Obstinacy in sin never to be cured Job painting out this evill saith That the sinner taketh pleasure therein and that it seemeth sweet unto him it is as pellets of sugar under his tongue he first delights in the company of sin then he marries himselfe unto sin and leaves her not till death them depart Thus sin creepeth into the heart by steps and degrees till at last it sinks him down to the bottom of Hell But woe is pronovnced to that sinfull Nation to that people that are laden with iniquity Isay 5.18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cord of vanity and sin as with cart ropes For God is a severe punisheâ— of sin and his wrath fails not to come and seize on those that soâ—â— pillows underneath their sins Ephes 5.6 So St. Paul Let no man deceive yâ—â— with vain words for for such things commeth the wrath of God upoâ— the children of disobedience Was it not sin that brought the cursâ— upon Adam and all his Posterity his Apple proves his poysonâ— 1 Sam. 23 28. Saul for his disobedience was turned out of his Kingdom What 〈◊〉 the ruine and destruction of Countres and Cities but the sins 〈◊〉 the People 2 Sam 24 15. Davids sins and his Pride was the death of seventy thousand in an instant there the people perisheth for the sin of the Prince I could tell you of a Prince that perished for the sins of the people whose like was no King before him neither after him arose there any like him You may find him your selves 2 King 23 25 26. Like unto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his wrath wherewith he was angry against Judah c. 2 Kings 22 2. Josiah a good King one whose like was not before him Josiah who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet Josiah must be slain Thus you see when iniquity hath playd her part vengeance will leape upon the stage What was the reason why Gods hand was stretched over this Land why the Sword devoured and the people perished but the sins of the Nation And was there ever more sinning or ever lesse remorse for sin What is this world but the region of sin a Sea of filthinesie and whilst men are bewitched with the delight thereof how like Swine doe they wallow in the filthy mire and puddle of their sins It may be their bodies are curiously deckt and shining but alas they have nasty and abominable soules Is not our Land still full of Achans looking upon the Wedge of Gold Ios 7 21. or Babylonish Garment How is the beauty of Bathsheba able to entice the greatest number Gehazi will still post after Naaman for rich presents 2 Sam. 11 12. but the leprosie follows him close at his heels vengeance attends him neer Was there ever more Drinking Swearing Stealing Lying Envying c. and since our sins thus cry for vengeance what wonder is it that the Lord is stil up in arms against us O then put away your swinish drunkennesse your prophane swearing your brutish fleshlinesse your devilish lying and deceiving your hellish covetousnesse your savage eruelty and all your other notorieties and frame the whole course of your lives according to the rules of Temperance Chastity Truth Righteousnesse and holinesse and so though our souls be yet all staind with sinue they may in time become cleerer and whiter then snow Let as all with a spirituall eye behold the things of the world separate from their seeming beauty and so we shall not be bewitcht therewith Let us consider Gold and Silver not as glistring and shining but as drosse and dung yea as poysonous through a curse incorporated herewith-all if our hearts be insected with the love thereof or by any unlawfull means we doe seek after it Let us consider the beauty of the fairest woman as vanity or as a piece of painted clay or as a stale set for the taking of silly fooles And lastly Let us consider all other pleasing things as Drinking Banqueting Gaming Playing c. as the very stinging of a Scorpion which giveth incredible delight for the present but is by and by turned into tormenting and deadly pangs till the man thus stung perisheth And therefore since sinne is thus hurtfull let it be as hatefull unto us and let us hereafter strive as resolutely against sin as we have formerly served cheerfully under it Let us hate all sins of all suits and keep our selves from all spot of sin 1 Thes 5 22. And with St. Paul Abstaine from all appearance of evill Iude ver 23. And with Iude Hate the very garment spotted with the flesh In a word Let us avoyd all sins and have nothing to doe with these filthy inmates that are dayly plotting and contriving to set the whole tenement on fire and are good for nothing but to bring rottennesse into our bones and bowels And let us not defer to turn from sin nor delay till the Morning but take warning by the foolish Virgins for to morrow for ought we know may be the midnight of Christs call when if we be found wallowing in the mire of our sins and stinking puddles of our iniquities how can we hope or expect to be taken as associates to so glorious a Bridegroom And thus having found the cause of our sufferings to be in our selves let us lament for our sins that have brought upon us a burthen so heavy the onely way to re-infavour us again with our justly offended God And for that purpose I shall endeavour my selfe to the utmost of my skill to clothe every one of you with a livery of sorrow which is the next in the Text the assembly called must be solemne Call an assembly First part of the method or order Ierusalem the largest map of misery