Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	dead_a	death_n	trespass_n	4,131	5	10.6204	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19508	The triumph of a Christian contayning three excellent and heauenly treatises. 1 Iacobs wrestling with God. 2 The conduit of comfort. 3 A preparatiue for the Lords Supper. Full of sweet consolations for all that desire the comfortable sweetnesse of Iesus Christ, and necessary for those who are troubled in conscience. Written by that worthy man Master William Couper, minister of Gods word.	Cowper, William, 1568-1619.; Cowper, William, 1568-1619. Conduit of comfort.; Cowper, William, 1568-1619. Jacobs wrestling with God.; Cowper, William, 1568-1619. Preparative for the new Passeover.	1608 (1608)	STC 5937; ESTC S117170	143,181	383

was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stir and moue as Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne wee begin to thinke vs of the wayes of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall wee doe that wee may bee saued These motions meltings and prickings of the hart wrought in the ●…lect by the operation of Gods word are the very plucks of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must wee not rest here for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receiue this word with joy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation Wee must therefore consider if there bee in the hart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord so oft as hee calleth doe wee present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham here I am Lord and with Samuel after hee knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy Seruant heareth thee This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saidst Seeke yee my face my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy statutes alwayes to the end If the Lord promise mercy the Christian answeres Stablish O Lord thy promise to thy Seruant and let it bee to me according to thy word for I beleeue in thee but Lord help my vnbeleefe And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continual respondence to the voyce of God a waiting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer hee goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the world or of the slesh shall hold thee back from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his cloak he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their nets their ship and their Father and followed him when hee called on Mathew hee left all his gainful trade of the receipt of custome and followed him when hee called on Mary Magdal●…ne shee forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Here is the finest Touchstone to trye an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou bee wandring after vanitie walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceiue not thy selfe pertalcer of this heauenly Calling wherein stands the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer beene CHAP. XV. The loue of God a sure token of an inward calling and of the commendation of loue THat Loue of God And last of all to returne to the words againe the whole effects of out inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Loue compriseth all the rest vnder it Loue is the Cognisance of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the band of perfection saith the Apostle and accomplishment of the L●… Loue speakes with the tongue of eue●… Vertue Pittie bids thee help the indigent Iustice bids thee giue euery man his owne Mercy bids forgiue Patience bids suffer but the voyce of Christian Loue commaunds all these Holy Loue is the eldest Daughter of a iustifying Faith that is the fi●…st affection that Faith procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Loue is the strongest and most imperious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which wee may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward inflamed with Loue becomes valiant and a couetous man is oft times ●…y Loue made to bee more prodigall yea the proud and ambitious man who otherwise giues place to 〈◊〉 man for obtayning that which hee 〈◊〉 cares not to prostrate his honor 〈◊〉 the dust If carnall Loue be so forci●… what shall wee say of the spirituall Loue How much more doth it draw 〈◊〉 whole powers of soule and body 〈◊〉 the Lord neyther is it possible to 〈◊〉 otherwayes for euery thing returns to his owne originall as the waters go 〈◊〉 to the deepe from whence 〈◊〉 came and fire tends vpward to his owne place and Region euen so holy Loue being a sparke of the heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost doth continually enflame them towards the Lord from whom it came and suffers vs neuer to rest while vvee enjoy him then vvee begin to liue when vvee begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of his owne Element so the Soule is but dead in sinne vvhich is destitute of the loue of God No feare to offend him no care to please him no obedience to his Commaundements can bee giuen by the heart that loues him not It were tedious to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choise of a few as chiefe tryals of our Loue. CHAP. XVI First triall of Loue. THe first propertie of Loue is a burning desire to obtaine that which is beloued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnfainedly cannot bee content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue