thy mercies and calledst home thy lost sheep into the fold I ran astray out of Gods field into Satans inclosures but the great Shepheard of my soule recall'd me as an object of his loving kindness who might have been a story of his vengeance therefore by his assistance will Isa 12. 1. I say O Lord I will praise thee thought thou wast angry with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Where God is there is heaven for in his presence is the fullness of all joy and at his right Psal 16. 11. hand are pleasures for evermore Quicquid mihi vult dare Dominus meus auferat totum se mihi det Aug. in Psal 26. Nothing is sweet besides God whatsoever the Lord will give me let him take away all from me and give himself to me It was the saying of one of King Cyrus his favourites I care for nothing Cyrus is my friend better far may a sanctified soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say so of God I care for nothing yet I enjoy all things because God is my friend in respect of whom I may say with Job to all my other friends miserable comforters Job 16. 2. are ye all Now God is a friend to none but in and through Jesus Christ the Father embraceth none but such as kiss the Son with a kiss of love and homage God me thinks Psal 2. 12. speaks unto us as Joseph to his brethren Ye shall not see my face except Gen. 43. 3. your brother be with you except Jesus our elder bother be with us we cannot behold the smiling countenance of God as a Father though we may to our terror behold his frowning look and austere but as a Judge Therfore as the two Cherubims Ex. 25. 20. looked one towards another but both towards the mercy-seat So albeit we look in this blasphemous and licentious age one towards another as being contrary in judgement yet we must al look towards Jesus Christ if we look for mercie there is no mercie-seat but in him God is no hearing God no helping God at all without him for it pleased the Father Col. 1. 19. Col. 3. 11. that in him should all fulness dwell He is all in all God the Father is covered with a cloud where the glorious beames of his Sonnes love have no reflection Christs presence turnes earth into Heaven and without it earth nay Heaven it self were a very Hell A naturall man pitcheth his Tent in this sublunary world but a Spiritual man centred in Christ soares higher he is with Saint Paul caught up as 't were into the third heaven he is not where he is but his love is where his Lord is as Origen speaks of Mary Magdalene Maria ibi non erat ubi erat quia ibi tota erat ubi Magister erat Origen seeking her Lord at the Sepulchre supposing to have found the Lord of life in the place of death A precious soule whom Christ hath kissed with the kisses of his mouth and betrothed unto himself in righteousness and in judgement Cant. 1. 2. Hose 2. 19. and in loving kindness and in mercies such a one I say tramples Cui Christus incipit dulcescere necesse est amarescere mundum Bern. Ser. in Cant. the world under foot for having heavenly promises he nothing regards earthly pleasures though his worke be here below yet his master and treasure too are above here onely is his pilgrimage but there is his home his inheritance where he need feare no Councell of State Committees or Sequestrators Psal 125. 1. to desturbe him no no he shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever His Saviour is his strong tower and Castle of defence he may not therefore fear the siege no not the storm of an enemie though Hyaenae instar cadaveribus delectatur he deligheth to give Ambros Psal 79. 2. the dead bodies of the Saints to be meate unto the fouls of the aire and their flesh unto the beasts of the earth Lift up thine heart then O Psal 38. 4. thou afflicted soul though thine iniquities are gone over thine head and as an heavy burden they are too heavy for thee yet Mat. 11. 28. they are are not too heavie for him who hath promised to ease thee for as the Poets faine that Atlas bore heaven on his shoulders thy Redeemer is willing to beare the hell of thy transgressions on his heavenly shoulders He sweet Jesus dranke the bitter cup of his Fathers wrath that we might drink deep of the sweet cup of his Fathers love he was contented to drink vineger of grief here on earth that we might drink Mat. 26. 29. new wine of glory with him in the kingdom of his Father As Marius being accused before the Roman Senate of treasoÌ„ against the State came and shewed his wounds saying quid verb a loquar vulner a â—â—quntur why should I use any â—ords unto you in my defence â—y wounds declare my love and â—y blood as flowing Rhetorick â—ay perswade you to a firm beâ—â—ef of my loyalty so the wounds â—f the Lord Jesus demonstrate â—is love quot vulner a tot ora every â—ound is a mouth to speake how â—eare and pretious we are in his â—ight He trode the wine-presse Isa 63. 3. â—lone he became the sonne of man despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted Isa 53. 3. with grief that man mighr become the son of God cry boldly Abba Father Where Rom. 8. 15. â—he Apostle useth an Hebrew and Greeke word both signifying the same thing to shew that Jew and Gentile have no salvation but by the spirit of adoption in and through Jesus Christ Gods mercy is the Arke that saves us from drowning in the deluge of destruction but Vuâ—nus Christi Ostium Arcae thâ— Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 15. c. 26. wound of Christ is the door â— the Ark Christs merit is the doâ— of the Arke of Gods mercy anâ— his death is of greater efficacy tâ— Multo efficacior Christimors in bonum quaÌ„ peccata nostra in malum c. Bern. our good then our sins can be tâ— our hurt he is more powerfuâ— to save then Satan to destroyâ— his power and will both are iâ— league where he is in love O then is any one sick herâ— Mat. 9. 12. is physick for him is any heartâ— Cant. 2. 5. faint here are flagons of winâ— to comfort him Is any consciencâ— wounded here is balme of Giâ—lead to heale it The Lord dotâ— proclaim himself by the moutâ— of Jesus to be mercifull and gracious Exod. 34. 6 7. long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truthâ— keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity transgressionâ— and sin All our sinnes are but as aâ— drop to the Ocean of Gods mercieâ— saith Fulgentius Yet let no man presume for the same
