precise points he shal be generally condemned What then Dauid cast away all such by-respects and Moses forsooke all euen Pharoahs court to abide reproch with Christ Heb. 11. 24 25 26. the Apostle left all and followed him and the Saints alway counted the reproches of Christ aboue the treasures of a Kingdome They so ordered their families that they would not brooke a lyer a swearer a deceitfull person a prophane and scoffing Ismael all must be cast out Oh then we shall shortly doe our worke ourselues But Dauid did so Psal. 101. 5 7. and other of Gods children are we not also counselled Heb. 12. 16. that no prophane person be amongst vs Thus we see that there is no such strictnes but an example therof may be found in the Scripture therefore let the world scoffe and laugh while it will yet the godly must make vse of these examples Thirdly we must hence learne to be ready to speake of our experiences of God to euery godly man that others may learne from vs to trust in his mercie so doth Dauid Psal. 66. 16. Come harken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule Thus are Fathers charged to tell their children and the children their children concerning the Passeouer and the stones that were pitcht in Iordan So Hezekiah said when longer life was granted him Isa. 38. 19. The liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth And by this meanes there shall be a succession of men still vpon earth to tell of the mercies of God when we are gone and so while we in our owne persons shall doe it in heauen others by our meanes shal do it on earth Fourthly here is a note to know when a man makes right vse of the Scripture not onely when hee beleeues the storie for so doe the deuils but when he affects it applies it to himselfe mingleth it with faith to make it profitable to admonish himselfe and others by it Hence issue three great benefits First a Christian shall be in no condition but he shall bee able to parallell his estate in some of the Saints hee shall see his owne case in some of them and so shall obtaine instruction direction and consolation by them Secondly wee shall testifie to God and his Saints when our liues shall be exemplarie and conformable to godly precepts and examples Thirdly in the day of iudgement we shall haue all the Saints Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles to witnesse with vs and for vs. In a difficult case a man would giue all hee hath for a witnesse on his side and we in this great assise of life and death shall haue the witnesse of all the godly God shall stand for vs the practices of the Saints shall iustifie our practices if we iustifie their practices here they shall iustifie ours hereafter Euery one that is godly HEre is the person that must pray the godly and euery one of them The word translated godly signifies in Hebrew two things first one whom God sheweth mercy vnto a gracious man in fauor and grace with God so the elect are vsually called vessels of mercy that as a vessell is filled with liquor so are they with Gods mercy Secondly it signifies one that sheweth mercy a mercifull man which is a propertie of a godly man who is like his father mercifull as he is the lionish and wooluish nature is put off and hee is become humble meeke gentle as the Lambe and the little childe Isai. 11. 6. Out of the former consideration wee may note that Onely the godly man is fit to pray or onely hee that hath grace can pray for grace vessels of mercy can pray for mercy and none else Prou. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Genes 4. 4. The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but vnto Caine and his offering he had no respect Now by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11. 4. First His person was accepted because he was in Christ and then his sacrifice Iames 5. 16. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Ier 11. 11. Though they crie vnto me I will not he are them What is the reason see it in the tenth verse They turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words c. The reasons of this point are these First he must be a good man that must pray a good prayer a good tree that must bring forth good fruit a bad man cannot make a good prayer for such as the roote is such is the fruit Secondly he only can pray aright that hath the Spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to cry Abba Father this is the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. neither doth God know any other voyce but the voyce of his owne Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Pray in the Spirit Yea but it is said Luk. 11. 