taste of the comforts of a better life Why long wee not to enioy those pleasures for euermore Psal. 17. vlt. Yea we may know how good it is to bee in Heauen by the taste wee haue sometimes on Earth If it doe vs such vnspeakeable ease and ioy to feele of the sweetnes of God for a little moment Oh how great then is that goodnes God hath laied vp for them that feare him Psal. 31.19 The smaleness of the quantity and shortnes of the continuance of our tast of the graciousness of God on earth should make vs to vse the meanes of communion with God with so much the more feruency and frequency and humility Doct. 5. A fift doctrine is that many in the Churches of Christians neuer so much as tasted of the sweetness of Gods grace and word and that may bee a cause why the Apostle speakes with an If as knowing it was a great question whether many of them had had experience of the sweetnesse of the Word Question Now if any aske what should be the cause that many Christians haue so little sence of the sweetnesse of the word and Gods graciousness and goodness in the Word Answere I answere that it is First with many so because they want the ordinances of God in their power and life of them They want powerfull preaching some congregations haue no preaching at all and many that haue preaching haue it not in the life and power The spices of the word are not beaten to the smell as they should be 2. Cor. 2.15 16. Secondly In others because the taste of the pleasures and profits and lusts of the world are in their hearts when they come to the word and so by the cares of life all sence of sweetnes is beaten out Math. 13. Luke 14.24 Thirdly It is in the most because they consider not their misery in themselues nor remember their latter end A man neuer knowes the sweetnes of Christ crucified till he be pricked in his heart and afflicted for his sinnes and forlorne estate in himselfe by nature and till men know how to number their daies they will neuer apply their hearts to wisdome Psal. 90.12 Fourthly Some men are infected with superstition and the loue of a strange god They prepare a table for the troope and therefore are hungry when Gods seruants eat and vexed when they sing for ioy of heart They cannot feele the sweetnes of the Gospell their hearts are so poisoned with secret popery Esay 65.11 13. Fiftly Some men taste not of wisdoms banquet because they leaue not the way of the foolish All sense is extinguished by the euill company they keep Prou. 9.6 Sixtly Too many Christians are poisoned with some of the sinnes mentioned in the first verse of this Chapter that destroyes both taste and appetite in them Seuenthly Some are fearefully deliuered to a spirituall slumber the Iustice of God scourging their impenitency and disobedience that made no vse of his iudgements and the remorses they felt before And so are in the case of the Iewes Rom. 11. Eightthly Because God doth for the most part reserue these tastes as the onely portion of his owne people and therefore neuer wonder though the common multitude attain not to it Psalm 36.8.9 Lastly the best Christians are often much restrained in their taste of the sweetnes of Gods fauour and presence because they are not carefull enough to attend vpon God in his ordinances they doo not seek God and striue to finde Gods fauour and presence in the means they hear and pray loosely with too much slacknes and remisnes of zeal and attention The consideration heerof should serue much to humble and melt the hearts of such as feel this to be their case they should be afraid and tremble at the iudgements of God vpon them heerin and fear their owne case and by speedy repentance make their recourse to God in the Name of Christ to seek a remedy for their distresse And to this end 1. They should gather a Catalogue of all such sins as they knowe by themselues for which they might most fear Gods displeasure and then go in secret and humble themselues in confession of those sinnes striuing till the Lord be pleased to giue them a soft hart and sensible sorrows This course will both marre the relish of sin and besides it opens the fountain of grace and ioy in the heart of a man Hosh. 14.3.5 Mat. 5.6 2. They should there attend with all possible heed to the Word of the Lord hearing it as the Word of God and not of man with this sincere couenant of their hearts to do whatsoeuer the Lord commands and then the Lord wil not long with-hold himself Secondly the Godly that finde this sweetnes in the Word should be so much the more thankfull for the gracious entertainment GOD giues them in his House in that hee hath not nor doth deal so with thousands of Christians as he deals with them Doct. 6. The last doctrine is that it is a shame for such Christians as haue felt of the sweetnesse of the Word to lose their appetite or any way to abate of their company in resorting and constancy of desire after it or estimation of it This answers to the main scope because these words are brought-in as a reason to excite appetite The remembrance of the good we haue found in the House of God should make vs loue it stil though we doo not alwaies speed alike wee should beleeue that God will return though hee hide his face for a time Such Christians then must bear their shame that haue lost their first loue and repent lest God take away the Candle-stick from them Verse 4. To whom coming as to a liuing stone disallowed of men but chosen of God and precious HItherto of the exhortation as it concernes the Word of God The exhortation as it concerns the Sonne of God follows from verse 4. to verse 13 wherein it is the purpose of the Apostle to shew vnto them in the second place the principall means of holinesse euen the originall fountain it self and that is Christ to whom they must continually come to seek grace if euer they will prosper and growe in godlinesse In the exhortation as it concerns Christ three things may be obserued First the Proposition wherein hee tels them what they must doo verses 4 and 5. Secondly the Confirmation of it and that two waies First by testimony of Scripture shewing what Christ is which Scripture is both cited and expounded verse 6 7 8. Secondly by the consideration of their owne excellent estate in Christ which is set out positiuely verse 9. and comparatiuely verse 10 or thus it is confirmed by arguments taken from the praise first of Christ verses 6 7 8. secondly of Christians verses 9 10. Thirdly the Conclusion where hee shewes the vse they should make both in what they should auoid verse 11. and in what they should doo verse 12. That which in generall
may be obserued is that Christ is the main Fountain of all grace and holinesse It is he that fils all in all things Eph. 1. vlt. All the treasures of wisdome and grace be in him in whom the God-head dwels bodily Col. 2.3 9. It is he that is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 10.30 He was long since acknowledged to be the Lord our righteousnes Ier. 23.6 The knowledge heerof may both inform instruct and comfort vs. First it may inform vs concerning the grieuousnes of our disease The nature of man is so farre past cure that vnlesse the Sonne of GOD sanctifie himself with vnspeakable holinesse we can neuer be sanctified Iohn 17.19 yea the Word it self is not auaileable without the grace of Christ as it appears in that seuenteenth of Iohn where both the Word and Christ are intreated of Secondly it may teach vs first to ascribe glory to Christ who in this respect is most worthy to be acknowledged the Head of all Principalities but especially the Head of the Church from whom commeth influence of all grace and goodnes Eph. 21 22.23 Secondly it should teach vs aboue all gettings to labor to get Christ crucified into our hearts It is Christ in vs that must be our riches and our hope of glory Col. 1. 27. yea this will bee vnsearchable riches to vs we should determine to knowe nothing saue Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 Thirdly let him that glorieth glory in the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 1.4 7. And therefore God forbid I should reioice in anything but the Crosse of Christ whereby I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me Gal. 6.14 Thirdly it should bee a great comfort to the Godly both in respect of their vnion with him in regard their Head is so infinite in holinesse as also in respect of that supply and help that they may continually haue from him against all their infirmities and defects and lastly in respect of the hope of the full confirmation of their holinesse in the day of Christ. And thus of the generall Doctrine The first thing in the exhortation to bee considered is the Proposition in which two things are to be marked First what Christ is secondly what the Christian must bee in respect of Christ. There are fiue things in the description of Christ. First he is a gracious Lord that is imported in the first word To whom that is which gracious Lord mentioned in the end of the former verse Whereby the Apostle applies that to Christ which was before spoken of God generally as hee that is God with the Father and as that person in whom the Lord shewes his graciousnes to men Secondly hee is a liuing stone Thirdly hee is in respect of the world and the base respect and vsage of him once disallowed of men Fourthly he is elect of God Fiftly he is precious Now that which Christians must be and doo that they may receiue holinesse from Christ is that first they must come vnto him Secondly they must bee liuely stones Thirdly they must be built vp in him Fourthly they must become a spirituall house Fiftly they must bee a holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God such as may be acceptable in Iesus Christ. For it is to be noted that the word Are built vp may be rendred Be ye built vp howsoeuer it bee read The intent is to perswade them thereto Ye are built vp that is if you bee right that is a thing must not be wāting so the sense is the same First then of the description of Christ. And therein the first point of doctrine that offereth it self to our consideration is that Christ is a gracious Lord. He is a Lord and Master to all true Christians and such a Lord and Master as neuer men serued for wonderfull graciousnes That he is a Lord to the faithfull is euident by other Scriptures also 1. Cor. 1.2 He is said to bee a Lord to all that call vpon him in euery place Thus Dauid cals him My Lord Psalme 110.1 And great Apostles confesse themselues to bee his seruants Rom. 1.1 Iude 1. 2. Pet. 1.1 And that hee is most gracious the Apostle shewes when hee tels that all Ages haue cause to wonder at the maruellous kindnes that God hath shewed to men in Christ. The vse may be both for information instruction and consolation First we may hence be informed that Christ is God with the Father For the which the Prophet Dauid Psalme 34 whence the words of the former verse are borrowed Giue to God the Apostle applies heer vnto Christ and the reason of the application may in the second place inform vs that God is gracious to men onely by Iesus Christ. It is impossible euer to feel or taste of Gods graciousnes but in his Son And thirdly we are heer told as it were that Christ is God visible God is made visible and sensible to men by Iesus Christ This is that mystery of godlines God is manifested in the flesh Secondly Is Christ our Lord and Master then these things will follow 1. That we must liue and die vnto Christ Rom 14.7 8 9. we are not our owne men wee must liue to him that died for vs 2. Cor. 5. vlt. The loue of Christ must constrayne vs and all old things must be passed and all things must become new vnto vs. If Christ be our Lord where is his seruice he must rule vs and rule ouer vs. If we walke in the vanitie of our mindes according to the deceiueable lusts of our old conuersation we haue not yet learned Christ nor the truth that is in Iesus Eph. 4. And therefore let vs euery one looke to his waies as he that must one day giue account of himselfe vnto Christ which will bee Iudge both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 2. That euery knee must bow at the name of Christ and euery tongue must confesse his soueraignty to the glory of God Philip. 2.1 Rom. 14. We must all take notice of his supreme authority and forme in our hearts all possible reuerence toward him 3. We must not iudge one another For what haue we to doe to iudge another mans seruant He stands or falls to his owne Master Rom. 14.4 9. Thirdly it ought to be the singular ioy of our harts that wee serue so glorious a Master Neuer seruāts serued such a Lord as may appear by the enumeration of diuers particular differences As First other masters are not wont to die for their vassals Christ shed his blood for vs one drop of whose blood was more precious then all the bloods of all the men in the World and this he did onely to ransome and redeeme vs that wee might bee a peculiar people vnto him Titus 2.13 Secondly neuer Master had such power to prefer his seruants Christ hath all power in heauen and in earth Mat. 28. and all that to
with them in the cause and quarrell of Religion striuing by all meanes to be of one opinion and affection with them in matters of Religion and to the vttermost of our power to defend them by word and deed according to our callings and occaâ—ions Phil. 1.27 1. Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.3 Vses The vse may bee first for the discouery of the notable wickednes of multitudes of Christians that are so farre from louing godly men in the places where they liue that of all other men they most dislike them and shew it by reproaching them by traducing them by auoiding their society by diuers hatreds of them and by many iniurious causes against them And this is the condition of multitudes of Christians that imbrace any fellowship with other sorts of men though neuer so vile and stand in direct opposition to the godly yea so blind are the most that they almost thinke they do God good seruice if they could rid the countrey of them Esay 65.5 The misery of such men is manifestly described in diuers Scriptures and by this signe they are discouerd to bee no Christians indeed 1. Iohn 2.9 but rather of the race of Cain or Ismael 1. Iohn 3.20 Gal. 4.29 and therefore most hatefull to God 1. Iohn 3.15 Secondly wee may hence gather a signe of such as are in the state of saluation actually For if wee loue the brother-hood wee shall bee saued as the Apostle is peremptory 1. Iohn 3.14 and the more apparant will bee the signe if wee loue all the godly and for godlines sake both which the word brother-hood imports Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly I might hence obserue also that all the godly are brethren and so they are in diuers respects First in respect of profession they haue all one faith and wear one and the same liuery of Baptism and serue all one Lord Ephes. 4.4 Secondly they haue all one Father Mat. 2.10 one God begate them Thirdly they haue all one mother the Church Fourthly they must needs bee brethren they are so like one another they are all fashioned in the image of God and are all like the Father Vse 1. The vse should bee first for instruction and so to teach Christians to take heed of iudging and censuring one another Rom. 14.10 of offending and grieuing one another Rom. 14.13 21. of contentions and schisme one from another 1 Cor. 1.10 of going to law one with another 1. Cor. 6.1 2 c. to verse 8. of coozening and defrauding one another 1. Thes. 4.6 of accepting of persons to preferre a rich man before a poor beleeuer Iames 2.1 2. of detracting one from another or grudging or complaining one of another Iames 4.11 so also Mat. 23.8 of all dissimulation and guilefull courses Rom. 12.9 All these things ought to be auoided in our carriage toward godly men because they are our brethren Haue we not all one Father why then do wee transgresse euen more against our brethren Thus Mal. 2.10 And secondly it should teach vs diuerse things to be done or sought after as for instance 1. It should teach vs vnity to liue together with all concord because wee are brethren For how comely a thing is it for brethren to liue together in vnity Psalm 133.1 2. It should teach vs mercy and that both spirituall and corporall as was in part shewed before they are brethren and therefore if thou be conuerted strengthen them Luke 22.32 If they trespasse against thee and confess it forgiue them Mat. 18. It they fall by temptation into any sinne of infirmity hate them not but reprooue them plainly Leu. 19.17 If they offend more freely separate from them but yet hope the best as of a brother reiect them not as enemies 2. Thes. 3.15 And if they be in any outward aduersity remember that a brother was born for the day of aduersity Pro. 17.17 And therefore if thy brother bee impouerished let him be relieued to the vttermost of thy power Leu. 25.35 3. All iust and faithfull dealing should wee shew one towards another because we are bretheren yea none of vs should allow himself liberty so much as to imagine euill against his brother Zach. 7.9 10. Thirdly Superiours also should learn heer not to be tyrannicall or hard-hearted or proud or arrogant in their carriage towards their Inferiours for they rule their brethren not their slaues Deut. 17.19 Phil. 10. Nor yet should inferiours for this reason growe carelesse or disobedient for the Apostle shewes that that were an abuse of this doctrine 1. Tim. 6.1 2. Vse 4. Fourthly all poor Christians that are true Christians haue much cause to reioyâ—e Iam. 1.9 for they haue a great kinred All the Godly are their brethren yea the Apostles Acts 15.23 yea the godly Kings Psalm 122.8 yea the Angels Reu. 19.10 yea Christ himself is not ashamed to call them brethren Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.10 Mat. 12.49 I might adde that wicked men should take heed how they oppose godly men there are a great kinred of them and they neuer prospered that wronged them yea some great Ones haue been fain to humble themselues and to lick the very dust of their feet sometimes that they might be reconciled to them Esay 60.14 Mat. 7.17 And thus of the second part of the Apostle's Charge The third part forms the Christian in respect of piety to God Fear God Piety to God consists either in knowing of him or in worshipping of him and the right knoweledge of God is conceiued in the godly not for contemplations sake onely but for practice 1. Iohn 2.3 4. And all the vse of our knowledge in respect of practice toward God is comprehended in his worship This worship is a religious honour wee giue to God I say religious honour to distinguish it from that ciuill honour which in generall we giue to all men or in speciall to some men either for their graces as to the godly or for their authority as to Kings and Superiours This worship of God is either internall or externall The internall is the worship of the hart the externall is the worship of the body The internall is the very life and soule of the externall without which the externall is but a dead contemptible carcase The fear of God heer commanded belongs to the inward worship and so it is to bee noted that the Apostle when hee would charge Christians about piety and deuotion to God doth not enioine them to come to Church to heare the Word receiue the Sacraments or pray though these bee else-where required but especially requires that they look to the heart within that the true fear of God be preserued in them and that especially for two causes First because men may do that which belongs externally to the outward worship and yet bee still but hypocrites and wicked men as is manifest in the case of the Iewes Esay 1. and of the Pharises Ma. 23. Secondly because if they be rightly formed in the
against malice From the causes From the effects 1. In vs. 2 In God Vses Aggrauations of malice Note Remedies for malice 1 In our selues Note 2 In others Of Guile The acceptation of the word Ob. Sol. Why Guile is to be auoided Vse 1. The miserie of deceitfull persons The aggrauations of the sin of deceit 1 The manner of deceiuing 2 The persons vpon whom it is practised 3 The time Ob. 1. Sol. Of the misery of such as thriue by deceit Note Ob. 2. Sol. Seruants must not vse lying deceit to please their masters Ob. 3. Sol. Of secret cosenage Ob. 4. Sol. Vse 2. The iniquity of the time Vse 3. Against equiuocation Vse 4. The signes of a man without guile Incouragements to such men Note that he saies all malice and all Guile How many wais men commit Hypocrisie Motiues against Hypocrisie The effects of Hypocrisie both priuatiue and positiue What may befall him What will befall them The obiection of hypocrites remoued Vses For information Note For instruction The sorts of Hypocrisie we are most in danger of Preseruatiues against hypocrisie Note Ob. Sol. About censuring other men for Hypocrisie Quest. Ans. How an open Hypocrite may be discerned Ob. Sol. What makes an Hypocrite Vse 3. Quest. Ans. How a man may knowe that he is not an hypocrite The hatefulnesse of the sin of enuy Signes of a man free â—rom enuie The aggrauation of Euill speaking Reasons to diswade from Euilâ— speaking Note Rules against euill speaking What we should do to auoid euill speaking in others 5 Generall doctrines Note For triall How we may discerne our desire and affection after the word Note Other signes of true desire Impediments to true desires externall Inward lets in wickedmen Le ts of affection in the godly Means to get true desires to the word Rules for the preseruing of good desires Rules for such as be afflicted with melancholy The Motiues The causes why the most are but babes in religion Note Speciall duties of such as be but new born babes Speciall praises in children by nature to be expressed by vs. Priuiledges of weake Christians How far wicked men may desire after the word Note Note Diuers kindes of growth In what graces Christians ought especially to growe Philip. 1.10 1 Thes. 3.12 Philip. 2.1 3. Ephes. 4.3.4 Rules to helpe our growth Impediments of growth Signes of growth Vnprofitableness of life aggrauated in many respects Apostasie is two fould Encouragement for weake Christians Wherein Gods graciousnes is seene What wee must do to taste the goodnes of God Doct. 2. Note A true taste is seen by the cause and effects of it Wherin the taste of wicked men and the godly differ How far the taste of wicked men may goe Vse Diuers things noted for clearing the sin against the holy Ghost 4. Doct. The causes why so many haue little or no taste of the word Christ is diuersly described by the Apostle Eph. 1.7 Christ doeth many waies excell earthly Lords towards his seruants Christ is three wayes called a stone 1 Cor. 7.8 Math. 16.18 What kind of men disalolw Christ. Christ chosen of God diuersly Christ is precious many waies Causes why Christ is no more precious with men Pro. 8.11 16 Fiue points in generall Wee come to Christ many waies Esay 9.6 In what manner wee must come to Christ. Psal. 40.7 Many are the reasons why we should come to Christ. Matth. 22. In what respcts the Godly are likened to stones Reasons why we ought to be liuely stones How we shewe our liuelinesse What wee must doe to quicken our harts Meanes to build vp a Christian. Pro. 24.27 Luke 14.28 Causes why many are so little edified Ioâ— 13.21 Christ hath a fiue-fold Tabernacle Esay 40. â—2 A godly man like the Tabernacle in diuers respects Godly men are priests in many respects Exodus 29.21 Vses Diuers sorts of sacrifices for Christians Marke 8.34.35 1 Ioh. 2.2 Rom. 3.25 Prou. 23.26 Speciall lawes to be obserued in offering vp our sacrifices What we must do to get our works acceptable to God What is meant by Scripture and why it is so called Wherein the Scriptures exceedes all other writings Malach. 3.1 Esay 55.4 Esay 62.11 Mat. 4.11 Vse That Christ is laid as a foundation-stone imparts many things The Church is like Mount Sion in diuers respects Marks of such as are true members of Sion 1 Kings 19.1 21. Reuel 14.5 Psal. 65.1 Speciall prerogatiues of Sion and the true members of it Esay 4.5 Esay 33.20 Vse 8. Esay 49.15 Note How we may get an esteeme of Christ aboue all things How we manifest our account of Christ as precious Note Note Psal. 127.5 Meanes by which God keepes the beleeuer from being confounded In what things the beleeuer shal not be confounded Rom. 3.25 How far the godly may be confounded Conditions of such as will not be confounded What sorts of men shall suffer shame and confusion Rules for the applying of the Word aright Rules for meditation What it is to beleeue and in how many things it is seen Marks of a true sauing â—aith Signes of a weak but yet a true faith in weak Christians Vse Vnbeleeuers are guilty of disobedience in diuers respects Disobedience aggrauated How far wicked men may be cald Builders How it comes to passe that many great and learned men oppose the truth of the Gospell By what means an ignorant and simple man may stay his heart notwithstanding the oppositions of learned wise men Mat. 11.15 1. Cor. 1.28 Christ is many waies refused How Church-men viz. builders may refuse Christ. Note Vses Iudgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for diuerse reasons Spirituall plagues are worse than temporall crosses for diuers reasons Note Scandall defined and distinguished Math. 18. Ans. Wicked men were offended at Christ in many things Esay 53.2 Ioh. 18.36 Math. 9 10. Ob. Sol. Note Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men In what things we may be guilty of giuing offence to wicked men Rules for the preuenting of scandall 1 Pet. 3.16 Deut. 28.96.67 How many waies wicked men may despaire Reu. 1.7 6.16 Preseruatiues against despair Speciall differences between the despair of the Godly and the Wicked How wherein men take offence at the Word Vses Proofes of Reprobation Certaine obseruations for the quieting of our mindes in the doctrine of reprobation The specialties of Election Rom. 9. Vses Signes of Election Markes of such as truely suffer with Christ. Ioh. 15.18 19. Rules to liue so as becoms the assurance of Election Godly Christians come of the best kinred which appears by many reasons Godly men are Royall many waeies Differences between spirituall and earthly Kings Vses Mat. 11.12 Christians are holy many waies Speciall rules for the right ordering of vs in an holy conuersation Meanes for obtayning an holy conuersation Differences betweene the holines of conuersation in ciuill honest men and Gods elect Differences betweene the Hypocrite
