the Oyle of Ioy for Mourning and the Garment of Prayse for the Spirit of Heauinesse Hee that now goeth on his way weeping If now wee mourne not wee shall not reioyce hereafter It is onely Mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the Wrath to come Such a continuall Mourner was Dauid who protests that in the Night hee watered his Couch with teares Psal 6.6 and in the day mingled his Cup therewith Iob. 3.24 And Iob in like manner sayth My sighing comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues which the Mockers of this Age esteeme a Womanly affection there is nothing to be found amongst them but eating Luk. 6.25 drinking singing a contracting of one sinne after another with carnall reioycing Matth. 5.4 But woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they shall weepe the end of their ioy shall be endlesse mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares abundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercie Gen. 27.38 And albeit the wicked laugh when the godly weepe and greatly insult when they which feare the Lord grone vnder heauie pressinesse the time will come when the one shall obtaine freedome from calamities and the other be compelled to take their turnes to fall into them Then he that mourned with griefe shall exult with ioy and he that triumphed with gladnesse shall howle with desperate woe and sorrow Let vs therefore goe to the house of Mourning with the godly rather then to the Banqueting house of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures Maries teares pleaseth Christ better then the Pharisies delicats Luk. 7.38.44 At one time Symon the Pharisie gaue our Sauior a Dynner and Marie who had beene a sinner brought him the Sacrifice of a contrite heart and the Lord esteemed more of her Teares then of the Pharisies Delicates No Banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so well as a Banquet of Teares powred from a heart truly penitent The Lord is said to gather the Teares of his Children and keepe them in a Bottle whereby to tell vs that they are precious in his sight For hee is not like the fooles of this world who gather into their Treasures things which are vaine and needlesse But alas how shall hee gather that which we haue not scattered Where are our Teares the Witnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The deplorable hardnesse of heart in this Age that cannot mourne The hardnesse of heart hath ouer-growne this Age that albeit there bee more then cause yet there is no mourning The sonnes of Cain learned without a Teacher Gen. 4.22 to worke in Brasse and Iron and the wit of Man can make the hardest Mettall soft to receiue an impression but cannot get their owne stonie heart made soft Yea the Children of God finde by experience how hard a thing it is to get a melting heart The Rocke rendred Water when Moses strucke it Num. 20.11 at the second stroke but alas many strokes will our hearts take before they send out the sweet teares of Repentance Seeing wee haue so many causes of sorrow without vs our mourning the troblesome estate of Gods Church Nehemiah 1.4 For herein is our case so much pittifull that hauing matter ynough of Mourning yet wee doe not mourne Without vs should not the troublesome estate of the Church of God be a matter of our griefe though our priuat estate were neuer so peaceable Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honorable seruice of King Artashashte the Monarch of the World was not so much comforted with his owne good estate as grieued at the desolation of Ierusalem Decay of Religion and encrease of Idolatrie made Eliah wearie of this life The Arke of God captiued and the Glory departed from Israel droue all comfort out of the heart of the Wife of Phineas Amos 6.6 These and many moe may teach vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of Mourning within vs are partly our sinnes Causes of mourning within vs our manifold sinnes partly our manyfold tentations As our sinnes are contracted with pleasure so are they dissolued with godly sorrow It is the best Medicine which is most contrarie to the nature of the Disease Our sinne is a Sicknesse wherein there is a carnall delight to doe that which is forbidden and it is cured by Repentance wherein there is a Spirituall displeasure and sorrowing for the euill which wee haue done This mourning for sinne lasteth in the Godly so long as they liue in the Body Rom. 7.24 yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are still in their remembrance for their humiliaâ—ion So that with good Hezekiâ—h they recount all their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternesse of their heart So long as sinne remayned in their affection it was the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remooued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their Sorrow And our manyfold Tentations The other cause of our Mourning is our manyfold Tentations For this World is no other thing but a stormie Sea wherein so many contrarie Windes of Tribulation blowes vpon vs that wee can hardly tell which of them to feare On euery side Sathan besets vs with Tentations on the right hand and on the left that the House being shaken at all the foure Corners may fall downe in one part or other No rest nor quietnesse for vs in this Habitation for the which it is best for vs with one aduice to conclude that wee will remoue and in the meane time send vp our Complaint to our Father in Heauen as the Gibeonites did to Ioshua Ioshua 10.6 shewing him how wee are besieged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with haste and helpe vs. Which who so doth shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him as we haue heard This teacheth vs not onely to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of Deliuerance Though in this life wee haue trouble yet haue wee no trouble without comfort Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.3 4. who comforts vs in all our Tribulation and besides that which wee presently haue it is yet much more which wee looke for The men of this World haue no ioy without sorrow euen in laughter their heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their Countenance there is heauinesse in their Conscience arising of the weight of Sinne. But it is farre otherwise with the godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and the wicked should learne vs patience Let vs not seeke that in the Earth which our gracious Father in his most wise Dispensation hath reserued
he turned Water into Wine so in the other will hee turne all sorrow into ioy To haue ioy without griefe is the condition of them who are glorified in Heauen to haue griefe without ioy is the condition of them who are damned in Hell I meane to bee without sence and hope of ioy but the godly on earth haue their ioy mixed with griefe and griefe tempered with ioy and albeit sometimes they want the sence of ioy yet doe they neuer want all hope and expectation of ioy They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Reasons mouing vs to mourning And to moue vs yet more to this mourning disposition let vs consider two things the euill we incurre if we mourne not and the good that shall ensue to vs if we mourne for the sinnes of others As for the first amongst many wayes whereby the sinnes of other men become ours If wee mourne not for other mens sinnes they become ours 1. Cor. 5.1 2 3 4 5. this is also one if we know their iniquities and bee not grieued therewith And therefore are the Corinthians reproued that they sorrowed not for the incestuous man that was among them by so doing they were defiled by his sinne and became one polluted Lumpe with him Ezek. 9. all the chapter And Ezekiel not onely in Iudgement determined vpon the committers of sinne but of such also as mourned not for sinne They are inuolued in the same Iudgement as partakers of the same sinnes by reason that they mourned not for them And as for the great good wee get by mourning for the sinnes of the Wicked If wee mourne many blessings follow it Matth. 5.4 whereby they dishonour the Lord our God it is also euident Blessed sayth our Sauiour are they that mourne for they shall be comforted When the Heauen waters the Earth in due season there followeth a fruitfull encrease but when the Earth waters the Heauen then shall follow a more plentifull Haruest of spirituall Comfort And this is done when a sinner powres the teares of his penitent Heart into the Bosome of God Then the Heauens are vvatered by the Earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground but the Lord gathereth them like most precious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottle and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowne like good Seed on earth the first fruit whereof is reaped on earth but the fulnesse thereof in Heauen In trouble it is expedient to looke vnto the end thereof Worldlings wrestle for their corruptible Crowne as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no but it is not so with the Christian we runne not as vncertaine we are sure Rom. 8.17 that if wee suffer with Christ Heb. 12.11 wee shall also reigne with him Though for the present no trouble be sweet yet is the end thereof most comfortable and wee are by the eyes of Faith to looke vnto it lest our present manifold Tentations driue vs to impatience For as hee that goeth through a strong running Water is in danger to fall and to be drowned by reason of the dizzinesse of his Head or Braine vnlesse hee fixe his Eyes vpon the Bankes euen so shall wee be readie to faint in Affliction vnlesse wee looke to the comfortable end thereof If wee shall looke to Lazarus vpon the Dunghill and Ioseph in the Prison what can we iudge them but miserable men But if wee consider their end we shall see the one in Abrahams Bosome and the other raigning in great glory vnder Pharoah in Egypt Then shall we say Verely there is fruit for the righteous and we shall find it true which here the Prophet sayth They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Verse 7. He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him HOw could the state of the Church or the passage wherein it walketh vnder the Crosse be more liuely expressed whereby we may learne so to arme our mindes that wee lose not that Laughter which by Faith we haue apprehended but may encrease and waxe strong and feele this Laughter more and more in vs. For Faith and the life of Christians is not Hypocrisie but the Christian life is that which is here described that is to be exercised with Tentations and Afflictions vnder the Crosse and to apprehend the Word This is our true Vnion wee must dayly encrease because of the Flesh the World and the Deuill which doe exercise vs with continuall Tentations For except in these Dangers wee haue recourse vnto the Word and Prayer wee are gone The Crosse therefore is the meane wherewith God will haue vs not swallowed vp and consumed but exercised that wee may dayly grow more and more towards perfection To goe forth and weepe and to carrie Seed for so the Holy Ghost calleth it It cannot be then but that a Christian must needes bee such a Sower as must reape not in Laughter but in bitter Sorrow and Teares But thou wilt say Where is then the Laughter which is preached to the Redeemed whereof Dauid spake a little before in the Spirit For looke how much Faith thou hast so much Laughter thou hast also But sometimes this Laughter is lost and turned into Mourning yet are wee not forsaken for the Promise is sure and certaine and the Victorie ouer Sinne Hell and Death is ours but yet in hope notwithstanding so long as we are in this life we remaine alwayes in teares and mourning as Christ sayth Ioh. 16.20 The World shall reioyce but you shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Psal 30.5 Heauinesse may endure for a Night but Ioy commeth in the Morning Eccl. 3.1.4 To all things there is an appointed time a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance All times are limitted by God to the faithfull but first for sorrow and then for ioy onely the godly men truely reioyce with sound and lasting ioy My seruants shall reioyce Exo. 15.27 and yee shall be ashamed My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart Isa 65.13 and yee shall crye for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of Spirit The stranger shall not enter into his ioy Pro. 14.10 And it is called the ioy of Gods people Thus the Scriptures euer limit this ioy to the saithfull Let them that seeke the Lord reioyce Therefore if they sorrow Psal 40.16 they onely shall out-grow their sorrow and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy as Christ promised the Apostles Isa 35.10 The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with prayse and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads Isa 61.3 they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flye away Christ hath appointed vnto them that mourne in Sion Beautie for Ashes