that ever eye beheld having been often threatned often battered and her visitation growing neerer and greater then before Salem being to become a tributary City Lam. 1.4 Jerusalem a solitary widow the wayes of Sion to mourne her streets to be empty her gates desolate her feasts unfrequented her Priests to sigh and her Virgins to be afflicted she her selfe the object of this sight and subject of this sorrow Lam. 1.2 to weep day and night and the tears to run down her cheeks continually her plagues growing mighty because her sins were waxen many many committing them few mourning for them Ezek. 9.2.5.6 The Lord now sendeth six to destroy this City commanding them to spare none nor take no pitty but to destroy young and old Maids Children and Women yet to touch none that had the Marke and what this marke is you may see in the fourth verse Sighing sobbing
reason of the heate of the Plague or at least by reason of the heate of the Plague of sinne fly unto this place Here be the waters of comfort here are wells enough to be drawne off to coole the heate of a thirsting soule This is the Place which God hath Proclaimed to the World That if the heavy laden will but come he will ease them if the thirsty will but come he will refresh them O ye Righteous souls who in the time of Warre are in continuall feare and danger of your bodies imprisoning of your goods plundering of your sons butchering of your daughters deflouring and of the pouring forth of your blood like water upon the ground and not onely the perpetuall enslaving of you and your posterity but that which is worst of all the violating of your Consciences by Oaths and Ingagements at the will of the Conquerour fly unto this House here be the Armes and Armory of the strong men and when you cry your Enemies shall turne backe O ye Righteous souls who in the time of Famine are ready to dye for hunger having pale and bloodlesse Faces lanke and leane bodies hunger-starved carkasses and in this extremity know not what to doe run to this Flace this House the Master whereof can feed an Elias by Ravens A Daniell in Dungeons And the Widow and her Son with a Cruse of Oyle that never wasteth and here shall ye be sure to finde satning food for your soules In a word In any calamity in all straights and miseries whatsoever fly to this Place this House of the Lord your God And in all kinds of distresse let us approach this Throne of Grace let us enter these Gates and Courts with joy let our Prayers come unto him in his holy Temple and let us all like David be glad when men say Come lot us goe to the House of the Lord for there is salve for every sore there is medicine for every dise ase and there is comfort at all assayes In this world we are as Pilgrims having here no continuing City and while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord in which Pilgrimage many are the troubles of the Righteous and if they fly to this sacred Sanctuary and there cry unto the Lord the Lord delivers them out of all And to hearren you hereunto know for your comforts That the Lord whom you serve is not like to the Princes and Rulers of the Earth who desire not to be molested with requests from their distressed Subjects but its joy to the Almighty and he takes pleasure to heare their supplications and is most glad when they aske or beg of him the best things What a comfort is this then to all afflicted souls in the heat and height of their afflictions and depth of their miseries to have a place of refuge and a place of refreshment and preservation to run unto and there refresh their wearied members and supplicate the God of Glory and the God of all Consolation But now though we have a place of safety to fly unto in the time of trouble and danger yet a man may mistake his way thither and then never a whit the neerer And therefore least we should erre in our way to this place the Lord himselfe hath given us a constant guide and card of directiâ—n to leade us thereunto even the witnesse of his holy Word Wâ—itten and Sealed that can never deceive us but is as a fiery pillar unto us in the darke desert of this World to shew us the way to that Heavenly Canaan It is a lanthorne to our feet and a light to our paths let then our loynes be girded and let us beare in our hands this shining light But yet though we have a place to fly to in trouble and likewise a guide to direct us the way yet a man especially in misery would not willingly goe to a place where he hath neither title nor right nor interest nor friend nor acquaintance where he may expect if not shutting the doore upon him yet at least poor entertainment and miserable comforters Now to hearten us against these feares the Text tells us That we are of the same Family or Houshold for the Master or Lord of this house is our God so that it is as it were our own for it is usuall for Children or servants to call their Fathers or Masters house wherein they live our House and there we shall finde our best acquaintance and our choicest friends even God our Father Christ our Brother and the holy Ghost our Comforter But still though we have a secure place of refuge to fly unto in danger and a guide to direct us that we erre not in our way and good right and Interest thereunto being of the same Family and Friends and acquaintance there also yet being infected with the Plague of sinne and laden with iniquity we may feare that we shall not be received for those in whose soules the Plague of sin