these excellent vertues that were in him were as it were the savour of his Holines whereby it diffuseth it self for alluring and drawing men to him and that still nearer and nearer Thus his drawing of us continueth still while we are here Neverthelesse I am continually with thee sayeth David Psal 73. Thou holdest me by my right hand thou wilt guide me by thy counsell and afterwards receive me into Glory Thirdly This draught of us by God is in some sort reciprocall mutuall As he draweth us so in some sort we draw him We draw God to us by our prayers sighs and groans yea by them we hold and bind him in a manner Let me go said he to Iacob wrestling with him For the day approacheth Let me alone said he to Moses that my anger may vaxe hote Thus by every vertue patience chastitie mercy c. And by every good worke we draw God in some measure to us who the better we are draweth the nearer to us and delighteth the more in us But especially we draw him to us by love which GOD himself who is Love doeth alwayes accompany He that abideth in love abideth in GOD and GOD abideth in him sayeth S. IOHN If any man love me sayeth our LORD I will love him and my Father will love him and my Father and I will come and dwell with him Thus being drawn by God we draw him to us in some manner but yet absolutly we draw not him but by him are drawn to himself For it is he who giveth us all that strength of beauty vertue and love which pleaseth him he giveth it for this effect that we may be united more and more to Him wherein our Happinesse standeth Fourthly This draught of GOD is not a violent draught but most sweet motion of us wherby we who were before unwilling are made now willingly and gladly to come to Christ yea and to run after him The Manichees as CHRIGOST here reporteth affirmed that man was drawn to GOD violently and that his will was forced for which doctrine they alledged this place No man can come to me c. This was a foolish and absurd doctrine A man cometh not to Christ by bodily motion but by the beliefe of his minde love of his heart which cannot be against the will Thou may come to the Church saith holy AUGUSTINE against thy will thou may come to the altar against thy will thou may take the sacrament also against thy will but believe canst thou not against thy will for with the hear◠man beleaveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and againe If thou comest against thy will thou beleevest not and if thou beleevest not thou comest not at all Neither doeth the word of drawing necessarly import that violence is alwayes used toward the thing that is drawn Both in scripture and in other writes things are said to be drawn which are not forced Men are said to be drawn by their own desires and delights Trahit sua quemue voluptas said the Poet which testimony S. AUGUSTINE citeth here And if men sayeth he be truly said to be drawn by their own pleasure how much more may they be said to be drawn by truth and righteousnesse happines and eternall lise all which Christ is Thus in holy scripture Hos 11. The LORD sayeth That he drew the people of the Jews with the bands of men and with the cords of love meaning his benefits which he abundantly poured upon them which might have served as cords to draw them unto him But it may be yee will say if men be not forced to come to Christ why then is the word of drawing here used since properly it signifieth a moving of any thing be way of force I answer this word is used here not without great reason For first That Action of God wherby he bringeth us to himself is like to drawing in this that as when a thing is drawn the power is outward by which the thing draws is moved without which it should not be moved even so in the first drawing of us to God by his illustrations and inspirations the power is without us and independent from the liberty of our will This Calling of God preveeneth our will yea we are so farre from willing it that oftentimes we resist and strugle against it and would be gladly quite of these heavenly inspirations that we might the more freely follow our carnall joyes In this respect this Calling of God may Justly be called a drawing without which we can no more move toward GOD then a weight can move upward except it be drawn Secondly Our effectuall Calling is called a drawing to signifie the vehement and mighty power whereby GOD changeth the heart of man when it is his purpose to bring it home to himself drawing importeth vehemencie and strength and what is so mighty and strong as this change of the right hand of the most high Thereby somtimes suddenly hee so worketh upon the soul of man that he who was before drowned in vice and long accustomed to it beginneth now to abhore that which most vehemently before he loved and on the contrary to desire love that which before he abhored By this power he that before was the enemie persecutor it may be of Christ When the heavenly Light had shined about S. PAUL yea when it had shined within him and when God had stretched out his Hand and had taken hold of his heart he incontinent cryed out LORD what will thou have me to do Now he acknowledgeth him to he his LORD and the Law-giver whom before hee esteemed a Transgressor of the law Now he offereth himself to do his Will whom before he persecuted although he himself should therfore have been persecuted This Calling indeed was extraordinary yet some thing like thereunto we may find in every one that is effectually called This is shadowed forth in the parable of calling to the marriage Luk. 14. All were called indeed but some were but simplie called and after their refusall no more urged but others were not left untill they were brought in the king commandeth to compell them to come in So God dealeth with his elect he so calleth that he leaveth them not till they answer and follow him Till then he still urgeth by perswasions exhortations reprooffs benefits scourges illustrations and inspirations though they be blind he by calling giveth them sight to know the way to the banqueting house although they be halt and maimed he giveth them feet to walk unto it And in a word no lesse powerfully bringeth them unto himself then if he did use violence unto them Thirdly Albeit no violence be used to the soul of him that is converted when he is called yet there is violence used against satan from whose power he is drawn by the mighty Power of God that he may no more be the slave of satan but
where wee find the saints professing and avowing their hope in God most confidently But say they yet for all this wee are uncertain of our Love But consider I pray you that S. Peter being demanded by our Saviour concerning his love to him answereth most confidently Thou knowest that I love thee Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee So S. Augustine in his 8. book of the Trinitie 7. chap. saieth That wee more certainlie know the love that we carrie to our brother then our brother himself They answere to this That wee may know indeed certainly that there is in us a love and affection to God and our neighbour but yet say they we cannot know for what end and upon what motive wee love him and consequently whether our love be such as it ought to be But they should consider that the Apostle saieth 1. Cor. 2. â—1 That the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man and that wee haue received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Hence a most learned Romanist Vega in his 9. book of â—ustificat 39. chap. granteth That wee may know not only our own inward actions but also for what end and upon what motive they are exercised by us and consequently that we love God above all things and that wee are ready to suffer the losse of all things rather then to offend him and that wee have truly sorrowed for our bypast sinnes But to leave this let us mark here That it is not without great cause that DAVID intending to blesse exalt God mentioneth particularly this his assurance that God was his God that he had a particular interest in him This as we touched before is a most singular benefit from which many excellent fruits do spring For first hence floweth a boldnesse toward God a boldnesse to come in his presence and a confidence to be heard of him in our praiers If our heart condemne us not we haue confidence towards God 1. Iohn 3. 