and doe works meete for repentance Many more places might be brought to confirme this but what need I By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery word be established The reason is this As by faith we are ingrafted into Reason 1 Christ Iesus and so made partakers of his death and the power of it which causeth vs to die vnto sinne so also by the same faith we are made partakers of his resurrection which causeth vs to walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4.11 and liue vnto the Lord. Secondly the same spirit that doth cause Reason 2 vs to leaue sinne doth bring vs to the Lord enabling vs to cry Abba-Father as the Apostle speaketh Vse To reproue many who will indeed confesse Rom. 8.15 there Vse 1 must be a turning and will also practise a change but it shall be from bad to worse from one sinne to another As for example how many doe turne from prodigalitie to couetousnesse from swearing to cousening Stuliidum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Rom. 2.22 from atheisme to popery from prophanenesse to hypocrisie now alas what is this but to turne out the Deuill at the porch and let him in at the posterne As for turning from all sinne to God that is no ordinary thing to bee found in these dayes And therefore assuredly repentance is not so common as the world takes it to be And if these are to be reproued then much more are Vse 2 such to be condemned who turne from God to sinne from a Protestant to a Papist from a professor to an Atheist How farre are these from true repentance What hope can they haue who come short of those that come short of heauen Take good notice of this you that haue beene forward and zealous but now are become Apostates and backesliders and hearken to the counsell giuen to the Church of Ephesus Reuel 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come against thee quickly except thou repent In the last place let this admonish vs to looke that our turning be a true turning And as by sinne we haue departed with this Prodigall from our Fathers house so let vs also arise with him and set forwards towards heauen fixe thy eye vpon the Lord make towards him with thy foote Let the maine current of thy affection be on things aboue Colos 3.2 and thy hart be vpon thy God And thus turning from the one vnto the other thou mayst haue comfortable assurance that thy repentance is true and sound Now I come to the circumstance of time when he repented implyed in this word Text. Doctr. Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon So or And. After this Prodigall had resolued to goe and humble himselfe vnto his Father he did not debate any longer about the matter but forthwith rose vp and went his away Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon so soone as God shall put the motion into our hearts There may not be deferring nor procrastinating but a speedie practise and execution To day sayth the Prophet Dauid if you will heare his voyce Psal 95.7.8 Esay 55.6 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 3.7.13 Iocl 2.12 harden not your hearts Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neare sayth the Prophet Esay While we haue opportunitie let vs doe good saith the Apostle And againe Exhort one another daily while it is called to day many prooffes might be brought and as many reasons Reason 1 First God is to be serued before all God euer required in his seruice the first fruits God is to be first serued Deut. 15.21 Pro. 3.9 Exod. 13.1 Mal. 1.8 and the first borne The firstlings are his darlings the fattest Lambes are fittest for his sacrifice Now hath the Lord respect to beastes Nay surely but hereby hee sheweth vs our dutie the maine he aymes at in all those types was to teach vs to giue him the first and best Reason 2 Secondly we ought not to deferre in respect of the shortnesse Because mans life is short and vncertaine and vncertaintie of life Our liues they are compared to a pilgrimage to the flower of grasse to wind to smoake to a vapour to a dreame and the like all which sheweth the shortnesse of our time and therefore our whole life is little enough to spend in Gods seruice But farther as it is short so also it is vncertaine Nihil câ—rtius morte hora mortis nihil incertius Wee haue no assurance to liue one houre wee are here but Tennants at will and know not how soone our great Land-lord will turne vs out of this earthly tabernacle We may be cropt off like an eare of corne Iob 24.24 for what is this life but as a nest of straw and clay soone shaken a peeces Many haue seene a faire bright morning who neuer beheld the euening as the Sodomites Gen. 19.24 And vpon many the Sunne hath set in the euening to whom it neuer appeared rising in the morning So was it with the rich Glutton in the Gospell Seeing this is so Luke 12.20 wee haue great cause speedily to repent Thirdly the longer we liue in sinne the harder will Reason 3 our repentance be for first Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit Sicut non potest aliquis dediscâ—rematernam linguam sic vix longam peccati consuetudinem Basil Ier. 13.23 our sinnes will grow more strong And secondly wee our selues shall grow more weake By continuall sinning we get a custome and habit of sinning and it is not easily left a man may as soon forget his mother-tongue as leaue it Can a Black-more change his skinne or a Leopard his spots then may you also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill saith the Prophet Where he seemeth to make it a thing impossible for one that hath continued long in sinne to leaue and forsake it And indeede with man it is impossible though with God it is not for with him are all things possible Art thou not able to plucke vp a plant when it is new set how then wilt thou be able to doe it when it is often yeers growth And as repentance will be the harder in respect of sinnes strength so it will bee the harder also in respect of thine owne weaknesse for the longer thou liuest in sinne the weaker wilt thou grow in all the powers and faculties both of soule and body Experience sheweth that the longer a sicknesse doth continue the more is the body weakned and made vnfit for labour so the longer sinne which is the soules sicknesse remaines vnrepented the more weake and vnable will we be to shake it off Our vnderstandings will bee more darkned our wills more peruerted our affections more corrupted our hearts more hardned our consciences more feared and all the powers and faculties both of body
thereunto His sonne was dead but is now aliue hee was lost but is now found And therefore it well agreeth with his fatherly nature to be glad thereof This reason doth expresse the two-fold estate of a Christian in this life First it sheweth what they are by nature while they liue in the estate of vnregeneracie they are dead and lost Secondly whâ—â— they are by grace in the estate of regeneracie they are aliue they are found Text. There is a two-fold death one corporall the other spirituall which is two-fold the one in sinne the other for sinne Was dead Was aliue There is a two-fold death and a two-fold life A two-fold death the one is corporall the other spirituall Corporall as when the life is departed out of the bodie and it layed downe in the graue Spirituall which concernes the soule and it is two-fold also First a death in the present corruption of sinne whereby in this life we deserue damnation thus was this Prodigal and with him all others dead Christ onely excepted Secondly there is a death in the perpetuall condemnation for sinne which is first inflicted vpon the soule at the seperation from the bodie and at the last day shall be layd both vpon the body and soule in a fearefull and full manner There is also a two-fold life one naturall the other spirituall Now answerable to this death is life There is a life Naturall and a life Spirituall a life of the bodie and a life of the soule The naturall life is that which wee receiue from Adam by generation this wee all haue Spirituall life is that which wee haue by the meanes of the second Adam this is proper onely to the Elect and it is also two-fold the first is the life of grace which God vouchsafeth vs in this pilgrimage of ours The other is the life of glorie which shall be giuen vs in the life to come It is the life of grace that is here meant which this Prodigal and all other of God elect doe liue after their conuersion Now to come to the Instructions which doe hence arise and first in that he is said to be dead before his conuersion we learne Doctr. Euery wicked man is a dead man Matth. 8.22 that euerie wicked and vnregenerated man is a dead man He is starke dead being vtterly destitute of the life of grace This may be proued by our Sauiours speech to one of his Disciples Let the dead burie the dead that is those who are dead in sinne though otherwise aliue burie those who are dead in bodie So also in another place The houre is comming and now is Ioh. 5.25 when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue By this voyce is meant the Preaching of the Gospell which the dead shall heare that is those that are dead in their sinnes and trespasses being without all spiritual life as yet The Apostle Paul doth notably confirme this in the second to the Ephesians the words be these You hath he quickened Ephes 2.14 Verse 5. who were dead in trespasses and sins And againe in the same Chapter verse 5. Euen when wee were dead in sinnes 1. Tim. 5.6 hath quickened vs together with Christ Thus doth he also say of the Widow that liueth in pleasure that Shee is dead though Shee liueth These places doe sufficiently confirme this truth More might be brought if need were The reason is plaine Reason because they want the spirit of grace which doth onely quicken Adam was not made a liuing man vntill God breathed the breath of life into him that made him stirre and walke Before that hee was onely as a picture of clay lying vpon the ground hauing eyes that saw not eares that heard not a mouth that could not speake and feet that could not goe So vntill the spirit of grace be giuen which onely giues life to the actions of men they are but as carkases like vnto Christians but indeed are not Now let vs come to the application And first it might serue for the confutation of the Papist who doth teach that man hath power to prepare himselfe to receiue grace and hath abilitie to dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration But doth not the Scripture tell vs that by nature wee are dead not in a swond or sicke but dead starke dead as I haue formerly shewed And what can such a one doe to his owne quickening no no this cannot bee for of our selues wee cannot moue to life vntill God doe quicken vs by his Word and Spirit Vse 2 Secondly let all wicked vnregenerate men take notice of their estate and be warned of their misery for they are but dead corpses Wicked men resemble a corse in 4. things First they are cold lying rotting in the graues of iniquitie Being Cold Senclesse Heauie and stinking fitly resembling a corse in these foure things Cold they are for the powerfull heat of Gods holy Spirit is quenched in them so that their preaching is cold there praying is cold there hearing is cold and all other good exercises they take in hand And so is it with there seeming graces there Faith Zeale Loue c. All are key cold noe warmth can be felt in them As they are cold so they are Senclesse Secondly they are sencelesse Psal 58.4 they can nether Heare See Smell Tast nor Touch. There Hearing is gon cleane gon They are like the deafe adder that cannot nay which is worst of all that will not heare the voice of the charmer Isay 6.10 Zach. 7.11 charme he neuer so wisely there eares are heauie yea vncircumcised open to any that will speake Reuel 3.17 but refusing to heare the Lord calling As they are deafe so also Blind The God of this world hath couered there eies with a vaile so that though they haue eies they see not saluation offered Ezek. 12.2 nor the light of the Gospell shining vpon them neither can they perceiue those things which are of God Dumb they are also 1 Cor. 2.14 Ier. hauing mouthes and speake not to Gods glory or praise They bend there tounges like there bowes for euill but they haue no courage for the truth They are toung tyed when Gods name should be blessed and when good talke is administred but freedome of speech they haue to blaspheme his sacred and glorious name There smelling is cleane gon they feele not the sauour of Christs oyntments for the which the virgins runne after him Cant. 1.2 Psal 45.8 2 Cor. 2.16 neither of his garments which smel of Myrrhe Cassia the word it selfe the Gospell of grace vnto them is a sauour of death they smell no other thing in it Rom. 8.5 Miserable men who being after the flesh sauour only the things of the flesh There Tast is cleane gon they know not the sweetnesse of Gods mercy nor the sauing grace of Christ in the Gospell
