flowe all other mercies that we enioy as streames of it first temporall concerning this present life as health life liberty wealth peace prosperity good name c. Oh but the wicked haue all these True but first not in a right tenure they are vsurpers they haue no right in themselues no part in Christ to recouer it Secondly not by vertue of any promise or couenant Thirdly not in any holy or sanctifyed vse for To the impure all things are impure Fourthly none of their prosperity is ioyned with Gods loue but his hatred which is a secret poyson in them whereas Psal. 35. 27. the Lord loueth the prosperitie of his seruant he ioynes them both together Secondly spirituall things euen in these also how hath God compassed vs with mercies euen for the present First What a world of mercy was and is in that one gift of his Sonne to bee our reconciliation when we were firebrands of hell that the blessed Sonne of God would descend from the glory of heauen and giue himselfe to the death of the Crosse and the paines of hell to redeeme vs from all iniquitie The Apostle conceiues of this as of a rich mercy Ephes. 1. 7. by whom saith he we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace This is the com passing mercy meant in our text euen redemption from sinne by Christ both from the guilt and punishment of it a free mercy a full mercy an Ocean of mercy drawing vs out of a gulfe and bottomlesse sea of sorrowes euerlasting Dauid amplifyeth this mercy Psa. 86. 13. Great is thy mercy towards mee for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell Secondly What an infinite mercy peculiar to the godly is that of his spirit to take vp our hearts for his temples when wee were spiritually possessed of the deuill by the same spirit hee doeth daily cleanse vs and wash vs and beautifyeth our soules with heauenly graces teacheth vs leadeth vs into all trueth comforteth vs with heauenly consolations in all distresses What a great mercy was it when Christ opened the eyes of the blinde or healed the deafe and lame yea or when hee raised Lazarus being dead but God regenerating vs by his Spirit doeth all these for vs he giues sight to vs being blinde sayth to our deafe eares Be open yea restores vs to life being dead in trespasses and sinnes and makes vs able to mooue and stirre in good wayes Those great workes of the Sonne of God were all miraculous but heere is a miracle aboue them all yea one mercy consisting of many miracles Thirdly What a mercy is it not onely to giue them his word as hee doth also to the wicked but also to make it the immortall seede of their new birth and the syncere milke to feede them to make it a preseruatiue from many great sinnes which the wicked daily commit open and secret to put it into their handes as a sword to cut off Satans temptations to make it vnto them a rule of faith and a rule of life able to make the man of God perfect to euery good worke to make it a sound stay and comfort to support them in all their troubles wherein else they must needs sinke In this respect the child of God is compassed with a multitude of mercies all which the wicked are strangers vnto Fourthly What an inexhaust treasure of mercy is it that the godly enioy that whereas God heareth not sinners that is wicked ones he not onely giueth them leaue to come freely to the throne of Grace to aske any good thing for them but also much assurance in their soules of obtaining any thing they aske because of his promise Aske and yee shall haue If earthly fathers can giue good things to their children much more will our heauenly Father giue not onely what we aske but euen abundantly aboue that we are able to aske or to thinke Ephes. 3. 20. Can that man bee other then beset with mercy who hath a meanes to get within Gods store-house and treasury when hee will Can hee that is able by the prayer of faith with Israel to preuaile with God want abundance of blessings Great is the power of feruent prayer for mercy It can obtaine and force the sunne to stand still It can commaund the cloudes to raine or not to raine It can get children for the barren and life to the dead and if our prayer be weake Christs intercession hath power enough for vs Iohn 11. 22 42. Oh that wicked men knew the power of prayer how quickely then would they come to Gods mercy-gate Fiftly What a mercy is it peculiar to the Saints to haue peace of conscience and ioy of their estate that whereas wicked men are often vexed euer lyable to infinite horrors feares and inward torments which are the beginnings of hell they beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God the spirit of bondage and feare and tumult is gone and the spirit of adoption dwells in their hearts which makes them cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. And whereas the wicked haue no peace but a senslesse vnfeelingnesse of their estate the godly haue peace in them which as the Apostle saith passeth vnderstanding because first neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently conceiue it Secondly neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently esteeme or prize it according to the worth and value of it plainly implying it to bee such a mercy as for the greatnesse ouerwhelmes him that hath it an infinite and vnbounded mercy called the peace of God which hee beginneth and maintaineth heere and perfecteth and preserueth for all eternity But how standeth this with all those euills and miseries with which the godly are beset in this life Can they be beset both with misery and mercy too This is a sixt and last mercie therfore special to them that they are neuer more compassed with mercie then when they seeme most miserable Habak 3. 2. The Lord in iudgement remembreth mercie For first nothing is properly euill but that which comes from diuine reuenge but nothing comes so vpon the godly Christ hath carried away all the reuenge of their sinnes so that their crosses come from mercie Secondly they are attended with mercy for God hath first fitted his seruants for afflictions before he brings them Religion hath patience which if the house be not filled with plenty makes a sallet of green herbs more daintie thē the sweetest dishes of wicked men it hath strength aboue which the triall shall not be it hath subiection and silence to God and can blesse him both in giuing and in taking away Thirdly Gods mercy reioyceth in iudgement against iudgement three waies first magnifying himselfe secondly training his chosen thirdly teaching others and all by the troubles of his children The first in two respects first when iudgement begins at Gods house he declares his hatred against sinne and mercifully by
I knew what meanes to vse what are they If thou wouldst haue the preuailing of the Spirit take these courses First bee humble in thine owne eyes empty thy selfe of pride and vaine conceits the promise is that God giueth grace to the humble nay he dwels with the humble and broken heart Isay 57. 15. that is abides and continues with it Secondly be diligent in the ministerie of the Word of reconciliation which the Apostle cals the ministerie of the Spirit for it is as fuell to feede and strengthen the Spirit yea as bellowes to blow vp the graces which else lye idle 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee 1. Thes. 5. 18. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying marke the neerenesse of Spirit and Prophesie Thirdly obserue the motions of Gods Spirit feede them and from motions proceede to resolutions and practices not the worst man but hath some good motitions as Balaam and Saul acknowledged that Dauid was more righteous then he but imitate thou good Dauid here hee followes the motion that hee had hee said he would confesse and confessed So the Prodigall Son had a good motion he remembred his estate he had been in and his Fathers house but said he I starue here then hee resolues to goe to his Father and went Goe and do thou likewise this is to adde thy strength to the Spirit and thus a conuert is not meerely passiue in working out his saluation but actiue once being acted Fourthly pray earnestly for the Spirit for he is powred on thirstie grounds as Isay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and floods vpon the dry ground and Luk. 11. 13. If yee being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie HEre is Dauids confession it selfe he did not resolue suffer his resolution to dye but he said he would confesse and confessed but many are of another spirit they resolue professe promise 1. Tim. 1. 13. Paul saith of himselfe I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter an Oppresser but I was receiued to Mercie Here were three heinous degrees of sinne the sight of which made him confesse himselfe the chiefe of all sinners verse 15. and made him admire and magnifie the Mercie of God who vouchsafed so aboundant grace to such a desperate wretch as hee vvas and of this kinde are the confessions of all the godly The Reasons of this point are very good First a Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of grace which First worketh alike against all sinne and he that hath grace to confesse one sinne aright by the same grace confesseth all he that truely hateth one sinne truely hateth all If a man truely feele the weight of one it makes him grone vnder the burthen of all much more For all sinnes are of the same nature so as repentance cannot be sound if any one sinne be laid hold on which made our Prophet being humbled for one to repent of all Thus also doe the Israelites in their conuersion 1. Sam. 12. 19. Pray for thy Seruants said they to Samuel that we dye not for wee haue sinned in asking vs a King besides all our other sinnes Secondly the grace of sound conuersion suffereth not starting holes and hollownesse in the soule but worketh it to sinceritie Now the sincere heart deales truely betweene God and it selfe it knowes that God loues trueth in the inward parts therefore it will confesse fully and frankely vvithout hiding or lessening any sinne Againe it knowes that God loues a free-will offering and therefore it will offer a free and heartie confession and there can bee no better signe of sinceritie then this Thirdly sound grace is an open enemie and at warre with all sinne especially the sinne which is next it and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes it vvill shew true hatred against it that if confession will discouer the loathsomenesse of sinne it will not bee nice in it but bring it into discredit with it selfe And where grace is more abundant there is more abundant sense of sin and this sense brings abundance of words like so many swords and weapons against it euery one expressing greater hatred of it then other as Dauids words here Secondly another Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sinne which first is a debt as we haue heard a debt which is impossible that euer we should bee able to pay this debt stands vpon our heads in Gods debt-booke Now it vvill not stand with an honest disposition to deny or seeke to out-face or lessen a due debt to any man and much lesse will it stand with a godly disposition to deny or conceale our debts to God with whom wee cannot play false if we would And therefore it is as little as a man of a broken heart can doe to goe to the Creditor and in humilitie confesse the debt and craue pardon and forgiuenes So Christ our Lord hath taught vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts which implyes confession And Dauid prayes the Lord to blot out all his sins wherein hee secretly confesseth that hee hath a large score in Gods booke which he is vtterly vnable euer to satisfie Secondly sinne is a loathsome filthinesse and vn cleannesse and a good heart is ashamed of euery nakednesse of the Soule which it sees Gods eye to bee vpon and because it knowes that the next way to couer this nakednesse is to vncouer it as the whole experience of Dauid in this Psalme teacheth it labours by confession to couer all whereof it is or may be ashamed and indeede all true confession must proceede from the shame and confusion of face for sinne Thirdly sinne is a gash or wound in the soule and a man hauing many wounds or diseases seekes the cure of them all howsoeuer of the greatest first and soonest yet he neglecteth none because the least of them is dangerous and painefull so it is in sinne the confession of which is as the laying open of a sore that the plaister may bee fitly laid on a man that would haue all cured will not hide any but vncouer euen the least Thirdly God will haue his children in some measure like himselfe herein and resemble his owne image that as hee esteemes of sinne not as a light or small thing but the most vile and odious thing in all the world and so hee euer speakes of it and carries himselfe to it so shall his children in their measure and for this purpose First he vsually putteth forth his worke of iustice and layeth an heauy hand on the soule as on Dauid here when the eye of the soule beholdeth the Lord frowning vpon it without and the conscience within accusing then shall nothing be small little sinnes shal be counted great enough that which Satan did