doth reigne however they may come into the society of the Church yet cannot be admitted to the Throne of Grace And therefore to the end our sins should neither dishearten nor hinder us know That the Lord our God hath given us Christ the Righteous to cover our unrighteousnesso so that as pure and cleane we might come unto him He hath put on us the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 that being adorned with his righteousnesse and holinesse as lacob was with the goodly garments of his elder Brother Esau we might with confidence betake our selves to this Asylum and in the name of Christ might goe to the name of Iohovah and in his name the Subject hath as much right to goe as the King the People as the Priest the Slave as the Lord the Servant as the Master and the infected as the sound for Christ prayeth with us all as our Brother he prayes for us all as our High Priest and he is prayd unto by us all as our Lord he alone is the Eye wherewith we see the Father the Hand to offer up our Prayers unto him the Mouth to speake unto him and therefore let us goe unto him by vertue of this right that he is the Lord our God and we of his Family and Houshold But for all this though we have a House to goe unto and want not a guide and be of the same Family and stored with Acquaintance and adorned with our Elder Brothers Righteousnesse yet if we be lame or have not Feet to carry us thither we are but like the Creeple at the Poole obnoxious to all hindrances And therefore though the Feet of the Flesh be sufficient to carry us to the Church yet we must have other Feet even spirituall Legs before we can come to this House namely the Feet of Faith and Prayer Faith is the first Foot 2 Cor. 1.24 for if by Faith we stand by Faith we may also goe to the Lord who is faithfull and
Vertue and so bountifull That being at all the charge himselfe he gives thee all the gaine onely he wills that thou give the glory unto him and take the profit to thy selfe That workman shall doe ill who having built a house with another mans purse should goe about to set up his own Arms upon the Frontispiece Justinian made a Law That no Master workeman should set up his name within the body of that Building which he made out of anothers cost Christ sets thee on work and wills thee to Fast to Pray to give Almes but who is at the cost of this so good and great a worke God thou hast all thy materialls from him the building is his it is his Purse that payes for all give then the Glory and the Honour to him Gloriam meam alteri non dabo I will not give my Glory to another content thou thy selfe with Heaven which is promised unto thee if thou dost well which is a sufficient reward for any service thou caust doe 3. Beware of Hypocrisie in Fasting Fasting Praying and giving of Almes done onely for Gods sake is of that great price and estimation that it is ill imployed on any other then God and for that God weighes all things in his hand as in a ballance and knows the weight of every good work and the true value thereof it grieves him that they should doe these good things for so vile and base a price and is sorry to see thee so foolish and poor a Merchant that thou wilt part with that which is as much worth as Heaven to thee for that which is lesse then Earth namely that the World should onely say thou hast Fasted Why doest thou thus crucifie thy flesh why debarre thy belly of food why being ready to dye for hunger dost thou not eat why liftest thou up thine eyes to Heaven for so poor a thing as to win applause upon Earth Those works saith Iob that are done for God are Gold but done for the World are Dirt they lay up this their treasure in the Tongues and Eyes of men which is a Chest that hath neither Lock nor Key unto it 4. Fasting is a Plaister for our wounds a Medicine for our Griefes a Salve for our Sins and a Defence against Gods Wrath but you must take heed that you doe not make this Plaister Poyson this medicine sicknesse this salve a sore and this defence your destruction for where God hath a Church there the Devill will have a Chappell and where he throws in Seed there the other will sow Tares 1 King 21 Naboth a Subject of King Ahabs had a Vineyard in Samaria neer unto the Kings Pallace the King had a mind unto it Naboth will not part with it the King grows sad refuses his meat Iesubel comes to see him makes a jest of it takes Pen in Hand dispatches a Ticket to the Governours of that City sealed with the Kings Seale to Proclaime a Fast subornes two Witnesses to sweare That they heard Naboth blaspheme God and the King innocent Naboth is stoned to death and his goods confiscated In which action there are two things worthy our consideration The one That the circumstance of blaspheming God and the King upon a solemne day of Fast was so grievous that of force he must be condemned to dye for it in so great veneration was Fasting in those dayes The other That it served as a cloak for the taking away of the Vineyard and for the falsifying of Witnesses and injustice in the Judges Who should have then seen the people to Fast would have thought it had been done out of Zeale Gods Honour and a desire to doe him service but it was meerly a trick of the Devils which he had plotted with himselfe he threw poyson upon vertue seeking to draw evill out of good We must therefore beware least these our good actions receive not hurt by evill intentions And therefore farre be it from among any of you that