so Yet may they rise againe Why then should wee iudge otherwise of them then in charitie God forbid by speaking thus I should encourage any to sinne for howsoever grace aboundeth aboue sinne yet cursed are they yea ever cursed shall they be which doe sinne that grace and blessing may abound vnto them Rom. 6.1 Wee are forbidden u Rom. 3.8 to doe evill where wee certainely knowe that good may come of it much lesse may we make the mercy of God a defence for our sinnes Let this then be vnto vs as a MemoraÌ„dum never to be forgotten There is no x Rom. 8.1 condemnation to the righteous although he fall seven times a day but if any man shall sinne presuming of Gods mercies let him knowe that his damnation is iust and himselfe is like that theefe which stealeth because he seeth one among 20. pardoned by the Prince And so come we to our last note Cast downe not others the third thing we learne here is not to condemne the whole profession because all liue not in the same perfection The grapes of the vine haue some lesse some more sweetnesse yet sense teacheth that all are grapes and doe growe of the vine so is it with the Saints of God some haue more purity and some lesse yet all are Saints and doe grow in Christ that true vine Ioh. 15.1 What if some saith the Apostle Rom. 3.3 haue not beleeued shall their unbeleefe make the grace of God of none effect and Rom. 11.22 What if some haue fallen into sin shall the whole Gospell for their sakes be discredited Iacobs family may be blemished the wife of his loue that sleepes in his bosome may bee all spotted yet evermore shall Iacobs sacrifices be acceptable vnto God and his familie shall be cared for as the house of the Lord. Iericho may be conquered and rased by Ioshua salt may be sowne in it to make it barren and he whosoever shall attempt to build it againe may be cursed Iosh 6.26 Yet see in this rased Iericho in this barren soyle in this cursed citie Christ hath his spirituall harvest hee hath his holy Temple he hath his blessed building Cursed Iericho hath a blessed Zaccheus Luk. 19.2 Aholah sister to Aholibah Idolatrous Samaria may be set on fire with her louers play the harlot Ezech. 23.4 she may be made as an heape of the field her stones may be tumbled downe into the valley her foundations may be discovered Micah 1.6 Yet may such a city a wasted citie afford many that beleeue in Christ Ioh. 4.39 yea from Galilee from whence some thought no good thing might come Ioh 7.52 Christ called diverse of the Apostles Ioh. 1.43 Fyrre trees and thornes nettles and myrrh trees may grow together in the good-mans garden and why may there not be in the Lords field as well brambles as lillies why not as well tares as wheat The husbandman knew well it was so therefore he charged his servants to suffer the tares to grow vp with his wheat vntill the harvest Maâ— 13.30 Assured hee was that the wheat would continue wheat still howsoever it was accompanied with the tares Let y Gen 11.28 Chaldaea be never so vnrighteous yet may it haue a righteous Abraham let z Gen 13 12. Sodome bee never so vniust yet may it haue a iust Lot let Babylon bee ever wicked yet may it haue a godly a Dan 1 6. Daniel yea let the whol world for ought we can see be tied together with cartropes of vanitie yet shall b Tob. 1.3 Niniveh haue a devout Tobias and c Iob. 1.1 Huz a patient Iob and Damascus a zealous Nehemias Condemne not then the whole profession howsoever all liue not in the same perfection We shall impiously conclude if against truth we draw our argument from a multitude neither will it follow many Ministers many Christians haue devoted themselues wholy to the flesh to the world to the Devill therefore all of both sorts are naught For what are wee that wee may not iudge amisse as well as Elias did He coÌ„plained that he was left alone Nay saith God thou art not alone I haue reserued vnto my selfe seaven thousand which haue not bowed the knee to Baal 1. King 19.18 In regard hereof St Paule telleth vs that of Israel there is a remnant left Rom 11.5 And that great shepheard speaking of the Chuâ—ch calleth it a little flock Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flock for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome But seaven thousand but a remnant but a little flocke and yet you shall not be discomfited feare not for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome A kingdome therefore for all inferiour things he will not sticke with you Sauls court shall yeeld a Ionathan to favour David 1. Sam. 20.28 Achabs court shall haue in readinesse an Obâ—diah to entertaine the Prophets 1. King 18.13 Zedechâ—â— court shall afford a Ebed-melech to entreat for Ieremie Ierem. 