and men flutter like birdes in the net when God hath caught â—hem but all those senselesse prayers aâ—aile them nothing more then if an Ox â—hould break out of the slaughter-house with the roape tied about his hornes his toung hanging out with much bellowing and madnesse when hee had caught a knock with the axe And therfore we may see the excellency of faithfull prayers Yea the Angell of GOD doth ascende vp in the smoke of this sacrifice whereas men that wil not yeeld but will reteyne their sins cannot pray but rage and roare desperatlie like Lyons and Beares Neuerthelesse it behoueth vs wiselie to vnderstand this doctrine that it concerneth hypocrites and them that holde their falshood in the right hande I say it belongeth to them because they haue not faith nor consolation in their prayers For otherwise it is certaine that the most excellent children of GOD are many times so lowe brought with the anguish of an afflicted conscience that they cannot vtter anie perfite prayers with their lippes but do speake abruptlie halfe sentences yea halfe wordes being broken off with the extreamitie of their pangues that come betuixt As Ezechiah writeth of himselfe That he chattered like a Crane or 〈◊〉 Swallow and mourned like a Doue And there is no doubt but all Gods Children doe feele a strife and a combate in their spirite in many of their prayers eâ—en as we see green-wood lieth sobbing and smoking long before it will burne We are therefore to put a differance betweene this and roaring because the Scriptures are full of examples of imperfite speaches in the prayers of Gods children yea in the praiers of CHRIST himselfe which commeth to passe because manie of those sacrifices are so seasoned and peppered with salt and with fire yea afflictions come so thick on Gods children that they haue no time to swallow their spittle But yet in them there is a sweete sense of Gods grace and the Lorde inlargeth the footing vnder them yea he puts his owne arme betuixt them and the graue that they should not bruise themselues with any fall for although hee leaue some trouble of minde yet hee looketh vpon them through the chinkes of the doore he hath compassion of their dolorous lamentations and putteth all their teares into a bottel For why they haue yeelded vnto GOD they haue kept nothing backe and therefore can praye with a feeling spirite whereas the hypocrite doth not pray but roare because hee will not trust God For an euill conscience doth stoppe his mouth the sins of his youth are still in his bones 5 Then I acknowledged my sinne to thee neyther hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou tookest away the punishment of my sinne Selath Then I acknowledged my sinne c. Thus farre DAVID hath set forth by his owne example the disquietnes of them which hold their peace and refuse in simplicitie of heart to make confession of their sinnes Now on the contrarie part hee sheweth by his owne experience what is the effect of Gods grace when it hath brought men to godlie humilitie to resolue to confesse their sinnes to God in that which followeth next Then I acknowledge my sinnes vnto thee c. This diligence in describing his confession in so manie wordes that hee would make knowne his sin woulde not hide iniquitie but confesse his apostasie vnto the Lorde doth declare that he hath gotten the victorie ouer all hypocrisie and at the last after long siege â—ad gotten the hold of simplicitie and sinceritie So as now there remained no â—urning nor winding nor extenuating of his sinne when hee had to doe with GOD as there was before As for the Lorde he is not hindered with anie imâ—ediment of ignorance or dulnesse that â—e should not know by a word what the â—hole meaneth yea though he confesse â—o sinne at all yet for his part he taketh â—erfite notice of all our offences withâ—ut vs. It is not then for his sake that we â—ake anie confession as if we could aâ—â—se him by our hypocrisie for he seeâ—th through the darke cloudes but it is for our owne sakes to the end that comparing our liues with the commandements of God confessing how much wee swarue from that holie rule wee might be stirred vp to great contrition and might be more deepelie set in the meditation of our owne vnworthines that being so humbled Gods spirite might take occasion to fasten vpon vs and to lay sure holde vpon our hearts Thus we see that it is the nature of true confession to aggrauate our sinnes acknowledging that confusion of face belongeth to vs and charging vppon our heades the sinnes of our selues of our fathers and children wiues friends and all others so farre as our guiltinesse may anie way stretch not in any set or labored phrase of speech but from a