closely implying vnderstanding them Wherein surely he dealeth no otherwise then he doth in the commandements by a good thing commanded forbidding the contrary cuill and by an euil thing prohibited inioyning straightly the louing and doing of the contrary good that so wee seeing what God aymeth at both in his precepts promises threates and all namely not only our obedience and humiliation but comfort also we might learne to attaine that and to look to and for that which he hath prouided for our good And yet we shall more clearlie perceiue and behold this trueth if we respect Gods worde or the holy scirptures in the seuerall partes thereof fundred as if it were from the promises For if we looke vpon the threats contained therin against sinne and sinners they will be so farre off from performing this dutie of comfort and consolation that they will rather worke in vs horror and trembling and make vs to bee so not only cast downe but dismayed in ourselues as wee shall hardly or not at al admit comfort The doctrine of the law separated from the curse and threatning due to the transgressors thereof will indeed set before vs Gods absolute and exact righteounesse and disconer vnto vs the duties that wee shuld do to him and to our neighbors But when we consider withall that it setteth out our sinne against euery particular precept that will bee so farre from yeelding vs consololation that it will ouer whelme vs with despaire when wee either respect Gods absolure righteousnes or our own innumerable transgressions against his blessed law And though I doubt not but these former things may bee good and powerfull to humble vs and somake vs indeed more fit for consolation and comfort euen as preparatiues going before better physicke for the scouring away of bodily diseases yet can they not of themselues helpe or heale but wounde and terrifie rather for that is the peculiar both office and worke of Gods promises made essectuall in our heartes by the touch and operation of the spirit Nay I will say more than that though the ground of Christian religion and the maine points of faith be excellent things and haue their vse not only for increase of knowledge but euen for the building of vs vp in care and conscience of well doing and being wel felt may answer many temptations that arise in a scrupulous and doubtfull mind yet still the promises of the worde minister matter of assured comfort and comfortable assurance and feeling which also wee may perceiue by this that many may haue the knowledge of faith and yet in the daye of temptation not be able to strengthen their owne hands or others But to proceede a little further in the proofe of this point We cannot but confesse that the examples of mercie and comfort in the word are full of strong sound consolation because they be as if it were so manie seales set vnto the writings of Gods promises that as heretofore hee hath beene to others so he will hereafter or still be fauourable vnto his people And yet wee shall see that they lie open though not of themselues yet by reason of mans corrupted heart to manie exceptions as for example they to whom they were accomplished were better than wee God was more fauourable then than he will be now because we haue more meanes of mercie and haue profited lesse and therefore are not so properly fit for consolation as the promises are For ouer and besides that they are but in men and therefore full of weaknes and wants wee know and confesse euerie where that as we must liue not by examples but by rules so we must bee comforted not so much by examples as by promises And therfore though examples be good yet not so strōg whereas the truths certaintie and power of the promises is from the might and mercy of him that hath made them who also is both greater then all exception and free from the least shew or shadowe of turning And yet let vs be vnderstood I beseech you as we should namely that wee ascribe not this excellent worke vnto the promises themselues though also wee deny not but euen in that respect they are spirituall holy heauenly c. but as by the spirit they are made powerfull in vs and as by the hand of faith wee are strengthned to applie them vnto our selues for otherwise we may say of them as wee do of the rest of the word that without the spirit and faith they are as if it were a sealed book vnto vs for vnderstanding and a dead letter for instruction cōsolation hauing euen no other vse in vs than the rest of the worde not felt or obayed namely to make vs without excuse or to cause our sorrowefull heauie estate to becōe more sorrowfull and heauie because wee see holy heauenly thinges propounded vnto vs and yee haue not either hearts to vnderstand or soules to beleeue This therefore must be our principall care to make that profitable vnto vs that GOD graciously prouideth and propoundeth for our good Now wee come to the vse of this necessarie doctrine which as I take it is or may bee twofolde First for instruction Secondly for confutation For instruction wee may plainly perceiue hereby what is the reason of so much heauines of heart sorrow and feare in so manie of Gods people and children in the world Surely either they are ignorant of these sweet and gracious promises not so much as hauing either heard them or knowne them or els if they haue in some measure of knowledge beene acquainted with them they haue in the carelessenes of their owne hearts or not seeling present vse of them let them slippe out of their mindes like leaking vesselles not able to containe such good things or els if they haue knowne them remembred them thorow want of comfortable feeling of the good things propounded therein they haue beene vnto them as if they had either not been at all or as though they had contained in them no such sweetnes and pleasure as they doe indeed And let vs not thinke this strange for euen as ignorance in religion and carelesnes to obey the things that wee know is a principal cause of all transgression and loose life men not being either willing or able to do the things they are not acquainted withall and for the things that they know blearing out their knowand laying the raines in their owne neckes so they not knowing of the promises or they not minding of them or not striuing comfortablie to feele them is the verie welspring as I maie so call it of all inward and outward discomforte and distresse of conscience especially For how can the wounded conscience admit comforte when he vnderstandeth not the comfort presented vnto him or if hee forget it where is his ioy in the middest of his forgetfulnesse We saie that of an vnknowne thing there is no desire wee maie in proportion saie the same
