desire the release of us hence which is rest from all labours 4 They that take this fear to be contrary to faith and assurance of the favour of God do mistake it for it is true that a doubtfull and despairing fear doth destroy faith but the faithfull cannot fall into that fear because God presseth not his temptations above that which his children are able to bear And fear in them is but contrary to presumption it is not contrary to faith which thus appears because this fear doth not make the servants of God give over the work of their salvation rather it makes them double their endevours and redeem the time But in the reprobate their fear doth make them give heaven gone from them and professe it lost labour to serve God Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoasts But they that feared the Lord spake often one to another that is encouraged one another and it is said the Lord hearkned and heard it c. 3 The effect of this fear That I might rest in the day of trouble This also sheweth that this fear of the Church was not separated from faith for it is entertained of purpose to settle the heart and to give it rest in the day of trouble I cannot but often remember that sweet saying of Austine Medicina est quod pateris thy suffering is the Physick for the Physick that we take to purg the ill humours of the body doth make the body more sick for the time and so do the chastisements of God The fear of judgment threatned is more pain to the children of God then the sense of the judgment inflicted It is a note of the just that they rejoyce in tribulations yet you see they fear tribulations before they come which shews that the bitternesse of that cup is more in the cause then in the effect The righteous in these threatnings do behold God in displeasure themselves in the guilt of provocation and nothing goeth so neer the heart of a godly man as that his God should take any unkindnesse at him for in his favour is life To help this when God threatneth the just man feareth and that fear doth both remember him of the occasion of this judgment and composeth him to repentance of his sin and to prayer to divert it or to patience in it Fear joyned with faith prepareth us for peace and rest in the day of trouble Doct. An admirable work it is of wisedome and mercy to extract rest out of fear but to him that brought light out of darkness nothing is impossible more to give rest in the day of trouble when the soul refuseth comfort and even begins to take a kind of pride in the fulnesse of miserie and saith videte si dolor sicut deloâ—â—â—us 1 Because these inward convulsions of the hid man of the heart are joyned evermore in the godly Reas 1 with an hatred of the sin that deserved them for from hence ariseth this confession Peccavi Observe it in Job he did not ask Reas 2 Quid patior but Quid faciam tibi so it worketh in us a care and conscience of obedience hereafter It also discerneth an issue out of trouble Reas 3 for where fear doth not overgrow there is a sweet apprehension of joy in the end as the Apostle saith afterward it yieldeth Heb. 12.11 The peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercized thereby Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Vse 1 Make streight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed The way is there described Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Look diligently lest any man fall from the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up in you trouble you Out of this whole passage you may observe a sweet description of a full repentance 1 Here is the law of God revealing both sinne and the judgment due to it called here the hearing of the voyce of God 2 Here is the conscience agonized with the fear of Gods judgments 3 Here is the fruit and benefit thereof even peace and rest â—n the day of trouble Here is sowing in tears and reaping in joy rather it is Sun-shine in a tempest for the outward man is shaken and the flesh suffereth but the just do say with the ever blessed Virgin My spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Impii non sic not so with the wicked for God hath said it that there shall be no peace at the last to them but as the raging of the angry sea which casteth up nothing but foam and dirt 2 The miseries of the land This is described fully 1 In the agent 2 In the patient In the agent two wayes 1 The Primus motor the supream agent God 2 The instruments of action his troops these are the Chaldaeans In the patient the land of Canaan distrest as you have heard 1 In the trees bearing fruit 1 The figtree 2 The vine 3 The olive 2 In the field or arable 3 In their Cattell 1 Such as feed abroad 2 Such as are stalled 1 Concerning the agent Supream God The same hand that gave them possession of that good land Doct. doth now remove them thence here is Mutatio dextrae It is a thing notable that God is ever in Scripture described to us constant yesterday and to day and the same for ever without variablenesse or so much as a shadow of alteration yet in his government of the world he sometimes giveth and sometimes he taketh away sometimes he filleth and sometimes he emptieth The reason hereof is partly in our selves Reas 1 for as our obedience and service of him doth both gain and assure to us all good things Isa 1.19 20. as himself telleth us If you consent and obey you shall eat the good things of the land So our disobedience and transgression doth lose us all these things as he addeth If you refuse and rebell you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Partly it is in God for his mercy in giving must not destroy his justice in punishing of evill doers Reas 2 for if it be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us 2 Thes 1.6 it must needs be as righteous to recompence tribulation to them that trouble him It is an heavy complaint that God made of this people I have nourished and brought up children Isal 1.2 and they have rebelled against me It is well observed in God that he is primus in amere postremus in odio he loveth us before we can seek his face and we are tender in sight before we know the right hand from the left as in the
