in the throne where hee biddeth the people to take diligent heed that they loue no otherwise then by cleauing to God and seruing him with all their heart and with all their soule Ios 22.5 It is the same in effect that Moses had said before him and hath the same meaning which is that God is not bound with euerie affection but with the cord of that which is drawne from the seruice and entirenesse of a heart that wholly and chiefly is directed to him This the Prophet Micah calleth a walking with God Micah 6.8 when wee so loue him that we goe no farther then he doth and yet goe as farre And so did Enoch who therefore was said to haue pleased God that is by faith and true repentance to haue pleased him Heb. 11.5 for can two walke together vnlesse they be agreed Amos. 3.3 Now hee that so pleaseth God doth doublesse loue him with all his heart and such a louer was Enoch when an expounder of the Law asked Christ which was the great Commandement in the Law he said to him thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde Mat. 22.37 what Moses the shadow had spoken the same spake Christ the b Iohn 1.9 light that thus vnder two witnesses it might stand sure that God requireth in his seruice not seeming but heart-whole Louers The reasons That which is giuen grudgingly or of necessitie is not accepted Reason 1 by man and God loueth a chearefull giuer 2 Cor. 9.7 Now if man regard not an vnwilling gift and God require a willing heart in all that is giuen and done to him then the loue wherewith we loue God must be free not forced loue from a readie not grudging minde hollow affections are odious to men and a friend expecteth from his friend some good will Will that which is odious to man bee pleasing to God or will a friend looke for true kindenesse from his friend and will not God from vs is God lesse then man or any friendship like to his Reason 2 Secondly he that made the heart deserues to bee loued with all the heart not onely with a peece of the heart or corner in the heart and he is worthie of all loue in whom we liue moue and haue being Act. 17.28 that giues vs all good things and can free vs from all euill This is God that made all and hath power ouer all And therefore who but God and who in comparison of God deserueth so to bee loued and with such loue How much haue some Parents loued their children and some friends their friend yet these were but creatures and the loue placed on some of these creatures was but kindnesse lost but God is creator and the loue we set on him so infinitely worthy is infinitely rewarded and therefore how much and greatly is he to be loued more then all persons and things created Vse 1 A correction of the cold loue that is in many toward God and religion for some pretende to loue God who haue no courage for his truth Ierem. 9.3 and are cold suiters in those matters which are not found but by those who seeke them in the zeale of fire But he that loueth God truly and with all his heart loueth earnestly and alwaies in good things Gal. 4.18 he is no vnmedling Politike like Gallio Act. 18.14.15 but if religion suffer in the fire he will burne with it Many will say they loue God the swearer the drunkard the abominable adulterer the most horrible sinner and yet examine their loue at the touch of their affection to goodnesse and his holy Law and ye shall finde them professed haters both of him and his counsels neither caring for God nor godly person or counsell Also despisers of Church assemblies will say they loue God when yet they neither care for his spirituall presence at Church nor to obtaine his glorious presence in heauen nor to speake to him by prayer nor to bee spoken vnto by preaching nor to reade his word as it were letters nor to receiue his tokens that is Sacraments But can a woman truly say she loues her husband when she loues not his presence nor cares not to come vnto him when she despises his talke and scornes his tokens when she had rather heare of any then of him and when no mans comming is more vnwelcome nor more vnpleasing to her then his An instruction to put difference betweene the true loue of the Vse 2 godly and the fained of hypocrites the godly loue indeede hypocrites in word the godly act loue hypocrites dissemble loue hauing Iacobs voice and Esaus hands Gen. 27.22 the godly loue God in his righteous Commandements to doe them in his godly Ministers to doe for them hypocrites will pretend to loue God and yet neither regard his word nor Ministers the godly burne with anger as with fire till sinne be consumed as drosse hypocrites are not moned where God is angrie and such are called peaceable men men of great temper and charity but the charity of such is cold to God and their temper is not moderation but damnable luke-warmenesse for a true Christian is a true louer louing where God loueth and hating where hee hateth that is louing righteousnesse and hating iniquitie Psal 45.7 A true louer loueth God in his word Iohn 14.21 and Gods word in the assemblie and he that loueth perfectly loueth Gods children Psal 16.3 where the wicked loue his enemies making him their enemie Now to loue Gods children is to loue as Gods children doe that is to loue God for himselfe and true goodnesse for him so to loue Gods enemies is to loue with Gods enemies malice pride couetousnesse vncleannesse drunkennesse vnrighteousnesse and euery euil way briefly to loue God is truly to loue him both in deede and word not in deede onely as that sonne in the Gospell who said I will not and yet went Mat. 21.29 nor in word onely as that other sonne who said I will Sir and went not verse 30. for can we say that either of these loued as they should and what then shall wee say of thousands that loue not so farre And this is the duty the promise added followeth Therefore will I deliuer him VVE haue in this word therfore which is a word of inference but signall not causall here an effect of mercy in God offered to all that truly loue him or in loue with faith cleaue fast vnto him which is that they shall not be loosers by any affection to him in the care of his seruice and commandements for as they loue him in his truth so he wil deliuer them in their troubles And he saith therefore making such deliuerance the consequent not meritorious effect of their loue to him For no mans loue is so strong that it can binde God by the worke done onely hee rewardeth his own graces with fauour in his children and with the wages of mercy He might
