Beams of Divine Light, Sermon 6 – Title page 7

Beams of Divine Light · Sermon 6 – Title page 7

p. 277THE CHVRCHES COMPLAINT AND Confidence.

ISAIAH 64.6, 7, 8.

But we are all as an uncleane thing, and all our righteousn…sse are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leafe, and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away.

And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

But now O Lord thou art our Father, wee are the clay, and thou our potter, and wee are all the worke of thine hands.

THE words are part of a blessed forme of prayer, prescribed to the Church long before they were in captivity. It begins at the 15. verse of the former Chapter, Looke downe from Heaven, behold from the habitation p. 278of thy holinesse, &c. The blessed Prophet Isa…ah, was carried with the wings of Propheticall spirit over many yeares, and sees the time to come, the time of the Captivity; and God by his Spirit doth direct them a Prayer, and this is part of the forme. For God in mercy to his people, as he foresaw before what would become of them; so he vouchsafes them comfort before hand, and likewise he prescribes a forme of prayer before hand.Formes of prayer use…ull. It is very usefull to use formes; the 102. Psalme, it is a forme of powring out the soule to God, when any man is in misery, as you see in the Preface (but that by the way) These verses are a part of a forme prescribed for the powring forth an afflicted soule, We are all as an uncleane thing, and all our righteousnesse, &c. The words they are,

Division of the words.First, an humble confession of sinne.

And first of the sinnes of their nature, of their persons themselves, Wee are all as an uncleane thing.

And then of the sinnes of actions, all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags.

And then in the third place, a confession of the sinne of non-proficiencie, of obduration, and sencelessenesse, that notwithstanding the corrections of God, they were little the better, There is none that calleth upon thy Name, or that stirres up himselfe to take hold of thee.

In the second place there is an humble complaint of the miserable estate they were in by p. 279their sinnes, We all fade as a leafe, …ur iniquiti…s like the winde have taken us away, them hast hid thy face from us, and consumed us, because of our iniquities. The complaint is set forth in these foure clauses.

And then an humble supplication, and deprecation to God, in verse 8. and so forward. Now Lord thou art our Father, we are the clay, thou art the potter, we are all the worke of thy hands, &c. These be the parcells of this portion of Scripture.

But we are all as an uncleane thing, &c.

Here is first an humble confession.Benefit of afflictions. And first observe in generall, what afflictions will doe, especially afflictions sanctified; that which all the Propheticall Sermons could not doe, that which all the threatnings could not doe, affliction now doth. Now when they were in captivity and base estate, they fall a humbling themselves. So the Prodigall, nothing could humble him but afflictions. By the waters of Babilon we sate downe and wept; all the denuntiations of judgements before they came to the waters of Babylon could not make them weepe. One affliction will doe more then twenty Sermons, when God teacheth and chastizeth too, when together with teaching there is correction, then it is effectuall. And this is the reason of Gods course, why when nothing else will doe, he humbles his people with afflictions; p. 280because hee cannot otherwise teach them.

Affliction remooves the fuell of sinne.Affliction withdrawes that which is the fuell of sinne: for what doth our sinnefull disposition feed on? upon pleasures, and vanities, upon the honours of this life, and riches, &c. Now when affliction either takes these things away, or imbitters them if we have them: then that which sinne carried us to, and that we fed our owne base earthly lusts with, being gone, when a man is stripped of these, he begins to know himselfe what he is; he was drunke before. I deeme a man in prosperity little better then drunke, he knowes neither God, nor himselfe, nor the world, he knowes it not to be as a vaine world: he knowes not himselfe to be vanity, to be an empty creature, except he consist in God, and make his peace with him; he knowes not God to be …uch a holy God, and such an angry God for sinne: but when affliction comes, and withdrawes, and strips him of those things that made him fierce against God, then he begins to know God, and to tremble at the judgements of God when he begins to smart: he begins to know himselfe to be a mad man, and a foole, and a sot; he did not know himselfe before in his jollity: and then he knowes the world indeed as a vaine world. Blessed be that affliction that makes us know a gratious and good God, and the creature to be a vaine creature, and our selves out of the favour of God to be nothing. You see what afflictions will doe.

p. 281God doth use to breake men, as men use to breake horses, they ride them over hedge and ditch, and over plowed lands, uneven grounds, and gall them with the spurre, and with the bit, and all to make them tractable: and then afterward they ride them gently, and meekely, and rather so then otherwise. So God is faine to carrie his children over plowed lands, he is faine to breake them in their wickednesse, to bring their waies upon their heads, hee is faine to gall them, and humble them every kinde of way that they may carrie him; that he may bring their spirits under him, that he may leade them in the waies that leade to their owne comfort.Vse

Let us never murmure therefore at Gods hand,Not to murmure at Gods hand. but willingly yeeld at the first: what doth a stubborne horse get, but the spurre, and stripes? and what doth a man get that stands out, when God comes to humble him by affliction, and intends his good? nothing but more stripes. To come to the parts.

We are all as an uncleane thing, &c.

Heere first you see there is an humble confession. I will not inlarge my selfe in the point of humiliation; but speake a little because this is the day of humiliation, the occasion is for humiliation,Humiliation necessarie. all this is to bring us low, to humble …, to make us know our selves. Without humiliation Christ will never p. 282be sweete unto us, and the benefit of health, &c. will never be precious to us. I meane by humiliation when God humbles us, and we humble our selves, when we joyne with God, when Gods humbling of us, and our humbling of our selves goe together, then mercy is sweet, and favour and protection is sweete; when God powres his judgements on others, and spares us.

Kindes of humiliation.Now humiliation, it is either reall, or inward, or verball.

Reall humiliation indeed, that is, our humbling our selves by fasting, especially when it is joyned with reformation of our wicked waies, or else it is a mockery of God, as it is in Isaiah 58. to hang downe the head for a while, and in the meane time to have a hard heart, to shut up our bowells to our brethren: but that is a reall kinde of humiliation when we thinke our selves unworthy of the creatures of meate or drinke, of any refreshing: for this humiliation of fasting is a kinde of profession (though we speake not so) that we are unworthy of these things. But all is nothing, without inward humiliation of the soule; verball humiliation is in words (as we shall see after in confession) and it must come from inward humiliation of spirit.Vse.

To labour for humiliation.Therefore (considering it is here the first disposition of Gods people) let us labour to work upon our selves those considerations that may make us humble, I will h…e a few.

p. 283First to bring our selves to the glasse of the Law,Helps to humili…ation. examine our selves how short we have been of every Commandement.11Consider our obedience to the Law.

But especially bring our selves to the Gospell; we hope to be saved by Christ: and have we mourned for our sinnes as one mourneth for his first borne? 22To the GospellOur sinnes have wounded Christ. Have we preferred Christ in our thoughts above all the things in the world, have they all beene dung to us? Have we had that blessed esteeme of the gratious promises of the Gospell and the prerogatives therein set foorth, that they have been so precious to us, that we have undervalued all to them, as S. Paul did? A base esteeme of the Gospell is a great sinne, How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? Put case we be not enemies to the Ministery and to holinesse of life expressed in the Gospell, as many cursed creatures are: yet a base esteeme and undervaluing in our thoughts is a thing punisheable; How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? Have we walked worthy of the dignity we are called to by the Gospell? Have we carried our selves so in spirituall things, as to rule our base lusts? Have we been carefull of private Prayer, to offer our selves to God as Priests? Are we not pressed in S. Pauls Epistles, To carry our selves worthy of our profession, and have we done so? Let us bring our carriage and see how proportionable it is to Gods advancing of us in these glorious times of p. 284the Gospell and this will bring us on our knees.

