offered vnto God for vs is accepted as our righteousnes and the reward of it is giuen vnto vs. His righteousnes is our righteousnes yea hee himselfe is our righteousnes and in him we are righteous not without reference vnto that place of the Prophet Ieremie doeth the Apostle Paul say thus of him You are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption First he is made vnto vs wisdome that is in him and by the knowledge of him wee attaine vnto that wisdome which only is worthy of that name which philosophie and all the religions in the world the Gospell of Iesus Christ excepted could neuer afford vs for this wisdome maketh vs wise vnto saluation secondly he is made vnto vs righteousnes that is by the imputation of his righteousnes vnto vs we are accepted as righteous and holy and are in him righteous and holy Thirdly he is made vnto vs sanctification that is in him and by the vertue of his death and resurreotion we are recouered out of the dominion of sinne and haue power giuen vs to keepe vnder suppresse mortifie our earthly members and carnall lusts and doe euen in this sinfull world make beginning to serue God in holines and righteousnes with sinceritie and truth of heart Lastly he is giuen to be vnto vs redemption that is when we are once made wise by the knowledge of him and are iustified by his imputed righteousnes sanctified by his quickning grace we shall in the end vndoubtedly come to full redemption in heauen by him And by his meanes thou which of thy selfe art an vncleane person such an one as the holines of heauen may iustly denie entrance vnto art made in Iesus Christ a most holy and pure person worthily admitted by the holines of God to enter into glory And this other part of thy feare and so thy whole obiected feare is remoued the iustice of God that will haue sinne punished and the holines of God that will suffer no vncleane thing to stand before him both hauing receiued full satisfaction in the mediation of Iesus Christ Iustice in his death suffred for vs and holines in his perfect obedience and righteousnes imputed vnto vs so free way is made for the mercy of God which thou foolishly callest prodigall mercy For nothing euer was with more wise prouision bestowed to come vnto thee to forgiue thy great and abominable sinnes and to saue a great and an abominable sinner Now therefore fall to praier in the name of so gracious a mediator intreat the most merciful louing God to forgiue thy sins to receiue thee to fauor And for thy incouragement first vnderstand that without exception of any sin whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or aduisedly done the Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen thee leaue yea hee hath commanded thee to craue the forgiunes of thy sins teaching and commanding thee to say vnto God Forgiue vs our sinnes Looke then vpon the sinnes that lye so heauie vpon thy conscience marke thē well and if thou findest them to be thine as i◅ most like thou shalt know that thou hast leaue giuen thee and art also commanded to be a suitor for the forgiuenes of them whatsoeuer they be being sins And consider by whom this leaue and this commandement is giuen thee euen by him that is appointed to be the iudge of quicke and dead who while he giueth thee leaue commandement hath also himselfe drawne the petition for thee by which thou art commanded and permitted to craue the forgiuenes And surely it is a beginning of mercy granted to grant thee leaue and to imbolden thee with a commandement to aske for mercy his rule being Aske and it shall be giuen thee And it is not with out hope yea great hope of forgiuenes of sins when the iudge that hath power to grant it doth both permit thee command thee instruct thee how ◅o craue it This being also on of his rulers in the fore remēbred place Seek ye shall find Secondly to incorage thee further vnderstand that without exception of any sinne whether in time of ignorance or of knowledge vnaduisedly or advisedly done almighty God against whom thy sinne is commited and whose heauie wrath for thy sinnes thou art so greatly afraid of hath promised both to forgiue and forget thy sins saying I will forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more And when doeth God giue this promise but when hee maketh a couenant with his people whereby he bindeth himselfe vnto them And what shall we say was not God aduised of his owne meaning and considerate when he made this promise who can say otherwise of the most wise God but that he was aduised Or did he dissemble or promise this fainedly when he had no meaning to performe it who can say otherwise of the God of trueth but that he fully intended to performe his promise or hath hee forgotten now what hee promised then that by this meanes his promise should be as no promise because not remembred to be euer giuen who can imagine this of that God who knew all his owne workes from the beginning to whom all times both past and to come are euer present and of whom the Prophet saith He hath alwaies remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations Looke then againe vpon the sinnes that are so heauie vpon thy conscience and marke them well and if they be thy sinnes which thou canst not denie as the Lord Iesus hath giuen thee leaue by his commandement to aske forgiuenes so God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath promised to grant thee forgiuenes of them Here is a dore of mercy set wide open enter confidently but humbly with thy praier in the name of Iesus the mediator Thou hast the promise of the God of trueth of that God whose word is his deed who saith As I haue spoken so will I bring it to passe And what or whome shouldest thou now be afraid of CHAP. XIX BVT the afflicted sinner that cānot easily cast off this cleauing burden to his owne further trouble obiecteth against the incouragment giuen him from the commandement of the Lord Iesus to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes affirming that that gracious commandement giuing so franke leaue and so large hope of asking and obtaining forgiuenesse neither doth nor can pertaine vnto him pleading against himselfe in this manner This commandement of Christ that giueth leaue to aske and hope to receiue forgiuenesse of sins cannot belong vnto me neither haue I any right to the benefit and aduantage of it because that commandement is giuen to them that can call God their father for so beginneth the Lords praier wherein that commandement is comprehended our father which art in heauen But cannot call God my father neither haue I any
God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the couenant of thy fathers which hee sware vnto them Vnto this I might ad many promises of like nature assuring health and comfor vnto humbled spirits that seekâ—… mercy at the hands of God with teares and sigheâ—… and grones their hearts refusing to take ioy and delight in any thing till they may recouer againe Gods fauour and once againe see the light of his countenance Dauid commendeth God by this gracious propertie of comforting such deiected creatures saying The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are readie to fall And in another place He healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their sores Pray thou therefore vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ and pray with comfort of heart and when thou hast made request vnto God accept no answere but from God First hee answereth comfortably in his word to all such as thou art comming vnto him With that first answere appease thy troubled minde till God in his rich mercy by his deed of deliuerance giue thee a further answer Obserue these rules and if thou wert at this present in as bad taking as the Ephejians were at the first of whom Paul speaketh 〈◊〉 Yeâ—… were at that time without Christ 〈◊〉 were alines from the commonwealth of 〈◊〉 and were strangers from the coueâ—… of promise and had no hope and were 〈◊〉 God in the world Yet thou shalt â—…ortly become as they became afterward of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said in the next â—…ords But now in Christ Iesus yee which 〈◊〉 were farâ—… of are made neare by the 〈◊〉 of Christ. And a little after Yee are no more strangers and foreners but Citizens with the saints and all the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone Here iâ—… a change worthy to be obserued they which were without God without Christ without hope and strangers from the communion of Saints are made the sonnes of God the Disciples of Christ the heires of the promises and Citizens of heauen filled with all hope grounded vpon that foundation of trueth against which the gates of hell shall neâ—…er preuaile Put away therefore all these offences the Lord is thy God his eare will harken vnto thee Iesus Christ is thy mediator pray in his name the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen thou shalt find them in the scriptures And when thou knowest not to pray powre out thy heart vnto God in sigheâ—… and teares and grones repell wandring thoughts when thou praiest and lift vp thy mind vnto God 〈◊〉 trust in him when thou hast praied waiting patiently for his answere These things doe with all cheerefulnes as thou art able and the God of peace shall send thee peace CHAP. XXVI YET is not the mind quiet nor indeed can be till God bring the temptation to an issue remoue his burden In the meane time though he cannot charge himselfe out of any reason yet hee ceaseth not to charge himselfe out of feare and saith that this condition is not doubtfull and questionable whether hee may obtaine mercy or no if it were no worse there were some hope but his condition is certainly euill miserable for saith he I am forsaken of God I am a lost child the very sonne of perdition and I am a reprobate a far more vile sinner then many reprobates and therefore you labour in vaine that offer comfort to me and that take so much paine to answere my obiections you may well deuise answers before me and other men but they are vnanswerable before the iudgement seate of God where I must appeare for my sinne Ah Lord God whereof thou knowest we be made thou vnderstandest that we are but dust wilt thou permit so weak creatures to be assaulted with so strong â—…tion yea Lord thou wilt to thy glory thou wilt that thy power may be made perfect through weaknes and that the sufficiencie of thy grace may be knowne by helping that thou maist be found worthy of that honorable name that the Apostle giues thee calling thee The father of mercies and God of all comfort Helpe therefore with thy mercy helpe with thy comfort instruct me to speake thereof and giue to this afflicted sinâ—…er the powerfull feeling thereof to whoÌ„ now I turne my speech in thy name In this temptation I hope the deuill hath spit his last poison If this brunt may be indured and ouercome I hope peace wil grow speedily by the blessing of the God of peace And for answer vnto this obiection first I say That if these words had beene spoken by the Lord himselfe I would haue stood astonished at the hearing of so fearefull a sentence I would haue kept silence for reuerence of the speaker and without reply I would haue laied my hand vpon my mouth and haue glorified God in his iudgements I would haue said vnto him as Iob said Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will answer no more yea twise but I will proceed no further But I doe vnderstand from whence these words doe come from thence I take vnto me comfort of replying for I find them to arise out of that soile that breedeth errors and lies Therefore they are subiect to exception Thou thy selfe art in mine eares the immediate speaker and against thee and this speech of thine I haue iust exception First the thing whereof thou presumest to pronounce is a thing exempted from mans iudgement and whereof no man hath leaue to pronounce till God by some euident tokens doe manifest his owne purpose Three things there are saith one which are exempt from mans iudgement The first is the word of God what hee hath spoken that must stand man hath no power to iudge it otherwise then in humilitie to reuerence it The second thing is Gods eternal counsell which is onely knowne vnto himselfe And no mâ—…n can say it is thus or thus vntill God by his apparant worke do manifest it The third thing is the reprobation of particular men whereof no man is able to pronounce nor indeed ought to iudge either himselfe or any other to be of that number God saueth and condemneth whom he will not whom we assigne and nominate Oft times they are vile in the sight of God whom wee approue and honour and oft times they are honourable and precious in Gods eies whom we thinke meanly of Paul saith of him He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth It resteth wholy in the will of God and it is not as we fancie thinke or iudge Of euery particular man the same Apostle saith Hee standeth or falleth to his owne Master that is as God our Maister shall be
that may fall vpon vs as for example Ioseph was sould vnto strangers and imprisoned in Aegypt the men of Zeklag were spoiled of all that they had in their absence with Dauid Abiathar of the house of Eli was cast out by Salomon from being Priest vnto the Lord warre and famine and the anger of Princes yea many inferior causes breed many calamities the only sure way of casting our burden vpon God is to acknowledge the worke of God in our calamity patiently to beare what he laieth vpon vs and heartily to pray vnto him for succour That wee ought to acknowledge Gods worke in our calamity and patiently to beare his pleasure Iob doth teach vs saying Shall we receiue good things at the hand of God and not receiue euill Surely we doe neuer deserue any good at the hand of God and wee doe continually deserue euill what reason then haue we to desire euer to receiue good that we neuer deserue and neuer to receiue euill that we euer deserue Patience therefore in bearing the calamity that God laieth vpon vs doth well become the sonnes of men And that in our calamity wee ought to pray vnto God if wee would haue him to ease vs of our burden is so cleare that wee neede no proofe for it What man is hee religious or profane beleuer or vnbeleuer that doth not in his calamity remember God looke vp to heauen and pray to God the Mariners in the ship whereinto Ionas was entered when he fled from God when the storme vpon the sea was sore and the tempest proued a calamity vnto them so that they threw the wares out of the ship into the sea to lighten the ship for safty of their liues without instruction they could then according to their knowledge of God fall to praier For so it is written The Mariners were affraid and cried euery man vnto his God Though it be not generall with all men being in calamity and misery to beare it patiently yet it is generall with all men in calamity and misery to pray for ease So that a religious man being burdened with any calamity needeth not so much to be taught that it is fit for him to pray as hee needeth to be comforted by being put in hope that God will in due time answer his praier as surely he will if he be called vpon in the name of his beloued sonne For so hath the Lord Iesus assured vs saying Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Let him pray therefore vnto God the father in the name of the Lord Iesus and patiently attend the Lords leisure and in due time he wil haue mercy vpon him This is when any calamity is fallen vpon vs to cast our burden vpon the Lord for our ease If it be the feare of death that is thy burden and perhaps with regard vnto others that shall be in some danger by thy death as wife children seruants and others that haue their education and maintenance vnder thee First the burden of feare of death is made easie to a godly man by many considerations in al which he casâ—…eth his burden vpon the Lord. First hee will consider that it is common to all Adams posteritie Aâ—… Dauid being ready to die saith vnto his sonne Salomon I goe the way of all the earth therefore death ought not to seeme fearefull to thee that is common to all Secondly hee will consider that hee cannot die before the time appoynted of God that gaue him life and assigned from euerlasting the certaine length of it as Iob saith Is there not an appoynted time to man vppon earth And shall any desire longer life then the giuer of life alloweth Or shall any be grieued to resigne his life into the handes of him that gaue it Thirdly hee will consider that the end of life shall bee the end of trouble vnto him that his death shall bring him rest from all troubles as the Spirit of God from heauen hath proclaimed saying ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labor Rest and ease from weary labour is obtained by our death and departure out of this life Fourthly hee will consider that the sting and danger and all bitternesse of death is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ and death vnto the Saints is made the gate of life the Apostle saying O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Lastly for his ease of feare in the approach of death yea for the filling of his heart with all true comfort in death that he may rather desire and long for then any way feare the houre of his death he will consider that his death shal be the gathering of him vnto Christ his redeemer as the Apostle saith Desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all For while we liue in the world we are absent from the Lord and we walke by faith and not by sight But when we depart this world wee are gathered vnto him to dwel for euer with him And that is performed which hee promised saying Though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe aud receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also By these considerations is the burden of the feare of death made easie to a beleeuer and in all these considerations doth hee cast his burden vpon the Lord for his ease If hee therefore feare his owne death because others shall want him his wife shal be a widow his children shal be fatherlesse his seruants shal be orphanes and many shall misse him that now haue a helper of him and for their sakes rather then for himselfe hee is afraid to die This burthen is to bee cast vppon God by commending them vnto his prouidence who giueth food to al flesh because his mercy indureth for euer and who is the keeper of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And that hee may doe this the more comfortably for the ease of his heart let him remember that the Lord saith All soules are mine both the soule of the father and also the soule of the sonne are mine He that created thee and had a care of thee as the worke of his handes to maintaine thee created also thy wife thy children thy seruants and thy poore friends and therefore hath also a care of them as the worke of his hands to maintaine them And hee that gaue his Sonne for thee to redeeme thee and therefore had a fatherly care for thee to doe all things for thy preseruation and saluation did also giue his Sonne for them to redeeme them and therefore also hath a fatherly care of them to doe all
