drinke but to cease from sinne as the Prophet speaketh August super Iohan. Esay 58.6 Chrysost suâ— per Math. Hee that sinneth and yet withall fasteth saith Chrisostome doth not fast to the glory of God but spareth his owne substance onely This is handled at large in these Treatises wherein is noted what the true exercise of fasting is what are the outward and inward parts thereof the one answering to the other together with the severall abuses of the counterfeit fastings True it is the Church of Rome complaine against us and accuse us as enemies to fasting even as the Pharisees sometimes condemned the Disciples of Christ Math. 9.14 whom he excuseth and defendeth but were we worthy of this reproch and reproofe yet are they the unfittest to upbraid us with it who beside the bare name and naked title of fasting have nothing remaining of the true nature and right practise thereof but the end they ayme at is to set up their owne merits and to puffe up them selves with pride as it was with the blind Pharisees their predecessors whom in this and in sundry other points they follow These things thus laid open J presume to offer to your Worship whose good affection to our Tribe so much scorned and scoffed at in the world and carefull frequenting the exercises of religion many wayes appeareth and as a token and testimony of my thankfull remembrance of your love to me in that you disdaine not but upon every occasion of passing by to come under the roofe of my poore cottage remembring the words of our blessed Saviour Mar. 6.4 A Prophet is not without honour save in his owne Countrey and among his owne kinne and in his owne house The God of heaven and earth encrease your zeale to the truth and finish that good worke which he hath begunne in you unto the day of Jesus Christ Your Worships at command William Attersoll THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTISE OF FASTING and PRAYER of FAITH and REPENTANCE IONAH 3.4 And Ionah beganne to enter into the City a dayes iourney and he cryed and said Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrowne THis Prophecie is wholly Historicall as the other prophecies are dogmaticall It containeth the History of Ionah relating what happened to himselfe when he was sent of God to the great Cittie Nineveh Gen. 10.12 to denounce unto the Ninevites their utter overthrow Who this Prophet was and when he prophecied may be gathered sufficiently out of the Scripture where we reade that Ieroboam the second restored the coast of Israel from the entring of Hamath unto the Sea of the Wildernesse according to the word of the Lord 2 King 14.25 which he spake by his servant Ionah the sonne of Amittai the Prophet which was in Gath Hepher And it seemeth that he was the first of all the Prophets whose writings are extant and remaine in the Church for the instruction thereof in faith and obedience For he lived before the battell of Ioash King of Israel with the Syrians about the end of the dayes of Elisha 2 King 13.14 and 14.25 Neither let any object the Prophecy of Micah as though he were before in time the same that prophecied in the daies of Ahab 1 King 22. Because these two were not both one but different neither doe their names accord in the Originall as may appeare to every one that readeth True it is this prophet hath this end and yssue of his writing with the rest to set forth the judgements and mercies of God toward mankind but this he hath proper and peculiar that he is not here sent unto the Church and people of Israel but onely unto prophane unbeleevers and uncircumcised persons that we should understand thereby that God hath rule over all nations and is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Iewes Rom. 3.29 and an avenger of sinne in whomsoever he findeth it Rom. 2.12 according to the saying of the Apostle As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law Rom. 2.12 For then the Prophets were sent to the Syrians 1 King 17.9 19.15 2 King 8.7 and to them of Damascus and to the Tyrians howbeit extraordinarily at the will and pleasure of God And doubtlesse by his sending of his Prophets to strangers out of the promised land God would reprove and condemne the desperate stubbornnesse of the people of Israel who would not be moved and perswaded by so many of his holy Prophets that were sent and dwelt among them and by so many threatnings as were brought upon them where as these poore infidels and unbeleevers did by and by beleeve and obey the voyce of one Prophet Math. 12.41 Luk. 11.32 that the Lord might say of them as he doth in an other case Matth. 8.10 I have not found so great faith no not in Israel I will not stand to discourse at large the vaine conceit and idle speculation of Epiphanius Epiphan of the life of the Prophets touching this Ionah For he telleth us that Elias gat himsalfe into the Wildernesse by reason of a great famine which hee had called upon the land where being nourished by Ravens he quenched his thirst with the water of the brooke and when the brooke was dryed up hee was an hungred and removed into Sarepta a Citie of Sidonia 1 King 17.9 Luk. 4.26 unto a poore woman a Widdow the mother of Ionah and entred into her house now the woman left nothing undone of that which he commanded her and he did eate and blessed her for he could have no abode with the uncircumcised And when as Ionah the sonne of the woman was deceased God raised him up by Elias and restored him alive unto his mother because of the entertainement which she gave unto him and that when Ionah was come to full age he was sent unto Nineveh to the Assyrians Where we have some truth mingled with much falsehood and therefore he deserveth to be credited no farther then he hath the warrant of Gods word being deceived with the tales of the Iewes that are masters of such lyes I know the common sort are most of all delighted with such new tangled devises that have no substance in them howbeit we should not please such itching eares nor feed them with empty winde in stead of wholesome food but avoid prophane bablings and oppositions of science falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the faith 1 Tim. 6.20.21 In this prophecy observe a twofold calling or sending of Ionah the first in the two former chapters which he rejected the second in the two latter which he executed In this third chapter is set forth the execution of his calling together with the fruit and profit thereof in the Ninevites whereby we may see his errour and oversight in flying from his function and supposing that he was sent in vaine when
this threatning Chap. 3.9 Chap. 3. Let every one turne from his evill way for who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Vse 1. Vse 1 There is comfort in the greatest the heaviest and most fearefull threatnings of certaine judgements there is hope of grace and mercy to be found if we doe repent as it were light shining out of darkenesse Let none say it is too late my sinnes are too great or too many that they cannot be forgiven as Caine said Gen. 4. The Elders of Iudah did profit better by the threatnings of Ieremy For when he had threatned desolation of the Lords house and the destruction of the whole land for which the Priests and Prophets would have put him to death they pleaded the practise and example of good King Hezekiah for their comfort as we noted before when the Prophet Micah threatned that Ierusalem should be plowed up like a field and lye desolate as a Forrest he did not put him to death Mic. 3.12 Ier. 26.18 but feared the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evill which he pronounced against them But it may be objected Ob. If God threatneth and willeth one thing and yet doth another as heere he threatned to destroy Nineveh and did it not then Gods will is changeable or else he hath two willes one will to destroy another to preserve which seeme contrary the one to the other I answer Answ as God is one so he hath but one will Howbeit it is distinguished into that which is revealed and secret The secret is of things hidde with himselfe and not manifested as Deutero 29.29 The revealed is of things made knowne by the word and by daily experience The secret will is without condition annexed unto it the reveald is with condition and it is joyned with exhortations admonitions instructions and reprehensions as may best serve for mans salvation and to keepe him in awe of God and his threatnings The secret shall and must be accomplished notwithstanding all the opposition and gainesaying of men and Angels Rom. 9.19 For who hath resisted his will and therefore albeit it bee most just and righteous yet it is not to us a rule of righteousnesse The revealed onely is the rule of our lives and the square to measure and direct all our actions The ignorance of these two parts of the single and simple will of God leadeth into manifold errour and the sound knowledge thereof beateth downe to the ground the perverse and corrupt practise of many For when they breake out into sundry evils and much prophanenesse contrary to the expresse commandement of God and rule of the word left unto us for our instruction a Plaut Aulid act 4. sc 10. Factum est fieri infectum non potest deos credo voluisse nam ni vellent non fieret scio Terent. in Eumuch Act. 5. sc 2. Quid. si hoc quispiam Coluit deus they follow the practise of the heathen and excuse themselves because forsooth it was the will of God it should be so or else it could not have beene done A grosse abuse of God and his wil. For when they walked in their owne waies as it were in by-paths and followed their sinfull lusts and pleasures did they set Gods will before their eyes or did they aske counsell of him or did they enter into such practises with a purpose to doe his will No doubtlesse they were ledde by their owne fansy as by a false guide that turned them out of their right way and therefore let them not excuse themselves by his will but rather accuse their owne wickednesse Secondly it is the duty of all men in hearing the threatnings of God to beware of all impediments and hindrances of repentance for as much as they must take effect unlesse we observe the condition If wee doe not keepe the condition the threatning is absolute and surer than the heavens Take heede therefore of these lets which as so many stumbling blockes lye in our way to cause us to fall Impediments hindring true repentance First wee must not slight the threatnings of God nor set light by them as the manner of many is who for the most part regard them no otherwise Esa 28.15 than as if they had made a covenant with death and were at league with hell and not with God to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Such were the sonnes in law of Lot that should have married his daughters when they heard of the overthrow of Sodome with fire and brimstone and were exhorted to save themselves from that crooked generation and to depart from the tents of those wicked men and to separate themselves from among that Congregation least they were consumed with them hee seemed as one that mocked unto his sonnes in law Gen. 19.14 and therefore they perished in those flames Secondly we must not exempt our selves from them and post them over to others or thinke they belong not at all to us Esa 28.15 that albeit