The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble, Treatise · Doctrine 2

The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble · Treatise · Doctrine 2

p. 20The second Doctrine was, that Though God send very sharpe afflictions upon his owne people, yet therein Doct. 2. God pitties his people in affliction.his kindnesse and compassions are exceeding great towards them: hee cals them you see here, my people, as if hee should have said, you are mine, and I cannot forget you; a man loves that which is his owne, much more God, who is all love. And this DoDoctrine p. 21had need to bee added to the former.

Now the reasons and demonstrations of this are three.

Because he is exceeding slow to afflict, and exceeding Reas. 1. He is slow to afflict.long about it, ere he do's begin, and therefore hee makes many offers often before he does it, as one that could finde in his heart not to doe it at all. Psal. 78. 38. It is said, he being full of compassion Psal. 78. 38.Ps 78:38forgave their iniquity, yea many a time did hee call backe his anger, when his hand was up, and hee giving the blowe, hee called it backe againe, as one that could not finde in his heart to do it; and when hee did it, hee did not stirre up all his wrath; hee let fall some droppes of it, but would not shed the whole shower of it; and hee gives the reason of both, for they are but flesh; and indeed his primary scope is to shew mercy, and that hee afflicts, is but upon occasion; and therefore he is provoked, and provoked much before hee doth it: As the Bee to Simile.give hony, it is naturall to it, but it stings but by occasion, when it is provoked; and this wee see to bee true in GOD by experience, who suffersmen, and suffers them long, they continue in their sinnes, and yet he continues his mercies, and with-holds his judgements.

His compassion is shewen in sustaining them in 2 He sustaines them in afflictions. Dan. 11. 33. 34.Dan 11:33Dan 11:34their afflictions, and in helping them in the mid'st of them, Daniel 11. 33, 34. When his people should fall by the sword, and by the flame &c. it is said they should bee holpen with a little helpe, that is, so much as would sustaine them, beare them up: the like wee have Zach. 13. 9. I will bring a third part through the fire, p. 22Zach. 13. 9.Zech 13:9and they shall come out refined, as Gold and Silver is refined, lose nothing but their drosse, so as hee would sustaine them, hold them up. And this hee doth by doing of two things, ¹ by moderating their affliction, ² by so framing and fashioning their hearts, so as they shall be able to beare them.

Hee moderates them; they are Still in measure, and not beyond their strength, Revel. 2. 10. saith … By moderating them.Christ to the Church of Smyrna, Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold Sathan shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you shall have tribulation ten dayes: as if hee should have said, I will moderate this persecution, and doe measure out the time to you, but ten dayes and no more; and therefore feare not: so as you shall not have so much as Sathan would, for he would never give over; nor so little as you would, for then you should not be afflicted at all. If you aske now what it is to be afflicted in measure? I answer, if afflictions lye so To be afflicted in measure, what.upon his children as to cause them to put forth their hands to wickednesse, then it is above measure, but if so as they never fret nor faint under it, it is not: now he hath promised, that he wil so accommodate afflictions, as they shall not worke so with his people, Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest he put forth his hand to Psal. 125. 3.Ps 125:3iniquity; it shall not bee so long as to cause a distemper in the spirit of them, so as they should not carry themselves in a meeke manner under it: I meane not so, but that at the first it may cause a bustling in their spirits, as it did in Iob, when it grew sharpe, and hee spake unadvisedly, yet not a substantiall p. 23disquiet, he came to himselfe againe. To this purpose let the Psalme 129. 3, 4. be compared Psalm. 129. 3, 4.Ps 129:3Ps 129:4with the former, God compares there the afflicters of his people to plowers set to plow his ground, (the Babylonians and all the other enemies were but Gods plowers) now they should not doe it, as to do them any hurt, no more than for his advantage and his Churches, they should not goe a foote further, for then God cuts their cords in sunder, and when the traces are cut, then the plow stands still, goes not a jot further, let the horses doe what they will.

The second way of sustaining them is, in that he 2 Fashioning their hearts to beare it.so fashioneth their hearts, as they shall be able well to beare it; and then though it be great, if they have strength to beare it, it is the lesse; A great burthen on a strong mans shoulders, is no more than a small one on a weake mans. Wee oft wonder that God should lay so great afflictions on his children, but we do not see their inward strength and ability they have to beare them.

Now first he fashioneth their hearts to pray, and 1 To Pray. Rom. 8. 26.Rom 8:26not to murmure, and the greatest affliction it is nothing if they can but pray, in Rom. 8. 26. that is one comfort brought in among the rest, that sweetneth our afflictions, that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and teacheth us to pray.

