against you and your owne confusion before him Ro. 2.5 and so store vp wrath against the day of wrath and the iust declaration and excecution of his iudgement vpon your soule and body for ever And that you may see I speake not this without booke I pray you looke what God saith in his booke to this purpose how read you in the sift booke of Moses called Deuteronomie read there striue to understand what you reade and out of your vnderstanding of it ponder that saying and lay it vp in your harts There you shall heare God speaking thus touching the point we haue now in hand Dent. 29.18 ver 19. Least there should be among you any roote that beareth gall and worme wood and it come to passe that when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his hart and say I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my owne hart ver 20. to adde drunkenesse to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord and his iealousy shall smoake against him all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye vpon him ver 21. the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heaven And the Lord shall separate him vnto evill out of all the tribes of Israell according to all the curses of the covenant c. ver 21. So that the generation to come shall say when they see these plagues c. Thus you see the Lord doth manifest and that in many words his minde concerning this matter and that we may the better discerne his meaning we may bretfely abridge all that these words doe import into two particulers 1. how haynous a thing it is in Gods sight sinfully to shift off the saving truth of God from our selves 2. how heavy the hand of God wil be in the extreame extraordinary punishment of him that doth soe The act is exceedingly amplified and aggravated if we doe well consider the particulers of the text wherin we finde it branched and blazed out to be an evill consisting of many evills a very composition of many impietyes and much corruption First it is an impious thwarting of God a crossing of him even a giving him the lye to his face when any man shall dare to say I shall have peace though c. Is not this extreame impudency thus to out face the Lord of heaven in his owne truth to tell him as it were to his teeth that we shall have peace whē he saith resolutely we shall have none in any vngodly way are we nor vndertakers against the wisdome power and justice of God by all which that which he hath here vttered against this sin shal be assuredly executed vpon the sinner shall we offer to say I shall have peace when the Lord who is only wise allmighty and most just saith we shall not is not this to make the world beleeve that we thinke our selves able well enough to secure our selves against him and know a way how to avoyd that which he saith he will inflict as if we could goe beyond God and overeach him by some policie or power of our owne Secondly it is a proude exalting of our selves aboue the Lord a trusting vpon our owne vayne lying and blasphemous words blessing our selves and giving no creddit to his most stable and immutable words of truth as if our blessing of our selves had farre more efficacy to save and comfort vs then his words of cursing have to cast vs downe and terrefy vs. Thirdly it is an encreasing of sin we adde one evill to another and soe lade our soules with more and more impiety augmenting our evill before the Lord and encouraging our selves in the same by this blessing of our selues in our sinfull courses and casting aside Gods righteous and heavy curses All these three amplifications of this impious and hellish act are apparant in the text and thus much sin doth he commit that applyeth not but putteth off the sacred word and truth of God from himself The punishmet due to this threefolde act of impiety followe's in the text too it is layd out both negatiue and affirmatiuely Negatiuely in that one wofull sentence The Lord will not spare or the Lord will not be mercifull to that man a truth clearely contradictory to the conceit of these accursed miscreants who are soe be sotted that they can beleeve nor apprehend nothing in the Lord but mercy and soe make him a notorious monster therin as if he had nothing els in him Affirmatiuely and that many wayes in such miserable sayings as follow every one worse then other if we note them Such a sinner shall feele 1. the anger of God and to put him out of hope of appeasing it it is added that 2. the jealousy of the Lord shall breake out and smoake against him and jealousy is jmplacaple rage such as will heape vpon an offendor 3. all the curses written in Gods booke none no not one to be avoyded or escaped among the rest 3. notorious curses are named to wit 1. that his name shal be blotted out from vnder heaven 2. that the Lord shall separate him unto euill 3. that the ages to come shall fall into admiration of that mans fearefull condition Loe thus shall it be done to the man that the Lord will avēge himself vpon for this one sin of shifting off the sacred truth of God from himself He shall have no mercy from God but all the misery that may be he shal be the vnhappy object of Gods heavy anger of his fearfull jealousy of all his curses vnto which the Lord shall soe set him apart and pick him out that he shal be the wonderment of all succeeding times This is the Lord doome vpō him who fawneth vpō himself in his prophanes and flyeth as much as in him lyeth and wil not heare of the justice of God revealed in his word against his wickednes Let vs then deare christians take heede and beware of a stubborne hart a stiffe necke an jmpious spirit to throw away what the Lord saith to vs Doe not provoke him to jealousy we are not able to deale with him he is stronger then we know we that nothing well more vexe or sooner prouoke him herevnto then this jmpiety of refusing to apply his worde to our selves He is heavily jealous as well he may be of that mans estate that will not endure his truth For why consider I pray you what good can be in him what evill can be out of him who rejecteth what God saith it is not possible he should haue any good who will none of that word which is the only ground of all good to vs and the only guide of vs vnto it neither is any euill jmpossible but all most easy to be fastened vpon the man who forsaketh the sole and soueraigne meanes of his good That man must needes heare Satan that heareth not
all his petitions as it may be obserued every where but because it would be tadious to particulate every instance we may take a taste in two or three that are pregnant to this purpose In the. 16. Psal 16 1.2 Psalme he begin's with prayer for his preservation now because he knew Gods promise pertayned to none but his owne therfore in the next verse he addeth his interest saying thou hast sayd vnto the Lord thou art my God this he brings to joy cheere himself with hope of being heard suitable to that which in another Psalme he saith to the same end I am thyne oh saue me Psal 119.94 Againe in the 18 Psalme he intending soe to speake that he might speed he laye's hold on the Lord in all respects and entitle's himself to him every way my strength ver 1.2 my rock my fortresse my deliuerer my God vers 3. my buckler c. having thus made sure worke that God is his in all these regards in the next verse he resolue's to make his suite assure's himself of being answered ver 6. nay he avoucheth plainely a litle after that he was heard In my distresse I called vpon the Lord I cryed vnto my god he heard my voice c. The like we might note out of the 22 Psalme which he begin's thus my God my God And the same is to be seene in more then twenty psalmes more if we should vrge all particulers none was more feruent in prayer with God nothing was more frequent in all the prayers he made to God then this very thing And haue ye ever heard of any petitioner that sped better or that prevayled more then he did nay may we not think that he was a great gayner by this course when herevpon he exhorteth others out of his owne abundant happy experience in this particuler to powre out emity their harts wholy to vnlade lay them opē before the Lord which no man you know will doe but to him in whome he hath more then ordinary interest and with whome he is exceeding intimate familiar Thus you see the point is most plaine in his practise who is a singuler praesidēt vnto vs herin no man ever layd more clayme to god in prayer no man ever obtayned more comfort from god by prayer doth not this assure vs thē that it is most true that he that goeth to the Lord with most right shall come from him with most rejoycing I did the rather chuse Dauid to giue evidence in this matter because he was a man so inward with god so excelling in this practise that we cannot finde many to match him yet if we should take notice of other holy men of god we should soone discerne the same carriage in them but we will spare to multiply any or to nottfy more examples let vs come to consider the reasons of the point and they are these that follow Reason 1 First the ground and evidence of our consolation in any thing is our right we haue in the same wherwith may we bolde but with our owne what is any thing nay every thing to vs if it be not ours our right is our rejoycing our cōfort in all things come's from the clayme we can lay to them The dimme light of nature and reason saw this where no illumination of grace or religion did shyne as yet Jonah 1. in those poore perplexed Pagans whose course in their owne persons and whose counsell to the Prophet proues this point ver 5. for themselues the text tels vs they cryea euery one to his owne God and when the Prophet being found a sleepe in this distresse is awaked and exhorted to pray he is willed to pray to his owne God cal vpon thy God ver 6. and doe not both these make it most manifest that a man can haue no hart to pray noe hope to speede vnlesse he haue interest in that God to whome he prayeth These silly men could see that it was booteles for them to pray to his God or he to theirs if any benefit may be expected it must be from our owne and none els And this is our first reason Reason 2 Secondly God himself doth comfort cheere vp men vpon this ground that he wil be theirs and they shal be his So we finde once Gen. 15.1 and againe in his appearance to Abraham when he will harten him against all harmes he saith thus Feare not Abraham for I am thy Buckler and thyne exceeding great reward it had beene small happines to him to know that god had beene a buckler or any thing els Gen. 17.1.2.4.7 but to be his is the thing wherwith the Lord joye's his very soule So againe at another time God will binde him to proceed persevere in his vprightnes now because that exact carriage of-times bring 's men into calamity the Lord to quicken him doth not only tell him how able all-sufficient he is to doe him good but that he wil enter into covenant with him become his God and this covenant of God is that which hath comfort enough in it to carry him currantly through all discomforts whatsoever And intruth he that hath the Lord to be his may wel account himself a most happy man because then all the infinite and vnspeakable perfections of God are ours and we may goe with boldnes freedome to beg that mercy which is aboue the heavens that wisdome which is vnsearchable that providence which is vnvtterable that Power which is vnresistable and all that goodnes and kindnes and those compassions which are inconceivable that we may haue the benefit of these excellencies for our best good is not this a comfort when a man may know that all that heauen hath nay all that the God of heauē hath is ours a man may goe to both as to his owne Assuredly if we can but beleue that god is wise enough to giue vs a sufficient reason of soūd consolation able enough to make that good which he giue 's as a reason to vs to wit the interest of himself then haue wee reason to acknowledg that he may pray comfortably that hath power to make this clayme to him all that is in him And this is our second reason Thirdly Reason 3 in that excellent prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ cōtayned in the 17 of Ioh Joh. 17. cōtinued through the whole chapter let vs consider that when he powre's out those his most sweet suplications for vs he doeth as it were presse and vrge his father with argumēts to heare him for vs and to accept vs in him among many other jnducements of that kinde he doth principally pleade this which we haue now in hand even the interest his father had in vs and this he doth once and againe ver 6. ver 6. I haue manifested thy name vnto the men which thou gavest me