the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come upon us for wee have made lies our refuge and under falsehood have wee hidde our selves Esa 28.15 These are they that hide their owne sinnes like Adam and turne them over to others as hee did to the woman and the woman to the Serpent Genesis 3. wee care not on whose shoulders wee lay the burthen so that wee doe not beare it nor touch it with our little finger neither who smart for it so that wee be free and doe not beare it Thus wee flatter our selves and never lay his threatnings to heart untill his judgements fall full upon our heads as they did upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians Thirdly bee not deceived to thinke by riches or honour by power or pollicy by favour or friendship to fave and deliver our selves from the punishments of God whereas nothing shall prevaile with him nothing in the world but repentance and turning from sinne hating and forsaking it True it is in the courts and consistories of men these may beare sway and get the upper hand a man may escape by his purse or winde himselfe out of trouble by might of men and so avoyd the danger of the Law but it is not so with God For howsoever men use to reason I care not I will doe well enough as long as I have money and friends howbeit this will not serve to free us from Gods Plagues and punishments as Zeph. I. Zeph. 1.18 When God had threatned to consume all things from off the Land both man and beast least they should imagine by their wealth or other wiles to escape hee saith Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Fourthly delay not the time nor put off the threatnings which the Lord abhorreth as Ezek. Ezek. 12.22.23 12. Sonne
a fast and threatneth that whosoever shall doe any worke at all therein even on that day Levit. 16.31 23.30.31 shall be cut off from among his people Levit. 16. Because it shall be a Sabbath of rest and we ought to resort at such solemne times to the house of God no lesse than we ought to doe on the Sabbath if not rather more in regard of the urging and pressing occasion Iudge 20. Hereby then falleth to the ground the opinion of such as hold it neither needfull nor expedient that the word should be preached at such times as the Church assembleth for fasting and praying These are not ashamed to affirme that they have often heard and read of the exercise of fasting and praying but never of fasting and preaching as if forsooth the time were spent unprofitably that is spent that way These men would gladly say somewhat to maintaine and countenance their owne idlenesse And because the diligence of others maketh their negligence to appeare the greater they open their mouthes against them and their practise who preach the word in season and out of season according to the Commandement of God and man and speake all manner of evill of them The wise Salomon teacheth Pro. 26.16 Pro. 26. That the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit than seven men that can render a reason We ought to use all meanes whatsoever and all little enough and too little to stirre up our selues to faith and repentance from dead workes but the preaching of the word is the principall and speciall meanes to worke these in vs and what is what is all our fasting without true repentance doubtlesse there is no life in it and therefore at such times the word should be taught to make the rest of the workes more lively Besides we have shewed that it hath the nature of a Sabbath day Whatsoever therefore they were forbidden on the Sabbath was likewise forbidden on the day of fasting and whatsoeven they were then Commanded to do ought likewise to be done and practised on this day But the Apostle teacheth Act. 15.21 that Moses hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath day So then besides that every day of fasting was a Sabbath day we see that after Moses was read he was also preached but he was read in their assemblies on the daies of their fasting Neh 9.13 there he sheweth how they spent that day one fourth part they reade in the booke of the Lord their God an other fourth part they spent in prayer and confessing their sinnes to God and by all likelihood the other two parts were spent in preaching after they had read the Lecture of the Law which is not expressed because he had so lately and largely spoken thereof in the former chapter And seeing they spent not the residne of the day idly but in some holy exercise together and neither in reading nor in praying how should it be spent but in preaching hearing the word of the Lord Thus Anna serued the Lord in the Temple with prayer fasting where without all question was the preaching of the word as well as praying and reading It is a desperate cause that hath nothing to pretend It is objected that the preaching of the word at such times is never expressed neither urged by Commandement nor Commended by example But we must consider the usuall manner of the Scripture by one part of the worship of God to understand the whole For sometimes there is mention of fasting but not at all of prayer Ester 4. and often elsewhere What then shall we collect and conclude from hence that they praied not to God nor once lifted up their hearts to him The brute beastes may keepe such a fast and therefore more must be understood then is named Esay 56.7 Math. 21.13 So the Temple was called the house of praier we never reade it called the house of preaching and yet it serueth no lesse for the one then for the other But these men conceive and imagine there is some time wherin the preaching of the word is unseasonable Lastly if the preaching of the word were used in times of holy feasting solemne thanksgiving to be rendred unto God for some extraordinary blessings or deliverances receiued as in the Passeover the like why should not the same exercise be much rather takē up when the times of holy fasting are sanctified that as at the one we might be stirred up to praise God for his mercies so at the other we might be moved to fear his judgments ready to fal upōus The second point is the kindes and sorts of fasting This we must learne The severall sorts of fasts to the end we may know of what fast the Prophet speaketh For all fastes are not of one nature neither undertaken for one and the same cause There is a fast prescribed by the Physition to restore health or to procure appetite abstaining from sustenance to consume raw and superfluous humours The cause of this is repletion Hence ariseth this rule of theirs Whatsoever diseases fasting or emptinesse cannot take away cure them by medicine An other is to performe somewhat with haste and expedition when the minde is so set upon some earnest businesse that a man either forgetteth himselfe or else can intend no time to take his sustenance and the refreshing which nature otherwise would require 1 Sam. 14.24 Such was the fast commanded by Saul who had no religious respect therein but aymed at this to spare no time from pursuing his enemies Such was Pauls fast and of the rest that were in the ship with him Act. 27.33 Act. 27. they had no leasure to take meate in time of the storme and tempest every houre fearing shipwracke and standing in jeopardy of their lives There is a fast of Christian sobriety which is nothing else but an using frugality in meates and drinkes or the vertue of temperance and is to be practised of us all the daies of our lives according to the warning of our Saviour Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selues least at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse Rom. 13.13 and of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in riotting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse c. There is an other fast of necessity which is a forced and constrained fast which God often sendeth as a chasticement when he breaketh the staffe of bread Leuit. 26.26 Deut. 28.23 when he maketh the heavens as brasse and the earth as yron when he destroyeth the labours of the husbandmen when the field is wasted the corne blasted the grasse withered the vines dryed and the land mourueth Ioel 2. Because we will not take up a voluntary fast that he would he forceth us to take up a fast which we would not because the earth forbeareth her fruites we must forbeare our food
conceale a thing secret Nay in this many miracles on an heape concurre together Is it not a miracle in the body to open the eyes of the blind Math. 10.8 11.5 Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 7.1 Eph. 2.1.5 to restore hearing to the deafe to raise the dead to clense the Lepers The penitent person hath received all these in his soule his eyes are opened his eares are boared he is clensed from his filthinesse and restored to life for being naturally borne dead in sinnes and trespasses he is quickned O how great a change and alteration is this But here a question may be asked Object whether this be a worke and effect of the Law are the threatnings thereof able to do it Answ or is it a fruit of the Gospell I answer the Law helpeth it forward it cannot worke it or bring it forth It prepareth to repentance but produceth it not so that the law is not excluded or quite shut out Rom. 3.20 Gal. 3.24 It serueth to bring us to the knowledge of our sinnes and miseries and thereby fitteth us to receive grace and mercy like eating salues that make way for curing medicines or like the sharpe needle that maketh way for the threed But it is the Gospell that hath the promise of pardon and forgivenesse and worketh repentance from dead workes and therefore it is a fruit of the Gospel The Law knoweth no remission of sins but is a letter that condemneth it promiseth no mercy but threatneth the curse against the transgressors Gal. 3.13 Vse Vse 1 1. This condemneth such as forsake and forget the ordinary way that God hath left to bring us to saluation and gape after miracles or revelations This is all one as if when the Lord heareth the Heauens and they heare the earth Hos 2.21.22 and the earth heareth the corne and the corne the people they will not feed thereof as base food but looke for Manna and bread from heaven are not such worthy to perish Hence it is that Abraham is brought in Luk. 16.31 answering the rich man that would have the dead sent to his brethren to reclaime them and bring them to repentance If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead How vainely then and idlely doe they prattle who to disgrace the Ministery of the word and the high ordinance of God to teach man by man alledge that they know not whether men speake the truth because all men are lyars and they are not able to try their doctrine but if they should heare the Lord himselfe speake or an Angel from heaven they would beleeve Iudg. 6 2â— 13.22 Gen. 16.2 Esay 6.3 These men neither know their owne weakenesse nor the power of God Not their owne weakenesse that are not able to endure the glory of him that speaketh from heaven nay this was the common voyce of such as heard an Angel We shall surely dy alas because I have seene an Angel of the Lord face to face not the power of God because he is infinite the Angels cover their faces before him the heavens are not cleane in his sight the earth trembleth when he sheweth his glory When the Israelites saw the lightnings and