heart but if yee shall still doe wickedly yee shall be consumed For though prayers of Prophets and Priests be powerfull with God to draw down his mercy yet there is no vsuall course of mercy to bee expected by a sinfull and impenitent Nation Wee reade and heare that though God shew a great mercy euen mercy vnto thousands yet it is on them that loue him Luk. 1. 50. and keep his commandements And the mercy of God is vpon them that feare him from generation to generation Therefore before Samuel vndertakes to offer sacrifice and prayer for Israel hee speakes vnto Israel to put away their sinnes to prepare their hearts vnto the Lord and to serue him only And when they had done so and with fasting acknowledged their sinnes 1 Sam. 7. 3. c. then Samuel prayed and the prayer of Samuel was heard and the Lord sent them a deliuerance from heauen Wherefore let not the people thinke to cast all on the Ministers and imagine that good men in the Ministerie will serue to saue bad men in the Laitie But let them striue to be such by repentance and holines that the prayers of the Ministrie may bee heard for their preseruation For otherwise by their sinnes they binde the hands of the Ministers which they desire should bee lifted vp for them yea they cause God both to stop his owne eares and the mouthes of the Ministers For when they loue to wander and refraine not their feet from euill then comes forth that fearefull command Ier. 7. 16. Pray not for this people neither lift vp cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to mee for I will not heare thee And for their owne prayer that will not be heard though it come with fasting which also is and hath beene otherwise an aduancer of vndenyable prayer Ier. 14. 11. 12. When they fast I will not heare their crie Wherefore it concernes the people by turning from their sinnes to make themselues capable of the prayers of their Ministers and not to vrge them to speake by intreaties and to stop their mouthes by sinnes Let euery particular man search his particular sinnes according to directions already giuen and especially when hee feeles any griefe or sees any terrour let them feele and behold it as a spurre to repentance So shall lesser iudgements keepe off the greater it being a great mercy of God to chastise with rods to saue punishing with Scorpions and a great wisdome in man to make a right vse of this mercy Wherefore let the Land mourne for their sinnes that it mourne not for an vtter desolation All the families together Zach. 12. 12 13. 1. and euery familie apart and euery man apart And then in that day there shall bee a fountaine opened for sinne and vncleannesse to wash them away and the iudgements that follow them But howsoeuer the multitude doe Num. 11. 4. who most commonly are like the old mixed multitude rather giuen to murmuring when their lusts are vnsatisfied than to turning vnto him that smites them Esay 9. 13. let the mourners that are marked Ezek. 9. 4. doe the office for which they are marked If they reply that they are few and their fewnesse doth discourage them it may be answered The fewer they are the more they should mourne to supply that mourning which is wanting in others yea to mourne for that want Againe thou maist bee the man that may make vp the ten the twenty or thirty euen that set number which may saue a Sodome a sinfull City or Kingdome yea sometimes one man may stand in a gap and bee the repairer of a breach Amos Amos 7. was a man subiect to infirmities as we are and hee was but one yet a Iudgement being denounced when he said O Lord forgiue I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for hee is small Then the Lord repented for this It shall not bee saith the Lord. Lastly though thou seeme to thy self to be alone and with Elias thou knowest no more yet with Elias thou maiest be deceiued 1. King 1. 6 10. 18. and there may bee seuen thousand which thou knowest not that haue not bowed their knee to Baal and thy mourning ioyned to the mourning of that remnant which the Lord hath left Esay 1. 9. may saue vs from being like vnto Sodome and Gomorrha Howsoeuer do thy part let the Souldier of Christ be found in his place euen when iudgements are comming If thou saue not all thou shalt be sure to saue thy selfe perchance temporally Ier. 1. 19. 39. 18. without doubt eternally And now to summe vp all I wish that both Magistrate Minister and people may go so throughly with the truth of repentance that sinnes and sinfulnesse being put off the iudgements that cleaue vnto them may also be put off And because this is not done but by putting on the spirit of Christ Iesus by the power wherof the kingdome of Sathan is put downe and the kingdome of Christ erected I pray that wee may come to this point of putting on the spirit of Christ Iesus All the rest is but the forme of godlinesse but in the spirit of Christ is the life of godlines howsoeuer men may flatter themselues they are not Christians except they bee one spirit with Christ Iesus For CHRIST being called Rom. 8. 9. Christ because he is anointed 1. Cor. 6. 17 aboue his fellowes with the Psal. 45. 7. spirit without measure Cant. 1. 3. wee are truly to bee called Christians by beeing annointed with the same spirit according to our measure But no annointing no true Christianitie But if this ointment dwell in vs 1. Ioh. 2. 27. then haue wee Christ Iesus and with him all the promises of God 2. Cor. 1. 20 21. for in Christ Iesus all the promises of God are Yea and Amen Psal. 78. 49. Then haue wee power to wrestle and ouerthrow the principalities and powers which are often the Inflicters of the iudgements of God and continually the Tempters prouoking vs to those sinnes for which iudgements are inflicted For it is the Spirit of Christ only that settles a Church and makes it a pillar of Truth vnremoueable by Sathan And most commonly where a Church is thus settled the Nation is also settled which containes such a Church and the Diuell is not suffered to preuaile against the later because of the former But when a Church growes spiritually cold turnes from the life and heart of godlinesse to an outside of profession then God growes cold to vs in loue but in wrath hee growes hote against vs. If a Nation turne from the spirit to the flesh though they be as great as the gyants in the old world and as the Anakims in the new yet they are but great pieces of flesh and an ouerflowing floud will destroy the one and a destroying sword will cut off the other When the daies of