the graces wee would striue most to excell in to the intent to keep them daily in our mindes and memories striuing to force in vs the special holinesse required in them It were exceeding vsefull to obserue in seueral Scriptures how the holy Ghost singles out choice directions according to the diuerse states of the people whom they concern Secondly the Minister ought to infoâ—me his flock concerning the particular and special faults that hinder the work of his Ministery where hee liues and accordingly to set himself against those sinnes It is not enough to reproue sin but there is a great deal of discretion and judgement to bee expressed in applying himself to the diseases of that people Thirdly the Apostle doth not name heer all the sinnes that hinder the word but he imports that in the most places these fiue sinnes heer named doo much raign and vsually doo maruellously let the course of the word they are the fiue most vsuall sinnes in the auditories of Christians Fourthly it would be considered how these sinnes doo hinder the word These sinnes doo hinder the word many waies 1. These sinnes make wicked men many times to set themselues against the word and to striue to suppresse the liberty of the word 2. These sins hinder the word in that they hinder many times other men from the loue of the word The word is not glorified yea it is euill-spoken of and why Do not many men and women say they like not this going to Sermons c for they see that such persons can liue in malice and deceit and enuy one another c. 3. These sinnes hinder the Ministers from discerning the work of their Ministery in their hearers Paul cannot see or judge that the Corinthians are any more than carnall or at the best but babes in Christ because there was so much enuy and strife and diuision among them 1. Cor. 3. verse 1.2.3 4. These sinnes cause God many times to take the word from men When the Iews grew so vntoward and enuious at the Gentiles and to haue such ill tongues in their heads toward their Teachers what follows but that the LORD should turn the labor of his seruants from them and imploy it among the Gentiles Acts 13 c. 5. These sinnes hinder the word because they hinder the persons in whom they are from a right disposition to or vse of the word Anie of these sins are like poison lying at the stomach that infects all the food which comes there And therefore for these reasons and many moe which might be alleadged we should bring a generall resolution to make conscience of our waies and to auoide these and all and each of these sinnes The first then of these sinnes is Malice The originall word is diuersly accepted For sometimes it signifies miserie or griefe for affliction and so it is vsed to signifie the euill of the day Matth. 6. vlt. Sometimes it is rendred naughtinesse or wickednesse in generall and so it importeth vile crimes or notorious offences and so it is taken Iam. 1.21 Acts 2.22 In this sense it may be taken here For it is certaine that if men be guilty of wickednesse and come in the loue of any sinne the word is poisoned in them especially whoredome and wine take away mens hearts from the word Hos. 4. Lastly it is rendred in diuers places malice as 1. Cor. 5.8 Colos. 3.8 and so it is here Malice then is the first sinne we should bee carefull to auoide Malice in short is anger inueterate It is an inward hatred or grudge harbored in the heart against others and it may bee knowne by diuers signes As 1. When a man beares a constant base estimation of another and inwardly loathes him 2. When a man hath frequent desires of the hurt of others and longs for abilitie or oportunitie of reuenge 3. By inflation when a man carries himselfe so proudly and arrogantly as hee would haue it appeare that he despiseth others 4. By the habituall back-biting iudging and censuring of others 5. When a man resolues not to forgiue a wrong done him By these and the like signes may men trie themselues whether they be guiltie of malice or no. Now there are many reasons why this sin should be wonderfully hated and shunned why wee should carrie a constant malice against the sinne of Malice First if we respect the causes of this euill For malice comes first from an ill nature it cannot be in a good nature secondly It comes from the Diuell the first deuiser of this abhominable poison thirdly It comes from anger as the next vsuall immediate cause The infirmities or wrongs of others may be the occasions but they cannot be the causes of malice Now we should be ashamed to father any of the former three euills Secondly if we respect the effects of malice and that either in our selues or in God In our selues malice will worke first a conformity to the nature of the Diuell For it was vsed to be noted that to be angrie was humane but to perseuere in anger which is this malice was diuelish Secondly It will plead forcibly mans vnregeneration Malice is noted as a marke of the vnregenerate man Tit. 3.3 1. Ioh. 2.9 Thirdly If we haue any gifts it is certain malice is like leauen it will sowre them and spoile the praise and acceptation of them 1. Cor. 5.8 Fourthly It hinders praier and the word That it hinders praier is proued Iames 4.1.2.3 That it hinders the word this text proues Fiftly It bringes a man many times to wonderfull shame and by a iust prouidence of God to open foiles and disgraces Prou. 25.8 et 26.26 And many times they fall into the pit they digged for others Prou. 26.27 A malicious person knowes not what shall bee come of him selfe 1. Iohn 2.11 Now the effects which the malice of man after a sort produceth in God are first to make him to hate vs wonderfully hee accounts the malicious person as a murtherer not respecting onely what hee doth but what hee would doe 1. Ioh. 3.11 Secondly Hee will neuer forgiue a man his sinnes because he doth not forgiue his brother Math. 6.14 Thirdly The iudgements of God are pulled down vpon him God may make the malicious as the grasse on the howse-top whereof the mower filleth not his hand nor they that goe by say we blesse you in the name of the Lord yea let meÌ„ look to it lest they be cast into prison and neuer come out till they haue paied the vtmost farthing The vse may be First For humiliation to all such as finde this vile poison in themselues they are in a miserable case and extreamely and dangerously diseased especially if men be guiltie of the aggrauation of malice Malice is euill in anie and in any measure and toward any but it is extreamely euill first when men put on a resolution not to amend but confirme themselues in their
thou admittest of euill in thy tongue 1. Cor. 15.33 And if you bite and deuoure one another take heed you bee not consumed one of another Gal. 5.15 And if thou iudge thou shalt bee iudged Hee that is giuen much to censuring seldome or neuer scapes great censures him selfe Math. 7. Sixtly Besides also these courses will encrease vnto greater condemnation God may bee prouoked to take thee in hand and thou maiest be in danger to be plagued for it for euer in Hell Iam. 3.1 Seuenthly and if this euill vice growe in thee thou art fit to be cast out of the Communion of Saints men are charged to auoid thee and not to eat with thee 1. Cor. 5.11 And though that censure be not executed by the Church alwaies yet God many times makes such persons so lothsome that euery body auoids them as much as they can Eightthly further this very effect heer mentioned should perswade much with vs. It is a sinne that greatly hindereth the profit of the word bitter-tongued persons neuer grow much in religion For it is required that we should receiue the word with meeknes and lay aside all superfluity of maliciousnes such as this euill speaking in these kindes is Iam. 1.21 Lastly as men loue cursing so it shall come vnto them and as they loue not blessing so it shall be far from them Psal. 109.17 The vse should be both for Humiliation and for Instruction First for Humiliation It may greatly abase many Christians that are extreamly guilty of this sinne How hath this wickednesse preuailed in many places The way of peace few men haue knowne there is almost no meekenes but lying and flattering and censuring and rayling and slandering and reproach vpon reproach and back-biting euery where Yea what are the families of the most but as so many kennels of Curres such snarling and biting and prouoking one another Husbands bitter to their Wiues Wiues contentions like a continuall dropping Masters threatning their Seruants and Seruants answering again and cursing their Masters How are the liues of the most destitute of contentmâ—nt and their states of prosperitie euen by reason of this sinne But let all that feare God learne from henceforth to make more conscience of their words and refraine their lips from euill Quest. But what should a man doe to keepe himself free from this vice or that this fountaine of euill speaking may be dried vp Ans. He that would restraine himselfe from being guilty of back-biting iudging reuiling or any kinde of euill speaking must obserue such rules as these First He must learne to speake well to God and of godlinesse if we did study that holy language of speaking to God by prayer we would be easily fitted for the gouernment of our tongs toward men we speak ill to men because we pray but ill to God Secondly he must lay this rule vpon himselfe and watch to the performance of it he must studie to be quiet and meddle with his owne businesse and not meddle with the strife that belongs not to him resoluing that he will neuer suffer as a busie bodie in other mens matters 1. Thes. 4. 1. Pet. 4.15 Thirdly hee must keepe a Catalogue of his owne faults continually in his minde when we are so apt to taxe others it is because wee forget our owne wickednesse Fourthly his words must be few for in a multitude of words there cannot want sinne and vsually this sinne is neuer absent Fiftly he must not allow himselfe libertie to thinke euill A suspicious person will speake euill Sixtly he must pray to God to set a watch before the doors of his lippes Seuenthly he must auoide vaine and prouoking companie It may be obserued often that when men get into idle companie which perhaps they like not the very complement of discoursing extracteth euill speaking to fill vp the time especially he must auoide the company of censurers for their ill language though at first disliked is insensibly learned Eightly he must especially striue to get meeknesse and to be soft and shew his meeknesse to all men Tit. 3.1.2 Ninthly if he haue this way offended then let him follow that counsell Let his owne words grieue him Psal. 56.5 that is let him humble himselfe seriously for it before God by harty repentance this sin is seldome mended because it is seldome repented of Quest. But what should I doo to auoid euill speaking in others Ans. First liue honestly without offense and then though men be neuer so crooked and peruerse yet either they will be silent or in the day of Gods visitation they will glorifie God Phil. 2.15 1. Pet. 2. verse 13. Secondly if men will yet reuile learn of Dauid and Christ and the godly to be patient and not reuile again but rather blesse them 1. Pet. 3.5 and 2.23 1. Cor. 4.12 Thirdly if men be still vnreasonable and absurde betake thy self to praier and then either God will turn their hearts or quiet thine Psal. 104 2.3.4 Fourthly thou must not giue thy heart to all that men say but be sometimes as a deaf man that hears not and as a dumb man in whose mouth are no words of reproof Eccles. 7.23.24 Psalm 38.13.14 Fiftly if yet thou be pursued then remember this comfort The curse that is causelesse shall not com Pro. 26.2 and though they curse yet God will blesse Psal. 109.28 God will turn their cursing into a blessing and he will curse them that curse thee Numb 24.9 and if thy reproaches bee for the cause of religion and righteousnes blessed art thou that art accounted worthy to suffer for it For Great is thy reward in heauen Mat. 5.11 Acts 5.41 Thou hast cause to rejoice in such contumelies 2 Cor. 12.10 Hitherto of the catalogue of sinnes to be auoided The manner heer follows to be considered of and that may bee noted from the word laying aside and from the manner of expressing the sins Out of all there are briefly fiue things may be noted First that by nature we are all inclined to and clogged with these sinnes for that the word laied-aside imports For it shewes that by nature they hang vpon vs Tit. 3.3 which should teach vs to watch our hearts against these sinnes seeing they are so naturall to vs and to pursue the reformation of them with so much the more constancy and diligence by how much it is the more hard to shake off what is naturall to vs. Secondly it should teach vs to forbeare intemperate words and carriage toward others in whom wee discern these sinnes so far as they are infirmities but rather wee should bee soft and shewe all meeknes to all men considering that wee our selues also were infected with the same faults Secondly that the naturall man is daily guilty of these sinnes and vseth them as if they were necessary to his well-being He cannot be without them he wears them as his garments or betakes himself to them as to his weapons hee thinks he is
excellent knowledge of Christ which may bee heer had Philip. 3.9 Secondly Longing and appetite after it as true and certaine as the very appetite of a childe is to the brest This is expressed by the similitudes of panting thirsting and watching after the word in diuers scriptures and when this longing is more vehement it is set out by the passion of fainting for it and of the breaking of the soule for it Psal. 42.1 et 84.2 et 119.20.40 et 131. Thirdly Satisfaction and contentment when wee speed well in the word As the child is quieted and sleepeth in the rest and vertue of the milk it hath receiued Dauid saith his soule was satisfied as with marrow Psal. 63.1.5 and is graunted of all the godly and chosen ones Psa. 65.4 When it is sweet like hony to our tast Psal. 119.103 Fourthly Constancy the renewing of affection A childes appetite is renewed euery day though it seem to be full for the present and such is the true desire of the godly It is not a desire for a fit but is renewed daily as the appetite to our appointed food is Iob 23. Hee that hath this desire may be found daily waiting at the gates of wisdome Prou. 8.34 Vse 1. The vse of all may bee cheefly threefold For First it may serue for triall wee should euery one examine our selues whether wee haue this true desire after the word or no. For if wee find this wee are sure to prosper and if we find it not wee are nothing but staruelings in matter of godliness Question But how may wee know whether wee haue this estimation longing after and constant affection to the word Answer It may be knowne diuers waies especially if our affections bee grown to any good ripeness and tenderness in the measure of them For it may be euidently discerned First If we seek the blessing of the word of God as a cheefe happiness wee would desire of him in his specially mercy to giue it vnto vs. Psa. 119.68.132.155.144 and so by the constancy of praier we may also discerne the constancy of our appetite Secondly If wee can be diligent and content to take any paines or bee at any cost that wee may be prouided of this food that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 Thirdly If wee can hoord and hide vp the word in our hartes as worldly men would doe their treasures Psalme 119.11 Ioying in it as much as in all riches Psalme 119.14.162 especially if wee can batten and wex fat by the contentments of it as carnall men doe when they liue at harts ease Psalme 119.70 Fourthly If it will still our crying that is If it will comfort vs and quiet our harts in all distresses Psal. 119.50.143.92 so as nothing shall offend vs. verse 165. Fiftly If we make haste and come willingly at the time of assembling Psalm 110.3 But especially if we make haste and not delay in practising what we learn thence Psal. 119.60 Sixtly If we be thankfull to God and abound in the free will offrings of our mouthes for the good we get by the word Psal. 119.7.108.164.171 Seauenthly If we can bee truly greeued and say with Dauid Sorow takes hould on vs because the wicked keep not gods lawe 119.159 Eightthly If we delight to talk of gods word and to speak of his wondrous works discouered in his word Psal. 119.27.172 c. These things and the like are in them that haue their affections tender and striuing in them Now whereas many of gods children may haue true desire to the word and yet not find euidently some of these signes therfore I will giue other signes of true affection to the word though ther be not alwaies such delight in it as they desire The lesser measure of true appetite to the word may bee discerned by some of these signes that follow First it is a signe that we doe hartily loue the word when wee can from our harts loue and blesse them that doe loue the word accounting them happy for their very loue to the word Psal. 119.1.12 Secondly T is a signe of desire after the word when we can stick to the word and the constant frequenting of it notwithstanding the scornes and shame of the world Psal. 119 31 46 141. It is a sure testimony of our loue to the gospell when we can forsake father and mother brother and sister house and land for the Gospells sake Mark 10.29 Thirdly It is a signe of loue to the word and of desire after it when we can mourn for the famine of the word as a bitter crosse Psal. 42.3.4 Fourthly Yea when men haue the word and yet finde not comfort in it it is a signe of their true affection when they long for those comforts with heauines of heart and account themselues in an vncomfortable distresse yea bitter distresse till the Lord returne to them in his person in the power of the meanes Psal. 119.82.83.123.131 Fiftly It is a signe we loue the word when such as feare god are glad of vs it is a signe that the godly doe discerne appetite in vs though we doe not when they are tenderly affected toward vs. Psal. 119.74 Sixtly We may know our affection to the word by our willingnes to be ruled by it If wee can make the word our Counseller it is sure we we doe delight in it whatsoeuer we conceiue of our selues Psal. 119.24 Lastly To striue against our dulnes constantly and to pray to be quickned is a good signe that we haue some desire to the word One may loue gods precepts and yet need to be quickned Psal. 119.159 Vse 2. Secondly this doctrine of desire and appetite after the word may much humble the most of vs some being altogether void of all desire after it more then for fashion sake and the better sort haue their appetites either dull or decayed Quest. Whence comes it that people haue no more affection to the word or that men are so cloâ—ed with the word Ans. The lets of appetite and affection to the word may be considered two wayes First as they are without vs. Secondly as they are within vs. Without vs the cause of want of affection is sometimes in the Minister sometimes in the Diuell sometimes in the company men sort withall and sometimes in God himselfe 1. In Ministers there are two things which maruelously hinder the admiration and desire after the word The first is the manner of their teaching when they teach vnskilfully deceitfully vaingloriously negligently or coldly When there is not a maiesty and purity and life in the Teacher it is no wonder if there be no affection in the people 2. Cor. 4.2 1. Thessal 2. 2 3 4 6 8. 1. Cor. 2.4 2. Tim. 2.15 The second is their ill liues What made the people in Elies time so loath the seruice of God but the wicked liues of Hophni and Phineas 1. Sam. 3. Ministers must teach by example as well as by doctrine if they
