They rejoyced as men in harvest and that divides the spoil and they that sow in tears shall reap in joy 1. For all joy but this is nothing but mistakings like a man that laughs in Sleep for want of understanding in himself and feeding himself with shadows and tidings that Satan brings to him 2. All oâ— eâ—joy is but rejoicing in the Flesh. He only comforts the Spirit when Flesh mourns 3. All other joyes ends in sorrow but this sorrow in joy What is all the joy the World can give to man even as the cracking of Thorns under a pot Thou art rich and full of wealth yet a carefull heart in the midst thereof Thou joyes to day and mourns to morrow So the vvanton vvhat cause of joy while his Soul is more fettered and guilt increased Joy passeth guilt remaineth and yet none so merrie Thus Satan hath messengers to rejoice man being sad 1. The World brings tidings or wealth and honour c. 2. The Flesh of pleasure joy and freedom c. 3 Reason from self-righteousnesse and wisdom c. But Christ from the love of the Father that is worth all Now this never springs but from mourning in our selves like that of Paul at his conversion to Christ So then the difference of these are 1. First One rejoyceth to gain the World another to be freed from it 2. One to have his ovvn will and another to lose iâ— 3. One to have all things and suffer nothing another to suffer all things and to have nothing but Christ 2. We see that all joy that we conceive that ariseth out of Religion and not hence is but a fondation layed in man which will die with him But as the Child is merry in his Fathers love though he knovv nothing vvhat shall be done to it and not because he is heir and must be advanced to a great portion so it is vvith us not from any quality in our selves but in another For unto you is born So that Christ truely born unto man is the only fountain of Life unto man in all distresses In the Citie of David Mic. 4. So that nothing shall disannul the truth of the Word of God nor shake the heart that is stayed thereon A Savior You and the World seemes to be lost condemned but behold here is a Saviour at hand even a Saviour sent to you So that The only stay and rest unto the restlesse heart of man is assurance of a Saviour confidence of heart in him As Simeon Mine eyes have seen thy salvation Zach. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies c. And hast raised up for us a mighty Salvation And he shall save the people from their sins Such a Saviour was figured in Moses and Joshua And thus prophesied by the Angel Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save my people 1. For man is a lost and condemned creature the word of truth hath judged him his own heart hath given sentence against him For this hath the Spirit of man sought since Adams fall some in the World some in themselves but never found but by Christ The very Heathens sought it and we make many Saviours but all faile save this It is not with us as it was with the Disciples we have found the Lord Christ We go a seeking and enquiring but we have not found the Lord. He saves us out of the hand of our enemies viz. 1. From the guilt of our Souls and temptation of Satan 2. From the corruption of our Nature and bondage of corruption 3. From affliction and sorrow and crosses and want 4. From death and hell and judgement at the last 1. See those miserable Saviours that we frame as the world or wisdom or self-righteousnesse these vve get but yet we are in the hand of our enemies our heart 's full of fear and death 's a terror to us 2. This Saviour is born and given to none but condemned men like a murtherer that can find no way to escape goes to the King and confesseth and cryes for mercie the King pardons for his own glory c. 3. But know that our Salvation stands in another not in our selves though we store our selves and provide great and strong arguments against that day yet all will fail and only bearing indignation of the Lord committing to free mercy must be our salvation 1. Pardoning of Sin 2. In preserving the heart in Faith by the Word to live and dye with Christ and go through all in Patience not as most who think themselves the likeliest to procure a Saviour is to come with their own righteousness and holiness c. But that we come sinners and condemned not bringing righteousnesse but to obtain righteousnesse not to offer sacrifice but to obtain a sacrifice even Jesus Christ Christ the Lord viz The anointed Lord who was figured in that of the Israelites who had the holie Oyle reserved in the Temple sanctified by Moses wherewith their Kings and Priests were anointed Now the Rabbins say that this Oyle ceased in the second Temple till Christ came who was to be anointed with the holie Ghost So that God the Father according to his eternal purpose hath anointed Christ to be Lord and King of his Church to rule in the heart of man that God and his power may he magnified and man made happie in him He hath given all judgement to the Son All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth all things are given in me to my Father he hath hid all treasures in him and hath laid help on one that 's mighty as Psal 4.8 This is manifested in his Word never man spake like this man and his miracles hath it been said that a man opened the eyes of one that was born blind This the Father did by an eternal purpose for the salvation of man that seing man could not comprehend Gods purpose he sent one in our room to whom he hath given power because that we could not ascend to Heaven we might have a God on Earth His Kingdom is righteousnesse joy in the Holy Ghost 1. But we have other Lords the World rules as Lord and we obey it the Flesh commands and we are subject to it 2. Where is that power of man whereof he boasts We would all be Lords and rule according to our own will SERMON V. Luk. 7.36 37 38. c. And one of the Pharisees desired that he would eat with him And Jesus went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meat and behold a woman in the City which was a sinner c. AFter that Christ had preached to the People concerning John Baptist and that many of the People and Publicanes believed and were baptized He upbraids the hardnesse of the Pharisees which neither believed John nor him but rejected the Truth and neither believed John to see their misery and repent nor him that they might receive mercy but trusted in
be representative as Bellarmine Herson c. 3. But the Jesuits of late fearing this would prejudice the Popes Supremacy too much concludes it is the Church Vertual the Pope only or alone And so while they boast of the Church their Mother they mean nothing else but the Pope their Father What foundation can there be here for man to rest on But we have a sure word of the Prophets and a sure foundation Jesus Christ than which none other caâ— be laid 1. The ground then of all uncertainty in all thingâ— is because we build without this foundation One man layes a foundation in the World another in Wisdom another in righteousnesse and uncertain in all 2. Take heed of stumbling at this stone 1. Either at his sufferings as Peter the Disciples at his death 2. Or at his poverty and low estate as the Wordling Matthew 19. and 21. 3. Or at his mercy and love as the Pharisees that judged him 4. Or at his Holiness crossing our lusts 3. See the certainty of believers 1. They have a sure foundation a tryed stone that abides the storm a precious stone full of treasure a corner-stone that joyns altogether in love He that believes makes not haste or shal not be confounded For he seeks no vain shifts but sits in death darknesse by faith waiting and sticking to this foundation till the light shine out of darknesse So that The only rest to man in all straits is the sticking to Christ by faith and waiting on the promise which shall be fulfilled in time Abraham waited four hundred and thirty years Israel seventy in Babylon Isa 30. Your strength is to sit still 1. For God hath set a time appointed for every work like a nurse which hides her self from the child till it thinks it hath lost her yet still hears its cryes and comes in time 2. God knowes it is best for a man to keep him under as yet till his will be subued and lust abated 1. But the blind World will needs run before their guide and will now have it and so forsake God and his Promise 2. Weaklings who would have rest assoon as they feel any disquietnesse 3. Others that will see things before they fall and stumble for the present 4. Wait thou weary heart make no haste Fly not off to any other shifts nor fix on none other foundation This will be able to keep thee from drowning he that hath kept thee hitherto is able to keep thee still and he that cometh will come and will not tarry SERMON XI Isai 39.5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah Hear the Word of the Lord of Hosts Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and all that thy Fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried into Babylon c. VVHen Hezekiah had overcome the great Hoste of the King of Assyria he fell sick received a message from the Lord that he must die Whereupon he fell into great heavinesse and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore So that The sentence of Death is fearful unto man if the great and mighty hand of the love of God do not mightily uphold him so to Christ 1. For this is the last enemy to be destroyed this takes away all staâ—s helps in the flesh at once We all play with it as with a dead snake and make a covenant therewith but when it comes on us with open mouth it shakes the heart of the best if God do not mightily preserve him 2. But if the wrath of God the guiltinesse of our hearts the end of our dayes come all at once O whither then shall man flee O that man but saw and believed his own mortality How would it pull down the pride of man and make the World little in his eyes and that man would but see himself on his Death-bed How fearful is that destroying Angel and Messenger of Death or the Plague when it comes to any place to them that are round about it After this the Lord hard his cry and saw his tears and gave him assurance of his life for fifteen years with a sign of the Suns standing still for more assurance which goodnesse of God he acknowledgeth in his Writing from chapter 38. 9 to the end Wherein he shews both the misery he was in Gods deliverance as ver 15. c. What shall I say he hath spoken unto me himself hath done it I shall walk humbly in sense of my own weaknesse as knowing my life is in his hand Then he acknowledgeth Gods truth and Power O Lord by these viz. thy Word and Power men live my spirit hath life in these and that all this was of meer mercy for in peace I had great heavinesse but in love to my soul thou hast delivered me from the pit cast all my sins behind thy back Yet after all these experiences his recovery see how he falls to the World to be lifted up in his fleshly portion in shewing all his store to the servants of the King of Babylon such a vile creature is man So that That after so many experiences of his love power wrath yet by a little ease and peace in the flesh shakes hands again with the World and becomes lifted up thereby to the forgetting of his God So with Israel evermore when they had ease So with David in the matter of Uriah 1. For the world blinds the eyes of man hides the glory of the Gospel by the glory of the world that he is lifted up feels nothing of mercy power in another 1. We see this in experience How soon doth man forget his misery and bitternesse of his soul the goodnesse â—nd power of God the weaknesse of himself dotteth in a fools Paradise yea and quite runs away from that Word he once believed and sound life in fixeth upon that store he hath gotten when as alace all his store yea and life too was in the hand of God even newly delivered How soon is that faithful confidence forgotten those Purposes resolutions of miserable men quite at an end We cryed O that God would deâ—iver us and he sâ—ould be our God for ever and preâ—ently we chuse another 1. So that no keeping of Faith Comfort in God but â—y preserving of humility sense of death in our selâ—es for as we die to the World so we live to God but if â—e live to the World we die to God 3. See the danger of prosperity viz. of raising up of a mans heart without God in carnal confidence and turning the heart from God to his great gifts This World eats the Word out of Mans heart that now he lives as though there were no God and his Word a matter of no moment And now he comes with another message from the Lord to the King that because he had rejoyced in his store God would take it away and his children