heard the noise of the thunder and sound of the Trumpet waxing lowder and lowder in the mount Exod. 20.18.19 so that Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake they sayd unto Moses Speake thou unto us and we will heare Heb. 12.21 but let not God speake unto us lest we die Deut. 5.25.26.28.29 If we heare the voyce of the Lord our God any more then we shall die for who is thereof all flesh that hath heard the voyce of the living God and lived This they spake and the Lord said They have well spoken all that they have spoken O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might goe wel with them and with their Children for ever If this were wisedome in them to call for Moses to speake to them and not God what a foolish choise doe they make that call for God to speake to them and not Moses But of this also else where Secondly their case is fearefull and dangerous that are without the word there is no vision and therefore the people must needes perish Pro. 29.18 There the sheepe are without a sheepheard See examples Exod. 32.1 2 King 12.2 and none to have compassion upon them Math. 9.36 Neither is their state any better who albeit they are not without it yet regard it not but despise it in their hearts These are both alike saving that the latter is worser and more fearefull then the former The one are without the ordinary meanes the other without the use of the meanes and therefore without hope to come to repentance It was a fearefull judgement when our Saviour commanded the twelue saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles Math. 10.5 and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not And when the Apostles went through the Cities to preach the Gospel Act. 16.6.7 they were forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and afterward when they assaied to goe into Bithynia the Spirit suffered them not Was not this in effect as much as if the Lord had sayd give them no bread let them be famished I will not have these converted and consequently saved He that taketh away the meanes of life it is plaine he would not have that man live Woe then to all such retchlesse and carelesse persons as set light by this high ordinance of God that neither have it nor desire it but doubly wretched are they that despise it and wish in their hearts to be without it Can these perswade themselues they have attained to repentance What without the meanes but such is the necessity of repentance that without it we must perish for ever I may therefore say to such as the Apostle doth to the Iewes Well spake the holy Ghost unto our fathers Esay 6.9 Act. 28.26 Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive for the heart of this people is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should heale them Thirdly behold the happy condition of such if they knew their owne happinesse to whomsoever God hath vouchsafed the preaching of the Gospell It is a manifest proofe he hath a people there whom he would have converted For as he shewed the Disciples to whom they should not goe Math. 10.6 Act. 18.9.10 so he sent them to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Thus also he spake to Paul Act. 18. Be not afraid but speake and
not to delay the time seing we know not what shall be on the morrow Iam. 4.14 First it is a just thing with God to contemne that man dying that despised him living He that calleth not upon God in his prosperity will God heare his cry Iob. 27.9 when trouble commeth upon him The best way to kil a Serpent is to bruise his head and when it is young so the safest and surest way to withstand sinne and Satan will be in the beginning not the latter and of our dayes in health not in sicknesse in life not in death betimes not when it is too late See this in the foolish Virgins that lingred their time of repentance but when the season was past they cryed againe and againe Lord Math. 25.11.12 Lord open unto us And what answer did they receive Verily I say unto you I know you not Luk. 13.24 verifying the saying of our Saviour Many I say unto you will strive to enter in and shall not be able because doubtlesse they strive when it is too late Secondly we must looke for a time when there will be judgement without mercy now is the time of mercy without iudgment Now are the dayes of grace now is the time of turning and repenting when this time is gone and past there will come a day of blacknesse and utter darknesse when there is no place nor time of turning For as the day of death taketh us the day fo judgment shal find us as we see in Caine Esau Iudas the rich man in the Gospell and such like Thirdly the houre of death to which the greatest sort post over their repentance hath many hindrances accompanying it that the sicke man cannot freely thinke of the state of his soule neither call to remembrance his sinnes that he hath committed Lastly beware of all lettes and impediments which as so many stumbling blockes lye in the way and keepe us from repentance Never was there good worke to be done but it hath found many oppositions Satan standeth at our right hand ready to catch hold of us The manifold impediments of true repentance when he seeth us sliding from him and resolued to leave sinne As then they that were bidden and called to the feast had all of them their excuses so such as are stirred up to repentance make not that hast which they ought but are wise to their own hurt and become the greatest enemies to their owne soules Let us therefore see their reasons or rather pretences which they use to hinder their returne into the right way First they alledge that repentance is full of difficulty a way hedged with thornes hard and painfull Be it so the harder the worke is the more excellent it is But what is the hardnesse of the worke in respect of the greatnesse of the wages and reward Besides this yoke of Christ is easie and this burden is light because the often practise thereof will make it so familiar unto us that we shall take pleasure and delight in it because we shall have God to put under his hand and assist us in the practise thereof because such vertue proceedeth from the death of Christ Rom. 6.6 that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne and we have him after a sort to draw in the yoke with us and because God powreth sweet and secret consolation into the hearts of such as resolve to turne to him whereby they find that peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding Another impediment is presumption of Gods mercy and a foolish and ungrounded perswasion that God will accept of them whensoever they returne to him True it is we have many precious promises of grace and mercy in holy Scripture Ezek. 18.32 33.11 Psal 103. 1 Tim. 2.4 But these men do abuse them and build upon a weake foundation they dreame of a God made all of mercy and forget his justice which is to set up an Idoll in their hearts they dwell so much upon the promises of the Gospell that they cast from them the curses of the law These are like to the Spider that gathereth poyson out of the sweetest flowers The goodnesse of God is published and Proclaimed so often for the comfort of the weake not for the encouragement of the wicked to raise up the penitent not to hearten or harden the obstinate it is bread for the Children to eate not for dogges to devoure To conclude Nah. 1.3 let us remember that as the Lord is slow to anger so he is great in power and wil not surely cleere the wicked The third impediment is contrary to the former and that is despaire of Gods mercy The former hoped too much this sort hopeth too little and both of them without cause This possessed the heart of Caine despairing of Gods goodnesse as if it were lesse than his sinnes Thus also Iudas perished who saw his sinne in the glasse of the Law but could not lay hold on Gods mercy and therefore died without hope Sathan hath two deceitfull glasses and brast asunder through despaire Thus doth Satan shew forth two false glasses to deceive the sight of sinners before sinne is committed he sheweth them his mercies greater than they are and his justice lesse than it is but after the committing thereof he maketh his mercies to appeare lesser and his justice greater than indeed it is But he is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lies trust him not beleeve him not the contrary to that which he speaketh is commonly true God hath mercy in store for all that doe repent from the bottome of their hearts Ezek. 18.21.22 and hath promised to put all their sinnes out of his remembrance To deny the infinitenesse of his mercy is to deny him to be God Remember the examples of old how he hath dealt with penitent sinners with Rahab the harlot with Manasses the King with Peter that denyed him with Paul that persecuted him with such as crucified the Son of God and delivered him into the hands of murtherers Luk. 7.38 with that woman which washed the feete of Christ with teares and wiped them with the haires of her head To conclude let us call to minde the description of the name and nature of God The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in truth Exod. 33.6.7 reserving mercy for thousands for giving iniquity transgression and sinnes The next impediment is the cares of this life and the deceitfulnesse of riches the pleasures of this world These are dangerous snares and baites of Satan wherewith he hunteth after the soules of men and catcheth them as fishes are with an hooke Luk. 14.17 Math. 13.22 Luk. 12.19 2 Tim. 4.10 and as corne is choked with thornes Luk. 8. For as full hands are able to hold and receive nothing no not the purest gold when they are
