that bee thus throwne downe and humbled vnder Gods mighty hand for that is presumptuous against the Lord and vncharitable towards men And another vse may be made of this point as in regard of the faithfull themselues who minding too much their owne sinnes and by meanes there of miserie and vnworthinesse in themselues iudgements from God against them for the same many times make their owne mouthes meanes to expresse fearefull thinges against their owne soules as for example no man in so wofull taking as I I feare I am a castaway or els why should I thus bee tormented And these thinges I doubt not but they deliuer from a heart that feeleth as much as the mouth expresseth Howbeit I say what art thou that takest the Lords office into thy hands and deliuerest these hard and heauie things and that not against other men which were indeed vncharitable but euen thine own selfe which is vnnaturall Tell me I pray thee May blindnes so farre preiudice mens iudgements that it shall hinder them from beholding their owne and other mens states and shall it not obscure thine owne also yea and that euen concerning thy selfe and touching thine owne present state But further knowe this O man that sometimes greatnes and continuance of griefes maketh the best of Gods Saintes to say as much against themselues as thou doest and yet for all that bee in neuer a whit the worse case Dauid in the xxii Psa crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsakē me And yet euen thē he was neare vnto God yea deare vnto him also or els he coulde not haue called vpon God and that in such particular maner applying him to himselfe as hee did neither would the Lord haue so graciously graunted him his requestes And why should not this be thy state rather than the state of a damned or reprobated wretch To vphold thy heart thou hast something euen the sanctified examples of the people of God but to depresse thee so aboue measure thou hast nothing but imagination and conceit either of that which is not in God or if it bee is not in him to that ende that thou supposest or els of that which is not in thy selfe or if it be is not in that measure and quantitie or to those ends that thou imaginest Besides I beseech you consider that it is one thing what men speake of themselues according to their present feeling either of sinne in their soules or the wrath of God against them therefore which many times may be more thā is eyther meete or true another what God is in his owne nature what he himselfe saith of them God is exceedingly good merciful and is not indeede bound to ratifie euery sentence of mans mind or mouth which he vttereth either against his owne soule or against others I hope no man is sure I am no man can be rightly perswaded that any particular person is more than the whole Church And yet God no otherwise approoueth the Churches iudgement to ratifie it in heauen than they on the earth bind according to his will And why should it be otherwise as in regard of particular persons Haue they better priuiledges than the whole Church hath if it bee so let them produce a lawe not of the twelue tables amongst the Romans but of the ten commandementes amongst the people of God or else there is no credit to be giuen O my brethren it fareth in the diseases of the minde as it doth in the sicknes of the body Many a man yea skilfull Physitions take them to be at deathes doore when God giueth afterwards long life On the other side some blesse themselues in their owne heartes and thinke all is well when death sodainely seizeth vpon them leadeth them to the graue and hell Remember I beseech you what was said before out of the 28. of the Prouerbs Blessed is the man sayth the Lorde there that feareth much continually This state and condition of ours whensoeuer or wheresoeuer it pleaseth God to exercise vs therewithall is a principall argument vnto vs that God woulde not haue vs perish with this wicked world hee by this as by other meanes thorow his grace making vs able thus to iudge our selues And indeede to haue such a fearefull and checking heart of our selues for sinne past or for feare to fall into it hereafter is one plaine difference betwixt the godly and vngodly who are seldome or neuer this way touched at the least with comfortable effect And therefore let the afflicted soule gather consolation to his conscience and correct his iudgement for surely that which he taketh to be bitter as gall or wormewood is by the Lord himselfe and not by the voyce of man to be proclaymed to bee sweete as hony or the hony combe The promise specified in the last wordes of this verse commeth nowe to bee looked into Out of which gracious and sweet promise we may learne two things One that the fulnes of all spirituall ioy and comfort is to be found in Iesus Christ and no where else which because it is the same that hath bin handled heretofore wee will but onely touch and put you in mind of it not standing vpon it because it is done already And indeede though the point be excellent and would be handled againe againe yet because the time passeth away we are to come to other points we will say no more Onely let the faithfull conscience looke well vnto it and prouide his comfort this way or else let him know he shall neuer be comforted indeede The other is this that if a man will find sound cōfort indeede he must be wel acquainted with the promises of the word This doctrin as others is both gathered out of this place cōfirmed by it as may appeare by this that our Sauior Christ is here so plentiful in the promises I will refresh you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules which course also he obserueth in many other places I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice and againe I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And most sweete is that in the third chapt of the Gospell according to S. Iohn God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Neyther is this his practise onlie but the spirit also in all the writings of the old and new Testament is large this way and speciallie in that euangelicall prophet Isaiah as we may see by the manifold promises contayned therein and speciallie in three or foure chapters together as 53.54.55 c. But amongst the rest how comfortable is that of chapt 41. from whence euen vnto the end of his prophecie almost hee doth nothing els but publish promises and confolations amongst which howsoeuer hee doe sometimes intermingle terrour and threatning yet he doth it to no other onde but to make the mercies of God more
