the world would censure me of flattery and if I knewe that selfe-loue were at home with your selfe then should I neuer feare want of intertainment in learning to dissemble but both the world and your selfe must pardon my boldnesse for I speake not to blaze abroad your praise but to intreat that kindnesse that men would admit of your example as a patterne for imitation Three things constraine mee to vtter my mind First that continuall care which you haue for resolution of many difficulties in diuinity the means which you haue vsed are but practised of few one is that you haue not bin content to take your resolution of diuine truth from translations but haue taken that paines that you are able to fetch it from the originall and drinke of the purest fountaine A second meanes is that of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make question of matters of religion whensoeuer you haue seene iust opportunitie and fit persons to resolue neither haue you been content to admit of superficiall answers but haue pressed argument vpon them to see the true tryall and often your own resolutions haue bin more agreeable with the truth and context of Sciptures then that which others haue said let this teach men of your place besides their continuall imploiments to set some time apart for this excellent knowledge of the originalls of the Bible and knowledge of that art A second good example is your continual care that the legges of iustice may not lie broken in the streets and no man to raise it vp A happie thing when men of place count their dignities to be conferred as a common good for Church and Commonwealth Thirdly for all manner of election this you onely haue not affirmed by word but performed by action that the place more then the person might haue cause to reioyce For my selfe I confesse I had no cause to be iâ—ticed from you as the Leuite was from Micah Iudg. 17. to become a Priest vnto a Tribe or familie in Israel but least through ignorance I should as soon serue in the ministery of Idols as the true God I desired to be a little longer trained vp in the schooles of the Prophets For my loue vnto your familie whereof once I was a member it is this that all of them might knowe the God of their fathers and serue him with a perfect heart a willing mind For your vertuous Lady whoÌ„ God hath made as a fruitful vine on the sides of your house that she might likewise grow into the true Vine Christ Iesus and be fruitfull vnto her owne saluation For all your children that they might be as the Oliue plants of God round about your table For your eldest son Beniamin I hope in name and nature the sonne of your right hand the Lord make him the strength and crowne of your age the excellencie of your dignitie and the excellencie of your power But I feare I haue alreadie offended your desire is breuitie therefore to conclude I commend and commit this small labour to your patronage the text I am sure is excellent for these dayes but for my manner of handling it I leaue it to the censure of Gods Church How-euer it be I do more then hope that you will kindly accept it from me and entertaine it as a testimonie of my loue and not onely so but vse it for your comfort Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Yours in all good affection IOHN YATES To the Christian Reader IT is a common saying that an Exorcist may sooner coniure vp a logion of deuills then adiure one of them out of his habitation And as it is with bodily possession so is it with the obsession of the soule for although the deuill cannot penetrate the soules dimensions yet he will sit so neere it that whosoeuer admits him the least good fellowshippe he shall not be freed of his company when he is wearie and with all his heart would shake hands with him The Papists challenge all our Churches as false because we can cast out no deuills but the whole world knowes that they can doe it to the admiration of thousands but for my part I knowe not how they coniure the deuill from the bodie yet this I dare boldly affirme that where they haue gotten one deuill out of mens bodies they haue admitted a thousand into mens soules and surely the deuill were a foole if he would not change his roome for a better lodging I am sure that there was neuer any church that hath coniured vp more heresies then they haue done and as yet I know not one that they haue adiured and sent packing into hell No marueile that they haue need of strange exorcismes for otherwise how should men be confirmed in their strange doctrines these questionlesse haue bin strong delusions to make them beleeue lies But if they please to admit of the holy Scriptures we shall at the first resolue them of a double meanes Math. 17.20.21 the first is miraculous and for a time the second ordinarie and so remaines in the Church the one is in the 20. v. the other in the 21. and this second meanes we haue I am sure the Church of God may pray and fast to deliuer both bodie and soule from the deuil But perhaps they will say shew vs whom you haue dispossessed I answer Prayer fasting are of the same nature that preaching and administring the sacraments they being conscionably vsed worke where and whensoeuer God pleaseth I doubt not but by the preaching of the word thousands haue bin coÌ„uerted vnto the faith and where men get the deuil out of the soule he will haue small hope or comfort either to enter or stay in the body and so no maruell the deuill holds them so strongly and takes such good liking of them that he will be at their commaund to leaue the body and ascend into an higher roome for he is proud enough to intertain such a motion And though I deny not but we haue had some possessed among vs yet I dare boldly say the most haue bin of their owne making Let them take the credit of their art for questionles a blacke art best beseemes a religion of darknesse blindnesse and ignorance But to applie our Sauiours rule vnto our purpose Fasting and praier are admirable meanes in the Church of God not onely to cast out deuills and vncleane spirits but also to fill the soule with the spirit of grace and goodnes And here I tremble to speake and charge mine owne heart with exceeding great negligence as often as I call to remembrance the extraordinarie fasting and prayer of Arminius especially whensoeuer he entred this mysterie of mysteries Gods
our eyes into our owne bosomes Ier. 8.6 4. Is want of thinking of this duty toward God Ierem. 5.24 so the foolish virgins contented themselues with their lampes vnprepared neuer thinking of the oyle till the time of grace was past thus hardnesse of heart and securitie bring forth these wicked thoughts Hence obserue the strange opinion of the world men haue good hearts meanings intents and purposes howsoeuer the actions of their liues be faultie Hence learne that the Scriptures are no policies of men for nothing could reueale these wicked thoughts but the diuine truth Angels and men know not the thoughts Secondly learne that thoughts are not free though they neuer come into consent or action therefore repentance of thoughts is necessarie Ioel 2.12 Act. 8.22 1. Thess 5. Paul requires that they be sanctified in bodie soule and spirit Reas 1. Because a man is cursed for his thought Pro. 5.26 2. Because actuall sinnes proceed of euill thoughts 1. the thought thinketh it 2. after thought comes delight 3. after delight consent of will 4. after consent an execution or practise of the sinne 5. after practise comes custome in practise 6. after custome and practise death and damnation for thoughts the old world was destroyed Gen. 7.21 For repentance of euill thoughts Remedies of euill thoughts vse 1. examination 2. praier 3. reformation In examination first we must remember that all thoughts are in euery mans minde by nature therefore the least occasion turnes the mind to think them secondly we must heare the word of God attentiuely we must lay open all our senses to the hearing thereof and let it goe thorough them all 1. Cor. 4.25 2. Point Prayer A man must pray for the pardon of his thoughts Act. 8.22 3. Point Reformation of the minde for wicked thoughts Ephe. 4. be renewed in the spirit of your minds wherein thoughts and imaginations are conceiued and framed Rule 1. All thoughts must be in obedience toward God Prou. 20.18 15.22 he must not conceiue a thought in his mind before he haue consulted with the word 1. Cor. 10.4 5. Phil. 4.8 2. Rule Prou. 4.24 to keepe and counter-guard our hearts aboue all watch ward men dovsually guard their cities houses and their treasures now Salomon teacheth that the heart must be guarded more then any citie house or treasures because from it proceed the actions of life 1. Therefore make a couenant with thy senses that they be no occasion or prouocation to any manner of sinne this did Iob cap. 31. and Dauid Psal 119. Turne mine eies from beholding couetousnesse the senses are the windowes of the soule and if God enter not sathan will creepe in at them into our hearts 2. At the beginning checke an euill thought for the thought beeing checked the affections will be quiet 3. Labour with all care to cherish euery good motion of Gods spirit 1. all good cogitations by the ministerie of the word or good counsell hence quench not the spirit 3. Rule We must often vse eleuation of the heart and mind vnto heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father Psal 25.1 Paul bids the Philippians haue their conuersation in heauen Iam. 4. drawe neere to God Hence the Lords Supper is a principall meanes of the eleuation of the heart and mind vnto God this eleuation must be continually practised such as are appointed to keepe clockes doe often euery day pull vp the waights because they are alwaies going downeward Pray continually 1. Thess 5. There be three speciall times the beginning of the day the first good thought affection euerie day must be the Lords The 2. time the end of the day commend our soules vnto God The 3. time receiuing of blessings or feeling the want of them to praise God for the one and call vpon him for the supply of the other 4. Rule The meditation of some speciall matters whereby saluation may be furthered which is either concerning God or our selues concerning God his presence this made Dauid to drawe neere vnto God Psal 139. Psal 19. his heart is purified by seeing God in his lawe Psal 23. in the shadow of death he wil not feare 2. Consideration of Gods iudgments not old but late and particular vpon persons cities townes we should lay these to the heart Ier. 12.11 Here we must practise three things 1. wee must obserue and carefully marke and remember Gods iudgements 2. wee must apply them to our owne persons in particular that they may make vs afraid Thus Habacuk when he heard of Gods iudgement his knees beate one against another Hab. 3. If in a familie one child be beaten others will take heed 3. We must make vse of them Luk. 13.3 Third consideration is of Gods word Psal 1. It is the propertie of the righteous man to meditate in Gods lawe day and night Luk. 2. Marie hid all those things in her heart 1. we must consider the sence of the Scriptures 2. what experience we haue had of the truth of the word of God in our own liues and consciences 3. how farre forth we haue swarued in the practise of the word or how farre forth we haue practised it Fourth consideration is of Gods works in vs and vpon vs this will make vs consider the workes of creation preseruation prouidence Isa 5.12 he pronounceth a woe to them that forget this 1. Consider the work of creation God hath made vs men when we might haue beene beasts that of nothing he made vs to be something 2. for preseruation and prouidence we must consider how he hath preserued vs from time to time from all dangers and hath giuen vs all things necessarie for this life and the life to come 3. for his patience that he hath not cast vs into hell but hath giuen vs a long and large time of repentance 4. that wee are not borne among the heathen but in the bosome of the church where hee hath giuen vs his word reformed our iudgments mollified our hearts and prouoked vs to euerie good worke Eccles 7.13 Psal 77.12.13 Second consideration of our selues 1. of our owne particular sinnes whether they be corruptions of the heart or sinnes of our liues Psal 119.59 Lam. 3. Come let vs search and try our wayes 1. In what manner we haue sinned against God whether of ignorance or knowledge of presumption or weaknes of constraint or wilfulnesse 2. The greatnesse of euerie sinne yea of the least sinne how the infinite maiestie of God is offended and his iustice violated 3. The number of them and here we shall find them with Dauid more then the haires of our head or the sands of the sea Must a man consider them whē he is sure they are pardoned yes so did Dauid Psal 25. Hee praied for the pardon of the sinnes of his youth That this may take the deeper impression let vs consider of the degrees of our misery 1. A separation from all fellowship with God Isa 59.2 2. a
of them wee shall either thinke that there is no prouidence or else so strange a prouidence that it should contradict it selfe Yet surely after due consideration we shall see all colours to paint out this excellent glorie and rauish vs with the beautie of it For as the skilfull painter is able to dispose of infinite varietie of colours in his curious worke to set forth the excellencie of his skill and produce the greatest praise which perhaps to the eyes of ignorant beholders in the beginning were nothing but the pictures of deformitie yet he himselfe knew full well that the chiefest of his arte was in the limming forth of that creature which afterward he meant with boldnes to commend vnto the eyes of the beholders so the Lord which in the creation replenished the world with all beautifull colors from whence all painters haue learned their arte the very imitation of Gods worke in nature shall be able to dispose of all the varietie of colours in his Church to shew that that piece of work which he limmed forth in his decree which men make a monster and since the beginning of the world hath set it forth in his liuely colours to be most admirable and full of beautie or as an exquisite Musitian which is able to make a most sweet harmonie of the greatest multitude of strings and in nature dissonant to sound forth his skilfull and most excellent arte which at his pleasure can extend or let fall as well the trebble as the tenor and the tenor as the base and mixe them with the counter-tenors the small bases or what soeuer seemes good vnto his will to ioyne extreames with middles and middles with themselues and all their extreames so that in all his musicke is neither heard harshnesse of stroke or vnpleasantnesse of sound so the Lord the best and most sweete singer in all Israel is able to put downe all artes because if they should striue with him they should but stand vp against their maker for he is the inuenter of them all and men and angels are but the obseruers of his wisdome and therefore all in heauen and earth shall meete together to sound forth the praise of the Lord and therefore the Lord can not but keepe good order in all his waies and if he will take sinne into his owne hands it shall not be spoiled for want of good handling Obs Sinne shall be an excellent means to glorifie God surely except it had bin for this cause I should haue vtterly despaired any good that euer could haue bin brought out of sinne but seeing my text informes me that God will haue the handling of it I dare boldly say that sinne is decreed made good of God and for no other end but that he may be glorified by it for