He frameth their hearts to repent, and that they 2 To Repent.should not sinne against him, and if sinne bee not mingled with an affliction, it is not bitter, if a good conscience bee joyned with it: for then it is heavie, when it falls upon the shoulder out of joynt, or upon the sore place, and therefore S. Paul he cared not p. 24for death or the prison, because he had a cleare conscience, all his afflictions were nothing to him, for he bare them with a whole shoulder; sinne wounds the soule, and then affliction dropped in, causeth smart.

Hee frames their hearts to patience, and so that keepes their spirit whole, so as they possesse their 3 To Patience.soules, and themselves: as on the contrary impatience takes the soule off the hinges, puts it out of it selfe: but whilest a mans spirit is strong and it selfe, it will beare its infirmities, but when impatient, it will beare nothing; when therefore afflictions are thus mingled with prayers, and repentance, and a good conscience and patience, it is easie to beare them, and it is GOD mingles their cup thus. And as CHRIST said, shall not I drinke of the Cup which my Father hath mingled? although the cup be bitter, yet the ingredients he puts in it, makes it sweete, GOD mingles a cup to them in another manner then to others: See how hee mingled a cup to Ahitophel, it was no great thing in it selfe, it was but that disparagement in the rejection of his counsell, yet such an ingredient was put in, such an apprehension by Gods providence (for though God was not the author of it, yet he suffered Sathan to doe it) as that it brake his heart, and he hanged himselfe. See the contrary in David, when Ziglag was burnt, a great and suddaine affliction, yet he bare it well, for he had comfort from the Lord, an ingredient with it which incouraged him in God, and so when he fled before Absalom his owne sonne, a great and bitter affliction, yet he bare it with such a mind, p. 25as if hee had beene in his bed asleepe, as appeares by the third Psalme, which was made upon that occasion: Psalme 3.Ps 3when tenne thousand were encamped against him; yet hee feared no more, then if hee had had never an enemy in the world. I will lay mee downe and sleepe, &c.

Thirdly, his compassion is shewen in bringing Reas. 3. In bringing them through.them through, and giving them a good issue and comfortable fruit of all; as appeares by that place of Zachary 13. 9. Hee carried them through the fire, and fined them thereby as Gold, led them out, and caused them to lose nothing but their drosse; or as the Wheat loseth nothing in the winnowing, but the chaffe. There is an excellent place for this purpose in Esay 27. 8. In measure in Esay 27. 8.Isa 27:8the branches thereof thou wilt debate with it (so some reade it.) God promiseth in the former part that Israel should grow like a fruitfull tree, and flourish; and though he afflicted them, yet it should not be so, as he afflicteth others, hath hee smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? no, hee smote them in the root, but him in the branches, so as he should grow the more by it; God compares himselfe to a man that loppeth his tree, but medleth not with the root or body of the tree, but with the branches onelyonly, and that just so farre as neede was, and where they should bee cut, and that in season, and at the just time, that it may grow the more; for this is to doe it in measure: and this is no more than necessary, to make the tree shoot the more; and it were spoyled, if hee did not deale thus with it. Now hee smites others at such a time, as they are most unfit for it, p. 26and that in the roote, so as he causeth them to wither, they are losers by it; as appeares by that wicked King Ioram, 2 Kings 6. 33. This evill is of the Lord, and what should I wait on the Lord any longer? and by that of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 22. &c. Then 2 Kings 6. 33. 2 Chron. 28 22.2 Kgs 6:332 Chr 28:22in time of distresse Ahab yet trespassed more against the Lord: this was that King Ahaz, this was the end of that affliction.

But some good soule will object and say, I doe not finde this fruit of my afflictions.Quest.

It may be thou dost not for the present; but stay a little till God hath made an end, and thou shalt Answ. Afflictions of Gods people worke good in the end.see that affliction which thou thoughtest most sharpe, and for which thou sawest no reason, and by which for a while you saw you got no good; yet when the Lord hath made an end and put all together, then I say thou shalt finde thy worst takings, thy worst condition profitable and usefull to thee; in the time of Winter when the trees wither, an unwise man would wonder to see such a spoile, but when the Spring comes, you know the benefit of it; you should not have had such a Spring but for such a Winter: And so those varieties of afflictions and crosses which God leades thee through, those sins, those puttings backe which wee thinke can no way bee advantageou… to us, they ever in the end will bring forth a Sp…g time, for all things worke together for good. Iudge not by one particular, but stay till God hath put all together, and thou shalt see it is for good. Thence it is that Saint Iames would have us, Iames 1. 2. When wee fall into divers temptations, Iames 1, 2.Jas 1:2to count it exceeding great joy, that is, hee p. 27doth not say, when you goe in step by step, but when you are precipitated, fall all on the suddaine, and are pluhged into them; so the word in the originall signifieth. And secondly, not into one, but into all sorts, into divers afflictions at once; affliction in Estate, Body, Wife, Children, one upon the necke of another: yet rejoyce, and not onelyonly so, but bee exceeding glad, as glad as a Merchant man is to see his Ships come from the Indies laden with riches, and full of treasure; so beneficiall should they be in the end. Now except they did always bring home such treasure, and proved not in the issue exceeding good and profitable, he could not have desired them thus to rejoyce.

