hath given to them that cleave constantly to his truth p. 769. The faithfull themselves have found much comfort in this p. 770. Lect. 145. The Spirit of God wheresoever he dwellâ— will teach and effectually perswade the heart in the truth of religion p. 771. No man can grow to certainty in matters of religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the Spirit and proportionable to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification that a man hath shall his certainty be p. 773 774 Yet is not this to be accounted every mans private Spirit p. 775. The Spirits teaching to be judged by the Word Ibid. The ministery of the Word is the meanes whereby the Spirit useth to teach men p. 776 They whom the Spirit hath once taught and perswaded will certainely persevere in the truth Ibid. Lect. 146. Th'exhortation to constancy in the truth is very needfull and that even in these daies p. 777. by reason 1 that Papists increase 2 the multitude of other erroneous spirits 3 the generall decay of the zealous love of religion and of the life power of it p. 778. 1 Motive to constancy Corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all other p. 779 780. 2 Motive He that falls from the truth and embraceth errour was never taught of the Spirit p. 780. Though in some things of smaller moment the faithfull may be subject to errour and errors of that nature should not alienate Christians one from another yea in fundamentall points for a time Ibid. 781. Lect. 147. Though our perseverance in the truth be to be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this work our selves p. 782 783. 1 We must carefully shâ—n all things whereby we may be in danger to be corrupted and drawne from the truth viz. 1. We must shun the hearing and conferring with them that are hereticks and seducers and the reading of their books We should not long to heare what they can say for their errors or against the truth p. 784. 2 Wee must take heed of affecting the knowledge of intricate curious and unprofitable points p. 785. There is a desire of knowledge which is commendable and no Minister should mislike in his hearers p. 786. Yet is there a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous Ibid. 1 When wee desire to know more of Gods matters then hee hath pleased to reveale in his Word Ibid. 2 When neglecting other things we seeke the knowledge of those high points onely that are above our capacity to understand and busie our selves in matters of controversie p. 787. 3 When wee desire knowledge onely for knowledge saâ—e without respect to the use and profit we may make of it for our edification in faith and holinesse p 788. Lect. 148. He that desires to hold fast his profession must use the meanes whereby hee may bee established in the truth and preserved from falling away from it foure directions are given us in Gods booke for this p. 788. 1 Hee must ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that it is indeed the truth he holdeth Ibid. 1 Hee must acquâ—â—nt himselfe with the maine principles of religion and seeke to be perfect in them p. 789. 2 examine by Scripture what ever hee heareth or readeth and labour to get good proofes of Scripture for whatsoever he holdeth p. 790. 2 He must labour to take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practise it He that by reading or hearing seeketh knowledge with an honest and good heart shall hold fast that which he professeth and none but he p. 792 793. Lect. 149. 3 He must take heed of declining from or forsaking the least truth his conscience hath beene convinced in Two things there bee that deceive men in this case p. 793 794. Though some truths be of greater moment then others yet it s a dangerous sin to be willfully ignorant of any truth God hath revealed or forsake it when we know it upon conceit that it is but a trisâ—e for 1 nothing that God hath revealed is of small moment or lightly to be accounted of 2 a man may make himselfe abominable to God by forsaking wittingly the least truth or receiving the least errour p. 794. 3 the best way to keepe us from falling from the truth in the maine points is to make conscience of falling from the least truth p. 795. 4 He must be constant in a conscionable use of all Gods ordinances 1 the ministery of the Word p. 796. 2 the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3 prayer p. 797 798. Lect. 150. Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ will take to heart the cause of God and his holy religion p. 798. 1 No man can have the Spirit of Christs unlesse he love God unfeignedly above all things els Ibid. 2 He that doth thus love God must needs be zealous for God grieved and troubled to see him dishonoured 3 He that hath any true zeale to God in him will shew and expresse it principally towards the house and worship of God p. 799. More particularly 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ must needs rejoyce to see or heare that the true religion of God doth prosper and that the purity of it is restored or set up any where p. 800. 2 He that hath the Spirit of Christ will rejoyce in the frequencie and fullnesse of Church-assemblies 3 In the plentifull and free preaching of the Word p. 801. 4 Hee will rejoyce to see and heare that the ministery of the Word is fruitfull among them that enjoy it and powerfull to reforme their hearts and lives p. 802 803. Lect. 151. Three Reasons and grounds of the former doctrine 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ cannot but love the persons of all men and we love no man unlesse wee love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation grieve to see his soule in danger of perishing p. 803. He that desires the salvation of all will joy in the plentifull and sound preaching of the Word p. 804. Though God can save men without preaching yet he doth not ordinarily without it and its a fearefull signe hee meaneth not to save them he denieth preaching unto Ibid. 805. Though all bee not saved that have preaching yet it s a cause of comfort to see sound preachers abound p. 805. A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may yet be a meanes of conversion to others Ibid. 2 The respect wee have to the state and Church wherein we live which we are bound to love p. 806. 1 Nothing will make the state and Church so honourable as the liberty of the Gospell 2 nor so strong and peaceable 3 nor so prosperous and plenteous in blessings p. 806 807. On the other side nothing will sooner deprive it of all blessings then the neglect and opposing of religion p.
in him I will go no further for the setting of this forth unto you then to those three things which David heere in my Text speaketh of and which he observed in the Lords gracious disposition and on which he grounded his hope 1. There is in the Lord loving kindnesse 2. There are in the Lord tender mercies 3. There is in the Lord a multitude of tender mercies For the first The Lord is of a gracious and kind and liberall disposition Ioel 2.13 The Lord is gracious and of great kindnesse The love he sheweth the good he doth to any of his people is most free and hath no cause no ground at all but in himselfe alone The love we beare to any useth to have some ground in the party that we do love we see somewhat in the party that moveth us to it at first But the love the Lord beareth to us had no ground at all in us but in his owne goodnesse and loving kindnesse alone The Apostle therefore calleth it 2 Thess. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good pleasure of his goodnesse He set his love upon us as Moses saith Deut 7 7 8 because he loved us He even resteth in his owne love as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.1 and seeketh no further So speaketh the Lord Exod. 3 â—â— I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Nothing moved him to be gracious and mercifull unto us but onely his owne good will and pleasure So Esa. 43.25 I even I am he that blâ—â—â—eth ouâ— thy transgressions for mine owne sake So 2 Sam. 7. â—1 For thy words sake and according to thine owne heart thou hast done all these great things True it is that after the Lord hath set his love upon us he worketh that in us by his grace that maketh us amiable and beautifull in his sight and so causeth him to love us the more This is excellently set forth Ezek. 16.9 14. He anointed his beloved one with oyle cloathed her with broidered work covered her with silke deâ—ked her with ornaments put bracelets upon her hands and a chaine about her necke decked her with gold and silver made her exceeding beautifull marke how grace and piety doth beautifie the soule in Gods eye But when he first set his love upon us he saw nothing in us that did move him to love us as is also notably set forth in that 16. of Ezek. When the Lord first passed by his beloved as it is said verse 8 and looked upon her and her time was the time of love when he first loved her what was there in her to move him to it See that verse 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live Marke how earnest the Lord is to perswade us of the freenesse of his love to us and how it grew not at all from any respect he had to any goodnesse was or should be in us but from his owne loving kindnesse and goodnesse alone And this is the first thing that Daviâ— here considered in the mercy and goodnesse of the Lord that made him to hope he should find mercy with him for the pardon of his sin Secondly In the Lord there are tender mercies bowels of mercy as the word racham which is heere used doth properly signifie For thus it hath pleased the Lord to condescend unto our capacity and to make knowne unto us in his Word his gracious disposition by comparing himselfe unto a most tender hearted man or woman and attributing bowells unto himselfe Esay 63.15 Where is the multitude of thy bowells and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Luke 1.78 Through the bowells of the mercies of our God whereby the day spring from an high hath visited us And this comparison standeth in two points 1. As a tender-hearted man or woman when they see any to bee in misery cannot choose but pitty them and grieve for them and feele their bowells within moved and pained with it and this is the very nature of man humanity and not the corruption of nature As it is sayd of our Saviour Mat. 9.36 When he saw the multitude fainting and scattered abroad as shâ—epe having no shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowells yearned or were moved towards them ô that the beholding of men in that misery could move us so and Hebr. 4.15 that hee is touched with the feeling of all our infirmities hee doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condole and grieve and suffer with us when we do grieve and suffer So the Lord when hee seeth any of his people to bee in misery hee cannot but pitty them and be moved with it and grieve with them Iam. 5.11 He is pitifull and of tender mercy Exod. 22.27 When he cryeth unto me I will heare for I am gracious So it is said Iudg. 10.16 His soule was grieved for the misery of Israel And Esa. 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted How can that bee will you say seing himselfe was the author of all their affliction Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it How is it possible that the Lord would so sharpely correct his people and bring them to that misery if it did so grieve him to see them in misery I answer 1. that this is possible enough Did you never heare of a Iudge that did shed teares even in giving of sentence of death upon a malefactor and shewed a fatherly affection towards the poore wretch even at that time like Ioshua to Achan Iosh. 7.19 My sonne I pray thee give glory to the Lord God of Israel Did you never know any father so tender-hearted as when he hath whipped his child hee hath done it with teares in his eyes yea he could not containe but must needs let his teares fall hee hath smitten and wept and beene as apt to cry even as the child it selfe Surely so it is with the Lord. Psalm 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him Even when he correcteth us he pitieth and his bowells yearne towards us 2. He never afflicteth us nor bringeth us unto misery but when his love constraineth him to doe it hee must needs doe it unlesse he would see us perish and that his love to us will not suffer him to doe The Lords love to his children is not fondnesse like the love of many foolish parents his pitie is not like the pitty that is in many men of which wee have a proverb foolish pitty marrs the City that may be called well Crudelis misericordia But the Lords love is guided by his infinite wisedome and judgement hee will correct the dearest of his children and that sharply too rather then hee will see them spoiled 1. Cor. 11.32 When wee are judged
of the bodies of wicked men is it possible hee should delight in the destruction and damnation of their soules No no hearken how deepely he protesteth against this Ezekiel 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Yea he protesteth this so deepely even for this very purpose that hee might encourage every poore sinner to turne unto him I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezekiel 18.32 wherefore turne your selves and live yee Secondly God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of the most wicked man and taketh great pleasure in it and therefore earnestly seeketh to reclaime them Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in his death but that he turne from his way and live turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will yee dye ô house of Israel And this thou hadst heretofore and hast this day experience of in thy selfe How earnestly and how mightily hath God laboured with thee this way Yea he beseecheth thee and prayeth thee to be reconciled to him 2. Cor. 5.20 Yea there is nothing would so much delight him as to see thee repent as is set forth in the father of the prodigall ô what mirth and joy made he when he returned to him Luke 15.23 24. Thirdly God hath reveiled in his Word that Christ with all his merits should be in the ministery of the Gospell offered unto all that feele themselves to be sinners as the brazen serpent was listed up for all to looke upon that were stung Num. 21.9 unto thee as well as unto any other is he offered and thou art commanded to beleeve he dyed for thee Mar. 16.15 Preach the Gospel to every creature And what is it to preach the Gospel to him Surely to say to him as Lu. 2.11 Vnto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. So Christ inviteth all Ioh. 7.37 Iesus cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke And of his invitation of sinners in this sort the Lord saith Esa. 45.19 I said not in vaine seek ye me I the Lord speake righteousnesse If a poore sinner being thus invited should come to Christ for grace would he reject him No in no wise Ioh. 6.37 All that the father giveth mee shall come unto me and him that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Fourthly God hath not in words only but really given thee cause to feele by manifold experiments that he loveth thee and wisheth thee well Even this is an argument of his love that he hath preserved thee from so many dangers Ps. 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me that he feedeth and cloatheth thee Deut. 10.18 He loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment that thou sleepest so safely and quietly on nights Psal. 127.2 He giveth his beloved sleep Thou wilt say these are but common mercies I answer True yet concerning them observe foure things 1. That to the faithfull these are pledges of his speciall love as these places have proved 2. That they are arguments of his goodnesse even towards all men that enjoy them For so saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 And if any man should have done this for thee saved thy life but once when thou wert in danger to have lost it delivered thee out of debt and danger maintained thee with food and raiment all thy life thou wouldest not doubt but he loved thee unfainedly Thou wouldest count it a foule sin to suspect or doubt of his love or to entertaine such a thought ô but for all that he hath done this for me I doubt I have not his heart I doubt hee hath purposed in himselfe to be my destroyer in the end And is it nothing for thee to suspect this of God 3. Though these be but common mercies yet it is a great sin to despise or set light by them Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering 4. Thou depisest them if thou be not by them led and encouraged to repent and turne unto God Rom. ◠4 Lecture XXVI on Psalme 51.1 ◠May 23. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed to the second sort of those to whom the consideration of the loving kindnesse tender mercies and the multitude of tender mercies that are in the Lord doth minister cause of comfort and encouragement and those are such as are regenerate and in the state of Grace and have truly repented yet are subject oft to inward feares and trouble by doubting of the mercy and love of God For it is evident by the Word and by daily experience also that many of Gods dearest and choicest servants such as above all other have most title to these speciall mercies of God that wee have heard of are yet much subject to trouble of mind much given to inward heavinesse and feare yea many of them are in that case that David complaineth he was in Psalme 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Yea 2. many of them continue a long time in this case as David complaineth Psal 38.6 I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long and Heman Psal. 88.15 I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours And upon this ground groweth all this trouble of mind and terrour that they are subject unto that they cannot be perswaded that they are in the favour of God and that his speciall mercy and loving kindnesse belongeth unto them This Heman expresseth to have beene the cause of all his trouble Psalme 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from mee Now before I speake any thing to the comfort of these poore soules I thinke it necessary to give you some reasons why I insist upon this use For I know well that many of you will thinke this a needlesse labour and be little or not at all affected with this Sermon Pro. 27.7 The full soule loatheth the honie combe 1. I know well the most of you stand in no need of comfort you have much more need of humbling then of comfort a great deale The secure sinner that never felt yet what it was to bee troubled in mind for sin hath more need to heare of the terrors of the Law then of the comforts of the Gospell The Law was made saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.9 that is appointed and ordained of God for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners These comforts that I am to speake of are the childrens bread and it is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to doggs as our Saviour speaketh Matthew 15.26 I know well that such kind of men will bee likely to take hurt by
and powers and against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Nothing but a divine power could keepe grace alive in such hearts as ours are Wee are kept saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.5 by the power of God unto salvation Secondly His admirable goodnesse is the cause of this and the unchangablenesse of his love to them whom he hath once effectually called called according to his purpose and eternall counsell as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.28 Hee never loved any thus farre as to call them effectually and to worke truth of grace in their hearts but he loved them to the end Having loved his owne which were in the world saith the Evangelist of our blessed Saviour Iohn 13.1 he loved them to the end I have loved thee saith the Lord to his Church Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Them whom he hath shewed such loving kindnesse unto as to draw them to himselfe by an effectuall calling he loveth with an everlasting love The Lord advanced Saul to be King over his people and gave him his spirit that is such gifts of his spirit as might fit him for that calling As soone as Samuel had anointed him the spirit of the Lord came upon him as the Text saith 1 Sam. 10.6 9 and he was turned into another man God gave him another heart But this favour and love God shewed to Saul was not an unchangable and everlasting love It repenteth me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 15.11 that I have set up Saul to be King And 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul hee had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit and lost them quite againe But if God have advanced any of us to this dignity to be a true Convert to be effectually called Ioh. 1.12 he never repenteth him of it this favour and love of God is unchangable and everlasting The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.29 In respect of this good and perfect gift the Apostle calleth the Lord Iam. 1.17 the father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning And were it not for this that Gods love to such as he hath once regenerated and given saving grace to is constant and everlasting if any thing could have changed or altered him alas there is none of us all but we have done enough a thousand times to have lost him for ever and to have caused him to depart quite from us and to have stripped us of all grace long ago Before we passe from this point let us apply it to our selves in a few words that is in five First Seeing sanctifying grace is of such constancie and a fruit of Gods everlasting and unchangable love ô how carefull should we be to get grace if wee want it and to get assurance that we have it in truth if we thinke we have it 1. All other blessings and good things wealth and pleasure and honour and health are of no continuance And that that Paul saith of Riches 1 Tim 6.17 may be said of them all they are uncertaine riches uncertaine good things But true grace is durable riches as Solomon calleth it Pro. 8.18 These are the sure mercies of David as the Holy Ghost calleth them Esa. 55.3 2. No other good thing we can enjoy is any certaine argument of Gods speciall love and favour No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Solomon Eccle. 9.1 Esau of whom it is said God hated him Mal. 1.3 yet did enjoy all worldly blessings in greater measure then Iacob did as is plaine by that speech of Moses Gen. 36.31 But true grace is a certaine argument of Gods love yea of his speciall and everlasting love According to that speech of the Lord Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Secondly So many of us as have by the mercy of God beene preserved any time in the state of grace let us blesse God for it let us admire and magnifie the power and goodnesse of God towards us in this behalfe It hath ever beene esteemed in Gods Church a great honour to a man to be an old Disciple The Holy Ghost maketh an honourable mention of Mnason of Cyprus for this Act. 21.16 And Paul saith of Andronicus and Iunia Rom. 16.7 that they were of note among the Apostles and honoureth them for this that they were in Christ before him If any of us have found mercy with God to be old Disciples Nay if we be of any standing in Christianity and keepe our standing let us give God the glory of it thinke of it often and never thinke we can be sufficiently thankfull to God for it O blesse our God ye people saith David Psal. 66.8 9. and make the voice of his praise to be heard which holdeth our soule in life and suffreth not our feet to be moved Praise God for keeping and preserving the life of grace in thy soule all this while Say with David Psal. 116.7 8. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Praise God for keeping thee fom deadly and irrecoverable falls Yea take thou up that thanksgiving which of all the formes of thanksgiving that we read of in Scripture hath been most in use with Gods Saints as if it were not for spending of time I could give you many instances of I meane that Psal. 106.1 Praise ye the Lord ô give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever God is more to be praised by us for the unchangeablenesse and constancy of his love to such wretches as wee are then for any other of his mercies how great so ever they bee Thirdly Let none of us be proud of our standing in the state of grace but let us give God all the glory of it Let us all say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am And that which the Apostle there speaketh of his labours we must say in this case It is not I that have held out all this while not I but the grace of God which was with me It is the Lord as Annah speaketh 1 Sam. 2.9 that keepeth the â—eet of his Saints for in his owne might shall no man be strong It is not by any strength of our owne that we have stood all this while but by the strength and free grace of God onely Fourthly Seeing our perseverance in grace dependeth wholly upon the power and goodnesse of God let none of us be secure but watchfull and wary and fearfull to offend God who if he do but let go his hold and withdraw his hand we cannot stand one moment longer no more then a child of a yeare old or the staffe ye walke
