is that which is both a testimony of the inward humiliation of the soule as also a helpe and furtherance of it Such a fast was this that David speakes of here A Fast that did arise from a sense of his unworthinesse of the creature and did expresse the sorrow of his heart for sinne A Fast which he did set upon only for this end that he might be more free and more fit for prayer And so likewise for the mourning and weeping he speakes of It was not such a weeping as ariseth meerely from the temper of the body as in some that are more apt for teares Nor a weeping that did arise from the distemper of the mind such as those curst froward passionate vexing fretting teares are such as the teares of Esau to his father hee lift up his voyce and wept hast thou not one blessing more blesse mee even me also oh my father But they were teares that did arise from a holy affection from a gracious disposition of heart from inward contrition and sorrow like the teares that Peter shed when hee went out and wept bitterly They were teares that discovered the inward vehemency of his spirit in prayer like those teares of Iacob when he wrestled with the Angell the Prophet Hosea telleth how he wrestled hee prayed and wept Such teares were these as did expresse the fervencie of his spirit in prayer the earnestnesse of his desire in putting up this request he had now to God like those of Hezekiah I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares saith God such teares as God putteth into his bottle such teares as hee takes speciall notice of There are no teares that are shed for sinne out of an inward sorrow of heart that are shed in prayer to expresse a holy desire that proceed from an inward inflamed affection and fervency of spirit but they are very precious with God as farre I say as they declare the inward truth of the heart and the inward sense of our wants and the weight of the petitions we put up to God Such were these teares here I fasted and wept I will not stand upon this The reason of this action why he fasted and wept I did it for this end for saith he I said who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee that the childe may live A man may wonder if he read the former part of the chapter whence this perswasion and hope should come into the heart of David that there should be a possibility of having the life of this child by his prayer whereas the Lord had said before by Nathan to him that the child should die Nathan had told him in expresse tearmes that the child should die yet he putteth up his prayer for it and said Who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to me that the child may live We must know therefore that God sometime even in those sentences that seeme absolute implies and intends a condition David had respect to such a course as God ordinarily tooke hee knew well that God at other times had threatned things yet neverthelesse upon the repentance and prayers and teares upon the humiliation and contrition of the hearts of his servants he hath beene pleased to alter the sentence to suspend nay it may be wholly to take away and change the Execution Thus it hath beene It was so in the case of Hezekiah The Lord sentas expresse a message by Isaiah the Prophet to Hezekiah as he did by Nathan to David Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not live Yet neverthelesse Hezekiah turneth his face to the wall hee wept and laid open his request before the Lord Remember now oh Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. Yee see the Lord presently sendeth the Prophet to tell him that he had added fifteene yeares to his life and yet the message was carried in expresse words and in as peremptory termes as a man would have thought it had beene absolute and no condition intended The like in the case of Niniveh Ionah commeth to Niniveh and began to enter the City a dayes journey and hee cried and said Yet fortie dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Here was the time limited the Judgement declared and no condition exprest yet the King of Nineveh humbleth himselfe and the people they fast and pray and goe in sackcloth c. and the Lord was pleased to alter this sentence But some will say these Examples were after Davids time What were these to him upon what ground did hee take this course had he any promise or example before time of any such thing as this that did give him incouragement to fast and pray in hope that though God had said the child should die yet it should live Certainly David had examples before time of the like nature when God had threatned judgements and they did not know whether the issue would prove or no as they desired yet they sought God As in the case of Saul When the Lord sent an expressemessage by Samuel that the kingdome should be taken from him and given to another because he had not dealt faithfully in the execution of Gods command concerning Amaleck yet saith thetext Samuel mourned for Saul still Insomuch as the Lord questioneth him How long wilt thou mourne for Saul seeing I have rejected him from raigning over Israel Yet Samuel continued in seeking God as if hee should say Who knoweth what the Lord will doe But more expresly David had examples before his time not onely of seeking the Lord but of a gracious successe and answer that those had that sought him As in the case of the Israelites when there was