will not be despised 1. Tim. 4.12 2. The Diuell that god of this world doth mightily labour in this point to keepe men from affecting the Gospell If he cannot hinder men from hearing then his next worke is by all possible indeuours to blinde their minds and marre their tastes that they may not perceiue nor regard the glorious things of God in Christ 2. Cor. 4.4 3. Euill company is a wonderfull impediment it causeth perpetually hardnes of hart and carelesnes it keepes the hearts of the wicked men in a continuall habituall deadnes and the best men seldome light into prophane company but they get some degree of dulnes and deadnes of affections by it Pro. 9.6 Psa. 119.115 4. God himselfe being prouoked by mans extreame wilfulnes in sinning giues them ouer to a spirit of slumber and curseth their very blessings yea restraineth sometimes the very gifts of his seruants that so he may execute his iudgements vpon a rebellious people The Lord hideth his statutes from them and with-holding his spirit keeps back the life of the word in their harts Esay 6.10 yea many times to scourge the vnthankfulnes and vnprofitablenes of his own people he doth for a time hide his testimonies from them Psal. 119.19 Thus much of the lets without vs. The internall lets must be considered First In the wicked Secondly In the godly The cause of this hartlesnes and want of affection in the wicked is First their ignorance they know not either the word or the worth of the word or their own need of it Secondly their prophaneness irreligiousnes They liue without God or without Christ in the world they make no conscience of their waies They forget their later end they minde not the good of their soules but only earthly things they neuer tasted of the bountifulnes of the Lord but were altogether corrupt and strangers from the life of God only greedy in sinning Thirdly Atheisme There is in the harts of all wicked men in some degree abominable conceits concerning God and his word They either doubt whether the scriptures be the true word of god or els they are strongly carried to resolue ther is no profit in the knowledge of gods waies or in seruing the almighty Iob. 21.14 Malac. 3.15 Fourthly Cares of life The loue of the profits or pleasures of this life choak the word and the power of it as is apparant by these places Math. 13. Luke 14. Psal. 119 36 37 c. Fiftly In some either whoredome or wine for these two sinns together or either of them take away mens harts they are voide of all due consideration and of all affection to gods word They are senseless creatures Hosh. 4. Thus of the cheef letts in the wicked The lets of affection in the godly are diuers First Sometimes it is their worldliness their too much minding and plodding about the things of this life or their excessiue burthening of their heads about their calling They haue too much to doe or they haue too much care care I say that is distrustfull and carking care Psal. 119.36 Secondly Sometimes it is want of comfortable felowshippe in the Gospell Affection that is alone is seldome constant in the same degree There is much quickning and comfort and incitation in a constant and tender and profitable society with such as loue the word Psalm 119. verse 63. Thirdly sometimes it is some secret sinne that gets too much dominion ouer them As affection may stand with meer frailties and infirmities So on the other side if any sinne once get head and men yeeld to it and agree to obey it their affections to the word presently dy within them Psal. 119.133 yea if this sinne bee but in the thoughts and bee yeelded to and delighted in and that constantly they seek the pleasure of contemplatiue wickednes and do not resist it by praying against it euen vain thoughts may dead the affections and poison them Psal. 119.113 Fourthly sometimes it is neglect of mortification The soule will gather aboundance of humors as well the body and therefore Christians should not go too long especially if they feele a kinde of fulnesse to growe vpon them but take a purge that is seriously and secretly set time apart to humble themselues before God purging out their most secretest corruptions with all harty confession before God Fiftly sometimes it is want of practice or want of an orderly disposing of their waies in godlinesse If they rest onely in hearing their affections cannot last long sincere and besides the most Christians burden their owne harts for very want of order and that they go not distinctly about the works of godlinesse but rake together a great heap of doctrine which they knowe not what to doo withall Psal. 50. vlt. Sixtly sometimes again it is occasioned by inordinate feeding when Christians begin to affect nouelties and seek to themselues a heap of teachers they scape not long without fulnesse and the fits of loathing 2. Tim. 4.3 Seuenthly sometimes very idleness is the hindrance The want of a particular calling to imploy themselues in the six daies breeds a general kinde of wearinesse and satiety which extends the heart of it not onely to the times of priuate duties in the working daies but to the very Sabbath also They cannot work at Gods work with any great delight that had no more minde to their owne work Eightthly sometimes it is neglect of preparation and praier before we come to the word Ninthly sometimes it is a violent kinde of ignorance and vnbeleef when a Christian knowes not his right to the word and wil not be perswaded of the fatherly loue and presence of God in his ordinance If Preachers must say I haue beleeued therefore I will speak so must Hearers say I haue beleeued therefore I will hear They should knowe that they are welcome to Christ and may eat and drink Cant. 5.1 and that their heritage lieth in the word Psal. 119. Tenthly sometimes it is a very disease in the body as melancholy or some other which doth so oppresse the heart that it doth not take delight in any thing But of this more in the next Vse Lastly any of the sinnes mentioned in the former verse will hinder affection Malice Hypocrisie or Enuy or any of the rest Vse 3. The third vse may bee for instruction to teach vs to striue for affection to the word and to prouide to order our selues so as wee bee not wanting in the direction of the Apostle and so two sorts are to be taught that is such as want appetite and such as haue it that they may keep it aright Quest. What must such doo as finde either want of appetite or decay of it Ans. Such as would get sound affections to the word must doo six things First they must refrain their feet from euery euill way It is impossible to get sound affections without sound reformation of life Psalm 119. Secondly they must pray for it they
Christians are but new borne babes infants in grace not only such as are newly conuerted but such as haue spent a longer time in the profession of godliness The Apostle heer takes it for granted that all they to whom hee writes were little better or stronger and so it is vsuall in all times and places Question How comes it to passe that the most Christians liue still but as weak ones and babes in Christ especially why thriue they not according to their time of their age in Christ Answer In nature a child gets out of his childhood as his yeares grow vpon him but in religion and grace it is not so It is not time brings any of necessity out of the cradle of Religion Now the cause why the most are but babes and that after a long time may bee such or some of these First some as soone as they are borne are destitute of the breast haue no nurse are taken away from the meanes and depriued of the powerfull preaching of the word which did beget them vnto God This comes to passe somtimes by the violence of others or by the afflicting hand of God vpon their bodies or somtimes by their own carlesnes that for worldly respects remoue to places where they haue not the meanes to build them vp Secondly some are infected with some bitter root of passion or enuy or malice which was left behind in their repentance not fully subdued and this holdes them so down that they cannot thriue but are stocked in godliness that after many yeeres they shew little bigger or better then they were in knowledge or grace 1. Cor. 3.1.2.3 1. Pet. 2.1 2. Eph. 4.15.16 1. Pet. 3.7 Thirdly others at their first setting out are intangled with doubtfull disputations and caried about with odde opinions or strange doctrines and so insnared with controuersies about words or things of lesse value that misplacing their zeale and mis-led in their knowledge they thriue little or nothing in the maine substance of godliness but need bee taught the very principles Ro. 14. 1. Heb. 13.7 2. Pet. 3.17 especially when they be apt to receiue Scandal and admit offence such were the beleeuing Iewes the most of them Fourthly some are meerely held back by their worldliness they relapse to such excessiue cares of life and so deuoure vp their time about earthly things that they cannot profit nor prosper in better things Fiftly many thriue not or not sensibly being hindred by the ill company which either voluntarily or necessarily they are plunged into and cheefely for want of fellowship in the Gospel with such as might be patterns to them in knowledge and the practice of faith and piety Sixtly spirituall laziness and idleness is the cause why many grow not They will take no paines but after they haue repented and beleeued in some measure Heb. 5.13 and be gotten a little whole of the woundes they were diseased withall in their conuersion they fall into a kinde of security and rest in the outward and formall vse of the meanes and neglect many precious things which from day to day they are moued and counselled to by the word and spirit of God And this disease is the worse when it is ioyned with spirituall pride and that vile conceitednes which is seen to come daily in many Seuenthly some Christians after calling are insâ—ared and deceiued by the methodes of Sathan and so liue in some secret sin against their own knowledge In fauour of which they forbeare the harty regard and vse of Gods ordinances and so dangerously expose themselues to the raigne of hypocrisie These are wonderfully stocked and grow worse and not better These are the reasons why Christians thriue not and who almost is it whose case some one of these seuen is not Let vs euery one examine our selues for a thousand to one we are kept back by some one of these It were singular wisdome to note which it is and to striue to amend that we may not be such staruelings in godliness stil. The point then is cleer that most Christians are but as new borne babes Now what vse should wee make of it First It may serue to humble many of vs that haue had time enough and abundance of meanes and helpes to haue beene like teachers and yet haue euen now neede to be taught the principles againe To vs belongs iustly that reproof in the fift to the Hebrews 13. Secondly many duties must bee vrged vpon vs if we graunt ourselues to be but as new borne babes For 1. We must therfore be teachable tractable obeying them that haue the ouersight of vs bearing their words of admonition and louing them with a singular loue 2. We must therefore be the more willing to beare the chastizements of God that father of our spirits For if we haue had the fathers of our flesh which in our young yeeres haue corrected and that often for our profit to subdue the faults in vs which that age did breed and sometimes when they corrected for their owne pleasures more than for our profit How much more shold we subiect our selues to the corrections of God that finde in vs being but babes so much peruersnes so much negligence such head-strong passions such frequent disobedience â—nd the rather because he neuer corrects vs for his pleasure onely but for our profit that he might make vs more holy and more fruitfull and more meek as the Apostle shewes Hebrews 12. 3. We must therfore stick more affectionately and constantly to the word and suffer our soules to be daily fedde with this sincere milk of the word without which it is no more possible for vs to grow in grace then a weake child can doe in nature without milk and food 4. Yea the consideration of our estate that we are but children should beget in vs a desire to expresse those praises spiritually which that infant estate in nature doth resemble For 1. Children in nature are without malice they may fal out one with another but they cary no malice they are quickly friends againe so should we much more 1 Cor. 14 20. 2. Children liue without care they are neuer troubled for what they shall eate or what they shall put on for the time to come so should we doe as our sauiour Christ shewes Math. 6. 3. Children are not lifted vp with pride for the great things they are borne vnto nor doth the childe of a Prince scorne the fellowship of the childe of a begger but can play with him and make himself equal to him so shold it be with vs we should be void of great thoughts of heart and not be lifted vp in our selues or despise others but make our selues equall to them of the lower sort especially seeing there is no difference in our birth They are borne againe by the same immortall seed that wee are which our Sauiour Christ is peremptory in Math. 18.3 Thus much of the third point 4. A fourth thing
the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heauenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2. Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods Word and see to it that their preaching bee in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2. Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serue the turn And in both these respects Ministers haue reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If euery Sermon must leaue so sweet a sauour behinde it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fitte for these things Lastly this may serue for singular reproof and terror to the wicked and that in diuerse respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speak euill of the good word of God secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall wee go or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is To dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily inuited and haue all things ready made and yet wil not inwardly obey gods calling nor profit by the means but finde excuses to shift off the inuitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted vpon them These men shall neuer taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as finde a true taste of the sweetnes of God in his Word may conceiue hopefully that their soules doo and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feel the sweetnes of the Word For the cleerer vnderstanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not bee in wicked men Ans. For the first A true taste of the sweetnes of the Word and Gods graciousnes in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is A perswasion in particular of the graciousnes of God to vs euen of that graciousnes which the Word doth discouer The effects of this taste are three For first it reuiues the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an vnfained change in the heart of man from the world and sin to the care of Gods glory and saluation of their own soules and thus it is called A sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2.15 Secondly it settleth in the heart an estimation of the Word and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods fauour of al earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psalm 84.10 Thirdly this taste works a heauenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the Godly when they haue found this are abundantly satisfied they haue enough Psalm 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnes of the Word I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his Word than in the White of an egge they sauour not the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 2.13 Of this afterwards But yet it may not be denied but that some wicked men may go so farre as to taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the life to come and of heauenly gifts as the Apostle granteth Heb. 6.5 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question What should bee the difference between this taste in wicked men and the true taste in godly men Answer For answer heerunto diuers differences may be giuen First in the things tasted there is a difference For wicked men may haue common graces yea and miraculous gifts too by imposition of hands and these are a great taste giuen them of the glory of Gods Kingdome but they neuer taste of sauing graces or if a taste of sauing graces were granted yet they taste as it were of the Riuer running by them but not of the Fountain whereas the Godly haue the very Spring of grace flowing in them Secondly in the time of tasting This taste in wicked men is but for a season it cannot hold long in them and therefore is their faith joy said to be temporary Whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying daies not onely in the gifts of sauing graces but in the very sense of the sweetnes of Christ and the Word too c. Thirdly in the manner of tasting For wicked men may taste of the Gospell and Religion by senses or by a dimme kinde of contemplation or by a sudden illumination as by a flash of lightning but they cannot taste with their hearts cleerely by Faith Or thus wicked men may in the generall taste that is know and beleeue that the Mystery of Christ is true but they cannot taste or know this Mystery with particular and sound application as theirs Fourthly in the grounds of this taste or delight For a wicked man perswaded by false reasons settled in the common hope or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and Graces may be much delighted and ioyed in the Word and the thought of going to heauen for a time but he neuer rightly applyed the promises of Grace in Christ nor doth he euer possesse so much as one infallible signe of a childe of God Fiftly In the effects and consequents of tasting for 1. A wicked man may taste but hee neuer digests An euill conscience casts vp the food againe or choakes and poisons it whereas in godly men their taste abides in them and they digest the food they receiue The vertue of it continues with them 2. A godly man is transformed and made another man by this taste so is not the wicked man It is not a sauour of life to the wicked 3. A true taste in the godly works as is before noted a high estimation and sound contentment so as the godly place the felicity of their liues in this communion with God his word But that can neuer a wicked man doe Sixtly and lastly wicked men may seem to taste and yet doe not Many men professe religion and delight in the word and in religion and religious duties who yet neuer did attaine to it but constantly found a wearines secret loathing and many times a secret and inward ill sauor in the word and in the duties of religion so as the
his works neuer creature did works of such price so vsefull so exquisite so transcendent Fourthly in respect of his sufferings hee paid such a price to God in the ransome of man as all the world besides could not raise or any way make Fiftly in respect of effects he giues the most precious things no treasures like those may be had from him his very promises are precious 2. Pet. 1.4 This may serue first to inform vs in diuers things as First concerning that matchlesse loue of God to vs that gaue vs his Sonne who is so precious Rom. 8.34 Secondly concerning the horrible sin of Iudas and the high Priests that valewed him but at thirtie pieces Thirdly concerning the most miserable condition of all prophane people and persons euen whole multitudes of people that so neglect Christ that can with Esau sell him for trifles pleasures or profits euen as meane sometimes as a messe of pottage c. The more glorious Christ is the more vile is their sinne of neglect or contempt of Christ. Woe to them that disallow him then Euen to all those sortes of men before mentioned Christ will not be a foundation stone to support them nor a precious stone to enrich them but as the vpper and nether milstone to grinde them to pieces or as a rock falling vpon them Quest. But what should bee the reason that Christ is in no more request amongst men Answer First one cause is mans ignorance both of their owne misery out of Christ as also of the glory of Christ in himself of the priuiledges man might attaine by him and of the singular glory to come Secondly another cause is vnbeliefe Men haue a secret kinde of Atheisme in them and doe not beleeue the report of the seruants of Christ out of the Word Esay 53.1 3. Thirdly another cause is that the most men look vpon the outside of the kingdom of Christ and of the estate of Christians which because they find it couered with afflictions and seated in a low condition without outward splendor they therefore contemn it Our life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3.3 Fourthly but the maine reason is because men doe falsely esteeme of other things they set so high a price vpon their pleasures profits lusts credits honours hopes c. that Christ is not remembred nor valued vnlesse it bee at Iudaâ— his rate and yet many will not valew him at so much as thirtie pence but they will make shipwrack of a good conscience euen for a peny I meane for extreme small gaine in buying and selling and such like dealing And thus much of the third thing wee may be informed of The last is concerning the wealthy estate of all true Christians How rich are they that possesse this Mine of treasure who haue his spirit graces righteousnes ordinances and glory And as it may thus informe vs so it should teach vs Vse 2. First to account of Christ as most precious to esteeme of him as euer precious in our eies and shew it 1. By seeking to get Christ aboue all gettings 2. By accounting all things but as dust and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 3. By selling all to buy this precious stone Math. 13. forsaking father and mother house and land for Christs sake and the Gospels 4. By keeping our communion with Christ with all carefulnes 5. By auoiding all the waies by which Christ is disallowed and dis-esteemed 6. By longing for and louing his appearing 2. Tim. 4. hasting to it and looking for his comming 2. Pet. 3. Secondly to consecrate our selues and whatsoeuer is deare and precious to God and the seruice of Christ striuing to bee a precious people and peculiar to God zealous of good things and workes Tit. 2.12 14.1 Cor. 6.20 Thirdly We should liue like such as hauing attained so precious a treasure 1. Liuing by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 2. Not being the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.2 3. 3. Keeping our selues from all pollution by which the Kingdome of God may be defiled laying vp this treasure in a pure conscience Lastly Ministers that know that there is no other foundation but this liuing and precious stone should study by all meanes to build gold siluer and precious stones and not hay and stubble striuing like skilfull master-builders to make the whole frame some-way answerable to the foundation 1. Cor. 3.12 Thus of the description of Christ. Now followeth what Christians must doe that from Christ they may receiue vertue for the attaining of holinesse of life First they must come vnto him To whom comming Diuers things may heere bee noted in the generall First that men may come vnto Christ euen while they are on earth Secondly that naturall men or naturally men are absent from Christ or without Christ. Thirdly that without comming to Christ we can neuer be sanctified Fourthly that all that once take taste of the sweetnes of Christ in his ordinances will come vnto him Fiftly that to come to Christ is a continuall work Christians are still comming their life is but a continued iourney to Christ or a daily seeking out of Christ c. But in particular I especially consider two things First how many waies men come to Christ. Secondly In what manner men must approach to Christ. First we must come to Christ diuers waies First and chiefely by belieuing in him wee must drawe neere to Christ by the assurance of faith Heb. 16.22 Secondly by making him our daily refuge in praier vsing him as our continuall mediator and aduocate Psa. 65.12 Ierem. 31.9 carrying all our petitions to him in all our distresses making our moane to him as the Client doth to the Counsellor or as the oppressed doe to the Iudge Thirdly by the frequenting his ordinances viz. the Word Sacraments thus to come to his feasts euen to his great Supper Prou. 9. Luke 14. 17 c. Math. 22. Thus we come to worship Fourthly by contemplation remembring him and setting our affections on him thinking on him that sits at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Fiftly by receiuing his seruants and visiting them in their distresses He that receiueth them receiueth Christ Math. 10. and to visit them in prison is to come vnto Christ or to visit Christ Mathew 26. But the fourefirst waies are especially meant and the first chiefely For the second Wee must come to Christ. First speedily as the men that suffer shipwrack quickly haste to the shore Secondly penitently going and weeping we must goe Ierem. 50.4 Hee cals to him sinners and that to repentance Math. 9.13 we must come weary and heauy loaden Math. 11.28 we must returne and come Esay 25.12 and not as they Ier. 7.9 10. Zachar. 14.1 c. that came in their sinnes with Idols in their heart Wee should come to Christ as Benhadad did to Ahab with ropes about our necks that is with all
