the Kingdome of Heauen where we be free Denizens And as Pilgrimes behaue themselues in an Inne they stay not seuen or eight yeares but a night or two and so are gone So must not wee settle our dwelling heere where we are but Pilgrimes but in heauen our dwelling place must our conuersation bee as if now we were in Heauen and in the presence of God And as a stranger being farre from home desires to come to his owne house thinks euer of his Wife and Children and of his own land liuing So must we heere being in a strange country thinke of our home desire still to see the face of God and of Christ our most blessed Redeemer that so wee may liue in his blessed presence Seeing this is a speciall note of a man truely regenerate and that hath truely repented to behaue Vse 1 himselfe as in the presence of God as in his sight so as hee dares doe nothing that may offend the eyes of God This shewes most plainely that most men and women are farre from true repentance and were neuer borne a new Seeing many will make conscience of sin in the sight of men which yet make no bones to commit it in the sight of God What man is so shamelesse to commit Adultery in the sight of men yet there bee many that feare not nor blush not to commit it in the sight of God Saint Paul saith They steale commit Adulterie and do all euill in the night Alas Phil. 4.5 night and day bee all alike to God the Lord is at our elbowes and therefore let vs remember this and as wee would not dare to commit any vnseemely thing in the presence of the King so let vs not dare to commit sin in the presence of God Men will looke carefully to their behauiour while they are in the presence of the Prince or temporal Magistrate though otherwise wicked and godlesse men yet in the presence of the Prince they will abstaine from euill Oh that wee were as carefull to behaue our selues in the most glorious presence of the great King of heauen and earth who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Hee sees all wee doe heares our words pierces into the secrets of our hearts neyther can the least though of ours escape the piercing eye of the Almighty and therefore we should labour to watch ouer al our works words yea ouer the very thoughts of our hearts that they may be sincere and such as we need not be ashamed of for bee wee wel assured that wee shall giue account of the very thoughts of our hearts yea of euery idle word how much more of blasphemous oathes and most monstrous sinnes The theefe steales in the night the drunkard is drunke in the night and the filthy person commits his vncleannesse in the night and they thinke they bee sure who sees them who can accuse them Oh thy God sees thee thou standest in his presence hee heares sees all thou doest and though thou mayest keepe it close from the eyes of men yet thou canst not hide it from the eyes of the Almighty who wil one day call thee to an account for the same VERSE 3. Then shall wee haue knowledge and indeuour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth IN this third verse wee haue heere described vnto vs two other most heauenly and blessed effects of sound repentance Two other effects of true repentance set downe and true conuersion vnto the Lord. First that all those which doe vnfainedly mourne for their sinnes and the pardon of them at the hands of God as for life and death the Lord will not onely comfort their wounded soules but enable them by the gracious worke of his holy and sanctifying Spirit to liue holily in his sight but hee will with all poure into their soules this heauenly and blessed Knowledge which shall direct them to the true seruice and worship of God And secondly if wee doe draw neare vnto God by true repentance the Lord likewise though he defer his helpe for a time yet in the end will come assuredly with most pleasant and effectuall comfort which is described vnto vs by two most excellent similitudes First of the chearefull breaking foorth of the Sun after a tempestuous storme Secondly by the latter raine distilling vpon the scorched earth by both of which the Lord will shew that he is ready in due time to comfort the distressed soule and conscience of a poore sinner Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeuour our selues to know the Lord. Text diuided IN these words being the first part of the Verse wee are to obserue three speciall points First the roote from the which this true sauing and heauenly knowledge is deriued and the fountaine from the which it doth spring in this word Then Secondly wee are to search and to trie what maner of knowledge this is heere spoken of by the Holy Ghost It is not carnall knowledge it is not any worldly knowledge it is no Philosophicall Knowledge or the knowledge of humane Arts and Sciences But this knowledge heere spoken of is a spirituall knowledge a diuine knowledge an heauenlie knowledge a sauing knowledge which is of that nature and quality that it puts all those which haue it into a reall possession of eternall life It is the way to eternall life it is the Key to open the gate of heauen vnto vs and it is as it were the finger of God that puts vs into reall possession of eternall life Thirdly wee haue to consider another special fruit or quality of this sauing Knowledge that it will neuer suffer those men and women which haue this Knowledge put into their hearts by rhe finger of God to be content with a little or a scant measure of this knowledge but it is of that diuine nature that it wil whet them on and inflame their hearts to hunger and thirst after a great measure and portion of this heauenly and blessed Knowledge so as it will make men to labour and to endeauour to come to a greater measure of it To grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ And first of all for the root from whence this true sauing and heauenly Knowledge is deriued Point and the fountaine from which it doth spring it is layde downe in this word Then shall wee haue Knowledge that is Repentance goes before sanctified knowledge when men are truly humbled for their sins do mourn for them and when that men haue the feare of God before their eyes so as they liue as in the presence of God and looke carefully to themselues not only outwardly in regard of their words and works but euen inwardly to the thoughts of their hearts and therein labour to bee approued of the Lord then will the Lord poure into their hearts this heauenly and
alone that must open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea and annoint our blind eyes Act. 16 Reu 3.18 else wee shall neuer see And therefore the Spirit of God is sayd to reueale such things vnto men as neuer came into the heart of any carnal man once to thinke 1. Cor. 2.10 Euen the secret things of God And what bee those surely such things as the most learned in the world maybe ignorant of And the poore vnlearned and vnlettered man may haue greater knowledge in these then the greatest Doctor of all namely Note the Spirit of God makes knowne to his children the loue of God in Iesus Christ the pardon of sin hee sees in his Soule and conscience Rom. 8.15 what a blessed thing it to haue the pardon of sin to feele the comfortable power of Gods Spirit teaching vs to cry to him Abba Father and none else can haue this same sauing knowledge of God so as the same may be powerfull and effectuall vnto their soules and consciences saue the children of God How God the Father is to be known of vs. Deu. 6.6 Math. 22.37 Luk. 10.17 Now concerning God the Father wee must know and acknowledge and that truely soundly and beleeuing that hee is the onely true God and that there is none other God in heauen or earth but him alone therefore he alone must bee adored worshipped beleeued and prayed vnto as the onely true God Secondly wee must know and acknowledge that God the Father is not onely the true God but our God not onely the Father of Christ but also our Father and hath adopted vs to be his children in Iesus Christ and hath put his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba father he that doth thus know God is in the right way to eternal life But he that cannot thus beleeue God sauingly 2. Tim. 1.12 soundly and particularly that the onely true God is his God and that the Father of Iesus Christ is his Father that he loues him as his child and will bestow the Kingdom of Heauen vpon him as his inheritance alas hee abides in death and hath not this sanctified knowledge of God within him Then wee must not rest vpon this bare knowledge to know that God the Father is the onely true God the Father of Christ for this is a bare knowledge a naked knowledge and such a knowledge as may befal a wicked man Iam. 2. Mar. 1.23 yea the Deuill himselfe for he beleeues and trembles he acknowledgeth Christ to be the Sonne of God And yet alas how many thousand soules amongst vs come short of this knowledge of God which the Deuill hath how many feare tremble to thinke of God and of the day of iudgement but let vs euery one euery man and euery woman and euery mothers child amongst vs if we would not bee in worse case then the Deuill himselfe labour to goe beyond the Deuill and all wicked men watsoeuer to know and that soundly and particularly that the onely true God is our God and that the Father of Christ is our Father that wee labour to get assurance of his loue towards vs that he loues vs as his children and wil bestow the kingdome of heauen vpon vs at the last And if wee thus know God to be our God and our blessed Father wee must labour to performe all such duties as belong vnto him as our God and louing Father First that man that beleeues God to be the true God and vnto him a louing Father Duties that are to be performed vnto God this man must imitate him and follow him for it is the will of God that his Children should be like vnto himselfe Secondly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father this man must as a good child bee obedient to his fathers will in all things for of them doth God the Father approue of to bee his children And hence it is that God sayth If I be a Master where is my feare Mal. 1.6 Mat. 12.50 If I bee a Father where is my honour And againe Whosoeuer shall doe my Fathers will which is in Heauen the same is my Brother my Sister and Mother M. Perkins on the Creed Where wee see plainely taught vs this second duty that if God be our Father then as good children wee should shew obedience vnto him but if we disobey him then we must know that that saying of Christ wil be verefied vpon vs Yee are of your Father the Deuill Io. 8.44 for the works of the Deuill yee will do And indeed no man can be so like to his Father that begot him as are the disobedient and rebellious sinners like to their Sire the Deuill Thirdly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father hee must learne to beare all crosses and outward afflictions patiently knowing that they come from God to wayte for deliuerance from him For whom God loueth hee chastiseth If two children should be fighting and a man comming by should part them and giue correction to one of them euery man would conceiue that hee were his child whom he corrected and surely when the Lord doth lay his rod heauiest vpon his children yet euen then doth hee shew himselfe a louing Father vnto vs Now if our earthly Fathers corrected vs and wee gaue them reuerence taking it patiently should wee not much rather bee in subiection to the Father of Spirits that we may liue In a word if wee thus know God to bee our God and our blessed Father we must loue him as our God and Father feare him as our God obey him beleeue in him rest vpon him both in prosperity and aduersity as vpon our mercifull God The second thing to bee knowne to eternall life is Iesus Christ the Sonne of God How God the Sonne is to be known of vs. And therefore seeing no man can know the Father vnlesse he know the Sonne therefore this knowledge is as necessary as the former and concerning this Saint Iohn sayth We must not onely know the Father but him also whom the Father hath sent Iesus Christ Now to that end wee may know him aright wee must know and beleeue particularly that hee is our Iesus our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer who by his perfect obedience and his bitter death and passion Reu. 1.7 hath saued vs from all our sinnes and from the curse of God and eternall damnation due to the same And in this one point is contained the height depth of all knowledge thus assuredly and beleeuingly to know in particular that Iesus Christ was sent of his Father that in our Nature he might die for our sinnes and rise againe for our iustification Oh blessed and thrice happy is that man and woman which hath this blessed knowledge put into their hearts by the spirit of God Rom.
counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing
confesse that sinne is to be left and that God is to bee serued of vs but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne this worthy worke I remember the report of the Prophet against the people that neglected the reedifying of the Temple Hag. 1.2 This people sayth he say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house should bee builded So many thinke it is not yet time for them to looke to heauen-ward Youth must haue a Spirit and the pleasures of the flesh must first he tasted We must first goe take our leaue of our friends and then we will follow Christ We may safely aduenture our young yeares and when we are old Reu. 2.24 and going out of the world then we will retire our selues let God beare with vs a little and yet a little and in time wee will repent This is indeed the very Deepenesse of Sathan But the time is present that we must lay hold on to turn to the Lord. Did euer any whom we read of in the Scripture feeling the piercing power of Gods spirit smiting vpon their hearts indent with the Lord and say so that God would bee pleased to let them continue in their sinne a moneth or two or a yeare that then they would leaue their sinne and serue the Lord in new obedience No no I neuer read of any that did thus couenant with the Lord but presently as God did smite them so they were humbled and were conuerted they deferred not the time but imbraced the truth from God without delay Oh lay this to heart the Lord giue you a right vnderstanding in al things that this day wherein I now speake vnto you may be the day of your Conuersion vnto the Lord and for the which hereafter you may reioyce for euermore It was too late for the foolish Virgins to knocke and to cry Mat. 25. Luk. 16. Lord Lord open vnto vs when the gate was shut against them the gate of repentance and the gate of mercy And it was too late for the Glutton to cry for one droppe of water to coole his flaming tongue which in his life time refused to giue one dramme of comfort to poore Lazarus Oh remember your selues betimes blesse the name of God that you haue not been preuented with death in the time of your ignorance and blindnesse as many haue been before you It is the greatest mercy that men can enioy that the sunne of death hath not yet set vpon them but that they may yet repent Oh seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call vpon him while hee is neere while yee haue light walke in the light least darkenesse come vpon you make no couenant with your sinnes but vtterly renounce them for euer And albeit they say to thee as the Deuils sayd to Christ Why doest thou torment vs before the time Yet hearken not vnto them for the time is already come if not past already for indeed we should haue repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes if we had done as we ought to haue done but seeing we haue spent so much time in the seruice of sinne and of Sathan how carefull should we bee now to redeeme the time and to defetre no day nor houre longer but while the word is sounding in our eares let vs be conuerted vnto the Lord that wee may liue in his sight But notwithstanding all this that hath been sayd it is strange to see how men imbolden themselues in their sinnes vnder this pretence that God is mercifull and that therefore they may repent as their leysure because God is a God of mercy he will forgiue vs whensoeuer we shall repent and turne to him It is true indeed that God is a God of mercy and his mercies are ouer all his works Psal 145. And therefore if men would make a right vse thereof the mercy of God should lead them to repentance for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.4 Gal. 5.22 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance but as he is mercifull so is he iust and the longer that God in mercy expecteth thy amendment so much the more grieuously will he punish thee Eâ—od 20. Psal 18.26 Pro. â— 34 28. if thou neglect it look in the second commandement how the Lord doth there threaten To visite the iniquities of the Fathers vpon their children vnto the third and fourth generation of such as hate him Yea the Lord threatneth obstinate sinners that hee will not regard them when they seeke vnto him Then shall they call vpon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. So that wee see that all hope is taken away from presumptuous sinners that God should euer receiue them into fauour at last seeing that the Lord there threatneth that he will then be so far from pittying them as that hee will euen laugh at their destruction Oh happy then is he that sinneth least next he that returneth vnto God soonest but most wofull is the estate of him Heb. 10.26 Heb. 12.17 that with Ieroboam hath sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord that hath quenched the good motions of the spirit that hath denyed the power of saluation they haue despised the spirit of grace Alas alas though at the last such a one should seeke the blessing with teares they can find no place to repentance Oh what a fearefull and lamentable estate is this for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer From this estate the Lord for his mercy sake keepe vs. But notwithstanding all this will some say That the theefe vpon the Crosse at the last gaspe was receyued to mercy who had spent all the course of his life in sinne why then may not I likewise hope for the same mercy in the end But alas one Swallow makes not a summer and of one example where a precept is wanting nothing is concluded The Lord in mercy hath left one extraordinary example of his mercy that men at the last gaspe might not altogether despayre and but one that no man might presume Now would not all men condemne him of meere foolishnesse that would goe about to spurre his Asse till hee speake because Balams Asse spake It is farre greater madnesse in any man to harten himselfe in his sinne by one mans example Were it not a safe course to follow the example of Dauid Peter Paul Zacheus Cornelius c. who so soone as God did touch their hearts with a sight of their sins presently returned vnto the Lord by repentance then that wee should presume by the example of one and so misse of saluation as many thousands haue done before vs. Wherefore to conclude this
All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life namely dead in trespasses and sinnes sin is the bane and death of our soules for the Wages of sinne is death Death bringeth vs into the full and absolute power of the Deuill that wee are all of vs thus seruants vnto sinne It is plain by the Apostles complaint Eph. 2.1 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 6.16 Gen. 2.17 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and then vnto whom soeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Now that we are all by nature seruants vnto sin and vnto death it cannot bee denied for what was it that God sayd vnto Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As soone as Adam had sinned presently the sentence tooke place and Adam is now become the child of death and eternall destruction became his portion and this is the condition of all Adams posterity there is not the greatest the noblest the wealthiest nor the fayrest amongst the sonnes of men but wee are thus bound till the Sonne make vs free Men are not onely sicke with sinne or wounded by sinne or halfe dead but starke dead bereft of all spirituall sense and motion And this doth the Apostle most liuely effectually set out vnto vs in another place when he sayth Yee were once darknes Eph. 5.8 but now are light in the Lord He doth not say we were in darknesse Io. 3.6 for then perhaps wee might haue come of our selues into the light againe But yee were darknesse Darknesse it selfe yea nothing else but Darknesse and hence againe is it that naturall men are called Flesh not Fleshly but flesh it selfe and the wisdom that is Rom. 8.7 the best part that can bee in a naturall man what is it but Enmitie with God it may bring a man to Hell but it cannot lead him one inch nearer vnto heauen and therefore being thus starke dead in sinne Alas what can a dead man doe to helpe himselfe No more can a natural man moue so much as one finger to procure saluation to himselfe no no being dead in sinne we cannot so much as thinke one good thought much lesse haue wee free will of our selues to seeke for saluation vntil such time as the Lord hath reuiued vs and quickned vs by the Spirit of grace Lazarus in the Gospell had layne dead foure dayes in the graue so as hee beganne to rotte and to stinke yet when our Sauiour Christ cryed with a loud voyce Lazarus Io. 11. come foorth hee arose incontinently and came and stood foorth This is our case and condition yea the estate and condition of euery soule in the world we be starke dead in trespasses and sinnes nay we lye rotting and putrifying in the graue of our sinnes and vntill Iesus Christ by his spirit and loude voyce of the preaching of the Gospell which is the Word of life shal breath within vs the breath of life and reuiue vs poore soules wee cannot moue so much as one little finger to the Kingdome of heauen This may serue in the first place to confute that erroneous Vse 1 Doctrine of the Papists who say that a man hath naturally Free-will in himselfe by vertue whereof hee can dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration Condemnes the Doctrine of the Papists touching Free Will whose opinion if it were granted then were the power of God lesse seene in our second birth then in our first birth which were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke for what can a dead man do to his owne quickning and raysing vp from the graue can hee turne himselfe or any way fitte or prepare himselfe to bee raysed surely no it is altogether impossible nay let a dead man haue all the helpe that may be to bee Raysed vp yet vnlesse the soule bee giuen vnto him all is in vaine so fareth it with the naturall man he can by no meanes dispose himselfe to any spirituall action or motion vnlesse some spirituall life be put into him But what sayeth the Aduersary he may giue his consent to his quickning though hee quicken not himsele But say I what consent call wee the consent of a man that is dead but not to stand vpon their presumptuous doctrine of Free wil the which amongst many other points of Popery maintained by them hath lifted vp many so high amongst them with this vaine opinion of their own worthinesse that they find not themselues to stand in need for the Lord to lift them vp Then in the feare of God let euery man and woman Vse 2 and euery mothers child labour to see our misery to see our poore Soules how they lye rotting in sinne let vs Serues to humble vs in that wee are dead till the Lord quicken vs by his spirit seeing wee bee as the poore Flyes in Winter starke dead not able to moue our little finger to heauen pray vnto the Lord that hee would cause the blessed Sunne-shine of his Word and Gospell to shine vpon vs to warme our cold and benummed soules to quicken our dead consciences by the word of Life and the blessed worke of his holy Spirit for so long as God doth not quicken vs nor reuiue vs alas our soules be dead in sinne and this death is the next step vnto eternall death in the fire of Hell And therefore their case is dangerous and miserable which sleepe snort in sin lye starke dead in the graue of sin vntill it please the Lord to reuiue them by the preaching of the Gospell which is the Power of God vnto Saluation to Reuiue and to quicken our dead soules This being so Note we see then it is no maruell though many that are present in the Assemblies of Gods people at the preaching of the Word and yet reape no profite by it the reason is they are dead now sound a Trumpet in a dead mans eare and he heares it not Euen so Esay 58. let the Minister of Gods Word cry neuer so loude lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet men are no more moued eyther with the comforts of the Word or with the threates of the Law then the seates men sit on because they are dead till the Lord doe please to put life into them And as for those that haue eares to heare with profite and comfort blesse God for it and giue him the glory for so great a mercy for certaine it is by nature the condition of all men is alike till the Lord hath wrought in vs the worke of grace and Reuiued vs with the breath of life Oh what cause then hath man by nature to swell with pride or to bee lifted vp with any conceit at all of his owne worthinesse though they haue neuer so many excellent parts of nature as wit capacity strength beauty or outward gifts as riches honour authority c. yet surely men may see that if