Now if you aske the reasons why it is so, that God deales thus.God deales thus with his Children in afflictions? I answer out of the text.

First sayes hee, they are my people, they are his 1 Because they are his people.owne, and therefore hee is full of bowels of compassion towards them, as a man is to his owne child, because it is his, Hosea 11. 8. thou art mine, and I cannot Hose. 11. 8.Hos 11:8deale with thee as with a stranger, for my bowells are turned within me, as it is there, when it came to the casting away of his child, he cannot do it. So, 1 Sam. 12. 22. The Lord will not forsake you, for you are his people. And so also, … 7. 18. Who is 1 Sam. 12. 22. Micah 7. 18.1 Sam 12:22Mic 7:18a god like unto our God, that pard… … iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of thine heritage? there lies the reason; they are a remnant, they are chosen out of the rest of the world, and to them hee is so mercifull, as there is none like unto him, it would make a man stand amazed at it.

p. 28They are a people called by his name: as hee hath 2 They are called by his name.chosen them to bee his, so it is taken notice of that they are his, and he hath owned them, his name is upon them by profession, and therefore hee will spare them, for his name sake, because of them that stand by and take notice of them: for if hee should deale hardly with them, none would serve him; for when servants are hardly dealt withall, who will serve such masters? And this argument Moses uses, Numb. 14. Lord spare them (sayes hee) and if it be, but for thy Names sake, for what will all the Nations Numb. 14.Num 14say? that either thou art such a God as art unkind, and wouldst not save them, or a weake God, and couldest not.

But you will say, wee see the contrary by daily experience, wee see great and sore afflictions befall Object.Gods people, yea, it may bee some here of his will say, they have felt and tasted of great afflictions.

I answer, you may mistake in afflictions, they are not alwayes such afflictions as they seeme to be: Answ. Mistake in afflictions.fo… … wee say of the Sunne, Sol non patitur eclipsin, sed videtur tantùm pati, the Sunne keepes his light even in eclipses firme and cleare, so often those afflictions which you thinke great, are nothing at all in themselves, they seeme so to us onelyonly: so the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6. wee seeme to be men sorrowfull, yet alwayes 2 Cor. 6.2 Cor 6rejoycing, seeme to be poore, but possessing all things, all was nothing to Paul: for affliction lyes only in the apprehension, and so many of those grevous afflictions and tortures which Martyrs and the children of God endured though to us they seeme great, yet I am perswaded were nothing to many of them.

p. 29But thou wilt say, this is not my case; I feele, I Object.am sure the sting of it.

I answer thee, first, that God layes it not on thee, Answ. Afflictions needfull.till thou hast neede: the Physitian knowes the body of the patient better than himselfe, and the soule hath more intricate diseases than the body, and he sees thy secret pride, security, &c. it may be when thou seest them not; as Hezekiah did not; so that when thou seest no reason of such a sharpe affliction as purging physicke for thee, he doth, and does not administer it but when there is need.

And secondly, he doth not goe a jot beyond thy need; 2 God afflicts no more then needs. Esay 28. 24.Isa 28:24and this will appeare by the opening of two excellent similitudes, Esay 28. (for all the wits in the world cannot finde out better expressions than the Word hath; if we had eyes to see the glory of them) from the 24. verse downeward; First, doth the Plowman plow all day to sowe? and open and breake the clods of his ground, when hee hath made plaine the face thereof? doth he not cast abroad the fetches? scatter the cummin, the wheat, and the rie? for th… …ord hath instructed him to doe so. The husbandman hee tells you, plowes not but where he meanes to sowe, and to have an harvest, and the plow goes no longer then till the clods be broken, and sayes he, God hath given him this discretion; and therefore shall not God have the same and use the same himselfe? doest thou thinke that thou art plowed longer then thouneedest? it is but till the clods, thy stiffe spirit bee broken; and whereas thou mayest thinke thy heart soft enough, it may be so for some grace, but God hath seeds of all sorts to cast in the wheat p. 30and the Rie; and that ground which is soft enough for one, is not for another. And againe, secondly when it comes to harvest, to some maturity, he hath to thresh it with divers kinds of instruments (which is the second similitude) ver. 27. The Fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is the Cart wheel turned about upon the Cummin, but they are beaten out with a staffe and a rod; but bread-corne, Wheat is bruised with the wheele, because he should not always be threshing it. So GOD beholdeth every mans strength, and knowes what affliction is most suitable for him, hee findes out a fit instrument for every graine; his end is but to drive thee out of the huske of thy circumcision, of some lusts wherof some sits more close to the heart than other: and as the wheat and the husk sits closer together than in other grains, and therefore the wheele goes over it, and when it is threshed enough, and GOD hath unloosed the heart and the sin, the husk and the wheat, he doth it no longer: now sayes he, this is from the LORD, who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working; and therefore as when you see an husbandman doe so with his ground and graine, you judge him a wise man in doing so, so also is GOD therein.