God handles nothing that he wills not and what he wills he wills from all eternitie And therefore he deales not with sinne as men deale with ineuitable accidents to make a vertue of necessitie to take in hand to dispose of sinne when he could not mend it but the Lord had this work in his hands long before it came to passe and now it is sufficient for vs to admire at it and haue it in exceeding account Surely God hath ordered with himselfe and now he will order it with his creature it was in Gods eyes from eternitie and now shall it be in mans eyes according to Gods time alloted vnto him Reason 1. Because God is the God of order and therefore must he needes iudge as well of confusion as of order it selfe for that which approoues the one doth alwaies disprooue the contrarie Reas 2. Because God will haue his works seen as long as all did lie in the first chaos nothing was seene in his distinction but when the Lord had brought light out of it made it separate the euening and the morning brought euery creature into his place then became the worke of the Lord to be glorious Psal 19. the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth forth the worke of his hand So when the Lord hath brought the light of his decree out of the confusion of sinne then shall all flesh see the glory of our God Reason 3. From the wicked which haue set themselues to crosse God and therefore if he wil be glorified by them he must haue it by his owne arme for they scorne to giue it him Reason 4. The consolation of his Saints for this puts them out of all heart to see things fall out a crosse Psal 37. is wholly spent vpon this subiect that the flourishing estate of the wicked is but transitory and destruction is their end but the misery of the godly in this world ends in peace and quietnesse because they are in the fauour of God therefore must they not fret or be enuious for the euill doers for they are soone cut downe like grasse and wither away as the greene hearb but trust in the Lord and doe good dwell in the land and they shall be fed assuredly Psal 73. yet God is good vnto Israel euen vnto the pure in heart there is the dispute about Gods order or prouidence in gouerning of the world The question is whether God be good vnto the faithfull The disputants are the flesh and the spirit the arguments are brought on both sides and by the arguments the cause is determined First the old man brings his arguments and proues the negatiue part that God is not good vnto Israel first he pulls two arguments out of his owne bosome want of wisedome and discontentednes of minde which were the fountaine of his errour he that can not guide his feete nor keepe his steppes from slipping may easily say God is not good vnto Israel but I the old man cā do neither of these and therefore must I needes thinke that God is not good vnto Israel Secondly he that can not indure the prosperitie of the wicked and the miserie of his owne soule may easily iudge God not to be good vnto Israel but thus were my affections guided and therefore from minde and heart from blindnes and affection I conclude that God is not good vnto Israel But the discerning spirit may easily answer these obiections with a nego consequentiam for they are but the witnesses of a lying spirit it is no good consequence to say that the sunne shines not because I am blinde and see it not no good consequence to say Gods hates me because he prospers the wicked Leaue these inartificiall arguments and dispute more solidly from some artificiall thing I will therefore beginne with their death and thus I dispute He that is not drawne vnto his death as a malefactour neither hath sicknes on him as the messenger of death but is without all bonds lusty and strong must needes prooue that God is better vnto him then his Israel and therefore not good vnto them the assumption I prooue They are not in trouble with other
and at the table before him fall vnto his meat Now as it fares with the bodie so may the deuill cause it fal out with the soule make men cōceit strange things either by presumption as these hypocrites that they were like God that all was well with them or by despaire to discourage themselues that they are out of the loue and fauour of God and therefore neuer hope for any mercie therefore good to make a sudden dispatch of themselues by death and therefore Serapio calls this humour the very seate of the deuill and our common speech is that melancholy is the deuils blacke horse Againe if a man be of a cholerick complexion hote and drie it makes him fit for anger contention and brawling the deuill will augement it and make him forget all reason humanity and like beasts kill one another if a man be of a sanguine constitution hote and moist then naturally they are merry and Iovially disposed therefore he stirres these persons to wantonnes vncleannes if of a phlegmaticke constitution which is cold and moist then they are heauie and sleepie and these the deuill wil notably assaile with all manner of idlenesse the begetter of all manner of vices Againe he can play his part with the spirits of the body which are most excellent and the verie bonds of our soule and bodie First with the natural spirits he can helpe forward to great vices gluttonie and drunkennesse make men passe all bonds of sobrietie therefore by the naturall spirits he will notably increase the desire of all drunkards and gluttonous liuers It is an admirable thing to consider what many witches wil deuoure yet say they haue eaten nothing By this meanes the deuill keeps men from all good callings and disposeth them vnto all euill Secondly for the vitall spirits he can make men liuely quicke nimble to runne about his matters and againe make them dead hearted when they would goe about the workes God requires and therefore no maruell why men are so chearefull at playes beare-baitings lasciuious dauncing and many wicked recreations when at sermons and works of their callings they thinke euery houre a day and euerie day a yeare Thirdly for the animall spirits he makes what he lift of our outward senses he hath the eye at command to behold vanitie the eare at his becke to listen vnto lies the tongue at will to blaspheme God the hand at libertie to shed blood and the feete vnfettered to runne into all excesse of riot he hath the smell to wind a commoditie though it must be gotten by oppression he hath the touch most exquisite to finger other mens goods but as tender as butter to receiue any iniury For the inward senses he hath the common-sense the very sinke and puddle where all the outward senses center themselues that a speedie conueyance may be made to the phansie and so to the iudgement will and affections that sinne may euen haue entertainment without all intreatie quicke dispatch in his busines without all controlment or contradiction the memorie in good case to become a store house for all villanie and the phansie night nor day to be at rest vntill they haue found out a tabernacle for the deuill with all his instruments to dwell in These spirits helpe forward all motions and surely the deuill hee will driue the cart and horses and therefore no maruell if we rush into sinne as the horse doth into the battell for he goes fast enough whome the deuill driueth and therefore seeing that the deuill hath so many waies to deale with vs no extraordinarie matter to be troubled with him and as he driues vs vnto sinne so would he likewise driue vs into setting sinnes before our eyes especially when the hand of God is vpon body or soule to despaire of his mercie and leaue off all our confidence and cry nothing but reprobation let vs a litle see this cheife aduersarie of our soule that we may the better oppose him Of the deuills wit will and power to hurt the godly The deuill for facultie of vnderstanding is most subtile for habite most nimble and policie most expert Strength without wit is like a gyant without eies and the lesse to be feared but when there is a quicke eye to discouer all aduantages and a mighty strength to strike downe all before it then there must be strange power that can resist The deuill in the Scriptures is as well a serpent as a dragon yea and an old serpent which beeing the subtilest of beasts hath his craft redoubled by his age and experience Apoc. 12.9 hence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie vnto vs great knowledge Sixe thousand yeares in a manner is the time of his age which were able to make one wise that were by nature simple and foolish therefore much more one of an exquisite knowledge by nature he is a spirituall beeing and so is able to diue as it were into the secrets of nature and with incredible swiftnes to passe from plece to place readie to intrude himselfe into all companies and learne their natures qualities dispositions and order of life so that our estate is almost vnto Sathan as was that of the king of Arams 2. kin 6.12 he knoweth all our counsels and consultations which wee take and hold in our most secret chambers for indeed for the most part he is the cheife counseller in all matters of sinne and receiues such intelligence frō our cogitations affections lusts inclinations and outward actions that he can shrewdly gesse at the frame of the soule if he keepe vs companie but a few dayes by the abuse of simple intelligence he can teach vs how to inuent much euil by the abuse of science he can become a lying spirit in the hearts of all men to seduce them to all error and heresie by the euill discourse of wisedome he can drawe men from one danger to another and perswade them that all are true diductions for yeeld to one sinne and a thousnad will follow out of the deuils discourses by the disorder of prudence he can teach men that no practise is warrantable but that which followes their method and by the euill handling of art he can seeme to be skilfull by nayling men fast vnto all their impieties Hence arise all the deuills stratagems first against vnderstanding 2. the will and affections 3. the body Against vnderstanding first he desires nothing more then to put out that eie and make men like mill horses to runne round in his seruice and when he pleaseth may suffer them to knock out their braines Secondly after he hath blinded the mind with ignorance then he tempts them to error and thirdly from error he brings them to heresie and from heresie hee leads them a long to hardnesse of heart from hardnesse of heart to no sense and feeling of their wretched estate and then follows all
is a fearefull receipt worse then pils of hierapicra or any extreame purgation it is Take him bind him hand and foote and cast him into hell fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer Yet let vs see the cure that the Lord prescribes in this place and first How God meets 〈…〉 if any make the question whether curatio debetur Symptomati I answer No for it is a rule that the physicke must be applyed to the cause not to the effect yet with the Lord iudgement is as sure in the effect as the cause for hee cannot be deceiued he brings vs to the knowlege of the disease by the Symptomes but he himselfe first sees the cause and therefore he discouers the hypocrite from the very fountaine thou thoughtest and also tells vs the action of his thought to make God like himselfe Yet if God should aske his patient whether hee felt this thought in himselfe or no I am perswaded he would most impudently denie it yet if he had any eye but to looke on his practise hee should soone conceiue his thought to be no better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wicked men 〈◊〉 so senceles 〈◊〉 nothing wil make theÌ„ feele 〈…〉 But the disease is desperate therfore what remedies will the Lord vse the Apothecaries shoppe can afoard him none therefore questionlesse that course is to be taken that men vse to take with gangrens to cauterize and burne them to the quicke euen so the Lord must deale with all hypocrites for they haue suffered the disease to runne so long that nothing can helpe it but a hote yron And for this purpose the Lord hath two First hee will reprooue him this yron shall try and search him to the quicke but alas if God will handle this yron euen to sift out one that is rotten at the heart when shall the yron cease burning all must be burnt away and if that were so then happie were the hypocrite for then should he be without all sense and feeling but alas better had he been if he had neuer been born then that the Lord should take a second yron into his hand and that is after the searching of the sore should burne them in the very consciences by setting their sinnes in order before the eye of the soule Conscience most apprehensiue which is most quicke in sense and feeling But let vs descend from the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider who this Thou is that the Lord will thus handle Hee is plainely described from the 16. verse to my text First and principally hee is such an one as wil become a publike teacher of his law and couenant but because this description may well agree to any professour vnreformed I will vnderstand it of all vnreformed professours that will needs make a shew of godlinesse but hate to bee reformed by denying the power thereof in their life and conuersation and therefore my text wil taxe many an one Yet before I come to the speciall explication of the words I cannot but a little shew myaffection to our distressed congregations that are full of these ministers that will haue to doe with Gods ordinances and talke of his couenants and yet hate all reformation often haue our ignorant scandalous and negligent ministers been warned to beware of their callings and know what they meddle withall God is not mocked neither euer will he suffer the malice of the deuill to rage in these persons against his little ones for alas what haue they done I knowe not what arrowe might more deepely perice them then this fearefull sentence of the Lord which neuer ceaseth cutting and wounding vntill it come at the verie conscience The best shast that Gods archers may vse for the battels of the Lord is alwaies to bee drawne out of Gods armorie framed by the hands and skill of himselfe and his owne workemen fit to make the manof God absolute and perfect 2. Timoth 3.17 vnto all good workes and blessed is the man that hath his quiuer full of them I know no arrowe that is able to dart and enter through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit Hebr. 4.12 of the ioynts and marrowe and lay open the verie thoughts and the intents of the heart as the arrowes of Gods quiuer and therefore the word of God deals most roundly with hppocrites in this place sparing neither sinne nor person these things and thou euen thou that takest vpon thee to declare my ordinances and will haue my couenant in thy mouth I tell thee this shall neuer cloake thy sinne seeing thou hatest to bee reformed It is a case lamentable These things first caxe all vn 〈◊〉 miâ—isters deseruing the bowels of all Christian pitie and compassion and able to cause the teares of sorrowe to gush out and streame down the face of a man who is not frozen too hard in securitie and vncharitable carelesnesse when he shal but lift vp his eyes and see the wasts and desolations of so many distressed soules pined and consumed to the bone for lacke of Gods sustenance the bread of life the word of God the onely preseruatiue of the soule The cause of all this is because the very trash and rif-raf of our nation haue laide their sacrilegious hands on the Lords arke vnreuerently entred with shooes and all into his temple taken his vndefiled testimonies into their defiled mouth disgraced defaced and defamed the glorie and maiestie of diuine rites and mysteries Alas is the Church of God so destitute of labourers must Christ needes for their sakes call againe from the net the receit of custome and other trades such men as after a nights sleepe or an houres traunce are made able to turne the book of God declare his ordinances and mannage the keyes of heauen 〈◊〉 13 5. but my friend be not deceiued awake out of sleepe and dreame no more confesse I am no Prophet I am no husbandman for man taught mee to bee an heardman from my youth vp If any man aske thee what are these wounds in thine hands answer willingly thus was I wounded in the house of my friends do it quickely least the Lord wound thee in thy conscience when he shall tell thee these things hast thou done and these things will I set before thine eies If God hath said Arise ô sword vpon my shepheard and him that is my fellowe what then will he doe vnto thee smite thee deadly that his sheepe be no more scattered and that he may turne his hand from his little ones for alas what haue they done O therfore get with speed from the Lords house if thou be a cleauer to thy wedge and axe if a husbandman to the plough and share horse and harrow But in vaine doe I complaine for hard hearted men haue so flinted their foreheads seared and sealed vp their minds and consciences in all impietie as they haue made a league and bound
