borne anew Iohn 3.6 Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 none but such as do repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus and bee the true and liuely members of his Mysticall Body And to the end that wee bee not deceiued in so weighty a matter but that wee may assuredly know whether Christ dwell in our hearts by his Spirit and we dwell in him by faith so as we be true and liuely members of his mysticall Body let vs try it by these two waies First by the power of Christs death Secondly by his resurrection If thou bee a member of Christ thou shalt finde the power of Christs death daily crucifying the old man and eating out the corruption of thy nature for as wee see in a mans body when there is much dead flesh in a wound they lay corzie medicines to it to eate it out so the death of Iesus Christ applyed to our hearts by faith doth fret and eate out as a corzie the corruption of Nature Rom. 6.1.23 Rom. 6. 7.8 our dead flesh So as Christ by his death maketh all his members die vnto sinne so as they can not liue in the bondage and slauery of sinne Now then proue your selues you hope to bee saued by Christ Iesus But bee not deceiued Christ died for none but such as bee vnited to him his true and liuely members And none are his members but such as find and feele the power of his death to mortifie kill and weaken the power of sinne and naturall corruption Doe you then find sinne to die in you Doe you finde the strength of your corruption to bee abated the heate of it to bee alayed Doe you feele Christes death fretting it out so as you can say I hate sinne I abhorre sinne It is as bitter as Wormewood vnto mee Doe you finde this change in your liues that you leaue your old sinnes labouring to get out of ignorance to leaue swearing lying stealing drinking whooring c. then your case is good it is an euident token that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ But if on the contrary part you finde that sinne is as strong now as euer it was and that you are the same now that you were seuen yeares agoe now dying to sinne and rising to newnesse of life Oh deceiue not youe owne soules any longer your case as yet is fearefull you bee not the liuely members of Iesus Christ but wilde Oliues dead branches good for nothing but fewell for the fire The secoÌ„d property of this tree Which bringeth forth her fruit in due season This Tree whereunto the godly man is compared is most like to bee the palme tree Maler in Psalm 1. THis is the second property of that Tree whereunto a godly man is compared namely as it is wel planted and seated by the Riuers side where it hath continuall iuice and nourishment and is well watered Euen so likewise it is fruitfull and yeeldeth sweete and pleasant fruit to him that planted it And that In due season Euen so the godly man being ingrafted into Iesus Christ Palma gaudâ—â— rignis totoque animo bibere gaudet Pli. lib. 13.4 Psal 92.12 as by a riuers side and being a liuely member of his Mysticall Body hee bringeth forth much good and pleasant fruite and that in Due season When as it may best stand for the glory of God and the good of man Heere wee see then who are the true and liuely members or Iesus Doctr. 5. Members of Christ are euer fruitfull Christ who is a true godly man and who is planted as this good Tree in Iesus Christ the true Vine Namely such as bee carefull and endeuour themselues continually to bring forth the blessed fruite of a godly and Christian life Euery Tree is knowne by his fruite A Tree is not knowne by his rhinde nor barke nor branches nor yet by his leaues But euery Tree is knowne by his fruite Matthew the twelfth chapter and the foure and thirty verse a good Tree cannot but bring forth good fruite and a bad tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit So euery man is knowne by his fruite Hee that is a godly man and a true and liuely member of Iesus Christ can not but bring forth good fruite euen the fruit of good workes and a godly life so a wicked man cannot but bring forth bad fruit the workes of darkenesse of a wicked and vngodly life We see if a grift or sciene bee set into a good Stock and take aright it will appeare by the yeelding of fruit But if it doe not prosper then it withers and dies and is good for nothing but the fire So if any man seeme to bee a Christian and to be a member of Christ Iesus and yet bring not forth good fruite Surely his estate is fearefull while he is vnfruitfull he must be pulled away as a withered branch and to the fire he must go Mat. 21.19 A true Christian must not be like the tree which Christ Iesus cursed which had leaues and no fruit but he must be like to the Tree planted by the riuers side that will bring forth fruit in due season Yea that which is more They bring forth fruit in their age Psal 92.14 whereas euill men as the Apostle S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.13 wax worse and worse and fall away from God daily more and more this was the summe of the Doctrine of Iohn Baptist to his hearers that they would Bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Mat. 3.8 And the like is vsed by the Apostle Let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell thing else but that grace of God in a mans heart whereby he beleeues the promise of saluation and the promises of the Gospell and applies them to his owne soule and therfore Saint Iames saith Iames 2. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes Dost thou delight in the Law of God and loue his Word Dost thou delight in his worship and calling on his Name Dost thou find thy faith to Purifie thy heart Acts 15.9 This is some part of that fruite which God requireth of thee This fruite Peter brought forth Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Math. 16.16 This was the fruit that the Disciple Iohn brought forth Ioh. 6.69 Ioh. 11.27 Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And indeed this is the first stone that is to bee laid in the building vp of a Christian and therefore very fitly called a Foundation and the Collossians are said to bee Rooted and Built and Stablished in the Faith Col. 2.27 And indeed this is that sure foundation that shall beare vp the whole frame of our soules against all windes and weathers It is the first worke of change in the heart and the first difference betwixt man and man when God by faith purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 It will suffer no vncleane thoughts vnlawfull lusts Note or wandring motions to
reproue the cursed practise of vngodly men Vse it is wonderfull to see how bold they bee to abuse Gods Seruants to mocke them and to disgrace them to slander and reuile them they thinke them the worst men that liue in the world they traduce them and bring them on the Stage they loade them with vile and odious names Now what doe they else then set themselues against God himselfe seeing they hate them whom God loues And as this may serue for the terrour of the wicked so it serues to comfort euery poore child of God What though the world hate thee so God loue thee Oh remember that the Lord loues and allowes of thee Now then if God approue of thee what though all men in the world did refuse or condemne thee If the King should grace a man and honour him what would this man care for the contempt of a Scullion boy Well let this be a comfort and encouragement vnto vs that God knowes and allowes of vs For what were the fauour and approbation of men if this were wanting Obiect How a mā may know whether Christ approue of him But how shall a man know whether God knoweth him thus with his speciall knowledge or not I answere First if God know any man for his by his speciall and effectuall knowledge Answere then hee begets in him the knowledge of himselfe As the light of the Sunne falling on our eye by whose light wee behold the Sunne againe Ioh. 10. I know my Sheep saith Christ and they know mee Secondly if God thus know any man with his especiall and effectuall knowledge of his so as hee loues and likes of him it begets the loue of God in a mans heart So as God loues him hee is inflamed to loue God againe 1. Ioh. 4.9 and in loue vnto him is loath to offend him and most carefull to please him And therefore if wee would know whether wee be thus knowne of God let vs labour to finde our hearts thus enflamed with the loue of him Thirdly whom GOD knoweth thus he chuseth to bee his Childe in CHRIST IESVS delights to blesse him Now then this workes in the heart of a godly man another work namely to choose God to bee his God to set his heart on him to delight in him to adore him as his God to loue him feare him obey and cal vpon him and to trust in him as his God Thus you see how a man may know whether God know him with this special and effectual knowledge which is proper to the Elect alone namely by these fruites and effects in our hearts For as we see though euery man cannot come to see the Kings Broad Seale yet can discerne the picture of it in wax and say This is the Kings Broad Seale So though men cannot ascend to Heauen to know the secret counsell of God yet by these fruites and effectes of his knowledge men may know his will whether they be his or not Well to conclude seeing the Lord thus knowes and acknowledgeth yea loues and likes of the life of a godly and righteous man let vs bee encouraged to goe through-stitch and to resolue of this neuer to be daunted or discouraged with the hard measure of vngodly men All our care should bee to please God and to bee approued of him and therefore so long as hee doth approue of vs let vs not care what man can doe against vs. But the way of the wicked shall perish Doct. 2 The Lord hates a wicked man and