the humble and mocke Those who set upon things rashly without prayer as though they were Lords of all and without dependance upon God promising themselves good successe they make Idols of themselves as a proud man is an Idoll hee worships himselfe whilst he leanes to his owne wit plots and parts carnall men thus Idolize themselves Againe you have some who are none of the worst 7. Idolatry is committed by trusting to the performances and tasks of Religion who commit this great sinne of Idolatry by trusting to the outward performances and taskes of Religion thinking that God must needs be bound unto them when they have done so many taskes read and prayd or heard so many sermons or done a good deed But heere lyeth the spirituall subtilty in that they set up these things too high when if they finde not that successe they looke for then they inwardly murmur against God when rather all these things should be done with a spirit of Humility and subjection using them onely as meanes whereupon we expect Gods blessing craving his assistance and strength to doe them in a holy and a selfe-denying manner when we doe otherwise and trust to the outward taskes and performances we doe wee make them Idols And you have many that goe along with outward performances who never come to a dram of grace because they trust to the outward performances and looke not to the life and soule of them which is the Spirit of God assisting quickning strengthning blessing them The life of a Christian is a perpetuall dependance upon God in the use of meanes and not an Idolizing of them to bee carelesse when he hath done his taske 8. It is Idolatry so to trust to the worke of grace as to neglect justificatioÌ„ and acceptation to life everlasting But a more subtill Idolatrie then this is of an other kinde when we trust too much to the worke of grace and rely not upon God in Christ in the matter of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which is a fault both 1. Before 2. After Conversion First before Conversion When we thinke we have not done so much good and beene sufficiently humbled and therefore that God will not be mercifull to us as if Christ must take us with dowry of good deeds or else hee cannot whereas all grace is promised upon our entry and comming into the Covenant of grace upon our believing when we come with emptie hearts and hands The poore saith Christ receive the Gospell Mat. 11.5 Mat. 9.13 Mat. 11.21 and those that are lost Christ is sent to save them and to call in the weary and heavie laden And after Conversion those that are in the state of grace oftentimes want that comfort in the maine point of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which they should have because they looke into their imperfections seeing this and that want and so are swallowed up of discomfort whereas if we had all the graces in the world yet we must live by Faith relying upon the merits of Christ For our good works bring us not to Heaven as a cause but onely are helps and comforts to us in our walking to Heaven For if we had all the sinnes of all men yet Christs all-sufficient Righteousnesse is sufficient for to doe them all away if wee can goe out of our selves and cleave to that Therefore in trouble of conscience we must not looke either to our good or our ill but to Gods infinite Mercy and to the infinite satisfaction of our blessed Sâ—viour the Lord Jesus Christ there as it were loosing our selves seeing our sinnes as mountaines drowned in the infinite sea of his Mercy The blood of Christ that will pacifie and stay the conscience nothing else can give rest to our soules If we looke to our workes and to the measure of our sanctification what saith holy Paul in the like case Yea doubtlesse Phil. 3.8 and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ even his Righteousnesse and best works therefore there is no regard to be had of them in that case Wherefore when wee would speake comfort to a distressed conscience wee must not looke to his ill or good but to the command This is his command that we believe 1 Iohn 3.23 and looke to the all sufficiencie of God in Christ and the promises whereby we honour God in giving him the glory of his truth and depart with comfort Therefore though wee hate grosse Idolatry yet we see there are many wayes wherein the soule may bee seduced whereby we may come very neere that sinne which our soule hateth by trusting too much to something out of God Vse 5 If then the case be thus how shall we come to reforme it for a Use of Direction so as to flie from all Idolatrie How to reforme our selves so as to flie from Idolatry and to say with Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols First of all doe but consider Gods hatred unto all sorts of Idolaters for he accounts such to hate him and so accordingly punisheth them In the second Commandement those that are given to Idolatrie in any kinde are such as hate God which is a horrible thing and yet notwithstanding this is the disposition of all such as are Jdolaters so farre forth as they are Jdolaters they hate God for the more we know God the more we shall hate all Idols What have I now any more to doe with Idols Labour to grow in the sound knowledge of God and of Christ and of their all-sufficiency Marke S. Paules method Coloss 2. and in other places when he would draw us from all outward things he speakes gloriously of the fullnesse of Christ In him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily and In him you are compleat Col. 2.9 When he would draw them from touch not