our soules for healing our sicknesses the good Samaritane to bind vp our wounds the euerlasting high Priest for bearing our infirmities euen Iesus Christ the righteous that thereby our sinnes the originall of our sicknesses may be blotted out and cleane clensed and from Christ we may heare this comfortable voyce Arise and walke c. Be whole for thy sins are forgiuen thee My beloued in the Lord No sounde course but this to saue vs from perishing except this through course be taken neuer looke for sauing sound and continuing health but euen with Gehezi to die a leprous man Now as I haue spoken of particular men for particular sinnes diuersly diseased so may I speake of whole countries kingdomes and places who for sin and iniquitie haue been plagued Some with sudden destructiō Genes 19. as Sodom Gomor Some with captiuitie as the Israelites vnder the Babylonians 2. Chro. 36. Some with hauing the godly wise and aged Counsellors taken from thē as Esay threatneth the Iewes Esay 8.1.2.3.4 1. King 20. 2. King 6.19 2. King 17.29 Some with death and famine as was Samaria and Ierusalem and as this our nation of late and some with the disease of the pestilence burning ague and bloody issues as this our owne land first not long since in the South parts We haue felt the same and now these two yeres last past in our Northerne parts And seeing it hath been proued that these corrections and punishments flow from our owne disobedience and wilfull rebellion From whence these punishments flowe therefore if euer the effect wee desire to haue remoued let vs first take away the cause which is our sinnes Sublata causa tollitur effectus and assure our selues the effect will cease which is Gods fearefull punishments Doctrine These proofes examples and vses being thus laid downe this doctrine following shall bee the conclusion of it vz. what euill soeuer wee suffer either in body or minde we may impute it to our sinnes Psal 38.5 as the originall and first occasion thereof whereupon may bee gathered a second doctrine Caluin in Ioh. cap. 5. vers 14. Non sunt fortunae hominum calamitates sed totidem sunt castigatoriae ferulae Our sicknesses diseases or griefes bee they inward or outward proceed not from fortune or by chance Amos. 3.6 but by the foredecreed counsell of the highest that they may bee as so many checkes vnto the pride of our sinnes the truth hereof being granted there ensueth an exceeding comfort to the conscience A comfort carefull of Gods seruice vz. that our heauenly father taketh no delight nor pleasure in punishing vs and therefore doth hee neuer seuerely scourge vs Calu. ibid. but whē he is highly offended by our transgressions and perforce vrged to change mercie into iudgement The Lord is haled on to iudgement by our sinnes his louing countenance into seuere corrections And thus much generally haue I set downe and proued the cause and originall of sicknesse sorrowes troubles and death itself in all men liuing vpon the face of the earth as they are Adams branches and posteritie Now least the godly man for conscience sake persecuted or for his further triall of the Lord afflicted should be too much dismaied and thinke his persecutions were but iust plagues for sinne and his crosses no comforts contrary to the sweete promises of the Gospel in that behalfe How and for what end afflictions are laid vpon the godly therefore let vs search how and in what sort they are laid vpon the godly The nature and condition of all troubles both of body and minde in respect of their first originall are qualified to the children of God and true Christians not by any dignitie or desert at all of their owne but as Elisha healed the bitter and venemous waters by casting salt into them Note well so the bitter and intolerable sting of death the bitter and vnsauorie sicknesses and diseases both of our bodies and our soules are healed the nature of them changed the poyson remoued by the sauourie salt of Christ his blood yea all sicke halt lame and withered men haue their griefes eased by the troubled persecuted scorned scoffed and crucified body of our Lord Iesus Christ as this sick man was healed in his body by troubling the cleere water Christ his blood shedding being in iudgement of wicked men as vnlikely to worke vs any good as salt to make fruitfull or muddy water to make a lame man whole In this Christ Iesus our debt for sinne is discharged and vpon his crosse is the obligation of ordinances that was against vs fastned Reuel 3.18 and he is the very purgation that cleanseth the sauing eye-salue that giueth light Matth. 3.17 Collos 1.13 2. Pet. 1.17 and the wel-beloued sonne of God by whom our cries are conueied to his father in whom he receiueth and heareth our plaints and for vvhose sake wee enioy all the blessednes and good things that euer we haue Christ wholy altered the nature of afflictions to his owne Church Now therefore in this Christ our alone Sauiour sicknesse to his faithfull members is as comfortable as health affliction as sweete as peace aduersitie as acceptable as prosperitie death as welcome as life the graue as a most sweete perfumed chamber for the bodies of the Saints to lie in for they can with S. Paul say Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus It makes them not feare death but rather in Gods appointed time desire it in seeing the miseries of this present life and by a liuely faith soaring vp into the vnspeakable ioyes of the life to come And therefore they say with Paul We know that if this earthly tabernacle of ours be dissolued 2. Cor. 5.1 we haue a building giuen of God not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And Christ Iesus whether wee liue or die is vnto vs both in life and death aduantage yea we seeing that while we liue 1. Thess 5.10 Phil. 1.21 we are naked in this world we sigh desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauē And seeing while we are here iournying vpon the earth wee are absent from our head and husband therefore we desire to be dissolued Philip. 1.23 and to be with our husband Sauiour which is best of all And finally seeing there is nothing in this world but corruption Eccles 1.1.2 alteration and vanitie we waite we looke and long for the day of our refreshing when we may foreuer lift vp our heads meete our elder brother in the clowdes and receiue the incorruptible crowne of glorie laid vp in store for all the Lords elect ere euer the foundations of the world were laid Thus Gods children may reioyce when the wicked shall howle and weepe they shall bee satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnesse yea euen when they seeme to be
cast into the fire and burnt vp for euer And first most famous and worthie of all memorie is the example of Gods iudgement vpon Ioab and al his posteritie 2. Sam. 3.29 for murthering so cruelly and deceitfully two valiant Captaines Abner and Amasa as appeareth in their stories at large where Dauid thus threatneth the iudgement of the Lord against him and his whole posteritie saying Let the blood of Abner fall on the head of Ioab and on all his fathers house that the house or issue of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues or a leper or that leaneth on a staffe or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread Loe here how many wayes for this bloodie fact God will plague punish him First with running issues a sore disease With leprosie a sorer if it can be With lamenes meant by leaning on a staffe Blood for blood according to the Lord his threatning He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed againe Pouertie meant by lacking of bread and Cain for shedding the innocent blood of his brother Abel Genes 4. vvas both he and his posteritie made runnagates ouer the face of the whole earth In the 7. and 8. of Exodus you shall finde how oft the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and the whole land for cruelly oppressing his people euen with ten principall plagues there withall their great and capitall offences 1. King 13. So he dryed the hand of king Ieroboam when he stretched it out against the Prophet of the Lord to take him Take heede of this the couetous men that haue long noses to smell your profit a farre off Ahab and Iezebel because vniustly they tooke away Naboth his vineyard and lead a great number a whoring after strange gods the Lord caused Iezebels daintie carkasse to be eaten vp of dogs by the wall of Izreel yea that his posteritie should neuer haue the honor of a comely buriall but if they dyed in the citie 1. King 21.25 2. King 9.10 1. King 24.10 16.3.4 the dogs should deuoure them and if in the field the foules of the ayre should eate thē vp Euen as the Lorde executed his fierce wrath vpon all Ieroboam his seede and vpon the whole house of Baasha for their Idolatrie Let all couetous cormorants and Idolatrous whoremongers repent for feare the like iudgement should fall vpon them 2. King 1. ver 1 2 3 4. Ahaziah hauing gotten a fall through a lattise window and hurt himselfe very sore despaired of helpe from the true God and therefore sent messengers to enquire of the god of