themselues to forget Christ and his flocke who are as great and deere vnto him as the price they cost him they cannot stagger but runne like hungrie dogges with an eie only to the fleshpots and sell both themselues and their people for a morsel of bread and a messe of pottage to the deuill and haue sworne like sonnes of the earth to possesse the earth for euer and leaue heauen and the heyres thereof to God himselfe Alas poore soules faine would they haue somewhat to keepe life and soule within them and therefore as famished and starued creatures which haue for a space been pownded vp and pinfolded in a ground of barrennesse debarred from all succour and releife will suffer any thing to go downe the throat be it as bitter as gall as deadly as poison they swallow bitternesse as sugar and licke vp death as sweet hony These things God knowes are too common among vs and for these how many threats and warnings from heauen from earth from God from men from foes abroad and friends at home Ierem 9. â— Shal not I visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule bee auenged on such a nation as this I will assuredly prooue my selfe to be Lord of hosts muster vp the clouds call foorth the winds cause the fire to deuoure before me Psal 50 3. and a mighty tempest to be round about me all powers in heauen and earth shall be shaken and I will take the foure corners of the world and shake out this off-scouring I will raise vp the standerd blowe the trumpet bring destruction vpon destruction death vpon death plague vpon famine sword vpon both Another sort there be that declare my ordinances against which I haue many things such are like the Ostrich Iob. 39. which haue wings feathers not like the doues to flie vnto Gods arke to bring the faithfull newes of the abating of the waters of Gods wrath they haue no oliue leaues in their mouth no Gospel of peace vnto the heires of righteousnes receiued into the arke of Gods couenant but when the time is that is when they haue gotten themselues the wings of honour they mount on high mocke the horse and his rider they leaue their egges in the earth small thanks vnto them if they be made hote in the dust it is not their owne heate but the heat of an other sunne which perhaps the Lord makes to shine vnto them but in the meane time they forget that the foole might scatter them or the wild beasts might breake them Alas howe many in their pride tread the godly vnderfeete what store of wild beasts breake into the Lords vinyard therefore it cannot be but that they shew themselus cruell vnto their young ones as they were not theirs and are without feare as if they trauailed in vaine But let me tell them for all their learning and wisdome yet while they forsake Gods heritage they are depriued of all wisedome neither hath God giuen them any part of his vnderstanding Oh therefore for the loue of God and comfort of your owne soules recal your selues before this sentence come out against you God hath a long time holden his tongue it cannot be for euer for it is most certaine that he will reprooue for these things and set them in order re-enter therefore and recouer your forsaken charges languishing and worne away for want of pasture stretching on the ground for faintnes fetching their groanes deep and their pants thicke as readie to giue ouer and yeld vp the ghost if they die it must needs be laid to your charge Ier 5.3 and for these things God will haue you arraigned hereafter O Lord are not thine eyes vpon the truth yes assuredly and therefore the harmelesse sheep that droppe away by famine of the word hath raised a lowder crie and clamour in thine cares then any man is able to make by his iust complaint in the eares of men yet O God if any place for mercie and why should we doubt of mercie with thee who art the God of mercy looke not vpon this drosse and filth but sweep them out and open the rocke of stone againe let againe sweet Iesus the waters euen the liuing waters of the word flow out and let the sauing riuers of thy Gospel runne in all the drie places of our land We see the fruitfull weedes and thornes of prophannesse and iniquirie oh giue thine husbandmen hearts to roote them out we see the wofull ruines of vertue piety oh let the builders be readie to repaire them that so to thee who art the great Shepheard and Bishop of our soules we may render an account at the dreadfull day of thine Oecumenicall visitation In the meane time thou oh God which instructest the husbandman to haue discretion Esay 28. and doest teach him to cast in wheate and by measure euerie graine teach thy seruants how to plowe vp the fallow ground of mens hearts and keep them from sowing among thornes Againe Secondly 〈◊〉 taxe all vâ—â—e formed professors as the words are specially directed against such ministers as would declare Gods ordinances and yet hate all reformation so likewise may they be applyed to euerie professor that would make a shew of godlinesse yet wholly denyes the power thereof and therefore the sentence is verie large neither can we come to make any vse of it vntil we haue cleared it by the rules of Gods wisedome which is better then mans The wit of man hath many strange inuentions Gods wisdome our direction first seene by analysis then imitated by genesis and therefore seeing I haue been so large vpon one small verse it may rather be thought to be mine inuention beside the nature of the text then that which Gods wisedome will any waies afford I will not therefore thinke it grieuous to expresse the way of mine inuention All wisedome lookes vnto God as the author analysis genesis and will acknowledge no more in man then obseruation and after that to followe God by way of imitation for the wisedom of God is as the Sunne ours as the beames no beames where the sunn hath not gone before his wisdome as the real and substantiall face ours as the reflexion or image in the glasse no image or reflexion without the presence of the bodie Gods wisedome is as the seale ours as the stampe no stampe but by the seale his wisdome is the fountaine ours the streames no streames where the fountaine is not open and sending foorth his water Let Iacobs well be stoped and he will presently complaine for want of water therefore no worke of the creature is primarie Imitation by obseruation but an imitation of Gods worke The husbandman could neuer haue pianted trees except hee had first obserued Gods plantation in the world Apelles could neuer haue painted any exquisite colours vnlesse he had taken notice of Gods most beautifull colours in nature Let it
of heauen and earth and in earth the God of gods and ouer men the onely Lord is become the reproouer of sinne and therefore a most fearefull hand shal fall vpon the wicked The finger vpon the wal made an vnpeaceable house in Belshazzars soule what a iolly fellow was he vntill this came into his eye the time of Gods silence hee regarded not neither to his father how God gaue him a kingdome maiestie honour and glorie at which all nations trembled and feared before him he smote and put to death whom he would set vp and put downe whom he would neither to himselfe misapplying what was done vnto his father both in iustice and mercie but abused Gods vessels with his Princes wiues concubines praised the gods of gold siluer of brasse yron wood and stone which neither see heare nor vnderstand but the God in whose hand his breath was and all his wayes him would he not glorifie therefore now see his Iudge and tell mee if the power of his iustice make him not afraid Hence it is plaine that wicked men scant God in his mercies as a niggard or pinching giuer when in their sinnes they are both large and bold and thinke Gods armes bound vp in a cloth yet let them knowe that this I will reprooue will prooue no small matter for the very weaknes of God is stronger then any thing in man 1. Cor. 1. In man wee count that weaknes which his little finger hardly can touch now Gods little finger will make all smart The Magicians of Egypt in the plague of lice confesse it was Gods finger because that brought mightie things to passe Iobs afflictions losse of goods cattell children the deuill makes it but the touch of Gods finger and yet this spent all Mans breath but a weake thing Isa 40.17 yet the breath of the Lord Psal 18.8 smoake went out of his nostrhills and a consuming fire out of his mouth coales were kindled thereat great is the power of his very nostrhills and mightie is the verie weakenes and infirmitie of his wrath if his weakenes be this what is his strength compared to a Gyant or Lyon to a Gyant of all men the greatest to a Lyon of all beasts the strongest If so mightie when he toucheth but with his finger how terrible if he strike with his arme but what will he be when he comes armed with his sword his bow bent if we be far off his arrowe shall reach vs if neere his sword shall strike vs. But alas what shall be done when he shall come with whole armies of creatures against vs fire haile thunder so if the sword finde vs not the thunder shall meet with vs if the haile make not an end the fire shall consume vs if the fire can not burne then his mallet shall bruise vs. Furthermore he hath his charets euen a thousand charets in the whirl-wind and his pillars of fire to terrifie vs yea his thousand and tenne thousand of Angels to make a spoile of all at his becke Therefore we shall be sooner wearie of suffering then he of afflicting of flying then he of following We are but potters vessels if he hit but one against another we breake yea if he lay his iron rod vpon vs we shal be beaten all to powder The lion when he roareth is terrible and Behemoth is strong what canst thou doe yet the lion commeth before this God Behemoth is taken by his sword Leuiathan can not stand before him therefore a most fearefull thing to fall into the hands of this God for he is a consuming fire and cannot touch or be touched without burning The wrath of a king is the messenger of death what is then the wrath of the king of kings if one man trespas against another there may a third be found to make vp the matter but if one sinne against God saith old Eli to his sonnes who shal plead for him Therfore do no more so ye sonnes of men tremble and sin not examine your owne hearts and be still serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the sonne least he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all that trust in him Neither is this all Gods reproouing for this is but the paine of sense but they also shall haue a more fearefull plague the plague of plagues and the onely thing that shall make them miserable and that the learned haue called the punishment of the damned as though it were all and gaue the whole denomination and that is Gods fare-well vnto his creature Oh my creature I made thee in my owne image but thou hast found out many inuentions therefore must I thy life and length of dayes the fountaine of liuing waters he in whome thou liues mooues and hast thy beeing bid thee be gone I must neuer looke on thee more as I haue done thy louing wife shall say farewell my husband thy children friends and all thy pleasures in which thou hast song a long loath to depart yet must yee needes depart or if you goe together to hell yet shall it but augement thy sorrow to remember what sweet delight you once tooke together and how now there can be no comfortable fellowship but one stabbing another at the heart Thou againe shalt say farewell God farewell wise children and all my pleasures I must shake hands with you for euer Oh heart that I could giue the some deadly stabbe that thou mightest neuer stirre againe Oh would to God that I had neuer been you that passe by will you take no pity on me Oh God I was thy child and the deuill whippes mee and hell fire scorcheth mee yet if thou wouldest but looke vpon me how would that refresh mee Well that I lie not see both these put together for I assure you that hell fire is no painted fire for the want of Gods presence shall be no dreame or idle obliuion of the departure of a kind friend but the verie sting of conscience and the worme that shall neuer leaue gnawing See both punishment of sense and the damned 2. Thess 1.9 Which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power And that the Lord will doe all this it is plaine Eccles 12. last Reu. 20.12 Daniel saw the antient of dayes vpon his throne he hath been dealing with men in particular from the beginning of the world he reprooued our first parents the olde world Sodome and Gomorrha Pharaoh Saul Iudas and he will haue a generall conclusion of this whole tragedie And therefore the point is cleare that God will reprooue Reas 1. From his iustice that cannot goe vnsatisfied for the Lord hath spoken and will bee prooued true and righteous in all his wayes 2 The glorie he must constraine out of wicked men for wicked men would neuer glorifie God except it were because God will reprooue them Reas 3. The iniurie they
