meanes to move God to extend mercy compassion and deliverance to them Method propounded In handling of this precious point I shall thus dispose of my Method 1. To give in a full proofe from Scripture asserting the truth 2. Contribute some reasons confirming the same 3. Represent the manner how justice must be executed This shall be by way of Direction 4. And fourthly conclude with a word of exhortation and so presse closely the duty of the Text the establishment of Iustice and 1. The Doctrine proved this shall be my particular application I resume what I first propounded to assert the truth of the point See Jer. 5. 1. Run ye to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it So Ier. 7. 5 6 7. for if you thorowly amend your waies and your doings if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his nâ—ighbour if ye oppresse not the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and shed not innocent blood in this place nâ—ither walke after other Gods to your hurt then will I cause you to dwell in this place in the land which I gave unto your fathers for ever and ever So Isaiah 1. 17 18. Learne to doe well seeke Juâgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherlesse plâ—ad for the widdow come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wool Prov. 29. 4. The King by judgment â—stablisheth the land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it In these and sundry other places God promiseth a blessing upon the execution of justice I l'e single out particular instances that what 's asserted may be cleared more evidently When Israel committed both spirituall and corporall whoredome with the daughters of Moab for commonly they goe both together the greatest Idolaters the greatest whoremongers witnesse the Babylonish strumpet at this day Now nothing will appease Gods incensed wrath besides the execution of justice upon the Idolaters The Lord said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun that the fierce anger of the Lord may Num. 25. 4. 5 be turned away from Israel And when Moses and the congregation were consulting Phineas stands up and falls a doing Iustice When Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it he rose up from among the congregation and tooke a javelin in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them thorough the man of Israel and the woman thorough her belly So the Plague was stayed from the Children of Israel Here 's a patterne of singular zeale a man of heroicall courage all steele to the back Compare this with Psal 106. 30. Then stood up Phineas and executed judgment and so the Plague was stayed And you may read the ample reward Numb 25. 10 11 12. The Lord spake unto Moses saying Phineas the sonne of Eleazar hath turned away my wrath from the Children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them that I consumed them not in my jelousie wherefore say behold I give unto him my covenant of peace Moses likewise was a man of the same stamp Though in his own cause the meekest yet a man of invincible courage in the cause of God When he was in the mount Aaron makes them a golden calfe the people commit Idolatrie with it the Lord is highly incensed Moses intercedes for them Exodus 3. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God and said why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hâ—st brought forth out of the Land of Aegipt with great power and with a mightie hand He brake the tables vers 19. as soâ—ne as he came nigh unto the Camp that he saw the calfe and the dancing his anger waxed hot and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake thâ—m beneath the mount He burnes the calfe to powdâ—r strewes it upâ—n the water and makes the Children of Israel to drink of it vers 20. executes judgment vers 26 27 28. Who is on the Lords side let him come unto me And all the Sons of Levi gathered themselves unto him and he said unto them put every man his sword by his side and goe in and out from gate to gate thorowout the camp and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour And the Children of Levi did accordingly Compare this with Psal 106. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the brach c. Whilst the camp was pestered with an Achan Israel could not stand before their enemies But as soon as Achan was executed the valley of Achor became a doore of hope Hos 2. 14. As long as Jonah was in the ship the storme continued but as soone as he was cast over shipbord there was a great calme Jonah 1. 15. Agag was hewed in pieces by Samuel Baals prophets were slain by Elijah Thus David executed judgment upon the Gibâ—onites enemies retaliating their mischiefes upon their own pates 2 Sam. 21. 1 6 9. There was a famine in the dayes of David for three yeares and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered it is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites vers 6. Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul whom the Lord did chuse And the King said I will give them vers 9. And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord. And see the good successe vers 14. And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his sonnâ— buried they in the countrey of Benjamin in Zelah in the Sepulchre of Kish his Father and they performed all that the King commanded and after that God was intreated for the Land You see how just David was in executing justice upon those that slew his enemies 2 Sam. 1. 15. David cald one of the young men and said go neer and fall upon him And he smote him that he died So 2 Sam. 4. 12. he commanded his young men and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged them up in the poole of Hebron Amaziah slew those that slow his Father Ioash 2 Kings 14. 5 6. The people of the Land slew those that conspired against Amon 2 Kings 21. 24. I might produce for illustration many examples out of humane Authours as that of Zeleucus to his sonne in putting out his eye for Adulterie and such like But I will not light a candle to the sun I keep close to
