refuse certaine meates and dayes the Conscience erred in judging those meates and dayes to bee unlawfull to be observed and used and yet hee calls them that were so led by an erring Conscience hee calls them I say brethren But when we speake of an evill Conscience we meane Conscience unregenerate As a man may have sinne in him and yet be a good man so may Conscience have blindnesse in it and yet bee a good Conscience The signes of an unregenerate Conscience may be gathered from the differences of evill Consciences The signes then of an unregenerate still Conscience are these First when it is quiet in the committing and after the committing of knowne sinne whether open or secret For open sins as for drunkennesse swearing lying profanation of the Sabbath and the like the Conscience cannot be good when these or the like open wickednesses are committed and so when it is quiet notwithstanding secret whoredome or filthinesse of any kinde or continuall wickednesse in the thoughts or desires that Conscience that can abide a soule heart is a wicked Conscience Secondly when it excuseth for doing notorious evils and so they have evill Consciences that could trouble and persecute even to the death godly men and yet thinke they did God good service Iohn 16.2 The signes of an unregenerate stirring Conscience are these First when the Conscience serves onely to tell ill newes when it serves to tell a man onely of his losse by Adam or the Law but never comforteth him by bringingâ—in any evidence of Gods favour in Christ. That Conscience that terrifies without Christ that is without mixing any of the comforts of the Gospell in Christ is an evill Conscience the speciall property of a good Conscience is to excuse and comfort and therefore that Conscience that doth onely accuse is an evill Conscience Secondly when the Conscience flees from the presence of God as did Adams Conscience after the Fall and this the Conscience discovers when it dares not stand before the discovery of the Law of God not dares abide a powerfull Minister that speakes to the Conscience of the hearers and ransacks them Thirdly when the Conscience languisheth about questions that tend not to edification and raiseth the strength of zeale and all the power of it about things that are lesse necessary either unto faith or practice And this was the case of the Pharisees Conscience that spent all their zeale about lesse matters and neglected the waightier things of the Law And this is the case of all such Christians that are zealous with a fiery zeale about circumstances or the estates and businesses of others and neglect the maine things of substance that concerne their owne sanctification assurance or salvation Fourthly when the Conscience is for men and not for God when the motive that raiseth and incourageth it is the praise of men and not the praise of God This also was the case of the Consciences of the Pharisees for the Conscience in them was busie and did require good duties but the respect was still the praise of men whereas a good Conscience is for God above all Fiftly when it will accuse onely for grosse evils and those knowne to others and not for lesse and secret sins to be repented of Sixtly when it will accuse onely in the time of adversity as in the case of Iosephs brethren Thus of the signes of an evill Conscience The misery that the men have that have an evill Conscience followes and they are miserable whether they have a waking or a sleeping Conscience The misery that comes from a waking Conscience is evill and may be two wayes discerned first by the tearmes by which it is called and resembled in Scripture secondly by the effects which it worketh really upon a man For the first An evill Conscience that is awake is in Scripture compared to a sting or pricke wounding the heart of a man It is likened also to a dog or a bloud-hound that lieth at the doore and having fresh sent howleth and barketh after the malefactor Gen. 4. It is likened as some thinke by David Psal. 51.4 to an evill contentious wife that is ever before a man chiding and brauling and as a moth secretly eats the garment so doth an evill Conscience eat up the heart of a man when others little see it Prov 25. It is like a dart strangely shot into a mans body Psalme 38. and it is compared to the boyling of the tumultuous sea Esay 57. and it is called a worme that dieth not but lieth gnawing and eating upon the heart of a man Esay 66. Marke 9. So that a man that hath an evill Conscience is like a man that is stung by a serpent or followed by a bloud-hound or vexed by a continuall-contrarious wife or that is hourely shot through with darts or that hath a living worme ever gnawing at his heart But that this may be more distinctly understood wee must take notice of foure effects of an evill Conscience usually The first is shame He that hath an evill Conscience is betrayed by his own blushing many times when his offence is secret yea a man feeles an inward shame in his owne heart disgracing and abusing him though he make no outward shew of it For though sometimes an innocent person upon