and the Church hath beene delivered it cannot be denied now I must adde the third namely That God is the Author of the deliverance of his Servants Doct. The Scriptures are marvellous pregnant in the proofe of this two or three witnesses will cast the cause Psal 3 last The Prophet David attributeth this as a matter of proprietie to the Lord Salvation belongs unto the Lord it is not to be understood of spirituall redemption onely but also of temporall deliverance in the time of trouble It is that observeable Ier. 14.8 It is as I may so say one of Gods Names whereby hee is knowne to his Church and whereby he shewes himselfe Oh thou the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble It is not meant in regard of spirituall redemption still but in regard of temporall deliverance from those troubles that doe betide and those grievances that lie upon and those heavie burthens that presse downe the Church of God and therefore how ever it is true there are many meanes used and many helpes appointed by God for his peoples good yet it is not men it is not the policie of the wise it is not the power of the mightie it is not the fence of the Walls nor the strength of the Castles it is not the number of the Souldiers nor the skill of the army but it is the Lord that is the deliverer of his people as we may see Psal 44 4 Command thâ—n deliverance unto Iacob the Lord hath deliverance at command the Lord can bring keepe and succour as he seeth fit nay it is that which God takes and challengeth to himselfe as that hee will not have any other to share in hee will not have any other part stakes with him in the performance of goodnesse and mercy to his children Deut. 32.39 It is that the Lord takes unto himselfe salvation is mine preservation is mine the issues of life and death are onely in the hand of the Lord the point then is plaine enough we will open the ground of it the which the cause now requires being a remembrance of that miraculous deliverance from the Gunpowder Treason The grounds of the point are foure The first is this God is infinitely wise and onely knowes how to deliver his people men are driven to their wits end many times they see no meanes offered no meanes appointed they can sinde no cause how to succour themselves in the time of distresse but he is an experienced deliverer 2 Pet. 2.9 God knowes how to deliver his when enemies are practising beneath and digging deepe in their devices the Lord sits in heaven and seeth all and laughes at them all their practises he observes them nay the Lord knowes all the purposes policies and engines which the wicked purposes to contrive before they contrive them as when David was in Kâ—ylah hee asked the Lord will Saul come aye saith God and will they deliver mee into his hands they will deliver thee saith God the Lord knew what the men of Keylah intended before they shewed their malice therefore hee makes way for the escape of David Secondly as God onely knowes all the engines and policies and practises of the wicked when they are devised in the depth of the earth as the Psalmist speaketh Let them doe what they will and endeavour what they can never so cunningly and secretly the Lord knowes them But secondly the Lord is onely able and sufficient to deliver his in want of meanes above meanes nay against meanes 2 Chron. 14.11 When Asa was in great extremity when there was five hundred thousand came against him the greatest Army we read of in holy Scriptures and not many more in profane Stories the Text saith Hee cried unto the Lord and said thou canst deliver by many or by few God could save Asa and his Nobles though he had no Army at all for observe it this All-sufficiencie and abilitie of God in delivering his children in time of troubles will discover it selfe in three branches and they are the particulars of this second generall First the Lord provides meanes before any meanes can be Psal 47. the last Verse all the shields of the earth are the Lords all the shields in Spaine Germany and Denmarke and England they are all the Lords all meane before they are have their being from the Lord and Esay 54.16 the Text saith there was no Smith before God created him nor no coales before God made them so that there are no meanes but they came from God Secondly God workes with all meanes before they can worke as there is no meanes unlesse God provide them so the meanes that arâ— can doe nothing unlesse God worke with them Psal 18.34.39 we shall observe it God doth not onely give David armes but hee teacheth his armes to warre he doth not onely give Dâ—vid hands but he teaches his hands to fight he doth not onely give him strength but hee girdeth him with strength to the battell so that all meanes in the world further than God is pleased to goe out with them they are like the withered hand of Ieroboam when the Prophet cried against the Altar Ieroboam stretched out his hand and he would plague the Prophet and he would imprison him but alas his hand withered so all the armies all the plots and policies are like withered hands unlesse the Lord come with them Thirdly it is the Lord that gives successe to all the meanes when they are improved for the deliverance of his Church so that as there is no meanes unlesse the Lord provide them as those meanes can doe nothing unlesse the Lord worke with them so these meanes can obtaine no issue they can compasse no good unlesse the Lord