induction of particulars in their seuerall ranks Which again should both serue to take down carelesnesse seeing neuer man could please GOD without faith and withall it should much perswade vs to get and preserue faith seeing wee haue such a cloud of witnesses and that euery godly man in euery Age of the world did prouide himself of faith whatsoeuer he wanted Fiftly obserue heer the nature of true faith To beleeue God in any thing hee saith will not saue vs if we beleeue not in Christ. The obiect of faith is Christ for though we beleeue other things yet either they are not things that directly concern saluation or else they are founded vpon Christ nor is it enough to beleeue Christ or to beleeue that he is sent of God but we must beleeue in him that is out of sound iudgement wee must with all our hearts imbrace the happy newes of saluation by Christ and relie vpon him and his merits onely for our owne particular saluation The very comparison heer imported shewes vs the nature of faith Christ is like the foundation of a house now to beleeue in Christ is to fasten our selues in our confidence vpon Christ as the stone lieth vpon the foundation To beleeue in Christ is to lie vpon Christ vnmoueably and not flee out of the Building And it is to be noted heer that the apostle addes these words in him to the Text in Esay of purpose to explain the Prophets meaning and to shew what kinde of beleeuing the Prophet intended Therfore it is apparant that Pagans cannot bee saued because they beleeue neither God nor Christ no Iewes and Turks because they beleeue God but not Christ nor the common Protestant because he onely saith he beleeueth but doth not beleeue indeed nor the Papist because hee beleeues not in Christ nor placeth his confidence in him alone but in his owne works or in Saints or Angels or in Popes pardons and indulgences Sixtly note heere the circumstance of time by which he describeth a true faith He doth not say He that shall beleeue or He that hath beleeued but He that doth beleeue which is to shew vs both what wee should doe with our faith and what in some measure is done by euery beleeuer for we should not beleeue at one time onely but at al times we should euery day liue by our faith Gal. 2.21 Christ liueth in vs by faith and so long as we goe about without faith we make Christ to be in vs as it were without life To spend one day without faith is to bury Christ as it were for so long Now the life of Christ must be considered of vs two waies namely as it is in it selfe and as it is in our sence For this latter it is true when we imploy not our faith we let Christ dye in vs in respect of sence But for the first way it is certaine a Christian doth alwaies beleeue after the life of faith is once conceiued in him There is no time in which it can be truly said Now he beleeueth not Therefore doth the Apostle heere say He that beleeueth It is true that in some particular points or promises a Christian may faile through vnbeliefe but not in the maine point or promise of saluation by Christ. It is true also that a Christian may oftentimes and vsually want the feeling of his faith and goe without the ioies of the Holy Ghost but yet he wanteth not faith yea a Christian may violently obiect against beleeuing and thinke hee hath not faith by the temptation of Sathan and the rebellion of that part of him that is vnregenerate and yet God can dispell al these cloudes and in the very dunghill of his vnbeleefe and sinfulnes can finde out his owne part of faith In plaine tearms there is no time after conuersion but if a Christian were throughly sifted and put to it he would be found resolued in that point to rest vpon the couenant of grace for all happines by Christ alone I say at all times in that part of him that is regenerate Christ can dye in no man and if faith could dye then should Christ also die in vs seeing he liueth in vs by faith A man may be without faith in the iudgement of the world in his owne iudgement but neuer is without faith in the iudgement of God A man may want this or that faith but not faith simply as that faith Luke 18. to rely vpon God without failing and to call vpon him with continuall perseuerance as resolued that God will helpe vs in that particular It is true If the Sonne of man come to search amongst men he shall scarcely finde that faith vpon earth but yet a true faith in the generall hee will finde in the breast of euery godly man and woman Peters faith did not faile when hee denyed his master For Chist had prayed that his faith should not faile and was heard in that he prayed Shall not be confounded The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus He that beleeueth shall not make haste it may be vnderstood either as a precept Let him not make hast or as a promise He shal not make haste Men make haste two waies either in their behauiour when they runne headlong vpon the duties they are to doe or when through impatience they will not tarrie Gods leasure for their helpe and deliuerance but fall to vse vnlawfull meanes and take that which comes next them without consideration of the lawfulnesse of it Now the beleeuer must auoide both these and God wil in some measure sanctifie and guide the beleeuer thereunto The Apostle Paul Rom. 9.33 10.11 And the Apostle Peter in this place following the Greeke translation read it He that beleeueth shall not be ashamed as in the Romans or confounded as heere They swarue not from the meaning of the Prophet For by this tearme is auouched That the Godly that beleeue shall neuer haue cause to repent themselues or to fly from God to vse ill meanes The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the beleeuer that he shall not be confounded To be confounded signifies sometimes to be reproached so Psal. 14.6 The wicked are said to confound the counsell of the godly that is they reproached it Sometimes it signifies to be daunted or dismayed Sometimes to bee disappointed or broken in their purposes as Esay 19.9 10. Sometimes to bee extremely shamed and so it is rendred Rom. 10.11 Sometimes to bee put to a Non plus as Acts. 9.22 Sometimes to be driuen into amazement or wonder Acts 2.6 Sometimes to bee brought into such a straite as one hath neither hope nor help 2. Cor. 4.8 9. Lastly it signifieth to perish vtterly or to bee vndon or damned for euer and so conâ—usion shall come to all that hate Sion or serue grauen Images It is true that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sence and signifies either the affection of wonder as before
Psal. 48.9 and so farre as this promise reacheth to temporall things it must bee vnderstood with that common limitation Esay 54.4 viz. so farre as it is good for them they shall be kept from shame as for pouerty or sicknesse or the like that is if it bee good for them But yet if this temporall shame doe fall vpon them for their sinnes repentance will remoue it as is promised Ioel 2.13.26 Lastly the Lord will giue his people double for all their confusion Esay 61.7 and therefore it is not to be reckned as a crosse for which they haue so much recompence made them Vses The vse of all this remaines then to bee considered of which concernes first the godly secondly the wicked The Godly should heere learne First to take notice of their priuiledges aboue other men in this respect c. Secondly To sue out this promise vpon all occasions For since they haue a graunt of freedome in this kind they should seek vnto God for the obtaining of it as they shall find need when either their crosses presse them or their hearts faile them so did Dauid in many places of the Psalmes as Psal. 31.1 17. and 119.116 and in diuers other places Thirdly but they must euer looke to it that they bee such as may answer the conditions of this promise expressed in this or in other Scriptures as 1. They must preserue a constant respect vnto God's commandements and in all their waies be sound in God's statutes else wilfull sinne and shame will be companions Psalm 119.6 80. 2. They must not bee ashamed of GOD's truth and the profession of it but witnes a good profession before all men Psalm 119.46 3. They must not be too tender in matter of reproach from the world but learn of Christ to despise the shame and scorns of men Heb. 12.2 Esay 51.6 7. 4. In this Text they must hould fast their faith and liue by it it is a promise to the Godly as he is a beleeuer and will relie vpon Gods mercy in Iesus Christ we must be established in the faith The wicked may hence gather an argument of of singular terror For this Text imports that such as liue in their sinnes without repentance and haue not a liuely faith in Iesus Christ shall certainly be confounded and this will more particularly touch such sorts of men as are distinctly designed out to shame and confusion Quest. Now if any ask who are they shall be ashamed and confounded Ans. I answer out of seuerall Scriptures They shall be ashamed and confounded First that worship grauen Images and trust vpon them Psalm 97.7 Esay 42.17 Secondly that wish euill and hate the Godly and reioice at their misery and seek to doo them mischief Psalm 44.7 Psalm 129.5 Esay 26.11 and 41.11 Thirdly that are proud and deal peruersly for pride is a fore-runner of shame Pro. Fourthly that call not vpon the Name of the Lord that vse not praier Psalm 53.5 Fiftly that vse customary lying they shall be lothsome and come to shame Pro. 13.5 Sixtly that put their trust in men and not in the Lord Esay 20.5 Seuenthly that are ashamed of Christ and the Gospell in this world Mark 8.38 Lastly that go about to establish their owne righteousnes Rom. 10.4 Verses 7.8 7. Vnto you therefore which beleeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobedient the stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the Head of the corner 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rock of offense euen to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained IN these words the Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of scripture which hee vrgeth both for the beleeuer and against the vnbeleeuer The beleeuers he cals vpon to take notice of their felicity assuring them that that Scripture doth auouch that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them Concerning the vnbeleeuers he speaks terrible things whom hee describes both by their sinne and by their iudgement The sin is disobedience their iudgement is to be considered as it is denounced first against their Leaders whom he cals Builders and then against the whole body of vnbeleeuers The plague vpon the Builders is that the Kingdome of Christ shall bee aduanced in spight of their hearts they shall perish and be confounded but Christ shall raign and flourish The plague vpon the body of vnbeleeuers is that Christ shall bee to them a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense which is amplified by the consideration of the causes partly in themselues which is their stumbling at the Word and disobedience and partly in God who in his iustice hath appointed them thereunto Thus of the order of the words Now before I come to the full opening of each particular in these two verses I may obserue diuers things from the coherence and generall consideration of all these words First in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to alleage the Text but doth withall apply it it shewes the necessity of application We cannot profit by the Word if it be not laid particularly to our hearts as food doth not nourish if it bee not eaten nor a medicine cure the distaste if it be not taken nor a plaister heal the sore if it bee not laid to it nor are our wants supplied by coming to the market if we doo not buy and carry home Which should work in vs a sound care of application of the Word wee hear or read and withall it should waken vs to a care of obseruing all the rules that may further vs in applying which are these and such like First we must be carefull to vnderstand rightly the Scriptures we would apply this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable 2. Pet. 3. else wee may growe peruerse and wrong both the Word and our owne selues Ob. But some priuate man might say This is hard how can we learn to knowe the cleer meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Text Sol. For answer heerunto thou must knowe that there bee diuers rules that may help thee to vnderstand or at least keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application First thou must be wise to sobriety and not presume to knowe aboue what is meet nor to meddle with such Secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling or are not euidently reuealed in Scripture Secondly thou must haue respect vnto other Scriptures to take no sense that is contrary to other apparant Scriptures Thirdly thou must haue respect to the Analogie of faith to auoid all senses which oppose any article of faith or thy faith Rom. 12.3 Fourthly thou must auoid all doubtfull disputations and vnprofitable questions and vain ianglings that tend not to edification and the saluation of thy soule and account it as a happinesse to be able to keep thy self free from intanglements therein And therefore stand at the
first verse of this Chapter And he is well said to bee Head of the corner because vpon Christ meet as the two sides meete in the corner stone both Angels and men and amongst men both the Saints in heauen and the godly on earth and amongst men on earth both Iewes and Gentiles euen all the Elect of all nations ages and conditions in the world The vses of the exaltation of Christ briefely follow First It should teach vs to striue by all meanes to get into his seruice that is so powerfull and able to do so much for his seruants Secondly It shewes vs the end of the oppositions of all wicked men Christ shall increase and prosper and they shall bee confounded and perish Thirdly It should especially enforce the necessity of beleeuing in Christ we should lye vpon him with all our waight as the building doth on the foundation Fourthly It should comfort vs in all distresses considering what end God gaue to the sufferings of Christ and so it is vrged Hebr. 12.2 The consideration of the manner and the time followes Is become or is made He doth not tell how but leaues that as granted to bee effected without hands euen by the speciall prouidence of God which giues vs occasion to take notice of the truth that in things of the Kingdom of Iesus Christ God is pleased to make his worke or to worke sometimes without vsing any of the meanes which the world takes notice of he neglects all those meanes which fall within the expectation Psal. 118.20 21. as heere for the proclaiming of the Messias there was not any one order or rank of men eminent in the world which God made vse of But by a way altogether strange to the world erected the Christian Monarchie which should teach vs not to limit God to the meanes which is likeliest to vs but to liue in all things by faith where meanes seeme to faile then with Abraham aboue hope and vnder hope to giue glory to God and cast our selues and all our care vpon God Thus of the manner The time followes In that he said It is become Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time First if we consider the type of it Christ was become head of the corner in that Dauid was made King of Israel as a type of Christs Kingdome ouer the Church Secondly Christ was Head in that in the Apostles time hee had receiued power after his Ascension ouer all things though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully conuerted Thirdly that he is becom the head may be taken prophetically For the Prophets to express the certainty of a thing to come vtter it in the words of the present tense It is so because it shall as surely be so as if it were already done Verse 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained HItherto of the punishments vpon the builders The punishment vpon the whole body of vnbeleeuers is contained in this verse Wherein note first the kindes of punishment Christ is a rock of offence and a stone of stumbling Secondly the causes both in themselues and in God in the words that follow A rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Since wicked men haue refused Christ and will not beleeue in him He that may not be a stone of foundation will proue a stone of stumbling and a rock for them to dash on till they be dashed to pieces which words import the fearefull iudgements of God spiritually inflicted vpon vnbeleeuers which is two-fold First they shall be giuen vp to scandall and then secondly to despaire Before I open the words particularly diuers things may be noted in generall First that the punishments that light vpon particular wicked men are to be accounted the punishments of the whole body of vnbeleeuers as here despaire and taking offence at Christ it may light vpon some particular offenders only yet they are punishments belonging to all 1. Because there is no iudgement but all wicked men haue deserued it 2. Because when God plagues some he meanes all he threatens all 3. Because no wicked man can be sure for the time to come that he shall not fall into them 4. Because the afflictions of this life are typical to wicked men as despair is a typicall hell and so all other iudgements are but little hels And this doctrine should much amaze impenitēt sinners if they consider that any fearfull iudgement they see fall vpon others may fall vpon them and that GOD is aswell displeased with their sins as with the sins of those he so plagued as Christ shewes Luke 13.1 to 6. Secondly that from one and the same cause may arise diuers and contrary effects as Christ that is a stone of foundation to the beleeuer is a stone of stumbling to the vnbeleeuer Thus in Luke 2. hee was appointed for the rising and falling of many in Israel Thus the Gospel of peace is to wicked men a fire a sword a fanne It is a sauour of life to the Godly and a sauour of death to the Wicked 2. Cor. 2. as the Sun melteth the wax and hardneth the clay This comes to pass by accident and by the corruption that is in the hearts of wicked men and by the fearfull iudgements of God Vse The vse should bee to teach vs therefore not to rest in the hauing of the meanes of saluation as the preaching of the Word c. For through thy corruption it may be a meanes of greater damnation Thirdly that of all iudgements in this life spirituall iudgements are the worst which appears from hence in this that when the LORD would declare his speciall displeasure vpon wicked men he threatens these in this place as the most fearfull Now for explication of this point All iudgements in this life are either spirituall or temporall By temporall iudgements I meane such as haue their proper effects on the outward man such as are pouerty disgrace sicknes imprisonment losses in mens estates and the like By spirituall iudgements I mean such as haue their proper effects vpon the soule as for example hardnes of heart the spirit of slumber dissertion or the absence of GOD the taking away of the gifts of the minde the with-holding of the Gospell the deliuering of men vp to the power of Satan or to the loue of lies terrours of despaire or taking of offense of which later in this place Now these spirituall iudgements are much worse than any of the former temporall crosses first because these iudgements light vpon the best part of man which is the soule and by how much the soule is better than the body by so much it is worse to be distressed in soule than in body Secondly because they with-hould from vs the best Good which is God or Christ now that which straightens vs in the best things
must needs be the worst kinde of restraint Thirdly because these crosses are more hardly cured it is much easier to heal a sicknes in the body than a disease in the soule Fourthly because these iudgements for the most part are inflicted vpon the worst offenders I say for the most part for sometimes the Godly themselues may be scourged for a time and for iust reasons with some kindes of spirituall iudgements Vse The vse may be first for reproof of the madnesse of multitudes of people in the world that can bee extremely vexed and grieued for worldly crosses yet haue no sense or care of spirituall iudgements they howle vpon their beds if GOD take from them corn or wine or the fruits of the field but neuer grieue if God take the Gospell from them they are much troubled if they lose the fauour of their greatest friends but neuer mourn because GOD hath forsaken them they are very impatient if their bodies be sick and yet very quiet if their soules bee sick they would think themselues vndon if they were carried to prison who yet are not much moued at it that God should deliuer them vp to Satan And yet I would not be mistaken I do not mean to say that wicked men should not mourn for worldly or outward crosses It is true godly men should not or not with great sorrows but for wicked men they ought to be extremely grieued for euery outward affliction because it comes in wrath from God and is but the beginning of euils But then two things must bee noted First that their sorrow should be godly viz. for their sinnes that brought those iudgements not for the crosse it self secondly that they ought to bee more troubled for spiritual iudgements than for temporall Secondly this should much comfort godly men and women in all their afflictions and it should make them patient because though God afflicts them in their bodies or states yet hee spareth their soules and doth not execute those outward crosses but with much compassion Thirdly it should teach vs how to pray in the case of afflictions if they bee spirituall iudgements wee may pray directly for the remoueall of them but for temporall iudgements we must pray with condition And thus of the generall obseruations Before I enter vpon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse it will not be amisse to shew that this and such doctrine as this is not vnprofitable Quest. For some one might say To what end serues this doctrine of God's dealing with vnbeleeuers Ans. I answer it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men For wicked men may hence hear and fear and doo no more wickedly seeing hence they may discern what they may come to if they preuent it not by repentance And for godly men they may hence be the more inflamed with the admiration of Gods goodnes when they shall heare of their owne priuiledges by grace Such Scriptures as this containe the arraignment and triall of the vngodly Now it is very profitable for vs to stand by and hear the triall Wee know multitudes of innocent men flock to the Assises to heare the araignement of malefactors which breeds in them first contentment in the obseruation of the solemnity and manner of administration of Iustice Secondly a feare to offend the terror of their sentence frightes the heart for many daies after Thirdly a loue of innocency it makes men loue innocency much the better for a long while after Fourthly compassion to malefactors it softens the heart and makes men fit to shew mercy to these poore condemned men The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such Doctrines as this In the words of this verse then two things are to bee noted first the kindes of punishments inflicted vpon the body of vnbeleeuers secondly the causes of it The kindes are two first God will deliuer them vp to scandall and then to despaire to scandall as Christ is a stone of stumbling to despaire as Christ is a rocke of offence These words are taken out of the Prophet Esay Chapter 8. where the Lord intends by them to denounce the reprobation of the Iewes as some think or rather foretels the spirituall Iudgements which shall bee inflicted vpon them The Apostle in this place applies the words to the vnbeleeuers of his time among whome the obstinate Iewes were chiefe to shew that as the other Scripture was comfortable to the Godly so were there places that did threaten the wicked that as the former place did proue Christ a stone of foundation for the godly so this did shew that Christ was a stone in another sense to the wicked Christ is a stone of triall to all men in the Church because the Doctrine of Christ tryes men whether they be elected or reiected good or bad so Esay 28.16 Againe Christ is a precious stone to the beleeuer and thirdly heer a stone of stumbling to the vnbeleeuers Now that we may know what offence or scandal is we may be helped by the Etimology of the originall words For Scandall in the originall is either deriued of a word that signifies to halt or els it noteth any thing that lieth in a mans way a stone or a piece of wood against which he that runneth stumbleth and so hurteth or hindreth himselfe It most properly signifieth rest or a certaine crooked piece with a baite vpon it in instruments by which mice or wolues or foxes are taken and thence the Church translated the name of scandall to note the snares by which men are catched as beastes are in grins and baites so the word it seemes is vsed So then a scandall is any thing which causeth or occasioneth offences by which a man is made to halt or is brought into a snare or made to stand still or fall in matter of Religion or saluation And so the sorcerers were a stumbling block to Pharaoh and the false prophets to Ahab and the lying signes of Antichrist to such as loue not the truth Now all scandall may be thus diuided Scandall is either actiue or Passiue that is giuen or taken Scandall giuen is when the authour of the action is likewise the cause of the hurt that comes by it Thus Elies sonnes were scandalous thus Dauid by his greeuous sinnes gaue offence 1. Sam. 2.17.2 Sam. 18.22 c. and thus Scandall is giuen either by euill doctrine first whether hereticall secondly or superstitious or else by wickednes of life or by wilfull abuse of Christian liberty Offence taken is either from our selues or from others A man may bee an offence a stumbling blocke to himselfe by dallying with some speciall beloued corruption of which our Sauiour Christ saith If thine eye offend thee pull it out or thy hand or thy foot c. Math. 5.29 Scandall taken from others is either that they call humane or that they call diabolical Scandall taken which they call humane may either bee found in Godly
