the same Tertian Quartan or Quotidian Feuer out of which he is with much dainger and difficulty recouered Fiftly the Lord as it were by continuall phlebotomizing and blood-letting will preserue vs from this daingerous plurifie of pride for as it is the Lords mercifull and gracious dealing vsually with his children after their serious humiliation to shine vpon them againe with the light of his countenance to restore vnto them the ioy of his saluation so he giues them renewed graces as wee may see plainly in the example of Zacharias q Luke 1.20 64. Ionas r Ionas 2.9 10. the Corinthians Å¿ 2 Cor. 7.11 Martha t Luke 10.41 compared with Iohn 11.20 21. and some say Peter u Fidelior factus est Petrus postquam fidem perdidisse se defleuit c. more then euer they had before euen as gifts are giuen betwixt once disagreeing perfectly reconciled louers as pledges and tokens of more pure and perfect loue then euer as the bone that is broke and once knit oft proues stronger then euer now as by the new fluxe of blood in the body at the Spring of the yeare there is oft an occasion and originall of a new Ague so by a new addition and increment of grace corruption helpt forward by Sathan is exceeding prone to be proud for the preuention of which abhorred and hatefull humour the Lord still administers his castigations he leaues something euer as the buffettings of Sathan that prick in the flesh to his inspired Apostle * 2 Cor. 12.7 8. to hold vs low and keepe vs vnder from being superbient and too high exalted in our selues he stygmatizeth vs in our flesh or spirits which as the scarre in the body of a souldier may continually put vs in minde and memorie both of the great wound of our sin to keep vs stil more humbled as also of the skill and good will of our heauenly Physitian in curing that which once wee despaired as incurable to make vs truly continually thankfull SECT 3. God is more strict with his owne Children in this life then with the reprobates SIxtly and lastly the Lord hath also by these corrections of his repenting Saints an ayme and an end at the conuiction and instruction of vnhumbled impenitent sinners First for their conuiction the Lord by this meanes puts a muzzell vpon their blasphemous mouths when they are ready as Aegyptian dogges to barke against the Moone as their father the deuill * Ioh. 8.44 to accuse God * Gen. 3.4 5. of partiality that he lightly passeth by and sleightly passeth ouer the sinnes of some as an accepter of persons but layes load on others that he toucheth some hardly with a finger others hee crusheth with his whole hand wags not the rodde at his owne but whips the wicked with cords of yron c. that the Lord may be true when hee is iudged and righteous when he is condemned x Psal 51.4 he makes it plaine and perspicuous to the whole world that hee is as strict and seuere with his elected ones as any naturall father is with his owne children nay that he often is rather more resolute and vehement against the sinnes of his Saints in temporary proceedings then against the reprobates themselues for whereas the wicked and impious oft escape for a time scot-free as repriued like fellons till the Assizes of the Generall Iudgement walking in the meane space vnder the bond of a guilty conscience to doe say and thinke what they please liuing as libertines and voluptuaries wallowing as swine in the mire fatted as Bulls of Basan against the day of slaughter * Psal 73.17 18 Iob. 20.5.5 6. Iob 21.16 17. his owne sheepe in the interim he sheares and shaues keepes them in a narrow fold salues their fores giues them Potions to preuent their rotts his owne children vpon her least misdemeanours he whips and corrects humbles here the pride of Ezekiah as after Dauids for the numbring of the people reproues Asa y 2 Chr. 16.12 for seeking first to the corporall before the spirituall Physitian in his sicknesse brings Iehosophat into a great strait to the in dangering of his life for his taking part with wicked Ahab in his vnwarrantable warre z 1 King 22.32 shamed Noahs drunkennesse with the flouts and scoffes of his owne sonne a GeÌ„ 19.36 37. The Moabites and Ammonâ—ts being after prickes in their eyes goads in their sides as the folly of some Pastour is scourged by his owne hearers as some man is wounded with his owne weapons makes Lot infamous by the two incestuous