al he doth Esay 1.11 HEere we learne that the whole life of a wicked man and whatsoeuer he doth is abhominable the Lord hates him and all he doth What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices saith the Lord. And againe Esay 66.3 The Sacrifices of the wicked are abhominable vnto the Lord. Now if the best actions of a wicked man his Hearing Reading praying Ier. 7.8 Prou. 15.8 and Receiuing be abhominable to the Lord how much more their swearing cursing banning prophaning the Sabboth drunkennesse vncleannesse lying stealing c. Againe without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now no wicked man can haue true faith because Faith purifies the heart Acts 15.9 and is neuer seuered from true repentance and amendment of life And therfore the way of the wicked seeme it neuer so goodly and glorious in the world all their studies and endeuours shall perish and come to destruction in the end Pro. 20.17 Iob. 20.29 This is the portion of the wicked man and the heritage that he shall haue from God for his workes This shewes the state of most men to bee miserable and vnhappy Vse For onely those bee blessed whose liues do please God Now alas what delight can God haue in the filthy liues of most men whose whole delight and study is in sin and wickednesse in all kinde of lewdnesse and prophannesse haue no care to please God but euen obstinately rebell against him surely the Lord hates them and all they do O wofull condition of such sinful men that betake themselues thus vnto the way of sinne Not as though they walk therein but for a time but as such as purpose to tread therein for euer From this wofull estate the Lord deliuer vs for his Christs sake Amen A Prayer for the Morning O LORD and our good GOD wee thy poore vnworthy seruants according to our bounden duetie are heere assembled together in thy Name O LORD it is thy owne Commandement that wee should call vpon thee in all our necessities and it is likewise thy promise that thou wilt heare vs in assurance whereof wee are bold now to come vnto thee acknowledging first of all that wee are altogether vnworthy of our selues as of our selues to request for any fauour or mercie at thy hands for from our cradles vnto this present there hath beene in vs nothing else but Apostasie and rebellion yea Lord we haue so added sinne vnto sinne as if there were no other end why wee were sent into the world but to prouoke thee to wrath and to heap vp a great measure of iniquitie against our own soules against the day of wrath Our sinnes of omission our sinnes of commission ô Lord they are many and great and if thou shouldest call vs to a reckoning euen for the least of them we are not able to answere thy Maiesty for one of a thousand yea Lord wee confesse that it is thy mercie that endureth for euer and that hath beene the cause that wee haue not long agoe tasted of thy iudgements O Lord be thou mercifull vnto vs still for thy Names sake separate our sinnes as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West Bury them in the graue of thy Sonne Christ that they may neuer rise vp againe in this world to accuse vs or in the world to come to condemne vs. Teach vs to consider good much lesse to
We must not sleepe in sinne neither giue your selues to securitie but be carefull and circumspect that we be not suddenly ouertaken This is that charge which our Sauiour giueth Math. 24. watch therefore for you know neither the day nor houre in the which the Sonne of Man will come The iudgements of God are threatned to come vpon thee suddenly as the Winde thou knowst not whether thou shalt haue an houre or a moment of time giuen thee to repent thou mayst bee smitten with sudden death When thou risest out of thy bedde thou knowest not whether thou shalt lye downe againe When thou lyest downe vpon thy bed thou knowest not what may happen vnto thee ere it be day Prou. 27.1 Boast not of to morow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth And therfore while it is to day let vs repent and labour to bee reconciled to God in Christ that when his iudgments shall come as the winde suddenly the destroyer may passe ouer vs and wee remaine safe vnder the shadow of the Almighty Hitherto hath the Prophet described the wofull estate and condition of the wicked heere in this life Now in the next verse by way of prophesie or threatning he sets our their estate and condition in the Life to come The first Psalme VERSE 5. Therefore the wicked shall not bee able to stand in the Iudgement nor Sinners in the Assembly of the Righteous The description of a wicked man in the life to come HEere the Prophet describes the wicked vngodly man by his fearefull end and that which shall befall him hereafter And that he draweth into two phrases of speech First They shall not stand in Iudgement Secondly They shall not bee assotiates with the iust So that we see that howsoeuer now the wicked beare it out and seeme to be the onely men in the world yet in that great day of the Lord when we must all appeare before his Barre that will iudge iustly without respect of persons then these wretched men shall not bee able to stand that is to indure the sentence of the Iudge and his angry countenance but shall receiue the fearfull doome of eternall death Depart from me yee cursed Well then by this we learne that Doctr. 