THE SVMME OF A SERMON PREACHED AT SOWTHELL THE THIRtith of March 1596. By T.W. BY PEACE PLENTY BY WISDOME PEACE LONDON Printed by the Widow Orwin for Thomas Man 1597. Lord Iesus begin and make an end A Sermon preached at Sowthell THE TEXT Matth. 11. vers 28. 29. 30. 28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you 29 Take my yoke an you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules 30 For my yoke is easie and my burden light THAT brother said very well who ere while out of this place told vs that the exercises of this daye are or should bee the same to our soules that physicke is to the body The reason is because as many times medicines helpe corporall infirmities so these holy and heauenly exercises of fasting prayer and preaching should heale the maladies of our mindes Though these things be true and we willingly acknowledge the euidency certainty of the same in al the parts peeces thereof yet this also is no lesse true or certaine that as physitians for the body notwithstanding al their skill and experience are sometimes deceiued in the very particular sicknes it selfe of their patients and the causes of the same and thereupon minister many times matter that doth smal good and if sometimes it do not much hurt it is wel so the ministers and preachers of Gods holy word sometimes by meanes of the ignorance of the state of the people with whome they deale sometimes by partiall or corrupted respects in themselues sometimes by the waiwardnes and wickednes of the hearers and sometimes by one meanes and sometimes by another do now and then propound that that either is impertinent or else vnprofitable not sure as in regarde of it selfe being the Lordes trueth for so it is alwaies good and holesome but as in respect of the people or persons to whome it is propounded who either thorow carelesnes or prophanenes of heart or some other corruption lying lurking in themselues profit not thereby in knowledge care conscience or comfort Howbeit because we knowe there is this difference in particular betwixt the bodily medicines for the outward man and spirituall physicke for the soule that that which is for the body must haue the present vse or be presently vsed otherwise it will doe â—he patient no good as in regard of it selfe will mould and putrifie But that which is for the soule though it fall out as many times it doth indeed that it is not powerfull at the first or for the time present yet as that that neuer will corrupt but abide vnto eternall life it may and no doubt shall bee profitable afterwards for the word that is deliuered shall neuer goe forth in vaine we are in that hope and will in confidence thereof deliuer that that God hath been pleased not only by art but by hart to acquaint vs withall And to persist a little in our begun metaphor or similitude of bodily phisicke You haue by the two first preachers been trauailed withall though it were as a man may say by bitter potions and byting medicines I meane as in regard of mans corrupted nature for the purging of bad humors the curing of dangerous yea deadly diseases and wounds Now as skilfull and tender harted physitians and chirurgions do after bitter purgations and biting plaisters minister some sweet things and as wee may say gentle and lenitiue salues that by that meanes the patients may conceiue some hope of health yea helpe and cure so though in conscience I think the most here haue not present need of sweet comfort and yet what your case is or may be that way I knowe not as who I feare me for all that is past euen particularly for this daies exercise are not humbled as you should yet wil I assay in loue because charity is not suspicious and in hope that though presently it bee not yet in time to come it may bee fit for you to my power vttermost to lay open and to minister vnto you the comforts of God In regarde whereof and for the better performance of which duety I haue chosen this present place read vnto you for the better vnderstanding whereof I pray you marke that in the verse that goeth next before these that wee haue read Christ our Sauiour had in plaine and euident termes declared that the fulnes of all good things both bodily and spirituall for this life present that which is to come were from the father communicated vnto him That so of his fulnes wee might all receiue euen grace for grace Which least wee might suppose hee had propounded as many vaine glorious men doe their glory glittering their plate wealth and substance their wit health strength to shew what they haue and so to hunt after estimation and credit thereby and not to doe other men good vnles it be to dasell their eyes and to amaze their vnderstandings quickly as it were not affected only but ouercome with the sight sense of such things he doth in these words giue all to vnderstand far otherwise yea he declareth the quite and cleane contrary for hee sheweth that neither the greatnes and excellencie of his owne glory nor our owne poore and weake estate nor any thing else in him or from our selues should hinder vs from coÌ„ming to him and being made plentifull partakers thereof but further vs rather for where there is fulnes the same offered vnto vs for our good in comming being called to partake of it we shall not lose our labour and where there are wants in our selues we cannot if we haue any sense or feeling thereof but feele a supply and indeede receiue it to when it is so freely offered Now because wee doe sometimes from Christs person in the greatnes of it and sometimes from the wonderfull riches and excellencie of grace that is in him and sometimes from our own beggery neede gather argumeÌ„ts of discouragements vnto our selues so sundry times lay stumbling blocks in our owne waies to hinder vs from approaching to such soueraigne good our Sauiour laboreth to remoue all these impediments and stones of offence whatsoeuer and louingly inuiteth vs vnto himselfe and freely offereth to make vs partakers of all his graces in this sweete and comfortable saying Come vnto mee all yee that labour and bee heauie laden and I will refresh you c. In which words or verses there are contayned two speciall thinges to bee marked First graue exhortations or holy commandements if you wiâ—… Christ thereby prouoking and stirring vs vp to come vnto him these are contayned vers 28.29 which course he knew was necessary as well because many times we imagine things to be arbitrary as also because we are backward by reason of our dulnes generally to euery good thing and particularly to this though it highly concerne our owne spirituall benefite The
