is either secret or manifest Manifest when he mightily preserues men in the sight of others for the confirmation of the faithfull and confusion of their enemies as the three fellowes of Daniel in the furnace and Daniel himselfe in the den of Lyons Secret and spirituall by which he eternally deliuereth from all trouble those who manifestly seeme to perish as the Martyrs who seemed left in their enemies hand the body is slaine but the soule is preserued and sent to a better life here is a secret spirituall and eternal preseruation these are in occulto coronati Augustine According to which grounds our Prophet is bold to declare his confidence in God being fully assured that the Lord of whom he had so good experience would in all troubles make some way for him and either by himselfe or some other meanes vouchsafe either a secret or a manifest deliuerance But seeing none are more troubled then the faithfull and none indeede lesse preserued from troubles how can Dauid or any other beleeuer so confidently vtter this It is true none are more troubled then Gods children for first there is a perpetuall enmitie betweene the serpent and his seede against the woman that is the Church and her seede and if there be hope that the deuill and the wicked may grow kinde to the godly there may be more hope of lesse trouble Secondly the word of truth hath said In the world yee shall haue tribulation and The world shall laugh but you shall weepe Thirdly the way to heauen is straite and narrow and troublesome because of the crosses it is strewed withall Fourthly experience hath concluded that all that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution wherein they are conformable to Christ their head who by the crosse went to the crowne Fifthly the blessing of sound peace and ioy is promised and bestowed onely vpon them that mourne But this is not the meaning of the text that they should be so preserued from trouble which Dauid was neuer without as trouble should neuer come neere them or afflict them but as the word in the original signifieth Thou shalt saue me from the straitnesse or in the distresses of trouble Note that The godly shall not bee exempted from trouble but preserued from it that is kept in it and happily led out of it For Dauid himselfe notwithstanding his confidence here said Certainely I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul 1. Sam. 27. 1. And when he asked God if he had forgot to bee mercifull did he see any way to escape death and danger So as his resolution here is this that though the godly be in neuer so deepe distresse they perish not but are preserued in the straite they are raised out of this depth of miserie and this stablisheth the heart with confidence as the words following intimate Thou shalt compasse me with songs of deliuerance This doctrine and phrase is expressed and confirmed by other places of Scripture Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse implying that he was in a straite and as it were strongly besieged with enemies or dangers but the Lord inlarged him and so preserued him Psal. 25. 15. He will bring my feet out of the net the godly may be in as great danger as a silly bird in a net but the Lord will breake the net that the bird may escape Psal. 1 24. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 10. who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that he will hereafter deliuer vs. First Gods care of his children though it free them not from the exercise of troubles yet leaueth them not till he haue deliuered them Can a mother forget her child she may let it get a knocke and feare it with the sense of some danger but leaue it in danger she cannot And who be they towards whom the Lord thinketh thoughts of peace or to whom he will remember mercy but vessels of mercy Once haue I heard saith Dauid yea twice that mercy belongs to God Psal. 72. 11. And therefore it is so true as it can neuer be false once yea twice that is once by the Scriptures and another time by the holy Ghost Secondly Gods promise is that hee will not suffer his to be tempted aboue that they are able to beare and therefore at length they find him as Dauid saith Psalm 73. 2. My feete were almost gone but not altogether the man of God may slip and slide and much adoe to keepe his feete but at worst his feete are but almost gone and this comes from Gods promise Thirdly Gods prouidence limiteth the times in which his Church shall suffer and no longer sometimes a longer time as Israel in Egypt foure hundred yeeres sometimes shorter seuentie yeeres in the Babylonish captiuitie sometimes shorter then so Yee shall suffer tribulation for ten daies Reuel 2. 10. Sometimes three daies as Ionas in the Whales belly and Christ in the graue sometimes but one night Sorrow may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning and sometimes there is but an houre for the power of darknesse then Gods time is come and the godly see the saluation of the Lord. Fourthly he preserues them in their troubles by his presence first of power and so a fourth like the Sonne of God was in the furnace with the three children and it is said I will be with thee in sixe troubles and in seuen in fire and water Secondly of grace his right hand is vnder their heads giues them grace sufficient proportions their strength to the burden mitigates their sorrow makes them possesse their soules in patience yea reioyce in sorrow which else would sinke them and at length recompenseth their light affliction with an eternall weight of glory But sometimes the godly are not preserued but made meate for the sword and appointed as sheepe for the slaughter they die of the plague and are slaine in battell as well as others Consider the Church either in the whole or in the parts First the Church for the body of it is euer preserued as in all ages may appeare the case being with it as in a militarie condition wherein although some souldiers bee wounded and slaine as the Martyrs and other godly persons yet the Church carries the victorie out of the field and is preserued the Church for the body of it is euer the conquering part for Michael and his Angels must ouerthrow the Dragon and his angels Secondly the particular members are often slaine and seeme not preserued as Steuen and Iames whom Herod slew Peter Paul c. yet they are first preserued by that secret and spirituall preseruation Secondly sinne and corruption which is alway present with vs makes our preseruation to bee but imperfect Thirdly God turnes the corporall destruction of his Saints to the best so as Heb. 11. 35. They would not be deliuered
and his owne measure shall be met to him againe Mat. 7. 1 2. so that if a man be an Ismael rough against euery man God will be rough against him and if we be vnpittifull we shall be vnpittied of God and Men. Thirdly no sound worship can proceede but from a sound Religion and that is the Religion and wisedome which is from aboue and the qualitie of it is that it is peaceable Iam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits The Gospell which we professe is a Gospell of peace fostereth peace and seeketh it by all meanes Fourthly so long as any aâ—e slaues to the deeds of the flesh it is impossible they can be acceptable to God but debate hatred anger rage murthers are condemned for the vvorkes of the flesh which shut a man out of heauen Gal. 5. 21. But vvherein stands this mercy vvhereunto prayer must be coupled It stands in these things First in pittying the bodies of men in their wants Secondly their soules much more Thirdly in supplying their wants as reliefe succour comfort counsell c. to be rich in good workes and restore them that are fallen by the Spirit of meeknesse This teacheth all of vs that professe the doctrine of the Gospell and true Religion and the pure worship of God how wee ought to be disposed when wee come to performe vnto God religious duties as prayer c. Those that come neerest to God to present seruice acceptable to him must more especially look to this point namely to take heede of the spirit that lusteth after enuie and sets men in a rage against Gods image and those of the same profession with them and they must take the counsell of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. 11. Bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you And let vs consider First we are all members of one bodie wherof Christ is the head nature teacheth one member to pitie and help another if one bee ill affected to get remedy for it and so must Christians Secondly a meeke and mercifull spirit is much set by of God and called for at our hands by Christ of whom wee must learne to bee humble and meeke a sure note of one that is brought into Christs Kingdome and sheepefold Thirdly God hath taken all execution of vengeance out of our hands Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Deut. 32. 35. and if we will take the sword of reuenge into our hands it will prooue but a sword to our owne destruction Fourthly if we looke at the recompence of reward we are to be prouoked to the workes of mercie As a man sowes so shall he reape sowe mercy and reape mercy sowe liberally and reape liberally God giues seede to the sower 1. Cor. 9. 10. and makes men rich vnto the works of mercie ver 11. How was the poore widdowes oile increased when shee sowed mercie to Elias in his want She had sufficient till the hard yeere was blowne ouer Thy expences shall haue a rich returne it shall bee but a lending to God with abundant vsury for earthly and base things we shal obtaine heauenly and glorious it is a sowing on earth to reape in heauen Fiftly if we desire patternes and presidents in mercifulnesse we haue enough First wee haue God himselfe whose mercies are aboue all his workes how mercifully did he forbeare the world an hundred yeeres and what experience haue our owne soules how he daily forgets and forgiues innumerable sinnes Therefore be we mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull Secondly Christ the Sonne of God is a president herein whose mercy and compassion was such as hee laid downe his life for vs that wee should also lay downe our liues for the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 16. Thirdly the Saints of God haue gone before vs in examples of mercy Moses was a man mightie in word and deede yet the meekest man on earth Numb 12. 3. Abraham yeelded to Lot his inferior Isaac swallowed many indignities at Abimelechs hands and Iaacob as many at Labans Dauid spared Saul his enemie when he had him at an aduantage and pardoned Shimei a Traytor when hee had cursed him and threw stones at him Yea all the Prophets Apostles and Saints as much as lay in them had peace with all men If wee professe our selues the Sonnes of God how are we so rough against our brethren so without pittie and charitable disposition as Lamech Ismael or Cain who learned of the Deuill who was a murtherer from the beginning to hate and kill his brother Let professors leaue these workes of the flesh to such as are in the flesh let vs be led by another rule as Christians mercifully considering one another and not as bruit beasts ledde by sensualitie We must not follow noysome lusts and humours but the rule of Gods Word to blesse though we are cursed and take things at the best and seeke peace and follow after it Let professors consider the sweet fruit of Christian communion which by a mercifull and meeke spirit is enioyed but by wrath and rash anger violenced how that the peace of the Church and publike quietnesse the honour of their profession the comfort of their conscience and acceptance of their prayers or any seruice cannot stand by them if they subdue not their spirits in this behalfe Secondly this shewes vs what to thinke of that religion which vpsetteth and vpholdeth it selfe by crueltie and malicious rage and furie it is a religion which God hath no delight in hee neuer did set it vp nor accepted it It cannot be the right religion which by crueltie sword and fire either planteth it selfe or seeketh to supplant others Therefore wee may note in the Scripture that those religions that were hated of God were cruell and vnmercifull One might haue read in Cains forehead what religion he was of no maruell if God reiected his sacrifice seeing hee bore such deadly malice against his brother Of what religion were the Egyptians that kept vnder the Israelites so tyrannically but barbarous wicked and idolatrous Iaacob must haue a place by himselfe to dwell in because his religion was an abomination to them they must not see him performe the seruices of it Manasseh set vp Idols sought to witches yea himselfe was a Magician or Coniurer and what was his practice Looke and wee shall see that no man euer shed more innocent blood then hee did Here was a note of a false religion euen cruelty such as wee read not of in any of his predecessors Antiochus Epiphanes a monster among Idolaters did so prodigiously waste the blood of the holy people as neuer was since there began to be a Nation till that time Dan. 12. 1. The heathen Emperours made such butcheries vpon the bodies of the Saints as euery street seemed a shambles of Christians and euery line of the story written in blood and their religion was sutable
out of this obstinacy and stiffenesse betimes lest the Lord giue vs vp to fall away by perpetuall rebellion This we shall doe by yeelding our selues tractable and laying aside obstinacie in sinne and by giuing vp our selues to be ruled by Gods word and spirit This point is so much the more necessary because the great sinne of these dayes is obstinacy of heart men cannot plead ignorance nor want of good means to helpe them out of their sinnes and yet few or none leaue their sinnes but wilfully perseuere in them against the word and their owne consciences Besides this God hath giuen vs many warnings of our estate by many plagues of the highest kind threatned and not a few and those not insensible executed with seuerity but for all this we are in generall senselesse and are resolued to hold our sinnes without humble sorrow and suing to God for reconciliation And this is rebellion against God of knowledge to depart from the knowne trueth in whole or in part Now to helpe vs out of this sin of obstinacy consider these motiues first neither Gods couenant of mercy nor the least part of it belongs to that man that obstinately goes on in sinne for the first condition in the tenor of the new couenant is to take away the stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. It is a brand of a man in the state of death to bee hard and brawnie-hearted Secondly all the hope and expectation of such a man is euill and mischiefe to meet him at euery corner Prou. 28. 14. He that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill he may with Balaam shuffle from one way into another but cannot auoid the Angel with a drawne sword ready to kill him Now what a fearefull and desperate estate is it for a man to goe vnder Gods curse continually as a man vpon whom sentence of death is passed and knowes not but expects euery moment execution yet so hardned are some who harden themselues that when the parts of this curse are in executing vpon themselues and theirs they are further hardned still Thirdly euery sinne is damnable but yet not so much sinne as obstinacie and impenitencie in sinne condemneth especially where all good meanes of softning haue been vsed nothing but repentance cuts off sinne and that is the only remedy which by the hardnesse of heart being reiected the wounded soule dieth irrecouerably Fourthly while hardnesse and obstinacy continue no means can helpe or auaile a man to saluation He cannot pray because he turnes away his eare from hearing the law Hee cannot heare the word to doe him any good for To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts The Sacraments are bane and poyson to him because he comes with a wicked heart In a word no Seruice or sacrifice is acceptable but from a broken heart which hee hath not therefore hee is like a sicke man giuen ouer by the Phisician Fiftly the longer a man continues in obstinacie the more he increaseth the wrath of God vpon him Ro. 2. 5. Thou through the hardnesse of thy heart which cannot repent treasurest vp to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath As if a great malefactor should for twenty or fortie yeeres euery day be carrying a faggot to make a fire to burne himselfe withall so the sinner the longer he continues in his sinne the greater wrath is layd vp for him as the more faggots the greater fire What a wofull condition were this but nothing to the fire of hell the burning of which is fire and much wood and the wrath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindles it Isa. 30. 33. Is it not a lamentable thing for a man to abide in that estate in which hee is continually carrying as it were a faggot to hell-fire to burne himselfe withall Oh but I will repent in the end of my dayes Doe not trust vpon that for first late repentance is seldome true repentance he that repents not till hee be dying it is to bee feared lest his repentance dye with him Secondly the longer a man perseuers in sinne the longer and more he increaseth the hardnes of his heart and it prooues daily the harder to repent euery day addes something to hardnesse of heart as in the body a sore the longer it is delayed the more incurable it is so is it in the soule And thirdly this thy speech makes as if a man would bee sure to pay his debts by running further in Know this for a certaintie that the soules sweruing from God is like bones out of ioynt which the longer they are let alone are the hardlier set Notes of a man gotten out of his obstinacie are these first pouertie of spirit all our liues for sinne which is an humble sight and sense of sinne and misery when a man findes a want of all goodnesse in himselfe and in an holy despaire of himselfe hee flies wholly to the mercie of God in Christ longing after it aboue life and hungring after it aboue all things in the world Secondly a trembling at Gods word for these two are ioyned Isa. 66. 2. I will looke to him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at my Word and yet loueth the sharpest reproofes of it which is ioyned with the former Psal. 119. 119. 120. I loue thy testimonies My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Thirdly silent submission to Gods corrections Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it Micah 7. 9. I will beare the wrath of God because I haue sinned we must get into our hearts a patient waiting in all iniuries and wrongs till God plead our cause Fourthly a mourning vnder the grudgings of our owne hardnes of heart and that we cannot mourne and get them to through subiection so did the Church returning to God Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy wayes returne for thy seruants sake and for the tribes of thine inheritance Fifthly a feare of the occasions of sin and hatred of appearance of euill of the garment spotted by the flesh Whose mouthes thou doest binde with bitte and bridle OVt of these words we may note that If a man wil continue indocible and intractable God hath his bitte and bridle for him to curbe and hamper him If men will be as Horses and Mules God will deale with them as men doe with Horses and Mules Prou. 26. 3. Unto the Horse belongs a whip to the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles backe God hath rods enough in store to whip the folly of sinners otherwise incorrigible Leuit. 26. 27. If yee will yet walke stubbornly against mee I will walke stubbornely against you in mine anger and will chastize you yet seuen times more according to your sinnes Now then a man walketh stubbornely when hee regards no admonitions nor precepts nor corrections and iudgements to bring him