or Aduancers of Repentance Oyle of Sc. Sect. 8. 9. It hath beene formerly noted that it belongeth to all and among al chiefly to the chiefest by whom this dutie may be best communicated to all And so notice was first taken of the Magistrate as being first in Eminence And indeede the supreme Magistrate ouerspreading all his people with a generall Authoritie most fitly enioyneth and spreadeth out a generall humiliation Therefore we read that Kings were the Ordainers of generall Fasts Fasts being by them made generall haue produced generall Blessings And therefore is the Fast it selfe a great benefite bestowed by the Prince on his Subiects it being a general Summons to Repentance and Humiliation whereby the Euills and Miseries which lye vpon the people may bee taken away and turned into Blessings Yea what greater benefite can there be than to bestow that greatest and highest Remedy which is able to cure a people though sicke at heart yea when the vsuall Remedies are sicke themselues it is able to cure them and from thenceforth themselues being cured they are able to cure vs. And here I cannot but extoll the fauour of God to this Nation and the goodnesse of our gracious King to his Subiects who in the straights and sufferings of this people gaue them this chiefe soueraign Remedie A gift how euer carnall men may esteeme it of principall value and highest Consequence to a Nation labouring in an Agony vnder the Iudgements of God For as the greatest Tyranny is expressed in that Character of Ieroboam Hee made Israel to sinne 1. King 15. 30. since he that made Israel to sinne 2. King 17. 22. 23. made Israel to perish so is it the greatest Mercy and Goodnes of a Prince to draw the people from sinne by calling them to Repentance For being turned from sinne the perishing which attendeth sinne is also turned away By this meanes did the King of Nineueh more good to his Subiects than all his Treasures all his policies and all the power of a Citie of three dayes iourney could haue done for them For when God who is a spirit comes to fight with a Nation those carnal weapons are too gross wherewith to fight against a spirit but spiritual weapons can onely serue the turne in a spirituall warfare But wee need not to trauell farre eyther to ancient times or forreine places to shew the benefits and blessings which a King procureth to his people by calling them vnto publicke Humiliation for euen these late acts of Humiliation which haue been performed by the Decree of our Soueraigne haue beene followed with immediate blessings euen blessings that follow them so close that they doe more than point at their Causes See more particular obseruation of these blessings Sect. 22. for they doe touch them and goe hand in hand with them Yea these blessings were affixed to them as the Seales of the most High wherby they were approued that are past and others are inuited for the time to come And as the publike Command of Humiliation sent forth by the Magistrate doth make way for a Blessing vpon his people so also doth his particular Repentance and Prayer For euen the particular vertues of a Prince are generall benefits For as when a Prince doth some great sinne God may breake in by that sinne vpon the sins of the people so the Repentance and Prayer of a Prince may stand in the breach and diuert the Iudgements either broken in or ready to breake in vpon the people There is a president of both in King Dauid for vpon the occasion of his sin in numbering the people the plague brake in vpon Israel And againe by his humiliation and praier God staied the plague from breaking in vpon Iudah and Ierusalem And indeed this Story teacheth Princes by the example of a King according to the heart of the King of kings 2. Sam. 24. 17. in publike Iudgements especially to looke to their owne sinnes and to say with Dauid It is I that haue sinned but these sheepe what haue they done As on the other side it teacheth the people especially to looke on their owne sinnes since wee see by this example that the sinnes of the people may be the occasions of the sinnes of the Prince and of those iudgements that follow them And thus the precious oyntment of sauing Health beginning to bee powred on the head may drop downe euen to the skirts of his garments and by the fauour of God it may be truly said of the Anointed of the Lord Lam. 4. 20. Vnder his shadow we shall liue 20 A second aduancer of humiliation and repentance A second aduancer of Repentance is the Minister is the Minister and he should aduance it both in publike and particular by his function and by his life And surely there are many that doe both and are like Iohn Baptist who was both a burning and a shining light Inwardly burning with that heauenly fire wherewith the spirit baptizeth from that fire shineth forth the light both of doctrine and life And for these wee owe great thankes to the Lord of the Haruest that hath sent forth such labourers into his haruest For these also with Moses Psal. 106. 23. stand in the breach and keepe out the Iudgements of God and that with violence For there is no small might in a true Prophet of God to defend a Nation from the Iudgements of God for if a Prophet and a King may bee beleeued when they speake of such Prophets 2. King 2. 12. Elisha saith it of Eliiah 2. King 13. 14. and Ioash saith the same of Elisha So that the encrease of these are both a signe and cause of safety to a Nation and the diminishing of these a signe and cause of ruine and desolation For what were those times when there was no peace to him that went out 2. Chro. 15. nor to him that came in but when Israel was without a teaching Priest Wherefore to those Elders that doubly build by life and doctrine there belongs iustly double honour and indeed by their two-fold building there ariseth a two-fold safetie both to Church and Common-wealth And as it is a pleasant iust thing that to the skilfull builders of this twofold worke there should be double honour so it is a pleasant good sight to see those that haue this double honour to doe this twofold worke And first for the publicke It was verie comely to see the formost is honour to march in the head of the troupe in the late humiliation which was a holy warre against the iudgements of God A right reuerend Father and a reuerend Deane diuiding the day and the works of the day both prayer and preaching giue encouragement to the exercises of the day And I hope that more places than one are not without patternes of spirituall Captaines that did leade forth their souldiers into this spirituall warfare For it is a hopefull
in and by how many Prophets yet euen at the last cast when the sword was whetting and readie to strike a Doore was opened to them Amend your wayes Ierem. 26. 13. and your doings and obey the voyce of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the euill that hee hath pronounced against you What could bee more peremptorie than the prophesie of Ionah against the Niniuites A day was prefixed which stood before them and seemed to inclose them that they should neuer goe beyond it Yet their faith had espyed this doore of Mercy as it were by a little Crany Ionah 3. 9. Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that wee perish not Behold a strange Faith that so much beleeued in Gods mercy that it seemed to doubt of his truth Nay far bee that from so excellent a Faith They beleeued both the Truth and Mercy of God for they so much beleeued and hoped in his Mercy to penitent sinners that they beleeued that the same Mercy had left some secret way of Truth by which it might passe vnto them and they goe forth vnto it And in this point their faith seemed to exceed the faith of the Prophet For the Prophet thought his owne honour would bee lost if so peremptorie a sentence were not peremptorily performed But these men beleeued it stood well with the honour of God that a peremptory sentence vpon penitence might be dissolued And indeede theirs was true faith and his thought was but an errour For the word of God whose Truth is a true ground of Faith is the very foundation of that which they beleeued At what instant Ier. 18. 