ashamed of the nakednesse of it Bold sinners Ieremie compareth to the shamelesse Whore Thou hadst a Whores forehead thou wouldst not be ashamed The Sodomites were impudent and shamelesse in their brutish sinne and this was the height of it that brought fire and brimstone Yet it is not euery shame which is commendable Caine was ashamed but repented not A thiefe is found and ashamed but abides a thiefe still saith the Prophet But the profitable shame of sinne is that vvhich bringeth repentance hereof speaketh Ieremy chap. 31. 19. After I conuerted I repented I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded Let it teach vs to couer and array our selues with the contrary vertues and to embrace righteousnesse pietie and vertue these make not ashamed Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord that is is a pure worshipper shall not be ashamed Continue in well-doing and seeke eternall life this brings glorie and honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. Euery man that must be happy must haue something to hide and couer his sinnes from Gods eyes and nothing in the World can doe it but Christ and his righteousnesse typified in the Arke of the couenant vvhose couer was of gold and called a propitiatorie that looke as that couered the Tables that vvere vvithin the Arke so God couers our sinnes against those Tables so in the cloud couering the Israelites in the wildernesse signifying God couering vs from the danger of our sinnes Hence Christ is called a garment and wee are commanded First to buy this garment Reuel 3. 18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold and rayment that is doe as men doe in buying of the commodities they want First see thy vvant of it by viewing thine owne nakednesse Secondly esteeme it in the iust value of it and thirdly exchange all thy sinnes for this righteousnesse Then secondly to put it on Gal. 3. 23. that is by Faith and Repentance and vvith Christ to put on the graces of his Spirit Col. 3. 12. Put on tender mercies kindnes humblenesse of minde c. We must buckle Christ to vs and neuer put him off againe This garment first hides our nakednesse Secondly protects vs from the iniurie of weather and Gods wrath Thirdly it gets a blessing for vs as Iaacob did in Esaus garments This teacheth vs how to iudge our selues namely so farre as we are not found in Christs righteousnesse to be most vnhappy and lothsome creatures yea the vilest of all the Deuill and the Damned excepted Our sinne vncouers vs and turnes vs naked into Gods wrath if once hee fixe his eye vpon it it makes him destroy his creature it couers vs with shame and confusion But how farre are men from seeing their estate how miserable in not seeing their miserie neuer perceiuing how naked and vncouered they be Were it not thus how durst they prouoke the eyes of Gods glorie Isa. 3. 8. Doubtlesse Ierusalem is fallen and Iudah is fallen downe because their tongue and workes are against the Lord to prouoke the eyes of his glory They durst not sinne as Zimri in the sight of God and of Gods people in the sight of the Sunne and in the cleere day by horrible vncleanenesse drunkennesse thefts blasphemies and the highest contempts of God as they doe But blindnesse in sinne makes sinners so bold and impudent that they shame not in most flagitious courses But farther off are they from happinesse that iustifie defend and glory in their sinnes A good man cannot abide the shape of his owne sinnes for he seeth himselfe a mishapen creature by them whereupon he daily seeks a couer for his deformity and thinketh no couer sufficient But many wretches are senselesse and shamelesse and glory in nothing but in their shame and shame at nothing but that which should be their glory If thou wouldest be happy neuer be at rest till thou hast obtayned some sound assurance that thy sinnes are couered Here many deceiue themselues and shrowde themselues in false couers First some if they can couer them before men and hide them from mans eyes if no man remember them thereof all is well they forget them and the danger is past but a good man would rather haue his sinne put out of Gods sight then all the worlds hee stands not nor falls to men but to his owne Lord. Oh looke to thy cleanenesse or vncleanenesse before God discouer the matter to the Physitian be sure that no man sinnes without witnesses at least God and his conscience seeth him Secondly some thinke a ciuill life a good couer if they liue honestly and neighbourly and doe no harme though they sinne God will spare them This is a false couer of simple men like Adams fig-leaues God can and doth see many a wicked heart through a ciuill life Thirdly others labour to couer their sinnes by ceremonies they giue almes say some prayers doe some good deeds when they die c. but all this is as thin a couer as the former Dan. 4. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by mercy toward the poore This shewes not the cause but the meanes of pardon Secondly he speakes not in regard of God but of Men against whom he had beene tyrannicall to whom hee counsells him to make some satisfaction by this meanes to manifest the truth of his repentance but not that he could satisfie God Neither can Saints Angels Merits or humane Satisfaction couer sinne which is the Popish couer The sound couer we speake of is aboue all that Man or Angell can bestow on vs. I counsell thee to buy of me gold and rayment to couer thy filthy nakednesse Meanes to get thy sinne couered are these First labour to see thy sinnes in the numberlesse number and horrible nature of them and what a fearefull thing it is to haue God beholding them for no Leper can bee so vile and lothsome in thine eyes as thou art in his while thou art in thy sinnes vncouered Secondly vncouer them often to God by humble cōfession the more thou vncouerest them to him the more thou couerest them and the more will hee couer them and withall haue them often in thine owne eyes if thou wouldest not haue them in Gods for both these are ioyned as helpes one to the other Psal. 51. My sinnes are euer in mine eyes and then followes Against thee against thee haue I sinned thus iudge thy selfe if thou wouldest escape Gods iudgement Thirdly because the whole life of a Christian is a way to blessednesse euery one must euery day bee carefull in couering somewhat daily corruptions shew a necessitie of daily couerings the best of Gods Saints after that they had a couer still prayed to be couered and Christ those who haue God to their Father to pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes Dauid after sinne pardoned still prayed that the Lord would couer the sinnes of his youth Fourthly hee that would haue God couer his sinnes must couer
so it calls in company gaming merriments and other exercises like water to a dropsie Little is the ease of forgetting that paine the cause of which remaineth it will certainly returne againe Secondly by contenting a man with some short humiliation and as vnsound as short to flatter God withall onely forced by feare and selfe-loue The Iewes confessed their sinnes and promised to doe so no more but they dissembled with their double hearts and their goodnesse was like the morning dew How many such flashes made Pharaoh how many sickemen on their beds haue in their affliction sought God but it was onely for ease and to get out of his hands or for feare because they saw no way to get out affecting deliuerance not repentance nor seeking sound reconciliation and peace but a truce for no sooner recouered but they are out in the field with God againe al the time of their straitenesse being quite forgotten And let soft-hearted Protestants that at some Sermons can melt with great motion to teares and yet afterward make little or no conscience of their waies but yeeld libertie to their lustes thinke vpon this point and consider how the deceit of spirit ouer-reacheth them Thirdly by satisfying with some outward ceremonie and formall seruice which when they haue done they shall find that God is not friends with them Some after sinne committed and accusing them by saying or framing a prayer though without heart-breaking faith or the spirit draw a skinne ouer their heart and there is peace for a time others whose whole life was spent in oppression and euery penny worse got then other if about the time of their death or after they giue a little money to the poore or bee liberall for a guilding Sermon they haue peace without any satisfaction or restitution according to the law of repentance What they haue wickedly got they leaue to their heires who are made happy by their fathers going to the deuill as the prouerbe saith They neuer loosed their bonds of wickednesse and now are chained in the bonds of blacke darknesse for euer The third guile of the heart is in respect of vertue and grace whereby the vnsound heart doth rest it selfe vpon counterfeit vertues for the wickednesse of euerie mans heart by nature is such that let it be neuer so vicious yet it will counterfeit any vertue First it will make a man outwardly seeme a true worshipper of God it will bring the body and frame it to reuerence when there is none within it will make the lips draw neere when the heart is farre remooued it makes Congregations and people sit before God when their hearts are gone after their couetousnesse Idols in Churches are put downe but idols in mens hearts are set vp and this is the reason why the Word and Prayer are so forcelesse wee haue mens bodies now and then when they list but seldome or neuer their hearts Secondly it will make a man outwardly seeme a good Christian when inwardly he is a Iudas or Demas an vnsound heart will make a man professe religion but vtterly neglect the work of it the forme of godlinesse contents him without the power so he haue a lampe of profession he cares not for oyle in it it suffereth him to get knowledge and rests in that without conscience it suffereth him to pray but publikely more then priuately and to neither ioyneth watching to his prayer yea he can shew the shell of any duty but neuer cares for the kernell Secondly inwardly it can counterfeit the most excellent graces as first faith when it hath neuer a iot it wil presume of Gods mercy and thinks this presumption faith What man saith not hee beleeues that hee shal be saued but all men haue not faith saith the Apostle therefore it is a shaddow without substance Secondly repentance a man in sicknesse will cry out of himselfe and his sinnes he will promise if he liue to become a new man and practise godlinesse but when God hath restored him his wicked heart carries him as farre backe as euer hee was here was a shew of repentance but it was counterfeit Thirdly loue where is nothing but deuillish malice two neighbours are fallen out and are at deadly hatred at the time of the Sacrament both of them dissemble loue and charitie but after it they are as malicious and mischieuous as euer they were before Fourthly strength in temptation where is none Peter while he was with Christ would die with him before he would deny him but when the maide daunted him he saw that that was but a flourish and that he was not so well acquainted with the wiles of his heart as he should haue been And so of the rest of the graces A fourth guile of the heart is in respect of the worke of the Word and Spirit when the deceitfull heart forceth the sinner to rest in the restraining of some corruption in stead of renewing grace for example the Word by a common worke of the Spirit planteth some kinde of vertues as temporary faith ioy in the word reuerence to Preachers loue to Professors releeuing them speaking for them and helping them euery way and yet such are not cleansed from their filthinesse all their hearts are corrupt all is ioyned with deepe hypocrisie Herod heard Iohn gladly reuerenced him tooke him for a good man and did many things but his heart was right in nothing for it claue to that speciall sinne of keeping his brothers wife And as the heart is so is euery action so is the ioy loue and labour some sinister respect it hath and doth not good purely and for it selfe Thus our Sauiour witnesseth that the good and bad hearers are both in appearance fruitfull and for a time but the one is purely affected in bringing fruit so is not the other But doe not the best finde such deceit in doing good as that they haue great cause to bewaile it Yea but although reliques of natural hypocrisie mixe themselues into their actions yet they sway not the hart but are striuen against and the maine motion of the heart is sincere and chooseth good for goodnesse sake as in the other it is not Now when a wicked heart findeth in it selfe knowledge consent confession and defence of the word al which were in Iulian the Apostate hee rests in this as sauing knowledge whereas it is a common gift whereby the Lord will haue his truth witnessed by the enemies of it Againe when a guileful heart comes to a sight of sin to feare it to terror of conscience griefe and vexation for sinne it rests in that as a sound feare of God whereas it is a seruile feare like that of the deuils and the vexation is not for sinne but for the punishment of it it is a common worke of the Word and Spirit to prepare the wicked to iust damnation Further when a guilefull heart sees many corruptions cast out