himselfe So the soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iesus her immortall hushand hath a continuall desire to bee with him I graunt enerie token sent from him brings comfort but no contentment till shee inioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaints As the Hart brayes for the riuers of water so panteth my soule 〈◊〉 thee O my God O wh●…n 〈◊〉 I come appeare before the presence of my God my soule desireth after the Lord as the thirstie land for I would be dissolued be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas here are we taken in our sins Thou sayest thou louest him but how is it then thou longest not to see him neither desi●…est to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death wherein we should goe to him or mention of the day of judgement wherein hee shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gifts of God and thinkest not long for himselfe thou art but like an adulterous woman who if she posses●…e the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see himselfe The Iewes are blamed because they called on th●… Lord rather for oyle and wine then for himselfe The Gentiles are conuinced for worshiping the creature rather then the creator but more iustly shall the bastard

had beene impossible for thee O weake man to haue holden vp thi●…e head in the least of these tentations ouer which now through his Grace thou hast preuayled and obtayned the victory Not vnto vs therefore O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name let the glory bee giuen It is againe here to be marked that the Lord when hee appeareth most familiarly to Iacob hec exercises him with a wearisome wrestling the suddaintie and noueltie vvherof no doubt at the first did greatly terrific and disquiet him The Lord then when hee coms to Iacob doth not ●…ast him asleep into carelesse security but hee tosses and shakes him too and fro and exercises him with fighting and strugling all the night long whereof wee may learne that euen when the Lord is ne●…rest and most familiar with vs then oftentimes our tentations and wrestlings vvill be greatest So soone as Iacob got the first blessing therefore withall incontinent hee behoued to sustaine the enmitie of Esau and was forced for eschewing his crueltie to vndergoe banishment And now when the Lord comes to blesse him againe hee first wakes and prepares him by tentation This is the order of the Lords working Blessed is the man who endureth tentation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him It is not then true which sometime the weake Conscience doth conceiue and apprehend that spiritual exercises wrestlings and fightings against tentations are tokens of descrtion of the Lords absence and departure from vs by the contrary they are sure witnesses of the Lords familiar presence vvith vs whether vve fight vvith the spirituall weapons of our Warfare against carnall men without vs or against our owne infidelitie and rebellious affections labouring to subdue them and bring them captiue to Christs obedience or against any other of Sathans temptations standing with the compleat armor of God at all occasions to resist him All these vvrestlings I say are vndoubted tokens of a spirituall life within vs and of the Lords presence vvith vs in mercy and fore-runners of a further blessing for as the carnall peace and securitie of the wicked ends in destruction and their pride goeth before a fall when they say peace safety then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction like that which fell on the Philistines in the midst of their carnall rejoycing the pillars of their house vvere not sure enough to sustaine them so the inward humiliation of Gods children is by a good token a sure argument of approaching grace But as to the vvicked vvith vvhom the Lord is not they are no Wrestlers against Sathan and sin for they are dead in sinne and trespasses and haue rendred themselues prisoners and captiues vnto Sathan and are taken of him Captiues at his will they liue vnder a miserable peace with the enimie of their Saluation If hee wound them they mourne not if he command them they resist not And such alas are many in this age vvhose eyes it may please the Lord to open that they may see that miserable state wherein they do stand and once may bee moued by his Spirit to sigh vnder this heauie seruitude and bondage and earnestly call vnto God for deliuerance CHAP. VII Comfort for Christs souldiers BVt as for you whom GOD hath set at enmitie with the Serpent and entred to fight in that battell which once was proclaymed in Paradise and wherein all the souldiers of that blessed seed of the woman must fight by course vnto the end of the world Blessed are ye for hereby yee may know that the Lord hath loosed the chaines of your captiuitie Ye are no more the slaues prisoners of sathan but by grace warriours against him ye stand on that side whereof the Captaine is that triumphant conquerour the victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda euen that God Peace who shall shortly trample Sathan vnder the feete of his Saints ●…aint not ye therfore because of your continuall tentations Thinke not the Lord is from you because you are exercised with inward wrestlings Wrestling in this life is our greatest perfection an vndoubted testimony of another life in vs then the life of nature None can striue against sathan and sinne but by the spirit of the Lord Iesus