AN ALARM To all Impenitent SINNERS OR The Spirit of Bondage raised up in Judgement and allayed in Mercy Declared in a short Treatise of the sweetnesse of God's love discovered in the bitterness of his wrath By Humphrey Browne M. A. Confessio est salus animarum dissipatrix viticâ— oppugnatrix daemonum Quid plura â—ruit os inferni portas aperit Paradisi Augustin in Lib. de paenit Lam. 3. 19 20 21. Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall My soul hath them still in remembrance and is â—mbled in me This I recall to mind therefore have I hope LONDON Printed for Edw. Blackmore and are to be sold at the Signe of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard M. DC L. The Author to the Reader THe great Physitian of our soules doth often cure the sore of sin by the sence of sin and makes his Patients â—rize the greatnesse of the remedy by â—e grievousnesse of the disease Our Quà m diveses in misericordia quà m magnificus in justitia quà m munificus in gratia Domine Deus noster non est qui similis fit tibi Bern. Serm. 57. â—eavenly Father makes his children â—ste the bitternesse of his wrath that â—ey may the more admire the sweetâ—esse of his loving kindnesse he sufâ—ers them to be almost drowned in â—he raging Sea of the one that they â—ight be saved in the Arke of the oâ—er Behold therefore the goodnesse â—nd severity of God On them which â—ll severity but towards me goodâ—esse if I continue in my goodnesse â—therwise I also shall be cut off as indeed of late I was verily perswadâ— Rom. 11. 22. I should have been for being aâ— Taverne in London where too oâ—ten Ebrietas manifestissimus est Daemon Bern. drunkennesse that most manifâ— Devil keeps his Randezvous I plaâ—ed with an acquaintance of mineâ— Tables for a pinte of Sack but witâ— in a while doubling our files we bâ—gan Ira furor brevis est to quarrell whereupon my reâ—son and that small Religion whiâ— I had was overcome with unruâ— passion I wisht the Devill migâ— have my soul if I did not fight wiâ— him the next morning and killâ— be killed but mine own wrath wâ— not long over before Gods wraâ— overtooke me for the thought â— that abominable execration did â— trouble me that I knew not wâ— whether I were in Hell or Hell in mâ— the fearfull roaring of that one sâ— against me brought all my other siâ— with gastly looks to gaze upon mâ— As the woman of Samaria concerâ—ing John 4. 29. Christ so I may say of my coâ— â—ence it told me al the sins that ever â—ommitted and presented them unâ— me in the ugly picture of Devils â—ich before I looked on in the form â— Angels as before they seemed to â—y palate all honey so in the anguish â— my soul they were all sting I saw â—ine sit on the brow of Gods offendâ— Soveraignty each look sparkled â—dignation and that indignation â—eath there was a storme in Gods â—untenance and a tempest in mine â—n heart and tongue crying out â— hell and damnatinn as my porâ—on supposing my self to have no â—terest at all in Christ No Cordiall â—f mercy could work on my Nauseous â—omach no Gospel-physick could I â—ake in those raging Dog-daies of â—ny spiritual distempers wherein I â—ounted my self a Dog shut out of â—eaven and onely fit for the kennell Rev. 22. 15. â—f hell but at last being often visitâ—d by my worthy and much honourâ—d friend Mr Blakemore Pastor of S. Peters Cornhill the pulse oâ— my conscience began to beat morâ— mildly being touched with the hanâ— of mercy Prospera lux oriturâ— Prospera lux oritur linguis animisque favete nunc dicenda bono sunt bona verba die Ovid. Fast l. 1. light proceeded out of darknesse â— joy out of sorrow comfort out oâ— despaire and as I may say Heaveâ— out of Hell God my mercifull Fatheâ— scourg'd me I cryed bitterly crying he heard me and hearing he comforted me he continued not long in his dreadful posture of warre buâ— condescended to a treatie making aâ— I trust a perpetuall peace with my soule Wherefore I will praise thee O Lord among the people for thy Psal 108. 3 4. mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds The Lord is my portion Lam. 3. 24 25. saith my soule therefore will I hope in him The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that Dan. 9. 3. seeketh him Set your face therefore Deare Christian friends unto the Lord God by prayer and supplication And if any good shall accrue â—o you out of these my poore endeaâ—rs let Gods have the praise and â— your prayers that I may grow in â—ace and in the knowledge of our â—rd and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 8. â—o I hope will perfect that which â— hath begun that I suffer not shipâ—ack Domine quod coepisti perfice ne in portu nanfragium accidat Aug. Phil. 4. 