them all things falling out to the best to them that loue God Neither may it be strange that although remission of sinne be the ground of all deliuerances yet all that haue remission of sinne haue not deliuerance from temporall dangers but some of the Saints are hewne asunder tempted slaine burnt hanged and ignominiously put to death For as the subiection of the creatures to vs dependeth vpon our subiection to God and our peace with men vpon our keeping peace with God so our subiection and peace with God here being only begunne and imperfect we must recouer our safetie from the creatures and peace with men but in part and imperfectly But yet that which is wanting here is recompensed with spirituall peace euen here as Ioh. 16. 33. In the world yee shall haue affliction but in me yee shall haue peace and afterward with that peace that is euerlasting First then where God begins our safetie let vs begin it in labouring to feele our inward peace with God which will quiet our hearts in the assurance of Gods prouidence and protection in outward things it will be an easie descent from the greater to the lesse In the want of outward things say to thy selfe God out of his loue hath giuen me his owne Sonne and will hee not giue mee all things with him Shall he giue me heauen and not earth In the want of inward comforts say to thy soule Why art thou cast downe my soule while I was yet an enemie and a sinner God hath reconciled me by the death of his Sonne how should hee now cast mee off being reconciled In bodily dangers what a prop doth this doctrine giue vs Hath my Lord prouided with so much cost so great saluation for my soule and will he neglect to saue and preserue my bodie hee that doeth the greater will not hee doe the lesse In molestation by externall aduersaries What hath my Lord and head foiled the Deuill for me troden Satan vnder my feet and trampled vpon all spirituall enmities for mee and will hee not beate backe the endeuours and vniust practices of my enemies Shall I beleeue the greater and not beleeue the lesse Secondly in receiuing and enioying outward benefits labour to see them all to be the riuers streames of this fountaine for then they be sweet indeed as the streame is then sweet when the head and fountaine is so but if the Fountaine be bitter or poisoned so are the streames For first they are no further mercies then they proceede from mercy and then they be mercies indeed as they are called Secondly else we enioy them by a broken title if not by vertue of the Couenant and euen those creatures are in a kinde of bondage from which God frees them often by plucking them from vniust owners as Hos. 2. 9. Thirdly else we distinguish not our selues from the wicked scarce from the beasts who find and taste the sweetnesse of the creatures as we do but not of GOD in them Naturall men stay in the fruition and delight of the things themselues and can goe no further whereas as the riuers lead vs to the sea so ought wee to bee led by them to the minde of the Lord towards vs in them Fourthly those that delight themselues in the pleasures and delights of things below and want the pardon of sinne are as if a man should drinke off a cup of sweet poyson with much delight but presently or not long after it workes deadly Thy sinne is poyson which thou castest into the cup that the Lord hath made to run ouer Fiftly a little gift with loue and good will is more acceptable then a great deale with strife and grudging If a man can see Gods loue and good will toward him in Christ hee will be content with a little thankefull for a little cheerefull with a little and his portion though very small will bee very precious Sixtly if assurance of remission of sinnes giueth vs such ioy in trouble and affliction that the Saints can reioyce in tribulation Rom. 5. 3. how will it reioyce the heart in the fruition of Gods mercies Oh then how ought we to labour earnestly by the eye of faith to discerne the beames of Gods loue and fauour chasing away the cloud of our sinnes without which all our comforts are but bitter and vnsauorie Thirdly hence gather the priuiledge of Gods children to whom remission of sinnes is sealed vp which is to be secure either from perils or in perils For first once in Gods Couenant and euer safe for the couenant is vnchangeable as God himselfe is an euerlasting couenant Isai. 55. 3. Secondly their afflictions are not punishments of sinne but either tryals or louing corrections the sting of them is gone Thirdly whereas the wicked whose sinne is not pardoned are haunted and vexed with terrours and feare where no feare is a godly man is as bold as a Lyon yea in the presence and sense of danger Iob 5. 22. Thou shalt not bee afraid of destruction when it commeth but shalt laugh at destruction and death For the stones shall be at league with thee and the beasts c. Who would not be exempted from danger or fearelesse in danger as seeing his owne safetie Surely the way is to get the Lords louing countenance vp vpon vs and then we shall be safe Psal. 80. 3. 7 19. Thou art my secret place THe Prophet borroweth a comparison from liuing creatures who being in danger or in chase or pursuit haue their hiding places to defend themselues in the Lyon hath his denne the Foxe his hole the Conie his burrow and the Godly man hath his asyle or refuge but with this difference First the beasts haue their dens caues in the earth wherin they hide themselues but the godly hath his hiding or secret place in heauen Secondly they may be fetcht and hunted out of their hiding places and be destroyed for all them but so cannot the godly who make God their secret place seeing none is able to plucke them out of his hands who is stronger then all Hence we may note that The Lord is the hiding place of the godly in trouble and danger As a man in a storme or showre seeketh shelter so in the stormes of the Church and Common-wealth in which the enemies thunder and roare and seeme to mingle all into one confusion then the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flye vnto it Psal. 27. 5. In the time of trouble hee hath hid me Psal. 91. 1. The godly is said to dwell in the secret of the most High How is the Lord the hiding place of the godly First by his promise Secondly by his protection First his promise couereth and compasseth his Elect vnder which they are as safe as in a towne of warre Psal. 119. 114. Thou art my shield I trust in thy Word Many were the plots which Dauids enemies impugned him withall
