God and the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4 1◠who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and his kingdome Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrines God hath given and committed to us the Ministry of the Word of faith by which we must live and if we be not found faithful in the dispensation thereof our souls shall answer for the sins of the People which are committed by our negligence and for want of our giving warning 2. To you it is a provocation of you to be swift to hear to take heed how you heare to heare with meeknesse to hear willingly to hear attentively to meditate in the Word that you hear to search the Scriptures to believe the word spoken to be obedient to the forme of doctrine delivered not to despise him that speaketh in our ministry it is said of Lydia that she heard us This was the outward means of her saith This had never done good alone for he that planteth is nothing and he that watereth is nothing but God that giveth the increase He is nothing saith the Apostle that planteth that is the Minister of the Word is nothing There were two things much amisse amongst the Corinthians at that time 1. One was they did too much depend upon their Ministers and ascribe too much to them wherein he that sent them had wrong 2. They were partial in their estimation of their Ministers some affecting and preferring one some another that it came to a schisme To remove which double disease in the Church the Apostle telleth them that the Minister is not any thing his meaning is not to disgrace the Ordinance of God to defile his own nest to dishonour his own high-calling but to bring them to true judgment of it and to let them understand that the Ministry of men is outward that God hath no need of it he can convert and establish souls without it And further whatsoever the Minister doth it is by the suggestion and help and efficacy of the Holy Ghost The purpose of the Apostle is to withdraw us from dependance on outward means he doth not seek to discourage the use or to disparage the honour of them or to question their necessity but to shew that as planting and watering of a tree are to the bearing of fruit so is our preaching to your good life except God do give the encrease the means in it selfe is not any thing Therefore let us search deeper for the power of God in the increase of our faith and we shall find it a special work of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 4.31 and so Saint Paul speaking of the spirit of faith doth give us to understand that faith is wrought in us by that Spirit of God which bloweth where he listeth So it is said of Lydia that the Lord opened her heart The manner of the operation of this Spirit in the work of faith in thus 1. It worketh upon the supreme part of the soul that is the understanding 2. Vpon the inferior part that is the Will and affections 1. Upon the understanding and there it openeth to us three things 1. The Excellency of our Creation 2. The misery of our fall 3. The remedy thereof 1. The Excellency of our Creation For man was made in the image of the Trinity that is in holinesse and righteousnesse he had Free-will to have continued that happy estate and he had the tree of life whereof he might have eaten and have lived for ever in the state of his creation It is necessary that we be instructed in the story of mans creation that we may understand the power wisdome and goodness of God shewed in man who out of so base a matter composed so excellent a frame as this of mans body and inspired it with a reasonable soule endowing it with heavenly light and giving to man the lordship of the works of his hands leaving it in his own free-will to perpetuate the tenure of his happinesse This is called mans state of innocency wherein 1. His knowledge 2. His holinesse was full and perfect 1. His knowledge was full 1. Of God 2. Of himself 2. Of the creatures 1. Of God knowing him so farre forth as a fraile creature was capable of the knowledge of an infinite nature and therein man was no whit inferiour to the Angels of God Coloss 3.10 for God created men and Angels in his own image and this knowledge is the image of God so saith the Apostle Created in knowledge after the image of him which created him 2 Of himself for he was then sensible of all that God had done for him and I cannot doubt but that light which God set up in this excellent creature did shew him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of himself so that he knew the secret of his own composition the admirable faculties of the intellectual animal part the Symmetrie the Anatomy the use of every part of the body the end use of his creation 3. Of the creatures for as all the creatures were brought before him to declare to him his dominion over them so for more expressure of his lordship he gave to every creature a name surely the light of his understanding penetrating so deep as to the secret nature of all things sublunary as also well read in the great volume of the celestial bodies and furnished with all science whereby either the content of the minde the honour of his high place being lord of all or the use of his life or the glory of his Maker might be maintained or procured Such was man in the state of innocency in respect of his knowledge and though his fall eclipsed that light very much and much of that particular knowledge which Adam had perished in him yet sure that which remained after the fall which was the stock wherewith he set up in the world did give the first rules and lay down the