Twelve Sermons, Sermon 4
THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH.
Iob. 8. 5. 6. 7.
5 If thou wilt early seeke vntounto God, and pray vntounto the Almightie:
6 If thou bee pure and vpright: then surely hee will awake vntounto thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous.
7 And though thy beginning be but small: yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.
IN a sicke and euill affected bodie (dearely beloued) wee vsually see preparitiues ministred, that the maladies may bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholsome medicines. The like, yea, and greater regard ought we to hauehave of our soules which being not crasie only, or lightly affected with sinne, but sicke euen vntounto death, had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortations, comforts and consolatiōs, one way or other, that they may be made fit, not to receiue the preparatiue, but the perfection of happie saluation. And for this cause hauehave I made choise of this part of Scripture, as of a light to shine vntounto vsus in darkenesse, a direction to our steps, and a lanthorne to our paths, while we wander through the boistrous waues of this wicked world. The text is plaine, and obiect to euerie mans capacitie, naturally budding vntounto blossomes: The first containing our duetie which we are to performe towards God. The second, Gods promises, if we performe this duty.
Our duetie towards God, is implied in these three conditions. First, If thou wilt early seeke vntounto God. Secondly, If thou wilt pray vntounto the Almighty. Thirdly, If thou bee pure and vpright: so that the whole consisteth on these three poynts. First, what it is that God requireth, namely a diligent Diuision.and speedy search, in these wordes, If thou wilt seeke early. Secondly, how thy search is to be made in prayer, in these wordes: If thou wilt pray to the Almighty. Thirdlie, what effect these thinges ought to worke in vsus, a puritie and sinceritie of life, in these words, If thou be pure and vpright.
As our duety towards God consisteth in three points: so Gods blessings towards vsus, is also three-fold answerable to the same. First, for seeking, he promiseth, he will awake vntounto thee. Secondly, for praying vntounto him, he will make the habitations of thy righteousnesse prosperous. Thirdly, for being pure and vpright, he will make thy latter end increase exceedingly: yea, though thy beginning be but small.
First therefore concerning the search, it is a worke both Cōcerning the search. Psal 107 Matth 6in desire and labour to bee ioyned to God. In the Psalme this standeth for the burthen of the song: They called vponupon the Lord in the time of their trouble, and hee deliuered them. It is but Aske and hauehave, seeke and finde, knocke and it shall bee opened vntounto you. Sauing that here these things are to bee regarded, to wit, how, by whom, and when we must seeke the Lord. How? First, faithfully, for if yee hauehave but as much as a graine of mustard seede, and say vntounto this mountaine, Remoue, Mat 17. 20 Eccle 35it shall remoue, and nothing shall be vn possible vntounto you. Then next hubly, for it is the humble petition that pearceth the skies, & that shewed the Publican to depart home to his house more iustified then the boasting Pharisie: and they alone that be humble and meeke, finde rest for their soules. And last of all, continually, for wee must not faint in well doing, because the reward is not promised to him that doth, Gal. 6 1. Thes 6but to him that continueth to doe.
But wee may long seeke and neuer finde, except wee seeke the Father by the Sonne: For no man knoweth the Father, 1. Tim 2.but the Sonne, and hee to whome the Sonne shall disclose him: he is the way, the trueth, and the life, and no man commeth to the Father but by him. There is one God and one mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Christ Iesus. So that if wee sinne, wee hauehave an aduocate, Iesus Christ the iust, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes: onelyonly let vsus seeke the Lord while he may be found.
And to this ende the worde Seeking is vsed in this place, that we may learne, that as the heauens and the planets, and the whole frame of nature were ordained to finish their course by motions and operation: so man, as he was ordained to a most blessed and happie end, should attaine thereunto, not by slouth and idlenesse, but by an earnest seeking of the same. The kingdome of heauen is like a treasure, Matt 13. 14which cannot bee found without seeking and digging. It is like the precious pearle, for which the wise Marchant was content not onelyonly to seeke, but to sell all that he had, to buy it. God hath placed vsus here in this world as husbandmen to plough vp the fallowe of our hearts: as labourers to worke in his vineyard: as trauellers to seeke a countrey: as souldiers to fight the battell of the Lorde against the flesh, the world, and the diuell. And for this purpose hath hee proposed vntounto vsus an vntilled land, a vineyarde, a triple enemie to fight against: that wee might remember, that wee must till the ground, if wee vvill reape the fruite: that we must prune the vine, if wee will drinke of the grape: that we must fight if we will ouercome. He that tilleth the land (sayth the wise man) shall bee satitfied with breade, but hee that followeth Prouer. 28idlenesse, shall be filled with pouertie. Idlenesse is a moath or canker of the minde, and the fruites thereof are wicked cogitations, euill affections, and worse actions: corrupt trees without fruite, twise dead, and plucked vp by the rootes, engendering Iude. 1 Prou. 24in the minde a loathing of God and godlines.