21. A son that is perswaded of his fathers love is bold to come to him and to present his sutes unto him when occasion serveth so wee being perswaded that God is our God and Father are confident to poure out our hearts in his bosome and to expect a gracious answere from him I have written unto you saieth S. Iohn 1. 5. 13. 14. 15. that ye may know that ye have eternall life And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Where first wee have the knowledge of eternall life then confidence to be heard to have our petitions granted If wee have to do with a man of whom wee know not whether he loveth us or not we can have but small hope to obtain our sutes from him but if wee be assured that we have his favour wee are confident to obtaine our requests according to that degree of favour which we perswade our selves to enjoy so if we be perswaded that God is our God and Father we cannot doubt of obtaining from him that which is good If ye that are evill can give good things to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give his good Spirit and all good things to them that ask him He that gave to us his own Son when we did not pray to him how much more with him will he give to us all things which wee pray for Secondly This assurance that God is our God and that we are in his favour maketh us to go on cheerfully in the obedience of God It enlargeth our heart with comfort so that wee runne the way of Gods Commandements There is nothing that will make a good servant cheerfull in doing his Masters will so much as to know that himself and his service is well accepted so nothing more fit to stirre us up to alacritie in well doing then to know that our persons and works are acceptable to God This is a notable spurre to a good life Hee that hath this hope purgeth himself that he may be holy as God is holy saieth S. Iohn I have hope towards God of the resurrection of the just and unjust saieth S. PAUL Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Thirdly This assurance that God is ours and that we have his love breedeth to us peace that passeth understanding and joy unspeakable and glorious even amidst all our worldly troubles S. Paul having said Rom. 5. 1. being justified by faith wee have peace with God subjoyneth That we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God and that wee rejoyce also in our tribulations For being at one with God the peace of God keepeth our mindes Philip. 4. 7. It guardeth and defendeth them as a wall or garrison so the word signifieth It guardeth I say not only our bodies or estats always but also our minds that we sink not through the weight of our afflictions nor fall away from our stedfastnesse by any crosses For he that is in this estate can reason thus Though my wealth and preferment be taken away though my friends have forsaken mee though want and troubles sease upon mee Yet Christ is mine God is mine heaven and the inheritance of the joyes of it is mine These outward troubles can do no more but batter without and at the most pull down the earthly house of this bodie but That building which is without hands in heaven they cannot reach unto These troubles may take away my outward joyes but that joy which is within which is in God even my God is beyond the power of Life or death of height or depth of principalities or powers of things present or things to come Rom. 8. 38. This comforted Iob in the midst of all his grievous sorrowes I know saieth he that my Redeemer liveth and that with mine eyes I shall see him This comforted the godly Hebrews chap. 10. 34. Yee took joyfullie the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye haue in heaven a better and an enduring substance Hence hope which is grounded upon this assurance is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. An Anchor holdeth the ship firme and stable that it be not driven hither and thither or overwhelmed although the sea bee stormie and tempestuous even so our hope setleth our soules in the midst of tribulations that wee bee not swallowed up thereby So it is compared to an helmet 11. Thess 5. 8. For as an helmet securing the head putteth courage in a Souldier to fight so hope securing us of the maine point our eternall safety giveth courage and confidence to us in all our troubles I come now to David his last expression of that which he intendeth to praise and blesse That is the
â—nd the essence of things distinguished from 〈◊〉 perfections and 〈◊〉 perfections distinguished one from another It is faâ— otherwayes in God what soever is dispersed here there in the creature is all joyned in him in a most perfect unitie and that without any limits or bounds as was said before Thus shortly yee have that which wee can conceive of this infinite Greatnesse of God whereby wee may easily understand that there is no end of it not any thing that can be compared to it All the creatures in respect of him are nothing Isai 40. 12. Hee meteth out the heaven with his span saieth the Prophet there Hee measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand be comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure weigheth the mountains in scales and the hils in a balance Behold the nations are 〈◊〉 the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust in the balance All nations are before him as nothing and are counted to himâ—lesse then nothing and vanitie If yee would compare the hudge Ocean with a small drop of water taken out of it yee would think there were a great distance betwixt them and yet far greater distance is there betwixt this great God and all the creatures that are or are possible That drop of water is of that same nature with the rest of the water of the Ocean but the perfections of the creatures are not of that kinde with that which is in God as we have showen That drop of water little as it is was a part of the Ocean but the perfections of the creatures ar no part of God 3. If many drops were added to that one drop it might at last equall the whole Ocean but adde whatsoever yeâ— can conceive to the goodnes to the power to the wisdom c. that is in the creatures they can never equall the Goodnesse or Wisdome or Power that is in God So his Greatnesse is infinitly high above all that is or can be without himself Secondly Hence followeth that which DAVID saieth here That him greatnesse is unsearchable or incomprehensible It is have no bound or ground how can it be searched out by the creature which is finite and bounded It is true God comprehendeth himself follie His Infinitnesse is to him in a manner finite His Vnderstanding is infinite and therefore equall to his divine Effence yea one and the same with it But no creaturesâ— man or angell can fully search into 〈◊〉 comprehend this â—reatnes of God If this could be wee should see him as perfectly as he can be seen nothing of him should be hid from us and all his greatnesse should be inclosed as it were within the compasse of our mindes which cannot be except our understanding and sight were infinite Hence by the way we may learne that we should not curiously pry into his nature decrees counsels which are unsearchable as himself is It becometh us to praise him that he hath revealed and manifested himself to us so far forth as he knoweth to be fit for his own glory and our salvation and so much the rather that he hath sent his own Son for this effect God hath no man seen at any time Ioh. 1. 