THE SIXTH SERMON UPON THE 38. CHAP. OF the Prophecy of ISAIAH, preached in the presence of th...

THE SIXTH SERMON UPON THE 38. CHAP. OF the Prophecy of ISAIAH, preached in the presence of the Kings Majesty.
1 About that time was Hezekiah sick unto the death, and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amos came unto him, and said unto him, thus saith the Lord, put thine house in an order, for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 And Hezekiah turned his face unto the wall, and prayed to the Lord.
3 And said, I beseech thee, Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight; and Hezekiah wept sore. Isaiah 38.
In these words which I have presently read (well-beloved in Christ Jesus,) the heavy disease whereinto this godly King fell, is at length described, and the manner of his behavior under this disease is well set down. It pleased the Lord to exercise this godly King with this heavy temptation amongst many more. And suppose it be true that diseases are common to all flesh, yet the manner how to behave ourselves under diseases, is not common. Therefore let all flesh take heed to the several parts of this history, that they may learn so to behave themselves in the day of their misery, that taking up this Kings behavior, they may in the end obtain his comfort.
[1] In the beginning of this Chapter, the King is brought in lying under a heavy disease: the kind and manner of this disease is concealed, although it may be gathered from the 21 verse of the Chap. and therefore I note it here. [2] Secondly, the time when he fell into this disease is also noted. [3] Thirdly, the greatness and weight of this disease is likewise noted. [4] And last of all, the manner of the Kings behavior under so terrible a disease is at length set down. To return to the first: The kind of the disease as may be gathered out of that verse, was a pestilentious boil: for the name which is given to the boil, is the same name which is given to the botch of Egypt, that same name which is expressed Exodus 9:9 a mattery kind of boil breaking out into many heads; for so the nature of the word signifieth: The most dangerous and deadly kind of plague that was in the days of that king. In deed since as the world hath grown in wickedness, so it hath brought forth more dangerous kinds of botches then before: the experience whereof this Town hath had. For as man is ingenious to invent new sins to provoke God to wrath, the Lord being both just and prudent, on the other part deviseth new plagues to punish these new sins of men: for the storehouse of the Lord's judgments can never be emptied. But surely it is a wonderful matter that he should have visited so godly a King with so terrible a both, in respect that this plague proceedeth commonly from his hot rage and wrath. For from his wrath it takes these names ofttimes; as when it is called the finger of the Lord, his fear by night, his flying arrow by day, and the devouring plague. Now I say the matter is wonderful, that he loving this King so well, should so extremely have plagued him in the sight of the whole world. What should this teach us? This visitation of the King teacheth us two necessary lessons. First it teacheth us, not to measure the favor and hatred of God by any external thing on the earth: For if we look to the visitation of God upon his children, if we look to the nature of the plague and affliction either in quantity or quality, if we look to the long continuance & diuturnity of the plague; in the judgment of man and in the judgment of him that is afflicted, sometime it shall come to pass that he shall think himself in a worse case then any of the reprobate. But howsoever it be so esteemed in the heart and judgment of man, yet it is far otherwise in the judgment of God. For there lieth hid one thing in the heart of God concerning us that are his children; and another thing concerning the Reprobate, in such sort, that suppose affliction be common to us and them; yet the cause from whence the affliction proceedeth, is not common, not the end whereunto it tendeth. For as to us our affliction sloweth from the favor, love and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, and tendeth to our great profit and commodity; to wit, that we being corrected here, should not perish hereafter with the wicked world. But as for the affliction of the reprobate, it floweth from the hot wrath and indignation of God upon them, he as a righteous judge beginning their punishment here which shall last forever. So affliction that is unto them a part of his justice, unto us is a merciful correction. The Prophet Isaiah in his 27. chap. expresseth this matter so lively, that I think there is no part of Scripture in the which there is greater comfort. In the 4. and 7. verses of that chapter he saith to the Church, I am not, saith he, in fury, I am not in rage ; suppose I strike thee, yea suppose I beat thee, saith he, I strike not thee as I strike them that strike thee, I slay not thee as I them that slay thee: for in correcting thee I purge thee from thine iniquity, in striking thee I remove thy sins from thee, but I do not so with the rest. Then the first lesson that ye have to learn here is this, Measure not the favor of God by any external thing in the earth, whether it be prosperity or adversity.
The second thing that ye have to learn here, is this, ye see Kings may have the Plague. There is no Prince in the earth exempted from the judgment of God, when he pleaseth to apply them. Thus far for the name of the disease.
