foorth sound worshipping of God Fourthly sound consideration preuents much sinne and much punishment and drawes a man out of sinne and iudgement First it preuents sinne for if a man did seriously consider of sinne what paine and losse and shame and sorrow comes by it he would not meddle with it being so heauie so dangerous There is a Historie of a vertuous woman that being sollicited to folly by a younker called for a pan of hot coales and desired him to put his hand vpon them but one houre he refusing that she replied How much lesse will you bee able to indure hell-fire for euermore and so he desisted Secondly it preuents punishment or the iudgements of God the Niniuites considered of the threatning of Ionah and so preuented the threatned destruction Thirdly it drawes out of sinne as Hos. 2 6 7. the Church of the Iewes seeing her selfe so crossed and hedged in with afflictions that shee could not follow her idols then shee considers her present miserie and the small hope and helpe from them then she saith that is resolueth to goe and returne to her first husband for it was then better with her then now Fourthly it drawes out of iudgement Ier. 12. 11. They haue laid it waste and being waste it mourneth vnto me the whole land lieth waste because no man setteth his minde on it that is considereth deeply of the cause of its desolation in his heart Fifthly we haue so much the more neede to be stirred vp to consider of our waies because there is no vice that doth appeare or dares to appeare in his proper colour but apparelled and masked in the likenesse of some vertue as no counterfeit coine is offered to a man in the copper-colour of it but washed ouer with siluer or gold Now if we consider not of things offered vs we shal easily be deceiued yea surprized of enemies vnder the colour of friendship Thus seeing the necessitie of sound consideration to set vs yet more forward in so needefull and so neglected a dutie obserue these directions First let vs labour to see the dulnesse of our nature to crosse it and stirre it vp and thinke the dutie so much the more necessarie and excellent as our natures oppose or are heauie vnto it What shall a man consider of his houses rents fields or garments and take no time to repaire himselfe and hurts sustained by inconsideratenesse Secondly set some time apart to consider of thy estate more seriously Ioshua and Dauid had as many distractions and more weightie affaires to intend then we haue and yet they meditated in the Law of the Lord night and day a shame for many Christians that take care how to passe their time neuer passing any in consideration of their estate this were a good pastime indeede Thirdly make choise of good matter for sound consideration as first consider of God first of his presence this kept Ioseph from sinne Secondly of his mercy to feare him Thirdly of his loue to loue him againe Fourthly of his workes first of Creation delight more in a spirituall then in a naturall vse of them Secondly of gouernment for there is no day or time that passeth but we may make speciall vse of Gods works either on our selues or others Secondly consider of thy estate with God whether a change be wrought in thee being the child of wrath by nature what markes thou hast vpon thee to distinguish thee from them who are not the Lords whether thou beest in the state of grace how thou growest in it or whether and how farre thou art gone backward what assurance of remission of sinne and what strength against sinne thou hast whether thou liest foiled of any corruption whether thou resoluest of amendment of life how thou hast kept or broken thy vowes with God what vse of Gods mercies or corrections thou hast made whether it haue not been better with thee then now and whether thou mayest not be in farre better estate were it not for thy owne default Thirdly consider of thine actions for the matter whether allowed by the Word for the manner whether done in faith and obedience for the end whether thou aimest at wealth pleasure or preferment in the world rather then at Gods glory and to be rich in God for God aimes at his glorie in all things and so must wee Fourthly consider of thy calling first generall as thou art a Christian whether before thy profession thou cast the costs as a wise builder and captaine Luk. 14. whether thou hast the power of godlinesse and art not content with the meere forme of it whether thou adornest thy profession or disgracest it by inconsideratenes Secondly speciall in which thou spendest most of thy time whether thou seruest God in seruing man whether thou art faith and iust or vniust and vnfaithfull in these lesse things whether thou sanctifiest it by prayer whether thou dependest vpon God for daily successe and blessing or leanest to thine owne labour whether thy ende be to enrich thy selfe or to make it as a meanes to please God and passe thee through the world Fifthly consider thy latter end and therein First the recompense of reward so did the Patriarkes Heb. 11. 16 26 and so moderated their hearts in doing their duties and in suffering afflictions Secondly consider of the account that is to be made of euery idle word and thought much more of euerie wicked swearing reuenging word and thought Thirdly consider of the day of death the vncertainty of life the leauing of that wealth for which thou strainest thy conscience and the neede of much comfort in such an vncomfortable houre how that peace of conscience at that time will prooue the best wealth Fourthly consider of the day of Iudgement when all things shall bee naked and euery man shall receiue according to that which he hath done in the flesh bee it good or euill These and the like considerations will bring foorth sound resolutions of bettering a mans estate if any thing in the world will A second point of doctrine arising out of Dauids resolution is this Where Gods Spirit hath taken place it preuailes at length against all the corruptions of the flesh Dauid was a long time hindred from going to God first by the greatnesse of his sinne Secondly by the strength of corruption against which hee was not fully resolued Thirdly by the vnworthinesse of his person Fourthly by the greatnesse of Gods anger and reuenging hand And fifthly by the sentence and curse of the Law Yet on the other side by the secret worke of the Spirit in his heart vnto all these was opposed first the greatnesse of Gods mercy Secondly the merit of Christs sacrifice Thirdly the promise of the Gospell Fourthly the nature of faith which beleeueth aboue and against sense These being committed together after a doubtfull combat faith foiles infidelitie hope despaire the Gospell the Law the promise
As a child in the wombe liues and moues but hath no knowledge of his life and motion so Gods children are in a comfortable estate but they know not the comfort of their estate Gods graces in them are in so small degree that they can scarce acknowledge that which in truth is in them But wee see that numbers of men haue confessed their sinnes and yet had them not remitted Saul and Iudas and Caine confessed and yet remission of sinne did not follow they were reprobates The doctrine speaks of sound confession such as they had not for first it was not voluntarie but extorted Reprobates cannot say as Dauid I will confesse but are drawne out by head and eares of God thereunto they would stil haue hid their sins if they could therfore their confession was no freewill-offering and so not sound nor accepted Secondly it seekes not ease of sinne but ease of sense desiring onely that God would take out of their conscience the horrors of hell and it looketh on the punishment not the offence done against Gods Maiestie Thirdly it proceedes not from a childlike feare of God but seruile without any true purpose of godlines Saul indeed said I haue sinned I obeyed the people foolishly but though he thus confessed yet he doth feare the people still and therefore he saith vnto SAMVEL I pray thee honour mee before the people a true feare of God would haue hated the occasion of sinne as well as the sin it selfe Fourthly it proceeds not from lowlinesse pouertie of spirit or from meeke and humble subiection to God as the godlie's doth who iustifie Gods proceedings cleare him in his iudgement repose themselues in his mercy and waite with hope and confidence for a gracious issue but with murmuring pride and hardnesse of heart as in Pharaoh or with final desperation as in Caine and Iudas But euen the godly themselues will often bid battell to this doctrine and say Alas if assurance of remission follow sound confession what shall I thinke of my selfe I haue long bewailed my sinnes and yet rest without this assurance my case is not Dauids either my confession is not sound or my person not in the state of grace or this doctrine vnsound We must distinguish between the presence of a grace and the sense of it a grace may be there present where there is no feeling there may bee the presence of Gods loue faith and remission of sinne where there is no sense of them How can this be seeing faith is a full assurance and certaine perswasion can a man be thus perswaded and yet not feele it Yes first there may be faith where there is no such assurance as many complaints of Gods children in temptation do witnesse abundantly Iob and Dauid thought God had quite cast them away and hid his face in vtter displeasure here are beleeuers and faith yet no sense Was Christs righteous heart euer destitute of faith did his Father euer cease to loue him surely no wee may not thinke so and yet he said My God my God why hast thou for saken me Secondly Christs promise is Blessed is he that beleeues though he see not Thirdly We must distinguish betweene the want of faith and the weaknesse of it vnfeelingnesse comes through weakenesse and not alwayes of the want of it Fourthly Prayer for that grace which seemes to be absent is a signe of the presence and prayer for sense and feeling of pardon is a fruit of faith Fiftly There be sundry degrees and measures of faith some Saints are as the weeke which can smoke only and not flame yet the least graine of faith layeth hold on Christ to saluation Sixtly In temptation it is sufficient that Gods children liue the life of God though they know not that they liue In a swoune a man liues though he perceiues it not it is sufficient that other men know he liues a little embers lyes vnder a heape of ashes so Gods child hath that in him which shall support and sustayne him vnto greater perfection though he know not his graces First then this serues to ouer-throw a doctrine of the Church of Rome which is that remission of sinne doth follow Confession ex opere operato that is If one come and confesse all his sins auricularly then the very worke wrought doth carry away pardon But this is vtterly false that God hath tyed remission of sinne to the very worke of Confession because Confession is effectuall only so farre forth as the person confessing is a beleeuer sanctified and iustified Else why was not Sauls sinne remitted seeing it was confessed the only reason is because he as also Caine and Iudas were not in the state of grace First then pardon belongs to the person that is accepted through Christ not to the worke Secondly Papists speake this of confession to the Priest which is the racke of the ignorant world but Dauid of confession to God which bringeth peace Thirdly their Absolution which is pronounced on Confessors is most blasphemous and preiudiciall to Gods royall and high prerogatiue The blinde Iewes could say Who can forgiue sinnes but God And Nathan said not I but God hath put away thy sinne So that this their absolution belongs not to any Prophet or Apostle ordinary or extraordinary nor to any of their successors no not to Christ himselfe as man Which is the rather to be obserued to meet with their blasphemous opinion for which they lay this ground Christ say they was God and Man As God he had an absolute power to forgiue sinnes As man hee hath a proper power and that is deriueable to the Priest standing in Christs place to whom he delegates a power to forgiue as himselfe had power to forgiue and for this that place is brought Ioh. 20. 21. As the Father hath sent me so send I you To answere this We will not consider Christ as God for so there is no question but he may and doth forgiue sinne but two wayes else first as Mediator God and man Secondly as man altogether of our nature if we were without sinne As Christ is Mediator and King of his Church so he deriues to his Ministers not a power of remission but a ministery of remission of sinnes not to forgiue sinne but to pronounce that God hath forgiuen it this only hath he left to the Church But as he is meere man he hath no power to forgiue sinne but as being the sonne of man hee is likewise the Sonne of God In the time of his humiliation he said not I forgiue mine enemies but Father forgiue them they know not what they doe As for the place which they abuse to their irreligious opinion we must note first that it is spoken of Christ to his twelue Apostles and not of any Euangelicall Priests Secondly it importeth only a similitude and likenesse betweene Gods sending of Christ and Christs sending of his Disciples but not any equality