as for others who professe remission of sinne they are slaues to their sinnes and these haue dominion ouer them Secondly another is a daily purging and clensing of the reliques and remainders of sinne as 1. Iohn 1. 9. God is faithfull to forgiue vs and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse he that hath his sinnes couered hath them also cured Of Christ it is said that he came by water and bloud c. Hee that is made whole goes and sinnes no more that is he feares sinne for time to come Professe then remission of sinnes as long as thou wilt If Christ wash thee not thou hast no part in him if thou beest as foule as formerly thou wast euery man but thy selfe may see what thou art Thirdly a third fruite is faith working by loue and this loue worketh first towards God who is much loued because he hath loued and forgiuen much Luk. 7. 47 and much praised for so happie a change But the wicked are haters of God and neuer care for his prefence for his word or children or Sabbaths and yet they hope vainely for forgiuenesse of sinne Secondly it works towards man and manifests it selfe in forgiuing our brethren and enemies The godly looke vpon the commandement Ephes. 4. 32. Forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue vs. But alas many pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue our debters and therein plainely curse themselues for their minds lust after enuy and wrath and hence are those common speeches I may forgiue him but I will not forget him and He may come in my Pater noster but not in my Creede A manifest signe that God hath not forgiuen thee at all and that his forgiuenesse of thee is not to forget thee nor thy sinne Thirdly here is refuge for a wearie soule and a burdened conscience doest thou want the voice of ioy and gladnesse in thy soule and lyest groning vnder the burden of sinne be not dismaied for in that thou canst approch Gods presence in the full and free accusing of thy selfe in complaining of thy self and iudging thine owne soule here is a sound ground of comfort thou art hee who hath right into the tree of life thou art hee on whom the Lord will looke in mercy thy repentance and faith intaile pardon of sinne vnto thy soule Fourthly is it so that God remits onely the sinnes of repentants then aboue all things labour to attaine this grace of repentance and testifie it in sound confession before God In the Courts of men confession brings shame and punishment but in Gods a couer and reward In great Princes Courts no mourner might come and therefore Ioseph must put off his prison-garments before he come to Pharaoh but none but mourners are accepted in Gods Court mourne therefore and bewaile thy sinnes this alone can assure the heart of remission of sinne Oh I haue repented long of my sinnes but feele no such assurance Yet feare not but ioyne to these endeuours these helpes First vse conscionably the Word and Sacraments which make knowne and seale vp to the beleeuer the pardon of sinne by Christ meditate and feede on the promises which are made to the penitent Secondly grow vp in humility euery day bee more low in thine owne eies then others and beware of pride because it becomes thee to bee humble for the more contrite the spirit is the fitter it is for Gods Spirit to dwell in Thirdly vse earnest and daily prayer for the earnest of the Spirit to witnesse vnto thy spirit that thou art the childe of God for he being the Comforter must bring these comfortable tidings to thy heart he must apply the promises of life and saluation Fourthly take heede of actuall sinnes which grieue the Spirit and are as water to quench the comforts of the same especially beware of presumptuous sinnes which wound the Spirit most and most preuaile ouer thee Psal. 19. 13. Fifthly exercise thy selfe to godlinesse and to the duties of sanctification in thy generall and speciall calling and this will assure thee of the presence of the good Spirit leading thee These things if thou failest in blame thy selfe if thou walkest heauily and vncomfortably God will be found in his owne waies and no other VERS 6. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his Prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come neere him HAuing spoken of the maine Doctrine of this Psalme concerning the iustification of a sinner before God wherein Dauid placeth true blessednesse wee come now to the sundry vses of that Doctrine in the rest of the Psalme being the second part of it The first of them concerneth Prayer in this verse where of there are Two parts First the practice of a godly man Therefore shall euery c. Secondly a promise made vnto it Surely in the flood c. In the former are these foure points First the inference of it Therefore or for for this cause Secondly the Person praying Euery godly man Thirdly the person to whom hee must pray To thee Fourthly the time When thou mayest bee found Therefore that is because I haue had experience of thy loue and thou hast answered mee graciously in my request euery one that is in the like misery and touch of conscience as I was shall vse the same meanes as I did to obtaine the same mercy This dealing of thine with me shall be an instruction and encouragement to euery humbled soule to take the same course for comfort as I did Dauids experience shall teach all the godly to seeke God in their distresse Hence note that Those are the best teachers that can speake from experience of the Lords working in themselues Psal. 91. The Prophet teacheth confidence and securitie in God to those that are vnder the secret of the most High but the best ground he thought was to lay it on his owne experience verse 2. I said to the Lord O my hope and fortresse that is I had a good cause so to say and then followes Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter c. So likewise the Apostle Paul being to perswade that the remnants of corruption cannot condemn the regenerate man Rom. 8. 1. hee inforceth it from his owne experience thus For the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death as if he had said Of like things and persons there is the like consequence My infirmities are not imputed vnto me to death no more shall yours The reasons of this point are these First he that hath a flame in his owne heart may easily kindle another and hee that doth not first edifie his owne heart shall not be so meete to edifie and speake to the heart of another a godly mans zeale will warme such as are by when another shall speake but
creatures and therefore he cannot seeke God to finde him A man that seekes a lost iewell lookes still to see that for other things comming in his way hee sees not them but passeth sleightly ouer them hee seekes not them so hee that seekes GOD makes inquisition onely for himselfe no other thing contents him but himselfe no other thing takes vp his minde and therefore the worldling indeede wants not God nor seekes him Secondly if the godly man seeke God in prayer then he frequents the places where God hath promised to bee found Hee hath pleased to tye himselfe to the assemblies of the Saints that there those that would meet with him might be sure to finde him Gracelesse men therefore are they that turne their backes vpon God that leaue the Church and assemblies that take their horse and trauell about worldly businesses on the Sabboth day with pretence that they can pray as well in the way and serue God on horseback as well as the best But they are deluded by the Deuill whom they serue they haue no God but their belly and their wealth And is it not a strange enchantment that while a man runnes from God from his presence and assemblies yet hee should thinke to meete with him and finde him And so he shall hee will at last meete with thee and finde thee out in thy hypocrisie and if his patience let thee goe on waiting for amendment remember that he is fetching a stroke which the higher it is lifted the heauier it will fall Be warned by others example A certaine Noble man for hunting vsually on the Lords day had a child borne with the head of a dogge that seeing he preferred his dogges before the seruice of God he might haue one of his owne getting to make much of Theatr. Histor. Also a Flaxe-woman at Kimstat in France dressing her Flaxe commonly on the Sabboth for meere couetousnesse and eager greedinesse vpon the world after two faire admonitions on two Sabboths together by fire was the third day burnt with her Flaxe and two children A warning for women who on the Lords day minde their Brewing Baking Buckes-driuing c. and will not be reclaimed A certaine man working hard at haruest on the Sabboth in the meane time a fire kindled in his barne and consumed all according to the word of the Lord Ier. 17. 27. At Paris garden at a Beare-bayting anno 1583. eight persons were slaine many hurt and all affrighted by the sudden breaking of the scaffold Thus God hath waies enow to finde out prophane persons thou canst not runne from God but thou shalt know how farre thou art gone from him and thou that carest not to find him shalt be sure he will find thee in iudgement and if thou growest rich by breaking Gods holy Sabbath the Lord sends leannesse into thy soule and the rust of thy money shall crie out against thee one day Oh this is the money which I haue got by breaking the Sabbath The like may be said of them that banish Gods worship and godly speech from their houses and tables Oh they will haue no such salt at their bankets such words are neuer seasonable whereas they ought rather to bring in goodnesse into their families then nip it in the head and cast the Arke out of their houses So much of the first doctrine the second followes and is this There is a time when God will not be found though he be sought And this is true both in the wicked and the godly first the wicked still pray in a time of not finding God if they seeke they neuer finde as Luk. 13. 24. Many shall seeke to enter but shall not be able Iames 4. 5. Yea aske and haue not because ye aske amisse now the wicked alwaies aske amisse Iohn 9. The poore blinde man concluded against al the Scribes and Pharises that Christ was a good man and righteous because God heard him First because the promise of hearing prayer is not made to the prayer it selfe but to the person praying and not vnto him farther then he is inuested with Christs righteousnesse in whom he and his prayer is accepted Secondly God wil not be found when he is not sought in truth of heart which can be found no where but in a conuerted person for then he is truly sought when the heart bringeth these things first an earnest desire of recōciliation for no sacrifice is acceptable but from a contrite heart Secondly a speciall word and promise Aske what is agreeable to his will and you shall obtaine it 1. Iohn 5. 14. Thirdly a speciall faith in the promise which is necessarie to a true seeker Iames 1. 6. Let him aske in faith And Mark 11. 24. If yee beleeue yee shall haue what yee aske Fourthly it brings the exercises of pietie and mercy a putting off of the old man and a putting on of the new Isai. 1. Wash and cleanse you and then come and seeke me These conditions a wicked man cannot performe in seeking and therefore he findes not Thirdly the wicked seeke not commonly till the time of finding be past they seeke too late so did the foolish Virgins it was too late when the gate was shut it was too late for Pharaoh in the sea it was too late for Esau to seeke repentance and the blessing with teares hee prophanely reiected it while it was in his power While they haue light commonly they spurne at it and while the day lasteth are idle they neuer seeke God till they must needes and therefore when the night comes they cannot worke or helpe themselues Fourthly if we consider what the finding of God is we shall see they cannot finde him Then God is found first when according to the prayer of faith he visiteth vs in mercy Secondly when by some signe of his mercy hee testifieth a fatherly care and loue ouer vs. Thirdly when he vouchsafeth not a generall but a speciall and gracious presence with vs Thus Hos. 10. 12. the Church seeketh God till she finde him But how is this finding exprest thus till he comes and raines downe righteousnesse vpon vs that is when by the power and dew of his Spirit our hearts otherwise like a drie and barren ground are watered so as his Word may bring vp in vs blessed fruites of righteousnesse acceptable to God But no wicked man hath any testimonie of Gods care ouer him as his Father but onely as a Lord neither enioyeth he more then a generall presence not the presence of any speciall loue Ahab praying in hypocrisie was heard in mercy and his prayer obtained a remoouall of the euill threatned 1. King 21. 29. Gods mercie is twofold first temporall secondly spirituall God often giues to hypocrites to be heard in temporall mercies as here an externall humilitie is recompensed with an externall benefit a temporall repentance with a temporall deliuerance but for any spirituall deliuerance from the guilt and bonds
