of God doth most abhorre and detest dissimlation most odious to God Hypocrisie an enemie to faith a dissimulation in his seruice neither is there any vice so opposite to true faith as Hypocrisie for faith lodgeth in the heart Hypocrisie in the countenance faith studies to please God Hypocrisie seekes to please men saith is liuely and constant Hypocrisie as a faâ—ling leafe fadeth incontinently So that there is no societie betwixt faith and Hypocrisie Simil. more then betwixt a painted fire hauing neither light and heat and a true fire hauing both and a shadow the body And as the painting of an Harlots face will soone melt before the fire when the natiue and naturall colour of an honest woman will not change so will counterfeit feinednesse soone evanish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cannot be firme and solid Nazian De funere patris Math 23.27 Our Sauiour Christ accounteth them to be as painted tombes who haue a goodly shew before men but within are full of dead mens bones they haue a shew of life although they be dead Simil. Were he not to be accounted a foole that hauing nothing but a shew of Merchandise would giue himselfe out for a rich Merchant The sinne of Witchcraft and Idolatrie are two great sinnes but Hypocrisie is more dangerous then both we haue heard of many thousand Papists and Idolaters who haue beene reclaimed and turned to God confesse it what great errors they had beene also many Witches at their death haue renounced their Master the Diuell But seldome haue I read that Hypocrites haue repented when our Sauiour who neuer brake a brused reed thundered woes Math 23.13.14.15 He cryed woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and when hee denounced iudgement he said whose portion is with Hypocrites To be short let no man thinke that remission of sinnes can be separate from holinesse and sanctification Remission of sinnes ioyned with holinesse for they are borne together as two twinnes and liue together yea the one cannot liue without the other how canst thou thinke from thine hart that thine sinnes are pardoned vnlesse heartily thou hate sinne for which thou hast repented then wee may say that those get pardon for their sinne who feele their sinnes and feeling doe hate and flie from them flying from them with all the force of their heart are caried to a contrarie vertue being made free from sinne wee are the seruants of righteousnesse Rom 6.18 Ibid. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit God loueth sincerily in a Christian Ioh 1.47 But we haue deepely to consider that in all our religion the Lord loueth nothing so much as sinceritie Behold a true Israelit in whom there is no guile Hee doth not looke to the measure of thy repentance faith or loue but to the vprightnesse therof Louest thou me louest thou me Ioh 21.15 Psal 51.6 louest thou me sayth our Sauiour to Peter He craueth the truth in the inward parts Simil Men loue not false gold rotten stuffe or any superficial matter what so euer and we alas care not to carrie about with vs a counter feited religion Let vs trie our selues therefore whither we be in the faith or not God cannot be deceiued The Papists take from this text some occasion of stumbling for they would make a part of righteousnesse to be Christs another to be ours that which commeth from Christ is ours by imputation ours againe to be inherent because he sayth in whose heart there is no guile But they confound iustification with the effects thereof Answer to the Papists opposing the spring to the fountaine not driuing them from it So is the righteousnesse of Christ the fountaine of all our happinesse Et causa regni and the cause of the kingdome and if there be any dropps of righteousnesse in vs they spring from that fountaine Et sunt viaregnandi and they are the way by which we must attaine to that kingdome and say with the Apostle That Christ is made our righteousnesse Albeit wee be of our selues vnrighteous 1 Cor. 1.30 yet by him we are made righteous albeit wee are not able to pay the debt our selues yet seeing Christ hath payed it for vs we are freed For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5.19 so by the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous By which wee are euidently taught that by Christs righteousnesse we are righteous before God I will not glory because I am righteous but because I am redeemed Ambros de Iarâ—et vita beata lib 1. cap. 6. not by reason I am voyde of sin but because my sinnes are pardoned not because I haue done good or receiued good from others but because Christ my aduocate is with the father interceding for me for his bloud was powred forth for me Indeed the Saints of God yea the best of vs all cannot purge our selues of Hypocrisie neither doe we sincerely serue our God as we ought to doe but one thing we know that we haue a displeasure within our selues for it and doth it not willingly which spirituall sight God pardons in his Saints The marks by which yee shall know whether yee be sincere in Gods seruice or no 3 Markes to try our sinceritie are these 1. First if yee haue an vpright indeuour to approue your selues to God in all things seeking not to please men but him who seeth the heart we care not to be iudged of men we stand and fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God 1 Thes 2.4 1 Sam 15.30 desired Samuel to honour him before the people 2. Secondly a sincere heart hateth all sinne specially his owne sinne and troubleth himselfe little in amplifying other mens sinnes but very narrowly and sharpely will taxe himselfe and will call himselfe with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 The greatest of all sinners 5. Thirdly a sincere Christian professeth religion for the loue of the same and for no other respect and loueth good men for no other cause but for their godlinesse where as Hyprocrites may doe both outwardly for some worldly respect either of a benefit or credit which they may purchase by these meanes I pray God therefore that all of vs may remoue from our hearts this vale of Hypocrisie and dissimulation in Gods seruice that we may studie to approue our selues to God in the sight of Christ in all integritie and singlenesse of minde to the ende that all our seruice may be acceptable to him VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared all the day The second part of the Psalme YEe haue heard the Proposition of the Psalme concerning the true happines of man consisting in the remission of his sinnes now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example which is the