a discontent amongst the people because of the ill report that the Spies put upon the good land the people began now to murmur against God Well saith the Lord to Moses let me alone and I will destroy this people at once Moses setteth himselfe to seeke the Lord and prayeth and presseth the Lord with many arguments for his owne glory for his peoples sake for his Covenants sake and many other wayes to spare them What was the issue of it He was heard the Lord told him that hee had heard his prayer and granted his request though hee would fill the earth with his glory and all the world should know what a jealous God he was another way yet in this particular hee had granted his request they should not be cut off at this time So that David had good experience that though judgement hath beene threatned before yet neverthelesse courses have beene taken that the sentence hath beene altered without a change of Gods purpose at all For God ever intended it to be understood with a condition if they returned not to him he would goe on if they returned to him he would not goe on So the purpose of God
complaining Now saith Saint Paul bee as if not in weeping That is let the thoughts of the neerenesse of the shoare make you so contented as if there were no crosse at all lying upon you For I still follow the Metaphor the Spirit of God useth hee that is the poorest man in the Ship hee that doth nothing but dresse the sayles and as I said before plie the pumpe and it may be is beaten withall yet in the middest of all these he thinketh I shall by and by cast Anchor and though I worke hard yet one houre more will make me free So it should be with us in all afflictions as if not that is Thinke Death will come and end all I am sicke in body I am crost in my good name in my yoake-fellow Well Death will end all these I have but a little while to â—…arry in this world and short things must not be tedious On the other side Hee that rejoyceth as though hee rejoyced not That is in all the contentments of the world in all the joy a man hath in the things below as suppose a man have an estate here and credit given him or any thing that makes the world account a man happy Remember all these things will be gone assoone as I die as still to use the comparison let it bee the Master of the Ship he may thinke with himselfe all these are under me I can command them and punish them if they disobey yet assoone as I am out of the Ship they are as good as my selfe I am now neere the shoare and shall bee soone out of the place I am in let me therefore moderate my selfe So let us in all worldly contentments be so moderate as if wee should take our leaves of them and they of us And so for a man to bee as though hee possest not That is for a man not to inlarge his heart as the world is enlarged But if I have now so many pounds and therewith buy such a purchase and such a purchase let me live and carry my selfe in my thoughts as if I had nothing but food and rayment And then lastly commeth in the maine of all the rest They that use the world as not abusing it By world hee meanes all the good things of the world all that I named before and all that you can else thinke of Wife and children prosperity and adversity every thing on the right hand and on the left all commeth within the compasse of the World use all these things so But especially hee aymeth at worldly businesses the things wee are exercised about doe them as not abusing them as not letting your hearts bee set too much upon them but bee temperate and moderate in all that we may ever be fit for that great service that God hath to imploy us in Now out of all these put together the mayne Lesson that I would speake of is this That the true servants of God true beleevers all the blessings and erosses they meet with in this world they must have them as if they had them not This is the point I would open to you That in wife children prosperity crosses thinke what you can a beleever must bee in them as if not as if hee were not in that condition To give you for the proofe of this any other Scripture then my Text I suppose I need not the Apostle Saint Paul you see layes it downe in so many words Yet for the better confirmation of the point I will adde to that two or three other plaine places Only first I would a little explaine to you what it is for a man to use all these things as if not And I cannot for my life better lay it open to you then by such a comparison as this Looke how worldly men use the things of heaven so a heavenly man must use the things of the world To instance in a few duties that I will but name Suppose it be the duty of prayer Bring me out a true beleever and a worldling let them both be put upon this duty of prayer The true beleever his heart before he goes to prayer is so full of care that hee may pray aright so full of feare lest his heart should not carry it selfe as it should when he is in the duty his heart is so violently bent to it it so strugleth and striveth that hee may doe it as may please God When hee hath done he hath much joy and comfort if hee have carried it well and much sorrow and griefe if hee have carried it ill Thus a religious heart carrieth it selfe in this duty Now a worldly man doth the duty too but how as if not that is hee hath none of this care before hee commeth to it he hath none of this trouble when he is at it he hath