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A03116 Mischeefes mysterie: or, Treasons master-peece, the Powder-plot Inuented by hellish malice, preuented by heauenly mercy: truely related. And from the Latine of the learned and reuerend Doctour Herring translated, and very much dilated. By Iohn Vicars.; Pietas pontificia. English Herring, Francis, d. 1628.; Vicars, John, 1579 or 80-1652. 1617 (1617) STC 13247; ESTC S104005 1,242,509 130

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onely cause of all the evills and miserie that can befall a man In them all it may bee said as the Church speaketh Lamentations 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne 2. Sinne is the onely thing that maketh all miserie to bee miserie indeed all crosses and afflictions so intolerable to us as they be Ieremy 8.14 The Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drinke because wee have sinned against the Lord. The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 15.5 6. Neither poverty nor sicknesse nor death it selfe could sting and paine us as they doe if our sinnes were pardoned 3. If all the crosses and miseries of the world should fall upon us the burden and bitternesse of them could not bee so intolerable unto us nor torment us so much as our sinne will doe when God shall charge it upon us O that will bite like a serpent saith Salomon who spake this from experience too Prov. 23.32 and sting like an adder A wounded spirit saith he Proverbs 18.14 who can beare 4. Lastly Sinne and nothing but sinne separateth betweene God and us Your iniquities saith the Prophet Esay 59.2 have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will not heare You see then how sound a ground of true comfort this is and how just cause every humbled soule hath to rejoyce in Christ in respect of this first benefit wee receive by him that through him our sinnes are pardoned that the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed us from all our sins As the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 1.7 And for the second of those benefits which every true beleever receiveth by Christ see also how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soule Esay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the true beelever my soule shall bee joyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation hee hath imputed and given unto mee the perfect holinesse and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine hee hath covered mee all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewells Great is the comfort that the soule of a Christian findeth in that inherent righteousnesse which God by his spirit hath wrought in him though it bee so poore and unperfect and maimed and slained as it is When he can find that he hath been able to pray or to confesse and mourne for his sinne or to do any other service to God with an honest and upright heart O what a comfort it is unto him And certainly if Christians did thinke well of this it would make them looke better to their hearts when they performe good duties and take heed of slubbering them over it would make them carefull to performe spirituall duties spiritually The people rejoyced saith the Holy Ghost 1 Chronicl 29.9 for that they had offered toward the building of Gods house willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. And our rejoycing is this saith the Apopostle 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And it is joy saith Salomon Proverb 21.15 unto the just man to doe judgement As if he had thus said He joyeth not so much in all the gaine that he getteth by his trading his buying and selling and dealings with men as he doth in this that his conscience beareth witnesse with him that he hath dealt justly with all men he hath gotten it justly whatsoever he hath But if this poore and imperfect righteousnesse that is in us will yeeld us such comfort how just cause of comfort and rejoycing hath every true believer in this that he hath another manner of righteousnesse than this is the perfect righteousnesse of Christ Iesus is his Iob saith of his inherent righteousnesse whereby hee had beene so rich in good workes so abundant in the workes of mercy to all that stood in need of him Iob 29.14 that he put on his righteousnesse and it cloathed him my judgement saith he this care I had to deale justly and uprightly with all men was as a robe and a diademe unto me And a goodly garment and robe doubtlesse that was As comely apparell is knowne to set forth much and adorne the person of a man O that men and women specially knew not this too well O that by their pride in this by their over-much care to adorne and decke their bodies this way they did not make both their bodies and soules loathsome unto God as comely apparell I say if it be used in sobriety and moderation doth much set forth and adorne the body in the eye of man so doe those graces of the Spirit that Iob speaketh of even our inherent righteousnesse much more beautifie and adorne us in the eye both of God and man Be ye cloathed with humility saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.5 to all Christians As if he had said That is a goodly garment a goodly robe for any Christian to weare And speaking of Christian women he saith 1 Pet. 3.3 4. their adorning should not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire no nor of cutting and shearing it would he have said if he had lived to see the fashions of these dayes nor in wearing of gold or jewels saith he nor in putting on of any apparell Why how then should a Christian woman dresse and decke her selfe will you say Surely with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit saith he which is in the sight of God of great price Grace is a goodly garment certainely But if this garment of inherent righteousnesse that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorne us so much if that be so much to be joyed in what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us wretched sinners in cloathing us with the robe of Christs righteousnesse In that he hath not onely taken from us our owne filthy garments as he did from Iehoshua Zachary 3.4 but cloathed us with change of raiment with a righteousnesse sufficient and more than sufficient to make us comely and beautifull in his eyes In graunting to us that wee should bee arrayed in that fine linnen cleane and white as wee heard the last day out of Revelation 19.8 This robe the Lord hath put upon thee beloved I speake to the poorest to the weakest of all Gods servants that heareth me this day this perfect righteousnesse of Christ is thine O that thou hadst eyes to see thy happinesse in this O that thou hadst an heart to be affected with it and rejoyce in it as thou oughtest to doe Great was the glory of man in his first creation and in that righteousnesse wherewith hee was cloathed
serve to be spoken of the first duty that is to be performed by us in this case The second thing we must doe is this when we have prayed long and have received no answer from God This must not discourage us nor cause us to give over praying but we must pray still for all that Continue in prayer saith the Apostle Col 4.2 Ephes. 6.18 Pray alwaies watching thereunto with all perseverance To this end our Saviour gave us the parable of the unrighteous judge and the widow to teach us that we ought to persevere in prayer and not waxe faint Luke 18.1 When the woman of Canaan had cryed unto Christ for mercy and he answered her not a word Mat. 15.23 that did not discourage her but she prayed and cryed still to him for all that Marke what effectuall motives the Scripture giveth us to perswade us unto this First it is a duty and service God requireth of us that in all our necessities and the necessities of our brethren we should seeke unto him nay there is no duty more often and more strictly pressed upon us in the Word then this 1 Thess. 5.17 Pray without ceasing Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made knowne unto God That which God commandeth we must do though we see no likelyhood that any good will come of it yea that is the best obedience of all others God commandeth Abraham to sacrifice his owne sonne and he obeyeth Gen. 22.3 and Mordec●i openly to deny to Haman the Kings favourite that honour that all other men did unto him and he obeyeth Est. 3.2.5 What good could either of them hope would come of this Surely none at all but the contrary yet in obedience unto God they both did that that was injoyned them It belongeth to us to pray to heare and give answer to our prayers that belongeth unto God we must do our part and duty and leave to the Lord that that belongeth to him We must in this case say as Ioab doth in another case 2 Sam. 10.12 Be of good courage and let us play the men and the Lord doe that which seemeth good unto him And certainely even this the doing of our duty in obedience unto God will yeeld us much comfort though we get no other good by our prayers So saith Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 that the testimony that his conscience gave him that he had done his duty was his rejoycing So that a Christian in this case hath just cause to say though I have long begged such a thing of God and have not obtained it yet I thanke God that in conscience of my duty and in obedience unto God I have prayed and can pray for it still Secondly we may be sure that though God do not grant us the things wee pray for yet he is well pleased with this that we do pray and persevere in prayer 1. He useth to take speciall notice of them that pray and of every prayer that his children make Acts 9.11 Arise Ananias and go to Saul for behold he prayeth 2. Yea he taketh great pleasure in them they are compared to sweet odours Rev. 5.8 and that sweet incense that was used in the Temple Psal. 141.2 To whom are they so sweet Who accounts so of them Surely not themselves but the Lord. 3. Yea he will doubtlesse at one time or other reward and that openly so as not themselves onely but others shall take notice of it every prayer that any faithfull soule poureth out unto him Mat. 6.6 Enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Thirdly Wee may bee sure that as the Lord doth heare and regard every prayer we doe make so he will certainely give us a gracious answer in due time 1. No tender mother is so wakefull and apt to heare her infant when it cryeth as the Lord is to heare his children whensoever they cry unto him Psal. 34.15 His eares are alwaies open to their cry and 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 2. And as he is apt to heare so is he to give answer and to grant the suits of his children Sometimes he hath done it so soone as ever they had done their prayer as Act 4.31 When they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all ●illed with the Holy Ghost Sometimes before they had done praying Dan. 9.20 ●1 While I was speaking and praying yea while I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel came c. Somtimes before they could speake a word when it was but in the purpose of their hearts to pray God hath prevented them and granted them that that he knew they would have begged of him Esa. 65.24 Before they call I will answer 3. Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to grant us whatsoever we aske that is good for us 2 Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Ps. 145.19 He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Esa. ●0 19 He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee 1 Iob. 5.14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us And if we know that he heare us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Vpon these promises we may safely build our assurance that in praying we shall not beate the aire and loose our labour an answer will come in due time Esa. 45.19 I said not to the seed of Iacob seeke ye me in vaine God would never by so many commandements have injoyned us this duty and by so many promises allured us to it if he had meant we should have lost our labour in it Fourthly and lastly it becomes us to wait the Lords leasure and wee shall loose nothing by doing so Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast saith the Prophet Esa. 28.16 He that beleeveth these promises you have heard of will be content to tarry the Lords leasure It becomes not us to appoi●t the Lord his time when he shall answer us nor the meanes how he shall helpe us Beggers must be no choosers It is noted for one of the chiefe sins of the Iewes that they limited the holy one of Israel Ps. 78 41. There are divers wa●es whereby men take upon them to limit the Lord and this is one Who will appoint me the time saith the Lord Ier. 49.19 It becomes us I say to wait and attend upon the Lord. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him saith David Ps 37.7 And Lam. 3.6 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. That speech of Iehoram 2 King
by his sin did to men even his owne subjects and servants though he were a King did ought to trouble him p. 217. Even the consideration of the evill consequents and punishments of sin should make us feare hate and mourne for sin p. 218. and the consideration of the hurt we have done to other by out sin specially by making our selves guilty of the bloud of their soules which is done three waies p. 219 Yet the consideration of the offence and dishonour done to God by it is the chiefe thing should make us hate and mourne for sin Ibid p. 220. Lect 44. For 1 Every sinne is a transgression of the law of God an offence against him p. 220. 2 By every sin we despise the Lord and do an injury and contempt unto him p. 221. 3 The Lord whom we do this offence unto 1 is present every where and privy to all our waies 2 Infinite in holinesse and hatred of sin p. 222. 3 Infinite in greatnesse and majesty p. 223. Lect. 45. 4 Infinite in goodnesse and bounty towards us This expressed six waies in the things that concerne this life p. 224 225. and three waies in the things which concerne our soules viz our redemption conversion perseverance p. 225 226. The sinning against so good a God should most trouble us p. 227. Lect. 46. No sinne is small or lightly to be accounted of as appeares 1 By the father that begets and engendreth it in us 2 By the punishment that the righteous God hath inflicted upon the least sin p. 228. 3 By the price whereby we were redeemed from the least sir. ● By the person whom by the least sin wee doe contempt unto p. 229. Yet are some far greater then others viz. as are most directly committed against God p. 230. 1 Sins of the highest degree against the first Table 2 Sins against knowledge p 231. 3 Sins of such as are of speciall note for profession p. 232. Sincerity of repentance to be judged by 1 our sorrow for and forsaking of sin chiefly for this cause because God is offended and dishonoured by it 2 When our sorrow for sin and forsaking of it groweth from faith Ibid. Lect. 47. Take heed of giving liberty to our selves to commit any sin or making light account of it when wee have committed it upon this conceit that it is but a small sin three Motives to this p. 233 234. Yet doth not this precisenesse make the yoake of Christ intollerable p. 235. None are to be blamed for being precise in small matters 1 Though there be a precisenesse in small matters that is to be blamed as a certaine signe of hypocrisie p. 236. 2 Yet all precisenesse even in small matters is not to be blamed Ibid. for 1 We may not commit the least sin for preventing the greatest danger 2 Nor for the preventing of a far greater sin 3 We may not dare to do ought that we see cause to doubt God hath forbidden p. 237. How to carry our selves towards them whom we thinke too precise in trifles Ibid. Lect 48. The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken How the Lord speaketh to his people and how he is justified therein p. 238. 1 We must undoubtedly beleeve and give credit to every thing God hath spoken p. 239. 2 We must also approve it as most just equall without all murmuring against it 3 We must receive take to heart and submit our selves to ●t p. 240. Because 1 of the authority of the Speaker 2 because all spoken for our good p. 241. Though it be not a signe of a faithlesse heart 1 Not to beleeve that which the best man teacheth till we have tryed it Ibid. 2 to make questions and moo●e doubts of something wee read and heare 3 to have sometime thoughts of infidelity and atheisme p. 242. yet it s a dangerous signe 1 not to bee able to beleeve the Word nor troubled with infidelity Ibid. 2 to gaine say and dispute against the Word 3 not to endure the word of reproofe p 243. 4 to take nothing to heart that they heare p. 244. Lect 49. Davids meaning in these words That thou mightest bee cleere when thou judgest p. 244. The humbled sinner will cleere in Lord from all aspersion of injustice or extreamity in any of his judgements inflicted on himselfe or others p 245. Foure degrees of this passive obedience 1. We may not in word or thought murmure against any of them p. 245. 2 We must give testimony to the righteousness of them 3 We must bee willing to beare them patiently p. 246 247. 4 Even in those wee can conceive no just cause or reason of p. 247. Reasons of this 1 respects the judge himselfe Ibid. 2 them that are judged and corrected by him p. 248. Lect. 50. We have all need to seeke the grace of patience for 1 Crosses daily to be looked for 2 we in this land have cause to looke for evill times 3 a very difficult thing to the flesh to beare crosses well p. 250. Notes of true patience 1 its a fruit effect of repentance and humiliation 2 and of faith 3 and of our obedience p. 251 4 It maketh us willing to beare that crosse whatsoever it be that God seeth sit to exercise us by 5 It maketh a man more desirous to profit by his affliction then to be rid of it 6 It maketh a man unwilling to ease himselfe of his crosse by unlawfull meanes 252. 7 It will moderate our passions and make us meeke spirited even towards men p. 253. Lect. 51. Motives unto patience 1 Every childe of God must looke for a●●liction even for much affliction no possibility of going to heaven but this way p. 253. 2 We can no way ease our selves by impatiency but make our crosse more grievous but the contrary by patience in three respects p. 254 255. 3 God hath a speciall hand in all our crosses this consideration hath great force to preserve from feare of troubles and to keepe us from fainting under them p. 256. For he doth afflict us alwaies in love as appeares in five points 1 He doth it not willingly but when need requires 2 The end he aimeth at is to doe us good yea some speciall good that could not otherwise be done p. 257. 3 He will recompense whatsoever loffe wee sustaine by it p. 258. 4 He moderates all our afflictions both for time and measure 5 He will bee with them in their affliction to strengthen and comfort them p. 259. Lect. 52. Meanes 1 Thinke often of the evill day and prepare for it p. 260. These thoughts would 1 keepe us from surfeting of our pleasures 2 restraine us from sin 3 make affliction lesse bitter to us when it shall come p. 261. A great mercy that God giveth us such warnings p. 262. 2 Weane thy heart before hand from the love of earthly things Ibid. 3 Acquaint thy selfe well before hand with the Word p. 263. 4
