namely in the iustification of a sinner he doth accept and make a sinner iust and this is onely by Christs righteousnesse in the latter hee declares him iust and this may bee by workes so Saint Iames Let me see thy faith by thy workes thus they iustifie before men not before God A man is condemned for euill workes and therefore saued for good workes If a good worke were as perfectly good as an euill is perfectly euill he should but not being so we are saued by Christs good workes which were perfect Let vs detest therefore that doctrine that misleadeth vs out of the plaine path to saluation and cast downe our selues at Gods feet confesse our sinne pray for pardon and plead not merit but mercy Let vs flie forth of our selues to Christ our head life and saluation hee is the carcasse whereunto we must resort let vs with Paul account our best workes but dung and much more all Popish deuices He hath nothing in Christ who hath any thing in himselfe and he that will not rest in that righteousnesse restored by Christ hath no part of blessednesse Secondly if it be a blessed estate to haue sinnes forgiuen then must a man certainely beleeue the pardon of his sinnes for this blessednesse is to bee enioyed in this life as we noted and no man can hold and enioy that he hath not The Church of Rome teacheth that to doubt is a vertue and so with-holdeth a man from the sense of this happinesse Their reasons are these We must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling This feare is not in regard of Gods mercy and our saluation but feare of sinne and his displeasure and this is not contrary but stands with assurance of forgiuenesse of sinnes Psal. 130. Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared It is presumption to beleeue so It is obedience to Gods Commandement 1. Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne now to beleeue in his name is more then that he dyed for sinners else doe the Deuills beleeue as much as we but they cannot beleeue that Christ dyed for themselues None knowes Gods minde concerning him and so can haue no assurance but may only hope well No man knowes the secret will of God but his reuealed will he may know namely that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued the application of which draweth necessarily this conclusion Therefore I shall bee saued being a beleeuer which is infallible Experience sheweth that the most faithfull and best are full of doubtings therefore there is no certayne beliefe Doubting and Faith may stand and will dwell together else would not Christ haue said O thou of little faith why doubtedst thou euery Christian consists of Flesh and Spirit therefore Faith will bee assayled with doubtings and yet in the end triumph Hence we see as vve are to labour for pardon of sinne so also for assurance of pardon else can wee haue little peace in our selues and a comfortlesse happinesse Am I the richer because I know many other be or fuller because many eate I must take comfort in my own wealth strength by my owne foode and ioy in my owne pardon Thirdly vvee must euery one herein place our happinesse euen in Gods mercy pardoning sinne and accordingly set our hearts and affections vpon it longing after this assurance aboue all things in the world If a malefactor were condemned and at the place of execution what is it that would make him happy What wisheth hee aboue the vvorld onely a pardon from his Prince gold and siluer lands and honors can doe him no good only a pardon is the most welcome thing in the World This is euery mans case we are Traytors and Rebells to God our sins haue proclaymed vs Rebells through heauen and earth the Law hath condemned vs we are going on to execution and euery day neerer then other wherein then ought wee to place our happinesse if wee well weighed our estate but in a gracious and free pardon We would striue for pardon as for life and death Miserable men they be that place their felicitie in any thing else For consider that notwithstanding first the greatest part of men place their happinesse in wealth pleasure honor and these carry all their hearts yet this is an earthly and sensuall and farre from Christian happinesse which cannot leaue a man vnhappy in the end as all these doe Secondly the most wicked ones that the world hath had haue enioyed the greatest outward prosperitie Thirdly the most deare seruants of God haue beene strangers in the world and met with the strangest entertaynement Fourthly those whose portion hath beene outwardly most prosperous yet neuer thought themselues happy out of Gods mercy pardoning sinne an example in Dauid he had riches honor pleasu re a crowne kingdome subiects treasures but did he place his fclicitie in these things No but in the forgiuenesse and couering of sinnes in whose steps wee must tread Fifthly he that would build a firme house must lay a sure foundation and wilt thou lay the foundation of thy happinesse in the dust Lay it in wealth they haue wings and when they fly away so doth thy happinesse why doest thou trust a fugitiue seruant Lay it in pleasures it will end in sorrow and the Apostle saith It makes a man as a corps liuing dead while he liueth Lay it in honor what a vanishing thing is that like the footsteps of a ship in the Sea carried with a strong gale Yea lay it any where but in God and his assured mercies it will proue a tottering happinesse and the fall of such an happy man shall be great Secondly others thinke themselues most happy in the committing of sinne and practice of their iniquity and these are most miserable captiues to the Deuill so farre from thinking their happinesse to stand in the pardon of sinne as that they place it in the practice of it Hence is it that Monsters of men Deuills incarnate professe to sweare quarrell drinke riot whore and take them the greatest enemies to their happinesse that would helpe to pull them out of the snares of the Deuill I would know what other happinesse the Deuill hath then incessantly to sinne against God and draw so many as he can into his owne damnation which expresse image hee hath stamped on numbers marked to destruction Fourthly let vs checke our hearts that can find so much ioy in these earthly things and so little in these heauenly gifts of Gods loue such as are election vocation iustification adoption sanctification which are called the pleasures of Gods house and they blessed that enioy them and surely well may they suspect themselues to be as yet vnpurged that finde not a ioyfull sense of it Alas will the beleeuer say I finde little comfort of this doctrine I finde my heart much more affected to earthly things I finde
precise points he shal be generally condemned What then Dauid cast away all such by-respects and Moses forsooke all euen Pharoahs court to abide reproch with Christ Heb. 11. 24 25 26. the Apostle left all and followed him and the Saints alway counted the reproches of Christ aboue the treasures of a Kingdome They so ordered their families that they would not brooke a lyer a swearer a deceitfull person a prophane and scoffing Ismael all must be cast out Oh then we shall shortly doe our worke ourselues But Dauid did so Psal. 101. 5 7. and other of Gods children are we not also counselled Heb. 12. 16. that no prophane person be amongst vs Thus we see that there is no such strictnes but an example therof may be found in the Scripture therefore let the world scoffe and laugh while it will yet the godly must make vse of these examples Thirdly we must hence learne to be ready to speake of our experiences of God to euery godly man that others may learne from vs to trust in his mercie so doth Dauid Psal. 66. 16. Come harken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule Thus are Fathers charged to tell their children and the children their children concerning the Passeouer and the stones that were pitcht in Iordan So Hezekiah said when longer life was granted him Isa. 38. 19. The liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth And by this meanes there shall be a succession of men still vpon earth to tell of the mercies of God when we are gone and so while we in our owne persons shall doe it in heauen others by our meanes shal do it on earth Fourthly here is a note to know when a man makes right vse of the Scripture not onely when hee beleeues the storie for so doe the deuils but when he affects it applies it to himselfe mingleth it with faith to make it profitable to admonish himselfe and others by it Hence issue three great benefits First a Christian shall be in no condition but he shall bee able to parallell his estate in some of the Saints hee shall see his owne case in some of them and so shall obtaine instruction direction and consolation by them Secondly wee shall testifie to God and his Saints when our liues shall be exemplarie and conformable to godly precepts and examples Thirdly in the day of iudgement we shall haue all the Saints Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles to witnesse with vs and for vs. In a difficult case a man would giue all hee hath for a witnesse on his side and we in this great assise of life and death shall haue the witnesse of all the godly God shall stand for vs the practices of the Saints shall iustifie our practices if we iustifie their practices here they shall iustifie ours hereafter Euery one that is godly HEre is the person that must pray the godly and euery one of them The word translated godly signifies in Hebrew two things first one whom God sheweth mercy vnto a gracious man in fauor and grace with God so the elect are vsually called vessels of mercy that as a vessell is filled with liquor so are they with Gods mercy Secondly it signifies one that sheweth mercy a mercifull man which is a propertie of a godly man who is like his father mercifull as he is the lionish and wooluish nature is put off and hee is become humble meeke gentle as the Lambe and the little childe Isai. 11. 6. Out of the former consideration wee may note that Onely the godly man is fit to pray or onely hee that hath grace can pray for grace vessels of mercy can pray for mercy and none else Prou. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Genes 4. 4. The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but vnto Caine and his offering he had no respect Now by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11. 4. First His person was accepted because he was in Christ and then his sacrifice Iames 5. 16. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent Ier 11. 