begin to swage hence the prouerb serò sapiunt Fryges they shut the stable dore when the steed is stoln And so many like Diues in hell would be wise when it is too late Thus when we are taken away we come to had I wist and doe penance in hell to no purpose 1. Vse reprehension First confutation of all wicked men that boast of their newe inuentions We haue many that crie with Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but alas what haue they found parturiant montes nascetur ridiculus mus they haue found out strange matters yet when all is brought to the birth it was but a mountaine conceiuing and the offspring was a poore mouse They were in the toppes of Kings houses in their vaine conceit but alas all is but the spiders webbe fitting for nothing but the besome to sweepe it to the dunghill 2. Vse is correction of the godly that are too credulous of wicked mens opinions Good Bereans will search whether the things be so or no and these shall be wiser then they of Thessalonica It behooueth a wise man in these cases to haue his eyes in his head 2. Vse instruction First admonition Thou saiest thou art rich and increased with goods and hast neede of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Reu. 3.17 This is the conceit of all hypocrites therfore let them looke to Christs admonition v. 18. I counsell thee to buie of me gold tried by the fire that thou maiest be made rich and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and that thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare and annoint thine eyes with eie salue that thou mayest see Surely if God loue thee hee will rebuke and chasten therefore in the second place let it be a direction to the godly that they be zealous and in their zeale ielous ouer their hearts with a holy inquisition how it stands betwixt God and their soules if they find Gods truth rooted in their hearts praise God for it but if they see the deceits of their hearts repent and amend least the Lord come against them and cut them in peices with the sword of his iudgements that would not suffer the word of God liuely and mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sword to enter through euen to the diuiding asunder of their soule and their spirit of their ioynts marrow and to discerne of the thoughts and intents of their hearts let this be powerfull and we shall neuer be conceited Vse 3. consolation First when we do not conceit too high of any grace or gift of God in vs but say from the very heart glorie be to God When Dauid can say I am not puft in minde I haue no proud looke then he found ioy at will Secondly in our affliction not to conceit with Cain my sinne is greater then can be forgiuen but as wee descend downe into our owne hearts and plead guilty so againe by the eye of faith to ascend vpward vnto God in Christ and then shall we say with Iob although he kill me yet will I trust in him and I know my redeemer liueth and shall stand the last vpon earth and that I shall see him with these eyes And thus much of the bond of inference the bond of copulation followeth These things hast thou done and I held my tongue Sinnes Sinne and Gods silence may for a time agree together and Gods silence are no kindly friends yet they are here yoked together and that by a bond that doth not onely conioyne but gather together and that not by connexion but cheeke by ioule not one drawing in another for neither can sinne by any good consequence drawe after it Gods silence neither Gods silence except abused any wayes allure vnto sinne both are absolute and therefore soone may they bee parted From hence might be obserued first that more may absolutely be affirmed of sin silence coupled together then can be vpon condition for God makes no condition with sinners for the time of his silence neither haue they any lease from God how long they shall sinne and he wil say nothing for God will haue his libertie Secondly wicked men shall haue nothing to excuse them from God Indeed their sinnes goe before Gods silence Gods silence comes after and they againe come after with more sinne for so are the words ioyned together 1. They doe 2. God is silent 3. They thinke it may be by their latter sinning they haue a perswasion of conditions of peace but alas they are deceiued for hereby riseth a threefold iudgement against them one for their first sinne a second for the abuse of his silence and a third for that they haue had no measure in their sinning and therefore shall God haue no measure in his punishing Obser But the obseruation proper to the place is this that mans sinnes and Gods silence may stand together for a time The disciples of our Sauiour Christ knewe not of what spirits they were when they asked Christ that hee would call for fire from heauen to destroy his enemies Indeed if any tender hearted man should sit but one howre in the throne of God almighty and look downe vpon the earth as God doth continually and see what abhominations are done in that houre he would vndoubtedly in the next set all the world on fire and not suffer his wrath to bee pacified or the fire to be quenched Reas From opposition 1. From the nature of opposition Two things that disagree may be coupled together by some third and in that third they may agree Heate and cold may stand together in water but because water hath cold naturally and heate accidentally the heate must out againe and the water remaine in his nature So our sinnes and Gods silence euen fire and water stand together in this world and sinne burnes very hote in this world insomuch that the whole world boyles with it and the Lord hath a long time beene silent with the world verie coole and patient with sinners but this burning must out of the world for the world in Gods creation did neuer acknowledge him as any home borne brood The deluge once cooled him sufficiently and againe another fire stronger then he shall get the conquest and then shal an ende be made of Gods silence and smoaking coales shall issue out of his mouth for euer to augment the fire of hell that it may neuer bee extinguished Reas 2. The order of lawes which is to promise threaten The order of lawe punish all the while the law is promising and threatening the Iudge sits still as one at rest but when that time is expired he ascends the throne of iudgement giues sentence deliuers to the executioners and straitly commands that such villaynes be dispatched out of the world Reas 3. From meth◠de Methode makes a good agreement betwixt things that dissent when it brings euerie thing to his proper
vnderstanding will affections and all their instruments our vnderstanding is turned into blindnes of error our will embraceth not onely those things which corrupt iudgement directeth vnto but euen where vnderstanding standeth sound there will bendeth to affection and neglecteth the light of reason our affections are both rebellious to right iudgement and will in that they rage when they should not and where iust cause is giuen are quiet and at rest Thus from these principles in the soule the bodily members become weapons and instruments of all impietie and iniustice euen to the ouerturning of Church and Common-wealth except the Lord should restraine them in so much that the very pillars of the world would shatter in sunder and the vault of heauen would fall all things would turne to their former Chaos be consumed with the terrible fire of Gods vengeance and perish in his heauie displeasure Thirdly God puts on his children armour of proofe but they are negligent in the buckling of it on them and therefore the deuill often takes aduantage by that to doe vs hurt euen the gifts and graces of God are made grounds of the deuils temptations and therefore no maruaile though Sathan and the world preuaile against vs except the Lord stretch forth his hand and vphold vs. Therefore because I see the point in hand waightie and that which troubles the whole world to lie euen vpon this foundation and the resolution whereof cannot but administer excellent comfort to euery Christian I wil be bold to inlarge my meditations and the more willingly because it is so direct with my text not as grounded from it but as misapplied of the weak Christian taking euery sight of his sin for this fearefull setting of them before the eies of his conscience when the Lord onely threatneth the hypocrits and wicked of this world which will not but by constraint of law and iudgement meddle with their sinnes nay on the contrarie it is their nature to make God alwaies a friend vnto them as before we declared Therefore for the godlies sake will I not keepe silence in proceeding for their cōfort The grounds of all temptations beeing laid both inward and outward essentiall and accidentall we will come to the difficultie of difficulties to see how the deuill aimes at these grounds For distinction he doth it two waies either mediately or immediately mediately either by single means or by ioyning two together all these kinds will I manifest in the following discourse And first for his immediate working the experience of it is more lamentable and infallible then the manner howe easie to finde out yet something dare we boldly affirme and for methods sake we bring it to two heads It is either corporall possession or spirituall for the first hee may easily bring it about without any meanes because he is a most subtile nature and ful of strength by his subtiltie he may easily enter the bodie and by his strength he may carrie it at his pleasure he may possesse the whole bodie as Master command all that house but surely hee can not haue such accesse vnto the soule yet from his nature beeing by creation a spirit and therefore of the same kind of essence with our soules and indued with the same qualities of vnderstanding and will is able by agreement of nature and excellencie of qualitie to ouer-reach man beeing in the selfe same kind his inferiour For the nature of Angels is more excellent then mans and therefore hath hee a power ouer them for in nature euery inferiour power is subiected to the superiour yet both of them limited of God Therfore I doubt not but God permitting the deuill is able to meddle with our spirits without all corporall meanes euen as we see corporall creatures with bodily and corporall force to annoy one another and as men haue fellowship one with other by corporall presence and are delighted or displeased with the qualities of the mind according as they like or dislike vttered by speach and talke so it is most like that spirits haue their societie maintained by a spirituall conference whereby their wils and purposes are intercommunicated one to another without corporall sound whereof both the spirits want the instrument and the voice nothing affecteth the mind Daily experience maketh this manifest in such as are possessed whose discourses are often rare and admirable whose speach and phrase is often such as they neuer learned Now the deuill must needs be the schoolemaster and surely he informes them not by voice but by spirituall communication and so they receiue a cleare notion of many a point they were alwaies ignorant of and are able to expresse it in all varietie of languages and that in the phrase of eloquence Nay in a lesser degree then all this the false spirit perswades Ahab by all his false and lying Prophets that he should goe vp and prosper surely this spirit informed their spirits Thus entred Satan into Iudas not by corporall possession but spirituall and perswaded him to betray Christ thus Ananias Acts 5. had his heart filled and Ephes 2. the deuill is called the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience and that once they walked according to the conduct of that spirit These must needs bee reall operations carrying a force in them more then obiects do vnto any facultie that is conuersant about it for suppose the deuill should hold any art before the eies of an ignorant man could he possibly become a good Grammarian Rhetorician Logician whereby hee would talke with a Grecian though he were a Barbarian plead with Cicero though he were one of the common sort and dispute with Aristotle and Plato though he had neuer been in their schooles but had followed the plough all his life I should from reason thinke it impossible therefore he communicates his knowledg with these ignorant persons But you will say this is strange why should we then not perceiue it I answer the bodie in which the soule is is as a vayle to hide his manner of communication from vs yet it is no hinderance for him to enter within the vaile and speake vnto vs more angelico yet we peceiue it not saue in the effects because for the time of this life we exercise all actions through the body yet I am perswaded that if the soule were out of the body we should perceiue it most plainely if the curtain were drawn we should see the deuill lying with vs in our bosomes for the soules among themselues and with the angels in heauen haue sweet communication and therefore I feare not but the damned soules and deuils in hell haue their wofull societie Againe for the better conceiuing of this point wee stand not only subiect to Sathans annoyance through the subtilnes of his nature being a spirit but through that long experience and practise about our miserie from age to age is able to work more powerfully the Lord permitting him for a time Thus more perfectly