iudge our selues that wee bee not condemned of the Lord. For the attendance vpon this point maketh all safe whereas the long neglect of our daily sinnes without any humiliation for them may turn in the end to the pangs of some miserable despair Vse 4. Fourthly hence the Godly may comfort themselues because Christ is to them a rock to build on Mat. 16. a rock for refuge and safety Psal. 18.2 a rock for shadow Esay 32.2 And therefore let the Inhabitants of the earth sing Esay 42.11 and withall if they consider how God sheweth them they should account their other afflictions but light in comparison of what falls vpon wicked men Ob. But we read that godly men haue been in despair as Dauid Iob and others Sol. It is true but yet there was euer great difference between the despair of the Godly and the Wicked which I will briefly note First they differed in the causes The honors of the Wicked proceeded from the curse of God whereas the sorrows of the Godly proceeded from his mercy Secondly they differed sometimes in the obâ—iect for godly men despair of themselues wicked men despair of God It is a grace vsuall in repentance to despair of all happinesse from our selues but now wicked men are out of all hope of God's mercy and help Thirdly they differ in the effects For Cain blasphemes God in his despair and saith his punishment is greater than he can bear or his sinnes greater than can bee forgiuen but the Godly giue glory to God and account him alwaies iust and good Again wicked men rage and repent not but godly men bewail their sinnes and cry mightily to God Reu. 16.9 10. Ier. 18.12 Wicked men bee in trauell but they bring forth nothing but winde they are neuer the better when they come out of their affliction no though they poured out a praier to GOD in the time of distresse Esay 26.16 17 18. Thirdly the confidence of the wicked man is swept down as the house of a spider they haue no hope at all Iob 8.13 and 11. vlt. Whereas godly men at the worst are supported with some kinde of hope or perswasion of mercy and therefore vsually they rather ask whether God's mercy be clean gone than say it is so Psalm 77. and they rather complain that God hides himself from them than that God hateth them Psalm 88.15 Fourthly they differ in the measure too For God alwaies hath respect to the strength of his children to lay no more vpon them than they are able to bear whereas he respects the sinne of wicked men and regards it not though they cry out with Cain they cannot bear it Fiftly God giues issue out of the triall and returns from his displeasure in a moment when he deals with the Godly Esay 54. whereas wicked men can haue no such hope Lastly seeing despair is such a curse and is so farre from leading men to Christ that it makes them suffer shipwrack vpon Christ Ministers all others should take heed of driuing the people vpon any pretense into this kinde of desperation let men bee taught to despair of themselues but neuer to despair of God Hitherto of the kindes of punishments The causes follow first in themselues secondly in God In themselues it is their stumbling at the word and their disobedience To them which stumble at the Word There is a diuerse reading The old reading was thus To them that offend in the Word noting either in general that Gods word or Christ doth not profit these men that were guilty of euill speaking and the grosse abuses of the toung or in particular it should note the sinnes of the stubborne Iewes who offended in word when they blasphemed Christ and denied him But I rather take it as heer it is translated and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandall and from thence into despaire viz. because they bring ill harts to the Word of God they haue mindes that are rebellious and will not be subiect to the Gospell but intertaine it with diseased cauilling mindes Those persoÌ„s are likely not to receiue any good by Christ that quarrell at the Word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected I will shew first what it is not to stumble at the Word lest some weak ones should be dismaied Then secondly how many waies wicked men stumble at the Word For the first To bee grieued in heart for the reproofes of the Word is not an offence but a grace so we are troubled not with dislike of the Word but of our owne sinnes Secondly to inquire of the truth and that which is deliuered and to try the doctrine by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did this is not condemned heere nor is it a stumbling at the Word to put a difference betweene the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharises Secondly but men are said to bee offended at the Word when their harts rise against it or they ensnare themselues through their owne corruption by occasion of the Word To speak distinctly wicked men are offeÌ„ded at the word with a three-fold offence First with the offence of anger when they rage and fret at the Word or the teachers thereof because their sinnes are reprooued or their miseries foretold And this offence they shew either when they enuy the successe of the Word Acts. 4.2 or raile and reuile Gods Saints as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth or when they mocke at the Word as the Pharises did Luke 16.14 Secondly with the offence of scandall when they take occasion from the doctrine they heare to fall off from hearing or from the true Religion or from the company of the godly Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ that departed from him for that cause or reason Ioh. 6. Thirdly with the offence diabolicall when men peruert the good Word of God to inflame themselues the more greedily to sin making it a doctrine of liberty or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law that rebukes sinne The vse may bee first for information and so two waies For first we may hence see the reason why many hearers profit not by the Word It is not because the Word wants power but because they stumble at it They nourish cauils and obiections against it they oppose reason to faith Secondly we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and vnregenerate heart To the one the Word is a sauour of life to the other it is a deadly sauour and full of offence to them And withall this may humble wicked men For this is a sure truth that so long as they are offended at the Word so long they haue no part in Christ and withall it may comfort all those that loue the Word and receiue it with ioy constantly For that is a meanes and signe of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient These words containe another
cause why Christ was no better rellished by them and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ it â—as the wickednes that was in them Sinne had marred their tastes sweet meates haue but an ill rellish with those who haue corrupt and diseased stomacks and the cause is apparant the ill humors in their stomacks and nothing in the meates they eate But of their disobedience before and therefore this shall suffice in this place and thus of the cause in themselues The cause in God followes Whereunto they were appointed There is much difference of the reading of the originall words in the translations Some read thus They stumble at the Word beleeue not in him in whome they are placed or set and expound it thus In whom they liue moue and haue their being some read in stead of disobedient They beleeued not But for these words read them as heer But then their meaning is that the Iewes beleeued not though they were thereunto appointed that is though they had the promise of saluation and were a people separate thereunto and so it is an aggrauation of their vnbeliefe This sence and reading is not to bee despised But I take it as I finde it in the translation and so the sence is that these men whether Iewes or Gentiles that are heere spoken of were appointed to this misery by the decree of God and so they are words that expresse the substance of that part of Gods decree which Diuines call Reprobation And so it is to bee obserued from hence that wicked men are appointed from euerlasting to the enduring of the miserie which are inflicted vpoÌ„ them in this life or in Hell This is a doctrine which is extremely distasted by flesh and blood and proues many times more offensiue to the common people and is alwaies to bee reckned as strong meat and therefore that I may fairely get off this point I offer two things to your considerations First the proofes that plainely auouch so much as is heere obserued Secondly I will set downe certaine infallible obseruations which tend to quiet mens mindes and perswade them against the seeming difficulty or absurdity of this truth For the first the Apostle Iude saith that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation Iude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith that the vngodly were reserued vnto the day of Iudgement to be punished 2. Pet. 2.9 and verse 12. he saith that they are naturall brute beasts made to bee taken and destroied and it is manifestly implied 1. Thes. 5.8 that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath so Rom. 9.22 For the second though this doctrine seeme wonderfull hard yet to assure vs there is no hard dealing at all in God there bee many things may confirme vs and ease our mindes though for the present wee cannot vnderstand how this should be and perhaps are much troubled about this point and therefore seriously consider First for thy selfe that if thou haue truely repented and doe beleeue in Iesus Christ and hast in thee the signes of a child of God for thy part thou art free from this danger and out of all question art in safe estate and therefore oughtest not to greeue but reioyce with singular praise to God Secondly seeing God hath comforted vs with many doctrines and trusted vs with many cleere points of knowledge can wee not bee contented that God should speak darkly to vs in one point Especially when wee are told before-hand that there is an Abyssus a depth yea many depths in this doctrine Shall we bee wayward because one truth will not sinke yet into our heads Wee are told that this is a point vnsearcheable Rom. 11.32 33. and the rather because weake Christians are not tied to eate strong meat they may safely let this doctrine alone Thirdly that no man can know his owne reprobation nor ought to beleeue so of himselfe but is called vpon to vse the meanes by which he may bee saued Fourthly wee haue this oath of God for it That he desires not the death of the sinner but would haue all men to repent and bee saued Fiftly that whereas Diuines make two parts of the decree of reprobation Praeterition and Praedamnation All Diuines are agreed for the latter that God did neuer determine to damne any man for his owne pleasure but the cause of his perdition was his owne sinne And heere is reason for it For God may to shew his soueraignty annihilate his creature but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endles paine without respect of his desert cannot agree to the vnspotted Iustice of God And for the other part of passing ouer and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his Iustice the exactest Diuines doe not attribute that to the meer will of God but hold that God did first look vpon those men as sinners at least in the generall corruption brought in by the Fall For all men haue sinned in Adam and are guilty of high treason against God Sixtly that sinne is no effect of reprobation but onely a consequent Gods decree doth not force any man to sinne c. Seuenthly that what soeuer God hath decreed yet all grant that God is no way any Author of sin he doth not cause sin in any but onely permits it and endureth it and whereas the most that can bee obiected is that God hardneth whom hee will Rom. 9. it is agreed vpon in the answer of all sound Diuines that God doth not infuse any wickednes from without in mens hearts but whereas their hearts are in themselues by custome in sinne hardned as a iust Iudge hee giues them ouer to Satan and his power who is as it were the Iayler but doth neuer restraine them from good and the meanes of it Eightthly now may men say that â—â—nne came vpon men by reason of the rigour of Gods Law For it was impossible to bee kept For this there is a cleere answer When God gaue his Law at first man was able to keep it and it came by his owne default that hee was not able to keepe it afterwards A man that sends his seruant to the market and giues him charge to doe such and such busines for him if that seruant make himselfe drunken and so bee vnfit to doe his masters busines hee is worthy to bee punished because hee was fit to doe it when hee was first sent about it Ninthly it is plain in this verse that those men of whom he heer speaks are indited of grieuous sin against Christ and the Gospell Tenthly that things may be iust though the reasons of them doo not appear vnto vs if it bee true of some cases of iustice among men much more in this case of God's iustice Lastly it should much satisfie vs that in the day of Iesus Christ those mysteries of Religion shall be broken open and all then shall bee made cleer vnto vs as cleer as
5. That if he doo bring affliction vpon his people to humble them yet he will not consume them but will repent him of the euill Ioel 2.13 Deut. 32.36 Amos 7.36 6. That in shewing his loue hee is of great kindnes called the maruellous louing kindnesse Psalm 17.7 hence resembled to marriage-kindnes Hosh. 2.19 No husband can be so fond of his wife as God is of his people nor can any man deuise such waies to expresse kindnes as GOD doth to his people 7. That his mercy is without all grieuance to him Mercy pleaseth him Mic. 7.18 It breeds as it were an vnspeakable contentment in GOD himself when hee hath dealt mercifully with his seruants Secondly his mercy is immense vnmeasurable and this is exprest by diuers forms of speech in the Scripture Thus God is said to be plentious in mercy Psalm 86.5 aboundant in mercy 1. Pet. 1.3 rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 His mercy is great aboue the heauens Psal. 108.5 Gods Word heerin hath magnified his name aboue all things Psalm 138.2 Hee hath a multitude of mercies Psalm 51.1 manifold mercies Nehemie 9.19 They are vnsearchable high as the heauen is from the earth Psalm 103.11 His kindnes is said to be maruellous louing kindnes Psalm 17.7 Which must needs appear to be so because hee is a Father of mercies all mercies in the world flowe from him 2. Cor. 1.3 and all his paths are mercie and truth Whatsoeuer hee doth to his people is in mercy Psalm 25.6 And therefore the Prophet that could finde similitudes to expresse the faithfulnesse and iudgements of God by yet is fain to giue-ouer when he comes to his speciall mercy to his Chosen and vents himself by exclamation Oh how excellent is thy mercy Psalm 36.7.8 Thirdly this mercy is the more admirable in that it is free which appears diuers waies First in that it is shewed without deserts on our parts which the tearm gracious euery where giuen to God in Scripture doth import Secondly in that God is tied to no man nor to any posterity of men he hath mercy on whom he wil haue mercy Rom. 9. Thirdly because it is extended to all sorts of people If the rich mercy of God could haue been obtained onely by Kings or Apostles or the like it had been the lesse comfortable vnto vs but bond as well as the free the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the Gentile as well as the Iew the poor as well as the rich may be possessed heerof Hee doth not spend all his mercy on Abraham or Dauid but hee reserueth mercy for thousands Exod. 34.6 and will bestowe the true mercies of Dauid vpon meaner men Esay 55.4 His mercy is ouer all his works especially ouer all his spirituall works in Iesus Christ Psalm 145.9 Fourthly it appears to be free because it can be alone God can loue vs though no body else doo though Abraham knowe vs not yet GOD will bee a Father vnto vs and neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs Esay 63.15 16. Ob. But might some one say In the second Commandement it is plain that GOD shewes mercy â—o them that keep his Commandements It seemes then his mercy is not free but he hath respect to deserts in vs. Sol. First our keeping of the Commandements is not alleaged as the cause of mercy but as the signe of mercy The words shew to whom God will shew mercie not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it euidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things vpon men for their works for there is no proportion betweene our works and the goodnesse wee receiue from God When we haue done all we should account our selues vnprofitable seruants Ob. But it seemes God's mercy is caused by merit for God shews vs mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserue it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in vs though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gaue vs Christ to merit for vs. And thus of the third property of God's mercy Fourthly God's mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his word He keepeth his couenant and mercy with his seruants 1. King 8.23 God's mercies haue beene from all eternitie Psalme 25.6 and hee will not take away his mercy from his seruants Psalme 89.34 but his mercy and louing kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psalme 23. vlt. His mercies are new euery morning he hath neuer done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Esay 33.3 He is still building vp his mercies and will neuer leaue till he haue finished them in an euerlasting frame of vnspeakeable glory Psalme 89.2 His mercy is euerlasting and endureth for euer Psalme 103.3 136. from euerlasting to euerlasting Psalme 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking and in a little wrath he may hide his face but with euerlasting mercies hee will receiue them As he hath sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more couer the Earth so hath hee sworn he wil no more be wroth with his people The hills may be remoued and the mountaines may depart but God's couenant of peace shall not be remoued saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If God's couenant be not with day and night and if hee haue not appointed the ordinances of heauen and earth then may hee cast away his seruants and their seed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to bee more assured of the firmnesse of the couenant of God's mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shews mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Isaiah 30.18 19. and pleaded by Dauid Psalme 4.1 Secondly hee sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoeuer befalls the godly proceedes from mercy and not iustice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is God's loue that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure vs and sanctifie vs and God promiseth it Hosh. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isaiah 55.7 It is not grieuous to forgiue sinne daily when they seeke to him for forgiuenesse Fiftly he deliuers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixtly In all dangers and weakenesses his mercy holds them vp euen when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seuenthly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them euen by the springs of water shall he guide them Isaiah 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wilde beasts in a desart God's children are so
occasion and ability to the loue of God and the true Religion Sixtly we should cleaue the faster to the society of the Godly and striue together and contend for the faith seeing that we are alwaies in the midst of our enemies Lastly it may bee a great comfort to such as can quiet themselues well towards wicked men that can keepe their way and be still vpright and vndefiled that can also keepe peace and winne loue from their very enemies that can doe valiantly in the winning men to the liking of Religion for their sakes To bee good among the good is not singular but to bee euill among the good is abominable and so is it an admirable prayse to be good among the euill Doct. 3. That in some cases the conuersation of a Christian may extend it selfe euen to wicked men Some one will say We are forbidden conuersation with them how then can wee conuerse with them Ans. First our conuersation may reach vnto them by fame or report so the Christians conuersed among the Gentiles in that what they did was discoursed of among the Gentiles But this is not all for in some cases we may goe among them lawfully euen into their presence and company as First in case of negotiation in things of necessitie as trade publike seruice or the like Secondly in case of naturall or ciuill obligation to them as children wiues seruants subiects may not withdraw their attendance or seruice from them but may and must conuerse with them Thirdly in case of Religion men that intend to admonish confute perswade or winne them to the loue of Religion may for that end conuerse with them but then two cautions must be obserued First that the party that would so conuerse with them must be able to admonish or confute c. Secondly such an end must not bee made a pretence onely to couer needelesse society with them Lastly a difference must be put betweene the open enemies of God and such as giue some hope of inclination to Religion though yet they be not manifestly Religious There are some persons that are inoffensiue so as they are not guilty of any grosse and open crime and seeme to fauor Religion and the exercises thereof and doe desire the society of the godly and take no pleasure in euill company now we must beware that we iudge not rashly of these to account them as Gentiles and such as are without and with these wee may hold more sure society Doct. 4. It may be lastly hence obserued that to conuince or winne the Gentiles honesty of conuersation is chiefly to be respected honesty I say not Religion To shew the practice of religious duties before them is a way to irritate them they must bee beaten with their owne weapons and ouercome in the things they professe to bee good The way to amaze them that are without is to shew that religion formes in vs such things as they confesse to be good yet cannot come to or not in such a manner or degree such as are faithfulnes chastity meekenes wisedome taciturnity mercy or the like The vse should bee therefore to teach godly christiās in the places where they liue to looke to this poynt not onely to liue without offence but to striue to excell in the vertues that concerne outward honesty of life And to this end it were excellent if Christians would marke in in what things the men of the world where they liue doe striue to excell and not rest satisfied till they can make all sorts of men discerne that Religion hath made them euen in those things to goe beyond them And thus they should not suffer themselues to bee put downe by Papists or any carnall persons in workes of mercy or truth in their words and promises or quietnes of disposition or magnanimity or the like and the rather because their praise is of God whereas carnall men haue onely the praise of men And besides the true Christian shall haue a recompence of reward in heauen Ephes. 6.8 whereas the Pharise hath his reward onely in this life And further we should bee more carefull to winne praise to our God the true Religion then they are to get applause to themselues or a strange god And wee are in the light they are in darknes it were a shame they should do their work better in the darke then wee in the light Rom. 13. Thus of the first reason The second reason why they should bee carefull of their conuersation is because the Gentiles are apt to speake euill of the Christians as euill doers That whereas they speake euill of you as of euill doers From hence three things may bee obserued First that it hath beene the lot of godly men to bee euill spoken of and traduced As wee see the Christians Churches in the primitiue times were exposed to the infamous reports of the Gentiles Two things would be heer explained First that it hath alwaies beene so And then the causes of it For the first that it hath alwaies beene so is cleare by instances of all times before the Law vnder the Law and in the time of the Gospell 1. Before the Law Ismael scoffes at Isaac and Iosephs brethren scorne and reuile him Iob was accused as an Hypocrite by his owne friends and scorned by the basest of the people Iob 30.1 So was it with Moses and the Israelites Heb. 11.26 2. Vnder the Law Dauid was slandered by many Psal. 31.12 The abiects teare his name and ceased not Psal. 35.15 The drunkards sang of him Psa. 69.13 he was a reproach of men a by word a prouerb c. So in the Prophet Esays time Esay 8.18 and 59.16 and 51.8 Ieremy complains that they consulted how to deuise deuices against him and to smite him with the tongue 3. Vnder the Gospell 1. Looke to the Author and finisher of our faith Christ Iesus he was charged with gluttonie Mat. 11.18 blasphemy Mat. 26.65 madnes Ioh. 10.20 to bee a deceiuer Ioh. 7.22 and to haue a diuel and work by the prince of diuels 2. The Apostles were made a spectacle to men and Angels and accounted as the off-scowring of all things 1. Cor. 4.9 10 13. 3. Yea it is foretold to be the case of all Christians Math. 5.12 Gal. 4.29 The causes of those reproaches follow First in wicked men it is their naturall hatred of the truth and goodnes 1. Ioh. 2. and 3. Secondly in the diuell it is his policy heere by 1. To keepe men from embracing a religion that is so traduced Acts 28. 2. To discourage and hinder the weake Christian and to make him fearefull in the way of God 3. To pull back certaine men which were going towards the Kingdome of God Thirdly in Gods will heereby to trie the constancy of his seruants and to make them liue more watchfully Fourthly in Christians themselues it is Sometimes long of hypocrites that breake out into scandalous courses and so make the way of God
