serve to be spoken of the first duty that is to be performed by us in this case The second thing we must doe is this when we have prayed long and have received no answer from God This must not discourage us nor cause us to give over praying but we must pray still for all that Continue in prayer saith the Apostle Col 4.2 Ephes. 6.18 Pray alwaies watching thereunto with all perseverance To this end our Saviour gave us the parable of the unrighteous judge and the widow to teach us that we ought to persevere in prayer and not waxe faint Luke 18.1 When the woman of Canaan had cryed unto Christ for mercy and he answered her not a word Mat. 15.23 that did not discourage her but she prayed and cryed still to him for all that Marke what effectuall motives the Scripture giveth us to perswade us unto this First it is a duty and service God requireth of us that in all our necessities and the necessities of our brethren we should seeke unto him nay there is no duty more often and more strictly pressed upon us in the Word then this 1 Thess. 5.17 Pray without ceasing Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made knowne unto God That which God commandeth we must do though we see no likelyhood that any good will come of it yea that is the best obedience of all others God commandeth Abraham to sacrifice his owne sonne and he obeyeth Gen. 22.3 and Mordecâ—i openly to deny to Haman the Kings favourite that honour that all other men did unto him and he obeyeth Est. 3.2.5 What good could either of them hope would come of this Surely none at all but the contrary yet in obedience unto God they both did that that was injoyned them It belongeth to us to pray to heare and give answer to our prayers that belongeth unto God we must do our part and duty and leave to the Lord that that belongeth to him We must in this case say as Ioab doth in another case 2 Sam. 10.12 Be of good courage and let us play the men and the Lord doe that which seemeth good unto him And certainely even this the doing of our duty in obedience unto God will yeeld us much comfort though we get no other good by our prayers So saith Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 that the testimony that his conscience gave him that he had done his duty was his rejoycing So that a Christian in this case hath just cause to say though I have long begged such a thing of God and have not obtained it yet I thanke God that in conscience of my duty and in obedience unto God I have prayed and can pray for it still Secondly we may be sure that though God do not grant us the things wee pray for yet he is well pleased with this that we do pray and persevere in prayer 1. He useth to take speciall notice of them that pray and of every prayer that his children make Acts 9.11 Arise Ananias and go to Saul for behold he prayeth 2. Yea he taketh great pleasure in them they are compared to sweet odours Rev. 5.8 and that sweet incense that was used in the Temple Psal. 141.2 To whom are they so sweet Who accounts so of them Surely not themselves but the Lord. 3. Yea he will doubtlesse at one time or other reward and that openly so as not themselves onely but others shall take notice of it every prayer that any faithfull soule poureth out unto him Mat. 6.6 Enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Thirdly Wee may bee sure that as the Lord doth heare and regard every prayer we doe make so he will certainely give us a gracious answer in due time 1. No tender mother is so wakefull and apt to heare her infant when it cryeth as the Lord is to heare his children whensoever they cry unto him Psal. 34.15 His eares are alwaies open to their cry and 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 2. And as he is apt to heare so is he to give answer and to grant the suits of his children Sometimes he hath done it so soone as ever they had done their prayer as Act 4.31 When they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all â—illed with the Holy Ghost Sometimes before they had done praying Dan. 9.20 â—1 While I was speaking and praying yea while I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel came c. Somtimes before they could speake a word when it was but in the purpose of their hearts to pray God hath prevented them and granted them that that he knew they would have begged of him Esa. 65.24 Before they call I will answer 3. Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to grant us whatsoever we aske that is good for us 2 Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Ps. 145.19 He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Esa. â—0 19 He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee 1 Iob. 5.14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us And if we know that he heare us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Vpon these promises we may safely build our assurance that in praying we shall not beate the aire and loose our labour an answer will come in due time Esa. 45.19 I said not to the seed of Iacob seeke ye me in vaine God would never by so many commandements have injoyned us this duty and by so many promises allured us to it if he had meant we should have lost our labour in it Fourthly and lastly it becomes us to wait the Lords leasure and wee shall loose nothing by doing so Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast saith the Prophet Esa. 28.16 He that beleeveth these promises you have heard of will be content to tarry the Lords leasure It becomes not us to appoiâ—t the Lord his time when he shall answer us nor the meanes how he shall helpe us Beggers must be no choosers It is noted for one of the chiefe sins of the Iewes that they limited the holy one of Israel Ps. 78 41. There are divers waâ—es whereby men take upon them to limit the Lord and this is one Who will appoint me the time saith the Lord Ier. 49.19 It becomes us I say to wait and attend upon the Lord. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him saith David Ps 37.7 And Lam. 3.6 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. That speech of Iehoram 2 King
admit of no duty to be enjoyned us but that which is easie we must never looke to come to heaven Wee know who it was that said Matth. 7.14 Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it And though it be an evill temper and constitution of the body to be too tender yet cannot the conscience be too tender the best temper and constitution of the conscience is to be sensible of the least sin Keepe my law saith the Lord Proverbs 7.2 as the apple of thine eye The conscience of Gods child towards Gods commandements is as tender a thing as the apple of the eye the least thing will offend it 2. This precisenes in making conscience of the least sin will not make a Christian life wearisome and uncomfortable unto him nay it is the onely way to make our lives comfortable unto us indeed if we could bring our hearts to this to make conscience of the least sin It is a certaine truth which Solomon speaketh of all the wayes of true piety Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace Certainly every yoke of Christ is easie and every burden that he layeth upon us is light as he telleth us that cannot deceive us Matth. 11.30 His commandements are not grievous saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.3 The strictnesse and precisenesse of obedience that the Lord requireth of us in this case is not a legall strictnesse and precisenesse of obedience but an Evangelicall 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted God requireth no more of us but that we wittingly give not our selves liberty in the least sin but that we doe our unfeined endeavour to keepe our selves from the least sin and not to suffer the least of our corruptions to passe without a censure no not a thought no not a dreame that favoureth of corruption as it appeareth by the equitie of that law which wee find Deuteron 23.10 11. This precisenesse and nothing without this will give us assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts and this assurance will breed that peace and soundnesse of joy in us as nothing in the world besides is able to doe So it is said of the people in Davids time 1 Chron. 29.9 The people rejoyced for that they had offered willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly This is that that worketh true confidence and security in the conscience of a Christian as David speaketh Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandements Such need not feare their sins nor the curse of the law due to sin For against such there is no law as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.23 The fourth and last use that this doctrine serveth unto is for reproofe of such as blame many of Gods servāts for nothing more then this that they are so precise in trifles in matters of very small moment This they taxe them for as for a very foule fault They love say they to be singular and to shew themselves more holy then all other men in matters of nothing Forsooth they will not do as other men do Nay they will not speake as other men speake O they may not sweare no not by faith troth This ridiculous precisenes in toyes trifles say they we cannot abide And this is certainly one chiefe ground of all the contempt hatred that most men do beare unto the servants of God they esteem us all to be no better then hypocrites because of this Now unto these men I have three things to say 1. That there is a kind of precisenes in smal matters that is indeed to be blamed as a certain note of hypocrisie 2 That all precisenes is not so 3. How men should carry themselves towards such as they so much mislike And for the first I will give you two notes to try it by 1. Why men are strict and precise and place religion and holinesse in such things as God hath given no such commandement nor direction for in his word The strictnesse and precisenesse of the Pharisees in observing their purifications our Saviour calleth hypocrisie because they had no ground for their conscience therein but onely the commandement and traditions of men Matth. 7.6 7. The precisenesse of the Papists in keeping their Lent and abstaining from meat upon opinion of holinesse the Apostle calleth hypocrisie because there is no warrant for it in the Word For every creature of God is sanctified and the use of it allowed unto us by the Word 1 Timothy 4.2.5 And certainly there are a world of such Popish hypocrites that are exceedingly scrupulous and precise and zealous in observing the traditions of men that doe observe sundry rites and customes of the Church not onely out of obedience to the authority whereby they are enjoyned but even out of conscience to the things themselves and perswasion that neither of the Sacraments would doe them or their children good if they should be received without those ceremonies that the Church hath enjoyned their feare towards God is taught by the precepts of men as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 29.13 that will urge and presse their ministers much more for the observation of these things then either for preaching or any other dutie of his ministery that God hath enjoyned him These precisians are grosse hypocrites certainely 2. Admit we have a commandement of God against these things that we are so scrupulous and precise in yet if we make more conscience of the commandements of God touching these smaller things then we doe of the greatest and weightiest of them this is also a certaine note of an hypocrite For so our Saviour proveth the Pharisees to be hypocrites because they were so precise in tithing of Mint and Annise and Cummin which yet they had a commandement from God to doe and yet omitted the weightier matters of the law as judgement and mercy and fidelity they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camell Mat. 23.23 24. And this is the first thing I have to say unto these men there is a kind of precisenesse in small matters that is no better then hypocrisie Secondly I say that all precisenes even in small matters is not hypocrisie It is no folly nor fault in a Christian to be precise in avoiding and making conscience of the least thing that God hath forbidden us Nay it is certainly the fault of the best of us that we are not so strict and precise that way as we ought to be This I will make plaine unto you both by examples and by precepts The examples are three Daniel was precise even in a matter of ceremony Dan. 1.8 H◠purposed in his heart that he would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meate Our Saviour was so precise even in a matter of circumstance in Gods worship as that because God had commanded the passeover should bee