vs 1 King 22.8 shall say and may truly say peace is come Esay 57.2 So much for the Plague of Pestilence darkly described and vnder the cloud of the figure the description of it without figure and plainely followeth And from the most grieuous Pestilence OR from the Pestilence of griefes in the Hebrew deliuering it by weight from thence and it is called the Pestilence of griefes because it pierceth them through with many sorrowes and is most grieuous to all or most of all that are visited with it as by pensiue solitarinesse their friends forsaking them and their neighbours not daring to come neere them by the anguish and worke of the sicknesse it selfe being very painfull and so pernicious that it passeth presently and terribly to the vitall parts getting into the head or working vpon the heart the castle of life and destroying there by opportunity of temptations the soule in so dangerous a priuatenesse being open to Satan and his malicious obiections not strengthned with the aides of Preachers or christian brethren in some by sundrie pitifull distractions caused by a hot bath or fire in the braine and through the whole bodie which maketh them to fall into fits of rauing and madnesse in many by the extremitie of paine and shortnesse of time in which so little respit is left if any to dispose their estate to their friends or to order their soules to God and in whom not who by reason of the contagion that it sendeth out dare not take leaue of their friends nor see the children of their owne bodie and must die separate and comfortlesse And is it not a sicknesse of griefes that maketh a mans whole acquaintance and best friends to forsake him that hurteth trades and impouerisheth townes that snatcheth here there emptying not some few houses only but whole townes and large towneships that breaketh and weareth men to nothing Doct. 1 The Doctrine from hence is the Pestilence of griefes is not to be regarded so little as some regard it who reuerence none of Gods iudgements The consideration hereof moued Dauid and the Elders of Israel clad in sack-cloth to fall vpon their faces 1 Chron. 21.16 for when they saw the drawne sword of this sicknesse in the hand of the Angel readie with it to destroy Ierusalem as hee had done other parts of the land with authoritie from the Lord that sent him they in humble cloathing and with their faces to the earth feared then as before some great destruction Where if they had regarded it no better nor otherwise then farre meaner persons at this day do they would neither haue feared so much nor walked so humbly before it He profiteth d Psal 4 4. Prou. 28.14 in the loue of God that profiteth in his feare by considering his iudgements And therefore he loued much that said My flesh trembleth for feare of thee Psal 119.120 that is in my imperfect state here when thou threatnest I feare and my heart is moued when thou art a little moued For feare makes way to loue and loue as it increaseth diminisheth feare But wherefore is the Pestilence in this Scripture called most grieuous and else where in the Scriptures the most terrible Plague Deut. 28.59 60. Ezech. 14.21 If it were no more to bee regarded It is one of Gods curses Deut. 28.45 and is any curse of God light or lightly to be respected The Lord by Amos complaines of the gouernours and people of Israel dwelling in Samaria that none of his strokes whereof the Pestilence that he sent among them was one could turne them by repentance Amos 4.10 Would he haue complained of this as of some strange thing if the Pestilence considered in it selfe had not bene a forcible outward meanes to worke in them this repentance and turning to God The Reasons The desolations it worketh are fearefull and the distractions Reason 1 that it is cause of are lamentable as hath bene said Secondly the finger of God is to be regarded in any stroke Reason 2 and shall not his whole hand bee feared in this of the Pestilence Thirdly of the foure valiant men that the Lord will send to reuenge Reason 3 the breach of his couenant Pestilence is and is said to bee one Ezech. 14.21 And if one then to be feared not desperately but profitably when it cometh Then the foole-hardinesse of some is no way tolerable who Vse 1 like mad persons runne vpon the naked point of this perillous sicknesse hazarding themselues vpon it by eating and drinking with those that haue it These feare too little and not where they should and therefore cannot but fall into euill Prou. 28.14 For as moderate feare worketh tendernesse so want of feare causeth hardning The godly though they haue greater confidence and more boldnesse in the changes then such audacious fooles can haue yet expell not godly feare but make the Lord their feare by fearing to amendment when such trumpets are blowne in the kingdome Amos 3.6 And therefore they cleaue to God and vnclaspe with sinne fearing his iudgements and feeling his louing fauour when the other go on still and are punished Prou. 22.3 Vse 2 An admonition to Christians wisely to looke into themselues when a iudgement of such griefes is sent For where a grieuous Pestilence walketh there are great sinnes and grieuous that make way for it in Towne and Countrey which is true and would be considered in euery other iudgement of God that is strange and grieuous For where he so visiteth he is forced by Mans impudencie in sinning so to visite As the world groweth in wickednesse so of the seede of sinne it bringeth forth according to the growth of that ill weede a like growing and proceeding in Plagues and Iudgements God hath new punishments for new sinnes and strange Plagues for strange offenders the store-house of his iudgements can neuer bee emptied It therefore much concerneth Christians well to obserue the workes of God whether they be done in mercie or iustice in his Church and if he execute iustice in it whether after the common rule or extraordinatily For if his strokes be other then vsuall the sinnes so visited are more then common and ordinarie This meditation will make the godly wise in such varietie of iudgements as haue within these few yeares shewed themselues among vs to feare not them so much though they bee all fearefull and fearefully wrought as the more fearefull sinnes of the State and Times that caused them nor onely the rod but chiefly the striker But because we saw nothing extraordinarie in so long and strong a Plague as so much and terribly wrought in London and all England so few yeares since and do see nothing but common matter in those varied Plagues which the yeares after fearefully and successiuely followed that therefore We are not wise to consider our end Deut. 32.29 And it is to be feared that we are giuen vp to the hardnesse of our heart to walke in our owne counsels to
