vpon their crownes the Barbers paines shall then be spared In a word all sorts are confuted in their habits no place no calling nor condition is respected or regarded Gentlemen goe like Nobles Citizens like Courtiers the Countryman like the Citizen the seruant will be attired as his master the maide like vnto her mistresse Salomons vanitie is come againe into the world Seruants ride on horsebacke and Masters goe on foote and so farre are we from that modest and comely attyring of our selues which the Apostle doth require as that the attire which many weare better beseemeth strumpets then honest Matrons being neither fashioned to our bodies nor made large enough to couer those naked parts which both God and nature would haue couered how iustly may the Lord fashion our bodies to our clothes seeing we will not fashion our cloths vnto our bodies And thus is our liberty abused which God affordeth vs for which this Land and Nation is like to smoake vnlesse it please the Lord in mercy to looke vpon vs and giue vs hearts to repent for these abominations which are so rise amongst vs. You that feare the Lord call vpon his name you that loue King and Country fall to mourning for assuredly these sinnes cannot escape vnpunished without there be an vniuersall humiliation and repentance And let vs eat and be merry Heere was cause of ioy on all sides The father hath cause of ioy Text. who losing an vntoward sonne now findes an obedient childe who findes him humbled that went away obdurate and impenitent The sonne himselfe hath cause of ioy in finding so kinde a welcome at his Fathers hands whom he had so much wronged And heere is cause of reioycing also for the houshold seruants in that their Masters sonne was now found who had been so long lost Therfore saith the Father let vs cat and be merry not doe Yee for this my sonnes returne or doe Thou my son for that thou art returned but let Vs reioyce let Vs bee merry for this so blessed a returne and change The true turning of any soule from sinne Doctr. The true conuersion of any doth administer much matter of reioycing vnto the faithfull Verse 5 6. Verse 7. Verse 8 9. doth administer matter of exceeding great ioy and reioycing This is declared in the two fore going parables First in that of the lost sheepe where wee see that the shepheard when hee findes his sheepe layeth it on his shoulder and comming home calleth his friends together and wils them to reioyce because hee had found the sheepe which was wanting Now heare how Christ applies this I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance So in that other parable of the lost groat the poore woman lights a candle sweepes the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found her groat shee gathereth her neighbours together saying Reioyce with me Verse 10. for I haue found the piece which I had lost Heare now what followes Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth As it causeth the Angels of Heauen to reioyce so doth it likewise cause the Saints vpon the earth for when the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 11.18 and that the Holy Ghost was fallen vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning They held their peace as the Text saith and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Reason The reason is because God is heereby glorified and his Church and Kingdome is increased and aduanced Now as there is nothing that ought to be more grieuous to vs then Gods dishonour so nothing ought to reioyce our hearts more then to see his praise set forth and his name magnified Vse 1 First then this may serue to reprooue such as enuy and murmure at the conuersion of their brethren Thus did the Brother of this Prodigall as heereafter we shall see so did the Iewes stumble at the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 12.3 15.1 who had rather renounce the Gospell then to receiue them into a fellowship of the same faith Thus doe many peruersely and maliciously repine at the bringing of their brethren into the estate of grace wherat they ought especially to reioyce 1 Pet. 4.4 Yea farther they mocke and persecute them for no other cause but because they haue left their sins turned to the Lord. But let these know that such as bee themselues conuerted will reioyce at the conuersion of their brethren and let me wish them to take heed how they murmure at the mercy of God shewed in the conuersion of any for feare they depriue themselues for euer of it Vse 2 Secondly this should be as a forcible motiue to make vs returne vnto the Lord Consider thou shalt reioyce both the heart of God and man by thy repentance