Davids Thanksgiving

David's thankfulness for the arrainement of the man of Earth.

T His tenth Psalm doth most lively describe unto us a corrupt & perverse state of a miserable commonwealth groaning and fainting under the intolerable burdens of manifold oppressions, and extreme injuries heaped upon her by the mighty and proud Nimrods of that time, by cruel and crafty worldlings, by godless & blasphemous Athists, by secure, and carnal Epicures, by loose and lawless Belials, which in David's time like Bees swarmed in every Country & City, in every Town and Village, and came about the poor servants of God, daily & howerlie as thick as hailstones in Egypt, even a right picture of that wherein we now live, which made that princely Prophet and prophetical prince David (as a man amazed at such a forlorn sight, and pitiful complaining that was on every side) to speak far otherwise of the Lord then he is indeed, and in a kind of quarrelling manner to expostulate the matter with the Lord after the manner of man, saying: Why standest thou far of O Lord, & hidest thyself in due time, evē in affliction? even while the wicked with pride doth persecute the poor? Greatlie (no doubt) did iniquity prevail, & strong was the temptation; yea to great boldness, and courage were the wicked grown when it seemed to David, as if the Lord were careless in governing the world, and had forgotten to relieve his poor distressed people, or call the wicked to account, but seemed either to let thē do even what they listed without controlment, which God forbid we should once imagine, but yet in the time of afflictiō & temptation such is the weakness of faith evē in the very regenerate, that they conceive sometime of God and his works, otherwise then becometh thē, or then beseemeth the majesty of God, the reason hereof is, because they be for the time as men that are buffeted and astonied with blows, to whose sense the ground seemeth to turn round, when indeed there is no such matter, but the turning and alteration is in themselves, and therefore the temptations of the regenerate are called by Paul the buffetings of Satan. 2. Cor. 12. 7. And yet notwithstanding (though at a blush they may seem to jump with the wicked, who do always harbor within them most base and unworthy conceits of the most high, who filleth Heaven and earth with his all seeing, and incomprehensible presence, & with whom is neither change nor show of change, yet between the godly and the wicked there is always this double difference. First, in the greatest afflictions, and weakness of faith wherewith the godly are exercised, there is yet some evidence of God's sanctifying spirit in them, supporting them from final and desperate falling away from the grace of God, though it be more then they always feel in themselves, for though David complaineth in the beginning of this Psalm of God's long absence, yet he is certainly persuaded of his presence to him, or else he had prayed in vain. And as earthly Fathers have a secret affection to their childrē more then their children do always perceive, so God hath a secret hand in his children to uphold them from falling away, more then they always do feel, which feeling they want sometime to humble them, and to make them more earnest in prayer, and more careful to keep the favor of God when they have it. And sometime the Lord bestoweth secret favors upon his children more then they know of, as Joseph's brethren had every man his money in his sack by the way, which was more thē they knew, til they came their Inn. Gen. 42. 27. But with the wicked it is not so, for God hath left them to themselves, giving them over to a reprobate sense that they may wax worse & worse, deceiving and being deceived, there is no secret hand of God's grace in them, that can be perceived either of themselves or of others for them. Another difference is this: when the heat of affliction and strength of temptation is allaied in the godly, and they come to themselves again, as men do that have been beaten and buffeted, they recall their error, and correct their former crazed opinions, giving to God afterward that honor that is due unto him, but the wicked after they be a little eased, and released of their pain, do turn again to their former vomit, never once dreaming that they either thought or spake, or did anything amiss, or against the glory of God, but praise their own wit, doing sacrifice to the works of their own fingers.

After David had complained to the Lord of the pride and cruelty of the wicked and very substantiallie proved those articles which he exhibited against them, in the 12. verse he doth humbly sue unto the Lord by prayer, that he would arise and show by some gracious effects that he hath the poor in remembrance, which do commit themselves unto him, and namely by breaking the arm, that is, the power of the wicked which they abused to mischief and wrong. And at length as one having obtained his request, he concludeth this Psalm with a holy gratulation or thanksgiving unto the Lord, for that by his spirit he did assure him of some remedy, by taking a judicial hearing of the matter on both sides, whereby we are taught to pray for God's poor distressed people as for our selves, as also to be as thankful to God for his mercies toward them as if they had been bestowed upon our selves, and in so doing shall we try whether we be fellow & feeling members of the body of Christ, or dead and rotten members, such as are cut of from the body, and live not by the life of God that is in Jesus Christ.

Lord thou hast heard &c. Here David acknowledgeth the goodness of God towards his poor helpless servants two ways, first generally in the 17 verse, saying. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor, then particularly amplifying this goodness of God, first by setting down the efficient cause of the poor man's desire, in these words. Thou preparest their heart, then by noting the formal cause of that readiness, and willingness which is in God to hear their desire in these words, Thou bendest thine ear unto them, and then by the final cause of this goodness, in verse. 18. & that is double, first in respect of the poor, and oppressed, that they may have justice and right, secondly in respect of their oppressors (who are called in contempt the man of earth) that they may be no more cause of terror to the godly.

The first thing here to be noted, is how David changeth his note, for before he said, Lord thou hast hid thyself, but now he saith Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poor, that is, thou hast shown thyself in the robes of Justice and judgment, David here was like one that during the battle could not tell what to make of the matter, but after the encounter is past, like a valiant conquerer he striketh up, and maketh forward in triumph saying: The Lord is King forever and ever, the heathen are destroyed out of thy sight, Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poor, thou preparest their heart, thou bendest thine ear. To judge the fatherless and the poor, that the man of earth cause to fear no more.