those that doe those duties Doct. 1 But this coherence betweene the Lord and his Prophet in the matter of a Prophets function for diuine things teacheth what agreement there should be betweene the Lord his Ministers in the truths they teach He that hath my word saith God by Ieremie and euerie Minister should haue it and no other then it let him speake my word faithfully that is report it truly Ier. 23.28 hauing it in his lippes and not buried in him in a habit of knowledge voide of vse This agreement betweene God and Moses did shew it selfe in all his ministerie and seruice who therefore receiued testimonie that hee was faithfull in all the house of God Heb. 3.5 So what God spake to Micah that and no other nor otherwise Micah spake to Ahab 1 Kings 22.14 Balaams answer to Balack was good if he had spoken it with a good intent and honest heart I cannot passe the commandement of the Lord to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde and what the Lord shall command that will I speake Numb 24.13 for so it should be that we may be able in the whole work of our Ministerie truly to say this say not I but thus saith the Lord. Our foundation must be Iesus Christ and if we be good builders wee will lay vpon the same not the hay of our owne deuises but the gold and siluer of the pure word of God committed to vs not inuented by vs 1 Cor. 3.11.12 so should our agreement bee with the Lord in our teachings as Dauids was and as Moses his was said to be The reasons Gods Ministers are his Ambassadours 2 Cor. 6.20 and therefore Reason 1 must deliuer his embassage not their owne tale for may the Ambassador of a King depart from the words of his charge and say what he will himselfe not what his Master hath commanded or if the seruant of an earthly Prince may not may the seruants of God Secondly if Ministers hold not this agreement their great Reason 2 Master hath not sealed their commission nor can for how can he so long as there is in it any repugnance to diuine truth or to him who is Truth Also if it be so then in the discharge of their Ministerie they cannot bee called his seruants but rather their owne men or the seruants of men In this Psalme the Prophet speketh and the Lord sealeth his words the reason is he spake that which God could not but ratifie or hee spake as one that had spoken with God knew his minde and honoured his truth for if hee had spoken otherwise or of his owne head God could not haue ioyned with him who partaketh not with the weaknesse of man Must there be such a sweete accord betweene the Lord and his Vse 1 Ministers in the matters they teach then is it necessarie that they should know his minde that they may teach it and know it by his word that they may teach nothing differēt from it And this knowledge they must seeke day and night Ps 1.2 not the knowledge that puffeth vp 1 Cor. 8.1 or which so filleth them that they become as a full runne that will not sound when one knocketh vpon it but the knowledge of the truth in loue for they must so know that they may teach knowledge and teach such knowledge that God may seale to it when it is deliuered But how shall the ignorant in the Ministery and they that cannot carrie the Arke vpon their owne shoulders doe this how shall they teach others that haue not learned themselues or teach agreeably to God who know not his minde by his word nor what is agreeable to him nor what is contrarie O that these men knew or would know their fearefull estate in this their great ignorance but what the blinde said for himselfe that say I for these blinde leaders of the blinde Lord that they may receiue their sight Marke 10.51 A iustification of those in the Ministerie who spake the words Vse 2 of God in their Sermons 1 Pet. 4.11 for such must needes speake according to God speaking his word which they doe not who not richly enough satisfied with his doctrine in whom we are compleate Colos 2.10 make their Sermons through an vnnecessary muster of forraine Authors and readings somewhat like to that Inne at Beth. lehem that had no roome for Christ Luke 2.7 Our Sauiour contented himselfe with the testimonie of the Law and Prophets onely in his teachings after him the Apostles did the like in theirs Act. 26.22 so must we doe and speake the word or according to it if we will speake safely or so as that may be sealed with diuine authority that commeth from vs in the Pulpit the duties promises made to those that do them follow The duties of the faithfull are in affection or effect duties of affection are the loue of God and knowledge of his name the dutie of effect is prayer the promises annexed are deliuerance in trouble desence and safety the hearing of their prayers Gods being with them in their troubles honours life long life and daies of saluation for the duties of the faithfull the first of them is loue for the Lord being speaker saith Because he hath loued me c. BY loue here is meant the loue that causeth a strong dependance on God a mighty vehement firme and feruent loue or such loue as is betweene young-married couples Gen. 34.8 Deut. 21.11 they desire to be much together and much to talke together in absence one to heare from another and one to send to another So they that loue God firmely and feruently as the word importeth here do greatly desire his presence in the assemblie and more specially his more familiar presence in heauen or they would be with him in his glory and now in absence doe much desire to talke with him by prayer to heare from him by preaching as it were by letter and to receiue his loue-tokens that is Bread and Wine in the Sacrament whereby precious promises are confirmed vnto them This is the affection that the faithfull doe set vpon God Where we learne Doct. that it is not euery loue that pleaseth him but that which is vehement and sound from a hearty louer Those ceremonious Iewes that came not empty-handed to God were thus reprooued by Esa the man of God when yee come to appeare before me who required this of your hands Esa 1.12 It was because they loued outwardly not in heart or in a manner not thorowly and seemingly not so indeed For God neuer liked a full hand and an empty heart And therefore when he taught his people by Moses how they should loue him and not loose the labour of their loue he willed them to loue him with all their heart with all their soule and with all their might Deut. 6 5. that is to loue him with all their powers and with all they could doe This was repeated afterward by Iosua who succeeded Moses
