Angels to attend them Psal 34. 3 Haue a heauenly Father to take care to prouide for them Mat. 6. 4 Haue assurance that their names are written in the booke of life Mat. 1â— 5 Are reserued for a glorious Kingdome 6 That crosses Rom. 8. miseries and afflictions shall all turne to their comfort and death to their advantage And haue not these cause to reioyce Reas 4 Besids hath not a godly man a good conscience and is not that a continuall feast Pro. 15.15 The poiut is cleare let vs first remoue some doubts that may lye in the way before we come to the vses Doe we not see that many of those that goe vnder the name of Gods people men that heare the word diligently c. Seeme to be strict Christians in their liues yet goe heauily hang downe their heads and mourne more then others where then is their ioy Besides none liue more merily and haue their liues full of iolity and pleasures then wicked men that run most licentious courses make no reconing or accompt at all of grace or godlinesse Giue mee leaue to answere to them both Resp 1 Concerning the Godly it is true their ioy is not seene to the world but for the most part is secret and inward and therein doth abound when otherwise their liues many times seeme to bee full of misery for as Salomon saith of the ioy of wicked men In the middest of laughter the heart is sad Pro. 13.14 So may it as truely be said of the Godly in the middest of their sorrowes their hearts are full of ioy Howbeit their ioy is not carnall nor in carnal things as before in the time of their vnregeneracy for so saith the Apostle As sorowing 2 Cor. 6.10 yet alwayes reioycing Secondly If the Godly at any time seem to be full of sorrow and heauinesse it is not Religion and godlinesse that makes them so but rather indeed the want of it See this in Dauid Thou didest turne away thy face from mee and I was sore troubled When the Lord shall withdraw himselfe at any time from his seruants as one that will not be spoke withall no mervaile then though trouble and anguish sease vpon the soule Resp 3 Thirdly this thing so comes to passe many times in the godly by reason they are ignorant of their owne present condition they are not able to iudge aright of their owne estate and herein depriue themselues of that comfort which otherwise they might haue living more by sense then by Faith A man may haue true grace and yet for the present want the vse and comfort of the same which the Lord is pleased to with-hold from them to humble them to make them search more narrowly after their corruptions thereby to discouer some sin that yet hath not bene discouered and to make them to prise his fauour and loue at the higher rate when the Lord shall bee pleased againe to smile vpon them Resp 4 And last of all Though the Godly somtimes be in heauinesse yet their heauinesse shall bee turned into ioy as our Sauiour saith Ye shall sorrow for a season but your sorrow shal be turned into ioy So Paul wee are afflicted on euery side but not forsaken cast downe 2 Cor. 4.8 but perish not Marke the vpright man and behold the iust Psal 37. the later end of that man is peace Nothing is more sure and certaine then comfort to the Godly after their time of mourning But now come vnto a wicked man he hath many times the semblance of ioy but no true ioy it is not harty nor sound in the face not in the heart the reason is a wicked man hath in his bosome a halter that strangles his ioy a guilty and an accusing conscience which howsoeuer hee labours to smother and stifle yet is alwayes telling him heauy newes so true is that of the Prophet Esay Esay 48. vlt. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God But these are the men that seem to haue the pleasant liues Obiect Is their condition the better Answ because they are insensible of their misery haue we not seen a fellow drink and swill the same morning hee hath gone to the execution would any enuie this mans felicitie and desire his condition how many traitors haue had a Satten sute on their backs when they haue loked euery day to be quartered Surely all the mirth and pleasures of wicked men is none other hee is euer destitute of the true ground of ioy and that is Gods spirit assuring his soule of the pardon of sinne Now ioy is a fruite of the spirit Gal. 5.23 and wanting this such must needs want true ioy And howsoeuer a wicked man doth not by and by meete with the wages and stipend of his sins but hath ioy now in stead of sorrow yet as our Sauiour saith Woe to you that now laugh Luk 6. for you shal wayle and weepe as they haue multiplied their sins so shall their sorrowes bee multiplied at last when the Lord shall cause them to possesse the sins of their youth Iob 13.26 We come to the vses Vse 1 Seing then that sound conuersion breeds sound ioy This may then in the first place serue to stop the mouthes of those that thinke a Christian life to be