of Hezekiah his father it is likly that he had been carefully taught and that his father did no more leaue him without counsell at his departure out of life then Dauid wheÌ„ he was ready to die did leaue his sonne Salomon When the dayes of Dauid drew neare that he should die he charged Salomon his sonne saying I goe the way of all the earth be strong therefore shew thy selfe a man and take heede to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his waies c. Thus out of his care did he not cease while there was life and strength in himselfe to teach his sonne his dutie to God And of Hezekiah it is testified that hee did vprightly iâ—… 3. the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Dauid bad done therefore it is not likely that either in the time of health or in the time of his sickenes hee neglected the instruction of his son that should succeed him It must needes bee therefore that Manasses sin was against knowledge euen in his childhood much more afterward Sure it was with full freedome of his will euen with a high hand of whom it is thus written He did euill in the sight of the Lord like the abhomination of the heathen whoÌ„ the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel for he went backe built the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken downe he set vp Alters for Baalim and made groues and worshiped all the hoast of Heauen and serued them Also he built Alters in the house of the Lord where of the Lord had said in Ierusulem shall my name be for euer And he built Alters for all the hoast of the heaueÌ„ in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his sonnes to passe through the fire in the vallie of Benhinnom he gaue himselfe here was full sway of his owne will to witchcraft and to charming and to sorcery and he vsed them that had familiar spirits and soothsayers he did very much euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him c. Here was a man violent headstrong yea mad and furious in his sinne and not in small but in the greatest sinnes not onely against the second table but much more against the commandements of the first table in all kindes of idolatry and all vngodly profanations and yet hee found fauour at the hands of God who first brought him to repentance by 〈◊〉 and then forgiuing his sinne restored him to peace The history wherof is thus recorded The Lord brought vpon him the captaines of the hoast of the King of Ashur which tooke Manasses and put him in fetters and bound him 〈◊〉 chaines and caried him to Baâ—…ell And when he was in tribulation he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his father and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome then Manasses know that the Lord was God Now after this he built a wall without the Citie of Dauid on the west side of Gihon in the valley euen at 〈◊〉 entry of the fish-gate and compassed about Ophet and raised it very high and put Captaines of war in all the strong Citties of Iudah And he tooke away the strange Gods and the image out of the house of the Lord all the Alters that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the Citie Also he prepared the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace offrings and of thankes and commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel Consider seriously this example weigh therein on the one side the sinne of the man on the other side the mercy of God In Manasses thou shalt see the height of thy sinne equalled if not exceeded and in God thou shalt see mercy exceeding all sinne And where such mercy appeareth what should make the sinner doubt of finding fauour while he seeketh it with a true purpose of leauing his sinne and true faith and hearty praier I might ad herevnto the example of that theefe that was crucified at the same time with the Lord Iesus vpon his right hand to whom making his paier to Iesus in these words Lord remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome The Lord again mâ—…de him this answere ful of most rich mercy this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice This man liuing among the people of Iudah could not be ignorant of the commandement of God forbidding theft therefore his sin was against knowledge And making a trade of theft thereby to maintaine himselfe there was no violence offred to his will but freely willingly and with choyce he followed that course and was euen a couenant seruant of sinne reaping with delight the wages of iniquitie in the spoile that he made of the inocent And yet he found fauour and had his sinne forgiuen him and entred into life Who shall then dispaire of the mercy of God Saint Ambrose calles the historie of this man â—…ulcherrimum affectandae conuersionis exemplum A most Godly example to moue men to turne to God And these examples let our afflicted sinner consider seriously They are writtâ—…n for our instruction in them hee shall espie an hole in the wall of hope which will proue a dore of mercy for him to enter if he dig by hearty paier And for the further confirmation of his hope Let our afflicted sinner know that there is only one kinde of sinne vnpardonable and he shall find the sin that he is charged withall not to be that sin therefore to be pardonable And this is no small incouragmeÌ„t to know his sin how great so euer yet to be pardonable when a sicke man vnderstandeth his disease that will be mortall to him if hee neglect it yet to be curable if he looke to it in time apply apt medicines vnto it hee will take much comfort in that knowledge thenceforth he will diligently seek for remedy And so must our afflicted sinner when he shal vnderstand his sinne to be such as may be forgiuen comfort his soule with that consideration and thenceforth diligently vse the meanes that God our Phisition prescribeth and the effect by the mercy of God wil be health peace saluation Now that sinne that is vnpardonable is called in the Scripture blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Whereof our Sauiour speaketh in these wordes saying Verily I say vnto you all sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme but he that blasphems against the Holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenes but is culpable of eternall damnation Which sinne if wee consider the circumstances of the place where the Pharises are charged with it especially as that matter is recorded by Saint Mathew in his twelst
confession of thine vnworthines therein we all Gods children wil ioine with thee and euery man confesse that wee are not worthy of the least of Gods mercies because we haue beene vnthankefull for the comfort that wee haue reaped by them and haue also beene vnfaithfull not improueing them to the praise of God we will say with Iacob vnto God I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and all the trueth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant We will confesse vnto Christ with the Centurion and say I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And with the prodigall childe priuie to his owne riotous courses we will say to God as he said to his father Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne If vnthankefulnes can make thee vnworthy we cannot be worthy that haue beene as vnthankefull and if vnfaithfulnes can make thee vnworthy wee must stand by thee and confesse as much against our selues if any mans sinne may make him vnworthy then are wee as vnworthy as any man for wee also haue sinned and iustly displeased our God But the error is in this that because thou doest iudge thy selfe vnworthy of the good giftes of God therefore thou shouldest forbeare to vse them alas what should become of the creatures of God if all should forbeare to vse his guiftes that are vnworthy of his guiftes This must needes produce a generall decay of all Gods creatures Vnderstand therefore these things following First God doeth allow his blessings not to the worthy onely but to the vnworthy also Of him the Prophet saith The Lord is good vnto all and his mercies are ouer all his workes Because the creatures are the worke of his hands therefore without regard whether they be worthy or not worthy hee will extend his mercy vnto them Of him the Lord Iesus saith He maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust vniust God is not ignorant either of the worthines of the good and iust or of the vnworthines of the euill and vniust but hee regardeth the necessities of all and therefore because their grounds equally haue neede in time of droght of the dew of heauen and in time of winters cold of the refreshing warmth of the sunne therefore he giues the heate of the sunne and moisture of his clowdes to make all their groundes fruitefull be the owners of those groundes good or euill yet hee will bee good vnto them Secondly those men that haue in iudgement found and acknowledge their owne vnworthines yet in their necessities haue made suite vnto God for those good things which they wanted and haue thankefully receiued and cheerefully vsed the good things that God sent them Iacob that acknowledged his vnworthines euen then made request vnto God for his mercy to bee shewed him saying I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esaâ—… for I feare him least he will come and smile mee and the mother vpon the children for thou saidst I will surely doe thee good and make thy seede as the sand of the sea c. Hee earnestly craueth grace and mercy at Gods hands and that he may obtaine what he desireth he is bold to remember vnto God his gracious promise and he doeth all this euen when hee had in the same praâ—…er ackdowledged his vnworthines The Centâ—…rion that held himselfe so vile that he was not worthy to receiue Christ into his house yet euen then intreated mercy at his hand for his seruant saying Speake the word onely and my seruant shal be healed And his faithfull praier found fauour for his seruant was healed yea that prodigall child that is the patterne of all penâ—…tent sinners when hee did acknowledge his vnworthines yet euen then he made request for his fathers louing fauour saying Make me as one of thy hired seruants And his praier was heard himselfe was â—…eceiued into grace and hee obtained at his fathers hand whatsoeuer blessing a sonne might looke for so that neuer any well aduised childe of man howsoeuer â—…nowing himselfe vnworthy of the loue â—…nd mercies of God did yet either reâ—… to vse them when God did grant them or to intreat God for them when 〈◊〉 felt want of them Thirdly the good blessings of God by him giuen vnto vs are therefore giuen that wee should vse them that by the vse of them wee being refreshed 〈◊〉 see therein the fatherly â—…are of God for vs and his continuall â—…ountie and loue to vs and might so be â—…oued to giue him thankes and to trust in his mercy and being so giuen they ought not to be refused yea they canâ—…ot without our great sinne be refused for in refusing them we refuse God and the free offer of his mercy that he giueth his blessings to be vsed of vs Saint Paul teacheth vs saying Trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs ubundantly all things to inioy He giueth all things he giueth all things abundantly and hee giueth that aboundance to be vsed and inioied Therefore doeth the Prophet Dauid say Hee causeth grasse to grow for the cattell and herbe for the vse of man that he may bring forth bread out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oâ—…e to make the face to shine and bread that strengtheneth mans heart All this increase of Gods blessings the Prophet affirmeth to be giuen for mans vse and also in some sort limiteth that vse shewing vs what good God intendeth that wee should reape of his guiftes and hee intendeth his owne praise in this bountifull giuing of his blessings And therefore is it that Saint Paul at Listra commendeth to those gentiles the God that made the heauen earth commending him by his bountie in giuing those things so to make his goodnes knowen And therefore he speaketh thus of him He left not himselfe without witnes in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnes This good did God for the Gentiles he gaue them the dewe of heauen and fatnes of the earth with his guiftes hee filled their hearts that is satisfied their desires and made them to reioyce in the vse of those guiftes And all this he did for them to this ende that they might know the boundles goodnes of this God and that his blessings as so many faithfull witnesses might preach and declare this goodnes of his if by this meanes at the last they would turne backe from their idols to serue and please him and to this purpose serue the words of Moses vnto the people of Israel saying When thou hast eaten filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee In these words be