be pleased graciously to breath upon them and give successe unto them therefore when the Midianites thought to have carried all before them and quite to overthrow the people of Israel because they had a mighty army yet the Lord defeated their purpose and turned their swords into their owne bowels Thus we see the ability and sufficiencie of the Lord in delivering his people it is he that gives all meanes it is he that workes with all meanes it is he that gives successe to all meanes In the third place the Lord is marvellous gracious and mercifull and tender over his people as he is every way sufficient for to doe them good so he is marvellous carefull of their good Esay 63.9 in all their afflictions he was afflicted many a man hath power and wisedome and all he knowes how to helpe another yet he wants a heart he wants pitty and compassion whereby hee may lend succour to those that stand in neede thereof but it is not so with God but in all the afflictions of his people he is afflicted with them in all troubles he is in trouble with them in all banishment he is in banishment with them Fourthly as the Lord is mercifull and loving and free and tender-hearted
here the practise of the wicked In the time of trouble A company of scorners and mockers in their distresse they will crie and call unto the Lord Secondly we have their successe God will not heare them In the former wee have severall particulars to be observed first they sought the Lord and called upon the Lord a company of scornefull wretches and wicked reprobates sought the Lord secondly observe the time when they sought him when their calamities did come like a whirlewinde In the day of trouble then they crie and call and cry unto the Lord the last thing is from the manner of it it was not slightly but they cried unto the Lord and withall the Text saith They sought him early that sheweth their earnestnes and their crying that sheweth their vehemency and yet the successe is this the Lord will not answer they shall not find him In the Verse wee have three points of great use the first is from the time Then shall call The Point is this That scornefull persons in the time of affliction are forced to seeke and to sue unto the Lord. Secondly that when they doe seeke they seeke somewhat vehemently and earnestly the third is this that howsoever they doe thus seeke yet the Lord will not answer The first point is this That scornefull wretches in the time of affliction are forced to seeke unto the Lord They that have neglected prayer formerly when trouble comes and desolation approacheth then they call and seeke for favour In the 78. Psalme Verse 4. This is plaine the children of Israel when the Lord slew them then they sought him so Isaiah 25. The Text saith that in the time of trouble they will visite the Lord In the time of prosperitie the Lord calls for holy duties but then he cannot heare of you you wil not visit him but in the time of trouble then the Lord shall be acquainted with you Experience teacheth this when a man is upon the wracke then hee confesseth his sinnes and then the Lord rends a yrayer from him and then hee confesseth like Pharaoh I have sinned and I and my people are wicked but God is just and righteous 1 Sam. 12.19 When the people of Israel were set a â—…adding after a King Samuel made a marvellous elegant gracious Sermon unto them exhorting them not to forsake the Lord but they say in the eight Chapter Nay but we will have a King as who shold say have you said what you will is your Sermon done why yet we will have a King but but when the Lord thundered from heaven then they cried wee have sinned he is a terrible God wee see now he is an angry God wee observe it now we have sinned pray for us and to the rest of our sinnes we have added this in asking us a King when the Lord sent his judgements upon them then they desired favour and pardon and desireth the Prophet to pray for them The reasons of the Point are two the first is this because nature it selfe is proffessely crosse unto trouble and vexation it is tired therewith and is desirous to be eased thereof and howsoeuer a man be never so unreasonable no counsell takes place in him yet the Word prevailes not with him and God cannot rule yet hee carrieth nature about with him hee is a man still he hath flesh and bloud still therefore when Gall comes to his heart and the Wormewood into his soule Nature it selfe will make him in regard of the horrour that lieth upon him to seeke unto God and endeavour after meanes to ease and refresh him yon know how it is with rebellious children a froward little one however he will heare no counsell not receive any direction from the Parents yet when the rod comes and falls heavily they will downe on their knees and aske forgivenesse and nature forceth this hee feeles the blow and so useth meanes to be eased even nature compells us to seeke for case and call for succour in the time of trouble Nay the beasts though never so sturdy yet the bit in their mouthes and the shackles on their heeles and the whippe on their backe will make them teachable and tractable nature teacheth us this therefore so long as nature is in a man afflictions force the soule being tired with misery for to seeke and call and use meanes to be succoured The second Reason is because all other meanes are helpes in the time of trouble and therefore they are forced to seeke to God because all