shew what we are to thinke of him He may make all the world to admire at him in this place for strange impudencie and horrible blasphemie against God for in these two words like thee is a gradation of three steppes euery one rising a steppe aboue an other First to compare God with him in any similitude of qualitie is sinnefull In qualitie because he hath no qualitie that answereth any thing in God but it were well if he would haue rested in the qualitie for things like are also dislike In essence but the originall in this place telleth vs plainly that he passeth all the bounds of logicall comparison and extends it to the very beeing of God for so the words are to be expounded out of the Originall In beeing to be like that is according to our English phrase altogether like thee strange impudencie and voide of very reason it selfe to make things compared as like any further to argue then their qualities but wickednes in the bosome of fooles is restles for he riseth one degree higher In immortality of beeing and brings in an eternitie of beeing altogether like God for the verbe is in the future tense and signifieth thus much not onely in beeing to be but also in beeing shall be therefore wicked men promise vnto themselues an eternall fellowship with God Let vs therefore consider what things are here compared Wicked mens innention is 〈◊〉 of comparisons and that with the best 2. in what qualitie they are compared 3. what truths or falshoods they make 4. what be the discourses of wicked mens hearts for all these are contained in this thought of a wicked man For the first the things compared Tearmes sinne silence God man are God and his silence a wicked man and his thoughts the proportion stands thus as wicked mens thoughts are so shall Gods silence be and consequently as wicked men are Qualitie from condition to substance and so to eternitie so shall God himselfe be The qualitie wherein they are compared is threefold 1. of condition God must be like minded vnto them 2. of substance and beeing for they frame Gods Image according to their owne image 3. for the qualitie of time God must be an euerlasting Patron and fauourer of all their causes For the third what truths shall we expect out of this strange inuention of wicked men surely none that will agree with the nature of Truth for they haue abused the truth and God himselfe who is the author of truth therefore three horrible falshoods are contained in these words First The falshoods of wicked men Gods thoughts as mans that Gods thoughts are as mans thoughts and Gods waies as mans waies directly against the truth of God Isa 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies saith the Lord for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher then your waies and my thoughts aboue your thoughts The second falshood that God is as man 2. He makes God no better the a himselfe against that place God is not as man that he should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should be deceiued therefore may he well expostulate the matter with these hypocrites worse then idolaters for they make themselues the Idol therefore deny all gods as he doth with his people Isa 40.18 To whome will ye liken me or what similitude will ye set vp vnto me or rather set vp your selues cheeke by joule with me know ye nothing haue ye not heard it hath it not beene told you from the beginning haue ye not vnderstood it by the foundation of the earth how that I the Lord sit vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants are as grassehoppers how I stretch out the heauens as a curtaine and spread them as a tent to dwell in O hypocrites are you better then Princes and Iudges of the world see I pray you how I bring Princes to nothing and make the Iudges of the earth as vanitie as though they were not planted as though they were not sowne as though their stocke tooke no roote in the earth for I did but blow vpon them and they withered and the whirlewind hath taken them away as stubble therefore I counsell you lift vp your eyes on high and behold who hath created all things and bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by their names by the greatnes of my power and mightie strength nothing faileth Why saiest thou then O wicked man and speakest O hypocrite the Lord is as man and the mightie God of heauen as the silly worme that crawleth vpon the earth Thirdly 3. God shall dwell with him for euer that their estate shall be as vnchangeable as God himselfe for they say God shall be with them for euer wherfore let them heare the word of the Lord that say thus in their hearts Wee haue made a Couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe thorough it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidde therefore thus saith the Lord Iudgment will I lay to the rule and righteousnesse to the ballance and the haile shall sweep away thy vaine confidence and the waters shall ouerflow thy secret place and your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when a scourge shall runne ouer and passe through then shal ye be trode downe by it thus will I make your bed straight that it cannot suffice for your rest in my wrath and your couerings so narrowe that you cannot wrap your selues from my rods Go too then O hypocrite thou saidest I shall be a Lady for euer like the Lord of heauen whose dayes haue no ende I am Re◠18.7 and none else I shall not sit as a widow neither shall knowe the losse of children therefore heare thou that art giuen to pleasures dwellest carelesse that doest not set thy mind to righteousnes neither doest remember the latter end of thy sinne how that these two things shal come to the suddenly the losse of children and widowhood they shall come vpon thee in their perfection for thou hast trusted in wickednesse and hast said none seeth me◠thy wisedome and thy knowledge haue caused thee to rebell therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not knowe the morning thereof destruction shall fall vpon thee which thou shalt not be able to put away And this shall bee the ende of all them that falsifie the truth of God The fourth thing is the discourse of wicked men Wicken mens discourses that riseth out of these apparant truths First I sinne and God is silent therefore he either seeth not or if he see yet hee regards not my sinne or if he regard my sinne yet his silence makes mee trust that he consents with me or if he doe
Conscientia in effectu affectu â—uâ—nâ—u vel pro effectu praeterito vel pro affectu presente vel pro eueÌ„tu futuro for the fact past that is either in regard of God or man of man it either absolues or coÌ„demns in regard of god a witnes either to excuse or accuse for the affection that followes vpon this it is either ioy or sorrow ioy vpon absoluing and excusing sorrowe vpon accusing condemning and for the future euent it is either the expectation of reward or the feare of punishment That this may a litle the better appeare let vs see how the coÌ„science is locked or vnlocked this eye is alwaies as a booke that is both clasped and open at the same time or els wholly clasped and locked vp The claspes that doe all this are in number three goodnes Claspes of conscience 1. Goodnesse sinne and punishment Goodnesse clasps vp the accusation of the conscience but alwaies leaues open the conscience for excusation therefore a good conscience will open for no accusation nor shut for any vaine excusations Secondly 2. Sinne. sinne is either the clasper and vnclasper together or the clasper alone the clasper and vnclasper by excusation or accusation as in our first parents it is said when they had sinned their eyes were opened not that they were blind before but that now the eye had lost the power of excusing and therefore in that was shut vp and blinded but was altogether vnlocked for accusation and condemning of themselues yet by reason of custome and long continuance in sinne that verie selfe same thing which opened the eies of our first parents hath wholly seared vp the eyes of some that their consciences neither accuse nor excuse except you will say they falsly excuse when they make vs cry peace peace and all is well with vs. Now this for the most part is the claspe of mens consciences so that except God bring iudgement the conscience will neuer be awaked from his securitie 3. Punishment Therefore the third claspe of the conscience is punishment this holds most surely in excusation in so much that none can either vnclaspe it or by any meanes be able to mitigate the strait holding of punishment from all comfort so that neither angels nor men nor any other creature can giue a dramme of comfort but for the vnclasping of the conscience it wil do it most forcibly and exceedes all other meanes and therefore is to bee vnderstood in this place Hence ariseth a fourefold distinction of conscience the first that is at peace with it selfe Conscience quiet but not good quiet nor good but not with God and that is the conscience that is wholly locked vp the second that is neither at peace with God nor it selfe and that is the conscience vnder the horror of the punishment of sinne good not quiet the third conscience which is not at peace with it selfe but with God and that conscience hath two claspes in it goodnesse and sinne goodnes from God sin from it selfe good and quiet The fourth that hath peace with God and with it selfe and this is a conscience that feeles a claspe of Gods mercie to bind vp the broken heart and make it breake forth with ioy and gladnesse So that now if we looke into the world wee shall find that euerie man is either a Prince or a peasant either the basest among the sonnes of men and most ignoble or els couragious as a lyon and stout hearted as a gyant If a man were as poore as Lazarus and as naked as Iob yet if he bad a good conscience he would be higher then Princes and scorn to yeild a foote for the proudest but on the contrarie if hee were as stout as Alexander as merry as Belshazzar as wise as Ahithophel as proud as Hammon and as rich as Nabal yet hauing an euill conscience he would tremble with Alexander for the touch of an ague quiuer with Belshazzar for the appearance of a finger hang himselfe with Ahitophel for that his counsell was brought to nought mourne with Hammon vpon his bed for the losse of his honour or his heart would die within him as it did within Nabal for the losse of a field or in a word hee would tremble at a very leafe and therefore fearfull shall bee the estate of these men when the Lord shall thus vnlocke their consciences as he hath promised he will doe in this place Now this vnlocking is threefold Keyes to vnlock conscience 1. Amazement First by a generall amazement when a man is suddenly stricken but he knowes no particular cause as Belshazzar was in the 5. of Dan. the writing on the wall vnclasped his conscience by a sudden amazement Secondly 2. Particular knowledge by a particular knowledge of the sinne that they haue commited as it was with Indas who said Phaue sinned in betraying inocent blood this did strike so deepely into his conscience that be departed and hanged himselfe and for verie greife the rimme of his bellie rent in peices Thirdly and lastly 3. Gods departure by a most lamentable farwel in hell when the Lord shall say O my creature I made thee glorious but thou hast spoyled all thy glorie and lost my fauour farewell my creature I the fountaine of liuing water I the liuing God I thy life and length of dayes thy verie breath must leaue thee and come vnto thee as a consuming fire as a roaring lyon heape vpon thee all torments in bodie and soule Again thou shalt say Farewell creator farwell louing wife farewell my children and all my freinds farewell my pleasures prosits and all my worldly lusts Alas will none of you pitie mee wilt thou O Lord looke on and take no compassion and will you my freinds if with me curse me and cry A vengence on me will you thus reward my loue vpon earth If in heauen will you crie with father Abraham Remember that you had your pleasure when many a Saint starued at your doore and therefore iustly art thou tormented and we most mercifully rewarded you did vs much hurt in your pretended loue and blessed be God you preuailed not in your will Alas is it so why then O worme of conscience doe thy worst burne fire that can not be quenched I gnash with my teeth to see the prosperity of my freinds blaspheme God with the rest of my freinds here in hel not as sinning for that we did in brauery vpon earth to teare God in peices was our credit but now we together see all to be our punishments and we can take no sweet solace in our companie as we did vpon earth Thus the wicked goe downe to hell to see their sinnes set in order before their consciences to their euerlasting shame and confusion that could not see it vpon earth the deuill hath lead them into the mids of hel as the Prophet the Aramits that came to take him into the mids
