engraven us upon the palmes of his hands verse 16. sometime in the tendernesse of hennes to their Chickens Mat. 23. 37. which how tender it is we see in the continuall care that she hath in hatching feeding and to her power in defending her young and yet all these are but shadowes in regard of substantiall and everlasting love which CHRIST IESVS the heavenly Henne hath over his beloved ones his love is as himselfe infinite for whatsoever is in God is God his mercy his justice c. and all those backe-parts of the mighty IEHOVAH Exod. 34. 6. When he is called mercifull what is he but mercy it selfe in the abstract saith Savanorola if they were al gathered together that are in heaven and earth and it be demaunded of them how they have been saved they all stand as a cloud of witnesses to testifie Gods free mercies and to say with the Church Psal 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the praise Now consider further that the mercifull kindnesse of God is 1. Generall 2. Speciall The generall is his providentiall care over all his creatures in creating preserving sustaining and maintaining of them Psal 36. 6. Thou O Lord wilt save both man and beast Mat. 5. 45. He maketh the Sunne to rise on the evill and the good and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust Iohn 5. 17. My Father yet worketh and I worke with him meaning in his generall care in the supporting of the creature this is called Psalme 51. 1. Loving kindnesse or benignity extending it selfe to the very Ravens Psal 147. 9. Luke 12. 24. The speciall mercy is that by which hee loves his owne in CHRIST redeemes sanctifies and saves them by his free grace 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve this he exerciseth toward us both in giving and forgiving both which Moses describes at large Exod. 34. 6. Mercifull in which he doth as it were clothe himselfe in the affections of man Ier. 31. 10. His bowels are troubled for Ephraim Matth. 9. 36. His bowels even earned in compassion to see the multitude wandring as sheepe without a shepheard how pathetically he perswades the reformation of his Church Cant. 6. 7. Returne returne O Shuâ—â—mite returne how passionately he deplores Ierusalem Luke 19. 42. If thou haddest knowne even thou in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace in a word he rejoyceth in his owne mercie but sorrowes for our miserie Gracious which intimates a forwardnesse to doe us good he is never weary in doing it Iam. 1. 5. he gives liberally to all Slow to anger full of patience Gen. 6. 3. How long did he wait the repentance of the old world in his mercy stopping the course of his deserved vengeance Psal 95. 10. Fourty yeares long did he suffer the murmuring Idolators and Adulterers in the wildernesse Psal 106. 43. Many a time did they provoke him to anger by their Counsels yet Is 30. 18. he waits that he may have mercie Aboundant in goodnesse and truth noting his disposition by kindnesse to win men the immutable constancie of his promises which is the inexhaustible fountain of his mercies he reserves them for thousands his goodnes is not like the morning dew dispierced and exhaled by the Sunne nor like the Coffers of the greatest Potentate which may be drawen dry but a Lamp which is fed by the oyle of Immortalitie and which makes up the measure he forgives iniquity transgression and sinne no marvell than if David call them in his experience the multitude of his tender compassions in which he tenderly embowelleth his chosen as the womb enfoldeth nourisheth the new conceived Embryo where he shewes mercies he shewes them by multitudes if the royall heart of Alexander thought it not honourable to give small things how much more than shall the all-sufficient God give that exceeds him as much as the maine Ocean the least riveret he is ready to forgive Isa 55. 7. Father of mercies and God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. Very pittifull and full of mercy Iam. 5. 11. The heighth length bredth and depth thereof passeth all understanding Eph. 3. 18. All these compassions and mercifull kindnesses may be reduced to a sixe-fold ranke First preventing Mercies whereby hee did us good when we knew not keeping us from many sins which otherwise we had committed many and many have we coÌ„mitted against him but far more should we have done if his mercie had not prevented us acknowledg than Gods mercy toward thee even in those sins which thou hast not coÌ„mitted If thou seest one which is debtor to me for a sin and I forgave him know also that thou art a debtor to me because I prevented thee from the like because there is in every mans corrupted brest since the fall of Adam the Seminarie and seed-plot of all iniquitie springing from the bitter root of that originall Corruption the match and tinder the fuell and fountaine of every actuall transgreson so that there is no enormitie which the most debauched wretch hath committed but thou hadst acted the like if grace had not preuented boast not thy selfe then in this but with devoute Bernard extoll the mercie of the Almighty Secondly are his sparing mercies experienced in his longanimitie and patience in which thou mayest say I have sinned and thou heldest thy tongue I have transgressed and thou hast spared me when thou lookedst upon Zimri and Cosbi slaine in the act of uncleannesse Ananias and Saphira the old world Sodome and Gomorrha Iulian Herod with thousands more the dierfull spectacles of Gods powerfull Iustice hast thou not sufficient cause to glorifie that God that hath so long suffered thee to wallow in the puddles of thine iniquitie and hath not sunke thee downe to the pit of perdition but still waites that hee may have mercie Thirdly his pardoning mercies else what benefit were it to be long spared and at last paid home as it shall be with every impenitent though he enjoy the sun-shine of Gods patience yet in the end the wrath of God shall burne as an Oven as Tophet against him though now he see the hand of Gods justice behind his backe clouded and vailed in his daily continued mercies yet the conclusion will prove a tragicall Catastrophe though he passe with a slow pace yet he goes in order though with leaden feet yet with Iron hands but this feare is taken away by these pardoning mercies by which in the bloud of Christ he makes us as cleane as if he never had been poluted Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Fourthly are his renuing mercies by which he gives not onely remission of sinnes but also the grace of renovation by which they become new creatures trees of righteousnesse bearing and abounding in the fruits
to bee the dittie of all our musicke because they are to him no more then parables or paradoxes but he joyeth rather in carnall things which though they content the flesh they crucifie CHRIST and grieve the Spirit like foole-drunken Nabal in his feasts 1 Sam. 25. 26. or Belshazzar Iâ—olatrously carrowsing Dan. 5. 2. making himselfe merry with Sacriledge or like effiminate Heliogabalus the helluo who in his feasts to make himselfe merry withall had eight bald-pated guests as many lame as many blinde as many bleer-eyed as many gouty as many deafe c. which he called his make-sports and mirth movers Or to rejoyce in Scurrilous jeasting baudy songs which are not urbane and civill but beastly and irreligious setting us in as great danger as Iobs children dishonouring both God and our festivall merrâ—ments or as the covetous money-monger who locks up his God his ioy in his chest and in the comfort of his heart worships it every morning with his orysons as the Persians the Sun or the inhabitants of Calecut the Divâ—ll or rejoycing with the Adulterer to see the darknesse Prov. 7. 7. Ier. 5. 8. These rejoyce and delight themselves as it were with the poysonous excrements of Sathan which is sinne as the Scarrabee in the filthy ordure of beasts feeding and fatting themselves for the time like leâ—â—e Witches with the Divels leaner banquet or as the Pselli and Marfi in Italâ—e feeding on poyson All these merry hearts shall be turned from their forbidden commons as leane as Pharaohs kine for with Ephraim Hos 7. They are as a Dove deceived without heart forced with Salomon to confesse their mirth is madde Eccles 2. 2. I sayd of laughter its mad and of myrth what doth it But aske the godly man who hath tasted the first fruits of the Spirit and how gracious the Lord is and hath drunke a full draught at the fountaine of mercy hee rejoyceth in nothing but CHRIST and him crucified ouerjoyed and as it were rapt in an extasie in the fight of heavenly things as Stephen Acts 7. 56. and Paul 2 Cor. 12. And David dances before the Arke rejoycing to see the peoples forwardnesse in Gods service Psal 122. 