this admire any teaching but this whereas onely this can make them wise to saluation and only this knowledge hath life eternall accompanying it that is a learned tongue that studieth out cases of conscience and speaketh a word in due season This is the learning and instruction of this Psalme and therefore is worthy all our attention and diligence to carry away the seuerall instructions of it So much of the Inscription VERSE 1. 2. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne and in whose spirit is no guile This Psalme hath two parts 1. A generall doctrine 1. Propounded in the two first Verses 2. Expoūded in the three next 2. The general vse which is four-fold 1. Concerning prayer vers 6. 2. Affiance in God vers 7. 3. Obediēce to God v. 8 9 10 4. Praise of God which is the end of all verse last The generall doctrine is first set downe in the precept in the two first Verses and secondly proued by example in the 3 4 and 5. The doctrine in the Precept is this That eternall happinesse called in the Text Blessednesse standeth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes Which forgiuenesse of sinnes is set forth by three phrases tending al to expresse the same thing namely the perfect iustification of a sinner in the sight of God whose sinne is here said first to be forgiuen Secondly couered And thirdly not imputed and then amplified by the inseparable fruit or companion of it which is the sanctification of the soule in these wordes And in whose Spirit is no guile First therefore we are to speake of the person and secondly of his blessednesse The person is he whose wickednesse is first forgiuen secondly whose sinne is couered thirdly whose sinne is not imputed and fourthly In whose spirit is no guile VERSE 1. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen THe word translated Wickednesse signifieth sinne in an high degree and is in Scripture vsed for disloyaltie or treason to a King disobedience to Parents or Masters perfidiousnes or treachery to such friends as to whom we owe the greatest testimonies of thankefulnesse The second word translated Forgiuen signifieth to bee loosed eased or lightned Wherein is implyed this point of doctrine that Sinne is an intolerable burden which oppresseth the sinner with an infinite weight The Prophet Isay calleth the people of his time a people laden with iniquitie and our Sauiour calling sinners doth it in this forme Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden Heb. 12. 1. Sinne is said to prosse downe In which sense also the day of sinnes finall destruction is called the day of refreshing and of finding rest to our soules And that sinne is such a burthen it further appeareth by these reasons following First because it presseth downe impenitent sinners into Hell and there for euer holdeth them vnder condemnation nay the weight of it pressed the Angels themselues from heauen who are now held vnder chaines of blacke darkenesse for euer Secondly it bringeth such a burden with it as all creatures cānot stand vnder namely the wrath of God which makes sinne so heauie the which being laid vpon Christ himselfe hee felt such a loade as made him sweat water and bloud Thirdly it is attended with the burden of conscience which it burdeneth with terrors feares accusation and guiltinesse the weight of which is so heauie as Salomon saith A wounded conscience or spirit who can beare all other infirmities the spirit of man can sustaine but this is impossible Fourthly it burdeneth the sinner first with the burden of Gods word which are the curses and threats of the Law and secondly with the burden of Gods hand which are the load of affliction and executions vpon sinners Verse 9. by which he breaketh the wicked and bendeth his children towards their dutie Fifthly as a burden it keepes vnder the sinner that he cannot bestir himselfe in good duties nor walke in Gods wayes But with this difference the wicked moue not at all the godly but weakely they feele it not nor complaine these grone and sigh and cry out Oh who shall deliuer me the good I would doe I cannot the euill I hate I doe And if the sinnes of the godly repented of be so heauie what are the sinnes of impenitent sinners There is no libertie in sinne but bondage it bindeth to the curse to guiltinesse horrors shame and sorrow none are such slaues as sinners and yet they thinke there can be no freedome but when they may doe what they list and are indeed the sonnes of Belial that is men lawlesse or without yoke but by such Libertine courses they lay the most heauy yokes vpon themselues all the Mountaines in the world wil be nothing to their burden Labour to feele this burden which is heauier then all the grauell on the Earth and sand in the Sea Neuer a one here present but we are laid vnder the burden of Adams transgression vnder the weight of our owne corruption originall and actuall sinne vnder the burden of the wrath of God of accusing consciences of Gods curses threatned and executed bound hand and foote as men ready to be pressed to death are wee senselesse and feele none of this weight If a man lay vnder an hundred or six hundred weight and neuer felt it nor groned nor struggled to get from vnder it he is a dead man so hee that carries the burden of his sinnes and feeles no danger no bondage grones not vnder the Law of his members is senselesse of his imperfections and corruptions this man is dead while he liueth as Paul speakes of widdowes laden with lusts and liuing in pleasure so this man abides vnder death till this houre What is the reason then that the most men neuer feele this burden neuer felt doubting nor trouble of conscience nor torment of heart they loued God euer they haue grace at will they serue God as well as the best they beleeue strongly they want no oyle in their lamps they would be sorry to be tempted as some are to bee so mopish and pensiue they haue peace in their consciences The reasons are First because they are dead without the life of God and grace without sense and feeling of this heauy burden which is felt onely by grace not by corruption and according to the measure of grace is the measure of this sense the lesse sinne is felt the lesse grace and so mayest thou accordingly iudge of thy selfe What is the reason that men can cry out of the stone in the reines but neuer or seldome of the stone of the heart but because they haue naturall life which affects them with the sense of the one but want supernaturall life which should strike them with the sense and paine of the other A spirituall burden no maruaile if it bee not felt of them that are all flesh destitute of the spirit Secondly
namely in the iustification of a sinner he doth accept and make a sinner iust and this is onely by Christs righteousnesse in the latter hee declares him iust and this may bee by workes so Saint Iames Let me see thy faith by thy workes thus they iustifie before men not before God A man is condemned for euill workes and therefore saued for good workes If a good worke were as perfectly good as an euill is perfectly euill he should but not being so we are saued by Christs good workes which were perfect Let vs detest therefore that doctrine that misleadeth vs out of the plaine path to saluation and cast downe our selues at Gods feet confesse our sinne pray for pardon and plead not merit but mercy Let vs flie forth of our selues to Christ our head life and saluation hee is the carcasse whereunto we must resort let vs with Paul account our best workes but dung and much more all Popish deuices He hath nothing in Christ who hath any thing in himselfe and he that will not rest in that righteousnesse restored by Christ hath no part of blessednesse Secondly if it be a blessed estate to haue sinnes forgiuen then must a man certainely beleeue the pardon of his sinnes for this blessednesse is to bee enioyed in this life as we noted and no man can hold and enioy that he hath not The Church of Rome teacheth that to doubt is a vertue and so with-holdeth a man from the sense of this happinesse Their reasons are these We must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling This feare is not in regard of Gods mercy and our saluation but feare of sinne and his displeasure and this is not contrary but stands with assurance of forgiuenesse of sinnes Psal. 130. Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared It is presumption to beleeue so It is obedience to Gods Commandement 1. Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne now to beleeue in his name is more then that he dyed for sinners else doe the Deuills beleeue as much as we but they cannot beleeue that Christ dyed for themselues None knowes Gods minde concerning him and so can haue no assurance but may only hope well No man knowes the secret will of God but his reuealed will he may know namely that whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued the application of which draweth necessarily this conclusion Therefore I shall bee saued being a beleeuer which is infallible Experience sheweth that the most faithfull and best are full of doubtings therefore there is no certayne beliefe Doubting and Faith may stand and will dwell together else would not Christ haue said O thou of little faith why doubtedst thou euery Christian consists of Flesh and Spirit therefore Faith will bee assayled with doubtings and yet in the end triumph Hence we see as vve are to labour for pardon of sinne so also for assurance of pardon else can wee haue little peace in our selues and a comfortlesse happinesse Am I the richer because I know many other be or fuller because many eate I must take comfort in my own wealth strength by my owne foode and ioy in my owne pardon Thirdly vvee must euery one herein place our happinesse euen in Gods mercy pardoning sinne and accordingly set our hearts and affections vpon it longing after this assurance aboue all things in the world If a malefactor were condemned and at the place of execution what is it that would make him happy What wisheth hee aboue the vvorld onely a pardon from his Prince gold and siluer lands and honors can doe him no good only a pardon is the most welcome thing in the World This is euery mans case we are Traytors and Rebells to God our sins haue proclaymed vs Rebells through heauen and earth the Law hath condemned vs we are going on to execution and euery day neerer then other wherein then ought wee to place our happinesse if wee well weighed our estate but in a gracious and free pardon We would striue for pardon as for life and death Miserable men they be that place their felicitie in any thing else For consider that notwithstanding first the greatest part of men place their happinesse in wealth pleasure honor and these carry all their hearts yet this is an earthly and sensuall and farre from Christian happinesse which cannot leaue a man vnhappy in the end as all these doe Secondly the most wicked ones that the world hath had haue enioyed the greatest outward prosperitie Thirdly the most deare seruants of God haue beene strangers in the world and met with the strangest entertaynement Fourthly those whose portion hath beene outwardly most prosperous yet neuer thought themselues happy out of Gods mercy pardoning sinne an example in Dauid he had riches honor pleasu re a crowne kingdome subiects treasures but did he place his fclicitie in these things No but in the forgiuenesse and couering of sinnes in whose steps wee must tread Fifthly he that would build a firme house must lay a sure foundation and wilt thou lay the foundation of thy happinesse in the dust Lay it in wealth they haue wings and when they fly away so doth thy happinesse why doest thou trust a fugitiue seruant Lay it in pleasures it will end in sorrow and the Apostle saith It makes a man as a corps liuing dead while he liueth Lay it in honor what a vanishing thing is that like the footsteps of a ship in the Sea carried with a strong gale Yea lay it any where but in God and his assured mercies it will proue a tottering happinesse and the fall of such an happy man shall be great Secondly others thinke themselues most happy in the committing of sinne and practice of their iniquity and these are most miserable captiues to the Deuill so farre from thinking their happinesse to stand in the pardon of sinne as that they place it in the practice of it Hence is it that Monsters of men Deuills incarnate professe to sweare quarrell drinke riot whore and take them the greatest enemies to their happinesse that would helpe to pull them out of the snares of the Deuill I would know what other happinesse the Deuill hath then incessantly to sinne against God and draw so many as he can into his owne damnation which expresse image hee hath stamped on numbers marked to destruction Fourthly let vs checke our hearts that can find so much ioy in these earthly things and so little in these heauenly gifts of Gods loue such as are election vocation iustification adoption sanctification which are called the pleasures of Gods house and they blessed that enioy them and surely well may they suspect themselues to be as yet vnpurged that finde not a ioyfull sense of it Alas will the beleeuer say I finde little comfort of this doctrine I finde my heart much more affected to earthly things I finde