poore services be as a sacrifice of a most sweet smelling savour unto God Lecture LXXIII on Psalme 51.5 Octob. 30. 1627. THis point may not be passed over without some application And it is to bee applied 1. By way of prevention unto carnall and wicked men who are apt to draw that comfort unto themselves from it that belongeth not unto them 2. By way of incouragement unto the people of God who receive not that comfort from it that they ought to doe First Many a carnall man is apt to stumble at this Doctrine and to blesse himselfe in his grosse sins by it after this manner The Lord saith he you see is not so strict and rigorous as to marke every thing that his people doe amisse hee is apt wee heare to passe by their slips and infirmities but the good things they doe at any time those hee taketh notice of and remembreth and taketh delight in and will undoubtedly reward And therefore saith hee why should my slips and infirmities disquiet mee And what are these slips and infirmities I pray you that he speaketh of Surely swearing ordinarily making himselfe merry now and then with deriding religion and good men breaking the Sabbath wantonnesse drunkennesse and such like Why should I saith hee suffer my mind to be troubled for these things Nay why should I not rather comfort my selfe and rejoyce in those good things I doe For I thanke God I am no Papist but professe the true religion I goe to Church I pray I heare the Word and receive the Sacrament I give to the poore I make conscience of my word I doe no man wrong And these are things I know that God liketh and delighteth in This was just the presumptuous conceit and perswasion of that Pharisee our Saviour speaketh of Luke 18.11 12. And certainly the world is full of such Pharisees even in these dayes Now to beat downe the presumption of these Pharisees I have three things to say First Consider who they are that the Lord standeth so graciously affected unto whose slips and infirmities hee useth thus to winke at whose imperfect services hee is wont thus to delight in and reward Not every one but such onely as are in Christ. Such onely are his children by adoption and grace But what is that to thee Seeing it is certaine thou art not in Christ. Because thou walkest and goest on impenitently in knowne sinnes There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Rom. 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus But who are they Hee answereth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit It is certaine thou art not the child of God because thou art not led by the spirit of God For so saith the Apostle likewise Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and none but they Secondly Admit thou wert the child of God admit thou wert in Christ yet could not God beare with such faults as thine are nor take in good part such service as thou usest to doe unto him The Lord hath promised Mat. 3.17 To spare and beare with his children as a man spareth his son that serveth him In those good duties wherein he seeth our heart is set to serve him he wil beare with many defects and failings But he will not beare with the dearest child he hath in any grosse sinne Did he beare with David when he fell to adultery No no he beat him so sore for it as David complaineth heere ver 8. that he brake his bones with beating of him For such sinnes God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints especially as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 89.7 Nay I say more the Lord will not passe by nor winke at in the dearest child he hath those very defects and failings that are in their best duties if they be reigning corruptions and not infirmities that is if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for Therefore we are required in doing of good duties to watch and observe our owne hearts Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith the Apostle Colos. 4.2 And to strive against our owne corruptions therein Strive with me and for me in prayer saith he Romanes 15.30 And to bewaile unto God our failings in them Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy saith Nehemiah 13.22 And if God will not winke at such faults as thine are in his dearest children canst thou hope that he will winke at them in thee that art still a child of wrath If God will not accept of the services that his dearest children doe unto him unlesse they be sensible of those corruptions wherewith they are stained canst thou hope that he will accept of thine And what talkest thou of thy serving of God or of any good thing that ever thou didst Alas thou couldest never serve God nor doe any good thing in thy life That which the Prophet saith Ieremie 6.10 of such as thou art their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken thou couldst never in thy life heare one Sermon to any purpose the same may be said of all other duties of Gods service thou couldst never pray nor receive the Sacrament in thy life Yee cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshuah 24.19 to them that lived in idolatry And that which I say of the duties of Gods worship the same I say likewise of all other good workes Thou never didst worke of mercy in thy life thou didst never make conscience of dealing justly and truly with thy neighbour Matthew 12.34 How can ye being evill speake good things Luke 6.43 A corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit They that professe that they know God saith the Apostle Titus 1.16 but in their workes denie him being abominable and disobedient are reprobate unto every good worke The good things that such men seeme to doe are not onely defective in the manner or in the measure or in matter of circumstance as the best workes of the faithfull may be but they are utterly void of that which is the very substance and that giveth life and being to a good worke that is faith that worketh by love Gal. 5 6. The third and last thing I have to say to this man is this Thou not being Gods child nor being in Christ but living in the state of impenitency as thou dost and continuing therein shalt find the Lord every whit as austere and rigorous towards thee as he is indulgent and gracious towards his owne children This will appeare in three points First Though he beare with so many faults and frailties in his own children he will not beare with the least fault in thee But thou shalt give account even for every idle word that thou hast spoken at the day of Iudgement as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.36 Yea the Lord will bring every secret thought of thine into judgement Eccl. 12.14 Secondly Though he take the poorest and weakest services that his children doe him in
in Christ Iesus That hee telleth us in the next words verse 22. that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse As though he had said Every one that hath learned Christ aright and is taught of God hath true and sanctified knowledge in him cannot but forsake his old sins and become a new man It is such a knowledge of God as whereby wee are changed into the same image as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. See this briefly confirmed in both the parts of true godlinesse that is to say both in eschewing of evill and in doing of good For the first Heare what the Lord saith Iob 28.28 To depart from evill is understanding As if he had said This is the onely right knowledge sanctified and saving understanding that hath power in it to kill sin in a man to make him forsake all knowne sins Yea the knowledge of Gods Word if it be a Gods teaching will make a man not onely to eschew evill but to doe it out of a zealous hatred of sin Through thy precepts I get understanding saith David Psal. 119.104 therefore I hate every false way As if he should say The more my knowledge in thy Word increaseth to more my hatred to every sinne increaseth likewise See this also in the other part of godlinesse In doing of good A man of understanding walketh uprightly saith Solomon Pro. 15.21 If wee know any duty God requireth of us with a sanctified knowledge we cannot but make conscience of the practise of it yea practise it with uprightnesse and sincerity of heart A good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 have all they that doe his commandements As if hee had said That and that onely is good understanding sanctified and saving knowledge that draweth a man to obedience to the practise of that he doth know So the Lord speaketh of the knowledge that was in good Iosiah Ier. 22.16 He judged the cause of the poore and needy was not this to know me saith the Lord As if he should have said This was sound and sanctified knowledge indeed that made him conscionable in the duties of his particular calling This wisedome that commeth from above as the Apostle speaketh Iames 3.17 this knowledge that is of Gods teaching is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Let me now make some application of this in two points First To stop the mouthes of Papists and others that object our religion cannot be the truth because it bringeth forth no better fruits it reformeth not the lives of them that professe it most and have most knowledge in it that cry out against all profession and following after the meanes of knowledge because many that know most are worse men then any other To these men I have three things to answer First That our religion may be the true and holy religion of God though they that professe it bee most lewd and wicked men For so was the religion that Christ and his Apostles taught though Iudas who was both a professour and a preacher of it were so lewd a man Secondly That our religion and every principle and doctrine in it even those that are most slandered to tend unto licentiousnesse the doctrine of predestination of conversion by grace onely of justification by faith alone of certainty of salvation of finall perseverance is so holy such an enemie to all sin so effectuall to reforme the heart and life of a man as it is not possible for him that truly understandeth and beleeveth it but his heart and life must needs bee reformed by it Even such a religion as the Apostle describeth and calleth 1 Tim. 6 3. A doctrine which is according to Godlinesse Thirdly That such professours of it at whose lives they stumble so what shew so ever they make of knowledge in it though they professe it yet they doe not indeed understand and beleeve it they have no true and sound knowledge in it for they are sensuall and not having the spirit Iude 19. And it is not flesh and bloud that can reveile these things unto a man as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 16.17 But there is a spirit in man saith Elihu Ioâ— 32.8 and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding He that liveth in any knowne sinne understandeth nothing aright in our religion Of every such a one be he never so learned that may be said which the Holy Ghost speaketh of the harlot Pro. 9.13 He is simple and knoweth nothing He that maketh not conscience of every commandement and duty that God hath enjoyned him in his generall or particular calling hath no sound and true knowledge of God or of religion in him He that saith I know him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.4 and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Secondly Let me apply this by way of exhortation unto every one of you Labour to feele the knowledge thou hast gotten out of Gods Word to bee a powerfull and effectuall knowledge in thee that it ruleth and mastereth thee so as thou darest not goe against it darest not but obey it Not onely in grosse and great sins but even in smallest even to the reforming of thy choller and moderating of thy passions He that hath knowledge spareth his words saith Solomon Pro. 17.27 and a man of understanding is of a coole spirit Els 1 thou canst have no comfort in all thy knowledge if it be not powerfull to restraine thee to reforme thee Iohn 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them As if he had said not els It is no happinesse to have knowledge carnall knowledge naturall knowledge that is not sanctified not effectual 2. The more thou hast of it the more it will increase thy sinne Iames 4.17 He that knoweth to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne And consequently the more thou hast of it the more extreame shall thy condemnation and torment be You know the saying of our Saviour Luke 12.47 The servant that knoweth his maâ—sters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And so it is with Saâ—an who as he knoweth more in religion then any man and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall his torments be greater then any mans both in the life to come Matth. 25.41 those unspeakable torments are prepared chiefly for him and his angels and even in this life also his knowledge increaseth his torments The divels beleeve and tremble saith the Apostle Iames 2.19 The certaine knowledge he hath of things revealed in the Word worketh unspeakable horâ—ours in him O glory not in that knowledge that hath no power in it to reforme thee but tremble to thinke how this
reward them oft that serve his providence in his justice for the ruine and destruction of men though they have no goodnesse in them at all it is no marvell though he reward them much more who by some goodnesse that is in them doe serve his providence in the preservation and welfare of men Secondly These civill vertues must needs be good things and such as God doth love and will reward because they are such things as God hath in his law commanded The Gentiles saith the Apostle Romanes 2.14 15. doe by nature the things contained in the law and shew the worke of the law written in their hearts As if hee should say These things doe evidently shew and declare that the law of God is written in their hearts You see then Beloved wee doe not discommend civill honesty wee doe not discourage naturall men from doing good workes wee doe not condemne all the workes of naturall men nor say that whatsoever they doe that are not religious is abominable and naught Nay wee heartily wish there were much more civill honesty in the world then there is Hee that is truly religious would bee ashamed that any naturall man should bee more honest then hee True religion is no enemy to civill and morall honesty nay it is a great nourisher and increaser of it It is a dangerous errour that most men are growne now unto to thinke it indiscretion and want of learning and judgement in a Minister to stand much in pressing of points of morality in his Sermon or in particular reproofe of such faults as are committed by men in their buying and selling and such like passages of their ordinary conversation and dealings one with another It is thought now adayes there is no divinity in this they goe besides their Text when they deale in these things No no beloved bee not deceived Those points that God in his Word standeth most upon wee must presse most in our ministery and those are these matters of your common practise It is a strange thing to observe how plentifull and particular and precise the Holy Ghost is in pressing men to deale justly in all their dealings with men even in weights and measures of all sorts You shall doe no unrighteousnesse in judgement saith the Lord Levit. 19.35 36 in mâ—â—eyard in weight or in measure Iust ballances just weight a just Ephah and a just Hiâ— shall ye have I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt And againe Deut. 25.13 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights of one kind hee meaneth a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures a great and a small one to buy by another to sell by But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and just measure shalt thou have that thy daies may bee lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For all that doe such things and all that doe unrighteously marke it I pray you all that doe unrighteously in what kind soever are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Marke also I pray you how much the Apostles in the New Testament doe presse upon Gods people in their exhortations that they would bee carefull to walke honestly Walke honestly towards them that are without saith the Apostle Paul 1 Thess. 