exceedingly merciful as sometimes to disgrace a base colour or to make a colour that is perfect indeed to appeare more beautifull and orient wee set by it another that is nothing so glorious and good But to our purpose I say howe comfortable is that of Isaiah 41. where the Lord commaundeth his ministers to comfort yea to comfort his people and to seeke out for them and to speake such things vnto them as may delight and affect their heattes and to proclame vnto them that the set time is accomplished that their iniquitie is pardoned and that they haue receiued double at the Lords hands for all their sinne And this is yet further made plain by this that though al the word generally be the obiect of our faith teaching vs indeed what wee should beleeue and do for Gods glory heer and our endlesse glorification els where yet the principal props and stayes of our consciences for comfort consolation indeed are no where els to befound but in the gracious and sweet promises contayned therein which also is manifest euen by the very practise of God himselfe euery where propounding them to an afflicted and distressed heart as the principall and peculiar remedie against the sicknes of our soules that way In the 103. Psalme he saith that look how much more high the heauens are ouer the the earth so much doth his goodnes preuaile vpon them that feare him Againe he remooueth our sinnes as farre fromvs as the East is from the West By two fit similitudes taken froÌ„ things that are subiect to our fight amplifying the grace and mercie of God opposing the same against our transgressions And in Isaiah 1. he saith thus Though your si nes were as skarlet they shall be as snow and though they were as crimosin yet they shall be whiter than wooll And fearing least men woulde not willinglie come how doth he there intereat vs saying Come now I pray you and let vs reason the caus together as though he should say let vs friendly conferre of the matter If you will but lend and bend your care and be touched with the true sense of my righteousnes and your owne sinnes I promise faithfully that I will for mine own mercies sake put away all your transgressions whatsoeuer though they be neuer so great or grieuous That shall not let my worke in you my mercy shall surmount all yea your misery if you soundlie turne shall magnifie the greatnes of the abundant riches of my mercy The newe couenant that God maketh with his people in the 31. chap. of Ieremie and to the end that we might know it indeed to be a promise of the new testament it is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. how comfortable and full of sweet promises is that After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inwarde partes and write it in their heartes and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest saith the Lord for J will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more And if the olde testament be so plentifull what shall we thinke of the new which doth as of purpose propound and handle this point or question Christ himself saith Mat. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen vnto you seeke and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened vnto you And in the 7. of Iohn in the last and great day of the feast he stood crying out said He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life and in the 12. of that Gospell He that beleeueth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Is not that of the same nature which hee speaketh of in another Euangelisst The whole need not the Physition but they that are sicke I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And what may we think of that which is alleaged in the 12. of the Gospell after Mathewe out of the prophet Isaiah A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shal he not quench till he bring foorth iudgement vnto victory Out of Paules epistles wee haue spoken somewhat before in the first point of doctrine that was gathered out of this text yet take one or two In the 2. to the Corinth chap. 6. he saith We are the temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwel amongst them and walk there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Yea I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sons and daughters saith the Lorde almighty And the same Apostle deliuereth a notable promise with a glorious comfortable preface prefixed before it also 1. Tim. 1. This is a true saying and worthy to be receined of all men that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chief May we not of these and thousandes such like say as the Apostle Peter doth that most great precious promises are giuen vnto vs that euen for that end which he expresseth there namely that by them wee shoulde bee partakers of the diuine nature whilest we fly the corruption that is in the world thorow lust Are not these great promises and may iustly bee so called because they proceed from the great God propounde vnto vs great and excellent matters May wee not esteeme them precious not only for the raritie and excellencie of them but also because they vnderprop our precious faith Are wee not made in a double respect by them partakers of the diuine nature 1. that as in regard God is ioyfull and chearefull we are also become comfortable and replenished with spiritual ioy 2. That as be ceaseth from sin and is continually occupied in well doing so we learne thereby in our measure and maner to die the death of sinne and to liue the lâ—fe of righteousnes What other men may think I know not but to me it seemeth that God thus in his worde setting promises against sin mindeth nothing els but to shew that as sin is it that most stingeth the conscience so the meane to heale that byting as if it were the brasen Serpent set vp to cure the bytinges of fierie Serpents to bring comfort against the same is the promises of God propounded vnto vs in the word and selt in our hearts by faith And this is so plaine and euident a truth that euen there where God seemeth most to terrifie I meane in denouncing the threats of his law or iudgments against sinne he yet thinketh vpon not only his mercy in himselfe but as it is manifested vnto men he euen there either plainly expressing promises of blessing grace and fauor or els