good as it When the world was buried in a graue of waters Noah and his houshold went safely into the Arke Genes 7.1 and God set not Sodome on fire till hee had deliuered iust Lot Genes 19.16.22 2. Pet. 2.7 when the Lord terribly plagued the Aegyptians his enemies he mercifully spared Goshen where his people were Exodus 8.21.22 and 9.6.26 and 10.23 and 11.5.6.7 and when Ierusalem was taken Exod. 12.23 Ieremie was prouided for Iere. 39.11.12.18 So God dealt very mercifully with Daniel and his fellowes in the captiuitie Dan. 1.19 And when the Lord sent fiue men that is Angels in the shape of men to destroy the carelesse Citie He sent a sixt with a writers ink-borne by his side to set a marke of passeouer or speciall deliuerance vpon all those who mourned for the abomination Ezech. 9.4.6 And what hath he done lesse for his godly seruants in any age The reasons Reason 1 The righteous haue a speciall priuiledge or commoditie that common persons haue not and he that is the generall God of the world is the sauing God of his people Luke 1.68 He shewed his word to Iacob But did hee deale so with euery nation Psal 147.19.20 Reason 2 Secondly it is the glorie of the Lord to deliuer the righteous as it is the maisters credit to do for those that faithfully serue him Or if he should not honour those with deliuerances who honour him with affections the heathen or those without might say where is now their God Psal 115.2 Thirdly He numbreth their haires Math. 10.30 and will hee Reason 3 not regard their bloud Or if he will haue them will he not deliuer them Obiect But many godly haue bene taken away in the common destruction Obiect Answ Indeed Answ for these outward euils that come none can chalenge such a freedome from them as that they shall not enter into them at all and it is not denied but that the best hauing sin in them are in subiection to them and greatly deserue them Yet either they shall not come or they shall not come to hurt them as they do the wicked or they fall not so ordinarily to the share of the godly as they crush the vnrighteous and besides they feare not in them as do sinners that haue no hope For they haue faith in God from whose loue nothing can seuer them Rom. 8.39 and are not as the wicked who put all their faith in changeable things with the losse of which they loose God and all A comfort to the godly in the mortalitie of thousands seeing Vse 1 they know in whom they beleeue and for what for they shall not perish though neuer so many perish that haue faith in other things And this doctrine is now necessarie euen in our dayes of health for these good dayes may weare away the Pestilence may raigne as it did and another triall may come and then will it bee needfull to be well seene in these and such like mercifull promises that our faith may not faile vs nor our hearts faint within vâ— when the euill day cometh Neither would this be remembred onely in the case and dayes of Plague then to be armed with that faith and true boldnesse that putteth feare out of doores but it would bee remembred further in all other changes and troubles of our mortall life that God onely may be our feare and we may put all to him with full assurance in the wauerings of many As in the dayes of famine if there should come such a want of bread that thousands must pine to death yet that must not so discomfort any child of God as to make him to doubt how it can be true that in the day of famine he shall he fed Psal 37.19 For though God do not make windowes in the heauen 2. King 7.2 he can feede him When our handfull of meale is gone his truth remaineth who can feede without bread or with it miraculously 1. Kings 19.8.17.12.14 Ioh. 6.7.13 The like may be said of the miseries of warre and of all miseries and Plagues earthly For whatsoeuer temptations there are betweene heauen and earth from the flesh world or diuell as diseases of bodie rebellion of children losse of goods and of good name crosses in husbands wiues seruants with all other vexations and crosses of mind or bodie from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the pangs of death in all these though the vngodly know not what to do the godly haue hope and though the wicked fall by thousands the righteous are not shaken Is there not comfort to the righteous in all this And do they serue God for nought to whom the Lord maketh such precious promises Vse 2 An instruction therefore so to serue God in all our life with faith and repentance that when thousands fall we may stand fast For this light is sowne for the righteous Psal 97.11 But the light of the wicked shall be put out Prou. 13.9 that is this safetie is proper and belonging onely to godly and religious persons whose priuiledge it is when thousands fall not to stagger where the wicked contrarily because they will bee the children of darknesse by sinne shall be sure with the putting out of their candle to inherite the blacknesse of darknesse with sinners That it is the peculiar lot of those that loue God and follow his truth thus to be established Salomon is witnesse who speaking of a sinner that doth euill an hundred times that is doth sinne much and long saith that though God prolong his dayes or deferre his punishment yet he shall be as a shadow and what is more vncertaine then a shadow because he feareth not before God where it shall be well with them that feare the Lord that is where they that haue bene religious in their life shall be happie in their end and neuer be remoued Eccles 8.12.13 God maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the inst and vniust yet the shine of his fauour is vpon those that do reuerence before him and where the outward excellencie of the vngodly hath a speedie end as a light quickly blowne out the light of the righteous reioyceth Prou. 13.9 to wit as the Sunne to runne his course Psal 19.5 or is stedfast with increase as the light of the same Sunne That shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Prou. 4.18 A reproose of those who in a time of mortalitie feare vnseasonably Vse 3 when two or three die How would they haue feared if they had bene dwellers at London in the last great mortalitie when three thousand and a halfe died of the Plague in one weeke Anno 1603 and 1604. and for some weekes together not many fewer There is a profitable and sober feare in Gods children which is the feare of sinne and of these dayes of sinne but this carnall feare of worldlings who haue drawne little or no power from religion is rather the feare of death then of sinne
