The Saints Humiliation, Title page – To the reader
THE SAINTS HVMILIATION. Being the Subſtance of nine profitable Sermons upon ſeverall Texts.
Viz:
1 The nature of a Faſt; on Iudges 20.26.
2 The Chriſtians Watchfulneſſe; on Mark. 13.37.
3 Gods Controverſie for ſinne, on Hoſea 4.12.
4 The Remedy of Diſtreſſe; on Gen. 32.9.11.
5 The uſe of the Covenant & Promiſes; on Gen. 32.10.
6 The Broken Sacrifice; on Pſalme 51.17.
7 Good wiſhes for Sion; on Pſalme 51.17.
8 Motives to Repentance; on Math. 3.7.8.
9 An exhortation to Repentance; on Math. 3.7.8.
Firſt Preached and applied by SAMVEL TORSHEL, Miniſter of Gods Word at Bunbury, and now publiſhed for the common good.
AMOS 5.16.
They ſhall call ſuch as are skilfull of lamentation to lament.
LONDON, Printed by Iohn Dawſon for Henry Overton, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the entering into Popes-head-alley out of Lumbard-ſtreete. 1633.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE NICHOLAS RAYNTON, Lord Major of LONDON, Maſter of the Societie of HABERDASHERS: And to the Worſhipfull Wardens of that Honorable Fraternitie.
Right honorable and right worſhipfull,
EXcellent is the wiſe and faithfull uſe of entruſted power in placing of able men in Miniſtry. The worke is honorable, peacefull, promiſing, commonly attended with ſuiteable ſucceſſe, through Paſtors paines in peoples profit. Chooſing power ſhould ſo iſſue as reflecting evidence of truth, and tenderneſſe in diſcharging a dutie that ſo neerly concernes ſoules welfare. Among thoſe that herein hauehave worthily deſerved, a portion of honour accrues to you: Inſtance is the Author of theſe enſuing pieces, for whom the Church of God is your debtour. He is one that mindes and labours tis good, for the which all ſuch fixed Starrs ſhould ſo ſhine in their ſpheres: ſhould ſpend and be ſpent. His firſt fruits were yours, by himſelfe preſented as due, by whoſe light directed I hauehave led vp theſe ſecond. Things are moſt beautifull in their ſeaſon, theſe Sermons preacht in a time of Humiliation, wanting nor then theirs, may againe in ſome meaſure hereafter be the ſame in reading, on the like requiring occaſion, and profitable in preſent; the ends of their publication. Preſuming of their ſpeeding in the common advantage, and knowing your right in the Authors perſon and paines, by many obligements yours; I craue leaue of making them firſt yours in ſpeciall by dedication, then others in generall by uſe. If God by them be glorified, the Church edified, and my poore ſervice accepted, I hauehave my aime in wiſhing, helping, & procuring the publiſhing, as the Author in preaching. For you his worthy Patrons, ſtill well may yee fare, with the honour yee gaine, by your louelove to divine truth. Ever may your pious intentions be anſwered, in plentifull iſſue of heavenly light and heat in peoples hearts and liues: to the which end, the God of all grace guide you in all vndertakings of this nature, and giuegive you the honour and comfort of a well imployed Talent, with the precious prayers and bleſſings of many ſavingly bleſſed by you.
Your Lordſhips and Worſhips in all Chriſtian obſervance, A. B.
The Epiſtle to the Reader.