they see not their sinnes in a right glasse but in a false glasse which lets them see them onely in the profit or pleasure or as in one of those trunke optick glasses which make great things very small and things at hand as if they were farre off whereas if they did behold sinne in the true glasse of the Law and of the curse of God of the eternall damnation of sinners and of Christs death for sinners they would not account any sinne small nor the iudgement of them farre off This sight and view of sin makes the godly cry out and continually bewaile the captiuity they are in as Paul himselfe did who was aliue without the Law but the Law strucke him downe and made him cry out of himselfe as a miserable man Thirdly most men neuer meditate of their owne estate nor consider of their owne condition to apply the Law to their liues to see their crookednesse and faylings as they doe who are in the way to happinesse they want will or skill time or conscience if it hap well so it is The godly meditate of their owne estate and apply the Law to their owne sinnes which made Dauid Psal. 38. 5. cry out that his sinnes were too heauy a burden for him to beare so could men try their owne strength with the burden of their owne sinnes they would come to a little more quicke sense of their estate and with holy Dauid here pronounce him a happy man that is eased Fourthly the strong man is gone away with all and hence comes in this vnfeelingnesse and peace and he luls men asleepe in false perswasions wherein they goe on vnto death What say many miscreants Hell is not so hot nor sinne so heauy nor the Deuill so blacke nor God so vnmercifull as the Preachers say or if all this were so they are not alone others haue as heauy burdens as they they shall haue company whatsoeuer become of them and though they heare the burden of the Word of the Lord daily and see the burden of his hand lie heauy vpon others yea and often vpon themselues yet are they as senselesse as dead men vpon whom if you lay all the weight of the earth they feele nothing O beware of this fearefull iudgement which is a great part of this burden the which the lesse it is felt the greater it is and know that there is no man that shall not feele the burden of his sinne one time or other though the wicked doe neuer till it be too late Shall the Lord himselfe be pressed vnder the burden of thy sinnes as a Cart laden with sheaues and art not thou Amos 2. 13. shall all other dumbe and senselesse creatures grone vnder the burden of thy sinne as Rom. 8. 20. and art thou thy selfe more senselesse then they Feeling this burden seeke meanes to be deliuered and disburdened and this will he doe that findes this burden pressing and oppressing him The meanes is to come to Christ as he calleth Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden c. Come not with the body and feet but with first Repentance secondly Faith First come in confession of sinne and godly sorrow come groning and bewayling thy sinne and estate come creeping to God with thy burden on thy backe confesse thy sinne and forsake it this is the way to finde mercy thus Dauid found ease vers 5. Secondly come in Faith hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse lay hold on Gods mercy and Christs merit which are as two shoulders to beare it quite away Feare not but as the people said to Bartimeus Be of good comfort he calleth thee He calleth thee in the Word he giueth a gracious promise Come to me I will ease you he sealeth vp his promise by the Sacrament in which thou shalt finde him ready to giue thee ease that longest and gronest after him Doth any sinne oppresse thy conscience thou hearest and seest in the Word and Sacrament how he was made sinne that is a Sacrifice for sinne for thee Doth any burden of misery or crosse inward or outward presse thee hee offereth himselfe to ease the laden to pacifie the perplexed conscience to strengthen the heart and to remoue or mitigate all our burdens for vs according to the prophesie Isay 53. 4. 11. He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes the word is sebalon of sabal to carry as a Porter doth a burden vsed in both places But alas euery man must carry his owne burden how then can Christ Legally euery man must carry his owne the Law requireth personall obedience and satisfaction but Euangelically Christ our suretie beares them and therefore come to him in the Word and Sacrament with Faith and Repentance Once finding ease of this burden lode thy selfe no more Christ hauing cured the blinde man and eased him of that burden bids him Goe thy wayes and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Heb. 12. 1. The Apostle aduiseth if sinne presse downe and so incumber vs to cut off this compassing sinne If a man be to deale with a great burden he will once or twice try his strength with it if it bee too heauy for him he will let it alone Hast thou euer felt the ouer-burden of sinne euen the least with which haddest thou the strength of all Men and Angels thou couldest not encounter nor stand vnder it and wilt thou againe meddle with it Besides hast thou not when thou art at the lightest sufficient burden of that originall sinne of which Paul said Rom. 7. 21. Euill is present with me it lies euery-where vpon thee and of actuall sinnes without number that still in stead of disburdening thy selfe and lightning thy lode daily thou addest to the heape and it is neuer big enough as though all thy sinnes had no weight at all O but this is nothing a small sinne an oath an idle word rash and hasty anger to play the good fellow to drinke with my friend lose my time credit c. If thou couldest bring me an instance of any one sinne that had no weight thou shouldest haue good leaue to wed thy selfe to it neuer to depart but no sinne is so small but hath such a weight as will presse to the bottomelesse pit bring me any sinne the wage of which is not death an idle word for which thou must not giue account any tricke of youth for which thou shalt not be brought to iudgement Sand euen euery little sand hath his weight and though small in quantity yet if great in number will drowne the ship of the greatest burden but what if all the sands of the Sea-shore were in one ship must it not sinke and are not thy sinnes for weight and number like the sands of the Sea-shore If sinne be such a burden then helpe thy brother from vnder this burden the Law of God enioynes thee to helpe and pitty the
that suppose Christ as man had power to forgiue sinnes yet not that they should bee equall vnto him herein and haue the same power that he had And the similitude stands in these foure things First Christ was before all Worlds ordained to bee a Mediatour so they were ordained to the office of Apostleship not of Priesthood Secondly as Christ himselfe was immediately called to the publike execution of his office of Mediatorship by the voice of his Father as appeares in his Baptisme This is my well-beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased so were the Apostles immediately called by Christs owne voice And this was their prerogatiue aboue other Ministers to come from Christs owne bosome as he did come from the bosome of his Father Thirdly as Christ in publishing the Gospell had supreme and absolute authoritie to giue Lawes to his Church from which there might be no appeale So his Apostles had from him an immediate assistance of infallibilitie so as they could not faile in their doctrine and writings howsoeuer as men they might erre yet not as Apostles so that from them there lay no appeale Fourthly as Christ was made a King and a Prophet not onely of the Church of the Iewes but ouer all the Churches in all Nations so the Apostles commission was not tied to any one Countrey but they must goe and teach all Nations And thus it is true that as God sent Christ so Christ sent them but all the while here is no equalitie for to make ordinarie Ministers equall to Christ in power is to make them Mediatours and redeemers yea gods Secondly this ouerthrowes another doctrin of theirs teaching that no man can be perswaded of the remission of his owne sinnes vnlesse it be by a speciall reuelation or by a morall certaintie of workes whereas we see Dauid here had this perswasion of forgiuenesse by neither but by a certainty of faith vpon true confession Thirdly seeing remission of sinnes is a fruite of confession we see the errour of silly ignorant people that say they are as sure of remission as any man in the world they hope as well as the best nay are sure to bee saued with the first if any get remission of sinne they are sure it shall be they and all this without sound confession But how is this remission sealed vp vnto them by what pattents they neuer had any doubting no touch of conscience for sinne no dislike of themselues they neuer confessed to the Lord against themselues and therfore the Lord neuer answered them in assuring them of forgiuenes There is nothing yet in their liues but wickednes and rebellion and therfore this is but a senselesse presumption which destroyeth their soules Others not a few there are that thinke to ease their conscience by lessening their sinne or excusing it Some say before the Angell it was their ignorance and so mince their sinne and harden their soules till the Lord be angry at their words Eccles. 5. 6. Others seeke to forget God while he knocketh and vrgeth their consciences If they can thrust him out of presence and put out the remembrance of himselfe and the feare of his iudgement Oh then they be safe But how are these men wofully deluded that thinke themselues safest and best when God is farthest off them Others when sinne comes afresh vpon them draw their thoughts and turne their sailes another way as when Sauls furious thoughts come vpon him they must be appeased by Dauids musike whereas remission must be gotten by confessing and not by committing of sin Some must haue Iesters to fill their hearts full of folly to take God and all good motions and remembrance of sin out of their soules whereas of all the delights that euer Salomon tried his heart withall wee neuer reade that hee kept a Iester or Foole. Some when a warning peece of humiliation is shot off by God haue no better way to resist it and to driue away the qualmes of conscience then by sorting themselues with drinkers gamesters and good fellowes as they call them and as euery mans delight drawes him so is his practice But this is no other then the brawning of the conscience farre from lasting peace which comes from remission of sinnes and remission comes not from commission but confession of sinne If men that are now called to confession and repentance by the Word or the Spirit or any of Gods works on themselues or others will yet doe as the hardned Iewes kill Oxen and Sheepe and drinke wine in boules and in the meane time deride the threates of God and make a tush at these warning peales let them feare and tremble the ende of such laughter shall be heauinesse Thou forgauest me THe person that receiued this mercy was Dauid a true beleeuer and a true penitent sinner which teacheth vs that God remitteth not the sinnes of any but such as being touched with true repentance confesse them Iob 33. 