grounds of all arts and sciences which being perfected by observation study and experience in the long life of the fathers descended upon succeeding times like rivers which gather in some brooks to mend their streame as they hasten to the sea and so improve their strength in current and dilate their banks Much of this maketh much against man for in this exellencie of his knowledge extending it self so to the creature no doubt but he knew the Angels also and knew of their fall I cannot suppose that so excellent a creature as man bearing the image of God that made him and of the Angels that stood and kept their first estate could be ignorant or that God would conceale from him such an example of weaknesse in so excellent a creature of justice in him I cannot suppose but that he knew into what condition the fall of Angels had dejected them and how farre their sinne had corrupted them he could not but know them hating of and
dangers The God that gave us his light of Truth and hath continued it so many happy years of peace amongst us hath begun he will also make an end by this light no doubt many faithful souls have found the way to the throne of grace whose continuall prayers to God for the happy estate of his Church are able to make this Sun stay his course and not withdraw his light from us their prayers and devotions know the way to heaven so well and plead the cause of the Church so effectually that we have cause to hope that the goodness of God which endureth yet daily will not fail us but that we shall fee it and tast of it in this land of the living Once let us remember under whose shadow vve live a learned gracious King who hath seen into the darkness of Popery and laid it open no Christian Prince so much no Christian more he hath put his hand to the Plough and he cannot forget Lets Wife Let us not make our selves certain afflictions out of uncertain fears and draw upon us the evils of to morrow For sufficient for the day is the evil thereof Queen Elizabeth brought into this Church and Land True Religion and Peace King James hath continued it let us be thankfull to God for it and let us be ever telling what the Lord hath done for our souls Let not our unquiet vvranglings amongst our selves provoke the God of Peace against us neither let our busie eves-dropping the counsels and intendments of State which are above us and belong not to us make us afraid our work is In all things to give thanks For what we have received already for what we do possesse and enjoy and pray continually for that we would have for all men especially for our King that under him we may lead a quiet and and peaceable life in all godliness and honestie 1 Tim. 2.2 and then Rejoyce evermore Rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce He that came from Teman and Paran to a people that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death and gave us light hath ever since so supplyed us with oile that we may say difficiunt vasa the want is on our part for truly God is good to Israel to all such that have faithfull and true hearts To this end let me stir you up to a remembrance of the times past beginning at the Initium regni November 17 in Anno 1558. for so long hath this Sun of righteousness shined clear upon our Church 2 Doctr. The Church hath a speciall interest in the power and protection of God gathered from hence he had hornes comming out his hands and there was the hiding of his power There is a power that God openly sheweth and that is extended to an universall protection of all the works of Gods hand but there is a power that he hideth and that is his speciall protection of his Church 1 He protecteth them David gives them a good instance in the former mercies of God to this people When they were yet but few and they strangers in the land 1 Châ—on 16.19 And when they went from nation to nation from one Kingdome is another people He suffered no man to do them any wrong but reproved even Kings for their sakes saying Touch not my anointed and do my Prophets no harme And the Psalmist can give no other reason of this speciall protection but on Gods part because he had a favour to them and on their part that they might keep his statutes and observe his lawes And these be motives that establish Gods protection upon his Church in all the ages thereof His mercy and our obedience which lesson if we take out vvell vve shall learne thankfulnesse to him for his favour and holinesse in our lives And this is that godlinesse vvhich hath the promises of this life and that vvhich is to come 2 He hideth the horne of our Salvation 1 From his Church in some measure to keep us from presumption so that vve do often rather believe then feel the loving kindnesse of the Lord and to stirre us up to prayer for the more vve are made sensible of our vvants the more are vve provoked to invocation of the name of the Lord. 2 From the vvorld that hateth his Church that they may fulfill their iniquity and declare their uttermost malice against the Church and when he had suffered PHAROAH and his hoast to follovv his people of Israel into the red Sea and there taketh of their Chariot wheels then they shall see it and say we will fly from the face of Israel Exod. 14.25 for the Lord fighteth for them against the Aegyptians Great is the profit of this point in the case of those spirituall desertions Vse vvhereby God for a time seemeth to forsake his own children Well are they described by Gods ovvn mouth For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Isa 54.7 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Which