they bee not Reuiued if they bee not borne againe translated out of Adam and ingrafted into Iesus Christ alas they are but as a dead corps that is trimmed and stucke with so many goodly flowers yea the due consideration of that miserable estate and condition in the which they are by nature may cause them to droupe Tit. 1.15 and to hang downe their heads for by their owne filthinesse and impuritie all these their excellent ornaments are defiled and become impure for so sayth the Apostle To those that are defiled is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Oh if this point were wel considered how it would pull downe the pride of mans heart and make men to hasten to come out of so fearefull an estate and condition Doct. 4 The second point of Doctrine wee obserue hence by the authority of this Text is that our regeneration is as hardly wrought Regeneration a worke of new creation Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6.23 as to rayse vp a dead man to restore him againe to life as hard a thing to saue a soule that is dead as to giue life to one that hath a long time lyen rotting in the graue Death is gone ouer all sayth the Apostle and The wages of sinne is death And God told Adam Gen. 2.17 that in that day that he should eate of the forbidden fruit Hee should die the death Now in so much as wee haue all taken part with him in his disobedience wee must also partake with him in his punishment and the punishment is Death not death in respect of any being of the creature as all wicked and vngodly sinners might wish it were but Death in respect of our eternall separation from God In whose presence is life and at whose right hand is pleasure for euermore This is our estate and condition by nature vntill the Lord doe Reuiue vs and to Reuiue vs and quicken vs is as hard a matter as to rayse vp a dead man out of his graue This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge when he desired of God that he would Create in him a new heart Psal 51.10 And surely it is as great a matter to Create a new heart as for the Lord againe to Create a new world yea and in some respects it may seeme harder for in the Creation of the world the Lord but spake the Word and all was made there was no hinderance there was no opposition but in the creation of the heart a new there are many lets and hinderances first within a man for euery man by nature is an enemy vnto his owne saluation and the flesh resists this worke besides the Deuil he labours by al means possible to hinder so blessed a worke Besides all this it is a worke of great difficulty not accomplished without great labour and paine and therefore it is called in the Scripture A Birth a Death a Circumcision now as no Birth no Death no cutting off the Flesh can be without paine and sorrow no more can the conuersion of a sinner the Infant is not deliuered out of the Mothers wombe without paine and doest thou thinke O man to part with sinne that is within thee which was conceiued in the wombe with thee and euer since hath been nourished and brought vp with thee as a familiar companion and not taste of paine Eph. 2.1 and heart smart in thy new birth no assuredly it will not be but it will cost thee much sorrow many a sigh and many a bitter teare before this work of grace be effectually wrought in thee It is not in this case as in producing the forms of many Natural things here below which are brought è potentia materiae out of a capable pronenesse of the thing it selfe to receiue such a forme but in the worke of our Regeneration God doth by his spirit deliuer the mind from blindnesse and ignorance the will from rebellion the affections from disorder and all the powers and faculties of the soule from corruption when man is altogether opposite thereto This Doctrine doth iustly condemne most men Vse 1 women amongst vs we think it is an easie matter to be a Christian and so be saued that it is an easie maner to goe to Heauen and many men who be starke dead in sinne and blesse themselues in their euill wayes yet blush not to say they hope to come to heauen as well as the best Preacher of them all Oh poore soule thou art but a dead man in the sight of God wounded at the heart with sinne and vnlesse thou bee reuiued quickned and raysed out of the graue of sinne by the wonderfull worke of God thou canst not bee saued Our Sauiour Christ being working of some great miracle hee tels his Disciples that they should do greater works then that namely they should saue mens soules and that is farre greater then to saue and helpe the body God created all things with his bare word breathed into Adam the Breath of Life Gen. 2. Io. 11. Our Sauiour Christ raysed Lazarus with his word but before hee can rayse a Sinner out of the graue of sinne and put into vs the breath of spirituall life the Sonne of God must come from Heauen and suffer a most cruell and shamefull death 1. Cor. 1.21 Iohn 17.17 euen the death vpon the Crosse before he can quicken and Reuiue vs and therefore it is not so easie a matter as most men take it to bee to become a good Christian No no it is the hardest thing in the world to become a good Christian and so to be saued And therefore seeing this is the estate condition of vs all Oh how carefull ought wee to bee to vse all good meanes that God hath appointed Act. 15.9 to saue our soules as namely the Word preached the Sacraments Prayer Meditations in the Law of God seeing that by these meanes the Lord doth quicken and Reuiue our dead soules Ps 119. Vse 2 Secondly wee are taught heere that seeing we are all dead in Adam by nature vntill such time as the Lord doth quicken vs and Reuiue vs let no man then content himselfe with this diuelish conceit and perswasion that hee can at his owne time and leasure deliuer himselfe from the bondage of sinne and Sathan as it is the corrupt thought of many that though they haue beene the seruants of sinne and of death twentie or forty yeares together yet they thinke that one Lord haue mercy vpon me will open the Heauen gates but O thou vaine man O thou vaine woman Oh see heere that it is the Lord that must worke in thee this worke of grace for by nature thou art Reprobate vnto euery good worke And this new birth is not giuen to euery one No no onely Gods children who are carefull to vse the meanes as hearing the Word preached and taught Sacrament Prayer c. for by these doth the Lord Reuiue vs and
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
God And in that wherein they thinke they doe most please God they do greatly sinne and offend him As it is the nature of Hypocrites and time seruers to glorie in their outward worship and seruice of God they haue nothing to boast of but that they bee Christians are baptized heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament Now marke what the Lord sayth that euen herein they Transgressed against him and sinned grieuouslie against him why namelie because they performing these outward things laboured not withall to find out the true vse and comfort of these things as they boasted of their Sacifices neuer looking to what end the Lord did ordaine them namelie as means to lead them to repentance and so to Christ Iesus Euen so manie as boast of their religion how they bee Christians haue been baptized but alas where is the true vse of Baptisme all this while where is the death of sinne the burying of sinne the crucifying of sinne which is the main end of Baptisme this is neuer looked after of the greatest number so men heare the Word and they seeme to glorie in the same but where is the power of the Word in working faith repentance obedience knowledge zeale patience humilitie c. And so for the Lorde Supper but where is the right vse of this how doe men grow in faith knowledge repentance hatred of sinne and care to honour God Alas these things are neuer thought of so that here the Lord meetes with all these carnal Libertines and loose Professors and shewes them that in that they do most glorie in and boast of euen there they sinne highly and offend the Maiestie of God so as hee cannot abide euen their best actions This truth is clearely to bee seene in diuers places of the Scripture No doubt but Cain pleased himselfe with his offering of sacrifice but euen that was abhomination in Gods sight Gen. 4.3 Pro. 15.8 Esay 1.11 13. The sacrifices of the wicked are abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Againe the Prophet Esay doth notably set out the same What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices sayth the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and of the fatte of fedde beasts I desire not the bloud of Bullocks of Lambs nor of Goates When yee come to appeare before mee who requireth this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is abhomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your New Moons nor Sabbaths my soule hateth them Behold here in this place what esteeme these outward Ceremonies of Gods worship and seruice were with the Lord they thought themselues happy men in the performance of them and hee most happy that offered most of them but the Lord hee esteemes far otherwise of them namely being not done in faith and true obedience they were but abhomination in his sight and were so farre from appeasing his wrath against sinne as that they added vnto the measure of their sinnes Againe the Lord testifieth in another place by the same Prophet saying Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cut off a Dogs neeke c. Esay 66.3 Psa 66.18 Pro. 29.8 Io 9.31 Ps 50.17 Micha 6.6 If I regard wickednesse in my heart saith the Prophet The Lord will not heare me Againe Hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law euen his Prayer shall bee abhominable Again God heareth not sinners These places and the like whereof the Scriptures are full they serue to teach vs that what sacrifice soeuer the wicked offer as prayer thanksgiuing receyuing of the Sacrament hearing the Word or the like the same is abhomination to the Lord. So that we may hence safely conclude the miserable estate of all wicked and vngodly men with that saying of the Prophet Hosea Hos 12.1 Ephraim is fed with the wind and followeth after the East wind hee encreaseth dayly lyes and destruction So then though the wicked say peace peace and thinke themselues sure if they perform but the outward part of Gods worship seruice Psal 2.3 yet Hee that dwelleth in Heauen doth laugh them to scorne for the Lord doth see that their day is comming Vse 1 This may serue to condemne the Church of Rome who thinke that they sufficiently please God Ex opere operato by the very deed done though the same bee not done to the right end nor in an holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience as their prayers in a strange tongue sacrifice of the Masse and a thousand the like all which as they haue no footing in the Word of God so they shall one day haue the reward of them euen the portion reserued for hypocrites Secondly this may seeme to direct vs to be wise Vse 2 neuer to content our selues to be baptized to heare to pray to come to Church receiue the Sacrament and to perform the like duties of Gods worship and seruice but that wee looke to the right vse of all these things that we may find that worke wrought in our hearts for which end the Lord hath appointed them else alas wee shall but grieue the spirit of God and euen our best actions shall bee but sinnes vnto vs if wee beelike this people to thinke it is inough to bee baptized with water and not to feele the inward worke of the spirit to heare the Word and not to profit by it to faith and repentance to pray with the lip and not with the heart to receyue the outward Sacrament not to feele our soules nourished by the body and bloud of Christ Oh let vs not rest vpon such vaine things such deceitfull vanity such lying dreames for they will deceiue vs in the end And as for all wicked and vngodly men which rest so much vpon them their trust shall bee but as the Spiders webbe as Iob speaketh which albeit to day is builded aloft Iob. 8.14 yet to morrow is swept away But of this before VERSE 8. Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud THe Prophet hauing in the former verse accused them to bee Couenant breakers with God doth now proue the same by sundry examples of all estates amongst them that as the Prophet sayth Esay 1.6 From the toppe of the head to the soale of the foot All was out of order and full of vncleannesse So was it with this people here from the Priest to the Leuite so to the common people yea euen the great men of the land Ieroboam and his wicked Counsellers here are accused Gilead is a City of c. Concerning this City wee read not much in the Word of God but heere the Prophet doth note them to bee exceeding wicked people that dwelt in this City full of sinne deceit iniquity full of cruelty and bloudy sinnes This City as wee may read
AN EXPOSITION VPON THE SIXT Chapter of the Prophesie of HOSEA VVherein is set downe the true repentance of the Godly as also the Hypocriticall repentance of the wicked most needfull for these times WHEREIN 1. The Summe and Scope 2. The Doctrines 3. The Reasons 4. The Vses Of most Texts are obserued FIRST PREACHED BY SAMVEL SMYTH Minister of Roxwel in Essex and now by him published intending the further good of his charge and the profit of as many as shall please to read it Seene and allowed PSAL. 34.11 Come Children hearken to me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. LONDON Printed by Tho. Pâ—â—â—oot for Richard Woodroffe and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the golden Key neere the great North dore 1616. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FAther in God IOHN by Gods prouidence Lord Bishop of LONDON Grace and peace from the Father Prince and Spirit of Peace IN the building of the materiall Temple which the Lord himselfe commanded Right Reuerend Father in God As Moses the seruant of the Lord deliuered the forme of it Exod. 25.40 as he had receyued of the Lord in the Mount So the people of Israel with ready hearts and willing minds furthered the same howbeit one after one manner Exod. 35.22.23 and an other after an other The wealthiest amongst them and such as were best able brought siluer and gold earerings bracelets and Iewels of gold A second sort of people brought blew silke purple scarlet and fine linnen Others in regard of their pouerty brought Goats hayre Rams skins and Badgers skins euery one answerable to his ability No man appeared before the Lord empty and God accepted of the meanest gift that proceeded from a willing heart aswell as the greatest So fareth it with me a poore Labourer in the Lords Vineyard I acknowledge my own wants that I am not able to bring any great and glorious offering yet I haue brought here a small present as it were a little Goates hayre or as with the widdow two Mites to bee cast into the Treasury of God It is the old and ancient doctrine of faith and repentance that I heere entreat of a needfull Subiect especially in these dangerous dayes wherein men labour more for the shewes of godlines then for the power of it for we need not so much to complain of ignorance in this age for many haue knowledge as the want of sincerity I haue endevoured in this short Exposition to set out the nature of true repentance which onely is to bee found in the godly being sound and sincere as also the hypocritical repentance of the wicked which is but for a time not durable nor lasting If my lines be plaine they best answere a straight and an euen leuell The euidence of the spirit is best seene in plainesse And now this poore labour of mine flyes to your Lordship for protection not fearing your iudgement in the allowance or doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof for matters of learning are most fitte to bee presented to those that excell therein for as the Prouerbe is Scientia neminem habet inimicum praeter ignorantem so by the same rule may I say Scientia neminem habet amicum Mecaenatem nisi studiosum fautoremque bonarum literarum And although Right Reuerend I know right well that you not onely fauour Religion but are an earnest professor thereof and that I need not exhort and stirre you vp therein yet let mee in most humble manner desire you that as you haue done much good since you came into this place so your works may bee more at the last then at first and that you would still honour him who hath honored you and imploy still those rich talents of learning authority and fauour of your Soueraigne which your great Master hath bestowed on you to the aduancement of Gods glory the good of Gods Church That by you godly and painefull Ministers may more and more be encouraged in their holy calling and that those malicious enemies of Gods truth the Papists may be more and more discouraged and rooted out from troubling Israel They are Babylons Children Blessed are they that dash their heads against the stones Some shall haue the honour I assure my self to be the instruments vnder God vtterly to root them out of this land Let it not passe your hands Who knoweth whether you are come to your place for such a purpose Vse your fauour you haue with his Maiestie to waken his sleeping lawes that as hee hath long sung mercy so hee would at last tune Iustice against the Papists of our land and commaund that his laws may haue their course that they may not beare it on t with full breast go vncontrolled as they doe amongst vs. It is a worke not vnfitting your Lordship being called to be a Gouernour of the Church to incite his Maiesty to this I beseech your Lordship pardon my boldnesse being a stranger vnto you and one of the meanest of the Tribe of Leui within your Diocesse yet one that wisheth all good to Sion Be you still for God in al your wayes and God will bee still for you in all your wayes aduance him still and he will aduance you yea perpetuate vnto you an honourable name and memory amongst his faithfull heere and crown you with an euerlasting crowne of glory amongst his Saints in the heauens Your Lordships in the Lord to bee commanded SAMVEL SMYTH A Table of all the principall Doctrines contained in this Booke VERSE 1. Doctrine 1. AFflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs to God Fol. 6 Doct 2. What counsell it is that wee must giue to others in aduersity Fol. 11 Doct. 3. It is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others to God Fol. 14 Doct. 4. A man by sinning turnes from God Fol. 19 Doc. 5 A right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of our owne misery the first steppe to Saluation Fol. 25 Doct. 6. Men must deferre no time but repent out of hand Fol. 29 Doct. 1. Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of muny reasons to perswade to holy duties Fol. 42 Doct. 2. Gods iudgements must moue men to repentance Fol. 47 Doct. 3. All chasticements and afflictions come from God Fol. 50 Doct. 4. God doth chastice his owne children when they sinne against him Fol. 56 Doct. 1. The mercy of God must lead men to repentance Fol. 63 VER 2. Doctrine 1. IM all our miseries wee must flie vnto God for deliuerance Fol. 74 Doct. 2. Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Fol. 78 Doct. 3. All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life Fol. 84 Doct. 4. Regeneration a worke of new creation Fol. 88 Doct. 5. Regeneration begunne must be continued Fol. 92 Doct. 6. Godly by repentance are brought into Gods fauour Fol. 97 Doct. 7. Godly liue in Gods sight Fol. 104 VER 3.
