his fatherly affection and loue in Christ more fully and cleerely to vs then hee had done to his Church vnder the Law Gal. 4. 3. 4 5. We when we were children were in bondage vnder the elements of the world But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law To redeeme them that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes From hence then we haue this Doctrine to learne That No man can worship God aright till he know God to be his Father the better a man is perswaded and assured of Gods fatherly loue to him in Christ the better seruice he shall doe vnto him Therefore our Sauiour teaching vs to pray bids vs say Our Father Matth. 6. 9. As if he should say presume not to aske any petition of God till thou canst so conceiue and be perswaded of him And the Apostle tells vs it is the spirit of adoption that makes vs able to pray and makes this the voice of the spirit of prayer it cryes Abba O Father Rom. 8. 15. Yea he makes it an impossible thing for any man to pray aright without this assurance Rom. 10. 14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued The reason of it is first because till we know God is our Father and Ioueth vs in Christ we cannot be assured that he will accept vs. When we know he is our Father in Christ it makes vs goe to him with boldnesse and confidence in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through faith in him Eph. 3. 12. I will arise and go to my father saith the Prodigall Luke 15. 18. and will say vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Though he had sinned so outragiously yet the consideration of this that it was his father he was to go vnto gaue him boldnesse It giues vs assurance that not withstanding our infirmities he will accept vs I will spare him and deale gently and indulgently with him saith the Lord Mal. 3. 17. as a man spareth his son that serueth him When the Prodigall was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15. 20. And nothing graceth our prayers more with God then this confidence and boldnes Let vs come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 16. But without this faith and perswasion that God is our Father we can haue no assurance that any thing we doe in his seruice pleaseth him without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And the best thing we doe in his seruice without this assurance that we please him in so doing is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly because till a man be perâ—…waded of Gods loue and fatherly affection towards him in Christ he can neuer serue him of loue nor with a good heart but vpon some by-respects vpon a seruile feare or hope of merit Heb. 10. 22. We can neuer draw neere to God with a true heart till we haue assurance of faith and our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience No man can truely loue God till he be perswaded by the spirit of Gods loue to him Wee loue God because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. true loue comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. And whatsoeuer seruice we doe to God vnlesse it proceed out of a good heart and from loue to God it cannot please him though a man should giue his body to be burned in Martyrdome yet if that proceed not from his loue to God it would profit him nothing 1. Corinthians 13. 3. For what man would accept of any seruice from him that hee knowes loues him not The Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to get good assurance to our hearts that God is our Father that he beares a fatherly affection to vs aboue all sinnes striue against infidelity Examine your selues whither yee bee in the faith prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13. 5. Many want this assurance and seeke it not many seeme to haue it and haue it not I will giue you foure notes to trie it by 1. God is a Father to no man but in and through Christ Iohn 1. 12. So many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Galathians 4. 5. Hee hath redeemed vs that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes so that vnlesse a man ground his assurance and confidence that God is his Father onely vpon Christ if hee ground it vpon this that God hath made him and preserued him c. his assurance is in vaine 2. He that is perswaded indeed that God is his Father will â—…adly and boldly resort to him in prayer Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. They that seldome pray or pray with no willingnesse and cheerefulnesse or pray with no confidence doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their father 3. He that is perswaded that God is his Father will not murmure against nor be put out of heart by any of Gods corrections but be perswaded of his loue euen in affliction according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 7. 9. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not And Rom. 15. 3. Being iustified by faith wee glory euen in tribulation They that in the time of their peace and prosperity onely are confident in Gods loue but haue no heart no comfort in affliction are not indeed perswaded that God is their Father 4. He that is indeed perswaded that the Lord beareth the affection of a Father vnto him will beare the affection of a childe vnto God will loue him and be carefull to please him fearefull to offend him Mal. 1. 