the graces wee would striue most to excell in to the intent to keep them daily in our mindes and memories striuing to force in vs the special holinesse required in them It were exceeding vsefull to obserue in seueral Scriptures how the holy Ghost singles out choice directions according to the diuerse states of the people whom they concern Secondly the Minister ought to infoâ—me his flock concerning the particular and special faults that hinder the work of his Ministery where hee liues and accordingly to set himself against those sinnes It is not enough to reproue sin but there is a great deal of discretion and judgement to bee expressed in applying himself to the diseases of that people Thirdly the Apostle doth not name heer all the sinnes that hinder the word but he imports that in the most places these fiue sinnes heer named doo much raign and vsually doo maruellously let the course of the word they are the fiue most vsuall sinnes in the auditories of Christians Fourthly it would be considered how these sinnes doo hinder the word These sinnes doo hinder the word many waies 1. These sinnes make wicked men many times to set themselues against the word and to striue to suppresse the liberty of the word 2. These sins hinder the word in that they hinder many times other men from the loue of the word The word is not glorified yea it is euill-spoken of and why Do not many men and women say they like not this going to Sermons c for they see that such persons can liue in malice and deceit and enuy one another c. 3. These sinnes hinder the Ministers from discerning the work of their Ministery in their hearers Paul cannot see or judge that the Corinthians are any more than carnall or at the best but babes in Christ because there was so much enuy and strife and diuision among them 1. Cor. 3. verse 1.2.3 4. These sinnes cause God many times to take the word from men When the Iews grew so vntoward and enuious at the Gentiles and to haue such ill tongues in their heads toward their Teachers what follows but that the LORD should turn the labor of his seruants from them and imploy it among the Gentiles Acts 13 c. 5. These sinnes hinder the word because they hinder the persons in whom they are from a right disposition to or vse of the word Anie of these sins are like poison lying at the stomach that infects all the food which comes there And therefore for these reasons and many moe which might be alleadged we should bring a generall resolution to make conscience of our waies and to auoide these and all and each of these sinnes The first then of these sinnes is Malice The originall word is diuersly accepted For sometimes it signifies miserie or griefe for affliction and so it is vsed to signifie the euill of the day Matth. 6. vlt. Sometimes it is rendred naughtinesse or wickednesse in generall and so it importeth vile crimes or notorious offences and so it is taken Iam. 1.21 Acts 2.22 In this sense it may be taken here For it is certaine that if men be guilty of wickednesse and come in the loue of any sinne the word is poisoned in them especially whoredome and wine take away mens hearts from the word Hos. 4. Lastly it is rendred in diuers places malice as 1. Cor. 5.8 Colos. 3.8 and so it is here Malice then is the first sinne we should bee carefull to auoide Malice in short is anger inueterate It is an inward hatred or grudge harbored in the heart against others and it may bee knowne by diuers signes As 1. When a man beares a constant base estimation of another and inwardly loathes him 2. When a man hath frequent desires of the hurt of others and longs for abilitie or oportunitie of reuenge 3. By inflation when a man carries himselfe so proudly and arrogantly as hee would haue it appeare that he despiseth others 4. By the habituall back-biting iudging and censuring of others 5. When a man resolues not to forgiue a wrong done him By these and the like signes may men trie themselues whether they be guiltie of malice or no. Now there are many reasons why this sin should be wonderfully hated and shunned why wee should carrie a constant malice against the sinne of Malice First if we respect the causes of this euill For malice comes first from an ill nature it cannot be in a good nature secondly It comes from the Diuell the first deuiser of this abhominable poison thirdly It comes from anger as the next vsuall immediate cause The infirmities or wrongs of others may be the occasions but they cannot be the causes of malice Now we should be ashamed to father any of the former three euills Secondly if we respect the effects of malice and that either in our selues or in God In our selues malice will worke first a conformity to the nature of the Diuell For it was vsed to be noted that to be angrie was humane but to perseuere in anger which is this malice was diuelish Secondly It will plead forcibly mans vnregeneration Malice is noted as a marke of the vnregenerate man Tit. 3.3 1. Ioh. 2.9 Thirdly If we haue any gifts it is certain malice is like leauen it will sowre them and spoile the praise and acceptation of them 1. Cor. 5.8 Fourthly It hinders praier and the word That it hinders praier is proued Iames 4.1.2.3 That it hinders the word this text proues Fiftly It bringes a man many times to wonderfull shame and by a iust prouidence of God to open foiles and disgraces Prou. 25.8 et 26.26 And many times they fall into the pit they digged for others Prou. 26.27 A malicious person knowes not what shall bee come of him selfe 1. Iohn 2.11 Now the effects which the malice of man after a sort produceth in God are first to make him to hate vs wonderfully hee accounts the malicious person as a murtherer not respecting onely what hee doth but what hee would doe 1. Ioh. 3.11 Secondly Hee will neuer forgiue a man his sinnes because he doth not forgiue his brother Math. 6.14 Thirdly The iudgements of God are pulled down vpon him God may make the malicious as the grasse on the howse-top whereof the mower filleth not his hand nor they that goe by say we blesse you in the name of the Lord yea let meÌ„ look to it lest they be cast into prison and neuer come out till they haue paied the vtmost farthing The vse may be First For humiliation to all such as finde this vile poison in themselues they are in a miserable case and extreamely and dangerously diseased especially if men be guiltie of the aggrauation of malice Malice is euill in anie and in any measure and toward any but it is extreamely euill first when men put on a resolution not to amend but confirme themselues in their
it is profitable to all things 1. Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good works for they are dear works the bloud of Christ was poured out that wee might bee clensed from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all works of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are euangelically good works as if he confesse his sinnes and doo execution vpon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reform himself or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good works 2. Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good works as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christ's sake and the Gospell it is in the number of those good things shall haue good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fiftly works of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Iustice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing verse 14 of this chapter so to preach the Gospell is a good work 1. Tim. 3.1 So in the family for parents to bring-vp their Children well is a good work 1. Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of seruants in the family are such workes as shall haue reward of God as well as workes of piety Esay 6. Col. 3. Sixtly works of mercy are good works whether it be spirituall mercy to instruct admonish or reproue or comfort Psalme 140. or whether it bee outward mercy in giuing lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good works Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good work these three rules must bee obserued First that it be giuen of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that hee that giues it haue a good eie to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain ruffians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospitality because heere is not a good eie Thirdly almes must bee giuen for a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kindes of good works The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life bee accounted good seeing there is none that liueth and sinneth not yea al our works euen the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esay 64.6 For answer heereunto I say It is true that if God looke vpon the best works of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his couenant which he called His couenant of works then no flesh liuing can haue cōfort of his works but all will appeare lothsom as a menstruous garment But the works of the beleeuing Christiās are otherwaies to be considered of For First they are tryed by the couenant of grace by the benefit of which couenant hee is deliuered from the rigorous perfection of the Law and his vprightnes is accepted in stead of perfection he is now no more vnder the Law but by God's grace acceptation his works are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christ's intercession who presenteth his works before God couering the euill of them and tendering them to God who accepts them for the loue hee beares to his Sonne and thus we read in Scripture that Christ presents the praiers of the Saints Besides that the Christian may not think too vilely of his works but be comforted in the Lord concerning them let him further consider these things First that his good works haue the Spirit of Iesus Christ which is in him for the Fountaine of them 1. Cor. 12.11 Esay 26.12 Secondly that the bloud of Iesus Christ was shed not onely for his iustification but also for his sanctification Heb. 9.14 Thirdly that though his works are not good effectu yet they are good affectu they are good in desire his desire was to haue them as good as God himself did require And this God is pleased to accept as if the work were perfectly done Quest. 2. What are works good for in that they are called good works Answ. I answer first affirmatiuely they are good 1. To testifie our thankfulnes to God for all his benefits in respect of which wee are debters vnto God Rom. 8.12 2. To assure the truth of our faith as the fruits of faith Mat. 7.17 1. Tim. 1.19 Iames 2. 3. To witnes our election and to make our calling sure 2. Pet. 1.10 4. To discharge our duty of obedience vnto which we are bound euen in the couenāt of grace 5. To further the edification of our brethren whom we help both by example and by well-doing to them 6. To winne wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion and to stop their mouthes as heer so verse 15. 7. To glorifie God as is in this place mentioned 8. They are good to make vs capable of rewards from God in heauen Heb. 10.36 Rom. 2.7 8. yea and in this life too 2. Tim. 4.8 Secondly I say they are not good 1. To iustifie vs before God as it is at large prooued by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians onely they are good to iustifie vs before men Iames 2. 