paper so doth this precious bloud take out the blots of sinne out of the soule and blessed of God is that man that 〈◊〉 sprinkled with it All those sprinklings of 〈◊〉 in the Law of Moses were all but types and shadowes of this bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abell because Abel bloud cried for revenge but the bloud of our Saviour cries for mercy and drownes the cry of our deadly sinnes that â—ry and roare for vengeance And therefore iâ—â—â—ou hast not had the grace to keepe thy 〈…〉 spotted of the world but rather for want of grace 〈…〉 hast bestained and bespotted thy selfe with filthy lusts and sinneâ— then let me advise thee thus to doe as Ioseph of Arimaâ—hea went to pitaâ—â— and begged the body of Iesus Ioh. 19. â—8 So doe thou goe to God and begge the bloud of Iesus and desire the Lord to sprinkle it upon thy soule that thy sinnes may be done away and thy iniquities may be seene nâ— more for even this kinde of sprinkling is as easie to God as that whereof my Text here speaketh He 〈◊〉 or sprinkleth the hoâ—râ— frost like ashes Sicut cinâ—râ—m like Ashes Wee read Exod. â— 8. That Moses by Gods appointment tooke ashes from off the furnace and sprinkled them towards heaven and they bred botches and boyles and blames upon man and beast If God should sprinkle such ashes among us or if the hoary frost should bring forth such effects what a wofull case were we in How much cause therefore have wee as the Prophet speakes Hos 3. 5. to feare the Lord and his goodnesse in that being so unthankefull and so evill as wee are yet God is pleased out of his owne goodnesse and mercy not because we please him but because mercy pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. to doe us good and no harme all our dayes and to sprinkle such wholesome healthfull frost as shall doe every man good and no man hurt It is said Exod. 16. 14. That Manna which was called Angels-food not because the Angels did eate it but because the Angels did prepare it and bring it and make it ready for the peoples eating this Manna lay upon the ground like the hoary frost in the morning Doubtlesse it was to intimate that Manna is no more to God than ashes are to us and that if neede were rather than his people should famish God can turne the hoary frost into Angels food that we might live upon the one as the Israelites did upon the other forty yeares together David was driven to a low ebbe when hee said Psal 102. 9. Cinerem tanquam panem manducavi I have eaten ashes like bread I take it it was not so much out of necessity as to testifie his humility that hee did esteeme himselfe so vile a sinner that hee was not worthy to feede upon any better food and that dust and ashes were too good for him And so in the dayes of old they were wont in times of sorrow and sadnesse to sprinkle dust and ashes upon their heads from whence I take it our Ashwednesday hath its name being dies cinerum a day wherein men humbled them before the Lord in dust and ashes this they did to expresse the humiliation and deepe abasement of their soules that they thought themselves not worthy to be above ground but to be vnder earth in the grave dead and dissolved into dust and ashes I will not here presse the imitation of the ceremony but onely the observation of the substance of that act which concernes us as neerely as it did them and that is I would have you be as humble as sorrowfull as dejected and as pensive for your sinnes as vilely and basely and meanely conceited of your selves as they that strawed ashes upon their heads or as they that eatâ— ashes in stead of bread and mingled their drinke with weeping And so I come to the third generall point of my Text 〈◊〉 it followeth in the third place 3. Procijcit ejus glaciem sicut buccellas He casteth forth his iâ—e like morsels Me thinkes the Ice hath some resemblance of the state of this world which is dangerous two wayes 1. For slipping 2. For breaking 1. For slipping so the Fathers call the sinnes of the godly by the name of Lapsus slippings because like men on Ice they slipt and fell ere they were aware of it And David saith of the men of this world Psa 73. that God hath set them in slippery places Now a man that walkes in a slippery place had neede walke very circumspectly and very warily least he get a slip unawares that he cannot rciover himselfe without hurt and danger So the Apostle adviseth all good Christians to see that they walke Circumspectly Ephe. 5. 15. not as fooles but as wise A foole will venture to runne headlong on the Ice as if he were upon firme ground but a wise man will be very circumspect and wary and take heede to every steppe hee takes because he knowes the danger So should a Christian take heede to his wayes and if he finde himselfe going that he is ready to slip and fall from God into any sinne or to be carried headlong by the strength of his owne corruption or other temptation into any dangerous or wicked action let him then call unto the Lord as David did Psal 119. 117. sustenta me c. stay thou me up and I shall be safe like a man ready to fall he prayes God to uphold and stay him up For it is certaine a man hath not any power of himselfe to stay himselfe but that as Hanna tels us in her song 1. Sam. 2. 9. It is God that keepeth the feet of his Saints and staies them when they are going into an evill course And Moses tels us Deut. 33. 3. That God hath all his Saints in his hands as a Nurse hath her child and will not suffer them to fall into their own mischiefe and therefore our care must be by daily prayer to put our selves into Gods hands and desire God to leade us by his grace and his good Spirit and not leave us to our selves for then we shall surely slip and fall into evill That child that cares not to be led but will goe of himselfe gets many a knocke and many a shrewd fall but the child th at is fearefull and will cry to be led that child scapes many a broken face Therefore David desires God to leade him Psal 5. 8. Whereupon saith Musculus Duci caeâ—orum est puâ—rorum infirmorum c. to be led is a thing that properly belongs to such as are blinde and to children and impotent persons now if a blinde man or a child should goe upon the Ice without some guide to leade them what a dangerous case were they in even such are we without the guidance of God The Ice is dangerous and so is the world take heede of slipping 2. For breaking many a one we have knowne and heard
am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes there 's a gratious promise but marke the condition in the next immediate words put me in remembrance saith God and I will doe it and not otherwise for though God remember all our sinnes and can tell them better than our owne soules yet he doth not remember them to our comfort but rather to our confusion unlesse we tell him and put him in remembrance of them so that the onely way to put our sinnes out of Gods remembrance is to put them into his remembrance the onely way to make God forget them is daily and hourely to declare them and put him in minde of them If therefore thou canst not be so good as thou wouldst be not ashamed be not afraid to tell God how evill thou art tell him how ungodly how unthankefull how unprofitable a servant thou hast beene unto him and desire God to mend thee and make thee such a one as he would have thee And as Ioseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus so goe thou to God and begge the Spirit of Iesus even that spirit of Grace and Supplication which the Prophet speakes of Zach. 12. 10. which will come downe from heaven and bring into thy soule first Supplications to prepare thee secondly Grace to assure thee of the free and full forgivenesse of all thy sinnes And then let thy sinnes bee what they will be sinnes of death sinnes of blood sinnes of hell if thou canst finde in thy heart to pray God will finde in his heart to pardon for his Grace is sufficient to doe it That 's the first 2. The second thing whereto the sufficiency of Gods Grace doth belong is Adconsolandum to comfort those sad and heavy hearts that can no other way bee comforted I should have fainted saith David Psal 27. 13. for all my worldly comforts but that I steadfastly beleeved to see the Lords good grace in the land of living that is to see it before he dyed therefore we reade 1. Sam. 30. 6. when he was in great distresse had neither house nor home to shelter him neither wife nor child nor friend be any to comfort to him but his owne very souldiers began to takle of stoning him Then saith the text David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Heare this thou poore disconsolate man that art as thy Saviour was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sad round about thou that lookest into thy purse and there is no comfort money is gone that lookest into thy cubbord and there is no comfort provision is gone that lookest into thy barne and store-house and there 's no comfort corne and wares are gone that lookest in thy heart and ther 's no comfort cheerefulnesse and joy is gone Then looke up to God and there is comfort to bee had if there bee any water it is in the sea if there bee any light it is in the sunne if there be any comfort it is in God Therefore the Apostle justly calleth him The God of all consolation 2. Cor. 1. because when all other comforts faile theres's comfort to bee found in God For beleeve this for a truth there is no mans case no mans estate no mans soule is desperate to God but when they are at the lowest ebbe at the rest stay at the most forlorne hope then doth God speake peace unto their soules then doth hee draw out those same vbera consolationes those breasts or dugges of consolation which the Prophet speakes of Esay 66. 11. and drops downe that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sincere milke of heavenly comfort to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart The Hebrewes observe that one and the same word nakam signifieth first to repent and then to comfort and it may bee well applyed to this purpose that true comfort belongs to none but such are truly penitent So our Saviour tells us that the holy Ghost whom he calles the comforter when he commeth the first thing he will doe is to convince the world of sinne that is first put men quite out of comfort in themselves then put them into comfort by their Saviour In a word then forasmuch as comfort cannot be had without repentance nor repentance bee endured without comfort nor either of these bee attained without God it remaines that as the daughter of Caleb besought her earthly father Iud. 1. so we beseech our heavenly Father to give us the springs above as well as the springs beneath I meane that Irriguum superius the spring of grace comfort from above as well as that Irriguum inserius the spring of sorrow and repentance from beneath and then let our discomforts and discontents be what they will wee shall have grace sufficient from God to countervaile them al and as Philip said to our Saviour Iohn 14. 8. Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us so though our sinnes confound us and our consciences condemne us Lord shew u◠thy favour as t is sufficient for us 3. The third is Ad sanandum His Grace is sufficient to cure and heale us of all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those bodily ailements and infirmities which God for sinne doth inflict upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from those scourges and roddes as the holy Ghost termeth sore diseases Luc. 7. 21. for indeed they are the very rods which God useth to chasten and correct us for our follies I say there is no rod so sharpe no disease so sore but Gods Grace is sufficient to heale it and to take it off I am Ropeca saith God Exod. 15. penult I am thy Physitian or I am the Lord that healeth thee and if God be the Phisitian his Grace is the Physicke for whosoever be the instrument of our health God is the Authour his Grace is it that doth the cure Therefore in common speech when any outward malady doth befall us whereof we know no second cause wee use to say and we say well that it came by the Grace of God now if thou beleevest that it came by Gods Grace beleeve this also that by the same Grace it shall in Gods good time be remedied and removed and done away for as S. Iames saith in another case God giveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 4. 6. He giveth more grace and sheweth more favour to heale those that are sicke and broken in heart than to breake their hearts with sickenesse that were well and whole both are from the same Grace but the one more especially the other But then the maine point for satisfaction will be this seeing it is in the power of Gods Grace to cure all infirmities and that in a moment with a word-speaking as the Centurion said Speake but the word and my servant shall be whole Why will God suffer so many of his owne Patients that have no Physitian but
his lading but still desires to take in more As a ship may be over laden with gold and silver even unto sinking and yet have compasse and sides enough to hold ten times more so a covetous man though he hath enough to sinke him he never hath enough to satisfie him As a dog may have his stomack cram'd usque ad vomitum till he cast it up againe and yet his appetite is stil unsatisfied for he presently returnes to his vomite againe so a covetous miser though he cramme his chests with gold his garners with corne his deskes with bils and bonds yet his lust is never satisfied his minde is never wearied which makes the Lord even to wonder at it and aske usque quo How long Ther 's no end of a covetous mans desires he never leaves clogging and lading himselfe till he and his load perish together Take heede therefore of ill gotten riches Quia onerant because they load the soule and hinder it in its passage to heaven and in that sence are an enemie to mans contentment 2 Quia corrumpunt because ill-gotten riches corrupt a mans conscience and make him worse than otherwise he would or could be 1 Tim. 6. 9. They that will be rich fall into many temptations snares and lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Marke that he doth not say they that are rich for a man may be divinitùs dives divinely rich or rich to God I meane rich and godly too as Moses is said to be divinitus venustus divinely faire or faire to God Act. 7. 20. so the originall hath it Neither is it said They that would be rich if God so pleased to blesse them by just and honest wayes But they saith the Apostle that will be rich that set downe this for their resolution Rich they will be by right or by wrong they are those that corrupt themselves and runne the hazzard of their soules It is the conceit of Tertullian that even Iudas carried himselfe honestly and rightly Vsque ad loculorum officium till he came to carry the Bagge that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Evangelists word is the purse or tongue as it signifieth For Iudas thought as all covetous men doe that the purse is the best tongue a man can use to speak for himselfe upon any occasion when once he came to that to be a master of money he grew into such a devilish humour of covetousnesse that rather than h◠would be out of takings he would sell his very Saviour and a faire match he made for as Austin saith Iudas sold his salvation and the Scribes and Pharisees bought their damnation and all for a little money No marvell the Apostle cals the love of money the roote af all evill t is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter of money but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of money that is the Roote of all evill And why the roote I thinke for two causes 1. Because a roote is of a spreading of a growing nature specially if planted in a fruitful soyle Such is the corrupt heart of man if Satan can but once fasten that wicked roote of covetousnesse in a mans heart water it as he will with suggestions t is wonderful how it wil spread and grow and encrease continually more and more Or secondly some say it is called the Roote because it is with a man as with a tree in winter ther 's sap and life in the roote when ther 's little or none to be seene in the branches So in old and frosty age when other vices and lusts decay then covetousnesse holds life in the roote and a man will be covetous when he hath not strength to be other wayes vitious But why is it called the Roote of all evill for t is not the roote of prodigality ryot c. I take it the meaning is of all gainefull evils if so be that ryot and prodigality were as gainefull evils as basenesse and misery a covetous man would be as inclineable to the one as to the other Labour then to pull up this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Roote of bitternesse and desire God to plant the sweete and comfortable grace of true contentednesse in your hearts that you may be so farre from being carried away with the love of money that you may account it as the Apostle speakes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but drosse but dung but offall but filth and garbage in respect of Christ and a good conscience 3. Quia cruciant because they vexe and greeve and paine the soule Our Saviour Christ compares them to thornes thornes you know are painefull things painefull in the piercing but more painefull in the pulling out so are ill-gotten riches painefull in the getting but most painefull in the going out when these thornes come to be pluckt out by the hand of death that a man and his riches must part then is the paine then is the woe for now mens hearts are hardned their consciences seared they have as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kinde of hornyhoofe growne over their soules like the brawny hardnesse that growes upon a labourors hands or a travellers feete that makes them insensible of any paine Oh but when death comes to pare off this crustinesse and leaves nothing to stand betwixt a mans soule and his sins then is the anguish of ill-gotten goods when he is searched to the quicke and his life lies a bleeding then let him say whether ungodly riches be not paineful things Zophar gives them a worse Epithet than thornes and likens them to poysons Iob 20. 12. Sugred poysons goe downe pleasantly Oh but when they are downe they gall and gnaw and gripe the very heart-strings asunder if there be not extraordinary remedy So do ill-gotten goods go downe like sugred poysons and so please the palats of covetous men that they cannot forbeare them nor will they Oh but there will come a time of wringing and ruing for all this They say the Italians will give a man a poyson that shall not kill him till a long time after such poysons are ill-gotten riches would you know the reason why they doe not trouble mens consciences now itis because the poyson doth not yet work when God in judgement sets this Poyson a working which they themselves have taken long agoe then as the Prophet Esay saith Chap. 3. 9. Woe be unto your souls for they have rewarded evill to themselves If a man should have a Diamond curiously cut into sharp angles in his body or in his bladder no man would account him a rich man but a miserable and a dead man even such is the state of him that hath swallowed downe the guilt of ill-gotten gaine it will one day torment him more than ever it enriched him so that the pleasure of the one shall never countervaile the paine of the other Take heede therefore and beware of ill-gotten riches Quia cruciant though