taste not handle not worshipping of Angels and from counterfeit humility hee labours to dispossesse them of these Idolatrous conceits and to possesse them of the fullnesse of Christ If in him we have fullnesse why should we looke for any thing out of him If we be compleat in him Jf all fullnesse be in him why doe wee seeke any thing out of that fullnesse Thus the holy Apostle shutteth up his first Epistle Babes keepe you from Idols What is promised there 1 John 5.21 Christ is eternall life all is in him whereupon presently comes this Babes keepe you from Idols If life and happinesse and all be in Christ If we be compleat in him and the fullnesse of all be in him why should we goe out of him for any thing Gen. 17.1 When God would perswade Abraham to leave all Idolatrie and all things else to depend wholly upon him what doth he first possesse him with I
particular Christian and it is very necessary it should be so for without growth neither can we give God his due Honour nor he receive the smell of a sweet Sacrifice from us as is fit Nor can we without it with-stand our enemies or beare our crosses that God may call us too Againe without growth and strength we cannot performe those great duties that God requires at our hands of Thankfulnesse nor doe things so cheerefully and sweetly as may be comfortable to us In summe without growth wee can doe nothing acceptably either to God or his people the more Grace the more acceptance Which is spoken that wee may value the Promises this especially that we shall grow up in Grace and Knowledge as the Lillie and cast forth our rootes as Lebanon But how shall wee come to grow Answ Goe to God that we may continually have from him the sanctifying dew of his grace goe first for pardon of sinne 1. We must goe to God claiming the promises in a right order then for a heart to reforme our wayes to enter in a new covenant for the time to come that wee will not trust in Ashur but will renounce our particular personall sinnes after which we shall find sanctifying grace so as the dew of Gods Spirit will make us grow therefore take this order to improove the promises Goe to God for his love in Christ for the pardoning of sinne and accepting of us in him that we may find a sence of his love in accepting of our persons in the pardoning of our sinne which is the ground of love for then this sence of his love will kindle our love towards him againe feeling that we are in the state of grace Then goe to God for his promise in this order Lord thou hast promised that thou wilt be as the dew and that we shall grow as Lillies make good thy promise then that I may finde the effectuall power of it transforming my soule into the blessed Image of thy deare Sonne And know 2. We must use all meanes of growth that we must use all the meanes of growth together with the promise for in the things of this life if a man were assured that the next yeare would be a very plentifull yeare would men therefore because they were thus forewarned hang up their plowes and not prepare their ground no but they would the rather be encouraged to take paines because they know that howsoever God be pleased to vouchsafe plenty yet he will doe it in the use of meanes observing and depending on his Providence So when he hath made gratious promises of the Dew of his Grace and of growth as Lillies c. This implyeth a subordinate serving of his gratious Providence therefore it is a way to stirre us up unto the use of all meanes rather and not to take us off from them Gen. 17.8 Even as God when hee told the Israelites I will give you the Land ef Canaan did onely promise it leaving the remainder to their conquest in the use of meanes Should this have made them cast away their swords No but it was that they might fight and fight the more couragiously So when God hath promised growth in Grace should this make us carelesse O no it should make us more diligent and carefull and comforts us in the use of meanes knowing that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 Now Lord I know I shall not loose my labour in hearing in receiving of the Sacrament in the communion of Saints and use of sanctified Meanes for thou hast made a gratious promise that I shall grew as the Lillie and that thou wilt be as the Dew unto me therefore make thy good worke begun effectuall unto my poore soule that it may flourish and bee refreshed as a watred garden But there are severall sorts of growth formerly touched either 1. A growing upward or 2. A growing in the roote or 3. A Spreading and growing in the Fruit and Sweetnesse Therefore Christians must not alwayes looke to have their growth in one and the same place but must wisely consider of Gods prudent dealing with his children in this kinde as will bee further seene hereafter in the particulars Hee shall cast forth his rootes as Lebanon That is He shall cast and spread and so put forth his rootes as Lebanon he shall grow upward and downeward in regard of firmenesse he shall be more rooted Jn what proportion Trees grow upwards in that proportion they take roote downewards because otherwise they may be top heavy and overturne a blast of winde taking advantage of their talnesse and weakenesse to roote them out the sooner therefore proportionable to their spreading above there must be a rooting in the ground As the prophet speakes to Hezekiah of Gods people 2 King 19.30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Iudah shall yet againe take roote downeward and beare fruit upward There must be firmenesse in the roote as well as