of the faithfull as Habakuk for the x Hab. 1 2 3. Quisquis non causas mille doloris babet Iewes and in a word what man liuing hath not a thousand occasions to sowe in teares If wee take a view of Christs life wee shall find that hee often wept but wee neuer read that euer he laughed First ☜ as the ancient Writers collect out of the seuenth of Wisdome the third verse hee wept in his infancie which did signifie the griefe wee should haue for our present miserie for a * Puer quam cite nascitur à ploratu incipit propheta suâ— calamitaâ—â—is child comming into this world weeps prophecying of his owne calamitie and woe in this world Secondly Christ wept ouer y Iob. 11. Lazarus which signified our partaking one of anothers woe Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not sayth z 2. Cor. 11.29 Paul Thirdly hee wept ouer Ierusalem and that shewed vs how wee should weepe for the iniquitie of our time a Is 22 1. to 6. as the Apostle did of whom it is said that no man could bewaile his owne sinnes more then Paul did the sinnes of * Iâ—r 9.1 2 3. Nullus sic sua defleuit peccata sicut Paulus aliena ideo optat anathema esse pro fratribus suis in carne vnde accrbius tulit illos non saâ—uari quum seipsum perire Chrys others Fourthly Christ wept vpon the Crosse or at least in the garden in his bitter agonie For In the dayes of his flesh hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from b Heb. 5.6 death and this did specifie vnto vs the sorrow wee should haue for our owne transgressions seeing hee who was without sinne did sorrow so sore for our sinnes These are all motiues to mooue vs and reasons to perswade vs to sowe in teares Now let vs see how needfull and behoofefull it is for vs thus to sorrow and lament Teares are so acceptable a sacrifice to God that hee gathers them all into his bottler they quench the violence of his wrath and they force him to heare * Oratio Deum lonit sed laehryma cogit haec ungit illapungit vs. Teares are the food of our soules the reuiuing of our senses the cleansing of our sinnes the refreshment of our spirits and the font and fountaine wherein our guilt must be washed * â—letus â—st cibus animcrum corrobâ—ratio sensuum ablâ—tiâ— precatorum refectio mentium lauacrum culparum Cassio in Psal Iob. 9.30 Ps 5.1 away The Prophet Isai calls to vs Wash you make you cleane Isai 1.16 And Ieremiah crieth out Wash thy heart from wickednesse Ier. 4.14 Here is wash and bee washed but alasse how should wee wash out selues cleane Iob talketh of being washed with snow-Snow-water and Dauid desires to be washed with hysop-Hysop-water But teares are the water wherein wee must bathe our selues if we would be cleane from corruption teares are the red sea wherein Praraoh and his host our immoderate affections and the whole armie of vices must be ouer whelmed Teares are the riuer of Paradise to water the earth of our hearts Teares are the poole of Siloam where the eyes of our soules must be washed In a word if wee truely wash our selues in a flood of teares we shall bee throughly purged from our sinnes and fully cleansed from our filth Marie Magdalen did not so much wash with teares our Sauiours spotlesse feet as shee did her owne leaprous soule her teares made her crimson sinnes white as snow and her scarlet soule white as wooll Thus wee see how necessarie and expedient it is for vs all to sow in teares Now as for the commoditie and profit wee shall reape after this sorrow Wee shall reape in ioy wee shall haue remission of our sinnes and true consolation and all out ward content and in ward peace And for our better assurance amougst many presidents let vs cull out one In the Parable of the prodigall Child wee see how that vnthrift when hee riotously spent and wasted his portion hee was brought from beeing a gallant to become a swineheard and from filling his belly with dainties to feede vpon huskes and so being almost famished hee resolued to returne to his father and acknowledging his offence to craue pardon and to beg his fauour to entertayne him for one of his hyred seruants But marke the loue and compassion of a louing father he sees him a-farre off falls vpon his neck and kisses him not with a naturall kisse as Raguel did his daughter nor with a treacherous kiffe as Iudas did our Sauiour nor with a holy kisse onely as the