Eschue therefore idlenesse, I beseech ye, and by the want ye finde in others, learne instructions for your selues. Be not forgetfull how busie your enemy is, if he finde ye idle: first hee putteth ye in minde of some vanitie: then offereth opportunity to practise: then hee craueth consent; and if yee grant him that, he triumpheth by adding practise: hee leaueth no meanes vnattempted, whereby he may subuert and bring ye to perdition. To one (as to Eua) hee promiseth the Gen. 3knowledge of good and euill. Another he seduceth with lying speeches, as he did Pharao the king, whom he deceiued Exod. 7. 22 1. Kings 13 1. Cor. 21by false Prophets. To the Iewes he pretended the temple of the Lord. To the Heathen hee shewed vniuersalities and antiquities. And to omit particulars, hee leaueth no men vnattempted, whereby he may entangle the soules of the simple, and wrap them in the snares of death. Flie idlenesse therefore, and seeke vertue, and the way thereof: seeke learning, as for a iewell, make diligent search and inquisition after her: seeke early, and seeke late. In the morning sow thy seede, and in the euening let not thy hande rest: seeke him in the day of trouble, and hee will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie him. Seeke him, there is the commaundement: he will deliuer thee, there is the promise: and thou shalt glorifie him, there is the condition. To disobey the commaundement is rebellion, to distrust the promise is infidelitie, to refuse the condition is vile ingratitude. Wherefore let vsus seeke, and seeke earnestly, with a feruent spirit, and humblenesse of heart, and let vsus perswade our selues that there is no seeking without finding, no opening without knocking.
The second circumstance to be considered in this poynt, point 2 is to whome we must seeke for these thinges. Our direction is made vntounto God, For eueryevery good and perfect gift is from aboue, Iames. 1. 27descending from the father of lights. And as for manie causes we are to seeke God, and to God alone, so especiallie for these foure.
First, because we hauehave nothing of our selues, nor of any other creature, but whatsoeuer we hauehave, wee hauehave it of God: for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued? in him wee liue, wee moue, and hauehave our being. Art thou wise in thine owne conceit? O remember that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse with God. O consider that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God. These things are hid 1. Cor. 2 Rom. 1from the wise and prudent, and are reuealed to babes and sucklings. Alas, what were man if he were once left to himselfe? A map of misery, and a sinke of calamitie. Alas, how were he able to resist the fierie darts of the aduersarie, who 2. Pet. 5 Reue. 2cōtinually goeth about like a roring lyon, seeking whom he may deuoure? Here ye may note first his malice, for he daily accuseth vsus before the chiefe Iudge of the kinges bench: when hee cannot preuaile in this court, but seeth his billes of accusation repelled, then hee remooueth the matter to the court of our owne consciences, where on the one side hee layeth the bookes of the law, and statutes made against sin: on the other side, the billes of accusation brought in against vsus out of the bookes of the lawe, alleadging these strict places against vsus: The soule that sinneth shall die the death: Curssed is he that abideth not in eueryevery point of the lawe, to doe it. On the otherside, he bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vsus, and then inferreth this hard conclusion: Therefore there is no hope in saluation.
Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercy, and say: At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth, the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance, hee dealeth with vsus, as crafty worldlinges deale in matters of lawe, who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courts, bring downe their case into the countrie, to be decided by the neighbours: who, either for their simplicity cannot, or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter.
So our aduersarie, though God himselfe do discharge vsus, though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie: yet he accuseth in the third court before men, where he is bolde to powre out his whole venome and poyson of his malice against vsus, and to forge what lyes, and slaunders, and lybels hee list, because hee knoweth they shall bee receiued as true. Thus hee accused Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate, and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him.
But if hee were malitious onelyonly to wish our destruction, and not mightie to wreake his malice, wee shoulde hauehave little cause to feare: but he is mighty, therefore hee is tearmed a lyon, the power of darknesse, a great dragon, which Luke. 11 Eph. 6 Reu. 12drewe to the earth the thirde part of the starres of heauen: that is, with earthly temptation to hauehave ouerthrowne them, which seemed to shine in the Church of God as Lamps, & Starres. O then how easie is our ouerthrow, if the Lord did not holde vsus vp, which shine not as starres in heauen, but creepe like wormes on earth?
Yet if hee were but malitious and mightie, it were better with vsus, but he is fierce, and therefore called a roring Lyon, point 3 who laying wayt for the bloud of the godlie, stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors, to make themselues drunke with the bloud of the saintes: as most grieuously he did from the time of Iohn Baptist, to the raigne of Maxentius, the space of 294. yeares, slaying some by the sworde, burning other with fire, hanging some on the gallowes, drowning some in riuers, stabbing some with forks of yron pressing others vntounto death with stones, deuouring many thousands of the tender lambes of Christs flocke.