3. There is not couetousnes or the loue of world there 1. Ioh. 2.14 Iam. 4.3 he vseth the world but hee admires it not His taste in earthly things is lost Hee sauours them not as hee was wont to do Romanes 8.5 And as in these things hee is new so in the furniture of his heart hee is in many things new for First hee hath a new minde hee is renewed in the spirit of his minde which appeares first by his capablenes in spirituall things Hee that lately could not perceiue the things of God 1. Cor. 2.14 now heares as the learned hee sees in a mirour hee lookes and wonders The vaile is taken away that before couered him 2. Cor. 3. Secondly by the transcendencie of the things hee knowes he can now looke vpon the verie Sun hee knowes God and Iesus Christ and the glory to come and the excellent things giuen of God which the heart of the natural man neuer perceiued Iohn 17.3 1. Cor. 2.9 10. Thirdly by the instrument by which hee vnderstands hee sees by faith and not by Reason in many things he is fully assured in diuers Mysteries where sense and reason can giue-in no euidence Secondly hee hath newe affections I will instance but in two of them sorrow and loue He is another man in his sorrowes which appeares both in the causes and in the remedies of his sorrowes For the causes hee was wont neuer to be sorry for any thing but his crosses now hee is seldome sorry for any thing but his sinne And for the remedies he was wont to driue away his sorrowes with time sleepe and merry company but now nothing but good words from God will ease him his loue may be tryed by the obiects and so whom hee can loue truely or whome hee doth loue vehemently Hee can loue his very enemies which hee could neuer doe before And hee doth loue Iesus Christ though he neuer sawe him 1. Pet. 1.9 and so feruently as hee accounts all things in the world which hee was wont so much to dote vpon but as losse and dung in comparison of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9. Fiftly hee hath a new behauiour with him hee is wonderfully altered in his carriages which appeares in diuers things First in respect of the rule of his life hee walks by rule Gal. 6.16 Hee commeth daily to the light to see whether his works be wrought in God Ioh. 3.21 This is a signe giuen by our Sauiour Christ in that place Hee is carefull to order his behauiour by the warrant of the word Phil. 2.15 16. Secondly in respect of the meanes hee vseth for the ordering of his conuersation And so hee taketh presently hold on Gods Sabbath hee is carefull to keepe the Sabbath honouring that day aboue all others and esteeming and desiring it for the imployment thereof Thus the Lord of the Sabbath saith that it is a signe by which hee knowes the people whether they bee truly sanctified or not Exod. 31.13 Esay 56.2.6 Thirdly in respect of the things hee imploies himselfe in hee chooseth the things that please God Esay 56.4 his desire is now in all his waies to do such things as might bee acceptable to God Whereas before hee was most carefull to please men or to satisfie his owne lusts Fourthly in respect of the manner of his conuersation In which foure things especially shine first humility hee shewes that the great opinion of himselfe is taken downe in him hee is lowely and meek which hee hath learned of Christ Math. 11.29 Secondly affectionatenes Hee loues the name of the Lord and to bee the Lords seruant Esay 56.6 Hee doth good duties with good affections Thirdly contempt of the world hee can deny his profit pleasure ease credit or the like Hee is no more worldly or eaten vp with the cares of life He doth not esteeme of earthly things as hee was wont to doo and shewes it in his carriage Fourthly sincerity for now hee hath respect to all the Commandements of God hee desires to bee sanctified throughout he is not mended in many things as Herod was but is in some degree mended in all things and besides hee is carefull of his waies in all places and companies hee will obey absent as well as present Phil. 2.12 and there is no occasion of offense in him 1. Iohn 2.8 He is wonderfull wary and carefull to prouide that he may not bee an offense to any body and withall hee is not found to striue more for credit than for goodnes or more ready to iudge others than to condemn himself Iames 3.17 If this description be throughly waighed it will bee found to contain the most liuely and essentiall things that distinguish true Conuerts from all othermen Nor may the force of any of these bee weakned because many that seem true Christians doo shew the contrary to some of these for many that seem iust to men are an abomination to God and besides these things may be in the weak Christian in some weak measure though not so exactly Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. We may hence note that there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace All the times of mens liues are not times of visitation there is a speciall day of visitation called in Scripture The day of saluation the accepted time the due time the season of God's grace 2. Cor. 6.2 That this point may be opened first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day It vsually notes a naturall day that is the space of foure and twenty houres Sometimes it notes the artificiall day of twelue houres from the morning to the euening so Iohn 11.9 Sometimes it notes time generally as in such Scriptures as say In those daies the meaning is In those times Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the dooing or suffering of some notable thing as the speciall time when God plagues wicked men is call'd their day Psalm 37.13 Iob 18.20 So the time when Christ declared himself openly to bee the Messias is called his day Iohn 8.46 So it is heer taken for that speciall part of our time of life wherein God is pleased to offer and bestowe his grace vpon vs to saluation Now this cannot be the whole space of a man's life for it is euident that many men for a long time of their life haue not at all been visited of God in this visitation of grace they haue sate in darknes and in the shadow of death and this time is called night Rom. 13.13 Again others are threatned with the vtter losse of God's fauour if they obserue not a season as Heb. 3.6 c. Luke 19.41 42. Yea some men haue liued beyond this season and for not obseruing it were cast away Pro. 1.24 28. The very tearm heer vsed shewes it for when he saith The day of visitation he manifestly by the Metaphor of visiting proues a limitation of the time for all the yeer
subiect to Princes for hee that grants a priuiledge is greater than he to whom it is granted But the last and best answer is that Princes can grant no such priuiledge Can a father free his sonne that he shall not honour him or a husband free his wife that shee shall not bee subiect to him No more can a Prince free his subiects from obedience or subiection because the subiect is tied by the Lawe of nature and by Gods Law which Princes cannot vndoe Thus of the third point Fourthly when hee saith Submit your selues he doth not require them to submit those things to the pleasure of the Magistrate which are not theirs Euery godly Christian hath some things which are not his owne but Gods and those hee must not subiect to the will of Princes As his Religion his faith the Word of God the Sacraments his prayers for those are none of Caesars and therefore must not bee giuen to Caesar. Thus of who or what must be submitted To euery ordinance of man There are two senses giuen of these words som vnderstand thē of Magistrates themselues some of the Lawes of Magistrates It is not easie to tell how to restraine the text to either of these for both are true and the former included in the latter and the latter implyed in the former and therefore I purpose to handle the words according to the sense in both respects First then wee must bee subiect to euerie ordinance of man that is to all sorts of Magistrates And the Apostle seemeth to expound it when hee saith Whether it bee to the King or to the gouernours as importing that they were the ordinances hee spake of before Now concerning Magistrates as they are here intreated of those things are to bee noted First that Magistrates are an ordinance of men and so they are in diuers respects because magistracy is a thing proper to men Secondly in respect of the end because it is ordained for the good of men Thirdly because the choise of the kind of Magistrates hath beene for the most part left vnto men for God hath not tyed all nations to a kind of gouernment but left thē for the most part free and therefore some gouerned by Kings some by Emperours some by Consuls some by Dukes som by Princes or Earles or the like Fourthly because in the newe Testament Christ did not at al imploy himselfe in settling any order for the corporall gouernment of his Church in this world it being specially his intent for the raising of his spiritual kingdom and the ordering of the gouernment that cōcerned the soules of men and their full subiection Only wee must take heed of one sinne heere and that is that wee conceiue not the Magistrates are mans ordinance as if man appointed or ordained or inuented them for that is contrary to express Scripture that calles all those earthly powers Gods ordinance they are by diuine Institution Rom. 13.1 2 3. Pro. 8.15 2. Chro. 19.6 Dan. 4.14 22. Ob. Hos. 8.4 it is said They made them a King but not by mee Sol. God disclaimes not the ordinance for hee himselfe had appointed Ieroboam to bee King of whome the Prophet speaketh but hee disclaimes the manner or the choise of him as it was done by the Prophet which chose him in a mutinie and without respect to Gods will Ob. Nimrod was the first that brought in Magistracy and hee is taxed for it in Gen 10.9 Ans. The words are Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Now these words haue beene interpreted either properly thus Hee was a hunter of beasts before the Lord that is which beasts he would sacrifice before the Lord or metaphorically that he was the first that set vp Monarches of the thraldome appointing lawes and a forme of gouernment and this hee did by instinct from God for the protection of the Church and Common wealth against the iniuries of those that dwelt neere them Secondly say that hee is in these words condemned as a hunter that is a tyrant as the word is taken Lament 3.5 Ierem. 16.16 Ezech. 32.30 c and that it is added Before the Lord to note that hee did oppresse men by manifest violence openly shaking off all feare euen of God himselfe yet it followes not that his power was not of God the manner of getting it was euill but the power was good Thirdly it wil not follow that Magistracy is euil or not of God because it had an ill beginning if it were graunted that it did begin in Nimrod For so the translation of Ioseph into Aegypt and the Kingdome of Saul and Ieroboam c. should bee euill and not of God for they had ill beginnings But lastly I answer that Nimrod was not the first beginner of authority or power or gouernment though hee were of that kind of gouernours For there was a hunter both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill before Yea there were citties in the world before therefore there must needes bee gouernment and gouernours Cain built a Citty yea and God himselfe ordayned Magistracy after the floud when hee said By man shall his bloud bee shed Genes 9.6 In short Nimrod was the author of the Babylonicall tyrannicall Monarchy Not the authour of the Magistracy or ciuill authority ouer others Obiect Many Kingdomes and officers are gotten by euill meanes Solut. So many men get goods by vsurie or robbery yet the things are of God Obiect But wee see that Magistrates are chiefe and set vp by men Solut. So the fruits of the earth are gotten in by the labour and care of men are they not therefore of God Ministers are chosen of men Is not their calling therefore of God Second causes doe not exclude the first To conclude the Magistracy is the ordinance of men subiectiuely as it is enioyed or borne by men and obiectiuely as it is imployed amongst men and in respect of the end as it is for the good of men But the true word Creation or Ordinance shewes it is Gods work or institution or appointment Secondly it is to bee noted that wee are bound to submit our selues to the ordinances that is to the office or calling or authority hee doth not mention the persons so much as the calling because oftentimes there is found in the persons vices and some causes of not obeying but in such againe wee must not consider the person but the ordinance or calling it selfe Thirdly wee must submit our selues to their ordinances that is to all sorts of Magistrates Now all Magistrates may bee distinguished either in respect of 1. Iurisdiction 2. or Religion 3. or Obiects 4. or Affaires 5. or Office 6. or Adiuncts 7. or Dignitie First in respect of Iurisdiction some are superiour that they haue none aboue them but God as Emperor King Dictator Senate c. or inferiour which is appointed by the superiour as are all inferiour Gouernours and Officers Secondly in respect of Religion some are beleeuers as
God will certainly bee a reuenger of this disobedience it being his owne cause as well as the Magistrates Besides it serues to informe vs concerning the admirable power and wisdome of God in effecting the subiection of man to authority of Magistrates all men naturally affect to excell and like not superiority in other men and besides it is needfull that one man should gouerne and keepe in order millions of men disposed as before Now this well points at the cause of this order and subiection which is the respect of God God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a feare to rebell or disobey euen for fear of God himself more then Princes and besides God hath made man to see by experience that hee doth defend the persons and rights of Kings by reuenging the disobedience of men this naturall conscience keepes vnder naturall men Now though the Apostle would haue godly men to obey for the same reason yet it is vpon a higher ground for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes yea herein differs the obedience of the godly from the wicked that the godly man obeyes for the meere loue hee beares to God and the wicked onely for feare of vengeance from God so both obey for a higher reason then the respect of Princes themselues euen for the Lords sake the one for the loue of God and the care of his glory the other for feare of his punishments and iudgements Lastly it shewes men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes as that especially we haue respect vnto the glory of God who is King of Kings we must obey Kings in the land so as God be not disobeyed Thus of the Proposition the Exposition followes The Apostle labours to cleare this doctrine from diuers scruples might be conceiued by Christians whether they arise from the diuersitie of the sorts of Magistrates or from their soueraignety For the sorts he shews they must obey Magistrates of all sorts both superior and inferior the highest and those which are subordinate to them both Kings and Gouernors also for their soueraignety Hee teacheth them to obserue the supremacy of Kings and Monarchs In generall wee may learne from the Apostles care to preuent mistaking herein that he accounts it a pernicious thing to erre about the authority of Princes and their Gouernours and experience shewes it to bee pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings who are often by treason murthered vpon wicked and erroneous grounds and sometimes to the subiects who drawe vpon themselues not onely fearefull sinnes but miserable punishment also by erring herein somtimes it is pernicious to religion it selfe and religious causes giuing not onely scandall but procuring desolation in the Churches through errors somtimes on the left hand and sometimes on the right hand Whether to the King It may be questioned whom the Apostle meanes by the word King Such as vnderstand the Epistle to be written to the Iewes may perhaps conceiue that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Iudea should be meant such as were Herod and Agrippa But in as much as the Iewes were scattred through the Prouinces and those prouinciall Iewes were most in quiet and in as much as for the reasons afore giuen it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians both Iewes and Gentiles therefore by the King hee meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth for the Romans hated the name of a King and Caesar was an Emperour to which diuers things may bee answered First that though the present gouernour was an Emperour yet the Apostle knowing that the most monarchies in the world would rest in the title of King in all ages therefore hee vseth that title that may concerne the most of the Elect in all ages Secondly that though amongst the Romans the title of King was not vsed yet the Grecians in whose language hee writ did familiarly vse the word which wee translate King Thirdly the Apostle might haue respect vnto the signification of the word as vnto a word which was most effectuall to note the highest dignity among men For it notes him that is the stay or foundation of the people or the common-wealth and though ambitious men sought new titles as higher yet the Apostle knew that this was most maiesticall and honourable for the tearm of Emperour in the signification of it may agree to any subordinate rule who gouernes or commands other men Fourthly it may bee that the Apostle knowing the hypocrisie of those Emperours who onely disclaimed the name of Kings to auoid the hatred of the people and yet sought the full right of Kings and so to destroy the liberty of the people giueth the name they sought in substance though not in tearme Where by the way wee may note how hatefull hypocrisie is to God and how vaine it is God will vnmaske euen Kings if they dissemble with him He that tryeth the hearts reines iudgeth according to truth and will not bee deceiued with pretences Though men durst not charge Caesar to affect the kingdom yet God dares and will require at his hands the ambition of his heart And if God will not beare with dissimulation in Kings much lesse will he beare it in meaner men hee hates hypocrisie and fained pretences and painted showes wheresoeuer hee findes it which should teach vs all to labour for a plain and vpright heart in all things to direct our words and carriage according to the true intent of our hearts For besides that God will plague men for their dissimulation which cannot be hid from him it fals out vsually that such as vse dissembling are perpetually suspected all their faire pretences notwithstanding as those Caesars were Lastly the Apostle may name Kings to preuent rebellion in the subiects which either should feare such as affected the title or liue vnder such as professed themselues to bee Kings and so the meaning is that hee would haue them obey euen Kings how hatefull soeuer naturally that kinde of gouernment did seeme vnto them It may bee that the Apostle mentioneth Kings as the last kinde of gouernment a Monarchy being in many respects the most excellent forme of gouernment as being such a form of gouernment as comes neerest to the similitude of God who is not onely one in nature but in gouernment also and is most agreeable to nature which doth affect vnity as well in the body politicke as in the body naturall But I let this passe as a question belonging rather to the Politickes then to Diuinity to be discussed at large Thus coniecturally of the reason why the Apostle vseth this tearm Concerning Kings I propound these things to be considered of First the Originall of Kings Secondly the excellency of Kings both these tend to work in man the care of obedience to them and their Lawes Thirdly the indefinite manner of propounding the tearm shewing that this submission belongs to all Kings Fourthly the vses of all
that worke about nothing more then he things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all vnprofitable Christians that liue and doe no good will doe no work but spend their daies in spirituall idlenes and vnfruitfulnes making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of wel-doing Math. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes euill to serue the Lord that account all religious duties to be tedious irksome and neuer from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe vpon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods seruants no otherwise then the diuell is For the diuell is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwaies against his will that God hath any glory by it Fiftly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they vnderstand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixtly all hypocrites that haue the forme of godlines but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but do it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seuenthly all quarelsome contentious Christians that make diuision and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods Word These the Apostle saith serue not the Lord Iesus but their own belly and by smooth pretences deceiue the simple Rom. 16.18 Vse 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods seruants they are to bee much reproued that take liberty to iudge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what haue they to doe to iudge anothers seruant They are Gods seruants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods seruant They are all freemen that serue God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enioy better priuiledges then Gods seruants doe and neuer were there any seruants that enioyed such prerogatiues as Gods seruants doe and this may appeare many waies for First all sorts of men are Gods seruants All his subiects are his seruants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are seruants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are seruants yea his friends are his seruants so Abraham that had the honour to bee the friend of God accounted it no desparagement to bee Gods seruant the Kings of the earth accounted it to bee the best part of their title to bee Gods seruants Psal. 36.1 All which proues that it is a most free and honourable estate to be seruant vnto God else those eminent persons would neuer haue sought them out such a seruice and this is the more euident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may bee as well intertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods seruice may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of intertainment God giues his seruants For First all his worke is faire work It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and hee requires no more of the meanest seruant hee hath then hee doth of the greatest Prince on earth after he hath retained him to be his seruant Secondly if it fall out that they endure any hardship or be put to beare any inconuenience it is no more then what the Master himselfe doth or hath endured Math. 10.25 Thirdly and that the difficulty of this worke may not dismay thee he powres out his owne spirit vpon his seruants Ioel. 2.29 and guides them so that in effect hee doth all their worke for them Esaiah 26. Psal. 90. Fourthly when they endeuour themselues to doe his worke in sincerity he accepts their seruice maruelous graciously hee is so well pleased with them that his countenance doth shine vpon them Psal. 31.16 yea he boasts of their seruice Iob 1.8 and 2.3 Fiftly if through ignorance or infirmity they misse it sometimes and so marre his work if they but come to him and confesse it hee is ready and easie to forgiue and plentious in mercy Psalm 86.4 5. Esay 44.20 21. Mal. 3.17 Sixtly no men are kept and entertained more comfortably than they are hee doth not onely finde them food but giues them gladnes of heart where a thousand of other men that haue meanes enough haue so many sorrows among that they bear their names as a very curse Esay 65.13 14. Seuenthly if by wilfull ignorance or carelesnes they offend him yet hee will correct in measure Ier. 30.10 11. and will quickly repent himself of his Iudgement concerning them Psalm 135.14 Hee neuer puts away any seruants Esay 41.8 9. If they should at any time runne away and be lost he will neuer cease seeking them till hee finde them and bring them home again Psalm 119. vlt. Eightthly he giues great wages none like him all his seruants haue a great reward Psalm 19.11 And in the end he bestowes vpon them great inheritances besides what free-holds he bestowes vpon them in this life Psalm 126.22 1. Pet. 1.3 Ninthly hee takes pleasure in the prosperity of his seruants Psalm 35.27 It is a ioy to him when they doo well and thriue Tenthly besides what they get for themselues they get great sutes for others also they beg many a pardon and obtain any of them yea great sutes Iob 40.5 Iohn 15.15 16. Eleuenthly when any thing ailes them his mercifull kindnes is a wonderfull comfort to them Psalm 119.70 And if they should fall into danger in respect of the debts of other men God becomes surety for them and sees all discharged Psalm 119. verse 122. Twelfthly no men haue such protections Their aduersaries are sure to come to confusion the men that striue with them shall certainly perish Esay 41.11 12 c. The hand of the Lord shall bee knowne towards his seruants and his indignation towards his and their enemies Esay 66.14 Thirteenthly they shall not lose what they haue wrought but God will establish their work hee will neuer forget them and their works shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance Esay 44.20 Psalm 90.16 17. Lastly God doth not onely thus extraordinarily prouide for his seruants but hee takes order and prouides also for the seed of his seruants which few or none of worldly masters doo Psalm 69.37 Vses The vse should be threefold First it should teach Christians to liue with contentation and in all things to giue thanks and to say alwaies with Dauid O Lord thou hast dealt well with thy seruant according to thy Word Psalm 119.65 Secondly it should make them take great delight to doo his work they should loue to bee seruants to such a Master Esay 56.6 Thirdly they should euery where speak of Gods praises that entertaines them so gratiously they should open their mouthes all the day long with the praises of such a