holy Sabboths so they are still They were drunkards and filthy livers ignorant and blind in matters of faith and religion so they are still Are these humble and repentant sinners do these turne to God where you saw them long a goe and where you left them twenty or thirty yeares a goe there you shall be sure to finde them never a whit changed unlesse happily from evill to worse But let such marke how it hath beene with other penitents and in them behold themselues as in aglasse I meane Paul the woman of Samaria Lydia the jaylour Zacheus the Iewes that crucified Christ the Lord of life Let him that talketh of Repentance boasteth of it and chalengeth it to himselfe even for his owne assurance shew the like fruites in himselfe for it worketh such a change and alteration that both our selues and others may discerne it as easily as light from darknesse So then as the Apostle saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes Iam. 2.18 so may I say shew me thy repentance by thy change For what shall it profit a man to say he hath repentance when he hath no friutes can such a repentance comfort him The third reproofe Thirdly it condemneth civill men that remaine in the state of nature and glory in their outward vertues that they are alwayes the same but these glory in their owne shame These cannot say they are become new creatures they cannot say they were ever borne againe yet without the new birth they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Ioh 3.3 They cannot say Old things are passed away 2 Cor 5.17 behold all thinges are made new yet no other are in Christ and made members of his body Such civill men that content themselues with civill honesty and have nothing wherein to rejoyce but nature stand as yet in a dangerous and damnable estate neither can they come out of it untill they begin to deny themselues and to loath and detest even these outward vertues forsamuch as the trust and confidence in them is no better then a selfe deceiving Secondly it serveth for information in other truthes First that no sinne is great and heinous but there is place for repentance if they can repent This was the end of Christes comming to call sinners to repentance Math. 9.13 he sayth sinners without exception This we see in Manasses a Sorcerer an Idolater a murtherer and almost what not yet he humbled himselfe and obtained mercy according as he prayed 2 Chr. 33. 2 Chro. 33.19 Paul confesseth that he was sometimes a blasphemer and a persecutour and an oppressour yet he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 1. The conspirators against Christ and his kingdome are called to kisse that is Psal 2.12 to embrace and obey him and his doctrine and accordingly they which shed his blood by murthering of him did drinke his blood by beleeving him Act. 2. Act. 2.37 A singular comfort for such as feele the burden of their sinnes lying heavy upon their consciences that they goe mourning all the day long and cannot lift up their heads to God unto such the Lord speaketh Esay 1. Come let us reason together Esay 1.16 if ye will wash and clense your hearts though your sinnes were as red as crimsin they shall be made white as wooll And Christ our Saviour calleth such as are heavy laden Math. 11.28 and promiseth to give them rest Math. 11. Sinne often bringeth us to the brimme or border of hell but it cannot bring us so low but Christ Iesus is able to bring us backe and to raise us vp againe by repentance Secondly there in no sinne so small and little though it seeme in our eyes as a more but it is able to bring to hell and therefore craveth repentance The world of naturall men judgeth that repentance is proper to none but to heinous and hideous sinnes as murther theft periury treason rebellion whordome and such like and that if they be free from the outward act of these they justifie themselues like the Pharisee and thinke repentance belongeth not to them as for others if they have any they hope to be dispenced with all It is nothing so with Gods children they have beene touched to the heart for such sinnes as the world taketh no notice off and never sticketh at as for the evill which appeareth in their best workes that they cannot do them as they would but infirmities creepe upon them and defile them not onely for committing evill but for omitting good things Rev. 2.4.5 the Church of Ephesus is called to repentance for leaving their first love they watch over their idle thoughts and idle words Gen 6.5 remembring that every imagination of the heart is onely evill continually and the threatning of Christ that for every idle word that men shall speake Math. 12.36 they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement Davids heart was smitten for cutting off the lappe of Sauls garment privily 1 Sam. 24.4 1 Sam. 24. Every thing is layd to heart of Gods children which he hath softned by the touch of his holy spirit by giving unto them an heart of flesh they will be troubled for the least sinnes accounting no sinne little which is committed against so great a God which offendeth so holy a law which deserveth eternall death as the just wages thereof and brought Christ Iesus from the bosome of his Father to suffer death for them and lastly they are grieved touched to the quick because they encrease not in grace according to the good meanes and occasions that God hath given knowing that the more is given and committed unto them the more is required at their hands and the streighter shall their account be Lastly let us examine our selues whether we be turned from evill to good and from the power of Satan to God This will appeare by these signes and tokens First there is a turning of the heart upward to heaven and a fastning of the eye upon God that it may be sayd of every true repentant that his behaviour is as of one that is journying going up to the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of us all Luk. 9.53 as it is said of our Saviour that his face was as though he would go to Ierusalem Phil. 3.20 So our conuersation must be in heaven and our whole life a travelling thither and a wandering in the wildernesse of this world untill we be brought into the true Canaan that is aboue But if the hearts of all were tried by this rule it would shew how little repentance is in the world when in all our thoughts workes and employments we are carried wholly downeward which way will bring us to hell in the end forasmuch as we have prophane hearts not savauring the things that are of God like prophane Esau Secondly we grow every day better and better when once we
Secondly it may be objected What reason is it Object 2 that we should answer for an other mans sinne This may seeme jniustice in God and wrong done to the sons of men to condemne them for an other for what could we helpe or hinder Adams fall I answer Answ this indeed seemeth strange to the carnall or naturall man wherein the rule of the Apostle if in any thing holdeth in this Let no man deceive himselfe 1 Cor. 3.18 if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may be wise Cur omnium fit culpa paucorum sceluss Seneca in Hippoli But howsoever few among the multitude thinke or beleeve they shall answer for Adams sinne yet we must know it was not his sinne alone but a common sinne his and ours as he was a common or publike person and carried all mankind in him If any aske the reason why the sinne of Adam should be imputed to his posterity rather then the sinne of other parents as our fathers grandfathers or great-grand-fathers to their children I answer the difference appeareth in diverse respects First by the sinne of Adam we lost originall purity but not by the sinnes of the other Secondly we shewed before that Adam received gifts which he should have conveyed to his posterity when they were lost it commeth to passe justly that all his posterity should be stripped and deprived of them but our grand fathers or fathers received not supernaturall gifts which by an hereditary right were to be derived to their children Besides the sinnes of such Parents were personall or proper sinnes because they did not sustaine the persons of their posterity it cannot be said of Hezekiah Iehoshaphat or Iosiah Velut aâ—mine facto quidataâ— portaruunt et terras turbine perflant Virg. Aeneid lib. 1. who were the posterity of David that they did in the loynes of David murther Vriah or commit adultery with her that was the wife of Vriah Let us see the truth of this in the example of Adam He was the roote and originall of all sinne he disobeyed the Commandement of God and after that a flood gate being opened followed a multitude of sinnes yet doubtlesse onely that first sin of Adam was imputed to his posterity not his daily failings because by this sin he brake the Couenant of God made with him as with the author and originall of all mankind To conclude then we must distinguish of Adams sinnes they are of two sorts his first sinnes and his after sinnes His first sin was the sinne of mankind generally this was not his alone nor ours alone but his and ours joyntly together his after sinnes for no doubt he sinned dayly being now become a sinner which he committed as a private man were his alone being sins of his person not of his nature and therefore not to be laid to our charge The last objection is out of the Prophet Ezekiel Object 3 chap. 18.4 Ezek. 18.4 20. All soules are mine as the soule of the father so also the soule of the Sonne is mine the soule that sinneth it shall dye the Sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Deut. 24.16 neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne How then commeth it to passe that we die for anothers sinne or wherefore is the sinne of Adam imputed to us or is it credible that that he which forgiveth us our owne sinnes will impute to any one an other sinne Answ I answer the meaning of the Prophet is that none perish or are punished being innocent therefore the sonne that is innocent shall not beare the punishment of his father that is guilty Exod. 20.5 So in the law when the Lord threatneth to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children Ezek. 18.2 he understandeth such children as walke in their fathers steppes and are partakers of the same sinnes For in this place he reproveth them that used this Froverbe The fathers have eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But the sonnes of Adam cannot be said to be innocent as they which not onely sinned in Adam as in the stocke and roote of mankinde but also themselues are borne stained with the same depravation and prone to the same sinne So then this place maketh nothing to the present matter for the first sin of Adam was not personall being as one that represented the person of his posterity whereas the Prophet speaketh of the sinnes of the fathers whose sinnes are meerely personall as they that in sinning did not sustaine the persons of their children The second rule dependeth upon the former which is The second rule that in all men in regard of the guiltinesse aforesaid the whole nature of man is corrupted so that the whole man lyeth in evill as Ioh 5. The whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 so we may say that every part and power of soule body is infected with sin as with a foule Leprosie from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing in us but woundes and bruises and putrifying sores so that we may cry out with the Leper I am unclean Levit. 13.45 I am uncleane No man is free from this blot whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 Ioh. 3.6 We are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Eph. 2 3. Iob. 14.4 Who can bring forth a cleance thing out of an uncleane There is not one Iob. 14.4 David acknowledgeth himselfe infected with this contagion from his conception Psal 51.5 Psal 51.5 and in this common lot he doth bewaile and lament his owne This we must confesse to be in our selues and thus the Apostle teacheth Rom. 3. Rom. 3.9.10.11.12.13.14 c. Are we more excellent or better then they No in no wise for we have before proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sinne As it is written There is none righteous no not one and they are all gone out of the way and their throate is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have vsed deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes c. that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God This was signified by Circumcision for by that externall signe or Symbole the Church was and is warned that there was somewhat in man so soone as he was borne that ought to be cut off and corrected The end of our Baptisme is the same which is the Sacrament of our clensing in the blood of Christ by which our naturall filthinesse is washed away Neither doth the estate of this universall contagion belong only to Turkes and infidels to the Sauages or evill Christians but even to the off-spring of the Godly faithfull even as he that was Circumcised begate one that was uncircumcised as a graine of wheat well winnowed from the chaffe bringeth forth