27 28. God looketh vpon men and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it did not profit me he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light He shall pray vnto God and he will be fauorable vnto him and he shall see his face with ioy vers 26. So also 1. King 8. 47. If they turne againe vnto their heart in the Land to which they be carried away captiues and returne and pray vnto thee saying Wee haue sinned wee haue transgressed and done wickedly then heare thou their prayer in heauen c. This is the forme of repentance set downe for the people returning vnto their God Hoshea 14. 3. Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously What cannot God without the condition of repentance and sorrow and confession of sinne remit sinne and conferre fauour vpon sinners Yes if we speake of Gods absolute power whereby he can doe a number of things which he neuer will hee could haue made 10000. Worlds when he made but one hee could raise vp of stones children to Abraham Christ could haue prayed for 12. Legions of Angels and his Father could haue sent them to deliuer him or hee could without them haue deliuered him from the Crosse but would not Thus if God would hee could remit sin without repentance and confession and that without all impeachment of his goodnesse because whatsoeuer hee can will is most iust and good but if we consider Gods actuall power and his reuealed will which belongs to vs and our children he cannot because he will not the reasons hereof are these First it will not stand with his eternall decree by which he hath tied the meanes and ende together the end is saluation the meanes to come to it is faith and repentance So God hath decreed that a mans body should liue by meanes he could now preserue it without meat drinke sleepe
c. but hee will not because it is against his decree Againe God hath not eternally decreed to saue all but out of all a few a little flocke now if hee should remit the sinnes of the impenitent and of vnbeleeuers then he should saue all and so the way to heauen should bee the broad way and not many but all should goe in it which was Origens errour directly against Gods decree and word Secondly it will not stand with the iustice of God to forgiue their sinnes who repent not of them but rather loue them who obey their lusts and follow the leading of them most willingly 2. Thes. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you If God haue any iustice he must exercise it against such as hate him and reiect all his commandements but to saue all would prooue him to bee a God all made of mercy Thirdly God could haue no mercy if hee should forgiue the sinnes of all good and bad for there could be no difference betweene his mercie and his iustice this is mercy to some to pull them out of the common corruption and curse of sinne and mercy only reioyceth against iudgement if there were no iudgement neither could there bee any mercy Besides will it stand with Gods wisedome to bestow and giue mercy to him that refuseth and despiseth it or to fill with mercy the vessels of wrath Fourthly where were Gods truth if he should forgiue the sinnes of impenitent and vnbeleeuing ones what strength were in the curses of the Law that the soule that sinnes shall die to what vse could the promises of the Gospell serue what vse of the prayer of Christ for beleeuers that his Father would keepe them in the truth why did he put such difference betweene men that hee would not so much as pray for the World What neede of the death of Christ of whom the Apostle saith The Iust died for the vniust but so as they should be righteous in him or what neede of any part of his righteousnes and obedience who fulfilled the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth Fifthly God hath made it a priuiledge of the Church and the members of it onely to haue their sinnes forgiuen So we say in the Creed I beleeue the Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes Isa. 33. 24. The people that dwell there shall haue their iniquitie forgiuen and 62. 12. They shall call them The holy people the redeemed of the Lord. Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is a part of the promise of God made to those that are in couenant with him Ier. 31. 31 34. The dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant for I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Yea this Psalme in the first verse makes it a note of a blessed man and a prerogatiue of the Saints Sixthly if God should bestow remission of sinnes in generall to all what neede is there of any grace what vse of the feare of God of faith c then we might set open all the doores of licenciousnesse and sinne and euery man might doe what hee list without all restraint or bridle So that to tye remission of sinne to repentance makes not onely for our saluation hereafter but also to correct and bridle sinne here and set vs into the beginnings of eternall life euen in this present World But how is this remission of sinne free if wee cannot haue it without these conditions of faith repentance confession c Yet is it still free first because though it bee not giuen without these yet it is not giuen for these as our iustification is free though it cannot be had without faith because it is not giuen for the dignitie of our faith Secondly euen these conditions are not of our selues but the gifts of God and so can merit nothing Thirdly faith and repentance are required not to shew for what but to whom remission of sinnes is bestowed namely to such only as haue obtained mercy and for whom Christ hath freely merited the same This serues to confute a grosse and ignorant conceit of many who say That God who made all will saue all and so lay all the care of saluation on God and neuer trouble themselues in vsing the meanes Alas poore soules No no neuer thinke that thou canst diuorce what God hath coupled namely the ende from the meanes it is true which Saint Augustine saith Hee that made thee without thee doth not saue thee without thee Why say some did not Christ dye for all and euerie man and shall not they bee saued for whom Christ dyed To this the Schoolemen say that Christ dyed for all sufficienter but not efficaciter Christs merits were sufficient to redeeme 10000. Worlds if they had faith to apprehend them saith Leo. But we speake of the effectuall shedding of Christs bloud which was shed for many not all to the remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. Secondly Christ died for all that is for all those many saith Augustine namely all the Elect for the sinnes of the World of the Elect for there is a World of the Elect standing of Iewes and Gentiles who are brought to faith and repentance Thirdly all and euery singular man cannot receiue remission of sinnes but onely beleeuers by the hand of faith some of all sortes of men now the Apostle saith that faith is not of all men and therefore it is called the faith of the Elect Tit. 1. 1. Therefore let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Ephes. 5. 6. Secondly by this doctrine wee may see that no man can be assured of remission of sinnes but the true beleeuer who truly repenteth of his sinnes Euery man indeed will professe in his Creed that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes but this is but a vaine blast in the most whose sinnes binde them ouer to eternall death Onely the true beleeuer hath the right markes of remission of sinne which are these First he onely is weary and heauy laden and sees his neede of Christ whereas the wicked are whole in part or wholly and neede not the Physician Secondly onely hee hath a spirit free from guile which is made a note of remission vers 2. Of all other we may say as Peter did of Simon Magus Thy heart is not right with God one mans heart is a temple of Gods Spirit another hath not the Spirit of Christ and therefore is not his Thirdly onely a true beleeuer hath the consequents and fruites of remission of sinnes from which as from fruites we may goe to the tree as First the first of them is regeneration he is borne of God and sinneth not that is he hath not raigning sinne with him nor sinne vnto death because the seed of God is in him
much lesse vse them to the hurt of the Church and disgrace of the godly as not a few doe Againe in this inference therefore Dauid giue vs to vnderstand that this worke of Gods mercy shall not only not die in himselfe but suruiue for euer and refresh the godly of all ages hence note that The ordinarie workes of Gods mercy vpon his seruants are not recorded for them alone but for euery godly man to make his vse of them Deut. 29. 29. Things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children And Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning c. We will prooue this by an induction In the Scripture there is matter first of doctrine secondly of life both either of faith or of fact That matter of doctrine belongs to our learning none denies more question is of matter of fact and example but the Scripture puts it out of question that the examples of the Saints are likewise recorded for our instruction wee may see it thus All examples of Scripture concerne either God or man If God it is some worke of mercy or iudgement If man it is an example either of vertue or vice Now all these are for our instruction First the workes of Gods mercie to his children I am 5. 17. to teach vs how mercifull GOD is to heare the prayers of his Saints and to let vs see how much the prayer of the faithfull if it bee feruent auaileth hee induceth the example of Elias who prayed and shut and opened the heauens What tell you vs of Elias that was rapt in a fiery Charet What are we silly wormes to him Yea but Elias was a man subiect to the same infirmities and therefore though thou be a man subiect to many infirmities pray thou also for the hearing of prayer depends not vpon the worthinesse of the person suppose Elias himselfe but vpon Gods mercie in Christ that is mans merits So was Elias his prayer accepted and so shall thine And to further our hope and confidence in the same place is alledged the example of Iob Yee haue heard saith the Apostle of the patience of Iob and what end God put to it Ob. Alas What tell you me of Iob a iust man fearing God not a man like him on the earth Sol. Oh but the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull vnto vs as well as vnto him if wee bee righteous as he was In our Text Dauid found mercy when he confessed Ob. Alas he was a man after Gods owne heart and a speciall type of Christ. Sol. Yet he was but a godly man and therefore shall euery godly man finde the like mercy vpon repentance as he did Paul was receiued to mercy being a grieuous persecutor and blasphemer Ob. Oh hee was a man rapt into the third heauens a chosen vessel Sol. But he was receiued to mercie that God might in him set out an example of his long-suffering vnto them which afterward should beleeue to life eternall 1. Tim. 1. 16. Secondly the workes of Gods iustice are written for our instruction as 1. Cor. 10. 11. All these things came on them for ensamples to vs on whom the ends of the world are come The Corinths might haue said What haue wee to doe with the examples of those that liued in the Old Testament we are baptized and receiue the sacraments so did not they Sol. Not so but they ate the same spirituall meate drank the same spirituall drinke in diuers signes and then hee applyes the examples that if they sinned as their Fathers they should be as deepe in iudgement as they were Luc. 17. 