them forewarnes the wicked of their danger For if iudgement begin there where shall the wicked appeare Secondly hee most manifesteth his power in his childrens weakenesse in supporting their soules and bodies Now if his power and mercie were not aboue the iudgement they should perish in it Secondly he traines and betters his children which is great mercie by the iudgement first he scowres and purgeth their sinne afflictions are as Gods laundrie wherin his children by beating scowring and rubbing are made whiter and whiter Venimous creatures breed not in winter nay a sharpe winter kils the Vermine so afflictions nip and stay our corruptions This is another mercie aboue the iudgement Secondly by them hee exerciseth and stirreth vp the grace that is in them as the winde blowes vp the sparkes of fire yea manifests the synceritie of their hearts to themselues and others for a man is that indeed which he is in triall Thirdly he fits them by afflictions to comfort others in triall with the same comforts wherewith hee hath comforted them A great mercie to fit them to mercifulnesse and to set out Gods mercie to others See Exod. 23. 9. Fourthly he teacheth them to esteeme more of his blessings in the want of them Is there not an ouer-ruling mercie in all this that whereas afflictions are in themselues euill and reuenges of sinne yet they make the godly better now whatsoeuer makes vs better is from a hand of mercie Thirdly the Lord by his seruants trouble would teach all first that the euils chiefly esteemed so in the world are not so indeed for the godly are exempted from the greatest euils if only wicked men were blind blindnesse would bee thought a fearefull iudgement therefore to confute that Isaac must bee blinde Secondly how such euils should be borne It is a mercie that by the godly the world may bee taught how to beare the hand of God Thirdly an infallible marke of the resurrection Luc. 16. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and Lazarus euill things therefore now hee is comforted and thou art tormented Fourthly that all their miseries end in mercie and are turned to their best Marke and consider the godly man for his end is peace his light afflictions are recompensed with an eternall weight of glory From all which we may conclude that if godly men in the midst of their miseries bee so compassed with mercie in the beginning carriage and conclusion of them that the doctrine propounded is most true But if we turne our selues to the second branch and consider those kindes of mercies which shall meete vs in the life to come we can looke no way but we are intrenched with such mercies as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceiue much lesse can wee speake of them as they are but must breake out into Dauids admiration Psal. 31. 9. O how great is that goodnesse which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee But yet as Moses wee may see the good land a farre off and with the searchers let you see by a cluster or two and giue a taste of the good things therin If God loue vs sayd they he will bring vs vnto it so many as God loueth shall be brought to it and not onely taste as here how good and gracious God is but shall drinke plentifully of the riuers of his house for with him is the Well of life and in his light wee shall see light First how can the Elect but be compassed with mercie when all the miserie and sorrow with all the causes and effects wherewith they are now compassed shall be abolished and vtterly chafed away Now we are vexed with the remembrance of euils past with the sense of euils present and with the feare of euils to come but all these first things must passe away and all teares must be wiped from our eyes In our bodies all weakenesse naturall infirmitie sickenesse labour mortality and corruption shall bee remooued they shall need neither meate nor cloth for which here we toyle so much nor Marriage nor Physicke nor sleepe there shall be no care for the familie no toyle in the calling for they rest from their labours no labour spent in teaching or learning in preaching or hearing mortalitie hath put on immortalitie and death being destroyed it can dye no more The soule shall be from all sinne and sinfull passions from ignorance vnbeliefe pride enuie and all the workes of the flesh yea not onely from sin but from the power of sinning the will hath no freedome to euill being perfectly freed to good neither can the affections set themselues vpon any other obiect In our names we are now lyable to many contumelies and reproches and slanders as our Lord himselfe was numbred among the wicked Hee was not knowne no more are wee but then shall our innocencie breake out as the light and it shall be manifest what we are 1. Ioh. 3. 2. When Christ our Head shall appeare we also shall appeare with him in glory Now wee are in spirituall combat but then wee shall bee perfectly freed from the deuil from his Angels from sinne and sinners from the world and the lusts that are in it and God shall fully and finally tread Satan vnder our feete Secondly If wee be so happie in Priuatiue mercies what shall we be in Positiue how shall we be compassed with them First how shall wee be beset with mercie yea and glory in enioying the immediate fellowship and vision of God in whose face is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore If a man had all the paines of hell vpon him this blessed vision of God would make him an happie man We see God now but as in a glasse and yet that sight of him vpholds vs in all our troubles how much more shall we be fully happy when we shall see him as he is face to face euen so fully as being glorified we shall be capable of So many mercies compasse the Elect in this one as if I had a thousand tongues and should doe nothing but speake them till the day of Iudgement I could not recount them Secondly what a wonderfull mercie shall compasse vs in our immediate vnion and coniunction with Christ our Head by which we shall be like him not like him as he was a man of sorrowes and in the shape of a seruant for thus he was like vs but like him as hee is now the glorified Head of his Church not equall to him but like him both in soule and body Our soules perfect in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse and standing in a perfect image of God like to the perfect holinesse of Christ himselfe Our bodies clothed with beauty strength shining agilitie and glorie as his is He walketh in white so shall wee His face is shining and glorious so shall ours As hee sits on his Fathers
DAVIDS LEARNING OR THE WAY TO True Happinesse In a Commentarie vpon the 32. PSALME Preached and now published by T. T. late Fellow of CHRISTS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE To which is prefixed the Table of method of the whole Psalme and annexed an Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe matters in the COMMENTARIE LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henrie Fether stone and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1617. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE VICOVNT WALLINGFORD Lord KNOLLYS Baron of GREYS Master of the WARDS and LIVERIES Knight of the noble Order of the GARTER and one of HIS MAIESTIES most Honorable Priuie Councell Grace Mercy and Peace here and euerlasting RIGHT HONORABLE GReat is the affinitie of soule and body neerely coupled and wedded by God like Husband Wife for better and worse till death depart them Like Hippocrates his twinnes they weepe and laugh stand and fall liue and dye and euery way sympathize together Both haue their seuerall life and nutriment both haue their seuerall sicknesse and diseases which tend to the issues of death Among all other vncleane issues both of them haue their leprosie one the better knowne by the other In neither any substance but in both an accident corrupting the whole substance Bodily leprosie is from the corrupt and poysoned humors in the body Spirituall is from the corruption and poyson of the soule The former quickly spreadeth ouer the whole bodie The latter ouer the whole man The former infecteth onely some men The latter hath poysoned all The former corrupteth the breath by which others are infected The latter poysoneth and infecteth many others not onely by breathing out corrupt speeches but also by corrupt example The former was to be discerned by the law of leprosie Leuit. 13. The latter namely the knowledge of sinne is by the law morall Rom. 3. The former is hard to cure and the most earry it to their death naturall as Gehezi Azariah The latter is an harder cure and therefore the most carrie the running sores of sinne incurably vnto death eternall This disease being so loathsome so dangerous the Lord chargeth all Israel with speciall care both to discerne it to preuent it and if it were possible to cure it They must discerne it by sundry marks both for the certaintie and curablenesse First for the certaintie Wee neede not halfe so much caution or curiositie to be perswaded of our spirituall leprosie which is too too apparent Onely those many ceremonies put vs in minde how much more requisite our diligence ought to bee in finding out and hunting out our speciall sinnes The speciall markes which we read of to shew whether the bodily leprosie be curable or no are these First If rubbing the place of the leprosie it grow not red it is held incurable So if sinners being rubbed and admonished blush not nor be ashamed of their sinne there is little hope of their amendment Secondly If pricking the place with an Instrument there come out still a corrupt moysture there is little hope of cure So if after the preaching of the law and pricking the conscience of the sinner the corrupt issues of sinne still preuaile there is lesse hope of the sound cure of such a sinner Thirdly If after pricking with a needle there come foorth bloud it is a signe it is curable So if sinners pricked with the needle of the law cry out of the paine of their sinnes and see the need of the bloud of Christ and lay hold of it for saluation their spirituall leprosie is in the way of full cure Secondly when it is discerned the Lord takes order to preuent it from others first They must vncouer their heads that men might not mistake them and in token also that God had thus humbled them for that ceremony was a signe of humilitie Secondly They must couer their lippes that by their breath they might not infect others Thirdly They must haue a rod put into their hands that men might auoide them as children doe the rod. Fourthly They must proclaime themselues vncleane and giue warning to others Fiftly They must bee shut vp many daies and excluded the host vtterly if they be vncurable as King Ozias 2. King 15. A notable type of the suspension and excommunication of impenitent and desperate sinners shutting them out of the Congregation of God lest they infect and poyson others with the contagion of their sinne Thirdly after discerning they must speedily attempt the cure wherein the Lord enioyneth them first To goe to the Priest signifying that Iesus Christ the High Priest of our profession is the onely Phisician of this leprosie of sin Secondly They must rent their garments a signe of great sorrow for sinne and of casting off their owne raggs that they may bee couered with a wedding garment euen the garment of saluation Thirdly There must bee a vessell of water which must be sprinkled on the party and of oyle with which he must be suppled This vessell is the heart the water signifieth the bloud of Christ the lauer of the Church the sprinkling of this water noteth the washing of the conscience from dead works and the oyle signifieth the glad tidings of the Gospell all which the Lord vseth in this great cure Fourthly There is required the shauing of all the haire of the Leprous that no infection any way cleaue to him which noteth the purging away and daily paring of lusts and superfluities by the grace of sanctification which are to the soule as excrements are to the body And this is the law of the Leprosie This one Psalme presenteth in one view the whole truth of this excellent type wherein holy DAVID cleerely discouereth the foule leprosie of his soule which is so odious in his eyes as hee pronounceth him the onely happie man that hath got a couer and cure Loth he was for shame according to the law to proclaime himselfe vncleane he would hide his vncleannesse and hold his tongue as long as hee could but all this while there was no hope of cure for being let alone it ate vp his marrow consumed his bones and dryed and drunke vp his moysture as in the drought of Summer Now when there was no other remedie he goes to the high Priest confesseth his vncleannesse against himselfe who immediately answered him as that leper Mar. 1. 42. I will be thou cleane And as that leper could not hide his ioy but no sooner was he gone then he began to publish the matter so this leper no sooner was cured but hee calleth euery one to teach them in the like estate how they may procure the like remedie And then according to the precept of Christ to the leper he offereth the gift which MOSES commanded euen the sacrifice of prayer and praise and exciteth others by sundry arguments to doe the same These Meditations I haue presumed to dedicate
vnderstand not 2. Vntractablenesse Whose mouthes thou rulest with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee 3. The reasons 1. From Gods iudgements vpon impenitent sinners Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked 2. From Gods infinite loue to repentant sinners described 1. By their qualitie They trust in the Lord. 2. Measure of mercy Mercy shall compasse them 4. Praise of God the end of all where 1. The persons 1. Righteous men 2. Vpright of heart 2. The dutie threefold expressed in three seuerall wordes Be glad Reioyce Be ioyfull 3. The limitation In the Lord. THE HIGH-WAY TO HAPPINES Contayning THE EXPOSITION OF THE 32. PSALME THE ARGVMENT A Psalme of DAVID to giue instruction INscriptions are as keyes to open a doore into the Psalmes This Title agreeth with the Argument of this Psalme For it is the chiefe wisdome and learning of the Church to know how to come to be happy as this Psalme teacheth which in the inscription is commended First From the matter Secondly The Author First The matter that it was Dauids learning and penned to teach the vnlearned for it is not the will of God that the vnlearned should want knowledge Yea such a learning as is not euery-where to be had but onely is to be drawne out of the Word of God For nature and humane reason teacheth it not nor can vnderstand it no nor can endure to heare that God should not respect any worthinesse or merit of man but freely forgiue sinne to make a soule truely happy Secondly The Author was Dauid here named that we might know that this chiefe doctrine of all other was not framed or deliuered to the Church from an obscure and vnknowne Author but proceeded from the holy Ghost who guided the Pen-men of Scripture and by this Pen-man commended also to the vse of the Church that so our faith might be more certaine for neuer can the heart bee stable in any doctrine which it is not perswaded to bee an Oracle of God Whence obserue First That as all the Scripture is profitable for doctrine instruction and comfort so more especially the booke of Psalmes being inspired by God to this purpose and therefore must all of them in publike or priuate vse tend to our edification First In the publike vse of the Congregation 1. Cor. 14. 15. I will sing with the Spirit but with vnderstanding also and 26. When yee come together as any hath a Psalme let all bee done to edifying Secondly In priuate either in the family Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. speaking and admonishing your selues with Psalmes c. or apart alone I am 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing prosperitie must not force vs to forget God but remember his louing kindnesse Hence haue we the examples of the Disciples of our Lord singing a Psalme after the receiuing of the Sacrament together with himselfe Mar. 14. 26. And Paul and Silas in prison sung to God Acts. 16. 25. To confute such as set out filthy amorous and lewd Ballads and Songs Fictions Loue-bookes c. which tend to the corrupting of men and youth especially Dauids songs tended to instruction in the highest point of heauenly wisedome and the vse of these would bring the other out of request and it should teach Parents that would not haue their Childrens bodies poysoned to be much more carefull their mindes bee not herewith infected Secondly Their sinne is iustly condemned who either in publike or more priuate meetings sit like cyphers or mutes when Psalmes are sung who neither sing themselues nor attend to those that doe nor haue any care to helpe their vnderstanding or their affections but are as senselesse as the seats they sit vpon these highly take the name of God in vaine or else they runne out at the Psalme as not concerning them hath the Lord fitted the Psalmes forthy instruction and darest thou despise that high learning offred in them Thirdly Those who in singing onely respect the storie of the Psalme as they doe other Scriptures not instructing comforting or admonishing themselues by applying the matter to their hearts but sing without all grace in their hearts and lastly those that respect in these songs musick more then matter that are led away by sound not by sense by the eare not by the heart that are filled with vanitie not with the Spirit and sing to man not to God Secondly note that Dauid though furnished with varietie of learning accounteth none learning but this being indeed a speciall knowledge to be instructed and instruct others in He calleth all conditions of men to learne this doctrine which so neerely concerneth all and is of such speciall vse as without it euery thing increaseth a mans miserie and hauing it he is onely happy Hence is this knowledge called wisdomes or knowledges Prou. 9. 1. as though it contayned all comfortable knowledge in it And indeed if we measure knowledge by the vse that must needs be the best that makes vs best and brings in best profit but that doth this learning for how vaine are the deepest Philosophers in all their knowledge What are they but lyars while without this they dispute of truth Vicious persons while they entreat of vertue Ignorant while they dispute of knowledge and miserable Creatures while without it they grope at true blessednesse What were a man better if he were able to comprehend the frame of the World measure the parts of the Earth to discourse of the course and motions of the Starres if the sense of vnpardoned sinne proclaime himselfe a damned wretch and a guiltie conscience tell him to his face that Heauen is ashamed of him the Earth is weary of him and his owne sinnefull burthen beares him downe to Hell What profit were it to be able to discerne all diseases and all remedies and attayne all the skill of physicke to cure the body when a man 's owne soule is wounded to death without remedie What helpeth it to bee wise in worldly matters and skilfull in cases of Law to auoid vniust sentences and wrongs when a man is condemned in himselfe by the comfortlesse accusing of his owne conscience See the vanitie of rich and worldly men that spend their dayes in gathering perishing riches and drop into the graue before euer they thinke of this Learning and the folly and madnesse of the most that count nothing worthy to be knowne but these earthly learnings spend all their time and studies in them as the Heathens did till they become almost as heathenish Secondly The shame it is of many profound Scholers who in their ministrie seeke to be approued for other learning in Tongues Fathers Arts c. which in their places are excellent gifts but this onely skill this Danids learning how to direct a troubled conscience to his peace and a miserable soule to his happinesse is not their aime they haue no skill nor will this way Thirdly And hearers who would bee taught in any learning but
heart onely giueth a rellish to this of our Prophet Blessed is the man whose sinne is forgiuen And in whose Spirit there is no guile HEere is an inseparable fruite of a iustified person and a note of a blessed man First by spirit referred to man is sometime meant the mindes or vnderstanding part of the soule with the most inward cogitations of it so 1. Thes. 5. 23. that your whole spirit soule and body c. and in all places where spirit and soule are mentioned together Secondly sometimes for the heart and inward affections Rom. 1. 9. whom I serue in my spirit Thirdly sometimes for the soule it selfe God inspired into Adam a liuing spirt Genes 2. Luk. 23. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 1. Pet. 3. 19. He preached to the spirits in prison that is soules So here it is to be taken with the vnderstanding heart will conscience affections and the rest of the faculties and the soule is called by this name to shew the nature of it that it is a spirit as the Angels nay God himselfe is farre more excellent then the body and yet much more neglected Secondly by guile is meant three things in the Scripture First in words and promises deceit and false-hood when one thing is spoken another meant 1. Pet. 2. 22. in whose mouth was found no guile Secondly in actions and practice when one thing is done another pretended 1. Pet. 2. 1. Lay aside all guile and dissimulation Thirdly in thoughts and purposes when the reasonings and inward frame of the heart is vnfound and deceitfull This last is here meant for the better vnderstanding of which we must enquire First what it is secondly some seuerall practice of it thirdly the vses First the guile of the spirit is an inward corruption in the soule of man whereby he dealeth deceitfully vvith himselfe before God in the matter of saluation I say it is an inward corruption in the soule which sheweth both the kinde and seate of it First for the kinde it is a spirituall deceit and opposite to inward sinceritie and vprightnesse Secondly the seate of it is the soule and heart which since the fall is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things Iere. 17. 9. hence Iames calleth sinners double-minded chap. 4. 8. and hypocrites are described by two hearts And this may sufficiently cast downe proud flesh seeing this guile hath taken the chiefe holds euery mans soule hath in it the seeds of all sinne against the first and second Table none excepted Whosoeuer comes of Adam hath all Adams corruptions whereof this guile is compact so that if a man looke onely at himselfe hee that is to day a Protestant may to morrow be a Papist to day a Christian to morrow a Diuell were it not for the promise and power of God that preferues his to saluation And in that this deceit lyeth at the roote of the heart it is more fearefull both in that it hath chosen a secret hold and scarcely can be discerned as also is in place secretly to infect and poyson whatsoeuer can proceede from that roote as indeede it doth Yet few or none complaine of this deadly disease or will bee knowne to bee annoyed with it the nature of which is that the more raging and killing it is the lesse it is felt Further I say by this guile a man dealeth deceitfully with himfelfe in the matter of saluation For there is a guile betweene man and man but this is more sinfull and dangerous both because it is a deceiuing of himselfe by the lying and slattering of his owne heart as also that it is before God as if hee would deceiue him too as also in regard of the subiects in the matter of saluation To deceiue one selfe of his goods lands or outward profit is an ouer-sight but nothing to the losse of his soule heauen and happinesse and this is that our Text aimeth at if these words looke to the former hee is a blessed man that hath pardon of sinne and is not deceiued by the guile of his heart in this point plainely implying that there is such guile in a mans heart about this perswasion of the pardon of sinne that not onely others but himselfe also may bee deceiued in his owne estate and so kept from feeling or seeking his blessednesse in Gods fauour Many are pittifully beguiled and thinke surely to be saued and cry Lord Lord but are sent away with workers of iniquitie GOD knowes them not The Church of Laodicea beguiles her selfe with conceit and confidence in her owne sufficiencie being but poore naked and miserable and such is the power of this corruption in the heart of a naturall man that when his sin is found hatefull hee flattereth himselfe in his owne eyes and hath pretences and colours to turne off vprightnesse Psal. 36. 2. The particular practices hereof wee will referre to foure heads the first in respect of a mans estate before God secondly in respect of sinne thirdly of vertue and grace and fourthly in respect of the worke of the word and Spirit That wee may better know the nature hereof we will cast eye vpon some notable parts of this deceit which in all this regard it sendeth out in the most from the which in some degree the best are not exempted First when a man is a vile and wicked person in Gods eyes this guile makes him thinke himselfe highly in fauour with God Iohn 8. The Iewes bragged they vvere the sonnes of Abraham when Christ told them they were of their father the Diuell The Pharise could say Lord I am not as this Publicane when hee was a limbe of the Diuell And this guile is fed by sundry other delusions As first by a conceit of righteousnesse while men measure themselues with themselues or with some great sinners so did the Pharise or by the crooked rule of ciuill righteousnesse he looked at extortioners vniust adulterers and the Publicane the common speech is now I am no swearer no theefe no drunkard no I would not for all the world bee so bad as some of these professors so couetous contentious such a dissembler So for outward righteousnesse as the Pharise looked at the Law hee paid tithe of all and dealt iustly these pay tithes and dues truely giue euery man his owne keep their words are good to their neighbors and good to the poore keepe good hospitalitie but all this while are aliue as Paul saith without the Law not considering what righteousnesse God there requires and not seeing the corruptions of their hearts neglect inward lusts rising vp against God and his Law Whence onely it is that poore men who liue in the breach of all Gods Lawes despise the Word neglect Prayer prophane the Sabboth sweare without sense or touch and serue their lusts yet can carry all with this conceit they meane no harme whereas if God euer open their eyes to see their faces in a true glasse they shall see how sinne