p. 448. 2 The taskes God sets his servants are not hard nor heavie 1 Indeed to wicked men they are not onely difficult but impossible Ibid. 2 To the godliest the commandements of God as the law enjoynes them are impossi●le 3 To yeeld Evangelicall obedience to the commandements of God is very difficult to the regenerate in respect of the remnants of naturall corruption in them p. 449. Yet is not the service of God so painefull as needs discourage us from it for 1 The Commandements are possible to the regenerate 2 yea to the weaker Christian they are easie as Christ enjoynes them 3 They are to them in respect of the inward man nothing grievous p. 450. This none can doubt of that considers the gracious disposition of the Lord and master we doe service to p. 551. This appeares in foure points 1 his aptnesse to passe by and winke at our offences and failings in his service Ibid. 2 his aptnesse to accept of that little we are able to do 3 when he enjoynes services of extraordinary difficulty hee gives extraordinary supply of strength and assistance p. 452. 4 The wages and reward he giveth Even in this life if we serve him we shall be sure 1 of his countenance and speciall favour 2 of protection and safety in times of greatest danger 3 of competency in outward things 4 when time of paiment commeth we shall be abundantly recompensed for all the paines wee have taken p. 4.53 The consideration of this wages and the hope of it should make us go through with our work cheerefully p. 454. Lect. 92. This doth greatly aggravate the sinne and damnation of wicked men that they have no grace nor are saved because they have no will nor desire to have grace and to bee saved p. 454. Wicked men are apt to impute all to Gods decree and will onely Ibid. But as the Lord is not the cause of any mans sinne but man himselfe so is not God the cause of any mans destruction but man himselfe p. 455. for 1 they will take no paines to obtaine grace and to escape damnation Ibid. 2 when they may have the meanes of grace and salvation without charge or paines they neglect them and account them a burden p. 456. 3 when God forceth good motions upon them they resist them 4 They doe in their hearts despise grace and salvation Ibid. Obj. This cannot be because 1 a man is dead in trespasses and who can blame a dead man for not desiring to live 2 the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly upon the will of God 3 God can if he will overcome this unwillingnes that is in man Answ. 1. God is not the cause why man is dead in sin but himselfe 2 God is not bound to restore him to life 3 He is not so dead but there 's enough left in him to make him inexcusable he may do more then he doth p. 457. for he may if he will 1 forbeare many sinnes that make him more uncapable of grace and will increase his damnation 2 do many good workes 3 frequent the meanes even the best meanes Ibid 4 So observe and take to heart the Word and judgements of God as to bring his heart thereby unto Legall repentance and humiliation p. 458. 5 Out of the sense of his owne wretchednesse not onely desire the prayers of others but himselfe also pray and cry to God for mercy p. 458. Obj. All this that the naturall man can do is nothing worth nor pleasing to God Answ. Yet 1 he is nearer to salvation that doth thus what lieth in him then any other naturall man is 2 though by doing all this he cannot deserve nor be assured God will give him grace yet may he hope herein to finde mercy because 1 God so infinite in goodnesse Ibid. 2 he seeketh to the vilest sinners 3 he hath shewed much respect even to these endeavours of sundry naturall men p. 459. 3 They that doe not thus what they are able are hereby 1 made more inexcusable 2 worse and worse and 3 shall receive greater damnation Ibid. Lect. 93. Gods Ministers are of all workes of their ministery most bound to comfort th' afflicted soules p 459. Obj. They apt to doubt they are hypocrites that they have not one of the signes of uprightnesse in them p. 460. Answ. 1. The having some dregs of hypocritic or other sins will not prove one an hypocrite or wicked man unlesse it reigne in him p. 461. 2 Hypocrisie nor any other sin doth reigne in him that discernes it and feeleth it to be a burden Ibid. 462. 3 He that cannot take comfort in any of the rest of the signes of an upright heart may in this if he finde that in his minde he consents to the Word and unfeignedly also desires to please God in all things and to doe his will Ibid. Because he that hath this hath all the rest p. 463. This confirmed by three forts of proofes Ibid. Foure signes of an heart that 's set to please God and truly desires grace p. 465. Lect. 94. Motives to perswade us to labour to be upright in heart Such God hath promised to be good unto p. 466. 1 in outward things viz. 1 in their habitations and dwellings 2 in their children 3 in al other good things 4 yea in times of common calamity p. 467. And in spirituall things also for such 1 shall never loose Gods favour and grace 2 shall have strength from God to endure any tryall p. 468. 3 Have a joyfull issue out of all their tentations and spirituall desertions p. 469. Meanes to purge us from hypocrisie and to get and preserve uprightnesse 1 The heart must be broken before ever it can be found 2 Get true faith in Christ 3 Take heed of living in knowne sin Ibid. 4 Thinke oft of this that Gods eye is upon thee 5 Complaine to God of the falsehood of thine heart and beg an upright heart of him p. 470. Lect. 95. What 's meant by knowing of wisdome in the hidden part p. 472. True and saving knowledge is the principall work of Gods grace in the conversion of man For 1 in every one whom he converts he worketh saving knowledge Ibid. 2 This the first worke of grace 3 The change and conversion of a sinner consists chiefly in this p. 473. Reason 1 Because it is the foundation and that gives stability and durablenesse to all other graces 2 It is the seed and beginning of all other graces p. 473 477. Lect. 96. We are bound to desire procure so farre as in us lyeth that all men may have the meanes of knowledge for we are bound to pitty the estate of all even the worst men that live and to desire their salvation and knowledge is the onely meanes to bring them to salvation p 477 478. A sound ministery the greatest outward fruit of Gods mercy to a people 478. The Gospell hath beene more fruitfull in good works then popery p.
observe well all Gods speciall favours and keepe a register of them and repeat them oft to our own soules See what helps Gods people have used this way p. 646. 4 The last and surest meanes of assurance is to renounce our selves and with an humbled soule to cast our selves upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and to looke for helpe and comfort that way onely p. 647. Proleps 1. He that can finde no goodnesse at all in himselfe may yet be able to do this nay none so fit to do it as he Ibid. Proleps 2. He that hath much doubting and infidelity in him may be able to do this p. 648. We wrong our selves much in trusting too much to that inherent grace we finde in our selves p. 649. Lect. 127. The use of comfort that the former Doctrine serveth unto though it may seeme in two respects unfit yet may not bee omitted p. 649 650. A man may be in the state of grace and have true faith though himselfe cannot perceive it yea though he seeme to himselfe to be utterly out of Gods favour p. 650 651. Hee that hath the least measure of true faith hath Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart by the Spirit of God though hee perceive it not p. 652. The nature and essence of true faith consisteth not in sensible assurance though that be a sweet fruit of it but in an obedientiall affiance in Christ p. 653. The humbled sinner when he findes least assurance and comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ Ibid. The weakest faith may receive helpe this way p. 654. If we finde our selves unable to beleeve and rest on Christ wee must cry to God to make us able Ibid. Even our broken and troubled prayers may much prevaile with God in this case Ibid. Lect. 128. All true beleevers are perfectly cleansed from all their sinnes and are as pure and white in Gods eyes as any snow page 655. The faithfull are cleansed from their sins two waies 1 in their justification by the bloud 2 in their Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ p. 656. These two goe alwaies together yet are there foure maine differences betweene them Ibid. c. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not perfectly cleansed yet in respect of our justification we are p. 658. The largenesse of the pardon that every true beleever hath received and how perfectly he is thereby discharged of all his sins appeares in five points p. 659. The reasons and grounds of it are three p. 660. Lect. 129. The controversie betweene us and the Papists touching justification not unfit to bee handled p. 662. They erre dangerously in denying that Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as for the eternall punishment due to our sins Ibid. as appeares by foure evident reasons p. 663. Though th' afflictions that men endure be in their owne nature punishments for sin yet are they not so unto all men for 1 God hath oft inflicted them upon many without all respect to their sin as the cause pag. 664. 2 Even when they are infflicted upon the faithfull for sin yet are they not properly punishments of their sins but chastisements onely p. 665. Though the faithfull upon their first beleeving have obtained a full pardon of all their si●s yet must they daily beg the remission of their sins for three reasons pag. 666 667. Lect. 130. Five things to bee granted touching inherent righteousnesse 1 God justifies none but he sanctifieth him also and maketh him holy inherently p. 667. 2 Yea he will make him perfectly holy by inherent holinesse but not during this life 3 This inherent holinesse is called in Scripture the righteousnesse of a man 4 It may be truly said a man is justified by this inherent righteousnesse 5 It may be said in some sense that a man is justified before God by it 668. Yet is not this the righteousnesse whereby a sinner can bee justified before Gods tribunall absolved from condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall p. 669. for then a man might be justified by the workes of the law which no man can be 1 No not by the workes of the morall Law Ibid. 2 No not by the workes done in the state of grace p. 670. Reason 1 because the inherent righteousnesse of the best is imperfect and defiled Ibid. No sinne is veniall and the holyest men have had greater sinnes then veniall p. 671. 2 Reason If a man could be justified by inherent righteousnesse he might have some cause and matter of boasting in himselfe 1b The workes that the regenerate do are their owne not meerely the workes of Christ and his grace p. 672. Sixe plaine proofes that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and by it onely p. 672 673. Reason for it 673. 1. Proleps It s no way unreasonble o● absurd that we should be justified by righteousnesse imputed 2. Proleps God justifies none who doe remaine impious 3. Proleps No injustice in God to account them perfectly righteous in whom yet there are many corruptions p. 674. Lect. 131. He that truly beleeveth he is justified by Christ must needs take comfort in the knowledge of Christ and rejoyce in him p. 675. There is comfort enough to bee found in Christ for the soule that is most afflicted p. 676. For 1 the knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of all our sinnes is a most just and sufficient ground of comfort for 1 Sin is the cause of all other evills that befall us 2 Sin is that that maketh all evill bitter and painefull to us 3 If all the evills and miseries that are in the world should befall us they could not be so intolerable to us nor torment us so much as one sinne will do when God chargeth it upon us 4 Sinne is th' onely thing that separateth betweene us and God p. 677. 2 The knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience and righteousnesse is imputed to us is a just and sufficient ground of true comfort Ibid. For 1 Even that inherent righteousnesse that God worketh in us by his Spirit is a just cause of comfort to us Ibid. 2 Adams righteousnesse wherewith God cloathed him in his creation was a robe that did greatly adorne him and was a great glory to him but the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed to every true beleever is much more glorious 1 his was uncertaine ours by Christ is made more sure 2 his was in his owne keeping so is not ours p. 679. 3 his was but the righteousnesse of a man ours is the righteousnesse of God p. 680. Applic. Every humbled sinner should count this his great sinne that he cannot rejoyce more in Christ and check himselfe for it 1 Proleps he may and ought to rejoyce notwithstanding the multitude and greatnes of his afflictions p. 680. 2 Proleps and notwithstanding the heinousnesse of his old sins and present corruptions which hee yeeldeth not unto p. 681. 3
remedy and preservative against this presumption besides that which you have heard in the reasons of the Doctrine of these foure things First besides thine owne daily experience how few there be that rise againe when they are fallen that truly repent though God use never so many and so mighty meanes to bring them to it David thou seest here that was a far stronger man then thou could not do it he that had mortified his corruption much more and had more grace then thou could not repent after he had sinned and wilt thou feed thy selfe with such vaine hopes Thus Nehemiah presseth the example of Solomons weaknesse Neh. 13.26 Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many nations was there no king like him who was beloved of his God and God made him king over all Israel neverthelesse even him did outlandish women cause to sin Secondly Repentance is the mighty worke of God alone whom thou by thy sin provokest yea a rare gift of his it is and therfore presume not but be afraid to sin Phil. 2.12 13. Worke out your own salvation with feare and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly the longer thou continuest in any sin the harder will thy heart be and the more unable wilt thou be to repent Ier. 13. ●3 They that are accustomed to do evill can as hardly be changed as the skin of a blacke-more or of a Leopard And the Apostle saith of them that were exercised in covetous practises they could not cease from sinne 2 Pet. 2.14 Fourthly the fouler the sinne is that thou committest and the more against the light of thy heart the harder will it be for thee to repent of it For smaller sinnes Davids heart was wont to smite him quickly ● Sam. 24.5 2 Sam. 24.10 But now he had fallen into these foule sins we see how senselesse and impenitent he grew So speaketh the Holy Ghost of whordome Pro. 2.19 None that goe unto her returne againe neither take they hold of the paths of life And of drunkennesse Pro. 23.35 They have beaten me and I felt it not when shall I awake I will seeke it againe The second use of the Doctrine is to teach us that seeing hardnesse of heart and impenitency doth usually follow the committing of sin specially presumptuous sins sins against knowledge even in Gods own children to esteeme this a judgement of God greatly to be feared and trembled at There be many men that have hearts like to Leviathan as the Lord speaketh Iob. 41.24 His heart is as firme as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the neither milstone That can commit grosse sins and live daily in them without all trouble of conscience feele no burden in them but esteeme them as light as a feather and can go away merrily with them And this they count their great happinesse that they are not like your professours alwaies troubled in their minds they thanke God they have quiet consciences Zach. 11.5 Their possessours slay them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich O the state of these men is fearefull I advise thee that fearest God to take heed of this judgement to tremble at it and strive against it And to move thee unto it consider First this is the chiefe judgement and marke of Gods wrath in this life of all other Pharaoh of whom the Lord saith Exod. 9.16 For this cause I have raised thee up to shew on thee my power As if he had said what I can do against mine enemy was thus plagued Exod 9.12 Better it were a great deale to bee delivered up to Satan then to a mans owne lust For of that judgement the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5 5. It serveth for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. But this judgement tends to the destruction of the soule in the day of the Lord Ioh. 12.40 Hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they might not be converted and he should heale them Secondly this is the only thing that will barre thee from Gods mercy and make thee uncapable of it Not so much the committing of any sins as this that thy heart is hardned in it and thou canst not repent This is that that treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 The foulest sin may be pardoned to him that can repent Matth. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost And why cannot that be pardoned Because it cannot be repented of Heb. 6.6 It is impossible to renew them againe unto repentance Thirdly it useth to end in greatest terrour The man that hath beene most secure and senslesse in sin useth in the end to be most overwhelmed with horrour Hardnesse of heart useth to end in desperation Think not thy heart shall be thus quiet alwaies Pro. 1.27 When your feare commeth as a desolation and destruction as a whirlewinde when distresse and anguish commeth upon you And who are they that are thus threatned verse 22. Ye scorners that delight in scorning Labour therefore for a soft and tender heart that can easily feele and be humbled for sin as with a more in thine eye The meanes to attaine to this and to deliver and preserve thy selfe from hardnesse of heart are these First take heed thou harden not thine owne heart against the Word and corrections of God Heb. 3.7 8. To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Say not nor resolve with thy selfe as those wretched Iewes did Ier. 44.16 17. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainely doe whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our owne mouth Say not in thine heart I can give them the hearing but let them say what they will I will be as I have beene O take heed the Lord take thee not at thy word as he did the Iewes Matth. 7.25 Why did God harden Pharaoh Exod. 9.12 Pharaoh had first hardned his owne heart Exod. 8.32 Secondly take heed of the least sins of the beginnings and occasions of sinne Labour to be in this respect as precise as Iob was who bound himselfe even from wanton lookes and thoughts Iob 31.1 And as David who was afraid not onely of every presumptuous sin but even of his most secret faults Psal. 19.12 13. Remember what our Saviour saith of him that gives liberty to himselfe in the least thing that he knoweth to be evill and holdeth it lawfull to do so Mat. 5.19 he shall be least in the kingdome of heaven And Luk. 16 10. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much It is in this case as it is with a breach in the sea banke Neither David nor