Saints saluted one another but with a true loue kisse as Iacob did Ioseph then he cals out his seruants not to murther him as Absalom charged his men to kill Ammon but to embrace and welcome him next he commands him to bee apparelled vestitu Regio with robes Royall as Ahashuerosh commanded Mordecai to bee arrayed Fourthly hee puts a Ring vpon his hand as Pharaoh did his Signet vpon Iosephs finger Fiftly hee must bee feasted as Abraham enterteyned the Angels vitulo optimo saginato with the best and fattest Calfe And lastly hee must be welcommed with melodie and musicke that hee might forget his former griefe We are all prodigal children we haue abused and misse-spent and wasted our goods but if once with vnfayned teares wee turne home to our louing Father hee will fall vpon our necke and kisse vs more tenderly then euer Dauid did Absalom He will charge his Angels to wait and attend vpou f Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 12. Heb. 1.14 vs Hee will apparell vs with broidered worke and shooe vs with Badgers g Ezek. 16. skinnes Hee will gird vs about with sine h Reuâ—l 19.8 linnen and couer vs with silke He will decke vs with ornaments put bracelets vpon our hands and a chayne on our necke Yea he will clothe vs with the golden robes of Christ Iesus and of his Spirit He will kill i Prou. 9.2 victuals prepare a table for vs and satisfie vs vvith the fatnesse of his k Psal 36.8 House Hee vvill feast our soules vvith that blessed Lambe slaine from the beginning vvhose Flesh is meat indeed and vvhose Blood is drinke indeed Lastly he vvill receiue vs into his l Maâ—th 25â— ioy and entertayne vs vvith mirth and melodie For there is great ioy in heauen in the presence of the Angels of God for euery sinner that m Luke 15.7.10 conuerteth Who vvould not grieue thus to be comforted Who would not sorrow thus to be ioyed and who would not sow in teares thus to reape in ioy Now therefore if we either regard our owne wofull condition or our heauenly fathers tender compassion or our sweet Sauiours deare commiseration or this so great remuneration of our griese and
scorne and derision vnto all that were about them And the Heathen said Where is now their c Psal 79.4 and 10. God But now perceiuing how powerfull the Lord was in deliuering them and how mindfull hee was of them they are forced to confesse that the Lord had done great things for them Here wee may see what is the nature and condition of this wretched world it * Hoc sanè mundi est ingenium vt ijs malediâ—at auersetur quibus videt Dâ—um extâ—rnè maledicere contra ei benedicat cui externè à Domino videt benedici Cùm sueris faelix multos numerabis amicos tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Nihil ergo mirum quod Iob â—b amiâ—is reuâ—faâ—ur afflictione liberatus qui in afflictione ab omnibus suit destitutus Mercâ—in Iob 42. blesseth honoureth and reuerenceth all such as they see the Lord to blesse with worldly honours and preferment and on the other part they curse hate and abhorre all such whom it pleaseth the Lord any wayes to afflict outwardly yea one and the selfesame man shall bee regarded and reproched by the world as his case and estate doth change and alter in the world as you haue heard Iob for an example who first in the time of his prosperitie hee was honoured of all all bowed the knee to him but in his miserie and aduersitie they all fled from him forsooke him yea and laught him to scorne yet when the Lord restered him to his former health and blessed his estate his friends kinred and acquaintance did all flocke to him and feasted with him yea of their owne accord they brought presents to him and comforted him when they saw what great things the Lord had done for him Let this bridle the disdainfull ambition of all such as dare reproch any of Gods seruants in time of their crosse and calamitie as if for their transcending sinnes the Lord had forsaken them like Iobes friends who from the greatnesse of Iobes torments did conclude that hee had beene vnthankefull vnmercifull vncharitable his wickednesse great and his iniquities f Iob 22.5 6 7 8. innumerable or with churlish Nabal because Dauid was in need and want held him as a ruâ—agate g 1. Sam. and a runaway And the neighbouring nations about Ierusalem because of her infinite afflictions thinke the Iewes to bee