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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
for taking away and not for good and for giuing Iob 1. Now further this dutie of thankesgiuing being so great a seruice as that it is sometimes put for all the worship of God it shall not be amisse to enter into our selues in particular by a more narrow view of our selues to take better notice of our estate both by iudging our selues in the things we faile in and by prouoking our selues with more cheerefulnesse to so holy a dutie Many wayes haue we erred first in not doing the dutie at all Secondly in doing it First in not doing the dutie many stray many wayes as First how few of vs take notice of Gods mercies with which he compasseth vs when as we say we cannot see Wood for Trees being beset with numberlesse mercies and yet see none or as good as not and therefore cānot to any purpose open our mouthes in thanksgiuing further then in generall termes slubbering ouer the dutie as hauing the heart vpon euery thing else How few consider how being dead in sinne they are begotten to the life of God how of Enemies they be become Friends how they haue part in the first resurrection in grace and assured hope of the second to glorie How many sinnes are there which God hath not let them know How many of vvhich he hath let vs know the pardon How hath he kept vs from diseases How restored vs out of sicknesse How vvardeth he vs all the day long feedes vs and leades vs in our going in and out How carryeth he vs in his armes saues vs from danger and maintaynes our peace of soule and body our health and reputation How keepes he vs and ours euery night and refresheth vs with sleepe For he giues sleepe to his beloued draweth our curten watcheth ouer our houses from fire from robbers and from ruine and euery morning yea euery moment reneweth mercy vpon vs. These things while wee take no notice of wee must needs faile in this dutie for vvere there thankefulnesse it vvould smother no mercies but novv 〈◊〉 is vvith vs as vvith children vvhose eaten bread is quickly forgotten Secondly Numbers of men count basely of and eleuate Gods mercies and then there can bee no thankesgiuing So much as a man esteemeth a gift so much he is thankefull for it neyther is it hauing of things but hauing them in estimation which breedes thankefulnesse Numbers 11. 6. The Israelites hauing Mannah thought basely of it and were so farre from giuing thankes for it as they murmured and said Wee see nothing but this Man and so men speake at this day of the spirituall Mannah the Word of God We thinke it an ordinary thing to dispatch our ordinary businesse as a iourney or the like and esteeme not of Gods successe and blessing vpon it as Abrahams seruant did Gen. 24. 27. saying Blessed bee the Lord God of my Master I being in the way the Lord led mee to the house of my Masters Brethren Wee thinke it a slight thing to bee carryed day by day through our way and not to bee surprized by Satan or temptation but Dauid otherwise esteemed of it as 1. Sam. 25. 32. Blessed bee the Lord and blessed bee thy counsell and blessed bee thou that hast kept mee from doing this thing Wee count it no great matter to bee drawne out of weaknesse or sicknesse of bodie Oh it is but an ordinarie thing whereas if wee did esteeme rightly of it with the Leper wee would glorifie God with a lowd voyce Wee thinke it a common thing and neuer prize the benefit to bee fed and clothed euery day to be able to enioy these creatures to our life health and strength whereas if a man bid vs to supper or meate once in a yeere or quarter wee will then thanke him and after meeting him againe thanke him for our kind welcome or checke our selues if we forget it and will bee ashamed to make no neighbourly requitall but God gets not so much thankes for his continuall spreading of our Table and furnishing it and filling of our Cups daily as a man doth for one meales meate as though GOD were more bound to vs then a man or wee lesse bound to him then a man to his Neighbour And when men haue thus vnderualued Gods blessings while they haue them from him how iustly doth hee depriue them of them till they know the price and worth of them and in their restraint make them enioy a small thing more thankefully and comfortably then when their plentie hindred them from being daintie Hunger were good sawce and would giue rellish and taste to courser things then men now contemne Thirdly others are discontented with their estate and then can neuer be thankefull Oh God giueth them not what and when or how much they would haue or others haue more then they or they deserue more then they haue or their troubles are aboue the fauours they haue and thus they enioy nothing eyther thankefully or comfortably But alasse First how little doe wee see what vnprofitable seruants wee are when wee haue done all wee can Luc. 17. 10. and how we deserue nothing but stripes like Whelps vnder the Table of our Lord not deseruing the crummes Secondly how doe wee harpe vpon our wants more then our receits so to depriue God of his glorie and our selues of comfort as Ahab was vnthankefull for a whole Kingdome and sicke because hee wanted Naboths Vineyard Thirdly how doe wee rather repine at that which others haue then consider what is our owne need as if a bitter medecine were not as good in season as the sweetest dainties Fourthly how doe we cast our eyes onely on that which God can giue and not vpon that hee hath giuen or we can receiue Fiftly how doe wee gnabble vpon the shell which is the gift and neglect the meat which is the goodnesse of the Giuer which were it once tasted in the soule would bee thought sweeter then life and would make it breake forth into prayses Fourthly others peruert and blaspheme Gods mercies and in stead of thankefulnesse load him with wicked and vngracious behauiour Some haue receiued gifts and talents of learning and knowledge but in stead of employing them to his prayse they eyther hide them in a Napkin and doe no good as the vnprofitable seruant Matth. 25. 25. liuing as drones and vnprofitable burdens in the Church and Common-wealth and as corrupt trees fruitlesse themselues and keeping the ground barren or else they doe much hurt with their learning opposing the truth and goodnesse and good men defending corruptions maintaining corrupt opinions and making bridges to Poperie or prophanesse or else they corrupt others by making filthy Poems and such like Some haue receiued wealth and a large estate of earthly things some honours fauour and authoritie of whom GOD may looke for more because they haue receiued more But how for mercies returne they rebellion in all their liues and dissolutenesse in