The second thing that is noted here, is the time when the King fell into this disease: there is no certain time set down here; but the time specified is relative to the last history: It is relative to that time when the King of Ashur took arms against him, which was the 13. yere of his reign. So it was the 14. year of his reign that he fell into this disease: for this godly King reigned 29. years; 15. of them were given him after his disease: In the 14. year of his reign the wars began, and this time is relative to that history; so it must be in the 14. of his reign that he fell into that disease, whether the disease was after the siege, or during the same the judgment of the learned differs: although in 2. Chron. 32. chap. it appeareth that he fell into this disease after the siege and time of his delivery. For we read in that history, that the King in the meantime of this siege, was building up the ruinous walls, was stopping the conduits of the waters, was sending messengers to Isaiah, and was resorting to the Temple. These were all arguments of a wholesome and well-disposed King, and there is no argument of infirmity here So it appeareth, that it was after the siege that he fell into this disease.
Now take heed where my note riseth; he is scarcely freed from the fearful wars, when he falleth into a terrible plague. We see then, that the estate of the godliest and best Princes, is to be subject to continual temptation, grief and vexation, so that the issue of one trouble is the beginning of another. So it pleaseth the Lord to exercise them. And to what end I pray you? To the end that this life, with the pleasures and glory of it, may become bitter to their taste; and so they may be moved to seek for a better. And this lesson appertaineth to all Christians: for if thou be a Christian, thou must look for trouble, of necessity thou must take up thy daily cross and follow Christ. As for the fed carcasses of this world, the Lord in his righteous judgment hath appointed them for slaughter. But if thou be one of them whom he hath not appointed for slaughter, thou must be subject to a continual exercise, either in soul or in body, in family or fame, one way or other, thou must be subject to a continual exercise. For there is no way to pierce the clouds, but by a continual tribulation. And seeing it is so, it becometh us not to have our hearts here gruntling upon this earth; but it becometh us to have our hearts hoisted and our minds lifted up to the heavens where our Master reigneth in glory, and to use the things of this world as they may best further us to the next world: or otherwise, terrible is the judgment and incommodity that the things of this world shall bring upon us. Thus far concerning the time.
As to the greatness of the disease, I find it noted in the verses which I have read by sundry things: First, the Prophet showeth the greatness of the disease, whereas he saith, he was sick even to ye death. Secondly, the greatness of his disease is aggravated, while as the Prophet getteth command in the name of the Lord to assure him of death. And thirdly, the boil it self which broke out, was deadly, and showeth also the weight of the disease.
Now in this extremity the Prophet visiteth him, and in the name of the Lord enjoineth him two things: first, to take order with his house: next, to prepare him for death, and to pull his heart the more from all present things and all earthly comfort, assureth him of death shortly: and for his further assurance, he doubleth the word, saying, thou shalt die, and not live. It is so hard a thing to have the hearts of Kings pulled from their wealth, and from their glory.
The Prophet in visiting of the King, learneth us a point of duty towards our diseased brethren, a point whereunto we are bound by nature, by charity, and by all sorts of laws; but chiefly we who have the care of souls, and represent Isaiah in our office, at this time chiefly we are bound to visit our brethren; for at such times the Devil is most busy, the bodies of men are abstracted from the hearing of the preached word, and old sins begin to revive and return to their memories, and therefore at that time there is great need of comfort. We are also informed here by the Prophet how to propound our comfort, lest we spend our time in idle and unprofitable talk, as worldly men do: To wit, first of all that we bid the patient take order with his house, that is, make his testament, and lay aside the worldly part, that so his heart may be ready to go when the Lord calleth on his soul. The most part of the world are so negligent in this point of duty, that there are very few that have their heart free when the Lord knocketh: but they are compelled to leave their heart behind them where their treasure is, or where they love best, and that because they set themselves here as in a permanent City. And in their life time they will not so much as once think of death, but dream to themselves length of days: and which I wonder most of; there is not a man about them that will do so much as once to put them in mind of death, yea not when the Lord beginneth to strike; but some say, it will trouble him and make him heavy; others come in and say, they would do it, but they cannot for tears and sorrow: The Doctor saith, Nature is strong enough, be of good comfort. So that if the Pastor leave this point of duty, there is not a friend almost that beginneth to admonish a man until his outward senses begin to leave him. Now as it becometh the Pastor to propound this, so it becometh the Patient to obey it: for this command is not given by man, but by God. For Isaiah giveth it in the Name of God: and it is not only given to Kings, but it reacheth to all masters of families whosoever: for the Lord hath willed them to have a care of their families, not only in their life time, but in their death also, that by this means all occasion of quarrels and debates might be cut off after their death. The Patriarchs, the godly Kings, they have left their example registered concerning this point; so that I will not insist at this present further in it. Now the worldly part being set aside, and the conscience put at rest, the soul is prepared to hear of death: and so the Prophet cometh in the second place with the denunciation of death. Indeed Isaiah in his denunciation appeareth to be very strict, but how strict soever he was, he hath his warrant: We have not the like warrant, therefore we ought not to use the like strictness toward the Patient. Always generally we ought to exhort him to unburden his conscience, to disburden his soul, and to make ----- whensoever it shall please the Lord to call ----the chief points of our visitation standeth ----two: first, to bid the Patient lay aside the ----: and next, to prepare for the heavenly part.