As a child in the wombe liues and moues but hath no knowledge of his life and motion so Gods children are in a comfortable estate but they know not the comfort of their estate Gods graces in them are in so small degree that they can scarce acknowledge that which in truth is in them But wee see that numbers of men haue confessed their sinnes and yet had them not remitted Saul and Iudas and Caine confessed and yet remission of sinne did not follow they were reprobates The doctrine speaks of sound confession such as they had not for first it was not voluntarie but extorted Reprobates cannot say as Dauid I will confesse but are drawne out by head and eares of God thereunto they would stil haue hid their sins if they could therfore their confession was no freewill-offering and so not sound nor accepted Secondly it seekes not ease of sinne but ease of sense desiring onely that God would take out of their conscience the horrors of hell and it looketh on the punishment not the offence done against Gods Maiestie Thirdly it proceedes not from a childlike feare of God but seruile without any true purpose of godlines Saul indeed said I haue sinned I obeyed the people foolishly but though he thus confessed yet he doth feare the people still and therefore he saith vnto SAMVEL I pray thee honour mee before the people a true feare of God would haue hated the occasion of sinne as well as the sin it selfe Fourthly it proceeds not from lowlinesse pouertie of spirit or from meeke and humble subiection to God as the godlie's doth who iustifie Gods proceedings cleare him in his iudgement repose themselues in his mercy and waite with hope and confidence for a gracious issue but with murmuring pride and hardnesse of heart as in Pharaoh or with final desperation as in Caine and Iudas But euen the godly themselues will often bid battell to this doctrine and say Alas if assurance of remission follow sound confession what shall I thinke of my selfe I haue long bewailed my sinnes and yet rest without this assurance my case is not Dauids either my confession is not sound or my person not in the state of grace or this doctrine vnsound We must distinguish between the presence of a grace and the sense of it a grace may be there present where there is no feeling there may bee the presence of Gods loue faith and remission of sinne where there is no sense of them How can this be seeing faith is a full assurance and certaine perswasion can a man be thus perswaded and yet not feele it Yes first there may be faith where there is no such assurance as many complaints of Gods children in temptation do witnesse abundantly Iob and Dauid thought God had quite cast them away and hid his face in vtter displeasure here are beleeuers and faith yet no sense Was Christs righteous heart euer destitute of faith did his Father euer cease to loue him surely no wee may not thinke so and yet he said My God my God why hast thou for saken me Secondly Christs promise is Blessed is he that beleeues though he see not Thirdly We must distinguish betweene the want of faith and the weaknesse of it vnfeelingnesse comes through weakenesse and not alwayes of the want of it Fourthly Prayer for that grace which seemes to be absent is a signe of the presence and prayer for sense and feeling of pardon is a fruit of faith Fiftly There be sundry degrees and measures of faith some Saints are as the weeke which can smoke only and not flame yet the least graine of faith layeth hold on Christ to saluation Sixtly In temptation it is sufficient that Gods children liue the life of God though they know not that they liue In a swoune a man liues though he perceiues it not it is sufficient that other men know he liues a little embers lyes vnder a heape of ashes so Gods child hath that in him which shall support and sustayne him vnto greater perfection though he know not his graces First then this serues to ouer-throw a doctrine of the Church of Rome which is that remission of sinne doth follow Confession ex opere operato that is If one come and confesse all his sins auricularly then the very worke wrought doth carry away pardon But this is vtterly false that God hath tyed remission of sinne to the very worke of Confession because Confession is effectuall only so farre forth as the person confessing is a beleeuer sanctified and iustified Else why was not Sauls sinne remitted seeing it was confessed the only reason is because he as also Caine and Iudas were not in the state of grace First then pardon belongs to the person that is accepted through Christ not to the worke Secondly Papists speake this of confession to the Priest which is the racke of the ignorant world but Dauid of confession to God which bringeth peace Thirdly their Absolution which is pronounced on Confessors is most blasphemous and preiudiciall to Gods royall and high prerogatiue The blinde Iewes could say Who can forgiue sinnes but God And Nathan said not I but God hath put away thy sinne So that this their absolution belongs not to any Prophet or Apostle ordinary or extraordinary nor to any of their successors no not to Christ himselfe as man Which is the rather to be obserued to meet with their blasphemous opinion for which they lay this ground Christ say they was God and Man As God he had an absolute power to forgiue sinnes As man hee hath a proper power and that is deriueable to the Priest standing in Christs place to whom he delegates a power to forgiue as himselfe had power to forgiue and for this that place is brought Ioh. 20. 21. As the Father hath sent me so send I you To answere this We will not consider Christ as God for so there is no question but he may and doth forgiue sinne but two wayes else first as Mediator God and man Secondly as man altogether of our nature if we were without sinne As Christ is Mediator and King of his Church so he deriues to his Ministers not a power of remission but a ministery of remission of sinnes not to forgiue sinne but to pronounce that God hath forgiuen it this only hath he left to the Church But as he is meere man he hath no power to forgiue sinne but as being the sonne of man hee is likewise the Sonne of God In the time of his humiliation he said not I forgiue mine enemies but Father forgiue them they know not what they doe As for the place which they abuse to their irreligious opinion we must note first that it is spoken of Christ to his twelue Apostles and not of any Euangelicall Priests Secondly it importeth only a similitude and likenesse betweene Gods sending of Christ and Christs sending of his Disciples but not any equality
that suppose Christ as man had power to forgiue sinnes yet not that they should bee equall vnto him herein and haue the same power that he had And the similitude stands in these foure things First Christ was before all Worlds ordained to bee a Mediatour so they were ordained to the office of Apostleship not of Priesthood Secondly as Christ himselfe was immediately called to the publike execution of his office of Mediatorship by the voice of his Father as appeares in his Baptisme This is my well-beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased so were the Apostles immediately called by Christs owne voice And this was their prerogatiue aboue other Ministers to come from Christs owne bosome as he did come from the bosome of his Father Thirdly as Christ in publishing the Gospell had supreme and absolute authoritie to giue Lawes to his Church from which there might be no appeale So his Apostles had from him an immediate assistance of infallibilitie so as they could not faile in their doctrine and writings howsoeuer as men they might erre yet not as Apostles so that from them there lay no appeale Fourthly as Christ was made a King and a Prophet not onely of the Church of the Iewes but ouer all the Churches in all Nations so the Apostles commission was not tied to any one Countrey but they must goe and teach all Nations And thus it is true that as God sent Christ so Christ sent them but all the while here is no equalitie for to make ordinarie Ministers equall to Christ in power is to make them Mediatours and redeemers yea gods Secondly this ouerthrowes another doctrin of theirs teaching that no man can be perswaded of the remission of his owne sinnes vnlesse it be by a speciall reuelation or by a morall certaintie of workes whereas we see Dauid here had this perswasion of forgiuenesse by neither but by a certainty of faith vpon true confession Thirdly seeing remission of sinnes is a fruite of confession we see the errour of silly ignorant people that say they are as sure of remission as any man in the world they hope as well as the best nay are sure to bee saued with the first if any get remission of sinne they are sure it shall be they and all this without sound confession But how is this remission sealed vp vnto them by what pattents they neuer had any doubting no touch of conscience for sinne no dislike of themselues they neuer confessed to the Lord against themselues and therfore the Lord neuer answered them in assuring them of forgiuenes There is nothing yet in their liues but wickednes and rebellion and therfore this is but a senselesse presumption which destroyeth their soules Others not a few there are that thinke to ease their conscience by lessening their sinne or excusing it Some say before the Angell it was their ignorance and so mince their sinne and harden their soules till the Lord be angry at their words Eccles. 5. 6. Others seeke to forget God while he knocketh and vrgeth their consciences If they can thrust him out of presence and put out the remembrance of himselfe and the feare of his iudgement Oh then they be safe But how are these men wofully deluded that thinke themselues safest and best when God is farthest off them Others when sinne comes afresh vpon them draw their thoughts and turne their sailes another way as when Sauls furious thoughts come vpon him they must be appeased by Dauids musike whereas remission must be gotten by confessing and not by committing of sin Some must haue Iesters to fill their hearts full of folly to take God and all good motions and remembrance of sin out of their soules whereas of all the delights that euer Salomon tried his heart withall wee neuer reade that hee kept a Iester or Foole. Some when a warning peece of humiliation is shot off by God haue no better way to resist it and to driue away the qualmes of conscience then by sorting themselues with drinkers gamesters and good fellowes as they call them and as euery mans delight drawes him so is his practice But this is no other then the brawning of the conscience farre from lasting peace which comes from remission of sinnes and remission comes not from commission but confession of sinne If men that are now called to confession and repentance by the Word or the Spirit or any of Gods works on themselues or others will yet doe as the hardned Iewes kill Oxen and Sheepe and drinke wine in boules and in the meane time deride the threates of God and make a tush at these warning peales let them feare and tremble the ende of such laughter shall be heauinesse Thou forgauest me THe person that receiued this mercy was Dauid a true beleeuer and a true penitent sinner which teacheth vs that God remitteth not the sinnes of any but such as being touched with true repentance confesse them Iob 33. 27 28. God looketh vpon men and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it did not profit me he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light He shall pray vnto God and he will be fauorable vnto him and he shall see his face with ioy vers 26. So also 1. King 8. 47. If they turne againe vnto their heart in the Land to which they be carried away captiues and returne and pray vnto thee saying Wee haue sinned wee haue transgressed and done wickedly then heare thou their prayer in heauen c. This is the forme of repentance set downe for the people returning vnto their God Hoshea 14. 3. Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously What cannot God without the condition of repentance and sorrow and confession of sinne remit sinne and conferre fauour vpon sinners Yes if we speake of Gods absolute power whereby he can doe a number of things which he neuer will hee could haue made 10000. Worlds when he made but one hee could raise vp of stones children to Abraham Christ could haue prayed for 12. Legions of Angels and his Father could haue sent them to deliuer him or hee could without them haue deliuered him from the Crosse but would not Thus if God would hee could remit sin without repentance and confession and that without all impeachment of his goodnesse because whatsoeuer hee can will is most iust and good but if we consider Gods actuall power and his reuealed will which belongs to vs and our children he cannot because he will not the reasons hereof are these First it will not stand with his eternall decree by which he hath tied the meanes and ende together the end is saluation the meanes to come to it is faith and repentance So God hath decreed that a mans body should liue by meanes he could now preserue it without meat drinke sleepe