so strictly vrged that he can get no relaxation of his euill being so incurable except he get a remedie froÌ„ God These would seeme to be the words of an impatient mind but we must not thinke that a Christian can keep a continual course but as Iob fell forth in bitter speeches so the best man in the world may do as much and more Therefore when men are thus passionate let vs not cast them off iudging them to be reprobates When he faith they are euer before him note the extremitie of his tentation that he hath no stay of his trouble but continually pressed therewith Should not we thank God that deales more mercifully with vs that notwithstanding of our sins doth not suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with troubles for he is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare Lorinus here bringeth in Purgatorie as though Dauid had not had purgatorie of afflictions in this lâ—fe but had need of another purgatorie in another life Verse 18. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne Verse 19. Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie and they that hate me wrongfully are many HEre the malice of his enemies is described from the circumstance of time when they vtter their malice in the highest degree when he is lowest in declaring both his sinne and the punishments thereof and being afflicted of God they afflict him and impeach his spirituall meditations Thus Satan taketh vs at the shot and at the pinch that when we haue to do with God specially and most particularly he then manifesteth his malice most against vs to interrupt our diuine seruice yea he goeth mad in furie when he seeth vs seruing God Satan abhorreth our repentance and confession of sin for there is no exercise which he doth more abhor then repentance and confession of our sinnes for in so doing we bid adieu to the diuell and acquit our selues from his camp Lorinus following Origen expoundeth this of auricular confession to the Priest yet he granteth that this place doth not conuince the vse of confession sacramentall which was not vnder the law neither the other which was made sometime to men yet he thinketh it fauoureth them both lest contadicting the Fathers he may seeme to fauour the heretikes who abhorre the sacramentall confession Mine enemies are aliue The miseries of Gods children inanimates their enemies and giues them new courage as though they got a new life and were reuiued when they heare the destruction of Gods children and yet they are in effect dead who delight in the dead works of sinne Non est viuere sed valere vita Si viuis animae si quid antiquà tibi Remanet vigoris pelle foemineos metus Eâ—â— inhospitalem caucasum mente indue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardere but rather as Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viuere vnde Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the wicked is sinne Also I mark here what is the life of wicked men sinne and doing of wrong The diuel he delighteth to tempt men to sin and the wicked cannot sleep till they haue done some sin and neither can eate nor drinke with delight till they haue performed some mischiefe And they that hate me wrongfully are many An argument to perswade God to deliuer him is his innocencie that the wrongs he suffereth are causlesse For surely the Lord will not maintaine vs against our enemies if we haue iustly prouoked their anger Psal 5.4 For he is a God that loueth no iniquitie and no wickednesse dwelleth with him It is not his pleasure that we should be enuious neither wil our Christian profession admit it which is so far from doing wrong A mark of one truly religious he doth wrong to none that by the contrary it will be content patiently to endure iniuries Then if this be a note of true religion to do violence to none what religion thinke ye the Romanists haue who teach that it is sâ—ruice done to God 〈◊〉 murder Princes shed Christian and innocent blood it is a bloodie religion aâ—d the Diuell is the father of iâ— and Rome the mother which hatched it Flie from â—haâ— Babel that ye be not partakers of her iudgements Verse 20. They also that rewarded euill for good are mine adâ—â—rsaries because I â—oâ—â—ow goodnesse THis is a higher dâ—gree of iniquitie that not onely they harâ—d him without any cause or wrong done by him to any of them but also he had prouoked them by his benefiâ—s to loue him and yet they were so diuellishly disposed that as Iudas did recompence Christ so did they Dauid repaying him euill for the good things he had bestowed on them Three sorts of spirits 1. naturall There be three sorts of spirit a naturall when a man can do good for good and euil for euill which theeues Pagans Barbarians and the very beasts will do 2. celestiaâ—â— The second celestiall who can do good for euill to shew their conformitie and obedience to Christ their Master The third sort are infernall 3 diabolical possessed by the diuell who render euill for good who in our dayes abound too much whom God reserueth to eternall darknesse Were mine aduersaries or did calumniate From this commeth the name of the Diuell Satan an accuser of the brethren The wicked calumne always Gods children Gods children haue euer the diuels children set against them to accuse who if at any time they praise let vs suspect our selues lest we haue done any euil for which they do it As Antisthenes when he heard the people praise him said Quid inquit mali feci Plutarch What euil haue I committed Because I followed goodnesse This is the highest degree of their persecution to trouble him for religion and because he feared God So they hated God in him and persecuted God in him 21. Forsake me not O Lord be not thou far from me my God Verse 22. Haste thee to help me O my Lord my saluation THese two verses containe a prayer wherein he imploreth the help of God by a three-fold repetitionâ— euer he feareth desertion for sinne ingendreth this feare For if we were cast into the deepest dangers this will euer comfort vs if we be assured of the Lords presence heauen is hell to vs if he be not with vs Nota. hell is heauen to vs if he be there Haste thee to helpe me O my Lord my saluation Here is the weaknesse of our nature described that through our infirmitie we cannot waite the time of Gods deliuerie which maketh vs to crie hasten God will come if we patiently attend his coming But let vs learne patiently to attend his good leisure assuring our selues that he will come Come Lord Iesus and deliuer thy Church from all her miseries by thy glorious appearance O my Lord my saluation He attributeth those names to God Iehouah the name