growth in the branches for which cause God here promiseth to the Church and every Christian stability and fixednesse that as he groweth upward like the Lillie so he should grow downward firme and strong Quest Now whence comes this rootednesse and firme stabilitie of Gods Children Answ The cause of the Saints stability Ioh 1.16 Especially from this that they are now in the Covenant of grace rooted in Christ who is God-man in whom they are firmely rooted In Adam we had a roote of our owne but now our roote is in Christ All grace is first powred into Christs blessed Nature and then at a second hand Out of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Being rooted in Christ we become firme for there is in him an everlasting marriage and union Rom. 11.18 The Roote beareth us wee beare not the Roote Christ beareth us wee beare not him So now in the covenant of grace all the firmenesse is out of us Even as salvation it selfe was wrought out of us by a Mediatour so it is kept by a Mediatour out of us all goodnesse grace and favour of God to us is not in us but in Christ but it is so out of us as Christ and we are one But now we onely speake of the cause of our firmenesse and stability that because we are in the state of grace we have an everlasting firmenesse as we are in Christ Jesus God now making a second covenant he will not have it disanulled as the first was Lev. 18.5 for his second workes are better then his first His first Covenant was Doe this and live but his second is Rom. 10.9 Beleeve this and live So as howsoever our state in grace be but little yet it is of a blessed growing spreading firme nature so sure as what is begun in grace will end in glory where God gives the first fruits he will give tenths yea the full harvest and all Because by
savoury and fruitfull all agrees to a tree of righteousnesse Wee say of man he is a little world a compendium of this great world as indeed there is a comprising of all the excellencies of the world in man for he hath a being with those creatures who have onely that and therewith he hath growing sense and reason whereby he hath communion with God and those understanding Spirits the Angels so that he is as it were a summe of all the excellencies of the creatures a little world indeed The great world hath nothing but the little world hath the same in some proportion So it is in Grace a Christian hath all excellencies in him that are in the world there is not an excellency in any thing but it is in an higher kinde in a Christian He hath the beauty of the Lillie and he growes up in spreading smell and fruitfulnesse his wisdome exceeds that of all the creatures there is not an excellencie in nature but wee have some proportionable excellencie in grace which is above it God useth these outward things to helpe us that we should doe both body and soule good by the creatures Whatsoever doth our bodies good either by necessity or delight they helpe our soules as plants and trees not onely refresh the outward man and the senses but also they teach our soules as heere the Holy Ghost teacheth them by outward things First it is faid His Branches shall spread When God enriches the soule with saving grace one shall grow every way and flourish aboundantly extending forth their goodnesse one every side largely to the knowledge and open view of others and then further His Beauty shall be as the Olive tree What is the beauty of the Olive tree to be usefull fruitfull and to bring forth good fruit Indeed the glory of a tree is to be loaden with fruit and usefull fruit which is the best property of fruit to be usefull and delightfull So the glory of a Christian who is a plant of righteousnesse of Gods own planting is to abound in fruits of Righteousnesse Indeed the Olive is a very fruitfull tree and the oyle which comes and distils from it hath many excellent properties agreeing to graces Amongst the rest it is a Royall kinde of liquor How the fruitfulnesse of the Olive is compared to divers graces that will bee above the rest so Grace it commands all other things it gives a sanctified use of the creature and subdues all corruption And then it is unmixed it will mingle with nothing light and darkenesse will not mingle no more will grace and corruption for the one is hostile to the other as Salomon speakes The Iust is abhomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 Further It is sweet strengthning and feeding the life as in Zacharie there is mention made of two Olives before the Lord Zach. 4 3. which feede the two candlesticks And Olives of Grace have alwayes fatnesse distilling from Christ to feed his lamp with oyle Gods Church hath alwayes oyle and those that are Olives they keepe the Church by their particular calling 1. He shall be fruitfull as the Olive and 2. Aboundant in fruit as the Olive 3. Constant in fruit like the Olive For it beares fruit much and never failes no not in winter and hath a perpetuall greennesse Indeed the child of God hath a perpetuall verdor as it is Psal 1 his leafe never failes Psal 1.3 Because that which is the cause of flourishing never failes him Which causes are two 1. Moysture 2. Heate For we know Moysture and Heate Causes of the perpetuall flourishing of the Saints these two are the causes of all kindly growth If a tree have more moysture then heate then it is waterish if it have more heate then moysture then there is no bignesse in the fruit So true it is that moisture and heate are the causes of fruitfullnesse in a good proportion So Gods children having the Sonne of Righteousnesse