c. but hee will not because it is against his decree Againe God hath not eternally decreed to saue all but out of all a few a little flocke now if hee should remit the sinnes of the impenitent and of vnbeleeuers then he should saue all and so the way to heauen should bee the broad way and not many but all should goe in it which was Origens errour directly against Gods decree and word Secondly it will not stand with the iustice of God to forgiue their sinnes who repent not of them but rather loue them who obey their lusts and follow the leading of them most willingly 2. Thes. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you If God haue any iustice he must exercise it against such as hate him and reiect all his commandements but to saue all would prooue him to bee a God all made of mercy Thirdly God could haue no mercy if hee should forgiue the sinnes of all good and bad for there could be no difference betweene his mercie and his iustice this is mercy to some to pull them out of the common corruption and curse of sinne and mercy only reioyceth against iudgement if there were no iudgement neither could there bee any mercy Besides will it stand with Gods wisedome to bestow and giue mercy to him that refuseth and despiseth it or to fill with mercy the vessels of wrath Fourthly where were Gods truth if he should forgiue the sinnes of impenitent and vnbeleeuing ones what strength were in the curses of the Law that the soule that sinnes shall die to what vse could the promises of the Gospell serue what vse of the prayer of Christ for beleeuers that his Father would keepe them in the truth why did he put such difference betweene men that hee would not so much as pray for the World What neede of the death of Christ of whom the Apostle saith The Iust died for the vniust but so as they should be righteous in him or what neede of any part of his righteousnes and obedience who fulfilled the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth Fifthly God hath made it a priuiledge of the Church and the members of it onely to haue their sinnes forgiuen So we say in the Creed I beleeue the Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes Isa. 33. 24. The people that dwell there shall haue their iniquitie forgiuen and 62. 12. They shall call them The holy people the redeemed of the Lord. Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is a part of the promise of God made to those that are in couenant with him Ier. 31. 31 34. The dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant for I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Yea this Psalme in the first verse makes it a note of a blessed man and a prerogatiue of the Saints Sixthly if God should bestow remission of sinnes in generall to all what neede is there of any grace what vse of the feare of God of faith c then we might set open all the doores of licenciousnesse and sinne and euery man might doe what hee list without all restraint or bridle So that to tye remission of sinne to repentance makes not onely for our saluation hereafter but also to correct and bridle sinne here and set vs into the beginnings of eternall life euen in this present World But how is this remission of sinne free if wee cannot haue it without these conditions of faith repentance confession c Yet is it still free first because though it bee not giuen without these yet it is not giuen for these as our iustification is free though it cannot be had without faith because it is not giuen for the dignitie of our faith Secondly euen these conditions are not of our selues but the gifts of God and so can merit nothing Thirdly faith and repentance are required not to shew for what but to whom remission of sinnes is bestowed namely to such only as haue obtained mercy and for whom Christ hath freely merited the same This serues to confute a grosse and ignorant conceit of many who say That God who made all will saue all and so lay all the care of saluation on God and neuer trouble themselues in vsing the meanes Alas poore soules No no neuer thinke that thou canst diuorce what God hath coupled namely the ende from the meanes it is true which Saint Augustine saith Hee that made thee without thee doth not saue thee without thee Why say some did not Christ dye for all and euerie man and shall not they bee saued for whom Christ dyed To this the Schoolemen say that Christ dyed for all sufficienter but not efficaciter Christs merits were sufficient to redeeme 10000. Worlds if they had faith to apprehend them saith Leo. But we speake of the effectuall shedding of Christs bloud which was shed for many not all to the remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. Secondly Christ died for all that is for all those many saith Augustine namely all the Elect for the sinnes of the World of the Elect for there is a World of the Elect standing of Iewes and Gentiles who are brought to faith and repentance Thirdly all and euery singular man cannot receiue remission of sinnes but onely beleeuers by the hand of faith some of all sortes of men now the Apostle saith that faith is not of all men and therefore it is called the faith of the Elect Tit. 1. 1. Therefore let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Ephes. 5. 6. Secondly by this doctrine wee may see that no man can be assured of remission of sinnes but the true beleeuer who truly repenteth of his sinnes Euery man indeed will professe in his Creed that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes but this is but a vaine blast in the most whose sinnes binde them ouer to eternall death Onely the true beleeuer hath the right markes of remission of sinne which are these First he onely is weary and heauy laden and sees his neede of Christ whereas the wicked are whole in part or wholly and neede not the Physician Secondly onely hee hath a spirit free from guile which is made a note of remission vers 2. Of all other we may say as Peter did of Simon Magus Thy heart is not right with God one mans heart is a temple of Gods Spirit another hath not the Spirit of Christ and therefore is not his Thirdly onely a true beleeuer hath the consequents and fruites of remission of sinnes from which as from fruites we may goe to the tree as First the first of them is regeneration he is borne of God and sinneth not that is he hath not raigning sinne with him nor sinne vnto death because the seed of God is in him
is vnchangeable and the Spirit euer like himselfe looke as his course hath been towards his children in times past so he will still deale proceeding by the same rule of iustice and mercie hee neuer takes a wicked man by the hand neither did any innocent person euer perish vnder his hand as a iust God he punisheth like sinnes with like iudgements and remembers mercy to the godly because mercy pleaseth him Thirdly God would not onely describe a way to life in the Scriptures but also hath there set before vs leaders and guides in that way whence there is not a vertue in all the Scripture commended in the precept but it is exemplifyed and made to shine in some patterne and that for these two ends First that the godly might haue full and assured direction Secondly that the wicked despising both holy doctrine and holy example might iustly be condemned Fourthly God would set a testimonie of his grace and glory in his children whom because they giue witnesse to his truth and proceedings hee calleth a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12. 1. First because in their life and conuersation they witnessed by word and deed to Gods Church Secondly in their death many of them witnessed by their blood Thirdly hereafter they shall witnesse for or against vs The Saints shall iudge the world and therefore euery godly man ought to make vse of their example And is this so then this first ouerthrowes that wicked and tyrannicall practice of the Church of Rome which takes away the Scriptures from the Laiety as vnnecessarie for simple people though they be the deeds of their inheritance as if God had onely entred couenant with Monkes Priests and Regulars and not with Christian men and women who may not know either what God hath promised on his part or expecteth on theirs But if according to our doctrine all must make vse of the foresaid examples then they must haue the Scripture to know them by being therein registred When God gaue his Word to the Hebrewes hee wrote it in the Hebrew tongue a tongue familiar to them and gaue charge that euery one should teach it their children and deriue it from one generation to another After when GOD would propagate it to the Gentiles and the Monarchy came to the Grecians God put into the heart of Ptolomie Philadelphus to prouide seuenty two of the most expert Hebrews skilfull in the Greeke to translate it into Greeke which language was generally knowne in all Nations of Europe Asia and Africa which translation of the Septuagint is extant at this day Afterward when the Roman Empire preuailed and the Latine speech began by that meanes to be most common God would haue the Scripture translated into Latine to what other end but that it should be read and vnderstood and remembred practised of all because it concerned all But why doe the Papists thus cofer vp the Scriptures now the true cause is that the light thereof may not discouer their workes of darknesse but what say they Oh it is darke and obscure hard and knotty a breeder of heretikes and matter of strife What did God giue the Scripture for a remedie and is it turned to poyson did it once serue as a hammer to bruise errors and now doeth it serue to breed them was it once profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to improue and now to impaire the trueth Did God send it for a doctrine of peace and is it now no other then a make-bate All controuersies must be decided by it and peace established on earth with God and men The Word is a Lanthorne and the Commandement a Light and plaine to the simple Psal. 19. 7. and 119. 130. And is it now so darke as no man can see his way by it hath God giuen all rules of doctrine and manners of faith and life and not onely that but witnessed all his way with man in examples of mercy and iustice encouraging piety and vertue and punishing the contrary and all in vaine what could the Lord doe more to make it easie and plaine and fit for instruction then he had done In a word by remouing the Scriptures they doe not onely depriue men of sauing doctrine in the precepts but also of the chiefe helpe of godly life in the practice of beleeuers Secondly if euery godly man must make vse of Gods ordinary dealing with his children then wee must take the counsell of Bildad to Iob chap. 8. 7. I pray thee looke to the examples of the former age and prepare to search of thy fathers namely whether if thou be pure God will not awake to thee looke whether any pure in heart were euer forsaken of God and as thou shalt find so conclude that God will deale with thee too make this vse of their example And we must not onely obserue Gods waies with them but also their waies with God following their ordinarie examples in vertue and watch our selues against their vices Many search into the liues of the Fathers and there spy Abraham perhaps lying Noah drunken and Salomon with many wiues and hence they boulster themselues in sinne they alleage the example of Dauid for adultery and of Paul for rage against God and the godly but this is to walke by the darke side of the cloude with the Egyptians to destruction therefore let vs turne to the light side to the Saints graces Ye shall haue some that being exhorted to piety and to a narrow watch ouer their waies will say presently Doe any thus or thus as you would haue vs why then we shall be singular we shall haue no company I wish men would consider their waies by this rule If thou seest no godly man before thee suspect that way and get out of it but howsoeuer few in the world walk in the straight way to life because few find it yet look to the Word and thou shalt see on all hands some or other in that way there thou hast a cloude to follow to goe when it goes to stand when it stands so thou be on the light side of it a notable guide through this pilgrimage of our life Oh there is no example of such precise carriage as you would haue vs take vp none but a few strait-lac't Ministers vrge or keepe it Yes looke to the Scriptures and thou shalt finde such as haue gone before any that are now liuing it would be counted too much precisenesse now to walke with God as Enoch did or for Masters to instruct their families and call them to an account for what they haue heard and yet Abraham did so If a man should be euer plodding in the Word to draw good lessons from it he shal be counted but a Bible-carrier whereas Dauid meditated on it day and night and Marie laid vp and pondered the Word in her heart these would be surely accounted too precise if they were now liuing Oh but if a man stand on these