conscience nurtured with feare and trembling vnder the just hand of GOD iâ— this sort the Prophet calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 beast before God And Saint PAVLL accuseth himselfe of blasphemie beforâ— his conuersion affirming not with fayned humilitie but euen as he thought â—n his heart that he was the chiefest sinâ—er amongst them whome CHRIST â—ame to saue And in the Primitiue Church Saint PAVLL sheweth what â—umilitie was joyned to the confession â—f them which were conuerted by heaâ—ing the Prophecies or exercises then â—sed that they fell vpon their faces As â—ndeede if we be indued with the Spiâ—ite of true repentance we can finde in â—ur heartes to humble our selues euen â—elow to the ground the verie cause why sinners make it so strange is because the spirit of pride hath stil the posâ—ession of their hearts which euil spirit â—ust be cast out of vs befor we can mak â—nie such confession as God will accept â—f at our hands There is another thing â—hich the holie Ghost setteth downe â—o be marked in this place namely that â—he children of God haue a joyfull issue â—f all their temptations that the Lorde â—ill bring some excellent thing to passe 〈◊〉 the last by afflicting his which is their mortification and sanctification Foâ— this is the end of all his hewing to makâ— them liuing stones fit to his Church anâ— sorting to the chiefe corner stone which 〈◊〉 our Lorde IESVS CHRIST to whose â—mage by this meanes we are confoâ—med If the Lorde had brought all thâ— worlde vnto captiuitie vnder DAVID yet if hypocrisie had rested in his hearâ— it had bene all accursed to him but noâ— that the Lorde hath renewed a right spâ—rite in him both heauen and earth aâ—â— sanctified to his vse But aboue all he hath gotten the libertie of consciencâ— and singeth with a joyfull note Thâ—â— hast taken away the punishment of my sinnâ— This is al in al that his soule is refresheâ— with the feeling of remission and sâ— soone as the Lorde saw him willinâ— to judge himselfe he steppeth from thâ— tribunal seat to the
coÌ„sider these things how truly may we say that the children of God spiritually considered are so many Kinges and Emperours Queenes Empresses enriched with such vnspeakâ—ble blessings that if all the harts of the world were one hart it could not conâ—eine them And as for them which coÌ„â—inue in sin harden their harts by cloâ—ing of wickednes doe twist a roape for their own necks how miserable is their estate when they behold this happines â—n others whereto they cannot atteyne â—o pine away perish in the beholding of other menes saluation And thus much of the effect which the feeling of remissione of sinnes worketh That which followeth of lifting vp from sinnes and not imputing them and couering them commendeth vnto vs the grace of God in bestowing this pardon and sealing the assurance of the same in our hearts as the cause of the foresaid effect described figuratiuelie by the metaphors of lifting imputation and couering Al which haue their speciall weight and importance in this sentence Lifting vp from defection argueth plainely a contrarietie in the estatâ— of man before considering him lyeinâ— a long in the contagious filth of his owâ— sinne so weakned soaked cleane ouâ— of heart with the execrable leprosie oâ— vngodlinesse that he is neyther able tâ— stirre hand or foote till God lift him vâ— from his apostasie The word imputatâ—on is borrowed from accomptes inâ—â—nuating that we are run so farre in aâ—rerages with God that we can haue 〈◊〉 securitie of consciences till wee haue gotten such a release as may deliuer vs â—rom all feare of imputation of our â—ebtes least payment should be requiâ—ed of vs to the vtter-most farthing as it â—s in the Gospel Finally the translation â—f couering or hiding of sinne is taken â—rom a generall custome of dispatching â—hose thinges out of the way whereof a man cannot susteine the sight without greevance oâ— molestation thereby declaring that sinne is such an eye-sore to God that he cannot behold it and spare â—t but at once but that the deuil wil preâ—ent it to God and prouoke him to puâ—ish it except it be hid buried in the â—ottome of the Sea and except the ofâ—ender be couered with the righteousnesse of Christ So that in sum these words doe set downe the feeblenesse â—he pouertie and nakednes of sin which doth so discomfort him if his conscience be awake that till he haue founde remedie for each of them hee thinketh himselfe not out of the compas where fire and brimstone shall fall nor can be deliuered from a fearefull expectation of Gods curse And on the contrarie part when hee feeleth himselfe comforted by Godâ— right hande and lifted vppe out of the