38.7 O the mercifull kindnesse of the Lord how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them that feare him Iobs bones and flesh may be in the Devils hand but God will saue his life Iob. 2.6 Peter may be imprisoned by Herod but the Angell of the Lord will bring him out Act. 12.7 Shadrach Mesâ—ach and Abeduegâ— may be cast fast bound into the seuen times hot fierie fornace but the Lords Angell will come and vnbind them walk with them in the midst of the fire so that not one haire of their head shall perish Dan. 3.25 Doe you remember this little Churches complaint Ps 129.1 There she saith Many times haue they fought against me even from my youth vp Heare now how shee comforteth her selfe vers 2. But they haue not prevailed against me Doe you remember how she further complained vers 3. The plâ—â—ers plowd vpoÌ„ my backe and made long furrowes Heare now her comfort in the verses following But the righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked and they that hate Sion shall be all ashamed turned backward they shall be as the grasse on the house rops which withereth afore it groweth vp And therefore I cannot say too oft O the merciful kindnesse of the Lord how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them d Psal 103.12 that feare him This kind and mercifull God hath reserued to himselfe eveÌ„ in the midst of Wolues Lions some Isaac some Ioseph some Bohaz some Daniel some Zacharie some Elizabeth some few or more whom all the world with all the malice it hath cannot blemish Condemne not then the whole profession howsoever all liue not in the same perfection And knowe that all liue not in the same perfection know that some of the best haue had their falls for these reasons I will but point at them 1 That wee bee brought from that errour which some maintaine namely that the elect and regenerate sinne not 2 That the worke of repentance
heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
by our Master haue beene enioined vs. Shall I need to tell you as the prophet Ieremie told the Iewes Ier. 9.2 that in heart you are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels You know it as well as I. Shal I remember you how you as they did do y Vers 3. bend your tongues like bowes for lies to belie and slander your neighbours how there is no courage for truth vpon the earth how every one proceedeth from evill to worse Would to God remembring it would amend it And may it not so be amended Is z Ierem. 8.22 there no balme in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not your health recovered The reason is plaine the balme of Gilead is not soveraigne for you the Physicians there can little profit you vaine is the helpe of man if you will recover your soules health Cast downe your selues before the LORD The time will not suffer me neither hath it ben my purpose to enter the particular examination of those our duties before specified and in diverse respects laid vpoâ— vs. Sith the performance of al the rest consisteth in obedience that first duty which the LORD as our Master requireth at your hands I haue chosen to speake therof aboue the rest as most befitting the times wherein we liue Concerning therefore our first duty to our chiefest Master our obedience consisteth in this that we conforme our will to Gods will with a resolution to doe his will Many are of Israel which are not Israel many are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ which may not be called the children of Abraham So S. Paule told the Romanes chap. 9. ver 6.7 So may I say here many do will that which God willeth who notwithstanding conforme not their wils to Gods wil neither can be said to do his will Where it shal not be much amisse for vs to examine what it is to frame our wils to Gods will and what it is to do his will both which if wee will learne with a purpose to performe them we shall in some good sort discharge our first duty we shall obey our Master God hath a will which is holy is pure is perfect eternall everlasting from all beginning according to which his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements secret his waies past finding out by which he ruleth all he governeth all he guideth and protecteth all in which all things are as they are This will of God is alwaies fulfilled no man hindreth it no man stoppeth it The Lord hath his decree aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and whether they will or no they must be obedient If he call a bird from the East that bird must come if he speake he will bring it to passe if he purpose he will doe it his counsell shall stand he will doe whatsoever he will Esay 46.20 According to his will he worketh in the armie of Heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what dost thou Dan. 4.35 It was Iehoshaphats acknowledgment In thine hand O LORD is power and might none is able to withstand thee 2. Chro. 20.6 No Annas no Caiaphas no Herod no Pilate no Iew no Devill could haue wrought the death of our Saviour Christ if the Lords secret will and counsell had not before determined that it should be done There are two causes why this wil of God is called secret or hiddeÌ„ 1 Because it is so indeed to aâ—â—â—â—en til such time as God manifesteth by events what hee hath appointed to every one In respect whereof St a Chap. 4.15 Iames willeth every one to put in this condition if the Lord will and if wee liue to doe this or that 2. Because the reason of the Lords will thus or thus when it is manifested for the most part is not comprehended of man but is hiddeÌ„ in himselfe as why he chose Iacob refused Esau why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence and not David for many no man knoweth it is hidden in the Lord. Onely this we knowe that he b Rom. 9.18 hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardneth Now your dutie in regard of this will is as hath beene said Non est curiosè investiganda sed adoranda you must not sift it but highly reverence it so that whatsoever this hidden will be concerning