You that have all this while taken your swinge in all wickedness as long as you could live my house was not good enough for you and now that you have laid me under the reproach of your leudness and fulfilling your lusts as long as you had a penny in your purse or a rag to your back Do you now come to me There is no duty or affection to me that swayes you hither but you are compelled by the extremity you have brought your self to Get you gon with a sorrow and never look me in the face more Thus we would have thought but it is quite otherwise his Father when he did but say he would come meets him afar off falls on his neck kisses him brings him home provides the best Room the best Robe the best Kid all the best and there is great joy His Father do h not question what draws or what drives whether he comes out of compelling necessity or out of ingenuity and dutiful affection But he is come that is enough This my son was dead and is alive was lost and is found and there 's all done that possibly may make him welcome apply it for your encouragement to believe and settlement in your undoubted interest by faith Though you seem to come late and out of necessity yet Gods thoughts are not your thoughts yours may be thoughts of wrath c. But Gods are of pity love acceptation upon your coming Thus you see your way is immediately to come and cast your selves upon Chrâ—st on the terms of the Gospel and your great trouble shall be removed Make not a judgment of your condition from what you feel but from what you hear from the word of grace which now gives sentence on your side Direct 3 Then having this for your support search look back to experiences look into your selves what marks you can find of the truth of your faith and in this be sure you take hold on the Promise that lies nearest to you i. e. is most sutable to your present condition as in point of fear to sin Isa 50.10 Lostness Mat. 18.11 Poverty of spirit Longing and thirsting after righteousness c. Mat. 5.3 4 6. and so one Grace and Promise will draw in all Direct 4 In dependence on Christ in the Promise wait till he speaks pâ—â—ce and assurance ever fearing to offend God especially by casting off duty distrusting of him charging him with folly limitting him to time or means knowing and assuring your selves that you cannot so pleâ—se God in any thing as in resolved Faith to cleave to him and to follow him fully in the patient expectation of the Promise of grace and glory Thus accepting Christ in the Covenant in the strength of the grace thereof Give up thy whole self to Christ in a Covenant of willing universal unreserved obedience and say with David Psal 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord will say for he speaketh peace to his people that by the power thereof they turn not again to folly In what things must we use Moderation and in what not Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand WHat St. Austin said in his dayes of another Scripture that it stood more in need of good practising than any Learned Interpretation that may I say in these dayes wherein we live concerning the words I have read to you at this time I shall not therefore detain you with shewing their coherence especially considering their intirenesse or with any glossing upon them but hâ—st to open the nature of this Duty and presse the practice thereof upon you all In the Verse you have two general parts 1. An Exhortation to the shewing Moderation which being in materia necessaria is a command 2. The Argument enforcing it The Lord is at hand The former will bound my present discourse which I need not alter but according to the Grammatical order the words stand in might consider the personae res actiones exprest therein all which make up the whole of the Duty enjoyned yet if you please to have the Proposition formed take it thus It is God's Command Doctr. and our Duty to let our Moderation be known unto all men Which I shall prosecute according to the order of Nature in this method 1. In opening the nature of Moderation 2. In shewing it's exercise 3. By whom and to whom 4. Why. And lastly make Application Moderation opened 1. Concerning the nature of Moderation or what it is wherin the signification of the word description of the thing it 's subject kinds rule and extremes And here I confesse I enter upon an unbeaten path the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which descends from it and for which by a Gâ—aecisme it is used in the Text being of such multifarious signification and no where in Scripture rendred in that extent as here nor any where else that I can find by Moderation which also occurs in no other place of all the Bible It signifies properly that which is fit decent due meet convenient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymol Modestia dicta est a modo ubi autem modus nec plus est quicquam nee minus Cicer est autem modestia in animo continens moderationem cupiditatum Idem 3. Rhet. And is accordingly rendred by former Interpreters modestia not as opposed to pride or haughtinesse in it's strict Philosophick acception which some not attending to