4.12 And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles And the Apostle Paul againe Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are honest think on these things As if he had said Be not forgetfull or carelesse of such things And Rom. 13.13 Let us walke honestly as in the day And in the following words he instanceth in some speciall points of dishonesty he would have them to take heed of It is dishonesty to be drunke yea to use rioting idle-company-keeping haunting and sitting at the ale-house to drinke or to game though a man bee never drunke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he It is dishonesty to use chambering and wantonnesse secret familiarity and dalliance with a woman lascivious speeches and gestures though a man never commit whordome Yea it is dishonesty saith the Apostle for a man to live in strife and envying to be a contentious person unpeaceable unquiet though he never oppresse or defraud or wrong his neighbour any other way Provide things honest saith he againe Rom. 12.17 In the sight of all men The word he useth there is worth the observing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if he had said Cast for this before hand take care of this that you do nothing that is dishonest that you faile not in any point of honesty by no meanes And he professeth Heb. 13.18 that this was a thing himselfe tooke much comfort in that he had a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly And what meaneth he by honesty Surely such duties of the second table which the light of nature teacheth men to make conscience of And why I pray you doe the Apostles stand so much upon commending honesty unto Gods people Surely for two causes First Because they knew that nothing would grace religion so much and win it credit in the eyes of all men as this would doe when they see that they that professe it are of honest conversation just men and faithfull and courteous and meeke and patient and humble and kind and mercifull men This reason the Apostle giveth 1 Pet 2.12 Having your conversation saith he honest among the Gentiles that where as they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold that is by your honesty such workes as they by the light of nature know to be good workes glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly Because they knew that on the other side nothing doth make religion so odious and contemptible in the world nor so much harden the hearts of men against it as the want of honesty in such as doe professe it that they are guilty of such things as even by the light of nature all men may discerne to bee grosse and vile When the Canaanites and Perizzites had seene what the sonnes of Iacob had done to the Shechemites how they had broken their promise and covenant with them how cruelly and barbarously they had used them and all under a colour of zeale for their owne religion this made Iacob and his religion though alas he was farre from approving or consenting to this that they had done stink among the inhabitants of the land as himselfe saith Gen. 34. â—0 You see beloved what moved the Apostles to commend honesty so much unto Gods people in their times and surely the same reasons have moved mee to speake so much in the commendation of it unto you at this time Never was it more neglected by some professours of religion then now it is never did the Gospell receive more dishonour and reproach through the neglect of it then now it doth I beseech you
seem out of obedience to the Word which he bare a most reverent and religious respect unto as you may see in sundry passages of his story 2 King 9.25 26 36 37. 10.13 17. 4 He did it so as God himself saith of him 2 King 10.30 that he had done well in executing that that was right in his eyes Thou hast done to the house of Ahab saith the Lord there according to all that was in mine heart Yea the Lord promiseth there to reward him for it Because of this saith he thy children of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel And yet of this man that went thus farre the Holy Ghost saith expresly 2 King 10.31 that he did not take heed to walke in the law of the Lord with all his heart that is he was no better than an hypocrite How did that appeare What was it that did discover the falshood and hypocrisie of his heart Surely this there was one sinne that he could not leave as zealous as he was against idolatry there was one kind of idolatry he could not leave He hated the idolatry of Ahab but not the idolatry of Ieroboam He departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam saith the text 2 King 10.31 which made Israel to sinne Ieroboams idolatry was but a small sinne in comparison of Ahabs so saith the Holy Ghost expresly in the story of Iehoram 2 Kings 3.2 3. Hee wrought evill in the sight of the Lord but not like his father and his mother for he put away the image of Baal which his father had made neverthelesse he cleaved to the sinnes of Ieroboam Ahab worshipped Baal a false God Ieroboam the true God in a false manner And yet for continuing in this one sinne though it were nothing so great a sinne as that which he had with so great zeale and detestation forsaken and abolished for it may appeare by many passages in the story that in the dayes of Ahab his master hee had beene a worshipper of Baal too the Holy Ghost you see hath branded him for an hypocrite Learne therefore beloved by these three examples that as you can have no more sure and sensible a signe of the uprightnesse of your hearts than this when you can finde you make conscience of every commandement of God of one as well as of another you make conscience of every sinne of one as well as of another you make conscience of every duty God requireth of you of one as well as of another there was never hypocrite in the world that went thus farre Then shall I not be ashamed saith David Psalme 119.6 when I have respect unto all thy commandements So is this also certainely a note of a false and hypocriticall heart when a man in matters that God hath in his Word commanded or forbidden will take and leave at his owne pleasure some commandements and doctrines of God seeme to have divine authority in his heart but others none at all some sinnes hee hateth and dares not commit them others hee cannot leave but saith of some one sinne as Naaman did in another sense 2 Kings 5.18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant some duties God requireth of him hee will constantly performe and practise but some other hee doth wholly neglect This man certainely cannot have an upright and sound heart Nay that man that doth not make conscience of every knowne sinne and of every duty that hee knoweth God requireth of him did never abstaine from any one sinne nor performe any one duty of conscience towards God Whosoever shall keepe the whole law saith the Apostle Iames 2.10 and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all He hath not kept any one commandement he hath not done any duty with an honest heart and so as God accepteth of if he wittingly give himselfe liberty to offend in any one point be it never so small a point of Gods law So saith the Lord when he had reckoned up many sinnes Ezek. 18.10 He that doth the like to any of these things that man saith he Vers. 11. doth not any of these duties As if he had said He doth not any duty that God hath commanded of conscience towards God that giveth himselfe liberty to live in any one sinne Lay this to your own hearts beloved every one of you and labour to find this one note that there is more in you than can be in any hypocrite I do not say he is an hypocrite that committeth any one sinne or that faileth in any one duty that God hath commanded For Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 20.9 and In many things wee offend all saith the Apostle Iames 3.2 But if thou wittingly give thy selfe liberty to live in any one sinne be it great or be it small certainly thy heart is not upright within thee When David had said Psalme 119.1 Blessed are those that are upright in their way hee addeth Verse 3. Surely they worke no iniquity As if hee had said They commit no sinne wittingly and willingly If thou wouldst know that thou art upright in the way and so in a blessed and comfortable estate try thy selfe by this Is there no sinne that thou allowest thy selfe in that thou art a worker of If thou bee afraid to live in any sinne and canst desire of God as David did Psalme 139.24 Lord see if there be any wicked way and lead me in the way As if hee should say If I doe any thing to offend thee if I live in any sinne Lord discover it unto me that I may leave it If thou canst say of every sinne that thou knowest to bee a sinne as David doth Psalme 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evill way As if hee had said I strive and endeavour to eschue every knowne sinne If thou canst say specially of that sinne which by nature or custome thou hast beene most inclined to as hee doth likewise Psal. 18.23 I kept my selfe from mine iniquity As if he should have said I am most watchfull over my selfe against that sinne specially I complaine most unto God and beg strength of him against that sinne as I doubt not but many a soule here can say all this of himselfe then I dare boldly say unto thee for thy comfort thou art farre enough from hypocrisy And though thou hast heard that many an hypocrite hath had much goodnesse in him thou hast that in thee that never hypocrite had and thou maist say as David said there Psalme 18.23 I am upright before him And so much shall suffice to have been said of this fourth note of hypocrisy of this fourth defect that is to be found in the goodnesse that hath beene in the best hypocrite his obedience is not universall The fift and last is this Admit that some hypocrite might bee found that giveth not liberty to himselfe in any knowne sinne but seemeth to
when the heart accepts of and embraceth it Ibid. 4 a resting and relying upon Christ and him alone p. 413. He that can with an humbled heart cast himselfe upon Christ alone and rely upon him for obtaining Gods favour shall certainly obtaine assurance and comfort in the end Ibid. Lect. 84. True grace goeth through the whole man and worketh a totall change in him pag. 414. Yet is 1 there in the bâ—st 2 defect throughout in the measure and degree of grace p. 415. 2 There is in every faculty much old â—even remaining still in the best 3 Corruption is more sensible in every faculty then grace is p. 416. Three things argue truth of grace to be in the whole man even where the pâ—â—ty himselfe sometimes cannot discerne it viz. conflict mourning desire Ib. p. 417. The vanity of those that glory in the uprightnesse of their hearts though no grace appeare in their outward man Ibid. 418. Lect. 85. He that hath truth of grace in him makes conscience of the whole will of God in one point as well as in another p. 419. Though no man can keepe all nor any one commandement Legally yet Evangelically every Christian doeth in his minde and will p. 420 A man may have an upright heart though he be more â—lack in some duties then in some others more apt to offend in some sins then others and two reasons of that p. 421. Yea a mans heart cannot be upright unlesse hee make more conscience of those things God hath laid most speciall charge upon us for then of others p. 422. viz. 1 matters of substance more then matters of circumstance 2 duties of our particular callings more then generall duties Ibid. 3 duties that concerne our selves more then such as concerne others p. 423. Lect 86. The upright hearted man shewes his equall respect to al the coÌ„mandements 1 He desires to know the whole will of God in all things that concerneth him to know An ill signe to desire to know more then God is pleased to reveale or to be inquisitive in that that concerneth others more then our selves or to desire to know things that are no way usefull to our edification p. 423. But it s a good signe to be desirous to know the will of God in all things that concerne us p. 424. There 's little uprightnesse of heart in them 1 That care not for knowledge but despise the meanes thereof 2 Never enquire after the will of God in those things that concerne their own practise Ibid. 3 purposely than the knowledge or some truth p. 425. 2 He maketh conscience of every sinne of one as well as another Ibid. 1 Of his darling sinne that sin which naturall inclination or custome or profit or pleasure hath made dearest to him Ibid. 2 Of secret as well as open â—â—s which are of three sorts p. 426. 3 Of small sins as well as of grosse sins Ibid. 3 Hee maketh conscience of every duty God hath commanded him of one as well as of another he desires and stâ—â—ves to attaine to every grace p 427. Lect. 87. True saving grace is durable everlasting p. 428 A man may 1 Seeme to have saving grace by profession in the judgement of the Church and fall from it Ibid. 2 Hee that hath in truth many of the common gifts of Gods Spirit may loose them and fall away p. 429. 3 He that hath saving grace in truth may seeme to himselfe to have lost it utterly p. 430. yet true saving grace is of a lasting permanent and continuing nature Ibid. We should highly prize and esteeme of grace above al other things 1 because it is the surest way to get all other good things 2 It will make all other good things comfortable to us 3 whereas all things are transitory this is durable substance p. 431. Take heed of declining and falling from grace Ibid. For 1 Though the seed of grace be incorruptible yet a Christian may loose the sense of grace and the vigour and operation of grace in these respects the Spirit may be quenced foure waies 2 Every man is of himselfe exceeding proue to quench the Spirit thus 3 Feare of falling away is the meanes to keepe us from falling 4 Constancy in well doing and an uniformity in a Christian course is an inseparable property of true grace p 432. Lect. 88. He that would approue the uprightnesse of his heart must not content himselfe to abstaine from evill and do good unlesse he do this in the right manner p. 433 viz. 1 to the right end p. 434. c. 2 Not with th' outward man only but feelingly and with the heart p. 437. 3 In humility p. 438. Lect. 89. The third and last signe of uprightnesse is when a man can finde in himselfe that notwithstanding all his failings in practise and obedience yet God hath his heart viz. hee doth 1 in his minde allow and consent to the law and word of God in all things 2 in his will unfeignedly desire and purpose to please God and doe his will p. 438. Truth of grace better discerned by this then by any performance we are able to make p. 439. as may appeare 1 by the Lords describing good men by this rather then by ought else Ibid. 2 By the comfort the best men have found in this rather then in ought else Ibid. 3 By the high account God makes of this more then of ought else p 440. for 1 hee accepts the will for the deed Ibid. 2 he esteemes more of the will then of the deed 3 where hee hath wrought the will hee will also worke ability to do p. 441. Obj. Every wicked man will blesse himselfe in this who hath good desires p. 443. Answ. 1. admit wicked men take offence this truth must not be concealed 2 No wicked man hath any good and unteigned desires to doe well as appeares by five differences betweene their desires and the desires of the regenerate p. 442 443. Lect. 90. Their folly and sinne is great that refuse Gods service and to be soundly religious out of this conceit that the conscionable profession and practise of religion is too heavie a yoake and bondage p. 444. Hee that will be Gods servant must 1 depend upon him 2 do his wil Ibid. 1 Satan hath many more servants then God Ibid. 2 yet his service most toilesome drudgery and so is not the Lords 3 The service most men doe to Satan they doe it willingly and cheerefully not so to God p. 445. Sundry reasons there are of this why men so shun Gods service viz. 1 because there bee so few goe that way 2 They should make themselves odious to all men 3 Gods servants are much subject to trouble 4 full of faults 5 Gods service is spirituall But the chiefe reason is this that they thinke Gods service an intollerable bondage p. 446 447. But this is not foe for Lect. 91. 1 Religion doth not abridge man of lawfull liberties delights
