to your Lordship first For the seruice I owe vnto Your Lordship as one whō you pleased to fauour as a soules Physician whose businesse is to preuent or stop vp the loth some issue of this disease which hath ouer-spred euery mans nature so as no man can say My heart is cleane neither are great Men freer from diseases of the soule then of the body Secondly To testifie my true and humble affection in putting into your Lordships hand DAVIDS learning fit for Princes and Counsellors directing the high way to true happinesse For it shewes first the entrance into this way which is godly sorrow confession and mortification of sinne secondly the markes of it that it is the straite the streight the lightsome the cleanest and shortest way of all thirdly the end of it which is gladnesse pleasure and ioy which none shall take away Thirdly To put Your Honour in minde that as the world hath made you almost as happy as it can raysing you first out of an ancient Noble and religious Stocke secondly vnto a goodly Inheritance thirdly into the grace fauor of your Prince fourthly vnto the most Honourable place and seruice with such late accesse of Honours as few of Your Noble Ranke are afore You So Your Lordships care be to annexe that Honor which is from aboue from which there can be no fall whereas daily experience sheweth how miserable the world sometimes leaueth her greatest fauorites Fourthly To prouoke and pray your Honour that imitating the gracious footsteps of your Noble Father and following your owne religious beginnings you proceed with full purpose of heart to cleaue to the truth of God and with heartie and earnest affection continue to embrace the true Church of Christ which the Antichrist of Rome oppugneth and oppresseth yea and with vnweariable endeuours to perseuere in the practice of that holy faith and religion which you haue professed and loued which is the one and onely faith learned of God and his holy Scriptures the onely Catholike and sauing faith the onely ancient because the onely Propheticall and Apostolicall faith the onely true Christian faith which the Truth himselfe hath taught and ratified by his precious bloud euen the bloud of the Couenant the faith not onely preached and written by the ancient Fathers but professed and practised by all the faithfull in all ages As for that Popish faith falsly called Catholike wee are sufficiently able through God to prooue it a new Samaritanisme patched vp of Iudaisme and Gentilisme thrust vpon the blind side part of the world vnder the title of Christianisme And yet in these our so perillous and last times what great numbers and persons are daily carryed away from the faith of Christ into that Apostacie and Idolatry of that great Antichrist I wish other parts of the Land could not bring in euidence to this bill of complaint as well as ours Thus humbly crauing pardon for my boldnesse I beseech God to strengthen your Lordships heart and hands to withstand by all your Greatnesse this Gangrene and long to continue you vnder His Maiestie by your faithfull Counsell a muniment to the decayed estate of our Church an ornament of the Common-wealth a prop of Religion a pillar of Iustice a father of Wards and Orphanes and a comforter of comfortlesse Widdowes the Noble Leiftenant of our Country and high Steward of our Corporation And the same God preserue you vnblamable in your spirit soule and body vntill the day of his appearing Your Honours humbly at commandement T. T. To the Christian Readers Grace bee multiplyed with all Gods blessings MY Christian Readers with whom I haue for some yeeres now trauelled that Christ might be formed in you my harts desire and prayer to God for you is that ye may be saued To this end haue I bended my thoughts labors as one that haue desired to be faithful in seeking not yours but you as your selues I trust will witnesse with mee How Satan hath many wayes bestirred himselfe to hinder vs from attayning that maine end he is of small iudgement but of lesse obseruation that hath not discerned The malicious man neuer ceaseth sowing of Tares but especially when Gods Husbandmen sleepe and keepe not their Watches in their Lords field Many of his enterprizes against vs I will conceale and as one iealous ouer you with an holy iealousie I thought fit to note vnto you an ancient stratageme of his plotted against you to draw you if it were possible from the simplicitie and sinceritie of the Gospell receiued which you must so much the more vigilantly watch against as hee confidently hopeth to cause you to fall by it Satan sees the curiositie sicklenesse and inconstancie of mans nature that it is not content with ancient necessarie truthes and that good things please vs not long but new conceits and doctrines like vs wel and therefore he laboureth in all Churches to mingle and blend with Gods receiued Truth humane conceits and nouel opinions by which practice hee soone brought the Church of Galatia to reuolt to another Gospell Or if Satan cannot doe the great mischiefe which hee would quite to cast the faith of Beleeuers from off the foundation he will doe the lesse which he can he wil surely disturbe them and trouble their mindes with impertinent and vnnecessary to call them from more necessary and pertinent truths and hinder their edification whilest he holdeth them in a kind of suspence and doubt of maine points which should haue bin long since as fast fixed in their hearts as Boaz and Iacim the two Pillars set vp in the porch of Salomons Temple I will passing by all other conceits wherewith you haue beene encombred fasten at this time vpon that straggling deuice of Vniuersall Election and Redemption and reach vnto you such helpe as my selfe haue beene led out of this Labyrinth withall that you may also bee able to put foolish men to silence I may not suffer my Epistle to grow into a Volume or Treatise and therefore referring you to other learned Treatises for the Doctrine I wil stand here as your Defendant to answere such maine or rather vaine obiections as you haue or may be troubled withall Those who would haue vs beleeue that euery singular man is elected and redeemed lay this sandie for a sound ground Obiect First Euery man is bound to beleeue hee is elected and therefore he is elected Euery man is bound to beleeue hee is redeemed and therefore he is redeemed Euery man is bound to beleeue that Christ dyed for him and therefore CHRIST dyed for euery singular man Answ. Master Perkins in his book of Predestination answering to this sophisme findeth iust fault with the manner of reasoning which is wholly vicious neyther can it be concluded in any true forme of Syllogisme And it may bee easie in this kind of sophisme to conclude any thing be it neuer so absurd As for example That which God commands a man
of God and this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is an hand or arme by which wee lay hold vpon blessings if once wee bee perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ wee will easily beleeue that hee will giue vs all things with him for he that giues the greater will not denie the lesse Our Sauiour when diseased persons came for bodily health or ease was wont to say According to thy faith be it vnto thee so in all our requests the presence or absence of faith giues our prayer returne according to the weakenesse or strength of the arme of faith so is the coldnesse or abundance of comfort to our heart so that faith onely giues taste and rellish to the prayer which a beleeuer makes Fifthly Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to begin with Our Father teaching thereby that he must call God Father who must pray acceptably and that includeth sundry child-like affections all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray as first Reuerence and feare when hee comes before his heauenly Father A Sonne honoreth his Father If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and feare Malach. 1. 6. Secondly a child-like boldnesse comming through Christ to a Father full of mercy and compassion pittying his children more then earthly parents can Isa. 49. 15. By Christ we haue boldnesse Heb. 4. 16. Thirdly loue to God as to a Father for a godly man seekes not himselfe in prayer but Gods glory with his owne shame Fourthly charity and loue to our brethren for when wee come into the sight of our Father wee dare not bring prayers in one hand and malice in another but pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue Sixtly onely the godly man can pray acceptably because hee alone hath remoued the barre and partition-wall that stood betweene God and him bringing repentance and godly sorrow for sin with him The blinde man could say God heareth not sinners that is impenitent ones but hee heareth those that are repentant Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Incense in the Law was a type of prayer yet in Isa. 1. 13. the Lord tells the Iewes who came in their sinnes that incense was an abomination vnto him God hates our incense our prayer if we come with prophane hearts as they did he neither receiues it from vs nor we any good thing from him but a godly man hath remoued this rub First Note hence the miserable condition of an impenitent sinner and of an vngodly man that is without remorse and wallowes in vnconscionable sinnes hee cannot pray he neuer prayed in all his life he was neuer in mercy heard in his prayer but loseth all his labour and well if it were no worse for all his prayer is turned into sinne his prayer is abominable Prom. 28. 9. as often as he went about to pray he did nothing but multiply sinne against God he mumbled vp a few prayers and fared accordingly If this be so then it seemes vnlawfull for the wicked to pray if he pray not it is condemnation if he pray it is no lesse He is bound to pray but not to sinne in prayer in the second Commandement hee is inioyned to bow downe and worship God in prayer and the third bindes him euer to doe it well lest he pray in sinne and so take Gods name in vaine Alas then what must he doe only the grace of repentance can reconcile these two and draw the sinner out of this maze and make him pray aright Yea but God heareth the wicked often-times and granteth what they aske as peace vnto Ahab vpon his humiliation God heareth what a wicked man saith in prayer and yet heares not his prayer no not when he giues the same thing that he asketh for first all that the wicked get from him is externall and common to good and bad but no one fauour of speciall grace Secondly he giues them euen that in wrath and vengeance not for their prayers sake Thirdly when they aske things good in themselues and euill for them not knowing to vse them aright hee granteth in iustice what it had beene mercy to haue denyed as contrariwise hee heareth his children in mercy denying them that which they haue sinfully asked Fourthly that which he giues shall turne to their woe and miserie and shall but heape coles vpon their heads euen wealth prosperitie and dignitie all shall but make their sinne out of measure sinfull whereas all things shall worke together for the best to the godly euen crosses and afflictions Fifthly God giues nothing but by vertue of the promise no promise but is by Christ a wicked man hath no part in Christ and therefore neither in the promise a plaine case Sixtly neither is the wicked mans prayer a meanes of granting the request or obtayning his desire so as God stil heares not his prayer for how can that prayer finde accesse or acceptance which is not preferred in Christ but they are fed onely by a generall prouidence as the beasts are Psal. 14. 