sheweth that the hiding of Gods protecting power is not totall but partiall for it is in a little anger and it is not finall but temporary for a small moment 1 In outward things In the example in my text God hid his hand in his bosome the horn of his Salvation was almost all out of sight for the space of 70 years during the captivity of the Church So many of Gods dear Servants drink deep of the bitter cup of affliction suffering the contempt and injuries of the world in bonds imprisonments oppressions scourges such as the world is not worthy of yet do they not want a secret feeling of the power of Gods protection quickning their patience and reviving his own work in them in the midst of the years 2 In spirituall graces Sometime God taketh away from his children their feeling of his love and of the joy of the Holy Ghost and that they finde with much grief 1 In the oppression of the heart with sorrow wherein they feel no comfort as David My soar ran and ceased not my soul refused comfort Psal 77.2 3. I did think upon God and was troubled In the ineffectuating the means of salvation for a time For many holy zealous souls desirous to do God good service do complain that they hear the Word do not profit by it they receive the Sacraments and do not tast how sweet it is they pray but they feel not the Spirit helping their infirmities they give thanks and praise to God but they do not feel that inward dancing of the heart and jubilation of the soul and rejoycing in God that should attend his prayse yea rather they perceive in themselves a going backward from God as the Church complaineth O Lord Isa 63.17 why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and
obedience 63. 77. so are all God's promises to his children page 78 God can make good use of the vices of men and make wicked men serve for instruments of his will page 66 God is author of all actions but not of the evill of them page 73 God fore-knoweth the sins of men page 86 Gods certain knowledge of our evils will bring forth a certain judgment to punish them page 89 Gods love to his Church is eternal as himself is page 95 God is sooner stirred to mercy then provoked to anger page 100 God loves to be sollicited for mercy page 101 God is eternal in himself in his Essence and eternal in Providence in respect of his Creatures page 104 Ged is holy therefore the punishments of his Church are for its correction only page 105 Gods children in afflictions are not discouraged in their faith of Gods mercy page 107 God is author of punishment page 108 Gods eyes are pure page 110 God is a sincere searcher and punisher of sin and his justice and truth cannot fail page 113 God will have his Church taught his ways in all ages thereof page 154 Gods promises run in semine page 154 God signifieth his will in divers ways p. 167. and his will is twofold page 169 God taketh offence at such as are lifted up page 188 God is the author of faith page 208 Gods care and providence stoopeth so low as to the regard of our cattel page 325 God is to be worshipped outwardly as well as inwardly p. 335. 344 God is glorified in the shame of the proud page 280 God bringeth all the labours of the ungodly to losse and vanity yet the ungodly perceive it not page 289 God walketh with the righteous and contrary to the unrighteous page 291 God is glorious and jealous of his glory page 296 Gods creatures and his word are two books wherein his wisdome is set forth to the soul page 301 God punisheth sin by sin page 321 Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come page 42 Good covetousnesse 263. Evil covetousnesse is joyned with ambition page 264 Greatnesse and power are fearful to the common man yet he will search into the actions of the highest page 262 Grief mingled with faith is no sin page 49 H. HAbakkuk signifieth an embracer a wrastler 2. The time of his prophecie is not exprest pag. 2. Hatred a cause of contention pag 26 Hearing the word profiteth nought without faith pag 209 Hearing and understanding the word is a means to increase faith pag 209 Hearers ought to pray for their teachers pag 144 Heathens gods not jealous of their glory pag 299 He that willeth the same thing as God willeth and doth the same thing God would have done sinneth unlesse he doth it in the same manner and for the same end which God projecteth pag 76 How far we may complain to God against our brethren pag 15 How God is said to have eyes and other parts of a mans body pag 111 and how he is said to see hear c. pag 73. ch 3 How God is said to repent pag 165 How Gods righteousnesse is revealed in the Gospel pag 237 How drunken folks are said to discover their nakednesse pag 314 How man ought to carry himself in his dominion over beasts I. IDolatry defined and described pag. 328 Idolatry a grievous sin pag 329 Idolatry amongst Christians pag 330 Idolatry in the Church of Rome in worshipping the consecrated Host pag 333 If to omit a duty be a sin the committing of a contrary evil must needs be abominable pag 312 Ill-gotten goods bring such a sin upon a man as cannot be purged but by repentance and restitution pag 293 If we find in our selves an elevation above our pitch it is a certain Symptome of a diseased soul pag 191 Image-worship crept into the Church of Rome by little and little pag 332 Imprecations forbidden pag 17 Infirmities of Gods servants twofold pag. 48 Inordinate zeal what it is pag. 53 Iniquity knoweth no measure pag. 84 In all our considerations of the carriage of things under the Government of Gods Providence howsoever the