THis tenth Psalme doth most liuely describe vnto vs a corrupt & peruerse state of a miserable commōwealth gro­ning and fainting vnder the intol­lerable burthens of manifold op­pressions, [Page 4] and extreame iniuries heaped vpon her by the mightie and proud Nimrods of that time, by cruell and craftie worldlings, by godlesse & blasphemous Athists, by secure, and carnall Epicures, by loose and lawlesse Belials, which in Dauids time like Bees swarmed in euerie Countrey & Citie, in euery Towne and Village, and came about the poore seruants of God, daily & howerlie as thicke as haile­stones in Aegypt, euen a right pi­cture of that wherin we now liue, which made that princely Prophet and propheticall prince Dauid (as a man amazed at such a forelorne sight, and pitifull complaining that was on euerie side) to speake farre otherwise of the Lord then he is in­deed, and in a kind of quarrelling manner to expostulate the matter with the Lord after the manner of man, saying: Why standest thou farr of [Page 5] O Lord, & hidest thy selfe in due time, euē in affliction? euen while the wicked with pride doth persecute the poore? Greatlie (no doubt) did iniquitie preuaile, & strong was the tempta­tion; yea to great boldnes, and cou­rage were the wicked growen when it seemed to Dauid, as if the Lord were carelesse in gouerning the world, and had forgotten to releeue his poore distressed people, or call the wicked to account, but seemed either to let thē do euen what they listed without controlment, which God forbid we should once ima­gine, but yet in the time of afflictiō & temptation such is the weaknes of faith euē in the verie regenerate, that they cōceiue somtime of God and his works, otherwise then be­cōmeth thē, or then beseemeth the maiestie of God, the reason hereof is, because they be for the time as men that are buffeted and astonied [Page 6] with blowes, to whose sence the ground seemeth to turne round, when indeed there is no such mat­ter, but the turning and alteration is in themselues, and therfore the temptations of the regenerate are called by Paule the buffetings of Sathan. 2. Cor. 12. 7. And yet not­withstanding (though at a blush they may seeme to iumpe with the wicked, who doe alwaies harbour within them most base and vnwor­thy conceipts of the most high, who filleth Heauen and earth with his all seeing, and incomprehensi­ble presence, & with whom is nei­ther change nor shew of change, yet between the godly and the wic­ked there is alwaies this double dif­ferēce. First, in the greatest afflicti­ons, and weaknes of faith wherwith the godly are exercised, there is yet some euidence of Gods sanctifying spirit in them, supporting them [Page 7] from finall and desperate falling a­way from the grace of God, though it be more then they alwaies feele in themselues, for though Dauid complaineth in the beginning of this Psalme of Gods long absence, yet he is certainly perswaded of his presence to him, or else he had praied in vaine. And as earthlie Fathers haue a secret affection to their childrē more then their chil­dren do alwaies perceiue, so God hath a secret hand in his children to vphold them from falling away, more then they alwaies doe feele, which feeling they want somtime to humble them, and to make them more earnest in prayer, and more carefull to keepe the fauor of God when they haue it. And som­time the Lord bestoweth secret fauours vpon his children more then they know of, as Iosephs bre­thren had euery man his money in [Page 8] his sacke by the waie, which was more thē they knew, til they came their Inne. Gen. 42. 27. But with the wicked it is not so, for God hath left them to themselues,Rom. 1. 24 2. Tim. 3. 13. giuing them ouer to a reprobate sence that they may wax worse & worse, deceiuing and beeing deceiued, there is no secret hand of Gods grace in them, that can be percei­ued either of themselues or of o­thers for them. Another diffe­rence is this: when the heat of af­fliction and strength of temptati­on is allaied in the godly, and they come to themselues againe, as men doe that haue beene beaten and buffeted, they recall their er­rour, and correct their former cra­zed opinions, giuing to God after­ward that honour that is due vnto him, but the wicked after they be a little eased, and released of their paine, doe turne againe to their [Page 9] former vomit, neuer once drea­ming that they either thought or spake, or did any thing amisse, or against the glorie of God, but praise their owne wit, doing sacri­fice to the works of their owne fingers.

After Dauid had complained to the Lord of the pride and crueltie of the wicked and very substantial­lie proued those articles which he exhibited against them, in the 12. verse he doth humbly sue vnto the Lord by praier, that he would arise and shew by some gracious effects that he hath the poore in re­membrance, which doe com­mit themselues vnto him, and namely by breaking the arme, that is, the power of the wic­ked which they abused to mis­chiefe and wronge. And at length as one hauing obtained his request, hee concludeth this [Page 10] Psalme with a holy gratulation or thanksgiuing vnto the Lord, for that by his spirit he did assure him of some remedie, by taking a iu­diciall hearing of the matter on both sides, whereby we are taught to pray for Gods poore distressed people as for our selues, as also to be as thankfull to God for his mer­cies toward them as if they had beene bestowed vpon our selues, and in so doing shall we trie whe­ther we be fellow & feeling mem­bers of the bodie of Christ, or dead and rotten members, such as are cut of from the bodie, and liue not by the life of God that is in Iesus Christ.

Lord thou hast heard &c. Heere Dauid acknowledgeth the goodnes of God towards his poore helplesse seruants two waies, first general­ly in the 17 verse, saying. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poore, then [Page 11] particularly amplifying this good­nes of God, first by setting downe the efficient cause of the poore mans desire, in these words. Thou preparest their heart, then by noting the formall cause of that readines, and willingnes which is in God to heare their desire in these words, Thou bendest thine eare vnto them, and then by the finall cause of this goodnes, in vers. 18. & that is dou­ble, first in respect of the poore, and oppressed, that they may haue iustice and right, secondly in re­spect of their oppressors (who are called in contempt the man of earth) that they may be no more cause of terrour to the godly.

The first thing heere to be no­ted, is how Dauid changeth his note, for before he said, Lord thou hast hid thy selfe, but now he saith Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore, that is, thou hast shewed [Page 12] thy selfe in the robes of Iustice and iudgement, Dauid here was like one that during the battaile could not tell what to make of the mat­ter, but after the encounter is past, like a valiant conquerer he striketh vp, and maketh forward in triumph saying: The Lord is King for euer and euer, the heathen are destroyed out of thy sight, Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore, thou preparest their heart, thou bendest thine eare. To iudge the fatherlesse and the poore, that the man of earth cause to feare no more.