3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God Fourthly when all is done to the glory of God to the honour of our profession and to the prouoking of others seeing our good workes to glorifie our heauenly father 1. Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God And thus shall euery good duetie in our hands be a step in our way to heauen Fourthly beware of turning to the right or left hand Prou. 4. 27. Turne not to the right hand seeking or stablishing our righteousnesse in our selues or in merits with the Papists for the way of inherent righteousnes leads from Christ who is the Way nor to any way of perfection of orders deuised by men as of Francis or Dominicke of Pouertie Chastitie and Counsel-keeping or of Iesuitisme which is the perfection of Rebellion and Treason Dauid in the 101. Psalme professeth that hee will walke in the perfect way diuers thousands of yeers before the Deuill had hatched any of these vncleane birds in the world Neither turne to the left hand turning grace into wantonnesse and imboldning our selues to sinne because grace hath abounded as profane Libertines doe Turne not to the world or earthlinesse these two waies can none walke in together vnlesse one man could serue two Masters or serue God and Mammon Our profession to God must be the same that the Israelites going towards Canaan made to Sihon King of the Amorites Num. 21. 21. Let me goe through thy Land wee will not turne aside into the fields nor into the vineyards neither drinke of the waters of the wells we will goe by the Kings high way vntill we be past thy Countrey Fiftly let vs be circumspect both to preuent and to recouer our selues out of our falls in this way By reason of Satans fierce temptations the weaknesse of grace and the frailty of the flesh many are the fals and knocks of the best In many things we sinne all saith S. Iames and Who knoweth his errors Psal. 19. 12. Now if wee will preuent these we must beware of occasions of sinne as a traueller steps ouer stones and rubs in his way Eue preuented not the occasion of her fall when shee entred talke with the serpent We must make a couenant with our eyes not to looke vpon a woman nor on the wine in a cup we must watch ouer our selues both alone and in company and not runne into bad company lest wee come home by weeping crosse as Peter did Secondly we must not lie in our falls a man in his iourney if hee fall and lie still shall neuer come to his wayes ende and if hee rise quickly though it hinder him a little it shall not much The Saints all of them recouered themselues out of their fals as Dauid in this Psalme by confession conuersion suing for pardon and renewing their faith and repentance A man out of his way must come backe againe the sooner he returnes the lesse is his labour Peter presently went out and wept bitterly and so was restored to Christs fauour Thirdly suppose thy falls bee grieuous and often into the same sinnes yet let them not hinder thee still out of the way For as the childe of God must neither presume nor purpose sinne so must hee not despaire of rising hauing fallen into sinne seeing the promise is that if a mans sinnes for hainousnesse bee as red as Scarlet vpon his true repentance they shall be made white as Snow and the parable teacheth that if a sinner offendeth seuenty times seuen times in a day and as often truely repent he shall bee as oft forgiuen Fourthly after such fals we must be more wary and careful lest we fall in the same manner A man yea a beast will be more carefull when it comes by the same place where it caught a fall yee cannot get it into the same hole againe Dauid no doubt would not count the Tribes againe after that fall in numbring them Sixthly hold on in this way constantly with perseuerance for the end of a worke crowneth it and the end of a way gladdeth and resteth the weary traueller and this rest is without end Many set foorth on this way but are discouraged by the hardnesse of the entrance whereas if they were a little entred the way would bee pleasant and the yoke of Christ easie and sweete Others haue gone yet further but at length looke backe yea go backe when a man would haue thought they had escaped the filthinesse of the world and these haue lost a great deale of labour and comfort Others yet farther then then they as the bad earth euen so farre as a man could perceiue no difference between them and sound Christians and apparent difference was there none but in perseuerance and yet wanting soundnesse haue suffered shipwracke euen at the hauen and so their former righteousnes is all forgotten a great deale of way they had gone and much worke had they ridde whereof they shall neuer see crowne nor comfort Oh beware of wearinesse and relapse as towards the end of his way the traueller is most cheareful so should wee and the rather because first euery one affects a good end euen Balaam and will we not endure a little difficultie for it Secondly Satan is most fierce in our end to hinder vs of the crowne and therefore wee should bee more watchfull and diligent to goe through Thirdly if we can labour a while wee shall bee euer safe neuer feare him any more neuer lose that crowne which the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto vs who loue his appearing I will instruct thee I will teach thee I will guide thee with mine eye These three particulars teach vs three properties of a good Teacher First to make a people to vnderstand their way Secondly to goe before them in good example in this way Thirdly to haue a watchfull eye ouer them to guide and gouerne them in that good way which they teach and walke in Dauid a good Instructer professing all these propoundeth himselfe a patterne for all good Pastours and Teachers First Teachers must make the people vnderstand the word of God and from thence their owne estate Nehem 8. 8. Ezra read the booke of the Law distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand The summe of a good Teachers office is in teaching pure doctrine purely first hee must chiefly tye himselfe to the word of God his principall scope must be not to make men vnderstand Latine or Greeke or the sayings of men but the word of God Ierem. 23. 28. The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord 2. Tim. 2. 2. The Word that thou hast heard of mee deliuer to faithfull men Secondly these words must hee propound to a plaine and
