by Esay When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though ye make many praiers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud By bloud he meaneth soule and bloudie sinnes my hands are full of this bloud for my sins are many therefore if I should lift vp my hart with my hands vnto god in the heauens he will neither behold the stretching out of my hands nor heare the desires and grones of my heart Also I find this saying of the Prophet set down as a rule that shall stand Your iniquities haue seperated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Iniquitie seperateth between God and vs I am full of iniquitie therefore there is a wall of seperation shutting him out from mee and mee from him And sinne causeth him so to turne away his face that hee will not heare but I am guiltie of innumerable sinnes therefore God hath hid his face from me and â—…ee will not heare How then can I pray seeing I haue no God that will lend any eare to my praier Secondly I haue no mediator in whose name to pray and for whose sake I may hope to be heard when I pray For men and Angels whom some do make their mediators are no mediators the Apostle saith There is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus This saying excludeth all other mediators And the only mediator the man Iesus is no mediator for me for I haue denied him and he hath said Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my father which is in heauen And I am sure that I haue denied him before men if not in words because these daies of peace haue giuen me no cause so to doe which I know I should haue done if daâ—…es of persecution had vrged me yet I haue denied him by my deedes The Apostle hath this saying of the men of his time which is most true in mee They professe they know God but by workes they denie him Hee may bee denied by vngodly workes but I am ful of vngodly workes therefore haue I denied him before men And hauing thus denied him hee must and will denie me before God So haue I no mediator Thirdly if I should offer to pray I must pray without any promise but so to doe were to pray idly for then only doe men pray according to the will of God and with comfort to be heard in their praiers when they ground their praiers vpon the promises of God But I neuer tooke heede to the promises of God and at this time I cannot call them to remembrance and if I could call them to remembrance I were neuer the better for God is not bound to performe his promises to any but to them alone that out of their loue to him striue to keepe his commandements For Moses thus speaketh of him Thou maiest know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant and mercy vnto them that loue him and keepâ—… his commandements euen to a thousand generations If any loue not the Lord out of his loue to keepe the commandements of the Lord hee can make no claime to the couenant of God or to any promise of his neither is God bound in his truth and faithfulnesse to performe any promise to him but such a one am I that haue not loued the Lord nor out of loue studied to keepe the commandements of God but haue broken them all therefore I haue no promise to ground my praiers vpon and for that cause I cannot pray Fourthly I know not how to pray how to begin and how to make any proceeding and if at any time I incline my heart to pray I am disturbed I know not how and other thoughts draw away my minde While I thinke to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes my minde runneth out into a wilde remembrance of my sinnes with much pleasure to thinke vpon them While I thinke to pray for grace to assist mee against the power of sinne the lusts of my heart call backe my thoughts and I am deuising how I may compasse it to commit sinne and my will wholy inclineth that way While I thinke to pray for the inheritance of heauen my loue to this world carieth away my minde and I am studying how I may winne the pleasures and preferments thereof And euer my good desires that should lead my minde are crossed and put downe by my bad desires and I cannot raise vp or if I raise it I cannot hold vp my heart to God and holy things with any staiednes I know what is requisite vnto praier by the Apoâ—…les words Pray alwaies with all maner supplication in the spirit and watch there unto with all perseuerancâ—… If I pray it is with my lips I doe not make supplication in the spirit and to watch vnto praier that is diligently to attend with all the powers of my soule without either drowsinesse fainting or wandering of my thoughts is most farte from me And being so vnskilfull and so vnable to pray how can I pray to preuaile by my praiers And lastly which is my greatest mischiefe when I thinke to pray or when I doe pray or when I haue praied there is something within mee that giueth mee my answer assoone as I haue praied and sometime before I haue praied and I am farre from attending vpon God till hee doe giue mee answer as if I did not pray vnto God but rather vnto my self The Prophet Dauid saith Wait patiently vpon God and hope in him the meaning whereof I take to be this when we haue shewed our desire vnto God in praier and supplication that then we should hope in him to receiue a gracious answer and wait patiently for that answer till it please God to shew vs mercy in his appointed time I doe not so I haue neither hope nor patience to wait vpon his hand but mine owne heart maketh answer without God And that answer is alwaies a negatiue answer a flat deniall a plaine repulse So that I haue lesse hope and lesse comfort in and after my praier then before I praied and where others finde themselues much eased in heart after they haue by praier powred out their desires into the lap of God I am much more troubled esteeming euen my praier to be turned into sinne all these things together make me most vnable to pray This is a grieuous obiection but in framing this obiection the troubled sinner fareth like a blinde man in an vnknowen house who wandering without â—…guide goeth hee knoweth not whether and stumbleth often vpon the same threshold so doth he in seuerall branches of this obiection stumble at the same offences that haue beene answered and taken away before But let vs lend â—…and to bring him into the way First he aâ—…th he cannot pray because
he hath no God to pray vnto that will lend an eare of hearing to the praier hee makes because hee hath sinned against God And yet hee was taught before that leaue was giuen him yea that hee was commanded to pray vnto God euen for the forgiuenesse of those sinnes that made the separation betweene him and his God and also that God had promised to forgiue those sinnes yea all sinnes without exception And whereas he obiected against the commandement of praying for forgiuenesse that it pertained not vnto him that could not call God his father and against the promise of forgiuing that it pertained not vnto him that was no Israelite These things were answred and remoued and it was clearely proued vnto him that God was his father and therefore hee might and ought to pray for forgiuesse and that he was an Israelite of the seed of Abraham and of the houshold of faith and therefore God had promised vnto him forgiuenesse of sin And while these things stand good how can he say that he hath no God that will heare him because hee hath sinned against him Let him remember what Dauid saith vnto God in one of the Psalmes Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy fight that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest Here is a true confession that he had sinned against God Doth hee therefore thinke that he hath no God to pray vnto that will lend him an eare of hearing What is that whole Psalme but a praier vnto this God In the first verse hee praieth thus Haue mercy vpon mee o God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities In the second verse hee praieth thus Wash mee throughly from mine iniquity and clense me from my sinne In the seauenth verse hee praieth thus Purge me with Hisop and I shal be cleane rash mee and I shall be whiter then snow And so in many other parts of this Psalme So that it appeareth by Dauids practise that our sinners rule faileth pleading that hee hath no God to pray â—…nto that will lend an eare to heare his praier because hee hath sinned against â—…im for Dauid praied vnto that God â—…ot doubting of gracious hearing against whom he freely confessed that he â—…ad sinned and sinned grieuously And whereas in some places of scripture by our afflicted sinner remembred and in diuers other the holy Ghost telleth vs that God will not heare sinners and hideth his face from them they are to be vnderstood as spoken of impenitent sinners that take pleasure in sinne and continue in it refusing to turne from their sinne vnto God and yet presume that all shall be well and that God cannot deny their requests Like them spoken of by leremy the Prophet Will you â—…eale murder and commit adultery and sâ—…tare falsly and burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other Gods whom ye know 〈◊〉 and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my name is called and say we are deliuered though we haue donâ—… all these abominations And like them spoken of by the Prophet Micha Heare this I pray you ye heads of the house of Iacob and Princes of the house of Israel they abhor iudgement and peruert allequity they build vp Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquity the heads thereof iudge for rewards and the Priests therof â—…each for hier and the Prophets thereof prophecy for mony yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say is not the Lord among vs no euill can come vpon vs. Such men there are in the world that flatter themselues in their sinnes and when they heare the iudgements of God denounced against sinne yet for the pleasure they take in sinne and for the gaine they make of sinne they will continue in it and not leaue it and thinke with praiers and some other outward humiliations to blow away as a fether or some light thing the iudgements and wrath of God These are the men that haue no God because they depart away from God by their owne wickednesse these are the sinners whom God will not heare because they delight more in sin then they do in God But the humble the penitent the broken-hearted sinner to whom his sins are his burden a displeasing burden from which hee desireth to be deliuered as our sinner doth this day He that is grieued for his sins that hateth and abhorreth them and if â—…ee might once get cleere from his sins past intendeth no more to be acquainted with them and esteemeth them as his plague and his death Him the Lord most willingly and with delight hearkneth vnto The Prophet saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise So that thou wert neuer so fit indeede to pray as now thou art with thy contrite and broken heart thy praiers now will be a sweet and pleasing sacrifice to him He is thy God and wil most readily heare thee Secondly hee saith hee hath no Mediator in whose name to pray and for whose sake hee may hope to bee heard And yet remembreth the words of Scripture that call Iesus the Mediator betweene God and man Those verie words prooue thou hast a Mediatour euen the same Iesus except thou wilt deny thy selfe to be a man for hee is Mediator betweene God and man and therefore mediator betweene God and thee if thou be a man So that to say thou hast no mediator in whose name to pray and for whose sake thy praier should be accepted is but an vnthankfull speech put into thy head without any good ground for Paul saith of Iesus that hee euer liueth to make intercession for vs. Yet our afflicted sinner thinketh he hath reason to say so because he hath denied Iesus before men And did not Saint Peter deny the Lord Iesus before men and yet hee after praied and was heard in the Mediators name because hee stoode not in his deniall but repented Yet thou hast not denyed him in words before men as Peter did That thou thinkest to bee no aduantage to thee and referrest it to the daies of peace not vrging thee rather then to the constancie of thine own heart thou louest to bee thine owne accuser and what thou hast not done in words thou thinkest that thou hast done in workes by them thou hast denied him while thou didst not liue like á Christian. But must it therefore follow that he is now â—…o Mediator for thee and will deny thee before his Father in heauen Knowest thou not what Iohn the Baptist faith of him Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world He himself when as an vnspotted Lamb he was sacrificed for thee tooke away and by the vertue of that sacrifice still taketh and euer taketh away thy sinne where is now that reall deniall of thine when
cause vnquietnes Parents must be honoured and Children must be cared for though in some things they grieue vs and God may amend them at the last if wee in the meane while bearing patiently their infirmities continue our duety to them and our prayers for them If it be Masters or Seruants that cause vnquietnesse the Seruants in patience must bee subiect to their Maisters with all feare not only to the good and curteous but also to the froward they can not shake off their Maisters while the dayes of their seruitude continue and the maisters in patience must do vnto their seruants that which is iust not omitting any meanes whereby they may reforme them and in the end the master hath power to ease himselfe of an incurable euill seruāt by dismissing him If it be neighbour against neighbor that causeth vnquietnesse this rule teacheth not to render euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke but contra◅iwise in patience to blesse and to doe all good offices in neede whereby thou shalt haue peace in thy heart howsoeuer thy neighbour bee disposed to contention And if thy home-trouble be painefull sickenesse either vpon thy selfe or vpon some of thy houshold or some other neare and deare vnto thee this rule teacheth thee whatsoeuer other meanes for recouerie of health be vsed to beare thy visitation meekely humbling thy selfe vnder the mighty hand of God in euery thing If thy trouble bee the death of any whose life thou didst desire this rule will teach thee knowing the death of the righteous to bee vnto them the beginning of true life to giue glorie to God with a quiet mind This patience in all things will giue thee ease of thy burden according to the saying of our Sauiour Take my yoake on you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules This is one common rule A second common rule in all these troubles pertaining to the right casting of them vpon God is that we pray vnto God crauing his helpe who for ought wee know hath therefore layed these troubles vpon vs because we haue been negligent in prayer that now feeling sensibly in our sorrow our neede of his helpe wee might amend our old negligence and fall to praier And surely whether God did send our troubles for that cause or no yet this is most sure that prayer is a most profitable course for the easing of our trouble which God commandeth with promise of ease saying by the Prophet Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And the Saints haue alwayes vsed it with happy successe of ease As the Prophet testifieth saying These called vppon the Lord and hee heard them So did Iacob when returning from his vnckles hee heard that Esau was comming forth against him with foure hundred men hee said thus vnto God I pray thee deliuer me from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him lest hee will come and smite mee and the mother vppon the children And according to his desire God deliuered him from his feare for his brother and hee met in peace and departed one from another in peace so did Moses when the Aegiptians pursued the Israelites and the Israelites feared the Aegiptians before the red Sea The Lord fayd vnto Moses Wherefore criest thou vnto mee for Moses in his heart prayed earnestly vnto God and God did deliuer him from his feare opening a passage for the Israelites thorow the waters of the red Sea and drowning in the floud the Aegiptians that presumed to follow so that Israel sawe the Aegiptians dead vpon the Sea banke Wee neede not stand vpon particular examples hauing a generall rule that neuer fayleth the Prophet saying The Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth hee will fulfill the esire of them that feare him he also will beare their crie and will helpe them Now seeing the saints doe thus in their troubles pray vnto God for ease and do thus at the hands of God obtaine ease when they pray in their troubles it is euident that to pray vnto God in our trouble is a worthy rule of casting our burden vpon God in all domesticall yea in al whatsoeuer troubles And let no man say there is no need in these troubles to trouble God with our praiers because he knoweth both what we suffer and what himselfe hath determined to do for these reasons thou oughtest the more gladly to pray because God doth vnderstand thy want before thou complaine and is determined to succour before thou intreate him thy labour with such a God cannot be in vaine And this know thou hast great imploiment for thy praiers in these and such like troubles First thou hast neede to offer vp praiers vnto God for thy selfe that he will giue thee patience and wisedome to demeane thy selfe aright vnder these troubls that thou maiest neither be a murmurer against God grudging at those troubles nor increase thy troubles by dealing indiscreetly and frowardly with them that are the causers and occasion of thy troubles nor maiest erre and be wanting in vsing good remedies to heale and reforme them that are the causers of thy troubles And if thy domesticall trouble be sicknesse in thine owne body how necessary it is to pray vnto God to giue thee patience to send thee health to forgiue thy sins and to prepare thee for death when Iames the Apostle exhorteth to reioice for temptations and to continue in patience till patience haue her perfect worke because these things require an extraordinary wisedome he further aduiseth vs to pray vnto God for that wisedome saying If any of ◅ou lack wisedome let him aske of God who giueth vnto all men liberally Giuing to vnderstand by that aduise how necessary it is in the time of trouble to vse pra◅er for thy selfe that thou maiest demeane thy selfe patiently and wisely to glorifie God in thy trouble to profit by the same trouble and not to increase the same but safely to grow out of it and to recouer peace and health Secondly thou hast need to offer vp praiers vnto God for them by whose meanes thou art troubled or for whose sake thou art grieued Sometime thou art vnkindly vsed either by thy husband or wife either by thy parents or children or such as haue stept into the roome of parents and children and haue those names by law giuen them not by nature due vnto them or else by thy master or seruant or by some friend or neighbour For these thou hast great cause to pray vnto God that he will giue them better minds and let them see their fault with mislike of it and see what becommeth them to doe and giue them a heart to doe it If they continue in their frowardnesse shall they not continue to be troublers vnto