2. Not to merit or deserue heauen by them mens euill works doo merit punishment for the wages of sinne is death but our good works cannot merit both because the Scripture denies it expresly Eph. 2.8 as also to omit other reasons because the nature of merit casteth away our works for there must be three things in a work that must merit First it must bee a free work that was not due by any debt whereas our works are a part of our duty and we owe more to God than we can doe Luke 17.9 Rom. 11.35 Secondly the worke that should merit must bee profitable to him of whom we would merit but no goodnesse of ours can reach to God to profit him Psal. 16.3 Iob 22.2 Thirdly the worke that must merit must be of equall value with the thing that is giuen for it but neither our sufferings nor our deedes in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to bee reuealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore is eternall life called The gift of God Rom. 6.23 The vses follow and are especially for Instruction for this doctrine of good works should teach vs First to take notice of this doctrine and as we are carefull to beleeue so to be carefull to maintain good works and hereby to confute the malicious Papists that falsly charge vs to deny and disgrace good works Tit. 3.8 14. Secondly euery man should bee ready to doe good works yea to euery good worke since they are required of God and are so many waies good and serue vs for such excellent vses Yea wee should be zealous
to wickednes And thus swearers and vsurers and such like make sin Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemn by the very light of nature though he do it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sin is to bee a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagins and deuiseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquity euery wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by euill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and prouoke others to licentiousnes and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their euill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now hee that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his dayly custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot liue without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrayned of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe vndone if his trade bee destroyed Seuenthly when a man calles good euill and euill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which GOD by his Law neuer called sinne And thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand Thus also prophane persons make godlines and a holy conuersation to bee Schismes and truth to bee Heresy Thus the Iewes called Pauls religious course Heresy when hee by that way which they called Heresy worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a sect Acts 28. Esay 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions vpon other men that are innocent speaking euill with any manner of euill report of such as liue religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the deuill that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many times by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours spred abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grieuous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in aduersity deuiseth vnlawfull shifts and courses to get out of trouble or deliuer himselfe from the crosse is layd vpon him And this sence may in some sort be applied to the case of our Sauiour who neuer vsed ill meanes to deliuer himself though he suffred extreme things Lastly in a generall sense Euery man that is guilty of sinne may bee said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of remouall said of Christ that hee made no sinne that is that hee was neuer guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Diuers doctrines may bee gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to bee a maker of sinne Ast was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chief doctrine and plaine in the text Hee was not onely free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but hee was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity He was that iust One by an excellencie Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Iesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sin with them into the world and daily sinne Ans. Hee was sanctified from the wombe being conceiued by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in vpon him in his cōception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holines from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sinne because his humane nature was to bee a tabernacle for the Deity to dwell in Colos. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow vnto vs life and all good things and therefore hee must needes be vndefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace vnto vs. Besides his sufferings could not bee auayleable if he were not innocent himselfe The vses follow and so Vses First wee see the difference betweene the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it The other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sin so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not onely a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not onely as they say in Schooles posse non peccare but also non posse peccare Secondly wee may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnes the world stands when this most innocent Man that neuer did any sinne that neuer offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is hee despised and reiected of men Who looked after him vnlesse it were for his miracles Few honored him for his holines How is the world set on wickednes that it should account him without forme or hand-somnes that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that neuer did man wrong or sinned against God Esay 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly wee may hence see cause to wonder at the loue of Christ to vs. Oh how is it that hee bare the imputation of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe neuer knew sinne What hart of man can sufficiently admire his loue vnto vs that can abase himselfe to bee made sinne for vs that neuer did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that
His righteousnes is not intended for the praises of men for his praise is of God Rom. 2.26 Hee doth not his work to bee seen of men Mat. 6.1 c. He had rather be righteous than seem so Secondly in the parts of it The Pharises righteousnes is outward his is inward also The very thoughts of the righteous are right Pro. 12.5 Hee striues to get a clean heart as well as clean hands and is as well grieued for euill thoughts and lusts and desires within as for euill words or works wheras the Pharise is but like a painted sepulchre all full of rottennesse and filth within his soule desires euill when hee dares not practise it in his life Pro. 21.10 Again the Pharise makes conscience of great commandements but not of the least Hee refrains whoredome murder periurie swearing by God sacrilege c. but makes no conscience of filthy-speaking anger swearing by that which is not God or by lesser oaths deceit couetousnes or the like whereas a righteous man indeed makes conscience euen of the least commandements Mat. 5.19 20. Again a Pharise may bee good abroad but is not vsually so at home but he that is truely righteous is so at home as well as abroad hee becomes a good husband master father friend c. as well as a good man Finally the righteous man hath respect to all God's Commandements whereas the Pharise in some one or other of the Commandements liues in the breach of it wilfully and without desire of reformation some in couetousnes and extortion some in lust and filthinesse Thirdly in the degrees or measure of righteousnes The Pharise is carefull of some few works of which hee seeks glory but the righteousnes of the iust man is as the waues of the sea he is industrious to increase in all well-doing and to bee filled with the fruits of righteousnes euery day Esay 48.18 Fourthly in the continuance of righteousnesse The iust man doth righteousnes at all times Psalm 106.2 Luke 1.75 His desire is for euer to bee imployed in good works whereas the Pharises righteousnes is but by fits and as the morning deaw and if trouble come for righteousnes he fals away and forsakes his righteousnes c. And thus of the vse for triall Vse 2. Secondly the excellent liuing of such as liue righteously may greatly reproue such as cannot bee stirred with these things to a conscionable care of forsaking their sinnes and of liuing righteously Quest. What should be the cause that such men as heare so much of the excellent estate of righteous men are not perswaded to conuert and embrace that kinde of life Ans. The cause is diuerse in diuers men as First in some it is long of certain corruptions that discouer themselues about the hearing of the doctrine of righteousnes for either mens hearts are like a beaten path in the high-way that the sound of doctrine cannot enter into their vnderstanding Mat. 13. Or else they vnderstand not with application to themselues but think onely how the doctrine may fit others Luke 13.1 2. Or else they meet with some hard condition that they are not willing to obserue as the rich young Pharise did or some other harsh doctrine as they account it which doth so vex and offend them that they fall clean off from the respect of Christ and holinesse as Iohn 6.59 66. Or else they haue some vile opinions that let them in the time of hearing as to think that one is not bound to doo as the rules of Scripture doo require or that if one bee not a grosse offender God will not impute lesse faults contrary to our Sauiour's doctrine Mat. 5.18 19 20. Or else their hearts break that is they let the doctrine run out and neuer think of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they haue resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now deliuered them ouer to a spirit of slumber lest they should conuert and hee should heale them Math. 13.15 16. Esay 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1. Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the euill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Acts 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they haue great hopes from or dependance vpon Math. 10.35 37. 1. Pet. 4.2 Or else they haue so much busines to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot bee at leisure so long as to think they cannot bring their liues into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they liue at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life so their prosperity destroies them Prou. 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednes of life in which they liue either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednes they are pure in their owne eies and yet are not clensed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlines and regard not the sound power of it in their liues Lastly in all vnregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therfore their filthines is stil in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lament 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sinne What should hinder the conuersion of multitudes at once but that wee preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the diuell works effectually in all the children of disobedience striuing to hide the Gospell from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1. Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second vse Vse 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselues raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must obserue all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly fruitfull conuersation He that would liue in righteousnes must think on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnes First he must giue ouer al needless conuersation with vaine persons and prophane men hee must shun their company as hee would such as haue the plague running vpon them hee must not come neere them as is vrged Prou. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee betweene righteousnes and vnrighteousnes 2. Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye euil doers saith Dauid for I will keepe the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly Hee must redeeme time Hee must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle
readines to professe against our selues our owne vile deserts Thirdly confidently and with perswasion of faith â—esting in his goodnes and casting out feare and doubts Heb. 10.22 and 11.6 as the Leper came to Christ Math. 8.2 Heb. 4.16 Fourthly affectionately wee must come to him as the Loue comes to her Louer so the Church to CHRIST Canticles 2.10 13. Fiftly importunatly as the woman of Canaan did so as wee will bee set down with no repulses or delaies Mat. 15. as they with the Palsey-man Mat. 9. Hosh. 6.1 2. and as he teacheth vs to come to God Luke 18.1 2 3 c. and as Iob resolues chap. 27.2 3 7. Sixtly orderly wee should doo as Iob said wee should order our cause before him and fill our mouthes with arguments Iob 23.3 4. Seuenthly obediently Wee should come to Christ as children to their fathers and as the people to their lawgiuer to receiue commandements at his mouth so as our harts might answer Lo I come to doo thy will If wee would haue God or Christ come to vs we must bee such as Dauid promiseth for himself Psalm 101.1 2 3 4. Eightthly sincerely And we must shew our sincerity 1. By forsaking the way of the foolish Pro. 9.6 23 4. 2. By comming in the truth of our hearts For an hypocrite cannot stand before him without flattering lying dissimulation or wauering not as the Israelites came to God Psal. 78.32 34. So as Christ may discern that wee haue a true thirst whatsoeuer we want Iohn 7.37 3. Thirdly by renouncing all other hopes as they said of God Ier. 3.22 4. By resoluing to cleaue to Christ in a perpetuall couenant Ier. 50.5 5. By comming to Christ notwithstanding dangers or difficulties though it were with Peter to leap into the sea Matâ— 14.29 or with the wise-men to come from the East Math. 2. and though we finde Christ in a prison Math. 25. and though it were to denie our selues and to take vp our Crosse daily Luke 9.24 Vse The vse of all this should be chiefly to perswade with euerie one of vs to make conscience of this dutie to come vnto Christ and the rather considering First the necessitie of it here imported in that without comming to Christ we cannot possibly attaine vnto sound reformation of life without Christ we can doe nothing Secondly the incouragements wee haue to come to him and these are many For 1. If we consider the inuitation of Christ he calls vs to come vnto him we cannot displease him by comming but by not comming and neglecting him Matth. 11.29 Canticles 2.10 13. Math. 22.3 Ioh. 5.40 2. If we consider the persons inuited or who may come The simple may come Prou. 9.3 The strangers may come euen men from afarre Esay 49.12 56.4 Any that are athirst may come Ioh. 7.37 Yea the basest and meanest may come which is signified by that of the Parable that they by the hedges and high-way side are compelled to come in nor is there any exceptions at mens sinnes but sinners may come Math. 9.13 Yea such as are wounded and smitten for their sinnes may come Hos. 6.2 c. Thirdly if wee consider our entertainment when we come He adopts all that come to him Iohn 1.12 Hee is rauished with affection towards them we cannot more please him than by comming to him Cant. 4.8 9. They are sure they shall not be reiected Iohn 6.37 Christ will ease them in all their sorrows Mat. 11.29 He wil heal them of all their diseases of which the bodily cures were pledges in the Gospell He will be as Manna from heauen to them they shall neuer hunger Iohn 6. yea he will be life to them the life of their present liues and eternall life they shall liue for euer Iohn 5.40 Thus of the first things required in Christians The second is They must be liuely stones Verse 5. Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. As liuely stones IT is not vnusuall in Scripture to compare men to stones and so both wicked men and godly men Wicked men are likened to stones first for their insensiblenesse and so the heart of Nabal was like a stone Secondly for their silent amazement when iniquity shall stop their mouth thus they were still as a stone Ex. 15.16 Thirdly for their sinking down vnder Gods iudgements so the Egyptians sunk into the sea like a stone Exod. 15.6 And thus the wicked sink into hell like a stone But chiefly in the first sense for hardnes of heart their hearts by nature are like a stone And in the comparison of a building if they be in the Church they are like the stones of the house that had the leprosie or like Ierusalem when it was made a heap of stones Godly men are like stones too they are like the stones of Bethel that were anointed God is the God of Bethel and the Godly are as those anointed pillars consecrated to God and qualified with the gifts of the holy Ghost They are like the Onyx stones giuen by the Princes and set on the brest of the High-Priest in the Ephod The High-Priest is Christ. The Onyx stones are Christians The Princes of the Congregation are the Ministers that consecrate the soules of men which they haue conuerted to Christ who wears them on his brest and hath them alwayes in his heart and eye They are like to the rich stones of a Crown lifted vp Zach. 9.16 They are like the stone with the Book bound to it Ier. 51. 63. They are neuer without the Word of God But in this place they are likened to the stones of the Temple which in the Letter are described 1. Kings 6.7 36. and 7.9 10. and in the Allegorie Esay 54.11 12 13. Sure it is that the stones of this spirituall Temple are the place of Saphyres as is said in Iob in another sense 28.6 Now the godly are likened to stones in diuers respects First they are like stones to graue vpon and so they are like those stones which must haue the law graued vpon set vp in mount Ebal Deut. 27 2 3 4. What is the mount but the world and what is Ebal but vanity or sorrow and what are those graued stones but the godly with the law of God written in their hearts the light whereof shineth on the hill of the vanity of this world and lasteth in the midst of all the sorrowes of this world Secondly they are like stones for strength and vnmouednes in all the stormes of life The raine pierceth not the stones nor doe afflictions batter the hearts of Gods seruants strength is attributed to stones in that speech of Iob 6.12 Thirdly They are like stones for continuance and durablenes they will last for euer so will their persons and so ought the affections of their hearts Lastly they are like stones for a building and that in two respects First
Acts 2.6 or else a spirituall grace in the heart of a Christian by which his soule mournes and is abashed and ashamed with him And so there may bee three reasons or rather causes assigned wherein the godly ought to bee confounded As first in repentance for their sins of which these places intreat Ezech. 36.32 Ierem. 31.19 Ezech. 16.61 and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted and their companie shunned that they may bee confounded in themselues for their sinnes 2. Thes. 3.14 and the Lord complains that the people were not ashamed for their sinnes Ierem. 6.15 Secondly when God or Religion or the godly are reproached and disgraced thus Psalm 44.15 16. Ierem. 51.51 Thirdly the people that profess the truth do erre through indiscretion or giue offence or liue in any grieuous euill Isaiah 29.22 23. Ezra 9.6 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned is a miserie God will turne away from the beleeuer therefore I will explaine that point and shew how many waies God keepes the beleeuer from being confounded They shall not be confounded This God will make good vnto them both in this life and in the day of Iudgement In this life they shall not bee confounded neither in respect of their outward estate nor in respect of their spirituall estate For their outward estate whether we respect their condition and credit or the meanes of their preseruation For their credit God will doe one of these two things For either God will make them exceeding glorious and make them high in praises as Esay 49.2 3. or at the least though they may passe through euill reports yet they shall not be vtterly shamed God will giue them good report amongst the godly and will greatly esteem them himselfe 2. Cor. 6.8 Heb. 11.2 Faith shall obtaine a good report And for the meanes of their preseruation Either first God will saue them from the temptations that fell on the world so as in the euill time they shall be prouided for and preserued from distresse as Psal. 37.19 or else secondly God will not disappoint their trust but come to their succour and deliuer them as Psal. 22.6 and 25.3 and Rom. 5.3 or else thirdly if God doe deferre for a time hee will in the meane time refresh their hearts and lighten their faces with the comfort of his fauor and presence as Psal. 34.6 Or else fourthly if the Lord let the affliction yet continue hee will giue them strength to beare it and patience and magnanimity so as it shall bee no great burthen to them as it is shewd of Christ Isaiah 50.6 7. so of Paul Philip. 