his judgments who never once consider the causes thereof not hate their sinnes though heinous and horrible which bring them upon us We deale commonly with our sinnes as the vniust Steward did with his Masters debters and debt for an hundred he sets downe fifty Luk. 15.6 See herein how partiall we are when we censure others we are ready for fifty to set downe an hundred and of every mole-hill to make a mountaine but when we cast up our owne accountes we say to our owne soules Take thy bill and sit downe quickly and write fourscore or fifty or happily foure or five so unequall and unjust are our wayes Againe others acknowledge themselues to be sinners in grosse or in generall as Pharaoh Saul and sundry others but come to the particulars of the law which is the glasse to shew us our sinnes for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sin examine these by it from point topoint Rom. 3.20 who never examined themselues they are not ashamed to pronounce themselues innocent For bring them to their triall as it were to hold up their hand at the barre whether they ever brake the first Commandement Exod. 20 3.4.7.8.13 Thou shall have no other Gods before me they answer readily God forbid I should set up strange gods Or the second To make graven images or the rest To kill To steale To beare false witnesse Math. 19.20 and such like they sticke not to plead not guilty and to say with the young man All these things have I kept from my youth up what lacke I yet These are like to a man that saith he is sicke and being asked where and led a long from the crowne of the head to the Sole of the foot should then say he is well in every particular part Thus they shew they understand not the Law which is spirituall Rom. 7.14 and searcheth into the heart Lastly it is our duty to use all meanes to move us and bring us unto repentance The first may be our present necessity Motives to stirre us up to repentance If there were no other but the distresse and calamity that lyeth upon our Churches it were enough to rouse us up out of the dead sleep of sinne into which we are fallen It is not our fasting and prayer that can call in Gods judgements nay they provoke him the more against us except we repent O let us consider the wofull mortality and the pittifull estate of thousands of our brethren and sisters Psal 80.5 79.8.9 that the Lord feedeth them with the bread of teares and giveth them teares to drinke in great measure and thereby be stirred up our selues and stirre up others to unfained repentance then let us say with the Prophet O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low helpe us O God of our Salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sinnes for thy names sake and he will heare us in the end and send us a gracious deliverance Secondly a man that liveth in this world without amendment of life is farre more uile then the basest creatures that creepe upon the ground it had beene better we had never beene borne or beene brought forth as dogs and swine as wormes of the earth nay as Serpents or a generation of Vipers We are worse then all these lying in the state of impenitency for there is an end of them when this life endeth but our misery shall never have end Thirdly such as ate not truly conuerted are in danger of all the judgments of God which as a suddaine and violent flood may breake in upon them or as a mighty host of men may quickly ouerthrow them and destroy them Happy are they that feare them a farre off and can beware by other mens harmes Let us not tarry till they come upon us Exod. 12.30 as the Egyptians did till one in every house was dead God was neuer more prouoked then at this day Hitherto he hath prevailed little or nothing with us Math. 3.10 now the axe is laid to the root of the trees therefore every one which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire Fourthly God hath used all meanes to worke in us repentance the greater is our sin if we use them not We are fast a sleep he hath sounded his trumpets to awakeÌ„ us He hath the trumpet of his word and commandeth his Ministers to cry aloud and spare not Esay 58.1 to lift up their voyces like a Trumpet to shew the people their transgressions their sins He hath also the trumpet of his judgements to pierce into our hearts when the word findeth no place in us He hath often sounded the alarme and blowne the trumpet of his Word by the Ministery of his seruants that have spoken unto us early and late in the name of the Lord and warned us of his wrath to come and of our wickednesse present and we would not heare them He is therfore constrained to take in hand an other trumpet and to strike us with the pestilence and mortality Ames 3.6 shall this Trumpet be blowne in the City and the people not be afraid Or shâ—ll there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it For as when a trumpet giveth a signe or token out of a watch-tower the people hearkneth and is troubled and prepare themselves this way or that way as the trumpet giveth the token so the Lord cryeth unto us by his judgments as it were by the voyce of a shrill trumpet ought we not then to be attentive and be moved at the sound thereof and according to the warning prepare our selves to repentance and heare his voice while it is called to day Psal 95.8 Heb. 3.7 4.7 lest our hearts be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne It were better for us a thousand times to hearken to the sound of the first trumpet then tarry till be sound the second to heare his word then waite till he take up his sword O how much better had it beene for us to have taken his word which he sends among us and to Obey it then to cause and even constraine him to send his destroying Angel to make havocke of us Lastly he that converteth not is in danger of eternall damnation to be separated from Gods presence at whose right hand is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Dan 12.2 to have fellowship with the Devill and his angels to have shame and everlasting contempt powred upon them and to have horrour and anguish of conscience cast upon them arising from a feeling of Gods wrath Then shall the last trumpet blow and waxe lowder that the dead shall heare the sound thereof 1 Cor. 15.52 1 Thes 4.16 when the Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a great shout and with thousands
and dissimulation This was the sinne of Eli other wise a good man 1 Sam. 1. Christ our Saviour conversed much with publicans and sinners to the end he might do them good and draw them from the kingdome of sinne and Satan and make them inheriters of the kingdome of heaven a worke in all respectes most holy and righteous yet the Scribes and Pharisees judged him to be a friend and favourer of them and of their sinnes Lue. 7.34 And albeit he castout Devils by the power of his divine Majesty for the confirmation of his doctrine and edification of the weake in faith yet they said he did it by Beelzebuh the Prince of the Devils Math. 12.24 So in our dayes religion and the zealous profession thereof are reputed no better then counterfeit holinesse Let the examples of the faithfull be before us continually whensoever we find the same measure offered untous and comfort our selves with this that it hath no otherwise befallen us then to many Prophets of God and faithfull seruants of Christ Math. 5.12 who must not looke to be greater then there Master neither to finde better entertainment in the world then he did The second kinde of judgment forbidden is when men commit evill things worthy in themselves to be condemned and thereupon are judged not onely dangerous but desperate offenders past hope of repentance and recovery This is to execute indeede a right Lordship over their soules and Salvation and to step up into the seate of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Of this the Apostle speaketh Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have prayse of God and we are charged to instruct with meeknesse the contrary minded 2 Tim. 2.25 to bring them to God and not leave them in the snares of the Devill No man therefore ought to passe their doome of the everlasting estate of any man and to pronounce peremptorily and absolutely that they shall perish and cannot be saved as if they were Lords of one anothers life and death salvation and damnation or had power to bring them to heaven or cast them into hell This is beyond our reach and commission and to usurpe the office of Christ to whom all judgment is committed No man dare make himselfe a judge and sit downe in the judgement seate to give sentence of absolution or condemnation in matters of this temporall life without the Princes speciall appointment and shall any dare doe it in things of the life to come to pronounce any to be forlorne reprobates and vessels of wrath For who knoweth what one day may bring forth Pro. 24 1 He runneth farre that never returneth We see many notorious wicked men suddainly and mightily called and changed 2 Chr. 33. Act. 9. Luk. 23. We read of some standing idle all the day long called at the eleventh houre to labour in the vineyard Math. Math. 20. 20. The theefe repented and was converted at the instant of his death Let us remember that we are all brethren one no better then another and therefore we ought not presumptuously to chalenge this superiority to judge and condemne one another Christian love hopeth well of all men and so long as they live there is some hope The third kind is when we doe things which in themselues are indifferent which may be done either well or ill either with a pure or a prophane heart with faith or without faith to judge such an action wicked which indeed is to be accounted good or evill according to the intent purpose and affection of the doer whereof God alone is the discerner because he alone is the searcher of the heart he alone is the Iudge of the heart This corruption we read to have beene in Eliab the brother of David Why camest thou downe hither 1 Sam. 17 2â— and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the haughtinesse of thy heart for thou art come downe to see the battell This the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14. Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth judge him that eateth not c. The faithfull servants of God are hardly delt withall in all these respects their good things are not good or at least it is shrunke up and contracted their indifferent things are pronounced to be starke naught and if they fall into evil it is stretched and made a thousand times worse even by those of the worser sort Lastly it standeth us upon to labour to see the grieuousnesse of sinne in our selves and to feele the waight and burden thereof For commonly we are blinde and see not at all or else we are purblind and cannot see them in their right colours we be hold them as motes or strawes not as beames or if we doe ever judge them as beames How we may perceive the neinousnesse and greinousnesse of sinne Luc. 12.48 it is in others not in our selves Now that we may discerne of sinne in the nature thereof we must consider these few particulars First consider how God striveth with us by his manifold mercies and blessings to draw us to a love of Godlinesse and hatred of wickednesse now unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Secondly if we compare our sinnes with Adams first sinne considered in the fact doubtlesse we have as great in our hearts yea greater and yet by that one disobedience he brought destruction upon himselfe and all his posterity that is the first and second death Thirdly we may behold the grievousnesse of sinne by proportion with the punishment For what is the wages and reward of sinne a subjection to all woe and misery in this life to death it selfe in the end of this life and to eternall death after this life in hell with the Devill and his Angels Fourthly they were laid upon the person of our Saviour Christ who outwardly endured the torments on the Crosse in his body and inwardly apprehended the wrath of God in his soule due unto us and which we should have suffered This made him to sweat water and blood Lue. 22.44 Math. 27.46 and to cry out in the anguish of his spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. Are such sinnes to be holden as motes no doubtlesse they are great beames are they as little moul-hills no doubtlesse they be huge mountaines able to crush the sonnes of men in pieces under the heavy indignation of God Lastly the law of God is holy and perfect and forbiddeth the first thoughts and motions in the heart that arise against God or our neighbour yea though we never give consent of will to practise them Rom. 7. If then the first motions be sins in themselves deserving damnation Rom. 7.7 because the law saith