euill life surely the beginning of all euill is this to turne away from God It was the case of the Prodigall Sonne and in him of all sinners that when hee had receyued his patrimony Luk. 15. Hee tooke his iourney into a farre Country farre away and yet hee thought not himselfe farre inough from his Father but who willed him to depart was hee put out of his Fathers house Surely no but he himselfe of his own accord would needes bee gone Euen so doth a sinner make a voluntary separation betwixt God and his soule God doth neuer forsake till hee bee forsaken Now a sinner is sayde to depart from God in two respects First by an opposite and far different disposition Gods volo being mans nolo Gods will being mans nill by omitting that which hee should commit and by committing that which hee should omit As when wee see two sitting and talking together and the one varieth from the other in opinion we say the one is farre from the other and in the same respect is a sinner said to goe farre from God Secondly a sinner is said to goe far from God in regard of the greatnesse or the multitude of his sinnes that he doth commit which the more they are the farther they leade a sinner for euery sinne being a departure from God a sinner may rightly bee said to depart lesser or farther according to the number quality of the sins they commit Some being the sinnes of infirmity some of ignorance some of malice and some of presumption but Hee that hath eyes like a flame of fire Reu. 2.18 doth still behold them and although Adam doe goe about to hide himselfe amongst the thickets of the garden from the presence of God yet was hee still in Gods presence neyther could hee escape Many thinke they cannot runne farre inough from God Psal 1 39. of whom the Prophet speaketh Whither shall wee flie from Gods presence shall wee flie into heauen It is no part of our thought shall wee flie into the vtmost part of the earth the whole world is vnder Gods gouernment shall wee take a voyage by Sea it may bee God will send vs farther then we are minded to flie for little did Ionas thinke by flying from God that God would vexe him with all his stormes But if wee will not venture so farre but onely flye into the darkenesse we must know that with God The darkenesse and light are both alike There is no distance of place betwixt God and a sinner but alas the cause of all is this we know not the mischiefe that will follow by our departure from God how many sighes and groanes euen of our dearest hearts it will cost vs ere wee can get into fauour againe This did Dauid finde by wofull experience that hauing left the Lord and made a departure from his God by walking in the broad pathes of vngodlinesse Psal 51.1.2 Psal 6. adultery and murther did not the Lord bring him backe againe by the weeping Crosse that hee lay a long time wala-daying his griefe of heart ere hee could be perswaded that God would receiue him again into fauour Gen. 16. What found Hagar out of Abrahams house but want and sorrow What found the Prodigall child Luk. 15. being departed from his father but want and pouerty When Cain went away from God there was no more account made of him then of a vagabond and odious person Behold saith Cain to God Gen. 4.14 thou hast cast mee out this day from the earth and from thy face shall I bee hid and shall bee a vagabond and a runnagate vpon the face of the earth and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay mee This is the danger fearefull estate of them which committing sinne depart from God Oh that wee were wise then would wee consider our latter end Deut. 32. Reason of the Doctrine Now let vs see the reason of the Doctrine that so it may worke the deeper impression in euery one of our soules We haue heard that sinne is a departure from God and that a sinner hauing left the wayes of life finds no comfort nor peace till with the prodigal son they return to God again The reason is nothing can satisfie the soule of man but God himself as a pottle or a gallon cannot be filled with the measure of a pinte so are the pleasures of sinne but as a graine of muster-seed in the belly of an Elephant The desires of the soule remaine infinite and must haue an infinit God to satisfie them whereas the profites and pleasures of this world haue their bounds so that there is no other remedy for vs in this life but to remoue our minds from the desire of these earthly things and to transport the same vnto God that there they may rest content and be satisfied for the grace of God and the heauenly gifts of his spirit they are the onely comforts vnto the soule because his presence and goodnesse is most agreeable thereto being created after the likenesse of God as for all other things they are but death and famishment as stones and grauell are to the body Hence then let all men learn to be warned betimes Vse 1 Thou that takest liberty to thy self to liue in sinne Oh know that thou art now departing from God In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore And now thou art trauelling with the Prodigall sonne into a farre Country wandring from God to serue sinne and Sathan Well know O man that if thou wilt needes goe that thou doest now runne vpon manifest hazard danger for who can tell whether in this thy disordered course thou shalt come to mischiefe or to some miserable end or whether thou shalt haue that mercy granted thee to call thy selfe to better remembrance Oh goe not then after thy concupiscence nor follow not the inticement of thy lust let reason iudgement take place Pray with the Prophet O Lord Psal 17. lighten my darkenes that I sleepe not in death The Iewes hauing their choyce desired rather Barrabas to be deliuered vnto them then Christ the Sauiour of their soules O follow not the example of so bad Marchants to make a worse choyce then they for if thou yeeldest thy selfe to sinne and wandrest from God refusing Christ Iesus the saluation of thy owne soule goest a whoring after sinne and Sathan hereby thou shewest thy selfe farre worse then euer the Iewes were in their choyee And albeit thou goest not from God all on a sodaine yet thy departure will steale vpon thee by degrees as a man goeth far steppe by steppe First there may creepe vpon thee a dislike of goodnesse of preaching prayer c. Then to the loathing of it and so by little and little to bee drawn away from godlinesse And thou which sometimes wast an earnest professor shalt grow key colde in Religion And so for the
There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his own children rise vp against him Euen so what greater dishonour can be offered vnto the most high God then when his sonnes by adoption and grace shall rebell against him from whom he expecteth the greatest honour And therefore if they sinne against God God doth euer take it hainously at their hands and will assuredly punish them for the same And if this be the course of Gods iustice against the Elect how safely may wee thus conclude that the wicked and vngodly shall not escape howsoeuer the Lord beare for a time with the vessels of wrath according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts Ier. 25.29 Yee shall certainely drinke for loe I beginne to plague the City where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Oh how may this terrifie all vngodly wretches to consider that howsoeuer God spareth them for a time and let them run on in their vngodly courses yet their damnation sleepeth not all this while their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and are layde vp in store for them against the day of reckoning This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance when he sayth Behold the righteous shall bee recompensed in the earth Pro. 11.31 how much more the wicked and the sinner And to the same purpose sayth the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God And if it beginne at vs what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God If the righteous bee soarsly saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth chastise his owne children when they sinne against him as we see in this present example Hence we may note that afflictions be not alwayes tokens of Gods anger neyther may wee measure the fauour or loue of God towards our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things happen alike to all Eccles 9.2 and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked We may not then condemn those on whome wee see the Lord to lay great and grieuous afflictions as many naturall men vse to do Nay on the contrary seeing the Lord corrects euery one that he loues wee may rather iudge afflictions tokens of his loue as if wee see a man beat or correct a child and let another goe we will iudge him his sonne whom he corrects Oh then art thou spoyled and wounded in thy soule bee not any whit discouraged if thou be one of Christs Lambes thou must be content then to bee spoyled of thy Fleece and to haue the bloudy knife at thy throat all the day long but if thou be a Sheepe to be solde then thou shouldest bee pastured and fatted in the best grasse Mat. 3. The children of God be the Lords Wheat Now then they must bee content to be cut with the Sickle to bee carried into the Barne they must vndergoe the blowes of the Flaile they must be fanned and grownde to powder with the Milstone of afflictions and baked in the Ouen and Furnace of a wounded conscience before they can be bread for Gods Table Oh that we could see how our poore and miserable soules bee spoyled and wounded by sinne and Sathan Oh we haue many a deadly wound in our soules by Sinne and this is the reason why so few seeke vnto Iesus Christ the good Physitian of our soules and why so few runne to God for the pardon of their things namely because they see not themselues spoyled they neuer feele the bleeding wounds of their poore soules and consciences Oh that the Lord would open our blind eyes to see our misery how wee bee vtterly spoyled and touch our hard hearts to feele the bleeding wounds bloudy issues of our soules surely it is the beginning of all grace to feele themselues wounded at heart for their sinnes Alas the blind and carnall men of the world if they see one spoyled or wounded at the heart for sinne they by and by condemne him for a wicked man as the Heathen men did Paul Act. 26. Psal 6. 130.77 Iob. 13. Esay 38. Act. 2.37 But who euer were more spoyled then the dearest Saints and Seruants of God haue beene Looke vpon Dauid who euer was wounded both in Body and Soule as Iob was who thought that God had become his enemy he sayth that the Lord shot his arrowes at him as if hee had beene his marke to shoot at and that the very venome of his arrowes pearsed his soule and drunke vp his spirit Looke vpon good King Ezechias he sayth that the Lord broke his bones like a Lyon and wounded him sore Who euer was so spoyled and wounded as the Son of God himselfe and therfore we may not take them as tokens of Gods anger no no Iudgement begins at Gods house and if God doe not try men by crosses and afflictions let them suspect themselues that they be rather Bastards and not Sonnes for the Lord doth chastice them he loueth and if he suffer men to runne on in their owne wayes without breaking and taming them as young Coltâ— and vntaimed Heyfers it is a signe rather that God cares not for them Well then let vs confesse the hand of God in all our troubles and withall confesse our sinnes as the procuring cause of all Gods iudgements and turne seeke to him for mercy and forgiuenesse and take his fatherly corrections as tokens of his loue that he would thereby humble our hearts purge our soules draw vs to loue him and to seeke to him for mercy Vse 3 Here we are taught which is the right way to bring men to God namely to spoyle them of all hope in themselues to bring them to a flat nothing in regard of themselues that they may say I am the greatest and the chiefest sinner Oh miserable man who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne Men must be thus wounded else they cannot be healed and as for them which neuer felt themselues spoyled and wounded at the heart for their sinnes they are not yet truly called they be not yet truly conuerted therefore let it be spoken to euery soule heere present if you neuer felt your soules wounded neuer felt your hearts pricked and your consciences touched grieued and afflicted for your sinnes Alas you are not yet turned to God you neuer had as yet true grace wrought in your hearts But those which feele the smart of sinne and feele their hearts wounded for sinne they will esteeme more of one droppe of Gods mercy for the pardon of the same and of one drop of the bloud of Iesus Christ for the saluation of their soules then of ten thousand worlds if they were offered vnto them whereas the secure and hard hearted Sinner which finds not himselfe to be spoyled and
Serpent to cure our soules for no other creature in heauen or earth could heale vs or helpe vs but hee must be our Physitian to make a plaister to heale our wounds the pains that he tooke to temper this plaister it made him sweat both water and bloud and in the end when nothing else could doe it Luke 23. hee was content to temper a plaister of his owne heart bloud such a blessed Sauiour such a louing Physitian haue we Oh then let vs runne to Iesus Christ let vs make our moane vnto him let vs not feare to lay open our wounded soules and distressed consciences vnto him who is so louing and mercifull a Physitian to poore distressed soules Art thou an hard hearted and an impenitent sinner thou art sicke at the very heart thou art wounned by sinne and Sathan vnto eternall death though thou see it not yet thy poore soule is ready to bleede vnto eternall death See Oh see heere Iesus Christ thy Sauior he offers himself to become the Physitian hee hath tempered a plaister that is able to heale thy sicke soule if thou wilt come vnto him Alas wilt thou then runne on in sinne and suffer thy poore soule to rot and fester with sinne and contemne the mercy of God and the kindnesse of Iesus Christ who offers to heale thee and to helpe thy wounded soule The poore man which fell among theeues who spoyled him and wounded him and left him for halfe dead Luk. 10. alas what had becom of him if the good Samaritan had not come by and pittied him Sinne and Sathan hath spoyled vs and wounded vs body and soule Now alas what shall become of vs if that Iesus Christ the good Samaritan and blessed Physitian of our soules doe not pitty vs bind vp our wounds and powre in the oyle of grace into our hearts to cure our sicke and wounded soules but hee is so pittifull and tender hearted a Chirurgion that he will pull off the rotten ragges of our sinnes and lap them vp in the most precious white robe of his owne righteousnes and poure into them the oyle of grace euen his owne deare and precious heart bloud to our euerlasting comfort and saluation Secondly wee obserue hence a further vse that if Vse 2 any do perish through their sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault therof vnto God but vnto himself for God doth cal men from their euill waies that so they might not perish but bee saued the Prophet Dauid doth speake excellently of this saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities Psal 103. for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him But some may obiect say that it is true the mercy of God is exceeding great indeed but the sinnes that I haue committed against God haue not beene so much sinnes of weakenesse or sinnes of infirmity as they haue beene presumptuous horrible sinnes yea multitudes of them besides all this I haue continued a long time in them tenne twenty thirty or more yeares together and therefore I may well doubt whether the Lord hath any mercy for me Esay 1.18 Marke therefore what the Lord himselfe sayth vnto such Come let vs reason together sayth the Lord though your sinnes were as Crimson they shal be made as white as Snow and though they be as Scarlet they shall be as wooll So that no man can say without iniury against his owne soule and giuing the lye vnto the glorious maiesty of God My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen True it is that the Scripture makes mention of an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen eyther in this world Mat. 12.31 or in the world to come The blasphemy against the spirit but that is not in respect of the sinne it selfe that it should exceed the mercies of God or for that God is not able to forgiue it but because they cannot relent and repent that commit it they are so farre gone that they can neuer Returne backe again for as no sinne is so small but is able to plunge vs down to the bottome of hell if wee liue in it without repentance so no sinne is so great and grieuous but vpon repentance there is pardon and mercy to bee found with God yet men must take heed that they abuse not Gods goodnesse and mercy as an occasion of liberty to turne his grace into wantonnesse saying as the manner of some is Oh God is mercifull hee is gracious to great and grieuous sinners and so conclude thereupon that they may liue as they list and so deferre their repentance and Returne vnto God till the last gaspe but the holy Apostle will teach vs an other vse of Gods mercy then so when he sayth Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience Rom. 2.4 and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance So that do wee heare of the patience of God the mercy of God and the long suffering of God Oh what may it teach vs all but this lesson especially to make haste and to deferre no time to returne vnto him for what is God so mercifull and so patient that hee hath spared thee so long and giuen thee so large a time of repentance Oh then how iust and how great shall thy condemnation bee if thou reiect it and make no other vse of it then to boulster thee in thy sinnes but of this before Last of all hete is matter of consolation to all the children of God that are deiected and cast downe with the sense and feeling of their sinnes their soules being heauy and their consciences oppressed with their sin they goe drouping and hang down their heads well let them cheare vp their soules such they are that Christ calleth Math. 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light When our terrors and temptations grow thus strong vpon vs and that Sathan shall seeke to perswade vs that our sinnes are more then God can forgiue and the punishment that is due vnto vs for them is greater then can be pardoned What shall wee doe at this time but labour herein to discouer the Arch-enemy of our soules Sathan who thus as a lying spirit seekes to draw vs from this doctrine of Gods mercy to plunge our soules into the gulfe of desperation but if our sinnes bee neuer so great haue wee committed them without number haue we committed them neuer so long bee they as Crimson double dyed sinnes as infectious