quag-mire of contagious pollutions hiâ— soule beginneth to taste how sweete thâ— Lord is and when he feeleth the specialitie of his debtes which was grauen in his conscience cancelled and so riueteâ— to CHRISTS crosse that they shal neuer be imputed he drinketh a more hartie draught of the waters of life but most oâ— all when hee is assured that his wickednesse is so hidde that it cannot presse to Gods throne for vengeance nor rise vppe in judgement against him in the daye of his visitation hee is then indeede and perfectlie blessed and wanteth nothing that can bee added in this life to the absoluing of most perfitâ— felicitie This forcible propounding thereforâ— of this cause of blessednesse hath in iâ— an exclusiue nature secretly affirming that there is no other cause of justifying and so of true blessednesse But this grace onely to the end that men might be stirred vp to take this course whereof the Holie Ghost is the guide All men agree in this that they woulde faine bee blessed But there is no consent amongst men neyther in the causes nor in the thing it selfe The Philosophers for want of judgement euerie one shotte his Bolt diuerslie and euerie one wyde of the marke as appeareth in the collection which CICERO hath made of their opinions in his Tusculane questions The carnall christan hath a true contemplation judgment what is that Summum bonum that is chiefe happinesse but by the halting of an euill conscience hee is turned out of the waye so although he saye it is in Heauen yet hee seeketh it in Hell though hee ascribe it to the Spirite yet hee laboureth for it in the fleshe it is fearefull that I will speak though he acknowledge that it is the gift of God yet he runneth after the deuill to obteyne it which is then committed when men thinke themselues happie and blessed if they can get riches beautie authoritie strength life such others which are common to the Reprobates What can be so ridiculous as to heare the continual declamations of worldly men against these vanities And on the contrarie part to behold the homage and frailtie yea the slauerie in which they abandoned to serue such vile thinges If Dauid be well considered it will not be easie to finde out many Peeres to him in worldly respectes His strength is commended by the conquest of a Lyon his courage in quailing of Goliath his beautie is set forth with the praise of a sanguine complexion and amiable countenance the passing ripenesse of his witte is manifest in all his storie touching his aduancement God tooke his shep-hooke from him and deliuered a Scepter and after his banishment set him in the throne of his maister which he possessed not by â—surpation but as it were by a general election that the heauens wrought with the applause of the people His subjects were the onely men of the world for the rare parts wherewith they were for â—he most quallified his Lande flowing with milk and honie the temperature of the aire incomparable withall other benefites belonging eyther to health profite or delectation with so large a hand as if God had deuised to pleasure him and nature had mean't to emptie â—ll her riches into his bosome and to continue the same by the plentiful hope of his posteritie Right truelie might I â—aye that this was a perfect picture of worldlie felicitie and yet we see that DAVID leaueth all this and seeketh anâ—â—her cause of blessednesse for the finding whereof these thinges before did not help at all teaching vs that the same â—are ought to possesse our hearts least they be fore-stalled with a fond assiance of finding honie in a hiue where therâ— is nothing but waspes of imagining our selues to haue attayned to blessednes when indeed we are as vnhappie aâ— infelicity because we lye along not lifâ—ted vp from our sins which one day shaâ—â— be imputed to vs nor hauing our wickednes couered that it should not infecâ— the ayre nor offende Gods senses as â— dead carcase aboue the ground Hytherto hath bin spoken of the causâ— of blessednes which is the free grace oâ— God in remitting our sins the circumstances wherof haue also bene touched The last member of this verse which remaineth In whose spirit ther is no guyle
