Name of God I will blesse thy Name saieth hee IT is not without great cause that he mentioneth here the NAME of God For clearing of this wee shall shew you shortly first what is meaned by his Name 2. How great a ground this is to us of praise and blessing For the first A name properlie is not the thing it self which is named but is without it signifying representing and manifesting it Now God who in himself is hid cannot be manifested to us but by his works and word whereby we attaine to the knowledge of him that knowledge of him or rather himself or his divine perfections as they are made known and discovered to us is called his Name When he doth the works of Almightie power wee call him Omnipotent When he doeth the works of Iustice wisdom goodnes c. wee call him just wise good c. And of all these is made up his dreadfull glorious and blessed Name which he hath amongst men So that the Name which God hath amongst us lyeth first inwrapped in his works and from thence by the knowledge and due esteeme of them is convoyed to our hearts whence againe it is published and proclaimed everiewhere To this purpose the Lord being to declare his Name to Moses Exod. 34. 6. The LORD The LORD GOD mercifull gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth Keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. Thus the Name of Christ Iesus in whom God was reconciling the world to himself is called Isai 9. 6. Wonderfull Counsellour the mighty God c. and Jerem. 23. 6. his name is called IEHOVA The Lord our Righteousnesse Let us now come to the second point and consider how great a ground of comfort and praise this Name is First it is so great a ground of comfort and consequently of praise that no grace is bestowed upon us nor promise of it made unto us but for this Names sake The Name of God is the originall root and spring out of which all flow and into which all are resolved It is of his goodnesse mercie which is his Name that he promiseth any thing to us and it is of his trueth and power which also belong unto his Name that these promises are accomplished Hence DAVID Psal 25. IT For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Secondly As wee can have no good but for and through his Name so in it and by it all goodnesse is to be had There is in it infinite sufficiencie of comfort against all our distresses wants and temptations if wee know it beleeve in it and call upon it Are thou perplexed with thy sinnes look upon the Name of God Exod. 34. This is a part of it The Lord God mercifull Hee is the Lord God and therefore able to forgive Hee is Mercifull therfore willing But it may be thou will say thy sinnes have made thee most unworthy of any favour Looke againe upon his Name Hee is Gracious and aboundant in goodnes saieth it Thy sinnes do not so abound but his grace goodnesse superabound If thou say thou hast continued long in sin and often relapsed Look to his Name there is comfort in it against this also Hee is long-suffering and slow to wrath In a word whatsoever be the heinousnesse of thy sinnes whatsoever the circumstances yet there is comfort in his Name and a ground of the hope of pardon for his Name beareth That he keepeth mercy beside him as it were in treasure forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Needest thou refreshment as well as pardon Look to his Name as it is elswhere descrived Hee is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth us in all our tribulations Would thou have peace The God of peace is his name also Would thou have grace to heale thy corruptions Hee is the God of all grace Would thou have wisdome to direct thee Hee is the Father of Lights All this belongeth to his Name In likemanner if wee look to the Name of Christ in whom and for whose sake all good is bestowed upon us by God wee shall find all manner of comforts His Name is The Prince of peace and according to it able to give us tranquillity in all out troubles His Name is the mighty God accordingly He is able to save us to the uttermost though there be nothing but troubls without and terrours within Would thou have his Image renewed in thee Hee is the Everlasting Father A Father to beget his Likenesse in us and Everlasting to preserve it in us To give us wisdome he is the Counsellour and he is Wonderfull to work in us and for us beyond all that we can ask or think even to wonderment and admiration And if our sinnes disquiet us Hee is IEHOVA our Righteousnesse The righteousnesse that is in him is ours aswel ours to save us trusting in him as his to glorifie him Thus we see what matter of unspeakable comfort we have in the name of God as he is God as he is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father When all other comforts faile us yet in this Name comfort is to be found IT falleth out somtimes with the godly that they are not sensible of that former comfort of the assurance of Gods favour They cannot bee perswaded of it neither of the truth and sinceritie of the graces of God in them they find not that delyte which before they had in prayer or in other meanes yet when all failleth we find the Name of the Lord to be a strong Tower Proverb 18. 10. and the Righteous flee to it and are saved Yee know the use of a Tower is that when all other fortifications are taken and forsaken when the wals are scaled and houses left men flee to it as to the last refuge so when wee are beleggered with troubles without and terrours within when wee are forced to quite all other holds grounds of comfort yet have we Gods Name to flee unto as to a strong Tower Whatsoever be our distresse we may say to him O Lord there is mercy power with thee that is thy Name In Iesus there is Righteousnesse even our righteousnesse that is his Name And thou hast commanded us to call on thy Name in the time of our trouble To this Altar I flee I take hold on the hornes of it if I perish here will I perish So yee see the Name of God is a most soveraigne ground of comfort Whence DAVID saieth to God Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee And the Apostle Rom. 10. 13. out of the PROPHET Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall the saved Great reason therfore have we to praise blesse it and that for ever and ever This much of the object of DAVIDS praise wee come now to the praise
for ought I know hath had so great peace and prosperity joyned with the profession of it The second thing which I would have you to observe is that albeit the outward means are much to be esteemed yet we are to depend chiefly upon the Instruction of GOD. He is the chief Master and in respect of him none is worthy of that name call no man your master sayeth our Saviour upon earth First there is no master which hath such Wisdome and Knowledge GOD is essentially and of himself Wise He hath not had nor could not have any Teacher Counseller or Book of which he might learne His Wisdome is of himself and in himself he seeth all things that are to be done Therefore his Knowledge is unbounded and He is only Wise as the Apostle calleth him All others of themselves are ignorant their knowledge is from him hath narrow limites and hath much errour and ignorance joyned with it Whence often the doctrine of others is pernicious to them that learne of them but that which GOD teacheth is alwayes true and saving and such as may leade us to deliverance from the greatest evils and to the obtaining of our soveraigne good Secondly As God infinitely excelleth others in Wisdome so in his Ability of communicating it Put the case the knowledge of a man were never so great yet can he not make others learned except they have ingine and take paines but our heavenly Master is able to make the most rude to learne every truth that he pleaseth He is absolute LORD of our spirits and can speak in them what he pleaseth Again suppose we understand the truth yet it may be we are not moved not can be moved by the doctrine of our Master to love it but God is able to make us love what we know without force constraint yea with exceeding joy delight In a word the knowledge which we have by man iâ— dry and puffed up but that which is from God doth satiate the SOUL knowledge obtained by man reacheth to the understanding but that which is by God reacheth to the affections also That is â—peculative this is practicall effectuall That is as it were a shyning light this both shineth burneth That maketh learned but this markeâ— SAINTS It is the knowledge of salvation or the saving knowledge 〈◊〉 1. 