To this malice, might and rage, is added his subtil policy, point 4 which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull, he doeth not pitch his tentes in any one place, but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduauntage, in the night Iohn. 1he soweth Tares, and in the daie hee hindereth the growth thereof.
He proceedeth after further, and addeth to his policie industrie, point 5 hee considereth our natures and dispositions, and to what sinnes wee doe most incline: and thereunto he applieth himselfe, sometimes by flatterie, sometimes by feare, sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly entiseth vsus, sometimes by violence he goeth about to enforce vsus, sometime by changing himselfe into an Angell of light, he endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands, and in whatsoeuer estate he findeth vsus, hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules.
Thus ye see noted in a word, the force of our aduersarie: examine nowe your selues, whether yee hauehave any thing in your selues, and you shal finde nothing but weakenesse and corruption. It is God that giueth strength to the mightie, wisedome to the prudent, and knowledge to the vnderstanding: he teacheth Dauids hand to fight, and his fingers to Psal. 144battaile, hee giueth strength to his armes to breake a bowe, euen a bowe of steele: wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome, nor the strong man in his strength: but let him that glorieth, glorie onelyonly in the Lord.
Secondly, we are to seeke vntounto God alone, because none point 2 is so present as he for God, because he is almightie, and with his power filleth both heauen and earth, is present alwayes with them that feare him, and readie to succour them in distresse. I he Lord is neere to all that call vponupon him in truth, he heareth our gronings & sighs, and knoweth what things are necessary for vsus before we aske.
The third reason why wee must seeke vntounto God is, none is so able to helpe vsus as he: but of this I shal hauehave particular point 3 occasion to speake when I come to this point, and pray to the Almighty.
The fourth reason why we must seeke Christ alone is, because there is none so willing to helpe vsus as he. It is a great point 4 courage to vsus to make sute, when we are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whom we make sute: and I pray ye, who was euer more carefull for our saluation, and more watchfull ouer vsus than the Lord? who euer put his trust in him, and was confounded? In this respect he is called a father, because, as the father tendreth his sonne, so the Lord doth al those that put their trust in him. Can there bee any more vvilling to helpe vsus than Christ, vvhose vvhole head vvas sicke, and vvhose hart vvas heauy for our sakes? yea, in vvhose bodie, from the sole of the foote to the crown of the head, was nothing but wounds and swellings, and sores? But alas, this vvas nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes. He was compassed about with feares and horrours, till his sweat was drops of bloud, & his bones bruised in the flesh, he was whipped and scourged, and chastised with sorrows, till he cried out in the bitternes of his soule, O Lord, if it bee possible, let this cup passe from me. The heauy hand of God was so grieuous vponupon him, that hee bruised his very bones, and rent his raines asunder: hee could find no health in his flesh, but was wounded, yea wounded to the death, euen the most bitter death vponupon the Crosse. His tender fingers were nailed to the crosse, his face was wrinckled with weeping and wailing, his sides imbrued & gored with his owne bloud, spurting and gushing fresh from his ribs, the shadow of death was vponupon his eies.
O what griefe could be like to this, or what condemnation could be so heauie, sith there was no wickednes in his hands? sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie, and the sunne of righteousnesse that shined in the worlde, as to see his daies at an end, to see such throbbing sighs & carefull thoughts without cause of his, so deeply ingrauen in the tables of his breast. But was this all? no, my brethren, sith his excellency was such aboue al creatures, that the world was not worthy to giuegive him breath, it was a greater griefe vntounto him, to see himselfe made a worme, and not a man, a shame of men, and contempt of the people: to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches, how could it but shake his bones out of ioynt, and make his heart melt in the middest of his bowels? who was euer so full of woe, and brought so low in the dust of death? vponupon whom did the malice of Sathan euer get so great a conquest?
This though it were exceeding, yet it was not all, no, it was but a taste of griefe in comparison of the rest: beholde therefore (if your vvearie eyes will suffer you to behold) the depth of all miseries yet behind: the sinne that he hated, he must take vponupon his owne bodie, and beare the vvrath of his father powred out against it. This is the fulnesse of al paines that compassed him round about, vvhichwhich no tongue is able to vtter, or heart conceiue: the anger of the father burneth in him, euen to the bottome of hel, and deepe sinke of confusion: it wrapped him in the chaines of eternall death: it crucified him, and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of calamity, and made his soule by weeping & vvailing to melt into these bitter teares trickling from his eyes: O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
O that my head vvere a vvell of waters, and a fountain of teares, that I might weep day & night at the remembrance hereof: but least I linger too long about one flowre, vvhile I hauehave many to gather, I vvill conclude this point thus in a word: Sith Christ hath suffered these, and an infinite number such like torments for our sakes, it is blasphemous once to dreame or imagine any to bee more willing to helpe vsus than he: nay, he is more readie to heare our prayers, than we to offer them vntounto him, insomuch as he complaineth by the Prophet Esay: I hauehave bene found of them which sought me not, all the day long hauehave I stretched out my hand vntounto a rebellious Esay 65people, which walked in a way that was not good, euen after their owne imaginations. And vntounto Ierusalem hee saith, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I hauehave gathered Math 25thee together, as the henne gathereth her chickens, but you would not. Wherefore to ende this poynt: Seeke for knowledge, as for a treasure, and for wisedome, as for the wedge of gold of Ophir: No mention shall be made in comparison of it, of Corall, Gabish, or that pretious Onix: For Ioh 28wisedome is more precious than pearles. But aboue all things, seeke it where it may be found and where is the place of vnderstanding? Surely, man knoweth not the path thereof: the deepe sayth, It is not in me: the sea saith, It is not in me: death and destruction say, We hauehave heard the fame thereof with our eares: all creatures say, it is not with vsus: but God vnderstandeth the way thereof: and vntounto man he saith, The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome, and to departe Pro 9.from euill is vnderstanding.