We are ashamed of a little unkindnesse to men; But when we consider how unkind we have been to God, that thought not his deare Sonne and Heaven and happinesse too much for us; besides other favours that he protects and cloaths and feeds us every day, and yet we have not been answerable: these considerations would humble us proportionable to our carriage to men: Can we be ashamed to offer an unkindnesse to men, and are we not ashamed, cannot we be abased with this that we have carried our selves so towards God? It comes from Atheisme and infidelity of heart, that either we beleeve not these things to be good, or else that we hauehave not our part and portion in them, could we ever be so dead and dull hearted else?

33Call to mind our especiall sins.Againe, that we may be humbled, let us call to minde, now in this day of Humiliation, our speciall sinnes, we may soone know them, our consciences and our enemies will upbraid us for them, & we are loath to heare of them above all, either by the ministery or by our friends, we wish above al that the preacher would not speak of them & fret it he doe, and our hearts run upon them above all. So let us search our false hearts which way they runne: and now in the day of our abasement, let us thinke what would lie heaviest on our conscience, if God should take us now with sicknesse or sudden death; let us thinke with our selves what is the sinne p. 285that would afflict me most? that would stagger me most, that would shake my Faith most? whether it be filthinesse, or profanenesse, or swearing, or injustice, and whether have I made satisfaction or no? Let me examine, if God should strike me with his Arrow now, what sinne would rob me of my comfort and make me affraid to yeeld my soule to God. Now thinke of it, his is the way to be humbled: you may now bring your selves to consider of that that at other times you will not give your selves leasure to doe. What are daies of fasting for, but to give our selves leisure, that we may not thinke of meate and drinke and businesse? These daies should be daies of rest, that we may thinke of that that concernes our soules: take the advantage when thou rests from thinking of other businesse, thinke with thine owne soule what will lie heaviest upon thy soule. This is required to Humiliation; this reall Humiliation that is outward, it is a protestation of the inward, and verbal Humiliation is but an expression of what we do inwardly.

There are two things wondrous necessary before the soule can be in the right frame it should be in.

First the soule must apprehend deepely what distance it hath from God, what alienates it from God before it can be wise: and it must be estranged from that before ever it can come to couple and joyne with God; when the soule apprehends what seperates it from p. 286God and conceives as it should doe of that, then it will be the readier to apprehend God and then all duties will come off easily. Therfore let us first of all worke upon our owne soules to be humbled and by all the helps that can be.

44The uncertainty of life.And to helpe it, consider now at this time, how uncertaine our life is, we know not who may be stricken next; and consider what the dangerous issue is, if we humble not our selves here before God humble us in our graves. Let us helpe Humiliation by all that may be: For where this is all will follow easily: a man will goe out of himselfe to God, when he is abased in himselfe, and sees no comfort in Heaven or Earth but in God; that there is nothing to be stucke to in the world, but all is vanity and he may be stripped of life and of all these comforts ere long; when a man is abased Faith and Obedience will come off easily. What is the reason that Christ is not relished more? and that many fall off? They were never deepely humbled: according to the depth of Humiliation is the growth of holinesse of life and the height of Faith. All graces rise higher as the soule is more deeply humbled: The more we descend deeply in digging and rending up our hearts, the more the Word of God sinks into the good ground that suffers the plow to rend it up and to cut off the weeds. The more deeply we are humbled, the more the fruits of Gods Word appeare in p. 287our hearts and lives, the more fruitfull is our conversation: all comes indeed upon the truth of our Humiliation, and when that is not deep and true all the rest is shallow and counterfit: there we should worke it upon our owne hearts.

And labour to be humble and low in all the powers of our soules;55To bee humbled in all the powers of the soule. to have humble judgements, to thinke of our selves as God thinks of us. God thinks of us as sinners, God and Christ thinke of us that we are such as must deny all in us before we be fit for Heaven. Let us judge of our selves as he that must be our judge doth and will judge of us ere long, labour to have low judgements of our selves, what we are in our selves, empty of all good, defiled with all ill.

And this will breed poverty of spirit in our judgements. Then let us labour for Humility in our affections, to bring our selves more to God, to stoope to him in feare and reverence. And Humility in our obedience and conversations to God and to men every way, let Humility spread it selfe over all the parts and powers of the soule and body, and over our whole lives, I cannot stand further upon that.

Now here is verball humillation,Verball humiliation. that is by confession, expressing our humiliation by our words, as the people of God doe here by confession, laying open our sinnes that God may cover them: what we hide God will never p. 288cure:Necessity of cō fession of sins. therefore we should take heed that now we are to deale with God, we lay open the bottome of our soules to him: let not the Iron be in the wound. You know a Chyrurgeon can heale nothing if the Iron or poisoned arrow sticke there. If there be corruption in the stomacke it must up, if it be ill gotten goods, it will not digest, up it must all to God: For men except there be scruples that a man cannot free his conscience, there is no necessity, though great conveniency: but betweene God and thy soule open all by confession, and give not over till thou hast brought pardon to thy heart of that sinne thou hast confessed. Every sleight confession is not enough, but it must be a resolved downe right confession without guile of spirit, as it is in Psal. 32. this is the course that David takes there; untill he dealt roundly with his soule without guile, His moisture was as the drought of Summer: he was in some dangerous disease that could not be cured. And doe we looke to be preserved from falling into sicknesse, or if we be sicke, to be cured? We must beginne the cure in our soules, lay open the wound to God, I said I will confesse my sinne, and thou forgavest me, he begins with confession. So all persons that either feare or are under any judgement, let them beginne with laying open their soules to God: when the soule is healed he will heale the body presently after: for he laies sicknesse upon the body for the soule, and when the p. 289wound is healed, the plaister will fall off of it selfe; therefore let us lay open our sinnes by confession and shame our soules all that wee can.

This is the way to give glory to God,Confession of sin gives glory to God. let us joyne both together, our owne ease and glory to God. When we have laid open our soules to God, and laid as much against our selves as the Divell could doe that way: for let us think what the Divell would lay to our charge at the houre of death, and the day of judgement; he would lay hard to our charge this and that, let us accuse our selves as he would, and as he will ere long: The more we accuse and judge our selves and set up a tribunall in our hearts, certainely there will follow an incredible ease. Ionah was cast into the Sea, and there was ease in the Ship, Achan was stoned, and the Plague was stayed: out with Ionah, out with Achan and there will follow ease and quiet in the soule presently; conscience will receive wonderfull ease. It must needs be so, for when God is honoured conscience is purified. God is honoured by confession of sinne every way. It honours his omniscience, that he is al-seeing, that he sees our sinnes and searcheth the hearts, our secrets are not hid from him. It honours his power, what makes us confesse our sinnes, but that we are afraid of his power least he should execute it? And what makes us confesse our sinnes? But that we know there is mercy with him that he may be feared? And p. 290that there is pardon for sinne, we would not confesse our sinnes else, with men it is confesse and have execution, but with God confesse and have mercy, it is his owne protestation; we would never lay open our sinnes but for mercy. So it honours God, and when he is honoured, he honours the soule with inward peace and tranquility. We can never have peace in our soules, till we have dealt roundly with our sins and favour them not a whit; till we have ripened our confession to be a thorow confession. What is the difference betweene a Christian & another man? Another person slubbers over his sins, God is mercifull, &c. and he thinkes if he come to the Congregation and follow the Minister, it will serve the turne. But a Christian knowes that Religion is another manner of matter, another kinde of worke then so: he must deale throughly and seriously, and lay open his sinne as the chiefe enemy in the world, and labour to raise all the hatred he can against it, and make it the object of his bitter displeasure, as being that that hath done him more hurt then all the world besides, and so he confesseth it with all the aggravations of hatred and envy that he can.

But to come more particularly to the confession here spoken off, We all are as an uncleane thing, &c.

We all.

We see here holy men themselves confesse p. 291their sins and ranke themselves among sinners in their confessions, so we learne hence this,

That we in our confessions (in our Fastings especially) ought to ranke our selves amongst the rest of sinners, Holy men in their confessions rank themselve with others.and not to exempt our selves from other sinners. Perhaps we are not guilty of some sinnes that they have beene guilty off: God hath beene mercifull to us and kept us in obedience in some things: but alas there is none of us all but we have had a hand in the sinnes of the times, the best of all conditions are guilty of them; therefore wee have cause to ranke our selves among others, as he saith here. We are all as an uncleane thing, and as Daniell, he makes a confession of the sins of all, we are all of us guilty.