the Saints vpon the earth will reioyce and magnifie Gods name the Angels in heauen shall bee exceeding glad and praise God for thee yea the thrice gloririous and blessed Trinity will also beare their parts in this reioycing The Father will reioyce when thou who art by nature the childe of wrath and slaue of Satan becommest his adopted sonne and heire of grace The Sonne also will be glad because by thy repentance his death and bloud shed becomes auailable vnto thee The Holy Ghost likewise shall reioyce because by repentance thy heart is purged and made a fit temple for himselfe to dwell in Oh what a notable spurre would this bee to true repentance if it were well considered Consider of it thou who as yet continuest in a course of sinne thou shalt reioyce the hearts of God Angels and Men if thou wilt repent And surely if it will bring ioy to them it will bring farre greater ioy vnto thy selfe in the end It is thy good that causeth them to reioyce for it concerneth not them so much as it concernes thy selfe Turne therefore from thy euill wayes leaue and forsake thy former courses thou shalt haue no cause of griefe for thy so doing The hearts of others thou wilt make glad but thine owne soule shall finde the greatest comfort Thirdly let this serue to exhort such as are conuerted Vse 3 to vse all good meanes for the conuersion of their brethren Seeke to gaine and winne them to the faith and if they be gained reioyce vnfainedly for Gods mercy towards them Away with that same vncircumcised care of enuy bee not offended for thy brothers good but let it cause thee to breake forth into a praising of the name of God Text. VERSE 24. For this my sonne was dead and is aliue Againe he was lost but is found and they began to be merrie AS the father made great ioy vpon his sonnes returne so he had good reason mouing him
talionis for what hath man to say for himselfe how can he complaine of iniustice so long as he receiueth his owne and is repayd with his owne coyne Reason 2 A second reason may be in respect of others hereby the sinner is better put in remembrance of that sinne for which they suffered for this kind of punishment presenteth the sin as it were visible before our eyes know the punishment know the sinne remember the punishment remember the offence Vse 1 Now let vs apply this to our selues for herein lyes the life of doctrine first then seeing this is so let euery one looke to haue his sinne brought vpon his owne head thou that art a swearer looke that as thy tongue spettes abroad the flames of hell so shall the flames of hell bee poured vpon thy tongue thou drunkard be thou assured that as now thou wilt not keepe the cup of satierie from thy mouth Psal 7.5.8 so God will one day hold vnto it the cup of vengeance a cup of wine of mixed wine shalt thou drinke to the very bottome thou adulterer looke to haue fire added to thy fire the fire of hell to the fire of lust Iam. 2.13 art thou mercilesse hauing no regard of the afflictions of Ioseph iudgement merciles shall be shewed vnto thee thou Diues looke to it who now wastest so many tunnes of wine Defiderauit guttum qui non dedit micam Aug. Hom. 7. Psal 109.11 the time wil come thou shalt not procure a pot of water nay not one droppe to coole thy tongue art thou a couetous extortioner or a griping vsurer expect that thy posteritie shall be deuoured by it and thy house eaten vp by the extortioner Let me further apply this to you that are inferiours art thou a disobedient child vnto thy parents dost thou contemne thy fathers and mothers wholesome admonition 1. Sam. 2 25. Gen. 9.22 as Hophny and Phineas did the counsell of their father Ely or dost thou mock and scoffe at them for their infirmities as cursed Ham did Iudg. 17.1.2 or dost thou beguile them or closely conuay any of their goods from them as Micah from his mother Gen. 27.41 or art thou sicke of the mother or longest thou after the death of thy father as Esau did Be thou assured who euer thou art that there is a iust God in heauen who if euer he bestow posterity on thee may withhold his grace from them suffer them to be as disobedient scornefull theeuish vndutifull to thee as now thou art to thine and see thou expect it without repentance so thou that art a seruant dost thou giue stubborne or moyling answeres to thy master or mistresse as Hagar to Sara or sleeuelesse answeres as Gehezi to Elisha or dost thou belye thy master 2 Sam. 16.3 or falsely accuse him as Ziba did Mephibosheth or runnest thou from thy master and wilt not abide with him like the seruant of Shimei or pickest and pilferest from him 1. King 2.39 Phile. as Onesimus from