yet we shall behold the same still The Apostle Paule was an elected vessell chosen to cary Christes name amongst the Gentiles and yet his state and condition this way is notably described in many places of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians but specially in the fourth chapter where hee saith We are afflicted on euery side yet are 〈◊〉 not in dâ—stresse we are in doubt but yet wee despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not And he maketh a particular recit all of many of them in the eleuenth chapter following But specially that of the twelfth serueth for this purpose where hee saith Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance or excellency for the Greek word doth signifie both the one and the other of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger Sathan to buffet me for this thing I besought the Lorde thrise that it might depart from me but he said vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect thorowe weaknes And shall we thinke that God woulde lay any thing vpon these the only worthies of the world saue that which was good indeed If we imagine so we are much deceiued And thinke that that will neither agree with Gods nature in loue nor stand with the fauour affection that he beareth vnto his children For no doubt but as he loued them most dearlie so he bestowed vpon them the greatest and best blessings Again if in al affliction we may in our measure say as Dauid the Prophet said in some particulars of his owne It is good for me O Lord that I haue been troubled for before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue learned to keepe thy law Then much more in afflictions of this kind I meane sorrow and sicknes of soule for sin past God vsing it not only as a meane to draw vs to repentance for that which is past but to make vs in time hereafter to come more wary of and watchfull ouer that that in former time hath bitten vs and pinched vs by the heart and prouoking vs in the heauines of our spirites to spend time that way to prouide comfort for ourselues spirituall I meane that others are constrayned to imploy about bodily ease releefe and pleasure And surely theÌ„ these inward sorrowes griefs cannot choose but be good not onlie because they are occupied about a more excellent part the soule I meane which God no doubt doth especially regarde but also because they bring forth better at least sure I am more spirituall effectes as because they pinch more more earnest prayer for grace to beare with patience to vndergo with profit and to ouercome through strength and doe more conforme vs vnto the Image of our head in his sustringes who indured much more this way than any other way and therfore also better or more excelleÌ„t Where we must yet further note that that is not simply or only as in regarde of the afflictions themselues but because God accompanieth them with the power of his sanctifying spirit which maketh vs in some measure not only peatakers of the diuine nature whilest wee fly the corruptions that are in the world but like vnto God as in other respectes so in this that as he causeth the rage of men to turne vnto his praise and at the beginuing yea and euer since to commandeth light to shine out of darknes so we out of the folly of our own sins learne spirituall wisedom from their darknes which is more palpable and grosse than that of Egypt labour and learne to setch the spirituall light of a holy life And a further proof yet we haue of this point in that God himselfe is pleased well to like of highly to commende this estate and condition We know and beleeue that he alone is the best able to discerne of men and matters and we are throughly perswaded of this also that for his entire vprightnesse he cannot giue wrong sentence or iudgment For howsoeuer men thorow blindnes partialitie or other corrupted respects haue been and are fouly misled erred in matter of opinion and fact yet none of these thinges falling into God he can do no otherwise but determine according to right so absolute and perfect is all and euery thing that is in God But hee hath told vs that he liketh wel of will respect and regard indeed those that are this way exercised Of which if any man doubt let him but marke and imbrace that which we speak according vnto godlines and trueth and I doubt not but he shall be well perswaded In the 51. Psal Dauid as well experienced in these cases as any man saith thus The sacrifices of God that is to say such as the Lord now delighteth in and accepteth of are a broken spirit by which he meaneth a mind that is bruised and cast downe in it selfe with the priuity of his owne infirmity and vnworthinesse What can be more plain what can be more pregnant And yet as though this were not sufficient he addeth further A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Gods not despising is indeed esteeming and he vseth so meane a speech the better to expresse so excellent a matter for no doubt of it but he wil well accept thereof as his owne work in vs. And agreeable vnto this is that of the Prophet Isaiah in the 