5. That these grievous plagues should be upon him not for a day or a weeke or a moneth or a yeare but all the dayes of his life The sword shall never depart from thine house Yet in this whole prayer of his ye shall not find one petition one word for the removall or putting by of these judgements all his suit is only for the pardon of his sin Why may you say might he not lawfully have prayed against these temporall judgements I answer yes verily he might For so did Abraham when God had threatned destruction to worse people then these yet he prayed against it Gen. 18.32 Yea so did David himselfe for the life of the child that was begotten in adultery 2. Sam. 12.16.22 And at another time Psal. 39.10 Remove thy stroke away from me for I am consumed by the blow of thine hand What then will you say made he no reckoning of these judgements in his wives and children so long as himselfe was spared I answer yes doubtlesse for he was as tender hearted and good natured a man as ever lived He loved his wives dearely as may appeare by the care he had to provide for them even after they had bin ravished 2. Sam. 10.3 He loved his children dearely as may appeare by the extreame passions he was in for the death of two of them though they had bin both of them extreamely lewd and unworthy of his love For Amnon first 2. Sam. 13.36 he wept very sore and then for Absalom 2. Sam. 18 33. He was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept and as he went thus he said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne If ye aske me yet further why then prayed he not against these judgements Had he not hope to have prevailed in such a suite Had God reveiled to him that his decree concerning these things was irrecoverable Had he sayd of them as Ezek. 14.18 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall neither deliver sons nor daughters I answer that I cannot say so neither For there is hope in Israel and among Gods people concerning this as Shechaniah speaketh Ezr. 10.2 Temporall judgements that have bin as peremptorily denounced as these were have yet by the repentance and prayers of the parties beene kept of as we see in the case of Hezechia Esa. 38.5 I have heard thy prayer behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares But why prayeth not he against these judgements will you say I answer Surely his sinnes now tooke up all his thoughts and affections he could now thinke of nothing else he counted these judgements nothing in comparison of his sins he thought himselfe a happy man if his sins might be pardoned though all these judgements did light upon his house And this is the first thing is to be observed in this suit But then observe secondly how earnest he is with God in begging this suit 1. He oft repeateth this suit and hath never done with it in these two verses thrice blot out my transgressions wash me from mine iniquitie clense me from my sin And then verse 7. againe Purge me with Hysope wash me and I shall be whiter then snow And againe ver 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities 2. It is not his whoredome and murder only that troubled him or that he desired pardon of that would not serve his turne Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings upon me and vers 9. Blot out all mine iniquities as if he should say Let not one spot of any of mine iniquities abide on me Now from these things thus observed 1. That he desireth not so much the removall of so heavy judgements as the pardon of his sins 2. That he maketh no suit for that but for this alone 3. That hee presseth God in this suit with such importunity and earnestnesse we have this Doctrine to learne That pardon of sinne is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgements that can befall us Observe the proofe of this doctrine in foure points all exemplified here in the person and practise of David a man after Gods owne heart First The man that truly knoweth what sinne is whose heart is rightly touched with the sense of it counteth his sin the greatest evill and misery that he can fall into it troubleth him more he is more afraid of it then of any other David now was in great perplexity and anguish of soule which he compareth to that anguish a body is in that hath all his bones broken verse 8. If Nathan should have come to him now and asked him why where is thy paine David Where art thou sicke What is it that troubleth thee so Is it the feare of that open shame I told thee God will bring upon thee in thy wives Is it the feare of the sword I told thee God would bring into thy house Is it any such matter His answer would have bin No no Nathan it is nothing but my sin that paineth and troubleth my soule those things trouble me nothing so much Nothing is so much to be feared nothing will so trouble and humble the heart as sin will doe when once God shall charge it upon a man it will bite like a Serpent and sting like an adder as Solomon speaketh Prov. 23.32 When the poore man that had an incurable palsie was brought to Christ the first word that Christ spake to him was this Mark● 2.5 Sonne thy sins be forgiven thee He saw that the poore mans sins troubled him much more then his palsie did All bodily diseases are but as flea-bitings in comparison of that anguish that sin will put the heart unto The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity saith Solomon Prov. 18.4 but a wounded spirit who can beare When the Angel telleth Ioseph that Christ should be called Iesus a Saviour a deliverer and Redeemer of his people he giveth this for the reason of that name Matth. 1.21 For he shall save his people From what not from poverty nor sicknesse nor shame nor persecution but from their sinnes Sin is the greatest misery and evill that a man can be saved or delivered from Secondly That man that truly knoweth what sin is accounteth the pardon of his sin to be sufficient ground and cause of comfort in any distresse David was now in great anguish of soule as I told you he stood in great need of inward comfort that was his earnest desire as you may see ver 8.12 Make me to heare joy and gladnesse restore to me the joy of thy salvation Which way sought he to come to comfort what made he the maine ground of all his comfort surely the pardon of his sin If once he might obtaine that he knew he should have comfort enough without
such as love their sins Psal. 11.5 The wicked and him that loveth violence doth his soule hate Of such as goe on in their sins Psal. 68.21 God will wound the head of his enemies Who are these He answereth in the next words which are an exegesis or interpretation of the former such as goe on in their trespasses To such doe all the curses of the law all those sentences of the holy Scripture that set forth the severity of God belong not to such as feele their sins to be a burden to them and desire to turne unto God 1. Tim. 1.9 10. Know this that the Law is made the curses of the Law are written and appointed for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and profane c. The second objection is this Though God be infinite in mercy and his common mercies be over all his workes yet his speciall mercy belongeth to none but to his elect and they are but a few Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen The greatest part of men are vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.22 predestinated and ordained unto damnation Iude 4. And I have so lived as I see cause to feare I am of that number at least I cannot be sure that I shall find mercy with God though I should turne unto him I answer That though 1. the Lord did indeed in his eternall counsell predestinate some unto life and some unto perdition 2. and that the number of the Elect bee small in comparison of the reprobate yet hath no poore sinner that desireth to turne to God any just cause given him to be discouraged from it by this Doctrine This I will prove to you by three reasons First Because no man ought no man can say and conclude that he is a reprobate because of the life he hath lead That he is in the way that leadeth unto destruction he may know but that he is one of those that God did in his eternall decree appoint unto destruction he cannot know 1. Because God hath not by his word or spirit reveiled this to any particular man that he is a reprobate excepting only him that hath sinned against the holy Ghost which sin thou art farre enough from that desirest to repent and to turne to God Concerning the election of particular men God hath indeed given testimony both by his word 1 Thess. 1.4 5. and by his spirit also Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God 1. Iohn 5.10 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe But Gods spirit never testified unto any man that he is a reprobate So that to every man that is so conceited we may say as Paul in another case doth Galat. 5.8 This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you It commeth not of God And as our Saviour saith Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then this commeth of the evill one Besides 2. God hath hertofore and may still call most wicked men at the very last houre of their lives and so declare them to be his elect who of all men in the world were most unlikely to be of his Elect as wee see in the example of the thiefe Luke 23.40 Secondly As no man can justly say he is a reprobate because God neither by his word nor spirit hath testified any such thing of him so such sinners as I now speake of have just cause to judge that they are not reprobates that God hath not appointed them to wrath but to obtaine salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes. 5.9 For those whom God hath made vessels of wrath are fitted unto destruction as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.22 They goe on still in the way that leadeth unto destruction and are hardened in their sins Though the greatest part of men shall not find mercy with God yet the cause of this is not in the Lord it is in themselves only because they seeke it not Hos. 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe God sheweth himselfe ready enough to receive even such unto mercy but they care not for it So speaketh Christ even of Ierusalem though she had killed and stoned his Prophets Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Henne gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not That sinner therefore that findeth God hath wrought in him a desire to get under Gods wings a desire to repent and to turne unto God is in the way that leadeth unto life God is preparing and fitting him for glory and therefore he hath just cause to judge that he is no reprobate but a vessell of mercy Rom. 9.23 Thirdly and lastly No man is to judge of his present or future estate nor of Gods purpose towards him by the secret will of God but by his reveiled will Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things that are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever We may not in this case pry curiously nor enquire into the secret counsell of God but reverently admire it and cry with the Apostle Rom 11.33 ô altitudo ô the depth Remember what befell the men of Bethshemesh 1. Sam. 6.19 God smote aboue fifty thousand of them for looking into the Arke of God Looke thou enquire thou into the reveiled will of God and there thou shalt find enough to encourage thee to turne unto him and to assure thee that thou needest not doubt to find mercy and grace with him if thou canst now seeke it First God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth not desire nor take pleasure in the destruction of any wicked man no not in his temporall destruction Hee gave the old World warning of the Floud an hundred and twenty yeares before it came that by their repentance they might have prevented it as you shall see by comparing 1 Peter 3.20 with Gene. 6.3 He gave Pharaoh and the Aegyptians warning of the plagues they enforced him to bring upon them that by their repentance they might prevent them And in giving them warning of the fiery haile he expressely saith he did it to that end that they might save their servants and their cattell from that destruction Exod. 9.19 Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field c. When his people had so deeply provoked him to bring them into miserable captivity and he had assured them by his Prophets that he would do it yet how oft was his heart turned within him and his repentings kindled together as the Prophet speaketh Hosea 11.8 How oft and how earnestly doth he warne them of it How many meanes doth hee use to perswade them that by their repentance they would prevent it See for proofe of this Ieremy 26.2 3. And 36.2 3 6 7. And if hee take no pleasure in the destruction
see in the same chapter Exod. 21.18.22 this is that that maketh all sin so hainous as it is and worthy of infinite eternall punishment because it is committed against and is a contempt done unto a person that is of infinite and eternall majesty That any of us poore mortall wretches wormes rather then men of whom the Prophet saith Ps. 39.5 Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity and who are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 40.17 should be so desperatly mad as to provoke despise this glorious God to make light account of any of his commandments in whose hand is our breath and all our wayes as Daniel telleth a great King Dan 5.23 whose glorious greatnes is such as the Angels cover their faces before him Esa. 6.2 In whose sight no creature can stand when he is angry Ps. 76.7 This this is that that doth greatly aggravate our sins Wo unto him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth saith the Lord. Esa. 45.9 Do we provoke the Lord unto wrath saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.22 are we stronger then he And yet thus have we done every one of us the consideration of this ought to lye heavy upon our hearts as it did upon Davids when he cryed against thee thee only have I sinned Lecture XLV On Psalme 51.4 Ianuary 9. 1626. FOlloweth now the fourth and last attribute of God that setteth forth the hainousnes of our sins and that is the infinite goodnes and bounty of the Lord. This the Lord expresseth dayly towards all his creatures and we can looke no way but we must needs behold evident proofes and demonstrations of it Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And the consideration even of this bounty of the Lord toward all his creatures though it did not extend it selfe towards us more particularly should much affect us So it did David Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes If wee know or heare of a man that is a good house-keeper a bountifull man ready to doe all men good we all esteeme highly of such a one and speake well of him and would be ready to doe him any kindnesse or service though we never drunke of his cup our selves nor received any benefit by him nay though we never saw his face so amiable a thing is this property of goodnes and bounty in our eyes wheresoever we behold it For a good man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 peradventure some would even dare to die But alas such is the vile corruption of our nature that the common mercies of the Lord whereby he doth expresse the goodnes and bountifulnes of his nature do little affect us Let therfore every one of us consider how he hath expressed his goodnes and bounty to our selves in particular And of this before I begin to set it before your eyes and put you in mind of it I may say with the Prophet Ps. 40.5 Many ô Lord my God are the wonderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speake of them they are moe then can be numbred Yet let us consider I pray you as we are able the marvellous goodnesse and bounty the Lord hath shewed towards every one of us in particular 1. In the things that concerne our bodies and this mortall life 2. In the things that concerne our soules and our everlasting happinesse For the first 1. It is the Lord from whom we have our life and being and without whom we could not consist one moment Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being In his hand is our breath and all our wayes Dan. 5.23 2. It is he alone that maintaineth us in this health strength and vigor of body and mind that we do enjoy in that soundnes of limbs and senses and keepeth us from those weaknesses and pains and diseases of body and from that impotency of mind that we see many others subject unto The Lord is the strength of my life saith David Psal. 27.1 Exo. 23.25 He shall blesse thy bread and thy water and I will take sicknes away from the midst of thee 3. It is he alone that while we see many others to beg their bread to feed upon scraps provideth so plentifully for us maketh us to be able to be helpfull unto others to entertaine at this time our friends neighbors maketh us able to make merry together and furnisheth our table with such variety plenty of all good things Thou preparest a table before me saith David Ps. 23.5 in the presence of mine enemies thou anointest my head with oyle my cup runneth over Act. 14.17 He left not himselfe without witnes in that he did good gave us raine and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food gladnes And it is our extreame blindnes and sottishnes if we ascribe this our plenty and prosperity unto any thing els but the Lords goodnes alone Hos. 2.8 She did not know that I gave her corne and wine and oile multiplied her silver and gold 4. Wheras we see and heare of many others that are undone some by fire and some by theeves and some by witchcraft how commeth it to passe that we and our children and our cattell goods are kept in such safety by day by night at home and abroad Surely the Lord hath made an hedge about us and about our houses and about all that we have as Satan confesseth of Iob 1.10 The Lord is thy keeper saith David Psal. 121.5 If he did not continually watch over us it could not bee with us as it is 5. Whereas wee have every one of us oft times beene in sundry great adversities and dangers aswell as other men what hath beene the cause that we have comen off so well when others by the very same diseases by the same afflictions have beene swallowed up and destroyed Surely this is to bee ascribed to the goodnesse and mercy of the Lord alone And wee have all cause to say with David Psal. 18.2 The Lord is my deliverer and verse 16. He sent from above he tooke me he drew me out of many waters And 68.20 Hee that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death 6. and lastly Whereas we must all looke for a change and expect trouble and affliction Iob 5.7 Man is borne unto trouble what refuge have any of us to flye unto in any distresse for helpe and comfort but to the Lord only Psal. 20.7 Some trust in charets and some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God And 62.8 Trust in him at all times yee people powre out your hearts before him God is a