4. The wicked man calls not on the Lord that is either prayes not at all or as good he did not Let this be a motiue to further our repentance for else if a man vtter neuer so many words of prayer God will not heare him how iust is it that he that will not heare God when he calleth should not be heard of God when hee calleth that he that is a prophane mocker of God God should mocke him in his destruction that he that turnes his eare from the Law should haue Gods eare turned from him that he should aske and not receiue that asketh amisse How iust was it vpon the Iewes who were cruell and of bloudy hands that God should hate their persons and prayers and is it not as iust that vnmercifull men Oppressors Vsurers Ismaels Quarrellers whose hand is against euery man and euery mans against them hard-hearted persons that stop their eares against the cry of the poore that they should cry and not be heard Surely the sentence is passed already that iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy Secondly this doctrine ouerthrowes the idle conceit wherewith numbers of men delude themselues O if they haue but time at their death to say Lord haue mercy then they shall doe well enough though all their life they cast off all care and counsell But what Is the godly man he that shall pray and find mercy and shall prophane wretches that haue set their faces all their dayes against heauen thinke to bee heard in the day of their distresse and death How canst thou then claime any one promise and much lesse all when thou neuer keptest the least condition of faith and repentance How then shall God be iust who hath said that he will laugh at such when their sorrow commeth Besides we must obserue a
Doubtlesse I shall dwell a long time in the house of God How comes Dauid to this conclusion In the former verses he had said The Lord had bin his Shepheard had fed him spred his cloth filled his cup comforted him and so laies one experience to another till he come to this godly perswasion The same doth the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 4. 17 18. He hath deliuered me out of the mouth of the Lion and he will deliuer me from euery euill way Rom. 5. 3. Experience brings hope and hope makes not ashamed For as a poore man hauing often borrowed money of a rich man and hauing found him free and cheerefull formerly hath good hope and much boldnesse that he will still affoord the same fauour in the like case euen so the poore Christian hauing found much supply many times of wisedome strength deliuerance perswades himselfe of the same for time to come First God is honoured when his Word is acknowledged true in it selfe but this the deuils themselues beleeue but by experience wee finde it true to vs and can set our seale to God and his Word which is not onely a great honour to God but also to our selues Secondly Faith in a bare word without experience doth much strengthen and comfort the heart possessing it as when Abraham did receiue the first promise of a son by Sarah hee relyed vpon it and doubted not of the accomplishment but when in temptation and particular troubles wee haue particular proofes of Gods truth in accomplishments it will bee a strong anchor to hold vs fast that we be not carried away with violent winds and waues of temptation as Abraham after experience of Gods power in quickning Sarahs dead wombe and remembring his promise 30. yeeres after he had vttered it when no man almost could haue expected it seeing the whole course of nature was set against him he could easily and readily ouercome himselfe in that difficult tryall of offering his sonne at Gods commandement and the reason was because former experiences perswaded him that hee should rather receiue him from the dead then Gods word should not be fulfilled Thirdly no maruell if experience be such a teacher of affiance in God seeing it findes more sweetnesse by much in the performance of promises then can be conceiued in holding the promises themselues as a man that hath possession of an inheritance which hee held long onely in reuersion by experience of those supplies and comforts he now hath tasteth much more sweetnesse then hee could possibly conceiue while it was his only by entaile and expectation Fourthly the worke of experience euen in ciuil things is of great vse and no lesse in diuine First to make vs bold with God as men are with an experienced friend Secondly to quell those distrustfull feares which distract vs a fresh-water souldier is afraid of euery cracke of a Gun and thinks sure it will cost him his life but a souldier experienced is fearelesse and more valorous Thirdly to quiet the heart in Gods absence and desertion waiting his approch againe Suppose a man put into the world as Adam was if he should see the Sunne set hee would thinke it quite lost but experience teacheth that it will rise the day following and therefore we are content when it is set and waite the rising of it so is it here betweene God and a Christian soule What makes vs content our selues in winter when we see all things dead and withered if such an vncomfortable time should continue euer it would breake the hearts of men but wee know that Summer will returne and then all things will spring againe and this cheeres vs vp so in the winter of temptation we may thinke wee shall neuer see God againe but for all that his grace and spirit shall come and shine againe to vs it shall neuer absent it selfe for euer Alas I haue had many experiences of God and yet I feele many grudgings of despaire I cannot waite I am too short-spirited I cannot come to this affiance by them Neuer had any man experience of Gods former loue but he also sometimes had assured hope and confidence in God but First neuer had any man faith at all times alike which sheweth that it is no naturall facultie which is ordinarily vniforme but supernaturall giuen in such degrees as it pleaseth God and so as place may be left for correction and tryall of his children Secondly sense of weakenesse in a sound Christian is a meanes of strength prouoking a man both to humble himselfe before God in prayer as also to depend vpon Gods strength Thirdly Gods fauour in this life is annexed with trouble as the Sunne is ouer-cast with clouds and the Moone with specks yet as the Sunne shall at length disperse those clouds and shew his light and strength so shall the light of Gods countenance shine vpon his people in such brightnesse at length as they shall out-grow all these cloudes and ouer-casts which hindred their comfort The way then to attayne affiance and sure confidence in God being to get experience of his goodnesse vnto vs wee must take paines in this dutie so fruitfull and comfortable But how shall I come to haue experience of God Know that to experience there goe three things first Knowledge Secondly Obseruation Thirdly Memorie First Knowledge you must know God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his Word and Workes this is the ground of experience and the more a man knowes God the more hee will trust in him as Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will trust in thee The better knowledge the better affiance Now the speciall grounds of this experience to bee knowne are these first that God is the same without change or shaddow of change what he euer was he is still true iust mercifull Secondly that his couenant is the same being an euerlasting couenant and the records of that couenant are for euer the same and truth it selfe Heauen and earth may passe away but one iot of the Word cannot Thirdly that his children being euer as deare vnto him as euer they were hee doth alwayes maintayne their cause for hee were not righteous if hee did not euer loue and maintayne righteous persons and dealing Fourthly that sinne being euer hatefull vnto him he destroyeth it at length and because he neuer fauours wicked men hee confoundeth all their plots and attempts vnder-taken against him or his Secondly another meanes of experience of God is Obseruation of the wayes of God as first the workes of his power and these wee shall see as farre aboue Satans power as infinite is aboue finite and againe so farre from being hindred by our weakenesse as it is perfected thereby 2. Cor. 12. 9. Secondly the workes of his wisedome who knowes how to deliuer the iust out of temptation 2. Pet. 2. 9. Thirdly of his loue and mercy being as willing as able to helpe his children
many sinnes broken off many things reformed it rests it selfe as in a worke of regeneration whereas this is a common worke of the Spirit incident to the wicked whom if God should not represse there were no liuing for the godly on earth Haman did refraine himselfe from Mordecai most sinnes seemed to be mortified in Iudas but yet he was possessed by the deuill Infidels liue honestly and ciuilly abstaine from wrongs violent lusts c. But here is no renuing grace which mortifieth all corruptions and reformeth euery thing and thus was it not in Herod Iudas and the wicked Besides as in regeneration the whole childe is borne compleate in all parts so doth the Spirit begin his worke at the roote of the heart and within and not without as in Infidels and workes not onely in suppressing and restraining sinne but also in oppressing it and renewing the heart and life And here it shall not be amisse to adde some further notes of restraining grace not renewing And first in respect of sinne it selfe A conceit that grosse sinnes be but infirmities though they liue and lye in them bearing themselues vpon this that the iust man falleth seuentimes a day and riseth againe Prou. 24. 16. falsely vnderstood Thus many approue not the excesse of sinne as vainely to sweare the greatest oaths insatiable griping and gaping after the world but why hate they not all oaths all couetousnesse which is idolatry but because there is not a spirit renewing the heart which mortifieth all deedes of the flesh all oaths all lyes Secondly in respect of their affection toward sinne namely a pretence of hatred of sinne when it is but a rash anger For example Of all sinnes which the ministerie is taxed for of the common people there is none so noted and exclamed against as their hardnesse worldlinesse gathering of goods together and the sinne is so seuerely obserued aboue all other as that an honest contented man can scarce be free from this imputation But now though the fault bee hainous and too common what is the reason the multitude so exclames vpon it is it because they hate the sinne surely no for their owne feete are as deepely sunke in the same mire and they care not for plucking them out Angry they are that another out-gathers them but if they hated the sinne themselues would not gather so fast Further many seeme to hate some of their sinnes and sometimes trouble their sinnes and grosse corruptions and wish it otherwise and accuse themselues Many are offended at some errors of Popery some vaine inuentions idle and hurtfull traditions but others are iustified Here is a shew of hatred of sinne of error but it is onely a rash anger for First he that hates one sinne or error because it is so will hate all which he knowes so to be hatred is against kinds we hate all serpents all poysons all enemies so said Dauid I hate all vaine inuentions Secondly one or two euils may be disliked of him that hates no sinne and the sinne hated but