purpose in giving his Word to some is that some should be made inexcusable by it When the Lord sent the Prophet Ezekiel to preach he did not absolutely intend in sending him that all to whom he should preach should profit by him for hee telleth and assureth him of the contrary Ezek. 3.7 The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted What was the Lords intent then in sending him unto them That is expressed Ezek. 2.5 Yet they shall know that there hath beene a Prophet among them As if he had said To make them without excuse to make their condemnation more just the Lord sent his Word unto them So when our Saviour saith Matth. 24.14 that before the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached in all the world hee declareth that the intent of God in sending his Apostles to preach to all nations was for a witnesse to all nations that is to make them without excuse And our Saviour himselfe speaking of his owne ministery saith Iohn 9.39 For judgement am I come into this world not onely that those that see not might see but also that they which see might be made blind Thirdly and lastly It is expressely said that this grace of Gods spirit whereby men are made to profit by the meanes to repent and beleeve is peculiar and proper to the elect of God and not common to all men As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved saith the Holy Ghost Acts 13.48 And Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them hee also called that is to say with an inward and effectuall calling And 11.7 The election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded And thus you have seene also the second point proved that every man to whom God giveth the ministery of the Word hath not so powerfull and effectuall grace given him as whereby he shall be converted Now let us come to the third and last point I propounded for the proofe of the Doctrine namely That the worke of Gods spirit whereby he maketh the meanes of grace effectuall to the conversion of any is most free it proceedeth meerely from Gods free grace and good pleasure The sonne quickneth whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth Of his owne will saith the Apostle Iam. 1.18 begate he us by the word of truth So when our Saviour fell into an admiration at the worke of God in this case that he should hide the mysteries of his kingdome from the wisest men in the world and reveale them to babes Luke 10.21 hee could find no other reason of it but onely the good pleasure of God Even so ô father saith hee for so it seemed good in thy sight The conversion of a man you see dependeth wholly on the will and good pleasure of God upon the will of man it dependeth not at all They that beleeve in Christ saith the Evangelist Iohn 1.13 are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This will appeare clearely to us in two points First Nothing that is in man before his conversion can moove or procure God to convert him Hee hath called us with an holy calling saith the Apostle 2 Timothy 1.9 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace Even when wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes hee quickened us saith the Apostle Ephesians 2.5 and addeth these words upon it By grace yee are saved As if hee should thus say Nothing but Gods free grace could bee the cause of the conversion of a man that had no goodnesse in him to move God to it but was dead in trespasses and sinnes Secondly Nothing that is in man before his conversion can hinder Gods worke in his conversion True it is the best of Gods Elect have beene apt to draw backe and to resist Gods grace in the worke of their conversion and even of them the Lord may complaine as Rom 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gaine-saying people But when God is pleased to convert them hee doth by his grace overcome this rebellion that is in their will that they resist no longer Yet doth hee not convert any man against his will nor force the will of man to obey his call but hee changeth the will of man and taketh from it that frowardnesse and rebelliousnesse that was in it by nature and maketh it heartily willing to yeeld unto God I will take the stony heart out of them saith the Lord Ezek. 11.19 and will give them an heart of flesh God worketh in us to will of his good pleasure saith the Apostle Phil. 2.13 This may fitly bee resembled by the change that God wrought in the heart of Esau toward his brother Iacob Esaus heart and will was most strongly bent against Iacob he came against him with a great power and with a most cruell mind Genesis 32.6 yet when hee met him hee had no power to hurt him what was the cause of this Did God by force restraine him or bind him from hurting Iacob No verily God changed his will and heart that he was naturally affected towards him Gen 33.4 Hee ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his necke and kissed him and wept in kindnesse over him And even so is it in this case The Lord in converting of a man doth not onely perswade him by effectuall arguments out of the word to repent and turne to God nor onely give a man so much grace as hee may bee able to repent and turne to God if hee wiâ—l himselfe but hee doth also infuse and worke the grace of repentance in him hee doth so change his will that hee doth most willingly repent and obey the call of God A new heart will I give you saith the Lord Ezechiel 36.26 27. and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my judgements and doe them And so saith the Apostle of Christ Act. 5.31 God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour not onely to perswade men to repent or to give them power to repent if they would themselves but to give repentance unto Israel to infuse this grace into them and to worke this change in their hearts So that you see the worke of mans conversion is wholly to bee ascribed to the grace of God to his will and good pleasure not to the naturall will of man at all It lyeth not in man either to further or absolutely to hinder it In which respect we shall find it is compared to the worke of creation 2 Cor. 5.17 and to the worke of raising men from death Iohn 5.25 and to the worke of generation Iohn 3.5 And what use had man of his owne will in any of these works What power
one of us take heed wee bee not found among them in that day whom Christ shall so disclaime Thirdly Know that those generall speaches of holy Scripture touching the large extent of the merit of Christs death which thou buildest so much upon and which the Holy Ghost to a singular purpose is pleased to use for the comfort of Gods elect are in many other places in a speciall manner appropriated to a certaine choise and peculiar people For the transgression of my people was hee smitten saith the Lord himselfe Esa. 53.8 And this Church and people of God for whom Christ in a speciall manner was stricken to whom his death is effectuall is not the common field the vast wildernesse of this wide world but Gods severall and peculiar plot of ground A garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse saith our Saviour Cant. 4.12 a spring shut up a fountaine sealed And thus did our blessed Saviour himselfe who best knew who should have benefit by him professe I lay downe my life for the sheepe saith he Ioh. 10.15 And Iohn 17 9. I pray for them that thou hast given me for they are thine And for this cause doth the Church admire and magnifie the love of Christ toward them in their solemne song of thankesgiving Revel 5 9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation See an universall grace see how universall a redemption Christ hath made thou hast redeemed say they by thy bloud us out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation Fourthly and lastly Know that the number of this peculiar people that shall have benefit by Christ and whose peace he hath made with God is very small is nothing if it be compared with the number of them that shall have no benefit by him We know that we are of God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.19 and that the whole world lieth in wickednesse The whole world in a manner lyeth in wickednesse and shall perish in their sins few or 〈◊〉 in comparison shall have benefit by Christ. O therefore beloved be not deceived or made secure any longer with this vaine conceit that because Christ died for the world therefore that Christ hath payed every mans sâ—orâ— â—atâ—fied Gods justice for every mans sin But seeing there be very few in comparison that hee hath in speciall undertaken for let thou and I labour to know that we are some of those few of that small number of that remnant 〈◊〉 hee hath answered for And to that end I will shew you out of Gods Word which is the second thing I promised to handle for the enforcing of this exhortation the signes and notes whereby we may know this and not be deceived in it One signe and note the Holy Ghost hath given us to know this by Hereby we know saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.13 that we dwell in him and he in us that he is ours and we have good title unto him because he hath 〈◊〉 us of his spirit If thou canst find that the spirit of Christ dwelleth in thee and thou art guided by it thou maist be sure that Christ is thine But if thou have nothing in thee but nature be it never so good a nature thou canst not say thou hast any part in Christ. If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 He is none of his But this signe is somwhat too generall I will therefore give you foure particular effects and fruits of this Spirit of Christ wherby you may judge of this First They that are Christs saith the Apostle Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts If any â—inne raigne in thee and thou obeyest it in the lusts thereof nay if thou do not make conscience even of thy evill affections and passions and desires if they be not grievous to thee if they never trouble thee certainly thou canst not say that thou art Christs that thou art one of them that he did undertake for Secondly If any man be in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.17 he is a new â—rrature old things are past away behold all things are become new If there be no change wrought in thee by Gods Spirit in thy mind in thy affections in thy words in thy company in thy whole conversation but thou art the same that ever thou wast if not worse certainly thou canst not say that thou hast any part in Christ. Thirdly Christ became the author of eternall salvation saith the Apostle Hebr. 5.9 to all them that obey him Till thou canst bee content to take Christs yoke upon thee and resolve with thy selfe willingly to obey him in all his commandements so long as thou bearest this mind that thou wilt beare no yoke thou wilt be a free man thou wilt live as thou liftest Christ shall serve thy turne but thou wilt not serve him thou sayst all that he did and suffered was to save thee but thou wilt neither suffer nor do any thing to honour him certainly thou canst not say He is become an author of eternall salvation unto thee Fourthly and lastly I will powre upon them saith our Saviour Zachar. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and then they shall mourne and be in bitternesse If the knowledge of this that Christ died for thee keepe thee from being troubled at all in thy mind for any of thy sinnes nay if thou have not felt more hearts griefe and bitternesse in thy soule for thy sinnes and canst more heartily sue to God for the pardon of them since thou didst believe in Christ than ever thou didst before certainly it was never the Spirit of grace but thy owne foolish fancy that hath perswaded thee that Christ was pierced for thy sinnes or that thou hast any thing to doe with the merits of his passion O thinke of these things beloved and suffer not thy heart to bee any longer deluded in this matter that so much concerneth thee but by these notes examine thine owne heart and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that thou art Christs so as when thou shalt appeare before him either at the houre of thy death or at the dreadfull day of judgement he may not renounce thee And if thou canst not find that thy title to Christ is so good as thou thoughâ—st it had beene and wouldest faine mend it I will shew you how that must be done which is the third and last thing I promised to doe for the inforcing of this exhortation I will not now speake of the outward Meanes whereby God hath ordained to bring his people unto faith that is to say the word and prayer I will speak onely of three things whereby every mans heart must be prepared to receive Christ and without which hee shall never be able to know Christ to bee his though he use the outward meanes of the
right hand of my righteousnesse And Vers. 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob thou that art so base and contemptible in thine owne eye I will helpe thee saith the Lord. Yea of all the faithfull those that are now before-hand so fearfull and weake have most promises of God that he will give them strength sufficient when the time of tryall shall come Out of weakenesse they were made strong as you heard Hâ—b 11.34 My grace is sufficient for thee saith the Lord to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse He giveth power to the saint saith the Prophet Esa. â—0 29 and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Certainly if Gods people would make use of their faith in making claim to these promises of God and challenging of him in humble prayer the performance of them unto themselves they could not be so tormented with slavish feares as they are The fourth and last corruption that much troubleth the best of Gods people is the hardnesse of their hearts they cannot mourne they say nor weep for their sinnes they are not sensible either of the judgements or mercies of God they cannot pray nor heare nor read nor receive with any feeling or affection at all See how Gods people complaine and were afflicted with this Esa 63.17 Why hast thou hardened our heart from thy feâ—râ— Now the best way that any soule can take to cure this stoninesse of the heart to make it soft and tender able to mourne kindly for sinne and to serve God with feeling and affection is to get assurance by a lively faith of Gods love to him in Christ and of the forgivenesse of his sinnes Foure notable experiments we have for this two in the old Testament and two in the new The first is that of Gods people mentioned in Ezek. 36.28 31. after that they were become Gods people and God was become their God and he had saved them from all their uncleannesses as you read Vers. 28 29. that is after that they were entred into the covenant of grace assured of Gods favour and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes then shall ye remember saith the Lord of them Vers. 31. your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquity and for your abominations Nothing hath that force to make a man loath himselfe for his sinnes as the knowledge and consideration of Gods love in the pardoning of his sinnes and the receiving of him into a covenant of grace and mercy that hath beene so extreamely unworthy of it The second experiment of this force of faith to soften the heart is that of Gods people whom the Prophet speaketh of Zach. 12.10 that they should mourne as one mourneth for his onely sonne and be in bitternesse as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne And the Prophet alledgeth two causes of this 1. The Spirit of grace that God had powred upon them that is the Spirit of adoption whereby God had assured their hearts of his favour and love in Christ. 2. The looking upon Christ whom they had pierced that is the weighing with themselves seriously what Christ had done and suffred for them And therfore also it is said they mourned for him they were in bitternesse for him It is the Spirit of grace and adoption assuring us of Gods fatherly love to us in Christ it is the weighing with our selves seriously how dearely Christ hath loved us that will make us mourne for sinne more than for any thing in the world all the terrours of the law all the judgements of God are of no force to soften the heart in comparison of this The third experiment of this is in Mary Magdalen Luke 7. Of her we read Ver. 38. that she had a very soft heart she was able to weep abundantly for her sinnes so abundantly as she could wash Christs feet with her teares And what was it that made her heart so soft Surely the knowledge and assurance she had of Christs marvellous love to her in pardoning her sinnes her so many and so hainous sinnes was that that did it as our Saviour plainely telleth us Vers. 43 48. The fourth and last example is that of Peter of whom we read Luke 22.62 that he had a most soft heart he was able to weepe bitterly for his sinnes And what was it that wrought so upon his heart That the Holy Ghost telleth us Vers. 61. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the Word of the Lord how he had said unto him before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice When he considered the marvellous love of Christ to him that though he had so shamefully denied and forsaken him yet he was pleased still in the midst of all his troubles to think upon him to have care of him to turn himself about and cast a gracious eye upon him this brought Peter to remember what he had done this even broke his heart and made him weep abundantly And surely look what force a true and lively faith had in all these examples the same it would have in us if we did stir it up and make use of it as they did The true cause why our hearts are so hard is this that either we have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in Christ or if we have it we make not use of it unto this work of softning our hearts For all that are in the covenant of grace reconciled to God in Christ have this promise given them of God Ezek. 11.19 which is also repeated 36.26 I will take saith the Lord the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh And if any of the faithfull when they are most troubled with the hardnesse of their hearts could make claime unto this promise and presse the Lord with it as he loveth to be importuned as you may see Luke 18.1 7 certainely they might have helpe against it And so much for the force that faith hath in the first part of our sanctification for the mortifying of sinne The second part I must leave till the next day Lecture CXLI On Psalme 51.7 Febr. 23. 1629. IT followeth now that I shew you likewise the force of justifying faith in the second part of true sanctification in making us partakers of the divine nature and renewing the image of God in our hearts in producing the fruits of the Spirit in us in the breeding and working of every saving grace When a man is once justified by faith in Christ is reconciled unto God through his bloud then shall he bring forth fruit unto God and never till then This will make the heart of a man fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and nothing but this will ever be able to doe it For the first that is to say that faith will make the heart fruitfull we have a plaine proofe in that speech of the
