priesthood by being our Intercessor and Aduocate stil making intercession for vs at the right hand of his Father Rom. 8.34 and appearing for vs in heauen Heb. 9.24 Thus in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp prayers for vs Heb. 5.7 Ioh. 17.9 From his hand much incense mixed with the prayers of the Saints is offered to God Reuel 8.3 He therefore that hath this Christ hath life 1. Ioh 5.12 On him that beleeueth not his wrath abideth Ioh. 3.36 Our life is with God in Christ when Christ our glorie shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glorie Col. 3.3 4. By him we are heires of heauen Rom. 8.17 and are made meet to be inheriters with the Saints in glorie Col. 1.12 so that we may say with the Church in the Canticles 5. chap. 16. verse This is my beloued and this is my friend O ye daughters of Ierusalem that hath redeemed vs vnto God by his bloud out of euery kingdome tongue people and nation and hath made vs Kings and Priests to our God and we shall reigne on the earth Reuel 5.9 10. Come we now to the third argument Reason 3 drawne from the holy Ghost sanctifying vs and adorning vs with all sauing graces True noble men haue alwayes true noble spirits by which they are discerned from the base spirited vulgars so the holy people of God haue Gods Spirit giuen to them Luk. 11.13 Because they are children God sendeth his Spirit to them Galat. 4.6 the same Spirit that raised Christ from death Rom. 8.2 If any one hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Hence it is that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 and after our effectuall calling Christ is in vs except we be reprobates 2. Cor. 13.5 The works and effects of the holy Ghost in vs are foure This holy Spirit first sanctifieth and regenerateth vs being borne againe of water and of the Spirit Ioh. 5.7 and borne from aboue The word of truth Iam. 1.18 and the immortall seed of the word is the instrument hereof 1. Pet. 1.23 by which we are made cleane Ioh. 15.3 The Lord doth wash away the filth of the daughters of Ierusalem by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning Isay 4.4 by afflictions opening the eare Iob 33.16 and by fire purging the sonnes of Leui Mal. 3.3 This free Spirit affranchiseth them and sets them at libertie Psalme 51.12 from the bondage of sinne 2. Cor. 3.17 By this Spirit they crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts in this Spirit they liue and in this Spirit they walke Gal. 5.24 25. Secondly this Spirit beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 The Lord doth seale vs and giue vs the earnest of this Spirit 2. Cor. 1.22 by this Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance he sealeth vs till we fully enioy the same Ephes 1.13 14. and by this Spirit that dwelleth in vs we know that God abideth in vs 1. Ioh. 3.24 Thirdly the elect after their calling can boldly go to the throne of grace there finding grace and obtaining mercie in the time of need Heb. 4.16 yea by faith in Christ haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence Ephes 3.12 Gods children receiuing the Spirit of Adoption crie Abba Father Rom. 8.15 For this end God sendeth them the Spirit of his Sonne that they may call God Father Galat 4.6 Gods Spirit helping our infirmities teaching vs to pray Rom. 8.26 The Lord powres on his Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication prayers for the forgiuenesse of sinne Zac 12.10 Lastly this Spirit comforteth his in all distresses when our spirits faile God doth quicken vs by his good Spirit Psal 143.7 He will not haue our spirits faile before him Isay 57.16 Therefore Gods Spirit is called the Comforter Ioh. 14.16 and 15.26 and 16.7 The fourth reason is drawne from two honorable titles which are bestowed on the faithfull Reason 4 namely 1. Gods Church 2. Christs Spouse These holy men and women are called Mount Sion the Citie of the liuing God Heb 12.22 Segullah Gods choise treasure Exod. 19.5 A peculiar people Tit. 2.14 The visible congregations for the elects sake are called the assembly of Saints 1. Cor. 14.33 And God is called the King of Saints Reu. 15.3 These tabernacles are beautifull Psal 84.1 How goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thy tabernacles O Israel Num. 24.5 The Church is faire as the Moone cleare as the Sun terrible as an armie with banners Cant. 6.9 12. My heart did set me on the chariots of my noble people Ammi nadis of whom I thinke nobly people of good deuotions and noble resolutions Psalme 110.3 They are renewed in the spirit of their minds and haue put on the new man which is created in knowledge holinesse and righteousnes Ephes 4.23 24. Col. 3.10 The second honorable title is that the Church is called the Spouse of Christ At the Kings hand standeth the Queene in a garment of Ophir Psal 45.9 She is all glorious within verse 13. The bridegroom Christ in the fourth of the Canticles displayeth at large the honour and beautie of the Church and in Cant. 6.8 9. affirmeth that all the Queenes concubines and damosels did praise her being the only vndefiled of her mother Salomons mother sitteth at his right hand 1. King 2.19 so doth Christs Church being clothed with the Sunne of righteousnesse the light of the Moone at her feete and a crowne of twelue starres at her head Reuelat. 