And here we see that verified which is in Psal. 126. 5. 6. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: And that which is in our proverb, A hard beginning maketh a good ending: for one would have thought by the beginning of this Psalm that he should never have obtained so happy an end, for thus he be ginneth: Why dost thou stand far off O Lord, and hidest thy self in time of affliction: that is, why have we not Justice executed; but he endeth as you hear: Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poor, &c. which is as much as can be desired. Such a blessed and joyful end will God send unto all his poor afflicted servants, when he hath well humbled them, and thoroughly exercised them with the buffetings of Satan, and stung them to the very heart with the sense and feeling of their sins, and affrighted them with a terrible show of an angry & wrathful countenance, all which the Lord will do against his dere childrē. First to let thē feel & know what they have, & are of themselves, secondly, to make them acquainted with Satan's malice, that they take heed how they either obey him or believe him again, thirdly, to make the greatness of his love, and gracious mercy more known in delivering them at the last; for by the want of a benefit we know what a benefit is worth, and therefore joy restored, is more acceptable then joy continued. Psal. 51. 12. And lastly to make them fit instruments for the conversion and strengthening of those that are or shall be in the like case, as Christ said to Peter: Satan hath desired to sift you, as wheat is sifted, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith may not fail. Therefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. But in the mean time it goeth hard for any feeling that the afflicted soul hath of any comfort in himself, Oh I cannot feel the love of God in my heart, I cannot find God's spirit in my heart, my heart is not grieved for my sin, I cannot pray, I take no delight in the word, &c. Oh that I could pray that I could believe, that I could feel God's mercy in assuring my heart of the forgiveness of my sins, but I have abused his mercy, and offended his Majesty, and therefore I am cast out of his sight, there is no mercy for me, I am damned, and shall go to hell, &c. And thus the poor soul etaketh on during the winter time of afflictions, and temptations, but soft a while, who telleth thee that thou art cast out of God's sight, that thou art a reprobate &c. Again who told thee that thou wantest faith and repentance, & other graces of the spirit? Again who is it, or what is it that doth so earnestly thirst after those excellent graces of faith, of repentance, of the forgiveness of sins, &c. Surely in this Tragedy be three actors, and everyone doth his part, and here is wisdom to discern on from the other, here is thy own conscience accusing, Satan accusing, & God's law accusing. Thy conscience showeth thee thy wants; God's spirit showeth thee thy wants, & Satan showeth thee thy wants; but that which God doth in love Satan doth in malice, that which God doth to humble thee sathā doth to destroy thee; thou sayest thou canst not repent, thou canst not believe, thou canst not pray: Oh sweet mercy of God, that for the wicked do not so much as know their wants, thou art sorry that thou canst not repent, that thou canst not believe, &c. Oh what better repentance then to bewail thy impenitence? what greater grief then that which ariseth for no grief for sin? What is this but sorrow it self for sin? thou wouldest pray, thou wouldest believe steadfastly, who wrought that hunger and thirst in thee? not flesh and blood, not Satan, therefore it must needs be God's spirit, content thyself thou shalt be satisfied, and take that desire of grace for grace it self, and a pledge of further grace to be received hereafter. Thou sayest thou feelest not God's love in thee, and therefore he loveth thee not, but do the Lord no injury, measure not his grace by thy feeling, he that took a rib out of man's side, while he slept in such sort that he felt it not, can also put a secret hand of grace into thee, to uphold thee while his spirit doth sleep in thee, and thou not feel it, and for the proof of that I say consider with me, how often have many been tempted to mischief themselves and others, yea and practiced their own destruction which yet are living, and well? from whence came this, but from a secret hand of God within them that still plucked them as a pray out of the hands of their enenemie. Some again (that I know) have been afraid that they should speak blasphemy against God & treason against the Queen, and have been so tempted the runto, that they have held their mouths with their hands least it should out, and yet when they have been willed to utter it, they could not, but clean contrary, instead of treason and blasphemy have spoken all good in most hearty & holy manner that might be both of God and of the Queen, by which they have perceived & confessed in the end to God's great glory, that these were illusions of Satan, and that God's spirit is stronger in them then the temptation, whē they had suposed that God had clean forsakē them. Oh I am damned, I am damned thou criest: who told thee so? Surely it is the voice of Satan that would have it so, believe him not, for he that is compounded all of lying and falsehood cannot possibly suggest any truth unto thee. Oh if I could feel some comfort in my soul, I were well: if I could pray from a feeling heart and believe effectually &c. then I were well. Then I should hope that God would be merciful unto me: but content thy self: there is a time for all things saith Solomon, a time to weep, and a time to rejoice, so there is a time of affliction, and a time of deliverance out of temptatiō, if that time were come that thou speakest of, then were thy afflictiō at an end, & the tēmptation of no force not effect, but now is the time of casting down & of the tēpters forcible working but wait on God, he is thy present help and thy God, with patience possess thy soul until the time be come for thy deliverance, and verily when God's rods have had their working, to frame thee unto God, the time will come that thou shalt have diluerance, though now thou sayest with David, Lord why standest thou far off? and hidest thy face, even in the time of affliction? yet after the conflict is ended (which must be when God will, and not when thou wilt) thou shalt sing joyfully & triumphantly, Lord thou hast heard the desire of thy poor servant, thou preparest thine heart, thou bendest thine ear, to help thy poor comfortless servant that thy hellish enemy be no more cause of fear.

Again, that in time of thy spiritual conflict, thy soul may hope for some more comfort & strength in the ende then for the present thou feelest, it shall not be amiss for thee to call to mind the former experience that thou hast had of God's goodness towards thee in time past, whereby thou mayest assure thyself that he will be good unto thee again, as David said, The Lord that hath delivered me from the Bear and the Lion, will also deliver me from this uncircumcised philistime: so say thou, That God which delivered me from such a peril, and gave me strength against such and such temptations, will one day deliver me from this▪ that God which once let me feel peace and joy, and comfort in Christ, will surely give me comfort again when he seeth fit time: For whom the lord loveth, he loveth forever. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance saith the Apostle. Thy treasure is laid up surely in Heauē saith Christ, where neither moths can eat it, nor rust can corrupt it, nor thieves can dig through and steal it away, God doth not keep it from moths and from thieves to let the devil deceive thee of it, no, it is sure for ever, where neither man, nor Angel, nor all the devils in hell shall take it from thee, no nor God himself, for though we be unfaithful, yet he is faithful, and cannot deny himself. And where as thou criest out for it now, saying thou canst not feel it in thy heart &c. it is for that perhaps thou diddest not use it as thou shouldest, when thou haddest it before, thou wert peradventure a lazy professor of the Gospel, or a proud hearer of the word, or negligent in the worship of God, both with thyself and thy family, or it may be thou diddest wax proud of God's graces, and diddest not give him his due honor, or it may be thou diddest make some rash promise (presuming upon thy own strength) that thou wouldest do this or that, or that thou wouldest never commit such and such a sin again. And therefore the Lord (to let thee know thyself) like a most wise father hath for a time taken away his graces from thee, and the feeling of all spiritual comfort, and yet for all that loveth thee as his child. And herein the Lord dealeth with thee, but as thou wouldest deal with thy own child if thou hast any; when the child abuseth anything that he delighteth in it is taken from him, and laid up till another time, and he made believe that it is quite taken from him, the child would have it always in his sight, but that may not be for diverse causes: and in like manner dealeth the Lord with his children, it sufficed Jacob to hear that his son Joseph was alive, though he saw him not, so it should suffice the afflicted conscience to know that Christ liveth in him, though his spiritual eye be so dazzled, that as yet he cannot see him, yea there is a holy desire to see and feel Christ in thee, as an earnest-penny, though it be as in a bag sealed up, and in time it shall be delivered thee, yea though thou goest as a malefactor that is condemned goeth to execution, out of all hope for life, yet (as some friend of his sueth out his pardon for him, and delivereth it him even when he is on the ladder ready to be turned of, to his greater joy more then he expected, even to Christ Jesus hath sued out thy pardon, and when thou thinkest there is no way but one with thee, and that is to hell, even when thou seemest to thyself to be past all hope of recovery, then shall the spirit of Christ step up in thy heart, which now seemeth to be gone, or to lie a sleep, and shall deliver it unto thee, with this message of comfort, Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee. And in the mean time know that Christ is not gone from thee but sleepeth in thee, as he did in the ship, and that was but only during the tempest, but when they in the ship were afraid of sinking, they cried, Save us Master we perish else, and then he awaked and rebuked the winds: so Christ may seem to sleep in thee during the time of tempestuous temptations, but whensoever thou art in any danger, he is awake to save thee, and in the end will rebuke Satan and tread him under thy feet; that Christ's spirit is in thee thou mayest perceive by the voice of the Church that is in thy case: In my bed by night (saith the Church) I sought him whom my soul loveth, but could not find him, so thou seeekest him whom thy soul loveth, but canst not find him, that is, thou seekest him whom thou hast with thee, for there is in thee the love of Christ, which cannot come, but from Christ himself, now the very love of Christ in thy heart though it be but weak, yet is a certain argument of Christ's sanctifying spirit in thee, for though the reprobate may in some sort slavishly tremble at the judgments of God, and for some carnal respect, joy in the things of God for a time, yet there is not in them a love of God in Christ Jesus: but with their servile fear is joined also a deadly hatred of the Lord as of their mortal enemy.

