affection They will speak you faire when they would cut your throat They will shew you a good countenance when they would eat your heart with Garlick In outward shew they will carry themselves plausibly when their hearts are full of venome and malice This viperous brood doe but watch their times and opportunities till they can get a man upon the hip and then they will sting him and worke their malice upon him These fawning curs will not bark till they bite they will lurk and lye close till they spye their vantage and then they will shew themselves in their kinde then they will hoist a man and turne him over the perk if they can These men are like the waters which are most deep when they are most calme like a dangerous rocke hid under a calme sea or as the Heathens say like the Syrens song which is the Sailers wrack like the Fowlers whistle which is the birds death like the 〈◊〉 bait which is the fishes bane 〈◊〉 the Harpies which have Virgins faces and Vultures talons or like Hyena which speaketh like a friend and devoureth like a foe or as the Scripture saith like Joab the Captaine of the hoast 2 Sam. â—0 10 which spake kindly to Amasa another Captaine and kissed him when presently hee stabâ—d him or like unto the Herodians and Pharisees servants which came to our Lord Iesus with many fawning insinuations calling him good Master and telling him that hee was the plaine truth that hee taught the way of God truly he regarded no mans person and many good morrowes and all this geere when as in very deed their purpose was to entangle him in his words and to entrap him that they might catch advantage against him and so cut his throat and give him pap with a hatchet This is it which the wise mâ—n saith Pro. 29.5 A man that stattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet And againe Pro. 26.23 As silver drosse over-laid upon an earthen pot so are fawning lips and an evill heart And in another place hee saith Pro 26.25 Hee that beareth hatred will counterfeit with his lips but hee layeth up deceit in his heart When hee shall shâ—w his voice favourably trust him not For there are seven abominations in his hoâ—â— He will cover hatred by deceit 〈…〉 malice shall be discovered in the congregation In another place hee pronounceth a curse upon all these hallow-hearted hypocrites and meal-mouthed flatterers For Pro 27.4 saith hee Unto him that blesseth his friend with a loud voice betimes in the morning rising up early a curse shall be imputed Phil. You have very wâ—ll described the conditions of the men of this age which have faces countenances and tongues but no hearts which profâ—sse lying and dissembling which say Hee cannot live that cannot dissemble which have faire faces and false hearts which have forgotten that plâ—ine honesty is deep policie Theol. The holy Ghost often in the Proverbs of Solomon calleth all unregenerate men fooles or as it is in the Hebrew men without hearts Because they have no heart to God no heart to his word no heart to his children no heart to godlinesse no heart to any thing that good is They are without an honest heart an upright heart a plaine heart They are all in words nothing in deeds They promise mounraines and performe mole-hils They wil speak well of Religion and practise nothing They will give faire words to their friends and doe just nothing for them Phil. The world is full of these masked counterfeits and lying and dissembling did never more abound Theol. It is too true that lying and dissembling are most rise and over-common vices amongst all sorts of men but especially it doth overflow and superabound in shop-keepers and servants For both these make a trade and occupation of it they can doe no other but lye It cleaveth unto them as the naile to the doore Phil. I do certainly know some shop-keepers which to utter their bad wares and to blinde the eies of the simple do trade in lying all the day long from Sun to Sun from the opening of the shop and windowes to the shutting of the same And what is their life if customers come in apace but swearing lying dissembling and deceiving They will lye as fast as a dog will trot as wee say It is wonder that their shops and all their wares do not fire over their heads for their so common so lewd and so abominable lying and that against their owne knowledge against their conscience against God against their neighbour against heaven and earth men and Angels Theol. True it is we may marvel at the long-suffering of God in this behalfe But this is to be noted that God doth not immediatly punish all notorious sinners in this life but reserveth thousands to the judgment of the great day In this life he only culleth out some few whom he smiteth for the example of others that they might feare and tremble and learne by other mens harmes to beware Therefore even in this life wee see before our eyes some lyers some drunkards some whore-mongers some swearers some misers of the world some ruffians and cut-throats stricken downe by the revenging hand of God But whereas God smiteth one of these in this life hee letteth an hundred escape For if hee should punish all offenders in this life to what purpose should the judgement to come serve If hee should punish none then we should think there were no God or that hee were shut up idle in heaven and would do neither good nor evill nor once meddle in the matters of the earth as some Epicures have dreamed Therefore to avoid both these extremities God in his heavenly wisedome hath thought good to meete with some even in this world Phil. I am of this mind that the goods which men get by swearing lying and deceit will never prosper Theol. You are not therein deceived For God will blow upon all such kinde of evill gotten goods and they shall be put in a bottomelesse purse as the Prophet saith The holy Ghost in the book of the Proverbs hath many excellent sayings to this effect as chap. 13.11 Hag. 1.6 The riches of vanity shall be diminished but hee which laboureth with the hand shall increase them And againe Prov. 10. Hee that dealeth deceitfully shall become poore but the hand of the diligent maketh rich In another place he saith Pro. 14. â—7 The deceitfull man rosteth not that which hee hath caught in hunting That is hee shall not long enjoy or taste the prey which he hath gotten by fraud For either one trouble or other will come upon him that he shall not be able to possesse or take delight in the spoyle Therefore it is said The bread of deceit is sweete to a man but after his mouth shall be filled with gravell That is in the end the crafty person shall meete with many troubles For either his