the fulnesse of an aspersion may conceive shame as David did Psal. 44.15 yet it is usually the effect of an ill Conscience The second is paine and anguish of heart arising from the gnawing and stings of Conscience mentioned before which so continually burdens the heart that it takes away all contentment in any thing and keepes the heart in an habituall disconsolation and though the disease of melancholy may breed a sadnesse like unto it yet is there manifest difference betwixt this affliction of spirit and melancholy for the melancholick person usually can assigne no certaine reason of that sadnesse whereas Conscience when it stings a â—â—gnes the cause of it to be such and such things which bring noâ— only the shame of men but the wrath of God Besides melancholick sadnesse may be eased by physicke but this sorrow is not cured by any meanes but such as are spirituall The third is a strange kind of feare breaking the heart of a man and so subduing his courage that he is not able to sustaine himselfe against the impressions of vaine causes of feare A trembling heart is the effect of an ill conscience Deut. 28.65 Thus wicked men are said in Scripture to feare when no man pursueth them Pro. 28.1 and to be so faint-hearted as the sound of a shaken leafe shall make them fly as it were from a sword Levit. 26.36 and as it is in Iob The sound of feare is alwayes in his eares yea the terrours of conscience sometime so enrage upon the offender that no torments are like unto their terrours which sometimes are so great that they are hardly able to sustaine themselves but discover their horrible
and disagreements and faults in the carriage or judgements of Christians in their living together The earnestnesse of the Apostle in heaping up these directions imports that he discerned many things amisse which was not only true of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia and Thessaloniâ—a but even of the Church of Philippi which St. Paul most commends And the like we may find in the estate of the seven Churches of Asia if we mark what is said to them by S. Iohn in his Revelation Yea there was not perfect agreement at all times amongst the Pillars of the first Christian Churches Paul and Barnabas were at variance Actsâ—5 â—5 â—9 and Paul and Peter did openly disagree Gal. 2. The reason is because in this life we know but in part and are sanctified but in part 1 Cor. 13. The Use should be first to teach us not to be offended or scandalized at the differences of opinion that breake out in all the Churches of Christ every where in our times Wee must pray the God of peace to give us peace and know that it hath alwaies beene so and therefore it should not hinder us from embracing the known truth Secondly this should the more enflame our desires after heaven and make us the more willing to die because there will never be perfect holinesse and agreement till we come to heaven then we shall be holy as God is holy and know as we are known and charity will be perfect for ever And besides this should teach us with the more patience to instruct and waite for the amendment of such as are contrary minded and not strive over violently or passionately with them 2 Tim. 2.25 Lastly if Christians can agree no better and have such defects then wee should never wonder overmuch at the monstrous abominations in opinion or life that are found amongst the wicked of the world and in false Churches A second doctrine I observe from hence is That we ought to be rightly ordâ—red in our minds as well as any other part of our soules or lives Yea the minde is to be looked to in the first place Hence it is that in our regeneration our mindes are especially renewed Rom. 12.2 and God requires to be served with our minds Mat. 22.37 Yea as God is an eternall mind so the service of the mind is most proper for God And besides our mindes give lawes to our lives and therefore if the mind be not good the life must needs be evill The happinesse of the whole man depends upon the mind and therefore the Apostle reckons the impuritie of the mind and conscience to be the worst impurity can befall a man Tit. 1.15 and the same Apostle makes it a signe of a man whose end is damnation to have his mind taken up and wholly bent to earthly things Phil. 3.19 This point may serve first to shew the wofull estate of such persons as have ill and unsound minds And the mind is unsound when it is corrupt or putrefied with ill opinions concerning either faith or manners 2 Tim. 3.8 1 Cor. 11.3 and when it is blinded with ignorance 2 Cor. 4.3 4. for without knowledge the mind cannot be good Pro. 19.2 and it is a divellish mischiefe to have darknesse in our mindes as that place in the Corinthians shewes The minde is also unsound and in wofâ—ll â—aking when it is taken up with vile thoughts and contemplative wickednesse Rom. 1.21 Eph. 4.17 and when men have double mindes Iames 4.7 or wavering mindes Iames 1.7 And therefore one of the highest curses God inflicts upon men with whom he is angry is to plague them in their mindes either with a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 