alwayes shining upon them and being alwayes under the Dew of grace the promise being to be as the Dew to Israel having all Dew to fall upon them for moysture and having the Sonne of Righteousnesse to shine upon them to make them fruitfull their leafe never failes they never give over bringing forth fruit because they have in them causes perpetuating fruitfulnesse though not alike Because Christ by his Spirit is a voluntary and not a naturall cause of their fruitfulnesse That is he is such a cause as workes sometimes more and sometimes lesse to shew that grace springs not from our selves and to acquaint us with our own weakenes and insufficiency Heaven is the perfection of all both Graces and Comforts 1 Pet 1.4 Wherfore Peter calls the state of Heaven an inheritance immortall and undefiled that fades not away Why is that an estate of grace and comfort more then this of this world Because it is a never fading estate there they are alway in one tenure and because Christ shewes himselfe alway there there is aboundance of water to moysten them and heate to cherish them There is no intermingling or stopping in growth as is here therefore it is an inheritance that fadeth not away having the supply of a perpetuall cause of flourishing This in some degree is true of the Church on earth it is the inheritance of God that fades not and Christians therein are Olives that bring foorth fruit constantly having a perpetuall freshnesse and greennesse Psal â—2 12 So the Righteous man is compared to the Cedars of Lebanon which bring forth much fruit in their age he shall be fruitfull as the Olive from all which this point formerly touched followeth Observ That it is the Excellencie and Glory of a Christian to be fruitfull in his place Both to be fruitfull in his place as a Christian and in his particular calling To be fruitfull as a Magistrate as a Minister as a governour of a family as a neighbour as a friend to be fruitfull in all Because in Religion every neere relation is as it were a joyning together of the body of Christ one to another by which some good is derived from one to another God uses these relations as conduits to convey graces A good Christian the meanest of them is a good neighbour and doth a great deale of good being fruitfull as a neighbour fruitfull as a friend much more as a husband as a Magistrate as a Minister These relations are a knitting to Christ by which fatnesse and sap is derived from the head for the good of the whole bodie Therefore a Christian in all relations is fruitfull When he comes to be a Christian Hest 4.14 he considers like good Mordecai what good he may doe as he told Hester what if thou be called to the kingdome for this purpose So a Christian will reason with himself what if I be called to be a Magistrate or a Minister for this purpose what if I be called to be a
is set downe a further effect of this Repentance and gratious worke in them A sound and strong well rooted Indignation against their former darling sinnes Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols Backt with a strong Consolation I have heard him and observed him c. Verse 8. 6. The Divers Event and Jssue of this Gods so Gratious Dealing is shewed both in the godly and Wicked 1. The Wise and Prudent understand and know that the wayes of the Lord are right and shall walke in them But 2. The Transgressors shall fall therein Ver. 9. O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity Every word hath his waight and in a manner is an Argument to inforce this Returning O Israel Israel we know is a word of Covenant Iacob was Israel a Prince and Wrestler with God as they also ought to be Therefore he enforceth you also ought to Returne because you are Israel And 2. It was also an Incouragement for them to Returne because God so acknowledgeth them to be Israel and will be Gratious unto them though they were such hideous siners Returne saith Hee unto the Lord Iehovah Who is the chiefe good for when a man returneth to the creature which is a particular changable good unsatisfying the soule he is restlesse still untill he come unto Iehovah who is the all-sufficient universall good who fills and fills the soule abundantly therefore Returne to him who is the fountaine of all good and giveth a Beeing unto all things Ierem. 2.13 and not to broken Cisternes Hee is Iehovah like himselfe and changeth not And then He is thy God Therefore Returne to him who is thy God in Covenant who will make good his gratious Covenant unto thee and did choose thee to be his people before all the nations of the world this therefore is also an Incouragement to Returne And then Thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity Therefore because thou art fallen by thy Iniquities and thine owne Inventions have brought these Miseries upon thee and none but God can helpe thee out of these Miseries seeing he only can and is willing to forgive thy sinnes and revive thee Therefore O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Now in that he forewarneth them of the fearefull Iudgements to come which were to fall upon them unlesse they were prevented by true Repentance hence in generall it is to be observed Obser That God comes not as a suddaine storme upon his people but gives them warning before hee smites them This is verified in Scripture when the crie of Sodome and Gomorrah was great Gen. 18.20.21 The Lord said Because the Cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is very grievous I will goe downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the crie of it which is come unto me and if not I will know And wherefore was the Arke of Noah so long in building but to give warning to that sinnefull age which were nothing bettered by it The like we have of Pharaoh Exod. 11.1 and all the Egyptians who had so many warnings and miracles shewed before their destruction came Thus God dealt in Amos Therfore thus will I do unto thee and because I will doe this unto thee Amos. 