respect nothing so much as it we should not teare him in peeces with blasphemies as many do neither dishonour it any maner of way but sanctifie the great name of the Lord our God in our hearts and in our workes Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Dauid thinketh himselfe dead both in body as a man not liuing but dead and in his soule comfortlesse vnlesse God giue him life and vigour Psal 103.5 As the Eagle by breaking her bill reneweth her age and the Serpent by easting her skinne reneweth her life so we must throw away the old fathers of our sinnes that we may become young againe Obserue that we are euer dead in this world Doctr. God who gaue vs our natural life must reuiue vs who are fleeping in sinne Mar. 12.27 till God put life in vs and quicken vs for all the world is dead without Gods life Then we are oblieged to God that we liue naturallie who must also quicken vs spirituallie For he is not the God of the dead but the God of the liuing Surely the naturall death is not so much to be feared as the spirituall of which Christ saieth Let the dead burie the dead Luk. 9.60 Both which are now alike lying vpon most of this age So we are to sue at God to quicken and reuiâ—â—e vs that we may serue him For surely we are dead till the Lord our God quicken vs and this is to vs a new resurrection And for thy righteousnesse bring my soule out of trouble Man may craue with a good conscience to be brought out of trouble We brought our selues in trouble through our sinnes Man bringeth himselfe in trouble but God must pluck him out of it but there is none who can free vs from them but God and therefore we may lawfully cry to him for helpe The first argument is taken from the righteousnesse of God for it is righteous with God to render iudgement to your enemies and to vs relaxation for God payeth them with their owne coine Therefore as God hath mercie to his owne so likewise he hath iustice by which he will plague his owne aduersaries And for thy mercie slay mine enemies and destroy all them that oppresse my soule He claimed to iustice for his deliuerie as in the former verse together as in another Psalm Of mercy and iustice saith he my song shal be Psal 101.1 But he desireth God to slay his enemies in his mercie Obiect when rather their destruction was a worke of his iustice Solut. I answere that the destruction of the wicked is a mercie to the Church As God shewed great mercie and kindnesse to his Church by the death of Pharoah Senacherib Herod and other troublers thereof Obiect But why prayeth he against his enemies directlie against Christ precept who commandeth vs to pray for them that persecute vs Mat 5.44 Solut. I answere those enemies were more Gods enemies against whom we are bound to pray not his particular enemies whom he pardoned According to the example of Christ who on the crosse prayed for his enemies Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe But why would he haue them slaine seeing he saith in another Psalme Obiect Slay them not Solut. lest the posteritie forget I answere they are said to be slaine who rage in malice when God will make them examples of his iudgements some whom he will reserue to another time till their cup be full and that they as Cain may be tormenters of themselues and examples to the posteritie to come Gen. 4.15 Mat. 27.5 Cain was reserued and Iudas executed and God iust in both Cains prolongation was as a sentence giuen by the iudge suspended for a time giuing time to repent yet in a most fearefull and disperat case that it had bin better for him to haue died then to liue in such a desperate punishment and torture of conscience For I am thy seruant The last argument which he vseth to moue God to help him is by professing himselfe to be Gods seruant A prince will thinke it a great indignitie offered to himselfe if his seruant be iniured Now Lord I am thy seruant whom they torment goe Lord confound them and deliuer me This teacheth vs that if euer we desire to haue any fauour from God He who would be in fauour with God must serue him either in maintaining vs or confounding our foes that we must serue our Lord and imploy all our indeuours to glorifie him Let vs not serue sinne and our lusts but serue him who is most faithfull and whose promises are yea and Amen God grant vs that we may serue him in feare and trembling and end our daies in the magnifiing of his holy name through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen FINIS
may be comforted As for the Mercy of God Gods mercies innumerable Eph. 3.18 to me to speake thereof it is impossible yea to expresse the height bredth depth and length thereof as impossible as if I should recken the number of the sand of the Sea yea all the creatures Angels and men if they would bend their wits they were not able to expresse the least part of the mercies of our God for they are finite creatures and he an infinite God whose mercies are innumerable and infinite yet according to my humane capacitie what I haue conceiued and doe beleeue of his mercy that I will deliuer to you And as I spake before of his wrath and anger that endureth but for a season Psal 136.1 c. Psal 145.9 I will intreat of his mercies which endure for euer and which are aboue all his workes himselfe also being stiled The Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 His mercies are either Generall or Speciall Foure sorts of mercies 1. Generall Temporall or Eternall His Generall mercies are those benefits which he bestowes vpon all mankinde as well elect as reprobate whereupon our Sauiour sheweth vnto vs That he maketh the Sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the bad and thereupon he inferreth Mat. â— 4â— Be mercifull as your Father in heauen is mercifull So that these same Externall benefits are to the reprobate vnseene and vnfelt benefits and mercies The Speciall mercy is the remission of sinnes 2. Speciall which he bestoweth vpon his owne children allanerly Gen. 25.5 6 So that as Abraham gaue gifts to the children of the Concubines and reserued the heritage for Isaac his sonne and as Helcanah gaue to Peninnah a portion 1 Sam. 1.4 5 but vnto Anna a worthy portion So God giues riches to the wicked but only grace to his chosen children The Temporary mercy is the forgiuenesse whereby he pardons the sinnes of the reprobate 3. Temporarie mercies and out of his clemencie deferies their temporall punishments to make them the more inexcusable Iâ—â—ah 3.10 1 King 21.29 as he did to the Niniuites and to Achab. But that Sempiternall mercy is that whereof the Apostle speakes 4 Eternall That God who is rich in mercy for his great loue by which hee loued vs when wee were dead in sinnes Eph. 2.4 c. hath quickned vs in Iesus Christ to make manifest in the ages to come the riches of his grace This mercy flowes from himselfe Gods mercies vnchangeable and he extends it to whom he pleaseth and it is so sure and constant that he can denie himselfe as soone as he can alter his mercy towards any whom hee hath receiued vnder his fauour And this constancie of his mercy is a sure hold to which all troubled consciences may retire Vse 1 This should incourage all poore sinners to runne to him To encourage Gods poore afflicted children â—say 61.1 Reuel 3.18 Simil. where there is sure and perfect Physicke to be found innumerable riches to the poore eye-salue to the blinde c. Thinke yee that your sins are of greater weight than his mercies or that the gold of his goodnesse in thee cannot ouersway the drosse of thine owne sinfulnesse Hath not the Lord sworne that he delights not in the death of a sinner Ezec. 18.23 will he falsifie his word belie his promise Num. 23.19 or is he like man that he can repent Vse 2 And againe as this his mercy should inarme vs against despaire Against presumption vpon consideraon of Gods mercy so on the other part we should take heed that we presume not too farre by abusing his mercies and making them a couer for our wickednesse so that a false perswasion of mercy maketh vs liue as we please no no there is no mercy for an impenitent sinner The mercy of God should leade thee to