ for the people which indeed is that thâ—t did the deed but know 1. that when incense was offred Gods people also prayed Lâ—ke 1. 10. And 2. that Christs intercession goeth with our prayers also â—nd is that that makes them effectuall He offâ—eth His incense with the prayers of all Saints Rev 8. 3. 4. In strange and extraordinary judgements that are upon Gods people we are bound not onely to pray for them but to do it in an extraordinary manner When the decree was sealed for the destruction of all the Iewes and Ester resolved to venture her life for the revoking of it then ordinary prayer would not serve the turne but Ester commanded extraordinary prayer to be used in such a case and that for sundry dayes together Ester 4. 16. Go fast ye for me and neither eat noâ— drinke three dayes night nor day 5. In publike and generall calamities that are upon Gods people or hang over them publike and generall prayers should be used for them This course Ieâ—osâ—phat tooke in that case 2 Chroâ— 20. 13. All luda stood before the Lord in that fast And so did the Ninivites likewise Ion. 3. 5. They prâ—clâ—imed a fast and put on saâ—kcloth from the greatest of them to the leâ—st of them And the more publike and solemne the prayers are that are made in this case the more pleasing they are unto the Lord. This appeareth lâ—dg 20. 26. they had before gone up to the house of God and asked counsell of God Vers. 18. they had gone up the second time to seeke the Lord and then did weepe also before the Lord Vers. 23. but prevailed not the third time they prevailed Why What did they more now than they did before 1. They fasted 2. All the childreâ— of Israel â—nd all the people weâ—t up An evident proofe of this that when Gods judgements are publike and generall upon Gods people our prayers and humiliations should be as publike and generall as is possible and the more publike the more pleasing unto God Reason First The Lord is He that both layeth the judgement upon any of our brethren and He that must take it off and therefore the best way we have to helpe them is to seeke to Him in their behalfe It is the Lord that sends the pestilence I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt saith the Lord Amos 4 10. And it is He and He only that moderates and sets bounds unto it He saith to it as to the sea Iob 38. 11. Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves â—e stayed He hath set downe in His counsaile and decree whom it shall smite and whom it shall spare The just number that He hath appointed shall die of it use they what meanes they can which they are bound to do because this is a secret unto them to avoid it Ier. 15. 2. Such as are for death that is for the pestilence as it is expounded Ier. 21. 7. to death and such as are for the sâ—â—rd to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captivity to the captivity And it shall not touch any of them whom He will have to be spared though they live in never so much danger Psal. 91. 7. A thousand shall fall at Thy side and ten thousand at Thy right hand but it shall not come nigh Thee And it is the Lord onely that removes it when He pleaseth that saith to the destroying Angell It is enough stay now thy hand 2 Sam. 24. 16. And lastly it is He onely that can cure those that are smitten with it 1 Sam. 26. The Lord killeth and â—aketh alive He bringeth downe to the grave and brings up againe So that to conclude this reason we may say with the Prophet Amos 3. 6. Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it The plague is in the City and that is one great evill secondly it increaseth there wonderfully that is another evill thirdly the people in the out-parishes will not be restrained nor kept in that is another evill fourthly many perish with famine that is another evill And hath not the Lord done all this What better course then can we take for their good than to seeke to the Lord for them Secondly The Lord hath commanded us to do this He desires and lookes for this at our hands and is highly pleased with it when we seeing his judgements upon our brethren become suiters to Him in their behalfe He hath commanded 1 Tim. 2. 1. Before all things let supplications c. be made for all men Yea He desires it greatly and lookes for it even when He is most offended with a people to be thus sought unto in their behalfe Ezek. 22. 30. I sought for a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land that I should not destroy it Esâ— 59. 16. He wondred that there was no intercessour Yea He is highly pleased with this in which respect Ieremy desires God to take notice of this grace in him and remember it Ier. 18. 20. Remember that I stood before Thee to speake good for them and to turne away Thy wrath from them So that it is a sinne against God to neglect this duty unto our brethren 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Thirdly The force and efficacy that there is in the prayers of Gods people to helpe and relieve them that are in misery is very great The prayers of Gods people have prevailed wonderfully with Him even for wicked men How oft did Moses prayer remove Gods plagues even from Pharaoh Exod. 8. 13. 31. 9. 33. 10. 18 19. When Ahâ—â— and his land were almost consumed with a drought and famine Elias prayer delivered him from that judgement and brought raine yet he was a man subject to the like passiâ—ns that we are lam 5. 17 18. Yea in this very judgement of the pestilence ye shall see the force of prayer For when God hath drawne out this terrible sword of His in His fierce displeasure and consumed many by it and stretched out His arme to smite more the prayers of Gods people have even stayed Him and held His hand and prevailed so with Him that they have even overcome Him and compelled Him to change His mind and put up His sword When wrath was gone out from the Lord and the plague was begun Aâ—râ—n stood with his incense betweene the dead and the living and the plague was stayed Numb 16. 48. When God had said unto Moses against Israel for their idolatry Exod. 32. 10. Let Me alone that my wrath may waxe â—ot againâ—â— them and that I may consume them Upon Moses prayer Vers. 14. The Lord repented Him of the evill which He thought to do unto His people The like He did upon Davids
for our armies nor for our brethren visited with the plague the most of us have neglected it too long to seeke to God for them in this extraordinary manner Go quicâ—ly with thy censer the plagâ—e iâ— begâ—â— saith Mâ—seâ— to 〈◊〉 Nâ—â—b 16 46 so soon as the plague did begin we should without delay have importuned the Lord for ouâ— brethren Unto these I will say but two words 1. That God may justly impute to thee the bloud both of our soldiers that died so miserably and of the many thousands that have perished by the plague because thou hast not striven by thy prayers with God for them According to that rule of our Saviour Mar. 3. 4. He that useth not meanes to save life when it lieth in his power is a murtherer 2. That this neglecting of prayer is a dangerous signe that thou hast no feare of God in thee Thou castest off feare â—aith Eliphaz Iob 15. 4. and restrainest prayer before God It is a signe thou believest not Gods providence The foole hath said in his heart There is no God saith the Prophet Psal. 14. 1. and one argument to prove this he gives Vers. 4. They call not upon the Lord. Lastly this is a signe that thou hast no comfort at all in God no assurance of His favour Will the hypocrite saith Iob Chap. 27. 10. delight himselfe in the Almighty will he alwayes call upon God The cause why men keepe not a constant course in prayer is because they have no delight nor comfort in God O let us therefore make conscience of this duty to pray and to pray constantly praying alwayes as the Apostle requires Ephes. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Prâ—y without ceasing not giving over so good and necessary a duty when we have once begun to take it up The third sort of them whom this Doctrine reproveth are such as through prophanenesse or worldlinesse will not pray Though the State have first enjoyned us to keepe these dayes of humiliation and 2. gone before us in it themselves and 3. published for our helpe a booke of prayers as ample holy effectuall and fit for the present occasion as ever were in any Liturgy that I have seene for all which we are greatly bound to praise the Lord yet will they not upon these dayes lend their help to their distressed brethren nor joyne with us in praier for them These men certainly are of the mind either of those prophane worldlings that say as Ioâ— 21. 