others at least not aggravate it by the circumstances of it as we shall heare it is fit we should doe There is therefore a necessity we should doe it in secret The second motive is from the conveniencie of it For we make confession of our sins in secret unto God much more effectually then any other way wee can doe And that in two respects First We may powre out our hearts more fully and freely unto God in secret then we can doe in the presence of any other man For we are all of us apt to thinke that if we should in a particular manner utter and expresse how vile wretches we are before those that love vs and thinke best of us they would never thinke well of us againe while we live but account vs ranke hypocrites And indeed it may be so they would In which respect we reade Zach. 12.12 that the husband should mourne apart and the wife apart they should not disclose their sins one to another But there is no such thing to stay or hinder us from being free and open hearted in secret For 1. we can say no worse by our selves then the Lord knoweth already better then our selves according to that speech of David Psal. 69.5 O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sins are not hid from thee and 139.2 3. O Lord thou understandest my thought afarre off thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes 2. We may be sure he will not like the worse but the better of us for confessing and opening of our sins unto him if we accuse our selues he will be the readier to absolve us According to that we have heard 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us and 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves wee should not bee judged Yee people saith David Psal. 62.8 powre out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us As if he had said ye have no cause to feare or be ashamed to open your hearts to him the more you can lay to your owne charge and accuse your selves of the more ready you shall finde him to bee a refuge and a comfort unto you There is no cause of feare for an humbled soule to goe to him Will hee plead against me with his great power saith Ioh 23.6 no but hee would put strength in mee Iames 1.5 Hee giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not The second respect wherein the conveniency of secret confession may appeare is this That wee may in secret use more helpes of voice and gesture and confesse our sins and make our complaint against our selves with more expressions of griefe then we can doe in the presence of others A man that would be ashamed to shed teares before men in the acknowledgment of his sins may be bold to doe it before the Lord. As Iob speaketh of himselfe Iob 16.20 Mine eye powreth out teares that is weepeth aboundantly unto God Thus did Iacob when he was alone Hos. 12.4 And I tell you even this maketh our confession of sins the more effectuall with God when we can doe it with teares As appeareth by that speech of God to Hezekiah 2 King 20.5 I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares And this second respect may seeme to have moved David when he fasted and prayed for the child to goe in to doe it 2 Sam. 12.16 and both other of Gods servants and our blessed Saviour himselfe too make choice of a secret place for their devotions So did Elizeus 2 King 4.33 So did Peter Act. 10.9 So did our Saviour Mar. 1.35 They knew they might have more liberty for voice and gesture and teares there then they could have had in the company of men The third and last motive that may provoke us unto this duty is the consideration of the fruits and benefits that are to be received by it And those are two principally First This will give a man farre greater assurance of the truth and uprightnesse of his heart when he can confesse and bewaile his sin in secret unto God then any confession of his sin in the presence of others is able to doe This is one of the arguments wherby Iob proveth himselfe to have bin no hypocrite as his friends charged him because he had not been wont to cover his transgressions from God as Adam did not to hide them in his bosome but had beene wont freely and ingeniously to confesse them unto God Iob 31.33 This argueth there is no guile in the spirit when a man can acknowledge his sins unto God and confesse his transgressions unto him Psal. 32.2 3.5 And our Saviour perswading his disciples to take heed of hypocrisie in performing religious duties prescribeth this for an antidote to preserve them from it to learne to make conscience of doing them in secret Mat. 6.5 6. Be not as the hypocrites for they love to pray in open places where they may be seene of men but thou when 〈◊〉 prayest enter into thy closet For it is strange to see how far an hypocrite may go in performing religious duties in the presence of others as our Saviour there sheweth they love to pray saith he standing in the Synagogues They will seeme to shew great delight and zeale in good duties so long as they have men to be witnesses of it Yea in this very point of making confession of their sins before men hypocrites and gracelesse men have gone very far Pharaoh did this to Moses and Aaron sundry times Exod. 9.27 and 10.16 and Saul unto Samuel 1 Sam. 15 24.30 auricular confession unto a Priest you see a rancke hypocrite may make and Iudas made confession of his sin before the Priests and Elders publikely in the Temple Yea to the party he hath wronged an hypocrite will be able to confes his sin as Saul did to David 1 Sam. 24.17 18. and 26.21 But of none of these you can read that ever they could go to God in secret and powre out their hearts before him So that you see this is one benefit a man shal receive by it it will give him a cōfortable assurance of the sincerity uprightnes of his heart before God Secondly It will give great assurance to a man of mercy from God in the pardon of his sins Gods people have bin wont to find as great ease to their consciences by confessing their sins to God as ever stomack that was sick and oppressed did by casting up the meat that offended it or sore that was impostumated by giving vent to the filthy matter that put it unto paine David professeth of himselfe Ps. 119.25 26. that when his soule cleaved to the dust that it was quite cast downe and dejected as one foyled and wounded by his enemy and ready to give up the Ghost he tooke this course to relieve himselfe and found comfort in it hee declared his wayes unto God and he heard him And in another place
Saviour mentioneth as a naturall effect and consequent of that poverty of spirit and mourning for it that is in his people Mat. 5.3 6. This was that doubtlesse that made Paul set such a price upon Christ to count all things but dung that hee might win Christ that he might be found in him that he might know him and the power of his resurrection as he professeth of himselfe Phil. 3.8 10. This was that that made David to thirst and long after Gods Sanctuary and ordinances as hee did Psal. 27.4 he made this his onely suit and 42.1 2. he cryeth out my soule panteth after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God These men as you have heard were much exercised with the sight and thought of their sins and corruptions and this is certainely an inestimable benefit to have our stomacke and appetite to this food preserved in us For so our Saviour saith of such Mat. 5.6 that they are in a happy case and giveth such a reason of it as may put all out of doubt for they shall be satisfied Fourthly By this meanes God maketh his people heartily and unfainedly thankefull for his mercy in Christ able to relish the sweetnesse that is in it which none can doe but they that have a sound sight and sence of their owne sins and corruptions This made Christ so deare and sweet to that poore woman Lu. 7.38 Shee washed his feet with her teares she wiped them with her haire she kissed them she annointed them surely she loved Christ so dearely because many sins were forgiven her ver 47. her sins were still fresh in her remembrance This we may also see in the holy Apostle who when he had mentioned at large the knowledge and sense he had of his own corruptions Rom. 7. â—5 he suddenly breaketh forth in these words I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he had said O wretched man that I am so full of sin corruption what would become of me were it not for Christ What cause have I to praise God for his mercy in Christ for shewing any respect unto me for preserving and upholding of me So when he calleth to mind his old sin 1 Tim. 1. see how he taketh occasion thereby to magnifie the mercy of God towards him 1. In the beginning of his speech verse 12 13. I thanke Christ Iesus our Lord for putting mee into the ministery who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor 2 In the conclusion of his speech ver 17. Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen Fiftly By this meanes God keepeth his children in awe and maketh them fearefull to sin by setting their sins they have formerly committed before them and giving them an effectuall sight and sense of them The Apostle maketh this a fruit and effect of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 This very thing that ye have bin sorrowfull after a godly sort see what care it hath wrought in you Certainly the man that hath a true knowledge and sense of his sins will be afraid to sin againe the burnt child will dread the fire On the other side a man that is past feeling hath no sense of sin will be ready to give himselfe over unto lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannes even with gredines as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4.19 Sixtly and lastly The Lord by this meanes maketh his people charitable and pitifull towards their brethren that do offend and keepeth them from cruelty and rigour in censuring of others He that is well acquainted with the corruption of his own heart will be far from judging any one to be an hypocrite or void of grace because he seeth many frailties and faylings in him Speake evill of no men saith the Apostle Tit. 3.2 â— but shew all meekenesse to all men for we our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures And our Saviour telleth us Mat. 1.5.3 that the cause why hypocrites are so apt to judge and censure others even for-motes they spie in them is because they discerne not the beames that is in their owne eyes Lecture XLII On Psalme 51.3 Decemb. 5. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto And they are principally two 1. For exhortation and 2 For reproofe And for the first The use of exhortation It serveth to perswade us that we would be afraid of sin and take heed of it This is certainly a duty that wee all neede oft to bee put in mind of and exhorted unto It would be a matter of unspeakeable use and benefit unto us if we could be afraid of sin We shall never be able to keepe our selves from the danger of any sin till we can esteeme of sin as of a mortall enemy and bee afraid of it The godly man is described by this property Eccle 9.2 that he feareth an oath he is afraid of sin Now there is great force in this Doctrine to perswade us to bee afraid of sin and to take heed of it Even the consideration of the after-thoughts we shall one day have of our sins and the trouble that our owne consciences will put us unto for them The force that there is in this Doctrine to perswade us unto this duty will appeare to us in foure points First Our conscience will be apt to bring our sin into our remembrance to set it before us and to accuse us for it Though we sin never so secretly could be most certaine that it should never bring us to any shame or punishment in this world yet can we not be secure from the accusation of our own conscience we cannot be certaine we shall never heare of it againe When we have done with our sin it will not have done with us but when the pleasure of it is quite gone we know not how soone nor how oft our conscience will be apt to bring it into our remembrance to lay it in our dish upbraid us with it Thus we see it did with David here his sin he saith was ever before him Thus it did as we heard the last day with Iosephs brethren twenty yeares after their sin was committed Genesis 42.21 Thus it did with Iob 13.26 he possessed the sinnes of his youth Secondly Our conscience will bee apt not onely to bring our sin into our remembrance but also to smite us and wound us for it So it is divers times said of David 1 Samuel 24.5 and 2 Samuel 24.10 that his heart did smite him When our sin is thus brought into our remembrance and set before us by our conscience it will appeare unto us in another fashion and shape then it did before when we first knew it When it first came unto us to tempt and allure us it came like a friend and did looke amiably and pleasantly upon us It promised us