and be glad in it Now it is not enough to keepe that day as an idle holy day to rest from labor and work to ring Bels and make Bonfiers to giue our selues to eating drinking and swilling to sports and pastimes for this is no honour to God But first our thankefulnesse must appeare in a most reuerent and thankefull commemoration and Remembrance of this so great and wonderfull a deliuerance wee must call it to mind thinke of the greatnesse of it wee must speake of it to our Children and Posterity and call vpon them to bee thankfull for the Child that is yet vnborne is bound to blesse God for it Exodus 12.6 Secondly we must sing Psalmes of praise and thanksegiuing vnto God in token of thankfulnesse and that publikely in the Church and Congregation of Gods people Thirdly we must come together into Gods house to heare his word and call vpon his name and that is a speciall part of our vnfained thankfulnesse Fourthly wee must testifie our thankfulnes in most hearty dutiful obedience which is the greatest and the best sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 And if this be wanting all that wee do is nothing worth Esay 29.13 so that for our generall deliuerance there should be a generall thanksegiuing in a generall reformation of Church and Commonwealth of our hearts and sinfull liues otherwise wee are indeed vnthankefull if still we liue in sin rebellion Then notwithstanding our keeping a day ringing of Bels sport and play if their follow no reformation of our liues wee may iustly feare a more dreadfull iudgement if not vtter ruine and destruction to follow Now alas where is this vse of Gods mercy and our deliuerance where doth the people reforme their liues reforme their wayes grow more religious conscionable and carefull to heare reade pray in their families it is but a wonder of nine dayes men make little or no vse of it but to talke of it and speake of it And lastly our thankefulnesse should beget in vs an earnest hatred of Popery and superstition so vilde faulse mischieuous bloody and cursed religion to abhorre it to haue nothing to do with it but to abandon it which that all estates and degrees of men may do the Lord grant for his mercy sake Amen Verse 1. They had swallowed vs vp quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs. THis repitition is not in vaine for whiles we are in danger our feare is without measure but when it is once past wee imagine it to haue beene lesse then it was indeed and this is the delusion of Sathan to diminish and obscure the grace of God Dauid therefore with this repetition stirreth vp the people to a more thankefulnesse vnto God for his gracious deliuerance and implyteth the dangers which they had passed Whereby we are taught how to thinke of our troubles and afflictions past least the sence and feeling of Gods graces vanish out of our Minds And heere note how God dealeth with his people in their distresse who suffereth their enemies so farre to preuaile ouer them and deferreth his helpe so long till it seeme vnpossible for them to escape so that they are compelled to confesse and acknowledge that they must needes haue perished if the mighty hand of God had not deliuered them These two things then wee see the Israelites here to acknowlegde first that the Lord was on their side that is succoured and deliuered thē then also that it had not beene possible but they must vtterly haue perished if God had not preserued and defended them Dauid saith Psalm 129 1.2.3 that albeit he was persecuted and sore oppressed for his profession yet no troubles could make him swerue from the Testimonies of God Trouble is the best tryall of true Religion It is no great thing to cleaue vnto the Testimonies of God when none pursues them for it when authority allowes it when honour and prosperity followes it It is no great praise then to professe it When the Lord gloried of his Seruant Iob That he was an vpright man fearing God yet Sathan replyed Iob. 1. And what maruell doth Iob worship God for nothing he knew there were many hirelings temporizers in the world that worshipped not God sincerely and therefore would not continue it hee thought Iob to bee one of these lay now thine hand vpon all that he hath and hee shall blaspheme thee to thy face But he was deceiued for the more he was crossed the neerer did he cleaue vnto the Lord. Let vs remember as Saint Paul hath warned vs wee haue not yet resisted vnto blood neither that which S. Peter cals the fierie triall haue we endured and yet what a shame is it to see how many are become coulder in Religion an euident argument that they were neuer truly religious for if they cannot stand against offences how should they stand against oppressions and persecutions They haue swallowed vs vp quick in these words he expresseth not onely the strength and rage and cruelty of the enemies but also how weake and vnable the Isralites were to withstand them and here he vseth a similitude takē of fierce and outragious beasts whose property is when they haue taken their prey to swallow them aliue Likewise when wee would expresse the cruelty or malice of any towards vs we are wont to say he hateth mee so deadly that hee could finde in his heart to eate mee or swallow mee vp quicke the Prophet meaneth then that their enemies were so many and so mighty that they needed no armour or weapons to destroy them but were able like fierce and cruell beasts to swallow them vp aliue being so weake and so little a flocke let vs learne then to sing with Dauid If the Lord had not bin on our side whose mighty hand hath deliuered vs whose power alone hath preserued vs and although the world rage against vs though Sathan vexe vs neuer so sore they cannot hurt vs. Be of good comfort saith Christ our Sauiour For I haue ouercome the world Againe I giue vnto them euerlasting life and none shall take them out of my hands First this teacheth vs to remember and meditate of all such gracicious deliuerances which he shewed vnto vs either in general or particular from treasons trecheries conspiracies the like in regard wherof we had long since bin consumed had not God taken our parts against those that rose vp against vs whose purpose was to haue deuoured vs in regard of which treason we may truly say as Dauid now may England say If the Lord had not been on our side if the Lord himselfe had not bin on our side when men rose vp against vs viz. the Papists they had then swallowed vs vp quick when their wrath was kindled against vs c. Let vs againe remember how nere their purpose hath bin broght to passe ready euen to take effect as we haue spoken in the 1. verse yet their net is broken and wee are
deliuered This will make vs to hate and abandon all sinne which are the cause for the most part of al his punishments Lam. 3.39 this will make vs afraid to displease God by any one sin fearing lest he should iustly giue vs ouer vnto the wil of our aduersaries this will make vs to fly to him for help succor to depend vpon him to seek by all meanes to come into his loue and fauour Least his wrath be kindled and so wee perish from the right way in a word this will be a speciall meanes to quicken vs to the performance of all dutifull obedience vnto our good God who hath been so gracious and mercifull to vs thus to deliuer vs. Secondly we must call to minde often our perils by land by water by fire at home and abroade our danger in sickenesse and diseases how many wayes God could plague vs with strange and grieuous visitations as the stone and chollicke the frencie madnesse and manifold destructions frō all which the Lord hath graciously preserued vs. We must remember Gods mercy in preseruing of vs in our conception in our birth in our infancy youth middle age old age and how he hath continually prouided for vs all things necessary whereas hee might iustly for our sinnes haue sufferd vs to starue and and famish for want of foode infinite are Gods works in preseruing of vs which neuer ought to slip out of our mindes but to be treasured vp in faithfull memories acknowledging that God and none but he doth all things for vs and who therefore would abuse this bounty and goodnesse of God and not rather as the Apostle Paul sayth Be moued by these to forsake our sinnes and turne to God by true repentance Rom. 2.4.5 being led as it were by these to returne the more speedily vnto God Here first wee are to consider how great things God hath done for our soules how he hath kept vs from the spirituall famine in giuing vs his word to bee so plainely and plentifully taught how hee hath kept vs from the powre and snare of the diuell how hee hath pulled vs out of the dungeon of hell and hath deliuered vs from Sinne Death Hel and Condemnation how he hath made vs to know his Wil to vnderstand his Word how he hath inlightned our vnderstandings informed our Iudgements in Truth Psal 24.2 sanctifying our affections renewing our wils rectified our reasons pacified our troubled consciences asswaged the maledy of our minds how hee hath kept vs from the power and dominion of sinne of children of wrath he hath made vs heires of heauen he hath not onely giuen vs his Sonne to be our Sauiour but his spirit to assure vs and his Sacraments to seale the assurance of our saluation in our hearts he hath elected called iustified and sanctified vs and many gracious promises hath hee made from which he will neuer go back that vndoubtedly he will glorifie vs he gaue vs power ouer sin and Sathan in our conuersion he hath giuen vs strength from time to time to withstand the temptations of the world the flesh and the diuell so that wee may truely say What could the Lord haue done more for his Vineyard the Lord hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither had the Heathen such knowledge of his Lawes O that men would wisely consider these things it would make them leaue sinning moue them to exercise themselues meditating day and night to liue so and to please God O my people saith God What wrong haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I wearied thee Micah 6.4 5 6 testifie against mee I haue deliuered thee redeemed thee and sent before thee Moses Aaron and Meriam i. Minister and Magistrate O my people remember now c. and this with Dauid this will make vs cry out and say Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soule Secondly we must remember the manner how God hath thus preserued vs both in body and soule and that hath beene extraordinarily for the most part on Gods part and vndeseruedly alwayes on our part extraordinary on Gods part as in those manifold treasons and treacheries beyond all expectation when there haue beene no way as we might thinke for vs to escape when they haue beene ready to put in execution their wicked deuises then hath God awaked as one out of sleepe to rescue and deliuer vs and that miraculously discouering their hidden treacheries as wee haue shewed before which the world knew not of Psal 107. O that men would therfore remember to praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wondrous workes to the Children of men Againe all this is vndeserued on our parts for we haue deserued iustly to bee cast off from God for wee diserue nothing but damnation and when we haue done all wee can doe yet still wee are vnprofitable seruants Luke 17. and therefore with Dauid wee may iustly say not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 Rom. 5. but to thy name giue the praise for thy mercy and truths sake Yea when wee were enemies to GOD yet did he looke vpon vs all which as it aggrauateth our misery and Gods mercy so it should aggrauate our hatred to all sin and loue to God and goodnesse Thirdly wee must remember the end of our preseruation that is to leaue vs so much the more without excuse at the latter day if we remember not these things to make aright vse of them Secondly to make our punishment so much the greater hauing abused Gods mercy Thirdly that we may be moued by the sight and consideration of Gods great mercy to yeeld him all possible thanks and praise expressing the same by all dutifull obedience to his commandements Fourthly that wee may hereby see our owne inabilitie weakenesse and insufficiencie how soone wee might perish were not God our good God to helpe vs and do for vs. Fifthly to make vs depend vpon his fatherly prouidence in the vse of all meanes Lam. 3.38 for out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth both euill and good That is both prosperitie and aduersitie Sixthly to make vs humble suters to Almighty God for euery good we stand in need of If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side they had then swallowed vs vp quick for it is only Hee who preserues vs and euery good and perfect gift comes from aboue Iam. 1.17 Seuenthly to attribute nothing to chance and fortune but all to Gods mercy in Christ Iesus Lastly to deny our selues with all that wee haue acknowledging that not for any merit in vs but only because God had a fauour vnto vs he hath shewed such wonderfull deliuerance vnto vs both in soule and body for had it not beene Gods endlesse mercy wee had long since beene swept away as the Prophet Esaiah hath it Esay 19 Except the Lord of of Hosts had left vs a small remnant we