11. Though they crie vnto me I will not he are them What is the reason see it in the tenth verse They turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words c. The reasons of this point are these First he must be a good man that must pray a good prayer a good tree that must bring forth good fruit a bad man cannot make a good prayer for such as the roote is such is the fruit Secondly he only can pray aright that hath the Spirit of prayer which teacheth vs to cry Abba Father this is the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. neither doth God know any other voyce but the voyce of his owne Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Pray in the Spirit Yea but it is said Luk. 11. 13. the holy Ghost is giuen to them that aske him therefore hee can pray and obtayne the Spirit that wants him The scope of this place is not to shew whether the holy Ghost or prayer goe before but to shew how those that receiue the Spirit are to be exercised who where he is lyeth not dead or idle in the heart but stirs vp desires and grones vnspeakeable But how can a man pray for the holy Ghost and obtayne him when he hath him already By the holy Ghost is meant first the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Secondly the inward sense and feeling of him in the heart thus we may pray both for increase of his gifts and for a comfortable sense and feeling of him for neither of them is euer so great but we may still pray for more to haue them increased Shall we not pray for daily bread because we haue bread or shall not we say Forgiue vs our sinnes because wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes yes because we pray for Gods staffe and blessing on the former and a more full and comfortable feeling of the latter Thirdly onely the godly man can pray because hee only hath the promise of prayer all the promises of life in grace and glory are made to godlinesse the promise to be heard in prayer is made to the go dly man Ioh. 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Word in you aske what ye will and it shall be giuen you How can hee aske mercy that hath no part in mercy or how can he be heard in mercy to whom mercy belongs not Fourthly because onely the godly man hath faith without which nothing can please God this faith assureth vs of that we aske and issueth from iustifying faith see 1. Ioh. 5. 13 14. That yee may beleeue in the name of the Sonne
is either secret or manifest Manifest when he mightily preserues men in the sight of others for the confirmation of the faithfull and confusion of their enemies as the three fellowes of Daniel in the furnace and Daniel himselfe in the den of Lyons Secret and spirituall by which he eternally deliuereth from all trouble those who manifestly seeme to perish as the Martyrs who seemed left in their enemies hand the body is slaine but the soule is preserued and sent to a better life here is a secret spirituall and eternal preseruation these are in occulto coronati Augustine According to which grounds our Prophet is bold to declare his confidence in God being fully assured that the Lord of whom he had so good experience would in all troubles make some way for him and either by himselfe or some other meanes vouchsafe either a secret or a manifest deliuerance But seeing none are more troubled then the faithfull and none indeede lesse preserued from troubles how can Dauid or any other beleeuer so confidently vtter this It is true none are more troubled then Gods children for first there is a perpetuall enmitie betweene the serpent and his seede against the woman that is the Church and her seede and if there be hope that the deuill and the wicked may grow kinde to the godly there may be more hope of lesse trouble Secondly the word of truth hath said In the world yee shall haue tribulation and The world shall laugh but you shall weepe Thirdly the way to heauen is straite and narrow and troublesome because of the crosses it is strewed withall Fourthly experience hath concluded that all that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution wherein they are conformable to Christ their head who by the crosse went to the crowne Fifthly the blessing of sound peace and ioy is promised and bestowed onely vpon them that mourne But this is not the meaning of the text that they should be so preserued from trouble which Dauid was neuer without as trouble should neuer come neere them or afflict them but as the word in the original signifieth Thou shalt saue me from the straitnesse or in the distresses of trouble Note that The godly shall not bee exempted from trouble but preserued from it that is kept in it and happily led out of it For Dauid himselfe notwithstanding his confidence here said Certainely I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul 1. Sam. 27. 1. And when he asked God if he had forgot to bee mercifull did he see any way to escape death and danger So as his resolution here is this that though the godly be in neuer so deepe distresse they perish not but are preserued in the straite they are raised out of this depth of miserie and this stablisheth the heart with confidence as the words following intimate Thou shalt compasse me with songs of deliuerance This doctrine and phrase is expressed and confirmed by other places of Scripture Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse implying that he was in a straite and as it were strongly besieged with enemies or dangers but the Lord inlarged him and so preserued him Psal. 25. 15. He will bring my feet out of the net the godly may be in as great danger as a silly bird in a net but the Lord will breake the net that the bird may escape Psal. 1 24. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 10. who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that he will hereafter deliuer vs. First Gods care of his children though it free them not from the exercise of troubles yet leaueth them not till he haue deliuered them Can a mother forget her child she may let it get a knocke and feare it with the sense of some danger but leaue it in danger she cannot And who be they towards whom the Lord thinketh thoughts of peace or to whom he will remember mercy but vessels of mercy Once haue I heard saith Dauid yea twice that mercy belongs to God Psal. 72. 11. And therefore it is so true as it can neuer be false once yea twice that is once by the Scriptures and another time by the holy Ghost Secondly Gods promise is that hee will not suffer his to be tempted aboue that they are able to beare and therefore at length they find him as Dauid saith Psalm 73. 2. My feete were almost gone but not altogether the man of God may slip and slide and much adoe to keepe his feete but at worst his feete are but almost gone and this comes from Gods promise Thirdly Gods prouidence limiteth the times in which his Church shall suffer and no longer sometimes a longer time as Israel in Egypt foure hundred yeeres sometimes shorter seuentie yeeres in the Babylonish captiuitie sometimes shorter then so Yee shall suffer tribulation for ten daies Reuel 2. 10. Sometimes three daies as Ionas in the Whales belly and Christ in the graue sometimes but one night Sorrow may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning and sometimes there is but an houre for the power of darknesse then Gods time is come and the godly see the saluation of the Lord. Fourthly he preserues them in their troubles by his presence first of power and so a fourth like the Sonne of God was in the furnace with the three children and it is said I will be with thee in sixe troubles and in seuen in fire and water Secondly of grace his right hand is vnder their heads giues them grace sufficient proportions their strength to the burden mitigates their sorrow makes them possesse their soules in patience yea reioyce in sorrow which else would sinke them and at length recompenseth their light affliction with an eternall weight of glory But sometimes the godly are not preserued but made meate for the sword and appointed as sheepe for the slaughter they die of the plague and are slaine in battell as well as others Consider the Church either in the whole or in the parts First the Church for the body of it is euer preserued as in all ages may appeare the case being with it as in a militarie condition wherein although some souldiers bee wounded and slaine as the Martyrs and other godly persons yet the Church carries the victorie out of the field and is preserued the Church for the body of it is euer the conquering part for Michael and his Angels must ouerthrow the Dragon and his angels Secondly the particular members are often slaine and seeme not preserued as Steuen and Iames whom Herod slew Peter Paul c. yet they are first preserued by that secret and spirituall preseruation Secondly sinne and corruption which is alway present with vs makes our preseruation to bee but imperfect Thirdly God turnes the corporall destruction of his Saints to the best so as Heb. 11. 35. They would not be deliuered
well as in crauing mercies they expresse this condition and binde themselues the surer vnto it as Psal. 51. 14. Deliuer me from bloud O Lord and my tongue shall sing ioyfully to thy righteousnesse Hence sprung all those holy vowes of the Saints as of Iaakob Gen. 28. 20 21. and that of Dauid which hee would performe in the midst of the people Psal. 116. 14. This is the ende why God deliuers vs the ende of his mercies and therefore is better then the deliuerance Secondly it is a good thing to praise the Lord Psal. 92. 1. and it well becomes the iust to bee thankefull Psal. 33. 1. for first hereby the Lord shall haue his due which is a part of iustice He is content that we haue the good of his creatures but he reserues the praise of them to himselfe still He is content we should haue the comfort of them onely with this reseruation that the glory of them be his still Secondly it is good for vs for al the benefit of our thankes comes to our selues seeing by it we both retaine the old and inuite new mercies Thirdly it is impossible for such as haue truely tasted Gods mercies but to speake of it sense of mercy in the heart will vntie the tongue fire wil not be kept close but will breake forth And heere is a plaine difference betweene the godly and the wicked They reioyce in the Lord for his mercy whereas the most that these can do is to reioyce in the mercy not in the Lord as a false friend that delights more in the gift of his friend then in the giuer Fourthly the godly know that God doth require not onely the heart to acknowledge him but the tongue as well as that whereby we doe not onely praise God our selues but also excite and stirre vp others to the same And then a mans tongue is his glory when it can readily glorifie God and this sometimes by bare voice and speech and sometimes by singing out his praises as in this place Nay the whole man which is so continuall a receiuer is little enough to manifest the praise of the giuer and because the mercies of God follow all the life of man the whole life and conuersation ought to be framed to the glorifying of God and to expresse our thankfulnesse Fifthly vnthankfulnesse for mercies receiued vnbeseemes a reasonable man much more a Christian man The vnreasonable creatures acknowledge their Masters Feeders and Benefactors as the Oxe and the Asse nay the senselesse earth yeelds all her burden to the tillers of it Heb. 6. 