effects may seem strange to us we must not question either the Wisedom Justice or Goodnesse of God pag. 117 In the Church of God there will always be some will argue against God pag. 147 Inconveniences of Rapine pag. 277 Ingredients of a saving faith by a dissection of the word Fides pag. 187 It was no small part of Christs Passion to be scorned and derided of his enemies pag. 258 It is a singular wisedome to use the fulnesse of prosperity well 83. and a great measure of grace is required thereto pag. 84 Judgment beginneth at the house of God pag. 65. and 179. ch 3 Just man defined pag. 185 Justification by faith only pag. 237 K. KEeping silence a signe of reverence and submission pag. 327 Knowledge of Gods glory an excellent knowledge 300. and the pursuit of this knowledge is a labour which well rewardeth it self pag. 301 M MAlice may be in looking into the vices of brethren though it pretended desire of Reformation pag. 21 Man is mutable God unchangably just pag. 78 Man in mercy cometh neerest Gods image pag. 99 Mans state in his innocency pag. 213 Man is but earth and gold but clay pag. 248 Men and Angels have their Eternity from God pag. 103 Means to get an upright soul pag. 192 Mercy the soul of the world pag. 100 Ministers may in general reprove sin but not particularize any man pag. 54 Ministers ought to be first Seers and then Speakers pag. 139 Ministers must not only watch but also give warning pag. 142 Ministers must maintain Gods cause against all contradictions pag. 143 Ministers ought to open to the Church of God the whole Councell of God pag. 156 Ministers have a necessity laid upon them to preach the word pag. 211 N. NO man simpliciter Atheos but acknowledgeth some divine ruling power pag. 89. and 328 and 80. ch 3 No man would do service where nothing is to be gained by it pag. 329 No inherent holinesse in Churches pag. 339 Not that as we have but what we dispose of maketh us friends in the day of the Lord. Nothing ought to be so dear to us as the glory of God pag. 300 O. OCcasion of offence to be avoided pag. 33 Oracles ceased at Christs coming pag. 175 Original sin what it is pag. 216 Outward things unsanctified to the Owner have no power to establish the heart pag. 84 Out of natural and moral ways of life there is a wisedome of God to be learned pag. 123 Overcharge of the heart with drink is drunkennesse pag. 306 P. PApists idolaters pag. 331 People without a Ruler are unhappy pag. 114 and 124 Prayer ought to be fervent and continual 18. as well in zeal of Gods glory as for our own necessities pag. 19 Prayer what it is pag. 31 Prayer is a help to him that
it and putteth us to silence but if the glory of God be that we seek and aime at the more God heareth our prayers and granteth our requests the more he enflameth our zeal and even as it were transformes us into prayer and what better motive can we give of Christs so frequent so durant prayers then this I know that thou hearest mee alwayes Now because long and frequent prayers are a wearynesse to the flesh the flesh is no good friend to this exercise and we do find our selves in no exercise of Religion more tempted then in this for this cause watching and fasting are so often joyned with prayer as the best means to disable the rebell flesh from resisting Doctr. God sometimes suspendeth the successe of the prayers of his servants There is a case wherein God will not hear at all though Moses Samuel Noah Daniel Job do pray to him In some cases God will hear but not yet for he that keepeth the times and seasons in his own power knoweth best when it is fittest for him to hear And that was the case of this prayer God did 1. give them yet more time to repent and seek his face that he might preserve them and sent his Prophets to them to reclaime them 2. He did expect if not the conversion of them by fair means then that after the full taste of the fruits of his patience they might by the rod be brought to him when he should change his righthand Mutatio dexterae 3. Or he did expect the filling up of the measure of their sins that they might have no plea to excuse their ungraciousnesse 4. He forbore to stirre up the Prophet so much the more to this importunity that it might be seen that not only their sins but the Prophets prayers had awaked vengeance 5. To declare how acceptable a sacrifice prayer is he will delay us that we may pray for with such sacrifices God is pleased but if we withdraw our selves Gods soul will have no pleasure in us Let no man think the worse of this holy service of God because he presently feeleth not the successe thereof but as the woman of Canaan would not be put off by the Disciples or by Christ himself Math. 15.22 so that both her request was granted and her faith commended If we remember our Saviours limitation all will be well Eather if thou wilt let us set those bounds to our prayers 1. What thou wilt 2. In what measure 3. When thou wilt 4. In what manner sicut tu vis As thou wilt Vers 3. Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause mee to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention 4. Therefore the Law is slacked and judgement doth never go forth for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous therefore wrong judgment proceedeth 2. HE contesteth with God for shewing to him the sins of the people vers 3 4. For the opening of that Text Why dost thou shew me iniquity 1. That it is not his own curious search to look into his brethren I do not say so scrutinously as the Hypocrite in the Gospel who with a beam in his own eye could yet discerne a moat in his brothers eye no not to behold their grosse iniquity He did not look upon his brethren like an informer to see what fault he could finde in them to complain of he had something else to do he saith that God shewed him the iniquity of his brethren So he freeth himself of suspicion of malice and evil affection to his brethren For there may bee malice in looking into the vices of brethren though it pretend desire of Reformation 2. This cleareth the Prophet that he is not as one of them no partner with them in their iniquity seeing they that live in the society of evil practise and do not communicate with the evil in evil cannot behold the evil the object is too near them or gone out of sight 3. It sheweth that God doth not only himself take notice of the evils that men do but he acquainteth his Prophets and Ministers therewith which he doth to that end that he may prove their fidelity to him whether they will discharge their duty to him and their people to whom they are sent in telling the house of Jacob their sins and in labouring to bring them to the knowledge thereof that they may repent It followeth Thou dost cause me to behold grievance Psal 51.8 Wherein he resurmeth what he hath spoken before and rhethorically amplifieth it for it is one thing to shew another to cause him to behold This is an effectuall demonstration as the Prophet David doth pray Make me to hear joy and gladnesse God hath sent his Gospel which is the voyce of joy in the tabernacles of the righteous all the world over have they not heard Their sound is gone out into all the world and their word to the ends of the earth But that is not enough except God do cause us to hear the same We preach this Gospel of peace and we shew unto men their righteousnesse that is Viam Iustitiae how they may be justified in the sight of God We declare unto men their sins and shew them how the Law of God is broken but if God do not cause our hearts to behold this if God do not turne their eyes into themselves and into their own wayes to see them we spend our strength in vaine the scorner goeth away from Church and wipeth his mouth as the harlot in the Proverbs and saith this is nothing to me because God doth not make his heart smite him for it God doth not cause him to behold God doth not open our eyes to see our sins for our selves only that we may declare them but for you that we may give you warning of the anger to come And what did God shew him 1. Iniquity that is the unjust dealing of the people one with another as it after followeth 2. Greivance either the Greivance which that unrighteousnesse doth bring upon their brethren or the greivance wherewith the righteous soul of the Prophet is vexed day by day in seeing and hearing the evil conversation of them to whom he is sent For spoiling and violence are before me 1. Here is Spoyling that is robbing one another invading one anothers goods and lands and that done in the common-wealth of the Jewes where God himself was so carefull to establish the right of propriety in several that he divided the land himself to every Tribe their part and by a judicial Law set every man his bounds taught every man to be content with his own The common-wealth cannot long last in prosperity where this spoiling is in practise whether it be by corruption of the Magistrate stopping the course of justice or by the covetousnesse of the private man taking advantages to make his brother a prey This is commonly the worme of peace for when
soul hath no peace till it hath wrought a revenge upon it self and upon the body too in which it committed sin Davids Humiliavi animam meam and St. Pauls Castigo corpus meum Ps 35.13 1 Cor. 9.27 Isa 38.17 There must be afflictio and amaritudo animae we carry rods about us for the nonce even our own hearts will smite us as Davids did this brings God home to us again For I dwell with the humble and contrite and then salvation is come home to our house once again Isa 57.15 2. Impii autem non sic Not so with the wicked They sin against their souls because all the evils of their whole life are written in the book of Gods remembrance and foulded up in the rowle of their own conscience which shall be opened against them in the last day and they shall be judged according to all that is writen in those books and there shall be judgment without mercy to them that shewed no mercy Jam. 2.13 This doth not exclude temporall punishments for so shall they smart also they shall have no peace in this life for ever and anon as Job sa it their candle shall be put out and God shall distribute his sorrows amongst them They shall have many great shames many great fears many sad affronts of care and discontent though commedled with some faire weather good chear ease delights and such sweetnings as the flattery of the world and the favour of the times shall yeeld them Yet in the end all the evil that they have studyed and intended against others shall fall upon their own heads But still the worst is behind their souls and bodyes shall smart for it in the last day and the hand of God shall then pay home For them I take no care be it unto them as they have deserved and the Lord requite it at their hands and requite it upon them But for so many as follow righteonsnesse and fear God and would walk in his ways let us stirre up one another in the fear of God to seek the Lord whilst he may be found and to tender our souls The sins that we commit with such delight will cost us many an heart-breaking sigh many floods of salt water tears of bitternesse which are sanguis