15. What profit shal we have if we pray unto him Can we get in our harvest or provide for our families by comming to Church and joyning with you in prayer Or will our praying keepe away the plague from us Or els they are of the mind of those desperate Atheists that said Esâ— 22. 13. Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die This plague increaseth strangely and is like enough to reach unto us let us therefore while we live be merry and make as much of our selves as we can I grant every man is not fit to keepe a fast every weeke specially in this time of harvest neither did the State intend to enjoyne him to do it but not to joyne with Gods people sometimes in this duty specially on these solemne dayes of humiliation is First a great sinne against our distressed brethren for whom our prayers would the more prevaile the more generall they were and the more of us did joyne together in them as I have proved before out of 2 Chron. 20. 13. Secondly a matter of great danger to themselves as that which will provoke Gods displeasure against them Levit. 23. 29. Whatsoever soule it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day that the congregation kept their fast on he shall be cut off from among his people In which respect God commanded them to keepe it in all their dwellings Levit. 23. 3. And Zeth 1. 6. The Lord threatneth to stretch out His hand against and to cut off them that have not sought the Lord then much more such as refuse to doe it being thus called and provoked thereunto The third and last Use is for examination whether our prayers heretofore have beene or now be such so powerfull and effectuall as have been described in this Doctrine whether we be such Israelites as like Princes have prevailed with God in them Gods children should inquire after their prayers how they speed David prayeth oft for an answer Psal. 143 1. In thy faithfulnesse answer me and protesteth it would be a death to him to find God silent to his prayers Psal. 28. 1. And what answer hath God given to our prayers First we have prayed for the good successe of our armies against the enemies of the Gospell But the enemy hath still prevailed so that we may complaine as Psal. 44. 9 10 12. Thou hast cast off and put us to shame and goest not forth with our armies thou makest us turne backe from the enemy and they which hate us spoile for themselves thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price Secondly We have prayed for the good successe of our Parliament that the King and Nobles and Commons might agree together as one man for the setling of Gods Arke and Religion among us as they did in Solomons time 1 King 8. 1. But the Parliament for all our prayers hath received such an end as every good heart hath cause to lament Thirdly We have prayed unto God to stay His hand in the noysome pestilence When â—â—ron stood with his incense betweene the living and the dead the plague ceased Numb 16. 48. and Davids prayer stayed the plague 2 Chro. 21. 17 18. Our Dâ—vid and our Aarons and the whole Land have oft prayed against this judgement and ever since we began to pray the plague hath increased wonderfully So that we may complaine with the Church Laâ— 3. 8. When I cry and shout He shâ—tteth out my prayer And Psal. 80. 4. O Lord God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people What is the cause of this I answer surely though there may be other causes yet this is the chiefe Iam. 4. 3. We have asked and have not received because we have asked amisse And that we may the better discerne what hath been amisse in our prayers I will shew you how those prayers should be qualified that should prevaile with God First We must pray fervently and importunately as they that will receive no nay in their suits The effectuâ—ll fervent prayer of a righteous man saith the Apostle Iam. 5. 16. â—vailâ—th much The prayâ—r of the most righteous man that is cannot be effectuall nor availe much unlesse it be fervent And to such prayer onely is the promise made Ier. 29. 13. Ye shall seeke for me and find me wheâ— ye shall sâ—arch for me with all your heart The want of this fervency in prayer the Prophet complaineth of
and much sleep is a great means of satisfaction and contentment to the body I said my bed shall comfort me saith Ioel 7. 13. my couch shall ease my complaint soe doth the want of it afflict the body much as appeareth also by Iobs complaint VVearisome nights are appointed to me saith he Iob 7. 3 4. when I lye downe Isay when shall I arise and the night be gone and I am fall of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day And this separation and restraint of our selves from these foure things must continue during the space of one whole day that is foure and twenty houres No fast we read of in Scripture continued for any lesse time And we have expresse commaundment we should keep it as a Sabbath Levit. 16. 31. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you Yea in this very point we should keep it as a Sabbath Levit. 23. 32. It shall begin in the ninth day of the seventh moâ—â—h at even from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath Now before I proceed to give you the reasons why this abstinence and restraining of our selves in these foure things should be so necessary upon the day of our fast I must give you certain cautions to prevent the mistaking of this Doctrine First That this outward abstinence is not the chief part of a true fast not the chief help to our prayers the inward humiliation of the soule is farre more acceptable to God and hath more force to make our prayers pierce the Heavens then all this Bodily exercise profiteth little saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 8. and such are all these foure parts of abstinence that you have heard of But godlinesse whereof the inward afflicting of the soule and mortifying of our lusts is a chief part is profitable unto all things Rent your hearts and not your garments saith the Prophet Ioel 2. 13. Nay the restraining of our selves in these foure things is in it selfe no service of God nor acceptable at all unto him further then as it is a help to the inward humiliation of the heart and even animated by it That that is said of the one of these may bee fitly said of all Mat. 15. 11. That which goeth into the mouth defileth not a man and Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God consisteth not in meat or drink Secondly That these outward signes and helpes to humiliation must bee increased according to the increase and urgency of the cause As there bee degrees in Gods judgements on a land or family or person some more generall then other some some more extreame then other some seven times more grievous as the Lord speaketh Levit. 26. 24. and such as doe more deeply affect the heart so ought these outward signes and helps of our humiliation bee proportionable thereunto Whereas ordinarily the fasts wee read of lasted but a day Levit. 23. 32. from even to even Iudg. 20. 26. they fasted that day untill even 2 Sam. 1. 12. they mourned and wept and fasted untill even the fast we read of Esth. 4. 16. was kept three dayes and three nights together If any man shall aske me doth not that example bind us I answer three things 1. That we in these Northerne Climates are not able to forbeare meat so long as they in those Countries were Experience teacheth us that the Spaniard and Italian needs not meat so much as we 2. We have not blessed be God the like occasion That judgement was so extreme generall presently imminent as they might well hold out their fast so long with feeling and affection which is the maine thing to be looked unto in this case and without hope and likelihood of that the injoyning of the other were but grosse hypocrisie as is plain by that speech of our Saviour Matth. 15. 7 8. 3. From that example we learne that though we cannot keepe so long a time without any intermission as they did yet when God shall increase the causes and occasions of our humiliation we may and ought to increase and multiply our fasts in that manner as the men of Iabesh Gilead did 1 Sam. 31. 13. they fâ—sted seven dayes Which also justifieth this most Christian and religious decree of our King and State in injoyning during this time of so great calamity a generall fast to be kept every weeke Thirdly That this law of outward abstinence in the dayes of our humiliation must give place to the necessity of man necessity said I yea even unto decency and conveniency also in some sort Though we must on the fasting day abridge our selves in our apparell yet may we have respect to comlinesse in our apparell even on that day We may not disguise our bodies or make them ridiculous as our Saviour noteth it to have beene the fashion of hypocrites to do They disfigure their faces saith He Mat. 6. 