them that blame professors for their scrupulousnesse in indifferent and lawfull things 1 Oâ—e may see that to bee a sin which another more godly or learned then he cannot see neither should we judge one another for difference in judgement 2 Some good men may be more scrupulous then they ought to be and yet not to be despised 3 No cause we should judge one another for using or not using our liberty in indifferent things p. 715. Though we may hate the sins of professors yet its a dangerous thing to hate them for the goodnesse they professe Many hate professors not for their faults but for their goodnesse and three notes to discerne that by p. 716 717. Lect 138. The state of every hypocrite is most wofull and dangerous neither can he have any sound peace or comfort p. 718. Though in some respects the open profane sinner bee in worse case then he both in this life and in that to come Ibid. yet is the hypocrite also and every thing he does most odious unto God yea in some other respects his case is more wofull both in this life and in that to come then the open profane mans p. 719. It s a good signe in a Christian to doubt and suspect himselfe of hypocrisie Ibid. 1 He that lives in grosse sins and yet maketh a good profession is a grosse and palpable hypocrite p. 720. 2 Much more hee that maketh a good profession for this end chiefly that he may thereby the better hide and cloake his foule sins p 721. 3 He is also an hypocrite that maketh never so good a shew of godlinesse if he deny the power of it if hee obey not and practise what he heares Many of the best professors faile much in this p. 722. Even to our ministery so farre forth as we teach nothing but by good warrant of the Word obedience is due as well as to the ministery of the Prophets and Apostles p. 723 724. Lect. 139. He that lives in any one sinne though hee forsaketh all the rest and whose obedience is not universall is no better then an hypocrite p. 724. Sacriledge is a great sin Ibid. The care to keepe our selves unspotted of every sin is a sure signe of an upright heart p. 726. No hypocrite doth any thing with a good heart but upon some by respect or other p. 727. The true Christian even the poorest and weakest of them doth whatsoever he doth unto the Lord as a service to him his maine intent is to please and approve himselfe to him p. 728. Though he may have some respect to himselfe also in it Ibid. None can please God in any thing he doth unlesse he do it out of love to God neither can any love the Lord aright till hee know Christ is his p. 729. The goodnesse that is in the regenerate doth surpasse that that is in any morall man or hypocrite in three respect Ibid p. 730. Yet can no man have any true comfort in it till he know himselfe to be in Christ p. 730. Lect. 140. No man can be sanctified till he be justified p. 730. The only sure way to get strength against any corruption and obtaine any saving grace is first to get assurance by faith that our sins are pardoned and we reconciled to God in Christ Ibid. 1 faith is th' only inward instrument whereby the Spirit of God sanctifieth the heart p. 731. and th' outward instrument whereby the Spirit worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching not of the law but of the Gospell p. 732. Th' only meanes to worke true mortification of sin is a justifying faith Ibid. Great is the force of faith to subdue and mortifie 1 covetousnesse 2 maliciousnesse 3 slâ—vish feare and 4 hardnesse of heart p. 733 736. Lect. 141. When a man is once by faith assured of Gods love then will he be renewed and become fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and never till then p 737. For 1 faith receiveth Christ and maketh him our owne and they that have Christ must needs have his sanctifying Spirit also 2 Faith exerciseth it selfe in the meditation of Gods love to us in Christ and in apprehending the promises whereby God hath bound himselfe to give us sanctifying grace p. 738 739. Faith is the roâ—te and cause of all true 1 repentance 2 feare of God 3 obedience 4 love to God p. 740 742. It only enables a man 1 to heare well p. 742. 2 to pray well p. 743. Lect. 142. Necessary we should have signes given us in the Word whereby they to whom Christ merits belong may be knowne for many are apt to think they have title to him that have not yea a chiefe thing that keepes many from hungring after Christ is this conceit that he dyed for all men and therefore they shall have benefit by him p. 744. But this is a dangerous delusion for all shall not have benefit by him but few in comparison viz. 1. onely the true Church of Christ and that is but a very little flocke 2 Not all that live within the Church and professe the true religion but a few even of them Ibid. 3 Many that professe the true religion are so far from receiving benefit as they receive much hurt by him p. 745. The reason why so few shall have benefit by Christ is because how sufficient soever Christs death was to save all mankinde yet true beleevers onely shall receive benefit by it all men have not faith but a few onely Ibid. 1 al men by nature unable to beleeve 2 Some for their sins are smitten with a supernaturall inability to beleeve p. 746. It stands us therefore upon to know whether our selves are of that small number Ibid. Christ hath set a marke on his sheepe viz. his holy Spirit whereby themselves may know they are his p. 747. By certaine fruits and effects of the Spirit the faithfull may certainely know they have the spirit of Christ Ibid. Specially if they can finde in themselves true charity Ibid. 748. Lect. 143. Wee must love the persons of all men and expresse it in nine duties p. 748 751. We may pray for the worst even for Idolaters p. 751. We must love our enemies and expresse it in eight duties p. 752 753. This he that hath the Spirit of Christ is able to do Evangelically and that appeares in five things p. 754. We must beare a speciall love to all that feare God though they differ from us in judgement and practise about things indifferent p. 754 766. Lect. 144. He that hath the Spirit of Christ will bee constant in the religion of Christ p. 766. Yet is not all constancy in religion but constancy in the true religion a signe of the Spirit p. 767 True religion is that that 's grounded onely upon the Word Ibid. Every necessary truth in religion is so plainely set downe in the Word as the simplest Christian may clearely understand it p. 768. The testimony God
this that I shall teach by turning the Grace of God into lasciviousnesse as many did in the Apostles dayes Iude 4. To such Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence as Peter speaketh 1. Peter 2.8 2. I know well that not onely such men but the most of you that professe the feare of God have no need of comfort but of humbling rather As our Saviour speaketh Matthew 9.12 the whole have no neede of a Physician but they that are sicke And you have just cause to desire rather that Doctrine that may search and pierce and wound your hearts then that that should comfort them and to pray with David Psalme 141.5 Let the righteous smite me that is let him reproove mee that shall bee a benefite and a kindnesse unto me The fat and the strong among Gods sheepe and such are the most of you should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 3. I know well that many of you that truly feare God do not stand in present need of comfort you are for the present in no trouble of mind your hearts are chearefull and comfortable through the assurance and feeling you have of Gods love His Candle shineth upon your head as Iob speaketh 29.3 You know the joyfull scund and can take comfort in his word and promises you walke in the light of Gods countenance and of you I may say as Ethan doth Psalm 89.15 Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance But though I know all this concerning three sorts of you that heare mee now yet dare I not passe over this use of comfort First Because I am sure that some of you that heare me now have present need of it Nay it cannot be presumed but that in so great a congregation specially of voluntaries whom no law of man as on the Sabbaths but their owne inclination and love to the word draweth together there are many tender hearts that have had experience of this trouble of mind This we may learne from the tēder care the Apostle had in writing to particular Churches to prevent the grieving troubling of the hearts of such people which argueth he doubted not but there were such among them Rom. 8. when he had spoken of the dangerous state of the naturall man ver 8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God he addeth verse 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit And writing to the Church of Corinth which was a congregation very loose and disordered very sharply and namely 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shal not inherit the kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor revilers shall inherite the kingdome of God Hee addeth by way of prevention because he knew that even in that congregation there could not choose but bee some humbled sinners verse 11. And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified c. Sundry other such places I could alleadge for this purpose Secondly there is none of you that heare me this day but though you be for the present whole sound in your spirits cheerfull and comfortable and that upon good ground too the Lord in mercy continue you in that estate yet you must looke for a change you must not thinke this cheerfulnes comfort will last alwaies you must looke to drinke of the cup of inward trouble and affliction of minde which the rest of your brethren and sisters have begun to you in sooner or later in one measure or other it may be ye shall not pledge them in the same glasse that Iob or David began to you in the Lord it may bee out of respect to your weaknesse will call for a lesser glasse for you but pledge them you must and pledge them in the same wine in one measure or other ye know not what your measure will be and you must not choose your glasse your selves the cup is in the Lords hand and he mixeth it and he powreth it out as Asaph speaketh for I have not taken this comparison and allegory from the wretched fashion of your drunkards in drinking of healths but from the sacred Word of God Psal. 75.8 Certainely we must looke for an evill day as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.13 And we have no reason to thinke or hope we may avoid it if we consider 1. That this hath beene the case not of some or of a few good men but of the whole Church the mother of us all who is in that short booke of the Canticles reported twice to have beene in that case Cant. 3.1 and 5.6 Her welbeloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone 2. That our blessed Saviour had experience of this tentation and affliction that in his owne sense for the present his father had forsaken him Mat. 27 40. and we are all predestinated to be conformed unto his image in affliction Rom. 8.29 3. We all have the same adversary that other of Gods people have had that will buckle and wrestle with us one day This reason the Apostle giveth the Ephesians why they must looke for an evill day Ephes. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers c. And if ever hee assault us these are the tentations he is most likely to assault us by and if thou be free from them thou art not of God thou art an hypocrite thou hast no part in Christ Gods mercy belongeth not unto thee For these are his chiefe his fiery darts as the Apostle calleth them Ephes. 6.16 4. That we all give the Lord as just cause daily by our carnall security and neglect of our watch to humble and afflict us as ever any other of his people have done Insomuch as I may say to every one of you as the Prophet Oded did to the Israelites 2 Chron. 28.10 Are there not with you even with you sinners against the Lord our God And this is a chiefe scourge that the Lord useth to afflict his people for their security by even by withdrawing and hiding himselfe from them As Christ served his Church when she grew lazy and was loath to rise and put on her clothes and defile her feet to open unto him he withdrew himselfe and went away Cant. 5.3 6. So that you that have the most cheerefull and comfortable hearts have cause to hearken to this that I shall say for the comfort of Gods afflicted servants because your selves may have use of it hereafter We have the wit now in summer to provide for winter and oft to traine our souldiers and to try their armour aforehand let us learne to be wise for our soules and to get our armour in a readinesse against the day of conflict we are like to have with Satan In which respect
all thy getting get understanding For riches and honor are with her yea durable riches and righteousnesse Pro. 8.18 and 2. thou that hast ever felt the worke of grace comfort of Gods spirit in thy selfe mayest boldly from thy former experience conclude as David doth Psalme 23. â— Surely goodnes and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Iohn 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne doth Though my love to God be changeable yet Gods love to me is not Esa. 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved Though therefore the comforter have withdrawne himselfe from thee for a time be sure he will returne againe and therefore wait for him And that which the Prophet saith of his vision may fitly be applyed to this purpose Hab. 2.3 Though it tarry wait for it for it will surely come it will not tarry hee meaneth one moment longer then the appointed time the fittest time Resolve with thy selfe as the Prophet doth Esay 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob even from his owne chosen people sometimes and I will looke for him Certainely of this sicknesse of thy soule I may say to thee as Christ did of Lazarus Iohn 11.4 this sicknesse is not unto death thou shalt surely recover it thy sorrow shall be turned into joy as our Saviour hath promised Iohn 16.20 The third direction is this Thou must well examine thy present estate and thou shalt find that though the spirit of adoption seeme to be gone and thou canst not find that worke of the spirit in thy selfe yet the spirit of sanctification abideth still in thee and if thou wilt well examine thy selfe thou shalt find that worke of the spirit in thee 1 Iohn 2.17 The annointing which ye hâ—ve received of him abideth in you and 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne that is as other men doe or as himselfe did before for his seed remaineth in him Examine thy heart well and thou shalt find evident notes of this First Thou art afraid to doe anything that thou knowest would offend God and whence commeth that from flesh and bloud No no of every naturall man the Apostle pronounceth Rom. 3.18 There is no feare of God before his eyes Secondly Thou lovest all that feare God and this is a certaine signe Gods spirit abideth in thee 1 Iohn 3.13 14. Marveâ— not my â—rethren though the world hate you wee know that wee have passed from death to life because wee love the Brethren Thirdly even in this case wherein now thou art thou prayest still and darest not neglect that duty as David did Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee Even then I plyed thee with supplications and 61.2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed And whence commeth this I pray you Surely these prayers of all others proceed from the spirit as the Apostle teacheth Romans 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Fourthly thou lovest God though he doe hide his face and frowne on thee yea this very sorrow and anguish thou art in is a certaine Symptome and signe of thy love to God that is the cause that is the roote of it thou couldest not bee troubled as thou art with this that thou wantest the sense of Gods love if thou didst not dearely love him Certainely thou art sicke of love as the Church was Canticles 2.5 When Christ withdrew himselfe a while from her and shee sought him so carefully shee bewrayeth and could not conceale this to be the cause of her griefe Cant 3.1 2 3. I â—ought him whom my soule loveth I will go into the city and seeke him whom my soule loveth I said unto the watch-men saw ye him whom my soule loveth And whence came it that Mary wept so Luke 7.47 She loved much And whence commeth this I pray thee that thou so lovest the Lord From flesh and bloud No no this can come from nothing but from Gods spirit saving grace as is plaine by that question thrice moved to Peter Ioh. 21.15 17. Dost thou love me And by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 If any man love God the same is knowne of him Fiftly and lastly Thou dost at the least unfainedly desire to feare God and to love him and to call upon him and to love his children and it is a great griefe and trouble to thy heart that thou canst not doe it better To will is present with thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.18 Certainely this change that is wrought in thy will these unfained desires of grace doe prove evidently that the spirit of God dwelleth in thee Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure And Nehe. 1.11 Nehemiah proveth himselfe to be Gods servant even by this note because hee desired to feare Gods name Now from these five notes of Gods spirit dwelling in thee thou mayest infallibly inferre these conclusions for the recovering of thy comfort 1. That thou hast faith and art thereby united unto Christ. 1 Iohn 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And 4.13 Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in us because hee hath given us of his spirit As the naturall spirit is in no member that is not united to the head so can the spirit of sanctification bee in none that is not by faith knit unto Christ our head as the Apostle applyeth this comparison Ephesians 4.16 And our Saviour Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe unlesse it abide in the Vine no more can yee except ye abide in me 2. That thou hast just cause to bee comfortable thou hast the roote and ground of sound comfort in thy selfe Psalme 32.11 Bee glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart 3. That it is thy great sin for which thou hast just cause to checke and blame thy selfe that thou art not more thankefull that thou rejoycest no more in thine estate Is it thinkest thou 〈◊〉 blessing or a common blessing to have Christ to have Gods spirit dwelling in thee to have this blessed change wrought in thy soule Paul giveth thankes for this Romans 6.17 God bee thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine that was delivered unto you And 1 Thessal 3.9 What thankes can we render to God againe for you for all the joy wherewith we rejoyce for your sakes before our
our Saviour to his elect disciples Mat. 6.26 Behold the foules of the aire and ver 18. Consider the lillies of the field Yea one chiefe cause of that patience and goodnes that God sheweth to all his creatures and to the vilest men is that his owne people might have visible and palpable demonstrations of his speciall love and goodnes toward themselves 2 Cor. 4.15 all things are for your sakes And therefore David thus concludeth that 107. Psalme wherein he had at large discoursed of the goodnesse of God towards all sorts of men that are in distresse verse 43. Whoso is wise and observeth these things even they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord. And from thence Gods child that is in distrest of conscience may confidently conclude thus If God be so good to them then sure he will bee much more good to mee and respect me that through his mercy have obtained grace to feare him and to desire to please him Thus our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to reason Matth. 6.26.30 Are not ye much better then they Shall he not much more cloath you ô ye of litle faith And 10.31 Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value then many sparrowes So when David had spoken of the generall goodnesse of the Lord extended to all men Psal. 145.14 16. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that bee bowed downe the eyes of all wait upon thee thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing Hee inferreeth from thence verse 18.20 The Lord is nigh to all that cast upon him he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him the Lord preserveth all them that love him Secondly consider the goodnesse of God towards thy selfe in thy first conversion when there was no goodnesse in thee at all nothing but ignorance and profanesse when thou wert in thy blood the Lord said unto thee live as hee speaketh Ezek. 16.6 When thou hadst no mind at all to looke towards God but carriedst thy selfe toward him as an enemy hee cast a gracious eye upon thee and changed thy heart as he did upon Peter when hee was renouncing and forswearing him Luke 22.61 when thou soughtest not to him at all nor hadst any care of thy salvation hee did seeke thee with great earnestnesse and patience as he speaketh Rom. 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gaine-saying people Yea when thou wert running away from God in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction he ranne after thee and cryed to thee with great affection and love as Cant. 6.13 Returne returne ô Shulamite returne returne And from this consideration thou mayest thus reason with thine owne soule did the Lord so love mee when there was no goodnesse in me and shall I thinke hee hateth me now that by his grace hee hath wrought some desires in me to feare him and to make conscience of my wayes That cannot bee for certainely the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psalme 11.7 Did the Lord so seeke after me when I ran as fast as I could from him and was he found of me when I sought him not as he speaketh Esa. 65.1 and will he now reject me and not bee found of me when he hath given me a heart to seek him That cannot be For for that I had promise but for this I have 2. Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Thirdly and lastly Observe and marke well the testimonies of Gods speciall love and goodnesse towards thee even now in this thy grievous affliction of mind and spirituall disertion and thou shalt find that now hee seemeth to bee most angry with thee he loveth thee dearely in his wrath he remembreth mercy toward thee For how falleth it out that thou art not overcome of this so dangerous a tentation thou still seekest to God and art afraid to offend him thou hast bin oft brought to the very brinke of desperation yet thou art not fallen into the gulfe Thou art perplexed but not in despaire cast downe but not destroyed as the Apostle speaketh 2. Corinth 4.8 9. Thou hast beene as the bush that Moses saw Exod. 3.2 3. that burned with fire and yet was not consumed What hath kept thee from falling into that gulfe from being overcome of Satan from sinking utterly under this intollerable burden of a wounded spirit Certainely certainely thou art kept by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Peter 1.5 the Lord doth uphold thee This is that that David saith speaking of such a one as thou art Psalme 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand And as Moses speaketh Deut. 3◠27 The everlasting armes have beene under thee Certainely God never shewed more love to thee in all thy life then thee doth now Hee letteth thee see and feele thine owne weakenesse and readinesse to sin that thou mightest have the better proofe of his marvellous power and love in upholding thee Thus dealt hee with blessed Paul 2 Corinth 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse As wee see sometimes a tender father that perceiving his child loveth to bee too neere the fire or water will make as though hee would fling him in but then taketh hee fast hold on him least he should fall in indeed even so dealeth the Lord oft with his dearest children hee never holdeth them faster then when hee seemeth even ready to cast them into hell and into the gulfe of desperation So as to conclude if thou couldest observe the Lords dealing with thee now thou wouldest find cause to cry unto him with David Psalme 73.22 23. O how foolish have I bin and ignorant to doubt so of thy love to hearken so much unto Satan I have beene as a beast before thee neverthelesse though I am apt to thinke thou hast quite forsaken me yet I find I am continually with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 3 Lecture XXXI on Psalme LI. 3 Iuly XI MDCXXVI For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee WEE have already heard that in the first part of Davids prayer in this Psalme which is for the pardon of his sins two principall things were to be observed 1. The manner of expressing this his suit and request 2. The arguments whereby hee doth confirme his faith and upon which hee doth ground his hope to speed well and obtaine this his suit at the hands of God And the first of these grounds and arguments we have heard was the knowledge he had of the Lords mercy and goodnesse in the two former verses It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second and that is the grace that God had wrought in him that he was able to confesse and acknowledge his sin and this is set downe 1. more generally in this verse that I have now read and 2. more