18. but the only begotten son that is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed him unto us We should be content with this and should labour to make a right use of this knowledge purging our hearts daylie that we may bee prepared for the blessed sight of his countenance with which there is fulnesse of joy This much of the Perfection of God Let us now come to the duties which wee ought to it DAVID expresseth this one That he should be greatly praised Great is the Lord saieth he and greatly to bee praised According to his greatnes so should his praise be His greatnes is infinite as we have showen and therefore he is worthie of infinite praise Hee deserveth to be praised not only for ever and ever but also with an infinite affection if it were possible to us It is true all that wee can do in this kinde is small For what can our little tongue contribute to the praising of the great God yet wee should labour to do what wee can to the uttermost Our endeavours to praise him should be without end and our continuance in his praises should be without end This is a part of service from which the blessed spirits of men and angels iâ— heaven are not exempted They praise him that sit upon the Thron and the lamb saying Blessing and glorie and power and honour and dominion be to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe for ever Neither do they ever intermitt or end this exercise Blessed are they that dwell in thy house saieth DAVID they are still praising thee For the more full clearing of this dutie We are to consider That the due coÌ„sideration of the greatnesse of Gods excellency First inflameth our heart with sincere love of him and that love being kendled in our hearts filleth both our soules with joy and our mouthes with praise There ariseth from it joy in us when we look upon these inestimable perfections of the infinite Wisdome Power Joy and Blesse that are in God If thou assuredly knew that thy beloved son abounded in wealth honour and all happinesse it could not be but matter of exceeding joy unto thee so it cannot but fill thy soule with joy when thou considerest that thy God and Father hath within himself the infinite fulnesse of all good and blesse Secondly From this love springeth the praise of God When we see his perfections and love him that hath them wee cannot choise but praise and blesse him we cannot but desire his glory above all things being ready to imploy all the powers of our bodie and soule to the promoving of it Wee are not coÌ„tent to praise and honour him our selves but labour to draw all men with us to the same exercise As good Courtiours that serve a worthy Prince so praise his vertue and power as that they labour to draw others to the love and obedience of him Even so they that serve this great King aright endeavour to bring all others as much as lyeth in them to the knowledge of of his infinite Greatnesse Wisdome Power and Goodnesse c. to the love and reverence of him Neither labour they only by their words to do this but also by their deeds by obedience to him in their life and conversation according to that of our Saviour Let your light so shyne before men that all that see your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven This is the dutie of all and the practise of them that are good but alace how few such are there Wee are so farre for the greatest part from praising and honouring God and stirring up others thereunto that we both dishonour him our selves and provoke others to
hearing of the name of Peace incontinently cryed out What maketh you to cry said that holy Father I haue said nothing on these words I have not yet expounded them and yet ye cryed out at the mentioning of peace This shewes that ye loved it and love it yee could not unlesse some way ye did see it and see it with the eyes of the body yee cannot but it hath an invisible beautie which ravissieth the heart when it is presented to it and what shall I say of it saieth he I cannot I am not able to expresse the goodnesse and the beautie of it so writting on this psal he saith that every man albeit he could not reade had this verse by heart Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie Before we proceed Let us mark hence a lesson verie necessar for these times namlie that if all brethren should be so carefull to keep unitie as a thing most good and most pleasant then especiallie ought Christians so to do and Christians who are of the same religion They are called are most truly brethren they haue one Father to wit God they haue one mother the Church one Lord one faith one baptisme And therefore above all others should keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4. 3. Hence our Saviour before his death said to them A new coÌ„mandement I give unto you That ye love one another Hereby shall all men know that yea are my disciples if ye love one another Ioh. 13. 34. 35. and praying for them before his death he said Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Ioh. 17. 20. 21. To this effect he said unto them My peace I giue unto you my peace I leave with you Ioh. 14. 27. yea for this end he dyed that he might gather together in one the children of God that were dispersed So the blessed Apostles recommended nothing more then unitie and peace S. PAUL saieth 1. cor 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speak the same thing and there be no divisions among you but that yee be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement 2. cor 13. be of one minde live in peace the God of love peace shal be with you So Philip. 2. If there he therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fulfill yee my joy that ye may be like minded having the same love being of â—ue accord of one minde Accordingly all good Christians have ever thought the unitie and Peace of the Church to be a thing most precious and oâ— the contrar Schisme division to be most pernitious Brotherly love saieth TERTULL is the treasure of Christianâ— And in the 39. of his Apolog. he saieth That Christians in his time called themselves brethren and did beare such love one toward another that the Pagans astonished therwith used to say Behold how the Christians love one another are ready to die one for another So S. August upon this psal saieth That the ordinar salutation of Christians in his time was Thanks be to God and when the Donatists did laugh at this S. August asked at them If a Christian had not good reason to thank God when he did see his brother well with whom he was one in Christ On the contrar Schism or breach of Vnitie in the Church they highly condemned It is an hudge Cryme saieth Optatus Milivitanus and yee your selves cannot deny that it is an evill in the highest degree saieth he to the Donatists against whom hee was reasoning S. August in his first book against the Epistle of Parmenian chap. 4. calleth it A sacriledge that exceedeth all crimes and in his 2. book of Baptisme against the Donatists chap. 6. he saieth That they did heall men indeed of Infidelity Idolatrie but did wound them more deadly with Schism The punishment of Shism saith he was greater then of idolatrie for Korah Dathan and Abiram who made Schism among the people of God were swallowed up quick by the earth opening her mouth to receive them to carry them down quick to the pit S. Cyprian in his book of the unitie of the Church saieth That the blood of Martyrdome cannot expiat the sinne of Schism which sentence Chrisost on the 4. of the Ephes citeth approveth and with great vehemencie in other words ther condemneth this sin Euseb in the 6. book of his historie and 37. chap. reporteth a letter of S. Denys of Alexandria wherin he writteth to Novatus who then perturbed the peace of the Church wherin he saith That all incommodities should be suffered rather then the peace of the Church should be rent Nay saith he the 〈◊〉 that is suffered for hendring the Division of the church is no lesse yea in my judgement is greater then that which is suffered for 〈◊〉 sacrificing to an idol for in this saieth he a man profiteth but himself but in that he profiteth the whole Church Hence S. August so much praised that blessed Martyre S. Cyprian in his 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 