seaze vpon that which he pursueth 1. Pet. 5.8 Secondly that yet we may a little the more conceiue of his brutish cruelitie he is compared Reu. 12.3 to a red dragon whose fiercenes we find in history to exceede all lyons for a lyon if he be not hungry and see one not oppose him but fall downe before him will not hurt him but a dragon will deuoure mans flesh for sport This malice is open and so lesse dangerous but if he see that we are strongly fortified with Gods grace and at all points armed with compleat armour of a Christian if fenced and hedged on all sides as Iob was Iob 1.10 then leauing his raging violence he striues with vs by fawning and alluring vs to sinne thus with our first parents to tast of that pleasant fruit which depriued them of the breast-plate of righteousnes and vncocouered them of Gods protection so that euer since that time he hath had full blowes without all resistance hence he is called a tempter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that tempter the tempter of tempters after temptation he falls to accusation hence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deuill after accusation he is very glad that God will any where make him an executioner and hang-man his will then can be no lesse then maliciousnesse it selfe Eph. 6.12 But you will say though his will be malitiously bent yet he wants strength but let me tell you that the deuill is very strong both in himselfe and in his aides In himselfe he can raise great tempests both by sea and by land he is compared to the great Leuiathan that makes the sea to boyle with his motion as strong vpon earth as a lyon a dragon with seuen heads and tenne hornes and with his very taile he throwes to the ground the third part of the starres of heauen Luk. 11.21 a strong armed man who keepeth in peace all that he possesseth nay a mightie prince not of one country or land but a monarch of the whole world Ioh. 12.31 and by his authoritie can command infinit multitudes to goe for him neither is this all but they bee called princes powers worldly gouernours Ephes 6.12 and that these may not be one against another they haue a head vnder which they all conspired Math. 25.41 fire prepared for the deuill and his angels in this sense he is called Beelzebub the prince of deuils the word signifies a prince of flies not for their weaknesse but mulitudes euen as though they were swarmes conioyned together to do mischeife one spirit taketh seuen more Mat. 12.45 nay a legion of deuils are spoken of Luk. 8.30 so that they are a sufficient number to beset vs all on all sides and in all places Lastly to set forth the aduantage he hath of vs poore men they are said to be princes of darkenesse and that is lamentable to fight with an enemy that can see vs but not be seen againe Secondly they are not enemies of flesh but spirituall wickednesses most dangerous because spirits and pestelent because no lesse then wickednesse it selfe they wil be with vs because they are so swift and they neuer come without the plague and pestelence of sinne hanging about them Thirdly they haue gotten the vpper ground and fight from higher places then wee can reach vnto being poore silly worms crawling vpon the earth and the Scriptures truely laying open his strength call him no lesse then a god of this world 2. Cor. 4.4 as though he were omnipotent vpon earth But perhaps you will say he wants courage to his strength but let me tell you I find him in the scriptures to be no lesse then exceeding desperate and audacious there was neuer man that liued but he had some thing to say with him Adam in paradise yea our sauiour Christ nay Reu. 12.7 there is mention of a battell in heauen Michael and his angels fought against the dragon the dragon and his angels c. But if I should proceed I should vtterly dis-hearten the poore Christian and make him despaire of any encounter and hope of victorie yet dare I boldly giue the deuill his aids and yet bid the weakest Christian offer the deuill his challenge his aids are two first the world secondly his own flesh the one playes on both hands with prosperity and aduersitie and the other a traytour alwaies readie to betray him into the hands of his enemies Hauing described the deuill in his wit will and power let vs see if there be any wisdom to oppose him any wil that exceeds as much in goodnesse vnto man as the deuill doth in malice any power that can master the deuils For the first the good angels haue more wit then the bad and yet their wisedome is nothing vnto Gods now the eye of the Lord is on the righteous and all the holy angels pitch their tents about them and therefore this counsel shall stand against all the policies of the deuil and the gates of hell shal neuer preuaile And for the vertues of vnderstanding God hath intelligence to crosse all the inuentions of the deuill science to preserue his owne truth from the lies of the deuill sapience to drawe more good out of euill then the deuill can euill out of good and for prudence God can order all that which he hath laboured to bring to confusion and for arte the Lord hath more skill to tye his owne vnto himselfe then the deuil hath to draw them from him and for all those stratagems wrought vpon the vnderstanding the Lord can take away the vaile of ignorance preserue from error hardnes of heart or any thing that might rise out of that head And for wil and affection and the whole body the Lord hath promised and will performe that his holy ones shall be sanctified throughout both in body and soule For the malice of the deuills will we ought to lay to heart the good will and pleasure of our God which hath said he wil not forsake vs and for power we may be assured that the deuill hath no power but that which God shal permit vnto him he cannot touch Iob vntill God giue him leaue he cannot be a meanes of Ahabs ruine vntill it please God to yeild him that liberty that he may be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his false prophets nay he cannot enter so much as into such creatures as swine vntill Christ haue giuen him so much refreshment before the time of his wofull torture Secondly wee may fight with courage for the deuill is alreadie chained and reserued to more strong chaines hereafter Iud. v. 6. Thirdly God hath left vs such store of armour of proofe as the deuill can neuer strike through hee may as easily wound God as wound vs being couered with it he can neuer loose our girdle of veritie strike through our breast-plate of righteousnes vncouer our feet beeing shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace his blowes can neuer enter
sea yet thither shall thine hand lead me and thy right hand hold me Secondly for the circumstance of time v. 11. If I say yet the darknes shall hide me euen the night shall be light about thee yea the darknes hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknes and light are both alike Here is no plea that olde things are out of date and sinnes committed many yeares agoe are forgotten of the Lord for be sure that the sinne of Cain in murthering of his brother is as freshly bleeding in the presence of God as the sin thou hast committed this day so that neither time past present or to come will helpe vs at all with the Lord. Thirdly for the circumstance of persons he knoweth all by their names Psal 147.4 therefore no companie shall excuse thee Indeede in the world multitudo peccantium tollit poenam peccati when multitudes sinne then mens lawes dare not execute yet be sure with the Lord he that runnes with a multitude to doe euill shal be sure to be punished with them Neither great men nor rich men shall be able to rescue vs out of the hands of God therefore the point is cleare that the Lords knowledge is most exact in all particulars 1. Vse is reprehension first confutation of the wicked that are ashamed to doe that in the presence of men which they dare most impudently doe before God surely hee is able to iudge more exactly of our offences then any man therefore if we labour to keepe our selues secret from the eyes of men how should we not tremble to sinne before God Secondly correction of the godly that doe not alwaies set themselues in the presence of God but sometimes take libertie to slip into the wayes of their owne hearts thinking that this is but a small sinne and therefore the Lord will be mercifull to me in this thing neuer considering the puritie of the Lord and the brightnesse of his glorie which is alwayes shining round about them 2. Vse instruction first an admonition to the wicked that beat their fellow feruants because their master deferreth his coÌ„ming let them take heed for he will come at vnawares vpon them and let them blush for shame seeing that mens scruants here vpon earth hearing that their master approacheth betake themselues to their worke although before they were at their sports idle recreations we know that schoole-boies in the absence of their master leaue their seats spread themselues abroad yet the verie voyce of venit magister the master comes presently makes euery one hastily betake himselfe vnto his seat Shall then man bee so bold as to dare to leaue his place betake himselfe to his owne pleasure when the verie eye of his God lookes vpon him surely nothing is more obuious vnto our eye then this which argueth that the world is very destitute of the feare of God Secondly this may be a driection to the godly to examine them-selues in all their particular carriages Thus Dauid deales with his soule vpon the consideration of Gods excellent knowledge Psal 139. to the ende first a pretious estimation of it 17 18. how deare how great what account to make vp the summe all is too short yet this will he aime at when he awakes he will still be with God Indeede in the violence of passion Dauid may make warre a pretense to excuse Vrias death but yet Psal 51. it shall cause him vtter many a bitter word heauie sighs and euen water his couch with teares The second is the manifestation of his zeale 1. in his loue of the maiestie of God v. 19 20.2 of his hatred to the wicked that dishonour God v. 21 22. See them both Oh that thou wouldest slay O God the wicked and bloody men to whome I say depart ye from me which speake wickedly of thee and beeing thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine I hate them I contend with them as with mine vtter enemies The 3. his confidence v. 23. Trie me O God and know my heart prooue me and know my thoughts consider if there be any way of wickednes in me and lead me in thy way for euer This consideration can not but haue powerfull operations in the hearts of Christians fire all that is within them let vs see it in a few of Dauids affections in the Psalmes breathing zeale out of euery pipe How doe I loue thy law O Lord more then the hony or the hony combe Loue. more then thousands of siluer and gold Thine enemies I hate with a perfect hatred Hatted Thy testimonies are my delight Ioy. I reioyce more in them then they that finde great spoyles more then in my appointed foode Mine eyes gush out riuers of teares Griefe Oh that my head were a fountaine of teares because they destroy thy law Mine eyes are dimme with waiting Hope how doe I long for thy saluation Thy iudgements are terrible Feare I tremble and quake Looke what pitch of affection the naturall man bestowes vpon his dearest darling what vnsatiable thirst the couetous worldling vpon his mammon the ambitious vpon his honour the volupâ—uous vpon his pleasure the same the Christian striueth in equall yea if possible farre exceding in as much as the more pure the heart is the more actiue we shall finde it Zeale is to the soule that which the spirits are to the bodie wine to the spirits putting vigour and agilitie into them be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit an excellent Antithesis the soule may be filled with this zeale and yet neuer exceede As wings to the foule as wheeles to the chariot as sailes to the shippe wind to the sailes courage to the soldier mettell to the horse and dust to make the earth fruitfull so is zeale as wings to the soule to flie aboue earthly and worldly cogitations as wheeles not to goe but runne the wayes of Gods Commandements as sayles to driue vs with a plerophorie vnto God This makes vs fight and puts mettle into vs yet must we take heede how we meddle with this fire least wee heape coales vpon our owne heads and bring an ill sauour vpon all â—ur seruice as Nadab and Abihu beeing vnsanctified Aguish and distempered heats are farre remote from the radicall nay an enemie vnto it and the verie causes of sickenesse and death a very empericke may iudge of them For first some of these are deepely sicke of the Pharisaicall humour they ioue more to be seene of men then God and yet God wil see them the best as Iâ—hu Come and see how zealous I am for the Lord of hosts These trumpets praise them before men but shame theÌ„ before God An aguish or consuming heat by his flushings is seene more in the face then the naturall heat that warmeth the heart In wisdome and skill artis est celare artem hiding of art is the best art so hidden zeale is often the
be laid to heart and driue vs to a better consideration of the time present Reas 2. By this meanes a prouocation to repentance Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance c. Reas 3. Because the creature shall finde nothing commendable in himselfe which he shall not see in God now silence beeing commendable in man it shall plainely appeare to bee with God the commendation of silence in man is often in the prouerbes as for example Prou. 10.19 In many words there cannot want iniquitie but he that refraineth his lips is wise 25.12 A word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer 26.23 The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely and ad leth doctrine to his lips Therefore will the Lord be free from many words he will speake in his place and guide his mouth most wisely Reas 4. The lawe of creation Eccles. 3. a time for euerie thing and therefore that which is to the creature shall be vnto himselfe he hath a time for mercy and hee hath a time for iustice Reas 5. Because an appointed day Acts. 17.30 31. The time of this ignorance God regarded not but now hee admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in which he will iudge the world c. Therefore God for the time of the ignorance of the Gentiles was verie silent but now hauing made his grace shine most apparently according to his owne appointment will sleepe no more in silence but awake all by the trumpet of the Gospel and if they disobey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ then shall hee shewe himselfe from heauen 2. Thess 1.7 with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them not for the dayes of their ignorance or miscariages in them but because they doe not knowe God and haue not obeyed his gospell then shall they bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power Vse 1. reprehension First confutation of the wicked which cry Mal. 3.14 It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandement and that we haue walked humbly before him we count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered Alas poore wretches if there were no more to condemne thee yet this were sufficient that God hath beene silent with thee Secondly correction of the godly that as yet haue not learned this lesson to imitate God in refraining their tongues from speaking against wicked men if they know their calling they may doe it but to exasperate the wicked is not alwayes necessarie nay alas they cannot refraine their tongues from speaking against their brethren when they may see plainly by this doctrine that the Lord is silent with his verie enemies Againe it reprehends all fretting at the prosperitie of the wicked Psal 77.8 yeeld God his silence and wait vpon him also all censuring is here condemned Rom. 2.1 2 3. Iam. 3. 