7. and the trees and plants all their fruit to the Gardner that trims them Yea this sinne of vnthankfulnesse leades a man to idolatrie makes him sacrifice to his owne net and ascribe things to his owne power wisedome and industry thrusting God out of sight and out of minde It prouoketh God to take away euen his temporall fauours as Hos. 2. 9 10. When Israel said vers 12. of his Corne Wooll and Oyle These are my rewards that my Louers haue giuen me the Lord answered in displeasure I will take away my Corne and Wooll c. And at length the wicked seruant that doeth not trafficke with his Lords talent for his Masters aduantage hath not only his talent taken away but himselfe cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs therefore take heede we depriue not the Lord of this part of his honor but prouoke our selues to thankefulnesse for so great mercies Let no mercy slip vs without thankefull acknowledgement And to this purpose vse these meanes First learne to acknowledge Gods goodnesse to thy selfe with particular application as Dauid saith here Thou shalt compasse me with songs of deliuerance Not only confesse his goodnesse to others as to Abraham Isaac Iaakob nor only his deliuerances of Noah Daniel Lot but also his mercies to and deliuerances of thy selfe as Paul did Christ gaue himselfe for me and dyed for me This will exceedingly whet vp thankefulnesse whereas only to acknowledge God good in himselfe or to others and not to thy selfe will make thee murmure and repine Secondly set before thee the number of Gods mercies and muster them somtimes take a view of them or because they are numberlesse and so large as they reach vp to heauen suruey them in their heads temporall and spirituall positiue and priuatiue publike priuate and personall either continued or renewed according to thy seuerall necessities and so seeing thy selfe compassed with mercies thy songs and praises may be in the same measure as Dauid takes it vp for his practice As he is compassed with mercies so with songs of deliuerance and thou likewise as the mercies thou receiuest are innumerable oughtest to renew thy songs and praises Thirdly highly prize them according to their goodnesse Psal. 116. 12. 13. Dauid valuing and weighing Gods mercies towards him enters first into a deliberation what he might render to the Lord and finding that the Lord was beyond all that he could recompence in the second place he setteth vpon this determination that when he could finde nothing else he would take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And we shall much the better prize them if first we consider our miserie without these mercies euen the least we enioy Common mercies are commonly neglected or vnprized because they be so ordinarie the Sunne the Aire Meat and Drinke are common and continuall mercies how miserable were our life without any of them Secondly our vnworthinesse of the least Gen. 32. 9. I am lesse then the least of thy mercies saith Iaakob Nay seeing we haue forfeited all and deserued all the curses of the Law it is Gods mercy that wee are not consumed and a further and more liberall mercy to renew mercy but Thirdly especially if we can receiue them as loue-tokens and pledges of further grace sealing vp vnto vs the Couenant and that spirituall Marriage betweene Christ and vs. A small token from a deare friend but especially of a Louer to his Spouse is therefore most welcome because it assureth of the marriage and further fellowship Fourthly if we consider the greatnesse the excellency the iustice the wisedome the power and the mercy of all Gods workes especially of his mercies that a piece of bread should feed not choke vs is from this greatnesse of power wisedome and mercy Fiftly another meanes to become thankefull is to remember his mercies and not let them slip from vs Psal. 103. 2. My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits and our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 5. 14. saith Thou art made whole goe sinne no more as if he had said Keepe this blessing in memorie and let it euer prouoke thee to thankefulnesse Now the way to recall into our memorie Gods mercies is first by occasion of euery renewed mercy to looke backe to the former and account it as an addition to the other Tradesmen make a
heart is ready to make any thing thy portion but God and when by sinne thou hast prouoked him to hide his face or stand aloofe from thee then say thou trustest in God and not before True it is that the godly haue some failings and slidings from these rules but yet hereunto they striue and in some comfortable measure attaine Now if these bee the practices and qualities of such as mercy belongs vnto wee see easily by the contrary that there bee sundry kindes of men to whom the Lord doth couenant wrath as First many ciuill men who content themselues without the knowledge of God they say they meane well and doe no man harme liue in peace with their neighbours and follow their Church as others doe yet haue no care of religion but for fashion they say they trust in God but doe not because they vse not the meanes nor walke in the way of faith and repentance nor in the conscionable hearing and obeying of the word Secondly such as walke stubbornely against God and the meanes of Saluation mercy belongs not to these How know you that Well enough first out of the text which saith Mercy belongs to him that trusteth in God Now he that trusteth in God walketh on in a course of godlinesse and cannot stand out against God Secondly by an expresse text Deut. 29. 20. He that heareth the curses of this law and yet blesseth himselfe saying Though I walke in the stubbornnesse of my heart the sword shal not come neer me I will not be mercifull to that man saith the Lord. Secondly heere is a great comfort for the godly who haue no small security hence that whatsoeuer their outward estate is or may bee Gods mercy compasseth them as the hilles compasse Ierusalem see it in some instances First If Satan assault vs on euery side with temptation to vex and disquiet vs with inward feares he shall not haue so nimble eyes to spy our weaknesse as the eye of the Lord to spy meanes to strengthen vs. Let him obiect the greatnesse and infinite number of our sinnes yet hee shall but amplifie the great mercie of GOD which is greater and more large then all the sinne and miseries in the world Thus Moses comforteth GODS people Deut. 4. 31. The Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake nor destroy thee nor forget the Couenant of thy Fathers which he sware vnto them Secondly If vnmerciful men compasse them and come about them like Bees Psal. 118. 12. and sharpen their stings yet the mercies of the Lord are neerer them then that they can hurt them Thus Dauid comforted himselfe Psal. 86. 14. 15. O Lord the proud are risen against mee but thou Lord art strong and mercifull gracious and long-suffering and a pitifull God Thirdly If a man should conflict with Gods owne hand by inward temptations or outward tryals of sicknesse pouertie persecution if hee were so beset as hee could see nothing but troubles without and feares within now is the time to mound and fence himselfe with this comfortable Doctrine that euen now GODS mercies doe guard and compasse him seeing he cannot deny himselfe nor faile of any of his promises Dauid when he was to chuse one of the three Rods of GOD the Sword Famine or Plague he chose to fall into the hands of God because he is mercifull 2. Sam. 24. 14. Hee may afflict and chasten vs a while and for a moment seeme to forsake vs but with great compassions he will gather vs Isa. 45. 7. 10. For Hee chides not alwayes neyther retayneth hee his wrath for euer Psal. 103. 8. Fourthly If a man were in the hands of Death and the Messengers thereof had already taken hold on him as on Hezekiah yet euen then hee need feare none ill seeing Gods mercies compasse him this is euer our couer though wee cannot alwayes see it as Elisha his seruant saw not the great mercies of God compassing him and his Master euen then when we know not GODS mercie is all about vs there are still more with vs then against vs our Mountaine is alway beset with Heauenly Warriours Was Ionas euer more compassed with mercies then when he was in his owne sense cast off and compassed with Waues and Weedes Was Israel euer more compassed with mercie then when they were compassed with Mountaines Sea Enemies Death and deadly things these our extremities are Gods oportunitie Nay fiftly suppose a man were in the house of death in the graue yet euen this separates not from GODS mercies which being eternall leaue vs not in death but when we are most compassed with dust and corruption shall then bee most abundant and mightie for vs. Oh therefore let so many as trust in God flye in all their straits to this Sanctuarie which can make not onely Deaths forerunners but euen Death it selfe welcome which depriues vs of all things else but this mercie into the full estate of which it setteth vs. Thirdly labour aboue all things in the World to get part in this mercie by getting assurance of the pardon of sinne get this and thou gettest a mercie reaching vp to Heauen a Crowne of Blessings a plentifull Redemption Our Prophet here cals it a compassing mercie for a godly man thinkes not himselfe compassed whith mercie when hee is compassed onely with outward blessings when GOD hath hedged about his house and hee hath wealth to tumble in though the World breathe after nothing else but when he hath a voyce telling him that God in Christ is mercifull to his sinne and hath couered his iniquitie oh now thinkes Dauid himselfe compassed with mercie and not before although hee was a King and had all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercie enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now hee forgoes and restores hee was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when hee was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iaakob when hee saw Iosephs face his best beloued sonne Now sayth hee I haue enough let mee now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face How much more shall wee haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and of God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seene Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord sayd hee let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation But to see Christ by the eye of faith and hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shall thinke we haue enough the sweet sense of it within will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place Neyther can any good heart eyther lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neyther content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficiall
are very large And now hauing spoken of the person whose sinne is thus freely remitted wee come to speake of the blessednesse promised vnto him Blessed NOw we are to enquire First what is meant by the blessednesse pronounced on such a man as hath this ease couer and acquittance from his sinnes Secondly the instructions to be learned By blessednesse is meant an effect of iustification namely that happy state and condition of a man arising from all those heauenly blessings in Christ which are chained together Ro. 8. 29. 30. as from Gods prescience predestination vocation iustification sanctification and glorification This blessednesse of a man in Christ hath two degrees First in this life which may bee called a blessednesse of grace Secondly in the life to come which is a blessednesse of glorie The former is heere principally meant which may be reached in this life and necessarily draweth after it the other as he that draweth one linke of a chaine draweth the whole Pardon of sinne is such a gift as makes a man fully happy for the Text cleareth it thus First that which remoueth all miserie and burden maketh a man happy such as are the curse of God due to sinne in this life and the life to come the guiltinesse of conscience horrour of soule and expectation of vengeance which is hell before hell c. But this doth pardon of sinne it is the ease of our burden Secondly that which brings into fauour with GOD otherwise an enemie so as God and man can now walke together as friends God can looke with a cleare countenance on man and man looke vp with sweet comfort in his God This makes a man a happy man the light of Gods countenance is better then life But this doth pardon of sinne which couereth all our nakednesse and deformitie Thirdly that wherein we are iustified before God is our blessednesse but in not imputing of sinnes is our iustification as the Apostle from this place proueth Rom. 4. 6. 7. Hence is it that Zachary in his Song Luk. 1. 77. sayth that God by remission of sinne teacheth the knowledge of saluation Fourthly and lastly euen nature will draw this confession from the worst that the best to be happy need pardon that if God straitly mark what is done amisse none could abide and that euery man by the Law is accursed Secondly and much more doth the Scripture teach that before God haue begunne his grace with a man his whole life is hatefull his mind and conscience polluted yea and after euery thing is imperfect so as the best workes need pardon Thirdly and most of all the experience of the godly confirmeth this truth Neuer did any man feele the burden of sinne and Gods wrath in his soule for it but hee could say his happinesse was to be eased Neuer did any see the ougly face of his sinne and Gods angry face beholding it out of Heauen as a consuming fire but hee would proclaime him happy whose sinne is couered Neuer did any feele Gods Tribunall set vp in his conscience and God and his conscience casting him for his insufficiencie but he did place his peace and happinesse in Gods not imputing his sinne vnto him If blessednesse stand in the pardon of sinne and imputation of righteousnesse then not in merits and satisfactions This vse the Apostle draweth out of this place Rom. 4. If righteousnesse stand in the hiding of sin then not in meriting it Besides there are but two wayes of discharging debts eyther forgiuenesse or payment If I pay it is not forgiuen Popish doctrine standeth here against the light of the Scripture in the Campes of naturall reason which suggesteth that something must bee done by a man to his owne iustification as the young man What good thing shall I doe to be saued And the Papists neuer asking God what they should doe set themselues on workes satisfactorie which hee neuer enioyned as Donations to Churches Pilgrimages Fastings Pater-nosters Aueës Creeds Inuocations Visitations Oblations to Saints keeping and kissing yea praying to Reliques Merits of Saints Workes supererogatory Purgatory Vowes Vigils Masse-chantings Iubileës martes of pardon and a thousand such Symoniacall trickes to make a sale of remission of sinnes all which wage battell and warre to this learning of Dauid Of all these in generall will one day bee said Who required these things at your hands these things so derogatorie to the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinne Secondly to the nature of iustification which is the full absolution of a sinner before God by reason of Christ who is made our righteousnesse by imputation Thirdly so derogatory to the truth of the doctrine concerning good Workes which are farre from iustifying or meriting I speake of good Workes euen of grace which first are imperfect in number secondly in degree not being done with all due intents nor the whole heart and strength neither can be because the heart is partly spirituall partly fleshly the best workes therefore haue flesh and corruption in them and whatsoeuer is defiled performeth not the Law needeth a couer and cannot in it selfe be accepted Thirdly they are imperfect in the person No good worke can proceede from any but a good worker and a iustified person first make the tree good and then the fruit will be good also therefore they cannot iustifie seeing the person is already iustified And the iustified person when he doth the best is vnprofitable he cannot answere one of a thousand and if the Lord should marke what is done amisse who could stand The best worke hath matter of humiliation which may exclude all our reioycing Paul knew nothing by himselfe but had practised workes of grace many yet saith he was not thereby iustified But they say God hath promised a reward of life eternall to good workes Let them shew a place where it is promised to the worke but to the worker being a beleeuer to whom Christs righteousnesse is imputed in which regards all such rewards are meere mercy But Christ hath merited that our good works should merit That is false for then Christ merited that our good workes should fulfill the iustice of the Law which they cannot being stayned with sinne and that they are dyed in the bloud of Christ maketh them not meritorious of eternall life but that they bring not eternall death Dauid prayeth Psal. 7. 3. to bee iudged according to his righteousnesse Righteousnesse is either of the cause or of the person Dauid here speaketh of the former for hee had a good cause and conscience though Saul pursued him to the death but he speaketh not of the righteousnesse of his person before God of which Iob speaketh when hee saith that if hee should iustifie himselfe namely before God his owne clothes would defile him The last iudgement is by workes and therefore iustification These are diuers workes of God in the first
loth to know himselfe and his sinnes and farre from holy Dauids minde who saith Let the righteous smite me for that is a precious oyle Psal. 141. 5. he desires as in Zach. 1. 11. that all the world might be still and at rest and neuer a Trumpet or voice like a Trumpet to waken it to shew the people their transgressions and the house of Iaacob their sinnes These men say to the Ministers as the Sodomites did to Lot Shall hee iudge and rule Gen. 19. 9. and as Corah and his complices said to Moses and Aaron Yee take too much vpon you Numb 16. 3. therefore come let vs breake their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from vs Psal. 2. 3. But know whosoeuer thou art that thou must looke for no peace by vs till thou warrest with thy sinnes Shall wee preach mercie to thee that feelest no neede of mercie Shall we cast a pearle to a swine Thou that art of the frozen generation that needest a Boanerges a sonne of thunder why expectest thou a Bar-Ionah Vnto the Horse belongs a whip and to the Asse a bridle and a rod to a Fooles back prou 26. 3. Wert thou an humble soule and hungry after Christ then our word would be as good newes out of a farre countrey Prou. 25. 25. but till thy wound be lanced and the core thrust out wise Surgeons will neuer powre in oyle doe thou let the plough of the Law breake vp thy fallow ground and then blame vs if wee bring not the seede of the Gospell Now followes the fourth point in Dauids confession the manner of it First in respect of God Secondly of himselfe For the first First hee will confesse before the Lord and make his sinne knowne to him Secondly he will not hide it the one amplifying the other as it is also in these phrases Thou shalt dye and not liue Iohn confessed and denyed not so here I made knowne and hid not the doubling of the phrase shewes that hee doubled not but did that he did to the purpose In that Dauid saith hee will confesse vnto the Lord note that all true confession of sinne must be made vnto God So Psal. 51. 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned And what is the reason hereof First because it is God that is most offended with sinne his Law is transgressed his displeasure incurred and his reuenge prouoked and what reason haue I to confesse a debt to him to whom I owe nothing God is the partie offended therefore I must go to him alone Secondly he onely can properly forgiue sinne Who is a God like vnto thee that passest by the sinnes of thy people saith the holy man The Iewes that were blind in many things yet could see well enough that onely God could forgiue sinnes and indeede who can remit a debt but he to whom it is due therefore S. Iohn saith If we confesse our sinne he is faithfull to forgiue vs Chap. 1. 1 9. Thirdly confession is a part of prayer and diuine worship whereof it is said My glory I will giue to none other Isa. 41. 8. Fourthly this is manifest by the sence of such as truely confesse who need many compassions but great are thy tender mercies O Lord Psal. 119. 156. and hee is rich in mercy Ephes. 