upon these solemne dayes of Fasting there should lurk under the sable habit of a monrner any false hearted or hypocriticall masker for it is to be feared that among many in this Land of ours even upon our solemne dayes of Humiliation masking might be found in mourning But the Fast that God requires you may see in Isaiah 58.5.6.7 Is it such a Fast that I have chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and hang downe his head like a bulrush and lye downe in sackcloth and ashes Wilt thou call this a Fasting or an acceptable day unto the Lord Here the Prophet shewes That God neither approves nor condemnes Fasting in it selfe further then when it is applyed to the right end So that here is the abuse in Fasting when men put holinesse in it and in either despising or neglecting true godlinesse they think that the bodily exercise alone fussiceth but he protests That this is not acceptable to him to see one continue a day without meat and to go sorrowfully with his head hanging down like a bulrush and lying downe in sackcloth and ashes he taxes these superstitious gestures wherein Hypocrites are wont to place a kinde of holinesse not that he condemnes these externall rites but rebukes these Hypocrites for separating the truth from the signes And in the next Verses he tells you what kindâ— of Fast it is that God likes and allowes of Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake every yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that wander into thy house When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and hide not thy selfe from thine own flesh Here the Prophet shews first what the Lord chiefly and principally requires in our Fast Secondly by what means our services may be acceptable before him And thirdly How those ought to be fitted and prepared that meane to Fast In a word you may see here wherein the true offices of Piety which are principally commanded of God consist namely in comsorting the poor and oppressed We may likewise see here the duties God allows of in Fasting what makes our fasts allowed of approved and acceptable unto God namely when together with Fasting Charity is joyned with it The Fast that God hath chosen is to loose the bands of wickednesse Some expound it the wicked thoughts wherewith men are bound and intangled And it may passe for currant for the principall Fasting is to Fast from sinne But it seems Isaiah meant otherwise namely That Hypocrites are very cruell and mercilesse towards the poor and lay very heavie yokes upon them he calls that Knots or Bands which we commonly tearme Oppressions to which that agrees which is added to take off the heavy burthens under the weight whereof the poor and needy groane and are in a manner overwhelmed therewith The Prophet me
how could we goe unto him by the Foot of Prayer if we did not beleeve in him Rom. 10. â—â— For how shall they call on him in whom they have not belceved The second Foot is Prayer which is so swift a Foot as that it dispatcheth in an instant all the way betwixt Heaven and Earth and as a fiery Chariot mounts into the presence of the Almighty to implore his assistance and though we live here in this vale of misery so farre off from our Fathers House yet being furnished with these two spirituall Feet we may in a moment ascend up thither and there recreate our wearied spirits though we live in this world as in a wast desart if we be in want of any thing with these spirituall Fees we may runne to our Fathers House and there provide our selves If the Lord hath east us down upon our bed of sicknesse that we cannot use the Feet of our bodies yet he hath given us those other Feet of Faith and Prayer to use in flead of them Hezekiah being sick of the Plague 1 Kings 20.2 could not use the Feet of his Body but with the Feet of the Spirit he went unto this place Ionah was lockt up in Prison in the belly of the Whale yet by the vertue of these Feet out of the depth he ascended to the holy Temple of Iehovah But notwithstanding all this though we know we have a House to goe unto and no hinderance in the way nor difficulty in the passage nor want a guide to direct us and have good right to the place and friends and acquaintance to entertaine us and robes to adorne us and feet to carry us thither yet if we know not how to behave our selves when we come there though we come as suiters we shall be but bad speeders And therefore the next shall be to teach you how to demeanc your selves in this House of the Lord your God And for this purpose I shall for your sakes endeavour my selfe to binde you all to such good behaviour in Gods House as becomes the glory of his publick service and presence for the godly Christian ought with all care to lay before him the rules that tye him to a comely composure and carryage in the House of God and to strive to fashion his nature and practice so as may become the Majesty of his Publick Worship for there be divers things which in a speciall manner must be lookt unto in performing these publick duties And to this end I shall give you some few Rules which if you please to observe you shall not onely be good Suiters but good Speeders also First All of all sorts must come and appear publikely before the Lord to doe him homage and service Viâ— unita fortior the more the better not onely the Elders but all the Iuhabitants of the Land This you may see in Deutoronomy 31.11.12.13 where you shall find That all Israel were to come to