vse vnlawfull meanes but depends vpon God Dauid comforts not himselfe in corne wine or oile but in Gods countenance Psal. 4. It is instant with God in prayer as the Canaanite Luk. 7. Finde these notes in thy selfe and thou mayest support thy selfe in the deepest distresse that is for if thy soule thus truly mourne for sinne thou art in the high-way to blessednesse Thirdly this rebukes the common error of men who account conuersion and the attaining of happinesse a matter of nothing men thinke that heauen stands by their beds-sides it is but a light Lord haue mercie whereas neuer hee went to heauen that sailed not by hell it is a burdened soule that seekes and gets ease a weary soule which Christ refresheth a soule pressed with an heauie hand that sues for mercy No man can taste of the sweete fruite of mercy that hath not tasted the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience And whosoeuer hath not felt the griefe and smart of his sinnes may iustly feare hee neuer truly repented and thou that saiest thy sinnes neuer troubled thee thou thankest God shalt find that there is more trouble behind Fourthly labour to feele thy spirituall miserie and wants that with Lazarus thou maiest get thee to Diues his gate and examine thy selfe if thou hast felt it How loth are men to feele the smart of sinne to heare the law come vpon their conscience for feare they bee set into dumpes and melancholy to feele the crosse whereby God breakes the stubbornnesse of nature and subdues it Alas poore soules that nip true repentance in the blossome and blast it in the beginning that thinke they are very neere heauen when they are loth to point their foot into the first step which is to mourne and to be cast downe to hell in their owne sense and in the feeling of their owne sinnes till which time thou hast not mooued one foote or finger toward eternall life therefore know First that thy case is dangerous and thou art still in thy sinnes who wilt not let the word come home to thy heart and wilt not suffer Gods Spirit to meete thee in the Ministerie and canst not indure the power of the Word to wound either thy soule or thy sinne but it hath been in vaine to thee a certaine signe of a man as yet out of the state of grace as it is Rom. 1. 28. Such as regarded not to know God he gaue them vp to the lusts of their hearts Secondly know that an accusing conscience for sinne is better then a dead conscience a sleepie benummed or seared conscience is the most grieuous plague that God can strike a man withall in this life his wrath followes drowsie consciences to giue them vp to a spirit of slumber and at length to a reprobate sense Psal. 81. 11. My people would not heare my voice Israel would none of me so I gaue them vp to the hardnesse of their hearts and they walked in their owne counsels Thirdly let vs bee mooued to make search into our miserie considering first that if we shead not teares on earth God can neuer wipe them away in heauen and if we do here shead teares for sinne God carries an handkerchiefe to wipe them all away such Aprill showres bring the May-flowres of grace and comfort Secondly that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones out of ioynt the longer they goe vnrespected the more painefull they prooue Thirdly for the health of the body men will purge and sweat and make shift to swallow and get downe bitter pills and potions so the vomit of the soule is the griefe of repentance take it betime and the danger is lesse Were the medicine of repentance grieuous to take yet in regard of the euerlasting health to which it restoreth vs wee should like wise men take the sweete with the sowre and chuse this rather then to feede on such sweete meates as please the palate while they bee tasted but cause at length vomits more bitter then death Fourthly how highly doth God esteeme of a man or woman of a broken heart 2. King 22. 19. Good Iosiahs heart melted and God had a care to take him to himselfe from the euill to come Isa. 57. 15. I walke with him that is of a contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and giue life to the contrite heart Now followes the ground of Dauids confession which is first in order I said or thought THat is I purposed I resolued Dauid had been in a long conflict in himselfe what to doe he could neither part with his sin nor yet hold it in a woe case hee found himselfe and as a man whose bones were broken yet loth hee was to goe to the Surgeon faine hee would haue hid his sore but the paine would not suffer him Long hee reasoned with himselfe how hee might carry away his sinne most quietly but found no peace in hiding it but still his terrors were increased and then he grew at last to the best resolution that neither feares nor terrors nor sorrowes should any longer as an hedge shut vp his way to confession he will no longer be tossed betweene feare and hope doubts and desires deliberations and resolutions but now I said that is I thought in my heart I spake with my mouth and presently I resolued and acted that I would present my self before God in humble confession of my sinne The same phrase we haue Luke 15. 17. when the lost sonne had lost himselfe in straying and wandring from home and had spent his money and strength on harlots and was now a fitter cōpanion for swine then any thing else when he who had wallowed in the mire of his sin and fed himself with the swil of iniquity was now rightly sorted for his bed and boord with swine cast out of mens company and none pitying him to giue him so much as huskes to eate Now he begins to consider what a wofull estate he was in he thinkes of his fathers house but with what face can he behold the face of his father he considers of the seruants in his fathers house but he is not worthy of a place among them these and such thoughts would haue kept him from his father but necessitie so vrging and famine sore pinching him vpon consideration he came to the like resolution I said I will goe to my father that is I resolued to goe and so he went so Dauid said he would confesse and confessed Hence we may see in the first place that Sound consideration brings forth sound resolutions Deut. 32. 29. Oh that men were wise that they vnderstood this that they would consider their latter ende Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies and Psal. 4. 4. to still Gods enemies he bids them examine themselues and be still And the reason hereof is good for First consideration is an applying of