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israell O Hierusalem Matth. 23.37 Hierusalem saith Christ thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a henne gathereth the chickens under her wings and ye would not What need wee stand upon proofes are not all the Threatnings of Scripture as so many warning peeces of approaching Iudgements The Reason hereof is His owne nature hee is a Reason 1 God of long suffering Exod. 34 6. he made the world in six dayes yet hath continued it six thousand yeares notwithstanding the many sinnes and provocations thereof His mercies being over all his works Psal 145.9 And partly from a speciall regard to his owne Reason 2 deare children these terrible thretnings not being killing and wounding but like Ionathans warning Arrowes who though he shot yet ment no other harme to David 1. Sam. 20. Vse save to forewarne him of harme Let us therefore observe Gods gratious and milde dealing in so much mercy who giveth us so many warnings by his servants lesser judgments which wee have had amongst us Let us take notice and believe so as beliefe may stirre up feare and feare may provoke care and care stirre up indeavours to provide us an Arke even a hiding place beimes before winter and worse times come upon us Hence issueth another generall Point Observ That The best provision for preventing of destruction is spirituall meanes God himselfe is a Spirit and spirituall means reach unto him who is the first mover of the great wheele of all the affaires of this world It is preposterous to beginne at the second cause we trouble our selves in vaine there when wee neglect the first Wee should therefore begin the worke in Heaven and first of all Take up that quarrell which is betwixt God and our soules If this be done first we need not feare the carriage of second things Rom. 8.28 all which God out of his good providence and gratious care will frame to worke for good to his for whose sakes rather then helpe should faile he will create new helpes Isa 4.5 Wherefore in all things it is best to beginne with God The third generall point is this That Obser Of all Spirituall meanes The best is to returne to the Lord. In Returning 1 There must be a stop In this Returning 1. There must be a stop those who have run on in evill waies must first stop their lewd courses for naturally from our birth and childhood we are posting on to Hell and yet such is our madnesse unlesse the Spirit of God shew us our selves to be angry with these who stand in our way To make this stop then which is alwayes before Returning 1. There must be Examination and Consideration whether our wayes tend there be stopping Considerations which both waken a man and likewise put rubs in his way If a man upon Examination find his waies displeasing unto God disagreeing from the Rule and consider what will be the end and issue of them nothing but death and damnation and withall consider of the day of Iudgment The houre of Death The all-seeing eye of God and the like So the Consideration of a mans owne wayes and of Gods wayes towards him partly when God meetes him with goodnesse I have hitherto beene a vile wretch and God hath beene good to me and spared me and partly when God stops a wicked mans waies with thornes meetes him with crosses and afflictions these will worke upon an ingenious spirit to make him have better thoughts
or backeward for affections are planted in the soule answerable to things aimed at by it For as in the nature of things there be good and bad delightfull and hatefull hurting or pleasing so answerably God hath framed the soule to the nature of things That the soule hath affections suitable to the things it aimeth at For good things God hath planted affections in us to joyne claspe imbrace them and welcome them as Love Joy Delight and such like And for evill things he hath planted affections to avoid them That Religion is especially in the affections as indignation hatred and the like Indeed Religion is mainely in the affections whereof there is excellent use take away them and take away all Religion whatsoever A man were it not for his affections is like Mare mortuum the dead sea that never stirreth Therefore it is but a doting idle conceit of these rigid men that take away affections much like the follie of them who because they have beene drunke with wine doe therefore cut up all the vines But the way were to moderate the excesse not to cut up the vines So for the affections wee must not roote them up or cut them downe but order them aright For what doth the first Commandent require Thou shalt have no other gods but mee But a right ordering of all the affections of the soule Ioy delight trust and feare and the whole frame of them to be carried to God For the inward worship of God is nothing else but the excellent working of these affections sutably to the Law with the detestation of the contrary It is not knowledge that makes a man a good man but the affections the Divell and wicked spirits know much but they have no love joy or delight in them Therefore we must value our selves and things as we are in our will and affections