〈◊〉 is that which is made with the ashes of our sinneâ— to 〈◊〉 and scoâ—â—â— our foules That soule which before wâ—◠〈…〉 or hell with wickednesse and 〈◊〉 of darkenesse being rinsed by repentance and renued by the Spirit of Iesus Christ becomes as cleane and white aâ— pure and unspotted in thâ— eyes of God as the driven Snow is in ouâ—s Take away 〈◊〉 iniquity saith David and thâ—◠〈◊〉 finde 〈◊〉 when God hath taken away a manâ— iniquity his sinnes are no more to be found than if they had never beene 〈◊〉 Esayâ— 16. Waâ—â— ye make ye cleane put away the evill of your doings from before my eyes c. What then Why then saith God ver 18. Though your sinnes be 〈◊〉 scarlet they shal be as white as Snow though they be red like crimson they shal be as Wooll You know that crimson and scarlet iâ— so deepe a dye that all the Art under heaven cannot alter it or take it out yet the Lord can make of a Slarlet-sinner a milke-white-Saint God can take out the deepest dies of sinne though they be sinnes in graine and the soule shall become as the Snow or Wooll that was never dipt oâ— stained Therefore when thou goâ—â—â— or lookest abroad in the Winter time and seest the Snow lie white as Wooll upon the ground then reflect upon thy selfe and say O that my soule were of this colour Oh that all the blacknesse and darkenesse the deformity and uglinesse of my sinnes were done away and that my soule were restored to that Candor and whitenesse and bright sincerity that this Snow doth represent Beloved It is not the outward brightnesse and beauty of the countenance and complexion that God regards where there is cor nigrum a blacke base heart within but it is that same decor ab intus that inward intrinsecall comelinesse that David speakes of Psal 45. 14. that makes the King of heaven take pleasure in our beauty Let neither man nor woman therefore boast or be proud of their white Out-side but rather labour and pray for a white In-side that they may be as Moses was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7. 20. faire to God for so the Originall hath it wee translate it Hee was exceeding faire but the Greeke signifies Hee was faire to God and when all is done that is the true beauty that commends us to God when the other beauty is withered and wrinkled and cleane gone then doth this Iâ—veâ—escere grow younger and better with age Whensoever therefore God sends a Snow doe not thou like a bruite beast onely trample upon it and tread it under foote but make some benefite of it to thy soule and say within thy selfe This is the colour oâ— my Saviour Revela Chapter 1. verse 14. The Saints in heaven are all of this colour as white as this very Snow in grace and glory Revelaâ— Chapter 7. verse 14. Lord make my soule of the same colour too that I may no longer resemble the devill in being blacke with sinne and iniquity but may resemble the Saints and Angels in being white with innocency and integrity Consider I beseech you why is it said 1 Corinthians 15. That flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God The meaning cannot be that the substance of flesh and bloud cannot inherit Gods Kingdome for then what should become of all the Saints and servants of God whose soules are gone beforehand into heaven while their bodies liâ— in the must expecting glory but the meaning truely is that the corruption of flesh and bloud cannot come within that Kingdome that is flesh and bloud as it is corrupted and defiled as it is blacked and besmeared and stained with sinne and Satan so it shall never come within the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and of God our heavenly Father but when flesh and bloud shal be washed and cleansed and sanctified by the grace and by the Spirit and by the bloud of Iesus Christ and become as white as Snow then is it come to the right colour then and not till then is flesh and bloud fit for Gods Kingdomâ— and for the blessed society of the Saints in light So much for the first reason why God is said to give Snow like Wooll for the purity and whitenesse of it 2 Propter 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of it for though the Snow â—e â—â—ld and â—â—illing to 〈◊〉 it is warme and comfortable to the earth like a garment of Wooll upon the backe of it to preserve and cherish the kindely fruites of the earth that in due time through Gods mercy 〈◊〉 â—ay enjoy 〈◊〉 Reason therfore with thy self if God so cloath the 〈◊〉 which is but scabellum Dei the 〈…〉 God the lowest and basest part of his creation Will â—e not much 〈◊〉 cloath thee O man that art Image Dâ—i the Image of God that carriest the stampe of God upon thy soule as the coine beareth the stampe of the King upon the side surely he that taketh care for Oxen will much more take care for Christians Hee that feedeth the young Ravens that call upon him will surely feede young Infants that call upon him Hee that Cloatheth the grasse of the field which doth him no service will certainely provide cloathing for us if we doe him any service as we ought to doe Remember how God provided for the Israelites when they were in the wildernesse where there was no new apparell to be bought God so provided that the old apparell which they had did neither weare out nor waxe too little for them but their cloathes grew as their bodies grew and their shooes grew as their feeâ—e grew and the one wâ—â— as lasting and as durable as the other Take no care therefore saith our Saviour meaning no distrustfull care what ye shall eate or drinke or what cloathes ye shall have to cover you Why for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have neede of these things Alas may some say this is but small comfort to tell a poore man be of good comfort for God knoweth thy wants or to tel a sicke man be of good comfort for God knoweth thy diseases or to tell a man that is undone be of good comfort for God knoweth thy losses c. I say this that God knoweth all things were but a feeble Cordiall if so be that the knowledge of God were not as it is accompanied and attended with the helpefulnesse and the goodnesse of God that wheresoever God knowes there is a want he takes a speedie course to relieve and supply it according to that 2 Chron. 16. 6. Oculi domini discurrunt c. the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth not harely to see and take notice of what iâ— wanting or amisse but to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose hearts are perfect towards him Doubt not therefore but stedfastly beleeve he that is so carefull to cloathe the earth will have a greater care to cloath thee
sinfull soules and bodies These thoughts came in upon the by and therefore I will not stand to enlarge them but hasten to the next general part of my text as it followeth in the next place Spargit pruinam sicut cinereÌ„ he scattereth or sprinkleth the hoary frost like ashes 2. This I termed the Diligence of God He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor â—leepeth but when we are a sleepe God is awake when we are at rest God is at worke when wee are taking our ease within then is our God taking paines abroad to sprinkle the hoary Frost in the evening for our health and welfare in the morning The consideration hereof should move us not onely to praise God for his Day-mercies as David did Seven times a day will I praise thee saith he Psal 119. because hee knew that so and more than so often he was beholding to God every day that came over his head but also wee have just cause to remember God for his Night-mercies for his preservation and protection for his custody and care that hee hath of us in the night as well as in the day time Have I not remembred thee on my bed saith David elsewhere and thought upon thee when I was waking Psal 63. 7. So if thou hast forgotten God at thy board remember him on thy bed if thou hast not thought upon him in the day thinke upon him the more in the night and when at any time God holdeth thy eyes waking as he did Davids often then consider and call to minde Gods mercies and thine owne sinnes be thankefull for the one be humbled for the other and then lie downe in the peace of Iesus Christ And in the morning when thou walkest a broad and seest the hoary frost lie upon the ground like ashes then thinke with thy selfe this is the worke of Gods owne hands God hath surely beene in this place and I was not aware of it Now marke the manner of Gods working Spargit prâ—inam he sprinkleth the hoary frost that is hee doth it in such a secret insensible invisible manner that no man living can perceive it till God have done his worke and finished it and even so it pleaseth God to worke and bring to passe the regeneration of a sinfull soule my Father worketh saith our Saviour and I worke and yet both worke after such a secret way that untill a man be converted the worke of Gods grace cannot be imagined nor perceived as it was with our Saviour at his resurrection when he was risen he appeared and shewed himselfe but the manner of his rising or how or which way he arose and got out of the Sepulchre no man living saw or could conceive as Salomon saith that the way of a ship in the sea is not to be knowne or found a man may stand upon the shore and see the ship and the sea and the ship going on the sea but the way of a ship in the sea is unknowne and undiscernable even so the wayes of God in translating men out of the state of sin and death into the state of grace and life are sine vestigijs unsearchable and past finding out Many a one is troubled that he knowes not the very instant of his conversion and regeneration to God and therfore makes question of his Christian calling but you know there is great difference betwixt a man that is suddenly converted as Paul was like a brande snatcht out of the fire as Saint Iude speakes in the very heate of their sinnes and such as have the grace of God wrought in them by degrees as Timothy had sensim sine sensu now a little and then a little by the secret supplies of the Spirit of grace now it is an easie matter for the one to set downe the time and manner of their regeneration not so for the other But the effect of all is this if a man can finde in himselfe the markes of the Lord Iesus aâ— the Apostle speakeeth I meane the infallible signes and symptomes of grace as a desire to feare God a â—are to please him and a kindly repentance when he hath done amisse let him never make question of his owne conversion but take it as an undoubted evidence to his soule that God hath received him into the state of mercy wherein he will reserve him for ever unto Iesus Christ No man makes question how the frost is gendred when he sees it lie upon the earth because hee knowes it is the handy worke of God And so is this Againe â—pargâ—â— pruinam Looke how God doth with the hoary frost how he scatters it upon the grasse that no one spot of ground hath it all but every pile of grasse hath some sprinkling of it so he doth with all his heavenly gifts and graces no man ever was so happy to have the fulnesse of grace save only our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ All we have but our sprinklings a sprinkling of faith a sprinkling of zeale a sprinkling of repentance and other graces some more some lesse as God is pleased to distribute it Hence the grace of God is compared unto two things in Scripture which are both things of sprinkling namely Salt and Seed Our Saviour compares it unto salt Marke 9 ult Have salt in your selves and be at peace one with another Now you know They that season meate doe not lay their salt all on a heape but scatter it and sprinkle it all over that every part may be made savoury by it So doth God distribute to every man a measure of grace that his soule may be seasoned and all his services be made savoury to the Lord that he may smell in them as he did in Noahs sacrifice Odâ—rem quietis a Savour of rest Saint Iohn compares the grace of God unto Seed 1 Ioh. 3. â— Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne meaning sinne unto death Why quia semâ—n dei because the seede of God abideth in him Now you know no sower layes his seede all on a heape but scatters and sprinkles it all over his land that every furrow may have some part of the feed and yeeld him againe some fruite of increase Thus doth God sow the seede of eternall life in the mindes and hearts of all faithfull people there is no one that hath all grace and there is no one but hath some some sprinkling of every grace For this cause I suppose the bloud of Christ is called the bloâ—d of sprinkling Heb. 12. 24. in allusion to the Passeover where the bloud of the Pascall Lâ—mâ—e was sprinkled on the posts of the doore to save the house from the deadly stroke of the revenging Aâ—gel So is the bloud of Iesus Christ sprinkled as it were by the â—inger of God upon the soules and consciences of all peniâ—â—nt sinners to save their soules from death and to take out the blots and staines of all our sinnes Looke how Aqua fortis takes out the blots of Inke out of a
desire of God as it is in the Collect That his speciall Grace may ever more prevent and follow us first that God would prevent us with his Grace to put into our hearts good motions good thoughts and good desires and secondly that it may follow us too as the water of the Rocke followed the Campe of the Israelites to the Land of Promise 1 Cor. 10. 4. so that Gods Grace may follow accompany and goe along with us in this world and never leave us never forsake us till it hath brought us to the end of our Faith which is the salvation of our soules according to that Psal 109. ult Dominus ad dextram c. the Lord is at the right hand of the poore to save him from all them that would condemne his soule where note that he doth not say the Lord is at their left hand which is as I may terme it the lazy hand to save men in their negligent and idle courses But hee is at their right hand which is the working hand to save all them that worke for their salvation and carefully use the meanes to save themselves which thing if thou make a conscience to doe though thy sinnes and thy enemies should conspire to condemne thee Thy God and his Grace will be sufficient to save thee And so at length I am come aboard the last and long-desired part of my text which containes the application of all in particular which hath beene spoken and delivered in generall drawne out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace is sufficient for thee so that as it is said of our Saviour Mat. 21. 45. that his doctrine was so punctuall and clapt so close to the consciences of his Auditors that the Pharises knew he meant them so by that time I have done with my text neither will I bee long in doing it I trust you shall perceive that Gods meaning was to you when hee spake to Saint Paul and told him that His Grace is sufficient for him Briefly than see what Paul was and say what thou art if your case bee the same your comfort is the same for God is no accepter of persons his Grace is as sufficient for the one as for the other 1. Saint Paul was Homo in Christo he was a man in Christ as you may see by the second verse of this chapter I knew a man in Christ that was taken up into the third heaven Art thou such a one I meane art thou regenerate and become a new creature for he that is in Christ is a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17 dost thou daily renew thy repentance and renew thy obedience and renew thy duty and devotion to God and is it a griefe to thy soule that so much of the old leaven thy old corruption remaines still in thy heart Then take this holy Scripture to thy comfort and assure thy selfe though thy conscience disquiet thee Gods Grace will be sufficient for thee contrarily if thou beest an old weather beaten sinner an old rusty drunkard swearer and that standest at a stay and gatherest sinne like an old tree that stands and gathers mosse I must say unto thee as Peter said to Symon Magus Act. 8. thou hast neyther part nor portion in this priviledge thou art not a man in Christ and consequently canst claime no interest in the grace and favour of God 2. Saint Paul was Homo in Cruce a man upon the crosse Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ and elswhere Colos 1. 24. I fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh whereupon saith a father quid deest passioni Christi nisi uâ— nos similâ—a patiamur what is or what can be wanting to the sufferings of Christ but that as he tooke up his crosse so we take up ours and follow him for vae portantibus crucem non sequentibus Christum woe to them that are crucified not with Christ that bare the crosse and follow not Christ but turne from him cleane another way It is well knowne that afflictions go under the name of crosses now a crosse was a peece of wood for a malefectour to die on there was no other use of a crosse but that Affliction therefore is called a crosse because it should have the nature and power of a Crosse that is it should be a meanes to crucifie and mortifie all carnall lusts and affections in us that the more we are afflicted the more we should dye to sin and the lesse life and power should our corruptions have in us Thus it was with Saint Paul is it so with thee dost thou wish and desire the death of thy sinnes dost thou make this use of thy afflictions even to die daily as the Apostle speakes dost thou every day drive one naile into the body of sinne I meane one sigh or grone to God against it dost thou labour to draw blood of thy soule as they drew blood of thy Saviour I meane the teares of true repentance and is it a death to thy heart that thou canst not die unto sinne and live unto God as thou shouldest and oughtest to doe Then looke no further for Harts-ease but to the words of my text and assure thy selfe what ever Crosses be upon thee Gods Grace in Gods good time shall bee sufficient to ease thee Contrariewise if thou beest one that dost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Setphen speaketh Acts. 7. â—1 one that dost fall crosse and contrary to all but to thy sinnes and art indeede a very crosse to God himselfe and to his good Spirit by thy perverse ungodly courses I must say unto thee as the Prophet Esay saith Esay 3. 6. Woe bee unto thy soule for thou hast rewarded evill unto thy selfe thou forsakest thy owne mercy and deprivest thy selfe of the comfort of Gods grace in the time of neede 3. Saint Paul was Homo in negotiis a laborious man a man full of imployments 1. Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more then all my fellow Apostles saith hee yet not I but the grace of God which was with mee there 's an honest acknowledgement by whom he profited and elsewhere hee tells the Corinthians 2. Cor. 11. 9. When I was with you and wanted non obtorpui I was not chargeable nor burthensome to any man The learned observe that word hath his weight from Torpedo which signifieth a Cramp-fish a fish they say that hath such a benumming quality that the cold of it will strike from the hook to the lyne from the line to the goad from the goad to the arme from the arme to the body of the fisher and so benum him take away al use and feeling of his limmes His meaning is that he was none of those idle drones that by their lazinesse and lewdnesse doe even chill and benumme and dead the charity of well-disposed people but as he laboured in preaching so hee wrought in his calling too and put himselfe to any paines