Again if thou feel not as yet the gracious presence of God's spirit in thee as thou wouldest, yet use the holy means that God hath appointed for the conversion & confirmation of his children; frequent the word preached, read in the scriptures, & labors of the godly learned, use prayer, & conference, and meditatiō, & so wait on God, who is thy present help and thy God, but thou sayest thou canst not hear with delight, thou canst take no pleasure in reading of good books, nor hearing of them redd unto thee, thou canst not brook conference and prayer, thou doest distaste them all, yet I say use them still, as a good man taketh meat and drink, and physic though it be against the stomach, and cast up all again, yet he desireth to digest it, and so by often taking, at last doth gather strength, and take that willingly with hope, which before he received against his will with a kind of loathing. So thy sick soul by often using the holy means that God hath appointed, at last through his blessing will strengthen thee, and make thee to use them of love & desire, which now thou doest but vnchearfully and with a certain kind of loathing. There is a defect in the stomach or some other part of the body which will not suffer wholesome meat to be digested; So in the inward man, the defect may be in the understanding which may be dark, or in the memory which may be brittle, or in the utterance which may be slow, or in thy faith which may be weak, or in thy repentance which may be imperfect, or in thy love which may be small, or in thy zeal which may be bitter or cold, or in thy mind which may be earthly, or in thy affections which may be unruly, or in thy whole man which may be lumpish, heavy, and untoward to good things: yet in all these remain a double comfort. First these graces are not counterfeit, but in truth are such as they seem to be, thou understandest aright, thou utterest the truth though but slowly, thou rememberest the best things, and believest the word, and repentest in truth, with hatred of thy sins, and thou lovest God and his word for themselves sake: again so much as thou understandest and knowest, and rememberest, & believest, & lovest, thou also affectest & embracest in heart, & desirest to grow in them, & to practice them to the praise of God, and therefore still hope and wait on God, for though God seem now to thy soul as if he had no care of thee, yet he doth care for thee, and thou shalt one day joyfully sing as David doth here: Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor, &c.

Lord, thou hast heard, &c. ) The Lord doth hear all men's desires, and knoweth all their thoughts long before, but he is said to hear the desires of his children after a more special, and gracious manner, because he doth in mercy both favor their suits, and grant their requests, & so this word of hearing is to be understood sometime in the scripture, as where David saith: If I regard wickedness in my heart the Lord will not hear me: that is, the Lord will not grant me my desire. And so is it taken also sometime amongst us in our common manner of speaking, as when we do not favor a man's suite, we use to say, I hear you not. This is that which the children of God do most groan and long for in prayer, namely to pray so, that the Lord may hear them, that is, may afford them a gracions hearing, which if they may be assured of, then are their hearts filled with joy whatsoever happeneth to them in the world. And all their fear is, least their sins and sinful prayers should stop the ears not of the Lord simply, but of his grace and favor against them. To that end do they come before the Lord in all humility, fear, and reverence, striving, sighing, and groaning and troubled in spirit. And to this end the Lord oftentimes seemeth unto his children as one that is deaf, he maketh them no answer, but takes away from them for the time all feeling of comfort in prayer, to that ende that when he doth speak peace unto their harts, they may know what a mercy they have received from his Majesty.

But wicked hypocrites regard not so much whether the Lord doth hear thē or no, but whether men do hear them, that is all their care: they pray to be seen of men, and to be heard of men, only laboring with their lips, but without any strife of the heart. They pomp it, they chant it, they howl it, and throat it to please themselves and others, but whether all that pains of theirs be accepted with God, they never so much as once think: So that when they have done their stint and task, they may say as the harlot said, of whom Solomon speaketh, To day I had peace-offerings, I have paid my vows, and so leave for that matter, it is no matter whether they be received or no, she hath paid them, so saith the Hipocrit, I have said all my prayers today, I have done all my devotion, & there leave for that matter; but the poor child of God whose soul groaneth under the buthen of his sins, doth not so much boast of the saying of his prayers, as he doth of God's mercy in hearing his prayers, Lord I thank thee saith (the Pharisee) that I fast and pray so often in a week, but Lord be merciful to me saith the Publican, Lord I prayed in thy temple saith the one, as the wicked in the Gospel, Lord we have heard thee preach in our streets; but the other saith, Lord, thou hast heard the desire of thy poor servants, , blessed be thy name for that favor: the desire. He doth not say their cryings, or their sententious and eloquent prayers, or the voice of their lips, although the desires of the heart be counted cryings with the Lord, but he saith: That the Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: Which are the cries and prayers, and voices of the inward man, though not always uttered by the tongue, to show that the Lord of his goodness is so ready to hear the afflicted, that he doth not always expect the cryings, and voices of the outward man, or the orderly and set prayers of the lips, for before they cry, he heareth them according to the testimony of the Prophet Isaiah, who (speaking in the person of God) saith thus: Before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear. And Saint Paul saith. The spirit it self likewise helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray as we ought: but the spirit maketh request for us with groaninges, which cannot be expressed: that is, the spirit helpeth our weak prayers which want strength to come forth, and accepteth the very sighs and groans of the hearts of God's children instead of prayers, as the tender nurse doth the monefull looks of the babe that lieth in the cradle full of pain, and cannot speak.