1. And the Martyrs have joyfully gone singing to be devoured of that furious Idoll of the Persians the godly mans delight is to exercise himselfe with David in the law of God Psal 1. 3. and with King Alphonsus reading over the Bible 14. times every yeare These and such are ioy to the Sainâ—s of God for even as wicked men do often feele in their conscienceâ— soules the very flâ—shings of hell fire out of which they often make a desperate leape as the Fish out of the pan into the fire so the Godlie man contrarily feeles the sparkes and reflections of Gods love towards him dropping from the fountaine of life The Sunne of righteousnesse which brings healings in his wings Mal. 4. 2. hee onely enjoying the comfortable presence of God which is the matter of all joy Psal 16. vlt. Zeph 3. 5. These and such fill our bellies with mirth and our mouthes with laughter more comfort in this fasting than others feasting in this weeping than others singing more comfort in Gods countenance than in all the corne and wine Psal 4. 6. the lusts and licentious liberties of wicked men which have madnesse a spirituall bedlam in their hearts while they live and in the end goe downe to the dead Eccles 9 Secondly seeing this Duety is re-urged and that not onely in particular but to be performed of all Nations of all People as ver 1. and Prayse the Lord in the great congregation and in the congation of Saints c. It stands to condemne the solitary and sequestred life of Anchorites Heremitâ—s and Monasticall votaries whose life hath beene so much admired and commended by lerome and others of the Fathers and is in such esteeme with the Papists at this day as accompted meritorious and a state of perfection like the dreame of the Esseni among the Iewes where wee see how they have forgotten that of God himselfe Gen. 2. 18. It is not good for man to be alone and as the God of Nature hath appoynted in the body naturall one member to be an helper unto another so wisely disposing their offices that one of them cannot say unto another I have no neede of thee 1 Cor. 12. 10. So in the body politick and Ecclesiastick one to be unto another As the healthfull blinde man to the weak lame man the one imploying his strength the other his sight in their journey Man is not made for himself in his kinde of life a man may in some sort be hindered froÌ„ doing evill but he is likewise kept from doing good He cannot reioyce with them that reioyce Rom. 12. nor praise the Lord among his Saints or be an instrument for a publique good or as a candle upon a candlesticke to shine to others his life is hid under a bushell and Cloystered in a desart sequestred from the society of men as if the law of Nature had enioyned us to have our conversation with Birds and Beasts damming in a preposterous stopage that light which should have done good to the world and which by it may be rightly challenged of thee as it was with Saint Francis Paulus Thebanus and Simeon Stiliotes those famous or rather infamous Anchorites which as the Papists are bold or rather impudent to say of some of them They transgressed no one jot of the Law some of them compared with CHRIST and in many things according to their blasphemie exceeding him What is this but flat impiety grosse superstition not warrantable by the word of God where one day it shall be sayed to these will-worshippers Who hath required this at your hands Isa 1. 12. The third shewes the lawfull and laudable use in praysing God by singing Psalmes which are certaine songs composed by holy men upon severall purposes out of the word of God commended unto us by precept Iames 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing Psalmes it is Gods ordinance binding all sorts of men to the practise thereof Make a toyfull noyse unto God all yee lands Psal 66. 1. and 92. 1. and 135. 3. God allowing us no other recreation to shoulder out this as most doe and this we ought to doe as our daily exercise in our families Psal 101 1. 2 I will walke in my house with a perfect heart in our Churches and congregations where and when Christians meet together 1 Cor. 14. 26. Ephes 5 19. Singing and making melodie in your hearts with Psalmes c. Now consider further that wee may tune up a pleasant harmony as a sacrifice of rest and acceptance to the God of Iacob Foure things are required in our spirituall singing First wee must not babble them over Parrot-like or as the ignorant Papist gallops over his Ave Maries and Pater Nosters but with understanding that we may teach and
Bullocke was burnt without the Campe Levit. 6. 12. And further the remooving the Scepter from Iudah which came to passe at the Idumean Herod entring to the Kingdome by the favour and furtherance of Antonius and afterward more strongly seated and setled by Augustus when he cruelly slaughtered their Sanhedrim as Philo their owâ—â— Countreyman doth witnesse and their owâ—â— Rabbins in their Talmud cry out Wee unto us for the Scepter is now taken away from Iudah and the Lawgiver from betweene his feet This might also be shewed by the generall ceasing of the Iewish Sacrifices the multitudes of Hecatombes among the Gentiles which all gave place and died with the great Heathenish Pan when this immaculate Lambe was slaine Also by the ending of the yeare of Iubile with Christ himselfe upon the Crosse proclaimed to be ended Ioh. 19. 30. It is finished the ending of the Monarchies prophecied by Daniel which should have their full Period when the Stone should be cut out of the mountaine without hands which ended in that lascivious Egyptian Queene Cleopatra all being brought under the yoke and subjection of the Romane their owne Simeon in whom they say the spirit of the great Sinagogue did cease hee testifieth Luke 2. 26 27 c. Also their owne Prophetesse Anna of the tribe of Asher Luke 2. 38. Also the ancient Sibyls as that Erithraea which spake so excellently of CHRIST that she seemes to Saint Augustine to have beene a Citizen of the Citie of God which bookes were had in that reverend esteeme that when Augustus Caesar searching up their ancient Prophecies throughout Africa Sicilia and the Colonies of Italie to be brought to Rome to examine the true from the false He caused 2000. to be devoured by fire yet he preserved the Zibillian Oracles and caused them to be locked up into golden chests at the foot of the Image of Apollo in mount Pallatine in Rome but these are copiously handled by that Hammer of the Iewes and Mahumetanes Philip Morney Lord of Plesse and others Thus must we provoke the seed of holy Sem to embrace the Gospell by shewing them that it is in vaine to expect any other to come in great power but that great mystery is already made knowne which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles c. according to the Scriptures 1 Tim. 2. 16. That they may acknowledge Davids sonne and Davids Lord whom they must kisse in obedience or perish everlastingly Heare then yee sonnes of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made unto our Fathers Acts 3. 25. Heare I say the kingly David sweet singer of Israel calling you forth of your blindnesse to joyne with the Gentile to praise God in this Hallelu-jah you must be one in the bond of the Spirit and the unity of peace be no more the deafe Adder that stoppeth their eares though the Charmer charme never so wisely Psal 58. 4. This is the CHRIST whose blood hath beene so long required at your hands Matth. 27. 25. Answere not with your elders Mar. 11. 33. Wee cannot tell you have had both your Patriarks and your Prophets pointing at him the Vale of the Temple is rent and now you have vs Gentiles to preach him unto you Luke 23. Heb. 9. The Lord therefore for his CHRISTS sake the sonne of his love and the ingraven Image of his Person remoove the vaile from your hearts that with us you may have your eyes opened to see the way into the holy or holies made open by the great High Priest of our Calling that you may come at the found of this silver Trumpet of your owne David that as your diminishing hath beene the riches of the world so your restoring may be life from the dead and that it may be in due time accomplished and performed we shall daily powre out our prayers in the name of IESVS CHRIST to the Father by the blessed Spirit to which three glorious Persons and but one onely wise God be all honour and glory for evermore Amen Here endeth the first part being verse 1. VERSE II. PSAL. 117. 2. For his mercifull kindnesse is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Praise yee the Lord. THe tres-noble branch of Iesse king David having by a propheticall spirit not onely summoned but enjoyned both Iewes and Gentiles to the joyntpraising of God declaring the boundlesse compasse and unlimited circuit of the kingdome of CHRIST not onely King of the Iewes as Pilate stiled him Iohn 19. 