66. chap. I looke to him saith God that is poore and broken in spirit and that tremble that my word As if he should say others I regard not though they come with their hands full of sacrifices for that hypocrites may and do performe but this none can come vnto indeed but such as be sound hearted and assuredly belong vnto me and are indeed my holy temple and dwelling place And what shall wee say of that that Salomon speaketh euen from God himselfe in the 28. chap. of the Prouerbs Blessed is the man that feareth much continually Is it not a plaine proofe of this point And doth it not directlie crosse our corrupted iudgment Wee say they are in miserable and wretched estate But wee are ignorant and cannot discerne of those matters specially no more than a blind man is able to iudge of colours But God saith he or they be blessed If he be the only wise God why stay wee not our selues vpon his sentence To shut vp and that as if it were in a word or two the confirmation of this point wee say that whosoeuer either considereth God from whom these anguishes and distresses are sent to good ends doubtlesse as in regard of his people or regardeth the persons vpon whom they are laide to wit the dearest and the best of Gods people or respecteth the fruites and effectes that they bring forth in the seruants of God or beleeueth God so highly accouning of them hee cannot choose but giue glorie to God
no eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart can conceiue nor tongue can vtter but by them so well sorting with our nature to giue vs some sight smacke or taste of them And euen herein also appeareth Christs loue that he is pleased to stoop downe so low vnto vs and in such base termes to expresse vnto vs such excellent things But yet let vs a little more particularly examine the words That word that is here termed labour doth not signifie simply euery labour but such a labour as is sore and hath ioyned with it toyling of the body and moyling of the mind with carke and care yea and wearines both of body and mind ioyned with it as an effect flowing from it and that causeth some also to turne it thus Come vnto me all ye that are weary Whatsoeuer it be we may see that Christ mindeth by this Metaphore to expresse this much vnto vs that distresse of spirit vpon what cause soeuer it arise and conflict of conscience is no small payne but a great and grieuous sorrow entring deepe into the soule disquieting the spirit distempering the body and making all parts and powers vnfit for al or any duety almost And this to be true the Scripture elsewhere sheweth it and namely Prou. 18. Where it sayth The spirit of a man may indure his infirmitie but a wounded spirite who shall beare it And our owne experience can witnes it if eyther wee haue beene humbled our selues or haue beene acquainted with other mens sorrowes that way in whome it hath taken away for the time sleepe from the eyes hearing from the eares speech from the mouth appetite from the stomacke nay I wil say more it hath caused some to assay the finishing of their payne as they supposed with a shameful feareful end had it bin accomplished Which yet notwithstanding is not spoken here or propounded elsewhere vnto vs in the word to discourage or oppresse them that be in that combate but as on the one side to teach all men to cast away securitie and carelesnes so on the other side to instruct them that are so weake in themselues to relie vpon him that is the God of their strength who being in them and with them and for them will doubtlesse make his strength and power to appeare in their weakenes That other word heauie laden is metaphoricall also and translated from bodily burdens vnto spirituall that is to say to the burdens of sinne and iniquitie which lye more hard vpon the soule and spirit though worldly men feele them not than any outward doth or can vpon the bodie yea though a man should be pressed therewithall vnto death because that onely reacheth vnto the bodie and in the middest of the paynes thereof the soule little or nothing touched nay it may bee very cheerefull and comfortable spiritually and so cause the soule almost to finde no griefe as in the Martyrs that haue beene so many wayes and so grieuously tormented may and doth appeare but when the soule is ouerclogged with sinne and the sense thereof or of Gods anger against it for the same the very body is tainted thereby with sundry sorts of sicknesses and diuers kindes of diseases some recouerable and some vnrecouerable And we shall find it much vsed in the scripture that sinne it selfe is compared vnto a burthen which may in part appeare not onely by this when the Prophets call the iudgements of God that should fal vpon men for their sinnes burthens that so there might be some proportion betweene the iniquitie they had committed the punishment that was executed vpō them for it but also by a plaine place of the Prophet Dauid in that eight thirtie Psalme that wee sung before this Sermon when hee sayth Mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a weightie burden they are too heauie for mee to beare By all which we may see that sin is not so sleight or light a matter as men make it but a wonderfull weight indeede whether wee consider it in it owne nature as being the feareful violation breach of the law of God or God that is offended thereby whose pure eies cannot behold that that is euill his hand in iustice is prest and ready to strike or the dangers dammages they pull vpon themselues in body and in soule for this life present and for that which is to come as terror and feare of heart shame and confusion of face discredite amonst men specially godly discords yea anarchies in Kingdomes common wealthes and families and what not And indeede this were a point well worth the wading into by reason of the grossenes and corruption of the age wherein we liue making so smal or no