not borne till almost 4000 yeers after yet the faithful in those times waited for the coming of Christ and tarried with patience till he came 4. God himself waited 120 yeers for the repentance of the old world all the while the Arke was preparing it is the Apostles phrase The long-suffering of God waited If God have the patience to wait on us for our good 1 Pet. 3.20 this may perfect our patience in our waiting on him for our own good Saint Paul calleth this The riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 2.4 and saith that The goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance If we consider his provocation and how our daily sins tempt him to repent that he either did make us or do any thing for us all which are in his sight and all which his soule abhorreth and if we compare this his patience with our passionate bitternesse upon the least provocation and consider how ready we are to call for fire from heaven to consume them that anger us we shall see that God doth wait for our repentance with much patience and who would not wait upon such a Lord 5. Let us consider how willingly we do attend and observe those that can do us any good how early we rise to be sure to prevent their hours how well our hopes do support us and stay our stomacks though many delays interpose their stop and threaten failing yet the successe of expectation in things temporal depending on men is always uncertaine for there are no bounds that can oblige humane favour not merits not rewards not promises not oaths but the promises of God are Yea and Amen as he saith The vision is yet for an appointed time at the end it shall speak and not lye it wil surely come This assurance that we have from the Word doth make expectation easie it is no pain to tarry for that which shall not faile us Jacob thought the seven years a short time bestowed for Rachel because he loved her though he served and was not his own man till he had fulfilled the time Neither doth that of Solomon discourage our tarrying the Lords leasure because he saith Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick 1. Because if that hope be of some things temporal depending upon the favour of the times or persons of men there may be a failing therefore delay is a disease in such cases and maketh the heart sick 2. But hope in-the promises of God determined to their certain time cannot be said to be delayed for his hope is in vain who hopeth any thing before the time 3. And again where hope resteth in the Word and Promise of God neither the alterations of persons nor the vicissitude of times not the intercurrence of impediments can any way crosse the purpose disable the means or defeat the end of Gods decree Further if we understand Solomon of hope rightly grounded on the promise and construe the deferring it not to any protraction beyond the time but to the long expectation of it in tempore suo which desire of fruition doth make long that that hope maketh the heart sick we must not understand this sicknesse as a disease of the heart for when the Church saith Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2.5 Let no man think that this sicknesse was any disease in the Church we may say of it as our Lord did of Lazarus his sicknesse This siknesse is not to death This is but fervour of the Spirit and earnestnesse of desire as Bern. saith it is taedium quoddam impaetientis desideris he means and holy impatience quo necesse est affici mentem amatoris absente eo quod amat dum totus in expectatione quantamlibet festinationem reputat tarditatem This is an wholesome sicknesse it is the disease of the whole creation and of all the Elect For we know that the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in pain together untill now Rom. 8.22 And not only they Vers 23. but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body This vers 19. is called the earnest expectation of the creature waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God This is not weaknesse of the flesh in the Elect but fervour and strength of the Spirit So David longed as he professeth My soul longeth Ps l 84.2 yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God And this desire goeth with us to heaven for even there the souls must wait and they are full of this holy desire which proves that their happinesse is not consummate till the resurrection For the soules under the Altar cry with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and averge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.10 This desire is Cosâ—orationis the whetstone of prayer for the more our hearts are established in the assurance of the truth of Gods promises the more is the fire of this desire kindled and enflamed in us and then it breaketh forth into prayer and the prayers that are fired at the