1.20 2. Tim. 1.12 Or else fiftly though they may be many waies distressed yet they shall neuer bee forsaken or perplexed so as to haue cause to despaire They shall not bee destroied 2. Cor. 4.9 In all these sences they shall not bee confounded in respect of their outward estate And for their spirituall estate they shall not be confounded and this may bee shewed in diuers things First in respect of illumination they shall not abide in darknes Ioh. 12.46 Secondly in respect of iustification their sinnes are not imputed to them and the Lord so surely forgiues the beleeuer that the conscience shall be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the bloud of Christ for it is not ashamed of the former euill waies because it beleeueth that they enioy Gods pardon as if they had neuer been Zeph. 3.11 Thirdly in respect of Adoption because by beleeuing they are made the sonnes of God and so need not bee ashamed at any time of their condition Ioh. 1.12 Fourthly in respect of accesse vnto the presence of God For by faith he is priuiledged he may go with boldnes and confidence into the presence of the King of Kings and therefore what should confound them Eph. 3.12 Fiftly in respect of the promises of God For by faith he obtaineth many rich and precious promises each of them like a Well of ioy and a verie spring of contentment 2. Pet. 1.4 Heb. 11.13 33 34 Sixtly in respect of the hope of glory For by faith we haue accesse to this grace whence we stand and reioice in the hope of the glorie to come Rom. 4.2 And for the Day of Iudgement it is certaine they shall not bee confounded in two respects First they shall haue boldnes at that Day and hower and praise before all the world They that are not a shamed of Christ in this world hee will not then be ashamed of them And secondly they shall bee deliuered from eternall confusion and damnation They shall enioy euerlasting saluation and shall not bee confounded world without end Isaiah 45.17 Quest. So that by this which hath bin sayd we may in part know how to answer that obiection which may be made For some one may say The Scripture in diuers places seemes to graunt that Gods seruants haue bin ashamed confounded Ans. Now for answer heereunto diuers things must be distinctly considered of First the godly shall not bee ashamed or shamed with euerlasting shame or they shall not be asham'd at the day of Iudgement though it were graunted they might bee ashamed in this life Esay 45.17 in that World which is without end they shall not bee ashamed Secondly wee may answer with the Prophet Daniel that shame and confusion belongs vnto the godly if wee respect their deserts but they are freed from it by the couenant of grace in Christ Dan. 9.7 Thirdly if wee consider of the state of the Church in the publike condition of it as both good and bad are mingled together so God may powre out terrible shame and confusion vpon visible Churches for their great prouocations as Ierem. 9.19 and 17.13 Fourthly this promise shewes what God will make good to the beleeuer if the fault bee not in himselfe he shall bee set in such a condition as he shall haue no reason to bee ashamed but in all distresses two things shall bee certaine first that God will come quickly to his succor Heb. 10.35 36. Secondly that till his deliuerance hee shall haue a faire assurance and euidence for his hope in God by his promises so as if hee doe not withdraw himselfe through vnbelief in rest and quietnes hee shall be fortified Esay 30.19 Fiftly if wee restraine the sence to the coherence and particular drift of this place wee may answer three things First that he shall not be so confounded as to bee driuen to run headlong vpon the vse of any vnlawfull meanes Secondly that hee shall not fall downe from the foundation which is Christ though he should endure many a sore storme And thirdly he shall not bee ashamed in the point of Iustification hee shall neuer repent that hee relied vpon Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Sixtly It is true that in some temporall crosses they may bee foiled in the iudgement of the world and in their owne sence as the Prophet confesseth
estimation from them or at least put them to silence c. For the first if wicked men bee offended for doing good wee are not to regard their offence As when the Pharises were offended at Christ he cared not but said Let them alone they are blind and leaders of the blinde c. Math. 15.14 And so the Apostles answered It is better to obey God then men Acts 5.29 It is better that scandal arise then that the truth should bee forsaken Thus Michaiah cares not for the offence of Ahab nor Eliah and in this case Leui is not to respect father or mother bretheren or children Deut. 33.9 And so though wicked men bee offended wee must preach the Gospel with all plainenesse and not affect wisdome of words 1. Cor. 1.23 and wee must labour for the meate that perisheth not and must pray vnto God and vse religious exercises in our houses as Daniel did wee must renew Iustification by our owne workes and we must suffer in a good cause and wee must with strictnes auoid the excesses of the time Now for the second we may be guilty of giuing offence to the wicked First by scandalous and vicious life thus Dauid gaue offence Secondly by indiscretion in the manner of doing good duties as if men pray or fast or giue almes to bee heard or seene of men Thirdly by rash zeale as when men proclaime to the world a great deale of strictnes in things that are not grounded vpon the Word and yet are tainted openly with known infirmities and sinnes or when men are violent and rash censurers especially in things they commit themselues or when men neglect their calling and liue inordinately and are busie-bodies vnder pretence of Religion or when men that haue a faire dore opened to doe good by preaching the Gospell will not yeeld in some indifferent things that they may winne them as woe had beene to Paul if he had not beene a Iew with the Iewes that hee might gaine the Iewes thereby or necessity lay vpon him the preaching of the Gospell or to preach the Gospell though it were clogd at that time with condition of yielding to the Iewish ceremonies 1. Cor. 9. Now for the third there are diuers excellent rules that may much adorne the liues of Christians in their courage toward the wicked and so either preuent scandall or leaue them without excuse themselues being Iudges as they will confesse in the day of visitation These things then will much aduance our cause before wicked men to shew in our conuersation 1. Integrity and harmelesnes and sound care of the practising of godlines Philippians 1.15 16. 2. Submission and obedience vnto the King and his humane ordinances 1. Peter 2.13.14.15 3. Reuerence and feare when we intreate of any thing that concernes God and Religion 4. Meeknes of wisdome expressing a minde free from conceitednes frowardnes or affectation Iam. 3.13 5. Mercy to the poore and a minde free from the greedy desire of earthly things a serious declaration of the contempt of the world Iam. 1.26 Math. 5.16 c. 6. Quietnes and peace to be shewed first in studying to be quiet to meddle with our owne busines secondly in making peace amongst others Math. 5.8 7. Loue to our enemies being ready to pray for them or doe them any good Lastly hence may be gathered some matter of consolation for the godly For first if the Lord haue kept them from taking offence hee hath freed them from a great sore spirituall iudgement Secondly if the wicked should be so peruerse as to take offence when he giues none yet this may stay him that Christ himselfe was an offence vnto them Thirdly as it is a great iudgement to bee offended at Christ so it is a great mercy and supernaturall grace when the Lord makes our hearts able to loue the Lord Iesus in all sincerity Hitherto of the first kinde of punishment the second is that Christ shall be to them A rock of offence that is they shall fall vpon Christ as the ship doth vpon the rock and be broken all to pieces There shall bee a desperate anguish vpon their consciences perceiuing themselues to haue no right in Christ by the feare of which as men that haue suffred shipwrack they shall be out of all hope of mercy Thus hee that falleth on this stone shal be broken and vpon whom it shall fall he shall be ground to powder Luke 20 17. The consciences of wicked men are diuersly affected some are without feeling of any grieuance in the matters of their soules some haue feeling The consciēce is without feeling either through a continuall security and sleepines which is in all men or through a searednes by which some men are growne past feeling Now those wicked men that haue any feeling in this text are cast into two sorts for either they are offended or they despaire Christ is to those latter an occasion of their ruine they suffer shipwracke vpon Christ which is ioyned with singular offence or paine or grieuance of their consciences This rocke is like that in the Iudges chap. 6.21 out of which fire went and consumed them The despaire that wicked men feel is of two sorts For either it is a despaire which riseth from their perswasion of their want of helpe in spirituall things or from their want of help in outward things somtimes they fall into desperate tormēts and griefs and fears about outward things either vpon fear of danger or vpon an apprehension that they are vtterly vndone or shall be in matters of the world this was the despair mentioned and this despair was in Saul Achitophel and Belshazzer Dan. 5. and in the Iews when they said there was no hope Ier. 2.25 and this was in the Aegyptians Babylonians Tyrians and their case in the desolation of their estate by warre mentioned in many chapters of the Prophet Esay But this despair is not meant heer for this is a despair of all help or saluation of the soule by Christ conceiuing that they are vtterly cast off of God and shall perish for euer Thus Cain and Iudas despaired of all mercy in God And this despaire of saluation and all happinesse is felt either in hell or at the day of Iudgement or in this life First it is certain that the Wicked feel an eternall despair in hell which increaseth their torments because they haue no hope of ease or help and thus also the diuels despair This despair in hell is a meer gnawing the conscience and tormenting it which neuer dieth Secondly they also feel despair with singular horrour when they come to appear before Iesus Christ at the last Day when they behold the face of the Iudge and feel within them a witnes that tels them they shall bee damned This torment will then come vpon them like the pains of a woman in trauell and their anguish will bee so great that they will cry to the mountains