men neither are they plagued with them but pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment What then can be answered for God surely still the consequence is not good bruit beasts may goe to the slaughterhouse without all baiting and it were questionlesse the part of a mad man to disturbe them that goe as heart would wish neither would the deuill for a thousand worlds that these men should once be disquieted to turn back againe and therefore yet you sticke in the question What then will you answer to an argument drawne from their life their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they haue their tongues at libertie power to oppresse boast of it and yet presume thēy shall not be controlled for they dare speake against heauen and suffer their tongues to walke thorough the earth therefore God neither doth neither can he do any good to Israel Let Moses come to Pharaoh with let my people goe he shall be answered not as the deuills answered the Exorcists Act. 19.15 Iesus we acknowledge and Paul we knowe but who are yee It had been well if he had but said Aaron and Moses God I acknowledge and his p eople I know but who are yee that are so impudent with your king this is not his voice but who is God and Exod. 10.10 Let the Lord so bee with you as I will let you goe and your children behold for euill is before your face Here is blasphemie and execration of Gods people he imagines euill against them the Lord shall not preuent it and he desires that the Lord had no better affection to them then he was minded to let them goe What shall be answered to this proud argument that brings all into it they haue the controlment of heauen and earth and therefore how shall the Lord be good to Israel Well O flesh yet is God good to Israel this is but a small matter for neither heauen nor earth are in their hands it is an easie matter to turne their owne swords into their owne bowels for they haue fedde indeede but it is become a surfet and therefore if presently they be not like oxen knocked in the head they will pine away and neither God nor man shall haue profit by them they haue been licentious but soone may they be cooled they haue spoken wickedly of their oppression but a small matter will grauell them and bring them vnto an non plus they haue presumed but soone may they despaire they haue set their mouths against heauen but suddenly while they are about their mischiefe there may shine a most fearefull light yea lightning and thunder from heauen strike them to the ground make euerie ioynt breake a sunder the whole bodie tremble and the heart astonied neither shall they heare any voice from heauen Send for Ananias to put his hands vpon them that they may recouer their sight and haue their hearts comforted yet shall they heare a voyce from heauen Why haue you persecuted me it is hard for you to kicke against my prickes I will make your consciences pricke you to the death the sting shall neuer out of it there shall not be a Moses nor an Aaron to pray for you though you confesse with Pharaoh we haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Surely the spirit of God is strong my owne testimonie is answered the death and life of the wicked cannot euince the cause therefore I bring a third sort of reasons euen from the godly themselues v. 10. his people turne hither for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Hence euen they say how doth God knowe it or is there knowledge in the most high wee dare boldly say the wicked prosper and increase in riches we haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie to no purpose for daily haue we beene punished and chastened euery morning What may be said to this argument surely the testimonie of my brethren doth presse mee sore that they should bee so discouraged yet I hope when they shall haue considered my arguments propounded for the defence of their cause they shall recant their errour and say If I iudge thus behold the generation of thy children are vp against mee I haue therfore trespassed the reason was because I thought to finde out the discourse by my naturall reason but I confesse it was too painefull for mee therefore O Spirit the comforter of thy Church let me heare the arguments that will beare waight in the ballance of Gods sanctuarie First therefore I will begin with an artificiall argument which all men may gather out of the workes of God euen of his iustice They are set in slipperie places they stand but vpon the yee and therefore God may soone cast them into desolation which all the world may see to be done for how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed all is but a dreame of their prosperitie but when I am awaked to see it and they to feele it then shall I consider my heauenly felicitie contemne all their vaine pompe and know assuredly that God makes all their image to be despised therefore I ingeniously confesse that the vexing of my heart and the pricking in my reines was because I was too foolish euen as a beast before God yet was I happie in all this for by faith I was alwaies with God and that my faith might not fall he hath holden me by his right hand Secondly for my selfe I haue taken this arguemnt that God will guide mee by his counsell and afterward receiue me to his glorie Thirdly I dare appeale vnto mine owne soule from both these arguments vnto a third whom haue I in heauen but God and I haue desired none in earth before him Fourthly I drawe an arguments from mine owne weakenesse and the daily experience I haue had of Gods goodnesse my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Therefore now I come to the determination of the question and thus I determine it for the wicked Loe they that withdrawe themselues from God shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee and for my selfe I haue found that the deepest disputations doe alwaies bring forth the best conclusions and safest determinations therefore thus I resolue That as for me it is good for mee to drawe neere to God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all his works See but one place more Psal 77. When I entred the consideration of the dayes of olde and the yeares of auncient time called to remembrance my song of thankesginug in the night which vsually I sung in my prosperitie and now thinking vpon God am troubled and when I pray my spirit is full of auguish Thou keepest myne eies awaking all the long night it is time therefore to commune
'le neuer hit this white Once liuing White now dead yet liuing more And walkes in white where heart was long before Who lou'd thy gifts and yet of gifts would none But he that car'd for thee and thine now gone Though rich in grace yet poorer in estate For crosses thicke befell thee now of late Thy Patron which in loue did thee aduance Now pitie takes of thine in their hard chance To liuing and the dead this is great loue And may compassion much in others mooue To Lancashier thy paines much good did bring And from thy words their well-fare long may sing Thou chang'd thy charge and still did paines discharge Yet in a church where grace had small enlarge Change of pasture in prouerb make fat calfes But nature saies to sheepe oft rot'nes falls Greenham had pasture greene but sheepe full leane Yet change of charge made pasture far more meane Whites flocke both green and white for harâ—est made And wonder was what good successe he had But Barnham was to him more barren soile Small fruit did spring from labour and his toile Oh cursed crue that will your sinnes pursue And neuer cease till hell be for your due I call as he did often cry Repent Before your time for mercie all be spent Iudge this your sad affliction springs from sin To whip out folly and let wise dome in Arraigned must you be before your iudge For manie crimes that neuer here you grudge These things hast thou done The more these things are knowne the lesse the care And lesse the care the more these things you dare The sincere Iudge no worke nor persons spares Done thou and these to euery man he shares I held my tongue Soone may be speake in wrath that holds his tongue And recompence your sinnes for all this wrong Thou thoughtest I was like thee A thought as farre from good as Gods from ill To thinke and iudge a like is all your will I will reprooue thee I will reprooue is not a word in vaine For God will strike and vengeance is the paine Set them in order before thee Confusion great in sinne and sinners staies But God that knowes can order all their waies To order sinne before the sinners face Is wofull pay for running of that race Conclusion It is your crowne and honour to maintaine Gods pretious Church though others it disdaine Well haue you runne runne on with speed apace Your gaine no doubt shall glorie be and grace Grace here on earth and glorie farre aboue This life well spent a better life shall prooue CHAP. VII Concerning the fearefull apprehension of the Conscience in these words before thee THe Originall hath it in thine eyes that is in the eyes of the conscience which is the best iudge in the world and the hardest to bee corrupted it is no receiuer of bribes but the true applyer of the lawe to euerie fact whether good or euil it deales with man either by absoluing or condemning Nature of conscience before God it either accuseth or excuseth Hence conscientia quasi scientia qualis quisquis sit a true knowledge what manner of person euerie man is 1. Ioh. 3.20 If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things if our heart condemne vs not then haue we boldnesse toward God this Paul found in himselfe 1. Cor. 4.4 but hee would not iustifie himselfe by it This on the contrarie made the accusers of the woman taken in adulterie creepe out one after another Ioh. 8.9 In all men this beares witnesse of the law of God written in their hearts Rom. 2.15 It calls old sinnes to remembrace and makes men afraid of the punishment of theÌ„ Gen. 50.15 It is a grieuous wound for sinne committed and alwaies cries vengeance Gen. 4.14 By custome of sinne the conscience is become fleshie not soft but hardened First that it looseth all feeling of sinne Ephes 4.19 and secondly incurable by any ordinarie surgerie for as a Schirrous place in the bodie or that which is become to haue a Canker in it oyles will not mollifie it plaisters and salues cannot heale it vp only a hot yron must burne it out and so bring the place againe to feeling so many a mans conscience is so hardned that nothing will cure it but hell fire and the worme that neuer dieth 1. Timoth. 4.2 I haue shewed how many wayes the conscience is brought to feeling the hot yrons that God vseth are in number three The first is some general amazement or astonishing of the heart by some sudden fearefull and extraordinary iudgement Dan. 5.9 The second is made hote by some particular acknowledgement of some particular sinne Matth. 