animae the blood of the soul hanging down of the head beating of the brest fasting from our full fare and stripping our bodies out of their soft raiment into sackcloth and changing our sweet powders into ashes There is no such disease incident to man as this Tremor cordis the trembling of the heart for sinne this Anima dolet the learning of the Physitian the art of the Apothecary have no receipt for it As Saint Paul saith of the law that is the strength of sinne so I may say that at first in the beginning of the cure the very remedy is the strength of the disease and makes the disease double the distresse thereof as in David 1. The Pophet came to heal him and he saith I said in my haste all men are lyars Prophets and all if they speak of any comfort to me Ps 116.21 2. God himself presented himself to his thought and that would not do I thought upon God and I was troubled my fear came and ceased not my soul refused comfort Yea there is such a sweetnesse in revenge that a penitent man doth take upon himself that he hath a kind of delight in his own self-punishment as in Jeremiahs example Look away from me Isa 22.4 I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me There is nothing that makes us sinne with so much appetite and so little feare as this we have banished Confession which bringeth shame upon us and penance which bringeth smart we have taken the matter into our own hands and no man hateth his own flesh Repentance is rather matter of discourse and contemplation then of practice and passion and so we sin and our souls are not much troubled at it But whosoever is toucht in conscience throughly with the remorse of sin will say there is no disease to a wounded Spirit and the costliest sacrifice that a man can offer to God is a contrite spirit and a broken heart 3. Punishment labour in vain Is it not of the Lord of Hosts that this People shall labour in the very fire and weary themselves with very vanity 1. Here is labour it is labor improbus that useth to carry all before it it is amplified For here is labour in the fire Multa tulit fecit que puer sudavit alsit labour even to wearines 2. Here is much ado about nothing For all this is for vanity very vanity 3. Who crosses them Is it not of the Lord of Hosts Annon ecce à Jehova exercituum Calv. Nonne ecce à cum Domino Interlin From the first here is labour This sinne is very painful Covetousnesse to gather wealth together Doct. and cruelty to destroy so many to strip them and ambition to purchase high place hereby we may truly say Hic labor hoc opus est Is it not strange the way to hell is all down the hill yet it is very uneasie and very weary travelling thither Christ calleth to him all that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 and promiseth to refresh them And God sheweth his People a rest saying This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing Isa 28.12 But this rest is not promised to them that weary themselves and work in the fire rising early and going late to bed to work shame for their own houses and to sin against their own souls such shall one day complain We have wearied our selves in the ways of wickednesse and destruction Wisdom 5 yea we have gone through deserts where there was no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a wicked man cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth labour for it is a great deal of labour that they take that live in pursuit of honour in the oppression and molestation of their brethren in the racking vexation of covetous congestions of wealth Cain vexeth himself Nimrod must be a mighty hunter before the Lord Lamech must kill a man the earth must be full of cruelty to have their own will this is labour in the very fire to do mischief The head of wickednesse must be always plotting and projecting they imagine wickednesse upon their bed it will not suffer them to sleep The hand of wickednesse must be always working The foot of Pride must be always climbing The eye of envy is ever waking Shall I give you a full description of the labour of the unrighteous Deut. 28.65 drawn to the life The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt feare
desire the release of us hence which is rest from all labours 4 They that take this fear to be contrary to faith and assurance of the favour of God do mistake it for it is true that a doubtfull and despairing fear doth destroy faith but the faithfull cannot fall into that fear because God presseth not his temptations above that which his children are able to bear And fear in them is but contrary to presumption it is not contrary to faith which thus appears because this fear doth not make the servants of God give over the work of their salvation rather it makes them double their endevours and redeem the time But in the reprobate their fear doth make them give heaven gone from them and professe it lost labour to serve God Ye have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hoasts But they that feared the Lord spake often one to another that is encouraged one another and it is said the Lord hearkned and heard it c. 3 The effect of this fear That I might rest in the day of trouble This also sheweth that this fear of the Church was not separated from faith for it is entertained of purpose to settle the heart and to give it rest in the day of trouble I cannot but often remember that sweet saying of Austine Medicina est quod pateris thy suffering is the Physick for the Physick that we take to purg the ill humours of the body doth make the body more sick for the time