How are we all guilty?The best men guilty of the sins of the times.

We are all guilty in this respect, we receive some taint and soyle from the times we live in,11In not sorrowing for them. either our zeale is weakned, we doe not grieve so much for the sinnes of the times, and who is not guilty in this respect? We doe not grieve and lament as we should: as S. Paul tels the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.1 Cor 5they should have beene sorry and humbled; they were guilty of the sinne of the incestuous person, because they were not humbled for it. We are thus farre guilty at least the best of us, that we doe not sorrow for the common sinnes. Alas how many sinnes are there that every body may see in the times in all rancks? In Pastors, what unfaithfullnesse p. 292and … Governours and in places of justice; what crying of the poore and men oppressed; and in all rancks of people we see a generall security, we see filthinesse, and heare oaths, for which the Land mournes, as Ieremy saith, Ier. 23. These and such like sinnes provoke God and solicite the vengeance of God, and will have no nay till they have pulled downe vengeance; Who hath beene so much humbled for these sinnes as he ought? Perhaps our selves are not personally guilty of them: but are they not our sinnes so farre as we are not abased for them and oppose them, and represse them as we should in our places and standings, whether we be Ministers or Magistrates? Thus farre wee are guilty all, therefore the Prophet might well say, We all are as an uncleane thing, &c.

22By Simpathie.Then againe, there is a great Simpathy in the hearts of good men; they are full of pitty and compassion, and therefore they joyne themselves with others, partly knowing that they are guilty in some degree with others; and partly because they are members of the same body politike and ecclesiasticall, they live in the same Church and common wealth, therefore all joyne their confession together, wee all are as an uncleane thing, &c.

Vse.Let us make this use of it, every one of us to be humbled;To labour every one to bee humbled. doe not every one of us bring sticks to the common fire? Do we not adde something to the common judgement? If there p. 293be two malefactors that have committed a trespasse, one of them is taken, and used in his kinde, he is executed, will it not greeve the other? he will thinke, was it not my case, I was a wretched sinner as well as he. If there be divers Traitors, and the King is mercifull to one, and the other hee executes, will it not grieve him that is spared, if hee have any bowells or good nature? (besides goodnesse in other kindes) will hee not thinke, it was my owne case, there was no difference betweene me and them, only the mercy of the King? So the best of us may thinke, have I not a corrupt nature, and for the sinnes of the times, am not I soyled with them? others have beene stricken, might not the same arrow have stricken mee? certainely this consideration that we bring somthing to the publique sinnes, it will make us humbled for the publique, as the Church here confesseth, We are all as an uncleane thing, &c.

To come to the particulars of the Confession.

We are all as an uncleane thing.

Heere is a confession of their persons,We are all tainted by nature. their persons were tainted; we are all a tainted seed and generation in nature, what the wickedest is wholy, the best are in part; therefore it is no error that wee should say so and so of our selves in our confessions, as Saint Paul saith of p. 292duplicate page p. 293duplicate page p. 290duplicate page p. 291duplicate page p. 292duplicate page p. 293duplicate page p. 294himselfe, I am sold under sinne, Rom. 7. one would wonder that he should confesse so. Alas blessed man, he felt that in part, that others in the state of nature are wholy: so we are all filthy, the best (as farre as they are not renewed) are as other men are.

Vncleane.

It is a comparison taken from the Leprosie, or some other contagious disease: those that were tainted of them were separated from the Congregation seven daies,Sin a leprosie. or some set time. So it is with sin, especially the sins of this people, they had sinned grievously, and were severed from their land, not seven daies, but seventy yeares, the leprosie and filthinesse of their sins and lives was such.

Indeed sinne, especially the sinne of nature, it is a leprosie, contagious, pestilentiall, and as a leprosie it spreads over all the parts and powers of body and soule. Take a man that is not changed, he hath a leprous eye, full of adulterie, hee hath a leprous uncircumcised …are, aske him how he judgeth of discourses, and Sermons, hee relisheth nothing but that which is frothy, and vaine; plaine substantiall solid discourses either in hearing, or reading, will not downe with him, hee hath a leprous judgement, his eyes, and eares. and tongue are defiled, and corrupt, he is vile, and abhominable in his speeches, he is uncircumcised in all, p. 295all are uncleane, all his powers are defiled by nature.

All the washings in the Law did signifie this,Washings in the Law what they signified. the corruption and defilement of our natures, which needs another washing which they tipified, a washing by the blood and Spirit of Christ. Christ came by water and blood, both in Justification and Sanctification. There is a Fountaine opened for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in. All those washings shewed a defilement spirituall, that needed a spirituall washing. This sinne is a leprous contagious sinne, therefore by nature we may all crie as the Leper, uncleane, uncleane, the best of us may take up that complaint as farre as we are not renewed.Sin like a leprosie defiles all. A leprous man defiled the things that he touched; so it is with sinne, till it be forgiven, we defile every thing. A proud man especially when he is set out in his bravery, he thinkes himselfe a jolly man, a brave creature; alas he is a filthy creature, not onelyonly in himselfe, but in every thing he puts his hand unto; he taints, and defiles every thing, even civill actions, hee sinnes in eating and drinking: not that they in the substance of them are sinnes, but he staines every thing; for he forgets God in them, he forgets himselfe exceedingly, and he returnes not thankes to God: so in morall civill actions, much more in religious, he defiles himselfe in every thing, he is defiled to all things, and all things are defiled to him, this is our state by nature, We are all as an uncleane thing.

p. 296Vse.This should enforce a necessity of cleansing our selves in the blood of Christ,To labour to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. that is, in the death of Christ who hath satisfied the justice of God. Our natures are so foule in regard of the guilt, and staine, that the blood of God-man that is, the satisfactory death of God-man was necessary to breed reconciliation and attonement betweene God and us. And the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe, Heb. 9 14.Heb 9:14must purge our consciences, &c. our consciences will not otherwise be pacified and cleansed in regard of guilt, but will clamour and crie still; much lesse will God be appeased, neither God nor conscience will be pacified, but by the blood of him who by the eternall Spirit offered up himselfe, and then it will in regard of the guilt and staine, then God and conscience will both be appeased. Therefore in Zach. 13. There is a Fountaine opened for Iuda and Ierusalem to wash in. And The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne. Blood is of a defiling nature; but the blood of Christ cleanseth, because it is a satisfactory blood, he died, and was a sacrifice as a publique person for us all.

By the Spirit of Christ.Then againe, considering that we are all defiled, besides this cleansing from the guilt of sinne, let us get our natures cleansed by the Spirit of Christ more and more, wee are all defiled.Vse 2.

Take heed of society with sinners.And take heed of those that are defiled, take heede of sinners; who would willingly lie with a leprous person? yet notwithstanding for matter p. 297of marriage, and intimate society, there is a little conscience made, men converse with leprous company, they joyne in the most intimate society with those that are leprous in their judgements. The life of nature we know, and are carefull to avoid what may impaire it: but it is a signe we have not the life of grace begun in us, because we doe not valew it, if we had, we would be more carefull to preserve it, and to take heeed of contagious company. Who would goe to the Pest-house, or to one that hath Lord have mercy upon us on the doore? none but a mad man, he might doe soe: and surely those that joyne with swearers, and drunkards, and filthy persons, and goe to filthy places, and houses (as many doe, the more shame for them) they think they have no soules nor no account to make, … goe to these places, and infect themselves. It is a signe they have no life of grace, all companies are alike to them. Is this strength of grace? No, they have no life of grace, they have nothing to loose; for if they had the life of grace they would preserve it better.