not as sinne as Absolom hated Amnon for his incest but himselfe more incestuous Thirdly if thou diddest hate these sinnes and errors as enemies why doest thou not raise thy power against them crie for Christs crucifying power against them a perfit hatred will neuer be satisfied without death or diuorcement If thou hatest her in thine heart why doest not thou put her away If thou hatedst thy sinnes thou wouldest forsake them Thirdly note in respect of the word when men taste the good word and the powers of the life to come they take this to be the Spirit of adoption and a sound affection But obserue the difference and falsehood whereas in Gods children all their affections be affected with it and they feede on it vnto eternall life in these it affecteth their ioy onely and that for a time Gods children loue it beleeue it reioyce to meditate of it rest on it by the confidence of their hearts long for the accomplishment of the promise grieue when they doe any thing to hinder that accomplishment and hate all doctrine against it whereas the bad ground onely is said to ioy in it as in a nouelty Fourthly note in respect of Gods children namely when men loue them onely so farre as may serue their owne turne for some by-respect or other Rules to know our loue to be restraining grace not renewing First euery reuerence of a good man or child of God is not loue Herod neuer loued Iohn but reuerenced him for he saw that in him which strucke him that to haue spoken against him had been to barke against the Sunne God will haue the innocency and grace of his children to be iustified by his enemies and theirs Secondly one or more good men may be fauoured of those that loue no good man Why did Nebuzaradan fauour Ieremie because he loued good men No but because he had foretold the victorie Thirdly euery good speech in defence of good men is not a fruit of loue in the speaker Pilat loued not Christ but yet seeing his innocency asked what euill hee had done washed his hands and was willing to deliuer him Some good words are drawne out of the desert of good men not out of the speakers affection Some out of policie not out of loue when men force a friendship and will speake well when inwardly they enuie the meate they eate and the clothes they weare Fourthly that is no loue of good men which is not a loue of their goodnesse Oh such a man were a good man but he is too strict I could loue him if he were not so plaine with me if hee would let mine eyes alone and not meddle with my lusts he were a sufficient man if he were a little wiser what need he lose his friends thus subtle are men to disclaime goodnesse vnder pretence of louing good men Fifthly thou canst not loue goodnesse in one vnlesse thou doest loue it in euery one hee that scorneth and disgraceth by wicked termes the persons of most Professors loues not indeed the goodnesse of any one let his pretence bee what it will The loue of the Spirit is from Christ in God and for God First to let many poore ignorant soules see their estate they say they are not book-learned and know not so much nor can speak much as other men can but they meane well and haue good hearts to God but is not this to iustifie a heart full of deceite Oh but I see no such thing in my selfe No matter that is thy deceit who art so bewitched with an enemy who while hee laughes in thy face priuily stabs thee and wounds thee to death No no thou art neuer right till thou beest at warre with thy owne heart and till thou canst say and see that thou carriest the greatest enemy thou hast in thy bosome a deceitfull heart is at bed and boord with thee lyeth downe and riseth vp walkes
abroad and staies at home with thee And as it is the most enemie to thee so must thou be to it Paul was neuer right till he found this rebel in himselfe and that many yeeres after his conuersion Secondly knowing that the spirit is so guilefull and the heart so deceitfull suspect it in euery thing watch it the better deale with it as with an vntrusty fellow in whom thou hast found some notable trickes of deceit worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Say not with thy selfe I see not this sinne in my selfe therefore it is not or I see not wherein I haue failed in this or that for all that thou mayest seeing the heart is deceitfull aboue all things and who can see it carry an holy ielousie of thy selfe and suspect thy selfe as Iob did his sonnes It may be my sonnes my selfe haue sinned offer sacrifice or rather apply Christ to thy soule for thy failing in the best actions Thirdly seeing the hart is thus deceitful it teacheth vs not to insult ouer others in their falles seeing our owne hearts may play false with vs. Let no man say that he wil neuer doe this and this as he seeth others do but suspect his heart lest it carry him to worse things then they Peter said he would rather die then deny his Master but the deceitfulnesse of his heart would not let him performe his purpose which deceit he knew not before for then he would not haue taken it so ill when Christ foretold him of it Dauid would haue thought scorne the day before his fall that any should haue told him that he should lie wallowing in so foule sinnes as he did the day after Hazael was farre from the sight of that guile which lay hid in his owne spirit when being told by the Prophet what monstrous wickednesse should bee done by him he asked Am I a dogges head that I should doe this Let vs therfore make this vse of other mens weaknesses Oh if such haue so dangerously fallen in whose hearts I neuer saw such foule things as I see in mine owne why should I be high-minded and not rather feare Rom. 11. 20. Fourthly labour for a sincere heart void of guile Here consider three things First the notes or markes of it secondly the benefit of it thirdly reasons to labour for it First the notes First in duties It hath an vpright endeuour and sincere desire to approue it selfe to God in all things wheras a guilefull heart lookes more at men in good duties then at God more at mens commandements then Gods at mens approbation more then Gods Wee seeke not to pleasemen saith Paul but God who seeth the heart We care not to bee iudged by men but stand or fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God would haue Samuel to honour him before the people Secondly in respect of sinne A sincere heart hateth all sinne wheresoeuer euen small and secret especially it is more seuere against his owne lusts then any other he hates his sinnes past and bewaileth them his present sins to break them off he hates that he doth he hates sinnes to come to preuent them and watch against them whereas a guilefull heart can hate euen motes in his brothers eye but not his owne beames auoides open sinnes not secret smaller hee makes small account of if hee can auoide greater which make greater noise and bring greater shame This man can reioyce in memorie of sin past and bragge of it as a mad pranke which should be as a dagger to his heart whereas Dauids heart smote him for cutting off Sauls lap and as soone as he had numbred the people and Peters as soone as he had denied Christ. This man can reioyce in conceit of a future sinne whereas Dauid and the Saints vow and sweare to keepe the commandements He hath his present darting sinnes which hee will continue in and not let goe let God and man say what they will But is no heart sincere but that which is without sinne It is not the committing of one sinne or presence of more that makes an euill heart for then none should be vpright but the habite and custome of sinning and this is when first in his vnderstanding he is wise to do euill but knowes not to doe well Secondly when he still wills that which is euill Thirdly when his affections still mooue vnto it Fourthly when he walkes in euill as a seruant of sinne at the command of it So is it not with the godly with whom power is often wanting but to will desire and endeuour is present Thirdly a sincere heart professeth religion for it selfe and delighteth in good men and good things as the Word Sacraments and godly company because they are so and because they see some part of Gods image in them Whereas a guilefull heart not hauing denied it selfe professeth for by respects and worldly causes addicted vnto not called out of the world it loueth good men not for their goodnesse but for the respect they haue in the world or some other occasion respecting themselues If then thou wouldest know whether thou hast a sincere heart or no first obserue thy actions both in their nature and ende first in their nature if they be single and pure so is thy heart as is the fountaine and the root such are the streames and the fruit Secondly in their end an honest heart euer aimes at Gods glory directly whereas a guilefull heart euer propoundeth bad ends of good actions Secondly obserue whether thou makest conscience secretly of all sinne yea most seriously of those to which thou art most inclined whether thou hast condemned thy selfe in dust and ashes whether thou hast resisted and preuailed or else liest still vnder the power of corruption Thirdly consider whether thou daily renuest thy purpose of not sinning against God as thou renewest thy daies and whether thou watchest ouer thine owne hart with an holy suspition and wilt for Gods will breake thine owne Fourthly marke whether thou louest God in his image ordinances and children euen then when the world scornes and hates all these here is a good note indeed of a sincere heart Secondly the benefits of it First this sincere heart brings the person into acceptance with God for whom doth he approue but such as walke before him vprightly Abraham Noah Enoch Zacharie Iob and these are his delight Prou. 11. 20. Secondly whatsoeuer worke hath such a ground is acceptable yea and called perfect in the Scripture And indeed sinceritie is all our perfection sincere persons are called perfect in the way Psalme 119. 1. All true worship must be done in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. as First prayer must be a lifting vp of the heart and a powring out of the soule If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare me Prayer proceeding
