THE PRISONERS PLAINT A SERMON PREACHED BY GVALTER ASHTON Master of Arts Prisoner in the Kings Bench for Debt before the Imprisoned and others in that place vpon the 25. of August 1622. 1. SAM 2. 6 7. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes 1623. TO THE COVRTEOVS READER CHristian READER this Sermon was preached for the comfort of the Imprisoned and now Printed as a Card and Polestar for thy direction when the same Lot shall fall into thy Lap expect not in it Philareta verba pickt words or matter of transcendent consequence Onely Items to sustaine thee when the Lord shall hedge vp thy way and compasse thee about with Gall and Wormwood I freely acknowledge that when I first thought vpon this Text it was not in my thoughts to expose his Context to publique view for I know my Infirmities and my Countrey my grieuances which haue well nigh made a diuorce betwixt me and my Studies The Authors ayme is to encrease thy patience against thou come to mourne in Dauids Deepes The winde may change though it long haue kept his quarter and he that stands may fall although most watchfull Reade traduce not shauings may haue their weight so well as greater Wedges Thus referring these Lines to thy perusall and Thee to thy Maker I rest From my distracted studies in the Kings Bench Jan. 26. Anno 1622. Thine in the Lord GVALTER ASHTON TO THE CVRIOVS READER THough others haue trodden this Tract and discust these words yet it is Saint Pauls Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That euerie man should abound in his owne Sense Thine G. A. THE PREFACE WHen the people of God were captiuated by the Babylonians they requested them to sing some of the Songs of Sion to which they answered How can wee sing the Lords Song being in a strange land and full of heauinesse Psal 127. 3. 4. Mutato nomine de me narretur historia change but the name and the case is mine owne They captiuated I imprisoned they suited to sing some of Sions Notes and Ditties I requested not to sing I must confesse but to say to speake some word of Exhortation They answered How can we sing the Lords Song being in a strange land and full of heauinesse I might haue replyed How can a man Preach in a strange place a house of mourning But calling to minde that Saint Paul and Sylas when they were confined did not intermit to pray and praise the name of the Lord their God Acts 16. v. 25. Hence haue I resolued to make their Patterne my Practise and at this time to vndertake this dayes Taske THE PRISONERS PLAINT PSAL. 130. VER 1. Out of the Deepe places haue I called to thee O Lord c. THe Text is one of Dauids Petitions when he was in his Prosunditatibus as Iunius and Tremellius read the words in the depth of deepes distressed in body distracted in soule persecuted in person wounded in spirit Distracted wounded both in soule and conscience with the feare of Gods wrath for his sinnes committed which many times euen in this life breakes forth into due strokes of vengeance against all such as trade in sinne and goe on in the workes of their owne inuention yet herein the Prophet Dauid bewraies a wonderfull measure of faith in giuing the Lord no rest nor himselfe any ease but prefers Petition after Petition request vpon request and still is not satisfied like an importunate Suitor vntill the eares of his God be possest with the voyce of his complaint and hee in mercy haue obtained the desires of his heart which is not vsuall with many in their daies of triall and houre of temptations who are so farre from wrestling with God by deuout supplications for deliuerance that they either fall off from their affiance and trust in God or else faint vnder the weight of the Crosse thinking that God hath forgotten to be gracious and that hee will be no more intreated if one poore libera nos Domine doe not produce the effect of their longing and languishing desires which is to bee marked as a direction for vs the imprisoned that seeing the Lord hath written bitter things against vs and hemb'd vs in on euery side with wants oppressions reproches and the like therefore wee should not suffer our eyes to sleepe nor the lids thereof to slumber vntill wee haue made our peace with God by true conuersion and godly sorrow for all those sinnes which haue brought vpon vs this bondage and immuerement which being done the Lord hee cannot but grant vs his gracious liberate I meane discharge from this house of Teares the common Inne of all the Oppressed The Epigraphe or Title of my Text with the rest of the context is a Song of Degrees and so called as Arius Montanus giues the reason because the Priests and the Leuites as they ascended from that place of the Temple which was called the great Court into a higher roome named the inner Court of the house of the Lord did at solemne feast daies sing this Psalme with others of the like Inscription vpon euery staire once Teaching vs as in a Ceremony that all those who serue God must doe it with lifted vp hearts and spirituall affections according as wee are called vpon with the words of Sursum corda in the suffrages of our Church â—â—â—hurgie and English seruice Booke Others be of another minde as Apolinarius in his Metaphrasis who saith that because the voice was more lifted vp and strained in the singing of this Psalme then it was in others hence had it this denomination of A Song of Degrees Well to passe by coniectures our later expositors as Iunius and the rest thinke that nothing is meant but