97. And therefore should be chiefly desired Thirdly Observe that he 〈◊〉 hearing to the SOUL every one that heareth and learneth of the Father As the body hath five senses whereby it perceiveth things profitable and pleasant so the soul hath actions answerable to these senses whereby it perceiveth the things that are spirituall in scripture are called by the name of SENSES seeing hearing smelling c. We hear God inwardly when we receive his Inspirations which are words as it were whereby he speaketh inwardly to our heart This is that hearing without which the outward availeth nothing It is the Voice of God as we said that changeth the heart which softeneth the hard heart and maketh it to melt which inflameth the cold heart maketh it to burne as we reade of the two disciples going to Emaus which pacifieth the troubled heart and secleth it in tranquillity Thus God speakes somtimes to SINNERS He maketh them to hear a voice as it were behinde them saying this is the good way walk in it and yee shall find rest unto your soules but most commonly this way he speaketh to the Godly instructing comforting and exhorting them to a continuall progresse in piety 2. There is a spirituall sight while as God infuseth a clear light in our minds whereby with Moses We see him that is invisible apprehending divine mysteries more firmely clearly then we did before and in such a manner as is fit to raise up love desire and joy in our hearts for this fight the holy Apostle did pray Ephes 1. 17. 18. When he desired That GOD would give them the spirit of Wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their minde being enlightned they might see what was the hope of his Calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the saints So there is a spirituall SMELL Christ is anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes His name is as oyntmenâ— poured forth The good oyntments of his divine Perfections and heavenly vertues send forth so sweet a savour as maketh the Spouse in the Gant to say Draw us and we will run after thee This the soul perceiveth by a spirituall kinde of smell and the feeling of it raiseth up most ardent desires and stirreth up to most earnest endevours of the things that are heavenly Like wise the soul hath a spirituall taste There is an unspeakable Sweetnet in GOD in his divine Mysteries and Obedience which may be tasted by the soul of a spirituall man O taste and see how sweet the LORD is sayeth David as if he would say If yee taste yee will know the sweetnes of his Goodnes Mercy Liberality and Power So we may say of every divine mystery Taste and see how sweet it is and of every vertue Taste see how sweet is obedience patience humility chastiry charity c. Lastly There is also a spirituall touch Hence the devote soule Cant. 2. 6. sayeth His left hand is under mine head and his right hand doeth embrace me and againe I have found him whom my soul loved I held him and would not let him go But why do I insist so much upon this first To shew the admirable Goodnes of GOD who vouchsafeth so many wayes to communicate himself to us and maketh us so many wayes able to receive him All this proceedeth meerly froÌ„ his infinite Goodnes There should be no losse to him although we should never SER his Beauty HEART his Voice SMELL the sweet Savour of his Precious Oyntments TASTE his Sweetnes or EMBRACE him in the armes of our love this should nothing impaire his Felicity which from eternity he perfectly enjoyed and might unto all eternity enjoy without our injoying of him but all this proceedeth from his admirable Goodnes which delighteth to commucat it self to his unworthy creatures Secondly I have insisted upon this at this time to move you to stirre up all the powers and faculties of your fouls to receive him who offereth himself at this time most abundantly to bee participated by us first Christ offereth himself to be seen by us in these sacred mysteries both as GOD and man Here we may see him by the eye of faith as GOD not simply as GOD but as GOD made man and as made a man of sorrowes for us and as made the bread of life unto us What a wonderfull sight is this how can the Angels of heaven but admire to see the only begotten Son of God who is in the bosome of the Father The brightnes of his Glory and the expresse Image of his person eternall and
it self Hee is not content to say simply that he will praise God but useth sundry pregnant words to this purpose to signify the vehemencie and fervencie of his desire to honour God First he saieth I will extoll thee or exalt thee Wee cannot exalt God by making him higher for he is most high and we are low and base There can be no accession to his Hignesse and though there could yet cannot we contribute to it We are said to exalt him in that sense that we are said to magnifie glorifie and sanctifie him This we do by acknowledging proclaiming worshipping his Greatnesse Glory Holinesse So we exalt him when wee acknowledge his infinite Highnesse and Excellencie when we most highly esteeme of it most highly love it and most humbly submitt our selves unto it Thus I will extoll thee is as if hee had said I will most highly praise thee reverentlie worship thee magnificently proclaime and incomparably prefer thy Highnesse and Excellencie to all others Secondly he saieth He will blesse Him and his Name BLESSING is a wishing of good to another and the bestowing and conferring of it when it lyeth in our power IT comprehendeth two acts the one of the Will the other of the Vnderstanding By the first wee wish or will good by the other we conferre it and so it is a practicall kinde of speech This Blessing as it proceedeth from God is ever effectuall If he speak good to us it is done his word is able to do whatsoever he willeth As when a King hath the honours of a kingdom in his own hand If he say to one be thou a Duke to another be thou an Earl it is so by vertue of this his speech these honours are conferred But it is not so with our blessing especially of God His good is either inward or outward as for his inward good it is in himself in infinite perfection Hee laiketh nothing nor can wee contribute any thing in that kinde All that wee can do in respect of this good is to congratulate and expresse our joy at this that he possesseth in himself all good As for the outward good which belongeth to him namlie the knowledge the love the feare and worship of his Name unto that we may and ought to contribute by his grace Wee should not only wish that good but so much as lyeth in us should endeavour to procure it Thus when DAVID promiseth to blesse him and his Name he meaneth that he wished all to know to feare to love him and that hee would to the uttermost endeavour to effectuat what he wished Thirdly Hee promiseth to praise Him PRAISE is a proclaiming of the excellencie that is in any by reason of his actions and worthie deeds So God is often praised for his acts of mercie justice and power The excellencie that is in any by nature is rather honoured then praised saieth the Philosopher yet often men are praised for naturall excellencies as engyne beauty strength c. And God here and often elswhere in scripture is praised for his Naturall excellencies Infinite greatnes goodnes power mercie c. Lastly DAVID promiseth thus to exalt praise and blesse God and his Name Every day for ever and ever He will beginne it now but is never to end it So long as hee lived hee did praise him and now being dead doeth praise him on earth by this other songs of praise and in heaven doeth and shall for ever blesse him Beside this he promiseth to do it without intermission Every day saieth he which signifieth that nothing should befall no change no trouble that should divert him from this exercise Whence we may learne this profitable instruction that it is our duty in every estate whatsomever befall us to praise and blesse God No trouble or temptation should make the praise or blessing of him to depart from our mouth nothing should make our courage to quaile our patience to wearie our tranquillitie to cease or stay the lifting up of our hearts to blesse his holy Name For this should be done by us every day and at all times Psal 34. 