confession and aggravating of the sinnes of that Church and Nation And thus have you heard the Doctrine confirmed to you in both the branches of it Now for the grounds and reasons of it they are worth the enquiring into why have Gods servants beene wont thus to confesse their sinnes and that so fully and at large unto God Yea why hath God required them thus to do it and delighted in it Surely the Lord knoweth all our sins better then our selves and neede not have them discovered to him by us O God saith David Psalme 69.5 thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee And 1 â—9 2 4. Thou art acquainted with all my wayes there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether thou knowest my thoughts afarre off And why have Gods people so openly before men discovered their owne shame seeing wee are bound to have a care even of our neighbours good name and not to publish his faults Matthew 18.15 Tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone much more are wee bound to have care of our owne credit I answer Three reasons principally have moved Gods people to doe this First The fulnesse and aboundance of their hearts Their hearts have beene so full of the sight and sense of their sinnes that they could not containe themselves they must needes give a vent to their heart by confessing of them Out of the aboundance of the heart saith our Saviour Matthew 12.34 the mouth speaketh This appeareth to bee one reason why David here bursteth forth in this confession his sinne was ever before him And this was one reason doubtlesse why Iohn Baptists hearers could not hold but must needes in so publike an assembly burst foorth into a confession of their sinnes Matt. 3.6 Affection if it be full and vehement cannot bee kept close but it will out as wee see in the example of Ioseph Genesis 45 1. Hee could not refraine himselfe before all them that stood by but hee must utter his affection to his brethren Secondly They have done this and God would have them do it to testifie the sincerity and unfeinednesse of their repentance For as it is a signe a man loveth his sin and it is sweete to him when hee hideth it under his tongue and spareth it as Zophar speaketh Iob 20.12 13. So is this a good signe a man hateth his sinne and is desirous to leave it when hee is willing to disclose and confesse it freely The sicke man that will not bee content to tell his Physician what the meate was that hee surfetted of never meaneth to forsake that meate and that is the very cause why hee will not discover it So is it in this case Men by nature are full of self-selfe-love and cannot abide to heare any evill of themselves from their dearest friends much more to speake any thing to their owne disgrace And this hypocrisie and selfe-love is a chiefe cause of mens unwillingnesse to confesse their sinnes So Tremellius and others render that clause of Iobs words Iob 31.33 Hiding out of the love of my selfe my sinnes So that this argueth a man hath more in him then nature when hee can freely confesse his sinnes This is Davids meaning Psalme 32.2 Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile As if hee should say While I kept silence I had a false heart my spirit was full of guile but when I became able fully to acknowledge my sinne then was my heart purged from that guile and hypocrisie that was in it before So Iob reckoneth this among the best arguments of his sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart that he could freely confesse his sins Iob. 31.33 He covered not his transgressions as Adam did hiding his iniquity in his bosome Thirdly and lastly They have done this and God hath required them to doe it that they might give glory unto God This reason Ioshuah giveth to Achan Iosh 7.19 My sonne give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from mee 1. In confessing our sinnes to God we give glory to him For wee acknowledge the righteousnesse and equity both of his commandements and threatnings and this reason David giveth verse 4. why he doth thus confesse his sins here That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgest 2. In confessing our sins before men we give glory to God For he is greatly glorified by our profession of repentance when just occasion serveth Matthew 5.16 And therefore when Luke had said Act. 19.17 that the Name of the Lord Iesus was magnified in Ephesus he bringeth this for the proofe of it verse 18. And many that beleeved came and confessed and shewed their deeds Lecture XXXII On Psamel 51.3 Iuly 18. 1626. IT followeth wee proceed to the uses that are to the be made of it which are principally two 1. To exhort us to seeke for this grace 2. To direct us how to try and examine our selves whether wee have yet attained to it or no. The first use I say is to exhort us to seeke for this grace that is here commended to us in the example of David he when God effectually touched his heart with true sight and sense of his sins did breake forth into a free and full confession of it so shall wee bee ready to doe if ever wee attaine to true repentance hee tooke this course to finde mercy with God in the pardon of his sins and so must wee doe if ever we will hope to obtaine mercy and comfort Now in this example of David we have three sorts of confession of sin propounded and commended to us for our imitation 1. Hee confessed his sin to Nathan 2. Samuel 12 13. David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. 2. He confessed his sinne to the congregation and Church of God for hee directed this Psalme that containeth the discovery and confession of his sin to the chiefe Musician for the use of the Temple verse 1. and publisheth it for the vse of the Church to the end of the world 3. He confessed his sin chiefly and most fully to the Lord himselfe as appeareth verse 4. and sundry other verses of this Psalme For the first Why did he confesse his sin unto Nathan his owne subject and servant Why did hee not rather when his sin was effectually discovered unto him betake him unto some secret place and confesse and bewaile his sins unto God I answer He saw it necessary to do it 1. To make knowne and approve his repentance unto the Prophet who was better able to judge of it then himselfe 2. That hee might receive comfort from the Prophet in the distresse and anguish of his conscience And surely every Christian when hee is in Davids case must if he be wise do as David did Concerning this confession of our sin in private
the truth of this in three degrees First the greatest part of men were never troubled in their mind for any sin in all their lives yea the greatest sinners are of all men least troubled in mind for sin They are not in trouble saith the Psalmist Psal. 73.5 as other men Nay their conscience is so senslesse so fast asleep as nothing will waken it Such thundring Sermons they oft heare as one would think might break the rockiest heart that is and yet they never stirre these men But they are like Iudas who though he heard Christ so speake of his sin as made all his fellowes exceeding sorrowfull Mat. 26.22 though he heard him so particularly apply his speech as he could not choose but understand hee was the man hee meant for our Saviour said Iohn 13.26 Hee it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it and when hee had dipped the sop hee gave it to Iudas And when hee asked Christ as the rest had done Master is it I Christ said unto him Thou hast said Mat. 26.25 Though he had heard Christ with his powerfull voice denounce that fearefull woe against him Mat. 26.24 Woe unto the man by whom the sonne of man is betraied it had beene good for that man if hee had never beene borne Yet did not all this move him one whit but hee became worse and worse after all this Iohn 13 27. After the sop Satan entred into him And alas how many have we that are like to Iudas in this point No sermon will move them nay the Lord oft times layeth such stroakes upon them scourgeth them with such afflictions as one would thinke might pierce the most seared conscience in the world and bring their sins unto remembrance and yet you shall see these men when they are most vexed with paines and diseases in their bodies with troubles and perplexities in their outward estate yet as quiet in their consciences as free from all remorse and trouble of mind for sin yea as confident of Gods love toward them in Christ as the holiest man in the world So God speaketh of Israel Hos. 8.2 3. When they had cast off the thing that is good and for that cause the enemie the Assyrian should pursue them yet even then in that great affliction they should crye unto God My God we know thee Certainely this is the case of many a man no afflictions will awaken their consciences even upon their death beds you shall not be able to perceive that any of their sins doe trouble them but even as Iob speaketh Iob 21.23 they are wholly at ease and quiet that is wonderfully quiet in their conscience The strong armed man keepeth the pallace as our Saviour speaketh Luke 11.21 and all his goods are in peace Secondly Nay many though they can be content in generall to confesse that they and all men are sinners yet can they not discerne any particular sin to charge themselves withall and if any other man should charge them with it they would be ready to justifie themselves as Ephraim did of whom the Prophet speaketh Hos. 12.7 8 who though he were as a false merchant and the ballances of deceit were in his hand he used deceit in his weights and in his measures yet he justifieth himselfe and saith in all my labours and tradiâ—g they shall finde none iniquity in me which is sin As if he had said Though I have done a little wrong sometimes to men in my trading in my weights and measures and shewed my selfe my crafts-master in making my wares seeme better then they were tush that is nothing all of our trade doe so and must doe so or else we could not live tush that is no sin Alas the world is full of such blind wretches as being notorious sinners yet doe secure and blesse themselves in their estate even upon this ground that they know nothing by themselves that deserveth to be counted a sin at least a mortall sin They are Papists in this as in many other point either they have no sin at all or if any none but veniall sins These mens case is notably set forth by the Lord Ier. 2.34 35. In thy skirts is found the bloud of the soules of the poore innocents I have not found it by secret search but upon all these As if he had said Every thing that was about them their garments their houshold-stuffe their faire houses c. were monuments of and carried the print of their oppression see how grosse sinners they were and yet in the next words marke their extreame blindnesse and security yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turne from mee In times of greatest danger they feared nothing out of this conceit that they were so innocent But what followeth Behold I will plead with thee because thou saist I have not sinned Nay thirdly The most men count it a great happinesse to forget their sins and never to thinke of them and therfore they even study the art of oblivion in this point shunning all meanes carefully that might bring their sinnes into their remembrance as Ahab did Micajahs ministery 1 Kings 22.8 and Felix Pauls Acts 24.25 and they greedily hunt after all the meanes they can devise or thinke of that they may put their sinnes out of their thoughts According to that speech of Solomon Ecclesiast 7.4 The heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Now unto these men I have three things to say First If Iob and David and Paul were in a blessed estate then must the case of these men surely be most miserable Their sin as we heard the last day was ever before them came oft into their remembrance troubled their minds much and thou never thinkest of any of thy sins art never troubled with any such matter They counted it a great happinesse to have such friends to heare such ministers as would rouse and waken their sleepy consciences put them in mind of their sins Ps. 141.5 Let the righteous smite me and let him reprove me Yea they prayed to God for this Iob 13.23 Make me to know my transgression and my sin And thou cryest God blesse me from such preachers that should so disquiet my mind Secondly the blindnes and senslesnes of thy conscience is no such benefit as thou imaginest O no it is a fearefull judgement curse of God upon thee for it maketh thee unable to repent it keepeth thee from all comfort and benefit by Christ Ioh. 12.39 40. Therefore they could not beleeve because as Esaias saith he hath blinded their eyes hardned their hearts left they should be converted and I should heale them This is a judgement wherby God punisheth other grievous sins and of all punishments the most fearefull Psal. 81.11 12. My people would not hearken unto my voice Israel would none of mee so I gave them up to the hardnes of their hearts As they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge saith
hath taken us up againe and set us on our feete Nay though wee have given him just cause a thousand times to cast us off and dishinherit us to leave us to our selves and Satan yet hath his love beene so unchangeable towards us that nothing could move him to cast us off Nay he hath given us assurance by his spirit Rom. 8 38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. So that we have just cause to say as the Prophet Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage that retâ—ineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in mercy And this is also that that greatly amplifieth the goodnesse of God in this point that it is so rare If we would consider how many have fallen some to Popery and other heresies some to profanesse some to the utter hatred of Religion some to worldlinesse that were once farre before us in knowledge and in profession how many that were first are become last Mat. 19.30 How many there are whom we may dayly looke upon that are like those the Apostle speaketh of 2 Pet. 2.18.22 that once were cleane escaped from them that live in errour but now with the dog are turned to their owne vomit againe and as the sow that was washed to their wallowing in the mire Many that are like unto Saul who though he had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit even another heart 1 Sam. 10.6.9 and never in his life fell into so grosse sins as David did yet he fell away quite from God and lost all grace and was quite forsaken of God 1 Sam. 16.14 and 28.15 whereas many of us that like David have had far stronger corruptions yet are still kept in the state of grace be it that none of those that have thus quite fallen away were ever truly regenerate and we may say of them as 1 Iohn 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us But what is it that hath made us to stand when so many that seemed much stronger then wee have fallen quite away Surely nothing but the meere grace and goodnesse of the Lord. It is not of him that willeth saith the Apostle Rom. 9.16 nor of him that runneth but of God that showeth mercy And thus have I in some measure put you in minde of the infinite goodnesse and bounty the Lord hath shewed to every one of us that are his people Now the consideration of this marvellous goodnesse and bounty of God towards vs doth greatly aggravate our sins and make them out of measure sinfull There is no sin we have committed no commandement of God that we have transgressed but we have thereby sleighted and despised shewed contempt unto grieved and dishonoured that God that hath beene so good and gracious a father unto us Thus doth the Lord aggravate Davids sin 2 Sam. 12.7 9. I annointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy masters house c. and if that had beene too little I would mereover have given thee such and such things wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord. Thus did God plead with Israel Mic. 6.3 5. O my people what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee that thou makest so slight account of offending me testifie against me and then in the two next verses he putteth them in minde of the great goodnesse hee had shewed toward them that by that meanes he might bring them to a consideration and feeling of their sins Thus doth the Lord aggravate the sins of his people Deut. 32.6 Doe ye thus requite the Lord ô foolish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee This was that that made Mary Magdelene weepe so aboundantly Luke 7.38 she had a deepe apprehension of Gods goodnesse towards her verse 47. This was that that lay so heavy upon Davids heart heere Against thee thee onely have I sinned Nay it is not possible that any should ever haue a true assurance and sence of Gods fatherly goodnes wrought in his heart by the spirit of God but it will have this effect in him Zach. 12.10 I will powre out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall bee in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne Why doe our sins trouble us no more Surely we are not soundly perswaded of Gods fatherly goodnesse and love towards us the spirit of grace was never powred upon us I know 1. That the most men make the lesse account of sin because they say they know the Lord is so gracious and mercifull nothing doth so much keepe them from being troubled for their sinnes as this they cannot thinke it possible God should like much the worse of them for any of their sins because he is still so good and bountifull unto them but are ready to say to their soules with the Epicure Eccles. 9.7 Goe thy way eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy workes 2. Yea they embolden themselves to sin by this more then by any thing because they know and are peswaded the Lord is so infinite in goodnesse and mercy they turne the very grace of God into wantonnesse Iude 4. If a childe should thus resolve with himselfe rush I know my father beareth that affection to me that though I bee never so stubborne and rebellious against him though I grieve and dishonour him never so much yet he will never cast me off and therefore I care not for offending him all men would say that wretch had lost all naturall affection and had not the nature or heart of a child in him No more hath that man certainely any true or sound assurance of Gods fatherly love and goodnesse towards him that doth not hate sin that is not afraid of sin that cannot mourne for sin out of this respect above all others that by his sin he hath offended and grieved and dishonoured so good and gracious a father as the Lord hath beene unto him Lay aside saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.1.3 all malice and all guile and hypocrisies enuies and evill speakings because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee have tasted knowne with feeling that the Lord is gracious Lecture XLVI on Psalme 51.4 Ianuary 23. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the uses that