8. in the heaven Finally brethren whatsoever â—ings are true whatsoever things â—e honest whatsoever things are â—st whatsoever things are pure â—hatsoever things are lovely whatâ—oever things are of good report if â—here be any vertue and if there be â—ny praise thinke on these things And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Yours in Christ Jesus H. BROWNE AN ALARME TO ALL Impenitent Sinners WHen a man hath not blushed at the qu. of Satans temptation to come on the Stage as a sinner â—e thinkes he should not be aâ—amed of publique view when â—e scene is changed and the part â— a convert acted for so to do â—ere in this to cloud the glory of â—ercy as in the other to proâ—ke the rigour of justice and Jer. 3. 3. have a whores fore-head in sinâ—ng though a virgins bashfulnesse in confessing for mine owâ— part therefore as declaring mâ— Isa 3. 9. sin as Sodom was to me a Comâ—die so to declare Gods mercâ— in my longed-for reformation shall not be to me a Tragedie but rather the old man's Exiâ— Psal 7. 13. with the instruments of death and the new mans Intrat witâ— Isa 38. 20. the stringed instruments sounâ—ing by the finger of the holy spâ—rit shall be to me the sweete soul-ravishing musick moâ— comfortable then Davids Harpâ— 1 Sam. 16. to Saul possessed with an evâ— spirit and if in declaring God goodnesse to me I act to pleaâ— my heavenly Spectator I have mâ— reward I seek not the applauâ— of any but the happy conversioâ— of all who hug sin in their hearâ— with as great danger as the Lâ—cedemonian Plutarch Quod durum pati meminisse dulce Sen. in Hero fur boy did his fox Oâ— when I remember mine afflictioâ— and my misery the wormwood anâ— â—eg all Lam. 3. 19. mine afflictiâ—n is renewed to recount the â—isery of a sinner without the Chrys in
corrosives God's wounâ— though the mildest was to me â— sword such sinfull malignanâ— humours did so over-charge thâ— stomach of my soul that the breaâ— of life could not be disgested by me as any thing nourishable unto â—e I looked on my selfe as no Magna est vis conscientiae in utramque partem ut neque timeant qui nihil commiserint paenam semper ante ocâ—los versari putent qui peccaverint Cato major pro Milone â—raelite and therefore I could â—ot rellish that Sacred Manna â—he Scriptures are Gods Armouâ—y wherein are weapons both â—ffensive and defensive but alas â—ll the weapons therein were â—ffensive unto me in that sad â—esertion so focible was my conâ—cience in terrifying me that â—he sword of Gods vengeance â—dged by my disobedience was drawn before my face covered with confusion Then I who Jehuâ—ike marched furiously in the broad way in this woefull streight I lay down roaring for terror and yet not able to cry for quarter to ask for mercie deeming or rather dooming my selfe Spira-like out of heavens protection because not within the lines of Christs communication The Schoolemen observe that a Child of God may so fall that he may therein loose aptituâ—dinem regnandi the fitness of reigning but never jus regniâ— the right of the kingdome buâ— I poor Creature seeing my selâ— destitute of the Royall Charteâ— of grace shut my self clean ouâ— of the Citie of glory I measureâ— my right by my aptitude and sâ— found no place to enter being fully perswaded by the enemie that I had lost Christ the wayâ— and herein the devil played the part of a cunning deceitfulâ— Physitian who recounts althingâ— that may endammage not any thing that may recover his patient A sick patient indeed was I and my sicknesse threatned even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil 1 Sam. 2. 25. the very death of immortality and who could entreat for me As old Eli said unto his wicked sonnes if one man sin against another the Judge stall judge him but if man sin against the Lord who shall â—treat for him he goes the way â— silence the mouth of the blood â— Jesus and loe then against â—hom sin is the Sollicitor in the â—ourt of heaven and for whom â—hrist Jesus is not the advocate â—ost miserable is the state of â—at man most grievous is the â—cknesse of that soul yea truely it â— the soul of sicknesse the whole Isa 1. 5. â—ead is sick and the whole heart â—int I am sure it is a fearefull thing Heb. 10. 31. â—o fal into the hands of the living God nay most fearfull it is when we have not the wounded â—ands of our Redeemer to hold â—s up certainly then as presumâ—tion Desperatio homicida est animae Aug. was our heaven despaire will be our hell the one marchâ—ng in the front the other very â—ften brings up the arreare or â—ather falls upon it routing all in Psal 50. Serm. 6. â—ormer pleasures marshalled by presumption and slaying thâ— self-condemning soul which â— Iob. 7. 20. as a marke set against God anâ— is a burden to it selfe We see iâ— Gen. 4. exemplified in Cain Achitopheâ— 2 Sam. 17. 1 Chron. 10. Mat. 27. Saul Judas and the like whosâ— soules being appaled with thâ— sense and over-burdened witâ— the weight of their transgessions they despaired of the havenâ— and so cast themselves into thâ— gulph They that before like â— ship with full saile hoised up the Top-gallant of their prideâ— the sailes of their affections to the poysonous blasts of Satanâ— temptations at last like basesâ— cowards strucke saile to the Sceleratior omnibus ô Juda infelicior extitisti quem non paenitentia duxit ad DominuÌ„ sed desperatio traxit ad laqueuÌ„ Leo in Serm. Prince of darknesse who upon their totall submission boarded the pinnace of their souls and being a cursed Pyrat from the beginning robbed them of the precious jewel of their salvation which is the onely prize he seeks â—or as the King of Sodom said unâ—o Abraham da mihi animas â—ive me the souls Gen. 14. 