thy worthinesse is the sense of vnworthinesse and an apprehension of Christs worthinesse What worthinesse was in Israel when the Lord couered her with his skirt and shee became his Did shee not wallow in her blood and filthinesse And is not God the same promising and performing mercie to them that confesse their sinnes and forsake them Oh but my sinnes haue abounded and haue so separated betweene God and mee that I doubt I shall neuer finde him Not so For where sinne hath abounded grace hath abounded much more and in the forgiuenesse of many sinnes God shall haue honour of much mercy and loue from the sinner in greater measure And if hee delighted in the death of a sinner or tooke pleasure in the death of him that dyes any one sin would furnish him with matter of reuenge enough but he is much in pardoning and delights therein The Apostle Paul saith I was a persecutor an oppressor a blasphemer c. yet God had mercie on me to be an ensample in time to come to all that should beleeue in Christ Iesus Alas he sinned of ignorance but I of knowledge against the light of my minde the voice of God the motions of his Spirit the cryes of my owne conscience and haue so quenched and grieued the Spirit that hee will come no more I may not look to finde God as Paul did Tell mee when Iohn said The blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Epist. 1. 7. doth he meane onely sinnes of ignorance No verily and if GOD haue made no distinction of small great sinnes sinnes of knowledge and of ignorance of weaknesse and of presumption you may iustly and must defie a distinguishing deuill Thirdly the godly must bee incouraged by this doctrine to seek the Lord in a time when he may be found Oh that I knew that time when is it First one time of finding is when a man hath beene truely humbled and-toucht for his sinne Of this time our Prophet speakes in the Text after humiliation Dauid found God and teacheth that euery godly man shall then find him It is the troubled spirit that God respects and at whom else doth the Lord looke Isai. 66. 2. CHRIST came not to the righteous in their owne conceit but to call laden and humble sinners Secondly another time of finding God is when all good meanes and care haue been vsed to finde him God will not be found at first because he will try the diligence of his seruants in which hee sees the price they set vpon him and the thing asked The Spouse in her bed cannot finde Christ but if she get out and vse all good meanes enquiring and seeking after him at last hee is found and a godly heart cannot but thinke that the comforts Christ brings with him are worth all his paines and labour And it will manifest our care if wee seeke him First early as Prou. 8. 17. I loue them that loue mee and those that seeke mee early shall finde mee Secondly if we seeke him with all our heart as Deut. 4. 29. Thou shalt find him if thou seeke him with all thy heart and all thy soule Thirdly in perseuerance not by starts and fits as the carelesse and temporizers but as the Church that neuer rests till she finde him Thirdly another time of finding God is the godly mans extremitie and vrgent necessitie for that is Gods opportunitie The Lord will be a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction when hee hath no refuge elsewhere Psal. 9. 9. and Psa. 10. 1. Why hidest thou thy selfe O Lord in due time euen in affliction Deut. 4. 29 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee at the length if thou returne to the Lord he wil not forsake thee When Ionas was wrapt with waues and weedes in the bottome of the Sea hee cryed and God spake to the fish to set him on land Dauid called out of the deepe and God heard him Moses cryed at the Red Sea and then God was found Christ in his agonie in the garden prayed and GOD sent the Angels to comfort him Abraham found God three dayes after the commandement on the mount And after three dayes when the case was hopelesse and the Disciples faith was a little preiudiced Christ rose againe Therefore wait thou art not yet in the deepes nor yet at the mount the third day is not yet come Fourthly another time of finding God is when God offers himselfe to be found in the preaching of the Gospell for by it God comes and knockes at our doore and seekes entrance Reu. 3. 20. and the opportunitie of the Gospell is called the day of saluation and the day of visitation Let vs walke while wee haue the light this is the acceptable time The Iewes knew it not till it was past and they were left in their sinnes let vs take heed it be not so with vs. How can wee want motiues to seeke the Lord with comfort and assurance of finding him for First God hath a fatherly care ouer vs and as a faithfull Shepheard seekes thee leauing ninetie nine to saue one and is not he willing to be found if thou seeke him oh goc and meet him Secondly Christ seekes and sues to thee Open vnto me my beloued and why should not wee set open the gates of our hearts that the King of glory may enter in Euen when wee runne away from him hee seekes vs and offers vs conditions of loue hee runnes after fugitiue ADAM that if hee will beleeue in the promised Messiah hee shall bee saued And haue not wee encouragement enough to knocke at the doore of his mercy Thirdly consider what a wofull threatning is sent out against such as will not seeke the Lord as Zeph. 1. 6. Hee will stretch out his hand against all them that turne from him that sought not the Lord nor inquired after him and Zech. 7. 13. It is come to passe that as I cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord of Hosts Fourthly the Gospell is the hammer by which God still knockes now if thou wilt lay hold on mercy offered thou shalt haue a blessed answere but if thou wilt bolt vp thy heart with securitie and ignorance how can he come vnto thee Christ when hee was borne found no roome in the Inne but was content to lie in the Stable and surely the world is no changeling it is as vnthankfull still men are loth to make Christ a roome in the Inne of their hearts If now in his glory he would be content with Stables that is hearts filled with noysome lusts as so many filthy beasts this roome they could afford him But know that hee is past infancie and abasement and hath shewed himselfe a Lord of glory and will haue a roome and entertainement like himselfe and if thou
Pet. 2. 7. God deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Thirdly get thy heart washed with the bloud of Christ bee a true Israelite a true beleeuer for God is good to Israel euen to the pure of heart Psal. 73. 1. and Deliuer Israel O Lord. Fourthly get innocency and vprightnesse into thy life to be able to say with DAVID Deliuer me according to mine vprightnesse Fifthly draw daily neerer vnto God and if God bee with thee or thou with him thou needest not feare though thou walkest in the shaddow of death Psal. 2â— 4. and doe this three wayes first get neere him in thy affection loue him in his Word and Image Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath loued me I will deliuer him and exalt him that is set him out of the reach of trouble Secondly in obedience I am thine saith DAVID O saue thy seruant Thirdly in thy confident prayer so Psal. 91. 9. For hee said to the Lord Thou art my refuge VERS 7. Thou art my secret place thou preseruest mee from trouble thou compassest me about with ioyfull deliuerance SELAH NOw followes a second vse of this worthy doctrine of Dauid which concerneth affiance in God when the heart can lay hold vpon God as Dauid doth here First for the present time Thou art my secret place Secondly for time to come Thou shalt preserue mee from trouble and compasse mee about with ioyfull deliuerance Whether these be the wordes of Dauid holding in his soule the sweet sense of remission of sinne or whether it be a forme of prayer which the godly man comming vnto God doth preferre in his presence it is not materiall but howsoeuer it is the speech of one assured of the pardon of his sinnes and from that assurance this confidence ariseth to say Thou art my secret place whence note that The Fountayne of Gods protection and our assurance of deliuerance in trouble is from the remission of sinnes A man cannot say Thou art my secret place till he can say Thou forgauest my sinne Iob 22. 21 to 25. Acquaint thy selfe I pray thee with God and make peace and so shalt thou haue prosperity If thou put away iniquitie the Almightie shall be thy defence when others are cast downe thou shalt say I am lifted vp Psal. 103. 3. The Prophet prouoking his soule to praise the Lord for all his benefits reckons vp the healing of all his infirmities and the redeeming of his life from the graue but before all these hee setteth forgiuenesse of sinnes as the Leader and the cause of all the rest thereby shewing that all other of Gods mercies haue their rise from hence as from their head and originall First sinne layeth open the sinner to all Gods wrath and the curses of the Law in this life the life to come it sets a man as a butt against whom the Lord shooteth all the arrowes of his displeasure sinne not remitted makes vs enemies to God and God to vs so as we cannot expect any other but fruits of hatred Exod. 32. 25. Israel hauing worshipped the Calfe was naked to Gods iudgements and hauing sinned a sinne could not stand before the men of Ai Iosh. 7. 11 12. Sinne is transgression that is a thrusting of vs out of our way and so from vnder Gods protection who hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs to keepe vs no longer then we are in our way Psal. 91. 11. Secondly this is Gods couenant who promising to put his Law into their inward parts and to write it in their hearts and to become their God and accept them for his people he giueth the reason of all the former articles because he would forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Ier. 31. 33 34. And indeed euery-where wee may obserue how God begins all our good here Ier. 32. 41. First he takes away the sinnes of his people and then delights to doe them good to watch ouer them to build and to plant them And Hos. 2. 17 18 First the Lord takes their Baalim from his people and then makes a couenant and marries his Church vnto himselfe and then to safeguard his Spouse hee makes a league with the Beasts of the field with the Fowles of heauen and creeping things then will hee breake the Bow and Sword and battell out of the earth that they may sleepe safely While man kept couenant with God hee had dominion ouer the Creatures but rebelling against God by sinne the Creatures rebell against him and now God making and renewing his couenant againe with man himselfe reneweth also this clause of it concerning the Creatures that they shall be at peace which is no other then a promise of protection Thirdly confidence is a fruit of faith for wee must first beleeue God to be our God before we can be perswaded that his mercy and truth belongs to vs our ground for our confidence in outward mercies and deliuerances must bee an assurance of his inward loue in which wee may glorie as Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast downe O my soule trust in God he is my God and my present helpe And Rom. 8. 33. the Apostle laying this ground It is God that iustifieth challengeth with great confidence principalities and powers things present things to come and all creatures as too weake and impotent to separate vs from Christ. Fourthly what doe the Scriptures else teach vs while euery-where they make the particulars of our comfort fruits of this root as Luk. 1. 74. Deliuerance from all enemies proceedes from the release of the punishment of sinne Our peace with God boldnesse with him accesse to the Throne of grace come from our iustification by faith Rom. 5. 1. Peace at home in our owne soules is a fruit of remission of sinne Luk. 7. 7. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Goe in peace Yea our whole redemption from first to last from all enemies spirituall and temporall and all the fruits of sinne is called by the name of remission of sinne Ephes. 1. 7. and Col. 1. 14. and in the entrie of our Psalme we haue shewed that all our blessednesse is placed in remission of sinne But then it seemes that where men are not protected and deliuered from danger that their sinnes are not remitted This was the error of the Iewes that they thought those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell greater sinners then the rest and those whose bloud Herod mingled with the sacrifices But wee must know that the Lord doth performe his promises of temporall deliuerances and benefits not absolutely but conditionally so farre as will stand with his wisedome and glorie and the good and saluation of his owne children Sometimes the Viper cannot hurt Paul nor the Lyons Daniel but againe sometimes they may bee ouer-taken with dangers and seeme to be left in them but so as first they are sanctified to the former mayne ends and secondly as they are good for