thee then as thou desirest an end of the trouble that they put thee to so desire that God will giue them a better and wiser heart This rule is included within that more generall rule of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell I say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you If we ought to pray vnto God for all that hurt vs then also for them of our owne house habitation and kindred that hurt vs and so much the rather for those at home and so neere vnto vs because they haue more opportunity to hurt vs then they that are farther of And what are we to begin praier for them Two things one that God would forgiue their fault which we also must forgiue Another that he will giue them a heart to see and to amend their fault God in his holy iustice doth therefore many times stir vp domesticall troubles to men because they are negligent in domesticall praier neuer commēding vnto God either husband or wife child seruant kinsman friend or neighbour neuer making any request for grace and wisedome to bee giuen vnto them When Dauid had brought the Arke of the Lord into the place that he had prepared for it vpon the hill of Sion and had offered burnt offerings and peace offerings it is said that he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hoasts that is he praied the Lord of hoasts to powre downe his blessings vpon them and hauing distributed flesh and bread and wine among them and they therewith being departed home it is said that then Dauid returned to blesse his house that is to pray vnto God for them of his house that they might prosper and that he might liue a comfortable life among them Also Isaack praied vnto the Lord for his wife And Iacob blessed all his sonnes euery one of them blessed he with a seuerall blessing And Booz the Bethlemite comming into the field among his seruants and reapers saluteth them with a praier vnto God for them saying the Lord be with you And Daniels custome was three times a day in his house to pray vnto God who praying in his family could not in his praiers be vnmindful of his family From so holy and worthy examples learne thou to pray for thine while thou enioyest peace with them pray that they may not proue a trouble vnto thee and when thy troble growes from thē pray that God will giue them a mind more agreeable to peace So fit for the ease of thy burden is praier for them by whom thou art troubled Sometime thou art not vnkindly vsed by them yet thy trouble groweth from them while thou art grieued for some calamity hapned vnto them and takest care for ◅he helping of them In this case there is speciall neede of praier to be made for them And it is a speciall point of casting thy burden vpon God God speaking to the Israelites saith of himselfe I am the Lord that healeth thee that is all the health and helpe both of thee and thine must come only from my hand And in another place I kil and giue life I wound and I make whole That is I send sicknesse danger and hurt to make men seeke vnto me and againe I restore health safety and peace when men doe seeke vnto mee And these things being the workes of Gods owne hand they should faile very much of casting their burden vpon God that being burdened with griefe for the sicknesse and calamities of their neighbours friends kinsfolke and family should forget and neglect to pray to God for them Dauid praied for his child in a most humble and earnest manner when it was sicke For Dauid besought God for the child and fasted and went in and lay all night vpon the earth The Centureon whose faith is commended in the Gospell praied vnto the Lord Iesus for his sicke seruant saying vnto him master my seruant lieth sick at home of the palsie and when Herod had cast Peter into prison with purpose after the feast to bring him forth to the people to be slaine earnest praier was made of the Church vnto God for him The saints of God haue alwaies obserued this as a most safe and sure rule of casting their burdens vpon God when they were troubled and grieued for the sicknesse and calamitie of others to pray vnto God for them to restore their health their peace their liberty and their comfort that in the recouered comfort of them that were afflicted they might recouer comfort that were afflicted for them There is therefore in these domestical troubles imploiment for thy praiers to be offered to God for them either by whose meanes thou art troubled or for whose sakes thou art grieued Thirdly thou hast need to offer vp praier vnto God for the rest of thy familie of thy kindred of thy friends and of thy neighbors whether thou be wronged by the vniust and vnkind dealing or else grieued for the calamity and sicknesse of some that neither the sinne of them that wrong thee nor the calamity of them for whom thou art grieued may spread any further to the corruption and damage of the rest If Esau grieue his father Isaack and his mother Rebecca by taking a wife of the daughters of Canaan haue not Isaack and Rebecca cause to pray to God for Iaacob their other sonne that he may not doe as his brother had done when certaine of the followers of the Lord Iesus Christ had left him taking offence at some words of his concerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood which they vnderstood not Iesus said to the twelue will ye also goe away he was carefull that an euill example might not spread like a contagious sicknesse to corrupt the whole company of his disciples And more agreeable to the cause that wee haue in hand when Iudas one of his family the diuell entring into his hart had couenanted with the Priests and pharisies to betray his master into their hands the Lord Iesus heauily charged with a burden of trouble growing from his treason taketh occasion from his wickednesse to pray vnto his father for the rest saying Those thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is lost but the child of perditiō that the scripture might be fulfilled And now come I to thee and these things speak I in the world that they might haue my ioy fulfilled in themselues c. The child of perdition Iudas the traitor being lost the Lord hath care of the rest and praieth for them that they might euer reioice in him Euen so euery louing man that can take pleasure in the health and honest cariage of his friends neighbours and family when one is ill at ease and when one doth giue offence he will heartily pray to God to preserue the rest that they may
continue in health and that they may continue to deale iustly honestly and dutifully This triple imploiment for thy praier thou hast iâ—… the time of thy domesticall trouble for thy selfe that art troubled or grieued for them by whose meanes thou art troubled or for whose sake thou art grieued and for the rest This is the second common rule of casting thy burdon vpon God in domesticall troubles namely that thou fall to praier according to the saying of S. Iames is any among you afflicted let him pray Now let vs see what other rules as more particular are to be added to patience and praier CHAP. IX THese domestical troubles being of diuers sorts let vs first distinguish them into two rankes because it is either sicknesse death or some calamity that is happend to thy selfe or to some other neighbour 〈◊〉 â—…d kinsman or of thy family for which thou art out of thy loue and compassion to others and out of sence of thine owne euill greeued Or else it is some wrong offered vnto thee by others in their vnthankfulnesse disobedience vniustice or forwardnesse out of which springeth â—…vnquietnesse and vexation to thee with this latter member of wrongs let vs first begin and see what it is to cast this burden vpon God First here let the wronged person that beareth the burden consider whether the occasion of these burdens grew of himselfe or no. For so it oftentimes commeth to passe that the vnkindnesse of tâ—…e husband prouoketh the wife to some such course as turneth after to the husbands trouble And likewise the disobedience of the wife may driue the husband vnto that course that after becommeth her heauy burden Can the party that first did wrong without prouocation be offended with the party that in the second place did amisse being prouoked somtimes the fondnesse and negligence of parents that wil not instruct nor when needess correct their children nor in any thing restraine them of their owne will or else the euill example of the parents makes them become wanton disordered and euill conditioned as it fell out in Hell his children and in the end the parents see and heare things of their children that grieue their hearts and out of their disobedience and insolency they are wronged and it cannot be otherwise folly cleaning to the soule of the childe but that when the soule is not husbandly tilled by the discipline of the parents it must bring forth weedes of euill behauiour sometime the child that complaineth of the vnkindnesse of parents hath by his owne folly by his disobedience and riotous courses giuen vnto his parents of themselues tender and louing inough cause to be vnkind to change their countenance to shorten their allowance yea to shut the dore against him and to settle his inheritance vpon some other So likewise the mâ—…ster sometimes hath no care at home to teach his seruants to know and feare God and if he goe to the house of God himselfe he careth not to bring his seruants with him or if he bring them with him hee looketh not whether they stay there or no or if they stay whether they marke and learne any thing or no these are not the studies of his heart He suffereth them also to exceede decorum and comelinesse of seruants in their apparel and to be abroad at vnseasonable times with other yong persons and what youth and liberty wanting an ouerseer will doe wise men know also by his owne euill example of riot and vnthristinesse hee becomes vnto his seruants a plaine corrupter they thinking themselues out of danger of reproofe while they tread in the steppes of their masters and gouernours or else an euill master dealeth vniustly and vnkindly with a faithfull seruant and being so brought vp and so prouoked no maruell if at length they breed their Masters trouble Sometime the seruant being both well taught and well intreated and hauing no iust exception against the gouernment and vsage of his Master out of the lewdnesse of his owne euill heart or harkening to the counsell of ill company becommeth disobedient and vnfaithfull and prouoketh his master to take strait courses with him Sometime also an vndiscreet man dwelling by a neighbour of peaceable disposition presumeth vpon his neighbours softnesse and offereth him wrong in such manner as ouercommeth patience and makes the quiet man to stir againe and then hath he trouble in his habitation and feeles himselfe compassed with troubles more then he looked for in all these and like cases the grieued man is the occasion of his owne burden in these domesticall troubles When he findeth this then to cast his burden vpon the Lord for his case is to reforme the errours of his owne misgo uernment and to looke better to the waies of his family and to reforme the errours of his owne life that hee giue better light vnto his owne houshold and draw them backe to goodnesse by his example whom hee had corrupted before and to giue satisfaction to his neighbour whom hee had wronged and to abstaine from after-wronging of him Thus stopping the fountaine of cause giuen by himselfe the streame of offence takeÌ„ by others wil soone drie vp the common rules of patience and harty praier to God withal not neglected If thy vnkindnesse to thy wise and thy bad husbandry made hir vnquiet vse her more kindly and proue a better husband and she shall be quiet So let the wife by more dutifull and modest behauiour recouer hir husbands loue If neglect of discipline with too much remisnesse in gouerning children and seruants and thine owne euill example among them were cause of their disorder vse thy fatherly and masterly authority better and giue a better example and thou shalt haue them in better obedience The child also and seruant becomming more obedient and more faithfull shall soone recouer the loue and fauour of their Parents and Masters And if thy neighbour were prouoked to vex thee because thou hadst first iniuriously vexed him make thy peace with him for the first wrong and abstain from offering a second and hee will liue in peace with thee Surely if the occasion of a mans domesticall trouble grew from himselfe this is to cast his burden vpon God for his owne ease in the feare of God to remooue the occasion to reforme the disorder in himselfe to giue satisfaction to seeke reconciliation and to hold a better course afterward and to doe this in patience ioyning withall praier vnto God that he wil giue both to himselfe and to them that were his troublers wisdome and grace that hee may no more giue and they may no more take any such offence But if a mans domesticall troubles grow not from himselfe giuing the occasion but onely from their owne euill heart that troubled him so that he can say as Samuel did Whom haue I done wrong to Or whom haue I hurt And as Dauid said O Lord my God if I haue done this thing if
Lord to tell him of his fault that if hee be curable he may amend And because thou knowest not but that it may please God to ease thy burden of domesticall troubles making them of short continuance by reforming the troubler it is a speciall point of casting this burden vpon God to pray for the amendment of thy neighbour and to put thy helping hand thereto by gentle and neighbourly admonitions But this liberty of telling thy neighbour his fault giues no allowance of rayling and reproaching and publique disgracing of men by casting their infirmities and faults in their teeth A christian man must abhorre all such bitter courses remembring what the Apostle Peter saith Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes That is a right charitable man though hee seeke to reforme his neighbour by telling him of his sinne yet he will not disgrace or shame his neighbor by publishing his sinne It may please God to ease thee of the burden of thy domesticall trouble by weakening the power and crossing the malice and abating the pride of thy troubler that either hee shall not dare or shall not be able to proceede any further in thy vexation as he daunted the Pride of Laban when he pursued Iacob for hee meant euill to Iacob but by the way God came to Laban the Arnmiteâ—… a dreame by night and said vnto him take heede that thou speake not tâ—… Iacob aught saue good And by this threatning of the Lord Labans stomake was taken down as hee confessed to Iacob the next day saying I am able to doe you euill but the God of your Father spake vnto mee yester night saying Take heed that thou speake not to Iacob aught saue good And GOD crossed the fury and violence of Saul when hee thought to haue slaine Dauid Saul intended to sâ—…ite Dauid to the wâ—…ll with the speare but he turned asiâ—… out of Sauls presence and he â—…ote the speare against the wall but Dauid siâ—…d and escaped c. In this case it is not lawful foâ—… thee to pray vnto God for the death the sickenesse the impouerishing or any way the hurt of thine enemy leaue him to the iudgement of God and pray vnto God to forgiue him his wicked malice Yet is it lawfull for thee to pray vnto God that hee will be pleased to confound the deuices and to crosse the attempts and to scatter the prepared power of thine aduersaries So we reade that Dauid in the time of Absoloms treason when he vnderstood that Ahitophel that great politician tooke part with him he feared his counsell and first prayed vnto God saying O Lord I pray thee turne the councell of Ahitophel into foolishnesse And afterward sent his wise and faithful friend Hushai the Aâ—…chite to bee an opposite vnto Ahitophel by whose meanes indeede Ahitophels counsell was reiected to the danger of Absolom and safetie of Dauid and many like prayers wee haue in the Psalmes In one place Vp Lord let not man preuaile In another place Let not them that are mine enemie vniustly reioyc ouer mee neither let them winke with the eâ—…e that hate mee without a cause And in another place Let not the wicked haue his desire O Lord performe not his wicked thought lest they be prowd Thus wee see that the