regard of cooling yea satisfiyng our spirituall drougth or as in respect of easing the griefes and burdens of our mindes which in deed shall be so much the better welcome vnto vs when God shall be pleased in mercy to vouchsaue vs the same by how much the burthens that we beare and the paines we indure are indeed grieuous and as wee may say and shall finde it too without grace and assistance from God vnbeareable In these outwarde matters the more that is promised the better we like and the more great and faithfull the party is that giueth vs his word the more constantly we assure our selues but if together with words we finde vndeceiueable accomplishment then is our ioy as a man may say at the toppe and full Marke these thinges here and then we shall see our comfort increased Where are more bountifull promises of truth and life then those that euery where soūd in the holy Scripture Doe not they reach to the good things of this life present and that which is to come especially Who more excellent than the Lorde that hath made them Who more great for power Who more certaine for good will Who more assured for fastnesse and fidelity than he Should not all these rayse vp our spirits in our selues that are fallen downe within vs and euen as it were cause vs in hope or vnder hope to beleeue against hope Which that we may the better perceiue in our selues and perswade our hearts of let vs a little insist or stand vpon the words He sayth and I will refresh you Who speaketh it He that eyther cannot or will not performe it no verely But Christ God and man in one person consisting yet notwithstanding of two seuerall and distinct natures the godhead and the manhood hath deliuered it that so we might be well assured as of his eternall power by reason of his godhead so of his infinite good will by reason of his humanitie and in both of them inseparably ioyned together from the time of his conception perswade our hearts for the faithfull accomplishment of this most gracious and sweete promise And wee must needes referre it to and vnderstand it of his whole person not onely because in him consisteth the fulnes of all goodnes as we haue heard yea euen the very fulnes of the godhead bodily but also because that deliuering this as the King Priest and Prophet of his Church and not accomplishing any of these offices in eyther of his distinct natures seuerally but in his whole person he must in his person needes both deliuer this sweete and comfortable promise and also effectually performe the same in the hearts of his saythfull people The word refresh is metaphoricall and well answereth indeede the tearmes before going of labouring and being heauy laden A man that laboureth sore woulde bee glad of ease who doubteth of that The party that hath a sore burthen on his backe would willingly be lighted Nature reason experience all teacheth the trueth of this How much more then hee that is pressed if not depressed with the sight of sinne with the beholding of his owne infirmities with the feeling and feare of Gods wrath against him for the same would be glad to find refreshing ease and comfort Which if it be offred and meant as here it is is excellent but if it be receyued and felt is so much the more notable by how much the soule is better then the body the griefes of the one more great then the other and therefore they being holpen and cured the mercy ministred and made effectuall and the comforts flowing therefrom farre surpassing all Wherein our Sauiour Christ surely offreth no more then what hee is able to performe nay then that which he will accomplish indeed so that wee labour by that eye of fayth which he hath bin pleased to vouchsaue vnto vs and that hand of fayth that he hath bestowed vpon vs stedfastly to looke vpon it to lay hold of it and to applie it to our owne soules because the promises of God though most holy heauenly excellent in themselues yet without fayth to feele and apply the same vnto our hearts they are as in regarde of men as if they were not at all And yet to say trueth and that indeede for the further inlarging of the comfort of distressed consciences wee are to marke that the word signifieth much more then refreshing though I deny not but that that considered as it commeth from God or in it owne selfe is a very singular grace And it shall both appeare and be so much the more gracious by how much all and euery one of vs are vnworthy of it yea most worthy of all discomfort iudgement both for the time present and all continuance But to the word I say it being compounded of a preposition or particle and a verbe that signifieth to finish ende or cease from our Sauiour noteth not onely refreshing from the paynes and pangues that we indure but putting an ende vnto all troubles and sorrowes that are vpon vs whether they be outward or inward which though it shal be principally yea onely and most absolutely performed in the life that is to be reueiled according to that of the spirit in the xiiii of the Reuelations Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they cease from their labors and their works follow them yet it is in manner and measure begunne here by fayth we stedfastly beleeue the full fruition of it and thorowe hope holde fast and with patience looke for the continuall enioying thereof And no doubt of it our Sauiour hath vsed so significant a word that he might the better prouide for and propounde comfort to the wounded spirit which as it is in anguish and griefe for the present distresse so doth it trouble and torment it selfe with this temptation that it seeth no ende of the miseries and calamities thereof But be not dismaied sayth Christ for the time shall come fayth Christ wherein I will wipe all teares from your eyes all griefe from your heartes all sorrowe from your soules and not onely stay there but giue you perpetuall rest with them that are sanctified and saued thorow me Hitherto we haue tranailed and I trust not vnprofitably chiefly in the exposition of the words interlacing now and then some things of comfort and consolation no whit I am sure strange from the meaning of Christ or improper or vnfitte for this present exercise and assembly Now it remayneth that before we go any further in the wordes of our text we doe from this verse gather some such good lessons as it doth afford vs for doctrine or consolatiō because this indeed may most properly be called the life of the word when men learne from the same good instructions and indeuour to make good and profitable vse thereof The first point of doctrine issuing out of this text is this that true and sound comfort for an afflicted conscience is no