know God for his foe if thou art not his childe thou canst not but be his enemy Ponder this well and see what will follow herevpon to wit that whosoever prayeth without right and interest in the Lord may hope for no more happines then he that is a suitor to one that is both a meere stranger and a manifest enemy to him and that you know can be but a poore issue a pittifull successe And I doe appeale to the soule of any vngodly person with what affection or consolation he had prayed with what favour and compassion he hath beene answered Let him speake without flattery of his owne hart and I feare not to be judged by himself But if he should flatter himself and others and affirme he hath prayed comfortably and beene answered graciously it is apparant that he hath lyed both to God and men for the Lord protesteth his deepest detestation both of their persons and supplications and procliameth to all men that either they are not heard at all or if in any kinde they obtaine any thing it is nothing but a curse Mal. 2.2 or a blessing acursed to them Now then if such be the misery and vnhappines of those that haue no interest in the Lord their mercy and comfort must be much that haue it and can goe to God with sounde assurance of it Looke what odds there is betweene a father and an aduersary betweene one that is dearely beloued deepely abhorred such must be the difference of their suites and the successe of them that can clayme a title in the Lord and that cannot And this is our last reason And now I hope the point is plentifully plainely proved and that you are all perswaded that he may goe to God with joy that hath God for his God From the prooffe of which truth let vs now proceed to the application of the same and that to all sorts of menwhome it doth or may concerne and they are both the children of God for consolation vngodly men for reprehension all men for instruction And first to begin with the saints of God Vse 1 I meane his sons daughters consolation who haue this propriety in God and can truly entitle themselues vnto him they are to know that the truth and the true comfort of this we teach hath vnto them neither end nor measure a begining indeed it hath and it breede's and growe's by degre'es in them but end or measure it knoweth none It is both an infinite and eternall joy vnto them to know themselues to be the Lords and the Lord to be theirs The holy apostle intending to teach all men the meane's of true rejoycing in the Lord laye's his ground herin shewing thereby that the ground of all sound happines â— Cor. 1. â—0 is in this particuler to wit that Christ is of God made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification redemption note that he saith not Christ to be in himself all or any of these but that the joy advantage of each of them is in this that he is made vnto vs that is made of God our wisdome our righteousnes our sanctification our redemption And hence he inferreth that which followeth that as it is written if any man glory let him glory in the Lord ver 31. as if he should say many joy and boast in the Lord Iesus but it is according to their owne vayne conceit but the maÌ„ that will rejoyce warraÌ„tably as it is written let him make this sure that what Christ is he is vn to him his wisdome his righteousnes c. all other is but fonde but this is souna rejoycing Satans abetts vs to the former but God will beare vs out in this latter And the comfort benefit joy and advantage herof will appeare to be more then we can speake 1. Pet. 1. â— euen ioy vnspeakable and glorious if we shall but speake of some few of those infinite perticulers wherin the happines of this our tnterest doth appeare our instances shall not be many but those we take shal be manifest to our purpose and we will make choise of such especially as may most despight the diuell who in nothing more doth shew himself to be indeed a diuell an aduersary to vs then in this our interest right which he endeavour's to nullify and make voyd as in all passages betwixt God and vs soe most especially in these wherof we are now to treat which are evident to every sincere christians experience in himself and observation in others The first is in the very point we haue in hand to wit in prayer wherin he never spare's to vexe Consolation in Prayer torture our soules with our alienation from God vpbrayding vs that we are none of his nor he any of ours and therfore what make we to call vpon him to whome we can make no claime and soe doth all he can either to discourage vs from prayer if it may be or if not to discomfort vs in prayer But we haue notwitstanding wherin to rejoyce with God as we sayd our right in him is our rejoycing before him and that in this perticuler of our prayers For why from hence that he is ours and we his we haue both free accesse vnto him and gracious acceptance with him a man may goe freely to his owne and be sure to be accepted when he come's where he hath right Who ever went to God with this claime that came without this comfort Looke vpon some of the saints of God and see how they haue done and goe and doe likewise when good king Asa came to God in the great distresse and extraordinary danger wherin he was by reason of his many and mighty enemyes note how he fall's vpon God and faste'ns with his interest vrged once 2. Chron. 14.11 ver 12.13.14.15 jtterated againe and againe and Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God againe Helpe vs o Lord our God yet againe O Lord thou art our God Thus freely he went thus freely he spake to God and the successe did well shew that such a prayer may doe more then an army of men with great power The Lord can witholde no comfort from theÌ„ that thus lay holde on him The like may be noted in worthy Nehemiah who besought the Lord for the Iewes of the captivity he that readeth let him consider how abuÌ„dantly he doth presse the Lord with his right in them theirs in him nothing is more ordinary in all his requests then this particuler heare the prayer of thy servant Neh. 1.6 which I pray before thee for the children of Israel thy seruants and againe Now these are thy people and thy servants and yet againe ver 10. ver 11. let thine eare be open to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants wich desire to feare thy name Thus you see how he insisteth herevpon as vpon that which he did
people doe say the same herin that God himself doth But let vs enquire of vngodly men we shall perceive the power of this truth to be such that they who haue not any part or portion in it thēselves are copelled to confesse the comfort of it for others Such is the cleare light the quickening life of it that even these are dazeled with it can doe no lesse but freely acknow ledge the same through that strong conuiction which doth enforce thē to beleeue it yet afford's thē no true comfort by it Many a wicked man standes convinced of much truth Note who can be comforted by none nay the truth they know is so farre from making them any way confortable that it make's them more inexcusable So was it in this point with those two pagan kings Nebuchadnezzar Darius Nebuchadnezzar had tyrānically throwne the three children into the fiery fornace Dan. 3. for refusing to worship his false God The true God was resolved to rescue them seing he saw their faith and affiāce in him to be so sound vnmoveable note that this their resolution of spirituall loyallty was grounded on their interest they had in God as they tell the king to his teeth our God is able to deliuer vs c. being freed from the fury of the king ver 17. feircenes of the fire he who cast thē in evē this heathē tyrant whē he saw their miraculous deliverāce by the mighty hand of God cānot containe himself but must magnify both this their God and those his seruāts that not only by words but by a law and statute made to that end saing Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach ver 28. ver 29. Abednego who hath sent his Angell deliuered his servants c. Therefore I make a decree c. The like to this is seene in the 6. Dan. 6 chapter in Daniels case against whome an vnjust cruell act was got that for his piety to the Lord he must now be made a pray to the lions well the decree is grāted irrevocably sealed according to the māner of the Medes Persiās The king assoone as he came to know how it was was exceeding sorry for what he had done doth what he can to free Daniell but whē he see 's that it cānot be he labour's to comfort him against that distresse from which he could not deliver him what is it where with he doth endeavour to cheere him a man would thinke it must sure be some extraordinary argument that must encourage a man in this case why it is even this Thy God whome thou servest ver 16. ver 20. ver 22. he will deliver thee and againe O Daniell the seruant of the liuing God thy God withall note Daniells answer my God hath sent his Angell c. Thus this godles man must give witnes to this gratious truth confesse that a mans right in the Lord is able to beare him out against the greatest cruelty that can be excercised vpon him Nay the Lord did not only make this man but those beasts also Psal 105.15 the lyons after a sort to know that they had a servant of his among them whome they might not touch a prophet to whome they must doe no harme Thus we have abundant evidence hervnto and we see this our second consolation is most cleare that a man who hath the Lord to his freind and is interessed into him 1. Pet. 1.8 hath wherin to joy though for a season he may be in heavines through many afflictions as the apostle Peter speaketh and well may he rejoice in this truth that hath these three to beare record to it when God speaketh it and Godly men acknowledg it and vngodly men cannot deny it it must needes be a truth past all controlement and of singuler good consequent to the marvelous comfort of so many as have part in it For this is a sure thing Note that whensoever the Lord smites any of his owne in what measure soever it be the mercy is infinite which doth accompany their least visitation but as for wicked men being none of his some measure there may be in their present calamities but no mercy at all in any of them And this is the second consolation The third follow'es and that farre exceed'es the two former Consolation against Corruption by how much the vertue of it doth extēd it self to helpe vs against the venyme of our corruption A true christian is much more tender and sensible of sin then of sorrow of transgression then afflictiō of any thing that dishonour's God then of all things that doe or can distresse himselfe Noe darts of the divell can so much dismay the minde of a childe of God and make him feare he is none of Gods as those which Satan shoote's at vs in this respect He knowe's too well that the offences of the faithfull will pinch wring them and therefore he is ever arguing from them against vs to anihilate our interest in our God and labour 's ever to proue that we can haue no good title being guilty of such great and grosse transgression as he vsually by infernall aggrauation suggesteth the sins of Gods saints to be It is his manner to make the most and the worst of all their faylings and to gall and sting their consciences with the greatnes of them When he tempteth vs to them Note they are but naturall infirmities but when he accuseth vs for them they are notorious impieties now we are foule where before we were but frayle And such evills as he can prevaile with vs to commit he vrgeth against the comfort of our interect in him against whome they are commited and thinks he hath enough against vs to proue vs none of Gods because since our calling we have so sinned against him But our God whose children we are and he our Father will have vs to know vnderstand better both in respect of our sins and in respect of our selues Touching our sins that it is too true that after true grace receiued we transgresse too groffly we are no way to deny it but by all meanes to be throughly humbled for it and to greive in our soules that we should liue to greive him by sin who hath taken vs on to be his owne But touching our selues no such consequence can follow as Satan would inferre to wit that because we are sinners therefore we are not saints we are offendors therefore not faithfull we haue such and such euills in vs therefore we haue no interest in God this argumentation is Satanicall God never disputed soe against any of his Nay Gods reasoning is quite contrary for wheras the divell doth vrge our offences to frustrate our right in the Lord the Lord doth vrge our interest in him to confirme his loue and favour to vs and to nullify our sins in his sight And this we will
mouthes that may prevayle vpon himself telling them what they shall say when they come to supplicate before him in this their sinfull state Ps 89.26 ver 30.31 c. So we finde in the Psalme He shall cry vnto me thou art my father my God and the rock of my salvation and then God shewe's what shall follow to wit that they shal be partakers of all his mercy though they have comitted much impiety no evill that they have done against him shall deprive them of any good he intendeth to them Doth not the Lord herevpon invite the backsliding I sraell to returne and be received into grace againe and doe not they come with these comfortable words Behold we come vnto thee Ier. 3.22 for thou art the Lord our God Is not Israell and that when it was every way Hos 14.1 an ill time with thē hence hartened to come home to God O Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God are they not taught of God how to make their supplications before him soe as he may shew thē mercy Take unto you words say take a way all iniquity receiue vs graciously c. Oh deare bretheren that we could spend more then a few thoughts vpon this infinite mercy of our heavenly father and well bethink vs of their blessednes that be his even at their worst What happines is it to be once his when as we see no sin no punishment after that can make vs truly vnhappy any more Let vs take some time to take these things into our consideration the true meditation wherof would melt and dissolue the soule of any that is not hell-hardened seared vp to eternal wrath that the Lord should make soe much of such as be his owne that his interest in them theirs in him should soe overstand all their iniquity that all his goodnes should euer stand with them And fully to fortify and secure the soules of all the elect in this comfort soe as that they may ever rest vnremovably therin and be firmly fenced against the strength of the most infernall temptations in this perticuler let vs call to minde and remember and ponder well that the Lord Iesus Christ our deare redeemer layd claime to his father in the midst of his suffrings when he stood in the steed and state of all elect sinners and was now soe heavily crush't with his fathers jndignation and the lawes curse and maleaiction the full weight that is the infinite fullnes therof lying vpon his righteous soule and body that he could not containe but must cry out in our nature as a forsaken creature yet he know'es both what he saye's and whose he is my God my God Beholde the sins of all the saints of God and all the justice due vnto them cannot cancell this claime betweene Christ and his father it is still my God my God in the midst of inconceivable calamity the curse of the law cannot cut off this loue betweene God and him And what can followe from hence to vs but many most heavenly consolations to wit that if all the sins of all the elect could not part God and him much lesse can all the sins of any one of the elect doe it in themselues if the guilt of millions of men and every man having many millions of sin did not vndoe this knot of loue betweene the Lord and his Christ how can it be conceiued that the sins of any one can dissolue it though they be exceeding many considering that he was now vnder the law and we through his subjection there-vnto are free from the law and vnder grace as also that his father frowned vpon him for our sake's but for his the lorde shynes vpon vs as being satisfyed for those offences of ours the deadly poyson dreadfull sling wherof he felt on