2. 4. All the mercie that can come from Man or Angell is but a poore mercie a little mercie which can doe no good to the satisfying of the debt or cancelling the bond Men and Angels are but children in whom are drops onely but God is the Father of mercies in whom is the sea and seate of mercie But how can a man make his sinnes knowne to God by confession seeing he knowes them before First it pleaseth God so to speake of himselfe and to suffer vs to speake of him as wee our selues are capable Thus he brings himselfe in like an earthly Iudge who though he know the facts of the prisoners yet seemes for the orderly course of iustice not to know them as Gen. 18. 21. Come Let vs goe downe and see if it be according to the cry of Sodome how can hee goe downe who is euery where and how can hee but see who is all an eye but thus hee speakes after the manner of men So he saith to Abraham Now I know thou louest me who sparedst not thine onely Sonne for mee God knew Abrahams loue to him before but now Abraham knoweth that God knowes it Secondly men are said to hide their sinne when they seeke to extenuate or lessen or conceale any necessarie circumstance of it or seeke colours and shifts that it should not bee presented naked and bare as it is in the Lords sight and then it is said to bee hid from God not that it is so indeede for it is so much the more manifest to God but because it is so in the corrupt iudgement of the sinner which folly soone tooke hold of Adam after his fall who thought himselfe well hid from God with trees and his sinne with leaues But seeing God knowes all so well why must we confesse to him First not to make God know any thing which hee knowes not but hee will haue vs performe homage and duety to him as an absolute Lord and soueraigne Iudge So Ioshua said to Achan My sonne confesse and giue glory to God Iosh. 7. 19. Secondly that our selues may take better knowledge of our sinnes and humble our hearts in the sight and sense of them Thirdly because this is a meanes in which himselfe will be found mercifull and which he hath appointed for vs to attaine ease and comfort by wee must take Dauids course here if we would obtaine an happy discharge of sinne as he did But was not Dauid farre ouerseene to confesse onely to God Why did hee not goe to the Priest and tell all his sinnes in his eare Auricular confession of all a mans sinnes in the eare of a Priest as necessarie to saluation was not knowne in Dauids time besides he knew he had not sinned against the Priest and therefore he cared not for his forgiuenes it was not the Law or bond of any Priest that hee had broken and therefore what had he to do to forgiue him Doe you then condemne all confession of man to man Doeth not S. Iames say chap. 5. 18. Confesse one to another We allow confession of sinnes to men First publike Secondly priuate in sundry cases Publike confession thus First for the setting vp of Gods glory with the shame of a mans selfe Thus did the holy Pen-men of the Scriptures writing of themselues proclaime their owne sinnes to all the world that God might thereby bee glorified and his Church edified And Gods speciall prouidence hath detected in sundry persons those sinnes which they haue kept close by them and forced them by a free confession vnto men to glorifie God
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
and his owne measure shall be met to him againe Mat. 7. 1 2. so that if a man be an Ismael rough against euery man God will be rough against him and if we be vnpittifull we shall be vnpittied of God and Men. Thirdly no sound worship can proceede but from a sound Religion and that is the Religion and wisedome which is from aboue and the qualitie of it is that it is peaceable Iam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits The Gospell which we professe is a Gospell of peace fostereth peace and seeketh it by all meanes Fourthly so long as any aâ—e slaues to the deeds of the flesh it is impossible they can be acceptable to God but debate hatred anger rage murthers are condemned for the vvorkes of the flesh which shut a man out of heauen Gal. 5. 21. But vvherein stands this mercy vvhereunto prayer must be coupled It stands in these things First in pittying the bodies of men in their wants Secondly their soules much more Thirdly in supplying their wants as reliefe succour comfort counsell c. to be rich in good workes and restore them that are fallen by the Spirit of meeknesse This teacheth all of vs that professe the doctrine of the Gospell and true Religion and the pure worship of God how wee ought to be disposed when wee come to performe vnto God religious duties as prayer c. Those that come neerest to God to present seruice acceptable to him must more especially look to this point namely to take heede of the spirit that lusteth after enuie and sets men in a rage against Gods image and those of the same profession with them and they must take the counsell of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. 11. Bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you And let vs consider First we are all members of one bodie wherof Christ is the head nature teacheth one member to pitie and help another if one bee ill affected to get remedy for it and so must Christians Secondly a meeke and mercifull spirit is much set by of God and called for at our hands by Christ of whom wee must learne to bee humble and meeke a sure note of one that is brought into Christs Kingdome and sheepefold Thirdly God hath taken all execution of vengeance out of our hands Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Deut. 32. 35. and if we will take the sword of reuenge into our hands it will prooue but a sword to our owne destruction Fourthly if we looke at the recompence of reward we are to be prouoked to the workes of mercie As a man sowes so shall he reape sowe mercy and reape mercy sowe liberally and reape liberally God giues seede to the sower 1. Cor. 9. 10. and makes men rich vnto the works of mercie ver 11. How was the poore widdowes oile increased when shee sowed mercie to Elias in his want She had sufficient till the hard yeere was blowne ouer Thy expences shall haue a rich returne it shall bee but a lending to God with abundant vsury for earthly and base things we shal obtaine heauenly and glorious it is a sowing on earth to reape in heauen Fiftly if we desire patternes and presidents in mercifulnesse we haue enough First wee haue God himselfe whose mercies are aboue all his workes how mercifully did he forbeare the world an hundred yeeres and what experience haue our owne soules how he daily forgets and forgiues innumerable sinnes Therefore be we mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull Secondly Christ the Sonne of God is a president herein whose mercy and compassion was such as hee laid downe his life for vs that wee should also lay downe our liues for the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 16. Thirdly the Saints of God haue gone before vs in examples of mercy Moses was a man mightie in word and deede yet the meekest man on earth Numb 12. 3. Abraham yeelded to Lot his inferior Isaac swallowed many indignities at Abimelechs hands and Iaacob as many at Labans Dauid spared Saul his enemie when he had him at an aduantage and pardoned Shimei a Traytor when hee had cursed him and threw stones at him Yea all the Prophets Apostles and Saints as much as lay in them had peace with all men If wee professe our selues the Sonnes of God how are we so rough against our brethren so without pittie and charitable disposition as Lamech Ismael or Cain who learned of the Deuill who was a murtherer from the beginning to hate and kill his brother Let professors leaue these workes of the flesh to such as are in the flesh let vs be led by another rule as Christians mercifully considering one another and not as bruit beasts ledde by sensualitie We must not follow noysome lusts and humours but the rule of Gods Word to blesse though we are cursed and take things at the best and seeke peace and follow after it Let professors consider the sweet fruit of Christian communion which by a mercifull and meeke spirit is enioyed but by wrath and rash anger violenced how that the peace of the Church and publike quietnesse the honour of their profession the comfort of their conscience and acceptance of their prayers or any seruice cannot stand by them if they subdue not their spirits in this behalfe Secondly this shewes vs what to thinke of that religion which vpsetteth and vpholdeth it selfe by crueltie and malicious rage and furie it is a religion which God hath no delight in hee neuer did set it vp nor accepted it It cannot be the right religion which by crueltie sword and fire either planteth it selfe or seeketh to supplant others Therefore wee may note in the Scripture that those religions that were hated of God were cruell and vnmercifull One might haue read in Cains forehead what religion he was of no maruell if God reiected his sacrifice seeing hee bore such deadly malice against his brother Of what religion were the Egyptians that kept vnder the Israelites so tyrannically but barbarous wicked and idolatrous Iaacob must haue a place by himselfe to dwell in because his religion was an abomination to them they must not see him performe the seruices of it Manasseh set vp Idols sought to witches yea himselfe was a Magician or Coniurer and what was his practice Looke and wee shall see that no man euer shed more innocent blood then hee did Here was a note of a false religion euen cruelty such as wee read not of in any of his predecessors Antiochus Epiphanes a monster among Idolaters did so prodigiously waste the blood of the holy people as neuer was since there began to be a Nation till that time Dan. 12. 1. The heathen Emperours made such butcheries vpon the bodies of the Saints as euery street seemed a shambles of Christians and euery line of the story written in blood and their religion was sutable