1. Thou should blesse him in the day of thy sicknesse aswell as in the day of thy health in the day of thy want aswell as in the day of thy aboundance in the day of desolation aswel as in the day of consolation in the day of adversitie aswel as in the day of prosperitie What great matter is it saieth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place that thou blesses God in thy joyfull day when all things flow to thee according to thy heart What if a sorrowfull and melancholious day appeare will thou not blesse him then also If thou will not thou did not truly say Every day will I blesse thee How many and how grievous evils came upon Iob and that how suddenlie yet did hee not intermitt the praising of God in that his most sorrowfull day When all the evill tydings had come unto him hee worshiped and said The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. Thus ought we all to do and the reasons are manifest For first If God be thy God then thy heart is upon him thou places in him thy soveraigne good which is to be found in him alone Now no crosse or trouble can bereave thee of him unlesse thou thy self forsake him Iob his hudge wealth was taken away and his children for whom he keeped it were taken away but God who gave the one and the other and was able to restore that and infinitly more could not be taken from him Thus the day of worldlie sorrow cannot take our God from us and so we have the ground and matter of our true and chief joy and consequently have reason still to blesse him 2. Whatsomever God doeth to his own he doeth it for the best He maketh all their sorrows and troubles to work for their good yea oftentimes promoveth their good by sicknesse want adversitie more then it should have been advanced by health aboundance prosperity LAZAR us sores poverty wer more profitable to him then all the wealth dainties of the Rich-man were to him Both found it to be so in end when the Rich-man was laid in flames of fire was faine to beg one drop of water which yet he could not have and when Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosome of ABRAHAM Wee may not judge of these outward evils by our own sense but by the word wisdome goodnes and power of God which maketh them all to serve to our good Now if it be so we have reason in the midst of all our worldlie sorrowes to blesse and to praise the Name of our God Happy is he that can do so this is a most happy holy way by which a man may go through all the sorrows of this life to heaven rejoycing and exulting The Lord grant that we may so do
respect dependent from another which implyeth a manifest contradiction Thus the light of nature leadeth us to the infinitnesse of God By the light of scripture this is also manifest for beside this many other like places the Lord descriving himself to his servant Moses Exod. 3. 14. taketh the name of Being to himself as proper and peculiar to him Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel saieth the Lord I AM hath sent mee unto you by which name he signifieth that he is alone of himself whereas all other things of themselves are not That he is fullie containing in himself the amplitude of al that is or hath or can have any being that he is eternally and unchangably So being that he cannot cease to be at all or to be what he is and in a word that he is Being it self the unbounded Ocean of being from which all being flâ—weth and dependeth whence S. Paull out of the poet saieth That in him we live move have our being so then the Being of God both by the light of scripture and nature is such as excludeth not being infinitly which therefore hath not nor can have any place in him IT is not so with the creatures They are of themselves nothing and therfore of themselves they tend to nothing and while they are bounded and limited within some one kind of being without which they are not But so it is not with him whose Greatnesse hath no end or bounds which the PROPHET here ascriveth to God Now let us in the third place see more particularly what belongeth to this infinite and unbounded greatnesse of God The first thing that belongeth to him by reason of his infinite Greatnesse is that hee comprehendeth in himself all kinde of being and perfection that either is or is possible created or increaâ—ed There is no good in man or angels in earth or heaven no jâ—y or blesse no goodnes or beautie c. which is not in him If it he in the creatures it must needs be in him Shall not hee see who made the eye or shall not hee heare who made the eare There is no perfection in the creature which is not the expression of his eternall conception and a footstep oâ— resemblance of that perfection which is in him In like manner that is nothing or perfection possible which is not in him If any such thing or perfection be possible it must needs be in him by whom alone it can be brought forth and made actually to bee for if hee have it not himself how can he give it unto others So then name or conceive what perfection you will Sense Life Vnderstanding goodnes Beauty Wisdom Mercie Power Truth c. it is in him yea infinitly more perfections are in him then wee can conceive even all that are or any way can be This is the first thing which belongeth to his infinite Greatnesse The second thing is That all the kindes of being or perfections are in him in the highest degree of perfection and excellency that can be As all things are in him so there is nothing in him according to that maÌ„ner of imperfectioÌ„ in which we perceive by our sense or conceive by our minde Look unto things sensible to the heavens to the earth or to any thing that is therein there is nothing like to him To whom will yet liken God and what liknesse will ye compare unto him Isai 40. 18. There is Beauty indeed in him but not such a beauty as we perceive in things bodily but a beauty which the angels caÌ„not coÌ„prehend There is Light in him but not such a light as is in the sun or the startes he dwelleth in light that cannot be approached unto which no man hath seen or can see There is Sweetnes in him but not such as is in meat or drink or any such like thing but a sweetnes which exceedeth the capacity of al other things Hence holy AUGUST in his 10. book of the city of God and 6. chap. saieth what do I love when I love my God Not the beauty of bodies nor of bodily sound or smell or sweetnes yet wheÌ„ I love him I love a certain light voice smell food embracement Even the light voice smell food embracement of the inward man wher that shyneth to my soul which place caÌ„not coÌ„prehend that soundeth which time taketh not away that smelleth which no blast can dissipate c. And again look to the perfectioÌ„s which our minds conceive these aâ— not in God as conceived by us For example Neither goodnesse nor justice nor wisdome nor mercie nor truth at in him as we conceive them we conceive them but imperfectly and so they are not in him as they are conceived by us they are finite and bounded and distinct one from another but so in him they are not So if wee would conceive God and his greatnesse aright wee must not only transcend our sense but also all the imaginations and thoughts of our minde and must consider that he is infinitly more high and excellent and all that is in him then all that we can conceive or comprehend His Wisdom as I said is not as ours but of a boundles perfection It containeth all the kinds degrees and measures of wisdome that is or is possible and extendeth it self to all that can be