sinne that is called blasphemy against the holy Ghost is a pardonable sinne though certainly worthy of a thousand damnations According to that saying of Christ in the gospel Verily I say vnto you all sinnes shal be forgiuen to the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme Secondly that the Lord Iesus Christ hath commanded him and by his commandement giuen him leaue to aske forgiuenesse of sinnes and hath drawen for him a forme of petition by which to craue that forgiuenesse of our heauenly Father when he taught him in the Gospel to say Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen wee forgiue euery man that is indebted to vs. Thirdly that God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is rich in mercy to all that call vpon him hath promised both to forgiue and to forget all our sinne and iniquity In thosâ—… gracious words recordâ—…d by Ieremy I will forgâ—…ue their iniquity and remember theiâ—… sinnes no more Fourthly the condiâ—…ions to bee obserued on our part which God requireth where hee forgiueth sinnes and vpon which hee doth most assuredly forgiue sinnes haue beene shewed to be these three First repentance bringing forth in vs amendmeÌ„t of life according to that saying oâ—… the Lord in Ezekâ—…el Iâ—… the wicked will returne from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed they shal no be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Secondly loue vnto our brother in forgiuing vnto him whatsoeuer wrong he hath done vnto vs according to that saying oâ—… the Lord Iesus in the Gospel If yeâ—… doâ—… forgiue 〈◊〉 their trespasses your 〈◊〉 Father 〈◊〉 also forgiue you Thirdly saith in God expecâ—…ing at his hands that mercy that he hath promised to grant and exâ—…cting it in and 〈◊〉 his sonne Iesus Christ his sonâ—…e Iesus Christ his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the promises of God are yea and amen According to that most precious saying of the Lord in the Gospel Uerily verily 〈◊〉 to you whatsoeuer yee shall aske thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my name he will giue it yâ—…u These are grounds of truth giuing hope vnto vs that the burden of accusing thoughts may bee cast off and turned vpon God for the case of the poore sinner The rules of aduiâ—…e in obseruing whereof this burden is cast vpon God and the neglect whereof hindereth the caâ—…ling of this burden vpon God are these First that without deniall excu sing or extenuating of his sinne he doe ingenuously and fully confesse vnto God his sinne saying with the Prophet in the Psalme Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight For hee that seeketh by any meanes to hide extenuate or excuse his sinne before God as if he had not offended or had not deserued wrath by his offence shall not bee pardoned but he that freely confesseth shall finde fauour Salomon saith in the Prouerbs He that hideth his sinnes shal not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shal haue mercy Secondly let him patiently beare and without all murmuring the stroke of Gods hand which his confessed sins conuince him to be most worthy of and let him say with the Church I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him For murmuring impatience prouoketh God more The Prophet saith thus of God With the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward But patience winneth fauour at Gods hands for deliuerance The Apostle Peter saith Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Thirdly he must now hate sinne that hath bin so chargeable vnto him and inquire after the will of God and do it As Saint Peter likewise teacheth vs saying amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may bee done away For hee that continueth with delight in sinne shal neuer finde fauour but heapeth vp more wrath vnto himselfe against the day of wrath the Prophet saith Him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate A fourth aduice is that hee haue compassion vpon his fellow seruant and forgiue the offences of his brother putting from him all purpose of seeking reuenge for iniuries receiued As Saint Paul aduiseth saying Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another For he that hath no pitty vpon his brother and exacteth satisfaction of him shall finde no pitty with God and shall be solde to pay the vttermost farthing of his owne debt As the Lord Iesus hath plainly said If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses A fifth aduice is that he inâ—…orme himselfe daily more and more of the mercy of God merits of Iesus Christ by searching the Scriptures that doe beare witnesse therto that he may by this meanes grow to beleeue in God whereunto the written word affordeth great helpe for the saying of Iohn is true of all the Scriptures These things are written that yee might beleeue And without faith that staieth our mindes vpon God in the merit of his son there is no accesse vnto God as wee are taught by the Apostle saying Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Lastly he must with sighes and grones with humble and harty praiers solicite the maiesty of God continually that he will be pleased to respect him with fauour and to forgiue his sinnes as the Prophet Hosea teacheth vs saying O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will wee render the calues of our lips The neglect of this duty of praying to God is esteemed to be a marke of a wicked man For of them whom he calleth workes of iniquity the Prophet saith They call not vpon God In these â—…ew rules of confession patience repentance loue faith and praier standes the right casting of this burden vpon God These things let him practise constantly and God will ease his wearied conscience And thus haue we declared what burdens are heere meant and what it is to cast euery such burden vpon God Which things vnderstood wee haue the Prophets meaning in this precept of our text Cast thy burden vpon the Lord That is in al thy trouble seeke helpe and deliuerance at 〈◊〉 hand depending vpon him CHAP. XXXII NOvv wee come to the promise of recompence folowing in these words And he shal nourish thee hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The rules of holy counsell giuen vs of God are alwaies inriched with liberall promises of his blessing that wee may know that it is not in vaine to harken to his voice nâ—…r either dangerous or
THE Strong Helper OFFERING TO BEARE EVERY MANS BVRTHEN OR A TREATISE TEACHING in all troubles how to cast our burden vpon God but chiefly deliuering infallible grounds of comfort for quieting of troubled consciences By IOHN HAIVVARD The second Edition corrected and inlarged PSAL. 31. 22. Though I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight yet thou heardest the voice of my praier when I cried vnto thee ¶ Imprinted at London by IOHN BEALâ—… for William Welby 1614. TO THE VVOR shipfull and his most kind and louing friends Master Israel Owen and M is Bathshaba Owen his wife IN the first publication of this Treatise the argument whereof is more agreeable to the hungry desires of a troubled soule then to the dainty appetite of them that seeke to haue their eares delighted with fine inuention I commended it to none but vnto such as had the only neede thereof euen to them that are weary and laden which grone vnder that burden whereof none can ease them but only he that beareth vp all things by his mighty word Heb. 13. And healeth those that are broken in heart and giueth medicine to heale their sicknesse Psal. 147. 3. At this second edition I haue been bold to publish it vnder your Worships name not that I haue any higher conceit of it now then at the first to thinke it now worthier then at that time to beare it in the forehead thereof thename of any worshipfull patron For though it bee in some places altered and in some enlarged yet our bookes grow not vnder our hands as our children doe to become fairer stronger and wiser by continuance of yeeres but they retaine with little alteration their first proportion and members And this little booke as it was at the first so it remaineth no other then a knitting together in one continud discourse of those obseruations which in my publike exercise I deliuered in many Serâ—… mons when I intreated of that text of Scripture which I haue put downe in the beginning as the argument of the whole worke But finding my selfe inde bted vnto your loue in a greater measure then I am able to make satisfaction for which loue of yours to me hath continued now aboue twenty yeeres and aboue all other proofes thereof hath lately declared it selfe in a most free and kinde offer of extraordinary fauour I haue been bold in this dedication to testifie vnto you as I was able my thankefull heart which is the best recompence that my weake estate is able to affoord And with this little booke which I offer vnto your Worshippes I offer vnto Almighty God my most hearty praiers that the father of mercy God of all consolations will euer continue vnto you and your posterity the abundance of his grace both for a long and happy life in this world and for a seasonable and christian departure hence that after your yeeres bee compleate on earth you may raigne with Christ for euer in Heauen From my house in Woolchurch this thirteenth of Nouember 1613. Your Worships wel-willer Iohn Hayward To him that is wearie and laden SALOMON in the Prouerbs affirmeth that he that is full despiseth a hunnie combe And one wiser then Salomon telleth vs in the Gospell that the whole haue no neede of the Phisition Idlely therefore should I offer my labour in this treatise to them that are full and liue at ease who bearing no burden or in their strength not feeling what they beare would reiect my offer as a mocke say vnto me Brach ia da lasso potius prendenda natanti offer your hand to him that is ready to sinke in the sloud we haue no neede we sit safe vpon the shore If these mens securitie be sound I wish it may be durable vnto them and as they haue no desire vnto so I wish they may neuer stand in neede of the counsell conteined in this booke this I wish them out of loue though out of iudgement e know if they belong to Christ the tim will come when they must beare a crosse and follow him But with hope of better acceptation I offer my counsell here following vnto thee that seeâ—…est the burden that thou bearest and gronest vnder the burden that thou feelest Salomon in the forenamed place telleth vs that to the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete And the Lord Iesus affirmeth the sicke to stand in neede of the Phisitions helpe Thy burden maketh thee as fainting labourer to long for releese and the crumes of Gods mercy easing thy ouercharged soule would be acceptable to thee and the paine of thy diseased spirit more sicke of thy tentation then of a burning feauer maketh thee desirous of the Phisions helpe thou criest in thy griefe Rebus succurrite lesis helpe my greeued estate and the offer and assurance of helpe and health cannot but bee ioyfull vnto thee If thy greefe and wearines be occasioned by any troubles of this life if it grow from any secular worldly cause I haue reduced all such burdens vnto fower heades Because either it is some want in our worldly estate which commonly is the burden and trouble of the multitude or if wee bee that way well stored it is some trouble domesticall and neare vnto vs either in our selues or in our house habitation or kinred or if we haue peace in our habitation ioy in our kinred friends and seruants with life and health as we desire then there is some more remoued person or more remoued accident that is the cause of greese care and feare vnto vs or â—…f abroad aswell as at home and among strangers aswell as among friends and neighbours we liue without disturbance yet we often finde difficulties in the duties of our callings or we meete with oppositions and are wronged with mistakings are euill rewarded for our well deseruing Within the compasse of one of these foure heads fall all such secular and worldly burdens and in the first place I haue giuen aduice concerning these perhaps not altogether such as some wise men well seene and traded in worldly causes would giue but surely such as an honest man should giue and such as he must obserue that looketh to obtaine ease and helpe from God If thy trouble and greefe be of another kinde if thy burden be spirituall and tâ—…e whole busines lieth more directly betweene God and thee and either as an honest man thou art greeued that thou canst not serue him as thou shouldest or so humbled that thou art greeued that thou hast sinned against him as thou shouldest not and fearest punishment for that sin these troubles I haue reduced to two heades for either the lustes of our flesh fighting against our soules doe crosse vs in the waies of trueth and righteousnes so that we cannot doe the good we would and the euill we woud not that we doe and our desires being as the desires of the children of light our deedes become as the deedes of the sonnes of
darknes Or else hauing in time of our securitie giuen way vnto our owne lusts vnto the worlds allurements and to Satans temptations our sinnes are called to remembrance are set in order against vs with full manifestation of the wickednes of them of all that wrath that they haue kindled ni heauen and of all that punishment that they haue deserued in hell to the incredible terror of our conscience Vnder these two heades of the lustes of the flesh and accusing thoughts of the dominion of sinne and the reward of sinne fall all those spirituall burdens that are heauie to the honest minde and to the humbled spirit And of these I haue giuen aduice in the second place that if it happen to be last learned yet it may be longest remembred And because the burden of accusing thoughts is euen as the gates of hell for it is true that Saint Gregorie saith Inter multiples humanae animae tribulationes among the manifold tribulations of the soule of man and the innumberable troubles of afflictions Nulla est maior quam conscientiâ—… delictorum there is none greater then the conscience of our sinnes Hee might haue said none like it none equall vnto it for in other troubles which are in a sort without vs and striue to breake in vpon the heart the troubled man saith Gregorie Ingressus in interiora mentis penetraliâ—… entering in into the closet of his heart there calleth vpon God where no man seeth yea also he shutteth the dore of his heart against these assailing troubles keepeth peace within But malae conscientiae tribulationem perferens in arcano cordis deum non inuenit He that indureth this tribulation of an euill conscience of a wounded conscience still accusing findeth not God in the secret of his heart hath not that free as a retiring place where quietly he may conser with God but the plague beginneth within his heart and the fire is kindled in the mouth of the spring where the liuing waters of comfort should flow Therefore in that argument I haue laboured to be more full and not onely in a direct path haue led the afflicted sinner to see his sinne to bee pardonable and himselfe to be allowed yea commanded to craue forgiuenes of it and God also bound by promise to grant it which he will doe and hauing promised cannot denie to doe if we seeke it aright and may doe without any impeachment of his holy and seuere iustice hauing receiuâ—…d full satisfaction in the death and sacrifice of his Sonne But because the old serpent is subtile and the poore sinner is weake and that cunning craftsmaster of all tentations and snares doeth sophistically frame many dangerous arguments and putteth them into the minde and mouth of the affrighted and distempered sinner making him ouer wittie to disclaime his part in God and his inheritance in heauen and ouer confident in his feare and ouer resolute in his doubting so to driue him if it might bee and which the diuel doeth most desire into finall despaire therefore haue I at large answered those arguments out of the word of God and with the sword of the spirit I haue eat asunder the cords of those snaring obiections which the enemie had bound more fast and close then were the cordes of Gordius and â—… haue indeuoured to doe this in a plaine and familiar stile Others dedicate their workes to honorable patrons because they are worthy of honorable patronage I haue no such opinion of mine I offer my labour as a louing seruice vnto thee They seeke a defender I seeke a reader not one to countenance or commend what is written but one that might profit by that which I haue written and therefore I present it to thee that art wearie and laden together with my heartie praier vnto God for thee that it may be by Gods blessing a meanes of thy refreshing intreating thee to read it thorough againe to read all that part that concerneth the last burden which is the burden of accusing thoughts to thee the most heauie Learne thou to depend vpon God to feare him and to abstaine from sinâ—…e he will be vnto thee a Father of mercy and a God of comfort Vnto whose mercy in Iesus Christ I commend thee taking my leaue this 21. of Ianuary From my house in Wool-church in London Thine in the Lord IOHN HAIVVARD The Contents of the seuerall Chapters of this booke THE first Chapter sheweth the context And diuideth the text pag. 1. 2 The second Chapter maketh obseruation from the person instructing pag 3. 3 The third Chapter maketh obseruation from the person instructed pag. 6. 4 The fourth Chapter diuideth the instruction into a precept and a promise and in the precept sheweth what is ment by the name of burden and setteth downe the seuerall sorts of burdens pag. 9 5 The fift Chapter teacheth what it is to cast our burden vpon God in generall rules without reference to any particular sort of burdens pag 21. 6 The sixt Chapter giueth warning of two particular sorts of burdens that must not be cast vpon God pag. 31. 7 Our burdens to be cast vpon God being some secular some spirituall The seuenth Chapter teacheth how to cast the first secular burden of worldly cares and want of things necessarie vpon God pag. 36. 8 The eight Chapter teacheth generall rules how to cast the second secular burden of domesticall troubles vpon God pag. 52. 9 The ninth Chapter teacheth particular rules for the casting of particular domesticall troubles vpâ—…n God pag. 71. 10 The tenth Chapter teacheth how to cast the third secular burden of troubles more remote vpon God pag. 123. 11 The eleuenth Chapter teacheth how to cast the fourth and last burden of secular troubles which is the difficulties of our callings vpon God pag 140. 12 The spirituall burdens arâ—… either the rebelling lustes of the flesh the honest mans burden or accusing thoughts breeding terrors of conscience the humbled mans burden The twelfe Chapter teacheth how to cast the burden of rebelling lustes vpon God pag. 152 13 The thirtenth Chapter beginning with accusing thoughts if the sinner be charged in a generall confused manner with an euill heart teaching how to seeke ease by casting that burden vpon God pag. 172. 14 If the sinner be charged with particular sinnes and findes them done in the time of his ignorance the 〈◊〉 Chapter teacheth him how to seeke ease by casting that burden vpon God pag. 189. 15 If his particular sinne were committed against his knowledge but either the sodaine tentation gaue him no time to consider or the violent tentation left him no power to resist the fifteenth Chapter teacheth how to seeke ease by casting this burden vpon God pag. 197. 16 If his particular sinne were committed with full consent of will the sixteenth Chapter teacheth how to obtaine ease by casting this burden vpon God because onely the sinne against the Holy Ghost is vnpardonable And his sinne