creatures and therefore he cannot seeke God to finde him A man that seekes a lost iewell lookes still to see that for other things comming in his way hee sees not them but passeth sleightly ouer them hee seekes not them so hee that seekes GOD makes inquisition onely for himselfe no other thing contents him but himselfe no other thing takes vp his minde and therefore the worldling indeede wants not God nor seekes him Secondly if the godly man seeke God in prayer then he frequents the places where God hath promised to bee found Hee hath pleased to tye himselfe to the assemblies of the Saints that there those that would meet with him might be sure to finde him Gracelesse men therefore are they that turne their backes vpon God that leaue the Church and assemblies that take their horse and trauell about worldly businesses on the Sabboth day with pretence that they can pray as well in the way and serue God on horseback as well as the best But they are deluded by the Deuill whom they serue they haue no God but their belly and their wealth And is it not a strange enchantment that while a man runnes from God from his presence and assemblies yet hee should thinke to meete with him and finde him And so he shall hee will at last meete with thee and finde thee out in thy hypocrisie and if his patience let thee goe on waiting for amendment remember that he is fetching a stroke which the higher it is lifted the heauier it will fall Be warned by others example A certaine Noble man for hunting vsually on the Lords day had a child borne with the head of a dogge that seeing he preferred his dogges before the seruice of God he might haue one of his owne getting to make much of Theatr. Histor. Also a Flaxe-woman at Kimstat in France dressing her Flaxe commonly on the Sabboth for meere couetousnesse and eager greedinesse vpon the world after two faire admonitions on two Sabboths together by fire was the third day burnt with her Flaxe and two children A warning for women who on the Lords day minde their Brewing Baking Buckes-driuing c. and will not be reclaimed A certaine man working hard at haruest on the Sabboth in the meane time a fire kindled in his barne and consumed all according to the word of the Lord Ier. 17. 27. At Paris garden at a Beare-bayting anno 1583. eight persons were slaine many hurt and all affrighted by the sudden breaking of the scaffold Thus God hath waies enow to finde out prophane persons thou canst not runne from God but thou shalt know how farre thou art gone from him and thou that carest not to find him shalt be sure he will find thee in iudgement and if thou growest rich by breaking Gods holy Sabbath the Lord sends leannesse into thy soule and the rust of thy money shall crie out against thee one day Oh this is the money which I haue got by breaking the Sabbath The like may be said of them that banish Gods worship and godly speech from their houses and tables Oh they will haue no such salt at their bankets such words are neuer seasonable whereas they ought rather to bring in goodnesse into their families then nip it in the head and cast the Arke out of their houses So much of the first doctrine the second followes and is this There is a time when God will not be found though he be sought And this is true both in the wicked and the godly first the wicked still pray in a time of not finding God if they seeke they neuer finde as Luk. 13. 24. Many shall seeke to enter but shall not be able Iames 4. 5. Yea aske and haue not because ye aske amisse now the wicked alwaies aske amisse Iohn 9. The poore blinde man concluded against al the Scribes and Pharises that Christ was a good man and righteous because God heard him First because the promise of hearing prayer is not made to the prayer it selfe but to the person praying and not vnto him farther then he is inuested with Christs righteousnesse in whom he and his prayer is accepted Secondly God wil not be found when he is not sought in truth of heart which can be found no where but in a conuerted person for then he is truly sought when the heart bringeth these things first an earnest desire of recōciliation for no sacrifice is acceptable but from a contrite heart Secondly a speciall word and promise Aske what is agreeable to his will and you shall obtaine it 1. Iohn 5. 14. Thirdly a speciall faith in the promise which is necessarie to a true seeker Iames 1. 6. Let him aske in faith And Mark 11. 24. If yee beleeue yee shall haue what yee aske Fourthly it brings the exercises of pietie and mercy a putting off of the old man and a putting on of the new Isai. 1. Wash and cleanse you and then come and seeke me These conditions a wicked man cannot performe in seeking and therefore he findes not Thirdly the wicked seeke not commonly till the time of finding be past they seeke too late so did the foolish Virgins it was too late when the gate was shut it was too late for Pharaoh in the sea it was too late for Esau to seeke repentance and the blessing with teares hee prophanely reiected it while it was in his power While they haue light commonly they spurne at it and while the day lasteth are idle they neuer seeke God till they must needes and therefore when the night comes they cannot worke or helpe themselues Fourthly if we consider what the finding of God is we shall see they cannot finde him Then God is found first when according to the prayer of faith he visiteth vs in mercy Secondly when by some signe of his mercy hee testifieth a fatherly care and loue ouer vs. Thirdly when he vouchsafeth not a generall but a speciall and gracious presence with vs Thus Hos. 10. 12. the Church seeketh God till she finde him But how is this finding exprest thus till he comes and raines downe righteousnesse vpon vs that is when by the power and dew of his Spirit our hearts otherwise like a drie and barren ground are watered so as his Word may bring vp in vs blessed fruites of righteousnesse acceptable to God But no wicked man hath any testimonie of Gods care ouer him as his Father but onely as a Lord neither enioyeth he more then a generall presence not the presence of any speciall loue Ahab praying in hypocrisie was heard in mercy and his prayer obtained a remoouall of the euill threatned 1. King 21. 29. Gods mercie is twofold first temporall secondly spirituall God often giues to hypocrites to be heard in temporall mercies as here an externall humilitie is recompensed with an externall benefit a temporall repentance with a temporall deliuerance but for any spirituall deliuerance from the guilt and bonds
not worthy sayth hee of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now I am become two bands And to conclude how little are our hearts stirred to thankesgiuing vnder crosses and afflictions whereas our Commandement is In all things giue thankes euen in crosses and losses We can receiue good from God but no euill whereas our dutie is with Iob to blesse God as well in taking away as in giuing Thus seeing how farre wee are from our dutie let vs iudge our selues and take our selues tardie in the slips and amend what we haue failed in and for time to come so frame this dutie to this Doctrine as God may haue his prayse and we his mercies continued to vs and ours There is yet remaining a third point of Doctrine namely that the matter of the godly mans songs ioy must be spiritual and heauenly as here the ditty of Dauids songs are Gods deliuerances praises of God for deliuerances And this his practice elsewhere Psal. 22. 25. My prayse shall be of thee in the great Congregation Psal. 59. 16. 17. I will sing of thy power and prayse thy mercie see the place Psal. 57. 8. I will sing vnto thee among the Nations And in respect of this argument of all his Psalmes Dauid is called the sweet Singer of Israel 2. Sam. 23. 1. First the Commandement enioyneth vs this Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs therefore our songs must be spirituall first for matter not prophane Secondly they must proceede from Gods spirit as the Author of them Thirdly they must be framed with honest and gracious wordes beseeming the Spirit Fourthly to a spirituall end which is first Gods glorie and secondly our owne and others edification And in the same place it followes Singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord euer looking and referring your Psalmes to God as the right obiect of them and our ioy Col. 3. 16. 17. there is required first that our songs come from the Word dwelling plentifully in our hearts Secondly that they be spirituall for the former causes Thirdly that they be to the Lord that is first before the Lord. Secondly to his praise as Ver. 17. Whatsoeuer yee shall doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the LORD IESVS giuing thankes to God and the Father by him and Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord. Secondly the godly ought euer to giue testimonie of that heauenly ioy vvhich delighteth their soules and vvhich is a fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. seeing they professe to be led by the spirit and by this they notably incite themselues and inuite others to pietie Thirdly it is fit there be a difference betweene wicked and godly mens songs They sing like themselues either vvickedly vvantonly and filthily or the best of their songs vvhich they sing with any feeling are but vvorldly vvhen their Wine and Oyle are increased and they enioy temporall prosperitie But the godly must be in another tune they must sing because God hath lifted vp the light of his countenance vpon them they haue a peculiar ioy the ioy of Gods people vvhich Dauid desireth the Lord to visit him vvithall Psal. 106. 5. The Stranger enters not into this ioy Prou. 14. 10. Fourthly if the godly should not make their songs of God he should haue little or no praise on earth for all his mercies seeing the vvicked cannot praise him the dead in sinne cannot praise him they can reioyce naturally in eating drinking sporting building and such props of the flesh yea and are neuer so glad as when God is farthest off out of sight and out of minde Now if the Christian man vvho hath a true sense of God should not sing vnto God he should haue no praise at all of all his goodnesse Fiftly the songs of godly men on earth are best when they be the same for kinde and matter with their songs in heauen seeing the same heauenly life and ioy is begun on earth vvhich vve must haue in perfection in heauen and there is no difference but in the degree And this vve see plainely in the Scripture both vvhat is the matter of that new song of the Saints in heauen vvho had gotten victorie ouer the Beast Reuel 15. â— the song of Moses and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy workes Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy wayes King of Saints And that the songs of the godly haue commonly beene of the same argument and matter is cleere by the Church in generall and in the speciall members of it The Church Exod. 15. 1. 2. sang this song vnto the Lord and said in this manner I will sing vnto the Lord the Lord is my strength and my song he is become my saluation c. My song that is first the matter of the song the Lord to whom all praise belongeth and secondly he in whom the Church reioyceth and glorieth all the day long Isa. 5. 