or who can hold or retaine the Lord till hee blesse him but he who hath the Spirit of the Lord Iesus Nature will make no opposition to Nature and Sathan will not striue against himselfe where striuing and wrestling is striuing I meane for a blessing from God and wrestling against sinne there Christ is there the spirit of the Lord is ther a new life is By it thou art knowen to be the good souldiour of Iesus to bee the man for whom is prepared the Crowne For no man is crowned except he striue Let it be therfore no discouragement to thee that thou art kept vnder wrestling with daily tentations but rather let it bee to thee a witnesse that God is with thee as hee was with Iacob Farther it is to be considered that Moses saith a Man wrestled with Iacob so hee appeared to be but as yee haue heard the wrestler was the Lord. This yeelds a notable lesson for the children of God that in all our wrestlings what euer appeare vnto vs or who euer seeme our partie it is the Lord with whom alway wee haue to doe This consideration vpheld Iob that worthy warriour in the middest of his greatest afflictions when the tempest of winde ouerthrew the house and destroyed his seauen sonnes and three daughters when fire came down from heauen and burnt his seauen thousand sheepe and his seruants when the Sabaeans destroyed his siue hundred yoke of Oxen and fiue hundred shee Asses when the three bands of Chald●…ans tooke away his three thousand Cammels yet in all this he complaines not of the iniquitie of the Chaldaeans and Sabaeans he murmures not against the elements the aire nor the fire he speaks no word against any that were instruments of his trouble he knew that they were all vnder the Lords commandement to come and goe at his pleasure hee turnes his eye toward the Lord and takes him vp for his partie The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. And so with this one weapon of godly consideration he keepes off at one time manifold buffets blowes of Sathan and is preserued vnwounded by them For in all this Iob sinned not with his mouth Good were it for vs if in the whole course of our life vve could remember this for so shuld we not be discouraged cast down as commonly we are by looking too much to the instruments of our trouble Many things we beare the more impatiently because we conceit they proceede from men or other second causes which we vvould receiue much more vvillingly if wee could remember they come

members with the head so it seales vp the communion of the members among themselues for this bread whereof we eate is of many graines of wheate made vp into one bread and the wine is the iuyce of many berryes collected and vnited into one to teach vs that all the Communicants at this holy Table how many soeuer they bee ought to agree together in one like members of one body as hauing one Father one Faith one Baptisme one Inheritance as Brethren quickned all by one and the selfe same spirit which is not to bee found againe in all the world except in this excellent brother-hood as wee cannot bee ioyned to the head without faith so can wee not bee knit to the members without Loue. Stones and timber cannot make vp a building till they be ioyned and sundry peeces of mettall cannot bee melted in one work without fire no more can Christians be vnited in one mysticall body without Loue and therefore our Sauiour at the celebration of this Sacrament recommended Loue to his Disciples by a new Commaundement which hee so called because it should neuer waxe olde yea so much doth he account of it that he will accept no seruice wee owe to himselfe without that duty of loue we owe to our brethren If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue thy offering goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Of this it is euident that without Loue to our brethren we can doe no acceptable seruice to the Lord. In this therefore let vs trie and examine our selues what compassion finde we in our hearts toward our brethren what willingnesse to doe them the good wee can what loue to beare one anothers burthen what readinesse to forgiue when we are offended what humblenesse of minde to aske them forgiuenesse against whom wee haue sinned practising these precepts While yee haue time doe good to all men And againe forbeare one another forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you The Maiestie of God suppose first offended did first seeke man to bee reconciled with him and shall man that hath offended thinke euill to seeke his Brother to bee reconciled with him but alas are these fruites of Godlinesse now to bee found amongst men if thou seeke them thou shalt finde them as the Sommer gatherings or as the grapes of a Uintage cut downe though thy soule desire to eate the fruite thereof thou shalt not finde it for the good man is perished out of the earth such as are Christians by name they liue like Iewes and the Samaritans of whom it is written that they might not conuerse together to forbeare and forgiue one another to them are precepts of an vncouth language which they vnderstand not as a sparkle of fire easily kindles a heape of powder so a small offence remoueth all their affections they are not slow vnto wrath like the Lord and far lesse like him in readinesse to forgiue As men saith Lactantius are mortall so should their anger bee mortall our Sauiour saith the Sunne should not goe downe vpon our wrath the Apostle commaunds vs to bee Children