chuse good strong to euill yea altogether auerse and rebellious no good so truely good but it abhorres it no euill so extreamely wicked but it hath an enclineablenes to embrace it no seruant so readie to do his masters will as it is to doe the workes of the Deuill no rebell so desperately set against his lawfull soueraigne as it against the Lord. And all our affections are vnruly and disordered As for the members of our bodies they are instruments to execute sinne conceiued as the Apostle doth euidently declare Our throat it is an open sepulcher our tongues are giuen to deceit the poyson of Asps is vnder our lips our mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse our feete are swift for the shedding of bloud Destruction and misery are in all our wayes and there is no feare of God before our eyes behold thy naturall estate and condition see what matter that will affoord of boasting What though thou hast many excellent parts gifts and graces bestowed vpon thee yet take heed thou beest not puffed vp with pride or vaine glory looke thou vnto the rocke whence thou wert hewne and that will afford matter enough for thy humiliation and of being vile in thy owne iudgement Vse 5 And now in the last place seeing wicked men are dead men being cold sencelesse heauie and as stinking carion let vs then auoid their companies Take no pleasure in conuersing with them He that keepes company with these may fitly be compared to those spirits that haunted the graues What hath the liuing to doe amongst the dead As thou therefore hopest to be separated from them at the day of Iudgement see thou now separatest from them in this world if not in conuersation for this cannot be yet in regard of loue and affection for that may yea must be And is now aliue That is Text. he is quickened by Gods blessed spirit and enabled in some measure to liue the life of grace The obseruation hence may be this He onely may be said to liue that liues the life of grace Doctr. He onely liues that liues the life of grace and no other They onely are liuing men that haue their soules quickned by Gods blessed spirit As for life of any other kind it is but a shadow of life and not worthie the name of life indeed Were this life to grow well waxe strong then would the trees of the field excell man which from little plants grow at last to be strong excellent Okes Or were this the onely life to see heare smell or the like In this the very beasts of the field would excell man who goe beyond him in these naturall faculties as the Dog in smelling the Hart in hearing the Ape in tasting the Eagle in seeing with many more Or if we glory in this that we liue the life of reason then how many Philosophers haue excelled man herein So then it is not the vegetatine life wherin trees excell men nor the sensitiue which beasts haue better then we nor yet the reasonable life which reprobates haue as well as we but it is the life of grace which is the life of a Christian which deserues to be counted life all other are not worthy of the name This life is that onely that makes vs liue without which our whole life is but a death hence is it that the Apostle sayth we are quickned so soone as grace doth appeare before which time we were but dead as formerly we haue heard and speaking of himselfe Ephes 2.1.5 Rom. 6 13. Gal. 2.20 hee sayth I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me he esteemeth this a life and no other Let this then teach vs throughly to examine our selues Vse 1 whether as yet we liue this life of grace Would we know whether we be aliue or dead then make a tryall whether thy soule be quickned by Gods blessed spirit yea or no and whether thou liuest the life of God Ephes 4 18. Spirituall life how discerned First propertie of life Life is actiue and stirring 2. Tim 4.18 Psal 123.2 Now this may be discerned by the properties of life and they are these First life is stirring it is not without some motion it is actiue and euer doing So where there is any life of grace there will be spirituall action and a practise of godlinesse in the life and conuersation The eyes will be directed towards the holy one of Israell And as the eyes of a seruant looke to the hands of his master so will thy eyes looke vp vnto the Lord till hee haue mercie vpon thee Thou wilt cause thine eare also to heare Wisedome Pro. 2.2 Pro. 19.20 yea thou wilt encline them to heare her counsell that thou mayst be wise in the latter end Psal 79.13 With thy mouth thou wilt declare the praises of the Lord from generation to generation and wilt not conceale his truth from the great Congregation Psal 40.10 Pro. 15.7 Eccle. 10.12 Pro. 10.21 Psal 26.6 Iob 31.7 Lamen 3.41 Psal 134.2 Nehe. 2.18 But with thy tongue thou wilt spread abroad knowledge and vtter the words of grace and cause thy lips to feed many Thy hands thou wilt wash in innocencie and suffer no blot to cleaue vnto them Then wilt thou lift them vp with thy heart vnto God in the heauens thou wilt lift them vp in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord Thou wilt also strengthen them to doe good and by them minister to the necessities of the Saints Act. 20.34 Ephe. 3.14 Thy knees thou wilt bow vnto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And thy feet shall delight to stand within the gates of Ierusalem Psal 122.2 Heb. 12.13 Straight steppes wilt thou make with them lest that which is halting be turned out of the way In a word euery member will be made as a weapon of righteousnesse Rom. 6.12 to serue the liuing God Eyes eares tongue hands feete all will be in motion and not idle Try then your selues by this first propertie is it thus with thee Art thou employed in Gods seruice dost thou find grace actiue and stirring in thee surely then it is a good signe of life but if it be so that there is no spirituall motion it is an euident signe of the want hereof An image made by mans art may liuely represent a man hauing eyes and eares nose and mouth as man hath yet I know for all that it hath no life in it because it stands still and stirs not So if I see a professor without practise in his life I must needs thinke he is an Idoll And assuredly what euer they seeme in the eyes of men they are in the eyes of God but as the carkases of Christians Without this spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises pretend what thou wilt thou art but the Image of a Christian looking somewhat like him but not quickned by his life A second propertie of life is this Second
it is impossible to recouer yet as Christs omnipotent voyce brought him forth bound hand and foote and brake his bands asunder and set him at libertie So is it able to bring thee forth out of the graue of thy sins and to knocke off those gyues and fetters of Satan wherewith thou art so fast bound and to restore thee to the liberty of the sonnes of God Be not then discouraged from following the meanes for though thou hast a long time lyen a rotting in thy sinnes yet in Gods good time thou maist be raised to newnesse of life by his powerful voice vttered in the ministery of the Gospel A third vse of this poynt is for Exhortation to all such Vse 3 as do liue this life of grace that they would make much of it and cherish it striue to confirme it and strengthen it in themselues I confesse indeed it is true which Christ saith Hee that hath tasted of this life shall neuer see death but yet let vs know hee may feele sicknesse and such sicknesse as is nigh vnto death and be so sicke as that he may thinke there is no way but death and all for want of nourishing this new life which is begotten in him See then you preserue your life and that you grow vp in soundnesse of grace and spirituall strength be content to vse all good meanes for this end and purpose Fiue helpes for the preseruation of life spirituall and in speciall thâ—se fiue First Food Secondly Recreation Thirdly Exercise Fourthly Sleepe Fiftly Physicke You all know what great good helpes these are and how needfull for the preseruation of life corporalle assuredly they are as good for the preseruation of life spirituall 1 Meanes is Food and as necessarie As for Food wee all know if it be wanting the bodie cannot long be strong nor last it must needes famish So is it with the soule if it want it sustenance and due meales it must needs pine away It is requisite therefore that wee bee frequent in hearing of the word read 1. Pet. 2.2 and preached as formerly I haue said As also in comming to the Sacrament there to eat and drinke the flesh and bloud of Christ spiritually by faith Iohn 6.35.48 50 51 53 54 55. for Hee is that bread of life and whosoeuer eateth of this bread shall liue for euer his flesh is meate indeed his bloud is drinke indeed 2 Helpe is Recreation The second helpe is Recreation How auaileable this is for the health of the bodie we are not ignorant of It is a great meanes for the preseruation of life it maketh the bodie more able and the mind more cheerefull for any worke of our callings Thus spirituall Recreation is a notable preseruer of the life of grace and therefore must be vsed of euery Christian Recreate thy selfe then in singing of Psalmes Iam. 5.13 to which St Iames doth exhort vs And when thou art a wearie of some one exercise thou art about as that we shall soone bee such is our corruption then betake thy selfe vnto another Fall from reading to singing from singing to praying let this be thy recreation and vse it often 3 Meanes is Exercise The third is Exercise Without this the body grows diseased full of aches and paines as experience proues And so doth the soule grow diseased and weake yea many times deadly sicke for want of it Exercise thy selfe therefore daily in holy dueties as in Prayer mortification Good workes