and so do the chastisements of God The fear of judgment threatned is more pain to the children of God then the sense of the judgment inflicted It is a note of the just that they rejoyce in tribulations yet you see they fear tribulations before they come which shews that the bitternesse of that cup is more in the cause then in the effect The righteous in these threatnings do behold God in displeasure themselves in the guilt of provocation and nothing goeth so neer the heart of a godly man as that his God should take any unkindnesse at him for in his favour is life To help this when God threatneth the just man feareth and that fear doth both remember him of the occasion of this judgment and composeth him to repentance of his sin and to prayer to divert it or to patience in it Fear joyned with faith prepareth us for peace and rest in the day of trouble Doct. An admirable work it is of wisedome and mercy to extract rest out of fear but to him that brought light out of darkness nothing is impossible more to give rest in the day of trouble when the soul refuseth comfort and even begins to take a kind of pride in the fulnesse of miserie and saith videte si dolor sicut deloâ—â—â—us 1 Because these inward convulsions of the hid man of the heart are joyned evermore in the godly Reas 1 with an hatred of the sin that deserved them for from hence ariseth this confession Peccavi Observe it in Job he did not ask Reas 2 Quid patior but Quid faciam tibi so it worketh in us a care and conscience of obedience hereafter It also discerneth an issue out of trouble Reas 3 for where fear doth not overgrow there is a sweet apprehension of joy in the end as the Apostle saith afterward it yieldeth Heb. 12.11 The peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercized thereby Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Vse 1 Make streight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed The way is there described Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Look diligently lest any man fall from the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing up in you trouble you Out of this whole passage you may observe a sweet description of a full repentance 1 Here is the law of God revealing both sinne and the judgment due to it called here the hearing of the voyce of God 2 Here is the conscience agonized with the fear of Gods judgments 3 Here is the fruit and benefit thereof even peace and rest â—n the day of trouble Here is sowing in tears and reaping in joy rather it is Sun-shine in a tempest for the outward man is shaken and the flesh suffereth but the just do say with the ever blessed Virgin My spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Impii non sic not so with the wicked for God hath said it that there shall be no peace at the last to them but as the raging of the angry sea which casteth up nothing but foam and dirt 2 The miseries of the land This is described fully 1 In the agent 2 In the patient In the agent two wayes 1 The Primus motor the supream agent God 2 The instruments of action his troops these are the Chaldaeans In the patient the land of Canaan distrest as you have heard 1 In the trees bearing fruit 1 The figtree 2 The vine 3 The olive 2 In the field or arable 3 In their Cattell 1 Such as feed abroad 2 Such as are stalled 1 Concerning the agent Supream God The same hand that gave them possession of that good land Doct. doth now remove them thence here is Mutatio dextrae It is a thing notable that God is ever in Scripture described to us constant yesterday and to day and the same for ever without variablenesse or so much as a shadow of alteration yet in his government of the world he sometimes giveth and sometimes he taketh away sometimes he filleth and sometimes he emptieth The reason hereof is partly in our selves Reas 1 for as our obedience and service of him doth both gain and assure to us all good things Isa 1.19 20. as himself telleth us If you consent and obey you shall eat the good things of the land So our disobedience and transgression doth lose us all these things as he addeth If you refuse and rebell you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Partly it is in God for his mercy in giving must not destroy his justice in punishing of evill doers Reas 2 for if it be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us 2 Thes 1.6 it must needs be as righteous to recompence tribulation to them that trouble him It is an heavy complaint that God made of this people I have nourished and brought up children Isal 1.2 and they have rebelled against me It is well observed in God that he is primus in amere postremus in odio he loveth us before we can seek his face and we are tender in sight before we know the right hand from the left as in the