bastards which hee had by his owne daughters b Moab and Ammon whose off-spring were after the plagues to Israel * depriues Sampson of his strength his good name his bodily lights yea his life by the intemperancie of his lusts c Iudg. 16. v. 21.30 casts Ionas into the Sea and imprisons him in the bowels of the Whale for his disobedience d Ionas 1.15 depriues Iosias of his life by the sword of Pharaoh Necho e 2 Chr. 35.22 23. for reiecting of Counsell teares in peices his owne Prophet by a Lyon f 1 King 13.24 for being disobedient in one particular command though tempted and seduced excludes Moses out of temporarie Canaan so much desired g Deut. 32.50 for his once distrustful diffidence h Numb 20.23 24. reproues Aaron i Num. 12.5 6. makes Miriam leprous k ver 12. for their emulation muttering against Moses strikes Zachary dumbe for his incredulitie l Luk. 1.19 20. yea excludes Adam Eue out of Paradise m Gen. 3.23 24. for their too much credulity to Sathan and their infidelitie in distrusting the threat ioyned with rebellious disobedience in so small an iniunction as the forbearance of one Fruit. Thus God keeps corrections for his own as the Apostle speakes Iudgements begin and haue begunne you see euer since the beginning at the house of God n 1. Pet. 4.17 yea rather at the house of God at Bethel then at Bethauen the house of vanity rather at Shiloh at Sion then at Sodom The Father of Spirits herein imitating an earthly father who if his sonne bee robbing an Orchard o Similitude Stellae in Lucam or playing waggish trickes in the street with other straying children he takes home his owne child reproues him corrects him admonisheth him to remember for euer doing the like hee layes on a Memorandum to cause him to remember for euer afterwards seemes to bee very rigorous and seuere with him whereas a strange childe his neighbours sonne culpable in the same fault hee neuer so much as intermeddles with him neuer once opens his mouth to reproue him but passeth by heedlesse and regardlesse of him why so because he loues his owne better then the other the one is part of himselfe therefore his loue descends so is not the other hee purposeth to bestow on
Homerus et Bernardus non vidit omnia Learn'd Laureat Homer may in somethings wincke Nor in best Bernards braine doth each truth sinke As also this Qui pedibus vadit quat nor ipse cadat The nimble foure-foot Steede may chance to trippe And best of men may fall or slide or slippe And in these specialties enumerated we haue in Ezekiah and the rest plaine euidences of mans humane frailty his sinning misery SECT 2. The force of inbred corruption NOw if any will be further inquisitiue in diuing into this mystery this misery of mans iniquitie and would know the reasons for his further satisfaction of this sinning condition incident to the best of men they may be referred I thinke to these 3. heads respecting God respecting Sathan respecting Man himselfe To begin with the last first There is in euery man duplex homo as it were a double man if hee bee regenerate for of such we now speak there is the old man and the new * In me duplex Homo Caro et spiritus Iacob et Esau c. Hieronimus or as diuinity vseth the phrases the old Adam and the new the first Adam and the second Grace and nature flesh and spirit corruption and sanctification these saith the Apostle lust the one against the other * Gal. 5.17 these haue in their commotions contrary motions appetites desires inclinations affects effects betwixt these there is a continuall Duell an irreconciliable ciuill warre till it be stinted by death their striuings and strugglings within the heart are as the wrastlings x Gen. 25.22 See Downam his Christian Warfare of Iacob and Esau within the wombe of Rebecca the Christian soule the place of this conflict is oft as Rebecca so greatly distressed distracted with the broyles bickerings shee knowes not oftentimes she is in such straites what to say or thinke of her owne estate Now as in all ciuill wars as we know as betwixt Romulus and Remus Scylla and Marius Caesar and Pompey c. now the one party had the better end of the staffe now the other * Of the effects of these and other ciuill wars vide Daneum in Aphoris polit p. 18. et p. 21. Pezelitos in postillis part 3. pag 504. et Antimâ—tchiauellus l. 2. p. 366. 367. 