he would not permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his children their liberty of feasting But especially the example of Paul is notable for the confirmation of this point for seeing that in some places he could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 as at Corinth and Thessalonica he would labour with his owne hands rather then be chargeable to any of them yet he would not that all men should be tied by his example to doe the like 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5.18 and therefore he laboureth much in his Epistles about this that Ministers ought to be prouided for so strict was he to himselfe such liberty left he vnto others Whence we may easily perceiue that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride then any Christian zeale to be too tetricall and rough in vrging men so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not so strict and precise as our selues we cast them off as dogges and prophane persons and such as are vnworthy of any account or countenance The next propertie of true zeale is not to be blinded with naturall affection Zeale condemneth sin in friends as vvel as in foes Mat. 16.23 Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. but to discerne and condemne sinne euen in those that are neerest and dearest vnto vs. That was it that made Christ so sharply to rebuke Peter and Paul to deale so roundly with the Galathians and Corinthians Many offend against this rule who will neuer reprooue sinne in their friends till God reuenge it from heauen wherein they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue pull the wrath of God vpon them whom they loue most dearely Hee loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and hee loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wholesome admonition But doe not manie now adayes seeme zealouslie to mislike sinne in strangers who can winke at the same fault in their kindred in their wiues in their children in their parents as if the diuersitie of persons could change the nature of the sinne This blind zeale God hath punished and doth punish his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meat for a peece of venison Gen. 15.28 Dauid was too much affected to Absalon and to Adoniah for their comely personage so as his zeale was hindered in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deare to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and made to take paines but behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better then Iacob made Esau more troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absalon and Adoniah brought vp like Cocknies became corasiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained and better instructed was his ioy his crowne his successor in his kingdome This disease is so hereditary to many parents louing their children in the flesh rather then in the spirit that the holy Ghost is faine to cal vpon them more vehemently to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolkes if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politicke or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto them how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they are neither zealous in truth of Gods glory nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftinesse and yet are too too cold in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blinde affection of Heli 1. Sam. 2. 3. 4. who being the deare childe of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish the grosse and foule offences of his children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with icopardie of nature can defend the quarrel of God labouring hencefoorth to know no man after the flesh nor suffering any outward league so to bleare and dazle their eyes as that they should not espie sinne in their dearest friends to reforme it or that they should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them Zeale opposeth it selfe against the sins of the mighty or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them heere commeth another property of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it dismaied at the lookes of the proud and loftie Such was the courage of Iob who besides that he made the young men ashamed of their liberty afraide of his grauity made euen the Princes also to stay their talke Iob. 29.8.9 and to lay their hands on their mouthes And yet heere we must beware of their hasty zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authoritie as though no regard of time place or persons were to be had which opinion many by weakenesse of iudgement defending find neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they doe admonish in that presumptuous maner for that hunting after feruentnesse without the spirit of meeknesse and casting off all consideration of a godly opportunitie they rather exasperate then humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome then with comfort of heart for any duty done Neither am I heere ignorant how great danger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of opportunity doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together do deeply enter into the most prefract prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of duty who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not zealously and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personages Out of this may issue another frutit of holy zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe and that in defending their right against oppressors that are craftier mightier then they Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried Iob. 29.12 the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him He was the eyes to the blinde and feet
wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer True zeale loueth friends as they be Gods friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so farre as they be Gods aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in the most professed enemie true zeale hateth sinne in the most assured friend If wee be perswaded that our enemies bee Gods children howsoeuer wee disagree in some particulars yet wee must swallow vp manie priuate iniuries and more reioice in them as they be Gods seruants then be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeed true Zeale is most grieued at the sinnes of the godly because so much are their sinnes more grieuous then the sinnes of others by how much they came neerer to the image of God then others The last rule is that wee keepe a tenour of zeale in both estates to wit of prosperitie and aduersitie Zeale must be constant in all estates Wee must especiallie looke to that whereunto wee are most readie that is whether wee be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we be more feruent in affliction and ouer-whelmed in abundance whether by the one we are not puffed vp with securitie and secret pride and whether by the other we be not too farre abased and discouraged or which is worst of all quite driuen out of the way for many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to follow the Gospell Luke 8.13 begin like those that are compared to stonie ground top step backe and at last vtterly to renounce their former profession Others so long as they may haue credit by embracing the Gospell will seeme to goe farre but when discredit comes they forsake all contrarie to the practise of Dauid who saith Psal 119.61 Verse 161. The bandes of the wicked haue robbed mee yet haue I not forgotten thy Law And againe Princes did persecute mee without cause Verse 141. but mine heart stood in awe of thy Word And for disgrace hee saith I am small and despised Verse 141. yet doe I not forget thy Word Others on the contrary part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professours who beeing set alost and comming once vnto promotion begin to grow secure and careflesse of all duties towards God or men as is to be seene in the Israelites from time to time We see manie in time of their miserie to bee much humbled Psal 68.34 c. Iudger and whiles they want liuings and preferments we see both Preachers and people in outward appearance very godlie who hauing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale vtterly choked Doe not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not manie mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they are grieued for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that wee can bee no nore holie and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord will so gouerne vs that he would not suffer either prosperitie to quench our zeale or aduersitie to discourage our hearts This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lorde and when wee are in greatest aduersitie wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word contemned because wee haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when hee saw the God of Israels glory to be defaced and his seruants and seruices to be trodden vnder foote hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with fasting weeping and prayer Dan. 9. And Paul on the other side being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and was as it were reuiued when he heard that the Gospell flourished and that the faith and loue of the Saints was still continued 1. Thess 3.6.7.8 This zeale should we much labour for that in all estates we might be rightly affected towards God and men FINIS
answer of the tongue is of the Lord. As who should say When a man hath done so yet he shall speake not what he himselfe intended but what God hath decreed as is plaine in Balaam who came with a purpose to curse and if the Lord had permitted him he would haue vomited out horrible imprecations against the Israelites for that would haue made for his credit and commoditie Num. 23. but notwithstanding his intent the Lord made him to blesse his people in stead of cursing them And so Saul he would haue all men know that Dauid was a Traitor and therefore he pursued him to bereaue him of his life yet when he met with him he had no power so much as to rate him or to rebuke him but on the contrarie part is driuen to iustifie him O my sonne Dauid saith he thou art more righteous then I. And this we may obserue in our owne experience that oftentimes men contrary to their mindes doe vtter things which doe exceedingly grieue them and bury other things in silence the speaking whereof might haue beene very behoouefull vnto them whence do arise these and the like speeches How was I ouerseene in that which I said What an aduantage did I lose at such a time which doth plainly prooue that God hath the disposing of mens tongues Secondly God hath giuen Lawes for the tongue Ephes 4. how it should be ruled that men should not speake blasphemously nor filthily nor bitterly whence it may be concluded that it is Gods subiect for Princes make statutes for none but for their owne subiects Thirdly the successe and euent of mens speeches is according to Gods pleasure They say With our tongues we will preuaile yet doe they not preuaile for whereas they forespeake others destruction the wise man saith A fooles mouth is his owne destruction And whereas they say triumphingly Prou. 18.7 Micah 4.11.12.13 Sion shall be condemned and our eye shall looke vpon Sion they know not the Lords counsell to wit that they themselues shall be gathered as sheaues into the barne to be threshed beatē in pieces by Gods people Fourthly God will plague wicked men as well as reward godly men for their speeches Mat. 12.36.37 By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified saith our Sauiour and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned And Wee must render an account for euery idle word which euidently sheweth that God hath the soueraigntie of mens tongues Now seeing that the Lorde hath the gouernement thereof this serueth First Vse 1 to teach vs that therfore wee should craue assistance from him for the well ordering of the same Euen as that holy Prophet doth where he saith Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth Psal 1.41.3 and keepe the doore of my lips God will haue the ordering of them by his prouidence whether we will or not but by his grace hee will not guide them vnles we sue vnto him in that behalfe therefore let vs beseech him so to sanctifie purifie our harts that out of the abundance thereof our tongues may speake vnto his praise and to our owne and others edification Secondly Vse 2 that we should not be afraid of performing any good dutie in regard of mens tongues for though they threaten and raile and slander and traduce vs yet they shall not hurt vs for God will hide vs from the scourge of the tongue Iob. 5.21 Isa 45.16.17 so that no such weapons shall preuaile against vs for the Lord made the tongue and the men themselues that speake therewith and there is no voice nor sound that proceedeth out of the mouth but the Lord hath the ordering thereof and therefore let vs sue vnto him Act. 4.29 as the Apostles did saying O Lord behold their threatnings behold their reuilings and doe thou iudge betwixt vs and them and thou which hast the disposing of all mens tongues preserue thy seruants from the hurt that may befall vs through the same The ende of the fourth Sermon A BRIEFE TRACT CONCERNING ZEALE wherein the properties of true Zeale are decsribed and the contrarie discouered GOdlie zeale is a vertue very requisite and necessary for all Christans not so rare and seldome found as precious and vsefull where it is found as being the verie life and soule of sound Christianitie and one of the principal Fountains Well-heads whence manie other vertues of the spirit doe spring and issue foorth The excellencie of this grace doeth appeare as by manie other arguments so by this that the Saintes are thereby described where they are saide to bee a people zealous of good workes this is the ende of their redemption Titus 2.14 and this is one speciall effect and marke of their iustification that they doe not onely desist from their for mer euill workes and fall to the practise of the contrarie good workes but that they are zealous both to doe them and in the doing of them they shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh and striue for the feruencie of the spirit Rom. 12.11 in all duties that they owe either vnto God or men For this vertue amongst many others are the penitent Corinthians commended 2. Cor. 7.11 Behold this that yee haue beene godly sorrowfull saith Paul what zeale it hath wrought in you c. Till such time as the Apostle had rebuked them by an Epistle they were either not at all or very slightly touched with the sense of their owne sins and therefore they set light by the offences of others insomuch that when abominable incest such as had not beene heard of amongst the Gentiles was committed among them yet they tooke it not to heart nor at all mourned for it 1. Cor. 5.1.2 nay they let the offender goe vncensured who should haue beene as afterwards he was excommunicated and deliuered vp vnto Sathan for the healing of his owne soule the preuenting of the like sinnes in others and the stopping of the mouthes of wicked blasphemers who would be readie heereupon to speake euill of the holy name of God and of the professours and profession of Christianltie Thus cold and carelesse were they till the Apostle had sharply reprooued them but after that they had well disgested his speeches and thorowly considered of all matters they fell to lament for their owne corruptions and for the transgressions of others and were zealous against all wickednesse and for all manner of goodnesse in themselues and others This was the effect of holy griefe in them and this will be found in all that attaine to that repentance which is vnto life in which regard when the Lord would worke a cure vpon the luke-warme Laodicians Reu. 3.19 he biddeth them be zealous and amend That was their sinne that they were key-cold and euen frozen in the dregges of securitie exercising themselues in sundrie good duties for that must needes be because they were a Church but neuer regarding with what loue vnto God or men they