masterly authoritie and wisedome to draw them back from iniquity In which godly attempt fathers and masters haue alowāce frō God yea they are not only warranted of God to do it but it is a charge laid vpon them children seruants being committed to them not onely to doe them seruice and to be at their cōmandemēt but rather to receiue education instruction from them And when parents and masters faile and become carelesse of the instruction of their children seruants and in the right gouernmēt of them God doth often in his iustice punish the fathers masters neg ligence with the childrens and seruants disorder And when parents masters are carefull to instruct gouerne aright their children seruants then God in his mercy requiteth that care and diligence with the obedience and faithfulnesse of children and seruants Salomon saith in the Prouerbs The rod and correction giue wisedome but a childe set at libertie makes his mother ashamed Here iustice repayeth with disorder in the child the neglect of instruction and gouernement in the parents The same Salomon saith a gaine Correct thy sonne he will giue thee rest and will giue pleasures to thy soule Here mercy repayeth with contenting obedience in the child the wise and careful gouernement of the parents To masters also that their seruants may not breede their vnrest Salomon in the same place giueth these Items by which hee might well suppose that wise men would take warning A seruant wil not be chastened with words though hee vnderstand yet hee will not answer This is plaine enough that for some seruants the right gouernment of them something more then words is sometime necessary And againe he saith Hee that delicately bringeth vp his seruant from his youth at length he wil be euen as his sonne This is plaine enough that a delicate life with liberty and pleasure is not to be allowed to seruants by any rule of good gouernement left to thy griefe he take vppon him to bee more then a seruant Yet these rules for parents to desire and helpe the reformation of disobedient children and for maisters to desire and help the reformation of disordered seruants giues no defence vnto vnnaturall parents that are tyrants to their owne children and to cruel masters that increase the proportion of worke and number of strip◅s but dimin◅sh the due allowance of meate and cloathes and sleepe and are neuer pleased but euer brawling Saint Paul saith vnto parents Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath Lenity must be vsed though not cockering and too much sufferance And to masters he saith Masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall Equity must be vsed toward them thogh not remissenesse To the same purpose may it bee saide for children and se◅uants if while they haue carried themselues duetifully and deserued well their parents or maisters out of their owne vnkindnesse and cruelty doe prooue a heauy burden vnto them because it may please God to ease them of that burden by chaunging the mindes of their parents and maisters it belongeth vnto them as a speciall point of the casting of their burden vppon the Lord to pray vnto God for their parents and maisters that hee will be pleased to open and amend their hearts that they may see their errour and may reforme the same learne to deale more kindly which belongeth to parents and to deale more iustly which belongs to maisters and whereas they haue no authoritie to admonish to teach to correct as their parents and maisters haue yet with due reuerēce they may be bold obseruing opportunitie and vsing decent and humble speeches somtimes to tell them what they think to be fit How reuerently when Saul wronged Dauid and had spoken to Ionathan his sonne and to all his seruants that they should kill Dauid which was Ionathans griefe because he loued Dauid how reuerently did Ionathan labour to make Saul his father see his errour saying vnto him Let not the King sinne against his seruant against Dauid for hee hath not sinned against thee but his workes haue beene to thee verie good for he did put his life in danger and slew the Philistim and the Lord wrought a great saluation for all Israel thou sawest it and thou reioycedst wherefore then wilt thou sinne against innocent bloud and slay Dauid without a cause And when Naamat the Syrian tooke great indignation at the Prophet Elisha because he came not out and laid his hands vpon his leprousie to heale it but commanded him to wash himselfe seauen times in the waters of Iordan which he iudged nothing so vertuous as the waters of Damascus which indignation of Naama◅ the Lord and master grieued all his seruants how reuerently did they say vnto him Father if the Prophet bad commanded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it How much rather then when he saith vnto thee wash and be cleane Such words of mildnesse spoken in fit season and with reseruation of due reuerence may by seruants and children be vsed to their fathers and masters to induce them to see their former errour that it may be a meanes vnder God to change their mindes But this liberty can no way iustify the insolence and vnduetifulnesse of many children seruants that being restrained by the seueritie of their parents and masters grow into discontent speake contemptuously and raylingly without all reuerence and without all regarde either of the authoritie of their parents and masters or of the subiection and duety that they owe vnto them By the same rule is euery one whose domesticall trouble growes by the errour of his neighbour if hee would bee cased which may be the changing of his neighbours minde taught to pray vnto God for the bettering of his neighbour and to put his owne helping hand to so good a woorke by admonishing his neighbour neighbourly And hee hath precepts from GOD to warrant that course Moses saith Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne So that there wanteth charitie in him that will not louingly tell his neighbor of his errour And God doeth often in his iustice make thy bad neighbour to be a cause of trouble vnto thee because thou knowing his disorders hast not told him of them that he might amend A like commaundement giueth the Lord Iesus saying If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone That is if his faul be bent against thee as the chosen obiect of his malice or directed another way it light vppon thee to the hurt or hazard of thy life thy peace thy profit or thy good name or if his misdeede were neither intended against thee nor did light vpon thee but onely thou art grieued in thine honest soule to behold so vngodly dealing in these cases thou art commāded of the
that God may doe at his pleasure because he is the Lord of life to giue it and continue it Dauid saith vnto God With thee is the well of life And to him also pertaines all power ouer death to hastē it bring it forward The same Prophet saith of the same God To the Lord God belong the issues of death This maner of remoue by death it is not lawfull for thee to desire much lesse by thy hand to further either in the death of thy selfe or of thy troubler If God be pleased to doe it for thee either in remouing thy troubler from thee or in remouing thee from thy troubler it is euery way a worke of his mercy toward thee If God by death remoue the troubler from thee it is his mercy to thee When God by death had remoued Absolom that had greatly troubled his father and made him flie from Ierusalem then was that domesticall trouble at an end and Dauid returned in peace to Ierusalem That remoue of the trobler by his death was Gods mercy to the troubled So likewise if God by death remoue thee from thy troubler that also is Gods mercy to thee for so he giueth thee rest as the Prophet Esay speaketh saying The righteous perisheth and no man considereth in his heart and mercifull men are taken away and no mā vnderstandeth that the righteous are taken from the euill to come This is also Gods gracious mercy deliuering him from trouble But for thee to be an actor in these things it is altogether vnlawfull God hauing giuen to thee a commandement to the contrary Thou shalt not kill Dauid would neuer so be eased of his troubler Saul he would not doe it himselfe nor suffer others to doe it though he often had opportunity but waited on the hand of God saying to Abishai that would haue smitten him while Dauid and he stood by Sauls beds side As the Lord liueth either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into battell and perish the Lord keep me from laying mine hand vpon the Lords annointed And at last he was eased by Sauls death without laying his hand vpon him it is the remedy of tyrants and bloud-thirsty persons to seeke ease of their troubles by procuring the death of their troublers And it is the remedy of faithlesse desperate men to ease them of their burden of troubles by remouing themselues from their troubles and troblers by their death So did Saul Ahitophel and Iudas Those men that so remoue themselues and others cast not their burden vpon the Lord who is the giuer of life but cast it vpon the diuel◅ backe and themselues withall who was a murderer from the beginning But if a remoue for thine ease may be effected by shift of place that may both be desired and vsed without sinne Isaack sent his sonne Iacob away from his brother Esau when Esau in his anger had sworne to slaie him Dauid fled from the hand and Iauelin of Saul and shifted for himselfe by remouing from place to place and he conueied all his fathers house into the land of Moab from Sauls reach The Lord Iesus oftentimes withdrew himselfe from the fury and rage of the Iewes And he gaue his disciples a rule for times of persecutiō saying when they persecute you in this city flie vnto another And many honest men haue remoued their habitations to auoid ill neighbours and to be out of the reach of too neare troublers And many haue purged their houses of vnquiet spirits both children seruants as they might doe when they could not amend them in the house But yet I must tell you that if children and seruants increase the burden of thy domesticall troubles this turning them out for thine ease must be the last remedy that must be vsed and all other meanes for their amendment must first be attempted because children and seruants are not sent of God into thine house only for thy pleasure and ease but they are committed vnto thee to be brought vp vnder thee and to be trained by thee to grace and good behauiour And that is a thing that thou must looke vnto somewhat more then only to thine owne quiet that thou maist be able to answer God for their soules If any member of the body be diseased and out of temper putting the head and whole body to paine a man will not at the first cut off that member but first he vseth all meanes to cure it and doth with much patience endure the weaknesse of it and will suffer a blind eie rather then plucke it out of the place and a lame hand rather then cut it of and a sore leg rather then let the sawe come to it and that shall be the last worke if he doe it at all And children and seruants are members in the body of thine house therefore he is but a bad head and gouernour that presently because children and seruants are troublesome that thrust them out of dores to seeke their ease By remouing them must be the last attempt But if other attempts first made by thine own authority and wisedome then after by the counsel of neighbors and friends and lastly by the power and countenance of the magistrate will doe no good vpon them but they persist in their wickednesse and proue incurable to the hurt of thy selfe and others in thy family Then the eie the hand and the foot that offendeth may be cut of If children or seruants or any other that may be turned away be as tender and deare as thine eie as seruiceable as thine hand as necessary as thy foot let them depart The whole is to be respected before a part the head before a member Thus God may be pleased to shorten thy sorrow by a remoue and shift of place between thy troubler and thee If God be pleased to continue thy trouble long all the former aduises must be practised as time affordeth opportunity because thou know st not what happy houre of thine ease God hath set downe in his good purpose And those two common rules of patience and praier must neuer be neglected And for the mittigating of thy sorrow vnder that burden consider these things that follow and they will bring much ease vnto thy mind First that it is the common condition of all Adams children in this world to haue troubles as Iob speaketh most truly Man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance and full of trouble And if it be common to all without exception of any how great how godly soeuer thou shouldst be too delicate to desire to be exempted Secondly in a more neare manner it is common to all the Saints of God to haue troubles in this world more then the wicked by reason of the enmity that the wicked world beareth to the godly being vnto them a step-mother while like a naturall mother
edified and walked in the feare of the Lord and were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost And this conuersion of Saul with the churches peace growing thereby some haue ascribed vnto Stephens prayer as an intermediate cause who while they stoned him kneeled downe and cryed with a lowd voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Of which prayer of Stephen Austin in his fourth Sermon of the Saints hath this saying If Stephen had not thus prayed the Church should not haue had Paul but therfore was Paul being fallen from his horse raised from the earth because when Stephen with bowed knees was fallen to the ground hee was heard in his prayer Therfore thogh thou hast not oportunitie to admonish thy remote aduersary yet pray vnto God for his conuersion Thou knowest not whether God wil heare thy praier and shorten thy trouble by changing the mind of thy troubler If it be to bewrought by a remoue and that remoue to be made by death therein thou hast nothing to do before-hand but to maintaine that resolution that alwaies ought to be in all Christians namely to yeeld to the wil of God and to approue his worke as well in killing as in giuing life and as well in our selues as in others And if it please God to take away thine enemy then is it thy part to praise his name that suffereth thy peace to out-liue thine enemies fury but neither worke it nor desire it nor reioyce in it as a calamity happened to thine enemy or to his house much lesse offer violence to thy self that may free thee from short troubles but it will surely plunge thee into eternall troubles If God haue appointed to shorten thy troubles by remouing either thy troubler from thee or thee from thy troubler by distance of place that you may be yet further a sunder and the one out of the reach of another as opportunity is offered wisdome will aduise thee what to doe For the departure of an enemie a wise man said A bridge of gold should be made to further his speedy passage rather then to stay him with any impediment And it is at thy liberty flying from the swords point of persecution and malice to remooue from one City to another But if God be pleased to maintaine against thee the enemy that he hath stirred vp thy chiefe casting of thy burden vpon God is by patience to possesse thy soule bearing quietly what thou canst not shake off by hearty praier to sollicite the maiesty of the most high God to free thee from thine enemy when it pleaseth him and in the meane time to giue thee wisdome to suffer as thou oughtest to his pleasure Thus much how to cast the burden of remote troubles vpon God when thy troble groweth from the malice of remote enemies that offer wrong vnto thee Sometimes thou art not hurt by remote enemies but rather art greeued for remote frindes or strangers for whose calamity thou are affected with heauinesse Sometime in regard of common humane nature because they are men as thou art and it grieueth thee that any of thine owne kinde should suffer such calamity sometime in regard of common holy religion because they worship the same God and beleeue in the same Sauiour that thou doest and it greueth thee that any of thy faith and religion and any true worshipper of thy God should indure such misery For direction to cast this burden vpon God there needeth no long discourse because I feare there are not many that beare any such burden of sorrow for others misery or