7. I shall speake of a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their Euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus we see in the denunciation of Gods Iudgements there is an implied Reseruation and this Reseruation is the Doore at which the Nineuites and other beleeuing penitents may finde a way to escape Yea the peremptorinesse of the sentence which seemeth to hedge vs in may be the very meanes to bring vs to the way of escaping For the peremptorinesse of a sentence strikes the sentence strongly as it were a spurre into the sides of resty and dull flesh and bloud and stirs vp mankinde hardly to labour for that Issue which seemes so hard and almost impossible to be found And indeede this finding God vsually proposeth as the scope of his warning He tells vs of Iudgements comming that wee may finde the way to auoid them If he meant to destroy his readiest way were not to forewarne It was Sauls case when he was neere to the period of Ruine The Lord answered him not neither by dreames 1. Sam. 28 6. nor by vrim nor by Prophets Let vs therefore account premonitions to bee Summons vnto Iudgement but yet by a silent and implied Reseruation offering vs Mercie And betweene the time of denunciation and full performance let vs thinke that offer continued to vs. For the Time of warning is commonly a time of Truce betweene God and Man and a time of Respite between Wrath and Punishment Therefore is it called The day of a person or people euen a day of Grace Luke 19. 42 wherin iudgement is suspended and may bee preuented And if in this their day those things are not hid from their eies which may make their peace with God the peace of God will preserue them from the Iudgements of God Wherefore let vs not thinke that euery forewarning is a binding for a prediction ordinarily bindeth no farther than mens impeni tence bindeth it For in it selfe a premonition is an offer of loosing as well as a sentence of binding There is a gate of Mercy in it and man hath a Key wherewith to open it Yea the Iudge himselfe who seemes to inclose vs in prison calls vpon vs to make vse of it and by the hardnesse and difficultie of escaping stirs and spurs vs vp to an earnest seeking of the meanes of our Freedom 4. If any man aske what is the Key by which this gate is opened Spirituall helpes are the true helpes to set vs at liberty from Iudgements 1. Sam. 10. 27. he may plainly see it in the places alledged In euery one of them it is Repenting and Turning from euill waies But flesh and bloud replies in the language of Belial For as the men of Belial said of the King whom God had annointed Shall this man saue vs So flesh and bloud saith of the meanes which God hath sanctified Shal such an ayerie and inuisible thing saue vs Yet most true it is that inuisible things must saue vs or wee cannot bee saued Spirituall things are inuisible and spirituall things must saue vs. And no wonder for spirituall things worke our eternal saluation and if they can worke the greater why should they not be able to worke out the lesser saluation When a question is made concerning the great Saluation Act. 2. 37. 38. Men and Brethren what shall we doe to be saued The first word of the Answer is Repent And why should not the same answer serue for a lesser saluation Againe if wee looke vpon the way wherein wee came to be bound wee shall finde a spirituall way to bee our onely way to loosing If wee looke to heauen we shall finde it is God that bindes vs there and God is a spirit Now Ioh. 4. 24. according to the reason of CHRIST himselfe if God be a Spirit it is a spirituall meanes that can only bee powerfull with a spirit And if wee looke below we shall finde it is sin that prouoketh God to binde man and sinne is a spirituall disease euen a deprauation of the Image of God in the soule and spirit of Man or a fruit of it Now it is plaine that a spirituall remedy can only cure a spirituall disease The soule will not bee fed by the food of the body neither by bodily physicke will it bee cured Wherfore in regard of God who is offended and in regard of thy sinne that hath offended him behold the word of God turning thee from carnall and visible to spirituall and insuisible Remedies Micah 6. 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Riuers of Oyle shall I giue my first-borne for my transgression the fruite of my body for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe in walking with thy God Neither hath God herein giuen meere words but his deeds haue beene as good as his words The Scripture is full of examples that this meanes which the world thinkes to be weaknesse hath beene strong vnto
helpes whom God of his meere grace bestoweth vpon Paul Yea naturall helpes being opposed against spirituall are ready helpes to destruction so the Master and owner of the ship being beleeued against Paul become the meanes of the ships destruction Naturall helpes if they bee not stayed and held by spirituall helpes will then runne away from vs when we haue most need of them so the Mariners would haue run away when they might haue stood most in steed if Paul had not stayed them Spirituall helpes are they that saue vs when naturall helpes doe faile vs so the loue of God to Paul saued both him and his companions when they were destitute of the helpe of man And lastly when spirituall helpe and blessing is giuen to the meanes then the meanes can saue vs yea then the meanes are so necessarie that without them we cannot bee saued So when God is pleased to giue successe to the seruice and helpe of the Mariners then they are vsefull to bring the ship where the passengers may bee saued Yea they are then so necessarie that without the Mariners they cannot bee saued Thus wee see that spirituall helpes are the strong helpers and outward helpes are themselues holpen by them Spirituall helps are the foundation and temporall helpes are a building vpon that foundation Wherefore if we will be wife builders first let vs bee sure to make the foundation strong and then may we hopefully reare vp the walls Let vs by penitence draw neere vnto God our Rocke and being spirituall fetch strength and helpe from the Almighty Spirit Then may wee say and not till then The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped Yea he is a Sunne as well as a shield Psal. 28. 7. and when this Sunne returnes Psal. 84. 