deceiued them and shall pronounce the sentence of death against themselues and the flower of their righteousnesse Secondly this deceit is fed by the bounty fauour and blessing of God who prospereth them in their labours houses in themselues others O if I were not in Gods fauour he would not prosper me so long and so sundry wayes Thus they wil know loue or hatred by the things afore them This is the guile of rich men whose houses being peaceable without feare pride compasseth them but little know they the end of their fat pastures or of their lifting vp vt lapsu grauiore ruant that they may catch the greater fall These seeke not their peace in the pardon of sinne but haue set vp themselues a-fatting till the day of their destruction Thirdly what way soeuer God deale the heart vvill deceiue it selfe For let God change his hand and bring crosses and tryalls on a man which should shake him vp from drowsinesse and securitie yet hence without further ground many will presume of Gods loue for why doth not the Lord loue those whom he chasteneth and I hope I haue my punishment here vvhen indeede the Lord doth curse them in their counsels and attempts And thus men throw poyson into the Lords cup wheras were these signes of loue amendment would accompany it sorrow for sinne feare of offending and diligence in good duties in a word their security would rise of the pardon of sinne and not of punishment of them The second guile is in respect of sinne the worke of it is manifold and that eyther before the sinne be committed or after Before the sinne First it flatters a man and tolles him on many wayes First it beares him in hand that great sinnes are but small and veniall which the sinner easily beleeues for he would haue them none at all Hence charge men with swearing rayling drinking gaming away the Sabboth their answere will bee I would I had neuer done worse c. Grosse sinnes with them are but infirmities Secondly that if it be greater yet GOD will not regard it conceiuing of God as an idle Essence that had shaken off his power of iudging the World The foole that is euery naturall man sayth in his heart there is no God to see or require such frozen persons that say God will doe neyther good nor euill Zephanie threatens that God will visit them as with lights lest any thing escape him and will teare them and none shall rescue them Thirdly when men shake hands with hell and death absoluing themselues from guilt while they fauour themselues in their lusts though the Lord say Sword goe thorow the Land yet it shall passe ouer them such as blesse themselues when the Lord pronounceth the words of the curse Deut. 29. 20. The Lord will not bee mercifull to that man Yet what a number of Ruffians Contemners and Prophaners of the Lords Ordinances Scorners of Religion Out-facers of godlinesse Drunkards Adulterers and Swearers whom the Lord hath shut Heauen against goe on in a gracelesse and ventrous presumption by this guile kept from seeking peace in season with God though the Lord say hel was made for them they say I shall escape hell Isa. 28. 15. Whether of these words shall stand Fourthly they thinke nothing more easie then repentance this sinne if I doe it is not vnpardonable I shall repent and find forgiuenesse hereafter GOD cals at all houres so he neglecteth all counsell those exhortations come not neere him Seeke the Lord while he may be found to day if ye will heare his voyce c. I gaue her a time to repent but shee repented not The Lord would haue purged them but they would not bee purged till his seueritie sudenly cut them off as vnprofitable Trees to the burning Would a man bee so carelesse of his bodie as to suffer a disease to preuaile by weekes and moneths together because so long as there is life hee may seeke helpe and recouer no he will seeke present helpe be hee neuer so young but for the soule men put off care from age to age and because they can repent hereafter they will doe that whereof they may repent and whereof indeed they shall repent though too late Secondly after sinne the guile of the soule is not sleeping though the conscience often bee for whereas after bodily harmes men are for the most part wiser here they are more foolish vnlesse the deceit be more timely discouered They can warily abstaine from whatsoeuer hath bred them sorrow or sicknesse but here the deceite of the heart first nourisheth and hideth yea maketh cloakes and vizards for sinne to which it is more prone after euery new practice The truth is if euery sinne might be seene in it owne colours it would be as blacke as a Deuill but that sinne might goe downe the cleanlier and stay in the bowels the heart ioynes with Satan in the varnishing and colouring of it Hence is it that Cut-throat couetousnesse goes masked vnder the habit of good husbandry fornication but a tricke of youth scarce an ouersight ryot and excesse is counted liberalitie drunkennesse but good-fellowship pride but comelinesse or ornament at most and blacke vices are growne neere of kinne to the most beautifull vertues Secondly after sinne committed the wiced heart can defend it all Eues brood suckt this from her When God came to her the Serpent gaue her to eate when he comes to Adam his wife gaue him to eat it seemed but reasonable when he comes to Cain Who made him his brothers keeper Come to the couetous man hee hath Scripture for himselfe He that prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell Come to the Drunkard why was not Noah and Lot drunke and many good men besides Come to the Swearer hee is safe so long as hee sweares nothing but truth and by that which is good be it bread or fire or salt c. Come to an Athiest that neuer kept Sabboth in all his life so that with him there is but little difference betweene it and another day of the six why was not the Sabboth made for man and not man for the Sabboth hee can serue GOD on his horsebacke none but he and his horse together another laden with all vnrighteousnesse tels vs how the best sinneth seuen times a day Thus is sinne growne wittie and strong within the wals of a false heart and feares no colours nor forces Thirdly If any sinne hap to make any gash or skarre in the conscience that it troubles a little the sinner the heart is not backward to seeke to apply remedies in which are as little helpe more danger for it seekes to stoppe the mouth of the conscience and to choake and stifle the voyce of it First by calling in other distractions to take him from such melancholy it sets Cain on building a Citie and Saul to fetch in Musicke
many sinnes broken off many things reformed it rests it selfe as in a worke of regeneration whereas this is a common worke of the Spirit incident to the wicked whom if God should not represse there were no liuing for the godly on earth Haman did refraine himselfe from Mordecai most sinnes seemed to be mortified in Iudas but yet he was possessed by the deuill Infidels liue honestly and ciuilly abstaine from wrongs violent lusts c. But here is no renuing grace which mortifieth all corruptions and reformeth euery thing and thus was it not in Herod Iudas and the wicked Besides as in regeneration the whole childe is borne compleate in all parts so doth the Spirit begin his worke at the roote of the heart and within and not without as in Infidels and workes not onely in suppressing and restraining sinne but also in oppressing it and renewing the heart and life And here it shall not be amisse to adde some further notes of restraining grace not renewing And first in respect of sinne it selfe A conceit that grosse sinnes be but infirmities though they liue and lye in them bearing themselues vpon this that the iust man falleth seuentimes a day and riseth againe Prou. 24. 16. falsely vnderstood Thus many approue not the excesse of sinne as vainely to sweare the greatest oaths insatiable griping and gaping after the world but why hate they not all oaths all couetousnesse which is idolatry but because there is not a spirit renewing the heart which mortifieth all deedes of the flesh all oaths all lyes Secondly in respect of their affection toward sinne namely a pretence of hatred of sinne when it is but a rash anger For example Of all sinnes which the ministerie is taxed for of the common people there is none so noted and exclamed against as their hardnesse worldlinesse gathering of goods together and the sinne is so seuerely obserued aboue all other as that an honest contented man can scarce be free from this imputation But now though the fault bee hainous and too common what is the reason the multitude so exclames vpon it is it because they hate the sinne surely no for their owne feete are as deepely sunke in the same mire and they care not for plucking them out Angry they are that another out-gathers them but if they hated the sinne themselues would not gather so fast Further many seeme to hate some of their sinnes and sometimes trouble their sinnes and grosse corruptions and wish it otherwise and accuse themselues Many are offended at some errors of Popery some vaine inuentions idle and hurtfull traditions but others are iustified Here is a shew of hatred of sinne of error but it is onely a rash anger for First he that hates one sinne or error because it is so will hate all which he knowes so to be hatred is against kinds we hate all serpents all poysons all enemies so said Dauid I hate all vaine inuentions Secondly one or two euils may be disliked of him that hates no sinne and the sinne hated but not as sinne as Absolom hated Amnon for his incest but himselfe more incestuous Thirdly if thou diddest hate these sinnes and errors as enemies why doest thou not raise thy power against them crie for Christs crucifying power against them a perfit hatred will neuer be satisfied without death or diuorcement If thou hatest her in thine heart why doest not thou put her away If thou hatedst thy sinnes thou wouldest forsake them Thirdly note in respect of the word when men taste the good word and the powers of the life to come they take this to be the Spirit of adoption and a sound affection But obserue the difference and falsehood whereas in Gods children all their affections be affected with it and they feede on it vnto eternall life in these it affecteth their ioy onely and that for a time Gods children loue it beleeue it reioyce to meditate of it rest on it by the confidence of their hearts long for the accomplishment of the promise grieue when they doe any thing to hinder that accomplishment and hate all doctrine against it whereas the bad ground onely is said to ioy in it as in a nouelty Fourthly note in respect of Gods children namely when men loue them onely so farre as may serue their owne turne for some by-respect or other Rules to know our loue to be restraining grace not renewing First euery reuerence of a good man or child of God is not loue Herod neuer loued Iohn but reuerenced him for he saw that in him which strucke him that to haue spoken against him had been to barke against the Sunne God will haue the innocency and grace of his children to be iustified by his enemies and theirs Secondly one or more good men may be fauoured of those that loue no good man Why did Nebuzaradan fauour Ieremie because he loued good men No but because he had foretold the victorie Thirdly euery good speech in defence of good men is not a fruit of loue in the speaker Pilat loued not Christ but yet seeing his innocency asked what euill hee had done washed his hands and was willing to deliuer him Some good words are drawne out of the desert of good men not out of the speakers affection Some out of policie not out of loue when men force a friendship and will speake well when inwardly they enuie the meate they eate and the clothes they weare Fourthly that is no loue of good men which is not a loue of their goodnesse Oh such a man were a good man but he is too strict I could loue him if he were not so plaine with me if hee would let mine eyes alone and not meddle with my lusts he were a sufficient man if he were a little wiser what need he lose his friends thus subtle are men to disclaime goodnesse vnder pretence of louing good men Fifthly thou canst not loue goodnesse in one vnlesse thou doest loue it in euery one hee that scorneth and disgraceth by wicked termes the persons of most Professors loues not indeed the goodnesse of any one let his pretence bee what it will The loue of the Spirit is from Christ in God and for God First to let many poore ignorant soules see their estate they say they are not book-learned and know not so much nor can speak much as other men can but they meane well and haue good hearts to God but is not this to iustifie a heart full of deceite Oh but I see no such thing in my selfe No matter that is thy deceit who art so bewitched with an enemy who while hee laughes in thy face priuily stabs thee and wounds thee to death No no thou art neuer right till thou beest at warre with thy owne heart and till thou canst say and see that thou carriest the greatest enemy thou hast in thy bosome a deceitfull heart is at bed and boord with thee lyeth downe and riseth vp walkes
from fained lippes is abominable Secondly if we come to heare the Word our hearts must not goe after couetousnesse Ezech. 33. 31. Thirdly if wee come to receiue the Sacraments wee must haue speciall eie to our hearts for what was Iudas the better to sit downe with Christ at the Passeouer when his heart was on his money And if the inside be not cleane but the heart bee vnsound all actions and words must be sutable Hence euen the graces we haue must proceed from a pure heart or else are not accepted Faith must be vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. wisedome without dissimulation Iam. 5. 17. loue vnfained in deed and truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. repentance an vnfained rending of the heart Ioel 2. else all our labour is lost Thirdly all the promises of God are made hereunto Of protection He is a shield to all them that walke vprightly Prou. 2. 7. Of direction The vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them Prou. 11. 3. Of deliuerance from euill Vers. 6. The righteousnesse of the iust shall deliuer him Of supply of good He will giue grace and glory and no good thing shall bee wanting to them that walke vprightly Psalm 84. Of peace and ioy of conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. This is our reioycing c. Of perseuerance Colours and shewes cannot bee stable but they that are in and of the Church shall abide Thirdly reasons to labour for a sincere heart First Gods commandement Genes 17. Walke before me and be thou vpright Psalm 51. 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections Conformity of manners must goe with reformation of the heart Secondly it is a part of Gods image who is most single and true and the beautie of the Church is to be all glorious within herein she is conformable to her head in whose mouth was found no guile 1. Pet. 3. Euery sonne of the Church must be a Nathaniel in whom is no guile Iohn 1. 47. and a true Israelite euen pure of hart Psalme 73. 1. Thirdly our text affoords a sound reason in that sinceritie of heart is ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinnes and is a forerunner to blessednesse Psalm 119. 1. Blessed are the perfect in the way It is a fruit and marke of faith Sinceritie is a vaile to couer all sinne because of this God couers and cures all our iniquities as 1. King 15. 14 They put not downe the high places which was a great sin neuerthelesse Asa's heart was vpright with the Lord all his daies Fourthly if wee would be distinguished from hypocrites we must labour for sinceritie wicked ones may outwardly straine beyond vs make faire shewes and haue a kind of faith and ioy c. but we must outstrippe them all in sinceritie of heart Fifthly if we would haue our duties comfortable to our selues and profitable when men obiect them vnto vs and wee meete with but small comfort in the world because of them let vs labour to become true Israelites 2. Sam. 6. 20 21 22. Dauid was mocked for dancing before the Arke but his vprightnesse bore him vp Iob had no comfort in his troubles but onely his sinceritie Vntill I die I will neuer take away mine innocencie from my selfe Iob 27. 5. This also was the onely stay to Hezekiah in the day of his straitenesse Sixthly God hath appointed a day to try thy heart and the soundnesse thereof to turne out all the windings of it and hee abhorres the double heart that turnes it selfe vpon deceitfulnesse as a doore vpon hinges therefore looke to the singlenesse of it before-hand Seuenthly and lastly onely they that walke vprightly are Citizens of heauen Psalm 15. 2. but as for the hypocrite he shall not come or not stand before God Iob 13. 16. Fifthly if thou hast thy heart at some command yet giue it not scope but keepe it still aboue all keeping fense and hedge it about or else it will deceiue thee Take heed lest there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe and so you be deceiued through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Aboue all custodies keepe thy heart watch it in all things neuer aske the question which Dauid did concerning the men of Keilah 1. Sam. 23. 11. Will they deliuer vs for assuredly our hearts will deliuer vs. Motiues to the diligent custodie of our hearts First How easily doth a little yeelding ouer-carry vs to great sinnes giue the heart an inch and it will take an ell a false heart askes but a little at first and seemes modest but it is to draw on to greater Wee haue seene a little sore as bigge as a penny grow to a gangrene which eates vp the whole body and a little sinne suffered is a gangrene that takes one part after another till the whole soule be eaten vp What mischiefs haue we heard of by a little sparke What sowrenesse in the whole lumpe by a little Leauen Open a sluce and the waters runne amaine as the waters from vnder the Sanctuarie from the ankles to the knees and so to the loynes and then it becomes a great streame and surely the prouerbe is true for the most part in sinne Ouer Shooes Ouer Bootes The enemie cares for no more then one breach or one gate open to enter at this is as good as if all the walls were cast downe enemies be easier kept out then thrust out And the reason is because God often punisheth small sinnes with greater as Peter hauing once denyed his Lord could not stay himselfe from a second and third denyall a iust correction of his want of watching at the first Therefore beware of the conception of sinne Secondly as want of watch brings small sinnes to great ones so it brings great grace often to a small measure yea to nothing If men remit of their heat a little they come from zeale to luke-warmenesse from that to coldnesse and so to be frozen in sinne How many who falling backe from their first loue and beginnings haue remitted the performance of religious duties in former times seene in profession and in godly practices but after proued first weary secondly idle thirdly senselesse and now are openly prophane and thus haue made shipwracke of their soules And what matter whether the ship bee cast away at once by violent tempests or drowned by drops and degrees Thirdly how slily can the heart vnwatched contriue and carry away sinnes of high nature and like the Harlot that thinkes none saw her wipe the mouth and it was not shee Why may it not doe a little euill that great good may come of it Some can goe to Masse and doe as others doe communicate in all the idolatrie of it to learne to loath it and laugh at it Some can run to Playes to see filthy vices acted to hate them the more and as though it were so some can giue way to such Varlets to make collections that grudge the collections for Sermons But doe you