aboue all things Againe what an indigne thing is it for a man to bee beguiled of himselfe Men cannot abide to be deceiued of others yet most are deceiuers of themselues and that in a thing which should bee so familiar vnto them Is it not a shame to bee deceiued in the knowledge of himselfe and his owne estate In a matter of such moment as the saluation of his owne foule What maruel if Satan and all other deceiue those who are so willing to deceiue themselues VERSE 3. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day For thine hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer SELAH OVr Prophet confirmeth his former Proposition by his owne experience First of the misery hee was in in respect of Gods wrath for his sinne in these two Verses Secondly of blessednesse in respect of remission Vers. 5. It is as if he had said I know what a miserable burden sinne is by wofull experience the guile of my heart ouer-reached me and made me know to my cost what it is to hide and keepe close sinne I was night and day in a little ease my body fayling me my spirit not sustayning me but so tormenting me as that I rored out for paine my miserie while I carryed my sinne was intolerable Whence in generall note First that a Christian must not only heare and learne the Word but also haue experience of it in his owne person as Dauid here teacheth not by Precept only but by his owne example so Psal. 119 75. I know Lord that all thy iudgements are good and Psal. 34. 8. Taste and see how good the Lord is make tryall in your soules and finde it in experience And this is when men will be informed and reformed by it then they taste the sweetnesse of the Gospell But many of great experience in the world haue no insight in the businesse of saluation as being a thing which they thinke concerneth them not Secondly note that euery Christian must make himselfe an example of the Word hee heareth and professeth he must bee a burning and shining light to giue light to others that there may be no Christian duety of Faith Loue Obedience Humility Patience c. but he may shew his measure and degree of it in his owne life and conuersation Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren Thus euery priuate Christian shall be a Teacher in his place and able to strengthen others and say I haue preuailed with God by humility and silence and so shall you I haue preuailed against my sinnes by humble prayer and confession so shall you I haue obtayned comfort in distresse by these and these meanes and so shall you I preserue my peace with God by such and such courses as himselfe hath appointed and so in time shall you Thus must euery Christian by wise obseruation and application of Gods Word and Workes to himselfe shew himselfe an example and copie of the rules of Christian life Masters of Families to them that are about them and Parents to their children Christ came from heauen to be an example of meekenesse and lowlinesse Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly and yee shall finde peace to your soules God himselfe teacheth men by his owne example to rest on the Sabbath as he did to be holy as himselfe is holy c. Farre are they from this that make themselues examples of scoffing the Word and Professors examples in lying swearing drinking oppressing examples in Sabbath-breaking gaming whoring and the like whom we leaue as hopelesse to the Lords rebuke who will take them at the rebound and make them examples of his plagues to as many as they haue beene examples in sinne euen to Men and Angels Are these the fruits of so long hearing of praying and cōming to Church Are these the lessons thou learnest Is this the returne of thy prayer Take vp betime with thy selfe lest God be inforced not to take vp with his displeasure against thee In the two Verses are two points First the touch of conscience for sinne Secondly the reason for thy hand c. The touch of conscience is described First by the cause While I kept close my sinne Secondly by the grieuousnesse of it as it is set forth 1. By the effects which were two 2. By the continuance of this touch day and night 1. The change of the body seene in 2. The roring of the voice 1. His bones consumed 2. His moysture dryed vp First for the cause While I kept close my sinne that is while I dissembled it and confessed it not Whence note First the disposition of a godly mans heart hee cares not to shame himselfe to all the World so God may be glorified Dauid publisheth to all the world his sinne and shame his hiding of sinne and his guile of heart Why doth he thus forget himselfe and his fame He was a King had glory wealth and honor Oh but he was a Christian hee had piety and holinesse in his heart where he can glorifie God he will abase himselfe if he can edifie others he will cast downe himselfe The like we see he did in the 51. Psalme and many other places The like did Moses Daniel and other holy Pen-men of Scripture set downe their owne sinnes and shame so Paul I was a Persecutor an Oppressor a Blasphemer who could say more against him then himselfe did But meaner men then Kings are ashamed to be known of any sinne and flatter themselues Because they are great therefore scarce men but Dauid though a King who had carryed his sinne so secretly as none knew it none could compell him yet is willing for God and his Church and a good conscience to shame himselfe And teacheth vs thereby that euen the greatest though they might without being detected conceale their sinnes yet in some cases must confesse them and that they should more tender the quiet of their consciences then all the honor of the world more respect Gods glory then their owne Cases of open confession are these First in case of publike offence so Achan confessed and gaue glory to God Secondly when knowing our owne sinnes and Gods mercy we confesse them to comfort others so Paul relates of his persecution blasphemy Thirdly to witnesse our sound and thorow turning to God we must not be in some case loth to acknowledge our faults in the face of all the World Many are franke often-times in complayning of themselues and acknowledging of their corruptions but farre short of this holy man for it proceedeth not of hatred of sinne but often from boasting or It proceedeth not from iust ground or settled iudgement but from too light an opinion that our selues are sinners or It often goeth with lesning or excusing the sin or ones selfe and not with exaggerating of his sinne as here to the sound breaking of his heart or It hath
and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done c. Secondly if thou settest thy selfe before God in confession it will breed anguish and sorrow of spirit for that sinne which is confessed as the conuerts Act. 2. 37. were pricked in their hearts in conscience of their sinnes there will be inward griefe for offending a good God and grieuing his good Spirit Thirdly it will bring in a purpose to leaue and forsake that sinne which is confessed and all other Can a man setting himselfe before God confesse that sinne which he purposeth to liue in and hold and not forsake this is but to aske leaue to sinne Nay the setting of a mans selfe before God wil bring in a resolution to renounce all sinne as Hos. 14. 9. Ephraim shall say What haue I more to doe with Idols Fourthly it will bring in a secret but most earnest desire of forgiuenesse for it cannot but consider in God First the Maiestie offended Secondly the danger of his wrath which is a consuming fire and an execution of all the plagues written in the booke of the Law and thirdly the riches of his mercie in prouiding so precious a meanes of redemption which neither man nor Angell could once thinke of 1. Pet. 1. 18. Fiftly it breeds a reforming of that which is amisse and an healing of the error as Zacheus did Luke 19. 8. Lord halfe my goods I giue to the poore according to the counsell of Samuel 1. 7. 3. If ye be come againe to the Lord with all your heart put away the strange gods frō among you Sixtly it breeds an holy feare for time to come because it beholds Gods eye vpon euery sinne his anger on euery one till by the bloud of Christ he be appeased his mercie in forgiuing that he may be feared and this feare abates the rage of sinne nay it will feare the occasion and hate the appearance of euill 1. Thes. 5. 22. and the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. Seuenthly there is a mourning and complaining vnder the burden and bondage of sinne Oh who shall deliuer me from the body of this death saith Paul and Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardned our heart from thy feare Eighthly there is great desire 2. Cor. 7. 11. namely a longing to satisfie Paul and the rest of the members of the Church with desire to be restored to their fauours and fellowship Ninthly Confession to men For duties of Pietie and Charitie must goe together or else all is abominable as appeares Ier. 7. 9. 10. Will ye steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsely and burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say We are deliuered though we haue done all these abominations So Isay 1. 11. What haue I to do with your sacrifices c. for your hands are full of blood verse 15. Against my selfe This is the second branch of the manner of Dauids confession hee will confesse against himselfe Hence note that He that will truely and soundly confesse his sinne must become his owne vtter enemie he must set himselfe against himselfe as much as possibly he can So did DAVID here hee shamed himselfe to all posteritie and spared not his owne name though a King so GOD might haue the praise of his mercie and the Church the benefit of his example Iob 42. 6. When Iob was reproued for his inconsiderate words he brake out at last into this speech I abhor my selfe and repent my selfe in dust and ashes He is a great enemie that hates man but farre greater that abhors him yet so was Iob to himselfe Daniel in his prayer saith I am confounded and ashamed to looke vp to heauen shame and confusion of face belongs vnto vs this day Dan. 9. 5. c. So close doth he follow the matter against himselfe 1. Tim. 6. 13 15. Saint Paul rippeth vp his owne grieuous sinnes in such sort as his greatest enemy could not haue spoken more against him then he spake against himselfe Hee was not contented to call himselfe a vile person but as though he had said too little he adds that he is the chiefest of all sinners Who could more accuse the poore Publican then he did himselfe Oh I am not worthy to lift vp mine eyes to heauen Luc. 18. 13. and the Prodigall Son I am not worthy to be called thy Son Luc. 15. 18 19. And good reason it should be so for First sound confession is called a iudging of our selues 1. Cor. 11. 31. Now in the course of iudgement there are foure things all against the partie to be iudged First arraignement and this in confession is when wee present and summon our selues before the barre of Gods iustice Secondly examination and this is when wee narrowly inquire of our selues what wee haue done wherein as the Kings Atturney sifteth out and exaggerateth euery circumstance of the crime against a Traytor to make it seeme as odious as may be so should we sift out euery circumstance of our sinne to make it as vile to our owne eyes as may be so as our hearts may be conuinced Thirdly conuiction or pleading guiltie and confession that is when with the penitent Thiefe our soules can say We are righteously here and iustly laid vnder Gods indignation worthy to be cast into Hell And neuer was he truely humbled that is more ashamed to confesse sinne then to commit it Fourthly there is an execution and holy reuenge 2. Cor. 7. 11. and this is when we beate downe our bodies and mortifie our members and vndertake good duties that the like occasions may be preuented for afterward These parts of an enemy doth euery humbled soule take vp against it selfe when it iudgeth it selfe before God and who can be a greater enemie to himselfe then he that doth so Secondly it is an essentiall difference betweene the sound confessions of the godly and the slubberd confessions of the wicked the godly renounce themselues and their sinnes but hypocrites doe not they neuer learned the first lesson of Christianitie which is selfe-denial their mindes are set vpon euill workes and therefore how can they be against them They repent not but with a repentance to be repented of Thirdly all the accusers and enemies that the child of God hath if they be put together cannot obiect halfe so much against him as hee can against himselfe men may speake much but not so much as himselfe And therefore if he deale truely betweene God and himselfe he will so shame himselfe as all his enemies cannot And for this end God hath seated the conscience in the middle of the soule as a Iudge of the actions and hath giuen it an eye to pry into the secrets of the heart and cleared