pitied their adversaries boiled in all wrath and all hope of life past yet then was God with them and they joyful as with the man that cried Austin He is câ—me 4. Yea thus doth God weaken Flesh by dissannuling the hope thereof and makes his power known in fleshlie weaknesse for he both secretlie upholds at present and sends help when all is past hope SERMON XXI Isa 9.6 7 8. For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given the Government shall be upon his shoulders IN this Chapter he comforts the Church against all darknesse and desolation threatned in the seventh eigth chapters and that by promise of the Messiah alluding to these calamities that came both by Tilgath Pileazer 2 Kings 15. And that great Salmanazer King of Assiria where all Israel was led captive 2 Kings 17. And thirdly yet greater when Zenaucharib came upon them in the dayes of Hezekiah with two hundred thousand souldiers and railed on the living God even in that darkness when they had no hope of safety Then Hezekiah spred his letter before the Lord and Isaiah the Prophet brought the message of safetie and that without the power of Israel or any man God would overcome and so sent his Angel and slew one hundred fourscore and fifty thousand of the Assirians Armies and here saith he shall our deliverance be He shewes it shall not be by mans power no more than that For thou multiplied the Nations that is of Israel they had a greater Army than before yet more afraid but now they rejoyce as men in harvest He shewes the reason for the yoke and burden of the oppressor is removed and that without the power of Israel even as in the day of Midian then A comparison of these every battel is with blood but this shalt be with consuming fire Thou hast multiplied the Nations but not increased the joy Jerusalem had again gathered strength yet behold greater fear than before 1 King 19. First for he never left afflicting till he had wasted all their strength and put them past it till they bowed down in humility and fear and spred the letter before the Lord then comes the Angel so with us So that It is not increasing our strength wisdom or any gift that easeth or rejoyceth the heart indeed but man walking in faith fear and humility and love shall be comforted in God Thus the Philistins and Goliah and David but still worse thereby So the fool Luk. 12. Jerem. 10. Let not the wise man rejoyce 1. For we are kept by the power of Faith unto Salvation 2. It is the mourner that is comforted not the joyful yea the poor that is inriched and the rich sent empty away Sowe in tears and reap in joy 3. For hereby is the great power of God manifested 1. Thus we see the World still multiplies riches and wealth but not joy increased so we all strive for this and that guilt knowledge righteousnesse c. And so we multiply our strength conceit of Power in man as though he would overcome the King of Ashur yet this still riseth in man but is the greatest opposite to Faith of all things 2. Happy is he that casts down all and spreads the heart before the Lord who in himself trembles in every thing and flies by faith to God the Angel shall come in time man shall overcome as Gideon did Judges 27. God took from him all his strength aâ— 1. All that were fearful and all that lay down to drink so with us 1. He takes away Infidelity which was fearful 2. Earthlinesse and moves man to suffer and then in that wearied and tyred estate he gives victorie to Gideon So that Mans victorie is obtained in weaknesse of man by the power of God and till God have taken from him that strength and wisdom whereby he standeth he never conquers as Paul When I am weak then am I strong of my self not able to think a good thought but through his grace able to do all things 1. For fear weaknesse goes before faith then faith follows and if faith be preserved then man is safe but if a man waxe strong in conceit then farewell faith fear and then hardnesse comes All the whole Scripture workes to bring man down that he might rest in God though he feel no strength though he feel no reason though be be in darknesse yet the promise in Christ dwells in all these 2. For God is not in thunder earthquake winds but in the soft still voice resting heart of man in him 1. But man hath witt and lives by it will followes is power and guardes but all will fail For where Infidelity is or those that went on in worldlinesse these were sent back for there was thirty two thousand but ten thousand went and of these all but three hundred that kneeled down to drink So with us most turn back from Christs battle through infidelity and others that seem to follow Christ most are subdued by the World only a few content with present state follow the Lord in Faith For in the most things we do fear through distrust or else are stopped and cast back through the love of ease that we overcome not as in the day of Midian God sends his spirit into tender soft hearts but all things else are dry then when the heart is refreshed and strengthened he sends his blessing in all he takes in hand To Hezekiah the sign was this year eat whatsoever groweth of it self and the next year without sowing So to us He feeds us his own fulnesse without any help of man or nature and then enables man to be a husband in the Church of Christ and this shal be like joy in harvest-tide Psal 33. These battels were with noise tumbling in blood but this by the feeling of Wrath and Indignation which at last shall fall upon the power of Satan through the love of Christ and consume them For unto us a child is born Here is a Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdom and Government 1 His Person is described unto us with his Title and Office 2. His Kingdom and manner thereof 3. The cause or fountain of all this zeal of Love unto us hâ—re he shews the Proprietie Right that believers have in Christ and by this Union the Victore comes So that Christ truely born to man and living and ruling in the heart of man and man subject to Christ is the Food Fountain of all good Wisdom Happinesse to man He is the Seed of the Woman that breaks the Serpents head He is our Wisdom and Righteousnesse and Peace and our Life For all live through him Paul through him was able to do all things He is the way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14. If you abide in Me and my Word abide in you ask and it shall be given you Christ is that Word of Faith by which all things
Of grace and truth in that same little seed Which thou hast sown for me when I stood need When Sin Death when Hell Darknesse great When losse when crosse about my heart did beat When angrie thou as judge to me did shine And I stood judg'd within my conscience mine Such witnesse had that I could plead no more My sin did mount to such a mighty score When all my friends from me a loof did stand When lovers all ran far away yea and When I lay dead and hopes I then had none Of life but laying comfortless alone Then thou declar'd to me that time I say Thy saving health wherein O Lord for ay In peace I 'le rest as unto me thou said From all my fears for thou hast so displaid Thy freest love that makes my heart rejoyce And mount and sing with Simeon that voice Now let me Lord depart in peace anon For I have seen thy great salvation Thy words enough I thereon will depend In it there 's life and it will me defend And bring me forth into that light wherein I shall remain and with high Cherubin Shall shew forth what with thee I have seen In my return as it hath with me been I have none other Song but this to sing What thou hast done for me that I will bring Before thy Saints that they also with me May sing it forth in sweetest melodie As none else can but them whom thou alone Hath so redeem'd by that same corner-stone That lyeth lowest in the building so That simmoned they are for so to do Which freedom brings in such great mighty store That sing that song they will for evermore Then thou my Soul sit here in silent rest Under his wings in whom thou thus art blest And wander not nor let thy gadding mind Be turn'd about thy Spirit for to blind Into the flesh as though that heavenly thing Thou there would keep and to thy sense would bring Thy freedom now and think thereby to hold That in thy self which no man ever could And soar not up into thy thoughts so high But ly thee down in true humilitie And eat thy portion there with that content That faith doth bring and be thou patient A word 's enough he will supply thy want There 's all in him how can there then be scant Nor turn thou back unto thy pleasures vain Nor unto Mammons filthly sordid gain Such lovers all too base are for thy mind Who now stands free in such a heavenly kind Of noble birth nay what shall I say more An heir with Christ as was said heretofore Of that same Crown which links thee into one Where freedoms stands beside which there is none And that I may Lord take into thy hand My life for all 's at thine own great command If thou wilt speak thy word it will suffice Then speak it Lord let not my foes arise Me to prevent of this thy pearl great O then speak Lord and so they shall retreat And then full safely I shall walk along With thee though with my wicked foes among I sojourn still untill that precious time Of Jubill come that full deliverance mine That Jubill time O! when shall it appear To free me from my burdens that are here Me thinks I long my heart it would be gone Out of this clay unto that only One But I must stay and in this house abide Till gold from drosse be true and fully try'd And sin and death hath done their worst and then Shall life come in and that same last Amen Shall then make up both breach and ruins all That hath befall'n the Saints since Adams fall The which shall then full gloriously appear When God in man his Kingdom shall up reare When God is all and man brought home in one That 's the Kingdom or else I say there 's none For Kingdoms else before him they shall fall And come to end though they be ne're so tall Then hasten Lord this Kingdom that is thine That I in thee may in thy onenesse shine That thou in me and I in thee still may Remain in one eternally I say Where I may cast before thy face my crown Where thou abides in that same highest throne Of glory great where all things end in one And thither brought by the chief corner stone Where Saints and Angels in true unity One song shall sing in God eternally Amen Lord hasten this thy pointed day It 's in thy hand yet still for that I 'le pray That when thou hast brought all things into one We all thy Saints may live in thee alone And thou in us may be our heaven alway Which shall remain that mighty longest day That mighty longest day that Alpha one That last Omega who is God alone Amen Amen O Lord I do thee pray To bring my soul to this thy holy day For thou art First and thou will be the last Of all that is to come or hath been past That glory honour power and due praise May be of all return'd to thee alwayes The corner stone out from the Father came Was laid in blood for to declare his name His grace and love unto fall'n men alace And by an oath so interposed was To reconcile to God his creature man So as no Angel nor no creature can So that his glory did surmount the bound Of all darkness in this wide world round Yea it did shine through sin through death through hell And grave as doth the Scripture fairly tell And if his splendor shine through such darkness Then doth it shine within all men no less To be the life of them who do receive it And judgement unto them who do reject it Thus is he set the fall and rise again Of some and all as will appear full plain When he as judge such witness will produce That who rejects shall be without excuse Let all men then what talent God doth give Improve it so as he therein may live And give account what gain comes in thereby Unto his Lord lest not so doing dye Then see thy Talent be not laid within Thy carnal earth which no good gain can win But exchange that which of thee is carnal Into a state that is spiritual So shalt thou build upon the corner stone A good increase while carnal earth brings none In Jordans water Christ baptized were By John so plung'd over head and ear The Holy Ghost descending on him so That he our sorrows bare and rude our wo And was the man who did repentance bear For all mens sins that he might wash them clear And after that that he was so baptized His after life was all then sacrificed Up unto death and in death baptized And by the spirit he again was raised Into the heavenly beeing there to reign In power great untill he come again In watry tears and siry blood was he So plunged in our Saviour for to be Thus water fire and blood was mingled For him to