See an example of this in Iob who when he had received those grievous losses in his goods and children and that in so strange a manner he was so far from repining that he bursteth forth into these words Iob 1.21 The Lord gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And marke what the holy Ghost saith of him for this verse 22. In all this Iob sinned not nor charged God foolishly As if he should say If he had not thus willingly accepted of Gods correction if he had not thus kissed the rod when his father did thus beat him he had sinned he had charged God foolishly See also an example of this in the Churches speech mentioned Mic. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And in that of Ezra who speaking of the extreame judgement of God upon his people in the Babylonish Captivitie saith Ezra 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve And Lamenta 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed utterly from being a people because his compassions faile not You see Gods people have discerned and taken notice of some mercy some mitigation of the rigor of justice some cause of thanksgiving and of admiring rather his indulgence towards them then of repining against him even in the most extreame afflictions that have befallen him And from hence it is that they have growne to that pitch of blessed resolution not onely to submit themselves and beare the crosse that presently lieth upon them how heavy soever it be but as David here limiteth not his speech to the judgment he had felt in the losse of his child nor to those that Nathan had told him should befall him but speaketh indifferently that thou mayest be cleare when thou judgest whensoever or howsoever thou shalt judge correct me So have Gods people that have bin soundly humbled professed a resolution to beare whatsoever God should further bee pleased to lay upon them whatsoever it should be So speak the people of God Iudg. 10.15 We have sinned do thou to us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee And Ely 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And David when he fled from his son Absalom when he was in extreame danger both to loose his kingdome and his life 2 Sam. 15.26 If the Lord shall thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good unto him As if he should say Though he cast me into hell I shall have no just cause to say he doth me any wrong Hitherto I have shewed you three degrees of that passive obedience that every one of us are bound to yeeld unto God in our afflictions And there is never a one of these but they are hard yea impossible for flesh and bloud to do till the mighty arme of God hath tamed our hearts and subdued and humbled them 〈◊〉 can never thus cleare the Lord when he judgeth us A hard thing it is to hold our peace when God correcteth us not to utter words of discontent impatiency specially not to fret and repine in our hearts against the Lord. A harder 〈…〉 acknowledge heartily and unfeinedly that God dealeth most justly with 〈◊〉 when he correcteth us But the hardest thing of all it is to submit our selves to Gods correcting and willingly to beare it to be perswaded that that we endure is nothing so much as we have deserved to admire his fatherly indulgence and love to us even when he correcteth us most sharply But the fourth and last degree of this obedience which I must now proceed unto is much more difficult for in all those judgments and corrections of God that befall our selves or others when the sins that deserved them are known and evident unto us it is no such hard matter to justifie and cleare the Lord in them But there be many judgements of God where no such cause can be knowne or discerned no not by the wisest men Thy judgements saith David Psal. 36.6 are a great deep ô Lord no man can dive to the ground bottome of them And Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Now this is the fourth degree of obedience required of us that we must not only cleare the Lord in those judgements that we can discerne the cause reason of but even in those that we can conceive no reason of we must resolve with David Ps. 119.137 Righteous art thou ô Lord and upright are thy judgements and 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Admiring with the holy Apostle and adoring that which we are not able to comprehend Rom. 11.33 O the depth both of the wisedome and knowledge of God Now for the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine they are principally two the one of them respecteth the judge himselfe and the other them that are judged by him For the first It is not possible that the Lord should do wrong to any of his creatures or that any thing he doth should be unjust Deut. 32.4 All his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquitie just and right is hee Doth God pervert judgement saith Bildad Iob. 8.3 or doth the almighty pervert Iustice As if hee should say that is impossible in the judgement of every mans conscience Shall not the judge of the whole world doe right saith Abraham Genes 18.25 This reason the Apostle giveth for this doctrine Rom. 3.5 6 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance God forbid saith he for then how shall God judge the world This was that that stopped Elyes mouth that he had nothing to say against that grievous judgement God threatned against him and his house 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good And why is it not possible the Lord should do wrong to any of his creatures 1. In regard of his Soveraignty and Supreame and undependant power he hath over all things that he hath made even as the potter hath over his clay This similitude the holy Ghost useth Rom. 9.20 21. Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell unto honour and another unto dishonour Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne saith the Lord of the vineyard Matth. 20.13 In respect of this Soveraignty and Supreame power of God Elihu saith Iob 33.13 that God giveth not account of any of his matters His manner is not neither is he bound to give men account of his decrees or of his judgements 2. In regard of his will it is not possible that hee should wrong any of his creatures for his will is the rule of all righteousnesse and every thing is therefore just right because his
onely evill continually When we have by faith and repentance mortified one sin and cleansed our selves of it another will rise out of the ashes of it this vile nature of ours will cast up some other mire and dirt some wretched motion or other to defile us withall 3. And what are the motions and lusts it will stirre up in us Surely there is no sin so foule and unnaturall but we shall find it will be ready to stirre up motions and incli●ations unto it even in the best of Gods children motions of atheisme and blasphemy motions of desparation and of every other foule sin Sin wrought in me saith the Apostle Rom. 7 ● all mann●r of concupiscence Thirdly It is an universall corruption and leprosie that goeth over the whole man the understanding and conscience and memory and will and affections all are corrupted by it It is a leaven that sowreth the whole lump as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.6 Fourthly and lastly We can never be rid of it while we live It dwelleth in us as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.17 It is an inmate that will never be gotten out till the house be pulled downe It is an hereditary disease as we have heard which no Physician can cure that that is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh Lecture LXI On Psalme 51.5 Iune 19. 1627. THe uses that this doctrine serveth unto are foure principally 1 To informe and settle our judgements 2 To humble and abate the pride of our hearts 3 To exhort us to seeke the cure of this dangerous leprosy 4 and lastly To breed thankfullnesse in our hearts towards God and admiration of his goodnes to such vile wretches as we are For the first This Doctrine serveth notably to confirme us against popery by discovering to us the grosse errour of the Papists in their doctrine of originall sin And yet would I according to my custome content my selfe to ground and confirme you in the truth and not trouble you with confuting their errours were it not for three reasons that move me to it 1. That by confirming you against the errour of the Papists in this point I shall also preserve you from the errour of the Semi-Pelagians who as in sundry other maine articles of our Christian religion so in this agree to well with the Papists 2. That the errour of the Papists in the Doctrine of originall sin is maintained by them as a prop and stay to many other of their damnable doctrines which doe depend upon this Take away their errour in the doctrine of originall sin and then their doctrines of 1 freewill of 2 preparatory works of 3 the regenerate mans ability to keepe the whole law of 4 justification by works of 5 merit cannot stand but must needs fall to the ground 3. Because I discerne strong inclinations in many now adayes to thinke better of Popery then they were wont to do And yet was popery never worse then it is now neither was there ever Church or nation that had more cause to detest it then our Church and nation hath neither had our Church and nation ever more cause to detest it then at this time Now for our entrance into this use of confutation two generall rules I will give you whereby you may try all doctrines in religion whether they bee of God or no. First That Doctrine and religion that ascribeth any thing to man in the matter of his salvation that giveth unto man any the least cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe that doth not give all the glory to God and ascribe the whole praise of mans salvation to the free grace of God alone that doctrine certainely is not of God For the maine drift of the holy Scripture is to abase and pull downe the pride of man to make him even to despaire of himselfe and to advance and set up the glory of Gods free grace 1 Cor. 1.29 That no fl●sh may rejoyce in his presence and verse 31. He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. And Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith Where we see the Doctrine of justification by works proved a false doctrine and the Doctrine of Iustification by faith onely proved a true Doctrine by this argument because the one leaveth unto man some matter of boasting the other doth not So Eph. 2.8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should rejoyce This note our Saviour giveth of a true teacher Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnes is in him The true teacher doth in his Doctrine and ministery ascribe all glory unto God And this note Paul giveth of the true Church and religion Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh And this is the first rule I said I would give you to try all doctrines and religions by The true religion giveth all glory to God and none at all to man The second rule is this That doctrine and religion that is most agreeable to naturall reason and groundeth it selfe upon it and not upon the holy Scripture onely that doctrine and religion certainely is not of God This rule we find given us Esa. 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there it no light in them And Iam. 3.15 This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly naturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divellish That wisdome that is naturall agreeable unto grounded upon naturall reason is not from above but it is earthly and divelish For naturall reason is blind as a beetle in these matters 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very same word that Iames useth receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Whereas on the other side the holy Scriptures are a perfect direction able as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3.15 to make a man wise unto salvation and a sure direction therefore can never deceive us Thy testimonies saith the Prophet Psal. 93.5 are very sure For they were all given by divine inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 It is Gods Word 2 Pet. 1.21 The prophesy of the Scripture came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake and wrote too as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So that he that contradicteth the Scripture in any point contradicteth God himselfe And therefore when the great Antichrist is discribed 2 Thess. 2.4 this is one chiefe note that is given us to know him by hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that opposeth himselfe unto
extraordinary constantly who yet cannot master nor subdue any one lust but if they did use them conscionably and in a spirituall manner certainely the strength of their corruptions would bee abated by them Walke in the spirit saith the Apostle Galat. 5 16. and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh If in this as well as in other parts of our conversation wee could walke in the spirit performe spirituall duties in a spirituall manner wee could not fulfill the lusts of our flesh as wee doe See the truth of this but in two exercises of religion not to trouble you with more that are in most dayly use with all Christians and that is the Word and Prayer First There is great force in reading of the Word and hearing of it to subdue and mortifie sin in us if it be used conscionably Now yee are cleane saith our Saviour to his Apostles Iohn 15.3 through the word which I have spoken unto you The conscionable hearing of the Word is able to cleanse the heart from the corruption that is in it It is therefore called Iames● 21 because as the sciense of a good fruit that is grafted into a crab-tree-stocke will change the nature of the juyce and sap of it so the Word is able to change our natures quite See two notable instances of the power the Word hath this way 1. In the young man in whom wee know all kinds of lusts are most strong and violent and yet of him David saith Psal. 119.9 that if he would but conscionably exercise himselfe in the Word if he would take heed to his way according the Word he might be able to cleanse his way to cleanse his heart even from those unruly lusts of his 2. In a King who of all men in the world is in most danger as of other sins so specially of this to have his heart lifted and puffed up with pride and contempt of them specially that are his owne subjects and yet of him the Lord saith that if he will but exercise himselfe conscionably in the reading of the Word hee shall obtaine power over this corruption For giving the reason why hee would have him every day to read some part of the Bible he saith thus Deut. 17.20 That his heart bee not lifted up above his brethren and that he turne not aside from the commandement to the right hand or to the left As if hee should say this will subdue both the pride of his heart and every other corruption that is in it And two reasons there are why it must needs be so First Because the Word is able to discover every corruption to us how closely soever it lurke in our hearts and the loathsomnesse and odiousnesse of it also by the law commeth the knowledge of sin saith the Apostle Rom. 3.20 It is a discerner and discoverer of the very thoughts and intents of the heart as he saith Heb. 3.12 Compared therfore to a glasse Iam. 1.23 and to the light that maketh all things manifest as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 5.13 Secondly Because there is also a divine spirit life and power in it to work upon the heart to conquer and kill sin in it The words that I speake unto you saith our Saviour Iohn 6.63 they are spirit and they are life I have hid thy word in my heart saith David Psal. 119.11 that I might not sin against thee How could that keepe him from sinning Surely when any lust began to rise in his heart when he was tempted to any sin if he could then but remember some sentence of Gods word that condemned that sin that would be of force to stay him from it That even as our blessed Saviour himselfe did overcome Satan with Scriptum est It is written Matth. 