abiects and cast awayes and so reioyce at their fall and helpe forward their afflictions Let vs not thus peruersely iudge of the Saints of God Let vs not thus adde affliction to the afflicted For Nabal shall sinart for his churlishnesse to Dauid Eliphaz and his companions shall bee sharpely reproued for their vncharitable iudgement of Iob. And the Heathen shall suffer for the vnaduised and wrongfull censure of Gods people For the Lord will purchase vnto his seruants praise and fame throughout all the land of their h Isa 60.14 62.12 Zâ—ph 3.18 19 20. shame which shal make their enemies confesse that the Lord hath done great things for them The second obseruation that offereth it selfe to be considered in these words is that God doth not onely deliuer his Church and Children The godlies deliuerance is often so miraculous that is affrights and astonishes the wicked but hee doth so deliuer them that the wicked stand amazed and astonished thereat When the King of Iericho heard how the Lord had dried vp the waters of the red Sea before the Israelites and what a glorious victorie hee had giuen them of the two Kings of the Ammorites hee and all the inhabitants of the land were sore amazed they were greatly affrighted their heart fainted and their courage was i Iob 2.9 10. abated Proud Nebuchadonosor at the miraculous deliuerance of the three Children out of the fiery furnace was so much astonished there at that hee was constrained to acknowledge and confesse the mightie signes and great k Dan. 3. wonders of God And when Paul and Sylas being cast into prison and hauing their feet made fast in the stockes so that in the Iaylors opinion they were sure enough at midnight the foundation of the prison was shaken the doores opened and euery mans bonds loosed the Iaylor awakened and would haue killed himselfe being so suddenly affrighted and amazed at the sight of those great things which the Lord had done for l Acts 16. them Thus the Lord will deliuer his owne children First to manifest his power and glorie that the Gentiles may know that hee is the God of saluation To this end hee would haue Gideon to encounter with the Amalekites and Madianites with no more then three hundred men that his power might be the better knowne in so m Iudg. 7. great a victorie And so by his wonderfull plagues inflicted vpon the Egyptians and by the miraculous bringing of his people out of Egypt hee did vindicate to himselfe glorie and worship for the Scripture sayth vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I exalted thee that I might shew my power on thee and that my name might bee declared through all the n Rom. 9.17 earth To make the Heathen confesse that the Lord hath done great things for Israel Againe to let the wicked see that there is nothing can hinder or let the libertie and deliuerance of the godly when God once purposeth to redeeme and saue them The Sea shall diuide it selfe Iordan shall start backe that they may passe safely a Pillar of fire shall giue them light by night and a cloud shall ouer-shadow them by day the Heauens shall raine downe meate and the drie Rocks shall powre out drinke vnto them no power no might and no policie in man can detayne them for hee maketh warres to cease in all the earth hee breaketh the Bowe and knappeth the Speare in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the o Psal 45.9 fire Hee breaketh the gates of brasse and bursteth the yron p Is 45. doores hee vnlooseth the capriues bonds hee deliuereth the prisoners out of the q Psal 68.6 stocks and brings them out of the Pit wherein there is no r Zacb. 9.11 water that the Heathen may confesse that the Lord doth great things for them O how should this encourage vs whensoeuer wee are molested and oppressed of the wicked though they with Zanecherib thinke that God is not able to deliuer Ezekiah out of his hands and with Nebuchadnezzar doe confidently beleeue that it is impossible that God should preserue Ananiah Mishael and Azariah from so cruell a death and with Pharao blasphemously say who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel goe yet need we not to feare nor bee discouraged but euery one of vs with Dauid ought to say in God is my trust and I feare not what man can doe vnto f Psal 27.1 mee It was the saying of Euripides when the Athenians sought against the Thebans Iupiter is my helper and I doe not feare Now