Sinne is a filthy thing,Sin worse then the plague. more filthy then the leprosie, nay then the plague it selfe: for the plague, or leprosie, makes but the bodie loathsome; but the sinne that we cherish, and are loath to heare of makes the soule loathsome. The one makes unfit for the company of men; but the other, sinne, and corruption, and lusts, unfit us for the Kingdome of God, for Heaven, p. 298for life or death, therefore it is worse. The leprosie of the body makes a man not a whit odious to God; but the leprosie of the soule makes us hatefull to him. We may have more intimate communion with God in the plague, then out of the plague; because God supplies the want of outward comforts: but in sinne we can have no comfortable communion and society with God; therefore this plague of the soule is many waies worse then the pestilence. But we want faith, God hath not opened our eyes to see that that we shall see and know ere long, and it is happie if wee consider it in time.

In actuall sins to hauehave recourse to the corruption of nature.To conclude this point, concerning the corruption of nature, take Davids course, Psal. 51. when sinnefull actions come from us, or unsavourie words, or beastly thoughts, or unchast and noysome desires that grieve the Spirit of God, let us go to the Fountaine, alas my nature is leprous, as farre as it is not purged, I was conceived in sinne, my mother brought mee forth in iniquity. The more we take occasion every day to see, and observe the corruption of our nature, the lesse it is; and we cannot better take occasion, then upon every actuall sinne to run to the fountaine, the filthy puddle from whence all comes, and be more humbled for that, then for particular sinnes. It is a mistake in men, they are ashamed of an action of injustice, &c, but they should goe to their nature and thinke I have a false uncleane nature, whereby I am ready to p. 299commit a thousand such if God should let mee alone, I have the spawne of all sinne as farre as the Spirit hath not subdued it. It is a defect of judgement to be more humbled for particular sinnes, nature is more tainted then any action, that sowing, breeding sinne (as the Apostle saith) it is worse then the action, it breeds the rest. So much for that, they confesse here, Wee are all as an uncleane thing, in our selves.

But what comes from us?

That that aggravates to the utmost a sinnefull state.

All our righteousnesse is as filthy rags.

He doth not say we have filthy actions, but our best actions are stained, and not one, but all. Marke how strong the place is, We all, the people of God, he includes all, as Daniel saith, I confesse my sinnes, and the sinnes of my people; and there is no man in the Church but he might have this confession in his mouth, We the people of God,All the best actions of the best men defiled and all We, in all our actions, All our righteousnesse, &c. so all the actions of all the righteous, the best actions of the best men, and all the best actions of the best men are defiled, and stained, it is as great an aggravation as may bee.

Some would have it to intend the Legall righteousnesse, yet notwithstanding it is true of all; and when we now humble our selves it is good to thinke of all; so we may say, all our p. 300righteousnesse, whatsoever comes from us it is stained, and defiled. As for their Legall performances there is no question of them: for alas they trusted too much to them, in Isaiah 1. and Isaiah last, they thought God was beholding to them for them, Away with them, away with your new Moones, &c. they were abhominable to God as the cutting off a dogs neck, as it is Isaiah the last: so all their righteousnesse, their ceremoniall performances were abhominable.

But I say we may raise it high …, it is not onelyonly true of them, but in greater matters, in our best morrall performances, they are all as tainted rags.

Object.How can this be? It is strange it should be so, the Papists crie out here that we discourage men from good works; if all our righteousnesse be as filthy rags, why should we performe good workes?

Answ.Put case a man be sick, all the meate he eates it strengthens his sicknesse,Though our best actions be defiled, yet there is some good in them. shall he therefore not eate at all? Yes, he must eate somewhat, there is nature in him to strengthen as well as his disease. Thy best performances are stained, wilt thou doe none therefore? yes, though they be stained, yet there is some goodnesse in them; thou maist honour God, and doe good to others; besides the ill there is good; there is gold in the Ore; there is some good in every good action; nay there is so much good as that God pardons the ill, and accepts the good. So p. 301though our good actions be ill: yet for their kinde and matter and stuffe they are good, they are commanded of God: For their originall and spring they are wrought by the Spirit of God: for the person the worke-man it is one in the state of grace, and for acceptance God rewards them: But it is another thing when we come before God to humble our selves, then we must see what staines and sinnes are in them. There is no good action so good, but there are wants and weakenesses and staines and blemishes in it as it comes from us. The Spirit of God indeed is effectuall to stirre us up to good actions: but we hinder the worke of the Holy Ghost and doe not doe them so throughly as we should: therefore besides our wants and weakenesses, there is a tainture of them, either we have false aimes, they are not so direct, or our resolutions are not so strong; false aimes creepe in for a while, though we doe not allow them: and then there are some coolers of our devotion; our love is cold, our hatred of sinne is not so strong; our prayers are not so fervent, our actions are not so carried without interruption, but are hindred with many bie thoughts; who cannot complaine of these things? Who is not brought upon his knees for the weakenesse of his best actions? Nay I say more a Christian is more humbled for the imperfections and staines of his best actions then a civill carnall person is for his outward enormities: for he turnes over all p. 302his outward delinquences and makes the matter but a tricke of youth, when a poore Christian is abased for his dullnesse and deadnesse and coldnesse; for false aimes that creepe into his actions; for interruptions in his duties, that his thoughts will not suffer him to serve God with that intention that he would, but puts him off with motions and suggestions and temptations in his best performances: this abaseth him more, then outward grosse sinnes doth a carnall person. When wee deale with God, Our righteousnesse it is as menstruous cloathes.

Know this for a ground, that there is a double principle in a Christian in all things that he doth,A double principle in a Christiā there is flesh and Spirit, and these two issue out in whatsoever comes from him. In his good words there is flesh as well as Spirit, in his thoughts and desires, in his prayer, his prayer it selfe stands in contraries: So every thing that comes from him it is tainted with that that is contrary, the flesh opposeth and hinders the worke of the Spirit, and so it staines our good works.Cōtraries agree in a Christian Therefore contraries are true of a Christian, which seeme strange to another man. A Christian at the same time is deformed and well-favoured, He is blacke and comely. I am blacke but yet well-favoured, saith the Spouse, blacke in regard of sinne, but well-favoured in regard of the Spirit of God and the acceptation of Christ. He is a Saint and a Sinner: a Sinner in respect that sinne hath p. 303spread over all parts, and a Saint in respect of Christs acceptance, My Love and my Dove, Christ makes love to his Church as if she had no defilement: but he looks on her better part, he lookes on her as she is in his love, and as he meanes to bring her after. But the Church looking upon her selfe as she is in her selfe, she is much abased: the ground of it is the imperfection of sanctification in this world. The best of our works are as menstruous cloathes, when we thinke of the corruption of the best things as they come from us, when we come to humble our selves before God, we must downe with proud stiles and Pharisaicall thoughts, although there be somewhat that is good: yet let us thinke of all the ill that may abase us.

There is a season for every thing,In what case to … and upon our innocen…y. when we are tempted to be overcome by Satan; then thinke of the good, as Iob when he was tempted, I have done this and this, you cannot take away mine innocency. In false temptations from the world and Satan, then stand upon our innocency. But when we humble our selves before God, Alas I am dust and ashes, I abhorre my selfe, as Iob and Abraham said, lay all proud apprehensions of our selves aside, and all good workes, especially in one kinde, in matter of justification, all is dung in comparison of Christ. All must be sold for the pearle, the Righteousnesse of Christ. There is no reckning must be had of good works by way of p. 304merit in justification and our title to Heaven. What gives us title to Heaven and frees us from Hell? The death of Christ, the obedience and satisfaction of Christ. God by it hath redeemed us perfectly without any thing in ourselves, and accepts us to life everlasting onelyonly by the Righteousnesse of Christ: therefore it is called Gods Righteousnesse, because it was done by Christ, it was wrought by God. Our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloath, it is spotted and stained and defiled, it will not doe the deed, it will not satisfie conscience, much lesse the exact piercing judgement of God: that is the righteousnesse that must stay our soules in life and death, and we must oppose it to all temptations, as a satisfying thing that will set downe conscience to be quiet, it must be the Righteousnesse of God-Man, nothing else will doe it. All our righteousnesse is as filthy raggs, that is the confession of their sinfull actions.