Yet ere I leave the denunciation, these appeareth in the denunciation three faults to conclude. First it seemeth that the Prophet in his denunciation ---- over rigorous against so godly a King, and handles the King over extremely in this heavy disease: for he cuts from him at the first, all hope of this present life. He doth far otherwise then our Doctors of medicine; for if they see any certain sign of death, they will not show it to the Patient himself, but to some of his friends: he on the contrary denounceth death to himself, constantly affirming that he shall die. Now this appeareth to be very hard: But I answer, if this denunciation had been used against an Ethnic or a licentious liver, indeed it had been a hard denunciation. For as to an Ethnic who hath his hope only in the earth, it is not possible that he can make his hope to mount above the earth, so that he thinketh when he is gone, all is gone to him. Secondly, this denunciation would appear hard and extreme to them that live according to the flesh; for ô how bitter is death, saith Solomon, to them that live according to the flesh! And I pray you what is the cause that death is so bitter unto them? Because in the agony of death they feel another thing then this violent separation of the soul from the body: for beside this, they feel a conscience of iniquity gnawing them: they feel also the heavy wrath of God kindled against their sin and iniquity, and the sense of this wrath striketh such a horror in their souls, that at the very memory of death they tremble. Therefore I say to such kind of persons as those, this would have been a hard kind of threatening: But unto Christians, and namely to such a godly King as this was, it was no hard language. For as to us that we Christians, we must not look on death as she is in her own nature: But we must look upon her as she is made to us, by the benefit and mercy in Christ Jesus. And looking on death this way, is not death spoiled of her sting, is she not sanctified to us in the death of Christ, and is she not made to us an entry to everlasting felicity, is she not a returning from our banishment, and passing to our everlasting heaven? So looking on death not in the own nature, but as she is made to us in Christ, at the voice of death we ought to lift up our eyes and be glad, that the redemption of our soul is so near; when the separation shall be made, & the Lord shall call on us, we ought to rejoice, seeing he hath made death to us, a further step to joy, and a means of a stricter conjunction. But it is not possible that words can make men prepare them for death. The readiest way to eschew the horror of death is to think upon death, and yet notwithstanding of all the great spectacles that we see daily, we are never a hair moved. Always the readiest way, as I have said, is, to take up such a life presently as may best agree with that life which we aspire unto. Thou must take up a new course, thou must conform thy life here with the life to come, that a harmony being betwixt the two lives, death may be to thee an entry to that everlasting joy. Thou must bid all thy foul affections good night, for thou and they cannot come both to heaven: Thou must bid sin whereunto thou art a slave and an ordinary servant, farewell; for except thou be this way altered, thou must not think that death shall be to thee a passage to heaven. Then learn ye that would have death pleasant, so to rule and square this life, that it may agree in some measure with the life to come.
The second omission that appeareth in this denunciation is this, it seemeth to be superfluous: for why? the kind of plague assured him of his death, the Physicians assured him, the weakness of his own nature assured him that he should die. So the denunciation seemeth to be superfluous; but it is not superfluous in deed, if we shall examine our own nature, how loath all men are to die; for we know by experience, that there are some who will scarcely take death to them, even at the last gasp; and what love we have to this life, it is known to all men. Therefore the Prophet so strictly denounced death, that by this strict denunciation, the King may be moved to lift his hope above nature and all natural means, and of God only to seek support where nature had denied him: And so the denunciation is not superfluous, it is the ready way to make him run unto the right way.