their honour in a moment of time is turned into dishonour their glory into shame and confusion Haman one day the happiest man in a Kingdome next to the King the next day the most wtetched Hest 5.12 7.9 one day honoured the next day hanged Yea it is the condition of the godly themselues as wee may see in Dauid Who greater in Sauls Court then Dauid made the Sonne in Law of the King and Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by disgraced degraded and in perill of his life But it is not so with God for whome hee loueth once he loueth euer He doth not change hee cannot lie his gifts are without repentance Oh then let vs seeke for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and when wee haue it make much of it for the estate of that man is happy and blessed hee is at peace with heauen and earth with men and Angels with himselfe and all others with life and with death and hath this comfort and assurance from the almighty that nothing shall bee able to do him hurt Indeed the child of God hath no promise to bee freed from trials and temptations sicknesse pouerty and the like but the child of God hath this promise that these things shall neuer hurt him the Lord will sanctifie them to his children and they shall bee sure to leaue a blessing behind them This is it which the Prophet Dauid handleth at large Psa 91.1 c. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence c. Not that the godly shall bee freed from all these calamities but the meaning is they shall not hurt the godly but the Lord will euer giue them a sanctified vse of them that they shall gaine more in the Spirit then they can lose in the Flesh so that wee see what a maruellous comfort it is that wee are at peace with God that hee is our friend and that he hath no controuersie against vs for if God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs but being iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Besides that wee are at peace with the elect Angels of God with the children of God with the creatures of God and with himselfe for if a man were at peace with all the world with men and Angels and yet were at warre in himselfe that his owne sinnes did muster themselues against him hee should then see what a blessing it is to haue a cleare conscience But he is at peace with himselfe so that the godly man alone that repents of his sins is hee alone that is the blessed man Hee liues in Gods sight Fourthly and lastly seeing that he that repents Turnes vnto God is hee alone That liues in Gods sight Vse 4 that is in Gods fauour Alas then how fearefull and wretched is the estate and condition of all those that are yet in their sinnes and are out of Gods fauour Ah poore soules they haue no rest they can looke for no peace for both heauen earth and all creatures shall conspire against them And as it was sayd of Ismael his hand should bee against euery man euery mans hand against him God is become their enemy the Angels of God are armed to destroy them and their owne consciences conuince and condemne them Heauen gates are shut against them Hel opens her mouth maruellous wide to swallow them there is not any thing in the whole world that can truly and properly bee called a wicked mans but hell and damnation and this one day shall sure bee his portion Marke then the difference betweene the child of God and the wicked the condition of the godly is many times in shew miserable to the outward appearance 2. Cor. 6.9 but yet in it selfe most blessed and happy They are as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold they liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioysing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of the wicked is in shew many times blessed and happy whereas indeede and in trueth it is in it selfe most desperate most wretched and miserable for if those that Repent and Turne vnto God Liue in Gods sight in his fauor then those that are yet in their sins are vnder Gods wrath heauy displeasure Wee shall liue in his sight or before his face that is Vel conspectu illius wee shall endeuour to leade holy liues and godlie conuersations euen as wee liued and stood before the eyes of the Lord himselfe denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liuing soberly iustly and godly in this present world Doct. This Phrase that wee must liue as in the presence of God shewes how wee must behaue ourselues in this world Godly liue as in Gods sight Gen. 5.12 Gen. 22.1 namely that in all we doe we must consider that wee bee euer in the blessed presence of God So it is sayd that Enoch walked with God that is in his whole life behaued himselfe as in the presence of God So Gen. 22.1 I am God all-sufficient walke before mee and bee thou perfect And surely it is a worthy fruite of true Repentance and a sound note of a man regenerate Gen. 39. when as in all his waies hee walkes and liues as in the sight of God So did Dauid I haue set God at my right hand that I might not fall It is a true note of him that repents truely when hee doth walke as before the face of God and is afraide to sinne because he would not offend his God in whose presence hee stands Phil. 3.20 Our Conuersation sayth the Apostle is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Dauid makes this question Psal 15.1 Lord who shall rest in thy mountaine that is in heauen not as Pilgrimes for a time but as heyres for euer Ver. 2. And God maketh this answere Hee that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse that is hee that liueth holily heere as in Gods presence he shall liue for euer hee that loueth the face of God in his Church shall one day see the face of God in his Kingdome hee that professeth the Gospell and is carefull of his wayes not walking with a leg and a stumpe as they doe who seeme religious and liue ill appearing righteous and yet prophane Hee shall stand before the Lord for euer And indeede Ps 24.3.4 though wee haue our beeing heere in this vayle of misery yet our conuersation must bee in heauen We are but Exiles heere in this world our Country is heauen We are Pilgrimes and Strangers heere our home is heauen therefore we must liue according to the lawes of our Country euen as if wee were in
of God wrought in the hearts of his children alone as being powred into the breast of any man or woman it will purge from sinne and dead works it will quicken our dead benummed soules it will worke the mortification of the flesh and enable vs dayly more and more to obey the will of God in holinesse and righteousnesse and lastly that this Knowledge is durable and permanent not onely for this life but also for the life to come Oh let vs then euery one of vs in the feare of God try examine our selues whether wee haue in vs the knowledge of God yea or nay If wee find the same to be in vs by the notes and properties of it as abouesaid wee bee then blessed and happy wee bee in the right way to eternall life nay this blessed Knowledge will put vs into reall possession of eternal life and the saluation of our poore soules But diddest thou neuer find this blessed knowledge as yet in thy heart but in stead therof thy mind full of ignorance Thy will froward and rebellious thy affections louing and delighting in sinne and vncleannesse Alas thou art then in a most cursed and miserable estate thou abidest in death in danger of eternall damnation And yet if wee trie our selues it will appeare that most men and women haue not this sauing Knowledge in them but liue in a most palpable ignorance notwithstanding these clear sun-shine dayes of the Gospell Vse 3 Againe is this knowledge such an excellent gift grace of God that it puts men into a reall possession of eternall life Oh how should men therefore labour and study for this knowledge all the dayes of our life If a man haue all the knowledge in the world and yet want this knowledge namely that hee hath not this knowledge to know God the Father to be his Father God the Son to bee his Redremer and the Spirit of God to bee his Sanctifier all other knowledge is but carnall and shall not profite him to saluation Wee see men can bee content to take great paines to study for worldly knowledge the knowledge of the tongus of Arts and Sciences the knowledge of Philosophy of Trades and Occupations and that to maintaine a temporall life And shall wee which bee Christians take no paines to study the word and to heare it preached and taught vnto vs thereby to attaine to this blessed knowledge which shall last for euer and euer and neuer leaue vs till it bring vs to eternall life And yet alas wee see that most men and women are so bewitched with the loue of the world and earthly things which are but momentany and last but for a time that they eyther contemn or at least they neglect this blessed Knowledge of God and of Christ which will make them happy and blessed for euermore this they neuer seeke for nor will not put their heads out of their dores to come to heare the Word whereby they might attaine to this knowledge but let such carnall men and women know that they contemning this knowledge of Christ heere hee will likewise contemne them hereafter and say vnto them Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not Seeing this knowledge thus to know God the Father Vse 4 to bee our Father Christ his Son our Sauiour Redeemer the Spirit of God our Comforter Sanctifier is the right way to eternall life and puts our Soules in reall possession of the Kingdome of heauen then all they which want this knowledge must needs abide in death they liuing in blindnesse and ignorance of God and his Word the Deuill must needs carry them blindfold to perdition for the want of this knowledge is it that brings men to eternall confusion Alas poore miserable soules when wisdome comes and cries at our dores and yet men shall most vngratefully contemne this Knowledge and refuse instruction and trample this precious pearle vnder foot Surely these men and women bee they what they will bee they doe voluntarily strippe themselues of eternall life nay like blind Bayards they run their poore soules into the pitte of Hell before they be aware and therefore in the feare of God if wee neuer had this Knowledge of God as yet Now let vs labour for it if wee haue it then let vs labour that it may become effectuall vnto vs to purge vs to quicken vs to change vs that it bee not idle and naked Hitherro haue I shewed the nature and propertie of this knowledge Now because this knowledge is so excellent so heauenly and diuine therefore it must Doct. 3 needs haue an excellent obiect What then is the obiect or the thing that wee must know Surely this knowledge is not of Arts and Sciences It is God himselfe that is the obiect of a sanctified knowledge it is not the knowledge of tongues it is not the knowledge of Philosophy and of the nature of things all which are commendable in themselues but the thing which wee must know and which is the obiect of this heauenly and blessed knowledge it is God himselfe This is taught by our blessed Sauiour Io. 17.3 2. Cor. 13. â— This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And this knowledge is so needfull so necessary that our hearts can neuer be ridde of the occasion of feare of our reprobation till wee doe know God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost with their distinct offices Obiect Obiect But alas how can we which liue in darknes attaine to the knowledge of God who inhabiteth in that light which none can attaine vnto Answer Certaine it is that this knowledge of the true God is not attained vnto by nature Answere it is not in any man as hee is a natural man to attain to this heauenly knowledge Rom. 8.7 let naturall education bee neuer so good and men neuer so excellent in witte or vnderstanding or any other gift of nature no no flesh and bloud can neuer attaine to this heauenly knowledge of the true God But this knowledge thus to know the true God is the proper gift of Iesus Christ alone put into our hearts by the finger of his owne spirit according to that of the Prophet Esay Esay 53 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne Mat. 11.27 and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Obiect Obiect But how doth Iesus Christ the Sonne of God reueale his Father vnto vs makes him known to sinful men Ans Answere Iesus Christ reueales this Knowledge vnto vs which is eternal life by the finger of his owne blessed Spirit Paul may plant Apollo may water 1. Cor. 3.6 but God alone giues the encrease The Preaching of the Word it is the ordinary means to beget this sauing Knowledge But men can onely preach to the outward eares it is the spirit of God
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
doth import vnto vs the perseuerance that is required in all those that seeke for this Knowledge Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Act. 17.12 Wee see the Huntsman for his pleasure in his game hee can bee content to seeke in euery bush and to plod euery furrow till he find his game and then hee neuer leaues from morning till night Oh how much more should we seeke and neuer lin seeking for this heauenly and sauing Knowledge till wee find it The men of Bâ—rea are commended for seeking turning their books to confirme and to encrease this Knowledge in them So should wee not onely heare but also Search the Scriptures examine euery Chapter leafe by leafe and line by line till wee find this Knowledge It is not inough to begin to seeke bot wee must continue seeking for this Knowledge Luk. 11.62 Hee that puts his hand to the Lords Plough and looketh backe is not meet for the Kingdom of God Mat. 24.4 but hee which endures to the end shall be saued Againe 1. Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith quite you like men and bee strong This is further cleared by that speech of our Sauiour to the Church of Smyrmye Reu. 2.10 Bee thou faithfull vnto death Gal 33. and I will giue thee a Crowne of life And Paul blamed the Galathians and called them Foolish for beginning in the spirit and ending in the Flesh for not holding on as they had begun and surely the estate of such men is most fearefull it had beene better for them that they had neuer known the truth Nay it had been better for them that they had neuer beene borne 2. Pet. 2.20 as Christ speaketh of Iudas as the Apostle obserues If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the World through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein the latter end with them is worse then the beginning And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason for of all graces vertues it is onely constancy and perseuerance that shall bee crowned As no sinne condemns a man but this final impenitency or continuance in the same sinne so no grace or vertue shall bee crowned but that which continues to the end It is only continuance and perseuerance in any grace whatsoeuer that shall bee crowned with glory for If a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse Ezec. 18.24 and do the thing that is euill all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall bee remembred no more hut in the wickednesse that hee hath committed in the same hee shall die And therefore wee may safely conclude that continuance perseuerance in seeking after more knowledge euery spiritual grace is that which doth crowne all our vertues whatsoeuer If then thou hast entered into the profession of Religion Vse if thou hast begunne to shew thy selfe sound in knowledge and that thou hast tasted of the power of Gods Word Oh bee constant in that soundnesse and in that sincerity Goe on in the same grow dayly more and more towards perfection let thy works be more at last then at first And surely this exhortation is very needfull and cannot sufficiently bee vrged in this back-sliding age wherein many with Demas fall into loue with the world Reu. 2.4 and with the Church of Ephesus loose their first loue and grow secure and carelesse nay neyther hote nor cold in Religion but the Lord one day will spue such back sliders out of his mouth Alas wee are hardly brought on to make a beginning in matters of Religion for it fareth with vs as it did with Zacheus Luk. 19. when hee had a purpose to see Christ the multitude stood in his way that hee was constrayned to goe vp into a Fig-tree so fareth it with euery Christian man and woman when wee haue entertained any good purpose of heart to seeke the Lord to labour to get knowledge into our Soules and to grow and encrease in the same Oh how many lets and stumbling blocks will Sathan now beginne to lay in our way inward and outward and all to keepe vs from enioying of Christ But when a man shall ouer stride them all and giue vp his name to Christ and then fall away this were a most wofull estate and condition Note they are no better then dogges and swine and it had beene better for such that they had neuer knowne the truth then after they haue knowne it to fall away for how doth this man or woman cause the Lord by degrees a little little to take away from them his Spirit that whereas in times past they had a loue to the truth were carefull to heare and to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath hee might now vpon their contempt of grace giue them ouer as prisoners to Sathan who shal so manicle their hands feet yea heart and all that by degrees they shall grow to hate and contemn both grace itselfe the meanes to obtaine the same Thirdly wee must not onely vse paines and perseuer in seeking for this knowledge Doct. but wee must also take delight in the same A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Wee see those that follow their sport take great delight in it this pleasure of theirs swallowes vp all their pain and makes it seem nothing vnto them So should wee in seeking for this blessed knowledge find our hearts rauished with a loue and a liking and a godly pleasure in the same You shal see that this hath beene the affection of the children of God in all ages Thus did Iob I esteemed thy word more then my appointed food Iob. 23.12 And this affection was in the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth Lord what loue haue I vnto thy Law Psal 119. all the day long is my study in them And in the description of a godly man the Prophet Dauid obserues this to bee one property in him Psa 1.2 Hee meditates in the Law of God day and night which shew vnto vs that hee takes delight in it for otherwise hee would neuer by night especially meditate vpon the same And Ieremie after hee had found the Word of God Ier. 15.16 hee did eate it and it was sweet vnto him nay it was his ioy and the reioycing of his Soule Psal 16.10 And the Prophet Dauid speaking in another place of this knowledge sayth That it is more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honey and the honey combe And that which the Apostle setteth down concerning Almes Mat. 22.37 Rom 12.8 Deu. 6.5 2. Cor. 9.7 Ezec. 3.3 As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity but willingly for God loueth a chearefull giuer may truly bee vnderstood of euery Christian duety When wee pray wee must pray vnto God chearefully when wee are to heare