Philemon Looke then to reape euen as thou sowest and to be payed home in thy owne kinde for God is iust and what hath beene may be as God hath dealt with others he may deale with thee A second vse we may make of this is to teach vs in Vse 2 time of any iudgement or affliction that lyeth on vs to labour for spirituall wisedome that by the punishment we may come to see what the sinne is that is the cause thereof for by the kinde of the punishment we may very often come to find out the kinde of the offence Art thou slandered and backe-bitten are there reports raised of thee that are not true why it may be thy heart can tell thee that thou hast slandered others Eccles 7.21.22 Hast thou disobedient children seruants c. call to mind thy former wayes it is to be feared such disobedience was then in thee And so in all other kinds of punishments or manner of iudgements whatsoeuer take them and lay them on thy sinne as salue vpon a sore so shall we make them profitable yea this benefit will come of it we shall iustifie God iudge our selues and preuent further iudgements that otherwise wee may looke to fall vpon our heads Vse 3 In the third and last place this doctrine will affoorde much comfort to the children of God for as God doth thus punish according to the manner of our sinning so will he reward according to the manner and measure of our walking Many notable examples are recorded in Scriptures of Gods gracious dealing in this kinde also towards those that haue beene obedient for our comfort and encouragement The widdow of Sarepta shee relieued the Prophet of the Lord wherefore God relieued her and her whole family 1 Kings 17.16 Ierem. 39.18 for the meale wasted not neither did the oyle faile So Ebed-melech saued the life of Ieremiah and therefore had his owne life giuen him as a prey Many other examples might bee brought Oh how should this incourage vs to all good workes What a spurre would this be if it were well considered to well doing Let it be considered of vs and let it stirre vs vp to do good to gods Church and people Doe good to them thou dost good to thy selfe Math. 7.1.2 Eccl. 11.1 for thou shalt receiue measure for measure good for good blessing for blessing This is generall Now we might here further take notice of the cursed disposition of the wicked who though they be miserable in regard they are strangers from the life of God yet doe they not know their misery vntill by want of earthly comforts they be brought to necessity This prodigall was miserable before yet hee felt not his misery vntill now and now hauing lost all and consumed his portion it is said he began to be in necessity that is he began to feele himselfe to be in misery Thus then it often falleth out Obser that so long as Gods creatures are enioyed the great want of God himselfe is not felt But of this I shall haue occasion to speake more when I come to speake of the occasion or motiues of his conuersion Now then to the next verse Then he went and claue c. Though this prodigall beginnes to feele his misery yet he returneth not home vnto his Father but trieth further and seeketh other meanes to supply his neede In him behold the corrupt disposition of man by nature Doctr. The wicked in misery vse other helpes before they flie to God Hosea 2.7 Who being in misery assaieth all other meanes for deliuerance before hee flyeth vnto God for helpe To his Father this prodigall will not goe till a failing in other courses doth enforce him to God man will not seeke vntill a kinde of absolute necessity doth compell him See this prooued in the example of the Israelites who being afflicted for their sinnes and hedged in with troubles and grieuous afflictions
by the Minister The Spirit of God begets none anew wthout faith Faith is not ordinarily begotten but by the word So then if thou desirest to liue this life be frequent in hearing of the word preached for the dead shall heare this voice Iob. 5.25 and they that heare shall liue The Prophet Ezekiel in a vision is caried into the midst of a field Ezech. 