not thinke now that the false heart hath chosen her selfe good Schoole-masters For who euer heard that chastitie was learned in the Stewes or honestie at Playes He is a mad man that can no other way trie the heat of fire then by leaping into it Fourthly consider the greatnesse of deceit within the snares without and the effects of being taken by them and the hardnesse to recouer the heart once let loose All this will inforce the doctrine strongly First the deceit within is wonderfull seeing the whole frame is euill the vnderstanding conscience memorie will and affections our Temples by the fall are become a stable yea all euill dwells in the soule a vast Chaos and confusion inclinable to most odious and lothsome sinnes whensoeuer Satan shall mooue vs who by his interest in our flesh and our acquaintance with sinne from the beginning is seldome disappointed Secondly the suares without are euery where All places are full the Street the House the Boord the Bed the Closet the Church and Pulpit All duties are full as Prayer Almes Feasting Fasting All actions Eating Drinking Trading and Sporting so as no watch can be sufficient Thirdly the effects of being taken as shame griefe wounds of conscience broken bones sharpe corrections which are to follow torment of Soule and without serious repentance of Soule and Body in Hell this is the sowre sauce appointed for such sweet meate Fourthly once let the bridle of watchfulnesse goe the heart will runne away like a wilde Horse and a long time ere thou canst catch it againe and bring it into temper and tune for so good seruice againe Fifthly the heart must bee still kept that the whole course may giue comfort for the heart of the wicked may be vpright in some particular action as Abimelech in taking Sarah Gen. 20. 6. but it is not the ayme of our liues but the godly howsoeuer in some particular actions they may shew deceit yet their comfort is that the mayne course and carriage of their liues is vpright as Dauid was vpright in all things saue only in the matter of Vriah generall guile possessed him not but in one particular action But by what meanes shall I thus keepe my heart First often heare and reade the Word the sincere Milke in it selfe and in the effect Heb. 4. 12. The Word is liuely a discerner of the thoughts it makes a man better acquainted with himselfe and grow vp in sincerity it is the hearts glasse by it as by the Lords Heifer wee shal know the riddles and deeps of our hearts 1. Cor. 14 Pauls idiot seeing the thoughts of his heart reuealed falls downe and saith God is in you The Word of God first yeelds thee light it is as a light in a candle-sticke nothing is hid which before it is not reuealed Secondly it humbles the heart no gold can bee rid of drosse till it be molten and dissolued crooked things are made right by wresting and wringing so the Word brings the heart to vprightnesse by bowing and terrifying it Thirdly it purifies the heart by working confirming and increasing Faith Secondly set thy selfe often before God and him at thy right hand whose eyes see the hearts and secrets of men to shew himselfe strong with the vpright 2. Chron. 16. 9. Abraham if he would be vpright must first walke with God Moses saw him that was inuisible And indeed hypocrisie riseth from secret Atheisme Ananias and Sapphira tempted God in their hypocrisie and impossible it is for a man to speake and doe in Gods presence and not sincerely Thirdly set before thee often the last Iudgement in which all things and persons shall appeare naked and be not as they seeme but seeme as they are thou mayest collude with men but Gods pure eyes cannot bee deceiued see Pauls example 2. Cor. 5. So thinke of after-recknings and how narrowly things shall be look't too and what a hard man the Master is Fourthly call thy selfe often to examination trie thy heart and reines to see thy guile cleerer to bewaile and striue against it Trie thy workes of obedience obserue thy comfort and peace in them obserue how thou art affected when thou takest thy selfe tardy in them Say to thy selfe Oh my worke must be cleane though it be not fine it may not be blurr'd with hypocrisie Take account of thy selfe Morning and Euening bee seuere in examining it keep an audit in thy conscience summon thy senses looke to the windowes let not in any deceit by them or if thou hast thrust it out and looke better and the rather because of the vntrustinesse of thy heart he that is trustie needes seldomer to bee reckoned with and therefore Iosiah 2. King 22. 7. gaue charge that no reckoning should be taken of them that had the money for they dealt faithfully but an vntrustie Pilferer or a slippery Gehazi such as our heart is had need be reckoned with euery day Fifthly marke the wayes and frequent the company of the Godly and vpright these will neither flatter thee in thy corruptions nor suffer them vpon thee if thou wilt take vp either their Precepts or Example This Dauid knew was a good helpe to keepe himselfe vpright Psal. 119. 79 80. Let such as feare thee turne vnto me and such as know thy testimonies Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes c. Psal. 101. 6 7. Mine eyes shall be on the faithfull he that walkes in the perfect way shall cleaue to me Sixthly deale with thy heart as with a slippery man whom thou darest not to trust take bonds on him so here binde it by vowes and promises cause it to enter couenant with God Psal. 119. 106. I haue sworne and will performe to keepe thy statutes Register these bonds reuiew them At such a time on such an occasion of sicknesse I promised thus and thus Oh false heart how hast thou forgotten thy vow Seuenthly being to deale with so vnconstant a thing as the heart is doe as with an vnconstant man we take him when we find him in a good veine and lay hold on the opportunitie for let him goe an houre he will be of another minde so with thy variable heart when it is warme with any good motion let it not slip when thy heart is prepared to prayer sorrow reading let not the opportunitie die but as Dauid Psal. 57. 7. O Lord my heart is prepared I will arise and giue thankes if the Spirit be quenched he will be grieued Eighthly pray often that God would open thine eyes to see thy hidden corruptions and anoint them with eye-salue that thou mayest discerne thy sinnes euen when thy deceitfull heart hath apparelled them with the cloke of vertues Pray with DAVID Lord renew a right Spirit within me In one word to perswade to these practices Consider how we are troubled to be called hypocrites but what else doth the Lord but call the best of vs so when hee saith the heart is deceitfull
in some one sinne their conscience slumbereth and though they bee not altogether hardned and without all touch of feare or desire of fauour yet are they very coldly mooued to confesse sinne or seeke peace they go slumbring on and weare out much time without comfort of their duties and are loth to be stirred till God take them in hand and iudge them for not iudging themselues and force them by violence to that which it had been more for their ease voluntarily to haue vndertaken Now we come to the effect of hiding sinne which is trouble both inward and outward euen in Gods owne children But here first note what is the ende of afflictions in them to wit not the punishment of their sinnes which are all remitted by one satisfaction of Christ but to shake them out of their sleepe of securitie and to draw them out of the thickets in which they would willingly lie hid Yea but they be fruits of sinne and part of the curse of sinne In themselues indeed they be the fruits and effects of sinne but now their nature is altered and of curses by Christ are changed into crosses the Lord who bringeth light out of darknesse brings this good out of them that they helpe forward the repentance mortification and conuersion of sinners vnto God Psalm 119. 17. It is good for mee that I was afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Now good is diuers first naturall secondly spirituall thirdly morall fourthly sensible fifthly by euent or accident First naturall is that which is infused into euery creature in the creation their nature vse quantities qualities all are good so are not afflictions in their nature being the punishment of sinne Secondly morall good is whatsoeuer is agreeable to the morall law so are not afflictions they are not prescribed in the morall law Thirdly spirituall whatsoeuer appertaineth to life euerlasting as faith hope loue c. thus be not afflictions good spiritually Fourthly good to the sense is whatsoeuer pleaseth the sense of man so was apple good to the eye thus no affliction is good and pleasant to the sense for the present Heb. 12. Fifthly they are good by euent and by accident partly by Gods ouer-ruling prouidence that can turne them to good and partly by grace in the elect who make a good vse of them First to say with the Papists that the afflictions of the godly are so many temporall punishments and satisfactions for sinne is First to derogate from that onely satisfaction of Christ and from the perfection of it Secondly to lessen the merit and desert of sinne which is death eternall Thirdly to misse Gods end of afflicting his children which is not to punish that which is already punished in Christ but to purge that which still cleaueth vnto them and hangeth fast on Secondly when thou art any way distressed and touched especially in conscience come backe to thine own sinne say with thy selfe Surely I haue either not repented at all or not fully of all this is because I haue held my peace and haue not confessed my sinnes to God or not forsaken them For when afflictions haue done that for which they are sent whē they haue opened the eare and humbled the heart as a messenger which hath done his errand they depart Leuit. 26. 41. the Lord threatneth the Iewes that because they haue walked stubburnely with him he will walke stubburnely against them but how long till their vncircumcised hearts bee humbled and they willingly beare the correction praying for their sinne then hee will remember his couenant Iob 33. 14. The Lord speakes once or twice to a man saith Elihu and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnes and it did not profit me then he will deliuer his soule here is a way for ease Thirdly willingly accept the prouocations of conscience when they stirre to renue repentance not benumming thy soule or hardning thy selfe by continuing without reconciliation Answere the summons of God hold thy peace no longer for this increaseth the rods and tieth affliction fast vnto thee Fourthly this being a prerogatiue of Gods children namely that euill shall be turned to their good as good to euill to the wicked be not dismaied in afflictions but comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God and in this that the present affliction tendeth vnto and endeth in good because it brings foorth the fruits of vnfeigned righteousnesse Now the grieuousnesse of Dauids touch of conscience is set out first by the effects secondly by the continuance of it The effects 1. The changes in his body in his 2. The roaring of voice Bones consuming Moisture dried These fruits of his sinne are witnesses of Gods wrath that pursued his conscience First My bones consumed these effects note the inward and extreme sorrow of the Prophet which pearced his very marrow so Salomon hath it Prou. 17. Heauinesse drieth the bones because it eateth vp the spirits which should nourish and moisten them And it made his bones like the bones of an old man whose spirits and strength are spent for so the word signifies and insinuates Consenuerunt ossa such was his sorrow that whatsoeuer was firmest and strongest in him was shaken euen his very bones Thus Psalm 51. 8. hee would heare that is be by the Spirit perswaded the voice of gladnesse that is tidings of Gods fauour that the bones which he had broken might reioyce that is that the strength he had lost might be recouered and his paine which was like the breaking of bones might bee eased Iob also complaineth that his griefe had drunke vp his spirit and Psalm 102. 3. Dauid saith that his bones were burnt like an herth because of Gods displeasure And my moisture turned to the drought of summer That is looke how the Sunne in Summer parcheth and drieth leaues and hearbs so is my naturall moysture which should moysten and cherish my body drawne out and dried vp by the parching heate of Gods displeasure The like he complaineth Psalm 22. 16. My strength is dried vp like a shell or a potsherd which is bak't in the fire that is There is no more moysture in me then there is in a bak't potsherd hee was almost resolued into dust already Hence we may note what a wonderfull torment the torment of conscience is no griefe in the world is like to the griefe of conscience Iob 6. 4. The arrowes of the Lord sticke fast in me saith the holy man and Oh that my griefe were well weighed Hezekiah said that the Lord dealt with him as a lyon crushing his bones Isa. 38. 13. And Prou. 18. 14. A wounded spirit saith SALOMON who can beare And what is the reason of all this First because here is a combate with God and with his wrath hand to hand Secondly the body and spirit and all is downe the winde it might bee that a good heart would beare out the body but here the heart
is quite deiected Thirdly we haue the experience of many who haue sought the pangs of death to auoid these pangs of conscience Iudas could find no ease but in a desperate death in hanging himselfe Reuel 9. 6. Such as wish to die seeke death and cannot finde it they follow it but it flies from them and all this in the paine of a despairing conscience But here come three questions to be resolued First How can it bee that the wicked binde vpon themselues such heauy bundles of sinnes and carry all so easily whereas the godly finde such bitternesse in sinnes forgiuen how comes it to passe that the godly feele such sorrow in sinne pardoned and the wicked feele nothing in sinne vnpardoned For these reasons first because now is the time of Gods patience and forbearance of his bountifulnesse and long-suffering towards the vessels of wrath Secondly now is the time of their reioycing but when the daies of their banquetting are gone about then shall come many heauy messengers to tell them of fearefull newes there comes a day of wrath when they shall reape as they sowed and drinke the dreggs of Gods wrath to the bottome of the viall They treasure vp sorrow with their sinne and their griefe shall be full That sinne that now sets no sorrow to their heart shall hereafter be a worme euer gnawing a fire neuer going out a Riuer of brimstone kindled by the wrath of the Lord of hosts and a perpetuall weeping and gnashing of teeth Secondly how comes the body to be troubled by the minde First by the strait vnion and sympathie betweene the soule and the body vnited into one person for while the soule is possessed with feare sorrow languishing wearinesse and heauinesse it is impossible that the body can take any delight in the comforts of nature but that sleep shall depart from it or bee not so short as troublesome the meate and drinke shall be tastelesse or lothsome or mingled with teares I forgot to eate my bread saith Dauid Psalm 102. No comfort shall bee comfortable to him for when the spirit which should sustaine all a mans infirmities failes him what can sustaine him Secondly by the righteous iudgement of God who correcteth together those who haue sinned together and as they haue been vndiuided in sinne so are they not diuided in the smart of it The body hath been a seruant to the lusts of the soule and so receiueth the wages of sin with it Dauid abused the vigor strength and health of his body in the sinnes of adultery and murther and now the Lord chasteneth him in both Thirdly how comes it to passe that all the godly haue not this torment for sinne that they are not thus struck with terror nor so affected for sinne as to haue their strength impaired and their body dried First their persons are not alike and therefore Gods dealing with them is not alike some are more obscure in the world then other and haue onely more secret exercises some are more fitted by God to be speciall vessels for his glory in whom he will shine to his whole Church as Dauid Hezekiah c. and these he will specially worke vpon to make them patterns of his mercie both in leading them in and out of trouble for first hereby he lets the world see that great grace is ioyned with great corruption Secondly that the best haue matter of correction in them Thirdly that hee will not spare to rebuke sinne in those that are neerest and dearest vnto him Fourthly he will haue others to looke vpon them and Gods dealing with them in their casting downe and raising vp Secondly according to the difference of sinnes may be the difference of sorrow many men of greater grace then others haue fallen into greater sinnes then others and their knowledge being more then others is their apprehension of the sentence of the Law hath been deeper and so of wrath due to their sinne Besides in some others some speciall corruption which hath often preuailed or the constitution of body may adde a sting to the sorrow of mind some are naturally more fearefull as melancholy constitutions and so their impressions are deeper and of longer continuance Thirdly although in ordinarie Christians before sense of remission there is a sufficient measure of labour and wearinesse vnder the burthen of sinne yet some of all kindes God will exempt from such depth of griefe that he may shew himselfe free in all his working O that men would hence come to feare the paines prepared for sinners for if first a drop of Gods displeasure let fall secondly in loue thirdly on his owne children fourthly for a moment doe so amaze them and drinke vp their spirits their soules and bodies how much more shall the Ocean and deepe sea of Gods wrath against his enemies for all eternitie consume and torture them in hell Blind people of the world wil not know what hell meaneth till they be in it Secondly let vs learn to haue compassion on such as are troubled in spirit seeing such is their heauines as presseth downe both soule and body let vs apply our selues to comfort them as Dauid did here in his owne person and example Many thinke this sicknesse to be but passion conceit or melancholy and because it changeth the body often they thinke it to arise from the body but there is no disease like to this for symptomes and torment First they all are naturall this supernaturall SeSecondly they from the constitution of the body this from the constitution of the soule Thirdly in them the humours first or imagination as in Melancholy are distempered in this the conscience first and the humours after Fourthly they all may be cured by naturall remedies and bringing the body to a temperature all naturall medicines vnder heauen cannot cure this sicknesse Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore to relieue the sicke conscience is mercy indeed Christ had the tongue of the learned giuen him to speake a word of comfort to such weary soules and was sent to bind vp the broken in heart and not onely ministers but euery Christian hath receiued of his anointing Thirdly in that Dauids sicknesse of body was from the sinne of his soule learne that health is a special blessing of God seeing wee euer carry that about with vs which might change it the first and most noysome humour which breeds bodily diseases is sinne the disease of the soule and therefore if God change his hand and bring weakenesse vpon our bodies we must not fixe our eyes vpon second causes not on abundance of peccant humours but looke backe to our sinnes and life past consider how silent and impenitent we haue been turne to God bewaile and forsake sinne resolue to vse our health better and our strength for God and not against him and thus the sicknesse of our body shall turne to the soundnesse and health of the soule
Spirit is another principall cause by whom God worketh godly sorrow in his children therefore he is called the Spirit of mourning and supplication and this makes both the Word and the Rod effectuall and this Spirit may bee seene in godly sorrow strengthning comforting quieting and refreshing the heart with inward ioy and contentment and bowing it to obedience Thirdly as godly sorrow comes from God so it goes to God againe and leads to God The sorrow of the prodigall Sonne after he came to himselfe made him goe to his Father with teares in his eyes and repentance in his heart and confession in his mouth I will say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Hos. 5. 15. Surely in their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Take heede of such sorrow for sinne as driues from God if thy sorrow hinder reading prayer hearing godly conference yea if it bring thee not on thy knees and further all these though it bee for sinne it is from the Deuill for godly sorrow keepes God in sight still Fourthly it is limited by God it exceeds not the bounds of moderation sorrow for sinne may not passe measure for Gods Word doth bound it for the measure which it may not goe beyond now it is vnbounded and passeth the limits first when it vnfitteth the body or mind to good duties or to a good and chearefull manner of doing them now God loues a chearefull giuer He made the soule and body to helpe one another in his seruice and as the body must not oppresse the soule by surfetting and drunkennesse so the soule must not oppresse the body by pining and ouerthrowing the state of it Though wee must destroy the body of sinne that is the lusts of it yet we must not destroy the body of the man for that is murther and the way to runne into further sorrow Secondly when it maketh vs forget consolation Heb. 12. 5. Faint not when thou art rebuked of the Lord. Griefe for sinne must not swallow vs vp 2. Cor. 2. 7. And the reason is because that sorrow which is not ioyned with some assurance of reconciliation is sinfull and faithlesse and where this is there cannot but be consolation Heb. 12. 5. Hee speaketh vnto vs as vnto children Thirdly when it exceeds in time and wee suffer it to dwell with vs and vpon vs whereas if we sorrow for a night we must expect ioy in the morning and feare if we finde it not that it is more our owne impatiency and corruption then any other iust cause for faith in his worke still expecteth better and hopeth still Fourthly when it takes away all ioy from a Christian euen while it is present it is not godly sorrow Our commandement is Phil. 4. 4. Reioyce alwaies and againe I say reioyce Why is the Apostle so earnest in doubling this precept but because he saw this Christian reioycing so necessarie at all times as without it no good duty can be done well neither hearing nor prayer nor thankesgiuing whereof it is the ground and againe because the godly to whom the exhortation is directed for the wicked need not to be vrged to carnall ioy are so beset with trials that if they doe not still lift vp their dumpish hearts to the Lord they cannot but be ouerwhelmed But this is strange that wee must ioy euen in sorrow how can a man reioyce and sorrow at the same time Indeede carnall ioy and sorrow cannot stand together at the same time but Christian ioy and sorrow can and must for first suppose the sorrow be from without in respect of those persecutions and afflictions that the godly are beset withall euen herein they haue a signe of blessednesse a cause of reioycing and a commandement so to doe Matth. 5. 12. Paul and Silas sang in the prison the Martyrs in the flames and Iohn Baynam as if hee had been in a bed of Roses when he was at the stake Secondly if the cause be inward from sinne and corruption which is the most iust cause yet euen then Christian ioy may and must rellish a godly mans sorrow in that by the pardon of sinne hee hath escaped the wrath to come If a man for some heinous offence were ready to suffer the most exquisite torments that man could deuise if his deare friend should come with a pardon but that will not serue the turne vnlesse hee put himselfe in his place and indure all that torment for him here is cause of reioycing that he hath escaped the torment but of sorrow that by his wretchednesse his friend should be so tormented So it is betweene Christ and the Christian Or as if a man condemned to perpetuall prison for debt a suretie should bee content to sell his goods and lands to deliuer him here is ioy for his deliuerance but sorrow that he should be such a banquerupt and waster thus to vse his friend Thirdly is there not cause of ioy euen in heauinesse when the Christian heart can consider what a couenant and league of friendship he is entred into with the Lord how sweete must his loue beé to him now being a friend that so loued him when he was his enemy that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to death for him to remooue the curse of sinne Fourthly is there not cause of ioy to thinke that now though I am troubled with sinne yet I haue the Spirit of Christ to witnesse my adoption and to seale vp to me my priuiledge to be called his sonne and to become coheire with Iesus Christ and in the meane time is euerie way mindefull of my good so free-hearted that aske what I will that is good for me I shall haue it his eare is open to heare my moane to fulfill my desires and is preparing that great glory whereby I shall in due time be like the holy Angels euer beholding the face of my heauenly Father Fifthly godly sorrow ends in God it goes not away but with sense of Gods loue and fauour whereas the other departs with ceasing of paine and change of outward things It is not the increase of corne wine or oile that can content the hart seased with godly sorrow but onely when God lifteth vp the light of his countenance vpon it Sixthly the fruit of godly sorrow is repentance neuer to be repented of that is a new life vnchangeable a returne to God not to returne againe to folly whereas hypocrites are purged and forget they are purged and so returne againe to folly By these notes try thy sorrow whether it bee godly sorrow or no. Secondly if the sorrow of the godly for sinne be not alwaies godly sorrow what shall we thinke of the wicked mans sorrow How do the vngodly deceiue themselues thinking that when they cry aloud in their paine and can speake some good words that it is repentance and that God heares them But it is as the roaring of cruell Lyons such as Esau's