And with the godly man Psal 1.2 exercise thy selfe continually in the Law of God The fourth is Sleepe 4 Helpe is Sleepe Ros naturae which is most necessarie for the entertainment of bodily health It is the dew of nature and as necessarie for the bodie as meat and drinke is To this is meditation of Gods word compared it is as sleepe and rest to a Christian soule which doth refresh and reuiue it euen as sleepe doth the bodie Thou maist not forget to giue thy soule this rest Fiftly 5 Meanes or helpe is Physicke Physicke is an excellent helpe as to keepe the bodie in good order so to keepe the soule likewise in good temper With the potion of Repentance we must daily purge our hearts and with the vomit of confession rid sin from off our consciences And bee content withall to accept of that physicke which God himselfe shall prepare for vs His crosses are his medicines afflictions are good proper recuring recouering physick for diseased affections Admit then without grudging of this potion which is prepared for thee by the hand of thy maker It may happily be vnpleasant what then wilt thou be displeased with the relish when thy sicke heart is thereby eased of her paines hee is worthie to dye who will rather chuse a wilfull sicknesse then a harsh remedie And yet here is not all for good dyet is also necessarie vnto physicke In vaine doth the potion worke our recouerie if our euill behauiour afterwards bring a relapse See therefore that after you haue purged your hearts by repentance you obserue the strict dyet of obedience Refraine from those corrupt meats whereon your soules haue formerly surfetted Let all sinne be carefully auoyded Come not in euill company follow no euill example hearken to no euill counsell and then your soules shall liue Isay 55.3 And these are the meanes which whosoeuer would grow strong in grace and preserue the health of his soule must vse If then thou desire to haue thy soule thriue and be in good liking see thou practise them and that constantly and conscionably as in Gods presence So shalt thou find the benefit of it in the end to be exceeding great Vse 4 Lastly is this so that he onely liues which liues the life of grace Then here is matter of exceeding great ioy and reioycing to all such as vpon examination of themselues by the former notes haue some assurance that they liue this life Better saith Solomon is a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon Better it is to be a liuing soule though neuer so poore then to be a dead corpâ— though neuer so well be-stucke with flowres What though many in the world haue thousands of pounds great lands large reuenewes yet if they haue not grace they are but stinking carkases Farre better is thy estate though thou hast neuer a groat for thou art a liuing soule borne anew and an heyre of heauen Blesse God then more for this then if be had giuen thee a kingdome reioyce in thy new estate and happie condition It hath beene an ancient custome for men to celebrate their birth-day Math. 14.6 as wee see in Herod who vpon that day that hee was borne made a banquet to his Princes and Captains and chiefe estates of Galylee How much more ought a Christian to remember if he can the day of his new birth and make that a day of ioy and gladnesse a day of feasting and reioycing to the
contentments of this present life and can they tell whether there be a God or what this God is or how he will be worshipped and serued alas they cannot and which is worst of all they will not learne they are ignorant will be ignorant they are carelesly sottish of those things they daily heare and see Suidas like that foole Amphistides who would neuer learne to tell aboue fiue or to know whether his Father or Mother brought him forth Property 2 Secondly Fooles and idiots are selfe-conceited no perswasion can alter or change their mindes their own waies they like best and their owne courses they thinke safest Thus is it with the wicked their owne waies they will follow their owne courses they will take though destruction be the end no perswasion that can be vsed no argument that can be brought can recall or reclaime them Like that Noblemans foole Gilbert lib. 1. Nâ—ro who being sent for wood would alwaies draw out from vnderneath the pyle thinking it the best way to doe the hardest worke first and the easiest afterwards when indeed hee spent more time in pulling out a sticke then bee should haue done in carrying in an armefull if hee had taken off the vppermost which had beene most readie yet by no meanes could he be diswaded from this course till the pyle fell vpon his head and slew him Thus obstinate are the wicked in their euill waies they driue in sinne as if they were mad as it was said of Iehu in another case and will not be reclaimed till death and damnation seaze vpon them 2 Kings 9.10 Property 3 Thirdly Fooles preferre trifles before treasure a Counter before a Pearle they will not leaue their bable for a wedge of gold This also fitly agreeth vnto the wicked who with the Gaderens esteeme their Hogs more then Christ Mark 5.17 the things of this life before those so farre surmounting ioyes of a better Such a prophane foole was Esau Heb. 12.16 who preferd a messe of a pottage before his birth-right a large broode of prophane ones hee hath left behinde him though he himselfe be dead and gone who will not sticke to part with Heauen for a little pelfe for a messe of meate they will bee content to loose their soules their Heauen their God Fourthly Idiots and fooles are all for the present hauing Property 4 little or no care for hereafter preferring a penny in hand before a pound in reuersion And doe not the wicked thus all they desire is but for this present life as for the day of death and day of iudgement they think not of their Quaeres are What shall I eate Math. 5. or what shall I drinke or what shall I put on But as for Heauen and eternall saluation they neuer open their lips to make any enquirie Fiftly Fooles are very desperate they are still a medling Property 5 with edge tooles and playing with kniues and fire-brands and neuer rest vntill they haue mischieft themselues Euen thus doe the wicked they play with sinne and sport with their damnation Ludit cum spinâ—â— Pro. 10.23 14.9 It is a pastime to a foole to doe mischife saith Salomon Sinne is as it were his bable wherewith he makes himselfe sport hee makes a mocke at it drunkennesse whoredome theft murder and the like make him merry at the heart but know thou foole in the end these will sting like a Serpent and bite like a Cockatrice they owe thee a shame and assure thy selfe they will pay thee Sixtly Fooles are very mischieuous and harmefull Property 6 and so are wicked ones their sleepe departs from them except they cause some to fall See how the Apostle sets them forth in the third to the Romanes at the 13. verse Rom. 3 13. Their throat saith hee is an open sepulchre with their tongues they haue vsed deceit the poyson of aspes is vnder their lips Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Verse 14. Verse 15.16 Verse 17. Their feet are swift to shed bloud Destruction and misery are in all their wayes and the way of peace they haue not knowne What foole is or can bee more mischeiuous then a wicked man is Thus you see how fitly these properties of folly agree to all wicked ones and now what thinke you shall these be wise in thy esteeme canst thou iudge these to be discreete that behaue themselues as wee haue seene it cannot bee no not possible thou must needs set to thy seale Wicked men not naturall fooles but artificiall fooles and say that they are fooles True it is they are not naturall fooles wanting naturall wit for then they were the lesse to be pittied but they are artificiall fooles fooles of the deuils making and therefore the more to be detested But carnall men in this life cannot see this and therefore will not say this but one day to wit at the last day they shall acknowledge it Vse 2 Secondly This may serue for a terrour to the wicked for it is so indeed The best work of a wicked man is but a fooles sacrifice Eccles 5.1 that they are fooles let them esteeme themselues to be neuer so wise then assuredly their best workes are but folly in Gods esteeme their hearing reading praying preaching what are these but the sacrifice of fooles and so doth Salomon terme them What a miserable thing is this that a man should liue 20. 30. 40. 50. or it may be more according to the terme of time he liues in his natural estate and offer vp in al that space no other sacrifice then a fooles sacrifice vnto the Lord Oh wofull Oh lamentable can God be pleased with this shall God accept of this No hee cannot nor hee will not consider of it therefore Oh man spend one houre in serious consideration the time will not bee lost but redeemed Math. 5 22. Reuel 3.14 And further consider if hee be in danger of hell fire that saith thou foole as Christ Iesus that faithful and true witnesse doth affirme Then how much more likely is he to go to hell that is a foole indeed Is the very calling of one foole who is not so great a sinne as that the slanderer is in danger of hell torments Then how much more greater torment doth abide him that makes himselfe a very foole by committing of sin which is termed folly in Scripture language Vse 3 A third vse is for exhortation let all sinners breake from the bands of their owne folly and seeke after the true wisedome euery one would bee counted wise and desires so to bee esteemed But why then doe you delight in folly why doe you take pleasure in sinne Oh then breake off thy sinnes by repentance Dan. 4. and entertaine the true feare of God into thy heart and soule so shalt thou be aged whilest thou art but young Num. 11.16 and bee an Elder when thou art a childe but if thou continuest