in sicknesse on the bride-bed on the death-bed always Quest But have not the Saints of God on this earth their sorrows do they not bear forth their seed weeping do they not sow in tears do they not feel heavinesse for the night is it not a true word Tribulus est qui non est tribulatus Was not Davids soul heavy within him did not Hezechiah tast of bitternesse of soul when he chattered as a swallow did not this very Church of the Jews in Babylon sit down by the rivers of water when they remembred Sion Did they not hang up thâ—ir harps upon the willows or could they sing the song of the Lord in a strange land True Sol. and yet all these who found such cause of mourning in themselves and exprest so much grief to others yet rejoyced in the Lord always I deny not that their cup was bitternesse yet had they sweet fruits of spirituall joy even in the midst of sorrows for as David saith They did rejoyce in trembling Optime dictum est exultate contra miseriam optimè additum est cum tremore August contra presumptionem quia tremor est sanctificationis custodia see this in the Apostle who expresseth the life of a Christian well As unknown 2 Co 6 9. and yet known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed As sorrowfull yet alway rejoycing as poor and yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Which words though neither Mr. Calvine nor Beza in their Commentaries have vouchsafed so much as a note upon them yet are they an holy riddle to flesh and bloud and both these have brought forth their light in much fairer weather Aquinas cleareth this darknesse well for he sheweth that temporall things have but the resemblance and appearance of good and evill they have no true existence and substance of them and therefore they are brought in with a tanquam as for as the Apostle saith we are tanquam ignoti as unknown c. tanquam castigati tanquam dolentes But Gods spirituall favours are reall we are known not tanquam noti as known we rejoyce not tanquam dolentes as sorrowing For the light affliction which is but for a moment trouble them and he speaketh of them rather as they appear to others then as they do feel themselves or of them rather in some crazy fits of distraction then in the constant uniformity of their true health And I deny not but the dearest of Gods Saints here on earth have their sudden qualms and their agonizing pangs and convulsions even such as do sometimes shake their very faith as you have seen in this Church of the Jews that make their bellies and bowels without them to tremble and their lips to quiver and themselves to fear within themselves but when they remember Jesus Christ the authour and finisher of their faith saying to them Eccè ego sum vobiscum ad finem saeculi behold I am with you to the end this reneweth the face of the earth and puts new life into them and quickeneth them for how can they want any thing habent enim omnia qui habent habentem omnia for they have all who have him that hath all for he that gave us his son how could he not together with him give us all things I hear St. Ambrose thus comforted upon his death bed Non ita vixi inter vos ut me pudeat vivere nec mori timeo quia bonum Dominum habemus for it is a true rule poenitens de peccatis dolet de dolore gaudet Another note to distinguish this joy in the Lord from all other joys is the fulnesse and exuberancy of it 2 Signe for it is more joy then if corn and wine and oile encreased else what needed the Apostle having said Rejoyce in the Lord always to adde And again I say Rejoyce what can be more then always but still adding to the fulnesse of our joy till our cup do overflow This is that measure which the Apostle doth so comfortably speak of which is both full and pressed down and heaped and running over for it is still growing and encreasing like the waters in Ezekiels vision from the ancles to the loins to the chin over head and ears for waders for swimmers for saylers Upon working days rejoyce in the Lord who giveth thee strength to labour and feedeth thee with the labour of thy hands on holy days rejoyce in the Lord who feasteth thee with the marrow and fatnesse of his house In plenty rejoyce again and again because the Lord giveth in want rejoyce because the Lord taketh away and as it pleaseth the Lord so come things to passe This poor distressed Church being in deportation and feeling the heavy burthen of affliction yet it found comfort in the Lord. Jerusalem remembred in the days of her affliction Lam. 1.7 and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old And this joy was quickened with hope of the favour of God to be shewed to them even till their joy did swell into extasie as David expresseth it When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion then were we like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter Psal 126.1 and our tongne with singing Therefore is the joy of the ungodly comparâ—â—â— to a candle which spends it self to the snuffe Job 18.5 and goeth out in a stench and evill savour for the very name of the wicked shall rot but to the just Isai 58.8 saith God Thy light shall break forth as the morning this begins in obscurity and groweth more and more till the Sun rising and yet groweth till the noon day that is also promised the just Thy light shall rise in obscurity Verse 10. and thy darknesse shall be as the noon day he expoundeth himself Thou shalt be as a watered garden Verse 11. and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Therefore it is said of the just that they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing and this is To shew that the Lord is upright that he is our rock and that there is no unrighteousnesse in him For his word is gone out his promise is past to his Church he will neither deny it nor reverse it to comfort them with all spirituall consolation for he is the God of all consolation not of some onely 2 The ground of this joy wherein consider 1 The main The Lord is the God of her salvation 2 The Lord is her strength 3 The Lord will perform two great mercies to her 1 He will make her fect like hindes feet 2 He will make her walk upon her high places 1 Under the title of Salvation I comprehend not onely corporall and spirituall but eternall salvation also 2 Under the name of strength I understand the whole mercy of supportation by which God doth preserve them