368. as in a paire of weascales now the one party went vp now the other downe so it is in this spirituall conflict As it is with two combatants that are weekely in the Field with Sword or Rapier euen the stronger may sometimes be foiled so how euer corruption be in vs as Saul in the Field pursuing Dauid the greater party and Grace be in vs as little Dauid the lesser partie but the stronger because God is with him and on his side yet Dauid may feare to fall some day into the hand Saul y 1 Sam. 27. his pursuit is so vehement and violent and sure by the allurements and flatteries of the treacherous flesh that layes in waite and ambushment continually to betray the soule as a domesticke inbred Traitor within the bosome the soule is often soiled quelled ouercome and caried as a manacled and fettered captiue to sin by the strength of corruption as it was with Dauid when by that poysoned bullet of Bethshebahs beauty 2 Sam. 11. Cur lumina noxia vidi which his treacherous eye shot into his heart hee was so hot and lustfully inflamed that his fire could not be quenched till he actually committed adultery with her SECT 3. The preuailing power of Sathans Temptations SEcondly as the Apostle saith we are not ignorant of the wiles of Sathan he goes about saith St. Peter as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour z 1 Pet. 5.8 He is the serpent that deceiued Eue saith S. Paul a 2 Cor. 11.3 the old Dragon b Reu. 12.3 in the Reuelations of S. Iohn this Lyon this Dragon this Deuil this Serpent this Sathan this Tempter c Math. 4.1 as hee was to Christ this accuser d Reu. 12.10 of the brethren as he was to e Iob 1.9 See Zanchius de sex operibus de malis Angelis Casman his Angelographic and Smalcald of the nature of Angells As also Wierus de prestigijs Demonum Delrius l. 2. Disquis Psellus de Demonibus Cycogna de Magis with Augustine de ciuitate Dei Of the nature power and imployment of wicked spirits Iob is another cause of the sinnes of the Saints he was chiefe author of chiefe actor in the fall of the first man as an enuious man whose house being on fire fires his neighbours too or hauing the plague vpon himselfe seekes to infect a whole towne Sathan falling from heauen himselfe plots and practiseth mans fall on earth by the meanes of the woman he effects it This roaring Lion this Cerberus or dog of hell as a slouth-hound being flesht then euer since seekes the blood of soules and for that purpose as he is a spirit and so restlesse as he is a Deuill and so wicked as he is Sathan so enuious as a Lyon so powerfull as a serpent and so subtill with continuated incessant motion circling compassing the earth f out of his wicked and deuillish disposition he improues all his power and his pollicie his might and his malice his force and fraud vses all his trickes his traps his engines by himselfe by his instruments by outward obiects by inward suggestions by iniected Temptations from pleasure profit and the like to insnare mens soules in sinne and so to bring them to desired destruction and as his malice is against all mankind in generall so chiefely against the Elect in whom the Image of God is most resplendent Grace most eminent his hatred being mainly and immediately against God against his Christ it is most extensiue against the best seruants of this Lord against the dearest children of this Father * The Deuill is like a Panther who when he cannot deuoure a man teares his picture saith Basil exem hom 10. et expressius hom 50. hating as is the manner of his impes in their inueterate malice euen the children for the fathers cause Rich preyes soules richliest loaden with precious iewels lustrous Iems iustifying faith liuely hope ardent zeale feruent loue the spirit of prayer Doue-like innocency inuincible patience c. are the most desired booties of this infernall Pyrate Therefore he doth not onely fill the heart of Ananias and Saphira with hypocrisie * Acts 5.3 possesse the hart of Iudas by the lusts of Treason g Iohn 3.2 and couetousnesse c. but seekes euen to winnow Peter a disciple h Luke 22.31 a chosen vessell riseth vp against Israel i 1 Chron. 21.1 tempts euen Dauid himselfe the sweet singer of Israel the man after Gods owne heart neither are the best free from his temptations no person free not Dauid not Peter not Ezekiah no not Christ himselfe in the dayes of his flesh no place free
