The other ground of Faith is A perswasion of the power of God for if he be willing to helpe and yet not able as wanting power what are wee the better but remaine euen weake people such as Isaiah speakes of Chap. 3. 7. In that day he shal sweare saying I cannot be an helper for there is no bread in mine house And it makes vs vncomfortable in that we goe about but Christ sheweth that all power abideth in God and all things are subiect vnto him whether in Heauen or in Earth or vnder the Earth yea he rules and gouernes all and is able to supply whatsoeuer man stands in need of As may be seene Psal. 50. throughout and Psal. 115. 3. But our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer he will and Deut. 33. 26. There is none like God O righteous people which rideth vpon the Heauens for thy helpe and on the Cloudes in his glory c. So that in truth all that he doth is to shew forth his goodnesse and power in helping vs. Of which he hath giuen sufficient testimony in Scriptures that he both can and will supply our wants in whatsoeuer we stand in need of Indeed earthly fathers they may be willing to helpe their children but they are not alwayes able as we may read 2 King 9. 14. When the little child cryed out to his father My head my head he could doe no more then command one to carry him vnto his mother and so the child died but the Prophet came and by the power of God restored him So in all things else the power of God as it is manifest in things aboue our reach so it is extended euen in this world when it pleaseth him to fulfill all things that men can desire And therefore wee see the leper cryed out Matth. 8. 2. Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane So Dauid Psal. 8. attributeth all things to the power of God Yea Christ himselfe confesseth this in his prayer when he saith Matth. 14. 36. Father Omnia tibi possibilia all things are possible to thee So that these be the two pillars of faith to aide and giue wings to our prayers A perswasion both of the will and power of God to helpe vs thus haue we done with that first affection we must pray with in Faith The second affection we must pray withall is loue for Christ teaches vs to say Our Father and not my Father Giue vs not me teaching thereby that wee must not pray for our selues onely but for others also We must take in the whole body of Saints all that loue God all that thinke God their Father yea all the world that are the children of God So Dauid Psal. 122. 6. saith Pray for the peace of Ierusalem and Jam. 5. 6 Pray one for another c. So that Christians must not onely pray in faith but in loue and that for the communion of the whole body of Christ whereof he himselfe is a member for as the sicke man in the Gospell when he could not come vnto Christ Marke 2. 3. vpon his owne legges though his faith was great and that hee beleeued Christ could heale him was borne vpon the shoulders of foure men who let him downe at the house top and brought him to the presence of Christ So must we doe by our brethren howeuer they can pray in faith themselues yet must wee pray in loue for them If this course were kept amongst vs that we did thus pray one for another O what a comfort would this be to afflicted and distressed soules to think that whensoeuer they went about to pray vnto GOD there were many thousand hands and hearts lifted vp to God in their behalfe I am perswaded it would much animate euery Christian to goe forward in this Christian duty thus you may see how efficacious this affection of loue is but hereby is not meant euery sudden wish for the good of some particular persons or priuate respect of friends riuals allyes acquaintance or such like wherein we may exercise our selues but the generall care of the Church of God and loue to our brethren as hauing feeling of our fellow members The third affection that we must pray with is feare and that for especiall reasons First Because it is our Father that we haue to deale with Secondly Because hee is in Heauen the place vnto which all Maiestie reuerence and glory is due Now we know that all reuerence is due to our earthly fathers yea when they are sharpest vnto vs as Hebr. 12. 9. We haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence c. So then if our earthly fathers must haue reuerence much more our heauenly Father most highly aduanced in dignity and power aboue this world Wherefore this is a caution for vs Eccles. 5. 1. To take heed what we vtter before God For He is in the Heauens And in another place Wee must looke to our feet when we enter into Gods house For God is not onely a Father but such a Father that wee haue to deale withall in Prayer one so eminent and so high lifted vp that he is as high as heauen therefore we must labour as much as may be to be abashed and fall downe before him So Abraham Gen. 18. 2. Bowed himselfe to the ground So Jacob humbled himselfe Gen. 32. 10. To this purpose Rudinius in his History vpon Gen. 24. saith thus If Rebekah rode vpon the Camels amongst the seruants but when she came into the presence of Isaac shee lighted downe from the Camels So must we doe howsoeuer in the world we beare vp our heads aboue our brethren and are bold and carelesse when we are to deale with men yet when wee once come into the Lords presence and are to deale with the Lord of heauen and of earth wee must all come downe from our Camels be as humble lowly and base in our owne eyes as possible we may If a man would conueigh water from a Fountaine if hee lay his Leades too high that is be not deiected in spirit stoope in humility be not low in the Lords sight he shall be defeated of all the blessings and comforts that he lookes for so that it must be our care to come into the Lords presence with all reuerence Feare and Humiliation But here the Papists doe so dazzle mens eyes with the greatnesse of God that they run beyond the marke On the other side saying that sinfull men must not bee so bold to approach and come to Gods presence but they must send a farre off and send in others to bee sutors and mediators for them But our Sauiour Christ shewes vs that all this high Maiestie of God must not driue or chase vs from his presence but it must onely qualifie vs in our comming vnto God that we doe not rudely and bluntly rush in before him but that we
but with a condition If I my selfe can beleeue and repent I shall bee saued Now when a man hath this worke of Faith in himselfe this makes him labour to repent his sinnes to beleeue in Christ and when hee hath repented and beleeued then followes the great act of Faith whereby a man beleeues that his sinnes are pardoned and his soule shall bee saued and so some acts of Faith gee before Repentance and some follow after Then that Repentance shewes it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian is most euident and plaine For first a man must needes bee humbled for his sinnes hee must groane vnder the burden of them and crie to heauen against them before hee can lay hold by Faith that they nee pardoned and â—…itted So wee see Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. hee was humbled for his sinne before hee could perceiue and perswade himselfe that his sinne was pardoned or receiue comfort I have sinned against the Lord and then follows The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Many are the examples in the booke of God where wee may see how the most part of the people of God were well and truly humbled by Repentance before Faith raised them But here some may say Obiect How comes it to passe then that some haue beene comforted by Faith who were but slenderly if at all humbled by Repentance as wee see in Lydia Act. 16. 14. whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended the things that were spoken And in the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. of whom it it is said presently vpon his hearing of the word from the mouth of Philip And hee went on his way reioycing Answer I answer this difference ariseth of this First in some there is apprehension of the ouglinesse of sinne so much as nothing can fixe their conceits and imaginations another way in which case though comfort come it cannot so soone make impression Secondly some doe so exceedingly apprehend the Punishment due to sinne that though Promises come pardon be proclaimed yet they remaine heauy and lumpish still not being able to raise vp themselues and set their Faith aworke to beleeue so good newes though they haue repented of their sinnes Where againe in the other First there is a strong apprehension of the greater which is the mercie of God beyond all and a lesser sight of their owne sinne which makes their act of Faith so much the more easie And secondly there is in them a large apprehension of Gods offering of redemption in Christ and saluation in his blood which with good affection they receiue and so are comforted So that the case is according as it falleth out diuersly in the Conuersion of a sinner In whom there are two apprehensions first apprehension of the greatnesse and guiltinesse of his sinnes Secondly an apprehension of the mercy of God offering of Redemption and Reconciliation in the death of Christ. Now because it falls out in the conuersion of a sinner that somtimes hee apprehends more strongly the one and sometimes the other that so accordingly is his ioy or sorrow great or small And therefore if a man in his first conuersion haue a more strong apprehension of his owne sinnes and all his thoughts is carried vpon the beholding of his miseries and wofull estate this makes him to lament and mourne bitterly many a day together but if at his first conuersion with a sight of sinne a man behold such an infinite sea and depth of Gods mercies as is farre beyond all his sinnes and the infinite merit of the death and sufferings of the Sonne of God Euen as Flakes of fire falling into the Ocean sea are quenched with the abundance of water so all his sinnes falling into the maine sea and Ocean of Gods mercie in Christ are all couered and put out so as his heart is filled with ioy and gladnesse as it fell out with Lydia and the Eunueh Act. 8. and others LECT III. III. THE NATVRE OF Repentance ISAIAH 1. 16. Wash yee make you cleane put away the Euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to doe euill Learne to doe well c. I Haue read in the stories of this time that they which trauell into Virginia and Guiana or among those sauage and desolate countries carry a Tinderboxe with them and when night comes they make a fire or light vp a candle to see where to sleepe and rest the more safely Euen so God hath left vs his holy Word to bee as a tinderboxe vnto vs to strike fire and light vp a candle to direct vs through the darke wildernesse of this world so as they who will see the mercies of God must take the booke of God into their hands and as by striking of fire the traueller is the safer and hath the meanes of light to direct how and when to rest so must wee raise a light out of Gods word to conuey vs home to heauen Therefore of all other things let vs take heed that wee doe not despise this kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord whose bountie leades vs vnto Repentance of which I spake the last day First wee haue heard the Necessitie of it Secondly the Order of it with other graces and now in the third place wee are to treate of The Nature of Repentance and of this the rather because there is a kinde of Faith and Repentance which deceiues vs in their Nature for there are a number of men and women that haue a shew of Repentance and thinke themselues in a good estate and well enough when indeed they are not and haue but a meere shadow of Grace so that wee may not bee deceiued in a matter of such moment and weight I haue thought it good to make it knowne vnto you what is the true Nature of Repentance But before I shew you the true nature thereof I will first refuce the false account which the world hath of Repentance some take repentance to bee but some sorrow for sinne so that when the hand of God is vpon him or that hee lies sicke lame or any way perplexed if he then can vent some few sighes and say Lord haue mercy vpon mee a sinner I am sorry that I haue offended he supposeth it is Repentance but this Ahab did and more this Iudas did with publike confession yet neuer repented so that if outward sorrow for sinne or a sad looke or a sigh or such like were true Repentance what Reprobate is there almost in the world but doth this and many a day Yea such as liue in grosse and knowne sinnes can crie to God for mercie and confesse their offences and thinke they haue obtained a grace from God in so doing seeming sorry for their sinnes though yet they liue in knowne sinnes as I said against their owne conscience and continue presumptuously in their wickednesse Yea how many thousands are there who neuer obtained any grace or mercy at all to bee