is a preparation to it and makes way to it as the needle to the thread and the Diuines call it truly a beginning of grace that is of preparation not of composition And indeed till legall feare hath through serious sense of sinne made a man feare euen for punishment and despaire in respect of himselfe he is neuer in earnest stirred to consider of and much lesse to desire the promise of saluation published and propounded in the Gospell And hence the Lord partly by his Word doth driue men to their wits ends as Acts 2. 37. at Peters Sermon the conuerts said Men and brethren what shall we doe and partly by his works vpon them as the Iaylor Act. 16. 29 30. and Manasseh 2. Chron. 33. 12 13. God binds him in chaines and sends him to Babel and in his captiuitie he humbled himselfe and sought the Lord when he was in affliction saith the Text. Secondly the promise is made onely to the hungrie that the Lord will fill them with good things Lu. 1. 53. Now till a man come to see his miserie by sinne hee can neuer get out of himselfe he neuer sees in what neede he stands of Christ he hungers not nor thirsts after him and his merits he prizeth not his blood and therefore is without any part in him because hee is not capable of him If any man thirst I will giue him to drinke of the water of life saith our Sauiour Iohn 7. 37 38. see Isa. 55. 1. A begger so long as he hath any thing at home cares not greatly for stirring abroad and so long as we finde any content in our selues and see not our vtter beggery and that how without Christ wee are readie to starue wee are but weakely importunate with him Thirdly the heart of euery man by nature is like a fellow field which must be ploughed vp rent and harrowed before the seede of God come there hee sowes not among thornes nor will cast in his heauenly seed of grace or comfort till our surrowes be ploughed neither can all this renting and ploughing be without sense of paine For this purpose hath the Lord set vp a ministrie in the Church to charge men with their spirituall sicknesse and speciall sinnes as he sent Nathan to tell Dauid Thou art the man and as Christ himselfe said to the woman of Samaria that she was a woman little better then a harlot here was the Lords plough that subdued their clods and prepared their ground for the seede of grace this is the Lords sacrificing knife to make wounds in the conscience to pare away the dead flesh and so to make way to sound cure Fourthly the conuerting of a sinner is the curing of a sicke and wounded soule and the Phisician is God himselfe who that his cure may bee sound first searcheth and lanceth and stirreth in the wound which puts the patient to much paine before he powre oyle into it and binde it vp Many are the gashes and mortall wounds of our soules inflicted by Satan and our owne corruption and we must and shall feele the smart of them before we be throughly healed To this purpose hath the Lord placed the conscience in a mans soule to tell him what hee hath done amisse and to follow him with hue and crie yea to apprehend him and set vp a gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him and all to bring him into himselfe to seeke and sue for pardon Fifthly and lastly God will be honoured in the humble confessing of that which is amisse 1. Iohn 1. 9. If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue them DAVID himselfe must confesse that he had done very foolishly in numbring the people Nay hee will haue an healing of their error an vndoing of that that is done and a building vp of that which they haue destroied as Saul the more zealous persecutor the more zealous preacher Zacheus the more heauie oppressor the more heartie restorer First then we see that God dealeth here as in all the matter of our saluation to set forth his mightie power in bringing the ioy of his elect out of sorrow as at first he did light out of darkenesse as by Christs death hee works out our life so he killeth vs also to make vs aliue as once he set his Bow in the heauens a signe of present raine yet a perpetuall and generall signe that the world shall neuer be drowned againe euen so the Lord giues his children the couenant of life but through death a righteousnesse but by a sense and groning vnder vnrighteousnesse a present blessednesse but through sense of miserie an happy resurrection but through dust and corruption Thus he foundeth their soundest ioy in sorrow their laughter in teares their happines in vnhappinesse and miserie all the former weight that lay vpon Dauid doth but make him seeke reliefe and preserue his peace when he hath regained it Secondly heere is a ground of sound comfort for Gods children in sorrow if it bee godly sorrow that they may say with IOB After darknesse I shall see light this sense of miserie shal leade me to the sense of mercy this sorrow may last for a night but ioy shall come in the morning after two daies he will reuiue vs and in the third we shall liue in his sight Hos. 6. 2. I know this hand which is so heauie vpon me is vnder my head to bring me light out of this darknesse and life out of that which for the present is more bitter then death it selfe Notes of that sense of miserie which shall haue sense of mercy are these First it workes a displeasure against a mans selfe for displeasing God as 2. Cor. 7. 11. What indignation hath this wrought in you that is an holy blaming of our selues and iudging our selues worthy any punishment and this not in generall onely but euen in particular sinnes and in all the sinnes that we can know by our selues as a Surgeon in curing tumors brings the matter to a head Secondly a constant purpose not to sinne for a world but to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. Thirdly a change of the whole man in affection and action what a change was wrought in the Iaylour vpon his conuersion Acts 16. Fourthly a trembling at the Word Isa. 66. 2. This was in Eli and good Iosiahs heart did melt at the reading of the Law the Conuerts hearing the words of Peter were pricked in their hearts Fifthly it feeles and watcheth the worke and stirrings of corruption it auoides occasion of offence and seekes occasions of God it grieues as oft as it falls or offends euen in smaller things Ioseph fled from his Mistresse and Dauids heart smote him in cutting off the lap of Sauls garment Sixthly it lookes not to outward things more then needs must it is not comforted but by Christ and waites patiently for Christ being no whit hasty to
vse vnlawfull meanes but depends vpon God Dauid comforts not himselfe in corne wine or oile but in Gods countenance Psal. 4. It is instant with God in prayer as the Canaanite Luk. 7. Finde these notes in thy selfe and thou mayest support thy selfe in the deepest distresse that is for if thy soule thus truly mourne for sinne thou art in the high-way to blessednesse Thirdly this rebukes the common error of men who account conuersion and the attaining of happinesse a matter of nothing men thinke that heauen stands by their beds-sides it is but a light Lord haue mercie whereas neuer hee went to heauen that sailed not by hell it is a burdened soule that seekes and gets ease a weary soule which Christ refresheth a soule pressed with an heauie hand that sues for mercy No man can taste of the sweete fruite of mercy that hath not tasted the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience And whosoeuer hath not felt the griefe and smart of his sinnes may iustly feare hee neuer truly repented and thou that saiest thy sinnes neuer troubled thee thou thankest God shalt find that there is more trouble behind Fourthly labour to feele thy spirituall miserie and wants that with Lazarus thou maiest get thee to Diues his gate and examine thy selfe if thou hast felt it How loth are men to feele the smart of sinne to heare the law come vpon their conscience for feare they bee set into dumpes and melancholy to feele the crosse whereby God breakes the stubbornnesse of nature and subdues it Alas poore soules that nip true repentance in the blossome and blast it in the beginning that thinke they are very neere heauen when they are loth to point their foot into the first step which is to mourne and to be cast downe to hell in their owne sense and in the feeling of their owne sinnes till which time thou hast not mooued one foote or finger toward eternall life therefore know First that thy case is dangerous and thou art still in thy sinnes who wilt not let the word come home to thy heart and wilt not suffer Gods Spirit to meete thee in the Ministerie and canst not indure the power of the Word to wound either thy soule or thy sinne but it hath been in vaine to thee a certaine signe of a man as yet out of the state of grace as it is Rom. 1. 28. Such as regarded not to know God he gaue them vp to the lusts of their hearts Secondly know that an accusing conscience for sinne is better then a dead conscience a sleepie benummed or seared conscience is the most grieuous plague that God can strike a man withall in this life his wrath followes drowsie consciences to giue them vp to a spirit of slumber and at length to a reprobate sense Psal. 81. 11. My people would not heare my voice Israel would none of me so I gaue them vp to the hardnesse of their hearts and they walked in their owne counsels Thirdly let vs bee mooued to make search into our miserie considering first that if we shead not teares on earth God can neuer wipe them away in heauen and if we do here shead teares for sinne God carries an handkerchiefe to wipe them all away such Aprill showres bring the May-flowres of grace and comfort Secondly that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones out of ioynt the longer they goe vnrespected the more painefull they prooue Thirdly for the health of the body men will purge and sweat and make shift to swallow and get downe bitter pills and potions so the vomit of the soule is the griefe of repentance take it betime and the danger is lesse Were the medicine of repentance grieuous to take yet in regard of the euerlasting health to which it restoreth vs wee should like wise men take the sweete with the sowre and chuse this rather then to feede on such sweete meates as please the palate while they bee tasted but cause at length vomits more bitter then death Fourthly how highly doth God esteeme of a man or woman of a broken heart 2. King 22. 19. Good Iosiahs heart melted and God had a care to take him to himselfe from the euill to come Isa. 57. 15. I walke with him that is of a contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and giue life to the contrite heart Now followes the ground of Dauids confession which is first in order I said or thought THat is I purposed I resolued Dauid had been in a long conflict in himselfe what to doe he could neither part with his sin nor yet hold it in a woe case hee found himselfe and as a man whose bones were broken yet loth hee was to goe to the Surgeon faine hee would haue hid his sore but the paine would not suffer him Long hee reasoned with himselfe how hee might carry away his sinne most quietly but found no peace in hiding it but still his terrors were increased and then he grew at last to the best resolution that neither feares nor terrors nor sorrowes should any longer as an hedge shut vp his way to confession he will no longer be tossed betweene feare and hope doubts and desires deliberations and resolutions but now I said that is I thought in my heart I spake with my mouth and presently I resolued and acted that I would present my self before God in humble confession of my sinne The same phrase we haue Luke 15. 17. when the lost sonne had lost himselfe in straying and wandring from home and had spent his money and strength on harlots and was now a fitter cōpanion for swine then any thing else when he who had wallowed in the mire of his sin and fed himself with the swil of iniquity was now rightly sorted for his bed and boord with swine cast out of mens company and none pitying him to giue him so much as huskes to eate Now he begins to consider what a wofull estate he was in he thinkes of his fathers house but with what face can he behold the face of his father he considers of the seruants in his fathers house but he is not worthy of a place among them these and such thoughts would haue kept him from his father but necessitie so vrging and famine sore pinching him vpon consideration he came to the like resolution I said I will goe to my father that is I resolued to goe and so he went so Dauid said he would confesse and confessed Hence we may see in the first place that Sound consideration brings forth sound resolutions Deut. 32. 29. Oh that men were wise that they vnderstood this that they would consider their latter ende Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies and Psal. 4. 4. to still Gods enemies he bids them examine themselues and be still And the reason hereof is good for First consideration is an applying of