or with a desperate minde Secondly this Doctrine shewes what harmfull creatures deceivers of mindes are they doe more mischiefe than such as deceive men in their estates or poison mens bodies Tit. 1.10 Thirdly this should teach all carefull Christians to gird up the loynes of their mindes 1 Pet. 1.13 and to labour to get a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.7 and in particular to get the unitie of minde which the Apostle here requires And so I come to the third point The third Doctrine then which I observe out of these words is That all true Christians are bound in a speciall maner to strive to be all of one mind which in this place is meant of unity and agreement in judgement and matter of beliefe in the points of Religion This is urged in divers Scriptures as 1 Cor. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 2.2 Rom 15.5 and this was the great glorie of the first Christian Church that all the multitude were of one heart and one soule Acts 4.32 There are many reasons to perswade us hereunto 1. From the nature of this agreement It is as it were one of the bonds of the mysticall union for though it be not the principall one for that is the Spirit of Christ yet it is a speciall one it is like the veines and sinewes which tye the bodie together to breake this unitie is to cut asunder the very veines and sinewes of the mysticall bodie of Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 2 From the equitie and comelinesse of it We have but one Father one Baptisme one Spirit one Hope and therefore should have but one Faith Eph. 4.3 4 5. 3 From the good effects of this unitie for first it will make us the fitter to prayse God and doe him service with the greater encouragement and comfort as we may see Rom. 15.5 Secondly it will make us ever eat our meat with more gladnesse and singlenesse and quietnesse of heart Act. 2.46 Thirdly it will winne us the more favour and honour amongst the people as wee reade in the example of those first Christians Act. 2.47 yea in the end of that verse wee may gather that it is a great advantage for the conversion of others when they see us agree so well together and further it will bee a singular joy to our Teachers to see us agree and be all of one minde and to serve God with one shoulder as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.9 so Phil. 2.2 Yea it will bee a signe to us that wee are true Christians and have found true comfort in Christ and in brotherly love and that we have fellowship by the Spirit in the bodie of Christ and that we have right bowels and mercie unto others Phil. 2.1 2. 4 From the ill effects of dissenting Two of them may be gathered from the coherence in this place for first it is implyed That if Christians agree not in opinions they will hardly practise the foure other vertues here named towards the persons with whom they dissent they will not love them as brethren heartily nor bee so pitifull to them in distresse nor so mercifull to helpe them if they be in need nor so courteous and kinde to them Secondly if this first rule be transgressed it is very probable they will bring trouble upon themselves and that either
by Christ 154 Excellent uses of the manifold descriptions of Christ 248 249 As he is a Lord how he excels other Lords 249 How said to be both a stone and a living stone 249 250. c. Christ is precious many wayes 254 How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things 281 How we may manifest this esteeme ibid. How Christ is an honour to us 292 Christ many waies refused 298 In what respects Christ bare our sinne 531 Christian. A Christians life is a joyfull life 54 What they must doe to preserve that joy in their hearts 55 How farre he may rejoyce in earthly things 56 Priviledges of weake Christians 229 Encouragement for weak Christians 237 Christians have divers sacrifices 266 Only Christians come of the best generation 317 They are royall many wayes 318 The priesthood of a Christian is a singular priviledge 320 321 It should put us in minde of divers duties 321 Christians are holy many wayes 322 How Christians are said to be all of one Nation 325 Why called a peculiar people 326 327 A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his conversation 388 For what reasons Christians should be much affected with the consideration of their Calling 689 The necessity of knowing our calling 690 How it may be knowne 691 Divers sorts of Christians ibid. Carnall Christians know not their Calling ibid. c. The reasons of it 692 Good Christians have a blessed estate above all men 693 True Christians inherit nothing but blessing 693. and that many wayes 694 Church Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church 79 80 The Church like Mount Sion in many respects 276 277 The uses hereof ibid. The excellencie of the word above all other assemblies of the world besides 277 Cleane Cleanenesse Eight things to be done for the getting of a clean heart 175 Come We Come to Christ many mayes 256 Eight wayes to come to Christ 257 Encouragements thereto ibid. c. Compassion It was shewed by Christ five