understood that actuallie is or is not present bypast to come His Beauty in likemanner comprehendeth all kinds and degrees of beauty bodily or spirituall that are or can bee and in a manner infinitly more perfect then wee can conceive So it is with his Goodnesse Power c. This is the second thing that belongeth to his infinite greatnesse namlie that hee hath in himself all perfections in the highest degree of excellencie The third thing is That he hath all these his perfections joyned in the most perfect manner namlie in a most perfect Vnitie and simplicity His perfections are not in him as ours in us Our perfections are distinguished one from another but it is not so in him By his most simple nature and essence as hee is God so hee is Wise and Just and Good and True and Omnipotenz c. each of these perfections including other as they are in him for they are one and the same with his own Essence God saieth holy Augustine in his 6. book of the Trinitie and 7. chap. is called Great and Wise and True but wee may not think that his Greatnesse is another thing then his Wisdome or that his Wisdome is another thing then his Goodnesse and Truth or that his Truth is differentifâ—oÌ„ any of these we conceive these things indeed as really distinct but that is through the imperfection of our minde which caÌ„not coÌ„ceive things divine according to that â—ie sublime manner after which they are in God but most needs think of them with a proportion to the creatures in which we
back from evill Neither is this Wil-worship as some imagine For Wil-worship is to apply things vaine and frivolous and where with God cannot be pleased to the honouriâ—â— of God as the Jews did who placed Holinesse in manifold washings of themselves or as they against whom the Apostle reasoneth who abstained from some meats as uncleane of their own nature or by vertue of Moses Law Wil-worship also is to place necessitie in things not necessare when there is neither precept nor practise to be found in Gods Word or in his Church to enforce any such necessitie This is Wil-worship but no Wil-worship to promise to God a thing which being done may serve to good and profitable uses If any man say Are we not bound to do all the good that we can I An. By way of gratitude we ar but not by vertue of strict Commandement so that if we do not such or such a thing we commit not sin as was shewen before As for things necessare some Romanists affirme that they cannot be the matter of a vow but the best learned acknowledge that it may be and it is cleare from scripture For Jacob genesis 28. 20. 21. vowed that the Lord should be his God Which was a thing necessare although he had not vowed it Wee are tyed indeed to the doing of such things necessare and commanded by vertue of Gods Commandement although wee vow not but notwithstanding we may adde to that bond the bond obliedgment of a vow to stirre up and confirme the more in the obedience of God our languishing wils even as a man who is already bound to another man by his promise may bind himself also by his oath This kinde of vow was made by the people of God when turning back from their sinnes they renewed their covenant with him and promised to walk in his Commandements And this much of the nature of a vow I come to the second point which is how this duty belongeth to Thankfulnesse For clearing of this consider That when a man promiseth any thing to God he doeth not so that God may have any gaine or help therby but that he may give due honour to God More particularlie by vowing a man honoureth God in so far as hereby he acknowledgeth that God hath a care and providence of humane effaires and that it is he to whom we should have out recourse in troâ—ble who alone can help us and froÌ„ whom we receive whatsoever we haue 2. By vowing a man honoureth God in so far as he intendeth by the reverence and feare of God to confirme himself in weldoing 3. By vowing and performing of our vows wee honour our God in so far as wee direct the thing which we have vowed to the service of God or to the enabling of us to serve him more acceptablie then otherwayes we would do From this which hath been said appeareth first That vowing may be now lawfully performed though the legal and ceremonial vows hath ceased yet all vows are not therefore abolished Vowing is no lewish ceremonie Our vows prefigure not Christ And Jacob vowed long before Moses was yea vowing is not a ceremony at all A Ceremonie is a thing outward sensible but vowing may be accomplished in the minde I say more though men should not be rash to vow yet somtimes some things when done out of a vow ar better then if they wer done without any vow because beside all the goodnesse which they should have otherwayes they are done out of a religious affection towards God and done out of a more firme and unchangeable purpose then otherwayes they should and with a more full resignation of our selves both the work and the will the fruit and the tree being given to God and therefore the scripture recommendeth this duty to us and in the 19. 21. of Isaiah speaking of Christians saieth That they shall vow and performe their vows Secondly We learn that we should be carefull to performe the good vows that we have made mans particular vows I know not This I know that we all have vowed to obey God by doing good and eschewing evill This vow we have often renewed Let vs performe it to the Lord otherwayes we are not only unthankfull but also sacrilegiously perfidious Thou hast vowed to eschew whooredom drunkennes malice c. will thou look back againe remember Lots wife who looking back to Sodome was stricken in a pillar of salâ— to season thee by considering her dolefull example It is true we cannot perform what we have vowed by our own strength but the grace of God is sufficient for us and he is ready to 〈◊〉 his grace to all them that call upon him in trueth As shall clearly appeare by the following words which are O Thou that hearest prayer c. Here is set down a reason why praise waiteth for God and why the vow should bee performed to him It is he that heareth prayer Many most excelleÌ„t things there are in God Infinite Wisdom Infinite Power Infinite Iustice but if we consider them with reference to us compare Gods Riches Glory and Majesty with our misery vnworthines and sinne nothing deserveth greater thanksgiving then His Goodnes and Mercie kything in hearing our prayers and in the gracious reliefe and supplie of our necessities It is a thing most wonderfull that He who is so High should so regard vs miserable wormes creeping upon the earth that He who is most Blessed in Himselfe should care for our miserie that we who are deâ—â—ed with sinne should come in His Presence who is a consuming fire to seek any thing from Him and yet His eares are open to our cryes he invites us to pray Trust in him ye people at all times poure out your hearts before him for he is our refuge He hath promised when we call upon him in trouble to hear and deliver us and to strengthen our confidence he taketh to himself this sweet style of the Hearer of prayer what an unspeakable benefit is this that we have the eare of God open to us and his hand ready to help what can they want who have this therefore our Blessed Saviour before his departure promised his disciples for the making of their joy full that their prayers should be heard The consideration of this made David to break out in these words blessed be the Lord who hath not put back my prayer nor turned away his mercie from me But whose prayer doeth he heare To thee shall all flesh come saieth the PROPHET See how ample the benefit is As many as there are in the earth as distant as the places are and as diverse as their troubles ar he can hear all hath made the doore patent to all especially now under the gospell and Christian Church of the amplitude wherof David here prophecieth All flesh he uses the name of flesh not without cause which in scripture importeth calamitie miserie