I knew what meanes to vse what are they If thou wouldst haue the preuailing of the Spirit take these courses First bee humble in thine owne eyes empty thy selfe of pride and vaine conceits the promise is that God giueth grace to the humble nay he dwels with the humble and broken heart Isay 57. 15. that is abides and continues with it Secondly be diligent in the ministerie of the Word of reconciliation which the Apostle cals the ministerie of the Spirit for it is as fuell to feede and strengthen the Spirit yea as bellowes to blow vp the graces which else lye idle 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee 1. Thes. 5. 18. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying marke the neerenesse of Spirit and Prophesie Thirdly obserue the motions of Gods Spirit feede them and from motions proceede to resolutions and practices not the worst man but hath some good motitions as Balaam and Saul acknowledged that Dauid was more righteous then he but imitate thou good Dauid here hee followes the motion that hee had hee said he would confesse and confessed So the Prodigall Son had a good motion he remembred his estate he had been in and his Fathers house but said he I starue here then hee resolues to goe to his Father and went Goe and do thou likewise this is to adde thy strength to the Spirit and thus a conuert is not meerely passiue in working out his saluation but actiue once being acted Fourthly pray earnestly for the Spirit for he is powred on thirstie grounds as Isay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and floods vpon the dry ground and Luk. 11. 13. If yee being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie HEre is Dauids confession it selfe he did not resolue suffer his resolution to dye but he said he would confesse and confessed but many are of another spirit they resolue professe promise 1. Tim. 1. 13. Paul saith of himselfe I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter an Oppresser but I was receiued to Mercie Here were three heinous degrees of sinne the sight of which made him confesse himselfe the chiefe of all sinners verse 15. and made him admire and magnifie the Mercie of God who vouchsafed so aboundant grace to such a desperate wretch as hee vvas and of this kinde are the confessions of all the godly The Reasons of this point are very good First a Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of grace which First worketh alike against all sinne and he that hath grace to confesse one sinne aright by the same grace confesseth all he that truely hateth one sinne truely hateth all If a man truely feele the weight of one it makes him grone vnder the burthen of all much more For all sinnes are of the same nature so as repentance cannot be sound if any one sinne be laid hold on which made our Prophet being humbled for one to repent of all Thus also doe the Israelites in their conuersion 1. Sam. 12. 19. Pray for thy Seruants said they to Samuel that we dye not for wee haue sinned in asking vs a King besides all our other sinnes Secondly the grace of sound conuersion suffereth not starting holes and hollownesse in the soule but worketh it to sinceritie Now the sincere heart deales truely betweene God and it selfe it knowes that God loues trueth in the inward parts therefore it will confesse fully and frankely vvithout hiding or lessening any sinne Againe it knowes that God loues a free-will offering and therefore it will offer a free and heartie confession and there can bee no better signe of sinceritie then this Thirdly sound grace is an open enemie and at warre with all sinne especially the sinne which is next it and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes it vvill shew true hatred against it that if confession will discouer the loathsomenesse of sinne it will not bee nice in it but bring it into discredit with it selfe And where grace is more abundant there is more abundant sense of sin and this sense brings abundance of words like so many swords and weapons against it euery one expressing greater hatred of it then other as Dauids words here Secondly another Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sinne which first is a debt as we haue heard a debt which is impossible that euer we should bee able to pay this debt stands vpon our heads in Gods debt-booke Now it vvill not stand with an honest disposition to deny or seeke to out-face or lessen a due debt to any man and much lesse will it stand with a godly disposition to deny or conceale our debts to God with whom wee cannot play false if we would And therefore it is as little as a man of a broken heart can doe to goe to the Creditor and in humilitie confesse the debt and craue pardon and forgiuenes So Christ our Lord hath taught vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts which implyes confession And Dauid prayes the Lord to blot out all his sins wherein hee secretly confesseth that hee hath a large score in Gods booke which he is vtterly vnable euer to satisfie Secondly sinne is a loathsome filthinesse and vn cleannesse and a good heart is ashamed of euery nakednesse of the Soule which it sees Gods eye to bee vpon and because it knowes that the next way to couer this nakednesse is to vncouer it as the whole experience of Dauid in this Psalme teacheth it labours by confession to couer all whereof it is or may be ashamed and indeede all true confession must proceede from the shame and confusion of face for sinne Thirdly sinne is a gash or wound in the soule and a man hauing many wounds or diseases seekes the cure of them all howsoeuer of the greatest first and soonest yet he neglecteth none because the least of them is dangerous and painefull so it is in sinne the confession of which is as the laying open of a sore that the plaister may bee fitly laid on a man that would haue all cured will not hide any but vncouer euen the least Thirdly God will haue his children in some measure like himselfe herein and resemble his owne image that as hee esteemes of sinne not as a light or small thing but the most vile and odious thing in all the world and so hee euer speakes of it and carries himselfe to it so shall his children in their measure and for this purpose First he vsually putteth forth his worke of iustice and layeth an heauy hand on the soule as on Dauid here when the eye of the soule beholdeth the Lord frowning vpon it without and the conscience within accusing then shall nothing be small little sinnes shal be counted great enough that which Satan did
merits and not only set the Virgin at the right hand of God as Salomon did his Mother but also set her aboue Christ diuiding his Kingdome into two one halfe of which standing in administring iustice they leaue to him but all the office of mercy is hers and so they appeale from the Throne of the Fathers iustice to the seat of the Mothers mercy and so betweene them the Sonne hath nothing to doe nay shee must command her Sonne in the right of a Mother to be propitious vnto vs. But the Saints departed though they see not directly what is done on earth yet they see in God or the glasse of the Trinitie all our doings or else the Angels may reueale them vnto them therefore still wee may pray vnto them This argument is more brittle then their imaginary glasse which we must handle tenderly for feare of breaking For what is this glasse Is it the essence of God No this neuer was nor euer can be seene if it could as it is most simple so neuer was there any change in it nor any new or diuers image and if they see in Gods essence our doings they see all things euen the day of Iudgement which the Papists themselues denie Or is this glasse a bright and glorious light as some say But thus it is impossible for the Saints to see any thing because God sees it for by common reason doth he that sees the glorious light of the Sunne see al which the Sunne doth enlighten or can hee bee present where euer the beames of the Sunne are Oh but they call not on the Saints as Gods but as Gods friends First this is false for by this inuocation they ascribe vnto them omnipresence and omnipotency and therefore they inuocate them as Gods Secondly Idolatrie is a spirituall whoredome now it will bee no good excuse for a woman to say Shee is not so bad shee yeelds not her body to her husbands enemies but to his speciall friends Aquinas stands much on one place to proue inuocation of Saints and that is Iob 5. 1. Call now if any will answere and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne therefore saith hee wee may call vpon the Saints and they will heare vs. A most silly argument for first by Saints Eliphas meaneth not Saints in heauen but in earth Secondly by turning to them he meanes not that he should doe it by inuocation but by considering of former examples and it is as if he had said Giue me example of any Saint so punished as thou art and not for sinne for that was the argument Thirdly suppose hee had wished him to call vpon the Saints yet it was the speech of a man subiect to error and not of God and if he exhorted Iob to Saint-worship he was not to be obeyed Fourthly Eliphas in the eighth Verse sheweth whom he should go to for helpe saying I would enquire of God and turne my talke to God namely to pray vnto him and repent before him if I were as thou in thy misery The last obiection hath more wit then good matter As say they We beleeue the communion of Saints so wee must beleeue the communion of prayers for this is the chiefest benefit and speciall part of communitie In the naturall body common sense is distinguished from euery proper sense so is it in the mysticall body the Saints that are absent helpe vs in common consent of nature but the present Saints which are on earth onely they helpe vs with the proper sense of our misery which they know and therefore lend vs helpe in generall they desire our good crying with a lowd voyce and saying How long Lord holy and true c. but in speciall they know not our estate Againe there is a twofold communication one of person in the same mysticall body and so wee acknowledge wee are one with the Saints in heauen the other of office and speciall administration and thus only the Saints on earth are in communion with vs they in heauen cannot doe the same office for vs as we can doe one for another Thirdly much lesse can any godly man pray to dead things to Images stocks and stones to a piece of bread in the Masse to Relikes as bones and rags and much lesse to the woodden Crosse all which directly ouerthrowes the horrible Idolatrie of the Church of Rome whose Idols are aboue the Idols of the Gentiles both in basenesse and in multitude For the first if the Heathens had worshipped Mice or Rats or Frogs yet they would haue scorned to worship rags and bones and mouldy bread and a rotten stick or block for the Crosses Relike and yet these the Papists doe inuocate As for the number Augustine notes that the Heathen had three thousand knowne gods and in diuers places three hundred Iupiters or chiefe gods but the Papists haue multiplied three thousand by thirty thousand euery Citie nay not only euery City for not according to the number of their Cities but of their families is the number of their gods euery house nay euery person hath his speciall Angell to bee prayed vnto daily euery state order art disease hath a speciall Patrone and Physician to be inuocated Euery Altar euery consecrated Host receiued or boxed vp is a God new made by the Priest and Baker and this must bee inuocated Yea the holy beasts in Popery haue their seuerall gods the horse hath S. Loy to pray vnto if he can and the Pigs haue S. Anthony the Sea hath her Neptune among the Heathens the Woods their Satyres the Waters their Nymphs the Corne Ceres the Wine Bacchus and the very like heathenish superstition and idolatrie is in Popery I will not speake of the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins Bishops and Fathers and a Legion of Legend-Saints canonized and speciall prayer directed vnto them Whence I conclude that Religion to bee an heape of Idolatrie and a sinke of damnable heresie Fourthly we see by this doctrine where to speede our selues in affliction and whither to goe namely to God for so did the Prophets Apostles Saints and Christ on the Crosse and we haue no example to the contrary Yea but the worst will runne to God in trouble and danger and seeke him diligently Hos. 5. 15. First the wicked first try all meanes abroad if they can haue any helpe and refuge Psal. 4. 6. Many say Who will shew vs any good if they can finde helpe there that is their god for the present Secondly if an vngodly man see no helpe there his heart is downe he must then to God but he prayeth not he only howles vpon the bed of his sorrow like a beast through sense of paine Thirdly in his shewes of prayer hee seekes not God but himselfe not Gods fauour but present ease Fourthly the manner of his prayer is tumultuous his desires are not distinct his prayer not settled in his soule vpon true