And these inward desires, and groans of GOD'S children, are to the children of God as an earnest-penny of the spirit, and as the first fruits of the spiritituall harvest, now an earnest-penny is but a pledge or assurance of a thousand pound to be paid in time, and the first fruits of the corn are but a sheaf or handful as it were of the whole harvest which afterwards is to be reaped. And this may serve to comfort the afflicted conisciences which cannot pray as they would sometime and therefore think they are not regarded of God, it serveth only to comfort the afflicted soul I say, but no way to confirm us in our sluggish, slothful, drowsy, and sleepy prayers.

Of the poor. ) The state of God's children in this life is not always of the best, neither in outward account with the world, nor yet in their own feeling. And therefore they are called sometime: The afflicted ones, as in Pro. 15. 15. All the days of the afflicted are evil: Sometime the hungry and thirsty, as in Mat. 5. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Sometime little worms as in Isaiah, Little worm Jacob: And in the Psalms, I am a worm and no man, saith David: And sometime, The little flock, As in Luke 12. And in this place they are called, The poor: For whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer affliction. And they do still hunger & thirst after Christ their righteousness:

As the Hart doth after the rivers of water, Like little worms they are contemned and trodden upon by everyone: And like poor and miserable persons they are always in need of God's grace and help. And yet they in that account with God that he heareth their desires: The afficted have a continualfeast, The hungry shall be filled with good things, when the rich shall be sent empty away. The little worm Jacob is written upon the palms of the Lord's hands, and is ever in his sight. The little flock need not fear for their littlenes, for they have the kingdom. And the poor servants of God which are always in need and want of God's grace and favor, and always bewailing their own poverty and want, are heard of the Lord, and therefore are both rich and happy.

This may teach us to judge wisely of the poor children of GOD that are in contempt, and tribulation in the world; and lovingly to embrace them as members of our body though in show vnderlinges to all; like the feet, or rather like the footstooles of the wicked, and not to despise them: For the Lord heareth the desires even of the poor. Yea and they may pleasure us more with their prayers, then we can hurt them with our persecutions. There is not the best, nor learnedest Doctor in the Church, nor the greatest or wealthiest man in the commonwealth but may, and doth receive help and benefit by the prayers of the poorest man that liveth, if he be a godly man.

Thou preparest, &c. Here David acknowledgeth a double grace or favor of God, First, that he upholdeth his children, that they faint not under their burdens, for he armeth them with courage, and patience, putting upon their heads the helmet of good hope, and stirring them up, thereby to dispatch their prayers as speedy posts and messengers unto the hills from whence cometh their help. A singular benefit surly to have our senses and thoughts settled in God's providence, and not carried away to wordly devises, and desperate attempts. Secondly, God having thus prepared & settled their harts for prayer, he doth also prepare & settle himself to hear their prayers, yea, because their prayers be but weak and feeble, that scarce have any perfect voice, but make a soft and still noise, in the secret corners of their hearts, the Lord doth bend his ear unto them, and lay it close unto their mouth, in most fatherly, friendly, and tender sort, that so he might know what it is that they whisper so inwardly, & so faintly. from hence we learn.

First, that to direct our desires to God in affliction is a special work, and favor of God in our hearts, for otherwise, affliction of it self doth breed rather impatience, and despair, then any comfortable hope, and heart to prayer. And therefore let us be admonished when (in any kind of affliction, cross, and temptation) we feel any comfort in God, or desire to go unto his Majesty, by prayer to give him the whole glory, and take it as a token of his love unto us. Let us also acknowledge our own weakness, and inability to prepare our hearts, our selves to Godward. And most false, and insolent is that popish assertion of freewill in man to pray when he will, and to believe when he will, and repent when he will, for it is God (saith the Apostle) that worketh both the will and the deed. Lastly, let us hereby be encouraged to go to God although it be with broken prayers, and fainting desires, we shall not loose our labor, no the godly do not in vain direct their desires to God, nor in hope and patience want upon him because the ears of the Lord are open and bent, ready in most gracious manner to hear the groans of his poor afflicted servants. And thus much of the manner and matter in general of David's thanksgiving.

The second Sermon.

Wherein is handled in particular the matter it self, for which David giveth thanks and that is the arraignment of the man of earth.

I N the former verse, David praiseth God for hearing the desires of his poor servants, but now he showeth more particularly what was their desire, and wherein God hath heard them at the last, namely, they desire that GOD would judge and determine between them & their oppressors, and this is the thing that God hath granted them, from whence the faithful may learn this comfortable general doctrine, that when they shall be unjustly oppressed, God at length will be revenged of their adversaries, and deliver his children; which may serve to admonish us to endure the cross manfully, because God will not many times help his poor children before they be brought to extreme danger. A hard thing this is to flesh and blood, because everyone desireth to be free from trouble, and therefore except God doth quickly help, he seemeth to be slow in helping or forgetful of his promises (which God forbid we should imagine) but if we desire his help, we must wait his leisure, our affections must be tamed, our impatience must be beaten down, our griefs must be mitigated, until our extreme miseries may provoke the favor of God, and to this purpose is that parable of the poor Widow and the wicked Judge propounded by our Savior Christ in the Gospel and in this sort applied to God and his children: that if a wicked Judge fearing neither God nor man, will notwithstanding be overcome with importunate suitors at last to do them justice, how much more will God that is a most righteous Judge, and all righteousness it self, hear at length his poor children which call and cry day and night unto him for Justice.

That earthly man, &c. ) The wicked lift up their heads above the clouds and yet are but mortal, and subject to many miseries, and therefore are they called men of earth, to shame them and to humble them: for this is their insolent madness, and mad insolency, while they forget their estate, and condition they breath out threateninges as Saul did against the Church of God, as if God himself were not sufficient to repress their rage. And yet they are but men, & men of earth too, & come against God as if worms should come out of the ground to fight against their maker, or as if an earthen pitcher should encoūter with a mountain of Brasse; they are made of earth, yea and of the baseft earth to; even of the dust of the earth. Clay is good for something, Sand is good for something, Marle is good for something, Dung is good for something, Grauel is good for something and earth is good for something, but Dust is good for nothing, except it be to put out men's eyes, & of that is mā made, which cōsideratiō may greatly humble the highest, the stoutest, the brauest, & the proudest, but the wicked according to their making do savor nothing else but earth, and the most vile things of the earth, and therefore are fitly called earthly, because they live like earth worms.

