but we should then find the fruite of the same much peace in our own soules in the conscionable discharge of our duty therin and the good of many a poore soule that is vnder vs. Vse 3 For instruction to hearers Thirdly lastly if this be the duty of Gods Ministers to make particular application of his doctrines and to presse the same vp on the consciences of his hearers You that are our hearers must be thus content to bee dealt withall and not to storme against the Minister nor to kicke against the word For this know that if the word of God be not as an edged sword to cut the throat of thy sins it is a sign the Lord hath cast thee off from his care intends to glorifie himself in thy destruction And therefore as you tender the saluation of your owne soules suffer the Lords Chyrurgians to make incision into your souls by the sharpe razour of the Law who best know what will be the danger of a festred soule with Sinne and must launce the same before it can be cured rather say with Dauid Let the righteous smite me friendly Psa 141.4 a good signe of an humbled soule and broken heart Many are weake sicke c. Heere we haue three kinds of corrections visitations that almighty mighty God layeth vppon this people 1. Many were weake That is had vppon them some lingering and fainte diseases as the Consumption c. 2. Some were Sicke and so were vexed vvith more painefull griefes as Agues Fluxes Feuers c. 3. Some were fallen asleep that is the Lord had by his own hand taken them out of the worlde by death Obiect But here lyeth the doubt how the Apostle knewe that these plagues and punishments sent of God were for this sin of theirs their vnworthy receiuing of this Sacrament Answ I answere First he was taught and instructed by Gods spirite what to say and therfore might boldly say it But besides Paul knew that God had threatned thus to plague his people for this sinne as hee threatened by Moses his seruant Deu. 28.21.22.27.28 And had further in all ages executed sundry iudgements vppon his Church and Children for such open and common transgressions And therefore Paul seeing these iudgments vpon these Corinthians and knowing this to be a common sin amongst them as Gods Minister concludeth thus For this cause c. And heerin I see not the contrary but the seruantes of God haue warrant to say the like namely that when we see a iudgment of God vpon a place and withall doe see some great and common sinne to raign amongst them we may safely put them in minde of their sinnes and tell them that this iudgment of God is vpon them for such sinnes as are so rife notorious amongst them There was good cause then why Paul shoulde thus charge them Doct. 2 Now for the seuerall iudgement it is not needeful to search so to determine what diseases they were that this Church and people were sicke of and died It is sufficient for vs to knowe that these sicknesses and diseases which the Lord had sent were strange diseases as may appeare in that our Apostle doth take speciall notice of them which he would not haue done if these had been ordinary The note that we may obserue herehence is That sicknesse Sicknesse and diseases are the fruit of sin diseases c. are the fruit of sinne according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Man suffereth for his sin Lam. 3.39 And this doth Moses most clearely set downe when hee denounceth so many seuerall punishments against the people of Israell as the Pestilence Deu. 28.22 Feuer burning Ague Consumption c if they should disobey the the voyce of the Lorde their God But of this we haue spoken more fully in the former Sermon The reasons are Reason 1 First the Lord is iust and cannot do any wrong He neuer correcteth but their is some thing amisse Reason 2 And Secondly euery man is guilty of many sinnes the least whereof deserue all those corrections that are layd vpon him And wee haue euer cause to say moreouer Lam. 3.22 That it is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed Our sinnes euer deseruing heauier plagues and more greuious iudgements Vse 1 Let this teach vs then in all our afflictions to acknowledge our sinnes to be the cause thereof and to make a good vse of the same to reformation of life For these diseases of what nature soeuer they be but the fruit of sin This was that counsell that Daniel gaue to Nabucadnezzer Dan. 4.24 Namely to breake of his sinnes by repentance And his transgressions by hauing compassion on the poore And surely this is the best counsell that one Christian can giue to another in affliction viz. To breake of their sinnes by vnfained repentance and turning vnto the Lord. This is the way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to moue the Lord to reuoke his iudgements and without which we shall but wearie our selues in vaine for we must first remoue the cause of Gods iudgements our sinnes or else the hand of God cannot bee remoued Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes that hellish and brutish speech of many who when they are weake or sicke or at the poynt of death ascribe all to fortune chance or this or that cause But neuer looke vnto the correcting hand of God Iob acknowlegeth all these things to come from God though it was the deuill and wicked men that spoyled him Oh