27.3 Lastly by the last iudgement Reu. 20 12. Conscience quiet and not good Kinds of conscience is of the secure and carelesse liuer good but not quiet is of the broken and contrite spirit which the Lord will neuer despise the conscience neither quiet nor good is of the desperat sinner quiet and good is of the Christian come from vnder the storme and tempest of temptation and resting in the sweete sense and feeling of the mercies of his God in Christ Iesus sealed vnto him by the testimonie of the spirit of God The conscience meant in this place is the quiet but not good conscience awaked by the fearfull iudgements of God to tremble and feare Zecha 5. vntill the flying booke came forth which is the curse of God the woman which is wickednes sitting in the middest of the Ephah is pressed with a weight of lead and stirreth not but now the Lord euen by a weake meanes of two women hauing the wind in their wings lifts vp the Ephah betweene the earth and the heauen and then the whole earth which sits at quiet shall be mooued and established for euer in the land of darkenesse and obliuion Therefore because the Lord knowes that he shall finde the whole world asleepe when he comes to iudgement bids them that loue him watch take heede of securitie Observ Of all miseries that can befall man none like to the setting of sinne before the eyes of the conscience The Lord in this Psalme is extraordinarily offended with the hypocrite and for his plague hee puts this one for all I will set thy sinnes before thee Alas The children of God often wrastle with horror of conscience the children of God often feele the wrath of God kindled against their soules and anguish of conscience most intolerable and can find notwithstanding continuall prayers and incessant supplication made vnto the Lord no release but in their own iudgement stand reprobate from Gods couenant and voide of all hope of his inheritance expecting the consummation of their misery and fearefull sentence of eternall condemnation when perhaps these are but temptations rising from their owne nature or els without them by the malicious enemie Sathan or from such allurements or terrors which the world tosseth vs with all in these
children are in sorrow but when they consider how of his owne will he hath begotten them with the word of truth that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures then their hearts doe reioyce and their ioy no man shall take from them Now that compleat ioy may be drawne out of all these arguments it is necessary that the word of God be specially looked vnto for in afflictions it onely giueth vs the liuely sight of our sinne manifests the riches of the mercies of God in Christ Iesus to deliuer vs from sinne and therefore Dauid saies often but for thy lawe I had perished in mine afflictions therfore for further comfort he shewes what is required to make vs profit in Gods word first qualification secondly practise the first the soule the second the life of the soule the qualification v. 19. the reason of it v. 20. and the conclusion out of both ver 21. Wherefore laying apart all silthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse receiue with meekenes the word that is grafted into you which is able to saue your soules After this qualification followes the practise that the mercies of God might not be in vaine which he hath bestowed vpon them therefore v. 22. be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues now because this cousening of our selues in hearing of Gods word is a disease incident to the most hee playes the good Physitian first discouering the disease by a familiar similitude laying together these fowre tearms spots and a glasse sins and the law as spots may be seene in a glasse so sinnes may be seene in the law secondly in their qualitie wherein they are laid together and that is beholding considering and immediately forgetting as a man beholding falls to consider something amisse in himselfe yet going his way and other matters possessing his head immediately forgetteth what manner of face-he had So they come to the Church looke into Gods word consider that all is not well yet going their way home againe to their olde courses and now all is spoiled and they are neuer better Secondly hauing discouered the disease by the most familiar fymptomes applyes the remedie and tells them what must be their receit ver 15. the perfect law of libertie must be carefully looked into Thirdly he giues them the manner how it must be receiued first what must be abstained from as deadly poison to the nature of a Christian and secondly the onely hinderer of the worke of all good physicke First therefore v. 26. If any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is in vaine Secondly thus must it bee taken according to pure religion and vndefiled before God in visiting the fatherles and widdowes in their necessity and to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world Seeing then that God hath so many comforts patience to possesse the soule when it is at a loffe wisedome to make i◠finde it selfe in the greatest night of trouble contentation to quiet it as well in aduersitie as prosperitie a crowne of glory to recompence it after all combats and such a word as may be a light to direct a sword to defend and teach the true watch word of a Christian when he is readie to be swallowed vp of his enemies it cannot bee but that we should alwaies rest in the hauen of happinesse A recaptulation of all the former heads in a briefe and perspicuous table for the further impression of Christian comfort in the memories of the faithfull Comfort in affliction donation of grace informing the action present patience working v. 4. perfecting v. 4. wifedom giuen freely and liberally receiued by praier faith future true contentation in all things v. 9 the ende of the action blessednes in the crowne of life v. 12. sanctifying causes principall the will of God v. 18. instrumentall the word of truth v. 18. effect first fruits a holy kind of offering taken out of the residue of men v. 18. true application in the qualification manifested v. 19. prooued in clearing the point v. 20. in concluding v. 21. in the practise honest and good hearing and doing v. 22. dishonest and vnprofitable illustrated 23. 24. by tearms spots a glasse sin and the law qualitie beholding forgetting applyed first in the prescript v. 25. in the vse vnlawfull v. 26. lawfull v. 27. Seeing then that this is the course that the Lord will take let no man think to be Diues all his life time in this world and Lazarus after death If God promise riches the way thereunto is pouertie before loue correction before exaltation deiection whom he saueth first he damneth he bringeth not to heauen but by hell if he promise life hee slaieth first Ioseph sawe the sunne moone and starres worshipping him neuertheles yet that could come to passe God laid him where he could see neither sunne nor moone nor any starre of the skie and all that many yeares and also vndeserued yet all this while to nurture him vp against the time of honour God promised Israel a land of milke and honie yet for the space of forty yeeres they went through a land not only where there were no riuers of milke and honey but not so much as a droppe of water to refresh them withall yet all this was done of God to doe them good at the latter end God promised Dauid a kingdom yet immediatly he stirred vp Saul against him to hunt him and ferret him out of euery hole and that many years Thus he that will weare the crowne of glory must weare the crowne of thornes he that will haue all teares wiped from his eyes must first shed them Reu. 15.3 the children of God before they can sing the song of Moses the seruant of God and the song of the lambe Christ Iesus must first swim through the glassie sea mingled with fire and brimstone It is not the way to heauen to liue in this world in perpetual ease rest quietnes in body soule goods and good name therefore as the end of all afflictions is full of ioy and comfort so is the way seeing it is appointed of the Lord most comfortable because euery steppe brings vs towards Gods kingdome and I may tearme afflictions markes in the way to tell vs we are to keepe on that way they lead vs. A man inquiring his way and is told he hath no plaine way but by desolate woods hills and mountaines very stony and troublsome to passe by when the trauailer seeeth these marks he saies vndoubtedly I am right but if he find all to be plaine presently stands still lookes about and saies I see neuer a one of my directiōs therfore I am assuredly wrong this way will neuer bring me to the end of my iourney So the Lord hath told vs that this is the way to heauen to passe by many crosses we run a long and find no such matter well may we suspect that we are out
shall not keep silence or winke at some mens faults because hee dare not speake hee will neither drown his words nor eate them for the proudest Secondly his power is prooued first by his messengers 2. by his faithfull witnesses By his messengers vers 3. most excellently set out vnto vs 1. by their names declaring their nature fire and tempest and therefore who shall be able to stand before him if they misse the fire the tempest shall meete with them so that there shall be no escape out of the hands of this Iudge 2. By their effects deuouring and moouing therfore iudgment and swift execution 3. From their attendance they shall goe before him and round about him therefore way shall bee made before him and roome shall bee gotten round about him 4. By the adiunct a mightie tempest therfore shall it ouerturne all the bulwarkes of the wicked V. 4 His faithfull witnesses 4 5 6. verses called v. 4. executing 5 6. called first by name heauen and earth therefore shal iust euidence be giuen in against euery offender the earth shall couer no offences for the heauens shall reueale it neither shall any bill bee left vnread for all offences are written either in heauen or earth neither can there be any dropping for heauen and earth will gather vp all 2. They shall haue their charge from God for God shall call them and therefore they shal deale faithfully 3. The end of their calling is appointed and that is to iudge his people therfore in Gods Court there shall be no plea for ignorance for he that manifests the end will discouer all meanes that shall bring vnto the end V. 5 Execution is either the conuention of the people or the proclamation of the Iudge convention of the people v. 5. First there must be a gathering for all men are abroad at their workes vntil this iudge come and therefore woe vnto them that are gathered with their sinnes but happie shall euery soule be that is found weldoing when the Lord shall send to gather him 2. This gathering shall be of his Saints and all those that make a couenant with him with sacrifice and therfore the hypocrites shall be too blame that haue cried wee haue fasted prayed sacrificed and yet thou regardest not let this assure them that God regardeth 3. It must be before God alas before him at whose presence the Angels couer their faces and holy Prophets haue cried out most lamentably wee die because wee haue seene the Lord of hosts what then shall become of odious hypocrites 4. Both must come together but how shall that bee Psalm 1 5. seeing the wicked shall not stand in the iudgement nor sinners in the assemblie of the righteous yea they shall stand euen as they haue made the godly to stand in their assemblies to the perishing of them in regard of their wrath so shall they stand in the assemblie of the godly before the Lord to the perishing both of bodie and soule 5. Circumstance in the conuention is the worship of an hypocrite and that is a couenant with sacrifice and therefore let the wicked know that their righteousnesse shall not be hidde with the Lord but they shall haue their triall according to their own righteousnesse therfore let all proud Pharisies thanke God they are not as poore publicans they haue fasted twise a weeke they haue giuen tythes of al that euer they possessed they are no extortioners vniust adulterer c. well when they are tried with all their righteousnesse if they fall for lacke of iust payment let them thanke themselues for that they thought they had payed all and that they were in debt to no bodie V. 6 The last thing in the execution is the proclamation of the Iudge v. 6. Wherein we haue first the crier the heauens 2. The voice which is first the declaration of righteousnesse 2. of the cause of this righteousnesse which is God who will not post of the iudgement to others for God is iudge himselfe And thus much of the first part the Iudges comming his proceeding followes V. 7 Gods proceeding begins in the 7. v. and continues vnto the end the parts whereof are two in regard of a double obiect his Saints and hypocrites his proceeding with his Saints is from the 7. verse to the 16. his proceeding with hypocrits from the 16. to the end The first is done by way of reformation the second by way of condemnation the reformation of his Saints is necessarie for although they desire sincerely to worship God in the cerimonie and the substance in sacrifices and the truth of the sacrifices according to law and Gospel yet often times diuers things are amisse which the Lord must haue redressed or else all shall not goe well with his Saints Marke therefore how the Lord proceeds with his Saints by way of reformation which is double first correction of their error 2. direction of them in the truth Correction of error to the 14. v. direction in the truth 14 15. In the correction of their error there is a most exquisite methode obserued by the Lord which may be a patterne for all Christians to imitate and that is this first to manifest his loue v. 7. 