vehemency that possibly he could it is not a faint and feeble cry but it is a strong and hearty cry that wakens the Lord to listen to us as the Disciples awaked our Saviour when he slept in the ship Mat. 8. If a mother heare her child cry out right cry heartily and strongly what-ever shee is a doing shee will lay it aside and run to still her child God is more compassionate and tender over his children than any earthly mother over hers if hee doe but heare us cry heartily cry in good earnest hee hath not the power to containe himselfe but will arise and have mercy on us that is the reason our prayers want successe because they want heart their blessing is according to their vigor You will say it were a good comfort for a man thus to cry lament and make his moane to God in this sad and sorrowful maner if a man were but sure to prosper ever the better for that I refer you to an instance in Scripture 1 Sam. 1. 9 10. In 1 Chro. 4. 9 10. It is said of Iabez who was a man of sorrow that he was more honourable than all his brethren God prospered him and blessed him more than all the rest how came that to passe see ver 10. And Iabez called on the God of Israel saying Oh that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and inlarge my coast and that thy hand might be with me and that thou wouldest keepe me from evill that it may not grieve me and saith the text God granted him that which he requested that is granted him prosperitie granted him a prosperous and happy life there is the fruit of a godly sorrow A sorrowfull man as Iabez was when he prayeth in good earnest that God will blesse him indeed and be with him in all his wayes such an one shall be sure to prosper in his suite and shall undoubtedly receive either what hee doth aske or what hee should aske he then that desires to prosper let him seeke the Lord this way dolenter sorrowfully 2 Veraciter truly sincerely and with all his heart Deut. 4. 29. If thou seeke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him if thou seeke him with all thy heart He that would find God must seeke him entirely unfainedly and not by halves but with his whole heart because God though he love cor contritum a broken heart a heart rent and torne with griefe and godly sorrow for sinne yet he cannot abide cor divisum a cloven heart a heart parted and divided within it selfe which makes a man to be as Saint Iames cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double minded man so we translate it but the word signifies a man with two soules or with two minds such a man must never looke to prosper by his seeking of God I will give you an instance in one or two 1 Chron. 10. the two last verses it is said that Saul died for the sinne that he sinned against the Lord what was that one was for sparing Agag and the Amalekites cattell pretending devotion when hee did it for gaine but the maine sinne was this that hee sought to the witch and sought not to the Lord therefore the Lord slew him Some man may say did not Saul seeke to the Lord that he did looke into 1 Sam. 28. 6. You shall see that Saul tried all waies to seek the Lord the Lord would not be found of him nor answer him neither by Dreames nor by Vrim nor by Prophets how then can this hold good that Saul should die for not seeking of God when he sought him God would not answer him the bestanswer that I can give is this Non videtur fieri quod non legitim◠fit that which is not done rightly and sincerely as it ought to be done is counted as not done in the sight of God Sauls seeking of God was counted as not seeking of God because he sought him not sincerely as he ought to seeke him you may see the like in another kind 2 Kin. 17. 32 33. it is said the Samaritan-Assyrians that mongrell brood which were transplanted out of Assyria into Samaria that they feared the Lord and served their owne gods also and the next vers saith they feared not the Lord at all how can these things concurre one verse saith they did feare God another saith they did not feare him Answ Their feare of God is counted as no feare of God because it was no sincere feare of God had they truly feared God they should never have need to feare their owne Idols for hee that truely feareth God hath his blessing that he shall neede feare nothing else but God in this service of God as contrarily he that feares not God hath this curse that God will give him such a trembling heart that hee shall feare every thing but God idols and divels and all as those people did and therefore was their feare of God counted as no feare of God because no sincere feare as Sauls seeking is counted as no seeking because it was no sincere seeking of God By this you see that lip-labour is but lost labour and lame prayers are but lost prayers in the sight of God the Apostle gives us a caveat 2 Ioh. 8. to take heed that wee lose not the things wee have wrought a man were better lose any thing that hee hath wrought than lose his prayers for want of true devotion Labia dolosasi in sermonibus sint saltem in orationibus non sint deceitfull lips and a double tongue if they be found in our other speeches let them not be found in our prayers in any case saith S. Aug. God forbid that a Christian should double and dissemble with God and the world in his devotions he that doth so let him never look to prosper Salomon speakes it peremptorily Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sins shal not prosper that is as we may apply it to our purpose he that makes Religion a cloake to cover and colour his deceit he that makes devotion a veile to hide his sinnes such an one shall never prosper he therefore that desires prosperity let him seeke the Lord veraciter sincerely Thirdly the time when wee must seeke God and that is to be considered in two Circumstances Generally and Particularly First Generally Hee that desires to prosper must seeke God at all times As we say Nullum tempus occurrit Regi so no time comes amisse to God morning or evening midday or midnight all times are alike for that matter a man can never come unseasonably with a suite to God Exod. 18. Moses sate from morning till night to heare the causes of the people but he grew weary of it and was faine to give it over but there is one above Iesus Christ the righteous that sits continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1 on the right hand of Majestie on high to heare the causes and complaints of his poore people and to receive and present
by the mercy of God to save the soule of every true beleever if our workes were but answerable to our faith and our lives correspondent to our Religion we might truely 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 a 〈…〉 nation indeed admired and unparraleld of all the world according to that of the Apostle 2. Thes 1. 10. God will bee glorified in his Saints and Admired in those that beleeve Two sorts of men are to blame amongst us the first are Nullifidians men of no faith that neither beleeve in God nor in his word onely passe on their times more suâ— after a fashion such as it is but for matter of faith and Religion they desire to have nothing to doe with it these men the Apostle termes unreasonable and absurd it is an absurd thing you know for a man to bee without that which he hath universall use of as for a husbandman to bee without a plow a Carpenter without a rule a Preacher without a Bible it is an absurd thing and so is it for a Christian to be without faith which hee hath universall use of and without which it is impossible to please God it is a thing unreasonable and absurd How can such a one repeate his Creede I beleeve in God c. but he must multiply lies as fast as hee multiplyes words every word hee speakes is a lye to God to the world and to his owne soule I hope there be but few of this sort amongst us if there be let them heare their doome and reade their Necke verse Iohn 3. 18. He that beleeveth not is condemned already hee needes no further triall or conviction his sentence is past and though he live in the world like a theeâ—e in a common â—ayâ—â— â—ee is a condemned man in the sight of God But what is their no reliefe no remeady no redemption for such a one but he that 〈◊〉 now an unbeliever must of necessity be damned eternally God forbid I would be loath to interclude the hope of salvation to any man whatsoever and therfore take this comfort with you you know there is alwaies a space of time some distance betwixt the condemnation and the execution of any Malefactor during which time if he can worke meanes to procure a pardon his condemnation is disanulled so that though a prisoner be cast by the â—ury and condemned by the Iudge yet no man can say directly hee shall suffer death because the mercy of the King may pardon and release him In like manner though an unbeleever bee condemned by the verdict of his owne conscience and by the sentence of Gods word which shall iudge a man at the last day yet there is a latitude a space of time I meane the terme of this life betweene the condemnation and the execution and this space is spara miserâ—cordiâ— the compasse or circuit wherein Gods mercy and our repentance â—â—â—ves if in this Interim a man can make meanes to Iesus Christ to procure him a pardon from God as that he hath promises to procure for any poore sinner that makes meanes unto him for it is his office to bee our Advocate and you know a good Advocate doth alwaies helpe a bad cause I say if he can out 〈◊〉 out his pardon before 〈…〉 of his 〈…〉 his some shall bee 〈◊〉 before the 〈◊〉 of God and his 〈◊〉 shall bee as iâ— they had never beene So much by the way oâ—â—â—e comfort of such 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 faith The second sort are 〈◊〉 men that have nothing else but faith that make profession of faith and a good conscience but have no other vertue no manner of good 〈◊〉 to commend them to God or to the world The 〈…〉 adde to your 〈◊〉 vertue 2. Pet. 1. 7. because though the excellency of a 〈◊〉 lye chiefely in his faith wherby he 〈◊〉 hold upon â—esus 〈◊〉 for life and salvation yeâ— this â—aith is not compleaâ—◠〈◊〉 perfect and right â—s it ought to be unlesse it have beleeâ—e added to it As Solomon saith Eccle. 7. 11. Wisâ—â—ome is good 〈…〉 it doth well without it but better with it so doth â—aith with vertue And the reason is â—aith hath 〈…〉 a drawing property it drawes home grace and mercy to a mans owne soule as a loadstone if it bee not rubbell with Garlike will draw so will faith if it bee not suffyed with sinne vertue hath 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 our 〈…〉 that vertue was gone out of him he did not keepe his vertue to himselfe but was content it should goe out of him that others might be bettered and amended by it Have but patience a little and 〈…〉 you the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 bee â—ddeâ— to ouâ—â—aith by the 〈…〉 of those whose 〈◊〉 was commended by our Saviour Christ himselfe tobe a 〈◊〉 and a saving â—aith 1. Fides 〈◊〉 Mat. 〈◊〉 The faith of the woman with the blood◠〈◊〉 â—â—ee came creeping 〈…〉 our Saviour and drew vertue â—â—cretly from him and went her way and made no words of it And our Saviour saith unto her Go thy way thy faith hath 〈◊〉 thâ—â— whole what kind of faith was 〈…〉 was a private a secret faith a â—aith that can go to â—od and make no 〈◊〉 of it that can draw vertue from 〈◊〉 make no boast of it that is one property of a saving faith 2. Fides 〈◊〉 thâ— faith of the 〈◊〉 woâ—an Mat. 15. to whom our Saviour promised such an unlimited Boâ—ne what 〈◊〉 of â—â—ith 〈◊〉 here it was a patient and an humble faith she 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 to be despised to be called a dog to her own face any thing whatsoever so that shee might but 〈…〉 â—avour and wring some 〈…〉 the hands of God This is â—â—other vertue of a saving faith it makes a man 〈◊〉 humble in all discourtesies no man living can thinke so basely or speake so 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 as he thinkes and speakes of himselfe his enemies and he are well agreed they 〈◊〉 hâ—â— and he 〈◊〉 himselfe 〈…〉 and â—ee reviles himselfe they 〈…〉 of him he thinkes and speakes as ill oâ— worse of himselfe and so the 〈◊〉 is quickly ended This also is a vertue that muâ—â— be 〈…〉 〈…〉 you know how 〈…〉 at 〈◊〉 that waâ— as one 〈◊〉 interprâ—â—s it that God through Christ â—ight looke upon her and â—he through Christ might lookâ— upon God 〈…〉 washing his 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 with the hayres of her 〈◊〉 well â—aith our 〈…〉 thy way thâ—â—aith hath saved thee what kinde of faith was heâ—â— it was a weeping a 〈…〉 faith without 〈◊〉 will 〈…〉 the repenting â—aith that is the saying 〈…〉 4. Fides 〈◊〉 the â—aith of the 〈◊〉 leaper Luke 17. Thâ—◠〈◊〉 and gave 〈…〉 God and to ouâ— Saviour 〈…〉 Goâ— thy way thy 〈…〉 of â—aith was his it was a 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 withoâ—◠〈…〉 without expression oâ— ouâ—â—uty to God will 〈…〉 that is the saving 〈…〉 be added to our faith 5. Fides Bartimâ—i the faith of Bartimâ—ius the blind begger Luke 18. that cryed so improtunately to our Saviour Christ Iesus thou sonne
that knew how to tender and succour our infirmities because himselfe had a feeling of them in his owne nature This made him so tenderly affected towards the hungry multitude Matt. 15. because himselfe knew by his owne experience what an unsufferable misery hunger was This made him so compassionate towards the sorrowes of Mary and Mâ—â—sha Ioâ— 11. because himselfe was 〈…〉 acquainted with griâ—â—â— and sorrow And such was his compassion toward Peter in that state of desertion wherein he lay Luk 22. because himselfe knew and felt in his owne soule what a wofull thing it was to be forsaken of God And this is the assurance which the Apostle gives us that we shall obtaine mercy and grace from Iesus Christ to helpe and comfort us in time of need Heb. 4. 16. because himselfe had a feeling of the same infirmities and was a man subject to the same passions that wee our selves are sinne onely excepted In a word then as there is no Rose since the Creation but hath his prickles as well as his sweet leaves so there is no man living since the fall of Adam except our Saviour forementioned who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man both but hath his passions as well as his perfections his infirmities as well as his graces As Cyril observes there is no Rock of stone so hard but hath some cracks some clefts and seames in it whereat weedes spring out and grow so there is no mans heart so sanctified and filled with grace but hath some cracks some flawes in it whereat his sinnes and corruptions sprout and issue out to his no small regret and griefe And as we see by experience that there is chaffe about everie corne in the field and bitternesse in every branch of Wormewood and saltnesse in every drop of water in the Sea so is there infirmity and frailty corruption and passion in every man woman and child of what estate of what degree of what profession soever Eliah was a holy man a zealous man a man of God and yet a man subject to passons Let no man therefore be too forward or too severe in censuring and condemning the follies and frailties the weakenesses and passions of godly men or of the men of God such as Eliah was for alas they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject to the same passions that other men are Salomon tells us Pro. 27. 19. That as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man A man that lookes into the water or into a glasse shall see a face there in all points answering to his owne the same spots the same warts the same wrinkles and blemishes that he sees in the face in the water they are all the very same in his owne face there is face answering to face so doth the heart of man to man the same evills the same corruptions lusts and sinnes that thou seest in another mans heart breaking out into his life the very selfe-same are in thy owne heart his heart to thine is but as a face answering to a face in the water Observe the Apostles demand 1 Cor. 4. 7. and apply it to thy selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who makes thee to differ from an other man For by nature all are alike all equally devoid of spirituall grace and goodnesse and all equally prone to sinne and wickednesse how comes it to passe then that one man differs from another that one is holy blamelesse and undefiled in his way another licentious and loose and spotted with the world Answ It is not any thing in nature beleeve that for a truth but meerely that same Gratia discriminans as Divines call it that distinguishing Grace of God it is that which makes the difference betwixt one man and another Let no man therefore ascribe any thing to himselfe for his freedome from great offences but give God the glory of his grace which had made him to differ from the greatest sinner and if at any time thou seest another man breake out into passion or miscary in his way by some ill temptation reprove him in Gods name and pray for him when thou hast done and withall reflect upon thy selfe and say as Plato did Num ego talis uspiam Am not I such a one Have not I beene or may not I be as vile and as vicious as he Be not therefore too censorious nor too supercilious as the manner of some is but incline rather to thinke everie man better than to thinke any man worse than thy selfe if thou seest thy brother overtaken in a fault doe then as the Apostle adviseth thee Gal. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restore him with the spirit of meekenesse or as the word signifieth bind him up gently and lovingly as a Chirurgian doth a bone that is out of joynt Considering thy selfe saith he least thou also be tempted considering I say that thou art as he is and all men are as Eliah was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too like one another in that which is naught all subject to the same passions All as the Apostle saith shut up under sin And I pray God of his goodnesse have mercy on us all Amen Againe the consideration of this if it be rightly conceived may serve for a comfort and a stay unto such tender consciences as have sinned of infirmitie and like Moses in their haste have spoken unadvisedly with their lips not being able for the time to over-rule and bridle their passions It is some comfort to consider that the greatest Saints of God have sometimes beene of the same temper yea there is not a soule in heaven the soule of Iesus Christ onely excepted but hath beene sometimes subject to the very same passions And I said This is my infirmity saith the Psalmist Psal 77. 10. but I remember the yeares of the right hand of the most High i I consider and call to minde that God in former times and in the dayes of old hath had compassion upon the same infirmities in other men and why should I misdoubt he being still the same compassionate God but that he will have pitty and compassion upon the same infirmities in me But some man may say How shall I know and be assured that my sinnes are sinnes of infirmitie such as God will winke at and not rather sinnes of presumption and iniquitie such as his soule abhorres Answ A sinne of infirmity may be knowne two wayes 1. By the antecedent which goes before it and that is an honest resolution of a mans heart against sinne and evill when a man doth stedfastly resolve by the assistance and grace of God to separate himselfe from every knowne sin and to sanctifie himselfe in all holy duty and obedience to God striving by a holy desire and an hearty endeavour in nothing willingly to sinne against God but in every thing to please him and approve himselfe unto him if such a man chance to fall by occasion into a fault or be overtaken