I not drinke of the cup that my Father hath giuen me to drinke It is a cup a measure tempered and measured by our Father if it be a little bitter in the top the bottome will haue a pleasant farewell it is giuen vs of him to drinke and therefore we must needs drinke it Thirdly it is the hand that shall not be further stretched out to smite then it shall be to saue vs this comforted the Church Isa. 59. 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue the same hand that imbraceth the Church is vnder her head Cant. 2. 6. Fourthly the Saints grounded their patience hereon Psal. 39. 9. 10. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it Remooue thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand So Isa. 38. 15. Hezekiah rested himselfe on this What shall I say hee hath said it and he hath done it and Eli 1. Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Also 2. Sam. 15. 26. If he say I haue no delight in thee loe here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good vnto him Thirdly if all afflictions be the hand of God then we see whither to goe for release we cannot expect it at the hands of men or Angels but from God none can take off Gods hand but himselfe Hos. 6. 1. Come let vs turne to the Lord he hath spoiled and he will heale vs hee hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp Iob 10. 7. there is none that can deliuer out of thine hand How doth the Lord rebuke those who will not acknowledge the hand that smites them Isa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten any more yee will fall away more and more yee seeke not vnto me Asa insisted in the hand of the Phisician to remooue Gods hand but his example teacheth that euen lawfull meanes must not preuaile against Gods hand where God himselfe is not chiefly sought men goe no further then the hand of a man oppressing them and seeke deliuerance that way which is as if a malefactor should seeke to the executioner and not to the Iudge who hath power to pardon or repriue or hang him Others runne vnto vnlawfull and wicked meanes to the Witch the Wise or Cunning man and woman who are no better then diuels incarnate and yet are more sought to euerie one of them then all the Ministers in a Countrie as though all the deuils or gates of hel could stirre Gods hand or breake his arme Oh but they doe good and helpe vs. Indeed God permits them so to doe to mens further hardening and remooueth one hand that is sensible to lay on one which is farre heauier the deliuerance is by breaking the prison to be clogd with more burden some fetters The generall rule for all troubles is Psal. 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Fourthly in all deliuerances out of trouble repaire to God with thankefulnesse who hath remooued and staied his hand so did Moses Exod. 15. 1. So did Hezekiah Isa. 38. 18. 19. 20. and so did the nine Lepers Thankefulnesse is the onely impost that God requires at our hands So much of the first point Secondly God laies his hand heauily often vpon his owne deare children as here vpon Dauid vpon Iob cha 6. 2. Oh that my griefe were throughly weighed my calamity laid in the balances together it would be heauier then the sand of the sea c. So also cha 16. 12 13. He hath taken me by the neck and beaten me and set me as a mark for himself His archers compasse me round about he cutteth my reines and doth not spare powreth my gall vpon the ground He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another and runneth vpon mee like a Gyant All which phrases imply first that his inward and most noble parts were afflicted and secondly that God in his sense was become his enemie and could not be more fierce against him then he was Isa. 38. 15. Hezekiah complains that God had bruised all his bones like a Lyon Psal. 6. 3. Dauid shewes that his affliction was violent both in his body and soule My bones tremble saith he and my soule is sore vexed and Psal. 116. 3. hee affirmes that the paines of hell had caught hold on him that is such temptations distresses and horrors as most neerely resembled the very paines of the damned What a heauy hand was that vpon Ionas when he was cast into the sea and was in the Whales belly three daies and three nights when he cried out of the belly of hell and said that he was cast away out of Gods sight And why doth the Lord lay such heauie things vpon his children For sundrie Reasons First there is deepe corruption lurking in the best who not feldome are cast vpon so dead a sleepe of securitie that they cannot be wakened with a little shaking till by most grieuous afflictions the Lord breake their bones consume their strength and bring them into such griefe and paine as sets them a roaring A wonderfull thing that those that haue tasted the sweet loue of God in Christ which should alwaies allure them and remaine as a prouocation and perpetuall spurre to follow after God should so far be carried back with lusts as that vnlesse God seek them out and whip them home with sharp scourges they were likely to perish with the world Let vs see in our example Dauid deare to God hauing not shaken off the delight of his sinne would couer it if he could from Gods eyes for he cannot peaceably inioy that sinne which hee thinkes God sees but God makes him know that he sees it and because smal checks of conscience will doe no good he laies on to the breaking of his heart with his bones and spares not for his roaring It is our owne fault that wee need so great crosses to subdue so great corruptions for as the vntamednesse of some colt is such as if he be not sore ridden and beaten he would neuer be broken so is it with our corrupt natures which as hard knots must haue hard wedges Secondly smaller troubles haue often a smaller work small things cannot make great hearts stoope a smal fire will not purge away drosse from gold but it must bee quicke and pearcing a small wind doth not fan away the chaffe of vanitie a small correction or smart makes the child more froward till sounder correction subdue him small trials doe not so exercise faith nor send men out of themselues to God for as none for the scratch of a pinne or a little headach will seeke to the Phisician or Surgeon so a sinner in smaller grieuances of the soule will scarce thinke he needs goe to God Iob 33. 14. God speakes once or twice and then makes the obstinate sicke with
smiting them he will haue his blowes felt the strong purgation at last worketh out most health and soundnesse Thirdly the greater the affliction is the more odious doth sinne appeare to bee vnto God a strong poyson must haue a strong antidote the more the godly are striken downe for sinne the more are they stirred vp to godly sorrow to hatred of it to zeale against it the better and more watchfully do they preuent sinne to come and looke better to themselues as a good Physician oftentimes letteth blood not to make a man sicke but to preuent sicknesse Fourthly the greater the tryall is the better experience haue they of themselues for first God afflicts the body heauily but it is for the soule the soule would neuer perceiue the owne euill but for the euil of the body nor feele the miserie but by the body Secondly in great trials there is experience of a great combat betweene the flesh and the Spirit where any faith is it will lift vp the heart in inuocation silence and an expectation of the good hand of God but the flesh will be complaining of Gods absence desertion and deferring his hand and helpe here is sense of the spirits willingnesse and the weakenesse of the flesh Thirdly there is great experience of their graces in great trials that both themselues and others may take knowledge of their constancie and patience Thus Iob was made a mirror of patience and a patterne of constancy which he could not haue been if the trial had not been so sharpe as it was Then the Mariners skill is best tried when the tempest is vehement and the valour of a Captaine is best seene in the hottest skirmish Fourthly in great trials there is great obseruation of Gods dealing of the comforts of God and of the strength of God and therefore the Lord brings many of his as it were vpon the stage and theater of the world that they may be instruments of his praise and may by their experience be able to teach others how they shall finde God in affliction for as one piece of yron cannot be soldred and fastned to another vnlesse both be made red hot and beaten together so one Christian cannot be so soundly affected to another vnlesse both haue had experience of the like miserie Fifthly Gods children haue great afflictions and are pressed with an heauie hand that God himselfe may be cleerely seene to bee their deliuerer when in the eyes of all flesh they are lost therefore they see themselues in the red Sea of affliction and in a wildernesse of temptation and sometimes with Ionas in their owne and other mens sense drowned in the bottome of the sea in the belly of the Whale that as Lazarus lay foure dayes in the graue that Christs power might bee manifested in raising him so also may the goodnesse of God who after two daies will reuiue vs and in the third will raise vs vp Sixthly as great afflictions make way for abundant mercy from God to vs so also for abundant thankes from vs to God If one cure a trifeling matter it neither so bindes the patient nor yet commends the Physician but if any be cured of some deadly and almost-vncurable desease then we professe we could neuer haue met with such a Phisician in all the world againe and we are accordingly thankefull Seuenthly were it not for great afflictions we could neuer know the power of Gods Word in quickning vs chearing and comforting vs in them that it is the Word of life is most euidently seene in death it selfe First then let vs hence take a view of the wickednesse of our nature and of the working of it euen after our calling and conuersion and cease to wonder that the Lord often brings violent afflictions vpon his owne children which he sees most necessarie to awake them out of their slumbers and quicken them to their seeking of sound peace and reconciliation Dauid himselfe before hee was afflicted went astray like a lost sheepe Secondly we may learne hence that vehement afflictions and Gods heauie hand is no signe of his hatred to his children good Dauid had Gods heauie hand lying sore vpon him For First all outward things fall alike to all and no man knoweth loue or hatred by the things that are before him Eccles. 9. 2. Secondly in iudgement hee remembreth mercy Hab. 3. 2. and afflicteth in measure though our sinnes haue beene beyond all measure and deserue that our crosses should be so too Isa. 64. 9 12. Thirdly his wisedome knoweth the due quantitie and proportion that will doe vs good and though there wants no will in Satan and wicked men to passe it yet the miserie shall not exceed Gods limit who hath said to the proud waues Hither shall ye come and no further Fourthly he hath a seuerall measure for the godly and the wicked for his children hee measureth iudgement according to their strength to the wicked according to the measure of their sinnes but as the best garden and flowers lye open to stormes and haile to fall on them as well as the wildernesse so the dearest of Gods Saints to afflictions Thirdly if the Lord chastize and punish his children so heauily the whole burthen of whose sinnes Christ hath borne in his body on the crosse where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare 1. Pet. 4. 17 How heauie shall his hand lye on those who with high hand sinne against him the weight of the mountaines shall be nothing to it to which they shall say Fall vpon vs and couer vs. If the way to heauen be so strawed with crosses and heauinesse what is the way to hell and of wickednesse strawed with but woes and curses Shall not many prayers and teares much sorrow and strife against sin nay nor the request of the Spirit and the intercession of Christ keepe off such bitter things from them who seldome and not without some resistance breake out What then shall become of those who neuer pray neuer sorrow for sinne but sell themselues to commit wickednesse if infirmities be so lashed what shall rebellions If weakenesses in his children what shall wickednesse in his enemies Fourthly this admonisheth the godly not to bee too much discouraged if they lye vnder an heauy hand but consider of these foure things First that to expect continuance of outward prosperitie is earthlinesse or selfe-loue yea a meere folly seeing it is a priuiledge of the Church triumphant Secondly that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Acts 14 22. and therefore that there is more cause of discouragement in the want of them then in their presence Thirdly that no new thing befalls them Dearely beloued saith Saint PETER thinke it not strange concerning the fierie triall which is among you to proue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you But reioyce inasmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings c. 1. Pet.
vse vnlawfull meanes but depends vpon God Dauid comforts not himselfe in corne wine or oile but in Gods countenance Psal. 4. It is instant with God in prayer as the Canaanite Luk. 7. Finde these notes in thy selfe and thou mayest support thy selfe in the deepest distresse that is for if thy soule thus truly mourne for sinne thou art in the high-way to blessednesse Thirdly this rebukes the common error of men who account conuersion and the attaining of happinesse a matter of nothing men thinke that heauen stands by their beds-sides it is but a light Lord haue mercie whereas neuer hee went to heauen that sailed not by hell it is a burdened soule that seekes and gets ease a weary soule which Christ refresheth a soule pressed with an heauie hand that sues for mercy No man can taste of the sweete fruite of mercy that hath not tasted the bitter fruite of sinne and of a wounded and distressed conscience And whosoeuer hath not felt the griefe and smart of his sinnes may iustly feare hee neuer truly repented and thou that saiest thy sinnes neuer troubled thee thou thankest God shalt find that there is more trouble behind Fourthly labour to feele thy spirituall miserie and wants that with Lazarus thou maiest get thee to Diues his gate and examine thy selfe if thou hast felt it How loth are men to feele the smart of sinne to heare the law come vpon their conscience for feare they bee set into dumpes and melancholy to feele the crosse whereby God breakes the stubbornnesse of nature and subdues it Alas poore soules that nip true repentance in the blossome and blast it in the beginning that thinke they are very neere heauen when they are loth to point their foot into the first step which is to mourne and to be cast downe to hell in their owne sense and in the feeling of their owne sinnes till which time thou hast not mooued one foote or finger toward eternall life therefore know First that thy case is dangerous and thou art still in thy sinnes who wilt not let the word come home to thy heart and wilt not suffer Gods Spirit to meete thee in the Ministerie and canst not indure the power of the Word to wound either thy soule or thy sinne but it hath been in vaine to thee a certaine signe of a man as yet out of the state of grace as it is Rom. 1. 28. Such as regarded not to know God he gaue them vp to the lusts of their hearts Secondly know that an accusing conscience for sinne is better then a dead conscience a sleepie benummed or seared conscience is the most grieuous plague that God can strike a man withall in this life his wrath followes drowsie consciences to giue them vp to a spirit of slumber and at length to a reprobate sense Psal. 81. 11. My people would not heare my voice Israel would none of me so I gaue them vp to the hardnesse of their hearts and they walked in their owne counsels Thirdly let vs bee mooued to make search into our miserie considering first that if we shead not teares on earth God can neuer wipe them away in heauen and if we do here shead teares for sinne God carries an handkerchiefe to wipe them all away such Aprill showres bring the May-flowres of grace and comfort Secondly that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones out of ioynt the longer they goe vnrespected the more painefull they prooue Thirdly for the health of the body men will purge and sweat and make shift to swallow and get downe bitter pills and potions so the vomit of the soule is the griefe of repentance take it betime and the danger is lesse Were the medicine of repentance grieuous to take yet in regard of the euerlasting health to which it restoreth vs wee should like wise men take the sweete with the sowre and chuse this rather then to feede on such sweete meates as please the palate while they bee tasted but cause at length vomits more bitter then death Fourthly how highly doth God esteeme of a man or woman of a broken heart 2. King 22. 19. Good Iosiahs heart melted and God had a care to take him to himselfe from the euill to come Isa. 57. 15. I walke with him that is of a contrite spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and giue life to the contrite heart Now followes the ground of Dauids confession which is first in order I said or thought THat is I purposed I resolued Dauid had been in a long conflict in himselfe what to doe he could neither part with his sin nor yet hold it in a woe case hee found himselfe and as a man whose bones were broken yet loth hee was to goe to the Surgeon faine hee would haue hid his sore but the paine would not suffer him Long hee reasoned with himselfe how hee might carry away his sinne most quietly but found no peace in hiding it but still his terrors were increased and then he grew at last to the best resolution that neither feares nor terrors nor sorrowes should any longer as an hedge shut vp his way to confession he will no longer be tossed betweene feare and hope doubts and desires deliberations and resolutions but now I said that is I thought in my heart I spake with my mouth and presently I resolued and acted that I would present my self before God in humble confession of my sinne The same phrase we haue Luke 15. 17. when the lost sonne had lost himselfe in straying and wandring from home and had spent his money and strength on harlots and was now a fitter cōpanion for swine then any thing else when he who had wallowed in the mire of his sin and fed himself with the swil of iniquity was now rightly sorted for his bed and boord with swine cast out of mens company and none pitying him to giue him so much as huskes to eate Now he begins to consider what a wofull estate he was in he thinkes of his fathers house but with what face can he behold the face of his father he considers of the seruants in his fathers house but he is not worthy of a place among them these and such thoughts would haue kept him from his father but necessitie so vrging and famine sore pinching him vpon consideration he came to the like resolution I said I will goe to my father that is I resolued to goe and so he went so Dauid said he would confesse and confessed Hence we may see in the first place that Sound consideration brings forth sound resolutions Deut. 32. 29. Oh that men were wise that they vnderstood this that they would consider their latter ende Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies and Psal. 4. 4. to still Gods enemies he bids them examine themselues and be still And the reason hereof is good for First consideration is an applying of