The next thing he confesseth is sencelesnesse. There is none that calls upon thy Name; that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee. There be other words betweene concerning the complaint of their miserable estate, but I will handle them that concerne their sins first.

There is none that calls upon thy name.

Prayer put for the whole worship of God.In a word, he meanes that none worshipped him: because prayer is put for the whole worship p. 305of God, as indeed it may well be put for the whole: for it exerciseth all the graces of the Spirit. What one grace is not set on worke in prayer? (it is put for all the inward worship of God) Jf it be faith, prayer is the flame of faith; when there is faith in the heart there will be prayer in the mouth. The knowledge of God, prayer is grounded upon a Promise; so it comes from that part of spirituall worship. Hope, hope makes a man pray, no man would powre out his supplications but to him that he hath hope in. And for Love, Gods love and mercy drawes us into his presence, and joy and delight in the presence of God drawes us to pray. We give God the honour of all his attributes in prayer; of his truth, of his goodnesse, of his mercy, of his presence every where, &c. So it sets all graces on worke and gives God the honour of all, It is the worship of God every way, for though it be an outward verball worship of it selfe, yet it expresseth the worship of God inward: it gives God the honour of all.

Therefore those that pray not what kinde of persons are they?Danger of neglecting prayer. Wretched persons. The sicknesse is now among us: Jf a man should aske now what Family is likeliest to have the vengeance of God on it? though I speake not to censure those that have it, but I speake in Gods ordin…ry course; surely those that doe not exercise the du…y of prayer. Powre out thy wrath upon those that call not upon thy name. p. 306Those families that call not upon God humbly morning and evening, or that person that doth not morning and evening reverently call upon God, they are fit objects for the vengeance of God, for the plague or the like: Powre out thy wrath upon the families and persons that call not upon thy name, insinuating that the Lord will spare us if we doe call upon his name and humble our selves: If thou wilt needs powre out thy vengeance, let it be on them that have not grace humbly to call upon thy name. Let us make conscience of this du…y, except we will prove athiests and lie open to all the vengeance of God.

There is none that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee.

He represents God to us as a great person, that would bestow some benefit, and is ready to turne away himselfe, yet none layes hold of him or desires him to stay: so (saith he) there is none that laies hold on God to keepe him that he should not goe away: Therfore when he saith, None calls upon thy name, or stirs up himselfe to take hold of thee, he meanes there are none that pray earnestly. Incense was to be burnt, or else it cast no sweet smell, our prayers must have fire and zeale in them, our prayers must be cries that must pierce Heaven. Out of the deepe have I cried unto thee, Lord. Wee must stirre up our selves, wee must waken our selves, to waken God: indeed p. 307before we can waken God we must waken our selves.

There is none stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee.

Insinuating that if we would lay hold of God,Prayer layes hold on God. he will be staied. To speake a little more particularly of this. God is so gratious that he will be staied even by prayer, the way to stay God in his judgements and to lay hold of him and to keepe him among us, it is prayer. Let us take notice now of the hand of God upon us; what is the meanes to stop his hand that he come not among us with his publick judgements? It is prayer. The way to stop God and the Angell that hath his sword now drawn over our heads, it is prayer. God so condiscends that hee will be stopt by prayer; as we see in Exo. 13. he saith to Moses, let me alone, Moses prayed and alleadged arguments to God that he should not confound his people, Let me alone saith he, insinuating that prayer binds Gods hands. So powerfull is prayer that it binds the Almighty, it makes the omnipotent in some sort impotent, hee cannot doe that he would, he cannot execute his wrath, prayer binds him, when a company of Christians lay hold on him by prayer, he cannot doe that he threatneth: the onelyonly way to lay hold of God is by prayer. In Ezek. 22. there is a complaint that none stood in the gap, insinuating p. 308that if any had stood in the gap when the vengeance of God was comming abroad they might have prevented the wrath; the way to stand in the gap and to keep God is to pray and to p…ay hear…ily.

Now that God may be held by our prayers, they must be strong prayers, every prayer will not hold God, they must be strong prayers that must bind such a Sampson that hath his strength: therefore there must be a stirring up of our selves; he saith here, There is none that stirreth up him selfe to take hold of thee. So it is the duty of Christians to stirre up themselves in these times.

Quest.How shall we stirre up our selves?

Answ.First, by considering the danger we are in: danger felt or feared,We must stir up our selves to lay hold of God. it will make a man lay hold. When a child feeles the smart of the rod,11By considering our danger. he layes hold upon his father or his mothers hand, strike no more, when the children of God feele the smart of his judgements then they cry, O no more. The cry of the child prevailes with the mother, though it cannot speak oft-times: So when in the sence of sin and misery we cry to God, we move his bowels with crying. There is no question but the serious apprehension of danger felt, doth awaken the soule and stirre it up. It is so also in danger feared, a danger feared with beliefe will worke as if it were present: for a man that hath a spirit of faith to …ee that unlesse God be appeased with good courses, he will punish as surely as p. 309if the judgement were upon him. Faith makes things present, both good and ill, and it makes a man sensible of things that are not yet upon him. This is the difference betweene a Christian and another man, another man puts the evill day farre off from him: but a beleeving Christian by a spirit of faith sees God (except he be turned away by hearty and humble repentance) ready to ceaze upon him, and so he walks humbly in all his courses. So that danger felt or feared by a spirit of faith awakens and stirrs up the soule to lay hold on God.

Therefore in spirituall dangers we should especially waken our soules to see in what need we stand of Christ, and the pardoning mercy of God in Christ, that we may waken him, and give him no rest till we find peace in our consciences.

Then againe,22Meditation of the exce…e…y & …ece…sity of that we beg. that that we may stirre up our selves withall is the meditation of the necessity and excellency of grace, and of the good things we beg: the serious consideration of that will make us stirre up our selves to lay hold on God and give him no rest till we have it. When a man thinkes the loving kindnesse of God is better then life, and if J have not that, my life is nothing to me. It is not onelyonly better then corne and wine and oyle, but then life it selfe. Pardon of sinne, and a heart to doe good is better then life it selfe, then any thing in the world. If one should offer such a man this, a heart patiently p. 310to beare ill, and large to doe good, and strength against temptations; he would rather have this gratious disposition then any thing in the world, he had rather have the pardon of sinne with the sense of Gods favour then any thing in the world. This will stirre up a man, as we see in David, Psal. 51. Mercy, mercy, it binds God, and laies hold on him, together with pardoning mercy to have a heart enlarged with spirituall joy. There is nothing spirituall, but it is so excellent, that if we had the eyes of our spirits awakened to see them, wee would bind God, and lay hold of him, he should not goe further till he had shined on us.

33Importunity with God.Therefore let us offer violence to God this way, never give him rest till we obtaine. You see when the two Disciples were going to Emmaus, Christ made as though hee would have gone further, but they compelled him. Now there is a semblance as if God threatned war, and would take away the Gospell, there are dangers toward. When God makes such a semblance, let us lay hold on him, let him goe no further. Lord, night approacheth, and affliction approacheth, Lord stay thou shalt goe no further, let us stop God with importunity. The consideration of danger, and the necessity and excellency of the things we beg will make us lay hold on God.