second is a weighty reason ioyned to those exhortations or commādements the better both to proue the truth of that Christ had said and also the more effectually to perswade vs to walke in the obedience and practise thereof and this reason is comprehended vers 30. True it is indeed that the reason doth more specially concerne the latter exhortation or commandement as we shall shew hereafter if God will Howbeit it may not improperly also in some sort and sense be applied and referred vnto the first But because this is not a poynt greatly materiall now we wil let it passe and proceede to more necessary matter Now concerning the exhortations or commandements they are according to the number of the verses in which they are contayned two And yet if I bee not deceiued both of them tending to one ende namely by calling men to come vnto Christ and to learne of him to minister comfort of conscience to them that were heauie harted And yet we must not thinke that they are needles tautologies or mine repetitions but serue as to expresse Christs singular loue towards afflicted persons he vrging them as we see againe and againe so to let vs vnderstand in the doubling and trebling of these sweete and comfortable exhortations or commaundements that it is no easie thing to comfort a wounded spirit and that a broken and troubled heart doth not by and by though gladly it would admit and recelue comfort For if that were so one exhortation commaundement call or promise would suffice but rather that euen for their mind that is true in them that is said in the Prophet Ieremiah and is repeated in this Euangelist chap. 2 Rahel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not And yet further betweene these two exhortations or commaundements I make this difference that in the first he calleth vs simply without any other respect than of our owne miseries and his mercies to come vnto him for releefe And in the other he calleth on vs or commandeth vs to learne of him and to profit by our comming and not to bee as bad schollers that haue very good teachers or maisters and yet learne little or nothing from them And we are further to marke that in deliuerie of these exhortations or cōmandements Christ obserueth this order First he putteth downe the exhortation or commandement it selfe as ver 28 Come vnto me alye c. ver 29. Take my yoke vpon you c. And then addeth promises full of comfort and consolation as I will refresh you in the end of vers 28. and againe Ye shall find rest vnto your soules the last words of verse 29. which our Sauiour Christ presseth as wee see by doubling of them not so much to expresse the infinite treasure of spirituall ioye that is in him as to assure vs that comming at his call we shall haue that in great measure and plenty bestowed vpon vs that shall ease our smart But all these things with many other moe we shall see more plainely and vnderstand more fully in the particular exposition of the words themselues as they lye in the text and in the obseruation of doctrines arising out of them To them therefore we come Verse 28. It is saide Come vnto me In this verse two things contained First the exhortation or commandement it selfe in these words Come vnto me c. Secondly a promise adioyned as for our greater incouragement to well dooing so for the better assurance of it in our hearts in these words And I will refresh you or make you to rest and find ease In the exhortation or commandement we are to consider the person exhorting or commaunding which is Christ comfortably saying Come vnto me and the persons exhorted or commaunded in these words all ye that labour c. who are described by adiuncts or attributes setting out their miserable estate and they are two to wit labouring and being heauy laden And indeede the promise following respecteth also these two persons that is to say Christs person promising to refresh and the labouring or heauy laden who are to be refreshed The word Come whether it be of exhorting or commaunding doth not comprehend in it either readines willingnes or power of them that are called as of themselues as the Pelagians in former times supposed and our popish aduersaries haue dreamed of late because we know the scripture saith it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure and we beleeue that to be true that our Sauiour Christ himselfe testifieth saying No man can come vnto mee vnles the Father draw him but rather the singular care and loue of the caller and that not so much for his owne glory who in the death and destruction of men can get will get himselfe a name as for our good who when we thinke no such thing no nor of our owne good neither being distressed in spirit for then commonly we are eyther dull and heauy hearted or else thorow feare are grieuously cast downe and disquieted in our selues doth yet notwithstanding call vpon vs and to vs willeth vs to goe or come not to others for then we might imagine eyther that he had no power or will in himselfe or that he meant to shift vs off besides they eyther cannot or will not yeeld vs reliefe if we should repayre vnto them but vnto himselfe yea to himselfe alone and no others with him for so much doe I take these words vnto mee to import And that this is the true meaning indeede both places of Scripture and reasons drawne from religion doe plainely proue In the xiiii of Hosea the Lord by the Prophet speaketh thus vnto the people O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God as though he should say to him onely and to none other besides or with him To the same end yea and worthy to