have therefore quarrelled with but that which doth moderate our actions in which sense the Masters of that Language frequenâ—ly use it and by later for avoiding that ambiguity Moderatio from whence is formed our English word Moderation Which in it's latitude is not any particular Grace or Virtue but that fit and proper temper we ought to observe in the governing of our hearts and lives that equal Judgment which should command our wills and affections and all our humane actions which are capable of excesse or defect by proportioning them according to the quality of the object and the end for which and whom they are imployed for the preserving of peace within our selves and with others that there may be no contumacy or rebellion in our affections to disquiet our selves or in our actions to disquiet others So that moderation according to it's Subject is either that of the mind which is as the cause or of the will and affections in their actings which is as the effect from all which the whole man is denominâ—ted Modorate The former or that of the mind is that part of Christian prudence which proportions our actions to the Object which the will chooseth and it's end according to the variety of circumstances the agent is in by applying the general rules of Scripture for our walking to our particular actions and is accordingly well rendred here by one of the Antients rationabilis conversatio Ambros in loc your reasonable or
mans end be to stop the mouth of natural conscience onely or onely to avoid danger and wrath to come These may be the works of a Saint but yet the ends of an hypocrite And omnis actio nisi modificata à fine suas quas avertere amittit laudes Balaam spake religiously multiplied Altars and Sacrifices but his end was not God but the wages of iniquity Jehu destroyed Ahabs house executed vengeance Gods judgements against that wicked Family resolutely and throughly destroyed Baal c. but his ends were carnal the establishment of the Kingdome to him and his Family Ahab and the Ninivites fasted in sackcloath but it was meerly to avoid the judgement threatned Hos 7.14 The Israelites cried and prayed but they did but howl for corn and wine The Jews in Captivity fasted but did you at all fast to me even to to me saith the Lord. It seems men may pray Zach. 7.5 and yet not cry to the Lord fast and yet not to the Lord. It is the end dignifies or debaseth the action rectifies or adulterates it Look to your ends if you would not be hypocrites If your end be less than God his glory and pleasing of him You are but empty Vines and bring forth fruit to your selves Simplicity in ones ends accompany sincerity in the actions Hos 10.1 2 Cor. 1.12 when not fleshly wisdome but the grace of God carries and governs the action then we may have rejoycing else all may be in hypocrisie Sign 5 5. If thou canst not bring thy heart to suffer for the Name of Christ when thou hast a good Cause and a good Call and amongst the good people of God though thou hear the word and receivest it with joy Mat. 13.21 for a time yet when perscoution ariseth because of the Word by and by thou art offended if there be no more deep rooting of it in thee Luk. 8.13 but in temptation thou fall away it is apparent thy heart is but stony ground and thou art leavened with hypocrisie If your faith cannot bear the trial if it be not furnace faith tryed faith it is not precious faith it is but common faith counterfeit faith it will not be found to praise honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 nay if thou canst not in some cases choose to suffer afflicton with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.25 26 27. It is apparent thy faith and thy heart is not right thou hast not a thorough respect to the recompence of reward thou dost not see him that is invisible Mat. 16.24 That man that cannot will not deny himself take up his cross and follow Christ he is not a true Disciple of Christ and in the end will finde that in saving his life he hath lost it Sathan and Antichrist must be overcome by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.11 and by the word of the testimony and by not loving our lives to the death c. and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reign with Christ and if tribulation occasion men to go out from us Rom. 8.17 it is because they were not of us for if they had been of us 1 Joh. 2.19 they would no doubt have continued with us Tribulation is the touchstone it will distinguish sincerity from hypocrisie 1 Cor. 13. and though it is true a hypocrite may sometime suffer yet he that will never suffer must be an hypocrite Rom. 8.17 if we suffer not with him we shall not reign with him 6. If thou imbracest and favourest any iniquity in thy heart if there Sign 6 be any corrupt lust or ungodly way that thou art so wedded to Psal 66.18 that thou canst not wilt not be divorced from but huggest it in thy bosome hidest it pleadest for it though it seem never so harmless and tolerable yet if it be against Gods Law though thou makest many prayers with the Jews and performest many services Isa 1.16 17 18 and doest many