Outward service alone not accepted.There is an hyprocrisie among men, among a company of Formalists, that are the bane of the times, that God will spue out, they are as p. 311ill as prophane persons in his nostrils: they thinke that all devotion is in prostrating themselves (which is good, and more then prophane men will doe) and yeeld a dead sacrifice to God, they will come, and heare, and yeeld the outward act, in outward humiliation. Is this to rouze thy selfe? outward things are never currant but when they expresse outwardly the inward truth; therefore take another course man, God cares not for the dead empty carkasse thou bringest him; worke upon thine owne heart by meditation of the danger thou art in, and of the excellency of the things thou art to beg, and meditate of the Majestie of God whom thou appearest before, of his goodnesse and truth, &c affect thy heart deepely with these apprehensions, let these serious thoughts draw outward expressions of humiliation; and then it is excellent, when the outward expression followes the inward impression, when there is somewhat inward that shewes it selfe outward, when we stirre up our selves, and not to thinke that all devotion consists in a comely outward carriage (which is commendable of it selfe,) but because men usually rest in it, it is prejudiciall to their soules good. Wee must offer a reasonable sacrifice to God, wee must love him in our hearts, wee must worke upon our hearts, and carrie our selves so in our inward man, as that we may stirre up our whole man, and awaken our soules, Praise the Lord O my soule, and all that is within mee praise his holy p. 312name, we should stirre up our selves by speaking to our owne soules, that we may waken and take hold of God.

44To looke for an answer of our prayers.This againe will helpe it, a man should never come to pray, but he should have an answer before he hath done, either at that time or another; never give over till thou hast an answer, this will make us stirre up our selves indeed. How doe you know a prayer from a formall lip-labour? A man that prayes conscionably markes what he doth, and expects a returne, as a man that soweth his seed. He that doth a thing with hope of issue will doe it thoroughly, therefore never pray to performe an emptie dutie to God; but marke what you pray for, if it be forgivenesse of sinnes, or for grace, or protection, &c. and doe it with that earnestnesse that you may hope for an issue answerable, and this going about it will make us doe it to purpose; doe we thinke to serve God with the deed done? God hath appointed prayer for our good, and to convey blessings to us: Let us pray so as wee may expect a blessing by it. Now that prayer that expects a blessing to bee conveied, it will be a prayer to purpose, it will make a man stirre up himselfe.

There is none that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee.

The complaint applied to the present times.The complaint of this holy man of God may be taken up at this time of many of us now; p. 313how few are those that rouze and stirre up themselves, but put off God with an empty complement? Nay, in these times of danger, have ye not a company of idle persons that will not vouchsafe to heare the Word, nor to come and humble themselves; but walke and talke offensively, as if they would dare God, or if they come here, they come not with a resolution to heare the issue of their prayers, to rouze up themselves to lay hold on God. Because, as there is a great deale of Atheisme in regard of God, so there is much dead flesh in regard of men. Who is so pitifull of our brethren round about as he ought? We had need to stirre up our selves, the danger is present, we are beset round about, yet who is stirred up to earnest prayer? we want bowells of compassion. Those that have hearts compassionate, it is a signe that God intends good to them; but of the most we may take up this complaint, we are dead-hearted in regard of our sinnes against God, and in regard of the contagion among us. A man may see it by mens discourses, there is inquirie how the sicknesse spreads, how many dies? but men doe not labour with God to make their accounts even with him; nor we are not compassionate to men, for that would bee a meanes to stirre and to rouze us up to lay hold of God, to stay his hand out of love, and pitie, and compassion to our brethren which are our flesh, though it should never seize on us: I say I feare this complaint is too justly on many of us. I p. 314beseech you let us labour to amend it as wee tender our owne salvation (perhaps that wee doe not regard so much, we shall ere long, but then) as wee tender the health of our bodies which wee preferre before our soules, let us humble our selves more then ordinarie now.

Extraordinarie humiliation required sometimes.Some divells are not driven out but by prayer and fasting; so some judgements they will not away without prayer and fasting, not onelyonly publique but private fasting and prayer. Sometimes there must be more then ordinary humiliation for some sinnes; for some kinde of temptations there must be prayer and fasting; for some maladies prayer and fasting, and more then ordinary stirring and rouzing up of our selves to lay hold upon God. God will not be held with ordinary humiliation, that will not doe it: but there must be a resolution against, and a hatred of all sinne, and to please God in all things. We must doe it with extraordinary humiliation now, because the judgement is extraordinary. There is ordinary humiliation, and extraordinary; as there are ordinary feasts, and extraordinary, so there is ordinary humiliation for daily trespasses; but in extraordinary judgements extraordinary fasting and humiliation. As there is ordinary washing daily, but there is washing and scouring at good times; God calls for extraordinary humiliation now, not onelyonly prayers, but stirring and rouzing up of our selves. We should apprehend the danger p. 315as seizing on our selves; this night it may seize upon us for ought we know: It should affect us, and make us stirre up our selves. This is the way to hold God by prayer; and if we hold him, he will hold the destroying Angell, he hath all creatures at his command. Thus you see how we should confesse the sins of our persons, the sins of our good actions, our want of calling upon God. There is none that calls upon thy Name, that stirres up himselfe to take hold of thee. Thus farre proceed the branches of their sinfull disposition in those times.

Now he complaines likewise of the judgements of God.

Wee all fade as a leafe, Our iniquities as the winde have taken us away. Thou hast hid thy face, And we are consumed because of our iniquities.

The complaint hath these foure branches, a little of each.

We all fade as a leafe.

Wicked men are as leaves,Men fading as leaves. and worse, they are as chaffe. Godly men, because they have a consistence, and are rooted in Christ, and set in a good soile, they are trees of righteousnesse. But godly men in the state of their nature, and in regard of this life they are as leaves: wicked men are as leaves p. 316every way, and as chaffe which the winde bloweth away, as we shall see afterwards.

We all fade as a leafe.

11For performances.He meanes, first, in regard of ceremoniall performances that were without vigour and spirit of true devotion. There was no spirit in their Legall performances, they were dead emptie things; therefore when judgement came, they were as leaves. So an idle carelesse hearer when judgement comes all is as leaves; when conscience nips him (as his atheisticall heart will doe ere long) then he is as a leafe, all fades away. The Jewes when they were in trouble, all their Legall performances faded, they were all as a leafe. So is it true in regard of mortality,22Mortality. the vanity of health, and strength, wee all as a leafe fade away when Gods judgements come to nip us. Men are as leaves, as the leaves now in autumne fall, and there is a new generation in the spring; and then they fall away, and a new generation comes againe; so it is with men, some are blowne off, and some come on againe. Wee all fade as a leafe, not to be large in the point. At this time we are all as leaves, in this Citie now there is a kinde of wind that nips a world of men, many hundreds in the head. It is an autumne winde that nips the leaves, our autumne winde with us is before the time; a kinde of autumne winde in the spring, in summer, p. 317that nips the leaves and takes away the vigour of health.

And so (as I said) for all idle performances, that have not a foundation in substantiall piety, they are all as leaves, when trouble of conscience comes, they are as Adams figleaves; when God comes to search, and examine, they all fall off, both in respect of our performances, and in respect of our lives, wee are all as leaves when God comes in judgement, this is one part of the complaint. We are all as leaves, the like we have of Moses the man of God, Psal. 90. when God blowes upon us with the winde of his displeasure we fall off as leaves.

Then another expression is,

Our iniquities as the winde have taken us away.

As chaffe,Men out of Christ blowne away as with a winde. or things that have no solidity in them are blowne away with a puffe of winde: so it is with a man, if he be not a Christian set into, and gathered unto Christ. By the fall we all fell from God, and were scattered from him; sinne blew the Angels out of Heaven, it blew Adam out of Paradice, and now Christ the second Adam gathers us to him againe by his Word and Spirit, and so we have a solid and eternall being in him. But out of Christ our iniquities as a winde, and Gods judgements blow us all away first or last. Wicked men settle on their dregs a great while; but when Gods judgement comes, it blowes them in this p. 318world to this part, and that part oft-times when it pleaseth him to exercise his outward judgements, but if he doe not blow them away here, he will give them a blast that shall send them to hell their center. Out of Christ there is no solidity, no consistence or being for any man: therefore when Gods judgement comes it blowes them away in this world, and at the houre of death sends them to hell, this is the state of all. Our iniquities like the winde take us away: he meanes here, they were blowne out of Iury to Babylon. It was a strong blast that blew them out of their owne Country.