32. Remember LOTS wife many hundred yeeres after Christ calls his hearers to remember her So 2. Pet. 2. 6. the Lord made Sodome and Gomorrah an ensample to them that should liue vngodly Thirdly examples of the vertues of the Saints are written for our imitation Rom. 4. 22 23. Abraham beleeued and his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse Ob. But hee was fully assured the Father of the faithfull and an eminent man what is that to vs who are farre behinde him Sol. Yes that it is for this was not written for him alone saith the Text but for vs also to whom our faith shall bee imputed also for righteousnes What if thou art not in the degree of Faith which Abraham was in Be sure thou be a sonne of Abraham and it is not the strength of Faith but the trueth of it if it bee but a graine which layeth hold on Christ. Moses his meekenesse Iobs patience and Iosephs chastitie are recorded for our learning But if wee must imitate all the obedience of the Saints wee must imitate Abraham in killing our children The Doctrine extends it selfe onely to ordinary facts and not to extraordinarie ones such as this and others are the godly must bee imitated in all that obedience which they yeeld to the common rule of life but not in speciall commandements Ier. 19. 4 5. The Iewes after the example of Abraham did offer vp and burne their children thinking that because Abraham pleased God in offering his Sonne so should they but the Lord reprooueth and condemnes their fact saying I neuer commanded this nor spake it neither came it euer into my heart namely not in the Law and commandements which binde all it was onely a speciall tryall of Abraham That place therefore is the ground of this distinction to follow the Saints so farre as their examples are ordinarie in vertue yet wee may make some vse of this fact of Abraham as to part with our chiefest delight if God call for it And so the Apostle limiteth the imitation of Christians Bee yee followers of mee euen as I am of Christ we must not follow him being rapt into heauen or speake all tongues c. but so farre as hee exprest Christs vertues in his life Fourthly the vices and slips of the Saints are recorded also though not for our imitation yet for our instruction For as one saith the Patriarkes instruct vs as well erring as teaching vs for their slips shew First that it is not the strength of grace by which we stand but Gods power Secondly that the best needes mercy and is farre from merit vnlesse it be of death Thirdly that we had neede raise our selues vp by repentance after euery fall as they did Fourthly wee must hereby prouoke our owne watchfulnesse and while we stand take heed lest we fall for if such great Okes be shaken what shall wee poore shrubs expect The reasons of the doctrine are these First drawne from the scope of the whole Scripture all which and euery part of it tendeth to make the man of God perfect and fit to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 16. Now if euery godly man or man of God must bee made perfect by the Scripture then must euery one make vse of Gods ordinarie workes to any of his seruants Secondly God
is vnchangeable and the Spirit euer like himselfe looke as his course hath been towards his children in times past so he will still deale proceeding by the same rule of iustice and mercie hee neuer takes a wicked man by the hand neither did any innocent person euer perish vnder his hand as a iust God he punisheth like sinnes with like iudgements and remembers mercy to the godly because mercy pleaseth him Thirdly God would not onely describe a way to life in the Scriptures but also hath there set before vs leaders and guides in that way whence there is not a vertue in all the Scripture commended in the precept but it is exemplifyed and made to shine in some patterne and that for these two ends First that the godly might haue full and assured direction Secondly that the wicked despising both holy doctrine and holy example might iustly be condemned Fourthly God would set a testimonie of his grace and glory in his children whom because they giue witnesse to his truth and proceedings hee calleth a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12. 1. First because in their life and conuersation they witnessed by word and deed to Gods Church Secondly in their death many of them witnessed by their blood Thirdly hereafter they shall witnesse for or against vs The Saints shall iudge the world and therefore euery godly man ought to make vse of their example And is this so then this first ouerthrowes that wicked and tyrannicall practice of the Church of Rome which takes away the Scriptures from the Laiety as vnnecessarie for simple people though they be the deeds of their inheritance as if God had onely entred couenant with Monkes Priests and Regulars and not with Christian men and women who may not know either what God hath promised on his part or expecteth on theirs But if according to our doctrine all must make vse of the foresaid examples then they must haue the Scripture to know them by being therein registred When God gaue his Word to the Hebrewes hee wrote it in the Hebrew tongue a tongue familiar to them and gaue charge that euery one should teach it their children and deriue it from one generation to another After when GOD would propagate it to the Gentiles and the Monarchy came to the Grecians God put into the heart of Ptolomie Philadelphus to prouide seuenty two of the most expert Hebrews skilfull in the Greeke to translate it into Greeke which language was generally knowne in all Nations of Europe Asia and Africa which translation of the Septuagint is extant at this day Afterward when the Roman Empire preuailed and the Latine speech began by that meanes to be most common God would haue the Scripture translated into Latine to what other end but that it should be read and vnderstood and remembred practised of all because it concerned all But why doe the Papists thus cofer vp the Scriptures now the true cause is that the light thereof may not discouer their workes of darknesse but what say they Oh it is darke and obscure hard and knotty a breeder of heretikes and matter of strife What did God giue the Scripture for a remedie and is it turned to poyson did it once serue as a hammer to bruise errors and now doeth it serue to breed them was it once profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to improue and now to impaire the trueth Did God send it for a doctrine of peace and is it now no other then a make-bate All controuersies must be decided by it and peace established on earth with God and men The Word is a Lanthorne and the Commandement a Light and plaine to the simple Psal. 19. 7. and 119. 130. And is it now so darke as no man can see his way by it hath God giuen all rules of doctrine and manners of faith and life and not onely that but witnessed all his way with man in examples of mercy and iustice encouraging piety and vertue and punishing the contrary and all in vaine what could the Lord doe more to make it easie and plaine and fit for instruction then he had done In a word by remouing the Scriptures they doe not onely depriue men of sauing doctrine in the precepts but also of the chiefe helpe of godly life in the practice of beleeuers Secondly if euery godly man must make vse of Gods ordinary dealing with his children then wee must take the counsell of Bildad to Iob chap. 8. 7. I pray thee looke to the examples of the former age and prepare to search of thy fathers namely whether if thou be pure God will not awake to thee looke whether any pure in heart were euer forsaken of God and as thou shalt find so conclude that God will deale with thee too make this vse of their example And we must not onely obserue Gods waies with them but also their waies with God following their ordinarie examples in vertue and watch our selues against their vices Many search into the liues of the Fathers and there spy Abraham perhaps lying Noah drunken and Salomon with many wiues and hence they boulster themselues in sinne they alleage the example of Dauid for adultery and of Paul for rage against God and the godly but this is to walke by the darke side of the cloude with the Egyptians to destruction therefore let vs turne to the light side to the Saints graces Ye shall haue some that being exhorted to piety and to a narrow watch ouer their waies will say presently Doe any thus or thus as you would haue vs why then we shall be singular we shall haue no company I wish men would consider their waies by this rule If thou seest no godly man before thee suspect that way and get out of it but howsoeuer few in the world walk in the straight way to life because few find it yet look to the Word and thou shalt see on all hands some or other in that way there thou hast a cloude to follow to goe when it goes to stand when it stands so thou be on the light side of it a notable guide through this pilgrimage of our life Oh there is no example of such precise carriage as you would haue vs take vp none but a few strait-lac't Ministers vrge or keepe it Yes looke to the Scriptures and thou shalt finde such as haue gone before any that are now liuing it would be counted too much precisenesse now to walke with God as Enoch did or for Masters to instruct their families and call them to an account for what they haue heard and yet Abraham did so If a man should be euer plodding in the Word to draw good lessons from it he shal be counted but a Bible-carrier whereas Dauid meditated on it day and night and Marie laid vp and pondered the Word in her heart these would be surely accounted too precise if they were now liuing Oh but if a man stand on these
of God and this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is an hand or arme by which wee lay hold vpon blessings if once wee bee perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ wee will easily beleeue that hee will giue vs all things with him for he that giues the greater will not denie the lesse Our Sauiour when diseased persons came for bodily health or ease was wont to say According to thy faith be it vnto thee so in all our requests the presence or absence of faith giues our prayer returne according to the weakenesse or strength of the arme of faith so is the coldnesse or abundance of comfort to our heart so that faith onely giues taste and rellish to the prayer which a beleeuer makes Fifthly Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to begin with Our Father teaching thereby that he must call God Father who must pray acceptably and that includeth sundry child-like affections all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray as first Reuerence and feare when hee comes before his heauenly Father A Sonne honoreth his Father If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and feare Malach. 1. 6. Secondly a child-like boldnesse comming through Christ to a Father full of mercy and compassion pittying his children more then earthly parents can Isa. 49. 15. By Christ we haue boldnesse Heb. 4. 16. Thirdly loue to God as to a Father for a godly man seekes not himselfe in prayer but Gods glory with his owne shame Fourthly charity and loue to our brethren for when wee come into the sight of our Father wee dare not bring prayers in one hand and malice in another but pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue Sixtly onely the godly man can pray acceptably because hee alone hath remoued the barre and partition-wall that stood betweene God and him bringing repentance and godly sorrow for sin with him The blinde man could say God heareth not sinners that is impenitent ones but hee heareth those that are repentant Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Incense in the Law was a type of prayer yet in Isa. 1. 13. the Lord tells the Iewes who came in their sinnes that incense was an abomination vnto him God hates our incense our prayer if we come with prophane hearts as they did he neither receiues it from vs nor we any good thing from him but a godly man hath remoued this rub First Note hence the miserable condition of an impenitent sinner and of an vngodly man that is without remorse and wallowes in vnconscionable sinnes hee cannot pray he neuer prayed in all his life he was neuer in mercy heard in his prayer but loseth all his labour and well if it were no worse for all his prayer is turned into sinne his prayer is abominable Prom. 28. 