against Donatists chap. 18 and in many other places for that he would not separate himself from the societie of other good Christians notwithstanding he differed from them in judgement anent the rebaptising of them who wer baptised by hereticks God saith he permitted him to fall into â—n errour that his pious humilitie might be known and might serve for a medicine both for that age and for posteritie If Cyprian saieth he being a Bishope of so great a Church as Carthage was and being a man of soâ—great learning eloquence cowrage worth every way bad separated himself how many had followed him how glorious a name had he purchased to himself among men there had been more Cyprianists then Donatists but hee was not a Child of perdition but a Child of peace Hee did not see the Trueth in that point but God permitted that that we might see in him that which was better then that Trueth even Charitie for that Trueth without Charitie would not have saved him but Charitie without that Truth obtained to him through the Mercie of God the Crowne of Martyrdome and so the cloud of errour which creeped in his bright soule was banished away by the brightnesse of his blood as it were shade for the love of Christ I proceed now to the following words It is as the precious oyntment upon the head c. Here by two excellent similituds the PROPHET sheweth the beautie goodnes of brotherly unitie and love The first is taken from the sacred oyntment that was poured on the high Priest at his consecration which
somtimes with hatred somtimes with confidence somtimes with feare somtimes with joy and somtimes with â—orrow The like changes the whole man is subject to his honour his wealth his contentment most changeable while he is here and in end there abideth him a great change from his estate in this world whatsomever it be to an eternall estate in the world to come either in well or in woe If wee ascend to the things above our selves the very heavens are subject unto change The heavens are the work of thy â—ands saieth David They shall perish but thou shall indure yea all of them shall waâ—e old like a garment and as a vesture thou shale change them and they shall be changed The heavens shall passe away with a noise saieth S. Pet. What speake I of the heavens The Angels themselves are not exempted from this change or mutabilitie As they came from nothing so may they be changed to it and would be if God did not uphold them and a great part of them have been actually changed from enjoying the favour of God to the suffering of eternal pains They keeped not their first estate saith S. IUDE and therfore are reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day So all creatures even the most excellent are changeable and this is a maine argument of our continuall humilitie before God and thankfulnes toward him But on the other part God himself is free from all change as we have shewn and it is remarkable that he hath this unchangeablnes joyned with supreame glory and majestie as Chrysost observeth upon the 5. psal Amongst men the things that are most glorious are most commonly changeable the more high wee are wee are the more ready to fall exposed to the more dangers wheras they that are of a low and meane estate are more sure and firme But in God supreame glory absolute immutabilitie are joyned together All things are in him most excellently and with all most firmly And thus we have shewn both that this perfection of immutabilitie is in God and is in him alone Now let us see to what purpose it is mentioned here by the PROPHET It is pertinently considered by the PROPHET in respect of both the petitions presented by him For understanding whereof consider that the servants of God are in one of these two cases either they have not changed froÌ„ their due obedience to God or they have and in both the meditation of Gods unchangeablenes is profitable In the first case when we have not changed from the obedience due to God but still continue in his feare and yet are afflicted with many troubles it is most profitable to think upon the immutabilitie of God and it giveth us confidence to say with the PROPHET here Wherefore doest thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long time In such troubles sathan tempteth us with this that God hath forsaken us that if ever he had any love toward us he hath now changed it and therefore hath given us over as a prey to sorrows But our comfort in this temptation is The Lord changeth not but is still the same Sion â—ath said the Lord hath forgotten me and my God hath forsaken mâ—e There the temptation here the Lords answere Isai 49. 15. 16. Can a mother forget her Child her sucking child that she should not have compassion upon the fruit of her wombâ— yea She may yet will not I forget thee I haue engraven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before meâ— Where the Lord sheweth that his love to his own is not only most tender as is the love of mothers toward their young children but also most constant and firme He is so far from forgetting them that he hath them ingraven even upon the palms of his hands that they may be alwayes in his sight Again albeit the love of fathers mothers toward their children be tender change not it may be when they are young yet afterwards it will often change especially from that tendernes which it had before but so is it not with God Yee are borne by me from the bellie and from the wombe Isa 46. And even to your old age I am he and even to your hoar hairs will I carry you I have made and I will beare even I will carrie and deliver you And so Gods love changeth not from us at any time but embraceth us at all times alike and maketh him to beare and carrie us as it were still in his armes To this purpose he saith most sweetly in the 54. of Isa The mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindnes shall not depart from thee neither shal the covenant of my peace be removed sayeth the Lord that hath mercie on thee To conclude this point no change of our outward estate should make us think that Gods love or purpose towards us is changed if our hearts be sound to him No on the contrare thou may be assured that God who unchangeablie loveth them that fear him is with thee howsoever it fare with thee in outward things Thy friends it may be haue changed their countenance thy riches haue taken the wings of the eagles and flown away thy honour hath left thee thy strength and health have failed thee yet for all this God is the same and the same toward thee and Christ yesterday and to day for ever is the same and will not leave thee for any change that can come if thou leave him not But you will say How cometh it to passe then that my peace is turned into trouble and my joy into heavinesse if God be with me as before I Ans This may stand very well with the unchangeablnesse of his Loue for He châ—stiseth every one whom he loveth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Hee will have them whom he loveth to be made conforme to the Image of his Son who went by his Crosse to his Crown and suffered before he hee entered into his glory God can bee with the in trouble aswell as without it and he knoweth how to deliver thee when he thinketh fit And faithfull is he who hath promised that hee will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength but that with the temptation he will make a way to escape Thus we see if we have continued in Gods feare His Vnchangeablnesse is great matter of comfort to us in all our crosses Secondly Suppose there be a change in us wee have departed from that feare and obedience which wee owe to God in that case the consideration of Gods Vnchangeablnesse serveth to stirre us up to present the second petition of the PROPHET namlie Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and wee shall be turned It is a spurre to repentance If wee have turned away from God the unchangeable God will not look upon us as he did before unlesse we return unto him