you whether to liue or die to bee rich or poore to be high or low in this world you must rest in the same and bee contented and giue leaue to the Lord that made you to doe with you and dispose of you at his pleasure then afterward when the Lord reveal it by effects much more must yee rest in it giue him thankes howsoever it is Good c Chap. 2.10 Iob took at the Lords hand evill things as well as good sower as well as sweet the losse of all as well as the possession of al so must you do say with him The d Iob. 1.21 Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takeÌ„ it blessed be the name of the Lord. But what Are we able to know how the Lord e Iob. 38.41 feedeth the young ravens how the Phenix is hatched how the Storke is kept Doe we waver do we faile in things that be common among vs Since then this will of God this absolute this secreat this hidden will of God is such as our wils may in no wise be conformed to it let vs lay our hands vp on our mouths and stop the course of our lips lest medling with such secrets we falter in our speeches before the Lord. God hath another will which is manifested vnto vs which I call another will not as if it differed from the former in nature for Gods will is one and the same but because it remaines no longer hidden as the former doth For Gods will as yet it is partly vnrevealed is commonly called his hidden or his secret will but as it is made knowne to vs by the written word and continuall successe of things so is it called the revealed will of God And this is that will of God to which wee must make like fashion and frame our wills And so shall we doe if first we will nothing but what God willeth then if will it in such a sort as God would haue vs will it and lastly if for such ends What God willeth you cannot well at lest you should not be ignorant The Scriptures teaching that the best of you is borne in iniquitie and conceaved in sinne and feedeth vpon transgressians doe they not tell you that God willeth the amendment of your liues The not long since pretended invasion which made the stoutest to feare the late and long and yet during famine which hath made most to faint This Sermon was preached Sept. 15. 1597. the now raigning sicknesse among vs which hath taken away diverse of our
ioyned with faith in Christ for perfect obedience yet he requireth the perfect obedience both of body and soule Now let vs lay these things to our owne hearts and consciences and see whether we haue conformed our wils to the will of God with a resolution to doe it whether wee haue performed our obedience to our great Master To iudge of your heartes is not within the compasse of my commission yet if it bee true that a f Luk. 6.43 good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit if it bee true that g Mat. 7.16 grapes growe not of thornes nor figges of thistles then may I boldly say that your wils are not conformed to the will of God that you haue much failed of that obedience which your Lord and Master hath enioyned you The Prophet Hoseah 4.1.2 told the Iewes that the LORD had a controversie with them because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in their land because by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood touched blood Whether this same complaint may iustly be made of you I appeale to yourselues as iudges It may be your cheekes will bee redd to talke of Christ as theirs were who went to h Luk. 23.13 Emaus and you will blush apace to seeme so holy but say will not the black-moore blush faster then you when fearefully and fowly you sinne against the Lord Is there any delight more wicked then other we are by and by desirous to wallow in it to tumble in it to ioy in it to liue and growe old in it So bath we in all pleasure and ease this mater of earth and wormes meat wherewith we are clogged as if there were neither corruption to rot it nor Heaven to receaue it nor Hell to burne it Hence is it that we are dead in sleepe and watch not at all over the soules of our children our servants and all others committed to our goverments who were they rightly trained vp by vs in the grounds of Christian religion might happely grow vp like to glorious oliues for the Church Commōwealth We read Gen. 31.53 that when Laban swore by his false Gods then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Isaac so excellent was the instruction given him by his father that in the presence of Idolatrous Laban neither for feare nor favour would he alter his religion yea it was so fastned in him that having been 20. years among the Idolatrous Syrians he chāged not the maner of the oath which hee learned of his father Are our fathers so carefull to teach their children in religiō Indeed if to bee skilfull in oathes be to be religious I cannot finde fault with their nurturing But so they should not learne Christ The time was when servants prayed to the God of their Masters Gen. 24.42 But in these daies if they should doe so some must pray vnto pride some to coveteousnesse some to gluttony most to ignorance Now may we say as commonly is said like servant like Master if one loue the wicked the other will loth the godly like father like sonne if one sell vertue the other will buy sinne like Priest like people if one freeze in loue the other will boyle in malice as the governour is so are they that are ruled if one