Throne so shall we sit with him in his Throne Reu. 3. 21 If the hungring after this vnion make vs blessed what shall the enioying of it doe Thirdly Who can tell or reck on the summe of those mercies that we shall enioy in respect of that glorious inheritance of the Saints in light when wee shall bee heires annexed with Iesus Christ not of a House or Mannour or Lordship but of a Kingdome and that not an earthly Canaan flowing with milke and honie but of a Kingdome passing all earthly Kingdomes and inheritances in those foure properties which the Apostle expresseth 1. Pet. 1. 4. first Immortal secondly Vndefiled thirdly Not withering fourthly Reserued for vs in heauen Here is the crowne of all mercies amplified in these respects first in that it is prepared by God from the beginning of the world Secondly from the place which is the pleasant Paradise of God the new Ierusalem the Citie of God full of peace sweetenesse and safetie Thirdly from the company God and Christ the holy Angels the Spirits of iust and perfect men that euer haue liued or shall liue If it bee an honour to liue in the presence and fellowship of honourable persons vpon earth how much more to enioy the glorious presence of God and the glorified Saints of God in heauen and yet this honour haue all his Saints Fourthly in respect of the conueniencie and sufficiencie of all things to be be desired there can be no want for God shall be all in all as First Stately habitation Ioh. 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I goe to prepare you a place it is a lightsome Citie for the Lambe is the light thereof Reu. 21. 23. Secondly Foode fit for great personages the Tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God they shall eate of that hidden Manna Reu. 2. 17. and their drinke shall be of the water of the Well of life so as being without all bodily meate and drinke they shall neuer hunger not thirst any more Thirdly Apparell long white Robes washed in the bloud of the Lambe such garments as great Princes vse Their Pysicke is the leaues of the Tree which cure the Nations Fourthly Pleasure and sweete repose in the bosome of our Father where children take greatest delight and ioy in the presence of the Lambe If the wise men seeing but the Starre of Christ reioyced with great ioy how much more shall wee seeing himselfe and that in his glory and aduancement oh what ioy and delight shall there bee in the Kings marriage and in the meeting of so many good friends together Adde hereto the testification of ioy when as at such meetings there are the voyces of singing men and singing women the Saints shall sing a new song euen the song of Moses and of the Lambe Reu. 5. 9. and there shall be the musicke of Harpes and Viols that is all kinde of heauenly melodie and harmony such as the sweetest musicke may not be compared vnto through our peace with God and his Angels and Saints and perpetuall peace from Satan and wicked ones Our ioy shall not be interrupted by losse of any friend nor feare of any enemie Fiftly Wealth In Salomons dayes gold and siluer were as the stones in the streets of Ierusalem but heere the walls and pauement of this new Ierusalem and all is beaten gold no Saint shall know the end of his wealth euery one shall confesse his lines to be fallen in a goodly ground and that he hath a goodly heritage euery child of God is now in Gods treasure-house and what can he want Oh that our eyes were open to see the riches of this glorious Inheritance of the Saints as the Apostle prayeth Ephes. 1. 18. Sixtly Authority and glory noted by sitting on Christs Throne by the Crowne of righteousnesse a Crowne of life the Kingdome of our Father the Kingdome vnshaken wherein all shall bee Kings and Priests to God Seuenthly Continuance of all it is an eternally weight of glory for quantity a weight for quality eternall 2. Cor. 4. 17. I will make him a pillar in the house of my God Reu. 3. 12. I will not blot out his name out of the Booke of life vers 5. Heere is eternall soundnesse and sound eternity Doeth the Lord thus compasse the godly with such mercies Oh then labour to be godly men and such as trust in God to whom all these precious promises are made Psal. 36. 6 7. Oh how excellent is thy mercy therefore the children of men shall trust vnder the shaddow of thy wings Oh but then all shall bee well if all these mercies shall compasse him that trusts in God for who trusts not in God Take heed thy trust prooue not presumption try thy trust before thou trustest vnto it try it by these properties First It hath a constant course and proceeding in godlinesse which no trouble can dismay or breake off Psa. 44. 17. 18. All this is come vpon vs yet do we not forget thee our heart is not turned backe nor our stepps gone out of thy paths 1. Tim. 4. 10. Therfore we labor and suffer because we trust in the liuing God Secondly a faithfull endeuour in the meanes that serue Gods prouidence there are none so diligent therein as they that trust in God If thou trustest in God as thou sayest then thou hearest beleeuest and practisest the word thou shewest thy selfe a child of God and of the Church else say what thou canst for thy selfe and compare thy selfe with the best thou trustest not in God Thirdly if thou trustest in God thou withdrawest thine eyes from thine owne and all other inferiour meanes and canst as quietly waite vpon God in want of meanes as in hauing them and hauing them art as if thou hadst them not Thou art farre from leaning vpon thine owne wisedome if thou trust in the Lord. Prou. 3. 5. Bee not Wise in thine owne eyes but trust in the Lord thou art resolued that if the Lord helpe thee not to thy hearts desire all the helpes in the world cannot doe it Againe if thou hast not the meanes thou thinkest the Lords mercifull promise is meanes enough thou discomfitest not thy selfe nor in defect of meanes fretst thy selfe how to compasse them as the eye of the maid is vpon the hand of her Mistresse so thy soule attendeth and waiteth vpon the hand of God If thou trustest thou first beleeuest and if thou beleeuest thou makest not haste Fourthly looke what it is in which thou trustest that hath thy heart thy affections of loue ioy and desire aboue all things if it be God then thou hast made God thy God and onely portion the voice of the Church is This is our God and wee will waite on him Abraham trusted in God when he preferred the commandement of God before Isaaks life so if thou preferrest the pleasing of God before thy chiefe ioy and grieuest most when thy
not Gods glory and good of the Church for its end but a mans owne glory for many vpon slight occasion will confesse their faults that themselues may bee better thought of for it and to conciliate a good opinion of themselues Therefore in thy confession to others take these rules with thee See the ground affection the manner and ends be good and iust else thy heart is not eased but burdened the more Secondly we may hence note that a guilefull security may hold the conscience of a conuerted person in a slumber of soule so as hee shall be hindred from repentance till God by some forcible affliction waken him This wee may see in Dauid here So Iosephs brethren held a long time the sinne of selling their brother till the affliction wakened them before which time they could tell their Father and their Brother Wee are twelue brethren and one is not and One is dead as if they had not sold him Ionah sleepes vnder the hatches though the stormes rise the waues beate and the ship be troubled and the goods lost till God by the Mariners bid him Vp sleeper and the lot finde him out So Professors often leaue their first works and slack their first loue till God come against them c. A reason hereof is First ignorance and blindnesse in the best which suffers them not to see sinne in the nature and degree of it onely light discouers darkenesse and therefore being light but in part euen the best cannot but faile in finding out their owne sinnes Secondly a kinde of hypocrisie and guile in the heart of the best which Dauid here acknowledgeth for the best would often seeme better then they are and would rather bee sinners then so reputed Thirdly an affection to sinne through an old acquaintance with it for euery mans nature so farre as it is vnregenerate is in loue with sinne Iob calls it 20 12. a sweet morsell which the wicked hold vnder their tongue and will not let goe And the regenerate themselues part with sinne indeede but as our Sauiour implieth as from their eies and right hands Fourthly because of the effect of it for sinne discouered brings shame What fruit had yee of those things whereof ye are now ashamed And to auoid this shame men would hide their sinne which is a filthinesse and a nakednesse Fifthly a security and negligence in the heart men are loth to dig so deepe to search narrowly their hearts to finde out sinne a tedious worke it is of mortification and so are loth to trouble their sinne or themselues Sixtly and lastly because the nature of sinne to which the best giue way is to dead the heart to quench the Spirit and to extinguish his graces And therefore first beleeuers must not flatter themselues but bee still awaking themselues to seeke after God we must enter into our hearts and consider our waies we will keepe reckoning what we runne on the score with men but rare are they which thinke how deepe they are in Gods bookes such bad husbands are we for our soules Secondly wee should vse meanes against this guile which preuailes against the best first the counsels of the Word must not be neglected Secondly the motions of the Spirit must be entertained and cherished for that is a monitor in the eare and sets before vs the way and our aberrations Thirdly the checkes and prickes of conscience which attended vnto would often awake vs and