Now the last omission that appeareth in this denunciation is this. The Lord seemeth by his Prophet to dissemble, for is not this a high dissimulation, to say that he shall die, and yet notwithstanding to mean the contrary? So there appeareth a great dissimulation on God's part denounced by his Prophet, that he should die instantly: and yet he was of mind that he should live fifteen years after this. To answer unto this, this general must be laid down for a ground, that unto all the threatenings and promises of God there is a condition annexed, which condition is either secretly enclosed in the promise or threatening, or else it is openly expressed. That this is true, see Ezekiel the 18.1. and Dan, 4.27, this condition hath place.
Then this being the nature of the threatenings of God, this terrible denunciation how terrible soever it appear, yet it hath a condition in it, to wit, Except he repent, except he seek me, and make his recourse to me by prayer. For out of question, the Lord was of mind to punish Nineveh, except they had prevented him by repentance. So I say, all the promises and threatenings of God have a condition annexed, which is either openly expressed, or covertly to be understood. And therefore the denunciation hath a secret condition, and this condition made the King to live: for suppose it be simply propounded, yet it is not to bring him to despair, but only to make him the more instant to seek grace & health at the hands of the living God. Now have I touched the greatness, the time, and the kind of the disease. Let us make our profit thereof; for it is necessary that this doctrine be applied to our times.
Then I say, praised be the living God, our King is not diseased, but surely his country is heavily diseased; for so long as Papists & Papistry remain in it, so long as these pestilent men remain in it, and so long as these floods of iniquity which flows from the great men, remain, there is a heavy judgment hanging over this Country. And in my conscience, I cannot but look for a heavy judgment until these things be removed. There is no great man, but whatsoever liketh him, he thinketh it lawful: And not only is this in this part of the land, but in all other parts of this Nation gross iniquities are committed; and the Church is made a prey to all men, there is such disdain and contempt of the word in the whole estate. Except these things be purged, I cannot look but the Lord shall raise some if it were out of the furthest Indies to plague this land. Albeit I doubt not but the liberty of the Church here, and the sobs and sighs of the godly here, have delayed the judgment from the whole land: yea, I am assured of it, and therefore I pray God that he may so work in your heart (Sir) by grace, yt ye may put to your hand to purge your part of the I will. The Lord of his mercy establish your heart by grace, that for no man's pleasure ye communicate with other men's sins. Three manner of ways we are said to communicate with other men's sins. First, when both with heart and hand we do one thing with them. Secondly, when we consent with our heart only. Thirdly, when we oversee where we should reprove, and forbear where we should punish and in this way Magistrates are only guilty. Thus far for the application. Now I go forward to my text.
The last thing that we have to speak of, is the manner of the Kings behavior under so terrible a disease; we have in the second three verses, his behavior lively expressed. As to his behavior, I speak only of it as the text speaketh; I doubt not but he reasoned otherwise, and gave other answers to Isaiah: But I content me with that which the text saith. Then in his behavior we see, he retyreth himself, first to God by prayer, and to testify that he prayeth from his heart, it is said that he weeped bitterly. Surely this is an evident argument that his prayer flowed from his heart, & was indited by the right Spirit; for if God leave us to our own natural spirit, we neither know what to pray, nor how to pray: But as it is said, Romans 8:26. it is the Spirit of God that incited our prayer, that raiseth these sighs and these sobs, that maketh our heart to melt in those tears that are pleasing to him. So it appeareth here by the earnestness of his prayer, that it flowed from the right fountain, and therefore it cannot be but pleasing to God.
This prayer and manner of his behavior, assureth us of two things; first, it makes us certain of his faith; Secondly, of his repentance: I say, it makes us certain of his faith. For how is it possible that I can crave anything at the hands of him in whom I trust not? Or how can we call upon him (saith the Apostle) in whom we believe not? Then Prayer to God is an evident argument, that we trust in God. So I say, it is an argument of his faith, and where faith is, of necessity repentance must be; for these two companions, Faith and Repentance, are inseparable. As Peter testifieth in the Acts , 15. chap. For so far as the heart is purged, so far is the life renewed: so faith, and newness of life going together, faith and repentance must also go together. Then his prayer testifieth his faith, his faith testifieth his repentance, his repentance testifieth of the secret condition enclosed in the threatening; and the condition being fulfilled, the threatening cannot strike. So by this deduction it may appear, that suppose the Prophet denounced very strictly, yet under the denunciation there was a condition, which condition taketh effect in the King. Thus far concerning his behavior.