withdrawed his hart from the Lord and set it vpon vanitie Non interuallo locorum deuâ— relinquiter sed pranitate morum Amb. in psa 119. he departed far from him in regard of the opposit and differing disposition God his volo being his nolo and his nolo being Gods volo Secondly he went far in regard of the great and many sinnes he did commit for multiplication of sins is like multiplication of steps which at length carry a man farre away from the place where he was Both these wayes may this prodigall be sayd to take his iourney into this faire country Thus hauing seene the meaning of the words let vs now come to the instructions the first shall be this It is the nature of sinners to fly from Gods presence Doctr. Sinners cannot endure Gods presence Iob 21.14 Gen 3.8 and get farre away out of his sight This is there desire and indeuoure See this prooued in the 21. of Iob. 14. so Ionah 1.3 also confirmed by examples Adam who hid himselfe in the bushes These fled from God in their affections and by their sinnes manifested it by a foolish desire to conuey their bodily presence out of his sight Reasons First the remembrance of his presence doth Reason 1 crosse them in there sinns and that they would not be Therefore they purposing to sinne get out of his sight as they foolishly imagine that so they may haue the more libertie Secondly there is as great contrariety betwixt God Reason 2 sinners as there is betweene light and darknesse how then is it possible for them to agree therefore doth the sinner fly from his face and by no meanes can abide his presence Thirdly sinne maketh a man Gods debter for the law Reason 3 tyes him to obedience if he faile in it it binds him ouer to the curse and the more a man sinneth the further he runneth into arerages with God Now experience teacheth debtors care not for the sight of their creditors especially if the bonds be forfet and debt due but so is it with euery sinner and therefore no maruell if they fly from him Let vs therefore examine our selues whether we be Vse 1 still in our sinnes for hereby may we know it dost thou loue Gods presence and delight in it dost thou set the Lord alwaies before thee walking as in his sight with that kingly Prophet dost thou loue his house and the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 16.8 Psa 26.8 Caâ—t 3.1 dost thou bewaile his absence as the bitterest crosse and neuer restest seeking with the spouse vntill thou hast found him and canst thou long and looke for his appearing in glory 2 Cor. 5.8 destring to be absent from the body that thou maist be present with the Lord are these things in thee in truth dost thou find thy heart and soule thus affected is it thus with thee art thou sure of it why then without question thy sinns are pardoned debts discharged and thou at peace with God But if it be otherwise and if the contrary be in thee if thou puttest God out of thy remembrance and canst not endure to haue him in all thy thoughts Psal 10.4 if thou respectest not his house but esteemest it as a iayle being neuer well while thou art vnder his roofe and neuer better then when he is lost and if thou desirest that he might neuer appeare or thou neuer by death or iudgement might be brought vnto him Let me then tell thee to thy face thou art still in thy sinnes thou art infinitely indebted to the eternall God thou mayst euery day expect a capias corpus to be fetcht from hence and throwne into the iayle Math 5. from whence thou shalt not depart till the vttermost Vse 2 farthing be paied which will neuer be In the next place let this serue to admonish such as would be able to endure Gods powerfull presence especially at that great and terrible day to breake of their sinnes by vnfeined repentance and labor to haue their debts discharged by Christ for otherwise thou shalt call to the mountaines and hilles Reuel 6 to hide thee from his presence that sitteth on the throne Doct. 2. The following of sinne is a forsaking of the Lord. In the Second place wee may obserue this doctrine The following of sinne is a forsaking of God and the further in sinne the further from God The Scripture is plentifull in proofes as Deut. 32.15 Iud. 2.11.12 1. King 11.33 Isa 1.4 Ier. 2.5 5.7 Obiect Psal 1 39.2.3.4 5. c. Answere But doth not the Prophet affirme that it is impossible to fly from the presence of God Psal 139. wonderfull are the testimonies the prophet there bringeth to amplifie Gods illimited presence how then can this be true In a word for answere know that out of Gods reach no man can fly but out of his fauour he may and from his awe by his rebellious will Thus doe sinners fly from God and forsake him as I formerly shewed euen now in the opening of these words And therefore it is now needlesse to stay your eares with a commemoration of what I so lately said now for the vses First this setteth forth the miserable estate of all impenitents Vse 1 there whole life is nothing else but a wandring from the eternall God in whose presence there is fullnes of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasures for euermore like lost sheepe they stray out of Gods pastures into Satans inclosures destruction and calamity must needes be in their waies Rom 3. horror and shame will ceaze on them in the end For loe they that are farr from thee shall perish they shal be destroied that goe a whoring from thee He that leaues the light must needes walke in darknesse Psal 73.27 and he that forsakes the God of life whether is he posting but to eternall death when Cain went away from God there was no more account made of him then of a vagrant Gen. 4.14 and vagabond is their estate any better who by commiting of sinne depart from the Lord what are they but Cains Outlawes Rebels Runnagates trauelling as it were without a passe whose fairest end will be to be sent to the house of correction but greatly to be feared of most to the place of execution Vse 2. Admonition to such as are yet in their sinnes Vse 2 and keepe a constant course in commiting of them speedily to turne backe vnto the Lord and looke vpon him Isay 45.22 as Esay exhorteth as you haue gone from him by sinning turne to him againe by daily repenting that it may be spoken of thee as Paul speaketh of the Ephesians You who were once farre off are now made neere Ephes 2. Psal 119.28 Conclude with Dauid Psal 119.28 It is good for me to draw neere vnto the Lord. Oh consider aduisedly consider the estate thou now liuest in make a stop and call to mind whether
from thence there is no redemption Verse 26. thou parent thou canst not there help thy child nor the child thee nor thou husband redeeme thy wife nor thou wife thy husband there is no sucker nor helpe to be had by any Let these and such like considerations be euer in thy minde and pondered on then wilt thou haue sounder resolutions in thy heart and better performances in thy life Now to come to the particulars and first we are to consider what he resolues to doe A three-fold resurrection of a Christian I will saith he arise and goe c. There is a threefold Resurrection of a Christian The first is Sacramentall and thus we rise againe in Baptisme the second is Corporall and so we shall rise againe in the day of the Lord Iesus in our bodies from the graue the third is Spirituall which is his Resurrection in this life in soule from the death of sinne thus did this Prodigall arise and thus doth euery true penitent arise while he here liueth on the earth The point may be this Doctr. Repentance from sinne is the first Resurrection Ephe. 5.14 Reuel 20.6 That repentance from sin is as a Resurrection from death this is plaine by the Apostles words awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light And the holy Ghost doth thus call it in the twentieth of the Reuelation verse 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power Vse 1 Is this so then Repentance is no such easie a matter as the world takes it to be the worke of repentance is no lesse miraculous then the raising of the dead it is a work that cannot be wrought by the power of nature but such a worke as must be wrought by the mightie power of God Much might be spoken of this subiect but I shall haue fitter occasion to prosecute the point when I come to speake of the reason of the Fathers kinde entertaining of his sonne Verse 24. to which place I referre the farther handling of it a word therefore for a second vse and so to proceede Vse 2 And that shall be to stirre vs all vp thus to arise for if the soule while it is in the bodie arise not out of the graue of sin sure it is the bodie shall neuer rise out of the earth but to shame and confusion vse all good meanes therefore that thou maiest haue thy part in this that so the second death may haue no power on thee for otherwise it is impossible to escape the power of it by no meanes canst thou escape the paines of hell torments if thou dost not here awake stand vp from the dead and with Lazarus come forth the meanes that are to be vsed for this end I refer with the farther handling of this point to the place before named And goe It was a good and holy motion Text. which he had of arising this he doth not quench but cherisheth and nourisheth it he addes more fewell to this fire begun though but a sparke to the good motion of arising hee addes the second of going I will arise and goe First then learne The good motions of Gods blessed spirit at any time Doctr. Good motions are not to be quenched but cherished in any measure though neuer so weake begun are not to be choaked but to be cherished When the Lord shall put any good motion into our hearts we are to nourish cherish the same to one good motion we must adde a second and to that a third and to them a many and so fall to blowing giue not ouer vntill at length they breake forth into a comfortable flame of godly practise 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit saith the Apostle that is quell not choake not the gifts and motions of the holy Ghost He vseth a metaphor borrowed from fire whose heate and light when it is put out is said to be quenched 2. Tim. 1.6 Thus also he exhorts Timothie to stirre vp the graces of God which be in him And writing to the Ephesians hee sayth thus Grieue not the holy spirit of God Ephe. 4.30 He permits them not so much as to giue it any occasion of withdrawing the vigour of his operation in them He brings a forcible reason Whereby you are sealed Reason 1 vnto the day of redemption This is the onely euidence we haue of freedome from condemnation this is Gods marke and character set on vs and seizing vs for his owne This is like the bloud that was stricken vpon the doore-posts which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs Exod. 12.22 and not to suffer the destroyer to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians By this we are assured that the day of Iudgement shall be to vs no day of wrath but a day of redemption So then thus wee may take the Apostles meaning As you desire to retaine assurance of your deliuerance from the wrath to come and that the Lord should take notice of you for his in the day of that dreadfull separation so see that by all meanes you cherish in you the gifts and operations of Gods holy spirit grieue it not by strangling choaking of those holy motions suggested by him but giue all endeuour that all his holy motions and operations be cherished and preserued in their fullest feruour without any the least abatement Thus we haue seene the poynt prooued Now it remaines to apply it And first this serueth to condemne such as nippe the bud so soone as euer it peeps forth and quench euery sparke that at any time appeareth yea wilfully set themselues to repell all good motions hasting to their cursed company to chase away those which they call prophanely qualmes of deuotion sweete inspirements of Gods holy spirit Oh the cursed vnthankefulnesse of these men What vnkind ingratefull discourteous dealing is here with the spirit of grace Thus shutting him out so soone as euer he begins to enter Wouldest thou deale so vnkindly with thy friend who commeth to thy doore Why dealest thou then so vncourteously with Christ Iesus Reuel 3.20 and his holy spirit who stands at the dore and daily knocks but can get no entertainement Beware Act. 7.51 beware of this resisting of the holy Ghost the sin is fearefull and discomfortable for hereby thy heart may grow more obdurate and thy life more brutish and abominable Vse 2 And therefore in the next place let it serue for admonition to thee and me and to vs all that we beware how we suffer that blessed heat to slake which by Gods grace beginnes to be enkindled in our hearts suffer not that coale that holy motion which the Lord hath cast into thy bosome to die within thee but blowe it vp lay on more fuell adde daily more and more matter to it and tremble to lose the least measure of