Ekron concerning his recouerie which thing was so abominable to the Lord that he sent a messenger vnto him to tell him that he should not come downe from the bed whereon he lay but dye the death In our sicknes seeke vnto none but God 2. King 6. Beware in our sicknesse wee seeke not vnlawfull meanes for our recouerie The King of Syria his host comming to take the Prophet in Dothan the Lord for their boldnes smote them all with blindnesse A dangerous matter to attempt the persecuting of Gods children Gehezi for coueting that vnlawfully 2. King 5.27 which his master had refused of Naaman religiously when it was offered was smitten with a leprosie And of all other 2. Chro. 21.18.19 most fearfull is the sicknesse and death wherewith the Lord smote Jehoram for vnnaturall murthering his brethren and for abominable Idolatrie he smote him with an incurable disease euen the disease of his bowels so that day by day through the disease his bowels fell out so after the end of two yeeres continuing in this sore disease his guts fell out with the disease And lastly of Herod Act. 12.25 how horrible a thing to bee heard that for his pride and arrogating glorie to himself which was only due to God Pride wil haue a fall was most fearefully throwne downe from his throne of estate and deuoured of wormes To leaue the testimonies of the word and to come to the demonstration of Gods fearefull visitations by strange sicknesses Examples of Gods iudgements vpon wicked persecutors of the Church against wicked persecutors of Christs Church blasphemers of his name recorded and spoken of in ancient histories let this bee the first One Henry a famous Archbishop of Mentz a vertuous and wel disposed prelate being most cruelly dealt withall by the Bishop of Rome and his substitutes and being debarred of all lawfull proceeding and iudgement in law against him mildly answered the wicked Iudges thus Seeing that neither by appeale to the Apostolike sea nor by your vpright sentences of your selues I can haue my innocencie tried I appeale to the Lord Iesus Christ as to the most high and iust Iudge A righteous appeale and cite you before his iudgement there to answer me before the high Iudge for neither iustly nor vprightly but by corruption as it pleaseth you you haue iudged Whereunto they scoffingly answered Goe you first and we will follow Not long after the said Henry dyed whereof the two Cardinals that were the wicked Iudges hauing intelligence said one to the other iestingly Behold he is gone before and vvee must follow after according to our promise And verely they said truer then they were aware of A terrible example for corrupt Iudges to beware for within a while they dyed both in one day For the one sitting vpon a Iakes to ease himselfe voyded out all his guts into the draught and miserably ended his life The other gnawing off the fingers of his hands and spitting them out of his mouth all deformed in deuouring himselfe dyed And one Arnold who became a false Iudas to the good Archbishop in accusing of him when hee should haue excused him Anno Do. 1105. Ex Helmoldo Gotfrido Viterbiensi Act. Mon. Fox pag. 196. shortly after dyed likewise and for certaine daies lying stinking vpon the ground vnburied was open to the spoyle of euery rascall and harlot The like horrible and fearfull stroke of Gods hand was executed vpon a wicked papist and persecutor of the good Merindolians in France who was called Iohn de Roma this wicked wretch of meere malice against the trueth plagued the poore protestants of Merindoll with a strange and vnwonted kind of torment wherein hee most delighted and most commonly practised he filled bootes with boyling grease and put them vpon the legges of Christians tying them backward to a forme with their legges hanging downe ouer a small fire and in this torment he examined them of their faith belike thinking by this intolerable paine to make them reuolt from their faith This monster at length hauing almost finished the date of his wicked daies fell sicke of a most horrible disease strange and vnknowne to any Phisition so vnnaturall were the paynes wherewith he was continually vexed in all his bodie that no oyntment no fomentation nor any thing else could
make him returne from the water with Naaman and come to offer the rich and precious gift of his whole heart to the Lord as an acceptable sacrifice wherewith hee in mercie is euer well pleased The like course if euery one of vs would take after our great and marueilous deliuerances euen with the Ruler Ioh. 4.52.53 whose sonne Christ had healed being at the point to dye to enter into a serious and through search This particular course is meete for all of vs the more to moue vs to thankfulnes of the very particular circumstances of the daunger wherein we were and the deliuerāce thereout in Gods mercie it could not but vrge the efficacie of this point wonderfull much Sinne no more And first I will by some examples and proofes out of the Scriptures shew how from time to time the godly being deliuered out of any dangers either spirituall or corporal the Lord hath required and they willingly haue acknowledged some speciall dutie therefore Moses with the Israelites hauing enioyed the great and memorable mercies of the Lord in ouerthrowing Pharaoh and deliuering them from him letting them goe through the red sea as on drie land doe present y ioyne all together with hart and voyce to praise the Lord Moses beginning and they all following in the heauenly melodie of thanksgiuing thus I will sing vnto the Lord Exod. 15.1 for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the Sea Vers 4. The deliuerance Pharaohs charets and his hoste hath he cast into the Sea his chosen captains also were drowned in the red Sea Therfore as his dutie he acknowledgeth saith Ver. 2. The duetie The Lord is my strength and my praise and he is become my saluation He is my God and I will prepare him a tabernacle He is my fathers God and I will exalt him Iudg. 5. Ver. 27. The Lord hauing giuen Deborah and Barak a triumphant victorie ouer their cruel enemie Sisera Deborah thereupon reasoneth of the miracle in her song and resolueth of performing a most excellent dutie as thus They that remaine The deliuerance haue dominion ouer the mightie the Lorde hath giuen me dominion ouer the strong Ver. 13. He meaning Sisera bowed downe at her feete he fell downe and lay still at her feete he bowed him downe and fell and when he had sunke downe he lay there dead Therefore as our dutie Vers 2.3 The duetie Praise ye the Lord for auenging of Israel for the people that offered themselues willingly Vers 12. J will sing vnto the Lord I will sing praises vnto the Lord our God Vp Deborah vp arise and sing a song arise Darak and loade thy captiuitie captiue thou sonne of Abinoam Psal 107. The deliuerance Dauid rehearsing in the 107. Psalme many and great deliuerances as first of dispersed strangers and their miserie vers 3.4.5.6.7 deliuerance out of captiuitie and prison vers 10.11.12.13.14 and lastly the deliuerance of poore tossed shipmen from the dangers of the seas vers 25.26.27.28.29.30 addeth the dutie of all such as are deliuered therefrom thus Ver. 8.15.21.31 The duetie O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of men In the 105. Psalme Dauid from the beginning thereof vnto the latter end thereof Psal 105. The deliuerance is wholly occupied in expressing Gods miraculous and merciful power in protecting Israel from Abrahams time when they were but a few in number and strangers in the land till such time as by a mightie hande and out-stretched arme he brought them into the pleasant land of Canaan And in the last verse he noteth what vse they must make of so many mercies and what dutie diligently they must walke in for Gods fauourable dealing with them thus That they might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes Praise ye the Lord. Ver. 45. The duetie Many moe proofes I might alleadge out of the word of God for corporall deliuerances bestowed vpō the Church from time to time and what must be the duty of such deliuerances but these may suffice for the plaine proofe of outwarde deliuerances and their duties Of spirituall deliuerances The deliuerance Luke 1.74 Vers 77. Vers 79. Now of spirituall deliuerances and their duties Being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies knowledge of saluation giuen vnto vs by remission of our sins in Iesus Christ light giuen to vs that sit in darknes and in the shadow of death and guiding our feete into the way of peace must of necessitie in the partakers of this deliuerance bring forth this duty euen to serue the Lord without feare Vers 74.75 The dutie in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 13.12 The deliuerance noteth a great deliuerance in a fewe words The night is past and being so neuer forget the dutie which followeth therefore let vs cast away the workes of darknes Vers 13.14 The dutie and put vpon vs the armour of light hereafter to walke honestly as in the day time not in gluttonie and drunkennes chambering and wantonnes strife and enuying but