judgements vppon Aegypt Who hampered PHAâ—â—â— and his people neuer leauing them to long as hee could finde them warmeâ— For assuredly as it is his first delight to do wel to his Israel so the very next is to glorifie himselfe in his justice by multiplying the sorrowes of the wicked whereas on the contrarie part it followeth Those that trust in the Lord mercie sâ—â—l compasse them about c. That is they giue themselues into Gods handes by â—â—nfayned confession keeping nothing â—â—ek but standing contented to abide â—iâ— awarde whatsoeuer because of the â—â—dly trust they repose in him their exâ—ecration shal faile them no whit For â—he Lord shal so gird them round about â—â—th his mercies and the sence of his faâ—â—â—r that no terrour shall assayle them â—ut for the multiplying of their comfort in the ende And all the difficulties shall be so cleane remoued that they â—hall finde the yoke sweete and easie for â—hem which galleth the neck of the imâ—â—tient dissemblers for when God is â—â—â—â—d he setteth store of his credite â—â—th more for them that beleeue him 〈◊〉 euer they expected so that they â—â—me to be in a dreame rather then to â—e possessed indeed with such blessings â—â—e greatnes and aboundance of them â—â—â—o incredible as in the Psal 26.4 11 Bee glad ye righteous and reioyce in â—â—e Lord and bee ioyfull all ye that bee vpright in heart The last verse contayneth the efeâ—â— of the free grace and mercie of Goâ— whâ—Ì„ it is felt in the hâ—rt that it is a sweeâ— peace and vnspeakeable joy of conâ—â—â—ence to the fruitione wherof he exhorteth just and sincere men where by wâ—â— are taught that the ende of Godlie lâ—bours and of the trauells of a peniteâ—â— soule is as comfortable as the ende oâ— SARAHS trauel when she was delivereâ— of ISAâ— the sonne of promise the child of olde age the hope of all the whoâ—â— world For so it shall come to passe witâ— them that faynt not that they shall noâ— be able to contayne the spirituall joyâ—â— and comfortes which shall rayne vppoâ— them in a sweete showre from heauâ—â— howbeit their joy is here limited thâ—â— they should reioyce in the Lorde whicâ— must not bee counted any imparing oâ— joyes in Gods children but an holy câ—â—rection for want whereof they migâ—â— possibly stretche forth their hand wiâ—â— the wicked and reape vnto themselues 〈…〉 Image of joye in steade of true by â—â—eâ—te for that is the property of vnâ—â—ly men to râ—moue the discomforts 〈◊〉 their heart by worldly delectations â—s Sâ—â— called for Musicke when hee 〈◊〉 tâ—oubled with an â—uill Spirite and â—o this purpose men that be affrayed of â—â—paire and loue not to be humbled â—nder the mightie hand of God doe vse â—heir wifes their friends their meate â—heir drinke with al the pastime that can â—e deuised to rejoyce themselues withâ—ll that they might put themselues out â—f the dompes as they cal it But in such â—ases none of these evills come vppon â—â—e head of the righteous but hee refuâ—eth all worldly solace and will not bee â—oâ—â—â—â—ted til he haue found the joy of conscience that hee may rejoyce in the Lorde for this is a sure joy as CHRIST â—ayeth that no man can take away which â—s not so spoken as if a man might not â—aue a joyfull vse of Gods temporall blessings as of wife of children oâ— friendes and posteritie such things but rather to teach vs how to rejoycâ— rightly in thosâ— things considering thaâ— there can bee no harmony where thâ— chiefest string of the instrument is miâ—sing which is a good conscience which referreth all thinges to God and thinketh there can bee no safe vse of theâ—â— thinges but vnder the shaddowe of hiâ— winges Those therefore that think thaâ— godlines is not fit for all thinges for alâ— times and places but to be reserued toâ—â— some speciall devotions as if it were vnseasonable and vndiscreete to mentioâ—â— it in the middle of their pastimes anâ— delightes seeme to bee better acquainted with the sacrifices of the Indians theâ— with true godlines for let vs assure oâ—â— selues when wee despise to haue oâ—â— spâ—rtes sâ—nctified aswell as our serious matteâ—â— wee are playfellowes with the divell who supplieth the roâ—ne wherâ— godlines is expelled but ioyes thus seasoned haue no release in the mouthes â—â—â—nbridled vntamed perâ—ons who â—ink it a dead worlde if vnchaste daunâ—â—s â—uffenly speaches and other scurâ—â—litie be restrayned at feastes and maâ—â—ges and other merrie meetings Yea â—any olde people will say that there is â—â—o setting of old mens heads on young â—â—ns shoulders being as it were patrons â—f the vnbridled wantonnes of youth â—hen they rejoyce altogether without â—he Lorde The sonne which hangeth â—he head and looketh like a sheepe in â—esence of his father bewrayeth a disâ—â—yall and seruile nature and he which â—noweth not how to be chereful and to â—â—epe his countenance amongst his betâ—â—rs will passe all boundes of modest â—â—irth honesty amongst his equalles â—nd so fareth it with them which canâ—â—t be merrie and wise in the Lorde â—hich hadde rather bee silent then bâ—e â—ounde to the Lawe of grace which â—aue no certaine course except their dissolute byas be obserued These mâ—â— I say bewraie a slavish nature becauâ—â— they cannot