in the Lords Orchard hee prunes vs hee dresseth vs he watereth vs by the conntinuall preaching of the Gospell therefore let vs not bee as dead stocks and barren trees for such are good for nothing but for the fire Wee are carefull to see our children to bee nourished to grow to bee men wee are careful and ioyfull to see our cattell thriue to see our corne grow And shall we haue no care for our owne poore soules shall they bee of lesse esteem with vs then our very beasts shall wee vse no meanes to haue our poore soules fed and nourished that wee grow in the Knowledge of God it is the farewell Peter makes to the Iewes to whom he wrote exhorting them to Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ We see that men do try themselues whether they grow in wealth they will cast vp their bookes take account to see how they haue gained at the yeares end Oh let this bee our practise I beseech you to try our knowledge whethet wee grow in knowledge whether wee haue more knowledge this yeare then we had the last If wee haue not alas wee are vprofitable Schollers in the Schoole of Christ Now what a shame is this that after long teaching and preaching there should bee no profiting no more knowledge in men and women now then three foure or ten years agoe but that they should remaine as blinde and as ignorant as many yeares agoe Oh it is a dangerous thing for if wee grow not forward then wee go backward If a man should put his child to Nurse and after two or three yeares should find his child nothing grown hee would surely bee grieued Alas if we shall after many yeares preaching grow nothing in knowledge it is a manifest signe that wee are indeed but staruelings and therefore let vs euery one in the feare of God labour to Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ And seeing the food of our soules and the meanes whereby wee must grow is the preaching of the Word Let vs hunger and thirst after it let vs seeke for it for if that be wanting it is impossible we should grow in knowledge or in any grace of God to eternal life And thus much for the third fruit or effect of true Repentance namely a hungring after more knowledge and a dayly growth and proceeding in the same It followeth His going forth is prepared as the Morning IN these words is heere layde downe the fourth fruit and effect of true repentance namely that when as sinners doe truely Turne vnto God and draw neare vnto him by true repentance then will hee draw neare vnto vs to helpe vs and to deliuer vs out of all our misery The meaning of the words His going forth is prepared as the Morning that is as though the people of God should haue said Although the Lord hath let vs lye a long time in misery so as he seemed to haue cleane forgotten vs although hee hath hidden his face from vs for a little time yet now hee is comming to succour vs for by this comming forth of the Lord is signified his helpe and comfort which he is ready to shew to his people in time of great extremity and need As the Morning The meaning is that euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable euen so the bright beams of Gods mercy breaking forth and shining vpon our hearts after a sad and solemne nay a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore Sinner Doct. From whence wee obserue this Doctrine that howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time Howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time hee forsaketh them not for euer yet hee forsaketh them not for euer the Lord putteth vnder his owne hand hee is priuy to the sighes and grones of his seruants and in his due time he wil deliuer them howsoeuer their afflictions may continue vpon them perhaps a long time together and that they haue no breathing time No not to swallow their spittle as Iob complaineth Psal 37.24 Iob. 7.19 yet Hee that keepeth Israel doth neyther slumber nor sleepe and when he hath sufficiently humbled vs He will then arise and haue mercy vpon Sion Esa 54.7.8 This the Lord expresseth by the Prophet Esay For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee In a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season bâ—t with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee Psa 34.15.18 This is acknowledged by the Prophet Dauid where he sayth The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry The Lord is neare vnto those that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as are afflicted in spirit What larger promise can bee made vnto the afflicted then this that his eares are open to their cry and that hee will saue such as are afflicted in spirite And this is it which our Sauiour himselfe often alledgeth for the comfort of his Disciples Ioh. 14.18 Mat. 18.20 Mat 28.20 Gen. 41.14 Iam. 5.11 Exod. 12.41 Psal 18.1 Dan. 6.23 Micha 7.8.10 I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come vnto you loe I am with you to the end of the world This appeareth by the histories of Ioseph of Iob of the Church in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel whom the Lord did humble for a time vnder the heauy burden of fore affliction but it was but for a time for comfort was euen then prepared and when the time of refreshing came it brake out as the rising of the Sunne and tne bright beames of the Morning after a tempestuous night which of all things is then most ioyfull and comfortable And so shall it bee with all the godly let their afflictions be what they may bee inward or outvard of body or of mind or of both the Lord may seeme for a time to haue forgotten his but hee that should come will come and will not tarry and when deliuerance is most welcome and that wee vtterly despaire of any comfort of our selues then will the Lords Mercy deliuerance breake foorth as the Morning And to this purpose are the words of Salomon where hee sayth The hope that is deferred Pro. 13.12 is the fainting of the heart But when the desire commeth it is a tree of life All these Testimonies are so many witnesses of this truth that howsoeuer Gods children goe drouping for a time through the sense and feeling of their sins and cannot any way or by any meanes receiue any comfort or howsoeuer outwardly they may bee afflicted yet God hath determined their deliuerance His comming foorth to comfort and deliuer them is prepared as the morning c. Now this deliuerance which the Lord
hath promised to his children to comfort their wounded consciences Gods deliuerance compared to the morning in three respects and those that are in misery hee compares it to the rising of the Sunne and the bright and comfortable beames of the morning for these three causes First because that though the Lord doe seeme to forget his people for a time and deferre his helpe yet in his good time hee will come with abundance of comfort and cause the bright beams of his fauour and the cleare Sunne-shine of his mercy A Similie to shine into our distressed soules If a man were in a waste wildernesse in a darke and solemne night and see neyther Sunne Moone nor Starre but heare the fearefull and terrible roaring and velling of wilde beasts Oh how glad would this man be after a dangerous tempestuous stormy and solemne night to see the face of the Sunne and the comfortable dawning of the day Euen so what can bee more comfortable to a poore distressed Soule and a wounded conscience after many blacke and stormy nights of affliction when the conscience of a poore sinner is vpon the Racke and when a poore Soule shall see the anger of God against sinne see the torment of Hell and his owne conscience accusing him for sinne What can bee more comfortable or more longed for of such a man then to behold the bright beames of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ to see the comfortable face of God to shine vpon him and to haue a sense and feeling of his mercy Act. 27. When Paul and his company had not seene the Sunne nor Moone for a long season at length they were glad to see the light appeare Euen so when a poore soule hath beene plunged euen to the bottome of the sea of desperation and sees no one glaunce or glimmering of Gods mercy but rather hath a long time wrestled against the waues of desperation then to see but one sparke or glimmering of Gods mercy it is that which makes the hearts of Gods children to leape for ioy Secondly it pleaseth the Lord to compare his helpe to the rising of the Sunne because as nothing can hinder that from rising but it keepeth continually that course which God hath set it Euen so the Lord he hath prepared the helpe of his people and the Deuill nay all the Deuils in Hell cannot hinder him no more then wee can by all our skill and might hinder the rising of the Sunne And surely this is greatly for the comfort of Gods children that when the Lord is once Prepared and comming to helpe them no Creature in heauen or earth can stay or stop him Thirdly as the morning doth not diffuse and spread his light ouer the earth all at once but by degrees by little and little as the Sunne growes higher and higher Euen so the Lord for the most part makes his loue and his mercy known vnto men not all at once but by degrees by little and little as it seemes best to his Maiesty and for the comfort of his children Seeing the Lord is Prepared to helpe vs and that with abundance of comfort and so as no Creature no not the gates of Hell cannot hinder him but he will make his loue knowne vnto vs Wee must all learne to possesse our soules with patience to awayte the Lords leasure for our deliuerance not to prescribe vnto him the manner or the time when wee would be deliuered It is sufficient for vs to know that comfort is prepared Wee are ready in our troubles when we find not present helpe at hand to suppose the Lord to bee farre off and so grow impatient of delay cannot abide to wayte the Lords leysure so soon as Gods hand is layde vpon vs wee looke to haue it taken off and so soone as wee feele the heat of affliction we look that God should quench it This made the Prophet Dauid in the heat of his affliction to cry out Psal 10.1 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in affliction And in another place hee sayth Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Thus the children of God haue wonderfully beene assaulted and the flesh somtime wrestling against the Spirit preuaileth and for a time getteth the vpper hand But seeing our doctrine hath taught vs as wee haue heard that howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in the middest of all their afflictions and tryals mercy and deliuerance is prepared for them Let vs learne heere how great so euer our conflicts bee not to despayre of Gods mercy but to Tarry the Lords leysure for it will surely and certainly come euen as the Sun is sure to rise though it bee set for a time or hidden by a thicke cloud yet it will breake out and appeare most comfortably Vse 2 Seeing the Lords comming vnto the godly is prepared and therefore most certaine to come So the same shall come as the Sunne in the morning most comfortable Wee are taught heere that our deliuerance from God shall bee sure to come when wee can most of all prize it and when the same shall bee most welcome vnto vs. A Marchant takes his voyage into a farre Country A Similie and makes his reckoning within so many monethes to returne his louing wife at home about that time appointed with gladsome heart looketh dayly for his returne but by distresse of weather or some other accident she heares not of him or if shee doe the newes is most vncomfortable thus shee hath her heart possessed with sorrow hauing more cause of feare then hope At last when stee thinketh least her dearest husband returneth safe with great store of wealth who is able to expresse her ioy and is not her ioy the greater and her husband so much the more welcome for that he stayed so long Yes doubtlesse So it fareth with our God his delaying of comfort and deliuerance makes vs to prize the same the better when it doth come When wee haue layne a long time vnder the heat of Gods wrath and suffered a sore night of affliction when our sinnes haue mustered themselues before vs and gone ouer our heads as afore burthen too heauie for vs to beare and when wee shall seeme altogether lost in our selues then to be found of the Lord is most sweete and comfortable Oh it is the case of many of Gods deare children that haue vndergone a sore night of affliction and sorrow for sinne A principall comfort for the afflicted soule and haue been ready to say I am cast out of thy fauour yet hath the Lord at last answered their long expectation with a ioyful Morning of Sunne-shine of his mercy and fauour the bones that seemed to be broken haue reioyced Oh then let vs stay our soules vpon this that howsoeuer No chasticement for the present seemeth to be
this people were and their maruellous obstinacy and rebellion in that though Almighty God did vse all meanes to humble them and reclaime them yet they could by no meanes bee brought to goodnes to bee humbled but notwithstanding all the gracious meanes God vsed they continued rebellious and stubborne still And this appeares by the Lords complaint in vpbraiding them with sinne still q. d. I perceyue thou wilt bee stout against mee thou wilt not yeeld thou wilt be brought to no good passe thou art exceeding obstinate and rebellious and thus doth the Lord complaine of them in another place Wherefore should I smite them any more And againe Esay 1.5 Thou O Lord hast striken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them Ier. 5.3 but they haue refused to receiue correstion for they haue made their faces harder then a stone and wil not returne Amos. 4.6 And againe by the Prophet Amos hee complaineth thus I haue giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your Cities and scarsenes of bread in all your places yet haue yee not returned vnto mee sayth the Lord. If wee looke vpon examples Gen 4.6 wee shall finde diuers in the Word of God that proue the same as that of Cain albeit the Lord did forewarn him of that wrath hee had conceiued against his brother Abel that hee would neuer be at rest till hee had killed him And this is clearely seen in the old World when the Lord saw the wickednesse of man to waxe great vpon the earth Gen. 6.3 hee stirred vp Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse to warne them of iudgement to come yet they continued still in their sinnes The like may bee sayd of Sodom and Gomorah of Pharaoh Iudas and the like So that it appeareth to bee an euident truth that wicked men continue stil in sinne notwithstanding all the means that God doth vse to the contrary Pro. 27.22 according to that of Salomon If thou bray a foole in a morter yet will not his foolishnes depart from him And this thing so comes to passe in them because God in his iust iudgement hath giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense Reason according to that of the Apostle Paul God gaue them ouer vnto vile affections Rom. 1.26 to worke filthinesse against nature c. And as it was sayde of the sonnes of Ely 1. Sam. 2.24 They would not heare their Fathers voyce because the Lord would destroy them Vse 1 Seeing wicked and vngodly men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all gracious means to the contrary This may be a terror to all wicked and vngodly wretches to consider that as their hearts are hardned and their consciences seared so great shall bee their iudgement and by this means they doe but increase their punishment Rom. 2.4.5.6 and hoard it vp as a treasure against the day of Gods wrath Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance but thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath In which words wee may see the wofull and miserable estate and condition of all those that runne from euill to worse that their damnation all this while sleepeth not but when the measure of their iniquity is once full the Lord will bee sure to bring his iudgements vpon them Againe to apply this doctrine somwhat more neerly Vse 2 vnto our selues was this the desperate estate of this people and damnable rebellion against all the gracious meanes God vsed Alas if we compare our estate with theirs wee shall find our case to bee farre worse for the Lord hath vsed more means to humble vs then them but yet we are hard hearted stil we are not humbled wee haue not melting hearts how did the Lord smite the creatures this last winter by frost and snow that many thousands of them perished in euery place and corner of this land besides for this summer which is the pleasantest time in the yeare hath not euen now the creature mourned vnto vs to teach vs to mourne What fearefull and lamensable fires haue hapned within these few yeares in most peaces of this land and yet good Lord how few are the number of those that lay these iudgements of God to heart Well let vs take heed that if these humble vs not least the Lord send such iudgements and plagues amongst vs that the very Sorcerers of Egypt if they were amongst vs would acknowledge it to bee the finger of God When that Moses smote the Rocke it gushed out with water the Lord hath often smitten our hard and flinty and rocky hearts with the rodde of his iudgements and stil smites but all in vaine for we are stubborne and rebellious still So that wee may iustly feare that as he cast off this people slew them consumed them and destroyed them euen so will hee deale with vs in his anger and that because wee haue not profited by his iudgements nor yet no meanes that hee hath vsed can preuaile with vs to bring vs to repentance If we contemne so great saluation how can wee thinke to escape Doct. 3 Thirdly out of this patheticall and compassionate speech of the Lord The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee Wee may learne that it is a grieuous thing vnto the Lord and vexeth his spirit to see all the meanes hee doth vse in mercy to doe vs good and to saue vs to bee carelesly regarded and lightly esteemed or proudly and desperately contemned of vs for the Lord hath tryed all possible meanes to doe them good yet they regarded them not but lightly esteemed them and passed them ouer and therefore the Lord takes vp this pittifull complaint O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee It is all one as if he should haue sayd It grieues me right sore to see you so stubborne against mee This Doctrine is cleared in diuers places of the Holy Scriptures as that speech of Almighty God himselfe when hee sayth to the people of Israel Deu. 5.29 when they had made that solemne promise to obey Moses the seruant of the Lord in all things Oh that there were such a heart in them to feare mee to keepe my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and their children for euer Psal 81.13 This affection the Lord expresseth in another place when he sayth O that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies Yea our Sauiour himselfe doth expresse the same affection in him in the dayes of his flesh Luk. 19.41.42 And when hee came neare it hee beheld the City and wept ouer it saying Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day those things