put yee on the Lorde Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6.20 The deliuerance The dutie Vers 20. Paul telleth the Corinthians of a great deliuerance thus Ye are bought with a price and therefore your dutie is to glorifie God both in your soules bodies for they are the Lords And againe Seeing ye are so dearely bought and purchased with such a pretious pearle therfore be not the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 1. Pet. 2.18.19 The deliuerance Peter speaketh of a most comfortable deliuerance Yee know that yee were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation but with the pretious blood of Iesus Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot And therefore seeing the purchasing of our saluation was a matter of such difficultie for siluer and gold could not doe it a matter of such necessitie for the diuell ruled ouer vs as a cruell tyrant a purchase at such a high rate and the matter of it of such a pretious valuation for it was the blood of Christ being most pretious and the lambe of God vndefiled and without spot 1. Pet. 1.17 The dutie all Christians duties therefore it is that are partakers hereof euen hereafter to passe their time and spend the daies of their dwelling here on earth in Gods most holy feare Now out of all these testimonies and examples which haue hetherto beene alleadged concerning Christians duties for deliuerances either spirituall or corporall may further very fitly bee gathered what is the end of the grace and fauour of God towards vs in The end of Gods mercies towards vs. by and through his sonne Christ Iesus euen thus Vt Deo reconciliatus
being dispersed and the brightnes of his fauourable countenance shining vpon vs sicknesse now ceased and health restored famine taken away and plentie ministred I thought it high time not onely to preach vnto the people of my owne charge these sermons following which teach plainely what vse we are to make of these and such like workes of God and what dutie they binde vs vnto but also to publish them for the benefite of all such as the doctrine doth pertaine vnto This occasion and opportunitie offered being well considered of all them who shall reade these Sermons may serue sufficiently to excuse me of all such wants as shall be espyed in me for the prouerbe is not more olde than true a little betime is worth much too late How good is a word in due season saith Salomon Pro. 15.25 as if he had said Oh who is able to declare how good a word is which commeth in due season He himselfe afterward sheweth whereunto it may bee compared A worde saith hee spoken in his place is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer Chapter 25. verse 11. Now sure am I that there is no wise bodie can denie but these Sermons were spoken in season and also published in season except some shall say that they had better haue come sooner which I could not remedie and yet I feare not their comming too late for the dangers are lately passed the deliuerance newly obteyned the prints or markes of his correcting rods are yet to be seene in many great townes whose habitations are as yet scarcely replenished the noyse of their mournings and gronings which were sore chastened are as yet sounding in some of our eares his gracious blessings are as yet euen in our mouthes so that neither his punishments vpon the wicked his chastisements vpon his children nor his seuerall blessings vpon them both now againe multiplied can possiblie be out of memorie If any say that they such as they are be published ouer hastely because peraduenture they may seeme to preuent the publishing of some more learned mans worke taken in hand vpon the like occasion I answer that euen for this purpose I stayed these my Sermons a whole season gladly desiring and earnestly expecting the publishing of some of their labours vpon the same occasion and to the same end that I haue published these yea so long I stayed till I feared that if I should haue lingered any longer the fitnes of the time would haue stolen away and yet could I heare of none which went about or intended any such matter Wherefore thus long I stayed looking for some mans labours to doe more good and no longer would I deferre least there should be no mans labours set forth vpon the same occasion which might doe any good Now then the premises considered I pray thee Christian reader to take in good part this my labour and then it shall be as an earnest penie of some riper fruits out of my poore garden when God shall minister a fit season to gather them and to send them abroode I ayme at nothing herein but the glorie of God the benefiting of others and the discharge of my owne dutie if by any meanes I might attaine thereunto though but in some small measure and though I misse thereof with men yet not with God who regardeth and accepteth the will and desire As for the malitious and enuious carpers and scorners who haue Eagles eyes to see motes in godly mens labours but blinde as Moales to see beames of wickednes in their own liues readie to censure others of all wants but sooth themselues in their owne wayes if they enuie me it is but their propertie if rashlie they censure and iudge amisse of me it is their ignorance if they with open mouth barke at me I haue therein many to take part with me whose bookes I scantly am worthie to beare after them none whereof could euer write so learnedly deliuer the trueth so zealously or doe any worke so profitably but either Atheist Papist sectarie one wicked person or other was readie at hand eyther priuily or openly to labour by power and policie perswasion or threatning to hinder the good successe of those their labours I therefore account all their malitious carping and scornefull censuring the fruit which their profane lips do daily bring forth But vnto such as feare God and haue need to be increased by the mutual helpe of their brethren I say reade these sermons diligently meditate vpon thē that ye may see the works of god and the vse yee ought to make of them when God hath chastened you by sicknesses or any other way humble your selues before God repent and turne neerer vnto him and againe when he hath mercie vpon you and granteth vnto you ease comfort then beware sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto you which that it may be fruitfull God for Christ his sake grant through the mightie working of his holy spirit vnto which one God Father Sonne and holy Ghost be glory and praie for euer Amen Thine in the Lord Richard Leake THE FIRST SERMON OF THE DVTIE OF OVR deliuerance drawne out of this portion of the word of God following viz. Ioh. 5. vers 14. And after that Iesus found him in the temple and said vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee THese words are a speech or kind of exhortation The summe of the whole verse made by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto the poore man whom a little before he had healed describing vnto him the dutie of his late receiued deliuerance as also by a louing friendly caueat forewarning him of the feare and danger of a relapse into sinne againe and former follies Wherein The parts of it for the better explanation of the particulars we haue to consider these parts or speciall circumstances First the time when Christ vttered these words The time whē vz. a little after he had been healed of his great and grieuous paine to the end hee might the better remember it and immediatly he had talked with the Pharisies Christ his enemies least by perswasion they should haue corrupted or by threatning feared him not to giue God his due drawne out of these words of the text And after that Secondly the place where these wordes were vttered by our Sauiour Christ The place where vz. the temple he found him in the temple a fit place that such heauenly and diuine words might take more effect Dauid comming into the temple alwaies his zeale and earnest desire to praise God was kindled And if there bee any sparke of grace vsually it will burst out comming into the temple the ordinarie place where God is worshipped Thirdly the wordes of exhortation themselues in these words The words of exhortation themselues and said vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more a friendly and louing caueat The louing caueat