the Lord will both we shall live and doe this or that But on the other side it should hasten and further our repentance and cause us to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God as the Ninivites did who hearing their end was neere at hand they proclaimed a fast they put on sack-cloth they cryed unto God from the greatest of them to the least of them And who knoweth how nigh at hand our time may be are not many gone and swept away that seemed before as safe as we The Sodomites thought themselves as free from judgement and as farre from their end as we doe Gen. 19.23.24 the Sunne shined upon them they promised to themselves a faire day but before night they suffered a perpetuall night and darknesse of death they were destroyed with fire and brimst one from heaven So it was with the Egyptians they went quietly to bed and slept soundly but it came to passe at midnight Exod. 12.29 the Lord smote all the first-borne in the land of Egypt c. The like I might say of Belshazzar Dan. 5. and of Anarias and Sapphira Act. 5. Now is the time of our acceptance of turning and changing after death there is no change at all Thirdly learne to content our selves with every estate and condition whatsoever shall befall us Our life is vaine and suddainly gone we have a short journey to make Cicer. de Senectute and therefore the lesse provision will serve our turne It is great folly for a man that hath a short way to goe and a little iourney to take to carry greater provision with him for it A little will serve to bring us to our iournies end 1 Tim. 6.7 Heb. 13.5 Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6. We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment let us be therewith content Lastly let us be wise to number our dayes and to measure out the length of our time that we may know how fraile we are There is a great art and skill required to doe this aright few have learned this knowledge Hence it is that the Prophet himselfe turneth himselfe to God to be instructed of him as one that was not able of himselfe to conceive it without such a master Lord teach me Psal 39.4 90.12 Lord make me to know mine end c. This is the best art of numbering and skill of mensuration It is a vaine thing to be able to measure our land and to number our sheepe and other cattell and yet have no knowledge how to number our dayes The numbring of our dayes aright hath many branches A man may seeke the register and know his age and not number his dayes but suffer whole yeares to passe over his head and the greatest part of all his life without heavenly wisedome This point hath many branches first account the present time and day to be as the last and so live as if every day we should die that we may prepare our selves for the day of our dissolution Luc. 12.10 when we must go hence be no more not as the rich man that numbred falsely and deceived himselfe in his accounts Thou hast much laid up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry and therefore is worthily called a foole for his labour There can be no worse deceit then when a man deceiveth himselfe in his reckonings Secondly we number our daies when we looke backe and remember the miserie into which sinne hath brought our nature Gen. 2. Must not that needs be bitter which hath brought forth such bitter fruit Gen. 3.17.18 the ground was cursed to bring forth thornes and thistles but man bringeth forth more sowre and unsavery fruits of ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse and hath pulled down that goodly building which God had set up that only a little rubbage therof remaineth An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit so man drinketh iniquity as water and cannot bring that which is cleane from the fountaine that is uncleane Thirdly we learne thereby to dy daily 1 Cor. 15.31 This the Apostle practised 1 Cor. 15. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dy daily We must exercise and enure our selves in dying by little and little so long as we live here upon earth before we come tody indeed and then I doubt not but we shall depart hence in peace dye well in the end Every afflictiō is a preparation to death and a putting of us in minde of our dissolution For he died daily not onely because he was often in danger of death that there was often but a steppe betweene death and him but because in all his troubles and dangers he made himselfe ready not knowing when God might call him He that will inable himselfe to beare the crosse of all crosses I meane death Iob. 18.24 called the King of terrours must first of all learne to beare smaller lesser crosses patiently and meekly as sicknesse of body trouble of minde anguivh of conscience losse of goods greatnesse of paines death of friends burdens of poverty lacking of maintenance crosses in our affaires and many such like which are as the harbingers or messengers of death making the way before it Learne we therefore to entertaine them and make good use of them that when death the end of all commeth indeed to cut off our dayes as the sickle reapeth downe the corne that is ripe and ready to be carried into the barne we may looke it in the face bid it welcome and prepare to meete it halfe way O how bitter and distastfull is death to them that live in the pleasures of sinne and how sweet to the distressed Fourthly labour to take away the power and sting and strength of death It is as a Scropion that carrieth poison in the taile of it and therefore we must deale with it as they doe with a venimous beast pull out the sting of it then it cannot hurt What is that may some say 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle as the strength of sinne is the law Or let us deale with it as the Philistines dealt with Sampson they never rested but laboured day and night to know wherein his strength lay Iudg. 16.5 that they might weaken him and make him like to one of them So ought we to doe If any aske wherin lyeth the strength of death that it beateth downe so many to the ground nay throweth and thrusteth them headlong downe to hell I answer it lyeth altogether in our sinnes and therefore we must labour earnestly to take away the strength of them by repentance from dead workes and faith in Christ Iesus So many sinnes as we maintaine and cherish in our selves so many stings of death be in us the least whereof is able to wound our soules to eternall death The venime of
that worketh deceit shall not dwell in mine house hee that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my fight him that privily flandreth his neighbour will I cut off him that hath high lookes will I not suffer mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me be that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me This is profitable to be considered of fathers and masters yea of all house-holders and governors whatsoever that are in any place of superiority and are set over others as a City upon an hill would we have our people obedient our children dutifull our servants trusty our families faithfull and in good order we must lead them the way and goe before them in all uprightnesse we must first of all be faithfull our selves and behave our selves wisely in a perfect way we must be obedient to him and his word and walke within our house in a perfect way For it is most certaine that none are greater enemies to their children and posterities pulling their houses downe even with their owne hands and bringing them to utter ruine and desolation then such superiours or overseers as are ungodly and disobedient unto God Let us seeke never so much to make our names great upon the earth and to leave our issue rich and wealthy in the world yet so long as we live in prophanenesse we pull an heavy curse not onely upon our owne heads but upon our posterities and make our names to stinke and rot as we see in Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne 1 King 14.10 21.21.25 the Lord threatned to bring evil upon his house and to take away the remnant thereof as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone The like we see in Ahab who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord who more likely to make himselfe great upon the earth and to have left a plentifull issue behind him yet were all swept away suddenly as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it upside downe Pro. 14.1 Wherefore that which Salomon teacheth touching the wise and foolish woman Every wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish plucketh it downe with her hands we may extend and apply to the faithfull man and the ungodly the one doth by godlinesse lay a sure foundation in time to come as Psal 112. Psal 112.1.2.3 c. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandements his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed c. the other sort by their infidelity impiety and iniquity pull their houses quite downe that they are never raised up againe whose children may curse such perverse and prophane parents Vers 8. And he answering said unto him Lord let it alone this yeare also Hitherto of the first part of the communication concerning the Owner of the Vineyard now followeth the second touching the dresser thereof wherein consider first of all his prayer directed to the Owner Lord Gualt in Lucā hom 237. let it alone this yeare Here we see the dresser of this Vineyard intreateth the Lord of it for the fig-tree and maketh intercession to have it spared Heb. 13.20 I will not precisely or peremptorily decide and determine what part of the Church Hab. 2.1 whether Christ the head and great sheepheard of the sheepe Esay 62.6.7 or the Ministers that stand in their watch-tower or other the faithfull as the Lords remembrancers which give him no rest this Dresser of the Vineyard in the parable representeth onely I will observe that the prayer of him continueth yet one yeare longer the standing and abode of it in the Vineyard Doct. This teacheth that it is the duty of Gods children to make request for others Gods children must pray for others God heareth them and their requests are powerfull and available not onely for the faithfull but oftentimes for others to remove judgments and God heareth them when they pray We see this touching Abimelech who had taken away Abrahams wife Gen. 20.7 17.20 God sendeth him unto him and said He shall pray for thee and thou shalt live and God saith to Abraham concerning Ishmael I have heard thee And our Saviour Christ and his faithfull witnesse Stephen doe commend their strongest enemies and persecuters into the hands of God Luc. 23.34 Act. 7.60 Father forgive them for they know not what they doe lay not this sinne to their charge To these infinite other testimonies might be ioyned The reasons are Reason 1 first because it is an expresse commandement to pray one for another he transgresseth the law and sinneth against God that faileth in it and performeth it not It is a commandement of God to honour parents and this is the first commandement with promise of a particular blessing but it is a commandement in the first Table to honour God by praying unto him which we are no lesse but rather more commanded to practise then we are forbidden to kill or to steale If then we make conscience of these 1 Sam. 12.19.23 we ought in like manner to make conscience of the other This appeareth in the words of Samuel when the people desired him pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not he said as for me God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Secondly such have a promise annexed vnto their prayer that we should not say with the wicked what profit should we have if we pray unto him Iob 21.15 nor with those shamelesse blasphemers It is in vaine to serve God Mal. 3.14 Our Saviour because we are weake in faith assureth that Whosoever asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth Math. 7.8 and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And the Apostle Iames accordeth hereunto Iam. 5.16 The Prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Would we have a surer ground and foundation to build upon then the faithfull word and promise of God that cannot lye or deceive Seing it is the duty of the Church to pray one for another and that is profitable and available hence ariseth comfort and cheerefulnesse in all heavy and sorrowfull times such as the present times are when afflictions lye sore upon sundry our bretheren and sisters in other places and presse them downe to the ground nay to the grave remember the rest of the Church of God pray for us I say Gods people our fellow-members commend us and and our causes day and night with fasting and praying weeping whom he hath promised to heare they thinke upon us in their best meditations and are earnest remembrancers for us to him as if it were their owne case and have a fellow-feeling of all our miseries Heb. 13.3 as if themselves were afflicted This in the middes of all our heavinesse and greatest weaknesse is not our least comfort that we have many
to repentance to bring forth good fruit They shal have God himselfe to helpe strengthen and assist them to cause them goe through with that worke If any aske what is the way and what be the meanes to attaine unto it and to lead us by the hand to enter into that course I answer First to account no sinne in it owne nature light or small This is that withholdeth us from repentance and draweth iniquity with cords of vanity Esay 5.18 and sinne as it were with a cart-rope to suppose it to be a slight thing that we may doe a little that we neede not be so precise to sticke at a little like the sluggard that giveth way to a little sleepe a little slumber Pro. 6.10 a little folding of the hands to sleepe but we must assure our selves that though there be difference betweene sinne yet all finne is heinous none to be accounted little Rom. 6.23 as Rom. 6. the wages of all sinne is death Secondly to avoyde all occasions and allurements that may draw and entise us to sinne as we are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of evill and Iude saith Others save with feare 2 Thess 5.22 Iude vers 23. pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh Thirdly to accustome our selves to subdue the smaller and lesser sinnes that at the last we may subdue and overcome the greater like a captaine who to hearten encourage his souldiers bringeth them where the weakest enemies are encamped Fourthly to oppose the law the curse the last judgment and such like against all sinne whatsoever and therefore Salomon saith Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Lastly to remember that the least sinne cost the blood of Christ our Saviour to make satisfaction and brought him from the bosome of his father to take our nature upon him and in that nature to dye for us Psal 49.7.8 No man can by any meanes redeeme his brother neither give to God a ransome for him so precious is the redemption of the Soule And if not then after that thou shalt c. This latter clause of the sentence is defective in the former part as the former was in the latter part The meaning is if this fig-tree will not bring forth fruit that is of repentance after all the labour of digging and dunging bestowed upon it after this thou shalt cut it downe Doct. This teacheth that all trees which are in the Vineyard are not fruitfull trees All that are in the Church are not true members of the true Church neither are all which are in the Church members of the Church but many hypocrites in it as there are evill humours in the body which are no parts of the body So it was in the house of Abraham so it was in the house of Isaac for all are not Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6.7 2.28 neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called So there is a Iew which is one outwardly and there is a Iew which is one inwardly as there is a circumcision which is in the flesh and a circumcision of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God This will farther appeare by the title given to the Reason 1 visible Church It is the garden of God in a garden all are not good and wholsome herbes and on the tree all is not fruit but some leaves The Church is the floore where in is both corne and chaffe Mat. 3.12 13.24.47 the field wherein groweth both wheat and tares the net that catcheth all sorts of fishes both good and bad the pasture where in feed both sheepe goates some are sheepe in shew and semblance that inwardly are ravening wolues in sheepes clothing others are sheepe indeed and in truth some by outward calling and profession and in the eye of the Church others by grace and inward regeneration and in the eye of God Secondly all that be within the Church be not the elect of God Math. 20.16 therefore all cannot be beleevers for many are called but few are chosen It is the house of God in a great a great house 2 Tim. 2.30 there are not onely vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour Thirdly it is compared to the Arke of Noah wherein as there were both cleane beasts and uncleane and men cleane and uncleane So all that are in Church are not by and of the Church 1 Ioh. 2.19 as 1 Iohn 2. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us c. This serveth for reproofe Vse 1 and that of sundry sorts First it confuteth them that hold the godly alone to be members of the visible Church whereas the barren fig-tree was planted in the vineyard as well as the other trees Secondly it reproveth such as forsake the visible Church for the wickednesse of them that live in it and doe in that respect condemne it for no Church Thirdly it convinceth such as dreame of perfection in the Church The floore cannot be throughly purged in this life that there should be nothing but wheat in the Church of God the servant cannot plucke up all the tares in this life Math. 13.28.29 lest while they gather up the tares they root up also the good seed with them This serveth to pull up by the rootes the dotage of the Anabaptists and familie of Loue for never was there such a Church in this life as they dreame off neither shall there be hereafter Secondly see here the difference betweene the Church in this life and that in the life to come betweene the Church militant triumphant For here the Church complaineth that it is blacke both in regard of the affliction and infirmities therof in this life albeit it be also comely Cant. 1.5 blacke in respect of it selfe but comely or lovely in respect of Christ But after this life all blacknesse and imperfections shall be done away when Christ Iesus shall present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 but that it should be holy without blemish No unrighteousnesse then shall enter therein Revel 21.27.4 neither any thing that is uncleane or any thing that defileth then God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away Lastly it exhorteth us never to give rest to our soules until we become the Israel of God true members of the visible Church because to such to none others the promises of
member thereof being fallen from that faith For neither did that Roman Church beleeve as this doth neither yet this as that did as it were easie to shew by sundry particulars But to leave all these the Iewes the Donatists the Anabaptists the Separatists and the Romanists that thus restraine the Church on the other side there are others who pull up the fence and digge downe the wall wherewith it is fenced and defended and lay it out as common ground and set it wide open to the beasts of the field Now they stretch it too wide and extend it too farre who will have all men saved in their religion whatsoever it bee true or false so that they bee zealous and serve God with a good intention and devotion These erre on the contrary part who lest they should seeme to condemne any rashly they proclaime a generall pardon and offer salvation unto all They see and confesse that there are manifold contentions touching faith and religion but because all ayme at one and the same end and desire both to serve God and to bee saved by him therefore they hold that their error and ignorance shall be no hindrance or impeachment unto them This perverse and peevish opinion is very plausible and well-pleasing to flesh and blood and to the politicke wise men of the world and therefore findeth many followers the ground whereof they take out of the Words of Christ There shall bee one Shepheard and one Sheepfold But this he understandeth not of all men generally but of the Elect onely or sheepe gathered of Iewes and Gentiles whereby he represseth the vaine boasting of the Iewes who presumed that they were the Children of Abraham and that the promises of salvation belonged to themselves alone These doe indeed pretend devotion and thinke it enough to serve God with a good intention howbeit neither are they devout neither yet have they any good intent For how unreasonable is it once to imagine that God will be pleased with