21. â—ch is the devils method if he â—ath the soul which is mans all â—e hath all his desire accomplishâ—d as in Judas who sinned more â—n despairing of mercie then in â—etraying his master the Lord of â—f life to death Now in the fall of man 1. the Devil tempts 2. Man consents 8. God forsakes Satan tempts â—n malice man consents in weakness and God forsakes in justice Neither is he absent where he seems to be a farre off for where Greg. Hom. 8. super Ezek. he is not present per gratiam by grace he is per vendictam by vengeance Oh when the just Judge of heaven and earth is present in the last acception then the Lord is known executing wrath who was not known suffering wrong then his Scorpions are feareâ— whose rods were slighted hâ— sword is brandished to a deseâ—ved slaughter whose Scepteâ— held out by the right hand â— love could not invite to a timâ—ly submission Then Oh then tâ— Isa 47. 3. nakednesse of a miserable sinnâ— shall be uncovered yea his shamâ— Isa 59. 17. shall he seene when God thus put on the garments of vengeance foâ— cloathing and is clad with zeaâ— as a cloak Who can stand wheâ— Ioh. 9. 5. the anger of the Lord is kindledâ— he overturneth the highest mountaines Hab. 3. 12. in his anger He threshetâ— Isa 63. 6. his enemies in anger nay more hâ— treadeth downe the people in his anger and makes them drunk in his fury and brings down their strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homeâ— to the earth God hath a revenging eyeâ— saith the blind heathen where sin is long in the soul as a black cloud no marvell if the stormâ— of vengance break forth in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 5. Isa 33. 23. Job 9. 17. Isa 28. 2. Ier. 22. 28. Hose 8. 8. Psal 83. 15. â—hunder-clap of fury wherein the poor soul hath the tacklings loosed cannot well strengthen the mast neither is able to spread the saile and therfore is â—roken with the tempest as Job speaks Gods storme is a destroying storm as a flood of mighty waters overflowing it casts down to the earth with the hand In this overflowing all our pleasures and vain delights sinke but our sins do swim in full view to the shame and confusion of our faces who may justly be esteemed in Gods sight as vessels wherein is no pleasure Such a one assuredly was I when the most High thundred with his voice of displeasure persecuted me with his tempest and made me afraid with his storme I saw no pleasure that God had in me neither had â— any pleasure in my self I could not but fall out with my self because I had falne out with my God vile I was in the sight oâ— others but viler in mine own Terror without and horroâ— within like Pharaohs lean
God is both a Saviour and a judge a Lion as well as a Lambe he doth not onely take away the sinnes of penitent souls in love but he roars as fiercely against incorrigible sinners in wrath his blood is a Red-Sea indeed true Israelites onely are saved in it but cursed Eypgtains are drowned it is to the one a Sepulchre to the other a Sanctuary He onely that believeth on John 6. 47. Rev. 2. 10. Christ Hath everlasting life by Christ He onely that is faithfull unto death shall receive a crown of life Faith is the hand whereby we receive Gods blessings and he that wants it is like one that stands for an almes and wants an hand to receive it O shew thy faith then by thy works acquaint thy self more more with thy redeemer and be at peace thereby everlasting good Job 22. 21. shall come unto thee Come out oâ— Babylon dwell no longer in Mesech neither have thy habitation in the Tents of Kedar but shew Psal 120. 5. thy self a Burgess of the new Jerusalem by that golden chain oâ— two links faith and true repentance Is God incensed by thy presumption labour to pacifie him with thy humiliation and as thou hast sent thy sins in a storm or whirlwind of disobedience unto the Tribunal of justice so send thy soule in a gale of sighes to the Throne of grace then all thy sinnes will be as chaff before the wind Christs merit scattering them The penitent contrite heart hath godly sorrow for sin and Psal 126. 5. spirituall joy for that sorrow they that sow in teares shall reape in joy God sees the teares of his Saints as he did Hezekiahs and albeit he gives them teares Isa 38. 5. Psal 80. 5. Psal 56. 8. Bernard Psal 104. 15. to drink yet he puts them into his bottle and they are vinum Angelorum the wine of the Angels for as wine maketh glad the heart of man so repentant teares distilling from the limbeck of a sorrowful faithful heart make the very Angels and glorious Saints chant forth Anthemes of joy to the prayse of the Redeemer for joy shall be in Luke 15 7. heaven over one sinner that repenteth more then over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance O then I beseech you friends by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as we have brought heavinesse to the Courts of happinesse by our trangression so let us strive to send melodie and rejoycing thither by our Conveâ—sion then when the most High uttereth his voice in the thundering Dialectâ— of his indignation we shall have peace when obdurate transgressors are plagued like the Egyptians we shall be like the Israelites in Goshen And why Exod. 26. because true repentance is anâ— Exception to the Generall Rule of Gods justice in a word it is Omnipotent overcoming him who overcomes all things Aâ— faithfull prayer issuing forth at the sally-port of the mouthâ— from an humble penitent soul routes all Gods judgements mustred up in fearefull hardnesse against it When God besieged Ionah 3. Nineveh with his fearful menaces threatning a fiery storme of destruction then the poor destressed violentiae sunt in precibus lachrymae Aug. Ninevites cast themselves down at the foot-stoole of his grace threw away all other weapons as unuseful besides prayers and teares with the power whereof they raised the siedge by their repentance they made God repent as I may say and albeit he could not endure their sinning yet he seems to suffer in their repenting his compassion working in him a kinde of passion Which makes my soul breath forth this Elogie Aug. Conses l. 6. Deus a quo exire mori in quem redire reviscere et in quo habitare vivere Aug. in Soliloqu Psal 90. 