But you will say, for all these good words and Object.setting it forth thus, we are sure, and see and feele by experience, that the Saints alwayes fare as ill as the worst when general afflictions come, Plague, Sword or Captivity, they are swept away by these as well as others, and what afflictions are there (go through the sonnes of men,) that fall not upon the Saints as well as upon others?

p. 31For answer, it is true, those deluges of afflictions Answ. Difference in afflictionswhich over-whelme whole Countries take away one as well as another, yet there is a difference, as Ier. 24. all were carried into the same captivity by Ier. 24Jer 24the same King, but yet they were carried in divers baskets, the bad in one basket, the good in another; which shewes the condition of the one was different from the other: First the LORD knowes the good figs, his eyes are upon them for good, to see that no hurt should befall them, that was hurt indeed: And secondly, againe hee did but send them into captivity, as one is sent of an errand, but the other are led as a condemned man to the Jaile: Thirdly, hee would bring them againe, when they had done the businesse for which they were sent, when they had humbled themselves, sanctified his name more; many the like ends the LORD hath: but the other hee utterly destroyed, and they never returned.

But will some say, the afflictions that I endure Object.are of an extraordinary nature, never any was so afflicted as I (as the manner of man is to complaine) there is a peculiarity in mine, and it is not one but many, and these for a long time have layen upon mee.

I answer, it is true, they are often of an extraordinary Answ. Why God sends many and great afflictions.nature, and there is good reason for it: For a small affliction would not bring thee home to GOD, it is not a little head-ach, a scratch with a pin that drives a man to the Physitian; but such a disease as a man apprehends death in, makes a man seeke out for help: and the reason why; first, these afflictions are p. 32many is, … because thou hast many diseases to bee healed, lusts of divers sorts, and thou must have diversity of afflictions applyed to them; and againe if God should not change afflictions, thy affliction would grow familiar; and as Physicke when it is made familiar to the body workes not, so would not those afflictions: and 2 they are also often long, because some sinnes sticke close, and are not easily got off, the staine in some sinkes deeper, and requires a great deale of scouring. Dan. 11. Many shall fall Dan. 11.Dan 11by the Sword, Famine, &c. their trialls were of many kinds and long, that they might be made white, into which yet they should not fall nor continue in, if men would bee scoured and made white sooner. I have stood longer upon this and the opening of it, because either it hath or will bee of much use one day to many of us: and seeing we know not what wee are reserved for, it is good to treasure up these things, that wee may know the wayes of God aforehand, and so beare what comes the better, for it is ignorance that makes afflictions so unsupportable when they come. We will come to the uses.

