since set as Centinels and Watchmen they would not awaken others SECT 3. Magistrates and great ones must be humbled NOw as the Ministers must both be humbled themselues and be the meanes to humble others so the Magistrates also whether superior or inferior must moue in the next place according to their motion Moses falls flat on his face groueling before the Lord for the sinnes and rebellions of the people as well as Aaron u Num. 16.45 not only Ezra the Scribe but Zerubbabel Iohecaniah and the rest of the Princes and Fathers of the Families were humbled before the Lord * Ezra 9.1 because the people of Israel the Priests and the Leuites had not separated themselues from the people of the lands Ezra 10.2 3. doing according to the abominations of the Canaanites Hittites Perizzites Iebusites c. so as we haue heard when Israel was smit before the men of Ai Ioshuah rent his cloathes and the Elders of Israel Iosh 7.6 So in that exigent Iehosophat was put vnto by the Ammonites and Moabites he himselfe first proclaimes a fast throughout all Iudah and personally x See my Irelands Iubilee in Dauids practice these exemplified primarily purposely sets himselfe to seeke the Lord So at the dedication of the Temple Salomon himselfe humbles himselfe more then all the people in the presence of all the Congregations of Israel spreading forth his hands and praying before the Altar of the Lord y 1 King 8.23 So Esther a great Princesse is as forward as her handmaids to humble her selfe in fasting and prayer for the preuention of the common intended destruction Esth 4.16 But aboue all the King of Niniuy is a most excellent president in this practice to all Princes and his Nobles to all Magistrates for he and they not onely decreed and proclaimed a fast for the people yea for man and beasts but themselues as breaking the ice to the rest by their good example layd by their Robes couered themselues with sackcloth and sate in ashes Ionas 3.6 7. other great Peeres haue done the like z As Theodosius before his battell with Eugenius apud OrosiuÌ„ l. 7. c. 35. Ruffin lib. 2. c 23. Charles King of France warring against the Saracens Casp Hedion lib 6. cap 15 Arcadius apud Diacorum lib. 15 Clodoucus a French King in his warre with Alaricus the Goth apud Turonensem Hist lib. 2. cap. 37. Lewis of France against the Suâ—uians apud Auentinum lib. 3. and Oâ—ias the high Priest apud Iosephum lib. 14 cap. 1.2.3 Antiq. cum aliis And indeed that I might by Gods blessing be as a spurre or goade to all Princes Potentates Rulers Magistrates Gouernors in warre Elders in peace to doe the like vpon the like occasion to imitate the noble and princely patternes of these great Princes and Peeres Ezekiah Ioshuah Iehosophat Dauid Schecaniah Salomon the King of Niniuy and others as they are desirous to imitate their fame-worthy heroicke acts in other particulars as also that all Empresses Queenes Duchesses Ladies c. would not thinke themselues too good to lay off their gorgeous attire their costly raiment to remit their reuels and restraine their Court delights after the example of Queene Esther the goodliest godliest greatest Lady one of them that the world euer had and in any common or particular great crosse and calamity to turne musicke and maskes into mourning singing into sighing delights into dolours feastings into fasts c. Me thinks there be reasons and inducements besides these presidents and exemplary patternes which man is naturally apt to imitate in the worst things to perswade and inforce this best of duties As first because by this meanes they may bring a great deale of glory to God which being the end of euery Christians creation preseruation vocation redemption yea euen of saluation it selfe reserued in the heauens this glorifying of God ought to be the end and aime and scope of the actions and affections of the meanest and the greatest the very marke that all should shoot at and desire to hit much more the greatest who placed in a higher orbe aboue the rest and adorned with moe priuiledges the more that they for a time when Gods hand is vpon them stoope low before the Lord remit their height and their greatnesse abate and bring downe their high spirits vnplume and disroabe themselues of their gorgeous attire abstaine from their sumptuous and superfluous dishes and euery way by their lookes words gestures attires meats outwardly as in their hearts and spirits inwardly cast downe themselues before the God of all spirits and fall low before the throne of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings acknowledging with humbled Nabuchadnezzar z Dan. 3.28 and that Darius a Dan 6.25 26. his rule and soueraignty ouer all flesh and so consequently ouer them throwing downe their rods their Scepters yea with the Angels and Elders b Reu. 7.11 chap. â— 8 in the Reuelation euen their very Crownes before the Throne of the Lamb giuing all honour glory power praise soueraignty and dominion from