Altar of zeal asend the next way to the throne of grace Christ himself kindled this heat in us when he taught us to pray to our father fiat voluntas tua thy Will be done for we may tarry the leasure of the fiat in faith and yet desire it with fervency for in nothing do we more declare our concurrence with the will of God then in our earnestnesse in prayer to him to fulfill his Will For Application of this point let us look back to the Vision it is double For God revealeth 1. The purpose of his fierce wrath against the enemies of his Church whom he threatneth to consume 2. His promise of mercy to his Church that he will restore it to the joy of his countenance and give it rest from all her enemies This promise of God holdeth to the worlds end even the whole Vision is for appointed times Therefore the distresses of the Church must ever be comforted with those comforts for these the Apostle doth call The comforts wherewith we are comforted of God All other comforts spend themselves into breath and vanish and leave the heart oppressed as it was the Vision of Gods revealed comfort establisheth the heart for this telleth us where we may have rest for our souls namely in the decree and promise of God And needfull is this comfort now for though our Church by the good favour of God do enjoy the liberty of the Word in peace under the gracious government of our King whom God hath annoynted defender of the Faith The Protestant and reformed Churches in other parts of the world do at this present smart for it long have they lived under
preserve him Had David received two such mortal wounds in the body of his Religion and fear of God if he had kept on his righteousnesse Vrias wife was not more naked These be Sathans advantages for keeping watch as he doth no sooner are we disarmed but fulmina mittit But as Elibu told Job If there be a messenger with him an interpreter Job 33.23 one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightnesse Then he is gracious unto him and saith Vers 24. Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome That is then the use of our Ministery to be as Noah was to the world praecones justitiae Preachers of righteousnesse to shew men which way they shall walk uprightly he that is sit for this service must have the warrant of a Minister A Messenger and he must have the learning of an Interpreter and such a man is a rate man one of a thousand and his lecture is Discite justitiam moniti Lose no time from it for only righteousnesse hath the blessing of this promise justus ex fide vivit the just doth live by his faith see what rate you will set upon life so much it concerneth you to be righteous 2. Faith when the Apostle doth come to this point concerning Faith he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above all things take the sheild of Faith Eph. 6 19. As Solomon saith keep thy heart above all keepings for indeed there is no Doctrine so necessary to salvation as the Doctrine of Faith You remember in the Acts of the Apostles when St. Paul came to Ephesus and continued there three moneths Act. 19.8 both disputing and perswading the things that concerne the Kingdom of God but after many oppositions Vers 10. yet he abode there two years His preaching had so put the gods of the Heathen out of countenance and had so advanced the glory of the true God that Demetrius a silversmith which made silver shrines for Diana called the workmen of his trade together and said Sirs Vers 25. ye know that by this craft we have our wealth and So that our craft is in danger to be set at naught Vers 27. And presently upon it there was a great cry Magna Diana great is Diana Beloved look well about you and you shall see that by faith we have our welfare we get our being by it both here and in heaven therefore let us joyn in the cry to cry up Faith Magna est fidei Christianorum great is the faith of Christians 1. Great is the good that it is 2. Great is the good that it does 1. In that it is Faith is a certain perswasion wrought in the heart of man of the truth of all Gods promises and a confident application of them is made to the beleiver both which are wrought in the beleiver by the Spirit of God 1. So it is great in respect of the Author of it in us for it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 growing of it self This is a seed which the Lord hath sowen a plant which Gods own right hand hath planted for Faith is the gift of God 2. Great is the Object for it aimeth at the promises of God which are Yea and Amen 3. Great in the Extent for it spreadeth to all the promises of God and all the benefits that do arise to us from him as Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption Salvation 4. Great in the Operation because it layeth hand upon all those and chalengeth a right to them saying Haec measunt these are mine 5. We may adde also this to the excellency of Faith that it is a mother grace the root of all other graces for from Faith they do derive themselves 1. Repentance Act. 15.9 For by Faith God purifieth the heart 2. Love For Faith worketh by love 3. Fear that feare which is the beginning of Wisdome for if we did not beleive the truth of Gods Word and Promises and comminations we would not so much stand in awe of God or fear and distrust our selves 4. Obedience for knowing that we have no subsistence in the favour of God but by Christ that swayeth all our observance that way and biddeth us hear him And without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 