Persians Thirdly That nothing in this life is stable and permanent vnlesse the Lord doe preserue and confirme it and from these and such like wee may gather good obseruations for our selues touching our redemption through Christ First That as God appointed his people deliuerance before euer they went into captiuitie so before the fall of man nay before euer man was created God had determined his Sonne should be the Redeemer of Man yea as the Apostle saith before the foundations of the world Againe As they were the first yeare of Cyrus reigne set at libertie and after restrayned by Cambyses his sonne Spiritualis nostra liberatio nunc quidems inchoatur in hac vita sed in resurrectione erit integra consummata Fabr. Haec libertas 〈◊〉 sed non quantum ad nos attinet perfecta quapropter iugiter orandum conuerte c. Pomer in loc Haec liberatio quoad nos imperfecta dum sumus in mortali carne sumus adbuc in Babylone Scult in locum so although by our Sauiour we be redeemed from the tyrannie of Sinne and Satan yet still are we molested by the temptations of the one and polluted with the dregs of the other True it is the price of our redemption is paid and the hand-writing is cancelled but the full consummation of our redemption shall be in the end of the world For as the Apostle saith wee haue receiued the earnest of our Inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased libertie vnto the prayse of Gods l Eph. 1.14 glorie Lastly As they could not maintayne their owne libertie without Gods assistance no more can we being deliuered from any grieuous sinne continue from falling thereinto againe or into the like without the assistance of Gods Spirit For when wee thinke m 1. Cor. 10. our selues to stand fastest we are in danger to fall soonest Thus wee see that in all these respects the Iewes had and we still haue reason to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie In this prayer I pray you obserue the Matter O Lord bring againe our captiuitie and the Manner as the Riuers in the South In the Matter first wee may note the Psalmists pietie in that he hath recourse to God onely in this time of captiuitie by feruent prayer and then his pittie in that he prayes not for himselfe alone but hauing a fellow-feeling of the Iewes sorrow hee prayeth compassionately for all saying O Lord bring againe OVR captiuitie If I would largely speake of Prayer I might shew you how first there is no time limited and then no place exempted from Prayer I meane from a mans priuate sacrifice and not the publike seruice For that the Temple was the House of n Isai 36.7 Matth. 21.13 Prayer and the ninth houre was the o Act 3.1 houre of prayer but for the other first there is no time limited For the Apostle wills vs to pray p 1. Thâ—s 5.17 continually If in the morning learne of our q Mark 1.35 Sauiour if in the euening of r Gen. 24.63 Isaak if at mid-night of Paul and Å¿ Act. 16.25 Sylas if all the night of t San. 15.11 Samuell learne I say at all times to pray For so our Sauiour bids vs Watch and pray u Luke 21.36 alwayes Againe no place exempted I will saith the Apostle that men pray euery where lifting vp pure x 1. Tim. 2.8 hands If thou bee in thy house learne of y Act. 10.30 Cornelius if in the field of z Gen. 24. Isaak if in the Temple of a 1. King 8.22 Salomon if on the Mount of b Exod. 14. Moses if in the Garden of our c Iob. 18. Sauiour it in thy Chamber of d Dan. 6. Daniel if in thy bed of e Is 38. Ezekiah if on thy Couch of f Psal 6. Dauid Learne I say to pray These and the like generall obseruations I might touch in Prayer but I purpose not to discourse of Prayer common-place-wise and therefore let vs haue recourse vnto the words O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The first thing that offereth it selfe to be considered is the Psalmists Pietie who in this their captiuitie earnestly doth pray vnto the Lord for their deliuerance From whence we leâ—rne that in all our troubles and afflictions we ought to flee to God onely by seruant prayer First I say Oâ— quod 〈…〉 Gâ—â—g in our afflictions because the mouth which is stopt in time of prosperitie is open in time of aduersitie witnesse the Israelites who in their prosperitie and ease forgate God and did not so much as inuocate his Name