37. full of dead bones and willed to prophesie ouer them and say vers 4. O yee dry bones heare the word of the Lord So he prophesied as he was commanded vers 7. And as he prophesied there was a noyse and behold a shaking and the bones came togither bone to his bone vers 8. Then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them and vpon the flesh a skin couered them then he prophesied vnto the winde to breath vpon the dead vers 9. that they might liue vers 10. and the breath came into them and they liued and stood vp vpon their feete and they were an exceeding great armie Hereby is signified especially the estate of the Iewes after their captiuitie yet I doubt not but in them the estate of the whole Church in whose heart the Lord worketh his graces of Regeneration by litle and litle is also liuely described God sends his seruants the Ministers into the world as it were into a field of dead bones and wills vs to prophesie and say Oh you dry bones heare the word of the Lord But what can these dry bones liue Surely oh Lord thou knowest And therefore wee prophesie as we be commanded and behold what followes there is a first a shaking a quaking and trembling of the heart as we see in Peters Conuerts Acts 2.37 16.29 and in the laylor then the bones come togither bone to his bone we as it were gather our senses togither and begin to consider in what state we stand as the Prodigall here did and then loe the sinewes and the flesh come vpon vs and the skin couereth vs aboue we now begin to be strengthned by holy purposes and resolutions resoluing and desiring to liue vnto the Lord though as yet we cannot finde in our selues any breath of grace but then the Lord causeth breath to enter into vs hee powreth vpon vs further gifts of his Spirit for our further quickning and then we see we liue and get vp vpon our feete leaping and reioycing and praising Gods name for his wonderfull mercy See then that you attend vpon this meanes be frequent in hearing of the word for this is the trumpet that must awake thee if euer thou beest awaked Cast not off all care of thy saluation as too many doe who hearing that Regeneration and saluation are the gifts of God and that it is not in their owne power to conuert themselues grow hereupon secure and neglect all meanes Wherfore should we trouble our selues say they about it for all is a God will haue it if he will giue it vs we shall be saued and if not we shall neuer obteyne saluation do what we can Well and what of this Wilt thou therefore neglect the meanes God inioyneth thee to vse for the obteyning of it God giueth it but he giueth it by meanes which he hath ordeyned which if thou neglectest thou art the more inexcusable and thy damnation will be iust But what will you tye God to meanes Quest Are not all things possible to him Is not he able to conuert and saue without preaching or hearing as well as with it I answer The Question is needles and foolish Answ none denies but God can yet I tell thee he will not when he giues ordinarie meanes Exod. 16. Isay 37.30 God can giue bread from heauen God can cause the earth to yeeld corne without sowing 1. King 17.6 God can cause a Rauen to feede Eliah God can saue without foode these and many other things God can doe but wilt thou from hence conclude against the meanes that God hath now ordeyned Wilt thou refuse to eat because God can saue thee without meat Or wilt thou refuse to plow thy ground or sow thy seede because God can giue thee a crop without it Or wilt thou refuse to take thy meales at home and goe into the fields looking that euery Rauen that flyeth ouer thy head should bring thee thy dinner Or wilt thou voluntarily cast thy selfe into the fire because God can defend thee from the heat of it as he did the three children in the hot fiery furnace Dan. 3 25. Do these things seem to be ridiculous vnto thee and is it not as ridiculous for thee to refuse to heare and yet thinke to bee saued Know then oh man Manna is for the wildernesse an Israelite may not looke for it in the land of Canaan where he may sow and reape so while thou liuest in the Church where thou mayest partake of the ordinarie meanes vse them else neuer hope of obteyning eternall life And further know that so much as thou neglectest hearing so much thou neglectest thy owne saluation set then this downe for a truth and be perswaded of it that by this meanes thou must be begotten if euer thou beest borne anew If by the hearing of this word thou beest not raised thou wilt for euer rot and perish in thy sinnes Obiect Oh! but I haue small hope in attending on the means I haue liued a long time in sinne my sinnes are great and many I am not onely dead but rotten and therefore I feare I shall neuer be raised nor reuiued Sol. Luk. 8 55. Lu â— 7.11 Iohn 11.44 Wee read of three that Christ raysed from death Iairus daughter newly dead the Widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying vpon the hearse and Lazarus who was dead buried and stinking in the graue August Ser. 44. de verb. Dom. These three sorts of coarses aptly resemble saith a Father three sorts of sinners Iairus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth those that sinne by inward consent The widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the citie those that sinne by outward act Lazarus hauing been dead and buried foure daies those that sinne by continuall habit The young mayden lay in a bed The young man in a coffin Lazarus in a Graue The first was dead but an houre the second but a day the third foure dayes All which teacheth vs thus much that there is no degree of death so desperate that is past helpe no sinne so great but may be forgiuen the sinne of the Holy Ghost onely excepted though with Lazarus thou hast layen foure daies Moles imposita sepulchre ipsa est vis dura consuetudinis August and art bound hand and foot with bands as he was though thou hast a stone laid vpon thee as he had though thou hast made thy heart as hard as the nether mil-stone by a custome and trade of sinne so that in the iudgement of man
thereby hee may punish one sinne with another All this may God doe and bee free from sinne Thus wee see the truth of this doctrine and may it not be confirmed out of their owne popish writers Who doe affirme as much in this as we doe For the first that God is immediately the first cause of all things produced by the two causes but of things euill he is the mediate cause Oâ—â—haâ— qu 5. 〈◊〉 in that he produceth and preserueth the creature These are the words of one of their owne side The same writer also doth confirme the third in saying that God is a debter to no man Oâ—hani 3. qui 12 in 〈◊〉 and therefore hee is bound neither to cause that act nor the contrary nor yet not to cause it but the will of the creature by Gods law is bound not to cause the act and so consequently sinneth by doing of it Bellar. de amissi grat lib. 2. ca. 13. The third way of Gods working in sinne Bellarmine their graund-champion doth maintaine Who saith that God not onely permitteth the wicked to doe many euills but he also ouerseeth their euill wills and ruleth and gouerneth them he boweth and bendeth them by working inuisibly in them Thus we see that our aduersaries doe in plaine termes maintaine that which they exclaime and cry out against vs for But I woonder with what faces they dare challenge vs for that whereof they themselues are so guilty haue they forgotten what is written in their Canon law viz. that the Iewes had sinned deadly if they had not crucified our Sauiour Christ oh horible blasphemy whereby they doe affirme that that immaculate Lambe in whom was no sinne and in whose mouth was no guile was iustly and worthily condemned Can they shew any thing of vs touching the prouidence of God which commeth neere to this impiety Let these things stop the graue of their slanderous throats if they haue not a whores forehead being past shame But I may leaue them as a people that haue cast off all shame 2. Thes 2.9.10 spurned against the truth and trodden vnder feet the blood of the new couenant and therefore damned if they conuert not through the iust iudgment of God of themselues Vse 2 Now for our selues Seeing this is so that God oftentimes leaueth men to themselues and giueth them ouer to their owne hearts lust Let it admonish vs all to beware of this heauy iudgement and pray to the Lord of all iudgements to keepe thee from this that thou mayst not bee giuen ouer to thy owne hearts lusts It is the saying of a worthie man if God should giue him the option to choose the torments of hell with hope to recouer his gracious fauour or thus vtterly to forsake him of his grace and leaue him to his owne wayes he would wish rather hell torments with expectation of deliuerance then this giuing vp to the lusts of his owne heart and surely except God should presently send vs down to that place of torment where is paine endlesse easelesse and remedilesse I cannot see what greater iudgement can befall But shall a childe of God alwayes be thus left Obiect Hath not God promised to returne againe how then can this be so heauie a iudgement As I haue formerly said so againe I say Answ the desertion that doth befall Gods children it is but temporary for a time and not for euer were it for euer it were hell it selfe But albeit it bee but for a time yet for that time their case is grieuous These temporall desertions are more grieuous vnto them then temporall death and if they might haue their choise they would rather choose to die a thousand deaths then to be thus forsaken and no wonder for put case many so be that they can discerne small difference if any betwixt themselues and a Reprobate nay they may hereby be so tormented that they euen Gods owne deare children they I say may blaspheme God and cry out they are damned read these places Iob 13.24.16.12.22.3.4 And see whether Iob was in any better estate Read also Psalme 6 1.