is this Peace that is promised here you will say It is not the outward or wordly Peace for this promise is made to men compassed about with worldly troubles and calamities The Church in this song professeth so much her self O Lord our God say they Vers 13. other Lords besids thee haue had dominion over us and againe Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain crieth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord We haue been with childe we have been in paine we have as it were brought forth winde we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen So by the way ye may remarke that the people of God notwithstanding of this promise hath not alwayes that outward Peace and Plentie which follow it Our Saviour Ioh. 16. telleth his disciples That though they should haveâ— peacâ— in him yet in the world they should have tribulation So in the time of the Babylonish captivitie which the PROPHET looketh unto there appeared nothing but wrath and warr and blood and miserie in the words actions of God towards his people If the people of God rebell against him and vex his holy spirit Isa 63. He turneth in some sort their enemie fighteth against them If DAVID sinne against God He breaketh his bones turneth his moysture unto the drought of the summer IOB was a perfect man doing good eschewing euill yet when it pleased GOD to exercise hâ—â— that the graces wrought by his Spirit in him might appear be the more perfected He made his terrours to march in array against him and did write bitter things against him making him to possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. He did write as it wer books against him drew as it were in his conscience the characters of his wrath Hence It followeth first that the outward trouble distresse of any people or of any man is not a sure argument that God hateth hath rejected them The Church in the 44. Psal Saieth Thou hast covered us in the place of dragons and hast covered us with the shadow of death For thy sake are we killed all the day and counted as sheep for the slaughter Yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsty in thy covenant Our hearts have not turned back neither have our steps declined out of thy way It is true that these outward troubles are comonly the effects of Gods anger against our sins but that standeth well with his love to our persons For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12. Hence the Church in the 7. of Micah 8. 9. 10. Rejoyce not over me O mine enemie when I fall I shall rise againe when I sit in darknesse the LORD shall be a Light unto me I will hear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause execute Judgement for me and she that is mine enemie shall see it and shame shall cover her which said where is the LORD thy GOD. Secondly remarke If Gods own people be not exempted froÌ„ outward troubles and calamities what may the wicked look for If judgement beginne at the house of God what shall the end of them be who obey not the Gospell If it be so with Gods children who are the children of Peace what trouble and indignation shall be to them who are the children of disobedience wrath flatter not thy self therefore with thy present Peace wo to thee if thou continue in sinne and have not made thy Peace with God He hath whet his sword he hath bent his bow and hath made ready the instruments of death The time cometh wherein thou shalt find such terrour in his face that thou shalt wish the hils and mountains fal upon thee rather then that thou should be made to looke upon it All the creatures in like manner shall fight against thee to revenge the quarrell of God none of them contributing so much as a drop of water to quench the heat of thy tongue Now let us proceed and see what is the Peace here spoken of Since it is not the outward Peace as we have said and yet is a Peace promised to the Saints even in this life it must needs be the inward Peace and tranquillitie of the minde which they enjoy here This Peace is nothing else but such a state of the mind whereby it is so disposed that it is not shaken either with prosperitie or adversitie but being stayed on God hath Rest and repose in him whatsoever fall our eveÌ„ as the needle touched with the load stone resteth when it looketh to the North or as the earth or water rest when they come to their own place Of this Peace our Saviour speaketh when he saieth Ioh. 14. Peace I give you my Peace I leave with you This is that Peace of God which passeth understanding which keepeth our hearts minds in Christ Jesus It is so great a benefite that our understanding is not able to coÌ„prehend it It keepeth or guardeth as a buâ—wark our hearts minds our hearts that they turne not away from righteousnes or pietiâ— by any temptation or persecution our minds that they fal not away to errour and that in Christ Iesus that we may abide in him and be more and more joined to him It maketh us fit to discerne the trueth for it clears the minde which cannot see aright when the eye of it is troubled It giveth joy to the heart For a calme and peacable minde is a continuall feast It raiseth up in us confidence and magnanimitie As confidence be getteth peace so peace increaseth this confidence When a man considereth that he is at one with God hath him to be his friend Father who hath a most loving tender care of his children when I say a man considereth weigheth and believeth this hee committeth himself wholly to God that he will guide him aright in al his wayes and defend him against all his enemies Thus ye see what the peace is which here is meaned Now let us see whence it is Thou to wit O Lord saith the PROPHET will keep c. First It is the Lord alone who giveth and keepeth this peace in us Hence it is called The peace of God and he is called The God of peace To proclaime warre or peace hath been accounted the prerogative of Kings Now God is The King of kings Lord of lords and therefore to him alone belongeth to settle peace especially in the soule Hee is the Judge and therefore to him belongeth to pronunce this sentence of peace If a man be arraigned before a Judge his minde is not quieted though all the standers by encourage him and bid him be of good comfort till he heare absolution out of the mouth of the Judge So God is the supreame JUDGE of the World
before whom wee stand guilty till he speak peace ther is no solid calmnes in our minds Beside our hearts naturally are full of trouble and tormoyle and therefore cannot have peace unlesse it be created in them Now this is the proper work of God who saieth Isai 57. to this purpose I creat the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is a far off Lastly so long as sinfull corruption is not healed in our soules their wound remaineth greene which suffereth us to have no rest Now it is God alone who can healâ— the soule and therefore it is he only who can give peace to it Thus the working of this peace in us is the peculiar work of God If he stand by no man nor angell can give it Hence DAVID even after the tydings of peace brought unto him by NATHAN cryeth yet to God for peace and joy Make me to heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Upon the other part as it is God alone who giveth this peace so for our comfort wee are to know that hee can easily give it and keep and preserve us in it It costeth him no more but a word if be but speak peace wee are sure to have it I will heare what the Lord God will speak hee will speak peace unto his people If he but speak the word it is done To this purpose we have a notable place Isai 44. There the Lord is thus descrived The Lord who saieth to Jerusalem be thou inhabited and to the cities of Judah be yee built that sayeth unto the depth be dryed up that saieth to Cyrus his servant thou art my sheepherd and shalt perform all my pleasure So the Lord needeth no more but a word to build Judah to make Jerusalem inhabited to remove all impediments out of the way of his people to perswade