Rom. 3.24 And thus runneth the promise Revel 21.6 I will give to him that is a thirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely To this I answer that though the pardon of our sins and salvation of our souls be in respect of Christ our surety no free gift but a deare purchase neither do we obtaine it till it was dearely bought and purchased for us Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Yea such a price as the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.6 calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully answerable in worth to the soules of all Gods redeemed ones and to that which God hath given us yet in respect of our selves and of our obtaining of it it is meerly of grace it is the free gift of God It is meerly of mercy and free grace that any of us are saved This will evidently appeare unto us in five points First It was the free grace of God and nothing els that first moved him to find out and appoint this way to save us by and to satisfie his own justice for us He purposed this in himselfe saith the Apostle Eph. 1.9 there was nothing out of himselfe that moved him to it He devised this way how to make satisfaction unto himselfe God was in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.19 and reconciled the world of the elect he meaneth for certainly all are not reconciled unto him to himselfe This was certainly the free grace and meere mercy of God and nothing els that moved him to do this Yea his love and mercy to his elect appeared more in this than if by his absolute prerogative and soveraignty he had forgiven us without exacting any satisfaction for us at all God so loved the world saith our Saviour Ioh. 3.16 that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Secondly It was the free grace of God and nothing els that moved him to give any of us to Christ and to appoint us in his eternall counsell to be of that small number that should receive mercy by him He predestinated us saith the Apostle Eph. 1.5 unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will As if hee had said The good pleasure of his owne will and nothing els moved him to do this In this respect our Saviour saith of his faithfull Disciples Ioh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me And Verse 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given mee for they are thine Thirdly It was the free grace of God and nothing els that moved him to give to any of us that grace to receive Christ by faith being offered unto us in the ministery of the Gospell No man can come to me saith our Saviour Ioh. 6.65 except it were given unto him of my Father Fourthly It is the free grace of God and nothing els that moveth him to accept of that satisfaction which Christ our Surety hath made for us and not to exact it at our own hands And that maketh the Apostle to say Ephes. 1.6 that it is to the praise of the glory of his grace that he hath made us accepted in his beloved nothing hath bound him to do it but his owne free promise and grace onely Fiftly and lastly It is the free grace of God and nothing els that moveth him after we have received Christ by faith and thereby are brought into covenant with him to performe his promise and to keepe covenant with us considering how oft we break our covenant with him how weake and wavering our faith and obedience is And this made Solomon breake forth into those termes of admiration and wonderment 1 King 8.23 O Lord God of Israel there is no god like unto thee who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walke before thee with all their heart As if he should have said It is the marvellous mercy of God that hee keepeth covenant even with the best of his servants considering how many their failings be And thus have I finished my Answer to the Question and shewed you that though our salvation were not free to Christ but hee payed deare for it yet to us it is free we obtaine it onely through the free grace and mercy of God Lecture CXIX On Psalme 51.7 May 26. 1619. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto and those are three principally 1. For instrustion 2. For exhortation 3. For comfort For the first This Doctrine will teach us to judge rightly of sinne and to esteeme of it as it doth deserve Foure points there are to be observed in this Doctrine that do notably set forth the odiousnesse and hainousnesse of sinne First no creature in heaven or earth can cleanse thee from the least of all thy sinnes nor procure thee a pardon for it Christ Iesus onely was able to doe it He is the propitiation for our sinnes saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.2 and he alone In Popery men are taught that many will doe it Pardons may be bought of the Pope we know and the larger summ a man is content to disburse for it the larger shall his pardon be They teach also that men may by their almsdeeds and good works specially by doing good to the Church redeem and buy out their iniquities and make satisfaction to the justice of God for the temporall punishment that is due to them for sin so that the more bountifull a man is that way the lesse he shall need to feare the fire of Purgatory or any other temporall punishment whatsoever And this hath certainly been a most profitable and gainfull Doctrine to the Church of Rome But a most blasphemous Doctrine it is and such as mâ—keth the Crosse of Christ of none effect a Doctrine directly contrary to the holy Scriptures and to that which the Apostle Peter whom they make the rock upon which their Church is built did teach Ye know saith he 1 Pet. 1.18 that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your fethers No silver and gold though we had never so many thousands to give unto pious uses can redeeme and buy out the least of our sinnes no not our vaine conversation our unprofitable walking our sinnes of omission or any part of the punishment that is due to us for it And this ye know saith the Apostle this was a truth clearely knowne to all Gods people then The Churches that were planted by the Apostles were fully perswaded of it And if the present Church of Rome had beene of the Apostle Peters founding as they pretend certainly silver and gold could not be of such use and worth there for procuring pardons for sinne as all the world knoweth that now it is But what speak we of silver and gold Not all the Angels or Saints in heaven or earth were ever able by all their holinesse and
words this comfortable sentence verse 18. Wee know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not This wee know and are most certaine of that hee can never fall into that sinne Insomuch as that which the Apostle speaketh of the whole Church of the Iewes Rom. 11.11 may be truly said of every elect child of God Have they stumbled that they should fall that is that they should fall finally and for ever for in the next verse 12. hee granteth they are fallen God forbid saith hee See this also plainly taught us Psal. 15. where the Prophet having described the upright hearted Christian by sundry properties and actions hee concludeth verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall never bee mooved never bee utterly and finally overcome by any tentation And this is that which our Saviour teacheth also Mat. 7.24 25. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock and the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was built upon a rock And that which hee saith of a godly life hee saith Matth. 