2. For that it doth it is great 1. No grace of God in us doth more honour to God then our Faith doth for none but the beleever doth confesse God aright for as the Apostle saith He that beleeveth not God hath made God a lyar 1 Joh. 5.10 make that breach in the holy chain or knot of Gods attributes and all fail for truth is the girdle of them all so make him a lyar and make him unwise impotent cruel profane all evil Abraham strengthened in the Faith gave glory to God 2. No grace to us more profitable Rom. 4.10 for it is not said of any of all the other vertues graces that we do live by any by all of them but only by faith because faith doth unite us with Christ in whom we are knit to God for all fulnesse dwelleth in him and of his fulnesse we receive grace and grace Ioh. 1.16 And by faith only Christ dwelleth in our hearts Eph 3.17 By faith we are reconciled to God in Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God by faith we are justified Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Vers 28. By faith we are sanctified Acts 15.9 Eph. 2.8 For God doth purifie our hearts by faith By faith we are saved for by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Faith bringeth peace of conscience in the assurance of all this Rom. 5.1 For being justified by faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By faith we have accesse to God into the grace wherein we stand Vers 2. and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God By faith we glory in tribulations Vers 3. knowing that tribulation worketh patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us And thus the Church of the Jews is comforted against the oppressions of the Chaldaeans by faith Lastly faith is commended to us for a shield Eph 6.16 by which we defend our selves against the fiery darts of Satan Therefore to make the necessary doctrine of faith profitable for us let us consider 1. How faith may be gotten 2. How it may be proved 3. How it may be preserved 4. How it may be used 1. How faith may be gotten Herein we must needs observe two things 1. The Author 2. The Means 1.
then should keep thee from this remedy 1. Consider that there is no man in better case then thou by nature for all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God 2. Confider that this remedy is without thy self if it were of thy self thou hadst cause to distaste it but it is the free offer of Gods grace to thee 3. Consider that the giver of the Remedy is the giver of faith also by which the remedy is apprehended and applyed and if thou do not feel this faith in thy self do not judge thy self void of it for there may be and is faith often where is no feeling thereof 4. Tarry the Lords leasure as before wait for the vision will not lye How long lay the poore man at the Poole of Bethesda and though still hindered yet was he not without hope We must not part the truth of God and his justice and mercy for the truth of God bindeth both the threatnings of his judgement and the truth of his mercy Thus is the faith of the Elect given and nourished in us 2. How our faith may be proved Because there may be a shew and seeming of faith where the true substance thereof is wanting the best way to try our faith is by the true touchstone for as gold is tried by the touch so faith which is much more precious then gold that perisheth hath a proper touchstone to try it 1 Pet. 1.7 1. That is the conscience of man within for that doth declare to himself his faith 2. That is good conversation and godly life for that doth declare our faith to men 1. A good Conscience For being justified by faith we have peace toward God Rom. 5. This peace a wicked man cannot have Non est pax impio saith God No peace to the wicked Against this is a double objection 1. Many wicked men have quiet hearts and aile nothing Object they are not humbled like other men they are not poured from vessel to vessel therefore their sent remaineth in them The effect of true peace is joy in the Holy Ghost Sol. The wicked mans joy is not such it is but a flash it is neitâ—â—â—â—ound for when any tryal cometh it faileth neither is â—t 〈…〉 for it perisheth in time neither is it growing and increâ—â—â—â—g neither is it excusing 2. Many of the best of Gods servants have their minds troubled and suffer great distresses in their conscience for sinne Object 2 yea such a winter there is upon their souls that they feel not any life of grace at all in them True but observe from whence this ariseth Sol. even from the warre of the spirit against the flesh the world and the devil in which conflict often times the spirit is daunted and dismayed for a season but there is ever joy in tribulations and joy arising and growing out of sorrowes whereas the hearts of them that have not Faith dye in them And this fire is from heaven the covering of it with oppressions doth make it burn so much the hotter and the strring of it up with temptations doth make it shine the clearer so that peace of conscience is a sure signe of a good Faith 2. Another touch-stone for this gold this Faith is an evidence of godly conversation to approve our selves to God and man both by doing all the duties of a godly life and avoyding the contrary This is the only work of Faith in us 1. The pit whence we draw this water of life is deep the bucket by which we fetch it up is Faith for whatsoever desire or strength we have or endeavour to live godly it is an extraction drawn by our Faith from Jesus