And heere we see that verified which is in Psal. 126. 5. 6. They that sowe in teares, shall reape in ioy: And that which is in our prouerbe, A harde beginning maketh a good ending: for one woulde haue thought by the beginning of this Psalme that he shoulde neuer haue obtained so happy an end, [Page 13] for thus he be ginneth: Why dost thou stand farre off O Lord, and hidest thy selfe in time of affliction: that is, why haue we not Iustice executed; but he endeth as you heare: Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore, &c. which is as much as can be de­sired. Such a blessed and ioyfull end will God sende vnto all his poore afflicted seruants, when he hath well humbled them, and throughly exercised them with the buffetings of Sathan, and stung them to the very heart with the sence and feeling of their sinnes, and affrighted them with a terri­ble shew of an angrie & wrathfull countenance, all which the Lord wil do against his dere childrē. First to let thē feele & know what they haue, & are of themselues, second­lie, to make them acquainted with sathans mallice, that they take heed how they either obey him or beleue [Page 14] him againe, thirdly, to make the greatnes of his loue, and gracious mercy more knowen in deliuering them at the last; for by the want of a benefit we know what a benefite is worth, and therefore ioy resto­red, is more acceptable then ioy continued. Psal. 51. 12. And lastly to make them fit instruments for the conuersion and strengthning of those that are or shalbe in the like case, as Christ said to Peter: Sathan hath desired to sift you, Luk. 22. 31. 32. as wheat is sifted, but I haue praied for thee, that thy faith may not faile. Therfore when thou art conuerted, strengthen thy brethren. But in the meane time it goeth hard for any feeling that the afflicted soule hath of any cō ­fort in himselfe, Oh I cannot feele the loue of God in my heart, I cannot find Gods spirit in my hart, my heart is not grieued for my sin, I cannot pray, I take no delight in [Page 15] the word, &c. Oh that I could pray that I could beleeue, that I could feele Gods mercy in assuring my heart of the forgiuenes of my sins, but I haue abused his mercy, and offended his Maiestie, and there­fore I am cast out of his sight, there is no mercy for me, I am damned, and shall goe to hell, &c. And thus the poore soul etaketh on du­ring the winter time of afflictions, and temptations, but soft a while, who telleth thee that thou art cast out of Gods sight, that thou art a reprobate &c. Againe who told thee that thou wantest faith and repentance, & other graces of the spirit? Againe who is it, or what is it that doth so earnestly thirst after those excellent graces of faith, of repentance, of the forgiuenes of sinnes, &c. Surely in this Tragedy be three actors, and euery one doth his part, and here is wisedome to [Page 16] discerne on from the other, here is thy owne conscience accusing, Sa­than accusing, & Gods law accu­sing. Thy conscience sheweth thee thy wants; Gods spirit sheweth thee thy wants, & Sathan sheweth thee thy wants; but that which God doth in loue Sathan doth in malice, that which God doth to humble thee sathā doth to destroy thee; thou saist thou canst not repent, thou canst not beleeue, thou canst not pray: Oh sweet mercie of God, that for the wicked doe not so much as know their wantes, thou art so­rie that thou canst not repent, that thou canst not beleeue, &c. Oh what better repentance then to bewaile thy impenitencie? what greater griefe then that which ariseth for no griefe for sinne? What is this but sor­rowe it selfe for sinne? thou wouldest pray, thou wouldest [Page 17] beleeue stedfastly, who wrought that hunger and thirst in thee? not flesh and blood, not Sathan, there­fore it must needs be Gods spirit, content thy selfe thou shalt be sa­tisfied, and take that desire of grace for grace it selfe, and a pledge of further grace to be re­ceiued hereafter. Thou saist thou feelest not Gods loue in thee, and therefore he loueth thee not, but doe the Lord no iniurie, mea­sure not his grace by thy feeling, he that tooke a rib out of mans side, while he slept in such sorte that he felt it not, can also put a secret hand of grace into thee, to vphold thee while his spirit doth sleepe in thee, and thou not feele it, and for the proofe of that I say consider with me, how often haue many beene tempted to mischiefe themselues and others, yea and practised their owne de­struction [Page 18] which yet are liuing, and well? from whence came this, but from a secret hand of God within them that still plucked them as a praie out of the hands of their ene­nemie. Some againe (that I know) haue bene afraid that they should speake blasphemie against God & treason against the Queene, and haue beene so tempted the runto, that they haue held their mouthes with their hands least it should out, and yet when they haue beene wil­led to vtter it, they could not, but cleane contrarie, in stead of treason and blasphemie haue spoken all good in most heartie & holy man­ner that might be both of God and of the Queene, by which they haue perceiued & confessed in the end to Gods great glory, that these were illusions of sathan, and that Gods spirit is stronger in them then the temptation, whē they had suposed [Page 19] that God had cleane forsakē them. Oh I am damned, I am dāned thou criest: who told thee so? Surely it is the voyce of Sathan that would haue it so, beleeue him not, for he that is compounded all of lying and falshood cannot possibly sug­gest any trueth vnto thee. Oh if I could feele some comfort in my soule, I were well: if I could pray from a feeling heart and beleeue ef­fectually &c. then I were wel. Then I should hope that God would be mercifull vnto me: but content thy selfe: there is a time for all things saith Salomon, a time to weepe, and a time to reioyce, so there is a time of affliction, and a time of deliue­rance out of temptatiō, if that time were come that thou speakest of, then were thy afflictiō at an end, & the tēmptation of no force not effect, but now is the time of casting down & of the tēpters forcible working [Page 20] but waite on God, he is thy present helpe and thy God, with patience possesse thy soule vntill the time be come for thy deliuerance, and verely when Gods rods haue had their working, to frame thee vnto God, the time will come that thou shalt haue diluerance, though now thou sayest with Dauid, Lord why standest thou farre off? and hi­dest thy face, euen in the time of affli­ction? yet after the conflict is en­ded (which must be when God will, and not when thou wilt) thou shalt sing ioyfully & triumphant­ly, Lord thou hast heard the desire of thy poore seruant, thou preparest thine heart, thou bendest thine eare, to helpe thy poore comfortlesse seruant that thy hellish enemie be no more cause of feare.

Againe, that in time of thy spi­rituall conflict, thy soule may hope for some more comfort & strength [Page 21] in the ende then for the present thou feelest, it shall not be amisse for thee to call to mind the former experience that thou hast had of Gods goodnes towards thee in time past, whereby thou maist assure thy selfe that he wil be good vnto thee againe, as Dauid said, The Lord that hath deliuered me from the Beare and the Lion, 1. Sam. 17. 37. will also deli­uer me from this vncircumcised phili­stime: so say thou, That God which deliuered mee from such a perill, and gaue me strength against such and such temptations, will one day deliuer me from this▪ that God which once let me feele peace and ioy, and comfort in Christ, will surely giue me comfort againe when he seeth fit time: For whom the lord loueth,Ioh. 13. 1. he loueth for euer. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance saith theRom. 11. 29. Apostle. Thy treasure is laide vp [Page 22] surely in Heauē saith Christ, where neither mothes can eate it, nor rust can corrupt it,Mat. 6. 20. nor theeues can digg through and steale it away, God doth not keep it from moths and from theeues to let the deuill deceiue thee of it, no, it is sure for euer, where neither man, nor An­gell, nor all the deuils in hell shall take it from thee, no nor God him­selfe, for though we be vnfaith­full, yet he is faithfull,2. Tim. 2. 23. and cannot denie himselfe. And where as thou criest out for it now, saying thou canst not feele it in thy heart &c. it is for that perhaps thou diddest not vse it as thou shouldest, when thou haddest it before, thou wert peraduēture a lazy professor of the Gospell, or a proud hearer of the word, or negligent in the worship of God, both with thy selfe and thy familie, or it may be thou diddest waxe proud of Gods graces, and [Page 23] diddest not giue him his due ho­nour, or it may be thou diddest make some rash promise (presu­ming vpon thy owne strength) that thou wouldest do this or that, or that thou wouldest neuer com­mit such and such a sinne againe. And therfore the Lord (to let thee know thy selfe) like a most wise fa­ther hath for a time taken away his graces from thee, and the feeling of all spirituall comfort, and yet for all that loueth thee as his child. And heerein the Lorde dealeth with thee, but as thou wouldest deale with thy owne childe if thou hast anie; when the childe abuseth anie thing that he delighteth in it is taken from him, and laide vp till another time, and he made be­leeue that it is quite taken from him, the childe woulde haue it alwaies in his sight, [Page 24] but that may not be for diuers cau­ses: and in like manner dealeth the Lord with his children, it sufficed Iacob to heare that his sonne Ioseph was aliue, though he saw him not, so it should suffice the afflicted conscience to know that Christ li­ueth in him, though his spirituall eye be so dazeled, that as yet he cannot see him, yea there is a ho­ly desire to see and feele Christ in thee, as an earnest-penny, though it be as in a bag sealed vp, and in time it shalbe deliuered thee, yea though thou goest as a malefactor that is condemned goeth to exe­cution, out of all hope for life, yet (as some friend of his sueth out his pardon for him, and deliuereth it him euen when he is on the ladder readie to be turned of, to his grea­ter ioy more then he expected, e­uen to Christ Iesus hath sued out thy pardon, and when thou thin­kest [Page 25] there is no waie but one with thee, and that is to hell, euen when thou seemest to thy selfe to be past all hope of recouery, then shall the spirit of Christ step vp in thy heart, which now seemeth to be gone, or to lie a sleepe, and shall deliuer it vnto thee, with this message of comfort, Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. And in the meane time know that Christ is not gone from thee but sleepeth in thee, as he did in the ship, and that was but onely during the tempest, but when they in the ship were a­fraid of sinking, they cried, Saue vs Master we perish else, and then he awaked and rebuked the winds: so Christ may seeme to sleep in thee during the time of tempestuous temptations, but whensoeuer thou art in any danger, he is awake to saue thee, and in the end will rebuke Sathan and tread [Page 26] him vnder thy feete; that Christs spirit is in thee thou maiest per­ceiue by the voyce of the Church that is in thy case: In my bed by night (saith the Church) I sought him whom my soule loueth,Can. 5. 1. but could not finde him, so thou seeekest him whom thy soule lo­ueth, but canst not finde him, that is, thou seekest him whom thou hast with thee, for there is in thee the loue of Christ, which cannot come, but from Christ himselfe, now the very loue of Christ in thy heart though it be but weake, yet is a certaine argument of Christs sanctifying spirit in thee, for though the reprobate may in some sort slauishly tremble at the iudgements of God, and for some carnall respect, ioye in the things of God for a time, yet there is not in them a loue of God in Christ Iesus: but with their seruile [Page 27] feare is ioyned also a deadly hatred of the Lord as of their mortall e­nemie.