16.18 of a lively and true faith also Thou art Peter a rocke impregnable whom Satan with all his might shall not be able to overcome though thou shalt fall thou shalt not fall utterly and upon this rocke this faith that thou hast made confession of I will build my Church and the gates of hell all the cunning all the power of Satan shall not prevaile against it If any man shall aske me and why cannot a chosen vessell and true beleever what tentations soever shall assault him perish irrecoverably I answer There bee two pillars that uphold him and make it impossible for him to fall in that manner of which I spake the last day 1. The almighty power of God 2. The unchangeable love of God Both fitly typified by those two pillars we read of 1 Kin 7.21 that were in Solomons Temple which was also it selfe a type of the Church and people of God the one was called Iachin that is to say he will establish the other Boaz in him is strength First Let us begin with Boaz. In the Lord is strength enough to keepe us from falling totally or finally Vpon this pillar our Saviour lyeth this Doctrine Iohn 10.28.29 None of my sheepe shall perish my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand No no man if hee bee once one of Christs sheepe a true beleever no man can plucke him away Vpon this pillar doth Paul ground his confidence 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Yea upon this pillar hee groundeth the confidence even of the weakest Christian that is having an honest heart Rom. 14. For speaking of one that is weake in the faith verse 1. he saith thus of him verse 4. Yea he shall be held up for God is able to make him stand Now for the second pillar lachin hee will establish The Lord not only hath strength to keepe his people but wee are also sure he will establish them that they shall not perish This pillar God giveth his Church to ground and build upon Esa. 54.10 The mountaines shall depart and the hills bee removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Vpon this pillar doth the Church ground her confidence Esa. 64.5 Behold thou art wroth for wee have sinned in those is continuance and wee shall bee saved And so doth David Psalm 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Lecture LXXII On Psalme 51.5 Octob. 16. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the fourth and last point wherein the admirable goodnesse of God is set forth by the Doctrine of originall sin and that is this That the sinfulnesse and corruption of our nature being so great as it is it should doe us no more hurt then it doth And surely this is a thing that wee can never sufficiently admire that wee not onely slipping and falling oft into many actuall sins but having also still in us so vile a nature such a fountaine of corruption that maketh us wee cannot cease from sin any one moment and like the troubled sea that cannot rest it is the Prophets comparison though in another sense Esa. 57.20 is ever casting up some filthy myre and dirt or other to defile our best actions by that wee being such I say the Lord should not loath and abhorre both our selves and every thing that proceedeth from us That the Lord should notwithstanding all this have so gracious respect unto us and to our poore service as he hath this doth notably set forth his admirable goodnesse and mercy towards us This will the better appeare unto us if wee shall distinctly consider these three things 1. What wee and our best actions and performances are 2. What the Lord is in the holinesse of his owne nature 3. What the respect is that the Lord notwithstanding doth shew to us and to the service we do unto him For the first Our flesh and corrupt nature is such as it will not suffer us to doe any one duty in that manner as wee ought This blessed Paul complained of Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee this was doubtlesse the speech of a regenerate man but how to performe that which is good I find not And that that hee saith of himselfe there hee saith of all the faithfull Galat. 5.17 Yee cannot doe the thing that yee would Nay it doth so palpably corrupt and defile every good thing wee desire to doe as our selves cannot choose if there bee any truth of grace in us but discerne and bee ashamed of it and complaine of it also as the Church doth Esa. 64.6 Wee are all as the uncleane man the leper and all our righteousnesses not one but all are as filthy rags So that when wee have done the best service that ever wee did to God wee have cause to cry God mercy for it and to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 Lord pardon mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy And if we as blind and senselesse and full of selfe-love as we are can discerne so much filth our selves in them what can the Lord doe Who is greater then our heart as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3.20 and knoweth all things For the second point The Lord wee know is so infinitely holy that hee cannot abide to looke upon hee cannot but detest all filthinesse and sin Thou art of purer eyes saith the Prophet Hab. 1.13
saith the Prophet Habacuk 2.4 It is not our feeling but our faith that wee must live by Take two examples to perswade and encourage thee to this The one in David the other in Abraham What time I am afraid saith David Psalme 56.3.4 whensoever I am most disquieted with doubts and feares in my selfe I will trust in thee How could he doe so will you say That hee will tell you in the next words In God saith hee I will praise his word In God have I put my trust As if he had said What cause of feare soever I find in my selfe yet I thanke God I have the word and promise of God that hee will bee mercifull to mee and that I will trust unto Our other example is in Abraham recorded by the Apostle Romanes 4.19 10.21 Hee beleeved that hee should have a sonne by Sarah in whose seed himselfe and all the nations of the earth should be blessed though hee saw and â—elt in himselfe great cause to doubt that this could never possibly bee For his body was now dead that is the strength and vigour of it was quite gone and so was Saraâ—s too How could hee then beleeve this Why hee had Gods word and promise for it and that though it were contrary to his sense and reason he gave credit and trusted to He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe saith the Apostle being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was able also to performe And in thus doing the Apostle saith hee gave glory to God By how much the more matter of doubting and feare and despaire wee feele in our selves by so much the more glory wee give unto God when notwithstanding this wee can give credite unto and rest upon the word and promise of God O but you will say Abraham was strong in saith he staggered not through unbeliefe as the Apostle saith of him there No marvell though his faith were imputed to him for righteousnesse though it justified him in Gods sight What speake you of his example to such a one as I am that am so weake in faith and am ever staggering through unbeliefe can such a faith as mine is justifie me in Gods sight and make Christ and all his merits mine I answer yes the weakest faith will do it if thou can receive Christ rest upon him even with the weakest faith it will serve thy turne The weake faith of the poore man that came to Christ for his child that was possessed Mar. 9.24 though he staggered much through unbeleefe which made him cry with teares Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeliefe yet this weake faith of his served his turne and obtained mercy from Christ. Take heed thou thinke not that it is the strength of thy faith that justifieth thee no no It is Christ and his perfect righteousnesse which thy faith receiveth and resteth upon that doth it He that hath the feeblest and weakest hand may receive an almes and apply a soveraigne plaister to his wound as well as he that hath the strongest and receive as much good by it too Thy blessed Saviour that gave that charge concerning such as thou art Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones will not despise or reject thee for the weaknesse of thy faith which thou mournest for and strivest to amend but will have tender respect to thee in it A bruised reed saith the Evangelist Mat. 12.20 shall he not breake and smoaking slax shall he not quench This is a comfortable speech indeed will you say for them that can beleeve and trust in Christ though but with a weake faith But alas I find my selfe to be â—ouâ—worthy a wreth so oppressed many times with the sense of my unworthinesse that I cannot beleeve I cannot rest upon Christ nor hope and look for mercy