all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercy enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now he forgoes restores he was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when he was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iacob when he saw Iosephs face his best beloued Son now saith he I haue enough let me now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face how much more shall we haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seen Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord said he let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seen thy saluatiō but to see christ by the eye of faith hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shal think we haue enough the sweet sense of it will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place neither can any good heart either lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neither content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficial phrases in holding it In a word if once wee 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 fruition of it Where hee addeth from henceforth and for euer by rhese words he sheweth that this vigilancy of the Lord our God ouer vs is not temporall but eternall according to that which he sayd before in the first verse of this Psalme they shall remaine for euer Let vs learne therfore out of this Psalme that our constancy and perseurance consisteth in this that we are defended by the power and prouidence of the Lord on euery side Verse 3. For the rodde of the vngodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put their hand vnto wickednesse HEre the Prophet plainly decalreth that the people which rest vnder this defence and protection are afflicted and subiect to all miseries and calamities as touching the flesh although they be compassed about with high and mighty mountaines as touching the spirit as Sathan can neuer surmount yet touching the flesh and the old man they lye open on euery side to the darts of Sathan and of the world for God by these means will afflict and exercise the flesh that sinne and the foolishnesse of the flesh may be mortified in them and that spirituall wisedome and the inward man may increase this is the cause why we are according to the flesh as a broken hedge and as a citie Whose walles are cast downe and so lyeth open to the enemy on euery side Hereof cometh intollerable blasphemyes cruell torments and bloody slaughters of the Saints of God for the flesh hath no walles no munitions to defend it but the spirite therefore the flesh is in danger to all stormes and tempests as the Prophet Esay sayth which haue sayd vnto thy soule bow downe that we may go ouer thou hast layd the body as the ground and as the street to them that went ouer These afflictions wee must needes suffer and by patience ouercome them and withall we must beware that by these outward afflictions the inward man be not weakened or ouercome resting in the assured hope and trust that the Lord will neuer forsake vs but that wee are in the bosome of the Father and are closed within most sure and strong holds so that now although our goods our Wiues our Children yea our liues also be taken from vs yet wee shall neuer bee spoyled of our Christ by whom we are so surely defended that in the middest of all our tentations hee will make a way for vs to escape or else giue vs strength to beare them Blessed is the Man who indureth tentation Iam. 1.12 for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Thus wee see what consolations the holy Ghost setteth forth vnto them which beleeue the word for vnto such as looke for a better life then this is all things are here full of calamities and miseries death followeth death as Saint Paul saith and we continually die one temptation followeth another vntill at the length by the death of the flesh all miseries shall cease and haue an end This verse therfore admonisheth vs that wee must suffer many troubles yet so that at length wee shall be safe and set at libertie from them although not in this life yet in the life to come as this verse full of consolation doth promise vs. Notwithstanding this promise seemeth incredible both to vs which suffer and also to them which persecute and aflict vs for if wee behold the same with our outward eyes what can be more false yea the contrary seemeth to bee most true behold our Sauiour Christ was hee not so forsaken hanging vpon the Crosse that the rod or scepter of the wicked rested vpon him did it not rest likewise vpon the Prophets the Apostles and orher holy Martyrs this matter then if we consider it with our outward eyes hath another meaning then the words doe import for they promise that the Scepter of the wicked shall haue no power ouer the godly and yet all Stories and examples doe testifie the contrarie therefore the holy Ghost calleth vs backe to the purpose and counsell of God reuealed in his word and commaundeth vs to weigh and consider not what we suffer but what is decreed with the Lord in heauen and he that can so sequester himselfe from the beholding of his afflictions and tentatfons and yeelde himselfe wholy to the will of God and there rest is a right diuine yea hee that is ignorant hereof in true diuinitie knoweth nothing at all for what knoweth he which is ignorant that God is such a God as will not suffer the godly to bee oppressed of the wicked For seeing he hath said I am the Lord thy God he will neuer suffer that which is his owne to bee wrested either by the world or by the gates of hell out of his hands if he then abide and continue they shall also continue for euer which are his Thus to beleeue and thus to lay hold on things inuisible is true diuinitie and true spirituall wisedome indeed Whereupon we may ground this proposition out of the inuisible counsell of God God hateth the wicked and loueth the iust ergo he will damne and destroy the wicked and will deliuer and saue the iust And heere we see that which is the chiefest thing in all Psalmes and Prophets to spring out of the first precept I am the Lord thy God Now haue we to learne how wee may apply this verse rightly and to our great comfort for
things of nothing that he is carefull of vs and for vs whether we be afflicted in the flesh or in the spirit and that he is more mindfull of our deliuerance then we our selues can be Here haue wee then a singular promise and consolation as if he should say the rodde of the wicked grieueth you but be of good comfort my people and patiently endure it for I will not suffer the tentation so farre to preuayle ouer you that your confidence and trust in me shall vtterly fayle you stormes and tempests shall arise and your dangers shall seeme so great as though the waues should presently swallow you vp but I will not suffer you to perish I will bridle their rage and make an end of the rodde of the wicked If Sathan and your owne Conscience doe accuse you as most wicked and vnrighteous yet will I not leaue you destitute of my righteousnesse Thus doe Tentations teach vs the true vse and meaning of the first Commandement the which none without Afflictions and Tentations shall rightly know or vnderstand Hereby the Prophet will teach vs that our Afflictions are but short and endures but a while The rodde of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous The time of our trouble in holy Scripture is called sometime a Day of Triall and sometimes an Houre of Tentation As our Sauiour said to the three Disciples Mat. 26.40 Can yee not watch with mee one houre so may he say to vs all as oft as wee faint vnder trouble Can ye not suffer with me one houre It was the comfort that Athanasius gaue to the Church in his time that Iulian should be but a stormie little Cloud that would quickly passe by And it is certainely true both of the troubles and of all the instruments thereof Let vs waite a while on our God with patience and wee shall see them no more Therefore seeing the vse of afflictions and sorrowes of the godly is but for a time to exercise their faith and patience and therefore cannot be perpetuall for when the tryall is ouer the burthen must bee remooued The time of Winter is bitter and barren and cold through Frosts and Stormes but besides that it is profitable for the Earth and Plants to kill Weedes and Wormes and to mellow and rot the Ground it is a forerunner of a pleasant spring and a fruitfull haruest such is the state of the godly often here Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse sometimes departs further off and leaues the beleeuer in a wintrous estate laid open to many stormes and sad showers but besides that all this winter prepares the soyle and kils the weeds and vermine of the soule it goes before an happie spring and haruest which wil bring in fruits of righteousnesse to those that are exercised I goe away for a while and ye shall be sorrowfull but I will come againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy shall none take away Here is then first of all a notable ground of patience in sorowes The rod of the wicked shall not lye for euer vpon the backe of the righteous And seeing God hath set the time how long they shall last and shall not exceed the appointed time This should alwayes learne vs patience yea hee hath not onely set a time of duration but also of exchanging thy sorrowes into ioy Art thou in any trouble or vnder any molestation of Satan Are wicked men vnder reproch scandall hatred persecution c it is a storme too violent to last long nay it shall bee changed into a calme into a faire and comfortable season Suppose thou bee in the Night of disgrace blacked and darkened by wicked ones as Dauid was Suppose thou haue things layd to thy charge that thou neuer knewest and art forced to repay that which thou neuer tookest yet wait still the good time after thou hast endured a little scowring all the soyle will tend to thy brightnesse and the time comes that God will make thy innocencie to breake out as the light Art thou sicke in thy Soule or pained in thy Bodie and seest no way but present Death wait the time and thou shalt meete not onely with perfect cure but perfect health also onely see thou makest Christ thy Physician God had appointed a time of Abrahams tryall for three dayes but the third day turned his sorrow into ioy in which hee had the comfort both of his sonne and his owne obedience Ionas had his appointed time of sorrow in the belly of Hell in the bottome of the Sea when hee was cast out of sight but at the end of three dayes hee was cast on the dry ground and his sorrowes and feares were turned into ioy and prayses The Theefe on the Crosse was euen in the hands of death his paines and sorrowes encreasing as hee felt his life decreasing how did our blessed Sauiour comfort him and support him with patience but with this assurance that the end was comming and a time appointed which should instantly turne that shame and sorrow into glorie and ioy This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Lazarus was not onely in the hands but in the House of Death foure dayes yet a time was appointed euen the fourth day wherein the bands of Death were to be loosed and hee restored to his former life And thus shall it be with all the Disciples of Christ whose troubles shall not last alwayes the longest they can last is but for this life and while they doe last they haue the comfort of both those Petitions of Christ first That the Father would keepe them in the World and secondly that after they be safely passed through the World and the troubles and disgrace of it They may be where himselfe is Iohn 17.24 to behold his glory This serues to comfort the godly in their troubles that they shall be preserued in them and from them The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against them First Sathan the red Dragon may create them trouble so that they shall want no molestation that hee can procure them but hee cannot hinder their deliuerance nor without leaue hinder their peace no nor touch an haire of their head Secondly the wicked of the World will see they want no tryals or vexation but on the contrary God will see they shall not want seasonable deliuerance hee will not leaue him in his hand And although such is their inbred malice that they would neuer take off their Rods from the backes of the godly yet God will not suffer the Rod of the vngodly alway to lye on the lot of the righteous Thirdly Psal 37.8 if their owne sinnes beset them hard and so dismay them as though they should neuer get freedome And this is the strongest band of all which tyeth them to trouble and all other troubles were but a play so that the heart were perswaded of the pardon of Sinne as the Saints in sicknesse of Conscience
things labouring to approue our selues vnto GOD keeping faith and a good conscience which hath the promise of this life and that which is to come And wee must euer entertaine this holy resolution that nothing should draw vs from God and godlinesse 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our reioycing saith Paul the testimonie of a good conscience that is in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisdome c. This yeelds vnto vs much comfort that our hearts can witnesse with vs that wee haue done our duties in obedience to Gods will Verse 4. Do well O Lord vnto them that be good and true of heart THE Prophet saith not heere doe well Lord to the perfect and such as offend in nothing but to the good and true of heart The good and true of heart are they which are of a single sincere and vpright heart for these are they which are most accepted of God although they also through infirmitie doe some times offend Heere is matter of great comfort to the Children of God that fall of weaknesse and infirmitie into the same sinne after repentance and such is the depth of Sathans temptations that he tels them that the Children of God fall not into the same sinne againe after their repentance if they doe hee telleth them that there is no place for a second repentance but this is false for the promises of God are without limitation of times or consideration of sinnes or respect of persons he will receiue to mercy all repentant sinners whether their sinnes be committed before or after repentance whither once or often so that they renew their repentance according as they haue sinned anew This pardon Christ himselfe publisheth Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heauy laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11.28 Yea the Lord inioyneth vs sinfull men to forgiue our Brother seauentie times seauen times if hee turne againe and say it repenteth me So that wee see this is a maruellous comfort to all such as groane vnder the burthen of sinne that haue fallen through infirmitie into one sinne often let not such be discouraged but assure themselues that albeit with Peter they fall often yet with him if they repent truly and weepe bitterly for their sinnes the Lord is mercifull to forgiue them their sinnes not that wee should liue proudly presumptuously stubbornely and obstinately against him but if wee fall through frailtie Psal 103. Psalme 103. The Lord knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that wee are but dust The Child of God not alwayes at one stay Hence wee learne that the Childe of GOD is not alwayes at one stay but there is an entercourse in the estate of a Christian man or woman sometimes full of comfort ioy and peace of conscience and sometimes againe heauie and sad yea full of sorrow and perplexitie euen as a man in an ague sometimes sicke