passeth currantly through all Believers for their eternal salvation and to unbelievers to leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their conviction and condemnation Seventhly and lastly Pearls are lasting and durable they are solid 7. Pearls are lasting and duraâ—le substantial and the solidity and duration of them inhanceth their estimation So the Gospel of Christ is a durable Pearl It 's Christs Legacy bequeath'd from generation to generation Gods Word shall never fail Salvation is a Pearl that will never moulder away The plâ—asures of heaven are for evermore Christ the Pearl of Psâ—l 16. 11. Heb. 13. 8. price is an unchangeable Saviour Thus far of the Doctrinal part It now remains that I should draw down the similitude of a Merchant and from his properties infer the particular Application unto your practice 1. A Merchant must be a man of knowledge and good understanding Prop. 1. 1 A Merchant must be a man of knowledge He must be able to know the worth of his Commodities how to distinguish true from counterfeit Pearls The Merchant in the Text knew well the incomparable worth of the Pearl of price otherwise he would not straightway have for gone all for the purchase of it We say commonly and as truly Ignoti nulla cupido So every spiritual Merchant must know the excellent worth of the Gospel the riches of Christ the riches of saith The knowledge of them will set his affections awork Hear O Christian know thy main duty that Vnum Necessarium to learn the knowledge of Jesus Christ This is that fundamental knowledge without which you can never come to Heaven Eternal life consists in this knowledge John 17. 3. Above all thy gettings get this understanding What if thou art skill'd in all Arts and Sciâ—nces in all the humane Learning in the World and in the mean time art ignorant of Jesus Christ Thou art as the ordinary Proverb saith penny wise and pound foolish For all thy secular Learning thou mayst go to Hell O then let thy vote run parallel with Solomons for Wisdom Beseech 1 King 3. 9. Rev. 3. 18. Christ to anoint thee with eye-salve and to enlighten the eyes of thy minde that thou maist comprehend all the dimensions of the love of God As the light of the body is the eye so the light of the soul is the understanding As the Pilot to the Ship the Sun to the World the Commander to his Soldiers so is knowledge to the Soul to steer guide and direct its motions Say not though thou art ignorant yet thou hast a good heart Solomon tells us Without knowledge the heart is not good Say not thou art a Believer Prov. 19. 2. though thou art ignorant for knowledge precedes faith Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Boast not that thou esteemest highly of Christ and yet canst not tell what worth is in him what Justification means what saving faith is For an ignorant person cannot set an high price upon Christ Hee 'l ask What 's this beloved more then anâ—ther beloved And you my Brethren that are men of Learning bred up in this Famous Nursâ—ry do not glory in your skill in Tongues nor in your skill in the Liberal Sciences you that are the greatest Scholars must come the same way to Heaven as the meanest Christian that cannot read one letter in the Book What will all your knowledge avail you without the knowledge of Jesus Christ There 's no Postern-door for Heathens no name but that of Christ no way besides v. Acts 4. 12. John 14. 6. O then set your hearts and heads on work to know Jesus Christ If you knew the worth of this Pearl you would prize it the fairest of Ten thousands and you would willingly venture all for the purchase of it 2. A Merchant is a man of indefatigable labors and industry he Prop. 2. A Merchant is a man of paint compasseth Sea and Land and negotiates in foreign places for his advantage Hereupon the good Huswife Prov. 31. 14. is compared to Merchants Ships she bringâ—th her food from afar she risâ—th also whilst it is yet night and giveth meat to her houshold and a pâ—rtion to her maidens A Merchant is a man of much imployment and therefore must be very diligent and industrious He well knoweth Prov. 10 14. that of Solomon that the hand of the diligent maketh rich And thus must every true Believer every Merchant for the soul be a man of diligence and unwearied labors He knows it's a long and difficult journey to go to Heaven and therefore his wisdom is to set out early and consecrate to God the morning of the day The World sometimes throws Caut-ropes in the way to gaul him sometimes golden Apples of pleasures profits preferments to bewitch him other times he meets with scoffing Ishmaels railing Rabshakehs Beasts of prey which open their mouthes ready to devour him And therefore it concerns him to fortifie himself with saith hope and patience and steel himself with invincible courage He that Trafficks for Heaven must look for Pauls portion To be in weariness 2 Cor. 11. 27 and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness My exhortation therefore runs parallel with the Apostles Thou therefore endure hardness as a good Solaier of 2 Tim. 12. 3 4 Jesus Christ No man that warreth c. He that aims at proficiency must not shrink at difficulty You are seeking for Pearls for pretious Stones for pretious promises pretious graces even the Pearl of price The Lord Jesus Do not leave of seeking till you finde slack not your endeavors Be not weary of well doing but persevere in the work and you shall reap if you faint not The pretious Pearls of the Gospel are in jeopardy A Jesuitical party would take away our Gospel which if once gone we may call all our comforts Ichabods Adde ' therefore to your pains and as you are exhorted Jude 3. Contend for the faith delivered to the Saints stand up for Christ and own his cause before men otherwise he will not own you in his kingdom Thirdly It 's the property of a Merchant to venture largely in the 3. A Merchant ventures largely in the stock stock in hope of a plentiful return A Merchant-Venturer commits his Merchandize to the mercies of Winds Waves Pyrates It 's their common Proverb Nothing venture nothing have And thus must every spiritual Merchant venture liberally in the stock he must venture his Prayers one day they may return with good measure full prest and running over He ventures his Alms and he Eccles 11. 1 2. hath a ground of incouragement to finde bread cast upon the waters after many days He ventures his life livelyhood hopes fears all upon Jesus Christ If Christ be in the Ship no fear of sinking here 's safe venturing And so let not us of the Ministry be afraid of