19. but even the heathen are his inheritance linked into the society of faithfull Abraham by the bond of faith and obedience elsewhere as Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke c. Even insensible creatures as Sunne Moone Starres Meteors Thunder Haile Snow c Psal 148. are called upon for the performance of this dutie every creature be it never so base in the sight of Man bearing upon it the workemanship of his hands even by silence loudly proclaimes it's Maker but he is praised of Man in a more lively and louder straine a shriller and sweeter Diapason sounding from an heaven-sprung soule which in the internall externall superiour and inferior powers and faculties thereof doth manifestly beare the Image of God and the characteristicall badge and stampe of the Divinitie as Calvin saith is invested and inriched with such a measure and furnishment of Graces as it pleaseth the Olimpian love to distribute to every one as Homer in the twylight of nature could say the ditty of whose duty in this vers 2. is composed of Gods mercy and truth and so this brings us to the reason for his mercifull kindnesse c. In which are considerable 1. His Mercie 2. His Trueth in performing his promises 3. The certainty of both confirmed in the object toward us 4. The Epiphonema and conclusion of this Psalme which is accounted the last of the Iewes Hallelu-jahs which were appointed to be sung at their Passeover ending in the same cadence in which it begun Praise yee the Lord. Mercifull kindnesse the first motive injoyning the dutie is a common place in which as in a Maze or Labyrinth we may loose our selves and make an easie entrance but no end for all the wayes of God are mercie and truth Psal 25. 9. The Almighty hath stepped no where beneath or above the circle of the Moone but he hath left plaine prints and characters of his mercies that he that runnes may reade them and that we may take notice of the tendernesse of them sometime they are expressed in the love of Parents to Children Psal 103. 13. As a father pittieth his children so doth the Lord pitty them that fear him sometime in the love of Eagles to their young Is 49. even exceeding the love of a woman to her sucking child verse 15. hee hath
of faith and repentance sanctified in their soules bodies and spirits not like the blacke Apostata who after his cleansing is repossessed with seven spirits worse then the former or the Dog returning to his vomit or the Sowe to wallow in her myre and which is more fully made plaine in the fifth which are his corroborating mercies whereby hee continues in the state of grace not falling and backsliding with Adam in the state of mutabilitie but as mercy brought him to it so it continueth and keepeth him in it Sixtly and lastly are his crowning mercies whereby he shall perfect his worke begun in us and performe his Kingdome promised to us where there shall be no hurtfull thing but wee estated in the paradise of eternall happinesse shall have our Vnion and Communion with Christ and the heavenly Hierarchie of the high and holy Saints for ever such a measure of Beatitude Isa 64 4. As eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. This unmeasurable extent of Gods mercies serves first to urge upon us the drift of the Prophet in this place viz. To praise God for his mercy the whole worke of our salvation goes under this Title 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in time past were not the people of God but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercie but now have obtained mercie to what part soever we looke the whole frame of it is made of mercy if wee begin at Gods election the foundation and ground-worke of all and passe downe to the last period of all which is glorification and aske from what roote each part sprung this onely Mercie must answer all Mercie in chusing mercie in sending CHRIST in calling justifying sanctifying strengthening preventing preserving and the admitting of us to an Inheritance immortall and undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4. all from mercy so that the burden of our song must still be with David Psal 132. 1. For his mercie endureth for ever In the parable of the profuse prodigals returne the whole streame of his Fathers carriage toward him is nothing but mercy when he was yet a farre off his father saw him had compassion on him ranne to meete him fell on his necke kissed him c. In the whole worke there is nothing but mercie Luke 15. 20. c. So that light and darkenesse God and the Devill hot and cold and not in a line of greater opposition then mercie and merit in the worke of mans salvation which Antichristian Doctrine is like a Centaure halfe man halfe horse or like that brood of Nilus halfe frog halfe earth or the minotaure halfe bull halfe man contraries in a remisse degree may admit intention and remission as heate and cold in tepide luke-warmenesse but in the highest degree they cannot So though we graunt with Saint Augustine good workes to bee necessary in regard of their presence not of their efficiency and with Bernard that they are the way to the Kingdome Yet in the case of Iustification Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4. 6. and Rom. 6. 23. Considered in their highest degree even to the very sufferings of Martyrs Rom. 8. 18. they can no more stand with mercy then Dagon of the Philistines is able to confront the holy Arke of IEHOVA 1 Sam. 5. 3. By which wee see the Papist like an unskilfull Empiricke in Physicke make a Potion for a sicke soule as he that went into the field to gather herbes but found a wilde Gourd and put it into the pottage while the eaters cryed out Death in the pot 2 Kings 4. 39. So doe they temper the soules-salving herbe of grace with the poysoning Gourd of humane merrit dealing with the Church of God as unkindly as unnaturall Parents or Nurses giving their children a stone for bread and a Scopion for a fish as the Philistines with Isaacks wels stopping them with earth Gen. 26. 15. Choaking and damming up the fountaine of Grace which ought to be open to the house of Iacob Zach. 13. 1. Changing the reward of favour and promise Col. 3. 24. into their owne of debt Nay further it is the corrupt and dangerous conceite of many who would not bee accounted popish but seeme to magnifie the free mercies of God which yet will be saved by well-doing good meanings and good prayers like the children of the Iewes who marrying with the Ashà odites spake halfe in their language Neh. 13. 24. which is an impeachment to their sufferings which trode the wine-presse cleane Isa 63. which will not give to others nor communicate this his glory with others Isa 42. 8. It is onely mercy without merrit that must lift a man from the gates of despaire when the angry brow of the Almighty is bended against him for sinne as we see in David Psal 51. c. and our Saviour Christ standing in the gappe of Gods wrath being but our surety and pledge yet his soule was heavy unto death trickling down those thicke drops of blood in his miraculous sweat in the Garden thou mayest for a while with David cast the darke cloud of security over thy sins to hide them as the fish Sepia casts up a blacke liquor to hide her selfe but woe be to them that seeke in deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they say who sees it Isa 29. 15. Eccles 23. 18. Hee that searcheth Ierusalem with a lanthorne will find thee out and rouze up thy slumbering Conscience and then so heavy is the sinne of conscience that without any more evidence it passeth Iudgement upon it selfe Pro. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can beare even none but God In all other troubles miseries and molestations we wrastle with men or divels but here impar congressus weake man with his Maker brittle clay with it's Potter sinfull man with holy God which is of purer eyes then to looke upon evill Hab. 1. 13. and a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. In other things man is a friend and favourite to himselfe as Peter perswades CHRIST to pittie himselfe but here he is his owne enemy and often in the rage of his conscience his owne executioner as in Iudas and Pilate Iere. 20. 4. Rehold I will make thee a terrour to thy selfe thy memorie reason every sense and faculty of thy soule is a Gorgonian-hell-â—urie to torment thee Now in this case when a mans bones is full of the sinnes of his youth Iob 20. 11. His heart broken with one breaking upon another Iob 16. 14. His conscience upon the racke his God writing bitter things against him Iob 23. 26. Then comes the mercy of God to comfort him all other comforts of workes merits satisfactions c. are miserable comforters Iob 16. 2. And will consume as a rotten thing and as a garment that is moth-eaten the soule of a Christian is like Noahs Dove which finds no safety