Saints haue made their prayer vnto God against the malice power and cunning of their aduersaries that God would be pleased to abate their pride to asswage their malice to confound their deuices and delude their cunning that they might not preuaile to doe the mischiefe that they intended And so far it is lawfull for thee to pray for their disappointing And because sometime the seruants of God haue made request vnto him against the persons of their enemies praying for their destruction as Eliâ—… did against the messengers of the King of Israel saying If that I be a man of God let fire come downe from heauen and deuoure thee and thy fifty As Dauid in diuers places of the psalmes let them bee confounded and put to shame that seeke after my soule let them be turned backe and brought to confusion that imagine mine hurt And in another place set thou the wicked ouer him and let the aduersarie stand at his right hand when he shal bee iudged let him be condemned and let hâ—… praier be turned into sinne As Peter tâ—…e Apostle praied against Simon Magus thy mony perish with thee that is both thou and thy mony perish And Paul the Apostle against Alexander the Copper-smith saying Alexander the Copper-smith hath done me much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes Let none of vs thinke that for the procuring our ease and deliuerance from our neare troubles it is lawfull for vs to bend the force of our pâ—…aiers against the persons of our aduersaries and to desire their destruction or hurt For those whose examples are before remembred were the Prophets of God and Apostles of the Lord Iesus Christ who knew the reprobation of those against whom they praied and so rather pronounced the knowen iudgements of God then the priuate affections of their owne hearts and if they pronounced their owne affections they were affections conformed to the known iudgements of God not contending to guide moue Gods iudgements So doth S. Austin affirme of all such praiers saying those things which are spoken in the forme of wishing are things opened by a spirit of prophecying and when they say let that be done and let that be done it is no other then if they had said such and such a thing shall come vnto them Noâ—… we haue no such knowledge of any mans reprobation he may prooue a sheep of Christ whom as yet by his fruits we find and therfore esteem a wolfe And we haue no such spirit of prophecy by which we can foretell what wrath from God shall fall vpon them And also our Sauiour hath giuen vnto vs this rule which we must follow Pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Therefore if God be pleased to ease vs of the burden of our troubles by weakning the power asswaging the pride and malice and by disappointing and scattering the purposes and counsel of out enemies we in seeking this grace at his hands may pray against their deuises but not a against their persons And therefore by this rule is no countenance giuen to the dire imprecations and bitter curses that many vncharitable men powre out against their troublers Perhaps it may please God to ease thee of this burden of domesticall troubles making them short either by remoouing thy troubler from thee or by remouing thee from thy troubler And this remoue all may be made either by death or by some other course And thereto some rules pertaine in the right obseruation whereof a wise man for his ease casteth his burden vpon God If the remoue be to be made by death this is a thing
she affordeth all the delight she can vnto her own The Apostle Paul saith All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And if it be common to all Christs followers to beare a crosse and follow him thou must not looke to be free Thirdly thy troubles if they should continue vnto the last hower of thy life yet are they but short for life it selfe is short no trouble but is shorter They end and giue place one to another and God interposeth between trouble and trouble spaces of quiet and gladnesse and they are mixed with much cause of reioycing not only in regard of future mercies hoped for but also in regard of present mercies possessed Which mixture is as good and pleasant as the ending of troubles and therefore they are to be esteemed short as also the Apostle calleth them saying Our light affliction which is but for a seasō and he that shrinketh for short troubles is but faint-hearted Fourthly thou hast Christ ioyning his shoulder to thine and bearing part with the in euery burden of thine and he beareth both in compassion to pity thee and also in his diuine power to assist thee that thou maiest not sinke vnder thy burden Therefore doth he call thy yoke his yoke saying Take my yoke on you Therefore when he speaketh of the vnkindnesse shewed to his followers he speakes on this manner I was hungry and yee gaue me meat I was thirsty and yee gaue me drinke And speaking to Saul then perscuting those that called vpon his name he said vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Thus he maketh himselfe a party in all the sufferings of his seruants what Christian man shall grudge to beare his part in that burden wherein he hath the Lord Iesus so kindly and so strongly bearing with him Fistly let him consider that those troubles that disquiet his life were not raised vp against him without Gods appointment as Dauid said of Sheme◅ Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him And if thou diddest grue to receiue or disdaine to put vp the offered wrong at the hands of the offerer yet receiue them without griefe and put them vp without disdaine at the hands of God and for his pleasure sake Lastly let him consider that troubles auile much to the practise of Christianity they make vs remember God more often and pray to him more feruently then otherwise we would They make vs remember our selues that wee are but dust and haue offended God they pull downe pride and prouoke vnto repence they worke in vs bowels of compassion causing vs to pity others in trouble they make vs lesse to loue this present world and more to desire and long for heauen These considerations put together are of great power to make any Christian man to beare them patiently and to esteeme them no burden though God in his wisedome suffer them to lie long vpon vs. The rules hitherto deliuered teach kindly how to cast our burden of domesticall troubles vpon God When our trouble is caused by the wrong offered vnto vs by others in their vnthankfulnesse disobedience vniustice or frowardnesse Sometime thy home-trouble is occasioned by sicknesse death or some calamity happened vnto thy self or to some other either kinsman neighbor friend or of thine owne family If it be sicknesse feare of death or any calamity vpon thy selfe we know that euery man is readily sensible of his ow◅ euill If it be sicknesse death feare of death or calamity whatsoeuer vpon others we know that some one is more neere and deare vnto thee then some other and accordingly thou art more o◅ lesse sensible in their euils How in these cases we may cast our burdens vpon the Lord let vs consider First if sicknesse feare of death or any other calamity be happened to thy selfe patience and praier commended before for common rules in all troubles are here to be vsed And if it be sicknesse in thine owne body these things obserued will giue ease to thy minde and perhaps health also to thy body and so either remoue wholy thy burden o◅ make it more easie First remember that it is the visitation of God euen of him that saith of himself I wound and I make whole that is I send painefull sicknesse and again I send sauing health This rule will lead thee into many other wherof euery one will greatly helpe thine ease It will teach thee as the Apostle Peter also teacheth thee when he saith Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time For it wil make thee patiently to yeelde to the Lords pleasure Secondly it will make thee looke into thy life past and to acknowledge thy sinne prouoking God as it moued Dauid saying Thine hand is heauy vpon mee day and night and my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And thirdly with a resolution to depart from thy former iniquity it wil mooue thee to pray vnto God for health and to vow praise and thankes vnto God as the sicknesse of Hezekiah wrought zeale of praier and thanksgiuing in him Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and praied vnto the Lord and said I beseech thee Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight And for his resolution of praising God it followeth in the same place The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing hee shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shal declare thy truth The Lord was ready to saue mee therefore we will sing my song all the daies of our life in the house of the Lord. The first acknowledgement of Gods hand will produce all these things following as patience confession of sinnes praier and vowes of thanksgiuing and euery of these at the hands of God wil obtain ease of thy griefe Then lastly it will mooue thee in all the meanes thou vsest for the recouery of helth to looke higher then either to the skill of the Physitian or vertue of the medicine that thou maist not fall into the mischiefe of Asa King of Iuda of whom it is written Asa in the nine and thirtieth yeare of his raigne was diseased in his feete and his disease was extreame yet hee sought not the Lord in his disease but to the Physitians So Asa slept with his fathers and died Thus auaileable to the easing of thy burden of sicknesse in thy selfe it will be to acknowledge therein the visitation of God And if it be any other calamity of whatsoeuer kinde fallen vpon vs and diuers they are
that may fall vpon vs as for example Ioseph was sould vnto strangers and imprisoned in Aegypt the men of Zeklag were spoiled of all that they had in their absence with Dauid Abiathar of the house of Eli was cast out by Salomon from being Priest vnto the Lord warre and famine and the anger of Princes yea many inferior causes breed many calamities the only sure way of casting our burden vpon God is to acknowledge the worke of God in our calamity patiently to beare what he laieth vpon vs and heartily to pray vnto him for succour That wee ought to acknowledge Gods worke in our calamity and patiently to beare his pleasure Iob doth teach vs saying Shall we receiue good things at the hand of God and not receiue euill Surely we doe neuer deserue any good at the hand of God and wee doe continually deserue euill what reason then haue we to desire euer to receiue good that we neuer deserue and neuer to receiue euill that we euer deserue Patience therefore in bearing the calamity that God laieth vpon vs doth well become the sonnes of men And that in our calamity wee ought to pray vnto God if wee would haue him to ease vs of our burden is so cleare that wee neede no proofe for it What man is hee religious or profane beleuer or vnbeleuer that doth not in his calamity remember God looke vp to heauen and pray to God the Mariners in the ship whereinto Ionas was entered when he fled from God when the storme vpon the sea was sore and the tempest proued a calamity vnto them so that they threw the wares out of the ship into the sea to lighten the ship for safty of their liues without instruction they could then according to their knowledge of God fall to praier For so it is written The Mariners were affraid and cried euery man vnto his God Though it be not generall with all men being in calamity and misery to beare it patiently yet it is generall with all men in calamity and misery to pray for ease So that a religious man being burdened with any calamity needeth not so much to be taught that it is fit for him to pray as hee needeth to be comforted by being put in hope that God will in due time answer his praier as surely he will if he be called vpon in the name of his beloued sonne For so hath the Lord Iesus assured vs saying Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Let him pray therefore vnto God the father in the name of the Lord Iesus and patiently attend the Lords leisure and in due time he wil haue mercy vpon him This is when any calamity is fallen vpon vs to cast our burden vpon the Lord for our ease If it be the feare of death that is thy burden and perhaps with regard vnto others that shall be in some danger by thy death as wife children seruants and others that haue their education and maintenance vnder thee First the burden of feare of death is made easie to a godly man by many considerations in al which he casâ—…eth his burden vpon the Lord. First hee will consider that it is common to all Adams posteritie Aâ—… Dauid being ready to die saith vnto his sonne Salomon I goe the way of all the earth therefore death ought not to seeme fearefull to thee that is common to all Secondly hee will consider that hee cannot die before the time appoynted of God that gaue him life and assigned from euerlasting the certaine length of it as Iob saith Is there not an appoynted time to man vppon earth And shall any desire longer life then the giuer of life alloweth Or shall any be grieued to resigne his life into the handes of him that gaue it Thirdly hee will consider that the end of life shall bee the end of trouble vnto him that his death shall bring him rest from all troubles as the Spirit of God from heauen hath proclaimed saying ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labor Rest and ease from weary labour is obtained by our death and departure out of this life Fourthly hee will consider that the sting and danger and all bitternesse of death is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ and death vnto the Saints is made the gate of life the Apostle saying O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Lastly for his ease of feare in the approach of death yea for the filling of his heart with all true comfort in death that he may rather desire and long for then any way feare the houre of his death he will consider that his death shal be the gathering of him vnto Christ his redeemer as the Apostle saith Desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all For while we liue in the world we are absent from the Lord and we walke by faith and not by sight But when we depart this world wee are gathered vnto him to dwel for euer with him And that is performed which hee promised saying Though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe aud receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also By these considerations is the burden of the feare of death made easie to a beleeuer and in all these considerations doth hee cast his burden vpon the Lord for his ease If hee therefore feare his owne death because others shall want him his wife shal be a widow his children shal be fatherlesse his seruants shal be orphanes and many shall misse him that now haue a helper of him and for their sakes rather then for himselfe hee is afraid to die This burthen is to bee cast vppon God by commending them vnto his prouidence who giueth food to al flesh because his mercy indureth for euer and who is the keeper of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And that hee may doe this the more comfortably for the ease of his heart let him remember that the Lord saith All soules are mine both the soule of the father and also the soule of the sonne are mine He that created thee and had a care of thee as the worke of his handes to maintaine thee created also thy wife thy children thy seruants and thy poore friends and therefore hath also a care of them as the worke of his hands to maintaine them And hee that gaue his Sonne for thee to redeeme thee and therefore had a fatherly care for thee to doe all things for thy preseruation and saluation did also giue his Sonne for them to redeeme them and therefore also hath a fatherly care of them to doe all