wayes 332 In man how 679 Motives to it ibid. What bowels of Compassion doth import 683 Confound Beleevers shall never be Confounded 284 The diverse acceptation of the word Confound ibid. How Confounded may be taken in a good sense 285 Meanes by which God keepes the Beleever from being confounded ibid. In what he shall not be confounded ibid. How farre he may be confounded 286 Conditions of such as will not be confounded 287 What sorts of men shall suffer shame and Confusion ibid. Conscience It ought to be adorned with nine things 18 Kindes of Conscience 503 Reasons why men ought to be instructed about Conscience 499 What Conscience is ibid. It s proper worke 500 How Conscience is imployed in us ibid. The law by which Consc. judgeth the maner of proceeding in judgment 502 Prerogatives of Conscience ibid. c. Divers kinds of Conscience 503 Differences of evills in mens Consciences 504 Signes of an evill Conscience that is still and stirred 505 Hurts of an ill Conscience with foure effects â—hereof 506 Aggravations of the miserie of an ill Conscience 507 What must be done to make an ill Conscience good 508 Two things for guiding the Conscience 509 Signes of a good Conscience ibid. Benefits of it 510 How farre Conscience may be bound 510 511 Conversation Our conversation said to be vaine in sixe respects 140 The sins which make it so ibid. There is vanitie in the Conversation of the Saints themselves ibid. Five degrees of our redemption from a vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Speciall rules for the right ordering of a holy Conversation 323 Meanes to â—ttainâ— it 324 Differences betweene a holy Conversation and a civill ibid. A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his Conversation 388 Vide Honest. Sixe things which make an honest Conversation 389 An honest Conversation is the way either to convert or convince the Gentiles 392 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our Conversations 594 595 Reasons why a Christians Conversation should be coupled with feare 598 599 Conversion Nine signes to know whether we be effectually converted 585 Rules for it 586 Courtesie It containeth seven things 685 Creation The wonderfulnesse of our Creation shewed many waies 151 152 The use of it ibid. D DAy Many sorts of Dayes nâ—ted in Scripâ—â—â—â— 416 How the Day and season of grace may be knowne 417 Darknesse The acceptation of the word Darknesse 338 c. Degrees of it 339 Nine aggravations of the Darknesse that is in wicked men 340 The use of it ibid. c. Foure signs of spirituall Darknesse 341 There is some Darknesse even in the children of Light ibid. There are seven differences between the Darknesse of the godly and the darknesse of the ungodly 341 342 Death Vide Die 198 534 Deceit Vide Guile The miserie of Deceitfull persons 206 207 Of Deceitfull Servants 207 The iniquitie of our times herein 208 Signes of a man without Deceit 209 Despaire How many wayes wicked men may Despaire 307 Preservatives from Despaire 308 309 Speciall differences between the Despaire of the godly and wicked 309 310 Desire The necessitie utilitie and nature of this affection of Desire largely handled 221 The true Desire of the word hath foure distinct things in it first Estimation of it secondly Longing for it thirdly Content in it fourthly Constancie in the renewing of it 221 222 How we may discerne our affections to it 222 Signes both externall and internall of our Desire to the word 222 223 c. Impediments 223 Meanes of getting true Desire to the word 225 Rules for preserving these Desires 226 Motives thereto 227 How farre wicked men may desire the word 230 Die Vide Death Men Die many waies 534 The many inconveniences by forgetting to Die 198 How to prove willing to Die ibid. Disobedience How unbeleevers are guilty of Disobedience and their Disobedience aggravated 293 Drunkard Drunkennesse Reasons against it well applied 106 E EArth Earthly In what the vanity of Earthly things appeares 700 No reason to be in love with them ib. c. What daies are Evill in respect of wicked men 703 Wherein godly mens daies are Evill ibid. Great difference of the evill daies of good and evill men ibid. How farre Christians may rejoyce in Earthly things 56 Elect. The Elect have eight priviledges above all men in the world 7 8 Three sorts of Elect 150 Election A fourefold Election 7 How they may be knowne ibid. 315 Good use of the point 8 There are many things in our Election which may ravish us 314 Rules to live so as becommeth the assurance of Election 316 Envie It is a hatefull sin 214 Signes of a man free from Envie 215 Evill-doers Who are pointed out for such 446 Evill-speaking Vide Backe-biting Report the aggravation of it 213 Reasons against it 216 The effects of it foule 217 The use to be made of it with Rules against it 218 What to doe to avoid it 219 In what cases odious 395 Helpes to