seeing the Flocke of Christ is small and they few that beleeue be the true Church of God this reason is more against them then with them Secondly this may serue to condemn them that Vse 2 excuse their sinnes by the example of the multitude as Pride couetousnesse c. I doe but as others doe It is the fashion and I am not alone And thus poore soules they thinke they haue alleadged an argument that cannot bee answered What shall wee go to Hel for company Psal 50.18 Wee see it is dangerous to doe as most doe The gate is wide that leadeth to destruction and many goe in thereat Let vs rather suspect our selues because wee doe as the most doe and Fashion not our selues like vnto the world but ioyne with the little Flocke of Christ and if there bee but one Elias that feares God let vs ioyne with him to obey God And therefore let men know that by shrouding themselues vnder the multitude Exod. 23.2 Ier. 6.13 they are so far from excusing themselues as that the rather they accuse themselues because commonly the greatest part is the worst Vse 3 Thirdly this may comfort the Ministers of the Word of God who when they study take paines preach in season and out of season and yet see no fruit of their labour few beleeue and repent it is that which indeed doth much grieue them and discourage them as wee see in Elias but this must bee our comfort that it hath euer been so in olde time in the Prophets times in Christs time and since and wil be so to the end of the world onely let euery faithfull Minister of Iesus Christ doe his indeuour and commit the successe to God And thus much of the persons of whom the Lord complayneth the complaint it selfe followeth For your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away HEre is the third generall point in the complaint namely the cause of it The complaint it selfe which so moued the Lord to complaine of this people And it is indeed the preuenting of an obiection and cauill of this people for they might obiect and say What aileth him he hath no cause so to exclaime and complaine of vs that he cannot bring vs to repentance and to serue God why doe wee not bring our Sacrifices to his Altar doe wee not come dayly to serue God Yea we haue lamented our sinnes and humbled our selues before his face crauing pardon at his hands What would hee haue vs to do more To this cauill of theirs the Prophet answeres in laying open the cause of this complaint in these words For your goodnesse c. By goodnesse here he meanes their outward seruice and worship of God their fayned repentance they had some outward shew of holines and of repentance and seruice of God but it was voyd of sincerity and soundnesse of heart it was not in truth but from the teeth outward and therefore it was vanishing and vnconstant and of the sodaine like vnto the Dew or Morning cloud which is dispersed in a moment by the Sunne In this people here we may behold the nature and Doct. 6 property of all hypocrites they content themselues with the bare naked and outward seruice of God It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worship then the inward neuer looking for the truth of it in their hearts soules for though they offered Sacrifices and oblations came to the Temple seemed to repent yet it was onely in outward shew not sound nor sincere it neuer came from their hearts And what account such seruice of God is with God hee declares by his Prophet Esay when hee sayth Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your New Moones and your appointed Feasts They are a burden vnto mee I am a weary to beare them They would keepe the Sabbaths and frequent the solemne assemblies but it was but for custome and for fashion sake they would learne nothing at al though their bodies were there yet their hearts were not there And this sinne of theirs Almighty God layeth to their charge else where when he sayth Esay 29.13 This people come neare vnto mee with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are far from mee He blameth them not for that they came not into Gods Temple and into the Assembly of Gods people for herein they were very forward but that they brought now a lame Sacrifice vnto the Lord it was but a lippe seruice and a Will worshippe and the Lord doth esteeme no better of it then the killing of a man and the cutting off of a dogges necke or the offering vp of Swines bloud all which are abominable vnto the Lord for God is a spirit and therefore will bee worshipped Esay 66.3.4 not onely according to the outward ceremony of his worshippe but in spirit truth To whom will I haue respect vnto but to him that is poore of a contrite spirit Ier. 7.7 Pro. 15.11 and trembleth at my words And if this bee wanting all that wee can doe in the seruice and worshippe of God is but sinne vnto vs and shall adde vnto the measure of our iniquities And surely this is the onely reason as I take why men profit no more vnder the Preaching of the Word in this time of the Gospell namely this because men perswade themselues that so long as they performe the outward rites of Gods worshippe seruice as to come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and the like all is well with them they need no more In these Iewes wee may clearely see a counterpane of our people and time What is the cause why after Vse 1 so much and so long preaching men should remayne so ignorant so couetous so vile and so sinneful stil is it not because most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worship of God Why did not the meanes that conuerted those Iewes in the beginning of this Chapter conuert these of whom the Lord speaketh in this place Surely the Prophet giues a reason of it in this verse namely because these Iewes thought that they had goodnesse inough and religion inough so long as they performed the outward part of Gods worshippe and seruice and for this very cause all these meanes could doe them no good And is not this the sinne of our times and people Note doe not most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worshippe of God to come to Church to heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and thinke then they haue honoured God highly and serued him aswell as the best of them all and that God can require no more at their hands I appeale vnto your hearts and consciences whether this be not so that most doe content themselues with the very outward action of Gods worshippe neuer looking for soundnesse of heart to come in faith repentance and obedience Oh then
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
the Word of God continually to frequent Sermons to listen to the Doctrine of God to beleeue that they heare to yeeld vnto it and to lay their hearts open and naked that this Sword of Gods Spirit way wound them for sinne for though thou beest a notorious sinner a monstrous blasphemer a common drunkard a filthy whoremaster yet if thou shalt heare this Word and giue credite to it it is able to wound thy Soule and to pearce thy heart and experience teacheth that the Word of God hath done great things it hath conuerted most fearefull and monstrous sinners as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1 Act. 9. Rom. 1.16 Saul Peter Mary Magdalen Zacheus c. And therefore wayte on the meanes attend on the Word heare Sermons and thou shalt find in the end that the Word of God shall bee the power of God to saue thy Soule if thou doe not harden thy heart against it And as for those the which do despise the Word and will not goe to the dore to heare it truly such men and women doe euen wilfully cast away their owne soules and suffer themselues to bee led euen blindfold to hell but if with care and conscience thou wilt attend vnto it as Lydea did and not cast it vp againe as those that haue queasie stomackes doe wholesome Physicke surely thou shalt find great power in the Word to saue thy soule By my Prophets and the words of my mouth HEre is layde downe now the meanes and the instruments which God vsed for the effecting of his iudgements namely his seruants the Prophets The Instrument I haue cut downe by my Prophets that is I haue brought vpon you those plagues and iudgements which were threatned against you by my faithfull seruants the Prophets euen those iudgements the which they haue denounced against you in my name I haue inflicted and brought them vpon you to slay and to destroy you for your sins Seeing the Lord did effect and bring to passe Doct. 5 those iudgements the which the Prophets pronounced against his people for their sins to slay them The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall bee accomplished and to destroy them Hence wee learne that the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers it shall be accomplished Looke what iudgement they pronounce against sinne in the name of the Lord if men will not repent they shall certainely bee accomplished and come to passe howsoeuer men regard them not and will not beleeue them Indeed many times his iudgements are deferred and his punishments are prolonged because hee is a patient God would not the death of a sinner Mat. 14.35 yet hee is euer iealous of his Word that not one iot or tittle of his Word shal not passe but shall hee fulfilled This is clearely to be seene by the examples of Gods iudgements in all ages Gen. 2.17 3.7 Consider this truth in our first parents God threatned them that if they tasted the forbidden fruit they should die the death and did not God accomplish the same yea all their posterity do to this day feele the smart of the same curse When all the World were disobedient in the dayes of Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet 2.5 Gen. 6.3 God gaue them time space to repent in euen a hundred and twenty yeares and when they repented not the Lord did not fayle to bring his Iudgement vpon them A most cleare and liuely example of this wee haue in the booke of Iosuah Iosu 6.26 The man is cursed there before the Lord that should attempt the rebuilding of the City Iericho and this is the curse that should passe vpon that man namely this That hee should lay the foundation of it in his eldest sonne and in his youngest sonne shall hee set vp the gates of it This was the irreuocable curse that almighty God had threatned against the man that should attempt the building of that City Now afterwards when this threatning seemed to bee quite forgotten God is still mindfull of his Word and time is not able to weare that out 1. Reg. 16.34 for when Hiel the Bethelite did goe about to erect the same God doth bring his former iudgement to passe vpon him What shal wee say of Ahab and of Iezabel vnto whom many fearefull and terrible iudgements were denounced by Elias the Prophet of the Lord 2. Reg. 9.37 That the carkas of Iezabel shall bee as dung in the field of Israel This did God in his due time bring to passe vpon Iezabel and vpon the whole house of Ahab according to the Word of the Lord. So that we may safely conclude this point Num. 23.19 Sam. 3.19 and say with Moses that seruant of the Lord God is not as man that hee should lie or the Sonne of man that he should repent Gods iudgements threatned may seeme to vs as vnlikely as the plenty the Prophet spake of seemed to one of the Princes of Samariah Though the Lord would make Windowes in heauen could it come so to passe But what sayd the Prophet Behold 2. Reg. 7.2 19.20 thou shalt see it with thy eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trode him in the gate and hee died Thus did our Sauiour foretell the destruction of the City Ierusalem which came so to passe accordingly within the space of forty yeares after our Sauiour his Ascention Mat. 24. And is not the Word of God as true now in the mouthes of his Ministers yea whatsoeuer iudgement they shall proclaime in the name of the Lord and by vertue of the Word of God it shall certainly come to passe As they haue a long time threatned famine pestilence and the like iudgements and hath not the Lord brought these iudgements and the like most iustly vpon vs for our sins doe not wee feele the truth of it yea this Winter and Summer last when the Lord seemed to stoppe his eares at the prayers of his seruants and would not a long time be intreated And therefore let all wicked and vngodly wretches lay this Doctrine to heart that are ready to say Where is the promise of his comming and where bee those iudgements our Preachers haue so long spoke of Oh they shall know euen to their eternall shame and confusion at the last that the Lord will make good his Word bring to passe all those iudgements that haue been denounced against them And as it is true of Gods iudgements against rebellious sinners so is it true of the gracious promises of the Gospell to all them that doe truely repent Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God Rom 15.8 Ps 89.33 And againe I will not falsifie my Truth my Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes This was that worthy resolution of the Prophet long before Christ was
borne Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob Micha 7.20 and mercy to Abraham as thou hast sworne to our fathers in olde time Tit. 1.2 Psal 102.27 And as this was accomplished touching the comming of the Messias In the fulnesse of time So the same holds true concerning all other the promises of God made vnto his Church and people And the reason of all is this because God is of an vnchangeable nature Reason Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Whatsoeuer he hath sayd shall be done and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken shall bee accomplished For with him is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Vse 1 This checks those proud spirits and despisers of the Prophets of the Lord who esteeme of Gods seruants and messengers as the scumme of the world will not giue any credite to their Doctrine make iests of them and if they pronounce iudgements against sin Tush wee hope it is not so as these Preachers tell wee hope wee shall doe well enough for all their threatnings They haue denied the Lord and sayd It is not hee neyther shall the plague come vpon vs Ier. 5.12.13 neyther shall wee see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall bee as wind and the Word is not in them Like to them are many of our people amongst vs they make but a Tush of all those threatnings that Gods Ministers doe denounce against them in the name of the Lord till they come vpon them then they can acknowledge they had a fayre warning Read that place diligently in Zachariah and the Lord giue vs a right iudgement in all things Zacha. 1.4.5.6 the words are these Bee yee not as your Fathers vnto whom the former Prophets haue cryed saying Thus sayth the Lord of hostes Turne you now from your euill wayes and from your wicked works but they would not heare nor hearken vnto mee sayth the Lord Your Fathers where are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer But did not my words and my statutes which I commanded by my seruants the Prophets take holde of your Fathers and they confessed and sayd As the Lord of Hoasts hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our own wayes and according to our works so hath hee done vnto vs. See heere how the Lord sends these rebellious Iewes to former times euen to looke vpon Gods iudgements vpon their forefathers q. d. Though your Fathers bee dead yet my iudgements in punishing them ought still to be before your eyes and though the Prophets bee dead yet their Doctrine remaineth for euer Behold yee then the force of my Doctrine in punishing your Fathers and feare yee the threatnings contayned in the same and declared a fresh vnto you by my Prophets Oh may not this bee a fayre warning to vs that yet liue to admonish all those that despise the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers to take heed how they contemne Gods faithfull Ministers which esteeme their words but as wind for if they speake in the name of the Lord and haue the Word for their varrant it shall certainely bee accomplished Shall I spare such a people sayth the Lord shall I not bee auenged on them Ier. 5.14 Behold fayth the Lord to his Prophet I will make my Word as fire in thy mouth and this people shall bee as wood and it shall deuoure them Euen so shall the Lord vse his Word in the mouthes of his Ministers as the sword of his Spirit to Cut down slay and will bring to passe his iudgements proclaymed by them so as all wicked and vngodly men at the last shall confesse and say Oh I had a fayre warning I was told of this long agoe if I had beene wise to beleeue it and now I see the Word of God is true in the mouthes of his Ministers Oh what shall become now of all rebellious and hard-hearted sinners who seeme to haue Made a Couenant with Death Esay 28.15 and an agreement with the graue which go on in sinne and feare no danger but what followeth Your Couenant with Death shall bee disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand c. Their hopes shall faile them in the end God will not bee mocked they shall bee sure to pay full deare for their contempt when it shall bee too late to amend Oh let vs not then harden our hearts through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55.6 but Let vs seeke the Lord while he may bee found and call vpon him while hee is neare Secondly wee are taught heere not to bee dismayed when wee see the wicked to prosper and to flourish heere spreading themselues as the greene Bay-tree Vse 2 for loe God doth set them in slippery places their damnation sleepeth not Gods iudgements are gone out against them they are determined with God there wants nothing but the execution of them the which in Gods due time shall bee accomplished euen by an irreuocable decree Now what if in the meane time they rufle it out with great words and shewes and who but they Alas their estates are rather to bee pittied then enuyed because Gods Word is against them their sinnefull courses and by it at the last they shall bee sure to bee Cut downe Psal 2. Pharaoh and the Egyptians may take crafty counsell together against the people of God But hee that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh them to scorne And this Pharaoh which seemed for a while to bee so terrible his end was most fearefull And what if Ahab and Iezabel plotte together and abuse their authority for the winding in of Naboths Vineyard into their owne posession and Naboth is slain 1. Reg. 21. Gods Word went out against him therfore by his Prophet Elias and it was not his walled Pallace that could keepe backe Gods iudgements A man that had seen Lazarus a poore begger Luk. 16.22 destitute of all helpe and comfort lying at the rich mans gate his mind possest with cares with his body full of sores whilest the rich man within was clad of the finest and fed of the daintiest a man I say that had beheld these rwo if hee had had no more then naturall reason would easily haue concluded the begger to bee miserable and the rich man to bee happy But God sees not as man sees neyther are his thoughts as mans thoughts for euen in this great misery of this poore begger hee was a happy and a blessed man notwithstanding the great pompe of the other in the middest of it all hee was but wretched and miserable Then let vs not rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience considering that All things happen alike to all Yet in the end it shall goe well with the iust And howsoeuer the wicked prosper wel in the world Psal 73.17 yet they are set but in slippery places Gods threatnings in Gods due time shal be inflicted vpon them