things for their preseruation and saluation so that thou maiest most safely commend them to his mercie And let him remember what the Prophet hath said of God pertaining particularly to this griefe as if it were intended for his ease in this case He is a Father of the fatherlesse and Iudge of the widdowes euen God in his holy habitation So that thou shalt not leaue thy wife without a husband thy children without ◅ father thy seruants without a maister and thy poore friends without a helper when thou commendest them to God He will be all in all vnto all and euery one of them And therefore in this griefe remembring Gods prouidence thou castest thy burthen vppon GOD and easest thine owne heart when thou commendest them vnto him And if it be not thine owne sicknesse death or calamitie that grieueth thee but the sicknesse death or calamitie of some other neere vnto thee as of thy husband or wife thy parents or children thy maister or seruant or some neighbour or friend that was neere and deare vnto thee with commendation of thy compassion that ought indeede to stretch it selfe to all these and further also for the seruants of God must not be without naturall affections This is in the case of their sicknesse and calamitie to cast thy burden vpon the Lord first to minister what help and comfort thou art able vnto them both with good words and also with reall seruices that they recouering the sooner out of their sicknesse and calamitie thy heart may the sooner bee freed of that griefe that thou sustainest for them And in this ministring of comfort and help vnto them thou seruest the Lord and becommest the meanes and instrument of his mercie to the afflicted Therefore it is saide of the woman of Shumem Elishaes good hostesse that her sicke sonne sate on her knees till noone that is shee was grieued for his sicknesse and with a most willing heart gaue him the best help and comfort that shee could Hence grow all those workes of mercy that the Lord Iesus saith hee will remember and reward when hee commeth in his glory Hence commeth the feeding of the hungry the refreshing of the thirstie the clothing of the naked the intertaining of the stranger the visiting of the sicke and releeuing men in bonds Hence grow all these works of mercy namely that men and women of tender hearts which haue bowels of compassion in their bodies are grieued to behold the want the miseries and calamities of others and doe ease their owne hearts by vsing all meanes to ease the others calamity so casting in a most sweete maner the burden of their owne griefe vppon God who will certainely comfort them that labor to comfort his afflicted ones Vnto this rule pertaine all the precepts of ministring to the necessities of the Saints But because while thou art thus casting the burdē of thy griefe vpon God by vsing all good means to relieue them for whom thou art grieued Because I say they are not presently freed from their calamitie nor thou from all thy sorrow conceiued for their sakes therfore vnto this diligence of helping and succouring the miserable if thou wilt soundly and fully cast thy burden vpon God patience must be added and praier patience to beare quietly their sicknesse and calamities whom thou louest for the Lords sake that hath appoynted it so glorifying him in all his workes and prayer to intreat the God of mercie to remember in his mercy those thy miserable friends and to raise them vp whom he cast downe Heere remember Dauid praying for his sicke childe Daniel praying for the returne of the captiuity the Centurion praying for his sicke seruant and the Church praying for Peter imprisoned I will insteed of all examples adde the precept of the Apostle Paul making patience and prayer the chiefe rules of obtaining ease of all burdens saying Let your patient minde bee knowne to all men the Lord is at hand be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication and giuing of thankes Thine owne diligence in shewing mercy and helping thy patient attendance vppon God with thy faithfull prayer for the asflicted are the mean◅ of casting thy burden vppon God when thou art grieued for the sickenesse and calamities of others But if it bee the death of some deare friend that thou art grieued for wherein perhappes thou thinkest thy griefe remedilesse because thy dead can not liue agayne euen for this verie cause oughtest thou to beare the death of thy friend quietly because thy dead cannot liue againe And herein wee haue Dauid an example of godly fortitude vnto vs who hauing a childe sicke did while it yet liued afflict his soule For it is written Dauid be sought GOD for the childe and fasted and went in and lay all night vpon the earth Then the Elders of his house arose to come vnto him and to cause him to rise from the ground but hee would not neither did hee eate meate with them Thus while there was hope of remedy he gaue way to the sorrow of his heart But it followeth On the seuenth day the child died and the seruants of Dauid feared to tell him that the childe was dead for they said behold while the child was yet aliue we spake vnto him and hee would not bearken vnto our voyce how shall wee say vnto him the childe is dead to vex him more But when Dauid saw his seruants whispered Dauid perceiued that the childe was dead Therefore Dauid said vnto his seruants Is the childe dead And they said hee is dead then Dauid arose from the earth and washed and annoynted himselfe and changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and after came to his owne house and bade that they should set bread before him and hee did eat His sorrowing ended when hee once sawe that there was no hope of enioying any longer the company of his childe Now this course seemed to his seruants a new and strange kind of philosophie that he should mourne in the danger of death and yet reioyce or at least comfort himselfe with any content in death and therefore his seruants saide vnto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou diddest fast and weepe for the childe while it was aliue but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eate meat And what reason had hee for this strange and vnwonted behauiour Hee said while the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will haue mercy on me that the child may liue but now being dead wherefore shall I now fast can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me Behold the same thing that maketh thee to mourne namely that thy dead shall not returne to thee the same consideration Dauid made the ground
for reliefe This therefore is a speciall point of casting our burden vpon God in these and in all troubles that men do learne to make humble praier vnto God But from these generall rules let vs consider of the particular and here as I said before of domesticall troubles Iâ—… vs first consider of them that grow vnto vs from enemies that wrong vs. After of our griefe for friends Of these some bend their malice against our estate and by cunning and fraud in bargaining by violence 〈◊〉 power in oppressing by robbery in the high way and by aduantages offered to their couetous and mercilesse hearts seek to inrich themselues by tâ—… spoile or at the least to weaken and ouerthroâ—… thine estate and to scatter thy riches as a spoile Some bend their malice against thy good name and by railing and opeâ—… exclamations to thy face after the manner of Shemei and by slandering close tales behind thy backe after the manner of Doeg by misconstruing and mis-reporting thy iust doings and by imputing vnto thee those bad deeds that thou neuer hadst thine hand in seeke to blemish thy reputation in all places and to bring thee into disgrace Some bend their malice against thy life and either vow and attempt themselues to kill thee as Ioab did Abner or hire and sot on others to murther thee as Absolom set on his seruants to murther Amnon or accuse thee to men of more fury violence then themselues betraying thee into their hands to bee sacrificed to their wrath or stirre vp and arme by false accusations the Magistrate against thee that vnder shew of iustice thou maiest be vniustly ouerthrowne Let vs see how the burden of these troubles is to bee cast vppon God Consider heere first of all whence the occasion grew and if thou findest thy troubles prouoked by any priuate error of thine seek to satisfie them whom thou diddest wrong and be not of the stomacke of them that will maintaine what they haue done be it neuer so iniurious and acknowledge thy fault make reasonable amends seeke reconciliation and by all meanes assure vnto them thy resolution to abstaine from offering like wrongs any more Shemei though none of the honestest nor wisest men yet when hee considered that his wrong done to Dauid might breede him that enmity that might become a burden heauie and daungerous to his peace life for his ease safty his wit serued him to confesse his fault to seek peace submissiuely and to offer better seruice for the time to come when Dauid after the ouerthrow of Absolom came backe ouer Iordan to returne to Ierusalem Shemei came with haste to meete Dauid at the riuers side and hee fell before the King when hee was come ouer Iordan and said vnto the King Let not my Lord impute wickednesse vnto me nor remember the thing that thy seruant did wickedly when my Lord the King departed out of Ierusalem that the King should take it to his heart for thy seruant doth know that I haue done amisse Therefore behold I am the first this day of all the house of Ioseph that am come to goe downe to meete my Lord the King And this submission of his confessing his fault and crauing pardon preuayled with Dauid so that hee did not let his wrath fall as a heauie burden vppon the necke of Shemei though there were some men present that did much prouoke Dauid to reuenge But if thou be free hauing giuen them no occasion and onely sufferest wrong the fault being wholly in thine enemie I tell thee this very testimonie of thy conscience is a great easing of thy burden if thou suffer not for thy sinne but for their malice So did the Lord Iesus suffer among the Priests and Pharisies The greater half of the burden is by this meanes turned off when peace of conscience abideth with thee other griefs and wrongs may be the more easily indured Salomon saith in the Prouerbs A good conscience is a perpetuall feast This is no small pleasure to a good man that hath beene vrged and vexed with vnkindnesse abroad that when hee commeth home hee entreth into his closet and examineth his heart and findeth that hee is in no fault and can plead his innocencie before God it is a feast to him he sitteth downe boldly and cheerfully by the mercie-seate of God and despiseth with a godly scorne both the wrong done and the wrong doer saying in his heart by the mercie of God this wrong shall turne to my good and this wrong doer shall not preuaile against mee and with great confidence of heart he powreth out his desires before God Saint Peter hath a saying that agreeth well with this point that wee haue now in hand Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thiefe or as a busie-body in other mens matters but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe Heere is right thy case hauing examined thine heart thou findest thaâ—… thou art no murderer nor thiefe noâ—… euill doer nor busie-bodie in the causes pretended by thine enemy as reasons of his violence against thee but thou findest that thou sufferest as a Christian that is thou sufferest without thy desert therefore thou hast cause to glorifie God thou hast no cause to be ashamed This innocencie of thine maketh thy burden to be much lighter And if God haue purposed to shorten thy trouble by conuersion of thine enemie though thou haue not such opportunitie to helpe him with wholesome councell beeing a remote enemy as thou hast to helpe a domesticall yet as opportunitie is offered remember and practise that precept of the Lord Iesus go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone And otherwise let it be the wish of thine heart and pray to God for it that God will be pleased to giue him a better heart Some haue obserued that Saint Stephens prayer helped much the conuersion of Saul after called Paul beeing one of those remote troublers to him a very furious one When Stephen that blessed Martire of Iesus Christ was put to death Saul was a busie doer against him The witnesses to whome it belonged to throw the first stone at the condemned person laied downe their cloathes at a yong mans feete whose name was Saul And Saul consented to his death and otherwise made hauocke of the church and breathed threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. It pleased the Lord Iesus in his wonderfull mercy to meete this persecuter in the heat of his fury neere to the Citie of Damascus and to conuert him and to make him a disciple And the effect of that conuersion was peace to the Church that had beene oppressed before with a heauie burden of troubles by means of that troubler As it is written Then had the Churches rest through all Iudea and Galile and Samaria and were
edified and walked in the feare of the Lord and were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost And this conuersion of Saul with the churches peace growing thereby some haue ascribed vnto Stephens prayer as an intermediate cause who while they stoned him kneeled downe and cryed with a lowd voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Of which prayer of Stephen Austin in his fourth Sermon of the Saints hath this saying If Stephen had not thus prayed the Church should not haue had Paul but therfore was Paul being fallen from his horse raised from the earth because when Stephen with bowed knees was fallen to the ground hee was heard in his prayer Therfore thogh thou hast not oportunitie to admonish thy remote aduersary yet pray vnto God for his conuersion Thou knowest not whether God wil heare thy praier and shorten thy trouble by changing the mind of thy troubler If it be to bewrought by a remoue and that remoue to be made by death therein thou hast nothing to do before-hand but to maintaine that resolution that alwaies ought to be in all Christians namely to yeeld to the wil of God and to approue his worke as well in killing as in giuing life and as well in our selues as in others And if it please God to take away thine enemy then is it thy part to praise his name that suffereth thy peace to out-liue thine enemies fury but neither worke it nor desire it nor reioyce in it as a calamity happened to thine enemy or to his house much lesse offer violence to thy self that may free thee from short troubles but it will surely plunge thee into eternall troubles If God haue appointed to shorten thy troubles by remouing either thy troubler from thee or thee from thy troubler by distance of place that you may be yet further a sunder and the one out of the reach of another as opportunity is offered wisdome will aduise thee what to doe For the departure of an enemie a wise man said A bridge of gold should be made to further his speedy passage rather then to stay him with any impediment And it is at thy liberty flying from the swords point of persecution and malice to remooue from one City to another But if God be pleased to maintaine against thee the enemy that he hath stirred vp thy chiefe casting of thy burden vpon God is by patience to possesse thy soule bearing quietly what thou canst not shake off by hearty praier to sollicite the maiesty of the most high God to free thee from thine enemy when it pleaseth him and in the meane time to giue thee wisdome to suffer as thou oughtest to his pleasure Thus much how to cast the burden of remote troubles vpon God when thy troble groweth from the malice of remote enemies that offer wrong vnto thee Sometimes thou art not hurt by remote enemies but rather art greeued for remote frindes or strangers for whose calamity thou are affected with heauinesse Sometime in regard of common humane nature because they are men as thou art and it grieueth thee that any of thine owne kinde should suffer such calamity sometime in regard of common holy religion because they worship the same God and beleeue in the same Sauiour that thou doest and it greueth thee that any of thy faith and religion and any true worshipper of thy God should indure such misery For direction to cast this burden vpon God there needeth no long discourse because I feare there are not many that beare any such burden of sorrow for others misery or vpon whom it lieth heauy if they sorrow at all or vpon whom it abideth long if it be heauy Selfloue permitteth vs not to mourne for the calamity of other men when we are at case our selues The Butler in Pharaoes court when hee had once recouered his owne place and honour neuer regarded nor was moued with Iosephs imprisonment The chiefe Butlar did not remember Ioseph but forgat him And those wounds neuer enter deepe in our hearts which we only see or heare in others and feele not in our selues and the teares that fall from our eies for other mens miseries quickly drie vp If Amos liued in this selfe-delighting and neighbour contemning age wanton and excessiue one way but wanting and pitilesse another way he would surely crie out againe as before he did saying They drinke wine in bowles and annoint themselues with the chiefe ointments but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Ioseph that is euery man cherisheth himselfe delicately but no man regardeth how other men fare Yet because God hath alwaies his a mercifull father mercifull children because some there are of tender hearts that mourne with them that mourne and haue put on as the Apostle speaketh tender mercy and kindnesse to satisfie them I pray them to call to remembrance the three rules giuen before iâ—… the case of like griefe for frindes most neare First so farre as distance of place betweene thee and them the small acquaintance that thou hast with them and thy weake means will suffer afford them thy best helpe Egypt afforded food to Canaan when famine was sort in that land The King of Moab gaue entertainment to Dauids father and to his whole houshold when Sauls displesure was heauy to them in Israel Dauid had Ziklag giuen him to dwell in when he could not be safe in Iuda Mercy by hospitality succoureth many strangers that by famine warre and other calamities cannot remain in safety at home If thou be grieued for the calamity of them that dwell farre off affourd thy best helpe thou shalt make lesse thy sorrow for their calamity while thou makest lesse their calamity by thy mercy Therefore did the brethren among the belieuing Gentiles make collections to send to the poore Saints at Ierusalem Secondly vse patience in this case and till God put an end to their miseries glorifie thou God in his iudgments that so exerciseth truth humbleth correcteth and punisheth Lastly pray vnto God for them that in his iudgements he will be pleased to remember mercy and to spare the sheepe of his owne pasture if they be true worshippers or at least that he will spare the worke of his owne hands whatsoeuer they be and forgiuing their sinnes that he will giue them repentance that they may come to the knowledge of him and of his truth and in the end be deliuered from his fiery wrath In these three things iâ—… helping mercifully in bearing patiently and in praying fruently consisteth the right manner of casting our burden of griefe and sorrow for other mens calamities vpon God And so haue wee considered of this third secular burden of more remote troubles which hath great affinity with the burden of more nigh and domesticall troubles and differeth onely in respect of the persons by whom thou art wronged and for whom thou art grieued in that they are