1. in praise of my God O vera summa suaevitas omni suavitate dulcior O true incomparable sweetnesse sweeter then sweetnesse it selfe To goe out from God is to die to returne to him is torevive and to dwel in him is to live for ever Which certainly made David rejoyce to say Lord thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations O how safe and happy is his condition who hath the Lord for his habitation he cannot be banished heaven is his inheritance and free-hold yea his Countrey he cannot be sequestred for he is a member oâ— the high Court of Parliament iâ— Heaven where none but obedient subjects maintaining thâ— prerogative Royall of the King of Kings have any interest hâ— 1 Tim. 6. 6. cannot be plundred he stil keepâ— his wealth the riches of grace godlinesse is to him great gainâ— he cannot be imprisoned foâ— Gods presence turnes the prisonâ— into a palace to speak a volume in a word he that hath not the Lord hath nothing and he that hath the Lord hath al things he Gen. 30. 27. cannot but prosper he must be blessed if Laban was blessed for Jacobs sake Obed-Edom because the Arke continued in his house without all controversie he must be transcendently blessed 2 Sam. 6. 11. with whom God delights to dwel Good cause hath he â—o sing with the sweet singer of Israel who thus resolved with himself I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I wil trust in the eovert of thy Psal 61. 4. â—ings As the sparrow fled into the bosome of Xenocrates the Philosopher from the tallons of the Hawk so let us fly with the wings of holy devotion to the bosome of our God and there we shall have all safety and shelter from the cruel tallons of the Prince of the aires fury O then let us love this gratious God with all our heart and with Mat. 22. 37. all our soule and with all our mind The manner of loving God is without measure no Synecdoche Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo Bern. Tract de Dilect Dei partis will serve in loves Rhetoricke no gradus remissus in this fire which like the Vestal fire among the Romans or rather like the sacrificing fire on the Altar among the Jews must never be extinguished The motions of our souls in love toward God must not be like violent motions in Philosophie swift in the beginning slow in the end but like the motion of the spheres they must be uniform continual so there will be motion and musick both A man in this respect must be as S. John is stiled totus amativus wholly possest with love as the soule is tota in toto tota in qualibet parte whole in the whole and whole in every part so it must be whole in the love of God all the faculties of the soul as lines of the same circumference must meet in the love of God as the centre 1. We must love the Lord with all our heart wisely resisting the devill that he may flee Iam. 4. 7. from us Satan is like the Crocodile if we persue he flies but if we flie he pursues
prosperitie without any intermixture of adversitie he with his retinue instantly departs saying ideo seinde sugere ne un à 〈◊〉 homine prepeiuis prosperitatibus uso statim periret least he should be so unhappy as to perish with that wretched happy man This reverend Father had not gone far but looking backe he beheld the rich mans house and all that he had swallowed up as Korah Dathan and Abiram with the Numb 16. earth Therefore forget not the exhortation Heb. 12. 5 6. which speaketh to you as children my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth nihil infelicius eo cui nihil unquam evenit adversi Demetrius in Sen. Heb. 11. 25. Psal 119. 97. Isa 26. 16. and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Surely there is nothing more unhappy then him to whom no unhappinesse doth ever happen And O thrice happy is that Christian whose affliction is so sanctified unto him that he will choose as Moses did rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season And blessed is that soul which can sweetly breath forth with David saying Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word How happy should I be if I could say with the Prophet concerning the Inhabitants of this Land Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them But alas horresco referens our hearts Pharoah like are hardened by Gods Judgements which roar not so loud to our terror as we are silent in our repentance which makes God complain I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Egypt your Amos. 4. 10. young men have I slain with the sword and I have taken away your horses I have made the stinke of your camps to come up unto your nostrils yet have ye not returned unto me faith the Lord. Again I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done every one turned to Ier. 8. 6. 7. 