May not we say, Our iniquities have blowne us away? What hath blowne us from our callings and imployments? Is it not the Pestilence? and what brings that? Is it not our iniquities? So that wee may all complaine of this, Our iniquities have blowne us away.

A child of God lookes to his sins in all judgementsWe see here, he layes the blame upon their iniquities; did not the Babylonians carry them away? Alas they were but Gods instruments, God was displeased by their sinnes, his wrath blew them away. So you may see here the child of God in all judgements lookes to his sinnes, he justifies God, he murmurs not and saies this and that, no, but it was my sinnes, We have sinned against the Lord, Micah 7. I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, and Lament. 3. Man suffers for his sinnes, and every one of us may say, it p. 319is our iniquities have taken us away. A gratious heart justifies God and condemns it selfe. The children of God may complaine sometimes of Gods hand, but they will never censure Gods hand: they justifie God alway, though they may complaine of the bitternesse of his hand. Here they complaine of the bitternesse of the judgement, they were blowne into another country, into cap…ivity, they doe not complaine of God. God will have us complaine, but as he will have us complaine; so we must justifie him and condemne our selves, just are thy judgements.

An Hypocrite thinkes God is beholding to him for his outward performances, and when judgements befall him, he …rets and censures God: either he thinks there is no God, or he frets and fumes against God, he is discontented: but a Christian justifies God and condemns himselfe. Our iniquities have blowne us away, our sinnes keepe good things from us.

Therefore let us now lay the blame where it is,Vse. To lay the blame upon our sins. search out our sinnes personall and particular, and complaine of them, they have a hand in this plague. God is no tyrant, he delights not to confound his creatures, but sinne makes him out of love with his creatures, the workemanship of his owne hands, it is our sins. Therefore let us lament the sinnes of the times: so farre we may without Hypocrisie and ought to take to heart and mourne for the sinnes of the times that we heare by others and see our p. 320selves, and mourne for our owne hearts that we cannot mourne, we must mourne for the sinnes of the times, as Daniel and Nehemiah, and all the blessed men of God have done. It is not the plague that hurts us, that is but Gods messenger; sinne doth us more harme then all the Divels in Hell and al the plagues in the world; it is not outward evils we need to fea…e, let us feare sinne and lay hold on God, he is the Lord of Hoasts, he hath all the creatures at his command: let us get sin away that doth us all the mischiefe, it is that that makes bate betweene God and us, and then God makes a controversie betweene us and the creatures: it is our sins.

Ground of humiliation for sinAnd that is the reason of the necessity of humiliation for our sinnes, because sinne breeds a seperation betweene God and us, and betweene the creatures and us. When God is offended, the creatures are infected: let us see our sinnes, by them we infect the ayre, by our vaine specches and oathes and our filthinesse. Our sins infect the ayre, and that breeds infection in our bodies. Our sinnes cry, they have a voice to cry to God, if our prayers doe not out-cry them. Therefore let us cry to God to heare the cry of our prayers and not of our sinnes. How many voices have crying sinnes! There is the voice of the people oppressed, the voice of filthinesse, &c. sinnes clamour in Gods eares, they clamour for wages due, and the wages of sinne is death, sinne cryes though it say p. 321nothing in words, it cries in Gods eares and it will not rest till he hath powred out his vengeance. The filthinesse and oathes and athiesme and profanenesse, the suffering of the dishonour of his name: these sinnes of the times are those that pull miseries upon us, Our iniquities have taken us away as the wind. So much for that.

For thou hast hid thy face from us, and we are consumed because of our iniquities.

Sinne makes God hide his face from us, and then we are consumed, because of our iniquities. We melt away in the hand of our iniquities, as the word is. Indeed sinne is a cruell tyrant, when God leaves us in the hand of our sinnes, hee leaves us in a cruell hand. Christ came to redeeme us from our sinnes, our sins are they that torment us, it is very significant in the Originall.

We are melted, Nations and kingdomes melt before sin.we melt away as wax before the fire, as snow before the Sunne, because of our iniquities, when God gives up men to bee handled as their owne sinnes will handle them. Nations melt before the hands of sinne, and Kings and Kingdomes and all. Let God give up men to delight in sinne, Kingdomes, or persons, they melt and molder away in the hand of their sins.

But to speake a little more of the next words.

Thou hast hid thy face from us.

That is, thou hast hid thy comfort from us. p. 322God hath a double face,Gods face what a face that shines on our soules in peace and joy and comfort, when he saith to the soule, I am thy Salvation: And his face that shines on the outward estate, that keepes misery and sicknesse and danger from us, and bestowes good things on us. And God takes away his face from us in regard of the inward man, when he gives us no peace: but leaves us to spirituall desertion. In regard of the outward man, God hides his face, when he gives us up to Pestilence and warre and sicknesse and miseries in this life, when he gives us up to outward desertion.

Sometimes God shines on wicked men in outward things, but he hides his face for peace of conscience: and sometimes Gods children have his face shining on their conscience, but he hides his face in respect of outward things, sometimes he shines in neither of both: as at this time he neither shined on these blessed men in outward favours, for they were in captivity, nor in the sence of his love and favour, for they were in desolation, and ecclipsed every way.

The face of God, it is as the Sunne to the creatures: when the Sunne hides his face, what is there but darkenesse and night? What makes the night, but the absence of the Sun? What makes Winter, but the absence of the Sunne? when he growes low and cannot heate the earth: So what makes winter in the soule, deadnesse and darkenesse and dullnesse p. 323in Gods service? The absence of the face of God, God shines not on the soule. What makes night in the soule, when the soule is benighted with ignorance that it cannot see it selfe nor see the judgements of God? God sh…nes not, the Sunn of righteousnesse shines not on that soule.

God is the Sunne of the creature, he gives life to the creature, what will become of the creature when God neither shines outwardly nor inwardly on it? As at the day of judgement, he shall take away outward comfor…s, there shall be no outward shining, and all inward comforts, they shall have no hope, hee shall altogether hide his face: when God the Fountaine of all good shall hide his face altogether from the creature, that is Hell: The place where God shines not outwardly with comforts nor inwardly, nor there shall be no hope of neither, but a place of ho…rour and despaire, that is hell, as the hell of this life is when God shines not on our soules.

Now these holy men they complaine,The conflict of faith when God hides his face. yet they pray, Thou hast hid thy face. Heere is the conflict of Faith that sees God hide his face and yet will follow God; it sees God ready to turne away himselfe, and yet it will lay hold of him, and have a glaunce of him, it will wrastle with him and not let him goe without a blessing. So there be degrees of Gods hiding of his face: though God seeme to hide his face and to with-draw outward comforts and perhaps p. 324in some to with-draw his favour from their hearts inwardly: What shall they doe, droupe? No, wrastle with God as Iacob: see through the cloud that is betweene God and thy soule; breake thorow by faith, and with Iob say, Though he kill me yet will I trust in him. Let us stirre up our selves to lay hold on God when he seemes to turne away his face: and imitate good Iacob, never give over seeking the face of God.

We must seeke Gods face.How shall we seeke the face of God?

11By prayer.By prayer, for that brings us to the face of God though he seeme to hide his face, as Ieremy complaines, Ieremy 14. Why art thou as a stranger? and yet hee prayes: seeke him by prayer.

22In his ordinācesSeeke him in his Ordinances; heare the Word of God, thy face Lord will I seeke. God invites you …o seeke his face now by fasting and humiliation, seeke his face in this ordinance: here is the blessed Trinity, Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost. Though outwardly God hide his face in some regards; yet when he offers outward liberties, refuse them not: hee offers his face to us now in Christ, seeke by prayer and other meanes holy communion with him still; and never leave seeking till you have got a glance of him: and stir up your selves to lay hold on him, that he would shew his loving countenance upon you.