further from thee CHAP. XI THE fourth and last branch of our secular burdens is the burden of difficulties that follow the duties of our callings The callings themselues whether superiour or inferiour whether in a priuate house or in an ample Citie in the whole kingdome or in the Church of God are the ordinances of God as Paul saith of the magistrate The powers that bee are ordained of God and as might be shewed for all other callings from the highest to the lowest Therefore they are honorable and in them we serue the Lord as so many officers in his house And the offices that we are tied to performe by the nature condition of our callings they are inioyned vnto vs to euery calling distinctly by God himselfe in his word wherein is set downe what the King the Iudge and euery Maiestrate what the Minister the husband the wife the father the childe the Maister and seruant must doe and therefore those officers are holy The ends of them are the glory of God the peace of the kingdome the edification of the Church and the prosperitie good of euery priuate person and therefore it is honorable to vs to be imployed in those callings and to performe those good offices for in those callings and offices we serue God whose seruice is perfect freedome while others neglecting to serue in these callings and to performe these offices serue their owne lustes the world and the Diuell to their dishonour Yet those offices so holy and so honorable by reason of certaine difficulties that accompany and follow them doe bring a heauie burden of troubles vpon vs. Sometime wee are vnsufficient for those callings and vnable to performe those offices And that happeneth either by our own fault or by the fault of some others By our owne fault either in our entrance ambitiously or couetously thrusting into callings for the honor and fee of them that we were neuer fit for or after our entrance losing our gifts through sloth and idlenes and so growing vnsufficient as an instrument that is become rustie for want of vse By the fault of others when they which had power to call and admit vnto any place perhaps authoritie to impose hauing a goâ—…d opinion of thy gifts haue singled thee foorth somewhat too soone being willing rather to wait for a suller growth of thy gifts then to lose a man of so great hope In all these cases of our insufficiencie thâ—… duties of our callings proue a heauie burden vnto vs. Sometime wee are sufficient for the seruice that our callings bind vs vnto and we vse faithfull diligence but some froward men oppose against vs as Elimas the sorcerer with-stood the preaching of Paul By meanes of which opposition crosse working of those men it commeth to passe that either thou canst not bring to prosperous issue the good things that thou labourest in or thou effectest them with much more labour This maketh the seruices of thy calling to be much more heauie vnto thee Sometime thou art sufficient and art diligent and hast effected things happily to thy minde but then enuious men misconstrue mistake wittingly and misreport thy doings as the Scribes and Pharises mistake and mis-reported the holy and most absolute workes of the Lord Iesus And then insteed of loue and commendation which thou didst looke for thou art blamed and insteede of reward and incouragement which thou didst deserue thou art in danger to be punished this proues a great burden In all these cases yee see how heauie burdens grow from honorable and honest callings besides the continuall care that euery good man hath to doe his dutie in his place Let vs see how we may cast these burdens vpon God to be eased If thou be insufficient through thine owne fault ambitiously or couetously intruding into thy calling to possesse thy selfe of the honor of the place or of the fee that belongeth vnto it without examining thy strength how able thou were to doe the seruice of it or not regarding though thou knowest thy strength to be altogether insufficient of which sort are many men both in the common wealth and Church Such are many antient men that hauing plentie of wealth and pâ—…nury of wisdome that for their worship make meanes to be in the commission for the peace hauing no knowledge or very little of the lawes of the kingdome to helpe to compound the controuersies of the people And such are young gentlemen brought vp in idle pleasures that being younger brethren for their better maintenance make suite to haue the charge and leading of companies for the war would be Captaines the first day hauing neuer yet beene good souldiers they knowe how to behaue themselues in the house and among friends but they know not how to behaue themselues in the field and against enimies And such are many ignorant and slothfull men that seeke to be admitted into the ministrie and to get a good benefice that they may liue easily and eate the milke of the flocke hauing no abilitie to seede the flocke yea no care thereof These men when they are called and vrged to the seruices of their places then begins their burden to waie heauie and their insufficiencie makes them subiect to danger and disgrace How shall these men cast their burden vpon God for their ease If thou be not very far from sufficiencie but that counsell from others thine owne studie and trauell the view of other mens doings some practice made by thy selfe and other like good meanes blessed of God whose helpe thou must pray for may bring thee vnto some reasonable dexteritie in time vse and apply all these meanes and let prayer be vsed with euery other meanes and remember what thou hast vndertaken and that thou canst not without danger neglect the worke of the Lord and God will second thy desire and trauaile with his blessing The twelue when they were first called and admitted of the Lord Iesus were not so fit for their places as afterward they proued I speake not these things to imbolden any man to thrust into â—… calling without due preparation but onely to aduise for the best those that are already entred themselues being hitherto very vnreadie Let them vse good meanes and make triall of Gods mercie It hath fallen out that men very raw at their first entring by diligence after vsed haue growne very fit while others of good fitnes at their entring by negligence and idlenes haue lost their giftes and become very vnprofitable But if thou be far from sufficiencie so that after thy entrance all thy diligence assisted with prayer vnto God cannot inable thee at least in some mediocritie to doe thy dutie then know that God hath not called thee to that place Then the onely way of casting thy burden vpon God iâ—… in the feare of God to giue ouer that calling to resigne that place and no longer either for honors sake
or wealths to stand a blanke a cypher ◅ blot and an impediment either in common wealth or Church and to be an offence in the eye both of God all good men and to seeke to get his liuing by honest labour in some other calling that he hath bene better fitted for as Zacharie reporteth the words of some idle Prophets in their repentance as namely That he should no more weare a rough garment that is the robe of the Prophets profession that he was vnfit for and he should say I am no Prophet I am an husband man for man taught me to be an heardman from my youth That is I was neuer brought vp and fitted for the seruice of a Prophet where into I did foolishly thrust my selfe and therefore I will leaue that calling vnto more sufficient men and whereas I was brought vp to the trade of a husband-man heard-man I will henceforth follow that calling that I may eate my bread with a good conscience with Gods blessing though my reputation and maintenance be lesse This is to cast thy burden vpon God If thy ambition and couetousnes did not make thee intrude but men had good opinion of thy sufficiencie as Pharao had of Iosephs wisdome thou hast vsed no cunning to draw them to haue such opinion of thee but they simplie out of their owne obseruation iudged well of thee and imposed a charge vpon thee not being yet so ripe in iudgemēt and otherwise as thou wouldest be and hadst neede to bee in this case there is a good calling of God to giue thee hope of his further helpe though as yet thou be but as Dauid was the youngest among many brethren And the testimonie of thine owne conscience cle◅ring thee from intrusion is some ease of thy burden Plead thine honest calling plead thy cleere conscience before God and craue his fauour and if they that did chuse thee will not discharge thee pray to God for increase of strength craue the helpe of their prayers that laid the burden vpon thee and bend thy selfe with good hope vnto thy busines It is written that out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings God ordaineth strength hope well therefore in thy diligent indeuour of the assistance of God and remember what the Lord Iesus answered to Paul my grace is sufficient for thee my power is made perfect through weaknes and what the Apostle saith of himselfe assisted with this sufficient grace of Iesus Christ. I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ that strengthneth me and make vse of these testimonies studying striuing praying and vsing all meanes and helps for increase of sufficiencie And take that as spoken to thee that Paul spake to Timothi◅ These things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest among allmen This is the waie of casting this burden vpon God If thy sufficiencie be good and thy diligence answerable so that thy conscience witnesseth that thy labour in the Lords Vineyard is faithfull labour but the effect answereth not and the work goeth not forward because the re are that oppose their vtter most power against thy labours to crosse the successe of them And there is scarce any one good worke that a man of publike calling can take in hand but the Diuell hath one instrument or other to crosse the attempt and hinder the successe so did the Sorcerers of Egypt withstand the message of Moses and Aaron comming vnto Pharao in the name of the Lord. So did Rehum and Simshai with their companions with Tatuai and Sauballat and T◅biah withstand to their vttermost power and cunning the worke of the Iewes in building the Temple wales of Ierusalem after their returne from the captiutie When Elias had slaine the Priestes of Baal and sought to bring backe Israel to the worship of the Lord Iesabel opposed hi◅ selfe and made Elias to flie for his life And while the Apostles preached the Gospell of Christ to the Gentiles the vnbeleeuing Iewes stirring vp the Gentiles withstood them in all places as the Apostle chargeth them saying They haue persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrarie to all men and forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued Thus vsually through Sathans enuie it falleth out that scarce any attempteth any commendable worke but that one or other instrument of Sathan ariseth opposing himselfe against it to hinder the performance of it increasing his burden that trauelleth about it How shall men thus vexed cast their burden vpon the Lord First when thou seest their mallice and opposition be not driuen from thy patience and peaceable minde lest thou also shouldest either say or doe amisse in thy vnquiet passion Secondly vnto this patience ioyne prayer vnto God and in thy prayer craue these things of God First that God will oppose his helpe against their opposition and hinder their hindring attempts as the Prophet doeth saying Let not the wicked haue his desire O Lord performe not his wicked thoughts Secondly craue the assistance of Gods hand vpon thy labour good indeuor to helpe thee against thine opposites as the Prophet doeth saying Giue vs helpe against trouble for vaine is the helpe of man through God we shall doe valiantly Lastly that he will take thy good enterprise into his hand and vse thee as his instrument to effect so good a worke by as also the Prophet doth saying Let the beautie of the Lord our God be vpon vs and direct the worke of our hands vpon vs euen direct the worke of our handes Surely in this case this is to cast our burden vpon God if withall when we see the end to fall out contrarie to our godly purpose we glorifie God therein supposing that as God would not let Dauid build his Temple but reserued it to be performed afterward by Salomon so God for some secret cause will not haue that good worke finished by thee but res◅rueth it for some other time and some other person Lastly if thy sufficiencie be good and thy diligence answereable to thy sufficiencie and the worke effected through Gods helpe be answereable to thy diligence but the malice of mē misconstrue thy worke and misreport it so bring thee into danger and trouble as Amaziah the wicked Priest of Bethel misreported the godly seruice of the Prophet Amos and accused him to the King saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel The land is not able to beare all his words So seeking betray his life into the handes of cruelty vnder shewes of iustice Then the casting of our burden vpon God is first in his name to protest ou◅ innocencie and that we haue done our dutie with an honest heart as God commaunded vs. So did Amos after Amaziah had accused him saying for himselfe The Lord tooke me as I followed the stocke
hope for the same mercy for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes which was freely granted to Peter for the forgiuenes of his sins Goe forth therefore with Peter in the sight of thy sins poure out the teares of repentance before God as Peter did and he that receiued Peter to grace wil also receiue thee He was pardoned vpō no peculiar mercy proper to him denied to others but vpon that vniuersall mercy and most ample grace that God is ready to extend to euery cōtrite soule then afforded to Peter that hee out of his experience might after commend it to others Therfore did the Lord Iesus say to him aforehand when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethrē That is when peace is restored to thy soule vpon assured pardon of thy sinnes past and grace giuen vnto thee to stand more firme for all times following then labour to comfort the hearts of others that haue sinned as thou diddest assure vnto them vpon their contrition the forgiuenesse of their sinne past and the presence of Gods grace for the time to come So that I am not the man but Peter nor Peter out of speculation and from his owne conceit but out of experience and vpon most sure authority from the mouth of his Master the sonne of God the sauior of mankind the Iudg of quicke dead that is warranted to tell thee that there is mercy with God to forgiue thy sinnes committed against knowledge if in this sorrow feare of thine heart thou turne to God and hartily prayest vnto him for pardon with purpose no more to cōmit the like sin I could adde the examples of many of Gods Saints that sinned against knowledge being carried away with a sodaine and violent temptation so that either they had no leisure to thinke what was fittest to doe or they wanted power to withstand the present assault and they after found fauour with God and their sinnes being forgiuen they liue with him in glorie Iacobs lie maintained to his father Isaacs face that hee was not Iacob the yonger but Esau the elder sonne was a sinne of this kind against knowledge but his mothers words as a potent temptation led him to the doing of it Iudaes adultery committed with Thamar his daughter in law though not knowne to be Thamar was a sinne of this kind against knowledge for how could Indah bee ignorant of the Law of God against adulterie written in mens hearts that would haue done execution vpon Thamar when he heard she had played the whoore but the temptation was sodaine and strong fitted with so many opportunities hee was a yong man at that time without a wife shee sate disguised as an harlot it was in the field out of the view of men and shee was soone intreated and yeelded vnto him these opportunities strengthning the temptation made it so potent that Iuda sinned Dauids hastie sentence giuing the estate of Mephibosheth vnto Ziba was a sinne of this kind against knowledge for Dauid could not be ignorant of it that there are many false accusers that a righteous Iudge should giue the accused partie leaue to speake for himselfe before he proceed to sentence but the temptation was strong and sodaine Ziba came with a bribe he brought it in a time when Dauid had need of it The time was troublesome Abs◅lon was vppe in rebellion Why might it not be true that in this trouble of the state Mephibosheth beeing the right heire to Saul might seek to make a faction for him And Dauid had need now of friends and therefore thought fit to make Ziba sure on his side These and like considerations darkening Dauids iudgement gaue strength to the temptation And hee sinned in condemning the innocent and rewarding the wicked accuser and that against knowledge for he was not ignorant of the duety of a Iudge And yet all these haue found fauor and their sinnes haue beene forgiuen vnto them Why then should thy heart faint and thy hope faile because thy conscience tels thee that thou hast sinned against knowledge Repent and turne to God pray and thou shalt be heard This very circumstance that thou we◅ not freely maister of thine owne will but the sodaine or violent temptation led thee captiue is an hole through which hope shineth dig by hearty praier and by true contrition and a doore of mercie shall be opened vnto thee This is in this case to cast thy burden of accusing thoughts vpon God for thine ease CHAP. XVI BVT perhaps thy heart tels thee that the particular sinnes that thou art charged withall were not onely done in thy daies of knowledge whē thou hadst learned before that such things ought not to be done but they were also done in the freedome of thine heart not surprised with sudden feare nor led away captiue by any violent temptation but with full consent of will thy heart at leisure considering and freely chusing against all checke whatsoeuer to do those things venturously boldly presumptuously and as we say desperately casting behind thy backe at that time all feare of God all regard of his law all remembrance of his mercy and all bonds of thy obedience only seeking to satisfie thine owne lusts and preferring the pleasure of sinne and wages of iniquitie before the seruice of God though thou didst know that those pleasures were of that constancie and would breede eternall torments and that the wages and gaine of sinne was of small worth and fading and would breed vnto thee the eternall losse of thy soule This is a hard case indeed and if Sathan haue this aduantage against thee then hath he driuen thee vp into a narrow streight and hemmed thee in very dangerously But yet by the mercy of God there are good and sure meanes by which to escape euen out of this streight though with some difficultie for here hath that saying of the Lord Iesus place That seruant that knew his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes Many and sore gripings shall his conscience feele before he recouer his peace against this accusation it will cost him many teares sighes and grones which I doe the rather remember to make men feare to offend in this manner and to suffer sinne so to raigne in their mortall bodies But yet it is possible for the sinner thus burdened to cast his burden vpon the Lord and to obtaine ease There is yet a hole in the wall of hope wherein if thou dig by humble and hearty prayer it may proue a dore of mercy vnto thee It hath beene so with others For who euer sinned more wilfully and more presumptuously then Manasses though he were yong when he began to raigne being then but twelue yeares of age in that regard all his acts might seme to be grounded in ignorance that had not learned at the first to doe wel after would not learne yet considering the piety