good intents that saith by the Prophet Who required these things at your hands Esay 1.12 or as though the Church were a kennell of Dogs or a stye of Swine or a den of wilde Beasts which receiveth a mixture or confusion of all sorts without difference or distinction If God be God we must follow him alone there is no dallying with him nor halting betweene two opinions 1 King 18.21 and if the Scripture be the Word of God inspired by him we must follow the direction thereof The Christian religion is the onely true religion Acts 4.12 there is no name under Heaven whereby wee can bee saved but by Christ Iesus the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Revel 13.8 neither is there salvation by any other then through him alone Now concerning the reason that Christ useth in this place it is indeed contrary to carnall reason and seemeth rather to destroy that which he would perswade then perswade that which he would destroy For he sheweth in this place to whom he maketh this dehortation even to his little flocke whereby he may seeme rather to discourage them then to encourage them and to worke distrust and infidelity in them then to draw them from their feare forasmuch as the reason standeth thus Feare not Wherefore Because yee are a little flocke If a Captaine should say thus to his Souldiers Yee are a little Army and your Enemies are many therefore feare not their feare neither be yee discouraged what comfort could bee gathered by such reasoning But God useth not reasons according to mans reason his Workes are contrary to the wisedome of men Iohn 9 6. as Christ cured the blinde man by making clay of the spittle and by anoynting his eyes therewith Thus also are his arguments his promises his threatnings and his punishments oftentimes contrary to humane understanding Wee are ready to judge them to bee no promises which notwithstanding are great and precious promises if we consider of them aright As for example Psal 89.32 Psal 89.32 If thy children forsake my Law then will I visit their transgression with the rod but my loving kindnesse I will not utterly take from him and this God would doe in mercy 1 Cor. 11.32 as 1 Cor. 11. that we should not be condemned with the world So Davids afflictions were medicines and blessings unto him and as a precious balme Psal 119.67 71. Againe wee many times suppose those to be no threatnings nor punishments at all which neverthelesse are deepe and grievous judgements as Hos Hos 4.14 4.14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome Where he threatneth to let them alone so that he will not punish them but suffer them to run on without punishment that thereby hee may punish them the more sharpely and irrecoverably His hand is most heavy when it is thought most light and he striketh us with a deadly blow while we are sencelesse and feele nothing Thus the wound is deepest when it is not seene at all These doe seeme paradoxes to naturall men And as sometimes he will not punish that he may punish so sometimes hee will blesse that he may not blesse Thus no punishments become punishments and blessings become no blessings but curses upon us These considerations may seeme paradoxes and strange positions to naturall men Psal 92.7 Mal. 2.2 but the regenerate understand them well enough and feele the truth of them by experience and wonder at the unsearchable wisedome of God and tremble under the stroke and deepe judgement of his right hand upon the world To escape scotfree whiles other men smart for their sinnes the most sort interpret to be no punishment at all but rather a speciall priviledge and notable blessing howbeit such shall know and feele in the end to their eternall woe and destruction that it had beene a thousand times better they had lyen under the rod and beene chastened of the Lord all the day long For as it is said of an earthly Father Prov. 13.24 19.18 Hee which loveth his child chasteneth him betimes Prov. 13.24 and 19.18 so it is with God those whom he loveth he also chasteneth betimes Heb. 12. which made David say Psal 119.67 71. It is good for me that I have bene afflicted that I might learne thy Statutes because before he was afflicted he went astray In like manner the reasons that the holy Ghost useth in his Word are not like our reasonings as his thoughts are not like our thoughts neither his waies like our waies If we consult with flesh blood we shall never allow this for a strong and a substantial reason Ye are a little flock therefore feare not but rather conclude the contrary therefore feare Wee would rather argue on this manner as they did in the Prophet Ezek. 33.24 Wee are many therefore feare not Ezek. 33.24 Wee are wealthy therefore feare not We have many friends therefore feare not Wee
Thou shalt not lust how heinous must the sinnes of our nature and the transgressions of our life be wherein we have yeelded full consent to rise up and rebell against God And Iesus answering said vnto them Suppose ye c. It seemeth by this answer of Christ that these men justified themselves because they suffered not as the other did and condemned them as notable notorious wicked men which rash judgement as a false sentence and censure in them Christ condemneth Doct. This teacheth that outward judgements and calamities that befal the children of men Outward judgements doe not alwayes befall the worst neither free the best men doe not alwayes seize upon the most wicked and worst men neither do they free the most righteous from them It is the corrupt judgement of corrupt men to jmagine that such as are sharpely corrected and extraordinarily visited and chastened are the greatest sinners of all and on the other side such as escape and live in health in wealth in glory in favour in peace in honour and inprosperitie are highly in his favour A common errour of the world and no marveile For first being blinded with the disease of selfe love few looke upon themselves and enter into a search of their owne hearts and wayes or consider what they doe themselves deserve They turne their owne sinnes behind their backes where they are sure they cannot see them but other mens they hang before them to have them alwayes in their sight Secondly by escaping without punishment and having freedome from scourges they flatter themselves with a vaine perswasion and presumption that God approveth and is delighted with their workes whereas we should learne that God by such examples stirreth up all men every where to repentance This errour we see in Iobs friends who beholding the suddaine calamity into which he was fallen tooke occasion to condemne him of Hypocrisie impiety that because he suffered much they judged he had offended much and therefore suffered more then others and more then themselves Chap. 22. This we see in the Disciples of Christ Ioh. 9. Ioh. 9.2 When they saw the man that was blind from his birth they asked him Master who did sinne this man or his Parents that he was borne blinde They never consider the secret causes of Gods judgements but as if there could be no other cause but this one they enquire whether he or his Parents deserued by their sinnes that he should be so borne The like we see in the Barbarians of Melita Act. Act. 28.4 28. When they saw the viper upon Pauls hand they sayd amongst themselues Doubtlesse this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live So in this place these men would have coÌ„cluded these Galileans to be desperate sinners who happly might be better then themselves because they were suddainly and savagely slaine with the sword but Christs answere teacheth that outward afflictions and chasticements doe not evermore seaze upon the worst and wickedest men neither are the better sort freed from them but they oftentimes lye open to them more then others as we see in Iob Chap. 1. and 2. and 1 Pet. 4. judgement beginneth at Gods house the wicked abound in all things Psal 17. Whiles David lay under persecutions Psal 73. The reasons Reas 1 first all outward things fall out alike to all as David saith â— Sam. 11.25 The sword devoureth one as well as an other So affliction meeteth with one as well as with another There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked as is the good so is the sinner and therfore no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them Eccl. 9.1 Secondly the wicked are oftentimes as it were stalled and fatted to the day of slaughter like fedde beasts appointed to be killed Iam. 5.5 Deut. 32.15 Iam. 5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and beene wanton Yee have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Thus he letteth them alone to worke out their owne destruction that they forsake God which made them and lightly esteeme the rocke of their salvation Thirdly he chastiseth his owne children that he may bring them nearer to himselfe and that they should not be condemned with the world as 2 Cor. 4. We alwayes beare about in the body 2 Cor. 4.10.11 1 Cor. 11.31.32 the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall body for we which live are alway dilivered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall flesh When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world if then we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11. Vse 1. Vse 1 Seing God layeth outward afflictions upon his owne children and letteth the wicked goe free we may gather and conclude from hence that no affliction whatsoever shall separate from him those that are his nor death nor famine nor nakednesse nor sword nor perill nor pestilence nor persecution can divide and divorse betweene God and us his love is so sure and steadfast like mount Sion which cannot be removed Psal 125.1 the Lord standeth like a buckler round about his people Rom. 8.28 that all shall worke for the best to them that love him This is a singular comfort that he will make not onely his blessings to turne to our good but he will sanctifie all our afflictions and adversities and make even them blessngs also and further our salvations yea oftentimes more then the other It is not so with the vngodly not only their crosses are curses but all their blessings are turned into judgements and nothing shall be able to doe them Indeed the faithfull must suffer they are called unto it 1 Pet. 2.21 The Crosse is the calling of a Christian and the badge of Christianity Christ hath left us an example that we should follow his steppes therefore though they suffer yet their sufferings cannot take them from God nor God from them The foundation of God remaineth sure and his giftes are without repentance They then are justly to be reprooved that conceive and judge hardly and harshly of them that have beene taken away by the plague and pestilence in this heavie visitation nay the dayes may hang over out heads and we may see them with our eyes when we may pronounce them happy that died of this contagious sicknesse and gaâ—â— up the Ghost in their beddes no doubt many of our deare brethren in other places that are pursued by the rage of cruell enemies daily in danger of the sword at their throates that are constrained to keepe garrisons in their townes and Cities yea billit mercilesse Souldiers in their houses as it were vipers in their owne bosoms desire with all their hearts that they were striken by