precise points he shal be generally condemned What then Dauid cast away all such by-respects and Moses forsooke all euen Pharoahs court to abide reproch with Christ Heb. 11. 24 25 26. the Apostle left all and followed him and the Saints alway counted the reproches of Christ aboue the treasures of a Kingdome They so ordered their families that they would not brooke a lyer a swearer a deceitfull person a prophane and scoffing Ismael all must be cast out Oh then we shall shortly doe our worke ourselues But Dauid did so Psal. 101. 5 7. and other of Gods children are we not also counselled Heb. 12. 16. that no prophane person be amongst vs Thus we see that there is no such strictnes but an example therof may be found in the Scripture therefore let the world scoffe and laugh while it will yet the godly must make vse of these examples Thirdly we must hence learne to be ready to speake of our experiences of God to euery godly man that others may learne from vs to trust in his mercie so doth Dauid Psal. 66. 16. Come harken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule Thus are Fathers charged to tell their children and the children their children concerning the Passeouer and the stones that were pitcht in Iordan So Hezekiah said when longer life was granted him Isa. 38. 19. The liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth And by this meanes there shall be a succession of men still vpon earth to tell of the mercies of God when we are gone and so while we in our owne persons shall doe it in heauen others by our meanes shal do it on earth Fourthly here is a note to know when a man makes right vse of the Scripture not onely when hee beleeues the storie for so doe the deuils but when he affects it applies it to himselfe mingleth it with faith to make it profitable to admonish himselfe and others by it Hence issue three great benefits First a Christian shall be in no condition but he shall bee able to parallell his estate in some of the Saints hee shall see his owne case in some of them and so shall obtaine instruction direction and consolation by them Secondly wee shall testifie to God and his Saints when our liues shall be exemplarie and conformable to godly precepts and examples Thirdly in the day of iudgement we shall haue all the Saints Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles to witnesse with vs and for vs. In a difficult case a man would giue all hee hath for a witnesse on his side and we in this great assise of life and death shall haue the witnesse of all the godly God shall stand for vs the practices of the Saints shall iustifie our practices if we iustifie their practices here they shall iustifie ours hereafter Euery one that is godly HEre is the person that must pray the godly and euery one of them The word translated godly signifies in Hebrew two things first one whom God sheweth mercy vnto a gracious man in fauor and grace with God so the elect are vsually called vessels of mercy that as a vessell is filled with liquor so are they with Gods mercy Secondly it signifies one that sheweth mercy a mercifull man which is a propertie of a godly man who is like his father mercifull as he is the lionish and wooluish nature is put off and hee is become humble meeke gentle as the Lambe and the little childe Isai. 11. 6. Out of the former consideration wee may note that Onely the godly man is fit to pray or onely hee that hath grace can pray for grace vessels of mercy can pray for mercy and none else Prou. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Genes 4. 4. The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but vnto Caine and his offering he had no respect Now by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11. 4. First His person was accepted because he was in Christ and then his sacrifice Iames 5. 16. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Ier 11. 11. Though they crie vnto me I will not he are them What is the reason see it in the tenth verse They turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words c. The reasons of this point are these First he must be a good man that must pray a good prayer a good tree that must bring forth good fruit a bad man cannot make a good prayer for such as the roote is such is the fruit Secondly he only can pray aright that hath the Spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to cry Abba Father this is the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. neither doth God know any other voyce but the voyce of his owne Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Pray in the Spirit Yea but it is said Luk. 11. 13. the holy Ghost is giuen to them that aske him therefore hee can pray and obtayne the Spirit that wants him The scope of this place is not to shew whether the holy Ghost or prayer goe before but to shew how those that receiue the Spirit are to be exercised who where he is lyeth not dead or idle in the heart but stirs vp desires and grones vnspeakeable But how can a man pray for the holy Ghost and obtayne him when he hath him already By the holy Ghost is meant first the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Secondly the inward sense and feeling of him in the heart thus we may pray both for increase of his gifts and for a comfortable sense and feeling of him for neither of them is euer so great but we may still pray for more to haue them increased Shall we not pray for daily bread because we haue bread or shall not we say Forgiue vs our sinnes because wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes yes because we pray for Gods staffe and blessing on the former and a more full and comfortable feeling of the latter Thirdly onely the godly man can pray because hee only hath the promise of prayer all the promises of life in grace and glory are made to godlinesse the promise to be heard in prayer is made to the go dly man Ioh. 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Word in you aske what ye will and it shall be giuen you How can hee aske mercy that hath no part in mercy or how can he be heard in mercy to whom mercy belongs not Fourthly because onely the godly man hath faith without which nothing can please God this faith assureth vs of that we aske and issueth from iustifying faith see 1. Ioh. 5. 13 14. That yee may beleeue in the name of the Sonne
sense of his want his voyce not tuned by the Spirit his lips walke but his heart mooues not so hee babbleth wordes he is soone wearie he is in a businesse that hee is not vsed to and at least hee holds not on till God answere him Fifthly if he obtayne reliefe or release he can impute it to second causes and then he hath done with God till he need him againe Thus he hath neither experience of Gods loue nor increase of loue to God Thus it is hard for him to pray in affliction and he can neuer doe it well that is not a godly man accustomed to prayer in his peace In a time when thou mayest be found HEre is the fourth or last point in the godly mans practice namely the time when hee shall pray The phrase implyeth three things first that prayer is a seeking of God for finding supposeth seeking Secondly that there is a time when God though sought will not bee found Thirdly that there is a time when the godly shall finde him For the first Prayer is a seeking of God Isa. 55. 6. Seeke the Lord while he may be found Call yee vpon him while he is neere The latter wordes expound the former Psal. 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me he saith not I prayed and was heard but I sought and was heard because his prayer was a seeking 2. Chron. 20. 3. When the good King Iehoshaphat proclaymed fasting prayer he is said to set himselfe to seeke the Lord. But God is euery-where present and what neede wee seeke him or seeing hee is neuer absent how can hee bee found In God are two things to be considered first his Essence Secondly his Presence His Essence or Godhead which is not farre from any of vs Act. 17. 27. wee neither seeke nor finde But his Presence or some comfortable signe of his presence and grace we are commanded to seeke and to our comfort doe often finde this is called in the Scripture the seeking of the face of God the face is that whereby a mans presence is knowne and whatsoeuer it is wherein the Lord doth manifest his presence is called the face of God see Gen. 32. 30. Yea but the Lord said to MOSES No man can see my face and liue Exod. 33. 20. The face of God is either prima or secunda praesentia Deitatis or habitationis First the first face of God is his diuine Essence which is inuisible which no man euer saw or can see both because he is a Spirit and cannot be seene of any mortall Creature as also because our weakenesse is such as the brightnesse of such Maiestie would bring vs to nothing for if our eyes cannot without the destruction of themselues behold the brightnesse of the Sunne-beames being a creature how are we able to behold the infinite and surpassing brightnesse of the Creator Secondly the second face of God is his grace and fauour called in Exodus the backe-parts of God when God doth manifest his gracious Presence or some part of his glorie in some ordinarie or extraordinarie reuelation of it Of the former God speaketh to Moses of the latter speakes Iaacob hee had seene God face to face that is more cleerely and manifestly then euer before and therefore he called the place Penuel In the old Testament the Arke of the couenant was called the face of God and the seeking of speciall testimonie of his presence there is called the seeking of his face because the Lord many wayes there gaue speciall testimonies of his presence as First by giuing Answeres and Oracles from the Mercy-seat Secondly by preseruing it from the contempt of his Enemies so as fiftie thousand Bethshemites were slaine for looking into it nay the Priests the Sonnes of Aaron might not see it but onely the high Priest once a yeere Thirdly by winning honour to it by diuers miracles as that before it the waters of Iordan were diuided the walls of Iericho fell downe and Dagon before it lost his head and hands And because God was so specially present there the Iewes must in their prayers turne their faces towards the Arke and towards Ierusalem as Daniel did being in Chaldaea And that the Iewes might know where to finde God at all times hee told them that hee would dwell in the Sanctuarie and sit between the Cherubins Exod. 35. 8. Indeede the Iewes were encouraged hereby to seeke God but what is that to vs If wee had such a set place where GOD had tyed his presence and residence wee should haue more comfort to seeke him then now wee haue Wee want not encouragement of seeking God nor neede doubt of finding him if wee take these grounds with vs First if wee seeke him in his owne house for where should a man be found but in his owne house God had one standing house in the Old Testament not where his infinite essence which the heauen of heauens was not able to containe but where his Name and memoriall dwelt but in the new he hath a number of houses and being omni-present he will be found in them all First the Church-assemblies thefe be so many Bethels or houses of God there the Church sought him and found him Cant. 6. 1. among the tents of Shepheards and Christ was downe in the Garden and among the beds of Spices that is the assemblies of the Saints where graces grow vp as sweet spices in a bed Christ delights to walk in the midst of the golden Candle-stickes therefore in these houses of Prayer seeke him by faithfull prayer and thou shalt not misse him Secondly euery Christian Family is a house of God where two or three consent in any one thing in his name Christ is in the midst them Adams Family where God was worshipped and sacrifices offered was Gods face whence Cain complaines he was cast out And the Apostle saluteth priuate Christians with the Church in their houses Therefore make thy house Gods house by setting vp his worship therein and thou shalt haue him neere thee with all sweet fellowship and fulnesse of blessednesse Thirdly euery Christian soule is a temple of GOD. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Yee are the Temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwell among them and walk there Then make thy heart his Temple and if thou wouldst finde him seeke him there thou shalt finde him no where else or sooner then there Adore him in thy soule and worship him in his holy Temple offer vpon the Altar a pure heart thy sacrifice euen the sweet incense of prayer Let the candle of thy faith euer burne before God let the Arke of thy soule keepe the tables of Gods commandements and keepe within thy heart that pot of Manna euen Christ the bread of life By this meanes thy soule is Gods Temple where he will be found as a man is in his owne house Secondly as we must seeke him in his owne house so by his