before whom wee stand guilty till he speak peace ther is no solid calmnes in our minds Beside our hearts naturally are full of trouble and tormoyle and therefore cannot have peace unlesse it be created in them Now this is the proper work of God who saieth Isai 57. to this purpose I creat the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is a far off Lastly so long as sinfull corruption is not healed in our soules their wound remaineth greene which suffereth us to have no rest Now it is God alone who can healâ— the soule and therefore it is he only who can give peace to it Thus the working of this peace in us is the peculiar work of God If he stand by no man nor angell can give it Hence DAVID even after the tydings of peace brought unto him by NATHAN cryeth yet to God for peace and joy Make me to heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Upon the other part as it is God alone who giveth this peace so for our comfort wee are to know that hee can easily give it and keep and preserve us in it It costeth him no more but a word if be but speak peace wee are sure to have it I will heare what the Lord God will speak hee will speak peace unto his people If he but speak the word it is done To this purpose we have a notable place Isai 44. There the Lord is thus descrived The Lord who saieth to Jerusalem be thou inhabited and to the cities of Judah be yee built that sayeth unto the depth be dryed up that saieth to Cyrus his servant thou art my sheepherd and shalt perform all my pleasure So the Lord needeth no more but a word to build Judah to make Jerusalem inhabited to remove all impediments out of the way of his people to perswade the heart of Cyrus an heathen man to be their nursing father Thus Psal 44. the PROPHET saieth to God Thou art my King O God command deliverance for Jacob. If God but send forth his Commandement it shall be obeyed When the sea is most raging and the waves greatest if Christ say be still there shall be a great calm This serveth exceedingly for our comfort that our God whom we serve is able so easily to give us peace and calmnesse in all our troubles and distresses Yee found this latlie by your own experience When yee looked for the help of man yee were disappointed and felt that the Arme of flesh is a vaine thing to trust into but when your Troubles wer come to the hieght your 〈◊〉 desperate then the Lord spake peace to you and whâ—â— hâ—â—aid was performed Would God that yee were sensible of â—his his goodnes and O that yee may be alwayes mindfull 〈◊〉 that by the consideration of so great a benefite yee may 〈◊〉 alwayes stirred up to praise him and to trust in his mercie 〈◊〉 much of the benefite Now I come to the description of them to whom it belongeth Whose minde is stayed on thee c. The words in the originall signifieth the minde or thought is stayed and by some are referred to God by others to the godly Learned CALVIN writting upon this place referreth the words to God thus The counsell and purpose of God whereby he hath decreed to preserve the peace of his servants is unchangeable and therefore he will keep them in peace There can no alterations fall out in this world which may change his immutable minde so there is a secret opposition betwixt Gods thought and ours My thoughts are not as yours Isai 55. neither are my wayes as your wayes but as high as the heaven is above the earth so high are my thoughts above your thoughts and my wayes above your wayes The minde and the counsell of God is immutable whereas our thoughts are changeable every moment upon the least occasion He is the Lord and changeth not and therefore wee are not consumed Secondly The words may bee referred to the godly thus Their minds are stayed and fixed on God and therefore he will keep them in peace Our Interpreters have so expounded the words and this seemeth best to agree with them But yee will ask what is this to have our minds stayed on God I answere unto this first is required that our hearts bee withdrawn from all things else Wee cannot have our minds on God and the creature both for Wee cannot serve two masters Hence our blessed Lord requireth of his disciples that they deny themselves and telleth them that none can be his disciple except he hate father and mother wise and children c. So it wee would have our hearts stayed on God they must settle upon nothing besids him This is necessarie for the obtaining of our peace which wee cannot enjoy so long as our hearts are fixed upon any creature The reasons are cleare First the creatures are transitorie and changeable and therefore the heart set upon them must needs change with them 2. While as the heart is inordinatly set on the creature the affections are contrarie to sound reason and our actions are contrarie to God and his Law so during this inordinat love we have a warre which standeth not with peace 3. As long as the heart doth cleave inordinatly to any creature there must needs bee a continuall feare which is contrarie to the Peace of the minde For either wee feare that wee shall not obtaine that which wee love or that wee shall losse it when it is obtained or that we shall not recover it when it is lost Either we feare that our will shall be crossed or suppose our desires second us in all things yet our guilty conscience accuseth and tormenteth us 4. There is no creature how perfectly soever enjoyed by us that can give satisfaction to out soules without which they can haue no peace Such is the nobilitie of our soule such is the excellencie of our minds and wils that a world yea a thousand worlds known beloved and possessed cannot give them rest contentment Either the Object delighted in is unproportionated to the soule as the sound to the eye or the colour to the eare or at least is unable to equall the infinite desire of it This none can do but God O LORD thou hast made us for thy self saieth holy AUGUST and our hearts are restlesse till they rest in thee Thus when ever we would have peace or have our hearts on God wee must withdraw them from the creatures The next thing that is required for staying our hearts upon God is that we joyne unto him by sincere love and by humble submission of our desires wills to his so that we love nothing but in him or for him desire nothing but his Glory and the accomplishment of his will This is the solid way to Peace when men will and nil the same things then there is true
shall we find rest and quietnes to our perplexed hearts In this what have been done already the LORD whose Will is ever to be adored hath done it He gave and he hath taken away blessed be his Name And as for the time to come nothing shall fall out but according to his Will wherein we ought fully to acquiesce We may indeed say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me but with all we should adde not my Will but thine be done But it may be Some man will say Albeit this may satisfie our minds in worldly losses yet it seemath that it caÌ„not give sufficient satisfaction in these evils which are prejudiciall to the Glory of God and well of mens souls Thou art deceived if thou think so there is no evill in that kind which God doeth not clearly see and which he is not able to amend He hath all things all ages eternitie it self before him and knoweth what varietie is best to make the just proportion and beautie of the whole work Cast not therfore a way the peace of thy minde for these evils but in them also reverence the Will of God Pray thou to God humblie and do what becometh thee within the limits of thy calling as for the event referre it unto God If thou cannot amend what is amisse remember that which our Saviour sayeth Math. 13. That somtimes the cares must be let alone lest the good wheat be plucked up therwith untill the harvest come And then a separation shall be made the tares shal go to the fire the wheat to the barne Consider That the blessâ—d Saints in heaven know well that God is here exceedingly dishonoured that many thousand souls are ruined yet they losse not their peace which they have in God So we according to our measure ought to do This much coÌ„cerning the staying of our minds on God The