9. as often as he went about to pray he did nothing but multiply sinne against God he mumbled vp a few prayers and fared accordingly If this be so then it seemes vnlawfull for the wicked to pray if he pray not it is condemnation if he pray it is no lesse He is bound to pray but not to sinne in prayer in the second Commandement hee is inioyned to bow downe and worship God in prayer and the third bindes him euer to doe it well lest he pray in sinne and so take Gods name in vaine Alas then what must he doe only the grace of repentance can reconcile these two and draw the sinner out of this maze and make him pray aright Yea but God heareth the wicked often-times and granteth what they aske as peace vnto Ahab vpon his humiliation God heareth what a wicked man saith in prayer and yet heares not his prayer no not when he giues the same thing that he asketh for first all that the wicked get from him is externall and common to good and bad but no one fauour of speciall grace Secondly he giues them euen that in wrath and vengeance not for their prayers sake Thirdly when they aske things good in themselues and euill for them not knowing to vse them aright hee granteth in iustice what it had beene mercy to haue denyed as contrariwise hee heareth his children in mercy denying them that which they haue sinfully asked Fourthly that which he giues shall turne to their woe and miserie and shall but heape coles vpon their heads euen wealth prosperitie and dignitie all shall but make their sinne out of measure sinfull whereas all things shall worke together for the best to the godly euen crosses and afflictions Fifthly God giues nothing but by vertue of the promise no promise but is by Christ a wicked man hath no part in Christ and therefore neither in the promise a plaine case Sixtly neither is the wicked mans prayer a meanes of granting the request or obtayning his desire so as God stil heares not his prayer for how can that prayer finde accesse or acceptance which is not preferred in Christ but they are fed onely by a generall prouidence as the beasts are Psal. 14. 4. The wicked man calls not on the Lord that is either prayes not at all or as good he did not Let this be a motiue to further our repentance for else if a man vtter neuer so many words of prayer God will not heare him how iust is it that he that will not heare God when he calleth should not be heard of God when hee calleth that he that is a prophane mocker of God God should mocke him in his destruction that he that turnes his eare from the Law should haue Gods eare turned from him that he should aske and not receiue that asketh amisse How iust was it vpon the Iewes who were cruell and of bloudy hands that God should hate their persons and prayers and is it not as iust that vnmercifull men Oppressors Vsurers Ismaels Quarrellers whose hand is against euery man and euery mans against them hard-hearted persons that stop their eares against the cry of the poore that they should cry and not be heard Surely the sentence is passed already that iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy Secondly this doctrine ouerthrowes the idle conceit wherewith numbers of men delude themselues O if they haue but time at their death to say Lord haue mercy then they shall doe well enough though all their life they cast off all care and counsell But what Is the godly man he that shall pray and find mercy and shall prophane wretches that haue set their faces all their dayes against heauen thinke to bee heard in the day of their distresse and death How canst thou then claime any one promise and much lesse all when thou neuer keptest the least condition of faith and repentance How then shall God be iust who hath said that he will laugh at such when their sorrow commeth Besides we must obserue a
great difference betweene the prayers of the godly and the wishes of the wicked First the one is an earnest desire of the heart prizing greatly that which he desires the other is but a snatch or a sudden flash out of an illumination of the vnderstanding but not out of any affection of the heart because he vnderprizeth the thing prayed for and will not sell all for it That which others get with much labour and strong cryes a wicked man thinks he may only call for it and haue it hee will enioy his lusts all his dayes and then the last day promise reformation No no God is not so prodigall of mercy as to take thy leauings and be beholding to thee for a little lip-seruice in all the Scripture there is but one example of one receiued to mercy the last houre thinke not that thou shalt bee the second Secondly the one is a true desire with endeuour in the right meanes and care to referre it to the right end he will obtayne heauen by Faith Repentance Mortification c. but the vngodlies proceeding is but a iump to the end without the meanes Cursed Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous but he would leape ouer the life of the righteous so many leape ouer the meanes and thinke to come to the end immediately but twentie to one if they leape not too short Simon Magus desired the gifts of the holy Ghost but to a bad end to make gaine of them and that he might be beleeued to be some great man whereas a godly man aymes onely at Gods glory in his owne saluation And thirdly if euery true desire hath assurance to obtayne because it must be directed by the Word lifted vp by the Spirit and encouraged by the Promise then can no such vnsettled and vncertaine wishes bring any comfort to the heart when a man hath all his life long resisted the Word despised the meanes of Faith contemned the Promises and grieued nay despighted the Spirit how can hee haue any comfort by his prayer and how can he haue any elsewhere if not from that Thirdly this shewes vs that the way to bee heard of God in prayer is to be godly to bring Godlinesse and Religion an heart mortified to sinne and quickned to grace adorned with faith and settled in good conscience Dauids example of finding deliuerance in trouble and comfort in affliction of Spirit belongs only to godly and humble men that shall confesse and pray as hee did If thou wilt be heard of God in prayer First get the notes of Gods child vpon thee and thou shalt obtayne mercy for it is the priuiledge of a child to be heard in whatsoeuer his father sees good for him What saith Christ If you being euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly Father Secondly become Gods seruant for it was the vsuall ground of Dauids prayer to say Lord I am thy seruant heare and deliuer thy seruant Thirdly get humilitie vnto thee for the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit Psal. 51. 17. such sacrifices hee is well pleased with Fourthly the poore blinde man sheweth the qualitie of that man whom God heareth Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not sinners but if any be a worshipper of him and doth his will him he heareth The same condition is required of him that would speed in his suites 1. Ioh. 3. 22. Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because wee keepe his Commandements and doe things pleasing in his sight Yee aske and haue not saith IAMES because yee aske amisse and when doe wee aske amisse when wee doe not keepe Gods Commandements but how shall we know that we keepe them Vers. 23. if we loue one another for charitie is an vndiuided companion of true pietie To conclude this point let vs take Iobs friends counsell vnto him Acquaint thy selfe with God and he shall prosper thy way before thee thou shalt cry vnto him and he shall heare thee Iob. 22. 21. Now in the second place in that the word translated Godly signifies a mercifull man note that No seruice of God or exercise of Religion can be acceptable to God which is not performed by mercifull men All Gods worship must be ioyned with mercy for here it is said The mercifull man shall pray Isa. 1. 11. to 16. God reiected all the Iewes seruices because they did not fast from strife as wel as from meat and because their hands were full of bloud Zeph. 2. 3. Seeke yee the Lord all the meeke of the earth whence is noted both that this is a denomination of a righteous man to be meeke and that none but such meeke persons can seeke God to find him Mat. 15. 5. The doctrine of the Pharises was that if men brought oblations to the Temple though they relieued not their poore Parents yet God was well pleased with them but the words following shew that this was but an hypocriticall tradition reuersing the Commandement of God Matth. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercy what is it that we aske for when wee come to doe God his due homage but to obtayne blessednes and happinesse but this we cannot doe to be accepted without mercifulnesse So Vers. 24. If thy brother haue any thing against thee goe first and bee reconciled and then come and offer thy gift Reasons of this point are these First those things which God hath ioyned together no man must separate but God hath ioyned together the workes of the first and second table the loue of himselfe and of our brethren of himselfe and of his image of our forgiuing our neighbours and his forgiuing of vs these are inseparably ioyned and therefore we must not dissolue them Hence Isa. 58. 10. hypocrites pretending Religion are called to breake their bread to the hungry that is the true fasting Secondly vnmercifulnesse hindreth both the preferring of our prayers and likewise the preuailing of them First it cuts off prayer 1. Pet. 3. 7. Husbands must dwell with their wiues like men of knowledge and take heed of strife lest their prayers be interrupted The very husband and wife the neerest couple cannot pray priuately if they doe not put away strife and how can the same but hinder publique prayer also The Spirit of God cannot light on a Christian but in the shape of a Doue as it did on Christ the Temple that is fit for the holy Ghost to dwell in must be mercifull see Isa. 11. 6 7. Secondly it hinders our prayer from preuailing because of the promise and the threatning the promise of being heard is made only to the mercifull that the meeke shall inherite the earth Psal. 37. 11. and that the Lord will hide them in the day of wrath Zeph. 2. 3. So threatning is gone out against the mercilesse euen iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy and as a man iudgeth so he shall be iudged