be noted as seruing also for confirmation and exposition of all the words of this very verse tendeth that which Christ himselfe saith Isaiah 55. which no man doubteth to be an euident prophecie of Christ and the graces that we shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast faith we labour to lay hold of him Encline your care come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid And so much indeed must Christs words import both there and here or else we shall see a more dangerous consequence than we thinke of For if any were to be respected besides him or ioyned with him in that worke of spirituall ioy then were he not God all-sufficient because if any were ioyned with him he were not sufficient of himselfe and if he were not the God of all comfort as well as the Father of mercies he were not God indeede and so our fayth the grounds of the word or Christian religion should be shaken Besides if it were so
and he told vs not of it but as a vaine glorious person would take all to himselfe and more indeede then did belong vnto him then shall hee bee wrapped vp in a double transgression the one against his father towards whom he hath caried himselfe vnfaithfully whilest he hath not reuealed vnto vs all his counsels communicated vnto him for our good and the other towards man because he hath dealt deceitfully with vs in that he hath depriued vs of hope helpe that we might haue from others with or besides him But all these things are most false and vntrue for he was the faithfullest in all the house of God euen as a sonne and comming out of the Fathers bosome hath communicated vnto vs all his counsels and we knowe and beleeue that there was neuer guile found in his mouth And therefore that sense must of necessitie be true yea the onely true sense It followeth in the verse All ye that labour and are heauy laden As the former words respected the person calling and exhorting or commaunding vs to come vnto him so these words concerne them that are called exhorted or commaunded Wherein Christ first sheweth that he is free from all partiality or respect of persons in as much as indefinitely or generally hee calleth all heauie heartes and as it were commandeth them to repayre vnto him Which doth not onely serue to shew his great care and loue towards them whilest he both calleth them all and calleth them when they thinke least of any such matter for if we would respect him in his magnificence or men in their owne vnworthines what are they that should receiue any fauour specially so great a grace as this but also answereth that that many distressed spirits imagine that God hath promised or shewed fauour to such and such because of some rare singular grace in them and not for his owne mercies sake or for their miserable distressed estate But he that will well weigh the course of Gods workes that way or the trueth of the word he shall find this to be but an imagination of mans heart and head or a suggestion and temptation of Satan rather to hinder the course and passage of Gods grace and goodnes from troubled and afflicted soules For as for Gods mercies they are and must bee altogether free or else they are not mercies For who knoweth not that man in his best estate after regeneration cannot merit the meanest mercies of God not in thinges appertayning to this life no not in a crumme of bread or droppe of water much lesse spirituall graces and eternall life And though it be true that God acknowledgeth his owne graces in his owne seruants as the fruits of their fayth and good testimonies of their willing obedience yet he may if he will by reason of the imperfection that cleaueth thereto reiect all And no doubt would doe it as in regard of his absolute and exact iustice but that he hath prouided in Christ as a gracious meanes for the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes thorow his death so a plentifull supply of whatsoeuer is wanting in vs thorow the most perfect righteousnes that is in him And me thinketh we may see this to be true thorough the disclaime that Gods people haue made of all or any good thing in themselues as Dauid for example in the xvi Psalm My goodnes O Lord reacheth not vnto thee Isaiah for himselfe all the faithful Chap. 64. Our righteousnesses before thee are as filthie stained cloathes Yea wee may see it by the course they haue kept in powring foorth of prayers vnto God in which they haue respected simply and onely these two thinges Gods mercy and their owne miserie and vsed them as principall arguments both to vphold their owne hearts and to prouoke him to pittie as wee may playnly see in many Psalmes of Dauid but specially in the 86. thorowout So that we may safely say God respecteth nothing in man no not his miserie though I doubt not but that many times he is much moued therewith for if it were so he should either leaue all or none in miserie and that our owne experience teacheth vs the contrary or if mans misery should be the working cause in him then those that are most miserable should soonest and most of all be respected but that is not vriuersally true neither And againe if misery should be the first mouing cause in God why doest not thou that art distressed and in thine owne iudgement so much as no man before thee from thine owne estate and confession gather comfort vnto thy selfe from the Lorde Wherefore let the troubled spirit cast away these conceits and fully assure himselfe that as in no respect God is a respecter of persons so not in distributing and bestowing his graces specially spirituall graces And that therefore so often as this or such like thoughtes come into their heads they should know that they are either frō the ignorance or diffidence of their owne soules or from the malice of Satan against them and therefore they should beware how they admit thē for men can hardly carry such fire in their breasts and not be burnt But let vs proceede Least this generall