Psalme to all men in his tâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…red out of dangers O that we would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse Psal 107.5 and declare abroad the workes that he doth for vs most sinfull men Further in that he healed this man which had been possessed with a lamenes or numnes so long a space as thirtie eight yeeres in his whole body appeareth the exceeding great power of almightie God for in that the disease was vniuersall ouer the whole body and besides had continued so long till he was old The power of the Lord set forth there is no rule in phisicke that euer could giue him any hope of recouerie yet herein note the vnspeakable power of the Lorde that by speaking a word or two he healed him perfectly in mans hope past healing By the like power hee healed the woman of the bloodie issue Luk. 8.42 who had spent all her substance vpon Phisitions and could not be healed By this power he healed the woman who had a spirit of infirmitie eighteene yeres and was bowed together Ioh. 11.43 44. Mar. 7.32 and 9.26 Matth. 11.5 24.36 Mar. 1.42 Ioh. 6. Matth. 14.19 By this power hee raised Lazarus from death to life who had lien in his graue foure daies By this power he made the deaffe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to go and clensed the leper By this power hee fed fiue thousand with fiue barly loaues and two fishes I may in like sort speake of this mightie and exceeding great power towards all those that are translated and deliuered out of the kingdome of darknesse and Satan into the kingdome and cleere light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ What a great power of the Lord was it Act. 9.1.20 that persecuting Saul was healed of his sinne made zealous Paul preaching Christ Iesus and him crucified What a great power was it that Mary Magdalene in whoÌ„ raigned dwelled 7. The true conuersion of a sinner manifesteth Gods power Luk. 7.37.38 c. diuels was cleaÌ„sed made whole and a woman euer after to weepe for her sins and to wash Christ his feet with her teares But greater was the manifestation of his power wheÌ„ he healed the man which had a legion of diuels in him And at this day may euery true conuert say oh the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards me poore wretch who being vnder the bondage of sinne and thereby the bondslaue of Satan all the power that was in me or that I was able to make could neuer make me free from that thraldome till that the exceeding power of GOD by the sounding ministerie of his word cryed vnto me Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Such a miraculous power and a powerfull miracle is the raising vp of a sinner from his snorting in iniquitie to walke and runne the race of a Christian Moreouer Note his mercie as we note his power in healing him of such a long continuing sicknesse so note wee his compassionate mercie in hauing a feeling and before touched with our infirmities We haue an high Priest Heb. 4.15 who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort as we are sinne only excepted This his compassion and mercie made him to weepe ouer Ierusalem Luk. 19.41 viewing their great sins and his fathers wrath readie to fall vpon them for the same It made him pitie the great multitude of people that came pressing vpon him when hee saw them as sheepe without a shepheard It made him to sigh and groane at the hardnes of the peoples hearts yea so forcible and plentifull was it in him that hee neuer denyed helpe to the miserable comfort to the comfortlesse nor heaueÌ„ly counsell to them that carefully sought for it His loue to vs for our saluatioÌ„ is as large as the East is from the West Psal 103.12.13 and the North from the South as great and greater then the loue the father hath to his sonne or the mother to the babe sucking her breasts for that hee euen spreadeth out both his armes of mercie readie to embrace euery sinner truly turning vnto him and clocketh vs vnto him by his liberall mercies Matth. 23.37 Deut. 32.11 12 13. euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings Yea this one thing doth greatly extoll the largenes of his loue and fauour in that he extendeth it to vs without any of our merits or deserts For he loued his owne before euer the foundation of the world was laid Rom. 9.23 ere euer Iacob had done good or euill he loued him and hated Esau The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.12 He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him Rich he is in power able to helpe rich he is in mercie most willing and readie to heare all those that call on him faithfully I should be endlesse if I should repeate the proofes of this great loue mercie of God The loue of God to vs in his son Christ is endlesse in and by his Sonne Christ Iesus But because his loue to vs is endlesse I wil here end the speaking of it with that admiration wherewith the Apostle Paul endeth his speech of Gods election and reprobation O the deepnes of the riches both of the power and mercies of God Rom. 11.33 how infinit is the one and the other not able sufficiently to be expressed by the tongue or penne of any man Our dutie hence Our dutie hence that we must learne is regeneration and true repentance otherwise wee shall treasure and hoord vp wrath and clowdes of witnesses against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God Rom. 2.3.4 Seeing the bountifulnes of God ought to leade vs to repentance The comfort we may hence reape is great The comfort Art thou sicke art thou afflicted art thou pressed downe with the sight of thy sinnes criest thou after Christ and desirest with blind Bartimeus to be healed of thy infirmitie No sore to the Christian but Christ will serue it then continue thy crying labour that thy sighs and groanes may be increased yea if it were possible euen to pearce into the heauens And though thou findest not present remedie dispayre not consider Gods power is able to raise thee vp when thou art fallen consider also his mercie to bee such that although the wife play the harlot and her husband giue her a bill of diuorcement hee will neuer receiue her againe yet saith our gratious and mercifull God vnto our sick soules turne again thou disobedient man whosoeuer thou bee and though thou hast committed whoredom with thy louers Ierem. 3.2 3 4. yet will I receiue thee into my fauour againe And thus much for the second circumstance to bee considered in healing of the man vz. how long hee had beene
his owne sonne Absalon to rebell against him take away his fathers concubines and to lye with them Againe when Dauid in pride of hart numbred his people cōtrary to the Lords minde the Lord for a reward of his sinne infected the whole land of Israel with the disease of the pestilence 1. Chro. 21.14 in so much that there dyed of the sicknes 70. thousand men O my countrimen in the Lord Iesus I beseech you throughly and soundly let vs search to the bottome the originall and chiefe occasion of our so great and long a visitation and I am afraid we shall finde that not Dauids adulterie murther and proud heart alone haue procured these afflictions to fall vpon vs but a huge masse of many infinit sins more A masse of sins amongst vs crying for vengeance which this 40. yeeres by-past we haue till now hoorded and treasured vp against our selues till they made such a crye in the Lords eares for vengeance that though his mercie be great yet they haue enforced him at length to powre out vpon vs the violl of his wrath and by these afflictions to manifest vnto vs his indignation kindled against vs. The Lord giue vs eyes to see this hearts to be sorie and a care and continuall conscience euer hereafter to walke more carefully as in the Lords presence To returne againe to Dauid as you haue heard the Lord to haue dealt sharply with him in outward troubles for his sinnes so how he dealt vvith him by inwarde troubles griefes and sicknes of the minde Psal 6. and 38. and 55. and 77. his often complaining in these Psalmes quoted in the margent sufficiently doth witnesse Which Psalmes I wish the gentle reader to peruse and ruminate vpon them assuring him if he be distressed in soule for sinne thereby hee may receiue and finde comfort The Israelites offending God Num. 21.4 5 6. in murmuring against Moses and Aaron the Lords messengers were stung with fierie Serpents and destroyed with the meate in their mouthes Yea that excellent woman Myriam Aarons sister but once murmuring against Moses Exod. 12.1.2 for marying a woman of Aethiopia and because the Lord talked more familiarly with her then hee did with Aaron and her selfe Vers 10. the Lord for this sinne smote her with the disease of the leprosie that she was all ouer as white as snow Vers 14. till that Moses made earnest suite intercession to the Lord for her health Hezekiah was grieuously sicke both in bodie and soule 2. King 20. Esay 38.1 2. Chro. 32.14 Hosea chap. 8. and chap. 9. till in mercie God restored both to health Sinne and iniquitie was the cause of famine and sword threatned to the rebellious Iewes Often we finde in the Gospell that our Sauiour Christ giuing sight to the blinde or health to the sick vseth this speech Go thy way Mar. 2.5 thy sinnes are forgiuen thee as if hee should say sinne hath been the cause of thy long sicknes but now thy sins being pardoned which before as fetters chained thy feete thou maiest rise vp and walke as a sound man And of all other most excellent and memorable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30.31 where he telleth them that for the abuse and prophanation of the Lords Supper amongst them Prophaning of the Lords Supper caused death many of them are weake many sicke and many fallen asleepe that is dead Truly I am perswaded that one of the greatest and capitall crimes that hath puld these plagues vpon our countrie This holy Sacramēt greatly prophaned in our North parts of