of this exhortation will appeare to us in three things First There is never a one of us can assure our selves for any one day that we shall be exempted from crosses and afflictions in one kinde or other in one degree or other God judgeth the righteous saith the Prophet Psal. 7.11 and is angry with the wicked every day And our Saviour Mat. 6.34 Sufficient for the day is the evill thereof Every day for the most part bringeth with it some evill and affliction some crosse and occasion of griefe or other Specially this falleth out to be so with them that live in the Church of God and professe his truth The just God saith the Prophet Zeph. 3.5 is in the midst thereof every morning doth he bring his judgement to light he faileth not Yea the better proceedings that any of us have made in Christs Schoole the more grace is in us the more sure shall we be to meet with crosses every day All the day long saith David Psal. 73.14 have I beene plagued and chastened every morning So that in this respect you see this exhortation unto patience and submitting our selves humbly to the will of God in all his corrections is of daily use for every one of us Secondly Admit we were for the present never so free from troubles and crosses yet have we all cause to looke for troublesome and evill times We I say even we in this land if ever people in the world had cause so to doe We have enjoyed a long summers day of light of peace and prosperity but if we consider our great sinnes to us may now be applyed that speech of the Prophet Ier. 6.4 Wo unto us for the day goeth away for the shadowes of the evening are stretched out Many signes there be that our day will not last long that our night approacheth apace In the morning saith our Saviour Mat. 16.3 ye say it will be soule weather for the skie is red and louring O ye hypocrites ye can discerne the face of the skie but can ye not discerne the signes of the times Certainly our skie is now red and louring and he is a senslesse and secure hypocrite that doth not expect some great storme and tempest In this respect therefore wee have also need of this exhortation every one of us It is wisdome in summer to provide for winter as the Lord teacheth us by the example of the Pismire Pro. 6.8 She provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest and to get our weapons in a readinesse and skill also to use them well before the time of warre do come as the Apostle teacheth Ephes. 6.13 Take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may bee able to withstand in the evill day Thirdly and lastly The necessity of this exhortation will appeare if wee consider well how hard a lesson this is to learne how prone the best of us all are to impatiency and murmuring against the corrections of God Affliction is in its owne nature as bitter as any gall to flesh and bloud our nature abhorreth nothing more No chastening saith the Apostle Heb. 12.1 for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous It is no easie thing when we shall feele Gods stripes to smart indeed to keepe downe our unruly passions and to beare them without some repining and murmuring against God Our afflictions are called our infirmities 2 Cor. 11.30 the best are apt to bewray weakenesse in them Even where the spirit is most ready the flesh will shew it â—elfe to be weake as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 26.41 Specially it will be hard for such as we are that have enjoyed so long peace and ease and prosperity to endure any sharpe affliction such as our poore brethren in the Palatinate Bohemia Germany and France have done This made the crosse a great deale heavier to the Church then otherwise it would have beene as she complaineth unto God Psal. 102.10 Thou hast lifted me up and cast me downe As if she had said If thou hadst not lifted me up so high with many favours and blessings of thine that I did enjoy my fall would not have beene halfe so painefull unto me as now it is We have therefore all need of this exhortation to patience under Gods corrections of what kind soever they shall be in these three respects as you have heard yea we have need to have it pressed upon us in the most forcible and effectuall manner that may be And to this end I will endeavour to force it upon my selfe and you all 1. By shewing the notes and properties of true patience whereby it may be discerned from that that is counterfait 2. By giving you certaine motives that may stirre us up and perswade us to seeke for this grace 3. By directing you to the meanes that are to be used for the attaining to it For the first then I must give you seven notes whereby we may know what true patience is and whether we have yet obtained this grace First True patience is a fruit and effect of repentance and humiliation for sinne So it was heere in David If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled saith the Lord Levit. 26.41 and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity It is not a signe of true patience to be unsensible under Gods judgements though many please themselves greatly in this they have had such and such crosses and they never murmured they thanke God nor were disquieted with them This is a great sinne not to take notice of Gods judgements when they light upon us Esa. 42.25 He hath poured upon Iacob the fury of his anger and the strength of battell and it set him on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart When God sheweth himselfe to be angry with us by smiting and correcting us shall we thinke this a vertue in us not to be affected with it Oh no this is a grievous sinne Ier. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved If our mortall parents should shew themselves displeased and angry with us would it not trouble and humble us Num. 12.14 how much more when God sheweth himselfe so This is an extreame height of rebellion to despise Gods judgements Esa. 22.12 14. The man that is truly patient is very sensible of Gods strokes and of his sinnes that made God to strike him and yet he beareth them patiently and therefore he beareth them patiently because he knoweth his sin is the cause of them See an example of this in the mirrour of true patience blessed Iob even when he shewed his patience most and could say Iob 1.21 Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Yet was hee deepely humbled with the strange judgements of God verse 20. He rent his mantle and shaved his head
words this comfortable sentence verse 18. Wee know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not This wee know and are most certaine of that hee can never fall into that sinne Insomuch as that which the Apostle speaketh of the whole Church of the Iewes Rom. 11.11 may be truly said of every elect child of God Have they stumbled that they should fall that is that they should fall finally and for ever for in the next verse 12. hee granteth they are fallen God forbid saith hee See this also plainly taught us Psal. 15. where the Prophet having described the upright hearted Christian by sundry properties and actions hee concludeth verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall never bee mooved never bee utterly and finally overcome by any tentation And this is that which our Saviour teacheth also Mat. 7.24 25. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock and the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was built upon a rock And that which hee saith of a godly life hee saith Matth. 16.18 of a lively and true faith also Thou art Peter a rocke impregnable whom Satan with all his might shall not be able to overcome though thou shalt fall thou shalt not fall utterly and upon this rocke this faith that thou hast made confession of I will build my Church and the gates of hell all the cunning all the power of Satan shall not prevaile against it If any man shall aske me and why cannot a chosen vessell and true beleever what tentations soever shall assault him perish irrecoverably I answer There bee two pillars that uphold him and make it impossible for him to fall in that manner of which I spake the last day 1. The almighty power of God 2. The unchangeable love of God Both fitly typified by those two pillars we read of 1 Kin 7.21 that were in Solomons Temple which was also it selfe a type of the Church and people of God the one was called Iachin that is to say he will establish the other Boaz in him is strength First Let us begin with Boaz. In the Lord is strength enough to keepe us from falling totally or finally Vpon this pillar our Saviour lyeth this Doctrine Iohn 10.28.29 None of my sheepe shall perish my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand No no man if hee bee once one of Christs sheepe a true beleever no man can plucke him away Vpon this pillar doth Paul ground his confidence 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Yea upon this pillar hee groundeth the confidence even of the weakest Christian that is having an honest heart Rom. 14. For speaking of one that is weake in the faith verse 1. he saith thus of him verse 4. Yea he shall be held up for God is able to make him stand Now for the second pillar lachin hee will establish The Lord not only hath strength to keepe his people but wee are also sure he will establish them that they shall not perish This pillar God giveth his Church to ground and build upon Esa. 54.10 The mountaines shall depart and the hills bee removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Vpon this pillar doth the Church ground her confidence Esa. 64.5 Behold thou art wroth for wee have sinned in those is continuance and wee shall bee saved And so doth David Psalm 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Lecture LXXII On Psalme 51.5 Octob. 16. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the fourth and last point wherein the admirable goodnesse of God is set forth by the Doctrine of originall sin and that is this That the sinfulnesse and corruption of our nature being so great as it is it should doe us no more hurt then it doth And surely this is a thing that wee can never sufficiently admire that wee not onely slipping and falling oft into many actuall sins but having also still in us so vile a nature such a fountaine of corruption that maketh us wee cannot cease from sin any one moment and like the troubled sea that cannot rest it is the Prophets comparison though in another sense Esa. 57.20 is ever casting up some filthy myre and dirt or other to defile our best actions by that wee being such I say the Lord should not loath and abhorre both our selves and every thing that proceedeth from us That the Lord should notwithstanding all this have so gracious respect unto us and to our poore service as he hath this doth notably set forth his admirable goodnesse and mercy towards us This will the better appeare unto us if wee shall distinctly consider these three things 1. What wee and our best actions and performances are 2. What the Lord is in the holinesse of his owne nature 3. What the respect is that the Lord notwithstanding doth shew to us and to the service we do unto him For the first Our flesh and corrupt nature is such as it will not suffer us to doe any one duty in that manner as wee ought This blessed Paul complained of Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee this was doubtlesse the speech of a regenerate man but how to performe that which is good I find not And that that hee saith of himselfe there hee saith of all the faithfull Galat. 5.17 Yee cannot doe the thing that yee would Nay it doth so palpably corrupt and defile every good thing wee desire to doe as our selves cannot choose if there bee any truth of grace in us but discerne and bee ashamed of it and complaine of it also as the Church doth Esa. 64.6 Wee are all as the uncleane man the leper and all our righteousnesses not one but all are as filthy rags So that when wee have done the best service that ever wee did to God wee have cause to cry God mercy for it and to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 Lord pardon mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy And if we as blind and senselesse and full of self-selfe-love as we are can discerne so much filth our selves in them what can the Lord doe Who is greater then our heart as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3.20 and knoweth all things For the second point The Lord wee know is so infinitely holy that hee cannot abide to looke upon hee cannot but detest all filthinesse and sin Thou art of purer eyes saith the Prophet Hab. 1.13
this naturall weakenesse there is a sinfull weakenesse also in the best of Gods children even weaknesse of faith which maketh them subject not to naturall feares onely but to sinfull feares also There is much lacking in their faith as the Apostle said of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 And this is a chiefe cause of all their feares Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 8.16 pointing at the chiefe cause of all our feare When are apt to doubt of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and who can choose but bee much disquieted in his heart with â—eare when he doubteth of Gods favour When the Prophet complained Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted he telleth us verse 14. what was the cause of those terrours he felt in himselfe Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me Hee could not be perswaded of Gods love hee thought God had cast him of And can you wonder then though his heart were full of terrour The second cause of these feares is the Lord himselfe Certainely his holy hand is to be acknowledged in this kinde of affliction as well as in any other These feares are therefore called the Lords terrours Psal. 88.15 and 2 Cor. 5.11 because they come from him And the Lord seeth it to bee good and profitable many waies for sundry of his servants to bee much exercised by them 1. This maketh them carefull by repentance to purge themselves from all their knowne sinnes So the Lord speaketh of the feare which they that travell by sea are in when they see the strange breaches which the whale by his rising doth make in the sea Iob 4â— 25 When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty and most stout hearted are afraid by reason of his breakings they purifie themselves As wee see the mariners that carryed Ionah did Ionah 1.5 The mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Every one sought to make his peace with God in the best manner that he could This effect wee know feare usually hath even in all men but much more certainely in Gods children 2. This keepeth them humble fearefull to sinne tractable and willing to obey God in all things This is also a naturall effect of feare to abate the pride of mans heart and to make it humble and tractible Put them in feare ô Lord saith David Psal. 9.20 that the nations may know themselves to bee but men Certainely if the Lord should not now and then visit them with inward terrours and gripes there be many in the world would even forget themselves to be men But this effect it hath in Gods children especially O that there were such a heart in them saith the Lord of his people Deut. 5.29 that they would feare me keepe my commandements alwaies As if he had said Now they are fearefull to offend me in any thing now they are willing to doe any thing I would have them as they protested verse 27. But when was that Surely when by seeing the law delivered in that terrible manner they were brought into a wonderfull feare 3. Lastly This prepareth them and maketh them fit to receive comfort from God Thus the Lord hath beene wont to prepare his servants whom he meant to give most comfort unto Before the Lord delivevered that large and comfortable promise unto Abram Gen. 15.13 21. it is said verse 12. Loe an horrour of great darknesse fell upon him Before Elijah could heare that still and small voice that spake so much comfort unto him concerning himselfe and the whole Church the Lord first affrighted him with a great and strong wind that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces and then by an earthquake and after that by a fire 1 King 19.11 12. hee deepely humbled him by feare and terrour first that he might prepare and make him fit to receive that comfort You see then that this may bee the case of them that are most upright hearted and such as truly love the Lord they may bee much subject to these feares And this is the first thing I told you I had to say for the comfort of such poore soules The second is this That it is not onely possible that thou maist love God unfeignedly though thou be so subject to these terrours but even while thou art in this case thou hast evident signes in thee that thou dost so and if thou couldst observe thine owne heart well thou wouldst be able to discerne that thou dost love God indeed For First Thou desirest Gods favour above all things in the world and no crosse afflicteth thy heart so much as this that thou thinkest thou hast lost it thou canst not be assured of it this is a certaine signe thou lovest him When the Churches diligence in seeking after Christ when she had lost him is described Cant. 2.1 4. she expresseth the cause that moved her so to seeke after him by calling him him whom her soule loved and this title she repeateth in every one of those verses Certainely if her soule had not dearely loved him she could not in that manner have sought after him So that this griefe and trouble thy heart is in because thou canst not be assured of Gods favour argueth plainely that thou art sicke of love as the Church saith she was Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 Thy love to God is the cause of thy sicknesse and griefe O how happy a thing would it be with many if they were sicke of this disease Secondly Thou darest not doe any thing that thou thinkest would offend God but makest conscience to doe his will therefore thou lovest God Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is hee that loveth me And 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements we could not els do it constantly nor conscionably Thirdly When thou hast through infirmity done any thing to offend God thou grievest unfeignedly and art troubled with it This argueth that thou lovest the Lord. It was love that made Mary Magdalen to weepe so abundantly for her sinnes as our Saviour testifieth of her Luke 7.47 And this was the onely thing whereby Peter did expresse that though he haâ— so shamefully denied Christ yet he loved him above all things when he had so offended hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Fourthly Thou lovest the Word and ordinances of God and the sincerity of his worship Therefore thou lovest God For the Lord calleth them that keepe the second commandement specially and above all others such as love him Exod. 20.6 And David professing himself Psal. 119 132. to be one of those that did love Gods name declareth it by no argument so much as by this throughout that Psalme even by that love hee bare unto and that delight hee tooke in the Word of God Fiftly thou lovest the children of God even because of the
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
saith Elihu to Iob when he would perswade him to think and judge rightly of his sin Iob 34.31 32. that which I know not teach thou me It is fit and necessary we should cry unto God that hee would open our eyes and not suffer us to be deluded by Satan that he would by his holy spirit teach us to judge rightly of this matter to know how hainous and dangerous a thing sinne is Lecture CXX On Psalme 51.7 Iune 9. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second use of the Doctrine and that is for exhortation For if this be so that no man may hope to find mercy with God for the pardon of his sin but onely through Christ and his bloud then must we all labour to know that we have our part in Christs bloud that we are of the number of them that he did undertake for O this is the excellent knowledge when all is done This was the knowledge that Paul made such reckoning of as he professeth to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 2.2 He determined not to know any thing among them save Iesus Christ and him crucified Three points are to be observed in that speach of his 1. That though hee did so excell in knowledge as he durst without vaine-glory compare with the very chiefest Apostles as he saith 2 Cor. 11.5 6. Though I be rude in speach saith he yet not in knowledge but we have beene made throughly manifest unto you in all things As if he had said There was no point of religion needfull for you to be instructed in no difficult case of conscience that any of you had occasion to propound unto me but I was able fully and cleerely to resolve you in He had received that abundance of revelations from the Lord as hee was in danger to bee exalted above measure with them as himselfe confesseth 2 Cor. 1◠7 Yet doth he professe here that hee made no reckoning of all the rest of his knowledge in comparison of this To know Iesus Christ and him crucified was the onely knowledge the onely high point of learning that he made account of and gloryed in 2. That this was the onely point of knowledge that in his whole ministery in all his preaching among the Corinthians he laboured to bring them to To know Iesus Christ and him crucified this was the whole scope and drift of his ministery In which respect also he calleth his ministery 1 Cor. 1.18 The preaching of the crosse and verse 23. The preaching of Christ crucified as if he preached nothing but that all his preaching tended to bring them to this point of knowledge to know Iesus Christ and him crucified 3. Observe that hee saith hee did this advisedly and upon judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee I determined and resolved with my selfe before I preached among you that this should bee the onely point of knowledge that I would professe my selfe to have skill in and which I would in my whole ministery labour to bring you unto To know Iesus Christ and him crucified O that wee were all of Pauls mind ô that wee all that are preachers of the Gospell were of Pauls mind that wee would not so much affect and admire the knowledge of nice and intricate speculations and busie our owne and other mens heads with unprofitable controversies with oppositions of science falsly so called as the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim 6.20 that wee would not count it our glory to excell others in such points of knowledge and learning as are vaine and unprofitable but study this point better and strive to bring our selves and others to this skill To know Iesus Christ and him crucified To this end marke how that blessed Apostle doth further expresse himselfe in this matter Phil. 3.8 9. Doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe account them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Foure things are worthy to bee observed in this speach of that holy man 1. That there is an excellency in this knowledge in the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge in the world 2. That he himselfe had suffered the losse of all things for Christs sake the cause of all his losses of all his troubles and persecutions was the constant profession he made of his love to Christ and the high and account hee made of him that hee would not shrinke from him nor forgoe the comfort and sweetnesse he found in him 3. That he did not this out of a rash zeale and head-strong affection but advisedly and upon good judgement and mature deliberation I account all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord I account them but dung As if he should say I see good reason why I should be content to purchase this knowledge with the losse of all things yea that I should even loath all things as the filthiest dung and cry fie upon them when they come in competition with Christ and I cannot enjoy them but I must loose my comfort in Christ. 4. Lastly Observe what a kind of the knowledge of Iesus Christ it was that he made so great account of I count all things but losse saith he for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord and againe I count all things but dung that I may win Christ and may bee found in him As if hee had said To know Christ to bee my Lord and Saviour that hee did undertake for mee to win and weare him as mine owne to know that I am in him as the branch is in the vine and the sience in the stocke ô this is an excellent knowledge saith hee this is such a knowledge as a man should bee willing to purchase with the losse of any thing that is dearest to him in the world And this is the knowledge of Christ that I would faine perswade my selfe and every one of you beloved to make high account of and to give no rest to our selves till we have attained unto it And for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation I will 1 give you some Motives to quicken and stirre up this desire in us 2 Because most men are too light of beleefe and confident in this point that Christ is theirs I will give you some signes and notes out of Gods Word how we may know this and not be deceived in it 3. Lastly I will shew you the Meanes that they who have not yet but would faine win Christ and be found in him must use to obtaine their desire And for Motives there be foure that may serve in stead of many that might be given First Till thou know that Christ is thine and that thou art one of them that he did undertake for thou canst have no assurance that any sinne that ever thou didst commit is pardoned but hast