performed the same therefore the Lord vrging them to reformation willeth them to be zealous and amend implying that these two euer goe hand in hand to wit sound repentance and godly zeale yet so that as euery one is of greater growth in the body of Christ so this grace is of greater strength in him as is euident in Dauid who speaketh thus of himselfe and that by the inspiration of Gods holy spirit Psal 119.139 and therefore cannot but speake truely My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Weaker Christians haue some good motions of griefe for mens offances but the Prophet was exceedingly wrought vpon by his zeale so that it did euen spend him and consume him in regard of the fearefull breach of Gods commandements which he obserued in his very enemies And the like we sind in another place The zeale of thine house hath caten me Psal 69.9 and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Thus was the holy man of God touched yea tormented with the things whereby Gods glory was impaired as if he had beene laden himselfe with reproaches and disgraces But most admirable was the zeale of Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who for that feruent desire that they had of aduancing Gods glory could haue beene content to haue had their names put out of the booke of life and to be separated from the Lord so that his great name might be magnified in sparing and sauing their brethren the Israclites Now because our hearts may easily deceiue vs in this matter of zeale either by perswading vs that we haue it when we are farre from it or that we altogether want it when in some good measure we haue attained vnto it therefore will it not be amisse to set downe some rules whereby we may trie whether our zeale be ourrant or counterfeit First Rules of true zeale therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeale is to be exercised it must be good according to the saying of the Apostle It is good alwaies to be zealous in a good matter The matter must be good Gal. 4.18 and it was before shewed that Gods people must be zealous of good workes otherwise if the matter be euill the more earnest any is the more sinfull neither is such earnestnesse worthy the name of zeale being nothing else but a diuellish and fleshly heate or rather a kinde of frenzie and madnesse Such was the zeale of I dolaters that would mangle and cut themselues and that would offer their children in the fire in honour vnto their gods Such was the zeale of the Scribes and Pharises 1. King 18.28 Ier. 7.31 who would compasse sea and land to make one a Proselite that is one of their owne sect With this violent and mad zeale was Paul carried before his conuersion as he himselfe confesseth in plaine tearmes Acts. 26.11 and Phil. 3.6 when he was enraged against Christians and spared no paines nor cost to make them denie and blaspheme the name of Christ Heere then is to be condemned the zeale of ignorant Papists and Brownists and such like who are very hotte indeed for he must needes runne whom the diuell driues but in euill causes as might easily be prooued and may hence if by no other arguments be probably concluded in that they vse the diuels owne weapons to wit lying slandering railing cursed speaking and the like in the pursute of the same But much more damnable and vile is their zeale to be esteemed who against their knowledge and consciences doe violently and maliciously oppose themselues against the Gospell and the professors thereof and stand for falshood and wickednesse and the practisers thereof as did those wretched Pharises that set themselues against our Sauiour and committed the sin against the holy Ghost We must know the thing to be good for vvhich vve are zealous A second rule is that as the matter in which we are zealous must be good in it selfe so it must be knowne vnto vs to be of that qualitie True zeale must begin where the word begins and ende where it ends Rom. 14.23 for otherwise it cannot bee of faith which is euer grounded on theword and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We must not therefore content our selues with an honest meaning and hope that wee haue a good zeale towards God when we haue no warrant for our hope but must so acquaint our selues with the Scriptures of God Rom. 10.2 that our zeale may be according to knowledge Which rule discouereth the corruptnes of their zeale whether close hypocrites or weake Christians who are led on meerely by the examples of good men whome they affect much to like of and earnestly to stand for such things as they perceiue them in their practise to obserue and to make conscience of and if there be but a word spoken against any of the things that they haue taken a liking of they are maruellously stirred with indignation thereat and grow passionate and vehement against the parties though they haue neuer so good a meaning in that which they speake Yet let them bee vrged to prooue out of the word the necessitie of those duties which they so earnestly presse they can say little or nothing to the purpose for them and so grow manie times either to dislike and forsake all if they bee hypocrites or at least to bee discouraged and to bee at a stand if they be weaklings in Christ Iesus And whence proceed these inconueniences but from this that they are zealous for things that in themselues and vnto others are good and holie but not thoroughly discerned of them to bee of that nature the consideration whereof should make vs to sit sure in matters of godlinesse not building vpon the example of good men but vpon the truth of the good word of God and then our foundation shall neuer faile vs. A third propertie of true zeale is that it beginneth in our selues and after proceedeth vnto others Zeale must begin at home for neuer can that man be truely zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe Those are the most skilfull Physitions and best able to deale with others that haue first wrought a cure vpon their owne soules Therefore our Sauiours aduice is Luke 6.42 Cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and then shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the meate that is in thy brothers eye We must then first of all iudge our selues and cast the first stone at our selues that so finding how vgly and noisome a thing sinne is and that by experience in our selues we may be at defiance with it wheresoeuer we finde it and neither fiatter others in their euill courses nor yet too rigorously and vnmercifully rebuke them for the same Those that haue beene pinched with sicknesse and are recouered can by the smart which they haue felt pittie others in the
SEVEN GODLIE AND FRVITFVLL SERMONS THE SIX FIRST PREACHED by Master IOHN DOD the last by Master ROBERT CLEAVER WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED A briefe Discourse touching 1. Extinguishing of the Spirit 2. Murmuring in affliction AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for WILLIAM WELBY and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1614. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL MASTER ERASMVS DRYDEN Esquier grace and peace be multiplied SIR it is a point well knowne vnto your Worship that in duties of absolute necessity wee must regard what God doth command and enioyne not what men doe approue and like of and that wee must still offer vp our seruice in obedience to the Almighty whatsoeuer men doe thinke or speake of vs. As for this worke of publishing the labours of such faithfull and painefull Ministers as desire rather to spend their time in preaching then in writing I take it not to be a duty of that kind but of an inferiour nature wherin the acceptance or disallowance of those that are godly wise should haue a great stroke either for encouragement to proceed in it or for discouragement to desist from it Herein hauing made some triall I haue through Gods blessing found successe beyond my expectation which as it ministreth vnto mee matter of much reioycing in regard there are many thousands in Israel who desire and embrace the sincere plaine doctrine of the Gospell so doth it set an edge on my desires to take vp some vacant houres in this imployment being right glad if by any meanes I may bee an helper to the truth and an instrument of refreshing hunger-bitten soules by conueying vnto them some baskets full of such fragments as may bee communicated without any detriment or disaduantage to my selfe or to any else These Sermons I haue made bolde to recommend vnto your fauourable acceptance and patronage not onely in regard of the interest which you haue in them and that encouragement which I haue often receiued from your Worship in businesses of this nature but also because I perswade my selfe that your very countenancing of them wil adde though not vnto their goodnes yet vnto their good esteeme among many that are religiously affected And thus nothing doubting of your Worships fauour in taking in good worth this my bold attempt I leaue you to the safe tuition of God Almighty beseeching him to enrich you yours with all manner of corporall and spiritual blessings in Christ Iesus and to adde vnto your life as also vnto the life of your faithfull and gracious yoake-fellow many happy and comfortable daies Your VVorships much indebted and in what J may to be commanded IOHN WINSTON The Doctrines of the first Sermon on ZECHARY 12.10 Doct. 1. THe way to all happinesse is to haue the Spirit of grace 2. None can make a faithfull prayer without the assistance of Gods Spirit 3. The Spirit of prayer doth alwaies leade men vnto Christ Iesus 4. The due consideration of Christ his death is asorcible meanes to affect the heart with godly sorrow 5. It is not sufficient to mourne for sin but wee must make our sinnes to be our greatest sorrow 6. It is not enough for men to be religious themselues but their families also must be religious 7. Holy duties must be performed in secret as well as in publike The Doctrines of the second Sermon on LVKE 6.48 Doct. 1. Hypocrites may goe as farre as Christians in many things 2. They are the blessedest hearers of the word that are the best practisers thereof 3. Euery man is in truth that out of temptation which he sheweth himselfe to be in temptation 4. Of all fals the fall from religion is the most woful The Doctrines of the Sermon on PSALME 14.5 Doct. 1. They that are most bold in committing of sinne are most cowardly when dangers doe approach 2. God is alwaies present with good men 3. Mocking is a grieuous kind of persecution 4. The estate of Gods people is commonly a poore and afflicted estate 5. True godlinesse is that which breeds the quarrell betwixt the wicked and the godly Fiue other select Doctrines Doct. 1. They are the most miserable rebels that rebell against God 2. It is an infallible note of an impious person to bee vnwilling to heare the word of God 3. The more holy and wholesome any doctrine is the more grieuous to wicked sinners 4. Our wretched nature is neuer so forward vnto any thing as vnto that which is euill 5. All the sorrowes of Gods children shall end in ioy THE FIRST SERMON VPON the twelfth of Zechariah ZECH. 12. vers 10.11 c. Vers 10. And I will powre vpon the howse of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and of prayers and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one that mourneth for his onely Sonne and be sorry for him as one is sorry for his first borne 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo 12 And the land shall bewaile euery family apart the family of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wiues apart 13 The family of the house of Leui apart and their wiues apart the family of Shimei apart and their wiues apart 14 All the families that remaine euery family apart and their wiues apart IN the eighth ninth verses of this Chapter is set down a gracious promise of God made vnto the church which should be in the time of the Gospell for that is meant by the inhabitants of Ierusalem Which promise is this that hee that is feeble among them that is the weakest Christian that made conscience of his waies of the meanes of his saluation in that day should be as Dauid that is equal to the most excellent in the time of the law in sundry respects and the house of Dauid that is the excellenter sort of Christians should bee as Gods house and as the Angell of the Lord before them The Prophet could not find any holie man with whom hee might filly compare them and therefore he saith that they should be like the Angel of the couenant Christ Iesus which went before the Israelites in the wildernesse to guide and gouerne them Then hee goeth on and telleth vs that after the Lord hath shewed this mercy vnto his Church He will seeke to destroy all nations that come against Ierusalem that is all the enemies that doe oppose themselues vnto his people and endeauour to hinder his good worke in them and for them Now when it is said that hee will seeke to destroy them the meaning is that as hee hath a resolution to ouerthrow them so he will prouide meanes whereby it shall be effected Then further in the tenth verse he setteth downe the meanes how his people would bee brought to such