And though there be legions, & miltitudes of them, yet are they here called by a word of the singular number, Man of earth, not men. And that may be either in regard of their wicked unity, or else in regard of their great inability to effect that which they purpose whē God shall cross thē. In wickedness they join altogether as one mā. Cast in thy lot amongst us (say thieves & murderers) we will have all one purse. And in like manner the wicked in all evil join as one man. And yet they shall do no more then one man alone, and that of earth too, & that is little, or nothing, except it be to their own overthrow as the Egytiās did when they all followed the poor Israelites into the sea. For man of earth what is he? what can he do? what is his beginning? what is his bringing up? and what is his ending? Is he not begotten of wickedness, conceived of wretchedness, and borne of weakness, worse then a dunghill? Is he not brought up in ignorance & blindness, in folly and vanity? Is not he against God, and God against him? His life is death, and his death is double, temporal, and eternal, for the second hath no end: what can he do? Doth he live, move, & breath? it is by God. Pilate's power was from above. And while God doth give him leave to breath, and to possess the world, he is cruel, carnal proud, and obstinate, He is like the image in the second of Daniel, whose head was of Gold, his breast and arms were of Silver, his belly and his thighs of Brasse, but his legs were of Iron, and his feet of Iron & Clay, And in like sort is the state of great earthly worldlings compounded with their golden heads and stately buildings, with their silver breasts and arms, and costly apparel, with their brazen thighs and mighty friends, with their Iron legs and strong supporting livings, they make a terrible show, but with their Iron earthly feet, with their hard hearts, and earthly affections they are carried up & down in the world, which hitting against one little stone, cut without hands, that is Christ Jesus and his Gospel that lie in their ways, as a stone of offense to stumble upon, they crumble and fall down to their utter spoil and everlasting overthrow.

But the heavenly man shall be able through God to stand, and to do valiantlie, and therefore they are called the man of God, because the faithful are as one man, also united by the communion of Saints, and having God amongst them are able to do great matters. Princes, Magistrates, Preachers are made of earth too, yet having but a spark of God's Majesty in them, or rather but the reflection of a spark of God's power and Majesty upon them, are mighty and terrible through God's spirit, and ought to be terrible to all God's enemies, and wicked men, but not to the innocent, and godly: if they use or abuse their power which God hath put in them, to the cooling of any good man's courage, or to the quenching of the spirit, or to the disgracing or oppressing of poor Christians as many do, as though they were God's, and not of earth, surely God will judge them, & make thē that they shall no more terrify his children then Pharaoh that proud hearted King, and the Egyptians his subjects which lay drowned in the bottom of the sea: and so much be the meaning of the words. Now to the matter of David's thanksgiving.

David praiseth God for judging between his poor servants, and their oppressors. This is that for want whereof he complaineth in the first verse. This is it for want whereof the wicked were so lusty to contemn God. By this he will break the arms, that is, the power of the wicked and search out their wickedness. This is the poor Churches desire, namely a judicial hearing. And to this ende hath God prepared their hearts, and to this ende doth the Lord incline his ear unto them, namely, To sit in judgment upon the poor man's case, So that, when God doth proceed against the wicked it is in judgment. And though the poor commit his cause unto God, yet it shall be judged, and without a judicial proceeding shall nothing be done: for God is no acaccepter of persons as men be, though he loveth the godly, yet they shall stand to their trial, and though he hateth the wicked, yet they shall have their trial, all shall be judged, and all wrongs shall be righted by judgment: therefore it is said in the Psalm, The Lord shall judge the people righteously: This maketh the godly so willingly to appeal unto God, saying as Sarai said to Abraham, The Lord be Judge between me and thee.

God hath erected judgment feats on earth upon whom he hath set Princes and rulers, and graced them with his own name, and sits amongst them, to make them to be honored and regarded; And their judgments are, or should be God's judgments, but oftentimes through corruption good matters are borne down, & bad matters are borne up, we see the complaint of Amos prove too true.

They turn judgment to wormwood (saith he) and leave of righteousness. And that also of Isaiah. By conceiving and uttering out of the heart false matters, judgment is turned back, and justice standeth far of: for truth is fallen in the street, & iniquity cannot enter, yea truth faileth (saith the Prophet) and he that refraineth from evil maketh himself a pray: But what? was there no remedy? how did the Lotd take this gear? mark what followeth, when the Lord saw it, it displeased him that there was no judgment. And when he saw that there was no man, he wondered that none would offer himself. But is that all? verily no. Therefore his arm did save it, that is his power did rescue the pray, and his righteousness it self did sustain it, that is he himself took the matter in hand: For he put on righteousness as an habergeon, and an helmet of salvation upon his head: as if he were to go amongst his enemies: He put on the garments of vengeance for a clothing, & was clad with zeal as with a cloak, as to recompense, and to requite the fury of the adversaries, he will fully repaie the Islands. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the West, and his glory from the rising of the sun, for the enemy shall come like a floode, but the spirit of the Lord shall chase him away, And this is the godly poor man's comfort.

Therefore saith the Psalmist: Let the people be glad and rejoice, for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations of the world. And Paul saith: It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you: And to you which are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angels. And in his first Epistle speaking of the same matter in other words, he concludeth thus: Comfort yourselves one another with these words. And here David rejoiceth, and praiseth God for that he will judge the poor and fatherless. Justice and equity in the world, and from the world are two of the hardest, the dearest, the rarest jewels that cā be got̄: the poor do desire thē, God hath granted their desire to judge the fatherless & the poor that the mā of earth cause to fear no more.

And here now we see that verified which is in Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: And that which we have in a proverb. A hard beginning maketh a good ending, for one would have thought by David's beginning of this Psalm, that he should not have made so good an end, for thus he beginneth: Why doest thou hide thyself and stand a far off O Lord in time of affliction? That is, Why have we not justice? but he endeth as you hear: Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poor, to judge, &. which is as much as can be desired. But let us reason a little with David abou this matter. How is it that thou beginning so rudely doest speed so well in the end? If the God of heaven should have dealt with thee David, as the God's of the earth do with their suitors, it were a wonder that ever thou shouldest find so much favor, for though thy matter were good, yet thou mightest have marred it in the handling, thou diddest utter one speech that was enough to have spilled all: Why doest thou hide thyself, &c. What an irreverent, rash, and unadvised speech was this to utter to the Lord of Heaven and Earth? would the God's of the earth have takē such a speech at thy hand, or at any poor man's hand? No David no, many have sustained great wrong by wicked men, and have had good causes, that for such a word, yea for a less offense then thine have been very hardly dealt withal, whē they have but craved justice &c. Now thy fault is greater, and God is a severe God, it is to be marvelled then how thou diddest escape, and speed so well as thou diddest