tell how to bee merâ—â—e along as God is by them I meane anâ— godly restraynt that the land-marke oâ— vertue may not be remoued vndoâ—â—tedly as it is seene in this thing so it is iâ—â— the weightest busines of the conscâ—â—ence for when Gods peace is not vpoâ— it all the jestes in the worlde cannoâ— mooue a man to laughteâ— but from thâ— teeth outward except the heart be haâ—â—dened which is an horrible thinge tâ—â— speake off for himselfe is the substancâ— of our ioye and these worldly delectatâ—â—ons are but circumstances in him alonâ— may we rejoyce though they all faile but without him they are all comfortâ—ble as much as salt is for sore eyes Fuâ—â—thermore this exhortatione to apprâ—hend spiritual joye is directed to just 〈◊〉 sincere men that is to those that haâ—â— set vp justice as a marke to shoote at anâ— haue decreed to hold in the path of siâ—â—â—rity though they be far from any meâ—torious righteousnes so that this senâ—â—nce doth not allow the justice of men â—â—t doth as it were the Cherubin by the â—â—ee of life keep away with Gods sword â—â—ose that loue vnrighteousnes and are â—â—e harted that they should not stretch â—â—rth their handes to gather the blessed â—â—ite of this joye for it is sure ynough â—â—at there are manie as S. PAVL sayeth â—â—at rejoyce in the face which rejoyce â—â—t in the heart nether shal they be able 〈◊〉 get downe anie comfort so long as â—â—ey loue sinne more then God no alâ—â—ough all the partes of their life be aâ—â—rned with such moralities and outâ—â—rd works as appeare not in many of â—ods deare children for the workes are â—â—t the adjunctes of faith but the loue â—â—d sincerity of workes for fayth will â—â—vne her self to nothing which can be 〈◊〉 a Reprobate And as hope and Faith â—â—e not of thinges visible no more is the â—â—â—ishment of hope faith by workes apparent but the Lorde loueth thâ—â— plaine meaning soule and filleth boâ—â— the handes thereof with comfort froâ—â— whence springeth the vnspeake-abâ—â— riches of faith and of hope and theâ—â—fore the scriptures maketh the heart thâ—â— seate of sincerity and not the braynâ—â— because the heart is the house of the aâ—fections and the brayne the seate oâ—â— Iudgement For IVDAS knew CHRISâ— his bloud to be innocent but his hearâ— was cruelly affected to his maister Lâ—â— vs therefore bend our selues to striue aâ—â—ter sinceâ—â—ty and vprightnesse that wâ—â— may he gladded with the spirite of adoption and that we may rejoyce not in the flesh but in the Lord. FINIS
as he that can speake but DAVID in this place accuseth himselfe of hypocrisie and hardnes of heart â—n this that he refused to deale seriously with his owne conscience and to persist â—n the meditation of mortification till such time as he had a sufficient sight and detestation of his sinne without which â—ll the confession of men must be hypocriticall their smoake infect the ayre This then indeed was Dauids silence that he refused to giue answere to the holy Ghost calling vpoÌ„ his conscience for want of faith was kept either with some presumption or elles with some terrour from entring into a most graue consultation and resolute determination to take such perfite notise of the haynousnes of his sinnes as the nature of true repentance doth require for this is common to vs all that although we desire to be saved yet there is not one amongst an hundreth that will taske himselfe so zealouslie as hee ought with a sincere perseuerance in humbling himselfe to walke with God yea and least any man should resolue with himselfe not to bee stripped of sackcloth and ashes nor to put away the purpose of sorrowe and lamentation in seeking after his vvelbeloued as it is in the song of SALOMON till he had found her The diuel hath infected the heartes of many men with a damnable errour in the definition oâ— repentaunce making them beleeue that euery terror of the heart for sinne is the nature of true repentaunce and to that purpose hee abuseth the Scriptures that CHRIST will not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake the brused reede And by these fallacions and false comfortes he quencheth the zeale of many and maketh them giue ouer their laboure and consultationes of humbling them-selues and seeking of CHRIST before their conscience haue felt any comfort at all As if euerie sorrow were godly sorrow or as if it were possible for mercie to bee founde and yet neuer felt or for repentance to bee separated from faith and the spirite of fredome This cursed discontinuance of our trauel in Godly sorrow the Prophet ESAY derideth calling pennance for a daye and bowing downe the head lik a Bulrush And the Prophet AMOS likeneth it to the dewe and the Morning