concerning anger and maliciousnesse who as they doe not deepely co●…eiue it so they do not long retaine it but are shorly familiar with them with whom they were a little before offended but as it vvas doubted of Sylla Sylla ne prior an Sylla iracundia sit extincta so is it out of all doubt that in many vipers of this age anger dieth not till they die themselues And as for doing of good to their neighbors and brethren they liue in the world like monsters or like those Gyants The sonnes of Anack they alone will be Lords of the earth as if the world were made for them onely or they at the least were borne for themselues Churlish like Nabal shall I take said hee my bread and my flesh and giue vnto Dauid all that they haue they account so to be theirs as if they had not receiued it or were not the Lords stewards bound to distribute to the necessities of his Saints the rich gluttons they vse it as a morsell for their owne mouth Now my soule thou hast enough for many dayes let Lazarus finde as he may they thinke with Cain they are no keepers of their Brethren That which dieth let it die These and many moe are the common and seene corruptions of this age wherein we are to examine our selues how farre the renewing grace of the Lord hath made vs to depart from them and what holy loue we haue put on For hee that loueth not knoweth not God because God is loue and he that loueth not his Brother whom he hath seene how can hee loue God whom he hath not seene hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren And thus much vve are content to haue touched of our disposition toward our neighbour Now last of all concerning our disposition in our selues let vs bee sober esteeming basely of our selues highly of the Lords mercie hungring and thirsting for his saluation and in verie deed the more we shall consider how God hath magnified his holy name by his meruailous mercies towards vs the more shall wee bee compelled to cast downe our selues before him in all humilitie and submission of our spirits When Dauid promised to Mephiboseth that hee would shew him kindnesse for Ionathan his fathers sake Mephiboseth humbled himselfe to the ground and saide what is thy seruant that thou shouldest looke to such a dog as I am but here the Lord our God not onely promiseth vnto vs kindnesse for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake but presently performes it and inuesteth vs againe vvith our Fathers inheritance which vve forfaited in Adam and where we vvere of our owne nature but deade dogs vncleane creatures dead in sinne and trespasses Now behold what loue the Father hath shewen vs Hee hath made vs partakers of this heauenly vocation as to be hi●… sonnes and his heires and shall not wee then in our very hearts bee humbled before him acknowledge our great vnworthinesse and his excellent mercies Let vs confesse vvith Godly Iacob I am not worthy O Lord of the least of all thy mercies and let euery one of vs say with the Centurion I am not worthy Lord that thou shouldest enter vvithin my roofe Let vs vvith the vvoman of Canaan acknowledge our owne roome if the Lord should giue vs but the benefit of vvhelps dogs that is should suffer vs to goe vnder our maisters Table and eate of the crummes that fall from it yet were it more then any way we haue deserued and how then are we bound to haue our hearts and our mouthes filled continually with the praises of our God who hath bestowed vpon vs his greatest mercies when we

our possession they shall be found but comfortles comforts in the end vnlesse we enjoy his fauour towards vs in Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXI Faith obtaines euery good thing that i●… craues Verse 27. Then hee said VPon this earnest desire of Iacob the Lord resolues that hee will blesse him we haue a promise of God Aske and it shall be giuen you we haue also manifold confirmations of this promise Zedekiah spoke it in a slattering manner to his Princes Ye know that the King can denie you nothing but it is most true in the Lord our God such is his louing affection towards all his subiects of the kingdome of grace that in very deed he can deny nothing which they ask in faith As to the wicked saith S. Iames they ask get not because they ask not in faith nor for the right end It is written of Uitellius the Emperour that one of his friends being denied his petition which was not rea sonable waxed angry and said vnto him what auailes to me thy friendship seeing I cannot obtaine that vvhich I craue vvho replyes vnto him what auailes to mee thy friendship if for thee I must do that which is vnlawful If such equitie hath beene found in man vvhat shall vve think of our God with vvhat face dare wee seeke that from God vvhich is vnlawfull to bee giuen But whatsoeuer vve aske of the Lord in faith we are sure to obtaine it or a better So rare a jewell is faith that hee vvho hath it hath all things to bee his God for his Father Iesus Christ for his Sauiour the holy Ghost for his Comforte●… the Angels for his minist●…ing Spirits this world for a sojourning place all the good creatures therein for his Seruants and the heauen for his inheritance therfore said Cyril Lata mer●…atura est sides Before the Lord blesse him he asks Iacob what his name vvas hee answered My name is Iacob to vvhom the Lord sayes Thou shalt no more bee called Iacob onely but shalt be called Israell also I giue thee now a new name and this blessing that thou hast had