let vs in Gods name Iob. 1.21 learne to bee wise herein to acknowledge that all sicknesse and euery kind of disease is Gods visitation sent of God to humble vs to make vs to know and to acknowledg our sinne and to seeke vnto him for mercy And surely when wee know that sicknesse comes from GOD it will make vs not onely to seeke vnto him for helpe and deliuerance from trouble but be a good meanes likewise to worke in vs patience to wayte his leasure when wee can perswade our selues that they come from a louing Father sent for the good of our Soules And many sleepe Hence I might obserue diuers things Doct. 3 First the mercifull and gracious dealing of the Lord GOD towards his children Gods iudgments are seasoned with mercy who rather then they shoulde come to eate of this Sacrament vnworthily Esay 57.2 and so to prouoke him to wrath against them doth first humble them by sicknesse Esa 54.7.8 and after takes them away by death And thus indeede the Lord takes away his children when they are at the best and by death hee doth preuent many euilles in them to come And thus the faithfull are taken away from the Euill to come Psal 103.13.14.15 And howsoeuer he may seeme for a time to hide his face yet with an euerlasting mercy he hath compassion on his But I will not stand long on this poynt Vse
saying Ier. 3.13 Know thy sins O Ierusalem Lam. 3.39 And againe Wherfore is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sin Let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Where he shewes that for want of this iudging of our selues men are punished and because they will not enter into a narrow search of their owne soules they doe not returne vnto the Lord. So Dauid I considered my own wayes and turned my feete to thy Testimonies Ps 119 5â— And the like speece is vsed by the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 2.1.2 Fan your selues oh my people Yea common reason doth require the same before a man can frame himselfe to enter into a right course hee must thorowly bee resolued and perswaded within himselfe that hee hath beene mistaken in his former course of life I might multiply testimonies in this kinde but these shall suffice to direct vs in this duty how necessary this strict tryall and examination of our owne estates is to the iudgeing of our selues Ioel. 2.13 Onely let me adde this that in this our examination we must not only search after our grosse sins Act. 8.22 but euen after our most secret corruptions For true repentance extends it selfe not onely to the grosse euiles of mens liues but euen the most secret corruption of the heart and of the Soule And we must withall consider the Circumstances of our sinnes as when where how we haue committed the same that so accordingly wee may labour for humiliation for the same And herein it shall bee safe for vs to passe thorough the whole law of God and take a viewe of our liues by euery particular commandement that so we may the better come to see and acknowledge our misery and want Vse 1 First then this serues to discouer vnto vs the reason why there is so little faith true repentance in the world why men are no more humbled for their sins and doe not repent of the same Poore Soules they know not that they doe euill such either cannot or do not search themselues they call not their owne wayes to account Now then how can such come to repentance and to haue their sinnes pardoned that neuer yet called their sinnes to account nor questioned their estate Such neuer came as yet where repentance grew Well then I say againe marke well this poynt doe not lightly passe it ouer but esteeme it as the blessed truth of God that the sight and vnderstanding of our owne wandering is the first step vnto eternall life and saluation and to iudge our selues that so wee may in the ende escape the condemnatorie sentence of the Almighty Vse 2 Secondly wee may obserue hence what a singular a fauour of God it is when he doth open a mans eyes to see his miseries to find himselfe like a lost sheepe to haue gone a stray Surely surely this is the begining of al grace true conuersion vnto God Whereas such as are yet ignorant of their own estates or cannot abide to looke into the Law whereby sinne comes to be discouered It is a plaine signe that such a one is in a most desperate case past hope Psal 50. and God himselfe must bee faint to take him into his own hand for sin must be iudged And thus much for the first degree of iudging of our selues our examination of our owne estates The second particular 2 Accusation wherein this iudging of our selues doth consist is Accusation Or the preferring of bils of inditement against our selues and to accuse our selues before God for our sinnes And indeede if wee woulde not bee iudged and condemned of the Lord we must bring our selues as poore prisoners to the barr of Gods iudgment seate And this wee do when wee set our selues in the presence of God and enter into a narrow reconing with our owne Soules and consciences as if now were the day of iudgement To see what our conscience which is as a little God and iudg in our bosom woulde say against vs. And surely the often performance of this duty Note to bring our selues thus into Gods presence to see what an acnount we can make