finde I for thee in the Oracles of God Art thou a Libertine vsing all libertie for an occasion to the flesh x Gal. 5.13 a contemner of Gods ordinances his words and Sacraments his Ministerie and Ministers Thou art not spirituall y Rom. 7.14 cap. 8.14 nor led by the Spirit but carnall altogether and sold vnder sinne thou despisest God z 1 Thes 4.8 thou committest sacrilege a Rom. 2.22 thou iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of euerlasting life b Act. 13.46 thou puttest from thee the meanes thereof and turnest the same into lasciuiousnesse c Iude ve 4. no remedie remaineth nor healing to thee that mocketh the Messengers of God that despisest his words that misusest his Prophets d 2 Chron. 36.16 These things I finde in the Scriptures against thee but except thou repent No comfort finde I for thee in the Oracles of God I personate no man but if the witnesse within the Conscience accuse any testifying and saying Thou art the man to whom it is spoken spoken bee to him and this further in the Spirit of our God against the workes of the flesh which are manifest and are these Adulterie fornication vncleannesse lasciuiousnesse idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuellings and such like Qui talia agunt e Gal. 5 21. They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Gal. 5.21 Seeing then that these things are so that some comfort themselues without the Word and that without the Word there is no solid comfort A necessitie is laid vpon vs both for the vse of edifying and the issue of the point to reason in plaine euidence and demonstration of the Spirit De Afflicto consolabili De Sermone consolabundo De Ratione consolandi Touching The afflicted that are consolable The word which comforteth the afflicted The manner of comforting them by the same word 1. De afflicto consolabili Of the afflicted that are consolable All men haue not faith f 2 Thes 3.2 nor the knowledge of God g 1 Cor. 15 34. nor bee in their affliction comforted by the Word neither indeed can be because they are not corrigible not docile not humble nor humbled The shaking of the hand of the Lord which hee shaketh ouer them not feared nor had to worke any feare in their heart the spirit of bondage But had once this and but once had Running there is to God and flying to Iesus Christ without back-sliding in heart or any departing from him Contrà Not hand nor receiued at all no comfort at all nor conuersion at all neither any constant worship In Rom. 8.15 Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare Not to feare againe as bondslaues but first they feared hauing the spirit of bondage as all haue that labour and are heauie laden the curses of the Law may be denounced a thousand times and ten thousand kinds of strong iudgements inflicted in vaine except the spirit of bondage be sent into the heart to worke feare therein and in that feare to bring men home vnto God in Christ Thunder and raine and earthquakes haue beene and yet mens hearts haue beene little moued but the spirit of bondage D. Preston of the new Couenant pag. 392 393. or of feare on the people they feared exceedingly when it thundred and rained in wheat haruest h 1 Sam. 12 18. likewise at the great showres of raine in Ezra's time i Ezra 10.9 likewise the Iaylor although all was safe k Act. 16.29 This spirit the plough of God with which hee ploweth vp the heart before hee soweth therein the word of his grace which bringeth saluation This spirit obliterates the image of the old man and prepares a place for the impresse of the new whose motto is l Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes i. in a filiall manner for the seruile is the Deuils Ye see the reason brethren why some afflicted are not consolable not consolable Actus actiâ—oâ—um est in patiente pradisposito not corrigible not corrigible not fearing not fearing not hauing to feare the sprit of bondage Therefore if yee feare not nor haue had to feare the spirit of bondage Yee haue cause to feare because ye haue not Christ * Rom. 8. yee know him not nor what hee hath suffered for you yee haue no fellowship in his sufferings not being made conformable to his death But afflicted if ye feare as sonnes in bondage if feeling the weight of the iudgement inflicted and seeing your sinnes yee flie from them as from the face of a serpent vnto the Propitiatorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Io. 16. vlt. which is Iesus Christ Be of good cheere the good spirit of God is vpon you for good and truly and thorowly humbled thereby yee shall be deliuered from the temporall bondage into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God As the Law is good Rom. 7.12 so the spirit of bondage As the Law but a temporarie Schoole-master vntill faith bee informed so the spirit of bondage vntill the spirit of Adoption be infused and as the Sunne of righteousnesse ariseth