13. the holy Ghost is giuen to them that aske him therefore hee can pray and obtayne the Spirit that wants him The scope of this place is not to shew whether the holy Ghost or prayer goe before but to shew how those that receiue the Spirit are to be exercised who where he is lyeth not dead or idle in the heart but stirs vp desires and grones vnspeakeable But how can a man pray for the holy Ghost and obtayne him when he hath him already By the holy Ghost is meant first the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Secondly the inward sense and feeling of him in the heart thus we may pray both for increase of his gifts and for a comfortable sense and feeling of him for neither of them is euer so great but we may still pray for more to haue them increased Shall we not pray for daily bread because we haue bread or shall not we say Forgiue vs our sinnes because wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes yes because we pray for Gods staffe and blessing on the former and a more full and comfortable feeling of the latter Thirdly onely the godly man can pray because hee only hath the promise of prayer all the promises of life in grace and glory are made to godlinesse the promise to be heard in prayer is made to the go dly man Ioh. 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Word in you aske what ye will and it shall be giuen you How can hee aske mercy that hath no part in mercy or how can he be heard in mercy to whom mercy belongs not Fourthly because onely the godly man hath faith without which nothing can please God this faith assureth vs of that we aske and issueth from iustifying faith see 1. Ioh. 5. 13 14. That yee may beleeue in the name of the Sonne
I knew what meanes to vse what are they If thou wouldst haue the preuailing of the Spirit take these courses First bee humble in thine owne eyes empty thy selfe of pride and vaine conceits the promise is that God giueth grace to the humble nay he dwels with the humble and broken heart Isay 57. 15. that is abides and continues with it Secondly be diligent in the ministerie of the Word of reconciliation which the Apostle cals the ministerie of the Spirit for it is as fuell to feede and strengthen the Spirit yea as bellowes to blow vp the graces which else lye idle 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee 1. Thes. 5. 18. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying marke the neerenesse of Spirit and Prophesie Thirdly obserue the motions of Gods Spirit feede them and from motions proceede to resolutions and practices not the worst man but hath some good motitions as Balaam and Saul acknowledged that Dauid was more righteous then he but imitate thou good Dauid here hee followes the motion that hee had hee said he would confesse and confessed So the Prodigall Son had a good motion he remembred his estate he had been in and his Fathers house but said he I starue here then hee resolues to goe to his Father and went Goe and do thou likewise this is to adde thy strength to the Spirit and thus a conuert is not meerely passiue in working out his saluation but actiue once being acted Fourthly pray earnestly for the Spirit for he is powred on thirstie grounds as Isay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and floods vpon the dry ground and Luk. 11. 13. If yee being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie HEre is Dauids confession it selfe he did not resolue suffer his resolution to dye but he said he would confesse and confessed but many are of another spirit they resolue professe promise 1. Tim. 1. 13. Paul saith of himselfe I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter an Oppresser but I was receiued to Mercie Here were three heinous degrees of sinne the sight of which made him confesse himselfe the chiefe of all sinners verse 15. and made him admire and magnifie the Mercie of God who vouchsafed so aboundant grace to such a desperate wretch as hee vvas and of this kinde are the confessions of all the godly The Reasons of this point are very good First a Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of grace which First worketh alike against all sinne and he that hath grace to confesse one sinne aright by the same grace confesseth all he that truely hateth one sinne truely hateth all If a man truely feele the weight of one it makes him grone vnder the burthen of all much more For all sinnes are of the same nature so as repentance cannot be sound if any one sinne be laid hold on which made our Prophet being humbled for one to repent of all Thus also doe the Israelites in their conuersion 1. Sam. 12. 