excellencie I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should find a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily and by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace poured downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruants By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vpon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly be said that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death-they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate Iambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances to wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7.11 Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt 2. Chron. 35. they lamented for him very bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernment of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall be the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sense of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocritall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words wee see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospell and here is shewed 1 First what gift he wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2
pray for such as hate you and persecute you in word or deede they haue too much fire in them already and therfore do not you adde more fuel thereunto lest the flame be redoubled but rather cast water vpon it that it may be extinguished Thus doth the Spirit bring the weapons of God to subdue the flesh euen as the flesh doth come armed with the weapons of the Diuel to resist the Spirit Indeed there is many tiems in vnregenerate persons a fight betwixt carnall reason and their naturall conscience but that is not generall throughout all the powers of the soule neither doth it extend it selfe vnto the motions and inclinations that are euill to curbe and represse them nor breede humilitie and pouertie of spirit in the parties in whom it is found and so driue them to the Lord to craue aide and strength from him to subdue their corruptions but these checks of the naturall conscience do rather make men more fierce and froward and at length more violent and outragious in sinning especially if they haue been occasioned either by the hearing of the terible curse of the law denounced against them in the publicke ministery or by the faithfull dealing of some Christian friend which hath throughly applied the threatnings of the word vnto their drowsie consciences wherewith they were moued for the time but afterwards returne to their vomit again then I say they will be much more boisterous in their sinfull courses then euer they were before And as there is a conflict in the vnderstanding part so is there the like in the affections for the flesh is ready to draw them vnto pride and enuie and vncleannes and couetousnes c. But the Spirit stirreth and moueth them vnto better things shewing withall that those forenamed vices will harden the hart make it vnfit for prayer or thanksgiuing or any such spirituall exercise and in the end will bring many bitter troubles and afflictions vpon those that let them to haue sway and dominion in their soules all which euil inconueniences we shall escape if our affections bee heauenly and spirituall and set on their right obiects So likewise in the will this fight will appeare wheresoeuer true sanctification is begun For the flesh will be vnwilling to pray to heare to meditate to conferre in a word as any duty tendeth more to the crucifying of the lusts thereof so will it be more auerse therefrom and more prone to delay and to put off the performance thereof But the regenerate part is contrarilie disposed and chearfully embraceth that which is good though it be clogged and hindred in the performance of the same setting downe this for a certaine truth that the more painefull any seruice is the more gainefull it is that though we begin our prayers in heauinesse yet wee may end in gladnesse that the more vntractable and vntoward the flesh is the more glorious our conquest is if we can get the maistery of it and bring it into Gods presence and that if we cannot do as well as we would yet if we do as well as we can we shal be accepted and blessed of the Lord and by the sight and sense of our manifold failings grow more humble and lowlie in our owne eies and more pittifull and gentle towards others And lastly for the memory before their conuersion Gods owne children are prone to remember iniuries and vnkindnes which others haue offered vnto them and to forget such as they haue offered vnto others they can hold fast all such things as will further corrupt them but they let slip whatsoeuer may benefit and helpe then in good and holy courses but after their regeneration the case is altered with them for them they striue to disburden their memories of all things that may hurt them and to retaine onely such matters as may make them more humble and mercifull and thankfull This spiritual fight in the inward man is a most infallible mark of the spirit of grace which is the rather to bee noted because many of Gods seruants through ignorance take it to bee quite contrary We find say they such a deale of carnall reason so many sinfull affections and lusts such vnwillingnes and vnfitnesse for euery holy dutie that we much doubt whether we haue Gods spirit in vs or not But who tels you that there are so many things amisse in you who is it that causeth you to see the errors of your mind and the corruptions of your heart who is it that causeth you to hate them and to bee out of liking with your selfe for them who is it that enableth you to take Gods part against them and to striue by all meanes to be freed from the bondage of them Is it not the spirit of God that worketh al these good things in you and why then should you make question whether it dwell in you yea or no these are fruits of the Spirit which are neuer found in any but in spirituall men And if any desire yet a further triall let him examine whether there bee in him those other vertues of the Spirit which are recited Gal. 5.22 viz. 1. Loue vnto God to his word to his Saints to mankind yea to our very enemies so far as to desire their conuersion and saluation 2. Ioy in Gods fauour in that hee hath giuen vs any sparkles of grace and thereby assured vs that he wil prouide al good things for vs in this life and afterwards saue our soules and bodies euerlastingly 3. Peace with the Lord himselfe with our consciences and with our brethren If I say any desire further assurance that the Spirit of grace doth possesse his heart let him try whether he can find in himself these fruits thereof together with the rest there mentioned to wit long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperance and as these doe more or lesse abound in him so may he be assured that hee is more or lesse spirituall A fourth vse of this point may be this Vse 4 that seeing our happinesse doth ebbe or flow according to the working of the holy Ghost within vs therefore we should vse all meanes to get and increase the same in our hearts How Gods Spirit may be obtained Now one meanes is exceedinglie to desire it and earnestly to long for it for the Lord saith in the prophecy of Isaiah Isaiah 44.3 I will poure water vpon the thirstie and flouds vpon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon thy buds In which place wee see there is a large promise made but to whom To poore desolate Christians that doe feele their owne miserable and wretched estate and do euen thirst for a supply of Gods graces as the dry and parched ground doth for the raine to fall vpon it which doth euen gape for it before it comes as if it would deuoure the clouds before they fal Concerning such the Lord saith that he will poure water vpon them
that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they will pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is said that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their minds what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are ful of inward sighes heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot poure them foorth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the harts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there bee neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at al as many times it fals out when the hart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerful working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shal bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit eueÌ„ at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe Iohn 16.8 it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Sabbath-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sins and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their leaud and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Seeing then it is euident Reasons collected from the former places that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauor of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withal must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that wee make the point now in hand may hence bee strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall aide and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth First for the confutation of those senselesse people Vse 1 that will bee talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful praier since they were borne because they are and still haue been sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they cal them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may bee said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sons of Zebedeus Ye know not what ye ask They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can go through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharisees who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemne them vnto hell for the same and wil do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therfore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they find so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord wheÌ„ they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the help and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if wee would pray aright and speed accordingly wee labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the holy Ghost Iude vers 20. For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace and comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether â—ur prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that wee doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as wee ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearmes and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First Rules for prayer wee must haue a warrant for the things that wee aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed 1. Iohn 5.14 according wherunto all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with
the holy Scriptures and often exercise our hearts in the meditation thereof That is as it were the wood whence wee must fetch timber for this building and the mine out of which wee may take many golden arguments to bring before the Lord in our prayers which hee cannot deny because they are his owne hand writing whereby hee doth grant vs liberty to aske and assurance to obtaine al needfull things So that spirituall graces wee may aske simply without any exception or limitation and for outward blessings we may craue them so farre as they may bee good for vs and for crosses wee may lawfully desire either to haue them kept from vs or sanctified vnto vs so that we may haue strength and patience to beare them and grace and wisedome to make a right vse of them Secondly we must be touched with an inward longing and earnest desire of the things which we aske for it is said Rom 8.26 that the Spirit maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed As we see in Hannah who came with a heart full of heauenlie meditations and of holy desires which shee did not expresse in words but made them knowne vnto the Lord with whom her heart was labouring all the time of her prayer Now if we would obtaine this inward affection wee must ponder much on Gods goodnesse and readines to heare and to helpe vs and of our owne miserable wants which moue vs to become suiters vnto his Maiestie and then if we can get a good perswasion of God and a due estimation of the things which we beg at his hands we shall not chuse but be instant and earnest in our prayers not taking vp the time in words of course and in making vaine and idle repetitions or drowsie and lumpish petitions as if we cared not whether we lost or found but wee shall bee able to crie feruently vnto the Lord and then cannot he deny our requests Ps 145.19 Iames 5. For he heareth the cry of them that feare him and fulfilleth their desires and the prayer of the righteous auaileth much when it is feruent Thirdly if we would haue this testimony vnto our soules that wee pray in the holy Ghost See M. Dods Sermon on Iames 4.3 then must wee propose a right end in our suits not asking any thing with an intent to spend it vpon our lusts but with a purpose to vse it vnto the glory of God the furtherance of our owne saluation and the good and comfort of mankind especiallie of such as are of the houshold of faith Fourthly we must beleeue that we shal obtaine that which we aske according to that of our Sauiour Mar. 21.14 Whatsoeuer ye desire when yee pray beleeue that ye shall haue it Which faith of ours will bee vnto vs a sure argument that we pray in the Spirit which stirreth vs vp to make such requests alone as it assureth vs shall be performed But by the way let vs obserue that sometimes spirituall men may make carnall prayers as Iob and Elijah and Ionah did when they desired that God would take away their liues which proceeded from the pride of the flesh and from the rebelliousnesse of their wils in that they could not content themselues to liue in that estate wherunto the Lord had brought them Such fleshly petitions may wee sometimes put vp before the Lord but we shall haue checks and rebukes in our hearts for the same and no assurance that they shall be granted but when our suits are spirituall the holy Ghost which moueth vs to aske will also perswade vs that God is able and willing to heare vs and to relieue vs and that therefore we shall obtaine a blessing sooner or later Let vs therfore labour to aske in faith as the Apostle Iames exhoreth and not wauer Iames 1.3 for hee that wauereth and maketh question whether God will heare him or not is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind and carried away being neuer at quiet in himselfe but sometimes imagining that the Lord wil helpe him he runneth vnto him and then hauing a conceit that such and such men will doe somewhat for him hee leaueth prayer and betaketh himselfe vnto them but finding no reliefe there he will to prayer againe and yet hauing not a present answer nor faith to wait vpon the Lord he fals to shift for himselfe by vsing of ill meanes and so is altogether vnstable and vnsetled euen as the waues of the sea that are neuer at rest euerie vaine cogitation euery slight tentation tossing and turmoyling and disquieting his hart Thus it ought not to be neither will it be thus with those that aske in faith for they know that they shall obtaine and that it shall be vnto them according to their faith that either they shall haue the particular thing that they aske or a better in stead thereof and therefore they pray still and waite Gods leasure and herein they much honour the Lord in that they cast themselues vpon the truth of his promise and do not trouble their hearts with vnnecessary feares and cares about the successe which is Gods worke and not theirs Men will be glad to bee rid of importunate suiters that they should not be stil hanging vpon them especially if their suite bee weighty and the things that they craue of some importance But the Lord would in no case haue men to let their suits fall nay he takes delight in such as will not haue a repulse but still depend vpon him and daily renew their petitions for they shew euidently that they haue a liuely and strong faith they would not presume to ask vnlesse they had a warrant and hauing a warrant they dare not make question of obtaining for that were to make doubt of Gods truth and fidelity Thus wee see what it is to pray in the holy Ghost viz. to haue a good ground for that which wee aske a good end and a good affection in asking and faith to beleeue that we shal obtaine whatsoeuer we aske in such a maner A third vse of this point Vse 3 is for a singular consolation to such as can pray in that sort howsoeuer the Diuell would perswade them that they haue not the sanctifying Spirit of God in them but onely such flashings as hypocrites sometimes haue yet hereby they may be assured that the holy Ghost dwelleth in them indeede because they constantlie powre out strong cries and faithfull supplications before the Lord which no hypocrite can doe Iob 27.10 for as Iob speaketh He cannot set his delight on the almightie nor call vpon God at all times For that is a speciall gift of God and peculiar vnto the Saints and as any one maketh more such holy praiers so may he be more confidentlie perswaded that hee hath the Spirit of grace in a greater measure And they shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pierced that is vpon Christ and that by the eye