-4 And iudge how miserable was Dauids condition It is the iudgement of a worthie Diuine that the pangs which Dauid felt after his fall before he could recouer againe Gods former fauour were more sharpe vexing then those that did accompany his first conuersion vnto grace Oh beware beware ye that now stand beware lest you fall 1. Cor. 10.12 be more prouident for your owne good then to giue God occasion by reason of your sins to depriue you of his fauour leaue you to your selues If euer you doe recouer your losse many a sigh and groane must be sent from the heart before it can be obtained Many a salt teare and longing looke vp towards God Rom. 11.20 before the sence and feeling of Gods spirit can bee regained be not then high minded but feare be fearful of this heauie iudgement and in a speciall manner take heede of the causes thereof for as all sinne in generall doth cause the Lord to leaue vs to our selues so there are some sinnes Special sins that doe cause the Lord to leaue vs for a time Rom. 1.21.24 Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris Psal 116.12.13 which in a speciall manner will lay vs open to this danger I will name them that you may the better auoid them they are these The first is vnthankfulnesse for graces receiued as our Apostle Paul doth make manifest thus speaking because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankefull c. God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts c. O beware of this same sinne it is an excuselesse sinne this is the onely tribute God doth expect from vs for all his mercies that he hath done vnto vs. And surely I am perswaded this is one cause why Gods children are often thus left and forsaken of the Lord and why his blessed spirit departs away because they take no more notice of those graces which are wrought in their hearts neither are they so thankful as they should be they are euer complaining they haue nothing in them no grace in their hearts c. This grieues Gods blessed spirit that thou art no more thankefull for his good worke that is begun and causeth him to leaue thee for a time that thou maist at last bee more thankefuâ—l take therefore such notice of thy infirmities for thy humiliation as that thou forgettest not Gods good gifts and graces for thy consolation The second sin that causeth desertion Luk. 19.12 A second speciall sin which causeth the Lord to leaue and forsake vs is the ill vse or no vse of good gifts bestowed The slothfull seruant that employed not his tallent shall haue his tallent taken from him such gifts as are not employed shall be blowed on soone come to nothing let this be considered of euery of
still complaining against his dealings as vnequall and vniust But of how contrary a disposition is the childe of God who is euermore content to submit himselfe to Gods seuerest courses alwaies acknowledging and confessing that God is righteous in his proceedings and pure in his actions Neh. 9.33 Ezra 9.10 So much did Nehemiah confesse when he thus said Surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truly but we haue done wickedly And so did Daniel Dan. 9.7 Righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame c. Thus doth the Church acquit the Lord from all iniustice in his dealings I will beare the wrath of the Lord Mic. 7.9 because I haue sinned against him The like affection was in Dauid as doth appeare by these and the like sayings Psal 51.4 Iust art thou when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest And againe I know oh Lord that thy iudgements are right Psal 119.75 and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And else-where he thus speaketh vers 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements This might be further shewed by diuers other instances as by that of Ely who hearing of the iudgement intended by the Lord vpon him and his house said thus It is the Lord 1. Sam. 3.18 let him doe what seemeth him good as also by that of Hezekiah who being reproued and seuerely threatned for his folly in shewing his treasure vnto the Embassadors of the King of Babel vsed these words The word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken All these sayings manifestly shew their their readinesse to submit themselues to Gods good pleasure without repining The like example wee haue in Iob Job 1.22 who charged not God with any vniust dealing as the Text sheweth but in the midst of his affliction blest and praised Gods name Vse 2 And as this shewes a difference betweene the one and the other so may it also serue for triall of our selues Hath