Pena damni is an aggravation of the misery and materiall poynt of the torments of the damned Luke 13. 28. Yee shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God thou mayest justly heere say with David being the man whom the King will honour 1 Sam. 18. 18. in the acknowledgement of Gods free mercy and truth toward thee Who am I and what is my life or my fathers family in Israel that I should be not onely sonne in law but even lawfull heire to the King of Kings to enjoy the same glory with those famous Patriarks and Worthies what shall then become of all those that neglect so great Salvation who being invited to this heavenly banquet of mortall Ambrosicall junckets do still lie groveling in the myeric and nastie sinkes of Iniquity eating the filthy dust of the earth with the Serpent Gen. 3. 14. selling themselves with Ieroboaâ—â— to doe wickedly soules and bodies with Esau to hell for a messe of Pottage or with Demas for a few of the transitory temporals of the world but if wee expect the same happinesse with the Fathers wee must go the same way and tread in the same steps not expecting to enjoy the poysonous pleasures of sinne and the felicity of Gods chosen with Moses Heb. 11. 25. refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasure of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of CHRIST greater riches then the pleasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward knowing if he had the one he must misse the other thus our Saviour CHRIST endured the Crosse dispised the shame for the joy that was set before him Heb. 12. 2. Thus the Christian Hebrewes in the Primitive Church suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods the reason is rendered they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10. 37. or as David Psal 106 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen and reioyce with thine inheritance Heere is propounded vnto thee that double pathway of Hercules the one the straight foot-path of Vertue which ascending may seeme hard and difficult Non est a terris mollis ad astra via Faire vertues war hard and vneasie is that leades from Earth to endlesse happinesse The other is broad easie and even which is the inchanted way of sinfull pleasure Facilis discensus Averni The often-troden path of fi lt hy Vice is easie plaine and leades from Paradice Thus tracing the Patriarkes in the footing of holy Duties Religion and Pietie there is layd vp for thee a Crowne of immortality but traversing thy steps in the pleasing wayes of voluptuousnesse thou shalt be sure to finde nothing but horrid paines tumultuous horror fiery chaines scorching darknesse tormenting Divels and a full draught of the scalding Cup of the vnmeasurable wrath of an angry incensed and revenging God who is a consuming Fire Heb. 12. 29. Seeing the Fathers received the Promises assuredly having the mercies of God confirmed and performed vnto them by their Faith Heb. 11. 33. even to their severall deliverances even that from Babels Captivity which long expected inlargement was vnto them as a dreame Psal 126. 1. and preventing his servants beleeving on him as David with blessings abundantly Psal 21. 3. So will hee deale with vs if wee have Faith Ephes 3. 20. For hee is able to doe for vs exceeding abundantly above all that we aske or thinke promising to heare our Prayers even while we aske or speake as hee did with Cornelius Act. 10. 4. or Daniel chap. 9. 23. While they are yet speaking I will heare Isa 65. 24. So by Faith wee must receive the Promises Hence wee see the apparent reason and cause why so many after so long Preaching of the Word receiving the Sacraments and frequenting Gods holy ordinances which he hath made as the instruments to worke and nourish Faith in vs and the Conduit-pipes to convey his Graces unto us doe still receive so little profit remayning obdurate and hardened in prophanenesse Idolatry ignorance c. and are not healed of the sinne-wounds of their Soules nor obedient to the heavenly vocation that the Minister may justly take vp his complaint with the Prophet I have laboured in vaine and spent my strength in vaine Isa 49. 4. When men goe from the word of Exhortation as Caine from Gods owne admonition Gen. 4. 7. Worse then hee came or as Iudas from CHRIST fuller of Sathan than before Ioh. 13. 27. Our hearts are not opened Act. 16. 14. Our eares not boared our eyes not illuminated but like the deafe Adder or like the poore Begger wanting his hands that hee can receive no almes or like an empty vessell cast into the Sea which can receive no liquor because the orifice is shut Even so vnbeliefe frustrates the promises of God wee may aske pray and receive nothing because wee want Faith Iam. 1. 6. the Word is vnprofitable vnto vs For because of the vnbeliefe CHRIST did but few Miracles in Galilee the two Olive branches cannot emptie the Goldenoyle out of themselves through the two golden pipes because they are stopped Zach. 4. 12. And this is that which Sathan once strove to bring our Saviour CHRIST unto to distrust the providence of God Math. 4. 3. causing the stones to be made bread and this is that by which he works upon the weaknesse of man to distrust Gods care over him bringing him by this meanes to the shame of stealing and from this distrust even to the height of Apostacy for this God will destroy us Iudeth 5. Let us then 2 Cor. 7. 1. seeing we have such promises not loose the performance of them through unbeleife taking heede least at any time there be in any of us an evill heart of unbeliefe Heb. 3. 12. but learne to say with the man in the Gospell Marke 9 24. I beleeve Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and with the Disciples Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith and if oppressed with deadnesse of heart stirre up our faith with David Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee for he that beleeveth shall not make hast Isa 28. 16. saith maketh not ashamed Isa 26. The iust man shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. All things are possible to the beleever he may remoove mountaines he is an omnipotent creature as Barnard sayth Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things by faith thou receivest the pro. mises thine eternall life and happinesse have their dependance thereon Iohn 3. 16. hee that beleeveth in the Sonne hath everlasting life but if yee will not beleeve ye shall not be established Isa 7. 9. Seeing this Mercy and truth of God is confirmed and upon our faith so assured toward us that it cannot be frustrate
all true penitents wicked men have but one spirituall eye by which they see the horrid pitfall of their misery as Cain Iudas c. but the penitent hath two with the one he sees his misery by sinne with the other his hopefull comfort by Gods mercie and thus his feare becomes filiall Psal 130. 4. Thou art mercifull and worthy to be feared drawing the Argument of his sonne-like obedience from that mercie which he feares to misse the wicked mans service if ever he have any springs from a terrour of judgement and wrath which is only servile the penitent beares not the image and superscription of a Pharisaicall Iusticiarie Luke 18. who begins with gloria patri instead of miserere mei his motto I thanke thee O God that I am not like other men but the portraiture of the poore Publican perplexed and knocking upon his breast Crying Lord be mercifull unto me a sinner The second degree is Sorrow which ariseth from the former apprehension of Gods anger and mans perplexed guilt standing before him arraigned and convicted in his owne Conscience for so many and so manifold rebellions and transgressions And here we must distinguish Sorrow which is two-fold first a worldly sorrow which is a dessembled hypocriticall repentance as in Ahab Iudas Esau c. Secondly the other is a godly sorrow for sinne proper onely to the godly man and the true badge of the penitent both which we see 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh salvation by repentance not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death the former arising from the mercy of God as being sorrowfull that he hath offended him as David Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight the gracious favours which were bestowed upon him as his exhaltation from a poore ruddy-faced Shepheard to sit upon a Princely throne his severall deliverances from the Beare the Lion the Champion of the Phlistines and the sundry treacheries practised against him by his Master Saul hunting him as a Partridge upon the mountaines establishing his kingdome c. with infinite more being called into Davids remembrance and made the matter of his retired meditations with his owne ungratefull ungracious rebellions doe cause his eyes to distill like a Lymbecke and his rocky-stony-pumise-dry heart to overflowwith the Teares of a truely-sorrowfullpenitent and now his heart being hot within him as at other times upon other considerations Psal 39. 