16. that they may appeare unto men to fast It is required even of the Minister and so likewise of other men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comely and decent even that way 1 Tim. 3. 2. So though we must for the whole day of our humiliation abstaine from all food yet such as cannot fast so long without evident danger 1. either of their health or 2 of making themselves unfit to performe the spirituall duties of the day may lawfully eat something upon the fast day Two things will make this evident First The rest of the Sabbath which is as strictly injoyned as abstinence at a fast yet might be lawfully broken for the preservation of a mans life as we see in Eliahs travell 1 King 19. 8. five or sixe Sabbaths together yea for the preservation of the life of a beast Luke 14. 5. yea for the preservation of the health of a beast Luke 13. 15. For God delights more in mercy than in any externall workes even of His owne sâ—rvice Mat. 12. 7. Secondly This abstinence is injoyned but for a helpe to our prayers and other spirituall duties when once it ceaseth to be a helpe and proves an hinderance to them then is it of no worth with God I grant that such as cannot thus abstaine cannot keepe a fast but yet may they keepe a day of humiliation in as acceptable and effectuall a manner as they that can fast best Provided 1. that they abuse not this liberty and pretend necessity when there is none but remember that they have herein to deale with God which knoweth their heart 1 Thes. 2. 4. Gal. 5. 13. Brethren ye are called unto liberty onely use not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh 2. That that which they eat upon the day of humiliation be neither for quantity nor quality such but that they may still preserve in themselves such a feeling of the want of food as may afflict nature as we see Daniel did Dan. 10. 3. I eat no pleasant bread neither came flâ—sh nor wine within my mouth neither did I annoint my selfe at all
a reverend respect Gods people shewed even to the Word read Nehem 8 3. The eares of all the people were attentive unto the booke of the Law and ver 5. When Ezra opened the booke to read it all the people stood up Make conscience to joine with the congregation in those prayers that are read aswell as in those that are coÌ„ceaved For those that are read are holy good prayers and all the congregation should make their prayers and supplications with one accord as they did Act. 1. 14. Hold thy selfe bound to joine with the congregation in singing of Psalmes also See how well God shewed himselfe to bee pleased with this duty 2 Chron. 20. 22. When they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon c. 2. Of giving according to thy ability some what to the poore Luk. 21. 23. Christ tooke notice of them that contributed and praised the poore widdow 3. To make it a day of restraint in the matter of food of all sorts so farre as thy health will permit in the matter of thy apparell so farre as decency will permit in the matter of thy delights of all sorts and in the matter of thy worldly affaires Yea 4. Of holding out in these duties a whole day 5. Take heed of hypocrisy and thinking that thy performance of these outward things will serve thy turne and merit at Gods hands When our Saviour saw what an innumerable multitude of people came to heare him in so much that they trode one upon another Luk. 12. 1. hee began to say to his Disciples first of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy And this caveat we have all just cause to give to you in such great assemblies as this is specially at our solemne feasts take heed of hypocrisy Rest not in nor blesse your selves in the deed you have done but referre these outward things unto those right ends which I have told you they were ordained for And remember alwayes that speach of the Apostle Rom. 2. 29. Hee is a lew which is one inwardly and circumcision so is humiliation also is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Thirdly For reproofe of sundry abuses which are chief causes why our fasts prevaile no more with God First Such are to bee reproved as refuse to joine with Gods people in this duty and will not separate themselves from their profits and delights no not so much as one day in a month though God calls them to it and the King also commaunds them to doe it But like them of Ephraim and Mâ—nasseh of whom we read 2 Chron. 30. 10. are ready to laugh the officers to scorne and to mocke them that in the Kings name require them to doe it Let no man say had we not better have their room then their company What good can wee hope to receive by having such as they to joyne with us in our fasts For as you have heard the coming of all in this case would do us good and further our prayers and this open contempt that such men in all parts doe shew may make us all fare the worse You therefore that are officers doe what you can to restraine them from their labours and to bring them hither Remember that you are also comprehended in the number of those servants to whom the charge is given Luk. 14. 23. Goe out and compell them to come in that my house may be filled Secondly Such as doe come and joyne with us though they doe that also but by the halves but so soone as they are gone forget the occasion of our fasts remember no longer the affliction of Iosâ—ph give themselves as full liberty to all delights and jollity as if there were no judgement at all upon the land Marke well how God complaines of them that in a time of common calamity did give themselves liberty even in lawfull delights Marke well that speach that you shall find Esa. 22. 14. Surely this iniquity shall not bee purged from you till yee dye saith the Lord of Hosts Why what had they done See that verse 13. Behold joy and gladnâ—sse slaying of Oxen and killing of Sheep eating of Flesh and drinking of Wine Why what evill or unlawfulnesse was there in all this True but this was that that so much provoked the Lord that they gave themselves to this jollity at such a time as the Lord God of Hosts did by his judgements call them to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sack cloth as wee read verse 12. That they did this with contempt of Gods judgements saying and resolving with themselves thus profanely and desperately as verse 13. Let us eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall dye And what unlawfulnesse was there in that which Amos so much complaineth of Ames 6. 4. 6. In lying upon beds of lvory or in stretching themselves upon their couches or in eating the Lambs out of the flock and the Calves out of the midst of the stall or in chaunting to the sound of the Viol and inventing to themselves instruments of musick like David or in drinking Wine in bowles and annointing themselves with the chiefe ointments Were any of these things unlawfull No but because they did this in such a time as Ioseph the Church of God was in great affliction because they did hereby declare that they were not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph because they did by thâ—se meanes put farre away from them the evill day as the Prophet speaketh vers 3. and made themselves forgetfull and senselesse of Gods judgement therefore was the Lord so highly offended with them for it Consider of these places well beloved and you will easily discerne that in such evill times as these are in times of great calamity either upon our selves or upon our brethren wee must all of us some what abridge our selves both in our feasts and in our bravery and in our lawfâ—ll delights of all sorts whatsoever When the Lords sword is sharpened to make a sore slaughter saith the Prophet Eze. 21. 10. when it is furbished that it may glister much lesse when wee see it hath aâ—â—eady made a great slaughter among our brethren as we now see it hath and is even dyed red with their blood should wee then make mirth And if the Lord will not allow us in such times the free use of our most lawfull delights what will the Lord say then to the mirth used even in this time of common calamity in our alehouses and at our wakes where lewd men of all sorts assemble themselves by troupes Ier. 5. 7. to provoke one another to all kind of lewdnesse Will there bee any hope our fasts shall doe much good while our disordred wakes are coÌ„tinued and frequented so in such times as these are Thirdly Such as having power in their hand doe not endeavour to