whose grace is sufficient not only it selfe but also for them 2. Cor. 12. 9. He is most present in their greatest need a very present helpe in trouble Fourthly of the gracious ends and issues he hath euer giuen to the tryalls of his seruants not only for his owne promise sake but also for thy experience Consider saith Eliphaz who euer perished being innocent This obseruation or consideration whereby things are pondered in the heart being neglected or slightly vsed experience of God must needes be wanting as there can be no haruest where the seed sowne rots in the earth and comes to nothing therefore the Apostle exhorts That we be not leaking vessells to let things runne out as fast as they come in Thirdly another meanes of experience is the Remembrance of such workes of God as wee haue knowne and obserued the Philosopher saith that experience is multiplex memoria a multiplyed memory because of the memory of the same thing often done ariseth experience and many memories of the same thing is but one experience Now this remembrance includeth these things first a committing to memory such things as wherein God most expresseth himselfe Secondly a retayning of them in memorie as in a store-house Thirdly a recalling of them to minde vpon occasion offered Fourthly an applying to our owne speciall vses and occasions This is the way therefore which hee must take that would become fearelesse in future troubles and to haue his heart established against all euill tydings First to get the knowledge of God in the couenant to be assured of his fauour and loue in the pardon of sin which may bee knowne by the fruits of repentance in confessing and forsaking sinne and by loue of God in his Word in his Image in his Saints and graces Secondly to grow vp in the obseruation of Gods working with himselfe and his people to obserue his owne increase of grace the supply of comfort the returne of his prayers the issues and deliuerances hee hath had out of troubles and dangers Alas what a staffe and strength cast they out of their hands who heedlesly passe by Gods gracious dealing with them whereby not only God is depriued of his glorie and of the praise due to his mercy for the present but themselues also for time to come of much comfort and confidence which is as small as their obseruation is Thirdly to lay vp in our memorie the things which may bestead vs that we may haue them at hand and for our best vse And this we shall doe First if we haue a care of good things and a right estimation of them Men remember the things they care for no man forgets where he hides his money Psal. 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them Secondly if we affect them as things of reckoning as Psal. 119. 16. I delighted in thy statutes therefore I did not forget them But if men iudge not aright of the things of God or preferre in their iudgements and affections baser things this breeds sensuality which made a whole world of people forget in Noahs time that which so neerely concerned them Thirdly if we vse continuall helpes as hearing of the Word which is a continuall monitor vnto vs godly conference which is as a whet-stone of grace meditation whereby wee hold things as our owne and not by force and compulsion These be as the Law written euer before the eyes of the Iewes or as the frindges of their garments to put them in minde of his statutes Lastly vse prayer by which wee keepe in that which we would else cast vp againe this is as vinegar the smell of which keeps downe that which would rise in the stomack And againe prayer obtaynes the Spirit whose sole office it is to bring things into our remembrance Ioh. 14. 26. By these meanes wee may store vp plentie of experiences and by euery experience we ought to draw neerer vnto God and grow more familiar with him more bold and confident We want no motiues hereunto For first experience of Gods fauour is the greatest gaine of a Christian and ought to be most desired Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance Psal. 4. 7. as the losse of the sense of Gods good will is his greatest losse Nothing troubled the prodigall Sonne so much as the offence of his Father he would haue beene glad to haue eaten with Pigs hee weighed his misery with his prosperitie his sorrowes were great but all the paines he sustayned was nothing to the vnreuerent vsing of his Father who was not only kinde to his children but to his hyrelings that lacked nothing Cant. 5. 7. The Spouse hauing lost the sense of Christ cryed and trauelled to seeke him was robbed beaten and misvsed by the way and her life was in great danger by confessing him among his enemies yet all this is nothing shee must haue Christ shee cared not for the losse of her goods and apparell nor her danger shee will not giue ouer till shee haue himselfe Secondly experience of Gods loue will make a man bold in good causes euen to the death whereas the wicked feare where no feare is for they can haue no affiance in God Whence it is that one good man in a good cause wherein he is assured God standeth by him is able to withstand and confound a number who are not able to withstand the terror of their owne conscience which witnesseth them to be enemies of God as our Sauiour himselfe Ioh. 18. 6. strucke not a blow but only modestly answered his enemies and asked them whom they sought and they all fell prostrate to the ground So in Gods children Gen. 43. When Ioseph spake most kindly to his brethren and told them hee was their brother there was such a terror and feare in their consciences for wronging him that they were not able to answere him a word The godly are bold as Lyons but the wicked as fearefull as Hares they can laugh and sing in the extreme suffering of that which the other are agast and shrinke to thinke of Thirdly hee that gets not a sense and experience of Gods fauour here shall haue experience of his wrath and iustice hereafter Thou shalt preserue me from trouble TRoubles are either of soule or body outward or inward spirituall or temporall this word includeth all according to that Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers or preserues them from all Gods preseruation is to bee considered in respect of the First meanes so t is either Secondly manner Mediate or Immediate Immediate preseruation is by himselfe alone when no hand of man or Angell can reach to helpe and so he preserued the Israelites in the Sea Mediate is when mediately by his Angels or by men or other meanes hee preserueth his people as Moses was by Pharaohs daughter and those in the ship by plankes and boords Act. 27. 44. In respect of the manner preseruation