11. then there comes a spring vpon a Nation 6. Being thus put vpon spirituall helpes Sure and sound Repentance is a sure sound helpe and particularly vpon Repentance as vpon that which reconcileth to vs the strong and All sufficient helper A first part of it is the sight and acknowledgment of sinne let vs giue all diligence to make this repentance sure vnto vs. And sure it is made to vs by making it our owne and it is made our owne when wee our selues doe practise it For then repentance only can heale vs when by particular applying of it to our owne soules we make it our repentance And as it should bee a sure repentance so should it bee a full repentance For then is it most sure in it selfe to heale vs when it is most entire and perfect And so being sure in it selfe and sure to vs I hope we may be sure to bee saued Now to come to this fulnesse of repentance let vs view the parts of it yea let vs view some Accessions and necessary improuements of it yea let vs see the Crowne and consummation of it And let vs not only see but doe that wee may bee blessed in the Deede of it The parts of it Oyle of Scorp pag. 219. I haue heretofore shewed They are a Sight and Acknowledgment of Sin a Detestation of Sin and a Turning from Sinne to the contrary Righteousnes And first the Sight and Acknowledgement of our sinne is absolutely necessary It is necessary in respect of God and in regard of our selues In respect of God it is necessary for thereby we giue the glory that is due to the Iustice of God When we see our sins and acknowledge them we confesse that God is iust in his punishments and that he hath rightly afflicted vs. Dan. 9. 5. 7. 14. We haue sinned saith Daniel and haue done wickedly and haue rebelled euen by departing from thy precepts and iudgements And therupon he inferres O Lord righteousnesse belongeth to thee but to vs Confusion of Faces as at this day And a little after Therefore hath the Lord watched vpon the Euill and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is Righteous in all the workes that hee doth for wee obeyed not his voyce Thus from the Acknowledgement of sinne ariseth Glorie to Gods Iustice in punishing Sinnes and this Glorie hee expecteth before the Sinner be dismissed Hee will haue an acceptation of his punishments as of things iustly due vnto vs and it is an excellent degree toward Mercie to say with the penitent Thiefe on the Crosse We are righteously here Luk. 23. 4â— and receiue the reward of our deedes Yea with that holy Man Thou O God Ezra 9. 13. hast punished vs beneath our iniquities But if this be the fruite which God expecteth of his punishments for sinne that his Iustice should be so farre approued that the punishments should bee accepted how contrary an effect doe men commonly returne to God who in stead of acceptation returne nothing but murmuring and repining They employ their thoughts most on the stones that are cast at them and they bound their imaginations with the euills that presse them And they are so farre from this right fruite and vse of them that they neither see them as punishments for sinne neither doe they see the Iustice of God in sending these punishments yea they doe not see God at all in them but which is most lamentable and feareful because it is the very character of the wicked ones God is not in all their thoughts Psal. 10. 4. But while thus wee looke downeward to Effects without looking vp to Causes we look on our punishments rather like beasts than men And whatsoeuer toile wee take about the Effects if wee doe not remoue the Causes it is but losse of labour But how can we remoue the Causes when we doe not see them Sinne is that which moues Gods Iustice to punish vs and God will haue his Iustice approued and accepted in the punishment of Sinne before he will remoue those punishments And if it be our owne sinne and the Iustice of God that lay these euils vpon vs I wonder what good thou dost toward the cure of these euils by biting the stone that by these is throwne at thee For if thou shouldst bite it to powder as long as the Iustice of God remains vnappeased because thy Sin remaines vnacknowledged the great God of Iustice who in Mercie can turne stones into children of Abraham in Iustice can turn any sonnes of Adam into stones to batter thee Yea I will tell thee farther that as long as thou standest off from God and doest not take notice of him and much more while thou standest out against God and only snarlest at his punishments he wil defend euen his punishments against thee The punishments of God while they are in Gods businesse and till they haue done their errand are the seruants of God God will mainetaine them in that seruice vntill it bee done Therefore whatsoeuer become of Nebucadnezzar when his worke is done yet in doing of Gods worke God himselfe doth call him My
penalty yea they binde it farther with an oath Neither was this oath taken with a grudging and repining heart such as too many of our hearts be that are affraid to bee too farre engaged in the seruice of God though it be to our owne preseruation but knowing that God loueth a cheerefull giuer They sware vnto the Lord with a loude voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets And when they had sworne they were not sorry they had done a good deed which kinde of repentance to bee repented of is too common among vs But Israel yea all Israel reioyced at the oath and behold the reason For they had sworne with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire And now behold the happy successe God was found of them and he gaue them rest round about Behold here a path that leades to rest And the men are named that haue already trauailed in this path and by it came vnto rest 1 Cor. 10. 11. And wherfore doth the Scripture so punctually trace out this path but that ages to come might learne by this example in the same path to come to the same rest The same seeking the Lord with the whole heart and binding it with a Couenant and binding the Couenant with an Oath or solemne Vow are things which may bee done and being done they are followed with rest What remaines to bee said but that rest stands before vs and the way to rest is also open to vs and the Spirit encourageth vs by these examples and saith This is the way walke in it and ye shall finde rest to your soules If it seem heauy to vs it is because we doe not seeke God with all our heart and our whole desire for wee see that they who seeke the Lord with their whole heart and desire reioyce at the Couenant yea at an oath vpon the Couenant at a Bond vpon a Bond. For they thinke that all Bonds are little enough to binde the heart to him whom all the heart doth seeke and desire If a woman doe affect a man with all her heart to make him her Husband surely she will account it a very ioy full thing to bee bound to him by a solemne Matrimoniall vow For it is nothing else but to binde the heart to him aboue all whom the heart doth affect aboue all It is a pleasure to bee bound to that which wee loue Wherefore if we loue God we will take a pleasure to be bound to him yea wee will not only cry with the Spouse Draw me but binde mee to thee Cant. 1. 4. with cords of loue and I will runne after thee Neither is it any new thing to binde our hearts to God by a Couenant for it is but a repeating of the same Couenant which wee made in our Baptisme And it bindeth vs already if wee doe not renouce our Baptisme and so our Christianity Yea the same Couenant wee renew and repeate in the Lords Supper For the whole work of Grace working in the Church Militant is comprehended and bound vp in a Couenant which wee reade to bee thus summed vp in the Scripture God forgiueth our sinnes Ier. 31. 