It is true indeed (saith David ) I confess my frailty, and my fault to be great, and so must they also that speak rashly before God's Magistrates, but if the Lord should narrowly mark every word that is spoken or everything that is done amiss as men do, who could stand before him? No, the Lord knoweth whereof we be made, and considereth in mercy that through extreme heat of passionate affections, and weakness of faith his children be carried many times beyond themselves, but upon their humble submission, and unfeigned repentance he freely forgiveth thē though men will not. Yea the Lord in mercy doth put a difference between his servants, & his enemies though men many times will not, I recanted my opinion and said, The Lord is king forever and ever, & for all my rude beginning have through God's mercy obtained a good ending: Praised be the Lord which hath heard the desire of the poor, to judge the fatherless, and the poor, that the man of earth cause to fear no more. A notable example for earthen God's, magistrates I mean, to follow, and not with bitterness, and rigor to censure, and in extremity to prosecute every slip, and advantage of poor ministers, and other honest men when they come to complain before them, but with love & words of grave and gracious counsel to heal, or at least to cover the sore, least the uncircumcised do rejoice and triumph over their fathers and brethren, as cursed Cham did at his fathers nakedness. And so much for the bringing of the beginning, and ending of David's petition together. Now let us hear a little more of the thing it self that the Lord hath granted, and that is this, that it will please his Majesty to hear & determine between his poor people on the one side, and their cruel oppressors on the other side. In all respects it may be resembled unto a purchased Assizes, wherein we are to consider, First the parties between whom the controversy dependeth, Secondly, before whom it is to be tried. Thirdly, by whom it must be tried. Fourthly, the action that is to be tried. Fifthly, the verdict of the Jury. Sixthly the sentence of the Judge. And lastly the execution of the sentence. And this course we may safely take, both because God's spirit hath in like sort set forth the judgment seat of God, and every thing to be tried before the same, after the manner of earthly Judges: for our greater capacity and understanding, as also because this kind of teaching doth nearest suit with the teaching of our Savior Christ, who still used such familiar similitudes to explain his doctrine by, as were most familiarly known unto men. Then first of the parties between whom the pleading is. The plaintiues are poor and fatherless: such as for want of worldly ability are fain to sue for their right In forma pauperum, as commonly all good causes do, yea, whosoever will speed in God's Court must come, In forma pauperis, for the Lord taketh no fees, and standeth for the poor as well as for any other. The defendants or parties arraigned are all oppressors of the poor, all Athistes, proud, and cruel tyrants, crafty, and subtle hunters of the poor. There sit in Commission with the King, his own son, the son of God the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath appointed to judge the world. And with him sit as it were assistants, 24. elders clothed with white rayments of Christ's righteousness, and crowned with golden crowns of heavenly glory and authority. The ministers or messengers that attend on this Court are the heauely Angels of God, who for their swiftness in executing their charge are said to have many wings, and for their great power are called principalities, thrones, and dominations. The criers of this court are the preachers of the word, whose voices must be lifted up like trumpets to summon men before the judgment seat of God. The books of the court be of two sorts, books of statutes, and books of record. But where is the prisoner? He standeth taken with his own iniquity, and bound with the cords of his own sin. Now thē the arrainment. Crier lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and call forth the man of earth, Sargants strip him out of all his glorious titles and dignities, seize upon all that he hath, & let him hear his indictment, Man of earth hold up thy hand, thou art endited here by the name of ( Man of Earth ) not Gentleman, Nobleman, nor yeoman, but plain man of earth borne of earth, and brought up like an earth-worm, &c. For that thou on such a day, and of such a month in such a year, having received an arm, that is to say, power, wealth, and authority, hast abused the same, and by force and fraud didst set upon thy poor brother, & fatherless neighbor, living & traveling in gods peace: & meaning thee no harm, didst put thē in fear, so that of their credit, life, & goods they did despair, what sayest thou to this fellonie art thou guilty or not guilty? Not guilty my Lord. How wilt thou be tried? By my honest neighbors, (he saith) yea sir, I can bring the hands and seals of all the parish where I dwell for my good behavior. Yea, but that is not enough man of earth, thou must be tried by God and his Church. Call a Jury. The Jury that must go upon thee is impannelled of Prophets, and Apostles, Their names are set down in the old and New Testament, what canst thou say against them? Oh my Lord, I have to except against them all, They are not my friends, they & I could never agree, they speak of malice, because I would not hear them, nor be ruled by them, nor give them their demand, well that is no matter, they are holy men and such as were led by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1. 22. Therefore man of earth hold up thy hand again, and hear thy second indictment. Thou art endited by the name of the man of earth, for Athisme and contempt of God. verse. 3. 4. Also, thou art endited for abusing and oppressing the poor by cruel and crafty practices, verse. 7. 8. 9. 10. Also for speaking blasphemy & treason against God and his truth, verse. 11. Also for taking part with the wicked, and standing against the cause of the innocent. Also thou art endited for obstinate profaning and violating of the Lord's saboaths, as also for abusing thy stewardship, and excessive spending thy substance, vain and unprofitable exercises, whereby thou madest thy self unfit to do the works of thy calling, to provide for thy family▪ to relieve the poor, or to benefit the Church, or to maintain religious exercises for thy vain sportes and delights, lighter then vanity it self. What sayest thou to all and every of these, art thou guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. How wilt thou be tried? by my honest neighbors I would be tried? but if there be no remedy, then I must be tried by God and his Church: Call forth the plantife. Poor man, and fatherless, come forth, and fear not, you shall be heard, what can you say against this man of earth, and how do you prove these articles you have here objected against him? My Lord then this we say, They have most proudly and cruelly persecuted us with inquisitions, slanders, & fines, with taxes, and vexations, and have almost beggared us, again, they have boasted of their own hearts desire, they have blessed themselves, and contemned thy servants. The more thou hast done for them, the less have they feared thy judgments. His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, he hath lien in wait in the villages. As a Lion in his den so lurketh he in wait secretly, for his prey, by his crouching, and bowing he maketh the poor to fall by heaps into his nets, thus he hath used us. And as for his blasphemies they are most outrageous. He hath said in his heart, That the Lord seeth not, nor regardeth. All this we could prove by many which are afraid to speak the truth, for fear of their displeasure, for that some of them are their landlords, some are their masters, some are Justices of peace, some are their patrōs, some find them work, &c. But Lord thou hast seen it thyself, for thou beholdest mischief and wrong: That thou mayest take it into thy hands, therefore to thee we appeal. You of the grand Jury, you have heard your evidence, and it is all very true that the poor and fatherless have informed, for I have seen it myself (faith the Lord) therefore now give in your verdict, who shall speak for you? David because he is a princely prophet, and therefore deserveth to be foreman, he shall speak for us. What say you then, is the man of earth guilty of all and singular those matters where of he hath been endited or no? yea Lord (saith David ) he is guilty.