PROPHET addeth Because he trusteth in thee If our minds be stayed upon God we will trust in Him which also is a soveraigne means to obtain peace and protection from God if there be any generositie in a man he will be loath to deceive him who trusteth in him yea he will hazard his means his life for his safeguard how much more may we think that God will defend and direct them who put their whole trust assurance in him Hence the PROPHET exhorteth in the next words Trust in the LORD for ever for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength He exhorteth not only to trust but alwayes to continue in this our trust confidence and he giveth most pregnant reasons for He in whom we trust is JEHOVAH the prime and infinite being in whom is everlasting strength or the rock of ages That which he saieth of his strength he understandeth of all his other Perfections As there is infinite and everlasting Strength in Him so infinite and everlasting Goodnes infinite and everlasting Wisdome infinite everlasting Truth If we look to these his Perfections by the eye of Faith wee cannot choise but trust in him and trust in him not for a time but for ever Let us obey this Exhortation of the PROPHET Blessed are they that trust in him they shall not be ashamed Yee have had manifold experiences of his goodnesse and power especially of late all which should concurre to the confirming of your Confidence in him Hee seemed for a time to leave you and yet ye cannot but acknowledge that whatsoever yee suffered came short of your deservings It is of his mercies that wee are not consumed And when he had a little afflicted you he sent you wonderfull deliverance Hee afflicted you that ye might turne to him and delivered you againe that yee might praise his Name put your trust therein Hee had given you long his Word in purity and plenty long peace and prosperitie but wee turned his grace into wantonnesse and abused our peace and plenty to ryot and excesse What wonder then that he should for a time send a scarcenesse of the Word and Sacraments That hee should turne our peace into trouble and our plenty into want but in his Wrath he remembred mercie Hee made his countenance to shine and we were saved Let us therefore beware of our sinnes whereby we haue provocked him before and then we may trust in him securely for the time to come If the Lord hath spoken peace unto us let us not turne again unto folly lest our latter end be worse then the beginning But if we turne to him with all our heart he shall keep us in perfect peace according to his promise His salvation shal be wals bulwarks Wee shall be able to say with DAVID The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be affrayed The Lord grant this unto us and that for the merits of Christ Iesus To whom c. A SERMON UPON the XXVI Chap. of MATTH Vers 73. And after a while came unto him they that stood by said to Peter Surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee Vers 74. Then began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the man And immediatly the cock crew Vers 75. And Peter remembred the words of Jesus which said unto him Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly IN these words wee have set down the Sin and fall even the hight of the Fall of the holy Apostle and his blessed Rising againe by repentance This his Fall is registrated in holy scripture not only to shew the trueth of divine Historie the Pen-men wherof concealeth not the faults of them that were most deare unto them as commonly humane Historians do but also it was written for our instruction comfort That they who stand may take heed lest they fall they who have fallen may learn how to rise The registrating of this Historie is as it were a sending of S. Peter by God to teach us this I may say of him as holy AUGUST speaketh of DAVID upon 51 psal As Nathan saieth he was sent to David so David is sent to thee whil as his fal and repentance is registrated in holy scripture When thou hearest him crying Have mercie upon me O Lord according to thy tender mercies c. Hee cryeth that thou mayest learne how to cry hee sigheth that thou mayest learn how to sigh hee weepeth that thou mayest joyne thy tears with him and he is amended before thee that thou mayst learn how to ameÌ„d The same may I say of S. Peter who is set before our eyes in this historie that hee may be a preacher to us of our humane frailtie of the mercie of God and a patern of repentance That we may make our use herof more fruitfully Wee shall first set down in order the Summe of the Historie of that which we
them Of this Look DAVID Psal 104. saieth He looketh upon the earth and it trembleth He toutbeth the mountains and they smoke Secondly somtimes he looketh in Mercie and Favour of this DAVID speaketh Psal 25. Look upon mine affliction and my pain and for give all my sinnes And Psal 119. 132. Look upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to do to them that love thy Name It was with this Look that he beheld S. Peter at this time as appeareth by the gracious mercifull effect thereof for it wakned him out of security and brought him to remembrance and consideration of that which he had done c. Here first observe the necessitie and power of Christs Grace The necessitie for till Christ looked upon Peter he neither remembred what he had done not considered the hynousnesse thereof The cock crew againe and againe and this should have been a memoriall of his fall and an admonition to repent but all this availed nothing till Christ looked upon him Likewise so powerfull was this Look that no sooner doeth Christ look upon him but he remembereth and considereth his heart melts and his eyes gush out with tuares They whom Christ looketh upon bewaile their sinnes sayeth S. AMBROSE as without it there is no saving good so where it is there is all good Whence was it that the blessed Virgine was the Mother of our LORD It was because God had Looked upon the low estate of his handmaid Whence is it that we enjoy any good in this life or in the life to come more then others it is because it pleased God to look upon us from eternitie with the eyes of his mercy Hence that prayer of the ancient Church Lord look upon me with these eyes wherewith thou looked upon Marie Magdalen in the banquet wherewith thou looked upon S. Peter in the hall and wherewith thou looked upon the thief upon the crosse Grant unto me that with Marie Magdalen I may perfectly love thee with Peter I may bitterly â—walle my sinnes and that with the thief I may see thee for ever Secondly we may observe here the readinesse and willingnesse of God to show mercie even to most grievous sinners Our Lord at this time was arreigned before his enemies bound buffered condemned or ready to be condemned On the other part S. Peter had forsaken him denied him that with Oaths curses yet forgetting the injuries done to him both by his enemies and by his own Apostle he remembereth him and looketh upon him and plucketh him out of the mouth of the Lyon who was ready to devoure him This and the like examples of mercie serve much to encourage and comfort distressed souls ready to despaire through the sight of their own sinnes S. AUGUSTINE in his 9. 10 sermons on the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 1. 