12.1 Mal. 4.2 In this world Christ calleth her Chephsibah My delight is in her Isay 62.4 Here she is Ladie Sarah with her bond-woman Hagar attending on her Gal. 4.22 Gen. 2.19 How honorable shall she be in heauen when she shall be presented to God without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 The fift argument is thus framed Noble-men haue vsually great inheritances Reason 5 large possessions rich offices or liue on the bountie of their noble friends and allies The faithfull in this respect sing with Dauid The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I haue a goodly heritage Psal 16.5 6. By Christ we are interested in an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fadeth not away but is reserued for vs in heauen 1. Pet. 1.4 This better then the blessings of Iudahs wine Asers fatnesse or Ephraims dewes Gen. 49. â— â—0 25. Whether things present or things to come all are ours in Christ 1. Cor. 3.22 23. by him we are ioynt heires Rom 17. by him we attaine to an inheritance with the Saints in life Coloss 1.2 The sixt reason prouing the exccellent state of Gods children Reason 6 is drawn from the honorable guard and retinue waiting on them First God himselfe keepeth his Israel and neither slumbreth nor slee peth Psal 121.4 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth
as we learne from Christ Luke 14.7 both teaching inward humilitie and outward courtesie in not seeking the highest place at feasts thereby to preserue our credit Now in the perswading to true holinesse and righteousnesse the holy Ghost vseth these two chiefe motiues First he sheweth the excellencie of the knowledge and feare of God in it owne nature Secondly the good effect of it making the godly and righteous truly happie as in this my text the righteous Zadick righteousnes is either attributed to God as he is in himselfe simply iust and infinitely good Math. 19.17 so in the Angels song Isay 6.3 he is proclaimed thrice Holy rather to proue his infinite holinesse then the trinitie of the persons Secondly righteousnesse is applied to God because he doth impute vnto vs Christs righteousnes Rom. 10.3.26 2. Cor. 5.21 Secondly Christ our Mediator is called Gods righteous seruant Isay 53.2 and Zach 9.9 Sions righteous King and Acts 4.27 Gods righteous Child the immaculate Lambe of God 1. Pet. 1.19 Thirdly the Angels and soules in heauen are called holy and iust Math 25.31 Heb. 12.23 But my text speaketh not of these but of a righteous man in this life excelling his wicked neighbour And the truly conuerted Christian is called righteous First in regard of Christs righteousnesse imputed to him Isay 50.8 He is neere that doth iustifie me He doth iustifie the wicked Rom. 3.26 who being iust by faith liueth Rom. 1.17 Secondly we are iust in regard of infused graces and renewed obedience And the word righteousnesse ioyned with holinesse is strictly taken for the duties of the second Table Luk. 1.74 Seruing God in holiness and righteousnesse Sometimes it signifieth both pietie and charitie yea all the duties of the first and second Table so Noah is called righteous Genes 6.9 Of both these righteousnesses first Christs imputed and ours wrought by Gods Spirit and word faith is an instrument for Rom. 1.18 The iust by faith liueth and Acts 15.9 The Gentiles heart was purified by faith and Acts 26.18 They are also sanctified by faith in Christ â—ather commeth of a verbe sometime signifying to abound so the French hath it A plus de resie and the note is more liberall in gifts but the clause following ouerthroweth this sence Sometime it signifieth to remaine Eccles 1.13 Mahijthron What remaineth Iunius hath it What profit is there of all the labours But in my text it signifieth to excell as Gen. 49.3 iether seeth veiethur gnazi Excellencie of dignitie and my strength altogether thou shalt not be excellent The last word reugth signifieth a friend a companion but here a neighbour A man iustified by faith sanctified by Gods Spirit is more excellent then his wicked neighbour You shall haue the sence of the other clause hereafter My text containeth in it two propositions first The righteous man is more excellent then his wicked neighbour The second The prosperous way of the wicked maketh him to erre both in iudgement and in course of life The first proposition teacheth Doctr. that An holy and religious man truly fearing God by the sentence of God and iudgement of the Church is more excellent then his irreligious neighbour though neuer so great in the eye of the world More briefly these two Doctrines First The godly man is truly honorable Secondly The wicked man is truly base That this may not seeme like some of Tullies paradoxes affirming that the wise man is only free the wise man is onely rich let vs first