Againe if thou feele not as yet the gracious presence of Gods spi­rit in thee as thou wouldest,Psa. 43. 5. yet vse the holy means that God hath ap­pointed for the conuersion & con­firmation of his children; frequent the word preached, read in the scri­ptures, & labours of the godly lear­ned, vse praier, & conference, and meditatiō, & so wait on God, who is thy present helpe and thy God, but thou saist thou canst not heare with delight, thou canst take no pleasure in reading of good books, nor hearing of them redd vnto thee, thou canst not brooke con­ference and praier, thou do­est distast them all, yet I say vse them still, as a good man ta­keth meate and drinke, and phi­sicke though it be against the [Page 28] stomacke, and cast vp all againe, yet he desireth to digest it, and so by often taking, at last doth gather strength, and take that willingly with hope, which before hee re­ceiued against his will with a kind of loathing. So thy sicke soule by often vsing the holy meanes that God hath appointed, at last through his blessing will strength­en thee, and make thee to vse them of loue & desire, which now thou doest but vnchearfully and with a certaine kind of loathing. There is a defect in the stomacke or some o­ther part of the body which will not suffer wholsome meate to be digested; So in the inward man, the defect may be in the vnderstanding which may be darke, or in the me­mory which may be brittle, or in the vtterance which may be slowe, or in thy faith which may be weak, or in thy repentance which may be [Page 29] imperfect, or in thy loue which may be small, or in thy zeale which may be bitter or colde, or in thy minde which may be earthly, or in thy affections which may be vnru­lie, or in thy whole man which may be lumpish, heauie, and vnto­ward to good things: yet in all these remaine a double comfort. First these graces are not counter­fet, but in trueth are such as they seeme to be, thou vnderstandest a­right, thou vtterest the trueth though but slowly, thou remem­brest the best things, and beleeuest the word, and repentest in trueth, with hatred of thy sins, and thou louest God and his word for them­selues sake: againe so much as thou vnderstandest and knowest, and re­membrest, & beleeuest, & louest, thou also affectest & embracest in heart, & desirest to grow in them, & to practise them to the praise of [Page 30] God, and therfore still hope and wait on God, for though God seeme now to thy soule as if he had no care of thee, yet he doth care for thee, and thou shalt one day ioyfully sing as Dauid doth heere: Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poore, &c.

Lord, thou hast heard, &c.) The Lord doth heare all mens desires, and knoweth all their thoughtes long before, but he is said to heare the desires of his children after a more speciall, and gracious man­ner, because he doth in mercy both fauour their sutes, and grant their requests, & so this word of hearing is to be vnderstood somtime in the scripture, as where Dauid saith: If I regard wickednes in my heart the Lord will not heare me: that is, the Lord will not grant me my desire. And so is it taken also sometime a­mongest vs in our common man­ner [Page 31] of speaking, as when we doe not fauour a mans suite, we use to say, I heare you not. This is that which the children of God doe most groane and long for in praier, namely to pray so, that the Lord may heare them, that is, may af­ford them a gracions hearing, which if they may be assured of, then are their hearts filled with ioy whatsoeuer happeneth to them in the world. And al their feare is, least their sins and sinful praiers should stop the eares not of the Lord sim­plie, but of his grace and fauour a­gainst them. To that end doe they come before the Lord in all humi­litie, feare, and reuerence, striuing, sighing, and groaning and trou­bled in spirit. And to this end the Lord oftentimes seemeth vnto his children as one that is deafe, he maketh them no answere, but takes away from them for [Page 32] the time all feeling of comfort in praier, to that ende that when he doth speake peace vnto their harts, they may know what a mercy they haue receiued from his Maiestie.

But wicked hypocrites regard not so much whether the Lord doth heare thē or no, but whether men do heare them, that is all their care: they pray to be seene of men, and to be heard of men, onelie la­bouring with their lips, but with­out anie strife of the heart. They pompe it, they chant it, they howle it, and throate it to please them­selues and others, but whether all that paines of theirs be accepted with God, they neuer so much as once thinke: So that when they haue done their stint and taske, they may saie as the harlot said, of whom Salomon speaketh,Pro. 7. 14. To daie I had peace-offerings, I haue payed my vowes, and so leaue for that [Page 33] matter, it is no matter whether they be receiued or no, she hath paid them, so saith the Hipocrit, I haue said all my praiers to day, I haue done al my deuotion, & there leaue for that matter; but the poore child of God whose soule groa­neth vnder the buthen of his sins, doth not so much boast of the say­ing of his praiers, as he doth of Gods mercy in hearing his praiers, Lord I thank thee saith (the Phari­sie) that I fast and praie so often in a weeke, but Lord be mercifull to me saith the Publican, Lord I praied in thy temple saith the one, as the wicked in the Gospell, Lord we haue heard thee preach in our streets; but the other saith, Lord, thou hast heard the desire of thy poore seruants,Doctr. 3., blessed be thy name for that fauour: the desire. He doth not say their cryings, or their sen­tentious and eloquent praiers, or [Page 34] the voice of their lips, although the desires of the heart be coun­ted cryings with the Lord, but he saith: That the Lord hath heard the desire of the poore: Which are the cries and praiers, and voices of the inwarde man, though not alwaies vttered by the tongue, to shewe that the Lord of his goodnes is so rea­die to heare the afflicted, that he doth not alwaies expect the cryings, and voyces of the out­warde man, or the orderly and set praiers of the lips, for before they cry, he heareth them ac­cording to the testimonie of the Prophet Esay, who (speaking in the person of God) saith thus: Before they call I will aunswere, Eisai. 65. 24 and while they speake I will heare. And Saint Paule sayeth. The spirit it selfe likewise helpeth our infirmities, for wee know [Page 35] not what to praye as wee ought: but the spirit maketh re­quest for vs with groaninges,Rom. 8. 20 which cannot be expressed: that is, the spirite helpeth our weake prayers which want strength to come forth, and accepteth the verie sighes and groanes of the heartes of Gods children in stead of prayers, as the tender nurse doth the monefull lookes of the babe that lyeth in the cradle full of payne, and cannot speake.

And these inwarde desires, and groanes of GODS chil­dren, are to the children of God as an earnest-pennie of the spi­rit, and as the first fruites of the spiritituall haruest, now an earnest-pennie is but a pledge or assurance of a thousande pounde to be payed in time, and the first fruits of the corne are [Page 36] but a sheafe or handfull as it were of the whole haruest which after­wards is to be reaped. And this may serue to comfort the afflicted conisciences which cannot pray as they would sometime and ther­fore thinke they are not regarded of God, it serueth onely to com­fort the afflicted soule I say, but no way to confirme vs in our slug­gish, slouthfull, drousie, and slee­pie praiers.