with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 So the Spirit of adoption commeth with libertie in his armes God hauing sent the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of his sonnes they cry Abba father m Gal. 4.6 the loue of an indulgent father apprehended not the seueritie of an austere Iudge and God beheld not as a consuming fire n Deut. 4.24 that will deuoure them but as a faithfull Creator that will haue a desire to the workes of his hands o Iob 14.15 Afterwards there 's no seruile but a filiall feare i. a mixture of feare and loue the spirit of loue leading in the way euerlasting the spirit of feare preuenting Reconciliation and fetching home againe them that being brought home turne againe vnto folly lose themselues and runne as sheepe astray Loue hauing respect vnto all the Commandements to keepe the same feare preseruing the heart from the deceitfulnesse of sin for as feething liquor filthy fâ—um so the heart boyling with feare casts out sinne suffers it not to oestuate it selfe into the inward parts adhere it may but enters not into the frame fabricke or constitution of the heart to bee mingled and confounded The feare of the Lord is cleane p Psal 19.9 they also pure in heart that haue it in their heart hauing such an heart that admits not the mixture of any sin but as base and reprobate stuffe resists and reiects it So then we say for the verdict of the Inquest That without the humbling and cleansing feare there 's no token for good in or out of affliction nor comfort by the Word 2. De Sermone consolatorio Of the word which is the comfort in Affliction The substantiall Word there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of the Lord wherefore should I wait on the Lord any longer What hope is in or is of such Not the Anchor which is firme but the Spiders web which perisheth Woe vnto the people that be in such a case what is ours now The Church in tribulation S. Iohn subscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc 1.9 A brother and Companion in tribulation How doe wee or what when When Hannibal besieged Sâ—guntum a confederate Citie with Rome the Capitoll of Rome one said was assailed the danger and losse abroad is ours ours the common calamities of the dayes the dayes are euill yea so euill they are that a man may say I haue no pleasure in them h Psal 60.1 2 3. Hath not the Lord cast vs off Hath hee not scattered vs Is hee not displeased with vâ— Doth not the earth tremble Is it not broken Doth it not shake Haue wee not hard things shewed vs and beene made to drinke the wine of astonishment Behold we not the shaking of the hand of the Lord which hee shaketh ouer vs stretched our still not turned away his wrath i Isa 9.12.17.21 for all that is done the enemie hath done exploits groweth horribly boasteth himselfe in mischiefe cryeth there there so would wee haue it ensignes set up for signes the profession in corners Religion in the straits schisme and vngratious heresie a float a floud of many waters roares in our eares the first borne of many the hope of Germany how suddenly surrepted Ah alas The Lord calleth vs to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sachcloth k Isa 22.12 13. yet behold among vs ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine dissolute and resolute we we refuse to be reformed we walke contrarie to the Lord who striketh and walketh therefore contrarie vnto vs yea in furie as hee spake in Leuit. 26. l Leuit. 26.28 chastizing and punishing vs seuen times more rebellious more and more I close with one of Ieremies Lamentations m Ier. 8.18 When I would comfort my selfe against sorrow my heart is faint in me Vse 3 3. For information and sith that the Lord afflicteth whom he loueth may the afflicted bee informed by three notes whether or no they are afflicted in loue For first whom the Lord loueth hee loueth vnto the end and will not cease from arguing and chastening them vntill they be conuerted and reclaimed so much the spirit expresly n Reuel 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As fathers conuince before they chastise their children make knowne their faults and multiply stripes vntill they coÌ„fesse theÌ„ promise reformation semblably the Lord not leaue will hee them whom he chuseth halting betweene two but cause them by chastening them to approach vnto him o Psal 65.4 and 94.12 compared The purifying hand vpon them the drosse is purely purged and the tinne taken away p Isa 1.25 euerie sonne which is scourged commeth out from among the multitude which doe euill toucheth not the vncleane thing q 2 Cor. 6.17 is thorowly separated before hee bee receiued or can be Bee it so that the wicked the hooke in their nose returne not are not purged in the fornace from their filthinesse nor will bee what shall bee done Not purged thereby they shall neuer hee purged r Ezek. 24.13 Vessels of wrath to be filled with the furie of the Lord But correction in loue causeth the Beloued to come in confessing their sins and their profiting appeareth in the amendment of their life Dauid scourged was sensible of his fault and corrigible the correction of the Lord he refused not but receiued for his good confessed the same Good it is for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Å¿ Psal 119.67.71 for before I was afflicted I went astray Psal 119.67.71 but now haue I kept thy word Manasseh taken among the thornes and bound with setters knew at length that the Lord he was God t 2 Chron. 