19. Pray for thy Seruants said they to Samuel that we dye not for wee haue sinned in asking vs a King besides all our other sinnes Secondly the grace of sound conuersion suffereth not starting holes and hollownesse in the soule but worketh it to sinceritie Now the sincere heart deales truely betweene God and it selfe it knowes that God loues trueth in the inward parts therefore it will confesse fully and frankely vvithout hiding or lessening any sinne Againe it knowes that God loues a free-will offering and therefore it will offer a free and heartie confession and there can bee no better signe of sinceritie then this Thirdly sound grace is an open enemie and at warre with all sinne especially the sinne which is next it and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes it vvill shew true hatred against it that if confession will discouer the loathsomenesse of sinne it will not bee nice in it but bring it into discredit with it selfe And where grace is more abundant there is more abundant sense of sin and this sense brings abundance of words like so many swords and weapons against it euery one expressing greater hatred of it then other as Dauids words here Secondly another Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sinne which first is a debt as we haue heard a debt which is impossible that euer we should bee able to pay this debt stands vpon our heads in Gods debt-booke Now it vvill not stand with an honest disposition to deny or seeke to out-face or lessen a due debt to any man and much lesse will it stand with a godly disposition to deny or conceale our debts to God with whom wee cannot play false if we would And therefore it is as little as a man of a broken heart can doe to goe to the Creditor and in humilitie confesse the debt and craue pardon and forgiuenes So Christ our Lord hath taught vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts which implyes confession And Dauid prayes the Lord to blot out all his sins wherein hee secretly confesseth that hee hath a large score in Gods booke which he is vtterly vnable euer to satisfie Secondly sinne is a loathsome filthinesse and vn cleannesse and a good heart is ashamed of euery nakednesse of the Soule which it sees Gods eye to bee vpon and because it knowes that the next way to couer this nakednesse is to vncouer it as the whole experience of Dauid in this Psalme teacheth it labours by confession to couer all whereof it is or may be ashamed and indeede all true confession must proceede from the shame and confusion of face for sinne Thirdly sinne is a gash or wound in the soule and a man hauing many wounds or diseases seekes the cure of them all howsoeuer of the greatest first and soonest yet he neglecteth none because the least of them is dangerous and painefull so it is in sinne the confession of which is as the laying open of a sore that the plaister may bee fitly laid on a man that would haue all cured will not hide any but vncouer euen the least Thirdly God will haue his children in some measure like himselfe herein and resemble his owne image that as hee esteemes of sinne not as a light or small thing but the most vile and odious thing in all the world and so hee euer speakes of it and carries himselfe to it so shall his children in their measure and for this purpose First he vsually putteth forth his worke of iustice and layeth an heauy hand on the soule as on Dauid here when the eye of the soule beholdeth the Lord frowning vpon it without and the conscience within accusing then shall nothing be small little sinnes shal be counted great enough that which Satan did
barbarous and butcherly Saul was zealous in his religion and breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning but all that while his religion was proportionall hee knew not Christ nor what hee did But the Romish religion goes beyond all other in crueltie and vnmercifulnesse and therefore of all other must be most hatefull to GOD. It was said long since that Antichrist the head of that Church must be an Appollyon a Destroyer and 2. Thes. 2. 3. the sonne of Perdition both actiuely and passiuely in himselfe and vnto many others He must be cloathed in scarlet a colour dyed in the blood of the Saints and a beast that must make warre against the witnesses of God The Church of God in the Old Testament indured most grieuous oppression and was vnmercifully handled in Egypt by Pharaoh in Canaan by the King of Syria Iudg. 3. 8. by Eglon King of the Moabites by Iabin King of the Canaanites by the Midianites Ammonites and Philistims and by Nebuchadnezzar in the Babylonish captiuitie But all this was nothing to that it suffered by Antiochus Epiphanes And yet this of Antiochus was but a type of Antichrists persecution his wicked rage was but a shadow to this Here is an vnmercifull Destroyer that killeth first the soules of men by poysoning their mindes with false and damnable doctrines Secondly the bodies of men with horrible and vnheard-of crueltie and tyrannie Here is a woman drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus Reu. 17. 