conscience at all of sinne and transgression were it not that we are to be occupied in some other points of comfort and consolation Howbeit this much we may say that as it argueth small conscience of sinne in men that mittigate minse it so it ministreth small hope of comfort vnto themselues or others of the happie recouery out of it For how is it likely that they should be cured of a disease that eyther knowe it not or feele it not or take it not to be so deadly and dangerous as it is Whereas on the other side the tender conscience charging yea surcharging it selfe with more then it should it may be yet that can hardly be if men consider rightly the height and the haynousnes yea the infinitenesse innumerablenesse of their owne sinnes generall and particular though in that accusation it suffer much griefe yea plunge it selfe as it were into distrustfulnes is in more hope of a gracious recouerie which in the midst of such sorrow of heart should minister some comfort because sinne felt is more likely by repentance to be cured and healed then that that men make no keepe or account of But to let this point passe and to come to that that doth more nighly concerne our purpose at this present Now there followeth the last wordes of this 28. verse And I will refresh you and containe in thē the second part thereof namely a sweet comfortable promise for the better drawing yea alluring of vs vnto him that calleth vs vnto himselfe but yet for our spirituall good A thirstie body indeede woulde reioyce to heare though it were but of water and not of drinke to slake the thirst withall the reason is because he knoweth it and taketh it to be a meane to maintayne life The tydings of ease and lighting of him in some sort of a great and grieuous burden to him that carrieth it is no doubt of it gladsome and ioyfull also because it is a toyle and a moyle a wearisomnes and weaknesse to body and minde to beare a waight yea though it be but small continually Reason our owne experience teacheth vs the trueth hereof in these worldly thinges But how much more shall this be found true as in
where els eyther to be sought or found but in lesus Christ onely Where I beseech you first to marke both how this doctrine ariseth from hence and then the tearmes in which I doe propound and deliuer the same It is gathered from this place because our Sauiour calleth vs vnto him yea vnto him alone which if it had not bin the will of his Father and verie truth indeede or if hee alone had not had aboundant yea infinite matter of strong and solide comfort in himselfe he would neuer haue done as we haue already heard in the beginning of this exercise And for the wordes I doe not say there is no comfort to bee founde for meate drinke sleepe friends recreation and such like are comforts I confesse but not true and sound comfort for a distressed spirit For the affliction of the mind is inward and these are but outward therefore are not fitte for a person or partie so affected and I would as soone thinke and say that bodily food were the proper and sound nourishment of the soule as suppose that these outward things were the true and sound comfort of a broken and contrite heart But that yet wee may bee the better perswaded of the trueth of this point let vs proceed vnto some further proofes of it This was not in my mind obscurely signified vnder all the sacrifices of the old law whether they were ordinarie or extraordinarie dayly or yearly generall or particular all and euery one of them in measure more or lesse tending still vnto him whom they did prefigure and signifie as the Apostle at large declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And why him because he was he alone in whom God was pleased to reconcile the world vnto himselfe and to make the one and onely obiect of our faith And this is plainely propounded vnto vs and proued also by manifolde texts of Scripture both in the old and new testament I wil not trouble you with many for I like not much of that course Out of that great store let vs take two or three both playne and pregnant for this purpose In the 55. Chapter of the booke of the Prophet Isaiah a place cited before and is as we all know and confesse an euident prophecie concerning Christ and the graces that wee shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast fayth we labour to lay hold of him it is sayd Encline your eare and come vnto mee Oh marke how like this Euangelical Prophet our Sauiour himselfe speake let this phrase also I beseech you serue for a cōfirmation and exposition of these wordes of our text Heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Euery worde hath his waight he yea he alone will establish not a momentany but an euerlasting couenant with all his faithfull of which that wee might be the better certified hee telleth vs it shall be sure yea as sure as the mercies manifested vnto and bestowed vpon Dauid which as they were large and almost innumerable so were they irreuocable and could neuer fayle To the same purpose serueth a notable sentence of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth thorow Christ. By sufferinges of Christ he meaneth not onely those thinges that we indure at the hands of persecuters for Christes sake for Christ did not onely suffer that way but euen those anguishes also that we haue in our soules and in our spirits Christ being as much yea farre more throwne down and humbled that way than all flesh as appeareth by his conflict in the garden and by his outcries vpon the Crosse saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And though these haue bin were and are very good indeed as those that haue felt and doe feele thē know and confesse yet to the ende that wee might assure our selues that our ioyes shoulde match them he sayth Our consolations abound thorow him For if there were not a proportion betwixt our heauines and