31 and writeth his Lawes in our hearts by his Spirite and so hee becomes our God to direct protect and blesse vs and we become his people to serue loue and obey him This Couenant wee enter into in Baptisme Heb. 8. 10. vndertaking then to bee led by the Spirit of Regeneration and not by the Flesh the World and the Diuell Now the Lords Supper is a seconding of this Couenant Therefore saith our Sauiour Luk. 22. 20 This Cup is the New Testament or Couenant for so the words are enterchanged Heb. 8. 8. 9. 20. 12. 24. in my bloud And indeede because by the frailtie of the flesh whose reliques remaine after Regeneration though the Reigne be abolished wee often goe aside from the Rule of the Spirit wee goe aside I say as a ship goes aside and fals off from the rule of the Needle or Compasse though the Compasse be not cast ouer-boord neither fall out of the ship therfore this Sacrament is appointed to bring vs againe into the path of the New Couenant the guilt of those frailties and errours being washed away by the bloud of Christ and the spot by the spirit of Christ. Which spirit of Christ also refresheth and reuiueth the Law of God written in our hearts and strengthens vs to a more perfect walking and abiding in this Law So the Iudgements of God doe but call vs to the same Couenant to which the Sacraments binde vs but indeede they call vs to a more reall performance of that Couenant which hauing vndertaken in the Sacraments yet we haue failed to performe For this Cause saith St. Paul many are weake and sickly among you 1. Cor. 11. 10. many sleepe And the Lord by his Prophet Ier. 11. 8. Therefore I will bring vpon them all the words of this Couenant which I commanded them to doe and they did it not And if hee That despised Moses Law died without mercy Heb. 10. 28. of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be thought worthy who hath troden vnder foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Couenant wherewith hee was sanctified an vnholy thing And thus while iudgements come vpon vs for the breath and contempt of our Couenant with God the same iudgements call vs to a Cure by the contrary that is by renewing our Couenant againe and stedfast keeping it 1. Cor. 11. 31 For if we would thus iudge our selues wee should not bee iudged of the Lord. Behold here is life and death set before vs and there are examples of both The breach of the Couenant is iudged and auenged with destruction An example of that breach and iudgement are Iudah Ierusalem who besides their many breaches after many renewings brake one euen a little before their Baby lonish Ier. 34. 10. 11. 17. 18. Captiuitie The making of a Couenant with the whole Heart is followed with Rest and Prosperitie and an example of that is Asa with all Iudah and Beniamin What shall I say Choose life that ye may liue Euery ones heart I thinke should say so to it selfe And the speech of another should be preuented or stopped as Elisha put to silence the children of the Prophets I knew it Gen. 12. 1. hold you your peace But then I say as Iacob to his sonnes Why doe yee looke one vpon another I haue heard there is Corne in Egypt get yee downe thither and buy for vs from thence that wee may liue and not dye Why stand yee still gazing on Gods chastisements which yee see vpon your selues and others and doe not goe about to cure them Our Ioseph euen Iesus that deliuers vs from the wrath to come whose coate was dipped in his own blood Phil. 2. 6. 7. 8. euen the coate of
God be a great King let vs giue him great praises hee deserues them and wee shall be gainers by them For as his greatnesse is so is his goodnesse and he that is good to vs in great things deserues great praises And if this debt be paid hee will goe on in lending Dauid knew this and therefore when hee seekes new helpe in new extremities hee begins commonly with praises for Gods old and ancient goodnesse Psal. 9. 1. 10. 11. c. I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart I will shew forth all thy maruailous workes They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion declare among the people his doings When hee maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them hee forgetteth not the cry of the humble And then comes prayer when praise hath made way for it Haue mercy vpon mee O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate mee thou that liftest mee vp from the gates of Death And both praise and prayer are followed with successe The Heathen are sunke downe in the pit that they haue made In the net which they hid is their owne foote taken The Lord is knowne by the Iudgement which hee executeth the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands c. Nehem. 9. The Leuites also after their returne from the Captiuity by praising God for his old benefites winde-in their prayer and petition for new For they knew that Gods eare is open to due praise and thanks-giuing and when it is open to praise then also may prayer enter the doore of grace and audience being open Behold the summe of both ver 32. Now therefore our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest Couenant and mercy let not all the trouble seeme little before thee that hath come vpon vs. And surely if any Nation this Nation hath a faire way whereby to come vnto God For no Nation hath receiued greater fauours and more wonderfull deliuerances so that a large doore is open to them for their petitions to enter if great praise and thanks-giuing for great blessings and deliuerances bee and so it should be sent before to make way for them Our Deliuerances haue bin many and withall so eminent that the eyes of the world haue plainly seene the great power of God in them and if others haue taken notice of them how much more should they affect vs who haue tasted the sweetnesse and benefite of them The deliuerance of Eightie Eight is a thing wondred at by the world and the Discouery of the Powder-Treason very neere if not one with a Miracle To these we may adde euen very late and New Deliuerances and turnings away of iudgements whereof I desire to take a more full consideration toward the close of this work it being one maine end of it to continue the memorie of Gods goodnesse Psal. 107. and of his wonderfull workes to the children of men And not only the memory but to make the memory vsefull by giuing God due glory for his mercies and to make vs the fitter for new mercies by a right vse of the old For lamentable it is to see how soone Gods benefites grow stale and dead to vs so that wee shut vp our owne way to new benefites and to our prayers that are made for them by forgetting the old Wee are all for crauing and nothing for thanks-giuing and therefore our crauing is not heard because it comes without thanks-giuing Wee separate that which God by his blessed Apostle doth so often ioyne together prayer and thanks-giuing 1 Thess. 5. 17. 