2. to manifest their error v. 8. which must needs be very seasonable after the former 3. to take away the occasion of their error which must needs be profitable to ouerturne the second 4. And to giue reasons of the remoouall which must needs take away all cauill and fond oppositions of our vntoward natures v. 10 11 12 13. Let vs looke vpon them all first the manifestation of his loue v. 7. First a kind compellation and louing invitation to attention in this word heare if a man were sicke in his bodie hee would be very desirous that the Physitian would neuer make an end of speaking and therfore if wee had the same wisedome for our soules how attentiue should wee be when so excellent a Physitian as the Lord shal speake 2. From the relation that is betwixt God and them a gracelesse child that will not heare his father before all men in the world O my people oh Israel euery word an argument people therefore if all people shall bow downe and worship the Lord then is it their dutie not to exclude themselues 2. A note of peculiaritie my people chosen out of all nations 3. They are Israel so called of Iaacob their father because hee preuailed with God and therefore assuredly hee should preuaile with Esau and all wicked men Israel therefore is a strong bond first because it points out vnto them the couenant that was made with Abraham Isaac and Iaacob 2. the power they should haue with God and from God to preuaile with all power euen of hel death and damnation 4. Gods vehement affection to his people in doubling his exclamation O my people oh Israel 3. Reason to perswade is drawne from the best testimonie in the world I will
That this may the better appeare consider three kind of thoughts the first is a direct thought and thinkes it selfe the second an indirect thought that thinkes first the thing and then it selfe the third is a corrupt thought that thinks it selfe out of it selfe the first is onely proper vnto God that knows himselfe first and in himselfe all things God lookes not out of himselfe to know any thing for all things are in him and therefore he knows himselfe directly the creatures indirectly this thought is aboue the thoughts of men and Angels Esay 55 9. as far as heauen is higher then the earth The second belongs to men and Angels in their best estate for they must first thinke the thing and then out of the thing themselues and this we call a reflexed thought as for example a man lookes his naturall face in a glasse he sees first the image of his face and then by that he knows the complexion of his reall face so a man sees Gods wisdome in his creation which beeing as a glasse 〈…〉 scit sâ— sâ—â—â—e casts vpon man the knowledge of himselfe So that man must looke himselfe out of himselfe and to know himselfe in himselfe is to labour to be like God The third thought is of corruption when a man will needs looke through his owne medium now be that lookes through his owne corruption can see nothing but corruption as a man that lookes through a red glasse sees nothing but rednes so he that will see himselfe through himselfe can see nothing but himselfe And herein we see that corruption would become a God desires to know nothing but it selfe and loue nothing better then it selfe And this is that thought which is to be conceiued in this place Gods silence must be tempered according to his appetite and their tast is so daintie that they can tast nothing but that which they themselues haue prepared nothing is sauorie which comes out of Gods kitchin dressed by his owne cookes but they will haue their own prouision and so like vnskilfull dames they put death into the pot and when they are sicke they will physick themselues vntill they haue brought themselues past all cure and then it shall be too late to crie father Abraham haue mercie vpon vs we are grieuously tormented And suppose God should then yeild them a cuppe of cold water it should not refresh them for as vpon earth they counted the kingdome of grace and goodnes a hell vnto them so questionlesse if God should let them feele the least ioy in heauen it would be a torment vnto them Their tast is alwaies an aguish tast iustice and mercie can not rellish with them and therefore they swallowe downe all things vnsauourily And this is the meaning thou thoughtest that is turned all to thine owne conceit Yet one thing more is to be added to wit that this is not the expresse thought of hypocrites for they will soone reply Lord when thought we so of thee Oh be content Iob 9 4. Amos. 4.13 God is wise in heart and able to declare vnto man what is his thought the Lord is no false expositour he iudgeth thy thoughts by thy practise in tantum scimus in quantum operamur for if thou didst not thinke thus much thou wouldst neuer haue practised it Psal 139.17 if thou hadst alwaies with Dauid cryed Lord how deere are thy thoughts vnto mee how great is the summe of them indeede I cannot count them but when I awake I am still with thee then assuredly God would neuer haue censured thee so deepely but alas thou art asleepe and thou dreamest all is well but when the Lord shall awake thy conscience and set thy sinnes before it then shalt thou cry Iust and righteous art thou O Lord but I am sinfull therefore thine own mouth shall condemne thee and thy life shall testifie sufficiently what thou thinkest Like thee A strange wonder when all the nations of the world in respect of God are nothing say they were counted as a drop of a bucket which is but a small thing to all the water contained therin yet let theÌ„ come with God vpon the balance this drop of water shall be turned into the dust of the earth and if he take away the very Isles as a little dust what shall become of this droppe of water when it is spilt vpon the earth shall it not be counted lesse then nothing euen vanitie it selfe how then should we heare this voice of an hypocrite God is like me If reason will excuse him we will plead for him Beeing in any creature is liâ—er God which iâ— the first beeing then that which is no beeing First therefore euery creature of God may say he is like God because he hath beeing therefore liker God that is beeing then that which is no beeing For God that is the first beeing will acknowledge the rest as from himselfe for the first beeing must needes giue all beeings therfore the grasse in the field prooues his creator and his creator approoues of him for the cause and the effect doe well agree but alas God neuer made an hypocrit for he is the worke of his owne hands therefore we dare not do so much for him as for the least spire of grasse that groweth out of the earth Againe 2 Man Gods image by creation man is the image of God and therefore very like God not for beeing but holines and righteousnes of beeing but alas when I looke vpon man and aske whose image and superscription doth he beare and finde that it is Adams then needes must I say giue vnto Adam that which is Adams but vnto God that which is Gods Now I find no stampe in an hypocrite but the stampe of Adam and though he hath couered himselfe with figge leaues yet God hath found him out therefore I dare not in charitie couer him Wherfore I enter a third consideration 3. of redemption for loue would couer a multitude of sinnes and find the Lord saying in the Scriptures be ye holy as I am holy If any thing will serue the turne here is matter to iustifie him for who is able with the hypocrite to thanke God that he is not as other men an extortioner vniust an adulterer but a faster twice a weeke a giuer of almes euen the tythe of all he possesseth Who dare now speake against him if the Lord had bin silent I should haue bin amazed once to haue opened my mouth in dislike of him but he is no Saint for all this glistering shew he is not purged from his sinne still is he in the gall of bitternes and the bond of iniquitie and yet the thought of his heart is not forgiuen him therefore his prayer of thanksgiuing is an abomination vnto the Lord for as yet he hath made no petition for the remission of his sinne as yet he hath not learned the first steppe to Christianitie therefore now I will
temple which thing the Prophet graunteth yet makes this exception that he is a iust Lord in the middest thereof and will doe no iniquitie for their sakes therefore the Lord doth punish grauissimè iustissimè certissimè most grieuously because of the greatnes of sinne most iustly because of the holinesse of his law most certainly because of the truth of his iudgement But it will be obiected Wicked men prosper wicked men flourish The answer is easie First it is but short Psal 37.35 36. I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene bay treee yet I passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but hee could not be found Secondly they are punished in their consciences with deadly securitie while they liue in thier prosperitie Thirdly the more they liue in delight the greater is their punishment for that feedes them fat for the day of the Lord. Secondly it may be obiected that hee which is summè misericors debet remittere aliquid de suo iure he that is most mercifull must remit some thing of his right or els shall wee verifie that of the Lord which we speake of oppressions summum ius summa iniuria the vttermost right is the vttermost wrong and therefore if it be the commendation of a man to forgiue iniuries and the glorie of the King to passe by offences shal we not thinke that the Lord hath greater libertie to dispense with his iustice and pardon offences without satisfaction I answer mercy and iustice are in God in the highest degree and therefore equall as beeing God himselfe yet may they be intended or remitted appeare more or lesse in his creatures Secondly the Lord hath iust reason with himselfe of the shewing of his mercie and iustice yet this may we boldly say that the Lord can not pardon any sinne without the satisfaction of his iustice because iustice in God is fater an other manner in him then any other creature for in him it is his essence and therefore to denie his iustice were to denie himselfe The point then beeing cleared these may be the reasons 1. Reas First from the perfection of his nature for Integritie is that which consists of all complements and can admit of nothing neither in the excesse nor in the defect 2. Reas The rule of his wisdome which admits no exception but containes in it the conditions of a most absolute and necessarie truth A law more vnalterable then the laws of the Medes and Persians 3. Reas Because he will be iudge of the whole world and therefore must needes be intire and iust in all actions 1. Vse reprehension first of the wicked that dreame of all mercie and thinke with the hypocrite that God is nothing but silence yet let them know that it is impossible for God to crosse his nature and therfore must they needes feele the hand of his iustice Secondly a correction of the godly which by reason of some priuiledges abuse their christian libertie surely if we be not the seruants of sinne we must be the seruants of righteousnes and not our owne masters 2. Vse instruction First admonition to the wicked that they put not too much on Gods skore because the Lord will prooue a hard master and be sure to aske his owne Secondly a direction to the godly first To passe their time in feare for that is the vse that Peter makes of it 1. Pet. 1.17 And if ye call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 2. Chron. 