Those that turne their backs on Gods ordinances and in rebellion to his commandements p. 325live in sinnes against conscience, can they wonder that he hides his face from them, when they turne their backs on him? Rebellious persons that will not yeeld meekely to Gods Ordinances and submit to his Commandements, doe they wonder that God takes good things from them? When we sinne wee turne our backes upon God and our face to the Divell and the world and pleasures: when men turne their faces to sinne, to pleasures and vanity, and their backs on God, doe they wonder that he suffers them to melt and pine away? Let us doe as the Flowers do, the Marigold, &c. they turne themselves to the Sunne: let our soules doe so, let us turne our selves to God in meditation and prayers, striving and wrastling with him, look to him, eye him in his Ordinances & promises, and have communion with him all the waies wee can. Let our soules open and shut with him, when he hides his face let us droupe, as the Flowers doe till the Sunne come againe. When the waters fall the Flowers droope and hold downe their heads, when the Sunne riseth the next morning up they goe againe, as if there had beene never a shower: So when wee have not daily comfort of Spirit in peace of conscience, let us never rest seeking Gods face in his Ordinances and by Prayer, and that will cheare a drooping soule, as the Sunne beames doe the flagging flowers. Then you may know that Gods face shines upon you in some measure when he gives you meanes and gives you hearts p. 326to use those meanes and comfort in your consciences, that whether you live or die you are Gods: this is a beame of that Sunne-shine on the soule, when God vouchsafes joy and comfort. A little of this will banish all feares: if you have one glimpse of his countenance, you shall not need to feare the plague, or warre, or death, if he shine on you, one glance will take away all feare. Paul when he was in the stocks, one beame of Gods coun…enance made him sing at midnight; Let thy countenance shine on us and we shall be safe, let what will become of us outwardly. If God shine not on us for ou… ward favours, if he shine on our soules and release them from feares and guilt, and speake peace to them, and say unto them, he is the…r salvation (and as he saith in the Gospell, thy sinnes are forgiven thee) all will be well whatsoever become of us. Let us seeke the Lord while he may be found, hold him before hee goe, let him not depart: attend upon the meanes, never misse good meanes of seeking his face till we have got a sweet answer from Heaven that he is our God.

Now followes the supplication.

But now O Lord thou art our Father, &c.

Heere is a prayer which is a kinde of holding God,The consideration that God is our Father should stirre us up to seek to …i… by the relation of a Father; this is one way of stirring up our soules, to consider the relation of a Father. It stirres up bowells, when a childe is beaten by his Father, O stay Father, spare, it works upon the bowells. There p. 327is a world of Rhetorick in this one word Father, why Lord, thou art my Father, shall I bee destroyed? let us lay hold on God by this relation that he puts upon himselfe; and he will not lay it aside though we be unworthy to be sonnes. He doth not say, thou art our Father, and we are thy sonnes; because hee thought they were unworthy, (as the Prodigall saith, I am unworthy to be called thy sonne) but instead of saying we are thy sonnes, he saith, we are the clay, thou art the potter. Yet he is a Father continually; and though in Christ you cannot call him Father, yet you may by Creation, and initiation, being brought up in the Church. Goe to him with the incouragements you have, and cast your selves upon him. There is a bond for you by Creation, and there is his command, he bids you call him Father, hee is a Father by Creation; looke not upon this or that sinne, but goe to him, and call him Father, as you may call him; say thou art my Father, thou hast given mee a being in the Church, wrastle with him as you may, though as found Christians you cannot call him Father. Be weary of your courses, are you willing to come under Gods hand to bee sonnes; you are sonnes by Creation already, offer thy selfe to be of his family for the time to come, and God will give a sweet report to thy soule. Stand not out at the staves end, Thou art our Father, Lord. If you have a purpose to live in firme, the Divell is your father, and not God, you are of your p. 328father the Divell, but if wee bee willing to submit, wee may say, Doubtlesse thou art our Father.

We are the clay, thou art the potter.

Heere is a resignation of themselves to God, in this tearme,Resignation of our selves in prayer requisite thou art the potter, we are the clay. Indeed we are but earthen vessells the best of us, in regard of the bodily life we have; and we are at the liberty of God to dispose of as he pleaseth. So, before he comes to put forth this prayer to God, he useth this resignation of themselves into the hand of God: we are as clay in thy hands, Lord dispose of us as thou wilt: Let us remember this when we come to pray to God, use all meanes of abasement that can be;To abase our selves in prayer lay aside all tearmes other then abasing tearmes, wee are the clay, and as Iob saith, I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes. So the Saints have done in all times, I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne, and I am lesse then the least of thy mercies. Let us lay aside proud and lofty tearmes, and cast downe our crownes at the foot of Christ, as the Saints in Revel. 4. cast downe all our excellencies, let us have no thought of outward excellencies, of beautie, or strength, or riches, or high dignity, when we come to God, wee must come with low thoughts to the high God, can the creature be too low in his presence?

And then come with resignation, wee are the clay, thou art the potter, doe with us as thou wilt; if thou dash us in peeces as a potters p. 329vessell, thou maist doe it; that is the way to escape. That is well committed that is committed into Gods hand; some men shift by their wits, and will not trust God with their health, and strength, they bee double minded, as Saint Iames saith, they will have two strings to their bow, if lawfull meanes will not serve, unlawfull shall: No, but wee must commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator, and then see what hee will doe; then it stands with his honour, hee will looke to the lowlie, I am the clay, thou art the potter, heere I am, doe as thou wilt, as David saith, it is a blessed estate thus to resigne our selves into Gods hands. If the Divell and Reprobates could bee brought to this, they should never come there where they are in terrours of conscience. Let us labour to practise this dutie, Lord I commit to thy hands my body and soule, I cast my selfe into thy bosome, doe with mee as thou wilt. Some that have stood out at the staves end with temptations many yeares, have gotten comfort by this resignation. VVe are the clay, thou art the potter, thou maist mold and break us as thou wilt. The way now to escape the plague is not alltogether to use tricks of wit, and policie (though lawfull meanes must be used) but labour to get into Christ, and resigne our selves into Gods hand absolutely, and say thus, VVe are the clay, &c. Lord, thou maist dash us if thou wilt, as thou dost now many hundreds weekely, thou p. 330maist dash us in that fashion if thou wilt: Only we may have a desire that God would make our lives and health pretious to him, that we may serve him as if we were now in Heaven, and that we may have grace to make good use of all. But if God have determined and decreed to take us away, let us resigne our selves into his hands. It is no matter though the body bee sowne in dishonour, they shall be raised in honour, wee are the clay, he is the potter, let him do what he will with our carkasses and bodies, so he be mercifull to our soules. These vessells of clay when they are turned to earth, they shall be renewed of better stuffe, like the glorious body of Christ; then our soules and bodies shall be glorious by him that took a peece of flesh and clay for us: O the humility of Christ! we wonder that the soule should animate a peece of clay, so excellent a thing as the soule is; much more may we wonder that the Sonne of God should take a piece of flesh and clay upon him, to take our nature of base earth, to make us eternally glorious as himselfe. Let it comfort us though God dash our clay in pieces as a Potter: yet Christ that tooke our clay to the unity of his Person, our nature being ingrafted into him, hee will make our bodies eternall and everlasting as his owne glorious body. Let us resigne our selves into Gods hands, as the Church here, Thou art the Potter, and we are the clay, and then wee shall never miscarry.

FINIS.

THE SPIRITVALL IUBILE.

In two Sermons.

By The late learned and reverend Divine, RICH. SIBBS: Doctor in Divinitie, M^r. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at GRAYES-INNE.

JOHN 8.36.

If the Sonne therefore shall make you free, yee shall be free indeed.

GAL: 5.1.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made us free.

LONDON, Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne, and Rapha Harford, and are to be sold at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange, and in Queens head Alley, in Pater-Noster-Row, at the gilt Bible. 1638.