converted many It is not in vaine that phrase of the Scripture hee was a man full of faith and therefore many were added to the Lord. And you shall finde it by experience when you converse with worldly men they will be readie on every occasion to attribute the event of things to naturall causes but the godly they ascribe it to God Now good words strengthen our faith but the evill words of naturall men they corrupt good manners And not only the words of the godly worke so but the very manner of the delivery of it is emphaticall for they doe beleeve it themselves now if a man deliver an history that he beleeves he will deliver it in such a manner that hee will make others beleeve it also Act. 14.1 They so spake that a great multitude of the Iewes beleeved that is in such a manner that many were turned to the faith Iunius professeth in his life that the very first thing that turned him from his Atheisme was the talking with a country-man of his not farre from Florence and his manner of expressing himselfe The next was the majesty of the Scripture which he observed in Ioh. 1. but the other was the beginning of it So it will still be true that walking with godly men will increase our faith but with worldly men it will weaken it Therefore use all these meanes to strengthen these principles in you for they will have many excellent effects in your lives As When a man beleeves this throughly he will take the judgement of the Scripture against his owne fancy and the opinions of men with which we are still ready to be misled so that when the Scripture saith of riches that they are nothing whereas before thou thoughtest them to be a strong tower now you thinke them to be but a staffe of reed so of sinfull lusts that are so pleasant to us the Scripture saith of them that they fight against the soule though they are sweet for the present yet they are sowre in the latter end so that thou takest the judgement of the Scripture against thy own reason So for the praise of men see what the Scripture saith he is praise-worthy whom God praiseth so thou judgest vaine-glory to be but a bubble I say if you could beleeve this throughly you would set the judgement of the Scripture against your owne reasons and the opinions of men Besides this it will breed a notable fervencie in prayer when a man knoweth that there are such promises it will make him never give over it will make him watch and pray continually with all perseverance though many times hee prayeth and hath no answer as the woman of Canaan yea though he hath sometimes a contrary answer and effect to what he asketh yet when he hath laid hold on the promises he will not let goe he will never give over hee knowes Hee who hath promised is faithfull therefore he is not like a wave of the sea tossed up and downe with every wind But it is not onely a ground of all this but it brings forth the effect it doth exceedingly strengthen our faith in matters of justification for it is certaine that the same faith whereby we beleeve and apply the promises of salvation through Christ it is the same faith whereby we beleeve the Scripture and that there is a God that made both Heaven and Earth There is no difference in the faith yea that justifying faith by which thou art saved it ariseth from the beleefe of these principles as it was the same eye whereby the Israelites did see the mountaines and trees and other objects and by which they saw the brazen Serpent No man beleeves justification by Christ but his faith is mainly grounded upon this Word of God for whereas in Scripture we finde that IESVS CHRIST is come in the flesh and that he is a Lambe slaine for forgivenesse of sinnes that he is offered to every creature that a man must thirst after him and then take up his Crosse and follow him Now come to a beleever going out of the world and aske him what hope hee hath to be saved and what ground for it he will be ready to say I know that Christ is come into the world and that he is offered and I know that I am one of them that have a part in him I know that I have fulfilled the conditions as that I should not continue willingly in any knowne sinne that I should love the LORD IESVS and desire to serve him above all I know that I have fulfilled these conditions I say if the ground whereon our faith is builded be the Word then it is builded on a sure rocke and the gates of hell Satan and all his temptations shall not prevaile against it but against a strong fancie it may Therefore let us labour to strengthen our faith in these principles that there is a GOD that made Heaven and Earth and that the Scripture is his Word whereby his minde is revealed to us that so you may know what his will is and what to expect of him upon all occasions There is one thing which remaines in this point which we added in the third place That that God which we worship is this GOD for either it is that God whom we worship or else there is no true God in the world we are to propound it negatively to take away all other false religions For if there was ever a God revealed in the world he was the God of the Iewes and if he was the God of the Iewes then of the Christians and if of the Christians then surely of the Protestants and not the Papists for they doe in most points adde to the garment of Christ and the Protestants doe but cut off what thy have added before and if of the Protestants then surely of those that doe make conscience of their wayes that doe not live loosely but doe labour to please him in all things THE FIFTH SERMON ISAI 46.9 Remember the former things of old for I am GOD and there is none else I am GOD and there is none like mee THe third thing which remains is this that there is no other GOD and it is an argument which is often used in Scripture to prove that the Lord is God because there is none besides him for so you are to understand it I am GOD because there is no other this particle is so used many times Esay 45.22 I am GOD and there is none else there is none beside me and this shewes the falsenesse of all other gods and all other religions and the argument stands thus That if you looke to all former times you shall see that there was never any other God or any other religion but this which wee professe There are two arguments set downe in the Text 1 Remember the former times and you shall alwayes finde it thus that there is none besides mee 2 There is none like