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
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
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
abroad and staies at home with thee And as it is the most enemie to thee so must thou be to it Paul was neuer right till he found this rebel in himselfe and that many yeeres after his conuersion Secondly knowing that the spirit is so guilefull and the heart so deceitfull suspect it in euery thing watch it the better deale with it as with an vntrusty fellow in whom thou hast found some notable trickes of deceit worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Say not with thy selfe I see not this sinne in my selfe therefore it is not or I see not wherein I haue failed in this or that for all that thou mayest seeing the heart is deceitfull aboue all things and who can see it carry an holy ielousie of thy selfe and suspect thy selfe as Iob did his sonnes It may be my sonnes my selfe haue sinned offer sacrifice or rather apply Christ to thy soule for thy failing in the best actions Thirdly seeing the hart is thus deceitful it teacheth vs not to insult ouer others in their falles seeing our owne hearts may play false with vs. Let no man say that he wil neuer doe this and this as he seeth others do but suspect his heart lest it carry him to worse things then they Peter said he would rather die then deny his Master but the deceitfulnesse of his heart would not let him performe his purpose which deceit he knew not before for then he would not haue taken it so ill when Christ foretold him of it Dauid would haue thought scorne the day before his fall that any should haue told him that he should lie wallowing in so foule sinnes as he did the day after Hazael was farre from the sight of that guile which lay hid in his owne spirit when being told by the Prophet what monstrous wickednesse should bee done by him he asked Am I a dogges head that I should doe this Let vs therfore make this vse of other mens weaknesses Oh if such haue so dangerously fallen in whose hearts I neuer saw such foule things as I see in mine owne why should I be high-minded and not rather feare Rom. 11. 20. Fourthly labour for a sincere heart void of guile Here consider three things First the notes or markes of it secondly the benefit of it thirdly reasons to labour for it First the notes First in duties It hath an vpright endeuour and sincere desire to approue it selfe to God in all things wheras a guilefull heart lookes more at men in good duties then at God more at mens commandements then Gods at mens approbation more then Gods Wee seeke not to pleasemen saith Paul but God who seeth the heart We care not to bee iudged by men but stand or fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God would haue Samuel to honour him before the people Secondly in respect of sinne A sincere heart hateth all sinne wheresoeuer euen small and secret especially it is more seuere against his owne lusts then any other he hates his sinnes past and bewaileth them his present sins to break them off he hates that he doth he hates sinnes to come to preuent them and watch against them whereas a guilefull heart can hate euen motes in his brothers eye but not his owne beames auoides open sinnes not secret smaller hee makes small account of if hee can auoide greater which make greater noise and bring greater shame This man can reioyce in memorie of sin past and bragge of it as a mad pranke which should be as a dagger to his heart whereas Dauids heart smote him for cutting off Sauls lap and as soone as he had numbred the people and Peters as soone as he had denied Christ. This man can reioyce in conceit of a future sinne whereas Dauid and the Saints vow and sweare to keepe the commandements He hath his present darting sinnes which hee will continue in and not let goe let God and man say what they will But is no heart sincere but that which is without sinne It is not the committing of one sinne or presence of more that makes an euill heart for then none should be vpright but the habite and custome of sinning and this is when first in his vnderstanding he is wise to do euill but knowes not to doe well Secondly when he still wills that which is euill Thirdly when his affections still mooue vnto it Fourthly when he walkes in euill as a seruant of sinne at the command of it So is it not with the godly with whom power is often wanting but to will desire and endeuour is present Thirdly a sincere heart professeth religion for it selfe and delighteth in good men and good things as the Word Sacraments and godly company because they are so and because they see some part of Gods image in them Whereas a guilefull heart not hauing denied it selfe professeth for by respects and worldly causes addicted vnto not called out of the world it loueth good men not for their goodnesse but for the respect they haue in the world or some other occasion respecting themselues If then thou wouldest know whether thou hast a sincere heart or no first obserue thy actions both in their nature and ende first in their nature if they be single and pure so is thy heart as is the fountaine and the root such are the streames and the fruit Secondly in their end an honest heart euer aimes at Gods glory directly whereas a guilefull heart euer propoundeth bad ends of good actions Secondly obserue whether thou makest conscience secretly of all sinne yea most seriously of those to which thou art most inclined whether thou hast condemned thy selfe in dust and ashes whether thou hast resisted and preuailed or else liest still vnder the power of corruption Thirdly consider whether thou daily renuest thy purpose of not sinning against God as thou renewest thy daies and whether thou watchest ouer thine owne hart with an holy suspition and wilt for Gods will breake thine owne Fourthly marke whether thou louest God in his image ordinances and children euen then when the world scornes and hates all these here is a good note indeed of a sincere heart Secondly the benefits of it First this sincere heart brings the person into acceptance with God for whom doth he approue but such as walke before him vprightly Abraham Noah Enoch Zacharie Iob and these are his delight Prou. 11. 20. Secondly whatsoeuer worke hath such a ground is acceptable yea and called perfect in the Scripture And indeed sinceritie is all our perfection sincere persons are called perfect in the way Psalme 119. 1. All true worship must be done in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. as First prayer must be a lifting vp of the heart and a powring out of the soule If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare me Prayer proceeding