18. Wee are all for our selues 1 Tim. 2. 1. and nothing for God and therefore it is no wonder if God doe nothing for vs. We are like the Horse-leech euer crying Giue giue yet this giuing which wee so much desire of God we will not allow God to expect from vs. There is much oddes between giuing of benefites and giuing of thankes yet we that expect so much giuing of the greater will not affoord the lesser yea though it be a ready way to procure the greater In worldly things it is all the wisdome and indeauour of Trafficke by a thing of lesse price to get a thing of greater value only in spirituall trafficke and in commerce with God wee will not lay out little things to obtaine his great things But this ariseth much from a poyson in our nature which loseth the taste of things had and reacheth out the appetite strongly to things not attained Now the true way whereby to raise vp and to continue thankfulnesse is to stirre vp and continue the true and first taste of Gods benefits We must haue such a taste of them as wee had when we first receiued them Yea we should put our selues into the same case of danger or necessity wherein we were before wee receiued them and then consider how such a Deliuerance doth taste being receiued in such a danger If thus thou taste the goodnesse of God in his mercies this goodnesse of God will fill thy soule as with marrow and fatnesse and from thence will naturally arise a due eructation of praise and thanksgiuing And thus will be an endlesse Circle of Blessings The more blessings God sendeth vs the more shall we blesse him and the more we blesse him the more blessings he will send vs. Amen Amen Thus the great Helpe of Miseries hath beene presented to view with his Allies and Associates A Helpe which is able to helpe vs without worldly helpes a Helpe that helpes worldly Helpes and a Helpe without which no other Helpes will helpe vs. For this Helpe brings vs to the strong Helper and gets him to remoue his owne iudgements But without this all Helpes are vanitie because they looke not vnto the Holy one of Israel Esa. 31. 1. 2. neither seeke the Lord yet he also is wise and will bringeuill and will not call backe his words but will arise against the Helpe of them that worke iniquitie 14 But because this Remedie doth call for Returning The sins from which we should returne in Repentance Returning from sinne vnto God by righteousnesse you will aske perchance with the old Iewes Mal. 3. 7. Wherein shall we return Surely a question too easie to be answered We are all in manie sinnes from which we should return and the maine bodie of them is so tall and eminent that like the pride of Israel it doth testifie to our faces Hosea 5. 5. There are particular sinnes of which it is rightly enioyned by that King of penitents Ionah 3. 8. Let them turne euerie one from his euill way and from the violence that is in their hands There are also particular-common sinnes euen sinnes of particular persons which by their hainousnesse bring a common iudgement especially if they be fauoured and approued
world haue not the loue of the Father Yea though the world shall passe away the lusts thereof and they onely that doe the will of the Father shall abide for euer For meates cannot make men Euerlasting but there must be an end and perchance the sooner for abusing them and then there must come an account euen for the abuse of them But as these offend in an excesse of quantity so others offend in an excesse of quality and put as much sinne into a little roome as others doe into a great A great summe of money is contracted into a single dish and there is an ambition to make vp a great excesse in as little a forme as they may Thus the shapes of vices are altered but vices are retained and there must bee new fashions in sinnes as in clothes Surely the Nature of these times doth not call for these studies and without study this Art of Excesse cannot mount to this Height When God calleth for pouerty wee should not meete him with prodigalitie when hee calls for humilitie wee should not meete him with pride and when he calls for fasting we should not meete him with excesse of Riot But let vs feare the Consequences of such incongruities and let this feare teach vs to auoide them Surely the Iudgement which God himself hath denounced against them is fearful there wants nothing but faith to beleeue it and then it will appeare as fearefull as it is In that day did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning Esay 22. 12. and to baldnesse and to girding with sack-cloth And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye And it was reuealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till yee dye But to those that tremble at the word of God and conforme themselues to his will as in all things so in the right vse of his Creatures the Scripture offereth more grace For the Grace of God which bringeth saluation Tit. 2. 11. hath appeared and teacheth vs That those who deny vngodliness and worldly lusts liuing godly righteously and soberly in this present world they may comfortably looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. For verily there is a reward for the righteous Psal. 58. 11 verily there is a God that iudgeth the earth 17 But to what purpose Not onely particular sins but a generall roote of wickednes is among vs. doe I seeke to cut off the branches of particular sinnes by the sword of the Spirit as long as there remaineth among vs a Roote of gall and wormewood that can bring forth all sinnes at once For if we cure sinnes one by one and while one is curing many spring forth the disease ouergroweth the cure Yea euen that very sinne which we seeke to cure after a little while will breake forth againe because the Roote of it is still aliue This Roote of Bitternesse is a naturall prophanenesse euen a contempt of God and the Truth of Religion I say the truth of Religion for there may bee an eye cast toward Religion out of custome or for company or for some remaining impressions of the first Creation that may make men to feare there is a God But to loue Religion in the true shape of it and because it is true this is it that I find farre banished by this Roote of Prophanenesse And though I much lament it yet I doe not greatly wonder at it for I see a Cause of it and therein I see that while men are nothing but men this will be their fashion For Religion in the Truth of it must needs be Spirituall Ioh. 4. for it is the worship of him who is a Spirit and therefore cannot bee pleased by any worship but of Spirit and Truth Now if Religion bee Spirituall how can it bee but it must needs be contemned yea hated by men that are carnall For the carnall minde is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. and the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other And from this Contrariety ariseth that Enmity and from that Enmity ariseth Persecution euen from the beginning vnto the end of the world For this two fold seed of the flesh and the spirit hauing the foundations of it laid in Paradise the Enmity then also was enacted between them And as then Cal. 4. 