of Hezekiah his father it is likly that he had been carefully taught and that his father did no more leaue him without counsell at his departure out of life then Dauid wheÌ„ he was ready to die did leaue his sonne Salomon When the dayes of Dauid drew neare that he should die he charged Salomon his sonne saying I goe the way of all the earth be strong therefore shew thy selfe a man and take heede to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his waies c. Thus out of his care did he not cease while there was life and strength in himselfe to teach his sonne his dutie to God And of Hezekiah it is testified that hee did vprightly iâ—… 3. the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Dauid bad done therefore it is not likely that either in the time of health or in the time of his sickenes hee neglected the instruction of his son that should succeed him It must needes bee therefore that Manasses sin was against knowledge euen in his childhood much more afterward Sure it was with full freedome of his will euen with a high hand of whom it is thus written He did euill in the sight of the Lord like the abhomination of the heathen whoÌ„ the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel for he went backe built the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken downe he set vp Alters for Baalim and made groues and worshiped all the hoast of Heauen and serued them Also he built Alters in the house of the Lord where of the Lord had said in Ierusulem shall my name be for euer And he built Alters for all the hoast of the heaueÌ„ in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his sonnes to passe through the fire in the vallie of Benhinnom he gaue himselfe here was full sway of his owne will to witchcraft and to charming and to sorcery and he vsed them that had familiar spirits and soothsayers he did very much euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him c. Here was a man violent headstrong yea mad and furious in his sinne and not in small but in the greatest sinnes not onely against the second table but much more against the commandements of the first table in all kindes of idolatry and all vngodly profanations and yet hee found fauour at the hands of God who first brought him to repentance by 〈◊〉 and then forgiuing his sinne restored him to peace The history wherof is thus recorded The Lord brought vpon him the captaines of the hoast of the King of Ashur which tooke Manasses and put him in fetters and bound him 〈◊〉 chaines and caried him to Baâ—…ell And when he was in tribulation he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his father and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome then Manasses know that the Lord was God Now after this he built a wall without the Citie of Dauid on the west side of Gihon in the valley euen at 〈◊〉 entry of the fish-gate and compassed about Ophet and raised it very high and put Captaines of war in all the strong Citties of Iudah And he tooke away the strange Gods and the image out of the house of the Lord all the Alters that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the Citie Also he prepared the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace offrings and of thankes and commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel Consider seriously this example weigh therein on the one side the sinne of the man on the other side the mercy of God In Manasses thou shalt see the height of thy sinne equalled if not exceeded and in God thou shalt see mercy exceeding all sinne And where such mercy appeareth what should make the sinner doubt of finding fauour while he seeketh it with a true purpose of leauing his sinne and true faith and hearty praier I might ad herevnto the example of that theefe that was crucified at the same time with the Lord Iesus vpon his right hand to whom making his paier to Iesus in these words Lord remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome The Lord again mâ—…de him this answere ful of most rich mercy this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice This man liuing among the people of Iudah could not be ignorant of the commandement of God forbidding theft therefore his sin was against knowledge And making a trade of theft thereby to maintaine himselfe there was no violence offred to his will but freely willingly and with choyce he followed that course and was euen a couenant seruant of sinne reaping with delight the wages of iniquitie in the spoile that he made of the inocent And yet he found fauour and had his sinne forgiuen him and entred into life Who shall then dispaire of the mercy of God Saint Ambrose calles the historie of this man â—…ulcherrimum affectandae conuersionis exemplum A most Godly example to moue men to turne to God And these examples let our afflicted sinner consider seriously They are writtâ—…n for our instruction in them hee shall espie an hole in the wall of hope which will proue a dore of mercy for him to enter if he dig by hearty paier And for the further confirmation of his hope Let our afflicted sinner know that there is only one kinde of sinne vnpardonable and he shall find the sin that he is charged withall not to be that sin therefore to be pardonable And this is no small incouragmeÌ„t to know his sin how great so euer yet to be pardonable when a sicke man vnderstandeth his disease that will be mortall to him if hee neglect it yet to be curable if he looke to it in time apply apt medicines vnto it hee will take much comfort in that knowledge thenceforth he will diligently seek for remedy And so must our afflicted sinner when he shal vnderstand his sinne to be such as may be forgiuen comfort his soule with that consideration and thenceforth diligently vse the meanes that God our Phisition prescribeth and the effect by the mercy of God wil be health peace saluation Now that sinne that is vnpardonable is called in the Scripture blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Whereof our Sauiour speaketh in these wordes saying Verily I say vnto you all sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme but he that blasphems against the Holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenes but is culpable of eternall damnation Which sinne if wee consider the circumstances of the place where the Pharises are charged with it especially as that matter is recorded by Saint Mathew in his twelst
Chapter we shall finde it to be not any particular transgression of any or of all the precepts of the law but a wil-full opposition of our heart against as I may call it the body of religion first rightly vnderstoode and certainely knowne to be the true religion of God and vpon no other cause but out of meere enuie The Pharises heard the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ and saw his miracles and knew him to bee that sonne of Dauid that Messias that was promised they knew his doctrine to be holy and heauenly and his workes to bee wrought by the finger of God Yet because the people honoured him and vpon the sight of his miracle when hee healed the man that was possessed of a diuell and was both blind and dumbe because they then cryed out saying Is not this that sonne of Dauid They therefore out of enuy and mallice without any other cause gaue it out concerning him saying He casteth out Diuels no otherwise but by Belzebub the prince of Diuels Indeuoring by these wordes to perswade the people that he was a wicked man risen vp out of Hell set vp by the Prince of diuels and assisted with his power to publish the doctrine of diuels and to vphold his kingdome so slaundering the person of Christ the workes of Christ and the doctrine of Christ all which many of them knew to be heauenly and of God If they had not knowne him to bee thee sonne of God they had not beene guilty of that great sinne As the Lord said vnto them If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne your ignorance would haue cleered you from this wiâ—…full mallice But they knew his person to be sent of God his workes to be done by the finger of God and in his doctrine that he taught truely the will of God The Lord himselfe said vnto them Yee both know me and know whence I am Yet did they out of enuy detract from the glory of his workes that they might by that meanes bring both his person and heauenly doctrine into contempt And they ceased not this course of slandering his person of disgracing his workes and obscuring the truth of his doctrine laying wait also for his life for God giueth not repentance for this sinne till they had bought him with money of the traytor iudged him to be worthy of death vpon the knowne false testimonie of suborned witnesses extorted with their clamours his condemnation from an vnwilling Iudge pronouncing him iust whom he condemned for their pleasure added vnto his vniust death what reproch they could and after his resurrection corrupted the souldiers with money so causing it to be by them divulged that his disciples stole away his body out of the graue and that he did not rise againe from the dead by that course labouring out of enuy to suppresse the Gospell and doctrine of Iesus Christ which yet they knew by the illumination of the holy Ghost to be the very truth of God This malitious opposition of theirs against religion knowne to be the religion of God was their vnpardonable sinne It was not their vncharitabe proceeding against an innocent man their hiering of a seruant to betray his master their suborning of false witnesses against a iust person their corrupting of a Iudge to giue sentence to their liking though vniust nor the hyâ—…ing of bold men to spred a lie among the credulious multitude nor yet the cruell and vniust murdering of the Lord of life Though all these were grieuous sinnes for many were pardoned both of the people and of their gouerners that had their handes in all this iniustice though they had not so deepe a reaâ—… so enuious a purpose of ouerthrowing by his ouerthrow the religion which they knew to be of God as most of the Priestes and Pharises had many I say were pardoned that had their handes in the iniustice done to our sauiour for he praied for them saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe and that praier of his could not be in vaine But in the cunning fellowes both among the people and their goueruors that knew him and whence he was and how he wrought and what he taught and that all was of God this was their vupardonable sin that they vsed al that falshood corruption and cruelty both during his life and in his death only to this end to hinder the course of his doctrine as they say plainely in their councell If we let him thus alone all men will beleeue in him When they knew that doctrine taught by him wherein they would not haue the people to beleeue to be the very truth of God This is the vnpardonable sinne called blasphemie against the Holy Gost because it flaundereth and disgraceth the truth of God which was made knowen vnto them so made to shine in their hearts by the Holy Ghost called the spirit of truth because it leadeth into all truth This sinne is a common sinne of diuels that know God and maliciously seeke his dishonor that know the groundes of true and holy religion and enuiously seeke to depraâ—…e them to corrupt them and if they could to abolish them out of the world desiring nothing more then to disgrace the truth of God among men This sin is sometime but rarely found amongst men and in examination thy sinne will bee found not to be this sinne and therefore not to be vnpardonable which is a great ground of hope to build vpon First the sinne of him that is pressed with the generall and confused accusation of an euill and hypocriticall heart cannot be this sinne that being naturally the estate of all men that come into the world they are borne with a heart deceitfull and wicked aboue all things But no man can be borne guilty of blasphemy against the holy-ghost because no man is in his birth enlightned with the knowledge of true religion which knowledge must necessarily goe before this fearefull opposition Neither can this sinne bee found in them that are distinctly charged with a particular sinne or sins that were committed in the days of ignorance it cannot be those sinnes For he that may fall into this vnpardonable sinne must first haue a full cleere knowledge of true religion with perswasion that it is the trueth But the ignorant man wanteth that cleere knowledge And hee is far enough from this sinne Neither can it be found in them that sinne against knowledge but out of weakenesse either surprised with a sudden temptation or led captiue with a strong and violent temptation for when these men are at libertie to consider what they haue done they haue no pleasure in it But that vnpardonable sinne is a voluntary wilfull and malicious opposition against the knowne truth out of their enuy not induring the glory of Christ in his Gospel Neither can any particular breach of any one Commandement nor all the breaches of all the