God afflicted thee any way in body or in goods and hath his hand lyen heauie on thee and that all the day long as Dauid speaketh Psal 32. Well how hast thou bin now affected and disposed hast thou yeelded thy selfe with all submission to Gods proceedings hast thou acknowledged the Lord to be iust and vpright in all his dealings and hast thou quietly and without repining submitted thy selfe to Gods seuerest courses if so it is a good signe of a sanctified heart But if otherwise thou hast murmured and repined and expostulated the cause with God complaining of wrong and iniury esteeming thy selfe to bee hardly dealt withall to bee so vsed and withall doest please thy selfe in this gaine-saying humor Then let mee tell thee it is an euident signe of a graceless soule vnsanctified spirit And if this be a true note of a wicked one to expostulate with God and murmure against his proceedings as we haue seene it is then it will discouer many to be such For how ordinary a thing is it in the day of trouble to heare men murmure and repine yea it may be curse and banne against the Lord what more vsuall then to dispute how this can stand with iustice thus and thus to punish How are Gods dealings censured and called into question by the sonnes of men And how doe men as it were challenge God to his face of vnequall and vniust proceedings I doe indeed confesse that through extreamity of anguish Gods dearest children may forget themselues somtimes and so did Iob and Dauid Psal 73.13.14 whose feet were almost gone but in their cooler bloud they will recall their errour and smite vpon their thighes and lay their hands vpon their mouthes though they speak once yet they wil answer no more as Iob speaketh And as Dauid saith Iob 39.38 Psal 62.1 his soule shall keepe silence vnto the Lord. They will not please themselues in that gaine-saying humor but labour to represse all such repining thoughts and distempered passions Thirdly Seeing it is a property of the wicked thus to Vse 3 expostulate with God and complaine of his proceedings as vniust and vnequall then let this disposition be farre from all such as feare the Lord let not the godly walke in the way of sinners Psal 11. Prou. 1.15 but refraine their feet from this path Let vs learne to iustirie God in all his waies to acknowledge him to be righteous in all his workes and actions Hath the Lord layd on thee sicknesse pouerty imprisonment or any other grieuous crosse see then thou vndergoe it wihout murmuring or repining Charge not God with any hard or vniust dealing for shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Gen. 18.25 said Abraham yea our God cannot but doe right for righteousnesse is essentiall vnto him it is himselfe and hee may assoone denie himselfe as deale vniustly His will is the rule of Iustice and therefore it must bee iust because hee willeth it Let this then be enough for thee and me the Lord will haue it so Psal 39.9 Learne thou with Dauid to bee dumbe and silent because God hath done it Doe not dare to entertaine such a thought within thy heart as that there should be any iniustice with him learne effectually that golden saying of that kingly Prophet Righteous art thou O Lord Psal 119.137 and iust are thy iudgements Which verse Mauritius the Emperour vttered when he saw his wife and children put to death before his eyes and when he was fitting himselfe to lay his owne necke vpon the blocke because when he might haue redeemed the life of his Souldiers taken by the enemy for a small summe of money would not but suffered them all to be put vnto the sword I confesse this is sooner said theâ— done and sooner taught then learned for it is no easiâ— thing to curbe and keepe vnder our owne vnruly passions yet let vs striue and labour by all good meanes to subdue them Ier. 18.2 and represse them Arise and goe downe to the potters house and there I will cause thee to heare my words said God to Ieremiah So let vs arise and goe downe to the potters house and his clay and wheele shall teach vs many good instructions The clay in fashioning vpon the wheele is plyable and readily receiueth any forme or fashion God is the Potter and we as clay vnto him how comes it then we grow discontented with his proceedings Some are poore others base and some are sickly and othersome deformed these looking vpon others who are more noble rich strong proportionable c. say vsually with discontentment God might haue made me thus Rom. 9.20 or thus as these But who art thou that disputest with thy maker shall the thing formed say to him that formed it verse 21. why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one