he cannot change it suddenly But it is not so with God hee can alter a thing as easily to the left hand as to the right and that in an instant Object But what dependance is there between things doe we not see strange things come to passe that we can see no reason for as the Churches overthrowne the godly afflicted the wicked exalted Answ. Well saith the Lord this is to bee considered further that one wheele is within another and the wings of the Angels are one within another there is a sutablenesse and an agreeablenesse betweene them so that take the changes of a thousand yeares and if you summe them up you shall finde them as wheeles one within another Therefore I would summe up the answer thus this deceives us we look upon Gods providence in some few particulars only that we looke upon a wheele or two and not as they are one within another for then indeed we should see things that might cause us to wonder as we see Ioseph an innocent man lying in disgrace and imprisonment and David though innocent yet a long time disgraced in the Court of Saul and afterwards Shimei cursing him yea wee see Iesus Christ himselfe delivered and condemned for an impostor and that by witnesses and in a legall manner so we see Paul one that was a man full of zeale yet accounted one of the worst men that lived in his time and Naboth an innocent man condemned to death by witnesses stoned and who shall rise againe to shew his innocencie If you looke but upon a wheele or two you shall finde the Church ready to bee swallowed up in Esters time but if you looke upon them all at once then you will see that these passages have eyes in them and that they have Angels and the Spirit to guide them As for example looke on all the wheeles of Iosephs life you shall see the envie of his brethren selling him to the steward of Pharaohs house and there his falling out with his mistresse his casting into prison and there meeting with Pharaohs officers he was thereby made knowne to Pharaoh and so he became great in Pharaohs Court and then you see it is a goodly worke So in David take all the wheeles together and you shall see a glorious work how God brought him along to the Kingdome God was with him and wrought his works for him when he did sit still and when his hand was not upon Saul then he sent the Philistines to vex him and to end his dayes and first hee gave David the Kingdome of Iudah and then afterwards Abner and Isobosheth fell out about a word and one of them was slaine and then also came two wicked men and tooke off the others head and so came home the whole Kingdome of Israel into his hand So also in Esthers time take all the wheeles together and you shall see an excellent act of Gods providence when the Church was ready to be destroyed when the neck was upon the block and the sword drawne out ready to strike and that that night the King should not sleepe but that a booke must be brought and rather that than another and that the place should be opened where he should finde Mordecai his revealing of the treason against him and thereupon the decree was revoked and the Church delivered I say take all these together and we shall plainly see that in this strange administration of things there is still a providence and that there are eyes in the wheeles and a spirit to guide them Object 3 If there be such a God that made the Heaven and the Earth what is the reason then that wee see things are brought to passe by naturall causes If there be a cause for such a thing the effect doth follow when there is no cause then the effect doth not as a wise man doth bring a thing to passe but the foolish miscarry in them we see the diligent hand maketh rich and hee that labours not hath nothing and things that are strong prevaile against those that are weake and so God is forgotten in the world and his wisdome and power is not seene Answ. 1 It is not so God doth carry it often another way as it is Eccles. 9.11 Alway the battell is not to the strong but chance and accident befall them all that is the LORD of purpose doth often change them that his power and might may be seene We see often that Princes walke on foot like servants and servants ride like Princes as in Chap. 10. that is things doe not alwayes come to passe according to their causes for when the cause is exceeding faire to bring forth such an effect yet we see it is an abortive birth and such things come to passe that we looked not for as he that was diligent many times comes to povertie the wise doe often miscarry in bringing their enterprises to passe Answ. 2 Though the immediate cause produceth the effect yet who is the first cause As for example though folly be the cause that such a businesse doth miscarry yet who is the cause of that folly It is sin that bringeth destruction and doth precipitate a man thereunto but who is it that leaveth men to their sins and lusts You see what was the immediate cause of the losse of Rehoboams Kingdome the ill counsell that was given him by the young men but who was it that fitted the cause thereunto was it not the Lord So on the contrary wee see that godlinesse is the cause of good successe and makes men to prosper but who is the cause of that cause is it not the Lord himselfe Object 4 But oftentimes it is ill with those that are good and well with those that are wicked the wicked prosper many times when it goes ill with those that