appeare before the Lord their God in the place which he should chuse men women and children and the stranger within their gates that they might heare and learne and feare the Lord their God and keep and observe the words of his Law none exempted all must come Secondly We must come with all possible reverence and look to our feet when we enter into the House of God and strive to shew before all men our most carefull respect to God his holy Ordinances for God will be sanctified by them that come neer him and he looks for it at our hands by our reverent behaviour to be glorified before all the people See it your selves in the tenth of Leviticus and the third And Ecclesiastes the fifth and first and be perswaded to shew a most holy and reverent feare of Gods name and presence So that Princely Prophet I will come into thine House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship towards thy holy temple Psal 5.7 Thirdly We must come with a great deale of Zeale In all publick duties that of David should be true of us The Zeale of Gods House should eat us up Psal 69.9 And this singular Zeale we should shew these six wayes 1. By loving Gods House above all other places in the world our heart should be fired in us in that respect that we may truely say with the Psalmist Psal 26.8 O how I love thy house I have loved the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour-dwelleth 2. By resolutely purposing to resort to Gods House with joy and gladnesse notwithstanding the scornes and oppositions of worldly men O that we were of Davids mind glad when men say Come let us goe into the House of the Lord Psal 122.1 3. By stirring up others with all importunity to goe with us to worship God in Sion The mountaine of the House of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it the word flow declaring the zeale of the Children of God when they are called And many people shall goe and say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his paths for the Law shall goe forth of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isay 2.2.3 4. By making hast to Gods worship going to the House of the Lord with the first and with willing hearts with an holy thirst after the means flocking and flying thither as the Cloudes or as so many Doves to their Windows Up let us goe and pray before the Lord and seek the Lord of Hosts Zachar. 8.21 And the Psalmist Thy people shall come willingly at the time of assembling thine army in holy beauty from the wombe of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Psal 110.3 5. By forwardnesse and cheerefulnesse in contributing towards the maintenance of Gods House and service in the means thereof 6. By grieving heartily because other men neglect and contemne the House of God The Zeale of Gods Children ought to be such when they see his Word sleighted as that they should be like David whose Eyes gusht out with Rivers of Water because men keep not thy Law Psal 119.136 Fourthly We should in all publick Duties serve God with one consent and one heart There should appeare in Gods servants a wonderfull desire of unanimity and concord that when they speake to God it may be as the voyce of one man when the Lord speaks to them they should heare with one Eare It is a marvellous glory in Religion when people can come to this to serve the Lord with one shoulder Let us all call upon the name of the Lord Zeph. 3.9 and serve him with one consent or as it were with one shoulder Fiftly and lastly look upon the fifty second Psalme eighth and ninth verses and from thence we
there had been some great mischiefe toward Moses and Aaron when they must fetch out of Egypt such a People from such a King not onely by Petition but by command and threatning If he would not let them goe one would have imagined that Pharah a proud man would never have endured this at their hands and yet if ye will trace them though you may find them in perill yet you shall find them of all others the most safe Thirdly There is great Reason why the affliction of the Church should so affect us and must needs so worke upon our Hearts because of the insultations and triumphs of the wicked against them when they cry out Where is now their God And this was it which Moses did urge to move God to spare his People when he threatned to destroy them for their Idolatry Exod. 32.11.12 He intreats God to remember his great name and to spare them least the Egyptians should say That he had brought them out maliciously to flay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the Earth or that he was not able to bring them into the Land of Canaan This is it that goe to the Heart of the Faithfull when they heare prophane Persons reviling the Host of the Living God O these are they say they that stand so much for the exercises of Religion and for comelinesse of Order in the Church doe we not see that their exercises of Religion are abolisht and that they themselves some out off by the Sword some Exiled and the most of them pittifully pinched with poverty and necessity These and the like dospightfull and bitter speeches doe wound the very Hearts of such as love Gods glory and desire the prosperity of his Saints and so cause them much to bewayle the tribulation of the Church Seeing that the greatest Afflictions which should touch the Hearts of Gods People is the affliction of the Church First Then all carelesse Persons are to be reproved who so it goe well with themselves regard