heare what God saith to the commendation of the righteous what in the second place he speaketh to the disgrace of wicked men and note here with me that here is the figure Meiosis lesse spoken then is meant For the Scripture here intendeth that the child of God is truly honorable and the childe of the diuell truly base like to that phrase Eccles 13. Wisedome excelleth folly as light excelleth darknesse Light is good darknesse naught so wicked men are base godly men are honorable In Isay 4.5 the Lord promiseth a couering defence to all the glorie that is emphatically to all the glorious people of God Honorable things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God Psa 87.3 The beleeuers true worshippers of God are called Gods secret ones Psal 83.3 Gods people are termed Se gullah Gods choise and chiefe treasure Exo. 19.5 and Laos periousios A peculiar people Tit. 2.14 The Bereans gladly entertaining the Gospel are styled Eugenesteroi more honorable then others that did not so readily receiue the word Acts 17.2 There are threescore Queenes and fourescore concubines and virgins without number My Doue my vndefiled is but one the onely one of her mother she is the choise one of her that bare her the daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queenes and concubines praised her Cant. 6.8 Now this that is spoken of the whole Church and Spouse of Christ must be vnderstood of the glorious estate of euery holy beleeuer who excelleth in vertue and is a true Saint here on earth Psal 16.2 And for this cause glorification signifieth both present holinesse and future glorie Rom. 8.39 This causeth the Spirit of God to preferre a poore childe walking in vprightnesse before an old vnwise King Eccles 4.13 But when he that ruleth ouer men is iust and ruleth in the feare of God as Dauid did 2. Sam. 23.3 then he is in honour another Solomon 1. King 3.13 who had not his peere for true honour all his dayes of whose royaltie Christ speaketh Mat. 6.33 When a King reigneth in righteousnesse and Princes rule in iudgement Isay 32.1 when the King is the son of Nobles and Princes eate in due time for strength and not for drunkennesse Eccles 10.17 then the land is not onely blessed but these great men may truly be styled as Abraham was by the Hittite mightie Princes yea the Princes of God after the Scripture phrase Gen. 23.6 Now the great Magor the great Turk the Cham of Tartarie with the rich Chinaes liuing in Heathenisme disgracefully thinking and speaking of our truly noble Christian Princes vnder the name of pettie Princes of Christendome are like Nabal who according to his name was a foolish base creature and yet could speake basely of Dauid Who is the sonne of Ishai 1. Sam. 25.10 The vassals also of Antichrist can write and speake disgracefully of Gods annointed ones who haue shaken off the Popes yoke like Shimei who to our Dauids are but dead dogs 2. Sam. 16.7 8 9. As righteous Lot was more worthy then all Sodom 2. Pet. 3.7 as Lazarus his estate was better then rich Diues Luk. 16.22 23. yea Iohn Baptist in prison more happie then incestuous Herod Mark 6.20 so still are Gods children more honorable then the diuels To conclude therefore the first kinde of proofe drawne from the consent of the Scripture and to hasten to variable arguments drawne out of the Scripture let all men know that the true knowledge and feare of God bringeth credit
is destruction Like the broad way and wide gate that Christ spake of Mat. 7.13 Like a faire greene land leading a traueller out of his way and casting him to the hands of theeues Because they haue no changes they feare not God Psal 73.20 This caused Christ Mat. 13.22 to giue this epithete to riches deceitfulness of riches because they do deceiue men falsly perswading them that they make them happie when Salomon telleth Pro. 1.33 that the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them The first reason proouing that prosperitie doth deceiue the wicked shall be this Reason 1 If Gods childrens feete be almost gone and their steps do well neereslide in seeing the prosperitie of the wicked Psal 73.1 2. and if the people do turne in hither because waters of a full cup are wrung out to these wicked and if the godly in their weaknesse do hereat say I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocencie and if the righteous are onely at this for feare of condemning the generation of the righteous and cannot be fully strengthened against this temptation till they go into the Sanctuarie of God to see how these wicked are set in slipperie places and thence come to sudden and fearfull ruine Psal 73.12 13 14 15 16 17. how can it be but that the wicked themselues not armed against these temptations do blesse themselues in their outward estate hauing their portion onely in this world Psal 17.14 The second reason standeth thus Reason 2 Riches to a wicked man is an idol and therefore the couetous is called an Idolater Eph. 5.5 a teacher of lies Hab. 2.18 Now the rich mans wealth is is strong citie and is an high wall in his