the vnderstanding and the mind to the things that are offered and makes the minde intent vpon them it is a candle held to the minde to giue it light in the thing to be done and in the manner of doing it Secondly it informeth the iudgement the chiefe office whereof is to trie and compare things together which hath euer been the circumspection of the wise as Dauid compares his present estate with the former It is the definition of a mad man to bee without iudgement to follow his fancie and to be led by appearances without triall so the prodigall sonne when he began to consider is said to come to himselfe Luk. 15. 17. till which time he was as a mad man out of or besides himselfe therefore Elthu counselleth his friends Iob 34. 4. thus Let vs seeke iudgement amongst vs and know among our selues what is good that is Let vs trie Iobs speech how true and iust it is Thirdly sound consideration inclines and determines the will according to the light of the mind and the sound informing of the iudgement and accordingly perfecteth the action He were a mad man that knowing he hath apiece of poyson in his hand would incline his will to eate it Now when consideration hath soundly enlightned a mans minde informed his iudgement according to that light and determined his will according to that iudgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and actions Againe see the truth of this doctrine in sundrie instances First a man that is to goe a small iourney will consider whether he be in his right way what time hee hath to go through in what places are most dangerous how neere he is to his iourneyes ende what is the vse of his iourney and accordingly hee resolues for his furniture and expedition So if a man consider of his iourney to heauen of the difficultie of the way the danger by theeues or robbers of the shortnesse of his time how neere his waies end is c. he would speedily resolue of repentance and amendment of life which without this consideration is not onely deferred but also vtterly neglected Secondly a man that considers of the haruest of the returne and profit of his husbandrie will also consider of the seed-time and of the sowing of his ground he wil not spare his seede as distrusting the haruest or fearing to lose it So whereas many are bad husbands because they neuer consider of the haruest others expecting an happy haruest in the Kingdome of heauen sow to the spirit consider this their seede-time and while they haue time will sow their seede cast it liberally on the ground or waters distribute to the necessities of the Saints and after many daies they finde it with increase an hundreth thousand fold Thirdly wise men thinke theeues and fellons to bee mad men that seeing euery Assises so many hanged for theft yet will steale and rob and this is because they consider not the ende but hee that considers the vnauoidable danger of the law the seueritie of it the eye of the Iudge vpon him the irreuocable sentence of death and the shamefull execution of it resolues to depart out of the way of such danger So what makes the wicked to be accounted mad men in wise mens eyes but their foole-hardy rushing into a thousand rebellions and treasons against God they know that one sinne is able to damne them had they ten thousand soules and bodies and yet they rush into thousands of sinnes it being with them as it is with him that knowes one or two graines of poison will kill him and yet eates a pound of it because he considers not the ende Whereas if men did consider the danger of sinne the curse of the Law the torment of conscience here and of hell hereafter durst they so aduenture vpon sinne But I speake of a sound consideration for it is true that most men in grosse beleeue an heauen an hell a iudgement an account and a punishment but not not digesting it with due meditation and application to their owne soules it doth them no more good then Phisicke put into a mans pocket can helpe him to his health all this knowledge is lockt vp in the braine and brest and is as insensible as fire in a flint-stone if it bee not beaten out by sound consideration All this serues to stirre vs vp to consider of our waies and of our estates and of the actions that wee doe for these respects First inasmuch as without it no state of life can bee rightly ordered the Mariner if hee consider not his compasse continually and his course by it runnes into remedilesse dangers and so it with vs in our voyage to our hauen of Heauen The Marchant if he consider not his affaires by his count-booke of gaines or losses his debts and wares will soone proue banquerupt so we in our spirituall traffique without sound consideration shall soone be blowne vp If Eue had considered of the Serpents words had she and had we by her been such losers Had Adam considered of Eues gift had hee been so deceiued If Abraham had considered the counsell of Sarah would hee haue taken Agar into his bosome What doth all this proue but that if we were as rich as Adam in innocencie yet wants of considering our estate would lay vs to spoile Secondly it is a prerogatiue that man hath aboue all creatures to haue a facultie of examining his actions by consideration and yet how little doth man respect this priuiledge without which hee were to be sorted with beasts or mad men especially in sound consideration for the good of his soule the beast liues by things present man should consider the end before he beginne Thirdly without consideration no action can bee done well or succeed happily no spirituall action because it is not in faith if it be done without consideration as for example First we can neuer heare the Word well if first before-hand we consider not whom we come to heare and to what ende namely to further our saluation without this we come but as to a play Secondly in hearing if wee consider not our selues to bee in Gods presence Thirdly after hearing if wee consider not of what wee haue heard and that God will iudge vs by it Secondly in prayer we are commanded first to consider and then to pray as Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God For this consideration must offer both matter of prayer and also stirre vp affection and desire else it will be but a dead and cold prayer Thirdly in the Sacraments we must first examine and consider our selues of the Couenant of the seales of it of our faith worthinesse and repentance and afterward we must consider the fruite of it else all is but hypocrisie and vnsound By all which we see that it is onely sound consideration that brings
loth to know himselfe and his sinnes and farre from holy Dauids minde who saith Let the righteous smite me for that is a precious oyle Psal. 141. 5. he desires as in Zach. 1. 11. that all the world might be still and at rest and neuer a Trumpet or voice like a Trumpet to waken it to shew the people their transgressions and the house of Iaacob their sinnes These men say to the Ministers as the Sodomites did to Lot Shall hee iudge and rule Gen. 19. 9. and as Corah and his complices said to Moses and Aaron Yee take too much vpon you Numb 16. 3. therefore come let vs breake their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from vs Psal. 2. 3. But know whosoeuer thou art that thou must looke for no peace by vs till thou warrest with thy sinnes Shall wee preach mercie to thee that feelest no neede of mercie Shall we cast a pearle to a swine Thou that art of the frozen generation that needest a Boanerges a sonne of thunder why expectest thou a Bar-Ionah Vnto the Horse belongs a whip and to the Asse a bridle and a rod to a Fooles back prou 26. 3. Wert thou an humble soule and hungry after Christ then our word would be as good newes out of a farre countrey Prou. 25. 25. but till thy wound be lanced and the core thrust out wise Surgeons will neuer powre in oyle doe thou let the plough of the Law breake vp thy fallow ground and then blame vs if wee bring not the seede of the Gospell Now followes the fourth point in Dauids confession the manner of it First in respect of God Secondly of himselfe For the first First hee will confesse before the Lord and make his sinne knowne to him Secondly he will not hide it the one amplifying the other as it is also in these phrases Thou shalt dye and not liue Iohn confessed and denyed not so here I made knowne and hid not the doubling of the phrase shewes that hee doubled not but did that he did to the purpose In that Dauid saith hee will confesse vnto the Lord note that all true confession of sinne must be made vnto God So Psal. 51. 4. Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned And what is the reason hereof First because it is God that is most offended with sinne his Law is transgressed his displeasure incurred and his reuenge prouoked and what reason haue I to confesse a debt to him to whom I owe nothing God is the partie offended therefore I must go to him alone Secondly he onely can properly forgiue sinne Who is a God like vnto thee that passest by the sinnes of thy people saith the holy man The Iewes that were blind in many things yet could see well enough that onely God could forgiue sinnes and indeede who can remit a debt but he to whom it is due therefore S. Iohn saith If we confesse our sinne he is faithfull to forgiue vs Chap. 1. 1 9. Thirdly confession is a part of prayer and diuine worship whereof it is said My glory I will giue to none other Isa. 41. 8. Fourthly this is manifest by the sence of such as truely confesse who need many compassions but great are thy tender mercies O Lord Psal. 119. 156. and hee is rich in mercy Ephes. 2. 4. All the mercie that can come from Man or Angell is but a poore mercie a little mercie which can doe no good to the satisfying of the debt or cancelling the bond Men and Angels are but children in whom are drops onely but God is the Father of mercies in whom is the sea and seate of mercie But how can a man make his sinnes knowne to God by confession seeing he knowes them before First it pleaseth God so to speake of himselfe and to suffer vs to speake of him as wee our selues are capable Thus he brings himselfe in like an earthly Iudge who though he know the facts of the prisoners yet seemes for the orderly course of iustice not to know them as Gen. 18. 21. Come Let vs goe downe and see if it be according to the cry of Sodome how can hee goe downe who is euery where and how can hee but see who is all an eye but thus hee speakes after the manner of men So he saith to Abraham Now I know thou louest me who sparedst not thine onely Sonne for mee God knew Abrahams loue to him before but now Abraham knoweth that God knowes it Secondly men are said to hide their sinne when they seeke to extenuate or lessen or conceale any necessarie circumstance of it or seeke colours and shifts that it should not bee presented naked and bare as it is in the Lords sight and then it is said to bee hid from God not that it is so indeede for it is so much the more manifest to God but because it is so in the corrupt iudgement of the sinner which folly soone tooke hold of Adam after his fall who thought himselfe well hid from God with trees and his sinne with leaues But seeing God knowes all so well why must we confesse to him First not to make God know any thing which hee knowes not but hee will haue vs performe homage and duety to him as an absolute Lord and soueraigne Iudge So Ioshua said to Achan My sonne confesse and giue glory to God Iosh. 7. 19. Secondly that our selues may take better knowledge of our sinnes and humble our hearts in the sight and sense of them Thirdly because this is a meanes in which himselfe will be found mercifull and which he hath appointed for vs to attaine ease and comfort by wee must take Dauids course here if we would obtaine an happy discharge of sinne as he did But was not Dauid farre ouerseene to confesse onely to God Why did hee not goe to the Priest and tell all his sinnes in his eare Auricular confession of all a mans sinnes in the eare of a Priest as necessarie to saluation was not knowne in Dauids time besides he knew he had not sinned against the Priest and therefore he cared not for his forgiuenes it was not the Law or bond of any Priest that hee had broken and therefore what had he to do to forgiue him Doe you then condemne all confession of man to man Doeth not S. Iames say chap. 5. 18. Confesse one to another We allow confession of sinnes to men First publike Secondly priuate in sundry cases Publike confession thus First for the setting vp of Gods glory with the shame of a mans selfe Thus did the holy Pen-men of the Scriptures writing of themselues proclaime their owne sinnes to all the world that God might thereby bee glorified and his Church edified And Gods speciall prouidence hath detected in sundry persons those sinnes which they haue kept close by them and forced them by a free confession vnto men to glorifie God
and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done c. Secondly if thou settest thy selfe before God in confession it will breed anguish and sorrow of spirit for that sinne which is confessed as the conuerts Act. 2. 37. were pricked in their hearts in conscience of their sinnes there will be inward griefe for offending a good God and grieuing his good Spirit Thirdly it will bring in a purpose to leaue and forsake that sinne which is confessed and all other Can a man setting himselfe before God confesse that sinne which he purposeth to liue in and hold and not forsake this is but to aske leaue to sinne Nay the setting of a mans selfe before God wil bring in a resolution to renounce all sinne as Hos. 14. 9. Ephraim shall say What haue I more to doe with Idols Fourthly it will bring in a secret but most earnest desire of forgiuenesse for it cannot but consider in God First the Maiestie offended Secondly the danger of his wrath which is a consuming fire and an execution of all the plagues written in the booke of the Law and thirdly the riches of his mercie in prouiding so precious a meanes of redemption which neither man nor Angell could once thinke of 1. Pet. 1. 18. Fiftly it breeds a reforming of that which is amisse and an healing of the error as Zacheus did Luke 19. 8. Lord halfe my goods I giue to the poore according to the counsell of Samuel 1. 7. 3. If ye be come againe to the Lord with all your heart put away the strange gods frō among you Sixtly it breeds an holy feare for time to come because it beholds Gods eye vpon euery sinne his anger on euery one till by the bloud of Christ he be appeased his mercie in forgiuing that he may be feared and this feare abates the rage of sinne nay it will feare the occasion and hate the appearance of euill 1. Thes. 5. 22. and the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. Seuenthly there is a mourning and complaining vnder the burden and bondage of sinne Oh who shall deliuer me from the body of this death saith Paul and Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardned our heart from thy feare Eighthly there is great desire 2. Cor. 7. 11. namely a longing to satisfie Paul and the rest of the members of the Church with desire to be restored to their fauours and fellowship Ninthly Confession to men For duties of Pietie and Charitie must goe together or else all is abominable as appeares Ier. 7. 9. 10. Will ye steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsely and burne incense vnto Baal and walke after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say We are deliuered though we haue done all these abominations So Isay 1. 11. What haue I to do with your sacrifices c. for your hands are full of blood verse 15. Against my selfe This is the second branch of the manner of Dauids confession hee will confesse against himselfe Hence note that He that will truely and soundly confesse his sinne must become his owne vtter enemie he must set himselfe against himselfe as much as possibly he can So did DAVID here hee shamed himselfe to all posteritie and spared not his owne name though a King so GOD might haue the praise of his mercie and the Church the benefit of his example Iob 42. 6. When Iob was reproued for his inconsiderate words he brake out at last into this speech I abhor my selfe and repent my selfe in dust and ashes He is a great enemie that hates man but farre greater that abhors him yet so was Iob to himselfe Daniel in his prayer saith I am confounded and ashamed to looke vp to heauen shame and confusion of face belongs vnto vs this day Dan. 9. 5. c. So close doth he follow the matter against himselfe 1. Tim. 6. 13 15. Saint Paul rippeth vp his owne grieuous sinnes in such sort as his greatest enemy could not haue spoken more against him then he spake against himselfe Hee was not contented to call himselfe a vile person but as though he had said too little he adds that he is the chiefest of all sinners Who could more accuse the poore Publican then he did himselfe Oh I am not worthy to lift vp mine eyes to heauen Luc. 18. 13. and the Prodigall Son I am not worthy to be called thy Son Luc. 15. 18 19. And good reason it should be so for First sound confession is called a iudging of our selues 1. Cor. 11. 31. Now in the course of iudgement there are foure things all against the partie to be iudged First arraignement and this in confession is when wee present and summon our selues before the barre of Gods iustice Secondly examination and this is when wee narrowly inquire of our selues what wee haue done wherein as the Kings Atturney sifteth out and exaggerateth euery circumstance of the crime against a Traytor to make it seeme as odious as may be so should we sift out euery circumstance of our sinne to make it as vile to our owne eyes as may be so as our hearts may be conuinced Thirdly conuiction or pleading guiltie and confession that is when with the penitent Thiefe our soules can say We are righteously here and iustly laid vnder Gods indignation worthy to be cast into Hell And neuer was he truely humbled that is more ashamed to confesse sinne then to commit it Fourthly there is an execution and holy reuenge 2. Cor. 7. 11. and this is when we beate downe our bodies and mortifie our members and vndertake good duties that the like occasions may be preuented for afterward These parts of an enemy doth euery humbled soule take vp against it selfe when it iudgeth it selfe before God and who can be a greater enemie to himselfe then he that doth so Secondly it is an essentiall difference betweene the sound confessions of the godly and the slubberd confessions of the wicked the godly renounce themselues and their sinnes but hypocrites doe not they neuer learned the first lesson of Christianitie which is selfe-denial their mindes are set vpon euill workes and therefore how can they be against them They repent not but with a repentance to be repented of Thirdly all the accusers and enemies that the child of God hath if they be put together cannot obiect halfe so much against him as hee can against himselfe men may speake much but not so much as himselfe And therefore if he deale truely betweene God and himselfe he will so shame himselfe as all his enemies cannot And for this end God hath seated the conscience in the middle of the soule as a Iudge of the actions and hath giuen it an eye to pry into the secrets of the heart and cleared
coldly Secondly this man shall deliuer the Word with much certainety and assurance because hee speaketh with feeling A man may out of reading and light of vnderstanding be powerfull in speech and yet want the seasoning of grace and speake of many delicates which are vpon the Kings table whereof himselfe neuer tasted but hee that hath tasted and fed on them shall both speak more and more certainely and be better beleeued Thirdly hee that hath experience of the Word hee teacheth will build euery way not onely by doctrine exhortation and reproofe but also first by example which greatly preuailes and vrgeth men to glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly by Prayer in secret with God for his people his experience of the sweetnesse of godlinesse inflames his affection as Pauls whose loue to his countrey was such as hee could haue beene contented to be accursed for their saluation he wisheth all like him and that euery man had part in Christ as he hath and as earnest is his endeuour And this prayer of faith hath great power with God and a promise of blessing vpon a mans selfe and his labours which another wants Fourthly God giueth more speciall gifts and experience to speciall men to this purpose to inable men to his worke as 2. Cor. 1. 14. We were comforted in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort them that are afflicted with the same comforts wherewith God hath comforted vs plainely noting that hee is not so fit to comfort others who hath not experience of the comforts of God himselfe The same Dauid professeth of the matter of knowledge Psal. 40. 10. I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but haue declared thy trueth and saluation and haue not concealed thy mercy and trueth from the great congregation where hee shewes that his first care was to confirme and strengthen himselfe by Gods promises and when God had taught his heart he would and did publish not onely Gods trueth but also his mercy and saluation vnto others namely that which his own soule had experience of Fiftly a good teacher is the Phisician of mens soules now a good Phisician is the experienced Physician that can finde out the disease and maladie of sinne and hath approoued medicines to cure a sinfull heart not so much out of books and reading as out of practice that knows the danger of sinne in himselfe and thereby hath pittie and loue to remoue it in another And hence in the Law no man might be entred into the ministerie before hee were thirtie yeeres old that the Priests might first learne to teach and be of some ripenesse and experience before they taught others Whence Nazianzen saith Our Lord was thirty yeeres old before he began to be a Preacher tu magister vis fieri antequam discipulus yet is it he that teacheth all had need learne of none and therefore wee should learne before we teach But whether may an vnregenerate Minister saue and conuert a man I mooue this question the rather because many can scarce be perswaded to heare such whose liues are scandalous as being vnworthy to take the Word into their mouthes and vnable to conuert or amend others In satisfying of whom I would not any way confirme or harten Ministers who being Phisicians cure not themselues or who like the images in high-wayes point others the way but themselues stirre neuer a foote in it or like the file which smootheth other things but it selfe remaines rough Howbeit euen of these I know no restraint in the Scripture or let why they may not bee meanes of conuersion to others The Reasons that mooue mee to thinke so are these First the ministerie is Gods owne ordinance and the power of it stands not in the person of the messenger but in the worke of his owne spirit 1. Cor. 3. 5. Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God must giue the increase The fruit of preaching is not left to the highest Ministers in the New Testament not to Euangelists no nor Apostles A gracious Prince giues a Pardon to a condemned person Now suppose he should send it by the very est miscreant in his Kingdome doth the Pardon lose his vertue therefore or were hee not mad who should therefore refuse it So a Physician sends a soueraigne potion or cordiall by some rakehell boy in the shoppe doth this hinder the worke and vertue of the Physicke to him that takes it according to the direction The case is the same and sheweth that the Word is not made worse by his vnworthinesse who bringeth it And neither doth the worthinesse of the Preacher make the Word effectuall the best being but earthen vessels in whom God puts this heauenly treasure that the power might be knowne to bee of God and not of men 2. Cor. 4. 7. and Rom. 1. 16. it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and not of man Secondly the praise and glory of our conuersion must wholly bee ascribed vnto GOD whereas this conceit would much turne it off vpon man And if a man shall say that an vnregenerate Minister can goe as far in conuerting a man as a regenerate it wil not seeme vnreasonable to him that considers first that God often doth excellent good and great workes by bad agents wherein hee gets himselfe the more glory of his wisedome power and goodnesse Secondly where God giues a man a calling he may and doth often blesse the worke which is his though not the person working Thirdly that the whole worke of a man in conuerting others is externall which this man can performe as well as hee that is conuerted for the true preaching of the Word is the parent of faith and wholesome doctrine is the immortall seede of our new birth which none denies but many vnregenerate men do and can deliuer Fourthly that vnlesse God giue more then the most gracious Preacher can giue nothing can be done nay that God giues more by a Minister then himselfe hath be he good or bad Augustine was first conuerted by Ambrose and afterward went farre beyond him in light and in grace so Dauid out-stripped his teachers Psal. 119. 98 99. And doth not God herein make his glory shine and manifest himselfe to be the giuer of all that grace when the instrument conuayes more then it selfe hath Thirdly why hath the Lord thought good to send both sanctified men and vnsanctified Balaam speaketh Scripture Saul is among the Prophets Iudas teacheth and worketh miracles among other Apostles and in the day of iudgement many shall say Lord wee haue preached and wrought miracles in thy name whom Christ neuer knew but will say to them Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie Why doth he make the Word in a sanctified mans mouth oftentimes the sauour of death Why are wee straitly commanded to heare wicked men that sit in Moses his chaire and to doe what