they goe before vs and though they doe not yet happily they haue not had such helpes such meanes so many sweet motions to bring them on as we haue had Phil. 2. 3. Q. How must wee shew our loue in our words A. Wee must not speake bitterly scoffingly nor crossely to them if we be wronged yet we must deale coldly gently and mildely with them not bitterly Iames 4. 11. not scoffingly Gen. 21. 9. 10. not crossely Pro. 15. 1. Q. May wee not be sometimes sharpe in our speech A. Yes but in Gods cause rather then in our owne and neither in both till wee see gentle meanes will not worke as a Physitian vseth strong Medicines when the weaker will not helpe Nehem. 13. 25. Secondly wee must not speake euill of them behinde their backs but by loue conceale those infirmities that are in them vnlesse either Gods glorie or their good shall require an opening of their faults 1. Pet. 4. 8. 1. Cor. 11. 11. Thirdly wee must not brawle and wrangle contentiously about questions that shall arise amongst vs 1. Pet. 3. 15. 16. Q How must wee shew loue to them in our deeds A. Wee must not withdraw our selues from them in their needes but to our power and abilitie seeke to make their liues sweet and comfortable to them We must not be altogether our owne men shut vp within our owne profite and pleasures and wholly taken vp of them But by loue wee must goe out of our selues to the good and profite of our Brethren Deut. 15. 7. to the 11. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who are so farre off from helping their needy brethren that they make euen a spoyle and a prey of them most vnchristianly encreasing their miseries and by vsury and hard bargaines putting of them further into debt and danger they haue no drop of humanitie much lesse any sound ground of Christianitie in them Leu. 35. 36. Qu. What other thing is there wherein we must shew our loue A. Wee must not doe any violence to their person wee must neither smite them nor hurt them in life or limbe as appeareth Leuit. 24. 19. 20. For though the Ceremony of that Law be now abrogated yet the equitie of it stands still in strength Qu. What further thing is there to declare our loue A. We must not procure hurt to their persons by any means so tenderly the Lord would haue vs regard our brethren that we should not be any occasion whereby hurt and dammagement may grow vnto them 1. Chron. 11. 19. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they who delay suites in law or blowe tales into mens heads and so giue occasion of blood or they that rashly venter mens liues for their profite or pleasure are highly guiltie of the want of loue Qu. Shall wee thinke our selues discharged towards our Brethrens persons when wee haue performed this A. No the chiefest thing is yet behinde loue to their soules which is the very life of Christian loue Rom. 10. 1. Qu. How must wee loue them in their soules A. Wee must mourne and be sorry for their sinnes as Christ wept ouer Ierusalem so we must weepe ouer the soules of our brethren Ier. 13. 17. Qu. What is the second thing A. Wee must pray for them that the Lord would forgiue them and fill their hearts with the riches of his grace Iames 15. 16. Q. May not one mans prayer get pardon for another mans sinnes A. It may as it appeareth in the 1. Iohn 5. 16. and yet not without the faith of him whom we pray for For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Q What gather wee of this A. That they who see other men drowned in sinne and yet are not oft vpon their knees to intreate the Lord heartily and earnestly for them are highly guiltie of neglect of dutie towards them Q. What is the third thing A. Wee must labour to draw them to Christ as one candle lights another so one man must bring another to God As Peter being conuerted must conuert his brethren so wee being turned must turne others to the faith Zach. 8. 21. Q. What is the fourth thing A. Wee must bring them on being come wee must encourage them and lead them forward in the wayes of God As a man plies a lampe with oyle so wee must nourish and feed good things in them that they goe not out Heb. 10. 24. 25. Qu. How is this declared A. By a similitude for as in a great Familie where are many children the elder helpe to carry and tend the younger So in the family and houshold of God the antienter and elder Christians must helpe and support and bring forward those that are the weaker and came lately to the faith Acts 18. 27. Q. What is the last thing A. Wee must admonish them of their faults For he that rebukes not his brother of his sinne hates him in his heart Leuit. 19. 17. Qu. How doth this appeare A. Because we know the Lord will punish his sinne and bring it to light And therefore if wee dissemble and admonish him not to leaue it what doe wee else but desire the Lord to blaze him and to shame him for it Q Yea but men will be angry with vs if wee tell them their fâ—ultâ— A. And God will be angry if we tell them not And therefore it is better to lose mens fauours then Gods fauour and to haue our neighbours displeasure then Gods displeasure And yet many times that falls out that Salomon speakes of Prou. 28. 23. Q. What things are to be regarded in reprouing A. Three things First that we doe it mildely and louingly that we set not too eagerly and too hardly on them Gal. 6. 1. Secondly that we doe it mightily and with power not onely making them see their sinnes but euen all the shame of it to bring them to a greater hatred and loathing of it Micah 3. 8. Thirdly that we doe it discreetly not casting of precious seed vpon euery ground but hauing some hope of the partie that it shall doe good Prou. 9. 8. Math. 7. 6. Qu. Is euery prophane man to be giuen ouer in his sinnes A. Surely no Great care must be had that we iudge not men past physicke till their disease be growne very desperate indeed Though a man haue beene a scorner before yet wee know not whether now he may leaue it And though he haue beene very impatient of reproofe at other mens hands yet wee know not how he may take it at ours And therefore as long as there is any sparke of hope we must not cease mildely to admonish them of their faults Marke 12. 4. 5. 6. Qu. What is the second Point to our neighbours A. Wee must loue them in their goods For loue not onely regards the person of our neighbour but also dealeth tenderly and louingly with all those things that belong vnto him So that
pray to meditate and the like then his state is wofull we haue little hope of amendment Isay 38. 13. 14. Q. How must wee sanctifie the Sabboth A. First in setting our selues apart from our worldly businesses that we may with greater libertie bestow our selues in the seruice of God And therefore it is not lawfull to iourney about our worldly matters vpon the Sabboth day Exod. 16. 29. Secondly it is not lawfull to keepe Fayres or Markets on the Sabboth Nehem. 13. 13. 16. 17. Thirdly it is not lawfull to sowe or reape or to load our cart or to weed in our corne on the Sabboth Exod. 14. 21. Fourthly it is not lawfull to buy or sell bargaines vpon the Sabboth Nehem. 10. 31. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall A. First it condemneth those that take vp that day for their worldly affaires and many times cast the greatest burthen of their businesse vpon the Sabboth Secondly it condemneth those who though they rest from their labours outwardly yet notwithstanding they haue their heads and their hearts so fraught with worldly matters that indeed they doe not performe the tenth of the Sabboth Amos 8. 5. Qu. Are all workes forbidden on the Sabboth A. Not all but such onely as be lets and hinderances to the Sabboth And therefore we learne Math. 12. That three sorts of workes are lawfull on the Sabboth Qu. What are they A. First workes of necessitie as if our enemies inuade vs it is lawfull to repulse them If our house be on fire it is lawfull to quenchit If a gappe be made into our corne or pasture it is lawfull to mend it Math 12. 3. 4. Secondly workes of holinesse such as lend their helpes to the Sabboth As a man may goe forth on the Sabboth day to preach by the example of Christ Math. 12. 9. or to heare a Sermon by the example of the Noble women in the 2. Kings 4. 23. Thirdly Workes of mercie as a man may dresse his meate and pull his beast out of the pit and minister vnto a sicke body vpon the Sabboth day Math. 12. 11. 12 Q. What is the other thing wherein wee must sanctifie the Sabboth A. In practising the holy Exercises of the Sabboth And therefore they that rest from their labours and yet are not carefull to sanctifie the Sabboth in the holy duties thereof doe not indeed truely keepe a Sabboth to the Lord Exod. 3. 2. 3. Qu. What are the exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts Some are Publike and Some are Priuate Q. What are the publique Exercises of the Sabboth A. The first is hearing of the word of God with feare and reuerence Nehem. 8. 3. to the 9. Q. What gather we of this A. That they which either loyter at home or when they come either gaze or sleepe or reade when they should heare doe not indeed sanctifie a Sabboth vnto the Lord. Q. What if they haue no Preacher in the towne where they dwell A. Yet they must seeke abroad as the little bird leaueth her warme nest and flies for her food where shee can get it So must they by the famous example of the Noble woman in the 2. Kings 4. And also of the Queene of the South Math. 12. 14. Qu. What is the second Exercise of the Sabboth A. Thankes-giuing to God for his many and geeat blessings bestowed vpon vs all the weeke before together with earnest prayer for the continuance of the same all the next weeke and euer after Acts 16. 13. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they which thinke it enough to bee at the Sermon and withdraw themselues from the Prayers of the Church doe not Sanctifie the Sabboth in all the duties of it Q. Are none else faultie in this point A. Yes euen they also which runne out before the end of the exercise turning vp the heeles to God and departing before the Lord giue them libertie to depart Ezek. 46. 10. Q. What example haue wee of this A. Mathew 26. 30. Wee reade that the Disciples of Christ went not out till the Psalme was sung onely Iudas was so hotly set vpon his businesse that wee could not tarry the Psalme Iohn 13. 30. 31. Q. What is the third Exercise of the Sabboth A. Receiuing of the Lords Supper at the appointed times and attending to Baptisme if occasion serues that thereby wee may be brought in better remembrance of the vow and promise which we haue made to God and also lend our helpes too in prayer to the little Babe then presented to the Church Act. 20. 7. Q. What are the priuate exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts 1. Such as prepare vs to the publique duties of the Sabboth 2. Such as must bee performed afterwards Q. What are the Exercises in the holy Preparation of the Sabboth A. Priuate prayer that the Lord will fit and inable vs to the sanctifying of the Sabboth so that we may reuerently attend vnto the ministry of the word and the prayers of the Church and profite thereby and that God will be the mouth of our Minister that he may speake with grace and power to the hearts of the hearers Eccles. 4. 17. Secondly Rising early and making the shorter meales that we may haue the more time to bestow in priuate prayer and bee the more cheerefull in the rest of the exercises that are behinde Psal. 119. 148. Q. What is the equitie of this Dutie A. That if wee cut short our sleepe when our owne busâ—nesse is in hand much more should wee doe for the Lords and if we cannot make a good meale when we haue a worldly matter in hand much lesse should we dwell vpon our dishes when the glory and honour of God calls vs from them Q. What learne wee by this A. That their sinne is very great who being content to rise early all the rest of the weeke yet giue themselues to sloth and sluggishnesse exceedingly vpon the Sabboth day bewraying thereby their prophane and worldly minde that they carry more good will to their owne businesse then they doe to the Lords Q. What are the priuate duties of the Sabboth after we haue beene at Church A. A ioyfull thanks-giuing to God for the gratious and good things that we haue heard blessing the Lord in our soules that it hath pleased him to poure out his whole heart vnto vs in the ministry of the Word and to reueale those things in our dayes which many yeares haue beene shut vp and sealed from the world Nehem. 8. 12. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That as Iohn saith Reuel 5. 4. That he wept much when the Booke was sealed and no man was found to open it So men should weepe to see the Booke of God lye clasped in their Churches and no man to open it and expound it to them Qu. What is the second priuate dutie of the Sabboth A. Meditation and beating ouer by our selues that which we haue heard For this