breake with a rod of iron and crush them in pieces as a Potters vessell Psal 2.9 SECT 3. Let the meaner feare when the great ones are not spared LEt euery soule be wiser by Gods seuerity doth not God spare Kings in his wrath but vexe them in his sore displeasure l Psal 2.5 more then Gideon m Iudg. 8.16 17 18. did the Princes of Succoth and Zalmunna nay will not God spare Ezekiah here a great King but whips him in himselfe in his people as hee did also Dauid for the pride of their hearts alas then what sinner can hope for immunity impunity What shall become of such as Christ calls Dogs n Mat. 7.6 and Swine despising and despiting holinesse and holy things when euen these Lyons are whipt from whose line lineally descended euen the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah Christ the Sauiour of sinners Oh if the fierce windes of wrath blast and blow and shake such strong oakes what shall become of the vnder-wood the vnprofitable rubbish the bryers and thornes meane men in gifts and grace nay silly ignorant beasts as many of the common people are in the things of God and yet prophane vitious varlets in all abominable courses what can they expect without better fruits but deserued burning euen to be fuell to the fire of that wrath which burnes to the very bottome of Hell Oh let men of all sorts imagine with themselues that as a zealous man wisht to heare o Augustine wisht to see Christum in carne and to hear Paulum tonitruantem Paul thundring they heare Christs forerunner thundring that now is the axe layd to the rootes of the trees the Ministery of the Word laid to mens hearts and that euery tree which brings nor forth good fruit is cast into the fire p Mat. 3.10 is cast the word is to be marked is cast already into the fire for iudgement is begunne here with the impenitent and vnbeleeuer as heauen is begunne here in grace to the beleeuer he that beleeues not is condemned already q Iohn 3.18 already in Gods decree for ought he knowes already in the Ministery of the Word that bindes on earth what is bound in heauen r Mat 18.18 already in his owne conscience ſ 1 Iohn 3.20 God being a thousand times greater then his conscience and the extent of the commination is further considerable euery tree that is vnfruitfull shall bee cut downe euery ground that receiues the first and latter raine and brings not forth fruit is neare vnto cursing t Heb 6.7.8 euery ground euery tree the Lord spares not any tree neither the Oake for his strength nor the Ash for his sap nor the Cedar for his talnesse nor the Lawrell for his greennesse nor the Oliue for his fatnesse c. neither the aged man for his age nor the learned for his learning nor the Scribe for his knowledge nor the Pharisee for his long Phylactery nor the Lawyer for his pleading nor Saul for his Magistracy nor Iudas for his Ministery nor Tully nor Tertullus for their oratory nor the strong man for his strength nor the wise man for his wisedome c. nor any man of Iew and Gentile for any other morall part for any common gift for any priuiledge of birth nature production education place nay not for the most glorious outside of Religion for the most formall profession u Mat. 7.22 23. Mat. 8.11 if he want the salt the soule the seasoning of sauing grace if this tree want the true sap of the Spirit that comes from the root of Iesse if it be not transplanted out of the barren soyle of nature and planted in the true Vine * Iohn 15.1.2 See M. Hierons Sermon on Mat. 3.10 also the Sermon called The doome of the barren tree and as a Tree of righteousnesse brings not fruits worthy of repentance and amendment of life shall be for all his faire leaues cut downe and throwne into the fire neither shall blossomes and buds and leaues and seeming fruit as had that cursed Fig-tree * Mark 11.13 14. or long standing in the Garden x Luke 13.7 pruned dunged watered by a powerfull Ministery be any plea that it should stand neither shall the former fruits that it whilom hath brought forth stand it in any stead if for the present it be dead at the root in the sap and barren in the boughes according to that fearfull and terrible threatning in Ezekiel y Ezek. 18.24 that whē the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations of the wicked all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his sinne that he hath sinned