through him When thou art so yet lift up thy heart to God crave helpe of him in this case beg of him that he would make thee able to go to Christ and to rest upon him Do as David did When my heart is overwhelmed saith he Psal. 61.2 lead mee to the rocke that is higher then I. And what was that rocke I pray you Surely the Lord Iesus of whom himselfe saith Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Was the rock that David desired God to lead him unto when thy heart is overwhelmed with feares and doubts and thou canst get no sensible assurance of Gods favour nor comfort in thy selfe nor hast power to goe unto Christ pray thou likewise to God with David that he would lead thee to this rocke that he would make thee able to stay and rest thy selfe upon Christ and then the gates of hell all the subtiltie and power of the divell shall never be able to prevaile against thee This is all true indeed If I could pray I were happy when I find my selfe able to pray then am I safe but alas my heart is so overwhelmed many times that I cannot pray To this I answer First That it may well bee so with thee for so it hath beene with many a good servant of God Thus David complained Psalme 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speake Thus good Hezekiah said of himselfe Esa. 38.14 Like a craâ—e or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a dove And the Apostle telleth us Romanes 8.26 it is thus oft with Gods people in extreame affliction Wee know not hee putteth himselfe in the number what wee should pray for as wee ought But then I say secondly When thou findest thy selfe thus unable to pray yet doe what thou canst pray as well as thou canst chatter unto God as Hezekiah did sigh and grone unto God as the Apostle there saith the faithfull oft doe they pray with gronings which they cannot utter and even this will prevaile with God as much as any prayer which with the greatest liberty and freedome of spirit thou ever madest unto him in all thy life David found it to be so for hee saith Psalme 77.1 the Lord gave eare unto him even when he cryed to him in such a troubled manner And Hezekiah found it to be so for he saith that after that chattering prayer of his hee found abundance of comfort Thou hast saith hee Esa. 38.17 in love to my soule delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe And the Apostle giveth us this reason why it must needs be so Romanes 8.27 Hee that searcheth the hearts saith hee knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints acrording to the will of God As if hee should say Those prayers that are made with sighs and grones which wee cannot utter proceed from Gods spirit as well as any other that ever wee made and the Lord that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of his
to doe a thing that all Gods faithfull servants doe testifie and inveigh against by warrant of his word in so earnest manner Well bee you assured of this 1. That what wee all with so unanimous consent say of the hainousnesse of any sin and of the vengeance that will light upon you if you continue in this sin God will ratifie it in heaven and make it good upon you Matthew 18.18 19. 2. That if you shall after you have heard so much spoken against it upon such cleare warrant of the word and in such a manner still continue in it you shall make your selves a great deale more lyable to the wrath of God then you were before Ieremy 44.4 6. Nehemiah 9. â—9 30. And this is that that I have to say unto you by way of exhortation Now in speaking to you by way of reproofe I might be and should be indeed very large but the time is so passed that I am constrained to abridge all that I have to say in a few words First Few or none of you no not of the better sort of you do in your hearts esteeme of and reverence the ministers of God no not your faithfull conscionable ministers for you shew no more respect and kindnesse to them to encourage them in their ministery then you would doe to the basest fellow that is in a country Nay he is counted the wisest and never the lesse honest man among you that can shew the most cunning in spoyling and defrauding your painfull ministers of that that is their due Secondly Many of you care not what ministery you live under you will not commit your beasts nor your sheepe nor your swine to any to keepe or tend but you will know him to have some skil and some care to looke to them onely your soules you are indifferent what hee bee that takes charge of them If he be a good one so it is if he be a bad one you are well enough content and never seeke further Thirdly Such of you as have good ones learned and painefull and conscionable men what use make you of them If at any time they use any sharpenesse in reproving your sins according to that power that God hath given them for your edification and not for destruction as the Apostle speaketh 2 Corinth 13.10 O how snappish are you how apt to quarrell with them Lecture XXXIIII on Psalme 51.3 Sept. 5. 1626 IT followeth now that wee come to the second kind of confession that hath bin commended unto us in this example of David he made publike confession of his sin to the congregation and church of God For we see in the title of this Psalme 1. that he committed this Psalme that containeth the acknowledgement of his sin and profession of his repentance to the chiefe musician to bee published in the Sanctuary and Temple 2. That in this publication of his repentance he hideth not from the Church his sinne nor cloaketh it at all but expresseth in particular the speciall sin that hee had beene so troubled for when hee made this Psalme hee made it when Nathan the Prophet came unto him after hee had gone in to Bathsâ—eba 3. He maketh this publication of his sin and repentance not to the Church that then was onely though first and chiefly to that but to that that should come after him and committeth it therefore to the chiefe Musitian to bee kept in the Temple as a monument of his repentance for the use of the Church to the end of the World And why did David this may you say Why was he being so great a King so carelesse of his honour and reputation among his subjects I answer First His sinne was become publike and notorious for beeing a King the eyes of all Israel were upon him as it is said in another sense 1. Kings 1.20 That which our Saviour saith of Ministers Matth. 5.14 may be also said of Magistrates and all men in eminency they are as Cities set upon an hill their actions cannot bee hid or concealed Besides it is expressely sayd by Nathan that the enemies of God tooke notice of these sinns of his and blasphemed God for them 2 Sam. 12.14 Secondly He had offended and wronged the whole Chruch by his sin and that two wayes First By giving so great cause of griefe unto them through the scandall his sinne had given to the enemies of God and the dishonour God received by it Nothing grieveth a godly man more The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon mee saith the Prophet Psalme 69.9 Secondly By endangering the whole Church of God and making it obnoxious to the wrath of God through his sinne For the Lord hath oft for the sinne of one member plagued even whole Churches and congregations Thus speaketh Phinehas to the two Tribes and an halfe Ioshuah 22.20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespasse in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the congregation of the children of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquity Specially for the sinnes of a King as David was God hath beene wont to plague a whole nation and Kingdome as is plaine in the example of David himselfe whose one sinne in numbring of the people was the death of seventy thousand of his Subjects 2 Samuelâ—4 â—4 15 And in Ieremy 15.4 I will cause them to bee removed into all kingdomes of the earth because of Manasseh the sonne of Hezekiah King of Iudah for that which hee did in Ierusalem See how just cause Gods people have to pray not formally onely but heartily for their Kings and Princes And this consideration certainly wrought