Princes and the Lawes of God For many times the lawes of Princes agree not with the natures and hearts of Princes whereas God's Word is alwaies agreeable to God's Will and withall this should the more quicken to obedience because by conforming our selues to God's Word we conforme our selues to God's Nature And further it may comfort vs in the hope of strength to bee enabled to doe God's Will and what he requires because he wils what we should doe For God's Will causeth an impression vpon the creature it giues assistance it will see it done he will worke our works for vs God's Word is a Word of power it workes what it wills which mens lawes cannot doe When wee know God wills such a thing in his Word to bee done we should conceiue that he doth not onely shewe vs by that place what is to be done but also what assistance we shall haue to doe it Doct. 4. The Will of God is the rule of our actions what he wills we must doe and so it is vrged here by the Apostle and therefore it should teach vs to labour to vnderstand what his will is since all is lost that is not conformed to this rule Ephes. 5.10 We must get vs to the Law and to the testimonies For whatsoeuer is not directed from thence hath no light in it Esay 8.20 Secondly we must go to God and pray him to teach vs to doe his Will since he hath enrolled it in his Word Ps. 143.10 Thirdly if this doctrine were throughly digested vnruly froward and wilfull Christians would make more conscience of their passionate and incorrigible courses Let them look to it in time they must giue account to him that so hath prescribed rules by his will that he will not admit of courses carried onely by their wils Fourthly Inferiours must look to the warrant of their actions it is not the will of man but the will of God can iustifie them to doo well 1. Pet. 4.2 Lastly if his will rule vs then wee must take heed of that fault of making the lawes of our wils the causes of his will as they doo that think God must will to doo nothing with wicked men vnlesse his will bee confined to certain rules which they conceiue in their wils Doct. 5. That the bare signification of Gods will should be argument enough to perswade a godly Christian to doo any thing though it bee to deny himself or to go a course which is crosse to his owne desires The knowledge of God's will alone doth compell a godly minde to obey It is not the Maiesty or the rewards of God but God's wil which alone sufficeth to guide him which may try the obedience of man by the motiues For onely the sound Christian wil obey simply for the commandement sake and must teach vs to stick to it the bare will of God must rule vs though there were neuer so many men contrary-minded Vse The vse is for triall of hypocrites the true Christian laies down all his owne courses as soon as euer hee heares the sound of Gods will Doctr. 6. The practice of a Christian must bee confirmed iust according to the pattern so is the will of God it must bee iust so as the will of God is so from the manner as well as from the matter which should teach vs three things First to walk circumspectly seeing wee must look so precisely to the manner as well as to the matter of Gods will Ephes. 5.15 Secondly wee must therefore increase in the knowledge of his wil Col. 1.10 for the more things are to be done or the more exactly God wills vs to doe the more care wee must haue to increase our knowledge and study his will since all must be iust so as hee wils to haue it Thirdly wee should bee stirred vp to pray for our selues and one for another seeing it is such a hard thing to liue a Christian life and to please God Mark with what force of words the Apostle praied about this point Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant Make you perfect in euery good work to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee glory for euer and euer Amen Quest. But can a Christian bee so exact as to answer the pattern to doe iust so as God wils him Ans. 1. Hee may for the substance of the obedience though not for all the degrees or circumstances 2. He may do it in desire hee must set his patterne before him as that hee desires to follow and striues as well as hee can and is vexed because hee cannot do it and with God if wee haue alwaies done as much as well as we did desire to do hee accepts the desire for the deed but it is certaine of the most of vs in the most things that we haue neither done the things right nor brought the desiring to do them and therfore it is iust with God if wee lose what wee haue wrought Doct. 7. That in some cases God would haue vs take notice of his will in more especiall manner hee hath certaine speciall wils there are some things that hee doth as it were more stand vpon then other things and these speciall wills of God we must heedefully take notice of as for instance 1. Thes. 4. about auoiding fornication this is the will of God hee meaneth his speciall chiefe will so about thanksgiuing 1. Thes. 5.18 Where the Apostle vrgeth the wil of God as a thing that God would aboue many other things haue don Aboue all things giue thanks For this is the will of God c. So our Sauiour Christ notes in his owne occasions an especiall wil of God Iohn 6.39 41. So heer God doth in a special manner will vs to obey Magistrates and to silence wicked men by well-doing Vse The vse should bee to teach vs to marke what things God doth specially require of vs and to apply our selues to his will that the Lord may take pleasure in vs and say of each of vs as he did of Cyrus He is the man of my will which is heer explained He is the man that executeth my counsell Esay 46.11 It was Dauids singular glory that hee would doe all Gods will whatsoeuer speciall seruice God had to do Dauid was ready to execute it Acts 13. For heerein lieth the triall of a sound Christian he doth the will of his heauenly Father and rests not in talking of Religion onely and professing it Mat. 7.21 Rom. 2.11 1. Iohn 2.17 And in particular in this text wee see there bee two things that God would faine haue vs do to silence wicked men and stop their mouthes First hee would haue vs so to behaue our selues that wee keepe out of their danger in respect of the Lawes of Magistrates Secondly and then
that loue not the Lord Iesus 1. Pet. 1.9 2. Cor. 16.22 Fiftly we should therefore eare the Passeouer with sowre hearbs we should remember his grieuous suffrings with harty affection and melting of soule before the Lord when wee come before him to celebrate the memory of his Passion in the Sacrament Sixtly we should no more stagger or wauer in faith but with all peace and ioy in beleeuing rest vpon the propitiation made by Christ for our sins we should therefore confidently beleeue the pardon of all our sinnes because hee hath borne our iniquities If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Seuenthly wee should neuer more bee afraid of death and hell for our debt being paied by the surety the hand-writing that was against vs is now cancelled Col. 2.15 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Romanes 8.1 Heb. 2.14 Eightthly wee should not be so much troubled to bee vniustly traduced seeing Christ beyond all example suffered most vnspeakeable ignominie bearing the imputation of the sinnes of all the Elect. Ninthly seeing hee hath beene made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and suffered for sinne in the flesh wee should striue to bee made the righteousnes of God in him and as hee hath borne our sinnes so should wee striue to beare his vertues Who his owne selfe It is emphaticall that the Apostle saith Hee bare our sinnes his owne selfe For there bee two things which are heere imported First that hee had no partners there were none with him Hee bare all himselfe Esay 59.16 Hee trod the wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to our selues or to any Saint or Angel Secondly it imports that therefore his suffering is of infinit valew in that he bare all his owne selfe in person who was God and man Then it will follow that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world 2. Ioh. 2.1 2. In his body Quest. Why did he not suffer in his soule Ans. Yes for so saith the Scripture Hee made his soule a sacrifice for sinne Esay 53.10 and the Sonne of man came to giue his soule a ransome for many Math. 20.28 Marke 10.45 This was shadowed out by the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering for it noted that the whole man should suffer So in the Sacrament the breaking of the bread is not referred so properly to his body for there was not a bone broken of him saith the holy text but fitly to his soule which was broken with sorrowes and heauines for our sakes So that by the body he meanes synechdochically whole Christ but yet the body is named because That was the outward sacrifice that was offered for our sinnes on the tree Christ then bare our sinnes in his body What may wee learne from thence First wee see a manifest difference betwixt Christs Priesthood and theirs in the Law For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowles but Christ offered his owne body Secondly wee may take comfort in the assurance that hee is the Sauiour of our bodies as well as our soules Thirdly Seeing such grieuous things befell the body of Christ why seeke wee so much ease for our bodies why pamper wee our flesh so and why are we so impatient in the paines of our bodies and remember not what Christ suffered in his body Fourthly we should therefore esteem his body to bee a precious body aboue all bodies â—â—eing it was laid downe as a price for our sinnes yea wee should long to see that glorious body of his that wee might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time loue and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually vnto vs reioycing in such meetings aboue the ioy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly wee should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies but make conscience to serue God both in body and Spirit and say with Dauid Christ Lord a body thou hast giuen me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that teare the body of our Lord with their cursed oathes and rake their nailes in his wounds with their blasphemies On the tree The originall word signifies somtimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a pair of stocks Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Reuel 2.11 vsually wood 1. Corinthians 3.12 Heere a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sinnes on the tree because hee did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which hee suffered as our Suretie and for our sinnes for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is euery one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts For he liued in paine 3 hours in the darke and had not the light of the sun Thirdly in that darknes he was put to the most fearefull conflict with the diuels which at that time did with their vtmost fury assault him and fight against him Colos. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grieuous paines and toâ—ments of body and the effusion of his most precious blood Fiftly hee was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly hee was reuiled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Math. 27.39 to 45. Seuenthly God his father powred out vpon him the fearefull viols of his wrath in withdrawing for a time the sense of his fauour Math. 27.46 Eightthly his whole body was offered vp on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the sacrifices in the Law Vses We haue therefore cause to reioyce in the crosse of Christ aboue all things For on the tre hee freed vs from the curses of the Law and purchased for vs the blessings promised to Abraham as the father of the faithfull Gal. 3.13 14. and besides by suffering so shamefull a death he hath sanctified all sorts of waies of inflicting death vpon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults euen suffer that death on a tree with ioy And wee should the more praise God for his fauour if he suffer any of vs to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then wee may againe see the hatefulnesse of sinne in that God punishing our sinnes in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his iustice exacting not onely death but that painefull and ignominious death on the tree Lastly hence we may see how little cause there is for Christians to plead merit if they think how fearfully sinne hath angred God and withall how senselesse the best of vs are when wee