saith Thou art the man This and that sinne lies at the doore Thirdly we must not bid adieu to the remembrance of sinnes past and pardoned but euer beare them in minde so farre as to work out godly sorrow holy bashfulnesse and lowlinesse of minde and so farre as may be a spurre to more fruitfull obedience for time to come Thus Dauid though his sinne was forgiuen him as Nathan told him at first yet euer remembred and set before him his murther and adulterie Thus Israel acknowledged the desire of a King to be their sinne Thus Paul often remembred his blasphemy and persecuting For this let vs be often opening and looking on our wounds seeing the neglect of them and hiding of them is lewd carelesnesse and mortally dangerous It is no newes that a souldier is shot or wounded but to see him goe with it neuer regard nor dresse it is a forelorne negligence and condemned as a desperate folly so for vs fighting in this world to come by knockes and maimes is no maruell but to hide them and let them goe and ranckle and fester not complaining of them not vncouering them to the Surgeon Phisicion of soules is spirituall frensie and madnesse See we not that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones beside the ioynt the longer they go they prooue more painefull therefore take them betimes they are set more easily Thirdly note in that Dauid is said to bee silent and not confesse his sinnes of murther and adultery almost of an whole yeere that a man euen Gods child may hold some outward parts of godlinesse and yet for a time by a slumber of conscience lie silent and not indeed come to see and confesse sinnes All this yeere Dauid came to the Temple there prayed and praised God and confessed sinnes he laid not aside all his family-duties but out of doubt performed some or the most of them yet he confesseth he was silent for while a man lies in sinne his prayer is as no prayer his confession is no confession first his prayer is not accepted before God Psalme 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Secondly the Sacraments doe him no more good then they did Iudas Thirdly Gods word because it is not mingled with faith is vnprofitable it is as pure liquor put into a fustie vessell and lastly sinne separateth betweene God and him Isai. 59. 2. Thou commest to heare the Word to pray to keepe the Sabbath in the publike seruice of it and thou thinkest thou hast done a great matter but if thou commest with an impenitent heart a sleepie and slumbring conscience thy prayer and confession is all silence God heares nothing if thou speakest to God speake with thy heart else he heareth thee not Thinke we not that Iosephs brethren held on a forme of Religion while their sinne troubled them not for so many yeeres and what was all their prayers and confessions all that while but silence and so many Christians who fall from many goodly beginnings will take such order that they will keepe so much religion as they may bee thought to haue some feare of God in them but either couetousnesse or some other sinne holds them which they repent not of as hindreth for the timely seeking of reconciliation with God Many also goe on in a forme of Religion confesse their sinnes in the Church and ioyne in other good exercises in priuate yet
is alreadie pronounced against vs We are weighed in the ballance and found too light Fourthly against the great mercies of God this doubles the sinne in Gods sight 2. Sam. 12. 7. to 13. the Prophet Nathan exaggerates Dauids sinne by shewing him the particular benefits wherein God had remembred him and concludeth the greater Gods loue was the greater was his ingratitude and forgetfulnesse What a number of mercies haue we in this one that the glorious light of grace shineth so bright vpon vs in the Ministery whereby we may be put in minde of Gods exceeding loue and what he deserues at our hands and what are our sinnes against him which giue him iust occasion to remooue his blessings from vs Let vs looke to it if we doe not vse these large blessings conscionably our sinne will be so much the more heauy in the punishment Let vs confesse our sinnes and vnthankfulnes especially and in our confessions become enemies to our selues for wee see true confessions are to bee thus qualified and that by these meanes prescribed which may helpe vs thereunto And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne DAVID had made himselfe an enemie to himselfe and now to obtaine that which he laboured for he makes God his friend this is the fruite of serious confession Thou forgauest The Word signifies to wipe off all the score namely the debt of sin and of punishment The punishment or rather iniquitie of my sinne as the Word may be better translated that is my wicked sinne as if he had said Though it was against my conscience a foule filthie and bloudy sinne yet thou madest it as if it had neuer beene God forgiueth sinne two waies first in his owne secret counsell according to his owne decree and this is when he accepts the satisfaction of Christ for the sinne committed against him Secondly actually vpon humiliation and repentance and this is when he puts foorth actuall forgiuenesse in mens owne consciences whereby he perswades them that their sinne is forgiuen And this latter is here spoken of Dauids sinne was remitted before by faith in the Messiah but now the remission thereof is testified to his owne conscience and hence hee comes to retaine his former ioy and his mourning garment is turned into a garment of gladnesse he had now a comfortable experience of his happie estate Now in that Dauid thought and purposed to confesse and then it followes presently Thou forgauest note that So soone as euer a sinner doth truly and soundly confesse his sinne the Lord doth presently follow with forgiuenesse remission of sinne doth immediatly follow a very intent and purpose to confesse it Prou. 28. 13. Hee that hideth his sinne shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh it shall haue mercy There must be forsaking of sinne with confession to shew the soundnes of it and then presently followes remission And why First it is grounded on Gods faithfulnesse who hath made a promise for this fruite of confession 1. Iohn 1. 9. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse As if he should say God of his infinite mercy hath promised to all true penitents and confessors that he will forgiue and neuer remember their sinnes any more he must stand to his promises or else he should be vnfaithfull and hee is iust saith the Apostle to forgiue a man would haue thought he would rather haue said Hee is mercifull to forgiue no but hee is iust to forgiue the sinnes of true beleeuers because they are all satisfied for their whole debt is paid and Gods iustice will not let him demaund the same debt twice of the suretie and of the debter Secondly true confession is a fruite of sound conuersion at the first act whereof all a mans sinnes are done away although the tydings of it comes not so soone to his owne conscience This appeares in the example of Dauid here he no sooner said that is truly resolued to confesse but the Lord remitted his sinne and preuented him saying Thy sinne is put away thou shalt not die see the storie 2. Sam. 12. 7 13. The prodigall sonne saies He will goe to his Father and whilest yet he is comming before his confession his father sees him a farre off runnes to meete him falles on his necke and kisseth him Thirdly true confession is a signe of adoption Now where this is there is a heart resolued to seeke God so that a man puts off all his former hatred of him and the affections of his heart are sanctified to desire peace and reconciliation with God this cannot proceede from a heart that is now at enmitie with God as it was by nature but which is a friend and reconciled A wicked and reprobate person can desire saluation out of self-selfe-loue and to saue his skinne but not properly reconciliation but a godly man desires Gods loue and friendship and reconciliation with him for his owne sake more then and aboue his owne saluation Fourthly remission must needes attend sound confession because this confession is ioyned with some kind and seede of sauing faith which be it neuer so small is a fruite of the sanctifying Spirit and makes a man partaker of Christ and in him of God the Father with all his blessings for in this confession as wee haue noted there is First a deniall of a mans selfe which is a worke of the renewing Spirit which whosoeuer hath he is the childe of God Secondly there is in it an apprehension of Gods mercifull nature with application and taking hold of it for himselfe which application is either not at all or false in the wicked Thirdly there is in it a true touch which holds on in seeking God whereas in the wicked there are some good wishes and confused apprehensions but being without sinceritie fall off and come to nothing Whence we conclude that true confession of sinne goeth alwaies with remission and pardon of it But how can confession be sound before sin bee pardoned seeing nothing can be acceptable where sinne is not pardoned it seemes rather that confession should follow remission To answere this we must conceiue that in God the iustifying of a mans person his sanctification faith repentance and confession are al giuen at once at the same moment because at the first acte of grace there is a change in the whole soule but in respect of vs of our apprehension and application one grace goeth before another as the cracke of thunder and lightning are both at one time but we see one before we heare the other because our sight is more quicke and apprehensiue then ourhearing Likewise these graces are wrought all together by God yet in regard of vs and our sense and apprehension pardon comes after confession Secondly God in the beginning of our conuersion giues vs that grace the which he doth not presently giue the feeling of