12. his course as the horse rusheth into the battel Yea the Storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. Were they ashamed when they had commited abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush therefore shall they fail among them them that fall in the day of their visitation they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Me thinks I hear the Lord utter his voice concerning this land saying the Rulers take councell together against the Lord and against his Anointed they sit Psal 2. Psal 90. 20. 21. Quale est Dominantis arbitrium talis liber tatis aspectus Cassiodor l. 3. Epist on the throne of iniquity and frame mischiefe by a law They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood Againe this people hath arevolting and rebellious heart they are revolted and gone They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause the cause of the Fatherlesse yet they prosper But how long The just Judge Ier. 5. 23. 28. of heaven and earth is bending his bow and making his arrowes ready against the persecuters he hath bent his bow like an enemie Lam. 2. 4. and called as 't were a Councell of war upon the propounding this Question Shall I not visit for these things saith the Ier. 5. 29. Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Wo to the Rebellious Children Isa 30. 1. saith the Lord that take councell but not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my spirit that they may adde sinne to sinne Verily we maske a fowle face under a fair vizard and put Gods stampe upon our Adulterous Ias 5◠8. Caine costruing Gods meaning by our own and expounding Gods will by our own work as if Gods wayes were as our wayes and his thoughts as our thoughts Alas we seeme to be religious not for Gods glory but as we fondly conceive for our own advantage making no other use of pietie then as it may serve a tricke of pollicie so that truth is fallen in the street and equitie cannot enter yea truth Isa 59. 14. 15. faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey There is a great shew of new lights yet we wait for true light but behold obscurity for brightnesse but we walke in darkenesse Isa 59. 9. And as if we loved darkenesse better then light we hate to be reproved and yet will not be reformed like those beasts in Plinie which have fell in Aure the hearing of truth galls us and if any shall come unto us with a vae vobis as our Israels troubler we will fetch him up with a Coram nobis just Ahabs humour to Elijah and Agamemnons in Homer to Chalchas 1 Kings 21. 20 If learned and reverend Divines will not eate up the sinnes Hose 4. 8. of the people and the sins of the Rulers which are the Rulers o◠Psal 14. 4. sinnes they themselves shall be eaten up as it were bread In Salvian de guber Dei l. 5. hoc seclus res devoluta est ut nis◠quis malus fuerit salvus esse non potest he that will not swim with the stream of raigning impietie is threatened to be drowned in the raging Sea of unparallel'd cruelty This is the birth-day of 1 Sam. 4. 21. Jchabod the Churches magnificat is turned or tuned to miserere so that blessed is the man that hath his nunc dimittis to the Church triumphant so miserable is the Estate of our Church militant O tempora O mores all the sinnes of former ages are rallied up in this and keep their Randezvous in our Land which was once the envie of other nations but is now become their reproch and the inhabitants thereof an Micah 6. 16. hissing according to that of the Wise-man saying Righteousness exalteth a nation but sinne is a Prov. 14. 34. reproach to any people Then certainely it must be so to us for many monsters of sin which our Fore-fathers never dremed off are visible amongst us labouring as 't were to fright mercie from us and with the Gadarenes to drive Christ Jesus our of our Coast As if we were able not onely to contend with but also overcome the Almighty We hang our bloodie colours of defiance against him sending him a challendge to shew himselfe the Lord of Hosts as well as the God of peace for as Abner 2 Sam. 2. 14 called fighting a sport saying unto Joab let the young men arise and play before us so to fight against the Lord
with the weapons of unrighteousnesse is our pastime and delight as if there were no God to revenge nor hell to torment Luke 18. 2. like the unjust Judge in Luke we feare not God neither regard man Animas mortuas multi in corpore vivo habent Aug. Alas we have dead souls in living bodies neither Gods mercie that sweet language of his love could woe us to repentance Isa 26. 10. nor can his judgements as a fierce Lion deterre us from O mentes amentes perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 33. running in the broad way of wickednesse insomuch that as Augustine complained of the Romans reason is sequestred from our minds and it is not so much our error as our fury which makes us loose the profit of our calamity Ah the trumpet is blowne Amor. 3. in the Citie and the people are not afrayd the Lion roareth and yet we tremble not so dead are we in sinnes and trespasses In this overflowing of our iniquity Quòd vivitis Dei est qui vobis parcendo admonet ut corrigamini paenitendo Aug. ibid. if we do not all perish as the old world did by deluge it is not because we are lesse sinful but because God is more mercyfull It is his mercie that we live and he spares us onely to admonish us how we should improve his patience and long-suffering by our repentance But God may justly complaine of us saying I Isa 65. 