the most vncomfortable life that may be and conceiue that when men once begin to liue a Godly life they must then bid adieu to all ioy mirth whatsoeuer Thou lyest thou prophane worldling as our Sauiour said I haue meate to eate that ye know not of So hath the child of God a ioy and reioycing that the world knowes not of Indeede now his cheefest ioy is not in eating and drinking in vaine pastimes and pleasures as in times past But in the inward consolations of Gods spirit The Kingdom of God standeth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace ioy in the holy Ghost This peace this ioy the world knowes not and whilest the wicked mock and scoffe thereat the righteous solace themselues therein Surely this disgrace thus put vpon Gods people and on the profession of the Gospel that it ouerthrowes al comfort and delight came not but from hell to dash the countenance of grace and godlinesse and to bring the profession of Religion more and more out of request Whereas indeed none haue more cause to ioy reioyce then they they haue their sins pardoned in the blood of Christ they haue the ministery of Angels to attend them haue a heauenly Father to care for them haue a Sanctified vse of all estates and conditions of life are assured their names are written in the booke of life and are reserued for an euerlasting kingdome what then should hinder their ioy Vse 2 Secondly this may serue my brethren to bring Religion and Christianity daily more and more into request with vs who would not liue a ioyfull life and see
kingdome of God themselues nor suffered those that would Now wanting the word to direct them they serue Idols yea they worship Sathan instead of God For there is no worship can bee pleasing acceptable vnto God that hath not the word for it warrant He read Isaiah the Prophet Here we see â—is employment in his Iourney vpon his returne home into his countrey hee was not idle neither gaue he himselfe to sleeping nor spent he his time in idle discourse nor yet in reading vaine foolish wanton and lasciuious bookes as the manner of many is to do But he spent his time in reading the Scripture and in studying the word of God for the further building of himselfe vp in the knowledge of God and of Christ Whose example may commend vnto all Gods people a necessarie duty namely That they be daily conuersant in the Scriptures Doct. Godly must be conuersant in the Scriptures Deu. 6.6 7. and exercise themselues daily therein This is that charge Moses gaue vnto the people from the Lord These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy children and shalt talke of them as thou sittest in thy house when thou walkest by the way when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Againe Ios 1.8 The booke of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth But thou shalt meditate therein day and night This is Christ owne charge Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 for in them ye leoke to haue eternall life This is likewise an Apostolicall iniunction Col. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously To this Solomon exhorteth diligently when hee saith Prou. 7.3 speaking of the word Binde them vpon thy fingers write them vpon the table of thine heart And againe Vers 4 Say vnto Wisedome thou art my sister and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman And this was the great commendations of Timothy that hee knew the Scriptures of a childe Therefore doubtlesse very conuersant in them And of Apollo it is said that hee was mightie in Gods word So that we see to spend much time in reading the Scriptures and to be conuersant in Gods word is an excellent things a commendable duty Though the reading of the Scriptures doe not ordinarily worke faith and repentance Reas 1 yet it is an excellent meanes to prepare the heart for the same worke and to confirme our faith to strengthen it and to build vp a man daily more and more in the knowledge of Christ Secondly Gods word must be the rule of out walking Reas 2 and that narrow road within the limits whereof we should alwayes containe our selues And indeed by the word must all our actions be tried and iudged and therefore it were most expedient that by the word all our actions should bee squared Thirdly it is that onely that must bee our comfort Reas 3 when all other comforts faile Now a sure friend must not be contemned I had perished in my affliction saith Dauid had it not beene for thy word Vse 1 Seeing then that the Scriptures ought so diligently and frequently be read of vs. How iniuriously then doth the Church of Rome deale with mens soules that will not permit men the reading of the Scriptures no priuate man in that Church without speciall lycence may reade the Scriptures but must take all vpon trust and vpon the bare word of their teachers But what is this but directly to contradict the Lord