of faith setting their heart and hope on him and through him expect to bee heard and relieued whence obserue this doctrine that the Spirit of prayer doth alwaies leade men vnto Christ Iesus It causeth them wholly to go out of themselues Doct. 3 and to offer vp their supplications in The Spirit of prayer doth alwaies direct men vnto Christ Iesus and through their Sauiour and Redeemer This was figured in the sacrifices that were offered vnder the Leuiticall law at which time if any one were polluted by any occasion or otherwise clogged with sins that hee had committed he was to bring his offering vnto the Priest and was to be sprinckled with the bloud thereof which did signifie the bloud of Christ by which all Gods elect were to be cleansed and a reconciliation betwixt God and them was to be procured For this cause Daniel though hee were a man much beloued of God and endued with the Spirit of prayer in a wonderfull measure yet hee desireth the Lord to heare him not for his sake Daniel 9.17 or for his peoples sake but for the Lord Christ Iesus his sake Therfore doth our Sauiour tell his disciples Iohn 16.23 that whatsoeuer they should aske the Father in his name hee would giue it vnto them Now the reason why the Spirit of grace doth alwaies direct vs vnto Christ in our prayers Reason is because it maketh vs see our owne vilenesse and wretchednesse and so consequently that we stand in need of the mediation of Christ Iesus Therefore in the couenant of grace after Gods people haue receiued the holy Ghost Ezech. 36.31 it is said Then shall ye remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthie to haue been destroyed for your iniquities and for your abominations This is the first worke of the Spirit euen to set them downe that they should haue nothing to say for themselues but plainely acknowledge that shame and confusion that destruction and eternall condemnation is due vnto them if the Lord should enter into iudgement with them Now when they are thus abased and humbled in themselues then will they seeke to haue a part in Christ his merits that so both they and their seruices may bee accepted of the Lord through his righteousnesse and through his intercession which hee doth continuallie make for them which serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 and to shew that they are not led by the Spirit because in their prayers they rest not vpon the mediation and intercession of Iesus Christ but ioyne thereunto their owne merits and the merites of the Saints thinking by that meanes to preuaile in their suites and to obtaine their hearts desire Secondly it maketh also for the confutation of a number of ignorant men and women among vs that will bragge of their daily stint of prayers which they runne ouer and how they make no doubt but the Lord will accept of their requests and will grant the same and why because they liue honestlie among their neighbours and doe no bodie any harme and they hope withall that their good words and prayers doe deserue somewhat at Gods hands Alas poore simple people they little consider what it is to make a good praier for if they did they would goe quite out of themselues vnto Christ Iesus and labour for acceptance onely for his sake And as for these prayers which they so much stand vpon if euer it please the Lord to open their eyes and to waken their drowsie consciences they will be so far from thinking that they merite any thing thereby as that they will see great cause to be humbled therfore for that they haue dealt so hypocritically and carnally drawing neere vnto God with their lips when their hearts haue been remooued farre from him Thirdly here is another vse of consolation and of instruction both that if we will haue this testimony vnto our soules that wee pray in the Spirit then when wee haue the most feeling affections and purest desires let vs offer them vp in Christ Iesus let vs not play the Priests our selues as king Vzziah did lest we be smitten with a worse leprocie in our soules then he was in his body but let vs make Christ our high Priest to present our offerings before the Lord. So also when our prayers and thanksgiuings are most imperfect and weake let vs present them through him that so they may find acceptance with God being perfumed by the righteousnesse of his deare sonne Oh Obiect but I cannot striue nor wrestle with God in prayer as others do and as I my selfe haue sometimes done What of that Answ did not Christ Iesus offer vp strong cryes vnto his Father Heb. 5. And for whom shall those he effectuall but for such poore Christians as cannot so feruentlie call vpon God for themselues It is said Hebrewes 12. Heb. 12.14 That the blood of Christ speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Now we can easilie beleeue that Caine was in a dangerous case when the blood of Abel did call for vengeance against him and why should we not as throughly beleeue that they are in an happy case who haue the blood of the son of God to call for redemption and saluation and acceptation of al holy seruices in their behalfe as all true hearted Christians haue The want of this perswasion is the cause why we omit many excellent prayers and thanksgiuings which would bee very pleasing vnto the Lord being offered vp as sweet incense by our high Priest Christ Iesus and therfore let vs labour for an encrease of faith in this point that so God may not be depriued of seruice nor our selues of those comforts and blessings which are promised to all that call vpon him in truth And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him c. In that this great lamentation is set downe as an effect of their beholding of Christ whom by their sinnes they had crucified this doctrine may hence bee gathered that The due consideration of the death of Christ Doct. 4 The consideration of Christ his sufferings is a forcible meanes to godly sorrow is a most forcible meanes to breake the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow There is no such motiue to make men weepe bitterly for their offences as to weigh with themselues in a serious maner that they by their sinnes haue slaine the Lord of life that his bitterest aduersaries were not the causes of that his shamefull and painefull death which hee endured vpon the tree but that they themselues brought him thither Iohn 10.11 and were the procurers of that his bitter passion Christ laid downe his life but for whom euen for his sheep He was cursed that they might be blessed he was was wounded Isaiah 53. that they might bee healed hee suffered disgrace that they might bee brought to glory and endured in
of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man
saith the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 1.14.15 In the great day of the Lords wrath the strong man shall cry bitterly Now crying is an argument of great perplexity and anguish and of basenesse of mind when it proceedeth from outward causes and yet the Prophet saith that the strong men and such as did professe fortitude should cry and that bitterly and the more couragious they had been in sin the more cowardly they should bee when the Lord did visit them for sinne Lastly Obiect there are others that thinke to cary out their vile practises by reason of their noble parentage their high places the multitude of their attendants the largenesse of their substance c. If they say the word who can hinder the deed who dare controll them or crosse them If any thinke himselfe wronged say they let him take his aduantage and seeke his remedy c. See the haughtinesse of flesh and blood when once it is set on horse-backe Answ but suppose that men dare not encounter them doe they imagine that the Lord will be afraid of their bigge words and bigge lookes if they do they are much deceiued Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzer were as great and as proud as most of these braggers yet did not the Lord strike them with horrour and amazement and make them see and know that hee was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Satan hath all that worldly men can haue and a great deale more both of wit and wealth and company and courage and command and yet for all this the very consideration of Gods indignation maketh him to tremble according to that of the the Apostle Iames Iam. 2.19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God the diuels also beleeue and tremble And how then can they thinke to escape the terrours of the Lord who though they be great in the world yet come farre behinde the Prince of the world in greatnesse Let experience speake in this point Note when the Lord tooke away our gracious Queene and there was likelihood either of a ciuill dissension or forren inuasion howbeit the Lord miraculously deliuered vs from them both who were then least troubled with feares those that were great in the world or such as were great in Gods fauour And now that the Lord doth visit our cities and townes and villages with the pestilence who are they that are most couragious surely those that truly feare the Lord they think it the safest course to exercise themselues in the workes of their callings and not to runne hither and thither and to come vnto the publike assemblies of the Saints and not to neglect the feeding of their soules for feare of endangering their bodies whereas the wealthie and great ones of the world hide their heads in a corner being very vnwilling to aduenture vpon any good work that either God or man calleth them vnto if there bee but the least appearance of any perill Therefore in the second place if we would be void of those terrours that wicked men are subiect vnto Vse 2 and be able with boldnes to hold vp our heads when Gods iudgements are abroad in the world then let vs obserue these directions following First Remedies against hellish feares 1. Feare to offend See M. Duds booke Com. 1. Psal 112. let vs beware of all manner of sinnes that no iniquitie haue entertainment with vs and labour to bee at one with the Lord that so our consciences may be at one with vs which if wee can attaine vnto we shall be strongly fortified against all vnnecessary feares According to that in the Psalme Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. He shall not be afraid of euill tidings c. Where the Prophet sheweth that hee is an happie man that is truly religious and sheweth it forth by fearing of God and delighting in his commandements and by performing the duties of loue and mercy towards his brethren for as hee shall bee freed from all hurtfull euils so shall hee bee exempted from all passionate feare thereof Note Many wicked men haue not the plague in their houses and yet are plagued with the feare of it and many godly men haue their families visited therewith and yet are not perplexed with such terrors and the reason is yeelded in that place because their harts are fixed and established and beleeue in the Lord. That is the foundation whereupon they build their courage and confidence euen the Lord himselfe who is a sure stay to those that relie vpon him His children know that nothing can befall them without his prouidence that nothing shall betide them but he will support them vnder it and make them to profit by it and what cause then haue they to be distēpered If therfore we desire to haue stil quiet harts when others shal be euen at their wits end then let vs get the brestplate of righteousnesse and innocencie for the righteous is bold as a Lion Let vs feare sin before it be committed Prou. 28.1 and when we are tempted therunto say with Iob Are there not strange punishments for the workers of iniquity Iob 31. Will not the Lord be angry with me if I should commit this wickednesse will not mine owne heart be discomforted will not my spirit be made sad within mee how shall I bee able to looke the Lord in the face if hee should lay his hand in any feareful manner vpon me or mine when I haue so prouoked him to his face c Thus if wee could fright our hearts from offending the Maiestie of God wee should bee as bold as Iob was when the waues of aduersity flow in vpon vs on euery side The Lord saith he hath giuen Iob 1.21 Iob. 13.15 and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And in another place Though the Lord should kill me yet will I trust in him He feared sinne which is the sting of crosses and therefore were his crosses lesse terrible vnto him when they came and so will they be vnto vs if we carefully eschew those corruptions which otherwise will enuenome and poyson them vnto vs. this is the first means to arme vs against feares viz. to take heed of sinne before it bee committed But if it be committed Repentance for offences committed the next remedie is to stand in awe of Gods iudgements due vnto the same and so to be led on to true repentance The best way to escape desperate feare is to fright our soules with an holy feare For if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Excellent for this purpose is that answere of Huldah the Prophetesse vnto good Iosiah Because thine heart did melt saith she and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord 2. King 22.19.20 when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should bee destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy cloathes wept before