that a certaine excellency lies hid in this Psalme aboue the rest as being a choise and heauenly Epigrame and therefore called a Song of Degrees as the Canticles a Song of Songs The ten Commandements a Doctrine of Doctrines the Creed a History of Histories the Lords prayer a Prayer of Prayers onely to shew the eminency and excellency thereof To conclude then we are not to be too inquisitiue and curious in searching out the reason of each particular sed quaedam ignorare non tantum est boni Christiani sed etiam docti Theologi not onely a good Christian but a learned Diuine may without disparagement to his profession bee ignorant of some things In the Text these parts be remarkeable 1. The party Suiting 2. The party suited 3. The subiect or matter of the suite 4. The manner thereof with the condition of the time Lastly the Vbi or the place where the Prophet Dauid was when hee does thus plant and supplicate The party suiting is exprest in the vowel I. being Dauid by name The party suited is the Lord and more pathetically O Lord. The matter of his suite is
deepe a mysterie scilicet why the Lord should thus clap vp his children in the houses of correction and giue vnto the wicked Countries of liberty and Kingdomes of treasure in so much that the eye of flesh and reason would seeme to conclude that they are the onely happy men and the Lords beloued and that others who be afflicted how they be reiected and casheered of him And although no man is able to diue into the depth of Gods counsell nor yet to clime vp into heauen to search the cause why God should thus afflict those whom hee doth affect yet I will propound some arguments such as humane frailty will affoord both to manifest Gods wisdome and Iustice in thus correcting and humbling vs as also to preuent our repyning and murmuring against him for the same First the cause is in man that brings God thus vpon his backe to scourge him and that is his sinne man suffers for sinne Lamen 3. 4. and there being in each man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sullage of Adams clay and the reliques of sinne which are encreased by our dayly vncleannâ—sse and actuall offences therefore that wee may reforme our selues and that others may takâ— vs for an example God doth wash the best of the sonnes of men in the bitter waters of Marah in the sea of affliction Manasses Dauâ—d Iosias haue drunke deepe of this tart cuppe there being no exemption with him from punishment if men take liberty for to sinne Sed quicunque stultus est in culpa sapiens erit in paena whosoeuer will iest with sinne may in time grow wise when he comes to smart for hâ—s folly therefore the Prophet Micha doâ—h confesse in the 7. of his Prophecy vers 9. That he will beare the wrath of the Lord because hee had sinned against him and this wrath of the Lord towards his Saints is not like the sword of a Iudge prepared for destruction but rather the rod of father ordained for correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are chastned of the Lord that we should not bee condemned with the world Corthin Epist 1. 11. 32. The next cause is in the Deuill whose malice is boundlesse toward mankinde who like a common Informer cannot endure to bee out of practise but must bee alwaies nibling at our heeles slaundering and accusing of vs vnto God that hee may get a Commission to meddle with vs as hee did with the holy man Iob and to persecute vs as hee dâ—â—h the woman in the wildernesse Reu. 12. â— and therefore no maruell if that wee be â—â—flicted distressed and lodged in a Labyrinâ—h of miseries hauing such a vigilant aduerâ—ary who is fit at euery turne to giue vs the grand lash and to ierck vs for each slip if the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth â—ill say but Amen to his wishes and desires Thirdly the Lord doth this plunge vs to awake vs out of the dead sleeâ—e of sinne and to open our eyes that wee may see our naturall wretchednesse and nâ—kednesse in respect of Grace and Purity which hauing once espied it should maâ—e vs runne to God to petition him that wee may share in that long white Robe the rightuousnesse of his Sonne the Ornament and couering of all his Saints Aristotle tels vs in the 3. of his Meteorologicks that Omne animal fulmine percussum vertit faciem ad fulmen Euery creature strucke with a Thunderbolt presently affronts it Beloued these that haue not an eare to heare God when hee calls for amendement of life saying Returne O Shulamite returne returne Cant. 6. 13. 1. For those the Lord hath a smiting hand with the which he will either awake them if they doe belong vnto him or breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell The Horse that hee may spring forwards in his pace must bee remembred eyther with Spurre or Switch The sluggish or carnall Christian following his voyage and pilgrimage vnto heauen Necesse est prematur vt ad Deum ire compelletur saith Saint Gregorie hee must bee lasht with the rodde of affliction that so hee may learne to hasten to the happinesse of all the glorified Saints This is prefigured in Ioab in the second of Samuel 14. 