unawares as the Apostle speakes Gal. 6. 1. besides the purpose of his heart and against the intention and desire of his soule that mans sinnes are sinnes of infirmitie which by the mercy of God shall never be laid to his charge Contrarily when a man shall hang in â—quilibrio in an even ballance as it were betwixt wickednesse and goodnesse and shal be equally disposed to sinne or not to sinne as occasion shall offer it selfe or which is worse shall doe like him Psal 36. 4. shall set and settle himselfe in a way that is not good resolving with himselfe that this sinne â—its my turne and pleaseth my humour and I will not part with it or which is worst of all when a man shall draw iniquity with cords of vanity as the Prophet spaketh as if the devill were backward and sinne would not come fast enough upon him of its owne accord shall fish and angle for it and hunt after ill company and draw himselfe and others into sinne as Fish and Fowles are drawn into a net to their ruine and destruction this mans sinnes are farre beyond the sinne of infirmity for they are sinnes of iniquity and sinnes of obstinacie and such as will cost him many a sigh many a groane many a teare before ever he shall attaine to this comfortable perswasion that there is compassion with God and salvation with Christ for his soule 2. A sinne of infirmity is knowne by the consequents of it or that which followes after it it leaves such a sting behind it in the soule that a man can never be at quiet in his owne conscience till he hath made his peace with God by a sound and serious humiliation and reconciled himselfe againe to Iesus Christ Yea it never leaves a man till it hath brought him to that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Indignation which the Apostle speakes of 2 Cor. 7. 11. that a man shall even fret and vexe and fall out with himselfe for offending and provoking so good so gracious a God It will make a man upbraid himselfe for a very beast and a foole as David did Psal 73. So ignorant was I and so foolish even as a beast before thee And it is a sure rule that of Saint Augustin peccata non nocent si non placent if a mans sinnes doe not please â—im they will never hurt him Whereas on the contrary when a man can carry away his sinnes as lightly as Sampson carried the gates of Azzâ— that they are no burthen to his 〈…〉 e or if they doe beginne to trouble him shall doe as Saul did betake himselfe to musicke and sport and merry company to drive it away as if one sinne could drive out another and not rather drive it farther in beleeve it this mans sinnes are no sinnes of infirmitie but they are sinnes of an higher nature and such as will cost a man deare ere hee can be acquitted of them in the sight of God And this I dare confidently affirme that there is no man that sinnes of infirmity but he iâ— afterward the better for his sinne it makes him the more jealous of himselfe the more watchfull over his wayes the more carefull to serve and please God than ever hee had beene in former times Whereupon saith Saint Austin upon those words of the Apostle Rom. 8. Omnia cooperantur c. All things worke together for good to them that love God Etiam peccata Domine Even our very sinnes O Lord for by sinne we have experience of our infirmitie our infirmity brings us downe to humility humility brings us home to God and in God every man hath his quietus est a happy discharge from all his sinnes This being done one thing onely remaines and that is this A man that hath sinned of infirmity will labour to bring forth that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Iohn Baptist speakes of Mat. 3. 8. the worthy fruits of repentance for you most know that repentance is one thing and the fruit of repentance is another it is not enough to repent and be sorry for what a man hath done so did Iudas so did Ahab but he must honestly and unfainedly endeavour to bring forth the fruit of repentance and that is the reformation and alteration of his life and conversation in the sight of God and men If it he thus with thee take comfort in Gods name from this comfortable Doctrine that thou art no other then Eliah was a man subject to passion It followes Eliah was a man subject to passions yet hee prayed Hence wee may learne never to be so dejected at the view of our frailties and imperfections as to forbeare our resorting to God in prayer For no man living hath so much neede to pray to God as a man subject to passions It was one part of Salomons request to God 2 Chron. 6. 29. When any one shall perceive and feele his owne sore his owne griefe and the plague of his owne heart as he termeth a mans owne corruption what shall he doe Shall hee despaire shall he be driven backe from God as Iordan was driven backe at the persence of the Arke no let him this doe let him downe upon his knees to God and spread forth his hands to heaven and the Lord which dwelleth in heaven will heare him and when he heares have mercy It was an amazed and unadvised prayer that of Simon to our Saviour Luke 5. 8. when he cried out Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man as if a Patient should say to the Phisitian depart from me for I am sicke The sicker a man is the more neede he hath of the Phisitians presence and the sinfuller he is the more neede to draw neere to his Saviour as a man that shivers of an Ague creepes nearer and nearer to the fire You know our Saviours gracious call Come unto me all yâ— that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Now as Saint Bernard saith every Christian is Animal onerifâ—rum a burden-bearing creature not a Christian upon earth but hath some crosse or other to clogge him some corruption or other to burthen him at times and lies heavy upon his heart what then is to be done Shall he lie downe like Issachar and couch betweene his burthen Shall he be disheartened and discouraged from resorting and approaching to God God forbid let him in Gods name come to Iesus Christ that calls him with teares in his eyes with true griefe and Godly sorrow in his heart with humble confessions and prayers in his mouth and he hath promised in verbo servatoris in the word of a Saviour that hee will release and ease him of it One thing I must tell thee by the way when thou prayest to Christ for ease thou must promise him obedience and service as the Israelites did to Rhehoboam 1 Reg. 12. Ease us of our burthen and we will be thy servants for ever Thus doe and then let thy burthen be never so
great thy corruptions never so many thy passions never so strong He that could calme the sea can calme thy sorrowes and speake peace unto thy soule in the midst of all thy troubles and therefore if at any time thy passions be stirred and thy heart disquieted within thee know of a surety that there is some Ionah that hath raised this storme some sinne or other that hath caused this trouble to thy soule then fall to thy prayers as Eliah did and give God no rest till God hath given rest to thy soule Eliah was a man subject to passions and 〈…〉 It followes How did he pray My text 〈◊〉 he prayed earnestly in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In praying he prayed or he prayed a prayer we translate it He prayed earnestly and it is to very good purpose for it implies thus much that no prayer is a prayer indeede but an earnest prayer Cold and carelesse prayers counterfeit and superstitious prayers they be but res nihili in Gods account no prayers at all I will give you an instance Act. 9. 11. When Paul was converted and stricken with blindnesse Almightie God sent Ananias to him to lay his hands upon him and to recover him of his sight now least he should mistake the man and lay his hands upon a wrong party God gives him this prive token to know him by for behold he prayeth Now let me demand do you think that S. Paul never prayed to God till that time or doe you imagine that was the first prayer that ever Paul made It is the first we reade of but doe you thinke he never prayed before I beleeve hee did many a time and oft and I will give you my reason Saint Paul you know was a Pharisee one of the strictest and devoutest of all the Sect as he testifies of himselfe and the Pharisees you know were altogether given to long praying it was their glory and their gaine to that they could make long prayers in every place in the open streets in widowes houses and no doubt but Saint Paul had as excellent a faculty that way and could pray as long and as largely as the best of them all but see the issue Almighty God who stiles himselfe the hearer of prayers gave no eare tooke no notice of all his formall Pharisaicall hypocriticall prayers which he had made in former times till he came to this humble this earnest this heart-breaking prayer And now saith God Behold he prayeth hee never prayed indeed till now for as Philo saith well God doth not numerare but ponderare not number our prayers but weigh them if he finde them cordiall if he finde them hearty that they have some substance and soâ—e weight in them then he records and registers and sets them downe in that booke of remembrancâ— which the Prophet speakes of Mal. 3. 16. If otherwise they be dull and heartlesse lazy and spiritlesse God doth by them as hee doth by onr sinnes of ignorance Act. 17. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 winke at them over-see them passe by and take no notice of them let no man therefore deceive himselfe to thinke that all kinde of praying speeds alike for no prayer is a prayer in Gods account but an earnest prayer Eliah prayed a prayer because he prayed earnestly Furthermore it is worth your noting to see the constant disposition of this holy man Eliah was well knowne to be a hot spirited man in all his actions exceeding zealous and earnest in all his reprehensions both of the King and of the people Now here you may observe the equability the evennesse of Eliahs zeale as he was earnest in his reprehensions so he was as earnest in his devotions and as zealous in his prayers as he was in his anger There is many a man hot and fiery in his anger but cold and luke-warme in prayers such zeale is never right Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be alwayes earnest in a good thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is the word to be hot and fiery and zealously affected in one good thing as well as another in devotion as well as reprehension in prayer as well as in anger When a mans zeale is equable like Eliahs then it is right and pleasing to God As Physitians judge of the state of a mans body Vniversalia salutaria particularia ex morbâ— as thus if a man be hot in one part and cold in another if the palmes of his hands burne and the soles of his feet be key-cold then all is not right but if he be of an indifferent equall heate all over that held a good signe of good health in the body By the like rule judge thou of the state of thy soule if thy zeale be equable and uniforme both in prayer and in anger it is a good signe of grace and sanctification in thy heart but if it vary and differ that there is too much heate in the one too little in the other all is not well within It was the reason which old Father Latimer gave why men in these dayes doe not prevaile with God in their prayers as Eliah and such others had done in former times Deest ignis saith he deest ignis There lackes fire there lackes fire his meaning is our prayers want that zeale that heate that earnestnesse which they put into theirs For as Incense without fire yeelds no smell no more doth prayer without zeale and earnestnesse and as Hony is no Hony if it have lost its sweetnesse and Vinegar is no Vinegar if it have lost its sharpenesse so Prayer is no Prayer if it be void of earnestnesse Eliah prayed indeede because he prayed earnestly Now I come to the subject and matter of his Prayer which I told you was first for a judgement and then for a blessing first for a drought and then for raine as it followeth He prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and sixe moneths Here are two weighty points to be considered 1. What should move Eliah to pray for a judgement 2. Why hee made choise to pray for this kind of judgement of drought and dearth rather then for any other I will tell you my opinion of both 1. Vpon what ground or by what warrant did Eliah pray for a judgement S. Paul in my conceit seemes to taxe him for it Rom. 11. 2. and he brings it in with a notandum wote ye not i doe ye not marke and observe what the Scripture saith of Eliah how he made intercession to God against Israel Good men in former times were wont to make intercession to God For the people not Against them Abraham prayed for the wicked Sodomites Ieremy prayed for the Idolatrous Israelites till God forbad him and gave him a countermand Pray no more for this people for I will not heare thee Ier. 11. 14. The Husbandman in the Parable entreates his Master for the unfruitfull tree that hee
of piety to God but when the poore and hungry come to them as Christ came to that Figtree hoping to pull some fruite of charity and mercy from them there is nothing to be found but leaves good words perhaps and that is all beleeve it such men are nigh unto cursing and it is Gods infinite mercie if hee doe not blast their estate as Christ did the Fig-tree that it shall never prosper to them nor theirs The other wonder of Christ that did any hurt was that Mat. Chapter eight The drowning of the Swine and yet that was the devils doing Christ onely gave way to these evill spirits which seeke the destruction of man and beast to carry them headlong into the 〈◊〉 as they would carry us too but that God above who stiles himselfe The preserver of men is pleased in mercy to keepe out of their clutches and this was symbolicall too to let us understand how God hates all those that are of a swinish disposition that is all drunken sots that like swine have neither wit nor grace to moderate themselves in the use of Gods creatures and all lazie beasts that mind nothing but their bellies as you know a Swine is one of the laziest creatures that a man can keepe it doth him no worke nor service at all or lastly All hoggish worldlings and miserable muck-wormes of the earth that never doe good till they come to die let all such tremble and feare and call to God for mercy least in his just judgement hee deliver their soules into the hands of those hellish Fiends to carry them headlong as they did the swine into the lake that burneth with fire and brimestone for evermore there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth These are the two severest wonders that ever our Saviour did or suffered to be done as for all the rest looke into the Stories of the Gospel which are the Acts and Monuments of Iesus Christ you shall finde to be all gracious all beneficiall all healing and saving wonders Never any man came to him for sight that went away blind never any came to him for hearing that went away deafe never any came to him for health that went away sicke In a word you shall never finde that ever any man or woman came to our Saviour for any help or mercy that ever went away confounded or disappointed of their hopes Now beloved Christ is the same Iesus still that then he was Coelum non animum as we say though he have changed his place he hath not changed his nature but is still as favourable as indulgent to mankind as ever he was if we doe but as truly seeke unto him for our soules health as they did for their bodies So you see the nature of these wonders is altered from that they were in Eliahs times the severity of the Law suites not with the lenity of the Gospel and we must now imitate our Saviour in works of mercy not follow Eliah in prayers for judgment We see Luk 9. 54. When the disciples fingers itched to be revenged on the Samaritans for their base discourtesie in not entertaining our Saviour Master said they wilt thou that we command fire from heaven and consume them as Eliah did We have a president for it it is a booke case Eliah did so let us doe the like these men deserve it as bad or worse than they with whom Eliah had to doe No saith our Saviour the case is altered ye know not of what spirit ye are the spirit of the Law required severity the spirit of the Gospel requires meekenesse and mercy Farre is it from the good Spirit of Christ and of God to stirre up any mans heart to private revenge not an Eagle but a Dove was the shape wherein that holy and healthfull Spirit made choise to appeare Let us therefore all that are called Christians follow no other president but our Saviour Christs whose onely lesson that ever he set us to learne of him was 〈…〉 and meeke and so doing we shall finde Requiâ—m animabus 〈…〉 owne soules The third and last reason that may warrant Eliah in praying for a judgement was 3. Necessitas rei the necessity of the thing it self that holy Prophet had spent his strength in vaine Sermon upon Sermon warning upon warning threatning upon threatning and when he saw that nothing would worke them to goodnesse then he prayes for a judgement not in a vindictive way to be revenged upon them but as a desperate remedy knowing that that or nothing would bring them to good as it is said 2 Chron. ult God sent his Prophets rising early and sending them and used all gentle meanes to reclaime them till there was no remedy then he sent destruction In this sence if a man have a child or a friend or any one that he wisheth well to his soule if he be growen to that passe so hardned in sinne that no perswasions no warnings no threatnings will worke upon him I am perswaded it were neither uncharitable nor unpleasing to God if a man should pray Lord smite him correct him lay some medicinall some healing punishment upon him that he may see the errour of his wayes and may returne and repent and so be saved Vpon these and the like grounds I suppose Eliah might with a safe conscience pray for a judgement but then the next question is Why hee should make choise to pray for this kinde of judgement of drought and dearth for want of raine rather than any other I will tell you what I think the reasons may be 1. Because it was an uncontrouleable a convincing judgement if Eliah should have brought any earthly or visible judgement as Sword or Pestilence c. they would have imputed it presently to some secondary meanes and causes now this was a heavenly an invisible judgement the stoppage of the cloudes the detaining of Raine and the burning and scorching of the 〈…〉 judgement from heaven and 〈…〉 needes confesse to be Digitus the 〈…〉 God not Aliqnid humani no handy worke of any mortall man For this was the fallacy which the Scribes and Pharises put upon our Saviour Mat. 16. 1. When they had seene all the miracles and wonders of Christ how hee cured the sicke c. they conceited that these things might be done by slight of hand by art Magicke by Beelzebub or by Conjuration c but say they Shew us asigne from Heaven and then we will beleeve They knew that a Magician or a devill might doe much upon earth but he could doe nothing in heaven therefore say they shew us a signe from Heaven and we will beleeve So here to prevent all misconceites Elias prayed and procures a judgement from heaven and that a convincing a cutting judgement for you must know that the people at that time left off to worship the true God and fell to worship Baall the Sunne the Moone and all the Hoast of Heaven trusting no doubt that these gods of