2 3. have spread out my hands all the day unto a Rebellious People which walketh in a way that is not good after their owne thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face As Cyprian once complained Inter Populum frequente strage morientem nemo considerat se esse mortalem Cyprian of the plague of pestilence in Carthage saying that among a people continually slaine by the destroying Angel no man considereth himself to be mortall So we of this kingdome plagued with warre pestilence and famine turne not unto him that smiteth us neither do we seeke the Lord of Hosts as if we would make the Prophet a lyer Isa 9. 13. who saith when thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants Isa 26. 9. of the world will learne righteousnesse Surely God hath a controversie with the inhabitants of this Land because by swearing and Hose 4. lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne When rebellion against Heaven blows the trumpet and beats up the drum desolation commonly begins the march destruction hangs over our heads as the sword over the head of Damocles but by a horse haire a twine thread I feare 't will suddenly fall upon us according to that of the Apostle When they 1 Thas 5. 3. say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape We have grieved Gods spirit by our multiplyed transgressions so that we may sighe out this lamentation The joy of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning the Crown is fallen from our head Woe unto Lam. 5. 15 16. us that we have sinned Consider this therefore all ye that forget God stand in awe Rom. 6. 33. and sin not The nature of sin is deadly the least sin hath in it the stinge of death and I may say every sin is great because it is against the greatest It may seem at first a Zoar but at last it may prove a Sodome drawing a hell from heaven upon it The wicked shall be turned into hell and the Nations that forget God When the sentence is passed there is no reprieve to be expected Psal 9. 17. Nequaquam misericordia parcentis liberat quos semel justitia judicantis damnat Greg. lib. 9. Moral tears of blood cannot obtaine pardon there is no hope of mercie in the place of Justice nor of life in the Region of death Here in the world is the Sunne shineth on the just and unjust both but in the darkesome dungeon of eternall death it is not so darknesse and sorrow there barre out all light and solace In hell there is a towfold punishment 1. Paena sensus the punishment of sense which is so great that the heart of man cannot conceive it nor the tongue utter it the fire burnes but not consumes the worme gnaws but not devoures and as the joyes on earth were torments compared with the unspeakable joyes of heaven so the greatest torments in this world are very joyes in respect of the paines of hell in this lake that burneth with fire and brimstone the Rev. 20. 10. damned are tormented day and night for ever and ever death there alwayes begins and never ends 2. Paenadamni the punishment of losse which is the greatest punishment of all sinne at once opens the gates of hell and shuts the door of heaven the damned wretches feeling the horrible weight of Gods wrath then weepe gnash their teeth and roar in the bitternesse of their souls for the losse of his favour then by the Logick of Opposites they find there is a heaven by their being cast into hell O fearfull Topicks when they are taught pugno contracto with the fist of Gods fury Oh it is most lamentable to read sweet mercy lost by the bloody characters of an enraged justice and to measure the blessed estate of the glorified Saints by the want of that happinesse not by the fruition it is another hell in hell to know the love of Jesus Christ as a Saviour by his severity as a Judge only O how much would he Aquinas Maluerâ—â—t Saguntini se suáque omnia igne consumere quà m aut faederati populi amicitiam deseretere c. Liv. Bell. lib. 1. that now lies frying in hell rejoice if he might have but the least moment of time wherein he might get Gods favour It is lamentable to hear much more to read the woefull Tragedie of Saguntus a City of Spaine destroyed by Hannabal saith Saint Augustine but I may rather say that it is most terrible to hear the story of hell but infinitely wretched to feele the fury of that unquenchable fire by reason of an immortall death and a deadly life ever dying and yet never dead What David Psal 55. 15. therefore wished unto his foes I will wish unto my best friends even that they may go down quick into hell by holy meditation to prevent their casting into it by condemnation with an Ite Imparati ad paratum go ye cursed souls which were unprepared for heaven to hell a place prepared for the Devil and his Angels ye have sinned without repentance and therefore ye must be damned without remedy Omnis anima aut Christi sponsa aut Diaboli adultera est Aug. in Gen. If the soul be Satans Adulteress and not Christ's Spouse then hell must