yet haue neuer been able to effect and bring to passe their malicious enterprises against the same The Church is as a weake tent in it selfe not fortified with any wals and yet those that haue laid siege against it and sought vtterly to consume it haue not taken away so much as one stake or broken so much as one cord thereof as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth and why Isa 33.20.21 because as he saith the mighty Lord was their defence Christians are euen as sheepe very impotent and feeble for the most part in regard of outward strength and withall few in number and their enemies are like raging Lions and besides for multitude very many yet the flocke of Christ still remaines the more the wicked rage against it the more doth it still encrease as we haue an experiment in the Israelites vnder Pharaohs tyranie Note Yea in many places where their Pastors seeke to make hauocke of them euen there are they couragious for the truth and though Christians dwel where Satans throne is and where hee seemeth to beare full sway yet it may be said to them as it was vnto the Church of Pergamus by Christ Iesus Reuel 2 13. Thou keepest my name and hast not denied my faith Yea further which is of all other things most strange the poore lambs of Christ are so far from being torne in pieces by those Lions that they become Lions themselues not for cruelty but for courage Mich 5.8 For so saith the Prophet Micah And the remnant of Iacob shall bee among the Gentiles in the middest â—f many people as the Lions among the beasts of the for rest and as the Lions whelpe among the flocks of sheepe The meaning of which place is that some few poore Christians standing in the cause of God and comming furnished with the grace and power of the holy Ghost should be able to daunt and terrifie the hearts of many sinfull persons and cause them euen to quake and tremble Act. 24.26 as Paul did Felix when hee reasoned powerfully and effectually concerning righteousnesse and temperance and the iudgement to come In so much that many who are hypocrites in heart will make a shew of religion and piety and seeme to conforme themselues vnto Christians whom they hate with a deadly hatred which plainly argueth that there is a kind of Maiesty of God Note shining forth in the faces and in the carriage of Gods seruants which the vilest reprobates are many times driuen to acknowledge though full sore against their wils This point ministreth vnto vs a double instruction Vse 1 First that wee should take part with righteous men for if God bee on their side they must needs be the better side and the stronger side and therefore it is good wisedome to ioine with them It was the ouerthrow of Achitophel that he forsook King Dauid to take part with Absolon And it was the ruine of Abiathar and Ioab that they withdrew theÌ„selues from Salomon to set vp Adonijah as king ouer Israel And why sped they so ill but because they were of a contrary side vnto God himselfe who stood for Dauid and Salomon and their adherents and certainly the Lord is as strongly with his church now as he was with Dauid and Salomon then and therefore it must needs be very dangerous for any to separate themselues from his chosen in which regard let vs be careful euermore to cleaue vnto them and to take part with them Oh Obiect but they haue many enemies that seeke to vndermine them and therefore it is not safe ioyning with them Feare not their aduersaries Answ Psalm 3. though they be ten thousand to one for God is their buckler and the lifter vp of their heads he will smite all their enemies vpon the cheeke bone and dash out their teeth that seeke to draw blood from his seruants All that hate Sion shall perish euen as the grasse that groweth vpoÌ„ the house top which though it make a bragging shew for a time yet suddenly withereth and commeth to nothing They that seek to root out the Israell of God doe as it were set their naked shoulder to remoue an huge rock that will fall vpon them and grinde them to powder Zach. 12.3 be they neuer so many and therefore wee haue litle reason to be afraid of them Another instruction hence to be learned is that seeing God is in the generation of the righteous therfore we should frequent their society and resort vnto the assemblies of the Saints for if the Lord be present with euery one of his by his speciall prouidence and by his grace then is he much more forcibly and effectually present with a muItitude of them that do worship him in sincerity and fill the heauens with zealous prayers and strong cryes Many are desirous to go to the Court in hope though they be not certaine to see the King only albeit he doe not looke vpon them or speake to them or they to him how much more desirous should we be to come vnto publike Christian meetings where wee shall bee sure to see the King of Kings in his glory and to haue him to take notice of vs to speake vnto vs to grant vs free liberty to put vp our suites vnto him and to estate vs in all the good things which his sonne Christ hath purchased for vs by his precious blood Are our hearts frozen in the dregs of our iniquities and so hardened that wee cannot mourne for the same let vs repaire vnto holy assemblies and there wee shall meet with the weapons of God that will pierce and wound our hearts and cause them to be dissolued into teares there shal we feele the vertue of the spirit effectually working vpon vs so that we shall be constrained to say of those that deliuer the message of Christ vnto vs 1. Cor. 14.25 that God is in them indeed Doe wee want faith in Gods prouidence and promises Do wee want power and strength against our corruptions In a word doe wee want any grace of God or any blessing of God let vs haue recourse vnto the congregations of the Saints and there we shal meet the Lord himselfe who will bee ready to supply our necessities whatsoeuer they bee and to grant vs aboue that that wee can aske or thinke And as for our owne priuate cases so for the publike state of the Church Commonwealth if we would haue the pestilence or famine or any other iudgement remoued the way to procure this is to repaire thither where wee shall meet with many of the faithfull that will bee readie to ioyne with vs in prayer and to wrestle with the Lord by feruent and earnest supplications for the remouing of his deserued strokes And this should much eucourage vs adde life vnto our praiers as often as we haue occasion to aske any thing in publike that God will vouchsafe vnto vs his gratious presence and they shew by good effects
to haue as great delight in Gods statutes as in all manner of riches Thirdly and lastly when wee feele within vs a great vnwillingnesse to hearken to the word as the flesh will alwaies bee vnwilling to that which will mortifie and kill the sinfull lusts thereof let vs say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. part 5. Lord encline my heart vnto thy testimonies Neuer discourage our selues by thinking surely I shall neuer bee able to master my affections and to bring my heart with cheerefulnesse to listen vnto holy things but goe vnto the Lord that is greater then our hearts and stronger then our sinnes and beseech him to giue vs a good affection to his testimonies and if wee aske in faith and humility wee shall bee sure to obtaine our hearts desire Psal 25. for the Lord hath promised to teach the humble his way and if hee vndertake it it is neither our sinfull nature nor Satans malice that can hinder his worke but he will by degrees accomplish the same in vs aâ—â—ee hath done in all his elect from the beginning of the world euen vnto this present time And thus much for the helpes that wee must vse that wee may become willing and cheerefull hearers of the word of the Lord. Vers 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not c. THe Prophet had charged them that they were vnwilling to heare Gods word but they might obiect Wee are as forward to heare as any other yea saith he you heare indeed but what doctrine are you most desirous of would you not be flattered rather then reproued would you not haue falshood preached vnto you rather then the truth Doe you not say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours not that they were so brutish as in words to say thus much vnto the Seers that is to their faithfull teachers which had an insight into Gods will but their actions testified so much for they would vilifie and persecute such as dealt faithfully with them Whence obserue Doct. 3 that the more wholesome and holy any doctrine is The most holy doctrine is most distastfull vnto vnholy persons the more grieuous is it vnto the wicked sinners As any man of God preacheth more soundly and commeth nearer the conscience so is hee more abhorred of vngodly men This we may see euidently in sundry examples of Scripture as first of all in those of whom mention is made in the Reuelation where it is said Reuel 11. that there were two witnesses that is a competent and sufficient number of faithfull Preachers which were like Oliue trees Vers 4. to distill the oyle of grace into mens hearts and like Candelstickes to hold forth the light vnto those that liued in darknesse and ignorance but what was the effect of their preaching Vers 10. It is said that these two Prophets vexed them that dwealt on the earth that is all earthly minded men all such as were ignorant and proud vnchast and couetous so that they could neuer be well till they had killed them and cast out their corpses into the streets of the city but then they were glad and reioyced and sent presents one to another in token of their ioy hoping that now these two witnesses were dispatched out of the way they should go on merrily in their leaud courses and liue at hearts ease So Ahab professeth that hee hated the Prophet Micaiah and could not abide him how came that to passe he could like well enough of those foure hundred false Prophets that were entertained at Iezabels table this was the very true cause Micaiah neuer prophecied good vnto him 1. King 21.20 but euill Hee would deale faithfully in deliuering Gods message and not flatter him either for feare or fauor but when God proclaimed warre against him as hee must needs being an impious Idolater hee would let him heare of it and giue him no allowance in his wicked enterprises whereas those foure hundred dissembling hypocrites had learned to frame themselues to the Kings humour and to speake not true but pleasing things vnto him and by that meanes they insinuated themselues into his fauour And as he was affected towards Micaiah so was hee also towards Elijâ—h Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith he 1. King 21.20 Now what was the reason he should professe such emnity against him euen this that the holy Prophet of God came euer furnished with sharpe rebukes and terrible threatnings from heauen which hee was to denounce against him for his monstrous impiety against the Lord and cruelty against his seruants The like may be seene in Paul who for deliuering the holy and powerfull doctrine of the Gospell was counted a pestilent fellow Act. 24. and a troubler of the whole world not of the Saints that were in the world but of such as were men of the world who could not endure to haue their ignorance their Idolatry their hypocrisie the ill gouernment of their tongues of their affections and of their families laid open and disgraced and the reformation of these corruptions vrged and pressed vpon their consciences To this same purpose we may obserue further how mad and outragious they were against Steuen Acts 7. when hee came with sound doctrine to their vnsound hearts Act 7.54 c. it is said when they heard the things that hee deliuered their hearts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth and so giuing a shout with a loud voice and stopping their eares that they might not heare him any longer they ranne vpon him with great violence and carrying him out of the city stoned him to death Reasons The reasons why pure and holy doctrine is so vnpleasant and vnwelcome vnto impure and vnholy persons are these First because it doth maruellously crosse their wretched lusts and goes against those euill affections and actions which they are determined to follow they would bee proud but the word tels them Iam. 4. that then the Lord will resist them and at length confound them bodies and soules they would bee alwaies rooting in the earth and scraping together the pelfe of this world Reuel 22. but the word tels them that such swine shall be without that is excluded from the heauenly Ierusalem and haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Now when they are resolued to bee proud still and to bee rooters still and the Ministers of God are euer and anon grating vpon their consciences for the same they are much imbittered and incensed against them and their doctrine and if they can worke them any mischiefe they shall be sure not to misse of it Secondly such kinde of doctrine doth much disgrace both their courses and persons for it is the square whereby such crooked peeces are discerned and the touchstone wherby wicked mens vnsoundnes is discouered Hence is it