they say if there were no sauour of life in their worke and if that of the Prophet were not true Isai. 55. 10 11. The Word of God who euer brings it returnes not in vaine but accomplisheth the worke whereunto hee sent it and if the ministerie of vnregenerate men were alwaies without efficacie We deny not but hee may prepare to conuersion and build the conuerted and condemne the wicked but to winne men to saluation wee are not perswaded of his abilitie What is the Word in his mouth strong meate and cannot it be milke too and why should God vse him in the one chiefe ende of his calling and not in the other no reason can be giuen Fourthly the Apostle Paul seeing many false Apostles preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not purely but of enuy and pride Phil. 1. 15 18. disdained not but said I reioyce that Christ is preached any manner of way Gaudet in re non in modo saith one He knew that if Christ were preached some would lay hold on him and be called out of their estate of Heathenisme and Gentilisme and that though the preaching of these euill men did not themselues good yet it was good for the Church They were like the builders of Noahs Arke who built an Arke for others and perished themselues And why was Paul so carefull lest while he preached saluation to others himselfe should be reprobate 1. Cor. 9. 27. if a man might not himselfe miscarrie preaching saluation to others Oh but God hath promised no blessing to his labor but a curse Psal. 1. 3 4. the vngodly shall not prosper as the godly doe First the worke of an vnregenerate Minister that is called by GOD is Gods worke and not onely his Secondly his worke shall not prosper to himselfe nor he in it but I know nothing that can stop Gods mercy why it may not be prospered to another Thirdly those promises and threats in the first Psalme concerning the prosperitie of the godly and vnhappinesse of the wicked are not directly meant of outward things or earthly but of inward and spiritual thus the wicked neuer prospers in any thing he takes in hand and thus the godly neuer miscarry but all things are turned to their best Luke 22. 32. Christ said to PETER Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren therefore a Minister had neede be conuerted to doe good Not so but Christ onely promiseth Peter that when Satan hath sifted him he shal be raised againe and being restored out of his fearefull sinne he must by his example and experience confirme sinners against distrust and despaire as hauing knowne Gods speciall goodnesse in drawing him out of so great a gulfe as his deniall was But the reward of sauing soules and conuerting men belongs not vnto an vnconuerted Minister namely to shine as the Starres for euer and euer Dan. 12. 3. therefore he conuerts none The place is meant of faithfull Ministers who with desire faithfullnesse and in Gods manner and meanes conuert men as the former words of the verse intimate They that are wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament according to that of SALOMON Hee that winneth soules is wise Prou. 11. 30. that is he is wise first for himselfe and prouident for his owne good and the blessed reward and then for the Church discharging faithfull seruice vnto it Such a wise man the Apostle Paul would haue Timothie to be Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto learning and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee 1. Tim. 4. 16. But the vnregenerate man takes not heede to himselfe and therefore is not wise for himselfe neither shall shine as the starres besides hee that doth a good thing but not well doth vtterly lose his reward And thus I haue fully cleared this question Let none be so fond as to refuse the almes of the King because he giues it by an Amner or a pretious gift of his father for the lewdnesse of the carrier Elias refused not his meat because a Rauen brought it but looked vnto God who sent him with it so doe thou heare the Word as Gods word 1. Thes. 2. 13. not as mans that it may worke effectually in thee looke not so much to the messenger as the message To come now to the vses of the point First it shewes that it is great neede that a Minister be a good man both for himselfe and others and haue experience of God in his owne soule For if the Word be onely in his mouth it may doe others some good but himselfe none if in his booke alone then when his booke failes him the Word failes him but if with Marie he ponder things in his heart the word which hee keepes will keepe him For this purpose he must labour to finde the Word which he deliuers to be first effectuall to beget faith in himselfe and adde prayer for the Spirit who workes freely where he will else his Word which God makes powerfull in many of his hearers shall be a dead letter vnto himselfe And no maruell For many wicked men may and doe speake of great points of religion of the state of Gods children and of cases of conscience but without any taste or experience or comfort and certaintie in their owne hearts of the things they speake a forme of knowledge they haue attained which is meerely historicall and a booke-learning and speake as they that tell of strange Countries and wonders of which they haue read but neuer saw them Such men God often discouereth by letting them fal off euen from that they know their speech their practice bewraieth them to be Atheists as in heart they euer were as may be seene by experience of many great Lights that haue done much good Secondly let priuate Christians learne hence to obserue their owne hearts and Gods dealing with them that they may bee able to speake feelingly in teaching and comforting others Let them learne to obey from their heart the forme of doctrine deliuered let them bee transformed into the truth taught and professed he that doth this wil prooue an excellent Light and patterne of godlinesse in the Church bee his course of life neuer so priuate Thirdly we must all benefit the Church by our experience as Dauid did communicate this his experience of Gods goodnesse to all For first we receiue no gift but the whole Church hath a right in it Secondly by communication thereof we shew our loue which is liberall and communicatiue Loue edifieth saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 1. Thirdly euery member being graced graceth the whole body as an ornament suppose a ring on the finger deckes not the finger onely but also the person Fourthly the ende of Gods giuing of his gifts is to traffique for him and his people did men thinke of this they durst not hide their talents and bee vnfruitfull as many are
owne light and meanes and this is two-fold First the Word of God in Precepts and Promises this is a lanthorne to our feete and a light to our pathes by which God may be discerned whom the darknesse of the world cannot comprehend Secondly such signes of his presence as he hath made choice of to reueale his grace in In the Old Testament beleeuers must seeke him in sacrifices and ceremonies and therein hee gaue them gracious answeres the sacrifices were partly hilasticall or expiatorie and partly Eucharisticall or gratulatory the ceremonies were all typicall and pointed at Christ and the good things to come in him So in the New Testament God hath appointed visible signes annexed to his Word as the publique seruice of him in Spirit trueth the offering vp of our sacrifices of prayer and praise and frequenting of the holy sacraments or ceremonies in all which he will be sought out of these wil not be found God cannot bee seene or found but by his owne light and therefore hee that must seeke him must haue the light of vnderstanding Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked downe to see if any would vnderstand and seeke after God Thirdly we shall finde God if we seek him not by the eyes of sense and nature but of faith and obedience God being of a spirituall nature cannot bee seene with the eye of flesh which seeth nothing but that which is materiall visible finite and circumscriptible as GOD is not Nay if the soule of man a finite spirit cannot bee seene with the bodily eye much lesse the God of spirits who is infinite and of such puritie as the Angels are not able to behold Neither are wee able to see God or finde him by the eye of our minde as being corrupted with sinne nay neither can seeke him more then the Gentiles of whom it is said that the Lord was found of them that sought him not Isai. 65. 1. For till the sound of the Gospell was carried among the Gentiles and Christ was proclaimed the Sauiour and Messias inuiting them to saluation they neuer asked after Christ but had their mindes darkned alienated from the life of God by the ignorance that is in them Ephes. 2. 3. A dead man cannot seeke the things of this world the lost groat could not thinke of her that lost it no more can a man seeke God before his conuersion it must bee an eye of grace enlightned and cleared by God that can seeke him Seeke and ye shall finde Mat. 7. 7. and Whosoeuer seeke finde Christ speakes thus to his Disciples and the promise is not made to the seeking but to the seeker being a beleeuer in Christ So as the meaning is this Whosoeuer haue beene first sought of God and found of him shall seeke and finde him else Ioh. 6. 44. No man comes vnto me vnlesse the Father draw him Fourthly we shall seeke aright if wee seeke God in Gods manner and that is in foure things First if we seek him in sinceritie of Spirit as Ephes. 6. 18. praying in the Spirit as knowing that we are to deale with God who is a Spirit and in sinceritie because he is a God that loueth trueth in the inward parts This condemnes hypocriticall seeking which is but deceitfull Ier. 29. 13. Yee shall seeke me and finde me because yee shall seeke me with all your heart Secondly in feruency men are commanded to seek for wisedome as for gold treasures how eagerly instantly do men seek after gold and earthly things why no labour can beate them from their desires How much more carefully ought they to seek after spirituall graces and most of all after God himselfe Thirdly in season timely as Psal. 63. 2. Early in the morning will I seek thee that is euery morning the beginning of my worke shall be to looke towards thee I will begin my duties in faithfull inuocating thy help and aide Fourthly in his Sonne seeke him in Christ the onely Mediator For none can come to the Father but by the Sonne Fiftly we shall seeke aright and with comfort if we seeke him in the right ends namely for himselfe not as the Iewes who followed Christ for bread and the belly not to gaine the world by him but to gaine himselfe and his fauour which is better then life Yea to obtaine this be content to seeke him with the losse of all as the Disciples and Martyrs did And then wee seeke himselfe for himselfe when wee seeke his glory in euery thing although to our owne shame and confusion Is this so Doe the godly seeke God in prayer Then it followes that a godly heart findes a want of God For seeking is of a thing that we want fain would haue Ps. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie lands and the reason is because he knoweth he hath lost God For what need he seek that he hath not lost First in the corruption of his nature he hath lost the cōfortable presence of God which in our innocencie wee enioyed by losing our selues we lost God Secondly in the dayly admissions and commissions of sinne after grace receiued we lose his sight presence For our sinnes separate betweene God vs as a cloud betweene the brightnesse of the Sun and vs. Thirdly a godly man sees the want of God because hee knowes in some sort the worth of GOD without whom the soule is dead grace lost the conscience in torment and heauen turned into hell both here and hereafter The world were not so miserable without a sunne nor the body without breath as the soule without God the Sun of his Church and the soule of the soule of euery beleeuer Fourthly the godly hauing receiued a taste of Gods sweetnesse in Christ and his graces still seeke him for more the more they drinke the more they thirst as Moses the more familiar he was with God the more hee desires to see of Gods glory and here is no sacietie in this life but the more a man hath the more he wanteth and seeth his wants But Fiftly if God depart in displeasure and leaue a sense of wrath in the soule for sinne then the soule findes such want as it cannot sustaine it selfe without him euen Pharaoh will seeke God in trouble and hypocrites in affliction will seeke him diligently in hypocrisie How much more will the godly heart aboue all desires seeke his fauour and one cheerefull countenance from him Of this want and this seeking our Text speaketh Numbers of men neuer finde any want of God they finde the want of health and wealth of friends and meanes many say Who will shew vs any good and a great sort seeke corne and wine and oyle but a few say Lord lift vp thy countenance vpon vs. God forbid we should feele no want of God The carnall man cannot feele the want of Gods familiar presence because hee contents himselfe with the comfort of his
Thirdly such are reprooued as eyther neglect or enuie to communicate their graces in furthering the growth of grace in such as they ought A Magistrate should see all within his power keepe the two Tables as well as himselfe good Nehemiah would see all the Citie keepe the Sabbath and set forward all the good he could for the Temple by his authoritie and example Masters of Families also and Gouernours should be as great wheeles in a Clocke whereof if one bee set a going hee will mooue his fellow and that the next vnto him not one must bee idle Abraham will teach his Family and Ioshua his house and Cornelius cals his kinsfolke to heare the Doctrine of life Others enuie the graces of God where they should reioyce most as Cain did the grace and goodnesse of Abel and this was yong Ioshua's fault to enuie Eldad Medad for Moses his sake Master forbid them to prophesie but what said Moses he was of another temper and said Dost thou enuie for me would God all the Lords people were Prophets Numb 11. 29. It is wofull to speake but more wofull to practise that men should bee wearie of their seruants because they are good and say of their good and towardly children Yong Saints old Deuils also of the wife that she is attempting of some strange matters when shee will doe that good in her house which her husband will not Satan that can get this aduantage of men will get a greater before hee hath left them True grace would delight in building vp others and is glad when any comes on well or out-strips it in goodnesse Fourthly those are reprooued which not onely not instruct or help forward but also hinder others withdraw them from their godly courses which reproch or persecute good wayes men whom the Deuill hath taught to bee cunning in besmearing all the wayes of Gods children Oh say some they are all Hypocrites all Dissemblers as bad as who is worst yea if wee will beleeue such as blacke Deuils Much more are those in a wofull case which corrupt and peruert others saying What will you bee so precise and foolish will you in a kinde of singularitie lose both your pleasure and reputation But marke the seuere reproofe of such in Elymas the Sorcerer who laboured to turne away the Deputie Paulus Sergius from the faith Act. 13. 8. 9. 10. O thou enemie of righteousnesse sayth Paul full of subtletie the childe of the Deuill full of all mischiefe c. like indeed to the Deuill who is the greatest disswader of goodnesse and would driue all holinesse out of the earth if he could Elymas is the Deuils child because his workes he did Oh let vs take heed of these errours and bee more diligent in this fruit of conuersion If in the Spring-time a Plant bee without leaues or buds when others sprout and blossome we say Surely it is dead so if the Spring of grace bee returned vpon thee let all the World see it in this sprout if thou beest a Plant of righteousnesse thou wilt shew thy life and fruit that euery one may plucke somewhat and bee the better by thee The second point in this Preface is the Scholer or person to be taught Thee that is euery man particularly to vvhom this Psalme shall come to be heard sung read or any vvay vsed Whence vve may learne tvvo things First That no man naturally vnderstandeth the things of God without a Teacher Secondly that Doctrine is not sufficient to be deliuered in generall but must bee particularly applyed to all The first is manifest by Scripture and reasons 1. Cor. 2. 14. The natur all man vnderstandeth not the things of God Act. 8. 31. When the Eunuch read the Prophesie of Esay and Philip asked him if hee vnderstood the place How can I sayd he without a guide The case is with euery natural man as it was with Samuel God cals once and againe Samuel still runnes another way 1. Sam. 3. 7. Thus did Samuel sayth the Text before he knew the Lord and before the Word of the Lord was reuealed vnto him Which is true as well in respect of that ordinarie diuine knowledge which is common to all the seruants of God as the extraordinary which was peculiar to the Prophets The reason hereof is not as Papists say the obscuritie of the Scripture which is a light to our feet and a Lanthorne but First nothing can goe beyond its owne nature and kind nature cannot reach to diuine things flesh cannot reach aboue flesh and before Regeneration the whole man is flesh his bodie is flesh his soule is flesh his affections flesh his actions and all is flesh And as for spirituall things he can no more reach them then a beast can reach to reasonable actions No man knowes the Father but the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne reuealeth him No man knowes the heart of a man till himselfe make it knowne much lesse can any man know the minde of God but God himselfe and hee to whom the Spirit reueales it 1. Cor. 2. 11. Secondly whereas by our innocencie wee were of large hearts and Eagles eyes for clcerenesse of vnderstanding and iudgement in the things of God by the fall a vayle is come ouer our hearts and the scales of ignorance are come vpon our eyes and the cloudes of darkenesse are betweene vs and our Sunne nay an vnregenerate man is not onely in darknesse but euen darknesse it selfe Ephes. 5. 8. and the child of night and darknesse 1. Thess. 5. 7. that as Paul being blinde must haue the scales taken off his eyes before he can see so no man can haue any sauing knowledge till his naturall ignorance bee remooued And as this was the first thing in Pauls Conuersion and the first worke of God in the Creation to seuer light and darknesse so the first worke of this second Creation is the illumination of the Spirit Thirdly if euery regenerate man need a Teacher much lesse doth any naturall man vnderstand without one but euen the best haue ignorance in them though not raigning it being with the godly in this life as in the twilight much darknesse is mingled with their light and therfore euen the Apostles themselues prayed for increase of spirituall vnderstanding And the knowledge we haue here of God is but as in a mysterie or in a mirrour In a mystery wherein something is seene something hid as in the Sacraments for that cause so called because we see the Elements but not the things signified by them In a mirrour as in a glasse and not face to face we know but in part 1. Cor. 13. First Let vs hence acknowledge our naturall blindnesse it being with vs as with the blind man Ioh. 9. who was borne blinde and neuer saw any thing till Christ had opened his eyes wee being naturally blind cannot see though the Sunne of righteousnesse shine vpon vs. And if wee cannot see our spirituall good