power with God so hereafter shalt thou preuaile with men feare not therefore the face of thy Brother Esau. Hee that gaue thee strength in this vvrestling shall sustaine thee also in all thy conflicts with men Thus the Lord will haue Iacob vse the present experience of Gods mercy at this time as a confirmation of him in all time to come Iacob then as yee see hath two names and both of them he gets from wrestling Hee wrestled once vvith his brother Esau in the wombe of his mother and from it he receiued the name Iacob because he held his brother by the heele Now againe hee wrestleth with the Lord and from it he receiueth this other name Israel a prince of God As it was with Iacob so it is with all the true Israelits of God wrestling abides them and in wrestling they must bee exercised sometimes vvith God as Israell sometime with man as Iacob with Esau and Paul with beasts at Ephesus No man is crowned before he striue the husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruit and wee by many tribulations must enter into the kingdom of God Againe yee see that as the Lord bestoweth vpon Iacob a new name so therewithall hee bestoweth vpon him new graces increase of faith and spirituall strength to resist tentations It is not the Lords manner of dealing to set out his seruants with vaine glorious titles which imports nothing when hee giues them a new name he giueth also new graces answerable to the name by his vvord he cals things to be which vvere not Soli Deo idem facere quod loqui for vnto God it is one to speake and to doe And hee giues names to things according as they are Somtime he changeth a name from the better to the vvorse as the place once called Bethel the house of God the Lord called it Bethauen the house of vanitie and this the Lord doth not but where a change is indeed from good vnto euill Sometime againe hee changeth the name from the worse to the better Where it was said vnto you Yee are not my people it shall be said yee are the sons of the liuing God and this he doth not but vvhere a change is indeede of the persons who gets the name from euill vnto good And this is a rule whereby we may try our selues vvhether the new name that appertaineth to Christians be ginen vnto vs of the Lord or not or if vvee haue vsurped it our selues If the Lord haue changed thy name as he did Iacobs name let it appeare in this that he hath also changed thy selfe Hath he giuen thee that grace which the name imports Hast thou receiued an oyntment from that holy One Hath he illuminated thy darknes quickned thy dead heart sanctified thy vnclean affections Then maist thou be sure that thou hast receiued thy name from God but if yet we be such as remain in our naturall estate liuing in our old sinnes vnder the new name of a Christian as now the most profane men haue gotten on the couering of a Christian name Esau doth put on him the apparrell of Iacob thou that so dost maist bee sure the Lord neuer gaue vnto thee this new name but thou hast violently vsurped it vnto thy selfe It shall be no more auaileable to thee then was the garment of good king Iehosophat vnto wicked Achab yea it shall augment so much the more the wrath of God vpon thee because that vnder an holy name thou hast liued an vnholy life Beltasar sinned against God by excesse and intemperancie but that hee abused the holy vessels of the house of God to serue him to prophane drinking was a double sinne a horrible sacriledge yet not so horrible as thine Hee abused dead Vessels but thou profanest a liuing soule body they are not thine owne they were once made by the Lord and bought againe by the price of his bloud and so by all right are the Lords by Baptisme they were separate to the seruice of God and his mark put vpon them Notwithstanding all this thou darest sacrilegiously abuse them and make them weapons of vnrighteousnesse to the seruice of Sathan O miserable man what fearefull judgement maist thou looke for at the hands of God The wrath of God is reuealed against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of man Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill euery man shall receiue according to that which hee hath done in the body Turkes and Pagans shall not escape vnpunisht but thou that abusest thy soule and body to the seruice of Sathan which by Baptisme wert separate consecrate to the Lord committest a double sacriledge and therefore must looke for a double judgement except in time thou repent CHAP. XXII It is the curse of the wicked to pray

translate his Church from Aegypt to Canaan then hee altered Pharaohs countenance hee raised vp a new king which knew not Ioseph and turned the Aegyptians harts away from Israell so that they vexed Israell and caused them to serue by cruelty and all this the Lord did to the end his people should become weary of Aegipt and inforced by violence to make forward to Canaan whereas otherwise as it well appeares if they had beene dandled as in the beginning they would haue neglected the promised land and contented themselues with Onions and Flesh-pots of Aegipt Thus Pharaoh by his obstinacy brings on himselfe his iust deserued punishment the Lord workes to his people their vndeserued deliuerance and afterward when the sins of his people drew to that ripenes that they had caused their dayes to draw neere and were come to their terme the Lord stirred vp the king of Babell as the rodde of his wrath and staffe of his indignation he sent