4.10 so may the members of Christ bee able to overcome Satan and their owne corruptions by calling to mind and meditating and applying to themselves that which is written in the Word against them So saith David Psal. 17.4 By the words of thy lips I have kept mee from the paths of the destroyer For it is the sword of the spirit as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 6.17 It is the weapon of our warfare mighty through God to cast downe our imaginations and every thing in us that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor 10.4 5. This Divine power that is in the Word to bridle and subdue their corruptions Gods people have alwayes felt and found by experience in themselves and doe all of them to this day and that is the cause why they doe take such paines for it and esteeme more of it as Iob speaketh Iob 23.12 then of their necessary food They that regard not the Word exercise not themselves in the reading and hearing of it or if they doe read and heare it yet have no care to hide it in their hearts and to use it as the sword of the spirit against their owne corruptions certainly such are farre from mortification any have no desire at all to mortifie and kill sin in themselves The other exercise of religion that hath such force to master and conquer our corruptions is prayer if it be used conscionably and spiritually This was the meanes that Paul used when hee was troubled with the thorne in his flesh and sought to be rid of it 2 Cor. 12.8 and by it he obtained though not a full deliverance from it yet strength sufficient to master it so as he was not overcome by it That which David saith of his worldly enemies Psal. 56.9 every Christian may say of these lusts that warre against his soule When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turne backe When we can pray we may be sure to become conquerours over any of our lusts By our faithfull prayer we may be able to deliver any brother from the bondage of any sin that he is fallen into if it be not the unpardonable sin For so saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.16 How much more may wee have confidence to obtaine by prayer deliverance from the dominion of any of our owne corruptions For of all suits we can make to God we have greatest assurance to speed in this when we pray for grace How much more saith our Saviour Lut 11.13 shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Certainely this is one chiefe cause why the most of us can no better prevaile against our corruptions because we doe not more heartily complaine unto God of them and pray against them And wee may say as the Church doth Esay 64.6 7. Our iniquities like a wind have taken us away they carry us headlong whether they please And the reason is given in the next words There is none that calleth upon thy name or that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee The fift meanes the spirit of God in the word hath
1.6 Secondly Every regenerate man is of himselfe exceeding prone thus to quench the spirit and to fall from grace and it is the wonderfull mercy and power of God onely that doth keepe us from falling quite away if hee should let goe his hand never so little we could be no more able to stand then the little infant which the nurse dadeth can doe if she let goe her hold she hath of it or then your staffe can doe when you take off your hand It is God alone that keepeth the feet of his Saints 1 Sam 2. ● And this is a just cause why wee should bee continually in feare of falling away Worke out your salvation saith the Apostle Philippians 2.12 13 with feare and trembling because it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly As God hath made an everlasting covenant with us that hee will never forsake us and that wee shall not depart from him Ieremy 32. so the meanes whereby he in his goodnesse doth preserve us from falling away from him is by working in us by his spirit this feare of falling away this care to persevere and hold out and grow in grace And so he expressely speaketh Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that he that findeth not in himselfe this feare of falling away this care to nourish grace in himselfe and to finish his course with joy hath just cause to judge that God never received him into this covenant of grace this everlasting covenant that you have heard of Fourthly and lastly Constancy in well-doing and an uniformity in a Christian course is an inseperable property of true grace It is nothing for any of you to be devout in your prayers and in hearing of the Word in the morning and in your buying and selling afterward to play the cut-throats and cheatours of your neighbours thus much an hypocrite can doe but this is that that may give thee comfort when thou keepest thy heart in the feare of the Lord all the day long as Solomon speaketh Pro. 23.17 When thou canst say with Paul Acts 24.10 Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men too It is a small signe of grace for any of you to have some fits of remorse for sinne and of good motions and desires when you have beene dangerously sick or the morning before you received the Communion Pharaoh and Saul had such fits and good moods But this is that that will give you comfort when you find your selves constant in the hatred of sin and in performing good duties Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies to offend God saith Solomon Pro. 28.14 And Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keepe judgement and doe righteousnesse at all times When we can say with David Psal. 119.117 I will have respect to thy statutes continually Lecture LXXXVIII On Psalme 51.6 April 29. 1628. THe fourth and last property of true obedience of true righteousnesse and goodnesse which will give us a comfortable assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts is the manner how it is performed with what affection we doe it what ends we aime at in it He that would approve the uprightnesse of his heart by the unblameablenesse and godlinesse of his life must not content himselfe with this that he escheweth evill and doth good he abstaineth from all knowne sinnes that God hath forbidden and performeth all good duties that God hath commanded him to doe unlesse he be carefull also to doe this in that manner as God requireth This I will 1 confirme unto you and then 2 I will give you some directions how to performe good duties in a good and right manner And for the first We shall find that the Lord in requiring obedience of us standeth not so much upon this that we doe good duties as that we doe them in the right manner It shall be our righteousnesse saith Moses Deut. 6.25 if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us As if he had said Say we should doe all he hath commanded us yet if wee doe it not as hee hath commanded us it is no righteousnesse in Gods account You shall see this also confirmed more particularly by instancing in duties of all sorts 1 In those that are to bee performed to men 2 In those that are done directly and immediatly unto God No good thing we doe is of any account with God unlesse it be done in a good manner In the duty of servants toward their masters this is the chiefe thing God requireth he standeth not so much upon what they doe as how and in what manner they doe it that is to say with feare and trembling as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.5 6. in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart So in other duties of governement and care of others duties the Apostle standeth upon this principally Rom. 12.8 he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerefullnesse So though it were an excellent worke of mercy of bounty and kindnesse that Gajus shewed to the godly of whom the Apostle saith Rom. 16.23 that he was not his host onely but the host of the whole Church Yet the thing that graced this excellent good worke of his so much in the sight of God was this that he did it in so good a manner and with so good an heart Beloved saith the Apostle to him 3 Iohn 5. thou dost faithfully whatsoever thou dost both to the brethren and to strangers See this also confirmed in the duties of Gods owne worship which are greater then the other Even in them also the manner of doing them is all in all 1. For prayer if a man pray never so constantly it is to no purpose unlesse he pray in the right manner Iames. 4.3 Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse 2. Neither will the receiving of the Sacraments do us any good unlesse we receive them in that manner as we ought to doe The Apostle speaking of the hypocrites that perished in the wildernesse saith of them 1 Cor. 10. 4. They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate that wee doe in the Lords Supper and did drinke the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them God was not well pleased 3. Of hearing the Word ye know what our Saviour saith Luke 8.18 Take heed how you heare not onely that you heare and what you heare but even how and in what manner you heare also 4 Lastly T●e preaching of the Word though it be the greatest worke of all other in respect whereof the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto
be said which the Prophet speaketh of Israel Hos. 10.1 Israel is as an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himselfe As if hee had said In all good things he doth as he doth them out of selfe-love so he seeketh himselfe onely in them The meanest worke we doe in our calling if we doe it to the Lord and serve him in it will yeeld us assured comfort and reward also the best Sermon we can preach or heare if we do it not to the Lord but to our selves will yeeld us no comfort or reward from God Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour Mat. 6.2 they have their reward And so much for the first property that is required to the right manner of performing of all good duties they must be done to the right end In the other two I will be very briefe The second property required to the right manner of performing good duties is this they must be performed not with the outward man onely but with the heart See this 1 in the generall and 2 in some particular and speciall duties No obedience or service pleaseth God unlesse it be done feelingly and with the affection of the heart That is the thing God calleth for principally My sonne give me thy heart saith he Pro. 2● 26 Ferv●nt in spirit serving the Lord saith the Apostle Rom. 12.11 As if he had said No service pleaseth God unlesse it be done with fervencie of spirit This was the thing that God so much commendeth in the obedience of Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 that his heart was lift up in the waies of the Lord. As though he should say Hee stirred up himselfe to walke in Gods waies with zeale and affection This also the Lord praiseth Hezekiah for 2 Chron. 31 21. In every worke that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandements to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered See this also in sundry speciall parts of our obedience and service unto God First No mans preaching pleaseth God unlesse hee preach with affection and zeale I serve God saith Paul Rom. 1.9 with my spirit in the Gospell of his sonne Secondly No mans hearing pleaseth God or will doe him any good unlesse he heare with affection If God open not your hearts as he did Lydias Act. 16.14 and make you able to heare with affection though you had as good preachers as Paul was your hearing would be to no purpose Thirdly No mans praying pleaseth God or will doe himselfe any good though his words be never so many or so good unlesse he pray with his heart with feeling and affection of heart The effectuall ●ervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much saith the Apostle Iames 5.16 As if he should have said The most righteous mans prayer that is will not be effectuall nor availe much with God unlesse it be fervent Fourthly Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God unlesse it be done with affection and feeling Our singing saith the Apostle Eph. 5.19 must be a making of melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if he had said The Lord regardeth no melody but that Fiftly The duties we performe to men in our callings please not God unlesse we doe them with affection of heart Whatsoever ye doe saith the Apostle to the servant Col 3.23 doe it heartily as to the Lord. As if hee had said Els you serve not God in any thing you do nor must looke for any acceptance or reward from him Sixtly and lastly The workes of mercy that wee doe though wee should give all wee have to the poore please not God unlesse they be done with affection and with a compassionat heart Whosoever hath ability and seeth his brother hath need saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.17 and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him though he open his purse and give him never so much how dwelleth the love of God in him Let every one of us apply this to our selves for the time will not permit me to doe it The third and last property required in the manner of that obedience and service wee doe to God is this if we desire to doe it in the right manner we must doe it in humility In the best duties wee doe wee must find cause of humbling in our selves because wee have done them so poorely and so corruptly When yee have done all those things that are commanded you saith our Saviour Luke 17.10 say wee are unprofitable servants As if hee had said Say this is nothing to that that I should have done Whatsoever ye doe in word or deed saith the Apostle Col 3 17. doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus As though he should say Acknowledge and feele the need you have of Christ to make the best things that you doe acceptable unto God Thus did Nehemiah when he had done a better worke and service to God then any of us are ever like to doe while we live yet see how he was humbled in himselfe Neh. 13.22 Remember me ô my God concerning this also and spare me pardon me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Without this there can be no uprightnesse of heart in us how good duties soever we performe Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is listed up is not upright in him Lecture LXXXIX On Psalme 51.6 May 13. 1628. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last signe and note whereby uprightnesse of heart and truth of saving grace may bee discerned and judged of namely The bent of a mans mind and will the purpose and desire of his heart towards God We must therefore know that one of the surest notes of uprightnesse of heart and truth of grace is this when howsoever wee faile in our practise and obedience yet God hath our heart Yea that is such a signe as a poore Christian may find comfort in when he cannot in the most of them that you heard of before In the handling of this signe I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory observe this order 1. I will shew you what I meane by it 2. I will confirme it unto you 3. I will answer that which may bee objected against it 4. I will make some application of it First therefore the Lord is then said to have our heart when the two principall faculties of our soule that is to say our mind and our will are for God 1. When in our mind we allow and consent to the will of God in all things and can say as David doth Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right And even in those things wherein through our corruption and weaknesse we do offend against the law yet we can say of the law with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just good 2. When our will is to please God in all things we desire nothing
every mans conscience and men shall bee judged according to the things that are written in those bookes according to their workes Every mans owne booke his owne conscience will plead for God against himselfe at that day At that day it will appeare that not the Lord but every wicked man himselfe is the onely cause of his owne destruction that he is not saved because he had no desire nor will to bee saved hee did not his endeavour nor what lay in him to come to grace and salvation that the Lord was not wanting to him this way but he was wanting to himselfe In that day the Lord will say to every wicked man as hee saith to Ierusalem Matth. 22.37 O wretched man and woman how oft would I have gathered thee but thou wouldst not How oft would I have converted thee what meanes of grace did I give unto thee how often have I shewed my selfe willing by such and such a Sermon by such and such an affliction to have changed thy heart but thou wouldst not Certainely all wicked men perish wilfully they perish because they will perish they have no desire to be saved Why will ye die O house of Israel saith the Lord Ezek. 33.11 As if he had said Ye die because ye will die Now that men do perish thus wilfully that they have no true desire nor will to be saved appeareth evidently by these foure things that may be observed in them First They will use no meanes nor take any paines to escape damnation to obtaine grace and to get to heaven as they would doe to escape any great danger they desire to avoid or to obtaine any good thing they desire to have Salvation is farre from the wicked saith David Psal. 119.155 how should they come by it for they kept not thy statutes As if he had said They will not use the meanes nor labour to get it Secondly When they may have the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation without any labour or charge to them they fl●ight and neglect them they account them rather a burden and trouble then any benefit or blessing unto them they shew no desire to them but say in their hearts to God as those wretches did of whom we reade Iob 21.24 Depart from me for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Thirdly When the Lord doth sometimes by his Word sometimes by his judgements force them to have some thoughts of heaven some good motions and desires they resist the spirit of God therein as Stephen saith the Iewes did Acts 7.51 They hold the truth in unrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1.18 They violently withstand and oppose these good motions and will not yeeld to them Fourthly and lastly which is the root of all the rest They doe in their hearts basely esteeme of and despise grace and salvation and the meanes thereof and preferre any trifle before them And as it is said of Gallio the profane deputy Act. 8.17 he cared for none of those things so may it be said of them the matter of religion and of their salvation is the least of their care when they have nothing els to doe or thinke of then they will thinke of heaven So that as it is said of Esau that he despised his birth-right Gen 25.34 because he sold it for one morsell of meat for one meales meat as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.16 so may it be truly said of all wicked that they despise grace and salvation because there be so many trifles that they preferre before it And so the Holy Ghost expressely speaketh Pro. 11.33 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule So that it is evident you see that every wicked man is utterly inexcusable he perisheth justly because he perisheth wilfully he hath no desire at all no will to be saved but an utter aversnesse and unwillingnesse to go to heaven or to walke in the way that leadeth thither Now if any man shall object against this and say How can this be seeing the spirit speaketh expressely in the holy Scriptures 1. That man hath by nature no freedome of will to any thing that is good but is dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.1 He cannot desire to have grace or to be saved no more then a dead man can desire to live nay he cannot accept of Gods grace when it is offered 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him he cannot choose but be unwilling and averse from good things 2. That the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly not upon the will of man but upon the will and free grace of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth this matter dependeth neither upon the desire of man nor upon any endeavour neither that he can use but of God that sheweth mercy And verse 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth And he worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.11 3. Gods grace is irresistible and able to overcome and subdue this unwillingnesse and aversenesse that is in our nature God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham as Iohn Baptist speaketh Matth. 