3. He breakes silence and in the griefe of his soule complaines of the ill requitall with which he had recompenced the Lord of his mercifull kindnesse The like wee may see in that patterne of penitents the profuse Prodigall Luk. 15. The sinne-loden-citizen woman Luke 7. 47. Comming attended with shame and sorrow lavishly washing the feet of her Saviour with teares from her soules stillatory that must wash not onely her feet as was said to Peter Iohn 23. 9. but also her hands and her head this hath been is and must be the course of every saved sinner to retire and returne by weeping crosse thus breaking the heads of Dragons in the water washing away great sinnes by great sorrow What shall then be said of the preposterous course of the world doing all by contraries like that Nation who in a crosse emulation of their neighbours whose custome in curtese is to put off their Hats in saluting one another these because they will be contrary put off their shooes at their meetings so in this maine matter you shall see the wicked man play cart before horse and in stead of sorrow for his sinnes bragge and boast of them as if the Peacocks pride lay in his blacke feete or the Theeves glory in their halters to boast of strength to quarrell and drinke wine Hab. 2. 15. To boast of lying stealing cozening policie c. with the bloudy Poligamist Gen. 4. 23. I have slaine a man in my wounding and a young man in my hurt which Scripture although Catharinus thinke inexplicable and upon which Origen writ two whole bookes and with divers have diversly interpreted yet with Calvin it is most likely to be a bragge and an insolent boast of his bloody strength What is this else but even to be proud of that which should be and at length will be the matter of our shame and the confusion of our faces Phil. 3. 19. They glory in their shame The third degree in repentance after our humiliation is the earnest craving and begging of pardon grounded likewise upon Gods mercifull kindnesse a glympse of which the penitent sees though dimmely as the newly-cured blindeman saw men walke like trees or as Zebul Iudg. 9. 39. Tooke men to be but the shadowes of the mountaines yet truely Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him turne to the Lord the reason followes and he will have mercy upon him and will abundantly pardon the like Hos 6. 1. Come let us returne unto the Lord the reason moving for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up and this assurance of mercie and willingnesse to forgive armes the sinner with boldnesse to sollicite the throne of Grace so that hee which unfainedly repents beleeves and prayes for pardon Repentance and prayer being inseparable Companions Eccle. 3. 12. Examine thy selfe than with what boldnesse thou prayest filling heaven and earth with the Abba Father how thou commest to God as thy father in the name of CHRIST as they Redeemer by the power of the Spirit of Adoption as by Gods mercy in the assurance of thy faith interessed in all the promises being drawne hereto by the cords of love and the bands of mercie and this hath been the pathway in which all the high Saints and servants of God have traced and troden to their Celestiall home it being Gods owne precept Psal 30. 15. Call upon mee in the time of trouble c. The fourth degree ushered by the former is newnesse of life springing Likewise out of the brazen mountaines of Gods constant mercies as continent Ioseph makes his advancement the argument of his chastitie Gen. 39. 8. Hee answered his Mistresse behold my Master woteth not what is with me in the house and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand there is none greater in this house than I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Three things stay Ioseph from committing this sinne first the feare of God secondly the love of his Master in regard of his liberality thirdty the dutie of the wife toward her husband as learned Mercerus hath well observed Or first the reverence of Gods Majesty seeing and beholding all things secondly the consideration of his mercie and benefits received thirdly the feare of judgement as Pererius he knew all
The second is shewed in forgiving the pâ—ecept of which is laid downe Eph. 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God for CHRISTS sake forgave you when our Saviour CHRIST had laid it downe in that methodicall Prayer commended and commanded to his Church Mat. 6. 12. And that vnder paine of excommunication from God retaliating vpon vs the same measure we offer to others knowing our backward perversnesse in performing those duties of love especially this of forgiving he begins a fresh Sermon Verse 14. Drawne from the law of equity by which we shal be measured If you will not forgive men their trespasses no more will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses In the parable of the vnmercifull servant Mat. 18. 34. How sharpely doth our Saviour reprehend him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst mee shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow as I had pitty on thee and his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors c. Pro. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to passe by offences Yet not in a foolish pitty as Ahab with Benhadad 1. King 21. letting him escape whom the Lord had commanded to be slaine or to take away the sword from the secular Magistrate the Kings owne Sonne borne of his Grace and soveraignety for he is appointed to punish offenders whose ordinance is from God Rom. 13. 4. of such Deut. 19. 13. Their eyes must not spare the offenders whose escapements by their negligence shal be required at their hands but of revenge for private wrongs to take the sword of Iustice into our owne hands how dare we when God hath threatthreatned by the mouth of truth it selfe that their shal be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy and he that forgiveth not must never be forgiven how many woes then lye vpon this Iron age wherein we live how many of those barbarous Scythians which seeke no iustice but by bloody cruelty sword and revenge to right themselves say not then I will recompence evill but waite vpon the Lord and he shall save thee Prov. 20. 22. How many are there whose hearts are as hard as the nether mill-stone and whose hands are withered like the hand of Ieroboam which they cannot stretch forth to give any thing If they give it is for their owne ends and not for the affliction of Iosoph Amos 6. 6. Which with many more showes that we are but emptie barrels sounding but holding no liquor our professions like the bird with the great voyce but almost no body and as we know not how to give no more doe we how to forgive our private grudges heart-burnings and continuall suits which makes one cluster of humane Lawe more esteemed then the whole Vintage of divine Law proclaime that our profession is nought but policie our cases in Law more worth than the cases of Conscience Lastly this doctrine serveth as a Counterplea to a false Challenge made by the wicked and vnregenerate Man daring in his presumptuous security to challenge those mercies of God as his owne by free Charter like the Divels lay claime to the whole World Mat. 4. 9. All these things will I give thee pretending them all to be his owne free Lordship but Dan. 4. 21. It is Iehovah the most high God that beareth rule over all the Kingdomes of Men giveth them vnto whom he will Or like the deepe Lunatike who dreames of Kingdomes and greatnesse being poore or like the Foole in Athens who challenged all the Ships in the port and all the riches that came to the Citty to he his when in the meane time hee had scarce a rag to cover himselfe withall or like Isaiahs Dreamer dreaming of eating drinking but waking his soule is emptie hungry and thirsty Or like Charles the 7. king of France being by our victorious English and that warlike Edward named the Blacke-prince almost expelled and expulsed his whole Kingdome was called King of the poore Biturgians a King without a Kingdome So doe the wicked claime an interest in Gods mercies CHRIST indeed is sufficient for all but not efficient to all Ioh. 1. 12. To as many as received him he gave power to be called the sonnes of God He came to all but all receives him not The mercies of God Psal 120. Are from ever lasting to everlasting Great are thy tender mercies Psal 119. 156. but it is vpon them that feare him Mal. 4. 