Learne hence not to bee discouraged whatsoever thy case bee, whether thou hast beene afflicted in Vse 1. Not to bee discouraged in afflictions.name by reproaches, so as thou thinkest, thou shalt never get thy credit againe; or in body by diseases, that thou shalt never have thy health againe, or in soule by doubts, that thou art in such an estate that thou shalt never bee raised againe, remember the exceeding great kindnesse of the Lord, and know whatsoever thine afflictions bee, hee is able easily to scatter them: this I speake, because as men in p. 33prosperitie doe thinke, it will alwayes continue, and tomorrow will be as to day, and much more abundant; so in affliction, that it will never bee otherwise. What unfaithfullnes is this! are not all times in Gods hands? as David saies Psalm. 31. he that alters the Psalme 31.Ps 31weather, he that turnes the Winter into Summer: It is a storme now, and half an houre after the Sun shines; all in the weather, so such alterations is God able to make in mens estates: and comfort thy selfe with this, it shall lie no longer on thee, then there is neede, the plaister shall not lie a jot longer than the sore is a healing. If it were sooner healed, it would fall off sooner; but then it shall fall off alone; though sorrow be in the evening, yet joy shall come in Psalme 30.Ps 30the morning; because the anger of God never lasteth but for a while; and the reason is given Mica 7. 8. Mica 7. 8.for mercy pleaseth him: take him alwayes when he is angry with his children, and there is but a short brunt of it, his constant course is otherwise, for mercy pleaseth him: now that which a man delights in hee will bee doing long, hee can hardly be taken off from it: as if it grieved him to doe otherwise: when therefore it is long I say, it is per accidens, as when thy heart is harder than ordinary; for some are more stubborne than others. Ah, but thou wilt Object.say, this of mine is a great affliction, and I know not how it should be helped, unlesse the LORD should worke miracles. It may be it is so; and indeed Answ. No avoyding afflictions sent.when God will send an affliction, all the world cannot keepe it off. In Zach. 1. there were foure hornes, did beset the children of Israel to afflict them, so as which way soever they went and would have fled, p. 34one would have met them, whether to the East or to the West, &c. no way left to escape, no evasion; for when God will afflict, hee will afflict, and there shall be no doore to goe out at; else it were not an affliction: for what matter is it for a man to be in a smoaky house, if he hath a doore to go out at? but yet what do these hornes serve for but to push them home to the Lord? and though a man cannot scape them, yet there is this comfort, that though those hornes bee as strong as the hornes of an Vnicorne, so as all the world cannot knock them off, yet when they have pushed them to the Lord, then the Prophet God in due time removes affliction.saw 4 Carpenters, and wherefore came those Carpenters? to knock off every horne, and to cast them out, so that every nation was frayed away, that was against Iudah; not the Assyrian, not Babylon, nor none of them left: so that as when God will afflict a man, nothing can hinder him, so also when the Lord will scatter the affliction againe, and will raise a man, nothing shall hinder neither, he will do it be it never so great. Be not discouraged then: what though the storme grow great and violent? one word of his mouth will allay and still both stormes and windes, as in Mar. 5. one word did it: so take the most grievous disease that thou hast long lyen under, Marks 5.and which thou think oft thou shalt never recover, yet one word will rebuke it: take the worst and bitterest and powerfullest enemy of the Church, such as Haman, if God speake but a word to him, as he did to Laban, hurt not this man, he cannot hurt thee; one word of the Lord Iesus tames them all; Mar. 4. 40, 41.Mark 4:40Mark 4:41only bring faith with thee. Mark. 4. 40, 41. In the p. 35great storme, why did you feare, oh, you of little faith, (faith Christ to his Disciples, when they were so exceedingly troubled) as if he had said; it is not the greatnesse of this storme that breeds this feare, but the littlenes of your faith. So when all the people murmured at the red Sea, what was the reason that Moses was quiet all that while when they murmured? Stay (saith he) a while, and you shall see the salvation of God: the reason of the difference was, Moses believed, they did not.

So as the trouble comes not from the greatnesse of the affliction, but the littlenesse of your faith: when therefore afflictions shall come, be not, be not discouraged, lose not your selves, but possesse your selves with patience: keepe this as a sure conclusion against all objections, that God will be mercifull to his people.

I… the Lord then so full of pitie and bowells to Vse 2. To come to God, when we have offended him.his owne people? Learn thou to come to the Lord, when you have offended him: If indeed God had so hard an heart as would never relent, then when you had sinned, you might goe some whither else for comfort; but now come againe unto the Lord, as being assured of good successe: this use wee see made of it by Samuel in the like case to the people of Israel. 1 Sam. 12. When the people had committed 1 Sam. 12, 20.1 Sam 12:20that great sinne, wherein as he told them, they had not onelyonly cast away him, but the Lord; and God had declared his wrath against them in storms from heaven, in the time of the latter harvest: yet at the 20. vers. saith Samuel; Feare not, ye have done all this wickednes, yet turne not aside from following the p. 36Lord; and he giveth two reasons. 1. Because all other things they would go to, would not profit them, they were vaine. Secondly, because that the LORD will not forsake his people for his great Name sake, because it hath pleased him to make you his people; as if he had said, I would not have you lessen the sinne, seeke out excuses (as indeed that is our fault in such cases) no, that is not the way, you have committed a monstrous transgression, yet forsake not the Lord. Samuel said this, because that which keepes men off What keeps men from comming to God.from the Lord is discouragement; for many a man, if hee had (it may bee) a voyce from Heaven that would assure him, if he came in, his sinnes would be pardoned; I doe not think but they would come in though they love their sinnes well: But the maine thing that keepes them off, is, men doe not thinke God so ready to receive and pardon them. Now therefore (saith Samuel) you are his people, and the LORD cannot forsake his owne, let a man have a child of his owne even when it is young and troublesome, and nothing pleasant in it, yet because it is his owne, his affections will not off from it, yea his affections will hold on, although when it is growne up, it provokes him an hundred times, because it is his own. Now if they should aske how it comes to passe that they are his? Samuel tels them, because it pleased him to make you his people; there is no other reason can be given of it: so that if any of the children of God looking upon all the world lying in wickednesse, and should aske the reason why I should be in this good condition rather then they, there is no other than that it pleased GOD to p. 37make him so, GOD loves for no merits, which should teach us to looke out of our selves, lesse into our hearts in this case, and more to the Attributes of GOD, to returne in Ier. 3. GOD saies there, it Ieremy 3.Jer 3is true indeed, that if you come to any man in the world when his wife hath played the harlot, will he receive her againe? no, a mans heart in this case cannot relent, he hath not mercy enough, his heart is too narrow, But thou hast played the harlot many a time, yet returne to me, saith GOD; for looke how much larger GODS heart is then a mans, so much larger are his mercies.