where els eyther to be sought or found but in lesus Christ onely Where I beseech you first to marke both how this doctrine ariseth from hence and then the tearmes in which I doe propound and deliuer the same It is gathered from this place because our Sauiour calleth vs vnto him yea vnto him alone which if it had not bin the will of his Father and verie truth indeede or if hee alone had not had aboundant yea infinite matter of strong and solide comfort in himselfe he would neuer haue done as we haue already heard in the beginning of this exercise And for the wordes I doe not say there is no comfort to bee founde for meate drinke sleepe friends recreation and such like are comforts I confesse but not true and sound comfort for a distressed spirit For the affliction of the mind is inward and these are but outward therefore are not fitte for a person or partie so affected and I would as soone thinke and say that bodily food were the proper and sound nourishment of the soule as suppose that these outward things were the true and sound comfort of a broken and contrite heart But that yet wee may bee the better perswaded of the trueth of this point let vs proceed vnto some further proofes of it This was not in my mind obscurely signified vnder all the sacrifices of the old law whether they were ordinarie or extraordinarie dayly or yearly generall or particular all and euery one of them in measure more or lesse tending still vnto him whom they did prefigure and signifie as the Apostle at large declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And why him because he was he alone in whom God was pleased to reconcile the world vnto himselfe and to make the one and onely obiect of our faith And this is plainely propounded vnto vs and proued also by manifolde texts of Scripture both in the old and new testament I wil not trouble you with many for I like not much of that course Out of that great store let vs take two or three both playne and pregnant for this purpose In the 55. Chapter of the booke of the Prophet Isaiah a place cited before and is as we all know and confesse an euident prophecie concerning Christ and the graces that wee shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast fayth we labour to lay hold of him it is sayd Encline your eare and come vnto mee Oh marke how like this Euangelical Prophet our Sauiour himselfe speake let this phrase also I beseech you serue for a cōfirmation and exposition of these wordes of our text Heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Euery worde hath his waight he yea he alone will establish not a momentany but an euerlasting couenant with all his faithfull of which that wee might be the better certified hee telleth vs it shall be sure yea as sure as the mercies manifested vnto and bestowed vpon Dauid which as they were large and almost innumerable so were they irreuocable and could neuer fayle To the same purpose serueth a notable sentence of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth thorow Christ. By sufferinges of Christ he meaneth not onely those thinges that we indure at the hands of persecuters for Christes sake for Christ did not onely suffer that way but euen those anguishes also that we haue in our soules and in our spirits Christ being as much yea farre more throwne down and humbled that way than all flesh as appeareth by his conflict in the garden and by his outcries vpon the Crosse saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And though these haue bin were and are very good indeed as those that haue felt and doe feele thē know and confesse yet to the ende that wee might assure our selues that our ioyes shoulde match them he sayth Our consolations abound thorow him For if there were not a proportion betwixt our heauines and our comfort nay I will say more a superaboundance of our ioyes aboue our griefes then sure what by reason of Satans malice against vs and the dulnesse and hardnesse of our owne heartes to beleeue and the greatnesse of our griefes sorrows besides it would goe hard with a distressed spirit And therefore as for the comforting of vs against the hugenes and height of our sinnes we say with the Apostle where sinne hath abounded there grace hath ouerabounded So in this case of inward afflictions particularly we say our sorrowes may be sore and our griefes great yet our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight as of glory in the life to come so of ioy in this life raysed vp in our hearts by the comfortable feeling thereof And he that knoweth soundly and feelingly beleeueth the names natures person and offices of our Sauiour Christ together with the effects that from him in them are communicated to vs cannot chuse but see feele and confesse the trueth of this point Hee is good in him there is not or cannot be any thing but that which is absolutely good as in whose face and presence also there is the fulnes of ioy for euermore and at his right hand pleasures for euer and euer He is likewise so good that yet notwithstanding he is man like vnto vs in euery respect sinne onely excepted and one that hath bin touched with the feeling of our infirmities by meanes whereof we may the more boldly come vnto the throne of grace so receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Yea these two natures are so ioyned knit as we may say inseparably in one person euen from the very time of his blessed cōception in the wombe of his mother for the accomplishment of the worke of our redemption and our full comfort thereby as that they cannot be deuided or sundred hee being man that so hee might suffer and God that so hee might ouercome the perfection and full accomplishment of our redemption standing vpon these two partes suffering for sinne this is the first and then ouercomming sinne and death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And why is he called Iesus but because as it is sayd Matth. 1. He should saue his people from their sinnes For sinne and that that insueth vpon sinne as shame and confusion of face horror of heart condemnation c. is it that most stingeth mens mindes and soules Now all these beeing taken away in Christ why should they not as well and comfortably sing that tryumphant song O death where is thy sting O graue or hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ as well