his affection of loue and reioycing in his Rahel Another obiection which terrifies many from godly life is that the godly are so beset and compassed with troubles sometimes inward and sometimes outward in themselues and theirs in their goods names and persons as they cannot see what ioy they can haue in their liues No maruell if the world can see no cause of ioy in the godly estate especially when the Sunne and heate of persecution tanneth and discoloureth them seeing the godly themselues are often out of loue with their owne condition For First they haue a true sense of sinne and rather then they should not haue it God himselfe will hide his face from them and they are troubled Psal. 104. 2â— So Dauid in the 51. Psalme had by his grieuous sinnes lost the ioy of his Saluation which hee desires the Lord to restore vnto him once againe Secondly the Church sometimes forfeits in a manner Christs presence and by vnkinde answeres makes him goe away in displeasure and then her beauty and ioy is faded and seemes blasted as plants are in the absence of the Sunne or farre distance of it Thirdly sometimes presence of naturall corruption and strength of rebellion in the heart carryes a godly man as a slaue to execute the lusts of the flesh whereby the Spirit is grieued and quenched and seemes quite gone and this is a great cause of sorrow and heauinesse of heart as we may see in Paul crying out O miserable man that I am c. But in all this there wantes not some cause of ioy First Seeing Christ goes not away but he leaues some pledge of his comming againe he puts his hand by the hole of the doore that the heart of the Church may bee affectioned towards him Cant. 5. 4. and this is that which makes her in his absence sicke of loue which argues some delight in him while he is farre off and this delight and desire after him giues her no rest till she find him againe and then shee layes better hold and makes more of him then euer before Neither doth Dauid so lose all ioy by his sinne but that hee still desires and longs after it which argues the Spirit not to bee quite gone who onely worketh such vnspeakeable groanes after himselfe in the hearts of such as he hath once taken for his mansion Secondly the ioy of the godly is often ouercast with the mist of affliction and this dazles their owne eyes that sometimes their ioy is hid from themselues and much more from others But as it is in the heauens when a cloud hinders the sunne-beames or the interposition of the earth makes an eclipse for a time but afterward the Sunne shal breake out and shine gloriously so is it heere first the promise is Yee shall weepe for a time but your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy and your hearts shall reioyce Ioh 16. 20. Secondly afflictions from the world for well-doing cast not ioy out of a godly heart but feede it Iam. 1. 2. My brethren count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers afflictions and 1. Pet. 1. 6. Wherein yee greatly reioyce though now for a season if neede bee yee are in beauinesse The Apostles therefore reioyced when they were whipt and set in the stockes and vsed like rogues for Christs sake and the Saints reioyced in tribulation and suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods Hebr. 11. Thirdly those afflictions were comfortlesse and iustly to be sorrowed for which could separate vs from God and from Christ the onely fountaine of our true ioy but all afflictions helpe the godly neerer vnto God and Christ working repentance feare shame and remorse for sinne and reconciliation and so helpe our ioy Thirdly the godly haue oftentimes lesse comfort of their life then needes because they mistake their estate two wayes especially First when they are not able to distinguish between nullytie and imperfection of grace Oh they finde no faith in their hearts no feare no brokennesse of heart when they I will not say belye the Spirit but vnthankefully deny his worke in themselues I grant heere is imperfection of these graces but that they are quite shaken out where euer they were in trueth is not to be graunted Secondly when they will measure their estate by sense and not by faith whereas faith stands not by sense and feeling but is a secret force beyond these A man in a swoone or in a sleepe feeles not his life and yet is a liuing man and a sounder man if the qualme or sleepe bee ouer it is one thing to haue grace another to feele grace one thing the life of faith another the life of sense Fourthly the godly are often too hastie and loth to stay their time of preparing to their glory this troubles them much that God delayes them so long they feare he hath vtterly forgotten them But hee that beleeues makes not haste and Marke the iust man his end is peace not alwayes his beginning If God delay long yet he will come at last let thy faith grow in strength and thy ioy shall be abundant thou shalt not feare but that as in Sampsons Parable out of the eater shall meat come and out of strong afflictions sweetnesse By all which we may see the blindnesse of the World that can see nothing at all in the godly life worth the taking vp and who to auoyd the troubles of godly men refuse to partake in their ioyes which are so sure and sweete as that no affliction or sorrowes can befall them in which they may not reioyce if it be not by their owne default But let the godly themselues reioyce in their portion that God hath seuered them from the base brats and Ismaels of the World whom hee sends away with some gifts but hath bestowed the peculiar liueli-hood of his owne Isaacs vpon them Let them bee glad in the euils they haue escaped in the good procured them within and without them here and hereafter the least dramme of which hath more true cause of ioy in it then if they were heires of the World Secondly see hence the vnhappy estate of vnrighteous men seeing they are without all found ioy or cause of it for First what ioy can he haue that is a dead man dead in sinne without the life of God without Christ the fountaine of life and ioy surely a dead man that lyes rotting in his graue hath as much cause of ioy in that estate as he that is dead in sinne hath in his Secondly what ioy can hee haue in GOD whose conscience continually vexeth and accuseth him in whom the spirit of feare and bondage ruleth which keepes and barres out peace with God and much more the ioyes of the Holy Ghost A sound of feare is euer in his eares Iob. 15. 20. True it is a wicked man may labour to forget the troubles that haunt him or to brawne his heart not to
not this ioy of my saluation the sense of Gods fauour in pardoning my sinne warmeth my heart but a little what may I thinke of my selfe may not I hope my sinnes are pardoned It is true ordinarily that a reconciled soule possesseth felicitie with great ioy and the heart seazed of Gods loue holdeth the consolation of it yet these rules must be held to vphold the weake Christian. First the gift of pardon and loue is giuen often before the comfort and ioy of it when grace is as it were in the seede and men in the beginnings of conuersion begin to haue right in the tree of life and to bee adopted it is not so soone discerned to come vp to a ioyfull haruest but first is a blade then an eare then corne in the eare And a time there is when a soule which is partaker of true grace is busied and taken vp rather with sense of sinne desires of grace and seeking of helps and proppes to beleeue then with the ioy of any thing attained True desire argues the presence of the things desired and yet argues not the feeling of it and that a man may haue that gift which is not felt appeareth in Dauid who by Nathan was told that his sinne was pardoned and yet long after he prayeth for the forgiuenes of it that is for a more full sense of the forgiuenesse Secondly the gift of Gods free grace is not giuen in respect of vs all at once nor in the same measure and therefore the comfort of it is not all alike or at once for the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith and so iustification and reconciliation are in the meanes more and more reuealed and the comfort is proportionable to the gift Thou hast not such strong comfort of thy estate as some other or as thou desirest thy gift of knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods loue perhaps is lesser then his comfort thy selfe stirre vp thy selfe in the meanes to inlarge the gift and thy comfort shall be inlarged Hence is it that the Apostle to the Ephesians 1. 