none of this perplexitie when he hath done if he have miscarried in it If hee be able to come off it is well enough though it be performed in never so ill a manner Why his mind is after other things hee intends greater matters as hee thinkes The Minister hath taught him to pray and he can say his prayers and so hee doth the duty but still as if not Oragaine suppose a man whose heart is set upon Mammon put this man to recreation hee may perhaps find time to play at Bowles or Cards or Tables with a friend but how hee cares not whether hee winnes or loses hee whiles away the time but this is not the thing his heart is set upon that giveth him contentment but that which his mind is on is his commodities his trade his merchandize his businesse in the world Iust thus beloved it must be with every true beleever in the using of all the things of this life that is without care without feare without perplexitie without distraction and if they come on so if they goe so he must be pleased if hee have them and content if hee want them and howsoever his thoughts must bee carried higher and better To thinke thus I am the servant of God I have a Calling here I will follow it in obedience to God I have a Wife I will use her as a wife should be used I have childred I will have a care of their education But I must not come to be distracted about my calling about my wife and children and servants and good name or any thing that is here below I am here to day it may please God I may bee gone to morrow my hearts desire must be to be content with this that God is my all-sufficient portion if I bee in prosperity to be as if not if in affliction to carry my selfe so that in the middest of sorrow and trouble to bee as if God have freed me from all remembring still that my portion is in another life Thus you have seene both the lesson arising from the Text and what that is that in it is required of
given many men occasion to passe a very uncharitable and unchristian verdict of him I beseech you let me give you a true naked relation how it was I never knew any men of so peaceable a disposition but there might be sometimes some difference betweene them there was betweene Abraham and Lot betweene Paul and Barnabas and there was betweene another honest neighbour and him both men of a peaceable disposition They did not desire to goe to law they desired the matter might bee put to Arbitrators they chose foure honest Gentlemen to take up the matter betweene them they made me as an unworthy Umpire in case they did not agree On Thursday last they met and each of them pleaded their cause And let me say thus that if this Brother of ours had beene judged to doe any wrong in that cause if hee had uttered one word of falshood to helpe his cause if he had used one word of imprecation wishing any curse to himselfe then it had beene peradventure a just thing with God to have taken him at his word If he had sworne one oath if he had uttered but one uncharitable word against his neighbour if he had shewed but any malice or spleene against him if hee had beene but transported with passion as a man may easily be in his owne cause we are but men I say if hee had beene but transported with passion then peradventure some men might have thought it had beene the stroke of divine justice upon him but let me tell you I have the witnesse of honest Gentlemen that were the arbitrators and will justifie First that his cause was good and that there was not one word spoken but was confirmed by honest witnesses present Then he used no kind of imprecation in the world no not as I remember so much as a protestation or any asseveration there was not one oath sworne either by him or by others that were present There was not one uncharitable word spoken by him there was not any malice or ranckour or hatred appeared either on the one side or the other betweene them he was no way transported with passion He did plead his cause but with that meeknesse of spirit with that quietnesse with that sweet temper and that Christian moderation as more could not be required in any Saint of God Therefore brethren let me only tell you thus much while this was in agitation I could not perceive that hee was moved at any thing hee was not stirred he was not earnest in his cause Till it pleased God to touch him and he had some sense and feeling of it rising from his stoole he sate rubbing of his cheeke or his necke with his handkercheife Hee fell upon the necke of a Gentleman that sate close to him who perceiving that he was not well asked him how he did he was scarsly able to give us an answer I perceived that hee was stricken with the dead palsie Brethren considering these things that I have told you before I beseech you judge not that you be not judged condemne not that you be not condemned You owe a dutie to the truth every one of you and by that dutie that you owe to the truth I was about to say I charge you as before God but I beseech you as before God stoppe the mouthes of all them that shall either bee forgers or spreaders of such notorious lies though it pleased God it were by a sudden stroake of his hand and how often hath hee done it when men have beene worse busied hee was but seeking to worke peace Though it pleased God suddenly to take his speech from him yet I beseech you know this withall hee was pleased not to take his life presently away nor