the heart of Cyrus an heathen man to be their nursing father Thus Psal 44. the PROPHET saieth to God Thou art my King O God command deliverance for Jacob. If God but send forth his Commandement it shall be obeyed When the sea is most raging and the waves greatest if Christ say be still there shall be a great calm This serveth exceedingly for our comfort that our God whom we serve is able so easily to give us peace and calmnesse in all our troubles and distresses Yee found this latlie by your own experience When yee looked for the help of man yee were disappointed and felt that the Arme of flesh is a vaine thing to trust into but when your Troubles wer come to the hieght your 〈◊〉 desperate then the Lord spake peace to you and whâ—â— hâ—â—aid was performed Would God that yee were sensible of â—his his goodnes and O that yee may be alwayes mindfull 〈◊〉 that by the consideration of so great a benefite yee may 〈◊〉 alwayes stirred up to praise him and to trust in his mercie 〈◊〉 much of the benefite Now I come to the description of them to whom it belongeth Whose minde is stayed on thee c. The words in the originall signifieth the minde or thought is stayed and by some are referred to God by others to the godly Learned CALVIN writting upon this place referreth the words to God thus The counsell and purpose of God whereby he hath decreed to preserve the peace of his servants is unchangeable and therefore he will keep them in peace There can no alterations fall out in this world which may change his immutable minde so there is a secret opposition betwixt Gods thought and ours My thoughts are not as yours Isai 55. neither are my wayes as your wayes but as high as the heaven is above the earth so high are my thoughts above your thoughts and my wayes above your wayes The minde and the counsell of God is immutable whereas our thoughts are changeable every moment upon the least occasion He is the Lord and changeth not and therefore wee are not consumed Secondly The words may bee referred to the godly thus Their minds are stayed and fixed on God and therefore he will keep them in peace Our Interpreters have so expounded the words and this seemeth best to agree with them But yee will ask what is this to have our minds stayed on God I answere unto this first is required that our hearts bee withdrawn from all things else Wee cannot have our minds on God and the creature both for Wee cannot serve two masters Hence our blessed Lord requireth of his disciples that they deny themselves and telleth them that none can be his disciple except he hate father and mother wise and children c. So it wee would have our hearts stayed on God they must settle upon nothing besids him This is necessarie for the obtaining of our peace which wee cannot enjoy so long as our hearts are fixed upon any creature The reasons are cleare First the creatures are transitorie and changeable and therefore the heart set upon them must needs change with them 2. While as the heart is inordinatly set on the creature the affections are contrarie to sound reason and our actions are contrarie to God and his Law so during this inordinat love we have a warre which standeth not with peace 3. As long as the heart doth cleave inordinatly to any creature there must needs bee a continuall feare which is contrarie to the Peace of the minde For either wee feare that wee shall not obtaine that which wee love or that wee shall losse it when it is obtained or that we shall not recover it when it is lost Either we feare that our will shall be crossed or suppose our desires second us in all things yet our guilty conscience accuseth and tormenteth us 4. There is no creature how perfectly soever enjoyed by us that can give satisfaction to out soules without which they can haue no peace Such is the nobilitie of our soule such is the excellencie of our minds and wils that a world yea a thousand worlds known beloved and possessed cannot give them rest contentment Either the Object delighted in is unproportionated to the soule as the sound to the eye or the colour to the eare or at least is unable to equall the infinite desire of it This none can do but God O LORD thou hast made us for thy self saieth holy AUGUST and our hearts are restlesse till they rest in thee Thus when ever we would have peace or have our hearts on God wee must withdraw them from the creatures The next thing that is required for staying our hearts upon God is that we joyne unto him by sincere love and by humble submission of our desires wills to his so that we love nothing but in him or for him desire nothing but his Glory and the accomplishment of his will This is the solid way to Peace when men will and nil the same things then there is true
abide to look upon them let be to speak with them Alace it is a pitty to see the company of excommunicat persons so much haunted as it is by some among you This is to transgresse the expresse Cōmandement of God this is to disappoint the Gracious Intention of GOD which is that such Persons may be ashamed of their sinne yea this is to confirme and barden them into their sinne to make your selves partakers thereof I beseech you therefore to esteeme such as we cast out to be indeed cast out of the society of the faithfull and unworthy with whom good Christians should converse The LORD imprint these things in our hearts and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the XII Chapter of LUKE Vers 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of covetousnesse for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Vers 16. And he spake a parable unto them saying The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully Vers 17. And he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Vers 18. And he said This will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods THere is no time of the year wherein ye are more distracted about worldly cares then at this time To the end therefore that you exceed not due measure I thought good to present to your meditation these Words of our Saviour wherein most powerfully he diswadeth frō covetousnesse First ye have his dehortation Take heed and beware of covetousnesse Secondly it is inforced by a pregnant reason for the life of man c. Thirdly this reason is confirmed and cleared by a most divine parable where in to the life is represented the folly wickednes punishment of avarice And he spake unto them a parable saying Let us return to the dehortation And he said unto them take heed c. Before we consider the words ye are to understand that this dehortation was occasioned by the discord of two brethren of whom one came to our Saviour as ye may reade in the preceeding words desiring him to move his brother to divide the inheritance with him It was covetousnesse which made the one to retain that part of the inheritance which was not his own and which made the other to have recourse to our Saviour not for the health of his soul as he should have done but for redresse in his temporall estate It made him more mindfull of his patrimony in earth then of that which is in heaven Hence our Saviour taketh occasion to exhort him and all these that were present and in them us all to take heed and beware of covetousnesse Take heed and beware of covetousnesse This is the duty which he recommendeth That which he wils us to beware of is covetousnesse Elsewher it is called The love of money but the word used here is more large signifying a desire and seeking after that which is more then is needfull and sufficient whether in money or houses or lands c. It is a vice in defect contrary to liberality whereby a man esteemeth loveth and delighteth in earthly riches more then he ought whence he exceeds just measure in retaining or acquiring of them Thus one is guilty of this sinne 1. when against the tenth commandement he coveteth that which is not his own or against the eight commandement violently or fraudulently takes it 2. when he setteth his heart upon that which is