Of the poore.) The state of Gods children in this life is not alwaies of the best,Doctr 4. neither in outward ac­count with the world, nor yet in their owne feeling. And therfore they are called sometime: The af­flicted ones,Pro. 15. 15 as in Pro. 15. 15. All the daies of the afflicted are euill: Sometime the hungry and thirstie, as in Mat. 5. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnes. Sometime little wormes as in Esay, [Page 37] Little worme Iacob: And in the Psalmes, I am a worme and no man, saith Dauid: And sometime,2. Tim. 3. 12. The little flocke, 1. Cor. 1. As in Luke 12. And in this place they are called,Psa. 41. 8. The poore: For whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer affliction. And they doe still hunger & thirst after Christ their righteousnes:

As the Hart doth after the riuers of water, Like little wormes they are contemned and trodden vpon by euerie one: And like poore and miserable persons they are alwaies in need of Gods grace and helpe. And yet they in that account with God that he heareth their desires: The afficted haue a continualfeast, The hungry shalbe filled with good things, when the rich shalbe sent emptie away. The little worme Ia­cob is written vpon the palmes of the Lords hands, and is euer in his sight. The little flocke neede not [Page 38] feare for their littlenes, for they haue the kingdome. And the poore seruants of God which are alwaies in need and want of Gods grace and fauour, and alwaies be­wailing their owne pouertie and want, are heard of the Lord, and therefore are both rich and hap­pye.

This may teach vs to iudge wisely of the poore children of GOD that are in contempt, and tribulation in the worlde; and louingly to embrace them as members of our bodie though in shewe vnderlinges to all; like the feete, or rather like the footstooles of the wicked, and not to despise them: For the Lorde heareth the desires euen of the poore. Yea and they may pleasure vs more with their praiers, then we can hurt them with our persecutions. There [Page 39] is not the best, nor learnedest Doctor in the Church, nor the greatest or wealthiest man in the commonwealth but may, and doth receiue helpe and benefit by the praiers of the poorest man that liueth, if he be a godlie man.

Thou preparest, &c. Heere Dauid acknowledgeth a double grace or fauour of God, First, that he vpholdeth his children, that they fainte not vnder their burthens, for he armeth them with courage, and patience, putting vpon their heades the helmet of good hope, and stir­ring them vp, thereby to dis­patch their prayers as speedie postes and messengers vnto the hilles from whence commeth their helpe. A singular bene­fite surelie to haue our senses and thoughtes setled in Gods [Page 40] prouidence, and not caried awaie to worldlie deuises, and desperate attempts. Secondly, God hauing thus prepared & setled their harts for praier, he doth also prepare & settle himselfe to heare their prai­ers, yea, because their praiers be but weake and feeble, that scarce haue any perfect voice, but make a soft and still noise, in the secret corners of their hearts, the Lord doth bend his eare vnto them, and laie it close vnto their mouth, in most fatherly, friendly, and tender sort, that so he might know what it is that they whisper so inwardly, & so faintly. from hence we learne.

First,Doctr. 5. that to direct our desires to God in affliction is a speciall worke, and fauour of God in our hearts, for otherwise, affliction of it selfe doth breede rather impati­ence, and dispaire, then any com­fortable hope, and heart to praier. [Page 41] And therfore let vs be admonished when (in any kind of affliction, crosse, and temptation) we feele any comfort in God, or desire to goe vnto his Maiestie, by praier to giue him the whole glorie, and take it as a token of his loue vnto vs. Let vs also acknowledge our owne weaknesse, and inabilitie to prepare our hearts, our selues to Godward. And most false, and in­solent is that popish assertion of freewill in man to praie when he will, and to beleeue when he will, and repent when he will, for it is God (saith the Apostle) that wor­keth both the will and the deede. Lastly,Phil. 2. 13. let vs hereby be encoura­ged to goe to God although it be with broken praiers, and fainting desires, we shall not loose our la­bour, no the godly doe not in vaine direct their desires to God, nor in hope and patience want [Page 42] vpon him because the eares of the Lord are open and bent, ready in most gracious manner to heare the groanes of his poore affli­cted seruants. And thus much of the manner and matter in ge­nerall of Dauids thanksgiuing.

IN the former verse, Dauid praiseth God for hearing the desires of his poore seruants, but now he sheweth more particu­larly what was their desire, and wherein God hath heard them at the last, namely, they desire that GOD woulde iudge and [Page 44] determine betweene them & their oppressors, and this is the thing that God hath granted them, from whēce the faithfull may learne this comfortable generall doctrine, that when they shalbe vniustly op­pressed, God at length wilbe re­uenged of their aduersaries, and deliuer his children; which may serue to admonish vs to endure the crosse manfully, because God will not many times helpe his poore children before they be brought to extreame danger. A hard thing this is to flesh and blood, because euery one desireth to be free from trouble, and therfore except God doth quickly helpe, he seemeth to be slow in helping or forgetfull of his promises (which God for­bid we should imagine) but if we desire his helpe, we must wait his leasure, our affections must be ta­med, our impatience must be bea­ten [Page 45] downe, our griefes must be mi­tigated, vntill our extreeme mise­ries may prouoke the fauour of God, and to this purpose is that parable of the poore Widow and the wicked Iudge propounded by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell and in this sort applied to God and his children: that if a wicked Iudge fearing neither God nor man,Luke. 18. 7 will notwithstanding be ouercome with importunate suters at last to doe them iustice, how much more will God that is a most righteous Iudge, and all righteousnes it selfe, heare at length his poore children which call and crie day and night vnto him for Iustice.

That earthly man, &c.) The wic­ked lift vp their heads aboue the clouds and yet are but mortall, and subiect to many miseries, and ther­fore are they called men of earth, to shame them and to humble them: [Page 46] for this is their insolent madnes, and mad insolencie, while they forget their estate, and condition they breath out threateninges as Saul did against the Church of God, as if God himselfe were not sufficient to represse their rage. And yet they are but men, & men of earth too, & come against God as if wormes should come out of the ground to fight against their maker, or as if an earthen pitcher should encoūter with a mountaine of Brasse; they are made of earth, yea and of the baseft earth to; euen of the dust of the earth. Clay is good for somthing, Sand is good for somthing, Marle is good for somthing, Dung is good for som­thing, Grauel is good for somthing and earth is good for something, but Dust is good for nothing, except it be to put out mens eyes, & of that is mā made, which cōsi­deratiō may greatly humble the hi­est, [Page 47] the stoutest, the brauest, & the proudest, but the wicked according to their making do sauour nothing else but earth, and the most vile things of the earth, and therefore are fitly called earthly, because they liue like earth wormes.

And though there be legions, & miltitudes of them, yet are they here called by a word of the singu­lar number, Man of earth, not men. And that may be either in regard of their wicked vnity, or else in regard of their great inability to effect that which they purpose whē God shal crosse thē.Pro. 1.24. In wickednes they ioyne altogether as one mā. Cast in thy lot amongst vs (say theeues & murthe­rers) we will haue all one purse. And in like manner the wicked in all euill ioyne as one man. And yet they shall do no more then one man a­lone, and that of earth too, & that is little, or nothing, except it be to their own ouerthrow as the Egytiās [Page 48] did when they all followed the poore Israelites into the sea. For man of earth what is hee? what can he doe? what is his beginning? what is his bringing vp? and what is his ending? Is he not begotten of wickednes, conceiued of wret­chednes, and borne of weakenes, worse then a dunghill? Is he not brought vp in ignorance & blind­nes, in folly and vanitie? Is not he against God, and God against him? His life is death, and his death is double, temporall, and e­ternall, for the second hath no end: what can he doe? Doth he liue, moue, & breath? it is by God. Pi­lates power was from aboue. And while God doth giue him leaue to breath, and to possesse the world, he is cruell, carnall proud, and ob­stinate,Act. 17. 28 He is like the image in the second of Daniel, whose head was of Gold, his breast and armes were [Page 49] of Siluer, his belly and his thighs of Brasse, but his legges were of Iron, and his feete of Iron & Clay,Dan. 2. 32 And in like sort is the state of great earthly worldlings compounded with their golden heads and state­ly buildings, with their siluer breastes and armes, and costly ap­parrell, with their brasen thighes and mightie friends, with their I­ron legges and strong supporting liuings, they make a terrible shew, but with their Iron earthly feete, with their hard heartes, and earth­lie affections they are caried vp & downe in the world, which hitting against one little stone, cut without hands, that is Christ Iesus and his Gospell that lie in their waies, as a stone of offence to stumble vpon, they crumble and fall downe to their vtter spoyle and euerlasting ouerthrowe.

But the heauenlie man shalbe a­ble [Page 50] through God to stand, and to doe valiantlie, and there­fore they are called the man of God,a. Tim. 3. 17 because the faithfull are as one man, also vnited by the com­munion of Saintes, and hauing God amongest them are able to doe great matters. Princes, Ma­gistrates, Preachers are made of earth too, yet hauing but a sparke of Gods Maiestie in them, or ra­ther but the reflexion of a sparke of Gods power and Maiestie v­pon them, are mightie and terrible through Gods spirit, and ought to be terrible to all Gods enemies, and wicked men, but not to the innocent, and godlie: if they vse or abuse their power which God hath put in them, to the cooling of any good mans courage, or to the quenching of the spirit, or to the disgracing or oppressing of poore Christians as many doe, as [Page 51] though they were Gods, and not of earth, surely God will iudge them, & make thē that they shal no more terrifie his children then Pharao that proud hearted King, and the Aegyptians his subiects which laye drowned in the bottome of the sea: and so much be the meaning of the words. Now to the matter of Dauids thanksgiuing.

Dauid praiseth God for iudging betweene his poore seruants, and their oppressors. This is that for want whereof he complaineth in the first verse. This is it for wante wherof the wicked were so lusty to contemne God. By this he will breake the armes, that is, the pow­er of the wicked and search out their wickednes. This is the poore Churches desire, namely a iudici­all hearing. And to this ende hath God prepared their hearts, and to this ende doth the Lord en­cline [Page 52] his eare vnto them, namely, To sit in iudgment vpon the poore mans case, So that, when God doth proceede against the wicked it is in iudgement. And though the poore commit his cause vnto God, yet it shalbe iudged, and without a iudiciall proceeding shall no­thing be done: for God is no ac­accepter of persons as men be, though he loueth the godly, yet they shall stand to their triall, and though he hateth the wicked, yet they shall haue their triall, all shall be iudged, and all wronges shall be righted by iudgement: therfore it is saide in the Psalme, The Lord shall iudge the people righteously: Psa. 67. 4. This maketh the godly so willingly to appeale vnto God, saying as Sa­rai said to Abraham, Gen. 16. 5. The Lord be Iudge betweene me and thee.

God hath erected iudgement feates on earth vpon whom he hath [Page 53] set Princes and rulers, and graced them with his owne name, and sittes amongst them, to make them to be honoured and regarded;Psal. 82. I. And their iudgments are, or should be Gods iudgements, but oftentimes through corruption good matters are borne downe, & bad matters are borne vp, we see the complaint of Amos proue too true.

They turne iudgement to worme­wood (saith hee) and leaue of righ­teousnes. And that also of Esay. By conceiuing and vttering out of the heart false matters, Amos. 5. 7 [...] iudgement is tur­ned backe, Esai. 59. 13. 14 15 16 and iustice standeth farre of: for trueth is fallen in the streete, & ini­quitie cannot enter, yea trueth faileth (saith the Prophet) and he that re­fraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray: But what? was there no re­medie? how did the Lotd take this geare? marke what followeth, when the Lord saw it, it displeased [Page 54] him that there was no iudgement. And when he saw that there was no man, 16 he wondred that none would of­fer himselfe. But is that all? verily no. Therefore his arme did saue it, that is his power did rescue the praie, and his righteousnes it selfe did sustaine it, that is he himselfe tooke the matter in hand: For he put on righteousnes as an habergeon, 17 and an helmet of saluation vpon his head: as if he were to goe amongst his enemies: He put on the gar­ments of vengeance for a cloathing, 18 & was clad with zeale as with a cloak, as to recompence, and to requite the furie of the aduersaries, he will fully re­paie the Ilands. So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West, 19 and his glorie from the rising of the sunne, for the enemie shall come like a floode, but the spirit of the Lord shall chase him away, And this is the godly poore mans comfort.

[Page 55]Therefore saith the Psalmist: Let the people be glad and reioyce, for thou shalt iudge the folke righteously, andPsal. 67. 4 gouerne the nations of the world. And Paule saith:The. 4. 6. 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: And to you which are troubled rest with vs, when the Lord Shall shew himselfe from hea­uen with his mightie Angels. And in his first Epistle speaking of the same matter in other wordes, he concludeth thus:The. 4. 18. Comfort your selues one another with these words. And heere Dauid reioyceth, and prai­seth God for that he will iudge the poore and fatherlesse. Iustice and equitie in the world, and from the world are two of the hardest, the dearest, the rarest iewels that cā be gottē: the poore do desire thē, God hath granted their desire to iudge the fatherles & the poore that the mā of earth cause to feare no more.

[Page 56]And here now we see that verified which is in Psal. 126. 5.Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in teares, shall reape in ioy: And that which we haue in a prouerbe. A hard beginning maketh a good ending, for one woulde haue thought by Dauids beginning of this Psalme, that he should not haue made so good an end, for thus he beginneth: Why doest thou hide thy selfe aad stand a farr off O Lord in time of affliction? That is, Why haue we not iustice? but he endeth as you heare: Lord thou hast hearde the desire of the poore, to iudge, &. which is as much as can be desi­red. But let vs reason a little with Dauid abou this matter. How is it that thou beginning so rudely doest speed so well in the end? If the God of heauen should haue dealt with thee Dauid, as the Gods of the earth doe with their suters, it were a wonder that euer thou [Page 57] shouldest finde so much fauour, for though thy matter were good, yet thou mightest haue marred it in the handling, thou diddest vtter one speach that was inough to haue spilled all: Why doest thou hide thy selfe, &c. What an vnre­uerent, rash, and vnaduised speach was this to vtter to the Lord of Heauen and Earth? would the Gods of the earth haue takē such a speach at thy hand, or at any poore mans hand? No Dauid no, many haue sustained great wrong by wic­ked men, and haue had good cau­ses, that for such a word, yea for a lesse offence then thine haue bene very hardly dealt withal, whē they haue but craued iustice &c. Now thy fault is greater, and God is a seuere God, it is to be maruailed then how thou diddest escape, and speede so well as thou diddest