other comforts faile in the 107 Psal ver 20. the Prophet speakes of those that travell by sea when they are tossed by the waves then they call upon God as who should say so long as any thing would doe it God shall never heare of them but when all helpes and meanes faile then God must helpe or no one can Take a man when outward afflictions ceaze upon him as in the time of death friends may talke to him and companions may mourne for him but all now leave him in the lurch unlesse the Lord helpe they cannot therefore they are forced to repaire to the Lord and to visit him with their prayers so then the argument is this if it be so that nature forceth a man in the time of trouble to seeke for ease and if it be so that all other meanes cannot helpe a man but onely the Lord then no marvell and that in the time of distresse the wicked seeke unto the Lord for comfort This is the first use of the point is it so that scoffers in the day of trouble are forced to seeke unto the Lord then this highly commends the price and worth of Gods ordinance heaing and praying and the like because in the heaviest times at a dead lift when all faile wicked men then selves are forced to take up these ordinances of God take a drunkard or an adulterer on his death-bed then let all the profits in the world bee offered him you see how unprofitable they are it is a vexation to the drunkard to see his campanion nay all the pleasures of the adulterer they are as so much gall to his conscience because he hath delighted in those dalliances Now when all the profits and pleasures in the world are not able to comfort them then send for a Minister that he may pray for me pray for you why I had thought you had not stood in neede of prayer is prayer come into any reckoning with you what is the reason of this why they that scorned prayer formerly now at the day of death and time of affliction then nothing but Ministers and Christians and prayer why the reason is nothing else will hold water and give a man comfort in the day of distresse therefore let us prize those meanes of salvation that will be so powerfull and comfortable when all other meanes faile it is true that wicked men in their mad moods and wicked fits scoffe and are despisers of the ordinances of God
and what needs this praying and this Bible carrying and sanctification of Sabboths and seeking of God this is in a drunken moode but when they come to their wits againe in the day of death and time of trouble they admire then 〈◊〉 such holy courses and they will seeke such godly courses when trouble comes then nothing but prayer and good duties then hee sets a high price and commendation upon these courses see them therefore and love them because they will bee in account when the day of distresse comes Secondly doe afflictions many times force a scorner to seeke unto God then take notice of the fearefull stubbornenesse of such kinds of spirits that all afflictions and plagues doe not provoke their soules to be humbled and to seeke for that favour of God which they stand in neede of goe thou therefore that art such a one and reason thus with thy selfe good Lord what a wretched knotty sturdy heart have I how many judgements hath God sent upon the nation how many upon my particular how many upon my family and yet this soule is not humbled and inlarged to seeke unto the Lord and call upon his name as the divels almost would doe what a vile unreasonable distemper is this one judgement after another and one plague after another did cause Pharaoh to confesse his sinnes the Lord did wrest it out of him nay the divels beleeve and tremble Iam. 2.19 Good Lord I beseech you thinke of it what a hard hearted Pharaoh confesse his sinnes and what doe the devills beleeve and tremble at the wrath of God why then what a hard heart hast thou that the Lord flasheth hell fire in thy face and sendeth plague after plague and yet never touched and humbled all wrests not one prayer from thee In the third place it is a ground to teach us thus much never place much confidence in those prayers that are wrung out of a man by force of affliction the Lord plucks it out of thee whether thou wilt or no he will make the stoutest hearts to come in scorners reprobates they pray the Lord makes them cry and howle and call daily upon him and yet all this while nature forceth them therefore trust not thou to forced prayer in the day of distresse that which is commonly most forced is commonly most false and therefore shall finde little acceptance it was a speech of a good man that the repentance of a dying man it is commonly a great feare of a dying repentance so I say when a man lives wickedly all his life time and then thinkes that a few lazie wishes in the time of trouble will serve the turne take heed hypocrites doe thus and scorners doe thus and yet are never heard but rejected the Lord hee loves prayer and holy duties in the dayes of peace and when a prayer comes out of love to God and love to the duty there is some comfort in this but little comfort can I or any Minister give you in the time of sickenesse if you never used to seeke to God in the time of health for you seeke onely when you are forced thereunto The next point is this that the seeking of scorners is somewhat earnest and vehement but we will come to the third which is this scornefull men wicked men they may seeke God earnestly they may call upon him vehemently