feare the LORD oftentimes it commeth to the wicked according to the worke of the righteous and contrarily If there be a God what is the reason that this comes to passe Answ. It is certaine that whensoever any wicked man doth an evill act and a good man doth well and serveth the Lord with a perfect heart that there is a sentence of good and evill goes with it but God doth often suspend the reward to the godly and of punishment to the wicked the execution of them is deferred Besides we are often mistaken for that which we thinke to be ill to us is many times for our good and that which we thinke is very happie and prosperous may be hurtfull to us As for example when Iacob came from Laban GOD said to him Be not afraid I am with thee and I will doe thee good You see Iacob was no sooner gone but Laban follows him and would have done him much hurt had not the Lord taken him off No sooner was Laban gone from him but Esau comes against him and when the Lord had rescued him from him when he was come neerer home when he might have
expected some rest after his weary journey yet then his daughter was ravished and his two sonnes were rebellious and committed murther after that Rachel died and Deborah who was Rebeccah's nurse who was a good woman and therfore a great losse to his family after all this a famine fell upon him yet for all this God said that he would doe him good and doubtlesse God was as good as his word and hee did him good for that medicine is good that doth us good though it be bitter and so was it with these afflictions So Paul he prayed that he might have an happie journey to Rome and no doubt the LORD heard his prayer as appeareth by the Lords appearing to him yet see what a kinde of prosperous journey he had what a deale of trouble did he meet with Being in great afflictions he went to Ierusalem thinking there to be comforted by the Saints and when he came thither hee went into the Temple thinking he had well provided for himselfe but then he was hardly entertained put into prison and sent bound to Caesarea and afterwards was in many perils upon the sea And this was the prosperous journey that Paul had and surely it was happie and did much good to his owne soule whereby he did good to others a journey that led him into many experiments of Gods providence and goodnesse towards him therefore wee must not judge according to the outside or that which the world accounts of and appeares to be evill for they may be causes of much good to us therefore Saint Iames wils us Iames 1.2 3. to rejoyce when wee fall into divers temptations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is but a triall of your faith These varieties of afflictions are as fire to cleanse your faith and make it shine more and grow more therefore saith he rejoyce when you fall into variety of them for the variety of them will cure that variety of evils and diseases in us as poverty may do that which sicknesse cannot do and imprisonment may heale that which povertie or disgrace cannot doe c. So on the contrary those good things are not alwayes good which we account good as when a man goes on from one good blessing to another and is carried with a prosperous wind and findes no change in any thing this may also tend to his hurt and destruction as the other to his salvation these slay the foolish even as the other save the godly for these often-times doe make the soule fouler and fouler and make it to be more rustie This want of changes makes men to depart from God and fall into evill whereas the other makes us the more carefully to cleanse our wayes and to cleave more firmely to him Therefore let us take heed that we be not deceived about these evils Object 5 What is the reason then that as dies the beast so doth man die to our appearance there are none that rise from the dead indeed if one should come from heaven or hell and bring us word what is done there wee should beleeve it but when did any ever heare of such a thing Answ. You have more than if a man should come from the dead from either of these two places for you have Christ come into the world from the bosome of the Father and he hath brought us newes what is done there Besides we have God himselfe who is as it were come from heaven and hath revealed many things unto us and hath declared his will what he would have us to doe as to Moses upon Mount Sinai and hee would have done it to this day but that our weaknesse cannot endure the mightinesse and greatnesse of his Majestie but would say as the people did Let not the Lord speake to us any more lest we die but let MOSES let him send his messengers let him speake no more Againe the Spirit whereby the Prophets and Apostles spake to us was it not sent from heaven Againe suppose one should come from either of those two places would you beleeve him It might be a false relation would you beleeve him without further ground But it is a direct answer which our Saviour giveth to this question Luke 16. the two last verses it was the objection of Dives if there came one from the dead againe they would beleeve it Abraham answers They have Moses and the Prophets and if they will not beleeve them they will not beleeve though one should come from the dead as if he should say these carry greater evidence in them they have more power to confirme the truth that they delivered that it came from the great God of heaven and earth than if a man should arise from the dead if we consider the many miracles which they did and holy life which they led Object But if you will say that indeed for the declaring of things and for the confirmring of truths there is more evidence in these than if one did arise from the dead but if one should come from the dead this would be much to shew the eternitie of things and the immortality of the soule Answ. If this be so you see that men have risen from the dead as when Christ did arise then many