18. praied that they whose faith and loue he had commended might haue their eyes opened to see the hope of their calling by the Spirit of reuelation Get further knowledge of thy estate and so thou shalt attaine further comfort Thirdly the state of a Christian soule is not all alike there is a Christian combate wherein sometime faith preuailes sometime doubting sometime grace hath the better sometime corrupt nature When faith is foiled of infidelitie or kept vnder sense of reconciliation faileth with it The light of the minde is often eclipsed as in Ionah I am cast from the sight of God and Dauid said once all men were liars Now the eye of the soule being so dimme the comforts of God must needs bee ouercast and clouded but as the Sunne breakes from vnder a cloud so doth light to the troubled soule and comfort growes often to a confident glorying and a ioyfull triumph as Dauid Returne O my soule to thy rest Fourthly as the carriages of a mans conuersation bee diuers so be the apprehensions of his comfort sometimes it is more attended and carried more purely sometimes care is remitted and the course more corrupt Common infirmities hinder not so much the comfort of saluation as great sinnes doe as appeares in Dauids adultery Restore me the ioyes of thy saluation If thy comforts be small it is likely thy corruptions are the greater here looke to thy former graces feelings and workes Bee diligent in awaking thy soule shake off worldly delightes which bring it on sleepe and the deceitfull shew of righteousnes which bewitcheth it set thy selfe before God and thy dulnesse before thy selfe say Oh what haue I done all this while Fifthly the Christian is an happy man whatsoeuer his outward estates be else hath Dauid misplaced happines And herein is their happinesse that they are in fauour with God and can neuer be cast out of fauour againe all happy men are in a sure estate which cannot be lost This happinesse of grace is surer then that of nature which Adam had in innocency that was lost because in his owne keeping this is seated in the fauour of God which is vnchangeable vnto which we are preserued also by the power of God True it is the godly may haue many afflictions and haue as Abraham Isaac Iaacob Dauid Abel but none of them neither inward nor outward can hinder their happinesse nay they shall all further it Romans 8. all things turne to the best The worldlings folly is palpable he thinkes himselfe most happy when his corne wine and oyle is increased as for this light of Gods countenance it is in the last of his accounts As for the godly they count them of all men most simple and most miserable and indeede if a man had no other eyes then of his body no eye of faith he could not think such blessed whom the world hates whom the earth casts off whom their Country scarce acknowledgeth their owne kinsfolke will not know whom their friends forsake enemies kill who are made meate for the sword fewell for the fire and seldome haue liberty to enioy fire and water or the commonest benefits of nature in safetie They onely are in mens account happy whom all men flatter vvho bathe yea drovvne themselues in carnall delight vvho can tumble in their gold and siluer vvhose mouth runnes ouer vvith laughter c. But these vvho are entred into Gods teaching can hold against their ovvne reason and sense that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after rightcousnesse that mourne novv that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake those of vvhom men speake all manner of ill for Christs cause and Gospell They iudge not good or euill by any thing afore them they thinke Lazarus a godly poore man an happy man vvhen as Diues vvas a miserable miser Their felicitie is not outward but inward not earthly but heauenly it depends not on man but on Gods fauour who hath forgiuen their sinnes for his names sake Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approoue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee Thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if al the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable Get faith and thou shalt thinke him only happy whom God so esteemes although the worlds miserie is to place happinesse onely in miserie Get faith and thou shalt see not onely Christ himselfe the blessed Son of God when he was reiected of the world and lifted on the Crosse but euen his members then happy in Gods fauour when the World most frowneth vpon them Faith in the
many sinnes broken off many things reformed it rests it selfe as in a worke of regeneration whereas this is a common worke of the Spirit incident to the wicked whom if God should not represse there were no liuing for the godly on earth Haman did refraine himselfe from Mordecai most sinnes seemed to be mortified in Iudas but yet he was possessed by the deuill Infidels liue honestly and ciuilly abstaine from wrongs violent lusts c. But here is no renuing grace which mortifieth all corruptions and reformeth euery thing and thus was it not in Herod Iudas and the wicked Besides as in regeneration the whole childe is borne compleate in all parts so doth the Spirit begin his worke at the roote of the heart and within and not without as in Infidels and workes not onely in suppressing and restraining sinne but also in oppressing it and renewing the heart and life And here it shall not be amisse to adde some further notes of restraining grace not renewing And first in respect of sinne it selfe A conceit that grosse sinnes be but infirmities though they liue and lye in them bearing themselues vpon this that the iust man falleth seuentimes a day and riseth againe Prou. 24. 16. falsely vnderstood Thus many approue not the excesse of sinne as vainely to sweare the greatest oaths insatiable griping and gaping after the world but why hate they not all oaths all couetousnesse which is idolatry but because there is not a spirit renewing the heart which mortifieth all deedes of the flesh all oaths all lyes Secondly in respect of their affection toward sinne namely a pretence of hatred of sinne when it is but a rash anger For example Of all sinnes which the ministerie is taxed for of the common people there is none so noted and exclamed against as their hardnesse worldlinesse gathering of goods together and the sinne is so seuerely obserued aboue all other as that an honest contented man can scarce be free from this imputation But now though the fault bee hainous and too common what is the reason the multitude so exclames vpon it is it because they hate the sinne surely no for their owne feete are as deepely sunke in the same mire and they care not for plucking them out Angry they are that another out-gathers them but if they hated the sinne themselues would not gather so fast Further many seeme to hate some of their sinnes and sometimes trouble their sinnes and grosse corruptions and wish it otherwise and accuse themselues Many are offended at some errors of Popery some vaine inuentions idle and hurtfull traditions but others are iustified Here is a shew of hatred of sinne of error but it is onely a rash anger for First he that hates one sinne or error because it is so will hate all which he knowes so to be hatred is against kinds we hate all serpents all poysons all enemies so said Dauid I hate all vaine inuentions Secondly one or two euils may be disliked of him that hates no sinne and the sinne hated but not as sinne as Absolom hated Amnon for his incest but himselfe more incestuous Thirdly if thou diddest hate these sinnes and errors as enemies why doest thou not raise thy power against them crie for Christs crucifying power against them a perfit hatred will neuer be satisfied without death or diuorcement If thou hatest her in thine heart why doest not thou put her away If thou hatedst thy sinnes thou wouldest forsake them Thirdly note in respect of the word when men taste the good word and the powers of the life to come they take this to be the Spirit of adoption and a sound affection But obserue the difference and falsehood whereas in Gods children all their affections be affected with it and they feede on it vnto eternall life in these it affecteth their ioy onely and that for a time Gods children loue it beleeue it reioyce to meditate of it rest on it by the confidence of their hearts long for the accomplishment of the promise grieue when they doe any thing to hinder that accomplishment and hate all doctrine against it whereas the bad ground onely is said to ioy in it as in a nouelty Fourthly note in respect of Gods children namely when men loue them onely so farre as may serue their owne turne for some by-respect or other Rules to know our loue to be restraining grace not renewing First euery reuerence of a good man or child of God is not loue Herod neuer loued Iohn but reuerenced him for he saw that in him which strucke him that to haue spoken against him had been to barke against the Sunne God will haue the innocency and grace of his children to be iustified by his enemies and theirs Secondly one or more good men may be fauoured of those that loue no good man Why did Nebuzaradan fauour Ieremie because he loued good men No but because he had foretold the victorie Thirdly euery good speech in defence of good men is not a fruit of loue in the speaker Pilat loued not Christ but yet seeing his innocency asked what euill hee had done washed his hands and was willing to deliuer him Some good words are drawne out of the desert of good men not out of the speakers affection Some out of policie not out of loue when men force a friendship and will speake well when inwardly they enuie the meate they eate and the clothes they weare Fourthly that is no loue of good men which is not a loue of their goodnesse Oh such a man were a good man but he is too strict I could loue him if he were not so plaine with me if hee would let mine eyes alone and not meddle with my lusts he were a sufficient man if he were a little wiser what need he lose his friends thus subtle are men to disclaime goodnesse vnder pretence of louing good men Fifthly thou canst not loue goodnesse in one vnlesse thou doest loue it in euery one hee that scorneth and disgraceth by wicked termes the persons of most Professors loues not indeed the goodnesse of any one let his pretence bee what it will The loue of the Spirit is from Christ in God and for God First to let many poore ignorant soules see their estate they say they are not book-learned and know not so much nor can speak much as other men can but they meane well and haue good hearts to God but is not this to iustifie a heart full of deceite Oh but I see no such thing in my selfe No matter that is thy deceit who art so bewitched with an enemy who while hee laughes in thy face priuily stabs thee and wounds thee to death No no thou art neuer right till thou beest at warre with thy owne heart and till thou canst say and see that thou carriest the greatest enemy thou hast in thy bosome a deceitfull heart is at bed and boord with thee lyeth downe and riseth vp walkes