fearefull thing which Salomon saith Those which are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but such as are vpright in the way are his delight Pro. 11.20 Fourthly if wee consider the condition of the parties that are ouer-growne with this disease of peeuishnes and frowardnes It is a terrible censure that God himselfe giues of such for the most part that they are wicked persons Prou. 6.12 He that walketh with a froward mouth is called a naughty person and a wicked man and though in charity wee may hope of men that they are not altogether destitute of true grace yet as the Apostle said of enuie and strife so may wee say of frowardnes that such as are guilty of it vsually are but as carnall at the best but babes in Christ 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. To coÌ„clude Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnes then hee that is peruerse in his lips though hee bee rich Pro. 28.6 Vse The vse should bee for admonition and instruction to such Masters husbands wiues or others that finde themselues guilty of this hatefull vice to labour by all meanes to get themselues cured of it remembring the counsell of the holy Ghost Put away from thee a froward mouth and peruerse lips put farr from thee Pro. 4.14 and to this end they must obserue these rules First they must become fooles that they may bee wise they must begin the cure at the deniall of themselues and their vaine conceits For if they trust to their owne discretion and naturall gifts they will neuer mend For naturall gifts can neuer make that which is crooked streight Eccles. 1.15 Secondly they must striue to breed in their hearts the sound feare of God and his displeasure for their frowardnes For the feare of God will take downe their pride and cause them to abhor all peeuish and froward waies Prou. 8.13 Thirdly they must constantly iudge themselues for their offences heerein and that both by daily confessing their frowardnes to God in secret and also by acknowledging their faults heerein vnto such as are guided by them Fourthly they must especially fly to Iesus Christ whose office is to make crooked things streight Esay 40.5 and 42.16 Luke 3.5 The last thing to bee noted out of this verse is that no faults in the Superiours can free the inferiours from their subiection for matter or manner as heere seruants must bee subiect yea with all feare to froward Masters so afterwards wiues must bee subiect to their husbands and with all feare too though they bee vnbeleeuers or carnall men Thus of the exposition the confirmation followes Verses 19. and 20. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults you shall take it patiently but if when yee doe well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God THe Apostle applies the reasons to that part of the exposition which might be most doubted and â—o giues three reasons why seruants should be subiect euen to euill Masters The first is taken from the acceptation of such subiection with God verses 19. and 20. The second is taken from their calling verse 21. The third from the example of Christ afterwards The argument from acceptation is laid downe verse 19. and auouched and made good verse 20. In the ninteenth verse then it is the drift of the Apostle to shew that though Masters should bee so froward as to beate their seruants causelesly yet they should bee subiect and indure it for conscience sake vnto God because this is a Christian mans case and a great praise when out of conscience to God hee doth his duty and suffers wrongfully The reason is so intended for the particular case of seruants so abused as it holdes in all cases of iniury for conscience sake In this verse then the Apostle intreates of suffering and wee may note foure things about suffering First what is to bee suffered griefe Secondly how it is to be suffered viz. wrongfully and with enduring Thirdly the cause of suffering it conscience toward God Fourthly the effect which is praise acceptation Doct. 1. In this world all sorts of men are liable to suffer griefe For though the Apostle in the scope intends to speak of seruants suffering griefe yet the Argument with the vses concerne all sorts of men In this world then wee must looke for griefe and how can it bee otherwise since first there are such mines in our own nature made by sinne and so many abominations round about vs to God's dishonour Secondly the creatures which we are to vse in this world are empty and vaine and so occasion much vexation in the vsers that are disappointed by them All is vanity and vexation of spirit saith the wise man Thirdly wee are liable to so many crosses and losses euery day hath his griefe and his crosse which must bee taken vp Mat. 6. vlt. Luke 9.14 Fourthly how can wee be long without griefe that liue in a world so full of sin and diuels and diuelish men Fiftly our own bodies often grieue vs being liable to so many paines and diseases What should I say Our own houses are full of causes of griefe if the disorders of masters husbands wiues seruants children be considered of and therefore wee should bee weary of the world and long for heauen wee shall neuer bee long together without griefe till wee come thither Doct. 2 Wee must not onely endure griefe but many times suffer it wrongfully Besides all the griefe befals men otherwise the world is full of wrong and iniury and the waies of doing wrong are so many as cannot easily be reckond Who can recount what wrongs are done daily by deceit violence oppression lying false witnes slanderings and other base indignities Which should teach vs not to think it strange if wrongs befall vs and withal it imports that woe shall be to all them that doe wrong That God that discouers them that doe wrong will repay them according to all the wrong they haue done Doct. 3. It may be heere noted too That vsually they suffer most wrong that are most careful to do their duties which ariseth partly from that fearefull Aâ—axie in mens natures that are falne into such distemperature of disposition and partly from that naturall malice vngodly men beare to them that are good partly such as are indeed godly will not vse such meanes of reuenge as others will doe and partly because the Lawes of men doe not reach to a sufficient way of correcting and reforming such indignities and especially it proceeds from the pride and vnthankfulnes and discontentments which raigne in the harts of froward corrupt minded persons And from hence we may gather the necessity of God's generall Iudgement because in this world it is ill many times with good men and there is no remedy seeing their wrongs are not righted heere
beeing the Sonne of God was abased to take vpon him the form of a seruant and in worlds of occasions to deny himself and his owne greatnes reputation Mat. 11.29 Phil. 2.6 7. Fourthly we may learn from his suffering condition the contempt of the world Why should we seek great things for our selues when our Lord and Sauiour was in some cases worse prouided for than the birds of the aire and foxes of the field as not hauing a place where to lay his head And therfore he suffred without the City to teach vs that we also haue heer no abiding City but should cast all our cares vpon prouiding for our eternall habitation in heauen Heb. 13.11 12. Fiftly we should learn obedience from him towards our heauenly Father Christ obeyes his Father euen in hard commandements against his credit ease liberty yea life it self and therefore we should learn to desire to go and doo likewise Sixtly hee left vs an example of louing one another and gaue a speciall charge we should prooue our selues to bee his and to be like him indeed as his true Disciples by louing one another Iohn 13. Eph. 5.2 Seuenthly wee should learn patience of him when we doo suffer though strange things should befall vs. What though we should be betraied or forsaken of our friends in our iust cause or suffer iniuries or bee falsely accused euen of hainous crimes or most basely vsed euen to bee buffetted derided spetted on or to see vile wretches and grosse offenders preferred before vs or lose all we haue to our very garments c. yet none of these things should bee grieuous to vs because all these things befell our Lord and Master in a worse measure and manner than they can befall vs yea wee should be patient though it were to lose our liues as he did Eightthly he left vs also an example of hope in suffering for when he suffred shame and misery in this life hee looked vpon the ioy and crown in another world thereby teaching vs with whole arguments to fense our selues against all the scorns and miseries of this world Heb. 12.3 Ninthly hee left vs a patterne of mercy who made himself poor to make vs rich and therefore how much more should we out of our abundance yeeld some supply to others wants 2. Cor. 8 c. Lastly the mortification and crucifying of the ould man is to bee learned from the Passion of Christ Rom. 6. For look how Christ was vsed so should we vse our sinnes he was crucified and so should we crucifie our sinnes piercing the heart of them by confession and godly sorrow and so hanging them vp vpon the Crosse till they be dead Thus we see that Christ hath set vs a large copy and that many things are to bee learned from his example Quest. But doth Christ's example binde vs to imitation in all things Answ. In many things it doth binde but in all things it doth not binde There are diuers things that Christ did which to leaue vndone by vs is no sinne as the works of his Power and Omnipotency are not imitable and so also the works of his Office as Mediator are peculiar to himselfe and cannot be done by vs. Besides a world of indifferent actions of his diuers of which are recorded yet all men grant they doo not binde vs to exact imitation though they be things wee haue power to doo He sate and preached he receiued the Sacrament in a priuate chamber at night and gaue it onely to Clergy-men and vsed vnleauened bread c. Quest. But what rules are then left to ground our practice vpon and how far are our consciences bound by examples and so by the example of Christ Ans. Examples and so the example of Christ binde vs in the things he did which were required by the morall Law or the Word of God For an example is but the illustration of a precept it is but like the seal to a blank if there be no precept Secondly in other things which Christ did not required by the Law wee are so farre forth tied to follow his practice as he hath for those specialties giuen himself a precept as heer wee are bound to suffer from others and for others if need require by the force of Christ's example but so as it is specified that his example bindes in this and other things But where the Scripture doth not make vse of his example there wee are not bound in things indifferent in their owne nature to follow any example out of necessity Verses 22 23. Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Who when hee was reuiled reuiled not again when hee suffred hee threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously HItherto of the end of Christ's suffering the manner followes set down both negatiuely and affirmatiuely Negatiuely Hee suffred without sinne in this verse and without reuiling in the next verse Affirmatiuely Hee committed himself and his cause to him that iudgeth righteously He did no sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this verse do commend the innocency of this our Sauiour which doth much increase the price and value of his sufferings He suffred for the sinnes of others that neuer committed any sinne himself in thought word or deed and as hee was innocent in all the course of his life so did he beare his suffrings without fault and carried himself so as no man could finde any iust occasion against him The first thing affirmed of Christ to shewe his innocency is that he did no sinne In the Originall it is expressed by a word of great force which signifies to make or frame or fashion with art or to make sinne and it may be rendred as I conceiue more fitly Hee made no sinne To make sinne being a phrase somewhat vnusuall the sense is to bee inquired into Now a man may be said to make sin many waies First when a man inuents and commits a sinne neuer heard of before Thus Onan made that sinne of filthinesse Thus the Sodomites and Gentilish men and women made sinnes of lust Thus drunkards make strange kindes of drinkings Thus the phantasticall monsters of our times make the sinnes of strange apparell And thus the Papists make that horrible sinne of murthering of Princes and damnable equiuocations And thus swearers now make their monstrous oaths Secondly when a man sins hauing not so much as temptation to sinne in himself or pronenesse of nature to sinne and so hee sinnes that sinnes wilfully and not by infirmities or weaknes of nature Thus Adam made the first sinne for hee had no corruption of nature to intice him or incline him nor could any temptation from without compell him but hee sinned wilfully Thus those men of bloud make sinne that kill their brethren in colde bloud And so many whoremongers and drunkards make sinne when they are not inticed but intice themselues and striue by all meanes to fire and force themselues
suffring But committed himself to him that iudgeth righteously From these words diuers things may bee obserued Doct. 1. First that in case of wrongs from other men it is not alwaies needfull or conuenient to complain to the Magistrate for redresse Christ heer commits his cause to God but complaineth not nay though hee were wronged almost continually and with grieuous wrongs yet we read not that euer he complained against them that did him wrong Heer two things are to be enquired after First in what cases it is not fit to complaine to men Secondly in what cases it may bee lawfull and fitte In these cases following it is not fit to complain to the Magistrate First where redresse of the wrongs may be had by priuate and peacefull courses 1. Cor. 6. Secondly where the lawes of men doo not prouide punishment some wrongs are offenses and yet not punishable by mens lawes Thirdly where the offense is committed of meere frailty or ignorance Fourthly where the offense is grounded vpon meer surmises which in the iudgement of charity ought not to be conceiued .1 Cor. 13. Fiftly where the iniury is lesse and the party trespassing doth acknowledge the wrong in this case the rule of Christ holds If thy brother say It repenteth me thou must forgiue him Luke 17.4 Sixtly where by the suite Religion wil receiue greater dammage by the scandall then the party suffers by the wrong as in the case of the Corinthians where a brother went to law with a brother before Iudges that were Infidels Seuenthly where the Magistrates haue declared themselues to bee enemies to iustice and iust men as heer in the case of Christ it was bootlesse to complain because all the Rulers were his professed enemies Contrariwise in these and such like cases following men may lawfully seek iustice from men in authority First where the offense is grieuous and against the Lawes of God and men Secondly where the offender persists in euill-doing without repentance Thirdly where the offense is against God and Religion as well as against the party wronged Fourthly where such wrongs are vsually punishable Fiftly where the party complaining is bound to complain by his office either by charge or oath prouided that the party complaining first loue his enemies and secondly prosecute with continuall respect to God's glory and thirdly vse the benefit of the Law with charity and mercy without cruelty or extremity Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. The malice of wicked men against the godly is so great that when they begin to oppose them though it be but in their name they will neuer cease opposition if they haue power till they haue their liues too Thus I gather from hence that our Sauiour beeing reuiled doth not onely commit his cause to God but commits himself to God as expecting the increase of their oppositions till they haue put him to death This is the reason why God indites euery man that hates his brother of murder 1. Iohn 3.15 And Dauid so often complaines of his enemies that slandred him that they also sought his life yea his soule as if they were desirous not onely to kill his body but damne his soule also Doct. 3. Wee may heer also note that God is to be conceiued of according to the occasion seeing we cannot comprehend God wholly as he is wee ought to raise vp such conceptions in our hearts of the glory of God as may with honour answer the occasion that presently concernes vs as heer in the case of wrongs God is conceiued as a righteous Iudge In the case of death hee is called The God of the spirits of all flesh In the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to hear prayer in the case of infirmities a God that takes away iniquity and passeth by transgression and in cases of great difficulty he is conceiued of as Almighty and so forth Doct. 4. It is euident from hence that God is a Iudge and this point is both terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly It is terrible to the wicked many waies First because he is Iudge of all the world all must be iudged by him Gen. 18.25 Heb. 12.23 1. Sam. 2.10 Hee is not a Iudge of some one circuit as Iudges amongst men are Secondly because he is a Iudge that needs no euidence bee brought-in for hee knowes all causes and is witnes himself Ier. 29.23 and so Iudges among men are not Thirdly because hee iudgeth for all offenses he tries the hearts and the reines as well as the words and works of men Psalm 7.9 11. Earthly Iudges try malefactors but in one or some few cases Fourthly because hee hath Armies of Executioners he can call to the heauens or speak to the earth and haue hostes of seruants to doo his will and execute his iudgements Daniel 7.9 10. Psalm 50.4 22. so as none can deliuer out of his hands Fiftly because hee is Iudge himself Psa. 50.6 and 75.8 He doth not do iustice by Deputies but will hear all cases himself Sixtly because his iudgement is the last and highest iudgement and therefore there lieth no appeale from it Seuenthly because he can bring men to iudgement without any warning hee standeth before the doore and often seizeth vpon the offender without seruing any Writ or giuing him any summons Iames 5.9 And therefore wicked men do very foolishly that ruffle heer in the world and lift vp their horns so high and speak with such a stiffe neck and walk on in their sinnes and iniuries so securely Psalm 75.5 6 7 8. Again if God bee Iudge it is comfortable to penitent sinners First because repentance will alter the iudgement if it be after the fact and before the Sentence euen in such offenses as deserue euerlasting death as appeareth in the case of Dauid and the Niniuites and is notified to the world Acts 17.31 Whereas earthly Iudges must proceed in their iudgement whether the parties bee penitent or no. Again it is the more comfortable that God is Iudge because all parties wronged or grieued may haue accesse to God and put vp their supplications at any time he is ready to be found and willing to heare which is seldome true of earthly Iudges Thirdly because godly men know their sentence already God hath acquitted them by his Word and by his Son and by his Spirit and therefore they need not feare his last iudgement Doct. 5. God will iudge righteously God's iudgement is a most righteous iudgement Psal. 9.8 Rom. 2.5 2. Tim. 4.8 He is the righteous Iudge by an excellency because there is no Iudge but misseth it some way onely God's iudgment is alwaies righteous and it must needes bee so for many reasons First because hee iudgeth the high as well as the low Iob 21.22 Secondly because his iudgement extendeth to euery offender in the world Iude 15. Earthly Iudges may punish some malefactors but they leaue thousands of men that