repentance to flee vnto when a floud is sent the wicked hauing no such consideration stand naked by sinne in the face of euery storme that is sent and perish in it The summe of all is this they that be Christians indeed must and will take a true inuentorie of Gods fauours and iudgements and set downe in their minds by deepe obseruation as with a pen of iron what he hath strangely done where Christians in face onely haue no such notes about them of his strange acts and forget all his workes as if they had neuer bene Let vs therefore not forget Gods acts his strange acts neither Gods workes his fearefull workes worthy to be had in remembrance And put it in your bookes what he did so lately one yeare in a spring of no raine and the next yeare in a sommer of so much raine take your bill or booke of tables and write what God did scarefully in that great Plague Luke 16.6.7 and strangely in remouing it Also what desolations he made by the sea in those West-country flouds or if we haue forgotten let vs remember how God set his heauen as brasse against our faces of brasse and made it to weepe day and night in raine of long continuance because wee would shed no teares for our sinnes Let vs not forget the signes which he sent among vs and which haue not bene few nor his tokens on earth nor his wonders in the sea nor what strange lights he hath set with his owne hand in the firmament nor what a graue was made for vs by Spaniards once and once by men of our owne nation and how we were at both times deliuered and they throwne in as our ransome nor how often the sword hath bene set to our very heart in practises against our mother in Israel and our father now Gods end in causing the righteous to see the Plagues of sinners is to assure them the more in their weake faith and patience that he will ratifie what he hath spoken and here we learne That the Lord knowing whereof we are made Psal 103.14 doth dispense with his owne right to beare with our infirmities So he did not onely burie the Aegyptians in the sea but did it his people looking on Exod. 14.30.31 who saw them to go downe quicke to those graues and Dauid saith When the wicked shall perish thou shalt see Psal 37.34 His meaning is that the wicked shall die strangely and that the godly shall see their strange death they shall perish as God hath said and the other see it that they may not doubt or they shall perish that God may magnifie his truth vpon his enemies and his people see it that he may be magnified in his children The smoke of Sodome mounted vp as the smoke of a fornace and Abraham must see it Genes 19.28 Sedome was wicked and destroyed and Abraham the friend of God beheld her destruction Likewise the fiue Kings of the Amorites appointed to the sword could not be hid but were found and brought out to be executed before all Israel that same day Ios 10.24.26 it must be done and Israel must see it done For the man of power shall be destroyed and the man of wisedome the righteous man shall see it Psal 52.5.6 The reasons Our graces of faith patience perseuerance spirituall fortitude Reason 1 and the like are very weake many times without the vphold of the outward senses and therefore hee that for our weakenesse hath added Sacraments as seales to his word to beare it vp is content to vphold his promise in other things with these sensible helps And now as there is no sense more helpefull and certaine then this of seeing none that imprinteth deeper affections in the passiue part of the soule then it So the Lord chuseth in such cases to confirme and settle vs rather by seeing then by heare-say He that is able to say that he is an eye-witnesse to a thing may better resolue himselfe and perswade another in that thing then he that can onely say he heard it Secondly if God did not thus to beare with his children by Reason 2 dispensation giuing them for the helpe of their weake faith in him proppes of sense to hold by they would quickly not stagger onely but fall downe in a despaire of his promises but God will not see the fall of his people and his people shall see the saluation of their God Reason 3 Thirdly beholding in others with our eyes the recompence of sinne it will make vs if we belong to God in a fright to forsake that way that casteth such troubles vpon those that trauell in it Now the Lord knowing that such frights are sometimes necessarie for his children to the helpe of their conuersion to him doth set the wicked before them in the recompence of their errour by some notable destruction that they may take heede in time Vse 1 This dispensation of Gods mercy to his children in a time Pestilence or other publick visitation bearing with them and not suffering them to come vpon the scaffold where others are cut off by death should teach them from such matter of his patience toward them and seuerity to others to gather benefit to their amendment and not boldnesse thereby to doe euill Rom. 2.4 If God be terrible in his works that is if he visit with a wonderfull Plague with strange sicknesses and yeares with disorderly springs and summers with dearths and death it is that the world the godly at least should worship him and sing vnto his Name Psal 66.3 4. or that they should turne to him and not turne wantons For they are not spared by chance or because they are worthy nor doe they ouerliue the calamities of those who in times of mortalitie come sooner to deaths house then they that they should flatter themselues in an euill custome because God hath beene more fauourable to them then to these but they see the destruction of others in their owne safetie that by such a sight they may be made more fearefull to offend and more carefull to please God in his commandements now then before And this good vse must all Gods children make of his sparing hand to them or theirs not carrying the grace of it into wantonnesse for God doth it in loue to their benefit and they must apply it in wisdome to the cure of their vnbeliefe and purging of their wickednesse Some as if the Lord did punish at aduenture in such cases and not directly for sinne hold on their prouocations neither changing their skinne nor altering their spots Ier. 13.23 And these are more sensles then the sensles beast for the Beast feareth exceedingly when hee seeth one of his fellowes knockt downe before his face and pitifully roareth out when he senteth his fellowes blood but these are sensles of Gods strokes lift vp vpon men like themselues and are not moued where the beast is so greatly moued neither pitie Christian blood It is said of