sense of his want his voyce not tuned by the Spirit his lips walke but his heart mooues not so hee babbleth wordes he is soone wearie he is in a businesse that hee is not vsed to and at least hee holds not on till God answere him Fifthly if he obtayne reliefe or release he can impute it to second causes and then he hath done with God till he need him againe Thus he hath neither experience of Gods loue nor increase of loue to God Thus it is hard for him to pray in affliction and he can neuer doe it well that is not a godly man accustomed to prayer in his peace In a time when thou mayest be found HEre is the fourth or last point in the godly mans practice namely the time when hee shall pray The phrase implyeth three things first that prayer is a seeking of God for finding supposeth seeking Secondly that there is a time when God though sought will not bee found Thirdly that there is a time when the godly shall finde him For the first Prayer is a seeking of God Isa. 55. 6. Seeke the Lord while he may be found Call yee vpon him while he is neere The latter wordes expound the former Psal. 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me he saith not I prayed and was heard but I sought and was heard because his prayer was a seeking 2. Chron. 20. 3. When the good King Iehoshaphat proclaymed fasting prayer he is said to set himselfe to seeke the Lord. But God is euery-where present and what neede wee seeke him or seeing hee is neuer absent how can hee bee found In God are two things to be considered first his Essence Secondly his Presence His Essence or Godhead which is not farre from any of vs Act. 17. 27. wee neither seeke nor finde But his Presence or some comfortable signe of his presence and grace we are commanded to seeke and to our comfort doe often finde this is called in the Scripture the seeking of the face of God the face is that whereby a mans presence is knowne and whatsoeuer it is wherein the Lord doth manifest his presence is called the face of God see Gen. 32. 30. Yea but the Lord said to MOSES No man can see my face and liue Exod. 33. 20. The face of God is either prima or secunda praesentia Deitatis or habitationis First the first face of God is his diuine Essence which is inuisible which no man euer saw or can see both because he is a Spirit and cannot be seene of any mortall Creature as also because our weakenesse is such as the brightnesse of such Maiestie would bring vs to nothing for if our eyes cannot without the destruction of themselues behold the brightnesse of the Sunne-beames being a creature how are we able to behold the infinite and surpassing brightnesse of the Creator Secondly the second face of God is his grace and fauour called in Exodus the backe-parts of God when God doth manifest his gracious Presence or some part of his glorie in some ordinarie or extraordinarie reuelation of it Of the former God speaketh to Moses of the latter speakes Iaacob hee had seene God face to face that is more cleerely and manifestly then euer before and therefore he called the place Penuel In the old Testament the Arke of the couenant was called the face of God and the seeking of speciall testimonie of his presence there is called the seeking of his face because the Lord many wayes there gaue speciall testimonies of his presence as First by giuing Answeres and Oracles from the Mercy-seat Secondly by preseruing it from the contempt of his Enemies so as fiftie thousand Bethshemites were slaine for looking into it nay the Priests the Sonnes of Aaron might not see it but onely the high Priest once a yeere Thirdly by winning honour to it by diuers miracles as that before it the waters of Iordan were diuided the walls of Iericho fell downe and Dagon before it lost his head and hands And because God was so specially present there the Iewes must in their prayers turne their faces towards the Arke and towards Ierusalem as Daniel did being in Chaldaea And that the Iewes might know where to finde God at all times hee told them that hee would dwell in the Sanctuarie and sit between the Cherubins Exod. 35. 8. Indeede the Iewes were encouraged hereby to seeke God but what is that to vs If wee had such a set place where GOD had tyed his presence and residence wee should haue more comfort to seeke him then now wee haue Wee want not encouragement of seeking God nor neede doubt of finding him if wee take these grounds with vs First if wee seeke him in his owne house for where should a man be found but in his owne house God had one standing house in the Old Testament not where his infinite essence which the heauen of heauens was not able to containe but where his Name and memoriall dwelt but in the new he hath a number of houses and being omni-present he will be found in them all First the Church-assemblies thefe be so many Bethels or houses of God there the Church sought him and found him Cant. 6. 1. among the tents of Shepheards and Christ was downe in the Garden and among the beds of Spices that is the assemblies of the Saints where graces grow vp as sweet spices in a bed Christ delights to walk in the midst of the golden Candle-stickes therefore in these houses of Prayer seeke him by faithfull prayer and thou shalt not misse him Secondly euery Christian Family is a house of God where two or three consent in any one thing in his name Christ is in the midst them Adams Family where God was worshipped and sacrifices offered was Gods face whence Cain complaines he was cast out And the Apostle saluteth priuate Christians with the Church in their houses Therefore make thy house Gods house by setting vp his worship therein and thou shalt haue him neere thee with all sweet fellowship and fulnesse of blessednesse Thirdly euery Christian soule is a temple of GOD. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Yee are the Temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwell among them and walk there Then make thy heart his Temple and if thou wouldst finde him seeke him there thou shalt finde him no where else or sooner then there Adore him in thy soule and worship him in his holy Temple offer vpon the Altar a pure heart thy sacrifice euen the sweet incense of prayer Let the candle of thy faith euer burne before God let the Arke of thy soule keepe the tables of Gods commandements and keepe within thy heart that pot of Manna euen Christ the bread of life By this meanes thy soule is Gods Temple where he will be found as a man is in his owne house Secondly as we must seeke him in his owne house so by his
of his sinne or any spirituall blessing concerning saluation in Christ to come from God as a father this Ahab did neither seeke nor could finde Secondly in temporall things the wicked are not heard in mercy so much as in iustice not in loue but in anger and wrath Thus the Israelites asked Quailes and had them but While the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God was vpon them Psalm 78. 30. The same people asked a King and he gaue them one in wrath as himselfe said afterwards It is not alwaies a mercie that God grants a request for then the Lord had shewed mercy to the deuill to whom none belongs when hee granted him his request against Iob and the Swine wheras he did it for to bee a meanes of his owne shame and iudgement Secondly the godly also seeke sometimes when God will not be found but this must be vnderstood with two cautions First for the present he will not be found as Cant. 3. 2 4. the Church sought Christ whom her soule loued but found him not shee went a little farther and found him How strange did Christ shew himselfe to the woman of Canaan what grim countenance and contempt shewed he by his silence not vouchsafing to speak to her and when hee spoke what rough and churlish words gaue he to a woman in that distresse calling her a Dogge and yet in two or three words more shee heard from him Be it vnto thee euen as thou wilt Secondly in their sense God will not be found though indeede he neuer sends away emptie the prayer of faith for though hee obscures his face as the Church complaines and couers himselfe with a cloud that our prayers cannot come vnto him yet the very sustaining of vs in seeking to him argues his presence When the prodigall sonne was but resoluing to goe to his father the father went out to meete him with compassion and loue while he was yet a farre off and had no sense of it Thus Dauid often complaines Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer hath he forgotten to be mercifull and will he be neuer more intreated Why art thou so farre from the words of my complaint thou makest as if thou heardest not And what be the reasons that the godly finde not the Lord alwaies first the Lord will not bee found of the godly to chasten and correct them for their sinnes Why cannot the Church finde Christ seeking him so earnestly Cant. 3. 1 because she will seeke him in her bed and prouide for her owne ease and is loth to rise out of her bed sometimes in the Streets where shee list and not where she should sometimes she is heauie to go to the tents of shepheards or the Temple sometime shee hath reiected him when he offered himselfe kindly Cant. 5. 3 6. she wil not receiue him at the threshold and therefore she must trudge vp and downe after him and he will be farre from her finding Secondly the Lord will not be found of a long time that the continuance of their trouble might let euen his owne children see the greatnesse of their sinnes which haue plunged them so farre into Gods displeasure as now he will not be intreated For if our corrections were alwaies light and short we would not conceiue sufficiently the weight of our sinnes And this dealing of God though it may a while dismay his children yet is good for them that they may throughly feele their sinne and being bitten with it might both seriously humble themselues for the present and beware of it for time to come Thirdly God will not alway be found oftentimes to trie their faith hope patience and obedience Abraham must not find God retrayting his heauie commandement till the third day till hee was on the Mount and had bound Isaac to the wood Iob was tried to the vttermost before he could find God taking his part and so became a mirror of patience The Canaanitish woman was held off so long that her faith might bee a shame to all the Iewes she being a Gentile and therefore Christ said O woman great is thy faith Fourthly euen the repentance of the godly in respect of outward afflictions may come too late and God will not be found For though hee will not take his louing kindnesse from them yet if they be stubberne in sinne he will visit them with the rods of men If the decree bee once gone forth they shall frustrate many meanes and he will not repent nor spare nor bee intreated Ezech. 24. 13 14. Thou remainest in thy filthinesse and wickednes because I would haue purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee c. Moses no question repented of the sinne in that hee glorified not God at the waters of strife yet in regard of the temporall correction it came too late he must not goe into Canaan Notwithstanding all Dauids repentance and praying the childe of adulterie must die because if once God passe sentence it may not be called backe Therefore Search O search your selues O people not worthy to be loued before the decree come forth Zeph. 2. 1 2. Fifthly the Lord will not be found often for a time to the sense of his children to whet vp their desires after him both to make them long after him in his longer absence and also to make more account of his presence as the Mother stands behinde a doore and lets the Childe cry after her it sees it owne weakenesse and gets a knock and thereby perceiues the need of her Further we enioy no good thing as health wealth or libertie but the harder it is come by the more it is set by and whatsoeuer lightly comes lightly goes a disease easily cured is easily incurred and not so carefully preuented Cant. 3. 3. When the Spouse had sought Christ here and there and could no where finde him at length finding him shee tooke fast hold on him and would not let him goe Sixtly God will not alway be found that wee might herein see a resemblance of that eternall displeasure of God against impenitent sinners when as those that seeke after the Lord with true repentance stick in their trouble and cannot easily get discharge This vse Peter maketh 1. Epist. 4. 17. If iudgement begin at the house of God what shall be the end of those that obey not the Gospell and if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare But to whom then is that promise made Matth. 7. 7. Seeke and yee shall finde if the godly seeke and find not To the godly but first all such promises goe with exception of the Crosse for tryall and correction Secondly we must distinguish between Gods delayes and denyalls he giues not that we aske for the present but giues it after when we are fitter to receiue it and the giuing will make more to