theirs would by their influence so moysten and fatten the earth that they should not need to be beholding to God for any rayne now quoth Eliah here is a judgement to try your gods withall goe to the gods that ye have served let them helpe now or never if they can doe any thing they can send a showre of rayne if not why doe ye serve them I say it was a convincing judgement Eliah did it on purpose to let them see the vilenesse of their Idolatry what base what impotent what unworthy gods they served that could not helpe their clyents to a drop of raine In like manner whatsoever a man makes his god besides the true one I meane puts his trust in for helpe in time of neede shall at length so deceive him and so befoole him that he shall be forced to confesse as these people did in the end The Lord he is God The Lord he is God 2. Because it was a just and a fitting punishment this people were guilty of spirituall barrennesse and God plagued them with temporall barrennesse No Nation under heaven was so husbanded and manured of God so watered with the dewes of heaven I meane with the meanes of grace and salvation as they were and yet none more unfruitful in every good work Now therefore Eliah fits them with a judgement sutable and agreeable to their sinne hee prayes to God that it might not raine that so their lands might be answerable to their lives and their soyles become as barren as their soules Thus it pleaseth God many times to pay men in their owne coyne to come home to them in their owne kinde and to fit his punishments according to their sinnes That as they that sinne in their goods by misgetting miskeeping and mispending them are many times punished in their goods by losses and crosses by fire by water c. And as they that sinne in their children by misloving or misnurturing them are oft times punished in their children as David was in Absolom and Adonijah so they that sinne in their lands it is just with God to punish them in their lands Salomon tells us Prov. 21. 4. that the plowing of a wicked man is sinne That is strange the husbandry and tillage of the ground is generally held to be one of the most honest the most innocent the most harmelesse callings in the world and so it is of it selfe and yet we see when a wicked man takes the plow in hand when a man goes to his plow with an ill minde and an ill conscience his very plowing addes to his sinnes And it is just with God that that land which is plowed sinfully should thrive accordingly and become as bad and as barren as the owner A fruitfull land doth God make barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein 3. Because it was a sensible and a palpable judgement As God Almighty told Cain Gen. 4. 7. that he should be cursed from the earth The Lord knew that Caine cared not to be cursed from heaven and to be banished from the presence of God and branded for a Reprobate but to be cursed from the earth to be cursed in earthly things he being a tiller of the earth that would goe nearest to his heart of any judgement Even such is the disposition of every man of the earth as David termes earthly-minded men they doe not value nor care to be cursed from heaven to be excommunicated out of the favour of God and out of the blessed company of all faithfull people which censure of excomunication if it be rightly carried with a Clave non errante as the Schoolemen speake when there is no errour committed in the use of the Keyes is one of the greatest punishments under heaven But carnall men are not sensible of this and therefore God will punish them in that wherein they are sensible in their wives and children in their corne and cattell c. in such things as are neerest and dearest to them as when David slung his stone at Goliah if he had strucke him upon any part of his harnesse he had never felt the blow but striking him as he did in the forehead which was naked and tender that sunke him presently so it is with carnall men for spirituall judgements they are harnessed their hearts are hardned their consciences are seared they have as the Apostle speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horny hoofe as it were growne over their hearts that makes them insensible of any spirituall blow that can light upon them Therefore Almighty God knowing in what part they lie naked in what kinde they are tenderly affected namely in their affection to earthly things strikes them there plagues them in that and that â—inkes them like Nabal whose heart died within him like a stone As we see in Exodus how Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardned their heart and out stood all the plagues of Egypt till God plagued them in their children and that broke their hearts So beleeve it they that care not for spirituall punishments for the losse of Gods favour the losse of heaven the losse and perill of their owne soules God will finde a time to punish them in that which they do and shal care for in their corne in their substance in that which is neerest and â—earest â—o thâ— As he did these Israelites here because they were not sensible of the want of grace God punisht them with that would make them sensible with the want of raine that when they had plowed sowne their land and bestowed all their care and cost all should be in vaine for want of moisture to refresh the earth These or the like reasons I suppose might move Eliah to pray and procure this kinde of judgement By the way if any man desire to know the reason why God is not thus marvelous in the Ministers of the Gospel as he was in Eliah and those other Prophets of the Law why we that are his Evangelicall Prophets cannot doe such wonders in our dayes as they did in theirs Answ though that same donum miraculorum the gift of Miracles be ceased in the Church now that the Gospel hath taken roote as Husbandmen when they transplant a tree at first they set props and staies to shore it up but after it hath taken roote they plucke away the stayes and let it grow by the ordinary influence of the heavens I say though the gift of working wonders be ceased yet miracles and wonders in an another kind never cease but are wrought daily by the Preachers of the Gospel For you must know that the micles under the Gospel are of a differing nature from the miraracles under the Law those were â—cularia miracula as I may fitly call them eye-miracles that were visible and outwardly apparent to be seene but these are Auricularia miracula Eare-miracles secret and invisible wrought in the heart by the Word and Spirit of God entring in at the eare and going
downe into the soule Though we cannot command or forbid the raine to water the earth as Eliah did if we can water and mollifie the earthen hearts of men with the supernaturall raine of heavenly Doctrine and make a dry and barren soule beare fruit to God Is not this as great a wonder as the other Though we cannot cause nor command the thunder as Samuel did to terrifie the people for their sinnes yet God hath his Boanerges his sonnes of thunder still that by ratling from heaven the terrible judgements of God against sinne and sinners are able to make the stoutest and the proudest heart upon earth even tremble and quake and fall downe before the presence of God and is not this as great a miracle as that of Samuel to bring an unhumbled sinner upon his knees and make glad to cry God mercy for his sinnes In a word though wee cannot cast out devils out of mens bodies as the disciples of Christ could doe if we can cast the devill out of mens soules by the powerfull Gospell of Iesus Christ is it not as great a wonder Beleeve it brethren the conversion of a sinner to God and bringing of a soule to heaven is absolutely without comparison the greatest miracle the greatest wonder in the world And these be the miracles wherewith it pleaseth God to grace the Ministers of the Gospel therefore ye observe that the Collect for Ministers runnes thus Almighty God which onely workest great marvels c. When a soule is sicke to the death with a surfeit of sinne is recovered and revived againe by that same healthfull spirit of grace which God together with his Word doth breathe into the soule it is so great a marvell so rare a wonder that the Angels of heaven rejoyce to see it I have held you over-long in the former part of Eliahs prayer which brought the judgment heare now in a word or two the Reversing of the judgement and I have done And he prayed again the heavens gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit It well becomes the Prophets of God to be mercifull Good Eliah had not the heart to hold the people too long under a judgement when hee saw hee had done enough to humble them he desires God to reverse the judgement As it is observed of the good Angels in the old and new Testament when they appeared to any either man or woman their method and manner was this Primò terrent deinde laetisicaâ—t they first terrified them and put them into feare then presently comforted them and put them out of feare Thus did Eliah with this people thus did Moses with Pharaoh that good man had not the heart to hold wicked Pharoah alway under a judgement but upon the least entreaty made suit to God to reverse it So dealt the Prophet with Ieroboam 1 Reg. 13. 6. when he had smitten him with a judgment and had him at the advantage that his hand was withered Ieroboam was glad to submit and say Intreate now the face of the Lord thy God and pray for me that my hand may be restored me the man of God had not the heart to deny him but immediatly besought the Lord and the Kings hand was restored and became as it was before When a judgement comes then Prophets are in season Abraham is better than a King in this case Gen. 20. 7. 17. Restore the man his own for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and ver 17. Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimeleeh c. Goe to my servant Iob saith God to his friends Iob 42. 8. and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept So Act. 8. 24. When Peter had denounced a curse on Simon Magus he was glad to crouch and cry unto him Oh pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me Thus ye see that judgements and plagues will bring Prophets into request men commonly deale with their Ministers as boyes do by Walnut-trees and other fruit-trees in faire weather throw cudgels at us in foule runne to us for shelter In the dayes of peace and prosperity we are past over as superfluous creatures of whom there is little use and lesse neede but when the wrath of God falls on the naked soule when the conscience is wounded within and body pained without then the Minister is thought on I say no more if you desire their prayers and that God should heare them praying for you in your extremity do not slight them doe not wrong them in prosperity Remember how Ahab and all Israel were glad to be beholden to Eliah to reverse their judgment and you doe not know how soone the case may be your owne therefore as you love your soules love those that have charge of them And he prayed againe c. When I looke into the Story 1 Reg. 18. I can finde no direct prayer that Eliah made for raine But I â—iud there a twofold prayer that he made 1. A virtuall 2. A formall prayer 1. A virtuall prayer not for raine but for their conversion Oh Lord saith Eliah bring backe or bâ—ing home the heart of this people unto thee vers 73. and this includes all other prayers that can be made A prayer for Conversion is a prayer for every thing Ier. 31. 18. When Epâ—ratm prayes for conversion Turne thou me and I shall be turned saith God I will surely have mercy upon him c. Such is the goodnesse of God that he will with-hold no good thing be it raine be it plenty be it any thing that is good for them from them that are converted and brought home by true repentance to him Therefore if thou standest in neede of any temporall mercy pray first for conversion and all other good things shall be super-added and throwne in unto thee or if thou prayest for any child or for any friend to doe him good indeed pray for his conversion and thou prayest for every thing that one prayer is instar omnium insteed of all the rest If hee be in an ill way desire God to bring him backe and for future things take no care 2 A formall prayer when he saw that the people were truely humbled and that their hearts were indeed brought home to God insomuch that they cried out with an ingemmination The Lord he is God the Lord he is God then hee buckles his head betweene his knees to shew the humble prostration of his soule and falls a praying to God for raine After humiliation any prayer comes in season Esay 1. Wash ye make ye cleane put away the evill of your doings c. And now come saith God and we will reason together now let us parle now let us confesse now pray and I will heare you Iud. 10. 17. When the Israelites put away their strange gods and turned themselves to the true God by sincere repentance and reformation the text saith
of that have ventured confidently on the Ice upon the Thames till it hath broken under them and they have perished irrecoverably so have many made a great shew in the world have beene in great dealings and beene confident of their fortunes till the Ice hath broken their credits have crackt and they sunke on a sudden See 2 Reg. 1. How securely Ahaziah walked on his wonted pavement fearing no danger nor distrusting any ill event and all on a sudden the floore that he walkes upon or some grate that was in the floore brakes under him and hee got such a fall that he never could recover it till his death It is not good therfore for any man to be too confident of his own estate vainely saying with Iob Chap. 29. 18. I shall die in my nest or with David Psa 30. 6. I shall never be moved but rather as the Apostle adviseth Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall For those that stand fastest upon earth have but slippery footing it is but a kinde of Ice take heede of breaking And yet there is another kinde of Ice which he that can breake or have it 〈◊〉 is a happy man and that is the Ice of sinne I meane the hardnesse of heart for looke how Ice hardens the water so doth sinne harden the heart and make it insensible of any danger and untractable to any goodnesse As long as the frost holds the Ice and the water are all one till the thaw comes and then it breakes into these buccellas these morsels that my text speakes of so as long as a man is frozen in the dregs of sinne and accustomed to aâ— evill course of life so long his sinnes and he are all one all the perswasions in the world cannot part them till God be pleased to send downe that same Gratiam mollificativam as Divines call it that same mollifying and melting grace that his heart begins to thaw and his sinnes and hee begin to part then doth he cast out those buccellas peccati those morsels of sinne by daily confession and contrition to God which before lay and wounded his conscience that he could never be at peace And this is that which the Scripture calls the breaking of the heart it is just like the breaking of Ice when the heart is dissolved with griefe and Godly sorrow and his sinnes begin to breake away by repentance and reformation of life then doth the Spirit of God which Zachary calls the Spirit of Grace and supplication doe as in the first creation Iâ—cubare super aquas sit and brood as it were upon these waters to hatch new graces to create a new heart and make him a new creature in Christ Iesus I might observe further how reverently how religiously the Prophet David speakes of the Ice and cold that he calls the Ice ejus Glacies Gods Ice and the cold ejus fâ—igus his cold to shew that God hath a hand in all ill-weather and that we ought not to blame the creatures but to remember their Creatour who for our sinnes justly is displeased But I hasten to the last part of my Text and that is 4. The compassion and tender mercy of God that God hath not the heart to hold his people long under a judgement but as in the tenth of Iudges when the people were throughly humbled his soule was grived for the misery of Israel and hee sent a remedy out of 〈◊〉 and as Davids heart after some space of time began to yearne after Absalan whom for his rebellion he had justly banished and hee must needes recall him home So when we relent God relents when we begin to bâ—e grieved for our sins then doth God begin to be grieved for our punishments when our hearts are melted within God melts the earth without as it followeth in the text Hitt Emi verbum lique facit c. He sendeth out his word and melteth them Hee bloweth with his winde and the waters stonâ— He sendeth out his word that is his command for so the ten Commandements are called Decem verba the ten words of God And hee bloweth with his winde in the originall it is flabir spiritus his spirit shall blow for the spirit of God and winde and breath of God are all one Now marke from the connexion of these two How the word of God and the spirit of God goe evermore together Hee sendeth out his word and bloweth with his spirit Iust as in the body of a man the veynes and the Arteryes goe ever together the veynes â—ary the blood and the Arteryes carry the spirits for every veyne in the body there is an Artery goes along with it So wheresoever there is a veyne of truth I meane where the word of God is faithfully preached there is vehiculum spiritus an Artery for the spirit of God to accompany and goe along with it to mollifie and intenerate that same nervum ferreum which the Prophet speakes of that Ironsinâ—w of unbeliefe and to make the word effectuall for the melting and thawing of the frozon hearts of sinners Now if you looke backe upon this kindly Thaw that God hath sent us after so long and lamentable a time of Snow and Ice and cold you shall see in it a lively resemblance of the inward and spirituall thaw and melting of a hardned heart that hath beene frozen a long time in the dregges of sinne and beene utterly uncapable of any grade untill such time as God doth send out his Word and melteth him and bloweth upon his soule with that same truely so called ventus favonius that favourable winde of his holy Spirit that makes the waters of repenting teares fall downe from his eyes I will but name the particulars and so conclude 1. The Thaw is alwayes accompanied with a change of weather the skie which before was faire and cleare and bright doth then grow cloudy and sad and darke with foggie mists and vapours that a man hath no pleasure to be abroad in it And thus it is with a repenting soule when God sends this Spirituall thaw a man shall finde a change of weather in his heart his joy will be changed into sorrow his mirth into melancholy his songs and merry tunes into sighes and sobbes and hee shall sensibly perceive the foggy vapours of his sinnes arise out of his heart into his head and come trickling downe in teares at his eyes It is said in the Psalmes that therefore the wicked feare not God because they have no changes but still continue in one estate of prosperity and pride and so think to passe a deliciys ad delicias from the joyes of earth to the joyes of heaven but that will not be if ever God intend to save their soules he will finde a time to send a thaw into their hearts and then let them tell me if they doe not finde a change of weather in their consciences 2. If it chance to thaw and then freeze againe