labour to come to perfection We may not euermore stand at one stay nor alwaies be as children who needs leading by the hand but we must grow more and more in knowledge and in iudgement And thus much may be spoken of this poynt we are now to speake of the words themselues Text. which he deuised to speake Father I haue sinned c. In these words of his acknowledgement wee may see what it was especially that touched him to the quicke namely this that he had abused and wronged the loue and kindnesse of so good a Father This was that which made him so much to insist vpon the name of Father I will goe to my Father I will say Father The misery that he was in as his want of bread and other necessaries no doubt was grieuous yet all this troubled him not so much as this that he had carryed himselfe so vndutifully towards so gratious a parent Let this then be noted Doctr. To the godly sinne is the greatest sorrow Ps 51.4 That nothing is so grieuous to a true penitent as this that by committing of sinne he hath offended God This was that which most troubled Dauid and went nighest to his soule that he had sinned against the Lord and offended his Maiestie by his committing of euill Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It is not hi meaning to lessen his offence the words may not so be taken but his speech sheweth what went nighest to hiâ— heart and lay heauiest on his soule His trespasse agâ—inst Vriah in taking away his life was grieuous to him His trespasse against Bathsheba in drawing her to vnchastitie did also trouble him but that by both of these he had offended God this did most of all perplex him Against thee against thee haue I sinned Nothing touched him so neere as this no not shame of the world nor feare of hell Thus is it also said of the house of Dauid that the spirit beeing powred vpon them they shall mourne for him Zach. 12.10 That is when the godly shall come to see what euils and miseries their sinnes brought vpon Christ and how odious their offences haue beene towards him this should pierce their hearts and nothing more Thus was it also with the people of God who are said in the day of their fast to draw water 1. Sam. 7.6 namely out of their hearts and to powre it out before the Lord. By all which is meant they wept bitterly and aboundantly for that they had offended the Lord by their many sinnes Ioseph being tempted to folly by his laciuious Mistresse said How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God The wrong that he should haue done his Master was nothing in his eye to the offence against the Lord. The reason of this the Apostle Saint Paul giueth Reason Rom. 8.15 They haue not receyued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but they haue receyued the spirit of adoption Which Spirit doth make them loue the Lord and feare to offend and exceedingly grieue when he is offended As it is with a true louer towards his beloued Now for the vses and first wee may see here a difference Vse 1 betweene the sorrow of the Godly and of the wicked both greiue both mourne Ahab as well as Dauid Differences betwixt the sorrow of the godly and wicked 2. Cor. 7.1 Iudas as well as Peter Yet the sorrow of the one is godly and bringeth life the sorrow of the other worldly and bringeth death For heare is the difference The sorrow of him that is truly penitent Malum peccati is most conuersant about the euill of his sinne and is more for Gods cause then for his owne more that God is offended then for any manner of respect vnto himselfe Were there no shame no danger no punishment neither here nor hereafter in this life or in the next yet this would wound their soules and grieue them at the heart that by sinne God was offended Thus is the godly sorrow This is that which causeth repentance neuer to be repented of Now the sorrow of him whose repentance is vnsound is of another nature and is principally occupied about the euill of punishment Being more for there owne sakes then for Gods Malum paenae There sinne hath no place in their sorrow nor God offended It is shame and punishment that causeth them to grieue Cain grieues but why his punishment is greater then hee can beare Gen. 4.13.14 Exod 9.27 1 Sam. 15 24 25 1 King 21.21 27. Gen. 27 38. Heb. 12.17 Pharaoh howles and takes on but it is the thunder and haile that causeth it his sorrow is gone ouer with the storme Saule mournes but it is because God had cast him away from being King Ahab puts on sack-cloth but it was the euill that was to come vpon his house with the taking away of his posterity that caused it Esau wepes but he more respects his owne losse then Gods dishonour the blessing is lost Thus selfe-loue is the moouer of it were there no shame iudgement hell there should be no sorrowing for sinne This is the sorrow of the wicked which bringeth repentance to be repented of and is a sorrow to be euer sorrowed for We see then how each of these differ in the obiect that either of them is exercised about Vse 2 Secondly this may teach vs to try our selues and our repentance For is it so that nothing is more grieuous to a true penitent then this that by sinne he hath offended God Examine then thy heart deale truly with thy selfe what is it that most troubles thee I do not doubt but thou hast had some manner of remorse At some time or other thy heart hath bine smitten for thy sinnes thou hast committed But deale now truly with thy selfe and ransacke thy owne conscience what was it that did most perplexe thee what was it that lay heauiest on thy soule what did most trouble thee was it thought of shame and feare of hell was it caused by some such by respects rest not then in it for a reprobate may thus sometimes greiue and therefore I say rest not in it I do not simply discommend this sorrow For I confesse it is a good preparation to repentance and as the needle which makes way for the thread so doth wordly sorrow for godly sorrow the spirit of bondage for the spirit of à â—option But I wish thee to goe further for this sorrow as yet is but worldly and bringeth death being rested in But is it otherwise with thee is this the maine cause of thy greife that God is offended and if there were no hell nor punishment neither heare nor here after yet dost thou finde in thy selfe an inclineablenesse to mourne for thy sinnes thou hast committed art thou grieued that by thee God hath bine dishonored canst thou greeâ—â— for sinne as it is an offence against God
at the beginning of the Chapter Knowing this sayth he that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that hence-forth we should not serue sinne thus Christs death being applyed by faith will worke in vs the death of sin and cause vs to forsake our former euill wayes Reason 2 And secondly the spirit of God dwelleth in that mans heart Rom. 8.4.2 and is become his guide and this spirit freeth vs from the law of sinne and death This expells sinne and will not suffer such filthinesse to remaine in the roome where it doth lodge These may be the reasons of the poynt The vses follow Vse 1 First hereby try thy Repentance whether it be good or no Hath it wrought a change and alteration in thy affections 2. Cor. 5. words and actions are all olde things done away and new come in the place thereof is there a forsaking of sinne a reformation of life if it be thus then it is well for thus it is and must be with euery true penitent True it is in the time of our impenitencie like wild and mad horses we gallop in the way of sinne yet in the day of our repentance the spirit of God as with a bit or bridle giueth vs a ierke and turneth vs back setteth vs as fast a going the other way Insomuch that our companions stand wondering at the matter admiring that we so suddenly breake of company 1. Pet. 4.4 and runne not with them to the same excesse of riot So great is the change that not onely ourselues but others also see it and admire it Now then thou that talkest of Repentance is this change in thee assure thy selfe if thou hast repented it is and all the world may see it canst thou with good conscience say of thy selfe 1. Cor. 6.10 as Paul did of the Corinthians I was once a theife a drunkard an adulterer a reuiler an extortioner a couetous person and the like But now I am washed Verse 11. now I am sanctified yea and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of my God Canst thou thus say of thy selfe and that in truth Why then to thy comfort be it spoken this is a notable euidence of the truth of thy repentance but if it be otherwise thou maist deceiue thy selfe but be it known vnto thee thou art as far from it for any thing that I can see as they are that rob by the high way side and it may be farther Secondly this may serue for terrour to such as finde Vse 2 no change in themselues but are the same still that euer they were As proud as euer as prophane as euer as worldly as euer as irreligious as euer if not worse then euer yet these men blesse themselues with a false perswasion of repentance when indeed they haue not trodden ouer the threshold of repentance and though they haue liued thirtie fortie or it may be threescore yeares yet poore soules they haue not all this time trod one step nor to be the first stride towards Gods kingdome Sinne is not yet left nor forsaken But oh thou dreamer awake if euer thou wilt awake Awake gull not thy owne soule thy torment shall not bee the lesse in hell because thou fallest in before thou beest aware Delude then thy selfe no longer but looke well about thee Thou canst not endure others should cozen thee why cozenest thou thy selfe Happily thou hast had some spirituall qualmes or vpon hearing of the Word hast shed some teares but what then if no reformation followes these are not signes of true repentance Mala praeterita plangere est plangendaiterum non committere Amb. Vera paenitentia est quando sic paniteâ— hominem peccasse vt crimen non repetat Born This is true repentance saith a Father so to bewaile sinnes past as that wee commit them no more which wee haue bewailed It is to no purpose then for thee to bewaile thy former courses vnlesse there follow hereupon a due amendment let not then this deceiue thee for thou dost but mocke and not indeed repent when thou still dost that whereof thou hast repented This is true repentance so to repent that thou hast sinned as that thou doest so no more Till therefore thou doest cease from sinne Inanis paenitentia quam sequent culpa coinquinat Aug. Soliloq and reforme thy wayes vntill thou doest finde this change in thy selfe so that thou canst truly say I was thus and thus but now the case is altered thou canst haue no comfort in thy repentance for assure thy selfe that Repentance and continuance in thy old wicked courses can neuer stand together Vse 3 In the third place this may serue for the comfort of all such as doe finde this change in them who can say as that blind man Iohn 9. who had his light restored One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see whereas I was filthy and vncleane I am now washed and clensed oh happie is the condition of such a one thrice blessed is thy estate onely let me admonish thee that thou manifest this change vnto the world that others may also say Amb. lib. 2. de paenitent cap. 10. How is this man changed from what he was Ambrose makes report of a young man who hauing a long time liued in lust and vncleannesse at length trauelled and in his trauell was conuerted afterwards returning home meets with one of his olde acquaintance with whom he had beene often nought but passed away and would not salute her at which the Strumpet wondering speakes to him after this manner What haue you forgotten me It is I Sed ego non sum ego His reply vnto her againe was this yea I know it but I am not I. Thus it becomes thee to manifest this chaunge thou findest to be in thee that as others haue beene witnesses of thy sinne so they may be also witnesses of thy Repentance And thus much shall serue for this first part of his repentance viz. his Auersion from his sinne Text. Doctr. In true repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also there is a turning to God Ier. 4.1 now we come to the second which is his Conuersion to God And came to his Father From hence we learne In true Repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also a turning to the Lord and a setting of our hearts towards him and his kingdome This therefore is enioyned vs as well as the former in many places of Scrpture If thou wilt returne oh Israell saith the Lord returne vnto me and againe Oh Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God take with you wordes and turne to the Lord. And againe Hos 14.1.2 Ioel. 2.13 Act. 26.20 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord. This was Paul willed to exhort the Gentiles to that they should repent and turne to God