his own placeth his delight therein or which followeth therupon niggardly tetaineth it when by justice or love or mercy he is oblidged to cōmunicat it to others This is the vice from which here our Saviour diswadeth neither sayeth he simplie Be not covetous but Take heed and beware of it Take heed fore see or consider we cannot be aware except by sound and right judgement what is good and to be desired what is necessary and what not This he will have us to consider and weigh and with all that present effect of covetousnesse among these bretheren and the like wofull effects which avarice bringeth forth This is not enough we must also beware We must carefully watch and strongly guard our hearts that this enemie get no accesse By this our LORD insinuateth two things first that covetousnesse is insidious next that it is also a pernicious evil First We must beware of it because it is an insidious evil It subtily creeps into the heart of man To this purpose it bath often the maske the appearance of vertue somtimes it seemeth to be frugality somtims justice and pretendeth titles of just and right Thus easily it prevails with our earthly minds and therefore almost there is no vice so universall it entred into the society of the holy Apostles and overthrew Judas there amongst the primitive Christians it poysoned the heart of Ananias and Saphira the courts of kings the cottages of poor men are easily tempted by it as experience teacheth Secondly It is a most pernicious evil S. PAUL 1. Tim. 6. sayeth The love of money is the roote of all evil distrustfull anxiety lying fraude perjury thift oppression discord and murther spring from it There is nothing more wicked then a covetous may sayeth the wise-man Ecclesiast 10. 9. for such an one will set his soul to sayle Ther is no law of man no law of God or nature which it will not make men to trample under foot That same Apostle sayeth It is Idolatrie It maketh a man to yeeld that honour to his gold which he oweth to GOD. That he beleeveth that he trusteth to that he delighteth in to it he offereth sacrifice upō the altar of covetousnesse Cursed is that altar sayeth CHRISOST in his 18. homile upon the epist to the Ephes The sacrifices offered upon it are the bodies and souls of men if thou go to the altars of pagan Idols thou shalt find the blood of sheep and oxen but the altar of avarice smoaketh with the blood of men There the skin is plucked from the flesh and the flesh from the bones of the Poore There their flesh is eaten and their bones brocken and choped in pieces as for the Pot. MICAH 3. 3. On this alter a man often sacrificeth himself He killeth his soul with deadly wounds and often his bodie How many hath it made to drowne or hang or steb themselves no wonder therfore that the Apostle calleth it the serving of an Idol They that serve it may say to it For thy Sake we are killed all the day as holy AUGUSTINE marketh in his 100 sermon upon the saints Besids it is a vice almost incurable The older men grow it cleaveth the faster to them when they are nearest to the earth and grave they cover often most for it and cannot be satisfied till
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging
omnipotent as the Father is Infinite in Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse Power c. How can they I say but admire to see him demitt himself so farre for us and to us As man also he offereth himself to be seen by us spiritually Here we may see him and should look upon him as he suffered and was crucified for us Here thou may see his Head crowned with thornes which should have been and now is crowned with Glory His Face spitted on and busseteâ—â— which should have shined and doeth shine with the beams of heavenly Light His Hands and Feet pierced and in a word all wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and now giving his Body that was broken and his Blood that was shed as the food of our souls unto eternall life O what a wonderfull and sweet sight is this what reverence and humility what love and thanksgiving should it raise up in us Dost thou see what thou receivest in these sacred mysteries and from whom and wilt thou who art but dust and ashes refuse to humble thy self in body and in soul or can thou consider his infinite Love to thee which made him to give himself for thee when thou was his enamie to exchange as it wer the Throne of his Glory with the ignominy of the crosse canst thou I say consider this and not be inflamed with love and breake out in thanksgiving Secondly He speaketh to us in these sacred mysteries most sweet and comfortable words which we should heare and answer unto He sayeth I am the bread of life c. that we may answer LORD evermore give us this bread He sayeth I am the water of life that we may answer LORD give us of this water that we thrist not againe He sayth This is my Body which is broken for you This is my Blood which was shed for you he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him that we may answer Whence is it that our LORD cometh to us O LORD we are unworthy that thou should enter under the rooffe of our unclean souls but let it be unto thy servants according to thy word Here he reacheth us as it were from his crosse all the precepts of divine vertue He sayeth Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart I humbled my self and became obedient to the death of the crosse when I was stricken I revenged not I gave my life for mine enemies I prayed for them in my greatest distres I cleaved most firmly unto God thus he speaketh unto us and we should devotly answer him But the time is spent and therefore I forbeare to proceed further The LORD imprint these things in our hearts that for the merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the II. of the CORINTH chap. VII Vers 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvatiâ—â— not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death THe holy Apostle in the former words speaketh of the effect of his former Epistle unto the Corinthians wherein he had rebuked them for not censuring the incestuous person that was among them of whom ye may reade in the 5. chap. of that â—repist This his reprooffe of them had grieved them made them sorrowful but he tels them that if it could have been he wished not their sorrow If it might have stood with their wel-being he would have been glad that thy had not been sorrowfull at all Yet in the mean time he declareth that this their sorrow which his epistle had wrought in them was matter of joy unto him not for that they were grieved but because they had sorrowed in a Godly manner and that unto repentance unto the Glory of God and good of their own souls He confirmeth this particularly by the generall doctrinâ— of the fruit of Godly Sorrow in the place that I have read For Godly Sorrow sayeth he worketh repentance c. Here he commendeth Godly Sorrow of which nature that was which his epistle wrought in the Corinthians first The very name he giveth it containeth an argument of commendation for the Sorrow which he speaketh of is a Godly Sorrow or a Sorrow according to GOD. 2. He commendeth it from the fruit of it it is such a Sorrow as worketh repentance even a repentance that is never to be repented of because it is unto salvation 3. He commendeth it by opposing the contrary Sorrow namly the Sorrow of this world which worketh death That we may proceed the more clearly we shall beginne at this last point The Sorrow of this world sayeth he worketh death He opposeth as yee see two kinds of Sorrowes the one to the other the Sorrow which is according to God and the sorrow of this world The sorrow of the good Corinthians had this good in it that it was not a sorrow of this world which is no matter of joy for it worketh death All sorrow presupposeth love for no man sorroweth but for the losse or want of that which he loveth therefore where this worldly sorrow is there is also a love of this world Such is the sorrow that men have for the losse of worldly things wealth honours delights or friends If their heart and love be set upon these things they foolishly and without the feare of God rejoyce in them when they have them and being drunke with that transitory happines they seek for no more On the contraâ—y when they losse or want them their hearts are cast down and they are pressed down with Sorrow inordinatly Such a Sorrow the Apostle recommendeth not nay he dehorteth from it for it worketh death This Sorrow can do no good When a man hath lost his riches if he sorrow for that this sorrow will not restore his wealth to him againe If a man hath lost his honour the sorrow which hee hath for that will not recover it againe If hee hath lost his friends or children should he mourne never so much for them his sorrow will not bring them to life againe So this sorrow can do no good yea on the contrary it doth great harme it worketh death It maketh the way to bodily death especially when it is inordinate The heavines of the spirit dryeth up the bones saieth SOLOMON Proverb 17. 