Now as to his gesture, I shall be short in it: It is said that he turned him to the wall, he did this out of question for two respects. First, that he might weep the more bitterly: for it is said, that he poured forth his soul in tears. And so he desired not that he should be seen. Secondly, he turned him to the wall, to the end that his eyes should not carry his mind from God. For we know easily, that when any of us is making our prayer in any public place, there is no object that falleth before our senses, but it will draw us from that communing which we have with God. So it is necessary for them yt would pray earnestly, to withdraw them unto a secret place, according as our master commanded his Disciples to enter into their secret chamber. Thus far for his gesture.
As to the words of the prayer, they are set down in the third verse: in his prayer he suppresseth his petition (for his petition is the prorogation of his days;) according to the custom of the godly men of old, as Daniel 9:4. And in place of the petition he setteth down the reason why his petition should be heard. As to the reasons, they are three in number.
[1] The first is, Remember Lord, that I have walked in thy truth. [2] Secondly, I have walked with an upright heart. [3] Thirdly, I have done that which is good in thy sight. In all these three it would appear, that he is boasting of his own merits: for the words appear to be full of ostentation and pride. But to answer to this, the Lord measureth not ostentation and pride by words, but by the heart from whence the words proceed: A broken, a contrite and humble heart, is ever acceptable to him, use what form of words you will. And a proud heart is ever displeasing to him, use what form of words it will.
Now what is he doing here? he is not making a vaunt or bragging of his works only; he is showing to God, yt howsoever his plague was great, yet he had a good conscience, the testimony whereof upheld him: In such sort, that suppose all outward things said that God was angry at him, yet he could not be persuaded in his conscience but he was his friend.
And therefore in his whole prayer he reasoneth as though he would say after this manner: Lord, thou knowest that the profane men of this country will think it an extreme curse that I shall die without children, and by this they will esteem the deeds to be accused which I have done before: they will curse and damn the religion that I have reformed, and the order of thy house which I have begun. And yet notwithstanding I am assured in my conscience, that I have the warrant of thy Law in all that I have done: For I sought not myself, but thee only; therefore (Lord) deliver me. So this kind of reasoning cometh neither of ostentation nor of pride. Now as to myself (would he say,) when I examine my doings, I find my conscience so pure, that in all my proceedings I had a good warrant; and in all my doings I sought not mine own particular, but thy glory: And therefore Lord remember me, & take not my life from me, that I be not a stumbling block to the weak ones, and a rejoicing to mine enemies. This is the only thing which we are taught here; We see this good King when all worldly comfort faileth him, and in his greatest extremity, he reposeth himself upon the testimony of a good conscience; this is the only thing that sustaineth him, this is the only thing that comforteth him, and wherein now in the very instant of his death he hath to glory. Surely when I read through the Bible, I find that all the servants of God in their greatest trouble, had recourse to this testimony of conscience. Ye see Moses when he hath to do with Core, Dathan, and Abiram, he hath recourse to the testimony of his conscience. Ye see David when he hath to do with Saul, he hath recourse to this testimony of conscience. Ye see Nehemiah maketh recourse to this: Ye see Daniel maketh recourse to this, 6.23. And the Apostle Paul, 1. Cor. 4. maketh his recourse to this, and saith, I pass very little for your judgment or any man's judgment; my glory is the testimony of mine own conscience. And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in his last Chapter: I am assured (saith he) that I have kept a good conscience in all things. So go through all the servants of God, and ye shall see they have had ever recourse to this testimony of conscience; and blessed is that man that it not condemned in his doings by his own conscience. For if we are not able to eschew the condemnation of our own heart, how shall we be able to eschew the condemnation of God, who seeth all the secrets of the heart? So that man is more than blessed that is not condemned of his own heart. For as to this conscience it is a faithful pledge keeper: the pawns yt it receiveth it rendereth; of good turns it giveth a joyful testimony, of evil turns it giveth a bitter testimony. And suppose the most part of our deeds be now covered from the eye of man, and her testimony for the most part hid from our self; yet there is a day coming which now is at hand, in the which all these things that are now hid under darkness shall come to light, and the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. The books of conscience shall be cast open, and he that bringeth not in these books, the discharge of his sins in register, purchased by the blood of Christ Jesus whereby our consciences are only washen from these dead works; he that bringeth not this discharge with him, to him shall his whole sins present themselves. So that not only shall he be judged by the sentence of the righteous Judge, but his own conscience which in this life forejudged him, shall condemn him there, and all the Angels of God with his elect children shall justify his judgment: Therefore it is time we had now our discharge registered.