AS God is the Author of all bleſsings, ſo likewiſe of all judgements; proſperitie and adverſitie, ſweete and bitter waters, both theſe proceede from the ſame fountaine, but in a different manner: he begins with bleſsings, and then onelyonly proceedes to judgements, when theſe are not anſwered with dutifull obedience, he doth not firſt come in ſtormes and tempeſts, but in the ſtill, and gentle voyce of his mercies, becauſe he would rather hauehave men to magnifie the riches of his mercies, than complaine vnderunder the ſeveritie of his judgements; accounting it more glory to be loved for his goodnes, than feared for his greatnes: beſides the bleſsings of God, they hauehave no motiue to ſtirre him vp to the beſtowing of them; but within himſelfe and in his owne nature, but his judgements hauehave their originall and foundation in mans ſinne, bleſsings and judgements they come from God, as hony and the ſting doe from the Bee; the Bee makes hony naturally, but ſtings not vnleſſe ſhe be provoked; ſo it is ſutable and connaturall to the goodnes of God, to communicate it ſelfe in the beſtowing of bleſsings; but not to inflict judgements vnles he be provoked vntounto it, He puniſheth not willingly, neyther takes he delight in afflicting the children of men. LAM. 3.33. and the reaſon is, becauſe the beſtowing of bleſsings it is his proper worke: Quod in Deo eſt ſufficit ad completam ejus rationem, as the Schoole ſpeakes, all that is required for the exerciſe of it is in God himſelfe, no merit or motiue at all in the creature: but the inflicting of Iudgements, it is his ſtrange worke. Eſai. 28.21. It is opus ſuum alienum, ſo his worke that another alſo hath a hand in it, it cannot come from him alone, but by occaſion of the creatures diſobedience, and it is the common fault of men in times of viſitation, when the hand of God is vponupon them, and his judgements abroad in the world, that they doe not receiue ſuch impreſsions on their ſoules, as thoſe paſſages of Gods providence towards them are apt to beget, but are either ſecure and ſenſles of the hand of God which is out againſt them; or neglectiue in vſing the meanes for the removall of it, till they hauehave outſtrayed prevention, and it be too late. Of the former ſort are thoſe who are taken with a ſleepie Lethargie of ſinne, and cannot be awaked; or rather with a dead Palſie, as men that hauehave no vſe of their ſpirituall ſenſe and feeling, they ſleepe ſecurely in the midſt of the Sea, and on the top of the Mast: when they are ſmitten they perceiue it not, and when they are beaten they feele not the ſmart; Pro. 23.24. Of ſuch the Prophet complaines to God; Thou haſt ſmitten them, but they hauehave not grieved; thou haſt conſumed them, but they hauehave refuſed to receiue correctiō; they hauehave made their faces harder than a ſtone, and hauehave refuſed to returne; Ier. 5.3. Of the latter ſort are thoſe, who never thinke of preparing to meet the Lord with ſubmiſsion, and ſupplication, with prayers and teares, ſo long as the Iudgement hangs in the Clouds, or fals beſides themſelues, or doth but lightly touch them, till God make way through their bowels for his owne prayſe, and out of the aſhes of their ruine rayſe vp glory to himſelfe. So it was with the Iſraelites, God fore-warned them of his wrath, and ſet his judgements daily before them, but they ſtopped their eares, and would not heare, they hardened their hearts and would not be reformed, till vnavoydable judgement fell vponupon them, and there was no remedie: 2 Chro. 36.16. O marke and conſider well, that expreſſion; there was no remedie! If the Iſraelites would hauehave layd it to heart before, there was a remedy, they might hauehave prevented it by timely repentance; but now the ſentence being paſt, and the decree put in execution, there was no remedie; So it was with the old world, notwithſtanding all the warning which Noah had given them of a future Iudgement, they neither humbled themſelues, nor reformed what was amiſſe in them, till the Floud came and ſwept them all away, and there was no remedie, ſo that Iudgement threatned, it may be neglected ſo long, till it become vnavoydable, and there be no remedie. Two things there are then which God eſpecially aymes at when his Iudgements are abroad in the world firſt to giuegive them notice that himſelfe is highly diſpleaſed with their ſinnes; ſecondly, that it is now high time for them to thinke of agreeing with their Adverſary, and making their peace with him.
1. When God warres out of Zion, and reveales his wrath from heaven againſt the ſinnes of his people, it is a ſigne he is highly diſpleaſed with them; for God is knowne by executing Iudgement. Pſal. 9.16. That is, he makes it knowne to the ſonnes of men, how he ſtands affected to them, and to their ſinnes, and therefore Gods viſitations are termed Iudgements, becauſe they doe not come caſually but Iudicially; there is great cauſe moving him to it, becauſe men are deafe againſt all the ſweet charmes of his mercies, and ſecure againſt all the thunder of his threatnings, and therefore he is conſtrained as it were to ſpeake vntounto them in a ſtrange language, even the language of his hands; to ſpeake words that may be felt, even ſwords, famines, plagues, peſtilence, that men might know that his Word of threatning it is no vaine Word, but as he hath ſaid vntounto them, ſo he meanes to deale with them; according to that of David, Pſal. 48.8. As we hauehave heard ſo hauehave wee ſeene in the Citie of our God. (It is true both of his mercies and judgements, God will not alter the word that is gone out of his mouth, whether it be a word of promiſe or commination,) ſuch is the hardneſſe of mens hearts, that though they heare the Word daily ſounding in their eares, and telling them that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againſt all vngodlineſſe and vnrighteouſneſſe of men. Rom. 1.18. Yet they will not beleeue it, except they ſee ſome reall examples of it, they are ready to ſay of Gods threatning, as Thomas did of Chriſts Reſurrection, Ioh. 20.24. Except I ſee in his hands the print of the nayles, & put my finger into his ſides, I will never beleeue it; therefore God ſtretches out his hand againſt them, he powres his wrath and indignation vponupon them, that when they lie bleeding vnderunder his hand, then they might be ſenſible of his high diſpleaſure; when they feele the ſharpneſſe of his arrowes, then I might ſay with the Prophet; Who can ſtand before his indignation? Who may abide the fierceneſſe of his wrath? Nah. 1.6. When they ſee his lips full of indignation, and his eyes ſparkle out flames of fire vponupon them; then they might call to minde that of David; As wee hauehave heard, ſo hauehave wee ſeene in the Citie of our God; as we hauehave heard his high diſpleaſure threatned, ſo hauehave we ſeene it executed.