mercy Thirdly hee causeth the Gospell to be preached to all sorts of men without exception And so grace is offred to them and there is no other let but their refusall of grace offred Fourthly the example of all sorts of sinners that haue returned As great sinners as they haue been receiued to mercy and they are set out as examples to encourage other men to seek mercy as Manasses Mary Magdalene Dauid Peter Paul and others Many among the Corinthians haue been notorious offenders but were iustified and sanctified The explication of the doctrine of returning followes where these things are to be considered of c. First the motiues to perswade men to return Secondly the persons that need returning Thirdly the time when men must return Fourthly the false waies men must auoid in returning Fiftly what a number of lost sheep doo vsually return Sixtly the aggrauations against certain persons for not returning Seuenthly the means of returning Eightthly the manner how we must return or the rules to be obserued in returning Ninthly the signes of a lost sheep returned Lastly the lets of returning For the first I mean not to insist vpon all sorts of motiues but to follow the word Return as it is vsed in Scripture and take a few of the fittest motiues as it is vsed in this place And so diuers things should make a man to return as First the consideration of God's maruellous goodnes and amiablenesse of nature to all such as turn vnto him he is wonderfull gracious to them and mercifull and will repent him of the euill Ioel 2.12 13. Ier. 31.19 20. The parable of the lost sheep shewes this fully Secondly the great danger that men are in if they return not GOD is angry with the wicked euery day Psalm 7.12 And his fury may break forth suddenly vpon them like fire Ier. 4.4 For the words of his seruants will certainely take hold vpon them Zach. 1.4 6. and iniquity will be their ruine Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent they must perish Luke 13.5 And therefore if wee warne men of their sinnes and they will not returne wee are deliuered and their blood will bee vpon themselues Ezech. 3.19 Thirdly if a man consider but the happines of such as doe returne GOD will forgiue them all their sinnes he will aboundantly prouide for them Esay 55.7 If they returne they shall liue and not die Ezech. 18.23 and 33.11 and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Esay 51.11 and in this verse the Apostle shewes their happines For they shall alwaies liue vnder Iesus Christ as the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules For these and many other reasons it is the onely wise course to returne Luke 1.16 And there is not one wise man amongst all them that returne not Iob 17. And thus of the motiues The second point is the persons that need returning It is certain that those that liue out of the visible Church or in false churches neede returning As Pagans Turks Iewes Papists Schismaticks and all Hereticks Yea Iuda and Hierusalem neede repentance Ierem. 4.4 and 26.2 3. Men that liue in the visible Church and are baptized need to returne or else they wil perish Luke 13.5 Iohn 3.3 The third point is the time of returning and in short the best time to returne is the present time while it is yet called to day while wee haue the meanes of returning when God cals vpon vs by the ministry of his seruants especially when hee knocks at the dore of our hearts and laies the axe to the roote of the tree it is wonderfull dangerous to defer repentance for euen the longer thou liuest in sinne the more hard will thy heart bee Heb. 3.13 and the meanes of grace euen the Kingdome of God may be taken away or God may cut thee downe euen by sudden death or may cast thee into a reprobate sence and giue thee vp to a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4 5. The fourth point is the false waies to bee auoidid in returning and these are First to returne with despaire or to goe back without the guide faith in Gods mercy or to goe the way that despair leads In this way Cain and Iudas perished Secondly to returne fainedly and not with a mans whole heart to make a shew of returning when men doe not returne indeed Ierem. 3.10 Thirdly to returne but part of the way and to repent by halues as Ahab and Herod did Fourthly to returne when it is too late euen when the dore is shut to repent when it is too late Iob 27.9 The fift point is the aggrauations that lye against diuers persons about their not returning For if it be euill in it selfe for any not to returne then how fearefull is their case First that are proud of their skill in going out of the way that are wise to doe euill Ierem. 4.22 Secondly that are deepely reuolted that is that are such as liue in horrible and fearefull sinnes Esay 31.6 Thirdly that will not returne though their transgressions bee vpon them and they pine away in them Ezech. 33.10 They will not giue ouer though they haue no peace and are daily buffeted for their euill doing and their consciences beare the shame and trouble of their offending Fourthly that will not returne though the seruants of God openly testify against them Neh. 9.29 2. King 17.13 14. Fiftly that will not returne though the hand of God bee vpon them euen to consume them Ierem. 5.3 Sixtly that are turned back by a perpetuall backsliding Ierem. 8.4 that hold fast their sinnes and refuse to returne Ierem. 8.5 The sixt point may bee this viz. what number of lost sheepe doe vsually returne not all that goe astray Our Sauiour tels vs of a parable of one lost sheepe returning and the Prophet Ieremie tels vs of one of a Tribe and two of a Tribe Ierem. 3.14 Multitudes of men perish and neuer returne The seuenth point is the meanes or cause of our returning and these are either Principall or Instrumentall The principall causes are GOD and Christ that good Shepheard It is God that turneth back the captiuity of his people Psal. 14. vlt. and three times in one Psalme the people pray God to turne them againe Psalme 80.3 7 19. This is Ephraims sute Turne thou mee O Lord and I shall bee turned Ierem 31.18 So the Church saith Lamen 5.21 And Christ is that good Shepheard that seekes that which is lost yea laieth downe his life for his sheep Iohn 10. The instrumentall causes of returning are either externall or internall The externall meanes of returning is the Word preached and so both the reproofes of Gods seruants testifying against the wicked to make them turne from their sinnes Nehem. 9.26 29. as also the promises of the Gospel by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and intreated to returne with assurance of
saluation The internall meanes is Faith For that is it which turns a man cleane about and causeth him to set his face vpon God and Iesus Christ and to leaue all his old courses and by-waies Acts 15.9 The eightth point is the manner how wee must returne and so wee shall finde in Scripture diuers things vrged vpon vs. First that we in returning make a thorow search triall of our waies to finde out distinctly in what particulars wee haue gone astray Lamen 3.40 they must remember and bethink themselues and turne Psalme 23.28 Secondly wee must with true sorrow bewaile our former wandrings and iudge our selues for them going and reioycing wee must goe with our faces toward Zion Ierem. 51.4 5. Hosh. 14.2 3. 2. Chron. 6.24 37. Ierem. 3.13 Ioel 2.12 Thirdly wee must order our waies to a generall reformation The Prophet complaines that they would not frame their doings to turne to the Lord importing there can bee no returning to GOD vnlesse men cast their courses into a frame of reformation Hosh. 5.4 Men must amend their doings and their works Ierem. 35.15 Fourthly wee must returne in sincerity and that hath diuers things considerable for 1. Wee must returne with our whole hearts not fainedly Ierem. 3.7 2. Chro. 6.38 our very faces must bee turned from so much as looking after our abominations Ezech. 14.6 2. Wee must returne from our owne euill waies euery man from his way note it from his way that is from those courses in which he hath specially offended Iames 3.8 Esay 55.7 the wicked must forsake his way 3. Wee must forsake not onely outward sins but inward sinnes also we must reforme the wandring of our hearts as well as our liues the vnrighteous must forsake his very thoughts Esay 55.7 and put downe the very Idols of his heart Ezech. 14.7 4. We must turne from all our transgressions It is not enough to forsake sinne as some outward or inward sinnes but wee must forsake all sorts of sinnes Ezech. 18.30 5. Wee must returne with resolution neuer to start back wee must not bee like a deceitfull bow Hos. 7.16 Fiftly wee must so returne as wee must consecrate our selues to God to waite vpon him continually Hos. 12.6 and to serue the true and liuing God 1. Thes. 1.9 and to doe works meete for repentance Acts 26.20 The ninth point is the signes of returning or how wee may try whether we bee effectually returned and that may bee partly gathered by some of the points before and partly by some other things may bee added Hee that is truly turned may know it First by the cause of his returning It was somewhat aboue his owne power or disposition It was God that turned him by his Word neither did he turn out of despaire as Iudas did but faith in God and perswasion of Gods goodnes in Christ made him returne Hee feares God and his goodnes Secondly by the manner of his returning For if he returne in the manner before mentioned he needes not doubt the truth of his repentance especially if he bee sure to haue no hypocriticall or carnall endes of his reformation and that hee doe desire to returne from all his transgressions making conscience of the least commandement of God aswell as the greatest and of secret sinnes as well as open and of the euill that cleaues to his best works Esay 1.16 Thirdly by the fruits of repentance or returning and so hee may comfort himselfe 1. If hee esteeme Christs pasture aboue all worldly things finding the sweetest sauour in the Word of all things in this life Psal. 19. and 119. 2. Cor. 2. 2. If hee haue a minde to know God that he finde that out of habituall disposition hee haue an ernest desire to know God and to bee knowne of him Ier. 24.7 he will follow on to know the Lord. 3. If hee doe distinguish betweene the precious and the vile Ierem. 15.19 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Mal. 3.18 esteeming godly men to bee the onely wise men Luke 1.17 4. If hee bee carefull to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle If hee be carefull to reforme his house and cannot abide to dwell where sinne dwells vnreformed Iob 22.23 5 If he become as a little childe for humility and trust vpon God for all things necessary as the little childe trusts vpon his father for diet clothes inheritance preferment c. without any doubting or carking care 6. If hee bee earnest with God to heale his nature and to perfect his work Esay 19.22 Ierem. 