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
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