1. I will sing to my beloued Christ is the song of the Church the whole booke of Canticles is a song of Christ and the Church which singeth out his beauties perfections and affections and describeth him in excellent manner from top to toe So for the particular members of it Dauid professeth it saying My song shall be of thee all the day long the like we may see of Hanna Zachary Simeon Mary Deborah and Barak Iudg. 5. All whose songs record how they made God their glorie and the matter of their Psalmes and praises in a word they were no other then songs of deliuerance Sixtly let a man turne his face any way else from God let him sing of his wealth of his pleasure or any of the delights of the sonnes of men his song shall be but a short one and as vnsound as short Salomon tryed his heart and tyred himselfe in worldly pleasures treasures honors and all kinde of earthly happinesse but he comes at length to a recantation and sings a new song and tells vs that all that is vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of spirit And trie it after him who vvill hee shall surely change his note as hee did vvhen his laughter shall be no better in his owne eyes then madnesse and the reason is because nothing out of God can afford matter of sound ioy We see hence what to thinke of musick in Gods seruice of which kinde songs are In the old Testament it was of diuine institution and a part of the ceremoniall Law In the new Testament God requires a more spirituall worship and yet we are allowed vs that musicke whether naturall or artificiall whereby the heart is raised vp and prouoked to glorifie God Is any man merry saith Iames let him sing Psalmes Chap. 5. 13. The conditions of
vvhich is fit for him this makes the Word dwell plentifully in Christians by this holy doctrine is fastned as by nailes by the Masters of Assemblies If a man should set a great browne Loafe before Children vvhat good vvould it doe them they may starue vvell enough vnlesse it be diuided Gods Word is in it selfe nourishable but being not diuided it vvill not be nourishing to vs. Away then with Sermons if they be afraid to come neere by application away vvith idle and intricate discourses further then to lay them as grounds for exhortation herein is learning and the life of the Word Secondly people must learne to cleaue constantly to an effectuall ministrie vvhich hath life and stirring in it and praise God for it seeing their necessitie requires it In hearing the Word apply it to thy selfe not to others mingle it vvith thy faith helpe the Minister in his labour and paines-taking Oh what a deale of labour vvould it saue vs if men vvere able and vvilling to apply doctrine to themselues Thirdly vve must all learne to suffer the Word to be applyed in particular vnto vs. A man that hath a sore or fester vvould be loth to be put to paine by a sharpe plaister but vvithout it there is no cure vvhat vvill it helpe him to haue it lye on the cupboord or on the table Before thou canst be a liuing stone in Gods temple thou must suffer hewing and squaring nay so long as thou art here in the Mountayne thou must be hewne as the stones were for the Temple Obiect What must Gods children heare the Law applyed Answ. Yes to condemne their sinnes not their persons and vve know that rods which are prouided for seruants are laid in the sight of children to feare them But here is all the quarrell that we reproue speciall sins Oh saith one he hates me it is I that he reproues What needes all this adoe What hath he to doe with my pleasures and dealings What neede these fellowes make Pulpit-matters of euery thing And were it not for speciall application we should please men well enough but first are we enemies for speaking the truth Secondly is not the Word a Sword And can a man be strucke or thrust thorow with a Sword and not feele it Is it not Gods sacrificing knife Act. 10. 13. Kill and eate Peter was commanded with the sword of the Spirit to prepare the Gentiles an acceptable sacrifice and ioyne with them in the communion of Christs body And can a man be sacrificed without paine Thirdly doth not euery man desire that the strong man were cast out of his heart yet we must not shake his Towres he vvill not let any of his holds which are his owne sinnes to be touched Fourthly vvee may not preach mercy to him that stands in no neede of it for then we shal preach false doctrine by misse-applying that which in generall is true Fiftly the Saints of God haue beene contented to beare particular reproofe Dauid vpon admonition confessed his sinne euen before Nathan why he might haue said Get thee going silly fellow tell me of no such matters goe deale with your equals Our great men vnder Kings vvould haue said so but Dauid put it vp and indeede where had he beene but for Nathans plaine dealing If vve had Dauids heart we vvould be contented to say with him elsewhere Psal. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit and let him reproue me and it shall be a precious Oyle that shall not breake mine head Beloued if it were profitable for you it vvere peaceable for vs to speake at randome but both our dutie and your edification calls for particular application In the way that thou shalt goe THis is the third point in the Preface the matter wherein the Prophet promiseth to instruct the Christian man namely in the way wherein he is to goe the most necessarie difficult and profitable discipline that a man can teach or learne By way here is meant the course and conuersation of a godly man called a way First because God hath laid it open and allowed it vnto vs as an high-way betweene vs here being in a strange Countrie and our home whither we trauell Secondly God directs approueth it Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Thirdly as in an high-way there is a continuall motion of Trauellers who in the way are at no rest till they come to their wayes end so a Christian man is still moouing and proceeding in godlinesse forgetting that which is behinde and pressing hard to the marke that is before him and doth not finde this World his resting place Fourthly as a way leades to some desired place and if a man keepe in it it will bring him home or to some great Citie where his businesse lyeth so godly life leades a man home to heauen the great Citie of the great King the end of which is rest and glorie Thus it is called Gods way first being taught vs by God Secondly tending to God Thirdly approued of God and fourthly ending in God The going in this way is the ordering of our whole course and euery action of it so as we be daily neerer our ayme and perfection As in a way a Traueller obserues and orders euery step that he may come to his iourneyes end so the heauenly Pilgrime makes right steps to his feet and seeth that euery seuerall duetie which is as a step in our way to heauen be an obedience of faith performed in the way either of his generall or speciall calling Hence we may learne this lesson that Euery godly man must be carefull that his course be a going and proceeding in the wayes of God Prou. 4. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be ordered aright Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright the sonnes of faithful Abraham must keepe a course of walking in Gods wayes as he did Psal. 119. 32. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete to keepe thy Commandements First this is the only true wisedome to make God our guide in our way Deut. 4. 6. Keepe his Ordinances for this is your wisedome and men shall say Only this is a wise people Psal. 101. 2. I will doe wisely in the perfit way where marke how Dauid tyeth wisdome to the perfit way and giues vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer refuse to walke in it let them seeme neuer so wise Politicians yet we may say of them as the Apostle did of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 22. Professing themselues wise they became starke fooles without this way all is but folly and meere craft and shall be turned to a mans hurt If a man or people will reiect the Word of God what wisedome can be in them Ier. 8. 9. When Dauid had but stept out of the way in numbring the people out of the pride of his heart for otherwise Moses might number them Num. 1.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Luc. 13. 28. Thirdly in the punishment of sense when they shal be wrapped in that cursed sentence Depart from mee I know you not when they shall be bound hand and foot and cast into torments prepared for the deuill and his Angels which torment is amplified first by the place a prison a lake of fire and brimstone a dungeon for the darkenesse blacker then that of Egypt where shall bee a perpetuall night in a word an hell Secondly by the company the deuill and his Angels with all the rout of reprobates Gods deadly enemies and whom God is a deadly enemie vnto such as they chose for their companions in this world and would not bee separated from now they shall not Thirdly by the exquisitenesse of torment set out by fire and brimstone and that which is most terrible to sense yea not onely outward but inward also described by the worme of conscience which as a gnawing griefe shall eate and fret the heart of the sinner in memorie of ancient and hatefull sinnes Fourthly in sinfull concurrences as hatred of God blasphemie despaire cursings for all the parts of soule and body shal curse the day of their wretchednesse and confusion when the fire of Gods iealousie and his hot wrath shall seaze vpon them Fifthly in seeing all mercie and pittie excluded nay God and his Saints whose affection shall be conformable to his shall reioyce and laugh at their destruction this shall breake the caule of their hearts with sorrow Sixthly in the eternity of their sorrowes the worme within dyes not their fire neuer goes out but the wrath of God abideth vpon the sinner without all remission or abatement without any intermission or release without end or mitigation not one drop of water shal coole their tongue and so long as God is God the smoke of their torment shall ascend vp night and day continually This is Tophet prepared for the wicked in which one word how many sorrowes be there Now the reasons to cleare Gods iustice in all these sorrowes of the wicked are these First where many sinnes are vnrepented of there must needes be many sorrowes euery sinne hauing sorrow enough belonging to it Secondly where an infinite God is offended an infinite law transgressed and an infinite iustice prouoked there must needes an infinite reuenge be returned vpon the sinners head and sorrowes in infinite measure bee conceiued Thirdly Infinite mercie hath been reiected the blessed meanes of saluation neglected and despised good meanes without in the ministerie counsell and example of the godly inward motions of the spirit quenched yea some checks of conscience contemned and some resolutions deaded and vnfollowed All these yet bring on more stripes and sorrows especially in remembrance of hatefull sinnes against knowledge meanes and conscience Fourthly it is now too late to repent when these sorrowes haue beset the sinner on euery side hope of mercie is cut off the Sunne is set vpon him the doore of grace is shut against him now hee can heare no other voice then that Reu. 18. 