and yet never bee heard never receive any mercy or acceptance from him Luk. 13 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate for many shall strive to enter but shall not be able it is not any mans power to be able to enter no no many shall seeke this but shall not be able Adde to this John 8.21 It is the heavie doome of Christ upon the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall seeke me saith he but shall die in your sinnes as who should say I offered you grace you refused it I come home to you you entertaine me not the time will come when I will lay anguish on your hearts and horrour on your soules and then you shall seeke me but shall not find me but shall die in your sinnes you will have your sinnes I cannot remove them you will not suffer me to take place with you the truth is you shall die in your sinnes take your proud hearts and goe downe to hell with them take them and perish with them I goe to my father to heaven but you shall never come there Our Saviour saith the time shall come that you shall seeke me and shall not finde me but die in your sinnes but you will say if they may seeke call and yet not finde how comes this to passe is not seeking the way to finding is not calling the way to receiving hath not God said if you aske any thing in my sonnes name you shall receive it I say as the Apostle Iames in another case You aske and have not saith he because you aske amisse so I say to you yee seeke and finde not because you seeke amisse Though they call with violence and seeke with vehemencie yet it is not suiteable to Gods rule and that is the reason they doe not prosper now the reasons why their seeking doe not speede are three first they seeke unseasonably when the Lord happily hath taken away the meanes of salvation when the time is past and the opportunitie is over when God hath taken away the meanes as also the blessings upon the meanes in the 25. of Matthew the five foolish Virgins went for oyle and when the time was past and the doore was shut then they knocke at heaven gates open to us but the doore was shut they that stood upon the watch and attended the Lords comming they entered into the bride Chamber Esay 55.6 Seeke the Lord while he may be found that is while the meanes of grace are continued while Wisedome is crying and the Lord Iesus is holding out his golden Scepter of mercie and salvation Now is the day of salvation now is the time accepted who knoweth whether the Lord will cover the heavens and take away the light of the Gospell and make us wander in darkenesse Rockes and Wildernesses if desolation should come wee must be driven from our houses and habitations here one man alone there one woman alone and there a child crying and the third dying then we shall observe what opportunities wee have had and neglected the Lord was neare to us in the use of the meanes but now the time is past the Gospell and opportunities are gone he that seekes unseasonably may sinke downe and never enjoy meanes and helpes and the blessing of God upon them Revel 2.21 God gave Iesabel a day of repentance but shee repented not therefore hee would cast her into a bed of sorrow she loved bedding and ease and pleasure and delight and shee had a time of repentance but shee would not take it therefore because shee loved bedding shee shall have enough shee shall have a bed of sorrow and
cause of grace observe the difference between a proud and a meeke spirit 2 King 10. 16. Iohn come and see c. this is the patterne of a proud spirit for alwayes a vaine glorious man either beginnes or ends with something of his owne and if for shame hee cannot commend himselfe yet hee will so expresse himselfe that hee will leave some praise of himselfe behind him if he talkes with some great man he will flatter and fawne and praise the man hee speakes to so that when he is gone they may say he is a wise descreet man fits every mans humour that it may appeare what parts are in him This is the temper of a proud man But now take an example of an humble heart Act. 4.12 13. that was a faire booty to take a great deale of glory to himselfe bee it knowne not I but the name of Iesus hath made this man whole 1. Iohn 20. I am not that great Prophet Labour Rule 3 that others may bee in love with thee and labour to bee partakers of it this wee ought to labour at in all our performances for wee are but friends to the Bridegroome and all that wee have to doe is to wooe and winne the hearts of people not to us but to the Lord Iesus 1 Pet. 3. 1. I tell you a holy wife that hath the worke of grace in her heart shee may so behave herselfe to her husband that hee may say what doth the grace of God worke this then sure I will love that word and that grace The servant that stands at the stall askes the Chapman what will you buy he doth not sell for himselfe it is his masters commodity so it is in this case a Christian should not set out any thing either parts or gifts to make men buy but that they might buy grace and love grace esteeme of grace and rejoyce in the power of grace This should be our ayme and care in shewing forth the power of godlinesse that others may glorifie God with us and Rule 4 blesse God Men glorified God in Paul and said O the admirable power of God that can thus prevaile hee that hath beene an opposer now a Preacher of Christ men here wondred at the grace of God So then labour to expresse thy grace outwardly