be without them they are very good for them For when Gods children are chastised it is as it should be For to them the crosse is mercy and losse is gain Afflictions are their schooling and their adversitie their best Vniversity It is good for mee saith the holy man of God that I have been afflicted Psal 118. that I might learn thy statutes By his afflictions therefore hee learned much and became a good schollar in Gods booke and well seen in his statutes and lawes Hee grew to great wisedome and judgement by his chastisements All things turned about in Gods mercifull providence to his everlasting comfort For I say againe and againe That all things tend to the good of Gods chosen people And therefore that estate which God will have his children to be in is alwayes best for them because he who can best discern what is best seeth it to bee best for them whether it bee sicknesse or health poverty or plenty prison or liberty prosperity or adversity For sometimes sicknesse is better for us then health and poverty then plenty Are therefore the children of God sick It is best for them Are they poore It is best for them Are they in any trouble It is best for them because their good Father will turne it to the best Hee will oftentimes cut us short of our lusts and desires because hee seeth we will bane our selves with them Hee in fatherly care will take the knife from us because hee seeth wee will hurt our selves with it Hee will keep us short of health and wealth because hee knoweth wee will bee the worse for them Hee will not give us too much ease and prosperity in this world for hee knoweth it will poyson us Hee will not allow us continuall rest like standing ponds for then hee knoweth wee will gather scum and filth Hee dealeth fatherly and mercifully with us in all things even then seeking our greatest good when wee thinke hee doth us most harme And to speak all in a word he bringeth us into troubles and straits to this end especially that hee may hear of us For he right wel knoweth our nature he is well acquainted with our disposition hee knoweth we will not come at him but when wee stand in need of him we care not for him so long as all goeth well with us But if wee come into distresse or want any thing that we faine would have then hee is sure to heare of us as he saith by the Prophet Hos 3.15 In their affliction they will seek me early And another Prophet saith Lord Isa 26.26 in trouble have they visited thee They poured out a prayer when thy chastisement was upon them So then now I hope you do plainly see the cause why the Lord bringeth his children into so many troubles and necessities Phil. I do see it indeed and am very well satisfied in it But yet let mee aske you one thing further Are Gods children alwaies sure to be delivered out of their troubles Theol. Yes verily and out of doubt so farre forth as God seeth good for them For it is written Great are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.19 but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Saint Peter saith â— Pâ—â—â— 1 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation As if hee should say Hee is well beaten to it and well seen and experienced in it so as hee can doe it easily and without any trouble at all It is said of Joseph being in prison That when his appointed time was come Phil. 105 1◠〈◊〉 and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him the King sent and loosed him the Ruler of the people delivered him And againe the Scripture saith Psal 34. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles The Angell of the Lord tarrieth round about them that feare him and delivereth them And in another place the Lord himselfe saith concerning the righteous man Psal 91.17 Because he hath loved me therefore I will deliver him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my name He shall call upon me in trouble and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and glorifie him Job 5. So also saith Eliphas the Temanite Hee shall deliver thee in six troubles and in the seventh the evill shall not touch thee Come my people saith the Lord Isa 25.22 enter thou into my Chambers and shut the doores after thee hide thy selfe for a very little while untill the indignation passe over And the Prophet saith Obad. 27. â—â— Upon Mount Sion shall be deliverance and it shall be holy and the house of Jacob shall possesse their hereditarie possessions Almost innumerable places of the Scriptures might be alledged to this purpose but these may suffice Therefore let us know for a certainty that so sure as trouble and affliction are to the children of God so sure also is deliverance out of the same As we may write of the one and make reckoning of it as sure as the coat on our backe so may wee also in Gods good time write of the other and make full account of it as sure as the Lord is true Abraham was in trouble but delivered Job in trouble but delivered David in great trouble but delivered The three children in the furnace but delivered Daniel in the Lions den but delivered Jonas in the Whales belly but delivered Paul in innumerable troubles but yet delivered out of all Phil. All this being true that you say it followeth that Gods children are chastised only for their good and evermore sure of deliverance in his appointed time Which thing being so mee thinks there is no cause at all why they should bee over-heavie or too much cast down in their afflictions Theol. Assuredly there is no cause at all but rather cause why they should rejoyce clap their hands and sing Care away For can a father forsake his children a King his subjects a master his servant or a shepherd his sheep Doth not Jehovah say I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. Doth not our heavenly Father know wee have need of these things Hath not God given us his word that we shall not want outward things Hath hee not said they shall bee cast upon us Why then should wee bee dismayed Why should wee hang down our heads Why doe wee not plucke up good hearts and be of good cheere God is our dear Father hee is our best friend hee is our daily Benefactor or hee keepeth us at his own cost and charges he grudgeth us nothing he thinketh nothing too much for us hee loveth us most deadly hee is most charie and tender over us hee cannot endure the winde should blow upon us hee will have us want nothing that is good for us If we will out gold wee shall have it He hath given us his faithfull