2. Vse instruction first admonition to the wicked that they haue some consideration of the Lords mercies towards them The Sun often beating vpon the stones causeth them to haue some heat though not at the heart yet in the outward parts and therefore a shame for them if they be neuer the warmer for Gods silence the wicked are worse then little children who when they haue gotten any thing of their parents will away without either looke or legge yet if they know they will haue dutie then they doe it in such fashion that all men may see their hearts another way on their game abroad But wicked men though they haue bin often told that the Lord lookes for duty at their hands yet he shall haue none at all and surely suppose they haue so good a nature as they will take off their hatts before they sit downe to the table yet I am afraid it is more for custome then any thing els Thus a sensuall mind counteth nothing sweete but what is taken in hugger mugger without Gods allowance like some gallants thinke no venison sweet but that which is stolne fooles they are which admire the brightnesse of the sunne in the watter and neuer looke vp to the body The whelps that feed vnder the tables will fawne vpon their masters if any smite them they will presently flie at them the oxe and asse knowes their owners but wicked men are worse to God then oxen asses and dogs are to them And surely for the best of their speeches they are as I may say no better then common tearmes of holines without affection and therefore like court holy water good words but pay no debt And if at any time with Balaam they see the beautie of Gods church in the dayes of Gods silence then like hypocrits they wish as Balaam did Oh that their soules might die the death of the righteous and that their eude might be like his yet all is but a flash of lightning soone come soone gone for there is a thorne caught in their foote which hindreth their pretended iourney For this loth to depart he singeth vnto his own soule Shall I in this calme of Gods mercie loose my pleasure in this time the cost is cleere but alas to liue a godly life makes me thinke a lyon is in the way and therefore must I needs slippe my necke out of the collar And thus by their high estimation of the present they become pennie wise but pound foolish so that when they shall be taken away from this estate they come to had I wist But alas let them know for conclusion that they are worse afraid then hurt they know not that to physicke in the spring is the best time of the yeare the vomit of the soule which is the griefe of repentance shal do the most good while it pleaseth the Lord to visite them with the day of his silence Secondly here is excellent direction to the godly first to praise God Psal 136. all things must praise God why be cause his mercie endureth for euer which is repeated in euery verse and surely this may be an excellent motiue to Christians to make them full of holy affections for it is a great mercie of God to haue a large affection of well-doing when we haue good occasion thereof For God neuer ceaseth in offering occasion but we often cease in hauing affections Therefore it were an excellent thing to keepe reckoning what wo runne vpon Gods score we do it with men but alas they are hardly found which thinke how deepe they are in Gods books such ill husbands we are for our soules if I ouershoote my selfe with men that they may haue a saying of me behold an vngratefull person that will cut me at the heart but rare it is to know how I haue
ouershot my selfe with God in forgetting his long silence if ought crosse my corrupt nature I haue griefe at will if I haue broken a day and not kept touch with men I would not looke them in the face if my seruant haue loytered he blusheth and is ashamed to come before me and shall not I change my countenance if I were displeased my affections would come afore they were sent for but when God is displeased euen for the abuse of his mercies I can not haue my affections although I would send many a messenger for them so ponderous is my corruption which presseth downe that vnlesse Habour by a better spirit I shall neuer giue the Lord the answer of his mercies Let vs therefore helpe our selues a little at these dead lifts first with some rules to ouerwrastle them secondly with some motiues to blow vp our deuotion Consider therefore for the first rule how little we are bound vnto the flesh Rom. 8.13 If ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye a heauie reward for a flauish seruice but on the other hand for the second rule see how we are debt-bound vnto the spirit But if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirit ye shal liue From these two rules we haue motiues innumerable and inualuable to praise the silence and mercie of God for what a miserie would it haue bin to haue bin debt-bound to the flesh which rewardeth with nothing but hell death and damnation therefore happie soules that haue cast off this yoke and againe what a ioy and felicitie to be vnder the yoke of Christ and debt-bound to his spirit we neede no more to make vs sing ioyfully vnto the Lord. But alas sinnefull passions preuent our wills and come as we say of foule weather before they are sent for but holy affections in these most admirable mercies of God are often quenched for want of zeale for alas when doe we beat our braines not suffering the temples of our heads to take any rest till we haue giuen our God some argument of our thankefulnes We vse our God as if it skilled not greatly how he were dealt with when he deales most gratiously with vs. If a man bids me to supper once a quartar I thanke him then and thanke him again when I am come next time after not onely of my present beeing with him but also of my last beeing with him I tell what kind welcome what good cheere bidde him sometime againe or checke my selfe if I forget it but for some great matter what kindnes what speeches what seruice will I tender vnto my friend Shall one supper and not daily bread shall riches and not Christ deserue a thousand thanks for a small benefit I will be at command and shall I not surrender my selfe vnto God who hath paid my debt and purchased me a new stocke euen the hope of eternall life shall I blush at small vnthankfulnes towards man and not condemne my selfe before God surely when the Lord shall take away his mercies we shall come to had I wist and doe so much more penance by how much we were more careles We will not let goe our leases to men for want of payment of the rent therefore let vs giue God no cause to enter and straine vpon vs and all that we haue for not magnifying and praising him and let this follow euery repetition of a fauour that Dauid hath taught vs Psal 136. For his mercie endureth for euer A second instruction is to imitate God in his silence in being kind towards others 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long-suffering vnto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life especially Christians must obserue it 2. Tit. 2.3 Shewing all meekenes vnto all men for we our selues were also in times past vnwise disobedient seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in malitiousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one an other Thus Dauid approoues himselfe a man of God 1. Sam. 24. by his innocencie vnto Saul in cutting off his garment when he might haue cut his throat Motiues to this we haue many Matth. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall receiue mercie againe for this shall they be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 25.34 thirdly because it makes vs walke worthie of our vocation Eph. 4.2 Walke worthie the vocation whereunto ye are called with all humblenes of minde and meekenes with long suffering supporting one an other through loue fourthly it prooues vnto vs our election Coloss 3.12 Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercie kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes long suffering c. lastly this serues for instruction of all to take care for displeasing of God Matth. 5.25 Agree with thine aduersarie quickely whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the sargeant and thou be cast into prison c. Esperially those must looke vnto it that haue had long time of Gods silence Rom. 11. Behold therefore the bountifulnes and the seueritie of God toward them which haue fallen seueritie but toward thee bountifulnes if thou continue in his bountifulnes or els shalt thou be cut off Vse 3. consolation First in miserie to consider that God spared vs when we were sinners was reconciled vnto vs when we were his enemies therefore much more beeing iustified by Christ made his sonnes will he loue vs and bee well pleased with vs Rom. 5. Secondly consolation in our welfare because we haue the silence of God in regard of the true cause of it and therefore haue hope that it shall bee continued vnto vs. And thus much of Gods silence Section 2. The obiect of Gods silence The obiect is the doings of the wicked for the explication whereof let vs first see what the word of God makes the obiect of Gods silence First it cannot endure any silence at sin because it teacheth plainely that as soone as sinne is committed God speakes the law speakes and the conscience as we may see Gen. 3. and therefore must it bee in regard of the consequent of sinne which is first of all the fault 2. the guilt 3. the punishment now the two first are equall with the sinne and therefore will they suffer no silence therefore must it be in the punishment threatned or executed in threatning the Lord is neuer silent therefore must it bee in the execution Silence in regard of the miserie of sinne and not of sin it selfe which is either present or in comming present originall and actuall sinne wherein there hath appeared no silence of God for presently vpon the fall man became exorbitant and his freewill ran only vnto euill therefore must it be in the punishment comming which is the sensible miserie of man to wit the first and second death wherein plainly we
doe vnto God for if God should neuer reprooue the wicked would boast and triumph notoriously 4. The consolation of the godly when should their heads be lift vp if it were not to see their enemies trampled vnder their feete Vse 1. reprehension First confutation of the vngodly that thinke the Lord will condemne no person he that made all will saue all and a pitifull thing it is to imagine that God should haue made any man to damne him well they see God will reprooue Secondly correction of the godly that they take heede of securitie and labour to please God with reuerence and feare Rom. 12.29 For euen our God is a consuming fire 2. Vse instruction first admonition to the vngodly Oh consider this ye that forget God least he teare you in pieces Secondly a direction to the godly to walke before the Lord as he is their father and master Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master if then I be a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my feare 3. Vse consolation first in trouble to consider God will reprooue Iehoshua stands before Christ Iesus Zach. 3. and Satan stands at his right hand to resist him but here is comfort v. 2. for Christ saies vnto Satan The Lord reprooue thee O Satan euen the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem reprooue thee Secondly in wel-doing because the Lord will neuer reprooue for that but approoue it and commend it for euer 2. Sect. Of the forme of this Iustice Reprooue Reproofe is a second argument to set forth the instice of God Vindicatiue iustice is more violent then correction for that is alwaies in mercie and the ende of it is the quiet fruit of righteousnesse but the nature of this is to be a curse and the ende therof the death and destruction of the creature Also it is more forcibly felt of the creature then Gods remuncratiue iustice because this strikes at the verie heart touches his verie conscience with the extremitie of horror and feare and leaues neither bodie nor soule without most exquisite torments such as were neuer inuented of men the racke in England the Strappado in Spaine nor any torture inuented by the wit of man shall euer come neere this no not the strange torments of Tyrants Children are scared with harmlesse bul-begger but dread lesse the fire water so men in this world feare them that can kil the bodie but neuer feare at all for him that can kil both bodie and soule we tremble to heare a great man speake and the young men hide themselues at the voyce of Iob and yet alas who trembles at a verball reproofe of the Lord they thinke him a simple person that can not indure a word And therefore Christians that are so much cast downe at the threatnings of the Lord are with the wicked but fooles and faint hearted persons nay more then this let the hand of the Lord light vpon their fellow-companions and that shall be no prognostication to them When diuination was by lightnings those lightnings which fell in the sea or toppes of mountaines were neuer brought into obseruation but were called bruta fulmina so the indgments of God that light vpon others are farre enough remooued from them and therefore they neuer call them into question nay alas they make lighter account of them as long as they are threatned in Gods word or executed vpon others then Morbizan the Turke did of the Bull of Pius the second or of his indulgences to the people to take armes against him that by a letter to the Pope he required that he would call in his Epigrammes againe so men thinke that when the Lord threatneth the seisure both of soule and bodie the attaching of our spirits the confiscation of our consciences the banishing of vs from heauen the hanging of vs in hell the suspending of our saluation the adiudging of vs to condemnation to be nothing but wittie Epigrammes inuented of men to exercise men withall One calls the excommunication of Paulus quintus against the Venetians dirum carmen and Bellarmine saies of Prudentius when he appoints certaine holy-daies in hell Paenarum celebres sub styge feriae Euen so the world deales with God his threatning are but idle Tragedies and the punishments in hell may haue their holy-daies wherein men may take their recreations So that now God shall be as well beholding to iesting Lucian or any inuenter of fables or tragedies of hell to make one old woman weepe or tremble as to his owne Prophets or Apostles but let them be assured that hell is no painted fire for they shall finde that God hath fire and sagot sword and bow speare and yron rods to dash in pieces euery one although as hard hearted as Pharaoh himselfe then shall they tremble most that feared least when Gods iudgements were threatned Observ The Iustice of God shall be manifested as well in plagues and curses as in promises and mercies Doe this and thou shalt liue there is rewarding iustice but the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death there is iustice punishing which a long time is kept vnder the cloud of Gods silence but at length breaketh forth and by that meanes is made to shine the brighter Euen as in a darke night one starre breaking out of a thicke cloud deliuereth a farre more splendent and glorious light then if it shone with many in a cleare euening so this iustice hath the more grace and beautie from the Lord in the wicked insomuch as almost all other planets had a long time beene eclipsed or quite fallen out of their spheres to the great discomfort of all such as trauailed with the wicked though not in their waies yet in the selfe same night and busied themselues at the lamps of Gods word beeing carefull to vphold the societie of mankind by learning and instruction Ionah the Prophet was content to enter into the citie a daies iourney and preached and so continued walking with the men in the citie vntill they put on sackcloth fasted and humbled themselues this might exceedingly haue comforted Ionah to see so chearefull and comfortable a light breake forth as repentance but alas Ionah is displeased and that exceedingly that he should prognosticate of a flaming fire from heauen within fourtie daies to destroy Nineueh and yet nothing appeare according to his word this made him angrie impudent with God now againe to defend his fleeing into Tarshish although the Lord had appeared vnto him in the fearefull tempest prepared a fish heard his prayer brought him to drie land yet now because God will not come from heauen according to his word he wisheth that he might die and that God would shew his iustice on him One would haue thought Ionah might haue bin well cooled in the sea from raging so hotly against God Well Ionah get thee vnder the Lords gourd that it may be a shadow for thy head and deliuer