3.9 And that in these three respects it should seeme that the wicked man is not the cause of his own destruction but the Lord rather To this I answer First That the Lord is not the cause why man is by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes but himselfe onely he killed himselfe and deprived himselfe of this spirituall life the Lord did it not God requireth nothing of man for not doing whereof the condemneth him but he made him well able to doe it God made man upright saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.29 not the first man but man indefinitely mankind God made man upright And as in Adam all men were made upright so in Adam all men voluntarily and unconstrainedly sinned as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.12 killed themselves lost this spirituall life So that even in this respect that standeth good which you heard out of Hos. 13.9 O man thou hast destroyed thy selfe Secondly Though God be able to restore to every wicked man this spirituall life againe and to quicken him by his grace yet is he not bound to do it he doth no man wrong if he doe it not Is it not lawfull for me saith the Lord Mat. 20.15 to doe what I will with mine owne Who hath first given to him saith the Apostle Rom. 11.35 who hath made God a debter to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Thirdly Though every naturall man be dead in trespasses and sinnes so as he can doe nothing that is spiritually good and pleasing unto God nothing that hee can save himselfe by Yet may every naturall man doe much more then he doth to further
in Christ Iesus That hee telleth us in the next words verse 22. that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse As though he had said Every one that hath learned Christ aright and is taught of God hath true and sanctified knowledge in him cannot but forsake his old sins and become a new man It is such a knowledge of God as whereby wee are changed into the same image as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. See this briefly confirmed in both the parts of true godlinesse that is to say both in eschewing of evill and in doing of good For the first Heare what the Lord saith Iob 28.28 To depart from evill is understanding As if he had said This is the onely right knowledge sanctified and saving understanding that hath power in it to kill sin in a man to make him forsake all knowne sins Yea the knowledge of Gods Word if it be a Gods teaching will make a man not onely to eschew evill but to doe it out of a zealous hatred of sin Through thy precepts I get understanding saith David Psal. 119.104 therefore I hate every false way As if he should say The more my knowledge in thy Word increaseth to more my hatred to every sinne increaseth likewise See this also in the other part of godlinesse In doing of good A man of understanding walketh uprightly saith Solomon Pro. 15.21 If wee know any duty God requireth of us with a sanctified knowledge we cannot but make conscience of the practise of it yea practise it with uprightnesse and sincerity of heart A good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 have all they that doe his commandements As if hee had said That and that onely is good understanding sanctified and saving knowledge that draweth a man to obedience to the practise of that he doth know So the Lord speaketh of the knowledge that was in good Iosiah Ier. 22.16 He judged the cause of the poore and needy was not this to know me saith the Lord As if he should have said This was sound and sanctified knowledge indeed that made him conscionable in the duties of his particular calling This wisedome that commeth from above as the Apostle speaketh Iames 3.17 this knowledge that is of Gods teaching is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Let me now make some application of this in two points First To stop the mouthes of Papists and others that object our religion cannot be the truth because it bringeth forth no better fruits it reformeth not the lives of them that professe it most and have most knowledge in it that cry out against all profession and following after the meanes of knowledge because many that know most are worse men then any other To these men I have three things to answer First That our religion may be the true and holy religion of God though they that professe it bee most lewd and wicked men For so was the religion that Christ and his Apostles taught though Iudas who was both a professour and a preacher of it were so lewd a man Secondly That our religion and every principle and doctrine in it even those that are most slandered to tend unto licentiousnesse the doctrine of predestination of conversion by grace onely of justification by faith alone of certainty of salvation of finall perseverance is so holy such an enemie to all sin so effectuall to reforme the heart and life of a man as it is not possible for him that truly understandeth and beleeveth it but his heart and life must needs bee reformed by it Even such a religion as the Apostle describeth and calleth 1 Tim. 6 3. A doctrine which is according to Godlinesse Thirdly That such professours of it at whose lives they stumble so what shew so ever they make of knowledge in it though they professe it yet they doe not indeed understand and beleeve it they have no true and sound knowledge in it for they are sensuall and not having the spirit Iude 19. And it is not flesh and bloud that can reveile these things unto a man as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 16.17 But there is a spirit in man saith Elihu Io● 32.8 and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding He that liveth in any knowne sinne understandeth nothing aright in our religion Of every such a one be he never so learned that may be said which the Holy Ghost speaketh of the harlot Pro. 9.13 He is simple and knoweth nothing He that maketh not conscience of every commandement and duty that God hath enjoyned him in his generall or particular calling hath no sound and true knowledge of God or of religion in him He that saith I know him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.4 and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Secondly Let me apply this by way of exhortation unto every one of you Labour to feele the knowledge thou hast gotten out of Gods Word to bee a powerfull and effectuall knowledge in thee that it ruleth and mastereth thee so as thou darest not goe against it darest not but obey it Not onely in grosse and great sins but even in smallest even to the reforming of thy choller and moderating of thy passions He that hath knowledge spareth his words saith Solomon Pro. 17.27 and a man of understanding is of a coole spirit Els 1 thou canst have no comfort in all thy knowledge if it be not powerfull to restraine thee to reforme thee Iohn 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them As if he had said not els It is no happinesse to have knowledge carnall knowledge naturall knowledge that is not sanctified not effectual 2. The more thou hast of it the more it will increase thy sinne Iames 4.17 He that knoweth to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne And consequently the more thou hast of it the more extreame shall thy condemnation and torment be You know the saying of our Saviour Luke 12.47 The servant that knoweth his ma●sters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And so it is with Sa●an who as he knoweth more in religion then any man and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall his torments be greater then any mans both in the life to come Matth. 25.41 those unspeakable torments are prepared chiefly for him and his angels and even in this life also his knowledge increaseth his torments The divels beleeve and tremble saith the Apostle Iames 2.19 The certaine knowledge he hath of things revealed in the Word worketh unspeakable hor●ours in him O glory not in that knowledge that hath no power in it to reforme thee but tremble to thinke how this
telleth us Zach. 4.7 that when the temple which was a type of the spirituall house and Church of God should be built by Zerubbabel this should be the generall acclamation of al Gods people they should shout and cry grace grace unto it As though he had said They should praise God and ascribe the beginning the proceeding and the perfecting of Gods house this whole spirituall building to the grace of God alone and to nothing els By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.5 and not contenting himselfe to have said so once hee saith it againe and saith it most emphatically verse 8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the g●●t of God not of workes lest any man should boast Marke three points in this Doctrine which the Apostle doth thus earnestly presse upon Gods people 1. Hee contenteth not himselfe to say Wee are saved by grace but he addeth not by workes What needed this superfluity of speech may some say O he knew there were then and ever would bee in the Church erroneous spirits that would seeme to ascribe much to grace in this worke of mans salvation and yet they wou●d give somewhat also unto workes somewhat unto that man himselfe being helped a little by Gods grace is able to do Now therefore he opposeth the one to the other the one quite excludeth the other If by grace then not by workes saith he Rom. 11.6 otherwise grace is no grace As if he had said ascribe never so little to workes to that that a man himselfe is able to doe as any cause of his salvation and ye renounce Gods grace utterly Whatsoever glorious words you give of Gods grace you doe indeed and effect denie you are saved by grace 2. Observe that he addeth Not of our selves Our selves have no hand at all in this worke as of our selves all is to be ascribed unto Gods grace 3. He giveth this for the reason why God would not have us to be saved by our workes but by faith onely why he so ordained that we our selves should have no hand at all in this worke but all should be of grace lest any man should boast The same reason he giveth of that marvellous liberty God is pleased to use in the calling and conversion of men in giving the meanes of conversion and grace to profit by them to such as are most unworthy and unlikely and denying it to others that are more worthy more likely men 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence And verse 31. this is given for the reason why Christ is made unto us of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption all in all that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. God cannot abide that any flesh should glory in his presence that any matter of boasting or glorying should bee given unto man His maine drift in his Word and workes is to abase man to pull downe his pride to make him even to despaire in himselfe and on the other side to advance and magnifie the glory of his owne free grace Hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord saith he and in him alone Wee are the circumcision saith the Apostle Phil. 3.3 that rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh They onely are the true Israel of God that make Christ the onely ground and matter of their joy and comfort and renounce all confidence all ground of hope and comfort in themselves or in any thing they are able to doe Thirdly and lastly This is the best rule and note to try all doctrines and religions by This is given by our blessed Saviour as a sure note and rule to try all teachers and doctrines by Iohn 7.18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man to the advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him is true and there is no unrighteousnesse in him As if hee should say That teacher that in his Doctrine giveth no glory to man at all but all unto God alone hee is the onely true teacher that is the onely true Doctrine and religion of God So the Apostle proveth the Doctrine of justification by works to be a false Doctrine and that of justification by faith onely to be a true doctrine by this argument Rom. ● 27 Where is boasting then It is excluded saith he By what law or Doctrine By workes No but by the law or Doctrine of faith As if he should have said That doctrine that doth exclu●e and shut out all matter of boasting of rejoycing or comfort in himselfe but onely in the Lord that must needs bee the true doctrine of God that that leaveth unto man any matter of boasting at all that must needs bee an earthly and false Doctrine Let us now make some application of these three points 1. Vnto such erroneous and false teachers as trouble and oppose this doctrine 2. Vnto our selves For the first There are two sorts of false teachers that doe most oppose this doctrine the Papist I meane and the Pelagian Both these doe in their Doctrine derogate from the grace of God they give unto man some part of the glory of his own salvation they leave unto man some matter of boasting and glorying before God and therefore their Doctrine must needs be a false and damnable doctrine Of the Papist this will easily be beleeved their doctrine of justification by workes of merit of satisfaction to be made by our selves unto God for our sins either in this life or in purgatory their doctrine of works of supererogation proveth them so palpably to be adversaries of the grace of God tha● I shall not need to spend any more time in confuting of them But Pelagius and his followers of old do in words some times seeme to ascribe much to Gods grace in the work of mans conversion but it hath beene the ancient practise of most dangerous seducers as the Apostle teacheth us Rom 16.18 by good words and faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple If they that hold damnable opinions should not make some shew of truth and piety few would be deceived by them They shall speake lies in hypocrisie saith he 1 Tim. 4.2 But marke how they expresse themselves and you shall find that for all their good words and faire speeches they are indeed adversaries of the grace of God and hold and teach that that doth greatly derogate from the glory of Gods grace and doth give much matter of boasting and glorying unto man himselfe I will not stand to prove this from their other Doctrines touching our election our redemption our justification and perseverance to the end the maine grounds on which the hope of our salvation and comfort is built all which they have corrupted and poisoned and in all which they derogate from the glory of Gods grace and give too