and sometimes well and as it is with trees sometimes winter and sometimes summer This is the state of all Gods Children as Dauid Ioseph Hezekias Iob c. and continuall experience prooueth this that the estate of Gods Children ebbes and flowes hath their change when as they walke directly and vprightly with God then they haue peace and comfort but when that they start aside and commit some wicked sinne then they finde torments of conscience and great griefe of mind This shewes vs what is the state and condition of the Childe of GOD in this life hee is not so heere sanctified as that hee feeles no corruption of sinne to hange about him but rather such a one as feeles the burthen of his corruptions hindering him in this his course of Christianitie vnder which hee grieuously sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburthened Indeede it is a matter of great comfort to feele the graces of Gods Spirit as Faith Loue c. but no Childe of GOD can alwaies feele the comfort of grace but as fire that is raked vp in the ashes it is hid from his feeling for a time but at the length it will breake out againe to his great ioy and comfort Well seeing this is the state of Gods Children heere they finde great peace and comfort sometimes griefe and sorrow let vs not bee to much discouraged but rather when as by our falls and slippes wee haue weakened our comfort let vs intreat the Lord to renew our comfort againe let vs doe as a poore traueller who if he misse his way and goe out of it he will hasten into it againe and trudge and plucke vp his heeles with all speed to recouer that which hee hath lost So let vs when we haue sinned and gone out of the way make hast to returne and as a man that hath beene long sicke and growne feeble and weake will vse all meanes to gather vp his crums and to recouer his former strength againe So let vs when wee haue lost some part of our comfort and heauenly strength let vs I say vse all blessed meanes to recouer our former health and comfort againe Let vs pray much reade much heare much and meditate much let vs bewaile our former sloth and make our steps more vpright in time to come to Gods kingdome c. A purpose not to sinne the marke of a sanctified Heart Note heere that it is the speciall fruite and marke of a sanctified Heart and of the Minde renewed to haue a purpose not to sinne but in all things to please God and to doe his Will to walke with God in all his Commaundements Whereas on the contrarie Psal 50.17 when a Man hath a purpose to liue in any knowne sinne it is a fearefull and a manifest signe of a naughtie and wicked Heart For when the Heart is truely sanctified then will bee brought this right Spirit not to sinne in any thing I doe not say that the Man sanctified and regenerate doth not sinne at all but hee hath no purpose to sinne no delight in sinne but beareth a constant purpose in all things to please God When hee can say with Dauid I haue refrayned my feete from euerie euill way Againe Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is Iohn 3.9 with full purpose of heart with delight in Sinne and as they purpose not to sinne so they endeuour it they are afraid and suspect themselues shunne the Occasions of Sinne Gen. 39.9 and striue against their owne Corruptions and Sathans Temptations This Doctrine doth euidently conuince the greatest number to bee such as neuer had the true Worke of Sanctification wrought in them Their Hearts bee not sanctified and their Mindes are not renewed Why Namely because they want this marke and fruite of a sanctified heart for though they heare of their sinnes bee told of them and the fearefull iudgements of GOD denounced against them yet they will not leaue them nor forsake them but will continue in them yea though it cost them the losse of Gods
fauour and the losse of their owne soules let vs not deceiue our selues Let vs try our hearts by this rule whether they bee sanctified or not dost thou finde a dislike of all sinne and an hatred of them Hast thou a constant and resolent purpose no more to sinne against thy GOD wittingly and willingly hast thou a resolute purpose by the grace of GOD to walke before him all thy dayes this is a signe of a pure and vpright heart and that it is sanctified But doest thou finde no such resolution no such purpose but rather contrarie a purpose to runne on in them let man say what he can in Lying Stealing Drunkennesse Whoredome Ignorance Contempt of the Word c. Say what thou wilt professe what thou wilt it is a cleare case thy heart is naught it is filthie not sanctified For it is impossible that a man should haue true repentance and an heart truely sanctified and yet keepe a purpose to liue in his knowne sinnes And therefore it conuinceth all such to be impenitent sinners and notorious hypocrites yea if they leaue many sinnes and yet purpose to liue in one Mark 6. it argueth the heart is not sanctified Herod left many yet liued in Incest c. Know this therefore whosoeuer thou art that if thou takest libertie to thy selfe to liue in any knowne sinne thou canst haue no assurance that thou art yet within the couenant of Grace Blessednesse is no part of thy portion Hee must become a new Creature that shall enter into the new Ierusalem For according to Dauids speech if wee regard any one Sinne in our hearts the Lord will not heare vs. The young man in the Gospell remembred many sinnes and iustified himselfe as cleare from the breach of the Commandements in the second Table but his Couetousnesse which was in his heart hee remembred not And therefore when our Sauiour bad him goe sell all that hee had and giue to the poore hee went away sorrowfull Matth. 19.21 22. for hee had great Possessions Wherefore wee must resolue our selues of the great necessitie of this point of generall reformation of all sinne condemning our selues for euery sinne for if wee liue and lye but in one sinne that one sinne is a sufficient weight to presse vs downe to Hell Let vs therefore cast euery sinne away which is as great weight Heb. 12.1 and lay aside euery sinne with which we are beset This Doctrine may serue for the comfort of Gods Children who are much grieued for their sinnes and infirmities when they fayle and come short of good duties and sometimes start aside as sayth Saint Iames Iam. 3.2 In many things wee sinne all and the iust Man falls seuen times a day but if thou canst truely say it is against thy purpose I hate the sinne I commit I condemne it I had no purpose to doe it my desire was to please God then thou mayest haue comfort thy heart is sound God will not condemne thee for it The Lord will spare his children as a father his onely sonne A child is going to Schoole and his purpose is so to doe in the way he falls into some companie and stayes there too long and playes the truant but it is against his purpose euen so the child of God purposeth to serue God and to please him in all things and hath no purpose to sinne but by some temptation of the Diuell or allurements of the World hee is ouertaken I doe the euill I would not I cannot doe the good I would hut I delight in the Law of the Lord concerning the inner Man This is Pauls comfort and this is the comfort of all Gods children if they can truely say I doe the euill I would not I delight in the Law of God that God will accept the will for the deed Therefore let this be thy comfort A prisoner that hath escaped out of Prison would fayne goe twentie miles in one houre but by reason of his Bolts and Fetters he cannot goe one mile It is thus with Gods children Here they would faine escape from the prison of sinne and shake off the Fetters of vngodlinesse that hang on so fast Heb. 12.1 but so long as the Fetters are on and they clothed with the garment of the flesh there will corruption leake out of them It is Gods great mercie vnto the godly that they haue freedome of Spirit that their Soules are at libertie and that they can sigh and grone and desire to be eased Phil. 3.4 Our perfection in this life is rather in desires thē in deeds Satisfaction shall follow desires and God shall giue vs more then we desired Mat 5.6 Our perfection in this life is rather in godly desires then in a full obtayning of things desired yet haue the godly this comfort that where desires goe before satisfaction shall follow for the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Yea sure it is how great soeuer our desires bee wee cannot desire so much as the Lord hath to giue vs for hee is rich in mercie able to doe abundantly aboue all that wee can aske or thinke Example hereof wee haue in Zaccheus Luk. 19.3 Hee desired but to see Christ and hee got not onely a sight of him but familiar speech of him yea Christ went to his House and dyned with him and made him by grace the Child of Abraham So shall the Lord doe to all his Children hee shall giue them more then eyther they desired or looked for at his hands For the heart of man cannot vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Oh the riches of Gods vnspeakable mercie Oh the endlesse comfort and felicitie of all those that truly and vprightly remember God and seeke his glory with their whole heart This comfort wee haue that if wee aske any thing in prayer wee shall receiue it Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because wee keepe his Commandements and doe those things which are pleasing in Gods sight 1. Ioh. 3.22 If we reade the Scriptures heare the Word c. blessed shal we be if we keepe it according to that in the Reuelation Blessed is he that readeth Reuel 1.3 and they that heare the wordes of this Prophecie and keepe those things which are written therein Our Goods Cattell Corne and all things belonging to vs Deut. 28. shall be blessed of God if we remember to obey his voyce and to doe as he would haue vs yea our children shall be blessed after vs Prou. 20.7 for Blessed is the vpright man and blessed shall his seed be after him Yea as Dauid speaketh Blessed is the man that meditates in the Law of God day and night comfort in the creature yet shall hee bee forced to acknowledge that all the labour vnder the Sunne Eccles 1. is but vanitie and
and the Deuill and to the redemption purchased by the death and bloodshedding of Christ and published in the Gospell for this kind of speech which the Prophet vseth here is of greater importance then that it may be applied onely to these particular Captiuities For what great matter was it for these people of the Iewes being as it were a little handfull to be deliuered out of temporall Captiuitie in comparison of the exceeding incomparable deliuerance whereby mankind was set at libertie from the power of their enemies not Temporall but Eternall euen from Death Sathan and Hell it selfe wherefore we take this Psalme to be a Prophesie of the Redemption that should come by Iesus Christ and the publishing of the Gospell whereby the kingdome of Christ is aduanced Death and the Diuell with all the powers of darknesse are vanquished This Psalme being thus generally vnderstood may afterwards be applyed to euery particular deliuerance Verse 1. When the Lord brought againe the Captiuitie of Sion wee were like them that Dreame BY Syon is signified that people which had the promise of the comming of Christ For Redemption and Saluation was first promised to the people of Syon and to the children of Abraham after the flesh This people was in bondage vnder the Law and by the Law vnder the Captiuitie of Death and Sinne. Now if this people complaine of their Captiuitie and sigh for their deliuerance what shall we thinke of the Gentiles which liued in Idolatrie and in their owne lusts without any Law without God he could not therefore haue signified a more generall and more grieuous captiuitie then when he saith That his owne people of Sion did long for this deliuerance which in outward appearance was most holy and vnder Dauid and Saul did mightily flourish But behold how liuely he setteth forth that ioy which should follow this deliuerance we shal be saith he like them that dreame By this kind of speech he expresseth the greatnesse of their ioy meaning that this ioy and gladnesse should be so great that the heart of man should not be able to conceiue it as if hee should say when he shall heare of Yea when we shall indeed feele and inioy this deliuerance from sinne and death so farre passing all that we could hope or look for the ioy therof shall be so great that it shall seeme to vs but as a dreame For so wee see it come to passe also euen in particular deliuerances when God suddenly deliuereth his Seruants out of any great trouble or affliction Acts 12.7 So it happened to Peter when he was deliuered by the Angell out of prison Likewise when it was said to Iacob Ioseph thy Sonne liueth Gen. 45.19 and ruleth ouer all the land of Egypt He was as one raised out of a dreame and could not beleeue it vntill that it was shewed vnto him by certaine tokens to be true indeede Heere then is set foorth vnto vs the inestimable grace whereby we are redeemed through the blood of the Sonne of God who did not spare himselfe and his owne life that hee might set vs free from the power of the Deuill the wrath of GOD Death and eternall Damnation but mans heart is not able as is said to comprehend these things The more feeling and taste he hath thereof the greater alacritie and courage hath he to goe through all dangers the lesse feeling he hath the more he is shaken with terrours and at the length looking backe to Egypt with the Israelites seeking other helpes Our heart therefore must wholy rest in this Redemption and wee must labour to haue some part of this taste and feeling which the Prophet rightly compareth to a most ioyfull and pleasant Dreame We see heere the Iewes were so glad of their deliuerance out of the Babylonish Captiuity and their returne thence that they scarce could beleeue whether it was not a Dreame Our Captiuitie was farre greater being vnder the Curse of the Law