fire But why did it not goe from her Did shee want meanes No I would haue purged thee saith the Lord and thou wast not purged therefore now thou shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee The same is Gods dealing whether with people or persons if his Word cannot separate the skum from thee his fire shall and if the meanes of purging cannot preuaile thou shalt haue thy will a while thou shalt not be purged but then God will haue his will his wrath shall light vpon thee Thou that by Gods Word wilt not be perswaded to leaue thy vaine swearing the bridle of the Law and the menaces of it restraine thee neuer a whit God hath another bridle of his reuenging hand and power which will make thee know that though his patience for the present be great ye hee wil not euer hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Thou that art in league with thy drunkennesse and drunken companie hearest the Word say that Drunkards shall not come into the Kingdome of Heauen this is no bridle for thee thou runst vpon head without rule or reynes of moderation and sobrietie Gods hand and power will bridle thee well enough when thou shalt drinke the cup of his wrath mixed for his enemies and thou being one shalt not auoyd Thou that art an enemie to the Word because it is an enemie to thy sinne and scoffest the profession and professors of Religion vnder the titles of Heretickes hearest the Word cursing those that curse GODS people Genes 12. 3. yet this is no bridle nor stay to thee but thou pleasest thy selfe still in disgracing them know that God hath his bridle to hamper thee with and hee will binde thee if thou wert as fierce as a Beare and thou shalt know it when Christ shall bee ashamed of thee and say to thee standing without In that thou hast scoffed one of these that beleeued in mee thou diddest it to me Remember Iulian when the Lords bridle was in the mouth of that Monster hee cryed Vicisti Galilaee vicisti the like shall bee vnto thee and vnto Sabbath-breakers Vsurers Lyars c. Fourthly consider the vncertaintie of our liues no man hath a lease of his life and if death take vs away in our obstinacie we perish for euer as the tree fals so it lyes as death leaues vs so the iudgement finds vs. Secondly let this consideration perswade vs to willing and free subiection to God and his Word lest God bee inforced with the bridle of his might to tame our fiercenesse and senselessenesse for this is the threatning that the Lord will walke stubbornely with his owne people till their vncircumcised hearts be humbled Leuit 26. 41. And to the effecting hereof consider First God requires a reasonable seruice of thee Rom. 12. 1. not vnreasonable like that of vnreasonable creatures that doe all by constraint by the rod and the spurre but voluntarie and cheerefull All sound obedience to God must proceed from sense of his loue and this puts life into it for that which is forced and constrained for feare is hypocriticall Secondly the subiects of Christ are called a willing people Psal. 110. 3. and those that are inwardly taught of God worke and obey not by the compulsion of the Law although the best need sometimes not onely threats but rods aso and bitts and bridles to keepe vnder their lusts but the Spirit hath in their generall purpose and course freed them to a voluntarie subiection and obedience Thirdly Gods acceptance of our dutie and consequently our comfort is in the willing and cheerefull manner of performance A wicked man may doe the same things with the godly and go beyond him in matter the difference is in the manner and end God loues and accepts free-wil Offrings If a man giue God loues a cheerefull giuer If a man doe any dutie of his calling let him say as Paul sayd of himselfe If I doe it willingly I haue a reward 1. Cor. 9. 17. It is not thanke-worthy but the worke is lost when a man is drawne to the duties of pietie or charitie as a Beare by the ring in his nose or an Horse by the rod and spurre to his wayes end GODS loue must bee our spurre and then wee may looke at the recompence of reward VERS 10. Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked but hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him NOw follow the reasons or enforcements of the former precepts to lay aside brutish senselessenesse and peruerse obstinacie and they are drawne First from the great and manifold plagues which are reserued for indocible and incorrigible persons Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked Secondly from the infinite loue and good will of God towards penitent sinners But he that trusteth c. And these two reasons are the two parts of this verse which containes in it the summe both of all the curses of the Law and of the sweet promises of the Gospell And Dauid as a good Teacher takes the right order first hee preacheth the Law to terrifie the dull and secure and then offereth the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell to beleeuers thus Iohn Baptist makes way vnto Christ and thus the Lord by Earth-quakes and Thunders prepares men to his still voyce he that hath felt the breakings of the Law feeles the sweetnesse of the bindings of the Gospell If therefore we preach the Law it is to prepare men for the Gospell and little know men that shunning the Law they flye from the Gospell First of the commination or threatning Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked And first we must know what is meant by this wicked man hee is not euerie sinner but as the Text it selfe notes him out First an ignorant and indocible person who is as the Horse or Mule without vnderstanding Secondly an obstinate person in his sinne an incorrigible person one whom Gods Word nothing preuailes withall nor can bee ruled without bitt or bridle Thirdly a man that trusts not in the Lord as the words following shew The handling of this text is fit in our congregation wherein not a few of all these sorts be Secondly this man shall haue sorrow the wicked man is euer miserable though seldome or not euer sorrowfull that is sensible of his misery Now the wicked triumph and seeme the happyest men vnder the Sunne and it hath troubled the godly that they haue all to their hearts desire Iob. 21. 7. Psal. 73. 3. Ier. 12. 1. the rich glutton goes in skarlet and fares deliciously euery day But their sorrowes shall bee as the sorrowes of a woman their delights shall be turned into torments their laughter into teares Now all our working on them cannot bring them to take knowledge of their misery but they shal one day be afflicted with sorrowes and shall not so easily turne them off Many sorrowes because of many plagues and many plagues because of many sinnes Many