Christ I live by Faith in the same God 2. Faith only doth assure to us the loving kindnesse of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son c. Ecce quantam charitatem what eye shall behold this but the eye of Faith 3. Faith worketh love that is it breedeth a correspondence between Christ and us for the beleeving soul assured of Christs love to it doth cast about within it self quid rependam and finding nothing to recompence that love it seeketh how God may be pleased and walketh in that way so neer as he can So it is said of the faithful that they walk with God and they answer every temptation to evill as Joseph did How shall I do this and sin agaâ—â—â—â—â—â—d Or if by infiâ—â—â— â—hey fall they cry God mercy and they groan and grieâ—â—â—â—hin themselves that they cannot performe better service to God Thus we love God 1 Joh. 4.19 Luk. 7 47. because he loved us first And Christ said Many sins are forgiven her quia dilexit multum This is a fruit of the Holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts by faith Observe it when faith doth lie concealed in us that our selves cannot discern it yet may we discern in our selves our love of God and of such as love God and this proves Gods love to us for we could not love him except he loved us first 4. Faith maketh us sincere for it is the notation of our faith it is called faith unfained and Christ saith Blessed be the pure in heart faith purifieth the heart as the Apostle saith These are not the generation of them that are pure in their own eyes of which Solomon spake but the other of which David his father spake Haec est generatio quaerentium faciem tuam Seeing there cannot be perfectio operis the perfection of works God is pleased if there be puritas cordis purity of heart 2 Cor. 1.12 which the Apostle calleth Simplicitie and godly purenesse And that is known by these signes 1. If a man be humbled in true contrition for sins which he knoweth himself guilty of and hath no peace in his heart till he hath comfort in his conscience that God hath forgiven them 2. If he consider his own weaknesse so farre as to acknowledge that he committeth many sins that he knoweth not and prayeth earnestly and often with David à secretis meis munda me cleanse me from my secret sins 3. If he finde in his heart a present strife of his spirit against the flesh wrastling with his own corruptions and not suffering sin to reign in his mortal body leading him captive to the Law of sinne 4. If he finde him watchful to prayer and fasting and watching and all exercises of mortification striving to bring his body in subjection to the law of God 5. If he be willing to hide the word of God in his heart to arme him against Satans temptations as Christ did with scriptum est it is written 6. If he finde a desire of perseverance therein to the end which is discerned by his spiritual growth from grace to grace bringing forth more fruit even in age as Christ testifieth of the Church of Thyatira more at the last then at the first Rev. 2.19 For he that beleeveth in
soul hath no peace till it hath wrought a revenge upon it self and upon the body too in which it committed sin Davids Humiliavi animam meam and St. Pauls Castigo corpus meum Ps 35.13 1 Cor. 9.27 Isa 38.17 There must be afflictio and amaritudo animae we carry rods about us for the nonce even our own hearts will smite us as Davids did this brings God home to us again For I dwell with the humble and contrite and then salvation is come home to our house once again Isa 57.15 2. Impii autem non sic Not so with the wicked They sin against their souls because all the evils of their whole life are written in the book of Gods remembrance and foulded up in the rowle of their own conscience which shall be opened against them in the last day and they shall be judged according to all that is writen in those books and there shall be judgment without mercy to them that shewed no mercy Jam. 2.13 This doth not exclude temporall punishments for so shall they smart also they shall have no peace in this life for ever and anon as Job sa it their candle shall be put out and God shall distribute his sorrows amongst them They shall have many great shames many great fears many sad affronts of care and discontent though commedled with some faire weather good chear ease delights and such sweetnings as the flattery of the world and the favour of the times shall yeeld them Yet in the end all the evil that they have studyed and intended against others shall fall upon their own heads But still the worst is behind their souls and bodyes shall smart for it in the last day and the hand of God shall then pay home For them I take no care be it unto them as they have deserved and the Lord requite it at their hands and requite it upon them But for so many as follow righteonsnesse and fear God and would walk in his ways let us stirre up one another in the fear of God to seek the Lord whilst he may be found and to tender our souls The sins that we commit with such delight will cost us many an heart-breaking sigh many floods of salt water tears of bitternesse which are sanguis animae the blood of the soul hanging down of the head beating of the brest fasting from our full fare and stripping our bodies out of their soft raiment into sackcloth and changing our sweet powders into ashes There is no such disease incident to man as this Tremor cordis the trembling of the heart for sinne this Anima dolet the learning of the Physitian the art