his understanding from him from Thursday about foure of the clocke that hee was first stricken hee lived till Saturday night or Sunday morning I know not whether but in this time on Friday night I was with him and I perceived by the lifting up of his hand that hee knew mee I put him in minde of some gracious promises that God hath made to us in Christ. I asked him whether hee beleeved those promises of God and whether hee found any comfort in those promises and then hee lift up his hand I asked him and desired him if hee found any assurance of Gods favour in Christ to make the same signe hee lift up his hand againe I asked him if I should pray with him hee desired it and at the period of every Petition his hand went up to God And one thing I observed more that in one petition of mine in that prayer for him that it would please God to deliver him from the malice of Satan that would be most busie when wee are weakest hee held up his hand higher then before and continued holding it longer And blessed be our good God that wee can hold and keepe an intelligence with him not only by speech but with our very hands that lifting up of the hand and those groanes of his spirit I make no doubt but they prevailed at the hands of God And so as he lived I make no question but hee died a holy servant of God and I hope his soule is now in heaven and wee are come to lay up his body in the earth in the hope of a blessed and joyfull Resurrection FINIS LIFES APPARITION AND MANS DISSOLUTION GEN. 47. 9. Few and evil have the dayes of the yeares of my life beene PSAL. 102. 3. For my dayes are consumed like smoake LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. LIFES APPARITION AND MANS DISSOLVTION SERMON XXV JAMES 4. 14. For what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away THere are two maine things to which the corrupt nature of man is subject and obnoxious rash judgement and vaine confidence Both spring out of one roote and that is pride where pride possesseth the heart it will make a man rash in the judgeing of others and presume vainely and confidently upon himselfe At all these evils the Apostle strikes here in this Chapter both mother and daughter both root and branch To take heed of pride that is the mother sinne hee exhorteth us to thankfulnesse where in stead of waxing proud of our selves he would have us humble ourselves and he brings this argument to perswade us because they that humble themselves God will exalt The only way to be exalted is to be humble hee compares the state of man in respect of his future condition to a paire of Balances that are hung on a beame the lower the one balance is downe the higher the other is up the lower wee humble our selves in this life the higher God will exalt us in the next The two maine evils which are the branches of this root the Apostle reproves in the eleventh verse First rash judging of others the fault of those that are apt to speake evill of others speake not
to you beloved of your children as our blessed Saviour sayd of his Disciples touching themselves they are of more valew than sparrowes yet the Lord feeds them together with the young Ravens that crie how much more will hee give supply to those creatures that are stamped with his owne Image Neither is it onely a reward and blessing upon the rich that they are fruitfull but it is even a reward and blessing to the poore that they have children for it is specified in Psal. 107. 41. that God will make them a family like a flocke of sheepe and comfortable it is that they shall have a family like a flocke of sheepe because this may well be intended they shall prosper and thrive with a little maintenance as sheepe will grow fat albeit the leas are but very short Secondly it serves to direct all that desire this blessing of increase that they may know of whom to seeke it it is God that must make thee fruitfull like Rachel it is hee that makes the barren to dwell with the familie and to hee a joyfull mother of Children There are five speciall keyes that God reserves in his owne power The first is the key of the Raine the Lord shall open his good treasure and the Heavens to give Raine to the land Deut. 28. 12. Secondly the key of food thou openest thy hand and fillest all things living with thy plenty Psal. 104. 28. Thirdly the key of the graue hee bringeth downe to the grave and raiseth up againe 1 Sam. 2. 6. Fourthly the key of the heart it is sayd Acts 16. 14. the Lord opened the heart of Lydia Fiftly and lastly the key of the wombe God remembred Rachel and opened her wombe Gen. 30. Abraham therefore being childlesse he makes his moane to God Isaack prayed to God for his Wife because shee was barren Hanna Samuels mother poured out her soule to God in hearty prayer when shee had no child As also Zacharie and Elizabeth the Parents of Iohn Baptist. This is the true course first to God and then to the meanes Rachel was in a passion and shee cried to her Husband give mee Children or else I die but nothing of all this prevailed till shee sought it of the Lord and then shee was fruitfull that is the first Secondly it is recorded of her that she was not onely fruitfull but that with this fruitfulnesse of hers there came an increase of Gods people shee built up a great part of Israel and what else were the Isralites but Gods peculiar people A right christian indeed is called a true Isralite and the elect are termed by Saint Paul Gal. 6. 