themselues to him that sits on the Throne c. Oh this brings wondrous honour and glory vnto God euen as when petty tributary Kings as once amongst the Romanes c Reguli or Deputies as our Viceroy in Ireland or Presidents of Yorke or Wales and sometimes here in England d See Lanquets or Coupers Chronicle exceedingly honour the great King that rules ouer them and their Prouinces when they at set and certaine times come to acknowledge their homage Fealty subordination and subiection vnto him and indeed as the greater the person is that sinnes the more God is dishonoured so the greater the person is that is humbled the more is the Lord honoured euen as in the Irish warres if a great Earle a head Rebell had come in and submitted himselfe to an offended Princesse it had beene more honour to a Maiden Queene then if this had beene done by an ordinary Kearne so the humiliation of a great Peere brings more glory to God then of an inferiour person Besides as a further fuell to this motiue let this be as a Nouerint vniuersi knowne vnto all to high low mighty men and meane men that who euer haue taken away glory from God by sinning as indeed all flesh haue by deprauing themselues in originall and actuall sinnes depriued God of that glory hee requires of men and Angels euen the very same indiuiduall men or women in their owne persons by their owne Penitence without any substitute for them euen here in this life in vnfained humiliation confession and contrition must againe restore glory vnto God * Ioshua 7.19 or else they shall neuer be glorified in heauen let Canonists dispute what they will about vsuries terrestriall I am sure without this spirituall restitution e Nisi restituatur ablaetum non demittitur peccatum Canonistae ex patribus there is no saluation f
THE Haughty Heart HVMBLED OR THE PENITENTS PRACTICE IN THE REGALL PATTERNE OF KING EZEKIAH Directory and consolatory to all the mourners in Sion to sow in Teares and to reape in Ioy. By S. I. Preacher of Gods Word Tolle lege experto crede LONDON Printed for Richard More and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstanes Church-yard in Fleetstreet 1628. THE HAVGHTIE heart humbled OR The Penitents Practice The first Sermon 1 The Context But Hezekiah rendred not againe according to the benefit done vnto him for his heart was lifted vp therefore there was wrath vpon him and vpon the Inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem The Text. 2 Chron. 32.26 Notwithstanding Ezekias humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart both hee and the inhabitants of Ierusalem so that the wrath of the Lord came not vpon them in the dayes of Ezekias CHAP. I. THis very Text at the first blush speakes it owne Title to any iudicious and ocular vnderstanding The Text diuided it may rightly bee stiled and called Ezekias humiliation in which for method sake which is the mother of memory we may briefely and succinctly obserue and prosecute these remarkeable circumstances First the subiects of this humiliation that is Ezekias primarie as in sinne so in sorrow secondarie the Inhabitants of Ierusalem Secondly the cause occasion or exterior motiue of this humiliation and that is the pride of his hart for the interior cause or inward impulsiue or maine Agent was the Spirit of God Thirdly the sequell or effect of this humiliation the remouall of due and deserued wrath wrath came neither vpon the King nor vpon his subiects in the dayes of Ezekias These are the prime parts and the very materialls of the Text which as a fountaine into her streames or a maine streame into her seuerall sluces admits many other lesser circumstantiall subdiuisions if we narrowly take what euer the words will afford and first for the subiect here humbled which was Ezekias This first word of the Text notwithstanding as a Relatiue to somthing foregoing pluckes vs by the sleeue a Cynthius aurem vellens and wills vs to looke backeward or rather forward to something preceding by vertue and authority whereof b It is one of the rules of Illiricus lib. 2. in Clav. Scripturae and of Kickerman in his Rhetorica Ecclesiastica to compare text with Context wee may well as hauing reference to Ezekias the subiect in hand consider the substance of the whole Chapter without stretching the Text we may reflect as euery one of them of excellent vse first vpon Ezekias vertues and Graces secondly on his sinnes and infirmities thirdly on the Lords castigations and corrections fourthly vpon his rising by repentance and humiliation fiftly vpon the renouation and manifestation of the Lords loue and fauour to him demonstrated both priuatiuely in withholding from him that wrath which his sinnes haue deserued as also positiuely in inriching him both with these outward blessings of gold siluer iewels as also inward Graces for the pious and prosperous gouerning of his kingdome which his soule desired First Ezekias Graces and perfections are described and largely exemplified partly in this Chapter but more fully and significantly in the three former Chapters going before which are all taken vp in delineating expressing the worthy acts of this worthy King 1. so zealous for the glory of God for the restauration of his decayed for the purging of his polluted worship a 2 Chron. 