promise be revealed in Christ yet to our unbelieving hearts little hope of deliverance But still in bondage under Sin and Guilt the World 3. When they were past hope after four hundred years bondage God sent Moses to deliver them by an unlikely way even nothing but the Word of God So when we see least likely-hood in the flesh God sends a mighty VVord to destroy sin and to restore us to freedom 4. After he had laid manie judgements upon Pharaoh still lesse hope for Israel because he hardened grew more raging So with us after the Word hath discovered man to himself he sees no hope but burden bondage doubled 5. Yet after they were brought out of Egypt yet far from the Land of rest because they walked not in the life of the Covenant but after their own lusts So we have much to be suffered and our Will and the World to be crucified But when he intended to bring Israel indeed out of Egypt then he destroyed the first-born even the strenght of Egypt in whom their name and power was to be continued and so he dealeth with us viz. When he intends to deliver the captive Soul of man out of the hand of Satan he destroyes the first-born viz. Our infidelitie and all that power strength which Satan reared up in man and so brings Pharaoh low So that God never delivers his people and brings them into rest and libertie till he hath first made them weak and brought down their strength and laid them low in lamentation and woe Psal 107.12 He brought down their hearts with heavinesse So with the Prodigal and with Paul He struck him blind to the earth and took from him all his Pharisaical strength as Phil. 3. Yea Davids high mountain must be taken away that he may seek to God and be delivered 1. For all that which is born of the flesh is flesh must be destroyed else how can the Spirit live and be free all that strength we have whether of confidence assurance joy c. arising from Riches Wisdom Power and other gifts and qualitâ—s of nature are but power whereby Satan rules in man Pharaoh was Gods creature but perverted against God and thought to keep Israel by strong hand So all the riches wisdom c. are his gifts but perverted when we think to live and stand by them Therefore must down 2. Yea Pharaoh and his hoste must be drowned in the Sea even in that hearty sorrow deep humilitie that will drown all Pride and self-righteousnesse or what ever else lifts up man 3. Thus doth God bring man to trust him by making void all other strength to trust to 4. For all divinity power and strength is affirmative or positive in Christ only negative in us In denying in forsaking in crucifying c. So that Christ may live â—â—sitivelie in us which cannot be till the chief of all our strength be subdued 1. But do we not with Pharaoh still harden our hearts and will not yeeld though God send Famine yet we recover and harden thereupon Though Plague we escape live we depend thereon We see and taste sore plagues but the World or something creeps in and shuts us up in bondage and darknesse Nay though we feel smart and want Yet we Pharaoh Satan Mammon lives in us and we cleave thereto for Pharaohs hardnesse is in us all in the Root 2. Well were we if our First-born even all our fleshlie power and conceit thereof were slain and that we were brought low enough in the flesh that Israel the elect soul of man might passe on towards rest according to the promise 3. But the worst of all is we feel no bondage nay we fear our first-born should die The World is no burden but a pleasure Sin no sorrow but delight We like so well in Egypt that we dream not off nor despare not a departure 4. But if God mean us good he will kill the first-born of Pharaoh in us and that by his only Woâ—d and Messenger Moses asilly man and yet God performed everie Word that he spake so we fight against the power of darknesse in youâ— else were it more pleasure to us to tell you of Life and Freedom But it is not our message We must first destroy Pharaoh then Israel the poor bond Spirit of man shall flie and be saved 5. There will come a destroying night to all men Then Moses called the Elders of Israel Now before Israel was to depart He ordains the Passeover that seing there should be such a destruction lest Israel should therefore doubt of the promise he gives them a sign or token of safetie As Christ did When the Shepherd should be smitten and desolation sâ—en in the Earth and that Christ was to leave them then he gave them the Sacrifice of his death to assure them though he should die and they suffer afterwards yet this should be a sign and seal of their deliverance from death and hell Therefore he 1. gives a command to keep the Passeover ver 21. 2. He prescribes the manner Take the blood c. 3. He adds the promise For when I see the Blood I will passeover 4. The stablishing of this as a perpetual ordinance to Israel In the first he layes down the matter of the Sacrifice the latter how to be celebrated This ordinance was called the Passeover of the Lamb the other was called the feast of the Passeover This was to be eaten in their private houses the fourteenth day of the first moneth Nisan the other was to be kept seven days and was called the feast of the Passeover or unleavened bread So that this is properly the Passeover the other the Feast This is the sacrifice of their deliverance that night the other a Feast of rejoycing for that deliverance Wherein their was a holy convocation the first and last day viz. A rememberance of the Lords mercie to them and a teaching it to their Children 1. The matter of the Sacrifice was a Lamb of the first year figuring Christ a Lamb without spot 2. The taking of the Blood and sprinkling it was a figure of his Death So that all this was but to lead Israel to Christ and to wait on the Promise made to Abraham That though they should hear a cry throughout all Egypt for the death that was among them Yet that they should stick to that Word behold this sign that they shâ—uld be preserved So that The whole Word of God and all the Sacrifices given to the Church are given to lead man from all things to Christ and the stedfast sticking to his Word and Promise whereby they shall be preserved in all extremities Isa 55. Behold I have given him for a ensign or witnesse to the people 1. Cor. He is our wisdom Righteousnesse c. Joh. 14. I am the way the truth and the life My servant whom I have chosen My beloved in him whom my Soul delighteth All the
Man is faâ—len into an evil estate of heart which all creatures are not able to help and he put to his shifts to keep it off as long as he can For the fear of Hell and Death is a little bell These three evils pursue men fiâ—st 1. Guilt and Fear of Hell lâ—ke a worm gnaws daily and but for these man would live merrily in the world Thus he makes a covenant with either by forgetting or by flattering the Law and stablishing a Righteousnesse of his own or presuming of mercy a far off 2. The evil of Death presseth upon us and threatens to make an end of all Joy Pleasure Riches leaves no Hope to man thus we put off many dayes think we shal yet live long when men of our age are gone forgotten but it hasteth upon us daily 3. The evil of Adversity pincheth daily now this Crosse that Losse this Sicknesse that Want and Trouble this we hope to prevent and recover bow down in fear and basenesse and husband all so well hereafter that we shal enjoy better dayes when it is impossible to order all things according to mans mind So that all these are but vain shifts and falshood But the only way is with Christ to take the evil day â—nd crosse upon us 1. For guilt to see it and bear the indignation of the Lord and with the Prodigal cry out dayly We have sinned c. And wait on Him that hath overcome Hell and Darknesse and now saith O Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory 2. And for Death no Covenant to be made with it but seeing the vanity of the World to meet it joyfully and say Thou canst do me no hurt but take the World and the Life which I esteem not and open a door to that life which I shal enjoy 3. And for the Crosse no way to escape it But Patience and subjection to the Fathers will who knows what is best to tame our proud hearts and to crosse us in that wherein we dote And herein appears his love that he will suffer us to enjoy nothing that will hurt us but even this shall turn to our good Thus we all strive to put evil far off to shufle over the fearful dayes We now think lightly of them and play with wasters but when we come to graple with death we shal find it no play game Look for it for an evil day is coming and happy he that is prepared for that dâ—y Take heed lest at any time our hearts be oppressed with cares of this life or luke warmenesse Thus saith the Lord Behold I lay in Sion Here He first layes the fouâ—dation of rest in the Church that though it fare ill with his enemies yet is his Church built upon the foundation of free mercy in Christ and his truth revealed by him shall stand against all storms So that God hath laid in his Church conveyed to his People a foundation of rest in Jesus Christ which shall preserve them against all crosse of Death and Hell and nâ— storm shall be able to overthrow it Psal 125. They thâ— trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion Mat 7. They that build upon the Rock shall abide the Tempest David calls him a Rock of Stone and Peter the Corner-stone For this is prophesied of him Isa 9. His Name shall 〈◊〉 called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God the Prinâ— of Peace c. Other Foundation can no man lay 1. Thence it is said Heb. 11. That faith is the grouâ— of things hoped for because Christ whom faith otâ—â—ests on is unchangeable to his 2. And the promise in him is Yea Amen Though in us oftentimes it is Nay 3. This is that whereby Adam was restored and first laid in him whereby Abraham was preserved and Paul delivered in greatest extremity This foundation is Jesus Christ the Son of God Lord of the Covenant the ingraved form of his Image given of the Father for the Restauration of man to whom he hath given all power in Heaven and in Earth and hath hid in him the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and the heart of man built on this foundation by saith thereon cannot fail But the Church of Rome hath translated this foundation from Christ to the Church from head to members from that Mat. 18. Super hanc Petram and so they have the determination of all truth it to be received and believed because of their testimony And so that Christ is to be believed because of the Church and not