aboue all things Againe what an indigne thing is it for a man to bee beguiled of himselfe Men cannot abide to be deceiued of others yet most are deceiuers of themselues and that in a thing which should bee so familiar vnto them Is it not a shame to bee deceiued in the knowledge of himselfe and his owne estate In a matter of such moment as the saluation of his owne foule What maruel if Satan and all other deceiue those who are so willing to deceiue themselues VERSE 3. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day For thine hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer SELAH OVr Prophet confirmeth his former Proposition by his owne experience First of the misery hee was in in respect of Gods wrath for his sinne in these two Verses Secondly of blessednesse in respect of remission Vers. 5. It is as if he had said I know what a miserable burden sinne is by wofull experience the guile of my heart ouer-reached me and made me know to my cost what it is to hide and keepe close sinne I was night and day in a little ease my body fayling me my spirit not sustayning me but so tormenting me as that I rored out for paine my miserie while I carryed my sinne was intolerable Whence in generall note First that a Christian must not only heare and learne the Word but also haue experience of it in his owne person as Dauid here teacheth not by Precept only but by his owne example so Psal. 119 75. I know Lord that all thy iudgements are good and Psal. 34. 8. Taste and see how good the Lord is make tryall in your soules and finde it in experience And this is when men will be informed and reformed by it then they taste the sweetnesse of the Gospell But many of great experience in the world haue no insight in the businesse of saluation as being a thing which they thinke concerneth them not Secondly note that euery Christian must make himselfe an example of the Word hee heareth and professeth he must bee a burning and shining light to giue light to others that there may be no Christian duety of Faith Loue Obedience Humility Patience c. but he may shew his measure and degree of it in his owne life and conuersation Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren Thus euery priuate Christian shall be a Teacher in his place and able to strengthen others and say I haue preuailed with God by humility and silence and so shall you I haue preuailed against my sinnes by humble prayer and confession so shall you I haue obtayned comfort in distresse by these and these meanes and so shall you I preserue my peace with God by such and such courses as himselfe hath appointed and so in time shall you Thus must euery Christian by wise obseruation and application of Gods Word and Workes to himselfe shew himselfe an example and copie of the rules of Christian life Masters of Families to them that are about them and Parents to their children Christ came from heauen to be an example of meekenesse and lowlinesse Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly and yee shall finde peace to your soules God himselfe teacheth men by his owne example to rest on the Sabbath as he did to be holy as himselfe is holy c. Farre are they from this that make themselues examples of scoffing the Word and Professors examples in lying swearing drinking oppressing examples in Sabbath-breaking gaming whoring and the like whom we leaue as hopelesse to the Lords rebuke who will take them at the rebound and make them examples of his plagues to as many as they haue beene examples in sinne euen to Men and Angels Are these the fruits of so long hearing of praying and cōming to Church Are these the lessons thou learnest Is this the returne of thy prayer Take vp betime with thy selfe lest God be inforced not to take vp with his displeasure against thee In the two Verses are two points First the touch of conscience for sinne Secondly the reason for thy hand c. The touch of conscience is described First by the cause While I kept close my sinne Secondly by the grieuousnesse of it as it is set forth 1. By the effects which were two 2. By the continuance of this touch day and night 1. The change of the body seene in 2. The roring of the voice 1. His bones consumed 2. His moysture dryed vp First for the cause While I kept close my sinne that is while I dissembled it and confessed it not Whence note First the disposition of a godly mans heart hee cares not to shame himselfe to all the World so God may be glorified Dauid publisheth to all the world his sinne and shame his hiding of sinne and his guile of heart Why doth he thus forget himselfe and his fame He was a King had glory wealth and honor Oh but he was a Christian hee had piety and holinesse in his heart where he can glorifie God he will abase himselfe if he can edifie others he will cast downe himselfe The like we see he did in the 51. Psalme and many other places The like did Moses Daniel and other holy Pen-men of Scripture set downe their owne sinnes and shame so Paul I was a Persecutor an Oppressor a Blasphemer who could say more against him then himselfe did But meaner men then Kings are ashamed to be known of any sinne and flatter themselues Because they are great therefore scarce men but Dauid though a King who had carryed his sinne so secretly as none knew it none could compell him yet is willing for God and his Church and a good conscience to shame himselfe And teacheth vs thereby that euen the greatest though they might without being detected conceale their sinnes yet in some cases must confesse them and that they should more tender the quiet of their consciences then all the honor of the world more respect Gods glory then their owne Cases of open confession are these First in case of publike offence so Achan confessed and gaue glory to God Secondly when knowing our owne sinnes and Gods mercy we confesse them to comfort others so Paul relates of his persecution blasphemy Thirdly to witnesse our sound and thorow turning to God we must not be in some case loth to acknowledge our faults in the face of all the World Many are franke often-times in complayning of themselues and acknowledging of their corruptions but farre short of this holy man for it proceedeth not of hatred of sinne but often from boasting or It proceedeth not from iust ground or settled iudgement but from too light an opinion that our selues are sinners or It often goeth with lesning or excusing the sin or ones selfe and not with exaggerating of his sinne as here to the sound breaking of his heart or It hath
coldly Secondly this man shall deliuer the Word with much certainety and assurance because hee speaketh with feeling A man may out of reading and light of vnderstanding be powerfull in speech and yet want the seasoning of grace and speake of many delicates which are vpon the Kings table whereof himselfe neuer tasted but hee that hath tasted and fed on them shall both speak more and more certainely and be better beleeued Thirdly hee that hath experience of the Word hee teacheth will build euery way not onely by doctrine exhortation and reproofe but also first by example which greatly preuailes and vrgeth men to glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly by Prayer in secret with God for his people his experience of the sweetnesse of godlinesse inflames his affection as Pauls whose loue to his countrey was such as hee could haue beene contented to be accursed for their saluation he wisheth all like him and that euery man had part in Christ as he hath and as earnest is his endeuour And this prayer of faith hath great power with God and a promise of blessing vpon a mans selfe and his labours which another wants Fourthly God giueth more speciall gifts and experience to speciall men to this purpose to inable men to his worke as 2. Cor. 1. 14. We were comforted in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort them that are afflicted with the same comforts wherewith God hath comforted vs plainely noting that hee is not so fit to comfort others who hath not experience of the comforts of God himselfe The same Dauid professeth of the matter of knowledge Psal. 40. 10. I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but haue declared thy trueth and saluation and haue not concealed thy mercy and trueth from the great congregation where hee shewes that his first care was to confirme and strengthen himselfe by Gods promises and when God had taught his heart he would and did publish not onely Gods trueth but also his mercy and saluation vnto others namely that which his own soule had experience of Fiftly a good teacher is the Phisician of mens soules now a good Phisician is the experienced Physician that can finde out the disease and maladie of sinne and hath approoued medicines to cure a sinfull heart not so much out of books and reading as out of practice that knows the danger of sinne in himselfe and thereby hath pittie and loue to remoue it in another And hence in the Law no man might be entred into the ministerie before hee were thirtie yeeres old that the Priests might first learne to teach and be of some ripenesse and experience before they taught others Whence Nazianzen saith Our Lord was thirty yeeres old before he began to be a Preacher tu magister vis fieri antequam discipulus yet is it he that teacheth all had need learne of none and therefore wee should learne before we teach But whether may an vnregenerate Minister saue and conuert a man I mooue this question the rather because many can scarce be perswaded to heare such whose liues are scandalous as being vnworthy to take the Word into their mouthes and vnable to conuert or amend others In satisfying of whom I would not any way confirme or harten Ministers who being Phisicians cure not themselues or who like the images in high-wayes point others the way but themselues stirre neuer a foote in it or like the file which smootheth other things but it selfe remaines rough Howbeit euen of these I know no restraint in the Scripture or let why they may not bee meanes of conuersion to others The Reasons that mooue mee to thinke so are these First the ministerie is Gods owne ordinance and the power of it stands not in the person of the messenger but in the worke of his owne spirit 1. Cor. 3. 5. Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God must giue the increase The fruit of preaching is not left to the highest Ministers in the New Testament not to Euangelists no nor Apostles A gracious Prince giues a Pardon to a condemned person Now suppose he should send it by the very est miscreant in his Kingdome doth the Pardon lose his vertue therefore or were hee not mad who should therefore refuse it So a Physician sends a soueraigne potion or cordiall by some rakehell boy in the shoppe doth this hinder the worke and vertue of the Physicke to him that takes it according to the direction The case is the same and sheweth that the Word is not made worse by his vnworthinesse who bringeth it And neither doth the worthinesse of the Preacher make the Word effectuall the best being but earthen vessels in whom God puts this heauenly treasure that the power might be knowne to bee of God and not of men 2. Cor. 4. 7. and Rom. 1. 16. it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and not of man Secondly the praise and glory of our conuersion must wholly bee ascribed vnto GOD whereas this conceit would much turne it off vpon man And if a man shall say that an vnregenerate Minister can goe as far in conuerting a man as a regenerate it wil not seeme vnreasonable to him that considers first that God often doth excellent good and great workes by bad agents wherein hee gets himselfe the more glory of his wisedome power and goodnesse Secondly where God giues a man a calling he may and doth often blesse the worke which is his though not the person working Thirdly that the whole worke of a man in conuerting others is externall which this man can performe as well as hee that is conuerted for the true preaching of the Word is the parent of faith and wholesome doctrine is the immortall seede of our new birth which none denies but many vnregenerate men do and can deliuer Fourthly that vnlesse God giue more then the most gracious Preacher can giue nothing can be done nay that God giues more by a Minister then himselfe hath be he good or bad Augustine was first conuerted by Ambrose and afterward went farre beyond him in light and in grace so Dauid out-stripped his teachers Psal. 119. 98 99. And doth not God herein make his glory shine and manifest himselfe to be the giuer of all that grace when the instrument conuayes more then it selfe hath Thirdly why hath the Lord thought good to send both sanctified men and vnsanctified Balaam speaketh Scripture Saul is among the Prophets Iudas teacheth and worketh miracles among other Apostles and in the day of iudgement many shall say Lord wee haue preached and wrought miracles in thy name whom Christ neuer knew but will say to them Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie Why doth he make the Word in a sanctified mans mouth oftentimes the sauour of death Why are wee straitly commanded to heare wicked men that sit in Moses his chaire and to doe what
compasse him on euery side The wordes of the Preface contayne first the person that speakes 1. Secondly the person to whom hee speakes thee Thirdly the matter of the speech in three particulars First I will instruct thee that is make thee to vnderstand Secondly I will teach thee the way that is not only by precept but also by example I will leade thee into the practice Thirdly I will guide thee with mine eye that is I will watch ouer thee lest thou stray out of that good way to set thee in againe 1 the person vttering these wordes is not God as some thinke but Dauid as the title of the Psalme proueth A Psalme of Dauid to giue instruction so here he fitly professeth himselfe an Instructer Dauid was a King how then commeth he to professe himselfe a Prophet or Teacher in the Church Can one man carry both Magistracie and Ministrie Yes In the old Testament the Sword and the Word did sometime concurre in one person for these causes First because the Church was a long time shut vp in one Familie and then the same man might sufficiently performe both Thus Adam was a Gouernour and a Priest in his house Thus the Patriarke Abraham was a great Prince and Magistrate as appeared by his rescue of Lot by a band of men gathered out of his owne house and yet a Prophet too as the Lord told Abimelech and appeares by sacrificing his Isaak Iob was a great man and a Magistrate and yet offered sacrifices as a Priest for his sonnes And thus it was all the while the Church was in Families Secondly after the people of the Iewes were settled into a Kingdom the Scriptures were the positiue lawes of the Iewes so as the Leuites were both of the Priesthood and their Lawyers and then one man might more easily performe both but this was a proprietie of that Common-wealth of the Iewes for neuer any other but that had the Scriptures for their positiue written Law Thirdly sometimes for necessitie they did concurre in one man as when there was an vniuersall corruption or ruine of the State God stirred vp some extraordinarie man to take vp both for the repaire of the Church and Common-wealth Thus Eli the chiefe Priest also iudged Israel fortie yeeres 1. Sam. 4. 18. and the corruptions of those times and the generall discontent of men both in matters of Gouernment and of Gods worship appeare manifestly in the Historie After Eli when Gods worship was broken vp at Shilo the Arke in the Enemies hand and a wofull confusion was in the state of the Iewes the Lord stirred vp faithfull Samuel who was a faithfull Prophet of the Lord 1. Sam. 3. 20. and also iudged Israel all the dayes of his life Chap. 7. 15. Fourthly some by way of type were both Kings and Priests before the giuing of the Law Melchisedec was the King of Salem and a Priest of the most high God Gen. 14. 18. so Dauid here and his sonne Salomon after him were notable types of Christ who would in those darke shaddowes be in some particular men declared to be both the King Priest and Prophet of his Church And this is the reason here why Dauid being a King doth take vpon him to teach others and for this Christ is often called the Sonne of Dauid To come neerer to our Text Dauid hauing after a long conflict obtayned mercy at Gods hand earnestly desireth and endeuoureth that others may be partakers of the same grace also and he hauing found the way to comfort wil set others in the way also Hence note that A man that hath true grace earnestly wisheth that all others did partake in the same grace with him Ps. 34. 8. 11. Come children harken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord and Oh taste and see how good the Lord is a man cannot taste of Gods mercy but he wisheth all did taste with him Hos. 6. 1. the first note of the sound conuersion of the people was that they call one another saying Come let vs turne to the Lord and it is indeede a marke of true repentance to take one another by the hand and leade one another towards heauen As in a naturall body one member seekes the safetie and well-fare of all so is it in the mysticall body of Christ. First this is one condition of our owne conuersion euen to conuert others Luc. 22. 32. Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren Neither is there any man that receiues any grace for himselfe alone but that others may share with him neuer had any man any talent but a charge also with it Occupy till I come And hence are those Commandements in generall As euery man hath receiued a gift so let him minister and Returne and cause others to returne and those speciall charges to exhort one another admonish one another to conuert one another to comfort one another with the comforts receiued from God to prouoke one another to the loue of God and good workes all which shew that euery one as he is borne in the Church so he is borne also for the Church Secondly it is a propertie and an assured signe of sound saith to worke by loue And this loue is first set vpon God and his glorie it earnestly desireth that his Kingdome may come and that his will may be done in earth of men as of the Saints and Angels in Heauen and this it endeuoureth in a mans selfe and in others Secondly this loue lookes out vnto others and commiserateth the estate of vnconuerted persons and seeketh to releeue them true sense of their owne change and former estate mooues them to compassion for such as are still in their sinnes and surely none are so mercifull as those that haue obtained mercie One that loues another will pull him out of danger if he can So will a beleeuer bemoane another and plucke him out of the fire as Iude speakes Thirdly it looketh to such as are conusrted and for Gods sake loues his Image especially renewed it loues him that is begotten for his sake that begat 1. Ioh. 5. 1. and as Dauid did good to Mephibosheth for Ionathan his fathers sake so doe good men to Gods children for Gods sake their heauenly father Fourthly this loue which is the life of faith at least the pulse of it is cleane opposite to selfe-loue which is of an hard and niggardly nature and enuious of any good to any about him but it is like Gods loue which communicates it selfe and is liberall for the good of all Thirdly where there is any sound grace of conuersion there is zeale for God which worketh the heart to the cherishing and setting vp of grace and vertue and to the hatred and resistance of sinne and vice in a mans selfe and others it will shew it selfe for God as Act. 26. 29. Paul said to King Agrippa I would that not onely thou but also all that heare me this day