The third circumstance is, when wee must seeke vntounto God: and holy Dauid answereth, Early, euen in a time when hee may bee found. Let vsus redeeme the day, which we hauehave Psal 3…foreslowed so many dayes, wherein wee hauehave so long hardned our hearts: let vsus take vp this day, and make it the day of our repentance: let vsus make it a day of newnes of life, as it is the first day of the new yeere: let euen this moment bee the last of a sinfull life, and the first day to godlines. And as the wise man saith: Make no long tarrying to turne vntounto the Eccle 5Lorde, and put not off from day to day, for suddainely shall the Lordes wrath breake, and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed, and shalt perish in the time of vengeance.
Art thou a Magistrate, placed in high roome and authoritie, and seated in the throne of dignitie? then vse not this thy might to wrong and oppression, grinde not the faces of the poore, swell not with pride, despising his lowe estate: Sell not thy reghteousnesse for siluer preferring the marchants Amos 8of Babylon before the citizens of Ierusalem.
Art thou a priuate labouring man? Doe thy duetie truelie, be subiect, and liue in dread to displease the good Magistrate. 1. Pet 3Art thou olde, and hast consumed the flowre of thy youth in wantonnesse? breake off thy course, and frame thy selfe to sobrietie: giuegive the water no passage, no not a little: for if it hauehave neuer so little issue, it will ouerflowe thee: and if thou doe slacke the raines neuer so little, thy sinnes will carrie thee (like a wilde horse) thorow brambles and bushes, and will leaue no soundnes in thy flesh: worke this reformation in thy selfe betimes, euen to day, euen this first day of the newe yeere: If yee will heare my voyce, harden not your heartes.
Art thou young, and doost begin to flourish like the yong palme tree? O consider, that the onelyonly way to retaine the blossoms of thy beautie, and to keepe thy flowre from withering, and thy leafe from fading away, is to seeke earlie vntounto God, and to apply thy minde to vnderstanding, to preuent the morning watches, and to giuegive thy bodie to bee moistened of the morning dew! For beside the good houres that are well imployed in some good studie and holie exercise, early rising bringeth health to thy body, and increaseth the number of thy dayes.
Seeke therefore, and seeke early, consecrate your selues Nazarites vntounto the Lord, touch no vncleane thing, giuegive no prouocation to the flesh, Striue with the cocke in watchfulnes, Eccle 12and rise with the chirping of the birdes: sacrifice your bodie a sweete smelling sacrifice vntounto the Lorde. This sacrifice is like a sacrifice of fine flowre: it is like the fat taken from the peace offering: yea, it is better than any sacrifice, it is like the flowre of roses in the spring of the yeere, and as the lillies in the springs of waters, and as the branches of Frankincense in the Eccle 32. 47. 50time of Summer: and as a vessel of massy golde beset with rich stones, as a faire Oliue that is fruitfull, and as the tree that groweth vp to the cloudes. Hauing spoken of the Search, it followeth that I speake of the manner how it is to be made. In prayer, by these wordes, If thou pray vntounto the Almightie.
I shewed yee before, the force of our aduersarie, receiue now a shield against his force, euen the shield of prayer. He is not to bee resisted by ringing an hallowed bell, nor by sprinkling of holy water, nor by the relikes of Saintes, nor by our owne workes and merites, for these are weapons of his owne making, but by an earnest seeking to God, which search and seeking must be made by prayer, against which his poysoned venome taketh no effect.