for so God valueth us and we should value others thereby This well done would bring us a wondrous deale of comfort and stop our too much and rigid judging and censuring of others Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols Now in particular we see here that Ephraim not onely leaveth Idols but there is planted in him a sound indignation against them whence we may learne Observ That it is not enough to leave sinne but we must loath sinne also A notable place to this purpose we have in the Prophecie of Isaiah what they should doe after their conversion in the case of hatred to Idolatry Isa 30.22 Yee shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of silver and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence There is a hatred and a strong loathing indignttion against sinne when it is discovered in the pollution and vilenesse thereof which affection of hatred God hath planted to draw the soule away from any thing that is truely hurtfull to it It is not enough to leave sin for some by ends as feare of punishment shame and the like but we must loath it also The Prophet David when he professeth his love to the law Psal 119.163 how prooveth he it I hate and abhorre lying Psal 13â— 21 And so againe Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with perfect hatred I account them mine enemies Here is hatred and perfect hatred with abhomination Reason 1 The Reason is because God is a Spirit and lookes to the bent of our spirits seeing what we love and what we hate Iohn 4.24 therfore the strength of this consideration draweth the soule to hate and love with God as hee hates and loves and as much as may be to hate sinne as he doth Reason 2 And then againe he requireth our heart especially My sonne give me thy heart Give me thy love in that which is good and hate that which is ill What ill we leave we must hate first and what good we doe we must first love or else we shall never doe either of them acceptably to purpose What the heart doth not is not done in Religion if it hath no hand in the avoiding of ill it is not avoided if it have no hand in the doing of good it is not done before God Therefore in true conversion there must be a loathing of sinne Reason 3 Thirdly Because in all true conversion there is a new nature put in us now the New Creature which partaketh of the Divine Nature whereby we resemble God it hath an Antipathy to the greatest ill which is sinne the cause of all other evils whatsoever which maketh us opposite to God defileth the soule and hindereth our sweet communion with him A new Creature we know hath a new disposition and is opposite to the works of the flesh they are contrary to one another so that we see it cleere that we must not onely leave but loath sinne Quest. But how may we know discerne and trie this true hatred of sinne Answ Our hatred of sinne is 1. when it is universall First true hatred is universall he who hates ill truely hates it universally in the whole kinde As we see in wicked men and divels who hate God and all goodnesse so on the contrary those that are good hate all ill whatsoever whether it pleasure or displeasure them they stand not upon it they hate the very nature of all ill Those whose obedience and affections are partiall they hate some evills but not others which is not true hatred wrought by the Spirit of God for that is universall to the whole kinde 2. Implacable Then also wheresoever true hatred is it is unplacable and unappeasable there 's no true end of sound hatred but by the abolishing altogether of that thing it hates as we see the hatred of Satan to the Church and people of God is unappeasable and unquenchable nothing in the world can stay Satans hatred nor the hatred of his instruments who hate the remembrance of Gods people Therefore the very name of Calvin and Luther must be put out of their bookes to satisfie their hatred Not onely when they are dead burne their bones but abolish their memory if they can So there is the like disposition in Gods people to that which is ill A godly disposition it hateth sinne even to the death and is not quiet untill all sinne be abolished Whereupon it is never quiet in this life but desires Heaven not enduring patiently the least reliques and rags of sinne desiring that that which it so hateth might have no being at all Those who mince and cull things who are so gentle and tender towards their sinnes and corruptions in themselves and others is this that hatred which is unappeasable and never rests till it see either a through Reformation or abolishing of what it so hateth Wherin it is a
the Prophet begins to shew the divers effects these right wayes of God have in two sorts of people the godly and wicked 1. That the just shall walke in them 2. That the Transgressors shall fall therein Who be just men The just shall walke in them who be the just men here spoken off Such are just men who give to every one their due that gives God his due in the first place and man in the second place whereby it is framed The just shall walk in them that is they shall proceed and goe on in them till they be come to the end of their race the Salvation of their soules And more particularly They respect all Gods Commandements Just men first are such who have a respect unto al Gods commandements Psa 119.6 Though in their disposition they find some more hard to them then others yet they doe not allow themselves to breake any but strive so much the more earnestly and constantly to observe them as they finde their natures opposite to them Now Hypocrites