vnto GOD of our liues past will be a good meanes to bring vs to this duty to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord and where men doe truly come to the sight of their sinnes and vnto true repentance for the same there will euer follow this Accusation for sinne In true repentance there is euermore a disposition to lay to a mans owne charge asmuch as is possible A penitent sinner needs none other aduersarie then his owne conscience he himselfe is his owne foe And this appeares clearely by that of Dauid I haue sinned exceedingly saith he and done very foolishly 2. Sam. 24.10 And it is the practise of Ezra in that confession of his hee makes in the behalfe of the whole Church Our iniquities are increased ouer our heads Esay 9.6 and our trespasses are growne vp to heauen And that of the Prophet Daniel is most excellent to this purpose when he saith Wee haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly Dan. 9.5 and haue rebelled euen by departing from thy precepts and from thy iudgemens How doth the Prophet there accuse for sinne by the acknowledgment of the peoples degrees of sinnes 1. Tim. 1.13 And if we require some examples we may behold Paules practise herein confessing himselfe to bee a Blasphemer an Oppressor c. Yea the Cheefe of sinners And that of the Prodigall who confessed that he had sinned against heauen and against God c. All which as a cloud of witnesses Serue to informe our Iudgement and to settle the same in the truth of this poynt that vnto this iudging of our selues there must be selfe-accusing and indeede where there is true repentance there is in some Vse 1 measure this disposition The vses followe If this accusing of a mans selfe be so necessary vnto the iudgeing of our selues that so we may escape the condemnation of the Lord what shall we say to those that study the Art of mincing and extenuating of sinne poore soules such neuer came where repentance grâ—we And yet the world affords thousands of these who notwithstanding thinke themselues to bee in good cause that can put vppon couetousnesse the cloake of frugality and good husbandry vpoÌ„ drunkennes good-fellowship c so far are many from accusing themselues for sin as that they rather iustifie themselues in their euill wayes Vse 2 But let this serue for matter of instruction vnto vs all that as we desire the pardon of our sinnes to haue some good euidence vnto our owne soules of our repentance to aggrauate our sins to accuse our selues vnto God for our manifold impieties Oh it is an excellent signe of grace in a man to think he can neuer lay enough vnto his owne charge Oh this is the onely way to haue our
sin couered before God to confesse and vncouer the same vnto him For he will iustifie vs if we condemne our selues Hee forgets our sinnes if we remember them and when we are vile in our owne eyes wee are most precious in the Lords and when we are lost in our selues wee are found of him 3 Condemnation The third degree of this iudging of our selues is Condemnation And that is a passing of Sentence against a mans selfe acknowledging that if the Lorde did bring vppon him swift damnation hee were most iust and righteous in his iudgementes Like the penitent theefe vpon the Crosse Psal 51.4 Psal 32.5 We are iustly punished And this was Dauids case in diuers places of his Psalmes saying I sayd or determined with my selfe I will confesse my sinne against my selfe And so Iob Iob. 4â— 6 I abhor my selfe and repent in dust and ashes And indeed herein lyeth a principall part of this iudging of a mans selfe when a man comes so to see his sinnes and Gods heauy displeasure for the same as that he can subscribe vnto Gods iustice euen in his owne condemnation acknowledging that God is iust and that he himselfe deserues far more greater iudgment And neuer comes a man to bee truely humbled for sinne in himselfe till hee be brought to this passe to iudge and condemne himselfe And vnto the three former degrees of iudging a mans selfe 4 Execution there may be added a fourth and that is Execution 2. Cor. 7 11. and holy Reuenge And this is when we beat downe our bodies and mortifie our members denying them that sway and swinge in the wayes of vanity And the vndertaking of good dueties that the like occasions may bee preuented for the time to come By all which wee see that this iudging of our selues is no small matter nor easie thing which shold make vs so much the more carefull to performe the same aright And thus we haue seene what the iudging of our selues is a duty how necessary appears in the last clause of this verse We should not be iudged In which wordes the Apostle meaneth that wee should not be condemned and punished of the Lord and heerin giuing vs to vnderstand Doct. 5 That the onely way to turne away the Lords wrath is The onely way to turn away the Lords wrath is to iudge our selues Pro. 28. to iudg our selues as hath beene declared and might further be manifested by many testimonies as that of Salomon He that hides his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy And how often doth the Lord by his Prophets tell the people that if they woulde turne from euill wayes that he would Repent him Ier. 26 3.13 Psal 78.34 c. and turne from his fierce wrath he had