fire But why did it not goe from her Did shee want meanes No I would haue purged thee saith the Lord and thou wast not purged therefore now thou shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee The same is Gods dealing whether with people or persons if his Word cannot separate the skum from thee his fire shall and if the meanes of purging cannot preuaile thou shalt haue thy will a while thou shalt not be purged but then God will haue his will his wrath shall light vpon thee Thou that by Gods Word wilt not be perswaded to leaue thy vaine swearing the bridle of the Law and the menaces of it restraine thee neuer a whit God hath another bridle of his reuenging hand and power which will make thee know that though his patience for the present be great ye hee wil not euer hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Thou that art in league with thy drunkennesse and drunken companie hearest the Word say that Drunkards shall not come into the Kingdome of Heauen this is no bridle for thee thou runst vpon head without rule or reynes of moderation and sobrietie Gods hand and power will bridle thee well enough when thou shalt drinke the cup of his wrath mixed for his enemies and thou being one shalt not auoyd Thou that art an enemie to the Word because it is an enemie to thy sinne and scoffest the profession and professors of Religion vnder the titles of Heretickes hearest the Word cursing those that curse GODS people Genes 12. 3. yet this is no bridle nor stay to thee but thou pleasest thy selfe still in disgracing them know that God hath his bridle to hamper thee with and hee will binde thee if thou wert as fierce as a Beare and thou shalt know it when Christ shall bee ashamed of thee and say to thee standing without In that thou hast scoffed one of these that beleeued in mee thou diddest it to me Remember Iulian when the Lords bridle was in the mouth of that Monster hee cryed Vicisti Galilaee vicisti the like shall bee vnto thee and vnto Sabbath-breakers Vsurers Lyars c. Fourthly consider the vncertaintie of our liues no man hath a lease of his life and if death take vs away in our obstinacie we perish for euer as the tree fals so it lyes as death leaues vs so the iudgement finds vs. Secondly let this consideration perswade vs to willing and free subiection to God and his Word lest God bee inforced with the bridle of his might to tame our fiercenesse and senselessenesse for this is the threatning that the Lord will walke stubbornely with his owne people till their vncircumcised hearts be humbled Leuit 26. 41. And to the effecting hereof consider First God requires a reasonable seruice of thee Rom. 12. 1. not vnreasonable like that of vnreasonable creatures that doe all by constraint by the rod and the spurre but voluntarie and cheerefull All sound obedience to God must proceed from sense of his loue and this puts life into it for that which is forced and constrained for feare is hypocriticall Secondly the subiects of Christ are called a willing people Psal. 110. 3. and those that are inwardly taught of God worke and obey not by the compulsion of the Law although the best need sometimes not onely threats but rods aso and bitts and bridles to keepe vnder their lusts but the Spirit hath in their generall purpose and course freed them to a voluntarie subiection and obedience Thirdly Gods acceptance of our dutie and consequently our comfort is in the willing and cheerefull manner of performance A wicked man may doe the same things with the godly and go beyond him in matter the difference is in the manner and end God loues and accepts free-wil Offrings If a man giue God loues a cheerefull giuer If a man doe any dutie of his calling let him say as Paul sayd of himselfe If I doe it willingly I haue a reward 1. Cor. 9. 17. It is not thanke-worthy but the worke is lost when a man is drawne to the duties of pietie or charitie as a Beare by the ring in his nose or an Horse by the rod and spurre to his wayes end GODS loue must bee our spurre and then wee may looke at the recompence of reward VERS 10. Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked but hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him NOw follow the reasons or enforcements of the former precepts to lay aside brutish senselessenesse and peruerse obstinacie and they are drawne First from the great and manifold plagues which are reserued for indocible and incorrigible persons Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked Secondly from the infinite loue and good will of God towards penitent sinners But he that trusteth c. And these two reasons are the two parts of this verse which containes in it the summe both of all the curses of the Law and of the sweet promises of the Gospell And Dauid as a good Teacher takes the right order first hee preacheth the Law to terrifie the dull and secure and then offereth the sweete and gracious promises of the Gospell to beleeuers thus Iohn Baptist makes way vnto Christ and thus the Lord by Earth-quakes and Thunders prepares men to his still voyce he that hath felt the breakings of the Law feeles the sweetnesse of the bindings of the Gospell If therefore we preach the Law it is to prepare men for the Gospell and little know men that shunning the Law they flye from the Gospell First of the commination or threatning Many sorrowes shall bee to the wicked And first we must know what is meant by this wicked man hee is not euerie sinner but as the Text it selfe notes him out First an ignorant and indocible person who is as the Horse or Mule without vnderstanding Secondly an obstinate person in his sinne an incorrigible person one whom Gods Word nothing preuailes withall nor can bee ruled without bitt or bridle Thirdly a man that trusts not in the Lord as the words following shew The handling of this text is fit in our congregation wherein not a few of all these sorts be Secondly this man shall haue sorrow the wicked man is euer miserable though seldome or not euer sorrowfull that is sensible of his misery Now the wicked triumph and seeme the happyest men vnder the Sunne and it hath troubled the godly that they haue all to their hearts desire Iob. 21. 7. Psal. 73. 3. Ier. 12. 1. the rich glutton goes in skarlet and fares deliciously euery day But their sorrowes shall bee as the sorrowes of a woman their delights shall be turned into torments their laughter into teares Now all our working on them cannot bring them to take knowledge of their misery but they shal one day be afflicted with sorrowes and shall not so easily turne them off Many sorrowes because of many plagues and many plagues because of many sinnes Many
feele them and set himselfe on some merrie pinne to face out the matter as if hee were at good ease when all this is eyther a senselesse estate more void of comfort then of feeling or a laughter in the face when the heart is heauie or the laughter of fooles as Salomon sayth whose propertie is to laugh most when they haue least cause Thirdly what true ioy or cause of ioy can he haue on whom the sentence of condemnation is passed the execution of which sentence hee may daily expect Surely the greatest Monarch aliue if hee were in chaines vnder his greatest Enemie and condemned to dye could take no ioy of his wealth greatnesse or of any earthly delight but wicked men are in the chaines of the Deuill and abide vnder the sentence of death euer readie to feed vpon them Baltazer indeede was merrie and in his Reuels with his Princes but what cause had hee when the Hand-writing appeared on the wall So Amnon was merry in his brother Absoloms House but what cause had hee seeing men were appointed presently to kill him Let a wicked man be as merry as hee will sure it is his estate giues him no leaue Fourthly what can minister true ioy to him that hath no part in any of Gods Ordinances which begin and perfect the ioy of Gods people First for the Word of God hee refuseth the ioyfull tydings of his saluation the doctrine of free Remission of sinnes which onely bringeth lasting ioy he hath no part in nor in that Redemption purchased by Christ and published in the Gospell thus the word is a bill of Inditement to him Secondly the Sacraments seale nothing to him but are as seales set to blankes for hauing no part in the Couenant hee hath nothing by the seales onely hee makes himselfe guilty of the bodie and bloud of Christ as Iudas did and for want of faith eates and drinkes his owne damnation Thirdly Prayer from him is not onely not heard but euen abominable besides hee hath no helpe of Christs intercession for he prayes not for the World nor of the Prayers of Gods people because he is not of that communion Fourthly the duties of his calling are sinne to him To the impure all things are impure euen his best actions exclude him out of heauen neyther can a man haue any ioy of his actions till he can reioyce that his person is a member of Christ. Fiftly the creatures of God hee can no more truely reioyce in then a Thiefe can of a true mans purse neyther can that be true ioy in the creature that riseth from the creature resteth in the creature and goeth no higher then the creature but such is the wicked mans ioy Sixtly lesse ioy can hee haue in his sufferings or sorrowes because their nature being not altered they are no tokens of loue nor tend to their good as in the godly but are punishments in part and in hand and flashes of Gods euerlasting wrath and beginnings of Hell In the Lord. from this limitation which is the third part of the verse we may learne this instruction namely that All the reioycing of godly men ought to bee in the Lord that is spirituall and Christian a ioy worthy the Lord. And then it is spirituall and Christian when it hath two conditions First when it is in the Lord as the authour and fountaine of all the good wee can enioy or ioy in yea the matter of our ioy Secondly when it is in the Lord that is according to the will of the Lord and not against it so the phrase is vsed 1. Cor. 7. 