our behalf that soe we might escape the same Now is Gods law satisfyed and his loue purchased and we redeemed from the one and restored to the other how then can we feare any such force in our iniquities as to sever betwene the Lord and vs seing now notwitstanding our sins we appeare spotles and blameles before him in loue Eph. 1.4 and are as fully reconciled as if we had never once offended Small matters will not part great freinds our sins are not great when Gods grace come's to measure them or when we compare them there with Men doe not much lesse doth God make the most and speake the worst of their freinds faylings we take litle notice of their offences that are greatly in our favour the Lord doth likewise who promiseth to put away the sins of his saints as the windes doe a cloud or a fog because they are his seruants and that he will's them in any wise to remember Remember these for thou art my servant Is 44.21 O Iacob and I sraell for thou art my servant thou shalt not be forgotten of me I haue put away thy sins as a mist c. ver 22. There is no possibility that any impiety of ours should either make vs none of Gods Note or God none of ours None of Gods elect can commit that sin which should make them none of his They that are borne of God saith saint Iohn doe not 1. Ioh. 3.9 nor cannot comitt sin that is to say they cannot sin soe as by their sin commited the Lord and they should be parted and all interest fall betweene them If we looke how the Lord accounts of his childrens corruptions after their calling we shall see Numb 23.21 that he doth beholde thē with a most mercifull eye or rather not at all beholde thē but in his loue overlooke's them looke's vpon vs as if we were without them as if we were just righteous persons for soe are the saints often called in opposition to sinners and vngodly men Loe Ioh 9.31 1 Tim. 1.6 our iniquities cannot blemish our name before God how shall they be able to blott out our right Our Lord Iesus Christ who as we heard even now made his owne claime good when he did beare all our evill did also make it well to appeare that the vertue therof is become ours inasmuch as immediately after his resurrection he send 's Mary to his disciples to certify them that he was risen and giue 's his message to her in these words Ioh. 20.17 Goe say to my bretheren Behold I ascend to my father and to your father to my God and to your God these were the first fruits of his favour wherin you see they are called bretheren of whome the last newes we heard was that they all forsooke him and fled yet doth Christ lesus entitle himself to them being not ashamed to call them and vs all bretheren and them with himself to God calling him my father your father my God your God Nay even Peter is included in this number Mar. 16.7 and goe's for a brother he is put in by
name by one Euangelest least any man should imagine that his foule denyall should haue thrust him out Who is he then that dreame 's or if any doe whence is it that he is deluded once to conceit that there can be any such poysonfull power in the euills of Gods elect as may eate out either his precious respect to them or their deare and vndoubted right in him no no his kindnes is soe incomparably beyond any corruption in vs that a foolish man might with as good reason feare that one drop of water were able to quench the whole element of fire or one sparke of fire might dry and drinke vp the whole Ocean of water as that any transgression of ours could cancell that incomprehensible compassion of his by vertue wherof we are for ever most firmly vnited to him For this cause appeared the son of God saith Iohn that he might loose the works of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 and tye vs to our God againe whose we were once before but mutably in our creation that henceforth we might ever be his and that vmmoueably by redemption And did Iesus Christ doe and endure soe much both in his life and death and all to make vs fast to our best father by this blessed interest and shall it now enter into any mans hart that the perfection power and meritt of all this shall perish and be of none effect through our corruption Farre be it from any soule to offer such indignity to Christs meritts and Gods loue to him and mercy to vs in him I say not but our sins may provoke him to chastise vs sharply but to reiect vs vtterly Psal 89.33.34 â—5 that cannot be and that we may beleeue it the Lord our God hath both sayd and sworne it The child of a naturall father cannot doe any thing that can disanull that band of blood which is betweene them he may doe much yea too much to provoke his father against him but it is not possible he should doe that which should make him none of his father or himself no childe to his father He may most truly say he is my father and I am his childe when he hath transgressed deepely How much more impossible is it then that our heavenly father should giue vs over or that we should soe transgresse as to take away that farre neerer and supernaturall conjunction which is sealed by the blood of Christ which blood of his hath not only a reconciling vertue for our rebellions past but also a purging and a preserving vertue for time to come to cleare vs of the guilt of those evills we doe commit and to keepe vs from committing such as might any way impaire our interest Here is then a great calme of comfort for every soule that is afflicted and tossed with tempests that is with violent and vile temptations which in this kinde Satan doth cast vpon them here may the soules of Gods saints ankor safely and returne to their rest as into that haven wherin they shall neede to feare no wrack or ruine in the least but may expect most hopefull and happy successe of all their heavy conflicts with Ro. 16.20 the divell that Iesus Christ shall trample him vnder their feete shortly as he doeth promise and raise vp them to those heavenly advantages Micah 7.19 which they shall enjoy with him their head casting their sins into the bottome of the sea that they may never reviue or be recovered againe to rise against vs Ezek. 18.22 nay not so much as once mentioning them unto vs in way of reproach but remooving them as farre from himself as they would have removed vs from him that soe we might ever be joyned to the Lord yea so inseparablie joynted into him that we may be for ever and ever one with him and soe be assured that we are his and he ours for ever and ever in that vnrepealable covenant of life peace which he hath more deepely sealed in the blood of his son then any guilt of our sin can cancell Wherof to secure our soules let vs once for all er'e we couclude this comfort take good knowledge that such is his goodnes that rather theÌ„ our sins shall make vs none of his Ps 61. 2. Cor. 5.21 he hath made our sins none of ours laying them vpon that rock that is higher then we even vpon Christ who was made sin for vs whose righteousnes is made ours rather then for want therof we should not be his So that now Christ is our sin we are Gods righteousnes how then can it be God should not be our father can those sins hinder whose property is altered and they layd vpon another No no it is enough for the sins of wicked men whose sins are their owne and themselues none of Christ's to barre them from clayming any confortable interest in the Lord Rom. 7.17 the faylings of the saithfull are of no such force It is no more I saye's Paul but sin that dwelleth in me and if our sins may be sayd to be rone of ours it is absolutely impossible but we should be Gods and so to be how often doth the Lord in infinite mercy acknowledg vs and shall not we in duty acknowledg him shall we dare to neglect his loue and deny his grace soe freely and frequently offred unto vs. Farre be this fearfull evill from all the faithfull And now in consideration of the premisses let all the faithfull draw necre vnto him in faith and he will draw neere vnto them in favour they shal be his sons and daughters and he their God and father for ever And this is our third consolation The fourth and lasâ— followe's and that is not the least but indeed the greatest Consolation comprehending the best benefit of this our interest in our God to wit all the good which we can receive either here while we are vnder vanity and corruption or that which the Lord doth further reserve for our possession in the glory of his owne kingdome when mortality shal be swallowed vp of life All the promises of this life and of that which is to come are wrapped vp in this our title vnto God He that hath God to be his hath them all for his owne may safely claime them and shall assuredly come to enjoy them in due time It is a remarkeable thing that throughout all Gods booke which is the storehouse of his blessed promises vnto vs all the mercy promised and every promise wherin any happines is contayned hath this seale And I wil be their God and they shal be my people Moses and the Prophets are full and doe abound with this comfortable close of Gods covenant of which covenant whatsoever the contents be this is still the conclusion and ratification I wil be theirs they shal be myne and that includeth the full confirmation of every favour of what rate or sort soever it be It would not be meete
conceive the extent of that mans sin Note or the damnation due to him for the same whome the divell can draw to doe worse then he himself dare's doe We may well thinke there is something in it that Satan will not doe as you sinners doe in this kinde What may we thinke of it or what may an jmpious wretch think of himself in it when he shall see himself in some sort more sinfull then the authour of sin It may be the divell do's not claime any right because he knowe's he hath none and that it is but vayne the sin will increase his confusion and no way advantage him Would to God wicked men were herin as wise as the diuell and knew also that it were vaine for them to doe thus and that it would make their state more vile encreasing their sin to make it more haynous and adding to their punishment to make it more heavy seing that in their present estate of vngodlines they are no more capable of this comfort then Satan is Cease then O yee sifnull men to doe that indignity to the Lord which the diuell dare's not offer will yee be more sinfull more shamelesse then he nay then many a divelish wretch who having had occasion to speake of God yet have had more modesty and not soe much jmpiety as you herin Pharaoh might be instanced for one when he soe often called for Moses and Aron to pray to the Lord for his deliverance from divers plagues you never heare him say no not once pray to the Lord my God Exo 8 25. but either to the Lord or to the Lord your God Ieroboam may be brought for another who as at other times soe in that one wherin he intended violence to the man of God and God executed justice vpon him for the same by the drying vp of that cruell hand which was stretched out to smite him whome the Lord sent to warne him of his sin jmmediately vpon the manifestation of that strange vengance vpon him the godles wretch is enforced to intreat the man of God to be a suitor for him that his hand might be restored vnto him and in vttering his minde to him herin what saie's he why even that which may shame and confound the prophane o'nes of our dayes 1. Kin. 13.6 intreat now the Lord thy God for me c. he doe's not he dare's not call him his God yet you know he is branded of God for much jmpiety but not to be blamed for this Beholde these imps of hell with many more that it were most easy to multiply though in many things they were most abbominable yet in this one they would not be soe execrable as the audacious sinners of our daies are And will yee out-goe the diuell himself and such of his as are marked of the Lord for monstrous rebells and for miserable reprobates Surely it shal be easier for these in the day of judgment then for you But if you will in the meane time be exhorted and instructed know that it is now easier to see this sin and to shun both it and the vengeance due vnto it and to seeke the face of the Lord vnfaynedly that you may come out of this sin of calling him yours and by grace be called effectually to become his This may be done while the day of grace yet shyneth endeavour to it before that day of the Lord come which is darknes and not light wherin they only shall finde grace with the Lord who before hand can finde that grace in themselves wherby they are made like vnto him and by the evidence of this consimilitude can claime their interest in him And this is our second vse vnto wicked men The third followeth Vse 3 Information and that concerneth all men for information in a point exceeding needfull and important whereof it is now time that we take some good notice considering what hath beene sayd of the happines of such as have it and their misery that are without it And that is the way and meanes to come to a true tryall of our selves herin whether the Lord be our God or not and how we may assuredly know and discerne the same There are ceartaine infaillible marks whereby this interest is made manifest and he that is without them is vndoubtedly as yet without any interest in the Lord. Let vs endeavour to make enquiry after them that soe if we haue them we may joy if not yet knowing what they are we may seeke them where they are Well then would any mā be throughly resolved how to determine this case of conscience to know without controversy how he may know whether the Lord be his and he the Lords or noe let him then vnderstand that where any such propriety is betweene God and man the same cannot be hyd but will breake out vpon him in whome it is and that by such apparant signes as will shew themselues to be vndenyable evidences therof It is no close or concealed matter it is not nice or abstruse to discover this right where it is it will reveale it self by such operations of God in vs as doe argue the same effectually For of this one thing we may not be ignorant that the interest betweene God his children is not meerely tituler as if to entitle him ours were all no it is a true reall and powerfull interest arising touching the declaration therof out of those things which he hath so wrought in vs as by them we may well know he hath wrought vs into himself It is his worke in vs wherby alone we are warranted to be his But come we to vnderstand the particulers what workes these are that soe by a wise discerning of them we may not be deceiued in our owne estate and right For it doth manifestly appeare that the want of this search hath occasioned much mistaking on either side making both some of Gods saints who haue this right not to thinke soe and others who where never posest of it to presume vpon it To the end therefore that neither may at any time heareafter be misconceiued of their owne condition but both may know themselves as they are we will now begin to make plaine declaration of the particulers which will put this point out of question The ceartaine signes of our interest in God Yet before we enter vpon any one of them we are to know that they are all consisting of such things as he hath given vs. Whosoever is the Lords hath something of his to shew even some such things as are not given to any but his owne noe common kindnesses or generall mercies but such peculiar previledges as are preper to the elect alone and being see doe argue infaillibly that they are elected of the Lord to be his precious and beloved ones And now to come vnto them they are these that follow First whosoever may make any clayme to the Lord Signe 1 must disclaime all sin and