great pleasure or great advantage if we would yeeld unto it Sinne deceived mee saith Paul Rom. 7.11 and so slew me But when it shall be brought againe by our conscience into our mind and set before us it will appeare unto us as an enemy and a tormentor and the sight of it will be grievous and terrible unto us It is therefore fitly resembled by the harlot Solomon speaketh of Proverbs 5.3 4. The lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe there is the first comming of sin when it commeth to tempt and allure us but what followeth Her end is bitter as worme-wood sharpe as a two edged sword There is the second comming of sin into our mind when it commeth to accuse and torment us It is like unto those locusts Iohn saw in his vision and whereby he doth testifie and represent the Popish fryers and Iesuites Reve. 9.7.8.10 Their faces were as the faces of men and their haire as the haire of women There is the shape that sin appeareth in when it first representeth and offereth it selfe unto us but their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons and they had tailes like unto Scorpions and there were stings in their tayles There is the latter comming of sin and the bitternesse and anguish it will put us unto when our conscience shall set it before us and accuse us of it And certainly no paine or anguish in the world in comparable to that which the strokes and wounds of the conscience will put a man unto A wounded spirit who can beare Pro. 18.14 To have unquietnes at home to have her unquiet with thee that is continually with thee at board and in bed is justly estemed one of the greatest miseries in this life Solomon compared it Pro. 19.13 to a continuall dropping that will wast the hardest stone in the world But to have our own conscience brawle and exclaime and be unquiet with us is a misery unspeakably greater then the former can be O then let us be afraid to sin even in this respect because our conscience will be so apt to fall out and be unquiet with us if wee do so apt to cast it in our teeth to accuse yea to smite and wound us for it Thirdly The time when our conscience will begin thus to set our sins before us thus to rebuke to check and wound us for them or when it hath once begun when it will make an end or in what degree or measure it will doe it no man but God alone that setteth it a worke doth know This kind of affliction as all other is is compared to a cup or potion Mark 10.39 Ye shall indeed drinke of the cup that I drinke of Now this cup the Lord keepeth in his own hana as it is said Ps. 75.8 he powreth out of the same Every man shall drinke of this cup when the Lord seeth good to minister it and hee shall drinke of it in that measure as the Lord shall see good to appoint But no man hath cause to looke for any long truce with his conscience or that i will give him any long day If thou dost not well saith the Lord to Cain Gen. 4 â— sin that is the punishment and sting of sin lyeth at the doore that is is neere even at the doore as the same phrase is rendred Mat. 24.33 Fourthly and lastly There is no comparison betweene the pleasure or profit that any sin can yeeld us and the anguish and paine which our conscience will put us unto when it shall accuse and smite us for it 1. The pleasure and joy that sin yeeldeth us is but overly in the faâ—e rather then in the heart as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5 1â— There is no soundnesse in it it is mixed for the most part with inward gripings Pro. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull But the sorrow and anguish that our conscience will put us unto when it accuseth and smiteth us for si◠ô that is a soaking and deep sorrow It is bitter and reacheth unto the heart as the Prophet speaketh Ieremy 4.18 2. The pleasure or profit that any sinne can yeeld us is but momentany and of very short continuance That made Moses make so light account of all the pleasures of sin because he knew they endured but for a season Heb. 11.25 They are therefore compared Eccl. 7.6 to the crackling and blaze that thornes make under a pot But the sorrow that sin will bring us unto when our conscience shall charge us with it is durable and no man knoweth how long it will last That sin that may bee committed in an houre or in farre lesse space may cost a man deepe sorrow and griefe of mind all the dayes of his life after For a conclusion therefore of this first duty that from this doctrine wee are exhorted unto certainly if we could rightly consider of this worke of our conscience how apt it will be when God shall awaken it to bring our sins to our remembrance in this manner as you have heard of it would make us afraid to sin See the truth of this in three notable examples The first is of Iob. My righteousnes saith he Iob 27.6 I hold fast and will not let it go yea he professeth ver 3 4. All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God 〈◊〉 in my nostrils my lips shall not speake wickednes nor my tongue utter deceit And why so My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live As if he had fail I will not give my conscience occasion to brawle with me whatsoever I doe I will have care to keepe peace there The second is of Abigal that wise and gracious woman who perswadeth David not to revenge himselfe of her husband Nabâ—l by this argument 1 Sam. 25.30 31. It shall come to passe when the Lord shall have apâ—ointed thee ruler over all Israel that this shall bee no griefe to thee nor offence of heart unto my Lord either that thou hast shed blood causelesse or that my Lord hath avenged himselfe As if shee had sayd if thou shou'dst doe it thy conscience will be apt one day to checke and smite thee for it even when thou shalt be King and in thy greatest pompe doe it not therefore that thou mayst prevent the accusation of thy conscience The third is of Paul who giveth this reason why he was so afraid of every sin whether it were against the first or second table even the care he had to keepe his conscience cleare and quiet Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men And so much of the first use that this Doctrine serveth unto Secondly it serveth for reproofe of such as never thinke of never are troubled with any of their sins they could never say as David doth here my sin is ever before me Of this sort the world is full in all places Observe
should have said ô what a wretch am I that have in me so cursed a nature so apt to offend God Certainly where there is truth of grace the heart will rise against our own corruptions The righteous soule as we see in the example of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 will vex it selfe even for the sins of others therfore much more for his own And where this anger indignation against sin is nourished there sin cannot reigne That which Solomon saith of a backbiter Pro. 25.23 may be said of our lusts An angry countenance will drive them away They will soon grow out of heart if they be not much made of Thirdly and lastly We must be unfeignedly sorry and grieved in our selves for our corruption Even our spirituall poverty the consideration of this that in us that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 but an utter unaptnesse and untowardnesse to that that is good should be a just cause of mourning unto us upon poverty of spirit followeth mourning Mat. 5.3 4. how much more these strong inclinations we find continually in our selves unto that that is evill And even this grieving for our sins hath great force to weaken the strength of sin and to mortifie it in us By the sadnesse of the countenance saith the Holy Ghost Eccle. 7.3 the heart is made better And 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of Certainely if we could thus resist our lusts and be displeased and mourne heartily for them our corruptions would not be so strong in us as they are On the other side how can it be avoided but they must needs grow headstrong in us and carry us whither they list when we are so farre from killing and crucifying them that we cannot abide to be at any trouble with them at all to put our selves to any paine for the subduing of them we never set our selves in opposition unto them nor are vexed or grieved in our selves for them but make them our best playfellowes and as Zophar speaketh Iob 20.12 13. wickednesse is sweet in our mouth wee hide it under our tongue we spare it and forsake it not Thirdly He that desireth to mortifie the corruption of his nature and keepe it from reigning in him must carefully shun all occasions and provocations unto it and be content to weane and abridge himselfe of all such things as he findeth do feed and increase it though the things be in themselves never so lawfull We must lay aside saith the Apostle Heb. 12.1 not onely every sinne that hindreth us in our spirituall race but every weight also every clogg though it be no sin The overmuch liberty that men have given to themselves in such things as are in their owne nature lawfull hath marvellously strengthened and increased the naturall corruption of their hearts and made it out of measure sinfull Looke into the description that our Saviour maketh Luk. 17.27 28. of the behaviour of the old world and of Sodom at those very times when Gods vengeance fell upon them What were they doing then They did eate and drinke saith our Saviour and marry and buy and sell and plant and build Why what hurt was there in all this Were not all these things most lawfull for them to do Ye◠verily But by overu-sing of these lawfull things and setting their hearts upon them they choaked all grace and care of heavenly things they fed and increased the pride and covetousnesse and cruelty and lust of their evill hearts and so drowned themselves in perdition All things are lawfull saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not profitable And a Christian must have respect to this whether the thing that he useth be profitable for him and will doe him good as well as to that whether it be lawfull or no. When the Apostle Peter exhorteth the faithfull to take heed of their adversary the divell that he prevaile not over them nor overcome them 1 Pet. 5.8 he bids them be sober and watch The same may be said to them that desire to be preserved from the power of their owne corruptions and to overcome it they must not take too much of these outward comforts not more then will do them good not so much as will overcome them See the necessity of this in two particulars First To keepe company and to refresh and make our selves merry by eating and drinking liberally and using of recreations as shooting or bowling or hawking or hunting is in it selfe a thing very lawfull It is spoken of as blessing of God upon his people in Solomons time 1 King 4.20 that they did eate and drinke and make merry together But a man may easily surfet of this and take more then will doe him good as they did Amos 6.5 6. who by their drinking together their recreation and their mirth were made unsensible of the afflictions of Ioseph Nay it is not possible but the corruption of the heart must needs grow and increase in the best man that is if he keepe not a measure in these things When Solomon himselfe as strong a man as he was gave himselfe too much liberty this way that Whatsoever his eyes desired he kept not from them as he saith Eccle. 2.10 he withheld not his heart from any joy he corrupted himselfe fearefully And certainly of those men whereof the world now is full that give their nature the full swing in these matters of delight that are never well but when they are in the ale-house and in good company as they call it never well but when they are at one sport or other make every day a festivall day as Dives did Luk. 16.19 as if they had no other calling or were borne for nothing els of such men we may be bold to say there is no mortification in them no care at all to subdue the corruption of their nature such men care not how strong it grow how much it increase in them A Christian therefore is bound in the use of these things to enquire whether he be made the better or the worse by them and to say as Eccl. 2.2 I said of mirth what dost thou To use them with feare lest he should take hurt by them Iude 12. And when a man findeth that his weaknesse is such that he cannot use recreations nor keepe company as he hath done but he is made the worse by it apt to exceed and be overcome more unapt to the service of God and the duties of his calling he is bound in conscience to abstaine and weane himselfe from them The Apostle give thus in his own example two notable rules for this The first is 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawfull for me but I will not be brought under the power of any thing The other is in 1 Cor. 8.13 If meat make my brother to offend I will never eat flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend And much more