our comfort nay I will say more a superaboundance of our ioyes aboue our griefes then sure what by reason of Satans malice against vs and the dulnesse and hardnesse of our owne heartes to beleeue and the greatnesse of our griefes sorrows besides it would goe hard with a distressed spirit And therefore as for the comforting of vs against the hugenes and height of our sinnes we say with the Apostle where sinne hath abounded there grace hath ouerabounded So in this case of inward afflictions particularly we say our sorrowes may be sore and our griefes great yet our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight as of glory in the life to come so of ioy in this life raysed vp in our hearts by the comfortable feeling thereof And he that knoweth soundly and feelingly beleeueth the names natures person and offices of our Sauiour Christ together with the effects that from him in them are communicated to vs cannot chuse but see feele and confesse the trueth of this point Hee is good in him there is not or cannot be any thing but that which is absolutely good as in whose face and presence also there is the fulnes of ioy for euermore and at his right hand pleasures for euer and euer He is likewise so good that yet notwithstanding he is man like vnto vs in euery respect sinne onely excepted and one that hath bin touched with the feeling of our infirmities by meanes whereof we may the more boldly come vnto the throne of grace so receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Yea these two natures are so ioyned knit as we may say inseparably in one person euen from the very time of his blessed cōception in the wombe of his mother for the accomplishment of the worke of our redemption and our full comfort thereby as that they cannot be deuided or sundred hee being man that so hee might suffer and God that so hee might ouercome the perfection and full accomplishment of our redemption standing vpon these two partes suffering for sinne this is the first and then ouercomming sinne and death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And why is he called Iesus but because as it is sayd Matth. 1. He should saue his people from their sinnes For sinne and that that insueth vpon sinne as shame and confusion of face horror of heart condemnation c. is it that most stingeth mens mindes and soules Now all these beeing taken away in Christ why should they not as well and comfortably sing that tryumphant song O death where is thy sting O graue or hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ as well
the attainment of knowledge because then they are and shall bee a degree nearer to grace comfort than before which hauing once obtained and harty prayer made vnto God for the sanctified vse continuance and increase therof in thē they shall no doubt in good time come to feeling but till then let them neuer thinke of it for all their thoughtes that way shall bee but lost labour because not knowing they cānot beleeue for how can any man be perswaded of the thinges he knoweth not And for the other I would in the feare of God counsell them neuer to thinke of sinne alone or of condemnation by it self or of their owne vnworthinesse apart for then certainely they cānot choose but be much discomforted greatly cast down but to ioyn alwayes therwith the remedies that God hath prouided giuen them there against as opposing against sinne Christs suffrings and the merits thereof which being strong to take away the cause cannot but vtterly remooue the effect that is condemnation and to oppose against their owne vnworthinesse the worthines of him that hath deserued all in all not for himselfe for he needed no merites as neuer hauing offended but for vs that in his righteousnes wee might stand pure and cleane in the sight of God And then no doubt but if we doe this these temptations shall be the more easie and the sooner ouercome specially if we adioyne therewith all praier for the increase strengthening of our faith to apply vnto our selues all the sweete promises and comfortable examples of the word which indeed be not only as manie sure seales and pledges set thereunto but so many particular documentes to instruct vs what to doe because God is not in this sort or sense a general God to all but a particular God to the faithful a special God to euery one of them as may appeare by these words of the faithfull I thanke my God and in prayer My God my God c. And yet this applying of him vnto our selues doth not straighten Gods goodnes in it selfe for that is infinitely large nor hinder it from others for he may and doeth giue to all aboundantly and yet all they haue to the full and he himselfe neuer a whit the lesse therfore A second doctrine that we may learne from hence is this that the estate of a distressed and an afflicted spirite is not so hard or heauy so dangerous deadly or desperate as many men in the world take it and would make it to bee This is gathered from hence yea and confirmed also by this that he doth heer so comfortablie call vpon them and commaund them to come vnto him which if they had been past hope he would not haue done for our Sauiour hath not done or said any thing in vaine Surely nothing was hidden from him hee knew their estate and accordingly framed himselfe thereto And indeede to say true it had been to no purpose because being past hope it shuld haue been in vain either to haue called or commanded But Christ sheweth rather the quite and cleane contrarie namely that it is good and comfortable as we may perceiue by this that our Sauiour Christ so tenderly regardeth them that be plunged into that misery And this we may vnderstand also by many reasons as well as by that before alleaged All things in the world and therefore this must of necessity come from God or from nature That which is from God is as himself good yea very good that which is from nature is as nature