of a scorpion when he stingeth a manâ— so intolerable as men shall seeke death and shall not find it shall desire to dye and death shall flyâ— from them Marke but foure Doctrines which they teach and this will be evident unto you 1. Their Doctrine of justification that a man must be justified in Gods sight by a righteousnesse inherent in himselfe and by his good workes a broken reed God knoweth for a weary and fainting soule to rest upon 2 Their Doctrine of purgatory that when men dye there is a fire prepared for them in purgatory that their soules must goe to and remaine in no man knoweth how many hundred yeares which fire is no lesse painful intolerable then the fire of hell is 3. Their Doctrine of doubting that no man can be in this life certain that he is in the state of grace hope well he may but sure he can never be that his sins are so forgiven that they shal never be laid to his charge againe he must be in doubt continually nay it is sin and blasphemy say they for any man to say he is certain of his salvation 4. Lastly Their Doctrine of saving justifying faith that it is nothing but a perswasion of the mind that whatsoever God hath revealed is undoubtedly true which we have learned out of the Apostle is in the devils themselves That speciall faith that applyeth Christ and his merits particularly to every beleever that hath in it an affiance of the heart a resting upon Christ for a mans owne salvation this bloud of sprinkling that you have now heard of that they disdaine and scoffe at and persecute as vaine presumption Alas how can these poore wretches that receive these teachers that beleeve these Doctrines have any comfort in death How can they chuse but be then in intolerable terrour and torment of conscience certainly many Papists are so and all would bee were it not that they are made drunke with a wine of spirituall fornication which the whoore of Babylon hath made them to drink of as the spirit of God in Rev. 17. â— hath fore-told it should be And who would wonder to see senslesnesse and stupidity in a drunken man O therefore beloved 1. Pity your friends and kinsmen that are seduced by these wretched teachers do what you can to reclame them 2. Consider how small cause there is that we have so long enjoyed professed the Gospel which is the only way of peace as Zachary calleth it Lu. 1.79 And of which the Lord hath so oft spoken by his spirit to our hearts as he did Esa. 28.12 This is the rest wherwith yâ— mâ—y cause the wâ—ary to rest this is the refreshing As if he had said this is the Doctrine wherin the weariest faintest and most afflicted soule may find rest and refreshing How small cause is there I say that wee should now grow weary of the Gospel entertaine thoughts with those rebels Num. 14.4 of returning into that Egypt againe that house of bondage Exod. 13.3 where no true rest or comfort is to be found for the conscience Nay consider 3. how just cause of feare we have lest the Lord because we have lost our first love to him his blessed Gospel will remove our candlesticke deprive us of it as he threatneth Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. And take heed we grow not weary of him as he chargeth Israel Esa. 43.22 and loath his Gospel lest he loath us and grow weary of us and spew us out as he threatneth the Laodiceaus that had lost their zeale Rev. 3.16 And let us take heed of doting upon antichrist his altars and his images his apish ceremonies or any part of his damnable doctrines left the Lord let antichrist enter and prevaile againe in this land that we may know by wofull experience the difference of his service the service of Christ the difference betweene popery and the Gospell as the Lord threatned his people 2. Chr. 1â— 8 The second use that this Doctrine serveth unto is to exhort us that seeing none can have comfort in the blood of Christ till it be sprinkled upon him and applyed to him till the spirit of God have made him to know it belongeth unto him that therfore every one of us would labour to find that it is so with himselfe that we would give no rest to our selves till wee find we have our part in this blood of sprinkling till the spirit of God have applyed it unto us assured us that it all the vertue and merit of it belongeth unto us O beloved 1. Content not thy selfe to know that God loveth thee so far as he giveth thee life and health he letteth thee live in peace and wealth and credit here alas hee loved Cain and Dives and many more that now fry in hell so far but labour to know that he loved thee so farre as that he gave his sonne to dye for thee let no fruit of Gods love so satisfie thee but that In this was manifested the love of God towards us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 4 9 10. because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that wee might live through him herein is love No fruit of Gods love is worth the having is worth the speaking of in comparison of this Neither content thy selfe to know this in generall that God so loved the world that he gave his Sonne to redeeme all that can beleeve in him but labour to know in particular that which Paul knew Gal. 2.20 that he loved thee and gave himselfe for thee 3. Neither content thy selfe to thinke and hope well that Christ died for thee Go not by thinking in this case but make this sure to thy heart upon good grounds Give diligence to make thy calling and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 Neither 4 content thy selfe to say carelesly though not yet sure of this I hope I shall be before I die I hope God will purge mee with hysope one day and sprinkle this bloud of his Son upon my heart but labour speedily and without delay to get this assurance and cry with the Church unto God Psal. 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee may rejoyce and be glad all our daies But to inforce this so necessary an exhortation both upon my selfe and you I will 1 give you some Motives to perswade you to seeke this assurance 2 I will give you some signes whereby you may discerne whether you have yet obtained it or no. 3 I will shew the meanes that must be used for the attaining to it And for Motives I will give you but two the one taken from the possibility of attaining in this life to this assurance and the other from the necessity and benefit of it For the first Know this beloved that though 1 It be a very difficult thing to get this assurance and few attaine to it 2 They that have attained
Nehemiah knew that God was his God and would remember him in goodnesse as is plaine by his prayer Neh. 13.22 because he had shewed such zeale in punishing the profanation of the Sabbath day And what shall we say then of such Magistrates as having good law and authority to punish swearing and whoring and profanation of the Sabbath have no zeale at all for the execution of such lawes but when any come to them for justice against such offences they are ready to put them off as much as is possible and to extenuate such faults and to say with Gallio Acts 18.15 I will be no judge of such matters and verse 17. Gallio cared for none of those things Certainly these men whatsoever they say have no true assurance that Christs bloud was shed for them if they had they would shew more love to God and care of his honour Lecture CXXIIII On Psalme 51.7 August 4. 1629. NOw concerning the meanes whereby we may attaine to a particular assurance of the pardon of our sins we must first understand that this is a supernaturall worke of the spirit of God and that no man is able of himselfe and by his owne endeavour in the use of any meanes whatsoever to attaine unto it It is the spirit that beareth witnesse saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.6 And againe The spirit it selfe saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.16 beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sons of God Yet doth the spirit worke this assurance in the heart of man not by immediate and extraordinary inspirations and revelations but by ordinary meanes And he that shall with an honest heart use these ordinary meanes hath no cause to doubt but that the Lord will be pleased by his holy spirit to work it in him And these meanes we find are of two sorts The first are more outward and bodily the second more inward and spirituall The first are those ordinances of God and exercises of his holy religion which he hath appointed and sanctified which as they were all ordained for this end principally to bring us unto salvation and to worke in us a comfortable assurance of it so he that useth them diligently and conscionably may obtaine it by them Of them all in generall specially of all the parts of Gods solemne and publique worship it is to be observed that David professeth this to be the cause why he was so in love with it why he desired the comfort and benefit of Gods worship and ordinances more then he did any thing in the world besides why he resolved to make this his only suit unto God that he might never be deprived of them One thing saith he Ps. 27.4 have I desired of the Lord that will I seecke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life It is to be observed I say that he professeth this to be the chiefe cause why he was so highly in love with Gods house and ordinances That I may behold saith he the beauty of the Lord and visit his temple And what meaneth he by beholding the beauty of the Lord That he expoundeth himselfe in Ps. 48.9 We have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God in the midst of thy temple The loving kindnesse of God and his speciall mercy to his elect in Christ his favourable and cheerefull countenāce upon his servants that is the Lords beauty that is it that maketh him amiable to his people and that Gods people do behold they do think and meditate upon it farre more cleerly and comfortably in his house and temple in the use of his ordinances then any where els or by any other meanes in the world besides This made him in his troubles and banishment thirst and long after the sanctuary of God so as he professeth he did Psal. 63.1 Every place he lived in where he was deprived of the liberty and comfort of the sanctuary was unto him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is he could find nothing in it to refresh and satisfie the thirst of his soule And verse 2 he giveth the reason why he did so long after the sanctuary To see thy power and thy glory saith he so as I have seene thee in the sanctuary As if he had said I shall never see it so as I have seene it there And what meaneth he by the power and glory of God which he had seene in the sanctuary That he expresseth verse 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better then life He had seene the mercy and loving kindnesse of God toward him in Christ he had obtained a more comforaable assurance and feeling of it in the Sanctuary in the use of Gods solemne worship and ordinances there then ever he did or could do in any place or by any meanes in the world besides All other places were to him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is in comparison of the sanctuary And certainely they that beleeve this to be so as David did they that know this to be so in their owne experience as he did and as many of you I doubt not have done will stand affected to Gods house and ordinances as he was will highly prize and esteeme of a sound ministery as he did will desire this above all things as he did that they may never want the benefit and comfort of it But to speake of this point distinctly I will instance in three parts of Gods worship onely for this and shew you what force there is in them to breed in the heart of Gods child the assurance of his favour to make him able to behold the beauty of the Lord and the light of his countenance The first of them is diligent and conscionable use of the Word of God both in the reading and hearing of it Two things there be which God hath spoken concerning his Word and the ministery thereof that may give a Christian good ground of hope that by a diligent and conscionable attendance upon this ordinance he may be able to attaine unto a comfortable assurance of Gods favour in Christ. The first is this That the Lord gave his Word and the ministery thereof to that end principally The maine thing that the Lord aimed at both in writing his holy Word and in sending of preachers to his Church is that he might by this meanes bring his people to the knowledge of himselfe and of his mercy in Christ. The second is this That the Lord will by his spirit accompany his Word and the ministery thereof in the hearts of his people and make it effectuall in them unto this end that he hath ordained it for For the first Of the Word in generall it is said that it was written principally for that end to breed in the hearts of Gods people sound comfort Whatsoever things were written asoretime saith the Apostle Rom. 15.4 were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope These
experience 1 of Gods marvellous providence in sundry extreamities as Abraham had 2 of Gods gracious presence revealed to us in his house and in the use of his ordinances as Iacob had 3 of the comfortable answer that God hath given to our prayers as hee did to Hannah 4 specially of the fruit happy successe we have found in our fasts the great deliverances we have received by them as Gods people in the daies of Iehosaphat and Mordecai did that we should likewise take heed of forgetting these experiments use all the meanes we can to keepe them in remembrance for ever And that for this very cause because as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.4 Experience worketh hope And that upon this ground because though we be variable the Lord is constant in his love Whom he loveth he loveth to the end Iohn 13.1 In him is no uariablenesse or shadow of turning Iames 1.17 The fourth and last meanes that they must use who desire to obtaine assurance of Gods favour in Christ to preserve it when they have it and to recover it when it is lost is this They must renounce themselves and looke for it onely through the free grace and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. When a man can neither 1 by diligent examination find any goodnesse in himselfe for the present 2 nor call to mind any goodnesse that hath beene in him formerly 3 nor can remember any such speciall mercy or fruit of Gods love that he hath received in times past upon which he can ground any assurance yet if he can then with an humbled soule despairing to get it any other way cast himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and cry with Gods people 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee he may obtaine assurance and comfort by this meanes when he cannot doe it by any other By this means David looked to receive his comfort and assurance as you may find by that speech he useth to his owne soule Psalme 42.5 which he repeateth againe verse 12. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance He looked verily to recover the comfortable assurance of Gods favour How looked he to recover it Surely by hoping in God and resting in his mercy So by this meanes the faithfull professe they looked to obtaine the comfortable assurance of Gods love Psal. 33.20 22. Our soule waiteth for the Lord for our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy name Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Why but you will say can any man hope for mercy from God that can find no goodnesse in himselfe at all The righteous God loveth righteousnesse as we have heard out of Psal. 11.7 Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord saith David Psal. 115.11 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting saith David Psal. 103.17 upon them that feare him But on the other side Such as have no goodnesse in them but are wicked men his soule hateth as David teacheth us Psal. 11.5 To this I answer That though no impenitent sinner can expect mercy from God neither would I have any such snatch at any thing that I shall say they have nothing to do with it yet the humbled and penitent sinner may as may appeare by examples Sundry that could find no goodnesse in themselves at all and therefore judged themselves utterly unworthy of mercy have yet relyed upon God trusted and looked to receive mercy from him neverthelesse for that Such a one was the Centurion Matth. 8.8 who though he judged himselfe unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe yet did trust to receive mercy from Christ for all that And the woman of Canaan who though she knew no goodnesse in her selfe but counted her selfe no better than a dog Mat. 15.27 yet trusted confidently in Christ for all that And two plain reasons there be for this First because they knew Gods mercy is free and not grounded upon any goodnesse that is in us I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos. 14.4 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious saith the Lord Exod. 33.19 and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Secondly Because they have trusted to receive mercy from God onely through Christ. In him they knew there was goodnesse enough though there were none in them Looke upon the face of thine annointed saith David Psal. 84.9 As if he should have said Though thou canst see no goodnesse in me for which thou shouldst shew me mercy yet thou maist see enough in him to content thee Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate saith Daniel 9.57 for the Lords sake Christ hath deserued that God should be mercifull to all the belieue in him And whatsoever goodnesse is in him is theirs He is made to us of God saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 1.30 wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So that an humbled sinner may rely upon and expect mercy of God through Christ though he can discerne no goodnesse at all in himselfe Nay I say more that because thou findest in thy selfe no goodnesse at all therefore art thou of all men the fittest to receive mercy from God through Christ. Hâ—e every one that thirsteth saith the Lord Esa. 55.1 come ye to the waters and he that hath no money As if he had said He that hath no goodnesse in him nothing whereby he may hope to purchase and deserve mercy is neverthelesse capable of mercy for that nay he is the more capable of it because of that that he finds himselfe so As the emptier a glasse is the fitter it is to receive any precious liquor that should be put into it Blessed are the poore in spirit saith our Saviour Matth. 5.3 And To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly saith the Apostle Rom. 4.5 To him that hath not any goodnesse not one good work to trust unto but can do God that honour as to believe in him expect and rest upon him for mercy though he know himselfe to be an ungodly man and void of all goodnesse to him his faith is imputed for righteousnesse As if he should say O that is a justifying that is an excellent faith indeed But though a man that feeleth no goodnesse in himselfe may yet expect to receive mercy and assurance of favour from God if he can rest himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and trust to receive it that way and that way alone yet how can such a one as I that am so full of feares and doubts and infidelity ever be able to do that my infidelity barreth me from all hope of mercy If Christ could do no mighty worke in Nazareth because of their infidelity