together not as Samsons foxes by the tayles euery one to drawe sundrie waies they sustaine no double persons single will they be in all their waies they are troubled with no contrary laws they can make all agree well enough and therefore when cry they in the very desperation of their soules who shall deliuer vs they giue thankes to God not for Christ but for themselues that they are not like other men Therefore the spirit hauing not pulled downe the old building how shall it be possible to set vp the newe which is plainly to be seene in the chap. following Rom. 8. First where is their freedome from the law of sinne and of death neither Christ nor the spirit hath purchased it for them and I doubt that their owne paiment will not stand good in Gods court Secondly if things may be known by their sauours surely euerie man may see they sauour of the things of the flesh Thirdly if the wisedome of the spirit and the wisedome of the flesh be enemies I admire what peace and life can be in hypocrites when they will not denie their owne wisedome for as yet the bodie is not dead and quickned again by the spirit still are they debters to the flesh and will liue after him How will they prooue themselues to bee the sonnes of God if the spirit of bondage be gone and the spirit of adoption be entred into their hearts let vs heare the cry of Abba father let them prooue the witnesse of the spirit if they bee heires of God euen annexed with Christ let vs see how they can suffer with him how they esteeme of afflictions in comparison of their glorie doth the creature groane for them nay alas I feare against them because they subiect him vnto vanitie Let vs heare how they with patience looke for their redemption Is their hope for things not seene nay alas all for the present How doth the spirit assist them in their infirmities how is he with them in their prayers what requests doth he bring out of their soules where be their deepe sighes that cannot be expressed can they search the meaning of the spirit according to the will of God surely nothing lesse for all is but lip labour Againe haue they assurance that all works together for their good can they tell it from their predestination vocation iustification and glorification can they from hence conclude that God is for them and no man can be against them that there is no charges for them to pay that there is no condemnation no separation from the loue of God in Christ all afflictions cannot doe it no death no angels no principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come no place not heauen aboue is too high for them nor hell below is able to make them sinke into his depth yea in breife not any creature is able to doe it therefore no hypocrite is in Christ and therefore impossible that he should bee washed from his filthinesse beeing not washed hee must remaine in it And that will appeare if we mark his life and death life prosperitie aduersitie In prosperitie for his profession he is all courage and verie full of brags like the coward that before he come in the field is fire and towe but when he comes to the tryall is the first that flees the field when the couragious champion is very silent but when there is neede of him will shew that hee hath more tried sortitude in him then a thousand cowards So hypocrites make all the world ring with their Master though all the world forsake thee yet will I not forsake thee I will lay downe my life for thee yet when Christ shall come with a this night shall yee be put vnto it then will they flee with the first and if Christ haue no better champions then they he shall be left all alone Secondly come to the hearing of the word all promises they will make their owne all iudgements threatened they will put vpon others and for application of both it shall be as in this place God is like them he fauours them aboue all with his mercies and his iudgements passe ouer their houses Thirdly for his life no reformation For aduersitie if God be gone he is gone no more stout words no comming to Church no more outward reformation but labour to make the best of all Gal. 6.12 they will seeke to please to the face and labour to constraine to their profession that they may suffer no persecution for the crosse of Christ In speciall for their sinnes when they are in miserie it may be they will let a word come out against some knowne actuall sinne but with Dauid Psal 51. they neuer strike at the roote to wit their originall sinne for the punishment Mic. 6.6 they will part with any thing they haue to be freed from the stroaks of Gods rod but the thing required shall not once come neere them And for the thoughts of death many a Balaams wish but that is all for their life is nothing And lastly for death it selfe they either die like stocks and stones or else like bulls and bears roaring and bellowing out their shame and confusion Secondly this may be a direction to Gods children to approoue their sinceritie vnto God by alwaies setting themselues in the presence of the Lord. 3. Vse consolation First in trouble to reioyce when it shall please God to try vs in the fornace of affliction that so we may come forth as tryed gold refined and made the more fit for Gods kindome Secondly in our welfare to trust more in God then in our selues and to count the lifting vp of Gods countenance vpon vs in the face of his anointed more ioy of heart then when the corne wine oyle and all the pleasures and profits of this world are increased And thus much of the first part of Gods iustice to wit the power of it from the efficient in the forme and execution of it vpon the sinne and person of an hypocrite Now followes the orderly proceeding of this iustice Of the order of Gods iustice First in the cause Order In the handling of the methode vsed by the Lord in this place wee are to consider of the arguments Order is described first from the cause I thee Lord secondly from the effect which is to set or place things thirdly from the obiect in that word them that is thy sinnes 4. from a testimony drawn from the notice of the conscience which shall sufficiently witnesse of the worth of Gods methode For the cause of this order it is the Lord. Surely Gods wisedome is to be seene in nothing more then in methode and order for order is not from any brutish nature but the best and wisest so that the changes and multitude of alterations in this world are no casuall matters left in the hands of blind fortune If indeed we looke into Gods Church and see the varietie of colours and the instabilitie
his sleepe forsakes him when he speakes he is little bettes when he keeps silence he boyles in disquietnes the light doth not comfort him and the darknes doth terrifie him All other afflictions are tolerable because temporall and pursue but to death yet this beeing not â—uâ—ed endeth not in death Mens lawes transgressed may be helped by bribing of the magistrate or if the offence be capitall that there can be no pleading for him yet he may flie his country and so escape but God will not be bribed neither is there any flying from his presence Psal 139. nay alas we shall neede no seeking out we shal neede no apparitor to summon vs no baylâ—ffe to fetch vs no accuser to giue in euidence against vs sinne it selfe will arrest vs for he lieth at the doore our conscience will impanell a quest against vs our hearts will giue in sufficient euidence to conuict vs and our owne iniquities will plead guiltie to our faces This made the heathen to kill themselues thinking death to be an end of all miserie and thus like fond fishes they leape out of the pan into the fire out of the hell of their consciences into hell it selfe Let them doe the best they can get them to merrie companie laugh their sinnes out of countenance yet let them know that with Nero they may change their chamber but their chamber-fellow shall neuer leaue them They may sacrifice vnto the Lord humble themselues weepe with Esau confesse with Iudas lay hold on the hornes of the altar to mitigate their paine but onely the expiatorie sacrifice of the immaculate lamb is able to giue them rest and quietnes of soule Indeede this distresse of conscience soone becommeth melancholike vile and base turneth reason into foolishnes and disgraceth the beautie of the countenance How conscience may disiguâ—e the body and transformeth the stoutest Nebuchadnezzer becomes a beast so easily is the bodie subiect to alteration of minde and soone looseth with anguish and distraction thereof all the support of his excellencie In melancholie the heart is troubled with vaine seares vpon euery small obiect the very eye by a false apparition may strike him the eares with the imagination of euery voice sounding may dolefully appale him a very touch may make him startle and many such like troubles which are whelps of that melancholie litter bred of that corrupted state of bodie altered in spirit in blood in substance and complexion This may increase the terrour of the afflicted minde double the feare and discouragement How distemper of body may increase this wound and hinder all cure by counsell and aduise and shut vp all meanes of consolation for it must enter by the senses to the minde Now the instruments of sense beeing altered by the humour and their sinceritie stained with the obscure and darke spots of melancholie receiue not indifferently the medicine of consolation As the braine the original and fountaine of all sense and motion is thus euilly disposed so the heart the cherisher and refresher of our nature beeing in no better case and acquainted with terror and ouerthrowne with that searefull passion imptisoneth the spirits contracts it selfe and hardly yeilds to perswasion of comfort whatsoeuer it bringeth of assurance For though the griefe strike down at the first respecting no time place person condition or opportunitie of working but breaketh through all such considerations and beareth downe all resistance yet the comfort requireth them all and the missing of one makes the affliction to be long and hard in the cure The Comforters person his manner of handling the patient the time and place of performance with the braine and heart which are as the gates and entrance vnto the soule may hinder or aide the consolation No distemper can hinder the inward comfort of Gods grace But all this is to be vnderstood of outward meanes for the inward meanes to wit the grace of God and his mercie his comfortable spirit and gratious fauour in like swiftnes without meanes may restore the minde thus distressed which lieth open equally to the kind of cure euen as it lay to the wound Therfore seeing the body workes nothing vpon the mind altogether impatible of euery beeing sauing of God alone and secondly that the efficient can do it without helpe of the bodie and thirdly that the comfort is not procured by any corporall instrument nor the discomfort directly procured by the same lastly because all is done by causes in subiects nothing corporall and producing effects of an other nature then corporall it must needes bee concluded that there is great difference betwixt these two troubles The punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the heart but a cause of it so that racking of the soule by sinne is not a melancholie passion but yet may it cause it and therefore makes the distinction not so cleare for oftentimes the symptome of a disease is taken for the disease it selfe The affliction of mind The persons which are hable to this sorrow to what persons it falleth and by what meanes is thus to bee resolued All men are subiect to this by reason of our fall the breach of Gods lawe and the wrath of God that followeth thereupon yet of all sorts of men melancholie persons are most subiect vnto it not from the humour but because he is most doubtfull and iealous of his estate for life temporall and life spirituall For temporall physitians and apothecaries shops will beare sufficient witnes for if they be able to walk we find them for the most part in these places And I would to God they were as readie for their spirituall life to bee with Gods spirituall physitians and in the shops of the true balme of Gilead By experience we find that when they beginne to examine how their actions answer the naturall and written line of righteousnesse and wanting the arch-pillar of faith and assurance in Christ Iesus our hope presently feele the very anguish due vnto sinners and in that most miserable condition fall into flat despaire The manner how this is done is when the curious melancholie person carrieth his mind into the senses of such mysteries How it befalls them as exceed humane capacitie and is desirous to knowe more then is reuealed in the word of truth and yet being ignorant of that which is reuealed he suddenly falls into the gulfe of Gods secret counsells which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angel and measuring the truth of such depths by the shallow modell of his own wit is caught and deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie mooued him to attempt to apprehend Of this we haue a memorable example of a vertuous gentlewoman in this land who was carried along in this course doubting verie often of her saluation and making her case known vnto a worthy minister of God he often couÌ„felled her to take heede of inquiries further then Gods word and trust assuredly that shee might