much upon David when hee made this Psalme and made him willing thus to publish his repentance as appeareth by his prayer for the Church verse 18. Doe good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build up the walles of Ierusalem As if hee had said Lord let not thy wrath fall upon Sion let not Ierusalem fare the worse for my sinne Hee feared that the whole Church under his government should smart for his sinne We have then from this example of David to learne That they whose sins God hath detected and brought to light whose sins are publike and notorious scandalous and offensive to the congregation where they live ought to be willing to confesse their sins publikely to make their repentance at publike and notorious as their sin is Now before I come to the proofe of this point three things must be premised to prevent the mistaking of it First That this publike confession of sinne unto a congregation though it carry shew of a farre greater measure of selfe-denyall and mortification then the secret confession of our sins unto God doth yet is it not so certaine a signe of unfained repentance nor so availeable to the comfort of a sinners conscience as that is Of Iudas we reade that hee attained unto this that voluntarily not dragged to it
or for any of his judgements then must our originall sin this fountaine of corruption that wee have within us come into our remembrance to further us in our humiliation before God The keeping of fasts is no better then grosse hypocrisie and will but provoke the Lord further against our selves and all wee pray for if our soules bee not humbled and afflicted in us when we fast You know the fearefull sentence of God against such keepers of fasts Levit. 23.29 Whatsoever soule it bee that shall not bee afflicted in that same day hee shall bee cut off from among his people And the more wee can bee humbled in our fasts certainly the more hope we may have to prevaile with God in them He putteth his mouth in the dust saith the Church of an humbled sinner Lam. 3.29 if so bee there may bee hope As if hee had said if any thing will give him hope of mercy that will doe it And because so few keepe fasts with humbled soules even when they make so solemne profession of their humiliation before God and his people therefore see we so little fruit of our fasts now adayes But Gods people have now cause if ever to complaine unto God as they did Psal. 80.4 O Lord God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people Certainely God seemeth even to bee angry with the prayers of his people Yet must wee not give over our fasts and dayes of humiliation for God calleth us to fasting and prayer now if ever hee did Esay 22.12 But our care must bee to keepe our fasts with more humbled soules then wee have beene heretofore First Wee must be humbled for the tokens of Gods anger that are upon all the Churches and upon our owne land If ones father have spit in his face saith God to Moses Numb 12.14 should he not be ashamed Certainely our heavenly father hath spit upon our faces and disgraced us in the sight of all nations The Lion hath roared saith the Prophet Amos 3.8 who will not feare The Lord threatneth terrible things against this nation such as if we would give our selves leave seriously to think of would make the stoutest heart among us to quake and tremble And surely such as will seeme to keepe fasts and are not in their fasts affected with nor humbled for the judgements of God upon all the Churches especially upon our owne land are no better then gracelesse hipocrites Ier. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a a rock These are they that the Prophet speaketh of Esa. 29 15 18. Secondly We must be humbled in our fasts for the outragious sinnes that are committed every where specially such as our selves heare and know of When blasphemy was supposed to have beene spoken by Naboth against God and the King a fast was proclaimed in Iezreel for that 1 King 21.9 10. which doubtlesse Iezabel had learned from the example of Gods owne people that had beene wont to do so in such cases And the Apostle blameth the whole Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5.2 because they had not at all mourned for that foule incest that had beene committed among them What would he have done if so desperate a murder had beene committed there as was here the last weeke Certainely we should all mourne and be humbled for it and be glad we have opportunity to do it with fasting and prayer It is made a note of Gods people whom he will marke for himselfe and take care to provide for in times of common calamity Ezek. 9.4 that they are such as sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst of the place they live in If we cannot be humbled for the sins of the land of the place we live in certainely we can never be humbled aright for any judgements of God that are either presently upon us or threatned against us We read of Nehemiah that when he heard of the great affliction and reproach Gods people were in at Ierusalem Neh. 1.4 He wept and mourned certaine daies and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven But what was the thing that most humbled him in that fast Surely not so much the judgements whereby God shewed himselfe to be angry against Ierusalem as the sins of Ierusalem whereby it had provoked God unto this anger as you may perceive by the confession he maketh of their sins in the sixt and seaventh verses of that Chapter Thirdly We must in our fasts be humbled for our owne sinnes especially Thus is the humiliation of Gods people for sin set forth Ezek 7.16 They shall be on the mountaines as the doves of the valleyes all of them mourning every man for his iniquity And therefore also we ought in our fasts to call back into our remembrance the foulest and grosest of all the sins that ever we committed in our lives though they were done long ago Because the heart will sooner be brought unto remorse and sorrow by the remembrance of these then of smaller sins Remember and forget not saith Moses unto Israel Deut. 9.7 how thou provokest the Lord thy God in the wildernesse He that bringeth not to the fast an heart humbled for his owne sins that hath no sense of the beames that are or have beene in his owne eye as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 7.5 is but an hypocrite in pretending that he is humbled for the sins of the land Fourthly and lastly We must in our fasts be humbled for our originall sinne for the foule corruption of our nature So was David we see heere in this his solemne profession of repentance and humiliation he was humbled not onely for his adultery and murder but for the corruption of his nature also wherein he was conceived and borne yea more for that then for the other for he ascendeth in his confession as we have heard as to an higher step and degree of sin and setteth an Ecce before this Behold I was borne in iniquity c. Thus was Paul humbled even after his regeneration for this corruption of his nature It was no actuall sin no corruption that reigned in him or that he did obey in the lusts thereof that he complaineth so of and prayeth so against 2 Cor. 12.7 8. It was nothing els certainely but the corruption of his nature the motions and strong inclinations he found in himselfe unto some foule evill and this he said put his heart to that paine and anguish as a thorne in the flesh would put a mans body to This was that that made him cry out so of himselfe Rom. 7.24 Owretched man that I am this was that that he calleth his death who shall deliver me from the body of this death And why were David and Paul being in the state of grace and having no actuall sin in them that they had not repented of in whom