It is his malice that accuseth: prayer pleadeth thy case before God, and repelleth all his accusations: for all the Prophets doe witnesse, that whatsoeuer wee aske in prayer, if Math 2wee beleeue, we shall receiue it. It is his rage and furie that should terrifie vsus; nay that prayer that strengthened Sampson to rent a young Lyon, as one should hauehave rent a kid, hauing nothing in his hand, shall smite and shut vp the mouth of this Lyon. As for his policie and walking vp and downe, seeking to deuoure vsus, it cannot preuaile; For the prayer of the faithfull shall saue them, and the Lorde shall raise them Iames 5. 15vp, and if they hauehave committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen them, and after this conflict ended, they shall triumph for euer with Iesus Christ our Sauiour. But in any case see you vnite to your prayer knowledge, that you be not seduced to offer your petitions to strange gods, as Saintes, stockes or stones. Then consent that we aske only in the name of Christ Iohn 16Iesus, not for any desert of our owne: for whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ, shall hauehave remission of sinnes, he shall not perish but hauehave life euerlasting, hee shall not come into iudgement, Act. 25. 10but shall passe from death to life. Lastly, a confidence, which is a certaine perswasion of Gods merciemercy toward vsus: this is that prayer, of which the lambe testifieth, That whatsoeuer we aske by prayer, it shall be giuen vsus by God the father. A thing (dearely beloued) so precious, that nothing is more accepted in heauen, nothing more gratefull to God: a seruice commanded of God himselfe, taught by Christ our Sauiour, and frequented by the Angels: a thing of more force with God, than any oration of the eloquent.
Hast thou not heard how the Sunne stood still in the firmament, and was not suffered to run his course? Iosua and Iosh 6 2. King. 20 Dan. 6.Ezechias prayed, and the Sunne stood still. Hast thou not heard of the stopping of the Lyons mouthes? Daniel prayed and his prayer stopped the Lyons greedy and deuouring throates. Hast thou not heard of the diuiding of the red sea? the Israelites prayed, and the waters of Iorden were dried vp: yea, the Israelites prayed, and the waters stoode about Exod. 14them like to a wall. Hast thou not heard how the fierie furnace lost his heate? the three children prayed, and the fire Dan. 3lost his heate. Hast thou not heard howe the heauens were opened and shut? Elias prayed, and the heauens were shut 1. King. 8vp three yeares: Elias prayed, and the clouds powred downe raine from heauen.
O sure fortresse, more forcible than any engine, and stronger than the gates of hell, and to conclude, the summe and substance of all in few words: the only thing whereby mortall men hauehave the cloudes, and the stars, and the Angels, and all the powers of heauen at commandement. For as Deborah sung in her song: They fought from heauen, euen the Iudg. 4starres in their courses fought against Sisera: for all creatures hauehave bene subiect to the prayers of the faithfull, to reuenge the Lordes quarrell, to helpe the Lorde, to helpe the Lord against the mightie. Prayer hath euer bin the cognisance, and the victorie, and the triumph of the faithfull: for as the soule giueth life to the bodie, so prayer giueth life to the soule.
O that I could engraue the louelove of it in your heartes, as with a Diamond, and so instill your mindes, that my wordes might bee prickes to your consciences, and thereby giuegive ye occasion to pray often. It is a wonderfull matter to bee able to perswade men, but if prayer bee able to perswade the liuing God, ô how great is the force therof! it goeth throrow the cloudes, and ceaseth not till it come neere, and will not depart till the most high hauehave respect thereunto. O that you would therefore pray often, & learne of Christ (the most absolute patterne of our life) to pray continually. He prayed in his baptisme, in the wildernes, in preaching, in working of Luke 6 Luke 6 Luke 6 Iohn 11 Math 26 Iohn 18 Luke 22 Luke 23 Math 19 Psal 40 Rom 8miracles, in his passion, on the mount, in the garden, in his last supper, in commending his spirite to God at all times, and in all places, that he might leaue vntounto vsus an example of the same. It followeth, And pray to the Almightie. To those three former reasons which I brought, why wee must seeke and pray to God alone, I added this as a fourth: because there is none so able to helpe vsus as the Lord. He that trusteth in the Lorde shall be as mount Sion. If God be on our side, who can be against vsus? It is God that iustifieth, who condemneth? The Lord destroyeth the counsell of the heathen, hee 2. Tim 4maketh their deuises to be of no effect. Christ is the Angell of great counsell, wisedome, and vnderstanding, and there is Psal 83 Esay 9 Prou 2no deuise against the Lorde. The world notwithstanding is come to that frame, that eueryevery man hath got him a strange kinde of beliefe. Some beleeue not the Lawe, but the prophets: some be perswaded in the supremacie, but not in the sacrament: some in free will, but not in merite: some in inuocation on saints, but not in purgatorie: some in pilgrimages and pardons, but not in images: some like the doctrine well inough, but not the preachers: the most beleeue little, yet many beleeue somewhat, few beleeue all: therefore to deale plainely, because plaine dealing is best, you must not beleeue by the halfes: I meane, you must not repose some trust in God, and some in Saintes, but all in the Lorde. The gods of the Gentiles they hauehave mouthes and speake not, e…es and see not, Psalm 105eares and heare not. then what can bee looked for at their handes? But the Lord is strong and mightie, a mercifull God: and therefore thorow the Scriptures: he is called a Rocke, a Psalm 18.Fortresse, a strong Tower, a Shielde, a horne of saluation, a refuge; the Lord of hostes, with other such like appellations, that we might bee assured, that our helpe and deliuerance commeth from the Lord.