cloude which is suddainelie gone And this is the swept and garnished house mentioned by CHRIST Repossessed by seuen worser spirites then before For as this false repentance feedeth their hearte with false hope and suffereth not true comfort to take place as appeareth in the daye of visitation So may this negligence giuing ouer our labour in mortification bee worthelie accompted the cause why men wallow in fowler enormities then before swallowing againe as S. PETER sayth The vomite which before they had cast as it is most certaine and true those men finde in themselues lesse power to doe well and are carried with more raging affections to do wickedlie then euer they felt before What shall wee say then Do we require such a measure of sorrow as might counter-weight the same or do we esteeme remission by the dignitie of repentance nothing lesse For we know that if wee had a thousand eyes it were too little to weepe them out all because of our sins yea if we had a thousand hearts though they al burst with sorrow because of our transgressions yet it were not this but Christes hearte bloud that could make the fathers heart to yearne or could merite remission at his handes what is it then that we require namely that men returne not from the schoole of repentance to worldly delights which quench the spirite till their hartes bee made joyfull by the holy Ghoste by feeling an heartie detestation of their wickednesse and a resolute determination to continue cherefully in the course of godlines so long vntill both faith hope be abolished that then resting from their laboures they may solace themselues with loue celestial as sainct PAVLE speaketh for the trueth is that manie when they compare themselues with DAVID other of Gods children I meane the difficulties and long afflictions of them and the short worke which they themselus haue made so easiely dispatched in this worke of repentance haue cause to suspect themselues vehementlie and to examine themselues straightlie by the fruites of feeling and conversion whether they haue right repented or no Sainct PAVL in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. the 7. Cap. like a man of experience setteth downe seuen notable affectes of repentance I woulde they were well pervsed that wee might trye our selues by them for it is a care that ought to possesse all the powers both of bodie and soule considdering that Sathan with this engine maketh a number of soules pertakers of their owne condemnation The matter therefore groweth to this poynt that although we confesse neuer so absolutelie that we are sinners with the greatest vehemency of speach that can bee yet so long as there remayneth selfe-loue in vs prevailing so farre with vs as to make vs take exceptions against the seueritie of this spirituall discipline al this while because we cannot finde in our heartes to plucke out our eyes and cutte off our handes at Christes commandemente that is to deale seuerelie with our selues in mortifying euery provocation to offence wee doe but flatter our breath in the winde and the hypocrise that is in vs drowneth the sounde of our confession so as A voyce cannot â—e heard as the Prophet ESAY witnesseth Let vs therfore as we are aduised in the REVELATION be zealous in repenâ—ance that the holy Ghoste may assure our conscience that our mourning is growen into the nature of true repentance not deceauing our selues with beginninges because the Scripture sayeth plainely that the proceedinges of a â—rue convert is not to stay himselfe with a perswasion of repentance when hee â—s pricked at the hearte but to steppe yet further to lay holde vpon repentance it selfe as vpon a more excellent and infalâ—ible grace as we may reade that it befel â—o PETERS auditorie in that 2. of the ACTES of whom the holy Ghoste sayeth first That they vvere pricked in their heartes which least it should be taken for â—epentance he sayeth that vpon further â—nstruction and more carefull searche they atteyned to repentance it selfe afterward that we may knowe that pricking at the heart repentance are not all one but two seuerall thinges whereof one may be in a lost child as that was in IVDAS but the other belongeth oneliâ— to the sons and daughters of God Thuâ— hath DAVID declared how he brought himselfe into fearefull troubles as iâ— were by gagging of his owne conscience least he should make such a confession as it required at his handes Now it remaineth to be considereâ— what troubles those were My bones saitâ— he consumed and waxed olde c. That is care which eateth out the hearte madâ— her impressione in my body and thâ— thoughts which I had taken did so pynâ— me away that it burneth the marrowâ— out of my bones