who would not say were he not his neere freind or his father he would never refuse such offers suffer such oppressions as he doth for his sake By the same reason is our nearenes vnto God concluded And this conquering power of his spirit wherby we prevayle against all things in this kinde is not communicable to any but such who have received the same as their earnest penny and seale that they are the Lords And these three among many others which we might speake of are sufficient assurances vnto vs that we have received this spirit which spirit doth assure vs that we are the children of God And thus we see the signes of our interect in the Lord our God whervpon we have the more largely and somewhat the longer insisted because it is much materiall to every man to know well and be stedfastly setled in the assured evidence and true tryall of this point wherin soe many wicked men doe deceive themselues by secure presumption and soe many of Gods owne children are deceived in themselues through their owne ignorance weaknes for want of due information We have now no more to say touching this vse of the point but by these aforesayd signes to set every one a worke even a searching of himself whether he can finde them within him or noe And therin let every one in the feare of God and as he tender's the favour of God deale soundely and vnpartially with his owne soule sift himself as in the sight of God before whome he must appeare one day and be judged acording to this word which hath from him beene spoken herin He that cannot discerne them in himself let him haste to the Lord of whome they may be had cease clayming any right in the Lord till he have obtayned them and begin to greiue in his owne soule for that he hath beene soe seduced all this while thus boldely to abuse the Lord being none of his not thinking themselves a litle judebted to his patience who hath rejourned that justice which even for this sin might long since have seized vpon them and sent them to Satan whose vassalls all such are as by him are set on thus blindely to challeng the Lord to be theirs without any sight or sounde assurance of these signes in themselves And to them that have obtained received them who doe see them in themselues and can shew them to others wherevnto come's all this that we have sayd but vnto their wonderfull consolation the confirmation wherof flowe's naturally from the possession of these peculiar loue-tokens which the Lord giveth to none but to such as to whome he giveth himself that they that have them might also know that they have him And what a happines that is who can imagine for what can a man have more to make him most happy he that rightly knowe's what God is may give some guesse at the absolute and vnspeakable advantages of that man who hath right in the Lord and from the glimpse of them for that is all that can be gotten in this life their infinite fulnes is reserved till we come to glory may learne to give some prayse even with his soule vnto him for the most gracious recovery of this interest vnto vs which once we razed out by our owne rebellion he hath raised vs into it againe out of the riches of his grace Who shall not laude him and loue him for this that when we were soe wicked that we would not be his but gaue or solde our selves to Satan he will yet be soe loving that he will give himself to be ours and redeeme and purchase vs againe though it cost deare to become his Oh that we could magnify him according to this mercy but it being beyond measure we are not able to attaine to such a strayne of thankfullnes yet let vs dearely beloued straine the utmost we can and doe our best to breath out his honour who hath made vs soe jnestimably happy The saints of God haue abounded in times past and both blessed God because he is the God of his people blessed those people who are the people of God Moses thus blessed Israell Deut. 33.29 1. King 8.55.56 c. Psa 33.12 Psa 144.15 soe did Solomon too David exceedes all other in this subject and is soe oft vpon it both for himself and for the people as if he could never say enough to the point Soe we finde Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord and the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance and the same in another psalme yea in many other psalmes is repeated And in the name of all the saints he speake's all thy workes shall praise thee o Lord Psa 118.28 and thy Saints shall blesse thee And for his owne part Thou art my god and J will praise thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee And last of all Psa 100.4 on the behalf of all lands Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankefull unto him and speake good of his name and why even for this that we are his people and the sheepe of his tasture Now goe we and endeavour to doe likewise seing he hath shewed the like loue vnto vs that our whole man soule and body may blesse him all our dayes As also seing it is such a marueillous mercy to be the Lords let vs by all meanes make our vse and benefit therof so often as we goe to him by supplication and soe often as Satan sett's vpon us by temptation let vs help our selves herewith for it is both a singuler jnducement to moue the Lord to shew vs mercy and it is also an excellent sheild against Satans fury The Lord cannot witholde his favours from his owne neither can the Divell fasten his fiery darts vpon them To proue our selves Gods is armour of proffe against him he cannot peirce it or wounde vs soe long as we have it well gyrt about vs. But if we leave it off or let it hang loose we may soone be hurt Let vs looke to it then and be carefull herin that we damage not our selves and give our enemy aduantage against vs. If herin we acquite our selves well and can follow the Lord with this fruit of his loue his hart is open to vs for good if not Satan will follow vs we lye opē to him for evill It is good then to make our best of this our interest and to plead it vncessantly before the God of heaven from whome we have it Whensoever we speak to him let him heare of vs as of those that have right in him Whatsoever we beg let this be remembred I am thine for this hath beene vrged by all the people of God when they have prayed for any thing for illumination I am thine oh give me vnderstanding for preservation I am thine oh saue me for confirmation or compassion I am the son of
thy handmayd c. And soe for all other comforts of any kinde whatsoever this was ever vrged as we might abundantly instance in Moyses in Dauid in Eliah Iehosophat Hezekiah and many more who many a time pressed God with it Yea which is well worth our nothing God himself hath often rendered this as that which hath as it were wrought vpon himself to respect them in his grace as it were easy to alledge out of many scriptures That one may serve for all which we finde by the prophet But thou Israell art my seruant Is 41.8 ver 9. Iacob whome I haue chosen the seede of Abraham my freind c. Thou art my seruant I haue chosen thee and not cast thee away And if the Lord himself doe make this vse of it to magnify his owne grace to vs we may cōfortably plead it before him to prevaile with him therewith we may be well assured that that which he makes an argument of magnifying his mercy on vs would be of excellent vse and force to pleade before him to moue him to manifest the same mercy to vs. Let vs not then in any wise be sparing herin we cannot be too bolde nor too abundant the Lord like 's that prayer and loue 's that suitor the better that is most full of it And the divell will have least to doe with those which are neerest and fastest to God And therefore to conclude and shut vp this point be it now our perpetuall care and endeavour to doe according to the tennor of that truth we have heard in this our first instruction arising from this interest so stissly pleaded by this blessed Patriarch in that he enter's thus into his petition with these words O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac c. Shewing clearely that he that would have his prayers enter into heaven and be entertayned with God must goe in this way with them And soe much for our first lesson laide downe in these words The end of the first Sermon Having done with his first encouragmēt we proceede to the consideration of his secōd as it lieth in the text following Thou Lord which saidest vnto me Returne into thy countrey c. wher in he now pleadeth his warrant he had from God as before he did his interest he had in God And herein we have two things to thinke off the first is the warrāt it self the second his assuming application therof home to himself The former to wit his warrant he divides into two particulers 1. a precept Returne into thy countrey c 2. a promise and I will deale well with thee From both which we might well note vnto you in the next place this worthy lesson that VVhatsoever we doe without warrant from God is wickedly done So much warrant as any man hath to doe any thing soe much comfort shall he haue in the doing of it If this were not an absolute and an vndenyable truth why did the Lord giue Jacob this comission for his journey or why should Jacob take it and make this vse of it to God himself as he doth it were no favour or mercy to haue it no point of faith no part of our duty to vse or to vrge it if we might be justifyed in any thing we vndertake without it But wee purpose not to prosecute this point at this presēt but to take another occasion if the Lord please to handle it at large Doctrine 2 The thing we ayme at is not soe much the matter of the warrant it self as Iacobs taking of it home applying of it to himself in that he saith Thou Lord who saydest vnto me From which practise of his we may obserue and you must learne thus much That it is the duty of every chirstian to carry the word of God home to his owne hart and to apply it particulerly to himself Looke what sacred truth the Lord hath left recorded for vs and either in any generall speciall or particuler rule of his word revealed to vs as tending to our particuler estate the same soe farre as it toucheth vs in any thing that doth or may concerne vs the Lord looke's we should lay it to our harts and appropriate it to our selves as our owne Every true christian is bounde to apply every part of Gods truth to himself evermore making that his owne which is mean't to him The instance of our text contayneth so cleare an evidence and confirmation of this doctrine and this holy Patriarchs practise is so pregnant for the point that we shall not neede to seeke farre for more witnes to enforce the truth of it Let vs a litle consider his carriage herin We heard before how God had spoken vnto him about this busines of his removall into his countrey here now we have himself not only relating what God said to him herin but also applying the same to his owne hart and state now that he is to goe to heaven for direction and comfort in the same in speaking to God he speakes that which God spake to him thou Lord who sayd vnto me c. he cleave's fast vnto that which he heard from God and let 's God heare of it from him againe he claymes Gods kindnes builde's vpon his precept and promise as vpon a foundation of direction consolation and assurance sufficiently able to beare him out against all opposition what-soever The precept leade's him to begin his journey the promise hartens him to goe on hoth are good to him in the duty he had to doe And we see that as Iacob is faithfull in applying all this so is the Lord carefull in reporting this his practise vnto vs and make's Moses many yeares after it was performed to receive it from his spirit by inspiration and to register it in this his blessed booke that it may remayne written for all ages to come for his approbation for our imitation that we might follow him who hath gone before vs herin and not only know what Iacob hath done but what the God of Iacob require's of vs from this light of his truth both to know to doe in any such cases as may ever become ours in any passage betweene the Lord and vs. In a word what he here did is therefore written and related that we might goe and doe likewise walking in the same path which this true survant of God hath troden out before vs which if we shall endeavour conscionably to doe and to be vpright with the Lord in the same what our benefit and advantage shal be the sequell will shew and we shall ever finde it our happines to lay Gods truth to hart Thus we see the case is cleare in the particuler of our text If we shall looke further abroade for our more assurance in the truth of this instruction and take vp such testimonyes as we might soone finde fasten vpon to this present purpose multitudes would flow apace vpon vs and it would be