29. who being sent for by Absolon once and againe yet refused to goe but when Absolon set fire on his fieldes of Corne then Ioab arose and went to the house of Absalon So the Lord inuites vs to repentance not once but often by the mouth of his Ministers by the knocke of his Spirit by the charme of his mercies and if wee neglect these blessed Calles and Summons as Ioab did the inuitement of Absolon the Lord hee will then set fire vpon our Corne fieldes hee will make the Heauens as brasse that they shall deny vs their deawe or else the land shall surfet with a surplage of Showers and bring foorth nothing but crude and rawe fruites as of late this Kingdome hath had a share in this Iudgement and all to awake vs out of the slumber of our crueltie vncleannesse with other our wickednesse that so wee may arise and seeke him while hee may bee found lest hee being not opened to while he knocks at the doore of our hearts by the hammer of his Iudgements he depart and leaue vs to a reprobate sense so shall our last end bee worse then our beginning Fourthly the Lord doth thus plunge vs that hee may trie our faith and patience kindle our prayers and prouoke vs to the practise of all holy duties for what graces soeuer lye hidd in the soules of his Saints in the Summer of their Prosperitie will breake foorth and shewe themselues in the Winter of Aduersitie That faith which was faint in their dayes of wealth and peace will grow strong in the houre of tryall and trouble not parting with GOD no more then Iacob would doe with the Angell vntill the Lord haue graciously answered the wishes and desires of their hearts that prayer which was weake while the world smiled vpon them come once but trouble it will grow strong like the Sunne in the Firmament when hee comes to his Verticall or Noone poynt Indeed our Prayers they bee most potent with God when wee begin to fall off from the world and decline from the height of sinne The Romane Captaine Scipio by name would say of his Souldiers that their estate stood in the worst tearmes when they had the most peace Want of exercise maketh both body and soule rustie And Saint Ierome well obserueth that Salomon fell so foule because hee liued in delights for prosperitie is the Step-mother of all holy vertues the Starres shewe brightest in the darkest night sweete Spices smell most pleasantly when they are crusht and pounded and Christian vertues are most apparant vnder the Crosse Therefore wee reioyce in tribulation saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 3. 4. Fifthly the Lord does thus afflict vs for a double subordinate end First to testifie the
respectiue care that he hath of his owne glory Secondly to manifest his prouidence and care ouer vs. His owne glory is preserued when he frees vs out of hopelesse dangers out of such dangers as all the Arte skill and power of man is able to doe nothing at witnesse the deliuerance of his Israel at the Red Sea who being inter mare hostes inter gladios vndas hauing the Sea before them their enemies behind them the sword pursuing them the waues affronting them the mountaines on both sides enclosing them and in the eye of flesh without all meanes or hope of helpe yet see saith Philo Iudens that vbi desinit humanum auxilium ibi incipit Diuinum That euen when men be most in misery that then is Gods fittest time to shew his mercy that euen then the Lord diuides the Sea making a Lane or passage for his people to walk in and so preserues them shewing that hee is our hope beyond hope and a present remedie in needfull time of trouble manifesting his strength in our weakenesse and his infinitie in our infirmity Secondly the Lord doth thus straight vs to manifest his care ouer vs and therefore is it that in our present wants hee doth raise vs friends to bestead vs at whose hands we haue demerited no such bounty or of whom wee haue expected no such courtesie or else by sending some Rauen miraculously to releeue and feed vs as hee did the Prophet Eliah 1. Kings 17 4 9. and all to shew his mighty protection and prouidence ouer vs which neuer more shewes it selfe then when his people bee in greatest straites and strangest exigents Lastly the Lord doth thus afflict vs least when wee heare of Eliahs persecutions or Iobs distresses or other of the Saints calamities wee should account them to bee but fables therefore he brings vpon Vs daies of mourning and nights of sorrow that we may haue experience in our selues of their sufferings to this purpose Saint Gregory speakes fitly Deus electis iter asperum facit in via ne obliuiscantur eorum qui sunt patria the Lord paues our way with thornes lest wee should suppose our forefathers walked vpon pillowes To conclude seeing there is in the Crosse occultae qualitates hidden vertues powerfull for the curing of our soule infirmities Let vs therefore submit our selues vnto Gods hand as Saint Peter doth aduise vs in his first Epistle Chap. 5. v. 6. Dauid of his owne experience doth acknowledge a Soueraigne benefit therein when he said It is good for mee that I was afflicted for thereby haue I learned to keepe thy Commandements and an ancient Writer glossing vpon these words tells vs that there is in the Crosse a double vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preseruatiue power and a sauatiue power The Preseruatiue power is like Ionas Whale which although it seemed to swallow vp and deuoure him yet the Whale was the meanes of his life and safety so the Crosse although it make shew to crush and curse vs yet thereby are wee blessed Blessed is the man that is corrected Iob. 5. 