Now would God I might obtain this of the office bearers in Church or Policy, that they would now cast them in their life, to have the approbation of their conscience in the time of their death. The Lord grant it to all them that seek to serve him: But specially, the Lord make you (Sir) so to walk in your life, that you may have a joyful testimony of your conscience in your death; that being approved with your own conscience, and the testimony of God within your conscience, in the mouth of these two faithful witnesses your salvation may be sure, not in yourself, but in the blood of Christ Jesus, whose mercy is our only merit.
As this is desired in him, so it is required in the rest of the office-bearers: Lord grant that they may follow such a trade of life, that in their death their conscience may make mention of their deeds to their joy. Thus far for this part of his behavior.
Now resteth one thing to speak, and so I shall end: Take up the manner of his behavior under this disease, he is straitened with the extremity of his disease on the one side, and with the Lord's threatening on the other: what doth he in this strait pinch? He seeketh by prayer to the same God that struck him, and now by his Prophet threateneth him. This is wonderful: for if he had had to do with any other person, as namely, if he had had to do with the King of Ashur as before, it had been an easy matter to have retired to God: But now having to do with God, and God apparently being his enemy, it is wonderful that he should have recourse to God. This is a notable faith in him, for he hopeth against hope, he runneth to that same God that smiteth him. So notwithstanding that he threateneth him with death, yet he runneth to him, and he appealeth from his justice to mercy in the merits of Christ: he appealeth from God as a righteous Judge, unto him as a Redeemer in Christ, and his appellation is heard. For, as we shall hear hereafter (by God's grace) he is healed: Thus far concerning his repentance. Now as to the prorogation of his days, the question might rise, whether it was lawful for him to crave it or not. I shall touch it but in general; and first I say, in Hezekiah person it is very lawful: for he lacked posterity, and in this the promise of God had not taken effect in him, and so it was lawful for him to seek the accomplishment of the Lord's promise made to his father David: and also the reformation of the Church was but new begun, the commonwealth was not as yet established, and all these craved the presence of the King. So if we look to the particular, in him it was lawful. I come to the general, it is lawful at sometimes to seek at God prorogation of days, and my reason is this; Length of days is one of the greatest blessings temporal that we have, as in that promise annexed to the commandment appeareth. And as the Apostle in the 2. Chap. 27. to the Philip. when he maketh mention of the disease of Epaphroditus, he saith, no doubt he was sick very near unto death, but the Lord had mercy on him, and not only upon him, but on me also. So he counteth the prorogation of days a special mercy. And there is no mercy nor benefit of God but it may be craved, so that it be craved to the right end. For we directing our life to the glory of God, and using it as Pilgrims and strangers seeking our home, and having it ready to lay down in the hands of God at his pleasure, why is it not lawful to crave it? Indeed John in his 12. Chap. 25. ver. seemeth to gainsay this, where he saith, He that loveth this life shall lose it. This knot may be soon loosed. There is a love of this life which is commendable, and there is a love which is worthy of reproof, whereof John speaketh, to wit, an extraordinary love, and such a love whereby we place our whole felicity in this life, not looking for a better after this. So this love is damned by John. The other love which is of God, is when we are ready to lay down our life at his Majesty's feet, and seek the prorogation of our life for no respect but for his glory, (as this King did,) as he showeth clearly in the end of his own words, in the 18 and 19 verses. Thus far concerning the petition. So if we respect God and his glory we may seek this blessing. Always ye see in the greatest extremity, the only comfort that he hath is the testimony of a good conscience: And this ought to be our stay when we are threatened of God, either with plague or any other calamity.
Well, as I said in the beginning, if it were possible that the Lord's threatenings could make us to have recourse to him that he might cleanse our consciences in time, we should have as great comfort in our trouble as this King had. Would God he would give us melting hearts.
Lord work this in you (Sir) that as he hath honored in your birth, so ye may honor him by your doings in your government. The Lord of his mercy give us hearts to crave this; Lord give us hearts to sigh for the things we cannot amend: Lord give us grace to have recourse to Christ Jesus, and by his mercy to enter into that City, for without it there is nothing but swine and dogs, nothing but Papistry and idolatry. Let us, I say, have recourse to this God, who is only able to preserve both Church and Country. To this God be all honor, praise and glory, forever and ever. Amen.