repentance and thou on the head of it shouldest not entertaine and nourish thy sinne Vse 3 Further as thou hopest for mercy from God Be mercifull as God is Math. 9.13 so likewise giue thou mercy to others flowing from that mercy which thou hast receiued from God I will haue mercy saith the Lord and not sacrifice Therefore since it shall be an vndoubted token of thine election that thou hast receiued mercy from Gods hands try if thou findest thy selfe vnfainedly disposed to forgiue others whatsoeuer yea euen the greatest faults committed against you for that is the oyntment running downe Aarons beard to the hemme of his garment Psal 133.2 Against merits foure Reasons Moreouer yee see that Dauid doth not present his merits which might redeeme the filthinesse of his sinnes as the Papists thinke neither yet prayers Reas 1 praises alinesdeeds victory ouer Gods foes wherein hee was frequent but he leaueth them all as a broken reede Esay 36.6 to the which he could not well leane in the day of his spirituall temptation as he confesseth oftentimes in the Psalmes and hath his onely refuge to Gods mercy The merits of men alas what are they The best workes we doe are so full of imperfections that there is more drosse than gold in them Simil. What man would be content for good gold to receiue such coyne as is neere by altogether drosse and thinke yee God for his perfect Law which he gaue vs to obserue and doe will receiue our imperfect workes Reas 2 And albeit they were perfect yet are they not of vs Iames 1.17 August for all good gifts come from the Father of lights Cùm numero merita mea saith Augustine enumero dona tua When I number my merits I reckon thy gifts What haue we that we haue not receiued 1 Cor. 4.7 Why then glory we as though we had not receiued them Reas 3 Thirdly although our workes were perfect yet are we bound to doe them by vertue of our Creation Redemption Sanctification Preseruation and if bound to do them what deserue we then Reas 4 Finally he is an infinitly perfect God how then can we thinke our base deeds though they were our owne can merit for wee ought to doe good workes to serue Via regni non causa regnandi August Obiect not to deserue they are the way to the Kingdome not the cause thereof But how is it that Dauid sometimes protests of his innocencie and desires God to iudge him according to the innocency of it Psal 7.8 This is to be vnderstood of his innocencie before men Answ to whom he did no wrong as to Saul Psal 143.2 Absolon A hitophel Doeg c. But not before God in whose sight shall none that liueth be iustified if he enter into iudgement with them as Dauid confesseth What mad doctrine is it then Vse which teacheth men that there is any worthinesse in them Iob 4.18 15.15 since the heauens are not cleane before him yea he hath found folly in his Angels Doct. 3 Dauid vnder
displeasure and wrath and in the former part of this verse he asketh of God that he would haue mercy vpon him and forgiue him those sinnes that had prouoked his wrath and indignation against him and now in the latter part he desires that the Lord would heale him Euery one of these things were so necessarie to Dauid that lacking any one of them hee thought himselfe vnfortunate hee felt the wrath of God and therefore desired the same to be remoued he had offended and therefore desires mercy he was fallen into a most dangerous sicknesse and therefore desires corporall health Yee see here that the best of Gods children are subiect to diseases as well as others Doctr. The best of Gods children subiect to diseases GrauissimuÌ„ omnium tentationum non tentari The fruit of sinne Psal 41.1 Vse for seeing the root of sinne is in them and the fountaine of that sinning sin what other bud can it produce or what spring can flow therefrom but miserable destruction of our nature Therefore when we see good men heauily afflicted with diseases let vs remember that saying Blessed are those that iudge wisely of the poore and also bee carefull lest through our sins wee prouoke the Lord to powre the like vpon vs which if he doe as we iustly deserue then by prayer to runne vnto the Lord with Dauid and crie Lord heale me For my bones are sore vexed He sheweth how hee is made weake in both his parts his body in these words his soule in the next verse Doctr. Sin vndoes the whole man So sinne vndoes the whole man and euery part of him so that as the soule lusts and the body executes and practises the foule desires of the soule so both are punished hee who sinneth in both is punished in both Greatest paine in â—he bones Setting downe his bodily diseases he comprehendeth them vnder the trouble of his bones for as the greatest strength of man is in his bones so his greatest paine is the paine of the bones which exceedeth the paine of the flesh as experience in the tooth-ache or breaking any other bone teacheth for albeit the bones of themselues are senselesse yet not so the membrans and tunicles that compasse them Alwaies the Scriptures of God doe expresse both the greatest strength and ioy in Gods worship and the greatest paines and afflictions to the bones Psal 35.10 Psal 51.8 as all my bones shall say O Lord who is like thee and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce that is the whole strength of my body shall bee bent vpon thy seruice And againe Esay 38.13 Lam. 3.4 Psal 38.3 Psal 34.20 Psal 42.10 Lam. 1 13. Iob 20.21 Doct. Great mischief commeth of the euils of misgouerned health Iob 20.11 Esay 51.8 Simil. He hath bruised all my bones as a Lyon and all my bones are out of ioynt and there is no peace in my bones And God keepeth all their bones and while my bones are broken and send a fire in my bones and thy bones shall be filled with the sins of thy youth Obserue first out of this place what a misgouerned health bringeth to man it destroyeth our nature our pleasure becommeth our displeasure Our old bones inherit the sinnes of our youth which haue wasted and consumed vs as the moth doth the garment The poyson and venome of the Aspe is receiued with great sweetnesse but it ouercommeth the body by destroying man So is sinne Can there bee a rush growe without water or sicknesse where there is no sinne Iob. 8.11 Search downe to the bottome of thine heart and thou shalt finde the fountaine of the euill to be within thee that thou maist purge it by vnfained repentance Next consider Doctr. The bestremedie againd diseases is to goe vnto the Lord. 2 Kin. 20.2 Vse How God cures sin Simil. that as this his ficknesse comes from God so he turnes to him for remedie Diseases are Gods arrowes shot by his owne hand why should we not then with Ezekiah turne to the wall and mourne to him that he may helpe vs For so skilfully deales the Lord with vs that hee cures our sinnes by our diseases and visitations albeit they spring out of sinne as Physitians doe curing the sting of the Serpent by the ashes of the dead Serpent so by the bud and fruit of sinne he cures sinne and God is so infinitely wise that he applies that kinde of disease to his patient which is fittest for such a sinne And indeed as there be monstrous sins