is lifted vp and eleuated vnto God with intentiuenesse and deuotion according to that which Dauid saith Psal. 5. 3. In the morning will I direct me vnto thee and I will waite and Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord will I lift vp my soule c. Thus in prayer there must be alwayes an earnest lifting vp of the heart vnto God that whereas our affections ordinarily dwell here below by prayer they must be carried aboue Sunne and Moone and Starres to the very Throne of grace to seeke things needfull at the hands of God A learned Father defines Prayer to be nothing but a mounting vp of the heart vnto God So that prayer is like the fiery Chariot in which Elias was transported from earth into heauen euen so by Prayer we are carried out of ourselues out of this world and all worldly things to be present with God in the highest heauens So that there must be speciall excitation of the Heart in Prayer that thereby we may come neerer vnto the Lord himselfe which is the second thing to be obserued in Prayer The third thing in Prayer is that we be carefull to desire things that be needfull as Psal. 10. 7. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thoâ— preparest their heart c. and Psal. 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord c. So Psal. 38. 9. Lord I powre my whole desire before thee c. So that in euery prayer there must be an earnest desire whence we may consider two things in Prayer 1 A sense and feeling of our owne miseries and wants 2 An earnest desire to haue them supplyed Concerning the first there must be a feeling and former apprehension of our wants By which meanes a man shall the willinglier pray for a supply of the same If we doe not find the Feauer feele the fits be not pressed with it as with a heauy burden no man will seeke to the Phisitian that is not sicke care for a fire that is not a cold creepe to a fountaine that is not a dry So there must be a sense of want and misery before men be induced to pray The blind men in the Gospell cryed after Christ Matth. 20. 10 and why because they had a sense of their owne misery that made them cry Others should haue seene the saluation of God blessed the meanes of their Redemption that God had sent into the world But oh as men buried in darkenesse they could see nothing onely the sense of misery makes men cry vnto God So Exod. 17. 4. Moses cryed vnto the Lord c. the sense of danger thus set him on O Lord saith he these people be ready to stone me c. Thus we see it must be a sense and feeling of our miseries and wants which must driue vs to prayer There must be an earnest desire to haue them supplyed for though a man see his wants and yet doth not regard them nor wish or indeuour to haue them releeued this man will neuer pray to God so that it is not enough for a man to haue a sense and feeling of his wants and to bustle vnder them and hang downe the head as a bulrush but he must earnestly desire and seeke supply for them at the hands of God So Jehoshaphat sayes 2 Chron. 20. 12. O Lord we be not able to stand but our eyes are towards thee c. So Iam. 1. 5. If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God c. So that in prayer there must be a desiring of needfull things at the hand of God For as ground when it is dry opens it selfe into clefts and cranies and gapes towards Heauen as though it would deuoure the Cloudes So must the true Christian be affected in prayer earnestly desiring the supply of his wants at the hands of God Thus it appeares a man may speake words of prayer a hundred times and yet neuer pray truely if his heart be not disposed and affected to God Prayer being as I haue said first a motion of the heart secondly not euery motion but that which is eleuated and lifted vp to the Lord thirdly not euery lifting vp of the heart but whereby we desire things needfull fourthly there must be a sense of our wants fiftly and last of all yea chiefest of all an earnest desire to haue them supplyed And thus as when many hands lift at a burthen It is the easier heaued vp so when all these concurre together Prayer is the more fully made and the better accepted The second generall thing in this Duty of Prayer is Why we must pray For though the bare words of Christ might bee enough for vs and we should answer all temptations as the lame man answered the Jewes Iohn 5. 11. Hee who healed me said vnto mee Take vp thy bed and walke So we may say Hee who healed me with a plaister of his owne blood Hee that deliuered me by his owne death and payed the ransome for my sinnes ipse dixit mihi He said to me Pray thus c. Yet because much subtilty and infirmity lies in the heart of man I will a little enlarge my selfe in this point though I say this answer might be enough for vs. First then there be certaine Obiections to be answered Why we need not pray Secondly we will shew the Reasons Why we ought to pray The Obiections that may scale the heart of a man and put in his heart that he need not pray are two The first is Because no man can make any change or alteration in the Lord Malach. 3. 6. Ego sum Deus non mutor c. I am the Lord I change not Therefore if we cannot change God with our prayers to what purpose is it that we should pray I answer we pray not to make a change in God for God is vnchangeable but we pray to make a change in our selues that we may be capable of that goodnesse kindnesse and mercy c. that is in God A man that stands in the Sunne with his eyes shut If hee desire to haue the sight of the Sunne he must not thinke to haue it by making any change or alteration in the Sunne but he must make a change and alteration in himselfe open his owne eyes lift vp his owne eye-liddes and then see the comfortable light of the Sunne that shines about him Euen so if a man would participate of those precious and rich things that are in God the way is not to thinke by our prayers to make any change or alteration in Him but to make a change in our selues Draw our hearts and affections neerer vnto God As an ancient Father well obserues where he most excellently well opens the very same point c. The second Obiection is All things are decreed of God c. So that if God haue decreed this or that then whether we pray or pray
not It matters not for nothing can alter the Decree of God I answer as a learned man saith What soeuer God hath decreed he hath decreed nothing without meanes to effect the same For God hath not onely decreed the particulars c. but God hath also ordayned that by such and such meanes we should be led vnto the ends Now because prayer is a meanes and a speciall meanes to accomplish the Decree of God Therefore we must pray for this doth not take away prayer but confirmes it rather For example God decreed to prolong Hezekiah's life c. and yet the prayer of Hezekiah was a subordinate meanes to accomplish the Decree of God seruing to that purpose Take another example Acts 27. 31. God had decreed to saue all in the ship but how by meanes of the ship for when the Master and Souldiers would haue fled into the Boat The Apostle Paul told them that vnlesse these tarried also they could not be saued So to apply this vnto our purpose God hath decreed to giue such and such blessings comforts and graces to his Saints and yet not to giue them but by the meanes of prayer c. So that if we will not vse prayer we must not looke for any thing to be either granted or obtained Hauing thus dispatcht these Obiections come we to the Reasons Why we must pray First Because it is the command of God that we should pray Psal. 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee c. So Luke 22. 46. Why sleepe yee arise and pray least yee enter into tentation And Jam. 5. 13. If any man be afflicted let him pray c. So that it is a cleare Commandement of God that we must pray Now as we make a conscience of any of the Commandements of God So also we must learne to be conscionable in this There is no man but will make some conscience of stealing and killing and why because he knowes God so commands him Now you see it is the Commandement of God to pray let it then be our care to performe it accordingly and more then this it is such a Commandement of God as that no man can excuse himselfe if he neglect it And therefore saith Augustine Thou needest not giue almes to the needy because thou hast not where with all to relieue them Thou needest not come into the Congregation because thou art diseased thou needest not visite the sicke because thy strength will not beare it but there is none so poore so lame so needy so weake in the body but he must pray so that if we doe not pray let vs looke for nothing at the hands of God Secondly Because it is the meanes to conuey all the blessings of God vnto our soules for Prayer is the very key whereby we open all the Treasuries and storehouses of Gods power and goodnesse Christ saith Marke 11. 24. What soeuer yee aske of God in prayer beleeue c. So 1 Iohn 5. 14. This is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. So that Prayer is a meanes to conueigh all graces and blessings vnto our soules The woman̄ of Samaria Iohn 4. 11. saith to Christ The Well is deepe and thou hast nothing to draw but God be thanked though the Wel of Gods goodnesse be deep yet we haue somewhat to draw with the holy bucket of prayer will diue into the depthes of God and fetch vs waters of comfort from them yea search the very lowest bottome of grace that is in God as diuers of the Fathers well obserue So that these things are euident inducements to euery Christian man to pray For as if there were a goodly fountaine that seeds a whole towne yet if men haue not vessels and pipes to carry water home vnto their houses they were neuer the better So though there be a Fountaine of goodnesse in God yet prayer is the meanes to conueigh it vnto vs and bring it home vnto our soules c. Thirdly Because it is the note of a wicked man not to pray Psal. 14. 4. Dauid saith plainely They call not vpon the Lord c. Isaiah 64. 7. Notes that it was a great signe of the calamity of the Church when the Chaldeans had taken away the riches of the Temple and the daily sacrifice ceased Euen so it is a sore signe of Gods displeasure when the daily sacrifice of prayer ceaseth It is with a Christian then as when the Chaldeans had taken the Temple For then the Diuell doth dangerously possesse the heart of a man and carries it quite away from God as a child is carried in ones armes and layed wheresoeuer the stronger party listeth Fourthly Because all our labours and endeuours are but in vaine without Prayer as Iam. 4. 2. Yee fight and warre and get nothing because yee aske not c. So that all our labour is lost if we haue not prayer to attend the same Thus we see Abrahams seruant when he went about a businesse of his Masters prayed vnto the Lord Lord send me good speed c. And Isaac hauing sent his seruant about a wife he in the euening went out into the field to pray vnto God as knowing all his labour was nothing without the Lord. Now these goodly examples are for vs to follow that whensoeuer we stand in need of any blessing we should powre out our prayers vnto God A certaine man we read once sowed good seed but neuer could haue any good corne at last a good neighbour came vnto him and reasoned what should be the cause he sowed so good seed and reaped so bad Corne why truely said he I giue the land her due good tillage good seed and all things that be fit why then replyed the other it may be you doe not steepe your seede no truely said the other nor neuer heard that seed should be steeped Yes truely said the other but I will tell you how It must be steeped in Prayer when the party heard this he thankt him for his good counsell put it home to his conscience reformed his fault and had as good Corne as any man Thus haue wee heard of the Commandement to pray the first maine point in the Preface New come we to the second maine Branch which is Our Direction how to pray Wherein there are two things to be considered 1 Why Christ giues this Direction 2 What the Direction is For the first why Christ giues a direction there bee three Reasons of it First To helpe the weaknesse of such as cannot pray This reason is touched Luke 11. 1. where when Christ ceased praying one of the Disciples came vnto him saying Master teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples Whereupon Christ deliuered this forme of prayer to them So that as I say It was to helpe
vp the Kingdome of his deare sonne Yea this kingdome must first be pulled downe ere the other be erected For as in laying a foundation when one would build a new house he first puls downe the ruines of the old so must he first pull downe this kingdome of the Diuell ere that other of Christ be set vp Wherefore heere wee pray against this kingdome of darkenesse that God would destroy it for which at this day there is great need we should so pray because the Kingdome of the Diuell is like a Sea which as Philosophers say gets in one place if it lose in another So is it with it looke how much it hath lost by a defection and reuolt from Popery so much hath it in a manner got by the filthy sinne of Drunkennesse Irreligion Pride Contentions and other foule sinnes of this land what need haue wee then to pray that God would pull downe this kingdome of the diuell and euery where set vp that of Christ Jesus Secondly In that we pray for the Kingdome of God to come It sheweth that there are a number of impediments and lets to hinder this Kingdome from comming Which are of two sorts 1 Many impediments in others 2 Too many in our selues Concerning others we see daily how men are drawne by example by ill counsell by diuers discouragements whereby they are affrighted from seeking the peace of the Gospell as Matth 20. 31. when the blind men cryed out on Christ the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace so it is with vs in this world how are we scoft and derided yea chidden againe and againe If we serue God in sincerity and be zealous for the comming of this Kingdome See it in the beginning when the children of Israel came out of Egypt how were they hindred and stopped in their iourney So whensoeuer we shall begin to make after Christ we shall bee sure of a many lets and impediments like vnto the Pharisees in the Gospell who were ready to answer the Officers and discourage the people from following after Christ saying Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him but this people who know not the Law Thus it is with the whole swarme of wicked men who discharge men from the wayes of God Againe wee haue too many impediments in our selues Selfe-loue loue of the world loue of riches honour preferment and such like as it is Iohn 12. 