If GOD bee thus exceeding mercifull and pitifull, Vse. 3. To leade us to repentance. Rom. 2. 4.Rom 2:4this should leade men to repentance: there is that in the thing that leades you, so Romans 2. 4. when either GOD expresseth his mercies towards us by his behaviour and mercifull dealings with us, or causeth his Ministers to offer mercies unto us, it leades to repentance. It hath indeed a contrary effect almost in all in the world; for whom doe not GODS mercies leade from him rather then to him? but take heed lest you turne the grace of GOD into wantonnesse, which yet men ordinarily do. The more favour, the more meanes they have enjoyed, the more wanton they grow, that is, the more bold, losing their respect to GOD; even as a child is apt to doe when his father carries himselfe kind towards him, hee cannot beare it, he hath not the discretion to consider, that it should leade him to obedience, but growes bold and wanton. And you should also make this use of mercies, that the meditations of them should stirre up your hearts to a p. 38more kindly sorrow for your sinnes, to thinke that you have deserved to be cut off long agoe, and that you have committed such sinnes, for which many are in hell long since. God expects this at your hands; and let us make this use of it in these dayes of humiliation, the maine worke whereof is to humble your selves; and we are to labour to humble you, not only by denouncing Gods judgements, but by expressions of his mercies also.

A digression (concerning Fasting) to the occasion.

THere is a double manner of doing this duty, Double performāce of Fasts.one wholly publike, which should bee from morning till night in publike by the whole land, that al together might confesse and humble themselves for the sinnes of it; which is more extraordinary. 1 Publike.But secondly, as for these dayes which are kept from weeke to weeke thus, it is well ordered, that the time is so limited for these publike exercises, as that there is time left for the private: for the 2 Private.businesse of particular humiliation goes forward better then; and these publicke exercises tend but to that end, and what is the meanes without the end be attained? that is, that every man should mourne apart: so Zach. 12. when it was a businesse of mourning, every Zach. 12.Zech 12family did it apart, and the wives apart: the wife and the husband are the nearest, and if any 1 By confession of sinnes.should be together, one would thinke they should; and yet they must be then apart: and the reason is, because nothing humbleth so much as particular p. 39sinnes, those wound the heart, which in publick are not so much confessed, but in generall onelyonly; but when you are every one in private, then you may consider what your lusts, your actions have beene, and the circumstances of them; then you may search your hearts and wayes, looke backe and reflect upon your selves; and that is the maine businesse and duties of these dayes. Some of you it may bee, will say; I know not how to spend my time in private, when I am from the Church: but consider, hast thou not committed many sinnes? consider them, canst thou not speake and confesse them? and say, Lord I confesse I have fallen backe into this againe and againe. But secondly when you 2 Seeking reconciliation.have done this, seeke reconciliation and beg it earnestly, which the heart will doe when it is touched with the sence of sinne, and the enumeration of them will worke your hearts to it; when you see the multitudes, the circumstances, the aggravations of them; and because this is the greatest of all your requests, therefore you must be the most earnest in it; and therefore God doth purposely with-hold assurance often, to teach men, what it is to be reconciled to him; and fasting serves to intend your prayers, that they may be the more earnest. Thirdly renew your covenants also, consider what sinnes 3 Renewing covenants.you are most inclined to, and what occasions draw you most to those sinnes, and vow against them. Consider what good duties you have slighted most, and that your hearts are most apt to faile in; and promise better obedience. Fourthly, not only 4 To bee willing to leave fin.make a promise, but labour to bring your hearts to p. 40be willing to leave those sins in good earnest, and to performe those duties; and when the heart is strongly byassed any way, it is hard to alter it, it is no easie matter to get an inward willingnesse; you must therfore have much reasoning with your hearts to bring them to it. Fiftly, when they are brought into a good temper, they are easily subject to be distempered 5. Labour to keepe our hearts in a good temper.again; our affections shoote too far into worldly businesses: your love, your feare, your griefe is subject to be too much in something, and it is not easie to bring the soule backe againe; you must therefore take a great deale of paines with your hearts.