contra And thus they pervert one Article of the Creed to bring all mens heads under their girdle and that they may sit in the Consciences of men and do what they list without controle They say We are not only to believe the Church to be but to give credit to it To understand the difference note Austins distinction of Faith in regard of the object 1. Credere in aliquid to believe and put confidence in one 2. Credere alicui to believe or give credit to one 3. Credere aliquem to believe that one is or after this manner To believe in one hath reference to God only because the object thereof must be both verum bonum To believe or give credit to one hath relation to his object as to objectuÌ„ formale a principle for whose sake To believe one to be hath relation as ad objectum materiale The first we agree in And as for the second we say The testimony of to Church is of all humane the greatest and can never err in the whole nor fundamentally They say Crede Ecclesiae as to the formal cause for whose sake we are to believe all Truth and some of them that was inserted tanquam meum cum omnia alia credendi And so they make it a foundation of faith upon whose credit they wholly depend And this is the difference and this we deny 1. Because the Grammatical Constructions will not bear it Credere being taken to give credit is put with a Dative Case and an Accusative Case as in the Creed 2. Because there is no such certainty in their Church for man to depend on but that which must be the foundation of Faith must be a thing certainly known and determined what it is not the word but the thing For saith is not verbal but real But according to their own assertions the Church is a thing to them not certainly known or determined what it is Their Doctors divide the Church into the Church Essential The Convocation of all that believe in Christ Representative The Bi hops in a General Council Or Council of Cardinals Vertual the Pope only And of these we agree not which is the Church on which we must depend Some will have the Essential as Tride Catech Gloss upon Gratians Decrees which are Popes own law 2 Chap. 24 4.1 Some others seeing this could not be because it could not be known conclude it to
also and carry them to Babylon to be a prey and servants unto them In the Words note two things 1. His heavy message to Hezekiah 2. Hezekiahs free subjection to the will of God and justifying his Word First He shewes that all the riches and store wherein he glories shall be taken from him yea and his posterity for whom he had gathered them shold be carried Captives and nothing left that he might return to his God As if he shâ—uld say Thâ—u hast shewed all thy store to the King of Babylon and sent the newes of all thy wealth thither Even all this shall be carried away to Babylon and thy children also Thus doth God to destroy the hope of man So that There is a day coming to man that will turn all his riches and glory and pleasures wherein he trusteth and rejoyceth into want sorrow and misery and death doom will sooner or latter lay all in the dust Where is now the glory and pleasure of the Old World or the Power of Pharaoh the Wealâ—h of Job or the Pleasure of Dives the riches of the rich fool or righteousnesse of Paul all laid in the dust For woe to them that now laugh c. 1. For there is a way that seems good to man but the issues thereof are the issues of death 2. For God will take away from man all stayes in the flesh that he may see and know that there is no rest but in him for the life of the first Adam must be lost that we may live by the second 3. Thus God makes way for the manifestation of his mercy and the delivering of Man out of Satans snare 1 Woe to the deceived and bewitched heart of Man whom Satan hath beguiled with the Lustre of the world and drawn from his God who blesseth himself in his present portion and pleasure and thinks he shall see no evil but enjoy many a merry day but sees not the black day when all shall be taken away Nay man thinks to joyn a perpetuity here by joyning house to house and laying a foundation in the earth and then he saith Is not this great Babel that I have built And so shews his Wealth to the world or at least feeds on it himself saith Is not this a goodly portion a loving wife obedient and fine children a good stock and portion a certain estate and never a fâ—iling way of increase what hurt can come to me Even like the thief who blesseth himself in his stolen riches and never thinks of his hanging-day But know though we may put off the evil day a while and first either bury it in forgetfulnesse or drink down fear like beasts or cover it with the righteousnesse of the Law Yet God will either sooner or later strip up our hearts and either first 1. By the Word discover that misery that all our fulnesse cannot remove as before to Hezekiah that with Job we shal curse the day of our birth and with we had never been born 2. Or if he suffer us to run out the course of our vanities with the Prodigal yet there will come a day that will lay all in the dust and darknesse when we shal be cast into the pit and death comes and will not be resisted and then nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth Wailing for the Time of vanity mispent for Guilt of heart not to be eased for darling with the World that was so esteemed and our friends so dear to part with Then shal we see that Wife and Children Gold and Silver that we see doted on are but Drosse When the Babylonians have ransaked our treasure as now to the Germans and life taken away not to be restored 1. Are not the fair and admired beauties now defaced with rottennesse and consumed with worms that were as smooth ruddy neat and trim as thou art 2 Are not the rich worldlings laid low in a poor sheet and turned to dust 3. Is not the wise-man dead as the fool and all the counsels of his heart perished 4. Are not drunkards and wicked destroyed and their name and posterity forgotten and rotten upon earth 2. Hence we see then whatever man establisheth in his heart and fixeth his mind on but Christ must down and nothing must be left We all desire to learn something and to have something to look at we will trust God but we will have something else to look at some sign and token thus man is lothe to part with all but still he reservs some portion some hope some good quality some righteousnesse to look at no there must be nothing left but the Brazen Serpent Nothing but Christ to look at for all else must to Babylon 3. Nay we see how he takes away all excuses we think to establish our posterity and gather for our children that each may have so much though we fear not our own portion but even these shal be servants we feed them with a coal stollen from the Altar we leave them the fruits of our covetous hearts and so brings them into the snare for an hours pleasure they also must into the land of darknesse commit them to God with any portion for if they may enjoy any small pittance it is enough for thou shalt not know whether they shall come to honour or low degree Let all look for this in the day of fulnesse look for want misery for it will come see thy self taking leave with all thy Friends and Riches for Pompey Alexander are now conquered that conquered all the World Yea the best must taste of this for Christs last day was his heavie day when Wrath Death lay upon Him So that there is a more heavie day to be endured only mans rest in this day is with Hezekiah to cleave to the Word of the Lord in subjection When the Prophet had delivered his message we see how Hezekiah takes it First He acknowledgeth the Power and Goodnesse of the Word of God 2. He submits himself thereto in confidence and assurance that according to the Word Truth and Peace should be in his dayes So that The Word of the Lord is ever good to man and his only treasure on earth and mans subjection thereto his only freedom and rest Isa How sweet upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tydings of Peace It is the joyful tydings of Salvation the Word of Life and the Message of the Kingdom and that wherein David found more joy than in all riches or great spoils The Law is spiritual and good the Gospel is the message of Mercy and Life Wisdom is justified of her Children And Eli's subjection to the word of Samuel was his only hearts ease 1. For though it fight against the World and Lust of mans heart yet it is for the freeing of Man from them 2. For this Word must stand though it sight against Man and mans subjection must be his Rest For the Word cannot be changed nor
winnow you as wheat but I have prayed that thy faith fail not when thou art converted c. VVHen Christ had now finished his course was now readie to suffer that fearful bitter hour he foretells the disciples what to look for and will befal them viz. He will strike the Shepherd and what then will become of the Sheep they had lived with Him in peace or at least such a trouble as was easie to bear but now must all be shaken and so sore-warns them of the Crosse that they must suffer he sorewarns them of the Crosse and miseries to come and that by the Instrument of Satan amplified by a Metaphor he assures him of help and that by faith he shall be preserved and that he hearten his brethren After Peters brag and Christs answer First He shews how Satan as an enemie stands waiting and seeking to overthrow Christ his Kingdom by which he might shake the saith of all his followers for if he had overthrown Him then Faith and all had been dasht So that Satans main drift to worke mans eternal destruction is to overthrow Christ and his Kingdom and to drive man from Câ—rist and to seek help elsewhere Thus with Job thus with Annanias and thus with Christ in his temptations still granting what Christ alleadged and still labouring again to trap him in that for still he traps man in that wherein he stands as the worlding he fills them with fear and pleaseth his lust and the weak to worke it out and he laid load upon Paul fightings without and terrors wiâ—hin And thus he layes reproaches upon the Truth and blazeth the failings of the Faithful to slander the Truth for he is the accuser of the Brethâ—en 1. And herein stands the salvation of man that he can deal with any thing but Christ the wisest or holiest he can catch and keep him in his snaâ—e and fill them with fear or hope that he sifts them keeps them in his bâ—g 2. For he hath power over man to tempt man in the heel and to sift man and leave him nothing but brane For when he hath ground man to powder he sets his servant the flesh to sift him and he reasons and looks from what he feels and sues no help left but all is gone but Christ through patience overcoming him Thus he Winnowed the Martyrs and left nothing in the flesh to uphold them and thus he workes their good against his will to purge man of the flesh and to drive him to Christ 3. The whole truth is revealed by Fire First Thus he drives all another way and he cares not what way he goes so he looks not this way 1. The Worlding he keeps in fear of want or failing or decrease or uncertainty and so keeps him closse like Israel in Egypt 2. Others that look after Christ yet keeps the World alive in the heart through Lust and that all is theirs they having right must provide for honest things as that all is theirs c. and so he makes Fig-leafe-coverings but the heart Rotten 3. Others he lifts up above the simplicitie of Christ and their own minds by great and high speculations to falsifie the Truth by false Doctrine and all this to hide Repentance from mans heart that so the Kingdom of Christ may not come 4. Others by joyning something as Circumcision with Christ and the Gospel is perfected by the Law and not the Law fulfilled by the Gospel 5. Others he pursues with calamitie and miserie as in ward Lust and Rebellion frowardnesse of their own will and indisposition to any good that so man might get ease thereby 6 Others by losses crosses wants and troubles that he may distrust