29. v. 16 17 18. 2. so carefull to walke with his God to doe that which was right in his sight b vers 2. to approue his very heart as his father Dauid 3. to praise and to worship the Lord both in his own person by his example Iniunction throughout his whole kingdome 4. to Institute c ver 3 4 5 6. et ver 25 26. and incourage and increase righteous and zealous Leuites for the seruice of the house of the Lord to prepare and prouide by his extraordinay costs care excessiue charge and indefatigable paines d v. 31 32 33 34 et Ch. 30 v. 2 for all things thereunto belonging 5 by his Proclamations e v. 6 7 8. Posts and Edicts to excite and prepare his whole Land for the righteous and religious celebration and solemnization of the long pretermitted Passeouer 6. to extirpate and root out f ver 14. Idolatry 7. firmely and resolutely to seeke the Lord g Chap. 31. ver 20 21. and his Glory his face and fauour 8. to plant or replant his depopulated Church 9. to supplant all Idolatries and superstitions to doe euery thing strictly and exactly according to all that the Lord commanded for the matter and manner of right and religious gouerning of the Church and the Common-wealth committed to his charge that it may well be said of him as was said of Iosias who with his Father Dauid being only excepted like vnto him there was no King that turned to the Lord with his whole heart his whole soule and whole might according to all the law of Moses neither after him arose there any h 2 King 23 25. And yet the faire sunne of these vertues wanted not his clouding his eclipsing in his infirmities this beauteous Cedar had his blasting the fading of his leaues his failing in some duties his falling in some sinnes exposed him to nakednesse euen to the deserued blasts and stormes and blowings downe by the whirlewinde of Gods wrath on him and his people vnlesse his humiliation as raine that allayes the winde had preuented what was ready to bee executed For to come to that which we propounded in the second place Ezekias Infirmities the holy Ghost taxeth him of the omission of one maine duty and that is gratitude and thankfulnesse for a mercy receiued hee is branded and marked for an vngratefull person hee is culpable in this sinne of Ingratitude a sin odious and hatefull to God and all good men * Contra ingratos lege apud Patres Bernardum Serm. 1. in Cantica Epiph. Augustin in Psal 108. Cassiod lib. 2. 4. epist Lactant. lib 2 c. 1. Instit lib. â— cap. 3. yea abhorred of the very heathen * Apud Ethnicos Senecam lib. 1. de benef Tullium lib. 2. Offic. ad Atticum 8 et in passim in Orationibus by the instinct of nature yea euen of birds and beasts apes and Lyons that in their kinde as appeares by Histories * Of which see my Irelands Iubilee and experience haue beene found thankfull to their Benefactors yet euen this sin besides his other failings is chalked on Ezekias score for the holy Text saith that Ezekiah being sicke to death he prayed to the Lord and he spake vnto him and gaue him a signe of which we may largely read 2 King 20.10 11. but Ezekiah rendred not againe according to the benefit done vnto him an vsuall culpable cariage in most men
the Lords saluation SECT 2. The Ministers must principally be humbled and seeke to humble others BVt because our nature is ready to post off duties and to take that which is said in generall to all as if it belonged to none in particular like some master that hath oft his worke neglected when hee speakes to all his seruants at once because he inioynes not euery one his taske I therefore subdiuide this duty into seuerall Branches and cut and carue euery one his part and portion First then we that are Ministers wee must be ring-leaders in the dance of this duty we must tread out first these humble modest measures we must prologue and beginne the first Act in these penitentiall parts not onely for our owne personall priuate sinnes which commonly come to be publique and publisht as daingerously scandalous to the weake exemplary to the wicked offensiue to the godly and a stumbling-blocke to all must we be humbled euen to the very dust beat as it were euen to powder weeping if it were possible more bitterly then Peter more abundantly then Mary Magdalen confessing more then Augustine z In libris Confessionam to God and his scandalized Church till we haue washt and wiped away all these aspersions and blots which a sinning life hath cast vpon sound and sincere doctrine but euen for the sinnes of the times must we be humbled yea the sinnes of the Land in generall of the places where and of the people amongst whom wee liue must be vnto vs as they were to Noah a 2 Pet. 2.5 Lot b Gen. 19. 