thankesgiuing for graces bestowed vpon beleeuers that their faith was published abroad their loue abounded c. 1. Thes. 1. 3 4. and the Apostle Iohn reioiced greatly to see the elect Ladies children walking in the trueth 2. Ioh. 4. If a man thus bestow his ioy for matter manner and measure hee shall finde little roume left for carnall and vaine ioyes which are not more short in holding then bitter in forgoing them All this admonisheth vs to rectifie our ioy and thus to order it by which onely wee put difference betweene our selues and the brute beasts who reioyce in fulfilling their appetite but can reioyce in nothing higher then themselues Accursed is all that ioy in the creature which is not begun continued and ended in the Lord and for the Lord. Diues enioyed wealth and pleasure went in Purple and fared deliciously euery day but he is now in hell and his tongue that called for nothing but pleasure calleth now for a drop of cold water but cannot haue it By what markes may I try my ioy whether it be spirituall and in the Lord or no Know it by these rules First thy person must bee in Christ thou must bee a beleeuer if thy name bee written in heauen thy ioy is godly ioy no part in Christ no part in this ioy Secondly thou gettest and holdest it by the right hand of faith and therefore it is called the ioy of faith Phil. 1. 25. Christ for the confirming of his Disciples ioy commaunded them to beleeue in him Ioh. 14. 1. and 1. Pet. 1. 8. After yee beleeued ye reioyced with ioy vnspeakable and glorious more faith more ioy no faith no ioy small faith or desire to beleeue small ioy Thirdly diligent study in Gods word for faith finds not ioy euery where but onely in the Word Iohn 15. These things haue I said that my ioy may abide in you The two Disciples going to Emmaus and Christ conferring with them said afterward one to another Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs Heere then is a plaine difference betweene Gods word and the writings of men all the words of Philosophers are legall and knew no Euangelicall ioy for which of them euer taught concerning remission of sinne or saluation by Christ Therefore accursed are such blasphemous hell-hounds as hold the word of God as a policy and say there are as good sentences in Poets and Philosophers as in it Fourthly examine what thy conuersation is Righteous and vpright men must reioyce for sinne grieues the Spirit and extinguisheth ioy but piety and care of good conscience not onely cheareth him but also is a sweet feast within and that continuall Fistly and lastly examine thy proceeding in mortification for as it is 1. Cor. 15. 31. By our reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus I die daily the ioy of faith makes a man labour and long to bee disburdened of sinne the cause of sorrow and willing to goe to God at whose right hand is fulnesse of ioy for euermore Thus haue wee by Gods grace finished this worthy Psalme which begun with sorrow but ends in solace we went foorth mourning carrying out our seede but now we bring in our sheaues with reioycing wee haue sowed in teares now wee reape in ioy For which blessed fruit the forerunner of our full haruest of ioyes at Gods right hand for euermore and for all other comforts accompanying the same To God the Father and Fountaine and to Iesus Christ the Meriter and restorer and to the holy Spirit of consolation the immediat applyer and sealer of it to the hearts of the Elect be all praise and honour in all Churches for euer and euer Amen FINIS THE ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE CHIEFE things contained in this Booke A ALl accusers of Gods Child put together cannot obiect halfe so much against him as he can against himselfe 150 Absolute sufficiencie of Eternall life set forth in seuen particulars 390 Afflictions serue to shake the godly out of securitie 74 Afflictions how said to be good 75 Afflictions are no temporall punishments nor satisfactions for sin three reasons 75 Afflictions are all Gods hand ordeining 92  inflicting   ordering  Sundry considerations why the godly must not be discouraged by Afflictions 103 Afflictions in themselues long are short and momentany in fiue respects 107 Afflictions concurring in a person rightly disposed to prayer 194 Angels not to be inuocated for sundry reasons 213 Arke many wayes gaue testimonie of Gods speciall presence 222 Assurance of deliuerance from trouble is from assurance of remission of sinne foure reasons 252 B THe meanest Beleeuer is an happie man 40 Benefit of syncerity in three heads 59 Benefits of open confession of sinne to man foure 143 Benefits of right vsing the Scriptures three 191 Benefit of experience in diuine things 267 Benefits of calling other forward in Grace foure 314 Bridles in Gods hand to hamper vntractable sinners three sorts 360 Brother must bee helped from vnder his burden and how 12 A Brutish property not to learne by Gods word for three reasons 347 C CAses of open confession three 70 Cases of publike confession to men two 143 Christ tooke not away the lingring but the malignitie of crosses 106 Choice of matter for consideration in fiue heads 123 Chearfulnesse must bee doubled towards the end of our way for three reasons 337 Euery Christian must benefit the whole Church by his experience 4. reas 183 Church and members euer preserued in trouble yea from trouble 276 Colours set vpon sinnes to hide them three sorts 152 Compassion towards the sicke consciences 80 Comforts and directions to such as haue long sought neuer found that they sought for in sixe grounds 239 Comforts against sence of weakenesse after many experiences of God 268 Comforts for godly men in trials three grounds 108 Comforts and directions for such as haue long repented yet find no assurance of remission of sin 174 Conditions in seeking God fiue 222 234 All sound Confession must be made vnto God for foure reasons 141 Sound Confession reacheth to all sinne 129 Slubberd Confession of sinne 137 Confession of sinne priuate of man to man in two cases 144 Confession must bee syncere because to God 146 A true Confessor must bee his owne vtter enemie for foure reasons 148 Vnsound Confessiō described by foure properties 161 Sound Consideration brings sound resolution three reasons 118 Benefits of Consideration 122 How to Consider of a mans latter end foure directions 124 True Conuersion worketh against all sinne alike 3. reas 135 Continuance in trouble letteth the godly see the greatnes of their sin 231 Euery man must get a Couer for his sinne 16 Many sorts of men Couer themselues with fig-leaues 18 Couers of sinne too short and thinne 90 D DAnger of hiding and lessening sinne in foure things 138 Danger of sinne in sixe things 156 Delayes of God whet vp godly desires 233