when time shall serve art thou a holy wife shew thy selfe meeke to a churlish Naball are you holy servants and yet doe you thinke you may bee way ward and proud and take one end of the staffe and thinke your Master nor Mistresse may reprove you this is not a shew of godlinesse but of sawcinesse if you have grace inwardly shew it outwardly and let all the world know what it is to have a gracious heart let them that have no grace be proud c. but bee thou meeke obedient and lay thy hand on thy mouth and say nothing O what a glory would come to the name of Christ hereby Carry home the point in hand masters servants fathers and children have you any goodnesse let the world see it let thy father see it if thou beest a child let thy master perceive it if thou beest a servant that the wicked of the world may not say what are your professours that you talke so much of they are as proud and as peevish as others they are as unjust as others for shame let it never bee said so of you but if you thinke you have any godlinesse expresse it then why shew it then the fire cannot be without light the Sunne without heate so if grace be in your hearts it will appeare in your lives Now the second thing is the behaviour of the wicked to this power of godlinesse they deny it that is they submit not they close not therewith As a servant that denies such a man to be his master and the master deny such a one to bee his servant when the one will not owne the other so Hypocrites deale with the vertue of grace power of holinesse they will by no meanes beare the authority of it looke as it was with Peter in another case hee denied Christ as who should say I would not owne him I doe not belong to him I owe no subjection to him he hath no authority over mee so many goe under the name of Christians but when it commeth to the power of godlinesse then you say godlinesse hath nothing to doe with me you will doe what seemes good in your owne eyes you fling off the power of godlinesse and the authority of grace which should rule you Hence observe That Doct. 3 Hypocrites take up the profession of godlinesse but deny the power thereof to close with it or to take possession of it For the opening of it two things are to bee discovered first wherein consists the denyall of the power of godlinesse secondly the reasons why they that outwardly professe it yet will not stoope to the power of it First your carnall Hypocrites deny the power of godlinesse three wayes First partly in their judgement when they will not assent to the authoritie of the truth and acknowledge the necessitie of godlines when they say I hope a man may be saved though he be not so exact and precise what though hee sweare now and then and hath none but that such a man I hope may bee an honest man and goe to heaven I see no necessity put upon a man that a man must thus conforme his life to the rule of righteousnesse with the strictnesse that Ministers call for and require this is to deny it in your judgements Secondly in your wills and hearts when the will and affections will not submit themselves to bee framed and ordered and disposed by the power of godlinesse you will bee proud and peevish c. and will walke in your owne wayes let God say what hee will and the Word command what it please though we are damned and goe downe to hell for it this is a profest opposition of the truth and of the power of godlinesse Thirdly when we deny it in our practise in our actions for if a mans actions be naught this is certaine his heart is naught this rule will never deceive you now we come to shew the cause why a company of hypocrites can swallow downe profession but these will onely complement with godlinesse but away with the power of it Because godlinesse and the Reason 1 power of it where it comes is of a powerfull nature of a commanding authority it will subdue all those beloved corruptions those prevailing lusts which wicked men so highly prize and are not content to part withall therefore they cannot away with the power of it Take an Vsurer or covetous man tell him he must make satisfactiō or else perish this goeth to the heart And I knew some of these extortioners that could be content to pay some small sums but when it comes to 40. or a 100. pounds then they flew off and for ought I
for to be better and then the Saints of God will love and delight in your societie THE CHVRCHES Deliverances IVDGES 10.13 Wherefore I will deliver you no more THese words are the speech of the Lord to the people of Israel From the sixt Verse of the Chapter to the end of the seventh we have the condition of the people of Israel in great distresse discovered together with the dealing of God towards them and their behaviour towards him In the Chapter three things are especially considerable First wee have the children of Israel Apostatizing and declining from the Lord and the sinceritie of his worship In the first part of the Verse Yee have forsaken me and served other Gods Here was the declining of the people of Israel they forsooke the true God and served false gods and as their sinnes were so were their plagues the Lord pursued them with heavie judgements and fierce indignation hainous sinnes are commonly accompanied with great plagues and punishments and that appeareth in the ninth Verse Israel was sore distressed Secondly we have the people of Israel crying and complaining to the Lord in the time of their