of the Apothecary have no receipt for it As Saint Paul saith of the law that is the strength of sinne so I may say that at first in the beginning of the cure the very remedy is the strength of the disease and makes the disease double the distresse thereof as in David 1. The Pophet came to heal him and he saith I said in my haste all men are lyars Prophets and all if they speak of any comfort to me Ps 116.21 2. God himself presented himself to his thought and that would not do I thought upon God and I was troubled my fear came and ceased not my soul refused comfort Yea there is such a sweetnesse in revenge that a penitent man doth take upon himself that he hath a kind of delight in his own self-punishment as in Jeremiahs example Look away from me Isa 22.4 I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me There is nothing that makes us sinne with so much appetite and so little feare as this we have banished Confession which bringeth shame upon us and penance which bringeth smart we have taken the matter into our own hands and no man hateth his own flesh Repentance is rather matter of discourse and contemplation then of practice and passion and so we sin and our souls are not much troubled at it But whosoever is toucht in conscience throughly with the remorse of sin will say there is no disease to a wounded Spirit and the costliest sacrifice that a man can offer to God is a contrite spirit and a broken heart 3. Punishment labour in vain Is it not of the Lord of Hosts that this People shall labour in the very fire and weary themselves with very vanity 1. Here is labour it is labor improbus that useth to carry all before it it is amplified For here is labour in the fire Multa tulit fecit que puer sudavit alsit labour even to wearines 2. Here is much ado about nothing For all this is for vanity very vanity 3. Who crosses them Is it not of the Lord of Hosts Annon ecce à Jehova exercituum Calv. Nonne ecce à cum Domino Interlin From the first here is labour This sinne is very painful Covetousnesse to gather wealth together Doct. and cruelty to destroy so many to strip them and ambition to purchase high place hereby we may truly say Hic labor hoc opus est Is it not strange the way to hell is all down the hill yet it is very uneasie and very weary travelling thither Christ calleth to him all that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 and promiseth to refresh them And God sheweth his People a rest saying This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing Isa 28.12 But this rest is not promised to them that weary themselves and work in the fire rising early and going late to bed to work shame for their own houses and to sin against their own souls such shall one day complain We have wearied our selves in the ways of wickednesse and destruction Wisdom 5 yea we have gone through deserts where there was no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a wicked man cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth labour for it is a great deal of labour that they take that live in pursuit of honour in the oppression and molestation of their brethren in the racking vexation of covetous congestions of wealth Cain vexeth himself Nimrod must be a mighty hunter before the Lord Lamech must kill a man the earth must be full of cruelty to have their own will this is labour in the very fire to do mischief The head of wickednesse must be always plotting and projecting they imagine wickednesse upon their bed it will not suffer them to sleep The hand of wickednesse must be always working The foot of Pride must be always climbing The eye of envy is ever waking Shall I give you a full description of the labour of the unrighteous Deut. 28.65 drawn to the life The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt feare
And the Ministers of the Gospel do speak even as if Christ himself spake in us 2 Cor. 5.10 we speak in Christs stead But as in the time of the Law God sent his Prophets sometimes to such as would not give them the hearing so doth he now in the time of the Gospel but that must not discourage our Ministry at their peril be it Gods Word will ever be Gods wisdom though the prophane count it foolishness and it will be Gods truth though heresie and schisme pick quarrels Therefore if you would learn to pray and be prepared for that holy worship hear Gods speech first and that will teach you what to ask as you ou ought Hear the word from us as the Thessalonians did 1 Thes 2.13 When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe 2 Here is metus I was afraid the Seventy read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was in an extasie as St. John saith when he saw the vision of the Son of man Rev. 1.17 I fell at his feet as dead There were two things to strike the Prophet vvith astonishment 1 The Majestie of the Speaker 2 The matter of the speech And both these must both meet in our understandings and in our affections to enlighten and to move them that vve may know what vve have to do and vvith vvhom vvhen vve pray that vve may come before him vvith fear and holy reverence 1 The great glory and Majesty of God to vvhom vve resort in prayer is such as no creature can endure the sight thereof The Angels standing before him Isa 6.2 cover their faces with their wings 2 The matter of his speech conteined in his vvord to the Prophet is the summe of the Bible Justice punishing sin in his Church Vengeance destroying the enemies of his Church and Grace