command without wages and wee should obey without hire yet he requireth not our seruice without our benefit and if we loue him as we should he will deliuer vs as he hath promised He wil leaue a therefore in our hand such as is in the Text for our better assurance that is if wee loue him we shall be deliuered Doct. 1 From whence wee learne that the louers of God need not doubt of his protection in any trouble Dauid was a true louer he loued the Lord to doe him seruice and God the Lord loued him to doe him good When he called vpon him in his dayes that is in trouble his eares were neuer out of the way of his prayers God heard his voice and inclined his eare as if he should lay it to his mouth to heare him Psal 116.1.2 And it is promised to his seed that if they proue such louers hee will shew himselfe such a hearer of them in their troubles and a like present Deliuerer Psal 89.21 22 23.25 26 29 36 37. The thing is so cleere that a good man asketh this question according to the Scriptures if euer any were confounded that put trust in the Lord Syr. 2.11 As if he should haue said it cannot be shewed that any such euer was But this point hath beene handled before more then once and the booke of the Psalmes and whole booke of Scripture is large in this matter The reasons Reason 1 If men of a good nature will doe much for their Louers what will not God do for those that loue his truth seeing the loue that is weake in them is perfect in him Will a mother see her child in danger and not runne to helpe it If a woman could forget her child whom she loueth God will not forget those who loue him Esal 49.15 And if a friend will take his friends part in aduersitie God will much more deliuer his in trouble For here he hath spoken it and we may rest secure vpon the suretiship of his promise and truth that cannot faile vs in any extremitie Reason 2 Secondly the louers of God are beloued of him and will God suffer any to miscarry whom he loueth If he should which were impossible it must bee because their enemies are stronger then he which were monstrous For who is equall to the Lord in the heauen and who among the sonnes of the mighty is like to him Psal 89.6 and who can doe as he doth Psal 86.8 An admonition to Christians that would haue Gods protection Vse 1 in their troubles to loue him with faith and adherence For he that so loueth him cannot but be loued againe by him Being loued by him and in fauour what can doe him hurt What men What Deuils Rom. 8.35 37 38 39. If God wound him the same louing God will cure him with the oile of his fauour If hee send forth flouds nay whole seas of trouble that same Arke of his louing fauour will keepe him from drowning in those troubles If his wrath burne like fire his fauour and loue will quench it If he send sicknesse into his body and the iron into his soule because he hath a fauour vnto him and loues him bee will send health to his bodie and speake peace to his soule Where God loueth and whom God sauoureth there and to them what can come but good Rom. 8.28 His anger is but a fathers anger which is not anger but loue and his strokes the correction of a father which is not to hurt but to make better The godly haue left this recorded vnder their experience in all ages Iacob Ioseph Dauid and a cloud of such witnesses Gen. 32.10 45.8 Psal 118.18 Psal 103.17 18. A comfort to all that truely loue the Lord whether Kings or Vse 2 persons vnder Kings Such shall haue troubles specially if they serue in feare and reioyce in trembling before Christ their King Psa 2.11 But God hath giuen his word that no troubles shall rise aboue them come the enemie on neuer so fast and raise he troubles against them neuer so high The waters could not preuaile against the Arke so neither shall the waters Gen. 7.17 18. or water-floods of combined enemies abroad or seditious spirits at home be able to doe any thing against the Sacred Arke of religious Soueraigntie For God will not violate his truth nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 Hath hee promised if thou be his louer that he will be thy Deliuerer then loue God with thy heart and set no troubles to thy hearth for thy troubles and troublers shall flie as the mist before the Sunne scattering it Abraham loued God and hee loued him greatly and more then any thing beside God therefore twice deliuered him in the matter of his Wife once from Pharao Gen. 12.17.20 Againe from Abimelech Gen. 20.6 7.14.15 16. The heart of Iacob trusted in God therefore Laban could not but doe him good Gen. 31.29.42 and Esau could not hurt him Gen. 33.4 Saul had Dauid fast in Keilah 1. Sam. 23.7 8. but what could he do against him more then Stephen Gardner and the other Butchers of the Shambles of Rome could doe against the Lady Elizabeth in the Tower and Keilah where she was shut vp These things rightly considered can any doubt that God is as good as his word to those that loue him and that he will keepe his promise with Kings So hee discharged Queene Elizabeth of her prison and troubles together and set a crowne of pure gold vpon her head The loue that we can shew to God the best of vs and the best of it is but weake and simple and yet God esteemes of it and rewards it with a promise of deliuerance in troubles Doct. 2 Which teacheth that we can loose nothing that wee doe to God or for him in his seruice Among the other offerings of brasse and siluer and blew silke of skarlet purple and iewcls of gold those of Goats-haire and Rams-skins and badgers skins are not forgotten Exod. 35 22 23 24 25. Two mites are little and a cup of cold water is lesse and yet these offered with the hand of a willing heart either by Disciples or to a Disciple in a Disciples name are esteemed great matters Luke 21 2 3. Math. 10.42 And the Apostle saith if it be a worke and labour of loue he saith not a worke and labour of charge that is done to God he should be vnrighteous if he should forget it Heb. 6.10 that is if he should doe so he should doe otherwise then he hath promised The reasons Reason 1 If thankfull men will remember a little where appeareth not so much in gift as in good will Shall not God much more For he respects altogether the minde in a worke not the matter and accepts the minde where matter is wanting Reason 2 Secondly if a cup of cold water lose not his reward then to reason from a lesser thing to a greater what can