2. Vpon such the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall shine with healings in his wings as the Sunne is cheerefully pleasant to eyes that be found so it is troublesome to the sore so is CHRIST IESVS in his rising and even as a halfe blind man passing over a narrow bridgevsing spectacles which make the bridge seeme broader then it is the blind man being thus deceived falls headlong into the water So by the spectacles of corrupt naturall reason and presumption which the wicked man lookes through the mercy of God which is the bridge is made too broad his iustice shruck too narrow leaning vpon the one forgetting the other till he tumble downe into the brimstone Gulfe of perdition so that thou must know saith Stella that as he is mercifull so is he iust and of most exact integrity Zeph 3. 5. The iust Lord is ia the middest of his Temple he will doe no iniquity every morning doth he bring his iudgement to light Therefore doth he punish most heavily in regard of the weight and greatnesse of sinne most justly because of the holinesse of his Law and most certainely because of his integrity truth In this regard Nehemiah Chap. 9. 33. acknowledgeth Thou O lord art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truely but we have done wickedly Mercy and justice walking in a iust Paralell with God humble thy heart than and examine thy selfe if thou lye with Moab corrupted vpon the lees and dregs of Swearing Lying Stealing c. Thy claime to Gods mercies is nought thou art in the gall of bitternesse having neither part nor portion in this businesse Act. 8. 21. Be ye not deceiued 1. Cor. 6. 9. The vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God No vncleane thing is written in the Booke of the Lambe Reu. 21. 27. Be thou then obedient to the Heavenly vocation and the mercie of God shall imbrace thee on every side The second motive inioyning us to the duty of praise is drawne from the truth of the Lord that is the stedfast mutability and the vnchangable constancie of his promises the most certaine and continuall testimonies of his Grace in sending CHRIST and in him performing all those Covenants betwixt him and his people Sometime truth is taken as opposed to all the outward Leviticall cerimonies onely shaddowing the Messiah to come Ioh. 4. 23. The time shall
dreames of nothing but peace making God the approoving Parron of his villanies and if hee were not acknowledged Heb. 11. 6. To be a rewarder both of the righteous and of the wicked rendering to the one honour glory and immortall life and to the other indignation wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 7. hee might justly be reputed as the wicked themselves but it is as possible to change and alter the nature and essence of God as for the obstinate unjust person to escape the instruments of death prepared for him Psal 7. 12. Even the iust shall reioyce when he seeth the vengance Psal 58. in the performance of this truth Consider then what danger it is to weare the livery of disobedience to treade upon the egges of a Cockatrice to hatch their poysonous egges which who so eateth dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh into a viper to weave the Spiders webbe Isa 59. 5. to have any thing to doe with the unfruifull workes of darkenesse but to inherite shame and confusion Be ye then like the kine of Beth-sheemosh drawing the Arke 1 Sam. 6. 12. though their calves lowed to them and they to their calves yet being yoaked to the Arke they could not turne backe so resolve with thy selfe that though thy calves thy brutish affections cry after thee and thy deareling sinnes like so many swarmes of Bees troupes of beloved friends or dearest children as Augustine confesseth of himselfe upon his conversion from a dissolute Manichey incompasse thee on every side for reentertainement yet being tyed to the Aâ—ke by thy covenant of obedience refuse renounce shake them off and cast them away as Ephraim his Idols If thou wilt needs follow thine imaginations which are evill Gen. 6. 5. and suffer thy selfe to lye sottishly chayned in the inchaunted Castle and fooles Paradise of sinne Pitching thy tents in the Bethaven and house of vanity drowned in the Soporiferous Nepenthick dregs of the cyrce and bewitching corruption of thine owne heart silencing the thoughts and vailing the eyes both of sinne and punishment the very visions of thy head will one day make the affraid Dan. 4. 2 an evill conscience will be unto thee as Iobs messenger Ioh 1. 19. a disasterous nuncio to torment thee Prov. 28. 1. cause thee to flye when no man pursueth thee smite thee with astonishment of heart Deu. 28. 28. Lev 26. 17 give thee the oyle of sadnesse in stead of gladnesse cause thee to say of laughter thou art madde when the best of thy comforts is buâ— from the teeth forward with Nero thou may est change thy chamber but not thy chamber fellowe for the eyes which sinne hath shut punishment doth open the whole world of the damned sufficiently testifying as we see in Bal tazar Dan. 5. in the time of Gods silence what a Iolly fellow he was God gave him a Kingdome Majestie and honour all Nations tremble before him he put downe and exalted whom he would securely carrowfing with hi Queenes and his Concubines his Princes and proceres in the sacred bowles of the Temple praysing the Gods of golde and silver but the God in whose hands his breath was he regarded not his counsels and hests he obeved not tell me now when his countenance châ—ngeth and his knees knocke one against another what an unquiet house is here when his Iudge is but writing against him with a little finger thus it is with wicked men in the time of their disobedience and Gods patience as cold congealeth together things of quite contrary natures as wood stones Iron c. till the fire come to dissolve them so the soule of man hath frozen together sinnes of all sorts and because man is Sathanically blinded God hath appoynted the fire of his judgement to dissolve them letting them see what a horrid confusion they have brought upon their owne heads and what a confused Babel and disordered heape of enormities they have piled and compiled together against the day of wrath the just Judge of the world is not like Phillip of Macedon who heard the poore womans cause while he slept and so gave sentence against her but true and just in all his sayings whether they be Menaces or Mercies even the word which I have spoken unto you shall judge you at the last day Iohn 12 48. Eodem constanciae firmitatis elogio ornabitur clementia veritas The mercy and trueth of God are commended in the same title of constancy and stabilitie both grounded upon himselfe if hee be thy Master then where is thy dutifull feare and if thy father then where is thy filiall obedience Mal. 1. 6. If thou expect his promises looke to thine owne vowe squaring thy obedience by the rule of his law which must be thy compasse Cynosure and loadstarre to guide thee to the inherritance which is sealed by his promises in Heaven to be the happy portion guerdon of all obedience respected more than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15 22. Eccles 4. 17. Hos 6. 6. Ier. 7 22. This unmeasurable truth of God teacheth us as dutifull children in this matter to imitate the father of truth in our awfull and lawfull oathes our promises and simple asseverations let truth be the character and image of the inward affection of our hearts and our tongues the true ambassadors of our Soules the mouth and the minde are coupled together in an holy Marriage Math. 12. 34. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and doth a fountaine send forth at one conduit bitter water and sweete water Iam. 3. 11. so when the tongue speaketh that which the heart never thought it is conceived in Adultery and he that bringeth forth such bastards offends not onely the rule of charity but infringes the inviolable bond of chastity makes a dangerous breach in that morall verity which is incomparably more beautifull among Christians than the farre-admired Helena was accompted among the Grecians for she crownes all those that dye her Martyrs The King is strong women is strong wine is strong but the truth is above all it liveth and conquereth for evermore 1 Esd 4. 38. Fidelity in keeping promises is a fruit of the Spirit and called Faith Gal. 5. 22. a property of him that is qualified to dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest upon his holy Mountaine Psal 15. 4. It is Gods owne precept Ephes 4. 15. Put away lying and speake truth every man to his neighbour it is our armour of proofe able to abide the fiery tryall to make truth our proposition honesty our assumption and conscience our conclusion In this wee are like to God himselfe whose wayes are mercy and truth hee whose soule is fraught with this may safely with undaunted boldnesse launch foorth into the depth of his enemies set saile and direct his course to the haven of Heaven to the father the God of truth Psal 30. To the Son which is truth it selfe Iohn 14.