or faint-hartednes one or other any or all these or any thing els it is to me vncertaine but sure it is that the Diuell it is that make's them soe froward and affrightfull that they doe not and they pleade they dare not take home Gods holy truth to their harts but forbeare it as forbidden fruit fearing to taste touch or handle any of that which the Lord in infinite favour jntendeth to them being that which doth clearly concerne their states and would would they be so wise as to apply it assuredly comfort their harts Nay Satan is so mighty in them herin and doth soe strongly posesse and strangly perswade them that they doe not only not accept or entertaine but doe shun decline and auoyde the words of grace and fly from every precious promise as from some deadly poyson or stinging serpent and when we have vrged and pressed all that we can conceive to be of any power to perswade men to participate of the sweete sayings of God they put of all from themselves and send vs away with sensles exemption and alienation of all that the Lord meaneth in mercy to them saying of themselves as Iehu to wicked Iehoram 2 king 9.22 what hast thou to doe with peace or as the wicked Iewes to Iudas what is that to vs mat 27. Thus are we put off and thy put out of the possibility of any of this comfort when we or rather the Lord by vs speake's peace vnto them what have I to doe with peace if we open Gods good treasure vnto them and endeavour to convay the riches of Gods truth vnto their poore distressed harts then what is that to me They will graunt all we say to be true in it self as it is Gods word and give full and free assent to the same but if you offer to bring it home to them it is none of theirs not true of them they have a superseadeas for it from Satan to make it all voide and of none effect in their particuler the property is altered if it come to be their case that which we speake is all true but it is much mistaken if it be brought home to their harts and states as if all that God spake were true but all he spake to them were false then which conceit what can be either more vnreasonable or more abhominable Thus doth Satan labour to pervert and frustrate the faithfull word of God which he hath left to prop vp and sustaine the soules of his saints in their distresses In which attempt of his Eph. 4 27. who have giuen more place to the diuell then the children of God who are expressly forbidden to doe it and who have not knowne their heavēly father soe well as to trust him in the truth of his blessed promises but have an eare open to every infernall suggestion and shut against Gods owne sure consolations refusing those sweetest words of grace which might if they did receive them make them truly happy A practise of such peevishnes and jmpiety as must needes be very hatefull and displeasing to God very hurtfull and pernicious to those that are faulty in it because it is most apparantly repugnant to the nature of God to all his precepts to all his childrens practise It is every way against the nature of God as doing infinite jnjury disgrace and indignity To that wisdome that revealed these his promises and sorted them out according to our afflicted state To that truth that confime's and seal'es them to vs and vs to them To that loue wherby we are accepted into the number of those who are capable of them which is not the case of every one no it is noe common thing but proper to the Lords owne sheepe to feede here and to them alone are the comforts of his blessed promises enclosed And as against his nature in his wisdome truth and loue soe further is this practise against his law comanding vs to doe otherwise for are we not enjoyned as we were before informed to lay them to our harts to binde them on our hands to hyde them within vs to have them still about vs as the ornaments we weare to adorne vs or the weapons that defend vs is it not the minde of God doe not we know it to be soe that he would have the soules of his saints to be the harbour receptacle storehouse of all commodity and advantage spirituall that comes from heaven And as it opposeth both his love and his law two wofull things to be withstood soe also goe's it against the holy practise of all those his most beloved one 's whose examples ought to have beene our instructions encouragments herein whose faith we should have followed considering what was the end of their conversatiō their forwardnes in this particuler shame's your sloath their holy violēce your base cowardice grosse negligence Doe but looke vpon some few practices set them before you for your further conviction Exod. 31.10.11 O yee of litle faith Moses was after a sort forbidden to fasten vpon God his promises promised fayre too if he would let the Lord alone not presse him on Israells behalfe with his words of truth yet he will not cease or be set downe ver 13.14 or sayd nay but come's vpon God with many a strong argument drawne from his owne evidence and doth not leave him till he hath prevayled with him And if he did this for others and that when God did seeme to diswade him what would he have done for himself where God did command him Nehemiah Neh. 1.5.10 whome we named in the former point doth also most eagerly entitle himself and the people to the ancient promises of God made long before is an earnest suitor to the Lord to make that good vpon them which in his goodnes he had many yeares agone promised to them But of all other and aboue all other Dauid doth exceede in this one thing and may be the speciall patterne of all Gods people in this practise he was good at it indeede as we might see in many Psalmes Psal 119. but if we survey but some particulers of that one wherin he aboundeth we shall see cause of wonder and admiration to see the odds betweene his faith and the infidelity of Gods people now adayes Let vs see how he behave's himself Sometimes ver 49. he putts God in minde of his promises Remember thy promise made to thy seruants wherin thou hast caused me to trust Sometimes he reveale's the comforting ver 50. yea the quickening power of them it is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Sometimes he prayes for them and rests vpon them and doth after a sort challenge God of his promise ver 76. Let thy mercifull kindnes be for my comfort according to thy promise Sometimes he proclaimes the sweetnes of them to his taste and that he could not if he had not
taken them neere oh how sweete vnto me are thy words c. And lastly ver 103. not to be too tedious in instancing he doth lay a downeright clayme vnto them as his owne land intayled to him and never to be taken from him Thy testimonies haue I claymed as myne heritage for euer ver 111. for thy are the joy of my hart Thus doth good Dauid bestirre him herin and goe's before all Gods people whose commendation and comfort it would assuredly be to trace him in these steps But we neede not stand on particuler persons for we finde that whole churches have done the same in the dayes of their sorrowes So we reade of the church Haue respect to thy covenant and againe The Lord will not cast of his people Psal 74.20 Psal 94.14 micah 7.20 nor forsake his inheritance and yet againe Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworne to our fore-fathers of olde In all these and many the like which we spare to vrge we see the saints carriage and practise whether we coÌ„sider them apart or combined together into one body And now is it a small thing that this threefolde corde should be soe lightly broken wherwith the Lord would binde his people to this practise shall himself his law and his holy ones be all so slighted of vs Have we soe many worthy jnducement to draw vs on and soe many worthies that have gone before us and shall we lye behinde and not once striue or stirre that way nay which is yet worse run a cleane contrary course and fly from our owne comforts to the fearfull aishonour of God and danger of our owne soules through this desperate infidelity Oh deare Christians whervnto will this come what shall we say vnto you â— Cor. 4.21 how shall we intreat you let vs demaund the apostles question shall we come among you with a rod or with the spirit of meeknes when we have to doe with you for this fault well I know we must be wonderfull wary when we have to doe with wounded consciences we will not be too tart with the Lords tender lambes but endeavour since reprooffe must have place here to mixe reprehension and commiseration together inasmuch as we have to doe with afflicted soules and humbled spirits which speake not according to the truth in a setled resolution but according to the distraction and terror of some present temptation wherwith their adversary the divell doth so feircely assault and soe furiously fight against them that they are not able to stand vnder his stroakes but faint and sinke because he is so violent and they soe impotent fayne they would be better perswaded and beleeve professe otherwise if they could but their enemy aboundes with outrage and they are voyd of courage and hence it is he overules them and having captivated the power of Gods spirit in them for the present he make's them speake according to his owne the truth is that the people of God in their perplexity are the divels parhots and by him made to vtter that evill which many times he knowe's not well how to vent otherwise Oh that these poore soules the true most proper subiects of all good mens pitty and prayers did but well know and were throughly convinced that it is not they that doe it but sin yea Satan dwelling in them that the Lord will of his especiall grace discharge them of it and charge it as well he may vpon him who is both his adversary and theirs But the divell is so subtile in dealing with Gods sorrowfull saints that he will be exceeding loth to be seene in this or knowne of it but rather layes it vpon God and provokes many a distracted saint that is not himself to surmize that it is no small jmpiety against God to appropriate the promises And the better to seduce them therin he puts such pretences into their mindes and mouthes as they dreame and jmagine to be of God against whome they thinke they should fearfully offend if they should clayme these heavenly comforts to theÌ„selves Which pretences of his seing they are the maine impediments which hynder the happines of Gods people let vs take such knowledge of them as may make them apparantly knowne to be infernall therefore in no wise to be beleeved but alwayes abborted Among many other two to my obseruation are most vsuall doe prevaile vpoÌ„ the faithfull soe afright them that they dare not meddle but doe in some sort forsake their owne mercy He suggesteth into the dejected soules of these afflicted saints to make their harts the more fearfull 1. that the promises of God are not assigned to them by name how then can they have any interest in them 2. that they are soe vnworthy of them in regard of their wickednes that they dare not owne them or have any thing to doe with them These are the sear-crewes the bug-beares wherwith he make's them to forbeare and put off all But you that thus speake according to temptation now speake according to truth and shame the divell the father of lyes who suborne's these fruitles things against you to rob you of the riches of Gods vnspeakable grace Iob. 28.2 Spake out I say and tell me Is not this to darken the truth of God by words without knowledge which no man ought to doe Is not this to disparage his truth and faithfullnes who is Amen Reu 1.2 Cor. 1.20 the true faithfull witnes that faith that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto us that we might be rooted in the assurance of them Is not this to be beyond all Gods boundes to be besides ones self in our spirituall estate being overcome of a mysticall frenzy to cast of all affiance in the Lord Iob. 9.16 â—7 speaking stroÌ„gly in this distemper as Iob did if I had called vnto him and he had answered me yet would J not beleeve that he had hearkened to my voyce And shall we stand on that which we see will not beare vs but let vs fall nay throw vs downe and make vs fall for soe will these aforesayd pretences doe No be it farre from vs to doe soe And that it may be soe let vs come neerer to a more straight and narrow inquisition touching them which that we may the better doe we will set vpon them seuerally and soe set them out before you that we may shew them and you may see them to be the base subornations of Satan and by him bent to abuse God and beguile you of your blessednes and these two are all his only ends For the first which stiâ—ks so much with many Pretence and wherat they stumble to wit that because they are not named they dare not intermedle they know not that they are mean't or may make bolae with that which is written and wherin others are by name interessed You tell