We contrarily do euill for good and hurt them that pray for vs. Is this to follow God or to be like Christ euen a heathen Monarch Assuerus by name may condemne such For hee kept a booke of records wherein were written all the memorable good deeds that his Subjects had done vnto him hating to be vnthankfull Hest 6.2.3 But so farre are many Christians at this day from keeping any booke of thankfulnesse in their heart or of records in their houses with this Pagan King that they rather blot out all good deeds with present euill will and no sooner receiue a good turne then they instantly burie it that it may neuer rise vp to giuethankes to the giuer The second promise and duty follow I will set him on high or mount him because c. SOme alteration there is in the dutie the promise is of deliuerance from troubles as before For to set vp on high from dangers is so to free the godly from distresse that neither their enemies on earth nor wicked spirits that are their enemies in the aire shall be able to touch them with any mortall wound The speech is taken from the manner of fortifying vsed in wars where for more securitie towers of defence were set on high rockes and hilles Such fortresses or mounted-houses of safety will God prouide and establish for those that know that is confesse his name when enemies vexe them or plagues threaten them or troubles draw neare vnto them By the name of God is meant his holinesse and excellencie or whatsoeuer things hee is knowne by on earth as men are by their names as his titles workes word properties and sometimes himselfe Mat. 6.9 And to know here is not barely to know but to know with faith nor is it bare knowledge but acknowledgement when knowing the power of God ouer vs and care for vs we confesse and beleeue the same with a resting thereupon in all our troubles Before we heard of beleeuing in God the Prophet here or the Lord by him speaketh of knowing because none can rightly put confidence in God that doth not know him as Psal 9.10 for why doe men so much and vsually trust their rich friends but because they know they can helpe them and are perswaded they will and why serue they great men rather then poore men but because in like manner they know that great men can preferre them where poore men cannot so they that know what a rich rewarder God is of the least things done to him in his seruice and worship and how able so to doe cannot but loue and serue him Now where the loue and knowledge of God goe thus together Doct. we learne that God is not loued where hee is not knowne that is acknowledged to be as hee is in bounties and power Therefore the exhortation of Dauid to Salomon his young sonne is First know the God of thy fathers 1. Chron. 28.9 as if hee had said chiefly and before all things know this or know him in his power and be perfit in the booke of his goodnesse that is know his power that thou mayest feare him and his readinesse to helpe that thou mayest set thy loue vpon him Hee addeth and serue him with a perfect heart that is vprightly and as hee will be worshipped which none can doe that knoweth not the lawes and manner of his seruice and so sound and sanctified knowledge is the mother of christian deuotion not Popish ignorance Certaine wicked worldlings are reprooued in the booke of Iob as contemners of God the reason is they desired not or they cared not for the knowledge of his wayes Iob. 21.14 and how could they then but be irreligious in heart and impious in behauiour for not knowing Gods power what should containe them and ignorant of his kindnesse what could allure them to be other or to doe otherwise Did that land loue God wherein by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they brake out and blood touched blood It is out of question it did not and why did it not the Prophet tels vs there was no knowledge of God in that land Hos 4.1 2. And where men know not God what can be looked for but all impietie against him and vnrighteousnesse against men where men know not his goodnesse to loue him not power to feare him what will they not doe And here one saith well That an ignorant heart is a sinfull heart and a Man without knowledge a Man without grace for without knowledge the minde is not good Prou. 19.2 And if the minde be not good what can be good it being certaine that what the minde is that the man is The scornefull and they that tooke pleasure in vnrighteosnesse could take no pleasure in God and what tooke the taste of God so and so much out of their hearts but the ignorance of his wayes It is said they hated knowledge Pro. 1.22 and could not abide counsel ver 25. The reasons God cannot be beloued where he is not desired for no desire Reason 1 no loue But he cannot be desired where he is not knowne for no b Igneti nulla cupido knowledge no desire And therefore they that doe not know him cannot loue him Secondly wee cannot loue where we cannot trust but faith Reason 2 is in perswasion and perswasion except it be of fooles that beleeue euery thing is a high degree of knowledge for who is or can be said to be perswaded in a matter that knoweth not whether the the thing be so or no must not the heart be assured and can there be assurance in the heart without the knowledge wee speake of Reason 3 Thirdly knowledge is the well-head from which all good affections come as waters from their fountaine Now if it be the well-head of all good affections then also of the loue of God which is a good affection that it is such a fountaine of good affections may appeare in that the reason of our loue of God faith in God feare and reuerence of his Maieftie is because we know him and him chiefly and singularly worthy to be loued beleeued in feared and reuerenced of all men aboue all things Vse 1 A conuiction of all those who thinke they may loue GOD sufficiently and well enough in their great ignorance of his iustice goodnesse holinesse prouidence power Truth for what stranger loueth or can loue a man so well as hee that knoweth how worthy he is of loue and what parts are in him deseruing both his loue and best regard Now ignorance is a kinde of strangenesse from God and ignorant persons are strangers to him How then can they loue God so sufficiently or in any measure to those that know him in all his properties and excellent goodnesse where they are acquainted with nothing in God by his word and neither know his wisedome nor goodnesse nor power nor how true he is in his promises nor how iust in his commandments nor how holy in