himselfe We see that ignorant men peruert the Scriptures Obiect A poore filly shift Resp because some abuse the Scriptures shall others therefore not be permitted the lawfull vse thereof meates drinkes c. What is there amongst vs that is not abused must therefore the lawfull vse be taken away This may serue to condemne thousands amongst vs Vse 2 who seldome or neuer reade the Scriptures neuer take the booke of God into their hands yea such as giue no place to Gods word in their houses hardly haue a Bible at home Cards and Dice are rife amongst them these are turned and tossed euery day but the book of God is cast into a corner lyes couered with dust and the Spider spins her web ouer it This may serue also to taxe many Noble men and Gentle men Vse 3 who thinke it a base and contemptible thing to reade the Scriptures therefore they spend their time in Hawking and Hunting in Carding and in Dicing in eating and drinking and in all manner of licentious courses but as for reading the Scriptures it is held a matter of reproach to seem to haue a Bible in their hands a matter of precisenesse curiositie and more then needs But they must haue in stead of the Scriptures which are able to make them wise vnto saluation idle vaine and lasciuious bookes the Court of Venus the Pallace of pleasure bookes of loue and venery books of lyes and vanitie which doe poyson youth stir vp lust and all vncleanenesse and drowne men in perdition Well let such men know that while they bestow more time and leisure in reading such vaine and idle Pamphlets then in Gods word the Lord will plague punish them with a spirituall plague and iudgement from aboue that they remaine strangers from the comforts of Gods word that is indeed a clapsed and a sealed book vnto them whereas vnto the godly the word of God is their greatest ioy and solace Thy word saith Dauid is sweeter vnto mee then the honey the honey combe and againe Thy word is dearer vnto mee then thousands of gold and siluer This comfort such men are strangers vnto whilest with the Swine they feede on huskes and draffe and haue no appetite at all to the word of life And last of all Vse 4 this may serue to prouoke vs all in the feare of God by the example of this worthy man to a greater loue and delight in the word that we bestow more time in reading and searching therein for great is the fruit and profit that comes thereby We see a childe will take delight to reade his Fathers Will to see what Legacies be giuen him of his father Now the word of God in the old and new Testament is the Will of God the Father yea Christ last Will and Testament wherein be many legacies giuen to Gods children namely remission of sinnes eternall life the kingdome of heauen c. O then if we be the sonnes of God how can we choose but looke into these Legacies royalties and priuiledges giuen vnto vs of God our Father We see how carefull men bee to get the booke of Statutes into their houses how diligently will they reade them and meditate vpon them that they may not offend how much more ought men to search into Gods statute Booke his Word that they may not sinne against him He reade Esayas the Prophet But why tooke he such paines in reading the Scriptures Quest migâ—t not this seeme to be
the knife to the throat of our intemperate lusts and prepare for those more lasting pleasures Thirdly this giues boldnesse when we come vnto God especially in prayer when a man can say with Dauid I am thine Seruus sum expâ—cto alimentum à Domino Ambros O saue me this makes a man to come vnto God as a childe vnto a father and a seruant vnto a master with boldnesse to expect and desire things necessarie Whereas that man that wants this assurance wants therewith the principall royalties and priuiledges of Gods sonnes But do not many wicked men perswade themselues that they Quest haue this faith and full assurance of Gods fauour in Christ when indeed they haue it not but rather presume It is true Answ Sathan is Gods Ape and will in an apish imitation counterfeit the most excellent grace like a cunning Cheater that will foyst in slips for currant coine and these are so like to each other that many times the wisest are deceiued For the true faith of God Sathan hath his presumption which doth carry many a man along with this perswasion as if he had the faith of the elect And therefore as wise men will first bring their gold to the touchstone before it passe for currant so should a wise Christian bee carefull to try and to proue himselfe whether hee be in the faith lest he build vpon the sand and the same suffer a ruine in the end How faith may bee knowne from presumption Now true faith may be discerned from presumption diuerse wayes First of all by the ground of faith which ordinarily doth follow true humiliation for sinne For God vsually doth first humble whom he doth exalt Humiliation in the order of