42 43. said of many that they beleeued in Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God But we must not doe so for though we sit farre in darkenesse from letting in the light of God vnto vs or howeuer we seeme to close vp our eyes from beholding the light yet let vs not be so contented but pray to the Lord that he would breake through all these hinderances and impediments and let downe his graces of mercy and loue so amongst vs by his grace that this Kingdome may come vpon vs yea that we may doe as the Palsie man did who brake through the roofe of the house to come to Christ Remēbring that the Lord Iesus brake through all impediments and hinderances to come vnto vs and fill vs with his blessings wherein we may further obserue two things that in Christs comming to vs our comming to him a number of lettes and hinderances do concuire yet he hath so wrought by his Spirit as we can say Thy Kingdome come and he so ouercomes all as he will at length say vnto vs Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. The third thing prayed for in this Petition is That we pray 1 For the Kingdome of grace 2 For the Kingdome of glory Which two Kingdomes differ not in nature but onely in measure and in degrees for the Kingdome of grace is nothing else but a beginning and inchoation of the Kingdome of glory there being no way to attaine vnto the one vnlesse they passe through the other It is a common custome of the world that most men aspire to the Kingdome of glory and yet cannot endure the Kingdome of grace how should they euer attaine it thinke you we that by Gods blessing are better taught therefore first pray heere for the Kingdome of grace to be gouerned and ruled by the Lord here in this world But more particularly let vs see what the Kingdome of grace is namely The speciall power of Christ whereby he rules and gouernes in the consciences and soules of all his seruants This is the Kingdome which we do pray for that the Lord Jesus would set vp a Throne in our hearts to rule and gouerne in vs by the rule of his Spirit subduing and bringing vnder all our thoughts and consciences to himselfe Now all men doe outwardly speake well of Christ thinke sure enough to be saued by him but yet cannot endure to be guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ but in effect doe what those wicked Jewes say Luke 19. 14. Wee will not haue this man to reigne ouer vs. So it is with most of the world they can be content to heare of Christ as a Sauiour to haue the Word preached and to see the Gospell flourish but they will not haue him reigne strictly direct them in all their actions restraine them in their passions and guide them in their liues doing whatsoeuer seemes good in their owne eyes Yet ere we proceed Obiect Here ariseth an Obiection as Luke 19. 21. our Sauiour speakes That the Kingdome of God is come already how then are wee directed to pray for that which is come I answer in two respects first Ans. 1 It is true that the Kingdome of grace is begun already therefore we pray that as it is come to others so also that it may come to vs that we may feele the power and effects of it in our hearts and liues Therefore as Esau Gen. 27. 38. when he saw that his father had blessed his brother Jacob cryed and roared out Blesse me my father euen me also thus must we doe when we see the Kingdome of God to come vpon others how God rules in them by his Spirit orders them in their liues directs them in their consciences we I say must pray that the same grace of God may continually attend vpon vs. Againe though the Kingdome of God be come already yet we pray for an increase thereof that euery day we and others might feele the power of it more and more in our hearts and liues For there is no man but feeles himselfe in some sort and measure bound and inthralled to the Temptations of sinne Holy Paul himselfe complaines of this I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind And surely the state of the godly are
like vnto a man that hath been deadly sicke and now is so on the mending hand that he is peraduenture able to creepe abroad with a staffe yet not able to do the tenth part of the businesse that he sees he should and at sometimes was wont to doe Thus it is with the best of vs all whilst we liue here though the Kingdome of Christ be come amongst vs yet had wee need to pray that it may more and more come into our hearts that we may feele the strength and vigour of it to our endlesse comfort and full recouery of our health in Christ. Yea great reason there is why wee should thus pray for the Kingdome of Christ being that no Kingdome is comparable vnto his there being as much difference betwixt the Kingdome of Christ and other Kingdomes of the world as there is betweene Heauen and Earth and that for diuers respects First In regard of continuance for earthly Kingdomes howsoeuer they begin in glory yet by and by both Lord and Crowne and Scepter withall their glory falls into the dust But Christ is a King for euer and although he once ware a Crowne of Thornes vpon earth yet now he hath a Crowne of glory in Heauen and is in possession for euer Of whose Kingdome there shall be no end as it is Luke 1. 33. Secondly In regard of the saciety of his Kingdome For other Kings haue but rule ouer the bodies goods and liues of their subiects at the farthest But Christ he rules and gouerns the very hearts of them and inclines their wills to effect spirituall graces wherein the Kings of the Earth can neither satisfie themselues nor their subiects Christ will giue vs Crownes and make vs Kings also Thirdly In regard of the right and Iustice of it For though other Kings being sinners themselues can bee content to tolerate much sinne and prophanenesse yet Christ is so righteous and so iust a King that he will tolerate no sinne or iniustice whatsoeuer no not in Kings themselues of whom it is said Isa. 32. 1 2. Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Iudgement Fourthly In regard of the fruit and commodities of it for other Kings receiue Tribute from their Subiects but Christ giues a thousand things more then hee receiues he takes away death and damnation with his left hand and giues vs life and saluation with the right hand so both hands are full of blessings and store vs abundantly to the supplying of all our wants Fiftly In regard of administration and imployment of it for other Kings after they haue entred into their Kingdomes commonly sit still goe little liue at ease or at least seeke by all meanes they can to maintaine the pleasures of their liues and giue themselues to quietnesse But our Sauiour Christ doth most mightily rule and gouerne all things for tho good of his seruants watching ouer them to do them good night and day at all times and in all places preuenting them with mercies and working all his workes for their good great reason it is therefore that we should pray for the comming of his Kingdome Yet we must further know that we doe not onely pray for the Kingdom of grace but also for all good means conducting and leading vnto it for euery thing that may incite and helpe to the Kingdome of grace amongst vs. As for good Magistrates Ministers a pure right vse of the Sacraments holy discipline of Christ in the Church for the good gouernment thereof and for euery thing that may further this great worke of God amongst vs. So 1 Tim. 2. 1. Saint Paul wils that Prayers be made for all men and for Kings and Princes and for all that be in authority That vnder them we may liue a godly peaceable and a quiet life And Christ himselfe Matth. 9. 38. commands prayers to bee made vnto the Lord of the Haruest that he will send forth labourers vnto his haruest So you see it is our duty to pray for all the meanes which may aduance this Kingdome Worldly men can say they desire that the Kingdome of Christ may come though they care not a rush for Heauen or newnesse of life for the Word or Saints or Ministers or Holy orders of Christ without which there can be no Kingdome of Christ amongst vs. It was not onely a tyranny in Pharaoh to take away the straw from the people but also when hee had so done to require of them the whole tale of Bricke as formerly So it is the madnesse of the world they take away the Word and the Sacraments the holy gouernment of Christ and when they haue thus done yet they thinke to haue their whole tale of Bricke as much Patience Loue Humility Faith Obedience Sobriety Temperance and the like as if all these gracious and good meanes were entertained amongst them But wee must remember what the Scripture saith Where there is no vision there the people perish Therefore whensoeuer wee settle our selues to remaine any where as little Isaac said to his father when they went vp to the Mount Moriah Behold the wood and the fire but where is the offering So should we say wheresoeuer we goe to dwell Loe here is a Church good ayre a good house meanes enough to increase wealth but where is the Preacher and the meanes of grace for the saluation of our soules Vse Therefore seeing we ought and must pray Thy Kingdome come Let vs pray vnto God often that he would rule and raigne in our hearts so by his holy Spirit that sinne may no longer rule vs nor wee bee ruled by our selues but that God would rule and guide vs in all our wayes so that in all things we may be ready to submit our selues to the holy gouernment of God as Saint Paul writes That the peace of God may dwell in our hearts plenteously and with Dauid that God would guide vs vnto the day of death and then this will bring great ioy vnto vs as Zephaniah speakes when the King of Israel is in the midst of vs then we shall see no euill And withall let vs often remember to pray that there be no want of gouernment but that God by himselfe may rule and reigne in vs that though the world loue loosenesse and cannot endure this kingdome yet we may be plyable and yeelding to be ruled by it For as the blind-man is best and safest whose eyes being shut followes his guide so is euery Christian when they disclaime their owne wit reason and wisedome and are ruled and guided by God in all things Yea the people of God neuer thinke themselues better then when they be vnder the gouernment of God and submit wholly to his will and in so doing let vs not be discouraged for our weakenesse and wants for if we indeuour to doe this sincerely grace which at first in vs is like seed because it must
vnto his Master but when did it appeare so as hee was conuinced of it when the debt booke was searcht into and particulars ript open then and neuer till then was hee found to be so greatly indebted So it is with vs we thinke all well enough till God come to reckon with vs in particular and set our sinnes in order before vs as he speakes Psal. 50 and then this monstrous sight driues vs to a due consideration of our wofull and wretched state Reason 2 A second reason is A blinde and foolish presumptuous perswasion that God will shew vs mercy though we doe not seeke it and though we take little or no paines for it The greatest part of the world as you see liue in their sinnes without repentance neuer come vpon their knees to the throne of grace to aske pardon for them what is the Reason because as they say God is mercifull a good man and they may doe well enough all is not so strict as these preachers would make vs beleeue but the truth is If God be mercifull it is to such as seeke it and repent for their sinnes as Lam. 3. 25. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Thus if we seeke for and prize mercy wee may haue it but if we seeke it not and find no want of it nor pray earnestly for it it is a sure signe we are yet in a miserable naturall estate that though 〈◊〉 be an Ocean of Mercy in the Lord no one drop shall runne vnto vs but one day such shall cry like Diues for a drop of such water and shall not haue it nay if we be cruell to deny mercy vnto others when wee haue receiued mercy our selues we shall be sure to be punished for it also The next thing in this Petition is the Extension of it we pray to God to forgiue all our sinnes not of any speciall troubling waighty filthy one but of a release of all whatsoeuer A number of the world according to the false manner of their accounts are onely troublâ—… for some one sinne that doth distresse and lie heâ—â—ily vpon them hauing no remembrance of those sinnes â—â—ich neuer stared them in the face This was Judas case hee was pitiously perplexed for betraying of Christ but neuer thought of his couetousnesse and corrupted heart the fountaine whence this cursed sinne was hatcht and had roote So doe most of vs striue perhaps and pray against some one sinne that troubles vs but we seldome enlarge our hearts to discend down in particulars that our secret faults wantonnesse lusts couetousnesse and the like may be forgiuen as the holy Prophet by his example teacheth vs Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret sinnes The third thing is The time of the Request we see it must be our daily suite vnto God as euery day we pray for daily Bread so must we pray to God for the pardon of our sinnes This is a speciall point that euery day we make attonement and reconciliation with God for our sinnes because euery day we renue our sins and offend God therfore we had need euery day to renue our sutes and prayers vnto God When Adam was fallen the Text saith God came to him in the coole of the day The Lord would not let him sleepe in his sinnes but came and awoke him putting him in remembrance of his sinne So in the Law If a man were vncleane yet when the Euening came he must wash his cloathes and so be reconciled accordingly Euen so though we be vncleane by reason of our sinnes yet if we wash our selues by the true teares of Repentance we shall be reconciled to God and admitted into the Campe againe This then may teach vs that howsoeuer we haue our daily slippes and fals yet if we doe euery day labour to make our peace with God for the sinnes of the day that we doe not let them runne weekely and monthly and yearely we may be sure to find mercy at the hands of God Now there be diuers Reasons to moue vs to this duty and make vs renue our prayers daily without omission First Because we are very prone to forget our sinnes nothing sooner Therefore it is good to remember them the sooner the better A Steward who hath large reckonings and but a short memory he must haue the oftner recknings yea euery dayes account cast vp so because we be forgetfull and a number of sinnes doe easily slip vs we must desire euery day to make euen with the Lord. The Apostle counsels vs Ephes. 