towards vs. All the hope and happines and all the seare and misery of a man doth wholy consist in that which God conceiveth of him His good opinion of vs doth assure vs to be in a good nay a most excellent condition but it is wofull with the man of whome the Lord thinks ill he is indeede in a hard case of whome he hath a hard conceit If our owne conceites of our owne estates might rule the roaste and beare all before it what sure grounde of any safety could we have in any thing being subject to such grosse aberration in all our apprehensions for through the force of temptation we are diuersly and for the must part erroneously opinionated of our selves sometimes too presumptuously as Dauid when he thought he should neuer have beene mooued Psal 3 v. 6 Ion. 2.4 sometimes to dejectedly as Ionas when he gave himselfe quite ouer for a cast away our ignorance and Satans mallice working with it make's vs many times proud and praeposterous many times slavish 〈◊〉 base ever amisse never in the right for our owne estates therefore there is nothing to be gathered from this false ground of what we imagine seing the Lord who knowes our thoughts long before they come into our harts hath tolde vs that the imaginations of our harts are evill continually Gen. 6.5 Nay which is yet more we may not measure our future estate in this manner vpon those good and warrantable thoughts we have of our selves as when God commandeth and his spirit enlighteneth vs to see our vnworthines and to thinke meanely of our selves as we ought to doe in regard of our sins desert we may not hence collect any such conclusion as we would here inferre For the divell doth abuse vs by double pollieye both in causing vs many times to misse the true apprehension of our estate and if at any time the spirit of God lead vs into a true vnderstanding of the same he perverts the consequence therof and make's that false We being then so subject to this twofolde miscarriage either of false opinion or false conclusion by him suggested vpon our true perswasion let it be farre from vs to frame or enforce any thing concerning our finall condition vpon what we thinke for the present God never built any thing at all that belonges either to our present state of grace or our eternall state of glory vpon this hay stubble chaffe of our apprehensions It is the Lords approbation or disallowance which all the world must stick to for by it all men either stand or fall sinke or swimme liue or dye are condemed or justified for ever Our right and part in himself and all his promises lyes herevpon He cannot erre or be misguided touching vs being the most righteous judge both of Angells and men the elect and reprobate of both as he sayes all is and soe it must be for ever and ever Isa 55.8 Hence it is that the Lord sendes the Iewes word that his thoughts are not as their thoughts as if he should say it matters not what you thinke what I thinke is the thing you must depend vpon ver 9. and that he explanes vnto them in the very next verse where he affirmeth his thoughts to exceede theirs as farre as the heavens sur passe the carth which are every way much more high and excellent What then though you thinke your selfe vnworthy if the Lord thinke you worthy it is well enough you are bounde to the one he is free to the other though it be your duty to account meanely of your self yet it is his mercy to accept you as worthy of his best favours and your estate must be conceived of according to his not your owne estimate So God relleth his people by his prophet Ieremiah Ier. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I have thought concerning you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you and expected end Ioe according to his thoughts soe is it vnto vs by his thinking thus of vs we attaine an expected end Indeede to be but meanely conceited of our selves is no other then we ought to be and if we could thinke ill of our selves without any further such ill consequence concluded thervpon it were well with vs and a sure signe that God thought well of us as we might instance in many particulers vpon whome it hath well appeared that Gods thoughts of them have not beene as their owne have beene Iob 40.4 cap. 42.6.7.8 Jer. 31.18.19.20 Iob thought himself vile but God accounted preciously of him as he that readeth may see â—phraim blamed himself exceedingly and layd much to his owne charge God acquited him yea commended and comforted him abundantly And the same might we say of many more but one shall serve for all and that is Paul who laye's out himself at large in regard of that wickednes which made him vtterly vnworthy of any mercy but most worthy of Gods greatest vengeance and sury He doth freely confesse his foule offences past his blasphemy against God his tyranny against his saints c. And in regard of these we may conceive that he thought himself for ever vtterly vnworthy to intermedle in that holy ministration of the Apostleship and much lesse worthy of any interest in Gods kingdome of glory but did he thence as you doe conclude that he should never receive any consolation because he was vnworthy Noe but the cleare contrary he measured his estate not by his owne estimation of himself but by the Lords approbation of him 1. Tim. 1.12.13 marke his words And I thanke our Lord Iesus Christ who enabled me for he counted me faithfull and put me into his service Consider well the power of this truth in this holy Apostle there was good reason he should judge himself vnworthy yet no reason that he should therefore esteeme himself incapable of Gods favour he settle's his soule and rests his hart as vpon a rock on that which the God of heaven did conceive of him and as God did account of him so was he comforted in himself All the thoughts of his owne worthlessnes could not debarre his blessednes but Gods accounting of him worthy made him blessed And this is our second evidence against this pretence Thirdly Eviden ∣ ce 3 this pretence intimates that our vnworthynes is the only barre of our interest and benefit in Gods promises and soe consequently that our worthynes is our evidence to clayme them by and neither of these have either any truth or true comfort in them but much presumption is in the one and foule falshood in both For why it is more then manifest that the Lord never meant to founde his favours vpon any such ground in vs but only and meerely vpon his owne free grace loue and faithfullnes that in these he might be magnisied of vs. Doe we not vnderstand thus much plainely by that which the Lord saith when he putts the
all temptation giving no place to the divell or any instigation of his touching the application of the truth of God Let it not greiue vs a litle that we have given see much eare to him already and that the Lord hath beene soe slenderly beleeved of vs. Our insidelity hath done the Lord wōderfull dishonour we haue ill shewed our selves children of such a father whenas like froward infants we haue refused the sweetnes he hath provided for vs and even put into our mouthes We must soundly repent of this refractary carriage or els we may live to cry for that which now we will not have It were our part and duty rather to pant after the truth of God and to faint for want of it then thus frowardly to put it from vs when it is so lovingly proffered to vs. We litle know what we doe in refusing to receive his gracious truth he never spake that which was not worthy that we should heare it conscionably and lay it vp carefully Let vs resolve to doe soe heareafter and thinke him worthy of all prayse from vs who hath revealed his truth soe clearely as it may be entertayned of vs comfortably And if we will thus doe and endeavour hervnto we shall soone see what inconceivable consolations the Lord hath reserued for vs in those promises he hath revealed to vs. If this reproffe worke kindely to purge out this evill we may then give you some taste of the good the Lord hath in store for you Shall we speake euill to our selves where God speake's good or turne his goodnes into our owne euill this is for Satan not for saints to doe Strive we to doe as the Lord would have vs and if we will now cease to lend an care to the divell and further for ever hearken to our God we shall see what more he hath to say to his people in the second place from the truth of the doctrine which we have propounded And all that is sayd by God touching his people is only good Consola ∣ tion 2 for if it be an absolute and infaillible truth that every one ought to apply that truth of God which God speaketh to him then may all the Lords saints know for a surety that all the sacred blessed and sweete sayings of God contayned in his booke are now become their owne the Lord intende's they should apply and enjoy them Not a good word is fallen any where from the mouth of God but the same is wholy and solely meant to the soules of his children he sptake it of purpose that they might take it it was reuealed by him that it might be receiued by them Noe heavenly tydings of gladnes and great joy no speech of life and peace either for present or eternall happines but it is meant and sent by God to them and from him they have it sometimes immediately from his owne mouth I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace to his people to his saints c. Psal 83.8 Luk. 2.10 sometimes by the ministrey of Angells Beholde we bring you glad tydings of great joy c. The Lord hath nothing to say on his churches childrens behalf but when thy speake to him to answer them with good words comfortable words Zach. 1.13 as the prophet Zachariah tell 's vs. Whatsoever is found any where that savours of any saving efficacy or excellency it is appropriated to them by the Lord himself who is the sole authour and the allsufficient founder of the same He sets open the fountaine of grace and compassion to the house of David his servants Zach. 13.1 and to their only vse benesit and behooffe is it reserved such only may drinke of the water therof as he hath of his grace put apart to partake of himself it is noe open place for all persons or any ordinary for all commers but enclosed and jmpaled to the Lords people alone All the consolations of God are theirs Isa 52.12 God himself sayes it both by his prophet I euen I am he that comforteth and by his apostle blessed be God the father of all mercy and God of all consolation who comforteth us in all our tribulation c nay he gives so much that if they will receive it their consolations may abounde not only in themselves but towards others they may have comfort to spare that we may comfort others with the same comforts wherewith we were comforted of God Comfort yee comfort yee my people will your God say Isa 30.1 speake comfortably to Ierusalem cry unto her that her jniquity is pardoned her warfare is accomplished c Behold how freely how fully the Lord speake's how he doubles his comforts Comfort yee comfort yee and jtterates his words Speake comfortably cry vnto their and this saith the prophet will your God say it may be nay it is sure the divell◠and the world will say otherwise to you thus to others it is their manner miserably to misapply all that God saith they vse having their heads yea their harts full of ydle proclamations to promise peace to themselues and their fellowes in jmpiety and prophanes and out of their owne spirits to blesse themselves and discomfort the saints of the living God but if the Lord once open his mouth and come to speake his minde we are to know that his words which are simply good in themselves and himself absolutely able to make them good to vs are to be vttered only to his owne none but they are spoken too when he speakes good He drawes out the breasts of his consolations to them but shuts vp his bosome to all others not a drop of this milke is for any mans mouth but his owne babes and to them both breasts are tendered that they might drinke freely and have thier full draught Soe saith the Lord by his prophet Isa 66.10 Rejoyce with Ierusalem all ye that loue her c that yee may sucke the breasts of her consolations and be satiffyed that yee may milke out and be satiffyed with the abundance of her glory For thus saith the Lord ver 11. ver 12. I will extend peace like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall yee sucke and be borne upon her sides and be dandeled upon her knees As one whome his mother comforteth ver 13. soe will I comfort you and yee shal be comforted in Jerusalem And when yee shall see this your hart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish the hand of the Lord shal be knowne towards his servants c. Thus in this most comfortable metaphor doth the Lord make knowne his mercy and favour and we all know the most that can be manifested in nature is betweene the tender babe and the loving mother and this similitude the Lord assumeth to resemble his vnto vs the nature wherof cannot be fully shaddowed by any thing vnder
take them are they not left voyd as serving for none as good for nothing Besides how many sins are wrapped vp in thy refusall of these threatnings O thou wicked man consider soe is there not infidelity Joh. that thou belevest not they belong to thee and he that beleeveth not is condemned already Is there not pride of hart that stoope's not to that which may humble thee Pro. all that are proud in hart are abhomination to the Lord. Is their not grosse ignorance that thou knowest not the state of thy hart to require this physike and hath not God sworne that ignorant persons shall never come to heaven Psal 95.10.11 They have not knowne my wayes therefore I sware in my wrath they shall never enter into my rest Nay what impiety is there not in this neglect to take notice of that which the Lord would fasten vpon you for your humilitation and soe consequently for your saluation if you would receive the same And doe you not in thus doing forsake your owne mercy and force Gods justice vpon your owne soules How happy were it you could see your vnhappines herin But because you will not conscionably looke after it the Lord will not shew it and soe you sinke and perish in the indignation of God for want of due consideration of it Thus you have your motives such as we can give vnto you to perswade your better care and circumspection touching your selves and your soules estate before the great God of heaven by whome you must be adjudged at the last and great day of his glorious appearance You see that as yet you condition is miserable and accursed for either you apply none of his truth at all or you misapply all you meddle with and his majesty cannot beare either of these both being dishonorable to him and damnable to you Gather these few motives into your myndes and ponder well and throughly vpon them thinke how it is in each perticuler and in them all together let them take place vpon you give no more place to the divell that Gods heavenly word should have no place in you Desire to open your harts to his voyce but first desire him to open them to himself he never opened heaven to any whose hart he did not open to heare and apply his word aright If therefore after all that is sayd you remaine as before closed stopt up that the truth of God cannot enter know for a surety from the God of truth that heauen is shut against you hell only is open to you and thither must you goe to him even Satan that would not suffer you to come to God whose suggestioÌ„s as you obayed soe now shall you receive of the Lord the just recompence of reward due therevnto from his infinite wrath and vengeance for ever and ever But if you will returne and repent he will leave a blessing behinde him â—ocl 2. there is mercy with him for you here there is glory with him for you in heaven And thus much for those motiues that may incite all sorts of men to apply the truth of God Now if any childe of God or any other would know vpon what tearmes they might be bold to apply the promises of grace let them looke back into the signes of their interest into Christ layd open in the former point pag. 55. c. and they will also serve for sound warrant herevnto for whatsoever doth interest vs into him doth together with him give vs right to all other things The end of the second sermon NOw from the application of the things God spake vnto Iacob wee are by due order to proceede to the things that were spoken to him which he doth apply vnto himself and they are lying in these latter words of the verse Returne into