they shall seeke him with their whole heart Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answere and while they speake I will heare Psal 9. 18. The poore shall not alway bee forgotten the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer First Gods nature is to tender the miserie of the afflicted and distressed wherein hee cannot denie himselfe Psal. 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighes of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set him at libertie Exod. 3. 7. I haue surely seene the affliction of my people and heard their cry because of their taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and now am come downe to deliuer them this is Gods philanthropie and louing affection to mankinde to put forth thoughts of peace towards them Secondly if God should not take one time or other to answere his children he should not bee as good as his promise Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Hee should reiect prayer preferred according to his will and in the name of Christ and the voyce of his owne Spirit yea the prayer of faith tending to his glory and the saluation of his people which hee cannot doe and continue faithfull Thirdly he sets out a time of finding in respect of his owne glory sundry wayes first by being found of his people he procures praise and abundant thankesgiuing as Psal. 22. 24 26. He hath not despised the poore nor hid his face from him my praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation The poore shall eate and bee satisfied they that seeke after the Lord shall praise him see Psal. 79. 13. and Isa. 38. 19. The Fathers to the Children shall declare thy praise Yea the Lord challengeth this as a chiefe part of his glorie Isa. 42. 7 8. Secondly by being found of his people hee magnifies his owne name in the midst of his enemies for they brag and exalt themselues when they can tread vpon the necks of the godly Now lest they should say We haue preuailed and Where is now their God He steps in and findes a time to heare their weake prayers Psal. 106. 8. He saued them the Israelites pursued by Pharaoh in the red Sea for his names sake according to the prayer of the Church Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be the praise ' Psal. 115. 1. Fourthly God will in time bee found of euery godly man often because of the malice of the wicked when it is come to the height The Israelites had often prayed and groned vnder their afflictions in Egypt in the foure hundred yeeres but because the sinnes of the Amorites and Canaanites were not full and ripe they found not God in all that time but when they were full they were deliuered Fifthly God sets out a time of finding in respect of the godly themselues first to prouoke them to loue the Lord who giueth and forgiueth much as Psal. 116. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my prayer Secondly to encourage them in prayer and in the course of inuocating him wherein they finde God so good yea to bee instant and presse in vpon him Psal. 116. 2. Because hee hath heard me in my dayes I will call vpon him This the Prophet expresseth Psal. 65. 2. All flesh shall resort to thee a God hearing prayer or Because thou hearest prayer all flesh shall resort vnto thee Yea but God hath denyed to heare the prayers of his children they haue sought and neuer found as Moses and Paul First we may pray for temporall things we must know that al the promises for them are made with a condition If God see it good for vs in such things a godly man may pray all his life time and not finde because GOD sees it better for him to be without them and to lye vnder the crosse Secondly we must distinguish betweene delayes and denials as we haue seene Thirdly the godly haue many speciall graces but it is Gods wisedome to leaue them in some want to know some pricke of the flesh as Paul did lest they should be puffed vp being taken vp into such an heauenly condition Fourthly God heares his children in a better kinde as we haue shewed Fiftly the godly are tyed to conditions which are often broken Sixtly it may be thy prayer is heard but the answere is not yet come to thy heart the sense of graunt is not yet brought to thee and there must goe some time betweene seeking finding so the Angell said to Daniel chap. 9. 22. 23. From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to seeke the Lord and humble thy selfe thy words are heard and now I am come to tell thee If the godly seeke sometimes in a time of finding then we must learne to iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted in spirit not to triumph ouer them as Dauids enemies did ouer him Oh God hath forsaken him or as Iobs friends did All that he was at best hee was but an hypocrite Oh saith the world this is not the child of God Why because the Diuell hath a little power ouer him and God is gone A false conceit For first though he be not heard presently yet hee shall be heard hereafter there is a time when he shall finde God Secondly God is delighted in an humble spirit and a broken heart Thirdly he is the God of the abiect his promise is that such as mourne in Sion shal be deliuered and haue beautie for ashes Fourthly after this rate we shall condemne the greatest lights of Gods Church Paul and the other Apostles were in a thousand dangers within and without assaulted on euery side yet as deare to God as euer they were and it was a Iewish scoffe against Christ Let God deliuer him now if he will haue him Let vs rather consider our owne case what it may bee and bee charitably affected to them in distresse as wee would haue others affected towards vs in the same case knowing that that which befals one man may befall any man Secondly if there be a time of finding let vs take heed of being Lyons in our owne houses tearing our soules with diffidence and despaire as if the Lord were cleane gone for euer and would neuer returne and as though there were no time of finding Alas I am then no godly man for I haue prayed long and God will not bee found must I not feare my estate Yes feare and doubt in the godly make their saluation more sure in the end because it sends them to the meanes of comfort and by this thou mayest trie thy feare and distinguish it from al vngodly feares doubts which vanish away without any such vse But I am vnworthy to finde God who haue incensed his wrath like an vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch and that euery day A false ground of a false enemie all
whose grace is sufficient not only it selfe but also for them 2. Cor. 12. 9. He is most present in their greatest need a very present helpe in trouble Fourthly of the gracious ends and issues he hath euer giuen to the tryalls of his seruants not only for his owne promise sake but also for thy experience Consider saith Eliphaz who euer perished being innocent This obseruation or consideration whereby things are pondered in the heart being neglected or slightly vsed experience of God must needes be wanting as there can be no haruest where the seed sowne rots in the earth and comes to nothing therefore the Apostle exhorts That we be not leaking vessells to let things runne out as fast as they come in Thirdly another meanes of experience is the Remembrance of such workes of God as wee haue knowne and obserued the Philosopher saith that experience is multiplex memoria a multiplyed memory because of the memory of the same thing often done ariseth experience and many memories of the same thing is but one experience Now this remembrance includeth these things first a committing to memory such things as wherein God most expresseth himselfe Secondly a retayning of them in memorie as in a store-house Thirdly a recalling of them to minde vpon occasion offered Fourthly an applying to our owne speciall vses and occasions This is the way therefore which hee must take that would become fearelesse in future troubles and to haue his heart established against all euill tydings First to get the knowledge of God in the couenant to be assured of his fauour and loue in the pardon of sin which may bee knowne by the fruits of repentance in confessing and forsaking sinne and by loue of God in his Word in his Image in his Saints and graces Secondly to grow vp in the obseruation of Gods working with himselfe and his people to obserue his owne increase of grace the supply of comfort the returne of his prayers the issues and deliuerances hee hath had out of troubles and dangers Alas what a staffe and strength cast they out of their hands who heedlesly passe by Gods gracious dealing with them whereby not only God is depriued of his glorie and of the praise due to his mercy for the present but themselues also for time to come of much comfort and confidence which is as small as their obseruation is Thirdly to lay vp in our memorie the things which may bestead vs that we may haue them at hand and for our best vse And this we shall doe First if we haue a care of good things and a right estimation of them Men remember the things they care for no man forgets where he hides his money Psal. 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them Secondly if we affect them as things of reckoning as Psal. 119. 16. I delighted in thy statutes therefore I did not forget them But if men iudge not aright of the things of God or preferre in their iudgements and affections baser things this breeds sensuality which made a whole world of people forget in Noahs time that which so neerely concerned them Thirdly if we vse continuall helpes as hearing of the Word which is a continuall monitor vnto vs godly conference which is as a whet-stone of grace meditation whereby wee hold things as our owne and not by force and compulsion These be as the Law written euer before the eyes of the Iewes or as the frindges of their garments to put them in minde of his statutes Lastly vse prayer by which wee keepe in that which we would else cast vp againe this is as vinegar the smell of which keeps downe that which would rise in the stomack And againe prayer obtaynes the Spirit whose sole office it is to bring things into our remembrance Ioh. 14. 26. By these meanes wee may store vp plentie of experiences and by euery experience we ought to draw neerer vnto God and grow more familiar with him more bold and confident We want no motiues hereunto For first experience of Gods fauour is the greatest gaine of a Christian and ought to be most desired Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance Psal. 4. 7. as the losse of the sense of Gods good will is his greatest losse Nothing troubled the prodigall Sonne so much as the offence of his Father he would haue beene glad to haue eaten with Pigs hee weighed his misery with his prosperitie his sorrowes were great but all the paines he sustayned was nothing to the vnreuerent vsing of his Father who was not only kinde to his children but to his hyrelings that lacked nothing Cant. 5. 7. The Spouse hauing lost the sense of Christ cryed and trauelled to seeke him was robbed beaten and misvsed by the way and her life was in great danger by confessing him among his enemies yet all this is nothing shee must haue Christ shee cared not for the losse of her goods and apparell nor her danger shee will not giue ouer till shee haue himselfe Secondly experience of Gods loue will make a man bold in good causes euen to the death whereas the wicked feare where no feare is for they can haue no affiance in God Whence it is that one good man in a good cause wherein he is assured God standeth by him is able to withstand and confound a number who are not able to withstand the terror of their owne conscience which witnesseth them to be enemies of God as our Sauiour himselfe Ioh. 18. 6. strucke not a blow but only modestly answered his enemies and asked them whom they sought and they all fell prostrate to the ground So in Gods children Gen. 43. When Ioseph spake most kindly to his brethren and told them hee was their brother there was such a terror and feare in their consciences for wronging him that they were not able to answere him a word The godly are bold as Lyons but the wicked as fearefull as Hares they can laugh and sing in the extreme suffering of that which the other are agast and shrinke to thinke of Thirdly hee that gets not a sense and experience of Gods fauour here shall haue experience of his wrath and iustice hereafter Thou shalt preserue me from trouble TRoubles are either of soule or body outward or inward spirituall or temporall this word includeth all according to that Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers or preserues them from all Gods preseruation is to bee considered in respect of the First meanes so t is either Secondly manner Mediate or Immediate Immediate preseruation is by himselfe alone when no hand of man or Angell can reach to helpe and so he preserued the Israelites in the Sea Mediate is when mediately by his Angels or by men or other meanes hee preserueth his people as Moses was by Pharaohs daughter and those in the ship by plankes and boords Act. 27. 44. In respect of the manner preseruation