fallen forth in this ourage Monstrous sinnes produce vnwonted sicknesses which the former ages knew not so likewise hath the Lord punished them with vnwonted sicknesses vpon mens bodies whose nature Galen Hippocrates or the best Physitians haue neuer yet discouered And therfore the Lord remoue from vs these sinnes Cause of diseases 1. The contempt of the Gospel 2 Apostasie from Gods truth that he may take from vs these iudgements but namely the contempt of the Gospell Word and Sacraments for which many are tyed to the bed of sicknesse and this abominable Apostasie from Gods truth to Idolatrie which God is like to punish fearefully by desertion The word meaneth not onely a troubling but also a trembling Marke finally that the word according to the Originall signifieth not only a troubling or obstupifying but also a shaking or trembling of which the Poet saith Gelidusque per ima cuâ—urrit Ossatremor That is The cold trembling ran thorow the deepest bones This teacheth vs Vse The force of sin will shake our strongest parts that sinne can shake the strongest part we haue for if our bones were stones and mountaines yet if sinne sease on them it would shake them asunder VERSE 3. Vers 3 My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thon delay Doctr. 1 NOw he expounds the other part of his sorrow which is a Spirituall disease the troubles of Conscience Spirituall trouble greater than temporall Reason farre greater yea and more importable than the other for as the soule is a more subtill and Spirituall substance beginner of all life and motion in man it must feele the selfe more when it is troubled and wounded I will therefore by the help of God intreat here about the trouble of Conscience and deduce it in all particulars that if it please God at any time to waken your conscience ye may haue remedie in time to pacifie it Doctr. Yokefellowes in sin yoke-fellowes in punishmeÌ„t My soule Yokefellowes in sinne are yokefellowes in paine the soule is punished for informing the body for performing and as both the informer and performer the cause and the instrument so shall the stirrer vp of sinne and executer be punished That man hath a soule But here appeares first that as a man hath a body so likewise hath he a soule and as the one is pained so likewise is the other And yet alas there are
remission of his sinnes his conscience must be left in a most miserable agonie and torment What shall become of him at the latter day for the feare of eternall death and the horrour of Gods iudgements will euer be before him It is a very true sentence there can be no pleasure in the hoping for any good thing Note if the feare of the contrary be ioyned to it and if this be the greatest infelicitie of the wicked to be tormented in conscience because they see the anger of an irreconciable God then that must be the greatest felicitie of Gods children when they finde that God is at one with them which felicitie commeth not without this assurance of his mercie But there is as great difference betweene this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full perswasion and a presumption as there is betweene two rebels whereof one hauing repented doth finde means of reconciliation with the king Simil. and so getteth his remission sealed and the other who presumeth so much of the king without any warrand And betweene one who dreameth of Golde and an other who hath it Gods grace amplified by three similitudes The grace of God is amplified by three notable similitudes the first from a burthen of the which the sinner is lightned and made free Sinne albeit before it be committed it seeme light as a fether yet it is the heauiest burthen that euer man did beare Doctr. Sinne is the heauiest burthen Hereditarie in these three respects First Because it is Hereditarie and man is borne with it whereof except he be cased by baptisme and the mercies of God in Christ it shall presse him downe to hell Heb 12.1 for it hangeth on fast and it presseth downe Secondly Because it lyeth both vpon soule and body Vniversall the Israelits were burthened with the taske layed vpon their flesh Exod. 1.14 Gen 39.19 and Ioseph with irons their soule being free thereof albeit both burthened with sinne Thirdly Alburthens are sensible to the bearer Vnfâ—lt and the heauie burthen the greatest sense but a sinner is contrarie hee hath no sense yea the greater be his sinne the more senselesse is he Exod 2.23.24.3 Meanes to be free of sinne Math 7.28 The seeling of thy sinne is the preparation to thy ease and reliefe The Israelites groaned vnder Pharaoh and the Lord sent Moses next rinne to him who is only able to pacifie God and thy conscience euen Iesus Christ who cryeth Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and loaden with sinne and I will ease you Thirdly Indeuour to be quit of it Doctr. Christonly can take away the burthen of sinne and be loath to take in on againe There is nothing able to disburden thee of thy sinne but Christ Fâ—ie to the fonde and new found out remedies of Merrit Pardons Pilgrimages and see what they can auaile thee Musculus in Psal Musculus vpon the Psalmes maketh mention of a Seruant in Germanie who stole some of his Masters goodes and after being become wealthy was greatly tormented in conscience for the same Wherefore desirous of some ease at the aduice of a Popish Priest hee gaue some part to the Church some to the poore but yet his torment no whit eased he restored at the counsell of the true Seruant of God to his master his owne and craued mercy at Christ and so receaued ease wherefore there is nothing that can ease a troubled mind but Christ Iesus who hath taken our burthen vpon himselfe There are two sorts of persons to whom this Doctrine doth appertaine the one who are touched with no sense of sinne those feele not the burthen yea being drowned in the Sea they feele no waters and burnt vp Some sinners haue no sense others too great sense Ionah 1.6 sents no fire O dead soule that when Gods iudgements are as so many wayes pursuing thee with Ionas thou art a sleepe The other ouer much pressed downe and moued with their sinnes almost disparing who are the rarest sort to whom this comfortable sentence doth appertaine Pro 25.2 It is Gods honour to passe by sinnes and to couer them The triplication of this remission argues the certaintie thereof And whose sinne is couered He is not content once to speake of the remÌ„ission of sinne but thrise vsing three similitudes to expresse the same to declare that it is a matter of great moment as also that it is perfect and absolute He sayth the wickednesse is pardoned the sinne couered the iniquitie not imputed a pretie gradation so that the weight of our sinne shutteth not the way to Gods mercie He sayth not that he is happie who couereth his sinnes for hee who couereth his sinne shall not prosper but hee who confesseth his sinne shall bee saued Pro 28.13 For the hiding of our sinnes from God closeth the doore to repentance He is happy whose sinne God couereth and so as long we vse subter-fuges and coloures our sinnes so long can we neuer heartily repent