4. 26. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath If then the Sun must not goe downe vpon our wrath to admonish vs not to be mercilesse much more ought we to take heed of that the Lords wrath go not down vpon our sins for want of our repentance Secondly Because the fresher sense of sinnes is at the first for by referring repentance it takes away the sense of sinne as the memory thereof Wounds we know bleed most when they be fresh then they doe most feelingly affect vs let one haue a bruise or straine commonly the greatest sense and paine is at the first but afterwards time will allay and mitigate and so slacke the sharpnesse of sense as we shall nothing so much feele the griefe of them So it is with our sinnes our greatest and quickest sense of them is at the first so the sooner we seeke for reconciliation the more easie will it be for vs to obtaine mercy and we will so much the more eagerly desire it Thirdly Because if euery day we get our sinnes discharged we shall haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Therfore it is good not to suffer them to run on but take theÌ„ in pieces betimes when they are committed and repent of them As a man that would carry home a great tree if he diuide it and breake it in a number of small pieces he may then with ease at seuerall times carry it away So if we doe with the great bulke and body of our sins diuide them euery day apart make our prayers for the daily remission of them then shall we haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Wherfore as sins increase so let vs euery day seeke reconciliation that we bring no after recknings to God for enough are those euery day by themselues Fourthly Because the sooner we repent of them the sooner we shall be quiet and haue peace and rest for so long as the conscience is awake and not seared by sinnes vnrepented of there will be vexation in the heart vntill sins be confessed and pardoned as in Dauids case He roared and had no rest vntill hee had made his peace with God As when an Arme or a Bone is out of ioynt the sooner it is set the more ease one shall haue So it is with
vs. Therefore after pardon of our sinnes we pray that wee may be kept from more sinnes as knowing the Diuell will be busie not onely not to let vs alone so but seeks by all meanes to supplant and surprize vs as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 11. 3. But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilty so your mindes might be corrupted c. and 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober saith he and watch for your aduersary the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour So that howeuer we may relye vpon the pardon of our former sinnes the Diuell is ready still to thrust new sinnes vpon vs. As we know if a prisoner get out of prison and make an escape the Iaylor will not let him goe so but make Hue and cry after him raise the Countrey lay all the Towns and wayes to take him till at last be seaze vpon him and bring him backe to the stinking Dungeon which he came from So doth the Diuell deale by vs when wee haue made an escape got out of the prison-house of our owne sinnes he will not let vs goe so but makes after vs layes all baytes and ginnes possible to see if possibly he can intrap vs that so he may carry vs backe to our former old courses to walke in the wayes of darknesse So we see the grieuousnesse of sins and daily tentations are inseparable companions in this life for wee shall neuer haue our sinnes forgiuen but the Diuell will bee ready to tempt vs vnto other sinnes so to lay a new load vpon vs. Secondly That to the grace of Iustification we must alwayes labour to joyne Sanctification that is we must not onely labour to haue our sinnes pardoned but also mortified and the power thereof weakened for by sinne there be two things alwayes remaining 1. The guilt of sinne 2. The corruption of it The guilt of sinne is a binding of vs to the punishment as I haue said by order of diuine Iustice which is taken away by the Lords mercifull forgiuenesse but when the guilt is taken away the corruption of sinne remaineth which is a way ward disposition of the soule wherby it is wholly inclined vnto euil and vnfit and vnable for heauenly things Now this is that we pray for that God would not onely take the guilt of sinne away with the punishment and penalty due vnto it but the corruption of it also this is our desire others indeed are well enough content to haue their sinnes pardoned but to haue them mortified restrained weakned and the power thereof abated and quite killed but a few desire heartily But we who know the danger and bitternesse of sinne must pray also to haue the soule Sanctified the faculties rectified and set in the same beauty that the LORD in the beginning gaue it When a man hath broken an Arme or a Legge some fooles care no more but to be eased againe so the Chirurgion can giue them somewhat to take away the ache they go no further but they who be wise doe not onely seeke to haue the paine slaked but also to haue the bone well set againe that by that meanes there be no blemish or disproportion to the rest of the body So it is with a true Christian he doth not onely desire to be rid of the paine of his sinne the aches of his soule but the very corruption of it also healed and mortified in him Dauid conioynes these two together Psal. 103. 2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thy diseases The like we haue Psal. 51. 9 10. where he prayes Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all my iniquities create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit in mee Thus after Iustification he prayes for sanctification which also must be our care through the course of our life So much of the connexion The Petition it selfe hath two Branches in it 1 We pray that we may not be tempted vnto sinnes 2 That though we be tempted yet we may not yeeld vnto it Now there be two kinds of Temptations obserueable which we are subiect to in the course of our liues 1 Of tryals and tentations to sinne 2 Of sicknesse and diseases Tentation is any present prouocation or inclination to sinne which is a bait laid by the Diuell or our owne flesh against vs. When we pray therefore not to be led into tentation we pray that we may not haue any prouocation or inticement to sinne that may ouercome or intrap vs in leading vs from that loue duty and obedience we owe vnto the Lord so that the words in this first part of the Petition containe two principall things 1 A Confession 2 A Request First in that we pray not to be led into tentation Here is a close confession that our sinnes deserue it that the Lord may iustly leaue vs vnto the will and power of temptatation As it is said of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts to doe things vnseemely So 2 Thes. 2. 11. It is said because they went on in the loue of darknesse receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause GOD should send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie So that God in his iust iudgement giues vs vp to our sinnes making one sinne the punishment of another This the Lord shewes plainly in the parable of the Vineyard Esay 5. 6. For so also a man that hath a Vineyard as long as it beares well hee will fence it weed it and hedge it that no hurt come vnto it but if it grow barren and yeeld him no profit then he causes the hedge to be throwne downe pull away the wall and let in Hogges Swine and Vermine to deuoure it So doth God order and deale in the businesse of our soules so long as we bring forth branches flourishing and worthy the fruit of the Gospell so long we are fenced and tended well cared for of God But when wee grow barren bring forth bryers and weeds then all our labour is lost when although the Lord doth not let in hogges and swine yet doth the Diuell and all the power of darknesse come in vpon it and blindes and hardens vs more and more by reason that we haue abused the gifts and graces which the Lord first bestowed vpon vs. The second part of this confession is That we are exceeding prone to yeeld vnto temptation Wherefore wee acknowledge that the Lord in Iustice may giue vs vp to the temptations of the Diuell for which cause we pray that we might not be tempted because we find such infirmity in our selues that if we be tempted a thousand to one we shall yeeld to the tentation for the corruption of man is like vnto dry Tinder ready to kindle and
you shall finde what Naamans little maide said Would to God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria hee would soone deliuer him of his leprosie so saith the Gospell vnto vs Oh that you would come vnto Christ seeke after him by a liuely faith and true repentance for your sinnes hee would deliuer you from the threatning of the Law and release you of those impossible conditions which there you are bound vnto hee would conquer death and hell for your sake and pay the ransome for your sinnes and in the end by his Redemption bring you vnto life euerlasting Thus must wee needs flie for refuge vnto the death and passion of Christ. I confesse that there is both life and death in the Law as there is Saluation and Redemption in the Gospell but the Law as I said bindes vs vnto conditions which wee can neuer performe whereas the Gospell proposes life and saluation vpon more easier tearmes Then doe and liue or Doe not and perish onely to beleeue and repent and runne vnto Christ and hee will heale vs of our leprosie This then is the difference betwixt the Law and Gospel The Law proffers life and saluation vnto vs if wee can keepe the Law and neuer sinne against God The Gospell giues vs hope of Life and Saluation though wee cannot performe the Law so wee beleeue and repent which are farre easier conditions then actuall holinesse tying vs strictly to the obseruation of the common 〈◊〉 â—…ding vnto the spirituall meaning of the same so you see how the Gospell proffers vs life and saluation vpon farre more easie tearmes then the Law doth which should make vs so much the more diligent to see into the mysteries of the Gospell whereso great priuiledges are granted vnto vs and admire that depth of wisedome that hath thus tempered the seueritie of the Law towards vs euen when death was in the pot Of this there be two vses Vse 1 First that euery Christian must indeauour to keepe himselfe from sinne to liue well and labour in the practise of a holy life But if hee fall and sinne by weaknesse and frailtie and faile in his course and race running then hee must flie vnto Iesus Christ Beleeue the promises of the Gospell bee of good comfort in the Redemption of his soule and remember that which Saint Paul saith Rom. 7. The good which I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not doe that doe I. Vse 2 Secondly That wee must take heed that wee liue not in notorious knowne sinne for the world is so full of wickednesse and impietie that many dare say what though I sinne thus and thus yet by repentance I hope to bee saued Yea many grosse swearers lyers aduherers and such like can prophane godlinesse in this manner I hope for all this to goe to heauen as well as the best Christ said hee came to saue not to destroy the world and such like But the true Christian onely hee may make a comfortable vse of the Gospell and apply these speeches to the comfort of his soule not the other And thereforee in the name of God let vs apply our selues vnto the search of these things now whilst it is called to day and whilst the time of saluation endures for if now wee 〈◊〉 our time though wee should giue a thousand worlds for it wee cannot haue it here after this life If a man come to the market and cheapen such things as hee hath need of and yet will not goe to the price of them he must returne without them euen so seeing wee heare at what price God hath see life and saluation that they are not to bee purchased but at the price of Faith and Repentance and that God will not let them goe at a lower rate let vs resolue that they will not bee gotten otherwise so that if wee meane not to come to the price or cannot come vnto Faith and Repentance wee must bee content to goe home againe without Life and Saluation And thus much generally for the conditions of the Gospell Now for the Particulars in Repentance there are many worthy heads to be considered as 1. The Necessitie of it wee cannot bee saued without it 2. The Order of it with other Graces 3. The Nature of it 4. The Causes of Repentance 5. The Time of it 6. The Practise of it 7. The Leâ—s of it 8. The Cases of Repentance c. 9. Contraries vnto it 10. Increase of it 1. NECESSITIE OF Repentance First for the Necessitie thereof Repentance is such a necessary grace as no man can bee saued without it for there bee but two estates wherein euery man liuing may beesaued the state of Innocencts and the state of Penitencie vnto which belongs the Grace of Faith Now no man liuing euer after the fall of Adam can be saued in the state of Innocencie because wee bee all sinners and grieuous sinners before the Maiestie of God so then hee that will bee saued must bee saued in the state of Penitencie There bee but two pleas that any man can make when hee shall stand before God in feare of Iudgement Either Non peccaui Domine Lord I haue not sinned or Domine peccaui Lord I haue sinned Sed poenitet peccasse it repents me that I haue sinned and offended Now no man liuing can stand before God in the strength of this first plea Non peccaui Lord I haue not sinned For Iam 3. 