the next day this makes the wayes and passages worse than they were before So when a mans heart shall melt a little on the Sonday and freeze againe all the weeke after as Pharaohs melted for a time and then presently hardned again this relapse is worse than the former as water having beene once heate and then cooled againe growes colder after than before Wee see that even marble in some weather will stand on drops and yet retaines its wonted hardnesse so did Pharaohs heart and Sauls and Ahabs seeme to give and melt for a time but they grew hard againe too soone Take heede of that if thy heart begin to thaw desire God to follow thee with his grace that it may not freeze againe 3. After a thaw though the Snow for the most part be vanished and gone yet under hedges and ditches there wil lie some leavings of it as we call them a long time after so when it hath pleased God to melt a mans heart for sinne yet there wil be some leavings of corruption some remainders of his old sinnes in the blinde and secret corners of his heart So that the continuall care and daily practise of a Christian must be to finde out and purge out these old leavings of sinne that lie unmelted in his soule 1 Cor. 5. 7. 4. The thaw makes the wayes exceeding foule and cloggie which before were faire and cleane so till a mans heart be thawed he never perceives the foulenesse of the wayes of sinne how they bemyre his soule and clogge and hinder him in his passage to heaven Saint Peter calls the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a squalid foule and filthy place so the word signifies 2 Pet. 1. 19. a man shall have much adoe to keepe himselfe unspotted where so much filth and corruption is David found this and desired of God Psal 69 15. Eripe me de â—uto Lord deliver me out of the myre that I sinke not A wicked man thinkes the broad way to be the best way but a man whose heart hath beene thawed knowes it to be full of myre and sloughes and it is Gods mercy if they doe not sinke irrecoverably 5. While the frost holds the plowes are lockt out of the earth no seede can be sowne all husbandry is intermitted till God send a thaw and then their work goes forward So while men are frozen in sinne Gods Plow can make no worke the seed of his word can take no roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls the Ministrie of the word 1 Cor. 3. God husbandry doth no good till there come an inward thaw to prepare and make way for grace that mens hearts may be wrought upon by the powerfull Gospel of Iesus Christ then it is no griefe for a Minister to take paines in the Word and Doctrine of the Lord. Therefore Iohn Baptist was sent before to prepare the way for Christ and to thaw mens hearts by the preaching of repentance that they might be capable of the Doctrine of Christ who was to sow the seede of eternall life in the world 6. Lastly after a thaw comes a floud so after repentance follow teares It was Peters case Luke 22. 60. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he was yet speaking ere the word was out of his mouth his heart began to melt and hee went out and wept bitâ—erty It was one of Gods charges to his people Exod. 22. 29. that they should not delay their liquors or drink-offrings So we translate it but in the Originall it is non tardabis â—aâ—rymam tuam thou shalt not delay thy teares therefore if thou hast done any thing that needeth Peters teares and hast not shed them let me be thy Cocke doe it now what ever thou delayest delay not that for it is a ruled case in Divinity that no man can come to heaven with drie eyes therefore if thou findest thy eyes to be so dry and thy heart so hard that faine thou wouldest but canst not weepe for sinne desire God to smite thy heart as Moses smote the Rocke that the waters of repentance may gush forth in abundance or as the words of my Text are desire God to blow upon thy soule with the vitall blasts of his holy Spirit that these waters may flow to wa â— and clense and carry away the mudde and dregs and filth of all thy sinnes I have done with my Text. God of his mercy give a blessing to it for Iesus sake our Lord and onely Saviour Amen FJNJS VNKNOWNE KINDNESSE A SERMON Preached in the Cathedrall Church of St. PAVL in London Anno Dom 1635. BY IOHN GORE Rector of Wenden-lofts in ESSEX Printed at London by T. Cotes for Thomas Alchorne and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Greene-Dragon 1635. Perlegi hanc concionem cui titulus Vnknowne Kindnesse in quâ nihil reperio sanae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium THO. WEEKES R. P. Epo Lond. Cap. domest Ex aedibus Fulhami Maij 24. 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. Doctor DVCK Chancellor for the Diocesse of LONDON RIGHT WORSHIP I Remember that David Psal 23. 4. tooke as much comfort in the Rod wherewith he was smitten as in the Staffe whereby he was upholden And J consider that your Jurisdiction over me is as well corrective for what is amisse as directive in what is aright Take J beseech you this Tender from my hand as a testimony from my heart that J am yours in both and doe as kindly accept of the one as J embrace the other Thus nudus ad ignotum J prostrate my selfe and pray both for your temporall and your eternall welfare Your poore unworthy Friend IOHN GORE VNKNOVVNE Kindnesse PSALME 141. 5. Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reproove me it shall be an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head AS there are two sorts of sinnes against God sinnes knowne and sinnes unknowne I know my iniquity saith David of the one and Father forgive them for they know not what they doe saith our Saviour of the other so there are two sorts of kindenesses from man knowne kindenesse and unknowne kindenesse the knowne kindnesse is that which consists in charity in love and compassion to the poore like that which David shewed to Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not any of the house of Saul that I may shew the kindnesse of God unto him saith the King to Ziba that is that I may sustaine releive and doe him good as God in his kindenesse is wont to sustaine releive and do good to those that stand in neede of succour this is the kindenesse of God and that is a knowne kindnesse But then there is another sort of kindenesse that is unknowne such as the world doth hardly know how to discerne from an unkindnesse and that consists in smiting rebuking and reprehension and this is the kindenesse that David doth even begge for here in my Text.
Let the Righteous smite it shall be a kindenesse c. In which words there are three generall parts to be observed which may be reduced to three heads and be thus exprest 1. Desiderium sanae conscientiae the desire of a sound and a good conscience that which is most distastefull to a bad conscience is most desirable to a good one viz. To be smitten and to be reproved percutiat et increpet Let him smite me let him reprove me 2. Electio sidelis amici the choyse of a faithfull friend of a fitting person to doe this office A man wold be loath that every Iack or every base fellow should curbe and snib and smite him for his errours but a Righteous man or if you please to take the word so a right wise-man one that is able to give a man counsell and honest to keepe a mans counsell let such a one smite in Gods name let him reprove and spare not percutiat me Iustus et increpet Let the Righteous smite me and let him reproove me though it be as the originall hath it Malleo percutiat Let him smite me as it were with a Mallet now Malleus incutit et excutit a Mallet serves both to drive in and to drive out so his meaning is if it be good counsell let him drive it in if it be a bad custome let him drive it out let him not forbeare me in either but smite home in both 3. Acceptatio fraternae correptionis the acceptation or well-taking of brotherly reprehension David did professe in the behalfe of all penitent and humble sinners that he would be so farre from taking it as a discourtesy or esteeming it as a disreputation to be told of his faults by such a man after such a manner that saith he it shall be Misericordia it shall be a kindnesse unto me yea a mercy yea more then that it shall be Oleum Capitis as it is in the Hebrew a principall a soveraigne an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head of these in their order first of the first part which is 1. Desiderium sanae conscientiae the desire of a good conscience that is to be smitten to be reproved A sound heart is like a sound hand that can abide not only rubbing chafing but smiting and striking too if occasion serve and yet neyther suffer nor offer any harme whereas if a man have a thorne in his hand or a bille or an vlcerous sore the least touch at unawares provokes him to impatience and makes him fret at him that meant him no unkindnesse So fares it with a man that hath a thorne in his heart or an vlcer in his Soule I meane some secret sinne or other that he loveth and is loath to part with though he be not smitten upon purpose if he be but touched upon the by as David saith in another case Tange montes et fumig abunt Touch the Mountaines and they shall smoke so the least touch upon his predominant his Mountaine-sinne makes him fret and fume and smoke like the vapours in the clouds that never leave working when once they are enraged till they have vented themselves into a clap of thunder malice will finde a vent if it be but stirred with a touch When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sinne He is as a moth fretting a garment saith our translation Psal 39. 11. He that undertakes a carnall man with rebukes to chasten him for sinne shall finde him play the Moth presently he will be fretting secretly though hee make no shew of it openly as wee say of a Moth Tinea damnum facit non sonitum A moth doth mischiefe and makes no noyse I say Rebuke him and you shall finde him a very moth if he cannot finde a hole in that mans coate that shall offer to reproove him t is a venture but he will fret one that is he will either raise some imputation of scandall upon him or bring some action at law against him one way or other he wil be revenged upon him for it It s death to an ill-minded man to be smitten for his faults But then come to a man of an honest heart and an humble minde one that is truely conscious to his owne defects and such a one will be so farre from taking it in ill part or in indignation to bee touched for his transgressions that he will rather entreate any good man or any good Minister as the man of God entreated his neighbour 1 Reg. 20. 35. Smite me I pray thee in the name of the Lord If thou knowest any thing that is amisse in mee or seest mee doe any thing that may be displeasing to God or prejudiciall to my calling to my credit or to my conscience to God-ward doe not favour me doe not forbeare me but deale truely and effectually with me and smite mee I pray thee in the name of the Lord. And such was Davids disposition in my Text though he were a prince and a man after Gods owne heart yet was he so farre from delighting to heare himselfe flattered for his vertues that he did rather even desire and long to feele himselfe smitten for his vices percutiat et increpet let him smite me and reprove me A man would thinke that David had smiting enough if that were good he should desire no more Almighty God had smitten him as he saith himselfe with such a sore disease that there was no rest in his bones noe breath in his body by reason of his sinne Besides that his enemies had smitten him on every side They came about me like Bees saith he animasque in vulnere ponunt they smote him and stung him though it were to their own undoing though they left their very lives and soules in their stings Beyond all these Davids owne heart had smitten him more then once when hee numbred the people His heart smote him saith the Text. 2 Sam. 24. 10. To teach us how our hearts should smite us when we consider the number of our sins So when be had but cut Sauls coat his heart smote him againe as much perhaps as it would have done some other if he had cut Sauls throat I say if smiting be good surely David had enough of it and yet you see there was an unicum deest one thing wanting to all those smitings He that knew the state and temper of his owne soule did sensibly finde in himselfe that if he were but smitten againe in another kind if the Righteous would but smite him too it might be a meanes to doe him as much yea much more good than all the rest had done But stay and let us reason the case why should David desire to be smitten once more having been so much and so often smitten before I will tell you what I thinke his reason might be 1 Vt videat that he might see his errors We have a saying that standers by see more than Gamesters so another man may see
unrighteous men from having to doe with him and make choise of one that is right-wise and honest to smite and to reprove him for such a one will doe it sine contumeliâ without disgrace 4 Sine adulatione without flattery without abetting or justifying a man in his evill courses For there is as one hath well observed a twofold Iustification 1 A Iustification of a sinner from his sinnes 2 A Iustification of a sinner in his sinnes the first is an act of Gods mercy the second is an act of mans flattery the former is an happy an blessed thing when God is pleased in mercy to justifie and acquit to discharge and free a guilty soule from the bond and punishment of all his sinnes by the merits and by the bloud and by the Spirit of Iesus Christ The latter is a wofull and accursed thing when a man shall speake good of evill and labour to justifie another mans actions though never so vile and foule it is such a Iustification as without Gods infinite mercy will bring a man to everlasting condemnation and yet such servile spirits there be that for their owne advantage will sooth a man up if hee be rich or great in all his wayes and wickednesse Let him sinne what he will they will not checke him project what he will they will not thwart him say what he will they are ready to second him and let him be what he will they applaud and admire him Oh what amiable friends are these these love a man as the Ravens love his eyes or as Dalilah loved Sampson when she hugged and lulled him in her lap and then cut off his locke which was the onely ligament that tied and fastned him to his God so she did what lay in her even to cut him off from God These are they whom the Prophet termes Caementarios diaboli the devils dawbers Ezech. 13. 10. the comparison stands thus when a man dwels in an old ruinous house the Mason comes and plasters and dawbes it over making the Indweller beleeve that all is well that it is a sound and a solid wall and he may dwell safely in it when the house is indeed ready to fal drop down and smother him Such are they that will not sticke to perswade a man that his case is good to God-ward that he hath no cause to be discontented or ill-conceited of himselfe when there is an ulcisci in promptu as the Apostle speaketh when vengeance is in a readinesse to fall downe and seize upon him Another calls them the devils Vphosters in relation to that Ezech. 13 18. if they see a man leane towards a sinne they will sow a pillow under his arme-hole i sooth him up in his inclination that he sleepe securely in it with as little trouble and unrest as possibly may be These be wofull friends God deliver every good man from having such burs hang on his sleeve from having his head broken with these precious balmes as our Translation reads my text For my part saith David give me a true friend that will smite me as for a flatterer that will smooth me I hate and abhor him give me such a friend as is like those sawces which a man commends with teares in his eyes whose reprehension is like some wholsome potion though it make a man sick for the present it wil purge him do him good for the time to come it be these rough hands as one said of Iacobs that bring us savory meate and carry away the blessing when they have done As David blessed Abigail when she met him and staied him from his evill purpose 1 Sam. 25. 32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath sent thee to meete mee this day and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding of bloud A flatterer may please a man at the first but a plaine-dealing friend hath his blessing at the last and such a one did David desire to be smitten by because he knew that he would doe it sine adulatione without flatery Lastly if a righteous man smite though he doe it as I have shewed 1 Sine felle without gall 2 Sine publicatione without notice 3 Sine contumeliae without disgrace 4 Sine adulatione without flattery yet which is the maine of all 5 Non sine Deo not without God If David could say of his enemy that cursed him Let him alone for God hath bidden to curse much more safely maist thou say of thy friend that reproves thee let him alone for God hath bidden him to smite And as the Apostle saith of Ministers that God doth entreat you by us so perswade your selves that God doth reprove you by them Doe not therefore resist do not reject good counsell least thou be found to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposer a fighter against God For beleeve it if thou dost not hearken to God when hee reproves thee by thy friend thou shalt one day heare him to thy cost when God will reprove thee by himselfe Give eare and tremble at that same tuba terroris as Saint Austin calls it that trumpet of terrour or that terrible trumpet Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I held my peace whereupon thou thoughtest wickedly that I was such a one as thy selfe that is one that seeth evill done and by silence gives consent and takes pleasure in them that doe it But I will reprove thee saith God and set thine sinnes in order before thine eyes Tremble I say at the voice of this Trumpet Thou that wilt neither reprove thy selfe when thou hast done evill nor suffer others by reproofe to doe thee good assure thy selfe there is one above that will reprove thee when hee comes to judge thee who will so marshall and ranke and set thy sinnes in order before thee that thou shalt not be able to answer him to one of a thousand Therefore as Saint Austin desired of God in another case Domine hic ure hic seca ut in posterum sanes Lord cut me and scorch me here that thou maist heale me and cure me hereafter so let thy prayer to God be to the same effect Lord smite me and reprove me here that I may have nothing to answer for nothing to be questioned for when I goe from hence So much briefly for the second generall part of my Text why David did make choise of a Righteous man to smite him The next is 3 Acceptatio fraternae correptionis the well-taking of brotherly reprehension the text saith It shall be a kindnesse But what will the world say if smiting be a kindnesse a man shall be sure to have enough of it if he will take that so kindly he shall not want for kindnesse as this world goes Such kindnesse as this Ananias could afford Saint Paul Acts 23. 2. Smite him on the mouth saith he when he was speaking how he had lived in all good conscience before God