God and cleave to the arm of flesh and so consent to Rabâ—â—ekeys Letter saying Thou trustest and believest in Christ he will deceive thee thou art forlorn and forsaken it were best to look after other helps a little and then trust God so that whither he offer Life or threaten Death he intends Death forsaken of Christ for Paul he knows Christ he knows 2. He never prevails so much as in a thriving way whereby the heart becomes lifted up he never overcomes to much by misery let him fain as much as he will all this is but to weaken the flesh and to bring down high Mountains and bring Job to lay his hand on his mouth and repent in dust and ashes So that nothing preserves man but a simple repenting heart Sensible of weaknesse in the midst of greatest gifts 1. The simplicitie of the Gospel written in mans heart 2. Simple believing and patience to suffer and overcome so with Christ He was the Wisdom of the Father he patiently bare the Wrath of the Father for man To winnow you like Wheat This was a coming when the Shepherd was smitten all friends forsook him the Earth shook Darknesse was over all Peter accused the rest fled Christ crucified like unto a murtherer laid in the grave all gone so that nothing was left but the Wisdom that Christ had given them and Faith in that Promise to believe that he would come again So that Ranson saw little to trust to So that There will come a Winnowing day upon all Flesh good and bad to destroy and take from men all confidence in the Flesh in which the Faithfull shall be preserved by Faith and Repentance and Patience The Lord will in righteous judgement winnow the wicked and Satan that falsifier Where is Pharaohs Power and Pompejy and Dives and Wealth of the Worldlings and righteousnesse of Paul Is it not all found too light God hath had his Fan in his hand no unrighteousnesse shall stand before him For they are like those chaffe before the Wind Woe to them that laugh for their covenant of Death shall be disannulled or broken 1. For God maks way hereby for his mercie and purifieth faith and drived man to himself though grievous yet wholesome 2. All joy and life of Adam must be taken away nothing doth that but Christ 3. Then though Satan now insult and triumph like a King yet he must be cast into the bottomlesse Pit all that obey him 4. There is away that seems good buâ— it must be tryed and proves death as that of Peter to Christ save thy self but this is not good 1. Know then that this day will come We laugh Feast and Drink as though it would last alwayes but know as to a Schollar or idle Servant that when he hath sported all these dayes there will come a black-Munday and hard Work So that though we sport our selves in quiet cover our own guilt delude sorrow and drive it from our hearts put off the evil day play the Wanton with our knowledge and Feast a while with Christ dainties as he dealt with the Disciples who brought them on by immediate power and love but in the end he must be taken away So know that these will fail and nothing
left but naked Christ a poor despised man Let the Worlding know that there wil come a scattering night where thou and thy guilty portion must part horror possesse thy mind which all thy Wealth will not quiet Yea thy Father and Mother Childern c. will be found too light in that day Yea thy joy in thy Works and Knowledge Then will he say Bring out thy Righteousnesse and all thy qualities of holinesse thy joy and comfort thy Manna laid up nothing then will serve but praying to escape that hour yet shall not but believing that his grace is sufficient But we drink down sorrow like beasts or we hide as under the World or we make an aggreement and put it off We call for Mountains and high devotions to cover us but all this would not free Job nor preserve Jeremiah but down they must So the time will come that God will either by his Word and affliction try us as by fire and then shall we curse the day of our Birth or else try us at Judgement and say What have I done unto thee Wherein have I failed thee what hast thou wanted I warned thee of this night and told thee of this time but thou would not believe thy Blood be upon thine own head But I have prayed for thee How shall man do in this day of Wrath yet here is a friend at back Christ praying as to the men in the Ship and he gone into a mountain to pray So here he knew the sorrows of his people as a Man of sorrows and so prayed for them So that here we see the brotherly care of Christ So that That in great Dangers and Weaknesse of man Christ doth and is readiest to help What care had he of his Disciples and how earnestly prayed he for them Isa 63. In all their afflictions he was afflicted he leaves the ninetie and nine in the Wildernesse and seeks the lost sheep Heb. 6. VVe have a faithful High Priest touched with our Infirmities Like a loving brother if his brother be overlaid he pitieth his weaknesse and helps him if he be beat he stands by and cryes if he want he gives him half Or as the husband helps his Wife runs rides to do her good For though he was the Word of the Father yet he became a High Priest and fellow-feele of our infirmities he was given as a Testimony and witnesse to the People and the first begotten of many 1. What then are those high mystical Speculations and Comprehensions of Christ making him so high like speculative Angels This is but an airy Christ but our Christ is low and among us suffering watching praying with us and for us He comes not for these high thoughts but for pure and contrite spirits 2. What a hearting is this in trouble to endure when Christ like a husband is present in well and in woe We think our case miserable we bear the burden of sin lo he was forsaken and sick he swate water and blood he bears our weaknesse but who feel it he pities our tears but who sheds them he hears our cryes but who makes them So that all high thoughted Religion is not of Christ but of the Devil He came to bring down high mountains and Imaginations We see then that praying believers have a Friend at back praying when we are suffering Friends may sail and Riches may vanish and life taken away but he endures yesterday to day and the same for ever If then we are weak miserable Christ is never wanting That thy Faith fail not And then let him do his worst while thou sticks to me and goes with me through death and hell So that The only way of safety in all straits is a praying and believing heart and while these continue nothing can prevail Psalm 107. They cried in their distresse and he heard them we are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 6 8. When stedfast resist in the Faith Psalm 9. They that know thy Name trust in thâ—e 1. For them their cause is wholly committed to God and to his Mercy 2. These are the weapons that overcomes by suffering 3. These overcome the World and crucifie the flesh which only worke our bayne 1. But our mouths are stopped and hearts straitned We live by conceits only we are full and pray not Want makes man pray and weaknesse him believe And so Satan never overcomes none but wise strong men these Christ rejects 2. But the time may come when we shall cry and not be heard whatever stops straitens and hinders prayer is a snare But O Praying dayes are gone But Lord increase Faith in all our hearts When thou art converted strengthen thy â—rethren This is the monition that Christ left and thou must go through much fear and have experience of sorrows yet faith shall overcome though Infidelity seem to overcome yet shall faith discover it and then by renewing Repentance Faith shall restore thee So that note That the faith and comfort of a man being over-clouded and covered is renewed by daily Repentance as in David and Peter and the Incestuous man 1. For as Christs Kingdom comes only to repenting hearts at the first and as Sin in the World by accident brought Christ into the World So sense of sin in mans heart brings Christ thither 2. Here is way made in mans heart for mercy and joy in Christ the heart driven to seek him in earnest 3. Though man build hay and stuble on this foundation yet God will destroy them by Fire the Crosse and bring back Israel with joy that went out weeping 1. But herein it is that our Faith is turned to a dead and fleshly security because repenting dayes are gone we did repent and felt the bitternesse of sin but it is all removed and joy and freedom is come thou become secure so that thus turns the eye from our selves and Christ too and so repentance is hid from our hearts Is sin lesse odious to God than before or doth he more tollerate it in thee than others Art thou not more guilty having felt his love to turn from him Is not thy Pride and Self-Will and Love thy security and high thoughts as odious to him and as great rebellion in thee as was the wanton sins in the days of thy Ignorance Hast not thou as much need of his grace and power to preserve thee as ever thou had to receive them Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace Nay as hard shall thou be sifted but I will bring thee back by deep Repentance and thy Faith shall revive though for the present it fail 2. So that Faith is not preserved but by deep daily humilitie and repentance As Saint Paul though he was partaker of great gifts and more experience of Gods love and power than thousands yet hereby was it preserved He stil rejoyced in infirmities when he was weak
mercie For if he be not before one of these two he is secure may this we see too common in all men 1. For though they must be brought at one time or other to be judged in themselves and confesse that it is â—he way of Faith Repentance and Love it is the way of Life yet how soon become hardned and cast it off cares not for it but gets a life else-where that they cannot say that their joy and pleasure and life is in Christ but in another in his knowledge and righteousnesse and none abides but with this Nebuchadnezzar falls off But know that this Word shall judge thee one day 2. Hence we see what a Fountain of Lust and Rebellion is in all men believers and others how often hath God expounded our Dreams restored our freedom given Life in Death and how soon are we returned either to the Worlds shifts in straits or forget the Lord that brought us out of Egypt and feed our selves with pleasure Nebuchadnezzar made an Image of Gold fifthy cubits high He had forgotten the God of Daniel soon and now makes an Idol for his own glorie preservation even thus doth all So that When mans heart turns away from God Christ that he is not known believed and loved every maâ— set up the idol of his own Imagination in his heart forsakes the God of Heaven that is to say a God a Christ and a Righteousnesse and Wisdom in Imâ—gination Thus every Nation had their Gods all reasons are 〈◊〉 God framed or comprehended in the witt of man 〈◊〉 Therefore God gave this great Law Thou shalt havâ— no other Gods but me 1. Thus Satan is called the God of this World whâ— sets up his Law in mans heart For there is in every man the sins of all men in the root so that as the Heathen that know not God indeed yet had many Imaginary Gods So all men that know not God or forsake Christ make many Christs though not all of oâ—â— fashion yet such as mans Imagination leads him to 2. For mans heart must have something to upholâ— it either real or conceited therefore in want of thâ— God of life he must have some God and somethiâ— to trust to or sometimes for which he must trust Gâ—â— the better in all which though it be nothing but the Idol of his Imagination yet Christ must bear the Name He confesseth the God of Daniel but hath an other Idol whom he worships For doubt not but all the Heathen had a general confused conceit of God unto whom they then framed God a kind of relation in their conceit For reason could tell them that a creature could not save them neither could Nebuchadnezzar believe that any creature could yet save or deliver him when he counted himself the most patient creature in