16. the Israel of God So then hence you may inferre that The desire of having Children must ayme at the increase and inlargement of Gods Church This is a blessing indeed when the wife by her off-spring builds up Israel not Babel Bethel Gods house not Bethaven the house of iniquitie This was the desire of holy people of old when they prayed that their children might bee as Corner-stones couched into the walls of the Temple meaning thereby that they might grow into the Temple of the Lord to bee a habitation of God by his Spirit Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmist that hath his quiver full of them it is of such children that are as the arrowes of a strong man Whence it followes that they must have more in them then nature for arrowes are not arrowes by growth but by Art so they must bee such children the knottinesse of whose nature is refined and reformed and made smooth by grace Ishmael the sonne of the bond-woman had twelve sonnes and all Princes in their Nations but what did all these titles of dignitie doe them good as long as they were out of the promise Questionlesse Hanna's drift in desiring a sonne of God was that out of her might come one by whom Gods glory might bee advanced among men therefore shee vowed him to the Lord all the dayes of his life The Angell told Zacharie that he should have joy and gladnesse at the birth of his sonne why Because he should bee great in the sight of the Lord and filled with the holy Ghost and turne many to the Lord Luk. 1. 50. Hee that begets a foole that is an ungodly irreligious sonne for that is one of Solomons fooles he gets himselfe sorrow and the father of such a one shall have no joy but hee shall be his very calamitie and his meere vexation It is a rule set downe in Scripture that whatsoever is done should bee done to the glory of God therefore our desire of having children must aime at this that out of our loynes may come such by whom Gods glory may bee promoted and the number of the godly increased in the world Thirdly shee is recorded to have yeelded in all willingnesse and readinesse to the desire of her Husband When Iacob was warned by an Angell from God to returne from Laban to the Land where he was borne he made his wives acquainted with the matter and discovered to them his whole intent and purpose they forth-with gave him this yeelding and respective answer Whatsoever God hath said unto thee that doe Gen. 31. 11. The like is to be seene in Sara shee was no hindrance to Abraham in his removall from his owne Countrey to Canaan no nor at such time when she was ignorant whether he went she was no hindrance to him in the speedie circumcising of his sonne No nor shee did not goe about to hinder him in the very sacrificing of his sonne Out of all doubt if shee had beene a clogge to him in any of these respects the Spirit of God would never have concealed it because the wrestling with her unwillingnesse and gain-saying had beene a strong evidence of Abrahams faith that the Scripture is very carefull to set out to the full for his credit and our instruction There are two Women storied in the Scripture above others as examples of Gods judgements upon the untowardnesse of Wives not joyning with and incouraging their Husbands in good doing The one is Lots Wife whose love no question was a great delay to Lot in his departure from Sodome that when shee should have gone on with her Husband in hast to the place which was appointed for their refuge without looking backe shee drew behind still lingring after her wonted home but what was the issue shee was turned into a Pillar of salt The other was Michal the wife of David when shee looked out and saw David dance before the Arke shee despised him in her heart and was so farre from approving his zeale that when hee returned shee entertained him with a frumpe saying to him What a foole was the King of Israel this day but what was the issue of it a punishment was inflicted on her for her fault that shee had no child all the dayes of her life 2 Sam. 6. 23.
at her death Her life was well knowne to most of this place and her death was every way answerable to her life all that visited her in her sicknesse might behold with sorrow a pittifull anatomie of fraile mortalitie and yet with joy a perfect patterne of Christian patience and a heavenly conversation and though shee were full of divine conceptions and shee had a spring by her of the waters of life in the devotion of her dearest helper especially in the best things yet when I came to her shee desired shee might be partaker of some of my meditations they were her owne words and when I prayed with her and for her shee joyned not so much with me with her tongue as her affections and answered more in sighes and teares then in words often shee complained of her tuffe heart that would not yeeld to her dissolution and long long sheethought it till shee should come to appeare before the God of Gods in Sion Her last words were sweet Father helpe me and shee had her request for presently hee helped her both by the zealous and most feeling prayers of her Husband and by the holy spirit assisting her in her owne prayers with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed and immediatly her swâ—…et Father released her of her pangs and received her to himselfe on his owne