6. If I bee your Father where is mine honour Heb. 10. 22. No drawing neere to God in assurance of faith till wee be sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies also They that haue no care to please God nor feare to offend him doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their Father Now come we to the principall Doctrine which our Sauiour teacheth vs in this place namely That the onely true worship of God the onely worship that pleaseth God now especially vnder the Gospell is that which is spirituall the worship that is proper to the Gospell the true Christian worship is spirituall For so saith our Sauiour here The houre commeth and now it is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth and againe They that worship
God he is a iealous God he will not forgiue your transgressions nor your sinnes durst neuer speake thus boldly and familiarly vnto God if they were not certaine of his fauour and of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes for that is the onely ground of this boldnesse and familiarity with God Heb. 10. 22. Let vs draw neare with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience 4. The fourth is willingnesse and desire to dye Faith freeth the heart from the feare of death and makes a man willing yea desirous to dye This we shall obserue in sundry of the Martyrs that when death hath come to them in his most ougly shape they haue not feared him but insulted ouer him and as Eliphaz saith Iob 5. 22. They haue laughed at destruction Thus Paul brings in the faithfull defying and insulting ouer death 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory verse 57. Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea they haue beene so farre from fearing death that they haue imbraced it when it came and desired it earnestly This we shall see in Simeon so soone as he had seene Christ he bursts out into this prayer vnto God Luk. 2. 29. Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy Word And Paul Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ which is best of all Yea he makes this the disposition of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 Therefore wee sigh as those that beare a great burden vers 4. desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen And indeed there is neuer a faithfull man but though he find in himselfe sometimes a feare of death yet before he goes from hence his Faith will free him from this feare and make him willing and desirous to dye marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37. 37. Now it were not possible the faithfull should thus be freed from the feare of death should thus desire to die seeing they know Heb. 2. 14. that Sathan hath the power of death and Heb. 9. 27. After death comes iudgement if they were not fully assured of their saluation and this reason the Apostle giues 2. Cor. 5. 6. 8. therefore we are alwaies confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Lecture the seuentie foure December 4. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLII I Haue already proued vnto you that by Faith a man may be assured and certainely perswaded of his saluation both by the confession of the faithfull and by the effects it workes in the heart that hath receiued it Now let vs vs come to the reasons why they that haue Faith may be so certaine and assured of their saluation yea cannot but be certaine of it And the first Reason is because this perswasion is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Word that cannot deceiue them therefore there is certainty in it May not a man be fully assured of that which he hath Gods Word for There is no such certainty in the knowledge that is gotten by sense obseruation experience or any other way as in that that is grounded vpon Gods Word â—…sal 93. 5. Thy testimonies are very sure saith Dauid Now the true beleeuer doth not build his perswasion vpon any deceiueable fancy but vpon Gods Word onely the Faith of the Elect is therefore called the Faith of truth 2. Thess. 2. 13. and the Word is called the Word of Faith Rom 10. 8. Therefore saith David speaking of the ground of his confidence Psal. â—…0 10. I will reioyce in God because of his Word in the Lord will I reioyce because of his Word And Psal. 130. 5. I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his Word If a man cannot proue by Gods Word that Christ dyed for him that his sinnes are forgiuen that he is one that shall be saued his perswasion of it is but a fancie it is no Faith he can haue no assurance or certainety of it specially in the time of tentation Saâ—…han will be beaten backe no way but by this sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. As Christ resisted him Matth. 4. 4. 7. 