sorrowes in number many in kinde many in this life many moe in the life to come many within him many without him and many on euery side as the next branch in the opposition shewes that God on euery side compasseth his children with goodnesse and mercy Whence Note the vnhappy and cursed estate of euery wicked and obstinate sinner in the world his sorrowes shall bee many and great Isa. 65. 13 14. Behold my seruants shall eat and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde and yee shall leaue your names for a curse vnto my chosen Reu. 9. 12. One woe is past and two are to come and Chap. 8. 13. The Angel flying thorow the midst of heauen cryed Wo wo wo to the inhabitants of the earth All these many woes are proclaimed against the wicked of the world cleauing either to the Kingdome of Antichrist in the West or of Mahomet in the East Turkes Saracens Arabians Tartarians and after them to all the wicked that cleaue not to God in the purity of his worship and in obedience of his word And that they are onely denounced against them appeares Chap. 9. vers 4. because the children of God are sealed and exempted from them Deutron 28. 58. 59. If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the wordes of this Law then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance But many are the woes and miseries of the godly and therefore what is it better to bee a godly man then a wicked There is great difference betweene them for first these are all mingled with mercy Indeed a child that is deare to his father if he runne another way with Ionah must bee whipt and fetcht backe againe yet the Lord puts not off fatherly affection but remembreth mercy in iudgement and smiteth with the rods of men but his mercy he taketh not away Whereas the sorrowes of the wicked are destitute of all mercy and no maruell seeing all their blessings are leuened and sowred and tend to their bane through a secret curse of God blowing on them and blasting them Secondly the godly call not their miseries on them by a trade and course in sin as the wicked do but when for tryall or correction of some slip God leads them where they would not they follow him taking vp the crosse thereby learning the will of God prouing what is in themselues amending that which is amisse confirming themselues to euery good work this cannot the wicked do who whatsoeuer they suffer fall from euill to worse Thirdly the Lord deliuers the godly out of all putteth vnder his hand and reares them vp and leaueth them not in the sorrow till hee haue enlarged their feete and brought them where all teares shall bee wiped away Whereas he leaues the wicked in sorrow laughes at it and suffereth the fire of his iealousie to seaze on them to the bottome of hell Fourthly the Lord recompenseth the light afflictions of his seruants with an exceeding weight of mercy first in this life iustifying sanctifying beautifying teaching feeding protecting them and theirs Secondly in death bringing their soules to heauen and laying vp their bodies safe till the resurrection Thirdly at the day of iudgment bringing both body and soule into the glory of the iust But these sorrowes of wicked men are farre other both for number and measure in this life and afterward much more all of them void of all mercy And to conceiue aright of them consider first the kindes of them Secondly the causes or reasons of them Thirdly the vse For the first these sorrowes are partly in this life and partly after it First In this life these sorrowes are partly in the present practice of sinne and partly in the consequent fruits of it Secondly the very course of a sinner although Satan present it to him through a false glasse and it seeme pleasant and care to be quite away yet indeed it is a sorrowfull and heauie course for the laughter of a wicked man is but in the face not in the heart and euen in laughter the heart is heauie or hath cause so to bee That which Salomon speakes of a voluptuous course which most agreeth with the flesh is true euen in the passing of it It striketh as a Dart through the liuer Prou. 7. 23. The same is true in the purchase of other sinnes as 1. Tim. 6. 10. the Apostle noteth of the course taken vp in earthlinesse and carking care after the things of this life that this man though hee seeme to liue merrily yet he pierceth himselfe through with many sorroweâ— The intemperate person meetes with many diseased dayes and houres of paine and sorrowes as the Gowt Dropsie Palsies Surfets which make his life a burden vnto him so as though the sinner see it not yet in the practice of sinne there is more gall then honie and at the best it is but a bitter-sweete But Secondly after the sinne is committed comes a fearefull and more sorrowful sence of it for if the best fruits of sin euen in the godly that are renued by repentance be shame and sorrow no maruell if the wicked be hanted and hunted with horrors of conscience desperate feares restlesse torments and be as the raging Sea which cannot rest for there can bee no peace to the wicked man so long as his conscience hath any sense but let him goe and ride where he wil he pursues himselfe with hue and crie and so long as he cannot runne from himselfe hee carries his accuser and tormenter with him as Cain did and Baltasar euen at his Feast was pierced with feares and sorrowes that made his ioynts loose and his knes knocke together so shal Gods hand-writing be on the walles of profane consciences How many sorrowes after his sinne ouertooke Iudas and so oppressed him that his heart being not able longer to susteine him his best ease was to hang himselfe a wofull remedy not much better then his disease but such shifts are the wicked sometimes put to when their sweete meates are recompensed with sowre sawce Secondly after this life is the consummation of his sorrowes euen in Christs appearance for all that this life can load him with is but the beginning of sorrow The parcels of this sorrow shall especially bee in these particulars First they shall waile and sorrow to see him come in the clouds whom they haue pierced he shall bee their Iudge whose lawes and person all their villanies haue been committed against Secondly in that wofull separation first from God in the losse of glory and happinesse and then from Gods people when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iaakob and all the Saints in the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out
them forewarnes the wicked of their danger For if iudgement begin there where shall the wicked appeare Secondly hee most manifesteth his power in his childrens weakenesse in supporting their soules and bodies Now if his power and mercie were not aboue the iudgement they should perish in it Secondly he traines and betters his children which is great mercie by the iudgement first he scowres and purgeth their sinne afflictions are as Gods laundrie wherin his children by beating scowring and rubbing are made whiter and whiter Venimous creatures breed not in winter nay a sharpe winter kils the Vermine so afflictions nip and stay our corruptions This is another mercie aboue the iudgement Secondly by them hee exerciseth and stirreth vp the grace that is in them as the winde blowes vp the sparkes of fire yea manifests the synceritie of their hearts to themselues and others for a man is that indeed which he is in triall Thirdly he fits them by afflictions to comfort others in triall with the same comforts wherewith hee hath comforted them A great mercie to fit them to mercifulnesse and to set out Gods mercie to others See Exod. 23. 9. Fourthly he teacheth them to esteeme more of his blessings in the want of them Is there not an ouer-ruling mercie in all this that whereas afflictions are in themselues euill and reuenges of sinne yet they make the godly better now whatsoeuer makes vs better is from a hand of mercie Thirdly the Lord by his seruants trouble would teach all first that the euils chiefly esteemed so in the world are not so indeed for the godly are exempted from the greatest euils if only wicked men were blind blindnesse would bee thought a fearefull iudgement therefore to confute that Isaac must bee blinde Secondly how such euils should be borne It is a mercie that by the godly the world may bee taught how to beare the hand of God Thirdly an infallible marke of the resurrection Luc. 16. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and Lazarus euill things therefore now hee is comforted and thou art tormented Fourthly that all their miseries end in mercie and are turned to their best Marke and consider the godly man for his end is peace his light afflictions are recompensed with an eternall weight of glory From all which we may conclude that if godly men in the midst of their miseries bee so compassed with mercie in the beginning carriage and conclusion of them that the doctrine propounded is most true But if we turne our selues to the second branch and consider those kindes of mercies which shall meete vs in the life to come we can looke no way but we are intrenched with such mercies as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceiue much lesse can wee speake of them as they are but must breake out into Dauids admiration Psal. 31. 9. O how great is that goodnesse which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee But yet as Moses wee may see the good land a farre off and with the searchers let you see by a cluster or two and giue a taste of the good things therin If God loue vs sayd they he will bring vs vnto it so many as God loueth shall be brought to it and not onely taste as here how good and gracious God is but shall drinke plentifully of the riuers of his house for with him is the Well of life and in his light wee shall see light First how can the Elect but be compassed with mercie when all the miserie and sorrow with all the causes and effects wherewith they are now compassed shall be abolished and vtterly chafed away Now we are vexed with the remembrance of euils past with the sense of euils present and with the feare of euils to come but all these first things must passe away and all teares must be wiped from our eyes In our bodies all weakenesse naturall infirmitie sickenesse labour mortality and corruption shall bee remooued they shall need neither meate nor cloth for which here we toyle so much nor Marriage nor Physicke nor sleepe there shall be no care for the familie no toyle in the calling for they rest from their labours no labour spent in teaching or learning in preaching or hearing mortalitie hath put on immortalitie and death being destroyed it can dye no more The soule shall be from all sinne and sinfull passions from ignorance vnbeliefe pride enuie and all the workes of the flesh yea not onely from sin but from the power of sinning the will hath no freedome to euill being perfectly freed to good neither can the affections set themselues vpon any other obiect In our names we are now lyable to many contumelies and reproches and slanders as our Lord himselfe was numbred among the wicked Hee was not knowne no more are wee but then shall our innocencie breake out as the light and it shall be manifest what we are 1. Ioh. 3. 2. When Christ our Head shall appeare we also shall appeare with him in glory Now wee are in spirituall combat but then wee shall bee perfectly freed from the deuil from his Angels from sinne and sinners from the world and the lusts that are in it and God shall fully and finally tread Satan vnder our feete Secondly If wee be so happie in Priuatiue mercies what shall we be in Positiue how shall we be compassed with them First how shall wee be beset with mercie yea and glory in enioying the immediate fellowship and vision of God in whose face is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore If a man had all the paines of hell vpon him this blessed vision of God would make him an happie man We see God now but as in a glasse and yet that sight of him vpholds vs in all our troubles how much more shall we be fully happy when we shall see him as he is face to face euen so fully as being glorified we shall be capable of So many mercies compasse the Elect in this one as if I had a thousand tongues and should doe nothing but speake them till the day of Iudgement I could not recount them Secondly what a wonderfull mercie shall compasse vs in our immediate vnion and coniunction with Christ our Head by which we shall be like him not like him as he was a man of sorrowes and in the shape of a seruant for thus he was like vs but like him as hee is now the glorified Head of his Church not equall to him but like him both in soule and body Our soules perfect in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse and standing in a perfect image of God like to the perfect holinesse of Christ himselfe Our bodies clothed with beauty strength shining agilitie and glorie as his is He walketh in white so shall wee His face is shining and glorious so shall ours As hee sits on his Fathers