3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God Fourthly when all is done to the glory of God to the honour of our profession and to the prouoking of others seeing our good workes to glorifie our heauenly father 1. Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God And thus shall euery good duetie in our hands be a step in our way to heauen Fourthly beware of turning to the right or left hand Prou. 4. 27. Turne not to the right hand seeking or stablishing our righteousnesse in our selues or in merits with the Papists for the way of inherent righteousnes leads from Christ who is the Way nor to any way of perfection of orders deuised by men as of Francis or Dominicke of Pouertie Chastitie and Counsel-keeping or of Iesuitisme which is the perfection of Rebellion and Treason Dauid in the 101. Psalme professeth that hee will walke in the perfect way diuers thousands of yeers before the Deuill had hatched any of these vncleane birds in the world Neither turne to the left hand turning grace into wantonnesse and imboldning our selues to sinne because grace hath abounded as profane Libertines doe Turne not to the world or earthlinesse these two waies can none walke in together vnlesse one man could serue two Masters or serue God and Mammon Our profession to God must be the same that the Israelites going towards Canaan made to Sihon King of the Amorites Num. 21. 21. Let me goe through thy Land wee will not turne aside into the fields nor into the vineyards neither drinke of the waters of the wells we will goe by the Kings high way vntill we be past thy Countrey Fiftly let vs be circumspect both to preuent and to recouer our selues out of our falls in this way By reason of Satans fierce temptations the weaknesse of grace and the frailty of the flesh many are the fals and knocks of the best In many things we sinne all saith S. Iames and Who knoweth his errors Psal. 19. 12. Now if wee will preuent these we must beware of occasions of sinne as a traueller steps ouer stones and rubs in his way Eue preuented not the occasion of her fall when shee entred talke with the serpent We must make a couenant with our eyes not to looke vpon a woman nor on the wine in a cup we must watch ouer our selues both alone and in company and not runne into bad company lest wee come home by weeping crosse as Peter did Secondly we must not lie in our falls a man in his iourney if hee fall and lie still shall neuer come to his wayes ende and if hee rise quickly though it hinder him a little it shall not much The Saints all of them recouered themselues out of their fals as Dauid in this Psalme by confession conuersion suing for pardon and renewing their faith and repentance A man out of his way must come backe againe the sooner he returnes the lesse is his labour Peter presently went out and wept bitterly and so was restored to Christs fauour Thirdly suppose thy falls bee grieuous and often into the same sinnes yet let them not hinder thee still out of the way For as the childe of God must neither presume nor purpose sinne so must hee not despaire of rising hauing fallen into sinne seeing the promise is that if a mans sinnes for hainousnesse bee as red as Scarlet vpon his true repentance they shall be made white as Snow and the parable teacheth that if a sinner offendeth seuenty times seuen times in a day and as often truely repent he shall bee as oft forgiuen Fourthly after such fals we must be more wary and careful lest we fall in the same manner A man yea a beast will be more carefull when it comes by the same place where it caught a fall yee cannot get it into the same hole againe Dauid no doubt would not count the Tribes againe after that fall in numbring them Sixthly hold on in this way constantly with perseuerance for the end of a worke crowneth it and the end of a way gladdeth and resteth the weary traueller and this rest is without end Many set foorth on this way but are discouraged by the hardnesse of the entrance whereas if they were a little entred the way would bee pleasant and the yoke of Christ easie and sweete Others haue gone yet further but at length looke backe yea go backe when a man would haue thought they had escaped the filthinesse of the world and these haue lost a great deale of labour and comfort Others yet farther then then they as the bad earth euen so farre as a man could perceiue no difference between them and sound Christians and apparent difference was there none but in perseuerance and yet wanting soundnesse haue suffered shipwracke euen at the hauen and so their former righteousnes is all forgotten a great deale of way they had gone and much worke had they ridde whereof they shall neuer see crowne nor comfort Oh beware of wearinesse and relapse as towards the end of his way the traueller is most cheareful so should wee and the rather because first euery one affects a good end euen Balaam and will we not endure a little difficultie for it Secondly Satan is most fierce in our end to hinder vs of the crowne and therefore wee should bee more watchfull and diligent to goe through Thirdly if we can labour a while wee shall bee euer safe neuer feare him any more neuer lose that crowne which the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto vs who loue his appearing I will instruct thee I will teach thee I will guide thee with mine eye These three particulars teach vs three properties of a good Teacher First to make a people to vnderstand their way Secondly to goe before them in good example in this way Thirdly to haue a watchfull eye ouer them to guide and gouerne them in that good way which they teach and walke in Dauid a good Instructer professing all these propoundeth himselfe a patterne for all good Pastours and Teachers First Teachers must make the people vnderstand the word of God and from thence their owne estate Nehem 8. 8. Ezra read the booke of the Law distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand The summe of a good Teachers office is in teaching pure doctrine purely first hee must chiefly tye himselfe to the word of God his principall scope must be not to make men vnderstand Latine or Greeke or the sayings of men but the word of God Ierem. 23. 28. The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord 2. Tim. 2. 2. The Word that thou hast heard of mee deliuer to faithfull men Secondly these words must hee propound to a plaine and
the works of his hands that they were exceeding good But we wil cōfine our speech to those two properties in the Text of which an on Thirdly Whereas it is said Be not like the Horse or Mule Whether hath a man free-will and power to change and conuert himselfe or else it seemeth the exhortation is idle Such exhortations argue neither vniuersall grace nor free-will as the Lutheran Diuines and the Papists hold but haue manifold vses besides first in regard of the wicked to restraine their wickednes or to harden them as Moses his ministry did Pharaoh Exo. 7. 2 3. or to conuince and make them inexcusable in that they cannot plead ignorance Secondly in regard of the godly and these eyther vnconuerted for with the exhortation the Lord putteth forth a power to enable them to doe the Commandement in some measure as when Peter spake to the Creeple and bade him stand vp at the same instant a new and fresh power and life came into his ioints and ankles by which hee was able to rise and walke or conuerted and then they serue First to shew them what they could doe in ADAM but now are disabled by their owne fault and folly Secondly what they can doe in the second ADAM in some measure Thirdly what to striue vnto because God commandeth Fourthly to blow vp grace receiued which is often weake as a smoking flaxe or as a sparkle vnder greene wood Whereunto one obseruation serueth cleane contrarie to the Papists opinion namely Wee neuer read of any exhortation but somewhere it hath a promise or prayer for it both which send vs out of our selues As for example Ezech. 18. 31. Make you a new heart and a new spirit but it is the Lord that promiseth to giue an heart of flesh Chap. 11. 19. and DAVID prayeth Create in me a new heart Psal. 51. 10. So Feare God and keepe his Commandements Eccles. 12. 13. but it is the Lord that promiseth to put his feare into our hearts Ier. 31. 33. 32. 40. Now from the former propertie of these creatures which is vnteachablenesse being without vnderstanding we learne that It is a brutish qualitie not to learne our dutie by the Word of God for Dauid here speakes out of his owne experience who while he cherished his sinne prouoked God to deale with him as wee doe with Horses and Mules which being vncapable of perswasion wee deale not with them with words or arguments but with bridles spurres and roddes we can make them feele vs but not vnderstand vs and this is the brutish propertie of wicked men and of the godly sometimes in desertion not to bee ruled by the voyce of GOD till his hand set it home Prou. 7. 22. the yong man being taken with the Harlot and not vnderstanding his way followes her as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a Foole to the Stockes for correction till a Dart strike through his Liuer he sees and knowes nothing Dauid himselfe Psal. 73. 22. not hauing learned in the Sanctuarie by the word that point of heauenly wisedome which might haue sustained him in a sore temptation confesseth of himselfe that he was in this point ignorant as the beast without vnderstanding Nebuchadnezzar would not heare the Word of God while Daniel admonished him to breake off his sinnes by repentance and to shew what a brutish practice this was God changed him into a brute beast not in forme or shape of bodie but in his vnderstanding and behauiour hee ate grasse with the beasts and sorted himselfe with them seuen yeeres till his vnderstanding came againe and then hee knew it was the most High that beareth rule Balaam would not bee taught to sit downe by Gods Word but still hee would assay if in this place or that he could curse the people of God To shew what a brutish propertie this was the Lord by the brute beast which was vnder him reprooued him which saw more then his Master 2. Pet. 2. 16. He was rebuked for his iniquitie for the dumbe Asse speaking with mans voyce checked the foolishnesse of the Prophet Ier. 10. 21. The Pastors are become beasts hauing no vnderstanding First the chiefe part of that glory which God decked man withall at the beginning and wherein his excellencie was aboue the beast was in the light and holinesse of his minde for being created in the Image of God which as the Apostle sayth stood in knowledge he did acknowledge God in himselfe in his word and workes he had communion with God and delight in his will But now by his fall spoyling himselfe of his vnderstanding and falling out of his right minde hee degenerates into the nature of the brute beasts which neyther doe nor will vnderstand the will of their Master The same speaketh the Psalme 49. 21. Man being in honour became like a beast without vnderstanding plainely shewing that his honour aboue the beast was his right vnderstanding which departing from him hee was deiected and degenerate into the dishonourable ranke of brute beasts Secondly since the fall euen the worst men retaine the specificall and common difference betweene man and beast which is reason it selfe suppose neuer so corrupted which when a man forsakes hee becomes brutish like the brute beast following lust and appetite and no other perswasion and euen so doe they that although they heare the reasons and exhortations of the Word all which reasons are diuine and of Gods framing yet as if they were beasts in the shape of men their actions proceed from sense and appetite and haue a brutish beginning they will not liue by rules of reason especially renewed enemies they are to perswasion words no more preuaile with them then with the Horse or Mule which vnderstand them not Thirdly who can deny that doth but looke on the externall shape of man and beast but that GOD hath put a plaine distinction betweene them One hee hath made with his face vpright to looke vpward as hee that should haue his continuall dependance vpon God and as hee that should communicate with God in his counsels and attend the wordes of his mouth and being of an intelligible nature to receiue and know his will should yeeld him franke obedience The other the beast the Horse and Mule are made with their eyes and countenance fixed vpon the earth aboue which they cannot rise or consider any thing A beast cannot looke beyond things present or any thing but those that are ante pedes before the feet it vnderstands not any promises or threats further then it feeles and is not this the propertie of many men who are no better then beasts in their vnderstanding tell them of GOD of their Creation their Fall the Curse of Sinne the meanes of their Restitution the promises of Life and the torments of Sinners their eyes are fixed wholly vpon earth and cannot see or discerne any such thing The beast may heare the sound when wee speake of