not the Church at all let it sinke or swim all is one to them so they may be free from danger and sit quiet in their owne Houses whatsoever becomes of others they regard not They Drinke Wine in Bowles but no Man is sorry for the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 This was a great fault in the late times of our unhappy Warres when the Sword devoured and many Christians were taken away and smitten downe on every side yet the most of us did Eat and Drink and were Merry as if all things then went well with us The fault is little amended in these dayes for though we know that many of our Brethren are in Exile some Imprisoned others in Disgrace many in Penury and want and perhaps men of farre better Parts then our selves yet if we can but satiate our selves under out owne Vines and Fig-trees it matters not what becomes of others never once troubled at other Mens miseries but this argues strange insidelity and is such a sinne as the Lord will pursue even unto Death if it be not reformed See the threatning of the Prophet Isaiah In that day saith he did the Lord God of Hosts call unto weeping and Mourning to Baldnesse and girding with Sackcloth But behold Ioy and Gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing Sheep Eating Flesh and Drinking Wine Eating and Drinking for to morrow we shall dye And it was declared in the Eares of the Lord of Hosts but what followes thereupon surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you t ist ye dye saith the Lord of Hosts Isa 22.12.13.14 We had need then redresse such things as are so dangerous to the whole Land Secondly There is a greater fault then this For many doe not onely walke securely in the affliction of their Brethren but desire the continuance and increase of it in hope that they shall enlarge their Possessions and better their Estates by other mens harmes but surely those who have but a glimpse of Christianity in them would rather wish the well-fare of others then desire and thirst to live upon their spoyles Thirdly There are a sort which are worse then these who come justly under this reproofe and such are they as long for stirres and mutinies and insurrections of this sort are they who under any Government of Church or State Cry Downe with Magistrates and downe with Preachers Of this sort likewise are those who cry ouâ— of too much Pâ—enty as a stop to their greedy desire of Gaine and of this sort also are they that murmur and repine at the Rich and multiply speeches of discontentment because Wealth say they is unequally shisted and therefore desire that Tumults may arise that they may get provision from such as fall into their Hands but these have bloody Hearts Fourthly There are yet worse then these who doe not onely wish for such troubles on Church and Common-wealth before they come but rejoyce at them when they are come and when others Eyes are full of Tears their Mouthes are full of Laughter As Jeremy chargeth the Moabites Jer. 48.26.27 He magnified himselfe against the Lord Moab shall wallow in his vomit and he also shall be in derision For diddest not thou deride Israel as though be had been found among theeves for when thou speakest of him thou art mooved This was there manner of dealing and this is the property of all such wicked Moabites they cannot speake of the calamities of the Faithfull but they are wonderfull affected with joy these have cruell hearts and shall be met withall as Moab was Fifthly There are a fort that are still worse then these who not onely rejoyee at the troubles but at the fins of those shat are religionsly affected and if they slip through infirmity and fall into any sin they are as glad as if they had go ten a Kingdome and came home in triumph Lastly There is a sixth sort that are worse then all these one higher degree then any I named yet which is When men are so sarre from grieving that it goes ill with Gods servants that if they be somewhat amisse they will make them worse and help forward their misery and for this end incense and mis-informe such against them as they know will inflict punishments upon them and all these severall sorts have of late been and still are Thornes in our Eyes and Pricks in our sides billowes and brands of Sedition and few there are but have shared in some of these common calamities O that all these severall sorts and companies were become strangers to our Land but I passe them as fellowes not worth any longer saluting The second is an Use of Comfort For if the afflictions of the Church of all other afflictions goe nâ—erest the Hearts of Gods Children Then surely this is for great comfort unto them that can mourne for the Calamities of the Church For this is a notable testimony that they are feeling members and have in them the life of