Puttest thou any trust in man, whose breath is in his nostrils? Cursed is he that maketh man his strength & flesh his arme. Surely Pharaoh, and all princes are a broken staffe, on which Iere. 77. 1. King 16if a man leane, it will strike into his hand and pearce it, & lay him groueling in the dust: It is better therefore to trust in the Psalm 18Lord, thā to put any confidence in Princes Thinkest thou that Angels, or Saints, or Images can helpe thee? O foolish and impious pietie, to attribute more vntounto the Angels, than they dare arrogate vntounto themselues. The Angel in the reuelation, forbiddeth Iohn to worship him. As for the image, we reade Reue 19that to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of a corruptible creature, is idolatrie. Well may I Rom 1then affirme with Moses, Cursed be the Image, and the Image Deut 27maker. The conclusion therefore of this point is this, that we seeke the Lord and his strength euermore, that we pray vntounto God in humilitie & sinceritie, and in full assurance of faith continually, who without end is to be sought, because without end he is to be beloued.
The third thing contained in our dutie is, what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vsus, comprehended in these words: If thou be pure & vpright: If the cloudes be ful, they will powre forth raine vponupon the earth: & vnpossible it is, that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vntounto the almightie, should not bring forth the fruits of a godly life, for if the tree be good, the fruits cannot be bad: & if the head of the water be pure, it wil send forth pure waters into the cesterns. Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by prayer, so must they bee fostred by practise of life, according to that of the Apostle: Quench not the spirit, nor grieue the holy one of God, 1. Thes 6by whome ye are sealed to the day of redemption.
He quencheth, dearly beloued, the spirit, which being once lightened with the sparkles of faith, & felt Gods motions in Ephes 4his hart, doth neglect to increase the one to a flame, & the other to good workes in his life, but with the dog turneth to his vomit, & with the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing againe in the mire. Therefore (beloued) louelove and seeke the Lord, pray to the almightie, be pure and vpright in conuersation, fly from sinne as from a serpent; for if thou come neare, it will bite thee. The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon, to slay the soules of men, and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword, the woundes that it giues cannot bee healed. I dare not stand as I would vponupon these pointes, fearing tediousnes: wherefore let this suffice for the former generall part, concerning the dutie we owe vntounto God.
Now Gods promises for the performance hereof, yeeld vntounto vsus most plentifull matter of doctrine & consolatiō. First, of his iustice, that as he will suffer no sin vnpunished: so he will leaue no good work vnrewarded, but giueth to eueryevery seueral actiō his seueral hire, …ust recompence of reward. Shall the howre come, in which al that are in their graues, shal heare a voice, & come forth, they that hauehave done wel, to the resurrection of life, they that hauehave done euill, to the resurrection of condemnation? Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes? Shall all foule corners be swept, and all pleites and wrinckles be vnfolded? Shall the sea, graue, death, and hell, giuegive vp all that is in them? and shall all the dead (both great and small) stand before God, when the bookes are opened? and shall eueryevery man hauehave prayse of God according vntounto his deseruing? Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath, betweene sheepe and goates, the iust and vniust? Finally, shall there be an infallible generall, & incorrupt iudgement, wherein the booke of all oar offences shall be laide wide open? Now God bee mercifull vntounto vsus; 1. Thes 5be fauourable O Lord, be fauourable But to proceede, it is thy nature O Lorde, togather vp the wheate, and burne the tares, to cut downe all fruitles trees, & cast them into the fire, Ephes 4yea, into a fierie furnace, that neuer shall be quenched, into an vtter darkenesse, where is weeping, wayling, and gnashing of teeth; then be fauourable O Lord, be fauourable.
Doth not the Lord spare Dauid, a king and a prophet for murther? doth he not spare the Sichemites for adulterie? nor Absalom for treason? nor Saul for tyrannie? nor Eli for negligence? nor Achab, Ieroboam, nor Iezabell for crueltie? nor Herod, Nabuchadnezzar, and Lucifer for pride; nor Pharaoh for incredulitie: then be fauourable O Lord, be fauourable to vsus, in whom almost eueryevery one of these sins doe dwell and remaine. Did the Lorde for corruption ouerflow the worlde with water? did hee burne Sodome for her villanie? did hee cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise, for eating of the forbidden fruite? did he stone a poore wretch to death, for gathering chips on the Sabboth day? then be fauourable O Lorde, be fauourable vntounto vsus. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height? nor the Oke for his strength? nor the Poplar for his smoothnes? nor the Lawrell for his greenesse? No verily, from the Cedar that is in Lybanon, euen to the hysop that groweth out of the wall, yea, eueryevery one that bringeth not forth good fruite, is hewen downe and cast into the fire: it is a righteous thing with God, to render vengeance to those that disobey him, and to destroy such as hauehave forsaken the lawe, by euerlasting perdition.