redeeming his Church from the povver of Satan by the glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ Quae. Why should the Prophet be afraid at this here vvas matter of comfort the heaviness of the night is promised the joy of the morning The Church though it must suffer for a time for sin hath here a promise of tvvo main consolations 1 Their ovvn deliverance from dangers into a restitution of them into Gods favour 2 Their eye shall have their desire also upon their enemies they shall see the vvheel of vvrath go over them and the Lord shall let out of their throats the bloud of his people vvith vvhich they have made themselves drunk all this is matter of joy and vvhat needeth this fear Sol. Who can come without fear before him that can and will do all this for if he be angry yea but a little they are blessed that trust in him fear is a proper passion of a true believer and is inseparably joyned with saving faith For seeing the bond of our union with Christ by faith whereby he dwelleth in us is Partly the hold that he hath of us by his Spirit Partly the hold that we have of him by faith The first is firme Joh. 10.27 There shall not any one pluck them out of my hand he giveth a strong reason for it for my Father who gave them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand we are his gifts and his gifts and calling are without repentance But the flesh doth put the Spirit to it so hard some times even in the elect of God that the hold on our part is weak which breedeth fear and that fear makes us hold so much the faster From hence it comes that all the intelligence between God and man doth begin at fear in us This is not the fear of an evill conscience as it was in Adam when he hid himself from God but the fear of reverence of God and the good conscience of our unworthinesse being fallen from our originall righteousnesse The Shepheards that were keeping watch by night because of their flocks were sore afraid when they saw the light shining at that time of night that the Angel began with Nolite timere fear not yet were they in the lawfull businesse of their calling The blessed Virgin no doubt wel and holily employed Zecharie the Priest in the Church about the occasions of his office yet all afraid This is the seasoning and preparing of the heart for God to be cast down before him it is humbling our selves under the mighty hand of God and we cannot pray as we ought without it When the Apostle saith we cannot pray as we ought and that the spirit helpeth our infirmities he sheweth that such as he have infirmities and they feel them when they come to appear before God and where infirmities are there must needs be fear if they that have them be sensible of them Yea I dare say that they that come to prayer without fear come without faith and all their prayers are turned into sin Ob. We read of comming with boldnesse to God Because we have an high Priest which is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 16. in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that wee may obtein mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Sol. this is cleered by the same Authour in the same Epistle declaring how many considerations must concurre as ingrediences in this our spirituall boldness 1 Let us draw neer with a true heart Heb. 10.22 2 In full assurance of Faith 3 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Consciences 4 Our bodies washed with pure water 5 Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering 6 Let us consider one another to provoke to love and good works 7 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together c. 8 Exhorting one another Let a man before he pray try his vvayes and examine his soul upon those interrogatories and I dare say the best of us if we sin not also in presumption vvill finde himself short in every one of these perticulars of that perfection that should accomplish boldnesse But having those things in some measure and more in desire and endeavour our boldness must needs be as much shaken with fear as these graces in us are shaken with infirmity And upon this fear our Church teacheth us to pray to God in these words Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid 12 Dom. post Trinit and giving unto us that which our prayers dare not presume to ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. And this some of our brethren have quarrelled as a contradiction in our prayers because we say we pray for tha we dare not pray for To whom I answer in these words of my Text O Lord I heard thy voice
word is their warrant his truth their assurance When we behold the same power of God in the change of Ministers of his will Vse vve learn to know vvhatsoever alteration the vicissitude of time maketh on earth yet thou Lord art the same and thy years do not fail Therefore as David saith Put not your trust in Princes nor in any son of man for there is no help in them there is help by them but it is not in them our help is in the name of the Lord who hath made heaven and earth 2 This shevveth the perpetual course of Gods favour to his Church the faithfull servant of God Moses dieth but the spirit that God put upon Moses survived him Eliah Elisha Num. 27.18 and rested upon Joshua he was consecrated to that imployment 1 By Gods own election and designation 2 By the imposition of Moses hands and the devolution of some of his honour upon him 3 By Gods own gift of the same spirit that vvas upon Moses Thus vvhere