39. Let her marry onely in the Lord that is according to Gods Word and direction and not against it First God must be the authour and matter of our ioy as Dauid made the Lord his Song all the day long for First how great reason haue wee to make him the matter of our ioy of whom wee are all that wee are both in our first and second Creation He is the Potter and we are the Clay nay we are his new Creation and workemanship regenerated iustified sanctified and saued are become his by a new couenant in which hee accepts vs as children reconciled by the death of his Sonne in whom wee may reioyce as in a mercifull Father yea as a wife married to a most louing husband by vertue whereof she hath interest into his person and whole estate Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. 11. Wee reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue receiued the atonement Secondly this ioy is most perfect which riseth of the presence of that which is most perfect and the greater the good enioyed is the greater is the ioy and therefore in Heauen it shall be most perfect and glorious because wee shall perfectly enioy God and see him as hee is in whose face is fulnesse of ioy Thirdly to make God the matter of our ioy is to perpetuate our ioy and make choise of that which shall neuer faile vs for as GOD himselfe is euerlasting so shall the ioy of his people bee like a streame which continually runs knoweth not the yeere of drought yea it shall hold out in dangers troubles and persecution Romans 5. 3. as the Martyrs reioyced in the verie flames What may wee not ioy in outward things as meat drinke wife children wealth honour c. Yes but neuer out of God or without reference vnto him neyther in outward nor inward things we hold all in capite and must bee Homagers of all vnto him hee must haue the glorie of all as Ier. 9. 23. 24. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the wise man in his wisedome c. but herein let him glorie that he knoweth mee to be mercifull and righteous this must be the chiefe pleasure honour riches and wisedome of a Christian to know God reconciled and to hold all in this tenure We may also reioyce in the meanes of saluation but if wee reioyce not onely in Gods fauour but desire to bring something of our owne towards it as the ignorant or wilfull Papists doe This is not to reioyce in the Lord but in our selues We must reioyce in our Prayers but onely because God is a God hearing Prayer in our hearing reading and receiuing of the Word with ioy but in this respect to God that hee teacheth and speaketh to the soule in the duties of our callings but because we are in Gods Worke in the duties of loue but because we lend to the Lord and feed and cloath Christ in all the comforts of life in the wife of our youth in gracious children in prosperitie c. but because and so farre as these are pledges and fruits of Gods fauour in Christ. Yea more we must reioyce in aduersitie and tribulation because it is that estate which God sees best for vs yea in death it selfe but as it is a going to GOD to enioy him more immediately
heart is ready to make any thing thy portion but God and when by sinne thou hast prouoked him to hide his face or stand aloofe from thee then say thou trustest in God and not before True it is that the godly haue some failings and slidings from these rules but yet hereunto they striue and in some comfortable measure attaine Now if these bee the practices and qualities of such as mercy belongs vnto wee see easily by the contrary that there bee sundry kindes of men to whom the Lord doth couenant wrath as First many ciuill men who content themselues without the knowledge of God they say they meane well and doe no man harme liue in peace with their neighbours and follow their Church as others doe yet haue no care of religion but for fashion they say they trust in God but doe not because they vse not the meanes nor walke in the way of faith and repentance nor in the conscionable hearing and obeying of the word Secondly such as walke stubbornely against God and the meanes of Saluation mercy belongs not to these How know you that Well enough first out of the text which saith Mercy belongs to him that trusteth in God Now he that trusteth in God walketh on in a course of godlinesse and cannot stand out against God Secondly by an expresse text Deut. 29. 20. He that heareth the curses of this law and yet blesseth himselfe saying Though I walke in the stubbornnesse of my heart the sword shal not come neer me I will not be mercifull to that man saith the Lord. Secondly heere is a great comfort for the godly who haue no small security hence that whatsoeuer their outward estate is or may bee Gods mercy compasseth them as the hilles compasse Ierusalem see it in some instances First If Satan assault vs on euery side with temptation to vex and disquiet vs with inward feares he shall not haue so nimble eyes to spy our weaknesse as the eye of the Lord to spy meanes to strengthen vs. Let him obiect the greatnesse and infinite number of our sinnes yet hee shall but amplifie the great mercie of GOD which is greater and more large then all the sinne and miseries in the world Thus Moses comforteth GODS people Deut. 4. 31. The Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake nor destroy thee nor forget the Couenant of thy Fathers which he sware vnto them Secondly If vnmerciful men compasse them and come about them like Bees Psal. 118. 12. and sharpen their stings yet the mercies of the Lord are neerer them then that they can hurt them Thus Dauid comforted himselfe Psal. 86. 14. 15. O Lord the proud are risen against mee but thou Lord art strong and mercifull gracious and long-suffering and a pitifull God Thirdly If a man should conflict with Gods owne hand by inward temptations or outward tryals of sicknesse pouertie persecution if hee were so beset as hee could see nothing but troubles without and feares within now is the time to mound and fence himselfe with this comfortable Doctrine that euen now GODS mercies doe guard and compasse him seeing he cannot deny himselfe nor faile of any of his promises Dauid when he was to chuse one of the three Rods of GOD the Sword Famine or Plague he chose to fall into the hands of God because he is mercifull 2. Sam. 24. 14. Hee may afflict and chasten vs a while and for a moment seeme to forsake vs but with great compassions he will gather vs Isa. 45. 7. 10. For Hee chides not alwayes neyther retayneth hee his wrath for euer Psal. 103. 8. Fourthly If a man were in the hands of Death and the Messengers thereof had already taken hold on him as on Hezekiah yet euen then hee need feare none ill seeing Gods mercies compasse him this is euer our couer though wee cannot alwayes see it as Elisha his seruant saw not the great mercies of God compassing him and his Master euen then when we know not GODS mercie is all about vs there are still more with vs then against vs our Mountaine is alway beset with Heauenly Warriours Was Ionas euer more compassed with mercies then when he was in his owne sense cast off and compassed with Waues and Weedes Was Israel euer more compassed with mercie then when they were compassed with Mountaines Sea Enemies Death and deadly things these our extremities are Gods oportunitie Nay fiftly suppose a man were in the house of death in the graue yet euen this separates not from GODS mercies which being eternall leaue vs not in death but when we are most compassed with dust and corruption shall then bee most abundant and mightie for vs. Oh therefore let so many as trust in God flye in all their straits to this Sanctuarie which can make not onely Deaths forerunners but euen Death it selfe welcome which depriues vs of all things else but this mercie into the full estate of which it setteth vs. Thirdly labour aboue all things in the World to get part in this mercie by getting assurance of the pardon of sinne get this and thou gettest a mercie reaching vp to Heauen a Crowne of Blessings a plentifull Redemption Our Prophet here cals it a compassing mercie for a godly man thinkes not himselfe compassed whith mercie when hee is compassed onely with outward blessings when GOD hath hedged about his house and hee hath wealth to tumble in though the World breathe after nothing else but when he hath a voyce telling him that God in Christ is mercifull to his sinne and hath couered his iniquitie oh now thinkes Dauid himselfe compassed with mercie and not before although hee was a King and had all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercie enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now hee forgoes and restores hee was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when hee was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iaakob when hee saw Iosephs face his best beloued sonne Now sayth hee I haue enough let mee now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face How much more shall wee haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and of God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seene Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord sayd hee let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation But to see Christ by the eye of faith and hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shall thinke we haue enough the sweet sense of it within will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place Neyther can any good heart eyther lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neyther content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficiall