A BRIEF DISCOURSE OF Mans first estate in the First and Second ADAM.

A SERMON PREACHED TO THE Honourable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT, At a Publike FAST, May 25.1642.

WEE are in a Parable. A Parable delivers some excellent truth under a comparison. That truth is now Prefixed, now Affixed; It is here prefixed, and it is this. In prayer we must not faint, nor flagge. This the point. And this is pressed from the successe, and that is argued ab Impari, thus. If constant and faithful prayer carry it with the worst, much more with the best: If with a bad man, then with our gracious God. This is the Sum.

The parts of the Parable are ordinary.

• 1. A Proposition.
• 2. A Reddition.

In both we have

• 1. Persons represented,
• 2. The successe mentioned.

In the first part, the persons on the one side are,

• 1. Praying; a poore, shiftlesse, friendlesse widow, who had no advocate but misery and importunity.
• 2. Prayed to; a sowre, sullen, froward peece, a man without sense of Piety, or Humanity, one who presents as ill as may be, whether Place or Person be considered. Yet see, this woman prevailes with this man.

In the second part you have, for one woman, many men; for one stranger, many children: for occasionall petitions, uncessant suit: and for a bad Judge, a good Father, who can no more de­ny his owne, then himselfe. If then she, a woman so weak, over­came a man so harsh: what may not children so many, do with a Father so good?

1. You have the Parable. Our worke lies in the Reddition, where

• 1. Our blessed Saviour prefaces and premises, (Heare what the un­righteous Judge saith) Heare it to your comfort; He speaks some comfort, and (in him) God speaks more.
• 2. He assumes, and that most strongly, as the question shews; Shall not God avenge, &c. as if he had said, It is out of question, he will.
• 3. He concludes God will heare, will certainly hear, nay, will seasonably hear, with a non obstante; notwithstanding he is see­mingly slow in his answers, and we certainly weak in our faith and dependance. I will say no more, as yet, to the words.

Something I have to say to you, from them; and I hold it my happinesse, that I, who have no breath to spare, shall speake to those who will conceive faster, and see farther, then I can speak.

For my Errands; the first and maine results from the whole, and this it is;

In point of Praver, Doctr. 1 we must gather all arguments of encouragement, [Page 91]and never yeild, till we have the day. Prayer is a mastery, Doct. 1 Col 4.12. Rom. 15 30. and that mastery is a wrastling, and wrastle we must, whiles we can stand. When we are once drawne forth upon this service, where we pitch, there we must make good our ground, without flight, [...] Militaria ver­ba, ut vult Eust at aliique. or fainting; as one word in the first verse here, and another in the last verse, Heb. 10. is conceived to imply. This the Les­son our Master is now teaching, and he charges it upon us as a duty in the first verse. And for farther proof and incourage­ment, I present you onely with three Arguments.

1. The first is drawn from God; where he gives we may, we must take all encouragements: Here God gives all, as

• 1. He offers himselfe to us as a Father;
  Psal. 66.2. Can. 2.14. Psal. 141.2. Ephes. 3.20.
  as a Father hearing Prayer, as a Father begging Prayer, as a Father loving Prayer, as a Father able to exceed all prayers, needs, thoughts.
• 2. He binds himselfe as much by promise, as us by precept. Those promises of his are full, are free;
  Rom. 10.12. Deut 4.7. Luke 11.10.
  He is rich to all that call upon him: Every one that seeketh, findeth, and such like: And those promises are made to Christ, founded on Christ, sealed in blood, backt with an Oath.
• 3. He commands us to beg, and that without wavering;
  Jam. 1.6. Hob. 4 16. & 10.22. Ephes. 5.12. Luke 11.
  nay with all boldnesse, with all confidence of boldnesse, and ful­nesse of assurance.
• 4. He armes us with Parables, experiments, and all argu­ments of comfort; Indeed such Topicks, as that it is impossible for God to recede, if we stand our ground: And thus from God.

2. Next to God, I present you with a cloud of Petitioners, who have stirred up themselves to take hold of God, and it hath taken well.

1. I begin with Moses. If a man would have been discouraged, Exod. 32.10. Moses had been the man.

• 1. The people were stark naught, and passing froward.
• 2. God seems to take him off, and to give him a discharge, Let me alone, saith he.
• 3. He seems to take off all objections, I will make of thee (saith he) in stead of them, a great people.
• 4. He suspends his answer, day after day, as if he were un­willing [Page 92]to condescend. Yet Moses stands to it: God cannot get him gone; away he will not without his errand, his er­rand he hath.

To him I adde Jacob our Father, Hos. 12.4. Gen. 32.24. who concludes Ʋs, as Hosea saith; In him God spake with, us. This Jacob knows not what dis­couragement meanes: God seemed to give him his answer, in Esau's expedition against him; but he will not take it: God was willing to put him off; but he will not admit of any Put­iffs: he seems to take his leave: but Jacob, by his leave, will not part so: he seems angry, and willing to shake him off; but Jacob holds his hold: nay, he seems to crush him, to maime him, Cynegirus in Iustin. to begin Esau's quarrell against him; but he, like him in story, when he was maim'd on one hand, holds the Ship with the other, and when he was handlesse, held with his teeth, whilst breath held: So our Champion: Froun God, smite hee, wound hee; Jacob is at a point. A Blessing he came for, and a Blessing he will have. I will not let thee goe, (saith he) unlesse thou blesse me. His limbs, his life might goe: but there is no going for Christ without a pawn, without a blessing. This is the man: Now what is his speed? The Lord admires him, and honors him to all generations? What is thy name; (saith he) q.d. I never met with such a fellow. Titles of honour are not worthy of thee: Thou shalt bee called, not Jacob, a shepherd with men: but Jacob, a Prince with God. Nay not Jacob, a wrastler with man: but Israel, a prevailer with God.

To these men, I adde one Woman, March. 15. who, like ano­ther Gorgonia, Nazianz. threatens heaven, and is (as her brother said of her) modestly impudent, and invincible. Nothing can discourage her: Not her Sexe, not her Nation, not her Misery, not her De­layes, but she gathers strength by her wounds, and comfort out of discouragements. Will Christ give no answer? Good, thinks shee: this is no denyall yet. Gives he a discouraging answer? That's well, saith she: I have obtained words, expect deeds too: he that opens his mouth, will open his hand also. Cals he her dogge? all the better. Dogs some way belong to the fa­mily, some interest and right they have to some crumbs, to some scraps; and something she makes of it. You hear the Con­clusion. [Page 93] O Woman! Great is thy faith: Be it unto ther, as thou wilt. I never met with such a Woman: have it she will, and have it she shall, and that instantly, (this very houre;) and that fully, shee's her owne carver. And this is our second Argument.

A third this parable furnishes me withall: Courage in pray­er drawes on importunity. Both carry it with man; much more with God: Marke the Widow: Shee stood in no relation to the Judge; Shee had no promise from him; his place and per­son promised little: There was little honesty in him, and as little hope, either from or for her: yet she scraes him up, and makes him weary of denials. What! a Woman in these cir­cumstances Mascutine! and We Womanish! Consider, I beseech you, how much is won, or lost, by holding up, or letting fall our spirits in prayer.

Are we Confident? Then consider, that prayer is the strength of the Creature, (for it engages Gods strength) and confi­dence is the strength of our prayer, and of our selves: It doubles our strength; It contributes to the Publike: It sets God on his throne, nay, us in a sort: for so (with Jacob) we reign with God: That made Jacob, Israel. Other wayes and things might make him Jacob: but Prayer denominates him Israel. By this, he, and we, reigne over heaven, and earth, and carry the world in our hand; As the Boy at Athens sometimes said (I bring it onely for illustration) Hee could command all Athens. His reason: Hee could doe any thing with his Mother; his Mother with his Father; Plut. his Father with that State: So here, Faith can doe any thing with Prayer; Prayer with Christ; Christ with his Father; his Father with All.

But now, on the other side, Faint-heartednes in prayer

• 1. Hurts us.
• 2. Robs the Publike.
• 3. Wrongs God.

1. For God. It is a true Maxime, True defects in the Creature come from falsly. conceited defects in the Creator. Thence our faith failes, because we have so low, so narrow, and so poore con­ceits of Almighty God, whose glory is so much eclipsed, as we bate any thing of his Al-sufficiencie, and prayers Omnipotency.

[Page 94] 2. For our selves. Heb. 12 13. Discouragement robs us of our strength: A discouraged man is but halfe a man. Hee lies open, to every temptation, is soon beaten down, and from halting soon turns aside. Either he prayes not at all, or not constantly: at best, his prayers are fearefull, soon receive a check, and take their answer. And as it makes God but halfe a God, and Mans selfe but halfe a Man, so

3. For others, Qui timidè regat, doset ne­gave. Son: Deut. 20.8. It is not onely wanting to the Publike: but it hath an ill influence upon all. The truth is (if I may speak it all at once) It teaches God to Deny: our fellow-souldiers to Fly: (as the fearfull did in Israel) andour selves onely to Object and to make difficulties, and in the end to Die for fear of Dying, Nabal-like.

1. Before I Exhort, I cannot bat blush at this basenesse of spirit, in my selfe, in our nature. You are as willing as I to take shame to your selves this day, and to sit before God (as Ezra did) confounded. Tell me, (I beseech you) for the furthering of our humiliation, Tell me, Is not Cowardise blushfull? Will not men rather Die, then hear Cowards? and what is that but fear and Boldnesse misplaced? And what is this but our Temper? who are Daring, where we should Feare; and there only Fear, where we should be Valiant. I instance in the present work. We have Gods Passe, and Patent for Prayer, and dare not plead it: and yet elsewhere presume without Licence. For I demand, Have not we as good warrant to pray, as to curse? to blesse, as to blaspheme? yet here we feare not, we doubt not: there we doe nothing els. I bring the case neerer to our purpose. What think you? Have not we as good warrant to beg of G [...]d, as Rogues and Vagrants of us? They are strangers; They have no promise from us; none the least invitation: Nay, they trouble us, they charge us, they are in a disobedience, there is Law against them Asking, and us Giving: yet say, doe, what you please, they will not off. Send to them; they will sooner make your Child or Servant their spokesman, then make away. Threaten them with Stocks, on Officer, or what you please, it is all one. And shall these put forth in such a tempest, in a contrary wind, when all makes against them? and we sit still, when wind, and tyde, and all is for us? [Page 95]when we have Law on our sides, and Gospell on our sides, and all the world on out sides? For Prayer ingrosses all the World, Hea­ven, Earth, All. I put it yet a little farther.

Have not we as many encouragements from Heaven as from Earth? Is not God as rich as Man? as able, as willing, as Free? yet see our practise. We have suits; these to God, those to Men. What's our deportment? With men it is our work to strength­en the heart; our labour to gather encouragements. Is it a man we Never troubled? That is made an argument of encourage­ment, ‘ I never troubled him yet, and for Once hee'll never deny me. Have we tryed, him Often? That is an argument of encou­ragement, Such an one is my Old friend, my tryed friend; he Never failed me, and therefore I'le to him. Is he a Kinsman? That encourages; For shame he will not deny his Owne flesh and bone. Is he a Stranger? why then he'll take it well, that I conceive better of him, then of my own kindred. Is he, Poore? He'll the better feele me, and the sooner pitty me. Is he Rich? He may the better spare it.’ Thus with men, we have still some-what to say for the support of hope, though they be poor, hard, strangers, men no way engaged by Covenant, or the like.

But now when we deale with God (How can we speake of it without blushing!) we can doe little else then Feare, Object, Despair. " Sure be doth not love me; He will doe nothing for me; well "may I goe, and try; but it will be to no purpose. I shall get no pardon, "no power, no comfort, no acceptation!

O cursed Vnbeliefe! Can we conceive hope without promi­ses? None with them? Can we find Plea's for Men? None for God? Can Poverty help us, and not Wealth? Weaknesse, and not Strength? Will cruelty pitty us and not mercy? not Grace? Be abashed thus to set Earth above Heaven; men above God.

Yet I have not done. I cannot without horror and trembling. Put the case as the case is; What thinke you? Have we not rea­son to believe the God of Truth rather then the Father of Lyes. Let the Divell promise safety, secrecy any profit or content in a sinfull way; we rest in his word we make no doubt of the fac­cesse: All the threats and curses in the booke of God cannot dismay us. On the other side: Suppose God promises, and the [Page 96]Devil in the meane time threaten us: which is beleeved? All the Promises, Sacraments, Oaths, Performances of God cannot establish us. There is nothing but Presuming, when Satan pro­mises; nothing but Objecting, when God promises. O blasphe­phemous Unbeliese! How doth this sin debase God! bely God! as the word saith, provoke Ged beyond all provocations! How angry was his Majesty with Israel, for this sinne? How angry with Moses? How angry with Zachary? for this one particu­lar, and in a lower degree. O, how low must we cast our selves before our God this day, for this capitall sin! which is so much the worse, by how much the more Spiritual it is, and Ani.E­vangelical. Seemes it a small thing to us, to make God worse then man? but we must make him worse then the worst in Hell? What! Tertul. Shall our unbelieving hearts not onely impute Lying to him, but put Perjury upon him also? Hath not he sworne, that We shall not seek him in vain? And shall we begin and concludein unbelief? is it not enough before prayer to say He will not hear; but after prayer to saywhen he ha's heard, Ha's not heard? as Jobs words sound, to some mens sense. Job 9.16. But here let us sit down in our confusion a while; And then let us advance, and think it long before we have wip'd off this disgrace, and approv'd our valour.

2. And here, what shall I entreat; but the perusall of the Text? You hear the Lesson, We must hold, out in Prayer. You hear

The Teacher, the onely Master upon earth. I looke upon you, as upon S. Lukes Theophilus, as men grounded in the truth; and therefore willingly decline the Common Place of prayer, and wave old errors happily buried, with the unhappy disputes of this age. Aug. haeres. 57 & epist. 121. &c. How, and in what forme the widow petitioned I dis­pute not. Written or not written, a petition, is a petition, still. The thing I am to presse, is a resolute perseverance in prayer. And this will need some pressing. For,

• 1. We have a dull, base, feeble spirit, ready to receive all impressions of discouragement.
• 2. Next, from without we shall not want discouragements, if we will listen to them.

First, our owne guilty and unworthy hearts (as before I in­timated) will cast a thousand perils.

Secondly, Vid. Erz. & Nehem. prophane spirits will entertaine us, as the ene­mies did the Church, with a thousand, scornes.

Thirdly, Friends ( carnall and spirituall) will tell us, that it is all in vaine, too late, and impossible to prevaile.

Fourthly, Satan will roare upon us. Thou pray, O Hypo­crite! Thy person is unwelcome, thy prayers abominable, thy heart, mouth, and hands loathsome; the pure eyes of the most holy God cannot but loath thee, his glorious Majesty will confound thee.

Lastly, The Lord himselfe will sometimes seeme an adver­sary: he will hide himselfe, when thou seekest him: run from thee as fast as thou runnest after him: now he will chide, now frown, now delay, now seeme to reject thee, and to scorne thy services: in a word, quite to shake thee off, as Naomi seemed to beat off Ruth, when yet he desires thy company, as she Ruths. In this case thou must not shew thy selfe a dastard, but gather spirit from the opposition.

Next the, Times call upon us. The Children are come to the birth, Ier. 30.7. and there is no strength to bring forth. It is the time of Incohs trouble, and therefore we must not, with Iacobs children, Gen 42. sit as men a­mazed, but make out, as the old man advised them; the rather because there are so few, that either will, or dare, or can lift up one faithfull prayer.

In the third place consider the thing it selfe, I meane Prayer. It is our life, our strength. All the world is a dead body, till God act it: and all (within and without us) lies dead till we act God by prayer: all the comfort in the creature sleeps, till we extract it with this Limbeok: all our graces, Dormit sides, dormit Chris­t us &c. Aug. in Psal. 25. nay all the per­fections of God, till weawaken him and them. You sinde it, we seele it: you have tried what Wit can doe, what Eloquence, what Policy, what Resolution and Endeavor; yet we stick. Now try a­nother way; Set Heaven on work; till that move, the earth stirs not. Set God on work; till he act, nothing is done: and when you have won him, you have won all. Whilest there is but crea­ture to creature; wit to wit; created strength to strength crea­ted, the war is doubtfull, the issue unoertaine: But, when by prayer the great God is made, and so there is the Creator to the [Page 98] creature, and strength to weaknesse; then the victory is in sight. My meaning is not to take yoa off, from other meanes; onely this I say, that a good Engineere is not the worst Souldier; nor a good prayer the worst Parliament-man. Faith can doe more then wit: Numa apud Plut. This brings men into the Field; but that God; and he onely secures the heart. [...], said the Heathen, in his greatest extremity; and there is our best Anchor-hold.

Go on in this your strength, and your spirituall enemies shal melt before you, as once the Canaanites before Israel, and the Gaul, before the Germans face. What more shall I say to you, in a way of perswasion? Nec vultum, nec oculorum aciem ferre, &c. Shall I minde you of Chrysostoms argu­ment? It is your honour, your happinesse, that yoa may thus dwell in Gods presence, and expresse yoar desires. Do but thinke what it is to deale with great Personages, Chrys. de oran­do Deum l 1. in way of pe­tition. 01 I. There is time spent in going to them: Then more in waiting on them: After sundry dayes waiting, we may haply receive that proud Prelats answer, We are not yet at lecsure: When we have accesse, Hildebr. to Henry 4. we must be briefe, we may offend: The answer is doubtfull; sometimes instead of Bread, men either give, or speak Stones; however, no man can give all to all Pe­titioners. But now when we deale with the high God, we need not travell far, every place is a Sanctuary; nor need we abridge our selves, come when we will, in the day, in the night: speak whilest we wil, so long as we speak his language, he will heare us at large, yea he wil help us out, & make English of that which to our seeming wants sense. And should not this encourage us? Were they blessed that stood continually before Solomon? And is it not our happiness that we may have Gods eare, Gods heart, hand, face, help, all? Chrys. lib. 2. de Orat. Or, shal I tel you, that Prayer is to us, what the wate 01 to the Fish, the onely Element of safety, and our utmost refuge?

Truly the Lord hath reserved divers things to this ordinance of prayer; some devils will not out, some temptations will not off, some obstructions will not be removed, some difficul­ties will not be conquered, some mercies will not be obtain­ed, bat by prayer. What other key will unlocke the clouds in this drought? or turn about the hearts of men, in this distracti­on, bat onely prayer? And who knows but that therefore God [Page 99]hath futured other hopes, and frustrated other meanes, to the intent that he might honor this ordinance?

For Motives I will say no more. Onely give leave to tell you in few, how you shall hold up the heart, from fainting in the work: The way is this.

1. Come well appointed into the field. Assure the main point: That your persons are accepted, and that you are Gods owne, as it is in the Parable; for, till this be resolved, that God is yours, and you his, all particular doubts will resolve themselves into this. "It is true (will you heart say) God is good to his: But am I "his? His promises are gracious; but doe they belong to me? And therefore lay that as a foundation, I am thine; Psal. 119 94. and then it will follow, as David infers, therefore save me.

2. Assure your Prayers, that they be acceptable.

• 1. For the Root; They must be issues of Grace; not of wit or nature.
• 2. For the Rule; They must
  • 1. For matter; bear the stamp of God, his precept or pro­mise.
  • 2. For Order; they must be tendred in the hand of a Medi­ator, the Lord Christ, and
  • 3. For end; The object of prayer Gods selfe must be the end thereof. And the more we secure both Person, and Prayer, the more courage we shall have to stand it out.
• 3. Come well appointed: both for
  • 1. Weapons, and
  • 2. Company.

For company; The more the better; whereas in other fights and fields sometimes multitude mars all. There is a spe­cial promise upon joynt prayers, Mat. 18. And could we second one another, as Bathsheba and her friends did, in her address to the King, I Kin. 1. I should not doubt of as good an issue of our Petitions as she found of hers.

O that we could meet! if not alwayes in the same place, at the same time, yet in the same requests. If one widow can doe so much alone; what might not an army of Children doe, Text. if they would close?

[Page 100] 2. As for weapons; The Lords owne are most approved, and will be onely available. He is a mighty Prince, who will be served onely with his owne. Look how it was in the Law: All must be Gods owne: The Priest his, the Sacrifice his, the Altar his, the Place his, All his; to the very knife, and meanest tooles: so is it still. The Person praying must be his owne, the Praver his, the Mediator his, the Petitions his, the Reasons his, All his. And when you presse him with his owne, and say (as she to Judah) Whose are these? he cannot deny himselfe.

Being thus armed, Gen. 38. and entred the lists, play themen, and be victorious. There is but one thing more to be done. Set Faith on worke, and that will be your victory.

If you ask me, How?

The answer is, Pitch faith upon God. Consider

1. What he is. Why, he is a God, saith christ. That is all that can be said. Not an Idol, that hath a dead eare, and a dry hand: Not a man, that hath but little, and can doe little, and will doe lesse: But he is

• 1. A God, that is, Power it selfe, Wisedome, Mercy, Goodnesse it selfe. View him well: for all in God makes forencourage­ment, when once we are his.
• 2. He is not a God simply, but a God in covenant; and that Covenant is made with christ; and by vertue of the same cove­nant Christ and wee are both heard.
• 3. By vertue of this Covenant he is a Father; and what will not a Father doe, an heavenly Father for so many children, when all pray, and all in each childe prayes? for we make to him, as the childe to the breast; all speakes, and works at once, hands, feet, mouth, all, there and here.

2. What his promises be. How free, how fit, how attempered to our exigencies, and needs.

• 1. They are made to the lowest degree of grace, Math. 5.
• 2. They are made to grace mingled with many wants and corruptions, to bruised Reeds.

3. What he is in his deeds. Esa. 65.24. Dan 9.

• 1. He gives us two Mediators; His Some, his Spirit.
• 2. He gives more then is asked, never lesse.
• 3. He gives cheerfully. Before we end, he begins.
• 4. He gives [Page 101]to many for our sakes; maintaines a world of men and crea­tures for our use. And so long as we see one of them alive, we cannot justly doubt of his faithfulnesse to us.

4. Lastly, consider what he is in his Parables. Here he shews us what Prayer can doe with a Judge. Luke 11. He tels us what Prayer can do with a Neighbour, what with a Father; and infers encou­ragement from all.

Is be a Judge? A Judge may be overcome with importuni­ty.

Is be a friend? A Friend may be raised out of his bed with intreaties.

Is be a Father? And are we Fathers, and doe not we feele the force of that argument? If ye that are but sorry Fathers, will give good things to a child: will not your heavenly Father much more?

Now having by an eye of Faith thus looked upon God, in his Perfections, Relations, Promises, Performances, Parables: Ga­ther upon God, and hold him to it, as Jacob did. Didst not thou command mee? Saidst thou not thus unto me? &c. Presse him with his Precept, whith his Promise, which his Hand, with his Seale, with his Oath, till we doe [...], as some Greeke Fathers doe boldly speak: that is (If I may speak it reverently enough after them) Put the Lord out of countenance; Put him (as you would say) to the blush, unlesse we be Masters of our requests.

O, Object. But is not this too great an impudence?

There is a lawfull impudence, Answ. as there is an hurtfull bash­fulnesse: witnesse our Saviour his phrase, Luke 11.8. [...].

O, but God is a great God. Object.

Yea, But he will pity, and hear like a man, Answ. and in that re­spect compares himselfe to man, in these Parables.

O, But he is a Glorious Majesty. Object.

Yea, But he is a Father. Answ. And a Kings son may goe as freely to his Father, as a Beggers.

O, But is it too late. Object.

Come in the Night, if the Day be lost. Answ. At midnight the neighbour heard his neighbour, Luke 11.

O, But my prayers be simple. Object.

And here is a simple suitor in the Parable. Art thou a Child? Answ. [Page 102]A Father accepts of small, broken and imperfect speeches from a child.

O, Object. But I apprehend God as a Judge.

The woman had to doe with a Judge in the Text. Answ. Thou hast a Madiator, and he is a Son, a Son that never sinned, never displeased. Plead him, and make supplication to thy Judge, as Job did.

O, Object. But?

No more O Buts. Answ. Silence unbeliefe. Turne faith loose. Our work should be to strengthen, not to weaken our hearts: to greaten our Faith, not oar Feares. And there is no temptation so strong, but faith will conquer it: no affection so great, but faith will supple it: no prison so strait, but faith will open it: no objection so forked, but faith will dissolve it: no danger so eminent, but faith will out-face it. Helpe this and Helpe all: Awaken this, and Awaken all. Remember the Story of another Widow, 2 King. 4. She had little: She needed much. Borrow (saith the Prophet) of all thy neighbours: But shut the doores upon thee. It was time to shut the doores, when many greater vessels must be supplied from one little one. I say the like to you. Shut the Doores: Shut out sense, shut out all discouragements, which would put faith out of countenance: And if God fill not every vessell, Psal. 81.10. challenge him upon that his word, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. And take this with you, The Cruse never ceased running, till there was no more room. As elsewhere God never ceased bating, till Abraham left begging.

I have spoken to the Point. Now the Lord enlarge you in pri­vate. I am sensible of your occasions. I am unwilling to abridg my Worthy Brother. And therefore I will say as much as I can at Once, to the particular following, and contract my selfe.

The Judge in the Prothesis we passe. The comparison E Medio imitates a mercy in Having Judges. Ci [...]. pro. Milone. I adde onely the Orators qua­lification, Movo audeant quae sentiunt.

The Assumption comes on with great strength, and holds out this to us.

The Lord will certainly avenge his owne. Doct. 2

For the Termes this may suffice. His owne by Election, as it is added.

Election is either to Glory, or Office.

We exclude neither: we prefer the former, God hath a Pecu­liar (not a Puccian) choice. The Number, whether Materially, or Formally considered, is to him Certaine. The Persons known. And them hee'l Avenge. (Avenge,) that is,

• 1. Vindicate them, and
• 2. Retaliate their enemies.

For proofe thus.

• 1. Gods title is, The Avenger. Psal. 94.1.
  So the vulgar and the 70. often in the Psalmes read [...], Protecter, &c.
  As elsewhere, The Protector, The Second, or Champion of his people.
• 2. 'Tis his Place, as Judge. Gen. 15.14.
• 3. 'Tis his Preregative, as Supreme. A Regality invested in the Deity, Vengeance is mine. Unlesse God issue out a Commission, and give power, none must revenge.
• 4. 'Tis his Glory. Hee's knowne by it. Psal. 9.16. He shines in it, and is lifted up into the throne. Psal. 94.1. Here all his Perfections, Wisedome, Power. Justice, Truth, are Concentrate. That's from Gods selfe.

Next, From his People. God is most concern'd in all their suffe­rings.

1. The Cause is his: and he's struck at in it. The thing parsu­ed in a Saint, is, not sinne, nor the Mans selfe: but God in his Truth and Graces. Hereupon the Church intitles him to her quar­rels, Psal. 74.22.

2. Next, The Persons be his, his Children. And the Father seeles what the Child suffers: and whither else should Children flye, but to their Father? Nay, in a sort, by Acceptation, and In­terpretation, they are God himselfe. He, that toucheth them, touch­eth him in his tendrest part. Zach. 2.8.

3. From their Enemies. They have no aime in their hand. They strike at All, with Haman. Yea they triumph over God him­selfe, when they trample upon his: as a King is said to be con­quer'd, when his subjects be subdued. Hence in Scripture, A V [...]el. learned M [...]de in 1 Tim. 4 1. Nation and their God stand and fall together. 2 King. 28.33. Jer. 48.7. and 50.2.

This point (applyed) is

• 1. Of Private concernment, and
• 2. Of Publike use.

In Private, it hath a Threefold prospect.

1. It looks backward, and bids us reflect upon our selves. And in case we have been wrongfull to the Name, Person, State of any of Gods, set all to Rights this day. 'Tis the worke of this day. 'Tis The Fast, Is. 51. There God shewes What is, What is not a Fast to him.

To hang the head for some houres, that's not The Fast.

The Fast is, To loose the bands of wickednesse, to undoe the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed goe free, and that ye breake every yoke. Is it not? &c. v. 6.7. Lets come home therefore to our businesse. Is any servant defeated? Any Tenani by us oppressed? Any Credi­tor defrauded? Any poor Christian any way wronged? Let my counsell be accepted.— Break off your sinnes by righteousnesse, and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, &c. Dan. 4. Pay for the cure; Make satisfaction for the wrong; Compound with the Plaintiffs; Let them stay the suit, become Mediators for you. This is Gods way, in the Case of Abraham with Abimelech, Gen. 20. of Job with his Friends, Job ult.

Give (saith God) the man his wife, he is a Prophet, my Prophet: He will pray for thee: so thou shalt live: else thou art a dead man. And for Job; He is my Servant (saith God) you have done him wrong: Right him againe: And Let him sacrifice: Him will I accept: you without him I accept not.

You see the Course; If you tread it, your fast takes, your pray­ers passe: If not, The Judge is on the Bench; He will have Eye for Eye: Tooth for Tooth. My meaning is, He will returne you your owne Coine; and the more silent the Patient is, the more shrill the Wrong will be, as in the case of Moses, Numb. 12.2. whilst he is dumb, God speaks; whilst he is deafe, God hears and stirs. And surely Fast we must from all Vnjustice, or Fast from nothing. Better eat bread, then drinke blood, and devoure mans flesh. I refer you, in this haste, to Job 31.21. to Exod. 23. v. 23.24. & 27. I must away.

[Page 105] 2. This respects the time present. Will God avenge? Hold ye your hands. Let wickednesse proceed from the wicked. Let not your hand be upon him. Yea hold your Tongues, your Hearts, I Sam 24.13. and be not so impotent as to returne wrath for wrath: much lesse to band jests and girds. 'Tis for children to spit at one another. Be ye so Manlike, so Kinglike, as to doe Best, Regium est, &c. when ye hear Worst: so Christlike, as to overcome all evil with all goodnesse. And in case you be at any time either plai'd upon, with David, or trod upon with that Great Prince, say, Non tibi, sed christo: say, Barbarossa, Non tibi, sed Petro. V. 10. Vrsin. 'Tis before the Lord. And, if no law will relieve you, know that you shall doe your selves no disservice, in making God your chancellor.

3. For the future; This must fix us on our duty, what ever the case be. The matter is not what the Worke, but what our Warrant is. 'Tis certain, we shall meet with opposition in the pursuance and performance of our Callings; Especially You that are more publike persons, and have more earnest contesta­tion with open delinquents. Lug but one swine, and there will be a great outcry. But here's the Point; Are ye Gods in the cause? Is the worke his? The designe his? your weapons his? your method his? Have you to shew a warrant and commission from him? Fear no colours: Though every bricke were a Divell; goe on with Luther. Yor Names, Lives, Posterity, are in his hands. He speaks to you, as Absalom to his, Fe are not; have not I commanded you? 2 Sam. 13.28. And when you can justify your proceed­ings to him, reply upon your owne fears, in Nehemiah's words; Should such a man as I flee? I! who pretend to God! I! a Pub­like person! Should I flye with a whole corporation, nay county on my back! Hath my Country intrusted me, given me her selfe? Et Turnum fugientem baec terra videbit! Farre be this from Noble spirits. Assure the Cause, Calling, Conscience: and that done, Fix your visible eye upon the invisible God, as Moses and Micaiah did before you: and all the Glory and Majesty in the World will seeme no more to you, then it did to them; or then a poore Candle is to the brightest Sunne. So the first Use.

The second is more Publike, and it is Double.

You of Publike ranke must.

• [Page 106]1. Concurre with God the Avenger.
• 2. Confide in him.

For the first. The Lord hath taken you into Commission with himselfe; put his Name, his Power upon you. What it is I can­not determine, nor do I meddle with your priviledges. What ever 'tis, 'tis Gods; 'tis of him and for him, and must be ma­naged accordingly. It shall be your safety to frequent your commission. Tis Derived, 'Tis Limited, yea and 'Tis Pub­like too; and must be managed with a Publike spirit. Private revenge is not within your Commission. That leaves a staine upon a man some wayes innocent; witnesse Iehu: And puts an innocency upon the greatest offender; witnesse Abner.

Here then all selfish affections, and private respects must be 1. strained out, and Iustice Iustice, as Moses speaks, that is, Pure Iustice without mudde, must run down. Deut. 16.20. And 2. restrained in all others. And be assured that you have done, and shall doe your selves greatest right, in Disadopting, and Disavowing all illegall, tumultuary, selfe-revenging, and libel­lous wayes. Gods cause needs not mans ly, mans froth, spleen malice. And it shall be your happinesse to put a wide distance betweene Iustum and Iustè betweene the courage of the Sonne, and the disorder of the Souldier, with that Old Generall. Manlius. Plus est in im [...]erio quam in victo­ria. Florus l. 1. c. 14. Your revenge must be publike then, yea all publike in it. Person, Cause, Rule, End, All; and then it will be a Sanctuary to the innocent, a Sacrifice to the Lord.

What Iehoshapbat once said to his Iudges, I say to you, Let the feare of God fall upon you. Take heed; The Iudgement is Gods, not mans. 2 Chron. 19.

Nothing of man must be seene, heard, felt in this. All must be Gods. God must be read in your Lawes, heard in your Threats, felt and seene in your Executions: And then things come upon the Conscience with power, when onely God is represented.

Up then, Ye visible Gods, and remember that God avenges by you.

• 1. In Civill causes, Say, what God would say; doe, what he would doe: you are his mouth, his hand. Avenge the Wi­dow, Relieve the Oppressed. And if your leisure will not ad­mit [Page 107]of Iohs search: yet do you admit of Iethro's counsell. Dis­misse them timely, when you cannot presently dispatch,
  Iob 29 16. Exod. 18.
  lest you tire them, and waste your selves.
• 2. In matters of higher Alloy: Avenge God, as he shall a­venge you. Make lawes to fence his lawes. Plead his right. Vin­dicate his truths, his name, his day. And that done, in a con­formity to God, then in the next place,

2. Confide in him. Beleeve your Saviour. God will certainly avenge his owne; his owne servants, his owne delegates, and sub­stitutes. 1. He will vindicate their name, their cause, their truth. He will be jealous over them, when they are truly zealous for him. Rest in this. 2. Nay further know, God will avenge, not Members onely, but Whole Churches, and Societies, that are his: His owne, all his owne, whether Private, or Publike, he will de­fend. And, if it shall please him to make us yet more his own, and to draw us neerer to himselfe in a Closer Covenant, so that we be his Iesurum, he will be to us, as once to Iaceb, The shield of our defence, the sword of our excellency: He will beare us in his e­verlasting armes, as it is Deut. 33. more at large.

Yea he will looke upon all the Blasphemies, Insolencies, Outranges, and Conspiracies against this our Church, and State, and at once retaliate our Adversaries, and justify our cause.

The Conclusion is that of the Kings, Deale couragiously: the Lord shall be with the good. When the Cause is good, and the Heart good, and Warrant good; God will be with you, in his Counsell to Direct, in his Power to Protect, in his Goodness. to A­venge. So saith The Amen, and faithfull witnesse.

3. Nay yet farther, As this must comfort us for our owne particular, in this our Little Moat: So for the publike, and the Church in generall. The cause of Religion is, you know, Gods cause. The cry of Blood belongs to his Recognizance. Psal. 9. He makes inquisition for blood. The blood of his cryes loud, and hath cry­ed long against That man of Sinne, and Man of blood. Under the Fifth Seale the blood of the Then Saints cryed apace, How long! &c. That cry open'd a Sixt Seale; and then the Bloody Dragon cry'd as fast, O ye bills, and Mountaines cover us! &c. Since that, ther's an Inundation of blood, that cryes from all Coasts, and [Page 108]cryes more then ever. Even thy blood O Germany, and thine, O France, and thine, O Ireland. God hath said, that He that kills shall be killed, and that blood shall answer blood, Revel. 13.10. The time drawes on, and Cry on ye bleeding churches: Cry on ye Prophets, and Apostles, in your Sackcloth, in your blood. And thou, O England, with thy Cranmers, Ridlies, Bradfords, Cry on, and give the Lord no rest, O ye his Saints, whose blood is shed, till he That's holy and true avenge your Blood. And

Ye, Florus lib. 2. c. 15. O NOBLES, and much honoured GENTLEMEN: do ye set your hands to this Carthage, that busles most; and this Bloody-beast, which bites worst in her last conflict. And, when ye haue done all, Stand by the Glassy Sea, with your harpes ready, till the Lord shall be pleas'd to empty the Fifth Viall upon the throne of the Beast, and cast the great mil stone into that Sea of blood, Amen. Even so come LORD IESUS; Take to thy selfe thy great power, & let the blood-sheds of the Great Whore come in remem­brance before thee. Amen.

Followes the Third, which delivers the manner how God delivers his.

• 1. Hee's long ere he begins;
• 2. He goes through-stitch, when he sets in.

For words; I am loth to entertaine time with Criticism's; we have a greater work in hand. If we follow Chrysostom's sense with the Vulgars, and her Sworr.-men, and read the words Que­stion-wise, Will he suffer long? we shall

• 1. Impute to S. Luke worse language then he speaks, who of the Evangelists is most Attick: And
• 2.
  So Homer uses [...] in Vul­cans speech to Iuno. I had a &c & alibi passins.
  Crosse the maine scope, which drives at perseverance upon delaies. If we follow his follower Theophylact, and mo­derne writers, and render [...], by [...], sampling it with the He­brew, we have our warrant. Yet [here's a difficulty. For,

How sorts this Slownesse, with that [speedily] following?

But this is no hard knor. 1. God may seeme to us, but is not in himselfe Slow. For to be Slow. is to be too late; and God is never so. 2. Againe, he beares at first, yet smites home at last.

I take no pride in varying from advised translations, and therefore pitch there.

God gives proofe of his patience, before he proceeds to ex­ecution. He suffers long, before the Creature suffers. This is generally true. But I must draw down the point to the present instance. He suffers long (With Them) With Whom? With Ad­versaries, as the woman phrased it; or With them, whom venge­ance abides; as the Hebrews often couch the Object in the Action. Our Point then must run thus.

God beares long with his adversaries; with worst men. He dis­penseth not his favours equall to all: yet to al some. All taste of his goodnesse, but with a difference: Though he bear not E­ver, yet he beares Long with his enemies. His Everlasting name is [...] opposed to [...] Prov. 14.29. [...] say the LXX. speaks it roundly, Rom. 9. He suffers with much Long suffering the vessels of wrath.

The truth of this we finde in Persons, Cities Kingdomes, and those none of the best. But we touch onely upon these par­ticulars.

1. Look upon the Persons in their distance,

• 1. The provokers are his owne creatures, who live upon him.
• 2. The provoked, the Highest Majesty. This were enough to tempt created pati­ence, as he said; Shall this dead dog raile upon my Lord the King!
  2 Sam. 16.9 [...]
  What! A Dog upon a King! This requires infinite patience.

2. Look upon their Actions, in their difference. And there it is hard to say whether bee greater, patience or provocation.

• 1. The wicked hate His, for His sake, with a Satanicall hatred, (as Davids words is, Psal. 38.20.) and would destroy Soule and Body all at once, as that Villain in Bodin attempted upon ano­ther.
• 2. They cannot be satisfied with One Mordecai's flesh: They wish all but One head, that they might dispatch all at one stroke.
• 3. No time is long enough, no helpe great enough.
  Mr. Boltons Sermon on 1 Cor. 1.26.
  They call in help; they beg and borrow Curses and Blasphemies, to their last breath, as I reade of one.
• 4. They never relent, but write all to their merits, and wish they could doe more: Thus they provoke.

Now what is Gods Patience? Though his soule abhor sin infinitely; Though he cannot goe out of hearing, and shus his eyes, as we may, but must see and heare all; Though his name, Law and Children be more to him then all the world; Though heaven and earth sweat under these provocations, and Gods owne (struck downe at his foot) cry for help: Rom! 2. there's [...] Yet God Beares and Beares long; Nay doth them positive good; Treats with them; Fees them to be quiet, and his owne to be patient; and when he must needs smite, gives them space, takes time himselfe, is Long in bending his how, and drawing forth his weapons. And after all this, if then an Ahab will suba it, he is ready to reprieve. But this is a Fathomlesse-depth. Were I in another place, I should hold it needfull to say something, by way of explication. But here it's sufficient to minde you, That Gods patience is no way passive: Nay his Longest suffering is his Greatest Acting, or enjoy­ing of himselfe, in all Serenity and Perfection, and is onely grounded upon his most perfect nature.

• 1. God is Power it selfe; and therefore can beare long.
• 2. God is Wisedome it selfe; and therefore forbearant.
• 3. Goodnesse it selfe; and therefore so long-suffering.

And the longer he suffers the more he exerciseth and evi­denceth these his perfections. That is the maine ground of the point; where to you may adde, if you please, these ensuing Par­ticulars.

1. The Wicked, Cods adversaries are some way his own; and that Ownenesse works Patience. The Lord is a piece of a Father to them also. For he is A Common-Father, by office to all; A Speciall-Father, by Adoption to Saints; A Singular-Father, by Nature to Christ.

A Prince, besides his particular relation to his Children, is Pater-Patriae, Pater familias, and is good to all; though with a difference: So here.

2. Though Christ hath purchased a peculiar people to him­selfe, to the purpose of salvation: yet others taste of this his goodnesse. The world, you know, was lost in merit, and ipso facto forfeited, with all its comforts, and appurtenances. The [Page 111]Lord Christ hath restored it, and doth keep it standing; and in the Interim, the worst enjoy it in common with the best, and so far, fare the better for Christ.

3. God in his most wise dispensation, sees use of patience towards such: So, he works out his owne praise, and designe upon his Church.

In short, At present there may be some use of them; and so he reprieves them, as we doe some notorious Felon: and here­after there may be some fruit come from them, and the Ill Mo­ther is a while sorborne for her Fruit, and Venter sake. This is all I can stay to speak to the point.

Now were I my selfe, I would commend this to two sorts.

1. The worst must take heed of Two Extremities.

• 1. Not to Vye with Children, and bear themselves too high up­on Gods love, because he beares himselfe so patiently, and graciously towards them. No, there is difference: Isaac is the Son of the Promise, though all the Abramites have somthing.
  Gen. 25.5, 6.
  Onely Jehoram the firstborne must have the Crowne, and Kingdome: Smaller matters must content the rest. All Josephs brethren taste of his bounties; but none to Benjamin.
  2 Chron 21.3.
  As in the things there is a wide difference: (not now to be enlarged) so special­ly in the Issue, and event: the wickeds happinesse will take end, his lease will run out, Eccl. 8.13. That end when it comes, comes Swifith, as Ezekiel in his 7. chap. tels them upon another occasion.— The End (saith he) is Come, is Come, is Come; and so some ten or twelve times minds them of this. And when that Time is come, the Lord sets on, How Long, and How Often he hath forborne.
  Psal. 95.
  — Forty years long I have horne with this generation. And— These ten times have they provoked me. Numb. 14.22
• 2. Not to charge God to be an hard Master: But to give him the glory, not onely of his Justice, but of his Patience, and Good­nesse: For even in his Executions he is still beneath their de­merit, beyond their desert; and that one day they will know, though now they will not acknowledge it. But the maine is to the Saints.

2. If the worst must say, God is patient; must not the Saint? [Page 112]If Sodom, If Bab. l, If India, must acknowledge his Long-suffe­ring: must not England? must not This? must not every Towne and City? O survey your lives, compare Gods patience with our frowardnesse; Gods forbearence with your stubbornnesse. Call to mind your follies, passions, infirmities, presumptions. What answers you have returned upon reproofe; how many cals you have slighted; how many means you have scorned. In few; how many, how great, how lasting your provocations have beene. And, If Cain, and Judas must yeeld God patient: Doe you say, Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He re­retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighieth in mercy, Mica. 7.18. And, if the Divels themselves thinke it worthy a suit, that their torment may be deferred; must not we thinke it thankworthy, that weare thus long forborne? O, let every Towne ye looke upon, every Church ye come into, every field you walke in, every Creature you see living, draw from you thanks.— Let the house of Aaron say, His mercy endureth for ever; Else had we no Church.—Let the house of Israel say, His mercy en­dureth for ever; Else had we no State,—Let every man breathing say, His mercy endureth for ever; Else our Atheismes, Oaths, Cur­ses, Idols, Murders, Whoredomes, and other Abominations had long since sunk us, and swallowed us up.

But what are Words, if but Words? Let the Meditation of this point be improved unto Humiliation, Repentance, Consolation.

1. For the first. Is God so forbearant? 1. What are we, that we should be so hasty? What? Is he wounded in his Name, in his Law, and in his Sons? And must not we be touched in our Dog? Who are we, that we cannot bear (As God, (shall I say?) nay with God himselfe! He must smite, when we would have him; elsewe question, sometimes his Truth, most times his care.

Nay farther. Is God so forbearant? What have we done? Or what did we meane to provoke so Patient a Father? How [Page 113]great is the provocation of his sons and daughters! It is not, It is not (beleeve it) a Small thing that will Anger this Father. It is not a little Cloud, that will hide this Sun. In his anger therefore read our sins, and in his expressions his wrath. His Face, his Words, his Actions speak him angry. And patience will not be angry for Triftes. What? David hide himselfe from his Absalom? doth not so great a wrath argue greatest provocation?

And is not Our Father, thinke you, Angry, when he sends a Spirit of division amongst us? when he Dashes Child against Child? makes a Rod, of a Sword? drawes Blood, and bathes his Sword therein? Turnes his Children a begging, and outs them of all? Is not here wrath? And is it not time now, to fall before him, with Miriam, whilst he thus spits in our face? To Run with Aaron, when the fire is began? To cry with David, Num. 12. Num. 16 46.1 Chion. 21. when the Sword is drawn? O Lord, spore Jerusalem, spare our Cities, our peo­ple: And to lament after our Father; as the Child doth after his lost Mother. My Father, my Father is lost, What shall I do!

2. In the next place, Let us quicken our repentance: Kindnesse will melt a Soul; Should it not a Son? The proper issue of patience and kindnesse should be to repentance: of long patience speedy repentance.

You are Noble; I report my selfe to your Judgements. What think you? Are not a thousand of Oaths, and millions of Lies (to omit other provocations) enow? Is not forty years provo­cations? nay sixty? nay eighty sufficient? Hath not God wai­ted long, and long enough? Is it fit thinke you, to make him wait longer? Is there any hope that ought else will worke, if patience work not? Or is there any thing left after patience abused? ‘Will not Nineveh rise up in Judgement against us, and say, We had but forty dayes patience afforded us: And shall these abuse Twice forty yeares? Will not the damned in Hell arise and say, We were born withall, some but thirty, some but twenty yeares, and they have abused a far longer patience? Nay, will not the Devils themselves come in and say, We had not the patience of one hour afforded us; and shall these ever be spared?’ I beseech you by all the mercies of God; by an age of patience; by A world of blessings; by that your Candor, and In­gennity; [Page 114]and by all the Endearments, that ever past betwixt Christ and your sonles; pity your selves; pity your Country; pity your posterity; and be content to be happy. Fall downe in private before the Lord, and say, O Lord, I am ashamed of my Ʋnmannerlinesse. Thou hast long knocked, and I have made thee stand out of doores. I can stand out no longer. It is infinite pati­ence, if as yet I may live. O turne me, and I will now turne. I Come, I Come with all the strength I have: O draw me! Melt me! receive me!

3. Lastly, Let this give us an hopefull expectation of further grace. True it is, Our sinnes are hideous. God was never more put to it by a Nation. Notwithstanding, could we put our selves into a posture for mercy, There were yet hope in Israel. For I demand, Is God patient toward Enemies? toward Rebels? when there's no fasting, no praying, no reforming thought upon? And will he Not meet us in the way of his judgements? Vid. Mic. 6.3. Hos. 6.4. & 11.8. What? is he so long-suffering toward sinfull Ephraim? so loth to thinke of a divorce? How shall I give thee up Ephraim! How shall I entreat thee! And so ready to receive Ephraim, upon submission? Is Ephraim my dear son? &c. Jer. 31.20. And will he not be gracious to this Our Ephraim, in case we come in? What! will he plead for Israel, for Nineveh against his Prophets? and of a Judge become an Advocate? As we see in the case of Elijah, and Jonah. Why E­lijah (saith he) Thou art not alone: There be Thousands with thee, and for me: Why Jonah, dost thou well to be so hasty? would'st thou have meslay the Child upon the Mother? so young, so many? Will God, I say, thus plead for a people, when his Prophets cry against them? And will he not be intreated for us, when of all Ranks some, and the Prophets cheifly importune him? Bear up, Brethren, and know with whom ye have to doe. You deal with a Father, The Father, and The God of patience. 'Tis true, Esa. 54.7. He can be angry. That's his justice: That's his goodnesse to you: But he cannot be long angry with his owne. 'Tis but for a Moment. It redounds not to the Person. 'Tis not Pe­nal but Medicinal. Sinke not under it. Onely prize patience, and abuse it not. Hold this Patient God amongst you, as Moses did. Chaine him up with your prayers and teares, and say, If we have [Page 115] found grace in thy sight, Go not from us: Abide with us. And then know, There is patience enough in God for a Thousand Englands. And, if we doe miscarry, it is not from want of Goodnesse in God, but from want of Grace in us, who have a price in our hands and dee not know it. But I must away. The last thing followes.

God is swift in his helpe as well as sure. When his be once read for help, help is at hand. So Nahum pleads, cap 1.2, 3. God suffers, and God is swift. I am in haste, and cannot open the words. S. Peter saith the same, 2 Pet. 3.9. where two things are spoken.

• 1. What God is in our conceit; Slack.
• 2. What God is indeed; Seasonable, when we are fitted.

But is not God slow? Object.

It is not slownesse, Answ. or slacknesse: For that is to Omit an opportunity. He is ever opportune, and frames his pace, as there is cause. When we be ripe, he is ready, he is speedy.

Speedy, 1. In opposition to the Judge here, who is too late; and to mens opinions, who being too short, thinke God too long.

Speedy, 2. In reference to our fitnesse, and fitnesse of time. He is neither too early, nor too late; but observes the very height, strength, joynt, article of time. We know not how to expresse Moses his [...] of time. But at present we are upon his speedy helpe. Ex. 12 41. & alibi in Gen. For this; doe observe how he represents himselfe.

• 1. In his gectures, and postures. He's said, when he is upon his peoples deliverance, to stand up, or rise, to run,
  Vid Hab. 3. & passim apud Prophetas. In the Canti­cles, he comes leaping, &c. Es. 31.5. slying, &c.
  to fly.
• 2. In his Expressins. He that comes, will come, and will make haste, with ut tarriance, Heb. 10.37.
• 3. In his Performances Ever at, or before his day, never one hour too late.

The Reason whereof is manifold.

1. If we respect Gods selfe.

• 1. He cannot mistake time: For he is Wisdome it selte, and the just measure of time. That is Esay's reason, He is a God of Judgement.
• 2. He cannot fail of his aime, and end;
  Esa. 30.
  For he is power it selfe. There is nothing in his way; He is in Heaven (saith David) and doth whatsoever he will. Others must work what, and when they can: God works when it pleaseth him, and can do a great deal in a little space. He can cause to conceive, and to bring forth the same day, Esa. 66.8.
• 3. He is goodness it self. Goodness is his nature: and nature delights in its own operations: it is it's life. The Sun [Page 116]runs rather then stand still; delights more inshining, then in being overshadowed.
• 4. He is Truth, and it is his Word, He will be found in due time; and his time is the Due time, with respect to our Fitness. Read Psal. 46.1, 5.

2. Adde in the second place, Gods Relation. He is a Father. Re­lations, you know, are very active. Saul would rise early to help his subjects. 1 Sam. 11. Fathers be rather too hasty, then too slow. They are ready before their Sons. The child indeed thinks himselfe fit for Horsmanship, for the Ʋniversity, Marriage, or the like; and conceives his father too slow. But the truth is, The Father stays upon his Child, and is ready before he is ready; Especially in cases of danger. A Father runs without legs, when the Child is hazarded: Nor is there any Beast, which will not fly upon death, when his young is en­dangered. Now the Lord hath not put this inclination into Crea­tures, and deprived himselfe thereof, the while; His be His, and He will be Theirs, if it be not long of them. Let the prodigal creep, and the Father will run. Luke 15.

3. His Children will mind him of the time how it passes. Their Cry is still, How long, Make haste. Their Remembrancers joyne with them. Esa. 62. and Christ with them. Zach. 1. How long, O Lord of Hosts, wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem? &c. 12. These, All these sue God upon his Band, and presse the fitnesse of the time. Dan 9.2. Psal. 102.13. To make an end.

If meer selfe-love will force this Judg out of his pace: will not love of Justice, Mercy, Truth? Love of Christians, of Christ, of Gods-self quicken him? Doth not he know how soon their spirits will faint? how soon they will step forth of the way? and after halting, turne aside, upon two long delayes?

Yea, Object. but we see Gods people long deferr'd.

It seemes long, Answ. because we are short. A short walke is a long journy to feeble knees. Times are above our reach: the knots, and periods of them are in the hands of the God of Judgment. When help is seasonable his fingers itch, as the Mothers brest akes, when it is time the child had suck.

There is no more now to be done, Ʋses. but to make this point usefull to us, and then I have done.

1. Blush we at our boldnesse, who take upon us

• 1. To Controll.
• 2. To confine the All wise God.

[Page 117] 1. For the first, Who are we, that we should sit upon our Maker? and say, in effect, Her? God is out. Here he mistakes his time? What is this but to Charge God foolishly, as Job did not? What is this, but to set the Sun by our dyall? This Caesar termes saucinesse in his Souldiers. This our Saviour disliked in his dearest friends. Ich 2 4. & 7 6 & 11 39.40. This the Physitian blames in his Patient: Parents in their Children: you in Vs, if so be that we, (at so great a distance, who know so little of your obstructions) shall charge you, here with too much haste, there with too much slownesse.

2. As great a saucinesse it is To confine the Almighty, Now he must help or never, this way, or no way. By this Parliament, or by no Parliament. Stop, for shame. And if you will wisely enquire into a reason of Gods proceedings, reflect upon your selves, and charge the flownesse upon your own soules. It is a truth, God will be ever himself; and hath many ends in One Worke. But, in passages twixt him and us, the fault is ours, not his, if we be not seasonably holpen.

Thence that in Isay 30 18. God waits, that he may have mercy. Gods Heart, Gods hands are full of mercy: he waits, being A God of Judge­ment. (i) one that dispences mercy in Judgement.

Thence his plea Isay 58.1. &c. The people wondred they heard not from God. Why (say they) have we fasted? &c. And God wonders, that he hears not from them. And more fully ( Isa. 59.1.) he resolves the Case. Gods hand is not shortned: His eare is not deafned. He is able, he is willing to doe them help. Where is the hinderance then? He tels them, Your sinnes keep good things from you.

Thence also it is, That God so expostulates with Joshua. cap. 7.10. Vp, (saith hee) Why lieft thou thus, and cryest to mee? As if it were long of me that the warre succeeds not. Go, deale with thy people. There is an accursed thing in Israel.

Thus God points us to our duty, and we must Act accordingly. Judges 20. when the warres of the Chureh miscarried, the Church enquires of God, with Prayers, and Teares, and Fastings. In the like case we must do the same thing: We are here upon Gods work Things stick. Comfort comes on slowly. Let us Cast Lots with Joshua; and finde out The Achan. Let every man lay his hand upon his heart, and say, Can God certainly help? Will he speedily heare? What is then the reason of this delay?

This is a fit question for publike, for private, for All Persons.

In Publike. Your affections ( Honoured & Beloved) we question not. Sure your endeauours are good, your labours great. Yet must we say with the Prophet, The harvest is past, Summer is ended, and we are not yet saved. Jer. 8.20. Where is the Let? Let's put it to the Lot.

• 1. Lot upon your selves, and let each Parliament-man say. Am I rea­dy? ‘Am I fit for mercy? for honor? I pretend to hamiliation. I represent such a people, such a place (in their sins) this day. Doe I humble my self? Do I gage my heart, pray, weep, mournalone? I pretend Reformation. Am I my selfe reformed? Do not I, who say others must not sweare, swear my selfe? Do not I give Liber­tie my selfe, where I make Lawes for others? If so, God will never accept of a good motion from a bod mouth: as that State in story would not.’
• 2. Lot upon your families. I come hither to reforme others: But what are my owne Children? my Owne Servants? What should Philip doe abroad, till he hath composed disorders at home?
• 3. Lot upon your Company, and Associates. Say, Is there never an Esau amongst us? Never an Achan in our Tent? Never a Jonah in our Ship who troubles all?
• 4. Lot upon your Courses. Aske: Whose work am I upon? Gods? or my Owne? Aske farther. (If the work be Gods, and the Publike) in what Order do I proceed; Vzziah may disturbe the whole busi­nesse, for want of Order. Aske farther: In what Manner doe I go on? If I presume upon the goodnesse of the Cause, or greatnesse of my strength, I may be crost, as Israel was in that 20. of Judges.

You are now before the Lord. Weep with Israel upon these de­layes, and strike the right Vein: Say, The Lord is not flow to help: but we are slow to search, slow to reforme, slow to put our selves in a hopefull way of mercy.

This is a fit Question for us also in Private. We (my Brethren) run out upon God, He forgets, He will not be entreated. We fly upon men, They make no Haste, They Spin out Time, with long orati­ons. Were We in place, Ireland should not be thus deserted; Execu­tion thus fatur'd. But who is in fault? What disorder! What disorder! saith Nabuchadnezzar, when the Disorder was from him: So we. What delayes! What delayes! No help comes! O, but what saith God? Vp Ioshua. Israel hath sinned. There is an Accursed thing among you. There is cursed Pride, Unbeliefe, Covetousnesse, Coldnesse, Neutrality, in [Page 119]the Camp: What can be done, till this be removed? There are Vnblest Divisions, preposterous courses. We Rangle our own work, and are much wanting to the publik, in our prayers, and amend­ments. And this is that, that scoat's the businesse in publike. Nay, shall I tell you? There is that, that hinders all in publike and in private: and in short it is this. We be not this day Humbled for Our Own, and Our-Other-mens sins; we be not broken; we be not ripe for mercy. And can we think that God will lay Cordials upon Full and Foul stomachs? That he will skarf our bones, before they be set? And lap up our sores, before they be searcht? O it is in vain, (as I hope my Brother will anon tell you, now my strength is spent.) It is in vain, I say, for us to dream of Comfort, til we are better emp­tied and broken. Let us, I beseech you, when we have done in Pub­like, goto it in private, and labour to see The Plague in our own heart. We speak much of A malignant party. But shall I tell you? Our sins be the Malignant Party: Yours, and those whom we represent this day. These tye the hands of God, and man. These stop the ears of God, and the King against us. Clear the Lord, and shame your selves, saying, I have mistake my selfe all this while. I have ac­cused God. I accused men. I have now accuse my self my backward­ness' to turn to God is it that fore-slows my comfort. This done,

3. Be we next entreated to Coast upon a Cure, You are tyred with working, We with waiting. Come we briefly to the Point. Es. 21.12. If you will enquire, enquire ye; Return, Come. The Prophet speaks as if he were in haste: and two things are presently expected.

• 1. We must be humbled. That's once. Pride stands in Gods way. And, if we will make Davids prayer, we must make his plea. We are poore and needy: make no tarriance. Psal. 40. ult And this work of self-humbling is a greater work, then I can quickly deliver. But I presum you have been already pressed or will be anon, to this work.
• 2. We must be Reformed. Sin hangs in our light. That pats back things that are comming on. Let Aaron and Moses be never so wil­ling. Let Israel be never so near the Promised land: Sin (comming between) will turn them round, and put them back. That hinders good from comming on. Let Iehoshaphat be never so forward in a Reformation, The High places will not drown, if the Peoples hearts be not prepared, 2 Chr. 20.33. I have cut yon out your Work. Now upon it.

1 Look Backward, and say with David, O Lord pardon my sin: Psal 25. it is very great. Pardon my house, It is I and my house, that have sinned. Par­don [Page 120]my people, the Town and Countie, from whom I come, for whom I appeare this day, As Luke 4 23. to cure his Country is to cure himself. and which is my Secondself. Weep over them as David over Ierusalem. Yea over the many many sins, that swarm in this Land; and there stand betwixt wrath and the Peo­ple: and then

2. Look forward, with respect to all your relations. As Men, Re­solve with Naaman; I will worship none but the God of Israel. As Masters, with Ioshua; I and my house will serve the Lord. As Publike Persons, with David; Betimes I will cut off the evill doers. At least plead with Ioshua 22.20. Did not Achan thus, and God was angry with all Israel? For the Lords sake, Forme your selves into a happy body and order; and having so done, Do but what you can to put us all in­to a Posture of mercy and safety. Let me tell you, that the publike pulse beats very ill. Though many particulars give much encourage­ment: yet the generality is bad enough. I will not meddle with any thing this day. I leave your businesses to another day and place. Give me leave to say thus much;

• 1. In point of Religion;
  Credenda.
  If we speak of faith: How many be there, who have (as that Father said) Fidem menstruam? I may adde, Neutram,
  Hilary. Oculus in utrā partem fluat judicari non potest, probably Sone. Caes de Bello Gall. l. 1. Alcibiades.
  Nullam?
• 2. If we speak of particulars: Most men move like the river Arar: backward or forward, who can tell?
• 3. In point of subjection, in this Iubile, & Intervall, (as the Vul­gar reckon it) no Magistrate, no Minister, no Officer, no Age is re­spected. It is with us in the Country, as it was in his Army, All are Leaders, none Souldiers; All Teachers, none Scholars.
• 4. And for Laws. Whilst you make New, we break the Old: and whilst you are in the Mount, we are Dancing about a Maypole, or Calfe. I may not dwell longer.

Give me leave to deliver my owne & the Common suit of the honest minded, to you: and I will deliver it to you in his words, Marke 9.22. Masler, if thou canst doe any thing (saith he) have compassi­on on us, end help us.

My Lords, & Masters, If you can do any thing, Help us with your power (we will Help you with our prayers.) Help us what you can (and what you can by Law, Chrys. [...] &c. hinc & [...] apud Veteres. that you Can.) Help us to honest Mi­nisters: help them to Bread, & Books too. Help them against the Migh­ty, that they be not forced to Feast at that Dreadful table, as it was once called, they know not whom themselves. O! If we could be once formed into a good people by a happy concurrence of Our [Page 113]Soveraigne, & both your Houses, we could not be long in dust and ashes. The Lord would soone (as he saith) subdue our unemies under us, Ps. 81.14. Mal. 4.2. and come flying with healing under his wings. Onely, if welook for speedy help, we must speed our Repentance, and Reformation; and so meet him, who hath promised to meet us. Now let the Patience of God move you, the distresses of our Brethren (who have no­thing left, Praeter agri solum, if so much) move you. Let the sad di­stractions & Icalousies at home move you. And, sith God is rea­dy, why should we deferre? Yet we live: Yet he offers himselfe as a Father to us. Here he is this day: O let us not lose this day: but to day, whilst it is to day, before the other halfe of it be spent, Come in, accept of mercy. And, for your encouragement, let me conclude with a word of Comfort.

What? Doth God wait, to do us a kindnesse? Means he good to us at last, though (for ends) he for beares a while? Be not discou­raged upon these delayes (if they be delayes.) Say with the Church, Micah 7. I will beare the wrach of the Lord, I will wait, &c.

O, Object. But what hope's left?

There is hope, There is hope. Were there not: yet order it, Answ. that there may be hope, Lam. 3. And then Hearken what God will speak; Psal. 85.8. for his heart and mouth will speak peace to his Broken, people. Provided ever that you leave him to his own both Times, and Means.

O, Object. But is not the time past?

Why then hath he called us hither? Answ. Pat it into the hearts of his Majesty, and this Representative Kingdome, to appoint this mee­ting? Would be have accepted an offering at our hands, and sent us a word of encouragement, if he had parposed our destruction?

O, But (for the meanes; Object. ) things are worse and worse.

No matter, Answ. if we be better and better.

O, But we are very weak! low! poore! Object.

I wish we were worse, in our owne sense; we are, I feare, too, good, Answ. too strong, too many. God is sometimes troubled with too much help, Object. but never with too little. We are sometimes too soon; Answ. but he is never too late.

O, but we are put off still, from day to day.

You are deceived. We are not put off: we put off God. It sticks there. Nay, God is already Come, we are holpen, and do live; and should live more, If we could live apace to him; and live his life, the life of faith. Now is Faiths turne and time. Now let The lust live by his faith. Now with Daniel, let us Cast up times and meet the Sun­rising; [Page 122]at least before the day shut in. Grow to his earnestnesse: O Lord heare; O Lord forgive; O Lord deferre not. And then expect some flying messenger, or other, with a message of comfort. Only remem­ber how it stands betwixt mother & child. Whiles the child doth but whimper in the cradle, the mother stirs not: But, when he takes up a note, and cryes every whit of him; hands, feete, face, all cry: then the mother flings by all; then she flies and outruns, her self. I come, I come, I come my child. I can say no more. My drist in all, is, To beat you off (not from the Vse of Gods meanes, but) from Trusting in them. We have too long Idolized Parliaments, creatures, and created abilities. And the Lord hath purposely blockt us up, because our eyes should be onely to him. And in him Alone you have encou­ragement enough. He hath holpen already: He waits still: He is more then a Iudge; He is a Father: He can help, He will help. His word is for us, precept, promise, parable: His servants are for us: His Son is for us; He is One-of-us, which is beyond all encouragements yet menti­oned: He is termed, in the words following, The Son of man, Cum patre dator, inter nos petitu. Aug. a man of Prayer, a man of Grace, the high Favourite, a man amids us, who gives with the Father, who prayes with the Suitor. And shal we yet faint! What I cannot now do in publike, do ye sipply in private. Christ is fresh, his Blood fresh. Put your petitions into his hand, and this day beg your Lives, your Land, your King, with your Omnipotent Prayers. August. If you cannot Speake, Weep. Fletu agitur, non, affain. Teares pray. If you cannot Weep, Sigh. God heares Sighs. If you cannot Sigh, Breath. God feeles Breath. Lam 3.56. At least, let your Acti­ons pray, your Presence pray, your Submission pray, your Afflicti­ons pray. God heares Afflictions. Gen. 16.11. He heares our stretch­ed out hands. Do not we so? Do not we give to many a one, that faith nothing but onely holds out a hand to receive? O think as ill as you will of your selves: but think well of God. Pray as you can Pray: and he is a Father, who will make English of broken prayers. Pray, I say. I say againe Pray. And who knowes but prayer will lengthen our day, as once it did Ioshuahs? I can now say but little in publike. The Lord enlarge us, ( you, and me) in private, and my learned Brother in publike. Had God vouchsafed me more leisure, health, enlargements, I had dealt better with and for you, but at present, this is all that I can do; I shall be short in prayer, and will not abridge my successor.