second is a weighty reason ioyned to those exhortations or commādements the better both to proue the truth of that Christ had said and also the more effectually to perswade vs to walke in the obedience and practise thereof and this reason is comprehended vers 30. True it is indeed that the reason doth more specially concerne the latter exhortation or commandement as we shall shew hereafter if God will Howbeit it may not improperly also in some sort and sense be applied and referred vnto the first But because this is not a poynt greatly materiall now we wil let it passe and proceede to more necessary matter Now concerning the exhortations or commandements they are according to the number of the verses in which they are contayned two And yet if I bee not deceiued both of them tending to one ende namely by calling men to come vnto Christ and to learne of him to minister comfort of conscience to them that were heauie harted And yet we must not thinke that they are needles tautologies or mine repetitions but serue as to expresse Christs singular loue towards afflicted persons he vrging them as we see againe and againe so to let vs vnderstand in the doubling and trebling of these sweete and comfortable exhortations or commaundements that it is no easie thing to comfort a wounded spirit and that a broken and troubled heart doth not by and by though gladly it would admit and recelue comfort For if that were so one exhortation commaundement call or promise would suffice but rather that euen for their mind that is true in them that is said in the Prophet Ieremiah and is repeated in this Euangelist chap. 2 Rahel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not And yet further betweene these two exhortations or commaundements I make this difference that in the first he calleth vs simply without any other respect than of our owne miseries and his mercies to come vnto him for releefe And in the other he calleth on vs or commandeth vs to learne of him and to profit by our comming and not to bee as bad schollers that haue very good teachers or maisters and yet learne little or nothing from them And we are further to marke that in deliuerie of these exhortations or cōmandements Christ obserueth this order First he putteth downe the exhortation or commandement it selfe as ver 28 Come vnto me alye c. ver 29. Take my yoke vpon you c. And then addeth promises full of comfort and consolation as I will refresh you in the end of vers 28. and againe Ye shall find rest vnto your soules the last words of verse 29. which our Sauiour Christ presseth as wee see by doubling of them not so much to expresse the infinite treasure of spirituall ioye that is in him as to assure vs that comming at his call we shall haue that in great measure and plenty bestowed vpon vs that shall ease our smart But all these things with many other moe we shall see more plainely and vnderstand more fully in the particular exposition of the words themselues as they lye in the text and in the obseruation of doctrines arising out of them To them therefore we come Verse 28. It is saide Come vnto me In this verse two things contained First the exhortation or commandement it selfe in these words Come vnto me c. Secondly a promise adioyned as for our greater incouragement to well dooing so for the better assurance of it in our hearts in these words And I will refresh you or make you to rest and find ease In the exhortation or commandement we are to consider the person exhorting or commaunding which is Christ comfortably saying Come vnto me and the persons exhorted or commaunded in these words all ye that labour c. who are described by adiuncts or attributes setting out their miserable estate and they are two to wit labouring and being heauy laden And indeede the promise following respecteth also these two persons that is to say Christs person promising to refresh and the labouring or heauy laden who are to be refreshed The word Come whether it be of exhorting or commaunding doth not comprehend in it either readines willingnes or power of them that are called as of themselues as the Pelagians in former times supposed and our popish aduersaries haue dreamed of late because we know the scripture saith it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure and we beleeue that to be true that our Sauiour Christ himselfe testifieth saying No man can come vnto mee vnles the Father draw him but rather the singular care and loue of the caller and that not so much for his owne glory who in the death and destruction of men can get will get himselfe a name as for our good who when we thinke no such thing no nor of our owne good neither being distressed in spirit for then commonly we are eyther dull and heauy hearted or else thorow feare are grieuously cast downe and disquieted in our selues doth yet notwithstanding call vpon vs and to vs willeth vs to goe or come not to others for then we might imagine eyther that he had no power or will in himselfe or that he meant to shift vs off besides they eyther cannot or will not yeeld vs reliefe if we should repayre vnto them but vnto himselfe yea to himselfe alone and no others with him for so much doe I take these words vnto mee to import And that this is the true meaning indeede both places of Scripture and reasons drawne from religion doe plainely proue In the xiiii of Hosea the Lord by the Prophet speaketh thus vnto the people O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God as though he should say to him onely and to none other besides or with him To the same end yea and worthy to be noted as seruing also for confirmation and exposition of all the words of this very verse tendeth that which Christ himselfe saith Isaiah 55. which no man doubteth to be an euident prophecie of Christ and the graces that we shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast faith we labour to lay hold of him Encline your care come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid And so much indeed must Christs words import both there and here or else we shall see a more dangerous consequence than we thinke of For if any were to be respected besides him or ioyned with him in that worke of spirituall ioy then were he not God all-sufficient because if any were ioyned with him he were not sufficient of himselfe and if he were not the God of all comfort as well as the Father of mercies he were not God indeede and so our fayth the grounds of the word or Christian religion should be shaken Besides if it were so
and he told vs not of it but as a vaine glorious person would take all to himselfe and more indeede then did belong vnto him then shall hee bee wrapped vp in a double transgression the one against his father towards whom he hath caried himselfe vnfaithfully whilest he hath not reuealed vnto vs all his counsels communicated vnto him for our good and the other towards man because he hath dealt deceitfully with vs in that he hath depriued vs of hope helpe that we might haue from others with or besides him But all these things are most false and vntrue for he was the faithfullest in all the house of God euen as a sonne and comming out of the Fathers bosome hath communicated vnto vs all his counsels and we knowe and beleeue that there was neuer guile found in his mouth And therefore that sense must of necessitie be true yea the onely true sense It followeth in the verse All ye that labour and are heauy laden As the former words respected the person calling and exhorting or commaunding vs to come vnto him so these words concerne them that are called exhorted or commaunded Wherein Christ first sheweth that he is free from all partiality or respect of persons in as much as indefinitely or generally hee calleth all heauie heartes and as it were commandeth them to repayre vnto him Which doth not onely serue to shew his great care and loue towards them whilest he both calleth them all and calleth them when they thinke least of any such matter for if we would respect him in his magnificence or men in their owne vnworthines what are they that should receiue any fauour specially so great a grace as this but also answereth that that many distressed spirits imagine that God hath promised or shewed fauour to such and such because of some rare singular grace in them and not for his owne mercies sake or for their miserable distressed estate But he that will well weigh the course of Gods workes that way or the trueth of the word he shall find this to be but an imagination of mans heart and head or a suggestion and temptation of Satan rather to hinder the course and passage of Gods grace and goodnes from troubled and afflicted soules For as for Gods mercies they are and must bee altogether free or else they are not mercies For who knoweth not that man in his best estate after regeneration cannot merit the meanest mercies of God not in thinges appertayning to this life no not in a crumme of bread or droppe of water much lesse spirituall graces and eternall life And though it be true that God acknowledgeth his owne graces in his owne seruants as the fruits of their fayth and good testimonies of their willing obedience yet he may if he will by reason of the imperfection that cleaueth thereto reiect all And no doubt would doe it as in regard of his absolute and exact iustice but that he hath prouided in Christ as a gracious meanes for the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes thorow his death so a plentifull supply of whatsoeuer is wanting in vs thorow the most perfect righteousnes that is in him And me thinketh we may see this to be true thorough the disclaime that Gods people haue made of all or any good thing in themselues as Dauid for example in the xvi Psalm My goodnes O Lord reacheth not vnto thee Isaiah for himselfe all the faithful Chap. 64. Our righteousnesses before thee are as filthie stained cloathes Yea wee may see it by the course they haue kept in powring foorth of prayers vnto God in which they haue respected simply and onely these two thinges Gods mercy and their owne miserie and vsed them as principall arguments both to vphold their owne hearts and to prouoke him to pittie as wee may playnly see in many Psalmes of Dauid but specially in the 86. thorowout So that we may safely say God respecteth nothing in man no not his miserie though I doubt not but that many times he is much moued therewith for if it were so he should either leaue all or none in miserie and that our owne experience teacheth vs the contrary or if mans misery should be the working cause in him then those that are most miserable should soonest and most of all be respected but that is not vriuersally true neither And againe if misery should be the first mouing cause in God why doest not thou that art distressed and in thine owne iudgement so much as no man before thee from thine owne estate and confession gather comfort vnto thy selfe from the Lorde Wherefore let the troubled spirit cast away these conceits and fully assure himselfe that as in no respect God is a respecter of persons so not in distributing and bestowing his graces specially spirituall graces And that therefore so often as this or such like thoughtes come into their heads they should know that they are either frō the ignorance or diffidence of their owne soules or from the malice of Satan against them and therefore they should beware how they admit thē for men can hardly carry such fire in their breasts and not be burnt But let vs proceede Least this generall and indefinite tearme of our Sauiour should be stretched further than his meaning hee knowing also euen wicked men to be more forward that way then they ought he doth restrayne it by two particular adiuncts or attributes saying yee that labour and are heauy laden Where first wee are to marke that as in other places of the Scriptures and other cases also God is wont to resemble spirituall things by bodily and to speake of thē by metaphoricall and borrowed kind of speeches whether they be things in himselfe or without him so here he doth the like for vnder these termes of labouring and being heauy laden which are properly referred to outward actions and bodily burdens he meaneth sense of sinne conflict of conscience and tugging and wrestling as it were with and vnder the wrath of God sometimes in outward afflictions sometimes in inward sorrow yea condemnation for the same And as this is an vsuall thing with the spirit of God here and in other places of Scripture namely Isaiah 55. saying Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee vnto the waters yee that haue no siluer come buy cat come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money vnderstanding there by thirst that which he doth in this place by labour and burdening and by water wine and milke that which he doth by refreshing ease so he doth it not without cause specially as in regard of vs who doe not onely vnderstand outward things better than inward but volesse that we be taught of the inward by the outward we can hardly comprehend them He not meaning vnder these borrowed termes to signifie that these outward are able to the full and as it were liuely to set out the inward and spirituall for that