conceit Prou. 18.11 But in the verse immediatly aforegoing Salomon telleth that the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth to it and are safe where the Antithesis doth teach vs that as the righteous trust in God and are safe so wicked men trust in their god Mammon and perish when their riches becometh a broken reed in their hands Isay 31.3 Though he snuffeth at men and say in his heart I shall neuer be moued Psa 10.5 6. yet by the miserable euents they find themselues deceiued and as other idolaters haue fed on ashes and a seduced heart hath turned them aside I say 44.20 that they cannot deliuer their owne soules nor say Is there not a lie in my right hand All idolaters are like the distempered stomacke of a woman with childe or yong children who will eate chalke and coales and lime out of the wall Whoredome women and new wine take away mens hearts when they ask counsell of their stocks and their staffe teacheth them the spirit of fornication causeth men to erre Hos 4.11 12. So the god Mammon in whom these men trust in stead of God Mat. 6.24 deceiueth them of all spiritual sence and vnderstanding Some do to this purpose interprete that of Paul to Timothy 1. Tim. 6.5 Men destitute of truth doe take gaine to be godlinesse or with Simon Magus would make gaine of a shew of godlinesse Acts 8.19 20. If couetousnesse be the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.19 then if this blind error which possesseth many Nabals with vs who haue neither the knowledge nor power of godlinesse yet do thinke themselues godly because they are rich and other good men to be irreligious because they be poore like the Pharisees Ioh. 7.49 these beggars know not the law and are cursed The third reason is this Reason 3 because the nature and qualitie of prosperitie vnsanctified becometh a snare Psal 69.22 it maketh them high minded causth them to trust in these vncertaine riches and not in the liuing God who giueth all things richly to enioy 1. Tim. 6.17 Thus with Pharaoh they say in their hearts who is the Lord that I should obey him I know not the Lord Exod. 5.2 They bid God depart from them they will learne none of his wayes Iob 21.14 and with Nabal to puffe at Gods poore children 1. Sam. 25.10 Who is Dauid who is the sonne of Ishai we haue too many of these runnagate beggers but yet after ver 37 38. when God smote him his heart was dead as a stone and so he went fullenly to his graue as a hog drinking in his blood or as a slaine man secretly in a cloakbag cast into Thames Lastly besides this dotage making them thinke that their houses shall continue for euer Psal 49.11.18 the flatteries of 〈◊〉 people doth much confirme their folly As long as thou doest good to thy selfe men will speake well of thee Liue thou and speake like the Epicure soule Thou hast enough laid vp in store for many yeares cate drinke and be merry like Sardinapalus or Eligabalus as I ate so much I had saying Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Esay 22.13 Weare silke fare deliciously euery day like an oxe fatting thy selfe to the day of slaughter go speedily to hell Luk. 16.19 yet flatterers will say Your Worship is wise what should you doe but iocundare cum amicis and spend your time in pleasures How easily will these vaine flatteries worke on foolish rich men who with Adam follow vaine inuentions Eccles 7.31 who become vaine in their imaginations whose foolish heart is darknesse Rom. 1.21 that walke in the vanitie of their mindes hauing their cogitations darkened Eph. 4.17 18. who labour to extinguish the remainder of the light of nature withholding the truth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 Hence the idolatrie of riches the snare of riches the flatterie of wretches increase in worldly rich men this their frenzie the deceitfulnesse of mens hearts Ier. 17.9 the deceitfulnesse of riches Mat. 13.22 the whole world lying in sinne 1. Ioh. 5.19 where is to be found nothing but these lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes the pride of life 1. Ioh. 2.15 drawing men to folly and sinne and when the diuell the god of this world doth hoodwinke these mens eyes that they cannot see beleeue and be saued 2. Corinth 4.3 4. First vse 1 let this instruct thee not to maruell to see so many rich men fatted against the day of slaughter who vpon a false perswasion go merily to hell as the oxe to the shambles like a foole to the stocks Prou. 7.22 they flatter themselues in their wickednes till their abhominations to be hated are found out Psal 36.2 Thus their wayes shew their folly yet their posteritie approue their saying Psal 49.13 These mens wealth foolisheth them as blind zeale doth a Papist Acts 13.50 who thinke to serue God in persecuting his Church Ioh. 16.2 Secondly Vse 2 let me hence exhort these seduced soules not to trust in vanitie lest vanitie be their recompence Iob 15.31 Oh trust not in robberie if riches increase set not your hearts on them Psal 62.10 Let not your hearts be ouercome with the care of this life Luk. 21.34 Thirdly Vse 3 O