as it hath served to comfort us so now it serves to confute and confound that uncomfortable Antichristian principle bred in Popery strongly affirmed confirmed cannonized and ratified by the counsell of Trent prop and pillar of that cursed Idolatrie of the Beast agreed upon by those Italianated Machiavels viz. that A man must doubt of his Salvation so long as he lives as much as if one should say wee must doubt of what God hath promised in his mercy or ratified in his truth confirmed by oath and sealed unto us in the blood of his Son by the witnesse of the Spirit Rom 8. 16. 1 Iohn 5 10. Eph. 4. 30. making them all of none effect what is this but to beleive the father of lyes before the three witnesses in Heaven and the three in earth 1 Iohn 5. 7. What is this but to teach the sinne of Infidelity which above the rest is like the fourth beast Dan. 7. 7. dreadfull terrible excedding strong and had great Iron teeth this even pushed against the truth of God with the hornes of blaspemie What is this but to set a mans conscience upon the racke and to give into the hands of a desperate man swords Pistols halters the engines of his owne destruction and even to cause the hands in this distraction of minde in this deepe poynt of Salvation to imbrue themselves in their owne blood as never being sure of Gods mercy and truth towards him in the pardoning and forgiving his sinnes when he can never by the doctrine of his Religion say with David I put my trust in the Lords mercy nor with Thomas my Lord and my God nor with the faithfull Isa 25. 9. Loe this is our God wee have waited for him but his soule perplexedly hangeth tottering betwixt hope and dispaire Consider with Augustine that the name of IESVS is a name under which wee must not dispaire hee spreads his armes on the Crosse to imbrace both Iewe and Gentile Deus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti promisit immortalitem tu dubitas hoc est Deum omnino non nosse Christum credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere God hath promised thee immortality when thou goest out of the world and doest thou doubt What is this but not to know God and to offend CHRIST the Master of the faithfull with the sinne of Infidelity the mercifull God hath shed abroad his love in our hearts that hee might beget and bring forth our love to him againe from the reflection of his owne non credit in deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius suae foelicitatis fiduciam he beleeves not in God who puts not the trust of his whole felicity for this life and a better onely in him What a comfortlesse doctrine is this which strives to blinde the eyes of faith CHRIST came to preach no such hee was preached by the Angels to be a Gospell and glad tydings of great Ioy to all people Luke 2. 10. and Zach. 6. 12 Reioyce O daughter Sion for thy King commeth unto thee c. wee must reioyce in him as men doe in harvest Isa 7. which wee cannot doe so long as the doctrine of our religion teacheth us to doubt of Gods mercy and truth cheare up thy selfe then performing thine obedience not from the spirit of meere bondage but with David Psal 119 chearefully runne the wayes of Gods commandements make thine election peace and reconciliation sure in CHRIST and being iustified thou hast peace with God by faith Rom. 5. 1. The fourth and last thing considerable in the reason is the conclusion of the Psalme the first last string of this well tuned Harpe beginning and ending in the same cadence of an holy and heavenly duety Praise yee the Lord. Which are considered two wayes 1 As they are repeated 2 As a duty enjoyned First wee see here not an idle Crambe bis cocta but a necessary repetition warranted by the Spirit which indited it and David that writ it where obserue that repetitions are used in the Scriptures in divers respects Sometime in prayer for the better stirring up of our zeale and fervency thus used by CHRIST himselfe Math 26 39. 42. and chap. 27. 46. My God my God and Psal 143. 1. Sometime in matters of Prophec◠and that most usually in the Coetaneall and Prophets of the same time as in Amos Isa and Hosea the same vices the same false Prophets and the same Idolatry is taxed Mich 1. 3. the same vices in the same words with Isa 26. 21. and the same concerning the mountaine of the Lord Isa 2. 2. hath Mich 4. 1. And not onely among them of the same time but also of many ages and generations distant as Iacobs Prophecy Gen. 49. 10. repeated many hundred yeares after Hag. 2. 8. Zach. 2. 8. borrowes that from Psal 17. 8. and the like Zach 9. 9 from Isa 62 11. so Zach 9. 10. from Psal 72. 8 and Zach. 11. 9. from Ierem. 15. 2. The promise concerning the powring out of the Spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. from Ioel. 2. 28 the destruction of the Idols which is threatned Zach. 13. 2. from Ezech 30. 13. All these to settle our faith in the certainty of the Scriptures in this united concordance and harmony of the writers thereof all agreeing in the Analogy of faith like Pharaohs dreame repeated Gen 41 32. to make him know it was established with God and hee will surely bring it to passe Sometime they are used in simple narrations to assure the beleever of the certainty of them as 1 Iohn 〈…〉 that which wee have heard from the beginning which wee have seene and handled c. To this end the God of nature hath given unto man two hands two eares two eyes that if the one faile in the object the other should not or to put us in minde with an earnest desire to performe our duties which brings us to the doctrine viz. Repititions are not alway vaine Battalogies and superfluous Tantologies but often times lawfull and warrantable for the better stirring men up to their duties The Prophet Isa desires for the teaching of knowledge to them that are wayned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Chap. 28. 10. Precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little Phil 3. 1. It greiveth not the Apostle to write the same things unto them and Iude 5. I will put you in remembrance though you once knewe this c. There is no newe thing under the Sunne saith the Preacher nothing spoken which hath not formerly bin upon the Stage what are the Prophets but Expositors of Moses the great Prophet the new Testament of the olde and our Sermons Comments upon both Men under the Gospell must be like the cleane beasts under the law of Ceremonies to chew the cud in in an holy
conformed to the lawes of God and thine obedience performed unto CHRIST that the word may work alteration to purifie thee mollifie and open thy heart convert thy soule season thee with grace dissolve the workes of darknesse heale thy wounds of sinne make thee fit for Heaven And here come justly to be taxed besides those convicted Recusants who have shaken off the yoke of obedience and given theyr names to the Beast all those that negligently frequent the congregation accompting more of losse and dung of ease pleasure and profit then of the Word which is able to turne Wolves into Lambes Sinners into Saints Isa 11. 6. A congregation gathered together in the Church sayth the father Are like an armie of fighting men armed by prayer and prayses against the spirituall enemies of their soules where the word offers it selfe to be thy loadstarre to CHRIST thy Iacobs staffe to scale Heaven thy lantherne to light and the heavenly Manna to feed thy soule in which place and upon which ordinance CHRIST promiseth a blessing My house shall be called the house of Prayer and where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them take a patterne of the servants of God the primitive Church Acts 2. 46. the Prophetesse Anna Luke 2. 37. and the Church in St. Augustins time which he compares to Ants because they were alway about the Church as the Ant is about her hole or home and let not God for this negligence deprive thee of his Grace and bring upon thee that fearefull curse which is due to those which doe his worke either negligently or not at all Iudg 5. 23. Curse yee Meroh said the Angell of the Lord Curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty The second sort are not negligent commers but heedlesse hearers hearing line upon line but returning without profit the Scripture sayth Gregory the great is like a River in which the Lambe may wade and the Elephant swim or like an Apothecaries shop in which are Potions and Pils Corrasives and Cordials fit for every occasion for every disease but as Chrisostome sayth when the Minister prayeth or preacheth one walketh another talketh another sleepeth while the Divell rocketh him in his cradle like Ionah securely in the sides of the Ship in the middest of the tempest without profit or desire to be instructed returning as a doore upon the hinges at night in the morning station whereas the word should be as the laver of Brasse to Aarâ—n and his Sonnes to wash thee withall Exod. 30. 18. and thou shouldest bee with the servant in the law boared in thine eare Exod. 21. 6. Thy flesh circumcised thy heart instructed the fallow ground ploughed and broken up Ierem. 4. 4. The soule hammered Ier. 23. 29 and thou wholy framed as a signet fitted for a mans right hand Ier. 22. 24. When this axe is layd to the roote of the tree Math. 3. 10. take heed then to thy feete when thou enterest into the house of God Eccles 5. 1. least in the end thou be taken for an unprofitable servant and in the fearefull case of Ierusalems negligence and heedlesnesse How often would I have gathered thee as a hen her chickens and yee would not Math. 23. 