A SERMON TOUCHING PRAYER and MERCY.

WE have in this Chapter two great doubts resolved: the one a Souldiers, the other a Preachers; both consult God, and he resolves both. The Souldier was one Cor­nelius, and his scruple was about our blessed Saviour, not touching his offices or his nature, (he knew that there was no other name under heaven whereby he could be saved) but the doubt was touching his person, whe­ther this particular man, which the Apostles cryed up, and the Pharisees cryed downe, whether he were that Christ, that Saviour, yea or no: This was the doubt, and this doubt sends him unto God in a way of prayer, and God sends him unto Peter the Apostle for information: Peter (the second person) is not without his scruple also; his doubt was, with what war­rant he might go to the Gentiles (such Cornelius was) & preach [Page 2]Christ unto them; he also receives satisfaction from the same gracious hand, & now these parties met together, for their fur­ther confirmation peruse and read their Commission. First, Cornelius begins (at Peters motion) and shewes upon what wa­rant he sent for Peter, & gives a very good account of himself, and does very punctually relate the businesse, not by way of ostentation, to boast of himselfe, but by way of satisfaction to give content unto Peter; he gives him to know how that he had certaine intelligence from heaven about this whole busi­nesse of sending for him: for 1. he did use none but Gods meanes to be directed, that is, Fasting and Prayer; and then next, he received a direct answer from God, and there could not possibly be any place for mistake in the same; he well re­members how long agoe it was that he received his instructi­on, (four dayes since) sayes he, no longer. 2. Then he remem­bers where he was (in his house.) 3. he remembers what he was then doing, he was then (praying.) 4. he remembers what time of the day it was (the ninth houre of the day.) 5. he remembers the Messenger that was sent, he came in the shape of a man, though he were an Angel, and (in bright shining apparell) 6. he remembers the message what it was, and what the direction: 1. he calls him by name, and next he wishes him to go to such a place (Joppa) there to enquire for one cal­led (Simon) this Simon lay at another (Simon's house) that Si­mon was (a Tanner) he lived by the (Sea-side;) all these circum­stances were delivered to Cornelius; so that as certainly as Pe­ter was Peter, and he Cornelius, so sure it is that there could be no collusion or mistake in this businesse, and there­upon he concludes, that Peter had a warrant to come, and he a warrant to send, and therefore now nothing hindred, but that they might fall on to their work; this is Cornelius his account of himselfe; we will stay at this time in this account of his, and in this verse which we have propounded to you, where we have these particulars observable.

First, a double Act reported, he prayed, he gave Almes.

And then secondly, this double Act is set forth from a dou­ble Argument.

• 1. From the cause of this, Cornelius.
• [Page 3]2. From the consequence of these, his Prayer was heard, his Almes were observed, both were accepted and (recorded) by God: these be the parts of the Text.

As for the simple tearmes, we shall not trouble you with many words, they are plaine enough, we will not stand here to discourse of the severall acceptations of the first word, [...], it is taken sometimes for the service, and some­times for the place where the service was performed; Sane. in Act. Apost. Grot. in Evange. alios­que passim. vise Turneb. l. 1. adversa [...]. c. 19. especi­ally in Ecclesiasticall Authors, and in after times: we under­stand what is meant by Prayer in this place; this Prayer, it is called Cornelius his Prayer, (thy prayer) sayes the Text. It is true, that all good things, and especially prayer is causally Gods, and it is objectively Gods; it begins from him, it ends in him; but it is subjectively and interpretatively Cornelius'es too; it is true, it is God that gives us the grace of prayer, as the grace of faith, of repentance, of every good thing; but then the acting and the exercising of this, that by interpretation and accep­tation is ours, whiles we doe act the same; so that God is not said to beleeve, or to repent, or to pray, but man by Gods assistance, as Austen well: De grat. & lib: arb. c. 16. & alibi passim, &c. This is all we will say for the first word, the rest we will speak of in order as we shall come to them, if need shall so require: in the meane time we addresse our selves to some instructions which the words offer to us; we will not trouble you with the wild conceits of some men, who talk of certaine preparations to grace before grace it selfe Contra Aug. de praedest. concil. Arausi­canum, alios (que). instancing Cornelius: nor yet of others, who doe speak of heathens and infidels, their acceptance with God, and their salvation by God, though, they have no knowledge at all Id quod per somnium viderunt è veteribus, è scholasticis, è remonstranti­bus, familistis, aliisque secta­riis non it ae pauci. of Christ: it is sufficient for us to know, that Cor­nelius was acquainted with Christ, and that Cornelius did expect salvation onely by Christ; the onely doubt that he sticks at was this; whether this individuall person, this man now in question, that was lately crucified, now was raised up, whether this were that Christ, that Messias that he had beleeved in before: These things thus premised, we will now proceed. And here it is not my meaning to enter into those vast common places of Prayer, and of Almes-deeds; we have had occasion even in this City to speak, divers yeers since, in [Page 4]another place to these heads; we are now to speak another way, and to consider these things as they lye here in the Re­lation made by Cornelius, and as they carry with them Gods answer to the one, Gods respect to the other.

1. We will begin with his Prayer, next we will speak of his Almes, rather of the successe of both; and then in the third place, we will say somewh at of his person, when we have spoken of his actions, if time and strength will give.

1. We beseech you to take notice of the unspeakable good­nesse & gractousnesse of God towards poore suppliants in point of prayer, Dost. I. for that is the thing we must grow to; and for this, consider the grounds in the Text, consider the person now in question, Cornelius, a poore man, was in a very great streight, faine he would please God, faine he would save his soule; nei­ther of these could be done without a Christ, and Christ must now be beleeved in, in a higher and closer way then before; it is not enough for him to beleeve, Christum, or in Christe, but he must beleeve that this is the very Christ, that this is the man and none else. Now here sticks the doubt; the Do­ctors were mightily divided about this point; the Pharisees and those happily that had been meanes of his conversion from heathenisme to Judaisme, they were altogether against Christ, and looked upon him, and reported him as a seducer. On the other side, a few unlearned men they stood for him, and they preached that there was no other way to salvation but in and through this crucified person; in this case, what should poore Cornelius doe more then what he did? namely, to betake himselfe to God in way of prayer, and to desire di­rection from him in this his doubt; and thus he does, and you see with what successe he does it, how graciously the Lord does condescend and answer him.

1. The Lord does heare him, nay, he does heare him effe­ctually, for that is the force of the word here used in the com­pound in our Text, Heb. 5.7. [...].

God did heare him to purpose, I say, heard him graciously; and not onely so, 2. but he does send him word that he heard him, and sent him word too 3. by an Angel, and gives him 4. to understand, how that his prayer and all his services [Page 5]are accepted of God. Oh! what a comfort was this to a poor di­stressed soul, to have so punctuall, so direct an answer sent him from heaven unto his prayer, and unto his scruples! but thus deales God with his Childeen, never more kind unto his, then when they come unto him begging; then when men be­gin to be shye and strange, and to stand off, and to hold off at a distance, tken is God most free, most open, most gracious unto his people; this we see in this Cornelous here; ‘goe (sayes God) when he had prayed; goe, sayes God unto an Angel, commend me to Cornelius, tell him from me, that he is more in my bookes then he is aware of; I take notice of his name, I take notice of his prayer, I take notice of every Almes deed that he does bestow upon my people, I observe all these things, yea, I record them, and they ever live and stand good before me: what could be said more to the encouragement of a poore suppliant?’ thus God deales with Cornelius: And thus, you know, he dealt with Daniel; the case is much what alike, in the 9. of Dan. 20. and so forward; you shall read Daniels successe upon his prayer, he prayed for the people of God; and how speeds he? very well: Observe the circumstances in the Text, the time 1 when God does answer him, even whilst he was praying, sayes the Text; nay (sayes the holy Ghost there) even at the begin­ning, at the first setting out of his petition, the answer, the grant was sealed, and his petition accepted, God did yeeld unto the same at the very entrance; he could no sooner be­gin to speak, but God resolves of a word of comfort and grace to him. Consider another circumstance, and that is, the Messenger that God sends to him, he dispatches an Angel 2 Gabriel, that earst had been with him (it seems) upon other occasions, he comes to him with a Message, and he tels him 3 that he is accepted of God; the greeting is this; O Da­niel, greatly beloved; O Daniel the great favourite of heaven, understand that the great God takes notice of thee, and he writes thy petitions, and hath sent me to returne his answer unto thy suite; and the answer is very full and very 4 satisfying; he grants him what he did desire, he tels him of more then Daniel did put into his petition; so gracious is [Page 6]God unto his people when they sue unto him in this way of prayer: What should I instance Abraham now? what should I speak of Jacob, of David, of Hannah, of Jonah, of other particulars in this case? I'le conclude with one, Paul, and I'le but touch upon it: in the Chapter before my Text at the 11. verse, you shall read bow God deales with this same Paul; Paul (alias Saul) was sometime very rough and boistrous, breathed out nothing but blood and threats; then God deals with him in a rougher way: but now Paul is on his knees, and mark what followes, presently the Lord dispatches one Ananias unto him; ‘ Ananias (sayes he) goe to Paul, thou shalt find him in such a place, thou shalt have him there at his prayers, goe to him, tell him from me, that he is a choyce, a precious Vessell in my eyes, and in my esteem, let him un­derstand so much from me;’ Ananias, he begins to startle; Oh Lord! (sayes he) this man hath been a persecutor, and he came hither for to doe mischiefe, I am afraid to come at him: tush (sayes God) be not so shye of him now; be not so shye, deliver to him from me a message, and a word of grace and comfort; and why? for (sayes God) he prayes, he prayes (sayes God) that is the reason of it; now Paul is a praying Paul; the case is altered; it is a time of his praying, and therefore it is a time of my pittying, and of my mercy; now he prayes, I accept of him, doe thou accept of him; and so Ananias does, for he goes to him, and presently salutes him; Brother Saul (sayes he;) when he is Gods child, he is his Bro­ther streight, all quarrels are laid downe assoon as ever Saul fals to praying; he prayes (sayes God,) that is suflicient. Yon see how graciously God deales with his when they fall a praying once.

Now if you would know a reason of this, why God shewes himselfe so gracious to us in the time and case of prayer; the reason is not from any worth of our persons, Reas 1 or of our prayers, in themselves considered for alas! what are they in the sight of God? or what need hath he of any service from us at all? you know in the law the burning and broyling of so many beasts, especially with hides and all (as sometime it fell out) was a thing that yeelded no savour of rest at all in it selfe: [Page 7]what could come from this, but a filthy smoak, a filchy srench? but then there was added thereto wine & oyle, and incense of Gods appointment, and so it was Gods Ordinance, and then there was a savour of rest in it: Think the same for our prayers too, as they come from us, and are onely ours; there's nothing in them of worth or acceptance: But when Gods Spirit is in it, when Gods incense, Gods perfume is put to it, with his blessing upon his owne way and Ordi­nance, then they come to be accepted, not (I say) simply, be­cause they are ours, but because they are Gods; 2 Affirma­tion. God goes up­on his owne motives, he graces and respects our prayers; but why? because he loves prayers as his owne; and the party pray­ing as his owne; and because he delights in mercy prayed for, and for other reasons that we shall give you by and by.

First of all, God, he does love prayer, Pro. 15.8. They pray­er of the righteous is his delight; it is Gods musick, it is re­creation; it is called incense, in this respect it is pleasing and acceptable unto God, prayer is his delight, because that it is his own appointment and Ordinance, and that Ordinance that sets God in the Throne(if I may so speak)I meane that repre­sents him as God unto his people; for we never give unto God the glory of himselfe untill such time as we fall a pray­ing; but prayer gives away all from the creature, it carries all to God; and so sets up God, and therefore God is pleased with prayer, and delights in the same.

And then againe, God loves the party praying (we speak of Gods children that doe pray) I say, he loves the party praying too; and when the person is accepted, then you know any thing, passes very well; let that Damosell, in Mark. 6.22. please Herod, though in a toy, you know what Herod sayes to her straight, aske what thou wilt (sayes he) it shall be given unto thee; let Esther please Ahasuerus, and then shee need not wooe him, he will wooe her; speak (sayes he) O Queen Esther, what is thy petition, and what is thy request? and it shall be granted unto thee. God delights in the per­sons of his children, he loves them dearly; and because they are so precious in his eyes, their prayers and their entreaties are very welcome to him, John 16.25.

Thirdly, God is a God that delights in merey, as the Scrip­ture tels us; he delights in meroy, sayes Jeremy; and, Jer. 9.24. Mieah 7.18. sayes Micah, morcy pleases him: God is very well pleased when he hath an opportunity to shew his bounty, and to exercise his mercy, and his graciousnesse towards his people (and when he finds them on their knees, then they are in a capacity of mercy:) God is pleased with this, even to scatter mercy, and to snew himselfe a bountifull God, he delights herein, therefore does even heap mercy upon his people when they are capable of the same: Hitherto, sayes Christ in the 16. of John 24. hi­therto you have asked nothing in my name, aske and you shall receive. Nothing, that is, nothing to speak of, as if he would say, nothing that I value at any thing, I doe not satisfie my selfe in that which I have done for you hitherto, you have hitherto asked nothing to speak of, aske more, I am ready to give you more; so large are his bowels and his favours to­wards his people; God stands disposed to his when they come asking, as Naaman sometimes did, 2 King. 5. toward Gehezi; Gehezi comes to aske one talent, and one suit of raiment for each Levite (that he suggests and sues for;) but what sayes Naaman to him? nay, take two; one is too little, take two, and the Text tels us that he did presse him, and heaps them upon him: So deales God with his people when they come to him for mercy and for kindnesse; nay (sayes God) take more, or at least, I would you were capable of more, I could as willingly give it, as you are willing to re­ceive it, if the stay were not on your owne part: God loves mercy, and therefore is ready to entertaine the prayers of his children when they come for mercy. As there are these rea­sons taken from Gods gracious and blessed nature, so others may be added from other occasions.

Fourthly, from the engagements that lye upon God, in re­gard of his free and gracious promises; promises very free and very large, both for the matter that we shall ask; ask what­soever you will, John 14.13. Psal. 81.10. ask in my name (sayes Christ) you shall re­ceive it: as also for the measure, open thy mouth wide (sayes God) and I will fill it: as also for the time when God will doe it, before you speak I will heare, and while you are speaking [Page 9]I will answer, in the 65. of Isatab. I forbeare to name other places, because they are familiarly knowne to you, so that God having engaged himself by promise to doe great things, Isa. 30.19. and (as he sayes in the Prophet) to be very gracious unto his people in point of prayer, therefore certainly he will be as good as his word.

And last of all, (which is the maine reason of all in truth) the reason is from Christ, and from that Covenant and tran­saction that passes between: brest and his Father: Christ, he presents our prayers, nay, we present Christ unto his Father; God looks upon a Christian as a piece and a member of Christ, he looks upon his prayer, as the fruit of Christs in­rercession and Priestdome; our prayers (being Saints) are in­dited by Christs Spirit, and are presented by Christs hand un­to his Father; they are perfumed with his intercession, and with his incense, Revel. 3.4. and therefore it is certaine they be very pleasing to God: God for Christs sake will deny none that come in the name and in the Spirit of the Lord Christ; nay, God hath left the whole dispensation of this businesse unto the Lord Christ, and hath referred all to him, even to doe what he will with the Saints in the Church, as sometimes Ahasuerus did with Esther, left it to her what she would have done for her people and against her enemies; and as some­times Pharach said to Joseph, Joseph (sayes he) thy brethren are come into AEgypt unto thee, bid them welcome, take the Land at thy command, place them where thou thinkest good; so unto the same effect does God say unto the Lord Christ, ‘here be friends of thine, members of thine, that are bone of thy bone, flesh of thy flesh, they come to me for some reliefe and succour in thy name, here they be, receive them, take them, doe for them what thou seest good, I will ratifle it, I will make it good;’ this is the maine reason: And these are the reasons which I shall give you of the point, why the Lord is so gracious unto his poore servants, when they come a begging and a suing unto him. Now give me leave in a few words to bring home this point, and to apply it, and then we will passe to another.

First of all, this must instruct us in regard of time past, Ʋse 1 For time 1. past. [Page 10]must be matter of humbling and of blushing unto us, that we have not answered the Lord, and returned according to the kindnesse that we have received, we doe not give unto God they glory of his goodnesse and of his graciousnesse in answering prayer, but come many times with a great deale of feare, appeare before him with many doubts, and returne from him with a great deale of sadnesse and heavinesse: Oh! how does this offend and displease God? The Emperour was sor­ry that any man should come to offer a Petition to him, Flavint. Titus, &c. as if he were to offer meat to an Elephant (as he said) with a trembling hand: Another, he was sorry to see any man goe sadly out of his presence; and can the Lord doe otherwise,, but take it unkindly (as it were) at his peoples hands, who are so deare unto him, when as they are so jealous, so doubtfull, so fearfull how they shall be accepted, and speed, when they come in point of prayer to him? Well, that is a thing we are to blame our selves for first.

And then in the second place, 2. Present. this teaches us for the pre­sent to take notice of Gods goodnesse this way, and to blesse and praise him for this his free grace, in hearing poore sinners, and poore Petitions put up unto him from time to time: This David took notice of, he would love the Lord, because God heard his prayer in one Psalme: Psal. 116.1. Psal. 6.9. In another he blesses God, Blessed be God (sayes he) that thou hast not reje­cted my prayer, nor turned thy mercy from me, Psal. 66.3. Blessed be God, why? that God did not scorne his prayer, that God did not fling it away from him with indignation; thus David: And truly, if we did truly understand the infi­nite distance that is between God and us, and those many, many flawes and defects that be in our prayers and services; did we understand these things aright (his Excellency, and our owne lesse then nothingnesse) certainly we could not but stand in admiration at his goodnesse) certainly we could not but stand in admiration at his goodnesse this way: Let me expresse my selfe unto you in a comparison, thus: Suppose that we must alwayes in all our suits apply our selves unto the King, and goe to him with our Petitions, what a busi­nesse would this be? Consider of it I beseech you, 1. What a long journey we must take; and then, how long we must [Page 11]wait: and then, how uncertaine we should be of any successe or gracious answer at all: Weigh these things with your selves, and then reflect upon Gods goodnesse, and admire him for the same: I inlarge it a little further: A man hath a suit un­to an earthly King or Prince, and what must he do? First of all he must take a long journey to the Kings Court; and then when he is there, he must find out some Courtiers, some friends to speak for him, and to make way for him, that he may have accesse; when that is done, he must wait the Kings leisure, early and late he must be ready to wait, and so stay his lei­sure, and his pleasure: When this is done, that he hath got accesse once, and is brought into the Kings presence, how then? he is not permitted to speak his heart unto the King, and to say at large what his griefe and his affliction is; nay, he must not speak at all, onely deliver his Petition, and that he must have ready drawne, and fairly drawne, there must be no blurre in it, very briefe it must be, and very succinct, he must not speak any thing in the world that is impertinent, or that would be displeasing, but carry it so, as that he may give full content: And when all this is done, and his Petition is received, he hath not presently an answer, but he must wait and wait againe, he must follow the Court into this place, and that place; and when answer does come, it may be it is but halfe an answer and a grant, perhaps the answer is none other but a bare deniall, at least a man cannot build upon it, because he hath no promise before-hand that he shall be accepted, and that his petition shall be granted: Thus it is when we deale with an earthly Prince, when we come but upon one Petition: But now put the case that this Peti­tion be granted, what is it? it is but for some partiall or some particular thing; 'tis not a grant that will make me happy, and that will doe my soule any good at all, I shall need more things; and what if I need againe, must I to the Court again? must I wait againe? must I run the same round I ran before? Oh how troublesome, how costly, how tedious would this be unto me? And if this be so (my brethren) as you know it is, then I beseech you doe but consider how infinitely we stand bound to Almighty God for his goodnesse and his gra­ciousnesse [Page 12]towards us this way: Alas! we need him every houre, and when we need him we may goe to him when we will, he is alwayes at lessure; come in the night and wel­come, come in the day and welcome; and when we come, he is ready to receive us: his doors (as the doors of the Tri­banes once in Rome) are never shut, they alwayes stand open for petitioners that shall come unto him; and thou mayest there speak thy mind, and speak they heart; all thy feares, all thy griefes, all thy wants thou mayest tell him at large, how the case stands with thee, and speak it in thy owne language, in such English and such termes as thou art able for to utter and to speak; and if thy Petition be not right, he will cor­rect it and make it good for thee, he will alter it, he will mend it for thy advantage, and for thy benefit; and if it be too short, he will supply it, and bid thee put in more; and when he hath laded thee with mercy from his presence, as sometimes Boaz did Ruth, then he will give in charge that thou shouldest come agame to morrow, and that thou shouldst not be too long from him; he layes it as a charge upon thee, that thou shouldst not be a stranger to him, but that thou shouldst make use from time to time of his kindnesse, and the oftener the better welcome still: This, this is the graci­ousnesse of our God unto his poore people; we need not goe farre, but step into our closets, there unbowell our selves, and unbosome our soules, and acquaint him with our sorrowes and griefes, and he is ready to heare us, and willing to passe by infirmities, and to accept of our weak (very weak) prayers, when they are put up in truth and in humility: Oh consider of this, and let the meditation of this now stirre you up unto thankfulnesse to God; his grace, his goodnesse is so great: this way, as that I am swallowed up in the meditation of it, and I have not words to expresse what his tendernesse and his graciousnesse is unto us in every one petition that we put up unto him; you doe not know what a friend you have of God, and how many, many favours and kindnesses he shewes you in any one Petition that he hearkens unto, and grants to you at any time.

In the last place, this looks forward too, 3. Future. and it teaches us a third thing, and then we have done with the first part: The thing is this: Sith God is so gracious towards his people in point of prayer, therefore we should be invited now, and encouraged to make use of this his kindnesse, and to goe to him upon this errand of prayer, as need shall require: Let us, I beseech you, think as meanly of our selves, and of our services as you will; but let us alwayes have high thoughts of God, and when we come to him in his owne way, then promise great things to our selves: And know, that he is able and ready to doe abundantly above that we can speak or think (as the Apostle tels us;) thus we should goe to God, Ephes. 3. and of his goodnesse herein we have a great deale of experience; if we will not beleeve the promises that are very gracious, yet let us beleeve our owne experience this way to trust in him: hath not God been gracious to us in particular, hath not God been gracious to us in common, for the publike, when we have sought unto him in this way of prayer? If so, then let us conclude, that God is a constant God, his power as great as loves prayer as well as ever he did; he loves Christ as well as ever he did, who is our Mediator; and he loves the persons of the Elect as much as ever he did; he delights in mercy as much as ever; therefore let this encourage us to goe to God in all our afflictions and distresses, whether they are personall, or whether they are publike.

1. For our personall defects, and our personall distresses, let us goe to God as Cornelius, here does; Cornelius, he is in a streight, and it was in a point of great concernment, he must resolve one way or other, off or on; either be for this Christ, or against him; Cornelius knew not which way to resolve, he prayes therefore, he desires God that he would enlighten him, that he would direct him: Oh! let us doe the like in these distressed times, when there be such divisions and distractions in the Church of God, and amongst the people of God, that a poore simple body knowes not what is right, and what is [Page 14]truth, and what is not; knowes not which side to adhere un­to: Some call him this way, and some call him that way; and another sayes this is right, and you must goe this way if ever you will be saved; and another speaks quite to the con­trary: What now should a poore man doe? Doe as Cornelius did, goe unto God alone, pray, fast, importune him, desire him that he will teach thee, that he will resolve thee, desire him that he would send some Peter to thee, some Preacher, some Divine or other, that may settle thee and confirme thee in the way that thou shouldst goe: Thus if we doe, God will be the same to us that he was unto Cornelius, God heard him, and God will heare us too, though he doe not send an Angel from Heaven as he did to him, yet he will send some Peter, he will send some direction whereby we shall receive some satis­faction, at least for those things that are simply necessary and fundamentall; he will discover so much unto us, as shall be accepted, and as shall guide us unto his Heavens: This is his promise, Psal. 25. he will guide the meek in his way, and he will teach sinners the way, and he will shew unto them his sal­vation; and in John 7.17. sayes our Saviour, He that will doe the will of God, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or no: If a man in humility of spirit, and in sincerity and truth of heart will goe to God for direction, as Cornelius did, resolving with him, I and mine are here before God, and whatsoever God shall speak unto us in his ministery, we are rea­dy to doe it, and to follow it: If any man will doe thus, it is certaine that God will give him a resolution and a settle­ment, and such a settlement as shall be acceptable (as we said before) and shall give satisfaction to his soule. What I speak of this particular (because the very case leads me to it, in my Text) that'we may say of all other things too: Carry all thy feares to God, and all thy sorrowes to God, and all thy scruples to God, acquaint him with thy case, and beg help and strength from him, he is able, he is ready to heare. Yea but will he heare (me?) Yea thee, he will heare thee. Oh! but my prayers are weak, and poore: He is a gracious God, he passes by infirmities, doe what thou art able to doe, and [Page 15]he is as ready to help thee as Cornelius. 2. What we say for private men, that we may say much more now, in the publike Case, when it comes to publike prayer, and to matter of a publike concernment, here we should be encouraged to goe to God: Is God so ready to heare prayer? does he so graciously answer and accept of poore and weak prayer? Then, I beseech you, why should not we goe to God in respect of the King­dome, in respect of the Church, and in respect of the present condition that we lye under now? Oh! let us all set a praying; pray home the King, pray downe Antichrist, pray up the Lord Christ into his Throne, pray against the sinnes of the Land, that they may be removed, and all those obstructions that doe hinder the successe of our prayers from day to day; for cer­tainly there are very strange and great obstructions that lye in the way, otherwise it were not possible for our gra­cious God that is so ready to heare the Petitions of one poore man, to stand out so long against the suits and pe­titions of all the people in a whole Nation; the obstructi­ons are great, pray all these out of the way. Of these I will instance one or two. I will leave the rest in regard of my haste.

One maine thing which probably hinders our successes in prayer is the blood that lyes upon the Land, Obstructions in prayer, and its successe. that is a heavy thing, that lyes heavy upon the heart of the Land. 'Tis said, 2 King. 24.4. that God would not pardon the blood that Manasses shed in Jerusalem; he filled Jerusalem and the Land from corner to corner with innocent blood; God (sayes the Text there) would not pardon this sinne: Nay, this sinne lived some successions, after that Manasses was dead. Oh! this sinne, this sinne threatens this Land of ours! this blood that lyes upon the Land, the blood that was shed heretofore in the dayes of Queen Mary, that innocent blood that hath been shed since by this unhappy difference that is amongst us: Oh! the Sea of blood that runs through this Land; who must be responsall, who must be answerable for this? this is a great sinne that obstructs our prayers much. It behooves us, Beloved, to doe as God ordered them in Deut. 21.8. when [Page 16]there was innocent blood shed, and the murderer could not be found out, then the neighbouring Townes they must goe forth, they must slay a Beast, offer a Sacrifice, wash their hands, pray to God; Oh Lord! be mercifull unto the Land, and un­to our Cities, lay not to our charge this blood: So must we doe in this case; Oh Lord, be mercifull unto this poore Land almost drowned in blood, doe not charge upon us this blood, lay not to our charge this innocent blood, but accept of a Sacrifice, and an atonement: That is one thing we must pray against, as a maine obstruction.

2 And another is this, non-execution of Justice; let David in 2 Sam. 21. let David (I say) wait, and stay, and pray from yeer to yeer for the removall of the stroke that was then up­on the Land, untill such time as execution be done upon the bloody house of Saul, there will be no cessation of that stroke and of the famine that was then upon them; but assoone as ever that was done, and justice executed, presently the face of the State was changed, and the Lord shewed himselfe a recon­ciled God: Oh! let us pray here againe, that God would stirre up many a Phinehas in this age, and that he would give the spirit of Phinehas to those that be in authority, Psal. 106.30 that they may doe execution, and so the plague may cease: Now it is said of Phinehas, he did an execution, so the plague ceased: Let us pray, that there may be found in this City, and in other parts of the Kingdome, such a man as Jeremy describes, chap. 5.1. A man that does judgement, a man that seeks for truth (he is a man) a publike man that stands in the gap: pray, that we may have such to stand in the breach.

3 And then thirdly; there is a third obstruction, and that is the fearfull indisposition to peace that is amongst us, and an aptnesse to quarrell and fall out within our selves; I speak not onely of that outward warre that is abroad, but I speak of another businesse within our selves; if God would put up his sword, it is a question whether we would put up ours, yea or no: I am afraid of a sacred warre, if the civill warre were once ended and determined; many spirits are so imbittered one against another, men are so inchanted with their owne [Page 17]conceits and opinions, that they will put all into a combusti­on, rather than they will lay downe any one conceit, or any one quarrell or contention that they have engaged themselves in; this is a fearfull thing; how can we look that God should put an end to our warres, when we are so willing to be at warre one with another, brother against brother, and friend against friend, without any difference almost?

But last of all, there is another, and that summes up all; 4 and that is our unworthy carriage towards God in the midst of so many meanes and mercies: He hath given us his Word, we sleight that; he hath made a Covenant with us, and we have renewed the Seale thereof, many of us (I doubt not) of late: this Covenant we falsifie, we prophane and abuse; the Lord hath executed some judgements amongst us, and what use doe we make of them? where is the man (almost) that is one whit reformed, or much the better for all these miseries and ca­lamities that have come upon the State, and upon the Land? this, this is the sinne, the provoking sinne, that we are too­to incorrigible this way, and tooto backward to improve those meanes and those judgements which are amongst us: For this God might justly have a controversie with the Land; Oh! let us pray, let us pray, that we may be of one mind, and of one judgement, that so there may be peace in our Land, peace in our Churches, peace in our worships, that we doe not fight against our selves in our prayers: And let us pray in the next place, that we may make better use of the Word, and of the ministery thereof; that we may make better use of former corrections, and former judgements then we have done, that so the Lord at length may look upon us, and when we are humbled and doe accept of his punishment, may then remember the Land, our distressed Land, our reeling Land, our dying Land, that God in mercy may then think upon it, and heale it: Thus we should labour, even to pray unto God for the publike, that all hinderances may be removed, and all furtherances expedited, whereby our happinesse may be recovered and resetled: And why should we not set upon this work now? what reason have we to be dismaid? Object. Happily some [Page 18]will suggest, we see our prayers doe not take, and that we doe not succeed as we would; nay, the Lord frownes upon us, Sol. and hides his face from us. Yea, but hang upon him still, pray still, follow him still; doe as Cornelius did, think of a Reformation; lay not all upon praying, and all upon fasting, but doe more, as he does; Cornelius prayes, but he feares God too; Cornelius prayes, but he reformes his Family too, (he had Servants, yea, Souldiers too, that feared God in his Family;) Cornelius prayes, but he hath respect to all Gods Commande­ments, to both Tables as well as unto one: Cornelius prayes, but he is faithfull in the particular place and calling wherein God had set him; he was a good Souldier, he was a faithfull Officer and Centurion in the place that he did sustaine; and when as we are thus universally good, sutable unto our selves, that we are good Christians, and that we are good Masters, and that we are good Commanders, and that we are good Souldiers, (good and faithfull in the particular places wherein God hath set us) then our prayers will passe, and then God will be so gracious to us, as he was unto Cornelius: And so we leave that poynt with you.

The next thing Cornelius does, is a work of mercy; he gives Almes; he was not onely a just man, but he was a mercifull man, & was mercifull throughout; he had a mercifull hand, and he had a mercifull heart: The word here used [...], with words of that forme & termination, as [...], and the like, is very comprehensive; it implyes and concludes both, affectum & effectum, so that he does exercise mercy with a very merci­full and a gracious heart and affection: The thing here direct­ly spoken of is the fruits of his mercy, the effects thereof, as the plurall does shew us; and these are said for to be before God; they are before God, as they are acted by Cornelius; he did them in sincerity; and they are before God, as they are recor­ded by God too, God sets them upon record, would keep them in memory, they are remembred of God, as the Text here tels us. I shall not need to tell you how that memory is too low a thing for to be properly ascribed unto God, he is one that sees and knowes all things at once, sub uno codemque [Page 19]intuitu, so that he hath no use of memory at all, but the Lord is pleased to apply himselfe to our capacity, and to con­descend to us; and the plaine meaning is this, that God does observe and book (there is a condescention in that expression too;) God observes, and God does book (I say) every act, Doct. and every work of mercy that is done by his Servants, and by his People; God takes notice of them all, and notes them, in their circumstances, and with the particularities of the same; he observeth 1. who it is that does a work of mercy, 1 Cornelius: he observeth 2. what's the thing that he does, he 2 does (many Acts) of mercy, and that mercy properly, which hath respect unto mans present life and livelyhood, that is the mercy here spoken of: 3. He takes notice how much mercy 3 a man shewes; he gave much Almes, as 'tis said in this Chap­ter; and Dorc as made many Coates for many poore persons: Acts 9. God takes notice of 4. the Time when a man shewes mercy; 4 Obadiah in a hard time, he hid a hundred Prophets, and shew­ed them mercy then, 1 King. 18.5. God takes 5. notice how 5 a man does mercy, with what heart, and with what inlarge­ment of affection, as he does those Macedoniaus, 2 Cor. 8. that they in their extreame poverty, did shew mercy to their power, and beyond their power: 6. Yea, God takes 6 notice of the least degree of mercy that is shewed by his Ser­vants to any of his people, even to a little cake of bread, as he does in the Book of Kings in the Widow; 1 Kin. 17.30. Matth. 10.42. and to one cup of cold water, as he does in the Gospell; verily, if a man give but a cup of water; (water) that is a cheap thing; cold water, no matter either of cost or paines; sayes he, if he gives such a cup of water to the least of mine, it shall not be forgot­ten, it shall be rewarded: So that God, you see, takes parti­cular notice, writes downe, Grot. ad locum. books downe every act and work of mercy that is done by his people. I could be large in proving of this now, but I shall not need to say more to such an understand [...]ng auditory; I must hasten, in regard of the time and my owne strength.

What may be the grounds and reasons of this, Reas 1 that God does thus book and write downe every work of mercy? Negativè. The [Page 20]is not from the worth (as we said before, of prayer:) So here, not from the worth of our works, and of those Almes that we are able to give; as the Farmers of merit in another world and in another Church use for to speak, who are very high in their expressions this way, touching their Mercy, their Alms, their good Deeds, for which they expect a great deale of thanks, and respect from God, but without reason; for cer­tainly (as one hath well observed) it is very true that many of those things which they called works of mercy, Carow. on the Rhèm. Test. were in­deed the works of penance, and were but mulcts, fines & amerce­ments, laid upon them by their Confessors for faults that they had committed; and certaine it is, that many of those that they did so bragge and boast of, are more ours a great deale then theirs: However the Doners were tainted and sun­burnt with some particulars of Popery; yet in the maine, many of them were more ours, then theirs: So that they have no reason to bragge that way. In truth, what is a mans mercy to God? our goodnesse reacheth not to him; what can we give him, but what is his owne already, and what he hath given us first? So that that cannot be the reason why God respects our mercy, for any worth or dignity that is in our Almes: But the reason is this; God is pleased in Christ to look upon our persons, and then next to accept of our services for Christs sake; Reasons. 2. Affirmat. and so in particular of our Almes: God is pleased to respect them, because they are expressions of Christs Spirit, and the fruits of his owne Spirit, and because they are Seales of our obedience, and of our thankfulnesse unto him; and because that they are meanes of refreshing the bowels of his poore Servants. For these causes, and under these names and notions it is, that God takes notice of our Almes and Works of mercy, and daignes to regard and write them: Write them, how? not to help his owne memory (that needs not) but to help our Faith, and to help our Love, that we should be encouraged in this way to doe works of mercy. I have spoken as briefly as I can unto the point, and yet, I think, sufficient for so plaine a point as this is. All the bu­sinesse here lyes in the Application and the Use of this.

And the Uses (Honoured and Beloved) are these. Use 1

If this be so, that God takes particular notice, and writes downe every work of mercy that is done; then this speakes but sad newes unto divers sorts of people.

The first are such men as are meere strangers unto mercy, 1 and the fruits thereof; they were never guilty of such a thing as Mercy and Almes-deeds: If you compare the Books (Gods and theirs) together, you shall find the Books much what alike unto some Almanacks, that are full of letters, both red and black & bloody on one side, but on the other side there is fair paper, a waste empty blank, that is all that is to be found there: Even so it is with many a mans books, if he be a true recorder of his works of mercy: On the one side, you shall find, Item, so much spent upon Pride, and so much spent up­on Lust, and so much spent upon Revenge, and so much spent at Dice, and so much spent in Playes, and so much spent up­on sinne and Wickednesse; this side is full of what hath been laid out touching themselves, and for themselves in pursu­suance of their lusts: But now when it comes to a work of mercy, what have you done for God? what for Christ? what for the members of Christ? what for the advancement of Re­ligion? or any pious work or service? what shall you find there? Even a blank, meere cyphers, nothing else. Oh mi­serable men! how will these fare when they shall be called to an accompt for their Stewardship? when they have laid out all for themselves, and upon themselves and their lusts, and laid out nothing at all for God, and for the love of God. This is one sort.

But then there is another sort worse then these, and they are 2 such as are not onely strangers unto mercy, but are Opposites, Enemies, (as it were) to mercy; at loast they walk in a quite opposite way unto the way of mercy: These, why these do not feed the poor, but they flay them; they do not cloath them, but they strip them; they make not any provision for them, but cast how utterly to ruine and to undoe them: In stead of hea­ling them they wound them; in stead of relieving them, they oppresse them, and in stead of being to them any ease and [Page 22]comfort, they lay upon them heavy burdens, heavy pressures: This is a black crying sinne, and will prove so at the last day; what? if they in Matth. 25. (as Austin well inferres thence) if they shall be shut out of Heaven, and seat from the presence of God with a curse, who have not fed the hungry, nor cloathed the naked, nor visited the imprisoned? &c. Oh then: where shall they appeare? and what shall become of them that are so farre from this, that they have done what they could to ssuck out the very blood of the poor members of Jesus Christ! This is a second sort.

3 Nay, in the third place, let this be a matter of humbling to the best of us, for certainly we are all short in this busi­nesse, and have cause even to blush and hang downe our heads, betwixt man and man when it comes to a contri­bution, and we see other men underwrite, it may be, so many crownes, or so many pounds, we are ashamed to appeare in the same Roll, and to have our names listed where farthings and half-pence are set upon our heads; much more should we blush when we bring our selves into the presence of God, and there consider that God sees all we doe, all that others have done; he writes downe every mans name, every mans worke, every mans Almes, and they are bookt, and this book will be read and produced at the last day: This, this should put us to the blush, especially when we consider two things yet found up­on 1 us: That is, our backwardnesse unto works of mercy; and 2 our barrennesse in works of mercy.

1 First, for our backwardnesse; how heavily doe we come off (for the most part) in works of this kind? Mercy is by our Saviour preferred before kindnesse: Luke 14.13. Sayes he, when thou makest a Feast, bid the poore, &c. doe not bid the rich; a man may bid his rich friends in a way of kindnesse, but (sayes Christ) preferre the other before that, mercy before kindnesse, mercy is better then kindnesse. But now (my Brethren) is it so with us? doe we set mercy above kindnesse? in way of kindnesse and neighbourhood, you know what men will doe; a friend desires you to goe a journey with him, you will goe; you will say, what though it cost me five pound? what [Page 23]if it be ten pound? what a matter is that betwixt friend and friend, neighbour and neighbour? When you meet together (sometimes) in a Taverne, or at an Inne upon some occasions in way of kindnesse, to drink or feast together, then happy is that man that can be rid of his money first; I'le pay sayes one; I'le pay sayes the other; you shall not pay a penny sayes the third, I'le beare all, &c. and now happy is the man that can be rid of his money quickly; it growes sometimes very neer to a quarrell, because we cannot be suffered to spend our money: Thus in works of kindnesse. But now come to a work of Mercy, how is it then? is the money then upon the Table? is every man ready to throw downe then, and to lead the way unto other men in this case? Nay then, alas! I am in debt; then, my purse is not about me; or else, when it comes to the opening of the purse, every finger is a thumb, and it is such a while before any thing will be got out, that it is very tedious and irksome to a man to behold it: Then the questi­on is not, who shall be first? but, who shall be last? I'le see what my betters doe first, there are such and such, they are a great deale richer and better then my selfe, I will see what they doe; happy is the man here that can be hindmost: Oh! my Brethren, is not this a thing, think you, that should hum­ble us, that should shame us? that we in way of courtesie to man should be thus free, but when it comes to works of mer­cy for God, we should be so bound up, that we cannot cheer­fully, almost, part with any thing? this is one of the things we fault in our selves, this same backwardnesse to workes of this kind.

But secondly, there is another thing, and that is barrennesse 2 in works of mercy: If a man will but compare what is ex­pended on selfe, and on the publike; what a vast difference will there appeare upon the very first view? If a man read his books, he shall find, Item so much bestowed upon Apparrell, and so much bestowed upon a Feast, and so much for my selfe, my self credit, and my self delight and content, my selfe I know not what, so much for selfe; there it amounts to scores, to hundreds, it may be, to thousands: But then come on the other [Page 24]side; how much for Gods House? how much for Gods worship? how much for charitable and for mercifull uses? and then there come two-pences and three-pences, and poore short reckonings, not worthy to be accounted and summed up almost: Is it not thus (I beseech you) with many of us? are we not thus barren in works of mercy? and should not this shame us now? I hope, my Brethren, I hope, that there are none of you but will beare me company in this work, even this night before you sleep, betwixt God and your selves to confesse this your sinne, your nigardize towards God, your pinching when it comes to a work of mercy and charity; whereas you can be profuse and prodigall when it is to serve your selves, and your owne ends.

But this is not all; Use 2 we must not onely be sorry for our fail­ing this way, but we must labour to reforms and amend this now, to put on to this great work of charity and mercy that is underhand: I beseech you, consider, that we are bound to it as well as Cornelius; Motives. and that we are as able many of us to doe it, as that poore Captaine was: Consider, how that we have as faire promises as ever he had, and that we have as faire opportunities: Opportunities, said I? Nay, never more opportunities then in this day in which we live; I need not tell you; you cannot be strangers to the miseries of the Land, and of this City; I am but a stranger here my selfe, yet not­withstanding, I see and know so much, that if you would be pleased, you (I meane) of the richer sort, to descend and to goe into the houses of many poore men (hundreds in some severall Parishes) and there see how they fare, and how they lodge, I am perswaded, you would be sorry, that your horse, that your dog should feed and lye no better then some of them doe: And if you would yet goe farther, and look upon many men that labour, and labour diligently, early up, and late downe, that take excessive paines for to get their bread, you should find that they be not able to afford so much money as would buy a little fresh water to make their children drink; yea, that they are so called upon by Wife and Children with­in, that they cannot endure the house almost; ‘bread sayes one, [Page 25]drink, sayes the other; Father, where shal's have victuals, oh! I am ready to sinke, I am ready to faint:’ It is the case of many modest men, labouring men, that toyle and take a great deale of paines, and are not able to maintaine them­selves and their Families with their labours, you would find it so upon search made.

Shall I adde a third Instance? there are come to the City (certainly it is the honour of this City, and God will blesse the City for it, and you will all speed the better for your re­ceiving of them;) there are come to the City, I say, a com­pany of poore people that are driven out of the Country; they lived, some of them, in good fashion in their Country, able to relieve many poor (some of them able men that did bear office in the place where they lived;) men that stand so disposed, that they had rather halfe starve, then they would be burthen-some to you; such there are about this Towne: Touching these I may say, that unlesse God be mercifull to them, and the times doe mend and settle, and some course be taken, many of them will be more then halfe starved. You, my Brethren, you here sit warme, you here live in plenty, live in abundance, but my heart bleeds and dyes within me, to think of the misery and desolation that I have in part seen in some parts of the Coun­try: I must tell you, that if so be the Lord be not pleased to find out some way of reliefe for many poore people in the Country, they will be utterly starved and undone; they can­not expect many more Harvests and crops of Corne: Well may they come up hither and eat up your plenty, but they will not be able to bring in any supplies to you, as formerly they have done: Oh! consider, and say not now, men groane without a cause, and there is not such need as men will pre­tend: No, certainly, certainly there is great need; for many men, they have lived as long, and shifted as long as they know how to live in an honest way; the Lord pitty them, and give you hearts to tender them to your power.

Well, but things so standing, what shall I perswade you to? two things, my Brethren.

The first is this; that you would labour to make your selves [Page 26] able to doe somewhat: And then secondly, that you will travell with your selves, that you may be willing to doe for those that be necessitous, in misery and want.

For the first; 1. Now able to doe works of mercy. some man will say, Alas, how can we help it now? how (can) we help it? trade failes us; our burthens, they are heavy, and payments, they are multiplyed upon us more and more; it is not with us as it hath been, we are not able to doe what we are willing to doe.

Well, I heare your answer, I beleeve it to be true in some part: But now I beseech you, good my brethren, let us cast about a little, and see whether we may not be in some mea­sure enabled to doe for those that be in greater want then our selves.

• 1 1. Use your hands, you that are able to labour, la­bour and take paines,
  Ephes. 4.28.
  as Paul would have you, Ephes. 4. that so you may have somewhat to spare for those that are not able to labour or to take paines.
• 2 2. And use your heads too, set your wits awork this way, cast about and contrive as well as you can how the necessities of people may be supplied in some measure: Cast about, I say; is there no way to prevent these idle vagrants, and these persons that eat up the bread of the honest poore? Is there no way for to pull downe more of these Play-houses, I meane, Tipling-houses, Ale-houses, and the like; and to set up Working-houses that people may have la­bour, and that they may be set upon somewhat? is there no way for us to cast and contrive how people may be kept alive? I beseech you that are men of wisdome and understanding, that you will imploy your thoughts this way.
• 3 3, And then next; doe something by way of abatement, abate something, and abridge your selves a little, that you may be helpfull to others: Abate something from your backs, and something from your bellies, and something from your de­lights and recreations; be content a litile to deny your selves, (to deny your selves a little, I say) for the supply of others. I tell you, I am verely perswaded that there would be enough saved and spared from needlesse drinking, I meane, from Wine, and Tobacco, and Strong-waters, and the like; and from trim­mings, & laces and dresses, and such like things as are more then [Page 27] necessary; enough spared, I say, to supply the necessities of ma­ny men that doe now stand in great need of very necessaries: Oh! let your Bread be a little browner, let your Tables be a little shorter, let your Coats be a little plainer, a little course; a little condescend to the wants of your poore brethren, and impart something unto them that are distressed and naked.

You will say happily, Object. that you must maintaine not onely Nature, but you must maintaine the honour, the port, and the credit of your places too.

I answer, it is true, you must, Answ. (I'le not presse you now with that which some Casuists say touching this point in case of extremity, and of meere necessity, how farre forth a man must deny himselfe that way; we will not stand upon that now) we will yeeld you that; and there will be a competency, I hope, without any such extremity: We doe not presse you that you should any way deny your selves any thing that is fit for na­ture, that is fit for your places, and for your relations: onely I propound and offer this, whether when these are answered and satisfied competently, whether then there will not be some overplus? and if so, then I presse the point: Will you not deny your selves in a superfluity? abate a little for Christ? a lit­tle finishnesse, and a little excesse and superfluity? What? not abate a little from a dog, from a bird, from a beast? Will you not doe thus much for Christ? Christ bated of Heaven (as it were) for the time, he was content to lay aside his glorious Robes in our misery, and in our beggery: Oh! let Christ be so much beholding to you, that you lay something out of the overplus for him and for his sake: And when you doe what you are able to doe, it is accepted; as the Apostle saith, It is accepted according to that that a man hath, and not according to what which he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. Thus you must labour to be able to doe works of mercy.

But then there is a second thing; and that is, 2. How willing to doe them. when you are able, you must be willing and ready to doe it too; you must be willing to it, I say; and here God beares us downe with a world of Arguments.

• 1. If we look to God, he is our friend, nay 1 [Page 28]our Father; you know, for a friend you will doe somewhat; if a friend come to you, and say, here is such a poore friend and Kinsman of mine in want, for my sake doe somewhat, I'le doe as much for a friend of yours; will you not do it? and will you 2 doe it for a friend? and will you not doe it for a God? Con­sider Christ; Christ comes in his flesh to you, when poore Christians come to you; he presents a pale face, a thin cheeke, he presents a bare arme or leg (it may be) to you; will you not doe somewhat for to support Christ, and to cloath Christ in his members, & in his servants? shall the bones of Christ stare and stand out? shall the naked flesh and skin of Christ pine away for want of succour?
• 3 3. Adde to this: Christians them­selves that come unto you; alas! they are your flesh, as the Prophet sayes, Isa. 58. they are your owne flesh: What? shall the head doe nothing for the foot? and shall the hand and the eyes do nothing for the legs? what? not for its owne flesh, and for those that be of the same body?
• 4 4. But lastly, consi­der your selves, and have respect to your selves (if you regard none of the former,) and provide for your selves, labour to place your wealth safely, to secure it first, and then to im­prove it next.

For the securing of it, put it into a sure hand; you know, men in these doubtfull and dangerous times cast about where they may safely place their Treasure and their Goods; some send it to a Garrison, and some (happily) passe it over the Seas into another Country. But tell me now, I beseech you, is there any place so safe as Heaven, where no thiefe comes, where no plunderer comes, where no rust comes? is there any place like that? or can you put it into a better and safer hand then into the hand of God himselfe? labour to lay it where you may be sure to have it forth-comming, put it into Gods hand.

Nay, improve your estates this way: you are willing to doe that, I hope, sow, that you may reap, so the Apostle cals works of mercy: 2 Cor. 9. It is a sowing; it good husbandry for a man to sow, it payes him for his paines to sow; what you give in works of mercy, you shall reap for the same a greater Crop, and a [Page 29] greater harvest. Nay, what sayes Solomon? Prov. 19.17. he that gives to the poore, lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him againe. I beseech you, mark that place: You give to a man, but God takes it not as a gift, he takes it as a debt; 'tis your gift, 'tis Gods debt; and he becomes the debtor and the surety for the poore man; you give to man, but you lend it to God, and God is at least debtor to himselfe and his owne truth.

Yea, but when shall I have it againe? sayes he there, God will (certainly) repay it, God will ( fully and abundantly) repay it, [...] In Piel. no man shall lose by God. My Brethren, take Gods word once, take him for your surety, and lend to him; he hath pawned his Honour and his Credit upon it, that you shall be repaid, first or last. Labour to improve your estates this way; yea, labour to settle something upon Posterity, put it into Gods hand: We will put (sometimes) a Portion into a friends hand for a child; trust God with it, he never dyes, he never breaks, he ever lives; make him your Executor, God will then provide for yours: The righteous, he gives, and he di­stributes, and his seed enjoyes the blessing: Oh! lay up your estates with God, lend unto God, lend it upon this Publike Faith, as it were, upon Gods Faith, and God will not faile you, he will certainly repay you againe. Thus you should labour to be willing unto this good work of mercy: Many reasons more we might presse you withall: I'le onely mind you of that of our blessed Saviour, in Acts 20. where it is said (it was a Proverb of his) that it is a more blessed thing for to give, then it is to receive: Doe not you think so? doe not you think your case better to be able to relieve others, rather then to be relieved by others? is it not in your eyes better and happier for you to have somewhat to give, then that you should be beholding to other men? sith it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive, be you more forward to give then modest men will be to receive gifts: Give cheerfully, blesle God that you have ability to give, and blesse God that you have opportunity to give, and a heart to give, and an affe­ction to give, and make God a sharer in your wealth, and in [Page 30]your plenty, and your selves sharers in this blessednesse, blesse your selves, blesse your houses, blesse your estates.

Yea but, Object. will some man say, a man may give indeed, give a­way all, if he will, that he hath; and then what shall become of himselfe and his?

The holy Ghost answers this; Answ. I referre you at your leisure to one Scripture, Eccles. 11. opened, see in Part. Tirin. ad locum. in Eceles. 11.1. and so forward; where the Wise man doth prevent all the Cavils and Objections that flesh and blood is ready for to make against this work of mercy. 1. Whereas a man would say, it is but cast away all that is given, it is lost and drowned (as it were) I shall never see it againe. No, sayes Solomon, though it may seem to be a throw­ing downe the streame; yet (sayes he) cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it many dayes after; first or last it will returne, it is gone but a voyage, it will come back with a great returne, thou shalt find it againe many dayes after: And whereas a man would say, Object. alas! there is no end of giving; there be so many poore that now want, that a man may exhaust himselfe sooner then repaire and satisfie them: Solomon an­swers him; Answ. give (sayes he) to seven, and give a portion also to eight; though they be many, proportion it accordingly; give to this man a little, and to that a little, that every body may have something of a little. Object. Yea, but l know not what times may come, Answ. and what I my selfe may be put to: Solomon an­swers him, Give (sayes he) for thou knowest not what evill may be upon the earth, therefore give while thou hast some­what to give, because thou knowest not how long thou shalt have it; therefore give, because thou knowest not what thy selfe mayest come unto: Thou mayest need mercy, therefore sow mercy, Object. that in time of need thou mayest reap. Yea, but, will some man say; it is true, I should pitty people, and so I doe with all my heart, I pitty them with my soule, but I am not able to help them, and to relieve them; I hope, the heart wlil be accepted: Solomon answers, If the Clouds be full of water they will drop down raine, Answ. that is certaine; if there be abun­dance of raine there, the Cloud will not keep it all to it selfe, it will impart it to the thirsty and hungry ground: So [Page 31]must we doe: thou hast mercy and charity in thy heart, and it pitties thy heart to see men in this misery: Oh! remember, if there be water in the Clouds some of it will drop downe; if there be mercy in thy heart, there will be some in thy hand too. Yea, but will some men say yet further; Object. if I were well seated & accommodated, then I could spare somewhat; but alas! I live in a corner, I live out of the way, I have no great trading, and it is not with me as it is with many others, I cannot give: Answ. So­lomon answers you; whether the Tree (sayes he) stands south, or whether it stands north; in a more fruitfull, or in a more barren place, yet it is the Lord's Tree still, cadit Domino, it fals to him, and it beares fruit to him, and so it will be with us too: If we be good Trees, let us live in the north or in the south, in a better place, or in a worse habitation, if so be we be good, somewhat will be comming, and we will yeeld some fruit; so Solomon tels us. Yea, this is true, Object. if so be a man did know how it would be accepted; I could find in my heart (in­deed) to give, but I know not how it will be taken; poore men are captious, and they will not take a little; and rich men will take exceptions; some will say, I doe it out of pride and ambition, and raise me (it may be) higher in the Subsidic book, because I am so forward and free of my purse, so that I know not what to doe: Solomon answers you; Answ. he that ob­serves the wind and the raine shall never plow, never sow; if a man will be still objecting, he shall never goe on with any work or service whatsoever. Yea, Object. but I know not the parties to whom I give; there are many hypocrites and dissemblers, that pretend a great deale of want when there is no such matter: if I did know the men, it were another matter: Solomon an­swers; Answ. Neither doest thou know how the child growes in the womb of her that is with child, but for all that thou must not starve the child; we must labour to doe that which is fit for us to doe, to follow our light, and our best wisdome and discretion, and when we have so done, leave the rest to God, Object. whose providence works (as it were) under the ground for us, as for the child. Yea, but I find in experience that I have been cheated and abused by fellowes heretofore, and that puts me [Page 32]off now, Answ. and discourages me: Solomon answers thee; in the morning sow thy seed (sayes he) and in the night let not thy hand slack; thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that; or whether both shall be alike; therefore cast not perils, but venture it (as it were) venture it sometimes, when thou hast nothing to the contrary, thou knowest not but it may succeed very well; howsoever, what thou doest in uprightnesse, and with thy best discretion, that God will accept, and that God will take in good part: Thus Solomon, you see, does wipe off those Objections that flesh, and blood, and unbeliefe is apt to make. I could (if it were needfull now) adde more which are answered sufficiently by many, specially by two of the Fathers, which professedly writ upon this Argument; the one is Cyprian, and the other is Bafil, and I must referre Schol­lers unto them: I should now adde some rules for your better working, Rules in gi­ving. as touching the ground and order of your giving; you must 1. give your selves to God, as Paul saith; 2. for matter, 2 Cor. 8.5. give your owne, whence Almes tearmed often righ­teousnesse by the Hebrewes and the 70.3. for time, doe it quickly whilst you live, See their Maz­kir, remem­brance of souls, &c. and men live, and not (as later Jewes doe) give for the dead, But of these and other rules I have spoken elsewhere, and you may read every where: and therefore I here conclude this Point. And now we have done with the two Acts of Cornelius; we heare what he was in point of Prayer, we heare what he was in point of Almes too: I perceive the time hath deceived me, and there­fore I will but touch upon the third point: I crave your pati­ence so long.

We have spoken of the things selves; here is yet something that would be said of the Person, that is, Cornelius; he was a Gentile, and (as it should seem) none of the best of the Gen­tiles neither, an Italian, his Name, his Band, and Host speak that way somewhat.

This Cornelius was also a Souldier, and amongst Souldiers an Officer; and yet notwithstanding, you see, that he was a praying man, a very godly, a very devout, a very mercifull man.

The thing that hence we had thought to have observed, is this: That there is no outward disadvantages that can excuse us from Gods service, or exempt us from Gods acceptance; Doct. wo will put in both: He served God, and he is accepted of God, notwithstanding his Country and his disadvantages; so that let a mans Country be what it will, let his calling be what it will, let his condition be what it will, if he serves God, God will accept of him, and of his services. We note this the ra­ther, because that Peter gives us the note in the 34. verse of this Chapter; I perceive indeed (sayes he) that God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that feares God, and works righteousnesse, is accepted of God, let him be what he will: but I dare not stand to prosecute this point.

All that we will now say for the Application of it, Use. is thus much: First, it takes off that lazy excuse that is made by many 1 men; they would serve God, and they would pray, and they would doe much, that they would, but they are not accom­modated accordingly: there be lets and hinderances in the way; the Time serves not, and the Place serves not, and their Calling serves not; thus many exceptions they have against the service and the worship of God. All these may be answered with one Cornelius, besides others, if time would have given leave. We see that Noah and some others, in the worst times, could find time to serve God: We see that some in Nere's house, and so in the worst places, have found place for to serve God: We see that some of those cal­lings that seeme to be farthest from Heaven and God, some of those Callings have served God: Gajus, it seems, was an Inne­keeper, yet a faithfull man; Cornelius a Souldier and a Com­mander, and yet a godly and a religious man: So that there is no place, no time no calling that can exempt us this way.

But then secondly, we had thought to have said something 2 of those that pretend they would serve God, but they feare it would not be accepted: and why not accepted? Oh! their per­sons are so meane and poore, and their services are so weake [...] [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [Page 34]and so contemptible, and their sinnes so great and so enormi­ous, that sure God will not accept of them. It is answered, God is no respecter of persons, in every Nation he is ready to heare every poore soule that seekes unto him, and calls upon him.

3 We should (in the nexe place) have called upon you all, to doe what you can in your families, sith that there is no man excluded from Gods acceptance, or Gods service; therefore have respect to your servants, even to the very, Kichin-boy; have respect to all that are within your compasse, and with­in your selves, doe what you can to reclaime them from sin, to bring them up in the knowledge and information of God: What knowest thou (sayes the Apostle) beleeving man, but thou mayst convert thy unbeleeving wife? So say I to you, what know you but that God may have pitty upon thy poore slave, thy poore apprentice, as well as upon thy selfe? Yea, what know you, but if you make a good choyce, and take a good course, and carry a good hand over them, but that Souldiers and those that lye in Garrisons, and repaire to your Ports, may be godly men, religious men, as Cornelius was?

And for your selves, let me call upon every man this day, to hasten to Gods service: You have all the advantages that may be; you live in a Land of uprightnesse, in a Goshen of light; you are under a Constellation (as it were) of ablest Ma­gistrates, and of ablest Minssters; who shall serve God, if you will not, that have all these helps, and these advantages? Therefore, art thou called to repentance? Never say, I can­not, I have no leisure, and the like; thou mayst have leisure and grace, God is able to break the hardest heart, he is able to melt the frozenest heart, and to subdue the sturdiest spirit; and therefore say not, thou canst not: Are you called to duty and service? Say not, I would pray, and I would heare, and I would doe many duties to God, but I cannot, I have not leisure, I have no time, my place will not beare it, my occasions will not suffer it: Thou mightst if thou hadst a heart; other men in the same circumstances, in as great difficulties, have [Page 35]served God, and waited upon him: Daniel was a man full of State-businesse, yet he finds his time for praying every day to God more then once or twice: Here is a Souldier in the Text, he can feare God, he can look after his Family, and he can restraine his Souldiers from pilsering, and plundering, and drinking, and swearing, he can doe it by Gods blessing upon his endeavours; and if he, why not others too? therefore doe not make any such lazy plea: Much lesse say, Oh, it will not be accepted! it will be accepted: Give but what thou canst give, God will accept it; pray but as thou canst pray, God will accept it; repent as thou art able to repent, and call in Gods help and assistance, God will accept it: What shall I say more to you? I am cut off, I am afraid to be too-to tedi­ous to you: And therefore I conclude abruptly; onely I have propounded unto you one Example and Patterne of mercy, presented unto you many Objects of mercy, and of compassi­on; now let me present unto you some more, and these are knowne well to your selves: Here is a true report, &c.

Here, according to the custome, a Catalogue was read of sundry Benefactors to the severall Hospitals, and such like Houses for charitable uses; and that done, the conclusion was as followes:

Thus you see (Beloved) here is work enough for your cha­rity to be imployed about; here are many Objects of mercy, many Arguments of mercy; here are Objects of all sorts: Old men and Babes, Widowes and Orphans, many poore persons that want stocks to set them on work, that would faine be im­ployed if they knew how: Here are also divers others that cry to you, that call upon you for mercy, and for re­liefe: The Arguments you have heard; Arguments from God; Arguments from Christ; Arguments from your selves; Arguments from the times; Arguments from your Brethren; Let me say all at once, God requires it, God cals for it, God commands it: God commanded once the Clouds, and they gave bread; God once commanded the Rocks, and they gave wa­ter; [Page 36]God once commanded a Raven for to carry meat to a Prophet, and the Raven did it: Oh! for Christs sake, let us not shew our selves more ravenous then the Raven, more rockie then Rocks themselves; and thus we leave our errand with you; another Theme I confesse would better have liked me, and perhaps more reached you; but I have answered your de­sure in my choyce, and, I confesse, the Subject is not unseasona­ble; the Lord goe with it.

Abners Funerall, OR, A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of that Learned and Noble Knight, Sir THOMAS LUCY.

Tis an hard thing to Funer all it well. Mo­ses pray'd GODS helpe in the case, and GOD (in part) helps us here by David. Psal. 90.12. He had the art of mourning. His heart was exercised, his hand in. Earst he mourned for King Saul, Prince Ionathan, 2 Sam. 1.17. [Page 2]and other his Allies; Now for Generall Abner.

This Abner fell very unseasonably, for Himself, for David, for all Israel. The King is sensible of it, solemnizes his Funerall, becomes the chiefe Mourner, and makes his Panegyricke. And, ha­ving passed through his other parts, is now upon his Peroration, where his Master-peece is, To wash his hands of Abner's blood; and his plea (stript out of its Rhetoricke) is this.

He that is truly sorry for the dead, and would (if he could) revenge his death, cannot reasona­bly be charged with the murder.

But this (saith David) is my case. I am sorry for Abners death; I am sorry for my self, that I can­not revenge his death.

And therefore no way chargeable with it.

The Conclusion is open; The first Proposition evident; The Assumption is made good by his practice.

1 1 He did not only mourne, but justifie it from reason. A man, A great man, A leading man was Slaine, Slaine in Israel. This was knowne, (if men would own their owne knowledge) and therefore they could not strange at his practice, in Forbear­ing Meat, Vers. 35.3. in Feeding upon Teares.

2 And for the Second; Whereas it might be said, Object. Many like the Treason, though they cry out of the Traitor; and contrive the slaughter, though they weepe over the slaine: If Davids heart went not with the murder, why is not his hand upon the Murderer?

Davids Answer is, Sol. He was willing (but not a­ble) [Page 3]to doe Abner right, his estate being yet unset­led, and the concurrents ( The sons of Zerviah) po­tent in Court, and. Camp: and therefore execution is perforce futured.

So then, David here reconciles things (seem­ingly) incompatible, and gives an accompt of himselfe.

• I. Why he did mourne. 1
• II. Why he did no more. 2

Mourne he could, More he could not: and that's the very Truth.

Let us now survey Davids practice, and trace his steps.

First, you see him refusing comfort, and inviting sorrow. Next you finde him so imbroild, that he knowes not well which way to turne him.

• 1 In the first we will take notice of his grief, and 1
• 2 Of his ground; whence he infers it. 2

A man (saith he) is slaine: A Considerable man of place and worth is slaine, and that in Israel. This is the ground of his sorrow; and these his terms and expressions are no way inconsistent.

The man may be great, a Great Prince, of great authoritie, and yet Die: For, Greatnesse will not keepe from Death: Nay let's give this Propositi­on its full extent.

No Greatnesse will keepe from any Death. Doct. 1 No Greatnesse, none.