2. it is written in many things wee sinne all and 1. Iohn 1. 8. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues And Salomon in his prayer hath it thus 1. King 8. 46. if they sinne against thee for there is no man that sinneth not So then seeing no man liuing can lay hold on the former plea Non Paccani let vs all lay hold on the latter Peccaui sed poenitel peccasse we haue sinned and offended but it repents vs that wee haue so done And thus wee see that Repentance is such a sauing grace as no man liuing can bee saued without it and the Scriptures also agree to this thing Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also granted Repentance vnto life c. whereby wee see that no man can come to life but by Repentance 2. Pet. 3. 9. hee sayes Not willing that any should pperish But that all should come to Repentance so then if a man will not persist in his sinnes the onely way is to come to Repentance when God willeth him 2. Tim. 2. 25. he sayes to this purpose If God peraduenture will giue them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth by all which is apparant that no man can come out of the snares of Death but by Repentance and so wee may conclude that Repentance is a necessarie Grace without which we cannot come to life and Saluation Of this there bee diuers Vses Vse 1 First seeing Repentance is such a necessarie Grace That wee renew
our Repentance daily for so farre as a man is from Repentance so farre hee is from the Grace of life Now in Repentance wee must not take this libertie to suppose that some sober and sad thoughts as wee tearme them of Repentance will serue the turne O what doe wee in such slight accounts but euen cast away the saluation of our owne soules For as we heare Repentance is such a necessarie grace that whosoeuer casts away Repentance casts away the saluation of his owne foule Wee reade Ruth 4. 5. 6. that when offer was made to the kinsman to redeeme the land hee was contented till it came to the purchasing of Ruth the Moabitish woman at the hands of Naomi then hee gaue ouer and resigned his interest to Boas euen so it is with a number of men they would willingly come to heauen to purchase the field that is come to the happy estate of saluation and the kingdome of God but they will not haue it at the hands of Repentance they will not be humbled for their sinnes they will not forsake the world this is the reason why a number will lose eternall life rather then forsake the pleasures of the world and these sinfull vanities which continue so short a time and produce nothing but bitternesse and vexation of minde in the end Vse 2 A second vse is that seeing Repentance is such a necessarie grade without which none can be saued That all those who haue not alreadie repented must now repent if they desire to come vnto God to bee saued and behold God in his glorie or looke to stand justified before Christ seeing that without this Repentance there is no promise that doth belong vnto thee Indeed if a man care not for these things saluation and eternall life if hee doe not desire to be saued to see God on his glorie stand before Christ c. then let him line as hee lift and inioy the pleasures of this world But if hee care for these things looke after the glorie of the life to come desire the benefite of Saluation then let him repent if hee haue not repented already lest it come too late and a worse thing befall him for it is a dangerous thing to withstand and let slip the fit seasons of Repentance when Gods extraordinarie calls and mercies inuite vs thereunto and when hee inlightens the eyes to see better things As Act. 17. 30. the holy Ghost shewes And the times of this ignorance God wincked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent The meaning of this is that howsoeuer hee did lesse regard this in the times of Ignorance when men tooke no care of these things yet now that they know from the light of the Gospell what is to bee done euery man must repent and come vnto God It must be our care to prouoke our selues vnto Repentance for our sinnes to pray God that wee may bee healed and humbled as wee shall heare hereafter Euery sinne that wee commit in this world must haue a Repentance for if wee repent not here on earth wee shall not repent either in Heauen or hell And therefore seeing Repentance is so necessarie let vs now repent if wee haue not repented already for delayes are dangerous and repentance is not in our power besides that diuers accidents may come which may hinder vs in this great worke of Grace Vse 3 A third vse is seeing Repentance is so necessarie a grace If a man haue not truly Repented hee must seeke to mend it wee see in Nature that if a bone be set awry the Surgeon hath no way to helpe it but to breake it againe and to set it right And euen so must a man doe by his Repentance if hee haue not truly repented his sinnes hee must renew his Repentance conceiue new griefe shed fresh teares and practise all the good Rules of Penitencie Wee see in reason if a man come to a great ditch to leape ouer if hee misse his rise yet hee will goe backe againe and againe and take his best aduantage rather then hee will fall in the midst Euen so must we doe rather then fall into the midst of Hell of eternall death to be damned with the deuill and his angels Wee must be contented to set vpon our Repentance againe and againe goe choose and practise new griefe sorrow and compunction rather then to perish for euer II. THE ORDER OF REPENTANCE with other Graces The second thing wee are to consider in the doctrine of Repentance is The Order of it compared with other Graces For this I conceiue that in order of Nature Faith is before Repentance but ordinarily Repentance shews it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian. Euen as when a candle is brought into a roome the candle light first shewes it selfe before the candle come into the roome though it bee true there was the candle before there was light so it is with these two Graces Faith and Repentance first there must be Faith before there can bee Repentance and yet commonly wee see the fruits of Repentance before wee can see the fruites of Faith And so they are vsually so placed in the Scriptures Act. 20. 21. Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus And Heb. 6. 1. saith hee Not laying againe the foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of Faith towards God Now that Faith is before Repentance in order of Grace it is made probable by this one Reason in stead of many Repentance as wee know is a sanctified Grace of God for no man can repent vnlesse hee hate sinne and no man can hate sinne vnlesse hee be sanctified But there can be no sanctified Graces in a Christian without Faith Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God for hee that commeth to God must beleeue that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of those who diligently seeke him So then wee see that there can bee no Repentance without faith and Faith in order of nature is before Repentance So it may bee a generall comfort to a man that howsoeuer hee doe not feele Faith in himselfe yet hee may assure himselfe that hee hath Faith if hee haue Repentance for his sinnes and a desire to reforme himselfe from a sorrow and shame that hee hath thus long offended God because there is no Repentance without Faith Therefore be assured whosoeuer thou art if there bee a Repentance and Humiliation for sinne make no doubt of thy faith though as I said thou dost not feele it seeing Faith goes before Repentance Now for the better consideration of this wee must know The Difference betweene the workes of Faith and true Repentance First the Act or worke of true Faith is generally to beleeue the promises of the Gospell that all men who repent and beleeue shall bee saued The second Act or worke of Faith is to beleeue that the promises bee proposed
of God yet when the winde blowes when God offers gratious and good meanes when we haue so faire an opportunitie we should lay hold vpon the good things that be for our saluation So that this must needs be a fearefull abuse of Gods kindnesse and goodnesse that when it is a speciall time of Repentance through our corruptions wee make it a speciall time of wantonnesse and vncleannesse and wee are so farre from being the better for all our speciall meanes that wee become worse and worse and so bring iudgement vpon vs. Our Sauiour Christ Math. 11. doth vpbraid those Cities wherein hee had done most of his great workes because for all this they had not repented them of their sins where he tells them That it shall be easier for Sodome and for Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement then for them So if wee doe not profite by the preaching of the Word and the good meanes which are amongst vs at this day the estate of Sodome and Gommorrah at that great day shall be easier and better then ours So let vs take heed it be not so with vs for what a fearefull signe of damnation is this when wee thus set open the gates of hell by being no more carefull to come to Faith and Repentance and other sauing graces in the midst of such abundance of meanes Fourthly it is a speciall Time of Repentance when wee goe about any great worke For many times in our honest labours there are many crosses and troubles which doe befall vs because we haue not repented Therefore it must bee our wisedome when wee goe about any great worke which wee would haue to prosper then to repent lest we incounter with great crosses So Ezra 8. 21. hee practised So Esther 4. 16. So Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 12. The omission of this dutie you see was dangerous Iosh. 7. 11. 12. they could not stand before their enemies saith God vnto Ioshua Vp Israel hath sinned and they haue transgressed my Couenant therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies Euen so it is with vs wee cannot stand before our enemies God doth not blesse our labours indeauours nor any thing wee take in hand because wee doe not prepare our selues vnto Repentance therefore as I said when we haue a great work in hand it is a speciall time of Repentance and herein wee must imitate the seruants of God in their examples when Ezra had a great iourney to goe first he fasted and prayed so many other of the Saints forenamed this was their practise and so must it bee ours chiefly when wee come to heare the Word or receiue the Sacran â—nts then we must be sure to haue repenced soundly for our 〈◊〉 nes or else as wee cannot expect mercie so wee depart away without comfort As a man that would draw a riuer into his ground he must first prepare the channell cut downe the bankes and stop the passages so must men doe with their sinnes that would haue the riuer of Gods mercie to runne through their hearts The Fifth speciall time of Repentance is Eeuery morning when wee arise and euery night when wee goe to bed For as wee sin daily so must wee daily renew our repentance let vs then repent euery morning before wee rise The steward who hath but a short memorie will be often casting vp his accounts and reckoning with his Master he will neuer let them tarry too long without cleering and making euen so because that our memorie is short and that wee soone forget our sinnes we should desire to haue often reckoning with the Lord euery day to make euen with him Iâ— we would thus often doe wee should haue but a few sins to repent vs of when wee come to die Wee see by experience if a man haue a little Brooke that runnes through his ground as long as he keeps the channell cleane that the waters may still auoide it will neuer annoy him but if he suffer the gutters to be stopped with mudde and durt and weeds to stop the course and carrying of the water by and by it will ouerflow his ground And euen so though a man haue some sinnes which annoy and trouble him yet 〈◊〉 he will be daily cleansing the channell of his heart and make the channell open by Repentance there will be the lesse danger to his soule as wee see it was said of Dauids practise Psal. 6. Hee talkes of a vexed soule wearisomenesse with groaning making his bed to swimme with teares consuming of his eyes and the like so must our Repentance come with sighes groanes weeping and wringing of the heart if it were possible that so wee be the better assured that it is vnfained and rightly bred and that it is such vnto which God will haue respect Sixtly the last speciall time of Repentance is at the houre of Death for then indeed is the Time to renew our Faith Repentance and all other Graces or neuer Euen as a man that hath beene at great charges for the building of a ship to carrie himselfe safely a very long iourney when hee is ready to put foorth into the sea then hee especially lookes that all his Masts Sayles Anchors and Tacklings be ready fit and prepared so howsoeuer a man deale with his Faith Repentance and other graces all his life time yet now when at the houre of death hee comes to lance forth into so rough a Sea for his last iourney he must then looke all ouer againe and see that nothing be wanting but that his faith prayers penetencie loue and such like be in a readinesse for to conduct him in peace and safetie vnto the end of his last iourney But commonly men doe by Repentance as great men doe by Banquets when a great Feast comes they sit and gaze and admire but their stomacks are gone many in this case haue no stomacks to eate So many men looke at these excellent things of God admire them but will not eate will not repent leaue their sinnes c. But let vs in the Name of God who know better things and haue not thus learned Christ goe on resolue labour and practise Repentance ere it bee too late which now is our next Point to be handled the next time LECT VI. VI. THE PRACTISE OF Repentance IOEL 2. 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne yee euen to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repents him of the euill WEE spake the last day of the Time of Repentance when we shewed that for euery new sinne there must bee a new act of Repentance and so as wee sinne daily wee must daily repent For as I then shewed if a man haue a little Brook which runs through his ground as long