vpon whom it lieth heauy if they sorrow at all or vpon whom it abideth long if it be heauy Selfloue permitteth vs not to mourne for the calamity of other men when we are at case our selues The Butler in Pharaoes court when hee had once recouered his owne place and honour neuer regarded nor was moued with Iosephs imprisonment The chiefe Butlar did not remember Ioseph but forgat him And those wounds neuer enter deepe in our hearts which we only see or heare in others and feele not in our selues and the teares that fall from our eies for other mens miseries quickly drie vp If Amos liued in this selfe-delighting and neighbour contemning age wanton and excessiue one way but wanting and pitilesse another way he would surely crie out againe as before he did saying They drinke wine in bowles and annoint themselues with the chiefe ointments but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Ioseph that is euery man cherisheth himselfe delicately but no man regardeth how other men fare Yet because God hath alwaies his a mercifull father mercifull children because some there are of tender hearts that mourne with them that mourne and haue put on as the Apostle speaketh tender mercy and kindnesse to satisfie them I pray them to call to remembrance the three rules giuen before iâ—… the case of like griefe for frindes most neare First so farre as distance of place betweene thee and them the small acquaintance that thou hast with them and thy weake means will suffer afford them thy best helpe Egypt afforded food to Canaan when famine was sort in that land The King of Moab gaue entertainment to Dauids father and to his whole houshold when Sauls displesure was heauy to them in Israel Dauid had Ziklag giuen him to dwell in when he could not be safe in Iuda Mercy by hospitality succoureth many strangers that by famine warre and other calamities cannot remain in safety at home If thou be grieued for the calamity of them that dwell farre off affourd thy best helpe thou shalt make lesse thy sorrow for their calamity while thou makest lesse their calamity by thy mercy Therefore did the brethren among the belieuing Gentiles make collections to send to the poore Saints at Ierusalem Secondly vse patience in this case and till God put an end to their miseries glorifie thou God in his iudgments that so exerciseth truth humbleth correcteth and punisheth Lastly pray vnto God for them that in his iudgements he will be pleased to remember mercy and to spare the sheepe of his owne pasture if they be true worshippers or at least that he will spare the worke of his owne hands whatsoeuer they be and forgiuing their sinnes that he will giue them repentance that they may come to the knowledge of him and of his truth and in the end be deliuered from his fiery wrath In these three things iâ—… helping mercifully in bearing patiently and in praying fruently consisteth the right manner of casting our burden of griefe and sorrow for other mens calamities vpon God And so haue wee considered of this third secular burden of more remote troubles which hath great affinity with the burden of more nigh and domesticall troubles and differeth onely in respect of the persons by whom thou art wronged and for whom thou art grieued in that they are
easily with this double helpe learne to doe his worke in some reasonable good manner and vnto this helpe vnder God the Apostle Paul doeth send vs saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walks so as you haue vs for an example A man merrily ignorant of his way if he follow carefully step for step a skilfull guide going before him will very safely come to the place that he desireth so shalt thou doe in the way of godlines if thou keepe company with the godly and marke their behauiour to doe thereafter Augustin hauing respect of Saint Paul saith in one place If thou faile in the precept be strengthned in the example that is if by looking onely to the precept thou canst not bring to passe to keepe it looke to the example of them that doe after it and their example shall much strengthen thee Men are very apt to be led by examples and are easily transformed into the manners of those whom they keepe company with neither will their fellowship hold long that doe not conforme themselues to the manners of their company Dauid in one place hath this saying With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the vpright man thou will shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou will shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou will shew thy selfe froward The Prophet speaketh these words of God and we may safely speake them of men among the godly thou must shew thy selfe godly learning and practising their godly behauiour else they will haue small pleasure in thy company and among the wicked thou must doe as they doe else they will soone be weary of thee and sly thy fellowship The company therefore of the godly cannot but be a great helpe vnto thee vnder God to learne by them to subdue and keepe vnder thy vnruly lusts if thou conuerse with them and daily striuest to conforme thy selfe to their manners This is a good degree of casting this burden vpon God Thirdly let him shun all occasions that may aâ—…lure and prouoke him vnto these sinnes that by the corrupt lusts of his heart he findeth himselfe most subiect vnto For example if his infirmitie be pronenesse to anger wrath let him auoid the company of contentions and froward persons that are apâ—… to prouoke let him not take knowledge of euery petâ—…y wrong that is done vnto him nor harken vnto them that will tell him this or that tale what other men say of him lest suddenly he be distempered If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to drunkenes as thâ—…re are but too many that when they are at it can keepe no measure let him fly the company of pot companions let him shun the places and â—…bhorre the ceremonies of great drinking and let him not delight himselfe to behold the colour and sparkling of the Wine If his infirmitie be a pronenesse to adulterie and such vncleannes let him shun the haunt of Harlots and their houses all wanton company and let him not cast his eye vpon deceitful and bewitching beautie and so concerning all other sinnes that his heart lusteth after This rule the holy Ghost giues vs in many places Salomon saith Keepe thee from the wicked woman and from the slattery of the tongue of the strange woman desire not her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lid Her coÌ„pany her countenance and her wordes all these are inticing occasions and all these Salomon warneth him to shun that world not be betrayed by his owne frailty to commit whoredome In another place he saith Make no friendship with an angry man neither goe with the furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Company and fellowship with the froward will draw thee whether thou wilt or no into many brawles and quarrels and otherwise also breedes danger vnto thee therefore to be shunned of him that feareth his owne euill nature too prone vnto anger Againe Looke not thou vpon the Wine when it is red when it sheweth his colour in the cup and goeth downe pleasantly in the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice The beautifull colour and pleasant mouing of the Wine in the cup are prouocations to drinking hee that would not be ouertaken with drunkennes knowing his owne appetite and weakenes must shun these prouocations Generally this is a veriy good rule for him that feareth the violence of his owne sinfull lustes to sly all occasâ—…ions alluring and prouoking vnto sinneâ—… he that would not be strangled with the hooke let him not play with the bait and lie nibling at it the Diuell and the world deceiue by such meanes he that is hurdened with thâ—… lustes of his flesh desireth case to his guâ—…ed soule by casting his burden vpon God let him shun these occasioâ—…s diligâ—…ntly he that would not be huâ—…t with the Lyons clawes let him not come neare vnto his foote In the fourth place let him often think vpon the iudgements of God threatned against sinne and executed vpon sinners that yeeld and suffer themselues to be led away by their lusts the threatnings he shal finde euery where in Gods word and the executions he may see abroad in the world Let him also meditate vpon the mercies of God promised vnto vertue and performed vnto the vertuous that walke in the spirit and putting vpon them the Lord Iesus Christ doe take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof the promises hee shall meete with euery where in Gods word and the performances he may see abroad in the world but especially in the church and among the godly whose company he was before aduised to frequent These things obserued 〈◊〉 breede in him the feare of Gods power and the loue of Gods mercy which two will be vnto him helps of great seruice against the lusts of his owne heart while on the on side the feare of God will make him walke in humility and on the other fide the loue of God will make him to serue God with gladnesse This is a very good way of casting this burden vpon God Fiftly and lastly but continually and feruently let him pray vnto God for his grace to be giuen continued and increased to him For as the flesh that is corruption â—…n vs lusteth against the spirit so the spirit that is the grace of God in vs lusteth against the flesh So Paul incumbred with the messenger of SataÌ„ buâ—…eting him by which name he vnderstood the burden of his troublesome corruptions praied vnto God if it might bee to be freed from it For all power to preuaile against sinne and to get the mastery ouer corruptions is obtained by the gift of God and by the worke of his grace in vs. Therefore doth Dauid pray to God in this manner Teach mee o Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end giue mee
the Phisitions power to be ordered by him Euen so I feeling feare in my soule crept in by reason of these accusing thoughts that make me too sensibly to feele the dangerous sicknes of my soule will not faintly yeeld vnto death that I confesse I haue deserued and might iustly fall vpon mee but euen from this feare growing from my now reuealed sicknes I will seeke out the Lord that is the onely Phisition of our soules who killeth maketh aliue bringeth down to the graue and raiseth vp And I will intreat him to make me his patient and to take me into his charge and the more I am pained the more I will sue for his helpe and I will spare no cost of praiers of sighes and grones I will poure out my whole heart vnto him and I will put my selfe wholy into his power who hath also commanded mee in such times of distresse to seeke vnto him yea hath promised when wee so seeke him to be foūd of vs saying Call vpon me in the day of troble so will I deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me This is my day of trouble therefore will I call vpon God that me obtained deliuerance I may glorifie him with praises And seing the Apostle Paul hath said that God hath shut vp all inunbeleese that he might haue mercy vpon all why should I doe so great wrong either to my owne present misery or vnto Gods infinite mercy to beleeue otherwise but that God hath holden me thus long shut vp and fast bound in the prison and fetteres of my owne vnbeliefe and naturall infidelitie and wickednes which now I see to the end that I might the more dearely esteeme of his mercy in freeing mee which I will now call for and that his mercy might bee euen to his owne name the more honorable in conuerting me Thus may the afflicted sinner troubled with this generall confused kinde of accusing thoughts cast his burden comfortably vpon God for in this kind of temptation there is this hole in the wall wherein while hee diggeth by continuall prayer it may will proue a dore of mercy easie to be entred And I further aduise this afflicted man when he feeleth himselfe entred or entring into this feare and confused kind of temptation that he will haue some care of his bodies health and craue the aduice of some godly and learned Physition for such confused feares are not alwaies meerly spirituall temptations but they doe often arise from some naturall decay in our bodily health and from some distemper of humors in vs. Great is the affinitie betweene the soule and the body and the proper passions diseases of the one by reason of that affinitie make the other to be euill affected If therefore the body be crazed it will make the mind also to be diseased and where the humor of Melancholy is predominare is not kept in any euen proportion in vs it naturally driueth vs into deepe and dull into sad heauy and fearefull thoughts and imaginations and causeth doubtings and distrust and with a little helpe of the wicked aduersary it will quench all comfortable hope and breede wofull dispaire in vs and the Diuell is cunning to iudge of our distemperature and where he findeth such weaknes he will worke vpon it as he worketh vpon the sanguine and pleasant mans disposition to make him wanton and careles of God and as he worketh vpon the cholericke and hastie mans disposition to make him wrathfull and sudden in mischeefe as he worketh vpon the fleginaticke to make him slothfull colde and negligent of doing his dutie a louer of sloth idlenes so he will not faile to be busie with the man in whom melancholy aboundeth to make him full of feare and void of hope And lamentable are the effects which often follow where he findeth such matter to worke vpon The wise Christian therefore that is affrighted with this confused kinde of temptation in termes of generall accusation must not neglect to releeue his body and to remoue from Sathans hand that euill humour that he maketh so dangerous vse of This is a thing that the afflicted man often contemneth as carnall counsell indeed it were carnall counsell if it should be required alone without recourse vnto God by prayer but it hath beene found by the mercy of God to haue beene profitable counsell And it is not to be neglected of him that in this confused kind of tentatiō desireth ease to his soule And to take this with the former prescribed course is to cast this burden vpon God CHAP. XIIII BVT if it fall out that thou be charged more distinctly with some particular enormious sinne one or many then hath Sathan espied against thee some especiall aduantage in thy doings It behoueth thee now to looke closely to thy selfe and to marke if thou canst espie any hole in the wall of hope to dig in that a dore of mercy may be opened vnto thee In this case consider whether that or those sinnes were committed in the time of thine ignorance when thou knewest not well what was lawfull or vnlawfull for thee to doe or in the time of knowledge when thine owne heart could tell thee that such things were not lawfull to be done for if they were done in the time of ignorance when perhaps thou mightest thinke it lawfull and free to be done yea perhaps good perhaps also profitable and necessarie as Saul after called Paul thought it lawfull good and necessarie for him to persecute the name of Iesus and to cast into prison them that called vpon that name as hee said before King Agrippa I verely thought in my selfe that I ought to doe many contrary things against the name of Iesus of Nazareth Or if thou didst not thinke it to be lawfull good necessarie for thee yet thou didst not thinke or at the least didst not know it to be euill for thee to doe it and any such danger to hang vpon it with Gods high displeasure as now thou perceiuest then this very circumstance maketh thy burden lighter and in the wall of hope a hole appeareth wherein if thou dig by prayer a dore of mercy wil be opened vnto thee For though ignorance doth not excuse much lesse iustifie our sinnes and the discharge of that sinne will cost thy soule some teares and prayers and other like courses of a contrite heart yet with more ease will the terror of it be ouercome then if it had beene done against knowledge Hereto pertaines that saying of our blessed sauiour That seruant that knew his masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes but he that knew it not and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with fewer stripes By these stripes some of the fathers vnderstand not torments in hell of different rigor though it cānot be denied but the condition