29. I meane as soon as men were borne he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit so is it now Now doth the flesh despise and oppose spirituall worship and spirituall worshippers which opposition so farre as it doth preuaile so farre doth the generall roote of sinne preuaile and the sins springing from that roote And because the Diuell is the Prince of this Enmity hee fitteth weapons for this warre wherwith the sonnes of the flesh may fight his battells against the sons of the spirit And of all the weapons which he hath prouided in these last Ages I thinke he neuer inuented any Engine made of words more seruiceable to him than one which of late hee hath brought into fashion For it is a sharpe-pointed word directed to runne into the very eye of true Religion it is a Canon mounted to batter the very Kingedome of Christ to lay wast all holinesse of life the fruite and effect of that Kingedome and this word is then shot off when a Saint is called a Puritane K. Iames in his Preface to Baâ—â— Doron And though King IAMES a King higher than the Kings of the earth in Learning and Iudgement tied the propertie of this word to Anabaptists their Sectaries it is now diuerted to Saints euen to those that doe not walke in the broad way of common and sociable vices and especially if they goe somewhat higher than ciuil and naturall Righteousnesse If the spirit doe but shew it selfe in some expression of a clearer light or more heauenly vertue than the darkenesse of the flesh comprehendeth it is to bee beaten down and quenched with the Title of Puritaisme Yet Christ plainely calleth his Disciples to excellent things Mat. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 16 3. New Tran and Dauid calleth the Saints by the Title of Excellent yea and for this very Reason in them is all his delight because they are Excellent and for this very Reason doth the man of flesh hate and persecute them And indeed in this very Excellence wherin the spiritual man exceedes the carnall and naturall man stands the glory of Gods Kingdome of Grace For when men doe those workes which the carnall and naturall men doe not sauour and therfore doe them not then are mens eies turned away from the men that doe them to God the Author of them and so seeing their good workes to shine
and the root of Grace too much starued and pined But let vs feare this building of our owne houses with the contempt of God and his houses for hee hath blasted it with a Iudgement and his owne mouth hath told it vs. Haggai 1. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet saying Is it time for you O yee to dwell in your sieled houses and this house lye waste Now therefore saith the Lord of Hostes Consider your wayes And againe Consider your wayes You looked for much and loe it came to little and when you brought it home I did blow vpon it why saith the Lord of Hostes Because of mine house that is waste and yee runne euery man to his owne house Wherefore that the Church spiritual which is the house of God and the Church materiall which is the house of the hosue of God may bee edified and built vp yea that all good fruites euen all good works may prosper and increase let not the roote of prophanenesse starue and keepe downe the roote of holinesse for hee that thus wageth warre against good workes by killing the roote of them puts away from himselfe the name of a Christian and puts on the title of a Libertine Fourthly it is a thing most fearfull and followed with infinite misery For they that fight against the grace of the spirit fight against the spirit whose grace it is So when the Prophets were resisted by the Iews in whom Gods spirit instructed and spake S. Steuen saith Nehem. 9. 20. 30. Act. 7. Yee doe alwayes resist the holy Ghost And S. Peter most plainely The spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. and of God resteth vpon you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part hee is glorified Behold a fearfull thing with which Gamaliel affrighted the hard-hearted and stiff-necked Iewes Act. 5. 39. Lest yee bee found to fight against God For when the pot will fight with the Potter wee know it can expect no end but breaking in pieces Psal. 2. 9. Thou shalt breake them with a rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters vessell Wherefore kisse the sonne lest he be angry and yee perish from the way Kisse the spirit of the Son by which spirit hee kisseth the soules of those that loue him and are loued of him This is the way to eternall happinesse and saluation But if in stead of kissing you kicke against his Spirit bee yee sure yee shall perish from the way of saluation For holinesse is the way to happinesse and if we resist the spirit by which men are sanctified yee put from you the Author of that holines by which we walke to happinesse It is a prayer of our Church That our life may be pure and holy so that at the last wee may come to Gods eternall ioy Wherefore if purenesse and holinesse bee the way to eternall ioy why dost thou hate stop vp the way that leades to eternall ioy Surely if thou stop vp this way to thy selfe and others there remaines no other way for thee but that broad way which leadeth to eternall destruction Behold the end of Gods enemies wherefore feare yee also Lest yee bee found fighters against God and remember that when you call Saints Puritanes you are Gods enemies and the titles which follow that are children of wrath and sons of perdition But though it be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thess. 1. 6. 7. yet to you that are troubled rest shall be with the rest of the Saints when the Lord Iesus shall bee reuealed from heauen And in the meane time follow the example of the same Lord Iesus pitty their ignorance and out of that pitty pray for them Luk. 23. 34. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If a man distracted doe raile on thee thou art more sorry for him than for thy selfe Doe the like in a case not vnlike Doe according to thy owne knowledge and not according to his ignorance Secondly know the Diuells aime in it and then thou art safe His aime is to take thy holinesse from thee and to quench the spirit or some fruites of the spirit Be thou most carefull to keepe what hee is most carefull to take away for be thou sure that is a most precious Iewell which thy greatest enemie seekes most to take from thee Thy enemie plainely tells thee the worth of it by his endeauours to steale it Wherefore let his malice be a very motiue to keepe that purenesse holinesse which his malice setteth at so high a price Thirdly vnderstand the diuells language thou maist be very well pleased for in the Diuels language a saint is a Puritane Wherfore know that when for so me good worke hee calls thee Puritane vnderstand that in his language he calleth thee Saint See More Medit. wherfore let this turn to thee for a testimoniall that euen thy enemies being Iudges thou art such a one as is truely honourable here in earth shall eternally be honoured hereafter in heauen Matt. 5. 