vnderstand not 2. Vntractablenesse Whose mouthes thou rulest with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee 3. The reasons 1. From Gods iudgements vpon impenitent sinners Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked 2. From Gods infinite loue to repentant sinners described 1. By their qualitie They trust in the Lord. 2. Measure of mercy Mercy shall compasse them 4. Praise of God the end of all where 1. The persons 1. Righteous men 2. Vpright of heart 2. The dutie threefold expressed in three seuerall wordes Be glad Reioyce Be ioyfull 3. The limitation In the Lord. THE HIGH-WAY TO HAPPINES Contayning THE EXPOSITION OF THE 32. PSALME THE ARGVMENT A Psalme of DAVID to giue instruction INscriptions are as keyes to open a doore into the Psalmes This Title agreeth with the Argument of this Psalme For it is the chiefe wisdome and learning of the Church to know how to come to be happy as this Psalme teacheth which in the inscription is commended First From the matter Secondly The Author First The matter that it was Dauids learning and penned to teach the vnlearned for it is not the will of God that the vnlearned should want knowledge Yea such a learning as is not euery-where to be had but onely is to be drawne out of the Word of God For nature and humane reason teacheth it not nor can vnderstand it no nor can endure to heare that God should not respect any worthinesse or merit of man but freely forgiue sinne to make a soule truely happy Secondly The Author was Dauid here named that we might know that this chiefe doctrine of all other was not framed or deliuered to the Church from an obscure and vnknowne Author but proceeded from the holy Ghost who guided the Pen-men of Scripture and by this Pen-man commended also to the vse of the Church that so our faith might be more certaine for neuer can the heart bee stable in any doctrine which it is not perswaded to bee an Oracle of God Whence obserue First That as all the Scripture is profitable for doctrine instruction and comfort so more especially the booke of Psalmes being inspired by God to this purpose and therefore must all of them in publike or priuate vse tend to our edification First In the publike vse of the Congregation 1. Cor. 14. 15. I will sing with the Spirit but with vnderstanding also and 26. When yee come together as any hath a Psalme let all bee done to edifying Secondly In priuate either in the family Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. speaking and admonishing your selues with Psalmes c. or apart alone I am 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing prosperitie must not force vs to forget God but remember his louing kindnesse Hence haue we the examples of the Disciples of our Lord singing a Psalme after the receiuing of the Sacrament together with himselfe Mar. 14. 26. And Paul and Silas in prison sung to God Acts. 16. 25. To confute such as set out filthy amorous and lewd Ballads and Songs Fictions Loue-bookes c. which tend to the corrupting of men and youth especially Dauids songs tended to instruction in the highest point of heauenly wisedome and the vse of these would bring the other out of request and it should teach Parents that would not haue their Childrens bodies poysoned to be much more carefull their mindes bee not herewith infected Secondly Their sinne is iustly condemned who either in publike or more priuate meetings sit like cyphers or mutes when Psalmes are sung who neither sing themselues nor attend to those that doe nor haue any care to helpe their vnderstanding or their affections but are as senselesse as the seats they sit vpon these highly take the name of God in vaine or else they runne out at the Psalme as not concerning them hath the Lord fitted the Psalmes forthy instruction and darest thou despise that high learning offred in them Thirdly Those who in singing onely respect the storie of the Psalme as they doe other Scriptures not instructing comforting or admonishing themselues by applying the matter to their hearts but sing without all grace in their hearts and lastly those that respect in these songs musick more then matter that are led away by sound not by sense by the eare not by the heart that are filled with vanitie not with the Spirit and sing to man not to God Secondly note that Dauid though furnished with varietie of learning accounteth none learning but this being indeed a speciall knowledge to be instructed and instruct others in He calleth all conditions of men to learne this doctrine which so neerely concerneth all and is of such speciall vse as without it euery thing increaseth a mans miserie and hauing it he is onely happy Hence is this knowledge called wisdomes or knowledges Prou. 9. 1. as though it contayned all comfortable knowledge in it And indeed if we measure knowledge by the vse that must needs be the best that makes vs best and brings in best profit but that doth this learning for how vaine are the deepest Philosophers in all their knowledge What are they but lyars while without this they dispute of truth Vicious persons while they entreat of vertue Ignorant while they dispute of knowledge and miserable Creatures while without it they grope at true blessednesse What were a man better if he were able to comprehend the frame of the World measure the parts of the Earth to discourse of the course and motions of the Starres if the sense of vnpardoned sinne proclaime himselfe a damned wretch and a guiltie conscience tell him to his face that Heauen is ashamed of him the Earth is weary of him and his owne sinnefull burthen beares him downe to Hell What profit were it to be able to discerne all diseases and all remedies and attayne all the skill of physicke to cure the body when a man 's owne soule is wounded to death without remedie What helpeth it to bee wise in worldly matters and skilfull in cases of Law to auoid vniust sentences and wrongs when a man is condemned in himselfe by the comfortlesse accusing of his owne conscience See the vanitie of rich and worldly men that spend their dayes in gathering perishing riches and drop into the graue before euer they thinke of this Learning and the folly and madnesse of the most that count nothing worthy to be knowne but these earthly learnings spend all their time and studies in them as the Heathens did till they become almost as heathenish Secondly The shame it is of many profound Scholers who in their ministrie seeke to be approued for other learning in Tongues Fathers Arts c. which in their places are excellent gifts but this onely skill this Danids learning how to direct a troubled conscience to his peace and a miserable soule to his happinesse is not their aime they haue no skill nor will this way Thirdly And hearers who would bee taught in any learning but
smiting them he will haue his blowes felt the strong purgation at last worketh out most health and soundnesse Thirdly the greater the affliction is the more odious doth sinne appeare to bee vnto God a strong poyson must haue a strong antidote the more the godly are striken downe for sinne the more are they stirred vp to godly sorrow to hatred of it to zeale against it the better and more watchfully do they preuent sinne to come and looke better to themselues as a good Physician oftentimes letteth blood not to make a man sicke but to preuent sicknesse Fourthly the greater the tryall is the better experience haue they of themselues for first God afflicts the body heauily but it is for the soule the soule would neuer perceiue the owne euill but for the euil of the body nor feele the miserie but by the body Secondly in great trials there is experience of a great combat betweene the flesh and the Spirit where any faith is it will lift vp the heart in inuocation silence and an expectation of the good hand of God but the flesh will be complaining of Gods absence desertion and deferring his hand and helpe here is sense of the spirits willingnesse and the weakenesse of the flesh Thirdly there is great experience of their graces in great trials that both themselues and others may take knowledge of their constancie and patience Thus Iob was made a mirror of patience and a patterne of constancy which he could not haue been if the trial had not been so sharpe as it was Then the Mariners skill is best tried when the tempest is vehement and the valour of a Captaine is best seene in the hottest skirmish Fourthly in great trials there is great obseruation of Gods dealing of the comforts of God and of the strength of God and therefore the Lord brings many of his as it were vpon the stage and theater of the world that they may be instruments of his praise and may by their experience be able to teach others how they shall finde God in affliction for as one piece of yron cannot be soldred and fastned to another vnlesse both be made red hot and beaten together so one Christian cannot be so soundly affected to another vnlesse both haue had experience of the like miserie Fifthly Gods children haue great afflictions and are pressed with an heauie hand that God himselfe may be cleerely seene to bee their deliuerer when in the eyes of all flesh they are lost therefore they see themselues in the red Sea of affliction and in a wildernesse of temptation and sometimes with Ionas in their owne and other mens sense drowned in the bottome of the sea in the belly of the Whale that as Lazarus lay foure dayes in the graue that Christs power might bee manifested in raising him so also may the goodnesse of God who after two daies will reuiue vs and in the third will raise vs vp Sixthly as great afflictions make way for abundant mercy from God to vs so also for abundant thankes from vs to God If one cure a trifeling matter it neither so bindes the patient nor yet commends the Physician but if any be cured of some deadly and almost-vncurable desease then we professe we could neuer haue met with such a Phisician in all the world againe and we are accordingly thankefull Seuenthly were it not for great afflictions we could neuer know the power of Gods Word in quickning vs chearing and comforting vs in them that it is the Word of life is most euidently seene in death it selfe First then let vs hence take a view of the wickednesse of our nature and of the working of it euen after our calling and conuersion and cease to wonder that the Lord often brings violent afflictions vpon his owne children which he sees most necessarie to awake them out of their slumbers and quicken them to their seeking of sound peace and reconciliation Dauid himselfe before hee was afflicted went astray like a lost sheepe Secondly we may learne hence that vehement afflictions and Gods heauie hand is no signe of his hatred to his children good Dauid had Gods heauie hand lying sore vpon him For First all outward things fall alike to all and no man knoweth loue or hatred by the things that are before him Eccles. 9. 2. Secondly in iudgement hee remembreth mercy Hab. 3. 2. and afflicteth in measure though our sinnes haue beene beyond all measure and deserue that our crosses should be so too Isa. 64. 9 12. Thirdly his wisedome knoweth the due quantitie and proportion that will doe vs good and though there wants no will in Satan and wicked men to passe it yet the miserie shall not exceed Gods limit who hath said to the proud waues Hither shall ye come and no further Fourthly he hath a seuerall measure for the godly and the wicked for his children hee measureth iudgement according to their strength to the wicked according to the measure of their sinnes but as the best garden and flowers lye open to stormes and haile to fall on them as well as the wildernesse so the dearest of Gods Saints to afflictions Thirdly if the Lord chastize and punish his children so heauily the whole burthen of whose sinnes Christ hath borne in his body on the crosse where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare 1. Pet. 4. 17 How heauie shall his hand lye on those who with high hand sinne against him the weight of the mountaines shall be nothing to it to which they shall say Fall vpon vs and couer vs. If the way to heauen be so strawed with crosses and heauinesse what is the way to hell and of wickednesse strawed with but woes and curses Shall not many prayers and teares much sorrow and strife against sin nay nor the request of the Spirit and the intercession of Christ keepe off such bitter things from them who seldome and not without some resistance breake out What then shall become of those who neuer pray neuer sorrow for sinne but sell themselues to commit wickednesse if infirmities be so lashed what shall rebellions If weakenesses in his children what shall wickednesse in his enemies Fourthly this admonisheth the godly not to bee too much discouraged if they lye vnder an heauy hand but consider of these foure things First that to expect continuance of outward prosperitie is earthlinesse or selfe-loue yea a meere folly seeing it is a priuiledge of the Church triumphant Secondly that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Acts 14 22. and therefore that there is more cause of discouragement in the want of them then in their presence Thirdly that no new thing befalls them Dearely beloued saith Saint PETER thinke it not strange concerning the fierie triall which is among you to proue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you But reioyce inasmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings c. 1. Pet.
