Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n
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A09646
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The cure of hurtfull cares and fears. By master Thomas Pierson late rector of Brompton-Brian, in the county of Hereford
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Pierson, Thomas, ca. 1570-1633.
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1636
(1636)
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STC 19910; ESTC S111955
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18,628
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96
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his good pleasure whatsoever the case be Thus doing we shall neither tempt God by neglect of meanes nor yet perplex our selves about the successe What ground we must lay that wee may do so through distrust in his mercy And that wee may so doe wee must lay this good foundation Make sure we stand rightly in covenant with GOD through faith in CHRIST IESUS for hee that commeth unto God must beleeve Hebrewes 11.6 and then we have good title to all Gods promises whereat true faith doth ever looke and to them that have obtained that pretious grace are given exceeding great and pretious promises 2 Peter 1.1 4. All the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen that is in Christ Iesus most sure and certaine to true beleevers 2 Cor. 1.20 This estate once had we must in every thing that may perplex us stir up this pretious grace of faith and set it a working which seemes to be the Lords meaning in that golden sentence oft repeated The just shall live by faith That faith may have its perfect worke three things to be considered Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Hebr. 10.38 And that this grace may have its perfect worke to free our hearts from distrustfull and perplexing worldly cares wee must rightly informe our selves in three things First in Gods soveraigne right to inflict upon his dearest servants when where and how hee pleaseth either death it selfe or any evill that is a forerunner thereof for their sinnes originall and actuall Secondly in the different nature of Gods promises and in his divine royalty for time measure and manner of performance Thirdly in Gods good pleasure to exercise his Children and servants many times under sore afflictions all of which he will cause to worke for their good out of his tender love in Christ which remaineth constant unto them under their greatest miseries 1. Gods right and soveraignty For the first that God hath right and soveraignty to inflict upon his dearest servants either death it selfe or any evill that is a forerunner thereof as famine sicknesse sword of the enemy and the like when and where he will for their sinnes originall and actuall is most plaine Romans 5.12 By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin and death went over all in as much as all have sinned Hebr. 9.27 It is appointed unto man once to dye Death then being our debt to God who shall deny him liberty to call for his due And for his right to inflict upon them hunger thirst sicknesse sorrow and the like none can deny it that considers the afflictions of the godly as of Iob in losse of goods and of all his Children by sudden death Iob 1.15.16 19. in grievous boyles upon his body from the sole of his foot unto his crowne Chapter 2. ver 7. and of David who complaines that hee had no soundnesse in his flesh Psal 38.3 his wounds stanke and were corrupt verse 5. his loynes were filled with a loathsome disease verse 7. he was feeble and sore broken yea hee roared for the very disquietnesse of his heart verse 8. 2 〈◊〉 different nature of Gods promises For the second Gods promises are of two sorts some concerne the life that now is others that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 And among these latter which be heavenly and spirituall there is a difference Some are of blessings absolutely necessary to salvation as justification adoption regeneration and the like others are very comfortable but yet not simply necessary to salvation as the sensible feeling of Gods love and inward joy therupon strength of faith and great increase in other graces farre above that measure which is simply needfull to the being and truth of grace Now GODS promises of blessings simply needful to salvation be absolutly made in Christ to true beleevers without exception as Acts 16.31 Beleeve in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee saved But other spirituall graces lesse necessary and all temporall blessings must bee understood to be promised with the exception of the Crosse to wit that true beleevers shall have them upon their sober and sanctified use of lawfull meanes unlesse it seeme good to GOD by the want of such blessings to correct them for their sins as he did David 2 Sam. 12.10 11. The sword shall never depart from thy house because thou hast despised me Psalme 118.18 The Lord hath chastened me sore but hee hath not given mee over unto death Or else to make tryall of their faith and patience as hee dealt with Iob in his afflictions Iob 2.3 Thou movest mee against him to destroy him without cause and Chapter 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take when hee hath tryed mee I shall come forth as gold Also Gods royalty for time manner Gods royalty and measure of performing his promises is very remarkeable In these circumstances he retayneth and exerciseth divine liberty and looketh that his Children should wait for the evidence of his good pleasure and rest contented therewith when he doth manifest the same though it doe not answer their desires And he blameth those that will limit or confine him in any of these as his people did in the wildernesse when they would as it were point out their own provision For time Psalme 78.20 41. In particular for the time when GOD will do this or that thing which hee hath promised indefinitely he shewes his royalty to his Disciples Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times which God hath put in his owne power In this circumstance he requireth the patience of faith saying Manner Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 28.15 And for manner of performance sometime he giveth the particular blessing asked As upon Elias prayer he sent first drought and then after rayne Iames 5.17 18. Other while instead of the blessing asked hee giveth some other thing answerable thereunto making more for his owne glory and the good of his servants as when Paul besought the Lord thrice that the thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan might depart from him God said my grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. GOD did not free him from the assault but gave him ability of grace to resist Yea our blessed Saviour in his bitter agony in the Garden offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Hebr. 5.7 Not by a totall freedome from the Cuppe of his bitter passion though he had said Father if it be possible let this Cuppe passe from me Matthew 26.39 but by making him willing and able to beare it and in suffering to overcome For after this prayer he said to Peter The Cuppe which my Father hath given mee shall I not drink it Iohn 18.11 and in suffering bee overcame And measure of performing his promises Rev. 3.21 Likewise in the measure of his gifts and