Philistines 1 Sam. 7. 10. The Lord thundred with a great thunder upon the Philistines on that day the people wept so aboundantly that they are said verse 6. to have drawne water as by bucket fuls and to have powred it out before the Lord. Neither hath this beene found true at fasts onely but at all times the more the heart of him that prayeth is humbled the more power shall his prayer have with God See this in foure notable examples 1. It was a powerfull prayer that Iacob made when hee had power over the Angel and prevailed Hos. 12. 4. But marke the story and you shall find he was marvellously humbled when hee did so marvellously prevaile Christ wrastled with him and smote his thigh out of joint Gen. 32. 25. and Hos. 12. 4. it is said he wept and prayed 2. It was a powerfull prayer that Hannah the mother of Samuel made when shee that was barren by nature obtained a sonne by it but Anna was greatly humbled and afflicted in soule when shee made that prayer 1 Sam. 1. 10. She was in bitternesse of soule and prayed to the Lord and wept sore 3. It was a powerfull prayer that Hezekiah made in his sicknesse which reversed the sentence that God had given him notice of by his Prophet and procured fifteene yeeres more to bee added to his life 2 King 20. But what was it that made it so powerfull Surely it was the sorrow and humiliation of his heart For so the Lord bids the Prophet tell him 2 King 20. 5. I have heard thy prayer and have seene thy teares 4. Lastly It was a most powerfull prayer whereby Manasseh one of the horriblest sinners that ever lived prevailed so farre that God was entreated of him and heard his supplication 2 Chron. 33. 13. But when made hee that prayer See verse 12. When he had humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord. Therefore it is noted by the Prophet to bee the ordinary course of the afflicted soule that hee may prevaile in his prayer Lam. 3. 29. Hee putteth his mouth in the dust if so bee there may bee hope To breed hope in himselfe that God will regard and shew respect to his prayer he abaseth and humbleth himselfe in the lowest manner that hee can In so much as upon these manifold experiments Gods people have growne wonderfully confident in this that when they could bring their hearts to this humiliation and sorrow their prayers then should certainly prevaile with God See therefore how they have pleaded teares even before God Psal. 39. 12. Heare my prayer O Lord give care to my cry hold not thy peace at my teares Psal. 6. 6. All the night long I make my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares verse 8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping As if he should have said My teares cryed louder then my tongue could doe and the Lord had more respect to my teares then to my words The Lord I tell you makes precious account of the teares of his people Psalm 56. 8. Put thou my teares in thy bottle are they not in thy booke The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are worthy to bee inquired into and the reason of two things must bee inquired of 1. What have beene the causes of that sorrow and humiliation that Gods people have beene wont to afflict their soules with and which God hath had so much respect unto 2. What are the reasons why God hath had such delight in this to see his people thus humbled and afflicted in their soules For the first we shall find that the reason ground of the sorrow of Gods children that God hath beene so much delighted in hath beene no wordly thing I deny not but they have also their worldly sorrowes but those make them never a whit the more acceptable to God Wee read of diverse that have had their hearts afflicted and humbled in great measure and yet their sorrow pleased God never a whit nor made their prayers ever a whit the more powerfull with him Nabals heart was heavy and sorrowfull enough 1 Sam. 25. 37. It dyed within him for griefe and feare and became as a stone and so was Iudas his heart heavy enough Mat. 27. 34. And when Esau had lost the blessing and birth-right irrecoverably Gen. 27. 34. He cryed out with a great and exceeding bitter cry Yea even at fasts many have afflicted their soules with sorrow and pleased God never a whit nor prayed ever a whit the better Esa. 58. 3. Wherefore have wee afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge Zach. 7. 3. Should I weep in the fift month separating my selfe as I have done these so many yeeres The Lord denies not that they afflicted their soules and wept in their fasts but saith Zach. 7. 5. they did it not unto him they respected not the Lord but themselves in their sorrow it was not a sorrow according to God Marke therefore the difference of this sorrow of the godly from the other in foure grounds and reasons of their sorrow First The godly have afflicted their soules with sorrow for the afflictions of others out of a compassion and fellow fâ—eling they have had of their miseries So did David heere This pleaseth God well as wee may see in the comfort that Iob tooke in it Iob 30. 25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble was not my soule grieved for the poore So Ier. 13. 17. Mine eye shall weep sore and runne downe with teares because the Lords flock is carried away captive This would please God well if we could afflict our selves 1. For that fearefull sicknesse whereby God sweeps away so many of our brethren in so uncomfortable a manner they dye in our high wayes and in our fields without all meanes of comfort 2. For the poverty this brings on them that escape 3. For the captivity of the Lords flock in Bohemia and the Palatinate Secondly The godly have afflicted their soules with sorrow when the Lord hath shewed himselfe to be angry with them either by threatning them by his Word and Prophets or by executing his judgements upon them For the first see two notable examples The one Iudg. 2. 2 5. When the Lord by his messenger had chidden Israel for making a league with the Cananites and not throwing down their altars and threatned that therefore he would not drive them out of their land but they should bee as thornes in their sides and their Gods should be a snare to them they lift up their voice and wept and there was such weeping there as the name of that place was called Bochim The other example is Iosia hee was humbled in his soule and wept when he but heard the Lords threats against Iuda read out of the booke of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 27. Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy selfe before the Lord thy God when thou heardst his words against this place
and humbledst thy selfe before me and didst rent thy clothes and weep before me I have even heard thee saith the Lord. Wherein also we may observe how well God is pleased to see his people fall into these passions of feare and sorrow when he by his word doth rebuke and threaten them Which the Lord also professeth Esa. 66. 2. But to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word So when God hath shewed himselfe to bee angry and displeased with them by executing any of his judgements upon them they have then beene wont and it was their duty then to afflict their soules If her father saith the Lord of Miriam Num. 12. 14. had but spit in her face should shee not be ashamed seven dayes See a plaine proofe of this 2 Chron. 7. 13. If I send pestilence among my people if my people shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face Marke not their owne losse by the judgement should trouble them so much as Gods anger and therefore in their prayer they seeke Gods face and favour above all things And this is very pleasing unto God to see his people humble themselves so under the strokes of his hand See a notable example of this 2 Chron. 12. 3 4. Shishak King of Egypt came against Ierusalem with a mighty Army and tooke the fenced Cities that pertained to Iudah and came to Ierusalem See what followed 2 Chron. 12. 6. The Princes of Israel and the King humbled themselves and they said the Lord is righteous And what followed upon that verse 7. And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemajah saying they have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them Thirdly When they have seene God dishonored by the sins of others then have they also mourned and afflicted their soules Ieremy professeth 13 17. If you will not heare my soule shall weep in secret places for your pride So David professeth that the Zeale of Gods house the inward vexation of his soule through zealous sorrow and indignation for the neglect and profanation of Gods worship had even eaten him up and consumed him Psal. 69. 9. Specially the foule sinnes that they have knowne in the places Townes Congregations Families where themselves lived So it is said of Lot 2 Pet. 2. 8. That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds So Paul saith the Corinthians should have done 1 Cor. 5. 2. Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned And see how highly God is pleased with this when his people can mourn for this cause Ezek. 9. 4. And the Lord said unto him that was clothed with linen and had the writers inkhorne by his side Goe through the midst of the City through the mids of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Fourthly and lastly The chief cause why they have beene so given to mourning and weeping why they have afflicted themselves so much hath beene their owne sinnes whereby themselves have offended and dishonoured God This David professeth was the cause why his sorrow was continually before him he was sorry for his sinne Psal. 38. 16. 17. This was the cause why Mary Magdalen wept so abundantly that shee was able to wash Christs feet with her teares shee was a sinner Luk. 7. 37 38. This sorrow God wonderfully delights in more then in all outward worship whatsoever Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Now come we to the second inquiry to find out the true causes and reasons of this why God should so much desire and delight to see His people humbled with sorrow to see them afflict and chasten their soules in this manner It is said of Him that He hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants Psal. 35 27. that He doth not afflict willingly Lam. 3. 33. that in all the afflictions of His people He is afflicted Esa. 63. 9. And indeed it is true that our sorrowes in themselves please not God but onely in respect First of the causes and fountaines from whence they proceed that is 1. They are the worke of His owne Spirit It is the Spirit of God onely that gives to any man such a fleshy and soft heart as we may see by that promise Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh And I will powre upon them my spirit and they shall mourne abundantly saith the Lord Zach. 12. 10. And God must needs take pleasure in the worke of His owne grace and holy Spirit 2. These teares proceed from our love to God Kindnesse you know causeth teares more than any thing els so it is in this case Christ saith of the woman that wept so abundantly that she loved much Luke 7. 47. And that which makes men most of all to mourne for sinne is the Spirit of grace which perswades us of Gods free love to us and that Christ was pierced by and for us Zach. 12. 10. And this above many other workes of His Spirit God greatly delighteth in 1 Cor. 8. 3. If any man love God the same is knowne of Him Secondly In respect of the end that this sorrow tends unto the issue and effect of it the Lord greatly delighteth in it He seeth we have need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season if need be you are in heavinesse The Lord seeth it will do us much good and therefore He is so well pleased with it Eccles. 7. 3. By the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better 1. It makes us more capable of every grace of God and fitter to receive it As the vessell that is full can receive no good liquor but all is spilt that is powred upon it and the emptier it is the more it will receive So is it in this case Iam. 4. 6. God will give grace to the humble For knowledge Psal. 25. 9. The meeke will He teach His way and for comfort 2 Cor. 7. 6. God comforteth those that are cast downe 2. It worketh repentance unto salvation and the heart is never wont to be truly turned unto God and changed but the change begins here 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of 3. It makes Christ and Gods Word and Promises sweet unto us and all Gods mercies to relish well as hunger makes us relish our meat and thirst our drinke Prov. 27. 7. The full soule loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet The prodigall when he had beene pinched with hunger
you complaine or have just cause to complaine you thrive not in any saving grace you are like Pharaohs kine though you live in never so good pasture yet are you still as ill favoured and leane as ever you were Gen. 41. 19. 21. 2. Many of you are extreamely ignorant and unsetled in your religion unstable soules as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 3. 16. 3. Many of you complaine you cannot overcome nor get power over any corruption you cry with the Apostle though not with that successe that hee did Rom. 7. 15. That which I doe I allow not for what I would that I doe not but what I hate that doe I. Learne to know the true cause of all this you were never yet rightly humbled for sinne If thou couldst be humbled and learne to mourne for thy sinne God would give thee more grace Thirdly The Lord hath promised his speciall protection assistance and mercy in the evill day the day of his wrath and judgements unto such as are rightly humbled and can mourne for their sinnes Psal. 18. 27. Thou wilt save the afflicted people and 34. 18. He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Iob 22. 29. When men are cast downe then thou shalt say there is a lifting up he shall save the humble person And this promise God hath been wont to make good one of these three wayes 1. Either by turning away the judgment that he had threatned as 2 Chron. 32. 26. Hezechia humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart both he and the inhabitants of Ierusalem so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the dayes of Hezechia Yea to shew what sound humiliation is able to doe the very counterfait of it hath beene very effectuall this way for the turning away of judgements 2 Chron. 12. 12 When Rehoboam humbled himselfe the wrath of the Lord turned from him so that he would not destroy him altogether and also in Iudah things went well The like we may see in the example of a worse man then hee 1 King 21. 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before me therefore I will not bring the evill in his dayes Or 2. by hiding his servants from the judgement and providing for their safety in the common calamity as he did Iust Lot that was vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2. 7. This our God can doe verse 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of tentations For to him belong the issues of death Psal. 68. 20. Or 3. if he see it not good to do either of the former by sealing them setting his mark upon them giving them by his spirit further assurance of his favour and strength of grace to indure the calamity for that is Gods seale and marke Ep. 1. 13. and so did the Lord with those humbled soules that went into captivity Ezek. 9. 4. Goe through the midst of the City through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abhominations that be done in the midst thereof Consider well of this benefit I pray you 1. We live now in an evill time The plague hath devoured many thousands already and we all may see cause enough to feare it may come neerer to every one of us then yet it hath done 2. The Lord doth also threaten us with the sword You have heard of the intentions of our enemies abroad 3. All mens hearts are disquieted with feare few have any inward peace and security in their minds Learne therefore to know how wee might remedy this Certainly if we could learne to afflict our selves and mourne for our sinnes we need not feare either the plague or the papists God would be a refuge for us a refuge in times of trouble Psal. 9. 9. O that Gods people throughout the land could humble themselves more for sin for the sinnes of the land and for their owne sinnes O that we could doe it that are here now Remember what is said Prov. 14. 26. In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge Fourthly The Lord hath promised that the prayers of such shall prevaile mightily with him both for themselves and others You know what is said of Iacob Hos. 12. 4. He had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplications unto him And of Hezechiah Esa. 38. 5. I have heard thy prayers I have seene thy teares behold I will adde unto thy dayes 15. yeeres And what need we more examples when we have the Lords expresse Word and promise for this Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare Psal 34. 17. When the Prophet had said The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them he giveth this for the reason verse 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people that are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray then will I heare from Heaven Yea for others also God will heare them Iob 42. 8. My servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept 1. Wee all complaine and not without cause as Iob did Iob 30. 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not heare me I stand up and thou regardest me not 2. And we account it if we be as we should be the cheif priviledge and comfort we have in this life to have audience and respect with God in our prayers 1 Iohn 5. 14. This is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 3. Take notice of a cheif cause thereof and as thou desirest God should have more respect to thy prayers labour thou to be more humbled for thy sinnes SERMON VI. Novemb. 9. 1625. FOlloweth now the third and last motive that this is the best way to prevent the Lord from afflicting and humbling our soules with his owne hand when we have learned to humble and afflict our owne soules For this is a certaine truth sinne will bring sorrow sooner or later that cannot bee avoided Sinne is therefore called sorrow because sorrow is an inevitable effect and consequent of it Eccl. 11. When he had said verse 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement he addes verse 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evill from thy flesh When sinne hath gone before sorrow even sorrow and affliction of soule for sinne will follow Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of a wicked man there is a snare that is that that will fill their hearts with deadly sorrow and heavinesse