19.7 Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heede and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward Secondly confession of the Lords righteousnes Nehem. 9.33 Surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truly but we haue done wickedly Dan. 9.7 O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day vnto euery man of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel both neare and farre off through all the countries whether thou hast driuen them because of their offences that they haue committed against thee Therefore v. 14. Hath the Lord made readie the plague and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voice Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are all thy iudgements An admirable disputation is laid downe in the 9. of Iob the question is this Whether any man compared with God may be iustified The first argument is drawne from the confession of all mouthes that they shall not be able to answer him one thing of a thousand The second argument is drawne from his wisdome and power Neuer any beeing fierce against God hath prospered The third argument is an induction of particular examples drawne from the mountaines ouerturned in his wrath and yet they feele it not the displacing of the earth that the very pillars thereof doe shake the staying of the Sunne from his rising the closing vp the starres as vnder a signet the spreading of the heauens the walking on the sea the making of Arcturus Orion the Pleiades and the climates of the South he doth great things and snsearchable yea maruelous things without number so that he may passe by and no man perceiue him take the pray and no man restore it Thus doth the Lord not withdraw his anger and the most mightie helps stoope vnder him Hence ariseth these confessions v. 15. to the ende Though I were iust yet could I not answer onely this would I doe make supplications to my iudge if I speake of strength he alone is strong if I speake of iudgement he alone shall plead if I would iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth should condemne me thus goes Iob along in confessions vnto the 34. v. where he shewes the way to bring in his confidence Let him take away his rodde from me and let not his feare astonish me then will I speake and feare him not but because I am not so I hold me still Thus from arguments God brings forth these confessions and these confessions doe better quiet the soule then arguments against the Lord. Vse 3. Consolation to all those that labour for sinceritie and striue to serue the Lord with willing and perfect mindes for vnto all those that dispose their waies in this sort shall bee shewed the saluation of God Sect. 3. Of Gods equitie Obser 3. Is the equitie of God without all contradiction the Lord iudgeth not vpon malice or suspitions as though hee hated the person of the hypocrite or suspected him for some notorious crimes but tells him plainely his conscience iudging with the Lord that these things are done alreadie committed and therefore no cause to complaine of the Iudge Thus the Lord dealt with our first
free-will This doctrine hath two branches the first that all the thoughts of wicked men are corrupt and wicked the second that a good thing by accident may be the cause of euill for Thou thoughtest in this place is brought in as a consequent of Gods silence 1. Doct. All mens thoughts by nature are sinnfull this doctrine is alreadie cleared for these reasons haue beene formerly inlarged 1. The fountaine is altogether vncleane and who can bring that which is pure out of corruption not one of a thousand surely none but God 2. Man is depriued of all good consideration and therfore nothing is in his heart but the consideration how to doe euill 3. The vnderstanding is altogether blind the wil and affections neuer seeke after God the whole man is declined from good to euill and all that he doth is vnprofitable 4. Nothing can extend it selfe beyond his nature therefore man beeing carnall and sold vnder sinne cannot get vp so high in his meditations as the lawe of God which is spirituall 5. He who takes counsell with his owne flesh yeelds to his owne lusts discourseth against Gods wisedome lets his owne will raigne is captiuated by the deuill and allured by the world cannot but think of that which is euil against God and man Vse 1. reprehension 1. Confutation of Papists that magnifie free will 2. the world that say thoughts are free they haue good meanings c. Secondly correction of the godly for iudging the pollicies of the wicked as strong castles of defence Vse 2. instruction 1. Admonition to the wicked not to boast too much of their plots and deuices for all their imaginations thoughts are sure to come to naught Secondly direction vnto the godly alwayes to haue God in their thoughts Vse 3. consolation First in aduersitie to consider that all the plots of wicked men are not onely vanitie but also impietie and therefore as they cannot stand so shal they be seuerely punished Secondly in prosperitie to consider how God is the vpholder of their heads their lot portion and inheritance and therein to repose the sweetnesse of their thoughts 2. Doct. A good thing by accident may be the cause of euill as silence the cause of this thought Hos 7.1 When I would haue healed Israel then the impietie of Ephraim was discouered c. God here put on the person of a Physitian who while he goes about to heale the maladie makes it worse and finds the euill to be more gricuous 1. Because he finds the patient more peruerse and to vse all ill diet 2. the disease beeing stirred and so sturdie in his owne nature that it rebells against the remedie Rom. 7.8 sinne is dead without the law but the law makes it to liue hence wee see that God would heale vs but we turne our disease into putrifaction and rottennesse and so become incurable and no maruaile for though all men bee made of one mettall yet they bee not cast all in one mould there is framed of the selfe same clay as well the tile to keepe out water as the pot to containe licour the brickie nature of man will not be washed by Gods raine from heauen it shall haue no entrance into his soule The Sunne doth harden the durt and melt the waxe so the wicked being the filth of the world cannot be stamped with the beames of Gods wisdome but are hardened Fire maketh the gold to shine and the straw to smother perfumes refresh the doues but kill the beetles so the fire of Gods word smothereth in the wicked and the verie sweetnesse of it kills them The vine will spread by nature and the more we seeke by art to alter it the more in the ende we shall augement it It is proper for the palme tree to mount the heauier we load it the higher it sprouteth although yron be made soft with fire it turneth to his hardnes the silly mouse wil by no manner of meanes be tamed the subtill fox may wel be beaten but neuer broken from stealing his pray season the wood neuer so well the wine will tast of the caske translate the crabbe-tree where and whensoeuer you please and it will neuer beare sweet apple the blacke will take no other colour the stone Abeston beeing once made hot neuer will be made cold can the Ethiopian change or alter his skinne the Leopard his hew it is impossible to gather grapes on thrones or figs on thistles this cannot be brought to passe by any art the stone in Scicilia the more it is beaten the harder it is so the more God handles the wicked the worse they are He that stoppeth the streame causeth it to swell higher he that casteth water on the fire in the smiths forge maketh it to flame fiercer so is it with the wicked touch them and they sparkle in your face But alas they know not how the wound that bleedeth inwardly is most dangerous that the fire kept most close burneth most furiously that the ouen dammed vp baketh soonest that sores hauing no vent fester secretly Thus they swallow the baite which will breed their bane they swill the drinke that wil expire their date the Scorpion can feed on the earth the quaile can be fat with poyson but alas their food bee it neuer so good yet they wil sat vp themselues with it against the day of slaughter Thus then good things are peruerted to the wicked to their ruine The fire is an elemēt most necessary yet the wicked housholder may as wel make it burn his house as burne in it tryacle doth as well poyson as help if it be taken out of time wine immoderately taken kills the stomacke enflames the liuer and mischeifes the drunkard Physicke destroyes if it be not well tempered Lawe accuseth if it be not wel interpreted poyson is taken out of the hunny-suckle by the spyder venome out of the rose by a canker dung out of the maple tree by the scorpion so the greatest wickednesse out of the greatest good if it be abused O therefore I intreat you that haue beene deceiued by your own fancies the glasse of pestilēce or deluded by your own thoughts the gates of perdition be as earnest to seeke a medicine as you were eager to runne into a mischiefe God hath left as well endiue to delight and cure as hemlocke to endanger the rose to distill as well as the nettle to sting the bee to giue hony as the spider to yeld poyson so for the soule as well a word to saue as to destroy Indeede by accident wee make it to bee so and if hitherto wee haue wounded our selues by it let vs now leaue the point of this sword and catch it by the handle The Poets affirmed that Achilles speare could as well heale as hurt I am sure this can a great deale better heale then hurt the Scorpion though he stings yet he stints the paine though the hearb Nerius poyson some beasts yet is it a remedie to man
the people raised a figure on hie that all men might obserue it and on the top painted a Serpent in a circle to shewe that in the world there is no greater arte then man to know himselfe in euerie part Let vs then a little enter this consideration and see what grounds hee laies of these his conceits First he considers his perfections as the perfections of nature a nimble wit good memorie full of ciuilitie and faire conuersation Secondly beeing within the bounds of Gods church he may obtaine certaine graces of Gods spirit as first from the word in generall vnderstanding consent to the truth submission affection delight in the messengers and to be a companion with the Saints and all frequenters of Gods church For the law he may see his sinnes the wrath of God due for them horror of conscience reluctation against sinne sorrow and a certaine change Mat. 12.43 2. Pet. 2.20 Mar. 6.20 For the Gospel knowledge of the couenant that God is faithfull that Christs merits are of infinite value and teares may flow from his eyes either in hearing or reading the passion of our Sauiour Christ Degrees of his perfections Heb. 6. 