refuse Christ the other will choose Barabbas such as the seed is such is the harvest every one layeth away life and playeth with death Yet let the children of Abraham doe like Abraham let them teach their sonnes their daughters their servants their people and al that are ruled by them the covenants of the Lord let them teach them to conforme their wils to the will of God let them teach them to doe his will let them teach them perfect obedience both of body and soule So they with all their seed and posteritie shal be blessed not only in this life with a temporall promise but also in the life to come with that ever during promise that they shall bee inheritours of the kingdome of God Of which promise vouchsafe good Lord to make vs all partakers through faith in Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all praise power maiestie and dominion for evermore Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp WEE are come to the promise of the blessing made vnto vs Hee will lift you vp Wherein let vs consider 1 The person who it is that may fulfill this promise it is HEE the Lord none but he vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp 2 The certaintie of his promise for it is not said hee will assay hee will trie he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply it is said he WILL lift you vp 3 The time when this promise shall bee fulfilled which note we must borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6 where the matter of my text is thus repeated Humble your selues vnder the Almightie hand of God that he may lift you vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opportunitie of time in due time in a time when himselfe shall thinke it most meet He will lift you vp in due time 4 What it is that is promised vnto you even your exaltatiō your lifting vp He wil lift you vp Of these few notes at this time as God shall assist me with his holy-spirit The first is the person who may performe so sweete a promise it is HE the Lord none but HEE vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp The word of God worthely tearmed the shoote-anker of an vpright conscience teacheth that every plant how gallant or how faire soever yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree which springing vp in the midst of the garden was exceeding pleasant in the sight of man yet if it be not planted by our heavenly Father shall be rooted out It teacheth that all coynes be they never so currant among men yet if they cannot abide this sacred touch shall be counted of a base mettall as of tinne or altogether counterfeit and so shall be burnt like drosse It teacheth that the great ones of this world how mightie soever they are yea though their heads reach vnto the cloudes though they bee to all others as the tallest Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little shrubs of the wildernesse of Cades yet if they build their hope vpon any thing besides the Lord they shall perish for ever a Iob. 20.7 8. like their dung and you which haue seene them shall say where are they they shall flie away as a dreame and you shall not find them they shall passe away as a vision of the night And because you haue so good a teacher well may you bee perswaded that a horse his helpe is vaine Ps 33.17 that mans
of iudgement And so is it here The truth of God the neverfading truth of his promises hath somewhat beene encombred with doubts This doubt hath especially beene made How it may stand with the constancie truth of the eternall God to pronounce a iudgement against any man or place and not effect it or to repent for any thing hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter For if it bee plaine that God faileth in bringing to passe his iudgements and threatnings how can I assure my selfe that he will be constant and faithfull in his mercies and promises if it bee plaine that hee repenteth for any thing that hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter how can I assure my selfe that he will not repent of those good promises which I account of as made vnto my selfe Now who knoweth not how the Lord repented for making man on the earth Gen. 6.6 how hee repented for making Saule King 1. Sam. 15.11 and how he promised to repent of good or evill accordingly as man should repent of or hold on his evil Ier. 18.7 8 9 10. The LORD said vnto Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thou hast taken Gen. 20.3 yet the event fell out otherwise and Abimelech was purged with God The LORD said to sicke Hezekias put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Esai 38.1 yet did Hezechias liue fifteene yeares after The LORD would haue it proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh Yet fortie daies Nineveh shal be destroyed Ion. 3.4 yet did Nineveh escape that plunge and was reserved to vnderstand of her finall destruction by the ministery of Nahum These places and the like intimating in some sort both repentance and also change of minde and purpose in the LORD of Heauen may be some cause of the former doubt For satisfying whereof diverse haue answered diversely Some answer thus As the spirit is said to make request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 so may God bee said to repent himselfe Now the holy spirit cannot bee said to cry as if it selfe did crie or to pray as if it selfe did