2. When God is vp in Armes (as it were) againſt his people, it is to let them know, that it is now high time for them to thinke of returning to him, and making their peace with him, and that conſidering the ſeaſon, that it is now high time they ſhould awake from ſleepe. Rom. 13.11. There is no time vnſeaſonable for the duties of repentance and humiliation, but when the face of Heaven begins to frowne vponupon men for their vnthankfulneſſe and diſobedience, when his Iudgements are ſeene abroad in the earth; then it is high time to reforme what is amiſſe, and returne vntounto him, becauſe this is the laſt meanes God will vſe for their good; if they will yet ſtand out and not ſubmit themſelues; if they will not for all this come in and lay downe their weapons of rebellion; if they will not onelyonly fit out his mercies, but his judgements too; then he will be to Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the houſe of Iudah: He will teare and breake in peices; He will carry away & none ſhall deliver; Hoſ. 5.14. And therefore when God begins to draw forth his glittering Sword, and his hand layes hold on Iudgement; When he begins to ſpeake in his wrath, and ſay; Thus will I doe to thee O Iſrael, O then let every one thinke it high time to prepare to meet the Lord his God; Amos 4.12. It is his great happines that through Gods mercy, he can ſay, it is yet time, that it is not yet too late; that as yet it is not without hope to returne; God might hauehave cut him off long agoe, and if he had done ſo, it had but beene juſtice on Gods part, and deſert on his owne; but the doore of mercy yet ſtands open, God is yet willing to receiue his people, if they would be reconciled vntounto him; for to that end he ſpeakes to them, to that end he deales with them, to that end he expoſtulates the matter with them on this manner; Is there no hope? Will nothing worke vponupon you? No meanes? no mercies? no threatnings? No Iudgements? will yee not flie from the wrath to come? O why will yee not? why will yee die O ye houſe of Iſrael? Will yee not returne vntounto mee? Oh my people why will ye not returne? What hauehave I done vntounto you? Wherein hauehave I grieued you, that yee ſhould bee ſo vnwilling to lay downe your weapons of rebellion that yee hauehave taken vp againſt mee? Theſe and ſuch like expreſſions from God; what doe they imply? but that there is yet a time of mercy, euen while the heauens ſeeme to bee clouded ouer with indignation, that when nothing but wrath ſhewes it ſelfe, there is yet a time wherein merciemercy may bee found if it bee ſued for; if euer there bee a time that ſhould bring men vponupon their knees, and make them earneſt in ſueing for merciemercy, ſurely then it is high time aboue all other times to cry mightily to God, becauſe this is the laſt time that ever he will waite to hauehave mercy vponupon them; and never doe men ſhew themſelues more vnlike to men, that is, to reaſonable creatures, than to ſtand out when God ſummons them to come in, and ſubmit themſelues. What more vnreaſonable then to make him an enemy, who is the fountaine of all that good which they hauehave, or can hope for? What more vnreaſonable then when they hauehave prouoked him to wrath and made him their enemy, and now even lie at the foote of his merciemercy, then to capitulate and ſtand vponupon tearmes with him? yea, with him who when he might let looſe his hand, and diſpatch them at one blow; yet offereth to ſpare them, if yet at laſt they would even now cloſe with him. There be two ſorts of arguments whereby God convinceth his people of the vnreaſonableneſſe of their ſinfull courſes; Firſt, by ſending them to the Heathen, who might be thought the moſt vnreaſonable amongſt men; and yet even they would be aſhamed, and thinke it moſt vnreaſonable to deale ſo with their Idols, as many doe with the God of Heaven. Goe ye now to the Iles of Chittim and behold, and ſend to Kedar and take diligent heed, and ſee whether there be any ſuch thing; hath any of the Nations changed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? But my people hauehave changed their glory for that which profiteth not; Ier. 2.10.11. Secondly, not finding any amongſt men ſo vnreaſonable with whom he may ſort them; he ſeekes amongſt the vnreaſonable and ſenſeleſſe creatures, to ſee if there be any there with whom he may ſuit them; he compares them to the bruit beaſts, and if there be any more brutiſh than others, it is to thoſe bruits that are