That which is said of Ministers, fullones animarum, fullers of mens soules, that is every man now to be himselfe, to wash out the staines of his heart, and to make his soule whiter, as it is, Dan. 11. and that will move GOD either not to bring afflictions, Dan. 11.Dan 11or to remove them: and therefore clense your hearts from all pollution of flesh and spirit, and know that to get staines of a deepe dye out will cost a great deale of paines, you must scoure till your soules ake againe, and though it cause the skinne to come off, and if you do the worke your selves thus, and plow your owne hearts, GOD shall not need to doe it by afflictions; therefore doe it, and give not over till you have done it, and have brought your hearts to be throughly humbled for them, for that is a great meanes to doe it. What else is the meaning of that in Iames 4. Cleanse your hearts yee sinners, &c. but how should we doe it, would some say? afflict Iames 4.Jas 4your selves and mourne, and let your laughter be turned into mourning: bee content to sit alone, get out of p. 41company, and not to take your former liberties, and mourne and humble your selves, and doe it constantly: for it is not bowing downe the head for a day, which God regards; but let sorrow abide in your hearts; It is continuance that God regards: doe it, and doe it to purpose, for the want of this, is the reason of the coldnesse and remisnesse in our profession; namely, that we are not throughly and constantly humbled, it is the ground of every grace and the growth of it: What seed is sowne in a heart broken in pieces, thrives and prospers, but all instructions falling upon an heart not broken will bring forth no fruit. If you were humbled, wee should find wonderfull fruit of our Ministery. Doe this therefore but one day, and you will be the fitter for it the next: Sorrow should be as a spring that runs a long constantly from day to day. The sorrowes of many are but as land-flouds; and take heed that the continuance of this duty from weeke to weeke, make you not slacken your course herein, suffer not your hands to faint. When these duties are new, you are apt to do much; but when a while continued, to bee perfunctory in them. And let not any man complaine that he loseth a daies work; for is there any work so necessary, as the salvation of the soule? Neither complaine, that a daies study is lost, for is there any excellency to the saving Image of God stampt on the heart?

Wee are hence to be exhorted to chuse the Lord Vse 4. To chuse the Lord for our God.for our God, when you heare hee is so mercifull a God; for no man ever served the Lord, but he first made choyce of him to be his Master. Every man p. 42when he comes to yeares of discretion, and to be master of himselfe, adviseth with himselfe what course he should take, whether he should serve God or the world. Now all the Saints of God have made this distinct choyce; we will serve the Lord, and goe to no other. Moses when both stood before him, the pleasures of Aegypt on the one hand, and God and his people with their afflictions on the other, hee chose the latter before the former, Heb. 11. 25. So David sayth he did, I have chosen the way of truth, thy Iudgements have I laid before Heb. 11. 25.Heb 11:25mee, Psal. 119. 30. for to chuse, is, when a thing lyes before a man, and hee considers and takes it. Psal. 119. 30Ps 119:30So Ioshua, I and my house will serve the Lord. Now I exhort you, that seeing you are to make some choyce, that seeing God is such a God, so exceeding mercifull, that you would make this choyce, let him be your God; for what moves a man to make choyce of one course of life rather then another? the ground of it is some happinesse that he seekes: when men consider what makes most for their happinesse, that they will chuse.

Now if men were perswaded that to chuse God Happinesse in chusing God.were the best way for happinesse, they could not but chuse him; and surely if God be so exceeding kind and mercifull a God, their chiefest happinesse cannot but be found in him alone; and surely there is no husband, no friend so loving as he, no father so kind as he, so tender hearted; he goes beyond all the sonnes of men, for love and tendernesse and kindnesse: for if there be any kindnesse in any man or woman, the Lord hath put it in him. That naturall p. 43foreign and affection in Parents, &c. is not a drop to that Ocean, not as a beame to the Sunne, to what is in him; And if the kindnesse in them be an excellency, then surely it is in him; And if the Lord hath commanded us to be amiable, and full of bowells and goodnesse, and easie to be entreated, as being a part of that his image, and that holy frame of heart which ought to be in us, is it not then much more in himselfe? but that I may not urge a bare exhortation Motives to chuse God.without some reason; Consider how mercifull the Lord hath beene to us, and how gracious he is to them that make choyce of him: for first hee giveth them the comfort of his presence, and there is no comfort like that. For joy and comfort is nothing Ioy what.else but the agreeablenesse of a thing to a mans minde, applicatio convenientis convenienti: Now there is nothing that better agreeth with mans minde then the presence and face of God; for lusts and pleasures are the diseases of the soule, and the pleasures that agree to them, are the destruction of it. Besides, when thou art reconciled to him, thou art out of all debt and danger, he will set thy soule at rest, that was rest lesse before; And besides when thou hast the Lord to be thy God, thou hast one to whom thou maiest goe, and unbosome thy selfe, to advise withall, when thou canst not g… to any in the world; one thou maist fetch comfort from, when thou seest no comfort any where else; thou maist runne to him as to a refuge, when thou art overwhelmed with oppositions, slanders and ill reports; and besides all this, and the glory which we shall have in heaven, consider what there is that p. 44thy heart can desire, that hee will not doe for thee; If thou hast any businesse to doe, God will doe it better for thee, then thou canst for thy selfe, the Lord workes all our workes in us, and for us, Esay 26. 12. Isay 26. 12.Isa 26:12Art thou a Scholler, and hast studies to bring to perfection? a Tradesman, and hast enterprises to bring to passe? art in straights? he will be entreated of thee to doe all for thee, if thou go to him, and hee will bring it better to passe then thou canst with all thy policie.