the kindnesse of Pharaohs daughter it was Ieremies case when he was in the dungeon had it not bin for the kindnesse of his speciall friends and it is the case of many a man that is fallen from God into a gulfe into a whirle-poole of sinne that winds and drawes and suckes him in there is no possibility that his soule should scape drowning and death if mercy helpe not out It is said of the Prodigall child Luke 15. 13. that he wasted his substance with riotous living so we read it but the Originall is more significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in proper termes He lived unsavingly as much to say as in that course that he tooke hee was a lost man and could not have beene saved had he not reverted and repented as hee did And such an unsaving life doth many a man lead in gluttony and drunkennesse in riot and prophanenesse c. that God cannot keepe his owne truth and save his soule Now he that shall see his friend in such a way of wickednesse that as he said Ipsa sicupiat salus c. if salvation it selfe should come downe from heaven and offer it selfe to such a one he would not hee were not in case to accept it Hee I say that by words of motion can worke upon such a mans heart can bring him to repentance that he may become salvabilis within the compasse and possibilitie of being saved Is not this a kindnesse If you will beleeve S. Iames Chap. 5. ult it is the greatest kindnesse in the world He that converâ—â—th a sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Therefore as Saul said to the Ziphites when they came and told him where David was 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord for ye have had compassion upon me So he that hath any grace or but good nature in him will blesse God for such a Minister or neighbour or friend that will shew him the errour of his way that will tell him of his sinnes and take it as a mercie and a kindnesse and a compassion to his soule And so I come in the last place to the exaltation of this kindnesse above all that hath beene spoken It shall be Oleum capitis as the Originall hath it it shall be a soveraigne a precious and an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head When I first tooke this text in hand this seemed unto me a very strange and an uncouth expression if the Prophet had said It shall be a stone that shall not breake my head or a staffe or a club that shall not breake my head c. we had easily understood him but to speake of an oyle or a balme which we know to be so soft so supple so lith and gentle an oyntment that hee should speake of breaking his head with oyle it is strange I confesse it troubled me a while till at length I conceived it might be spoken by contraries as when a Physition gives a patient some pectorall or cordiall and saith Take this it will not hurt you his meaning is it will helpe and doe him good So this oyle shall not breake my head that is it shall heale it being broken by my owne corruption by Satans temptations and by the assention of such as flatter mee in my sinnes But why doth hee mention his head why doth he not say as well It shall not breake my arme or it shall not breake my legges c Answ The head you know is the principall part of man that which is neerest and gives life and influence to all the lower parts if that be broken all the body fares the worse It is a knowne place Matth. 10. Be wise as Serpents Now the wisedome of the Serpent they say consisteth chiefly in this that he will expose his body to any danger take any wound in his body so hee may but save his head because he knowes that his life lies in his head so is Christ our head and all our spirituall life lieth in him and floweth from him therefore our principall care should be what ever bodily danger wee expose our selves unto to hold life in the head hold faith and affiance in Iesus Christ But that is not all I take it when hee saith it â—â—all not breake my head his meaning is It shall breake something else about him that shall be better for him as thus It shall not breake my head but it shall breake my heart hee that breakes a mans head doth him an ill office that may endanger his life but hee that breakes his heart with that same hammer that Ieremy speakes of Ier. 23. 29. by the powerfull subduing Word of God doth him a right good office that may be a meanes though Gods blessing to prepare his soule for grace and make him a vessell capable of mercy for Deus Oleum misericordiae non infundit nisi in vas contritum God never powreth the oyle of his mercy but into broken vessels that is into broken hearts that are rent and torne as it were with remorse and sorrow for sinne As God threatned Hos 13. 8. I will rend the kall of their hearts rather than he will suffer sinne to dwell where his throne should be So this smiting is not to breake heads but to breake hearts which is better Or thus It shall not breake my head but it shall breake my sinnes-head or the head of my sinnes as David saith Psal 74. 14. The heads of Dragons are broken in the waters what are these Capita Draconum these heads of Dragons but capitall crimes predominant and master-sinnes that doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speakes that usurpe authority and domineere in the soule and threaten to devoure the conscience if they be not taken down and broken in the waters of repentance in the teares of godly sorrow for sinne Now he that can be a meanes to save his friends head and breake his sinnes head to cherish the one and crush the other Is not this a kindnesse worth acceptation If a man have an enemy that doth him wrong the Apostle counsels him to heape coales of fire upon his head Rom. 12 20. what are these Carbones ardentes these burning coales or coales of fire which the Apostle would have a man heape on his enemies head Surely I thinke he meanes no other then those Rom â— 9. Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon the soule of every one that doth evill upon purpose to vexe his neighbour Now thus stands the case Hee that revengeth his owne quarrell and recompenseth evill for evill hee heapes coales of fire on his owne head that is makes himselfe liable to the just revenge of God but hee that by patient forbearance commits his cause to God and renders good for evill he heapes coales of fire on his enemies head that is he saves himselfe from wrong and transferreth
the indignation and wrath of God upon him that wronged him or whom God in flaming fire will render vengeance when he comes to judgement And this is the way to be revenged of an enemy But then if a man have a friend that hee wisheth well unto and faine would reclaime him from his evill life David would have him take another course and powre drops of oyle upon his head that is mollifie and melt him and worke gently and kindly upon him by mild rebukes and reprehensions for this may touch his heart but shall never breake his head it may doe him good for his soule but shall never doe him wrong for his life or reputation And this I take to be the meaning of my text The summe of all is this Looke what vertue what excellency there is in the most soveraigne most precious oyles or balsomes for the salubrity and health of the body the very same are to be found in kind and gentle admonitions for the health and welfare of the soule Fitly therefore doth David resemble it to oyle in many respects I will but name them and conclude 1 Quia medetur vulneribus you know that balsom which is nothing else but oyle is a soveraigne remedy specially for a greene wound so is seasonable reprehension a soveraigne cure for one that hath newly wounded his conscience or his credit by sin Wouldest thou doe a spirituall cure upon thy friend let him not runne on till he be festered and rankled with a habit of sinning but take him while the wound is greene Wee see in Genesis that when Adam had sinned God came to him in the coole of the evening the same day and reprehended him for it because God would not have him sleepe one night in his sinne A Candle new blowne out is soone blowne in againe and a wound newly taken is sooner healed if thou would heale thy friend give him this balsome in time 2 Quia expellit venenum there be oyles as sallet oyles c. that are of speciall vertue to expell poison taken inwardly sin is of a poysonfull nature that envenomes and endangers the very life of the soule David compares it to the poyson of Aspes which is the deadliest of all poysons hath thy friend taken poyson hath he baned himselfe by presumptuous sinnes give him this oyle rebuke him lovingly it will either fetch the poyson upward by a penitent confession or drive it downewards and make him prostrate himselfe at the foot of God one way or other it will worke upon him 3 Quia exhilarat faâ—iâ—m Oyle maketh a man have aâ— cheerefull countenance saith David and it is pitty his words should be perverted and strained to patronize the painting of Iczâ—bel but my meaning is when a man hath beene gently rebuked by a friend and beene wrought thereby to a kindly repentance to a holy sadnesse and deâ—ection for sinne and therefore hath in a sincere penitentiall manner even shriven himselfe to his God you would not beleeve what a cheerefulnesse this breeds in a sad heart how light-some he shall be after his former lumpishnesse quasi volitare facit as a Father saith it even carries a man above ground and makes him forget the best of natures comforts 4 Quia penetrat corda There be oyles of that vertue that they will enter thorow the skinne and flesh and bones and worke upon the very marrow that is within Such vertue hath the word of God being powerfully applied and chafed in by the warme and soft hand of a kind and loving friend it will enter into the very secrets of the heart and worke upon the very soule and spirit and doe a cure there where no earthly medicine can take place 5 Quia recuperat moriturum Saint Iames tels us that in the Primitive Church when a man was sicke unto death the Elders of the Church annointed him with oyle which by the miraculous vertue that God gave unto it was a meanes to recover the party from whence the Papists derive their Extreme Vnction which God knowes is but an apish uneffectuall mis-imitation of a miracle which now is ceased in the Church and even then could not be done by every Elder for all had not the gift of healing as the Apostle tels us this is indeed the onely spirituall oyle that we are to apply unto men on their death-beads to speake comfortably to their hearts to work kindly upon their consciences and to prepare their soules for heaven by wholesome admonitions FJNJS THE POORE MANS HOPE A Sermon Preached By IOHN GORE Rector of VVenden-lofts in EESSEX 1635. PSAL. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poore for the sighing of the needie now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him HEB DDIEV HEB DDIM Printed at Londâ— n by Th 〈…〉 for Thâ—mas Alchorne and arâ— to be sold at his shop iâ—â—… Pauleâ—… Church-yard at the signe of the Greene-Dragon 1635. Perlegi hanc concionem eui titulus The Poore mans Hope in qua nihil reperio sanae fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium Tho. Weekes R. P. P. p. Lond. Cap. Domest TO MY VVORSHIPFVLL And most vvorthy Friend M. EDMVND VVOODHALL Chiefe Register of the Perogative Office in LONDON WORTHY SIR I Remember how heartily the Apostle prayed for his good friend Onesiphorus who had ought refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chaine 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus and againe The Lord grant that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day Now whither that good man were willing to have his name and his goodnesse made knowne to the world J cannot say very likely his modest hashfulnesse would not seeme to desire it But who will blame Saint Pauls good nature that he did not forget the kindnesse of his friend as Ioash forgat the kindnesse of Iehojada nor would smother his 〈…〉 Hazael smothered his Master but remembred 〈◊〉 in his prayers made mention of him in his writings and besought the Lord for mercy to that house where hee had found so oft refreshing In like manner This is all the poore amends that J can make you worthy sir for all your free and noble entertainements to become your Oratour to God your Herald to the world and to requite your courtesies with prayers which 〈◊〉 all never be wanting from Your poore unworthy Friend IOHN GORE THE POORE Mans Hope PSAL. 37. 25. J have beene young and now am old yet never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread THese words are an experiment or an observation of the Prophet David touching the certainety and infallibilitie of Gods Providence and Goodnesse to the righteous and their posteritie Wherein we may take notice of three generall Points 1. The time how long David had observed Gods dealing and dispensation in this behalfe namely from his youth to his age I have beene young and now am old 2. The parties in whom
the Righteous here spoken of and they are mercifull lenders that lend according to our Saviours counsell looking for nothing againe that is for nothing but their owne againe no advantage no gaine no use or their lending but they lend in meere compassion and mercie to releive their poore brethren in their need and necessitie He is ever mercifull and lendeth and marke what followeth His seede is blessed That which worldly-minded men thinke and imagine to be the onely meanes to make their children poore and miserable I meane liberalitie and sending to the poore that the Holy Ghost saith is the onely meanes to make them rich and blessed and is so farre from empoverishing and impairing their estates upon earth that it is the onely way to draw downe Gods blessing out of heaven upon them As the Prophet Ieremy told Iahojakin Ier. 22. 15. So long as thy father did helpe the oppressed and shew kindenesse to the poore and needy did he not prosper was it not well with him so that as Chrysostome saith We may not thinke that God made rich men onely for the profit of the poore but God made the poore as well for the profit of the rich Make yee friends saith our Saviour of the unrighteous Mammon as if rich men should one day finde that the poore were their best friends when they come to be received into everlasting habitations By these and the like examples and instances you may easily conceive who they be that are counted Righteous in Gods acceptation Therefore as Elisha spread himselfe upon the Shunamites child 2 Reg. 4. 34. and applied his mouth to the childs mouth his hands to the childs hands and his body to the childs body till the child began to neeze and to revive so you shall doe well to apply your selves to these patternes and presidents to see what correspondence and agreement there is betwixt 〈◊〉 lives and theirs and if your disposition be the same with 〈…〉 your acceptation shall be the same as theirs was and if you be partakers of the same righteousnesse you shall also be partakers of the same happinesse as it followeth in the text you shall never be deserted nor forsaken of God I never saw the righteous forsaken c. As for the unrighteous and ungracious that first forsake God no marvell if God in Iustice forsake them againe according to that anciently received rule Deus nunquam deserit hominem nisi prius ab homine deseratur God never forsakes any man till that man doe first forsake his God But for the righteous that cleave close unto the Lord and hold them fast by God as David speaketh and will not if they can possibly let go their holdfast beleeve it God will be a steadfast friend to them and will never faile them nor forsake them neither in life nor in death but while they live he will be with them and when they day they shall â—e with him 1 In life the righteous are never quite forsaken nor left utterly destitute of food provision and such other comforts which God in his wisedome seeth to be most expedient for them Thus saith the Lord Esay 65. 13. Behold my servants shall eate but you that is the wicked Idolaters for to them he speaketh you shall be hungry my servants shall drinke but you shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce but you shall be ashamed so that what ever be tide the wicked when the dayes of evill come God will take order for the righteous his servants shall be sure to be provided for In the dayes of famine they shall have enough Psa 37. 19. that is enough to content them though not enough to enrich them and if their own meanes chance to faile them at home God will provide them meanes and friends abroad as he told Elias 1 Reg. 17. when he was in great distresse at the river Besor and had neither meate nor drinke to sustaine him The Word of the Lord came unto him saying Arise get thee to Sareptah which is in Sidon and tarry there for behold I have commanded a widdow woman to sustaine thee there Elias knew not the widdow neither did the widdow know him but God who knew them both had given her a secret charge and commandement that shee should sustaine his Prophet and so she did Thus will God 〈…〉 than his owne shall want give secret charges to those we 〈◊〉 not aware of to sustaine and supply us at our need as in Pauls case Act. 17. when the ship was broken in peices which they thought should have carried them to land the Lord cast them and conveighed them safe to shore upon such boards and plankes as they did not nor durst not expect so when those helpes faile us which wee most relied upon God will so provide that somewhat else shall come in and bring us helpe which we never thought nor dreamt of Let the consideration of this teach us to take out that Lesson of the Apostle Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee If God have said it we may sweare it and pawne our lives and soules upon it that if wee live according to his will hee will never leave us nor forsake us while there is breath and life within us 2 As they are ever sustained in life so they are never forsaken in death but in their last extremity when their life is in extremis labris God is alwayes present with them either to relieve or to receive their soules 〈…〉 Iust man saith David and 〈◊〉 the upright for whatsoever 〈◊〉 beginning be yet the end of that maâ— is peace And againe Follow after righteousnesse and doe the thing 〈…〉 for that shall bring a man peace at the last It was promised as a blessing to good Jasiah 2 Reg. 22. ult that he should be gathered to the grave in peace and yet we finde in the story that Iosiah died in warre How then was this promise made good I answer thus though he died in warre outwardly yet he died in peace inwardly his conscience was at peace with God and his soule was pacisied and discharged from the trouble of all his sinnes so that whatsoever his death was yet hee died in peace And such is the happinesse of all the righteous some die by fevers some by the sword some by the fire yet all through Gods mercy die in peace Therefore saith Balaam Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his for though it be decreed in heaven that the Righteous must die as wel as the unrighteous yet there is as great a difference betwixt the manner of their dying as betwixt the passage of the Egyptians and the Israelites through the same red sea which was Alijs sâ—pulâ—hrum alijs vehiculum a sepulcher and a grave to the one to drowne them in perdition and