we so thinke of it is one thing but faith to rest vpon Gods promises for the forgiuenes of sinne is another thing The first namely credulitie when men are light of beleefe is a sault and infirmitie of nature the second namely faith whereby all accusations are auoided all the fiery darts of the diuell are quenched is the vertue of the spirit and meerely the gift of God The Apostle Paul saith By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Yea the same Apostle makes it a worke of no lesse power of God to bring a sinfull man vnto this sauing faith then it was to raise Iesus from the dead as appeareth by his words written to the Ephesians where hee praieth for the opening the eies of their vnderstading that they might know what is the exceeding greatnes of his power to vs which beleeue according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead So that if any man be able to raise vp the dead quicken them if he lift then he is able to beleeue vnto saluation if hee lift and else not Surely faith vnto saluatiō is not in the power of man to take vnto himselfe at his pleasure when he lusteth But while I make faith not to bee in thine owne power I doe not thereby take from thee all possibility of obtaining it if it were wholly wanting For I haue shewed thee that it is the gift of God Hee that quickeneth the dead he it is that maketh sinners to beleeue and if thou wouldest beleeue and wile pray vnto him to giue thee a heart to beleeue God will heare thy prayer and grant thy desire and that without faile◅ if thou pray vnto him in his Sonnes name who saith vnto vs Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name hee will giue it you And while thou praiest thy faith will grow and while thou beleeuest thou shalt haue more heart to praier and these two within thee Faith and praier will afford mutuall help either to other and they will grow together and thou shalt become strong in faith and feruent in praier Augustine hath an apt saying to this purpose Vt oremus credamus vt ipsa non deficiat sides qua oramu◅ oremus fides fundit orationem fu◅a oratio fidei impetrat firmitatem Let vs beleeue in God that wee may pray vnto him and let vs pray that the faith by which wee pray faile not faith powreth out praier vnto God and praier powred forth obtaineth strength of faith from God Pray therefore imboldened by the promise of the Lord Iesus And seeing the chiefest meanes whereby God worketh faith is his word euen the word of the Gospel which therefore the Apostle calleth the word of faith that is the word begetting faith the word in which and by which wee beleeue saying The word is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart this is the word of faith which wee preach Therefore giue thy selfe to the study of the word heare it reade it meditate in it there shalt thou finde the sweet promises of mercy there shalt thou find Iesus the Mediatour in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen there shalt thou finde assurance for thy soule to bring it to true rest For thy priuat reading and what thou shalt gaine thereby heare the saying of our blessed Sauiour Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternal life and they are they which testifie of mee There shall we find the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and eternall life And for the diligent hearing of the word preached and for the fruit thou shalt reape thereby Paul doth sufficiently informe thee when hee s◅ith Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God In which words he giues thee to vnderstand that that faith which is the condition that wee doe speake of if it were wanting is obtained by hearing the word of GOD as by that ordinarie meanes which God hath appoynted to bring the vnbeleeuing Gentiles thereby to the faith of Iesus Christ as somewhat more fully he shewed in the same place before saying How shall they that is the Gent◅les call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Here is the ordinary ◅ay described by which God calleth the ignorant and vnbeleeuing Gentiles to faith and sa◅uation First hee putteth the word of reconciliation into the mouth of some chosen Messenger and sendeth him to preach without which sending he could not goe then by his preaching these ignorāt vnbelieuing come to heare the word of faith saltion without which preaching they could not heare Thirdly by that hearing he worketh in them knowledge faith in the Redeemer without which hearing they could neither know nor beleeue Then lastly by that faith are they imboldened to pray vnto God without which faith they could haue no courage nor comfort to pray And vnto their praiers growing from that faith is saluation giuen according to a saying of the Prophet Ioel which the Apostle alledgeth Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued So that thy diligence in hearing the word of God with gladnesse of heart will helpe thee to faith and by faith to forgiuenesse of sinnes which is saluation of soule And for thy meditating in the word of God and what benefit thereby thou shalt obtaine the Prophet Dauid teacheth thee in the first Psalme where he pronounceth him to be a blessed man that hath his delight in the Law of God and in his Law meditateth day and night Diligent moditating in the Law of God maketh a man to be blessed but blessednes comprehendeth the forgiuenesse of sinnes that followeth faith the same Prophet saying Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie In one word to shew thee fully how auaileable to the obtaining increase of faith the studie of the Gospel wil be the reading hearing and meditating thereon consider the saying of Saint Paul writing to the Romans I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also the Grecian for by it the righteousnes of God is reuealed from faith vnto faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith It is the doctrine of faith for Iew and Gentile it breedeth nourisheth and increaseth faith bringing it forward by degrees vnto full ripenesse it iustifieth the beleeuer and saueth the iustified man and effecteth these things powerfully as the instrument of God for hee calleth it
be made righteous by faith This Law that accurseth thee with such ◅igour and seuerity euen in that curse serueth as a Schoolemaister to instruct thee by driuing thee from all liking of thine owne waies to seeke thy iustification by Iesus Christ that died for thee As the tempest by Sea maketh men flie with all speed and skill to safe harbour and as a storme by land maketh men flie with all possible haste into the house Euen so the thundering of the Law denouncing curses against transgressors maketh them with all speed and skill to flie vnto Iesus Christ our Sauiour who onely is the sure harbour and house of rest and safetie to all poore and weather-beaten and distressed sinners To him truely and in the first place belong those words of the Prophet That man shall bee as an hiding place from the wind and as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land And as hunger and thirst kindle a desire of meat and drinke and as paine and sicknesse felt and knowne kindleth a desire of the counsell and helpe of the Physician so feare and anguish wrought in our hearts by the rigorous sentence of the Law accursing vs kindleth in vs a desire to slie vnto this man euen the man Iesus Christ our hiding place our refuge our fountaine of liuing waters our shadow that refresheth that in him we might find defence against the storme of curses that the Law powreth downe vpon vs. Be not therefore afraid of the Law but be aduised by it and confessing thy sinnes flie as the Law compels thee vnto Iesus Christ who as the Apostle Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that we being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed Turne thee therefore from the ◅igorous face of the Law to the farre more cheerefull countenance of Iesus Christ and behold him hanging vpon the tree where he suffered for sinnes not for his owne for in him was no sin nor guile in his mouth but for thy sinnes imputed to him as the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying All wee like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Looke therefore from the Law that was giuen by Moses vnto Iesus Christ by whom grace and trueth are reuealed behold him sweating in the Garden till droppes of blood fell from him to the ground behold him scourged with whippes and crowned with thornes till the blood issued from all parts of his body behold him nailed to the tree there reuiled most disdainefully by the Priests and all the people heare him crying out vnder the weight of thy sinnes and of Gods displeasure indured for them My God my God why hast thou for saken me Behold him giuing vp the Ghost his life search whether it were departed from him or no with a speare Then O troubled sinner then did he sustaine the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs as Saint Paul te◅cheth saying Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs. For it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Dooth the law thunder out curses Iesus Christ stepped in betweene the law and vs and receiued the stroke of that curse vppon his owne head whereof he gaue all the world assurance when he humbled himselfe to the death of the crosse which manner of death was by a particular sentence of the law pronounced accursed and why should the law threaten againe the curse of God against thee which alreadie before it hath not onely pronounced but executed vpō another for thee Thou art discharged from the curse of the law in the curse that Christ sustained for thee yea thou art so fully discharged of the curse that in place there of thou art made heire of the blessing promised to Abraham for so are the Apostles wordes That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gētiles through Iesus Christ. Now this blessing of Abraham is the firme fauour of God to bee our God according to the couenant which hee made with Abraham and his seede after him in their generations for euer Which seed is not to be accounted by carnall birth but by spirituall faith without regard of line◅l discent in bloud for god is able of the stones that is of the heard stonie-harted Gentiles to raise vp children vnto Abraham For which cause it was said vnto him In thy seed shal all the nations of the earth be blessed By seed in this place he meaneth the Messias the redeemer that came of Abraham Isaack Iacob Iudah Dauid and in him all nations without respect of persons beleeuing in him as Abrahams heires walking in the steps of his faith shall become blessed by inheriting the couenant euen Gods fauour according to the couenant and thou among the rest Feare not therefore the sentence of the law but from the law turne thy face to Iesus Christ and the feared curse shall not fall vpon thee Reuerence the law as it teacheth a rule of life and feare it not as it pronounceth sentence of death God made his sonne vnder the law to redeeme them that were vnder the law And the same sonne of God is called by Saint Paul The end of the law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth If therefore being in the hands of the law thou wilt looke vnto Iesus Christ tho◅ hast attained to the end of the law and so art no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace And remember what Iesus Christ hath said in the Gospell As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes s◅ must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue eternall life Looke vp therefore vnto that serpent lift vp vpon the tree of the crosse and the sting of death which is thy sinne and the strength of sinne which is the law shall neuer hurt thee Against all danger of death of sinne and of the law heare what the Apostle saith Thankes be vnto God which hath gi◅en vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXV ALL that is hitherto spoken cannot giue peace to this troubled minde but as one waue followeth another in the sea so one feare followeth another in his heart and new feares afford new obiections Now he pleadeth thus against himselfe I haue no reason to hope for mercy for I haue no heart to pray for mercy I want all things that pertaine to true praier First I haue no God to praie vnto that will lend any care to my praiers I find this saying of Gods recorded
those sinnes in which thou didst deny him are done away Yea thy sins are so farre from making him no Mediator no Reconciler that for thy sinnes he is thy Mediator and thy Reconciler The Euangelist Iohn saith If any man 〈◊〉 wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for 〈◊〉 sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Wee haue an aduocate with the Father to pleade our cause When If any man sinne And he is our reconciliation that brings vs againe into fauour and makes our peace For what For our sinnes And who is this Aduocate with God the father who is this reconciliation for our sinnes Iesus Christ the Iust. Where is now the deniall of thy workes that should make Iesus Christ to be no Mediator for thee that should make him deny thee before his Father in heauen Hee taketh away those sinnes Hee is thy reconciliation for those sinnes Repent of those thy sinnes and feare not to pray to God in the name of Iesus Thirdly he saith hee hath no promises where on to ground his praiers And without promise to pray vnto GOD were to make idle and vnstable praiers That is most true But who told him that Gods promises which are made to all belong not vnto him This point was handled before when he obiected that Gods promise for the forgiuenes of his sinnes belonged not to him that was no Israelite And it was then prooued that all Gods promises belong to the seed of the righteous the Apostle Peter saying The promise is made vnto you and to your children So that if it were a prooued trueth that thou thy selfe wert vnrighteous and in thine owne right thou couldest make no claime to any promise of God yet seeing thou art a child of the righteous a child of beleeâ—…rs in the right of thy parents thy progenitors thou maiest make claime to the promises of God and vpon thy repentance and conuersion they shal be performed to thee And if this title contents thee not claime them in the right of Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith All the promises of God in him are yea and are in him Amen That is to euery one that commeth humbly and reuerently vnto GOD in the name of Iesus Christ seeking mercy and grace mercy and grace shal be granted according to the promises of God whose truth pertains to them that are in Christ Iesus and come vnto God by him But thou dost not now remember any of Gods promises neither didst thou heretofore take heed vnto them when thou â—…rdst them to lay them vp in the treasury of thy heart against the times of need Indeed this was thy fault which being now seene must heereafter be aâ—…ended Hence foorth hearken vnto them and when thou hearest lay hold vpon them and treasure them vp more carefully for hee is the happy man and blessed that heares the word of God and keepes it But though thou hast them not in the store-house of thine heart and canst not find them there yet there is an other store-house wherein they are laied vp and where thou maiest readily finde them and that is the booke of holy Scriptures Iacob in Canaan had his priuat store-house wherein prouision was laid vp for him and his familie and other men likewise had their priuate store-houses for their priuate prouision but when the yeares of famine came and prouision failed in mens priuat store-houses then the publique store-houses of Ioseph in Egypt were opened and al men fetched thence what they needed and especially Iacob and his family was from thence supplied Euen so for euery mans priuate comfort his owne heart is his store-house in which he that is wise wil treasure vp the promises of Gods mercie to saue the necessities of soule in times of feaâ—…e but if there come such yeares of famine such daies of distresse that the â—…ouision in the priuat store house of the â—…eart will not serue the turne send to the store-houses of the Scripture The Lord Iesus saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life â—…d they are they that testifie of me There â—…lt thou finde the large promises of Gods mercie vpon which thou maiest with much comfort ground thy praiers all holie Scripture is written for our instruction and comfort and it should be thy sinne and vnthankfulnesse to God aâ—…d treason against thine owne soule to â—…eglect in this time of feare to search for these promises in the Scriptures And whereas thou saiest that Gods promises belong to them that loue him and keepe his commandements and to no other and thou hast not loued him â—…ou hast not kept his commandements learne to amend this errour of thine heart and of thy life Amend the error of thy heart and loue the Lord amend the error of thy life and keep the commandements of God so shall all this feare weare away and thou shalt with â—…uch strength of faith ground thy prayers vpon Gods promises Fourthly he saith he knowes not how to pray I beleeue it oft-times Gods deare children are so astonished with the burden of their trouble and euen with this burden of sinne affirighting their soule that they know not how to pray Hezekiah saith of his astonished soule in the time of his sicknesse Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourns as a Doue mine eies were lift vp on high O Lord it hath oppressed mee comfort mee The sorrow of his heart did so oppresse his soule that though he remembred God and looked vp vnto him and had all his desires waiting vpon the hand of God yet he was not able to pray in any distinct manner like a wel aduised man his praying was all out of order it was more like the mourning of a Doue and more like the chattering of a Swallow then like the holy and orderly praiers of a wise and godly man And Saint Paul doth affirme it to be a more common thing and vsuall withall the seruants of God in times of affliction saying Wee know not what to pray as wee ought They know not what to aske nor in what order to aske And this being so common among Gods children shalt thou bee afraid to be a suitor vnto God 〈◊〉 thou knowest not how to pray shalt thou therefore be out of comfort if thou canst not pray distinctly and orderly yet lifting thine eles vp on high with Hezekiah charter like the Swallow mourne like the Doue Weepe with the Apostle Peter We read not in what words hee praied but wee read in what bitternesse of heart hee wept Let thy teares flow where thy words can finde no free passage Saint Barnard calleth the teares of sinners the wine of Angels And concerning the true vigour of praier Saint Augustine in one place saith it stands more in tearee then in words for instructing a certaine