and indefinite tearme of our Sauiour should be stretched further than his meaning hee knowing also euen wicked men to be more forward that way then they ought he doth restrayne it by two particular adiuncts or attributes saying yee that labour and are heauy laden Where first wee are to marke that as in other places of the Scriptures and other cases also God is wont to resemble spirituall things by bodily and to speake of thē by metaphoricall and borrowed kind of speeches whether they be things in himselfe or without him so here he doth the like for vnder these termes of labouring and being heauy laden which are properly referred to outward actions and bodily burdens he meaneth sense of sinne conflict of conscience and tugging and wrestling as it were with and vnder the wrath of God sometimes in outward afflictions sometimes in inward sorrow yea condemnation for the same And as this is an vsuall thing with the spirit of God here and in other places of Scripture namely Isaiah 55. saying Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee vnto the waters yee that haue no siluer come buy cat come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money vnderstanding there by thirst that which he doth in this place by labour and burdening and by water wine and milke that which he doth by refreshing ease so he doth it not without cause specially as in regard of vs who doe not onely vnderstand outward things better than inward but volesse that we be taught of the inward by the outward we can hardly comprehend them He not meaning vnder these borrowed termes to signifie that these outward are able to the full and as it were liuely to set out the inward and spirituall for that
regard of cooling yea satisfiyng our spirituall drougth or as in respect of easing the griefes and burdens of our mindes which in deed shall be so much the better welcome vnto vs when God shall be pleased in mercy to vouchsaue vs the same by how much the burthens that we beare and the paines we indure are indeed grieuous and as wee may say and shall finde it too without grace and assistance from God vnbeareable In these outwarde matters the more that is promised the better we like and the more great and faithfull the party is that giueth vs his word the more constantly we assure our selues but if together with words we finde vndeceiueable accomplishment then is our ioy as a man may say at the toppe and full Marke these thinges here and then we shall see our comfort increased Where are more bountifull promises of truth and life then those that euery where soūd in the holy Scripture Doe not they reach to the good things of this life present and that which is to come especially Who more excellent than the Lorde that hath made them Who more great for power Who more certaine for good will Who more assured for fastnesse and fidelity than he Should not all these rayse vp our spirits in our selues that are fallen downe within vs and euen as it were cause vs in hope or vnder hope to beleeue against hope Which that we may the better perceiue in our selues and perswade our hearts of let vs a little insist or stand vpon the words He sayth and I will refresh you Who speaketh it He that eyther cannot or will not performe it no verely But Christ God and man in one person consisting yet notwithstanding of two seuerall and distinct natures the godhead and the manhood hath deliuered it that so we might be well assured as of his eternall power by reason of his godhead so of his infinite good will by reason of his humanitie and in both of them inseparably ioyned together from the time of his conception perswade our hearts for the faithfull accomplishment of this most gracious and sweete promise And wee must needes referre it to and vnderstand it of his whole person not onely because in him consisteth the fulnes of all goodnes as we haue heard yea euen the very fulnes of the godhead bodily but also because that deliuering this as the King Priest and Prophet of his Church and not accomplishing any of these offices in eyther of his distinct natures seuerally but in his whole person he must in his person needes both deliuer this sweete and comfortable promise and also effectually performe the same in the hearts of his saythfull people The word refresh is metaphoricall and well answereth indeede the tearmes before going of labouring and being heauy laden A man that laboureth sore woulde bee glad of ease who doubteth of that The party that hath a sore burthen on his backe would willingly be lighted Nature reason experience all teacheth the trueth of this How much more then hee that is pressed if not depressed with the sight of sinne with the beholding of his owne infirmities with the feeling and feare of Gods wrath against him for the same would be glad to find refreshing ease and comfort Which if it be offred and meant as here it is is excellent but if it be receyued and felt is so much the more notable by how much the soule is better then the body the griefes of the one more great then the other and therefore they being holpen and cured the mercy ministred and made effectuall and the comforts flowing therefrom farre surpassing all Wherein our Sauiour Christ surely offreth no more then what hee is able to performe nay then that which he will accomplish indeed so that wee labour by that eye of fayth which he hath bin pleased to vouchsaue vnto vs and that hand of fayth that he hath bestowed vpon vs stedfastly to looke vpon it to lay hold of it and to applie it to our owne soules because the promises of God though most holy heauenly excellent in themselues yet without fayth to feele and apply the same vnto our hearts they are as in regarde of men as if they were not at all And yet to say trueth and that indeede for the further inlarging of the comfort of distressed consciences wee are to marke that the word signifieth much more then refreshing though I deny not but that that