sinne highly displeasing to God Sometime thou wert warned by a publique Sermon sometime thou wert warned by thine owne priuate reading sometime by the louing admonition of some neighbour or friend And thy iudgement was growen to a mislike of that same sinne and thou wert offended at others that committed it aud yet thou hast fallen thy selfe into the same sinne Surely this is a hard case and the tempter hath great aduantage against thee But what must the charged sinner sincke eternally vnder this burthen is there no meanes to cast euen this burthen vpon GOD for the sinners case Yes verily and Sathan hath not yet driuen vs so close vp to the wall but that wee may by Gods mercy slippe safely out of his hands Heere let the sinner consider in what case hee was when hee committed this sinne whether hee were his owne man as wee speake that is whether it were in the choise of his own wil to do it with liking or without liking For great is the weakenesse of our nature and oftentimes the regenerate and best minded serue â—…s of God though they should yeelde to die a thousand deaths with most exquintâ—… torments rather then commit â—…nie sinne to the offence of God yet either sodainely affrighted with the appearance of daunger they commit sinne before they haue time to consider what they should doe and to settle their resolution against it or else weighing at leasure both their duty to God and their present danger pusillanimity and weakenesse of heart maketh them to shrinke and yeelde at the present And must a sentence irreuocable presently come forth against this weake sheepe Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physition there is there no mercy in heauen for this sinner is there no gracious pardoner there Such a rule must needes haue sent to hell many of Gods beloued Saints that now are with him in heauen who while they liued on earth were sometime vrged with sodaine and sometime with violent temptations and haue yeelded sometime without consideration and sometime with consideration and yet after by the mercie of God haue recouered themselues and haue glorified GOD both in their life and death are now glorified of him in his kingdome And why shouldest not thou if thy sinne be like theirs hauing to do with the same God of mercie hope to finde the same fauour that they found Surely this very circumstance that thou wert surprised by a sodaine or violent temptation led captiue to do euill against thine owne liking that didst take no pleasure in it yea wert exceedingly grieued that thou hadst not strength grace to withstand it is a hole in the wall of hope through which light shineth and wherin if thou dig by humble hearty prayer it may proue a doore of mercy for thee to enter by come neare to God to be eased of thy burdeÌ„ Here consider the example of the Apostle Peter his sin was a grieuous fin for he denied before men his master the Lord Iesus Christ he did so once twice and thrice each time more vehemeÌ„tly then other for first he simply denied him passed it ouer with this saying I know not the man At the second time he augmented his sin with addition of an oath and forsweares him The third time he yet augmented his sinne more with addition of grieuous execrations and cursed himselfe that is wished himselfe accursed if hee know him And he did this in the time of knowledge after he had learned that to do so was sinne and dangerous to his soule For he had heard his Maister openly before speake thus Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse before my Father in heauen but whosoeuer shal deny me befnre men him wil I deny before my Father which is in heauen And though it were a true saying out of a liars mouth skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Yet this is true also and to be regarded aboue the other that all that a man hath euen skin and life also hee must giue cast away and esteeme as vile that he may follow Christ to glorifie him by true confession Which course only hath power to secure life As Peter also had heard from the mouth of his Lord saying If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow mee for whosoeuer will saue his life shall loose it and whosoeuer shall loose his lifs for my sake shall saue it This Peter had heard this he knew And besides these general caueats long before giuen Peter was also priuately forewarned of this thing euen the same night a little before he did it when he also took knowledge of that warning and resolued with himselfe not to doe it yea made open vow not to doe it For when the Lord Iesus Christ after his last Supper a little before his apprehension hee tolde the Apostles that they that night should all be offended by him Peter boldely answered and saide vnto him Though all men should be offended yet will not â—… be offended To whom the Lord said in the next words Verily I say vnto thee that this night before the Cocke crow thou shalt deny mee thrice Peter had no meaning to do so but rather a resolued heart not to do so And therefore aunswered presently Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee And hee spake no more than hee truely intended hee was no hypocrite onely he considered not his owne weakenesse but was ouer confident in the opinion of his own streÌ„gth And therfore when Iesus was taken and carried to the high Priests houâ—…e Peter followed a farre off and entred into the high Priests hall and put himselfe among the seruants and officers and drew neere to the fire for it was colde and first a maide challenged him to bee one of the followers of Iesus after some of the men seconded her challenge strengthening it by adding 〈◊〉 suspition that his speech bewrayed him to be a Galilean and Iesus came out of Galilee and therefore hee was not vnlikely to be one of his followers At last a coosin of his whose care Peter had smoâ—…e off in the garden flatly affirmed that hee did see him in the garden with him Peter affrighted sodainely with these challenges and being in the middest of them whom hee esteemed his enemies seeing at the present no way to escape yea hauing no leisure to thinke what was fittest for him to doe denyed his Maister and bound his deniall with oaths and curses Was not this a sin against the knowledge of his heart and what hast thou done in the particular sinnes that thou arâ—… charged withall in thine heart that Peter did not in this sinne of his and in what points are thy sinnes greater and more grieuous then his then what letteth thee that thou maiest not pray for and
bluddie handes cruell hearts and cunning and deceitfull heades But such an one am I I haue wrought wickednes I haue done euill I haue through the foolishnes of mine heart committed much iniquitie I haue beene a lyar my handes are full of bloud I haue beene cruell deceitfull therefore I am depriued of Gods loue I shall not dwell in his kingdome not be able to stand before him in iudgement I am iustly hated of him and shall bee iustly destroied by him and hee must needes abhor me as a thing most vile Who can speake against these things grounded on such authoritie must not the seuere iustice of heauen condemne such sinnes as mine are must not the pure holines of heauen exclude such vile sinners as I am surely it may be called prodigall mercy if such sinnes as mine escape vnpunished and if such a sinner as I may euer be saued This obiection seemeth to consist of two parts inregard of iustice that cannot suffer sin to escape vnpunished in regard of holines that will admit no vncleane person to haue fellowship and cohabitation with it But they ioyne together in one to increase this poore mans feare yet let vs helpe him with our answere It is a comely thing to to thinke reuerently of the iustice and holines of heauen for certainely iustice will not suffer the least sinne to escape vnpunished neither will holines euer suffer any vncleane thing to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet that cannot hence be concluded that thou gatherest namely that therefore mercy can find no free passage to forgiue thy sinnes and to bring thee to glory for the wisdome and power and loue of heauen which are able to worke wonders aboue the reach of mans vnderstanding will find yea haue found out a way to satisfie iustice by the punishing of sinne and to satisfie holines by the purging of sinne and yet to saue the sinner that committed that sinne Lift vp thine heart and eares and harken to that that shal be deliuered thou shalt find an helmet of the hope of saluation to couer and saue thy head withall The glorious Trinitie by an eternall decree ordained defore all time and effected in the fulnes of time sent downe the eternall word the second person called the sonne who being conceiued by the holy Ghost tooke flesh and was borne of the virgin Mary of the linage of Dauid and was made man true man the sonne of man the sonne of Adam of Abraham and of Dauid in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne and him the father gaue vnto vs to be our mediator and to be the Lord our righteousnes and to the satisfying of the iustice of heauen God laied vpon him our sinnes and he willingly submitted himselfe to the burden of our sinnes to the curse of the law to the death of the crosse and to the wrath of his father for those sinnes of ours Excellent to this purpose is the testimonie of Esaie speaking more like an Euangelist or an apostle then like a Prophet saying He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our 〈◊〉 was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne waiâ—… and the Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all We are the men that haue sinned and gone astray from God stripes woundes and death were due to vs for sinnes God imputed to him our sinnes and he was contented to stand before God a sinner in our name The stripes the woundes the death that we deserued hee receiued sustained and indured for vs. Thus iustice is satisfied our sinnes being in him punished it were iniustice to punish the same sinnes againe in them that plead the suffringes of Iesus for them Thus are his stripes our cure his woundes our health and his death our life Vnto that saying of Esaie let vs ad another of the Apostle Saint Paul Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the gentiles through Iesus Christ. The law curseth euery one that abideth not in all that is written in that booke to doe it and we haue failed in all or in most and the sentence of the curse did lie vpon vs then it pleased the Lord Iesus Christ by yeelding himselfe to the cursed death of the crosse to take vpon him the curse that should haue fallen vpon vs. So was iustice executed according to that sentence of the law iustice so satisfied giueth waie to mercy for the curse being borne by Iesus Christ the blessing promised to Abraham is our inheritance Here the one halfe of thy feare is remoued because in the death of Iesus Christ iustice hath receiued satisfaction for thy sinnes if thou plead this satisfaction by what iustice art thou to be punished for thy sinnes The other halfe of thy feare is this that the holines of heauen will neuer suffer such an vncleane sinner as thou art to enter into the kingdome of God to remoue this feare vnderstand that the same Lord Iesus Christ that bare ouâ—… sinnes imputed to him and suffered for them to satisfie iustice doeth also inuest and cloth vs with his perfect righteousnes both originall and actuall impuâ—…ed to vs that all our vnrighteousnes and vncleanenes both originall and actuall being therewith hidden and couered from the view of God most holy wee might appeare cleane spotles in him to the satisfying of the holines of heauen Therefore is it that Paul saith speaking of Iesus God hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him This place plainely sheweth that God made an exchang betweene Iesus Christ and vs. He knew no sinne that is he had no acquaintance nor fellowship with sinne in him was no sinne to deserue death That sinne abounded in vs and God laied it vpon Iesus and he died for it On the other side we had no righteousnes no righteousnes of God that is no such pure and perfect righteousnes as God requireth and as might commend vs vnto God to be admitted for it into heauen That righteousnes was in Iesus Christ who fulfilled all righteousnes keeping the law bearing perfect loue both to God man and performing all offices pertaining to that loue and that righteousnes of his doth God impute vnto vs making vs righteous in him Therefore is it that the Prophet Ieremie calleth him the Lord our righteousnes And this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes Not our iustifier that pardoning our sinâ—… pronounceth vs righteous by holding vs excused which thing also verely he doeth for vs but our righteousnes because in him we are accepted and his righteousnes
God should forgiue vnto thee thy wrongs done against his diuine maiestie But in the fourth place marke well this let it enter into thy froward heart if thy peace were presently setled and thou hadst receiued from God as cleare and as assured discharge of all thy sinnes as Dauid had when Nathan said vnto him from God The Lord hath done away thy sinne thou shalt not die Crueltie against thy brother reuoketh Gods promise which hath euer included in it this condition of shewing mercy to thy brother and forgiuing him It is a true saying of Saint Augustin Redeunt dimissa peccata vbi fraterna charitas non est The sinnes forgiuen returne againe where there is no brotherly charitie And this is plaine in the parable of the king and his seruant that ought him ten thousand talents the king being humbly intreated forgaue him the debt that is promised to forgiue it him this seruant went forth and met with a fellow seruant that owed him an hundred pence and cruelly hee cast him into prison which when the king heard of hee was highly displeased and calling this vnmercifull seruant before him hee said vnto him O euill seruant I forgaue the◅ all that debt because thou praiedst mee oughtst not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had pitie on thee So his master was wroth and deliuered him to the gailer till he should pay all that was due to him His vnmercifull dealing with his follow to whom he would not forgiue small offences reuoked the liberall promise of Gods most large mercy for the forgiuenes of his many and grieuous sinnes therefore suppresse all frowardnes of thy swelling heart and after the councell of Salomon say not I will do to him as he hath done to me I will recompence euery man according to his worke But be curteous mercifull and tender-hearted forgiuing thy brother and so God will gratiously forgiue thee There is a third condition to bee obserued of them that thinke to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and that concerneth more directly God and his glory and praise namely faith in God faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God That is firmely to hold perswasion of the mercy of God that it reacheth to the forgiuenes of sinne without exception of any sinne or any sinner as if for sinne there were any greater then his mercy and therefore such as hee neither would nor could forgiue and for the person that there were any so farre out of fauour that vpon his repentance God would not could not be mercifull vnto him the Prophet Micah saying of God for his mercy in this point Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion on vs. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottom of the sea And firmely to hold perswasion of the merit and vertue of the death and bloud sheding of the Lord Iesus Christ that it is effectuall to take away the sinne of the world as Iohn Baptist saith of him Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Without exception of any sinne or of any sinner as if for the sinne there were any so grieuous that the bloud of Iesus Christ were not able to wash out the staines thereof and for the sinner that there were any so wicked that the sacrifice of the sonne of God were not sufficient to make attonement with God for him the Euangelist Iohn concerning sinne saying The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Apostle to the Hebrewes concerning sinners saying He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession to God for them This is faith in God to hold this intire perswasion of the mercy of God without making exception which none can iustly make and this is faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God to hold this intire parswasion of the merit of his precious bloud and bitter passion without making exception which none can truely make And this intire perswassion without exception includeth particular application for he that excepteth no sinne excepteth not his owne sinne a◅d he that excepteth no sinner excepteth not himselfe Of the vertue of this faith to obtaine forgiuenes of sinne and all other graces at the mercifull hand of God for the merit and by the vertue of Iesus Christ the mediator these and many other places of Scripture doe speake fully and plainely Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in praier if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it And in another place If thou beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth These things are spoken by the Lord Iesus himselfe And Saint Paul saith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued It may bee the remembrance of this third condition breedeth some discomfort vnto thee as threatning vnto thee no forgiuenes because thou thinkest that thou hast no faith thou thinkest that thou hast it neither in possession nor in power whether thou haue faith in possession or no it may be a questiō because thou maist haue it without presēt feeling of it And sure if euer thou hadst it thou hast it still For as the Apostle Iude saith The faith is once giuen to the saints Faith hath his summerly beautie and winterly barrennesse it admitteth increase decrease but as the tree liueth in the winter though it be bare and when colde stormes are past sheweth his life by building in the spring so faith p◅ncht and benummed with the ◅ipping colde of frostie temptations assoone as it pleaseth God to send ease of trouble sheweth it selfe by reioycing and praising God as it were in a spring and then manifestly declareth the continuance of his being when yet it could not be discerned But if thou be indeed without it it is out of question that thou hast no power to command it it is not a matter of that facilitie to beleeue in God vnto saluation that some doe account it who vse to say they can beleeue what they list For to command silence to accusing thoughts and to stop the mouth of Sathan that accuseth thee of thy sinne and to suppresse the sentence of Gods law that condemneth thee for sin and to binde the hands of Gods iustice that is readie to doe execution vpon thee for sinne and to quiet a conscience disturbed and s◅t on fire with the feare of deserued wrath and condemnation and to beleeue in God vnto saluation is to doe all this is a worke of greater difficultie then hee vnderstandeth that saith he can beleeue what he list Credulitie to thinke this or that to be true because some bodie tels vs so or because we haue reade it or because