them and God will not pardon an impenitent sinner Hee is a foole who would couer his wounds from the Physitian Simil. for when the Physitian couereth it by healing it it is best couered This couering hath relation to some nakednesse and filthinesse which should bee couered euen sinne which defileth vs and maketh vs naked Doctr. Sinne maketh vs naked Exod. 32.25 why sayth Moses to Aaron hast thou made the people naked Sinne maketh vs blacke as a Moore defileth and maketh vs like menstrous garments and thus being so disgracefull we haue neede to be couered our owne garments of our merits are too short and cannot couer vs we haue neede therefore to borrow at Christ Iesus his merits and the mantle of his righteousnesse that hee may be vnto vs as a garment Simil. and as those breeches of lether which God made vnto Adam Gen 3.7.21 The properties of a garment when they cast away those figge-tree-leafes which they sewed to themselues garments are ordained to couer our nakednesse defend vs from the iniurie of the weather and to decore vs. So the mediation of our Sauiour serueth to couer our nakednesse that the wrath of God sease not vpon vs hee is that white raiment Reuel 3.18 wherewith we should be cloathed that our filthy nakednesse doe not appeare to defend vs against Sathan Isa 63.1 Math. 22.7 Rom 13.14 he is mightie to saue c. and to be an ornament to decore vs for hee is that wedding garment Put yee on therefore the Lord Iesus Christ Obiection But it may appeare that the word hiding or couering is not proper seeing there is nothing hid from the eyes of God whose eye pearceth vnto the most secret thought of our heart I answere with the Apostle Rom 4.17 Ans he calleth those things that are not as though they were things that are as though they were not because he forgiueth them as though they neuer had
sinne of Adam receiued that sentence Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne againe so that curse ouertooke all his posteritie that they are subiect to putrifaction and rottennesse which not onely befalleth to them after their death but when they are yet aliue it seizeth on their nature For the sweete sauour there shall be stinke Isa 3.24 Yea commonly those that haue bin fed most delicately stink most filthily after their death Nota. Mollius delicatiusque nutrita corpora grauius elent mortua And it is seene by common experience that the fairest bodie hath the foulest corps Which Saint Ambrose confirming bringeth in an example of one who lasciuiously and libidinously hauing lyen in whoredom and feasting dayly after his death did so stinke that incense of diuers colours could not remoue the same A necessary lesson for belly pamperers A fearfull example to strike terror in the hearts of all such pamperers of their belly and who make so much of their flesh that they are carelesse of all other things Let them remember that they are as Saint Augustine saith in his Confessions esca vermium saccus stercorum a prey of wormes and a sack of dung But their chiefe rottennesse is worse then the rottennesse of Lazarus Ioh. 11.39 who stanke vpon the fourth day a type and figure of a sinner who being dead in sin his mouth becometh an open sepulchre and casteth forth such a stinking vnsauorie and pestilentious smell that it doth infect the very aire Because of my foolishnesse The originall version beareth from the face of my foolishnes as ye heard twise before He calleth it not foolishnesse to extenuate his sin as many hypocrites do who say they failed through ignorance but to declare that he was bereft of his wits and caried with a beastly appetite after his owne lusts Sin is properly called folly but it is spiritually folly A naturall foole lacketh the vse of reason A comparison betweene a naturall a spirituall foole Pro. 12.15 1. Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.14 1. Cor. 1.26 a spirituall foole is not guided by grace A naturall foole thinketh himselfe wiser then any other so a spirituall foole thinketh himselfe wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of him The wisedome of God is foolishnesse to men The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Not many wise c. Thirdly the effects trie how a foole marreth all his matters so doth a sinner bring all miseries on his bodie soule estate posteritie and looke how they laugh at our folly for they thinke religion folly and a holy life and deuotion to be dotage so God doth laugh them to scorne and their wisedome is turned to folly He confoundeth the counsell of Achitophel 2. Sa. 17.29 And at the last day they shal say Behold these whō we thought fooles are like the Angels of God Verse 6. I am bowed and crooked very sores I go mourning all the day HE proceedeth in the enlarging of his extreme troubles wherewith he was oppressed so that it is a wonder to thinke how his faith could beare vp such a heape of euils And where he saith he was bowed and crooked he sheweth how farre he was humbled vnder the mightie hand of God 1. Pet. 5.6 And he seemeth to oppose his great deiection and down-casting to the proud pertinacie of many who striue so against God that none of his rods can humble them who albeit they be fearfully shaken and cast downe so that they are forced to bow their bodie yet their mind remaineth so obstinate as though they had sinewes of iron in their necks that they lift vp their hearts against God Therefore this circumstance of his crooking and bowing is an argument to moue God to pitie his case because he is not an obstinate sinner and one who is rebellious but one cast downe at the correction which he gat Doctrine There is no fitter remedy for vs to be deliuered then by hūbling our selues vnder the hand of God Whereby we are taught that there is no better remedie for vs then to cast off our pride and bow our selues vnder Gods hand yea the heauier that Gods hand be the more deiected should we be And therefore Dauid addeth he is crooked very sore The word in the originall meod signifying very greatly and vehemently sheweth vnto vs that his griefes and sorrowes were not common but extraordinarie and God vseth to make his children examples of his chastisements Nota. who made themselues examples of sin to the world I go mourning all the day The Hebrew word koder signifieth blacknesse as one that walketh in mourning clothes For the black colour is a token of grauitie and sadnesse But I am rather of the opinion that his meaning is of the blacknesse of his skin For we know that men whose heart is oppressed with dolour do lose their naturall colour as Dauid saith Psal 119. I am like a bottle in the smoke Sin changeth mans beauty into deformitie For we see that sinne deformeth and disgraceth men so that it turneth their fatnesse into leannesse and beautie into deformitie as the same Prophet saith in another place When God afflicteth man for sin Psal 39.12 th n he waxeth woe and wan and in the 22 Psal vers 15. My strength is dried vp like a potsheard A fearfull example is set downe by Ieremie in his Lamentations Chap. 4. ver 7 8. Her Nazarites were purer then the snow and whiter then the milke