15. hath a sweet meditation to this purpose of the Mercie of God shewn to S. PAUL suppose saith he an excellent skilful physitian should come to a place where he is not known and having wrought a rare cure upon a man desperatly diseased would say to him whom he had cured go thy wayes now to other men who have the like disease show them what I have done unto thee Bid them be of good courage I am able and willing to cure them also If this man should come to a person so diseasea as he was looking for nothing but death and should say to him be of good courage I have seen the like disease and have had the like my self and have been cured by him who is willing to cure thee also and hath hiden me tell thee so much This could not be but matter of great comfort unto him Even so saieth he S. PAUL healed by the Great Physitian CHRIST JESVS saieth unto thee who are ready to despaire He that cured me sent me unto thee he said unto me go tell distressed foules what I have done to thee what I have cured in thee and how soon with one voycel called thee from heaven with another I did cast thee down with the third I raised thee up and with the fourth I healed perfected and crowned thee say unto thee sick cry unto them that are ready to despaire This is a true and faithfull saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Why feare yee why doubt yee I am the chief of them and I obtained mercy for this effect that in me he might show forth all long suffering for a patern for them that should there after believe upoÌ„ him to everlasting lif I was a persecuter and blasphemer I keeped the garments of them that stoned his first Martyre Steven I breathed nothing but surie and thirsted nothing but the blood of the Saints I was in a spirituall frâ—necie and did strick my phisitian and yet he suffered me long and in end took away my disease Thus S. PAUL speaketh to us and so doeth S. Peter and many others which is matter as I said of unspeakable comfort This much for the cause of his repentance The repentance it self followeth And PETER called to minde the words of Jesus Being Looked upon by our LORD First he remembereth his words and no doubt considered and weighed his own sinne This remembring or calling to minde importeth that before he had forgotten or at least considered not Christ his Words It is strange that he should have forgotten him with whom he was so familiar who that night had washed his feet and from whom that night he had received the holy sacrament but such is the corruption of our nature that most quickly we forget GOD and his Word Hence we are compared to lacking vessels that rune out Hence the LORD Deut. 4. saieth â—kè heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the thing which thine eyes have seen and that they depart not from thy heart for ever And againe Deut. 8 Take heed to thy self that thou forget not the LORD thy GOD in not keeping his Commandements and judgements and statutes c. who would give himself to wickednes if he remembred and considered the Goodnes of God bestowed upon him and laid up for him if he remembred and considered the end for which God made and redeemed him even that he might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life if he considered the filthinesse that is in sinne and the great evils that it bringeth upon the body and soul both here and hereafter It is most manifest that we forget or consider not these things when we give place to sinne This is the cause of our offending God and is in it self a great offence There is no moment wherein we taste not of the Mercies of God and therefore there is no moment wherein we should not remember him We should not breath oftener then we should remember him Wo to them that regard not to forget him the time shall come when
crumbs that fall from the tables of their masters this is all I ask I take not upon me to sit down at the table nor to take a way the bread of the children That which I desire is but as it were a crumbe in respect of these great miracles which thou hast done and can do for the Jews that are the children Neither can they be justly offended that this crumbe is cast to me though a dog since I am in such extreame necessitie Thus ye see how strongly she wrestleth with God and that with the armes of humilitie and confidence which are most fruitfully alwayes joyned together for confidence without humilitie leadeth to presumption and humility without confidence leadeth to despair Hence we may learne how to behave our selves in the like temptation Somtimes our troubled conscience representeth unto us the greatnes of our unworthinesse It telleth us that notwithstanding of so many favours bestowed by God upon us yet we have turned with the dog to the vomite and with the sow to the mire againe and therefore are unworthie to be any more regarded by him In this case we should in all humilitie acknowledge our unworthinesse and say with the Prodigall sone I have sinned against the heaven and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sone make me but as one of thy servants Yea and with this woman should confesse that it is well for us if we be admitted to the least crumbe of Mercy On the other part we should with confidence cleave fast to God being perswaded that he will not deny us a crumbe of Mercy that one cruÌ„be being granted will relieve us For were our sinnes never so great yet are they nothing as it were in respect of the infinite Mercy of God When a king saieth CHRISOST upon 51. Psal Though he be but a man as we are commandeth a malefactor to be set at liberty the governour the jaylour the authoritie of the lawes cannot hold him in how much more is the King of kings who hath absolute Power both of men and Angels able to deliver us not only from punishment but also from the bonds and chaines of our sinne Thus we have seen the wrestling of this woman now let us behold her victorie O woman sayeth our LORD Great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt He cannot longer conceale his Love affection and therefore breaketh out in words of Praise admiration signifying that his former silence and refusels proceeded not from want of love which was so great in him that with great difficultie he had hid it till now Great is thy faith sayeth he Thy faith is not common nor ordinary but singulare great GREAT in respect of the great things which thou beleevest of me Great in respect of the invincible strength and firmnes of it Great in respect of the small meanes of faith which thou hast had Thou hast not seen me cure the leprous open the eyes of the blind or raise the dead and yet beleevest so firmly so great things of me Be it therefore unto thee as thou wilt This great faith of thine is not only able to obtaine this benefit which thou askest but also whatsoever thou wilt Thus ye see her difficult sight endeth in a sweet and glorious victorie the vehement tempest wherewith she was tossed endeth in a most pleasant calme and tranquillitie Hence we may perceive first that God hides himself from his own though vehemently crying upon him not for any want of Love and care but for his greater Glory and their greater Good Wherefore did he so much reserve himself from this woman but that the Glory of his Grace wrought in her might appeare the more that he might draw forth the treasure which was hid in her heart and that the triall of her faith being much more precious then that of gold which perisheth might be found to Praise and Honour and Glory both in this world and also at his appearing Hence where ever the Gospell hath been or shall be preached from the east to the west from the south to the north this woman and her great faith shall be praised and commended So doeth he often with other his saints He answereth them not for a time that their vertues being exercised may be tryed and perfected and that they may rejoyce the more and be the more thankfull for his Favours when after long delay they are obtained With them that are weak He dealeth often as with them that are infants giving them their petitions at the first whileas for the former reasons he exerciseth them long and hardly who have greater Strength and soliditie of Grace Grudge not therefore at the delay of GOD his gracious Answer but be assured that his time is alwayes most fit and most convenient Secondly We may perceive here the wonderfull power of Prayer when it is rightly qualified It obtaineth that from God which for greater reasons would seeme should be denied It maketh him in a manner to change his sentence and so wrestleth with him that is invincible that it prevaileth with him The scripture is full of examples MOSES had the Egyptians behind him and the red sea before him he cryed to GOD and the sea was devyded so that the children of Israel went through as if it had been dry land Hezikâ—ah spread