all his waies nor how good he is to them nor how great his power is for them and prouidence ouer them Let them consider this who meane to liue and die in their ignorance and doubt not but they may and do loue God as well or better then most of these Scripture-men doe It were strange they should hauing no meanes of louing him comparable to these and they may as well perswade themselues and tell others that they can and doe loue the Man whom they neuer saw before neither heard of as much or better then that man in whose house and from whose hands they haue receiued innumerable kindnesses and fruits of loue but who will beleeue it so who will beleeue that they that are meere strangers to God by ignorance that are not brought vp in his house as his children are that liue at home with their father nor see his kindnesse in his word and benefits as they daily doe nor grow vp in his presence by the nursery of religion which maketh the godly partakers of the diuine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 should as freely and truly loue God as his houshold children can and which is incredible better then the most doe that haue their education from him and breeding vnder him by his word and Sacraments An admonition to the godly so much as they desire to loue Vse 2 God so much to secke to know him for so much knowledge so much loue they that are contented with sleight knowledge can loue but slâ—ightly Hence it is that some in the Gospell hauing tasted how good the Lord is goe from strength to strength till they appeare before God in Zion Psal 84.7 that is at Church in the assemblie or as it was foretold by Dauid runne to and fro that knowledge may abound where others finding no such delight in the banquetting house of Gods graces though the Arke of teaching be placed neere them in a Preachers mouth as in the Tabernacle thereof will take no paines and haue no desire to come vnto it Dauid danced with all his might before the Arke 2 Sam. 6 14. for Dauid was bred in the knowledge of God by his Testimonies but scornefull Michael despised him for it verse 16. for Michal was brought vp in Sauls Court where God and the knowledge of God were great strangers They that in the captiuity knew Ierusalem preferred her and the God in her to their chiefe ioy they that knew not Ierusalem neither Ierusalems-God said in her day raze it raze it to the foundation thereof Psal 137.6.7 So they that know God and his goings in the Sanctuarie Psal 68.24 will loue his presence in the beautifull assemblie the spirituall Babylonians that know neither him nor them will neither seek the Lord nor his face Psal 105.4 but calling Iacob the cast-away and Zion the place which no man seeketh after Ier. 30.17 cast of God and his reuerence and when they should sit vnder the Preachers chaire set themselues in the chaire of scorners and so become rather despisers of God then louers and followers This would be thought of before the decree come forth Zeph. 2.2 that when it is sealed with Plagues for sinne by Pestilence warres dearths in the Land or some other way we may be spared with those that loue the Lord vnfainedly Now is the time to seeke to know God that we may sinde to loue him and when other dayes shall come those times will bee rather for our reioycing then discomfort because we haue obeyed and loued him or because wee haue publikely at Church and priuately at home serued him honoured him in his word and reuerenced him in his Sacraments profited by his counsels and turned at his corrections Quest But some may say Quest how shall we attaine vnto this knowledge of God that we may loue him Answ I haue told Answ and Salomon tels you that you must seeke it that is vse much industry and paines to get it Prou. 2.4 or seeke it as you would seeke for siluer which you will readily do and search for it as for treasures which you will nor faile to doe It is a iewell and wee must thinke none so good Now what paines will a man take to find a iewell and what care to keepe it more plainefully should we seeke this iewell and more deepely hide it in our hearts then all iewels Matth. 13.44 If then we meane to be owners of this excellent iewell of heauenly knowledge we must cry for it by prayer call or enquire after it by conference seeke it by reading search for it by meditation and incline by hearing to it then shall we find knowledge and vnderstand the feare of the Lord Prou. 2.2.3.4 The last duty followeth and diuers promises also made to the doers thereof VER 15. He shall call vpon me c. BEfore it was said that he who loued the Lord with faith and knew him by his testimonies and word should be deliuered it is now further added that he that wil obtaine so great fauour must keepe the path of the meanes vnto it and call in prayer if he will be answered by deliuerance But this must not bee euery kinde of prayer as appeareth by the ioyning together the sentences but that prayer or strong cry of the heart in prayer that is ioyned with knowledge and standeth in loue that is he that will pray with hope must both know the Lord confessing his goodnesse and loue him with relying on his truth For in the law the blind and lame were reiected Mal. 1.8 So now the blind sacrifice of ignorant prayers and the lame of praying weakely and without the affection of confidence in God are no reasonable seruice of him Gods children speake with vehemency saying Abba Father or twice father and not softly as afraid but loude with assurance for they cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 knowing that what God hath pledged to them by his promise he will not violate Also they pray with vnderstanding knowing that all that pray not with knowledge pray with losse For they cannot watch the successe of their prayers nor tell how they speed not knowing what they prayed for And without this experience who can bee thankefull and without thankefulnesse what can the hope be but losse Hâ— that is not thankfull for an old good turne looseth a new and therefore prayers in a tongue that men vnderstand not such as the prayers of the ignorant in times of Popâ—ry were are prayers of hinderance not of comfort or profit The Doctrine therefore that ariseth from this context is they Doct. 1 that will pray aright and with good assurance must know God and loue him But I passe it as not being in the Text and because inough hath been spoken of it already That which these words directly aime at is that they they that will be deliuered must vse prayer the meane of deliuerance And this Prayer is a calling vpon God to wit in Christ darkely then plainely now then to come now