in the time of Famine fly unto God in this their woefull wretched and miserable estate when all outward and worldly comforts fayle them and lay their burthen upon him because they knew that he was able to feed and help them though the cisternes of the world were growne dry being the Lord and as willing as able being their God For the majesty of God is so glorious that it would make them fly from him and his essence is so incomprehensible that it is a light that none can have accesse unto and an huge Sea that will drowne such as will adventure to wade into it but the Knowledge of Gods sufficiency and power to help and of his mercy and free favour whereby he is ready and willing to help that 's it that encourageth them to come before the Lord and call upon his Name with strong cryes and earnest requests with sighs and sobs and groanes and cry unto the Lord. Whence the point is this That the knowledge of Gods power and mercy is the onely cause that brings Christians into Gods presence and makes them call upon him in trouble When they are plunged in misery in distresse then God shall be sure of their custome and company like these people here who when all their hopes were perished then they run to God and cast all upon him whom they knew was able to bring Water out of the Flint as well as out of the River and Bread out of the Clouds as well as out of the Barne Canaan they knew could not maintain them without Gods blessing and with it a barren Wildernesse could and therefore to him they fly and cry They cry unto the Lord. For this look onely upon Psalme the ninth and tenth Verse where the Prophet sheweth how they come to seek unto God They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that seek thee How come they to seek God They first trust in God by the Knowledge of Gods Name which name is the Lord strong gracious and mercifull and till men come to know this Name they can never come to trust in God nor to seek God but by the right understanding and applying of the Name of God Nothing in distresse can hinder them from crying unto the Lord because they know that there is no evill but in his name they may have an Antidote against it no fore but there they shall have a salve to cure it no disease but there they shall have a remedy to help it no wound but there they shall have a Playster to heale it no sicknesse but there they shall have a cordiall to comfort it and Physicke to recover it no doubt but there they shall find a refolution for it nor no good thing but there they may get a certainty of obtaining it And therefore to hearten you in all assayes in all distresses miseries and calamities whatsoever to fly to this Name which will be like an Oyntment poured forth to fill and delight the hearts of the Faithfull with the odour of it And though I cannot give you a definition of the Lord your God yet take that description of the name of God notably and comfortably set downe to my hand in Exodus where you may heare the Lord himselfe Proclayming his Name in these ten severall properties Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sins and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the third and fourth Generation Then what misery what trouble what distresse what affliction what calamity can hindâ—r us from comming to the Lord upon the Feet of Faith and Prayer to cry unto the Lord. 1. Are you layd in the low Dungeon of misery as Ionaâ— was in the Dungeon of Hell in the bottome of the Sea in the belly of the Whale Are your Enemies mighty your sufferings many and your oppressions and pressures heavy then cry unto the Lord for he is the Lord strong all power is in him and from him and for him he is the mighty God and he doth not onely use his might for our Salvation but for our Enemies destruction If then your troubles be great and your Enemies mighty be not dismayed your God is greater and mightier to help you out of them then they are to hold you still in them and he rides upon the Heavens full of Majesty and full of ability to deliver you and to set you free from the strongest bonds of affliction Come but once to know Gods all-sufficient Power then no affliction or tryall shall make you faint The least affliction if God support us not in it will be too strong for us but the greatest nay the rushing in of all at once upon us if this strong God be on our side shall not be able to hurt uâ— or daunt us and therefore when our Hands cannot help us nor our Tongues prevaile with unreasonable men let us fly unto this strong Tower the Lord our God And cry unto the Lord. 2 And now least any poor afflicted soule hearing of Gods Power should say I know that God is strong and powerfull but what is that to me it may be he may use his power to my overthrow Nay saith the Lord God is mercifull as well as powerfull and therefore why should any be discouraged by misery since misery is the very object of mercy and the Eye of Divine pitty is ever fixed upon it For the God whom we serve hath no other riches then the riches of his mercy And this was the argument that David so often used Psal 6.2.3.4 Have mercy on me O Lord for I am weake â— O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Returns O Lord deliver my soule save me for thy mercies sake And in anâ—ther Psalme Psal 86.1 Incline thine Eare O Lord and heare me for I am poor and needy And if we come but crying unto him our very misery will be sufficient to work upon him for mercy so that he will be ready to entertaine us like the Father of the Prodigall with an Vnde plangis why weepest thou my Sonne â—â—k 15.20 I will clothe thee with the best Rayment and put my Gold Ring upon thy finger and thy Fare shall be the daintiest morsell nay he will like that Father of the Prodigall stand ready to receive us with his armes uâ—foulded to â—mbrace us with his hands open to invite us with gifts with his head inclined to afford us the kisse of peace and shew forth his love unto us upon every occasion as the Prophet Hosea testifieth Hos 14.4 saying In thee the Fatherlesse shall find mercy Let us then lift up our soules and cry continually in all straits and troubles to this God of