the blasphemous letter of Senacherib before the LORD and prayed unto him And the Angell of the LORD smote 185000 of the enemies Neither should we thinke but many wonderfull things are and shall be still obtained by Prayer If we knew all the passages of GODS Providence throughout the world this would be evident unto us I meane not that men should now expect miracles but this I say If it be fit for us to obtaine the thing prayed for GOD will give it although miraculously so hath he often also done I shall give you but one example which S. AUGUSTINE in the 22. of his books of the City of God 8. chap. saieth he was an eye witnes of and therefore we have no reason to distrust it there he reporteth That a man of good worth in Carthage having received him into his house being then but young and newly come from Millane had fallen into a grievous disease Once he is cutted by the advise of the Physitians yet somthing escaped them which againe renewed the corruption The Physitians being againe consulted assure him he could not live unlesse that part wer cutted anew This bred an exceeding grief to him wishing rather to die then to endure such an intollerable paine Alwayes in end he condescended to it and the day is appointed The night preceeding it AURELIAN Bishop of Carthage and other pastors come to visit him They pray for him who joyned with them in most fervent and devote prayer Therefore he intreateth them to returne to morrow and to recommend him to GOD. Accordingly then they come and pray The Prayer
speaketh This is that which the devote soule desireth in the first of the Canticles 4. Draw me and wee will rune after thee Of this drawing chiefly as I said these words are to be understood It hath sundry excellent properties whereof I shall touch but some 1. It is so necessar unto us That without it none can come to Christ as our Saviour saith here which he also mainly intends in this place If out Saviour had not called upon Lazarus when he was in his grave with a mighty Voice saying Lazarus come forth he should have remained there still untill he had returned into the dust Even so except the Voice of GOD Call and Draw us out of our corruption we can never come out of it Without me sayeth our LORD Yee can do nothing We are not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to thinke a good thought but all our sufficiency is of GOD. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Our minds are full of blindnes vanity and forgetfulnes our wills are perverse and bent to evil and our spirituall enemies are mighty Yea beside that these actions whereby we must follow GOD are sublime heavenly and supernaturall which nature of it self can never reach unto If the body of a man be able and found he may indeed walke and rune yet can he not slie because that is above the reach and power of nature even so although there were not that corruptions in us which is indeed in us yet without the speciall Assistance of GOD we could never mount up to these high heavenly actions whereby we follow Christ by believing his Truth by loving his Goodnes and hoping in his Mercy It is necessary therefore that we be furnished by him with new Strength whereby he draweth us and inableth us to follow after him He giveth us the eye of Faith whereby we may beleeve meditate contemplate these mysteries which are necessary to be known for our salvation God saieth S. PAUL 2. Cor. 4. who commanded light to shine out of darknes hath made his Light to shine in our hearts He giveth to our soules the spirituall feet or rather wings of Hope and Love by which we may follow after him They that wait upon the LORD Isa 40. 31. shall renew their strength they shall mount up as the â—agels they shall run and not be weary they shall walk not be faine Love and Hope which are the affections of the soul are as it were the feet of it whereby it moveth toward that which it apprehendeth as Good Love is the chief affection and as it were the right foot Thence ariseth desire of Good when it is absent joy of Good when it is present hatred of the contrary evill feare of that evil when it approacheth and sorrow for it when it seizeth on us Hope is as it were the least foot of the soule whereby we move toward that Good which is hard to be obtained From it ariseth boldnes courage magnanimity constancie to endure travails and troubles anger zeale to resist impediments But this Love and Hope simply considered will never leade us in the way to Christ and therefore as God giveth us Faith to be a spirituall eye so he giveth us supernaturall Love and Hope to be the feet of our soule whereby we may move and runne after Christ in the way of the obedience of these commandements which by the light of faith are manifested to us yet so as we chiefly leane to the Love of GOD and our neighbour which is as I said the right and chief foot whereby our hope is strengthened and confirmed For hope maketh us not ashamed because the Love of GOD is shed abroad iâ— our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given us Rom. 5. 5. To conclude this point then This drawing is so necessary that without It noné did ever come or shall ever come to Christ Of our selves we can with these Jews murmure at his Words disassent from them but cannot beleeve them farrelesse can we love him and trust in his mercy Without common calling spoken of before none can come at all in any measure and without this effectuall drawing none can come as he ought Secondly This drawing of the Father is not necessary only for one moment but is a continued and perpetuall assistance We cannot begin without it nor without it can wee end It is GOD that worketh in us both to will and to do Some thought that the beginning of our conversion is from our solves but most falsly There is no good thought nor good affection in us but from God till he preveene and excite us we can neither seek nor desire as we ought The devote soule had never said Draw me and we will ran after thee except in some measure before she had been drawn and excited to seek and to desire to run after Christ Therefore our LORD saieth Behold I stand at the doore I knock He knocketh before we open yea he softneth he openeth it as he did the heart of Lydia Our endevours are none at all saieth S. BERNARD except they be excited He saith Seek my Face before we answer Thy Face LORD I will seek hide not thy Face from me neither cast away thy servant in displeasure So on the other part our endevours are but in vaine if they be not still assisted accompanied by the powerfull Grace of GOD. Hence David sayeth in that same place before cited Thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O GOD of my salvation I have laboured more abundantly then all the Apostles sayeth S. PAUL yet not I but the Grace of God that is within me Albeit we be set in the right way yet can wee not go a foot except Christ bee with us Except thy Presence go with us take us not hence said MOSES to the LORD Exod. 33. who answered him My Presence shall go before thee and give thee rest Whence is it that Godly men do not only follow Christ but think his yoake easie and his burden light because Christ his Grace is alwayes with them supporting strengthening comforting them Hence the deniall of themselves seemeth easie their patience sweet their humility glorious their prayers and devetion pleasant and joyfull Christ going before them also as it were from whose precious oyntments so sweet a smell proceedeth as allureth and draweth after him those that do perceive them His divine Perfections are as it were these precious oyntments especally his Mercy Wisdome and Holines all which send forth a sweet flagrant smell which is most powerfull to draw after him what are his gracious Promises and manifold Blessings his heavenly Illustrations his divine Consolations and most sweet affections of devotion but as it were the sweet and flagrant smell of his Mercy What is his word which is the word of life that discovereth to us the way of salvation but as it were the sweet savour of his Wisdome So all