howsoever they doe many things in shew yet like Herod and Iudas their hearts run in a wrong channell they allow themselves to live in and like of some sinne The young man in the Gospell had not a respect unto all Gods Commandements Mat. 19. though Christ loved his aimiable parts to this purpose Iames saith Iam. 2.10 Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet off end in one point he is guilty of all That is hee who alloweth himselfe in any one sinne he is guilty of all Aske Iudas is murder good he would have said no but he was covetous and allowed himselfe in it and so drew upon him the guilt of all the rest God is he who forbids sinning against them all he who forbids one forbids all and being rightly turned to God the same authority makes us leave all it is not sinne but the allowance of it that makes an Hypocrite Againe they doe things to a good end They doe things to a good end the Glory of God and the good of man For want heereof the almes prayers and fasting of the Scribes and Pharisees because they did nothing out of love to God or man but for vaine glory and carnall respects are condemned of Christ So some are brought in at the last day saying Lord Lord have we not in thy name prophecied Mat. 7.22 and in thy name cast out Divels and in thy name done many wonderfull works and yet Christ professeth not to know them but calleth them workers of iniquity They had Gifts and Calling and delivered true doctrine c. But heere was their failing They prophecied in his name but not for his Name Their actions were good in themselves and for others but the end of them was naught and therefore both they and their workes are condemned Yet this is not so to be understood but that Gods children have some thoughts of vaine glory which accompanieth and creepeth into their best actions but they doe acknowledge this for a sin confesse it and desire the Lord to pardon and subdue it and then it shall never be laid to their charge Because having of infirmities is not contrary to sincerity but allowing of them and living in them in which case the Lord is more pleased with our Humiliation for our sinne then the motions to vaine-glory did offend him Thirdly a desire to grow in grace and to become better and better is a signe of uprightnes A desire to grow in Grace Christian Righteousnes as it sees still need so it still desires more grace and lesse sin because hee who hath a true heart seeth both the want and worth of grace and feeleth his want A man feeles not the want of Faith Humility and Love till he have it in some sort as it is said Philip. 3.15 As many as are perfect are thus minded to wit so many as are upright all is one By love of the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 Lastly this just uprightnesse is knowne by love of the Brethren By this we know we are translated from death to life because we love the Brethren Contrary to which is that disposition which envieth at all things which suites not with their humours Jam. 2.2 as Iames speaketh of those who preferre men and have their persons in admiration in regard of outward things despising inferiours Vse 1 If therefore we will ever be counted righteous persons let us keepe these rules set downe here have a respect to all Gods commandements doe all things to the glory of God desire to grow in grace and love the Brethren Vse 2 And so it is also for Consolation unto such who are thus qualified for unto them belongeth all the promises of this life and of that to come They are in a blessed estate 1 Cor. 3.22 for all things are theirs because they are Christs therefore it is their bounden duty having an upright heart to rejoyce in God as the Prophet speakes Rejoyce in the Lord yee righteous Psal 33.1 Psal 52. ult for praise is comely for the upright None have cause to rejoyce but upright men 1. Because they of all others have title and right to joy 2. Because they have command to doe it seeing Heaven is theirs all the promises are theirs and they are heires of all things it is a comely service and the worke of Heaven Object Against this some object O but I find many sinnes passions and infirmities in my selfe how then can I joy in God Answ To this we answer briefly that the passions and infirmities of Gods servants are not contrary to Christian uprightnesse and righteousnesse for Saint Iames saith Jam. 5.17 that Elias was a man subject to like passions and infirmities as we are yet he was a righteous man though a man subject to the like passions as we are Therefore the passions of Christians are not contrary to Christian but to legall Righteousnesse But we are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.15 The first Covenant of works bids us have no sinne The other Covenant bids us allow no sinne this much is for that Question what is meant by just men It remaines now that we should further enquire into that mysterie how it is that just men walke in the wayes of God and prosper therein when yet wicked men called Transgressors fall therein But this being a mistery by your patience wee will take time to unfold what we have to speake heereof the next time if God bee so pleased The end of the fifteenth Sermon THE SIXTEENTH SERMON HOS 14.10 The wayes of the Lord are right the just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein GODS children have their times of deadnesse and disertion and againe their times of quickning and rejoycing weeping doth not allwayes remaine unto them for their portion Psal 30.5 but joy commeth in the morning in the worst times the Saints have alwayes