rich Widdow how to pray vnto God among other words hee hâ—…th this saying 〈◊〉 hoc negocium plus gemitibus 〈◊〉 sermonibus agitur plus fletiâ—…quam â—…fatu This businesse of praier for the most part is performed rather with gronings then with words with weeping then with speech Let God therfore heare thy sighes and grones let him see thy teares when thou canst not shew him thy desire in words water thy couch with teares as did the Prophet and God will gather vp and put euery drop into his bottell thus doing when thou thinkest that thou hast not praied thou hast praied most powerfully For as Saint Ierâ—…mi saith Oratio deum lenit lacrâ—…na cogit Praier gently moueth God teares forcibly compell him He is allured as it were and won with the words of praier to heare vs but with the teares of a contrite heart he is drawen and inforced to heare and helpe where otherwise hee would not And in this affliction growing vpon thy heart because thou knowest not how to pray heare a notable comfort that the Apostle giues thee saying The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Where thinâ—… owne strength and wisdome faileth in this seruice of praying vnto God there the wisdome and power of Gods spirit kindletâ—… in thee strong desires and earnest longings after the mercy of God And the meaning of those desires and longings God perfectly vnderstandeth and needs not to bee informed by thy words So 〈◊〉 though thou canst not pray as thou â—…oghtest to doe yet that seruice goeth forward well while thou hartily desirest Gods fauour Of which desire in thee â—…ere needeth no other argument but â—…en the griefe of thine owne heart seeing in thy sin cause of Gods displeasâ—…re and that other thoughts come into thine heart when thou bendest thy selfe to pray maruaile not at it neither therefore be so farre discomforted that thou shouldest giue ouer praying but 〈◊〉 the more to pray and to watch thereunto in the attendance of thy thoughts and lift vp thine heart vnto God and keepe it with all thy care looking still to him These thoughts of thine heart partly arise from thine owne weaknesse and corruption that art more fit for any thing then to attend with setâ—…ed reuerence vpon God And partly they are mustered together and thrust â—…o vnseasonably into thine heart by the wicked enimy that would not haue thee pray because he knoweth that the mercy of God is most easily obtained by harty and constant praier therefore hee seekes to hinder thee in that businesse that thy mind being occupied about other cogitations thou might est let fâ—…ll to the ground the petitions that thou are offering vnto God but the more hee seeketh to trouble thee the more earnest be thou in praier remembring that saying of our blessed Sauiour giuen for a warning to his Discipâ—…es Wateâ—… and pray that yee enter not into temptation Lastly hee is offended and discouraged in his praying by an intruded answer that offereth it selfe presently after his praier and sometime before his praier be either ended or begun not suffering him to wait patiently vpon God and to hope in him and this intruded answer is alwaies vncomfortable It comes euer in the negatiue and â—…pulsiue forme whatsoeuer hee hath praied for or intendes to pray for it tels him he shall not haue he cannot haue hee iâ—… not worthy to haue hee must not looke to haue the iustice of God will neuer grant it vnto him Which answer is nothing else but if I may so speake the smoke of those fiery dartes of Sathan wherby he hath set the poore mans conscience in combustion bringing his sins â—…o remembrance setting before him the â—…ath of God kindled by those sinnes 〈◊〉 from hence extracting and drawing this heauy conclusion looke for no â—…rcy where thou hast deserued so â—…ch wrath It is no other then a very 〈◊〉 of his disease the fruit of his owne 〈◊〉 ouer hastily answering himselfe â—…ot â—…arying to receiue answer of God tâ—…s he must take especial heed off that for as much as hee maketh praier to God and not to himselfe he waite for his answer from God and receiue none from himselfe and if his heart will be foolish to suffer any such vncomfortable answer vnto him that hee reiect it and wait on the hand of heauen About this point the sonnes of men erâ—…e very dangerously and faile in extremities and few or â—…one can keepe the right meane to expect and receiue their answer from God While men liue carelesly in sinne and prouoke God euery day if they chance to offer any petition to heauen or by aâ—…y meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their hopes from heauen they euer boldly answer themselues with promise of all prosperity though in iustice it cannot be like vnto the man whom God complaineth of saying that Hearing the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walk according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart God giues no such answer to such men It followeth in the same place The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him Blessings belong to them that feare God not to them that conteâ—…ne him He that inqul reth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer belonging to the petitions and hopes of such men The threatnings of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts are all denounced against them as in the fore-remembred place of Deuteronomy The wrath of the Lord and his lealousie shall smoke against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen On the other side when men are humbled in the sight of their sins and haue great remorse in their hearts if they powre out any sighes and grones vnto God in their praier and by any meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their desires from heauen they euer fearefully answer themselues like those men spoken of by the Prophet Ezechil that say If our transgressions and our sins bee vpon 〈◊〉 and we are consumed because of them 〈◊〉 shall we then liue That is our sins deseruing death and those being now â—…id to our charge and the hand of God being heauy vpon vs for them there is no hope of life God giues no such answer to contrite hearts and to humbled spirits he doth not so reiect the deiected man He that inquireth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer of comfort and health appointed for them the promises of mercy runne all vpon their side The Prophet Moses speaketh these words vnto the people When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee at the length if thou returne to 〈◊〉 Lord thy God and bee obedient to his voice for the Lord thy
sinne that is called blasphemy against the holy Ghost is a pardonable sinne though certainly worthy of a thousand damnations According to that saying of Christ in the gospel Verily I say vnto you all sinnes shal be forgiuen to the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme Secondly that the Lord Iesus Christ hath commanded him and by his commandement giuen him leaue to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes and hath drawen for him a forme of petition by which to craue that forgiuenesse of our heauenly Father when he taught him in the Gospel to say Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen wee forgiue euery man that is indebted to vs. Thirdly that God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is rich in mercy to all that call vpon him hath promised both to forgiue and to forget all our sinne and iniquity In thosâ—… gracious words recordâ—…d by Ieremy I will forgâ—…ue their iniquity and remember theiâ—… sinnes no more Fourthly the condiâ—…ions to bee obserued on our part which God requireth where hee forgiueth sinnes and vpon which hee doth most assuredly forgiue sinnes haue beene shewed to be these three First repentance bringing forth in vs amendmeÌ„t of life according to that saying oâ—… the Lord in Ezekâ—…el Iâ—… the wicked will returne from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed they shal no be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Secondly loue vnto our brother in forgiuing vnto him whatsoeuer wrong he hath done vnto vs according to that saying oâ—… the Lord Iesus in the Gospel If yeâ—… doâ—… forgiue 〈◊〉 their trespasses your 〈◊〉 Father 〈◊〉 also forgiue you Thirdly saith in God expecâ—…ing at his hands that mercy that he hath promised to grant and exâ—…cting it in and 〈◊〉 his sonne Iesus Christ his sonâ—…e Iesus Christ his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the promises of God are yea and amen According to that most precious saying of the Lord in the Gospel Uerily verily 〈◊〉 to you whatsoeuer yee shall aske thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my name he will giue it yâ—…u These are grounds of truth giuing hope vnto vs that the burden of accusing thoughts may bee cast off and turned vpon God for the case of the poore sinner The rules of aduiâ—…e in obseruing whereof this burden is cast vpon God and the neglect whereof hindereth the caâ—…ling of this burden vpon God are these First that without deniall excu sing or extenuating of his sinne he doe ingenuously and fully confesse vnto God his sinne saying with the Prophet in the Psalme Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight For hee that seeketh by any meanes to hide extenuate or excuse his sinne before God as if he had not offended or had not deserued wrath by his offence shall not bee pardoned but he that freely confesseth shall finde fauour Salomon saith in the Prouerbs He that hideth his sinnes shal not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shal haue mercy Secondly let him patiently beare and without all murmuring the stroke of Gods hand which his confessed sins conuince him to be most worthy of and let him say with the Church I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him For murmuring impatience prouoketh God more The Prophet saith thus of God With the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward But patience winneth fauour at Gods hands for deliuerance The Apostle Peter saith Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Thirdly he must now hate sinne that hath bin so chargeable vnto him and inquire after the will of God and do it As Saint Peter likewise teacheth vs saying amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may bee done away For hee that continueth with delight in sinne shal neuer finde fauour but heapeth vp more wrath vnto himselfe against the day of wrath the Prophet saith Him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate A fourth aduice is that hee haue compassion vpon his fellow seruant and forgiue the offences of his brother putting from him all purpose of seeking reuenge for iniuries receiued As Saint Paul aduiseth saying Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another For he that hath no pitty vpon his brother and exacteth satisfaction of him shall finde no pitty with God and shall be solde to pay the vttermost farthing of his owne debt As the Lord Iesus hath plainly said If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses A fifth aduice is that he inâ—…orme himselfe daily more and more of the mercy of God merits of Iesus Christ by searching the Scriptures that doe beare witnesse therto that he may by this meanes grow to beleeue in God whereunto the written word affordeth great helpe for the saying of Iohn is true of all the Scriptures These things are written that yee might beleeue And without faith that staieth our mindes vpon God in the merit of his son there is no accesse vnto God as wee are taught by the Apostle saying Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Lastly he must with sighes and grones with humble and harty praiers solicite the maiesty of God continually that he will be pleased to respect him with fauour and to forgiue his sinnes as the Prophet Hosea teacheth vs saying O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will wee render the calues of our lips The neglect of this duty of praying to God is esteemed to be a marke of a wicked man For of them whom he calleth workes of iniquity the Prophet saith They call not vpon God In these â—…ew rules of confession patience repentance loue faith and praier standes the right casting of this burden vpon God These things let him practise constantly and God will ease his wearied conscience And thus haue we declared what burdens are heere meant and what it is to cast euery such burden vpon God Which things vnderstood wee haue the Prophets meaning in this precept of our text Cast thy burden vpon the Lord That is in al thy trouble seeke helpe and deliuerance at 〈◊〉 hand depending vpon him CHAP. XXXII NOvv wee come to the promise of recompence folowing in these words And he shal nourish thee hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The rules of holy counsell giuen vs of God are alwaies inriched with liberall promises of his blessing that wee may know that it is not in vaine to harken to his voice nâ—…r either dangerous or
any morall â—…re cept Nor the sin of any of Gods elect 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Therefore thy sinne is pardonable Eâ—…ec 18. 21 Henceforth there solâ—… diuers obiections This first obiection is his sin comâ—… neere that vnpardonable sinne Though par donable yet it is punishable And lesse sâ—…nes are punished Answer to this obiectioÌ„ Mar. 3. 28. To the first part of it In psalmâ—… 37. To the second part of it Mica 7. 18 Iohn 1. 29. To the third part of it Esay 1. 18. His second obiection from the iustice and holines of heauen Psal. 5. 4. Answere to this obiection from the iustice and holines of heauen First concerning iustice Esâ—…y 53. 5. Galâ—… 3. 3. Secondly concerning holines Ierem. 2â—… 6. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Incouragement vpon this answere Because he is permitted commanded to aske forgiunesse Lnke 11. 4 Mat. 7. 7. Mat. 7. 7. Because God hath promised to grant forgiuenesse 〈◊〉 3â—… 34 Psal. 150. 1â—… Esay 46. 11 His third obiection he may not aske forgiuenes for he cannot call God his father Luke 11. 2 His life doth not shew 〈◊〉 to be a child of God Matt 5. 48. 1. Pet. 1. 14. Iohn â—… 44. And hee hath not the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. Gal. â—… 22 Gal. 5. 19. Answer to this obies ction This mans cose is like thâ—… Prodigall in the Gospel Luâ—…e 15. 18 Luk. 15. 13 Luk. 15. 30 God proued to â—…e â—…ur Father though we be sinners Deut. 32. 6. Psal. 100. 3 1. â—…or 6. 1â—… Lu. 15. 1â—… Hebr. 12. 9 Esa. 57. 15 The holy Ghost is iâ—… him or may be obtained Iohn 3. 5. 1. Iohn 3. 9 Rom. 8. 15. Matt. 5. 32. Lu. 11. 13. Iere. 31. 34 The fourth obiection promise of forgiuenesse to Israel Ier. 31. 33. But I am no Israelite Rom. 9 6 Answere to this fourth obiection Mar. 15. 2â—… The woman of Canaan and this sinner compared together Mat. 15. 24. Mat. 15. 26. Mat. 15 â—…7 That this sinner is an Israelite 1. Cor. 7. 14 1. Pet. 2. 9. Acts. 2. 39. If he be not an Israelite hee may be Luke 3. 8. Hos. 2. 23 Esa. 55 11. A fift obiection others perish why not he and what is to bee done that I perish not Lu. 13. 2â—… Mat. 7. 22. 23. His obiection answered Conditions vpon which God keepeth promise to forgiue sinnes RepeÌ„tance is the first condition Serm. 181. de Tempore Ezec. 19. 2â—… God helpeth vnto repentance Acts. 5. 31. Psal. 51. â—…0 Ezeki 36. 25. Charitie to our brother is the second condition Iames. 2. 3. Mat. 6. 14. Reasons why wee should redily forgiue our brother Reasons why wee should redily forgiue â—… â—… 3 4 2. Sam. 12. 13. Ser. 2. de ser Domini super montem Mat. 18. 32 Prou. 24. 29. Faith in God is the third condition Micha 7. 18. Iohn 1. 29 1. Iohn 1. 7 Hebr. 7. 25. Mat. 21. 22 Mar. 9. 23. Acts 16. 31 Thou thinkest thou hast not faith Thâ—…u maist haue it and not know it Iude. 3. If thou want it thou cansâ—… not take it of thy selfe Ephe. 2. 8. Ephe. 1. 19 But it is obtained of God Partly by praier Iohn 16. 23 Ser. â—…6 De verbis Doâ—… Partly by the study of the word Rom. 10. 8. Iohn 5. 39 Rom. 10. 17 Rom. 10. 14 Ioel 2. 32. Rom. 10. 13 Psalm 1. 2. Psal. 32. 1 Rom. 1. 16 The three conditions repeated Others perish for not obseruing those conditions Ierem. 9. 2 Thou mâ—…ist by these con ditions obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes Rom. 5. 1 A sixt obiection Hee hath neither repentance nor loue nor faith Answ're to this sixt obiection Thou maist haue them and not know it Thou art not far from them Acts. 2. 37. Moral li. 1. chap. 27. Num 23. 10. Morâ—…l lib. 33. chap. 27 Mark 9. 24 Mark 9. 23 Thou mayest obtaine theÌ„ if now thou want them God giueth repentance Esay 44. 3. God giueth true charity Esay 11. 6. God giueth saith Ephes. 2. 8 Matth. 7. 7 A seuenth obiection his heart is euer full of euil thoghts Answere to this obiection Thoughts hâ—…rt not if we yeeld not to them Iames. 1. 14 Rom. 6. 21. Gen 39. 7. Mat. 1â—… 43 Prou. 14. 31 Euill thoughts suggested by Sathan are his sinne 〈◊〉 thine Luke 4. 5. Eccle. 4. 10 The diuell bath leaue to tempt not power to ouerthrow Where hee hath most power yet deliuerance may be â—…ped for Ephes. 2. 2. Luke 11. 22 Hoseâ—… 13. 14 Hebr. 2. 14 Hebr. 2. 15 2. Timot. 2 25 Luke 10. 17 An eight obiection the Lawe curseth traÌ„s goessours and he is a transgressor therefore cursed A fraud of Satan dâ—…scouered with warning to take heede of it Rom. 6. 1. Rom. 6. 2. Deut. 4. 24 Esa. 33. 14 An answer to this eight obiection Gala. 3. 24. Esa. 32. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 24 Esay 53. 6. Mat 27. 46 Gal. 3. 13. Gen. 22. 1â—… Rom. 10. 4 Iohn 3. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 57. A ninth obiection He cannot pray therefore shall not speed Esay 1. 15. Esay 59 â—… 1. Tim. 2. 5. Mat. 10. 33 Titus 1. 16. Deut. 7. 9. Eph. 6. 18. Psal. 37. 7. Answer to the ninth obiection That hee hath a God to pray vnto Psal. 51. 4. vers 1. vers 2. vers 7. â—…er 7. 9. Mich. 3 9. Psal. 51. 17. That bee hath a mediator in whose name to pray Hebr. 7. 25 Iohn 1. 29 1. Iohn â—… 1. That hee hath the promises of God to ground his praier vpon Actâ—… 2. 39. 2. Cor. 1. 20 Ioh. 5. 3â—… Hee is taught how to pray Esa. 38. 14. Rom. 8. 26. Ser. 30. in cantica Ad 〈◊〉 epist 121. capit 19. Ier. in â—…sa Rom. 8. 26. Mat. 26. 41 WaÌ„rning to take heed of giuing himselfe any answer Deu. 29. 19. Verse 20. Deu. 19. 20 Eze. 33. 10. Deu. 4 â—…0 Psal. 145. 14 Psal. 147. 3. Ephe. 2. 12 Ephe. 2. 19 A â—…uth obiection hee is forsaken he is lost he is a reprobate An Apostâ—…ophe 〈◊〉 God â—… Cor. 1. â—… Answer to this tenth obiection Iob. 39. 37. Himselfe bâ—…ng sâ—…eaker â—… noâ—…â—…o be regarded Rom. 9. 18 Rom. 14. 4. Psa. 116. 11 Rom. â—… 4. The diuell being autor of this obiection it is to be reiected Iohn 15. 26 Iohn 8. 4â—… 1. Pet. 5. 8. He may be forsaken for a time and aâ—…ter again receiued to fauour Psa. 22. 1. Psa. 22. 19. Psa. 22. 24. Mat. 27. 48 Psa 16. 10. He cannot say that he is eternally forsaken reasons to the contrary Thâ—…se whom God 〈◊〉 saketh for euer be vseth to giue peace vnto that they may not â—…ee and bate their sins Iob. 21. 7. Iob. 21. 14. Esa 54. 7. Thou art not lost without remedie Luke 15. 6. Luke 15. 9. Luke â—…5 24 Luke 15. 20 Things are said to be lost two mannaner of waies The sinner thinkes himselfe lost 〈◊〉 these waies If ye were euery way lost there iâ—… remedie Heb. 7. 25. Iesus Christ doeth seeke and saue them that were