33.12 Ephraim bowed yeelded u Ier. 31.20 Israel vexed with all aduersitie torne and smitten approched x Hos 6.1 2. When a man chastized approacheth vnto the Lord and yeeldeth himselfe confesseth and forsaketh his sin hee may count it all ioy yea giue glorie to the Lord and make thus confession y Psal 119.76 I know O Lord that thy iudgments are right and that thou hast in faithfulnesse afflicted thy seruant Note 2 The second loue-token is Consolation receiued in the dayes of euill coÌ„municated afterwards for whom the Lord loueth he comforteth in euerie tribulation and inableth them thereby to comfort them which are in any trouble By the comforts wherewith they were themselues comforted of God z 2 Cor. 1.4 6 7. As sufferings abound so consolation aboundeth and is participated to them that are partakers of the sufferings Dauid scourged for his sin was comforted humbled for it afterwards what would hee Teach transgressours the wayes of God conuert sinners vnto the Lord a Psal 51.13 Peter hauing erred and being conuerted what should hee strengthen his brethren b Luk. 22.32 When a man is refreshed being afflicted and as he hath receiued any grace if he as a good steward minister the same vnto other lying in the like distresse and communicate with their affliction he hath not been afflicted and refreshed in vaine but to good effect in loue and in mercie to be a vessell of mercie and conduit of loue from the fountaine to the cisterne from the Lord to his chosen in the great tribulation Note 3 The third is a minde content with the present things and present state this the obsignation of the spirit e Ephes 4.30 a certaine diuine impression of light a secret manifestation of grace the God of all grace to them that open vnto him when hee knocketh at their doore with the hammer of the crosse manifesting d Io. 14 2â— himselfe in an admirable manner and filling their hearts with vnexpressible gladnesse e Act. 14.17 giuing them Manna supping with them f Reu. 3.20 bringing them to the banquetting house g Cant. 2.4 5. staying them with flagons comforting them with apples girding their hearts with his peace which passeth vnderstanding h Phil. 4 7. powring the spirit of grace and supplications vpon them i Zach. 12.10 giuing them an vnderstanding that they may know him that is true k 1 Io 5.20 opening the treasures of his all-sufficiencie fashioning their hearts and adapting their mindes to the present condition whatsoeuer it is no sutablenesse nor agreeablenesse between the minde and the condition What is the life but a kinde of liuing death but suiting and agreeing the condition to the minde the appetite accommodated and thing desired had had is that one thing which is instar omnium as it were all things Men of heauie hearts mirth and musike grieue when as weeping
incorporated Psal 40.8 Psal 51.6 desired in the inward parts and hidden in the hidden part 5. bound fast and closed about the impe of the word inserted it is consepted and strengthened yea as an orchard or vineyard with wals and hedges fenced and fortified with holy cares and godly iealousies lest wilde and harmefull beasts breake it off or bite it off or come nigh it to hurt it How many caueats hath the Apostle in his Epistles to this purpose Deceiue not your selues Be not deceiued r 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 6.7 Let no man deceiue you with vaine words Å¿ Ephes 5.6 Let no man beguile you with inticing words Let no man spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceit after the tradition of men or after the rudiments of the world t 2 Coloss 2. â— Besides the beasts of Ephesus u 1 Cor. 15.32 and the grieuous wolues x Act. 20.29 what care tooke he to detect and defeat to preuent and preuince * Prauincire Gal. 2.5 propugning the truth oppugning the aduersaries not giuing to them place by subiection no not for an houre that the Gospell stablished might continue for euer Let the same minde be in you which was also in him The word ingraffed hedge yee about fence and keepe safe from malignant persons euill cogitations cares riches the pleasures of this life vnbeleefe Apostasie and such like The enuious man will if he can make a breach vpon it and bring in these destroyers Therefore take yee heed yea let him that thinketh he standeth z 1 Cor. 