Behold, the Lord shal come in the great and latter day of iudgement, when none shall escape his iudgement seat, with Reue 1. 7 2. Cor 5cloudes shall he come, and euerie eie shall see him, euen they which pierced him thorow, shall also wayle before him, being sūmoned all to appeare most fearfully before his imperiall throne of maiestie: thē be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable. Alas, with what eies shal we miserable sinners behold him, so gloriously sitting in his royall kingdom, with all his mightie and holy angels, and whole number of saints sounding with the voice of the archangell, and trumpet of God, causing the heauens to passe away with a noise, and the elements to melt like waxe, & the earth to burne with the works thereof? yea, with what eies shall wee behold him, when wee see the Sun darkned, the Moone eclipsed, and the stars fal down from heauen? But alas, when he taketh the furbished blade into his hand, when he is ready to throw the fiery thunderbolts of his wrath, vvhen hee summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth, the fire that neuer shall be quenched, to reuenge vppon the wicked: into what a plight are they then driuen? then leaue they off; be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable, and say to the hils; O ye mountains, come and couer vsus, O ye waters come and ouerwhelme vsus: wo, wo, wo, how great is this darknes? The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse, and aduanced to such happines, as neither tongue can vtter, nor heart conceiue.
The second thing wee hauehave to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth al his workes. For God, though he hauehave giuē a curse of the law against sinners, yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse, whereby his iustice is not impaired: he is content to accept our weaknesse as our strength, to recompence our imperfection with rewarde of greatest perfection, and that which we can performe but in small part he is content to accept as whole, not for any desert of ours, but in the satisfaction of his son, who paide with the seale of his own bloud, the ransome for our sins, he hath cancelled the handwriting that vvas against vsus. Wherefore we are to pray vntounto God, that vvhensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him, that hee would looke vppon Christ Iesus, the true looking glasse, in whom he shal find vsus most pure and innocent, and to shine most cleerely in the righteousnesse which he hath giuen vsus by faith: so that wee appeare not in our own righteousnesse, but in the righteousnesse of the lambe, who hauing taken away the sins of the world, and hauing made vsus as white as snowe, though wee were as red as crimson, saith, he will be mercifull to our iniquities, and wil remember our sinnes no more. Of him do al the Prophets beare witnesse, that through his name al that beleeue shal receiue remissiō of their sins. Againe, Drinke ye all of this, for this is my bloud, which is shed for the remission of sins. Christ gaue himself for our sins, that he might deliuer vsus from the curse of the law, euen according to the will of the Father. Christ bare our sinnes in his own body on the tree, that we being deliuered from sin, might liue in righteousnes, by whose stripes we are healed, for we were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the shepheard and bishop of our soules. It is no more but beleeue, & be saued: beleeue, and receiue remission: beleeue, and lay off thine own righteousnes, and inuest thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted lambe.
Dauid was yong, and after was old, yet in all his daies hee neuer saw the righteous forsakē. Somtimes he scourgeth his childrē, but like a louing father he laieth no more vponupon them thā they are able to beare, for he afflicteth thē for his own iustice, because they are sinners: for his wisedome, to exercise their faith: for his mercy, to cause thē to repent: but this is the end of al, he helpeth thē in their distresses, he reuengeth himselfe vponupon his enemies, & giueth to his people rest and quietnesse. O that we would therefore praise the Lord, and forget not al other his singular benefits: O that we would confesse, that his mercy endureth for euer.
The third thing to note in his promises, is his boūtiful kindnes, in requiting so smal a thing, with so great & liberal blessings: and bindeth himselfe by obligation (as it were) that as sure as we performe the one, so hee will not faile to accomplish the other.
The fourth, is his patience and long suffering, which is not slacknes, as some men account slacknes: but is patience, because willingly he would hauehave no man to perish, but gladly would hauehave all men come to repentance. Hee is content to stay our leasure, till we seeke and pray vntounto him: and neuer smiteth, till there be no hope of redresse.
The fift, is his louelove, in that he is content to stir vsus vp to holy exercises, & purity of life, & to allure vsus with faire promises of aid, & prosperous increase of al his blessings in this world. The particular examination of these blessings would require a larger discourse, thā (fearing tediousnes) I dare presume to trouble ye withal: wherefore a word of each, and so I end.
Touching the first, where it is said, God wil awake vp vntounto thee, it is a greater benefit than the words import: for it signifieth, not only that he will heare thee, but that he will also do what thou desirest and satisfie thy request. As long as the sinner sleepeth, the Lord is said to bee asleepe: but as soone as the sinner awaketh from sin, God will arise (saith Dauid) Psalm. 78and his enemies shall be scattered, and they that hate him, shal fly before him: as the smoak vanisheth before the wind, & as the waxe melteth before the fire, euen so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. Wherfore as Paul exhorted the Ephesians, so I exhort you, Awake thou that sleepest, Ephe. 5stād vp frō the dead, & Christ shal giuegive thee light: awake vntounto God, & God wil awake vntounto thee, & Christ euen the son of God, the brightmorning star, shal giuegive thee the light of life.