and soule more and more disabled And therefore wee haue great reason to make hast and no longer to deferre and put off repentance Reason 4 Fourthly because for the present thy estate is fearefull Is the great danger that the sinner is in for the present the wrath of God hangs ouer thy head by a twined thred if thou hadst eyes to see it thou eatest in danger of thy life thou drinkest in danger walkest in danger sleepest in danger lying betweene death and the Diuell as Peter did betweene the two souldiers Acts 12.6 bound with two chaines Now who would bee in such a danger one houre for the gaining of a world euery creature is vp in armes against thee they wait but for a watch word would God bid them strike they would soone dispatch thee and Hell that gapes for thee longing to deuoure thee You haue little cause then to deferre one day one houre or one minute Thus you see some reasons many more might be brought but wee hasten to the vses Vse 1 And first This reprooueth that wonderfull madnes and exceeding great folly of such as procrastinate and deferre their conuersion to the Lord and put off their repentance though the Lord call them thereunto and offer them neuer so fit an opportunity Men indeede confesse repentance is needfull they will say there is no hope of Heauen except they doe repent they purpose to repent But here is the mischeefe of it they will not doe it in time but deferre and fore-slow it till heereafter and that through the Deuils delusion perswading them that they haue time enough to repent in they may yet enioy the pleasures of sinne and turne to God heereafter who will assuredly receiue them to his mercy For God saith he is mercifull and hath faithfully promised that whensoeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sin hee will blot out all his wickednesse out of his remembrance As he dealt by the theefe who was receiued to mercy at the last houre though his whole life was spent in wickednesse so will hee deale with thee What needest thou then as yet thinke of repentance seeing thou mayest enioy both the pleasures of this life and of that which is to come also And thus hee carries thousands blindefold to hell who know not they are nigh it vntill they they fall in it gulling them most shamefully teaching them to reason against their owne saluation how often doe you heare these reasons brought Thirdly many lets of timely repentance First hope of long life I haue time enough to repent in What tell you me of Repentance as yet Is not God mercifull Did hee not shew mercy to the theefe at the last gaspe I doubt not but to bee saued as well as the precisest of you all But thou who thus goest on head-long to damnation come hither and let me shew thee thy monstrous folly that if it be possible thou maiest be recouered out of the snare of the Deuill 2 Tim. 2.26 who art thus taken by him at his will First It is a folly to deferre repentance vpon hope of long life thou blessest thy selfe with hope of long life thou wilt repent when thou art old but how knowest thou that thou shalt liue till thou commest to bee old Doest not thou see how vpon the stage of this world some haue longer Reason 1 parts and some haue shorter Because many die before Matth. 20.1.2 And as wee enter into the Lords vineyard doe we not so goe out that is in such a manner and at such an houre some in the morning some at noone some at night some die in the dawning of their liues passing from one graue vnto another being no sooner come out of the wombe of one mother but another mother receiues them into hers Some die in youth as in the third houre others die at thirty forty or fifty as in the sixt and ninth houre and other some very old as in the last houre of the day Now tell mee how many die before fifty for one that liue till they be past that age What hope hast thou to liue till thou beest so olde Doest not thou daily see and heare of many that goe well to bed at night and are found dead in the morning of many other that are suddenly slaine or come to some vntimely death why may it not be thus with thee how vaine then and false is thy hope of long life seeing no man can tell what a day what an houre may bring forth Reason 2 But in the second place Say thou doest liue vntill thou art old Because olde age is no fit time for it 2 Sam. 19.35 yet consider how vnseasonable a time this is for repentance Behold saith Barzillai to Dauid I am this day fourescore yeeres old and can I discerne betweene good or euill hath thy seruant any taste in that I eat or drink Can I heare any more the voyce of singing-men and women wherefore then should thy seruant be any more a burden vnto my Lord the King Heere see how he confesseth that by reason of his age he was vnfit to attend vpon the King or doe him seruice and therefore much more shall a man be disabled in olde age for this worke of repentance Salomon calls the daies of old age euill dayes and withall Eccles 12.1 wils the young man to remember his Creator before they come They are termed euill not because they are so in themselues but because of the many-fold miseries that doe accompany them and so the Philosopher called old age Diog. Laert. in vita Dion The Hauen of all euill because of the innumerable maladies and aches and paines that do flock thither as into a common receptacle For then shall the keepers of the house by which Salomon meaneth the hands which are the protectors of the body tremble and shake Eccles 12.1 And the strong men that is the legs that should carry the body bowe themselues and wax faint and feeble and the grinders by which he meaneth the teeth the mouth being as the mill and the two rowes of teeth like the vpper and nether mil-stones shall cease because they are few and those that looke out of the windowes shall bee darkned that is his eyes shall wax dim and his sight shall faile him â— then shall the dore be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low The mouth and the iawes shall hang downe and not be fast neither shall they eat as young men vse to doe Hee shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird his sleepe shall not be found but it shall be taken away yea with euery little chirping of a bird hee shall bee awaked and all the daughters of musike shall bee brought low their cares shall wax deafe they shall not delight in musike they shall also bee afrayd of that which is high they shall then goe hanging downe the head and shoulders as they
and accusest him of impotencie and weaknesse doth not he cut short the Princes power and mercy that shall say he can pardon lesser offences but not treason and rebellion And doth not he in like sort shrinke vp the sinewes of Gods mercy that sayth he can pardon onely smaller sinnes but not such as are of a larger size Againe what doest thou but giue his Maiestie the lye For he saith he will extend his mercy vnto all that come vnto him Ezeck 36.25 and promiseth to clense vs from all our filthinesse But thou replyest No he will not extend it vnto me neither will he cleanse me from all my sinnes Now is not this to contradict the Lord in not giuing credit to his word and promises Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly yet despaire not of Gods mercy grace nothing can be too hard from him that is omnipotent whose mercy is aboue all his workes and therefore farre aboue our sinfull workes be they neuer so many Remember his promises are made indefinitely to all that repent and turne no matter what they haue beene though Publicans or Harlots Sodomites or Gomorreans exclude not thy selfe for God doth not exclude thee Should a Prince send forth his pardon to a company of traytors and except none and if one amongst the rest should thus say this concernes not me because I haue beene so great an offender therefore I will still stand in doubt of my Princes fauour suspect his word would not euery one accuse this man of folly and vnthankefulnesse Thus doest thou who dost still stand in doubt of pardon for thy sin though the Lord hath sent forth a generall pardon for thee and all others that doe truely repent Doe not thus dishonour God and wrong thy owne soule thou canst not want mercy if thou doest truely seeke it Call to mind the dayes of old search and see if euer thou canst finde an example of any one from the beginning of the world to this present houre were their sinnes neuer so hainous or innumerable who haue not found mercy vpon their Repentance and turning Rahab an Harlot Abraham by all likelihood an Idolater Paul a Persecutor Mathew an Extertioner Zacheus a Vsurer euen these professed sinners vpon their Repentance obtained mercy And doe we not read how many of those Iewes who beate and buffetted the sonne of God who mocked him reuiled him and preferred a wicked murtherer before him and lastly in most ignominious sort crucified and killed him were conuerted to the number of three thousand of them at one Sermon Acts 2.41 and had their sinnes pardoned and remitted Who can despaire to obtaine pardon of his sinnes when they doe but remember that they who bathed their hands in the bloud of the Sonne of God should haue their soules bathed with it and that they should haue their sinnes washed away with that blood which they shed Take notice of one example more and it is that of Manasse 1. King 21. Verse 3 4.5.6 whom the Scripture makes known to haue been a horrible Idolater sacrificing his owne children vnto his Idols a notable Witch a wicked Sorcerer Verse 16. a bloudy Murtherer of Gods Saints and Prophets insomuch that he filled Ierusalem from one end to the other 2 Cro. 33.12 with innocent bloud yet this trascendent-sinning King found fauour and mercy at Gods hands Now is not this and the other examples written for our learning to assure vs of the like fauour if wee bring the like repentance feare not then though thy sinnes be many yet Gods mercies