vitiated and corrupted But this indeed is no naturall thing as may appeare by this that nature in the corruptiō of it rather sootheth men in sin than any maner of way chargeth them withall yea nature is so farre from working it that it rather shunneth it and flyeth from it as a most grieuous euill And besides if it were naturall and from man why should not all be exercised with it seeing all men are meerlie naturall and haue alike sinned as in regard of the taint of original sin and though it may be that actually all men haue not sinned alike yet sith euery man in his measure or maner hath broken the law of God if it were from nature it would follow thereupon that euery man eyther more or lesse shuld be touched therwithall because euery man hath more or lesse sinned It being therefore from God as may appeare by this also that he hath ordayned many meanes and amongst the rest the execution of iudgmēts and the denouncing of the same by the ministery of the law and his vsing of the same as a worthy instrumēt to bring men ther unto it will follow thereupon that it cannot be but good because nothing commeth from him who is all soueraigne goodnes in himselfe but that which is good euen as he himselfe is And if it be good as it must needs bee cōming from him then it is not euill or so dangerous deadlie and desperate as many men make it Besides let vs but a little regard the persons who are most touched therwith we shal see that they be the dearest neerest vnto God are best beloued of him Amongst the Fathers vnder the law were any more excellent than Abraham than Moses than Dauid than Isaiah Of Abraham it is recorded that hee was the Father of the faithful the friend of God Of Moses it is affirmed that hee was the faithfullest in the house of God as a seruant Of Dauid that hee was a man euen according to the heart of God And yet howe much were euerie one of these humbled Let Dauid stand vs in steed of al. How many not only here and there sentences or verses thorowout his booke of Psalmes but whole Psalmes of this subiect and matter plainly shew him to haue bin far throwne down and hūbled To reckon them all would require much time and therefore to rehearse them in whole or in part much more but let him that doubteth of the trueth of this read Psal 6.13.38.77.102 130. and if by them he will not bee perswaded that Dauid was touched to the quick this way no thing I suppose will cause him to beleeue it Vnder the Gospell we haue our sauiour Christ himself the principall preacher or minister therof a plaine patterne of this point His whole life was lead vnder this estate yea and as wee may say laide downe in it also as it is at long and at large described vnto vs by the Euangelists And this argument also I meane concerning the humiliation of our Sauiour euery way the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes doth not onely handle in the sixe or seuen first chapters of that his epistle but teacheth Gods people to make speciall vse thereof for instruction and comfort And if anie will imagine that he was so throwne downe because hee was best yea onely able to raise vp himselfe and others also let vs turne our eyes from him vnto others and
exceedingly merciful as sometimes to disgrace a base colour or to make a colour that is perfect indeed to appeare more beautifull and orient wee set by it another that is nothing so glorious and good But to our purpose I say howe comfortable is that of Isaiah 41. where the Lord commaundeth his ministers to comfort yea to comfort his people and to seeke out for them and to speake such things vnto them as may delight and affect their heattes and to proclame vnto them that the set time is accomplished that their iniquitie is pardoned and that they haue receiued double at the Lords hands for all their sinne And this is yet further made plain by this that though al the word generally be the obiect of our faith teaching vs indeed what wee should beleeue and do for Gods glory heer and our endlesse glorification els where yet the principal props and stayes of our consciences for comfort consolation indeed are no where els to befound but in the gracious and sweet promises contayned therein which also is manifest euen by the very practise of God himselfe euery where propounding them to an afflicted and distressed heart as the principall and peculiar remedie against the sicknes of our soules that way In the 103. Psalme he saith that look how much more high the heauens are ouer the the earth so much doth his goodnes preuaile vpon them that feare him Againe he remooueth our sinnes as farre fromvs as the East is from the West By two fit similitudes taken froÌ„ things that are subiect to our fight amplifying the grace and mercie of God opposing the same against our transgressions And in Isaiah 1. he saith thus Though your si nes were as skarlet they shall be as snow and though they were as crimosin yet they shall be whiter than wooll And fearing least men woulde not willinglie come how doth he there intereat vs saying Come now I pray you and let vs reason the caus together as though he should say let vs friendly conferre of the matter If you will but lend and bend your care and be touched with the true sense of my righteousnes and your owne sinnes I promise faithfully that I will for mine own mercies sake put away all your transgressions whatsoeuer though they be neuer so great or grieuous That shall not let my worke in you my mercy shall surmount all yea your misery if you soundlie turne shall magnifie the greatnes of the abundant riches of my mercy The newe couenant that God maketh with his people in the 31. chap. of Ieremie and to the end that we might know it indeed to be a promise of the new testament it is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. how comfortable and full of sweet promises is that After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inwarde partes and write it in their heartes and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest saith the Lord for J will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more And if the olde testament be so plentifull what shall we thinke of the new which doth as of purpose propound and handle this point or question Christ himself saith Mat. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen vnto you seeke and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened vnto you And in the 7. of Iohn in the last and great day of the feast he stood crying out said He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life and in the 12. of that Gospell He that beleeueth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Is not that of the same nature which hee speaketh of in another Euangelisst The whole need not the Physition but they that are sicke I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And what may we think of that which is alleaged in the 12. of the Gospell after Mathewe out of the prophet Isaiah A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shal he not quench till he bring foorth iudgement vnto victory Out of Paules epistles wee haue spoken somewhat before in the first point of doctrine that was gathered out of this text yet take one or two In the 2. to the Corinth chap. 6. he saith We are the temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwel amongst them and walk there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Yea I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sons and daughters saith the Lorde almighty And the same Apostle deliuereth a notable promise with a glorious comfortable preface prefixed before it also 1. Tim. 1. This is a true saying and worthy to be receined of all men that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chief May we not of these and thousandes such like say as the Apostle Peter doth that most great precious promises are giuen vnto vs that euen for that end which he expresseth there namely that by them wee shoulde bee partakers of the diuine nature whilest we fly the corruption that is in the world thorow lust Are not these great promises and may iustly bee so called because they proceed from the great God propounde vnto vs great and excellent matters May wee not esteeme them precious not only for the raritie and excellencie of them but also because they vnderprop our precious faith Are wee not made in a double respect by them partakers of the diuine nature 1. that as in regard God is ioyfull and chearefull we are also become comfortable and replenished with spiritual ioy 2. That as be ceaseth from sin and is continually occupied in well doing so we learne thereby in our measure and maner to die the death of sinne and to liue the lâ—fe of righteousnes What other men may think I know not but to me it seemeth that God thus in his worde setting promises against sin mindeth nothing els but to shew that as sin is it that most stingeth the conscience so the meane to heale that byting as if it were the brasen Serpent set vp to cure the bytinges of fierie Serpents to bring comfort against the same is the promises of God propounded vnto vs in the word and selt in our hearts by faith And this is so plaine and euident a truth that euen there where God seemeth most to terrifie I meane in denouncing the threats of his law or iudgments against sinne he yet thinketh vpon not only his mercy in himselfe but as it is manifested vnto men he euen there either plainly expressing promises of blessing grace and fauor or els
of a thing that is not remembred For our owne parts let vs know that as Sathan laboureth to root out of our hearts generally all the seede of the worde that thereby keeping vs in blindnesse and ignorance hee maie make vs runne riot at his pleasure so especially he trauaileth either to hinder vs from receiuing or hauing receiued from making good vse of the sweet comfortable promises of the worde the verie matter if I may so saie and a speciall meane I am sure of our spirituall comforte For the redressing and repressing also of which enormities in vs a godly man that is in some sorte ignorant should laboure to abound in the knowledge of them as he that is forgetfull should refresh his memorie by often reading meditation and cōference in them and that not onely by and with his owne heart but euen by other men also and they that want feeling of them should looke vnto Iesus Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen and should be much and often in the vse of all the meanes wherby Christ is become ours as the word sacraments praier sasting c. But aboue all they should regard and labour for the holie spirit to be shed abroad in their hearts both to make all these things before named powerfull in them and to pledge vp also the truth and certaintie of the promises themselues because it is the carnest pennie of our adoption and inheritance That so sith sathan there laboureth to assault vs most and shake our faith as in that behalfe wee might thither bring all our aides and defences as they doe that are in a besieged hold and so we better made able not onely to indure the assault but to driue our foes with their forces from our gates walles And hee or shee or they whosoeuer that can do this they maie wel assure their hearts that howsoeuer they maie now then or for a while be buffeted beaten yet they shal neuer be vanquished or ouercome because he that is in thē with them for thē by himself his blessed spirit and all other effectuall meanes of consolation and comfort is stronger greater than al. Secondly it is verie fit and meet for confutation of a conceit that riseth vp in mens minds yea is deliuered also by the mouthes of some specially our popish aduersaries who tell vs that this propounding of comfort in the promises of the Gospell acquainting the people