much lesse vse them to the hurt of the Church and disgrace of the godly as not a few doe Againe in this inference therefore Dauid giue vs to vnderstand that this worke of Gods mercy shall not only not die in himselfe but suruiue for euer and refresh the godly of all ages hence note that The ordinarie workes of Gods mercy vpon his seruants are not recorded for them alone but for euery godly man to make his vse of them Deut. 29. 29. Things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children And Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning c. We will prooue this by an induction In the Scripture there is matter first of doctrine secondly of life both either of faith or of fact That matter of doctrine belongs to our learning none denies more question is of matter of fact and example but the Scripture puts it out of question that the examples of the Saints are likewise recorded for our instruction wee may see it thus All examples of Scripture concerne either God or man If God it is some worke of mercy or iudgement If man it is an example either of vertue or vice Now all these are for our instruction First the workes of Gods mercie to his children I am 5. 17. to teach vs how mercifull GOD is to heare the prayers of his Saints and to let vs see how much the prayer of the faithfull if it bee feruent auaileth hee induceth the example of Elias who prayed and shut and opened the heauens What tell you vs of Elias that was rapt in a fiery Charet What are we silly wormes to him Yea but Elias was a man subiect to the same infirmities and therefore though thou be a man subiect to many infirmities pray thou also for the hearing of prayer depends not vpon the worthinesse of the person suppose Elias himselfe but vpon Gods mercie in Christ that is mans merits So was Elias his prayer accepted and so shall thine And to further our hope and confidence in the same place is alledged the example of Iob Yee haue heard saith the Apostle of the patience of Iob and what end God put to it Ob. Alas What tell you me of Iob a iust man fearing God not a man like him on the earth Sol. Oh but the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull vnto vs as well as vnto him if wee bee righteous as he was In our Text Dauid found mercy when he confessed Ob. Alas he was a man after Gods owne heart and a speciall type of Christ. Sol. Yet he was but a godly man and therefore shall euery godly man finde the like mercy vpon repentance as he did Paul was receiued to mercy being a grieuous persecutor and blasphemer Ob. Oh hee was a man rapt into the third heauens a chosen vessel Sol. But he was receiued to mercie that God might in him set out an example of his long-suffering vnto them which afterward should beleeue to life eternall 1. Tim. 1. 16. Secondly the workes of Gods iustice are written for our instruction as 1. Cor. 10. 11. All these things came on them for ensamples to vs on whom the ends of the world are come The Corinths might haue said What haue wee to doe with the examples of those that liued in the Old Testament we are baptized and receiue the sacraments so did not they Sol. Not so but they ate the same spirituall meate drank the same spirituall drinke in diuers signes and then hee applyes the examples that if they sinned as their Fathers they should be as deepe in iudgement as they were Luc. 17. 32. Remember LOTS wife many hundred yeeres after Christ calls his hearers to remember her So 2. Pet. 2. 6. the Lord made Sodome and Gomorrah an ensample to them that should liue vngodly Thirdly examples of the vertues of the Saints are written for our imitation Rom. 4. 22 23. Abraham beleeued and his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse Ob. But hee was fully assured the Father of the faithfull and an eminent man what is that to vs who are farre behinde him Sol. Yes that it is for this was not written for him alone saith the Text but for vs also to whom our faith shall bee imputed also for righteousnes What if thou art not in the degree of Faith which Abraham was in Be sure thou be a sonne of Abraham and it is not the strength of Faith but the trueth of it if it bee but a graine which layeth hold on Christ. Moses his meekenesse Iobs patience and Iosephs chastitie are recorded for our learning But if wee must imitate all the obedience of the Saints wee must imitate Abraham in killing our children The Doctrine extends it selfe onely to ordinary facts and not to extraordinarie ones such as this and others are the godly must bee imitated in all that obedience which they yeeld to the common rule of life but not in speciall commandements Ier. 19. 4 5. The Iewes after the example of Abraham did offer vp and burne their children thinking that because Abraham pleased God in offering his Sonne so should they but the Lord reprooueth and condemnes their fact saying I neuer commanded this nor spake it neither came it euer into my heart namely not in the Law and commandements which binde all it was onely a speciall tryall of Abraham That place therefore is the ground of this distinction to follow the Saints so farre as their examples are ordinarie in vertue yet wee may make some vse of this fact of Abraham as to part with our chiefest delight if God call for it And so the Apostle limiteth the imitation of Christians Bee yee followers of mee euen as I am of Christ we must not follow him being rapt into heauen or speake all tongues c. but so farre as hee exprest Christs vertues in his life Fourthly the vices and slips of the Saints are recorded also though not for our imitation yet for our instruction For as one saith the Patriarkes instruct vs as well erring as teaching vs for their slips shew First that it is not the strength of grace by which we stand but Gods power Secondly that the best needes mercy and is farre from merit vnlesse it be of death Thirdly that we had neede raise our selues vp by repentance after euery fall as they did Fourthly wee must hereby prouoke our owne watchfulnesse and while we stand take heed lest we fall for if such great Okes be shaken what shall wee poore shrubs expect The reasons of the doctrine are these First drawne from the scope of the whole Scripture all which and euery part of it tendeth to make the man of God perfect and fit to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 16. Now if euery godly man or man of God must bee made perfect by the Scripture then must euery one make vse of Gods ordinarie workes to any of his seruants Secondly God
of God and this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is an hand or arme by which wee lay hold vpon blessings if once wee bee perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ wee will easily beleeue that hee will giue vs all things with him for he that giues the greater will not denie the lesse Our Sauiour when diseased persons came for bodily health or ease was wont to say According to thy faith be it vnto thee so in all our requests the presence or absence of faith giues our prayer returne according to the weakenesse or strength of the arme of faith so is the coldnesse or abundance of comfort to our heart so that faith onely giues taste and rellish to the prayer which a beleeuer makes Fifthly Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to begin with Our Father teaching thereby that he must call God Father who must pray acceptably and that includeth sundry child-like affections all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray as first Reuerence and feare when hee comes before his heauenly Father A Sonne honoreth his Father If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and feare Malach. 1. 6. Secondly a child-like boldnesse comming through Christ to a Father full of mercy and compassion pittying his children more then earthly parents can Isa. 49. 15. By Christ we haue boldnesse Heb. 4. 16. Thirdly loue to God as to a Father for a godly man seekes not himselfe in prayer but Gods glory with his owne shame Fourthly charity and loue to our brethren for when wee come into the sight of our Father wee dare not bring prayers in one hand and malice in another but pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue Sixtly onely the godly man can pray acceptably because hee alone hath remoued the barre and partition-wall that stood betweene God and him bringing repentance and godly sorrow for sin with him The blinde man could say God heareth not sinners that is impenitent ones but hee heareth those that are repentant Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Incense in the Law was a type of prayer yet in Isa. 1. 13. the Lord tells the Iewes who came in their sinnes that incense was an abomination vnto him God hates our incense our prayer if we come with prophane hearts as they did he neither receiues it from vs nor we any good thing from him but a godly man hath remoued this rub First Note hence the miserable condition of an impenitent sinner and of an vngodly man that is without remorse and wallowes in vnconscionable sinnes hee cannot pray he neuer prayed in all his life he was neuer in mercy heard in his prayer but loseth all his labour and well if it were no worse for all his prayer is turned into sinne his prayer is abominable Prom. 28. 9. as often as he went about to pray he did nothing but multiply sinne against God he mumbled vp a few prayers and fared accordingly If this be so then it seemes vnlawfull for the wicked to pray if he pray not it is condemnation if he pray it is no lesse He is bound to pray but not to sinne in prayer in the second Commandement hee is inioyned to bow downe and worship God in prayer and the third bindes him euer to doe it well lest he pray in sinne and so take Gods name in vaine Alas then what must he doe only the grace of repentance can reconcile these two and draw the sinner out of this maze and make him pray aright Yea but God heareth the wicked often-times and granteth what they aske as peace vnto Ahab vpon his humiliation God heareth what a wicked man saith in prayer and yet heares not his prayer no not when he giues the same thing that he asketh for first all that the wicked get from him is externall and common to good and bad but no one fauour of speciall grace Secondly he giues them euen that in wrath and vengeance not for their prayers sake Thirdly when they aske things good in themselues and euill for them not knowing to vse them aright hee granteth in iustice what it had beene mercy to haue denyed as contrariwise hee heareth his children in mercy denying them that which they haue sinfully asked Fourthly that which he giues shall turne to their woe and miserie and shall but heape coles vpon their heads euen wealth prosperitie and dignitie all shall but make their sinne out of measure sinfull whereas all things shall worke together for the best to the godly euen crosses and afflictions Fifthly God giues nothing but by vertue of the promise no promise but is by Christ a wicked man hath no part in Christ and therefore neither in the promise a plaine case Sixtly neither is the wicked mans prayer a meanes of granting the request or obtayning his desire so as God stil heares not his prayer for how can that prayer finde accesse or acceptance which is not preferred in Christ but they are fed onely by a generall prouidence as the beasts are Psal. 14. 4. The wicked man calls not on the Lord that is either prayes not at all or as good he did not Let this be a motiue to further our repentance for else if a man vtter neuer so many words of prayer God will not heare him how iust is it that he that will not heare God when he calleth should not be heard of God when hee calleth that he that is a prophane mocker of God God should mocke him in his destruction that he that turnes his eare from the Law should haue Gods eare turned from him that he should aske and not receiue that asketh amisse How iust was it vpon the Iewes who were cruell and of bloudy hands that God should hate their persons and prayers and is it not as iust that vnmercifull men Oppressors Vsurers Ismaels Quarrellers whose hand is against euery man and euery mans against them hard-hearted persons that stop their eares against the cry of the poore that they should cry and not be heard Surely the sentence is passed already that iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy Secondly this doctrine ouerthrowes the idle conceit wherewith numbers of men delude themselues O if they haue but time at their death to say Lord haue mercy then they shall doe well enough though all their life they cast off all care and counsell But what Is the godly man he that shall pray and find mercy and shall prophane wretches that haue set their faces all their dayes against heauen thinke to bee heard in the day of their distresse and death How canst thou then claime any one promise and much lesse all when thou neuer keptest the least condition of faith and repentance How then shall God be iust who hath said that he will laugh at such when their sorrow commeth Besides we must obserue a