the world but had a conceit of God unto whom he owed Worship Some acknowledge the true Christ but he is not the Saviour by whom they live but something else So that Thus the World and the Church is full of Idolatrie every man setting up the Idol of his own heart One sets up a Golden Image as the King did here and makes the World his great God This he serves and trusts worships yea in all his laws threats he fears the loss of his labour For if this God smile he laughs if he frown he grieves if he threaten he fears if he promise he believes and this is the greatest God most worshipped in the World The rich adores it the poor prayes unto it all bow unto it But the great Idol in the Church is mans knowledge and righteousnesse This is that the false Apostles set up This he decketh with Devotion Zeâ—l and Charitie but yet not much of that he worships God before this Idol he acknowledgeth Christ yet with circumcision joyned this we make only God we bow down as unto it Nay the Idols of mans imaginations are endlesse For the greatest contemplators saith Luther Are the greatest Idolaters for they make an Idol of their own imaginations or their speculations Christ and Paul was none of these they lay in misery they believed God they practised love and went about doing good 1. For by how much any goes about to comprehend Christ and his Word not believing in him from a broken and repenting heart but from strength of imagination he is the great Idolater but know these arâ— cursed and the makers of them they have mouths but speak not eyes but see not the way of life noses but savour not the things of God feet but walk not in the wayes and love of Christ and they shall not all help in time of need Thy Knowledge shall vanish thâ— Righteousnesse be judged faultie thy gold perish and thy pleasures be turned into sorrow and shall this God deliver thee And all these are framed by man that he may have ease and freedom elsewhere in the flesh and have something to see and feel that so he may live iâ— peace but the true God is found in trouble not at the sound of Musick but in woe and sighing then is God present with these men as Daniel Shedrach Mechacâ— and Abednego were accused by the Officers This added to their Captivity for that herein is doublâ— bondage though they were advanced as Rulers in Babylon yet brings them into bondage that they mighâ— not fit in Babylon but upon their God and his Word So that When God intends good unto man he keeps him under the Rod of miserie without and weaknessâ— within that Faith may be kept pure and the flesh aâ—â— man may have no stay but in him Thus with Job David Psal 107.39 He brings dowâ— their heart with sorrow thus with Christ 1. For till man be throughly whipt he flies to soâ—â— new shift and God in love chaseth him from all holdâ— that he may not setle in carnality 2. For Abraham had no Child then Isaac was boâ—â— and then hope of him seemed to be taken away Thiâ— was ever Gods dealing with his Church they had somâ— breathing time yet he renewes his rod when they greâ— wanton and turn from him Man would lay hold iâ— any thing rather than drown but thus God plungeâ— him into the deep and then he prayes 1. Thus we all seek rest in the flesh and find it arâ— say We shall not be moved the Pipe and the Tabrâ— is in our Feasts but sorrow and repentance is hid froâ— us But if God intend thee good he will keep thee from fleshly ease Thou thinks it an heavy bondage to lose wife husband world and all but when guilt shall appear within and God is departed and death at hand who shall comfort thee 2. But we are altogether for ease and peace Our Church is fleshly The Church in Canticles sought and enquired after him in the night but no such need with us we feel not the grief and captivity of others They are now full anon taken away Now in health
Christ the Stone hewen out of the Rock without hands they lay among the groves there to enquire of the dead for the want of things and not waiting on God and the Words of the Prophets They eat abominable broth and swines Flesh both which were forbidden by the Law So that in all they forsake Christ signified by all those and chuse their own wayes and this is mans way in the Church We offer not at Jerusalem sitting at the door of the Tabernacle weeping and confessing Where is tâ—e Mercie Seat and Ark of the Covenant but in Gardens of Pleasure in serving God at our leasure and not on the Corner-stone Christ Jesus but on the Altar of our good qualities which we have hewen to our selves We wait not on God his Will Word that we may know it but in the dead groves of our devotions and run back to these rotten effects of care diligence If the World shew good signs we believe if we see signs and Wonders we trust we feed on Swines Flesh Flesh and broth thereof That is we feed on the Flesh and filthy World which begets nothing but flegmatick and cold opinions instead of pure nourishment to Faith and Love Stand by for I am holier than thou So with all these abominations there went still a poysoned opinion of holinesse and high thoughts which made all stink in his nostrils So that when with Religion there goes a high thought in man and exalting of himself above others because of his Religion it poysons all and stinks before God and will bring man to a fearful fall at the last Thus it was with the Pharisee I am not as other man as this Publicane Col. 2. Touch not taste not handle not It was their practice when they had been at the Mercat they washed the false Apostles thought themselves more acceptable to Christ because they were circumcised And those Gadders in the Church that went about talking and thought because of their Religion they should be respected and relieved which Paul writes against that they should not be suffered Thus is Religion turned into mans own glory and not to Christs glory This flows from pride and self-love which had its beginning in man ending in man as all things do This makes men Judges in Religion and not Christ a Saviour and so with all Religion there grows up a cursed opinion and seeking of respect which poysons all But well worth that Religion where man is not listed up by it and hath nothing but all laid up and enjoyed in Christ not in self SERMON XIX Isai 63.1 Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Eâ—zra This that is glorious in his apparel travelling in the greatnesse of his strength I that speak in righteousnesse and mighty tâ— save IN the tenth verse of the former Chapter is a large promise of Mans Redemption by Christ under the Type of Israels deliverance out of captivity as Prepare the way of the Lord cast up the high-way gather up the stones lift up the Standard The Lord hath proclaimed to the end of the World to Sion Behold thy salvation cometh his reward is with him and his work before him That is to say Make readie the hearts of men by repentance and then salvation is at hand and thou shalt be a holy people prepared of the Lord Prepare the way that is let not Israel settle in Babylon but come out Remember Jerusalem that you have lost the signs of my presence the Ark of my Covenant the Mercy-seat and all the tokens of my Love and that you are now strangers to me so bring down their hearts and make a way for my mercy that I may do them good that they long for my salvation they shall find it ready at hand Let them not trust in their strength nor rely on the favour of Babylon the world the Flesh for they will still keep them bound but return to me and I will deliver them so that No mercy to man nor salvation from God nor redemption by Christ nor holiness by the spirit but where God makes way in mans heart by dayly repentance dayly turning mans heart from the world himself and all things in true sense of his bondage and longing of the soul after Christ Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Psal 107. He brought down their hearts with sorrow then had mercy on them For all Israels wanderings he plagues them till he made them yield and cry and pray then helps them in distresse It was Johns office to make way for Christ For what should Christ do with an hardened heart filled with conceit of Wisdom righteousnesse and the world or riches For all afflictions that God layes on man either in the world or in himself by the word is but to bring down the heart to let him see how the World hath deceived him sin hath beguiled him and his conceits brought him into a false surmise and so lets him see what a little power he hath in himself that so forsaking and turning to another he may find mercy For though God give gifts to man yet they are kept onlie in the hand of Faith else man turns to them and forgets God and himself and so becomes proud and conceited becomes a Saviour to himself But the salvation of God is never given but to repenting hearts that are ashamed of themselves and their own cursed rebellious hearts and in sighing sorrowing pray seek for mercie But we all would have salvation another way than by repentance as one by knowing another by dying another by gathering strength but none by denying themselves Indeed we daily pray Lord forgive us our sins but sin is not our burden we would all have mercy to our hardened hearts Nay how far are we from the salvation of God whose hearts never felt the bitternesse of repentance or are again hardened through knowledge We all dream of being saved but alace there is no way in thy heart Thou knows how little thou minds God or Christ at all how little thy heart is troubled about life or death but carried away with present losse Where is the place that can witnesse thy sorrow and heavinesse of heart thy sighing folding of thy hands how little is it in thy thoughts What hast thou done daily doest against God or thy self How little art thou troubled about thy eternal being no Repentance being wrought in thee all Religion is but a matter of discourse and circumstance But woe to us for repenting dayes are gone and so salvation hid the time was when we were sinners went mourning weeping all our dayes were repenting dayes And then were vve ashamed to look into our ovvn cursed hearts vain vvayes and all night our very dreams were on misery then light rose in our darknesse but now we are wise righteous see not the pride lust worldlinesse of our ovvn