aduenture vpon such places and such companie where the winde of false doctrine or of diuellish counsell and perswasion may blow vpon vs. Men will yeeld that the flesh is fraile but why then will they rush vpon the occasions of falling if the flesh bee so subiect to euill why doe they not crucifie it by prayer by applying the threatnings of the word to their owne soules by keeping good companie and the like This is it that maketh a number to fall into Poperie into Brownisme into some such dangerous sects or other that when they giue themselues to the profession of the Gospell they finde it to bee crosse and contrary to their corrupt and finfull nature and therefore they are full of contradiction and gainsaying and at length fall to reading of the bookes of Papists or Brownists or the like and then they are carried vnto their opinions with such eagernesse and violence as a ship on the sea that goes with winde and sale Now what is the reason hereof because the flesh is neuer strongly bent vntill it meet with an ill obiect but then it passeth on amaine without any stop or let Therefore let vs bee carefull that wee doe not rush vpon any such inducements vnto Idolatrie or schisme or any manner of impiety for otherwise wee shall be sure to bee intrapped and insnared Oh but this is too much nicenesse and scrupulositie Obiect will some say I hope we are not so weake nor so simple but we can chuse the best and leaue the worst be present at any popish worship and yet keepe our hearts to God conuerse with any company and yet continue honest men still Haue you so good a perswasion of your flesh Answ certainly you doe thereby giue mee iust occasion to haue an ill perswasion of you and to suspect that in truth you doe not much care of what religion or of what conuersation you be Others haue bin as well conceited of themselues as you and thereupon haue been bold without any calling or warrant to trauell into strange countries and being there to see Images and to heare Masses and to vse familiarity with men of all sorts But what hath been the euent thereof they haue returned home either of no religion or of a false religion This lamentable experience doth shew to be most true in many young Gentlemen of the greatest houses in this our land whose atheisticall and prophane carriage should bee a warning vnto others not to presume vpon their owne strength nor to tempt the Lord by casting themselues vpon the occasions of euill Thirdly this may serue for a caueat vnto vs that when we finde our selues very eager and forward vnto any thing wee make a stay and a pause examining whether the thing be lawfull good yea or no and if it be so yet let vs search whether our flesh be not set a worke in that spiritual action which we are about whether there bee not in it some mixture of corruption and some caruall respect or other that maketh vs so nimble and ready in the performance of it let vs I say looke well vnto our hearts in this behalfe for all is not fire from the altar that seemes to bee such it is a rare thing for vs to bee truly zealous of good workes and much of our heate proceedeth rather from our owne flesh then from Gods spirit and therefore when wee perceiue our violence and eagernesse to arise rather from some inordinate lust then from any good and holy affection let vs curbe and restraine the same and beseech the Lord to moderate our desires that wee may doe all our workes in meckenesse and modestie and with that good temper which beseemeth Christians Fourthly sithence there is in euery mans nature such pronenesse vnto sin and iniquitie this should be a singular comfort vnto Gods childrē when they finde many motions vnto euill and much dulnes and backwardnes vnto that which is good they need not be dismaied hereat if so bee they see their corruption and bee grieued for it Rom. 7. and striue against it But why should Heretikes bee able to cleaue more earnestly Obiect and firmely to superstition and idolatrie then wee can to true religion and pietie There is good reason for that Answ because they haue all helpes that Satan the flesh or the world can affoord them and we haue all the hindrances that may bee from them all for it pleaseth the Lord that while we haue a natural life we should haue also naturall corruption and albeit the flesh bee in part crucified yet will it still rebell against the Spirit and the diuell and the world will take part with it But what then is the difference between Gods seruants and the seruants of the diuel Obiect seeing there is in them both an vnwillingnes vnto that which the Lord commandeth and a pronenes vnto that which he forbiddeth Herein standeth the difference Answ that the godly take notice of the corruptions of their nature bewaile them and labour to suppresse them not fulfilling the lusts of their flesh either for the omission of holy duties or the practise of any manner of euill Galath 5. for they haue the spirit in them which doth alwaies resist the sinfull motions of the flesh so that as they cannot doe the good which they would because the flesh lusteth against the spirit that is against the regenerate part in them so neither can they doe the euill that sometimes they would because the spirit strugleth and fighteth against the lusts of the flesh Now concerning wicked men they are altogether fleshly and therefore when they haue vile motions from nature or bad suggestions from Satan they like of them and nourish and cherish them and if meanes and opportunity be offered proceed to the execution of them Herein then may Gods children reioyce that they are farre vnlike the limmes of the diuell in that they mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Rom. 8.13 and therefore shall liue whereas others walke after the flesh and satisfie it in the lusts thereof and therefore shall die In the meditation whereof they should raise vp their discouraged hearts and fainting spirits to sound ioy and due thankfulnes for that the Lord hath by his good spirit and powerfull word wrought a change in their hearts and made them that were naturally set on mischiefe and did drinke in iniquitie with delight euen as beasts drink water to be in any measure tractable vnto holy duties and to carrie a perfect hatred against all impiety and vnrighteousnesse albeit they cannot get that masterie of their sinfull lusts as they should and as they would This is a wonderfull worke of God for which we cannot sufficiently praise his name and therefore we should doe as the Prophet Dauid did when the Lord had put it into his heart and into the hearts of his subiects to bee liberall towards the building of the Temple 1. Chro. 26.13.14.18 Now therefore our
God saith he we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort c. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers keepe this for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee From which words it is apparant that it is an admirable and supernaturall worke to haue a well disposed minde and a well affected heart vnto any thing that concernes the worship of God and his glory to bee franke and free-hearted in bestowing ones substance vpon sumptuous buildings costly apparell great house-keeping setting vp Lords of misrule and the like is a thing not worth the speaking of because a meere carnall man in arrogancie and vaine-glory may bee very lauish and prodigall to such ends and purposes But to haue a liberal heart for good vses either for the furtherance of Gods seruice or for the reliefe of the distressed Saints is a matter that we should take speciall notice of and be carefull to magnifie the name of the Lord for it and earnestly to entreate the continuance of it as Dauid doth in this place And though we be not alwaies alike but now and then dull and heauie and lumpish and drowsie when it pleaseth the Lord for our humbling to let the flesh play it part yet if wee sometimes and for the most part finde spirituall motions and affections and from thence proceed to holy speeches and actions as occasion and ability is offered wee haue great cause to blesse the name of God for his singular fauour and goodnesse towards vs in that behalfe THE SEAVENTH SERMON ISAIAH 30. Vers 19. Vers 19 Thou shalt weepe no more hee will certainely haue mercy vpon thee at the voice of thy cry when he heareth thee he will answere thee THe purpose of these words is to comfort the elect Iewes against those sorrowes and miseries that should fall vpon the Church and Common-wealth Wherein is declared 1. First what fauour the Lord would shew them viz. 1. That albeit they should tast of the common distresses which befell the rest and so be in heauinesse for a time yet at length they should be comforted and refreshed Thou shalt weepe no more 2. More generally the Prophet affirmeth that hee will haue mercy vpon them not naming the particulars because he intended to inrich them with euery good blessing needfull for their soules or bodies 2. Secondly what duty they were to performe namely to craue this fauour at the Lords hands and that not coldly and sleightly but vehemently and earnestly and then at the voice of their cry God promiseth to heare them yea so to heare them as to answere them in granting that which they should desire of him hee could no sooner heare their crying voice but they should feele his helping hand Vers 19. Thou shalt weepe no more Whence obserue this doctrine that All the sorrowes and teares of Gods Children shall end in ioy Doct. 5 All the afflictions of the Saints shall end in consolations Isa 30.20.29 Psal 30.5 As they haue their times of feeding vpon the bread of aduersity and the water of affliction so haue they also seasons of reioycing and of singing Psalmes of praise for their happie deliuerance out of troubles and miseries Heauinesse may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning They may sow in teares for a time but they shall reape in ioy Eccles 2. vlt. This is the very patrimonie and inheritance of the Saints as the Wise man saith Surely to a man that is good in his sight to wit through Christ God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy this he may build on and make full account of euen in the middest of all his sorrow and anguish And there is good reason why it must needs be thus First Reasons 1 because the afflictions of the Saints do exceedingly humble them for they looke vpward in their distresses and behold Gods righteous hand smiting them and thereupon descend vnto themselues and diue deepe into their hearts to search what corruptions doe lurke there whereby the Lord is incensed against them that so those being remoued by sound repentance his heauie displeasure may bee turned away from them and his louing countenance may shine vpon them This is it that Gods children will sooner or later come vnto albeit for a fit they bee passionate and discontented they will at length turne their eies from looking vpon their crosses to see the true cause thereof and so be grieued for their offences against God Ier. 31.19 and smite vpon their thighs in a holy indignation against themselues in regard of their pride and vnbeleefe and vnthankfulnesse and other the like corruptions They then leaue off musing on other mens iniuries and begin to bethinke themselues of their owne transgressions that so casting downe themselues by godly sorrow 1 Pet. 5.6 the Lord may raise them vp to pure and holy ioy which he will certainly doe in due season neither shall all their sinnes and sorrowes bee able to keepe them downe when once they are thoroughly humbled vnder the holy hand of God It is his promise then to lift them vp and Christ his office to comfort them that mourne Isa 61. and therfore as those that in their miseries are passionate and desperate full of murmuring against God and of fretting against men cannot expect any ioyfull issue out of their troubles so on the other side they that are lowly and broken harted much deiected and abased in the presence of the Lord and milde and peaceable in their carriage before men they may be assured that all their sighs shall end in songs that all teares shall bee wiped away from their eyes and that in stead of the spirit of heauinesse they shall in due time be clad with the garments of gladnesse Secondly Gods seruants doe pray in their afflictions which is the very high way vnto sound comfort Psal 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble saith God and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me This Asa and Iehoshaphat had good experience of for when they being in a great straite 2. Chron. 14. 20. had humbled themselues by fasting and prayer their hearts were full of ioy and their mouthes full of the praises of the Lord for their wonderfull deliuerance from their enemies And the like may be said of Hester and Mordecai Hestor and the rest of the Iewes in his time Iohn 16.20 And our Sauiour telleth his Disciples Verily verily I say vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament but your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy But by what meanes should they attaine vnto this the words following doe make it manifest Ask saith he and ye shall receiue Vers 24. that your ioy may bee full When Christians doe enioy wealth and credit and ease they are oftentimes made so dull and
diuers he performed it not in obedience to God as they did but in pride and hautines of minde in regard of the multitude and strength of his subiects before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence but now what need he runne crying vnto God he had so many souldiers and valiant warriours in his dominion that he could make his part good against any forren power whatsoeuer Thus was his heart lifted vp vnto vanitie when it should haue bene lifted vp to God in thankfulnes and therefore was he so humbled because he had an ill affection Doct. 2 and a wrong end in a good action Whence ariseth this doctrine God looketh into the manner of our doing That it is not enough for to forbeare things that are euill and to make conscience of grosse sinnes but men must doe lawfull things lawfully and performe good workes in a good manner otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawfull things aswell as for vnlawfull things This may be seene in that great enditement which Christ brings against the old world They did eate Mat. 24.38 and drinke marry and giue in marriage A naturall man would haue thought there could be no hurt in these if they had bene charged with whoredome murder blasphemie or the like they had bene matters of some moment but for those before named what fault can be found with them Indeed the things in themselues are very warrantable but the manner of performing them doth either make or marre them Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 44.5 to eate and drinke without feare without prayer and thanks-giuing as if the creatures were our owne and nor the Lords to abuse the blessings of God to surfetting and drunkennesse c these and the like corruptions doe turne eating and drinking into sinne which in themselues are not onely allowable but also necessarie The like may be said concerning marriage Heb. 13. it is a sanctified ordinance of God vnto those that vse it holily but then it becomes very sinfull and hatefull vnto the Lord Gen. 6.2 when the Sonnes of God doe ioyne with the daughters of men and professors are yoaked with Infidels for beautie or commoditte or any such carnall respect yet that is a horrible sinne too too common among such as professe Christianitie that they make no scruple of matching their children with those whome they know by their workes to be as yet the children of the diuell and so in other matters if they can proue them once to be in themselues lawfull they make no conscience of the meanes they vse nor of the end they propose in accomplishing of them The like is alleaged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites Luk. 17.28 as against those of the old world viz that they bought and sold and built in couetousnesse pride and vanitie as if they had bene euer to dwell vpon the earth not caring what craft and fraud they vsed nor what snares and grins they laid for men See M. Dods Sermon on if they might satisfie their couetous and ambitious desires More might be said concerning this point Isa 1 both for proofes and reasons Doct. 1 but that