10. so must we But if a man can proue by the Word that Christ dyed for him that his sinnes are forgiuen him that he shall be saued then may he be fully assured indeed then shall he haue no cause to doubt of it Now God hath giuen vs his Word to assure vs of this and put vs out of doubt in this matter The Apostle makes this the reason why God made a new Couenant with vs abolished the Couenant of workes and gaue vs the Couenant of grace and promised eternall life vpon condition of Faith and not of workes that the promise might be sure to all the seede of Abraham Rom. 4. 16. Not sure in respect of God for so it was in the old Couenant but sure to the beleeuers And Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5. 13. These things haue I written to you that beleeue that you may know you haue eternall life And 1. Iohn 1. 4. These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be full Why but will you say who can bring any Word to proue that he shall be saued I answer that it is written that whosoeuer beleeues in Christ shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. And verse 36 He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And therefore he that can say he is sure he doth beleeue in Christ as euery faithfull man can hath Gods expresse Word to assure him that he shall be saued Now a man that hath Faith may by the fruits of it certainely know that he hath it indeed This is euident by 2. Corinthians 13. 5. Proue your selues whether yee are in the Faith examine your selues know you not your owne selues how that Christ Iesus is in you except yee be reprobates The second Reason why they that haue Faith may be so certaine of their saluation is because their Faith is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Spirit that cannot deceiue them 1. Iohn 2. 27. The annointing which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and it is truth and is no lye Now the Spirit of God is giuen to the faithfull to assure them of their saluation the spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom 8. 16. 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know that we are passed from death to life because we loue the brethren He that hath but that one grace may be sure of his saluation how much more he that hath many and more speciall graces of God Therefore the Spirit of God is called
CVIII LECTVRES UPON THE FOVRTH OF IOHN PREACHED At ASHEY-DELAZOVCH in Leicester-shire By that Late Faithfull and Worthy Minister of Iesus Christ. ARTHVR HILDERSAM The second Edition corrected and much enlarged by the Author 2. Tim. 3. ver 16 17. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished vnto euery good worke LONDON Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewster and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bible MDCXXXII TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRIE EARLE OF HVNTINGDON LORD HASTINGS HVNGERFORD BOTTREAVX MOLINS and MOYLES Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of LEICESTER and RVFLAND my very singular good LORD RIGHT HONOVRABLE THese Lectures which I haue for so many yeares kept by me and refused to let them see the light as iudging them both vnworthy in themselues to be brought into publike view and altogether needlesse also though they had beene much better in an age that doth so abound with all variety of excellent gifts both for preaching and writing I am now at length though the importunity of sundry that thinke better of them then my selfe could euer doe enforced to giue way that they may be published And this I haue done the more willingly that I might haue opportunity by this Dedication of them to giue publike testimony vnto the world of my duty and thankefulnesse vnto your Honour and vnto your Noble House vnto whom next vnder God I doe owe whatsoeuer poore abilities he hath beene pleased to giue vnto me for the seruice of his Church For as that noble Vncle of yours whom his wisedome and seruiceablenesse to his Prince and Country euen with the great neglect of his owne estate and family and specially his zealous care to promote the Gospell of Christ did make much more honourable then the noblenesse of this great birth could possibly doe did first maintaine me in the Vniuersity and after brought me to the exercise of my ministry in this place so haue I beene by the fauour and bounty of your noble Grandfather and of your Honour continued here now more then forty yeares And vnto your honour especially aboue all other men is thankes due for whatsoeuer benefit may redound to the Church by these Lectures because of that incouragement I did receiue from your Lordship in the preaching of them not only by your honourable beneficence in maintaining of me and confirming that vnto me which by the bounty of your noble Ancestors I did enioy but by that worthy example also you gaue vnto all my Auditory in your constant and diligent frequenting of them Which as you would neuer haue done if you had not liked them well or if you had heard any thing taught in them that did disagree with the Doctrine of our Church or that had any way tended vnto schisme or faction so haue you made me the more bold euen in this respect humbly to commend the patronage of them vnto your Honour Now the Lord of Lords who hath