conceiued against them euident testimonies to cleare this truth And for this cause did the Lord call vpon his Prophets to meete the Lord before the Decree came forth and the Lords wrath was kindled against his people To kisse the Sonne least hee were angry Ionah 3.9 Psal 2.1 Esay 55.6 And to seeke the Lorde whilest he may be found c. And indeed the Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples of such as by iudging themselues haue turned away the Lords iudgement not only the godly but euen among the wicked themselues Exo. 9. as Pharao Ahab c. And not only of men but the same hath beene proued true of whole Cities and Countries as Niniueh and of the people of Israel and the like Vse This serueth for our instruction to perswade all men thus to iudge themselues since it is the onely way to escape the iudgement of God Which mercy and blessing none can sufficiently prize but such as haue felt what a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of the Almightie and and haue themselues felt his heauie hand And therefore in Gods name as we desire to escape the iudgement of God let vs make conscience of this remedy to enter into our owne heartes call our owne wayes to accompt that so iudgeing our selues vvee may not bee iudged of the Lord. ver 32. But when wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee shoulde not bee condemned with the world In this verse the Apostle makes plaine his meaning and sets down the principal end why God correcteth his children viz. That they should not be condemned with the world Which the Apostle doeth to this end to answer a doubt that might arise and trouble the conscience of Gods Children to whom this comfort doth appertaine And that is this Obiect If God sent these strange iudgements amongst them for their sinne of vnworthy receiuing and that because they did not iudge themselues They might by and by gather that they were out of Gods fauour and therefore feare that these iudgements were tokens of his wrath and shoulde turne to their destruction Answ To this doubt of theirs the Apostle answereth in this verse that howsoeuer they had indeed deserued the Lordes ouerlasting wrath yet the Lorde in iudgeing them did not cast them off or like a rigorous Iudge in fury take vengeance vppon them But rather as a Father did chastise them and that to this ende that heereby they might bee brought to repentance and so deliuered from condemnation with the world We are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the World Out of these wordes wee may gather three conclusions First that the wicked worlde Three conclusions from the text or the world of wicked men shal assuredly be condemned Secondly that the godly shall not be condemned but certainly saued and Thirdly that one principall means that God doth vse to free his children from condemnation is correction Doct. 6 First that the world that is the wicked men of the world who are so called because of their multitud The wicked shall certainely bee condemned shal moe assuredly be condemned And the Lord will take vengeance vpon them at last There is nothing of more certaintie then the seueritie of Gods iustice vpon â—ose who are no way prouoked by the abundance riches of his mercy to repent Gen. 18. And hence is it that the Lord in the Scriptures is called a Iudge Psal 50.6 and a righteous Iudge to shew that the Lord in time will take vengeance vppon the wicked 2. Tim. 4.8 Iob. 21.20 And Iob speaking of the wicked saith His eyes shall see destruction Pro. 17.15 And Salomon saith that He that iustifieth the wicked and he which condemneth the iust are both an abhomination to the Lord. And by the Prophet Esay Esay 5.23 the Lord denounceth a heauy woe against those which iustifie the wicked Now if the Lorde doe hate it in others to acquite the inocent and to condemne the iust wee may be well assured it will bee far from the iudg of all the world to doe vniustly For he is
The Lord euer effecteth what is the purpose of his owne will The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 whom he loueth he loueth to the end His loue is perpetuall and therefore sayth Esay 44.8 With an euerlasting loue had I compassion on thee sayth the Lord thy redeemer And indeed this is a most certaine rule that where God beginneth the good worke of grace there is no opposition whatsoeuer that can bee made by the Deuill the World or our owne Corruptions shall euer be able to hinder the same And therefore sayth Paul I am perswaded Phil. 1.6 that he that hath begun this good worke in you will finish the same vntill the day of Iesus Christ And it is made the very finall cause why God sent his Sonne into the VVorlde euen this That all that beleeue in him should not perish Ioh. 3.16 but haue life euerlasting And vnto all that I haue sayd adde these Testimonies I know my Sheepe Ioh. 10.27 28. I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Rom. 8.1 And there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus 2. Tim. 2.19 And that the foundation of the Lord remaineth for euer sure Surely there is no poynt of Doctrine more often vrged or clearly proued in the Scripture then this to shew the certainety of the saluation of al the elect that their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 