1 illumination 2. participation of the heauenly gift holy Ghost Gods word and of the powers to come these are his perfections Now let vs see what reasons may perswade him to this conceit First when he lookes vpon himselfe hee sees his heart to bee quiet within him and not boyle with the fowle and vglie sinnes of the world Secondly he sees his estate to be verie good in the world and full of prosperitie Thirdly he thinkes his profession is with the best he is as good a churchman as any other Againe he lookes vp vnto God and is verie lauish of Gods mercie he cares not to set it vpon the tenters and makes it rise as high as the mountaines but for his iustice he scants that and makes it like a mole-hill When he thinks of the deuill he finds himselfe nothing at all to bee troubled with him with a voide Sathan he can scare him from him at any time when he sets himselfe vpon the stage with other men he sees how the wicked cannot come neere him and yet they haue often a faire life an easie death and therefore shal it be farre better with him And for precise persons he cannot tell what to say of them sometime they are too proud for his companie another time they are too ful of hypocrisie he dares not trust them sometimes they are a companie of fooles and therefore he will not runne gadding about with fooles sometime men full of melancholy and sadnes fit for no societie or els singular fellowes that thinke none so good as themselues or els will haue a life by themselues and therefore they will not liue in societie with them but alas they are the men of pride that thinke that God dwells with them alone Bucephalus was then in cheifest pride when rich armor was set vpon his backe and none might ride him but Alexander so these hypocrites beeing in honour in the world will suffer none to accompanie with them but God himselfe for in comparison he excludes all And furely question with him of his estate and for the most you shall finde them verie resolute like vnto the Gyant of Gath they haue fingers and thumbes enough to apprehend mercie Aske them meane you to be saued they answer resolutly God forbid they should euer think otherwise when alas poore Christians lie wrastling with many a temptation Aske them againe doe you beleeue beleeue he that would not beleeue God were a wretch indeede Aske him in the third place haue you any doubtings with your faith doubtings why should I doubt the Lord is most certen in his promises when in both these the child of God is much perplexed Aske him in the last place when did you beleeue surely euer since I was borne yet alas many a good seruant of God will say once I was as blacke as a coale in sinne but it hath pleased God to put on me a whiter garment I know the verie day when hell did gape vpon me and at such a sermon it pleased God to strike me to the ground and raise me vp againe in his mercie or at least they that haue beene sanctified from their mothers wombe will crie and say Oh wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this bodie of death This fight of the members and of the spirit is an excellent perswasion of true grace but alas these wretches when in the time of necessitie they come to make vse of their faith what doe they I pray you truly they are become like Adonibezek they haue lost all their fingers and must famish for want of laying hold of their meate so that all their beautie perisheth For beloued as greene fruits and flowers doe ripen by the sunne whose rayes bring forth their budds and their smells so by the sonne of righteousnes alone must all the flowers of Gods garden mend their smells and sauours And therefore let vs proceede to see what they are not for want of this sunne and that consists in the second part of the verse yet they are not washed from their filthinesse A Labyrinth is framed with such art that the entrance is both plaine and wide but beeing entred you shall finde such turnings that you can not come out againe without your guide so this conceit of puritie hath made such a large entrance into the hearts of hypocrites that they can not be brought out of their turnings without the guide of Gods spirit Therefore let vs view these two threeds that are here laid downe to helpe vs. First they are not washed secondly they are in their filthines Ianus had two faces and in the one hand he had a key in the other the sunne from Ianus comes Ianuarie that lookes at both parts of the yeare his two faces makes him looke forward and backward by his key he is able to open the day and shut in the night by the sunne in the hand he is able to discouer all things Formalitie in religion may be expressed in Ianus vntill we come to the key and the sunne the hypocrites can looke at both parts of the yeare winter and sommer but they will haue their backe vpon winter and their face vpon sommer for when winter comes againe and lookes them in the face they hide their heads and will not be seene like vnto snailes that are abroad while the dew is vpon the earth but creepe into their houses when they finde the dew to be dried vp by the sunne Againe they haue two faces they can looke backward and forward serue all times please all persons and keepe themselues out of daunger but when we come vnto the key whereby heauen is opened and shut in they haue none at all they lost their key of righteousnes in Adam and as yet they haue it not restored in Christ who alone
vnderstanding will affections and all their instruments our vnderstanding is turned into blindnes of error our will embraceth not onely those things which corrupt iudgement directeth vnto but euen where vnderstanding standeth sound there will bendeth to affection and neglecteth the light of reason our affections are both rebellious to right iudgement and will in that they rage when they should not and where iust cause is giuen are quiet and at rest Thus from these principles in the soule the bodily members become weapons and instruments of all impietie and iniustice euen to the ouerturning of Church and Common-wealth except the Lord should restraine them in so much that the very pillars of the world would shatter in sunder and the vault of heauen would fall all things would turne to their former Chaos be consumed with the terrible fire of Gods vengeance and perish in his heauie displeasure Thirdly God puts on his children armour of proofe but they are negligent in the buckling of it on them and therefore the deuill often takes aduantage by that to doe vs hurt euen the gifts and graces of God are made grounds of the deuils temptations and therefore no maruaile though Sathan and the world preuaile against vs except the Lord stretch forth his hand and vphold vs. Therefore because I see the point in hand waightie and that which troubles the whole world to lie euen vpon this foundation and the resolution whereof cannot but administer excellent comfort to euery Christian I wil be bold to inlarge my meditations and the more willingly because it is so direct with my text not as grounded from it but as misapplied of the weak Christian taking euery sight of his sin for this fearefull setting of them before the eies of his conscience when the Lord onely threatneth the hypocrits and wicked of this world which will not but by constraint of law and iudgement meddle with their sinnes nay on the contrarie it is their nature to make God alwaies a friend vnto them as before we declared Therefore for the godlies sake will I not keepe silence in proceeding for their cōfort The grounds of all temptations beeing laid both inward and outward essentiall and accidentall we will come to the difficultie of difficulties to see how the deuill aimes at these grounds For distinction he doth it two waies either mediately or immediately mediately either by single means or by ioyning two together all these kinds will I manifest in the following discourse And first for his immediate working the experience of it is more lamentable and infallible then the manner howe easie to finde out yet something dare we boldly affirme and for methods sake we bring it to two heads It is either corporall possession or spirituall for the first hee may easily bring it about without any meanes because he is a most subtile nature and ful of strength by his subtiltie he may easily enter the bodie and by his strength he may carrie it at his pleasure he may possesse the whole bodie as Master command all that house but surely hee can not haue such accesse vnto the soule yet from his nature beeing by creation a spirit and therefore of the same kind of essence with our soules and indued with the same qualities of vnderstanding and will is able by agreement of nature and excellencie of qualitie to ouer-reach man beeing in the selfe same kind his inferiour For the nature of Angels is more excellent then mans and therefore hath hee a power ouer them for in nature euery inferiour power is subiected to the superiour yet both of them limited of God Therfore I doubt not but God permitting the deuill is able to meddle with our spirits without all corporall meanes euen as we see corporall creatures with bodily and corporall force to annoy one another and as men haue fellowship one with other by corporall presence and are delighted or displeased with the qualities of the mind according as they like or dislike vttered by speach and talke so it is most like that spirits haue their societie maintained by a spirituall conference whereby their wils and purposes are intercommunicated one to another without corporall sound whereof both the spirits want the instrument and the voice nothing affecteth the mind Daily experience maketh this manifest in such as are possessed whose discourses are often rare and admirable whose speach and phrase is often such as they neuer learned Now the deuill must needs be the schoolemaster and surely he informes them not by voice but by spirituall communication and so they receiue a cleare notion of many a point they were alwaies ignorant of and are able to expresse it in all varietie of languages and that in the phrase of eloquence Nay in a lesser degree then all this the false spirit perswades Ahab by all his false and lying Prophets that he should goe vp and prosper surely this spirit informed their spirits Thus entred Satan into Iudas not by corporall possession but spirituall and perswaded him to betray Christ thus Ananias Acts 5. had his heart filled and Ephes 2. the deuill is called the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience and that once they walked according to the conduct of that spirit These must needs bee reall operations carrying a force in them more then obiects do vnto any facultie that is conuersant about it for suppose the deuill should hold any art before the eies of an ignorant man could he possibly become a good Grammarian Rhetorician Logician whereby hee would talke with a Grecian though he were a Barbarian plead with Cicero though he were one of the common sort and dispute with Aristotle and Plato though he had neuer been in their schooles but had followed the plough all his life I should from reason thinke it impossible therefore he communicates his knowledg with these ignorant persons But you will say this is strange why should we then not perceiue it I answer the bodie in which the soule is is as a vayle to hide his manner of communication from vs yet it is no hinderance for him to enter within the vaile and speake vnto vs more angelico yet we peceiue it not saue in the effects because for the time of this life we exercise all actions through the body yet I am perswaded that if the soule were out of the body we should perceiue it most plainely if the curtain were drawn we should see the deuill lying with vs in our bosomes for the soules among themselues and with the angels in heauen haue sweet communication and therefore I feare not but the damned soules and deuils in hell haue their wofull societie Againe for the better conceiuing of this point wee stand not only subiect to Sathans annoyance through the subtilnes of his nature being a spirit but through that long experience and practise about our miserie from age to age is able to work more powerfully the Lord permitting him for a time Thus more perfectly