wind in vnconstancie and as fraile as the tender hearbs how soone should all become nothing therfore Gods decree being laid the first corner stone we may assure our selues that the building shall stand for euer therefore euery one in his conflicts with the deuill hath full assurance of the conquest for this roote is laid in him whose fruit and branches stormy tempests may nippe and shake yet the sappe shal neuer be dried vp in the roote neither shal any euil wind of Satan so blast that the immortall seede bee at any time quite withered yea though all fierie darts bend thereto with all might and maine employed yet the storme beeing blowne ouer by the spirit of grace and the comfortable sunne of consolation shining vpon our gloomy hearts it will budde forth againe into blossome fruit and branch as a most beautifull tree in the paradise of God Let the comparison of bodily sickenesse and the consideration of the kind of frailtie mooue vs we haue experience how diuers times the disease preuaileth ouer the sicke persons that actions faile and the faculties seeme quite to be spent neither hand nor foote is able to doe their duties the eie is dimme the hearing dul the tast altered and the tongue distasteth all things euen of most pleasant relish and the weake and feeble patient seemeth to attend the time of dissolution when as yet notwithstanding there remaineth a secret power of nature and a forcible sparke of life that ouercometh all these infirmities and consumeth them like drosse and rendreth to the body a greater purity and firmenesse of health then before the sicknes it did enioy euen so ought euerie one to esteeme of the spirituall case and consider that their soule is sicke but not dead faith assailed but not ouercome therefore let patience attend the finishing of this secret worke and so shall they see these burning seauers of temptations to be slaked and cooled by the mercie and grace of Christ and that sparke of faith which did he hid ouerwhelmed with heaps of temptations to breake forth againe consume the causes of the disease And as nature after a perfect crise dischargeth her selfe either by stoole vomite sweat bleeding or such like euacuations to the recouery of the former health euen so shall the faithful soule find in himselfe strange ease after these temptations by reason they haue caused diuers euacations of the filthines of sinne and therefore greater puritie must needs be in the soule Thus the Lord preserues the verie garments of his Saints that he suffereth them not to take any smell of the flame or the verie sweat of afflictions to sticke vpon them Psal 68.22 The Lord hath said I will bring my people againe from Bashan I will bring them againe from the depths of the sea Og the Gyant and all his fat bulls may push at the godly but their strength shall not preuaile against the strong one of Israel but euen the foote of his faithfull ones shal be dipped in blood and the tongues of the dogges of Israel may drawe out the verie heart blood of all these bulls So that after the conquest the triumph beeing giuen to the Lord they may truly celebrate it setting the singers before the players of instruments after so that the praise of God may be heard in his assemblies euen from all them that are deriued from the fountaine of Israel so that this knot betwixt God the faithfull soule more surely knit then that of Gordius can neuer be loosed by the deuill broken by his forces disanulled by his stratagemes or euer found out by his policies Therfore as Christ cried out O my God my God why hast thou forsaken me it is impossible that Christ should be forsaken therefore it is a voice more for the instruction of his children then to shew his owne discomforts if he cried out why may not we crie out yet as Christ was heard and freed from his feare so shall euery faithfull soule be sure to speede with his God and shall againe as Dauid was be restored to those wonted ioyes which they sometimes felt in the sweet mercies of the Lord. These assaults are at the first heauie and bitter if they come in great measure they may cause impatience Iob 3.1 if they continue then may the soule beginne to iudge them nothing but Gods wrath Iob 6.2 3. The arrowes of the Almightie are in me and the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of God are against me it brings afresh his old sinnes into remembrance to trouble him in his sleepe visions dreames and anxietie of spirit Yet in this miserie God supports his faith he feeling this gets experience Rom. 5.4 hence hope that grace shall neuer be wanting Iob 42.5 6 Heb. 12.11 Let Pharaoh feele but a little of this and he presently rebells yet the faithfull though they haue more feeling of their rebellious hearts and the deuill more strongly assailes them then any other yea God seemes to be their enemie yet Iob 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Dauid Psal 22.1 O my God I crie by day but thou hearest not by night but I haue no audience words almost of desperation and as a man without faith yet then he saith My God a plaine argument of faith for Gods children can not forget their language Hence a man may in a manner see contrarie affections in their prayers for flesh and spirit struggle together Gen. 32.18 Iaakobs wrastling is a type of the conflicts of the faithfull with Christ he assailes them with the one hand and vpholds them with the other hence Iaakob is called Israel a preuailer with God The Church hath both his names Psal 130. and Psal 121. Mark 15.22 to 27. we see a strange conflict betwixt the woman of Samaria and our Sauiour Christ foure notable repulses are giuen her 1. silence 2. haish speeches of the Disciples Send her away 3. cold comfort I am come for the house of Israel of which thou art none 4. extraordinarie reproch Thou art but as a dogge therefore must thou haue none of the childrens bread yet we finde her to be more instant at euery repulse and when the most dangerous repulse was giuen her to bring an inuincible argument of her faith True Lord I yeild all if my place and deseruings must be considered then no mercie for me but Lord yet account of me as thou hast saide let me thy dogge but tast of the crummes of thy mercie and it shall suffice the hunger of my soule Thus Gods children ouerwhelmed with sinne turmoiled with Sathans conflicts and amazed with Gods anger can then lift vp their eye lids and giue a glimps to the brasen serpent Christ Iesus and fling themselues into his armes catch hold on Gods hand buffetting them and kisse it There be three grounds of temptation First our naturall weakenesse prooued by Sathan and the world Secondly the continuall buds of our originall sinne in
he knows our minds and gathers much by the inclination of our affections and will and marking the obiect on which we dwell But you will obiect the Lord hath reserued this propertie vnto himselfe to know the heart Ans It is true but the communication of the heart may be betwixt man and man and man and angels therefore the Lord directly knowes the heart and all the corners of it so that wee can bring no fallacian out of it to deceiue God but the deuill may be deceiued as surely often he is in the discourses of the godly Experience hath prooued that the consultations of wicked kings haue been reuealed to the godly 2. kin 6.11 Will ye not shewe me which of vs bewrayeth our counsell to the King of Israel one of his seruants makes answer It is Elisha the Prophet that telleth the King of Israel euen the words that thou speakest in thy priuy chamber Elisha heard not these words yet they are communicated vnto him after a spirituall manner such as are the visions of God and thus Paul depriued of all bodily instruments sawe things inutterable Yea the deuill beeing Gods ape hath detected one wicked mans counsell to an other but he hath alwaies bin deceiued in the consultations of the godly and neuer was able to reueale them To proceede From this experience he can conclude not onely from our speeches and gestures to conceiue of our intents and purposes but out of our vniuersall corruption whereof hee hath continuall proofe much matter of argument to discouer the vanitie of our minds the secret thoughts of our hearts and the verie inclinations of the same Now these beeing found out hee will proceed to suggestion as he seeth occasion and our greatest inclination and so by instigation vnto sinne make vs disobey God and all his holy commandements Againe that he doth not all by suggestion vnto the soule inclining it is plaine whē our natures seem not to incline vnto them in any speciall consideration or loue it before other wickednesse neither the world alluring or inforcing vs especially Gods children abhorring the very least conceit of such sinnes as blasphemies and laying violent hands on themselues or others without all hate or malice or any occasion of reuenge And surely of the same nature is despaire and distrust of Gods mercies losse of the seede of Gods word when we haue no inclination vnto them at all but rather contrarily affected and these the deuill puts vnto vs in regard of our generall corruption without any further consideration of speciall inclination and therfore he neuer ceaseth in these temptations because he hath hope to preuaile in them and therefore shall we neuer be rid of the deuil vntill God haue wholly deliuered vs from our staines Truely Gods children often admire how euer such a thought should rise in their head when they hate the very appearance of it Now I come to the second head which is done by meanes first single and then mixt but before I enter this let vs consider the deuill as a fowler whose nature is to be a friend in shew but a foe in heart Secondly looke vpon his snares which all of them haue three properties sweet dangerous secret Thirdly consider the waies of his laying the deuills way is suggestion reall operation and both together the way wherein he layes them is inward or outward inward iudgements and lusts outward actions graces things indifferent and euill company as the stale the hold that he hath is very strong for vntill grace haue turned him out he holds men at his will a most beastly captiuitie nay worse then beastly because beasts hauing once bin snared wil come there no more but a man is neuer wel but when he is in the snares of the deuil Secondly it is a voluntarie captiuitie and therefore like to be for euer except the Lord haue mercy to change his mind and draw him against his wil. Thirdly it is most base for Israel in Egypt may be accounted kings in regard of the slaues of the deuill Lastly it is most treacherous because they renounce their couenant with God and strike hands with the deuill and therefore from these things cōsidered we may make full account that the deuil hath many meanes to helpe him the first is suggestiō on the soule accompanied with all the baits he can imagine the second reall operation on the bodie affecting humour and spirit and so making them assist him as meanes to worke our woe Humor distempered causeth diseases to the bodie and the bodie diseased changeth our manners and course of liuing hinc mores sequuntur humores Againe he dulls the spirits and so causeth drousinesse in the worship of God and euerie good calling againe he refresheth them in euill and therefore keepes vs long waking vnto it For the mixing of both together both suggestion and real operation the deuill can play his part most dangerously for he can worke the humours of our bodies to make notable way for suggestion vpon our soules If a man bee of a melancholie constitution whose humour is drie and cold the deuill will make it notably affect a man in all his members especially in his heart and braine the two of the principall parts of man and where the soule hath most residence in the heart he will affect him with sudden feares strange distrusts suspition of infinit euills whereby he will mooue the soule in iudgement will and affection to set about the inuenting willing and effecting of some strange exploits to ease himselfe of his paines hence often either murder of himselfe or of some other which he falsly suspects an instrument of his woe Againe the braine by altering all the senses working strange imaginations by which it is almost impossible but that the mind of man should be set a working and these being false grounds hardly shal the iudgement escape vncorrupted nay alas whatsoeuer they conceit vpon these grounds shall not be remoued out of their iudgement They that thinke themselues to be made of glasse wil not suffer their verie freinds to come neere them he that thought himselfe to be a cocke would neuer giue ouer the spreading of his armes in imitation of the cocke clapping his wings and then would endeuour to imitate the cockes crow he that conceited himselfe to be Atlas could neuer be brought to sit down lest his head that vnderpropped heauē being remoued should suffer heauen to fall vpon him he that thought a certaine tyrant had cut off his head could neuer be perswaded to the contrary vntill his head aked the physitian hauing put a cap of lead on it The woman that imagined that she had swallowed a Serpent could neuer be at rest vntill she sawe one priuily conueied into her stoole which she imagined to haue beene brought downe by the physitians purgation Another thinking himselfe dead would eat no meat because it was not vsuall for dead men to eate vntill he sawe one come out of a sheete
the sheild of faith nor fierie darts peirce the soule or drie vp the waters of the spirit but faith hath such a riuer flowing vp and downe the soule to eternall life that euery dart be it neuer so red and scalding hote is presently quenched The helmet of saluation wil be sure to saue the head for which the hand would be content to be cut off before it should receiue the least blow therefore the head beeing free we need lesse to feare the danger and for our hands we haue the sword of the spirit which is the onely weapon that the deuill may not endure buckle on this armour by prayer and watchfulnes and still looke the deuil in the face and we shall neuer receiue hurt by him but if we turne back then shall we haue not any peice of armour to saue vs from danger They are princes but we haue the Prince of peace and angels their superiours and I doubt not but as many in number as they to fight for vs and these haue gotten the vpper ground of the deuills and for spirituall wickednesse we haue gotten the spirit of grace and goodnes that can mooue swifter then the deuils to stand by vs and assist vs in all our infirmities let them all make vp a god in this world yet he that rules heauen and earth will laugh them to scorne trust therefore in Gods power and his aids and be quiet a little and these enemies that you see and feele in this world yee shall neuer see them or haue cause to seele them hereafter The three children Dan. 3. tell the King they care not for his command and why because they know that the God whom they-serue can deliuer them and if he will not death shall be as good to them Christ saies his sheepe heare his voice and follow him none shal take them out of his hands the reason is because God that gaue them him is stronger then all Be of good comfort little children yee haue ouercome the world because he that is in you is stronger then he that is in the world 1. Ioh. 4.4 The leper cries if thou willt thou canst make me cleane many be our leprosies and happie are we that we haue so good a remedy We pray for many strange things but if we obserue but the conclusion of the Lords prayer we may soone gather vp our spirits seeing we knowe that power belongs vnto God thine is the kingdome power and glory We beleeue a resurrection and many other strange things but our faith needs not to fall seeing we say and beleeue that God is almightie I beleeue in God the Father almightie this made Paul to challenge principalities and powers height and depth c. Rom. 8. neuer had he the least feare that they should euer be able to separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Let vs see what comforts in speciall may be giuen to Gods children in affliction for surely euery soule shall find with Elijah 1. kin 19. fleeing from Iezebel comfort from the verie angels of God yea when they are brought to stand vpon the mount before the Lord they shall see the Lord passe by and a mightie strong wind rend the mountaines and breake the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winds and after the wind came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake after the earthquake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a still and foft voyce and in that was the Lord found Oh the goodnesse of the Lord that in all the winds earthquakes and fires that he makes to passe before his children will not be seene in them for then should euery one of vs be consumed and vtterly confounded yet will he be found in the still and soft voyce It is an vsuall custome before great Potentates come vnto their palaces to haue a peale of ordinance to be shot off before their approach so the Lord by this feare makes way that the King of glorie may come in and dwell with the soule God hath diuerse meanes to bring vp his children lawe and gospel iudgement and mercie in the giuing of the lawe there was thunder lightning and earth quakes yet the Lord was heard in a stil voice to deliuer his law Gods schollers must stand as well at the foote of mount Ebor to heare the curse as at mount Gerison to heare the blessings the one prepares the other enters more easily to giue the heart her due comfort Moses Deuter. 