hearts even drovvned in pride of our ovvn hearts have a conceit of salvation in our selves Is sin lesse sinful than it was Stand vve not as much need of salvation as before nay our hearts are not prepared for mercie but claime it as a due and therefore is salvation far from us But know that before salvation or freedom come from Christ to our hearts these high looks must down we carried into Babylon God never casts his mercy upon hardened hearts but the poor mourners shall be comforted So that faith holinesse is daily preserved by repentance deep humility vvhen God opens the high vvay of our hearts he gathers out the stones all his mercies though they bring comfort yet still more humblenesse that he should daily be so good we so vile rebellious still so is mercie salvation contained Who is this that cometh from Edom. That is from the land of captivitie from Bozra the chief Citie of the Edomites representing the great povver of Satan Flesh and the World wherein man is bound novv comes the Prince and Captain of our Salvation out of our captivity and death and is consecrated through suffering even in death overcoming all things his garments red with the blood of the Sacrifice Laying it down by way of admiration in the question answer containing wondering and Christs ansvver For the vvhole Chapter is a Prophetical Declaration of Redemption by Christ and the state of man to be redeemed as 1. The Person or Redeemer even Christ discovered by his povver and strength travelling in the greatnesse of his strength and the rest c. 2. By his truth and righteousnesse I that speak in righteousnesse 3. The way means how he hath done it viz. First By death under a Metophor of Trading the Wine-presse 4. What he hath done viz. Troden them in his Wrath. Who is this that cometh This shews the expectation of the captive Church waiting for a deliverer according to the promise after seventy weeks so man after his long bondage under hell and Flesh and seeing Christ a weak poor man and that all in blood crucified dead and buried seems an unlikely man to reason but in his answer he puts away all doubts that he is the only man and Redeemer So that The weary waiting and forlorn heart of man though he see little possibility to obtain life by Christ in sense reason but many more likely devices ye shall never find freedom but only in him For he was ordained of old to break the Serpents head and prophesied to bind up the broken hearted Yet what a doe had he with his Disciples for to perswade them that He was He but still they cried Is not this Josephs Son is this likely to be He He only was Jobs refuge in all his afflictions when he saw nothing but death yet his Redeemer liveth This he witnesseth by word and work By word I am come to save the World I am the Resurrection and the Life By works How many poor lame and blind did He help which He was after to do spiritually the afflicted he comforted as Mary and the Prodigal The Pharisees cryed out Who is this that forgiveth sins that destroyes the Law Nay others said Except ye be circumcised Christ cannot profit 1. For he came to destroy the flesh and redeem the spirit therefore was he weak in the flesh strong in spirit that he might cross the curious witt and pride of man who looked for great things 2. All things prosper according to his presence with man and not he according to the power of the creature all other things are but miserable comforters only puts off for a time but it comes again with all violence like a sore that is ill healed Yet who hath believed this report Nay in any straits we look for other helps The World saith Come see what riches and certaintie I will relieve thy wants be diligent ply thy mind to me and I will ease thee and saith Man This is that comes with full hand and good gain This is like to preserve so much Inheritance so much coming in and is yet never a whit eased but a slave still The flesh saith Come to me I come not in sadnesse and sorrow but in mirth and pastime and pleasure I will put away sorrow from thy heart and season all sadnesse with mirth and yet for all this in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowfull Reason saith Come to me I will shew thee a likelie way do good worke righteousnesse see thy great knowledge and good qualities then believe that Christ may profit but simple believing stands not in this but in another thing and when thou feels nothing in thy self Reason would judge this but a blind way Nay saith Christ But come hither look on me believe my Word I am poor and needie in flesh and so must thou be I will deliever thy Spirit and free thy mind these deceive thee but I speak in righteousnesse though I seem base yet all power is given to me and I am mighty to save So that he that looks for salvation by Christ had need of Faith more than Witt When the poor captive Soul sees nothing but death and bondage no power to free himself and sees nothing but poor Christ all wallowing in blood shut up in the grave sits mourning at the Sepulchre and yet look for salvation in him had need to pray daily Lord increase our Faith and help our unbelief And to this end would Christ confirm his Disciples in expectation of the Promise and Life by his Death and to wait for the Holy Ghost by the Sacraments and pledges of his love and truth which he left them saying I know ye doubt and fear and hereafter ye shal see me forsaken judged and crucified and buried and then will your hearts tremble but that I have spoken in Righteousnesse take this as a pledge of my love and truth when ye come together eat and drink this believe my Promise rejoyce in me in my death for though I must trade the Wine presse alone yet I will trade it in my Furie I that speak in righteousnesse The word of Christ is the word of righteousness to believing hearts and shall be assuredlie fulfilled to troubled Spirits Mighty to save So that All power of saving man is in Christ no power in man to procure or pâ—eserve his own safetie I have troden the Wine-presse So that Jesus Christ hath under-gone the wrath of the Father for man that he might redeem man from wrath and by his suffering hath wrought Redemption for man I have troden the Wine-presse alone So that None partakes with Christ in the work of mans redemption but he is the beginner finisher of mans happinesse Mine own arm brought salvation So that When all povver in man fails miserie strikes then is the power of Gods spirit still at hand I will trade
that wears out all the flesh also Woe to them that have none other stay how will they do when their Shepherd shall be smitten like an Orphant when the Father is dead See the vanitie of man that would still have some hold in the flesh But herein doth God blesse his people when by clearnesse of his truth he destroyes all imaginations by the crosse destroyes all lust and leaves man nothing but God and his Truth 4. The freedom and happiness of man in knowing savouring nothing after the flesh Rom. 8. This is not to walk after the flesh but after the spirit For that which man thus knows he knows not and that which he loves not thus he lusts after for thus to know God or to love him is not to know him but to know will and love all things in God is to know him indeed for that man which knows in the flesh it is not of God but his own imaginations And there will come a scattering day to all fleshlie imaginations as to Jerusalem and Davids high mountain when knowledge shall vanish and mans fleshly hopes shall be destroyed Where then will man appear Thy Husband thy Child thy Idol thy Portion thy Idea thy Shapes of Fancy all shall vanish yea thy shepherd too and nothing left but God and his Truth Where then will thy fleshly heart rest So that To believe and trust when all is scattered is to believe simply For to believe when all is joy and peace is rather to believe after the flesh and because of them which is a turning from God to his gifts and then we losse them but to believe when we are killed as Job and the Martyrs this is to believe God in and from God and to love in and from him When Peter said Though all forsake thee c. Here is Piters blind confidence wherein note this comparison of his though others shall yet not he So that Pride of heart advancing it self above others out of a self conceit of some singular gift or power is the ready way to a fearfull fall below all As Proverbs Pride goeth before destruction Luk 18. The Pharisees So Israel So Pharaoh The Jews Nebuchadnezzar and Lucifer For this is a turning away from God becoming a God to himself These conceits arise from the devil and sets God at nought destroyes Faith and sets up mans fleshly conceits like a Queen These have been the ground of all factions in the Church God will leave this man free to himself and others that dote upon him Thus we see that man is a proud creature he gets nothing but he is lifted up by it nay most labour for abundance not for necessitie so much as they may excel This conceit sticks fast in all arising from blindnesse in regard of our fulnesse for thou mayst see the iniquitie of all men in thy self But faithful men fear and distrust â—hemselves above all relying on God I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Peter had a blind confidence not knowing the weaknesse of man So that Man that is presumptuous and bold through fleshly confidence and his self-power shall never stand nor prosper There this is David Psal 30. and Israel against the Philistines but Davids boasting else-where was in God only through God we shall do great things For mans standing preservation is not of himself This is a sandy foundation for as it was but flesh so it boasted So when the foundation was removed the flesh feared Thus man walks presumptuously in all things thinking I will do this or that when often he is prevented and yet will not see it But that man walks safely that walks in fear for he trusts none but God and as he fears so he believes Faith in God makes man humble in himself No surer sign of a fall in believers than when they begin to boast nay this man denied above all So that How far a man is lifted up in any thing so far he must fall SERMON XXVI Mark 13.35.36 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house come whether at Even or at Midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the morning lest he coming suddenly finde you sleeping VVE see it verified in this our Brother which we heard the last day viz. That there is no confidence to be put in man Neither for his wit power wealth or continuance For we see it daily to be true That his breath goeth forth and he returns to his earth c. Which is here apparent before us For was not he with us at our last Brothers burial and behold we are now come to accomplish his It 's not long but even one day since that he was in life and liking as you are he sit as you sit in place credit of the World as you are he heard where you â—ow hear he prayed where you now pray he walked strong lusty upon this earth which must now devour and shut her mouth upon him and yet could neither the Riches of this World nor the cryes of his Children nor favour of Friends beg him of Death or keep him from the grave but down he must to accomplish the Will of and Purpose of his Maker And thus we see what a day yea what a night may â—ring forth to make the House desâ—late the Children Fatherlesse to separate the Brother and Sister never to â—ee each other any more in the flesh And thus we see the Lord comes daily amongst us â—hough we think our selves secure because as yet we â—ave escaped that common judgement so frequent in â—ur neighbour towns yet God lets us see that he hath â—oe destroying Angels than one which are kept in the â—cret of his Counsel and stricks according to his purâ—ose and will sometimes by a long easie strâ—â—k â—metimes by a sharp and shorter blow sometimes 〈◊〉 a sudden stab of his providence that cannot be reâ—ted yet not sudden in respect of God with whom 〈◊〉 things are determined but in regard of our securiâ— For as one saith Non subito minantur qui semper â—tant se esse morituros Nothing sudden but what is 〈◊〉 expected Only this learn by Gods dealing with â—n That we have no surer time of life then he had And that it is neither wit nor wealth strength nor health that can prolong thy dayes or put off death or secure thee one hour Therefore learn by him to watch till our master come which is the lesson Christ would teach his Disciples in these Words and in this whole Chapter which is a Prophesie and fortelling of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the coming of Christ the one a figure of the other From verse 24. He shews the sâ—gn of the end of the World and thereby stirs up all to wait because of the uncertainty not known to the Son oâ— Man which verse 34. He amplifies or illustrats by 〈◊〉 parable of a man going into a far Countrey leaves his house and