arose from the dead THE THIRD SERMON HEBREWES 11.6 He that commeth to God must beleeve that God is c. NOw we proceed to that which remaines we will shew you how this point is made manifest to you by faith that GOD made the Heavens and the Earth It is done after this manner When you beleeve the Scriptures to be true and finde this set downe in the Scripture that God made Heaven and Earth then you beleeve that there is an eternall Deity that is the Author and Maker of all these things and thus faith gathers the conclusion Object If you aske me how faith differs from reason and how this second proofe differs from the former Answ. 1 I answer after this manner There is a double assent One is a doubtfull assent which we call Opinion that is when we assent to the one part so as we feare the contrary to be true The other is a firme assent and this is two-fold Either it is grounded upon reason which we call Knowledge or else is grounded upon the authoritie of him that reveales it and this wee call Faith And the difference of them stands in this The objects of the first which wee call Knowledge are naturall things such as God did not reveale himselfe but they lye before us and reason can finde them out but Faith beleeveth things that are revealed by God yet so as that there is no reason for them as well as for the other For if one come and tell you any thing and if you beleeve it you can give a reason of it and why you beleeve it aswell as of any other naturall conclusion as that he is a wise man and one that I know will tell the truth
of his in the creatures So that you see there are two wayes to come to the knowledge of this that God is One I say is by naturall reason Or else to make it more plaine we shall see this in these two things 1 There is enough in the very creation of the world to declare him unto us 2 There is a light of the understanding or reason put into us whereby we are able to discerne those characters of God stamped in the creatures whereby we may discerne the invisible things of God his infinite power and wisdome and when these are put together that which is written in the creature there are arguments enough in them and in us there is reason enough to see the force of those arguments and thence we may conclude that there is a GOD besides the arguments of Scripture that wee have to reveale it For though I said before that Divinity was revealed by the HOLY GHOST yet there is this difference in the points of Theologie Some truths are wholly revealed and have no foot-steps in the creatures no prints in the creation or in the workes of GOD to discerne them by and such are all the mysteries of the Gospell and of the Trinitie other truths there are that have some vestigia some characters stamped upon the creature whereby wee may discerne them and such is this which wee now have in hand that There is a God Therefore we will shew you these two things 1 How it is manifest from the creation 2 How this point is evident to you by faith 3 A third thing i will adde that this God whom we worship is the only true God Now for the first to explicate this that The power and God-head is seene in the creation of the world Besides those Demonstrations else-where handled drawne from the Creation in generall as from 1 The sweet concent and harmony the creatures have among themselves 2 The fitnesse and proportion of one unto another 3 From the reasonable actions of creatures in themselves unreasonable 4 The great and orderly provision that is made for all things 5 The combination and dependance that is among them 6 The impressions of skill and workmanship that is upon the creatures All which argue that there is a God There remaine three other principall arguments to demonstrate this The consideration of the Originall of all things which argues that they must needs bee made by GOD the Maker of Heaven and Earth which wee will make good to you by these particulars If man was made by him for whom all things are made then it is certaine that they are made also For the argument holds If the best things in the world must have a beginning then surely those things that are subserving and subordinate to them must much more have a beginning Now that man was made by him consider but this reason The father that begets knowes not the making of him the mother that conceives knowes it not neither doth the formative vertue as we call it that is that vigour that is in the materials that shapes and fashions and articulates the body in the wombe that knowes not what it doth Now is is certaine that he that makes any thing must needs know it perfectly and all the parts of it though the stander by may be ignorant of it As for example he that makes a statue knowes how every particle is made he that makes a Watch or any ordinary worke of art he knowes all the junctures all the wheeles and commissures of it or else it is impossible that hee should make it now all these that have a hand in making of man know not the making of him not the father nor the mother nor that which wee call the formative vertue that is that vigour which is in the materials which workes and fashions the bodie as the work-man doth a statue and gives severall limbes to it all these know it not therefore hee must needs be made by God and not by man and therefore see how the Wise-man reasons Psal. 94.9 Hee that made the eye shall he not see he that made the eare shall not he heare c. that is he that is the maker of the engines or organes or senses or limbes of the body or hee that is maker of the soule and faculties of it it is certaine that he must know though others doe not the making of the body and soule the turnings of the will and the windings of the understanding all those other are but as pensils in the hand of him that doth all the pensill knowes not what it doth though it drawes all it is guided by the hand of a skilfull Painter else it