already made you truly honourable not by your Progenitors onely but by many noble endowments bestowed vpon your selfe and hath promised also to honour them that honour him continue and multiply all his graces and blessings vpon your Lordship and vpon your family to the increase of your present and euerlasting comfort through IESVS CHRIST So prayeth still Ashby-Delazouch Iune the first 16◅8 Your Honours to all duty and seruice euer most obliged ARTHVR HILDERSAM TO THE GODLY READER WHETHER MINISTER OR PRIVATE CHRISTIAN THis Booke which now at the length the good hand of God hath put into thy hand to reade deserueth a name in this kinde of writing to speake freely and at once what I truly iudge like one of the chiefe of Dauids Worthies not amongst the thirty but amongst the first three In reading most of the best Bookes extant the studious Reader is wont to select and transcribe the pith of such Notes as stand like Lights or Goades or Nailes in the body of the discourse and in the Spirit of the Writer But in this Booke to tell you what I find I find such variety of choice matter running throughout euery Veine of each discourse herein handled and carried along with such strength of sound and deepe Iudgement and with such Life and Power of an heauenly Spirit and withall expressed in such pithy and pregnant words of wisdome that I knew not what to select and what to omit vnlesse I should haue transcribed the whole Booke In the Authors manner of handling this Scripture Ministers shall obserue a double excellency i. e. An exemplary Patterne of Preaching in the euidence of the Spirit The euidence of the Spirit is shewen in discouering the hidden Treasures of the Graces of the Spirit partly breathing in the Scriptures which he either handleth of purpose or alledgeth occasionally partly flowing out of the abundance of the good treasure of his owne heart Both which manifested to the conscience of the Hearer do shine like a light in a darke place and do discouer both God to the Soule and the Soule in his owne feeling vnto God so that the Soule discerning the presence and Power of God is ready to cry out like Iacob Doubtlesse God is in this place this is no other but the Word of Life this is the gate of heauen Againe Ministers may further obserue in this Treatise an exemplary Patterne of reading and studying the Scriptures so as thereby to make a man of God perfect to euery worke of his Ministry For this Treatise euidenceth that this Author in reading the Scriptures hath so diligently pondered and searched out the true sence of the Holy Ghost and hath so wisely digested the knowledge and wisdome of the Scriptures to the clearing of euery Common-place and Doctrine of Religion that whether he speake to Explication or Application of any Text He fitly and fully amplifieth and presseth all from Scripture-grounds that you may at once both adore the perfection of God in the Scriptures making the Man of God perfect vnto euery good work and may also admire the dexterity and skill of a Scribe taught vnto the kingdome of God and bringing out of his treasure things both new and old When Schollers furnish themselues with store of other writers besides the Scriptures and being little conuersant in the Scriptures doe draw the Scriptures to the Authors whom they most affect and not their A◅thors to the Scriptures their Diuinity prooueth but Humanity and their Ministry speaketh to the braine but not to the conscience of the Hearer But he that diggeth all the Treasures of his knowledge and the grounds of Religion out of the Scriptures and maketh vse of other authors not for ostentatiō of himself nor for the ground of his faith nor for the principall ornament of his Ministry but for the better searching out of the deepe wisedome of the Scriptures such an
here opposed either vnto a false worship or vnto hypocrisie but vnto the ceremoniall worship So that in both these words one and the selfe same thing is vnderstood by our Sauiour and it is as if he should haue said the true worshippers now shall worship God without ceremonies Yet are neither of these words superfluous but as spirit is opposed to the ceremoniall worship as it was an externall and carnall worship so truth is opposed to it as it was full of shadowes and figures And thus is this word truth taken Dan. 7. 16. I asked him the truth of that is the meaning and that that was signified by all this so he told me and made mee the interpretation of the things All the ceremonies were shadowes Colos. 2. 7. The whole Tabernacle was a figure Heb. 9. 9. Yea Heb. 10. 1. The Law had the shadow of good things to come and not the very liue picture of them Now our Sauiour saith that the truth and substance of those things that were shadowed by the ceremoniall worship shall be in our worship vnder the Gospell We shall finde that the ceremonies were shadowes and figures not onely of Christ and of those good things we receiue by him but also of those graces and good things as should be in the faithfull the members of Christ. 1. Circumcision was but a shadow What was the truth and substance of it Surely the circumcising and cutting off by true mortification the corruption of the heart Rom. 2. 