goe And that is where we think men are astray We range as far the quite contrary way Thinking we shall by setting these to these Our adverse part at least wise counterpoise When oft like him that fear'd his house would fall We prop so hard it overturneth all There was upon a time a question stirred What was the testimony of the spirit One answered he held it to be this When by Gods spirit one assured is By reason out of Scripture of his case Another said That same an error was For that the Spirit withnesseth quoth he To speak in proper tearms immediately Yet he in fine concluded so to do Was one kind of his testimonie too The answerer by this conceav'd he smelt Th'opposers moving and his pulses felt That either he mistook himself oppos'd When he conceits th'answer for peace was choos'd When as immediat is so harsh to many As t is not almost yeilded to by any Or else perhaps some over by conceite Espyed in answerer he down would beat This was in 't self good and perhaps did need And well may such endeavours ever speed Thus for because the godlinesse of such And gravity thereto induce me much Since learning and experience ought no lesse Then draw respect and reverence I confess Thus I expound him but n're lesse I think He did not sleep though he then did wink But let me never put the Sail-cloath to That I may better by the Ruther do For how this wrought I say not this I wot It brought forth an effect some wished not But leave we this where men do chiefly set Themselves ' gainst error and prophanness yet Their hearts run right give everie man his due Th' affections godly so the ground be true Which doubt I do not meddle to decide But leaves to better judgements to be try'd For I disclaime my self a judge to make To controvert or parts herein to take But hereto cheifly my endeavours bent To gain accord and prejudice prevent How'ere I have been deemed heretofore A partial censure if yet no more If any say the Bonito and I Do now live in the Sea now in the Sky Whom both the Sea disclaimeth for a fish And Butchers Shambles for a Yeaster Dish Whom fowles pursue when he the sky doth scour And falling fishes eagerly devour I answer I still wish I may as best In God and Conscience testimony rest If I well do no matter who hath ey'd it If I ill do no forge from whom I hide it Whiles Conscience knows my sins recorded be Before a Judge from whom I cannot flye If I the worlds applause and favour gain If he accuse their praises are but vain Fame sometimes may a false allarum send The conscience never but of this an end Then thus I say Who for Gods honor sight Let them go on yet in the spirits might But from Gods Church foul rancour keep thee hence And every spot of hellish virulence Let zeal and knowledge evermore agree And ne're let strife but on just causes be Which is the end whereat Gods people ayme And to their knowledge will pursue the same More striving how to cause men truth to know Then how to give their skill the overthrow Wherein I no mans practice do accuse So nor himself nor others he abuse How ever haply some of pregnant witt With some such weening may their fancies fit Or else on my dejected state they ment To give their ready witt and will the vent Let me propound for resolutions sake So will I doe for no disputes I 'le make Only I say If any list be stirring He 's Master of his Speech I of my hearing If it be true as sound Divines consent Faith most oppos'd is then most eminent And by th'Apostle tearm'd the Evidence Of things not now discerned by the sense So call'd when weak as when in strongest plight For it s exprest by term indefinite To witt to each one who in truth believe An Evidence sound and demonstrative Yea that which doth Gods Childrens hearts uphold In Crosses and Temptations manifold Yea in their doubtings and afflictions so As they despair not as the wicked do Whereon it follows of necessitie It must be active and inherent be And if it be injustice to detract From what one Brother doth well say or act Nay if too sharp a censure be but laid On what 's apparently ill done or said And thus to judge he carelesly doth miss When yet through ignorance perhaps it is Or this sin was deliberatly done When rashnesse might his reason overcome â—his on presumption when as yet he may â—pon infirmity be drawn away â—hat of ill conscience or of hate to me â—hen want of heed or other cause might be â—ea if we must still make the best we can â—f th'words and actions of another man So he be upright hearted and his Word â—r Act a good construction may afford â—f these be so from hence then doth the doubt â—hich I would be resolv'd on issue out â—ut e're I speak let me of one great cryme Wherein I have been charged in any a time â—o wit with too much bolstering indulgence â—f words that savour error and offence â—cquit my self if words so do it can â—nd that clear me which may another man â—f not my case shall so much lesser grieve me â—ecause I know yet one that will relieve me 〈◊〉 say I have been warie as I could â—s for my self that I no error hold 〈◊〉 ever since this variance did arise â—he same in others not to Patronize â—or any man wherein I found him savour â—f new fond Phrases did I therein savour 〈◊〉 â—ould then do no lesse though I had smarted Where I conceive man to be upright hearted â—â—d while such speeches from their mouth I hear 〈◊〉 fitly may a good construction bear â—t them interpret in the better sense â—hich I might do I trust without offence â—â—d help them what I could too to expresse â—heir true intent for I could do no lesse â—t labour others might their meaning see â—hom I perceive misunderstood to be â—is might be done yet none such overflow Charity as some have tearm'd it tho â—hiefly since conscience tells me I did never â—t what I judg'd the speaker meant deliver Racking no strayned sense from any word But what the same might pregnantly afford Which practice I should rather deem a mean Not error to confirm but to reclaim Whiles erring judgements be so men reduce And words ill plac't from error and abuse Unto the Touch-stone that it may agree With God and good men in the veritie Which to my simple skill I still shall pray I may endeavour to my dying day Yet God forbid thou Lord of Heaven should That I the least incouragement should yeild To any one to hold what is not sound And in Gods word hath not a setled ground How far that 's from my will O Lord thou knows Though I therefore all earthlie hopes should loss Let ne're such
all even in my very heart Set prejudice aside to take one part And verily believing to be true The Devil himself and all his damned crew Shall ne're if kindness re united were The limbs thereof again in sunder tear But Lord it may be thou who knows th' event Will worke by some more gracious instrument So be it then to t' honour of thy Name By whomsoe're I 'le glory in the same For this shall vex or little trouble me So some effect it whether I or he But that in strife 'twixt Father and the Mother Cherish the one and I offend the other Whereof there is no cause for ought I know Save that some good men understand it so Mean while for Sion sake as said before I 'le make request till I can speak no more And would rejoyce could I but rubish bear The walls thereof a litle to up-rear Although to me so clog'd with sin and pelf It may be said Physician heal thy self Yet I 'le wish well be it so as it may By Gods good grace unto my dying-dying-day And who can lesse do that was never stil'd And hopes he is the Churches lawful child Which name suppose I still deserve among Such other Children as to her belong Yet Lord I trust not banished by thee Her rods not Serpents but chastisements be Which while they threat let me at any hands Not spare but search well how the matter stands Within my self for many sins I have Which I confesse for heavie blows might crave Yet God forbid where conscience sets me free Her deadly blows I should apply to me What hath been said I know both where and when I take not t' out as meant to other men Knowing no cause in me nor him that spake it I should meer bastard be or be so take it But say he meant me as I said before Let me not spurn but search my self the more Which howsoever meant delivered so Few else save enemies do undergo Yea enemies of such transcendent pitch As never after other are so rich Which to point out in our new Churches state I dar not medle with at any rate For ought I in my self can see or may Full easily stink back and fall away But what good works thou once in me hast wrought Lord I have hope shall never come to nought Not through my strength but for because that he Is still the same that hath redeemed me But to conclude I wish the Churches peace That all heart-rysings not of God may cease That no grudge may be smothered in suspence But set at one by friendly conference That those who Christian liberty doth teach Be not accus'd they carnal freedom preach That men be warie freedom to apply Where is more need to teach the contrary That those who seek men to good works to draw Be not condemn'd as Preachers of the Law No though they teach it as the Law indeed Because most hearers do such teaching need That though some tearm them so none storm nor wonder More then if men should call them Sons of Thunder The Law and Gospel rules works be prest As shall appear to Christian wisdom best That each one therein labour to be plain That speeches still in the best sense be tane That all the members of one body may Hold truth in love cast prejudice away That each ' mongst others may their gifts dispence That each with other lovingly converse That none from Gods Church excluded be But such as is indeed an enemie That odd conceits of every idle head Be not upon the guiltlesse parties laid That all good means be us'd to satisfie Gods Church where but the least suspition lye Hearers while Preachers have the word in hand Apply themselves rightly to understand That Teachers still in every thing they say Make it as plain to hearers as they may That Brethren may not so each other hate But warn and war'nd be of their wretched state In brief that each to other say and do As he desireth to be done unto And he that is the very God of peace Shall make love grow and all contentions cease If any think too far at once I leap Himself is free to do as much as cheap By ROGER BRIERLY sometimes Minister at Grindletion Chappel in Craven THE LORDS REPLY IS this thy state and dost thou now confesse That lost thou art and dead in sinfulnesse Hath Death now ceas'd upon thy buildings great Thy righteousness and all thy high conceat Is sin and death thy portion now and can Thou not lay th'blame on any other man And is that witness now within thy mind That die thou must unlesse thou mercy finde And art thou now that sinful man alone To free and save thee is there now not one And art thow now like to the Prodigal That goodnesse in thee there is none at all And art thou now that Publican so poor That thou hast nothing laid up in that store To boast and brag as did that Pharisee But lyes along in doleful miserie And is thy heart within the inward ground Truly in want and in deep sorrow found And doth thy cries therefrom to me arise Am I that only one whereto thine eyes Are firmly set so that from me alone Thou looks for life or else thou looks for none And wilt thou here thy self fit all alone To wash my feet with tears with sigh and groan Hath all things else denyed thy woful crie And is there none that doth thy tears espy Is all things in thee now come to an end That thou to me this woeful cry doth send THE SOULS ANSWER YEa Lord thy Word by which thou named art Hath sound me out and made my soul to smart So mighty is thy Word and prevalent Who can withstand it makes my heart to rent For under it I judged stand therefore To thee I 'le cry for I am low and poor And I have none but thee alone and I To thee will cry to heal my maladie Here will I stay thy word hath slain my heart And here I 'le lye until thou heal my smart Thy only hand O Lord that hath me slain Can raise me up and heal my wound again My breach is great my load I cannot bear My sins are great my sorrow is my chear In sad laments My cry is still to thee That thou would mercy shew and pity me Thy mercy Lord which in thy bosom lyes To that I cry to heal my maladies THE LORDS REPLY IS this thy voyce and are thy cryes so strong And wilt thou lye before me all along As though with violeâ—ce in sunder thou Would break the heavens that mercy to thee now May speak to thee and from thine eyes dispell That mistie cloud which is thy present hell Is this the thing that thou woulds have tell me And hide it not for I assure it thee If sin be sin and thou a sinner be And so remains condemned for to dye And is there none of all