they were more ruddie in body then the red precious stones they were like polished Saphir now their visage is blacker then a coale they cannot know them in the streets their skin cleaueth to their bones it is withered like a stocke All the day The continuance of his paine amplifieth the same For if a man had some relaxation or breathing he might gather new strength for a new assault Iob complaineth of the like dealing for when he had bin vexed all the day he said My couch will giue me rest but thou affrayest me with visions Herein haue we to learne Iob 7.14 patiently to beare Gods corrections Beare patiently afflictions since God hath dealt more hardly with better then we are when now and then it pleaseth him to lay them vpon vs as sicknes pouertie infamie c. whereby others better then we haue bin more rigorously handled then we are Verse 7. For my reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh TO moue God to pitie him he layeth open all his sores euē as a begger wil lay open to the view of all the people his wounds and sores to moue them to haue compassion on him The patient vnfoldeth his wounds to the Physitian Simil. so should we vnfold our griefes miseries and necessities to the Lord our God that he with the pitifull eye of the Samaritan Luk. 10.33 may close and cure them
be deficient in the one thou disgracest all the workmanship Now. If thou hast in thy new birth the eyes of knowledge and lackest the bowels of mercie and art maimed of the hands of bountifulnesse or if thou be dumble and cannot praife God or deafe and cannot heare his word thou art not a perfect man A greater worke in the second birth then in the first Nota. A greater worke to raise vp a dead man in sin then to raise Lazarus out of his graue Blessed are they who are partakers of the first resurrection for the second death shall haue no power of them Reformation should begin at the heart Satan is an vncleane spirit As a flie is bred in filthinesse and leaueth euer filth behind it so doth the diuell defile euery place whereinto he commeth Our hearts are as open Tauernes ready to receiue all passengers Now hauing tried sinne and Satan to be so noisome to vs we should remoue them shut the doore of our hearts harbour them no longer yea if any vncleane thought arise let vs not entertaine it nor consent thereto lest it bring worse with it The subiect vpon which he must work is the heart the most noble part the most secret part which none can know but God the seate of all the affections by which man is ruled and led Reformation must begin at the heart A reformation which beginneth at the members and externall actions is neither true nor constant As if a man intending to dresse his garden and purge it from thistles and such like weeds would cut off the vpper part and leaue the roote which would spring vp again so if thou wouldst chastise thy bodie and let thine heart remaine luxurious it is nothing The heart is the fountaine wherefrom springeth all euill the root wherefrom all sinne groweth He speaketh not of the substance but of the affections and qualities of the heart No honest man will lodge in a filthy house Simil. or drinke or eate except the vessell be made cleane Pro. 4.23 and God cannot abide in a foule swinish heart Keepe thine heart diligently saith the Spirit Gen. 15.7 Since God then wil be thine hearts guest thou must guard it diligently that others enter not in neither leud cogitations but as Abraham chased away the foules from the sacrifice so we must chase away corrupt and euill cogitations from our soule as vagabonds should be expelled from the Kings pallace The heart in Latin is called cor Nota. noted by three letters to signifie as some thinke that it is the seate of the Trinitie and therefore the pourtraiture of the naturall heart is of three corners answerable to the same As a vessell of gold or siluer being through long vse wasted and broken Simil. is sent to the Goldsmiths to be renewed so our hearts worne by sinne must be sent to God that he may put them in the fire and cast them in a new mould and make them vp againe Alas that wee are carefull to renew euery thing clothes vessels and all onely carelesse to renew our hearts Many are carelesse of the best things Renew a right spirit within me He doubleth his suite concerning his soule as his principall desire There are many who desire earnestly at God for earthly things but few are serious in seeking that best thing a new soule Many are careful of the outward man and carelesse of the hid man of the heart that inner man The spirit is right when it is set vpon the right obiect which is God but when it declineth to the world or to sinne then it is wrong and goeth astray Dauid crauing first that he might be purged frō his filthinesse craueth now strength of God to his spirit that he may not wander againe but abide constant in the right way of Gods commandements For we must not onely pray for a renewing grace As we pray for renewing grace so pray for accompanying and following graces but for an accompanying grace and a following grace to keep vs in the way of Gods obedience The crooked and broken backed were not admitted to the Priesthood no more are crooked or peruerse soules meete for Gods kingdome Trie of what spirit ye are whether of a right or a crooked trie whether it be of God or not Euery mans wayes are right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts God must cast downe the old building and build vp in thee a new building for himselfe that thou maist be one of the stones of that new Ierusalem which shall be inhabited by God Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me IN this verse he craueth two euils to be auerted from him one that he be not cast out from Gods presence the other that the holy Spirit be not taken from him God cast off Saul his predecessor 1. Sa. 16.15 and tooke his holy Spirit from him and gaue him ouer to be led by an euill spirit Dauid here craueth at God to be free of those two iudgements The chiefe thing which he seeketh after is Gods fauour from which nothing debarreth vs more then sinne If any Courtier for his ouersight were put out of his place as Pharaohs butler and out of the Kings sight Exod. 40.3 would they not thinke hard thereof till they recouer his fauour Wee haue sinned against God should we take any rest till we be restored to his fauour Seek Gods fauour Should we not be afraid to be exiled and cast forth from his fauorable countenance in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.12 The face and presence of God is as the Sunne which in Summer looking fauourably on the earth quickneth all creatures man beasts the earth whatsoeuer groweth the fishes of the sea and the birds of the aire and by his absence all are discouraged comfortlesse and lose their vigour so while we haue Gods fauour we are in good case◠we haue light heate comfort pleasure and all things if he hide his face all things goes wrong and therefore our Poet saith well Tu si me placido lumine videris Cedent continuo caetera prosperè Buch. Psal But do you think that God can cast away his elect child No verily God cānot absent him self foreuer totally and finally he will not do it he cannot do it though we our selues and others beholding our crosses may esteeme so The Sun may seeme not to shine Simil. whē it is cóuered with clouds although it be shining so God may seeme to leaue vs when he crosseth vs but it is not so With an euerlasting loue haue I loued thee He loued his owne who were in the world to the end he loued them Ioh. 16.27 The gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Mat. 24.24 False Christs would deceiue the very elect if it were possible Againe Christ saith No man shall take them out of my hands