simple Audience in no other then a plaine and simple manner auoiding as much as he may vnknowne sentences and darke speeches which flye aboue low conceits that by this familiar handling of the Word it may become as a light in the darke corners of ignorant mens hearts First then It were to be wished that a Minister were more then a bare reader hee must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach able to diuide the Word of trueth aright and must labour for the truely-learned tongue to bee a prompt Scribe an Ezra causing men to vnderstand the reading For if the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Secondly people must diligently attend to the things that are taught Heb. 2. 1. and not giue ouer till they vnderstand the grounds of Religion For first Faith commeth by hearing and vnderstanding of the Word the Word truely vnderstood is the seede and parent of faith Secondly without this knowledge of God and Christ there is no saluation Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thirdly great is the excellencie of knowledge Eccles. 2. 13. As the day is aboue the night so knowledge excelleth ignorance and wisedome folly without it there is no walking in the day or in the light knowledge is more necessary then the day or the Sunne therfore resist not the means whereby it may be gotten Thirdly we must not thinke that we then vnderstand vvhen we know or teach men to know that which they did not before for true vnderstanding stands not onely in speculation but first in the change of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 17. then wee behold the glorie of God in the Word vvhen we are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie by the Spirit of God Secondly in the change of the life to new obedience Psal. 111 10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter whereas without obedience vnderstanding doeth but conuince and lay open to many stripes Thirdly when it mingles the word with faith Psa. 119. 66. Teach me good vnderstanding and iudgement for I haue beleeued thy Commandements Fourthly when knowledge sets vs forward in glorifying God for else it is no better then the knowledge of the heathens which made them excuselesse because knowing God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. and if the heathens were iustly condemned for not glorifying God according to that darke knowledge they had how much more should our knowledge mooue vs to glorifie God which else maketh vs more inexcusable if wee glorifie him not by giuing him his worship praise and honour and by making vse of all his attributes and mercies but especially those in his Christ Secondly A minister must not onely be an instructer by his doctrine but a leader also by his practice for else first hee is no guide for he is a guide whom wee take with vs to direct vs in a dangerous way what a guide and not able to guide himselfe Secondly else Gods worke shal neuer go happily forward for he shall not build so fast with one hand but he shal destroy with another Thirdly their doctrine which may saue others shall bee a bill of inditement against themselues the curse is already vpon them that seeing they perceiue not and speaking the word to others they heare it not themselues and their doome shall be Wicked seruant out of thine owne mouth thou shalt bee iudged Thou that teachest another doest not thou teach thy selfe thou that preachest against couetousnesse art thou a griper neuer satisfied or is there a graue in thy heart neuer full doest thou preach against drunkennesse and art an intemperate person a companion of drunkards against lyars and yet there is no trueth in thine owne wordes Fourthly it is a notable marke of an Hypocrite to doe the same things which commonly he reprooueth in another and of a bold wicked man that dares take the word of God into his mouth and yet hates to be reformed and if it be in a teacher hee becomes not onely a wicked agent but also a teacher of iniquitie All which shewes that a good Minister must be more then a Preacher he must bee a doer also a guide a good man not a directer onely but a guide too Singular holinesse must be written in Ministers foreheads and special graces in their hearts they must haue about them not onely the sound of Bells but the sweet smell of Pomegranates also they must bee neither bleare-eyed nor blemished nor any way defectiue Thirdly A faithfull Minister must euer haue his eye on his flocke to guide them and watch ouer them for their good as a tender mother will not let her weake and tender childe bee neere a place of probable danger but her eye shall bee ouer it to saue it from perill From this care Ministers are called watchmen and are set in their places as watch-towers to espie and preuent danger and enemies and First the estate of men requires this duty from Pastours who are weake when they are at the best apt to turne aside out of the way ready to be seduced and misled by others and prone to be carryed away head-long by their owne lusts if there were no enemie else without them Secondly their owne calling enforceth it being set as Ouerseers of their Congregations Act. 20. 28. to ouersee the wayes of their people Their charge is to warne the wicked and to admonish the righteous if he turne from his righteousnesse which they cannot doe without the obseruing of both Thirdly they must imitate the chiefe Pastor and shepheard of soules the good shepheard calls his sheepe by name and findes it out if but one of a hundred be wandering he seekes out the lost sheepe bindes vp the broken and strengthens the feeble knees he loued his sheep to the death and so true loue is desirous not to leaue a man till it haue set him safe Fourthly the danger of not admonishing the people is exceeding great for they communicate in their sinnes and the curses due vnto them God wil require the bloud of a sinner that is not admonished at the watch-mans hand Ezek. 3. 18 20. And hereunto adde the blessing and reward of him that turnes a man from iniquitie hee saues the soule of his brother Iam. 5. 20. and shall shine as the starres in the firmament for euer Dan. 12. 3. This doctrine serues to reprooue sundry both Ministers and people First the sin of non-residency is a great sin where there is no iust cause of absence A minister is tyed to liue among his people because he must euer haue his eye ouer his flocke but how can he guide them with his eye who is continually absent The Apostle Paul whose calling made him necessarily absent from some Churches professeth that he had no
sorrowes in number many in kinde many in this life many moe in the life to come many within him many without him and many on euery side as the next branch in the opposition shewes that God on euery side compasseth his children with goodnesse and mercy Whence Note the vnhappy and cursed estate of euery wicked and obstinate sinner in the world his sorrowes shall bee many and great Isa. 65. 13 14. Behold my seruants shall eat and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde and yee shall leaue your names for a curse vnto my chosen Reu. 9. 12. One woe is past and two are to come and Chap. 8. 13. The Angel flying thorow the midst of heauen cryed Wo wo wo to the inhabitants of the earth All these many woes are proclaimed against the wicked of the world cleauing either to the Kingdome of Antichrist in the West or of Mahomet in the East Turkes Saracens Arabians Tartarians and after them to all the wicked that cleaue not to God in the purity of his worship and in obedience of his word And that they are onely denounced against them appeares Chap. 9. vers 4. because the children of God are sealed and exempted from them Deutron 28. 58. 59. If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the wordes of this Law then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance But many are the woes and miseries of the godly and therefore what is it better to bee a godly man then a wicked There is great difference betweene them for first these are all mingled with mercy Indeed a child that is deare to his father if he runne another way with Ionah must bee whipt and fetcht backe againe yet the Lord puts not off fatherly affection but remembreth mercy in iudgement and smiteth with the rods of men but his mercy he taketh not away Whereas the sorrowes of the wicked are destitute of all mercy and no maruell seeing all their blessings are leuened and sowred and tend to their bane through a secret curse of God blowing on them and blasting them Secondly the godly call not their miseries on them by a trade and course in sin as the wicked do but when for tryall or correction of some slip God leads them where they would not they follow him taking vp the crosse thereby learning the will of God prouing what is in themselues amending that which is amisse confirming themselues to euery good work this cannot the wicked do who whatsoeuer they suffer fall from euill to worse Thirdly the Lord deliuers the godly out of all putteth vnder his hand and reares them vp and leaueth them not in the sorrow till hee haue enlarged their feete and brought them where all teares shall bee wiped away Whereas he leaues the wicked in sorrow laughes at it and suffereth the fire of his iealousie to seaze on them to the bottome of hell Fourthly the Lord recompenseth the light afflictions of his seruants with an exceeding weight of mercy first in this life iustifying sanctifying beautifying teaching feeding protecting them and theirs Secondly in death bringing their soules to heauen and laying vp their bodies safe till the resurrection Thirdly at the day of iudgment bringing both body and soule into the glory of the iust But these sorrowes of wicked men are farre other both for number and measure in this life and afterward much more all of them void of all mercy And to conceiue aright of them consider first the kindes of them Secondly the causes or reasons of them Thirdly the vse For the first these sorrowes are partly in this life and partly after it First In this life these sorrowes are partly in the present practice of sinne and partly in the consequent fruits of it Secondly the very course of a sinner although Satan present it to him through a false glasse and it seeme pleasant and care to be quite away yet indeed it is a sorrowfull and heauie course for the laughter of a wicked man is but in the face not in the heart and euen in laughter the heart is heauie or hath cause so to bee That which Salomon speakes of a voluptuous course which most agreeth with the flesh is true euen in the passing of it It striketh as a Dart through the liuer Prou. 7. 23. The same is true in the purchase of other sinnes as 1. Tim. 6. 10. the Apostle noteth of the course taken vp in earthlinesse and carking care after the things of this life that this man though hee seeme to liue merrily yet he pierceth himselfe through with many sorroweâ— The intemperate person meetes with many diseased dayes and houres of paine and sorrowes as the Gowt Dropsie Palsies Surfets which make his life a burden vnto him so as though the sinner see it not yet in the practice of sinne there is more gall then honie and at the best it is but a bitter-sweete But Secondly after the sinne is committed comes a fearefull and more sorrowful sence of it for if the best fruits of sin euen in the godly that are renued by repentance be shame and sorrow no maruell if the wicked be hanted and hunted with horrors of conscience desperate feares restlesse torments and be as the raging Sea which cannot rest for there can bee no peace to the wicked man so long as his conscience hath any sense but let him goe and ride where he wil he pursues himselfe with hue and crie and so long as he cannot runne from himselfe hee carries his accuser and tormenter with him as Cain did and Baltasar euen at his Feast was pierced with feares and sorrowes that made his ioynts loose and his knes knocke together so shal Gods hand-writing be on the walles of profane consciences How many sorrowes after his sinne ouertooke Iudas and so oppressed him that his heart being not able longer to susteine him his best ease was to hang himselfe a wofull remedy not much better then his disease but such shifts are the wicked sometimes put to when their sweete meates are recompensed with sowre sawce Secondly after this life is the consummation of his sorrowes euen in Christs appearance for all that this life can load him with is but the beginning of sorrow The parcels of this sorrow shall especially bee in these particulars First they shall waile and sorrow to see him come in the clouds whom they haue pierced he shall bee their Iudge whose lawes and person all their villanies haue been committed against Secondly in that wofull separation first from God in the losse of glory and happinesse and then from Gods people when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iaakob and all the Saints in the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out
flowe all other mercies that we enioy as streames of it first temporall concerning this present life as health life liberty wealth peace prosperity good name c. Oh but the wicked haue all these True but first not in a right tenure they are vsurpers they haue no right in themselues no part in Christ to recouer it Secondly not by vertue of any promise or couenant Thirdly not in any holy or sanctifyed vse for To the impure all things are impure Fourthly none of their prosperity is ioyned with Gods loue but his hatred which is a secret poyson in them whereas Psal. 35. 27. the Lord loueth the prosperitie of his seruant he ioynes them both together Secondly spirituall things euen in these also how hath God compassed vs with mercies euen for the present First What a world of mercy was and is in that one gift of his Sonne to bee our reconciliation when we were firebrands of hell that the blessed Sonne of God would descend from the glory of heauen and giue himselfe to the death of the Crosse and the paines of hell to redeeme vs from all iniquitie The Apostle conceiues of this as of a rich mercy Ephes. 1. 7. by whom saith he we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace This is the com passing mercy meant in our text euen redemption from sinne by Christ both from the guilt and punishment of it a free mercy a full mercy an Ocean of mercy drawing vs out of a gulfe and bottomlesse sea of sorrowes euerlasting Dauid amplifyeth this mercy Psa. 86. 13. Great is thy mercy towards mee for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell Secondly What an infinite mercy peculiar to the godly is that of his spirit to take vp our hearts for his temples when wee were spiritually possessed of the deuill by the same spirit hee doeth daily cleanse vs and wash vs and beautifyeth our soules with heauenly graces teacheth vs leadeth vs into all trueth comforteth vs with heauenly consolations in all distresses What a great mercy was it when Christ opened the eyes of the blinde or healed the deafe and lame yea or when hee raised Lazarus being dead but God regenerating vs by his Spirit doeth all these for vs he giues sight to vs being blinde sayth to our deafe eares Be open yea restores vs to life being dead in trespasses and sinnes and makes vs able to mooue and stirre in good wayes Those great workes of the Sonne of God were all miraculous but heere is a miracle aboue them all yea one mercy consisting of many miracles Thirdly What a mercy is it not onely to giue them his word as hee doth also to the wicked but also to make it the immortall seede of their new birth and the syncere milke to feede them to make it a preseruatiue from many great sinnes which the wicked daily commit open and secret to put it into their handes as a sword to cut off Satans temptations to make it vnto them a rule of faith and a rule of life able to make the man of God perfect to euery good worke to make it a sound stay and comfort to support them in all their troubles wherein else they must needs sinke In this respect the child of God is compassed with a multitude of mercies all which the wicked are strangers vnto Fourthly What an inexhaust treasure of mercy is it that the godly enioy that whereas God heareth not sinners that is wicked ones he not onely giueth them leaue to come freely to the throne of Grace to aske any good thing for them but also much assurance in their soules of obtaining any thing they aske because of his promise Aske and yee shall haue If earthly fathers can giue good things to their children much more will our heauenly Father giue not onely what we aske but euen abundantly aboue that we are able to aske or to thinke Ephes. 3. 20. Can that man bee other then beset with mercy who hath a meanes to get within Gods store-house and treasury when hee will Can hee that is able by the prayer of faith with Israel to preuaile with God want abundance of blessings Great is the power of feruent prayer for mercy It can obtaine and force the sunne to stand still It can commaund the cloudes to raine or not to raine It can get children for the barren and life to the dead and if our prayer be weake Christs intercession hath power enough for vs Iohn 11. 22 42. Oh that wicked men knew the power of prayer how quickely then would they come to Gods mercy-gate Fiftly What a mercy is it peculiar to the Saints to haue peace of conscience and ioy of their estate that whereas wicked men are often vexed euer lyable to infinite horrors feares and inward torments which are the beginnings of hell they beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God the spirit of bondage and feare and tumult is gone and the spirit of adoption dwells in their hearts which makes them cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. And whereas the wicked haue no peace but a senslesse vnfeelingnesse of their estate the godly haue peace in them which as the Apostle saith passeth vnderstanding because first neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently conceiue it Secondly neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently esteeme or prize it according to the worth and value of it plainly implying it to bee such a mercy as for the greatnesse ouerwhelmes him that hath it an infinite and vnbounded mercy called the peace of God which hee beginneth and maintaineth heere and perfecteth and preserueth for all eternity But how standeth this with all those euills and miseries with which the godly are beset in this life Can they be beset both with misery and mercy too This is a sixt and last mercie therfore special to them that they are neuer more compassed with mercie then when they seeme most miserable Habak 3. 2. The Lord in iudgement remembreth mercie For first nothing is properly euill but that which comes from diuine reuenge but nothing comes so vpon the godly Christ hath carried away all the reuenge of their sinnes so that their crosses come from mercie Secondly they are attended with mercy for God hath first fitted his seruants for afflictions before he brings them Religion hath patience which if the house be not filled with plenty makes a sallet of green herbs more daintie thē the sweetest dishes of wicked men it hath strength aboue which the triall shall not be it hath subiection and silence to God and can blesse him both in giuing and in taking away Thirdly Gods mercy reioyceth in iudgement against iudgement three waies first magnifying himselfe secondly training his chosen thirdly teaching others and all by the troubles of his children The first in two respects first when iudgement begins at Gods house he declares his hatred against sinne and mercifully by
in our text teach vs. So much of the Commaundement The thing commanded is ioy and gladnesse Ioy is the soules delight or solace in the presence of some good thing in deed or in hope It is twofold either naturall and worldly when the good of which it riseth is so or supernaturall and heauenly about some spirituall good which is apprehended This supernaturall ioy is twofold First the ioy of grace Secondly the ioy of glory the former is heere meant which is the inheritance of the Saints here and a forerunner of that of glory hereafter Thirdly the obiect or limitation of this ioy In the Lord the matter of our ioy must be the Lords goodnesse vnto vs especially in keeping his promise faithfully in pardoning our sinnes and gracious receiuing of vs. For so not onely the context but the word Iehoua puts vs in minde properly signifying God hauing being of himselfe and giuing being not onely to all his creatures but to all his promises also And then wee reioyce in the Lord First when our ioy is a fruit of the Spirit of the Lord Galat. 5. 22. therefore called the ioy of the Holy Ghost Secondly when it looketh to God and acknowledgeth him the true God and in his Sonne whom he hath sent his God reconciled appeased and well pleased as Rom. 5. 1. being iustifyed by faith wee haue peace with God and reioyce c. Our Prophet here cals the righteous to reioyce vpon this ground When a man reioyceth in Gods fauour forgiuing sinne and in fellowship with God and Iesus Christ then hee reioyceth in the Lord. This Dauid calleth the ioy of Saluation Psa. 51. 12. Thirdly when it respecteth the speciall pledges of Gods fauour as the worke of regeneration the happy change we finde in our selues the shining and beautifull graces of Gods holy Spirit with the daily increase of them thus to reioyce in the Lords image renewed is to reioyce in the Lord himselfe Fourthly when our ioy is set vpon Gods ordinances and word in which the Lord reuealeth himselfe and communicateth himselfe more freely vnto vs when in them we get a faster hold of God and grow vp into further fellowship with him especially when his gracious promises feede our hearts and we reioyce in his trueth and faithfulnesse making them good not onely to others but also to our owne selues Fiftly when we reioyce in the hope of eternall glory both in soule body Rom. 5. 3. Hoping and expecting and reioycing that we shall fully enioy him as he is and drinke freely of that water of life which wee haue already tasted And thus to reioyce is no easie thing and therefore he calls on vs againe and againe and the third time to reioyce in the Lord as Philip. 4. 4. Reioyce in the Lord and againe I say reioyce for though it be easie to reioyce in a carnall manner and most men lose themselues in such merriments yet to reioce in the Lord is not so easie the obiect the matter and manner and end are hard to force on our selues which is the reason of such earnest inforcing of the precept So much of the meaning The words being thus expounded wee come to the doctrine of them first from the persons righteous men and vpright in heart These are the same persons that are spoken of in the fixt verse The godly man shal pray vnto thee whence we may note that A godly man is an vpright man that is of a simple and true-dealing and true meaning heart with God and man hauing a minde ready to learne of the Lord both what to doe and for what and so doing what hee doth for no other cause in the world 2. King 20 3. Remember O Lord that I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart Ier. 12. 3. Lord thou knowest mee thou hast seene mee and tried my heart towards thee Nathaniel a godly man was a true Israelite in whome was no guile so all other good men are called vpright men in their generation First because Gods image is renewed on them in part a part of which is to bee simple and true as he is most single and true Secondly because they are daily conformed to Christ who was the vprightest of all creatures in whose mouth was found no guile Thirdly because they haue receiued the Spirit of Sanctification who daily heales and impaires naturall crookednesse and hypocrisie and reneweth the minde and the man to think and speake and act things in truth and soundnesse Fourthly they onely are true worshippers that worship God in spirit and trueth Ioh. 4. 24. they are that good ground which brings forth fruit out of honest hearts a good man must be without hypocrisie at least reigning hypocrisie Let him therefore looke to the vprightnesse of his heart whosoeuer would haue an euidence of godlinesse None but would be counted godly not any would be thought an Atheist or an hypocrite or a neuter therefore let men looke to the vprightnesse of their hearts And it stands vs in hand so to doe First because such a heart is Gods delight whatsoeuer comes from vs is hence accepted because it comes from a pure heart euen the mite of a godly man or woman when as the wickeds sacrifice is reiected and his talent accursed Secondly because we can haue no other comfort in the workes wee doe in the world we finde our best duties traduced Dauid dancing before the Lord is mocked but hee was sure hee did it before the Lord in the puritie of his heart and that was his comfort 2. Sam. 6. 20 21. Besides Thirdly it is not the quantity of our worke which we can stand vpon but onely the qualitie of it Peter could not iustifie the quantity of his loue when Christ asked him this question Peter louest thou me more then these onely he appeales to Christ of the qualitie of it Lord thou knowest that I loue thee if wee can perswade our selues that wee doe a thing of a good heart and according to the proportion of grace receiued wee may cheare vp our selues we shall bee accepted by the qualitie onely How shall I know the vprightnesse of my heart By these notes or rules First that is right which is tried so to bee by a right line and stands in correspondence vnto it The right line is Gods word the precepts of the Lord are right Psal. 19. 8. and then the heart is vpright when it is made straight by the word and is squared in all things by it Euery man boasts of the rightnesse and goodnesse of his heart that cares but a little for Gods word but wee must be farre from standing in our own righteousnesse which is as a filthy clowte and take the square of Gods word and lay our hearts and affections vnto it that they may be ruled by the line of God Secondly a right line doth euer discouer that which is