1â— 11 12 take heed lest he fall or bee surprized in an houre that hee knoweth not Finally fruit is expected to bee had vnto holinesse and the end euerlasting life a Rom. 6.22 Summer and winter the plant the same fat in old age and flourishing as the Palme tree not blasted with the winds of other vaine doctrines not nipped with the frosts of hearts hardnesse or natures remissenesse not beaten downe by the messengers of Satan buffeting the branches nor withered so much as in one leafe with the extremities of the times but as those that be planted b Psal 92.13 in the house of the Lord the c 1 Cor. 3. â— increase giuen of God fruitfull in old age and comfortfull in affliction Let a man therefore examine himselfe and brethren proue your selues whether yee haue or no the comforting word which is the ingraffed word The heart vncleane incision not made for insition no siâ—ns immitted nor closed about with louing affection no sensure about it nor any fruit appearing it is not ingraffed nor affordeth it refreshment to the soule that is wearie But the heart cleane through the word which is spoken incision made the impe setled and closed on euery side with embracements of loue fenced and fruitfull it is ingraffed and THE WORD which is comfort in affliction Remaineth what is expected De ratione consolandi how and in what manner the poore afflicted are comforted by the word In Isay 30.21 it is said Thine eare shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way c. d Emphaticè verbum audiendi ponitur Deum hic padagoge comparat quâ— pueret sibi ante occulas statuit c. Marloâ—â—t in loc As pupils from behinde them heare the voice of their Schoolemaster or Tutor teaching and admonishing them so the seruants of the Lord his heauenly-voice and in their affliction they are by the word mixed with faith incordiated hid in the heart inscribed and ingraffed informed and comforted as here followeth 1 By the word through faith they vnderstand That afflictions are effects of Gods decree which is sealed and remaineth sure as e Psal 125.1 Mount Sion not to be remoued fals a sparrow to the ground f Mat. 10.29 or an haire from the head without him The sufferings of the Saints are fore-ordained as themselues foreknowne g Rom. 8.29 Thus when I remember I powre out in mee my soule thus * Psal 42.4 Hath God decreed to me and appointed mee to beare the euill vpon me I will without any reluctation beare it the stiffe-necked striue with the yoke to their hurt it is good to yeeld in youth h Lam. 3.27 in the first houre in the last all must Dâ—th Shimei curse mee The Lord hath bidden him i 2 Sam. 16.10 Doth Saul persecute me Vexed he is with an euill spirit sent from the Lord k 1 Sam. 19 9. Doe other men vnreasonable and wicked insedable and absurd insest oppose plot against me thrust sore at me that I might fall and fal into the pit which they haue digged for me l Gal. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are as Paul of the Galatians mad men distracted in their minds they know not what they doe what m Io. 8.44 doe they but the lusts of the deuill What are they but his agents and instruments yet permitted all of my Lord my God to humble me to proue me n Deut. 8.2 to know what is in me whether I wil trust in him cleaue to him or * Tentatio probatio in non perditionis it is a tentation of probation not of destruction Doth sicknesse afflict me it is the seruant of the Lord comming and going as the Centurions o Mat. 8.8 9. according to his word Doth any pressure or other disaster ingrauate or grieue me nothing happeneth or is done nor shall happen or bee done vnto me but what the hand of God and his counsell hath before determined to be done p Act. 4. â—â— Therefore being vile in mine owne eyes and base in mine owne sight q 2 Sam. â— 22 I say as he that went vp barefoot by the ascent of Mount Oliuert r 2 Sam. 15 2â— Behold here I am let the Lord doe to me as seemeth good vnto him Surely hee will not cast off for euer but though hee cause griefe Å¿ Lam. 3 32 yet will he haue compassion and This is my comfort in my affliction 2 By the word through faith they vnderstand That afflictions are arguments of the adoption of sonnes vnto God t Heb. 12.6 euery sonne whom hee receiueth flagellat hee scourgeth yet not in his anger but with iudgement to teach them his iudgements Impunity a note of bastardy yea saith the spirit u Verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Bastards may escape that increpation correction discipline nurture which sons must suffer many vile seruants haue much more liberty and mony in their purse than many dears children The naturall sonne a bodâ—e prepared him had his eares bored and opened as other mens Isay 50.6 x Isa 50.6 A man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes y Isa 53.3 tempted himselfe z Heb. 2. vlt. buffeted and smitten yet not rebellious neither turned hee away