trouble they that forsake the Lord in the time of prosperity were faine to flie to him in time of adversitie for succour And therefore wee shall see how earnestly they cry unto the Lord in the tenth Verse heavie afflictions breed hearty prayers and earnest supplications their punishment was not so grievous but their prayers were as hot and vehement They cried to the Lord saith the Text. Then lastly wee have the Answer of God in the 12 13 and 14. Verses where the Lord doth relate his good dealings with them and their unkinde dealing towards him I have delivered you saith the Lord out of the hand of such and such enemies he reckons up his former mercies but now he doth deny to shew any more favour toward them because they had abused his former mercies and that is in the words of the Text Wherefore I will deliver you no more as who should say goe now to the gods of Zidon let those Idols save you now let those Images deliver you now but my kindnes was not regarded my mercy was not respected and for my part I will deliver you no more expect no succour from me at all In the generall before wee come to the maine see here the deniall of the Lord to the people of Israel though they sought him and cried unto him The Point is this Those that come unto God in prayer in their sins Doct. they shal be sure to have a deniall of their prayers Psal 66.8 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare my prayer so it was here though they sought God marvellous earnestly and cried in the vehemencie of their spirits yet the Lord stopped his eares and listned not unto them he gives no answer unto their cry hee professeth plainely he will not deliver them he will not succour them The Vse of this Point in generall is this First Vse of Instruction wee may here see the reason why we call and God answers not why wee seeke the Lord and he is not found of us in mercy and compassion why we pray unto him and yet he rejects our persons and stings out our Petitions and is angry with the prayers of his servants The cause is wee bring our sâ—…es with us before God and therefore we cannot receive mercy from God The abomination of our hearts spoile the petitions we powre forth before the Lord that he neither accept them nor sheweth any favour unto 〈…〉 when welcome before the Lord and bring out sin herewith as our pride and our malice and our covetousnesse it is not praying but lying and dissembling and mocking and abusing the great God of heaven as though wee should come before the Lord to aske him leave to sinne and intreate favour of him that wee might commit our sinnes without any disquiet that he would give us a privie seale to sinne these drunken prayers these idle proud prophane prayers and lying prayers the God of heaven will not heare them when they come from a lying dissembling filthy drunken heart thou that bringest such prayers the Lord will not heare the Lord will not accept the Lord will not regard such prayers This is the thing I would have wicked men take notice of that thinke to heale all in the time of distresse with a few large desires and idle wishes they will be proud and loose and opposers of God and his Gospell and yet you thinke God cannot but grant you what you desire if you have but halfe an houres warning to aske pardon no you that live in your sinnes and pray to God in your sinnes you bring judgement upon your selves and plague upon your soules but mercy you shall have none answer you shall not receive in this kinde Prov. 28.9 The prayer of the wicked c. The second Vse is a ground Vse 2 of Exhortation Would you so come to God that you may finde acceptance with him Would you so call that the Lord may heare you when you call then wash your hands in innocencie and so compasse his Altar this is the counsell God gave Esay 1.17 Cease to doe evill learne to doe well and then whatsoever your abhominations be they shall be pardoned whatsoever your miseries be I will ease you Psalm 10.17 18. The Lord prepares the hearts of his people to call upon him a heart mourning for sinne and a heart loosned from sinne when you leave sinne behinde you and send up a prayer from an humble heart and a broken soule then God will heare you and you shall receive an answer from the God of heaven as he seeth you have most neede to carrie you on in a Christian course In the Verse there are three things observeable He saith I will not deliver you goe to your gods let them comfort you for my part I have no comfort no mercy for such as you are those gods you served in prosperity goe to them now for succour in the time of trouble In the Verse it selfe take notice of three things first that God doth deliver his Church for that is presumed I will deliver you no more as who should say I have preserved you and protected you and the like God takes this for granted and they found this by experience Secondly God sometimes denieth succour to his people I have done so but now I will deliver you no more I have no more mercy for you to succour you in the day of trouble Thirdly we have the cause of this Wherefore that is because you have served other gods and departed away from my worship because you will not reforme your wicked wayes I will deliver you no more First for the former God doth deliver his Church The Doctrine is this Doct. The Lord is the deliverer of his Church and people in the time of trouble the Church is in great misery it is confessed