Life The Lord set home these truths unto your consciences and move your hearts to embrace the ways of godliness I proceed to the second Doctrine That all the pathes of Divine Wisdom or Godliness are full of peace to the sons and daughters of Doct. 2 peace This truth I shall prove by Scripture confirm by Reason and press it home unto your Consciences by way of Use and Application For proof of Scripture Psal 37. 11. But the meek shall inherit 1. The Doctrine proved by Scripture the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace and v. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Isa 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isa 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkned to my commandments then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea Isa 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children So Isa 59. 8. The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked pathes whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace Jer. 33. 6. Behold I will cure them and reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth Ezek. 34. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of their land and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods Even mountains bring peace Psal 72. 3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness So are the beasts of the field at peace Job 5. 23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Officers are made peace Isa 60. 17. For brass I will bring gold and for iron silver I will also make thine officers peace and thy exactors righteousness Their habitation is peaceable Isa 32. 18. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Their life peaceable 1 Tim. 2. 2. We are commanded to pray for kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Their wisdom is peaceable James 3. 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first â—ure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie Let 's inquire into the reasons of the Point Consider 1. Godly Reas 1 persons are sons of peace Luke 10. 6. And if the son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again And if sons heirs peace is their inheritance and legacy John 14. 27. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you John 16. 33. These things I have spoken unto you that you might have peace in the world you shall have tribulation But be of good cheer I have overcome the world Consider their several pathes and ways either in this life and pilgrimage Reas 2 in their deaths and after death 1. For their life Notwithstanding afflictions and persecutions troubles from the world yet their whole life is peaceable A God reconciled a Conscience pacified makes them full of peace amidst varieties of troubles 2. In their deaths The remembrance of their uprightness of heart and their utmost endeavor to serve God in sincerity brings abundance of peace inward peace a tranquility in their spirits 2 Kings 20. 3. I beseech thee O 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 Whatever storms may be from the Flesh Divel and World yet a serene pacified conscience makes a great and quiet calm in the soul 3. After death in Eternity they feel the fruits of peace the complement of blessedness A third Ground shall be taken from the nature of Divine Wisdom Reas 2 and Godliness For first Wisdom onely can direct to peaceable pathes Ways of wickedness lead us into Precipices and Dangers Wisdom shews the good and right way This Samuel shewed the people 1 Sam. 12. 23 24. Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you 2. Wisdom protects its followers in the ways of peace It shews them the good way and protects and defends them in it Prov. 4. 6 7. Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee 3. Wisdom and Godliness remove all stumbling Blocks Envy Malice Pride c. Enemies to peace Prov. 4. 12. Whâ—n thou goest thy steps shall not be streightned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble 4. Wisdom satisfies the hearts of those who are its followers The spirits of the godly are quieted and established in those ways whereas still there are troubles and vexations and disquietness in ways of wickedness But godliness pacifieth the conscience and quiets the spirits of Gods children The fourth and last ground shall be drawn from the causes of true Reas 1 peace Now the wayes of the godly must needs be peaceable pathes 1. Because they have a God reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19. to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 2. They have a Mediator and Prince of peace Eph. 2. 14 15. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition betwixt us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace Isa 53. 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa 5. 6. For unto us a Childe is born a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of peace 3. They have the Gospel of peace Rom. 10. 15. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things 4. They have a conscience at peace The answer of a good conscience quiets their spirits Hic murus aheneus esto c. And now let 's apply this by way of Information Instruction and Consolation 1. For Information That the ways of godliness are the onely peaceable ways Not onely eminenter but exclusive What pâ—ace said Jehu