God had not commanded were suddenly consumed with fire from heaven Levit. 10.1 2. The other is in Vzzah who because in a right good intent hee put forth his hand to stay the arke from falling which hee had no calling nor warrant from Gods Word to do the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and strucke him dead suddenly 2 Sam 6.6.7 And thus have we seene what is the rule and patterne of all true righteousnesse and that nothing can be a good worke that is not done by the direction of Gods Word which is the first generall poiâ—t I propounded in handling the first property of true goodnesse Let us proceed now to the second of them That the cleaving unto the word and following the direction of it in all that we doe is a good note of an upright heart To make Gods Word the onely guide of our life to make conscience of nothing as in it selfe sinfull or holy but onely of that which God hath commanded or forbidden in his Word is a singular note of an upright heart See the proofe of this first in the description the Holy Ghost maketh of the man that hath an upright heart Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled or the perfect and sincere in the way Yea but how shall we know who are such Who walke in the law of the Lord saith hee As if hee should have said that is the note to know them by So verse 7. I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements And Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Yea but how shall we know him That delighteth greatly in his commandements That is the way to know who truly feareth God Secondly See the proofe of this in foure notable examples 1. Iob was an upright hearted man Iob 1.1 Yea himselfe was very confident of the uprightnesse of his heart as you may see Iob 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth like gold And what made him so confident of this That he telleth you in the next words verse 11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food 2. Of David likewise God himselfe giveth testimony 1 King 9.4 that he had walked before him in integrity and uprightnesse of heart But how did that appeare That he telleth you in the next words by doing according to all that I have commanded 3. Of Iehoshaphat God giveth testimony 2 Chron. 19.3 that he prepared his heart to seeke God he had an upright heart How did it appeare Surely when he shewed most frailty in taking part first with Ahab then with his sonne Ioram yet even then the uprightnesse of his heart appeared in his dependance upon the direction of Gods Word and the high account he made of it 1 King 22.5 Enquire I pray thee at the word of the Lord saith he to Ahab And verse 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that we may enquire of him And the same you shall see noted of him also when he went with Ioram 2 King 3.11 Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord that we may enquire of the Lord by him And when he heard that Elisha was there The word of the Lord is with him saith he ver 12. so he and by his meanes the other two Kings likewise sent not for the Prophet though that they might well have done but went downe to him The fourth and last example is Iosiah of whose goodnesse the Holy Ghost makes honourable mention even after his death 2 Chron. 35.26 Now the rest of the acts of Iosiah and his goodnesse As if hee should say There was goodnesse indeed and truth of grace in him But how is that proved According to all that is written in the Law of the Lord saith the Text As if he had said His goodnesse appeared in making Gods written Word the onely rule of his life Now let us make some application of all this that wee have heard touching this first property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse and that 1 by way of exhortation 2 by way of tryall and examination of our owne hearts For the first If this be so that the written Word of God is the onely rule of true righteousnesse if it be so perfect a rule and patterne as we have heard if the following of the direction of it in all things be so sure a note of an upright heart then what a necessity is there laid upon every one of us that desire to please God to exercise our selves with all diligence in the reading and hearing and meditating of it What marvell is it though not onely Kings and Magistrates Deut. 17.18.19 Iosh. 1.8 be commanded daily to read and meditate in it but that the Holy Ghost describeth the blessed and good man Psal. 1.2 by this that his delight is in the law of the Lord and in it he doth meditate day and night O with what certainty and security and comfort might we walke in all our wayes if we had that knowledge in the Word and were so well acquainted with it as in these daies wherein we live and under such meanes as we enjoy we might be Secondly Let us all examine the uprightnesse of our hearts by this note 1. Certainly if we make no reckoning of the Word delight not in it desire not the knowledge of it but have other rules to guide our lives and consciences by beside the Word how much devotion so ever seemeth to be in us how good so ever our lives are there is no truth nor uprightnesse in our hearts If either we make the commandements and customes of men or our own heart and good meaning the rule of our spirituall life or if we make conscience of and be religiously strict in the observation of such things as God in his Word hath given us no direction for we are no better then hypocrites See how bitter our Saviour is against the Pharisees for the great conscience they made themselves and for the great zeale they shewed in pressing others to the observation of their purifyings as a point of holinesse which they had no other warrant for but the tradition of their elders and the commandements of men Mar. 7.6 and so forward For this he calleth them hypocrites and saith they did worship God in vaine And the Apostle likewise against such as did forbid marriage and the eating of meates that Gods Word did allow 1 Tim. 4.1 3. he saith this was a doctrine of divels that they that taught it taught lies through hypocrisie and had their consciences seared with a hot iron Marke well I say the vehemency and bitternesse of them both against these men and you will see cause to wonder at it For admit this was an errour
is so farre from keeping all the commandements of God that he breaketh them all he keepeth none of them as they ought to be kept Thus speaketh holy and zealous Nehemiah of all Gods people and putteth himselfe in the number Neh. 1.7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee and have not kept the commandements nor the statutes nor the judgements which thou commandedst thy servant Moses Yea be hath certainely a false heart no uprightnesse no truth of grace in it that saith in his heart of the commandements of God as that rich young man did Mat. 19.20 All these things I have kept from my youth up or that thinketh himselfe to bee free from the transgression of any one of the commandements of God Secondly I answer Though this be so no man keepeth all no man keepeth any legally that is so as the law requireth so as to satisfie the law and to free himselfe by his obedience from the curse of the law yet is there never an upright hearted man in the world not the weakest of them all but he keepeth all the commandements of God evangelically that is so as in the new covenant of grace he is in Christ accepted of and accounted to have kept them all For this is the new covenant that God hath made with his people Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my juâ—gements and doe them David did so as we have heard Zachary and Elizabeth did so yea the Apostle saith thus of all faithfull 1 Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because wee keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight For 1 there is no one commandement but in his minde and judgement he consenteth unto it and saith of it as Rom. 7.12 The commandement is holy and just and good He can say of himselfe as David did Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right 2. There is no one commandement of God that he doth wittingly dispense with himselfe in but he maketh conscience of it and it hath a divine authority in his heart He can say with David Psal. 119.6 that he hath respect to all Gods commandements And with Paul Rom. 7.15 That which I doe when I transgresse any commandement I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. As if hee had said I would faine keepe every commandement of God though I doe it not my desire is to doe the will of God in all things I dislike in my selfe and hate every transgression of the law of God And he that doth thus approve in his minde and set his seale unto every commandement of God he that doth thus make conscience of and unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things is certainely an happy man Never did any hypocrite or naturall man in the world goe thus farre He is not thus subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 neâ—ther indeed can be He cannot esteeme in his mind all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right but he hath in himselfe secret reasonings and imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 10.5 against some part of Gods will revealed in his Word neither can he make conscience of or in his will unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things but doth willingly dispence with himselfe in some things and say with Naaman 2 King 5.18 In this thing the Lord beare with thy servant No no never could hypocrite goe thus farre Thou that canst thus consent unto Gods law and approve of Gods will revealed in his Word in all points and dost unfeignedly desire to doe every thing the Lord requireth of thee thou hast certainely notwithstanding all thy failings an upright heart yea thou art a righteous man in Gods sight not onely by imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse unto thee but by an inherent righteousnesse which the spirit of Christ hath wrought in thee The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.4 Thou dost keepe all the commandements of God though not legally or so as to be justified thereby yet Evangelically and so as by the new covenant of grace through Christ thou art esteemed by God as a fullfiller of them all And this made Paul to say Rom. 7. â—7 It is no more I that doe it as if hee had said I am not a transgressour of the law And verse 25. I my selfe serve the law of God as if he had said I do keepe and observe Gods law And so much may serve for the answer to the first question The second question is this Hath no man an upright heart that maketh more conscience of some of Gods commandements then of other some My answer to this question must consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how farre forth an upright hearted man may and ought to shew more respect to some of Gods commandements then to other some 2. How and wherein hee doth and must shew an equall respect unto them all For the first A man may have an upright heart and yet be more slacke and carelesse in some duties then in other in his obedience to some of the commandements of God then in other more apt to offend in some sinnes then in other This may arise 1. Sometimes from this that he hath more light and knowledge of his duty in some things then in other So it was with Iacob and the Patriarchs who being most holy men in other things yet made no conscience at all of Polygamy because though it was ever a sinne yet it was not knowne by them to be so 2. Sometimes from this that their tentations are stronger to some sinnes then to other and their pull-backs stronger to with-hold them from some duties then from other Of both these cases we have an example in Iehosaphat Iehosaphat was as zealous as any King of Iudah for the planting of true religion throughout his kingdome as you may see 2 Chron. 17.6 9. and yet in the abolishing of the reliques of idolatry he shewed nothing so much zeale as Hezekiah and Iosiah did Alas it was with him as with our good King Edward he did what he could but was not able to doe it as you shall see 2 Chron. 20.33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers The backwardnesse of the people did hinder him he could not doe as he would So in another case he that shewed in all his other courses such a deale of piety and zeale how great want of zeale and piety did he shew in that league and affinity that he made with Ahab and being so ready to helpe both him and after him his two sonnes Iehoram and Ahaziah three as grosse
idolaters and enemies to God as lived upon the earth Alas he he being of a soft and flexible disposition was naturally inclined and had more strong tentations to that then to other sinnes But herein the truth of his heart appeared that when God had by his Prophet reproved him for helping Ahab his heart relented and he became after that more zealous for God then ever he had beene before as you shall see 2 Chron. 19.2 11. and being againe after that reproved for helping Ahaziah more sharpely 2 Chron. 20.37 he could never be drawne to offeâ—d that way any more 1 King 22.49 You see then a man may have an upright heart though he do seeme to make more conscience of some commandements some duties and some sinnes then of others But I say further a man cannot have an upright heart if he doe not shew more care and conscience in some duties commanded and in some sinnes that are forbidden then in other some Though all the commandements be equall in respect of the authority and soveraignty of the commander yet in respect of the things commanded or forbidden and in respect of the strictnesse of the charge laid upon us by the Lord for the doing or not doing of them some are greater then others are Yea there is no surer note of an upright heart then this when we do make more conscience of those things that God hath laid most speciall charge upon us in then we do of any others If you aske mee Which are those I answer They are of three sorts First God hath given greater charge to us concerning the substantiall points of piety and charity then concerning any matters of circumstance and ceremony Christ calleth the inward worship of God prescribed in the first commandement The first and the great commandement Mat. 22.38 greater then any of the nine that follow God delighteth much more in the inward then in the outward worship we doe to him Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15 22. as in obeying the voice of the Lord I desire mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord Hos. 6.6 and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Yea he calleth mercy and justice and fidelity which are substantiall duties of the second table the weightier matters of the law Matth. 23.23 weightier then the matters of ceremony and circumstances of Gods owne worship prescribed in the first table Goe yee and learne saith our Saviour Matth 9.13 what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice It is therefore a certaine note of an unsound heart when men 1. Put all their religion in outward duties and services to God and regard not those weightier matters of the law that I told you of mercy and justice and fidelity no nor the inward worship of God neither 2. Stand more upon ceremonies and circumstances of Gods worship then upon the substance would be greatly troubled if they should not receive now at Easter or not receive with that gesture that they have beene accustomed unto but to come without all knowledge to discerne the Lords body to come without charity without all preparation of heart troubleth them not at all What is this els but to straine at a gnat and swallow a camell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 23.24 Secondly God hath given speciall charge to us concerning the duties of our particular callings that he hath set us in more then of those that are generall duties of Christianity belonging to all men and every tree must be knowne by his owne fruit as our Saviour saith Luk. 6.44 This we shall see in that direction Iohn Baptist giveth to the Publicans and Souldiers Luk. 3.13 14 and in those directions the Apostle giveth in his Epistles Ephes. 5. 6. Col. 3. 