considered as it commeth from God or in it owne selfe is a very singular grace And it shall both appeare and be so much the more gracious by how much all and euery one of vs are vnworthy of it yea most worthy of all discomfort iudgement both for the time present and all continuance But to the word I say it being compounded of a preposition or particle and a verbe that signifieth to finish ende or cease from our Sauiour noteth not onely refreshing from the paynes and pangues that we indure but putting an ende vnto all troubles and sorrowes that are vpon vs whether they be outward or inward which though it shal be principally yea onely and most absolutely performed in the life that is to be reueiled according to that of the spirit in the xiiii of the Reuelations Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they cease from their labors and their works follow them yet it is in manner and measure begunne here by fayth we stedfastly beleeue the full fruition of it and thorowe hope holde fast and with patience looke for the continuall enioying thereof And no doubt of it our Sauiour hath vsed so significant a word that he might the better prouide for and propounde comfort to the wounded spirit which as it is in anguish and griefe for the present distresse so doth it trouble and torment it selfe with this temptation that it seeth no ende of the miseries and calamities thereof But be not dismaied sayth Christ for the time shall come fayth Christ wherein I will wipe all teares from your eyes all griefe from your heartes all sorrowe from your soules and not onely stay there but giue you perpetuall rest with them that are sanctified and saued thorow me Hitherto we haue tranailed and I trust not vnprofitably chiefly in the exposition of the words interlacing now and then some things of comfort and consolation no whit I am sure strange from the meaning of Christ or improper or vnfitte for this present exercise and assembly Now it remayneth that before we go any further in the wordes of our text we doe from this verse gather some such good lessons as it doth afford vs for doctrine or consolatiō because this indeed may most properly be called the life of the word when men learne from the same good instructions and indeuour to make good and profitable vse thereof The first point of doctrine issuing out of this text is this that true and sound comfort for an afflicted conscience is no
law and vnder the gospell all leading vs not onely vnto Christ but vnto all those sweete graces and heauenly comfortes that we receiue from him To omit to speake of the sacraments of the olde testament which yet notwithstanding were for substance and matter the same to the fathers that ours are to vs and to come to thē of the newe Testament yea and but to touch one of them onely namely the Lords supper What wonderfull and vnspeakeable comfort doth God in Christ offer vnto vs therein To say nothing of those that we receiue there the pledges of his death and bloud sheading and of all the graces that flow vnto vs therefrom as forgiuenesse of sinnes sanctified vse of the creatures reconciliation to God and sundry such like what a maruailous mercy is this that vnder those elements of bread and wine hee should seale vp in our hearts not onely the spirituall strength wee haue from him to die the death of sinne and to liue the life of righteousnesse thorow his power but also the heauenly comfort that he cōmunicateth vnto vs bread no more effectually or liuely strengthning our hearts nor wine more effectually making vs to be of cheerefull spirits than Christ partaken of by fayth filleth vs with all manner of heauenly and holy ioy And by arguments taken from priuation if I may so say wee may proue this point The comfort that we speake of is no where else to be sound therefore it must of necessitie be in him alone If we would looke to Angels and saints departed out of this life there is a double exception against them for first we are vncertaine of their good will and sounde affection towards vs as in this behalfe then we are sure they cannot afford vs that we desire as who neither haue that power in thēselues because it properly onely belongeth vnto the Lord and besides are sundred so farre from vs in respect of distance of place that they are not able to stretch out their ayd though they could helpe As for the rest of the creatures they are as farre vnable and weake for this worke as the other if not more The diuelles and damned spirits will rather do what they can to torment vs then yeeld any consolation Man and woman that liue with vs in the world are infirme and stand in neede as we our selues and not able in the greatnes of their distresse to comfort themselues much lesse vs vnreasonable creatures are tainted with our sinnes and sith the wicked enioy them in greater portion than we cannot yeelde consolation Our owne things that we haue in our owne power as our wiues our children and friendes either in hard heartednesse against vs will become miserable comforters vnto vs as Iobs wife and friendes were all the sort of them or else when we shal consider what iniuries and indignities we haue offered them will increase our sorrow And the like may wee say of our health wealth strength c. which beeing abused will cast downe rather then comfort But whither am I carried in confirmation of this point It is time as I take it to make vse of it and so to proceed to the handling and hearing of some other doctrines We may see by it as if it were in a cleare true looking glasse the miserable estate and wofull condition of all in the worlde that be without the knowledge and feeling of Christ I say both knowledge and feeling and I beseech you ioyne them both together for they cannot be sundred no more then the soule and the body because as all without the knowledge of him are vnder condemnation so many that know him yet feele him not in faith and obedience shall certainely