pray or to sigh as if it selfe did sigh but because it stirreth in the Saints of God such affections and maketh them to cry to pray and to sigh And so they vnderstand that other place of St Paul Eph. 4.30 Grieue not the holy spirit that is say they take heed that by your wicked living yee offend not the Saints of God in whom the holy spirit dwelleth In their application they say that God may then be said to repent when he maketh his children in whom he dwelleth to repent for their sinnes But this exposition albeit in some places it may haue good vse as in those before cited of the holy spirit yet may it not generally be applyed to all such places wherein God is said to repent It repented God that he made man Gen. 6.6 Here this sense may not bee admitted to say it repented man that God made him for it repented God himselfe that he made man It repented God also that hee had made Saul king 1. Sam. 15.11 neither here may this sense be admitted to say it repented Saul that God had made him King for it repented God himselfe that he had made Saul King I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them saith the Lord Ierem. 18.7 nor here may this sense bee admitted to say the people should repent of the plague which the Lord had thought to bring vpon them for it is God himselfe that will repent of the plague which hee had thought to bring vpon the people I deny not but God may truely be said to doe that which hee maketh vs to doe but to say whatsoever God may be said to doe therefore hee may bee said to doe it because he maketh vs to doe it this is vtterly to be denyed Others answer thus God may then bee said to repent and to change his mind when things themselues be changed For example sake as long as men ly wallowing in their sinnes the wrath of God Gods scourges shal be vpon them such is the wil of God revealed in the Law But when men shall repent them of their sinnes committed God also shall repent him of his fore-threatned plagues when men shall be changed there shal be a change also not in the will of God for that is impossible but in the wrath of God his curses shall be turned to blessings And this sense is tolerable in the place before cited Ierem. 18.7 8. I will speake suddainely against a nation or against a kingdome to pluck it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whō I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them because they are changed from worse to better my curse shall bee changed into a blessing I wil repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them And in the 2. verses following 9 10. he saith I will speake suddenly concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to build it and to plant it but if it doe evill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I haue thought to do for them because they are changed from better to worse my blessing shall also be changed into a curse I will repent of the good that I haue thought to doe for them This exposition howsoever it be naturall to this place may not generally be fitted to all other places I deny hot whē men repent themselues of their sinnes committed but that Gods sentence in regard of any eternall punishment to bee inflicted on them shall be changed but to say that his sentence in regard of temporary punishments shall bee changed is more then I dare as long as I thinke of the continuall afflictions wherewith godly hearts haue dayly beene tryed Others answere thus God may be said to repent as he is said to be angry ielouse Where we may note that these attributs and all other like these must be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were vsed for mans easier vnderstanding It is a common thing for God in his holy word to apply himselfe to our capacities and to attribute to himselfe such things as are vsuall in the course of our liues For instance because men vse not to bee revenged on others except they be angry therefore when God revengeth our wickednesse he is said to bee angry Againe because men by their exceeding care they haue to keepe their wiues chast doe get to be called iealous therefore God caring in like sort to keepe his spouse chast to preserue his Church spotlesse is
they were and then what God said to them Rev. 2.9 shall be said to thee I knowe thy povertie but thou art rich It may bee thou art afflicted So were the Apostles dwell in thy afflictions and be content as they were and then shalt thou reioyce in the midst of them all Act. 5.41 It may bee thou art spoiled of thy sonnes and daughters and of all thy substance Such was Iobs lot dwell in these thy losses and be content as he was Iob. 1.21 even then shalt thou say blessed be the name of the Lord. Dwell where God placeth thee and he will bee with thee and will blesse thee Dwell in the land it is Davids counsell Psal 47.3 His inducement is and verily thou shalt be fed Dwel in the land * Psal 37.1 Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked men envie not their prosperitie be not grieved because they florish for they shall soone * Vers 2. be cut downe like grasse they shall wither as the greene hearbe yea they shall bee so cut off as that they shall not liue out halfe their daies but dwell thou in the land commit thy way thy selfe thy life and all thy affaires vnto the Lord wait patiently vpon him tarry his time