31.18 19. He praies and that earnestly for the mending of his disposition to wander 7. If hee bee profitable according to his bignesse and pasture if hee bee full of mercy and good fruit if hee be zealous of good works These bee things meet for repentance that is things that bee of equall weight with it in the scales they each of them weigh iust as much as repentance The last point is what should be the reason that men haue so little minde to returne They will not be driuen home againe though they know that they liue sinfully and heare of Gods wrath and discerne vanity in all their pleasures and that sinne hath vsually proued it selfe to be a lie and that they are in danger of strange punishments and of eternall torment What I say should be the lets of returning or rather the causes that they mind not to returne Answer The causes are First the diuell is the cause hee hath blinded their eies and works effectually in them and leads them wandring and captiue at his will 2. Cor. 4.3 Eph. 2.2 2. Tim. 2.26 Secōdly impotency of cōsideration is the cause they neither can nor doe think of the arguments should make them to returne or moue them they cannot spend an houre in the consultations vpon it whether they doe well not to returne Thirdly ignorance of the glory of Religion and the Kingdom of Iesus Christ Col. 1.26 there is a vaile vpon their hearts 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly opinion that it is a dishonour and shame to returne this makes diuers continue in erronious and humorous conceits or in fantasticall conformity to the wicked yea in the very excuses of sinning because they feare they shall be vilified laughed at and censured for it Fiftly expectation to haue their particular courses to be proued to bee sinnes Thus doe almost all men in their times persist in their sinnes vnder the couerture of this question Who can proue them to be sinners Thus scapes vsury excesse vanity of apparell excesse likewise in drinking of healths til the wine inflame them swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. being willingly ignorant of this that God hath condemned sinne in the generall in Scripture and laies it to men to looke vnto it that they fall not into his hands for transgressing and if they doubt they must be ruled by their
are his sheepe Zach. 11.7 such as heare his voice and depend onely vpon it and will follow Christ Iohn 10.3 4 5 27. Lastly wee may hence gather how wofull the estate of such people is as either haue no shepheards or euill shepheards set ouer them Zach. 11.4 5. Ezech. 34.4 And Bishop of your soules The godly haue Christ to bee the Bishop of their soules That this point may be more distinctly and profitably conceiued of I would consider of foure things in the explication of it First the vse of the tearme Bishop heere giuen to Christ It was before the Apostles time a foren word much vsed in prophane writers For the originall word heere rendred a Bishop was a tearme giuen to watch-men and spies and ouer-seers of works and sometimes to any sort of Rulers In the Apostles time it seemes the tearme was impropriated and giuen onely to Ministers that had charge of soules For the Apostles appointing certaine men to looke to the bodies of Christians which they tearmed Deacons they appointed other eminent men to looke to the soules of Christians whom they tearmed Bishops as appeares Phi. 1.1 Acts 20.28 In the time of the Apostles the tearme suffered yet a more strict impropriation and was giuen to some especiall Ministers that had Charge not onely of the people but also of the Clergy and in time in some Churches vnto these choice men of the Ministery were added the titles of Barons iurisdiction and power of censures sole power of ordination and the like In this place the Apostle giues the tearme of Bishop to Christ as the first and principall Ouerseer of our soules to whom the charge of their originall doth belong Secondly we must note that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our soules but The Bishop of our soules which imports that hee is such a Bishop as there is no other like vnto him That charge that Christ hath of our soules hee hath it alone There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop for 1. There is no good Bishop but hee For he died for the soules hee hath charge of and so doe not other Bishops and whereas other Bishops may bee vnrebukeable in respect of men sometimes he is vnrebukeable in respect of God and men too neuer any Bishop liued so well or did so much good or loued good men and promoted Gods cause so much as Hee 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flock as hee doth For hee can make his people profit because hee teacheth inwardly whereas they can teach onely outwardly and hee instructs all his flock and makes them all to knowe God from the greatest to the lowest of them which no other Bishop can doe 3. Hee is the onely Bishop because all other Bishops must giue accounts to him 1. Pet. 5.3 4. Hee is the vniuersall Bishop of all soules other Bishops haue their particular Charges or Churches but he hath the charge of all the flocks vnder heauen All Parishes are within his Charge 5. All other Bishops haue their ordination from him they haue no authority but what they receiue from him Acts 20.28 6. Because no other Bishop can take the absolute charge of our soules they are not able to keepe vs our soules haue many diseases which they cannot cure and are assaulted with many aduersaries which they cannot resist c. 7. Because he is a heauenly Bishop they are but earthly and diuers parts of his office hee executes in heauen whereas other Bishops can doe nothing for vs but on earth 8. Because hee is the onely Law-maker the onely Law-giuer to our soules other Bishops can make no lawes but by his authority Iam. 4.11 9. Because the other Bishops may require goodnes in their flocks but cannot make them good hee can make all his people righteous hee is the Lord and their very righteousnes Iere. 23.6 10. Other Bishops die and leaue their flocks vnprouided but he liues euer neuer forsakes his Church but is with them to the end of the world Thirdly who are the charge of Christ Not all that are found in the Charges of other Bishops hee will not stand to our diuision of Parishes he counts by Election and righteousnes All that the Father hath giuen him are his Charge and none else The coherence shewes they are onely penitent sinners Fourthly the happines of such as are vnder his charge which must needs be great O! it is a great comfort to a poor sinner to knowe that Christ hath a Charge of his soule for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soule and nourish it vp by his Ordinances and will keep him to eternall life and vse him with all tendernesse and compassion A bruized Reed hee will not break and the smoking Flax he will not quench The particulars are metaphorically handled before in the consideration of the benefits wee receiue from Christ as a Shepheard Vses The vses follow and so First for information and so first wee may heer take occasion to think of the preciousnesse of our soules for as they are made of better stuffe than all this visible world being spirits and were redeemed with a greater price than would haue been laid down to redeem this whole world so it heer appeareth because God sets his owne Sonne to tend our soules which should make vs make more reckoning of them and not be so carelesse of them It were an ill bargain To winne the whole world and lose our owne soules Secondly in that he takes Charge of our soules it imports that his Kingdome is not of this world and that he leaueth our bodies and outward estates to the charge of the Kings and Rulers of the earth hee claimes himself chiefly the Charge of our soules Thirdly in spirituall things it is imported that we are to be subiected to such as haue the ouer-sight of vs onely so farre forth as they command vs in the Lord and not otherwise Other Bishops haue their power subordinate to Christ and must in all things see to it that they doo nothing against Christ. Wee are subiect first and originally to Christ the Charge of our soules properly belongs vnto him Fourthly we may heer see what need our soules haue of looking to if they were not in great danger and subiect to many diseases and necessities Christ had neuer taken such a peculiar Charge of them Fiftly it imports the abiect estate of all grosse offenders for if Christ bee the Bishop of soules they cannot belong to his charge For wise and godly men as much as lieth in them cast out notorious offenders and protest against them and therefore will Christ much more cast off and refuse all such seruants of the diuell and the world and Antichrist as will not beare his yoke Sixtly it imports that all Bishops must haue ordination from him and therfore such as cannot shew their calling from Iesus Christ are plants which he will root out Secondly for consolation to
against malice From the causes From the effects 1. In vs. 2 In God Vses Aggrauations of malice Note Remedies for malice 1 In our selues Note 2 In others Of Guile The acceptation of the word Ob. Sol. Why Guile is to be auoided Vse 1. The miserie of deceitfull persons The aggrauations of the sin of deceit 1 The manner of deceiuing 2 The persons vpon whom it is practised 3 The time Ob. 1. Sol. Of the misery of such as thriue by deceit Note Ob. 2. Sol. Seruants must not vse lying deceit to please their masters Ob. 3. Sol. Of secret cosenage Ob. 4. Sol. Vse 2. The iniquity of the time Vse 3. Against equiuocation Vse 4. The signes of a man without guile Incouragements to such men Note that he saies all malice and all Guile How many wais men commit Hypocrisie Motiues against Hypocrisie The effects of Hypocrisie both priuatiue and positiue What may befall him What will befall them The obiection of hypocrites remoued Vses For information Note For instruction The sorts of Hypocrisie we are most in danger of Preseruatiues against hypocrisie Note Ob. Sol. About censuring other men for Hypocrisie Quest. Ans. How an open Hypocrite may be discerned Ob. Sol. What makes an Hypocrite Vse 3. Quest. Ans. How a man may knowe that he is not an hypocrite The hatefulnesse of the sin of enuy Signes of a man free â—rom enuie The aggrauation of Euill speaking Reasons to diswade from Euilâ— speaking Note Rules against euill speaking What we should do to auoid euill speaking in others 5 Generall doctrines Note For triall How we may discerne our desire and affection after the word Note Other signes of true desire Impediments to true desires externall Inward lets in wickedmen Le ts of affection in the godly Means to get true desires to the word Rules for the preseruing of good desires Rules for such as be afflicted with melancholy The Motiues The causes why the most are but babes in religion Note Speciall duties of such as be but new born babes Speciall praises in children by nature to be expressed by vs. Priuiledges of weake Christians How far wicked men may desire after the word Note Note Diuers kindes of growth In what graces Christians ought especially to growe Philip. 