perish For if that bee true which Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee to bee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ then this by the contrary must needs be true also that those that knowe not God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ rest vnder eternall condemnation because Christ sayth hee that beleeueth in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God shall not come into iudgement but hath passed out of death into life and againe he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the name of the onely Sonne of God By which we see what sentence to giue not only of the heathen and gentiles of whom the Apostle speaketh Ephes 2. that they were without God in the world neither yet of the Iewes Turks others who though they acknowledge God the Father yet obstinately deny and refuse the person of the sonne but also of many thousandes of Christians whereof some as hereticks deny his natures as the Anabaptistes who deny his humanitie and our popish aduersaries defacing his offices of Kingdome in erecting and exercising another gouernement thē he hath prescribed of priesthood in placing their dayly vnbloody sacrifice in stead of it of prophecie in bringing in new docirines and establishing traditions and other such trash and trumpery Other some againe knowing him but denying him thorow loose and lewd life of whom we may say as the Apostle saith of some other not much vnlike them that When they knew the power of godlines they denied it notwithstanding in their deeds and of whom also we may say though it bee to their terror as Christ sayth Luk. 12. He that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And yet let no man thinke this a hard or hasty iudgement for heere wee speake not the wordes of our owne heart or mouth but of God and may in some measure in this behalfe say euen as Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 12. I iudge no man but there is one that iudgeth such euen the word that he hath spoken it shall iudge them according to which when we iudge we cannot but iudge righteous iudgement because it being all and onely trueth it can giue no sentence saue according to the same But to drawe it more neere to our present purpose and occasion We may learn from hence what is the reason why so many distressed spirits ly as it were broiling in the flame fire of a troubled and disquieted he art Sure he either they know not Christ and the power of his grace and spirit and then no maruell though they boyle and broile indeed when they are touched with the sting of conscience for sinne and condemnation therfore For how can it be otherwise seeing there is neither forgiuenesse of sinnes nor ouercomming of condemnation nor any comfortable continuall feeling of any fauor but by him Or els they feele him not with his force and effect that way though they knowe their owne sinne the punishmentes due vnto them therefore with the manifold vnworthynesses they find in themselues hindring them from comfort and consolation As for the former sort I would wish them carefully painfully to labour
yet we shall behold the same still The Apostle Paule was an elected vessell chosen to cary Christes name amongst the Gentiles and yet his state and condition this way is notably described in many places of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians but specially in the fourth chapter where hee saith We are afflicted on euery side yet are 〈◊〉 not in dâ—stresse we are in doubt but yet wee despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not And he maketh a particular recit all of many of them in the eleuenth chapter following But specially that of the twelfth serueth for this purpose where hee saith Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance or excellency for the Greek word doth signifie both the one and the other of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger Sathan to buffet me for this thing I besought the Lorde thrise that it might depart from me but he said vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect thorowe weaknes And shall we thinke that God woulde lay any thing vpon these the only worthies of the world saue that which was good indeed If we imagine so we are much deceiued And thinke that that will neither agree with Gods nature in loue nor stand with the fauour affection that he beareth vnto his children For no doubt but as he loued them most dearlie so he bestowed vpon them the greatest and best blessings Again if in al affliction we may in our measure say as Dauid the Prophet said in some particulars of his owne It is good for me O Lord that I haue been troubled for before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue learned to keepe thy law Then much more in afflictions of this kind I meane sorrow and sicknes of soule for sin past God vsing it not only as a meane to draw vs to repentance for that which is past but to make vs in time hereafter to come more wary of and watchfull ouer that that in former time hath bitten vs and pinched vs by the heart and prouoking vs in the heauines of our spirites to spend time that way to prouide comfort for ourselues spirituall I meane that others are constrayned to imploy about bodily ease releefe and pleasure And surely theÌ„ these inward sorrowes griefs cannot choose but be good not onlie because they are occupied about a more excellent part the soule I meane which God no doubt doth especially regarde but also because they bring forth better at least sure I am more spirituall effectes as because they pinch more more earnest prayer for grace to beare with patience to vndergo with profit and to ouercome through strength and doe more conforme vs vnto the Image of our head in his sustringes who indured much more this way than any other way and therfore also better or more excelleÌ„t Where we must yet further note that that is not simply or only as in regarde