4. and by the charge he giveth to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.2 and to Titus Tit. 2.15 It is therefore a great signe of unsoundnesse when men seeme very forward in the common duties of Christianity but neglect their callings are bad husbands and wives and masters and servants bad Magistrates and Ministers like a blind eye or lame hand in the body that have life and sense and motion as all the members have but can doe nothing that belongeth to their particular office Thirdly and lastly God hath given us more speciall charge to looke to our selves to reforme our selves then concerning other men Examine your selves saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.28 and 2 Cor. 13.5 prove your owne selves Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his owne worke Rom. 14.22 Have â—aith to thy selfe before God Therfore David professeth this of himselfe Psal. 18.23 I was upright before him and I kept my selfe from mine iniquity It is therefore a great signe of unsoundnesse when a man busieth himselfe more with censuring and seemeth to hate sinne more in others then in himselfe This our Saviour noteth for the tricke of an hypocrite Mat. 7.3 that he beholdeth the mote that is in his brothers eye but considereth not the beame that is in his owne eye Lecture LXXXVI On Psalme 51.6 April 1â— 1628. NOw it followeth that wee proceed to the second part of my answer to the Question and shew you How and wherein the upright hearted man doth and must shew an equall respect unto all the commandements of God Now this doth appeare in three points principally 1. He desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne him in one point as well as in another 2. He maketh conscience of every sinne God hath forbidden 3. He maketh conscience of every duty God hath commanded him These three points I will speake of in order and make application of them also as I go over them severally For the first The upright hearted man sheweth thus farre-forth an equall respect to all the commandements of God that hee desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that doe concerne him to know in one thing as well as in another In all things I say that concerne him to know For it is no signe of sincerity but of the contrary 1. When a man desireth to know more of Gods will then hee is pleased to reveale and to pry too farre into his secrets When the Lord was pleased to reveale his glory unto his people at the delivering of the law he set bounds unto them and charged them upon paine of death as you shall find Exod. 19.12.21 not to passe those bounds to gaze and pry too farre 2. When a man is too inquisitive to know that that concerneth other men O how perfect are many men in the knowledge of those things that concerne the duty of their Ministers and superiours and of their neighbours also Like Peter Iohn 21.21 Lord what shall this man do whom our Saviour reproveth in the next verse for this and saith What is that to thee follow thou me 3. When a man seeketh knowledge in those things most that are no way
this David approveth to himselfe and to the Lord the uprightnesse of his heart Psalme 119.101 I have refrained my feete from every evill way And by this property doth the Prophet describe the blessed man Esa 56.2 Hee keepeth his hand from doing any evill Let every one of us make triall of our hearts by this note Doe we make conscience of every sinne This may best be discerned in three sorts of sinnes especially First In the conscience wee make of our beloved and darling sinnes viz. such as our naturall inclination or custome or the profit or pleasure they yeeld us have made dearer to us then other sinnes Iehu seemed in many things a very zealous and good man but there was one sinne he could not leave and the hypocrisie of his heart was discovered by that 2 Kin. 10.31 But Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the law of the Lord with all his heart that is with an upright heart How did that appeare that his heart was unsound for hee departed not from the sinne of Ieroboam Why could hee not leave that sinne Oh that was a sinne that the custome of his countrey had by long use made most familiar and it was also a very profitable sinne hee thought it may seeme and so did the rest of the Kings of Israell as Ieroboam did when first hee erected that idolatry 1 Kings 12.26.28 that if hee should have abolished the idols of Dan and Bethel and let the people goe according to Gods ordinance to worship at Ierusalem onely it would have cost him his kingdome Herods example also is notable to this purpose How many good things are noted in him Mar. 6.20 yet was the hypocrisie of his heart discovered in this he could not leave his incest Why not that as well as other sinnes that Iohn reproved He was more strongly inclined by nature unto that sinne that sinne yeelded him more pleasure then other sinnes did it was his darling sinne It is not the conscience a man maketh of some sinnes that will assure him of the uprightnesse of his heart but when thou canst make conscience of hate and strive against the sinne thou art most inclined to by nature the sinne thou findest most sweetnesse in the sin of which thou canst say as Demetrius said of his Acts 19.25 by this craft I get my wealth this will give thee a comfortable assurance of the uprightnesse of thy heart Secondly Try thy heart in the conscience thou makest of secret sinnes A man that maketh no conscience of any sin may yet bee able to bridle himselfe from open sins If one know them saith Iob 24.17 they are in the terrours of the shadow of death The feare of shame and discredite with men hath great force to restraine them but in secret they care not what they doe It is a shame even to speake saith the Apostle Ephesians 5.12 of those things which are done of them in secret But hee that maketh conscience sinning even in secret he is the upright-hearted man he disliketh sin because it is sin even out of conscience towards God 1. When a man maketh conscience of speaking or doing any thing that is evill even at home in his owne family as well as abroad among strangers and can say with David Psalme 101.2 I will walke within my house with a perfect heart 2. When a man maketh conscience of sin even there where hee may doe it so secretly as no man can know of it as Ioseph did Gen. 39.11 and David that was greatly troubled and beggeth pardon for his secret faults Psalm 19.12 3. When a man maketh conscience even of sinfull thoughts which of all secret sins are most secret The thoughts of the righteous are right saith Solomon Prov. 12.5 Thus Iob gathering together all the evidences hee could of the uprightnesse of his heart doth mention this as one of the first and chiefest of them that hee durst not give liberty to himselfe no not in unchast and uncleane thoughts I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke upon a maid saith hee Iob 31.1 And hee that maketh no conscience of the wickednesse of his thoughts the vanity maliciousnesse worldlinesse of them certainly hath no truth of grace in him Evill thoughts are set in the first ranke of those things that defile a man and make him loathsome to God Mat. 15.19 Thirdly and lastly Hee that desireth to know whether hee doe indeed make conscience of all sinne let him try his heart by the conscience hee maketh of the smallest sins Of foule and grosse and palpable sins there is no civill man nor hypocrite almost but hee seemeth to make great conscience but they hate precisenesse in trifles as they call them in matters of circumstance and ceremony and gesture in small oathes in merry talke in restraining men of their Christian liberty in matter of their attire or diet or recreations this they say is grosse hypocrisie And indeed so it were as I told you the last day if 1. these things they make such conscience of be not forbidden of God 2. or if though they be so they make more or as much conscience either of them as they doe of the weightier points of Gods law But bee not deceived it is no signe of an hypocrite to make conscience of the least sin God hath forbidden nay hee is certainely an hypocrite that doth not so nay I say more it is a surer note of uprightnesse to make conscience of the smallest sinnes then of the greatest only For there it will bee hard to discerne whether the shame of the world or the conscience of Gods commandement onely moved us In this Davids uprightnesse of heart appeared 1 Samuel 24.5 His heart smote him for cutting off Sauls skirt And Paul in the conscience hee made of a private promise hee had made to the Corinthians to see them in his journey towards Macedonia See what a protestation hee maketh 2 Corinth 1.18 that he did not use lightnesse in making that promise nor when he had made it was careles of his word As God is true saith hee our word to you was not yea and nay that is light and wavering And marke his reason verse 19. For the Sonne of God Iesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by mee and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea As if he should say as I have made conscience in my preaching to you to speake nothing but the certaine truth so doe I in my private speeches and promise also If wee that are ministers be vaine and light persons in our private conversations it is much to bee feared if the Apostles reason bee good that though wee teach the truth yet wee doe it not in uprightnesse of heart and out of conscience towards God But I will conclude this point with those two sentences of our blessed Saviour Matthew 5.19 Whosoever shall breake one one I say of these least commaundements least
cannot say it is so with me Some commandements and duties I doe indeed make conscience of but others I neglect wonderfully Some sins I hate and tremble at but others I slip into ever and anon 6. True grace is constant and durable and no man is blessed and in the state of grace but he that feareth alway Proverbs 28.14 that doth righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.3 But alas the goodnesse that is in me is like the morning dew as the Prophet speaketh Hosea 6.4 there is no constancy nor durablenesse in it I am extreamely inconstant in good things and cannot continue in a good temper and disposition of my soule for any time 7. Lastly No man hath truth of grace that contenteth himselfe with this that he abstaineth from evill and doth good unlesse his care bee to doe all this in the right manner unlesse he doe it to the Lord that is with an intent to please and honour him Whatsoever yee doe saith the Apostle Coloss. 3.23 doe it as unto the Lord unlesse hee doe it with his heart and spirit and not with the outward man onely and can say with the Apostle Rom. 1.9 I serve God with my spirit unlesse he doe it in humility and can discerne cause to bee humbled even in his best actions Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him Now though I doe good things sometimes yet doe I never any thing in that manner that I should For 1. The end that I aime at is not so much to please the Lord and to honour him but I have by respects to my selfe in every thing that I do 2. The good things I do I do without any affection and use to offer dead sacrifices unto God 3. I doe not walke humbly with my God but if I do any thing in any measure well I am ready at the least secretly to glory and to pride my selfe in it In a word all the signes of sincerity mentioned in the word of God make against me and are unto me as so many signes and evidences of the falshood and hypocrisie of mine owne heart These are the usuall complaints of the best of Gods people and there is no tentation wherewith they use to bee more troubled both in life and in death then with this that there is no truth of grace in them they are no better then hypocrites Now I have three things to say for the comfort of these poore soules and in answer to this first and maine objection that they make against themselves First Admit all this bee true that thou sayest against thy selfe this will prove indeed that there is hypocrisie in thee yea and much hypocrisie too it may bee but this will not proove that thou art an hypocrite It is not the having of hypocrisie or of any other wicked corruption in a man that maketh him to deserve the name of an hypocrite or of a wicked man but the raigning of hypocrisie and wickednes in him No man doubteth but Moses Samuel Iob and all the holiest men that ever were had wickednesse in them For who could ever say as it is Prov. 20.9 I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne And yet to say that either Moses or Samuel or Iob were wicked men were to open our mouthes in blasphemy against them that dwell in heaven as the spirit speaketh Revel 13.6 So that a man may have sinne in him and as other sinnes so hypocrisie and much hypocrisie too and yet bee in the state of grace for all that so long as it raigneth not in him That which the Apostle saith of sin in generall 1 Iohn 1.8 may be said of this sin in particular If wee the best of the Apostles or Saints of God say wee have no hypocrisie in us wee deceive our selves and there is no truth in us How oft shall you find Master Bradford and other of the holy Martyrs complaine to God of their hypocrisie and crave pardon for it And certainely David would not have cryed unto God as he doth Psalm 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed if he had not felt himselfe subject to unsoundnes and to hyprocrisie and much troubled with it I know our Saviour Ioh. 1.47 describeth the true Israelite to bee one in whom is no guile and David the justified man the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Psalm 32.2 to bee one in whose spirit there is no guile But these places are no otherwise to bee understood then that of David when speaking of godly men he saith Psalm 119.3 They doe no iniquity and that of the Apostle 1 Iohn 3 9. Whosoever in borne of God doth not commit sinne nay hee cannot sin because hee is borne of God Was there ever godly man of whom it could be truly sayd that hee did no iniquity that hee did commit no sinne No verily But this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in those phrases he that is regenerate doth not commit any iniquitie nor can doe it ordinarily and willingly with the full sway of his soule or in that manner as the unregenerate man doth so hee that is justified and sanctified hath no guile that is no raigning hypocrisie in him So this is the first thing I have to say for thy comfort though by this which thou objectest against thy selfe it may appeare there is hypocrisie in thy heart yet will it not follow from thence that thou art an hypocrite thou mayest be in the state of grace and the deare child of God for all that Secondly By this it is evident that though there be hypocrisie in thy heart yet it raigneth not in thee thou art no hypocrite because thou discernest thine owne hypocrisie thou feelest it and art so troubled with it It is not corruption but grace that maketh a man able to discerne his corruption specially so hidden and secret a corruption as hypocrisie is There bee thousands in the world that are indeed in that state that thou suspectest thy selfe to bee in that are hypocrites indeed and they discerne no such thing in themselves they thinke passing well of their owne estate But what speake I of others Thou thy selfe when thou wer◠an hypocrite indeed and hadst both this and many other vile corruptions reigning in thee perceivedst them not wert never troubled with them Yee were once darkenesse saith he Eph. 5.8 but now yee are light in the Lord. While wee were in the state of nature which the Apostle calleth darkenesse wee saw not a deale of naughtinesse and corruption which now wee discerne in our selves This discerning of our secret corruptions is a blessed signe we are no longer darkenesse but light in the Lord. All things that are reproved saith hee Ephes. 5.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things whereof wee are convinced in our selves that they are sinnes are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Before wee