of the most important passages of the story are And why hath the Lord done this Surely because he saw it was necessary for poore humbled sinners that it should be so surely because he saw how apt his poore children would be partly through the corruption of their owne heart and partly through the subtilty of Satan when they had fallen into grosse sinnes to despaire of mercy to thinke their sinne is greater then can be pardoned that there is no hope of finding mercy with God if they should turne unto him and repent that there was never child of God that sinned as they have done For their sakes it is to keepe them from despaire to encourage them to rise out of their sinnes and to turne to God by repentance the Lord would needs have these foule sinnes of his dearest servants recorded who though they sinned as grossely as any humbled sinner can possibly now doe yet upon their rising againe by repentance and turning unto God did find mercy with him And that this was a maine end God respected in this the Apostle plainely telleth us 1 Tim. 1.16 He fell so grievously and yet obtained mercy that God might make him a patterne to all his poore servants that should come after him of his readinesse to receive the foulest sinners unto mercy upon their unfeigned repentance This then is a second end God had in permitting his servants to fall and in letting thee to know of their falls that thou when thou art fallen and humbled for thy fall mightest be encouraged to rise againe and dost thou pervert it to a quite contrary end even to embolden and incourage thy selfe to fall These examples which the Lord intended onely for the helpe of the humbled sinner as a cord to pul● him out of the water thou that art a presumptuous sinner and hast therefore nothing to doe with them dost let Satan use them as a cord to pull thee into the water and to keepe thee there to thine owne perdition And this is the first thing I have to say unto these men Secondly Thou hast no cause at all to comfort thy selfe in thy sins by the falls of any of Gods people thou readest of in the Scripture or observest in thine own experience For none of all their sinnes are like unto thine If thou wert such a sinner as they were thou wert an happy man They committed more h●inous sinnes then ever thou didst it may be yet were they not so heinous sinners in Gods sight as thou art Thou canst not find in all the Scriptures an example of any one child of God that sinned as thou dost Three maine differences are to be observed betweene them and thee First Thou readest of no child of God that sinned but thou readest also that he repented and was humbled for his sinne yea that the measure of his humiliation was proportionable to the measure of his sinne David was deepely humbled for his sinne as appeareth in the 8. verse of this Psalme Hee watered his bed with his teares Psal. 6 6. Manasses humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord 2 Chron. 33.12 Peter wept bitterly Matth 2● 7● If thou couldst do so thou mightest take comfort in the examples of their falls but thou knowest it is farre otherwise with thee Secondly None of them after their repentance did ever fall into those foule sinnes againe Noah was never drunke but once David turned not aside from any thing that God commanded him saith the Holy Ghost 1 King 15.5 that is to say not in any grosse and scandalous crime all the daies of his life save onely in the matter of Vria the Hirtite The like may be said of Peter and all the rest And therefore what comfort can the common drunkard and adulterer and blasphemer take in their examples who though he hath fi●s of remorse for his si●s yet cannot leave them possibly Thirdly and lastly There was never any child of God that fell into any foule sinne but it was against the purpose of his heart I have said that I would keepe thy words saith David Psalme 119.57 this was his resolution and the setled purpose of his heart A wise m●n feareth saith Solomon Pro. 14.16 and departeth from evill hee purposeth not to fall into sinne And therefore the Apostle calleth the falls of Gods child an over-taking in a fault Gal. 6 1. when he falleth into sin it is through the malice and eager pursuit of his corrupt nature or of the divell whereby he is suddenly taken and as it were circumvented and overcome contrary to his purpose and resolutions But on the other side thou never purposest or resolvest to keepe Gods commandements and to resist tentations or if thou do yet thou hast no care to performe thy vowes and promises of obedience thou dost sleight and despise the waies thou shouldst walk in as Solomon speaketh Pro. 19.16 The third and last thing I have to say to these men is this That admit thy case were in all respects such as theirs was yet shalt thou find no cause to imbolden thy selfe to sinne by their example if thou wouldst consider well how they smarted for their sinnes It is true indeed Gods owne people many of them have sinned shamefully but it is as true which thou hast heard proved at large in the Doctrine that the Lord did never so sharply scourge any other in this life for their sinnes as he hath done them And if thou couldst well weigh with thy selfe how dearely they paid for their sinnes thou wouldest bee loath to purchase the pleasure or profit that any sinne can yeeld thee at so deare a rate And therefore it is to bee observed that as the sinnes of Gods people are recorded in the Word so are the fearefull judgements also recorded that followed them for these sinnes Noahs drunkennesse is recorded and so is the fearfull curse also that by occasion of that sinne fell upon his sonne Ham and all his posterity Gen. 9.25 Lot● incest is mentioned and so is the judgement also that followed it Gen. 19.37 38. the cursed posterity that came of that sinne were a scourge to Gods people for many generations as you may see Psal. 83.8 Solomons fall is mentioned and so is the judgement that fell on his posterity for it 1 King 11.31.33 I shall not need to speak of David of Hezekiah of Manasses or of Peter all whose sinnes are recorded indeed in the Word but it is as well and as carefully recorded how they smarted for them And to conclude of every sinne of theirs I may say to thee as Abner spake to Ioab in another case 2 Sam. 2.26 Knowest thou not that it was bitternesse in the latter end Lecture CXII On Psalme 51.6 March 3. 1628. THe second sort of uses that this Doctrine serveth unto hath relation unto the judgements of God executed upon others specially upon his owne Church and people The Doctrine which we have heard teacheth us how to judge and how to
of that which my brother spake the last day touching their estate But to you beloved I am to direct my speech at this time that have more then a forme of godlinesse that have felt the life and power of it in your owne hearts to every one of you that can say with David here unto the Lord out of the feeling and experience of his owne soule In the hidden part thou hast made m●e to know wisedome To every one that is such I have two words of exhortation to speake from the Doctrine that you have heard 1. Be thou above all men most afraid to fall into any sin for the time to come 2. Be thou above all men most humbled for the sins that since thou wert in this estate thou hast fallen into For the first No man hath so great cause to bee afraid to sin as the child of God as the regenerate man hath O feare the Lord ye his Saints saith David Psalme 34.9 As if he had said Though you be his Saints in the state of grace and in his favour yea because yee are his Saints in his favour and in the state of grace therefore you must feare him none have more cause to feare him then yee But to speake distinctly of this point I will shew you 1. How farre forth this feare of sinning must extend 2. Reasons why the regenerate the child of God hath more cause to feare sin then any other man For the first The extent of this feare is to be observed 1. In the object of it the kinds and degrees of sin that we must be afraid of 2. In the continuance and durablenesse of it For the first of these for the helpe of your understanding and memory you shall see it in seven degrees First The child of God hath cause to be afraid of falling into grosse and scandalous sins As Ioseph was when he was strongly tempted to adultery and might have committed it most secretly and securely yet he durst not doe it How can I doe this great wickednesse saith he Genesis 39 ● and sin against God And David when hee was as strongly tempted to take revenge of his mortall enemy and had such opportunitie also as flesh and bloud would never have let slip insomuch as Saul himselfe wondred at it 1. Samuel 24 18 19. yet hee durst not doe it And why durst he not doe it Was it out of basenesse of mind because he was a coward No no he was as valiant a man as ever drew sword Why then durst hee not doe it Surely hee durst not sinne nor doe that that would so offend God Who can stretch foorth his hand or offer to doe such a thing saith he 1 Sam. 26 9. against the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse These were grosse sins you will say and he can be no better then an hypocrite that is not afraid to doe such things I say therefore secondly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do the least thing that might offend God Daniel was afraid of the Kings meat Dan. 1.8 Because it was such as God in the ceremoniall law had forbidden he knew it would have defiled his conscience Nay thirdly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do any thing that thou seest cause to doubt thou shalt sin and offend God in doing it He that doubteth is damned if he eat saith the Apostle Rom. 14.23 Nay fourthly If thou be in the state of grace thou hast cause to be afraid not only to speake amisse but even to thinke evill to offend God in the very thoughts of thy heart Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saith the Lord Deut. 15.9 saying the seventh yeere the yeere of release is at hand Fiftly If thou be a Christian thou hast cause to be afraid of doing good duties loosely perfunctorily carelesly Serve the Lord with feare saith David Ps. 2.11 Yea sixtly Thou hast cause to be afraid even of standing at a stay and not growing better under the means of grace Worke out your own salvation saith the Apostle Phil. 2.12 with feare and trembling As if he should say If the worke go not forward if it be not forwarder then it was many yeares since you have cause of feare and trembling even for that Nay seventhly and lastly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do any thing that thou seest is of evill report and will cause thy religion and profession to be evill spoken of though thou know never so assuredly that the thing in it selfe is not sin but lawfull enough Dare any of you having a matter against another saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.1 goe to law before the unjust and not before the Saints Yea why not I pray you might some of them have said What sin what unlawfulnes is there in that Hast thou not taught us Rom. 13.1.4 that the law and magistracy is ordained of God for our use and benefit whatsoever the man be that executeth it And didst not thou thy selfe seeke the benefit of law before an unbeleever when thou didst appeale unto Caesar Act. 25.11 Yes might the Apostle say But though the thing in it selfe be never so lawfull yet because it exposeth your religion to the scorne and reproach of the unbeleevers you that feare God may not dare to do it saith he All things all such kind of things as he there speaketh of are lawfull saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not expedient Though the thing be never so lawfull yet if thou see cause to think that hurt will come of it thou must be afraid to do it You see in these seven degrees how tender hearted how cautelous and precise the child of God had need to be The Prophet calleth them Esa. 35.4 such as are of a fearefull heart and you see they have just cause to be so But how long must they be so will you say which is the second thing I told you was to be observed in the extent of this feare Surely so long as we live we have cause to nourish this feare in our selves My son saith Solomon Prov. 23.15.17 let thy heart be in the feare of the Lord all the day long And the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your sojourning here all the time of your life in feare If any man shall object How can this be Seeing the Apostle saith of the faithfull 2 Tim 1.7 God hath not given us the spirit of feare And Rom. 8.15 We have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he had said Before we beleeved in Christ we were indeed subject to much feare but now wee have received another spirit and are freed from those feares And the life of a Christian is the greatest bondage and slavery in the world if he must be alwayes of so fearefull an heart To this I answer That to live continually in
also but not els 3. Lastly the Lord himselfe will judge thee at the last day by his Word and by that onely The word that I have spoken saith our Saviour Io● 12.48 the same shall judge him at the last day And therefore it standeth thee upon to judge thy selfe by that too Secondly Now alas most men though they say they be undoubtedly assured of their salvation have no ground at all in Gods Word for this assurance they boast of Nay though the Word give most expresse and direct evidence against them yet are they most confident that they shall be saved for all that Though Gods Word say expresly Psal. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Yet many a one that never seeketh after Gods Statutes taketh no paines for the Word nay shunneth it all that ever he can and though he may enjoy it without any labour or charge at all will not stirre out of his doores for it nay that counteth you all arrant fooles and hypocrites that take so much paines for it as many of you do yet is this man I say as sure of his owne salvation as any of you can be Though the Scripture say expresly yea though he that must judge us all at the last day say expresly Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more than yea and nay the least oath that is in our ordinary communication commeth of that evill one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Divell And though the Apostle say Iam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren sweare not by any oath least ye fall into condemnation least ye be damned yet have we many a one that sweare ordinarily not by faith and troth onely but by fowler oathes a great deale that yet never doubted of their salvation but are confident Christ died for them his blood hath been sprinkled upon their hearts Though the Scripture say expresly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Neither fornicators nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor raylors nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God yet where have you any in Gods Church that are more confidently assured that have lesse doubt of their salvation than these men have But let God be true saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 and every man a lyar Thou wilt one day find that the Lords testimonies against thee are very sure as the Psalmist calleth them Psal. 93.5 and that thine owne heart hath prophesied a lie unto thee that thou mightest perish as the Lord saith of them that prophesied peace unto the Iewes Ier. 27.10 I know thou art apt to alledge that thou hast repented and that thou dost believe in Christ and therefore thou hast the Word to build thy assurance upon But because neither thy faith nor thy repentance are according to the patterne according to the Word I may say of thy confidence thou reposest therein as Bildad doth of the hope of all hypocrites Iob 8.14 Thy hope shall be cut off and thy trust shall be as the spiders webb Lecture CXXIII On Psalme 51.7 Iuly 21. 1629. THE third and last signe whereby we may judge of our assurance and discerne whether God by his holy spirit hath sprinkled upon our hearts the bloud of his sonne and certified us that it was shed for us whether that assurance we seeme to have be of God or no is to be taken from the effects that this assurance hath wrought in us It is not possible for any man that knew before his owne wretchednesse by nature to be assured by Gods spirit that God hath so dearely loved him as to send his owne sonne to shed his bloud for him but this must needes worke a great change and alteration in him It must needs kindle in his heart an unfeined love to God Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5 6. As if he should say It cannot be idle but it is operative and full of vertue and the hand and instrument it worketh by is love It must needes make him that hath it desirous and studious to expresse his love to God by all meanes he can and to say with David Psalme 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord Yea the deeper sense a man hath had of his owne sinne and wretchednesse before the more will his heart be inflamed with love to God when once hee feeleth the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his heart by Gods spirit the more studious will he be to expresse his love by any duty hee is able to performe Mary had had many sins forgiven unto her and therefore she loved much as our Saviour saith Luke 7 47. she thought no service too base too much for her to doe unto Christ who had so dearely loved her Shee wa●hed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head as you may see verse 38. of that chapter The Papists blaspheme our Doctrine touching this certainty a man may have of Gods favour and say it tendeth to loosenesse of life and liberty But they speake of it by heare-say as strangers doe of a thing that they never knew or had experience of in themselves For the true assurance of salvation which the spirit of God hath wrought in any heart hath that force to restraine him from loosenesse of life and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God as nothing else hath in all the world It is certainly either the want of faith and assurance of Gods love or a false and carnall assurance of it that is the true cause of all that licentiousnesse and lewdnesse that raigneth in the world But to speake distinctly yet briefly of this point you shall see the effects that true assurance will worke both in the inward and outward man First True faith whereby wee receive and apply Christ unto our selves will purifie the heart as the Apostle speaketh Actes 15.9 It will worke a thorow change and reformation even in the hidden part This difference the Apostle observeth Hebr. 9.13 74. betweene the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifices upon the people by the Priest under the law and the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the heart by the spirit of God that sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh saith he that is that made a man legally in the judgement of men cleane from all outward pollutions but Christs bloud being sprinkled by the spirit of God upon any heart will purge the conscience from dead works that is from all sins which as they deserve so will they certainly bring death eternall upon all that are not purged from them this saith he will purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God There is certainly an admirable vertue in the bloud of Christ when it is once by the spirit of God sprinkled and applyed to the heart of any man it will purge and heale it from all the corruptions that were in it before Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Malachi 4.2 shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with
unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 1.8 They say they know him to be their Lord and Saviour but this knowledge is no way effectuall in them to the reformation either of their hearts or lives Nay this their assurance hath wrought in them quite contrary effects unto those that I have proved unto you to be the kindly fruits of that assurance which the spirit of God worketh in the heart of any man Nothing doth so evidently discover the falshood of this their assurance as the fruits that it doth produce in them In which respects a man may fitly say of them as our Saviour doth of the false Prophets Matth. 7.20 By their fruits yee shall know them This will the better appeare if the confidence of these men be examined particularly according to those six severall effects of true assurance which we have heard of First Though they say they are assured that Christ so dearely loved them as that he shed his most precious bloud for their sinnes yet the knowledge of this love of God to them never made them to mourne or bee troubled in themselves ever a whit the more for their sinnes Nay this very thing maketh them go merrily away with them all and keepeth them from being grieved or troubled for any sinne that ever they committed because they say they know that Christ shed his bloud for their sins hath made their peace with God Seeing Christs soule was heavy Mat. 26.38 to the death for my sins saith he what need I be heavy for them my selfe Thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousnes as the Apostle speaketh Iude 4. As if he should say The very knowledge of this marvellous grace and mercy of God maketh them so lascivious as they are maketh them so joviall in their sins so void of all remorse and sorrow for sin as they are Secondly They are not the more fearefull to offend God in any thing because of his goodnesse towards them which they say they are so sure of nay this very thing maketh them bold to commit any sinne because the devill hath perswaded them as he would faine have perswaded our blessed Saviour Mat. 4.6 that though they do cast themselves headlong into any sin yet Gods mercy and love to them is such as hee will never suffer them to perish by it Tush saith hee I know God will give mee grace to repent of it before I dye and therefore what need I be so scrupulous or fearefull to enjoy the pleasure or profit of this sinne Hee besseth himselfe in his owne heart as Moses speaketh Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart Thirdly They say they have tasted that the Lord is gracious and that they would not loose the sweetnesse and comfort of the assurance they have of Gods love and of their salvation for all the world and yet they love the word never the better for this Nay this is the very cause why they care not for the word have no desire to it no delight in it because they are sure enough already of their salvation and that Christ dyed for their sins They are like unto that faction in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 1.12 that gloried they were neither followers of Paul nor of Apollo nor of Cephas but of Christ onely They did so depend upon Christ that they cared for never a preacher in the world nor regarded to heare them Fourthly Though they speake and glory much of the Lords mercy and loving kindnes and though they be such as seeme to beare some love to his word to heare it gladly yet they practise nothing that they heare the assurance they have of Gods love maketh them never a whit the more carefull to walke in his truth Yea this very thing maketh them carelesse of doing or practising any thing they heare because they know that they are not under the law but under grace as Paul bringeth in wicked men objecting Rom. 6.15 Because they know Christ dyed for their sins and that we must not be saved by our works but by faith in him onely therefore they thinke it folly in them to be precise in their practise or to doe any good works at all Fiftly They say they are the Lords and have received his spirit which witnesseth with their spirits that they are his children that the Lord hath set his seale and marke upon them though there is no such thing to be seene upon their foreheads which is the place we have heard God setteth his seale upon None that live by them behold them daily converse with them can discerne any grace in them at all Nay men hold it now a dayes an high point of wisedome to conceale their love to religion to shun carefully every thing that may cause them to be noted for it They had rather bee counted any thing then a strict Christian they hold it no advantage no honour at all to have Gods seale on their foreheads but a matter of disgrace rather And yet these men are confident for all that that Christs bloud was shed for them that Gods spirit hath sprinkled it upon them though he have not set Gods marke upon their foreheads yet he hath set it upon their hearts certainly But if no man be so unwise as to light a candle and set it under a bushell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 5.15 shall we thinke that the most wise God will set the light of his grace so in any mans heart as that none that are in the house with him are able to discerne it Sixtly and lastly They say confidently the Lord is their father and they are his children yet have they no care at all to honour God or to advance his glory any way If I be your father saith the Lord Malachi 1.6 where is mine honour Such as are by the spirit of adoption assured indeed that God is their father cannot but desire with all their hearts to honour him what they may Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And they that know indeed that they are not their own as the Apostle there saith but bought with such a price cannot choose but endeavour to do so Whether we live saith he Rom. 14.8 we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords He that liveth so as God hath honour by his life and he that dyeth so as that God hath honour by his death may be sure he is the Lords and none but he And surely this proveth demonstratively that most men whatsoever they pretend have no true assurance that they are the Lords because it is neither any trouble at all to them to see God dishonoured by others neither have they any care at all to gaine any
never have said he might seeme to have had matter of glorying in those works he did while he was an idolater but matter of shame and confusion rather 3. The Apostle speaking unto men that feared God Act. 13.16 telleth them ver 39. that they could not be justified by the law of Moses that is by those workes which were commanded in the law of Moses 4 Lastly David when he was the servant of God a true beleever professeth that he could not stand before Gods judgement in the confidence of his own righteousnes it could not justifie him in Gods sight and therfore cryeth Ps. 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And thus you see No man no not the best man that ever lived can be justified before God by any righteousnes that is in himselfe Now I will give you two reasons of it out of Gods Word First The righteousnesse and goodnesse that is in the best man is lame and imperfect and farre short of that God in his law requireth of him yea it is also spotted and defiled with the Leprosy of his originall corruption and therefore it cannot justifie him in Gods sight it cannot stand before God nor abide the tryall at his judgement seat The blessed Apostle himselfe professeth Phil. 3.12 that he was not perfect Iohn Baptist though he were sanctified in his mothers womb yet avoucheth Mat. 3.14 that he had need to be baptized of Christ he was not washed and cleansed sufficiently his sanctification was imperfect And the Church complaineth Esa 64.6 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags There is not a just man upon earth saith Salomon Eccl. 7.20 that doth good and sinneth not In many things we offend all saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 If we say saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1.8 we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us True saith the Papist the justest man is not free from venial sins but that is no hinderance to his justification by his inherent righteousnes To this I answer First 〈◊〉 no sinne is so veniall but it justly deserveth et●r●all ●eath The soule that ●●nneth it shall die saith the Prophet Ezek. 18.4 And the wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6.23 And Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them Not onely every thing that is done against Gods Law how small soever it be but every thing that is lest undone which the law commandeth how small soever it be maketh a man lyable to the curse of God Secondly The holiest men that have ever lived and such as the Holy Ghost hath given testimony unto that they were just and perfect men have beene notwithstanding that guilty of such sinnes as the Papists themselves confesse to be mortall Zachary though he were a just man before God as the Holy Ghost saith of him Luke 1.6 yet was he guilty of grosse infidelity in not believing the Word that God spake to him by the Ministry of an Angell Luk. 1.20 yea the holiest men have had that deep sense of their owne sinfulnesse and corruption as they durst not stand before God in their owne righteousnesse they have freely professed they could not be justified by it in Gods sight Thus was Iob perswaded of his owne righteousnesse though hee were a man of whom the Lord himselfe giveth testimony Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon the earth an upright and a perfect man Though I were righteous saith Iob 9 15. yet would I not answer him but I would make supplication to my Iudge And 10.15 If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head As if he should say I will not plead my righteousnesse before thee I will not trust to be justified by it in thy sight And thus was David perswaded of his owne righteousnesse of whom yet the Lord saith that hee was a man after his owne heart 1 Samuel 13.14 If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities saith David Psalme 130.3 O Lord who shall stand Lastly Thus was blessed Paul perswaded of his owne righteousnesse I know nothing by my selfe saith he 1 Corinth 4.4 yet am I not thereby justified but he that justifieth me is the Lord. As if he had said Though I should discerne no defect in mine owne righteousnesse as for the maine bent of my heart and course of my life I do not yet dare not I plead it before God nor hope to be justifyed by it for the Lord that is my Iudge can espie in me much more than I can in my selfe And certainly to conclude this first reason there is no Papist under heaven that hath not lost all conscience but his heart must needs give his tongue the lie when he saith he believeth to be justified before God by that righteousnesse and goodnesse that is inherent and dwelling in himselfe A second reason against it is this If a man could be justified by that righteousnesse that is inherent in himselfe then might he have in himselfe just cause of boasting and glorying before God neither should the whole glory of mans salvation and justification bee due unto the free grace and mercy of God in Christ. This argument the holy Apostle presseth against justification by works and for justification by faith onely Where is boasting then saith he Rom. 3.27 it is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith And againe Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justifified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God By grace ye are saved through faith saith he Eph. 2.8 9. not of works least any man should boast So 1 Cor. 1.30 31. he giveth this for the reason why Christ is all in all to us in the matter of our salvation wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. As if he had said God cannot abide that man should glory before him but would have him to be humbled to the very dust but if he could be justified before God by any goodnesse that is in him then might he have just cause of glorying even before God True saith the Papist if a man could be justified by his owne works by such works as he doth by the power of nature then had he indeed matter of glorying and boasting in himselfe But not when he is justified by such works onely as are wrought by the power of Gods grace in him For these workes are not his owne but the works of Christ and his grace in him according to that speech of the Church Esa. 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our workes in us And that of the Apostle Romans 15.18 I will not dare to speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by mee Wee doe not therefore say
so carelesly and making so little conscience in keeping it 184 Occasions of evill to be shunned 318 Officers Bound to present infamous and scandalous persons 182 They sin that keep men from publike pennance 187 188 Obedience Be willing to yeeld passive obedience unto God 245 249 Conscionable care to please God a sure note of uprightnesse 378 True obedience is universall 419 c. 724 726 Yet speciall care to be had of those things God hath given us speciall charge of 422 The onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word 380 c. How the upright man sheweth equall respect to all the commandements 423 c. Forth the root of it 737 741 Five notes of Evangelicall obedience 754 Obedience must be done in a right manner 433 c. Oppression Against such as are undoers of others 124 Originall sinne Is derived from the parents and why 282 283 For this sinne above all others God may justly ab●orre us and we have most cause to bee humbled in our selves 301 303 Three motives to perswade us to seek deliverance from it and two meanes 313 317 Consider Gods mercy and goodnesse towards us in that regard 336 P. Papists THeir errours touching originall sinne 305 c. Touching justification 662 c. Parents To be humbled for the corruption and sinne that appeares in their children 286 Parents should use their utmost indeavour to breed grace in their children 287 c. Diverse motives Ibid. Means Parents must use to save their childrens soules 291 c Parents must maintaine their authority over their children 291 How they come to lose it 292 Their sin in neglecting to keep them in awe 293 294 They must instruct their children 1. Instilling betimes the beginnings of knowledge 294. 2. Acquainting them with the practice of Religion 295. 3. Bringing them to the publike worship 4. Examining them how they profit Ibid. They must be carefull to give them good example 298 They must take heed how they place them at schoole in service in mariage 299 They must pray for them Ibid. Parents using these meanes need not doubt they shall lose their labour 300 Patience We have need of it 250 Seven notes of it 251 c. Motives to it 253 c. Meanes 260 c. Perseverance Study to persevere unto the end 12 The marvellous mercy of God to bee acknowledged in the perseverance of any in the state of grace 347 352 Take heed of declining and falling f●om grace 431 432 The regenerate elect child of God ca●●ot sin so hainously as every unregenerate man may do 533 c. Constancy in the true Religion is a signe a man hath the Spirit of Christ. 766 c. God hath given great testimony to this 76● The faithfull have found much comfort in ●t 〈◊〉 They whom the Spirit hath taught 〈…〉 persevere in the truth 〈◊〉 Motives to constancy in the truth 7●● 7●2 Meanes to it 782 Though it be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this worke 783 Predestination Gods decree of Predestination is most righteous 248 249 Prayer Gods people in all distresse must seeke for comfort from God by prayer 59. c. Extremity of affliction should not keepe us from it 63 64 Nor sense of our owne vilenesse 64 65 Nor inability to pray 68 69 c Nor a conceit that it 's to no purpose to pray 69 c. Prescript and set formes of Prayer may bee used 68 Why God delayes to answer the prayers of his servants 75 76 What we must then do 78 c. God gives often a gracious answer to the prayers of his servants though they perceive it not 76 Five severall wayes God shewes respect unto and gives a gracious answer to his peoples prayers 76 77 Six principall faults that use to blemish and weaken our prayers 81 c. 637 Five notable encouragements to prayer specially in inward afflictions 153 Prayer a speciall meanes to get grace to beare afflictions comfortably and patiently 273 Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions 310 Prayer a meanes to conquer corruptions 322 And to get assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 636 A singular good thing to keep a constant course in prayer 700 Faith e●ableth us to pray well 743 Practice Presently set upon the practice of what wee have learned 43 Making conscience to practise what we have learned meanes to establish us in the truth 792 Preaching of the Word Is a meanes to bring men to Christ. 19 The godly man will rejoyce in the plentifulnesse of it 801 for three reasons 803 809 Preaching necessary now 813 Obiections against it answered 810 c. Preparation To the hearing of the Word wherein it consists 30 c. Presumption Take heed we sin not presuming that we shall repent before we die 15 The vanity of those conceits which keepe many from being troubled with their 〈◊〉 89 93 Hypocrites use to be confident 377 Presume not to sin because of the fals of Gods people 554 c. The danger of Presumption 620 625 744 Signes of it 628 629 Private duties Secret confession of sinne most necessary convenient and beneficiall 193 195 Psalmes The titles of them not to be omitted as superfluous and impertinent 1 Why committed to the chiefe Musitian 4 Singing of Psalmes an ancient and excellent ordinance of God 4 How Psalmes should be sung 6 Punishment The consideration of punishment may cause a faithfull man to mourne and grieve for sinne and to be afraid of it 218 Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as eternall punishment due to our sinnes 662 663 Though the afflictions men induce be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Profanenesse In some respects the open profane persons case is worse than the hypocrites 718 Profession Live so as men may be witnesses of thy goodnesse 418 He that hath assurance that Christ is his will pro●esse and declare himselfe openly to bee Gods servant 627 We may hate the sinnes of professors but not hate them for any goodnesse they professe Three notes whereby we may see many hate professors for their goodnesse 716 717 Prosperity He that hath not Christ can have no comfort in his prosperity 686 Great is their folly that preferre worldly things before Christ. 690 R. Regenerate THe sinnes the regenerate fall into are in sundry respects greater than the sinnes of others 539 542 548 552 God will plague sinne as much in them as in any other in the world 540 541 In this life he sheweth more hatred to the sinnes of such than to the sinnes of other men 542 c. The goodnesse in the regenerate man in three respects surpasseth the goodnesse in the morall man or hypocrite 729 730 Religion That 's the true Religion that gives the whole glory of mans salvation to the free grace and mercy of God 110 523 The truth we have received by warrant of