sold vnder Sinne Bondslaues vnto Sathan and Sonnes of Wrath Which Bondage could wee rightly acknowledge our Deliuerance would be farre more gratefull then it is Our Deliuerer was not Moses nor Ioshua nor Zerubbabel but the Sonne of God of whom they were Types both in the first Induction of that People out of Egypt into that Land and in their second Reduction backe againe He by putting himselfe into the Prison of our Flesh and in that Flesh by suffering that execrable Death and all the Sorrowes of it freed vs from the guilt of Sinne appeased the wrath of God abolished eternall Death and destroyed the Deuils Kingdome Now the Sonne thus freeing vs wee are free indeed Oh the greatnesse of this deliuerance should astonish vs whereby we auoid those great and insuperable euils which otherwise had for euer oppressed vs. This serueth to comfort all Gods Saints and all the Elect who can find this that they are redeemed a comfort of all comforts for what can comfort the Heart of Man more then to thinke of that glorious Victorie in Christ Iesus that whereas before they were in the state of damnation now they are restored into the state of saluation whereas before the Deuill held them bound hand and foot in bondage and in slauish thraldome yet now the Snare is broken and they are deliuered What can be more comfortable and ioyfull to the poore Prisoners that haue lyen so long in the Dungeon haue beene arraigned at the Barre condemned as Guiltie and the Sentence of Death denounced then to heare the King for such a Friends sake hath granted their Pardon How much more ought all the faithfull members of Christ to reioyce when as they see that there was no way with them but Hell there to haue perished and to haue beene damned Soule and Body for euer yet that good God of Heauen and Earth He for Christ his sake hath granted this Pardon that being redeemed they may liue for euermore Reioyce therefore and be glad ye which once were desolate and in heauinesse lift vp your heads with ioy be glad and comfort your selues together for the Lord hath comforted you his people he hath redeemed you his chosen as Isaiah breaketh forth into ioy Isaiah 52.9 and reioyceth For he that made thee is thine Husband whose Name is the Lord of Hosts and the holy One of Israel that mighty God of the whole world he is the Redeemer and with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Thus the Lord comforteth his people himselfe saying Feare not Isaiah 54.1 5. be of good courage for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name Isaiah 43.1 thou art mine Againe Reioyce ye Heauens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the Earth burst forth into prayses ye Mountaines O Forrests and euery Tree therein I haue put away thy transgressions like a Cloud and thy sinnes as a Myst Isaiah 44.22 I haue redeemed thee
themselues redeemed but those who are cleansed from sinne and haue a care to forsake sinne so it is as true that none doe more keepe themselues from sinne then those that doe dayly meditate of and remember their Redemption it being the speciall end of our Redemption to cease from sinne and to serue God in righteousnesse and true holynesse all the dayes of our liues Lu. 1.74 75. As our Sauiour Christ when hee had cured him that had beene sicke thirtie eight yeeres meeting him in the Temple hee like a good Physician giueth him wholesome counsell and bids him Sinne no more But first prepares him to this dutie by calling to remembrance his mercie and fauour towards him in healing of him Iohn 5.14 Behold sayth Christ thou art made whole Sinne no more So if we would seriously remember the loue and mercy that God hath shewed in redeeming vs by his Sonne and the vnspeakable loue and care that Christ had on vs to die such a cursed Death for vs it would make vs breake forth with a full resolution of heart and say by our selues Behold I am made whole I am redeemed I will therefore defile my selfe no more I will leaue all sinne I will sinne no more lest a worse thing happen to me and it would make vs practise the contrary vertues When Paul would haue the Ephesians not to haue any fellowship with vnfruitfull works of darknesse but to walk as children of the light he doth first put them in mind of their new estate and makes them to consider of it seriously as being a notable means against sinne saying Ephes 5.8 9 10 11. Yee were once darkenesse but now are light in the Lord walke as children of the Light approouing what is pleasing to the Lord and haue no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprooue them It is a manifest note of one redeemed Rom. 6.2 to be dead to sinne and if we are dead to sinne how shall wee any longer liue therein Forget not therefore this wonderfull benefit of Redemption Psal 103.2 3 4. sayth Dauid to his Soule And surely if this loue of Christ were truly remembred it could not be that we should sinne so commonly against him and so cruelly handle him by our sinnes euen by crucifying him afresh againe as wee doe First this Meditation as it is a notable meanes to preserue vs from all sinne so especially it keepeth vs from these and stirreth vs vp to the practise of the contrary vertues First it banisheth all vnthankfulnesse and stirreth vs vp to blesse and praise Gods Name who hath done so great things for vs. This was Dauids Meditation and practise Psal 103.4 Luke 1.68 1. Cor. 15.57 My soule praise thou the Lord and all within mee shall praise his holy Name and forget not all his benefites who redeemeth thy soule from destruction c. This did Zacharias thus did Paul and so will all doe that do finde and feele their part in this redemption Secondly this Meditation will keepe vs from fainting vnder the Crosse and make vs constant to vndergoe affliction and without this we cannot doe either Consider and remember therfore Christ Heb. 12.3 which endured such contradictions of sinners against himselfe lest yee bee wearied and faint in your minds Verse 1.2 and that we may cast aside euery sinne that hangeth on so fast and runne with patience the race set before vs let vs looke vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our Faith Heere we see this is a great meanes against any sinne as well as impatiency inconstancy and the like and holds vs in a continuall course of doing well and walking aright in our Christian race Thirdly this is a speciall dutie enioyned vs in the right participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without which wee cannot receiue as fit guests but vnworthily eating and drinking our owne damnation And therefore Christ himselfe in his first Institution gaue vs this in speciall charge saying 1. Cor. 11.24.25 Doe this as oft as ye doe it in remembrance of mee repeating the same to shew vs the necessitie of it Fourthly this giueth vs comfort in sicknesse and at our death and stayeth vs against despaire of Gods mercy and at our death assure vs of endlesse mercy in the world to come besides al Gods blessings in this life temporally For if we remember that he dyed for vs and rose againe for vs Some shall also rise with him from the death of sinne vnto newnesse of life here and to immortall glory hereafter For where our head and member Christ is there also must we his members redeemed bee also And if when wee were enemies to him Christ died for vs Rom. 5.10 much more being now reconciled Rom. 8.1 shall we bee saued by him as Paul saith Now there is no condemnation to vs. Fiftly it maketh vs constant in all good duties stedfast and vnmoueable it maketh vs rich in all good workes when with Iob we can say I know that my Redeemer liueth Iob 19.25 This is that which Paul remembred with thankfulnesse and remembring it did stirre vp himselfe and others to abound in good workes which none can doe but those that cease from sinne 1. Cor. 15.57.58 Thankes bee vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore bee yee stedfast and vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Sixtly in way of thankfulnesse beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blinde man as hath bene shewed before Luke 7.47 Thou art made whole sinne no more Seuenthly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Eightly studie to please him in all things Psal 116.8 Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Lastly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psal 126.1 Luke 1.49 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce and say with Marie He that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name Verse 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy THis Psalme hath in it a singular Maiestie and therefore the Prophet vseth here many figuratiue or borrowed speeches By laughter he signifieth the voyce of the Gospel for the Gospel should be to vs nothing else but ioy and gladnesse especially if we compare it with the Law for the Law terrifieth and killeth whose vse and office is to breake and mollifie the hard and stonie hearts of the impenitent as Ezechiel saith for they must bee broken with this iron Scepter as it were and beaten downe to hell as the Psalmist prayeth Let the wicked be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and all
Nations that forget God For seeing they haue a heart of iron and as the Prophet saith A brazen forehead they must bee terrified with the thunderings of the Law that is they must bee brought to the feare of Gods Iudgement and filled with the terror of death as it hapned to the people of Israel at the Mount Sina when the Law was published by the voyce of the Lord. But they that haue a fleshie heart that is to say a soft and tender hart may not be killed with the Law but reuiued raised vp with another kind of Doctrine which the holy Ghost calleth here laughter and ioy that is to say the Gospell This is the right diuiding of the word which Saint Paul speaketh of to preach and set foorth to the impenitent and hard hearted the threatnings of the Law the wrath of God against sinne and the terrors of Gods Iudgements but to the weake and broken hearted the sweete comforts of the Gospel that they that are secure and without feare may now learne to feare the Lord and they that are to much oppressed with feare may bee of good comfort and now begin to trust in the Lord. This difference betweene the Law and the Gospell is well knowne but by experience and practise it is not so wel known for our infirmitie is such that we are rather touched with the sence of Sinne and Death then with laughter and ioy that is the sweet comforts and ioyfull promises of Gospell And here also we finde Sathan to be our deadly aduersarie which most subtilly disputeth with vs touching the Law and vseth such Arguments as wee cannot deny For when he layeth vnto vs our sinnes wee are constrayned to confesse â—hem which albeit sometimes wee couer them before men our Conscience as a thousand witnesâ—es pronounceth against vs and will not suffer vs to forget them or hide them Whereof sometimes ariseth also a doubting or mistrust euen in the dearest of Gods Saints I speake nothing of those which are manifestly wicked with these darts Sathan pierceth and grieuously woundeth the soft and tender heart onely because this distinction is not so well knowne by practise as it is by speculation For if we had this practise indeed Speculation is a naked knowledge without experience practise we should rightly discerne betweene the Law and the Gospell also betweene the Disciples of the Law and of the Gospell and beate backe Sathan with this answer Speculation is a naked knowledge without experience practise that like a lying spirit he seeketh nothing else but to blinde and deceiue the heart with falshood and lyes for where as hard and stony hearts bee those hee doth not kill or terrifie but flattereth and filleth them with hope and fayre promises which doe not pertaine to such heartâ— contrariwise whereas such tendeâ— and timerous hearts bee as are too much terrified already and therefore should bee confirmed and raysed vp with the promises of the Gospell those hearts Sathan most of all not onely goeth about to afflict and terrifie but to beate them downe also to vtter discomfort wherefore the Christian man must learne and labour by feeling and practise to make this distinction in his heart and say vnto Sathan away from mee Sathan with thy lyes when I am voyde of the feare of God secure and hard hearted then come and pleade the Law against mee then will I heare thee for then that is the time to teach the Law but since thou commest now vnto mee with the Law A good answer to be giuen to Sathan whereas my heart is terrified already with sinne and death I will not heare thee for thy doctrine pertaineth not vnto mee but laughter and ioy not terrour and death So should Sathan bee answered when he goes about to terrifie vs but by experience wee feele that when most neede is our heart is not able thus to answer though wee haue heard these things before neuer so often the cause is this that albeit Heauen be ours and wide open for vs yet such is our nature and such is our infirmitie that all this doth not make vs so ioyfull as the gaping Gulph and horror of Hell doth terrifie vs so that our cogitation of our sinnes doth more afflict vs then all the teaching and preaching of the Merits of Christ can comfort vs. Therefore wee must earnestly endeuour to learne this practise or at the least to attayne to some knowledge thereof and rayse vp our selues with these words That the Gospell is nothing else but laughter and ioy which properly pertayneth to the Captiues that is to those that feele the captiuitie of sinne and death to the fleshie and tender hearted terrified with the feeling of the wrath and iudgement of God these are the Disciples in whose hearts should be planted laughter and ioy and which onely should heare the voyce of ioy and gladnesse in the Tabernacles of the Righteous and that by the authoritie of the Holy Ghost which this Verse setteth forth for it doth signifie that this people was in Sion and after the outward shew of the Kingdome and Priesthood did mightily flourish but if a man consider them according to the Spirit he shall see them to bee in miserable captiuitie and that their tongue is full of heauinesse and mourning because their heart is terrified with the sence of sinne and death This is Moses Tongue or Moses Mouth full of Wormewood and of the bitternesse of Death wherewith he ought to kill those onely which are too liuely and full of securitie but they which feele their captiuity should haue their mouthes filled with laughter and ioy that is the redemption and deliuerance from sinne and death purchased by the blood of Christ should be preached vnto them this is the sence and meaning of the holy Ghost that the mouth should sound and shew forth nothing else but great gladnesse and those inestimable consolations of the Gospell with voyces of tryumph and victory by Christ ouercomming Sathan destroying death and taking away our sinnes this was first spoken vnto the Iewes for this laughter was first offered to that people then hauing the promises now hee turneth to the Gentiles whom hee calleth to the partaking of this laughter Verse 3. Then sayd they among the heathen the Lord hath done great things for them THe Gentiles naturally hated and disdained the Iewes and could abide nothing lesse then their Religion yet these Gentiles sayth hee when this laughter this ioy shall be published and preached shall maruell thereat and shall prayse the great workes of the Lord now the Gentiles would not this doe or esteeme this worke of God as a benefit except they also should be partakers of the same therefore when the holy Ghost sayth that the Gentiles should publish praise and magnifie this benefite of the Iewes deliuerance out of captiuitie hee plainly signifieth withall that they should be partakers of this deliuerance and that they likewise should extoll and
Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Prayer that is with the redemption which was wrought by Christ the prayer of the faithfull and of the redeemed for although our redemption be fully wrought and we redeemed by the bloud of the Sonne of God yet it is necessarie that we should pray for this redemption as Christ also in his Prayer commands vs to doe that Gods Name may be sanctified Mat. 6. Which notwithstanding we know to be holy and sanctified alreadie That the Kingdome of God may come which is come and is within vs alreadie Also Christ sayth Father glorifie thy Name and the Father answered I haue glorified it and I will glorifie it againe Also Saint Paul sayth I count not my selfe to haue attained vnto it c. hee meaneth the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of the power of his Resurrection This is it which I touched before that this benefit of the Gospell this inestimable gift of our Redemption and Life euerlasting is easie to be vttered with words but most hard to be beleeued with the heart For wee haue in this life not the Tenths Rom. 8.23 but the first fruits of the Spirit but the flesh liueth fully and wholly in a manner strong and lustie True it is that wee haue entred one foot into the Kingdome of God and haue thereby obtayned the assurance of the Promise Thess 4.1 but wee must not there rest wee must draw the other foot after that is wee must continually encrease and goe forward in the knowledge of Grace and of Faith And for this cause the Prophet Zacharie sayth That the Spirit of Prayer is powred forth vpon vs which Spirit requireth this encrease in vs. And S. Paul sayth Rom. 8.22 That the Spirit sigheth with sighes that cannot be expressed yea and that euery creature also groaneth for the deliuerance of the Children of God Wherefore whilest wee are in this Body which presseth vs downe as a heauie Burthen and hindereth vs that wee cannot fully apprehend these things wee haue not onely the Spirit of Grace but the Spirit of Prayer also that we might be assured of the grace and good will of God towards vs for Christs sake in whom we beleeue and yet should not cease to pray that God would make perfect in vs that hee hath begun Sathan neuer ceaseth to assayle our Faith Hope and other Vertues which God hath planted in vs. Sathans prerogatiue And this prerogatiue hath Sathan because the Grace which is begun in vs is not yet perfect therefore he fighteth so busily against these beginnings fearing lest they should come to perfection Such is the life of Christians which haue already receiued the first fruits of the Spirit who by experience doe learne that these things cannot be fully apprehended but that in the meane while they shall oftentimes slip yea and sometimes dangerously fall so that the sparke of Faith and of the Spirit may seeme in them to be vtterly quenched As it happened to Dauid in his Adulterie 2. Sam. 11. wherein they haue need of helpe to rayse them vp againe as Christ answered to Paul My power is made perfect in infirmitie The infirmitie is theirs and remayneth theirs whilest they liue but the power and strength is Christs alone one dramme of the grace of Christ in the soule of a Christian makes him more precious in the eyes of God then any remnant-corruption in him can make him odious Therefore is it that the Lord giues vnto them the Names of his Beloued his Seruants his Sonnes his Saints who are so onely in part Both these are true Those that are borne of God sinneth not and againe If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues the one wee haue of the fruits of the New Man the other of the remnants of the Old Man Let vs therefore be continually displeased with our inhabitant Corruption that wee despaire not nor be discouraged neither let vs so complaine of our Sinnes that we become false witnesses against the grace of God which is in vs. If there were nothing in vs but that we haue by nature our state were most miserable but seeing besides nature there is in vs a new workemanship of grace frō which the Lord accoūts vs new and spirituall men we haue God be thanked matter of cōfort Let vs yet further consider This testimonie of the Spirit is not alwayes perceiued in a like measure of them that haue it that this testimonie of the Spirit is not all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy Heauen vpon Earth The Lord doth therfore in such sort suspence it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe withdrawes it from them for their humiliation When they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terror and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feet they sing within themselues that glorious Triumph of the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God But this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of Faith continueth not the voyce of the Spirit of Adoption waxing somewhat more silent feares and doubts succeeds in that same heart which before abounded in ioy And if hereby the weake Conscience be cast downe remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy dayly pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the beesome of holy anger and reuenge Cyprian and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition seeing we cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may cure them Chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening The first fruits of our heart and tongue euery morning should be offered to God And remember O man that thou owest euery day the first fruits of thy heart and tongue to the Lord our God shouldst thou thinke of any thing before that first thou remember him in the morning or should thy tongue speake of any thing before the first fruits of thy speech be offered vnto him by Prayer and praysing of his holy Name Thus we see the great necessitie of prayse and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yet with the heart and heartie sighes vnto God according to the words of S. Paul Colo. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plentiously Signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not onely by teaching the same to others publikely and priuatly but also by earnest Meditation and Prayer when they sit at home in their houses when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they
wicked king Achab Wilt thou helpe them that hate the Lord Wee may turne to those in our time that are enemies to the children of God Wil ye hurt them whom the Lord helpeth The children of God in all their infirmities haue the holy Spirit for their helper it cannot then otherwise be but in the end comfort must â—e to them and confusion vnto their enemies 2. Chr. 19.2 onely let those who are troubled by the malice of the tongues of wicked men make sure to themselues that they haue the spirit of grace and of glory resting in them partaker with them of their afflictions then let them be assured that either their enemies shal become their friends or then the righteous Lord shall render vengeance vnto those that trouble them For euery cuppe of trouble which the wicked fill vnto vs they fill with their owne hand another cuppe of wrath vnto themselues which how euer for awhile they set by them yet as the Lord liueth they shall bee compelled in the end to drinke them out And as concerning the losse of worldly goods whosoeuer bee the instrument learne thou to take it as a cup out of the hand of thy heauenly Father after the example of Iob Iob. 1.21 who passing by the Sabeans and the Caldeans looked to the hand of God The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken sayth hee blessed bee the name of the Lord. It is not for lacke of loue that the mother withdrawes from the childe the vse of the Pappe but that shee may acquaint him with stronger meate and if the Lord take from vs these transitorie things it is not because wee are not beloued of him but that wee may set our hearts vpon those things which are more weightie and permanent which if wee doe then are our sufferings with him Who beeing rich became poore that in all things wee might bee made rich in him And the same are wee to doe in those troubles which wee sustaine in our bodyes Heb. 12.9 For if as the Apostle sayth wee haue had fathers of our bodyes who haue corrected vs and wee haue giuen them reuerence should wee not much rather bee in subiection to the father of spirits that we might liue And if wee can yeeld our bodyes to Physitions to be cut or burnt at their pleasure how much more should wee submit them to the Lord in all humble contentment to bee chastised as hee will seeing hee protests himselfe he doth it not but for our singular profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse There is nothing that may comfort a naturall man but Duuid had it yet cannot all these keepe him from that heauinesse whereunto as witnesseth S. Peter the children of God are subiect in this life through their manifold tentations the men of the world are so farre froÌ„ this disposition that if they haue health and wealth they maruell what it is should make a maÌ„ heauy they are not acquainted with the exercises of a feeling conscience they know not the defects of the spirituall life and are not grieued at them being dead in sin they feele not that they want life all their care is to eate and drinke and make merrie but miserable are they for in their best estate they are as Oxen fed for the slaughter woe to them that laugh now they shal mourne Mat. 5.5.6 but blessed are they who mourne now for they shall be comforted Therefore there is a time appointed wherein mourners shall be comforted Pro. 24.26 The iust man falleth seuen times a day that is into distresse and trouble but riseth againe The state of the godly in the Sea of this World is like the Sea Euripus that ebbes and flowes seuen times a day it ebbes no oftener then it flowes againe so the godly haue as many comforts as sorrowes According to the saying of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 16.20 Ye shall indeed sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy It had beene a great comfort if Christ had onely promised that their sorrow should be mitigated and more to haue said it should be shortly ended but to say it shall be turned into ioy Comfort against contempt of men whereby they scorne the godly for sighing and teares ministreth abundant consolation and strength in the patient expecting of so happie a change And here because the prophane World makes a scorne of the contrite disposition of the godly laughing at their teares taunting them in their sighes and sobs let vs looke here to Dauid if it cannot alway be an argument to moue men to godlinesse yet is it forcible to moue God to mercy The broken heart for the griefe of Sinne and loue of Righteousnesse how euer the World despise it the Lord will not despise it yea it is the Sacrifice of God acceptable to him in Christ Iesus Seeing then that all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution wee must hold fast this Consolation whereby we may as it were season these Afflictions namely that the Holy-Ghost doth here prophesie That wee must sowe in teares but biddeth vs be of good comfort notwithstanding for the more plentifull and bitter the teares be the greater laughter and ioy shall follow Like as he setteth forth also a contrary example The World soweth in laughter but afterwards it reapeth in euerlasting sorrow anguish and miserie But our Tentations and Afflictions doe here endure but for a little time Let vs therefore patiently suffer in hope that in stead of this painefull sowing for so small a time wee shall hereafter reape euerlasting ioy and blessednesse And this also bringeth great Consolation That albeit our whole Life be full of Sorrow bitter Afflictions and sowing altogether in Teares yet God will suffer no Tentations alwayes to continue but like as Stormes and Tempests haue their Seasons and afterwards commeth faire Weather as also after Labour followeth Rest and Quietnesse euen so experience doth teach vs that when our hearts haue beene vexed and oppressed with cogitations of Desparation Mistrust Impatience before God and the World for a day two or three or else longer God rayseth them vp againe with some Spirituall comfort therefore our afflictions are tempered with some consolations that we should know that God will not suffer vs to be altogether swallowed vp with sorrow He will correct vs as the Psalmist sayth but will not giue vs ouer vntill death Let vs learne therefore to know these things and that we must suffer Afflictions and sowe in Teares lest when Tentation commeth we be offended as though some new or strange thing were happened vnto vs and so flye from God and fall to dispaire and let vs hold fast this consolation that our Haruest is in Heauen euen Life euerlasting which we shall reape with ioy As the Wine fayled in that Banquet whereat Christ was present so oftentimes fayleth ioy euen in the heart where Christ dwelleth but as in the one