but when through aduersitie their soule sainted in them then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse Agâ—â—ne I say in trouble we must flee to God For so he hâ—th commanded Thou shalt call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer g Psal 50. thee And the Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was vpon h Is 26.16 them Further we ought to call vpon God alone for hee onely can heare our crie and cure our sore that is he onely can heare vs. In my trouble I called vpon the Lord and complayned vnto my God and hee heard my voyce out of his holy Temple and my complaint entred into his i Psal 18.5 6. eares saith Dauid I haue seene the affliction of my people in Egypt and I haue heard their crie saith the Lord to Moses And as he can only heare vs so he can only releeue vs. For he without all naturall meanes can cure euery disease aboue nature hee can stay the womans running issue and contrarie to nature he can giue sight vnto the blind borne he onely can bring Ionah out of the Whales belly Daniel out of the Den and his seruants out of the firie furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly Oranti subsidium Dâ—â— sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Aug. we must flee to God by Prayer for that is a present helpe to him that prayeth witnesse Ezekiah who in his extreme sicknesse is restored to his former heal â—â—it is a pleasant sacrifice to God for like Noahs sacrifice it smells so sweetly in the Lords Nostrills that it diuerts away his wrath and it is a sharpe scourge vnto the Deuill more fearefull vnto him then Tobias perfume to driue him from vs. Lastly we ought in all our troubles to haue recourse so God by faithfull and feruent Prayer For Faith and Zeale are the supporters of Prayer like Aaron and Hur who vpheld Moses hands whilst hee prayed The ancient Fathers could neuer sufficiently prayse the efficacie of Prayer and therefore Saint Augustine calls it the Key of Heauen and truely so Claâ—em Coeâ—i For by Prayer Elias opened the Heauens when he brought both Fire and Water from thence Fire to burne vp the sacrifice
and Water to fructifie the earth Chrysostome calls it the soules sunne Solem anime because as the Sunne doth inlighten the World so Prayer illuminates the mind Tabulam naufrâ—goâ—um Paulin And others haue called it the Seamans Card which brings vs through so many billowes and so great surges of temptations vnto our quiet Hâ—rbour But for all this thou mayest aske mee Quest why GOD doth not then heare vs alwayes when wee call vpon him First 〈◊〉 non exaud untuâ— 1 Quando petimus indignâ— viz terrena Mat 6.25 c. 〈◊〉 necessaâ—â—â—â— Mat. â— 11 12. nesâ—imus quaeâ— Mat. 20.20 21 22. Dâ—â— voluntati repugnantia Deut. 3.25 26. 2. Sam. 12.16.2 Quando petimus indignè viz. ore tantum Hos 7.14 aâ—sque â—ide Ma. 21.22 in malum finem Iac. 4.2 3.3 Quando indigni petimus id est in pâ—â—â—aâ—is existâ—nces Ioh. 9.31 perseâ—â—antes Isa 59.1 2 3 c. Deo resistentes Hos 5.4.15 Iâ—noc â—rooem in Psal 〈◊〉 Iâ—â— de vorag dom 〈◊〉 post festâ—â—m Trinit â— â— 3. it is either because wee come vnto him as Mephibosheth came vnto Dauid vnshauen and k 2. Sam. 19. vnwasht and so our sinnes as the Prophet sayth doth hinder good things from vs. Secondly wee aske and receiue l Iam. 4.3 not because wee aske amisse like vnto that man who though hee vrged King Agesilaus with his promise yet was denied what he demanded because hee desired a thing that was vniust so wee obtaine not because wee desire of God what is not conuenient for vs. For else wee haue an assurance in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth m 1. Iob. 5.14 vs. Thirdly because wee pray not feruently as Anna did for a sonne nor instantly as Eliah did for raine nor faithfully as the Canaanitish woman for her childs health but faintly fondly faithlesly otherwise his eyes are the righteous and his eares are euer open to n 1 Pet. 3. â—2 their prayers o 2. Kings 1.2 Heere then wee see how the wicked of our times are much condemned who no sooner are visited with the correcting hand of God but presently they repaire to the Deuill and his Instruments like Ahaziah who beeing sicke of a fall goes to Baalzebub the god of Eckron or with Saul who being afraid of the Philistims goes disguised to the Witch p 1. Sam. 28.7 8. of Endor or with Balacke who fearing the Israelites sends for the Wisard q Numb 20. Balâ—am or with Pharaoh whom no sooner God began to punish for his obstinacie and hardnesse of heart but presently hee calls for his r Exod. 7.11 Sorcerers or with Baltazar who seeing Gods iudgements before his eyes sends for his soothsayers and Å¿ Dan. 