In the second, he promiseth abundance of worldly blessings, in recōpence of praier, for it is said, He wil make the habitations of thy righteousnes prosperous, that is, the Lord will Reue. 22. 2 Psalm 1. 12make peace within thy wals, & prosperity within thy palaces: he will cōmand his blessings to be with thee in thy store Prou 28▪house, and in al thou settest thy hand vntounto: he will open vntounto thee his good treasures, euen the heauens to giuegive raine on thy land in due season▪ Thou shalt lay vp gold, as the dust, & the gold of Ophir, as the flint of the riuer: thou shalt wash Iob 22thy paths with butter, & thy rocks shal powre out riuers of oyle: thou shalt cal saluation thy wal, & praise shalbe in thy gates. Lo, thus shal the man be blessed that feareth God.Psal. 128.
Lastly, for being pure & vpright, he wil make thy latter end greatly increase, & that thou maist the lesse mistrust his promise, he will do it, though thy beginning be but small.
Here (brethren) ye see what a sea of matter is offered me, wherunto if I would commit my selfe, I might discourse vntounto ye, what strange euents (by Gods prouidence) hauehave hapned in the world, what great kings and potentates hauehave bin plucked down from their thrones, and vvhat contemptible persons in the eie of the world, hauehave bin aduanced to their roomes. How Mardocheus a stranger vvas exalted into Hamons place: how Ioseph and Daniel, the one a bond-man in Hest. 8 Gen. 30 Dan. 6Egypt, the other a captiue in Babylon, vvere made princes in those kingdomes. But because I vvil not ouermuch transgresse the bonds of modesty, or hold yee longer than in this place I hauehave beene accustomed: only remember vvhat the Prophet saith; He raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth Psal. 113the poore out of the mire that he might set him with the princes, euen with the princes of the world.
Remember the example of Dauid, vvhom the Lord chose Psal 78and tooke from the Ewes great vvith young: that he might feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel. Remēber Iob. 42the example of Iob, hovv the Lord turned the captiuitie of Iob, as the riuers in the south, how he blessed the last daies of Iob more thā the first, hovv he gaue him sheep, & camels & oxen, & she asses, in more abundance than he had before, hovv he increased him vvith sons and daughters, euen to the fourth generatiō, so that he died being old & ful of daies. Re member euen our own estate, for vvhom the Lord hath don great things already: as created vsus, and redeemed vsus, & sanctified Psal. 126vsus, and not long since deliuered vsus from the gaping iavves of those that sought to suck our bloud. VponUpon some he Psal. 41.hath bestovved humility, vvhereby their minds are adorned vvith vertue: honor vpō others, vvherby their persons are inuested vvith maiesty: vponupon others comlines, vvherby the other tvvo are graced: vponupon others orchards, vvhichwhich they plāted not, or at least vntounto vvhichwhich they gaue no increase: vponupon others increase of vertuous children, whereby their posterity is preserued vpō others, the free passage of his word, vvhichwhich a long time had beene obscured by ignorance, the mother of deuotion, as the shauelings call it, but vnderunder a stepdame of destructiō, as we perceiue it: & though he bestow but som one or two of his blessings vponupon vsus, yet how much are wee bound for these blessings, to sing praise, & honor, and glory, vntounto him that sitteth vponupon the throne, and vntounto the Lambe for euer. But vponupon whom hee hath bestowed all these blessings, O how strictly by good cause are they bound to magnifie the Lord, and to reioice in God their Sauiour. Examine then your owne consciences, I beseech yee, whether God hath bestowed all these blessings vponupon you or no, and if he hauehave, O what great cause hauehave yee to come before his face with praise, to sing lowde vntounto him with Psalmes, to worship & to fal downe before him, to giuegive vntounto the Lorde Psalm. 99 Psalm. 96the glory of his name, to bring an offering of thanks▪giuing, and to enter into his courts with praise. And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for yee in store? ye may bee sure hee will pull downe the mightie from their seate, and exalt the humble and meeke. Surely, the Lorde doth vse vertue as a meane to bring vsus to honor, and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this text, I meane, with seeking vntounto God, with prayer and puritie of life: ye may bee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lord, yea, such a blessing, as though his beginning bee but small, yet his latter end shal greatly encrease.
God increase the louelove of these thinges in our hearts, and make vsus worthie of Christs blessings, which he hath plentifully in store for vsus: that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vponupon vsus, hee would giuegive vsus the blessing of all blessings, euen the life of the world to come.
FINIS.