this naturall weakenesse there is a sinfull weakenesse also in the best of Gods children even weaknesse of faith which maketh them subject not to naturall feares onely but to sinfull feares also There is much lacking in their faith as the Apostle said of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 And this is a chiefe cause of all their feares Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 8.16 pointing at the chiefe cause of all our feare When are apt to doubt of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and who can choose but bee much disquieted in his heart with â—eare when he doubteth of Gods favour When the Prophet complained Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted he telleth us verse 14. what was the cause of those terrours he felt in himselfe Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me Hee could not be perswaded of Gods love hee thought God had cast him of And can you wonder then though his heart were full of terrour The second cause of these feares is the Lord himselfe Certainely his holy hand is to be acknowledged in this kinde of affliction as well as in any other These feares are therefore called the Lords terrours Psal. 88.15 and 2 Cor. 5.11 because they come from him And the Lord seeth it to bee good and profitable many waies for sundry of his servants to bee much exercised by them 1. This maketh them carefull by repentance to purge themselves from all their knowne sinnes So the Lord speaketh of the feare which they that travell by sea are in when they see the strange breaches which the whale by his rising doth make in the sea Iob 4â— 25 When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty and most stout hearted are afraid by reason of his breakings they purifie themselves As wee see the mariners that carryed Ionah did Ionah 1.5 The mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Every one sought to make his peace with God in the best manner that he could This effect wee know feare usually hath even in all men but much more certainely in Gods children 2. This keepeth them humble fearefull to sinne tractable and willing to obey God in all things This is also a naturall effect of feare to abate the pride of mans heart and to make it humble and tractible Put them in feare ô Lord saith David Psal. 9.20 that the nations may know themselves to bee but men Certainely if the Lord should not now and then visit them with inward terrours and gripes there be many in the world would even forget themselves to be men But this effect it hath in Gods children especially O that there were such a heart in them saith the Lord of his people Deut. 5.29 that they would feare me keepe my commandements alwaies As if he had said Now they are fearefull to offend me in any thing now they are willing to doe any thing I would have them as they protested verse 27. But when was that Surely when by seeing the law delivered in that terrible manner they were brought into a wonderfull feare 3. Lastly This prepareth them and maketh them fit to receive comfort from God Thus the Lord hath beene wont to prepare his servants whom he meant to give most comfort unto Before the Lord delivevered that large and comfortable promise unto Abram Gen. 15.13 21. it is said verse 12. Loe an horrour of great darknesse fell upon him Before Elijah could heare that still and small voice that spake so much comfort unto him concerning himselfe and the whole Church the Lord first affrighted him with a great and strong wind that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces and then by an earthquake and after that by a fire 1 King 19.11 12. hee deepely humbled him by feare and terrour first that he might prepare and make him fit to receive that comfort You see then that this may bee the case of them that are most upright hearted and such as truly love the Lord they may bee much subject to these feares And this is the first thing I told you I had to say for the comfort of such poore soules The second is this That it is not onely possible that thou maist love God unfeignedly though thou be so subject to these terrours but even while thou art in this case thou hast evident signes in thee that thou dost so and if thou couldst observe thine owne heart well thou wouldst be able to discerne that thou dost love God indeed For First Thou desirest Gods favour above all things in the world and no crosse afflicteth thy heart so much as this that thou thinkest thou hast lost it thou canst not be assured of it this is a certaine signe thou lovest him When the Churches diligence in seeking after Christ when she had lost him is described Cant. 2.1 4. she expresseth the cause that moved her so to seeke after him by calling him him whom her soule loved and this title she repeateth in every one of those verses Certainely if her soule had not dearely loved him she could not in that manner have sought after him So that this griefe and trouble thy heart is in because thou canst not be assured of Gods favour argueth plainely that thou art sicke of love as the Church saith she was Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 Thy love to God is the cause of thy sicknesse and griefe O how happy a thing would it be with many if they were sicke of this disease Secondly Thou darest not doe any thing that thou thinkest would offend God but makest conscience to doe his will therefore thou lovest God Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is hee that loveth me And 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements we could not els do it constantly nor conscionably Thirdly When thou hast through infirmity done any thing to offend God thou grievest unfeignedly and art troubled with it This argueth that thou lovest the Lord. It was love that made Mary Magdalen to weepe so abundantly for her sinnes as our Saviour testifieth of her Luke 7.47 And this was the onely thing whereby Peter did expresse that though he haâ— so shamefully denied Christ yet he loved him above all things when he had so offended hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Fourthly Thou lovest the Word and ordinances of God and the sincerity of his worship Therefore thou lovest God For the Lord calleth them that keepe the second commandement specially and above all others such as love him Exod. 20.6 And David professing himself Psal. 119 132. to be one of those that did love Gods name declareth it by no argument so much as by this throughout that Psalme even by that love hee bare unto and that delight hee tooke in the Word of God Fiftly thou lovest the children of God even because of the
thy Name Many that are such as of whom Christ himselfe will professe that he never knew them yet are confidently perswaded that they have good title unto him And there is no one thing that doth more dull and deaden mens appetite unto Christ and keepe them from hungring and thirsting after him and his righteousnesse then doth this perswasion that they have him already sure enough or at least they may have him when they list Christ dyed for all men say they and therefore I were a very beast if I should make any doubt of this that Christ died for me Know therfore beloved which is I assure you a matter of great importance for you all to know that it is a most dangerous delusion of Satan whereby men are perswaded that all men shall have benefit by Christ. No no the spirit of God teacheth us expresly the contrary in the holy Scriptures that all men shall not be the better for him but only a certaine choice and peculiar people Yee are a chosen generation saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.9 a peculiar people Nay the Scripture teacheth us that there be but a few in comparison that shall have any benefit by him And there are three evident reasons to prove this First the pardon that Christ hath purchased for men by his death all men shall not have their part in nor receive benefit by He was in the world saith the Evangelist Ioh. 1.10 and the world knew him not No this is appropriated to the Church of Christ only The people that dwell therein saith the Prophet Esa. 33.24 shalâ— be forgiven their iniquity And the Angell giveth this for the reason why he should be called Iesus Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus saith he for he shall save his people from their sinnes Hee is the Saviour of his body of his Church saith the Apostle Eph. 5.23 Now alas