And that such shall neuer perish And hence it is that Christ is called the Author Heb. 12.2 and finisher of our faith to comfort and stay the poore sheepe of Christ with this that if the Lorde haue in any measure begun in them the true worke of grace as he is the author of it For euery good gift and euery perfect gift coms from him that is the Father of light Iames 1.6 and God of all consolation So he will neuer cease vntill he haue brought the same vnto perfection And the reasons heereof are Reason 1 First because the Lord that hath from all eternity willed the saluation of all the elect is immutable and vnchangeable His gifts are without repentance Rom. 11.29 his foundation standeth sure And wee are kept by his power vnto saluation 2. Tim. 2.19 Reason 2 Secondly the Elect are sure of Saluation in regarde of the price of the same and that is the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth from all Sinne. 1. Ioh. 1. And that beeing giuen as a ransome for many what a fearfull imputation shoulde wee cast vppon it if the same shoulde not be auaileable vnto the elect to Saluation Reason 3 And thirdly it were directly to crosse Gods iustice which being satisfied in the death of the Sonne of God for the sins of all the elect and to make the same of no validitie if the elect redeemed by Christ should finally fall away and perish euerlastingly But not to stand vppon these Reasons The vses are Vse 1 First to take notice of Gods vnspeakeable loue and mercy vnto his Church and Children Who euen heerein hath magnified his mercy towards vs not only setting vs free from the prison of our sinnes and from the fearefull punishment belonging vnto the same but hath also in deepe compassion towardes our poore Soules acquainted vs that we shall not come into condemnation but shall escape from death vnto life To the end that being free from that same bondage and seruile feare that the Wicked liue vnder Wee might learne to serue the LORDE in Righteousnesse and Holynesse yea with much ioy and comfort Luke 2. all the dayes of our life Vse 2 Secondly this serues to discouer a wonderfull poynt of folly that raignes in the world of all the mercyes of GOD this is the cheefest when the Lord doth giue vnto a man Christ and the benefits of his passion amongst which this is not the least assurance of Gods loue touching remission of sinnes and our euerlasting saluation And yet alas wee see of all things this is lesse sought for as if saluation and eternall life were not worth the seeking Heerein wee are like vnto little children that looke after babies in a booke and regard not the matter Oh why shoulde wee bee so foolish to seeke those things which cannot continue and let goe those things as are both perpetuall and eternall Doe we affect perpetuities doe wee desire a glorious a comfortable an honorable and withall an vnchangeable estate Beholde heere is an excellent estate indeede Eternall Saluation an Eternall inheritance An Eternall wayte of glory A Lease not of one and twenty yeares but for tearme of such a life as shall neuer see death Why then seeke wee not after it and get good euidences of the same that so at last Saluation may be our portion And thus much breefely for the second conclusion We are chastised of the Lord that wee might not bee condemned with the world The Apostle herein labours to prooue that these iudgments of Almighty God vnto them that can make a right vse of them are but Fatherly chastisements and instructions to keepe his children from the condemnation of the world We are chastised of the Lord c. q. d. You are euen in the midst of your trials troubles and afflictions to beholde Gods mercy towards you who doth thus correct you not out of any hatred hee beares to any of you but euen as a louing and deare Father correcteth his own childe to preuent more dangerous courses which might bring him to shame in the end So God doth exercise you with these temporall chastisements that thereby hee might keepe and restraine you from falling into such sinnes as might bring you to Damnation with the rest of the world the Doctrine then is Doct. 8 One principall meanes that God doth vse to free his children from condemnation is correction That one principall meanes that God doth vse to free his Children from condemnation is correction For whereas by nature they are corrupt aswell as the wicked God vseth this correction as a soueraigne Medicine to Purge out their corruption and so to cleanse them from their sin to bring them to repentance and to Saluation This is intended by Christ when he saith Euery branch that beareth not fruit in mee he taketh away Iohn 15.2 and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth That it may bring forth more fruit And most agreeable vnto this is that of the Prophet Dauid Psa 94.12 Blessed is the man whome thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law That thou maiest giue him rest from the dayes of euill whilest the pit is digged for the wicked Whereby wee learne what an excellent fruit commeth to Gods children by correction euen no lesse then such as accompanie eternall life and Saluation Which commeth to passe not simply thorough afflictions For then shoulde the wicked haue the