Bernard When we aske of God saith S. Bernard euen those things that concerne this present life our praiers are not so soone out of our mouth but they are written in his booke and we ought saith he to bee assured that he will either giue the thing it selfe which we haue asked or other things which hee knoweth to be more profitable for vs. To conclude Prayer is the most mightie and fruifull work of Charitie seeing by it we help our neighbours present and absent knowne and vnknowne great and little and that both with Spirituall and Corporall good things drawing by our Prayers the blessing of God vpon them Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepheard of the Sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his Will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ To whom be glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS A NECESSARY Prayer for the great deliuerie from the Gun-powder Treason O Blessed Lord and euerliuing God whose mercy is ouer all thy workes Wee thy poore vnworthy Creatures do heere powre forth our hearts vnto thee that we may neither vngratefully remember thy gratious benefits nor vngratiously forget thy seuere Iudgements who both in the one and the other hast beene beyond all measure so gratious vnto vs. We thanke thee O Lord for all the externall and internall graces bestowed vpon vs the Spirituall and Corporall the Ecclesiasticall and Terrestiall blessings which we haue receiued O Lord thou knowest that without thy helpe we cannot auoid our ruine We beseech thee O Lord let this thy mercy towards vs and our great deliuerance daily put vs in minde to be thankfull vnto thee O God we were without all meanes to foreknow such a miserie and without all Iudgement to vnderstand such a mysterie haddest not thou O Lord of thy great loue to true Religion and mercy to vs giuen meanes to discouer it O Lord if this had not beene we had beene blowne vp we had beene smothered we had beene dismembred we had beene persecuted we had been vndone Wherefore good Lord seeing thou didst bring vs to the graues mouth but hast not giuen vs ouer vnto death wee haue imprinted in our minds the horror of the danger and excited our soules to thankefulnesse for the rescue and therefore wee prayse thee wee blesse thee wee worship thee wee glorifie thee and wee render to thee all thanks Honor and power wee ascribe vnto thee for this thy gracious preseruation And wee beseech thee O Lord still to lend thy helping hand to this Kingdome To this end wee beseech thee to blesse our gracious King Iames our supreme Head next vnder thee O Lord make all thy good to goe before him day and night vphold his Crowne maintaine his State giue him continuall peace long life and much happinesse mercifully heare him in all his Petitions and effectually worke for him in all dangers Furthermore we beseech thee to blesse our Noble Prince Charles the Prince Elector Palatine the Lady Elizabeth his Wife and their hopefull Issue and the righteous Cause and when it shall make most for thy glory and their good giue them victorie O Lord ouer all their Enemies And we entreat thee O Lord still to lend thy helping hand to this Kingdome thy assistance to the Gospell and euer blesse the Persons and Consultations of that High Court with holinesse safety that we may inioy our Liues Liuings our Religion our King and that his Off-spring after him may sit vpon his Throne till the comming of Christ Iesus to our comfort thy glory to whom we offer our selues our soules and bodies to be at thy seruice for euer and euer Amen Amen ¶ A Morning Prayer for a Familie O God of glorie and Father of mercy eternall and incomprehensible Maiestie in whom we sinfull Creatures doe liue mooue and haue our being fauourably heare our vnperfect Prayers and mercifully grant our needful suites We sinfull creatures doe sue vnto thee for grace hoping in thy mercie towards vs which is ouer all Keepe vs we beseech thee this day as thou hast kept vs this night past Keepe vs in thy feare faith and loue O Lord turne thy face from our sinnes wherein we haue so delighted and blot out all our misdeeds alter our hearts and wash and cleanse vs from all staines and corruptions in the blood of thy Sonne forgiue vs all that is past euen all the euill that wee haue done or thought and graunt vs the assurance of that forgiuenesse sealed vp in our Consciences by thy holy Spirit Kindle thy loue so feruently in our hearts that wee may detest whatsoeuer is against thee and thy Word Forgiue vs our great contempt and intollerable barrennesse in good workes our soule vnthankfulnesse and the abuse of thy graces and strike our stony Hearts with the Rod of thy feare that wee may attayne vnto a due thankfulnesse for thy benefites and a most vnfayned and earnest repentance for all our sinnes O Lord wee pray thee send thy blessing vpon all our labours and giue vs a willing minde to helpe them that haue neede according to our abilitie and so prepare our hearts in all our businesses that wee may alwayes begin it in thy Name and goe forward in thy feare and finish it with thy blessing that whatsoeuer wee shall doe it may prosper Graunt this O Lord for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Mediator and Redeemer in whose Name wee further pray vnto thee saying that forme of Prayer that hee hath taught vs. Our Father which art in Heauen c. ¶ An Euening Prayer for a Familie BLessing and glory and wisedome and thanksgiuing and power and might be vnto thee O Lord most high and immortall God for thy gracious goodnesse and mercie extended to vs this day past and alwayes notwithstanding all our Wickednesses which cry dayly against vs and our Enemies that would swallow vs vp Wee beseech thee O Lord be still our God and our Lord and continue thy gracious and mercifull fauour vnto vs forgiue vs all the euill that wee haue committed this day or any time heretofore teach vs to sorrow for our sinnes and separate them from vs that would separate vs from thee O Lord pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes remoue from vs those things which our Consciences are afraid of assure vs of thy gracious Pardon and renew vs by thy holy Spirit that wee may vnfainedly hate and detest whatsoeuer is displeasing vnto thee and graunt good Father that wee may euer hereafter serue and please thee in holynesse and newnesse of life Bee thou our shield and defence against the suggestions illusions and temptations of Sathan against all the allurements and baits of the flesh with all alterations prouocations changes and chances of the world sanctifie vs with thy grace that we may keepe our bodyes
vndefiled as the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that our Soules may be defended cherished and tendered as the apple of thine Eye Keepe vs Lord this Night from all euill which may happen eyther to our Bodyes or our Soules extend thy Goodnesse toward all those that depend vpon vs or wee on them Giue vs quiet sleepe and rest and when wee shall awake let all our thoughts and cogitations be holy Meditations on thee and thy Law Blesse vs O Lord all the Nights and Dayes of our Life and at the end thereof send vs a blessed departure and afterward a ioyfull resurrection vnto Life eternall Graunt vs these good things most mercifull Father and all other needfull Graces not onely vnto vs but vnto all thy deare Children throughout the whole World euen for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name we further call vpon thee as hee hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. ¶ A priuate Morning Prayer O Blessed Lord God great in Power fearefull in Iudgement and rich in Mercy which bindest and no man looseth and looseth and no man bindeth I yeeld thee most humble and heartie thankes for that of thy fatherly Goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed me this last Nights sleepe in peace and rest and againe loosing the bands wherewith I was tyed hast giuen me power to see this Morning Light Now O Lord I beseech thee powre vpon me this Day the Dew of thy Blessing that through the operation of thy gracious Beames I may bud forth and beare the fruits of true Faith in my life and conuersation Continue this goodnesse and mercie towards me and by thy power rayse me from the deepe sleepe of all vnrighteousnesse Discharge me from the works of Darknesse and cloath me with the armour of Light that I may walke honestly as in the Day and liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Mortifie O my God all corrupt affections in me pardon my innumerable sinnes Fill mee this day with thy grace that I may spend it to the honour of thy Name Set a watch before my mouth and order my lips that I may vtter nothing vnaduisedly eyther before thee or men Keepe my senses within their limits direct my will to that which is good and order my iudgement for the accomplishing of those things that appertaine to my Vocation O Lord I beseech thee preserue and keepe my senses safe and sound that I be neyther corrupted by prosperitie nor cast downe by aduersitie nor be too fearefull of thy Iudgements or too bold vpon thy mercy but graunt me grace O mercifull Lord that I may apprehend all things that come from thee with a Religious contented Minde and in the end of my dayes by a liuely Faith may ioyfully arriue in the Land of Promise the Kingdome of Heauen through the merites of Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Amen ¶ A priuate Euening Prayer O Most holy Father and my gracious God which giuest vnto all sorts of men the chearefull light of the Day that in thine assistance they may follow their honest Vocations and likewise sendest the silent Night that then they may rest their wearied Limbes and busied Mindes and so returne their due thankes for thy Goodnesse I sinfull Creature adore and prayse thee for the totall summe of all thy Mercies whereof I haue beene this Day partaker O Lord I am vile looke not vpon mine vnworthynesse folly and wickednesse but appease thy anger iustly conceiued against me and forgiue what hath beene amisse in me this day or at any other time euen for his sake who is thy welbeloued Sonne and my deare Aduocate Pardon the sinnes and offences which I haue committed this Day in thought word and deede eyther against thee or my Neighbour Giue me grace to water my Couch with Teares in vnfayned Repentance for all my former sinnes and grant that I may so passe the residue of my life as that in regard of thy Iustice I may retaine a holy feare to stand alwayes in awe of thee and in regard of thy Mercy conceiue sure hope neuer to despayre or distrust in thee O Lord keepe me this Night both in Soule and Body that I may with the next Light ioyfully rise againe bee thankefull vnto thee and carefully walke in my Vocation and Calling to the glory of thy holy Name and the good of my Brethren amongst whom I liue for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name I further pray vnto thee saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS A TABLE DIRECTING where to finde the chiefe Matters contayned in this Booke A. ACcesse The godly haue free accesse to the King of Heauen when they please Pag. 322 Accomplishment Wee must looke as well to the accomplishment and end as the beginning of Gods workes 392 Aduersarie See Enemie Aduersitie See Trouble Afflictions Turne to the good of the godly 97. They humble vs for Sinne 99. Gods Name a Sanctuarie for vs in them 115. The fruits of them 122. They are but short 190 196 355. God hath set a time how long they shal last 192. which should worke patience in vs 193. Impatience in them dangerous 198. We must endure them constantly 199. Our Nature abhorreth them 326. They are no testimonies of Gods anger 334. Comfort against inward affliction 340. and outward 341 Amendment The amending of our liues brings endlesse comfort 131 Apparrell The vanitie of Brauerie gay Attyre and Apparrell 78. Fashion followers therein taxed 80 B. BAckward It is dangerous to goe backward in matters of Religion 204 Baptisme What a solemne Vow we haue made in it 10. wherein wee are made sworne Seruants of God 10 11. And haue receiued Wages aforehand of seruices to bee done 12. which God will require at our hand 14 Beginning A godly beginning without going forward auayles vs nothing 202. The end of a Christian better then his beginning 330 Beleeue The endlesse comfort of those that beleeue in Christ 131. The separation Christ will make betweene Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers 143. Where a few true Beleeuers are for their sake all the multitude are called Gods people 155 Blessing The way to true blessednesse 152. They are blessed that keepe Gods Commandements 224. The godly make least esteeme of outward Blessings 170 Body See Preseruation Brauerie See Apparrell C. CHild of God neuer at one stay 210 Christ a powerfull Sauiour 56 Christian Different courses of the Christian and Worldling worth noting 329 Church The Rage of the Churches Enemies described 45. To what the Church may be compared 46. Gods prouidence limitteth the time in which it shal suffer and no longer 113. None can hurt it 159. What the state thereof is 161. since the Apostles time there haue been deceiuers in it 241. The troublesome estate of the Church causeth mourning in the godly 370 Cittie See Beleeue Commandements They are blest that keepe Gods Commandements 224 Come The wicked come farre different from the godly