to heale the body as well as the soule But the especial healing is at the resurrection when all the bodies of the Saints shall be healed perfectly of all diseases and freed from the very disposition yea the very possibility to haue any diseases Vse 1. The vse should bee for great comfort to the godly when they are distressed they may and ought to looke vp to Christ and say If it bee good for mee my Sauiour wil heale me and the rather because Christ is such a compassionate Physician and hath had the feeling of our infirmities and paines that way and besides hee is such a Physician as can doe two things that neuer Physician could doe For first hee can take away the first causes of diseases which is sinne which no Physick can doe Math. 9. Secondly hee can cure our bodies when they are starke dead which neuer any Physician could doe they may helpe some liuing bodies but they could neuer helpe one dead body Yea such as finde not cure for the paines of the body should bee of good comfort because they should haue had cure of it if it had beene good for them and they must consider it is the Lord that doth it Psalme 39. and that all shall worke together for the best Romanes 8. and that nothing can separate them from the loue of Christ and that they are deliuered from eternall paine and that Gods deare children haue suffered as great torments or weakenesses Vse 2. Secondly all men should bee taught to seeke to Christ for cure since it is his office to heale and to this end men are bound to looke to diuers rules if they would haue CHRIST to heale them First they must seeke to him for cure they must pray him to heale them wee doe not read that euer Christ healed any sick person vnlesse he were brought to him or hee intreated to heale him wee must pray for our bodies as well as our soules Thus did Dauid Psalme 6. and 31. and Hezekiah c. Secondly wee must vse the lawfull meanes wee can get for our healing our Sauiour shewes that when he said The whole needed not the physiciā but the sick the sick then doe need and must with conscience and care vse all lawfull and outward helps that they can attaine to that are fit for them Mathew 9. Thirdly they must take heed of trusting vpon the Physician or Physick giuen them that was Asa his great sinne For if wee bee cured it is not Physick but Christ that healed vs. Fourthly wee must bring faith to bee healed for our bodies also This our Sauiour often asketh after when hee is about to cure mens bodies as the Euangelists shew Fiftly wee must bee carefull to seek the remouing of the cause of our diseases which is sinne especially if wee finde that God hath a quarrell with vs for any speciall fault wee are falne into Thus Dauid got the punishment of his sinne remitted by iudging himselfe for his sinne Psal. 32.4 5. Sixtly we must submit our selues to Gods will and in the case of our bodies must resigne our selues into his hands to let him doe with vs what it shall please him since hee knowes what is best for vs and if Christ will not heale vs now yet to comfort our selues as Iob did in the hope of that time when our Redeemer will bee seene of vs in the body when it shall bee vtterly and for euer freed from all paines and infirmities whatsoeuer Iob 19. Doct. 4. It is further to bee noted that wee are not onely healed by Christ but it is by his stripes The wounds made in his body doe heale our bodies which should make vs so much the more to loue the Lord Iesus and the more patiently to beare it if we be not presently healed because he did beare more grieuous paines euen in the body and because if it were good for vs he would heale vs in that hee paied so deare for our healing Verse 25. For you were as sheepe going astray but are now returned vnto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules HItherto of the effects of Christs sufferings in respect of vs In respect of himselfe the effect was his exaltation to become the Shepherd and Bishop of our soules euen of the soules of all the Elect which is so implied in the words of this verse as withall in a passage is expressed both our misery without Christ and our happines vnder his gouernment The words of this verse in themselues containe three things First our misery by nature in our selues wee are as sheep deceiued or going astray Secondly the meanes of our recouery out of that estate and that is the causing of vs to returne Thirdly our happinesse vnder the gouernment of Iesus Christ to whose charge wee are committed when we returne The first words expressing our misery are words borrowed out of the Prophet Esay chapter 53.6 7. and in the words vnregenerate men euen God's Elect among them are likened to sheep A sheep is a certain image to resemble a man by And so we finde in Scripture that a sheep is the image or resemblance first of Christ-man He is likened to a sheep dumb before his shearer for his silence and patience at his arraignment Esay 53.7 Secondly of men that are true beleeuers for the harmlessenes tractablenesse and profitablenesse Mat. 25.33 Thirdly of men that erre and wander out of the way of godlinesse and so wicked men before their calling are likened to wandring sheep yea godly men after their calling in respect of their falls or failings are likened to sheep going astray as Dauid saith of himself Psalm 119. vlt. But heere it is vnderstood of the Elect of GOD before their calling The word heer rendred Going astray properly signifies deceiued and is so vsed in diuers places of the new Testament but the metaphor to the which it is ioyned requires it should be expressed Going astray or wandring or erring but so as it doth import two things First the euill condition of the vnregenerate they are like wandring sheep Secondly the curse of it and that is they are deceiued they are as sheep deceiued Now that this point may bee distinctly vnderstood I propound fiue things to be considered of First what faults in men are meant by the tearm of going astray Secondly what the misery of their condition is that doo go astray Thirdly what the cause is of their going astray Fourthly by what signes a lost sheep may be knowne especially such as are within the Church which seemes to be the Fold And lastly the doctrines that may be briefly noted out of all the words of that part of the verse For the first Vnder the tearm of erring or going astray are construed in Scripture errors in opinion Iames 1.16 Mat. 22.29 called erring from the faith 1. Tim. 6.10 whoredome Numbers 5.12 idolatry Deut. 13.5 drunkennesse Esay 28.1 7. bribery and all waies of vnrighteousnes 2. Peter 2.15 all deuising of
euill Pro. 14.12 yea the Prophet Esay expounds it of euery turning after our owne waies for which we haue no warrant in the Word of God and in which men persist without repentance Esay 53.6 It is implied Psal. 119.110 For the second The misery of men liuing in their sinnes without repentance is very great I am tied to the consideration of it only so far forth as the similitude of a sheep going astray will import Euery wicked man then is like a lost sheep and that in diuers respects 1. Because hee is not within the compasse of God's speciall prouidence GOD doth not tend him nor look to him he is no part of his flock he is without God in the world and without Christ as the lost sheep is without the protection and keeping of the shepheard Wicked men haue no keeper they are left to the way of their owne harts which is a fearefull curse Esay 53.6 The wicked shall be as a sheep that no man takes vp Esay 13.14 2. Because hee hath no certain pasture The prouision for his life for soule and body is altogether vncertain Hee is like Cain a vagabond vpon the earth He is heer to day he knowes not where he shall be tomorrow God hath not giuen him any assurance of the keeping or getting of any thing he hath or desires He is like the stray sheep that hath all the world before him but knows not where to settle Mat. 9.36 3. Because in the midst of all the best possessions of this life they haue no peace Esay 57. vlt. The sound of feare is alwaies in their eares If a stray sheep get into a good pasture yet he is still in feare apt to bee frighted with euery sound ready to runne away vpon euery occasion so is it with them that are rich in the world and not rich with God 1. Tim. 6.10 4. Because hee is shut out from all comfortable society with the godly hee enioyes not the sound fruit of communion with Saints The stray sheep may sort with hogges or wilde beasts but from the sheep it is gone away Euill company is a miserable plague of a mans life to sort with such all a mans daies from whom he may haue a world of vanity and filthinesse but not any thing scarce worthy of the nature of men in an age Euery wicked man is an alien a stranger forainer from the Common-wealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 5. A sheep going astray is easily taken by a strange Lord it is driuen any whither by any body it is so silly And such is the fearfull estate of a man liuing in sinne strange Lords may easily surprize him false teachers may easily seduce him euill company may carry him to any wickednes a Prince may turn him to any religion a very Atheist or diuell incarnate may easily lead him captiue 6. A sheep is apt to be worried with dogs or deuoured with wolues or wilde beasts when there is no shepheard to tend him So is it with wicked men their soules their bodies their estates are all in danger to bee seized vpon by diuels by vniust and vnreasonable men especially as any of them are more simple so they are more liable to become a prey to the mighty Ones of the earth 7. Men that wander out of the way of vnderstanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead Psalm 49.15 Pro. 21.16 And therefore he that conuerts a man from the error of his way is said to saue a soule from death Iames 5. vlt. And this going astray of vnregenerate men is the more grieuous because they are liable to many aggrauations for First they go astray from the womb they were neuer yet in the right way Psalm 58.3 Secondly because they wander in euery work they doo as was said of Egypt Esay 19.14 All their works are abominable Psalm 14. All things are impure Thirdly because this is the curse of all vnregenerate men we are turned euery one to his owne way Esay 53.6 Fourthly because they delight to wander place their felicity in their sinnes and will not be reclaimed or aduised Fiftly because they may prouoke God so long that hee may sweare they shall neuer enter into his rest Psal. 95.10 11. The third point is the cause of their going astray and that is noted in the originall word They were deceiued Now then it is to bee considered distinctly who are the great deceiuers of the world that cause millions of soules to goe astray First the diuell is the Arch-deceiuer hee hath beene a lier and a murtherer from the beginning hee deceiued our first Parents and made them and all their posterity goe astray Iohn 8.44 1. Tim. 2.14 and by him are all wicked men drawne out of the way and led captiue at his will 2. Tim. 2.26 Secondly Antichrist is the next great deceiuer who by his sorceries made all nations in the time of the Gospel goe astray Eccles. 18.23 with his diuellish doctrine and by wicked sorceries hee deceiued the Christian world Thirdly a swarme of wicked ministers haue deceiued whole townes and countries and made the sheepe goe astray euen their whole flocks in many places some of them because they take the fleece and neuer feed the flock Ezech. 34.2 c. Iohn 10.12 Some of them by preaching lies and flattering the people with deuices of men and say Peace when there is no peace Ierem. 23.17 19 20 32. Fourthly the world is a mischieuous deceiuer and it deceiueth by euill example and euill company and euill report raysed against the godly and the good way and the inticements of profits and pleasures and vanities of all sorts and honours and the like Fiftly mans owne heart deceiueth him yea the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things Ierem. 17.9 It will vse such carnall reasons pretend such vaine excuses intertaine such deceiuable hopes and ioyne it selfe to such swarmes of temptations and lusts as it cannot auoid wandring if there were no other deceiuers to goe withall The way of our owne hearts is alwaies to goe out of the way Sixtly ignorance of the Scripture is a chiefe cause of erring and going astray both in opinion and life Math. 22.29 Seuenthly the loue of some particular sinne doth vtterly vndoe many a man that will not bee warned of the deceitfulnes of sinne Heb. 3.12 Thus couetousnes made many a man to erre from the faith 1. Tim. 6.20 Eightthly God himselfe in a fearefull kind of Iustice many times not only consents but permits a very spirit of peruersnes and errour to seaze vp on some men that refused to bee guided or kept by God so as they are giuen ouer to eternall perdition and destruction by reason of it Fourthly the signes of a lost sheep follow and they are First he that refuseth reproofe is out of the way Men that cannot abide to bee told of their faults are not healed Prou. 10.17 as hee is in the way of life
mercy Thirdly hee causeth the Gospell to be preached to all sorts of men without exception And so grace is offred to them and there is no other let but their refusall of grace offred Fourthly the example of all sorts of sinners that haue returned As great sinners as they haue been receiued to mercy and they are set out as examples to encourage other men to seek mercy as Manasses Mary Magdalene Dauid Peter Paul and others Many among the Corinthians haue been notorious offenders but were iustified and sanctified The explication of the doctrine of returning followes where these things are to be considered of c. First the motiues to perswade men to return Secondly the persons that need returning Thirdly the time when men must return Fourthly the false waies men must auoid in returning Fiftly what a number of lost sheep doo vsually return Sixtly the aggrauations against certain persons for not returning Seuenthly the means of returning Eightthly the manner how we must return or the rules to be obserued in returning Ninthly the signes of a lost sheep returned Lastly the lets of returning For the first I mean not to insist vpon all sorts of motiues but to follow the word Return as it is vsed in Scripture and take a few of the fittest motiues as it is vsed in this place And so diuers things should make a man to return as First the consideration of God's maruellous goodnes and amiablenesse of nature to all such as turn vnto him he is wonderfull gracious to them and mercifull and will repent him of the euill Ioel 2.12 13. Ier. 31.19 20. The parable of the lost sheep shewes this fully Secondly the great danger that men are in if they return not GOD is angry with the wicked euery day Psalm 7.12 And his fury may break forth suddenly vpon them like fire Ier. 4.4 For the words of his seruants will certainely take hold vpon them Zach. 1.4 6. and iniquity will be their ruine Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent they must perish Luke 13.5 And therefore if wee warne men of their sinnes and they will not returne wee are deliuered and their blood will bee vpon themselues Ezech. 3.19 Thirdly if a man consider but the happines of such as doe returne GOD will forgiue them all their sinnes he will aboundantly prouide for them Esay 55.7 If they returne they shall liue and not die Ezech. 18.23 and 33.11 and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Esay 51.11 and in this verse the Apostle shewes their happines For they shall alwaies liue vnder Iesus Christ as the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules For these and many other reasons it is the onely wise course to returne Luke 1.16 And there is not one wise man amongst all them that returne not Iob 17. And thus of the motiues The second point is the persons that need returning It is certain that those that liue out of the visible Church or in false churches neede returning As Pagans Turks Iewes Papists Schismaticks and all Hereticks Yea Iuda and Hierusalem neede repentance Ierem. 4.4 and 26.2 3. Men that liue in the visible Church and are baptized need to returne or else they wil perish Luke 13.5 Iohn 3.3 The third point is the time of returning and in short the best time to returne is the present time while it is yet called to day while wee haue the meanes of returning when God cals vpon vs by the ministry of his seruants especially when hee knocks at the dore of our hearts and laies the axe to the roote of the tree it is wonderfull dangerous to defer repentance for euen the longer thou liuest in sinne the more hard will thy heart bee Heb. 3.13 and the meanes of grace euen the Kingdome of God may be taken away or God may cut thee downe euen by sudden death or may cast thee into a reprobate sence and giue thee vp to a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4 5. The fourth point is the false waies to bee auoidid in returning and these are First to returne with despaire or to goe back without the guide faith in Gods mercy or to goe the way that despair leads In this way Cain and Iudas perished Secondly to returne fainedly and not with a mans whole heart to make a shew of returning when men doe not returne indeed Ierem. 3.10 Thirdly to returne but part of the way and to repent by halues as Ahab and Herod did Fourthly to returne when it is too late euen when the dore is shut to repent when it is too late Iob 27.9 The fift point is the aggrauations that lye against diuers persons about their not returning For if it be euill in it selfe for any not to returne then how fearefull is their case First that are proud of their skill in going out of the way that are wise to doe euill Ierem. 4.22 Secondly that are deepely reuolted that is that are such as liue in horrible and fearefull sinnes Esay 31.6 Thirdly that will not returne though their transgressions bee vpon them and they pine away in them Ezech. 33.10 They will not giue ouer though they haue no peace and are daily buffeted for their euill doing and their consciences beare the shame and trouble of their offending Fourthly that will not returne though the seruants of God openly testify against them Neh. 9.29 2. King 17.13 14. Fiftly that will not returne though the hand of God bee vpon them euen to consume them Ierem. 5.3 Sixtly that are turned back by a perpetuall backsliding Ierem. 8.4 that hold fast their sinnes and refuse to returne Ierem. 8.5 The sixt point may bee this viz. what number of lost sheepe doe vsually returne not all that goe astray Our Sauiour tels vs of a parable of one lost sheepe returning and the Prophet Ieremie tels vs of one of a Tribe and two of a Tribe Ierem. 3.14 Multitudes of men perish and neuer returne The seuenth point is the meanes or cause of our returning and these are either Principall or Instrumentall The principall causes are GOD and Christ that good Shepheard It is God that turneth back the captiuity of his people Psal. 14. vlt. and three times in one Psalme the people pray God to turne them againe Psalme 80.3 7 19. This is Ephraims sute Turne thou mee O Lord and I shall bee turned Ierem 31.18 So the Church saith Lamen 5.21 And Christ is that good Shepheard that seekes that which is lost yea laieth downe his life for his sheep Iohn 10. The instrumentall causes of returning are either externall or internall The externall meanes of returning is the Word preached and so both the reproofes of Gods seruants testifying against the wicked to make them turne from their sinnes Nehem. 9.26 29. as also the promises of the Gospel by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and intreated to returne with assurance of
saluation The internall meanes is Faith For that is it which turns a man cleane about and causeth him to set his face vpon God and Iesus Christ and to leaue all his old courses and by-waies Acts 15.9 The eightth point is the manner how wee must returne and so wee shall finde in Scripture diuers things vrged vpon vs. First that we in returning make a thorow search triall of our waies to finde out distinctly in what particulars wee haue gone astray Lamen 3.40 they must remember and bethink themselues and turne Psalme 23.28 Secondly wee must with true sorrow bewaile our former wandrings and iudge our selues for them going and reioycing wee must goe with our faces toward Zion Ierem. 51.4 5. Hosh. 14.2 3. 2. Chron. 6.24 37. Ierem. 3.13 Ioel 2.12 Thirdly wee must order our waies to a generall reformation The Prophet complaines that they would not frame their doings to turne to the Lord importing there can bee no returning to GOD vnlesse men cast their courses into a frame of reformation Hosh. 5.4 Men must amend their doings and their works Ierem. 35.15 Fourthly wee must returne in sincerity and that hath diuers things considerable for 1. Wee must returne with our whole hearts not fainedly Ierem. 3.7 2. Chro. 6.38 our very faces must bee turned from so much as looking after our abominations Ezech. 14.6 2. Wee must returne from our owne euill waies euery man from his way note it from his way that is from those courses in which he hath specially offended Iames 3.8 Esay 55.7 the wicked must forsake his way 3. Wee must forsake not onely outward sins but inward sinnes also we must reforme the wandring of our hearts as well as our liues the vnrighteous must forsake his very thoughts Esay 55.7 and put downe the very Idols of his heart Ezech. 14.7 4. We must turne from all our transgressions It is not enough to forsake sinne as some outward or inward sinnes but wee must forsake all sorts of sinnes Ezech. 18.30 5. Wee must returne with resolution neuer to start back wee must not bee like a deceitfull bow Hos. 7.16 Fiftly wee must so returne as wee must consecrate our selues to God to waite vpon him continually Hos. 12.6 and to serue the true and liuing God 1. Thes. 1.9 and to doe works meete for repentance Acts 26.20 The ninth point is the signes of returning or how wee may try whether we bee effectually returned and that may bee partly gathered by some of the points before and partly by some other things may bee added Hee that is truly turned may know it First by the cause of his returning It was somewhat aboue his owne power or disposition It was God that turned him by his Word neither did he turn out of despaire as Iudas did but faith in God and perswasion of Gods goodnes in Christ made him returne Hee feares God and his goodnes Secondly by the manner of his returning For if he returne in the manner before mentioned he needes not doubt the truth of his repentance especially if he bee sure to haue no hypocriticall or carnall endes of his reformation and that hee doe desire to returne from all his transgressions making conscience of the least commandement of God aswell as the greatest and of secret sinnes as well as open and of the euill that cleaues to his best works Esay 1.16 Thirdly by the fruits of repentance or returning and so hee may comfort himselfe 1. If hee esteeme Christs pasture aboue all worldly things finding the sweetest sauour in the Word of all things in this life Psal. 19. and 119. 2. Cor. 2. 2. If hee haue a minde to know God that he finde that out of habituall disposition hee haue an ernest desire to know God and to bee knowne of him Ier. 24.7 he will follow on to know the Lord. 3. If hee doe distinguish betweene the precious and the vile Ierem. 15.19 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Mal. 3.18 esteeming godly men to bee the onely wise men Luke 1.17 4. If hee bee carefull to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle If hee be carefull to reforme his house and cannot abide to dwell where sinne dwells vnreformed Iob 22.23 5 If he become as a little childe for humility and trust vpon God for all things necessary as the little childe trusts vpon his father for diet clothes inheritance preferment c. without any doubting or carking care 6. If hee bee earnest with God to heale his nature and to perfect his work Esay 19.22 Ierem. 31.18 19. He praies and that earnestly for the mending of his disposition to wander 7. If hee bee profitable according to his bignesse and pasture if hee bee full of mercy and good fruit if hee be zealous of good works These bee things meet for repentance that is things that bee of equall weight with it in the scales they each of them weigh iust as much as repentance The last point is what should be the reason that men haue so little minde to returne They will not be driuen home againe though they know that they liue sinfully and heare of Gods wrath and discerne vanity in all their pleasures and that sinne hath vsually proued it selfe to be a lie and that they are in danger of strange punishments and of eternall torment What I say should be the lets of returning or rather the causes that they mind not to returne Answer The causes are First the diuell is the cause hee hath blinded their eies and works effectually in them and leads them wandring and captiue at his will 2. Cor. 4.3 Eph. 2.2 2. Tim. 2.26 Secōdly impotency of cōsideration is the cause they neither can nor doe think of the arguments should make them to returne or moue them they cannot spend an houre in the consultations vpon it whether they doe well not to returne Thirdly ignorance of the glory of Religion and the Kingdom of Iesus Christ Col. 1.26 there is a vaile vpon their hearts 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly opinion that it is a dishonour and shame to returne this makes diuers continue in erronious and humorous conceits or in fantasticall conformity to the wicked yea in the very excuses of sinning because they feare they shall be vilified laughed at and censured for it Fiftly expectation to haue their particular courses to be proued to bee sinnes Thus doe almost all men in their times persist in their sinnes vnder the couerture of this question Who can proue them to be sinners Thus scapes vsury excesse vanity of apparell excesse likewise in drinking of healths til the wine inflame them swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. being willingly ignorant of this that God hath condemned sinne in the generall in Scripture and laies it to men to looke vnto it that they fall not into his hands for transgressing and if they doubt they must be ruled by their