6. What shall we thinke of that religion by whose edicts perswasions and approbations all the Christian blood almost hath bin shed vpon earth since the ten first Persecutions Who hath done this but the firebrands of Babylon What of that religion which committeth Kings and Emperours together making them Wolues and Tygers one to another and who doth this but Nebuchadnezzar the head of this Babylon What of that religion that blowes vp Massacres Rebellions Seditions Treasons in all Countreys This also doth the scarlet-whore of Babylon What of that Religion that sends out cut-throat villaines with Pardons to stab and poison Kings and Potentates of the earth yea to blow vp with one terrible blow three whole states and Kingdomes This also doth the mercifull holy Father at Romish Babylon Who hath kindled so many furnaces to burne the bodies of Gods Saints in all Christendome but that meeke sonne of perdition whose mercies are cruell What may wee thinke of the mercilesse inquisition in Spaine Or that horrible massacre of the Christians in France the like whereof was neuer seene in any Nation Here in our owne land what damnable plots and deuillish designements haue there beene against the persons of our Kings and Princes What shall I speake of the vnnaturalnesse of their cruelty amongst vs while they haue chased away all pitie and respect of silly persons who in regard of the impotencie of their mindes or their tender age might by all lawes of nature and Nations haue laid claime to mercie if the Ocean of heathenish I meane Popish crueltie had not broken all bounds and bankes What hurt could a Boy of eight yeeres old doe to their religion who yet for that was scourged to death in Bonners house What hurt could that babe do them that sprang out of the mothers wombe and was cast in againe because it was a yong Heretique and so baptized in the mothers flames and the owne blood What madnesse was it to apprehend a madde man one Collins who held his dogge ouer his head as the Priest did the hoast for which hee and his dogge were burnt for Heretiques a wofull meanes to bring a madde man into his wits With how little reason could they demaund a reason of the faith of a madde man one Cowbridge and make a madde mans words without vnderstanding a sentence of his owne death for which hee was burnt at Oxford but where furie hath madded men no argument can mooue them to pittie What religion is that the wrath of which sticketh not either to bury the quicke as Marion at Burges or to vnbury the dead as Wickliffs bones burnt one and fortie yeeres after his death Peter Martyrs wife at Oxford two yeeres after his death burnt for an Heretique at Cambridge Mr. Bucer Phagius cited out of their graues to appeare foure yeeres after their buriall which when the silly ashes could not doe they were digged out and burnt on the market-hill because they did not answere and satisfie such articles as were laid against them Richard Hun apparantly hanged by them in the prison was also burnt after his death Iohn Tooly being dead and buried was cited to appeare before Bonner by a day appointed at which time limited and expired he was excommunicate and straite charge giuen that no man should eate or drinke with him or if any met him they should not bid him God speed or if he came to Church in time of diuine seruice he must be thrust out after that this excommunication wrought nothing vpon the dead man hee was condemned and committed to the secular power and so the poore dead man was the second time by the Sheriffs executed Is this cruell religion of God Did Christ or any of his Apostles bring in the trueth by fire or sword No it is falsehood that must stand by power and humane policie When the two Disciples asked Christ if they should call for fire from heauen against the Cities that receiued thē not No saith Christ Ye know not what spirit ye are of But let Antichrists Disciples aske him as Faux Winter did Garnet Shall we call for fire from hell against those Kingdomes which will not receive vs Hee saith Yea because hee knowes what spirit they bee of resolute but infortunate Gentlemen begin to dig vnder the Parliament-house and when all the house is set to make lawes against the Catholikes giue them a terrible blow and they shall neuer know who hurt them O but what speake you this against the Religion of the Church of Rome this is the fault of men not of their doctrine Nay but it ariseth out of the grounds of their doctrine which is ful of cruelty and bloudinesse Iesuitisme is the Rebels Catechisme I will set downe their doctrine in certaine positions which are eminent in their Authors at this day First the Pope ought to driue Woolues and bad leaders heretique Kings that is Protestants à grege dominio not only excommunicate but also driue them from their Kingdomes This is Bellarmines position defended by the Pope himselfe Secondly not onely manifest but also secret and suspected heretiques so Symancha Thirdly not onely themselues but all their fauourers also and children So Creswell Fourthly quibuscunque modis by any meanes saith Sanders vi or dolo as Iudith put downe Holofernes and Iehu Athaliah Reinolds and Boucherius or by a knife or dagger as Henrie the third and fourth Kings of France were murthered or by Dag Dagger or poyson as