why hidest thou thy face from mee Can any man thinke that these men had at these times any sensible assurance in themselves of their owne salvation and of Gods favour when they did thus complaine No will you say neither doth it appeare that they were in the state of grace in the favour of God or had any true saith in them when they did thus complaine Though these were good men and did recover themselves afterward yet when they spake thus they were fallen from grace they had lost their faith or they could never have spoken in this sort But to this I answer That it is evident by the Scripture that they had not lost their faith at these times though they had lost their assurance they had not lost their faith they were not in the state of grace even then when they spake thus Iob had true faith in him even at that time as appeareth by his words verse 15. of that very thirtieth chapter Though he slay me saith he yet will I trust in him And David had true faith in him even then when he said God had forsaken him or else he could not have cryed as he did My God my God neither could he have persevered in prayer day and night without ceasing as hee did verse 2. of that 22. Psalme And Hemaâ— had true faith even then when he complained that God had cast of his soule or else hee could never have prayed as hee did verse 1. of that 88. Psalme O God of my salvation I have cryed day and night before thee And this is the first thing beloved that I told you I had to say to you for your comfort though it be a just cause of trouble to thee that thou wantest the sensible assurance of Gods love It was so to David Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled saith he Psalme 30.7 And Psal. 13.1 2. He complaineth of this as of a great affliction How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee How long shall I take counsell in my soule having sorrow in my heart daily So long as God hid his face from him and did not looke cheerefully upon him his heart was full of sorrow and so it must needs be with thee if thy heart be sound Yet be not overmuch dismayed with it For thou mayest be deare unto God as thou hast heard and highly in his favour though thou perceive it not though thou have not the sensible assurance of it in thy selfe The second thing that I have to say for thy comfort is this That if thou canst in any measure beleeve in Christ his bloud is certainely sprinkled upon thee and applyed unto thee by the spirit of God his favour is assured unto thee though it bee not sensible unto thee though thou perceive it not See both these points made evident unto thee by the Scriptures For the first True faith applieth Christ unto us and maketh him and all his benefits our owne Therefore they that beleeve in Christ are said to have received him as the free gift of God Iohn 1.13 And what is more our owne then that that is freely given us and wee have received So Christ is sayd Ephe 3.17 to dwell in our hearts by faith and to have taken full possession of them if thou hast faith thou art Christs proper possession and if thou bee his he is thine also certainely Yea the true beleever is said to have eaten the flesh of Christ and to have drunke his bloud Ioh. 6.54 And what is more our owne what is so neerely applyed unto us as that which wee eate and drinke And for the second point True faith giveth us just title to eternall salvation and maketh it sure unto us For so doth our Saviour himselfe with great vehemency protest Iohn 6 47. Verily verily I say unto you hee that beleeveth on mee hath everlasting life So that suppose a man never have in himselfe the sensible assurance of Gods favour all the dayes of his life though his estate should bee in that respect very uncomfortable yet beleeving in Christ hee should bee a most happy man neverthelesse for all that For hee hath that in him which is the onely root and foundation of all true comfort and happinesse Christ and all his merits are his the kingdome of heaven and everlasting salvation is made sure unto him And that made the Apostle to say 1 Iohn 5.10 He that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he need not go farre to seeke it hee hath that in himselfe that will witnesse for him and prove that he is an happy man the child of God and heire to the kingdome of heaven But it may be some will object and say Alas there is small comfort in this point For how can a man have true faith that hath in himselfe no comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins and of his owne salvation And what is faith but a full perswasion and certaine assurance of this To this I answer That is a dangerous errour to define faith so This assurance is indeed a sweet fruit and effect of faith but it is not faith it selfe the essence and being of faith consisteth not in this Wherein then consisteth the essence and being of faith will you say Surely in an obedientiall aâ—â—iance and trusting in Christ and in him alone for the pardon of our sins and for our eternall salvation When an humbled sinner feeling his owne misery through sin can beleeve that in Christ there is help and comfort enough to bee found and rest and rely upon him only for mercy with a mind willing to obey him in all things this man certainly hath true faith though hee have no assurance In this the being and essence of true faith doth chiefly consist This is evident by the termes and phrases whereby the holy Ghost doth in the Scripture describe and expresse true faith Sometimes hee calleth it a beleeving on Christ as Ioh 3.18 sometimes a trusting in Christ as Ephe. 1.12 sometimes a resting upon God 2 Chron. 14.11 a relying upon God 2 Chron. 16.8 sometimes a cleaving and sticking close to him Act. 11. â—3 Now to make some application of this Let me say to every one of you as the Prophet doth Esa. 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkenesse and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God If thou be of the number of them that feare God and desirest to obey Christ in all things though thou have in thee no light no comfort no assurance or feeling of Gods favour though thou walke in darkenesse and art ever full of feares and doubts in thy selfe yet stay thy selfe upon Christ for all that and because of Gods word and promise resolve with thy selfe that thou wilt put thy trust in him The just shall live by his faith
for this very cause because he professeth goodnes I know every man will say hee hateth no professour for his profession nor for any good thing that is in him but onely for such faults as I named which they find to bee in them And so the cursed Iewes could say for themselves Iohn 10.33 For thy good workes wee stone thee not but for thy blasphemy Whereas indeed they hated him only for his good workes And so it is certaine there have beene alwaies many in the world yea in the Church too that have hated a disciple even in the name of a disciple Cain hated Abel because saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.12 his owne workes were evill and his brothers righteous And David saith of himselfe Psal. 38.20 that he had many adversaries for this very cause because he followed the thing that was good And our Saviour telleth his Disciples Iohn 15.19 that the world should hate them for this very cause because they are not of the world but hee hath chosen them out of the world Whereby it is plaine that the most that hate the professours of religion hate them not for any of their faults but onely for the goodnesse that they make profession of O take heed beloved that thou bee none of those And I will give thee three notes to discerne this by First If thou didst hate and dislike them onely for their faults and not for their goodnesse thou wouldst be sure those faults were in them indeed which thou so hatest them for Wheras thou art apt to beleeve any slander against them and to imagine and charge them to bee guilty of such things as thou canst not prove but they are most free from They cast iniquity upon me saith David Psal. 55.3 and in wrath they hate me This casting of iniquity upon professours and aptnesse that is in men to surmise and report evill of them without cause argueth a deadly hatred not to their faults but to their persons and profession Secondly If thou didst dislike or hate them for their faults onely then thou wouldst hate other men also in whom the same and greater faults doe abound more then in them But that thou dost not thou likest other men never the worse for these and grosser sins thou hatest sin in none but in them only that professe goodnesse Thou hatest them that are good and lovest them well enough that are naught as the Prophet speaketh of lewd men in his time Mic. 3.2 And therfore it is evident thou hatest them not for their faults but for their goodnesse only Thirdly and lastly If thou didst hate them only for their faults thou wouldst not rejoice to heare or speake evill of them but it would grieve thee to heare and see that such as professe so well should live so ill that occasion should be given to wicked men to blaspheme and speake evill of religion through their sins This is the nature of true zeale and hatred of sin I beheld the transgressours and was grieved saith David Ps. 119.158 because they kept not thy word But thou hast no greater joy then to heare and speake of the faults of professours and to blaze them abroad as far as thou canst yea thou art apt to glory in the advantage thou hast gotten against religion by it Like those that David complained of Ps. 38.16 When my foot slippeth then they magnifie themselves against me And therfore it is evident thou hatest them not for their faults but for the goodnesse that is in them And thus have I finished the first branch of that point that I instanced in touching the good things that may be found in many an hypocrite I have shewed you that though all these five things may bee found in some that are no better then hypocrites yet are they all very good things for all that and such as God is highly pleased with Lecture CXXXVIII On Psalme 51.7 Ianuary 19. 1629. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second branch of the point which is indeed the maine thing I aimed at in propounding it unto you to shew you that though all these bee very good things in themselves yet can no man that hath them find any sound comfort in them till hee bee in Christ. For a man may have these good things in him and yet be in a most wofull case he may perish everlastingly for all that Further proofe I need not bring for this then that which you have already heard that every one of these five good things have beene found in some that have beene no better then hypocrites And every hypocrite certainely is in a most wofull case he can have no sound joy nor comfort in him The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment saith the Holy Ghost Iob 20.5 and 8.13 14. The hypocrites hope shall perish his hope shall be cut off and his trust shall be a spiders web As if he should say He may for a time blesse himselfe in his estate by reason of these good things he findeth in himselfe he may have some hope and confidence in himselfe that hee shall goe to heaven and in this hope hee may find some comfort and joy but if hee bee an hypocrite if his heart bee unsound this hope and joy of his will not last it will faile him when he shall have most need of it When the houre of tentation shall come fearefullnesse will surprise the hypocrite as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 33.14 And though in some respect the case of the open profane man be worse then his he dishonoureth God more and sinneth with a higher hand and with more contempt of God and doth also more hurt to men by his example then the hypocrite doth in which respect God useth in a more exemplary manner to plague him in this life then hee doth the hypocrite and hath also prepared for him in hell a greater measure of confusion and torment then for the hypocrite She set her bloud and murders saith the Lord Ezekiel 24.7 8. and that that is said of murder may bee said of beastly filthinesse also and of all other sinnes that are committed impudently and with a high hand shee set her bloud saith the Lord upon the top of a rocke and cared not how many were eye-witnesses of it shee poured it not upon the ground to cover it with dust shee did not desire to have it concealed and hidden from any that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance As if hee should say The sinnes of profane men so desperately and impudently committed doe use to provoke God unto furious vengeance even in this life And for their portion in hell the Prophet speaking of such men Esa. 5.11 12. saith verse 14. that for them hell will enlarge her selfe and opâ—n her mouth without measure Although I say that in these respects the case of the profane man bee worse then the hypocrites yet is the hypocrite also and every thing that he doth most odious unto
faith that God hath so loved him hee cannot choose but love him againe and serve him out of love and not out of feare onely Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galathians 5.6 As if hee had said The first and chiefe fruit that it putteth forth and whereby it sheweth that life and efficacy that is in it is this it breedeth in the heart that hath it an unfained love unto God Yea proportionable to our faith and the assurance wee have of Gods love to us will our love unto God bee Many sinnes are forgiven her saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth but a little Certainely beloved the true cause why the most of us beare no more love to God and goodnesse then wee doe is this that either wee have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in the pardon of our sinnes or els wee have knowne but few sinnes by our selves and have beene but a little humbled for sinne and therefore we are not much affected with the mercy and love that God hath shewed to us in the pardon of our sinnes Now for the force that is in justifying faith to quicken and enable us unto every good duty which is the second particular that I promised to speake of I might be large in the handling of it There is no good duty either towards God or man that thou findest thy selfe most backward in but if thou hadst faith to assure thee of Gods love to thee in Christ and to beleeve the promises that God hath made unto that duty and if thou wouldst also stirre up and exercise thy faith in meditating of Gods mercy and love and of those particular promises thou shouldst find thy selfe thereby made farre more able to performe that duty and to performe it in a holy and comfortable manner then thou art This is that whereby David was wont to prepare himselfe to Gods publique worship I will goe to thine house saith hee Psalme 5.7 in the multitude of thy mercies But I will instance and that briefly too but in two particular duties that is to say the hearing of the word and prayer For the first No man can heare the Word with any affection and fruit till he have faith and be thereby perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. that you may grow thereby if so bee yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he should say Then and not till then you shall be able to doe it God hath made many promises to such as heare his Word Generall promises 1. Hee will ever assist this ordinance and worke with it Matthew 28.20 Goe teach all nations and loe I am with you to the end of the world 2. That hee will save the soules of his people by this ordinance Iames 1.21 Esa. 55.3 3. That by this ordinance hee will begin grace and convert the soule Psalme 19.7 4. That by this ordinance hee will increase and perfect grace where hee hath begun it Vnto you that heare shall more bee given saith our Saviour Marke 4.24 And Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And particular promises God hath also made to them that attend upon this ordinance 1. That hee will by this ordinance give them strength to overcome their strongest corruptions Even a young man may cleanse his way thereby Ps. 119.9 2. That he will by this ordinance worke peace in their consciences Esa. 57.19 How falleth it out then that many of us heare constantly and find no such thing Surely the cause is rendred Hebrewes 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it In our hearing wee make not use of our faith to make claime to these promises and expect the performance of them unto us Secondly For prayer Till a man have some assurance by faith of the pardon of his sinnes and of Gods favour hee can never pray aright nor with any heart and affection Romanes 10 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved It is the spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplications Zach. 12.10 He that goeth to God must apprehend him and conceive of him as of his father Matthew 6.9 And on the other side hee that is by faith perswaded that God is his gracious father cannot choose but resort much to him in hearty prayer Galathians 4.6 O God thou art my God saith David Psalme 63.1 early will I seeke thee And 86.4 5. Vnto the Lord doe I lift up my soule for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thy name Many are the promises that God hath made unto prayer Generall promises that he will heare and answer us Esa. 30.19 Hee will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when hee shall heare it he will answer thee And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you And particular promises 1. Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psalme 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Or strength and patience to beare it Iames 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him 2. Whatsoever spirituall grace we stand in need of Luke 11.13 Your heavenly father will give his holy spirit to them that aske him 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Iob 33.26 Hee shall pray to God and hee will bee favourable unto him and hee shall see his face with joy Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Iohn 16.24 Why then have wee no more heart to prayer Why receive wee no more good by it Surely wee doe not make use of our faith in thinking of and trusting to these promises of God when we goe to prayer and that is a maine cause of it And let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. And thus have I finished those foure Motives I promised to give for the enforcing of this exhortation Lecture CXLII On Psalme 51.7 March 2. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto those signes and notes that I promised to give you whereby they that have received Christ and are justified by him may be knowne And surely there is great need that we should have signes and notes given us in Gods Word whereby this may be discerned and judged of For we finde by experience of all ages that many doe verily thinke that Christ and all his merits doe belong to them who yet did never receive him nor have any title to him at all Many will say to me in that day saith our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have we not prophesied in
15. did me much evill the Lord reward him according to his works of whom he thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our words And what was the cause of his falling thus fearfully That the Apostle hath told us he forsook a good conscience He gave liberty to himself to sinne against his conscience to live in some knowne sinne Corruption in manners will breed corruption in judgement A man that hath once knowne and professed the truth is seldome knowne to fall into Popery or any other heresie till he had first forsaken a good conscience and by living in knowne sinnes provoked God to give him over thus farre So among other judgements this is one whereby God threatneth to punish the disobedience of his people Deut. 28.36 Thou shalt serve other gods of wood and of stone thou shalt become a grosse and senslesse idolater And the Apostle speaking of them that in this last age should be drawne unto Popery 2 Thes. 2. he speakes of it Vers. 11. as of a fearefull judgement of God upon men for some sinnes they had beene guilty of For the cause saith he God shall send them strong delusiâ—â—s that they should believe a lie They shall be strongly deluded How By the learning or holinesse or miracles of their Priests No but by the most just hand and curse of God upon them God shall send them strong delusions that there shall be no errour in Popery so grosse no lie so palpable but they shall verily and undoubtedly believe it Marvell not then at their confidence For this cause saith the Apostle For what cause What is the sinne 〈◊〉 provokes God to plague men in this manner He nameth two one in Vers. 10 because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved the second Vers. 12. because they tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse To conclude then this second direction what hope can there be that many common Protestants though they be willing to heare and make profession of the truth should ever be able to continue constant in the truth in the time of tryall but that they will be apt to turne Papists blasphemers and persecutors of the truth when a time of tryall shall come seeing 1 they beare no love to the truth at all take no delight in it love every trifle and vanity better than it 2 they give liberty to themselves to live in knowne sinnes and take pleasure therein 3 they content themselves with a forme of godlinsse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 but deny and renounce the power of it and hate it mortally wheresoever they see it casting the most odious aspersious upon it Lecture CXLIX On Psalme 51.7 Nouem 1. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the third Direction and that is this He that would preserve himselfe from falling quite away from the truth and forsaking his religion must take heed of declining from or forsaking of the least truth he must not give himselfe liberty to shrink and fall from the least truth that God hath revealed unto him and wherein his conscience hath beene convinced that it is indeed a truth of God Two things there be whereby men do falsly warrant themselves to take this liberty and they be both of them certaine and undeniable truths First That there be many good and worthy men that see not nor make any reckoning of such truths as themselves have been convinced in And indeed a man may bee a right good man and indued with a great measure of saving grace and yet he cannot see nor be perswaded of some truths that God hath taught us in his holy Word but his judgement is erroneous and unsound in some points yea though he hath had great meanes to informe him in the truth yet he cannot see it And that therefore difference in judgement in some things which cannot be without errour on the one side should not alienate the hearts of brethren one from another as I shewed you in my last lecture but two out of Rom. 14 1-6 Secondly That on the other side there be many in whom no life nor power of godlinesse can be discerned that busie themselves altogether and glory in these points And indeed it is an ill signe in any and a shrewd note of an hypocrite to busie his braines about truths of lesâ—e moment with neglect of greater when a man shall seeke to be expert and cunning in those truths which concerne the ceremonies and discipline of the Church and be stiffe in the holding and maintaining of them and yet be ignorant and void of all desire to learne the doctrine of faith and repentance of mortification and newnesse of life the meaning of the ten commandements and articles of our faith of the Lords Prayer and doctrine of the Sacraments For such persons are doubtlesse under that wo that Christ denounceth Mat. 23.24 against them that straine at a gnat and swallow a camell But though these two things I say be so yet for a man to be wilfully ignorant of the truth of God in any thing wherein he is pleased to reveale his will unto us in his holy Word or to forsake it when he hath once beene convinced of it out of this conceit that it is but a small matter a trifle a man may be saved though he never know nor hold such a truth is a very dangerous sinne Observe I pray you the proofe of this in three points First Though some truths of God be comparatively greater than others as our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 some matters of the Law and Word of God are weightier than others yet is not any one truth of God to be accounted small or of little or no moment even of those points of the law which he cals but gnats in comparison of others our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone even those small things ought not to be neglected ought not to be left undone I have written to them saith the Lord Hos. 8.12 the great things of my Law They are all great things that God hath written and revealed to us in his holy Word All the truths of God which the Apostles when the Spirit fell upon them in cloven tongues like fire did utter and teach are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2 11. Magnalia Dei the great things of God Yea the least truth of God that he hath revealed in his Word is to be esteemed of greater moment and weight than heaven and earth and all the creatures contained in them It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luk. 16.17 than that one title of the law should faile It is therefore a great contempt done unto Gods Word to think so lightly of any thing he hath taught us in it as if it were not worth the knowing or not worth the holding and sticking to when we do know it When David hath professed his high esteeme of Gods Word