the Church of Christ is but a little flocke as himselfe calleth it Luk. 12 32. If the whole world were divided into thirty equall parts there would not bee found above five of them that doe so much as professe the name of Christ. And of those five the Papists and Protestants taken all together will not make three And of those three the number of the Papists whose persons I will not judge but their doctrines are damnable doth farre exceed the number of the Protestants So that you see if none but the Church of Christ shall have benefit by Christ the number of them that shall have benefit by Christ is but very small in comparison of them that shall have no benefit by him at all Secondly Not all that live in Christs Church and professe his true Religion shall have benefit by Christ. He came unto his owne saith the Evangelist Iohn 1.11 and his owne received him not There be but a few of them neither that shall have any benefit by him So that looke what the Apostle saith of Israel Rom. 9.27 may truly be said likewise of the whole Church of Christ and of such as professe the true Religion Though the number of them be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved And it is worth the observing how often and how plainly and how earnestly our Saviour himselfe was wont to presse this point in his preaching He taught his hearers in the parable of the sower Matth. 13. that this field of Christ where he is pleased to sow the seed of his word and Gospell hath foure sorts of ground in it and of those foure but one that is good Hee taught them in his Sermon on the Mount Mat. 7.14 That the way that leadeth unto life is a narrow way and that there be few that find it He taught them in the parable of them that were bidden to the Kings marriage feast Mat. 22.14 that even of them that were called to the profession of the truth by his owne gracious and powerfull Ministery there were but a few that were chosen And in the parable of the labourers that were hired to work in the Vineyard Matth. 20.16 he affirmeth the like of the state of his Church in time to come Many shall be called but few chosen As if hee had said Though the number of them that by any outward calling are brought to a profession of the truth may seeme to be great as indeed it is yet there be but a few even of them that make so good a profession that are chosen of God and consequently that are inwardly and effectually called and that shall bee saved and receive benefit by Christ. The Lord discribeth to us the course he is wont to take in calling his elect inwardly and effectually Ier. 3.14 I will take you one of a City and two of a family or tribe Thinke not beloved nor looke for it that every one that giveth his name to Christ and joyneth himselfe to Gods people and professeth the truth with much forwardnesse and zeale is inwardly and effectually called of God or shall have benefit by Christ. No no remember and forget not but thinke oft and seriously of that saying of Christ Many are called but few are chosen Thirdly Nay many that live in the Church of Christ and professe the true Religion are so farre from receiving benefit by Christ that they shall receive much hurt by him and shall have one day just cause to wish that he had never beene borne that hee had never dyed for sinners that they had never heard of him Behold saith old Simeon to the blessed Virgin Luk. 2.34 When hee had Christ in his armes Behold saith he as if he should have said It is a strange thing but yet a most certaine thing that I will tell thee Mary this child is set and appointed of God by an unchangeable decree as well for the fall as for the rising againe of many in Israel Hee is unto many in Israel to many that live in the true Church of God a stone of stumbling as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2.8 and a rocke of offence though not a cause yet an occasion of their utter ruine and perdition They would not have beene so lewd men as they are nor continued with that quietnesse and contentment of mind in many foule sinnes had it not beene for that that they have heard of Christ and for that confidence that they have in him that hee will pay all their scores and answere the justice of God for whatsoever they have done amisse But how can this bee will you say that there should be but a few that shall have benefit by Christ Seeing the Scripture saith expresly 1 Tim. 2.6 That he gave himselfe a ransome for all And Heb. 2.9 That he tasted death for every man and 1 Iohn 2.2 He is the propitiation not for our sinnes only but also for the sinnes of the whole world I answer That not to enter into the controversie of universall redemptino it is agreed on by all divines
thou art that art most bitter and violent of either side then art thou certainly thy selfe most wilfully blinde And I doe assure thee in the name of the Lord and by good warrant out of his word that if thou canst not unfeignedly love every one that truly feareth God whither he conforme or not conforme if thou canst not bewaile and strive against these hard conceits thou hast beene wont to entertaine against such thou canst have no comfort at all in thine owne estate before God Let there be no strife I pray thee saith Abraham unto Lot Gen. 13.8 betweene mee and thee for we are brethren And it is noted by the Holy Ghost Verse 7. for a circumstance that did much aggravate the sinne of Lot and the griefe of Abraham for that variance that the Cananite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land Certainely all that truly feare God are brethren And have not we Cananites and Perizzites enough in our land Papists and Atheists and profane persons that doe mortally hate us all that have any true feare of God in us and rejoyce much in our variances Or is the number of them that truly feare God so great that we must dishearten and weaken one another by nourishing heart burning and discord among our selves But the time will not permit me to enlarge my selfe in this point as I desire to doe I will therefore conclude my speech with the words of the Apostle Iam. 5.9 Grudge not one against another brethren lest yee be condemned Lecture CXLIV On Psalme 51.7 August 2. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second of those foure effects and fruits whereby a man may certainly know whether he hath the spirit of Christ and consequently whether he hath Christ and is by his death and obedience perfectly justified in the sight of God and that is constancy in Religion This is then the Doctrine that I am now to insist upon That he that hath the spirit of Christ in him will be constant in his Religion above all things Now before I give you the proofe of the point I must explaine first and prevent the mistaking of it by answering three questions and removing three doubts that may rise in your mindes against it First You may aske me Is it a certaine note of a man that hath the spirit of Christ to be constant in his religion I answer No unlesse it be the true Religion that he doth professe It is indeed a morall vertue and one of the best things that are to be found in a naturall man to be constant in his Religion be it true or false And so the Lord noteth it to be Ier. 2.10 11. Passe over the isles of Chittim and see and send unto Kedar and consider diligently and see of there be such a thing and to be found even among them hath a nation hath any nation changed their gods As if he should have said Hath not even the light of nature discovered thus much unto all nations that it is a shamefull and odious thing for a people to be variable and unconstant in their Religion But my people have changed their glory their Religion he meanes For this constancy in a mans Religion which he is perswaded is true though it be false argueth a zeale of God in him though it be not according unto knowledge And that the Apostle speaketh of you know Ro. 10.2 as of a good thing iâ— it selfe as of one of the best things that can be in a naturall man But yet this is no signe of grace no fruit of the spirit of Christ to be constant in an erroneous and false