1. The certaintie of the day of iudgment proued Malac. 4.1 there shall be a iudgement wherein men must stand to appeare before God to giue account of their work and this we acknowledge in that article of our Faith when we say Wee beleeue that hee shall come to iudge both the quick and the dead Behold saith the Lord The day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen And all the proud and all the wicked shall bee Stubble Mat. 25 41 Acts 17.31 2. Cor. 5.10 2. Thes 1.7 8.9 Reu. 20.12 1. Pet. 3.3 and the day that commeth shall burne them vp And our Sauior aluding to that day saith Then will I say to them on my left hand c. Againe He hath appoynted a day in the which hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse Now if there were no places in the Scriptures but this Text it might suffice to proue that there shall bee a day of Iudgement But besides these Testimonies there be certaine reasons that proue the same taken from the Nature of God and his principall Attributes his Mercie and Iustice which wee must needs confesse hee is most true in both he is most merciful and most iust And therefore hauing promised it shall goe well with his Children that they shall be happy and blessed And that the wicked shall be miserable and cursed In these two respects it must needs bee that there must be a day of Iudgement For in this world who indure more misery griefe and wrong then Gods Children who are contemned mocked misused Luke 16. and by all meanes abused by wicked men They are in want sicknesse persecution in pouertie and a thousand miseries besides But the wicked flourish liue in wealth and ease and all things that heart can wish Now then seeing this is the estate of Gods children in this world full of troubles and miseries and the wicked liue at ease according to their lusts It must needs follow that there must bee a day of Iudgement when God shall shew his mercy in blessing and crowning the vertues of his children and likewise in executing Iustice vpon the wicked and vngodly O that men and women could often thinke of the time of the last iudgement Vse Oh that we could bestow that time which we bestow vpon our pleasures and foolish sports to meditate on this day O that men would bestow that time which they bestow on vnprofitable if not sinfull exercises As carding dicing decking and painting these carkasses of theirs Oh I say happy were we if wee could bestow this time in thinking of this iudgement what shall then become of vs for euermore There is no man so wrethed and desperate but he can wish with Balaam Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like one of theirs Labour now then in time to become a new creature walke with God in obedience labour for sanctification and this will cause thee to stand out in this iudgement Now that the wicked shall not stand in this iudgement some may heere obiect and say This is that which we desire that we may not appeare before the face of that angry iudge whose presence is so intollerable But alas this is not all for then the wicked might seeme to be blessed if they might here delight in sin and drinke downe iniquitie like water and neuer bee called to account for the same Therefore the wicked shall appeare in Iudgement In foure respects the wicked must appeare in iudgment and yet not any whit contrarie to this Text which saith The wicked shall not stand in iudgement and that in these foure respects First in regard of their appearance there Iere. 35.21 The Lord will enter into iudgement with all flesh if with all flesh then chiefly with such kind of flesh as are species of that genus So flesh as that they are nothing but flesh that haue not the seed of the spirit remaining in them Secondly they must arise and appeare in this iudgement in respect of the sinners araignment at Gods iudgment barre For we must not onely appeare in iudgement 2. Cor. 5.10 but before the iudgement seate of Christ Thirdly they must arise and appeare in this iudgment to be indited for God will bring euery work of theirs into iudgement Eccl. 12.14 whether they bee good or euill Fourthly and lastly they must arise and stand in this iudgement to heare the sentence of the Iudge of heauen and earth passe against them Mat. 25.41 Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels A thundring Sentence indeede able if it were possible to wound to death the hatrs