28. is full of curses and blessings God hath many a good Dauid to rule ouer his people as wel as hard hearted Pharaoh to schoole them he hath more good Prophets to blesse them then wicked Balaams to curse them he hath an euangelicall Isaiah to lift them vp with promises of the Gospel as a lamenting Ieremiah to cast them downe with woes and lamentations he hath an Hosea and Zechariah to teach them in Enigmaes and darke sentences and many other to bee as plaine as heart can wish he hath many a Paul I beseech you brethren as wel as sons of thunder to make vs quake and tremble yea and alwaies this is the ende of all afflictions a gracious sufficit 2. Sam. 24.16 it is sufficient hold now thy hand Now what the Lord doth either in prosperity or aduersitie often wee see not and therefore we loose the comfort of it The birth of an infant borne and encreasing is not apprehended presently euen so is it with vs in our heauenly birth spirituall regeneration the spirit worketh without our leaue and acquainteth vs not with his maruailous working more then is expedient at his pleasure when and in what measure for our comfort Therefore let vs take heed that God say not vnto vs as he did vnto Iob cap. 38.2 who is this that darkeneth the counsell by words without knowledge who are you that interrupt the wayes of God and labour to preuent his counsels be sober and patient and you shal in the ende receiue the cuppe of saluation instead of these bottles of vineger and teares and in stead of the bread of affliction the heauenly manna and the bread of life from the table of God and of Christ In the meane time I commend vnto euerie soule in affliction these heads of comfort which I will shewe vnto him in all the causes First in the efficient causes principall lesse principall Principall first the promise of God 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull therefore will he suffer no temptation to be aboue our abilitie but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Secondly his promise is grounded vpon his power Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnesse which power is manifested in those two things which grounds the confidence of al in the world and that is that the promiser bee a man
vnto heauen His counsels are not to bee measured by our infirmities nor by that we cast forecast or doubt but as hee himselfe hath pronounced of his wayes and many haue prooued true to their euerlasting happinesse But Sir I pray you Whether a Christian may drawe vpon him this pitifull wound of a desparing conscience may we not draw this fearefull sentence on our selues that as God hath said he will set our sinnes before vs so now he hath truely done it and we sensibly feele it yea verely if Gods onely mercy be not our stay for as our first parents voluntarily gaue their necks and in them all their posterity vnder the yoake of Sathan and as the vengeance of Gods iustice alwaies burneth against the wicked his sword continually employed which nothing can quench but the wâ—ter of his grace flowing from the sides of his Son and that compleat armour whereof S. Paul speaketh Ephes 6. so should all of vs in this life tast of the heat seele the dint of that sword if his mercy in his Sonne and for his Saints cause on the earth he stayed not the iealousie of his wrath his anger our sinnes pull on but his mercie is onely for himselfe So then all men are subiect to afflictions of conscience melancholie persons especially First such as are exercised either in naturall philofophic without the light of Gods word or else with the light of Gods word but diue too deepe into Gods secrets Secondly such as are negligent in reading and practising Thirdly such as are humorous Fourthly such as are weake in faith The meanes that brings all this vpon vs is ignorance and infidelitie now least Gods children should vnaduisedly dishonour God in this kind of sorrow who is the God of peace and comfort we will shew that this setting of sinne before their eyes is greater matter of comfort then sorrow and so hauing saued Gods children out of this fire by yeelding them that comfort which the Lord promiseth to euery broken and contrite heart setting his sinnes before his eies that so he may escape the iudgement of God which shall be sure to fall vpon all hypocrites when no comfort shall be found for them either in beauen or earth For the godly let them resolue that sinne must haue smart therefore the Lords sending affliction vnto his children is because he would not haue them freeze with the wicked world in their dregges If God punish not in this world either God is vniust or els there is a hel to punish them in euerlastingly but his children if they profit not by one he sends another to condemne them in the world that they may escape in the world to come Secondly as that is Gods ende so they shall finde that this is Gods ordinarie way to doe them good Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that is tried for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life Luk. 24.26 it is reprehended of our Sauiour Christ as a matter arguing great ignorance and infidelitie not to know and beleeue that this was his portion and so consequently a thing to fall vpon all them that would liue godlily in him 2. Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution therefore saide Christ vnto them O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glorie Now this beeing prooued as Christ doth in that place beginning at Moses and all the Prophets must needes follow that the seruants beeing no better then the master and the members as subiect to miserie as the head that this must be their portion for in plaine reason it were a shame to see the head crowned with thornes and all the rest of the bodie clothed with rich attire and costly raiment such as are in Kings houses but it is well if Christians may be lodged in Innes for strangers they are in this world nay well if they may but obtaine the stable and the manger for their chamber and their bed for they are hated of the world and therefore the worst roome is too good for them in the conceit of the world Act. 14.22 Confirming the Disciples hearts and exhorting them to continue in the faith affirming that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of heauen Admirable is the first chapt of Iames v. 1. the twelue Tribes are fratterâ—d abroad sâ—â—re from Ierusalem and that among the heathen Ierusalem is vtterly destroied the Temple brought vnto the ground not one stone left vpon an other and all those woes that our Sauiour Christ spoke of Matth. 24. were accomplished now might they well hang their instruments on the willows wholly forget Ierusalem let their tongues fooner cleaue vnto the rooses of their mouthes then that they should once sing the fongs of Syon yet Iames the seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ is bold to write vnto them the salutation of ioy and comfort and well may he be entertained of the faithfull among the Iewes because of his flyle a seruant of God might haue put life vnto them all but and of the Lord Iesus Christ shall make him odious to the multitude Well be knowes vnto whome to tender hsi seruice to wit to those whom God loues therfore he respects the beleeuing Iewes that now might bee swallowed vp with greise therefore v. 2. he calls them his brethren But he beginnes with cold comfort Count it my brethren exceeding ioy when ye fall into temptation but the Apostle knowes the best what shall be for their present consolation and therefore he respects that before all other and so begins with it not leauing his exhortation as a bare affirmation but adding in the rest of the chapter a strong confirmation of his exhortation Marke therefore the arguments as grounds to be laid in all our afflictions they are in number fiue The first is drawn from the blessed fruit that shal spring from this tree and that is patieace euen the whole worship of God in distresse wherby being neady to loose our soules we possesse them and the excellency of patience he commends vnto vs v. 4. from his perfection first in himselfe secondly in his worke thirdly in the subiect giuing vs to distinguish betwixt this pationce and all other fained patience is but for a time hath in it selfe no perfection it works nothing because it is a meere patient yee and to suffer constrained but this a stirring patience for he must haue his worke and he is neither idle nor a vaine workman for he hath a perfection of his worke Thirdly the subiect of all other patience is but like vnto a stone that beeing stricken with the hammer and clouen in pieces lies still neuer vnites his parts againe but this patience when his subiect is euen beaten to powder and is scattered abroad is able to bring all together againe ioyne soule
and body together euen almost disioyned for lacke of spirit and courage and so to animate body and soule that euen Christians shall say I neuer found body and soule in better temper then now Many Martyrs which haue beene troubled with the swelling of the spleene which all the time of their libertie was a kinde of hell vnto them haue admired that beside the exraordinarie consolations of the soule they haue felt those paines ceased that did disquiet them on the day time following of their ordinary vocations and in the night with breaking off their sleepe when now they finde that all the day they could toyle in writing and praying singing and comforting their poore brethren and when night comes sleepe soundly without either bed or couering when before though vpon a bed of Ivorie and wrapped in silke they could take no rest this is Gods blessing filling the heart with the grace of patience which makes vs perfect intire and lacking nothing therefore where patience is what discomfort can trouble vs This is the first argument marke the method to the second It might well be obiected I could be patient but I want wisdome to carrie mine affliction and make the right vse of it To this he answers and his answer doth not onely take away the obiection but giue a second confirmation of his exhortation v. 5. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it of God and ye shall be assured that the Lord will answer you for he giueth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man therefore you his children shall be sure to speede Yet would I preuent all rashnes for if it may be had for asking then all men shall haue it for who is he but he praies the Lords praier Creed ten Commandements true it is he saies praiers but I giue the requisite let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth incurreth first the shame of inconstancie becomming like the sea tossed of euery winde and neuer resting Secondly they loose all expectation euer to receiue any thing of the Lord nay let him not so much as thinke of it or presume that the Lord will answer his praiers Thirdly the detection of an hypocrite that he is a double minded man and therefore vnstable in all his waies not able to lie at the anker of any of Gods promises Now then both arguments beeing rightly vnderstood and applied vnto the soule see how forcibly they will be able to inferre the conclusion He that hath such a patience that is perfect in it selfe and is able to worke perfection in others and that in such sort that they shall be made perfect entire lacking nothing and secondly for direction shall haue the blessed grace of spirituall wisdome may be mooued to count it exceeding ioy when he falls into diuers tentations but euery faithfull soule shall haue both these graces therefore must he needs intertaine my louing exhortation Patience and wisdome going hand in hand will carrie affliction without trouble for suppose that two persons were to carrie a long staffe through a strait passage the one wants patience and therefore he makes hast now for want of wisdome his staffe falls a crosse he is still discontented labours to breake through by violence but the staffe beeing too strong for him and the passage too narrow to let him goe on except he take his staffe with him is set at a stay to adde crosse vnto crosse vntill he perish in his follie now a man of patience when he is to come that way is content by patience to goe softly at his leisure and by his wisdome espies where he may haue a thrust backe except he order his staffe by letting one end go before the other and thus by patience and wisdome goes further in the straits of this world toward the kingdome of heauen in one houre then fooles wise in their owne conceit goe all the time of their life But let me lead you on in the Apostles sweete consolation and bring you to the third ground and that is true contentation in all estates v. 9 10 11. explained by an example in aduersitie and another in prosperitie proouing that neither prosperitie can further the ioyes of Christians nor aduersirie hinder it and therefore whether prosperitie or aduersitie befall them their estate is all one with God For aduersitie he brings for instance an example drawne from pouertie ver 9. Let the brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted his lowe degree is no hinderer of his exaltation in Christ and therefore can it not take away his reioycing for what cares a man for the losse of a pennie that is so rich that he knowes no ende of his wealth for better is it to bee made rich by the creator of the world then to haue the creature without the creator For prosperitie he exemplifies in riches v. 10. It is good for him that is rich to see that he bee made lowe else shall he with his riches become as the flower of the grasse which by the sunne withering the grasse makes his flower fall away and then the goodly shape of it perisheth euen so shall the rich man wither away in all his waies And therefore seeing the best in prosperitie is to bee made low and the worst is to be made rich without humiliation and on the contrarie the worst in aduersitie makes vs the best in Christ who can denie but that our ioy may exceed in afflictions The fourth argument beside his strength and power is very alluring for Psal 4. who will shewe vs any good well if in this case any beleeuing Iew shall make the question in this anguish of his soule and say who will shew vs any good he shall not onely haue the Apostle with Dauid to shew them that God will lift vpon them the light of his countenance but euen the blessed ende of all their tryalls v. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crown of life c. But if there be such strong arguments for tentations then surely God is the cause of them No beloued I would not haue you say God tempts any man v. 15. but the true cause is his owne heart v. 14.15 therefore erre not my deare brethren v. 16. but take notice of euerie good gift and say that is the Lords worke v. 17. therefore this good that comes out of euil is the worke of the Lord for afflictions in their owne nature are euill and it is my power to make them good vnto my children yet not to make them in my children Therefore hauing giuen warning take the fift argument of consolation and comfort and that is from the newe birth v. 18. A woman indeede when she trauaileth hath sorrâ—we because her howre is come but as soone as she is delinerad of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Ioh. 16.21 so Gods