God loveth a poople the favour of God runeth in a full stream in the Chanel of his Church 3 Seeing this constant truth of God in his gratious promises to to his Church hath reference to our obedience this much teach us to obey and serve our God in all things that his sun may shine upon our Tabernacles and that vve may anoint our paths with butter for as David saith No good thing will he with-hold from them that serve the Lord. Dâ—uâ— 28. He hath shevved his people vvhat they shall trust too blessings and cursings life and death 3 Doctrine This also teacheth us as the Apostle doth The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man prevaileth much James 5.16 He proveth it by the example of Eliah who though he were a man subject to the like passions as we are he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth in three years and six moneths And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain So this example of Joshua praying is a full example of the effectuall power of prayer these examples as that also of Moses praying upon the Mount when Joshuah fought with Amalek do all seeme to prove the force of prayer Exod 17. And great reason there is that this should be effectuall with God 1 Because there is no service that man can perform to God wherein he doth so much part with himself and even lay himself down in prayer for therein he openeth his heart to God and poureth forth his spirit to him and his faith doth bring God to him face to face When men pray as they ought they know God and themselves they know and confesse him the faithfull Creatour the mercifull redeemer the gracious preserver the bounteous rewarder of men And they know themselves to be but men that is indigent and needy having nothing but what they receive from his hand and of his free gift immerent deserving none not the least of his favours Which two considerations do serve to humble us and to honour him We finde in Scripture watching and fasting often joyned with prayer as outward means to tame and subdue the flesh that it may be the lesser able to resist the power of the spirit for the spirit is willing in the servant of God but the flesh is weak 2 There is no part of Gods worship that hath so many precepts to impose it on us as prayer hath in both the Testaments none that we have so many examples of great successe and prevayling with God none that we have so good means to perform as prayer none that hath so many promises made to it in holy Scripture 1 For precepts 1 Precept so soon as God had established him an house for his publique worship he commanded it to be called an house of prayer to all nations Solomon dedicated that house to God by prayer it is Gods own Word seek ye my face it is the Churches answer Thy face O Lord will I seek And Christ our Saviour often in the gospel the Apostles after him enjoyns it 2 For example we have Abraham 2 Example Isaac and Jacob Moses David Solomon Hezekiah Eliah Manasseh Nehemiah Job Samuel Daniel all the Prophets all the holy men Christ his Apostles all with admirable successe 3 For means 3 Means Christ taught us to pray shewed us the way to the Father in his mediation and by his name And the spirit which Christ left in his Church helpeth our infirmities Christ hath comprehended all in a few words 4 Promise Whatsover you shall ask the Father in my name it shall be given you Ask and receive that your joy may be full petite quaerite pulsate These great examples of successe do all seem to stirre us up Vse to the performance of this part of Gods worship both 1 In obedience to the Commandement of God who hath imposed this duty on us whose Commandements are mighty and ought not to be light layed 2 In an holy ambition of the best graces of God vvhich are this way obteined of him 3 In an humble love to our God to whose presence and conference we come by prayer 4 In an holy imitation of those great examples vvhich are so frequent in Gods faithfull ones in the double Testament of God 5 In a thankfull use of the means by God ordeined to facilitate this service that we receive not the grace of God in vain 6 In a confident faith in Gods gratious and free promises vvhich are yea and Amen 7 In an humble sense and feeling of our ovvn vvants and the necessities of our brethren for so vve do exercise both our piety to God and our charity to our selves and our brethren But this discourageth many Ob. we read of great power of prayer of old as that Moses prayer gave Joshua victory Joshuahs prayer made the Sun stand still Eliah by prayer shut up heaven by prayer he opened it Daniel by prayer shut up the mouths of the lions in their den We see no such effects of prayer now and therefore we think prayer is not of such effect now as heretofore To this our answer is Sol. that great and extraordinary examples of the successe of prayer are but thinly scattered in the Book of God to shew the power of Gods Ordinance Neither may that be a rule to us that prayer is not of force as it hath been because we do not see such great effects thereof as have appeared in former times For in the time of the shadow when Christ was seen in type and under a veil there was need of extraordinary examples to confirm faith but to us that live in the cleer light of the gospel to whom Christ is made manifest to be our intercessor this may seem to strengthen faith If God did hear the prayers of his faithful owns and answered them by miracles they had speciall warrant to demand those things at the hands of