it hath bene handled at large elsewhere This serueth Vse 1 First for terror vnto those that satisfie themselues with this that no bodie can charge them with grosse sinnes and therefore they imagine their case to be good and that they need not trouble themselues in regard of their offences But was it not thus with Dauid who could now accuse him of any notorious ill fact surely none in the world and yet he hauing grace in his heart accuseth and condemneth himselfe for that he had done a good action in an ill maner and with an ambitious and vaine glorious minde and for the same is much abased and confounded in himselfe and therefore those are in a miserable estate that neuer disquiet their soules for their hidden corruptions but thinke that all goeth well with them when mens eyes can discerne nothing amisse in them as they on the other side are in happie case that doe often take themselues apart and beseech the Lord to be mercifull vnto them in regard of their failings euen in the most spirituall duties that they performe such iudge themselues and therefore shall not be iudged of the Lord. Secondly Vse 2 this is for instruction that we carefully looke vnto the manner of all our actions and in particular of the exercise of fasting which is now in hand let vs consider wherefore we are come together and what is required of euery one that is present this day to wit that we should put wickednesse out of our hearts and out of our hands and for that purpose come with true humiliatiō on our part that there may be a perfect reconciliation granted vs on Gods part This was practised by the Niniuites who hearing Gods iudgements denounced against them for their sinnes Ionah 3.8.9 that within fortie daies Niniue should be destroyed except they repented what did they All of them both King and people humbled themselues in fasting bewailing their euill sinfull waies and workes and crying mightily vnto the Lord for pardon and resoluing to turne from the wickednesse that was in their hands that so God might turne away from his fierce wrath Yet they had enioyed but little teaching they had heard onely one Sermon from Ionah who was a man vnknowne vnto them and did not bring such testimonies of Scripture to conuince their consciences as are now alleaged vnto vs c and therefore we should be much ashamed to come short of them in this holy exercise especially seeing we haue not one Ionah but many not a iudgement threatned but executed and the sword of the Lord still drawne against vs and deuouring by hundreds and thousands in many quarters of our land Let vs then search and examine our hearts and grieue and iudge our selues for all our former transgressions and couenant with the Lord to auoid them hereafter crauing strength from him for that purpose that we may be enabled to subdue and keepe vnder all our corruptions and then our hearts being broken with godly sorrow they shall be healed with godly ioy and being truely cast downe before the Lord he will raise vs vp in due season and make it knowne by good effect that he is appeased towards vs. Thirdly Vse 3 here is matter of exceeding great terror vnto those that spend their dayes in the continuall practise of grosse and presumptuous sinnes for if Dauid were so grieued punished for that corruption which no man liuing could touch him for euen for dooing a good thing in an ill manner how then shall they bee able to stand that haue heaped iniquity vpon iniquitie and for manie yeeres together added one foule euill vnto another and not onely done good things in an ill manner but ill things in the worst manner hauing manie crying sinnes still to call for vengeance against
them If Dauid were brought to such a strait that he was euen at his wits ende and in exceeding great anguish for doing one thing which in mans reason might seeme very lawfull Oh what horrible terrors shall seaze on their soules who doe continuallie rush vpon a multitude of hainous offences which all the world crieth out against especially when they shall be called to answere not before Gad as Dauid was but before the Maiestie of the great Lord of heauen and earth not for one sinne but for all their sinnes not to endure three dayes punishment in mercie but euerlasting woe and miserie and that in iudgement and heauie displeasure Dauid had great sorrow indeed for the offences which he committed yet no more then hee should haue how then doe they thinke to escape that are not wrought vpon at all with any remorse for their grieuous transgressions but are euen as a lumpe of dead flesh altogether insensible of any stroke of God that is threatned or inflicted vpon themselues or others Verse 10. Doct. 3 I haue sinned exceedingly Now followeth the second step vnto sound repentance Confession of sinne must folowe griefe for sinne namely a true full particular and hearty confession of his sinne that so wounded his heart which all that would obtaine remission of their sinnes must be carefull to bring before the Lord as Dauid did But this point hath hene more largely handled elsewhere in M. Dods Serm. on Prou. 28. Doct. 2. I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant c. This is the third worke of repentance viz that he craueth pardon for his fault and that is the next point that with confession of our sinnes Doct. 4 we must alwaies ioyne requests vnto God for the pardoning of the same so doth Dauid in this place as also Psal Asking pardō must be ioyned with confession Luk. 18.13 Daniel 9.19 Nehem. 9. 51 so doth the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and in a word so doth Daniel Nehemia and the rest of Gods seruants as may be seene in their seuerall confessions And for incouragement vnto the performance of this dutie we haue 1 First the name of God which is to pardon iniquitie Exod. 34. transgression and sinne euen all without exception great or small if we repent for them they shall be pardoned if we acknowledge our miserie we shall assuredly finde Gods mercy 2 Secondly we haue the couenant of God Ezeck 36. that he will wash vs from all our filthinesse by powring the bloud of his sonne vpon our sinfull soules 3 Thirdly Mat. 1. we haue the name of Christ to incite and moue vs to become suters for a pardon for he is called Iesus because it is his office to saue his people from their sinnes This Doctrine serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 who clog mens consciences and lay on them heauie and yet vnnecessarie burdens enioyning them if they would get remission of their sinnes to goe in pilgrimage to this or that place to pray to this or that Saint to make some satisfaction to God c as if they should finde mercie any where rather then by seeking it at Gods hands and they speed accordingly for whereas Dauid went vnto the Lord for fauour and obtained it they haue still vnsetled hearts and restles consciences or hard hearts and benummed consciences neuer getting any true peace or sound comfort in the assurance of their reconciliation with the Lord. 2 Secondly Vse 2 for reproofe of those whose offences are very many and very grieuous and they see and acknowledge so much and yet will they not be so presumptuous as they tearme it to expect pardon for the same indeed they thinke it fit for such holy men as Dauid was to aske and looke for mercy from the Lord but for themselues they are such hainous offenders that they dare not doe so neither can they conceiue any hope to speed well if they should doe so But why should we put in conditions where God doth not and as it were interline Gods couenant doth not he promise without any exception 1. Ioh. 1.9 that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse It is therefore a great fault to thinke that any hath more abundance of sinne then God hath of mercy to forgiue it Thirdly Vse 3 heere is an vse of instruction that we should be very importunate for the obtaining of Gods fauour in the pardoning of our sinnes which earnestnes that we may attaine vnto let vs vse these two helpes following How we may attaine to earnestnesse in asking pardon which Dauids example directeth vs vnto First let vs labour that our hearts may thorowly smite vs and that our consciences may euermore checke vs when we doe offend for wheresoeuer there is the checke of conscience it will make the party grow not onely to hartie confession but also to earnest petitions for grace and fauour The greater therefore is their follie who when the Lord doth strike their drowsie consciences for any wickednesse committed by them will presently betake themselues to merry company so by iesting and laughing and drinking and sporting seeke to driue away their melancholie fit as they call it but God meeteth with them accordingly for when they will not take benefit by that mercifull warning which he giueth them they commonly fall to maruellous hardnes of heart and after breake foorth into some horrible sinne which ouerwhelmeth them with shame and confusion Let vs therefore obserue when the Lord smiteth our hearts and with Peter get out of company speedily and lament bitterly that so we may turne the rebukes of our soules into holy requests that the Lord would for giue vs and not enter into iudgement with vs for our grieuous prouocations against his Maiestie Secondly when sinne is so odious vnto vs that our hearts doe condemne vs for it then let vs striue to be perswaded that it is pardonable yea and that it shall be pardoned vnto vs that though we deserue to be throwne out of seruice because we haue dealt so foolishly yet seeing we are Gods seruants he will not goe to extremities with vs but deale as a father with his owne children this ancor of hope we had need still to hold fast by for if we be not in some good measure resolued that we shall finde the Lord gratious and that we our selues are not hypocrites but such as to whom mercy belongeth we shall presently giue ouer prayer for who would seeke vnto a Chirurgion to cure him of whom he is afraid lest he should wound him in that be hath cause and abilitie so to doe Therefore hold this for a firme ground once Gods childe and euer once his seruant and neuer his enemie in which regard we may come with confidence vnto him and say Lord I am vnworthy to be called thy sonne yet
children of wisedome iustified by the infinitely wise God whatsoeuer slanderous and reproachfull imputations carnall men doe lay vpon them he saith that the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1.7 and that those that obey his commandements are the onely wise people vnder the Sun Deut. 4.6 Verse 13. Wilt thou that seuen yeeres famine come vpon the Land c. Heere commeth an obiection to be answered Obiect It is said 1. Cor. 11.31 that if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord how commeth it to passe then in this place that Dauid confessing his fault aggrauating it and asking pardon for it hath notwithstanding such a heauie iudgement denounced against him as the famine or the sword or the pestilence 1 Though such as iudge themselues Answer shall not be iudged yet must they be cured and that was Dauids case here this stroake was not laid vpon him in wrath but in fauour he had set vpon a good worke euen the pulling downe of his pride by this meanes the Lord furthered him in the good worke made a speedier way for abūdāce of grace which was after bestowed vpō him 2 Againe the people were not so reformed as they should be at this time and therefore God in this plague doth aime at their humbling thrusting Dauid out of the gappe as it were who had formerly by his prayers teares stood in the breach to keep of the Lords wrath from them so that all this while beeing intangled with his own matters he could not so freely deale for them Now in that Dauid must haue such a sharpe corasiue to consume that proud flesh that had growne about his heart Doct. 6 by reason of his mightie forces and the largenesse of his dominions It is hard to beat downe mans pride the Doctrine is that it is a wonderfull hard thing to take downe the pride of mans heart it is no small affliction that will doe it as is plaine Iob 33.14 c where is at large shewed that God vseth all meanes and that againe againe and yet men will not profit thereby then he findes out the cause of it to be pride verse 17. and so laieth corrections vpon them sutable thereunto smiting them with sorrow vpon their beds so that the griefe of their bones is sore pinching them with grieuous sicknesses and diseases and making their bones to clatter so that their soules draw neere to the graue and their life to the buriers Now when these or the like wofull distresses haue tamed and maistered their vnruly affections then doe they begin to be somewhat more tractable and whereas neither dreames nor visions nor any of Gods ordinances would doe any good vpon them before after that if God send vnto them a messenger or Interpreter one of a thousand they will begin to hearken vnto them and to learne how they may obtaine mercy and reconciliation with God that they descend not into the pit of destruction Further we may obserue what a great deale of woe Dauid sustained by reason of the hautinesse of his heart and his earthly confidence which is a signe thereof when he thought his mountaine so strong Psalm 30.6.7 that he should neuer be mooued for God turned away his face from him and he was troubled and euen ready to goe downe into the pit Verse 9. to descend vnto the dust c. Neither did God minister vnto him a stronger purgation then he needed but his pride required full as much affliction as the Lord laide vpon him this was also the case of vzziah who being in a moderate estate did exceeding much good both for the Church and the common wealth but when he was growen mighty and strong his heart was lifted vp and then he could not content himselfe with his kingly dignitie but he would needs take vpon him the office of the High-priest also and so went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense but what came of this presumptuous fact of his When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not preuaile with him but he grewe wroth with those that withstoode him the Lord louing him did forthwith smite him with Leprosie and so he was driuen to liue apart all his life long that so the hautinesse of his heart might bee throughlie cured 2. Chron. 26. The like may be seene in Paul 2. Cor. 12. who albeit he were a man of wonderfull graces had beene continually exercised with many and great afflictions so that he had no great need of further humbling as we would haue thought yet had he Satan turned loose vpon him to buffet him and to beat him blacke and blew as it were that so hee might not bee lifted vp with the multitude and excellencie of the reuelations that he had receiued Hee had beene in the third heauen and was indued with exceeding rare gifts and the Lord knew that if he were not taken downe hee would bee very conceited of himselfe and then all had beene lost he would be vnfit to receiue or doe good altogether vnprofitable and vnfruitfull and robbe God of his honour and men of their due and therefore to preuent this hee giueth Satan libertie to worke vpon his originall corruption and to exercise him with strange temptations which was a speciall preseruatiue against pride and loftinesse of minde Lastly wee may note in the 8. chap. of Deuteronomie verse 2. what a great adoe the Lord had with his people the children of Israel to helpe them against this vile corruption that was in them hee was driuen to keepe them fortie yeeres in the wildernes and there to exercise them with manie and grieuous crosses and iudgements and all to humble them as there it is saide and certainly if fewer and easier afflictions would haue done it the Lord would neuer haue handled them so roughlie and sharplie for mercie pleaseth him neither doeth hee afflict willinglie Micah 7. Lament 3. Now the reason why the pride of mens hearts cannot easily bee remooued is First because it doth wonderfully harden them and makes them euen like a Flinte so that they are verie hardly wrought vpon either by instructions or by afflictions This is euident in Nebuchadnezzar who notwithstanding that diuine dreame that God had sent vnto him Dan. 4.24 and the holy instructions and exhortations that Daniel had giuen him after his interpretation thereof yet continued in his arrogancie still and was full of boasting and bragging in so much that the Lord was faine to strippe him of his wittes of his kingdome of his soode of his apparell and of the societie of mankinde and to cause him euen for seuen yeares together to liue as a beast among the beasts of the fielde and all little enough to take downe the stoutnes and loftines of his finfull heart Dan. 5.20 Secondly as pride maketh men vnteachable and vncapable of good by any meanes that