shall he die His former seeming holinesse shall no more auaile for the saluation of the hypocrite then the reall impiety be it what it will be or can be of the truly conuert sinner shall be preiudiciall to his destruction Ezekiel 18.27 28. CHAP. VII SECT 1. God scourgeth his owne children when they transgresse THirdly see further the strictnesse of Gods seuerity against sinne and sinners in Ezekiah as in a cleare and Christall glass God brings wrath vpon Ezekiah a King a great man nay on Ezekiah a good man a gracious man a holy man a zealous man a sincere seruant a strict worshipper of the true God Oh obserue it and let it be for euer engrauen on the tablets of euery memory that is willing to treasure vp any thing that is physicall and wholesome for the soules health That God as a Father spares not the sinnes of his owne children but as he said of Salomon z 2 Sam. 7.14 15. Psal 89.31 32. and verifies it further on Ezekiah if they sinne against him though his mercy and louing kindnesse hee wil not take from them though he will not depriue them of their inheritance in heauen their part and portion in the spirituall Canaan where their lot is falne vnto them in a faire ground yet hee will visit their offences with rods and their sinnes with scourges he will not winke at the frailties and follies of any of his children as is sometime the fault of some cockering parents as was seene in old Ely a 1 Sam. 3.13 and in good Dauid b 1 King 1.6 neither will he be partiall in making as they say fish of one and flesh of another curbing one in some ill course and cherishing another but as Iacob is strict against all his sinning sonnes euen against incestuous Reuben his eldest and against cruell perfidious Simeon and Leui his next eldest in his propheticall sicke bed c Gen 49.3 4 5 6 c. so is the Father of Spirits zealous against the sinnes of all his children be otherwise their graces and indowments neuer so great yea it is very obseruable that how euer the child of God after the perpetration of some great and grieuous sin such as the Schooles
for the children and stripes for the backes of fooles For these that are the Lords that haue the markes of their Election the signes of Sanctification and are sealed vp to the day of their Redemption here is an Anchor for them in the midst of their fluctuations here is some day-hole to be spied for them some glimpses of comfort breake out euen in the darkest night of their sinnes namely that though by their sinnes the Sunne of Gods fauour towards them seeme to be eclipsed the light of his countenance abated his wrath kindled as here against Ezekiah their soules wounded their spirits perplexed their consciences disquieted m Psal 32 4 5. Psal 28. their hearts oppressed with the guilt and griefe of sinne their inward peace interrupted yea disioynted their former ioyes perished n Psal â—â—2 their feelings abated or quite lost their graces soiled decayed weakned in the luster power and exercise of them their faith infirme their assurance weake their hopes languishing their loue zeale cooled their prayers dull and heauie their spirits lumpish and drowsie yea euen in that relation that they haue to man though in respect of the world and her worldlings their sinnes chiefly if they bee publisht in Gath and Askalon expose them to the exprobration vituperation yea derision of the vncircumcised as Sampsom o Iudg. 16. was to the Philistines and in respect of the Church subiect them to her censure yea perhaps her greatest censure excommunication p Grounded on 1 Cor. 5.5 practized by the Primitiue times authorised by Councils vide decreta Gratiani 11. de concilio Arausicano apud Osiandrum Cent. 5. lib. 2.6.28 p. 300 and to the censure frownes and browbeatings of her strictest children till satisfaction be giuen yet neuerthelesse euen in this case as Dauid once in a great distresse they may comfort themselues in the Lord their God q 1 Sam. 30.6 that their stormes shall haue a calme their candle that seemes to bee put out shall be lighted againe their former ioyes shall be restored their Sunne shall shine Gods face and fauour shall bee towards them they shall haue the arguments of his loue the feelings of his spirit the liuely stirrings and motions of his Grace their vnquiet consciences shall bee appeased these blustring waues and winds of accusations