hee sent Shemajâ—h the Prophet unto them to declare unto them the true cause of that judgement and to bring them to an effectuall sight and sense of their sinne and then not before they humbled themselves and confessed that the Lord was righteous Gods judgements and corrections without the word vse not to worke savingly Indeed they serve 1. to prepare and make the heart fitter to receive and profite by the word 2. to stirre up those sparks and make them to burne which the word had before cast into the heart and were covered as with ashes but without the word they use not to worke savingly But the word even without affliction hath done mighty things this way Ier. 23. 29. Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces Wouldst thou then have thy heart softned Bring it to this fire if it be as hard as iron it will soften it and make it plyable bring it to this anvile where the hammer smiteth and it wil breake it For first this is ordained and sanctified of God to bee a glasse that will cleerly and evidently discover to us all our spots and deformities as the Apostle teacheth us Iam. 1. 23. Secondly God hath promised to accompany this ordinance of his with the divine power and efficacy of his holy Spirit I will be with you saith our Saviour Mat. 28. 20. unto the end of the world And therefore it is no marvell though it be so mighty this way A likely matter will you say for where have you harder and profaner hearts then such as are daily beaten upon by this hammer I answer First That the hardned and reprobate heart is made the harder by the strokes of this haÌ„mer specially such hearts as once were softned and are growne hard againe even as the Smiths iron is To 〈◊〉 the word is a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 〈…〉 Secondly The true cause why so many heare us daily and their hearts are never a whit mollified by it is this in many of our hearers the Lord works not with us no alas in these dayes the Lord works with us but in few and if he be not with us if hee worke not with us we can doe nothing When God bad Moses take his rod and smite the rock in Horeb he told him he would stand before him on the rock and then when God stood upon the rock Moses smote the rock and water gushed out of it aboundantly Exod. 17. 5 6. If God had not beene there Moses smiting the rock would have done nothing so is it in this case Thirdly This I say that such as God hath in mercy ordained to give a soft heart unto shall feele their hearts mollified more by this then by any other meanes And if this will not soften thy heart I assure thee nothing will doe it This being so Oh that we who are Gods ministers would more diligently carefully apply our selves to this worke and stir up our selves in our ministry not onely to reprove sinne but to doe it feelingly and conscionably so as may be most effectuall to bring Gods people to sound humiliation for sinne If we would bring them to lament for sinne we must mourne to them our selves as our saviour speaketh Mat. 11. 17. and not by our Epicurisme and riotous lives proclaime unto them that we are far from having humbled soules in our selves for our owne sinnes And O that you that are Gods people would seek for and desire this helpe from us in our ministry to soften your hearts and further you in this worke of humiliation of foule for sinne Certainly you should desire and seek for all good helpes this way When God denounced against his people the heavy judgement of the Babilonish captivity and provokes them to humiliation and repentance for the preventing of it Consider yee saith he ler. 9. 17 18. and call for the mourning women that they may come and send for cunning women that they may come and let them make hast and take up a wailing for us that our eyes may runne down with teares and our eyelids gush out with waters He alludes to the custome they had in funerals and such occasions of mourning to hire certain women that by their skill in singing dolefull songs might increase their heavinesse and make them more apt to mourn But his meaning is to teach them that in such a time as that was wherein they had also just cause to mourne and humble themselves they should use all the best helps they could to provoke themselves unto sorrow And surely we should all learne to doe so in this case seeing humiliation for sinne is so necessary and the ministry of the word is a singular meanes to worke our hearts to it we should therefore desire so far as the good order that God hath established in his Church will permit to heare such as whose ministry is most powerfull and effectuall for the softning of a hard heart The second meane wherein we must use the help of others is the benefit of private admonition and reproofe They that would have their hearts softned to be able to mourne and weepe for sin must not bee unwilling to be admonished and reproved for sin in private by some faithfull friend either Minister or other but count it a great benefit and desire it rather First certainly God hath given authority and a straight charge to all his people to watch one over another and to call upon and admonish and reprove one another Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works 2 Thes. 3. 15. Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Secondly God hath sanctified and ordained this for a meanes to reclaime poore sinners to bring them to a saving sight and sense of their sinne and keepe them from hardning their hearts in it Matth. 18. 15. If thy brother shall trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother but if not then Verse 16. 17. take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to heare them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen man and a Publicane As if he had said count not his case desperate till this course have been taken with him Thirdly God hath oft blessed this course wonderfully Mel. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake oft one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought
Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes Soe is it as certaine we never truly repented of our sinnes if wee have not unfeignedly sorrowed and mourned for them 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation Wee must be made though not equall yet conformable to Christ in his death and passion as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3. 10. or we shall never reigne with him This is a faithfull saying saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 11. 12. if wee â—ee dead with him wee shall also live with him if we suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him And this was a cheif part of his passion wherein we must be conformable unto him When he suffred for our sinnes Mat. 26. 37. He began to be sorrowfull and very heavy insomuch as he could not containe but must needs acquaint his three Disciples with it verse 38. Then saith he unto them my soule is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death When he suffred for our sinnes hee wept abundantly as the Apostle saith Heb. 5. 7. He offred up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares We cannot sorrow and weepe in that measure as he did for our sinnes but we must sorrow in our measure as he did we must be made conformable to him in his passion as you have heard or wee shall never have part in him We must either mourne as Peter did with a saving sorrow Mat. 26. 75. or wee shall mourne as Iudas did with a desperate sorrow Mat. 27. 