working of grace is the ground of exaltation I meane in a mans owne apprehension Otherwise I confesse there must be faith that must keep the soule in life hold it close vnto God that with Adam it flie not away from his presence to despaire Otherwise men would neuer repent and turne vnto him Well then try thy faith thus Didst thou euer truly see thy sinnes and that miserable condition of thine by reason of sinne so as thou hast euen passed the sentence of condemnation against thy own soule If the Lord should deale in iustice with thee hast thou gone mourning all the day long and made it the cause of thy chiefest sorrow thy sinnes done against so good a God and gracious a Father in Iesus Christ so as thou hast prised the pardon of them aboue all the world And to this end hast sought earnestly at Gods hands for the pardon of the same confessing thy sinnes bewailing thy offences hast sought his fauour in the middest of his Sanctuarie in the vse of his ordinances wherein he hath promised to be found of vs. If after all this I say we come now to bee perswaded of his fauour and loue towards vs that he hath receiued vs againe into fauour in the pardon of our sinnes in his owne Sonne This is vndoubtedly the worke of faith and not presumption But if on the contrary thou neuer yet sawest thy selfe in what case thou standest by reason of sinne neuer hadst thy heart truly touched with sorrow for sinne neuer yet camest to prise the bloud of Christ at such a rate that thou wouldest giue all the world for the least drop thereof for the sauing of thy soule but hast passed ouer thy time in securitie with the neglect of Gods ordinances as finding no such sweetnesse in them This is presumption and not faith Secondly presumption commonly is accompanied with grosse ignorance they vsually accompanie each other Now hee that thus perswadeth himselfe that he hath faith in Christ and yet liueth in blindnesse and ignorance deceiueth his owne soule for an ignorant heart is commonly a faithlesse heart A faithfull heart is euer a fruitfull heart for so faith the Apoltle As the body without the spirit is dead so is faith without workes dead also a presumptuous heart and a fruitlesse life go together And last of all presumption builds on the sands as the Papists vpon traditions but true faith hath euer an eye to Moses and the Prophets Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. c. True faith neuer separateth the end from the means but waiteth to see the face of God in the midst of his Temple Wheras presumption would haue the end though it regard not the meanes conducing thereunto I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God As the faith of the Eunuch was commendable for the nature of it it was a particular faith of his owne I beleeâ—â— So here the commendations of the same is further enlarged by the obiect of it it was such a faith as was fixed onely vpon Christ And herein will teach vs Doct. True faith hath Christ for the obiect of it That true iustifying faith is bounded and set vpon Christ onely Christ and hee alone is the obiect of true iustifying faith it looketh vnto Christ and resteth vpon him alone for life and saluation There is no one point more cleare in all the book of God then this The Sacrifice in the time of the Law with the brasen Serpent taught this vnto the Iewes that health and saluation is to be looked for onely in Christ As many as receiued him Ioh. 1.12 to them gaue hee power to bee made the sonnes of God euen to as many as beleeued in his Name Ioh. 3.6 God so loued the world that all that beleeue in him should not perish c. This we may see in that prayer of our blessed Sauiour Ioh. 17.20 I pray not for them alone but for all that shall beleeue on my Name Act. 16.30 Thus Paul and Sylas willed the Iaylor to beleeue in the Lord Iesus and he should be saued Againe Gal. 2.16 A man is not iustified through the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Iesus And hence is it that the faith of the elect is called The faith of Iesus And in this regard we are said to be iustified by faith not in regard of any qualitie inherent in vs or in regard of any such excellencie that faith hath in it selfe but in regard of the obiect of faith which is Christ in applying him his righteousnesse and obedience vnto a mans selfe as the hand doth the gold that is giuen it So that indeed to speake properly it is not faith that doth iustifie as of it self but Christ himselfe whom by faith wee apprehend The Doctrine is cleare The Reasons are Reas 1 First in regard that the whole worke of our saluation is attributed vnto him So Paul 1. Cor. 1.30 He is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Amongst men there is no other name giuen whereby we shall be saued Act. 4.12 but onely in the Name of Iesus Christ Heb. 7.23 Hee is able perfectly to saue all that come to God by him