22. Sorrow hath killed many and there is no profite in it saieth the WISE-MAN Ecclestast Chap. 30. 23. And which is worst of all this sorrow leadeth to eternall death For God is offended with it it stirreth up a man to do many things wherat God is offended and maketh a man guilty of eternal death so this sorrow is no matter of joy but the sorrow that was in the Corinthians and which ought to be in us all was of another kinde It was a Godly sorrow or a sorrow according to God For better understanding of this Consider first That this sorrow which is according to God is such a sorrow as a man
conceiveth for the offence of God or because he hath done that which is displeasing and hatefull to God and therefore this sorrow which is according to God is a sorrow for our sinnes Nothing offendeth him but sinne and every sinne offendeth him for all sinne is done in Thought word or deed against his eternall LAW and his eternall LAW is his supreame and eternall Reason which is nothing else but GOD himself so that whosoever sinneth shaketh off the Yoke and Obedience of GOD and turneth his enemie and in some sort trampleth his Law under foot But here it is to be observed that every Sorrow for sinne is not this godly sorrow or sorrow according to God For first a maÌ„ may be grieved for his sinnes because there is in them a repugnancy and filthines contrary to the honesty beauty of humane reason Such a Sorrow a naturall man may have but if he rise not up higher he hath not come unto that Sorrow which is according to GOD. 2. A man may be grieved for his sinnes because of the harme and damnage that he hath thereby because thereby he hath lost his credit or good name his means his health and which is most of all because thereby he hath lost eternall joyes and hath encurred endles and intollerable paines If a man in his Sorrow regard no more but this he hath not yet attained to that Sorrow which is according to GOD. If one man have offended another suppose he be grieved for that he hath done yet if in this griefe he hath no respect to him whom he hath offended that his Sorrow availeth nothing for obtaining reconciliation with the partie offended even so whatsoever he a mans griefe for his sinnes if he have not regard to God in that his Sorrow it availeth nothing Therefore this Sorrow which is according to God is not only for our sinnes but also and chiefly it is for this that thereby we have offended God and have deprived our selves of his Favour Such a Sorrow is justly said to be Godly or according to GOD for the ground of it is the Love of God which maketh us when we have him to rejoyce and to acquiesce in him as our true and soveraigne Good which we declare by a contempt of the world whileat we use the good things of it as if we used them not and rejoyce in the midst of the tribulations of it According to that In the world yeâ— shall have trouble but in me yee shall have joy And on the contrary when we losse GOD it maketh us grieved above all thing that we have offended him and are deprived of him 2. This Sorrow is justly called a Godly Sorrow for it is God that worketh it in us By nature we are blinde and see not the Offence of GOD nor how great an evil it is and we are so farre from being grieved for these things which offend him that on the contrary we take delight therein It is only God that openeth our eyes and taketh away the heart of stone and molifieth our heares that they may melt with Sorrow for the offence of him 3. This is a Sorrow according to God because we undertake this Sorrow that we may restore to God his Honour which by sinning we have impared so much as was in us and that we may pacifie him and by recovering his Favour againe may obtaine health and life unto our wounded and dead souls which life standeth in the Favour of God and in our union with him Thus yee see what is that Sorrow according to GOD here recommended to us There is no man knoweth what God and what himself is but may easily perceive how great reason sinners have to have this kinde of Sorrow GOD is Almighty whose Power none can resist What and how lamentable madnes then is it for us miserable wormes to lift up our hornes against him who can trample us down in a moment to the lowest hells GOD is Alsufficient and standeth in need of none our goodnes extendeth not to him Psal 16. How much then is it to be lamented that we who in him live and move and have our being most dayly beg from his infinite bounty all that we stand in need of should forget and despise him GOD is the rock of ages he alone hath immortality his estate is immutability He remaineth still the same and his Years change not Alace then what madnes is it for us Whose life is but a vapour quickly vanishing away who begane to be but yesterday and tomorrow are not What madnes is it I say for us so fraile creatures to provoke such in one he is only WISE Searching the heart and trying the times so that nothing can bee hid from him what folly then and what matter of Sorrow is it that we should trust so to our 〈◊〉 as if we could hide our wicked counsels and courseâ— from him â— GOD is the 〈◊〉 and supreame Lord is of all his creaâ—â—res so of us and therefore when we sinne we withdraw our selves from his Obedience 〈◊〉 against him and set up the creature in his stead Lastly He is our loving and bountifull Father who hath loadened us with BLESSINGS He hath made us and not we our selves He hath redeemed us by the Blood of his Son He upholdeth us and provideth for us every moment He hath called us to the hope of his Glory As many members as there are in our body as many creatures as there are in this world as many dayes and hours as have gone over our heads so many testimonies have we of his Goodnes and Love And what a monstrous thing then is it that we should bee so wicked children that not only we forget but do also what we can to trample under our feet so good a Father Beside all this wherefore do we offend so great a LORD and so loving a Father for some triffling pelfe or transitory pleasure We lay this in the one scale of the ballance as it were and GOD in the other and preferre this pelfe and this pleasure even to God himself Who can consider this and keep his heart from melting with Sorrow which if any attaine unto he hath obtained this Godly Sorrow or that Sorrow which is according unto GOD. Thus yee see what kinde of Sorrow we ought to have for our sinnes which if it be kindly wee will never sufficiently satisfie our selves in it Marie Magdalen had such a Sorrow and it made her to wash the feet of Christ with tears and to wipe them with the haire of her head Luk. 7. 38. DAVID had this Sorrow and it was so effectuall in him that he sayeth in the 6. Psal I am weary with my groaning all the night I make my bed to swine and I water my couch with tears So if this Sorrow wer in us It would make our eyes to run down with tears our eye lids to gush out with waters Ier. 9. 18 But alace how