this land First by the pastor how and hath made vs a talke in the mouthes of the people of other countries is the grieuous and monsterous prophanation of this holy Sacrament the Supper of the Lorde being for so long a time so horribly prophaned both of pastor and people The pastor or at least hee that occupieth the roome of a pastor without all due care and consideration ministreth it to all alike without exception examination or making any separation of the vnholy from the holy the prophane from the sound professor the dogs and the swine from the sincere and sanctified people of the Lord who ought to vse the power of the keyes belonging to their calling if any such vncleane and vnsanctified people doe offer themselues to communicate themn by the power aforesaid to barre such men from the Supper vntill there appeare in them testimonies of repentance and change of manners This being the true and onely remedie prescribed by Christ himselfe both against such men and to take away all offences of the Church and finally to escape the iust vengeance of God that euer frō time to time haue fallen vpon the contemners of the Gospell and Sacraments But alas thee careles guides and vnsauourie salt The lets that stay them frō doing their dutie in this behalfe either because they are men-pleasers dare not or because they may bee attainted of some notorious fault themselues wil not or else because they are sillie simple ignorant sots and know not how to doe it doe still continue in their careles course to the vtter destruction of thēselues and many a poore soule vnder their charge The poore soules in great danger hereby vnlesse God in his great mercie take pitie vpon them These euill workers nay rather betrayers of the sillie sheepe of Christ either know not or at least care not for so many inuectiues as the godly fathers in the former ages of the Church haue giuen out most boldly both by word and writing against the pastors who suffer such monsterous prophanation of the holy Supper of the Lord as also the great care that Christian Churches haue still had to keepe themselues cleane from that pollution Amongst the multitude of the godly writers I cannot passe ouer but set downe that most excellent saying of Iohn Chrysostome in his Homilies vpon Matthew concerning this point whose words are these Chrysost in hom 38. in Mat. c. 27 No small punishment hangeth ouer your heads if knowing any man to bee taken in wickednesse you suffer him to be partaker hereof for his blood shall be required at your hands Therefore if any Captaine if the Consul himselfe if he that weareth the crowne come vnworthily barre him keepe him backe Against the vnlawfull fearing of any thou hast greater authoritie then he Therefore if a most cleere spring of water were committed vnto thee to keepe it onely to serue the flocke when thou diddest see beasts vse to strike and gore and most filthie swne come towards it thou wouldest not suffer them to goe downe into the water nor to trouble the spring And now when as the most hallowed spring not of water but of blood and the holy Ghost is committed vnto thee if thou shalt see men notoriously defiled with sinne come vnto it wilt thou not be angrie nor
forbid them And a little after he saith If you will feare men he will laugh at you if God you shall be reuerenced of men Surely I will rather yeeld my bodie to death and suffer my blood to be shed then to be partaker of this pollution For the example of the practise of Christian Churches one example likewise shall suffice which shall bee the example of the Greeke Church in former times The example of the Greeke Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A congregation of the faithfull who had such a reuerent estimation of this holy banket that the very name wherewith they called it argueth the same First Vocarunt eam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to to say a congregation of the faithfull which was so religiously obserued Quod quamuis tolerabantur in concion publicis prophani verùm vbi inchoanda erat ipsa Dominicae caenae communicatio iubebantur illi discedere accedere c. Although the wicked and open prophane were permitted to bee present at their publike preachings sermons yet whensoeuer the Supper of the Lord was to bee administred then they vsed these words Depart ye wicked and prophane and draw neere ye that truly and sincerely professe Christ and his Gospell Againe Vocarunt eam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A holy table they called it a holy table both in regard of the holy and heauenly foode of the soule there offered as also in regard of those holy people who alone are admitted to the eating thereof So that these being well considered I will conclude this point concerning the pastors abuse in the aforesaid prophanation with this earnest wish that all who are called to this waightie calling of the worke of the ministerie with care and conscience so to behaue themselues therein as they that shall giue account in the great day of the Lord for euery soule that hath perished within their charge through their negligence For the peoples prophaning this holy Sacrament Secondly it is prophaned by the people and how I my selfe haue bin oft an eye witnesse God is my record to my griefe when I haue seene great multitudes of people in the house of the Lord My self an eye witnesse with striuing thronging pressing forwarde contend who should first receiue the outwarde elements at the hands of their minister making no better then a common banket of it or as though they were in extreame haste Againe the Parsons proctor to be reckoning for his fees in the very time of administring the Supper Great prophanation and worthie punishment and that within the Lords house not farre from the minister as great a noise of brauling about him as of singing Psalmes amongst the Communicants yea farre greater for the one is often vsed the other very seldome or neuer I might bee large in laying downe such manifold abuses as these Many moe besides these which I haue seene with mine eyes as euery one after they haue gotten their rightings for so our sillie ignorant people call it to hasten out of the congregation neuer reuerently abiding till all be partakes that they might all depart with a ioynt thanksgiuing But these are sufficient to the reader to testifie how iustly I am perswaded Ex vnguibus leonem astima that for these and such like abuses the Lorde hath rightly plagued our countrie After the receiuing of this holy Sacrament and seale of the true Christians saluation they hold on à malo in peius they then goe for good fellowship to the tauerne or alehouse altogether The Magistrates coldnes in correcting a great cause of these abuses and thence they come not till they are inflamed and made drunke with strong drinke and then out they must but otherwise then they came in for now they run out to purge themselues and their heauie stomackes by belchings and beastly vomiting others to brawle and fight so as it would wound a Christians hart to see how the senselesse soules worse then brute beasts This cryeth for vengeāce without speedy repentance doe in receiuing the bread and wine at the Supper of the Lord eate and drinke their owne condemnation Others there be more nise in outward shew As euill as the other it may be will walke solitary that day abstaine in outwarde appearance from their wonted course of sinne but if they do this for one day two were too many and therefore the morow after the Supper is as the day before euen to drinke sinne like water and draw iniquitie as it were with cartropes A third sort of vnworthie receiuers there be in our countrie whom I may very well call carnall gospellers and lip-professors Too many of such amongst vs. who doe receiue this holy Supper together with Gods deare children and thereby doe make their solemne profession of newnes of life but after a season it proueth rather worse with them then with the former for they are such that though they crie Lord Lord voce yet they deny to doe the will of their heauenly father What dangerous effect follow such wicked dealing vita and so are an occasion to the wicked and professed enemies of Gods trueth of blaspheming that glorious Gospel of Christ Iesus whereof they make profession though vnsoundly and after an vncleane manner These men to speake plainly they are very neere vnto if not the same men whereof Christ testifieth Matth. 12. that they expulse out the vncleane spirit but after a season the same spirit returneth againe he bringeth seuen other spirits with him worse then himselfe and finding all cleane swept and garnished they reenter and take possession in the man and make their dwelling there whose latter end horrendum dictu is worse then the beginning And such as Peter painteth out 2. Pet. 2. ver 20 who after they haue in shew throwne and shaken off sinne and bidden the world adiew doe notwithstanding after all this enter couenant to bee Satans seruant againe in whom the prouerbe is too true Vers 22. The dogge is returned to his vomit and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mare The Lord for his mercies sake Amen Amen work reformation hereof both in pastor and people which reformation if presently it appeare not I feare me a worse day I feare the sequell then hitherto hath been seene will insue whereof more at large hereafter And let this suffice also for proofes out of the word how the Lord for sinne sendeth troubles and sicknesses both of body and minde vpon his owne people Let vs now in a word shew how he doth it vpon the wicked wherein I may fitly vse the speech of the Apostle that if for sinne iudgement begin at the house of God what shall be the end of the wicked A fearfull end without all doubt And if hee deale thus with the greene tree what may wee thinke will be the end of the drie and withered tree but to be