this is but a false Rule to examine by wee should rather doe as the Apostle commands Gal. 6. 4. Let euery man prooue his owne worke c. and then he shall haue reioycing in himselfe not in another A third false Rule is When a man will examine himselfe by the speech of people and the account that the world makes of him But wee may bee in much account with others accounted a good Christian and a good liuer and yet all this be but as a shadow before God and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 14. 4. Euery man must stand or fall vnto his owne Master for God is able to make him stand And 2. Cor. 10. 18. hee shewes no commendation ought to be built vpon vnlesse it be of God For not hee who commendeth himselfe is approoued but whom the Lord commendeth Wheresore euen as it was said of Belteshazzar Dan. 3. Thou art weighed in the ballance and found light so if wee measure our selues by this Rule wee shall be found too light in Gods ballance The true rule is a righteous Rule therefore wee must examine our selues by the Law of God euery one who wold haue a true triall of himselfe and then as the Carpenter when he hath applyed his threed and line vnto the timber by and by hee sees where it was crooked So when a man hath thus applyed himselfe vnto the Law of God hee soone shall see wherein he hath beene sinfull and faultie So this Rule God giues vnto his people Deut. 30. 2. Obey his voice according vnto all that is commanded thee Now for the heads which wee must examine all our sinnes by they be 1. Inward 2. Outward And God is the Iudge of all that is wee must examine our selues of all our sinnes committed against God and against our Brethren There is a corruption in nature in the examining of our sinnes wee deale by our selues as a false Iudge doth by an offendor examine him so slightly that one may see he would willingly saue him or that he is affraid to finde him faulty euen so in the examining of our selues at the best wee looke but at our outward sinnes being loath to search into the inward secrets of our soules to finde out the poyson and corruption of our hearts for from the heart commeth all manner of wickednesses so that the true examination must be of all our sinnes so farre foorth as by any meanes wee can come to the knowledge of them both of sinnes against the first and second Table secret or open what kinde soeuer they be Trads-men you know especially in great Cities vse to keepe a booke of all their expences of their layings out and commings in and so are often casting vp their accounts to see whether they gaine or lose in matters of the world so we should take an account of all our actions and keepe a register of them euery night we should cast ouer our accounts to see how wee haue sinned and offended God and how often how wee haue repented if we finde things to be well wee should blesse God for it and if wee finde things to be amisse we should be humbled in our soules for it thus we must labour to view all our actions as wee see God did Gen. 1. when God had made an end of his first dayes worke and so of the rest it is said Hee beheld the same and loe all that he had made was very good So should we from day to day take a view of our workes speeches and the like to see whether they haue beene good or bad The second thing in the Practise of Repentance is Humiliation for when a man hath seene that he is a sinner and lyes in sinne this is not enough but then great care must be had also to be humbled for them that is bitterly to weepe and mourne for them euen to the shedding of many teares if it bee possible So Peter did Math. 26. 75. it is said And he went out and wept bitterly c. So Mary Magdalen Luk. 7. 38. it is said And shee stood behinde him weeping and began towash his feet with teares and then to wipe them with the haires of her head So Dauid Psal. 6. 6. confesses of himselfe All the night I make my bed swimme I water my couch with my teares So we see it is a plaine case when once we haue seene our sinnes the next thing to be done is to bee humbled for them as I haue said euen to the shedding of teares which in Gods sight are so pretious and acceptable that hee gathers and puts them vp in his bottle as Psal. 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my teares into thy bottle all other teares fall to the ground and are to little purpose but euery teare that a man sheds for sinne that hee hath offended God he gathers these vp But alas what shall I say I doubt me not one of a 1000. of vs let tears fall in this kinde and for this cause you goe mourning and want comfort because you seeke it not the right way in godly sorrow first to be humbled and then to reioyce It is a lamentable thing that many of you be twentie thirtie and forty yeares old and yet you haue neuer shed one teare for sinne O what a lamentable case is this that Christ may now come and say to you as hee did vnto those women Luk. 23. 28. O daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues c. It is a good thing to weepe for Christ in regard of the paines and troubles which hee suffered and did befall vnto him as our suretie but it is a greater grace to weepe for sinne and that thereby wee haue displeased so good a God Which I take it made St. Augustine say that Mary Magdalen brought two things to Christ her oyntment and her teares and yet her teares exceeded her oyntment in sweetnesse c. Now this sorrow for sinne doth require fiue qualifications First there must be Dolor Cordis or Contritionis the sorrow of the heart or Contrition as Act. 2. 37. it is said those three thousand who heard Peter were pricked in their hearts and Psal. 51. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise So that this sorrow must not be outward onely with the sadnesse of the face but it must be a sorrow of the heart as Psal. 63. the Prophet complaines my soule is vexed within mee c. It is called other-where the pouring out of the heart for this is most certaine when the soule in good earnest sets to wrastle for heauen then there is no time for vs to dissemble with God Secondly it must be Dolor secundum Deum Godly sorrow which is a sorrow for sinne because it displeaseth and hath offended God as wee may reade 2. Cor. 7. 11. For behold this selfe-same thing that you
wee haue more cause to mourne for it then for any worldly calamitie or miserie whatsoeuer looke in the storie of Micah Iudg. 18. 24. Yee haue taken away my Gods which I made and the Priest and yee are gone away and what haue I more and what is this that yee say vnto mee what ailest thou Here you see that when the souldiers had taken away Micahs Gods hee ranne after them crying and weeping and was angry that they should aske what ailest thou Euen so must wee if such as hee can so weepe for a false God much more haue wee cause to weepe and mourne when wee shall consider that our owne sins haue taken away our true God from vs yea all the ioy comfort and peace that we had in God and therefore aboue all things wee haue cause to shed teares and weepe for our sinnes Secondly a man hath cause to weepe and mourne and shed teares aboue all things for sinne In regard of the great and intolerable euill which comes by sinne Whereof the finall euill is Hell and damnation which is the greatest most insupportable and mischieuous euill of all other because all other euills are temporarie this eternall Wee see a man is sorry when he hath brought himselfe to lamenesse blindenesse and mutilation of any member and how much more then when hee hath brought this vpon himselfe and therewith the curse of God and euerlasting damnation paines endlesse and restlesse for euer O how much cause therefore hath a man to mourne and lament for his sinnes which bring not temporarie but as I said euerlasting punishments The fire that came vpon Sodom lasted but for a day The floud that came vpon the old world lasted but for a short time the great famine of Aegypt Gen. 41. 49. lasted but for seuen yeares and the captiuitie of Babylon lasted but 70. yeares but damnation in Hell shall be for euer and euer no time shall end it no meanes shall finish it no policie shall escape it Againe all the euills that doe befall vs here are particular euills either paine in the head teeth back or belly or stomache arme legge c. but the paines of Hell are vniuersall in euery part in all parts at once which must much multiply paine sorrow and destruction in vs. Againe all other paines and euills haue their mitigations and limitations If a man hath the goute hee hath also a soft bed to lye in if hee be feeble hee hath one to leade him if hee be lame hee hath somebody to moue him from place to place but if a man bee in Hell there is no mitigation no ease no helpe left not so much as a drop of cold water to coole the heate of the mouth but all horror griefe torment sorrow and vexation so that if euer a man may haue cause to shed teares and feare mischiefe that may happen he hath reason to doe so for feare of hell and those gastly terrors of damnation to come to last for euer Thirdly a man hath reason and cause to shed teares for sinne in regard of the paines accompanying the same which are deadly dangerous For if one should wound a man in the legge hee might recouer but pricke him if it were but with a pinne at the heart and the wound proues deadly So it is in wounding of the soule euery sinne proues deadly and as a stabbe to the heart for though woe doe not presently feele it though our deadnesse and numnesse make vs insensible and carelesse Yet in the day of Gods visitation when Gods wrath shall fall vpon vs and open our wounds which sinne hath made then shall wee roare and crie and indure torment enough thus if wee haue cause to weepe for any thing wee haue cause to weepe for our sinnes that strike so deepe to our consciences and soules Thus we haue againe to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts that in bodily cures can away with the cutting of a limbe breaking of an arme or legge and yet cannot away with the searching and lancing of our consciences Thus as it is by Reason so the necessitie of mourning for sinne is proued by Example for there was none of the holy men of God but they haue wept for sinne and wee haue certainely as much and more cause to weepe then they had and yet how farre short doe wee come of this dutie shall I name Dauid Daniel Peter and other holy men of God how feruent was holy Luther in mourning and weeping for his sinnes had Dauid cause to weepe abundantly and water his couch with teares and haue not wee cause much more Had Peter cause to lament his fall bitterly and haue not wee more falls then hee had Had Daniel cause to bewaile his many trespasses and are not we guiltie of many more iniquities shall Mary Magdalen weepe and weepe for sinne in a manner a riuer of teares and haue wee no cause or necessitie to weepe for our many transgressions O if wee could search our sinfull and corrupt liues and see how we haue offended our God wee could not choose but weepe for our sinnes what not shed teares for sinne when wee see our Sauiour shed blood in the Garden for our sins and not for any of his hee being without sinne but we are hard-hearted and neuer thinke vpon our Redemption Nor shed a teare for that which wrought blood out of Christs body O wonderfull and lamentable what a pitious thing is this that wee cannot let fall a drop of water for sinne when hee poured out abundance of his blood for the same yea he did sweate it out for griefe and anguish a signe of small or no sorrow in vs when wee cannot wring out a few teares much lesse poure out water before the Lord as his people sometime did for their sinnes 1. Sam. 7. 6. Thus much of the second Conclusion The third is this Conclusion 3. There is neuer a man liuing that is able to shed teares for euery sinne hee doth commit Euery sinne it is certaine deserues teares yea and bitter teares too for euery sinne is committed against God a holy Father yea Holinesse it selfe and an infinite Maiestie now we know it is no small matter to offend God nor no great enforcement to shed teares for our sinnes and yet wee are hardly brought to weepe for one sinne of ten thousand It is so in the generall though it bee true that there be some of more feeling and tender consciences then others as it is said of St. Hierome that hee wept for sinne and was so tenderly affected as if hee had killed a man but ô that it were so with vs that wee could attaine to this tendernesse of heart The hinderances and impediments I take to bee two 1. Blindnesse in Iudgement 2. Hardnesse of heart For many are so blinde that they know not sinne to bee sinne in their iudgements As Mal. 1 when they were reproued of their sinnes yet they