could do nothing the Painter only knoweth what he doth so that formative vertue that vigour that formes the bodie of a man that knowes no more what it doth than the pensill doth but he in whose hand it is who sets it on worke it is he that gives vigour and vertue to that seed in the womb from whence the bodie is raised it is he that knows it for it is he that makes it And this is the first particular by which wee prove that things were made and had not their originall from themselves The second is If things were not made then it is certaine that they must have a being from themselves Now to have a being from it selfe is nothing else but to be God for it is an inseparable propertie of God to have his being from himselfe Now if you will acknowledge that the creatures had a being of themselves they must needs be Gods for it belongs to him alone to have a being of himselfe and from himselfe The third followes which I would have you chiefly to marke If things have a being from themselves it is certaine then that they are without causes as for example That which hath no efficient cause that is no maker that hath no end Looke upon all the workes made by man that we may expresse it to you take an house or any worke or instrument that man makes therefore it hath an end because he that made it propounded such an end to himselfe but if it have no maker it can have no end for the end of any thing is that which the maker aymes at Now if things have no end they could have no forme for the forme and fashion of every thing ariseth only from the end which the maker propounds to himselfe as for example the reason why a knife hath such a fashion is because it was the end of the maker to have it an instrument to cut with the reason why an axe or hatchet hath another fashion is because it might be an instrument to chop with and the reason why a key hath another fashion different from these is because the maker propounded to himselfe another end in making of it namely to open lockes with these are all made of the same
river you will say it hath need though it be full it hath need of the fountaine to maintaine it so may I say of the creatures though they be full of perfection in their kinde yet they have need of that fountaine from whence their perfection commeth which if it be stopt they will come to nothing Thus God is infinitely perfect and immense having no limits For all limits are either from the matter or from the forme the forme is limited because it wants matter to carry it to a further extent and the matter is limited because it is bounded with such a forme but in God there is neither matter nor forme as there is nothing without him so there is nothing within him to bound that largenesse of being which he hath But now to apply this Vse 1 If God be thus full of being as the sea is full of water and a thousand times fuller then all that you can doe reacheth not to him Psal. 16.4 It extends not to him the sinnes that you commit hurt him not all the righteousnesse you performe doth not pleasure or benefit him and if it be so then consider what little cause you have to murmure against him at any time upon any occasion For all discontentment among the creatures comes from the hence that their expectation is not satisfied and what is the reason why it is not satisfied but because they thinke that there is some reason why they should bee respected Therefore examine your owne hearts whether there be not a secret popery in your hearts that you think that you can do somthing that reacheth to God that he should respect you for but if God be thus ful thou canst doe nothing that can reach to him But you shall see how prone men are to this are we not ready to say Why am I not in so great a place as another Why have not I more gifts Why have I not greater imployments Why have I such imperfections Why am I thus subject to diseases and crosses Whence comes this Because we expect something because we thinke we are not well dealt with and why doe we thinke so because men thinke that there is something in them why they should be lookt after they thinke that they have carried themselves so that they thinke there is something in justice due to them But if thou canst say with David and Iob and Christ when he saith to his disciples When you have done all that you can say that you are unprofitable servants What if God will not have David to build a Temple but his sonne must doe it Or Moses to lead the children of Israel into the Land of Canaan but Ioshua must have the glory of it They must be content yet they did more for God than ever thou canst doe therefore thou must labour to be content also The creature doth but take of him whatsoever it hath and therefore it can give nothing to him and shall the River bee beholding to him that drinkes of it because hee comes and quencheth his thirst Or shall the Sunne be beholding to him that hath the use of his light When thou hast done all that thou canst say thou art an unprofitable servant thou canst doe nothing that reacheth to God therefore labour to be vile and low in thine owne eyes and willing to be disposed of as it pleaseth him Againe if this be so then consider the freenesse of his grace in all the goodnesse which hee bestowes for to have done any thing for a man before-hand doth lessen the benefit bestowed Now consider that thou hast done nothing to the Lord therefore labour to magnifie the Lord that hath bestowed it upon thee For this cause the Lord will have justification by faith and not by workes that he might be magnified And so he will have sanctification not by the power of the free-will but by the infused grace of his Spirit that no flesh might boast It is the Lord that is full it is he that gives it to thee thou canst doe nothing to him Rom. 11.35 36. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced him againe for of him and through him and to him are all things c. As if he should say the Lord out of his free grace had shewed mercy to the Iewes for of them he there speakes they were wet like Gideons fleece when all the world was drie Afterwards it pleased him to bedew the Gentiles when the Israelites were dry well he hath done this sayes Paul and what hast thou to say to him Did he any wrong Is he not free May not he doe what he will This is one use Another is that you should be content with his disposing he owes nothing to any for of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen Vse 3 If hee be thus full that the creature doth nothing to promerit at his hand then thou mayest goe to God though thou hast no worth in thee though thou hast done little service to God yet goe to him and say Lord I have done nothing if I had done much yet it would not reach to thee thou art full of perfection and blessed for ever therefore a man may goe to him with great faith and aske great things of him though he be little worth and hath done little service for him For if thou didst God any good thou mightest goe to him and say I have done this and that for thee therefore recompence me But seeing it is not so therefore labour to goe to God in faith and when thou goest thinke with thy selfe why may I not have it aswell as another Doe not say I am not so holy and I cannot doe as Paul and Moses their workes did nothing to him Thinke with thy selfe that when he first chooseth a man he doth it freely and thinkest thou that he is not the same afterwards Therefore now thou mayest go to him on this ground with boldnesse because whatsoever thou doest it is nothing to him Vse 4 Moreover if the Lord be thus full in himselfe then he hath need of nothing He therefore saith to all the men in the world and to all things he saith to Princes I have no need of you to rich men I have no need of you or of your wealth he saith to Schollers that have excellent parts I have no need of you therefore say not I am undone or the Churches are undone because Princes are not for you because men helpe you not for God can helpe them alone he doth not need Princes When there was none saith the LORD I stirred up my selfe like a mightie Giant hee needs no helpe he is most perfect full of being able to doe whatsoever he pleaseth Vse 5 Againe consider with thy selfe that if thousand thousands perish it is nothing to him hee cares no more for the destruction of the whole world than thou
Consider that although a lust left at liberty when God hath taken off the chaine and suffers it to doe what it will doth contract more guilt and doth indeede more hurt to mankind yet he that hath a heart as full of lust and filthinesse is no lesse abominable and odious in Gods sight Take a wolfe that runnes up and downe and kills the sheepe that wolfe is abominable and every one cries out against him but a wise man that sees a wolfe tyed up in a chaine hates that as much as he did the other for he knowes that he hath the same nature and would doe as much hurt if he were let loose So we may say of men whose hearts are full of lusts God it may be hath tyed them up so that they breake not forth yet these lusts are abominable and hatefull in his sight though they doe not so much hurt nor breake so many commandements Therfore let them consider this that live under good families good Tutours or in good company coÌ„monly they are as wolves tied up they cannot break forth so into outward acts it may be they are restrained by reason of some bodies favour that they would not lose or the like but yet they give way to the spirit within that rangeth and lusteth up and downe and this is therefore defiled in Gods sight Consider that these lusts of the Spirit are full of the spawne and egges of sinne that is they are the mother sinne it is pregnant with actuall sinne Iam. 4.1 From whence come warres and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that warre in your members Concupiscence is but as the lust of the Spirit which concupiscence is full of actuall sinnes and brings them forth when occasion is given Iam. 1.15 And therfore it is more hated than an act is which is but one which hath not so much spawne in it and therefore you ought to cleanse your spirit from this pollution Quest. But how shall we doe this to get our spirits thus cleansed Answ. 1 You must search out the pollution of the spirit For the spirit of a man is a deepe thing and hidden full of corners and cranne a lust and pollution will easily hide it selfe in 〈◊〉 therefore thou must finde it out and confesse it Doe as David â—â—d goe to God and say Lord search and try me see if there be any wickednesse in me as if he should say if I could I would search my owne heart but I cannot doe it enough therefore doe thou come and doe it I will open the doores as a man useth to say to the officers that come to looke for a traytour Doe you come in and search if there be any here I will set open my doores so faith David here So when a man would cleanse his heart from the pollutions of his spirit let him doe on that manner remember that to hide a traytour is to be a traytour himselfe therefore labour to finde it and when it is found confesse it to the Lord and lay a just weight upon it What though it never breakes forth into outward actions say to the Lord O Lord I know that thou lookest to the spirit and art conversant about it to have a polluted spirit is an abomination to thee This is a thing that we would doe and wee are oftentimes to blame in this in our prayers for we confesse our actuall sinnes and doe not confesse the pollution of our spirits to the Lord. Quest. But you will say We would faine have some directions to finde out this uncleanesse of our spirits Answ. Consider what ariseth in thy spirit when it is stirred at any time and there thou shalt finde what the pollution of the spirit is Set a pot on the fire and put flesh into it