Pro. 14.10 It is one of the mysteries of the kingdome which is not knowne by nature but by the gift of grace Matthew 13.11 The Philistims could not read Sampsons riddle till they had plowed with his Heyfer Iudges 14.18 No more can naturall men discerne the sweet content of grace but by the operation of the Holy Ghost the only worker of grace But whence is it 2. Objection saith the natural man that some who are strickt and zealous in Religion and seeme to make great conscience of their wayes doe yet spend their dayes in much bitternes and sorrow giving smal evidence that any such joy is to be found in their Religion Answ Answer Surely God doth then visit upon them the dayes of Baalim Hos 2.13 wherein they went after their owne sinfull pleasures and forgot the Lord therefore doth the LORD write bitter things against them and make them to possesse the sinnes of their youth Iob 13.26 Because they have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord therefore is this evill happened unto them Ieremy 44.23 But yet if this their sorrow for their former sinnes bee godly which wil best appeare by the amendment of their lives they shall finde by good experience that of very faithfulnesse God afflicted them as David did Psalme 119.75 For the LORD will not cast off for ever but though hee cause griefe yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies Lam. 3.31 32. In duetime he will comfort all such mourners and give them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isaiah 61.2 3. For to the upright there ariseth light in darkenesse that is joy and gladnesse in distresse Psalme 112.4 And though for a time they be in heavinesse yet peace shall come They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength Isaiah 40.31 Many be the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliver them out of all Psal 34.19 2. Vse for reproofe Worldly care is unworthy the holy profession of adoption Secondly this shewes plainly how unworthy of the Lord and of their holy profession of adoption many that live in the bosome of the Church doe lead their lives For what is more ordinary than to call God Father in saying the Lords Prayer And yet who can say my heart is cleane I am free from these worldly carking cares For though like bitter sap it sometime lye hid in the root of the heart yet indeed hath it a daily spring time as may appeare by these bad fruits which doe fearefully abound in many mens lives First Five evidences of worldly care 1. Vngodly practises to get worldly wealth manifold unjust and ungodly practises to get or encrease worldlie wealth as false weights and measures lying swearing and forswearing extortion stealing oppression and the like Where any of these are in use practice plaine evidence is given of distrust in GODS providence and so of the dominion of this sinfull worldly carking care For were men indeed perswaded that the power to get wealth came from God Deut. 8 18. and that his blessing made them rich Proverbs 10.22 they would content themselves with the moderate use of lawfull meanes to serve his providence wherein they might comfortably wait for his blessing and not betake themselves to such ungodly courses as are plaine services of the Divell the God of this world for the wealth thereof 2. Ordinary use of wicked meanes to remove corporall evills Secondly the ordinary use of wicked and forbidden meanes to prevent or remove worldly losses and corporall evils as to consult with Magicians witches or Sorcerers as Saul did when he was distressed by the Hoast of the Philistims 1 Sam. 28.7 Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirit c. And Ahaziah King of Israel who sent to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron whether hee should recover of his disease 2 Kings 1.1 2. This is a most fearefull proclaiming of distrust in GOD when they seeke to the divell Gods utter enemy Is it not because there is no God in Israel that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron ver 6. Thirdly 3. Neglect to sanctifie the use of lawfull meanes by prayer the ordinary neglect to sanctifie the use of lawful means by prayer to GOD for his blessing Thus Asa one of the good Kings of Iudah sinned when being diseased in his feet he sought unto the Physitians and not unto the Lord 2 Chron. 16.12 And it is the common course of many families to follow their worldly busines diligently but seldome or never to sanctifie their labour and paines by prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God the giver of all blessings 4. Excessive sorrow and feare in times of danger Fourthly excessive sorrow and feare in times of danger and distresse with great deadnesse of heart when outward meanes do faile and dangers approach as though the power and mercy of God for their helpe and safety were tyed to the meanes This was the sinne of Israel at the Red Sea when the Hoast of Pharaoh drew neere unto them they were sore afrayd and cryed out against Moses for bringing them out of Aegypt Exodus 14.10 11 12. Hence also came all their murmurings in the wildernesse when they wanted bread or flesh or water as Exodus 16.3 and 15 24. They had not yet learned to rest and rely upon his power and providence that brought them thither Fifthly 5. Frailties hearing of GODS Word fruitlesse and unprofitable hearing of Gods word For the cares of this world are one kind of spirituall thornes that choake the seed of grace in the ground of mens hearts that it brings no fruit to perfection Luke 8. verse 14. All these give plaine evidence of worldly carking care justly deserve reproofe for transgressing this holy command that bids us Be carefull for nothing 3. Vse for admoni ion This lesson most needfull though hard to corrupt nature For admonition it serves fitly to move every one to endeavour obedience to this command in labouring to free his heart in every thing from distrustfull worldly care A lesson most needfull in these evill dayes and perillous times hard indeed to our corrupt nature which the Scripture calleth flesh and bloud But the child of GOD must looke to a better guide and not plead for it for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15.50 The wisdome of the flesh is death and so rebellious to the will of God that they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.6 7 8. Now the practise of this duty stands in this Wherein the practise of this duty stands that using lawfull meanes moderately for the fruition of blessings or freedome from evils we then sanctifie the same by prayer to GOD for his mercy and blessing and then leave the issue and successe wholly to