Mentz Strang and vnnaturall persecution Vnnaturall and not heard of before persecution against the poore saints plagued with strange and vnwonted diseases as in Iohn de Roma a Iacobine the Lord of Reuest and the Lord of Opede Blasphemous derogating from the crowne and dignitie of Christ Iesus Blasphemies the washing away of sinnes in all men and arrogating the same to the Pope and his pardons plagued with sudden and present death as in the parson of Crondall aforesaid Last of all let vs by some few proofes out of the word confirme this which hath been illustrated both out of the examples of the Scriptures and the Acts and Monuments of our owne Church In the 29. Deut. 29.22 chapter of Deuteromie vers 22. Moses sheweth that the generation of the Israelites which was then for to come and the strangers that should come from a farre land shall say when they see the plagues and diseases of this land wherewith the Lord shall smite it Vers 24. Vers 25. Wherefore hath the Lord done thus vnto this land And they shall answer Because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lord God of their fathers which he made with them And chapter 31.17 Cap. 31.17 They shall be consumed and many aduersities and tribulations shall come vpon them Then they shall say Are not these troubles come vpon vs because God is not with vs Of all other places in the Scriptures let the 28. of Deuteronomie Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. and the 26. of Leuit. be as glasses for all men to behold themselues in where you shal find for disobedience and breach of Gods commandements the Lord will inflict vpon them most extreame diseases and sores of the body as the pestilence Vers 21.22 Vers 27. a consumption the feuer the burning ague the botch of Egypt the Emerodes the scab and the itch He threatned to smite them in the knees Vers 35. in the thighs with a sore botch that they could not bee healed euen from the sole of their foote to the top of their head For other griefes of body and horrible tormēts of the mind that there is threatned against the obstinate offenders I wish the godly to peruse them thereby to be as bridles and stayes vnto them whensoeuer Satan by his suggestions laboureth to driue them therevnto Take the sower with the sweete And I wish that the wicked would in their boldnes to drinke vp sinne like water once giue a glance backe to these fearefull threats of the Lord and view what shall be the wofull ende of their grosse and abominable wickednesses I wish also that both these and all the aforenamed proofes together with the manifold examples out of the Scriptures and sundry histories of the Church before alleadged Let them be for a Christian Chronicle be in stead of a little Chronicle for all sick and sore men either in body or minde for all those that are strangely visited or grieuously afflicted to be exercised in wherein they may finde the Lords iudgements frō time to time executed vpon the wicked and abominable liuers without abatement controlement or dispensation fearing no power The wicked neuer able to stay Gods iudgements preuented by no policie stayed by no bribes nor abated by any medicine till such time as hee hath layed the honors houses habitations and whole posterities of the wicked euen with the ground The end of the wicked As may be seene of Ieroboam Baasha Ahab and Ioab that I say men visited with sicknes vpon a sound sauerie of the premisses may without delay enter into a serious speech and due consideration of their owne estate in regarde of sinne Search soundly without soothing your selues and if they finde that such sinnes as you haue heard here before to bee plagued of the Lord to rule and raigne in them or any sinne and transgression of Gods commandements then let them impute the cause of their visitation to their owne sinnes and wicked conuersation resoluing further that he will not withdraw it who hath sent it hee will not heale them who hath wounded them they shall not recouer of their sicknesse nor come downe from the bed whereon they lie till such time as the Lord see them broken hearted with Dauid and vowing to his maiestie the continuall sacrifice of a better life or at least if they passe that disease or fit vnlesse they from the heart repent let them looke ere it be long One being gone another will come vnlesse thou repent to come vnder the extremitie of some other that shall be as a beasome in his wrath to take all away Last of all I wish euen from my very heart roote in Iesus Christ that all of you my Countriemen for whose comfort especially I was moued to pen this little vnworthie treatise may search and throughly ransacke your hearts to the bottome for these sinnes vz. Murther contempt of Gods word persecution of Gods children couetousnes oppression killing pride despairing of Gods power Idolatrie lying against ones owne conscience despairing of Gods mercies which sinnes flourishing in the reprobates haue been fearefully plagued as you haue heard before Search till we finde them for they are amongst vs. Search further for wicked and vnlawfull mariages for whoredome murmuring against Gods faithfull magistrates or ministers And so the monstrous profanation of the supper of the Lord sinnes for committing whereof the Lord hath grieuouslie punished his owne people as plainely hath been proued yea and for many moe then all these would I haue you with your selues to make a particular and strict examination Pray you so likewise Ephes 1.17.18 and I beseech God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that the eyes of your vnderstanding may be enlightened that you may discerne and clearely see how farre you haue entred a couenant and bound your selues in league with most of these sinnes and many other most abhominable sinnes Ouer all generally In many places as your horrible Atheisme affected ignorance grosse Poperie and in most places mocking and contemning the Lords ordinarie meanes of your saluation in seeing of them acknowledge your long and continued afflictions to be sweete corrections The Lord hath dealt easilie with you as yet in regarde of that fearefull and dreadfull condemnation they haue long since before this cried for as a stipend of desert due vnto them yea in vtter loathing of them and heartie griefe for offending God by them let vs all crie with the prodigall childe that for our sinnes we are not worthy to haue the heauens to couer vs the earth to beare vs Luk. 15.21 Iehouah to protect vs or Iesus Christ euer to be a Sauiour vnto vs yet here not to stay but in hope as our anker through faith as our hand by the promise of the reueiled word for our certainty to prease and post forward and with the Eagle to soare vp to the true phisition of
full of faintnes when the fat buls of Basan and the deuouring lions shall be sent emptie away yea they shall clap their handes and lift vp their heads for ioy of that In terror and feare wherof the wicked shall gnash with their teeth grin like a dog and for auoyding of it though all in vaine they shall wish the rockes to open the hils to couer and the mountaines to be as a shelter vnto them from the glorious presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne Thus death against the godly hath no sting hell against the Christian hath no victorie Reade Heb. 12 11. Psal 30.8.9 34.18.19 119.71 affliction is not our confusion as husbandmen vse to bring dead trees and burne them in the fire but our affliction is for our firmer further consolation and edification like as a good husbandman purgeth his vine that it may bring forth more fruite Psal 30.5 Heauinesse with the godly may endure for a night but assuredly peace ioy commeth in the morning Seeing then that thus happily it goeth with vs all in our greatest afflictions if we belong vnto Christ I will conclude as Saint Paul concludeth his treatise of our immortall state in the life to come that seeing death once had dominion ouer vs but is now destroyed afflictions hurted vs but now they profit vs sicknesse affraied vs but now comforteth vs euen thankes and all thankes be giuen for euer to God the father 1. Cor. 15.57 who hath giue vs this happie victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ Now for the wicked their sicknesse sores As for the wicked it is not so with them griefes and vexations are still vnto them