sorrowes in number many in kinde many in this life many moe in the life to come many within him many without him and many on euery side as the next branch in the opposition shewes that God on euery side compasseth his children with goodnesse and mercy Whence Note the vnhappy and cursed estate of euery wicked and obstinate sinner in the world his sorrowes shall bee many and great Isa. 65. 13 14. Behold my seruants shall eat and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde and yee shall leaue your names for a curse vnto my chosen Reu. 9. 12. One woe is past and two are to come and Chap. 8. 13. The Angel flying thorow the midst of heauen cryed Wo wo wo to the inhabitants of the earth All these many woes are proclaimed against the wicked of the world cleauing either to the Kingdome of Antichrist in the West or of Mahomet in the East Turkes Saracens Arabians Tartarians and after them to all the wicked that cleaue not to God in the purity of his worship and in obedience of his word And that they are onely denounced against them appeares Chap. 9. vers 4. because the children of God are sealed and exempted from them Deutron 28. 58. 59. If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the wordes of this Law then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance But many are the woes and miseries of the godly and therefore what is it better to bee a godly man then a wicked There is great difference betweene them for first these are all mingled with mercy Indeed a child that is deare to his father if he runne another way with Ionah must bee whipt and fetcht backe againe yet the Lord puts not off fatherly affection but remembreth mercy in iudgement and smiteth with the rods of men but his mercy he taketh not away Whereas the sorrowes of the wicked are destitute of all mercy and no maruell seeing all their blessings are leuened and sowred and tend to their bane through a secret curse of God blowing on them and blasting them Secondly the godly call not their miseries on them by a trade and course in sin as the wicked do but when for tryall or correction of some slip God leads them where they would not they follow him taking vp the crosse thereby learning the will of God prouing what is in themselues amending that which is amisse confirming themselues to euery good work this cannot the wicked do who whatsoeuer they suffer fall from euill to worse Thirdly the Lord deliuers the godly out of all putteth vnder his hand and reares them vp and leaueth them not in the sorrow till hee haue enlarged their feete and brought them where all teares shall bee wiped away Whereas he leaues the wicked in sorrow laughes at it and suffereth the fire of his iealousie to seaze on them to the bottome of hell Fourthly the Lord recompenseth the light afflictions of his seruants with an exceeding weight of mercy first in this life iustifying sanctifying beautifying teaching feeding protecting them and theirs Secondly in death bringing their soules to heauen and laying vp their bodies safe till the resurrection Thirdly at the day of iudgment bringing both body and soule into the glory of the iust But these sorrowes of wicked men are farre other both for number and measure in this life and afterward much more all of them void of all mercy And to conceiue aright of them consider first the kindes of them Secondly the causes or reasons of them Thirdly the vse For the first these sorrowes are partly in this life and partly after it First In this life these sorrowes are partly in the present practice of sinne and partly in the consequent fruits of it Secondly the very course of a sinner although Satan present it to him through a false glasse and it seeme pleasant and care to be quite away yet indeed it is a sorrowfull and heauie course for the laughter of a wicked man is but in the face not in the heart and euen in laughter the heart is heauie or hath cause so to bee That which Salomon speakes of a voluptuous course which most agreeth with the flesh is true euen in the passing of it It striketh as a Dart through the liuer Prou. 7. 23. The same is true in the purchase of other sinnes as 1. Tim. 6. 10. the Apostle noteth of the course taken vp in earthlinesse and carking care after the things of this life that this man though hee seeme to liue merrily yet he pierceth himselfe through with many sorroweâ— The intemperate person meetes with many diseased dayes and houres of paine and sorrowes as the Gowt Dropsie Palsies Surfets which make his life a burden vnto him so as though the sinner see it not yet in the practice of sinne there is more gall then honie and at the best it is but a bitter-sweete But Secondly after the sinne is committed comes a fearefull and more sorrowful sence of it for if the best fruits of sin euen in the godly that are renued by repentance be shame and sorrow no maruell if the wicked be hanted and hunted with horrors of conscience desperate feares restlesse torments and be as the raging Sea which cannot rest for there can bee no peace to the wicked man so long as his conscience hath any sense but let him goe and ride where he wil he pursues himselfe with hue and crie and so long as he cannot runne from himselfe hee carries his accuser and tormenter with him as Cain did and Baltasar euen at his Feast was pierced with feares and sorrowes that made his ioynts loose and his knes knocke together so shal Gods hand-writing be on the walles of profane consciences How many sorrowes after his sinne ouertooke Iudas and so oppressed him that his heart being not able longer to susteine him his best ease was to hang himselfe a wofull remedy not much better then his disease but such shifts are the wicked sometimes put to when their sweete meates are recompensed with sowre sawce Secondly after this life is the consummation of his sorrowes euen in Christs appearance for all that this life can load him with is but the beginning of sorrow The parcels of this sorrow shall especially bee in these particulars First they shall waile and sorrow to see him come in the clouds whom they haue pierced he shall bee their Iudge whose lawes and person all their villanies haue been committed against Secondly in that wofull separation first from God in the losse of glory and happinesse and then from Gods people when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iaakob and all the Saints in the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Luc. 13. 28. Thirdly in the punishment of sense when they shal be wrapped in that cursed sentence Depart from mee I know you not when they shall be bound hand and foot and cast into torments prepared for the deuill and his Angels which torment is amplified first by the place a prison a lake of fire and brimstone a dungeon for the darkenesse blacker then that of Egypt where shall bee a perpetuall night in a word an hell Secondly by the company the deuill and his Angels with all the rout of reprobates Gods deadly enemies and whom God is a deadly enemie vnto such as they chose for their companions in this world and would not bee separated from now they shall not Thirdly by the exquisitenesse of torment set out by fire and brimstone and that which is most terrible to sense yea not onely outward but inward also described by the worme of conscience which as a gnawing griefe shall eate and fret the heart of the sinner in memorie of ancient and hatefull sinnes Fourthly in sinfull concurrences as hatred of God blasphemie despaire cursings for all the parts of soule and body shal curse the day of their wretchednesse and confusion when the fire of Gods iealousie and his hot wrath shall seaze vpon them Fifthly in seeing all mercie and pittie excluded nay God and his Saints whose affection shall be conformable to his shall reioyce and laugh at their destruction this shall breake the caule of their hearts with sorrow Sixthly in the eternity of their sorrowes the worme within dyes not their fire neuer goes out but the wrath of God abideth vpon the sinner without all remission or abatement without any intermission or release without end or mitigation not one drop of water shal coole their tongue and so long as God is God the smoke of their torment shall ascend vp night and day continually This is Tophet prepared for the wicked in which one word how many sorrowes be there Now the reasons to cleare Gods iustice in all these sorrowes of the wicked are these First where many sinnes are vnrepented of there must needes be many sorrowes euery sinne hauing sorrow enough belonging to it Secondly where an infinite God is offended an infinite law transgressed and an infinite iustice prouoked there must needes an infinite reuenge be returned vpon the sinners head and sorrowes in infinite measure bee conceiued Thirdly Infinite mercie hath been reiected the blessed meanes of saluation neglected and despised good meanes without in the ministerie counsell and example of the godly inward motions of the spirit quenched yea some checks of conscience contemned and some resolutions deaded and vnfollowed All these yet bring on more stripes and sorrows especially in remembrance of hatefull sinnes against knowledge meanes and conscience Fourthly it is now too late to repent when these sorrowes haue beset the sinner on euery side hope of mercie is cut off the Sunne is set vpon him the doore of grace is shut against him now hee can heare no other voice then that Reu. 18. 6 7. Giue him torments according to his sinnes Here is an Ilias an vpheaped measure of infinite sorrow a mercilesse sorrow without sparke of hope or ioy Fifthly now hee sees with horror and despaire that which he would not heare of first that he hath in his whole course piled vp wrath against himselfe Secondly that God whom he thought to be made all of mercy is a God of infinite iustice and a consuming fire and how dreadfull it is to fall into his hands Thirdly that the sentence of death is passed irrecouerably and the heauie doome of damnation for such sinnes as he thought to be lighter then a feather Fourthly that himselfe is a vessell of wrath filled with Gods indignation that shall seaze on him so long as God is God seeing Christs bloud can be shed no more and teares of repentance come now too late a Sea of them is not able to quench one sparke of this fire First then let this be a motiue to restraine all men from sinne seeing it brings such after-claps If there be any that like the Horse or Mule wil not vnderstand nor be perswaded to seeke the Lord but will obstinately persist hardning his heart against the Word for such a man are all these sorrowes prepared Thou that delightest in any sinne open or secret that wilt drinke with the Drunkard sweare with the Swearer and breake the Sabbath after so many admonitions thou that liuest in pride wantonnesse idlenesse vncleannesse contempt of God and his Word and Seruants thou that euery way multipliest thy sinnes remember what Dauid saith Psal. 16. 4. Thou multiplyest and heapest vp thy sorrowes euen wrath and fuell for thy selfe against the day of wrath Thou that canst with a bold face braue out thy sinnes and glorie in that thy hand is strong to practise vngodlinesse and canst triumph when thou canst bring others to thy bent thou shalt one day crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Isa. 65. 14. and curse the day that euer thou knewest thy Companions and with bitter lamentation shalt waile and gnash thy teeth at thy vnhappy condition and all this in all eternitie Oh consider these terrors of the Lord and be perswaded to turne to the Lord seeke in time thy blessednesse in the pardon of sinne that thou mayest escape all these things Consider the end of all sinne in that one Pro. 5. 3 4. Though it be as an hony-combe in thy mouth the end will be bitter as wormewood And if now thou seest thy danger but wilt runne on headlong vpon all these sorrowes excluded from all pity and mercy say thou wast warned the time commeth wherein thou mayest be pitied but not helped or rather neither pitied nor helped the Iudge hath said it Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Secondly if so many sorrowes and they of this nature belong to euery wicked man then it followes that no sinne is small in it selfe to euery of which all these sorrowes belong Our Text plainely teacheth that they belong not only to Murtherers Theeues Adulterers Lyers Swearers but also to ciuill honest men in the worlds account if they be ignorant of the Word or wayes of God To him that liues obstinately in any knowne sinne that holds on for his profit or pleasure any practice condemned in the Word and in his owne conscience let him be neuer so ciuill sober sociable peaceable and harmelesse all his ciuilitie cannot keepe off these sorrowes if there be not knowledge of God softnesse of heart a teachable disposition and an hungring after Gods mercy in Christ alone aboue all things in the world Where be the Papists that teach some sinnes to be veniall in their owne nature when as all these sorrowes are the wages of the least Rom. 6. vlt.