temptations shall bee commanded their heauy hearts shall bee comforted their sadded soules shall be gladded their feelings shall come againe as a man out of a dead swound their peace with God shall be assured their assurance like a bone that is broke shall againe be knit their seemingly lost Charter shall be againe renewed their weakned decayed Graces shall bee strengthned their faith increased their dull and dead prayers quickned their credit and estimatioÌ„ with Gods people so far as it stands w th Gods glory their further good againe recouered and the mouthes of the wicked and blasphemous by their futuâ—e holy and inoffensiue life shall be iustly stopped yea all the breaches and ruines which the hostility of Satan hath made shal be made vp againe all the demolitions and deuastations that sinne hath made in the soule spirit conscience name c. of the sonnes of Sion shall at last bee reedifyed and repayred and euery detriment repayed in these spirituall buildings repentance in one word shall rightly knit ioynt againe what euer in the outward or the inward man sinne hath vnloosed and disioynted and the Lord from whom comes euery good gift r Iam. 1.17 as the light from the Sun which giues repentance vnto Israel Å¿ Act. 5.31 shall giue it vnto them they shal haue freely giuen them after their sinning at one time or other the grace of repentance and after serious repenting the after-grace of pardon and remission though they fall they shall not long lye wallowing in their sinnes as the drunkard in the streets disgorging his vomit or as the swine in the mire but they get vp againe stand on their feet like men wash rubbe and brush off the blots and myry spots which by their fall cleaue to the garment of their holy profession with many teares and much strictnesse and austeritie of life for the present and future take more heed to their wayes for euer afterward as the burnt child that dreads the fire they follow no more these pleasing baits these golden balls of sin which the world as he once before Atalanta throwes before them to turne them out of the way but loath detest all the causes and occasions of sin as the pained surcharged stomacke loathes that meat on which it hath daingerously surfetted yea though they fall as weakling children not able to rise by their owne power and strength the Lord himselfe as a louing mother or nurse lends them the helping hand of Grace pulls them vp and after their trickling teares and cryes for their hurt cheares and cherisheth them takes them in the armes of his mercy and puts them in the bosome of his loue t Read of this point M. Pryn his Booke of the perpetuity of a regenerate mans estate per totum though they bee wounded by sinne yet there is a balme in Gilead a Mithridate of mercy that heales them again as the beasts by an instinct of nature haue recourse to their healing physicke as the blinded Swallow to Celidine the Toad to Plantan the Hart to Dictanny u Of the Medicines which euery creature vseth by natures instinct read Pliny l. 8. c. 27 chiefly Greg. Tholosanus in Syntaxi artis Mirab. l. 28. c. 38 p. 541. c. So by the instinct of Grace they haue recourse to that all-saluing all-sauing Panacea * Grineum in problematibus de Panacea Christianorum lege the blood of the Lamb of God effused in his passiue veines applyed to themselues by the hand of faith x Rom 4. Iohn 3.16 Gal. 2. â—0 Hab. 2. they seeke in their sicknesse to their Physician y Math. 9.12 or rather the Physician to them as that good Samaritan to him that was wounded z Luk. 10.33 34 trauelling to Ierico from Ierusalem from the vision of peace to the worlds vanity as euery sinner doth stung once with this fiery serpent sinne with the Eagles eye of all-penetrating all-preuailing faith they looke vp to him that was exalted on the crosse a Iohn 3.14 whom their sinnes haue pierced b Zach. 12.10 prefigured by the Brazen serpent c Num 21.9 In a word there is a seed of Grace in all the Elect the seed of God remaines in them saith Saint Iohn d 1 Iohn 3.9 that they cannot sinne to death wee may say of their sinnes as our Sauiour said of Lazarus his sicknesse e Iohn 11.4 they are not vnto death but that the Lord may be glorified euen in his power and mercie in raising vp againe their seeming dead soules euen out of the bed and graue of corruption yea though they seeme