while it is colde there is nothing but water and meat but set it a boyling and then the scumme ariseth It is a similitude used in Ezek. 24.11 12. I say observe what ariseth in thy spirit at any time wheÌ„ there is some commotion when thy spirit is stirred more than ordinary now every temptation is as it were a fire to make the pot boyle any injurie that is offered to us this makes the scumme to arise now see what ariseth out there and when any object comes to allure thee to sinne see what thoughts arise in thy heart as the thoughts of profit or preferment so that when such an opportunity comes it stirres the spirit and sets it on boyling consider what then ariseth in thy heart and thou shalt see what thy spirit is And that which thou art to doe when thou findest it is to confesse it to the Lord and suffer it not to come into outward act cast it out suffer it not to boyle in Ezek. 24.13 When thou hast done this thou must not stay here but thou must labour to loathe and hate that pollution of spirit There are two things to be hated by us the sinne that we looke upon as a pleasant thing but there is besides thy inclination to that thing and that is the pollution of thy spirit and that thou must hate and loathe thou must not onely hate the object that is offered to thee but thy selfe also and the uncleanesse of thy spirit Thus it is with every one whose heart is right Ezek. 36.21 that is when a man begins to looke upon his sinne and see the pollution of the spirit in it he begins to grow to an indignation against it as that is the fruite of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. he findes his heart so disposed that he begins to quarrell with his heart and to fall out with it and to say What have I such a heart that will carry me to sinne that will not onely carry me to sinne but to hell Hee begins to loathe himselfe hee would not owne his owne selfe if hee could hee would goe out of himselfe he is weary of his owne heart such a hatred and loathing thou must have of this pollution of spirit that is in thee And this thou shalt doe if thou wilt but consider what evill this pollution doth bring thee and what hurt filthinesse hath done to thee a man can hate the disease of the body and cry out of it and why should not men doe so of the soule It is our sinne that is the cause of all evill it is not poverty or disgrace or sicknesse but it is sinne in thy poverty sinne in thy disgrace sinne in thy sicknesse so that if a man could looke upon sinne as the greatest evill and that doth him the greatest mischiefe he would hate that above all things And here remember not onely to doe it in generall but to pitch thy hatred chiefly upon thy beloved sinne Be ready to say in this case as Haman of Mordecai what availeth it me if Mordecai yet live If we could do so with our beloved lusts and come to such a hatred of
cleave to him Iohn 6.68 2 Chron. 15.6 Vse 2. For comfort That he will shâ—w himselfe to be the true God in raising up his Churches Esay 48.11 Vers. 10. Esay 42.8 To keepe our hearts from idolatry and to set up no other god Two kindes of Idolatrie Iames 4. Rom. 1. Three grounds of Idolatrie Psal. 115.9 The second thing to bee knowne concerning God What God is What the Essence of God is Exod. 6.3 Gen. 17.1 What is meant by such aforme of expression I am what I am Doctr. God only and properly hath Being in him What this Being is explained in five things Immense Isai. 40. Vers. 17. Of himselfe Rom. 11. Everlasting Without succession Giving Being to all things There is something in Gods Essence not to be inquired into Rom. 1.18 Exod. 33. Isai. 45.9 Rom. 11. Prov. 30.4 Vse 2. To strengthen our faith and encourage us in our wants and crosses Rom. 4.17 Exod. 6.6 Isai. 50.10 Gen. 1. 2 Cor. 4.5 Isai. 6.13 Isai. 42.13 14 Vse 2. To give him the praise of his Being To say I will doe such a thing what a sinne it is It is Idolatrit Isai. 42.8 Hab. 1.16 It is a vanity Psal. 37.5 Isai. 26.12 Psal. 37.7 Vse 3. Learne the vanity of all creatures and the remedie against it Act. 17.28 1 Chro. 29.18 Isai. 56.12 Iames 4.13 14. The Attributes of God are of two sorts God is perfect Act. 17.25 Isai. 40. Five differences betweene the perfection that is in God and which is in the creatures 1 Iohn 1. Reason Then all we can doe reacheth not to him to merit any thing Psal. 16.4 Vse 2. This perfection of his shews the freenesse of his grace and goodnesse in all he gives Rom. 11.35 36. To goe to God with faith though wee have no worth in us to move him God hath no need of any man or creature That many perish is nothing to him His Commandements are for thy good Isai. 36.17 To praise God for himselfe give him the honour of his perfection Psal. 68.1 Foure signes of entitling Gods perfection Deut. 28. Nahum 1. Signe Signe Psal. 27.1.3 Hebr. 11. Signe Coloss. 3. Isai. 55.2 That the creatures in themselves are of no moment to us are nothing in three respects Their efficacie is from God They are at his command Prov. 23. They can doe little good at best and that which they do is of no continuance The second attribute of God GOD is the first without all cause Rev. 1.8 Rev. 3.14 Isai. 44.6 Rom. 11.36 Reason 1. Reason 2. Object it hath that part of it selfe originally Reason 3. God therefore wils not things because they are just but they are just because he wils them God may doe all things for himselfe and his owne glory Matth. 20.15 16. We should do nothing for our owne ends but for God Signes whereby a man may know whether hee maketh God or himselfe his end Acts 6.4 Ioh. 17.4 A third Attribute of God His Eternity Doctr. Five things required in eternitie Isai. 57.15 Psal 90.2 Iohn 8.58 Psal. 90.2 3. The reasons why God must be eternall Foure differences between the eternity of God and the duration of all creatures Consect 1. He possesseth all things together and all time is present and as it were past with him Psal 90.4 To God no time is either long or short 1 Tim. 1.17 Isai. 57.15 Consect 2. Eternitie makes good things infinitely good evill things infinitely evill To mind more those things which are eternall 1 Ioh. 2.17 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Cor. 9.25 Ioh. 6.27 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Motives hereunto God then hath time enough to fulfill his promises and his threatnings therefore not to be offended though he stay long Isai. 40.27 28. 