meditatur Sanctius in Loc. quia eum recentium peccatorum non morderet cruciaretque conscientia c. As if Job had not been conscious to himself of late sins therefore he conceives that he now suffers for former sins thus some conâ—ecture as Sanctius observes on the place But this savors not of Jobs spirit though he was exemplary for holiness yet he was sensible of daily sins he knew himself to be a daily sinner he knew what a sinful nature he had full of pollution yet his youthful sins carryed the greatest filth and guilt in them which in his apprehension made the greatest gashes and wounds upon his conscience he knew that his youthful sins had most aggravating circumstances in them that a Bill of Indictment drawn up against them would be blackest and charge him homest Where upon Judicious Mr. Calvin gives two reasons why he speaks of the sins of his youth one is Because in that age lusts are most predominant the Calvin in lâ—cum nature of a man which is sinful doth then cast up his greatest froth the passions are most violent and therefore that age hath need of the strongest Bridle Another reason is Because Job meant to declare that God brought all his sins to remembrance as if he should frame an Indictment against him of all that he had done ever since he was a childe And herein he seems to complain of rigor seeing thou hast pardoned them wherefore dost thou lay them before me But we may not finde fault with God he punisheth less then we deserve The Lord is righteous we have sinned against him A fourth Query is what is meant by possessing the sins of Q. 4. Hieronymi translatio Chald. Parap Jun. in Loc. youth Jerome reads it consumere vis youthful sins may bring Consumptions upon old Age. The Chalde Paraphrase reads it Me haereditare facis Thus Junius interprets Efficis ut possideam haereditario jure As if elder years did inherit youthful sins Gray Hairs even old persons gray headed in sins receive the punishment of their youthful green headed sins for their inheritance It 's an observable note of Pineda on the place * Punishment is the Poena est quasi culpe prognata filia atque adeo ipse homo grandevus senex succedit sibi ipsi puero Adolâ—sâ—â—nti Pineda in Loc. Daughter of sin An old man is successor to himself a young man There is as it were a natural succession and derivation of sins committed in youth to become the inheritance of old age So that a sinner becomes his own Heir the old sinner the young mans Heir The meaning is A man that runs on in a riotous ungodly course following his swinge and full career in wickedness in the days of his youth shall feel the smart and bitterness of his sins in his old crasie bones We render the word in the Text ordinarily to possess and that is Emphatical A man that hath present possession of his Inheritance hath most points in the Law The right next Heir hath a legal Title Now when the Heir hath possession of his Inheritance this adds to the strengthning of his right Now an old sinner doth inherit and take possession of his youthful sins and this is a sad possession to possess the inheritance of sin It was charged upon Ahab for killing and taking possession there is the killing of the soul when there is possession took of sin He then may be said to possess the sins of his youth who feels the smart and pain of them who suffers bitter sorrows for them when the sins committed in his youth even breaks his bones when he comes to be old I have one Query more to propound How is it since Job an holy Q. man whose sins were pardoned yet complains of such an hand-writing against him charging upon himself youthful sins For answer you must know 1. That sins repented of and pardoned A. may yet prove gall and wormwood to the soul They that have repented must renew their repentance The remembrance of the wormwood and the gall the bitterness of sin will cost Gods people many a salt tear 2. Though sins may be pardoned yet the soul may not be able to read that pardon it may want the manifestation of the pardon though there may be a pardon sealed an acquittance a white stone in the Court of the Judge yet it may not appear so in the Court of a mans own Conscience 3. We are to know that Fatherly chastisements are the lot and Heb. 12. 5 6. Rev. 3. 19. portion of Gods dearest Children as the Scripture plainly sheweth There is a Judgement of Revenge and a Judgement of Chastisement Judgements of Revenge are the portion of the wicked Judgements of Chastisement are incident to the generation of the righteous As a Judge God will not pass an eternal Judgement against his people They are the beloved of his Soul and he loves them to the end but as a Father he may and doth pronounce many temporal Judgements as Chastisements against them The fruit whereof is to take away their Dross and Tin and to make them partakers of his holyness 4. It is wisdom in a godly man when present sufferings are upon him to call former sins to remembrance Afflictions brings sins to remembrance Job lookt back upon his former failings he was not unmindeful of his present failings but his former in an especial manner might call for a rod of correction to whip out his folly When afflictions befall us we should inquire into the cause and search out our sins and be humbled for them So Josephs Brethren when distress befell them in Aegypt called to minde their Gen. 42. 21. cruelty against Joseph many years before committed Thus you have heard the Explication of the words from which I 'le draw one Point of Doctrine which I take to be the fundamental Doctrine of the Text That sins committed in our youth will cause much smart and bitterness Doct. in our elder years This Point lies plainly in the Text I shall make it the ground-work of my ensuing Meditations In the prosecution whereof I shall pursue my plain and accustomed method by proving the Point from Method of handling the Doctrine Scripture confirming it by evidencâ— of Reason and reducing all to point of practice by way of Use and particular Application For Scripture proof Job speaking of the momentary joy of wicked men cap. 20. v. 5. sets forth his judgement v. 11. His bones are full of the sins of his youth Hos 12. 14. He shall leave his blood upon him as Diodate and others observe God will not pardon him his sin nor cleanse him from it but will keep it still in remembrance to punish him for it at his appointed time God makes a grievous complaint against Samaria and Jerusalem under the names of Aholah and Aholibah Aholahs youthful Whoredoms are charged upon her Ezek. 23. v. 8. And likewise the same charge