Pet. 2. 7. God deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Thirdly get thy heart washed with the bloud of Christ bee a true Israelite a true beleeuer for God is good to Israel euen to the pure of heart Psal. 73. 1. and Deliuer Israel O Lord. Fourthly get innocency and vprightnesse into thy life to be able to say with DAVID Deliuer me according to mine vprightnesse Fifthly draw daily neerer vnto God and if God bee with thee or thou with him thou needest not feare though thou walkest in the shaddow of death Psal. 2â— 4. and doe this three wayes first get neere him in thy affection loue him in his Word and Image Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath loued me I will deliuer him and exalt him that is set him out of the reach of trouble Secondly in obedience I am thine saith DAVID O saue thy seruant Thirdly in thy confident prayer so Psal. 91. 9. For hee said to the Lord Thou art my refuge VERS 7. Thou art my secret place thou preseruest mee from trouble thou compassest me about with ioyfull deliuerance SELAH NOw followes a second vse of this worthy doctrine of Dauid which concerneth affiance in God when the heart can lay hold vpon God as Dauid doth here First for the present time Thou art my secret place Secondly for time to come Thou shalt preserue mee from trouble and compasse mee about with ioyfull deliuerance Whether these be the wordes of Dauid holding in his soule the sweet sense of remission of sinne or whether it be a forme of prayer which the godly man comming vnto God doth preferre in his presence it is not materiall but howsoeuer it is the speech of one assured of the pardon of his sinnes and from that assurance this confidence ariseth to say Thou art my secret place whence note that The Fountayne of Gods protection and our assurance of deliuerance in trouble is from the remission of sinnes A man cannot say Thou art my secret place till he can say Thou forgauest my sinne Iob 22. 21 to 25. Acquaint thy selfe I pray thee with God and make peace and so shalt thou haue prosperity If thou put away iniquitie the Almightie shall be thy defence when others are cast downe thou shalt say I am lifted vp Psal. 103. 3. The Prophet prouoking his soule to praise the Lord for all his benefits reckons vp the healing of all his infirmities and the redeeming of his life from the graue but before all these hee setteth forgiuenesse of sinnes as the Leader and the cause of all the rest thereby shewing that all other of Gods mercies haue their rise from hence as from their head and originall First sinne layeth open the sinner to all Gods wrath and the curses of the Law in this life the life to come it sets a man as a butt against whom the Lord shooteth all the arrowes of his displeasure sinne not remitted makes vs enemies to God and God to vs so as we cannot expect any other but fruits of hatred Exod. 32. 25. Israel hauing worshipped the Calfe was naked to Gods iudgements and hauing sinned a sinne could not stand before the men of Ai Iosh. 7. 11 12. Sinne is transgression that is a thrusting of vs out of our way and so from vnder Gods protection who hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs to keepe vs no longer then we are in our way Psal. 91. 11. Secondly this is Gods couenant who promising to put his Law into their inward parts and to write it in their hearts and to become their God and accept them for his people he giueth the reason of all the former articles because he would forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Ier. 31. 33 34. And indeed euery-where wee may obserue how God begins all our good here Ier. 32. 41. First he takes away the sinnes of his people and then delights to doe them good to watch ouer them to build and to plant them And Hos. 2. 17 18 First the Lord takes their Baalim from his people and then makes a couenant and marries his Church vnto himselfe and then to safeguard his Spouse hee makes a league with the Beasts of the field with the Fowles of heauen and creeping things then will hee breake the Bow and Sword and battell out of the earth that they may sleepe safely While man kept couenant with God hee had dominion ouer the Creatures but rebelling against God by sinne the Creatures rebell against him and now God making and renewing his couenant againe with man himselfe reneweth also this clause of it concerning the Creatures that they shall be at peace which is no other then a promise of protection Thirdly confidence is a fruit of faith for wee must first beleeue God to be our God before we can be perswaded that his mercy and truth belongs to vs our ground for our confidence in outward mercies and deliuerances must bee an assurance of his inward loue in which wee may glorie as Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast downe O my soule trust in God he is my God and my present helpe And Rom. 8. 33. the Apostle laying this ground It is God that iustifieth challengeth with great confidence principalities and powers things present things to come and all creatures as too weake and impotent to separate vs from Christ. Fourthly what doe the Scriptures else teach vs while euery-where they make the particulars of our comfort fruits of this root as Luk. 1. 74. Deliuerance from all enemies proceedes from the release of the punishment of sinne Our peace with God boldnesse with him accesse to the Throne of grace come from our iustification by faith Rom. 5. 1. Peace at home in our owne soules is a fruit of remission of sinne Luk. 7. 7. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Goe in peace Yea our whole redemption from first to last from all enemies spirituall and temporall and all the fruits of sinne is called by the name of remission of sinne Ephes. 1. 7. and Col. 1. 14. and in the entrie of our Psalme we haue shewed that all our blessednesse is placed in remission of sinne But then it seemes that where men are not protected and deliuered from danger that their sinnes are not remitted This was the error of the Iewes that they thought those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell greater sinners then the rest and those whose bloud Herod mingled with the sacrifices But wee must know that the Lord doth performe his promises of temporall deliuerances and benefits not absolutely but conditionally so farre as will stand with his wisedome and glorie and the good and saluation of his owne children Sometimes the Viper cannot hurt Paul nor the Lyons Daniel but againe sometimes they may bee ouer-taken with dangers and seeme to be left in them but so as first they are sanctified to the former mayne ends and secondly as they are good for
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
rest in himselfe when he was thus forced to be absent Secondly the peeuishnesse of men is hence discouered that will not haue their liues marked nor their actions scanned the Minister must set no eyes vpon them they will endure no obseruing no reproofe Oh what hath he to doe with me I will doe what I list for all him Nay but he must obserue thy wayes he must guide thee with his eye hee must ouer-see thy course and warne thee out of thy speciall sinnes and if he cannot hinder or preuent thy damnation he must preuent his owne by warning and admonishing thee Nay if God haue made euery Christian anothers watchman and all the godly mutuall Keepers of each other which is a speciall fruit of the communion of Saints as appeares in those exhortations to obserue one another to prouoke to loue and good workes and Let euery man looke on the things of another c. much more must the Minister obserue the wayes of his people Thirdly see hence both the necessitie of the Ministerie which God hath erected in the Church as a guide to heauen and how vvee should entertayne it How kindly do Trauellers recompence faithfull guides How barbarous were it for a man to abuse him that gently guideth him through a dangerous and vnknowne way and yet what good guide in the Ministrie meeteth not with such vnnaturall dealing from naturall and vngodly men so much of the Preface Now followes the Exhortation VERS 9. Be not like the Horse or Mule c. IN these wordes is contayned the third generall vse of the former doctrine of Gods free mercy in iustifying and sauing the humble and penitent sinner hereupon inferring the dutie of humble subiection and obedience vnto God This is propounded in a precept dehortatorie disswading from brutish senselesnesse and peruerse obstinacy which are two mayne lets to repentance and godly sorrow and the Prophet layeth it downe by way of dissimilitude betweene man to whom God hath giuen a reasonable soule and Beasts deuoide of reason and vnderstanding especially such as are in a further degree of stupiditie and dulnesse then sundrie other of the Creatures be of vvhich sort he nameth two the Horse and the Mule from vvhose nature Nature it selfe hath taught vs not to depart onely but also to abhorre because vvee are made after the Image of God in knowledge and vnderstanding The things wherein vve must be vnlike these creatures are two First they are vnteachable which vnderstand not saith the Text Creatures they are vncapable of instruction you can perswade them vvith no Reason or Eloquence Secondly they are vntractable and therefore it is said Thou bindest them with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee they are wilde by nature and if they be not well watcht and hampered they will bite and strike their owners Herein must euery man professing the feare of God be vtterly vnlike them For the further opening of the wordes sundrie questions are to be answered as First Why is the Prophet so harsh and sharpe vvith his Scholers Are wee not commanded to be soft and gentle vnto all men and to instruct them with all meekenesse considering our selues were once deceiued Dauid was directed by a good Spirit and went vpon a good ground First he speakes out of his owne experience hee knew vvhat himselfe was a little before while he hardned himselfe in his willingnesse to keepe his sinne Psal. 73. 22. I was foolish and ignorant euen as a beast before thee Hee knew the strength of other mens corruptions the hardnesse of their knots by his owne and sees they haue neede of as hard vvedges as hee and yet after a sort makes himselfe a copy and instance in this sharpe reproofe Be not as I vvas euen like the Horse or Mule Secondly hee manifests a notable fruit of his owne true repentance that hauing left his sinne he cannot speake of it but with disgrace and testification of the lothsomnesse of it as it is a bad signe of impenitency when a man can speake any thing friendly of his sinnes past Whatsoeuer hath much lothed vs in time past we cannot name it or thinke of it without dislike And as hee be wrayes his owne zeale against his owne sinne so doth he assure himselfe that all that are truely touched care not how disgracefully their sinnes be dealt withall Thirdly he would checke the pride of sinners who thinke so well of themselues but in the state of nature are not only like but farre worse then any of the brute beasts True humilitie will make a man thinke of himselfe as of the basest creature Christ gaue the Woman of Canaan diuers checks and at length he called her a Dogge Truth Lord said shee shee thought no better of herselfe then so Fourthly though our softnesse and meekenesse must moderate our heate towards the sinner yet must it not abate our heate and zeale against the sinne it selfe againe wee must so haue compassion on some persons offending considering the circumstances of sinnes as others wee must saue with feare Further we must so consider our selues in times past as wee forget not our selues for the present Are vvee now healed then our zeale is more against sinne then euer before and as zeale increaseth so doth our hatred of sinne daily Lastly whom deales Dauid withall but obstinate and wilfull sinners vvho are no better then corrupt and brutish nature made them Secondly Why doth he name these creatures the Horse and the Mule and not the Lyon or any other First because these are best knowne vnto vs that his true meaning might appeare to the meanest and breake out sensibly in his comparison to the simplest Hearer Secondly that in their properties naturall men might see their owne as first these creatures are led by sensualitie not by reason no more are naturall men but led by the same guide Secondly euery man sees these creatures lower then that they can rise vp to the vnderstanding and iudgement of humane actions and so are they in the things of God 2. Pet. 2. 12. Thirdly how often doe these creatures especially if better fed lift vp the heele against their Feeder neuer or seldome acknowledge the Owner of their fat pasture they cast off their Rider and grow insolent so doe they Deuter. 32. 15. Fourthly the Horse longer then the spurre or bit is vpon him is in no awe so wicked men neither spurre nor bridle auailes them to amendment Fiftly the Horse wanting reason to his strength and courage rusheth fiercely and fearelesly into any danger so euery wicked man turneth to his race as the Horse into the battell Ier. 8. 4 6. Sixtly the Mule is a creature not of the creation of God but against his institution Gen. 36. 24. and a wicked man is a degenerate creature not of Gods making but against his Law a Mule arising by strange copulation with Sinne Satan there was neuer a wicked man when God said of all