of their sinning Like Men. That is The manner when I meant to make my Couenant with them and promised that I would bee your God and to this end gaue you my lawes to traine you vp in obedience you most vnthankfully and rebelliously haue cast off the yoake of obedience haue broken my Couenant would not stand to your promise So that the Lord doth lay this to their charge that they were most vnconstant and light yea most vnfaithfull I meant in good earnest to do as I said but alas you for your part soon went away out of the way and forgot your Couenant In their example wee may note what is the nature Doct. 2 of man namely most vnconstant in anie holy dutie Man by Nature vnconstant in any holy duty verie vnfaithfull and easilie drawne away from obedience to the law of God and easilie drawne into sin and wickednesse yea so weake and vnconstant are wee of our selues that if the Lord leaue vs but a while to our selues Oh into what foule sinne shall wee not easilie fall into This is clearely to bee seene by the example of our first Parents who Gen. 3.6 though they were created in a most excellent estate yet being left to themselues they fell away from God incontinentlie yea weake and small meanes are of force sufficient to batter our faith if God but euen a little doe withold his grace This wee may clearelie behold by the examples of Noah and of Lot that notwithstanding they had experience of Gods wrath against sinne sinners by the destruction of the old world Gen. 8. Gen. 19. and of Sodom and Gomon yet both Noah and Lot fel incontinentlie from God the one in the sinne of drunkennesse the other committed incest with his two daughters All the strength that is in the best not being supported by Gods grace it is but as smoake which is vanished away with the least blast of wind Looke on Dauid a Prophet of the Lord 2. Sam 12.1 a man after Gods owne heart yet being left vnto himselfe fell into those great grieuous sinnes of Adultery and Murder yea and continued in the same a long time till the Lord sent vnto him his Prophet Nathan to awaken him This the Prophet plentifully teacheth by the examples of the Israelites Psa 78.40.41 saying How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the Desert Yea they turned and tempted God and limitted the Holy one of Israel Exo. 9.27 28 This is cleare by the example of Pharaoh who sometimes could crie out and say I haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Pray yee to the Lord for mee and I will let you goe These were goodlie words and faire promises but alas they were nothing for what followed When the Hayle was gone and the Thunder ceased and the iudgement was remoued his heart was hardned and hee continued in his sinne Who could cleare Dauids innocencie more then Saul 1. Sam. 34.17 Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good I haue rendred thee euill c. Yet did Saul afterward persecute Dauid Sometime wee are bold and couragious in a good cause as Peter was Though all men deny thee yet will not I deny thee but when the least temptation is laid vpon vs wee faint and are quickly discouraged It fares with vs as it did with Peter hee would needs walke vpon the water to go to Christ but presentlie hee beganne to sinke and so had perished had not Christ reached out his hand and staied him Euen so fareth it with vs if the Lord reach not out his hand to stay vs wee must needs sinke vnder euen the least temptation that Sathan laieth against our poore soules Hereunto commeth that Parable propounded by Christ A certaine man had two sonnes Mat. 21.28 and came to there 〈◊〉 and sayd Sonne goe and worke to day in my Vineyard but hee answered and sayd I will not yet afterwards hee repented himselfe and went Thou came hee to the second and sayd so likewise and hee answered I will sir yet went not Hee seemed forward â—â—t presentlie hee hung backe hee promised much but performed nothing at all The like may bee seene in the rich man that came to Christ and said vnto him Good master what good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life This man no doubt had a purpose to bee a Disciple of Christ he was well perswaded of Christ and his doctrine Tell me Oh tell mee saith he what course I must take to that end I may bee sâ—â—ed and that eternall life may bee my portion yet when he was tried Mat. 19.16 Hee went away sorrowfull and his good beginnings were but As the Morning Dew not durable and lasting So these places of the Apostle Paul do directlie proue the same where hee saith That many sinne againe after the receyuing acknowledgment of the truth Heb. 6. acording to the saying of the Wiseman As the 〈…〉 againe to his owne vomit so a foole turneth to his foolishnesse Pro. 26.11 So that wee see the Doctrine sufficientlie proued and confirmed vnto vs that man of himselfe is exceeding fraile mutable and vnconstant especiallie in holie and heauenlie businesses vnlesse wee bee staied and sopported by God as his people here that though they had entred Couenant and reade a solemne promise to God that they would become his people yet Likemen fraile and weake they fell away And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason Euery good and perfect gift it of God It is not of our selues or in our owne power but it is the proper gift of God as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12.18.19 Beast not thy selfe against the branches for if thou beast thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the root beareth thee Bee not high minded but feare The Apostle in this place taketh away all matter of boasting from the Gentiles reasoning from their changeable condition not being firmelie fastned and deeplie grounded as the root it selfe but mutable and changeable easilie to bee broken off as boughes from a tree So then it is God alone that is the Author of constancie and perseuerance Who worketh in vs both the will and the deed And wee of our selues without the same helpe of God are vnconstant in any holie dutie Vse 1 Seeing this is the state and condition of vs all that we are by nature very vnconstant in the performance of any holie duetie when the Lord shall but a little leaue vs to our selues Wee may from hence conclude that woful is their estate and condition that the Lord leaueth thus to themselues they shall shrinke away and melt as the waxe before the Sunne and in the end such shall become very dogs and swine for God giues many times such ouer to a reprobate sense and tabes away his spirit from them whereby they grow worse and worse
And those which once were enlightned and afterwards haue fallen away their end is most miserable according to that of the Apostle If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world 2. Pet. 2.20 c. are yet tangled againe therein and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning And this doth the Lord most iustlie bring to passe vpon manie because they contemne grace quenching the blessed motions of the spirit of God in them that whē they haue some good motions in them and godlie purposes of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord they haue not striuen with the Lord by praier for the encrease thereof but careleslie haue put out that light that began to shine in their hearts Oh let vs learne euen from their fearefull estate and condition to make much of the least seed of godlinesse sowne in our hearts and labour by all godlie meanes to worke the increase of grace in vs If wee haue tasted how gracious the Lord is Secondlie seeing this is our Nature to bee so vnconstant Vse 2 especially in Gods matters that wee are so easilie drawne to shake off the yoake of obedience and so ready to fall into sin and to breake the commandements of God This must teach vs all a lesson of humilitie not to presume too much of our owne strength for wee are like a staffe in a mans hand if he take away his hand it wil down one way or other it cannot stand of it selfe Euen so fareth it with vs al if the Lord take away his hand Mat. 26. Alas wee shall then shew that wee are but weake and fraile men It was Peters sinne that hee presumed too much of his owne strength he thought himselfe so strong that he would neuer haue denied Christ but being left to himselfe hee fell most fouly and if Christ had not layde to his hand hee had fallen euen into the gulfe of hell It is the Deuils policie to make vs ouerweene our selues and to presume of that that God wot is not in vs and all to bring vs to confusion for Sathan knoweth well that man is neuer nearer to destruction then when his heart is puffed vp with a vaine conceit of his owne worth according to that of Salomon Pro. 16.18 Pride goeth before destruction and a high mind before the fall And hence is that warning giuen by the Apostle Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least he fall God hath not hired vs to labour in his Vineyard for an houre or two neyther giueth vs liberty to depart out of his seruice when wee will but we must perseuere and hold out euen vntill the Euening of our dayes and wee must dedicate to him both soule and bodie both our life and death both the beginning and end Oh then let euery soule lay hold of this betimes and learn hence that seeing God alone is hee that must hold vs vp and support vs that wee lay hold on the sweete mercy of God in Christ Iesus and come boldly before the throne of his grace aad not rashly presume too much vpon our owne strength and worthinesse but rather rely vpon him and seeke earnestly vnto him by prayer that hee would support vs and beare vs vp in his Armes that wee run not vpon ground make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience ere wee bee aware for we are very weake and verie vnconstant of our selues easily drawne away from our obedience to our God verie apt to sin if the Lord doe but a little leaue vs to our selues Thirdly seeing wee are thus weake by nature and so easilie drawn to sin against our God and to breake Vse 5 our couenant of obedience to his Word that wee can stand no longer then he holds vs vp As this should greatly humble vs and break down our pride conceitednesse so it should stirre vs vp to earnest prayer night and day vnto our God that hee would neuer leaue vs vnto our selues that hee would not withdraw his fauourable presence from vs and to leaue vs vnto our selues for alas then we shal quickly marre all and cleane fall from God and rush headlong into all sinne and wickednesse for this is the nature of mankind wee are all lyers Truce-breakers and Couenant breakers with our God ready vpon euery occasion to fall into sinne euery man by nature is lighter then vanity most vnconstant in keeping our promises vnto God Let vs then intreat the Lord that hee would knit our hearts vnto him that wee might not starte aside Psal 119.8 Psal 51. and with Dauid pray O stablish mee with thy free spirit that I may not moue through my owne weaknesse from thee my God Euen there haue yee trespassed against mee HEre the Lord meets with these hypocrites telling them wherein they sinned namely in that they did most glory and most rely vpon Wherein they sinned their sacrifices outward worship of God wherein they did most glorie and boast themselues in as a thing most like to please God Euen in this they had fayled and transgressed and departed from Gods ordinances For he did giue and prescribe vnto them these Ceremonies and Sacrifices not as any part of Gods worship and seruice that could please him of themselues but onely as helps of their weaknesse and types and figures to lead them to Iesus Christ the true propitiatory sacrifice the onlie Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world This was the very end of all those Sacrifices that God appointed them to offer not that they could please God of themselues but that they might be the meanes to bring them to true repentance for when they should see their beast slaine and their bloud shed it might admonish them of their bloudie sinnes and that they stood in need of the bloud of Christ for the pardon of them This was the Lords Couenant but they broke this and euen in these sacrifices the which they so gloried in Euen there haue yee trespassed against mee saith the Lord euen there they failed and abused Gods ordinances and whereas they should haue beene helps to haue led them to true repentance and faith in Christ Iesus they now thought nothing lesse then of repentance and of Iesus Christ but perswaded themselues that so long as they did offer their beasts all was well and the Lord was pleased with them they had done inough to satisfie Gods anger for their sins Thus they corrupted the true and onely vse of sacrifices which were not to satisfie Gods anger for sinne but onely to bring them to repentance and to lead them to Christ Iesus Now wee come to the Doctrine Doct. 3 Hence mark a notable point of doctrine namely that that which is most excellent in the sight of Hypocrites and carnall men That which is most excellent in the sight of an hypocrite is most abhominable in the sight of God the same is most abhominable in the sight of
the Apostle confesseth in his prayer Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things Ps 2 1. Act. 4.25.26.27 Mat. 26.66 The Kings of the earth assembled and the Rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ For doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together In the daies of Ahab did not all the men of Israel euen the Elders and Gouernours thereof the Nobles and others assembled themselues together and pronounced death against innocent Nabaoth for his Vineyard sake the which hee had before denied vnto Ahab surely the Scriptures are full of examples to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Reason Now this thing so comes to passe in the wicked because as our Sauiour sayth No man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles they themselues being euill can they performe that is good Surely as Saint Iames sayth Out of one fountaine cannot come sweet water and bitter Besides this our knowledge is but in part now ignorance is the mother of error Vse 1 The Doctrine being thus cleared as a certaine truth that Councels may erre in matters of Faith and Manners this may serue in the first place to conuince the Doctrine of the Papists which teach and maintaine that their Church cannot erre nor a Councell being the representatiue Church as though the Spirit of God were at their commandement and were tyed to places and persons or being present did lead them into all truth as it did the Apostles but what did not foure hundred false Prophets aduise Ahab to that which was contrary to the Will of God I but sayth the Iesuite they were not assembled by the High Priest but onely by the King But what say yee then to that Councell that was assembled by the High Priest and haue erred most fouly In Iohn we haue mention made there of a Councell that met together Io. 9.22 Mar. 14.64 and decreed to excommunicate all that professed Christ Iesus Tell mee did not they erre And therefore it is but a vaine thing of the Papists to say and affirme that the Spirit of God is tyed to the Church of Rome and that shee cannot erre but there was neuer so famous a Church since the Apostles time but haue erred in some thing or other in Doctrine of Faith or Manners and therefore Rome hath no such a priuiledge as shee pretends to haue but hath and doth erre most fouly yea as blinde guides leading poore blind soules shall at last without Repentance fall into the pitte of destruction together Vse 2 Seeing that the wicked plot and combine themselues against the Church Wee are taught here our duety namely to bee solicitors and remembrancers vnto God in the behalfe of his Church that it would please him to bee mercifull to his Church and to bee vnto them a Tower of defence And surely now is the time that wee are to ply the Lord with prayers because wee see his enemies to increase dayly the malicious and bloudy Papists whose Religion as it is a Religion of bloud so is their practice the practise of bloud Yee shall know them by their fruites a Religion to be abhorred of euery true Christian being the Nurserie of Treasons Gun-powder Treason and the Mother of all abhominations yet wee see how the number of them increase dayly and wee cannot but for euer remember their horrible Treasons pretended against the Lord and against his Church and Gods mercy to vs in our Deliuerance Well it cannot bee that they will bee quiet long their good Maister the Deuill or his deare Child the Pope will haue some imployment for them They cannot but go whom the Deuill driues Oh let it bee our wisedome to intreat the Lord to stand still by his Church and to giue vnto all Christian Princes the Spirit of zeale and of courage to rise vp against Antichrist and his followers that so they may the better assure themselues of their owne peace both with God and themselues for sure it is the more strict a Papist the more grounded Traytor Thirdly and lastly wee may hence obserue Vse 3 the difference betweene the Elect and the Reprobate The wicked doe not onely thinke euill and deuise mischiefe but they doe most eagerly practise the same Now come to the Child of God hee hath in him indeed wicked thoughts and sinnefull desires yet so as they doe bridle them curbbe them and restraine them and not suffer them to come into action they sinne not with greedinesse as the wicked doe who are neuer well till they are eyther deuising mischiefe or working iniquity Oh then let vs take heed that wee commit not sinne with delight and greedinesse for sure it is this is a note of a gracelesse heart and no better indeed then a brand of a Reprobate VERSE 10. I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled THe Prophet now comes to the common people and doth accuse them of villany and vile Idolatry against God I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled First for the coherence of this verse with the former When as the Lord had accused the Priests before to bee wicked and exceeding bad men And now comes to the common people and layes open their sinnes to bee like vnto the Priests ful of abhominable and vile Idolatry Wee learne hence that if the Priests be naught Doct. 1 if they bee vile and filthy persons Children of Belial it is not possible the people should be as they ought to bee for Like Priest like people As the Minister is so is the people This is clearely to bee seene in this place the Priests were like to theeues and murderers and the people were monstrous blinde and abhominable Idolaters So hath it beene in all ages Pro. 29.18 The words of Salomon are most true Where vision failes there the people decay It is the Decree of God touching Priest and people Mal. 2.7 The Priests lippes shall preserue knowledge and the people shall heare the Law at his mouth Now then when this Priest is ignorant blind and vaine Alas in what wofull estate must this people needs bee in the Prophet Micha doth declare Mich. 3.11.12 saying The Priests teach for hire And the Prophets prophesie for money yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst vs no euill can come vpon vs. This was the behauiour of the Priests in those dayes their hearts were so set vpon Couetousnesse that they spake pleasant things vnto the people and layde to please them more then God But what followed they by this drew the iudgements of God not onely vpon their owne heads but also vpon the heads of the people Therefore shall Sion for your sakes bee plowed as a Field and Ierusalem