1.10 1 Thes. 3.12 Philip. 2.1 3. Ephes. 4.3.4 Rules to helpe our growth Impediments of growth Signes of growth Vnprofitableness of life aggrauated in many respects Apostasie is two fould Encouragement for weake Christians Wherein Gods graciousnes is seene What wee must do to taste the goodnes of God Doct. 2. Note A true taste is seen by the cause and effects of it Wherin the taste of wicked men and the godly differ How far the taste of wicked men may goe Vse Diuers things noted for clearing the sin against the holy Ghost 4. Doct. The causes why so many haue little or no taste of the word Christ is diuersly described by the Apostle Eph. 1.7 Christ doeth many waies excell earthly Lords towards his seruants Christ is three wayes called a stone 1 Cor. 7.8 Math. 16.18 What kind of men disalolw Christ. Christ chosen of God diuersly Christ is precious many waies Causes why Christ is no more precious with men Pro. 8.11 16 Fiue points in generall Wee come to Christ many waies Esay 9.6 In what manner wee must come to Christ. Psal. 40.7 Many are the reasons why we should come to Christ. Matth. 22. In what respcts the Godly are likened to stones Reasons why we ought to be liuely stones How we shewe our liuelinesse What wee must doe to quicken our harts Meanes to build vp a Christian. Pro. 24.27 Luke 14.28 Causes why many are so little edified Ioâ— 13.21 Christ hath a fiue-fold Tabernacle Esay 40. â—2 A godly man like the Tabernacle in diuers respects Godly men are priests in many respects Exodus 29.21 Vses Diuers sorts of sacrifices for Christians Marke 8.34.35 1 Ioh. 2.2 Rom. 3.25 Prou. 23.26 Speciall lawes to be obserued in offering vp our sacrifices What we must do to get our works acceptable to God What is meant by Scripture and why it is so called Wherein the Scriptures exceedes all other writings Malach. 3.1 Esay 55.4 Esay 62.11 Mat. 4.11 Vse That Christ is laid as a foundation-stone imparts many things The Church is like Mount Sion in diuers respects Marks of such as are true members of Sion 1 Kings 19.1 21. Reuel 14.5 Psal. 65.1 Speciall prerogatiues of Sion and the true members of it Esay 4.5 Esay 33.20 Vse 8. Esay 49.15 Note How we may get an esteeme of Christ aboue all things How we manifest our account of Christ as precious Note Note Psal. 127.5 Meanes by which God keepes the beleeuer from being confounded In what things the beleeuer shal not be confounded Rom. 3.25 How far the godly may be confounded Conditions of such as will not be confounded What sorts of men shall suffer shame and confusion Rules for the applying of the Word aright Rules for meditation What it is to beleeue and in how many things it is seen Marks of a true sauing â—aith Signes of a weak but yet a true faith in weak Christians Vse Vnbeleeuers are guilty of disobedience in diuers respects Disobedience aggrauated How far wicked men may be cald Builders How it comes to passe that many great and learned men oppose the truth of the Gospell By what means an ignorant and simple man may stay his heart notwithstanding the oppositions of learned wise men Mat. 11.15 1. Cor. 1.28 Christ is many waies refused How Church-men viz. builders may refuse Christ. Note Vses Iudgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for diuerse reasons Spirituall plagues are worse than temporall crosses for diuers reasons Note Scandall defined and distinguished Math. 18. Ans. Wicked men were offended at Christ in many things Esay 53.2 Ioh. 18.36 Math. 9 10. Ob. Sol. Note Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men In what things we may be guilty of giuing offence to wicked men Rules for the preuenting of scandall 1 Pet. 3.16 Deut. 28.96.67 How many waies wicked men may despaire Reu. 1.7 6.16 Preseruatiues against despair Speciall differences between the despair of the Godly and the Wicked How wherein men take offence at the Word Vses Proofes of Reprobation Certaine obseruations for the quieting of our mindes in the doctrine of reprobation The specialties of Election Rom. 9. Vses Signes of Election Markes of such as truely suffer with Christ. Ioh. 15.18 19. Rules to liue so as becoms the assurance of Election Godly Christians come of the best kinred which appears by many reasons Godly men are Royall many waeies Differences between spirituall and earthly Kings Vses Mat. 11.12 Christians are holy many waies Speciall rules for the right ordering of vs in an holy conuersation Meanes for obtayning an holy conuersation Differences betweene the holines of conuersation in ciuill honest men and Gods elect Differences betweene the Hypocrite
induction of particulars in their seuerall ranks Which again should both serue to take down carelesnesse seeing neuer man could please GOD without faith and withall it should much perswade vs to get and preserue faith seeing wee haue such a cloud of witnesses and that euery godly man in euery Age of the world did prouide himself of faith whatsoeuer he wanted Fiftly obserue heer the nature of true faith To beleeue God in any thing hee saith will not saue vs if we beleeue not in Christ. The obiect of faith is Christ for though we beleeue other things yet either they are not things that directly concern saluation or else they are founded vpon Christ nor is it enough to beleeue Christ or to beleeue that he is sent of God but we must beleeue in him that is out of sound iudgement wee must with all our hearts imbrace the happy newes of saluation by Christ and relie vpon him and his merits onely for our owne particular saluation The very comparison heer imported shewes vs the nature of faith Christ is like the foundation of a house now to beleeue in Christ is to fasten our selues in our confidence vpon Christ as the stone lieth vpon the foundation To beleeue in Christ is to lie vpon Christ vnmoueably and not flee out of the Building And it is to be noted heer that the apostle addes these words in him to the Text in Esay of purpose to explain the Prophets meaning and to shew what kinde of beleeuing the Prophet intended Therfore it is apparant that Pagans cannot bee saued because they beleeue neither God nor Christ no Iewes and Turks because they beleeue God but not Christ nor the common Protestant because he onely saith he beleeueth but doth not beleeue indeed nor the Papist because hee beleeues not in Christ nor placeth his confidence in him alone but in his owne works or in Saints or Angels or in Popes pardons and indulgences Sixtly note heere the circumstance of time by which he describeth a true faith He doth not say He that shall beleeue or He that hath beleeued but He that doth beleeue which is to shew vs both what wee should doe with our faith and what in some measure is done by euery beleeuer for we should not beleeue at one time onely but at al times we should euery day liue by our faith Gal. 2.21 Christ liueth in vs by faith and so long as we goe about without faith we make Christ to be in vs as it were without life To spend one day without faith is to bury Christ as it were for so long Now the life of Christ must be considered of vs two waies namely as it is in it selfe and as it is in our sence For this latter it is true when we imploy not our faith we let Christ dye in vs in respect of sence But for the first way it is certaine a Christian doth alwaies beleeue after the life of faith is once conceiued in him There is no time in which it can be truly said Now he beleeueth not Therefore doth the Apostle heere say He that beleeueth It is true that in some particular points or promises a Christian may faile through vnbeliefe but not in the maine point or promise of saluation by Christ. It is true also that a Christian may oftentimes and vsually want the feeling of his faith and goe without the ioies of the Holy Ghost but yet he wanteth not faith yea a Christian may violently obiect against beleeuing and thinke hee hath not faith by the temptation of Sathan and the rebellion of that part of him that is vnregenerate and yet God can dispell al these cloudes and in the very dunghill of his vnbeleefe and sinfulnes can finde out his owne part of faith In plaine tearms there is no time after conuersion but if a Christian were throughly sifted and put to it he would be found resolued in that point to rest vpon the couenant of grace for all happines by Christ alone I say at all times in that part of him that is regenerate Christ can dye in no man and if faith could dye then should Christ also die in vs seeing he liueth in vs by faith A man may be without faith in the iudgement of the world in his owne iudgement but neuer is without faith in the iudgement of God A man may want this or that faith but not faith simply as that faith Luke 18. to rely vpon God without failing and to call vpon him with continuall perseuerance as resolued that God will helpe vs in that particular It is true If the Sonne of man come to search amongst men he shall scarcely finde that faith vpon earth but yet a true faith in the generall hee will finde in the breast of euery godly man and woman Peters faith did not faile when hee denyed his master For Chist had prayed that his faith should not faile and was heard in that he prayed Shall not be confounded The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus He that beleeueth shall not make haste it may be vnderstood either as a precept Let him not make hast or as a promise He shal not make haste Men make haste two waies either in their behauiour when they runne headlong vpon the duties they are to doe or when through impatience they will not tarrie Gods leasure for their helpe and deliuerance but fall to vse vnlawfull meanes and take that which comes next them without consideration of the lawfulnesse of it Now the beleeuer must auoide both these and God wil in some measure sanctifie and guide the beleeuer thereunto The Apostle Paul Rom. 9.33 10.11 And the Apostle Peter in this place following the Greeke translation read it He that beleeueth shall not be ashamed as in the Romans or confounded as heere They swarue not from the meaning of the Prophet For by this tearme is auouched That the Godly that beleeue shall neuer haue cause to repent themselues or to fly from God to vse ill meanes The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the beleeuer that he shall not be confounded To be confounded signifies sometimes to be reproached so Psal. 14.6 The wicked are said to confound the counsell of the godly that is they reproached it Sometimes it signifies to be daunted or dismayed Sometimes to bee disappointed or broken in their purposes as Esay 19.9 10. Sometimes to bee extremely shamed and so it is rendred Rom. 10.11 Sometimes to bee put to a Non plus as Acts. 9.22 Sometimes to be driuen into amazement or wonder Acts 2.6 Sometimes to bee brought into such a straite as one hath neither hope nor help 2. Cor. 4.8 9. Lastly it signifieth to perish vtterly or to bee vndon or damned for euer and so conâ—usion shall come to all that hate Sion or serue grauen Images It is true that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sence and signifies either the affection of wonder as before