vp might be remembred as was said by the Angell to the Centurion Thy prayers and almesdeeds are come vp before God Act. 10.4 This frequent desire to be heard coÌ„meth not from diffidence and a distrust The more we hope to be heard the more we desire to be heard but from confidence for the more we trust to be heard the more we desire to be heard And this neglect of prayer that we suite seldome or neuer proceedeth from the ground of infidelitie because we beleeue God will not graunt if we suite Therefore knocke often beg earnestly wrestle by prayer with the Lord hold him at a continuall businesse vntill he graunt thy iust and lawfull petitions and out of doubt things lawfull in themselues that is what he hath commanded suited earnestlie with dependance vpon Gods pleasure shal be graunted vnto thee Doctr. He that caÌ„not pray can haue no companie with God My prayer and supplication Prayer is the life of religion and he that cannot pray can haue no company with God Dauid who was a man after Gods owne heart was euermore giuen to prayer morning euening and noone Dauid spent all his life in prayer yea in the midst of the night he arose and prayed vnto God he preuented the morning watches and the breake of day so that he spent all his life in prayer God be mercifull to vs who can not suffer to spend any time in prayer We spend many moneths vainly â—dlely and sinfully without wearing and the time is short which we bestow vpon prayer and yet we thinke it too long Against the too much neglect of prayer in these our timest we sleepe in the night and awake but alas what time thereof doe we spend on Gods seruice when ariseth any of vs to seeke God in the night when thinke we vpon him in the night season many cogitations come in our mind but we neuer thinke vpon God and in the day we beginne in the morning to seeke the world or our fleshly lusts but who seeketh the Lord early The rest of the day we put ouer and consume in pastime as though the Sunne were ordained for none other vse but to let vs see to goe to hell Pray then vnto the Lord that he may giue vnto you the spirit of prayer for as Saint Iames saith very well Iam. 4.2 Yee lacke because you aske not Answere me in thy truth and in thy righteousnes He buildeth his prayer vpon two groundes Goâ—s truth in his promises and his righteousnesse that he being a iust iudge of the world will neuer forsake the righteous 1. Cor. 1.30 in his sonne Iesus Christ who is made our righteousnesse Then God standes much by his word and as he is veritie so his word is yea and amen neither can he neither will he chang or alter his word hath he spoken it must be performed All men are liers Ps 116.17 they falsifie their promises there is no truth in this generation All sorts of men are changable but God who is truth it selfe cannot alter It is a great oath to a prince to sweare per verbum principis but it is possible as is often seene that they alter change Noblemen and Preachers yea all sorts of men are found to say and to gaine say but who euer heard that God promised being as I haue said veritie it selfe and violated one word of his promise since the foundaof the world neither euer shall Then we haue a good God both iust and true and I wish that we would imitate those vertues of our God For truth is exiled and righteosnesse is departed from the earth Verse 2. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustefied THis verse containeth a deprecation of Gods iudgement that he would not enter in a straight marking of his sinne He might haue pleaded his innocencie before men but when he commeth to that terrible tribunal of Gods iustice he submitteth himselfe crauing pardon for his trespasse and this generall rule should be obserued if we desire God to be fauorable to vs that we beg the remission of our sinnes For if Dauid could not plead his innocencie Beg for remission of sinne Iob. 15.16 what can any of vs doe who drinke in iniquitie as water who are altogether vncleane and filthie Let vs therefore confesse our wickednesse and make supplication to our iudge and lay our hands on our mouthes being vnable to plead our cause against the Lord. That ye may the better vnderstand this verse obserue First that there is a iudgement into which men must enter or else be absolued from the indicatorie Secondly by what name he stileth himselfe thy seruant Thirdly the argument Because no lauing shall be iustified in thy sight Of those in order 1. There is a iudge and a iudgement Men runne forward in sinne lasciuiously and without care but they remember not there is a iudgement wherein they shall be called to an accompt Reioyce saith Solomon O young man in the daies of thy youth but be sure thou shalt be brought to iudgement Eccl. 12.9 If the seruant remembred his accomptes would he mispend his Masters substance But the Diuell hath blinded mens eies and made them so forgetfull that they thinke not on their reckoning But the iudgement is more then the reckoning Albeit men for debt may lawfully be put in prison and his goods confiscat Gods iudgement more seuere then mans yet no law will take a mans life for debt but the spirituall tribunal is more terrible for if God enter once in iudgement with any man he will kill both body and soule God hath three iudgment seats There be three iudgement seates which God hath made vp for man one which he hath set vp in his conscience accusing him condemning him and punishing him the second is at the houre of his death then God putteth him to triall The third and last tribunall is after death wherein all shall appeare to render an accompt of their actions the bookes of their owne conscience shal be opened and none shal escape that indicatorie neither kings or preachers or people all must appeare and render an account of their thoughtes of their wordes of their actions That iudgement is peremptorie no excuse no subperseges or dilators Vse but away they must goe crying let the mountaines couer vs from the face of that iudge Luk. 23.30 Let princes then and noblemen perswade them selues that albeit they thinke no law can strike against them if they doe whatsoeuer pleaseth themselues God hath a throne and a iustice court before which they must needes appeare and receiue the definitiue sentence whereof oftentimes in this world they haue a feeling Nebuchadnezer may be a proofe for this Dan. 4 29. whom God for seuen yeares made a beast Herod Antiochus and infinite others 2. With thy seruant He was a Lord and a King of a