my selfe a reprobate This bolde and desperate reason to maintaine his former bold and desperat assertion plainely be wrayes the nature of this temptation and burden of accusing thoughts and terror of conscience it ceaseth not to accuse and to inforce those accusations that it prefers it wresteth all things for euidence to increase feare The things that he hath now last spoken may be granted him to be true that sin hath hitherto raignoâ—… too powerfully in him and that he hath sinned against God most grieuously and that the wrath of God is fallen vpon him for that sinne But the collection that â—…ee maketh and inferreth hereupon as that therefore he is a reprobate these being signes euidences of reprobation that must not be granted vnto him His argument as weake and of no good consequence must be denied For first sin euen powerfully reigâ—…ing is no signe of reprobation though euery child of man that is a reprobate and that is appointed to destruction doth afterward by his sinne deserue his reprobation and destruction yet euery man whose sinne deserueth reprobation and destruction is not a reprobate and appointed to destruction When thou â—…eest a man to wallow in sinne thou maist be bold to pronounce him a wicked man and of a wicked heart for his wicked sinne wherein he liueth with delight prooueth so much But thou maiest not therefore pronounce him a reprobate for God may giue him repentance and vppon repentance forgiue his sinne And what God will doe to him thou canst not tell and thou hast more cause to hope of Gods mercie then pronounce of his iustice so long as this sinner liueth in the Church and vnder the ministry of the Gospel where God doth allow the meanes of repentance and maketh daily offer of forgiuenesse of sinnes God calleth some in their youth and some in their age as the housholder hired laborers to worke in his vineyard some in the morning and beginning of the day some at the eleuenth houre when the Sunne was ready to set Therefore whereas before in his obiection hee had said that hee was a viler sinner then many reprobates that was granted to be true and hee may be so and yet no reprobate For oft-times the elect of God doe sinne more grieuously to the iudgement of man then thereprobate doe and after obtaine repentance which the reprobate doe not To this end let vs compare together the sinnes of an elect child and of a reprobate as the Scripture giues testimony of them Saul was a reprobate his end proued him so to bee Dauid was one of Gods elect for the holy Ghost testifieth that he was a man after the heart of God Looke into the sinnes of their liues and it will appeare vnto our eies that Dauids sinnes were more vile then Sauls Saul was commanded to stay the Amalechites and to destroy them vtterly both man and beast in the execution of this iudgement of God contrary to the commandement giuen him he saued aliue Agâ—…g the King of the Amalechites and the best of their kine and sheepe and brought them home as a pray into the land of Israel For the extenuating of this disobedience how many excuses reasonable in our eies might be alledged First for the sparing of Agags life it may be pleaded Agag was a man and it was humanity to saue a mans life and being an enemy it was noble mercy to saue an enemy the cowardly and tiâ—…erous heart neuer doe so and being a King it was royall mercy to saue him if he did it in reuerence to royall Maiesty If he did out of politike respect either to teach his owne subiects euer to reuerence the person of a King or to inrich himself and his kingdome with the ransome of a King it was a point of commendable wisdome Then for the sparing of the fat cattell it might bee said would you haue had him make war with flockes of sheepe and heards of kine That had been rather to play the part of a mad man then of a noble warriour And if they must be slaine was it not better to kill them some to day and some to morrow so as they might be meate for the people of God then to kill them at once and so to leaue their carkases to rot and stinke aboue the ground and to be meate for dogs and for the fowles of Heauen And was there not many a poore man in Israel that was not worth a Cow and many a poore Widdow in Israel that was not worth a sheepe that might be inriched at least releeued with this pray Further was it not meete that God who had giuen them a notable victory against their enemies should be remembred with sacrifices of praise And this pray would plentifully serue for that holy seruice so that the Altars of God might smoke with burnt offerings and yet the people of Israel not be impouerished or in any measure burdened with the charge These and such other excuses in the iudgement of man reasonable though against an expresse commandement of God nothing worth might be alledged to extenuate the â—…ault of Saul Let vs now heare the recorded sinne of Dauid and consider if any such reasonable excuse may be made to extenuate it and whether his or Sauls will appeare vnto vs to be the viler sinne Dauid rose vp from his bed of sloth whereon he had slept in the heat of the day and walking on the roofe of his Palace from thence hee saw a faire woman washing hirselfe in a Garden Lust that commonly accompanieth sloth seazed vpon his heart and hee began to desire that womans company And inquiring of hir he learned that she was the wife of Vriâ—… a valiant seruant of his that was now abroad in battell in the seruice of Dauid against the Ammonites To hir he sendeth the messengers of his lust she commeth vnto him and notwithstanding Gods commandement whereof Dauid was not ignorant thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife hee did couet hir And notwithstanding the commandement which also he well knew Thou shalt not commit adultery hee committed adultery and did lie with hir Shee conceiued by him in her husbands absence shee sends him word of it Now Dauid fearing the publike reproch among men that might light vpon him for this soule fact studieth how to couer it and sendeth to the Campe for Vriah entertaineth him kindly all the day and sendeth him away at night hoping that hee would goe home to his owne house and lie with his wife and so couer the fault that Dauid had made But Vriah hauing taken leaue of the King went not home but like a souldier takes vp his lodging among the Kings Guard and visits not his wife The King hearing this in the morning staies him also that day and makes him drunke at supper hoping that being heated with wine hee would desire to goe home to his wife but hee againe takes vp his lodging where he did
the night before Then Dauid seeing that this deuice would not helpe him resolued vpon a more wicked and cruell course and sends Vriah to the Campe and writes by him to Ioab the Generall that hee should place Uriah in the forefront of the battell and in the time of danger should with-draw all helpe from him and leaue him alone in the middest of the enemies that he might be smitten and die by their hands And this commandement was by Ioab fulfilled at the next assault made vpon the City Rabbah Vriah was there slaine Then was his wife a widdow and free from all men and Dauid takes her home to him and shee became his wife And thus he couered the shame of his first sinne with a second as bad if not much worse And what honest man that knoweth how he ought to keepe his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God can frame any reasonable excuse for his adultery And what sober man that hath learned to walke honestly as in the day time not in surfeting and drunkennesse can excuse his fact in making Uriah drunke and what charitable man that tendereth the life of his neighbour and knowes Gods ordinance that he that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed can by any good words extenuate the sinne of his rraiterous murder It may be that wantons that riotous persons and bloudy-minded-mercilesse men will say it was brauely done but no man of continency of temperancy and of charity can excuse him Surely the sinne of Saul and Dauid compared together it appeareth to vs that Dauid sinned more vilely then Saul in the act of their disobedience howsoeuer for the heart yeelding to sin much may be said for Dauid that cannot be said for Saul Which difference of their hearts appeared presently when they were put in mind of their disobedience by the Prophets Samuel and Nathan For when Saul was challenged by these words of Samuel Wherefore hast thou not obe◅ed the voice of the Lord but hast turned to the pray and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord He denied the fact maintained his deniall with argument and lastly being inforced to confesse himselfe a transgressour yet hee did it faintly and neuer repented But assoone as Nathan had said vnto Dauid Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to doe euill in his sight thou hast killed Variah the Hittite with the sword hast taken his wife to be thy wife and hast slaine him with the sword of the childrē of Ammon He confessed it freely grew into displeasure with himselfe for it and heartily repented making his humble praier vnto God for forgiuenes thereupon penned the one fiftieth Psalme in testimonie of his repentance his heart was not so wicked as was the heart of Saul but in the outward face his sinne to the eies of the world was more vile then the sinne of Saul Shall Dauid therefore say I am a reprobate for I haue sinned more vilely then Saul that was a reprobate this were first to step too presumptuously into to the throne of Gods iudgement Secondly it were to be vnthankfull vnto God for that faithfull and most constant loue of his that euen with such sinnes was not extingushed Thirdly it were to be vnkind and iniurious to his owne soule denying vnto himselfe the hope comfort that he might and ought to seeke in the infinite mercy of God therefore though our afflicted sinner haue sinned more vilely then many reprobates it followeth not that hee himselfe must therefore be a reprobate and though they that be reprobates doe by their sinnes after committed deserue the damnation whereunto by the decree of reprobation they are appointed yet hee and others committing sinnes worthy of condemnation are not therefore to be iudged reprobates and his sinne though grieuous as he affirmeth it truely to be is no signe nor euidence of reprobation Secondly hee alledgeth the wrath of God now heauie vpon him for his sinne to be another euidence of his reprobation which likewise must not be granted For if this should bee a true rule that wheresoeuer Gods iust wrath falleth vpon men for their sins they vpon whom this wrath falleth should be reprobates then would these great absurdities follow First that all that suffer with Christ in this world should be reprobates For there is no calamitie that falleth vpon men in bearing whereof they become sufferers but it falleth vpon them for their sinnes And the calamitie so falling is a stroke of Gods wrath For the first thing that the calamities that make vs sufferers fall vpon vs for our sinnes the words of Ieremie are plain saying Wherfore is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sin we suffer no calamitie but our sinnes deseruing more hath brought that vpon vs. And for the second thing that the same calamitie comming vpon vs for our sinnes is a stroke of the wrath of God that is of his holines abhorring sin of his iustice correcting for sin appears by the words of the Prophet Micha speaking thus of God Hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea That is for a while he punisheth in wrath the sinnes of his people and after some short affliction indured he forgiueth their sinnes and receiueth them againe into fauour In that saying of the Prophet the worke of God in laying calamitie vpon his seruants for their sinnes is called his wrath So that all the euils that fall vpon men which suffer with Christ in this world come vpon them for their sinnes and are the stroke of Gods wrath against sinne not to destroy but to correct therefore if it were a true rule which our afflicted sinner speaketh that where Gods wrath falleth vpon men for their sinnes that wrath should be an euidence of the reprobation of the person vpon which it is fallen then those men which suffer with Christ in this world should bee reprobates which is most absurd and vntrue for that suffering is rather an euidence of their election vnto saluation because it is written It is a true saying for if we be dead with Christ wee shall liue with him if we suffer wee shall also raigne with him But no reprobate shall reigne with Christ that is the blessed prefermēt of them onely that are the elect of God Secondly if all that beare the wrath of God for sinne were reprobates and that wrath an euidence of their reprobation then this absurditie would follow that God should neuer bee displeased with his elect whatsoeuer they doe should neuer lay any iudgement vpon them that might be interpreted to be an euidence of his wrath and iust displeasure against their sinnes Whereas the contrary is most