thy country to thy kindred I will deale well with thee which words doe containe in them these two particulers 1. a precept Returne into thy country to thy kindred 2. a promise And J will deale well with thee I might take them a sunder and handle them severally and I did intende it but because time will not suffer me to doe soe I will gripe them togeather and intreat of them both at once in one generall instruction and that is this That Doct. 3 whosoever wil be willing to doe as God will haue him shal be sure to fare well The onely way to be well dealt withall is to resolue to be ruled by the Lord to be ordered by him to be at his finding disposing for all our wayes of setling or remooving going or abiding to or from any place to set vpon or let alone any practise This is the high way to be truely happy the onely course that can be to be in a state assuredly comfortable that a man will cast himself and his affaires vpon the Lord and doe in all things as he will have him God himself shall tell vs the truth of this point from heaven and avouch and seale it vnto vs by his owne most sacred word to Iacob which words we see Iacob doth plead before the Lord and fathers them vpon him and vrgeth them to him and the Lord doth graciously acknowledge them as his owne and doth actually accomplish them vpon him as in all other cases he had done before soe in this particuler now in hande wherin though he feared nothing more then hard and rigourous dealing cruell and tyrannicall carriage yet being willing to doe as God bade him he sounde nothing lesse but in stead therof he had all loving intreatie and most kinde brotherly entertainement that might be Now then seing God first spake it to Iacob Iacob doth now vrge it to God God in this ever after made it good to him it is a truth past controversy an vndoubted truth that may passe without all colour of doubt or question It may well goe for a rule That he that wil be ruled by God shall ceartainely fare well Neither did this begin to be a truth now at this time as if it had never beene soe before but it was thus from the beginning and began to be experimentally true as the first man that ever God made gave a law vnto for doing his will can well and soundly certify vs that well doing well-being went ever togeather How much present happines comfort welfare was provided for Adam in the state of his innocency and obedience it had beene happy for him and vs had he continued in his subjection to the law of his maker doe this liue How well was he in his paradice wherin what he was in his person by created nature and grace what he had for his portion in things naturall and spirituall wee can give some guesse out of the records of sacred writtings but what he should have beene had he continued his obedience without transgression when from earth he should have beene translated to heavens happines that
dealeth with many of his owne is not to be discerned by any of these things alone neither can be You see how the son of his loue our Lord Christ fared in these owtward earthly respects should any thing be concluded against him vppon this grounde and if not against Christ why against Christians Besides what should I tell you of the sanctification and sweetening of the worst that the world can doe to the Lords beloued ones how the Lord doth invert their courses deceave the world miserably in their expectation that way how the Divell by Adam in intending to doe all the elect much evill God by Christ hath done them infinitely much more good then the evill could amount vnto when Satan had done his worst Thus wee see that every way wee are satisfyed in this branch of the obiection And it matters nothing now what construction men make of any thing done by men to the Saints of God the question is only of that which God himself doth and of that good which he produceth out of that evill which men doe vnto vs and let vs looke well vpon either or both of these and wee shall finde our text and the doctrine therof most true Now touching the other branch of wicked mens prosperity it is a thing to be much pittied not to be at all envyed and that wee may not either jdlely or ignorantly wonder at it let vs wisely consider these ensuing particulers First Answer to the 2 branch that the happy estate of wicked men here on earth is all the heaveÌ„ the poore soules are ever like to have and therefore who can grudge them any good they can catch here or thinke much at any temporall contentments they attaine considering that after they are gone hence they must never hope or looke for more no not for on drop or dram of any delight but endles easeles and remediles misery for ever and ever Did not Abraham tell the rich man soe in the parable Sonne rememler that thou in thy life time haâ—st they pleasure and Lazarus payne but now he is comforted and thou art tormented This world is all the heil Gods people shall have here they meete with all the miseryes they shall ever feele all their weeping wayling is in this earth And the same is the heaven of vngodly persons all whose joyes and comforts as they may much abounde here soe here they must have an end also Secondly whatsoever they have or can have here admit it be as much or more then their harts could wish and desire all and every whitt of it is throwne vpon them by the Lord in his justice and indignation and they have it and keepe it meerly as a mischeife vnto them to further their fearfull and finall confusion Pro. 1.32 All their contentments doe but helpe to kill them Soe saith Solomon ease slayeth the foolish and the prosperity of fooles destroyeth them Give an vngodly man what he would haue or craue I thinke it would be ease and prosperity that he would seeke after why eveÌ„ this kills and destroye's him saith God And the same saith the prophet Isajah as we heard before when he tell 's vs that the Lord would have them made fatt it is only for slaughter that they might not be saued but cast away and comdemned for ever Thirdly no good thing any wicked enjoye's in this world be it he had never such abundance of all good things can truly properly be called good to him but all such particulers as he doth posesse though they may be good blessings in themselves yet to them they are no better nor no other then so many curses cast vpon them by the Lord for evill This doth Moses most manifestly witnes and declare when he tell 's all the world from God that all rebellious and disobedient persons who are not ruled by the law of the Lord shal be accursed in every respect both in what they are Deut. 28.15.16 c cursed shalt thou be in thy body and in what they haue cursed shalt thou be in thy cattell corne and all encrease and in what they doe cursed shalt thou be in all that thou puttest thy hand vnto Note well they are not cursed in the want of these things every body would thinke it a curse to be deprived of them and to have no children cattell friut or encrease but they haue them yet are accursed in them and with them even while they doe enjoy them as Malachie once tolde the wicked preists that God would curse their blessings nay that he had done it already that albeit they had blessings yet as blessings they had them not but in the nature and state of curses And is it not a most hydeous and heavy judgment that a man should have blessings and be without the blessednes of them and not only soe but to be baned poysoned and vtterly overthrowne by them Thus bad and no better is a wicked mans state when it is at the best in all the benefits this world can bestow vpon them Fourthly and lastly whatsoever happines doth befall wicked persons here it is only to harden their sinfull harts and to multiply their sins against the Lorde It was ever the vse or rather the abuse that prophane men made of Gods mercies to flesh and harten themselves by them in their wretched courses For thus they by the divells asistance doe discourse and argue within themselves God doth thus and thus blesse me with such and such abundance I haue soe much soe much of this and of that why shoulde I not think my estate such as he is pleased withall and soe good as content's him I heare these hott preachers take on against such and such sins I cannot tell but I see those sinners as they call and account them thriue better then themselves or any of their disciples that are soe eager after other religious matters And wherefore should I not beleeue that God think 's well of vs when he deale's so well with vs Thus on goe they by occasion of the good things they have to be well conceited of their evill state and soe gather conclusions to continue in the same that must needes adde to the number and measure of their sins and make the weight of them absolutely in supportable and the vengance of God due vnto them infinitely insufferable This is all when it is wel summ'd vp that a wicked mans blessings come to to harden his harte to heape to his sin to helpe on Gods speedy indignation and his owne swift damnation Thus we have proved the truth of the point and freed it from falshood and it being fully confirmed cleared we are now to passe vnto the vses of the same which are such as concerne all sorts of persons good and bad holy and prophane joyntely and severally And first it is exceeding comfortable to all Gods saintes vse 1 that have receaued such harts from God that they
as the Lord would have them but followed the prophanes and stubbornes of their owne vile spirits and the Lord measured vnto them in instice as he did to his owne in mercy even strange and vnexpected justice such I assure my self as they never look't for or once conceited could haue befallen them And let vs know that he is still the same God in seuerity and indignation if wee be the same men in impiety and rebellion if he finde vs out in the one assuredlie wee shall feele him in the other and that to our eternall horror of hart before his face when his hand shal be heavy vpon vs as our harts have beene hellish before him A third vse of this point enforceth the truth of the same vpon vs vse 3 that we should now learne to be resolute in our judgments and powerfull in our practise herein that both may fully accord in vs and wee be faithfull and not faint before the Lord in both and either Faithfull I say and not faint for in holy writte these two are opposed to each other for neither the faint are reputed faithfull nor the faithfull faint Reu. 2.10 Hence the holy ghoste exhorteth Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer beholde the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed you shall haue tribulation tenne dayes be thou faithfull vnto death and I will give thee the crowne of lyfe Hence the Apostle vseth the phrase oppositiuely saying of himselfe his fellow-labourers we are bolde and faint not Hence his counsell to the Ephesians was that they should not faint at his tribulations c. And much neede there is that this should be powerfully prest vpon vs that wee may be throughly posest of it for God doth know that no thing is performed more feebly more faintely with more jmbecility and jmpotency then his busines men are not more fearfull and hartles in any thing then in the things of God especially if they have not a safe outside that the world cā fancy In matter of holines men are miserably timerous In matter of sin desperatly timerarious There must be such a rule made and such adoe before a man can be gotten to goe Gods way especially if it seeme rough it is so long er'e one can bring his hart to be ruled by him as it is both wonderfull it should be soe and wofull that it is soe But our owne wisdome though deceivable is easily followed our owne way though damnable is lightly trod by our selves and others are quickly led into it The mischeife is this that all the difficulty is to bring vs into the way of God and to make vs resolute to follow the same being once in it How well were it had we got this measure of abnegation of our selves that once we could be setled in this minde that the Lord should have vs at his beck and but say the worde and we would doe the deede without all dispute or any delay yea we would set vpon it if the Lord will have it whatsoever it cost or whatsoever come of it yea that nothing should soe much as once seeme or be conceited to be evill that he commands and that not the least of our jmaginatiōs should dare to stirre or offer to make any insurrection against the high pleasure of his most holy majesty Paul was excellēt at this in his perticuler as we reade in his story therof Agabus had foretolde his martyrdome and shewed it by a signe himself with Pauls girdle both before Pauls face and as it seemeth by the sequell in the sight of many other of the saints who being wonderfully affected at it doe earnestly entreat him seing he had this fayre warning to doe his best to escape and shun it But what was the answer of Paul to them Act. 10.22.23.24 why in summe this that seing he saw it was the minde of God that thus it should be he was ready and resolute to vndergoe it no feares of his owne no teares of others who loved him entyrely could doe any thing God should rule him to the losse of his dearest life This was a minde truly christian and couragious This was a man rightly resolute and magnanimous Here was a spirit subdued to Gods spirit worthy approbation in him worthy jmitation in vs. Pray we for the like it will come well to passe with vs if we can as by prayer we may obtaine it if we have not harts that the Lord may command to the death it wil be heavy with vs his justice will abandon vs to death eternall if for the honour of his truth we will not vndergoe a temporall Let vs then in no wise forget our part to doe well and the Lord will not nay he cannot forget his promise to deale well if nothing doe hinder vs in the one nothing shall hinder him in the other And to animate and harten vs herevnto that with cheerfulnes and without fearfullnes we may willingly vndergoe the hardest taske that the Lord shall please to set vs about let vs but cast our thoughts a litle vpō the oddes and advantage accrewing vnto vs by this course The difference is not small betweene our doing well before God and Gods dealing well with vs. Alas what are our deedes at the best but poore weake maymed and corupted obedience it bring 's no good to God to whome it is done And what is his dealing well to vs at the least is it not all true absolute good both for present and for future time yea to all eternity beyond time It were very easy to amplify this oddes abundantly for the one to wit Gods part toward vs is incomparably beyond ours But what neede we many words about it when it may be all sayd in one Looke what difference there is betweene God vs in all goodnes and excellency wherin we cannot but confesse he doth every way infinitely and jmmeasurably exceede vs so much more as he is more then wee is his well dealing beyond better then our well-doing And have we not sounde reason then to goe through stitch with the worke of God and to resolue to be ruled by him whatsoever seeming reason in the world may stand vp and offer to rise against it The very oddes and advantage is able to overturne all opposition and interruption in every hart that the Lord hath subdued to himself and sanctified with the true savour Conclusion and power of sauing grace And now my dearely beloued in the Lord Iesus in the truth of this point as in the last lesson which from me you must take forth I must leaue you but my trust is that neither you nor I shall ever take leaue of it or it of vs but that this truth of God shall dwell in all our harts all our dayes It is a lesson as well becomming me to learne as to teach It is a lesson I have beene and I hope ever shal