37. A third sort are such as are displeased with what they heare like the Mule kicking the dam that feedes them or like undutifull children at every angry word casting dirt and myer in the face of their Parents or like these Apes which breake every looking glasse because it shewes their deformities whose galled backes or rather unsound consciences no sooner feele the Aqua-Fortis of reproofe but presently as Ahab with Elija they accompt their Minister their enemie 1 Kings 21. 20. or as the same Ahab spoke of Michajah He never Prophecies good unto mee 1 Kings 12. 8. And for all this what hath the righteous done How hath the Minister offended thee when he wounds thy selfe-love and the pride of thine heart and when with the axe of the word hee is hewing and fitting thee as a lively stone for Gods building wee see in the Law Deut. 19. 5. If a man hewing timber in the wood should by chance let his axe fall from the helue and hurt a man hee was to goe to a Citty of refuge for his safety Why should it not then pleade the pardon of thy Pastor when by chance by the sword of the Spirit hee rubbs thy galled sores touches thy Dalilah thy Herodias thy most beloved sinnes and tels thee plainely Thou must not have thy brothers wife thou must leave her or leave thy Heaven and happinesse Consider further that every man being as a brand taken forth of the fire all the Placentia pleasing words comforts and cordials cannot cure him till he be lashed with Moses and driven out of himselfe into CHRIST let not then the poysonous love of sin stop thine eares causing thee to say of it as Abraham of Ismael Gen. 17. 18. O that Ismael my carnall pride prophainnesse might live in thy sight or conceit of it as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19. 20. Is it not a little one Such a sinne is but a peccadillo a little one a small oath an officious lye a sleight excuse these are with thee but small matters whereas thou must give an accompt of every idle word the Divell like a cunning Nimrod and hunter spreads his nets of pleasure profit selfe-love c. To drive thee out of love with the word to esteeme it base or needlesse and so to banish it as the Gargasites did CHRIST or troublesome and contrary to thy peace as Amazia Amos 7 12. Goe thou Seer and flye into the Land of Iuda and there eate bread and prophecie but know beloved as in the Law of Moses Deut. 25. The elder brother dying the younger was to marry his widdow so to rayse up seede unto his deceased brother so by preaching and teaching reproving and exhorting must the Minister as a younger brother unto CHRIST he is the Embassadour in CHRISTS stead to wooe and winne men to be reconciled with God 2 Cor. 5. 18. Suffer then the words of exhortation and reproofe rejoyce with Zacheus Luke 19. 9. Because Salvation is come to thine house let the word win thee that thy Minister by thy profiting in the carefull discharge of his office may answer unto God having brought Beniamin backe Iohn 17. 12. Of all those whom thou hast given mee I have not lost one Secondly consider these repeated words as they containe and enjoyne a duty to be performed Hallelu jah wee saw it in the portall of the text and finde it againe in the end as it were reviving a duty which is and hath beene forgotten of so many in praising God for his manifold mercies and truth continued from him the Creator to the creature in creating preserving maintaining spirituall and
temporall protection with the sending of CHRIST for our redemption where we see two things 1 The matter of the duty 2 The manner The matter to be performed is Thankesgiving commanded Psal 50. 15. 1 Thes 5. 18. Confirmed unto us in the practice of Gods children Exod. 15. 1. 2. Iudg. 5. 1. Luke 1. 68. And as it becommeth Saints to be obedient so to be thankefull Psal 33. 1. The Israelites are upbraided with the contrary 2 Chron. 32. 25. and Hezechia rendered not againe according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore the wrath of God was upon him upon Iuda and Ierusalem The unthankefull person is not worthy of the bread which he eates he is unworthy to be rewarded which returnes not thankes for the reward this causeth God to shut up heaven against us making it Brasse above us and the earth Iron under us whose hardnesse and unseasonable fructifying may sufficiently convince us of unthankefulnesse he stops up the channels of his love and the boundlesse streames of his favours because our hearts are dammed up with Ingratitude he would have open thankes for secret mercies as Rivers come from the Sea closely through the cranies and silent pâ—ssages of the earth but returne opeâ—ly giving manifest notice of their thankefulnesse to the God of the Sea all being his owne Hag. 2. 9. No benefit but should bee the mother of thankes Colos 3. 15. What can wee either thinke or speake or write which may be more acceptable to God then Thankesgiving sâ—â—th divine Augustine What can be spoken more briefly heard more chearefully understood more joyfully or done more fruitfully it is the Musicke which Saints and Angels make in heaven Rev 5. 9. and 19. 1. 3. and should be the burthen of all our mirth it is salt to season all our sacrifices the want whereof God will not dispence withall Ephes 5. 20. Giving thankes in all things at all times and by all meanes the contrary hath beene condemned as the poysoning of a vipor not only in the Schoole of Grace but even in the Academie of Nature an ingratefull person to be a short Epitomie of all odible and avoy dable things Rom. 1. 18. Collos 2. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 2. as one unworthy to participate of any mans love Then praise the Lord O my Soule and be not unmindfull of any of his benefits c. Psal 102. To stirre up our hearts to a conscionable performance of this duety hee that Gulon-like devoures Gods blessings even to the eating of his daily food without giving thankes eates not to God Rom. 14. 6 lives not to God but to his belly is like Pharaohs butler to Ioseph Laban to Iacob Iudas to CHRIST the new Pharaoh to the Israelites and the Israelites to God how can we be thus unmindfull of him that howerly is so mindfull of us let our tongues cleave to the roofe of our mouthes and with the father of Iohn Baptist be dombe let us be beasts with Nabuchadnezar till we learne in a thankfull remembrance to acknowledge the most high let us perish with ingrateful Ierusalem Chorazin and Bethsaida Sodome and Gomorrha If it were so punished in the poore Gentiles having onely the purblind light of Nature to guide them onely reading their lessons in the darke volume of the Creatures to be given up to strange sinnes and strange Iudgements Rom. 1. 21. for their Ingratitude what shall then become of us which have not onely that but the day-light of the Scripture and of the Spirit Doe wee so requite the Lord O stubborne and unthankfull generation that we are CHRIST condemnes it with admiration in the ten Leapers Luke 17. 17. Are there not ten cleansed We do not wonder at ordinary things because every day obvious but we are amazed at a Centaure or Monster at any thing deficient or superfluous in Nature because extraordinary So wee doe not admire the ordinary sinnes of men because wee see them daily but wee gaze at an ingratefull person because hee is hatefull and almost unknowne to Nature it selfe It was a Custome among the Romaines That if a Servant made free became vnthankfull to bee adiuâ—ged to his pristine bondage GOD from time to time to moove us to this Dutie hath caused his Mercies to bee kept in remembrance as a pot of Manna in the Arke and also the fragments of his miraculous banquet Iobn 6. c. Bee not then like churlish Nabal like Horse or Mule that have no understanding but let thy tongue that so long hath beene mute and silent become the well-tuned Cymball of prayse and the silver trumpet of Thankesgiving this is thy Heauen upon earth and when the Word Prayer Faith and Hope shall cease it shall remaine Blessing and Honour might and Thankesgiving be unto our God for evermore Revel 7. 12. Having finished the matter which is both the prescript and postscript the Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of this Psalme let us see in the last place the manner how this dutie must be performed and layd downe Collos 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall songs singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where note First that the service of God among Christians is not a sad dull melancholique and solitary kind of life but full of joy and myrth Secondly a Monasticall and Heremiticall life condemned Thirdly that there is an excellent use of singing Psalmes And lastly to what end with the uses First against which it hath beene long objected by the whole Colledge of the professors of prophainnesse that in Religion there is no mirth but only deepe lumpish melancholy to be found here we see the contrary and that euen under the law which might seeme the saddest time of Gods service yet was it performed in the Temple with Organes and Instruments of most ravishing mâ—sicke which as yet did but shadow to us and give a taste of that great joy which afterwards should follow under the Gospell Which is glad tidings of great ioy Luke 2. 11. first chaunted and tuned by those heavenly Choristers the Angels the like in every service Psal 2. 11. Serve the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Psal 95. 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us reioyce to the rocke of our Salvation chearefulnes and thanksgiving is required in all things Goe thy way then eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy cheerefulnesse in thy workes let thy garments be alway white and let thy head want no oyntment Eccles 9. 7. Wee see indeed the man that lookes through the spectacles of Nature soaring upon the laging wings of earth sees no further or higher then earths happinesse cannot rejoyce in Gods mercy in electing adopting c. or any other things spirituall which are and ought