day On the Lords day morning before the morning watch I say before the morning watch shee entered into her rest and began to keepe her evarlasting Sabbath in heaven where shee reapeth what she sowed and seeth what shee beleeved and enjoyeth what she hoped for and is now entered into those joyes which never entered fully into the heart of any living on earth nor shall into ours till wee with her be made perfect and all of us come to Mount Sion and the heavenly Ierusalem and innumerable company of Angels and to the Congregation of the first-borne whose names are written in heaven and to the spirits of just men and women made perfect Whether the God of peace bring us in our appointed time who brought againe from the dead the great sheepheard through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant To whom with the holy Spirit c. FINIS FAITHS ECCHO OR THE SOVLES AMEN ISAY 64. 1. Oh that thou wouldest rent the Heavens that thou wouldest come downe IER 11. 5. So bee it O Lord. Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. FAITHS ECCHO OR THE SOVLES AMEN SERMON XLVII REVELA 22. 19. Amen Even so come Lord Iesus THese words they afford to us a comfortable and sweet argument to bee conversant in From the sixt verse of this Chapter is set down to us the confirmation of the whole Prophesie and booke of the Revelation partly by the affirmation of God as likewise of Jesus Christ and of Iohn himselfe that heard and saw all these things and likewise of the Church of God in the 17. verse it is likewise confirmed by the promise of blessing and happinesse pronounced upon them that shall doe all these things and shall faithfully expect the accomplishment of them This verse a part of which I have read to you is the repetition in few words of all that matter that goeth before from the 6. verse to it and hath in it First an attestation of our Lord and Saviour Christ in the former part of the verse Behold I come quickly Secondly an acclamation of the Church in the latter part these words I have read to ye Amen even so come Lord Iesus In the attestation of Christ hee promiseth hee will come to his Church hee will come shortly both for the accomplishment of all his promises and likewise for their safety and deliverance from all enemies and all miseries and molestations whatsoever To this the Church makes an acclamation and saith Amen even so come Lord Iesus In this acclamation of the Church to which wee must now come we are to consider First the person of the speaker whose words they bee Secondly what is the matter or substance contained in them Yee shall see whose words they bee if ye looke backe but to the 17. verse of this Chapter there ye shall finde that first it is sayd the Spirit sayth come By the Spirit is not meant the third Person in Trinitie the holy Ghost because hee is not subject to these passions to these desires but hee resteth himselfe in the execution and present disposing and dispensing of things according to his owne will and pleasure Neither by Spirit here is meant any wicked spirit or Angell for they doe with feare and horrour expect the same comming of our Lord and Saviour Christ because his comming shall bee the accomplishment of their miserie and eternall infelicitie But by Spirit here is meant the spirit in all the Elect and holy people of God in whomsoever the Spirit of God is that Spirit doth say come and doth wish the accomplishment of all these most gracious promises For this is not the desire of the flesh or of nature but an earnest and vehement desire of the Spirit of God in the Elect that saith come Againe secondly the same verse telleth us that the Bride sayth come That is the Church of God in generall the Catholike Church the whole Church of God being now hand-fasted to Christ and entred into a spirituall contract with him Shee desireth the consumation of the Marriage the solemniation of the Marriage which is alreadie begun in the contract of it and not onely every particular member of the Church in whom the Spirit of God is saith come but the Church of God in generall the Bride sayth come the whole Church saith come wishing and desiring the accomplishment of the Marriage which is already begun In the third place the same verse telleth us that as the Spirit and the Bâ—…ide say come so hee that heareth saith come that is not onely the Church of God that is now present here upon the face of the earth but the successive parts of the Church in all future Ages they are all of the same minde having received the same Spirit they all say come Whosoever heareth this Prophesie whosoever heareth of these promises in any Age or Countrey of the World all they having the same spirit they must needes say come hee that heareth sayth come hee that is acquainted with the promises that commeth to the knowledge of them and doth mingle them with the faith of his soule this man must needs say come to the accomplishment of them And lastly Hee that is a thirst sayth come too that is whosoever hath tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ in any measure whatsoever and therby hath wrought in him a vehement thirst after more this man will say come Whosoever hath such a sence of Christ in his promises as to taste of the sweetnesse of these never so little as hee that hath tasted a droppe of honey wisheth for more so hee that hath tasted of the sweetnesse of Christ a