great difference betweene the prayers of the godly and the wishes of the wicked First the one is an earnest desire of the heart prizing greatly that which he desires the other is but a snatch or a sudden flash out of an illumination of the vnderstanding but not out of any affection of the heart because he vnderprizeth the thing prayed for and will not sell all for it That which others get with much labour and strong cryes a wicked man thinks he may only call for it and haue it hee will enioy his lusts all his dayes and then the last day promise reformation No no God is not so prodigall of mercy as to take thy leauings and be beholding to thee for a little lip-seruice in all the Scripture there is but one example of one receiued to mercy the last houre thinke not that thou shalt bee the second Secondly the one is a true desire with endeuour in the right meanes and care to referre it to the right end he will obtayne heauen by Faith Repentance Mortification c. but the vngodlies proceeding is but a iump to the end without the meanes Cursed Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous but he would leape ouer the life of the righteous so many leape ouer the meanes and thinke to come to the end immediately but twentie to one if they leape not too short Simon Magus desired the gifts of the holy Ghost but to a bad end to make gaine of them and that he might be beleeued to be some great man whereas a godly man aymes onely at Gods glory in his owne saluation And thirdly if euery true desire hath assurance to obtayne because it must be directed by the Word lifted vp by the Spirit and encouraged by the Promise then can no such vnsettled and vncertaine wishes bring any comfort to the heart when a man hath all his life long resisted the Word despised the meanes of Faith contemned the Promises and grieued nay despighted the Spirit how can hee haue any comfort by his prayer and how can he haue any elsewhere if not from that Thirdly this shewes vs that the way to bee heard of God in prayer is to be godly to bring Godlinesse and Religion an heart mortified to sinne and quickned to grace adorned with faith and settled in good conscience Dauids example of finding deliuerance in trouble and comfort in affliction of Spirit belongs only to godly and humble men that shall confesse and pray as hee did If thou wilt be heard of God in prayer First get the notes of Gods child vpon thee and thou shalt obtayne mercy for it is the priuiledge of a child to be heard in whatsoeuer his father sees good for him What saith Christ If you being euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly Father Secondly become Gods seruant for it was the vsuall ground of Dauids prayer to say Lord I am thy seruant heare and deliuer thy seruant Thirdly get humilitie vnto thee for the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit Psal. 51. 17. such sacrifices hee is well pleased with Fourthly the poore blinde man sheweth the qualitie of that man whom God heareth Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not sinners but if any be a worshipper of him and doth his will him he heareth The same condition is required of him that would speed in his suites 1. Ioh. 3. 22. Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because wee keepe his Commandements and doe things pleasing in his sight Yee aske and haue not saith IAMES because yee aske amisse and when doe wee aske amisse when wee doe not keepe Gods Commandements but how shall we know that we keepe them Vers. 23. if we loue one another for charitie is an vndiuided companion of true pietie To conclude this point let vs take Iobs friends counsell vnto him Acquaint thy selfe with God and he shall prosper thy way before thee thou shalt cry vnto him and he shall heare thee Iob. 22. 21. Now in the second place in that the word translated Godly signifies a mercifull man note that No seruice of God or exercise of Religion can be acceptable to God which is not performed by mercifull men All Gods worship must be ioyned with mercy for here it is said The mercifull man shall pray Isa. 1. 11. to 16. God reiected all the Iewes seruices because they did not fast from strife as wel as from meat and because their hands were full of bloud Zeph. 2. 3. Seeke yee the Lord all the meeke of the earth whence is noted both that this is a denomination of a righteous man to be meeke and that none but such meeke persons can seeke God to find him Mat. 15. 5. The doctrine of the Pharises was that if men brought oblations to the Temple though they relieued not their poore Parents yet God was well pleased with them but the words following shew that this was but an hypocriticall tradition reuersing the Commandement of God Matth. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercy what is it that we aske for when wee come to doe God his due homage but to obtayne blessednes and happinesse but this we cannot doe to be accepted without mercifulnesse So Vers. 24. If thy brother haue any thing against thee goe first and bee reconciled and then come and offer thy gift Reasons of this point are these First those things which God hath ioyned together no man must separate but God hath ioyned together the workes of the first and second table the loue of himselfe and of our brethren of himselfe and of his image of our forgiuing our neighbours and his forgiuing of vs these are inseparably ioyned and therefore we must not dissolue them Hence Isa. 58. 10. hypocrites pretending Religion are called to breake their bread to the hungry that is the true fasting Secondly vnmercifulnesse hindreth both the preferring of our prayers and likewise the preuailing of them First it cuts off prayer 1. Pet. 3. 7. Husbands must dwell with their wiues like men of knowledge and take heed of strife lest their prayers be interrupted The very husband and wife the neerest couple cannot pray priuately if they doe not put away strife and how can the same but hinder publique prayer also The Spirit of God cannot light on a Christian but in the shape of a Doue as it did on Christ the Temple that is fit for the holy Ghost to dwell in must be mercifull see Isa. 11. 6 7. Secondly it hinders our prayer from preuailing because of the promise and the threatning the promise of being heard is made only to the mercifull that the meeke shall inherite the earth Psal. 37. 11. and that the Lord will hide them in the day of wrath Zeph. 2. 3. So threatning is gone out against the mercilesse euen iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy and as a man iudgeth so he shall be iudged
rest in himselfe when he was thus forced to be absent Secondly the peeuishnesse of men is hence discouered that will not haue their liues marked nor their actions scanned the Minister must set no eyes vpon them they will endure no obseruing no reproofe Oh what hath he to doe with me I will doe what I list for all him Nay but he must obserue thy wayes he must guide thee with his eye hee must ouer-see thy course and warne thee out of thy speciall sinnes and if he cannot hinder or preuent thy damnation he must preuent his owne by warning and admonishing thee Nay if God haue made euery Christian anothers watchman and all the godly mutuall Keepers of each other which is a speciall fruit of the communion of Saints as appeares in those exhortations to obserue one another to prouoke to loue and good workes and Let euery man looke on the things of another c. much more must the Minister obserue the wayes of his people Thirdly see hence both the necessitie of the Ministerie which God hath erected in the Church as a guide to heauen and how vvee should entertayne it How kindly do Trauellers recompence faithfull guides How barbarous were it for a man to abuse him that gently guideth him through a dangerous and vnknowne way and yet what good guide in the Ministrie meeteth not with such vnnaturall dealing from naturall and vngodly men so much of the Preface Now followes the Exhortation VERS 9. Be not like the Horse or Mule c. IN these wordes is contayned the third generall vse of the former doctrine of Gods free mercy in iustifying and sauing the humble and penitent sinner hereupon inferring the dutie of humble subiection and obedience vnto God This is propounded in a precept dehortatorie disswading from brutish senselesnesse and peruerse obstinacy which are two mayne lets to repentance and godly sorrow and the Prophet layeth it downe by way of dissimilitude betweene man to whom God hath giuen a reasonable soule and Beasts deuoide of reason and vnderstanding especially such as are in a further degree of stupiditie and dulnesse then sundrie other of the Creatures be of vvhich sort he nameth two the Horse and the Mule from vvhose nature Nature it selfe hath taught vs not to depart onely but also to abhorre because vvee are made after the Image of God in knowledge and vnderstanding The things wherein vve must be vnlike these creatures are two First they are vnteachable which vnderstand not saith the Text Creatures they are vncapable of instruction you can perswade them vvith no Reason or Eloquence Secondly they are vntractable and therefore it is said Thou bindest them with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee they are wilde by nature and if they be not well watcht and hampered they will bite and strike their owners Herein must euery man professing the feare of God be vtterly vnlike them For the further opening of the wordes sundrie questions are to be answered as First Why is the Prophet so harsh and sharpe vvith his Scholers Are wee not commanded to be soft and gentle vnto all men and to instruct them with all meekenesse considering our selues were once deceiued Dauid was directed by a good Spirit and went vpon a good ground First he speakes out of his owne experience hee knew vvhat himselfe was a little before while he hardned himselfe in his willingnesse to keepe his sinne Psal. 73. 22. I was foolish and ignorant euen as a beast before thee Hee knew the strength of other mens corruptions the hardnesse of their knots by his owne and sees they haue neede of as hard vvedges as hee and yet after a sort makes himselfe a copy and instance in this sharpe reproofe Be not as I vvas euen like the Horse or Mule Secondly hee manifests a notable fruit of his owne true repentance that hauing left his sinne he cannot speake of it but with disgrace and testification of the lothsomnesse of it as it is a bad signe of impenitency when a man can speake any thing friendly of his sinnes past Whatsoeuer hath much lothed vs in time past we cannot name it or thinke of it without dislike And as hee be wrayes his owne zeale against his owne sinne so doth he assure himselfe that all that are truely touched care not how disgracefully their sinnes be dealt withall Thirdly he would checke the pride of sinners who thinke so well of themselues but in the state of nature are not only like but farre worse then any of the brute beasts True humilitie will make a man thinke of himselfe as of the basest creature Christ gaue the Woman of Canaan diuers checks and at length he called her a Dogge Truth Lord said shee shee thought no better of herselfe then so Fourthly though our softnesse and meekenesse must moderate our heate towards the sinner yet must it not abate our heate and zeale against the sinne it selfe againe wee must so haue compassion on some persons offending considering the circumstances of sinnes as others wee must saue with feare Further we must so consider our selues in times past as wee forget not our selues for the present Are vvee now healed then our zeale is more against sinne then euer before and as zeale increaseth so doth our hatred of sinne daily Lastly whom deales Dauid withall but obstinate and wilfull sinners vvho are no better then corrupt and brutish nature made them Secondly Why doth he name these creatures the Horse and the Mule and not the Lyon or any other First because these are best knowne vnto vs that his true meaning might appeare to the meanest and breake out sensibly in his comparison to the simplest Hearer Secondly that in their properties naturall men might see their owne as first these creatures are led by sensualitie not by reason no more are naturall men but led by the same guide Secondly euery man sees these creatures lower then that they can rise vp to the vnderstanding and iudgement of humane actions and so are they in the things of God 2. Pet. 2. 12. Thirdly how often doe these creatures especially if better fed lift vp the heele against their Feeder neuer or seldome acknowledge the Owner of their fat pasture they cast off their Rider and grow insolent so doe they Deuter. 32. 15. Fourthly the Horse longer then the spurre or bit is vpon him is in no awe so wicked men neither spurre nor bridle auailes them to amendment Fiftly the Horse wanting reason to his strength and courage rusheth fiercely and fearelesly into any danger so euery wicked man turneth to his race as the Horse into the battell Ier. 8. 4 6. Sixtly the Mule is a creature not of the creation of God but against his institution Gen. 36. 24. and a wicked man is a degenerate creature not of Gods making but against his Law a Mule arising by strange copulation with Sinne Satan there was neuer a wicked man when God said of all