as stipends of sinne tokens of Gods wrath and vnlesse they speedily repent euen beginnings as I said before of the flashings of hell fire I denie not but the godly man may haue for the outward operation the same sicknesse sore For the outward operation of the sicknesse they may agree Cal. in Psal 37.19 A difference betweene the afflictions of the godly and vngodly Psal 1.4 griefe and trouble that the wicked and vngodly haue yet inwardly euer this difference shall be found Quòd Deus suis in necessitate manum porrigens impios deferit God in time of his childrens necessities bee they neuer so great still stretcheth out his hand for helping them and vpholding them least they fall but as for the wicked it is not so with them he vtterly reiecteth them forsaketh and giueth thē ouer vnto their owne hearts lust Propter peccatum Flagellantur iusti propter probationem iniusti ad perditionem The godly are afflicted for their greater triall but the wicked are afflicted for their cōfusion because of their great sinnes Esay 9.13.14 For the people saith Esay turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hosts Therefore will the Lord cut off in one day from Israel head and tayle branch and rush Pijs afflictio est disciplina qua docetur iram Domini effugere voluntati eius obsequi Afflictiō to the godly is for discipline in themselues whereby they are taught to auoide the Lords wrath by reformation of their liues and willingly to yeeld obedience to his commandements Whereupon Paul saith When we are iudged 1. Cor. 11.32 wee re chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Impijs verò afflictio est obduratio qua a malo in peius progrediuntur sicut Pharaoh But vnto the wicked In euerie affliction two things to be considered afflictiō is a meane of hardening their hearts whereby they proceede from worse to worse In euery affliction two things are to be considered first Gods iudgement secondly Gods mercie The wicked partaker of the former but neuer of the latter The wicked in their afflictions are partakers of the one which is Gods iudgement but neuer of the other The godly are partakers of both iudgement for their sinnes mercie for Iesus Christ his sake Hereupon saith Nahum Nah. 1.7 Good is our God and comfortable to his owne children in the day of trouble And Dauid Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Loe his mercie whereof the wicked are neuer partakers So that herein appeareth againe wherein the godly are commō partakers with the wicked in afflictions and where they differ Psal 85. The last thing that I will note out of this part and so end it is this That in the words sinne no more we may note that the Lord was priuie to al his former sinnes and offences that euer before he had committed and therefore it is as if he should say I haue seene noted and obserued all such sins as euer before this thou hast committed either publikely or priuately inwardly or outwardly by thought word and worke and for the same haue afflicted thee and also in the end deliuered thee take heede therefore thou sinne no more Hence note the Lord hath Eagles eyes to see the corners of our hearts and all our sinnes neuer so closely committed nothing so secret but it shall bee made manifest Mat. 10. Read Psal 138. and that which is committed in corners shal be published on the house top Then euer hereafter let euery man worke as in the day time walke as in Gods presence behaue themselues as hauing the Lorde an eye vvitnesse who if we doe well in his mercie vvill accept of vs but if wee doe euill Gen. 4.7 then know sinne standeth at the doores who will neuer cease crying in the eares of the Lord for vengeance till such time as it bee powred downe vpon the wicked in fearfull manner and executed vpon the vnbeleeuers to their euerlasting destruction And thus much for the second part of the words of exhortation which is that sinne was the cause of his long sicknesse THE THIRD SERMON OF THE DVTIE OF OVR DELIVERANCE The third Sermon NOw followeth the third part vz. what must be the effect of his health recouerie or what must bee the dutie of his deliuerance drawne out of the same wordes that the other part was though not in the same sence Sinne no more This is the subiect of the whole treatise describing the dutie that this man healed must euer bee mindfull of to his louing and mercifull father for his great and large deliuerance and in him may fitly bee gathered the dutie of all Gods children to the Lord for so many liberall and louing mercies as continually he powreth vpon them Particulars shewing the mercies of God How greatly this poore man was bound to render thankes to the almightie for his deliuerance I haue before set down in some particulars as the dangerous disease ouer his whole body the long continuance of it euen most of his life the little good that any likely meanes of outward medicine did for him with some other moe the consideratiō whereof could not but
Happie are we if we heare aright thy law thy lore and eke thy praise will wee beare obey extoll and magnifie all the daies of our life being here on the earth This if we doe then happy shall we be stand fast for aye and a parcel of the Lords vineyard beloued for euer but if we doe not but delay the time of our repentance as we haue done oh alas I must and will tell you what he will then doe vnto vs sinfull wicked and carelesse contemners of his graces euen take away his hedge from vs breake downe his wall lay vs waste A fearfull afterclap and neither plant prime cut nor digge vs any more and then marke what wofull sequell thereupon shall follow we shall be troden downe eaten vp and destroyed by the wilde bore out of the forrest and no good shal then grow amongst vs but brambles and bryers tokens of his wrath as in Adma and Zeboim Againe as this exhortation serueth to the man that neuer tasted of repentance before that now without delay hee turne vnto the Lord cease from his sinne and bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life so likewise it may serue and bee in place of a louing and pithie exhortation to the protestant It serueth as an exhortation to all protestants of our countrie Ioh. 11. Marke our happy case on Gods behalfe Ephes 2. and professor of Christianitie in these our daies whose case on Gods behalfe is like to Mary Magdalens out of whom went seuen diuels like to Lazarus who was raised from death to life after foure daies rotting in his graue like to the Ephesians quickened raised vp made new and brought to sit in heauenly places by the blood of Christ from aliants and strangers to the commoÌ„-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world yea of forreners and strangers made citizens with the Saints and of the househâ—â—d of faith And to conclude on Gods behalfe like to the vntoward and trewantlike schollers of whom the author to the Hebrues maketh mention who were lightened tasted of the heauenly gift Heb. 6.3.4.5.6.7 and were made partakers of the Holy-ghost casted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come The professors I say on Gods behalfe being in as happie a case as Magdalen grace offered from God the father by his sonne Christ to dispell and driue backe Satan and dispossesse them of many diuels as comfortable a case as Lazarus was in called by the sounding ministerie of Gods word out of the pit and graue of their sinnes where they haue not laine almost foure daies as Lazarus but by an inueterate custome of sinne all their daies rotting therein yet at last made to heare this powerfull voyce Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead c. And to conclude of no people made a beloued people of aliants from the common wealth of Israel made owners and heires thereof by grace and of seruants by nature made sonnes vnto God by adoption in Christ Iesus But these professors of the Gospell so gratious on Gods behalfe who hath layd out himselfe and his mercies wholly in his sonne Christ vnto them all yet in regard of themselues and the courses of their liues not vnlike the foolish Galathians Gal. 3.1 who did for a time run well but in the end obeyed not the trueth loued their Apostle so dearely Gal. 4.15 that they would haue plucked their eyes out of their heads to haue done him good yet after a time harkening to false Apostles they accounted him their vtter enemie Vers 16. be cause hee told them the trueth These at the first publishing of the Gospell were very feruent accompting it sweete but after some trials for the same laid vpoÌ„ them they fainted adiudging themselues vnable to vndergoe the burthen And to conclude though they begun in the spirite yet Paul was afraid of them that they would altogether end in the flesh Yea fitly may many of our Christians at this day be compared with the protestants against whom Peter wrote who promised vnto others libertie 2. Pet. 2.20 and yet were themselues the seruants of corruption who after they had escaped from the filthines of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ were yet againe tangled therein And to conclude as I compared them to the Ephesians before in regarde of the multitude of Gods mercies offered them so now may I againe fitly resemble them to the same Ephesians but not in the same sense as before being now comparable with them for carelesnes Apocal. 