day-booke for daily receits and by occasion of one often looke backe vpon others it were neither vnnecessary nor vnprofitable to haue such a day-booke to write vp our receits from God assuredly it would much helpe our slipperie memories which we are loth to trust in ciuill matters and helpe the Lord sometime to his due Therefore write and register the noble acts of the Lord Psal. 102. 18. Secondly if we set speciall markes vpon them and raise some monument or other of them in the heart Many wayes in the old Testament did the godly help their memorie and keepe in minde the speciall fauours receiued of God sometimes by compiling holy Psalmes which are preserued in the Church for the preseruing of Gods mercies in memorie as Dauid wrote many and the faithfull sang praises for their deliuerance out of the Red Sea Exod. 15. 1. 2. sometimes by setting vp stones as in Gilgal where the waters of Iordan were diuided for the passage of the Israelites sometimes by erecting Altars as the Patriarkes did in those places where God specially appeared vnto them and vouchsafed them a gracious presence sometimes by imposing new names or changing the old as Abram into Abraham and Iaakob into Israel so Gen. 22. 14. Abraham called the place where he receiued a Ram to sacrifice in stead of Isaac Iehouah-ijreh the Lord will see or prouide All these things were done either by commandement or inspiration from God that the mercies of God might not be forgot but might be declared from Parents to Children and so might be continued in minde with all the Ages of the World Secondly this serues to reproue the carelesnesse of men in this dutie few returne with the Leper to praise God and Christ is faine to aske Where are the other nine Naaman would giue Elisha a reward when hee was cured but the reward which men returne to the Lord shewes they be not yet cured from their sinnefull leprosie How doe men swallow the mercies of God as the Swine doe mast not looking vp to the tree scarce blessing their meat How doe we vnder-prize them and the commonnesse of mercies lets vs not see the worth of them as the precious Word of life to say of it as they did Oh this Mannah we see nothing but this Mannah and so concerning our dayes of peace Oh it was better say some when we had Warres the more Fooles we that know not how to vse our peace and testifie so great vnthankefulnesse for so great a mercy The Saints of the primitiue Church knew better how to vse their peace Act. 9. 31. that Church had rest and they were edified and walked in the feare of the Lord and multiplyed in the comfort of the holy Ghost How lamentably doe men abuse their wits their strength and health to drunkennesse surfetting and vncleannesse their wealth and calling to iniustice coozenage couetousnesse their meat and drinke to riot and excesse as though the Lord required no other returne or would require no other reckoning How doe men forget the great mercies of God both common and priuate We haue forgot the wonderfull deliuerance from those bitter and bloudie times of Queene Mary we haue forgot the happy gouernement of Queene Elizabeth and the blessed proceedings of the Gospell therein we haue forgot the miraculous ouer-throw of the inuincible Nauie in the yeere 88. we haue forgot the peaceable entrance of His Maiestie when we had cause to feare the dayes which many hoped for wee haue forgot the fift of Nouember the strangest deliuerance that euer God bestowed on any Nation from the bloudie fierie and hellish plot of the Papists by gun-powder we haue forgot our freedome from the plague which wasted thousands and ten thousands in our streets And no maruell if we forget mercies past when blessings present are not remembred We forget that God hath created vs reasonable creatures that he hath giuen vs wisedome in our soules proportion and strength in our bodies We forget that wonderfull redemption wrought by Christ which no creature was able to deuise and the Angels desire to pry into a redemption farre more glorious and victorious then that ouer Pharaoh out of Egypt We forget our day of visitation our time and talents that our Master hath giuen vs to trafficke withall Oh but we cannot forget these things Yes we can and doe as the Israelites were no sooner gotten out of the Wildernesse but incontinently they for gate Gods wonderous workes Psal. 106. 13. what workes were those First their preseruation in Egypt and increasing against Pharaohs power or policy Secondly their deliuerance at the Red Sea Thirdly the mightie miracles by which he preserued them in their Clothes Shooes and Mannah Why how could they forget these at least so soone they could discourse of them long after We are said to forget Gods workes first when we set not our mindes on them as Isa. 57. 11. Thou hast not remembred me nor set thy minde thereon and Deuter 32. 2. Remember the dayes of thy youth and consider they knew and sometimes did remember that such things had beene done but they did not set their mindes on them nor consider for what purpose God had done all this Secondly wee are said to forget Gods workes when though we hold them in our vnderstanding and memorie yet our practice shewes we remember them not when our liues and courses are not answerable to his mercies as when Israel left the true worship of God and sought to Idols it is said that they forgate God Doe wee walke as redeemed from vaine conuersation Doe we improue our day of visitation according to the light and meanes that we haue Doe we trafficke with our talent to our Masters aduantage and not our owne These things while we may be conuinced of we are also conuinced of forgetting God not only in things past but in present also Oh let vs take heede and breake off this sinne by repentance and expresse more dutifull thankefulnesse towards God and consider first how the Lord prizeth thankes and praise aboue all sacrifice as Psal. 50. 13. Will I eate the flesh of Bulls or drinke the bloud of Goates offer vnto God praise and pay thy vowes and Psal. 69. 30. 31 I will praise the name of the Lord with a song and will magnifie him with thankesgiuing This shall please the Lord better then an Oxe or a Bullocke Secondly consider what an intolerable hypocrisie it is to be more earnest Suters for mercies than thankefully Acknowledgers of mercies receiued Thirdly consider vvee how God preuents vs vvith mercy and is first in goodnesse and free in bountie vvhich vvould make vs thinke vpon some returne as the Saints haue done before vs. Fourthly acquaint vve our selues vvith the life of Heauen and hereby begin life eternall vvhich vvhen the Saints vvere depriued of how did they lament their estates Psal. 84. Fiftly must vve praise God for euill and for affliction and
their whole course How peruert they authoritie to iniustice wrong oppression How doe they by meanes of their wealth swell in pride and arme themselues to contentions to contempt of inferiours equals and betters and to tumble in all voluptuousnesse and lusts so strengthning themselues against God Some blaspheme GOD in his goodnesse in stead of thankes as the Israelites did Deut. 1. 27. saying Because the Lord hated vs hee brought vs out of Egypt to destroy vs What could bee greater blasphemie then this yet this is our horrible sinne also to receiue good things of God and repay euill Secondly as many of vs faile in doing the dutie First when wee can vse some common tearmes of thankefulnesse as many can thanke God for all but first without all affection beseeming the dutie there is no heartie acknowledgement nor glad entertainment of the mercie wee are farre from these Songs of deliuerance we tell not of Gods goodnesse as Dauid did Psal. 66. 14. Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soule and as Moses told Iethro what God had done for them Exod. 18. 8. If a friend should doe vs a kindnesse wee would reioyce in it and tell others what such a one hath done for vs and according to our ioy in it would our care be to testifie thankefulnesse and our sorrow and accusing of our selues to bee backeward herein Secondly without all action as though wee would pay all our debt to God with good wordes whereas soundnesse of thankefulnesse is seene in actions and the life of the dutie is not in a sound of wordes but in the carriage of the life and course Dauid did loue the Lord because he had heard him Ps. 116. 1. Euerie new mercie is a new testimonie of Gods loue and a nevv spurre of our loue to God as Dauid in the same place would pay his vowes to God which hee made in affliction to set forth Gods prayse he would keepe his iudgements and doe righteously alwayes Psal. 106. 3. see Psalme 111. 1. 2. to the 10. This is that which GOD requires of his people when hee hath giuen them the good land and accomplished all his promises that they should not forget him but feare him and walke in his wayes Deut. 6. 10. 11. If a Land-lord should come to demand his Rent and the Tenant thinke to please him with good words but neither pay him his due nor regard any of the conditions of his Lease agreed vpon should not hee both deceiue himselfe and cause the Lord to re-enter for not paying Would God we were so wise to acknowledge that the Lord lookes for another manner of Rent then words and that as wee will not let Leases goe for not paying of Rent to man so wee would giue the Lord no iust cause to straine vpon vs and all that wee haue for breaking our conditions with him To him that doth vs a great pleasure we professe our selues in his debt and acknowledge our selues at his command to the vttermost of our power Oh let vs blush and be ashamed to be so superficiall in actuall and substantiall thankefulnesse towards our God! Secondly a number make shew of many thankes but all is in pride and hypocrisie and can thanke God for that they neuer had and much lesse the sense of it The Pharise praysed God for that he neuer had Luc. 18. 