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas â—om in Ps 45. Inchanters or like Sannacherth who being wonderfully discomfited by an Angel when he besieged Ierusalem repaired to his temple and worshipped his god t 2. King 19.37 Nisroch Nay I wish to God that many amongst vs who seeme most forward in their deuotion were not too much besotted with this errour that when the Lord doth visite them with sicknesse or any other affliction though they doe not directly goe to the Deuill like Ahaziah yet Asa-like they will seeke to the Physicians 2. Chr. 16.12 and not to the Lord. Or if they call vpon God yet they come to him as the wife of Ieroboam came to Ahijah 1. Kings 14. disguised with an hypocriticall heart and counterseit countenance Is 31.1 but yet in heart they looke not vnto the holy One of Israel they seeke not vnto the Lord and yet none shall bee saued but such as call vpon the Name of the Lord. Ioel 2.32 As heere the Psalmist doth saying O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Againe what should we thinke of the Romish Locusts who direct not their prayers to God alone but to Saints and Angels making them like vnto God omnipotent and omniscient For in time of famine they call vpon Saint Vrban in tempest vpon Saint Nicholas in warre vpon Saint George and in captiuitie vpon Saint Leonard Thus they forsake the Lord the fountaine of liuing waters and digge vnto themselues pits that hold no u Ier. 2.13 water Paul and Barnabas would not be worshipped x Act. 14. when they were liuing and shall wee inuocate them when they are dead Peter would not suffer Cornelius to fall downe y Ad. 10.26 before him and shall wee kneele vnto his image The Apostles confessed themselues to be but men and shall wee now reuerence them as gods Fie vpon such foolish fondnesse away with this deuillish doctrine and let vs all that feare God flee vnto God onely in all our afflictions for they that wait on lying vanities forsake their owne mercie but saluation is of the a Iona 2. Psaltes cos qui adbuc in captiuitate erant pet affectum sibi copulans earum nâ—mine exclamat ad Deâ—â— nos pari affectu ad excâ—amandum infirmat conuerte Iac. â—anson in locum Lord. Therefore pray wee with the Iewes O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The second thing wee obserue in this Prayer is the Psalmists pittie for hee prayeth not for himselfe alone bur for all the afflicted members of the Church teaching vs to doe the like for all our fellow-members in Christ Iesus who are either detained vnder the Turkish tyrannie or are oppressed vnder the Antichristian yoke let vs as hauing a fellow-feeling of their grieuances compassionate them and powre out our supplications for them here with the Psalmist O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The duties we owe vnto such as are afflicted are chiefly foure What duties one Christian owes to another in time of affliction First To compassionate them Secondly To comfort them Thirdly To instruct them Fourthly To pray for them The first two of these wee see to haue beene intended of Iobs friends For when they heard of his miserie they agreed to goe and lament with him and to comfort b Iob 1.11 12. him The third wee learne of Isaiah when hee visited Ezekiah in his bed c Is 8.1 of sicknesse And the last is both commanded by the d Iam 5. Apostle and commended by example First I say wee ought to compassionate them Nehemiah when Artaxerxes asked him the cause of his sadnesse answered Why should not my countenance bee sad when the Citie the place of my fathers sepulehres lieth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire e Neh. 2.2 3. Ieremiah did so compassionately lament the destruction of Ierusalem that his eyes did faile with teares his bowels swelled and his liuer was as it were powred out vpon the f Laâ— 2.11 earth Wee ought not with the Priest and Leuite with a hard heart passe by the wounded but with the good Samaritan biâ—d vp his wounds wash his sores with wine and soften