of the afflictions themselues but because God accompanieth them with the power of his sanctifying spirit which maketh vs in some measure not only peatakers of the diuine nature whilest wee fly the corruptions that are in the world but like vnto God as in other respectes so in this that as he causeth the rage of men to turne vnto his praise and at the beginuing yea and euer since to commandeth light to shine out of darknes so we out of the folly of our own sins learne spirituall wisedom from their darknes which is more palpable and grosse than that of Egypt labour and learne to setch the spirituall light of a holy life And a further proof yet we haue of this point in that God himselfe is pleased well to like of highly to commende this estate and condition We know and beleeue that he alone is the best able to discerne of men and matters and we are throughly perswaded of this also that for his entire vprightnesse he cannot giue wrong sentence or iudgment For howsoeuer men thorow blindnes partialitie or other corrupted respects haue been and are fouly misled erred in matter of opinion and fact yet none of these thinges falling into God he can do no otherwise but determine according to right so absolute and perfect is all and euery thing that is in God But hee hath told vs that he liketh wel of will respect and regard indeed those that are this way exercised Of which if any man doubt let him but marke and imbrace that which we speak according vnto godlines and trueth and I doubt not but he shall be well perswaded In the 51. Psal Dauid as well experienced in these cases as any man saith thus The sacrifices of God that is to say such as the Lord now delighteth in and accepteth of are a broken spirit by which he meaneth a mind that is bruised and cast downe in it selfe with the priuity of his owne infirmity and vnworthinesse What can be more plain what can be more pregnant And yet as though this were not sufficient he addeth further A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Gods not despising is indeed esteeming and he vseth so meane a speech the better to expresse so excellent a matter for no doubt of it but he wil well accept thereof as his owne work in vs. And agreeable vnto this is that of the Prophet Isaiah in the 66. chap. I looke to him saith God that is poore and broken in spirit and that tremble that my word As if he should say others I regard not though they come with their hands full of sacrifices for that hypocrites may and do performe but this none can come vnto indeed but such as be sound hearted and assuredly belong vnto me and are indeed my holy temple and dwelling place And what shall wee say of that that Salomon speaketh euen from God himselfe in the 28. chap. of the Prouerbs Blessed is the man that feareth much continually Is it not a plaine proofe of this point And doth it not directlie crosse our corrupted iudgment Wee say they are in miserable and wretched estate But wee are ignorant and cannot discerne of those matters specially no more than a blind man is able to iudge of colours But God saith he or they be blessed If he be the only wise God why stay wee not our selues vpon his sentence To shut vp and that as if it were in a word or two the confirmation of this point wee say that whosoeuer either considereth God from whom these anguishes and distresses are sent to good ends doubtlesse as in regard of his people or regardeth the persons vpon whom they are laide to wit the dearest and the best of Gods people or respecteth the fruites and effectes that they bring forth in the seruants of God or beleeueth God so highly accouning of them hee cannot choose but giue glorie to God
of a thing that is not remembred For our owne parts let vs know that as Sathan laboureth to root out of our hearts generally all the seede of the worde that thereby keeping vs in blindnesse and ignorance hee maie make vs runne riot at his pleasure so especially he trauaileth either to hinder vs from receiuing or hauing receiued from making good vse of the sweet comfortable promises of the worde the verie matter if I may so saie and a speciall meane I am sure of our spirituall comforte For the redressing and repressing also of which enormities in vs a godly man that is in some sorte ignorant should laboure to abound in the knowledge of them as he that is forgetfull should refresh his memorie by often reading meditation and cōference in them and that not onely by and with his owne heart but euen by other men also and they that want feeling of them should looke vnto Iesus Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen and should be much and often in the vse of all the meanes wherby Christ is become ours as the word sacraments praier sasting c. But aboue all they should regard and labour for the holie spirit to be shed abroad in their hearts both to make all these things before named powerfull in them and to pledge vp also the truth and certaintie of the promises themselues because it is the carnest pennie of our adoption and inheritance That so sith sathan there laboureth to assault vs most and shake our faith as in that behalfe wee might thither bring all our aides and defences as they doe that are in a besieged hold and so we better made able not onely to indure the assault but to driue our foes with their forces from our gates walles And hee or shee or they whosoeuer that can do this they maie wel assure their hearts that howsoeuer they maie now then or for a while be buffeted beaten yet they shal neuer be vanquished or ouercome because he that is in thē with them for thē by himself his blessed spirit and all other effectuall meanes of consolation and comfort is stronger greater than al. Secondly it is verie fit and meet for confutation of a conceit that riseth vp in mens minds yea is deliuered also by the mouthes of some specially our popish aduersaries who tell vs that this propounding of comfort in the