Saviour taxeth to bee no better then grosse hypocrisy Matthew 23.23 24. 3. Lastly Such as out of ignorance and blind devotion denie unto themselves the liberties and comforts of this life that God hath allowed them To these Solomon speaketh Eccl. 7.16 Bee not righteous overmuch neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe But so long as a man keepeth himselfe to the direction of the Word take heed how thou scorne him take heed how thou blame him for such precisenesse for wee are all commanded of God to bee strict and precise this way What thing soever I command you bee it great or small saith the Lord Deut. 12.32 observe to doe it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it And Exod. 23.13 In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect And he instanceth in a point of strange precisenesse Make no mention of the names of other Gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth The second use that the Doctrine serveth unto is for exhortation to perswade every one of us to a more reverent esteeme and conscionable use of the whole outward worship of God of all those exercises of religion that the Lord hath in his Word commanded or commended unto us that is to say the observation of the Sabbath hearing the Word and reading of it receiving the Sacrament singing of Psalmes all manner of prayer both publique and with our families and in secret also Of never a one of these any man can doubt but they are ordained of God and commended to his in his Word Marke how this exhortation riseth from the Doctrine If the ceremoniall worship that was to endure for a time was so much to bee regarded how much more is the morall and perpetuall worship of God to bee accounted of It is the Apostles reason 2 Corinthians 3.11 If that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious If wee may not neglect the least circumstance of Gods worship that hee hath given us direction for in his Word how much lesse the substanciall parts of his worship and service If I may not neglect the gesture of kneeling in prayer when I can conveniently use it then much lesse may I neglect the duty of prayer it selfe If I may not neglect the benefit of mine eye in the Sacrament but I must desire to behold and looke upon the bread and wine the breaking of it and powring of it out then much lesse may I neglect the benefit of receiving the Sacrament it selfe Foure motives I will use to enforce this exhortation upon your hearts First These duties these parts of Gods out ward worship are enjoyned us by that commandement which our Saviour Matth. 22.38 calleth the first and the great commandement 1. It is the first commandement here you must begin thou canst not make conscience aright of any of the commandements following till thou begin here and make conscience even of the outward worship of God In which respect the Lord calleth them in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.6 that make conscience of that commandement such as keepe his commandements 2. It is the great commandement Wee can in nothing better shew our obedience and doe our homage to God then by the diligent and conscionable use of his outward worship Secondly The Lord esteemeth of the love we beare him according to the conscience we make of the second commandement according to the account we make of his outward worship and our dependance upon his direction in it This is plaine in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.5 6. He calleth them that make conscience of this commandement such as love him and those that do not such as hate him Thirdly The best of us have need of every one of them Adam even in his innocency had need of the Sabbath Gen. 2.3 The King saith the Lord Deut. 17.19 must read the Word daily and had need so to do as appeareth by the reason of that commandement there Daniel had need to pray every day Dan. 6.10 And how much more then have we Fourthly Thou shalt certainely receive good by them if thou use them conscionably 1. Good in thy soule for which they were chiefly ordained 1 by keeping the Sabbath Esa. 58.13 14. 2 by hearing Esa. 55.3 3 by reading Deut. 17.19 4 by receiving 1 Cor. 10.16 5 by prayer Phil. 4.6.7 6 by singing of Psalmes Ephes. 5.19 20. 2. Good even in thine outward estate The arke brought a blessing upon the house of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 12. The true worship of God used in it strengthened Rehoboams kingdome 2 Chron. 11.17 The Sabbath shall be a blessing to all that keepe it conscionably and no curse Exod. 20.11 See what a promise God maketh to watch over their families that worship him Exodus 34.24 On the other side thou hast no cause to expect his blessing but his curse upon all thou hast if thou neglect his outward worship Exod. 5.3 Let us sacrifice lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword Lecture CXVI On Psalme 51.7 April 21. 1629. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second of those generall points that I told you were to bee observed out of the whole verse that is to say That David did understand the meaning of these legall washings and sprinklings that hee alludeth to and mentioneth here hee knew what was signified by them and knowing that in those ceremoniall washings there was not only an outward and materiall element of water used but also an inward and spirituall grace represented and signified by it and that in those ceremoniall sprinklings with hysope there was not only an outward action and worke to be done by man but an inward worke also to be done by the Lord himselfe he rested not in that which was outward and touched the body onely but seeketh for that inward grace that was signified by it as appeareth by this that he beggeth of God that he would purge and wash him that he would do that worke upon his soule which was signified by this ceremony Purge thou mee with hysope saith he and I shall be cleane wash thou me and I shall be whiter then the snow And from this point thus observed in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That Gods people must labour to understand what they doe in every part of Gods worship and not rest in the outward worke but strive to feele the inward vertue and power of it and to find God doing his worke upon them in every one of his ordinances Two branches you see there are of this Doctrine which we wil handle distinctly and in order First We must labour to understand every thing that wee doe in the service of God This God required of his people even under the Law Though that were a time of farre lesse light then the Gospell the law had but a shadow of good things
so carelesly and making so little conscience in keeping it 184 Occasions of evill to be shunned 318 Officers Bound to present infamous and scandalous persons 182 They sin that keep men from publike pennance 187 188 Obedience Be willing to yeeld passive obedience unto God 245 249 Conscionable care to please God a sure note of uprightnesse 378 True obedience is universall 419 c. 724 726 Yet speciall care to be had of those things God hath given us speciall charge of 422 The onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word 380 c. How the upright man sheweth equall respect to all the commandements 423 c. Forth the root of it 737 741 Five notes of Evangelicall obedience 754 Obedience must be done in a right manner 433 c. Oppression Against such as are undoers of others 124 Originall sinne Is derived from the parents and why 282 283 For this sinne above all others God may justly abâ—orre us and we have most cause to bee humbled in our selves 301 303 Three motives to perswade us to seek deliverance from it and two meanes 313 317 Consider Gods mercy and goodnesse towards us in that regard 336 P. Papists THeir errours touching originall sinne 305 c. Touching justification 662 c. Parents To be humbled for the corruption and sinne that appeares in their children 286 Parents should use their utmost indeavour to breed grace in their children 287 c. Diverse motives Ibid. Means Parents must use to save their childrens soules 291 c Parents must maintaine their authority over their children 291 How they come to lose it 292 Their sin in neglecting to keep them in awe 293 294 They must instruct their children 1. Instilling betimes the beginnings of knowledge 294. 2. Acquainting them with the practice of Religion 295. 3. Bringing them to the publike worship 4. Examining them how they profit Ibid. They must be carefull to give them good example 298 They must take heed how they place them at schoole in service in mariage 299 They must pray for them Ibid. Parents using these meanes need not doubt they shall lose their labour 300 Patience We have need of it 250 Seven notes of it 251 c. Motives to it 253 c. Meanes 260 c. Perseverance Study to persevere unto the end 12 The marvellous mercy of God to bee acknowledged in the perseverance of any in the state of grace 347 352 Take heed of declining and falling fâ—om grace 431 432 The regenerate elect child of God caâ—â—ot sin so hainously as every unregenerate man may do 533 c. Constancy in the true Religion is a signe a man hath the Spirit of Christ. 766 c. God hath given great testimony to this 76â— The faithfull have found much comfort in â—t 〈◊〉 They whom the Spirit hath taught 〈…〉 persevere in the truth 〈◊〉 Motives to constancy in the truth 7â—â— 7â—2 Meanes to it 782 Though it be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this worke 783 Predestination Gods decree of Predestination is most righteous 248 249 Prayer Gods people in all distresse must seeke for comfort from God by prayer 59. c. Extremity of affliction should not keepe us from it 63 64 Nor sense of our owne vilenesse 64 65 Nor inability to pray 68 69 c Nor a conceit that it 's to no purpose to pray 69 c. Prescript and set formes of Prayer may bee used 68 Why God delayes to answer the prayers of his servants 75 76 What we must then do 78 c. God gives often a gracious answer to the prayers of his servants though they perceive it not 76 Five severall wayes God shewes respect unto and gives a gracious answer to his peoples prayers 76 77 Six principall faults that use to blemish and weaken our prayers 81 c. 637 Five notable encouragements to prayer specially in inward afflictions 153 Prayer a speciall meanes to get grace to beare afflictions comfortably and patiently 273 Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions 310 Prayer a meanes to conquer corruptions 322 And to get assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 636 A singular good thing to keep a constant course in prayer 700 Faith eâ—ableth us to pray well 743 Practice Presently set upon the practice of what wee have learned 43 Making conscience to practise what we have learned meanes to establish us in the truth 792 Preaching of the Word Is a meanes to bring men to Christ. 19 The godly man will rejoyce in the plentifulnesse of it 801 for three reasons 803 809 Preaching necessary now 813 Obiections against it answered 810 c. Preparation To the hearing of the Word wherein it consists 30 c. Presumption Take heed we sin not presuming that we shall repent before we die 15 The vanity of those conceits which keepe many from being troubled with their 〈◊〉 89 93 Hypocrites use to be confident 377 Presume not to sin because of the fals of Gods people 554 c. The danger of Presumption 620 625 744 Signes of it 628 629 Private duties Secret confession of sinne most necessary convenient and beneficiall 193 195 Psalmes The titles of them not to be omitted as superfluous and impertinent 1 Why committed to the chiefe Musitian 4 Singing of Psalmes an ancient and excellent ordinance of God 4 How Psalmes should be sung 6 Punishment The consideration of punishment may cause a faithfull man to mourne and grieve for sinne and to be afraid of it 218 Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as eternall punishment due to our sinnes 662 663 Though the afflictions men induce be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Profanenesse In some respects the open profane persons case is worse than the hypocrites 718 Profession Live so as men may be witnesses of thy goodnesse 418 He that hath assurance that Christ is his will proâ—esse and declare himselfe openly to bee Gods servant 627 We may hate the sinnes of professors but not hate them for any goodnesse they professe Three notes whereby we may see many hate professors for their goodnesse 716 717 Prosperity He that hath not Christ can have no comfort in his prosperity 686 Great is their folly that preferre worldly things before Christ. 690 R. Regenerate THe sinnes the regenerate fall into are in sundry respects greater than the sinnes of others 539 542 548 552 God will plague sinne as much in them as in any other in the world 540 541 In this life he sheweth more hatred to the sinnes of such than to the sinnes of other men 542 c. The goodnesse in the regenerate man in three respects surpasseth the goodnesse in the morall man or hypocrite 729 730 Religion That 's the true Religion that gives the whole glory of mans salvation to the free grace and mercy of God 110 523 The truth we have received by warrant of