exceedingly merciful as sometimes to disgrace a base colour or to make a colour that is perfect indeed to appeare more beautifull and orient wee set by it another that is nothing so glorious and good But to our purpose I say howe comfortable is that of Isaiah 41. where the Lord commaundeth his ministers to comfort yea to comfort his people and to seeke out for them and to speake such things vnto them as may delight and affect their heattes and to proclame vnto them that the set time is accomplished that their iniquitie is pardoned and that they haue receiued double at the Lords hands for all their sinne And this is yet further made plain by this that though al the word generally be the obiect of our faith teaching vs indeed what wee should beleeue and do for Gods glory heer and our endlesse glorification els where yet the principal props and stayes of our consciences for comfort consolation indeed are no where els to befound but in the gracious and sweet promises contayned therein which also is manifest euen by the very practise of God himselfe euery where propounding them to an afflicted and distressed heart as the principall and peculiar remedie against the sicknes of our soules that way In the 103. Psalme he saith that look how much more high the heauens are ouer the the earth so much doth his goodnes preuaile vpon them that feare him Againe he remooueth our sinnes as farre fromvs as the East is from the West By two fit similitudes taken froÌ„ things that are subiect to our fight amplifying the grace and mercie of God opposing the same against our transgressions And in Isaiah 1. he saith thus Though your si nes were as skarlet they shall be as snow and though they were as crimosin yet they shall be whiter than wooll And fearing least men woulde not willinglie come how doth he there intereat vs saying Come now I pray you and let vs reason the caus together as though he should say let vs friendly conferre of the matter If you will but lend and bend your care and be touched with the true sense of my righteousnes and your owne sinnes I promise faithfully that I will for mine own mercies sake put away all your transgressions whatsoeuer though they be neuer so great or grieuous That shall not let my worke in you my mercy shall surmount all yea your misery if you soundlie turne shall magnifie the greatnes of the abundant riches of my mercy The newe couenant that God maketh with his people in the 31. chap. of Ieremie and to the end that we might know it indeed to be a promise of the new testament it is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. how comfortable and full of sweet promises is that After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inwarde partes and write it in their heartes and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest saith the Lord for J will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more And if the olde testament be so plentifull what shall we thinke of the new which doth as of purpose propound and handle this point or question Christ himself saith Mat. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen vnto you seeke and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened vnto you And in the 7. of Iohn in the last and great day of the feast he stood crying out said He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life and in the 12. of that Gospell He that beleeueth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Is not that of the same nature which hee speaketh of in another Euangelisst The whole need not the Physition but they that are sicke I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And what may we think of that which is alleaged in the 12. of the Gospell after Mathewe out of the prophet Isaiah A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shal he not quench till he bring foorth iudgement vnto victory Out of Paules epistles wee haue spoken somewhat before in the first point of doctrine that was gathered out of this text yet take one or two In the 2. to the Corinth chap. 6. he saith We are the temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwel amongst them and walk there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Yea I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sons and daughters saith the Lorde almighty And the same Apostle deliuereth a notable promise with a glorious comfortable preface prefixed before it also 1. Tim. 1. This is a true saying and worthy to be receined of all men that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chief May we not of these and thousandes such like say as the Apostle Peter doth that most great precious promises are giuen vnto vs that euen for that end which he expresseth there namely that by them wee shoulde bee partakers of the diuine nature whilest we fly the corruption that is in the world thorow lust Are not these great promises and may iustly bee so called because they proceed from the great God propounde vnto vs great and excellent matters May wee not esteeme them precious not only for the raritie and excellencie of them but also because they vnderprop our precious faith Are wee not made in a double respect by them partakers of the diuine nature 1. that as in regard God is ioyfull and chearefull we are also become comfortable and replenished with spiritual ioy 2. That as be ceaseth from sin and is continually occupied in well doing so we learne thereby in our measure and maner to die the death of sinne and to liue the lâ—fe of righteousnes What other men may think I know not but to me it seemeth that God thus in his worde setting promises against sin mindeth nothing els but to shew that as sin is it that most stingeth the conscience so the meane to heale that byting as if it were the brasen Serpent set vp to cure the bytinges of fierie Serpents to bring comfort against the same is the promises of God propounded vnto vs in the word and selt in our hearts by faith And this is so plaine and euident a truth that euen there where God seemeth most to terrifie I meane in denouncing the threats of his law or iudgments against sinne he yet thinketh vpon not only his mercy in himselfe but as it is manifested vnto men he euen there either plainly expressing promises of blessing grace and fauor or els