promises of the Gospell acquainting the people therwith maketh mensecure carelesse But herein surely they shew themselues blinde blockish as who haue not yet learned to distinguish betweene a thing good in it selfe and mans corruption abusing that which is good They may by the selfe same reason abolish all the other parts of the word and disanull or euacuate the sacraments because infinite thousands in the world abuse them to the increase of sin and licentiousnesse in themselues yea if they will or can make frustrate Gods grace because manie turne it into wantonnes and say sith is this true that where sin hath abounded there grace hath superabounded therefore let vs continue in sinne that grace maie abound And if for or in outward things we should reason as they doe and haue it followed that so is deliuered we might easily bring all disorder and confusion into the world and ouerthrowe the whole course and rase of mankinde Some abuse drinke to drunkennes and other some meate to gluttonie and gourmandise therefore there must be no vse of meate and drinke what is this els but to starue the excellētest of Gods creatures man I meane Many abuse apparell to pride and puffing vp It were best therefore to haue men goe naked which what were it els but to become or bring in new Adamites Diuers turne magistracy authoritie into tyrannie and therefore with the Anabaptists away with all ciuill authoritie and gouerment which what were it els but to bring in Anarchie worse than tyrannie by much But to the point indeed The promises of themselues and in the seruants of GOD bring forth no such effect For as they are deliuered for the comfort and consolation of them that are afflicted and mourne in Sion as may appeare in euerie place where they are alledged namely in the two first verses of the 40. chapter of Isay and tend indeede to manifest Gods loue and mercy that so in the truth and performance of his word wee might bee well assured that nothing should put an eternall separatiō between him and vs that hath loued vs so tenderly and giuen vs such gracious promises of truth life So surely the doctrine euery where adioyned to those promises in the word doth plainely shew that God meaneth not to make men secure and carelesse thereby or would haue them to inferre anie such thing thereupon And therefore when in the latter end of the sixt chapter of the second epistle to the Corinth hee had alledged manie promises of peace goodnes he beginneth the seuenth Chapter thus Seeing thē wee haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all fi lt hines of the flesh the spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And the like he doth in the second chapter of the second epistle to Timothy saying The strong foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his but withall let euery one that calleth vpon the name of Christ depart frō iniquity And let this suffice for these wordes of the 28. vers with the rest I cannot proceed because we haue been somewhat long and as I am wearie in my selfe so am I loath to bee troublous or tedious vnto you God may be pleased hereafter to giue both occasion time and place to pursue these things and to finish the residue In the meane while it shall not bee amisse in a word or two to apply that hath been saide to our persent assemblie and causes thereof and so to shut vp this exercise The causes that haue moued vs thereto are great grieuous iniquities preuailing vpon al euery one of vs the heauie rod of penurie and scarsity that ouerfloweth the land warres and rumors of warres and the same intended and threatned against vs both outward and inward at home and abroad To diuert or turne away the punishments for our sinnes and the iudgements that wee confesse and acknowledge we haue iustly deserued therefore no outwarde thing will serue though it bee neuer so great glittering or seeme neuer so pleasant or painefull but soundnes of heart and humble walking with our God in all our waies and all the dayes of our liues To this we haue been exhorted and prouoked by manifolde good meanes and namely by propounding singular comforts and consolations which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs the better to meet with our backwardnes from approching to him wee being sometimes discouraged from doing of that dutie by his almightie greatnes and excellencie and sometimes let from it by the consideration of our owne base and vnworthie estate But yet sith hee hath so louingly and fatherly called vs and for our better incouragement giuen vs gracious promises let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith our inward parts being pure from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water And so no doubt the punishments wee presently feele shal be remooued the feare of our foes at home and abroad shall be put farre away and wee shall not need to dread the curses of that Balaam of Rome not the vaunts and attempts of that proud and persecuting notion of Spaine nor of anie other our enemies bodily or ghostly because that our consciences being quieted with the comforta blefeeling of all Gods fauours and specially of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules wee may comfortably say as the saithfull that haue gone before vs haue done I will not bee afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Nay though I should walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will yet feare none ill for thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comforte mee Yea that wee are perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now let vs pray that God would giue a rich and plentifull blessing in our seuerall hearts to al the good things that haue been deliuered vnto vs at this time and let vs humbly intreat him to make them profitable in vs not onely for this present but for all the daies of our liues to his glorie and our euerlasting comforte thorowe Christ FINIS