2.4 coldnes and luke-warmenes in Gods seruice For vnto the Ephesians Angell or pastor Iohn the Diuine was coÌ„manded to write diuers things amongst which this for one that the Ephesians had forsaken their first loue Thus then the case going with vs all that professe the Gospell so happily so comfortably on Gods behalfe euen raised vp to sit in spirituall places with Christ Iesus and so dangerously and so doubtfully on our own parts amongst many in regarde of their sensuall carnall and carelesse cariage of themselues in the middest of a sinfull and crooked generation this dutie of the sicke mans deliuerance laid downe and described in our text here by Christ may serue very fitly for vs all and be continually applied of euery one of vs and stil sounding in our eares as though Christ were calling vpon or conferring with vs saying Behold thou art made whole sinne no more Ye that were dead in your sins hath Christ quickened Marke well ô my brethren ye that were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in you because of the hardnes of your hearts hath he illuminated and opened the eyes of your vnderstanding that ye may see and discerne of things that differ one from another Yea vnto you all that professe the Gospell let me speake Behold beho d ye that were deaffe doe heare Blessed bee God for it ye that were lame doe goe ye that were dumbe doe speake ye that were leprous are clensed and ye poore soules whom Satan once ouerruled keeping you in darknes poperie superstition to you to you I say is the Gospell preached the happy newes of saluation sent and the kingdome and glorious throne of Christ Iesus erected amongst you But me thinke I heare some say that the man to whom these wordes were first vttered by Christ The secure reasoning of many had cause and great cause to put in practise this holesome counsell for hee was made whole not onely in soule and the parts thereof but also in his body when he neuer expected any recouerie but as for vs or as for me although the spirituall blessings wee feele and perceiue yet for bodily healing or preseruing from dangers wherein can wee finde it O my beloued behold further and ye shall see what mercies the Lorde hath magnified towards you in regard of
corporall health or bodily deliuerances First it is not vnknowne what deuises Satan by his ministers An answer vnto it hath vsed both forren and domesticall for the subuersion of our gratious prince the stay of our safetie and the staffe of our strength next vnder God the inuasion and possession of our Realme by forrenners and frō all these behold we are made whole and both the deuiser and the deuises brought to nought For other deliuerances corporall as from famine the pestilence the running issues and the burning feuer whereof most parts of our land haue tasted I spare to speake because wee are so lately made whole or deliuered from them and doe conclude my answere of the obiection with Paul the Apostle to the Romanes If God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all other things also needfull for vs Nay blessed be God he hath giuen vs them alreadie so that now hence followeth the dutie he requireth of you Magistrates that professe to defend the Gospell by the sword of your authoritie of you pastors that preach the Gospell and of all others that openly professe the Gospell in more zeale and forwardnes for outward shew then many others to you all I say take heede looke to your selues that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine that ye do not crie Lord Lord in voice and deny him in your liues that yee bee not professors and no practisers hearers but no doers Sinne no more in your loose liues as you haue done by dispensing with iustice daubing vp the Lords wall with vntempered morter rising vp earely or sitting vp late to drinke strong drinke defiling your bodies by the vncleannes of whoredome blaspheming God by swearing or prophaning the Sabboth of the Lord by following your worldly businesses for with these sinnes I am afraid many that professe the Gospell are defiled whereby iustice is peruerted the Lords building hindered the godly offended and occasion of stumbling to the weake ones thereby administred and generally by meanes hereof the wicked vncircumcised Gentiles haue taken an occasion of blaspheming the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus as the wicked by Dauids offence in his daies Doe not account the shew of this worlde such a siluer shrine as you doe doe not with one hand receiue Christ with the other embrace this euill world with Demas Kisse not Christ once and after with Iudas betray him be not so newfangled this day as with the Pharisees to cry Hosanna welcome Christ and to be altered soone after with the Camelion crying kill and crucifie him Let not such vnsauorie and vnsanctified cōmunication come out of your mouths as sometime one shall heare euen from those that brag much of the Gospell either concerning worldly matters or their vaine sportes and pastimes of this life Doe not for a time affect loue your pastor for his message sake and after a while to bring itching eares that vnles he will speake ad placidum you will persecute him and vnlesse he wil be a wether-cocke to transforme himselfe fit for your humors you will account him an vnprofitable watchman runne not too fast for feare you faint neither runne aside for feare you fall in the ditch but runne so as you may finish your course with ioy lay your building vpon that corner stone as you resolue to perseuer beginne not in the spirit and ende in the flesh remember from whence ye are fallen euen from your first loue and your former care repent and doe your first workes yee that know the way of truth walke in it worke by it let word and deed profession and practise be simul eodem circa eadem concurre together for the aduancement of the glorious crowne and kingdome of Christ Iesus And to conclude in the bowels of Iesus Christ I beseech all you my brethren by profession giue no more such a scandale by your lewd liues as you haue done neither to Iewe nor Gentile to those that are without or within the Church take the Apostle Paul herein for an example walke more warily that the Gospell on your behalfe be not euill spoken of finally dearly beloued let your light so shine before men let your conuersation be so honest among the Gentils that they seeing your good works may glorifie God our heauenly father in the day of their visitation And thus much of the force of these words Sinne no more to all that doe professe the Gospell of Christ not so syncerely as they ought It followeth now to set downe the measure of this dutie Sinne no more viz. How and of what manner of strength sinning no more ought to be with the godly and here we may not thinke that the drift of our Sauiour Christ in laying downe his dutie is to persuade the man healed or in him anie one of the godly that he expecteth in them an immunitie and freedome altogether from sinne and the remnants thereof and that after our deliuerance from dangers either spirituall or corporall we should become so perfect in our profession of Christianitie Esay 64.6.7 Prou. 20.9 Eccles 7.21 1. King 8.46 as that we should be altogether pure from the blots and blemishes of any sin whatsoeuer For the example of the godly of all ages recorded in the booke of God testifie the contrarie who still feeling in them a rebellious nature prone and prompt to sinne doe pray continually for strength against the same And in all humiliation doe prostrate themselues Psal 143.2 130.3 Dan. 9.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 before Gods tribunall seat humbly crauing the Lord neuer to enter into iudgement with them for their sins daily committed vsing these or the like speeches Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for if thou doest no flesh shal be iustified before thee Again If thou ô Lord marke what is done amisse oh who may abide it The rule of praier giuen by our Sauiour Christ enforceth this point teaching the godly while they liue euer to pray forgiue vs our debts Mat. 6.12 the authoritie of the scriptures confirmeth the same in many and sundrie other places Gal. 5.17 teaching vs to acknowledge and confesse when we haue done all that euer we can we are vnprofitable seruants And that if we would Luke 19. we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs so that hence 1. Iohn 1.8 if any spirit there arise so foolish as dare affirme that the Church and the particular members thereof ought to be a pure and sanctified Church of it selfe and in it selfe from all staine and corruption either in doctrine or manners The only perfection in this life is to know our selues imperfect Ierom. in epist Nunquam ad perfectionē pertingemus nisi confecto nostro stadio Cal. in Ephes we are taught what to answere that we can neuer be partakers of that totall freedome and finall victorie ouer