• 1 Not of Strength. There be that Die (saith Iob 1 Chap. 21.23, 24.) in the strength of their perfection, or in their most perfect strength, when there is not the least decay in Nature.
• [Page 4]2. Not of Birth. The high (saith Iob, nay the Princes, Iob 34 19.) fall, and that like others, Psal. 82.7. [...] as well as [...] Psal. 49.
• 3 3 Not of Parts, Ver. 10. As dies the foole so the wise.
• 4 4 Not of Place, Ver. 12.
• 5 5 Not of Meanes and Friends, Ver 7:
• 6 6 In One,
  Psal. 89.48.
  No Earthly Greatnesse will deliver. No [...] (let his Strength lye where it will the word is large) shall deliver himselfe from the Grave. Death he must See, that is, Feele, as all senses be a kinde of Feeling.

2 II. No Greatnesse will free from any Death. No not from any.

• 1 1 Not from a Bloody Death. Witnesse great Sa­neherib. 2. King. 19. ult.
• 2 2 Not from a Base Death. Witnesse Queen Ie­zabel. 2. Kings 9. ult.
• 3 3 Not from an Vnnaturall Death. Witnesse that great Statist, and President of Counsellors, Achito­phel, 2 Sam. 17.23.
• 4 4 Not from the most Contemptible Death. Wit­nesse King Herod, at his highest. Act. 12.23.

But why doe I insist, where every Schoole-boy can inlarge upon the same Theame? One Abner is an instance of all, being every way great; Great in Strength, able to lead the bravest Armie then in being: Great in Spirit, who would not give his Head for washing, not take his advantage of Asahel the Assailant: Great in Place, Captaine of the Guard, and that to Three Princes in succession: To warlike Saul: To Prince Isbosheth: and now [Page 5]consigned by valiant David: Great in Power and Authority, able to contest with his Master, and able to sway all Israel at his pleasure. This mighty Ab­ner lyes Dead before you, and fals from Greatest Greatnesse, into the Lowest Pit suddenly.

Shall I give you one Reason for all?

Greatnesse will not keepe from any one Cause: Reas therefore not from any one Kinde of Death.

1 The Causes of Death, (if we speake of Death at 1 large) are,

• 1 Morall, or Legall. Sin and Guilt. 1
• 2 Naturall, or Physicall. Dyscrasy, Disproporti­on, &c. 2

Earthly Greatnesse can free from none of these, (as experience hath taught us.) Indeed if this Greatnesse could take off Adams Guilt, free from all Sinne, deliver from all Distemper, Morall or Natu­rall: Then might it give a Supersedeas from Death. But the first is not possible: Therefore the second is no way feasable.

2 If wee speake of this Death, Violent Death; 2 (so to call it) this, you know, growes from Innate Impotency, and Deficiency, and Forraine, either Sus­pension of Influence, Ayds and Supplies: Iertul. Vide de Anima. cap. 52.53. &c. or forcible Impressions, and Incursions made beyond all power of Resistance: Now here Greatnesse, is also at a stand: Great men be as tender, as passive as others; Depend as much as others, and Stand by a Manutention; Lye as open, as others, to Invasions and Assaults. Nay Greatnesse is sometimes Vnweldy of it selfe, Et mole suâ ruit: Sometimes it sets a man more in the Eye of Envie, and face of Danger; and in [Page 6]stead of sheltring him, makes him a fairer marke. At all times 'tis Finite, and may be matcht. There is an Higher than the Highest, that will make but Morter of those under foot, as 'tis, Esay 41.25. At least, Esay 41.25. what's wanting in Power, may be made up in Number, which is all one. Many Shoales of small Fish may encounter the greatest Whale. Many Swarmes of Flies and Frogs may invade King Pha­raoh, and his Kingdome. Cave multos, si singulos non times: Maximinus. said one to that great Tyrant. Leo fortis est & occiditur. Elephas grandis est, & occiditur, &c. The stoutest Lion, the greatest Elephant, the fiercest Tygre may be violently slain: a Sword will pierce, a Gun will shoot, Fire will burne, Water will drowne, nay a Raisin-stone, a Fly, an haire will choak the greatest Monarch living. We have said enough to so ordinarie a point. Vide instances in some Popes and Princes. Only we are to make our use of it, before I dismisse it; and that I shall (instantly) doe, if first I shall be bold to tell you what you are to trust to. You see how it fares with Funerall Sermons. They are (mostly) made but matters of forme, and men come to them as to great Feasts. The first Course, wherein GOD is most concern'd, is lightly passed over: The se­cond, wherein Man is represented, is most expe­cted, and stood upon. For the preventing of this, I pray you understand, That you are not to expect any Second course at all: But such provision as I could make, in this my indisposednesse, you shall have served in altogether. This said, I have now a double addresse. Ʋses.

• 1 1 The first to, us little ones.
• [Page 7]2 The other, to you of greater marke and place. 2

First, Vse 1 we of lower ranck must learne to reine in our strong affections to an earthly greatnesse: For why should we be so licorish after that, which is of so little availe? Moderate therefore (as all, so chiefly) these affections.

• 1 Great Feares. 1
• 2 Great Hopes. 2
• 3 Great Desires after great things here. 3

For Feares, It is the Prophets Inference, Psal. 1 48.5. Why should I feare, when I am threatned; and another inriched? Nay, 'tis GODs owne use. Esay 51.12, and 7.8. verses. Who art thou, that fearest a dying man, fading grasie, a little Wormes­meate, Mothes-meat?

O, but, he is a great man, Object. and may doe me a shrewd turne.

Feare him, as Great, with a Feare of Reverence, Answ. as a larger Picture of Almighty GOD, whose is Greatnesse, and all great things. As great Ce­dars are Ce­dars of God, &c, great Ci­ties, Moun­taines, &c. are Gods.

But feare him not with a Feare of Basinesse (feare him not so, as out of Cowardise to decline station, balk duty, swallow sin, dissemble truth) Why? He is a dying man, saith GOD, and his greatnesse will be devoured of Mothes. So basely to feare a dying man begins in weaknesse, and ends in a snare, Prov. 29.25. Therefore qualifie those Feares.

2 For Hopes, Heare Esay, Chap. 2. last. Cease 2 from Man, whose breath is in his nostrils: Esay 2, ult. wherein is he to be valued? O! he is a Great, a promising man: Yea, But is not his breath in his nostrils, rea­dy to be let out? If so, Cease from hoping in, or [Page 8]trusting on him. Psal. 146. Heare David, Trust not in the Son of man. What if he be a Prince? Trust not in Prin­ces. Psal. 146.3. Oh, but they have noble thoughts. Yea, but those dye with, or before them. Why should I be infinite? Ver. 4. Is he a Man, Man at his best, Every man, (every whit of him) is not only vaine, Psal.36.5. & 62.9. but vanitie. Nor so only, He is upon the Ba­lance and Triall, lighter than vanitie it selfe. There­fore cast not thy Anchor of Hope there. Hope (if thou see cause) with an Humane Hope of Charitie and possibilitie: Beware of any higher Hope of Cer­rainty, of Infallibilitie. No doubt but many Ca­ptaines, their Hopes rose and fell with rising and fal­ling Abner.

3 3 But the third Affection, Desire, is that I most insift upon. Great Desires to earthly things, disco­ver little Judgement. These are,

• 1 1 Founded in Weaknesse.
• 2 2 Fed with Wind.
• 3 3 End in Smoke.

1 For the first. Their Rise is weaknesse, as experi­ence (after Reason) shewes. Foundation. Who so longing as the languishing person? Who so climbing as the veriest childe? So ambitious as the basest Bram­ble? What so aspiring as Winde and emptinesse? So ravening as the emptiest stomack? A massy man, of true worth indeed, brings worth to things, borrows none from them.

2 For the Second. Food. What is the food and fuell of these desires? Truly Wind. We may say of all these Sublunaries, what Salomon saith of one particular; They are not. Prov. 23.5. And shall our desires and eyes fly up­on [Page 9] Nothing. They are Nothing in realitie, and ver­tue. What they be, they be (as Tertullian some­where) in Phantasie. Absolute greatnesse (out of GOD) is not. There's no such thing among Crea­tures. The most is, Arist. (as the Philosopher notes) but a Comparative Greatnesse.

Thus we call somethings great, compared to

• 1. Little things: As Ten shillings is a great deale 1 of monie to a Farthing token, and yet what's ten shillings?
• 2. To little persons and Capacities. So to a 2 low apprehension a little thing is great. Thus to a Child, every Puddle is a Poole; every Poole a Sea: every Reed a Speare; every Hollow Stick a Gun: Not because these are great, but because he is little; as Rome was once formidable, because the neighbours were contemptible.
  Florus.
  But lay the compa­rison right, and bring these poore things to the Standard, and what are they? Alas! compared to the Great GOD they are lesse than Littlenesse.
  Isa. 40.15, 17.
  All persons and things cast in the Balance beare not proportion with one drop of the Bucket, beare not the weight of one dust in the Balance. What's one dust to the whole Balance? What's that to the Earth? What's one drop to the full Bucket? And what's the Bucket to the Well? The Well to the Sea? And what are all these laid in one to the Mighty GOD? Nothing, and lesse than nothing, saith that high Prophet. Nay what is all here be­low to those vast bodies above?
  Ver. 17.
  And then what is such an Iland as this compared to some other Kingdomes and Continents? What? But a lit­tle [Page 10]Moat, and Swans-nest? So true is that, which out Masters have taught us of old: Nothing is sim­ply great, but in reference to what is lesse.
• 3 3. But let them be as big as phantafie can make them:
  End. Prov. 23.5.
  they have (as Salomon adds) Wings, but no hands under those wings. Wings to fly from us: no Hands to doe ought for us. Load us they can with great feares, cares, envies, jealousies, distractions: but helpe us they cannot in the day of sicknesle; much lesse in the houre of death. Ask the grea­test, what Death, what Hell, shall I say? Nay, what sorrow, what sicknesse, what ach, what pain, can these, All these great nothings either prevent, or remove, or asswage? Ah Smoke! meer Smoke! which carry with them some trouble, but little or no warmth or comfort.

All which being (confessedly) so, let me say to you what our LORD said to his Disciples: Are these the things you looke upon? Mat. 24.2. And what GOD said to Baruch, Seekest thou great things for thy selfe? seeke them not. [...] 45 ult. Enjoy them you may, if cast upon you: But earnestly seeke them not: Leave these to that poore fellow in Seneca, who was all for this Poore Greatnesse, S [...]. in. Suasoria. 2. Sencio. who in all haste must be a Grandee, and thereupon lookt big, spake big, and bomba­sted himselfe out with big cloathes, and so became a great Foole. Leave these to those dark men, who never came where greatnesse grew, whose highest ambition was to heare (Great) Alexander the great; Mahomet the great: Pompey the Great; the great Cham; the Grand, Signior; the great Mogor; the King of Kings; the Cali Fillus; the Mundi-Dominus, [Page 11] &c. Let us, who have as many Eyes as the Chinois boast of, learne of Christian men, Vid. Bot. re­lati. l. 5; of the Chinois. Salvia. de pre­vid. l. 5. ad cal­cem. what greatnesse is. If thou wilt be Great, saith Salvian, be great in vertue, outstrip men that way. If thou wilt out-shine others, get goodnesse, get Wisedome, saith Salomon. If thou wilt get above all, be most usefull, and servicable, saith our Saviour. This the way. The greatest greatnesse, is goodnesse: for that sets us nearest to the greatest GOD, and good. Eccl. 8.1. Zep. 2.3. Therefore let goe those things which will never satisfie, never set us above a Pagan: and seek high, great things indeed. Seeke righteousnesse, seek meek­nesse, seeke faith; nay, greaten these, abound in these, and other graces: Psal. 46.15. then shall ye be Princes in all the Earth: you shall raigne with GOD, and, Iacob-like, Prince. it with him. This greatnesse Spirituall is feisable: this will set you above all these Mole­hils below, Hos. 11.12. & 12.3. and will at last free you (though not from the stroke and sense of sicknesse and death: yet) from the sting, venome, curse, bondage, and hurt of all. Here stop: here sit we downe.

My second addresse is to you great Ones. Ʋse 2 My humble suite to you is this, That you will bee true to your selves; and know, that in despite of all greatnesse, Reade Ezekiel 32. where 5. or 6. instances are given. ver. 17.18. ad finem usque. you must die. The truth is, greatnesse flatters men, and men flatter it. If great Ones will not deale tru­ly with themselves, they must not expect it from others. Herein Povertie hath an advantage above Greatnesse, that it meetes with plaine dealing; so doth not this. We dare tell a poore man, that he is not like to last, and bid him Set his house in or­der: But what servant, what friend, (nay al­most [...] [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [Page 12]I had said) what Physitian, what Esaiah will say so to an Hezekiah? We dare call a poore mans sin, Sin, and tell him, that his ignorance is dange­rous, his pride damnable, his formalities foppe­ries; and bid him sit sure. But for the rich and mighty, Cajetan we say in the words of the Cardinall in an­other case— Si vult decipi, Decipiatur. If a poore Curre runne away with ftolne goods, wee pursue him, and rate him, till he resigne: but who dares take the Beare by the tooth? the Lion by the Beard, and say Restore? Sith then few, or none will bee faithfull to you, be ye good to your selves: And, if you will hold a distance from your teachers, and not (with some great ones) admit of other Mo­nitors, be your owne, Memento Mori, Philip. &c. and tell your selves, that you also are Mortall: els wee shall Immortalize you, as some would Alexander. Call your selves Sinners; Ʋid. Hist of Lewes the 11. els we, (with that Chartrous Monk in story) Saint all who will fee and supple us. Con­sult your owne bodies, and senses, and see a decay there. Or, if you will abroad, improve this dou­ble instance. See here a Noble Paire, and establish your selves in this truth, by the testimonie of two mouths, two bodies; both not long before their ends valiant, both vigorous, both presenting as well, and promising as much as we can, and now both lie Dead before you. Nay, seeing Examples knowne and at hand worke best, and the Eye (of senses) most affects the heart; See here under view a Man accomplished, and made up of all the Contributions of Art and Nature; Pythagoras. a Man, in whom concurred all those things, which the Philosopher [Page 13]could thinke to beg of his God: to wit, Beautie, D. navec. Riches, firme Constitution of body and mind: Such a Braine, such an Heart, as the most learned Phy­sitian never saw. And thence inferre: that, There is no Redemption from the Grave. For certainely, if greatnesse of wit, of learning, of spirit, of riches, of friends, of allies: if greatnesle of care in servants, of atendance in Yokefellow, of skill in Physitians, of affection in all, could have kept off Death; wee had not been thus overcast, and clouded this day. Mors sceptrali­gonibus aequat. aquo pode pul­sat. &c. & que sequm­tui pasoim. But no outward greatnesse will doe it; Death knowes no measures, no distances, no degrees, no differences, but sweepes away all, and either finds, or makes them Matches.

To you then; O yee sons of the mighty, is my mes­sage. Set your houses in order: for you must dye. You are left behinde to make ready: Oh prepare for death, for any death, nay for sudden death: for why may not you fall in your strength, in your Journie, aswell as Abner? Say then, Are ye ready, now ready? is your Will made? your Pardon sealed? could you dye this houre? in this place? If so, happy yee, in case you Stay for death, not death for you. But if as yet you bee not Shot-free, and Death-proofe, what doe yee meane? why doe ye defer? What? Doe yee thinke that death feares greatnesse? or will bee answered with Complements? Or doe yee thinke that greatnesse of spirit, of meanes, of chearfullnesse, of Titles can beare you out? Or that it is all one to die in a Bra­vado, and in cold blood? Or that death is the same in the hand of a man, and of GOD? Or that a: [Page 14] Lord have mercy, or two, an houre or two before you are all dead, will serve the turne? No, no, it's a worke of works to Die. that is, Actively and Cheerfully to resigne life. The best, who have been about it, all their life, finde all provisions little e­nough. And therefore doe not thinke to slight and to outlooke that King of Feares, that top-gal­lant: but feare before hand, that you neede not feare at any hand.

And yet let me advertise you of another extre­mity, and that is base-feare: for that will barre up the doores against all thought of death, Vitellius trepi­dus, dein'temu­lentus, Tac. and set you, either on Drinking with him in the storie; or on some other Diversion, therby to drowne, or to forget your feares.

There is (as elsewhere I have discoursed)

• 1 1 A Spirituall Feare of death. There is,
• 2 2 A naturall. Neither of which may bee disswaded. The Feare, I give warning of, is,
• 3 3 A Base, Cold, Carnall Feare, which will make a man creepe into an Augre-hole, swallow any sin, admit of any slaverie; which will kill one dai­ly, because he must once die,
  Heb. 2.
  and keepe him a per­petuall slave, and prisoner. This the feare I would not have you Cowed by: and this feare you may competently overcome, if you will set right the
  • 1 1 Judgement,
  • 2 2 Conscience.
  • 3 3 Heart; The Inward man: Things, (upon another occasion) lately spoken to, not here to be rehearsed.

At present, this is all. Mistake not Death,

• 1 It is not, in it selfe, the greatest of evils. As 1 there be better things than this poore life; GODS favour, GODS image, the Life of CHRIST, Eternitie, &c.
  Vid. Animad­versions of Bish. of Sa­num on Gods Love to Man­kind.
  So are there worse things than this death; Hell is worse, Sin is worse, GODS Curse is worse, Corruption worse; Morall, Sinfull Evils worse than this, which is painefull, and evill only to Nature. And reason we have to grieve more for being in a possibilitie, and proximitie of sinning, than of dying.
• 2 This Death is not so simply, and intrinsecally 2 evill, as that no good can be made of it. Nay, this may be improved, and death may bee the death of all our deaths; of deadly diseases, corruptions, temptations, of all. Thus simply considered it is not so formidable, as that we must fling away our weapons, desert our station, and fly,
  Excessum dix. Tert. contra Ʋa­lent. & Cypria. Ep. 3. Luk. 2. 29., Phil. 1 23. Iob 14. 14 Ioh. 11. 11. & Passim. Aliud demuta­tio, aliud perdi­tio. Tert. de re­sur. c. 55. Plin. Nat bist. lib. 7 & 55. Hic rogo: non furor est ne mo­riare mori. Mart. lib. 2. E­pigram.
  (as once Israel) at the voice of this Goliah.

But now Death to a Christian becomes ano­ther thing. It hath lost its name: and hears a De­parture, a Dissolution, a Change, a Sleepe, &c. and we should take up GODS language.

It hath lost its Nature and Relation: tis not to such an one Penall, but Medicinall: destructive, but (fetching its denomination from its terme) per­fective. Looke upon it under a new Notion; and then you will not be of poore Plinies minde, That It doubles ones paine, and death, to Forethinke the issues of it. No, it doubles your strength, and makes your courage redoubted: therefore view it, and spare not: but view it thus.

• [Page 16]1 Look upon it, not as destructive, tending to ru­ine: but as a meane and way to life. Looke be­yond it; See what stands behinde it; A Crowne of Glory, of Life, of Blisse. And this end will sweeten and smooth the way: it will dare amica­bilitatem mediis.
• 2 2 Looke upon it, as a Rod in GODs hand. This (as other strokes) is moderated by him, and hee can make a Rod a Staffe, Psal. 23. yea turne Mo­ses serpent into a Rod, and worke with that Rod Won­ders. Death is a cup in our Fathers hand, as well as sicknesse, and workes wonders.
• 3 3 Looke upon Death in CHRIST. Hee hath conquered it in his Person, and will in his Members. See how unable death was to separate him from the Godhead, and shall be us from GOD, Rom. 8.38.
  Rom. 8.38.
  See how hee hath intercepted and cut off Deaths succours. Whereas death borrowed its Sting from sinne, and Strength from the Law and Curse:
  1 Cor. 15.56.
  CHRIST hath disarmed them all of all their destroying, killing power; and cald us, with S. Paul, to set our foot upon their neckes, and to sing: O Death! O Sinne! O Curse! O Hell! where's your power? &c. Yea see him, having kild Death, and buried the Grave, fetching Honey and sweet out of the strong, turning Death into a Li­ving Friend,
  1 Cor. 3 ult.
  and most usefull servant, 1 Cor. 3. ult. subdued to us Death, and so made it Ours.

O view death in the face of CHRIST, make him your Second in this Duell; and then you are freed from the feare, and so from the bondage of death: then you are Menindeed, Freemen. A [Page 17]Man is not himselfe, but a Slave, till hee can either Live, or Die (as this noble Gentleman and I were wont to discourse.) The only he is free, when (with S. Paul) he can abound and want, bee sicke and well; can live, or die. Nay then you shall be brave accomplisht men indeed; some of GODs Rab­bins, as Daniel cals them. Vid. cap. 9.27. Ʋt & Job 32.9 A man is not to be held a man, because he dares meet a man, and can look any man in the face. (A great matter to looke a Worme in the face!) But then you shall be men; when you can looke any paine in the face, any fit in the face, any danger, any death in the face: when you can looke Judgement, and the unpartiall Judge in the face. This is to bee a Man. [...] 1 Cor. 16.13. Thus Man-it.

And, sith your greatnesse cannot keepe you from Dying, let your Goodnesse keepe you from sink­ing, perishing, and losing by Death.

Thus for Davids ground of sorrow, as that must be Rationall, and stand upon ground.

Now followes his inference and practice.

A man great and considerable fals: Therefore David fals upon mourning, and pleads for it.

• 1 A man is slaine: and upon grounds of huma­nitie 1 David would mourne.
• 2 Next, a publike man, now upon a publike 2 service and errand, is slaine: and upon reasons of State, David would appeare a Mourner.
• 3 A man so usefull was slaine in Israel; and in 3 point of Religion, David is to lament, and seemes to Wonder at his Servants Wondring at his practice. Know yee not (saith he, &c.) q. d. If you owne your [Page 18]owne eyes and knowledge, you cannot but know, that I have reason to be sensible of this stroke.

Hence our second Inference.

When great men are taken from us, Doct. 2 we must be affected with it.

When Abners fall (men great of place, and use both) we must have a sense of it, and observe it for use. Zach 4.7. Dan. 4.10. Ezck. 31 8.14. When Mountaines are shaken, and Ceders shattered. When pillars are Pulled downe, and Stars of greatest magnitude hide their heads, we must resent this with David, and improve it unto forrow.