moſt blockiſh, to the Horſe and Mule, to the Oxe and Aſſe: Pſal. 49.20. Man being in honour underſtandeth not, but is like the beaſt that periſheth: and it is no ſmall diſparagement to mans nature to be matched with the vnreaſonable beaſt, for to be like unto a beaſt in that ſenſe is worſe then to be a beaſt indeed; to be a beaſt indeed it is without any fault in the Creature, it was God that made it ſo, but to be made a man & to be like a beaſt, that is not without his owne fault, without his great ſin; which makes him a reaſonable beaſt, or rather an unreaſonable man; yea ſuch is the unreaſonableneſſe of men in their ſinfull courſes, that they are not onelyonly compared to the bruit beaſts, but thoſe unreaſonable creatures preferred before them; Iſay 1.3. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters crib; but Iſrael hath not known, my people hauehave not underſtood. God ſets men to ſchoole to the very bruit Creatures, that they might learne of theſe how to carry themſelues. Pro. 6.6. Goe to the Piſmire O ſluggard, behold her wayes and be wiſe. Theſe ſilly and contemptible Creatures, they are ſet before men as patternes, they are ſet over them as Tutors, to teach them wiſedome. Yea more, when God finds none amongst bruit beaſts ſo unreaſonable in their carriage as obſtinate ſinners be, he goes one ſtep further, and tryes amongst the inſenſible creatures, if there he might find any prints or footſteps of ſuch demeanure, and there he finds them more ſenſles than ſtockes and ſtones; for the ſtones cleaue aſunder, and the rockes are moved when God is angry; yea the hills melt and the mountaines ſhake & tremble before him, & yet many men though they both heare and ſee the Iudgements of God; though there be enough ſpoken many times both to the eye and to the eare, to cleaue the very rocke aſunder, and to moue and affect the very mountaines, if poſsibly they were capable of any morall impreſsions; yet are they no more moved and affected with it than the very ſtones and earth which they ſtand vponupon. And when men are thus farre degenerate and gone from themſelues, that they come not onelyonly below the nature of men, and of bruit beaſts, but even of ſtockes & ſtones and ſenſles creatures; Is it not high time for man to returne into himſelfe, and to returne vntounto God with ſubmiſsion and ſupplication; that God may repent him of the evill and turn from his fierce wrath that he periſh not? And this is the ſumme and ſubſtance of this inſuing Treatiſe; which is ſpent upon ſome ſpeciall portions of holy Scripture, whereby theſe ſacred Exerciſes may be actuated and enlivened: of the Author himſelfe, being no further knowne to me, than by his Labours and the reports of others, I will ſay nothing, but leaue his Workes to prayſe him in the gates. The ſeverall paſſages of the Diſcourſe being drawne into a Table, and layd out in their generall Heads, prevents my labour in ſhewing the vſe and profit that may be made of it; the matter it ſelfe as it was ſeaſonable and proper for the time and places in which it was delivered, ſo being ſpent vponupon thoſe common Theames, of Faſting, Watching, Prayer, Repentance, Humiliation, &c. which are the daily imployments of penitent ſinners, it cannot be vnſeaſonable for any time; nor is it any prejudice to the Treatiſe that diverſe hauehave written of the ſame ſubject vponupon other Texts and portions of Scripture; for the diverſitie of gifts, phraſes, and expreſsions is moſt ſuitable to the diverſitie of ſeverall mens diſpotions, that will ſuite well with one that likes not another; It is no hurt to a man that comes into a Cookes ſhop, to hauehave his choyce of ſeverall diſhes, the varietie of dreſsing is no hinderance to his nouriſhment, he may feed vponupon that which liketh him beſt; If a man were to provide a ſuit of apparell, it were no hurt to him to ſee diverſe patternes, out of which he may pleaſe himſelfe in his own choyce; even ſo he that would provide a mourning ſuite for his own ſorrowfull heart, it is no hurt to him that out of the diverſe patternes of godly mens Labours, he may make choyce of thoſe which are most ſuitable to his owne deſires. Amongst which, this modell may happily ſort better with thy affections (Chriſtian Reader) than ſome others; bleſſe GOD for the varietie of his goodneſſe in this kinde; out of this varietie make thine owne choyce, and the God of Heaven giuegive a rich bleſsing vntounto it for thy ſoules good.
Thine in the Lord, R: MADEN.