28. That is not circumcision which is outward as if he should say that was but a shadow then verse 29. Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter The Iew had but the shadow of circumcision euery true worshipper now hath the truth and substance of it 2. The casting of leauen out of all their houses in the feast of the Passeouer Exod. 12. 15. was but a shadow What was the truth and substance of it That they that would serue God with comfort and ioy must purge out the old leauen of malitiousnesse and wickednesse and keepe this feast with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth 1. Cor. 5. 7 8. The Iew had but the shadow of the Passeouer euery true worshipper now hath the substance of it 3. The Iewes had in their worship many propitiatory sacrifices for the obtaining of the remission of all kind of sinnes that they had committed against God Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of bloud there was no remission And the Law was that whosoeuer brought one of these sacrifices to God must in presenting it to be offered by the Priest put his hand vpon the head of it and leane vpon it or else it could not be accepted of the Lord for his attonement Leuit. 1. 4. And that when it was slaine by the Priest the blood of it must be sprinkled vpon the people Exod. 248. Now this was but a figure and a shadow what was the truth and substance of it Surely that no man euer shall haue Christs Sacrifice accepted of God for his attonement vnlesse by a liuely faith he can apply Christ vnto himselfe leaning and relying with confidence of heart vpon him vnlesse he be able to say this is my sacrifice this is he that hath borne my sinnes and my punishment as Gal. 2. 20. He hath loued me and giuen himselfe for mee And Esay 53. 4. Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes The blood of Christ will doe a man no good vnlesse it be sprinkled and applyed to his owne conscience by the Spirit of God 1. Pet. 1. 2. The Elect are to be saued through the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ which is therefore called the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. 4. They had also many Eucharisticall Sacrifices Sacrifices of thankesgiuing which were called Peace-offerings When they would solemnely professe their thankefulnesse to God for any blessing receiued they were wont to doe it by sacrifices and peace-offerings yea as the cause of their thanksgiuing did exceed so were they wont to exceede and abound in these Sacrifices So it is said of the people of God after their returne to Ierusalem out of their captiuity Neh. 12. 53. The same day they offered great Sacrifices and reioyced for God had giuen them great ioy And of Salomon it it is said that at the dedication of the Temple he offered a sacrifice of two and twenty thousand bullocks and an hundreth and twenty thousand sheepe 2. Chron. 7. 5. Now this manner of seruing God was but a figure and shadow What was the truth and substance of it Surely the spirituall sacrifices whereby Christians are to praise God and shew themselues thankefull vnto him for his mercies were figured and shadowed by those Sacrifices as namely 1. A contrite heart When a man out of the consideration of Gods mercy can vnfainedly repent and lament that he hath by his sinnes offended so good a Father this is a true Sacrifice of thanksgiuing Psal. 51. 17. the Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit 2. Obedience When a man can in thankefulnesse to God for his mercies sacrifice himselfe vnto God resigne himselfe wholly vnto his obedience and seruice this is a true sacrifice of thankesgiuing Romanes 11. 1 2. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you giue up your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God and fashion not your selues like vnto this world but bee you changed by the renewing of your mind 3. Prayer When a man can finde that the experience hee hath had of Gods goodnesse stirreth him vp to goe oft to God in prayer and so to depend vpon him for all good things this is a true sacrifice of thankesgiuing Heb. 13. 15. Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name And Psal. 116. When Dauid had said verse 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me He resolues himselfe verse 13. I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. And Psal. 50. When the Lord had shewed to the Iewes how small pleasure he took in all their sacrifices he sets downe verse 14 15. What are the true sacrifices of thankesgiuing which he delighted in Offer vnto God praise and pay thy vowes to the most high and call vpon me in the day of trouble 4. Good workes When a man in thankefulnesse and loue to God for all his mercies doth deale iustly and mercifully with all men for the Lords sake then offereth he to God a true sacrifice of thankesgiuing Heb. 13. 16. To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased So Paul calls the reliefe which the Philippians sent him when he was in prison at Rome An odour that smelled sweet a sacrifice