11. Oh he was neuer so bad as the Publicā no Extortioner nor an vniust person like others Ciuill men will thanke God they doe no man harme come to Church liue in compasse and good fashion they thanke God they beleeue as well as the best without all doubting they be good subiects and they loue God with all their hearts Here is a Pharise iustifying himselfe but hee goes not away so he departs not iustifyed But the poore Leper fell downe humbly on his face at Christs feet praysing God and the Publican at the Church-doore Iaakob is lesse then the least of Gods mercies and Abraham before God is but dust and ashes The Papists make shew of thankes to God for their saluation which yet they can merit for themselues all one as to thanke God for nothing for they must come to Heauen by their owne good deeds and what needes then the mercie of God Some of our ignorant people thanke God they can serue God and say their Prayers as well as any but what Prayers the tenne Commandements and Creed the Aue-Mary A Popish thankesgiuing when there is not a word of prayer in them all Thirdly euen the best of vs are infinitely wanting in this dutie when wee set our selues to the best performance of it as appeareth by these things First in our prayses wee cast our eye chiefly on temporall things and are more feeling and feruent in our prayses for them then for spirituall mercies wee dote too much vpon them as the Israelites did Numb 11. 5. saying Wee remember the Fish which wee did eate in Egypt freely the Cucumbers Leekes Onyons and Garlicke that wee had there but now our soules are dryed away and there is nothing but this Mannah Whereas the Apostle counted all things but doung for Christ and in comparison of spirituall blessings wherewith he beginneth his prayses Phil. 3. 5. and Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things and so he goeth on in this Argument as one that cannot get out of it Wee had cause of comfort in our affections if wee could forget the things that are below in comparison of heauenly blessings Secondly how partiall are wee in our thankesgiuing for a great blessing wee can giue some thankes but those that wee count smaller wee passe sleightly whereas were our eyes so cleere as they ought wee could not but see God in the least of them Besides wee can sometime giue thankes for a present mercie with some affection but wee forget eaten bread whereas Salomon gaue thankes as well for the promise made to Dauid as the accomplishment of it to himselfe 2. Chron. 6. 10. but the great workes of GODS mercie are to vs but nine dayes wonder Further whereas wee are bound to thankefulnesse euen for those mercies which GOD hauing promised hath in store for vs how doe wee confine our thoughts to the present not looking beyond the day to prouoke our selues to this dutie Dauid goes further and sayth Oh how great good things hast thou laid vp in store for them that feare thee especially seeing they are such as eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neyther can enter into the heart of man to conceiue 3. When we set our selues to be thankful how sleight how short are we in this dutie part of Gods worship we can in the grosse lumpe turne ouer a great heape of mercies not willing to trouble our selues with the particular recounting of fauours which would bee a speciall helpe to the dutie Iaakob farre otherwise Gen. 32. 10. I am
this musicke must be these first it must tend to edification and therefore it must be vnderstood Secondly it must not carry away the heart or eare either of the Singer or of the Hearer but stirre it vp Thirdly it must not consist more in fragore quà m feruore more in contention of voice then intention of heart Fourthly it must be orderly not wasting the time of preaching for the better must take place and take vp more time Here therefore is not approued that practice of the Papists in turning out of the preaching of the Word for their chanting of Masses and musick which is first in Latin and therefore cannot be vnderstood nor edifie Secondly superstitious for all of them hold Masse sung to be more holy and meritorious then Masse said Thirdly they sing to Idols and God is not the matter of their songs The best Organe in Gods seruice is a Christian and faithfull mans heart set that in tune and there will be sweet musicke But as for our singing of Psalmes in publike and priuate the vse of them is excellent if vsed aright first to celebrate the Name of God in the acknowledgement of his mercies Secondly by singing to awaken our dull hearts and raise them towards God Thirdly as to testifie our owne thankefulnesse and shew our affection and reioyce our selues in him so also to stirre vp others to zeale and feruencie as Psal. 34. 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let vs exalt his name together Fourthly to comfort and refresh our sorrowfull spirits as Paul and Silas being in prison sung to God euen at midnight Act. 16. 25. Fiftly to learne by the examples of the Saints to feare God to trust in him in aduersitie and so to confirme our selues in pietie Sixtly to be acquainted with the Psalmes and learne them by heart in which is a most artificiall anatomie of the soule of a Christian shewing most liuely his whole state and constitution Secondly if the matter of our songs be best when diuine it condemnes all those wanton songs and tunes which misse-tune the heart and affections and tend to nothing but corruption Dauids songs were of God but how vaine and vile are the songs of our common people How happily might they make exchange of their wanton Sonnets and filthy Ballads with these holy Psalmes first doth not the Apostle include such amorous lewd songs vnder iesting or foolish talking which he aduiseth Christians to exchange with thanksgiuing Ephes. 5. 4. Secondly must we giue an account of euery idle word and not of euery idle song which is hurtfull to our selues and others and keepes out better Thirdly it is a manifest note of a carnall man to be delighted with wicked or foolish songs Doth not want of spirituall affection argue the want of the Spirit And doth not want of spirituall songs argue want of spirituall affection And if it be so our eyes see a generall decay of godlinesse and increase of Atheisme and prophanenesse among our people who are generally decayed in singing Psalmes and delight to sing nothing but prophane Ditties barring grace out of the heart But I cannot passe ouer the practice of wicked Fidlers who make it their profession and get their liuing by the daily poysoning of many with themselues by most filthy and ribaldrie songs shamelesse and vnchaste Ditties setting themselues to please the foule and wicked hearts and eares of men to the displeasure of God and their owne damnation without timely repentance I may not name Dauids songs almost the same day with these detestable Ditties But if filthinesse and fornication ought not to be named among Saints then should there be no place for such Teachers of filthinesse whose mouthes were better be without tongues then filled with songs of any such kinde for as these doe much infect and poyson others so any better vnbeseeme themselues Cannot we by all our labour and best endeuours preuaile with men while wee prouoke them to puritie of heart and life such is the gulfe of naturall vncleannesse and filthinesse And is there any neede of such firebrands and incentiues of lust Doe men neede spurres and prouocations to vnchastitie and filthinesse If it be not in the power of Christians to stop the mouthes of such Satanicall Factors yet let them be wise to stop their owne eares lest hereby the Deuill cast a sparkle into their Gunne-powder Thirdly let vs learne to checke our selues when we finde our selues heauie and wearie in talking of good things and of our gracious God seeing the godly account this a refreshing and matter of godly songs and when we finde want of Spirit and coldnesse of heart in singing Psalmes publike or priuate for this argues decay in godlinesse and coldnesse in Religion seeing the heart must leade the tongue and a ioyfull tongue accompanies a gracious heart Meanes to help forward our songs in God are these First make vp thy peace with God Acquaint thy selfe with him then shall the Almightie be thy delight Iob 22. 21 26. Grow vp in the knowledge of God the more thou knowest him the more full will thy ioy be especially get assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes Secondly delight in his Word and Ordinances as in the deedes of thy saluation Psal. 119. 54. Thy Statutes haue beene my songs in the house of my pilgrimage Thirdly get sinceritie of heart for Can an hypocrite delight himselfe in the Almightie Iob 27. 10. No hee cannot Fourthly beware of intangling thy heart with wicked or worldly pleasures for these are as water cast into heauenly heates keepe out carnall ioyes and labour to make thy ioy more heauenly VERSE 8 9 10. 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eye 9. Be not like an Horse or like a Mule which vnderstand not whose mouthes thou doest binde with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee 10. Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compasse him NOw we come to the third vse of the former doctrine laid downe in the former part of the Psalme which concerneth our obedience vnto God the summe of it is this that when a Christian hath gotten remission of sinnes hee must take heede of offending God any more and indeuour to walke worthy of so great a mercy These three Verses contayne first a Preface to the exhortation in the eighth Verse Secondly the exhortation it selfe standing of a graue and sharpe counsell or aduice Be not like the Horse or Mule that is be not so indocible as thou wast neither stand out stubbornely with God as thou didst before thy iustification Thirdly the Reasons or inforcements of the counsell drawne first from the plagues of God vpon indocible and incorrigible persons Many are the sorrowes of the wicked Secondly from Gods great good wil towards his own who haue got assurance of remission of sinne Mercy or goodnesse shall