propunded we have accordingly given such satisfaction as we have received from God whether in positiue diuinity to explane and confirme a proposition or in textuall to interpret words or phrases or in polemicall to decide a controversy or in scholasticall to vnsolde a nice distinction or in case-divinity to releive a conscience or lastly in that which is mysticall to vnty knotts and reveale obscurities In each of these something we have had sometimes to doe and as the Lord enabled me I have endeavoured to the best of my weake vnderstanding to informe and satiffy you If our discourse were humane then as for your edification before soe for your delight now you will beare me recorde that I have done my best to speake to your contentment in any kinde of learning wherewith I have beene accquainted whether in any of the arts or in history or in poesy or in mythologie in every of which especially in the last I have taken many occasions to report vnto you such things as I have taken notice off out of the Iewish Rabbines and Thalmud and out of the Popes legend wherin are contayned millions of matters wherof many are blasphemous many ridiculous many monstrous many frivolous almost all so foulely fabulous and incapable of truth or creddit that the bookes might well be entituled a very fardle of fables and falshoodes taking their denomination from the farre greater part inasmuch as they swarme with such incedible narrations as no man can judge them to be other then notorious lyes These I have frequently and abundantly related in your hearing not that you should beleue but abhorre the storyes and thinke with commiseration of those miserable soules both Iewes and Papists who are led and fed with this froth and filthy scumme of infernall inventions and have them read instead of the Gospell to giude them As also that we might hence be the more moved to magnify the great name of our good God who hath not dealt soe with vs that we should beleeue lyes but be nourished with his owne word of truth which is his power to our salvation If any were soe weake as once to conceit these things or any the like reported out of other writers were spoken for truth he or they must ever know that what we relate out of our reading must evermore carry creddit according to the authors not the relators creddit It would much disharten schollers and kill the proffit of much pleasant discourse if we should be so grossly mistaken Nay it become's vs to make vse of all kinde of learning as any occasion is offred to vs to vent what we know in any particulers It was a good rule and well given to all men by one bene loquuta quae sapienter audita those things are well spoken which are wisely taken Discretion in hearing doth minister much delight to vs in speaking Not only what we speake but from whome must be well heeded when we have any opportunity to discover things of this nature And as thus it hath beene in our table talke when we have had much sweete society and conference together soe when the Lord hath givē me any occasion of private and secret passage with any of you by way of counsell or admonitton in any case of conscience I cannot say but my or rather Gods words have found such entertainement and acceptance as I can safely truly report and leave vpon perpetuall recorde to the praise of this place the peace and happines of those persons the commendation of your society the consolation of all that may succeede me in this ministery who may hereby conceive comfortably how hopefully they may sowe how happily they may reape and that their labours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Concerninge my publike ministration it pleased you first to chuse me as an assistant to your Pastor in your weekely lecture some seruice of the sabbath your favour in this was much but it was much more when not long after vpon his departure you tooke me totally into your service and by a lawfull free election put me into the Pastorall charge and functiō and vnder God committed your soules to my ministrey A greater trust cannot be cast vpon a creature And how I would have watched over you the watchman of Israel doth well know and how farre I have actually endeavoured it this publike place I hope doth witnes in part out of which I have not failed to teach you all that I could in my best vnderstanding judge profitable for you I have shewed the whole counsell of God so farre as it pleased him to send it to my knowledge I have not willingly purloyned or witholden any part of his truth that might concerne either the reprehension of your sins or thee in formation of your judgments or the reformation of your lives or the consolation and saluation of your soules And all this in singlenes of hart in sincerity howbeit in much infirmity without partiality flattery which may be called high treason in a Preacher because it betrayeth both the honour of God and the soules of men into the handes of Satan Besides that private inspection which as I was able I carried with a wakefull eye vpon you in particuler that not one of you might wander or be lost for want of looking to And how you have received and embraced these my ministeriall endeavours my cōscience your carriage doe both most comfortably witnes inasmuch as thus much I may truly avouch before the Lord to his praise your approbation that I have never vndertakē to lay seige to any jmpiety which had overun all or the most part as a common enemy but the Lord was the conquerour and you yeelded your selves to be subdued to him ordered by his holy word will It were easy for me if it were expedient for you to instance some few perticulers which as the first fruits of my labours I saw reformed among you but I spare to nominate any but cānot spare to notify thus much that all men may see what glory to himself what good to your selves me the Lord meant vs in his mercy This beginning of good made my service my happines this place began to be like a litle heaven to me yea to speake the truth from my hart as before the Lord I much doubt whether out of heauen I shall ever be soe happy againe as I did apprehend my self to be when you like the Apostles hearers began thus to crowne my labours with the timely earnest of such an amendement my hope was I shoulde have beene longer happy with you but it fayleth me howbeit my soules vncessant desire is and shal be that the hope of your happines may never faile you in any that shall come after me Thus were we both entred into a blessed race to the end wherof I know the Lord can bring vs though we may not goe both together as my soule desired yet
doe and can submitt themselves freely to the Lords wisdome and guidance in every thing Never any lost by this master that ever did any of his worke and was ruled by him therin noe he hath ever shewed himselfe to be the best master to appoint the best worke to allow the best wages For why such as have beene the servants of this Lord have ever had good pay for the performance of any thing where about they have beene employed for him Good pay did I say nay that worde is not great enough it ha's beene more then good evē the best that this world could yeelde and better then the best that vnder heaven is to be had many of them I am sure have sped better then ever they made any account off and have had more happines then their harts could desire or ever thought off witnes Abraham both in his posession and posterity he that call's him out of his owne land gaue him both much more land and which was more heyers to enjoy it after him and both these were more then he made account off or could reckō vpon Ioseph whose rare fidelity and piety patience humility and honesty was recompenced with wonderfull and I dare say on his parte vnexpected prosperity doubtles he never once did dreame to be the second in the kingdome the greatest Peere and next in place to the King himself assuredly he looked for no such issue of exaltation yet the Lord gaue it him as the reward of his obedience to him and being ruled by him Iacob here who when he fled to this Laban as himselfe saith was in meane condition poore state as verse 12. but now is opulent rich exceeding abundant in all kinde of stocke and store How many more witnesses were it most easy to produce to the attestation of this consolation Dauid who met with a kingdome and being faithfull in that which was lesse was put in trust over that which was greater even the greatest power vnder heaven to be the soveraine prince of Gods owne people Mary who abiding and mourning at the sepulcher and desiring but to finde the dead body of Christ there founde him aliue speaking most graciously to her soe that she was made the first happy messenger of his most glorious and triumphant resurrection The saints Heb. 13. who got Angels to be their guests in being harborours to the poore members of Christ Multitudes more might be multiplied to make good the joy of this truth to every soule that is subdued vnto it resolued to doe as the Lord will haue it Eph. 3.20 The Apostle saith enough that he is able to doe exceeding abuntdantly beyond all that we can aske or thinke Even in this lyfe so graciously doth he deale with vs and doth thus vnto vs. But in that which is to come he infinitly exceedes this doth assure vs thoroughly that to him that worketh shal be given reward beyond all not only more then can be desired but more then can be imagined mans hart cannot conceiue how happy he shal be in this matter that the doth sincerly serue his God what sweete sentēces doe we finde Enter into thy masters joy Ro. 2.7 Receaue the kingdome prepared for you To them that by continuance in well doing seeke and they shal be sure to finde honour glory jmmortality eternall life note no lesse then all this and I will deale wel with thee and is not this good dealing for wel-doing If it be not what is or can be if it be who can but be comforted and cheered that hath got a hart to doe well according to Gods will seing such a hart is attended with such happines as wee haue seene In the next place our second vse meeteth with all such whome the Lord ruleth not vse 2 but in whome the God of this world even the divell is praedominant powerfull to carrie them to every corrupt and finfull practise against his law his loue his whole reuealed will such I meane as not being subdued vnto him rebells against him and therfore reserved to his wrath and iustice to be punished by him Those I meane whome the world may rule the divell may rule who to each other in any vanity or jmpiety are at as much command as the Centurions servants were to him as he tolde Christ to come and goe and doe they being ready to come to goe to doe or not doe this or that or any thing at his pleasure These men neede no more miserie then the priuation of the joy wee haue spoken off howbeit the losse of that is not all their sorrow but the least part of that heavy condition which shall ceartainly befall them noe noe over aboue the absence of the sweete joy and consolation of the saints they have assurance of miserie and vengeance compleatly opposite to our happines and that being vnspeakable their mischeife must needes be insufferable A man is in dreadfull state when he cannot be sure God will deale well with him nay when he cannot but be sure he will deale not gratiously but righteously not mercifully but miserably with vs according to the strict and exquisite tearmes of absolute justice and exasperated wrath Oh who is able to abide it when God wil be exact or can any possbility be conceaued that any flesh may either stand it out or shun it no no it is an absolute impossibility to conceit either He that will not be ruled by God must and shall rue it when the time is come of the Lords visitation and recompence to be rendered to every rebellious person So saith our Lord Christ The wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 5.2 The. 1.7.8.6 So the Apostle when the Lord Iesus shall appeare in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them c. which shal be punished with everlasting perdition And doth not the same Apostle conclude the quite cōtrary to vngodly one's Ro. 2.9 to that which wee noted out of the same chap. saying Tribulation anguish shal be vpon every soule that doth evill Now if vnto these scriptures we shoulde enquire after instāces we might soone furnish our selves with more then a few Sodome Gomorah would not by ruled by God when the Lord saw that he coulde not prevaile with them how dealt he with them fire and brimstone came from heauen vpon ther bodies their soules were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone that burneth for ever in hell The olde worlde was also most wicked and rebellious against the Lord Noah coulde haue no audience from God among them how dealt the Lord with them why he drowned their bodies besides what may be conceiued of their soules though I will not affirme they were all eternally rejected And what should I neede to produce particular persons when wee have the whole worlde to witnesse it I could name Pharaoh Saul Ahab and many other accursed caytiffes and most miserable miscreants who would not doe