man may bee so fortified and composed in himselfe by the power of grace that whatsoeuer sorrows come in death they shall bee ioyfully welcome vnto him See this composed estate of the Saints well set forth Psal. 37. 37. Marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace So in the Hebrewes it is said of the Fathers They were racked stoned hewen asunder and would not bee deliuered that they might receiue a better Resurrection So the Apostle saith of himselfe Act. 21. 13. What doe yee meane to weepe and breake my heart for I am ready not to bee bound nely but euen to die at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus So hee shewes Rom. 8. 36. 37. As it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are accounted as sheepe for the slaughter c. Thus you see a Christian may bee so composed in himselfe that whensoeuer death commeth it shall not moue him from that comfort and sweet apprehension hee hath in God So Maccab. 7. 5. 6. the mother and her children vttered these speeches when they came to die They exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully and said The Lord God looketh vpon vs and in truth hath comfort in vs c. Another said Thou like a fury takest vs out of this life but the King of the world shall raise vs vp The third said being commanded to put forth his tongue These haue I from heauen but for his lawes I despise them And so the three children in Daniel 3. 7. when a most exquisite death was set before them they answered the King O Nabuchadnezzar wee are not fearefull to answer thee in this matter our God is able to deliuer vs but if not wee will neuer swerue from the holy lawes which hee hath giuen vs So that wee see plainely by the worthy examples of these holy men that a man may be so fortified and strengthened with the Spirit of Grace that whatsoeuer death come and whensoeuer it shall not take away his heauenly comfort and peace Very prophane men can say that delectation will take away the sense and feeling of any paine because in gâ—efe and paines there are two things which concerne first Nocivum a thing hatefull to nature and all the properties thereof Secondly Perceptio Nocivi a sensible feeling and perceiuing of that which is hurtfull to nature Now something may bee hurtfull to nature when yet delectation more rauishing with the delight of another obiect this hurt may bee insensible not complained of at least As a man being asleepe there may bee something hurtfull to nature and yet hee hath no sense and feeling of it So Thomas Aquinas on Act. 4. saith that the feeling and apprehension of Gods loue may be so great in a man that it may make him reioyce in his spirit as resolued against all mischiefe and affliction whatsoeuer which is cast vpon him As Iames 1. 2. Count it exceeding ioy when you fall into diuers tentations c. so that one may haue ioy euen in dangerous trialls and temptations so it is reported of a holy Martyr in the Primitiue Church that when hee walked vpon the hot burning coales barefooted vttered these words O I walke vpon these hot burning coales as if I walked vpon a bed of Roses his delight in God and a higher mightier apprehension carrying away the more sensitiue powers of the soule made that hee felt no paine Or who knowes but the violence of the fire might bee aswaged as in the case of the three Children Now if a Christian may die thus comfortably in burning flames in the greatest extremitie that can be then it is more easie with diuine assistance to ouercome the lesser tentations for if a heart be sanctified by the power of Gods grace settled composed in it selfe there is no doubt but that hee may die in peace with heauenly comfort though hee be in perplexitie vpon his sicke bed Thus it is cleere there is a very probable way for a man to die in comfort If a man as I haue shewed before fall into the hands of theeues and bee robd and spoyled of all his goods yea left naked and wounded in a wildernesse yeâ— if he haue one jewell of great value vndiscouered or in some sure friends hand that at last hee hopes to inioy and possesse the same his griefe sorrow and vexation for his wounds are quickly forgot and passed ouer the comfort of that hee expects and hopes for ouercomming the present affliction So is it with the children of God depriued and robd of all worldly wealth pleasures and preferment vexed and tormented with diseases griefes tortures persecutions yea and death it selfe The hope of eternall life affoords them such comfort with the appurtenances thereof that all the rest is either ouercome or ouerpassed quickly Yet in this case hee will say Lord I thanke thee I haue my jewell still sicknesse hath taken away my strength and afflictions my ease theeues haue taken away my goods but Lord I thanke thee I haue thee still all these things haue not taken God from mee nor Christ nor the hope of Heauen nor the protection of Angels the intercession of my Sauiour the peace of conscience and the like thus in this case a mans ioy remaines still Obiect But how shall wee doe when the disease is violent and death it selfe so terrible that wee cannot remember our consolation and comforts what way in this case is there to die with comfort Answ. This is a waighty point and difficult to answer therefore I pray to God that as his Spirit in the house where they were met togither sate vpon the Disciples heads in clouen fiery tongues that so it would please him to send his holy Spirit to sit vpon my tongue that so I may reueale this great matter vnto you and lay the burden as handsomly as I can vpon your shoulders for the more handsome a thing is wrapped vp the better it may be carried Now in this way to die comfortably obserue two things required at the hands of euery Christian soule who would die in comfort 1. A constant continuall Preparation at all times for Death 2. A holy disposition when wee come to die If these things be practised A preparation to die and a sanctified heart at the houre of death it is sure and certaine wee shall die happily and well whatsoeuer disease we die of First therefore there must be a preparation to death for a man shall hardly die well if he do not prepare for death before death come as it is written of Ioseph of Arimathea Ioh. 19. 41. that hee made a tombe in his garden and why in the garden that in the midst of all his pleasures and delights he might remember death and so prepare himselfe for it euen so must the rest of Gods people doe prepare for death before
Christ hath quite altred and changed the nature thereof so that whereas before death and hell by meanes of our sins were chained together to swallow vs vp as it is Reu. 6. 8. Death went before and Hell followed after Now Christ hath dislinked and disioyned them and hath made a new vnion so that now death goes before and heauen followes after to the godly and faithfull And therefore as a man that is ready to passe ouer some great terrible Riuer into some delicate garden must not so much looke vpon the deepe waters as thinke vpon the place whither hee is a going so must wee doe in our iourney to heauen wee must not so much be terrified with the obstacles in our way as the benefites wee shall haue by dissolution freed from sin and to inioy the felicitie of the blessed for euermore yea and to consider that as the Angels stood readie to carry Lazarus his soule into Abrahams bosome so stand the Angels round about the beds of the faithfull to carry their soules into heauen which is a maine benefite wee now haue by death for it is made to be the great enemie of sinne although by sinne it came into the world yet God hath so altered the former course as he hath made death the onely meanes to abolish sinne in his seruants this should make vs reioyce in the day of death considering whether death brings a soule fitted for heauen If a man should be sent for vnto the court to liue there and to receiue honour from the King if as hee entered there should stand a terrible grim Porter at the gate this man would not much feare the Porter being sent for to come to the King but cast his eyes on the Pallace and busie himselfe with the hopes of his entertainment at hand So when God sends for vs to liue with him in heauen though death be like a terrible grim Porter yet let vs not looke vpon his vgly face but cast our eyes to heauen and beyond that by considering the comforts of that place Thirdly wee must arme our solues against the feare of Death by considering that by death wee die to sinne and that death is the very accomplshing of our saluation Sinne brings all to death and God hath made death as I said a meanes to abolish sinne so that first death is the messenger of God Secondly it is the doore to let vs into heauen Thirdly it is the death of sinne Fourthly Death is a consuÌ„mation of our sanctification here in this world therefore a true penitent soule hath no cause to bee affraid of death Indeed the wicked worldling whose hope and God in his wealth hath great cause to be affraid of it because in a moment it snatches away from him all that he hath beene a gathering and drudging for so many yeares together leauing him nothing of all his hundreds and thousands but a poore wooden coffin to lye in this makes him affraid of death And againe he is affraid of death because it is not a doore to let him into heauen but an open wide gate to set him into hell where hee must lye eternally tormented with the Deuill and his angels for euer But a godly soule who hath his place made his sins repented of who hath liued a watchfull life ouer his heart and wayes hath now no cause to be terrified but rather as Christ speakes To lift vp his head and reioyce knowing that his Redemption drawes neere and that his saluation is now neerer then when he first beleeued So that a Christian vntill death come may truely say Morior dum non morior I die whilst I doe not die Thirdly a man that would die well must labour to weaken death betimes If a man were to fight a combat with an enemy for his life hauing the dyeting of him a weeke before the combat or more I hope no man thinks but that it were good policie to make his enemie so feeble and poore that hee should not be able to strike a stroke to hurt him So euery man and woman liuing must haue a combat with death and yet this is a great mercie of God shewed vs that wee haue the dieting of death so that we may weaken it if hee will and abate his strength Our good life weakens him and our sins giue strength vnto him Therefore if we haue any care of our estate let vs prouide to weaken him before wee come to the combat that hee doe not foile and ouercome vs. Let vs deale with him as the Philistims did with Sampson when they perceiued that his strength lay in his haire by and by they cut off his haire and made him as feeble and weake as other men So must wee doe intending to weaken the great strength of death wee must labour to finde wherein his strength consists and finding that it lyes in our sinnes wee must then as Daniel speakes breake off our sinnes by righteousnesse indeauour to remooue them as soone as may be Wherefore I exhort euery one of you who hope for the fauour of God to repent you of your sinnes and set a worke the power of grace that so you may attaine for your comfort to finde Death weakened in the day of Death LECT XII V. THE CASE OF REpentance of comfort in Death NVM 23. 10. Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like his IT is one thing to stand a mile off and shew a man a towne or a countrey and another thing to take him by the hand and bring him into the gates and so carry him from street to street from place to place not onely shewing the thing a farre off but a part of the glorie of the same so in this present Treatise which wee haue in hand it is one thing to tell you that there is a way whereby the righteous may obtaine to die well if they will not neglect it and another thing to take you by the hand and goe with you from field to field from particulars to particulars till wee haue put you into the gates of heauen The one wee haue done out of the abilitie God gaue and now wee desire to performe the other The duties of Preparation I shew consisted of fiue seuerall heads First that a man of vnderstanding must furnish himselfe with those graces and duties that bee most needfull at the day of death Secondly that a man in this case must arme himselfe against the â—eare of death Thirdly that a man must learne to weaken death betimes Now wee goe on Fourthly Hee who would die well must begin to die betimes hee must die daily as the Apostle professeth of his owne practise 1. Cor. 15. 31. I protest by our reâ—oycing which wee haue in Christ Iesus I die daily So must wee doe wee must bee a dying daily muring our selues to death before death come Quest. But how shall this be done Answ.