therwith maketh mensecure carelesse But herein surely they shew themselues blinde blockish as who haue not yet learned to distinguish betweene a thing good in it selfe and mans corruption abusing that which is good They may by the selfe same reason abolish all the other parts of the word and disanull or euacuate the sacraments because infinite thousands in the world abuse them to the increase of sin and licentiousnesse in themselues yea if they will or can make frustrate Gods grace because manie turne it into wantonnes and say sith is this true that where sin hath abounded there grace hath superabounded therefore let vs continue in sinne that grace maie abound And if for or in outward things we should reason as they doe and haue it followed that so is deliuered we might easily bring all disorder and confusion into the world and ouerthrowe the whole course and rase of mankinde Some abuse drinke to drunkennes and other some meate to gluttonie and gourmandise therefore there must be no vse of meate and drinke what is this els but to starue the excellētest of Gods creatures man I meane Many abuse apparell to pride and puffing vp It were best therefore to haue men goe naked which what were it els but to become or bring in new Adamites Diuers turne magistracy authoritie into tyrannie and therefore with the Anabaptists away with all ciuill authoritie and gouerment which what were it els but to bring in Anarchie worse than tyrannie by much But to the point indeed The promises of themselues and in the seruants of GOD bring forth no such effect For as they are deliuered for the comfort and consolation of them that are afflicted and mourne in Sion as may appeare in euerie place where they are alledged namely in the two first verses of the 40. chapter of Isay and tend indeede to manifest Gods loue and mercy that so in the truth and performance of his word wee might bee well assured that nothing should put an eternall separatiō between him and vs that hath loued vs so tenderly and giuen vs such gracious promises of truth life So surely the doctrine euery where adioyned to those promises in the word doth plainely shew that God meaneth not to make men secure and carelesse thereby or would haue them to inferre anie such thing thereupon And therefore when in the latter end of the sixt chapter of the second epistle to the Corinth hee had alledged manie promises of peace goodnes he beginneth the seuenth Chapter thus Seeing thē wee haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all fi lt hines of the flesh the spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And the like he doth in the second chapter of the second epistle to Timothy saying The strong foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his but withall let euery one that calleth vpon the name of Christ depart frō iniquity And let this suffice for these wordes of the 28. vers with the rest I cannot proceed because we haue been somewhat long and as I am wearie in my selfe so am I loath to bee troublous or tedious vnto you God may be pleased hereafter to giue both occasion time and place to pursue these things and to finish the residue In the meane while it shall not bee amisse in a word or two to apply that hath been saide to our persent assemblie and causes thereof and so to shut vp this exercise The causes that haue moued vs thereto are great grieuous iniquities preuailing vpon al euery one of vs the heauie rod of penurie and scarsity that ouerfloweth the land warres and rumors of warres and the same intended and threatned against vs both outward and inward at home and abroad To diuert or turne away the punishments for our sinnes and the iudgements that wee confesse and acknowledge we haue iustly deserued therefore no outwarde thing will serue though it bee neuer so great glittering or seeme neuer so pleasant or painefull but soundnes of heart and humble walking with our God in all our waies and all the dayes of our liues To this we haue been exhorted and prouoked by manifolde good meanes and namely by propounding singular comforts and consolations which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs the better to meet with our backwardnes from approching to him wee being sometimes discouraged from doing of that dutie by his almightie greatnes and excellencie and sometimes let from it by the consideration of our owne base and vnworthie estate But yet sith hee hath so louingly and fatherly called vs and for our better incouragement giuen vs gracious promises let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith our inward parts being pure from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water And so no doubt the punishments wee presently feele shal be remooued the feare of our foes at home and abroad shall be put farre away and wee shall not need to dread the curses of that Balaam of Rome not the vaunts and attempts of that proud and persecuting notion of Spaine nor of anie other our enemies bodily or ghostly because that our consciences being quieted with the comforta blefeeling of all Gods fauours and specially of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules wee may comfortably say as the saithfull that haue gone before vs haue done I will not bee afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Nay though I should walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will yet feare none ill for thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comforte mee Yea that wee are perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now let vs pray that God would giue a rich and plentifull blessing in our seuerall hearts to al the good things that haue been deliuered vnto vs at this time and let vs humbly intreat him to make them profitable in vs not onely for this present but for all the daies of our liues to his glorie and our euerlasting comforte thorowe Christ FINIS