Againe, Art thou fallen into poverty, into sicknes, into disgrace? thou shalt finde him exceeding kind, when thou art sicke, he will be carefull and watchfull over thee, this David acknowledges, Psal. 31. 7. Psal. 31. 7.Ps 31:7I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble, and hast knowne my soule in adversities: When others overlook and forget thee in adversity, as the Butler did Ioseph, he will not, but take care of thee. Againe, if thou beest persecuted, and hast enemies to deale with (as who hath not that liveth godlily? so that (as David saith of himselfe) My soule is among Lions; yet thou shalt find God stand by thee, as he did by S. Paul, to del ver thee out of the mouth of those Lions: thou shalt finde him to bee as a Rocke, as a place of defence, to shield thee against them and all their incursions, so that all their plots and malice shall not hurt thee. David had often tryall of God in this. Againe, if thou doest want any thing, he hath promised to grant whatsoever thou shalt aske. But if thou shalt say, I provoke him day by day; yet know that he is exceeding kinde, and will passe by many infirmities, for hee p. 45knowes whereof we are made; one ill turne causeth not him, as it doth men, to forget what was done before, the Lord keepeth for us the sure mercies of David, that is, such mercies that the Lord shewed David, and not to him only, but to all his posterity, so as he will not only be a God to thee, whilst living, but when thou art dead, to thy seed also. Such a God you shall finde him; therefore take him for your God and for your husband. If men knew him they would chuse him; as Saint Paul said to Agrippa, I would that thou wert altogether as I, that is, if thou didst know him as I doe, and his service, thou wouldest not be halfe a Christian, but one al together: doe but try if thou likest not his service, thou mayest leave it. But the Saints who have experience of both conditions, holding out may be an argument of his kindnesse unto all his: and this also should move us to chuse him for our master.

As the other use was to those without to chuse Vse 5. To confirm this choyce.the Lord, so this use is to all those that are already in the covenant, to exhort them to confirme themselves in their choyce to bee more and more well perswaded of him, that so they may love the Lord more and more, and cleave faster to him. One that is married may love her husband well, and yet by seeing more and more the excellencies that are in her husband, shee may bee more confirmed in her choyce: In all afflictions labour to thinke well of God, and ill of your selves. This was the praise of David, hee alwayes laboured to extoll God in all, and still hold this conclusion, yet God is good to Israel: we are apt to faile much this way, we are ready p. 46to thinke that God deales hardly with us and his people: but wee must learne to correct this errour, and to have a good conceit of him, to labour to extoll his mercy. But this we will not doe, till we see these two things: First Gods exceeding great kindnesse: Secondly, our exceeding rebellions: you looke onelyonly to Gods dealings, and so are ready to thinke that God hath dealt hardly with you, but never thinke how abominable your carriages have beene to him. But learne to think, that however he is a God full of bowels even in your worst condition, and that you have deserved worse at his hands, that he is exceeding kinde: labour to thinke of this for your selves and also for the Church. God hath beene mercifull to it in all ages, and is so still; so he saith, I have beene her habitation (that is, a house for the Church to dwell safely in) from one generation to another, from Abrahams time to the time they were in Aegypt, and there I was their habitation, and so in the wildernesse, and so in all the times under the Iudges, and so to our times, look on the Church when it was in the worst condition, take the Church of God, even when it deemed to bee cut off, as in that great massacre in France, yet then was the Lord an habitation to it, a company was kept alive, that grew greater than the former. So the Church in Queen Maries time, he suffered the storme to overtake them a little, but it was soone blowen over, he was an habitation to keep off the storm from destroying them, and so he hath been, and will be to Bohemia and the Palatinate, but so he hath beene found to be to our Church above all the p. 47rest, for our Nation hath beene like Gideons Fleece; when all others about us, have beene wet and wallowed in bloud, we have been dry: therfore labour to see how good God is, and how base we are, and take heed of abusing his kindnesse, lest he make this Nation wet with bloud, when all others shall be dry, and we come to have warre, when all the rest have peace: the way to continue his favours is to remember them, and to humble our selves before him in thankfullnesse. Thus much of this Doctrine.