he is heavie-hearted and troubled in his mind How doe you Asunetus how doe you feele your selfe Me thinkes you are very sad Asun I am the better for you Sir I thanke God I never knew what sinne meant till this day It hath pleased God now to give mee some sight and feeling thereof I am greatly distressed in my conscience to thinke what I have been The remembrance of my former sinnes doe strike an horrour into mee When I consider how ignorantly and profanely and how farre off from GOD I have lived all my life it stings and gripes mee to the heart I doe now see that which I never saw and feele that which I never felt I doe plainly see that if I had died in that state wherein I have lived all my life I should certainly have been condemned and should have perished for ever in my sinne and ignorance Theol. I am very glad that God hath opened your eyes and given you the sight and feeling of your misery which indeed is the very first step to eternall life It is a great favour and speciall mercy of God towards you that hee hath so touched your heart you can never be thankfull enough for it It is more then if you had a million of gold given you It is the onely rare priviledge of Gods elect to have the eyes of their soules opened that they may see into heavenly and spirituall things As for the world it is just with God to leave them in their blindnesse Asun I doe feele the burthen of my sinnes I am greatly grieved for them I am weary of them I am sorry that ever I sinned against God or that I should be such a wretch as to incurre his displeasure and provoke his Majestie against mee But I pray you good Master Theologus such you are a spirituall Physician and I am sick of sinne that you would minister unto me out of Gods Word some spirituall physicke and comfort Theol. Truly I must needs thinke that the promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sinne made in the Gospel doe belong unto you and that Iesus Christ is yours that you are truly interessed in him and have a proper right unto him For hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance You doe now feele your selfe to be a sinner you are grieved for your sins you are weary of them therefore Iesus Christ is for you all the benefits of his passion belong to you Mat. 9.12 Againe he saith The whole need not the Physician but they that are sicke But you doe acknowledge your selfe to be sick of sinne therefore Iesus Christ will be your Physician he will swaddle you he will lap you hee will bind up all your sores hee will heale all your wounds hee will anoint them with the oyle of his mercy hee will smile upon you and shew you a joyfull countenance hee will say unto you Your sins are forgiven In him you shall have rest and peace to your soule Through him you shall have ease and comfort For hee takes pitie of all such as mourne for their sinnes as you doe Hee biddeth you and all that are in your case to come unto him Mat. 11.28 and hee will helpe you Come unto me saith hee all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you You are one of them that are bidden to come for you are weary of your sinnes you feele the burthen of them Christ is altogether for such as you are Hee regardeth not the world that is the profane and unregenerate men Hee bids not them come hee prayeth not for them Joh. 18. â— I pray not for the world saith hee They have no part nor interest in him They have nothing to doe with him or with his merits and righteousnesse Hee is onely for the penitent sinner and such as mourne for their sinnes He is a Pillow of Down to all aking heads and aking consciences Be of good comfort therefore feare nothing for assuredly Christ and all his righteousnesse is yours He will clothe you with it Hee will never impute your sins unto you or lay any of them to your charge though they be never so many or so great hee will forget them and forgive them as hee saith by the Prophet Esay â—â—ay 1 1â— Though your sins were as crâ—mson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And againe he saith by the same Prophet â—â—ay 4 2â— I have put away thy transgressions as thicke as clouds and thy sinnes as a mist By another Prophet he saith Micah 7.19 Hee will lay aside our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Againe he saith by the Prophet Esay Esay 43.25 I even I am he that put away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And yet more sweetly hee speakes to us by the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 3 12. saying Turne againe unto mee and I will not let my wrath fall upon you For I am mercifull and will not alway keep mine anger And againe by the Prophet Hosea hee saith Hos 11.6 I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am GOD and not man Be of good cheere therefore comfort your selfe with these promises you have cause to rejoyce seeing GOD hath wrought in you a dislike and a griefe for your sins which is a certaine token that your sins shall never hurt you for sinnes past cannot hurt us if sinnes present doe not like us You are growne to an hatred and dislike of your sins you mourne under the burthen of them therefore you are blessed For blessed are they that mourne Why therefore should you be so heavie and sad Remember what Saint John saith If any man sinne 1 Joh 1. we have an Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul saith Rom. 3.13 that Jesus Christ is set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Againe the holy Ghost saith Heb. â— 1â— Hee is perfectly able to save all those that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for us The Apostle saith Hee is made of GOD for us 1 Cor 1 3â— wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Marke that hee saith All is for us all his for his Church for every member of his Church and therefore for you Christ is made of God righteousnesse sanctification and redemption for you Christ is your Mediator and your high Priest and hath offered up the everlasting sacrifice even for you that he might pay your ransome and redeem you from all iniquity Heb. 9 1â— By his owne bloud hath hee entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for you Christ is not entred into the holy places which are made with hands which are similitudes of