seaze vpon that which he pursueth 1. Pet. 5.8 Secondly that yet we may a little the more conceiue of his brutish cruelitie he is compared Reu. 12.3 to a red dragon whose fiercenes we find in history to exceede all lyons for a lyon if he be not hungry and see one not oppose him but fall downe before him will not hurt him but a dragon will deuoure mans flesh for sport This malice is open and so lesse dangerous but if he see that we are strongly fortified with Gods grace and at all points armed with compleat armour of a Christian if fenced and hedged on all sides as Iob was Iob 1.10 then leauing his raging violence he striues with vs by fawning and alluring vs to sinne thus with our first parents to tast of that pleasant fruit which depriued them of the breast-plate of righteousnes and vncocouered them of Gods protection so that euer since that time he hath had full blowes without all resistance hence he is called a tempter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that tempter the tempter of tempters after temptation he falls to accusation hence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deuill after accusation he is very glad that God will any where make him an executioner and hang-man his will then can be no lesse then maliciousnesse it selfe Eph. 6.12 But you will say though his will be malitiously bent yet he wants strength but let me tell you that the deuill is very strong both in himselfe and in his aides In himselfe he can raise great tempests both by sea and by land he is compared to the great Leuiathan that makes the sea to boyle with his motion as strong vpon earth as a lyon a dragon with seuen heads and tenne hornes and with his very taile he throwes to the ground the third part of the starres of heauen Luk. 11.21 a strong armed man who keepeth in peace all that he possesseth nay a mightie prince not of one country or land but a monarch of the whole world Ioh. 12.31 and by his authoritie can command infinit multitudes to goe for him neither is this all but they bee called princes powers worldly gouernours Ephes 6.12 and that these may not be one against another they haue a head vnder which they all conspired Math. 25.41 fire prepared for the deuill and his angels in this sense he is called Beelzebub the prince of deuils the word signifies a prince of flies not for their weaknesse but mulitudes euen as though they were swarmes conioyned together to do mischeife one spirit taketh seuen more Mat. 12.45 nay a legion of deuils are spoken of Luk. 8.30 so that they are a sufficient number to beset vs all on all sides and in all places Lastly to set forth the aduantage he hath of vs poore men they are said to be princes of darkenesse and that is lamentable to fight with an enemy that can see vs but not be seen againe Secondly they are not enemies of flesh but spirituall wickednesses most dangerous because spirits and pestelent because no lesse then wickednesse it selfe they wil be with vs because they are so swift and they neuer come without the plague and pestelence of sinne hanging about them Thirdly they haue gotten the vpper ground and fight from higher places then wee can reach vnto being poore silly worms crawling vpon the earth and the Scriptures truely laying open his strength call him no lesse then a god of this world 2. Cor. 4.4 as though he were omnipotent vpon earth But perhaps you will say he wants courage to his strength but let me tell you I find him in the scriptures to be no lesse then exceeding desperate and audacious there was neuer man that liued but he had some thing to say with him Adam in paradise yea our sauiour Christ nay Reu. 12.7 there is mention of a battell in heauen Michael and his angels fought against the dragon the dragon and his angels c. But if I should proceed I should vtterly dis-hearten the poore Christian and make him despaire of any encounter and hope of victorie yet dare I boldly giue the deuill his aids and yet bid the weakest Christian offer the deuill his challenge his aids are two first the world secondly his own flesh the one playes on both hands with prosperity and aduersitie and the other a traytour alwaies readie to betray him into the hands of his enemies Hauing described the deuill in his wit will and power let vs see if there be any wisdom to oppose him any wil that exceeds as much in goodnesse vnto man as the deuill doth in malice any power that can master the deuils For the first the good angels haue more wit then the bad and yet their wisedome is nothing vnto Gods now the eye of the Lord is on the righteous and all the holy angels pitch their tents about them and therefore this counsel shall stand against all the policies of the deuil and the gates of hell shal neuer preuaile And for the vertues of vnderstanding God hath intelligence to crosse all the inuentions of the deuill science to preserue his owne truth from the lies of the deuill sapience to drawe more good out of euill then the deuill can euill out of good and for prudence God can order all that which he hath laboured to bring to confusion and for arte the Lord hath more skill to tye his owne vnto himselfe then the deuil hath to draw them from him and for all those stratagems wrought vpon the vnderstanding the Lord can take away the vaile of ignorance preserue from error hardnes of heart or any thing that might rise out of that head And for wil and affection and the whole body the Lord hath promised and will performe that his holy ones shall be sanctified throughout both in body and soule For the malice of the deuills will we ought to lay to heart the good will and pleasure of our God which hath said he wil not forsake vs and for power we may be assured that the deuill hath no power but that which God shal permit vnto him he cannot touch Iob vntill God giue him leaue he cannot be a meanes of Ahabs ruine vntill it please God to yeild him that liberty that he may be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his false prophets nay he cannot enter so much as into such creatures as swine vntill Christ haue giuen him so much refreshment before the time of his wofull torture Secondly wee may fight with courage for the deuill is alreadie chained and reserued to more strong chaines hereafter Iud. v. 6. Thirdly God hath left vs such store of armour of proofe as the deuill can neuer strike through hee may as easily wound God as wound vs being couered with it he can neuer loose our girdle of veritie strike through our breast-plate of righteousnes vncouer our feet beeing shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace his blowes can neuer enter
then to thrust in his ship at any cricke for a shelter vntill the storme be ouer-blowne and a man plunged in the water will catch at any rope and hauing gotten hold will part with his life before he will part with his handfast so a Christian being tumbled vp and downe in the waters of affliction labours the more for his shelter and what he layes hold of he will not part with it now whom haue they in heauen and earth to rest vpon beside God and if all the world should counsell them curse God and die they would answer you speake like fooles shall we receiue good of God and not bee content to beare euill seeing we haue descrued it When I vsually come vnto these distressed soules and find them floating vp and downe and crying we are drowned in the deepe ocean of our sinnes and God hath not onely forgotten his mercies vnto vs but remembers that we were made for his wrath Well if it be so then forsake God renounce your faith yet let me heare if you dare open your mouthes to speake against God or euer suffer a cogitation of such blasphemie to enter your soules yea if God himselfe should rap you on the fingers and say what haue you to doe with my mercies yet you will not part with your hold and therefore neuer resolue of this fearefull apprehension vntill you can resolue to curse God and die for euer but this you neither can shall nor will doe But yeeld that a passion hath broken out in in your hot fits Why Lord thou art not my father doe you thinke that God wil be as rash againe to say Away you are not my children Suppose one of your owne children should fall into a burning feuer and in the extremitie of the heat should crie out against his father nay strike him with his fists would the father be as hastie as the child no no but with passion cry and weep alâ—â— my child is distempered with heat I know how he loued mee in health and now is it my part to loue him the more and doe any thing for him passions ought not to bee the rule of my loue but the dutifull obedience of my child So God may euen suffer hard words of his children but not to distast them for any such matter but loue them and care the more to doe them good 1. Kin. 20. Benhadad the King of Aram is lustie against the King of Israel v. 3. thy siluer and thy gold are mine also thy women and thy faire children are mine non victoriam sed insignia victoriae reportauit his hote words are soone cooled v. 31. and he sees his folly yet marke the counsell of his seruants Wee haue heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings we pray thee let vs put sackecloth about our loynes and ropes about our neckes and goe out to the King of Israel it may bee that he will saue thy life this is graunted and they come to the king and say Thy seruant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me liue and the king said is he yet aliue he is my brother now it is said they had resolued to take diligent heede if they could catch any thing of him here they haue enough and they make the eccho to ring thy brother Benhadad In like manner if you conceit you haue spoken presumptuous words against the great God of heauen and he hath met with you and now by his hand hath driuen you into a secret chamber remember that God was the King of the kings of Israel and therefore farre more mercifull then Ahab or any king that euer was borne among them put on sackecloth and thrust your neckes into a rope but not as these villaines doe that dispatch themselues and come in all humble manner yet resolue that your faith shall catch hold and that you wil take diligent heed to what the Lord shal answer and as soone as you heare the Lord say beleeue and you shall be saued make a present eccho Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe I haue continued the longer vpon this point because I see poore Christians monstrously perplexed with this sentence of placing sinne before the conscience God graunt it may take place and yeeld them comfort to their hearts desire And thus hauing freed the godly from the application of this fearefull sentence I bring it to the wicked and assure them that whatsoeuer fearefull thing they haue heard in all this discourse it of right belongs vnto them and whatsoeuer els can be said of the terrors of conscience Oh therefore consider this ye that forget God for this shall teare you in peices and there shall be none that can deliuer you Alas of all kinds of miserie that can befal vnto man none is so lamentable as this because it riseth of the sense of Gods wrath reuenging hand against the guiltie soule of a sinner Other calamities afflict the bodie and part onely of our nature this the soule which carrieth the whole into societie of the same miserie Such as are of the bodie though they approach nigher the quick then pouertie or want of necessaries for maintenaÌ„ce of this life yet they faile in degree of miserie and come short of that which this forceth vpon the soule the other touch those parts where the soule commandeth pouertie nakednesse sickenesse and other of that kind are mitigated with a minde resolute in patience or endued with wisedome to ease that which greiueth by supply of remedie this seazeth vpon the seate of wisedom it selfe and chargeth vpon all the excellencie of vnderstanding and grindeth into powder all that standeth firme and melteth like the dewe before the sunne whatsoeuer we reckon of as support of our defects and subdueth that wherewith all things else are of vs subdued The cause the guilt the punishment the reuenge and the ministers of the wrath all concurring together in more forcible sort and that against the vniuersall estate of our nature not for a time but for euer then in any other calamitie whatsoeuer Here the cause is neither wound or surfet shipwracke or spoile infamy or disgrace but all kind of miserie ioyned together with a troubled spirit feeling the beginnings and expecting with desperate feare the eternall consummation of the indignation and fierce wrath of Gods vengeance against the violation of his holy commaundements which although it take not away in this life the vse of outward benefits yet doth the internall anguish bereaues vs of all delight of them and better without them then in such sort to enioy them This is not liable to humane lawes and to come vnder the censure of earthly iudges but to the diuine lawes of God and the censure executed with her owne hands which censure is a separation from Gods fauour the creator and blesser of all things the fountaine of all peace and comfort Now what creature beeing the worke of his owne hands dare comfort and cheare vs with