shall bee a heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the Forrest The false Prophets did not onely procure Gods wrath against themselues but the common people were punished for their sakes It is that which our Sauiour himselfe concludeth of If the blind leade the blinde they both fall into the ditch And in the Reuelation Reu. 3.14 that Church being committed to a wicked man they were guilty of the same sinnes with their Pastour And in those Epistles sent to the seuen Churches in Asia where the Pastor is commended for any vertue so are the people and when the Pastor is reproued for any vice the people also haue part in the same reproofe For such as the Pastors bee such bee the people such as the Shepheards bee such bee the Sheepe In them lyes the bad or the good estate of the Flocke For where the Minister is blinde ignorant and dumbe that neyther can nor will reach where hee is carelesse and vnconscionable liues solely and wickedly how can it chuse but the people must needes bee ignorant blinde and vnskilfull in Gods matters prophane wicked and irreligious This is proued indeed by wofull experience in the World Goe to any Towne or Parrish in the land where there liues a carelesse and vnconscionable Minister an ignorant sot a beastly liuer a miserable worldly man that seldome or neuer preacheth and when hee doth so colde and so raw as good neuer a whitte as neuer the better You shall finde generally sinne to raigne in that place the people like their Pastor blinde ignorant rude so simple and so ignorant in Gods matters that they know nothing of the Scriptures what Faith Sacrament Repentance or New birth meanes no not the meaning of one Article of their Faith or petition in the Lords prayer Seeing the state of a Congregation doth depend Vse 1 so vpon the Pastor This serueth to reproue all such Ministers as take this charge on them and yet not as Gods Ministers to preach the Word to bring good tyding of the Gospell doe seldome or neuer preach the Word of God These the Lord doth not esteeme as Ministers but Murderers not Shepheardes but Wolues they will take the dignity but doe no duty The Prophet Esay cryes out against such Pastors Io. 21. Esay 66. calling them Dumbe Dogges that cannot barke They looke to the Fleece but not to the Flocke Secondly this reproues such as leaue the sincere Milke of the Word of God and teach their own fantasies their owne dreames Toyes and Fables which doe not labour to make the people to vnderstand the sense and doctrine of the Scriptures and hence it comes to passe that though they teach and preach yet they finde little fruit few conuerted because they teach not Gods Message but their owne deuises Thirdly such as are reprooued as in bringing the Lords Messuage and deliuering it to the people seeke not the honour of God and the credite of their Master that sent them but their owne credite and honour Neyther doe they desire to preach Iesus Christ plainely in the euidence of the Spirite but in the intising Words of mans wisedome Yea whereas Saint Paul had rather speake fiue wordes in a knowne tongue to edifie 1. Cor. 14. then fiue thousand in a strange tongue Some there bee who thinke they neuer speake wel vnlesse they speake so as none can vnderstand And here also wee may note the folly of our common people who doe they esteeme and account of as a good Preacher but hee that speaketh eloquentlie in a strange tongue him whom they vnderstand least they commend most And no maruell for they learne nothing at such a Sermon therefore they admire it and commend the man least they should seeme to say nothing Vse 2 Seeing this is so Like Priest Like People Wicked Priest Wicked people carefull Pastor good Sheepe for Knowledge Faith Repentance and Obedience Then wee see that a good Gouernour Pastor and Minister is a singular blessing of God that not onely can but is willing to take all possible paines to doe good to teach in season and out of season to bee like a Cocke first to awake himselfe by reading meditation and prayer and secondly the people by his Crowing like a Candle that spendes himselfe to giue comfort to others such a one is a maruellous blessing of God when hee is bestowed vpon a people for when the Lord would shew his loue to the people hee sayth I will giue them Pastors after my owne heart Such as should watch ouer their soules to feed to instruct and to comfort them Oh how should men with thankefull hearts blesse God when they haue such set ouer them But on the contrary part it is a feareefull iudgement of God to liue vnder such as bee blinde ignorant vnconscionable prophane wicked and irreligious for how can they teach and instruct others that are ignorant themselues And how can they seeke to conuay grace to others Mat. 18. Ier. 3. â—4 that haue not tasted of the worke of grace themselues If the blinde lead the blinde they both fall into the ditch together And by the Prophet Ieremie the Lord there threatneth this as a grieuous plague to giue them naughty Ministers It seemes the Prophet had no reason to accuse the poore people and to complaine of them alas Obiect they did but as the Priests taught them they meant well Answere Neyther the euill life Answere and ignorance of the Priests nor yet their owne intent and purpose could any whit excuse them so long as they liued in sinne But wee see here that the Lord complains of them that hee saw villany in the house of Israel There is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled Hence then wee learne that neyther the wickednesse of the Priests and Gouernours nor yet the good intent and meaning of the people can please God or any way excuse themselues if men liue in sinne in impietie and prophanesse They are farre wide that thinke their ignorance will excuse them Doct. 2 Ignorance may excuse indeede à tanto but neuer à toto Ignorance may lessen faults but not change their natures Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne sinne shall still be sinne though a man doe the same neuer so ignorantly for as men are commaunded to take notice of the Princes Lawes and being found to trespasse against them their ignorance shall not excuse them so the Lord hath straightlie commaunded vs to take notice of his Lawes that so we may performe our obedience vnto him The Commandement of God to this end is very staight These words which I commaund thee this day Deu. 6.6.7.8 shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vppon thy hand
to Stockes and Stones pretending therein humility that they will not bee so bolde to come to God themselues but vse the mediation of such as are about him Yet let vs know that Abraham Isaack and Iacob Moses and the Prophets were as humble men yea more humble then any Papist can be yet their humility did no whit hinder their holy boldnesse to come into Gods presence and to sue to him for grace and fauour The second generall obseruation is the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes and the third day hee will rayse vs vp q. d. True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities wee haue tasted and felt the powerfull hand of God vpon vs there is no way to escape his iudgements but to breake off our sins by true and vnfained repentance and 〈◊〉 the Lord wil quickly remoue his iudgements 〈…〉 After two dayes c. Circumstance of time 〈…〉 we gather that the afflictions that are layd 〈…〉 children are neyther very durable for Doct. 2 〈…〉 day or two neyther altogether incurable or intollerable Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Esay 54.7.8 2. Cor. 4.17 for God will raise vs out of them all This doth the Lord himselfe make cleare vnto vs by his Prophet when hee sayth For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger hide I myselfe from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee The holy Apostle Saint Paul teacheth vs that our light afflictions which last but for a moment bring vnto vs a farre more excellent euen an eternall weight of glory Where note how the Apostle cals all our afflictions first light Mat. 11.28 for Christs yoke is easie and his burthen is light And secondly Momentany lasting but a very short time a day or twaine as the Text sayth here Hereunto commeth the saying of the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Hee indureth but a while in his anger and in his fauour is life heauinesse may indure for a night 1. Cor. 10.13 but ioy commeth in the morning Againe They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy So that the afflictions of Gods people last but from euening till morning Heb. 12.2 from sowing time till haruest and howsoeuer God maketh the wicked men his Rodde Psal 37.74 yet the Rodde of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lotte of the righteous Psal 125.3 Though the Lord appoint his children for a time to be afflicted yet it shall bee but for a time Heb. 18. Gen. 47.14 And which shall come will come and will not tarry This point of Doctrine is further cleared by the example of Ioseph the Israelites in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel and of many of the Saints and deare seruants of God Exod. 12.41 who suffered shame indured the Crosse were some of them tryed by one iudgement and affliction some by another yet the Lord awaked at last as a man out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with wine when the time of refreshing came they were deliuered So that by this that hath been sayd Dan. 6.23 we may safely conclude of the truth of this point that how 〈…〉 â—he Lord may humble his Church and people 〈◊〉 some Crosse for a time yet hee will neuer leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort but at last deliuer them out of all And the Reasons are plaine for first the Lord is Reason 1 priuy to our wants and to our weakenesse Hee knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that wee are but dust What Father but will pitty the wants of his Child and when it is ready to fall into danger wil not helpe it the Lord is more tender to his children then any earthly Father can bee towards his child Mat. 6.7.11 Now if yee which be euill know to giue your children good things how much more will your heauenly Father And therefore saith the Apostle That God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the Temptation that wee may bee made able to beare it Secondly his eares are alwayes open to the cries Reason 2 of his Children and he putteth their teares into a bottle of remembrance hee is priuy to their wants and he heares their cries I haue seene I haue surely seen sayth the Lord the troubles of my people I haue also heard their cries and I will deliuer them So long therefore as wee haue a voyce to call vpon God or a heart to sigh and grone vnto him wee need not to doubt of our deliuerance so that whether wee consider that the Lord is priuy to our wants or weaknesse and alwayes heares the prayers yea the sighes and grones of his children we need not any way to doubt but that the Lord will put an end vnto all our troubles heere The vses follow Seeing then that the Lord our God in afflicting Vse 1 vs layes no more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but in the middest of all our troubles giues a blessing and if wee seeke vnto him hee doth manifest his loue in deliuering vs. This may teach vs all a profitable lesson namely to possesse our soules with patience and to wayte the Lords leasure for if we seeke to him by true repentance and hearty prayer Hee that shall come and will come Luke 21. and will not tarry This must be our comfort that after two dayes or at the most three dayes hee will visite vs and rid vs out of our trouble and affliction if the Lord do see the same to be good for vs And let vs take heed that we fall not to murmur against God to repine and grudge at his chastisements much lesse to charge God of cruelty no he afflicts but with light affliction and such as bee but for a moment a very short time and therefore let vs runne to God patiently endure his trials kisse his rod and his hand that smiteth vs seeing hee afflicts vs for our good and seeks onely our reformation comfort and saluation Obiect But here I know it will bee obiected How can this be true that the iudgements and afflictions of Gods Church and children are so short that God doth reuiue his children after two dayes or at the third day at the most Do we not see many good Christians that are the deare children of God haue grieuous afflictions some sicknes some pouerty some imprisonment some exercised with the griefe of a wounded conscience and they pray earnestly for remedy yet the Lord doth still continue them in their misery how then doth this stand that afflictions last but a day or two or some short time An. True it is indeed that the Lord oftentimes
throweth his children into continuall miseries and afflictions Answere continuall pouerty and sicknesse all their dayes and the paine of a wounded conscience and troubled spirit till their last end yet it is for their good for by this meanes the Lord wil purge their corrupt cankered hearts to humble them throughly and to exercise their faith and patience to mortifie their carnall hearts to make them more earnest with God in praier and by their continuall afflictions to preserue and keepe them and preuent them from manifold sinnes and rebellions And yet notwithstanding God heares his children in their miseries and forsakes them not but in two dayes or at the most in three dayes that is in a very short time sends them comfort though hee take not their afflictions away yet he giues them that which is better for them Our Sauiour Christ prayed vnto his Father most earnestly with cries and teares to be freed from death Heb. 5.7 And was heard in that hee feared How was our Sauiour Christ heard in his Petition praying to be freed from death and yet hee must needes taste of the bitter cuppe of death Ans He was heard on this manner first in that hee was strengthned not onely to beare and suffer the death vpon the Crosse but to ouercome it and to vanquish it his Father sent an Angell to comfort him and afterward he was freed from the sorrowes of death And so it is with the poore members of Christ they be afflicted they liue in sorrow in pouerty in sicknesse in griefe of mind Well the Lord he giues them patience to suffer this affliction so as it is not tedious and grieuous vnto them and by his continuall afflicting of them he humbles them and purges them of their cankered corruption and stirres vp in them the feruency of prayer makes them out of loue with the world and makes them more to hunger after his mercy and to depend on his fatherly goodnes And thus though men thinke God forgets vs in our afflictions yet hee doth remember vs and giues vs that which is better for vs then if hee should altogether remoue his correction Iacob serued seuen yeers for Rahel and it seemed vnto him but a few dayes because hee loued her Gen. 29.20 And surely if we be perswaded of the loue of God that though hee afflict vs seuen times seuen yeares wee shall thinke it but a short time But the child of God oft complains that they be afflicted not onely with continuall pouerty and sicknesse but that they bee tormented with griefe of Soule and feele the heauy burthen of their sinnes and the anger of God against them for the same yet remember what befell thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee went to execution the cruell Iewes made him carry his owne Crosse on his backe so long till hee could carry it no longer hee was so faint then behold the Lord sent a good Symon of Syren to carrie his Crosse for him So art thou crossed with affliction is thy soule wounded with the griefe and smart of sinne and doest thou pant and breath vnder the heauy burthen of the Crosse remember what thy Sauiour sayth vnto thee Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and bee heauy laden Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you If thou canst runne to Iesus Christ in the middest of thy griefe and misery by true repentance and earnest prayer then he will become a blessed Simon to beare thy Crosse for thee hee will put vnder his owne shoulder hee will take thy sinnes and the anger of God and beare them on his owne backe and if wee can but fling our selues into the blessed Armes of his mercy hee will giue euerlasting rest vnto our soules And lastly whereas many of Gods children complaine Lam. 1.12 as Ieremy See if there were euer any sorrow like my sorrow And as the Prophet Dauid complaines Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Yet they must know and confesse that God doth in a short time comfort his children and that his afflictions are neyther troublesome nor tedious for though they last for the space of a mans life what is a mans life but a spanne long and a thousand yeares with God are but as a day Againe when they bee past and gone though they lasted many yeares it seemes but a short time And what is twenty yeares affliction in comparison of eternall ioy and happinesse in heauen who had not rather leade their liues in misery here then in eternall torment in Hell fire in the life to come Well seeing the afflictions of Gods children bee Vse 2 but light and moment any and last but for a few daies wee must learne that lesson which Saint Paul teacheth vs namely to reioyce in affliction knowing Rom. 5.3 that affliction bringeth foorth patience patience in suffering bringeth forth experience of Gods loue and fauour and experience hope and hope makes vs rest our selues wholly content to wayte the Lords leasure and were it not for this hope that God wil one day ease vs the hearts of Gods children would burst in sunder and his hope makes vs not ashamed seeing that such is the loue of God that he neuer failes nor forsakes his children Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles heere yet in the middest of them all wee must say with the Prophet Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast downe Oh my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therfore despayre in the time of trouble Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly he is faithfull which hath promised Affliction must bee our portion heere wee must then get faith and patience into our soules that so we may hold out vnto the end The third generall obseruation is the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits and benefites therof in these words Hee will reuiue vs hee will rayse vs vp The deliuerance it selfe and wee shall liue in his sight Eph. 2.1 which words are expounded by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Yee that were dead in trtspasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Meaning thereby that vntill such time as wee are quickned and that the Lord doth reuiue vs by the grace of Regeneration wee be no better then dead men howsoeuer we walke and talke heare and performe the actions of men yet in respect of any spirituall life or any spirituall actions alas wee are starke dead till the Lord reuiue vs this being so wee learne hence a twofold Doctrine First that by nature we are all starke dead in trespasses and sins And secondly that our Regeneration is as hardly wrought as to raise vp a dead man and to restore him againe to life Doct. 3 For the first of these wee are taught heere what we are by nature