3 5. We must either now in this life mourn for our sinnâ—s as we have heard all Gods servants have done or we shall certainly herafter cry for sorrow of heart as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 65. 14. and houle for vexation of spirit in Hell where shall bee nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 13. 28. where their worme never dyeth and the fire never shall be quenched Mar. 9. 44. Secondly Because men are very apt to bee deceived in this point and to thinke they have beene rightly humbled and have rightly sorrowed for their sinnes when indeed they have not We read of the hypocrites expostulation with God Esa. 58. 3. They had afflicted their soules and God tooke no knowledge of it Zach. 7. 3 5. They had mourned and wept in their fasts and the Lord saith of them they had not done it unto him they had their owne ends in it Yea it is certaine many hypocrites doe indeed mourne and are exceedingly humbled sometimes You know the Lord giveth this testimony of Ahab himselfe that he was humbled 1 Kings 21. 29. And yet as good never a whit as never the better their sorrow and humiliation is to no purpose at all because it is not sound and sincere Thirdly Because many of Gods children that are indeed true mourners are apt to doubt of themselves and to complaine their hearts are so hard that they cannot mourne for their sinnes ô if they had soft and melting hearts that they could sorrow that they could weep for sinne they were in an happy case but alas they cannot Thus Gods Church and people complaine unto God Esâ— 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou hardned our heart Seeing therefore it is as you see in these three respects a matter of so great necessity to have a sure direction given us out of Gods Word how to discerne that humiliation of soule and sorrow for sinne that is sincere and saving from that that is counterfait I will give you some principall notes of differences betweene them whereby they may be judged of And these are to bee referred to foure heads The first is from the object of our sorrow and humiliation the thing the matter that we are grieved and humbled for The second from the measure and degree of our sorrow The third from the cause that breedeth it in us and fountaine from whence it floweth The fourth and last from the effects and fruits that proceed from it For the first If we desire to know whether we were ever yet rightly humbled or whether we doe still remaine in the hardnesse and impenitency of our hearts we must examine what it is that hath troubled us and made us to mourne First He that is truly humbled mourneth for the evill of sinne rather then for the evill of punishment It is no ill signe to mourne and to be humbled under the judgements of God Nay it is our duty to be so and a passing ill signe it is of an ungratious heart not to be affected with the judgements of God not to be troubled when the Lord sheweth himselfe to be angry with us The Prophet complaineth of this as of a great sinne Ier. 5. 3. O Lord thou hast stricken them and they have not grieved It is said of Gods people Ezr. 10. 9. that they trembled because of the great raine And David and the Elders of Israel humbled themselves greatly for the plague that God sent upon the land 2 Sam. 24. 17. And so did Iehoshaphat when God threatned an invasion 2 Chron. 20. 3. When the state and government of the Kingdome of Israel in the dayes of Saul was so broken and out of order had so many breaches in it that it did even shake and totter as ready to fall and come to ruine as the Prophet complaineth Psal. 60. 2. Gods people were so troubled with the sensible token of Gods displeasure that they were euen astonished with it thou hast made us to drinke the wine of astonishment as the Prophet speaketh verse 3. And certainly this is a dangerous signe that our people generally are given up of God to a marvellous hardnesse of heart that the Lord having by all these tokens of his anger cald us to weeping and to mourning as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 22. 12. we have beene generally given to asmuch jollity in these times as ever we were Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you dye saith the Lord God of Hosts as it followeth there verse 14. Yet though it be a good thing to be humbled under Gods judgements this is not enough to prove our humiliation to bee sound and sincere Many an hypocrite hath gone so farre Thus farre Ahab went ô how he was humbled at the hearing of that fearefull judgement that God threatned by the Prophet to bring upon him and his house 1 King 21. 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe Thus farre Iehoram his sonne and as bad a man almost as he went when a grievous famine was upon the land he greatly humbled himselfe for though he were a King he wore sackcloth not as his upper garment as the manner was to expresse their humiliation outwardly but secretly next his skin 2 King 6. 30. See how farre an hypocrite may goe in humbling himselfe under Gods judgements But the true repentant though he is humbled for and can mourne for Gods judgements yet that is neither the onely nor the chief cause of his sorrow his
as any that they could heare yet could they receive no comfort or benefit at all by it Moses spake so saith the text Exod. 6. 9. unto the children of Israel but they hearkned not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruell bondage 3. Admit we were never so able and fit to minde this matter then and to go about this weighty businesse admit we could be then more apt to seeke reconciliation with God than at any other time yet have we just cause to feare that because we have wilfully neglected this worke so long and presumptuously put it off till the last houre the Lord in his righteous judgement will refuse to be found of us at that time Thus we shall find the Lord hath threatned to do Prov. 1. 24 26 28 29. Because I have called saith he and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Now if you shall aske me how may this be done I answer That he that would make this sure to himselfe that when he dies he shall go to heaven must do these three things 1. He must repent of all his knowne sinnes He must call them to mind bewaile them unfainedly confesse them to God and crave earnestly of him the pardon of them and resolve with himselfe to forsake them all For 1. Sinne is the sâ—ing of death as the Apostle cals it 1 Cor. 15. 56. And if that be once done away and forsaken death can never hurt a man nor hath he any cause to feare it at all 2. On the other side no man can hope to go to heaven with his sinnes unrepented of Know ye not saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 9. that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Any one of these sinnes unrepented of will certainly exclude a man utterly out of the kingdome of heaven 3. Though it be dangerous for a man to live in sinne yet is it a matter of farre greater danger to him to die in sinne and to be over-taken by death before he have repented of it This our Saviour noteth as the extreme unhappinesse of the wicked Iewes and repeats it often Iohn 8. 21. 24. that they should die in their sinnes 2. Get good assurance by a lively faith that Christ is thine and then shalt thou be able to die in peace and in a certaine hope to go to heaven when thou art dead When old Simeon had seene Christ whom he had waited for by faith and longed to see and was thereby confirmed much in that faith he had in him before He blessed God anâ— said Luke 2. 28 29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation They that have once seene and embraced Christ as he did spiritually by faith I meane and not corporally onely shall die in peace and none but they can do so For 1. It is Christ onely that hath overcome death for us and taken away the sting of it When the Apostle had said 1 Cor. 15. 56. that sin is the sting of death But thanks be to God saith he Verse 57. which giveth us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is overcome so that it cannot hurt the true believer at all but him that is nor in Christ it will sting unto death even unto the second death 2. We can have no hope to come to heaven but onely through him Christ is in you saith the Apostle Col. 1. 27. the hope of glory There is no hope to come to glory but onely by Christ. Nay there is no hope to come to glory through him unlesse he be in us unlesse he dwell in us by a lively faith 3. If thou wouldst be sure to go to heaven when thou diest labour whilest thou livest to lead an unblameable a godly and fruitfull life even to do all the good that God gives thee power and opportunity to do As we have opportunity saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 10. which none of us can tell how soone it may be taken from us let us do good unto all men especially unto them that are of the houshold of faith See what comfort Hezechia found in this when he was to die Remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith he Esa. 38. 3. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight Now on his death-bed his conscience gave this comfortaâ—â—e testimony unto him that he had lead a holy life and now doth he even before the Lord comfort himselfe in that against the feare of death See also what a testimony the holy Apostle gives unto good workes even to the workes of charity and mercy in this case Charge them that are 〈◊〉 in this world saith he 1 Tim. 6. 17 19. that they 〈◊〉 good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Workes of charity not as a meritorious cause of salvation but as a sure evidence that by a lively faith we have interest and title to the merits of Christ shal be rewarded with stable and durable riches in time to come and will make a man able with confidence of hope to lay hold on eternall life And that which the Apostle saith of certaine bad men 2 Cor. 11. 15. that their end shal be according to their workes may be said of all good men also their end shal be according to their workes A good life will certainly end in a blessed and comfortable death Foure things are wont to be objected against this which I will briefly give answer unto Experience sheweth daily that many do die willingly and quietly and comfortably also that have neither lived so unblameably and fruitfully nor used any such means to prepare themselves for death as you have prescribed To this I answer 1. That we may not thinke that every one that dies quietly and speakes gloriously of his willingnesse to die and of the peace and comfort that he finds in the assurance of his salvation doth die happily and comfortably indeed For the Holy Ghost speaks of some that were most wâ—cked and wretched men that have no bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. In outward things all things aswell in death as in life fall alike to good and bad as Salomon saith Eccles. 9. 2. 2. We have just cause to suspect the peace
and quietnesse of conscience that seemes to be in that man that was never troubled nor disquieted in his mind for his sinnes Because the spirit of bondage and feare useth to go before the spirit of adoption and comfort as is plaine by the Apostles speech Rom. 8. 15. 3. And lastly it is certainly a grievous judgement of God and such as we should all tremble at to see a man that hath beene in his whole life time notoriously wicked to have no sight at all nor trouble of mind for his sinnes before he dies Our Saviour pronounceth them to be happy men Mat. 5. 3 4 6. that are so poore in spirit that they mourne for it and hunger and thirst after righteousnesse And if this be a blessed thing in every child of God how unblameable and civill soever his life hath been at all times even in the time of his best health and prosperity to see and feele in himselfe so just cause of mourning and trouble of mind as breeds in him an unsatiable desire after the righteousnesse of God in Christ then must it needs be a most wofull and cursed thing in a man that hath been notoriously wicked to be void of all sight and sense of his sinnes of all trouble of mind for them even then when he is summoned by sicknesse and death to appeare before the judgement-seat of God to go to hell in a sleep and never to have his conscience awakened till he come there And indeed so the Prophet speaketh of this as of a most dreadfull judgement of God when he gives up wicked men unto this blindnesse and senslesnesse of heart The Lord hath powred out upon you saith he Esa. 29. 10. the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes so as you cannot see nor be sensible of your owne estate But we see also on the other side in daily experience say some that many who have seemed most religious in all their life time and carefull to live well have yet shewed very great unwillingnesse and feare to die more a great deale then other men usually do To this I have two things to answer First that it is indeed possible enough even for a faithfull and godly man to feele in himselfe an unwillingnesse and feare to die Good Hezechia wept sore Esa. 38. 3. when the Prophet brought him word in his sicknesse that he must die and not live and David also prayed oft against death and that he might live still Psal. 6. 4 5. and 30. 8 9. and 88. 9 12. It is with many of Gods people in this case as it was with Lot when he would leave Sodom Though Lot had so small comfort in Sodom while he lived in it 2 Pet. 2. 8. yet see how unwilling he was to part with it Gen. 19. 16. He lingred so that the Angels were faine to pull him out as it were by strong hand they laid hold upon his hand saith the sacred text the Lord being mercifull unto him and brought him forth and set him without the City Some unwillingnesse to die our Saviour tels Peter he should find in himselfe even then when he should suffer martyrdome for his sake When thou shalt be old saith he Ioh. 21. 18. thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carie thee whither thou wouldest not And there is good reason to be given for this For 1. Death being a great enemie to the nature of man and even the dissolution of it there must needs be in all men naturally some feare of it Such as haue beene long and inward and deare friends cannot part for adieu as we say without much unwillingnesse and expression of griefe as we see in the example of Ionathan and David 1 Sam. 20. 41. And where were ever found in the world so long inward dear friends as the soule and body have beene 2. Who can thinke of his personall appearance before the Majesty of God without some feare 3. Lastly the best of Gods servants though they know and believe that when they die they shall not come into condemnation as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 5. 24. but are already passed from death unto life and therefore have no just cause in respect of their future estate to feare death at all but rather to welcome it and to rejoyce in it yet are they regenerated and consequently do believe but in part And though the spirit the regenerate part indeed be willing as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 26. 41. yet the flesh the unregenerate part will be apt to shew it selfe weake and unwilling to die But then I answer secondly that there is no man that hath lead a godly life but 1. He discernes and bewailes his owne corruption in this his unwillingnesse to die he yeelds not to it but strives against it by all meanes and even in this case finds in himselfe that combate betweene the flesh and the spirit that the Apostle speakes of Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusâ—eth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other 2. He doth in the end overcome this corruption and is by Gods grace made most willing and desirous to die before God cals and takes him away according to that gracious promise made unto all Gods people to all that have been carefull to serve and please him Psal. 29. 11. The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace But then there is yet another thing objected against this that hath been said touching the assurance they may have to die happily and well that have been carefull to live religiously and well namely that many who have beene most precisely religious have not onely beene void of comfort when they should die but full of terrour in their conscience calling in question the truth of their faith and of whatsoever goodnesse hath seemed to be in them apt to despaire utterly of the mercy of God in Christ. My answer to this objection must consist of three branches 1. It is possible indeed even for a man that hath lived a most innocent and holy life to expresse in his last sicknesse much terrour and to breake forth into speeches that tend unto desperation and even unto blasphemy also against God For 1. There is no disease so violent and extreme but the child of God may be subject unto it and die of it also aswell as any other man All things come alike to all in this respect as Salomon speaketh Eccl. 9. 2. And these things that are objected as causlesse feares and terrours ravings blasphemies fierce speeches and actions both against themselves and others are knowne to be the very naturall effects of some violent and extreme diseases 2. It cannot be denyed but that Satan also is wont to shew the uttermost of his fury and power against Gods servants in their last sicknesse The last combate that they have with him