6 7. Giue him torments according to his sinnes Here is an Ilias an vpheaped measure of infinite sorrow a mercilesse sorrow without sparke of hope or ioy Fifthly now hee sees with horror and despaire that which he would not heare of first that he hath in his whole course piled vp wrath against himselfe Secondly that God whom he thought to be made all of mercy is a God of infinite iustice and a consuming fire and how dreadfull it is to fall into his hands Thirdly that the sentence of death is passed irrecouerably and the heauie doome of damnation for such sinnes as he thought to be lighter then a feather Fourthly that himselfe is a vessell of wrath filled with Gods indignation that shall seaze on him so long as God is God seeing Christs bloud can be shed no more and teares of repentance come now too late a Sea of them is not able to quench one sparke of this fire First then let this be a motiue to restraine all men from sinne seeing it brings such after-claps If there be any that like the Horse or Mule wil not vnderstand nor be perswaded to seeke the Lord but will obstinately persist hardning his heart against the Word for such a man are all these sorrowes prepared Thou that delightest in any sinne open or secret that wilt drinke with the Drunkard sweare with the Swearer and breake the Sabbath after so many admonitions thou that liuest in pride wantonnesse idlenesse vncleannesse contempt of God and his Word and Seruants thou that euery way multipliest thy sinnes remember what Dauid saith Psal. 16. 4. Thou multiplyest and heapest vp thy sorrowes euen wrath and fuell for thy selfe against the day of wrath Thou that canst with a bold face braue out thy sinnes and glorie in that thy hand is strong to practise vngodlinesse and canst triumph when thou canst bring others to thy bent thou shalt one day crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Isa. 65. 14. and curse the day that euer thou knewest thy Companions and with bitter lamentation shalt waile and gnash thy teeth at thy vnhappy condition and all this in all eternitie Oh consider these terrors of the Lord and be perswaded to turne to the Lord seeke in time thy blessednesse in the pardon of sinne that thou mayest escape all these things Consider the end of all sinne in that one Pro. 5. 3 4. Though it be as an hony-combe in thy mouth the end will be bitter as wormewood And if now thou seest thy danger but wilt runne on headlong vpon all these sorrowes excluded from all pity and mercy say thou wast warned the time commeth wherein thou mayest be pitied but not helped or rather neither pitied nor helped the Iudge hath said it Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Secondly if so many sorrowes and they of this nature belong to euery wicked man then it followes that no sinne is small in it selfe to euery of which all these sorrowes belong Our Text plainely teacheth that they belong not only to Murtherers Theeues Adulterers Lyers Swearers but also to ciuill honest men in the worlds account if they be ignorant of the Word or wayes of God To him that liues obstinately in any knowne sinne that holds on for his profit or pleasure any practice condemned in the Word and in his owne conscience let him be neuer so ciuill sober sociable peaceable and harmelesse all his ciuilitie cannot keepe off these sorrowes if there be not knowledge of God softnesse of heart a teachable disposition and an hungring after Gods mercy in Christ alone aboue all things in the world Where be the Papists that teach some sinnes to be veniall in their owne nature when as all these sorrowes are the wages of the least Rom. 6. vlt.
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
sorrowes of it freed vs from the guilt of sinne appeased the wrath of God abolished eternall death and destroyed the Deuils Kingdome Now the Sonne thus freeing vs we are free indeed Oh! the greatnesse of this deliuerance should astonish vs whereby we auoid those great and insuperable euils which otherwise had for euer oppressed vs. Now in way of thankefulnesse First beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blind man Thou art made whole sinne no more Secondly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Luc. 7. 47. Thirdly Studie to please him in all things Psal. 116 8. Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Fourthly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psalme 126. 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reio yee and say with Mary Luc. 1. 49. Hee that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name But hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him THis is the second motiue or enforcement of Christian obedience wherein first consider the meaning of the wordes Hee that trusteth in the Lord here is a description of a godly man by a Periphrasis A godly man is not hee that wants all sinne but he that being a Beleeuer manifesteth the fruit of faith in reposing himselfe vpon Gods mercie as the rocke of his safetie Thus the Church is described comming out of the Wildernesse and leaning on her well-beloued Cant. 8. 5. And the people of Gods delight are such as feare God and attend vpon his mercie Mercie hee sayth not ioy as in true opposition he should haue said for ioy is properly opposed to sorrow not mercie but in this Word First he both includeth that and Secondly he noteth also the ground of the godlies reioycing which is mercie not merit Thirdly mercie also vpholds and preserues this ioy Shall compasse him opposed to the many sorrowes of wicked ones and it noteth First a full and complete felicitie of the godly Secondly the large goodnesse of God towardes them not giuing them onely one blessing or mercie or of one kind but besetting them and meeting them at euery corner with mercies Thirdly that Dauid had here tasted abundantly of mercie and hauing assurance of the pardon of sinne had experience in his owne person and here speakes of it according to his abundant sense of it Fourthly that being now compassed with mercie hee would allure and perswade euery godly man to get the pardon of his sinne also and that is mercie enough Out of this exposition ariseth this instruction namely that Hee that trusteth in God shall haue a plentifull part in the mercies of God mercie shall compasse him Psal. 103. 11. As high as the Heauens are aboue the Earth so great is his mercie towards them that feare him Psal. 125. 2. As the Mountaines compasse Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people Zach 2. 5. The LORD promiseth to the Church to bee a wall of fire round about her and her glorie in the midst of her Here are euery where mercies within and without And the reasons of this point are these First the godly are vessels prepared for mercie Rom. 9. 23. Whom God hath chosen to declare the riches of his glorie vpon Secondly where Gods comfortable presence is there are great mercies because he is great in mercie Isa. 55. 7. and rich in mercie Ephes. 2. 4. Where the Sunne is there is abundant light and where the Sea is there must bee abundant water Now Gods promise on his part and the faith and trust of the godly on their part holds God present with his people at all times Thirdly the mercie that God sheweth to the godly is great in kind because it is a speciall mercie which is peculiar to them flowing from speciall loue True it is that the Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his worke Psal. 145. 9. that is there is no worke of his hands which receiueth not from him some mercie But that is but a generall mercie as when the Sunne shines on the good and bad and the raine fals on euery mans ground by this hee sends away the worst men with good gifts But there is a speciall mercie reserued for the Elect and reseruing the Inheritance for them to these hee is not only a mercifull Lord but a mercifull Father a Father of mercies rich in mercie Psal. 103. 3. As a Father pities his Children so the Lord pities them that feare him A mercifull man pities his beast much more his brother but if his childe bee in distresse his pitie is more inward and working as his affection is such is the compassion of God towardes his Children who is therefore sayd to haue bowels of compassion Fourthly GODS mercie is great in quantitie and measure it filleth all the space betweene the Earth and Heauen and all the distance betweene East and West Psal. 103. 11. 12. so as if a man bee betweene Earth and Heauen or within the quarters of eyther this mercie must compasse him Dauid shewes the vnmeasurable measure of it Psal. 40. 5. O Lord thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse For the better cleering of the point although wee can neuer set out the infinite mercies with which God compasseth his Elect yet wee may point at some of them especially those speciall ones which are peculiar to the godly and which like the childrens bread are not cast vnto Dogges it faring with the godly as with a mightie rich man that knowes no end of his wealth Though hee cannot haue his eye ouer it all yet his thoughts sometimes are vpon his goodliest Mannors his Treasury his most precious Pearles and Iewels The kinds of this mercy towards the godly concerne eyther this life or the life to come The first and chiefe mercie the fountaine of all is that euen in this life God hath pleased to afford vs himselfe the chiefe good that himselfe is become our portion Psal. 16. 5. and that the soules of his people can rest and stay themselues in him alone and ioy in the light of his countenance when the World doth what it can to make them miserable Psalme 73. 25. Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and whom haue I in comparison of thee My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Now can an Hypocrite euer reioyce in God or what comfort can he haue in God who is not in couenant with him heere then is a speciall mercy without bound or banke euen infinite as God himselfe is Secondly from hence