1. For blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As for other sins wherewith this Land is pressed downe I wish they were so inuisible that men should need to looke into bookes to finde them It may not be doubted but where such a bitter roote of prophanenesse and irreligion preuaileth so strongly the cursed fruites of it are too plentifull But men bend not their mindes to that counsell of God Hag. 1. Consider your wayes Yea the tree of knowledge of good and euill hath so infected mens iudgements with a carnall wisdome that they looke only for good and euill in outward and carnall things If those things goe well all is well And euen for this very cause doth God punish vs in outward things that by the euills which we regard wee may be brought to take notice of the euills which we regard not For though the carnall man doe not see sinne to bee euill but only thinkes that to bee euill which hee feeles yet that euill which he sees not is the cause of the euill which hee feels For there is an euill way of sinne which drawes on the euills of iudgement Ionah 3. 10 and as they come together so they goe together For when man turnes from the euill way by repentance God turnes from the euill which he said he would doe and doth it not But of these euills of sinne I haue often spoken and brought them before mens eyes but I pray God to annoint our eyes with that eye-salue of his spirit by which spirituall things are seene and discerned that rightly seeing our sinnes and rightly iudging them wee may escape the iudgements of God All should aduance this repentance And first be Magitrate 19. From the sinnes to be repented of we passe to the persons that ought to be principall Agents
men of Israel haue once beene smitten by the men of Ai and doe the second time flee before them Iosh. 8. 5. 6. 7. They will come out after vs saith Ioshua till wee haue drawne or pulled them from the City Then shall yee rise vp from the Ambush and seize vpon the Citie for the Lord your God hath deliuered it into your hand By this baite of infirmity doth God draw his enemies to open their mouthes to swallow the Church but then the hooke of Omnipotence that lyeth hid vnder it taketh and killeth them And euen now in the distresse of Gods Army wee see that done which Iohn saw before would bee done I saw the Beast Reu. 19. 19. 20. and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make war against him that sate on the horse against his army And why should we not hope to see that euent which Iohn also saw following this gathering together And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet A second regard hath God to men in this lownesse of the Church and that is a regard to the Church it selfe For when God doth prepare a glorious victorie for his Church his Church must bee duely prepared for the receiuing of this victorie And this lownesse doth diuersly prepare her First it calls her to the life of faith to liue by faith and not by sight For when visible things faile her then is shee forced to run by faith to things inuisible when that failes her which she sees then she cleares vp the eye of faith that she may haue some euidence of things not seene Heb. 11. So S t. Paul saith of the widow 1. Tim. 5 5. that being desolate shee trusteth in God And as soon as Iehosaphat hath said Wee haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know wee what to doe it presently followes 2. Chro. 20. 12. But our eyes are on thee 2. Cor. 1. And S t. Paul hauing receiued the sentence of death trusteth in God that raiseth the dead Thus when the outward eye seeth no helpe in the creature the inward eye of faith is awaked to look only on the Creator And indeed nothing but faith is fit to receiue a miraculous Mercie When God makes bare his Arme in some great and wonderfull deliuerance hee will haue his people by faith to looke vp to this arme and wholly to depend on it Therfore Christ Iesus when he is ready to bestow a miraculous healing he vsually calleth for faith to receiue it And euen now by the distresse of the Church doth God call the Church to this faith And no question if by this faith we be duly prepared for the great worke of Gods mercy in the deliuerance of the Church wee shall heare that gratious answer which the faithfull vsed to receiue Goe in peace thy Faith hath saued thee Lastly by the weakenesse of the Church God calls the Church to Repentance and so prepareth her for victorie Hee calls her by the fire of affliction from drosfe to puritie from wantonness to the grace of God from the forme of godlinesse to the power thereof There growes much drosse of Carnalitie about a Church in the time of ease and men turne the grace of God into wantonnesse There is wanton liuing wanton preaching and wanton hearing Men play with Religion and are not in earnest when they are about religious things Yea when they haue formally falsly done religious things they fall heartily to things of the world the false profession of true Religion being not much vnlike the profession of a false worship the consequence wherof is this Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play But is such a Church fit for a glorious and miraculous deliuerance Can wee expect that God should make bare his arme to saue a Luxurious a Gluttonous a Drunken Congregation No it must bee purged from these and made white before God wil deliuer it and crowne it with victorie Therefore by this Esa. 27. 9. affliction shall the Iiniquitie of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruite to take away their sinne The Church is scoured and purged by affliction and being purged then may shee heare vers â— Hath hee smitten him as hee smote those that smote him or is hee slaine according to the slaughter of them that are slaine by him For the Iudgement that begins with the house of God but as a fiery triall 1. Pet. 4. 12. 17. shall end with the sinners and vnrighteous like a consuming fire When the first appeareth more pure glorious the second shall not appeare at all Wherefore if wee by our Corrections the Church of France by her late Chastisements and Germany by her present Scourgings would turn to him that smites them by turning from their sins to his righteousnesse surely Psal. 112. to the righteous light should arise in the midst of darknes Esa 32. 17 For the work of Righteousnes shall be peace and the effect of Righteousnes quietness assurance for euer Esa. 33. 1. And then withall followes a Woe to thee that spoylest and thou wast not spoyled when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt be spoiled Let God then haue of his Church the end of his chastisements euen true spirituall and sincere holinesse and then the chastisements of his Church will end But then will he begin with the enemies of his Church hee will awake as a Gyant refreshed with wine Psal. 2. 5. Hee shall speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure Esa. 41. 12. Thou shalt seek them and thou shalt not finde them euen them that contended with thee They that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of naught And thus while the Church by her lownesse is brought to puritie puritie brings her to victorie FINIS