things with Herod and hast many glorious and gracious expressions with Baalam yet thou art in the gall of bitterness Mark 6. and bond of iniquity Thy heart is a divided heart Hos 10.2 Jam. 1.6.7 thou art a double unstable person thy prayers will not be regarded and all thy services will be rejected by the All-seeing jealous God before whom all things are open and naked and with whom thou hast to do Heb. 4.13 because if thou regardest iniquity in thy heart the rise and root of all thy duties and performances is but the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Me thinks beloved this should startle us and I wish it may if any of you should be prickt at the heart and tremble at this word of God and ask me what shall we do that we may acquit our selves from this leaven of hypocrisie and be saved from the wrath it exposeth us to I should answer 1. Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek Luk. 13.24 but shall not be able that is be very serious and throughly resolved and industrious in a case of this weight and concernment Be diligent that you may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3.14 Deut. 32.46 47 Set your heart to these things for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life c. It is so weighty a business that it is work enough for all your life and it will be your life of consolation from which will flow peace and joy and assurance Make but this out clearly that thou art no hypocrite that hypocrisie is not predominant in thee but that in simplicity and sincerity of heart thou hast thy conversation not with carnal wisdome thou hast then occasion of much rejoycing 2 Cor. 1.12 but if thou art negligent in this thy doubts and fears will hang upon and keep thee low to thy dying day nay it were well if that were all for to be negligent in this business is as good as to do nothing for it is to do nothing to purpose and that is to have all thy work undone and to be undone thy self for ever Most hypocrites did seek to enter in Baalam Herod the five foolish Virgins had they strove they had entred in at the strait Gate Wishings and wouldings and sloathfull desires to heaven will not place you out of danger of hypocrisie for very hypocrites have done as much but striving indeed setting your whole heart to it being very diligent to purge out this leaven Phil. 2.12 working out your salvation with fear and trembling giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure this will place you out of danger 2 Pet. 1.10 11 and give you an abundant entrance into the Kingdome of our Lord. If ever
that it may be a sin to go against it but it can never so bind as it may be a virtue to follow it To follow an erring d Robins Obs c. 47. p. 246. Conscience is for the blind sinner to follow his blind Conscience till both fall into the ditch The violation of Conscience is alwayes evil and the following of an erring Conscience is evil but there 's a middle way that 's safe and good viz. the informing of Conscience better by Gods Word and following of it accordingly The Causes Causes of an erring Conscience besides Originall sin the effect whereof is blindness in the Understanding And the just judgement of God upon persons for not entertaining obeying and loving the truth as it is in Jesus besides these the causes are reducible to these Three Heads e Bresser l. 5. c. 23. p 556. Spaâ—sim 1. Negligence of learning the will of God f Discendi negligent a orta ex pigiritia Iâ—idem §. 2. 7. through slothfulness and love of ease and low esteem of the wayes of God I need name but one Scripture for both proof and illustration of this particular Eccles 4.5 6 The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh Better is a handfull with quietness then both the hands full with travell and vexation of Spirit q d. He is a fool that puts himself into a posture of idleness g English An. that compoleth himself to do nothing that thinks it better to be without good things than be at some trouble in getting them h Pemble in loc 2. Pride whereby a man is ashamed to consult others and to be taught by them i Pudeat ignorantem alios consuleâ—e ab iis doceri Bâ—es ibid. Those that are sincerely consciencious are not free from a kind of proud modesty in being shie of making inquiry into practical cases there 's something of pride in their bashfulnesse to discover their ignorance in asking of questions for Conscience sake But those that are ungodly arrogate so much to their own judgment that to speak their own boasting they know as much as any man can teach them But as wise as they are a wiser then they calls them k Prov. 28.26 Qui suo fidit animo stultus est Merc. in loc fooles and their folly misleads them 3. Passion or inordinate affection l Bref ibid. c. about that whereof we are ignorant This warpeth our consideration for he that seeks truâ—h with a byas will run counter when he comes near it and not find it though he come within kenning of it m Arch Bishop Lawd Ep. Ded. before the relation of the conference You may gather the remedies from the opposites to these three causes of errour 1. Be industriously diligent to know your duty 2. Cure Be humbly willing to receive instruction And 3. Let not your affections out run your judgment But ther 's one rule I shall commend which if you will conscientiously improve you shall never be much hurt by an erring Conscience and I dare appeal to your own Consciences that 't is your indispensable duty you must use it and 't is so plain and easie you may use it Do what you know and God will teach you what to do Do what you know to be your present duty and God will acquaint you with your future duty as it comes to be present Make it your business to avoid know omissions and God will keep you from feared commissions This Rule is of great moment and therefore I will charge it upon you by express Scripture Psalm 25. v. 