are aboue thy sinne It is impossible for thee to commit more Math. 12.32 Mark 3.28.29 1. Ioh. 5.16 then hee can remit and forgiue I confesse indeede there is an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen neither in this life nor in that which is to come but the reason is not because God cannot forgiue it but because such as haue committed it cannot relent nor repent of it they are gone so farre that they can neuer returne backe Heb. 6.4 5.6 Obiect as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth This sinne I feare I haue committed therefore I am out of hope Indeed God is readie to shew mercie but there is none for mee Dost thou feare it Answ Such as feare they haue sinned against the holy Ghost haue not Heb. 10.29 then I dare pronounce peace to thy soule thou hast not committed it neyther canst thou commit it so long as thou thus fearest for such as doe commit this sinne doe it to despite the Spirit of grace and count the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing They are not afraid of it but rather boast of it glorie in it and liue and dye in it And therefore be not thou discouraged from seeking to the Lord God hath mercie in store for thee yea euen for thee if thou becommest penitent be thou what thou wilt be But if thou resoluest to lye still snorting in sinne then let mee tell thee that as there is no sinne be it neuer so great but vpon thy repentance shall be forgiuen so there is no sinne be it neuer so small that thou hast committed but without repentance will be thy damnation Bee wise therefore and make a good choyce for this day I haue set before thee life and death at thy choyce be it Vse 3 The last vse may serue for Imitation Let vs be like to our heauenly Father and be as readie to forgiue others who haue offended vs as God is to forgiue vs who haue and doe daily offend him It may be some haue offered thee wrong yea great wrong yet must thou forgiue and that redily Why is there then so much suing and intreating and begging for reconciliation before pardon be obtayned Remember God is more gracious vnto thee and oughtest not thou to be so vnto thy brother Doctr. God is more readie to shew mercie then we are to receiue it Esay 65.24 Further in that we here find the sonne comming to confesse and the father running to forgiue Hence learne we God is more readie to shew mercie then penitent sinners are to sue for mercie the one comes softly the other swiftly An excellent place to proue this is that of the Prophet Esay Before they call I will answer and whiles they speake I will heare God will not stay vntill they doe call Vers 1. but before they call hee will grant them their desire And so in the first verse of that Chapter I was found of them that sought me not Vse 1 Vse Take notice then of Gods wonderfull loue who albeit he be the partie that is offended yet is more readie to forgiue then we to seeke or to begge pardon My thoughts are not your thoughts Esay 55.8 neither are my waies your waies saith the Lord. It is most true indeed for of how stiffe stubborne implacable a disposition are wee of Haue we once conceiued a displeasure against any how
Such therefore as pretend loue to one and not vnto another let their pretence be what it will let them professe and say they loue them for the truth yet they doe but deceiue themselues for their loue is not sound but grounded on some by respect for some carnal end it may be they loue them for their gifts but not for their graces I dare say For it is impossible to loue a Saint as a Saint but we must loue euery Saint Thus may we try the soundnes of our loue towards Gods children which if vpon examination we find to be true then may wee make this as a sure signe manifest token of Gods loue to vs for loue them be beloued of him More signes might be brought whereby a Christian may assuredly know whether God hath as yet kissed him with the kisses of his mouth but these are enough and I desire not to say all I can but enough to make this knowne vnto vs take then some paines in examination and it will straight way appeare Desirest thou to know whether God doth loue thee and wouldst thou be assured of the Lords affection towards thee then answere me to these few interrogatories thou shalt haue thy desire And first I demand whether the blessed spirit of God hath been as yet shed abroad in thy heart doth it stirre is it working hath it enlightned thy mind and sanctified thy soule Hath it wrought a change and alteration in thy course and carriage Againe findest thou thy heart enflamed with a loue towards God In so much that thou esteemest him and his fauour before all things in the world Dost thou delight in his presence still hauing recourse vnto him by those blessed meanes both publike priuate by which he is pleased to conuerse with men And art thou desirous to goe vnto him Canst thou say with the Spouse Come euen come Lord Iesus come quickly Againe Reuel 22.17.20 tell me art thou desirous to please him and obey him Art thou readie with Abraham to leaue thy owne Countrey and to goe whether he shall please to send thee And art thou willing to suffer any trouble for his sake Couldest thou be content to suffer the spoyling of thy goods the losse of libertie yea and of life if need should require that he might thereby be glorified Moreouer is it the desire of thy soule to be conformable vnto him in holinesse and puritie Doest thou loue what he loues and hatest thou what he hates And labourest thou to be perfect euen as he is perfect Surely if it be thus thy estate is good thou louest God and he thee But proceed we yet further in this search for a good thing cannot be made too sure and tell me louest thou Gods Saints and seruants and that truely and entirely Is not thy loue grounded on some carnall end is it not some by-respect that causeth it Is it for their pietie and godlinesse thou so much affectest them Doth the very report thou hearest made of them for their vertues enkindle loue in thy heart albeit thou hast had no knowledge of them nor dealing with them And doest thou esteeme of these as the onely excellent ones vpon the earth chusing them for thy best companions receiuing them into thy societie And is thy loue totall to all as well as vnto any Louest thou euery Saint aswell as any Saint Is thy affection towards the poore as well as to the rich is thy heart vpon them in aduersitie as well as in prosperitie If it be thus with thee thou then louest Gods Saints indeed with a loue vnfained and vndoubtedly art beloued of him who is the father of them But if thou beest wholly voyd of these things thy loue is no true loue but such a loue as may be found in any vnregenerated person Thus by a diligent examination of your selues you may soone determine and also soundly whether God hath manifested his loue towards thee Spend some time therefore in this matter it will not be time mispent but redeemed much benefit wil redound to vs by our paines thus bestowed for the surer ground thou art of the more comfort thou wilt haue and without doubt many of Gods children depriue themselues of much comfort for want of a daily examination of themselues by these and the like notes and oftentimes fal into doubting of Gods loue and fauour which in time prooueth pernicious to their soules A third vse of this poynt may be for reproofe of such Vse 3 as brag and boast of Gods loue towards them yet haue not beene thus kissed by him they haue not as yet his loue manifested vnto them by the former signes and tokens As for temporall blessings in them indeed they doe abound hauing great preferments in the world varietie of pleasures and sufficiencie of all earthly contentments which they falsely perswade themselues are manifest tokens of his speciall fauour but as for his spirituall and sanctifying graces of them they haue neuer tasted Now let such know that their estate is fearefull for the present and vncomfortable God indeed may loue thee and thou mayst be elected of him but that is vnknowne to thee or mee or any else till he doth make this manifest by the fornamed signes And as for these common blessings wherein thou doest so abound know they are vsually giuen in a greater abundance to the Reprobate then to the elect Esau whom God hated had as great priuiledges as thou hast any and therefore these premisses will admit of no such conclusion Neuer say that God loues thee till thou findest the fruits of sanctification in thee which being once found thou mayst then say with the Psalmist By this I know that thou fauourest me By these and these signes I know that I am beloued of thee And in the last place this may serue for the great comfort Vse 4 of all such as haue Gods loue manifested vnto them by the former signes For as the terrors are great which that man hath in his conscience who is in doubt of the loue of the almightie towards him So is the comfort as great which that man hath who is hereof perswaded For come tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine Rom. 8.25.28 or nakednesse or perill or sword or life or death Yet the certaintie of Gods loue will support him Heb. 11. This assurance doth make bitter things sweet and gall to relish as hony Comfort then thy heart thou beloued of the Lord let nothing dismay theâ— though the wicked mocke though the world scorne though thy acquaintance hate thee yet remember God he loues and fauours thee and hath manifested the same vnto thee to put thee out of doubt Is not my loue better vnto thee 1 Sam. 1. then ten children said Elkanah to Hannah so is not the loue of God better vnto thee then the loue of ten worlds Let then the meditation of this harden thy face like brasse against all