way It was no commendation either to Ieroboam himselfe or to Iehu or to any other of the Kings and people of Israel that they abode even to the dissolution of that state in that Religion that Ieroboam did at the first establish and would by no meanes be drawne to forsake it The children of Israel saith the Holy Ghost 2 King 17.22 walked in all the sinnes of Ieroboam that he did they departed not from them This constancy in their Religion is oft mentioned in the story to their great shame and reproach It is no praise at all nor signe of grace in a Papist or any other Heretick or Schismatick whatsoever that they have beene constant in their Religion even unto death It is not the punishment that a man indures but the cause for which he suffers that maketh him a Martyr It is not constancy but obstinacy in a man to abide so resolute and unmoveable in any errour as he will admit of no meanes that may informe him better to be like the aâ—afe Adder Psal. 58.4 5. that stoppeth her eare which will not hearken to the voice of the charmers charming never so wisely Yea it is not only a great sin but a fearefull judgement and curse of God too He hath blinded their eyes saith our blessed Saviour Ioh. 12.40 and hardned their hearts that they should not soe with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted and I should hâ—â—le them So that when I say constancy in Religion is a note of him that hath the spirit of Christ I meane constancy in the true Religion It is the cleaving to the truth of God that is such a note But then you will aske me secondly How shall I know in that great difference of opinions in Religion that is in the Church and that even among learned and good men too which is the truth Whether that that I hold and professe bee the truth that so I may constantly hold it and cleave unto it When our Saviour had said Ioh. 18.37 38. and it was that good confession that the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 saith he witnessed before Poncius Pilate to this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the truth Pilate said unto him what is truth And certainly wee have many now that were borne and bread in the Church that know no more what the truth is then Pilate did but like men utterly ignorant and unsetled in Religion are as ready to say as he he was What is truth Now to these men I answer with the words of our Saviour Ioh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth If that Religion that thou professest be no other then that which God hath taught thee in his holy word then is it doubtlesse the true Religion If thou holdest nothing in Religion but that thou canst warrant and prove by Gods Word then holdest thou the truth and thou must hold it fast and cleave constantly to it It is the word of truth Eph. 1.13 it can never deceive thee Thy testimonyes are very sure saith David Psalm 93.5 This sacred booke of the holy Scriptures and writings of the Prophets and Apostles is the foundation upon which God buildeth his Church as the Apostle teacheth us Eph. 2.20 If thou
by any authority of man hee did open penance and made publike and particular acknowledgement of his sin Matth. 2â— 3 4. but hee never had the grace to goe to God in secret and lay open his sins before him Secondly This publike confession of sin to a congregation is not of that absolute necessity that secret confession unto God is So that though we may boldly say no man hath truly repented nor can hope to find mercy with God that confesseth noâ— his sins unto God Prov. 28.13 Hee that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Yet can we not say but many a one whose sins have beene publike and notorious to the congregations where they have lived have truly repented of these sins and obtained assurance of the pardon of them though they never made publike confession of them unto the Church The sins of that woman of whom wee read Luke 7. were publike and notorious all the towne where she lived tooke notice what the lewdnes of her life had bin as appeareth verse 37.39 and that woman certainly did repent as appeareth by the teares that she out of love to Christ shed so aboundantly verse 38. and she attained also to sound assurance of the pardon of her sins for our Saviour giveth his word for that verse 48. and verse 50. telleth her her faith had saved her and biddeth her goe in peace Yet we find not that either she ever made publike confession to the congregation or that our Saviour enjoyned either her or that woman taken in adultery Iohn 8.11 or Zacheus Luke 19.9 or any other penitent sinner that he did convert to goe and make this publike confession of their sins which doubtlesse hee would have done if this had bin of absolute necessity and that without it there could bee no true repentance nor comfortable assurance gotten of the pardon of such publike and notorious sins Thirdly It is not fit and expedient that any should make or offer himselfe to make this publike confession of his sinne in the congregation that is not required to doe it by the discipline of the Church For all things in the Congregation should bee done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 And there are masters of the assemblies appointed of God Ecclesi 12.11 according to whose direction all things are to be ordered that are done in the publike assemblies and not according to the spirit and devotion of any private man And this may seeme to be the reason why our Saviour enjoyned not this publike confession unto those notorious sinners I told you of before because through the extreame corruption of those times and neglect of the discipline of the Church it was not required but growne out of use in those dayes All this notwithstanding the point I taught you doth remaine a certaine and undoubted truth that they whose sins are publike and notorious scandalous and offensive unto the congregation ought to be willing to confesse their sins publikly when they shall bee required to doe it by the discipline of the Church yea I say more they ought to desire that they may doe it they should desire to make their repentance as publike and notorious as their sinnes have beene The truth of this will appeare 1. By the practise of sundry of Gods servants 2. By the reasons that moved them to do it and upon which this their practise was grounded And for the first we have the example first of three publike persons two great Kings and an Apostle such as of all others were most bound to be tender of their reputation and good name such as because they were subject to no superiour power that could enjoyne it unto them tooke it upon themselves and did voluntarily make publike acknowledgements of their sins to the Church of God David was one of these Kings whose example we have in this Psalme And Solomon his son was another who after hee had fearefully and scandalously fallen made the booke called Ecclesiastes wherein hee doth as publikely professe his repentance to the whole Church as his father did in this Psalme The Apostle that did thus was blessed Paul who doth oft take occasion publikely to confesse his sinne This hee did before a great multiude Acts 22.4 I persecuted this way unto death binding and delivering into prisons both men and women Thus hee did againe in every solemne audience before Festus and Agrippa Actes 26.11 I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Thus hee did againe in that Epistle hee wrote unto the Corinthians 1 Corinthians 15.9 I am not worthy to bee called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God And in that to Timothy 1 Tim. 1.13.15 I was a blasphemer and a persecutor the chiefe of all sinners You see he cared not 1. How many witnesses he had of his confession and repentance 2. Nor what manner of persons they were great or small good or bad friends or enemies 3. He thought he could never make this publike confession too often 4. Nor that he could disgrace himselfe too much in it or speake too odiously of his sin And these are the three publike persons I told you of Wee have also an example of a private person