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord i. e. those wayes wherein I cannot erre n Mandata tua ostende quae me non permittant errare c. Remigius in loc Teach me thy paths i. e. that narrow path which is too commonly unknown o Semita dicta quasi semi via quia angusto calle ditigitur nec vulgo nota est sed occulto itinere ambula tuâ— Bruno in loc B P. T. 11. p. 96. those commands that are most strict and difficult V. 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me i. e. teach me evidently that I may not be deceived so teach me that I may not only know thy will but do it p Remig. ubi sup Here 's his prayer but what grounds hath he to expect audience For thou art the God of my salvation q. d. thou Lord wilt save me and therefore do not refuse to teach me On thee do I wait all the day i. e. the whole day and every day q Arnobius in loc other arguments are couched in the following verses but what answer v. 9. The meek will he guide in judgement the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that submit their neck to his yoke those that are not conceited that they can guide themselves better then he can guide them he will teach them his ways r Non eos qui pracurrere volunt quasi seipsos melius regere possint sed eos qui non eri gunt cervicem neque reculeitrant Aug. in loc in necessary great and weighty matters they shall not err Å¿ Ejusmodi error nunquâ—m accidit vel certe non permanet de rebus necessariis magnis gravibus Bergius prax Cathol p. 247. Again Prov. 2. v. 3. If thou seekest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding v 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for â—id treasures v. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God v. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding v. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly v. 8. He keepeth the paths of Judgment and preserveth the way of his Saints v. 9. Then shalt thou understand Righteousness and Judgment and Equity and every good path q d. Be but as diligent to get knowlege as a covetous man is to get money t Cartw. in loc and God will certainly give you such knowledge of his wayes as shall preserve you from errour u Dominus clypeus erit iis qui perfectâ—m omnibus suis numeris constantem contemplationis rationem in hisce reconditis divinisque rebus amplecti sint quo ab erroribus tuti serventur c. Levi Ghersom in loc and will teach you how to behave your selves both towards God and Man w Eng. Annor One Scripture more that in the evidence of three vitnesses this rule may be established Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self q.d. Hinder not your selves from learning truth through fear of erour y Quà m perperam stultè hedÃe permulti dum errandi periculum metuunt hac trepidatione sese impediant ab omni
leave them Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them As absolute as was the Covenant with Noah that hee would not drown the world Isa 54.9 10. Besides as God doth make conditional Promises of Pardon and Salvation to those that beleeve and repent so hee doth promise to give the condition Ezek. 36.25 26 27. And herein is one special difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace for God promised happiness to man under the Covenant of Works if hee persevered in yeelding perfect Obedience but did not promse to keep him from departing from him So that a conditional promise is sufficient security where the condition is certain and doth not infer the uncertainty of the Promise but where the condition is doubtful These places also prove the constancy of Grace that it shall not be lost 1 John 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differt ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simpliciter accepto Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin doth not make a trade of sin cannot sin so as by sin totally and finally to fall for his seed remaineth in him Whilst the Papist and Arminians have indeavoured to bite asunder the Golden Chain whereby Grace and Glory are linked together This place of Scripture hath broke their teeth Bellar. Tom. 4. de Justif. lib. 3. cap. 15. Bellarmine acknowledgeth that this is the hardest place of Scripture for him to answer in all the Book of God Joh. 4.14 it is set forth by a well of water springing up to everlasting life A beleever is born of incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 An Hypocrite like a stake hath no root and therefore may be plucked up but a real beleever hath grace rooted in him and therefore like a tree rooted in the earth stands fast If it be objected no man can certainly bee assured of Salvation because God hath no where made a particular promise to any person by name and nothing is to be beleeved with a Divine Faith but what is expresly contained in the Word of God Hee hath not said Thou Cornelius shalt bee saved To this is answered That all particulars are contained under the Universals If all men be rational creatures and Cornelius be a man wee must conclude that Cornelius is a rational creature How will they prove that there is an infallible certainty that every particular person shall come to judgement For God hath not said and thou Cornelius shalt come to judgement In the commands that are given to all men that they shall not commit Adultery How will they prove that this reaches every particular man for where hath God said Thou Cornelius shalt not commit Adultery Thus this is proved from the infallibility of Gods Promises Secondly 2. From the prevalency of Christs prayers The prevalency of Christs intercession for those that do beleeve and love God doth demonstrate the inseparable connexion between Grace and Glory For wee know that what Christ prayeth for shall be granted Joh. 11.42 And I know that thou hearest mee alwaies * Certo certius concludere nobilicet Christi preces nunquam rejectum iri Armin. oâ—at de sacer Christi p. 17. Arminius layeth it down as a certain truth that Christs prayers are never rejected Now Christs prayers for beleevers are not conditional Father if their Faith fail not let them bee saved but Christ prayeth that their Faith might not faâ—l and that they may bee saved Christs Intercession doth not exclude the conditions of Faith and Perseverance but is that wee may beleeve persevere and so infallibly bee saved Luk. 22.32 I have prayed that thy Faith fail not And Arminians grant this prayer of Christ to be absolute praying not for Peters salvation if hee should persevere but praying that hee may persevere Neither is this prayer peculiar for Peter excluding the rest for though hee mentioneth Peter yet hee speaketh to all and of them all Simon Simon Satan hath desired you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hee may sift you as wheat and when he should be recovered from his fall he should strengthen his Brethren whereby it is manifest that Christ had respect unto the perseverance of the rest as well as to Peters And the like Intercession Christ makes for all that should beleeve as appeareth from the 17th of Joh. which was not a prayer only suitable to the condition and cases and exigencies of the Apostles at that time but a pattern of his interceding now in Heaven So much * Continet illud caput 17. Joh. perpetuum canonem precum intercessionis quas Christus patri offert in caelis quanquam enim Christus adhuc in terra existens illam precationem recitaverit tamen ad statum illius sublimem in caelis pertinet proprie describi voluit ut perpetuo nobis esset in terris solatio Armin. orat de Sacerd. Christi pag. 17. Arminius grants Joh. 17.15 I pray that thou wouldest keep them from evil therefore from Apostacy the greatest evil Not that they should be free from persecution but from being overcome by persecution that it may not separate them from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Article shews the evil to be specially sin and Satan Vers 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on mee through their word And hee prayeth for their glorification vers 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given mee be with mee where I am Christ then as to his Divine Nature was in Heaven a proof that hee was God That they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee 3. From the inabâ—lity of all things to separate betwixt Christ and a beleever Thirdly The inability of all things that may set themselves to make a breach and separation between God and the gracious soul doth demonstrate an inseparable connexion between grace and glory Famous is that place to this purpose in Rom. 8.35 37 38. Where the Question is propounded by the Apostle whether any thing shall separate betwixt God and his People and hinder their Salvation and the Apostle saith No Where observe these particulars First The Interrogation Who shall separate that is none shall For thus an Interrogation is a strong Negation p Mat. 23.33 Heb. 2.3 Interrogatio negantis Secondly Here is a particular application of this to individual persons not only Beleevers or Elect in general Who shall separate us Thirdly A particular enumeration of those evils that might threaten this separation tribulation persecution c. And whereas some assert their own wills may be the cause of their Apostacy and that not mentioned in the Text. It is not said their own wills shall not separate them I answer it is included when it is said no other creature except they will exempt mens will from the Creation Fourthly His glorying and triumphing