sorrowes of it freed vs from the guilt of sinne appeased the wrath of God abolished eternall death and destroyed the Deuils Kingdome Now the Sonne thus freeing vs we are free indeed Oh! the greatnesse of this deliuerance should astonish vs whereby we auoid those great and insuperable euils which otherwise had for euer oppressed vs. Now in way of thankefulnesse First beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blind man Thou art made whole sinne no more Secondly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Luc. 7. 47. Thirdly Studie to please him in all things Psal. 116 8. Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Fourthly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psalme 126. 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reio yee and say with Mary Luc. 1. 49. Hee that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name But hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him THis is the second motiue or enforcement of Christian obedience wherein first consider the meaning of the wordes Hee that trusteth in the Lord here is a description of a godly man by a Periphrasis A godly man is not hee that wants all sinne but he that being a Beleeuer manifesteth the fruit of faith in reposing himselfe vpon Gods mercie as the rocke of his safetie Thus the Church is described comming out of the Wildernesse and leaning on her well-beloued Cant. 8. 5. And the people of Gods delight are such as feare God and attend vpon his mercie Mercie hee sayth not ioy as in true opposition he should haue said for ioy is properly opposed to sorrow not mercie but in this Word First he both includeth that and Secondly he noteth also the ground of the godlies reioycing which is mercie not merit Thirdly mercie also vpholds and preserues this ioy Shall compasse him opposed to the many sorrowes of wicked ones and it noteth First a full and complete felicitie of the godly Secondly the large goodnesse of God towardes them not giuing them onely one blessing or mercie or of one kind but besetting them and meeting them at euery corner with mercies Thirdly that Dauid had here tasted abundantly of mercie and hauing assurance of the pardon of sinne had experience in his owne person and here speakes of it according to his abundant sense of it Fourthly that being now compassed with mercie hee would allure and perswade euery godly man to get the pardon of his sinne also and that is mercie enough Out of this exposition ariseth this instruction namely that Hee that trusteth in God shall haue a plentifull part in the mercies of God mercie shall compasse him Psal. 103. 11. As high as the Heauens are aboue the Earth so great is his mercie towards them that feare him Psal. 125. 2. As the Mountaines compasse Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people Zach 2. 5. The LORD promiseth to the Church to bee a wall of fire round about her and her glorie in the midst of her Here are euery where mercies within and without And the reasons of this point are these First the godly are vessels prepared for mercie Rom. 9. 23. Whom God hath chosen to declare the riches of his glorie vpon Secondly where Gods comfortable presence is there are great mercies because he is great in mercie Isa. 55. 7. and rich in mercie Ephes. 2. 4. Where the Sunne is there is abundant light and where the Sea is there must bee abundant water Now Gods promise on his part and the faith and trust of the godly on their part holds God present with his people at all times Thirdly the mercie that God sheweth to the godly is great in kind because it is a speciall mercie which is peculiar to them flowing from speciall loue True it is that the Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his worke Psal. 145. 9. that is there is no worke of his hands which receiueth not from him some mercie But that is but a generall mercie as when the Sunne shines on the good and bad and the raine fals on euery mans ground by this hee sends away the worst men with good gifts But there is a speciall mercie reserued for the Elect and reseruing the Inheritance for them to these hee is not only a mercifull Lord but a mercifull Father a Father of mercies rich in mercie Psal. 103. 3. As a Father pities his Children so the Lord pities them that feare him A mercifull man pities his beast much more his brother but if his childe bee in distresse his pitie is more inward and working as his affection is such is the compassion of God towardes his Children who is therefore sayd to haue bowels of compassion Fourthly GODS mercie is great in quantitie and measure it filleth all the space betweene the Earth and Heauen and all the distance betweene East and West Psal. 103. 11. 12. so as if a man bee betweene Earth and Heauen or within the quarters of eyther this mercie must compasse him Dauid shewes the vnmeasurable measure of it Psal. 40. 5. O Lord thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse For the better cleering of the point although wee can neuer set out the infinite mercies with which God compasseth his Elect yet wee may point at some of them especially those speciall ones which are peculiar to the godly and which like the childrens bread are not cast vnto Dogges it faring with the godly as with a mightie rich man that knowes no end of his wealth Though hee cannot haue his eye ouer it all yet his thoughts sometimes are vpon his goodliest Mannors his Treasury his most precious Pearles and Iewels The kinds of this mercy towards the godly concerne eyther this life or the life to come The first and chiefe mercie the fountaine of all is that euen in this life God hath pleased to afford vs himselfe the chiefe good that himselfe is become our portion Psal. 16. 5. and that the soules of his people can rest and stay themselues in him alone and ioy in the light of his countenance when the World doth what it can to make them miserable Psalme 73. 25. Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and whom haue I in comparison of thee My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Now can an Hypocrite euer reioyce in God or what comfort can he haue in God who is not in couenant with him heere then is a speciall mercy without bound or banke euen infinite as God himselfe is Secondly from hence
flowe all other mercies that we enioy as streames of it first temporall concerning this present life as health life liberty wealth peace prosperity good name c. Oh but the wicked haue all these True but first not in a right tenure they are vsurpers they haue no right in themselues no part in Christ to recouer it Secondly not by vertue of any promise or couenant Thirdly not in any holy or sanctifyed vse for To the impure all things are impure Fourthly none of their prosperity is ioyned with Gods loue but his hatred which is a secret poyson in them whereas Psal. 35. 27. the Lord loueth the prosperitie of his seruant he ioynes them both together Secondly spirituall things euen in these also how hath God compassed vs with mercies euen for the present First What a world of mercy was and is in that one gift of his Sonne to bee our reconciliation when we were firebrands of hell that the blessed Sonne of God would descend from the glory of heauen and giue himselfe to the death of the Crosse and the paines of hell to redeeme vs from all iniquitie The Apostle conceiues of this as of a rich mercy Ephes. 1. 7. by whom saith he we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace This is the com passing mercy meant in our text euen redemption from sinne by Christ both from the guilt and punishment of it a free mercy a full mercy an Ocean of mercy drawing vs out of a gulfe and bottomlesse sea of sorrowes euerlasting Dauid amplifyeth this mercy Psa. 86. 13. Great is thy mercy towards mee for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell Secondly What an infinite mercy peculiar to the godly is that of his spirit to take vp our hearts for his temples when wee were spiritually possessed of the deuill by the same spirit hee doeth daily cleanse vs and wash vs and beautifyeth our soules with heauenly graces teacheth vs leadeth vs into all trueth comforteth vs with heauenly consolations in all distresses What a great mercy was it when Christ opened the eyes of the blinde or healed the deafe and lame yea or when hee raised Lazarus being dead but God regenerating vs by his Spirit doeth all these for vs he giues sight to vs being blinde sayth to our deafe eares Be open yea restores vs to life being dead in trespasses and sinnes and makes vs able to mooue and stirre in good wayes Those great workes of the Sonne of God were all miraculous but heere is a miracle aboue them all yea one mercy consisting of many miracles Thirdly What a mercy is it not onely to giue them his word as hee doth also to the wicked but also to make it the immortall seede of their new birth and the syncere milke to feede them to make it a preseruatiue from many great sinnes which the wicked daily commit open and secret to put it into their handes as a sword to cut off Satans temptations to make it vnto them a rule of faith and a rule of life able to make the man of God perfect to euery good worke to make it a sound stay and comfort to support them in all their troubles wherein else they must needs sinke In this respect the child of God is compassed with a multitude of mercies all which the wicked are strangers vnto Fourthly What an inexhaust treasure of mercy is it that the godly enioy that whereas God heareth not sinners that is wicked ones he not onely giueth them leaue to come freely to the throne of Grace to aske any good thing for them but also much assurance in their soules of obtaining any thing they aske because of his promise Aske and yee shall haue If earthly fathers can giue good things to their children much more will our heauenly Father giue not onely what we aske but euen abundantly aboue that we are able to aske or to thinke Ephes. 3. 20. Can that man bee other then beset with mercy who hath a meanes to get within Gods store-house and treasury when hee will Can hee that is able by the prayer of faith with Israel to preuaile with God want abundance of blessings Great is the power of feruent prayer for mercy It can obtaine and force the sunne to stand still It can commaund the cloudes to raine or not to raine It can get children for the barren and life to the dead and if our prayer be weake Christs intercession hath power enough for vs Iohn 11. 22 42. Oh that wicked men knew the power of prayer how quickely then would they come to Gods mercy-gate Fiftly What a mercy is it peculiar to the Saints to haue peace of conscience and ioy of their estate that whereas wicked men are often vexed euer lyable to infinite horrors feares and inward torments which are the beginnings of hell they beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God the spirit of bondage and feare and tumult is gone and the spirit of adoption dwells in their hearts which makes them cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. And whereas the wicked haue no peace but a senslesse vnfeelingnesse of their estate the godly haue peace in them which as the Apostle saith passeth vnderstanding because first neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently conceiue it Secondly neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently esteeme or prize it according to the worth and value of it plainly implying it to bee such a mercy as for the greatnesse ouerwhelmes him that hath it an infinite and vnbounded mercy called the peace of God which hee beginneth and maintaineth heere and perfecteth and preserueth for all eternity But how standeth this with all those euills and miseries with which the godly are beset in this life Can they be beset both with misery and mercy too This is a sixt and last mercie therfore special to them that they are neuer more compassed with mercie then when they seeme most miserable Habak 3. 2. The Lord in iudgement remembreth mercie For first nothing is properly euill but that which comes from diuine reuenge but nothing comes so vpon the godly Christ hath carried away all the reuenge of their sinnes so that their crosses come from mercie Secondly they are attended with mercy for God hath first fitted his seruants for afflictions before he brings them Religion hath patience which if the house be not filled with plenty makes a sallet of green herbs more daintie thē the sweetest dishes of wicked men it hath strength aboue which the triall shall not be it hath subiection and silence to God and can blesse him both in giuing and in taking away Thirdly Gods mercy reioyceth in iudgement against iudgement three waies first magnifying himselfe secondly training his chosen thirdly teaching others and all by the troubles of his children The first in two respects first when iudgement begins at Gods house he declares his hatred against sinne and mercifully by
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