of the King of Israels man which was sent to behead him 2 Reg. 6. 32. Is not the sound of his Masters feet behind him so beleeve it whensoever an evill temptation or a temptation to evill doth come before the devill himselfe who is the master and maker of it is not farre behinde Now marke how this evill angell used or rather abused S. Paul the text saith He fell foule upon him and buffeted him now you know that buffeting is a malicious act joyned with violence or a violent act joyned with malice and it signifies unto us what a malicious minde the Devill beares to Gods especiall servants if he cannot by faire meanes entice and allure and inveagle them to sinne if God will give him leave he will fall upon them by soule meanes even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to buffet them and enforce them in a manner to sin against God and their owne soules Thus sorely was our poore Apostle haunted thus cruelly was he handled both with venemous corruptions within and with violent temptations without so that neither inwardly nor outwardly hee could bee free or at liberty to enjoy himselfe and his God Whereupon saith the text Hee besought the Lord thrice that they might depart from him all his desire all his prayer to God was to be rid of these annoyances Now marke the answere and observe the Oracle of Almighty God Iust as some skilfull Physitian when his Patient in a feavour calls for drinke gives him a sirrope or some conserve and so quencheth his thirst in a better kinde than drinke would doe so dealt the Lord with Paul who was now in a spirituall feaver and cryes out amaine as it were for drinke that is for some present refreshing and release of his punishment God seemes to take no notice of that but quencheth his soules thirst in a better kinde gives him a spirituall conserve endues him with his Grace and let that content thee saith God let that suffice thee for that even that alone is entirely enough and sufficient for thee My Grace is sufficient for thee From which passage of Gods providence before I come to particulars give me leave to commend unto you this briefe observation in generall viz. That if after all our prayers after all our entreaties and importunities with God for private and particular favours and mercies as for health in time of sicknesse for ease in time of paine for rest and deliverance in the time of trouble and affliction Though God should seeme to take no notice of us but deny or with-hold all these things from us if he doe but condescend unto us in this one thing as he did to Saint Paul if he doe but vouchsafe us his Grace Summam votorum attigimus wee have as much as heart can wish wee have that which is in stead or in liew of all the rest As the Iewes write of their Mannah that it had in it Omne delectamentum all manner of delightfull tastes and was in stead of Bread in stead of meate in stead of all kindes of dainty fare so may it bee truely affirmed of the Grace of God that it is in stead of health in stead of wealth in stead of all other earthly blessings whatsoever so that as a man that walkes in the Sun never lookes nor regards whether the Moone or the Starres shine or no because he hath no need of their light so he that enjoyeth the light of Gods countenance that hath the Grace of God to befriend and bestead him needs care the lesse for these inferiour commodities these Bona scabelli as the Fathers call them these goods of Gods Foote-stoole because if he have them not God will so provide he shal have no need of them In a word then if thou wert put to thy choise as Salomon once was to aske any one thing at the hands of God and to have promise of acceptance what should that one thing be wouldst thou aske for riches or pleasure or long life c Alas all these things thou mayst have as many a man hath had anâ— be never the holyer never the happier never the higher in Gods account and favour Leave therefore all these things to Gods disposall and dispensation let God doe with thee for these things what seemeth good in his owne eyes but pitch thou thy heart and the desire of thy soule upon that Vnicum necessarium that one thing necessary which our Saviour speakes of in comparison whereof all other things in the world are needles and superfluous I meane upon the Grace of God and nothing else and in thy daily prayers to Almighty God let this evermore be the maine of thy requests Whatsoever thou denyest me for other things Lord grant me thy Grace and it is sufficient My Grace is sufficient for thee Out of which words I shall endeavour to shew you foure remarkable points perhaps not unworthy your observation 1. The meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oâ— what is meant by the Grace here spoken of 2. The Author or the owner of this Grace whose it is and to whom it doth of right belong and that is to God as the next word implyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace 3. The efficacy or vertue of this Grace what it profiteth and whereunto it availeth and that 's exprest in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is sufficient and therein I shall shew you how and wherein the sufficiency of Gods grace doth consist 4. The Application of this Grace or the bringing of it home to the conscience and soule of each beleeving Christian and that I gather out of the last word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God doth not say in generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace is sufficient for all nor in speciall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace is sufficient for many but in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My grace is sufficient for thee and so for me and so for every one upon whom God in mercy is pleased to bestow it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Grace saith God is sufficient for thee Of these in their oder as briefely and effectually as God and his good spirit hath enabled mee and first of the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what is meant by the grace here spoken of By the grace of God in few words I conceive to be meant nothing else but the favour and good-will of God that which the schoolemen terme Complacentiam dei the well pleasednesse of God the same which the scripture calleth Lucem â—aciei the light of Gods countenance Psal 67. 1. Because as God is said to frowne and bend his browes upon the wicked traine Psal 34. so on the contrary hee seemes to smile as it were and to looke amiably and lovingly and lightsomly upon all them that are in grace and favour with him It is an usuall expression among us to say such a one is in great grace with the King or in great
Apostle Ephe. 1. 6 He hath brought into grace or he hath made us accepted in his beloved sonne Gratiam pro Gratiâ saith Saint Iohn elsewhere Ioh. 1. 16. Wee have received Grace for Grace that is for the grace and favour that Christ hath with God wee also are received into grace and favour with him For otherwise as Elisha told the King of Israel 2. Reg. 3. 14. As the Lord liveth were it not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat I would not looke toward thee nor see thee so stands our case with God wee are of our selves such vile bodies as the Apostle rightly termes us who shall change our vile bodies I meane sofoule and so full of corruption and lust and sinne so odious and abominable in the holy eyes of God that as the Lord liveth were it not that God doth regard the person the presence and the prayers of Iesus Christ our true Iehosaphat hee would not looke to us nor see us but that as hee saith himselfe This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased There come we into favour and marke that hee doth not say This is my beloved sonne which pleaseth mee well but in whom I am well-pleased which intimates a further matter unto us namely that our blessed Saviour doth not onely please God his father for his owne part but that God in him and for his sake is well-pleased even with them that are in themselves as the Prophet speakes even vessels wherein there is no pleasure Ier. 22. 28. Thou therefore that desirest to get into favour with thy God flatter not thy selfe in thy owne eyes thinke not that God will accept thee for thy owne person or for any other personall qualities or abilities that are in thee but as Iacob shrouded himselfe under the garments of his elder brother and by that meanes gott him the blessing of his father so doe thou shroud thy selfe under the garments of thy elder brother in Heaven I meane as the Apostle speakes Labour to be found of God not having on thy owne righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of Christ by faith Say as Tertullian doth Mihi vendico Christum mihi defendo Iesum claime thou thy part stand thou for thy right in Iesus Christ and as thou art a Protestant so make this protestation before God and the world that thou hopest for grace and mercy not by any merits or deserts of thy owne but meerely by the merits and by the spirit by the death and by the blood of Iesus Christ This is another infallible way for a man to finde the grace and favour of God that wanteth it Appropriare Christum to get an interest into Gods beloved Sonne our deare and precious Saviour 2. Now for the second question Hast thou found the favour of God and faine wouldst keepe it Thou must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Apostles owne word Gal. 2. 14. Thou must walke with a right foote to God ward or as Iohn Baptist expresseth it in other tearmes thou must Rectas facere semitas tuas Make thy paths straight the meaning is Thou must binde thy selfe to the good behaviour unto God thou must resolve against sinne and evill and set thy selfe constantly carefully sincerely to walke with God so farre forth as frailty shall permit thee so that though there fall out many intercurrent infirmities in the course of thy life for a man may etiam in bono itinere pulverem â—olligere gather dust and soyle even in a good way yet let it be the generall drift and desire of thy soule in nothing willingly to sinne against God but in every thing to please him and to approve thy selfe unto him which if thou dost see what will follow upon it Psal 84. 11. The Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke uprightly with him The Scripture saith of Enoch that hee was Raptus a facie malitiae snatcht as it were out of this wicked world as a brand is snatcht out of the fire and saved from burning that is Hee was translated alive from earth into Heaven and never felt nor tasted of death This you will say was an extraordinary favour of God but what might bee the reason of it Moses tells us Gen. 5. 24. it was because Hee walked with God the Apostle commenting upon it Heb. 11. 5. saith it was because He pleased God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word which signifies Hee gave God content or kept Gods favour and good will so then the way to keepe Gods favour and good will is to please God and give him content and the way to doe that is to walke with God as 〈◊〉 did But what doth Moses meane by 〈…〉 God how may that be done Ansâ—â— Generally A man may then be said to walke with God when hee leads his life in such a way as God doth best accept in the way of of godlinesse and honesty in the way of temperance and sobriety in the way of diligence and industry when a man hath minde on God in all his wayes and desires Gods protection and conduct to guide his feete into the way of peace This is in a generall sence and acceptance to walke with God more particularly A man is then said in proper sence to walke with God when hee walkes with none else but God as Isaack did when he sequestred himselfe and went out alone into the fields to meditate and to pray Gen. 40. 69. The word Suach signifieth both then went he out to walke with God And indeed there is no such time for a man to converse with God and as the phrase is in Iob to acquaint himselfe with the Lord as when he is solitary private and alone If any thing grieve a man or lye heavie upon his conscience when he is Alone he may freely disburden his heart into the bosome of God If a man have faulted any way or done amisse for want of good take-heed when he is Alone hee may freely and fully bewaile and bemone and even beshrew and shrive himselfe unto the Lord his God If a man want any good thing that 's requisite and necessary either for the body or the soule when hee is Alone he hath free and full opportunity to beg and to entreat it to win and to obtaine it at the hand of God No such time for a man to reconcile himselfe and to make his owne attonement and his peace with God as when he is Alone In a word then if thou dost desire to keepe the favour of the Lord and to abide in his grace and his good-will doe as Isaack did take one turne with thy God every day thou risest steale away from thy earthly occasions as our Saviour stole away from his earthly Parents to doe the businesse of thy heavenly Father or as the Apostles word 2 Pet. 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retire and repent Let no day passe thee without some commerce and
spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord it implyes that a man naturally walkes in darkenesse which is full of error and full ofterrour till God in mercy set up a candle in his soule I meane endues him with knowledge and grace from heaven that hee may shew him the path of life and to avoyd the snares of death Now you know that a candle naturally burnes upwards if you take it and turne it the wrong way and hold it downewards is dyes and goes out alone so fares it with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces and gifts of God as Witt and Wisedome Knowledge and Learning and all these are the candles of the Lord and are purposely given us to light us up to heavenward but if wee take Gods candles and hold them downeward turne them the wrong way and apply and abuse them to sinne it is much to bee feared the light of God will goe out and thou shalt be left at the length in a place of utter darkenesse Therefore as thou tenderest the favour and good-will of God and the eternall welfare of thy owne soule deale not with the graces of God as Iehu dealt with Iehorams messengers 2. Reg. 9. doe not turne them behind thee and make them serve against their owne masters but remember that if the sonnes of Iacob would not endure to have their sister abused Gen. 24. vlt. how dost thou thinke thy God will endure to have his grace abused and to be prostituted to every sinne In a word as Ruben said to his distressed brethren Gen. 42. 22. did not I speake unto you saying Sinne against the child and ye would not heare Oh be not you like them monitoribus asperi so carlesse and regardlesse of divine admonition but remember that you have beene spoken unto that you have beene warned of God not to sinne against your owne soules in this too common kinde but if the Lord have betrusted you with his grace labour to cherish it and as the Apostles word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 1. 6. to blow it or stirre it up as we doe a dying fire to kindle and quicken it by the use of good meanes but in any case ne abutaris abuse it not 5. Lastly seeing thou hast to doe with the grace and favour of God ne diffides doe not distrust it doe not make any doubt or question of it but it will bestead thee and befriend thee and be firme and sure unto thee at any time of need It is the Apostles owne advertisement 1. Pet. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trust perfectly on the grace that is revealed and brought into the world by Iesus Christ It is a thing that a man may leane his whole weight upon and venture his whole estate upon and paune his life and soule upon the certainety the truth and the infallibility of Gods heavenly grace to all that make their peace and put their trust in him Feare not Mary said the blessed Angel to the blessed Virgin for thou hast found favour with God as if he had said Let them feare that are out of Gods favour let them be distrustfull that are wicked and deceitfull that make no conscience of their waies but live in the displeasure of an angry God paveant illi let them feare but noli tu feare not thou be thou stead fast unmoveable in thy affiance to God for why Invenisti gratiam thou hast found favour with him in whose favour is life and whose grace will bee thy guid unto the day of death In a word then to close up this point As I said before so I say it over againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gird up the loyues of your mindes and trust perfectly to the Grace of God doe it not in any wavering or timerous or unconfident manner as if God were like the Poets â—enedos Statâ—o malesida carinis a trustles Anchor-hold to the seabeaten travailer or like those deceitfull Iewes Ioh. â— 24. to whom our Saviour durst not commit himselfe though they seemed to beleeve in his name Oh let not thy heart entertaine the least suspition the least jealousie of the faithfulnesse and fidelity of thy God but try him by thy prayers and trust him by thy faith and urge him with this Text that now is preached unto thee as S. Austin saith his mother Monica did Chyrographa tua ingerebat tibi Lord saith he shee urged thee with thy owne hand-writing tell him but how hard the world goes with thee and then say ere God have done with thee if thou dost not finde his Grace to be sufficient for thee And so I am come in the third place to shew you the efficacy and vertue of the Grace of God how and wherein the sufficiency thereof doth consist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text My Grace is sufficient The principall things whereunto the Grace of God and besides Gods Grace nothing else under heaven is available or sufficient are these that follow 1. Ad Condonandum to pardon and forgive us all our sinnes which would bee the bane and destruction of all our soules Grande est barathrum peccatorum meorum saith a Father sed maior est Abyssus misericordiae dei Great is the gulfe and whirlepoole of my sinnes but greater and deeper is the bottomlesse sea of Gods Grace and mercy see that place Rom. 5. 20. where sinne abounded Grace did much more abound Hast thou abundance of sinnes let not that disharten thee God hath abundance of Grace if thy sinnes be great his Grace is greater than thy sinnes and farre more sufficient to justifie than all thy sinnes are to condemne thy soule Onely ne desis be not thou wanting to God in thy prayers and repentance and his Grace shall never bee wanting to thee in thy pardon and forgivenesse What a golden sentence is that of S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou dost not thou canst not so much desire to have thy sinnes forgiven thee as God doth desire to forgive thy sinnes unto thee I forgave thee all thy debt because thou desiredst me said that gracious Lord to his ungracious servant Mat. 18. 32. intimating unto us that if God doe not forgive us ous debts if he doe not pardon and remit our sinnes we may thanke our selves the fault is our owne because wee doe not desire him for if we desired him he would doe it In a word then As our Saviour asked the â—riple Iohn 5. 6. Wilt thou be made whole so wilt thou bee made holy and cleane and fit for absolution from God dost thou desire in sincerity and truth to have thy sinnes remitted and thy soule absolved by the blood and death of Iesus Christ to have all thy misdeeds expunged and blotted out that they may be as if they had nevâ—â— beene Then take the Prophet Esaies counsell Esay 43. 25 26. put God in remembrance of these things it is a pregnant place I pray reade it and remember it I even I