him to the dissembling Nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spoyle and the pray and to tread them vnder feet like mire in the streets and then that the Lord might be auenged of the sins of Israell hee subdued all kingdomes round about them vnder the king of Babell that no stop or impediment should be in their way to hold off the iudgement from them But yet againe when the Lord had accomplished all his workes vpon Mount Sion and the appoynted time of mercy was come and the 70. yeares of Captiuitie was expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake hee altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empire to the Medes and Persians that Cyrus the Lords annoynted might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations which can fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church though the earth should bee moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea yea though the waters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a Riuer vvhose streames shall make glad the Cittie of our good God in the middest of it and therefore it shall not bee moued yea they who should bee as nursing fathers and Mothers to the Church of God may forsake her and become her enimies but assuredly they shall perish and comfort and deliuerance shall appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a while may put the bridle of bondage in the Philistines hands to humble the Israelites for their sins but it shal be taken from them and the day shall come wherein wee shall with ioy draw water out of the Wels of saluation and prayse the Lord saying Though thou wert angry with me thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest me Yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy one of Israell in the midst of her and therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our Aduersaries reioyce not against me oh mine enimie though I fall I shall rise and when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord is a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he shall pleade my cause and execute iudgement for mee hee will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then hee that is mine enimie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to mee What is the Lord thy God CHAP. VII What is a Christians best WHat is the Lord thy God Now shall he be trodden vnder as the mire in the street yea so let al thine enimies perish O Lord For the best This best is no other thing but that pretious saluation prepared to be showne vs in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are reserued by the power of God through Faith whereof we learne that our best estate is not yet wrought so as it is accomplished it is onely in the working saies the Apostle and therefore wee are not to looke for it in this life There is a great difference between the godly and the wicked the one inioyes their best in this life the other lookes for it and are walking toward it For if it should be demaunded when a wicked man is at his best I would answere his best is euill enough but then a wicked man is at his best when hee comes first into the world for then his sinnes are fewest his iudgement easiest It had bene good for him that the knees had not preuented him but that he had died in the birth for as a Riuer which is smallest at the beginning increaseth as it proceeds by the accession of other waters into it till at length it bee swallowed vp into the deepe so the wicked the longer hee liueth waxeth euer worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued saith the Apostle proceeding from one euill to worse saith Ieremie till at length he bee swallowed vp in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And this the Apostle expresseth most significantly when he compares the wicked man vnto one gathering a treasure wherein he heapes vp wrath to himselfe against the day of wrath For euen as the Worldling who euery day casteth in money into his treasure in few yeares multiplies such a summe the particulars whereof he himselfe is not able to keepe in minde but when he breaketh vp his Boxe then he findeth in it sundry sorts of Coyne whereof he had no remembrance Euen so is it and worse with thee O impenitent man who not onely euery day but euery houre and moment of the day doest multiply thy transgressions and desile thy conscience hoording vp into some dead work or other to what a reckning thinkest thou shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou forget them as thou cōmittest them Yet the Apostle telleth thee that thou hast layde them vp in a treasure and not onely so but with euery sinne thou hast gathered a portiō of wrath proportionable to thy sin which thou shalt perfectly know in that day vvherin the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure and open the booke of thy conscience and set thy sinnes in order before thee then shall thine owne wickednesse correct thee and turning backe shall reproue thee then shalt thou know and behold that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God And shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of witnesses standing vp against thee then shalt thou perceiue that these sinnes which thou hast cast behinde thy backe the Lord hath set them in the light of his countenance and then woe shall be vnto thee for the Lord shall turne thine owne wayes vpon thy head when thou hast accomplished the measure