Shall I need to prove these ordinary and confes­sed truths? Salomon tels us, that A wise man layes any mans death to heart. Eccl 7.2. And Isaiah chides us, if we let an usefull man (though private) passe out 01 of the world, Esay 57.1. without observation. What would hee say in case we should burie a man of publike use and spirit, without an Ah his glory! what in this case hath beene done, it is needlesse to report. I will not lead the simplest out of his owne know­ledge. Who knowes not what lamentations were taken up for Patriarch Iacob, Gen. 50.10. 2 Chro. 32 33 2 Chro. 35.24 25. great Hezekiah, good Iosiah? who hath not heard of Elisha's Epitaph, The Horsemen, 2 King. 13.14. and Chariots of Israel: and that from a man not of best note? And lest you should im­pute all this to the greatnesse only of mens place, without respect had to mens use and worth, the Holy Ghost is pleased to set a marke upon the Coffin of persons lesse publike, and more obscure when they were use full. Thus Nurse Deborah a profitable member, leaves a marke upon the [Page 19]place of her buriall, The Oke of Weeping, more fa­mous than the Oke of Reformation, in our Storie: Gen. 35.8. Thus mercifull Dorcas (rather Tabitha) was cove­red with teares, as she covered others with cloaths, Act. 9.39.

Nor was this solemne mourning only for men and persons eminent for pietie: but for others, who in Morall and Politicall considerations were, in their way, usefull. Thus holy David weepes over Captaine Abner, of whose pietie wee heare not much: All that his friend and Countrey-man saith of him; is, That he was a Prudent man, Iosephus. well qualifi­ed for naturall parts.

Thus he much bewails the death of Abners master King Saul, and lets not to tell the State, 2 Sam. 1.17. that their losse in him is great; not because his forwardnes in Religion was much: only he was a good Hus­band for the Publike, Vers. 24. and a brave Commander; no lesse active and valiant, than he was comely and proper. Ratio res Dei. Tert. But Reason is GODs, as well as Scri­pture: Reasons. Reas 1 we bind up the Point with Three Reasons.

• 1 If we looke upon such men, as they are mem­bers of a Body-Politique, the losse is great. If the Body cannot say of the Foot (nay of one Toe of the foot, nay of one joynt or naile of the toe) I have no need of thee:
  1 Cor. 12.27.
  much lesse can it say so of a more no­ble part. There is a losse, a maime in the least, and the body is sensible of it: much more when an eye, or hand, or arme is taken off: And Great Persona­ges are Eyes, Hands,
  Dan. 11.15.22.31.
  nay Armes.
• 2 If wee consider such as Heads over charges, Reas 2 who knows not what an influence they have upon [Page 20]Inferiours? and what a dependence there is upon them? They? Why they are as Pinnes, whereon many Vessels hang, Isaiah 22. As great Okes, which yeeld life to many Sprigs; shade and shelter to more. One such a Sunne is more than a Thou­sand Candles: with one so pregnant and big-belli­ed, hundreds live and die.
• 3 If we view them as they relate to GOD, Reas 3 and are subjects wrought upon by him, The stroke is the greater: Because it is a Messenger of some Wrath. When GOD thus Beheads a Family, or Towne, or Countrey, there's a great breach made with such a blow: when he, who should stand in the gap, is taken away, Ier. 5.1. 'Tis farther an ill presagement, as Isaiah foretels, cap. 3. The Pilot lost, the whole Ship is hazarded: The Captaine (as the Seventie here read it) may be more than all his Companie,
  [...].
  and weigh downe Thousands, as Davids Souldiers once said.
  2 Sam. 18.3

In short, In one head is Vertually contained the whole body. Iudg. 9.53. Wound Abimeleck there, and where's Abimeleck?

I apply now in some haste, and must divide my selfe againe betwixt Great, Ʋses. and Small.

And first, Vse 1 let me begin with you of the High­er Ranke and Marke. And my suite to you is, That you will answer your places, and be Vsefully Great, which only Greatens you. The Great GOD doth not measure men by Inches, Men of Mea­sures in Mose. as sometimes men doe: Nor by an outward Greatnesse: Here­gards not the armes, or legs of a man: Hee respects the Rich no more than the poore: Psal. 147.10. Job 34.19. The thing hee [Page 21]looks to, is Vertue, Serviceablenesse, that is the thing. Gen. 1.16. The Moone is a Great Light because of Great Use. A lew at Berea is more eminent, and Honourable than another elsewhere, Act. 17.11. because more Consciencious. There is, (you know) a Greatnes in Bulke, and in worth. A Larke may be more than a Kyte, though not in bulk, yet in worth. Molis & virtu­tis. There is (they say) a Greatnesse Belluine, & Genuine. in that a beast may and doth exceed us: In this we exceed our selves, and others; and in this only. No man is the better simply for his Greatnesse, unlesse it bee attended with goodnesse. So much we may learne from wiser times: For, sithence men understand themselves, they let fall those Swelling and emptie Titles of Greatnesse; few re­joyced in that name, unlesse great worth and at­chievements put it upon them; As it fared with Constantine, and some few others. They were gladly heard, Wise, Learned, Pious, Philosopher, Philopater, and the like. And, when men would honour them with attributions of worth, they sti­led them Nedibims [...], Optimates, and other like, sounding their true worth, Bountifull Be­nefactors &c. and carrying meat in the mouth. Yea so much we may learne from Highest (that is Divine) Language. Wisedome it selfe, when it pleaseth to bestow honours upon men, cals them Fathers, Foster-fathers, Saviours; and the like. Which some also, 1 King. 5.13. Exod. 20. Esay 49 23. Act. 7.35 H [...]b 4.8. Selcu [...]hus Soter. without the pale of the Church, either affected or enjoyed. As An­tiochus Soter: Antigonus in Suidas. &c.

So then, in true judgement, the stile and thing, hat truly honours and enobles a man is Good­nesse, [Page 22]therein a man most neerely toucheth the Best and Highest Good, Psal. 119.68. our Ever-blessed GOD, whose highest title is that in the Psalme. He is good, and doth good.

I cannot enlarge. I will lay before you one on­ly instance, of Father and Sonne in the same fami­ly, who ranne their severall waies with different successe. The Father was Iosiah;, Hee was all for Goodnesse. Good he was, and did Good to GODs house, and people. The Sonne was Shallum; (whe­ther so term'd in scorne, and reference to another Shallum, I have not to say) He was all for an earth­ly Greatnesse. Before he was well warme in his Fathers Throne, he had great thoughts, and would not take it as his Father did: Hee would build a stately Palace, much enlarge himselfe, and (as it seemeth by one affix in the Text, Ier. 22.14.) would take in a peece of GODs house too. Thus they steared their course. My Windows the Hebrew. Now what was the issue?

• 1 In Life, the one prospered: the other went backward. Did not thy father prosper? (saith GOD) to the Sonne. Ier. 22.15.
• 2 In Death, the one had a most honourable interment. All Israel mourned for him, mourned much, mourned long: the other (like the unhappy sonne of another good father) lived undesired,
  Lam. 4.20.
  died unlamented, and was buried with the buriall of an Asse,
  2 Chro. 21.20 Ier. 22.18, 19.
  no man weeping over him.

Give me leave to use my ancient freedome. In these read your selves, and your owne Lot. If you (with Shallum, and his Brethren) make none other use of your Greatnesse, but to Roh GOD, Pride [Page 23]your selves, and oppresse the poore; your Great­nesse shall be your Shame, as 'twas Shebna's, and shall end in Basenesse and Contempt. Well may men blesse, and flatter you, whiles hore you mag­nifie and adore your selves: But when you are Dead, they'll trample upon your faces, and curse you as fast. At your Grave none shall mourne: See some Em­porous, Herod. &c. un­lesse Fee'd, or Forced (as once it befell others) ra­ther they will rejoyce at your fall (as once at ano­thers in Esa. 14. and your names shal be written in the dust, and buried in oblivion: Or if they remain, they shall Lie as Carrion above ground, and become a Curse. Prov. 10.7. Esay 25.25.

On the other side, If you shall improve your Greatnesse to GODs glory, and to the Countries good; to the Churches growth, and meas com­fort; you shall not need with Absalom, Otho, Iuli­an, or any other Publicola, to Hunt for applause: Honour will hunt out you, and you shall not avoid it. Whiles you live you shall live in the hearts and desires of men, they will pray for yours, and praise GOD for you: And when you die you shall not need a Trumpet or Herald to sound your worth: Every man will bee a Trumpet; every man will make an Oration; All Israel will mourn, in heart, and not in face, and forme. Oh, Chuse rather to bee buried with Prayers and Thankes, than with Curses and Complaints: Set your Servants, Tenants, Neighbours on weeping, rather than on laughing, at your Graves. So live, that there may be Vse of you, whilest you live, and Misse of you, when you are dead. That is; Bee humble, modest, godly, sober in your selves. [Page 24]Bee helpfull, comfortable, profitable unto others. When you are gone, theres no more remaining of you, but your Goodnesse. The question will not bee, How Rich, How Great, How Gallant you were. The questions will bee, What did he? Who was the better for him? If none, What made he in the World? An unprofitable man, whilest living, is dead: A usefull member, when dead, yet lives. Live, Live, Live quickly, Live much, Live long. So you are welcome to the world: els, you are but Hissed and Kickt off this Stage of the World, Phocas by He­raclius. as another was. Nay many (as Iob. 27.23 & V. 15.) who were buried before halfe dead.

2 For us of a Lower forme, Ʋse 2 (nay lets take in all.) This I say. Either we yet have, or have not Lea­ding 1 men among us.

• 1 If as yet wee see some Starres, in this great darknesse; lets joyfully en­tertaine them, as Wisemen did once another, Mat.
• 2. Doe but thinke what an Army is, without a Captaine; a Ship, without a Pilot; and Head, with­out a Body; what a misery it is, to live without order; to be where men Talke all at once, and none can lay his hand upon other, or command silence. Truly such a Paritie bordersneer upon an Anarchie, and confusion: and wee much forget our selves, if we neglect this mercy of having Usefull men. When Israel had a Salomon, they divided their time,
  Psal. 72.15.
  betweene Praying, and Praising GOD for him.

Tis a misery never to see the Face, but the Back only of mercies. 'Tis a frowardnesse to see no­thing but faults in men, whilest we have them: [Page 25]and then nothing but whine, when we lose them.

Take heed that you doe not Brawle Moses out of the world; and then Scratch him out of his Grave againe, unlesse GOD hide him from you.

Crosses sting deeply, when Mercies Passe lightly, See what you have, before you cease to have it.

Have wee lost any Abner from amongst us? David prompts us our lesson. We must feele our lesse.

And here, What would become of mee, should I let out my selfe, and pursue my thoughts! How many brave Schollars, Souldiers, Statesmen have wee seene laid in the Dust! Nay, what Mighty Starrs have within our memorie, beene hidden from us! What should I bee medling with Crownes? Three mighty Princes and men in their severall wayes. Or speak what a blow England, France, Swedeland; &c. have received upon their very Head, in this our age.

These bee Subjects of a Fairer Pen, and higher discourse. I have my hands and heart full with our present Instance. Our friend Lazarus sleepes, and we cannot wake him. In this one Bottome we have all our interests, and suffer a wrecke.

A Noble Lady hath lost, not an Husband (as shee saith) but a Father.

Many Children have lost, not a Father, but a Counsellour.

An house-full of Servants have lost, not a Ma­ster but a Phisitian; who made, (as I am informed) their sicknesse his, and his physick and cost theirs.

Townes-full of Tenants have lost a land. Lord, that could both protect and direct them in their owne way.

The whole Neighbourhood have lost a Light.

The Countie a Leader.

The Countrey a Patriot; To whom he was not wanting, till he was wanting to himselfe, in his former vigor and health.

What would David say in such a case? Truly, as he said, a Sam. 7. Weepe yee daughters of Ierusalem, for king Saul, &c. And what can I say lesse, than Weepe ye poore, within doores; yee poore, without: yee poore old people, whom he kept alive, by studying how to fit you with worke: Yee poore, in the bordering Townes, to whom hee sent, with David, A Peece of flesh with Bread, a Sam. 6.19. every yeare: Yea, Mourne, yee Gates, who were kept warme, with weekely provisions for the neighbouring poore. Yea Mourne, all Allies, and Aliens; Rich and Poore; Old and Young. For a Publike losse, let there be a Publike lamentation.

Speake I these things after the manner of men? To Deifie the Dead; To Gratifie the Living? No, I speake of A Man, Iam. 5. A Man (with Great Elijah) sub­ject to like passions with us: A Man, who cast himselfe lower than you, or I dare cast him. For in Saint Pauls words he said, That he was of sin­ners the chiefe: Of such a Man I speake, and will say no more of him, than what hath a faire Prospect to your Profit. We must do him Hine [...], et Iusta defuncte­rum. Right; and it is one of the Rights, and Dues of the dead, To be La­mented at their Funerals. We owe it,

• 1 To Him,
• 2 To Religion,
  Ʋid. Goul. in Cyprian. Ep. 3
• 3 To Humanitie, And we should not,
• [Page 27]4 Please GOD, If we should let such members passe, without some sad remembrance.

And yet there is more in it, than you are all a­ware of.

The Time of Abner's death was almost as much as the thing it selfe. Israels Abner was now Rightly set, (his Grounds I wave, but) over he was come to David's side: The Sinewes of that disjoynted State were now knitting: The sparkes of that unhappy warre now quenching. Abner had a Great Designe in hand, and things were likely to re­ceive a faire end. In the midst of all Abner Dyes, The Businesse is scoated: Pendent opera interrupta: Hence these teares in part. It was the case of this our English Abner. Hee had Noble designes, and thoughts in his head. But Alas! How soone doe our thoughts fall with us! Psalme 146. Onely the thoughts, and Counsels of the only wise-GOD stand good for ever. He had another Designe upon this Our Abner: And, to fit him thereunto, hee set him to the Best Schoole, that ever he was in; where the Two Schoolemasters of Luther, and Calvin ( Tem­ptations and Afflictions) taught him more in one yeare, than all his Bookes, wherein hee was so much verst, could doe, in an age. Now Specula­tion was translated into Experience. And now I wish, that all of his Ranke (and of mine too) had heard him Decrying the Vanitie of all Creatures, and Abasing sinfull flesh before the Great GOD.

You can easily conceive how Full Expressions would bee from his owne Mouth, and how well it would become him, to Staine the pride of man.

But that is not all: Would, you had heard his judgement of Practicall Divinitie, and unaffected Preaching. His censure of mans slighting the wayes of Wisedome, and Sanctification.

And lastly, (To say nothing of what was said under seale) I wish that all wee (Divines) had but heard his vehement expressions of the base; base, and more than slavish flatteries of some of us Church­men, toward the living and dead.

But why doe I flatter my selfe with a con­ceit of Hearing and Having him, whilest I speak his words! Hee is gone from us, and hath left us no more of Himselfe than a Sad Representation: And it must grieve both you and mee, to have Such a Man, at Such a Time, taken from us; and to see so much reading, observation, know­ledge, wisedome, (I could say, if yet I could speake it, so much ingenuitie, noblenesse, plain­heartednesse to his Friend, when upon Try all hee could Trust him: But I onely say, before I get off this sad discourse) So much worth, and Sufficiency, qualifying him for the Service of any State, or Prince, so Suddenly snatch't from us.

But O Sin! Sin! Sin! These be the bitter fruits of our Cursed Sinnes.

But stay Brethren, Quiet your selvs, and heare King David a little further.

Dyed Abner (saith hee) like a foole? No, not like a foole, nor yet so happily (All out) as this Abner of ours.

Abner (for ought appeares) dyed Intestate; hap­ly [Page 29] Childlesse; certainly hee dyed very suddenly, and had not much time left him to resigne himself to GOD by prayer.

And being dead, He borrowes his Bed in ano­ther mans Ground.

Not so this Noble Gentleman.

• 1 He made his 1 Will: and that in his health, and who so reades it will easily believe it, and I am not sorry that I min­ded him thereof: (though ignorant therein) for that is the Worke of our greatest Strength.
• 2 He dyes not All at once: but hath left behind 2 a Faire, a Numerous Of spring,
• 3 He dyes not unexpectedly, nor was his Tongue­tyed. 3 Hee abounded with petitions, and ejacu­lations of his owne, (to say nothing of what was lent him by others,) whileft I was with him, and more afterward, as his dissolution drew nearer, as I am told.
• 4 And (being fallen asleepe) Hee is gathered to his Fathers in peace. Here he lyes in his owne Bed: Here he lives in his Posteritie. Charlcot is Charlcot still, not Hebren

The greatest service wee can doe him (having mourned over him, and made this Funerall an [...] of all failings) Is to honour him in his Li­ving pictures, (as once they did their good Rulers at Rome, in their Dead Statues.)

Bee not you, who loved the Tree, wanting to his Fruit. Visit them; Advise them; Be faith­full to them; Pray at least for them, for each of them; [...] especially for the First Borne of his fa­mily: what Hector (shall I say?) in Homer, did for [Page 30]his Sonne? 1 King. 1.47. Nay, what David's servants did for their Young Master. That his worth and honour may surmount his Fathers. Amen, said Father Da­vid. Amen, said his Truest servants to that prayer then. Amen, say I to the like now.

And so we have done with Abner.

But all this while what becomes of the King? Abner is now quiet. But the King bemoanes him­selfe. Heare him. I am weake: The sonnes of Zerviah are too strong for me. And why, the sons of Zerviah? Why not of Asar? (if that were (as Iosephus tels us) their fathers name.) Iojeph. Antiq. lib. 7. cap. 1. Was it, be­cause hee was dead? Or was the Mother more Masculine and Active? Or was it, because the honour came in by the Mother, as nearest allied to the now King? However The Sonnes of Zervi­ah they were; and some of them yet liv'd; and these were too big for David (as things stood) to buckle withall: and hence the complaint.

But what! was not David a King? What! Did he Rule in Israel, and yet complaine? Was hee Annointed, and yet overmatch't? Why then see how it fares with us, whilest here

The highest estate may be over-topt. Doct. 3 The best estate (here) is a maimed, and imperfect estate.

The Best man, David.

The Greatest man, King David hath here his Hands, and Heart, full. We must draw in. Note but the Particulars in the Text.

• 1 1 All is imperfect. Somewhat still wanting in the fullest estate. Abraham had Riches: but then [Page 31]hee wants an Heire, and after that a Wife. Isaac hath Health: but then he wants Sight. Asa honour: but he wants Health. Vzziah Riches: but he wants Libertie. In One; David hath a Growne; but hee wants an Arme.
• 2 All somewhat galling and vexing. When we are 2 at the Highest, somewhat is too Hard for us.

  David, Ahab, Zedekiah, Darius, All kings: 1 Kings 11. Ier. 38 5. Dan. 6. and yet all met with their Match, and were held to Hard meate. One sonne or other was too hard for them, as well as Zerviahs sons were for David.

• 3 And in a word, All unsatisfying; and not 3 fully to our minde. King David cannot have his will in all things. Somewhat goes against the Haire.

Nay the Worlds Minions ( Ahab and Haman) make their moane. 1 King. 21.6. Esth. 5 13. But why doe I tire you! I'll quickly say all.

• 1 These earthly things are Lame and unsuffici­ent, Reas 1 partiall goods, which will not fill all chinks.
• 2 Wee are Needy, and shiftlesse both. Reas 2 Wee want all things, and are patcht up with these poore Shreds.
• 3 We mingle all with Sinne; Reas 3 and then GOD mingles all with Gall.
• 4 Briefly; We are here from Home, Reas 4 and out of Place: And what Quiet, and Comfort, when theres such a Dis-location?

I apply in three words. Ʋses.

• 1 Be not Surety for the world; Neither pro­mise, 1 nor expect great matters thence, at First: (as men who have the world in Reversion usually doe) [Page 32]Lest at Last you cry, O Solon, Solon! or O Seldius! as others have done before you.
  Craesus in He­rodot. & Carol. 5.
  There is (saith David) An end of all (Created) perfection: and we either have, or quickly may see over it.
  Psal. 119.96.
  Indeed the most of us have already seene the best of this world: And we doe but Dreame, if we Dreame of better Dayes.
  Meliora tempo­ra nolite sperare. Aug. in Psal. 96.
  Do not hope for that; (saith Austin) looke not for better times, for better successe, than others have sound. Greater wee cannot bee than King David: he wore a Crown: but he found (as another said) Cares under it. Wiser we cannot bee, than that Magazin of knowledge Salomon: yet all his Wit could not keep sorrow from his heart
  Great Rodul­phus Rufus.
  His experience told him, that All was vanity; yea ut­most vanitie. And worse than so, Vexation, and that of Spirit too. And believe it; Hee that will build his hopes upon these Sands, well may he Die be­fore his time, as Abner did: But withall hee will Die a foole, as Abner did not. Ieremy hath said it, and men shall finde it. Ier. 17.11.
• 2 Have patience, in case your Friends bee pre­ferd hence to Heaven. Ʋse 2 Suppose them Kings here. Alas! Kings have their Cares also: All things be not to their minde: They cannot save whom they would, as David found in Absolom: Nor can they Execute whom they would, as David felt in Ioab. Nay suppose them aswell as Earth can make them. What is Earth to Heaven! Gold to Glory! The whole Creation to the Creator! Earth! Why it will breake. Ones Head, to compasse it, Ones Backe, to keepe it, [Page 33]Ones heart to lose it. Tis a misery to Need any of the Earths Crutches, and 'tis a Cumber to have them: But if once they get above us, and bee our Masters; they undoe us: and the more we expect from them, the lesse wee shall enjoy them. Then, of Leane Comforts, they become heavie Crosses. Our Great Conque­rour could not conquer his delights, His Horse: hee is hurt thereby. And, if I bee not decei­ved, This Worthy Gentleman,
  Polyd. Virgil.
  and brave Horse­man met with his disease, in the same delight; and so both dyed Laesis Intestinis, as I conceive.
• 3 Shake hands with this world, Ʋse 3 and assure Heaven.

1 There's a Full estate. Nothing is wanting 1 there; Nothing that Reason and Grace can desire. Heres a world of wants. The Soule, that wants Faith, Knowledge, all; as Peter implies. The Body, 2 Pet. 1.5. that wants, first meat, and then cloth, and then fire, and then sleep, and then physick, and ever one slabber or other. Yea every sense wants, every member wants, every joynt must bee estsoones supplyed.