substance so much high-mindednes there is in the parties so addicted The more men trust in God the more humble they will be but the more they trust in their wealth the more high-minded they will bee If men would trie themselues by this touch-stone they should easily discerne abundance of pride in themselues for who almost is there but doeth thinke himselfe the better and safer for the very hauing of earthlie things and who doth not iudge his case more miserable meerly for the want of these deceitfull vanities Let vs therefore sifte our owne hearts and by these and the like fruites of pride learne to iudge what abundance of this poysoned sappe there is within vs. And then perceiuing how liable wee are vnto many fearefull stroakes of God by reason thereof let vs carefully vse these remedies following against the same First let vs often search and trie our owne hearts and workes by the right rule Remedies against Pride that is by the holy law of God for none are lifted vp but such as doe not knowe themselues for if wee rightly considered what we are and what our actions are it would take downe all that foolish conceitednes that is naturallie ingrafted in vs and cause vs to say with the Publican Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner and with Paul Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Luke 18.13 Rom. 7.24 hee was aliue that is thought himselfe aliue and in verie good case before the law came coÌ„uinced him of his wretched corruptions hee was euen as a blinde man that feares nothing though a man came running vpon him with a sharpe sword or he were ready to fal down violeÌ„tly froÌ„ an high and dangerous rocke he would neuer be daunted at the matter nor one whit moued because hee sees not that hee is in any danger such was Pauls case and such is the state of euery vnregenerate man but when Gods law is once pressed vpon the conscience by the liuely working of the holie Ghost it inlightens the minde and makes men see their owne sinfulnes as Paul did which is an excellent meanes to kill all proud and loftie conceits If therefore we desire to be ridde of this hatefull and hurtfull companion I meane pride let vs often and earnestly examine our selues by this straight rule of Gods law we are giuen to try our selues often by examining whether we be not better than such a man or such a woman but this is a false and a deceitfull rule for a man may be better than such and such and yet be starke naught But the proud flesh will be readie to obiect and say Obiect I doe not onely goe beyond these and these wicked ones but I am better than diuers that are esteemed godly and religious Are you so you may easily be deceiued Answer and the better conceit you haue of your selfe the worse you are likely to be but grant for the time that you excell others in some things doe not they goe before you in some other you haue a better gouernement of your tongue than many of your neighbours but are you not more grosly tainted with couetousnes than they are You haue a better gift of chastitie than another but doeth not he lesse offend in violent distempered passions than you doe and the like might be said in other particulars If you consider your owne goodnes and others badnes you may easily growe to thinke better of your selfe than of others but if you would withall set before your eyes their goodnes and your owne badnes it would happily make you to haue a better opinion of them than of your selfe and cause you to conclude that all things considered their graces are more excellent than yours But let that be yeelded that you are indeed beyond many others in pietie and godlines doe you not yet come farre short of that which the law requireth for those gifts that you haue whence proceeded they are they not bestowed vpon you out of the Lords meere bountie and if you haue receiued them why are you puffed vp as if you had not receiued them If you did aright consider that you are no more worthy of the least blessing of God than the vilest creature in the world and that not your goodnes but Gods goodnes is the cause that you excell others there would be no place left for ouer-weening coÌ„ceits of your selfe but you would conclude as the truth is that the better you are gifted Rom. 1.14 the more you are indebted and the more talents you haue the more thankes you owe vnto God Math. 25. and the more seruice vnto his people And thus much for the first remedie against pride which is to try our selues and our actions by the true touchstone of Gods word The second is often to bring our hearts into Gods presence by prayer thanks-giuing for that will make vs acquainted with that holines which is in the Lord and then we cannot but see and acknowledge that vilenes which is in our selues This was it that made AbrahaÌ„ the father of Beleeuers and the most excellent of all the Patriarks Gen. 18.27 to confesse that he was but dust and ashes this was it that caused Isaiah a maruellous holy prophet Isa 42.6 to cry out that he was a man of polluted lips and this was it that made Iob that worthie and renowmed seruant of God Iob. 42.6 euen to abhorre himselfe and to repent indust and ashes And assuredly if we constantly and zealously accustome our selues to come before Gods glorious throane it will make vs much ashamed to stand vpon our owne worth and frame vs to a very lowly conceit of our selues And on the contrarie we may boldly conclude that they that doe not vse reuerently and faithfully to call vpon the Lord are proud and hautie and arrogant persons and neuer yet knewe what true lowlines meant where there are many and feruent prayers there is much humilitie where there are fewe and weake prayers there is little humilitie where there are no faithfull prayers at all there is no humilitie at all A third helpe against pride is diligence in some lawfull calling Eccl. 1.13 for labour and trauell as the wise man saith are appointed vnto the sonnes of men to humble them thereby As for idle persons they are alwaies proud and conceited A sluggard is wiser in his owne eyes Prou. then ten men that can render a reason for such kind of people hauing nothing to busie their heads about are very readie Sathan helping them forward to thinke of their owne worth to imagine high things of themselues and so to build â—astles in the aire besides that idlenes nourisheth in them all manner of vile lusts and the more sinfull any one is the more proud he is and therefore is the diuell more proud than any because he is more sinfull than any If then we would not be in bondage
purpose withall the Lord promiseth Verse 15. that he would be with him and keepe him So Psal 34.15 it is set downe as a great consolation vnto the Saints that the eyes of the Lord are vpon therighteous Instruction Vse that we should labour not onely to be in Ierusalem but to be of it and then when Gods iudgements are abroad we shall be in no danger God will command his faithfull Angels to doe vs no hurt wherein if they should refuse to obey they must needs become diuels and reprobate spirits which is impossible Let vs labour therefore to be of the number of those that mourne for the abominations of Ierusalem that so we may be saued when others are destroyed Let vs grieue for the impietie and blasphemie and crueltie and impuritie that is in our Land so shall we haue a testimonie vnto our hearts that we are Ierusalem but as for those that are Babels Egyps Sodomes whose houses are full of voluptuousnesse pride gluttony drunkennesse worldlinesse and the like the Lord is likely to command his Angell to smite at them with a ful stroke for where should his sword light but vpon his enemies Verse 17. And Dauid spake vnto the Lord and said Behold I haue sinned Whereas indeed the people had prouoked the Lord most yet Dauid thought himselfe most guiltie and therefore he would haue Gods hand to haue beene on him and not on the people A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on an other and passe sentence against himselfe Doct. 6 A good man is most seuere against himselfe 2. Tim. 1.15 rather then against another So doth Paul Christ came into the world to saue sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe And as for matter of guilt so also for matter of punishment We see in Moses Exod. 32. that because the people were many and he was but one he intreated God that he might be wiped out of his booke rather then all his people should be destroyed But especially this point is verified in our Sauiour who when mankind was vtterly insufficient either to put in sureties Philip. or to discharge their debt did humble himselfe to take on him the state of a seruant and abased himselfe that he might bring vs vnto glory and endured a shamefull and painefull and cursed death that he might bring vs vnto eternall life And this commeth to passe Reasons first because good men are endued with that amiable grace of brotherly loue which causeth them not so much to seeke their owne ease 1. Cor 13. as the benefit of others but to lay the more vpon themselues that others may be the ratherspared Secondly they are adorned with that admirable vertue of Christian humilitie which directeth their eyes to other mens graces and their owne corruptions they hope the best of that which is in their brethren and finde out the worst of that which is in themselues This serueth Vse 1 first for reproofe of those that are readie to shift off all from themselues and though they be wholy or most in fault yet will lay the blame altogether on others Heere also are those hypocrites to be reprehended that will lay heauie burdens and require strict obedience of others especially of Ministers and yet they themselues make no conscience of any sinne be it neuer so contrarie to the Lawes of God or of man Others there are also that may iustly come vnder this reproofe that care not who want so they haue plentie nor who hunger so they haue sufficient nor who sinke so they swimme though it be by thrusting others vnderwater Secondly this is for consolation to them that can goe from their owne commoditie and ease credit so God may haue glory and his people good they are of the same spirit that Moses and Dauid and Paul were and therefore their reward in heauen and their praise on earth shall be sutable Mercifull men lose nothing if Nehemiah had gotten together all the money in that country and had attained to be King of Persia Nehem. 5.14.15.16.17.18 he could not haue procured himselfe so much true honour as he did by not taking all the stipend that he might haue done being a man of his place and by entertaining a great many that were in want at his table which he needed not to haue done and besides the good and deserued estimation that he got he could with comfort and so may all that are like him intreate the Lord to remember him in goodnesse which the Lord neuer failed to do The end of the second Sermon The third Sermon PSALME 12.1.2 Verse 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left for the faithfull are failed from among the children of men 2. They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart THese words containe in them a prayer of Dauid when hee himselfe was pursued by Saul and the Church of God was in great distresse when his friendes withdrew themselues from him and fewe continued in that holie profession of Gods name which formerly they had made Now in this prayer of his wee may obserue 1. First a petition Helpe Lord Seeing mens helpe failed and their power was bent against equitie and Iustice which should haue vpheld maintained it therefore hee appeales to an higher power and intreateth reliefe and succour from the Lord. 2. Secondly a complaint and that 1. Of the decay of good men and of goodnes in them There is not a godly man left c. Whereas superiours should haue ministred refreshing vnto the distressed or at least inferiours borne a burden with them they were now taken away when there was greatest need of them not that there were no good men at all for Gad and Nathan and Ionathan were now in the Church but in comparison of the aduerse part they were so fewe that they did scarce appeare to be any at all 2 Of the deceitfulnes of bad men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour c that is euery one of the contrarie side was full of craft and cunning vsing faire words but intending much mischiefe speaking with a heart and a heart as the Prophet saith that is a heart that made shew of one thing but meant the quite contrary seeming to be for Dauid when in truth they plotted against him Helpe Lord here we see his refuge Verse 1. he betaketh himselfe vnto God when he is forsaken of men Whence obserue this Doctrine that Although all humane helpes and earthly friends doe faile Gods people yet they are not helplesse Doct. 1 Gods childrē neuer helples nor hopelesse Albeit in regard of mans assistance they be vtterly destitute yet the Lord will be euer with them and alwaies stand for them Dauids argument here is not this Lord helpe for there be many that will ioyne with thee but this Lord helpe for there is none else that will helpe so that