this point that death which he calleth poenam vitiorum and supplicium peccator is the iust paine of wickednes punishment of sinners should become as hee calles it arma virtutis and iusti meritum the armour of vertue and merit or happines of a righteous man hee saith this commeth thus to passe non quia mors bonum aliquod facta est quae antea malum fuit not because death is now become a good blessing that before was an euill curse Sed tantam Deus fidei praestit it gratiam vt mors quam vitae constat esse contrariam instrumentum sieret per quod transiretur in vitam that is but God did afford so much grace vnto faith in his Son that death which is knowne to be contrarie to life should be made the instrument or way by which we might passe into life So that death comming by the order of God to a man prepared by faith in Christ that neither through impatience hasteneth death before his time nor through loue of this world or ignorance of his future happinesse cowardly shrinketh desiring to liue beyond his time death comming to such a man in this maner deliuering him from his present short and sufferable troubles leaueth him in a blessed and happy condition absolutely freed from all troubles for the second death hath no power ouer him and he is presently receiued into glorie To him pertaine these words of Christ He that heareth my wordes and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life As the beleeuing thiefe passed from the Crosse to Paradise and as soone as he was deliuered from his present trouble entred into eternall glorie and neuer felt eternall troubles so euery beleeuer when God calles him out of this world from earth passeth to heauen as Lazarus did from his houell into Abrahams bosome and death leaueth him in a most happy state For Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours No more trouble no more dāger no more sorrow shal come to them But death doth not prooue so beneficiall to all For when a wicked man dies whether hee perish by fire as did the Sodomites or perish by water as did Pharao and his Egyptians or be swallowed vp of the gaping earth as was Korah and his company or were stoned to death as was Achan or be slaine with the sword as was Ioab or perish of some foule disease as did Herod or die a faire death in his bed as the greatest number do or fall by his owne hand as Achitophel and some other did howsoeuer he come to his end with honour or reproach with ease or with paine the wicked man by death though deliuered frō the troubls of this life yet is left in a most wofull estate being ledde into the depth of all miseries For from the earth they passe to hell from short to eternall from tollerable to vnsufferable crosses from trobles mixed with comforts which also in their bitterest condition may bee indu◅ed and ouercome with some little patience to troubles mixed with no comforts making euen the remembrance of that sweet name of comfort to be a new addition of discomfort and which giue no place for the least measure of patience to abide with them Of the end and endlesse condition of the wicked when death hath fetched them from hence the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme Surely thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation How suddenly are they destroied perished and horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh O Lord when thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their image despised There prosperity before death is slippery as Ice there is no firme standing vpon it and when death commeth that seemeth to giue ease and end of some intermixed troubles they fall with violence and there fall is remedilesse they perish in it and remaine miserable for euer whatsoeuer conceit they nourished of lasting and continued ease it becommeth like a dreame which proueth idle when the dreamer awaketh Iob speaketh excellently of the wretched condition vnto which death bringeth the wicked saying How oft shal the Candle of the wicked be put out and there distruction come vpon them Hee will deuide their liues in his wrath they shall be as slubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away God will laie vp the sorrow of the father for the children when hee rewardeth him he shall know it his eies shall see his distruction and he shall drinke of the wrath of the almighty for what pleasure hath he in his house after him when the number of ◅is moneths is cut off This good man Iob knew something in what condition death leaueth a wicked man when it hath fetcht him out of this world then is he deliuered vp to the violent storme of Gods iust indignation the stubble is not more easily nor more confusedly scattered then hee then commeth the reward of all his wickednesse hee was a doer before from that time hee becommeth meerely a sufferer then the fury of the almighty ceazeth vpon him his daily drinke shall bee nothing else but the wrath of God his pleasure after his death is altogether ended and eternall woe lighteth vpon him Let vs not stand onely vpon sentences which may perhaps bee esteemed as lawes which great men easily breake thorow and delude Let vs looke into the acts of God and consider his reall proceeding wee haue a notable example commended vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ to whom the father hath committed all iudgement and therefore hee should not bee ignorant of Gods carriage He remembreth a great man a rich man which was cloathed in Purple and fine linnin and fared wel and dilicately euery day His welth and great estate could not protect him from the stroke of death that made an end of him and so of the troubles of his life if his life were acquainted with any But in what case did death leaue him our Sauiour telleth vs in these words The rich man died and was buried and being in hell in torments hee lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome then he cried and said father Abraham haue mercy vpon me and send Lazarus that hee may dippe the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame but Abraham said sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure and contrariwise Lazarus paine now therfore is he comforted and thou art tormented Ther was his answer stoping his mouth leauing no place for any further hope of any good While he liued he was wel if any thing were a little amisse it was fully recompenced with many pleasures in the end he died and in that death his troubles if he had any ended and his
pleasures also And where did death leaue him in Hell in what estate there in torments with what hope of helpe he had liberty to crie and call but there was no reliefe and it seemeth the man vnderstood and feared so much and therefore in his request he was very moderate if I may call it moderation which was rather the faint request of a despairing heart for hee desired not to be taken out of Hel to be placed in Heauen where Lazarus was he desired not to bee quitted wholy of his torments and to possesse the ioyes of Paradice he knew it was in vain to hope for or craue any such thing And therefore like a saint-harted fearing doubting and despairing creature hee begged a drop of colde water a thing of nothing soone dried vp in the heat of that Fornace of fire where he fried In the measure of his request hee shewed the measure of his hope hee craues a thing of nothing as knowing that nothing was to be obtained This is all the deliuerance from trouble that thy act in killing thy selfe and adding that vnnaturall sinne vnto all thy other sinnes can helpe thee vnto namly to deliuer thee from sicknesse by thy death and that death eternall to deliuer thee from needlesse feare by certain danger and that danger for euer remedilesse to deliuer thee from a little greese by endlesse woe and that we also vnsufferable to deliuer thee from some discontent by eternal vexation heaped vp beyond measure to deliuer thee from the slight offence of a litle sun-burning by casting thee into the flames of Hell fire that neuer shal be quenched to deliuer thee from some disgrace among men by making thee as Esay speaketh to be an abhorring to all flesh This is that sweet aduantage that thou dreamest of that thy death shall bring with it an end of all thy feares troubles and disgraces indeede it is the most sure way to bring vpon thee all feare trouble and disgraces it endeth present and beginneth future troubles It endeth short and beginneth eternal troubles it endeth easie and tolerable euils it beginneth wofull and intolerable euils So that there is no deliuerance to be hoped for this way it turneth in conueniences into mischiefes and turneth offences into hellish torments in one word it turneth a weary life that may bee helped into a wofull death that cannot be helped Hee that hateth thee with a deadly hatred cannot deuise to doe or wish vnto thee a greater mischiefe then this that thou vnwisly concludest against thy self therfore change thy minde while yet thou hast time hurt not thy selfe please not thine enemies offend not thy God quench not the light of life that he hath kindled in thy breast breake not the prison of thy body in which God hath shut vp thy soule as a prisoner for a season it is neither a matter of iustice for thee without commission to punish thy selfe with death neither is it a matter of aduantage for feare of falling into danger to throw thy selfe headlong into danger Beare thy crosse with patience yet a little while and trust in the mercy of God by Christ. So shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thy life shall be saued and in due time peace shall be restored to thy soule CHAP. XXIX THE sinner by this time partly afraid and partly ashamed of his former vniust and dangerous resolution and seeing the iniquity and absurdity of it lets it fall vpon the ground but is not yet won to that care and loue to the preseruation of his owne life that should be in him and therfore obiecteth againe in a lesse violent manner but very vnkindly saying If I may not kill my selfe that haue deserued to die yet why should I cherish my selfe that am not worthy to liue is not life a gift and blessing of God is it not a talent of his welth that he hath committed to our occupying that wee might bee faithfull and hee might bee a gainer by the right vse of it and first of all as it is his gift and blessing bestowed vpon me I haue beene vnthankfull to him for it the vnreasonable beasts the sencelesse trees and plants haue beene more thankfull for a viler and worse-qualified life then I for my life yea the stones and dead earth that haue no life haue beene more thankfull for a bare being then I for my life adorned with excellent qualities And shall so vnthankfull a man thinke to continue the vse of so great a blessing And as it is his goodes and that Talent that hee hath committed to mee to vse to his aduantage that hee might get glory by his owne possession I haue beene very vnfaithfull and haue wasted the daies thereof not onely vnprofitably but also hurtfully many daies haue beene spent in ignorance while I knew not my duty many daies in sloth and idlenesse while I had no care to doe my duty many daies in vanity while I sought my pleasure many in wickednesse while I sought the satisfying of mine owne lusts And shall so vnfaithfull a seruant thinke to haue still in vse such goods of his masters that hee hath done no good withall was it not said if the vnprofitable seruant take thâ—… talent from him and giue it vnto him that hath ten talents And was it not said to the wastfull Steward How is it that I heare this of thee giue an account of thy Stewardship for thou maiest be no longer Steward Such a Steward such a seruant am I I haue made waste of the daies of my life I haue brought no glory to God by them therefore I hold my selfe vnworthy of life and wil not seeke to nourish it besides I am not worthy of meat I wil not eat I am not worthy of drinke I will neuer quench my thirst I am not worthy of my clothes to couer my wicked carcase nor of my bed to rest my vngodly bones vpon I am not worthy of thy company of thy comfort of these mercifull words of counsell that thou giuest mee I am worthy of nothing cast me out to the dung-hill as a crumbe of vnsauory salt speake no more vnto mee doe no more seruice for me giue nothing vnto me let me perish I know how vile I am before God and I am as vile in mine owne sight and let mee be no dearer in your â—…ies my sinnes make me vnworthy of all good things and worthy onely of death and therefore in reuerence to God I will absteine from the vse of all good things and waite for deserued death O poore afflicted soule these words doe much moue my compassion toward thee to see that humilitie should become hurtfull to any poore seruant of God and that the confession of our vnworthines should preiudice our comfort in God and our releefe from God euen then when God doth ofter releefe and in those things wherein God doeth offer comfort Here is an error that must be helped This error is not in thy
rich Widdow how to pray vnto God among other words hee hâ—…th this saying 〈◊〉 hoc negocium plus gemitibus 〈◊〉 sermonibus agitur plus fletiâ—…quam â—…fatu This businesse of praier for the most part is performed rather with gronings then with words with weeping then with speech Let God therfore heare thy sighes and grones let him see thy teares when thou canst not shew him thy desire in words water thy couch with teares as did the Prophet and God will gather vp and put euery drop into his bottell thus doing when thou thinkest that thou hast not praied thou hast praied most powerfully For as Saint Ierâ—…mi saith Oratio deum lenit lacrâ—…na cogit Praier gently moueth God teares forcibly compell him He is allured as it were and won with the words of praier to heare vs but with the teares of a contrite heart he is drawen and inforced to heare and helpe where otherwise hee would not And in this affliction growing vpon thy heart because thou knowest not how to pray heare a notable comfort that the Apostle giues thee saying The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Where thinâ—… owne strength and wisdome faileth in this seruice of praying vnto God there the wisdome and power of Gods spirit kindletâ—… in thee strong desires and earnest longings after the mercy of God And the meaning of those desires and longings God perfectly vnderstandeth and needs not to bee informed by thy words So 〈◊〉 though thou canst not pray as thou â—…oghtest to doe yet that seruice goeth forward well while thou hartily desirest Gods fauour Of which desire in thee â—…ere needeth no other argument but â—…en the griefe of thine owne heart seeing in thy sin cause of Gods displeasâ—…re and that other thoughts come into thine heart when thou bendest thy selfe to pray maruaile not at it neither therefore be so farre discomforted that thou shouldest giue ouer praying but 〈◊〉 the more to pray and to watch thereunto in the attendance of thy thoughts and lift vp thine heart vnto God and keepe it with all thy care looking still to him These thoughts of thine heart partly arise from thine owne weaknesse and corruption that art more fit for any thing then to attend with setâ—…ed reuerence vpon God And partly they are mustered together and thrust â—…o vnseasonably into thine heart by the wicked enimy that would not haue thee pray because he knoweth that the mercy of God is most easily obtained by harty and constant praier therefore hee seekes to hinder thee in that businesse that thy mind being occupied about other cogitations thou might est let fâ—…ll to the ground the petitions that thou are offering vnto God but the more hee seeketh to trouble thee the more earnest be thou in praier remembring that saying of our blessed Sauiour giuen for a warning to his Discipâ—…es Wateâ—… and pray that yee enter not into temptation Lastly hee is offended and discouraged in his praying by an intruded answer that offereth it selfe presently after his praier and sometime before his praier be either ended or begun not suffering him to wait patiently vpon God and to hope in him and this intruded answer is alwaies vncomfortable It comes euer in the negatiue and â—…pulsiue forme whatsoeuer hee hath praied for or intendes to pray for it tels him he shall not haue he cannot haue hee iâ—… not worthy to haue hee must not looke to haue the iustice of God will neuer grant it vnto him Which answer is nothing else but if I may so speake the smoke of those fiery dartes of Sathan wherby he hath set the poore mans conscience in combustion bringing his sins â—…o remembrance setting before him the â—…ath of God kindled by those sinnes 〈◊〉 from hence extracting and drawing this heauy conclusion looke for no â—…rcy where thou hast deserued so â—…ch wrath It is no other then a very 〈◊〉 of his disease the fruit of his owne 〈◊〉 ouer hastily answering himselfe â—…ot â—…arying to receiue answer of God tâ—…s he must take especial heed off that for as much as hee maketh praier to God and not to himselfe he waite for his answer from God and receiue none from himselfe and if his heart will be foolish to suffer any such vncomfortable answer vnto him that hee reiect it and wait on the hand of heauen About this point the sonnes of men erâ—…e very dangerously and faile in extremities and few or â—…one can keepe the right meane to expect and receiue their answer from God While men liue carelesly in sinne and prouoke God euery day if they chance to offer any petition to heauen or by aâ—…y meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their hopes from heauen they euer boldly answer themselues with promise of all prosperity though in iustice it cannot be like vnto the man whom God complaineth of saying that Hearing the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walk according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart God giues no such answer to such men It followeth in the same place The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him Blessings belong to them that feare God not to them that conteâ—…ne him He that inqul reth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer belonging to the petitions and hopes of such men The threatnings of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts are all denounced against them as in the fore-remembred place of Deuteronomy The wrath of the Lord and his lealousie shall smoke against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen On the other side when men are humbled in the sight of their sins and haue great remorse in their hearts if they powre out any sighes and grones vnto God in their praier and by any meanes be occasioned to thinke vpon answer of their desires from heauen they euer fearefully answer themselues like those men spoken of by the Prophet Ezechil that say If our transgressions and our sins bee vpon 〈◊〉 and we are consumed because of them 〈◊〉 shall we then liue That is our sins deseruing death and those being now â—…id to our charge and the hand of God being heauy vpon vs for them there is no hope of life God giues no such answer to contrite hearts and to humbled spirits he doth not so reiect the deiected man He that inquireth for Gods will reuealed in his word shall finde another answer of comfort and health appointed for them the promises of mercy runne all vpon their side The Prophet Moses speaketh these words vnto the people When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee at the length if thou returne to 〈◊〉 Lord thy God and bee obedient to his voice for the Lord thy