which though it bee not of so great authority as the other three yet it is in this respect as fit as any of them to give us direction in this case because he made his publike profession of his repentance being enjoyned to doe it by the authority of the Church or rather by authority of the Apostle who gave order to the Church in this case by that Divine Commission and warrant hee had received from God This man I speake of was the incestuous person in Corinth who being for his scandalous sin censured excommunicated by the Church according to that direction the Apostle gave 1. Cor. 5.4 did give that satisfaction to the Church by the profession of his repentance as the Apostle was faine to intreat them to forgive and receive and comfort him as you may see 2. Cor. 2.6.8 Now the reasons that have moved Gods people thus to publish their repentance even before men for their publike and scandalous sins have bin principally three They have done it 1. Out of a respect unto God 2. Out of a respect unto themselves 3. Out of a respect unto other men First They have done this out of a respect unto God and his glory whom by their sin they have dishonoured This reason Ioshuah pressed Achan with Ioshuah 7.19 when he perswaded him to make open confession of his sin not onely to the Lord but also to him and to the whole congregation My sonne I pray thee give glory to the Lord God of Israel For as by our sinnes wee dishonour God specially by the sins committed in the Church 2 Samuel 12 14. and the more open
and notorious our sins are the more wee dishonour him Ezek. 24.7 8. Shee hath set her blood her bloudy sins upon the top of a rocke shee powred it not on the ground to cover it with dust that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance So by our repentance wee doe honour and glorifie God Phil. 1.11 All the fruits of righteousnesse are by Iesus Christ to the glory and prayse of God And the more open and notorious our repentance is the more is God honoured by it Matthew 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaven This consideration hath beene of great force to make Gods people forward unto this duty and hath armed them against the chiefe impediment that useth to hinder and keepe men from it that is to say the carnall respect to their credit and reputation among men When Michal had told David how hee had disgraced himselfe by leaping and dauncing before the Arke he answereth her 2 Samuel 6.21 22. It was before the Lord and I will bee more vile then thus and will bee base in mine owne sight and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I bee had in honour Two parts there are of his answer As if hee had said 1. What tellest thou mee of disgracing my selfe I did it in honour to God and to gaine honour to him I will bee willing to endure any disgrace among men 2. I know well that by disgracing my selfe in this kind I shall loose no manner of credite or reputation at all nay this is the only sure way unto true honour and reputation even with men For thus God hath bound himselfe by promise 1 Samuel 2.30 Those that honour mee I will honour And Luke 14.11 Hee that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted And that which our Saviour saith of our life may bee sayd also of our credite and good name Matthew 16.25 Whosoever will save his credite shall loose it and whosoever will loose this credite for my sake shall find it Secondly Gods people have bin thus forward to publish their repentance out of a respect they have had to themselves and to their owne comfort that so they might both have the better evidence to themselves of the unfeinednesse of their repentance and set it forward also and further it by their willingnesse to take shame upon themselves in this sort So that the thing that keepeth other men from it I will not confesse my sinne to the congregation saith hee because I will not shame and disgrace my selfe is a chiefe thing that draweth the true penitent to it I will therefore confesse my sin to the congregation saith hee because I will take shame upon my selfe For 1. No man hath truly repented that doth not judge himselfe worthy of shame and disgrace for his sinne This is the voice of the true penitent Daniel 9.7 O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face open shame And againe verse 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because wee have sinned against thee And the Apostle maketh this a note of true repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 when a man is willing to take revenge upon himselfe which is no way better done then by taking shame upon our selves in this sort 2. This shame is not only a signe of true repentance but a a great helpe and furtherance to the increase of it And therefore the Apostle speaking of the end he aimed at in enjoyning that publike penance to the incestuous person saith 1. Cor. 5.5 it was for the destruction of the flesh mortifying of his corruption that the spirit might bee saved in the day of the Lord. And surely this respect to themselves even to the peace and comfort of their owne consciences by testifying the truth of their repentance and furthering it this way hath mightily prevailed with many of Gods people to draw them even to a voluntary confession of their sins and profession of their repentance in publike This was it that drew Iohn Baptists hearers to it Matthew 3.6 and Pauls at Ephesus Acts 19.18 and in the time of the ten persecutions so many to publike confession that the Church was faine to make a law to restraine them from it They could not satisfie their consciences unlesse they had done it they found much peace in doing of it And this peace of God passeth all understanding as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 4.7 and is such a jewell as they that want it will not stand upon termes of reputation but will bee content to redeeme it with the losse of their reputation among men or with enduring any disgrace can be put upon them in the world Thirdly and lastly Gods people have beene willing to publish their repentance thus out of a respect they have had unto others And their respect to the Church they declare by it three wayes First In shewing their obedience to the Church that hath enjoyned them this duty Every member of the Church though hee were never so great a man is bound to submit himselfe unto the discipline of the Church and to shew himselfe obedient unto it in all lawfull things You know the commandement Hebr. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules and Matt. 18.17 If he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as an heathen man and a Publican Esteeme him no Christian no member of Christs Church that will not obey the Church in all lawfull things Secondly In shewing their care to edifie others by this their good example and to keepe them from sin For this open shame that is done unto sin hath great force to stay and terrifie others from sinning in the like kind Them that sin saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.20 he meaneth that sin scandalously and to the offence of others rebuke before all that others also may feare Thirdly and lastly In giving this way satisfaction to the Church for the wrong and offence they have done unto it No man may say in this case when his grosse sin is come to light and become notorious I have offended God by my sin and to him I will confesse it and humble my selfe and abuse the words of the Prophet here verse 4. Against thee thee alone have I sinned but as for the congregation I have done them no wrong nor no satisfaction will I give them For by sins of this nature not the Lord only but the Church and congregation wherein they are committed is wronged For 1. they give all Gods people just cause of griefe and feare Lots righteous soule was vexed from day to day by the sins of the place he lived in 2 Pet. 2.8 And the Apostle telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.2 that they ought to have mourned for the sin of the incestuous person And David complaineth Psal. 119.53 Horrour hath taken