Well then, Man of earth, thou seest that thou art convicted by the verdict of the great inquest of the Prophets and Apostles, myself being witness. What sayest thou to the records of thy own Court? For I have given thee that privilege more then all creatures besides, to keep Court in thy own house, to that ende I have given thee will and affections, to move and to debate thy matters, judgment and understanding to descerne of causes, and memory as a register to record thy causes, and conscience as a Judge, and a thousand witnesses to determine of all thy proceedings. And this Court is called the Court of Conscience, thou shalt also be tried by that. In that Court be many examinations, many witnesses, and many records. The hall is common equity, there are many sentences in tables fayrely engraven, as in one place love God above all, in another, Love thy neighbor as thyself, in another, do as thou wouldest be done unto, in another, do no wrong: Suum cuique tribuito, &c. Perhaps thou wilt say, they that belong to that Court have troubled thee and disquieted thee, and therefore they are not thy friends, I know it well, and therefore thou wouldest not hear them: Thou hast also disquieted and vexed them, and therefore wouldest be loath to be tried by them, I know also thy corrupt dealing with that Court, how with false persuasions thou hast blinded reason, and perverted judgment, how thou hast fed understanding with false informations and blinded her eyes with false love, how thou hast put the two Judges out of commission the love of God, and the love of thy neighbor, & in steed of them hast advanced self-love, and partiality. How ignorance and willfulness have pleaded thy matters, and malice hath ever been one of the Jury, how cruelty, and pride have been thy assistantes, and weakness, and discretion have been put out of doors; how falsehood and bribery have informed the Jury, and truth and honesty have stood at the bar, how Barabbas the murderer was released, and Christ the Lord of life was crucified, how thou hast seared that Court with hot iron for offending thee, and Conscience her self thou thoughtest thou haddest hanged long ago. All this I Know, and a great deal more, but now I have raised up Conscience again, and set all her attendantes in commission again. The records are finer written, & extant, Lo, where they stand all before me; here self-love & malice 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 have nothing to do, what sayest thou to all this, wherefore hast thou done thus and thus, why doth the wicked contemn God? why hast thou said in thy heart, the Lord doth not regard? why speakest thou not? what? art thou dumb? hast thou nothing to say?

Besides all this, here cometh in now a petty Jury of life and death against thee, chosen out from among my dumb and unreasonable creatures, all which cry for vengeance against thee, as thy brothers blood for one, the earth that drew in his blood for another, the beam in thy house for another, and then the stone in the wall, the beast thou rodest upon, thy money that thou tookest for a bribe, then thy cruel and crafty Bandes and Obligations, then thy merciless pledges and forfaitures that thou swallowedst up, then they pettifoggers thē thy crafty counselors, and then thine own servants and children, and thy table that thou toldest thy money upon, the very Pen & Inke that thou wrotest withal, thy bed that thou laiest upon, and thy chamber door that thou diddest keep fast shut while thou committest thy filthiness, and by and by thy own tongue shall find thee guilty, all these my creatures and subjects are come in to testify their humble allegiance and loyal duty to me their maker, against thee that hast abused them, what sayest thou now? speak, art thou guilty or not? Judas being convicted by the Court of conscience, said he was guilty in betraying of innocent blood, and so went and hanged himself, Cain being convicted by the Court of Conscience, said also he was guilty in shedding of his brothers blood, and so became a desperate runagate. In like sort was Achitophel convicted of treason against King David, and he went home and hanged himself. All these were condemned by the Court of Conscience, and thinkest thou to escape? Conscience bring in thy verdict, what sayest thou Conscience to the man of earth (who thought that thou had dest been hanged long ago) is he guilty of those several indictments, which have been preferred against him by the poor and fatherless, and found against him by the grand Jury of my servants the Prophets and Apostles or no? we find saith the Court of Conscience, that such a one man of earth, by God's providence sometime Prince, of such a Nation, and such a one sometime Bishoppe of such a Province, and such a one Major of such a town, and such a one Justice of such a Division, and such a one Minister of such a congregation, and such a one Lawyer in such a Court, and such a one Landlorde of such tennantes, And such a one Corn badger in such a Country, and everyone of them, and many moe, whose names and bills of enditementes are severally recorded in the book of God's everlasting knowledge; and all and every of them, but men of earth forgetting themselves, abusing their place that GOD gave them, and having not the fear of GOD before their eyes are guilty of all, and every several indictment that hath been commenced against them. Very well. What? Did they fly for the same? Yea Lord they did fly, for as the light of thy word did follow them, so they did in a deadly hatred of the same seek darkness, when they were reproved by the preacher, they would come no more at the sermon. When they have been looked for at the Church, then they have been at the bowles, or at the cards, or at the tables, or at the alehouses, or at their wordly business, or about some other horrible wickedness, to verify the saying: Qui male agit odit lucem: He that doth evil, hateth the light. We'l. What goods, lands, or tenements had they at the time of their apprehension? They had none of their own, for they were all tenants at will, yet we find that they were very wealthy many of them, and great in worldly substance. For first, Thou hast filled their bellies with thine hidden treasures, so that they have enough for themselves, and leave enough for their children after thē. Secondly, That wealth which thou gavest them, O Lord, hath increased: neither are they in penury as others are. Thirdly the spoils of the poor are in their houses, and as great fishes devour many small fishes, so they have gotten many livings into their hands, and many men's trades and offices into their hands. And this is the verdict of the Courte of conscience, which doth find him guilty also of much more, as namely of hypocrisy, of vainglory, of contempt of God's word, of contempt of man, and of diverse villanous practices done in secret, which are known only to God, for Saint John saith. If our heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things. And thus much for the trial of the man of earth. Now let us hear the sentence of the Judge.

Man of earth (saith the Judge) thou hast been endited of diverse and sundry indictments, to the which thou hast pleaded not guilty, and yet notwithwanding being tried by the grand Jury of the holy Prophets, and men of God, as also by the verdict of the Court of thy own conscience, hast been convicted, and found guilty of them all. Therefore now what canst thou say for thyself, why sentence of eternal death should not be pronounced against thee according to the law? In earthly judgments, this question is put to two sortes of persons, First, such as are quitt by book, Secondly to such as cannot have that benefit. So likewise in this heavenly judgment. This question is propounded both to the elect, as also to the reprobate. To the elect it is said, what canst thou say for thyself? They staight way condemn themselves as David did of bloudguiltinesse. Psal. 51. as Job did his children for blaspheming GOD in their mirth and feastinges, as Peter did his fall from Christ, even with bitter tears, and as Paul did, who said, he was a chief sinner, crying out, O wretched man that I am &c. and as the prodigal child did: Father I have sinned against Heaven, and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son, but yet for them (thus condemning and humbling themselves) there is some comfort: What, canst thou believe in me, (saith the Judge) and repent from the bottom of thy heart, canst thou read thy name in the book of life? To which question everyone doth answer as he is prompted by the spirit of God, I believe and repent but not of myself, it is the gift of God, I believe, Lord help my unbelief. And with Zacchaeus they promise restitution of goods ill gotten. And with David they pray: Oh that my ways were so directed, that I might keep thy statutes always: Well (saith the Judge) then hear your sentence. The Court doth award you this punishment, you shall be crossed and afflicted in this world sometime in your bodies. Sometimes in your goods, sometimes in your children, you shall also be stung with the hot iron of an afflicted and wounded conscience, you shall be whip ped & scourged with venomous, & slanderous tongues of wicked mē, & a great deal more thē this shall happen unto you here, that you may not be damned with the wicked world, & so go your way, and sin no more, least a worse thing happen unto you, but before you can be quite discharged, you must remember to put in Death as a common baile for your forth coming wheresoerver you shall be called for, and my own son Jesus Christ as a special surety for your debt, and good behavior, and so paying your fees of obedience, & newness of life, & carrying about you the remnants of sin as shackles vpō the feet of your soul to humble you withal so long as you live in this world, performing these duties, you are discharged from the sentence of eternal condemnatiō, for the law of the Gospel is that there shall be no condemnation to them that are in Christ, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. To which the godly do answer as the Apostle did in the very same case, I thank my God through Jesus Christ my Lord. And thus much for the sentence of the elect, now let us hear the sentence of the reprobate.