17. And as for the Sauatiue power it is like the Poole of Bethesda which did not heale vnlesse it were stirred and moued by the Angel So except we be rack't of the lees of sinne by some sharpe handling of vs our hearts will grow so hard that it is vnpossible wee should take out the lesson of Repentance motion is a steppe to dissolution exercise of the body rarefies and thinnes the bloud as also cheeres the spirits So trialls and temptations make the affections more spirituall and our hearts lesse earthly minded Therefore thinke it not strange saith Saint Peter in his 1. Epist. at the 13. vers of his 4. Chap. for the fiery troubles which light vpon you and a fitter word could not haue beene deuised then to resemble them to Fier 1 Fier is of a light ascending nature so afflictions make vs spirituall minded and ascend by holy afflictions and diuine meditations into Sions Mountaine the Church Triumphant which like a hill is exalted aboue the Church Militant 2 Fier is of a hot and heating nature So afflictions make vs hot suitors for reliefe impatient of the Lords delaying vs giuing him no rest nor our selues any ease vntill he grant and wee enioy whatsoeuer wee shall become suitors to him for 3. Fier shineth and giueth light So trouble openeth the eyes Schola Crucis schola Lucis saith Saint Bernard and Manasses who forgat the Lord while he was at liberty in his pallace could pray vnto him when hee was in prison and humble himselfe greatly And Manasses being in tribulations called vpon the God of his Fathers 2. Chr. 33. 10. 4 Fier sortneth the hardest iron So there is no heart so stony but it will yeeld and melt with tribulations euen Pharao the cruell will yeeld for a time while he and his people bee vnder the ten plagues though after hee turne Apostata fall off and aske who is the Lord that hee should let the people goe Exod. 8. vers 9. 5 Fier workes according to his obiect it burnisheth gold but it annihilats drosse it melts waxe but it hardens clay so the godly and the godlesse are both sufferers but in this similitudine passionum there is dissimilitudo patientium though they bee both burdened alike yet they differ in their carriage The wicked in their sufferings they murmure against the Lord and seeke to helpe themselues by the deuills Emissaries his Witches and Wizards whereas the godly are patiently obedient remembring their Masters Motto Father not my will but thy will be done and if it please thee let this bitter cup of imprisonment and other distresses passe from mee yet not my will but thy will bee done Therefore let vs reioyce though now for a season we be in heauinesse 1. Pet. 1. 6 7. The Inferences follow First wee are put in minde to bee Christianly conceited of all those whom wee see to be exercised with this angry and smyting hand of the Lord as also to comfort our selues if the same be laid vpon vs not conceiuing that either they or wee be out of Gods fauour for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is although the rod be sharpe yet the hand that smites is sweet and full of refreshment therefore suffer afflictions and say with the holy man Iob Though the Lord kill me yet still will I put my trust in him Secondly seeing reformation the renewing of repentance the examination of our spirituall estate a breaking off from all our personal and predominant sinnes which haue prouoked the Lord to deale thus roughly with vs should be the vse that we are to make of our corrections and afflictions hence many Christians are iustly taxed who are so far from profiting thereby that instead of shaking hands and bidding adieu to sinne and sinfull courses that they fold their hands like Salomons Sluggard and make new leagues with iniquitie And whereas before they were but bunglers and dullards in acting of sinne O now they are Masters of the sinning Arte as we haue wofull experience in all the Prisons of the Kingdome into which many Prisoners at their first entrance haue been ciuilly demeaned but within a small continuance after I cannot expresse how they haue been Metamorphosed and growne more stupid then Cyparissus and altogether vnsensible of that diuine stroke which was vpon them by giuing themselues ouer to all vncleannesse and intemperance the high road way to hell It is recorded in the second of the Chron. 28 22. that Ahaz is noted for a speciall Monster because in the time of his tribulation hee did trespasse more and more This is Ahaz sayth the Text which is a remarkeable Item of his grosse sinning So these are monsters in religion who follow their sinfull Byas when the Lord is dealing with them to breake off their sinnes For when the hand of the Lord is vpon vs it should span and weane vs from our sinfull courses and abridge vs of our former pleasures and delights making vs Votaries to his worship and seruice and for euer obseruant of his Lawes and Edicts not turning away like a stubburne generation nor starting aside like a broken Bowe The third is made to our hands in these cond of Sam. 15. 25 26 c. where Dauid being pursued by Absalon and in danger of no lesse then the losse of his Kingdome flyes to God and thus vnfoldes himselfe O Lord if I shall finde fauour with thee restore mee if not heere I am doe with mee as it seemeth good in thy sight Beloued wee are persecuted by our cruell and mercilesse Creditours and heere immured depriued not of a Kingdome I confesse but of our Lands Liuings Liberties Let Dauids patterne bee our practise and let vs all ioyne in one and say O God if wee haue found fauour in thy sight number the dayes of our trouble enlarge vs restore vs to our former habitations if not heere wee are dispose of vs as it seemes good in thy sight FINIS Lament 3.