297 Comfort See Crosse Affliction Temptation Trouble and Sinne. Confidence In our greatest Mutations we must put our confidence in God 162 Constancie The constancie of Gods Children 147 Consideration so necessarie that without it no state of our life can be well ordered 382 384 Contempt Comfort against contempt of Men. 84 353 Conuersation In our Christian conuersation there must be a continuall progresse 247 Conuersion A true signe of conuersion 256 Corruption See Flesh Couetousnesse Many walke in the ruggie way of Couetousnesse 247 Creator Euery Creature in their kind sends vs to the Creator 239 Creature It is a vaine thing to take pleasure in the Creature 240 Crosse How a sanctified Crosse is discerned 96 D. DAnger breedeth feare without measure 23. Past by dangers are to be cald to mind 44 Day how it should be spent 320 Death The godly need not feare it 168. It is a Victorie if we suffer for Christ 396. Life and it two Twinnes 397 Degrees See Psalmes Deliuerance Publique Thanksgiuing required after it 15. Application of this to our Times especially to the Powder-Treason 16 17 c. In what sort we should be thankfull for Deliuerance from it 20 c. Gods Deliuerances to be remembred 28. God still deliuers his 60 109 176. Depart How the wicked depart from God 233. Desire Our perfection stands rather in desire then deeds 222. God still giue vs more then we desire ibid. Determination an helpe to godly conuersation 382 384 Despaire Wee should not dispaire for our grieuous sinnes and falls 250 E. ELect No elect Child of God can finally perish or fall away 125. We must labour to be in the number of the Elect. 273 End The end of a Christian better then his beginning 30. See accomplish men Enemies We are vnable of our selues withstand them 27. The faithfull still preuaile against their enemies 47. God preserueth hiâ— from all enemies 60. Dauids enemies described 70 F. FAith Not to trust to that which the eye seeth but to that which the word offereth and promiseth is a matter of Faith 157. The nature of Faith 148 Faithfull No force can preuaile against them 58. God hath a double care of them 186. Their state but weak being left vnto themselues 228 Fauour In what fort we should remember Gods fauour to vs. 44 Fall The child of God cannot finally fal away 125. What to bee done in our fals 249. We must not lye still in them 250. and must beware of falling againe 251 Flesh There is fleshly corruption in the Christian Militant but he followes it not 107 Sathans darts may afflict the flesh but cannot surmount the Spirit 173. He that walketh after the flesh encountreth with death 379 Fruits See Heart and Tongue G. GEntiles The Gentiles being pertakers of the deliuerance from sinne and death do magnifie God for it as well as the Iewes 295. 296. 299. They and the Iewes are become one Church 300 Gifts See Trouble God There is all things in God fit to be in one on whom we are to place our trust 140 Godly What the wicked are to the godly 87. They are esteemed in a miserable case by the wicked 149. Comfort for them when the wicked esteeme them not 179. What their state is in this world 353 Godlinesse True godlinesse indureth great temptations 96. It is great gaine 141. We must go on in the waies thereof vnto the end of our liues 385 386 Gospel Wee should comfort our selues with the Gospel when Sathan terrifieth with the law 292. The inestimable benefit of the Gosp 302 Goodnesse We must not trust to our owne power and goodnesse 231 H. HEart Who are the good and true of heart 207. The marke of a sanctified heart 214. We must offer the first fruits of our heart to God euery morning 313 Humilitie How humilitie is wrought in the godly 71 Hurt No hurt befals them whom Gods loue 86 I. IEwes and Gentiles are become one Church 300 Ignorance Many walke in the blind waies of Ignorance 243 Impatience See Affliction Ioy. The Ioy of the godly for their deliuerances 26. Especially their redemption by Christ Iesus 263. 264 c. The worldling hath no true Ioy 374. The ioy which God hath reserued for vs in heauen we must not expect to haue on earth 374. Ioy oftentimes faileth the most faithfull 357. The godly haue only true ioy 365 Iudgements Vpon the wicked to be remembred and taken heed of 88. 89. The remembrance of them hastens repentance 92 Iustification How to proue our Iustification 254 K. KIng The godly haue free accesse to the King of heauen 322 Knowledge Speculation a naked knowledge without experience and practise 289 L. LAughter See Gospel and Ioy. Law The office of the law of God 286 302. Sathan terrifieth with it 288. An answer fit to be giuen Sathan when he terrifieth with the Law 291 Life Our life lies open to Sathans snares 99. Three profitable helpes for a godly life 381. An exhortation to a godly life 401. Wee must prepare our selues for the life to come 377 387. Life and Death two twins 397 Lot The lot of the righteous what it signifieth 182 Loue. The vice of selfe-loue hard to be cured 404 M. MAn There is no cause why we should feare man 59. Because men cannot hurt vs vnlesse God permit it 399 Meanes See Saluation Mercy God compasseth his with his mercies 165. What mercies the godly doe chiefely esteeme 170. Gods mercies is with his Children in the house of death 160 Morning See Heart and Prayer Mortall Man is vaine and Mortall 79 Mourning The causes of mourning without vs 370. and within vs 371. Hardnesse of heart hinders it in this age 369. Reasons moouing vs to Mourning 358. The godly subiect to it in this life 360. If we mourne not now we shall not reioyce hereafter 366. The scoffers of Mourning reproued 366. 367 Mutations See Confidence N. NAme Our onely Sanctuary is in the name of the Lord in all our afflictions 115. Comfort against such as seeke to take away our good name 342 Nets See Snares O. OBiection See Question Occasion Wee must be carefull to auoid all occasions of doing euill 249 Office What the intent and office of Gods Law is 287 P. PEnitent A true penitent man walkes cleane contrary to his former course 237 People See Beleeuers Permission Without the permission of God neither the deuill 398. nor men can hurt vs. 399 Perils See Danger and Snare Persecutors We should not be dismaied though we see the Persecutors come to the end of their enterprises 390 Perseuerance Arguments to prooue Christian perseuerance 126. Confutation of the Papists in this point 128. We are constantly to perseuer in a religious course 202 252 Pope See Traditions Powder See Treason Prayer The Spirit of Grace and Praye must be ioyned together in the faithfull 306. The excellency and necessitie of Prayer 407. c. We must not bee weary or faint-hearted in Prayer though God deferre to make
vs feele the fruit of it 400. Fiue godly Prayers 412 Preseruation Wee must remember the manner how God hath preserued vs in body soule 34. The end thereof to bee remembred in eight respects 35 c. Preaching Is a great blessing to them that enioy it 38 Presence See Trouble Preuaile See Enemies and Faithfull Pride Pride an horrible euill 70.71 A proud man his owne punishment 74. The miserable condition of a proud man 75. The difference betweene sinnes of pride and infirmity 77. Women exhorted to shun it 81 Professors Cold professors reproued 321 Promise We ought to be mindfull and credulous of Gods promises 41 c. Psalmes The Booke of Psalmes are an Epitome of the Bible 1. VVherefore these three expounded in this Booke are called Psalmes of Degrees 2. They are excellent Platformes of Prayer and Thankesgiuing 3. The Argument of the 124. Psalme 4. The Argument of the 125. Psalme 133. The Argument of of the 126. Psalme 258 Q. QVestion Three obiections or questions answered First what the reason is why the godly are neuer ouerthrowne 50. Secondly how it can be proued they still ouercome seeing they are often put to death by their persecutors 53. c. The third whether one that is elected may liue as he list 275 R. RAge See Church Reason Many walke crooked waies of humane reason 245 Redemption The reprobate hath no part in redemption 270. VVe must glorifie God continually for our redemption 276. The Meditation of our redemption is necessary in many respects 277. c. VVe must pray for our Redemption 306 Religion It is not in vaine to be religious 150. A true triall of Religion 25 Repentance Remembrance of Gods iudgements on others hastens it 92. As sinne is a falling so repentance is a rising 234. Repentance is a first death a first resurrection and first ascention 235. It is a worke of diuine power 236. It is no lesse miraculous then the raising of the dead 236 Reuolt See Backward S. SAluation The means apointed to attain saluation must be vsed of those that expect it 129 243 275. Mens folly herein 380 Sathan The prerogatiue of Sathan 309. Hee hath no power ouer vs but what God permits 398 Sauiour See Christ Seruice Seruice to God and Sinne diuersly performed by the godly 108. It is not in vaine to serue the Lord. 150 Sinne. Comfort for sinning after Repentance 205. It is dangerous to liue in knowne sinnes 217. Comfort for such as are grieued for their sinnes 219. Seruice to Sinne and God diuersly performed by the godly 108. In temptations to sinne what we must doe 123. A purpose not to sinne the marke of a sanctified heart 214. The secure sinner the greatest sinner 232. There is no rest for a sinner till hee returne to God 239. We are to shun occasions of sinne 249. We should not despaire for our sinne 250. We must beware of falling into sinne againe 251. Our manyfold sinnes are causes of inward mourning 371 Soule See Preseruation Snare The perils of the godly compared to a Snare 94. Our life lyes open to Sathans Snares from which God deliuers vs 99. and from the Snares of the vngodly 109 Speculation See Knowledge Spirit To the godly the Spirit of God is a Seale and Signet shewing they belong to God 103. The wicked doe not receiue the fruits of the Spirit ibid. Why the Lord in this life giues vs the first fruits of the Spirit and not the principall 104. Sathans darts may afflict the Flesh but cannot surmount the Spirit 173. The state of those that haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit 306. The testimonie of it is not alwayes receiued in a like measure 311 Suffering Three things required to make our suffering a suffering with Christ 338 Superstition Many walke in the crosse wayes of superstition 244 Supplication an helpe to godly conuersation 382 384 T. TEares God is though men are not moued to mercy by teares 354 Temptations are Sathans snares laid to intrap vs 95. The godly endures great temptations 96. Comfort against Sathans temptations 165. Neither inward nor outward temptations can hurt the godly 166. God deliuers them from all temptations 183 184. yet they are subiect to many 324. which cause in them inward mourning 372. Wee must pray to God to helpe vs in them 373. the fruits of them 375 376. they last but a little time 355 Thanksgiuing Publique thanksgiuing after deliuerance required 15. Application of it to the Gun-powder Treason 16 17. In what sort wee should be thankefull for our deliuerance from that Treason 20. A godly prayer or thanksgiuing for our deliuerie from it 412 Time How time posts away 318. Time a most precious Iewell 319. How the time of the day should be spent 320 Tongue Miserable are those that bend their tongues against the godly 348. See Heart Traditions The traditions of the Pope are burthens to mens Consciences 301 Treason See Deliuerance and Thanksgiuing Triall Christs Members militant and triumphant not to be tryed by one Rule 106 Troubles The best triall of Religion 25. God deliuers his from all troubles 60 111. The godly glory in them 65. God the best helpe and first to be sought to in them 65 66. We see three things in them better then in prosperitie 98. God deliuers his out of them by his presence 113. and God preserues vs in them 196. The remembrance of Gods gifts a great comfort in them 269 Trust In God are all things fit to be in one on whom we are to place our trust 140. The happinesse of such as trust in God 136. To trust in him is the greatest seruice we can doe him 145. He compasseth such as trust in him in all their troubles 165 Truth Some walke in the detestable and damnable wayes of wilfull spurning against the truth 246 V. VIgilancie Gods vigilancie ouer his 172 Vngodly The state of the vngodly accursed 153 Vnmercifull God preserues his from being hurt of the vnmercifull 166 Voluptuousnesse Many walke in the filthie myrie wayes of voluptuousnesse c. 246 Vowes Solemne Vowes a Christian dutie 8 W. VVAyes Many by-wayes beaten by many 243 We must be carefull we keepe the right way 378 385 Wants Gods children should not be discouraged with the sense and feeling of their owne wants 100. No comfort belongs to the wicked in the feeling of their wants 101 Welfare Gods prouidence the cause of our welfare 39 99 Wicked What the wicked are to the godly 87. Gods Iudgements on the wicked to be remembred and taken heed of 88 89 Women See Pride Word They are happy that delight in Gods Word 388 Workes See Accomplishment Worldling Different courses of the Christian and Worldling worth noting 329 Wrath. What wee are to doe in temptations of Gods wrath 123 FINIS Faults escaped in Printing Page 26. line 20 read had p. 45. l. 14. r. can p. 193. l. 9. r. or p â—06 l 1. r all the dayes of Iehoâ—ada p. 258. l. 10. r. people p. 283. l. 15. r. so we p. 314. l. 4. r. prayer p. 325. l. 7. r. is p. 347. l. 15. r. purpose