2 Pet. â— 7. Dauid c Psal 119. Ieremy d Ier. 9.1 in their times no small cause of humiliation chiefly when there is wrath threatned or feared to come vpon the Land and Nation wherein we liue or that we see the fire already kindled in some begunne iudgement temporall or spirituall and wee see the crying sinnes of the times calling for prologuing and heralding still greater then are wâ— in a speciall manner aboue the rest to humble our selues the Lord calls vpon vs as Ioel vpon the Ministers in his time to weepe betwixt the Porch and the Altar e Ioel 2.17 and to cry to the Lord to spare his people we should take vnto vs words f Osee 14.3 and say to the Lord Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously we should as Iob for his sonnes g Iob 1.5 rise vp early and offer sacrifices for the sinnes of our people we should like Aaron take the Censer h Num. 16.46 47. of a cleane and vpright heart and put thereon the fire of zeale and offer vp the incense of faithfull and feruent prayer and make an aâ—onement for our Congregations as soone as euer we perceiue that wrath is gone out from the Lord and the plague is begunne we must with Moses and Aaron oft feruâ—nâ—â—â— intercede for our people as they did with great importunâ—ty i Num 16.22 Deut. 9.25 26 27. Exod. 32.10 v. â—2 Psal 106.23.30 yea our prayers must oft with Moses euen stand as it were in the gap betwixt the Lords iustice and the peoples sinnes we must pray euen for hard hearted Pharaohs yea as did Abraham we must intercede for such as Abimelech k Gen. 20.17 and Ismael l Gen. 17.18 wicked and paganish men yea euen such as the vncleane Sodomites both to turne them from their sinnes and to keepe and remoue iudgements from them that their soules may liue or if we see there is no other remedy but they will needs lye and dye in their sinnes our soules must yet with Ieremy weepe in secret for them we must mourne for them and bewaile as it were their soules funeralls as Samuel mourned m 1 Sam. 16.1 for reprobate Saul And as we must thus humble our selues aboue all others that are the inhabitants of that Ierusalem in which we liue when wrath in any measure is come vpon the times so we must by all meanes preach and presse and procure the humiliation of our people wee must as the Cocke n Gallus praedicatoriâ— symbolum apud Reusnerum clap our owne wings to awaken our owne hearts and then crow aloud lifting vp our voices like Trumpets to awaken others we must shew Iacob his sinnes and Israel his transgressions o Esay 58.1 together with the iudgements hanging ouer their heads by reason of sinne we must cry vnto them with Esay Esay 1.19 Ier. 3.14 Wash you make you cleane with Ieremy Returne O disobedient and rebellious children we must desire them to returne from their euill way and repent that the Lord may repent of the euill he purposeth vnto them because of their euill doings Ier. 18.8 Ier. 26.1.2.3 We must tell them their iniquities separate betwixt God and them and that their sinnes hide his face from them p Esay 59.2 we must tell them that the reason of all former felt iudgements which call for new whether blasting mildew cleannesse of teeth pestilence of Aegypt or what euer q Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. is because they haue not turned to the Lord nor prepared themselues to meet their God Amos 4.9.10 We must expostulate with them as Moses with Pharaoh how long they will stand out in their rebellions how long it will be ere they humble themselues r Exod. 10.3 We must tell them that all their outward sacrifices and seruices without this serious humiliation are but abominations before the Lord Å¿ Esay 1.11 and that the onely thing the Lord requires aboue all burnt offerings is the sacrifice of a broken and humbled heart t Ps 51.16 17. aboue the offering of the first-borne We must tell the hypocrite the Lord requires he should walke humbly before him Micah 6.6 Wee must stand vpon the Watch-tower with Habakkuk and waite for the vision and tell the proud Peacockes of our time that the soule which is lifted vp is not vpright within him u Hab. 2.4 We must exhort all with Zachary to turne vnto the Lord that the Lord may turne vnto them Zach. 1.3 We must cry to the rich and proud extortioners as Daniel to Nabuchadnezzar to breake off their sinnes by repentance and to redeeme them by almesdeeds Dan. 4.24 We must exhort all to search themselues to try and examine their wayes before the decree come forth * Zeph. 2.2 and they bee as chaffe before the fire of the fierce wrath and anger of the Lord Wee must exhort all to afflict their soules x Leuit. 23.27 to put off their costly rayment y Exod. 33.5 and to turne to the Lord in fasting weeping and mourning c. We must preach to a sinfull people as Iohn the Baptist to the Iewes z Mat. 3.1 as Peter a Acts 2.38 to Christs crucifiers to Simon Magus b Acts 8.22 to repent of their wickednesse and to amend their liues else we must