Psal 34.8 they haue not tasted how good and gratious the Lord is or if they haue tasted of his mercies it hath bin but with the tip of the tounge they haue neuer digested As they tast not so lastly they Touch not They beleeue not in the sonne of God Tangere christū est credere in Christum August in Ioan. Tract 16. they do not so touch him by faith as to draw virtue out of him they do not so beleeue in him as that in beleeuing they might get eternall life through his holy name Iohn 20.31 Thus we see how blockish and sencelesse euery wicked man is fitly resembling a corse in that respect As they are sencelesse so in the third place they are Heauie as a dead corps is Thirdly they are heauy Isay 24.20 yea so heauy as the earth groanes to beare them and reeles to and fro like a drunkard their transgressions lye so heauie vpon it So heauy are these dead corpses as that she is not able to vndergoe the burden but hath bin faine to open her mouth and receiue some into her belly as we see in the example of Korah Dathan and Abyram Numb 16.31 What doe I speake of the earth when the creator of heauen and earth euen God himselfe mighty and strong is wearied with bearing Exod. 34. Isay 43 24. Amos 2.13 and is pressed vnder this burden as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues No maruaile then wickednesse is compared to a tallent of lead seeing it bringeth with it such a load Lastly they are stinking Looke as a carkasse Fourthly they are stinking sends forth a filthy sauour after a while lying so is it with the wicked They are loathsome in the nostrils of God and men notwithstanding all their outward ornaments and odours Esay 1 11. And 66.3 Tit. 1.15 which are but as flowers vpon a dead corps that cannot make the carkasse sweeter nor better Their prayers are stinking their preaching stinking and euery other spirituall exercise Psal 14.5 filthy vnsauoury and vncleane yea their very throats are open sepulchers their words and breath is loathsome and odious Thus you haue seene what a cold sencelesse heauie stinking corse euery wicked man is The God of heauen open your eyes that it doth espespecially concerne that you may see it and labour to be freed from it Thou that hearest this art thou one that hast liued all thy time without remorse for sinne and neuer yet reformed thy life be warned then of thy misery thou art dead dead I say in the present corruption of sinne Dead also in that thou art liable to eternall condemnation for sinne Thy best workes are but dead workes such workes as tend to death and will in the end bring death without Repentance Deceiue not thy selfe then in regard of thy present estate though thou beest aliue in the flesh yet thou art dead to the Lord and though thou perfumest thy bodie and bedeekest it with ornaments yet know thou perfumest but a peece of carion and all thou canst do cannot possibly keepe it from putrifaction Ephes 5.14 and rottennesse Awake awake therefore thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Christ in his word doth instantly call vpon you all young man arise damosell arise Lazarus arise wherefore I beseech you sit vp and speake lie no longer rotting in the graues of iniquitie but now you heare the trumpet of the Gospell the voyce of Christ sounding in your eares rise vp and walke Vse 3 Ephes ◠18 Reasons first why so many stinking smels in euery corner of the world In the third place seeing that men are by nature dead vtterly depriued of all life of grace See then the reason first why there are so many stinking smels and pestiferous sauours in euery place so many blasphemous oaths vsed in euery house shop and market so much villanie practised in euery corner of our streets here is the reason the world is ful of dead corpses that stink aboue ground not a house wherein there is not one dead nay hardly a house wherein there is one aliue Exod. 12.30 Secondly why the word as preached with so little profit Psal 101.1 Secondly why the word is preached with so little profit alas men are dead we speake to deafe adders to dead soules As good blow a trumpet in a dead mans care as sing of mercie or iudgement vnto them till God reuiue them they are dead therefore they depart from the word vntouched Thirdly Thirdly why no more complaining of the burden of sin Rom. 8. Jud. 16.3 why there is no more complaining of the weight of sinne no more groning vnder that which makes the very earth to grone but many doe also easily beare it as Sampson did the gates of the Cittie their backes neuer complaining of the load here is the reason of it men are dead Lay a mountaine on a dead man he will neuer grone nor complaine so though they lie vnder the burden of Adams transgression vnder the weight of their own corruption vnder the wrath of God which is due debt for their sinnes and transgressions all which are heauier then all the grauell on the earth or sand on the Sea shore yet for as much as they are without the life of grace they cannot haue a sence and feeling of it This burden must be felt by grace and not by corruption It is a spirituall burden no maruell then if those that are flesh destitute of the spirit feele it not And lastly Fourthly why so many wicked men die so quietly would you know the reason why so many wicked men goe out of this world like Lambes and die so quietly insomuch that they are thought to be the onely beloued of God and in a happie and blessed estate and condition why this is it they were dead before They die quietly because they die sencelesly True it is God doth very often lay terrors vpon the flesh of wicked men and suffer their consciences like a madde dog to flie in their faces but if God should let them alone the most in the world would die in a wretched sencelesnesse and so seeme to goe away like lambes not thinking or considering of what will afterwardes befall them Vse 4 A fourth vse of this doctrine may be for humiliation for are we dead by nature then surely of our selues wee haue no abilitie as of our selues to any thing that good is we cannot mooue our selues to any thing that is truely acceptable in the sight of God Ier. 10.14 Iohn 1.5 Ephes 4 17. Tit. 3.3 Luke 24.6.7 Tit. 1.15 Ephes 4.19 Mar. 10.19.20 Rom 14.23 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.8 Rom. 6.19 Gal. 5.21 Rom. 10.2 Rom. 6.13.19 Rom. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 our minds are blind impotent vaine foolish the memory is feeble apt to forget good our consciences they are impure benummed erronious and superstitious or doubting the will that is vnable to
violence come vpon him And after the same maner did he deale with Cain Gen. 4.9.10 Where is Abel thy brother What hast thou done The voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth vnto me from the ground Such likewise was his dealing with the rebellious Israelites continually from time to time as is manifest in Scripture and cannot be vnknowne to such as are exercised though but meanely in the reading of Scripture The reasons of Gods so dealing may be these First Reason 1 that the sinner might be brought to a sight of his sinne the better and so either conuinced or conuerted For this milde and gentle kind of dealing doth much sooner cause the offender to see his fault then a hasty and passionate proceeding doth or can And a second reason may be this Wicked ones if Reason 2 they belong not vnto God must be let goe on to the height of impietie and extremitie of prophanenesse and therefore they are suffered to goe on without checke or controll hauing no bands almost either in life or death that they might fill vp the measure of their sinnes to the very brim and afterwards be filled with wrath they being vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Now for the vses And first seeing this is so that God Vse 1 himselfe when he hath to deale with sinners doth deale so mildly and in so peaceable a manner this then serueth for the iust reproofe of such as hauing to deale either with friend or foe grow hot boysterous if they be a little mooued or prouoked Of so fiery and furious a disposition are they as if you mooue them but a little by a word or the least neglect that may be they will be readie to reuenge it with a blow or with a stab too many such hastie and turbulent spirits are amongst vs the Lord amend vs. But let such take notice of Gods peaceable dealing and proceeding euen with the vessels of his wrath who commeth not vpon them with such fury and rage but reasons with them in milde and quiet termes How farre are these from imitating God as good children ought to doe Obiect But I am crossed and prouoked so that I cannot forbeare let me alone prouoke me not and I am meeke enough Answ A worthy commendation The bruit beast will scarce stirre vnprouoked and the Deuill himselfe according to the Prouerbe is good so long as he is pleased And art thou good no longer Why then let this be thy commendations thou art as meeke as a Beare or as a Lyon or as a Tyger and of as milde a disposition as the Deuill is for these are quiet if they be not crossed and so by thy owne confession art thou but not else for if thou beest stirred then thou must needs speake there is no remedie Coloss 3. Is this that Christian meeknesse which thou art commaunded to put on and called vpon to learne of Christ Mat. 11.28 He dealt not roughly with his enemies no not with Iudas when he came to apprehend him and betray him into the hands of sinners Mat. 26.50 but called him friend Christ Iesus neuer taught thee to be so hot and hastie in dealing with thy enemie much lesse in dealing with thy friend and brother know then thy meekenesse is no Christian meekenesse but a brutish meekenesse such a meeknesse as is to be found in the Beare and Tyger as formerly I haue sayd Vse 2 Secondly is God thus meeke and milde euen when he hath to deale with sinners This then commendeth vnto vs the grace of meekenesse towards our brethren much more 1. Pet. 3.4 A vertue which is acceptable to the Lord and much respected of him A vertue oft commended to all estates and degrees and commanded both by precept Meekenesse must be shewed by all and by practise As to the Magistrate the Minister the Master the Wife the Seruant and the like The Magistrate must shew it euen when iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted on malefactors as Iosua did who when Achan was apprehended and his sinne discouered whereby he had offended God and troubled Israel dealt after this milde and gentle manner My sonne Iosu 7.19 I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide not from mee Thus in a milde and peaceable manner must they bee dealt withall Mercy and loue is to be shewed to offenders even in punishing of offenders The Minister also must remember it Paul enioynes Timothy to vse it towards opposites 2 Tim. 2.25 In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth That hasty hot-spurre humor of many Ministers because they see not present successe of their labours and endeauours sorts not with that Christian meekenesse that Gods word requires Masters also are enioined the same taske by the Apostle Paul Ephes 6.9 when as he saith Ye Masters doe the same things vnto them viz. your seruants forbearing threatning The like charge is giuen vnto Wiues by the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.4 that they put on the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price How doth that tetchy peeuishnesse which is too too apparant in many wiues agree with this iniunction and if not that then much lesse those bitter words and reproachfull termes which many vse 1 Pet. 2.20 Seruants likewise are charged with it For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when you doe well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God as the Apostle speaketh Motiues to meeknesse and mildnesse 1. It is the pathway to blessednesse Math. 5.5 Thus all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer must put it on We want no motiues to induce vs hereunto For first this is the path-way to blessednesse Blessed are the meeke saith our Sauiour for they shall inherite the earth Would wee then be happy and enioy all good blessings needfull for vs then let vs get the spirit of meekenesse and mildnesse into our hearts 2. It doth cause vs to heare the word profitably Iames 1.2 and expresse the power of it in our liues Secondly It will much auaile vs in the profit and power of the word and therefore the Apostle S. Iames willeth vs to heare and receiue the Word with meekenesse which is able to saue our soules without this wee cannot heare the Word with comfort it will become vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs. 3. Such are vnder Gods protection in a special manner Zeph. 2 3. Thirdly The meeke are in a speciall manner vnder Gods protection Seeke ye the Lord all ye meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement seeke righteousnes seeke meekenesse it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger These shall be hid