such things and these men heare no more or to no more purpose but to make their damnation iust they liue for the present if they feele nothing they are well enough nothing that they heare troubles them And if this be not a brutish propertie aske the brutes themselues and they will tell thee This teacheth vs to take shame to our selues and be humbled when wee see this to bee our disposition that wee haue not vnderstood nor beene warned by the Word of GOD nor considered of his wayes but as brute beasts haue been led by lusts and sensualitie while the Lord hath spoken vnto vs whereby in Gods reputation wee are worthily cut from the account of men nay thrust farre lower then they as the Lord often shameth his owne people by the brute beasts themselues as Isa. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Crib that is by much sense and daily good-turnes may bee brought to know their Benefactors wherein he preferreth them before his people that by no benefits neuer so great or constant would bee brought to know him Yea and whereas nature hath taught the silly birds the Crane Storke and Swallow to know their seasons Ier. 8. 7. neither nature nor grace hath taught such as professe themselues GODS people to know God a. right Secondly this sheweth what men may thinke of such as are vnteachable and vnwilling to learne the will of God If we frame our iudgement to Gods wee are to thinke no better of them then of the Horse or Mule Numbers will not bee taught and as many who are capable enough in earthly things to reach them and ouer-reach others yet are altogether vncapable of heauenly both of these as they haue liued without GOD and his Word all their liues so they liue still Well were it for them they were no worse then Horses and Mules when they dye their miserie ends when these dye their vnhappinesse begins when Christ shall appeare in flaming fire to render vengeance to all them that know not God nor obey his Sonnes Gospell Thirdly if wee would retaine not the place of Christians only but euen of men wee must bee perswaded to be vnlike the Horse and Mule who are without vnderstanding We must labour to vnderstand what is the good and acceptable will of God for which purpose we must vse the meanes to get out of our naturall ignorance and they be these First because God teacheth by his Word we must cōscionably frequent the Ministerie I say not customably but cōscionably if you should bring your Horse Mule as your little Dogges to the place of knowledge you may make them stand or lye quietly you can make them learne nothing and doe you your selues no more the more you heare and frequent meanes without profit the liker you make your selues to the Horse and Mule Secondly God speakes by his Spirit which makes the Word effectuall wee must therefore heare the voyce of the Spirit not the sound of the wordes so much but the meaning of the Spirit An Horse or Mule can heare a sound of wordes but haue no distinct sense and if a man come and heare wordes and endeuour not to bee led into the meaning of GODS Spirit hee goes not beyond his Horse in hearing A beast by much paines may bee taught something of man which runnes into the senses and if thou beest onely taught by man and not by God that thine eares heare but the heart which God must teach bee vnperswaded thou art not beyond thy beast in knowledge Therefore pray for Gods Spirit to teach thee hee is the Spirit of illumination the Spirit whose office is to lead into all Truth Thirdly thou must lay vp instruction hide the word in thy heart lay vp and binde vp the Lessons in thy soule not to lose or depart from them The Horse or Mule by sense will conforme for the present and doe that they see they must doe but want vnderstanding to make vse of that knowledge for time to come Like to the Horse or Mule are they that for the present heare and bee affected and seeme desirous to conforme to the Doctrine deliuered but no sooner out of the place but all is forgotten and all good motions quenched all the vse of their instruction is confined to the present time and for time to come is as meerely lost as wordes and perswasions vpon an Horse or Mule Fourthly thou must grow vp in the similitude of the Word thou hearest the Word must make thee of a man a new man of a good man a better man thou must be changed into the Word It is a Word of Faith and must make thee a Beleeuer yea and the more thou frequentest it thou must rise in the degrees of Faith It is a Word of light and must inlighten the darke corners of thy heart and giue direction to euery one of thy steps It is a Word of life and must quicken thee in the wayes of God and make thee mooue and actiue in pietie It is a word pure and holy as God is and must make thee grow vp in holinesse of heart and life without which thou shalt neuer see God Thus if thou growest not like the Word thou art not yet better then an Horse or Mule who let them heare neuer such good reasons and perswasions and by maine strength be brought to conformitie yet abide the same they were without any change of themselues Horses and Mules they were and so they abide be not thou like vnto them let the Word make thee another man or else thou art to these ends take with thee a few motiues First consider God hath made thee a man and wilt thou by this propertie debase thy selfe and equall thy selfe with beasts Wilt thou being a man put off manhood and lay aside thy minde and the powers which God hath giuen thee to distinguish thee from a beast Secondly he hath called thee into his Church he hath set open his Schoole he hath sent out his owne Spirit to teach the Elect so that now thou art willingly ignorant as they 2. Pet. 3. 5. worse then an Horse or Mule who would know their dutie but cannot thou canst but wilt not Thirdly he hath afforded thee his blessed Word a Word full of wisedome resembling himselfe furnished with such varietie of perswasion as Men and Angels cannot deuise the like that if this will not perswade thee thou must be no better then an Horse or Mule without vnderstanding nay worse for reason cannot perswade them being vnreasonable creatures but thou being reasonable the reason of reason cannot perswade thee Fourthly if thou wouldest haue a note of thy owne conuersion thou must put off thy brutish nature and grow vp in the knowledge of God Hos. 6. 1 2. so soone as euer Gods people were conuerted and returned to God they professe this as a necessarie consequent Then shall we haue knowledge and endeuour or proceede
Throne so shall we sit with him in his Throne Reu. 3. 21 If the hungring after this vnion make vs blessed what shall the enioying of it doe Thirdly Who can tell or reck on the summe of those mercies that we shall enioy in respect of that glorious inheritance of the Saints in light when wee shall bee heires annexed with Iesus Christ not of a House or Mannour or Lordship but of a Kingdome and that not an earthly Canaan flowing with milke and honie but of a Kingdome passing all earthly Kingdomes and inheritances in those foure properties which the Apostle expresseth 1. Pet. 1. 4. first Immortal secondly Vndefiled thirdly Not withering fourthly Reserued for vs in heauen Here is the crowne of all mercies amplified in these respects first in that it is prepared by God from the beginning of the world Secondly from the place which is the pleasant Paradise of God the new Ierusalem the Citie of God full of peace sweetenesse and safetie Thirdly from the company God and Christ the holy Angels the Spirits of iust and perfect men that euer haue liued or shall liue If it bee an honour to liue in the presence and fellowship of honourable persons vpon earth how much more to enioy the glorious presence of God and the glorified Saints of God in heauen and yet this honour haue all his Saints Fourthly in respect of the conueniencie and sufficiencie of all things to be be desired there can be no want for God shall be all in all as First Stately habitation Ioh. 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I goe to prepare you a place it is a lightsome Citie for the Lambe is the light thereof Reu. 21. 23. Secondly Foode fit for great personages the Tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God they shall eate of that hidden Manna Reu. 2. 17. and their drinke shall be of the water of the Well of life so as being without all bodily meate and drinke they shall neuer hunger not thirst any more Thirdly Apparell long white Robes washed in the bloud of the Lambe such garments as great Princes vse Their Pysicke is the leaues of the Tree which cure the Nations Fourthly Pleasure and sweete repose in the bosome of our Father where children take greatest delight and ioy in the presence of the Lambe If the wise men seeing but the Starre of Christ reioyced with great ioy how much more shall wee seeing himselfe and that in his glory and aduancement oh what ioy and delight shall there bee in the Kings marriage and in the meeting of so many good friends together Adde hereto the testification of ioy when as at such meetings there are the voyces of singing men and singing women the Saints shall sing a new song euen the song of Moses and of the Lambe Reu. 5. 9. and there shall be the musicke of Harpes and Viols that is all kinde of heauenly melodie and harmony such as the sweetest musicke may not be compared vnto through our peace with God and his Angels and Saints and perpetuall peace from Satan and wicked ones Our ioy shall not be interrupted by losse of any friend nor feare of any enemie Fiftly Wealth In Salomons dayes gold and siluer were as the stones in the streets of Ierusalem but heere the walls and pauement of this new Ierusalem and all is beaten gold no Saint shall know the end of his wealth euery one shall confesse his lines to be fallen in a goodly ground and that he hath a goodly heritage euery child of God is now in Gods treasure-house and what can he want Oh that our eyes were open to see the riches of this glorious Inheritance of the Saints as the Apostle prayeth Ephes. 1. 18. Sixtly Authority and glory noted by sitting on Christs Throne by the Crowne of righteousnesse a Crowne of life the Kingdome of our Father the Kingdome vnshaken wherein all shall bee Kings and Priests to God Seuenthly Continuance of all it is an eternally weight of glory for quantity a weight for quality eternall 2. Cor. 4. 17. I will make him a pillar in the house of my God Reu. 3. 12. I will not blot out his name out of the Booke of life vers 5. Heere is eternall soundnesse and sound eternity Doeth the Lord thus compasse the godly with such mercies Oh then labour to be godly men and such as trust in God to whom all these precious promises are made Psal. 36. 6 7. Oh how excellent is thy mercy therefore the children of men shall trust vnder the shaddow of thy wings Oh but then all shall bee well if all these mercies shall compasse him that trusts in God for who trusts not in God Take heed thy trust prooue not presumption try thy trust before thou trustest vnto it try it by these properties First It hath a constant course and proceeding in godlinesse which no trouble can dismay or breake off Psa. 44. 17. 18. All this is come vpon vs yet do we not forget thee our heart is not turned backe nor our stepps gone out of thy paths 1. Tim. 4. 10. Therfore we labor and suffer because we trust in the liuing God Secondly a faithfull endeuour in the meanes that serue Gods prouidence there are none so diligent therein as they that trust in God If thou trustest in God as thou sayest then thou hearest beleeuest and practisest the word thou shewest thy selfe a child of God and of the Church else say what thou canst for thy selfe and compare thy selfe with the best thou trustest not in God Thirdly if thou trustest in God thou withdrawest thine eyes from thine owne and all other inferiour meanes and canst as quietly waite vpon God in want of meanes as in hauing them and hauing them art as if thou hadst them not Thou art farre from leaning vpon thine owne wisedome if thou trust in the Lord. Prou. 3. 5. Bee not Wise in thine owne eyes but trust in the Lord thou art resolued that if the Lord helpe thee not to thy hearts desire all the helpes in the world cannot doe it Againe if thou hast not the meanes thou thinkest the Lords mercifull promise is meanes enough thou discomfitest not thy selfe nor in defect of meanes fretst thy selfe how to compasse them as the eye of the maid is vpon the hand of her Mistresse so thy soule attendeth and waiteth vpon the hand of God If thou trustest thou first beleeuest and if thou beleeuest thou makest not haste Fourthly looke what it is in which thou trustest that hath thy heart thy affections of loue ioy and desire aboue all things if it be God then thou hast made God thy God and onely portion the voice of the Church is This is our God and wee will waite on him Abraham trusted in God when he preferred the commandement of God before Isaaks life so if thou preferrest the pleasing of God before thy chiefe ioy and grieuest most when thy