and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire verily you shall be fedde I deny not but that the consciences of the godly can hardly be quieted so long as they feele Gods wrath against themselues For thus we read in the prayer of the Church LORD how long wilt thou be angry for ever shall thy ielousie burne like fire Psal 79.5 LORD how long How long wilt thou withhold thine helpe and aid from vs and let the wicked insult over vs as they doe Wilt thou be angry for ever Wilt thou never put an end to our miseries those testimonies of thy heavy wrath and continuall anger against vs Shall thy ielousie over thine owne glory and vs also even for our good could wee see it shall it burne like fire shall it consume vs vtterly as the fire doth every thing that is before it I deny not I say but that the coÌ„sciences of the Godly sometimes disquieted with the feeling they haue of Gods wrath may enforce them to breake out into these or the like speeches but assured I am they should in all hope and patience wait vpon the LORD who by his Prophet Ps 37.10 hath thus spokeÌ„ to alay this their impatiencie Yet a little while and the wicked shall not appeare looke after his place and hee shall not be found Yet a little while vnderstand wait thou in hope patience and the wicked shall not appeare nor hee nor any of his posteritie shall be left among the sonnes of men looke after his place see now whether thou canst finde the place of his abode seeke with all thy diligence and thou shalt not finde him for hee is perished as * Psal 37.20 the fat of lambes even with the smoke is he consumed vtter destruction is befallen him for as is the fat of lambs even so is he perished sudden destruction hath overtaken him for as is the smoke even so is he consumed Be it then true as needs it must be true that the face of God is for ever against them that do evill to cut off their remembrance from the earth grant wee that hence it followeth as needs it must follow that therfore the godly haue no cause to envy the prosperity of the wicked but rather to pity them what remaineth but that we consider how the distressed child of God even falling downe vnder the burden of his miseries because hee seeth no helpe neere at hand may find comfort To let passe those many ends for which it hath pleased God to lay his crosses vpon his children wherof every end duly considered would be an argument of force sufficient to worke patience in the most afflâ—cted let vs briefly consider two propositions both pointing at the time when Gods promises shal be made good vnto vs. 1 God oftentimes withdraweth himselfe his gracious help from his children to make them the more earnest in seeking to him 2 God oftentimes deferreth his helpe till greatest necessity Touching the first namely that God withdraweth himselfe his gracious helpe from his children to make theÌ„ the more earnest in seeking to him we haue the confession of Christs own spouse who opening the dore of her hart to her welbeloved that was now past and gone and making diligent search to finde him her soule so loved him speaketh thus Cant. 3.1 I sought him but I found him not and againe Cant. 3.2 I sought him but I founde him not and so likewise Cant. 5.6 I sought him but I coulde not finde him I called him but he answered me not Wee haue also Davids protestation In waiting haue I waited for the LORD I haue waited pacitntly for him Psal 40.1 And we haue the doctrine of the whol Church against which the gates of Hel shal never be able to prevaile The Saints of God howsoever they fal not finally in the end nor vtterly at any time doe notwithstanding fall grievously do fall dangerously so that for a time they may seeme to be forsaken of God But this misse of Gods presence and favour maketh them the more earnest in seeking to him So the Spouse sought and never left seeking till shee had founde her best-beloved and David waited and never left waiting till the Lord had enclined to him and heard his crie and Gods holy ones fallen thus grievously thus dangerously do request and never leaue requesting with vnexpresseable sighes till God come with his right hand stretched-out to lift them vp So true is this first proposition God oftentimes withdraweth himselfe his gracious helpe from his children to make them the more earnest in seeking to him The second was this God oftentimes deferreth his helpe till greatest necessity We read when the king of Assyria had invaded the kingdome of Ezechiah wonne his cities subdued his country conquered his people and had made him destitute of all helpe that then the LORD raised vp the king of Ethiopia to cal the Assyrians from the siege of Ierusalem 2. King 19.9 We read when David had beene chased as a bird by the fowler froÌ„ country to country first to Samuel in Ramah then to Achimelech in Nob afterwards to Achish in Gath sometimes into a caue sometimes into a wildernesse that then the LORD delivered him and set his feet in a large roome Psal 18.36 Wee read when Abraham was at the very instant to kil innocent Isaac lying vpon the fagots that then the good will of him that dwelt in the burning bush sent a Ramme into a neare bush to be sacrified in steed of Isaac Gen. 22.13 Could any haue thought that an East winde should haue filled the campe of Israell with * Ps 105.40 Exod. 16.12 Quailes Many a blast had that winde blowne before but never Quailes