closely implying vnderstanding them Wherein surely he dealeth no otherwise then he doth in the commandements by a good thing commanded forbidding the contrary cuill and by an euil thing prohibited inioyning straightly the louing and doing of the contrary good that so wee seeing what God aymeth at both in his precepts promises threates and all namely not only our obedience and humiliation but comfort also we might learne to attaine that and to look to and for that which he hath prouided for our good And yet we shall more clearlie perceiue and behold this trueth if we respect Gods worde or the holy scirptures in the seuerall partes thereof fundred as if it were from the promises For if we looke vpon the threats contained therin against sinne and sinners they will be so farre off from performing this dutie of comfort and consolation that they will rather worke in vs horror and trembling and make vs to bee so not only cast downe but dismayed in ourselues as wee shall hardly or not at al admit comfort The doctrine of the law separated from the curse and threatning due to the transgressors thereof will indeed set before vs Gods absolute and exact righteounesse and disconer vnto vs the duties that wee shuld do to him and to our neighbors But when we consider withall that it setteth out our sinne against euery particular precept that will bee so farre from yeelding vs consololation that it will ouer whelme vs with despaire when wee either respect Gods absolure righteousnes or our own innumerable transgressions against his blessed law And though I doubt not but these former things may bee good and powerfull to humble vs and somake vs indeed more fit for consolation and comfort euen as preparatiues going before better physicke for the scouring away of bodily diseases yet can they not of themselues helpe or heale but wounde and terrifie rather for that is the peculiar both office and worke of Gods promises made essectuall in our heartes by the touch and operation of the spirit Nay I will say more than that though the ground of Christian religion and the maine points of faith be excellent things and haue their vse not only for increase of knowledge but euen for the building of vs vp in care and conscience of well doing and being wel felt may answer many temptations that arise in a scrupulous and doubtfull mind yet still the promises of the worde minister matter of assured comfort and comfortable assurance and feeling which also wee may perceiue by this that many may haue the knowledge of faith and yet in the daye of temptation not be able to strengthen their owne hands or others But to proceede a little further in the proofe of this point We cannot but confesse that the examples of mercie and comfort in the word are full of strong sound consolation because they be as if it were so manie seales set vnto the writings of Gods promises that as heretofore hee hath beene to others so he will hereafter or still be fauourable vnto his people And yet wee shall see that they lie open though not of themselues yet by reason of mans corrupted heart to manie exceptions as for example they to whom they were accomplished were better than wee God was more fauourable then than he will be now because we haue more meanes of mercie and haue profited lesse and therefore are not so properly fit for consolation as the promises are For ouer and besides that they are but in men and therefore full of weaknes and wants wee know and confesse euerie where that as we must liue not by examples but by rules so we must bee comforted not so much by examples as by promises And therfore though examples be good yet not so strōg whereas the truths certaintie and power of the promises is from the might and mercy of him that hath made them who also is both greater then all exception and free from the least shew or shadowe of turning And yet let vs be vnderstood I beseech you as we should namely that wee ascribe not this excellent worke vnto the promises themselues though also wee deny not but euen in that respect they are spirituall holy heauenly c. but as by the spirit they are made powerfull in vs and as by the hand of faith wee are strengthned to applie them vnto our selues for otherwise we may say of them as wee do of the rest of the word that without the spirit and faith they are as if it were a sealed book vnto vs for vnderstanding and a dead letter for instruction cōsolation hauing euen no other vse in vs than the rest of the worde not felt or obayed namely to make vs without excuse or to cause our sorrowefull heauie estate to becōe more sorrowfull and heauie because wee see holy heauenly thinges propounded vnto vs and yee haue not either hearts to vnderstand or soules to beleeue This therefore must be our principall care to make that profitable vnto vs that GOD graciously prouideth and propoundeth for our good Now wee come to the vse of this necessarie doctrine which as I take it is or may bee twofolde First for instruction Secondly for confutation For instruction wee may plainly perceiue hereby what is the reason of so much heauines of heart sorrow and feare in so manie of Gods people and children in the world Surely either they are ignorant of these sweet and gracious promises not so much as hauing either heard them or knowne them or els if they haue in some measure of knowledge beene acquainted with them they haue in the carelessenes of their owne hearts or not seeling present vse of them let them slippe out of their mindes like leaking vesselles not able to containe such good things or els if they haue knowne them remembred them thorow want of comfortable feeling of the good things propounded therein they haue beene vnto them as if they had either not been at all or as though they had contained in them no such sweetnes and pleasure as they doe indeed And let vs not thinke this strange for euen as ignorance in religion and carelesnes to obey the things that wee know is a principal cause of all transgression and loose life men not being either willing or able to do the things they are not acquainted withall and for the things that they know blearing out their knowand laying the raines in their owne neckes so they not knowing of the promises or they not minding of them or not striuing comfortablie to feele them is the verie welspring as I maie so call it of all inward and outward discomforte and distresse of conscience especially For how can the wounded conscience admit comforte when he vnderstandeth not the comfort presented vnto him or if hee forget it where is his ioy in the middest of his forgetfulnesse We saie that of an vnknowne thing there is no desire wee maie in proportion saie the same