2 Pet. 3.4 with 8 9. Consider you have to doe with a God whose love and enmitie are eternall And therefore first to trust in God and not man Psal. 146.3 4. Psal. 90.1 Secondly to feare him Isai 5.13 14. 1 Ioh 2.17 To serve God and to doe his will To comfort our selves against the mutabilitie of things here below Psa. 102.11 12. Psa. 102.26 27. Isai. 57.15 God is the Lord of all time appoints seasons and we are not to looke on time to come as ours Psal. 90.5 Iames 4.13 14. The fourth Attribute of God His Simplicity Iohn 4.24 GOD a Spirit What kinde of spirit 4 Properties of a spirit Luke 24.39 Iohn 3.8 Isay 31.3 Gods eye is chiefly upon the spirits of men and our care therefore is to keep our spirits fit for communion with GOD. 1 Sam. 16.7 How that is to be done 2 Cor. 7.1 Lust defiles the spirit 2 Pet. 1.4 T it 1.15 Mat. 15 19. Rom 7. Actuall sinnes coâ—â—itted by 〈…〉 of the spiâ—â—t Iames 4. 3 Reasons or considerations proving it Isay 57. Iames 4.1 Iames 1.15 Directions for cleansing the spirit Ezek. 24.11 12. Ezek 24.13 Ezek. 36.21 2 Cor. 7. Isay 4.4 Ierem. 23.24 Mal. 3. Zach 13.9 Isay 66.2 1 Pet. 3.3 Prov. 3.22 Iam. 2.5 Heb. 12.28 Phil. 4.8 2 Cor. 5. Iames 1 10. 1 Cor. 6.12 13. 2 Pet. 2.12 Iohn 4.34 His government chiefly exercised on the spirits of men Rom. 14.17 Psal. 13.14 15. Psal. 81.12 Deut. 30.6 Ezek. 36.26 2 Tim. 4.22 Proved by 3 Demonstrations Eccles. 9.1 Iohn 16.9 Lam. 3 65. 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 4.24 â—orship him 〈◊〉 â—pirit Rom. 1.9 What it is to serve God in the spirit Col. 3.16 Particularly in three things Isay 29.13 Ier. 12.2 2 Sam. 6.14 Rom. 15 30. Acts 20. Col 3.22 Col. 3.22 What necessity there is of fit gestures of the body in Gods worship 1 Cor. 6 20. Acts 9. Psal. 51.16 17 Luke 22 42. Luke 4. * How God describes himself to Moses Exod. 34.6 Ier. 23.24 Deut. 24. Exod. 34.6 The Simplicity of GOD proved by 6 Reasons Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 5. Reas. 6. Consect 1. See what a stable foundation faith hath to rest upon Psal. 46.1 2. Consect 2. God cannot be hindred in any worke he goes about Consect 3. That the Attributes of GOD are equall in his iustice and his mercy c. To labour for contentednesse with the simplicity of our condition Phil. 4. Labour for simplicity and singlenesse of heart Iam. 1.8 Iames 4.8 Matth. 10.16 Rom. 12.8 Goe to God rather than the creatures hee being mercy wisedome it selfe c. by reason of the simplicity that is in him The fifth Attribute of God His Immutability Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 5. Consect 1. Consect 2. That all his love hatred ioy c. were in him from eternity Whence 1. He must needs be righteous in all his wayes Take heede of provoking him to cast thee off Gods gifts and calling are without repentance to his Elect Heb. 6.18 Isay. 55.3 Heb. 10.23 1 Cor. 15.58 That the unchangeablenes of Gods Decrees takes not away endeavours We shall finde God the same in dispensing iudgements mercies in these times to us that he hath beene in former times to them Two cases wherein God will punish his owne A caution added Esay 59.1 Containes two branches Looke on the creatures as mutable and expect not much from them Goe to God to put a stability into the things thou enioyest Learn to prize things by their unchangeablenesse as Grace c. To goe to God to get constancy in well-doing Two causes of inconstancy and two means to procure constancy Lusts get them mortified Iam 4.8 Vnconstancy comes from weaknesse Three helpes to strengthen purposes The sixth Attribute of God His Greatnesse and Infinitenesse The Greatnes of GOD declared in 6 things By the workes of Creation By the Ensigns of his Greatnesse By the workes of his providence By comparing him with the greatest things By the Immensity of his being By his holinesse Proved by 4 Reasons Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. To know our interest in this Great God and to take up a greatnesse of minde answerable How a man shall come by this greatnesse of minde and what rise it hath from Gods greatneâ— Learne to feare for his greatnesse That no affection or obedience in us is great enough for him and therefore not to 〈◊〉 our selves in either 1 Iohn 2.15 Iames 4.4 To reverence him when wee come before him and to feare him The seventh Attribute of God The Infinitenesse of his Presence Or His Immensity Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Hee governes the world immediately which is a remedy against the complaint of evill Governours Therefore to choose him and reioyce in him as a friend in all places See a ground of his particular providence in the smallest things It teacheth us patience and meeknesse when iniuries are offered Iames 5 9 To walk with God A mans presence is seene in three things And so is Gods with us and ours with him Vse 6 Hee observeth all the sinnes thou committest and all the good thou doest for encoragement and restrainte Terror to wicked men who have such an enemy from whom they cannot fly Amos 9.2 3 4. The eighth Attribute of God His Omnipotence Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Let all in Covenant with God reioyce that they have an Almighty God for their God Make use of his power in all wants and in all straits c. To beleeve this great power of God That men doubt as much of the power of God as of his will by 3 instances Seeke and pray to him in all straits with confidence