Call forth the reprobate man of earth (saith the Lord.) Man of earth what canst thou say for thy self why sentence of eternal death should not be pronounced against thee? What, canst thou believe in Christ, & reap̄t for thy sins? Yea Lord I believe that Christ died for sinners, and for my part I am sorry that I must be damned▪ Nay thou reprobate, canst thou believe effectually that Christ died for thy sins, and doest thou abhor thy sins which were the cause of Christ's death, or hast thou any hearty desire so to do? for otherwise thou sayest no more then the Devils do, who believe and tremble. No Lord: I know not what that meaneth. It is true in deed, for whē thou wert admonished to repent, thou hardenest thine heart, abusing my patience, and making a custom of sin, which hath bred full hardness of heart, and impenitence in thee, and so hast heaped up unto thyself wrath against this day of wrath, and revealing of my righteous judgment: thou thoughtest also that thou haddest faith and repentance at commandment, persuading thyself and others that all men may repent and believe if they will, & whē they will, but now thou seest that thou wert deceived.

Oh, a Psalm of mercy Lord, one Psalm of mercy, I can read all the Psalms of David, and say all the penitential Psalms by heart, I will go to Church, and say over the Lord's prayer, and my Pater noster too, Lord I will go a pilgrimage, and punish my body with whipping, and fasting, I have heard thee preach in our parish Church, and will do again when I can intend it. Oh Lord I will do anything rather then go to hell. Ah thou reprobate (saith the Lord) who required all this at thy hands? doest thou think to please me with thy will-worship, and spiritual whoredoms? all that will not serve thy turn thy name is not writ̄ in the book of life, therefore thou canst not repent, nor believe aright: hast thou no more to say? Yes Lord, Others have done as much as I▪ And I hope to be saved as well as others▪ And I have heard some say, that thou art full of mercy, & wouldest that all men should be saved. Yea▪ (saith the Lord) so hast thou and many moe abused my mercy, & bereaved me of justice as much as in you lie, & like ignorant, & unstable men perverting my holy scriptures to your own destructiō, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy & I will execute judgment merciless upon thee which shewedst no mercy to the poor & fatherless, & do thee no wrong. Therefore now hear thy final sentence, because thou hast abused thy arm, that is, the power, wealth, & authority that I gave thee, & hast not at any time loved me for my mercy, nor feared me for my judgment, lo, therefore thy arm shall be brokē, thou shalt be deprived of all means whereby thou hast been encouraged to do mischief, and then thou shalt be no more cause of fear: my people shall go and live without fear of thee. Also thou shalt go from hence to the place from whence thou camest, and that is to the earth: For out of the Dust wert thou taken, and to the dust shalt thou return again. And from thence to the place of execution in hell, and there shalt thou hang in torments intolerable, and perpetual, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, where shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth for ever. Thou shalt have black fame for thy herault, and everlasting shame for thy hearse, fear and terror shall be dealt for thy doale, and the curses of the poor shall follow thee to thy grave. And this is briefly the substance of the sentence of the reprobate man of earth, which is yet but a shadow of that which it is indeed, for indeed it will be more grievous and terrible when it cometh, then is possible for all the tongues of men and Angels to express. Now a little of the execution of this sentence.

In earthly judgments, execution doth not always presently follow the sentence of the judge▪ for some are repriued upon further consideration, some are after a while committed to the gallies, and perpetual slavery, some are suddenly hanged up, not knowing of the time when, nor the place where until the very instant. And some have knowledge both of the time and place before hand, that they may be prepared for death. So is it also in this heavenly judgment. Some are repriued, and live long, yet still in the prison of sin and slavery of the Devil, which is to increase their torment, some are suddenly taken, and speedily destroyed, without recovery being brought by the righteous hand of God into evil in the midst of the Cōgregation as appeareth in Pro. 6. 15. Some are longer in languishing pains & torments then some, even in this world for one and the same fault.

There be three causes for which the Lord doth defer the full executiō of judgment upon the wicked, the first is, to keep thē in continual misery, for all good things turn to their evil, the second is to plague them with their own sin, for there cannot be a greater mischief then to be a wicked man, and to live long in wickedness, for when he hath served the devil, the devil shall pay him his wages, and that sin whereunto he hath been most inclined, and whereof he looked for the greatest pleasure and profit, shall work him the greatest plague and woe. The third cause is, that they may live and punish us which are the children of GOD, who have been already crossed and whipped by them, and are never the better, but when he hath worn them as rods to the stumpes upon the backs of his stubborn children, and well humbled us by them, he will then cast his rods into the fire. God punisheth not as earthly judges do, to content them that have received the wrong, or to satisfy the world, but because he hateth sin, and loveth righteousness, and draw thereout great glory to himself, and singular good to his children. The use of this Doctrine may serve to terrify the wicked, who use to make but a jest of the judgments of God, saying, what? so long yet? till dooms day? &c. but it is not so long as they dream, for the sentence of God is begun many times to be executed upon the wicked, even when they least feel it, for it is a judgment of it self to be past feeling of God's judgment when they sin: It serveth also to comfort the godly, who think the time long till the Lord take the wicked in hand which do oppress and vex them. Lastly let it serve to admonish all of us to look unto our ways, and to live so, as that when God shall get up unto his judgment seat, we may be found, in Christ our great surety unblameable, and so escape the fearful and irrecoverable sentence of the wicked and reprobate, and on the other side may receive our quietus est, and discharge with God's elect in Christ Jesus. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, be all honor, power, and dominion for evermore.

Now let us praise God.

Errata.

In pag. 16. line 13. that for, read for that. pa▪ 20. li. 17. for thine, read mine, in line 20. for thy, r. the. pa. 37. li. 16. for they in, r. they are in. & lin. 18. afficted. re. afflicted. pa. 41. lin. 24. want, re. wait. pa. 51. li. 8. be, re▪ for. pa 52 lin. 3. case, r. cause. pa. 63. li. 1. then the, read, then to the.