be her inheritance whose worke was sinne and companion Satan let us therefore labour to espouse our souls to Jesus Christ who will here decorateus with grace and hereafter when he bring us home to his Palace he will cloath us with robes of glory and put a Crown of pure gold upon ouâ— heads in the kingdome of his Father Where God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes and Rev. 7. 17. we shall have happiness without any heavinesse light without any darkness and all this without any end Let us now commune with our own hearts and consider As there is a Pallace of glory so there is a dungeon of eternall miserie both receptacles for the souls of men the way to the one is pleasant but the journeys-end is most painefull the way to the other is paineful but the journeys-end is most pleasant the voiage is tempestuous but the arrivall is beyond al expression joyfull as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard 1 Cor. 2. 9. neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him O then let not us sell this everlasting kingdome of glory for a cup of cold comfort a draught of deadly poison as Lysimachus sold his kingdome for a cup of cold water but as it is Satans heaven even in hell it selfe to bring wretched men into utter darknesse counting himselfe happy when he can make others like himselfe most unhappy So let it be our heaven on earth to fight against this cursed enemie under the banner of the Lord Jesus till we have beat down all his strong holds and utterly subdued him under our feet insomuch Rom. 6. 14. that sinne shall have no more dominion over us Now we must fight against this enemy in the Spring even in youth we must labour to walke in the paths of holinesse whilst we are able to run in the wayes of wickednesse we must serve our best Master in our best daies least we offer up the best of our service unto the worst and the worst of our service unto the best if Satan hath had our Magnificat all our daies God wil scarce accept of our Nunâ— Dimittis at the last gaspe if our soules are dedicated at first to Satan as his Synagogue it is to be feared they will never be consecrated to God as his Sanctuary Grace will hardly be courted by the old man which was rejected by the young and he shall scarce winne her in sicknesse or on the death-bead who did not woo her in perfect health if God come in youth and find no fruit beware the fig-rrees curse Never fruit grow on thee hereafter Mat. 21. 19. Manna is to be gathered in the morning and grace to be embraced in youth As Solomon whose heart was the Throne of wisedome and whose tongue was made up of harmonie adviseth us saying Remember now Eccles 12. 1 thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou Frangas citius quam corrigas quae in malum induruerunt Quintilian shalt say I have no pleasure in them It is il graffing upon an old stock and to put the Nectar of vertue into the old stincking Cask of vice is as impertinent as to put new wine into old botles therefore while we are young men let us cast off the old man with his works and put on the new man the Lord Jesus Christ who of 1 Cor. 1. 30. God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Would we then embosome our selves in Christ do we desire to behold a gracious mercie-seat in the midst of a just tribunal let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God that he may 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. exalt us in due time casting all our care upon him for he careth for us He forgetteh not the cry Psal 9. 12. of the humble it climbes the batlements of Olympus and wrestles with God till it obtaines a blessing it pierceth the clouds of the air and by the strength of Christs out-stretched arme it dispells the clouds of Gods displeasure and causeâ—h the light of his countenance to shine upon us miserable sinners Now therefore I beseech you that are my dear friends and old acquaintance Ubi nullus metus ibi nulla religio Psal 2. 11. to set Gods mercie his justice evermore before your eyes the one to keepe you from presumption and the other from despair serve the Lord Mal. 3. 14. with fear and rejoyce with trembling Say not within your selves it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we keep his ordinance and that we walk mournfully before the Lord of Hostes O what greater deformity is Quid indecentius quam curvum recto corpore gerere animum Bern. in Cant. Ser. 14. A praefinibus arcendus est hostis Sen. there then to have such crooked souls in upright bodies But I hope better things of you shew your valour therefore by driving the enemie back in the frontiears deal with your sinnes as the Pygmies deal with the Cranes crack them in the shel sin is as the Sea if it once make but a small breach it threatens a great deluge that which first seems but a peccadillo may at last without deception of sight be seen in a multiplying glasâ—e Non est securum inter serpentes dormire Hieron it is not safe to sleepe among serpents Peccatum dulce in faucibus tormenmentum invisceribus Aug. nor slumber in transgressions for they which run the hazard commonly like men stung with Aspes they hasten to death not feeling their dying but are dead before they thought themselves to have been sick Sin is indeed a poisonous pill sugred and candied over it is sweet in the mouth but Peccati dolor et maximus et aeternus est Cicero Attic. sowre in the maw pleasent to the sense but destructive to the soul the taking of it is delicious but the operation deadly for if Rom. 8. 13. ye live after the flesh ye shal die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Though wickednesse Job 20. 12. 13. 14. saith Job be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spareit forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth yet his meate in his bowells is turned it is the gall of Aspes in the midst of him He forsakes his own mercie Lay Jonah 2. 8. Iam. 5. 9. your hands therefore upon your hearts behold the Judge standeth before the door Jesus Christ is ready to descend in a Throne of clouds to judge the world and if ye have not your Quietus est in the soul before death with a cold hand presents one to you in the body eternally miserable must ye be When the righteous shall at the great day and