It is true indeed (saith Dauid) [Page 58] I confesse my frailtie, and my fault to be great, and so must they also that speake rashly before Gods Magistrates, but if the Lord should narrowly marke euery word that is spoken or euery thing that is done amisse as men doe, who coulde stand before him? No, the Lord knoweth whereof we be made, and considereth in mercy that through extreame heate of passionate affe­ctions, and weaknes of faith his children be caried many times be­yond themselues, but vpon their humble submission, and vnfained repentance he freely forgiueth thē though men will not. Yea the Lord in mercie doth put a difference be­tweene his seruants, & his enemies though men many times will not, I recanted my opinion and sayde, The Lord is king for euer and euer, & for all my rude beginning haue through Gods mercy obtained a [Page 59] good ending: Praised be the Lord which hath hearde the desire of the poore, to iudge the fatherlesse, and the poore, that the man of earth cause to feare no more. A notable exam­ple for earthen Gods, magistrates I meane, to follow, and not with bitternes, and rigour to censure, and in extremitie to prosecute e­uerie slip, and aduantage of poore ministers, and other honest men when they come to complaine be­fore them, but with loue & words of graue and gracious counsell to heale, or at least to couer the sore, least the vncircumcised doe re­ioyce and triumph ouer their fa­thers and brethren, as cursed Cham did at his fathers nakednes. And so much for the bringing of the beginning, and ending of Da­uids petition together. Nowe let vs heare a little more of the thing it selfe that the Lord hath [Page 60] granted, and that is this, that it will please his Maiestie to heare & determine betweene his poore people on the one side, and their cruell oppressors on the other side. In all respects it may be resembled vnto a purchased Assises, wherin we are to consider, First the par­ties betweene whom the contro­uersie dependeth, Secondly, be­fore whom it is to be tried. Third­ly, by whom it must be tried. Fourthly, the action that is to be tryed. Fiftly, the verdict of the Iu­rie. Sixtly the sentēce of the Iudge. And lastly the execution of the sentence. And this course we may safely take, both because Gods spi­rit hath in like sort set foorth the iudgement seat of God, and eue­rie thing to be tried before the same,Reu. 20. 11. 12 after the manner of earthly Iudges: for our greater capacitie and vnderstanding, as also because [Page 61] this kind of teaching doth nearest sute with the teaching of our Saui­our Christ, who stil vsed such fami­liar similitudes to explaine his do­ctrine by, as were most familiarly knowen vnto men. Then first of the parties betweene whom the pleading is. The plaintiuesPlaintiues are poore and fatherlesse: such as for want of worldly abilitie are faine to sue for their right In forma pau­perum, as commonly all good cau­ses doe, yea, whosoeuer will speed in Gods Court must come, In for­ma pauperis, for the Lord taketh no fees, and standeth for the poore as well as for any other. The defen­dantsDefendāts or parties arraigned are all oppressors of the poore, all A­thistes, proud, and cruell tyrants, craftie, and subtill hunters of the poore. There sit in CommissionCōmissio­ners. with the King, his owne sonne, the sonne of God the Lord Iesus [Page 62] Christ whom God hath appointed to iudge the world. And with him sit as it were assistants,Act. 17. 13. 24. elders cloathed with white rayments of Christes righteousnes,Reuel. 4. 4. and crow­ned with golden crownes of hea­uenly glory and authoritie. The ministers or messengers that attēd on this Court are the heauely An­gels of God,Mat. 24. 31. Psa. 68. 17. who for their swift­nes in executing their charge are said to haue many wings, and for their great power are called prin­cipalities, thrones, and dominati­ons.Mat. 3. 3. The criers of this court are the preachers of the word,Esai. 40. whose voices must be lifted vp like trum­pets to summon men before the iudgment seat of God. The bookes of the court be of two sorts, bookes of statutes, and bookes of record. But where is the prisoner?Apo. 20. 12 He stan­deth taken with his owne iniquity,Pro. 5. 22 and bound with the cordes of his [Page 63] owne sin. Now thē the arrainment. Crier lift vp thy voyce like a trum­pet, and call forth the man of earth, Sargants strip him out of al his glo­rious titles and dignities, seaze vp­on all that he hath, & let him heare his enditement, Man of earth hold vp thy hand, thou art endited here by the name of (Man of Earth) not Gentleman, Nobleman, nor yeoman, but plaine man of earth borne of earth, and brought vp like an earth-worme, &c. For that thou on such a day, and of such a moneth in such a yeare, hauing re­ceiued an arme, that is to say, pow­er, wealth, and authoritie, hast ab­used the same, and by force and fraud didst set vpon thy poore bro­ther, & fatherles neighbour, liuing & trauelling in gods peace: & meaning thee no harme, didst put thē in feare, so that of their credit, life, & goods they did dispaire, what saiest [Page 64] thou to this fellonie art thou guiltie or not guiltie? Not guiltie my Lord. How wilt thou be tried? By my honest neighbors, (he saith) yea sir, I can bring the handes and seales of all the parish where I dwell for my good behauiour. Yea, but that is not inough man of earth, thou must be tried by God and his Church. Call a Iurie. The Iurie that must goe vpon thee is impan­nelled of Prophets, and Apostles, Their names are set downe in the old and new Testament, what canst thou say against them? Oh my Lord, I haue to except against them all, They are not my friends, they & I could neuer agree, they speake of malice, because I woulde not heare them, nor be ruled by them, nor giue them their demaund, well that is no matter, they are holy men and such as were led by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1. 22. Therfore [Page 65] man of earth hold vp thy hand a­gaine, and heare thy second en­ditement.2. Endite­ment. Thou art endited by the name of the man of earth, for Athisme and contempt of God. vers. 3. 4. Also, thou art endited for abusing and oppressing the poore by cruell and craftie practi­ses,3. Endite­ment. vers. 7. 8. 9. 10. Also for spea­king blasphemie & treason against God and his trueth, vers. 11. Also for taking part with the wicked, and standing against the cause of the innocent. Also thou art endi­ted for obstinate prophaning and violating of the Lords saboaths, as also for abusing thy stewardship, and excessiue spending thy sub­stance, vaine and vnprofitable ex­ercises, whereby thou madest thy selfe vnfit to doe the workes of thy calling, to prouide for thy fa­milie▪ to releeue the poore, or to benefit the Church, or to main­taine [Page 66] religious exercises for thy vaine sportes and delights, ligh­ter then vanitie it selfe. What sayest thou to all and euerie of these, art thou guiltie or not guiltie? Not guiltie. How wilt thou be tryed? by my honest neighbours I would be tried? but if there be no remedie, then I must be tried by God and his Church: Call forth the plantife. Poore man, and fa­therlesse, come forth, and feare not, you shall be heard, what can you say against this man of earth, and how doe you proue these ar­ticles you haue heere obiected a­gainst him? My Lord then this we say, They haue most proudly and cruelly persecuted vs with inquisi­tiōs,Vers. 2. slaunders, & fines, with taxes, and vexations, and haue almost beggared vs, againe, they haue boa­sted [Page 67] of their owne hearts desire, they haue blessed themselues, and contemned thy seruantes.Vers. 3 The more thou hast done for them,Vers. 5. 7▪ the lesse haue they feared thy iudgementes. His mouth is full of cursing, and deceipt, he hath lien in waite in the villages. As8 a Lion in his denne so lur­keth he in waite secretly, for his prey, by his crouching,9 and bow­ing he maketh the poore to fall by heapes into his nets,10 thus he hath vsed vs. And as for his blasphe­mies they are most outragious. He hath said in his heart, That the Lord seeth not, nor regar­deth. All this we could prooue by manie which are afraide to speake the trueth, for feare of their displeasure, for that some of them are their landlords, some are their masters, some are Iustices of peace, some are their patrōs, some [Page 68] finde them worke, &c. But Lord thou hast seene it thy selfe, for thou beholdest mischiefe and wrong:Vers. 14. That thou mayest take it into thy handes, therefore to thee we appeale. You of the grand Iu­rie, you haue hearde your eui­dence, and it is all verie true that the poore and fatherlesse haue enformed, for I haue seene it my selfe (faith the Lord) ther­fore now giue in your verdict, who shall speake for you? Dauid because he is a princely prophet, and therefore deserueth to be foreman, he shall speake for vs. What say you then, is the man of earth guiltie of all and singu­lar those matters where of he hath beene endited or no? yea Lord (saith Dauid) he is guiltie.

Well then, Man of earth, thou seest that thou art cōuicted by the verdict of the great inquest of the [Page 69] Prophets and Apostles, my selfe being witnesse. What saiest thou to the recordes of thy owne Court?Court of consciēce described For I haue giuen thee that priuiledge more then all crea­tures besides, to keepe Court in thy owne house, to that ende I haue giuen thee will and affecti­ons, to moue and to debate thy matters, iudgement and vnder­standing to descerne of causes, and memorie as a register to recorde thy causes, and conscience as a Iudge, and a thousand witnesses to determine of all thy proceedings. And this Court is called the Court of Conscience, thou shalt also be tried by that. In that Court be many examinations, many wit­nesses, and many recordes. The hall is common equitie, there are many sentences in tables fayrely engrauen, as in one place loue God aboue all, in another, Loue [Page 70] thy neighbour as thy selfe, in ano­ther, doe as thou wouldest be done vnto, in another, doe no wrong: Suum cuique tribuito, &c. Perhaps thou wilt saie, they that belong to that Court haue trou­bled thee and disquieted thee, and therefore they are not thy friends, I know it well, and therefore thou wouldest not heare them: Thou hast also disquieted and vexed them, and therefore wouldest be loath to be tried by them, I know also thy corrupt dealing with that Court, how with false perswasi­ons thou hast blinded reason, and peruerted iudgement, how thou hast fed vnderstanding with false informations and blinded her eyes with false loue, how thou hast put the two Iudges out of commission the loue of God, and the loue of thy neighbour, & in steed of them hast aduanced selfeloue, and parti­alitie. [Page 71] How ignorance and wil­fulnes haue pleaded thy matters, and malice hath euer beene one of the Iurie, how crueltie, and pride haue beene thy assistantes, and weaknes, and discretion haue beene put out of doores; how fal­shood and briberie haue informed the Iurie, and trueth and honestie haue stood at the barre, how Bar­rabas the murtherer was released, and Christ the Lord of life was crucified, how thou hast seared that Court with hote iron for of­fending thee, and Conscience her selfe thou thoughtest thou haddest hanged long agoe. All this I Know, and a great deale more, but now I haue raised vp Consci­ence againe, and set all her at­tendantes in commission againe. The recordes are finer written, & extant, Lo, where they stand all before me; here selfeloue & malice [Page 70] [...] [Page 71] [...] [Page 72] haue nothing to doe, what say­est thou to all this, wherefore hast thou done thus and thus, why doth the wicked contemne God? why hast thou said in thy heart, the Lord doth not regard? why speakest thou not? what? art thou dumbe? hast thou no­thing to say?

Besides all this, heere com­meth in now a pettie Iurie of life and death against thee, chosen out from among my dumbe and vnreasonable creatures, all which cry for vengeance against thee, as thy brothers blood for one, the earth that drewe in his blood for another, the beame in thy house for another, and then the stone in the wall,Gen. 4. 10 the beast thou rodest vpon,Haba. 2. 11 thy money that thou tookest for a bribe,Num. 22. 28. then thy cru­ell and craftie Bandes and Obli­gations,Mat. 27. 3. then thy merciles pledges [Page 73] and forfaitures that thou swallow­edst vp, then they pettifoggers thē thy craftie counsellers, and then thine owne seruants and children, and thy table that thou toldest thy money vpon, the verie Penne & Inke that thou wrotest withall, thy bed that thou laiest vpon, and thy chamber doore that thou diddest keepe fast shut while thou committest thy filthinesse, and by and by thy owne tongue shall find thee guiltie, all these my crea­tures and subiectes are come in to testifie their humble allea­geance and loyall duetie to me their maker, against thee that hast abused them, what sayest thou now? speake, art thou guil­tie or not? Iudas being conui­cted by the Court of conscience, said he was guiltie in betraying of innocent blood, and so went and hanged himselfe, Cain being [Page 74] conuicted by the Court of Con­science, said also he was guiltie in shedding of his brothers blood, and so became a desperate run­nagate. In like sort was Achi­tophel conuicted of treason against King Dauid, and he went home and hanged himselfe. All these were condemned by the Court of Conscience, and thinkest thou to escape? Conscience bring in thy verdict, what saist thou Con­science to the man of earth (who thought that thou had dest beene hanged long agoe) is he guiltie of those seuerall enditements, which haue beene preferred against him by the poore and fatherlesse, and found against him by the grand Iurie of my seruants the Prophets and Apostles or no? we finde saith the Court of Consci­ence,The ver­dict of consciēce that such a one man of earth, by Gods prouidence some­time [Page 75] Prince, of such a Na­tion, and such a one sometime Bishoppe of such a Prouince, and such a one Maior of such a towne, and such a one Iu­stice of such a Diuision, and such a one Minister of such a con­gregation, and such a one Law­yer in such a Court, and such a one Landlorde of such ten­nantes, And such a one Corne badger in such a Countrey, and euerie one of them, and many moe, whose names and bils of enditementes are seuerallie re­corded in the booke of Gods euerlasting knowledge; and all and euerie of them, but men of earth forgetting themselues, ab­using their place that GOD gaue them, and hauing not the feare of GOD before their eyes are guiltie of all, and e­uerie seuerall enditement that [Page 76] hath beene commenced against them. Verie well. What? Did they flie for the same? Yea Lord they did flie, for as the light of thy word did follow them, so they did in a deadly hatred of the same seeke darkenes, when they were reproued by the preacher, they would come no more at the ser­mon. When they haue beene looked for at the Church, then they haue beene at the bowles, or at the cardes, or at the tables, or at the alehouses, or at their worldlie busines, or about some other horrible wickednes, to ve­rifie the saying: Qui malè agit odit lucem: He that doth euill, hateth the light. VVe'l. VVhat goods, lands, or tenements had they at the time of their apprehension? They had none of their owne, for they were all tenants at will, yet we finde that they were very welthy [Page 77] many of them, and great in world­ly substance. For first, Thou hast filled their bellies with thine hid­den treasures, so that they haue inough for themselues, and leaue inough for their children after thē. Secondly, That wealth which thou gauest them, O Lord, hath encrea­sed: neither are they in penurie as others are. Thirdly the spoiles of the poore are in their houses,Iob. 21. and as great fishes deuoure many small fishes,Psal. 73. so they haue gotten many liuings into their handes, and many mens trades and offices into their handes. And this is the verdict of the Courte of consci­ence, which doth finde him guil­tie also of much more, as namely of hypocrisie, of vaineglorie, of contēpt of Gods word, of cōtempt of man, and of diuers villanous practises done in secret, which [Page 78] are knowen onely to God, for Saint Iohn saith. If our heart con­demne vs,1. Ioh. 3. 20 God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things. And thus much for the triall of the man of earth. Now let vs heare the sen­tence of the Iudge.

Man of earth (saith the Iudge) thou hast beene endited of diuers and sundrie enditements, to the which thou hast pleaded not guil­tie, and yet notwithwanding be­ing tried by the grand Iurie of the holy Prophets, and men of God, as also by the verdict of the Court of thy owne conscience, hast beene conuicted, and found guil­tie of them all. Therefore nowe what canst thou say for thy selfe, why sentence of eternall death should not be pronounced against thee according to the lawe? In earthlie iudgementes, this que­stion [Page 79] is put to two sortes of per­sons, First, such as are quitt by booke, Secondly to such as can­not haue that benefit. So like­wise in this heauenly iudgement. This question is propounded both to the elect, as also to the reprobate. To the elect it is said, what canst thou say for thy selfe? They staight waie condemne themselues as Dauid did of bloud­guiltinesse. Psal. 51. as Iob did his children for blaspheming GOD in their mirth and fea­stinges, as Peter did his fall from Christ, euen with bitter teares, and as Paule did, who saide, he was a chiefe sin­ner, crying out, O wretched man that I am &c. and as the prodigall childe did: Father I haue sinned against Heauen, and against thee, and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne, [Page 80] but yet for them (thus condem­ning and humbling themselues) there is some comfort: VVhat, canst thou beleeue in me, (saith the Iudge) and repent from the bottome of thy heart, canst thou read thy name in the booke of life? To which question euery one doth answere as he is prompted by the spirit of God, I beleeue and repent but not of my selfe, it is the gift of God, I beleeue, Lord helpe my vnbeliefe. And with Zaccheus they promise restitution of goods ill gotten.Luke. 19. 8 And with Dauid they pray: Oh that my waies were so dire­cted, Psa. 119. that I might keepe thy statutes alwaies: VVell (saith the Iudge) then heare your sentence. The Court doth award you this punish­ment,The sen­tence of the godly you shall be crossed and af­flicted in this world sometime in your bodies. Sometimes in your goods, sometimes in your chil­dren, [Page 81] you shall also be stung with the hote iron of an afflicted and woūded cōsciēce, you shalbe whip ped & scourged with venemous, & slaunderous tongues of wicked mē, & a great deale more thē this shall happen vnto you heere, that you may not be damned with the wic­ked world, & so go your way, and sin no more, least a worse thing hap­pen vnto you,1. Cor. 11. 32. but before you can be quite discharged, you must re­mēber to put in Death as a cōmon baile for your forth cōming wher­soeuer you shall be called for,Iohn 8 11 and my owne sonne Iesus Christ as a speciall suertie for your debt, and good behauiour, and so paying your fees of obedience, & newnes of life, & carrying about you the remnants of sinne as shackles vpō the feete of your soule to humble you withall so long as you liue in this world, performing these due­ties, [Page 82] you are discharged from the sentence of eternall condemnatiō, for the law of the Gospell is that there shall be no condemnation to them that are in Christ,Rom. 8. 1. which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit. To which the godly doe answere as the Apostle did in the verie same case,Rom. 7. 25 I thanke my God through Iesus Christ my Lord. And thus much for the sen­tence of the elect, now let vs heare the sentence of the reprobate.The sen­tence of the reprobate.

Call forth the reprobate man of earth (saith the Lord.) Man of earth what canst thou say for thy selfe why sentence of eternall death should not be pronounced against thee? What, canst thou be­leue in Christ, & repēt for thy sins? Yea Lord I beleeue that Christ died for sinners, and for my part I am sorie that I must be damned▪ Nay thou reprobate, canst thou [Page 83] beleeue effectually that Christ di­ed for thy sinnes, and doest thou abhorre thy sinnes which were the cause of Christes death, or hast thou any heartie desire so to doe? for otherwise thou sayest no more then the Deuils doe, who beleeue and tremble. No Lord: I know not what that meaneth. It is true in deed, for whē thou wert admonish­ed to repent, thou hardenest thine heart, abusing my patience, and making a custome of sinne, which hath bred full hardnes of heart, and impenitencie in thee, and so hast heaped vp vnto thy selfe wrath against this day of wrath,Rom. 2. 5. and reuealing of my righteous iudgement: thou thoughtest al­so that thou haddest faith and re­pentance at commandement, per­swading thy selfe and others that all men may repent and beleeue if they will, & whē they will, but now [Page 84] thou seest that thou wert deceiued.

Oh, a Psalme of mercy Lord, one Psalme of mercy, I can read all the Psalmes of Dauid, and say all the penitentiall Psalmes by heart, I will goe to Church, and say ouer the Lords prayer, and my Pater noster too, Lord I wil goe a pilgri­mage, and punish my bodie with whipping, and fasting, I haue heard thee preach in our parish Church, and will doe againe when I can in­tend it. Oh Lord I wil do any thing rather then goe to hell. Ah thou reprobate (saith the Lord) who required all this at thy hands? doest thou thinke to please me with thy wil-worship, and spirituall whore­doms? all that wil not serue thy turn thy name is not writtē in the book of life, therfore thou canst not re­pent, nor beleeue aright: hast thou no more to say? Yes Lord, Others haue done as much as I▪ And I [Page 85] hope to be saued as well as others▪ And I haue heard some say, that thou art full of mercy, & wouldest that all men should be saued. Yea▪ (saith the Lord) so hast thou and many moe abused my mercy, & be­reaued me of iustice as much as in you lie, & like ignorant, & vnstable men peruerting my holy scriptures to your owne destructiō,2. Pet. 3. 16 I wil haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy & I will execute iudgement mer­ciles vpon thee which shewedst no mercy to the poore & fatherles,Iam. 2. 13. & do thee no wrong. Therfore now heare thy finall sentence, because thou hast abused thy arme, that is, the power, wealth, & authority that I gaue thee, & hast not at any time loued me for my mercy, nor feared me for my iudgmēt, lo, therfore thy arme shal be brokē, thou shalt be de­priued of all meanes wherby thou hast bin encouraged to do mischief, [Page 86] and then thou shalt be no more cause of feare: my people shall goe and liue without feare of thee. Al­so thou shalt goe from hence to the place from whence thou ca­mest,Gen. 3. 19. and that is to the earth: For out of the Dust wert thou taken, and to the dust shalt thou returne againe. And from thence to the place of execution in hell, and there shalt thou hang in torments intollerable, and perpetuall, pre­pared for the Deuill and his An­gels, where shall be weeping and wailing, aud gnashing of teeth for euer. Thou shalt haue blacke fame for thy herault, and euer­lasting shame for thy hearse, feare and terrour shall be dealt for thy doale, and the curses of the poore shall follow thee to thy graue. And this is briefely the substance of the sentence of the reprobate man of earth, which is [Page 87] yet but a shadow of that which it is indeed, for indeed it will be more grieuous and terrible when it commeth, then is possible for all the tongues of men and An­gels to expresse. Now a little of the execution of this sentence.

In earthly iudgements, execu­tion doth not alwaies presently fol­low the sentence of the iudge▪ for some are repriued vpon fur­ther consideration,Of the executiō. some are after a while committed to the gallies, and perpetuall slauerie, some are sodenly hanged vp, not knowing of the time when, nor the place where vntill the very instant. And some haue knowledge both of the time and place before hand, that they may be prepared for death. So is it also in this heauenly iudgement. Some are repriued, and liue long, yet still in the prison of sinne and slauerie of the Deuill, which [Page 88] is to encrease their torment, some are sodenly taken, and speedily de­stroyed, without recouerie being brought by the righteous hand of God into euil in the middest of the Cōgregation as apeareth in Pro. 6. 15. Some are longer in languish­ing paines & torments then some, euen in this world for one and the same fault.

There be three causes for which the Lord doth defer the ful execu­tiō of iudgement vpon the wicked, the first is, to keepe thē in continu­all miserie, for all good things turne to their euill, the second is to plague them with their owne sinne, for there cannot be a grea­ter mischiefe then to be a wicked man, and to liue long in wicked­nes, for when he hath serued the deuill, the deuill shall pay him his wages, and that sinne wherunto he hath beene most enclined, and [Page 89] whereof he looked for the greatest pleasure and profite, shall worke him the greatest plague and woe. The third cause is, that they may liue and punish vs which are the children of GOD, who haue beene alreadie crossed and whip­ped by them, and are neuer the better, but when he hath worne them as rods to the stumpes vp­on the backes of his stubburne children, and well humbled vs by them, he will then cast his rods into the fire. God pu­nisheth not as earthlie iudges doe, to content them that haue receiued the wrong, or to satisfie the worlde, but be­cause he hateth sinne, and lo­ueth righteousnesse, and drawe thereout greate glorie to him­selfe, and singular good to his children. The vse of this [Page 90] Doctrine may serue to terrifie the wicked, who vse to make but a iest of the iudgements of God, say­ing, what? so long yet? till doomes day? &c. but it is not so lōg as they dreame, for the sentēce of God is begunne many times to be executed vpon the wicked, euen when they least feele it, for it is a iudgement of it selfe to be past feeling of Gods iudgement when they sinne: It serueth also to com­fort the godly, who thinke the time long till the Lord take the wicked in hand which do oppresse and vexe them. Lastly let it serue to admonish all of vs to looke vn­to our waies, and to liue so, as that when God shall get vp vnto his iudgement seat, we may be found, in Christ our great suertie vnblameable, and so escape the fearefull and irrecouerable sen­tence [Page 91] of the wicked and repro­bate, and on the other side may receiue our quietus est, and dis­charge with Gods elect in Christ Iesus. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, be all ho­nour, power, and domi­nion for euermore.

Now let vs praise God.

Amen.