suffering and doctrine The fourth and last objection is this that though preaching hath beene in time past necessary and of good use yet it may be well spared now for we see it doth little or no good now a dayes looke into such places where it is most used and see how few are bettered by it To which I answer first that this is too true indeed and in this two fearefull evidences of Gods wrath are to be observed both mentioned in that speech of our Saviour Matth. 18.7 Woe unto the world because of offences for it must needs bee that offences come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth First Woe to the world because of offences It is a fearefull signe of Gods wrath upon thee and such as thou art that thou hast such stumbling blocks laid before thee to worke thy ruine and sinke thee deepe in hell that thou hadst such occasions given thee to mislike Religion and this ordinance of God Secondly Woe be to the man by whom the offence commeth woe be to you all that by your ignorance profanenesse drunkennesse filthines backsliding cause this ordinance of God to be derided and hated The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.24 Certainly you will one day wish that you had lived rather among the Indians and Canibals then in such a place where you have so long enjoyed such a ministery and so much dishonoured it But then secondly I answer that the preaching of the word is not blessed be God altogether without fruit at this day in any place that doth enjoy it It doth good daily the Church is increased by it God addeth to the Church daily such as shall be saved as it was said in those first times Act. 2.47 though not so many nor so eminent persons as he did then Yet even those few young folke and meane persons that are woone to God daily by the preaching of the word will rise up in judgment against thee one day and confound thee so as thou shalt have nothing to say for thy selfe that they who have lesse helpe by nature then thou have profited so much and beene drawne on forward by it and thou profitest not but growest more backward and backward every day For so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weake things of this world to conâ—ound the things that are mighty So that to conclude my answer to this last objection I will say to these men as the Apostle doth in a case not much differing from this Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that that hee seeketh for the most of our hearers obtaine not that good by our preaching which they seeme to seeke for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were hardned The elect of God are made the better and the rest the worse by it and God will be glorified in them both FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the principall matters contained in this Booke A. Affections THe necessâ—y of good affections 489 Affliction In all distresses 〈◊〉 to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way 59 In all afflictions we must cleare and acquit God of all rigour and injustice 245 Every child of God must looke for affliction 253 God hath a speciall hand in all afflictions 256 God afflicts his people in love 257 c. Think of affliction 〈…〉 260 Willing bearing of affliction is a means to mortifiâ— corruption 322 We may in two respects judge of mens sinnes ly their afflâ—ction 559 We may therein offend two wayes Ibid 560 Though the afflictions men indure be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Afflictions inflicted upon the godly for sinne are not properly punishments but chastisements 665 In extreame affliction our case will be wofull without Christ. 684 Six remarkable things concerning affliction Ibid. 685 He that hath Christ may be safe and comfortable in any affliction 686 Almsdeeds Motives to them 116 117 c. How to be performed Ibid. How faulty men are this way 119 c. Anabaptists Confutation of their errours touching infants 281 Application Hearers must apply the Word to themselves 39 Ministers must apply the Word particularly to the people 44. c Every man must labour to have Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart and applyed to him 614 c. Assurance Labour to get assurance that Christs blood was shed for us 617 618 Many deceive themselves in this and the danger of this deceit 620 Signes of false assurance 628 629 Signes of true assurance 621 c. Every Christian hath the Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of grace 623 Means to get true assurance 632 c. Attention We must diligently attend to what we heare 36 37 Beneficence Gods children are ready and carefull to do good and to be usefull to others 121 125 Birth No cause to be proud of parentage or birth 28â— Blessinge of God The godly have beene often confirmed in assurance of Gods love by the experience of Gods favour to them in temporall blessings 645 689 True believers may take great comfort even in these outward blessings 688 Such things as are blessings in themselves are not so to wicked men 686 They have no spirituall title to them 687 To them they are fruits of Gods common love not of his speciall Ibid. Catechising A speciall meanes to breed sound knowledge 789 Censoriousnesse Men are apt to thinke them greatest sinners whom they see most afflicted 557 The folly and wickednesse of it 560 561 Charity The knowledge of Gods love in pardoning us should provoke us to forgive those that have wronged us 111 Signes whether we have indeed forgiven such as have wronged us 114 115 Charity is a speciall fruit of the Spirit 747 748 Signes of it 748 c. Towards all men 748 752 Towards our enemies 752 753 To them that feare God 754 755 We love no man unlesse we love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation 803 804 Children To honour and reverence their parents 284 Parents should do their uttermost to breed grace in their children 287 Children owe honour and subjection to their parents be they never so poore 291 Correction necessary for children 293 Christ. The riches of Gods grace appeares to his people in Christ in five regards 103 104 No mercy to be hoped for from God but in and through Christ. 596 Though salvation were not free to Christ but he paid deaâ—â— for it yet is it to us free 600 601 Every one should labour to know that Christ is his 607 Motives to that 608 609 Signes that Christ is ours 610 611 Meanes to get this assurance 611 613 Esteeme of Christ above all and labour to be found in him 683 c. All men shall not have benefit by Christ but few in comparison 744 c. The reason of that 745 Church We should be
in detecting these offendors to the magistrate and in furthering the execution of these wholesome lawes no though the whole benefit of the penalty doe accrew to the poore in every parish and so every member of the parish should have some ease by it Yea some that are very bote and open-mouthed against others for not observing some Canons and constitutions about matters of lesse moment and urge the execution of the Law against them pretending this for the ground of their earnestnesse against them that they will not observe the Kings Lawes Some men I say that are so zealous for those lawes have no zeale at all for these Lawes that his majestie hath enacted against Idolators swearers refusers to come twice of a Sabbath to Church followers of lewd sports and pastimes on the Sabbath day drunkards ale-houses that keepe disorder in them for these lawes I say they have no zeale they like no man the worse for breaking of these lawes they never urge the execution of the law against them Those are good subjects and good neighbours though they dayly provoke God to wrath against the Towne and against the Land I speake nothing against any Canon or constitution of the Church but wish with all my heart many of them were better observed then they are but this I say there is no man that hath the heart and face of a Christian but hee will esteeme more of those Lawes that are made for the observation of Gods owne expresse commandements then of those that are made for the observation of the constitutions of men how lawfull or convenient soever they be But you will say unto me What would you have us that are private men to doe in this case What can wee doe for the punishment of these offendors What calling have wee to meddle with them Would you have us to be promoters and enformers It is an odious thing for a Christian to bee a busie-body Let none of you suffer saith the Apostle 1 Peter 4.15 as a busi-body in other mens matters I answer This is very true but I require no more of you then you may doe then you ought to doe then you have a calling to doe First Every man hath a calling to oppose himselfe to sin to do what he can to suppresse it and get it banished Pro. 28.4 Such as keepe Gods law set themselves against wicked men contend with them and are willing to shew themselves against them Specially such grosse sinners as by their sins endanger not themselves only but the whole towne where they live As when a fire is begun in a towne that threatneth danger to the whole towne every man hath a calling to doe what he can to quench it Secondly Every man hath a calling from God to reprove sin that is committed in his sight and hearing Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Thirdly Every man may and must and hath a calling to beare witnes being required even before a magistrate against a grosse and incorrigible sinner And he that refuseth to do it maketh himselfe guilty of great sinne Leviticus 5.1 If a soule sin and hégare the voice of swearing and is a witnesse whether he hath seene or knowne of it if he doe not utter it then he shall beare his iniquity If a man should heare the words of treason against the Prince and not to utter it to some magistrate within foure and twenty houres he becommeth guilty of treason himselfe And is there no danger thinke you in concealing words of treason and blasphemy against the Majesty of the most high Surely there is as you shall find Prov. 29.14 Who so is partner with a thiefe hateth his owne soule he heareth cursing and bewrayeth it not Marke in these words 1. It is a sin to be an eare-witnesse of blasphemy and not to be willing to bewray it 2. That hee that doth so maketh himselfe partner with that sinner whom hee so beareth with In which respect God made a law Levit. 24.14 that all that heard the blasphemer should lay their hands upon his head before hee was to be stoned as the manner was to doe upon the sacrifices that they brought Why did they so Surely they did so discharge upon himselfe the guiltinesse of his sinne which otherwise they had contracted by hearing of him if they had not witnessed against him and brought him to punishment Fourthly and lastly Every man hath a calling to informe against and complaine of lewd and incorrigible men unto the Magistrate and to require justice against them This is a great sin that God complaineth of by the Prophet Esa. 59.4 that none called for justice It is sometimes the part of a discreet Christian to informe against and complaine of wicked men either to the minister or to the magistrate or to any such as have more power then our selves to reforme or punish them There were some in Corinth and in Thessalonica too that did informe the Apostle of the disorders that were among their neighbours in those Churches 1 Cor. 11.18 2 Thes. 3.11 and he blameth them not for it And Ioseph informed his father of his brethrens faults Gen. 37.2 Yea every man hath received a commandement from Christ to enforme the governors of the Church of such a brother as cannot otherwise be reformed Mat. 18.17 Tell the Church Neither shall a private Christian not tyed by office and oath in doing this need to feare the odious name of a busie-body a pick-thanke a tale-bearer if in doing it he observe these foure rules First That he bee not apt to enforme against or complaine of an offendors for every small fault but such as are grosse and scandalous Eccles. 7 21. Take no heed to all words that are spoken Secondly That he complaine not of any offendors to the Magistrate till no private admonition nor other meanes will prevaile this rule our Saviour giveth Matth. 18.15 16. Thirdly That hee enforme not against an offendor as a backbiter secretly but bee willing to shew himselfe and be seene in this duty as they of the house of Cloe were when they enformed Paul of the disorders that were in Corinth 1 Cor. 1.11 Fourthly That he in complaining of a lewd man seeke neither private revenge nor the hurt and defamation of the party but onely the glory of God either in the amendment of the sinner himselfe or in the preventing of sin in others by his punishment For want of this God esteemed of Iehu though hee were a magistrate and seemed to shew wonderfull zeale against the sins of Ahab and Iezebel no better then of a murderer and saith Hosea 1.4 I will avenge the blood of Iezreel upâ—â— the house of Iehu To conclude what pretence soever men make for this why they will do nothing to further the punishment of sin I will shew you the true cause of it First They
will do nothing because they have no love unto nor care of the soules of poore sinners whether they sinke or swim but say in their hearts with Cain Genes 4.9 Am I my brothers keeper Or as the chiefe Priests to Iudas Mat. 27.4 What is that to us see thou to that Secondly they will do nothing because there is in their heart no hatred of any sin A certaine signe of an ungracious heart Psal. 36.4 He abhorreth not evill Thirdly They will do nothing because there is in them no love to God nor zeale to his glory Ps. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evill For thus standeth the stipulation and contract betweene God and his people that are in covenant with him God bindeth himselfe on his part that he will be a friend to our friends and an enemy to our enemies Exod. 23.22 I will be an enemy to thine enemies and an adversary to thine adversaries So doe Gods people for their part bind themselves to God that they will love them that he loveth and hate them that he hateth Psal. 139.21 22. Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Fourthly and lastly They will do nothing to further the punishment of lewd men because they have no faith to beleeve Gods word threatnings that these sins being winked at unpunished will bring Gods curse and judgments upon the whole town upon the whole land What made the king people of Nineveh so zealous in reforming their land Ion. 3.8 Let every man turne from his evill way from the violence that is in his hands The reason is given ver 5. The people of Nineveh beleeved God that which hee had threatned against the land by the ministery of Ionah And what made good Iosiah so zealous in reforming his land 2 Chr. 34.33 He tooke away all the abominations out of all the countryes that pertained to the children of Israel The reason is given verse 27. That when he had heard what curses God in his law had threatned against the land for such sins his heart was tender and he did humble himselfe before God he undoubtedly beleeved Gods word and threatning And doubtlesse on the other side the infidelity and atheisme that is in mens hearts is the cause why no man sheweth any zeale gainst sin no man seeketh to have it punished Lecture XXXVII on Psalme 51.3 Octob. 17. 1626. THe second sort that are to be reproved by this doctrine are such as having authority to enjoyne publike repētance to scandalous sinners for the satisfying of the congregation when they are detected presented unto them refuse or neglect to do it This reproofe I will be briefe in because they that offend in this kind are not here present to heare me Yet it is profitable for you to heare somewhat of it that you may take notice of one chiefe cause why sin so aboundeth every where be affected with it and pray heartily unto God for the reformation of this great evill We see that now adayes this publike acknowledgement of scandalous sins in the congregation is almost grown quite out of use And this fault is imputed by some to our whole Church to the discipline of it but they are to blame and do great wrong to our Church that judge and speake so The Canons of our Church Can. 26. straitly charge every minister that he shall not in any wise admit to the communion any of his flocke which bee openly knowne to live in sin notorious without repentance And the booke of common prayer in the Rubricke before the communion commandeth that if any be an open and notorious evill liver so that the congregation by him is offended the minister shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords table till he hath openly declared himselfe to have truly repented that the congregatiō may therby be satisfied which were asore offended So that you see the lawes and discipline of our Church require that open scandalous sinners should do open publike repentance yea give power to the minister to repell keep back such from the communion that refuse to doe it Where is the fault then may you say Surely in the covetoūsnes corruption of those officers that are put in trust with the execution and exercise of the discipline of our Church who when they seeke themselves only not the reformation of any thing that is a misse amōg Gods people and by their illegall commutations of repentance doe neglect the use of publike repentance in the Church of God Of such that abuse the trust cōmitted to them by our Church to their owne gaine wee may justly complaine as the Lord doth Hosea 4.8 They eate up that is feed on and live by the sinnes of Gods people and lift up their soule as it is in the originall that is earnestly desire and long after for so much that phrase signifieth as we shall find Ier. 22.27 Deut. 24.15 unto their iniquities They earnestly desire that sin may increase among the people that so their fees and gaine may increase See the foulnesse of the sins of these men in three points First They sin against God and his glory in being a chiefe cause of the increase of sin in all places and consequently that religion thriveth not the best preaching that is doth so little good in any place When the Lord speaketh of the great care and paines hee tooke to make his Vineyard and Church fruitfull hee saith Esay 5.2 hee fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof If Gods Vineyard have no fence but every swine and dog may approach to the holy things of God to the Sacraments and priviledges of Gods people without restraint if these stones of offence these scandalous sinners be not taken out how should the Lords Vineyard be fruitfull unto him Certainly the neglect of discipline is the cause why these stones doe multiply as they doe why sin doth so increase in all places For the hope of impunity hath great force to encourage and embolden men in sin Ecclesi 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill and for pecuniary punishment it hath no such force to reforme them and bring them unto repentance at least to restraine from sin as the bringing of them to open shame hath It is open punishment of which the Lord speaketh so oft in his law Deut. 22.21.22 24. and elsewhere oft so shalt thou put away evill from among you And this is noted for a chiefe use and benefit of Magistrates Iudg. 18.7 to put to shame for sin Fill their faces with shame saith David Psal 83.16 that they may seeke thy name O Lord. Secondly Those that against intent of Law and Canon privily compound for mens