such things and these men heare no more or to no more purpose but to make their damnation iust they liue for the present if they feele nothing they are well enough nothing that they heare troubles them And if this be not a brutish propertie aske the brutes themselues and they will tell thee This teacheth vs to take shame to our selues and be humbled when wee see this to bee our disposition that wee haue not vnderstood nor beene warned by the Word of GOD nor considered of his wayes but as brute beasts haue been led by lusts and sensualitie while the Lord hath spoken vnto vs whereby in Gods reputation wee are worthily cut from the account of men nay thrust farre lower then they as the Lord often shameth his owne people by the brute beasts themselues as Isa. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Crib that is by much sense and daily good-turnes may bee brought to know their Benefactors wherein he preferreth them before his people that by no benefits neuer so great or constant would bee brought to know him Yea and whereas nature hath taught the silly birds the Crane Storke and Swallow to know their seasons Ier. 8. 7. neither nature nor grace hath taught such as professe themselues GODS people to know God a. right Secondly this sheweth what men may thinke of such as are vnteachable and vnwilling to learne the will of God If we frame our iudgement to Gods wee are to thinke no better of them then of the Horse or Mule Numbers will not bee taught and as many who are capable enough in earthly things to reach them and ouer-reach others yet are altogether vncapable of heauenly both of these as they haue liued without GOD and his Word all their liues so they liue still Well were it for them they were no worse then Horses and Mules when they dye their miserie ends when these dye their vnhappinesse begins when Christ shall appeare in flaming fire to render vengeance to all them that know not God nor obey his Sonnes Gospell Thirdly if wee would retaine not the place of Christians only but euen of men wee must bee perswaded to be vnlike the Horse and Mule who are without vnderstanding We must labour to vnderstand what is the good and acceptable will of God for which purpose we must vse the meanes to get out of our naturall ignorance and they be these First because God teacheth by his Word we must cōscionably frequent the Ministerie I say not customably but cōscionably if you should bring your Horse Mule as your little Dogges to the place of knowledge you may make them stand or lye quietly you can make them learne nothing and doe you your selues no more the more you heare and frequent meanes without profit the liker you make your selues to the Horse and Mule Secondly God speakes by his Spirit which makes the Word effectuall wee must therefore heare the voyce of the Spirit not the sound of the wordes so much but the meaning of the Spirit An Horse or Mule can heare a sound of wordes but haue no distinct sense and if a man come and heare wordes and endeuour not to bee led into the meaning of GODS Spirit hee goes not beyond his Horse in hearing A beast by much paines may bee taught something of man which runnes into the senses and if thou beest onely taught by man and not by God that thine eares heare but the heart which God must teach bee vnperswaded thou art not beyond thy beast in knowledge Therefore pray for Gods Spirit to teach thee hee is the Spirit of illumination the Spirit whose office is to lead into all Truth Thirdly thou must lay vp instruction hide the word in thy heart lay vp and binde vp the Lessons in thy soule not to lose or depart from them The Horse or Mule by sense will conforme for the present and doe that they see they must doe but want vnderstanding to make vse of that knowledge for time to come Like to the Horse or Mule are they that for the present heare and bee affected and seeme desirous to conforme to the Doctrine deliuered but no sooner out of the place but all is forgotten and all good motions quenched all the vse of their instruction is confined to the present time and for time to come is as meerely lost as wordes and perswasions vpon an Horse or Mule Fourthly thou must grow vp in the similitude of the Word thou hearest the Word must make thee of a man a new man of a good man a better man thou must be changed into the Word It is a Word of Faith and must make thee a Beleeuer yea and the more thou frequentest it thou must rise in the degrees of Faith It is a Word of light and must inlighten the darke corners of thy heart and giue direction to euery one of thy steps It is a Word of life and must quicken thee in the wayes of God and make thee mooue and actiue in pietie It is a word pure and holy as God is and must make thee grow vp in holinesse of heart and life without which thou shalt neuer see God Thus if thou growest not like the Word thou art not yet better then an Horse or Mule who let them heare neuer such good reasons and perswasions and by maine strength be brought to conformitie yet abide the same they were without any change of themselues Horses and Mules they were and so they abide be not thou like vnto them let the Word make thee another man or else thou art to these ends take with thee a few motiues First consider God hath made thee a man and wilt thou by this propertie debase thy selfe and equall thy selfe with beasts Wilt thou being a man put off manhood and lay aside thy minde and the powers which God hath giuen thee to distinguish thee from a beast Secondly he hath called thee into his Church he hath set open his Schoole he hath sent out his owne Spirit to teach the Elect so that now thou art willingly ignorant as they 2. Pet. 3. 5. worse then an Horse or Mule who would know their dutie but cannot thou canst but wilt not Thirdly he hath afforded thee his blessed Word a Word full of wisedome resembling himselfe furnished with such varietie of perswasion as Men and Angels cannot deuise the like that if this will not perswade thee thou must be no better then an Horse or Mule without vnderstanding nay worse for reason cannot perswade them being vnreasonable creatures but thou being reasonable the reason of reason cannot perswade thee Fourthly if thou wouldest haue a note of thy owne conuersion thou must put off thy brutish nature and grow vp in the knowledge of God Hos. 6. 1 2. so soone as euer Gods people were conuerted and returned to God they professe this as a necessarie consequent Then shall we haue knowledge and endeuour or proceede
phrases in holding it In a word if once we can claspe hold on this mercy of God in pardoning our sinnes we could desire euen to liue no longer in this World were it not to come to a more full sense and fruition of it VERS 11. Bee glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and bee ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart THese words containe the fourth and last vse of the generall Doctrine and a conclusion worthy the Psalme to which it is notably fitted for seeing the whole Psalme hath taught vs that hee is a blessed man whose sinnes are remitted and couered then may and must that man who hath this Doctrine sealed vp in his owne heart reioyce with great and vnspeakeable ioy And as it notably concludeth the whole Psalme so is it most aptly knit to the former wordes which haue layd downe the diuers estate both of the godly and wicked man and how when as sorrowes eate vp and consume the vngodly man remedilessely the portion of GODS people shall bee his owne compassing and infinite mercie and therefore vpon those premises hee inferreth this sweet conclusion that the godly hauing so sound cause of Christian ioy must mind yea and ouercome all their sorrowes with an holy and Christian reioycing in the LORD In the Verse are three things to bee considered first the persons to whom this precept is directed described by two titles first righteous secondly vpright in heart Secondly the Commandement to be glad to reioyce and be ioyfull Thirdly the obiect of their ioy and limitation In the Lord. First of the meaning Hee that is called in the sixt Verse a godly man and in the former Verse one that trusteth in God is here also set forth by two inseparable properties first hee is a righteous man And secondly vpright in heart Who is this righteous man A man is righteous by righteousnesse eyther Legall or Euangelicall First Legall righteousnesse is that perfect righteousnesse in nature and actions which the Law of GOD requireth euen perfect and full conformitie with the whole rule of righteousnesse as it was first written in mans heart by the law of nature By this was neuer man righteous but the first Adam in the time of his innocencie and the second Adam the innocent Sonne of God in whom besides the righteousnesse of his humane nature and life wee read of the righteousnesse of God that is the same righteousnesse being in a person that was God was so farre aduanced that it was able not onely to fulfill but to satisfie the rigour of GODS most righteous Law Secondly Euangelicall righteousnesse is that which the Gospell reueales and that is when a man being reconciled to God iustified by faith deliuered from all the guilt and punishment of sinne and inwardly sanctified by Gods Spirit is accounted of God righteous by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto him as Saint Paul speakes 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse And although this bee in part and imperfect in this life attended with much frailtie and infirmitie of flesh yet because First they are perfectly iustified euen in this life Secondly haue begunne in a righteousnesse which shall be perfected Thirdly haue a will and endeuour striuing to perfection Fourthly are accepted of God as perfect for Christs sake in whom all their vnrighteousnesse and defects are couered therefore they are called euery where righteous So our Prophet here calleth such as according to his former Doctrine haue made sure their discharge with God and gotten euidence of remission of sinne and reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ. Secondly This person is vpright in heart that is sound and sincere without guile verse 2. and this is when the heart is set right towardes God in doing all duties of pietie and charitie towardes GOD or men truely ayming at the pleasing of GOD and not at by-respects this is straightnesse of heart called truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. Thou louest truth in the inward parts And although no man is indeed vpright without some crookednesse and declining from the straight rule yet because heere is first a drawing neere and endeuour to full perfection Secondly a comparatiue rightnesse in respect of the vnregenerate whose course is wholly crooked Thirdly the acceptance of a mercifull Father therefore they are called vpright And vpright in heart first because there is the beginning of soundnesse for the first worke by which God distinguisheth betweene man and man is the purifying of the heart by Faith Act. 15. 9. and the worke of conuersion is called the circumcision of the heart which the Lord promiseth Deut. 30. 6. Secondly because all outward shewes without this ground are vnsound and deceitfull and whatsoeuer we doe must haue this ground to make it acceptable euen a sincere and honest heart 1. Pet. 1. 22. all obedience to the trueth all loue to our brethren must come from a pure heart Thirdly because if the heart be vpright it will from thence shine into all the actions for a righteous man must be vpright also in his way Psal. 119. 1. Now vprightnesse of heart is like a great wheele in a clocke that sets all the other a mouing or like a light in a lanthorne that shines through euery side of it A wicked man may bee vpright in some one action as Abimelech pleaded for himselfe Gen. 20. 5. With an vnperfect heart haue I done this but the generall vprightnesse of the whole life is peculiar to Gods people it must issue from the heart where if there be a liuing fountaine the streames will euer runne Secondly the Commandement enioyning spirituall reioycing hath diuers branches as there are diuers words in the originall which are to be distinguished First Bee glad the word Shimen comes of Shamaâ— which properly signifyeth inward and harty ioy conceiued by the presence or hope at least opinion of some good or desirable thing as Psal. 35. 26. Let them be confounded that reioyce at my hurt now none of Dauids subiects durst make show of this ioy in his hurt onely it was conceiued in their hearts Secondly Reioyce Gila riseth of Gil which signifieth to expresse our ioy by some outward gesture sometimes vsed for dauncing as Psal. 65. 12. The hilles skippe for gladnesse Thirdly Bee ioyful Harninu of Ranan vociferatus est prae laetitia Isa. 35. 6. The dumbe mans tongue shal sing Vetaron So as vpright men are commaunded not onely to conceiue and conceale their inward ioy but to expresse it in their actions in their speeches and euery way they can And this Commaundement runneth vp these three staires for sundry causes First to shew that there is great cause why the righteous should reioyce Secondly that where sound ioy is within it will not be hid but made manifest Thirdly to shew that Christian ioy is not perfect at first but riseth by degrees first within conceiued and then by little and little expressed as the degrees