thoughts of Gods glory â—â—o waies established Note A double caveat in glorifying God Foure things must be done by us to make others glorifie God 1 Men are said to visit diversly 2 God doth also visit many waies 1 The creatures But especially men and so either as â—e visits all men in generall or some men in speciall God visits men two waies especially 1 In justice What kind of men in particular are in danger of this kind of visitation 2 God visits in mercy and so either in temporall things as in the case of blessings or in case of afflictions God visits in spiritual things diversly Signes of such as are truly visited in mercy with true grace 1 Hee hath a new Lord. 2 New acquaintance 3 A new language 4 A new heart Speciall signes of a new heart 1 It hath no guile 2 It is void of malice 3 It is void of covetousnesse A new mind New affections A new behaviour discovered divers wayes Many sorts of daies noted in Scripture Note How the day and season of grace may bee knowne Note Against such as presume on late repentance First objection answered Note Second objection answered Third objection confuted Note Note What glorious things the day of visitation brings forth Use. Note Use 1. Use 2. Note Doct. 8. Note What Submission hath in it viz. six things Siquis tentat excipere conâ—tur decipere Agnoscit dominum suum â—â—erâ— Aâ—â—â— Ezra 1 Subjectivè 2 Objectivè 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In what things the Magistâ—ate is not to be obeyed In what things they are to be obeyed In what matters ecclesiastiâ—â—ll â—he Magistrate hath no power In what things he hath power ecclesiasticall Actions about Gods wâ—rshâ—â— of two sorts Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether any inventions of men ought to be obeyed Gal. 5. Mat. 15. Command 2. Circumcision was a burthen Acts 5 10 and these burthens 〈◊〉 necessary things v. 28. and they were 〈◊〉 to doe well if they observe them v. 29. Pretended inconveniences by humâ—ne Lawes surveyed Acts 15.1 Rules about taking and giving scandall at humane ceremonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrisie Originall of Kings Homo naturâ est animal politicum Divers kindes of societies Pagus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellencie of Kings above others 1 Tim. 1.12 Bernard Epist. 170. Who are branded for evill doers Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the praise of men 2 Cor. 12.11 Ioh. 5.36 37. Helps to get praise from men Ier. 8.18 21. Vide Ephes. 4.17 18. Signes of spirituall folly Prov. 17.16 Signes of spirituall madnesse Wherein godly men sometimes shew folly Why it is so hard to cure ignorance and silence ignorant men Speciall gifts of Christ bestowed on the godly Quanquam humantur non tamen damnantur From what a Christian is made free Electi sunt liberi à damnatione legis à dominatione regis peccati To what a godly man is made free In what respects we are but as free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men may use their liverties as a cloake of maliciousnesse five wayes 2. Pet. 2. 19. 20. How Christian liberty is made a cloake of malice in things indifferent How we must serve God Rom. 12.45 Heb. 9.14 Who are rejected from the number of Gods servants Deut. 28.47 Prerogatives of Gods servants By what wayes we may expresse our honouring of men How we shew our love to the brother-hood In what respects godly men are brethren The Apostle doth especially urge the inwarâ— worship of God The fear of God what it is It is twofold Sixe things in God we are to stand in awe of Motives to get the feare of God What kindes of men do not fear God Signes of Gods feare Pro. 31.30 Note What a family is Three things required to make a society happy We are bound of God to the care of domesticall duties for divers reasons Why inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties Servants of men are of divers sorts For what causes servitude came in Gen. 12.16 and 32.5 Eccles. 2.7 How a godly servant may comfort himselfe in that estate Servants must be subject three wayes Helps for servants to yeeld subjection The originall of masters The name father given to divers sorts How many waies servants shew the feare of God in their 〈◊〉 Signes of good masters Reasons 〈◊〉 frowardâ—â—â—â— Prov. 10.32 Prov. 16.28 Helpes against frowardnesse Reasons why men ought to be instructed about conscience What conscience is Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 The proper worke of Conscience These principles in the minde shâ—w a keeper they call Synteresis How consciâ—â—ce is imployed in us Chirâ—graphia Deâ— Prâ—râ—gatives or pâ—â—pertâ—â—s of conscience Kindes of conscience Difference of evill in mens consciences Note The signes of an evill Conscience 〈…〉 Signes of an ill stirring Conscience Hurt of an evill conscience Foure ill effects of an ill conscience Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience What must bee done to make an ill conscience good Two things for the guiding of conscience Signes of a good conscience Acts 23.1 Benefits of a good conscience How far conscience may be bound Use. Wherein vaine-glory is seene 1 Thes. 2.6 Wherein true glory consists Divers wayes of suffering Christ suffered for us in divers respects Ten things for us to follow in the example of Christs sufferings In what things Christs example binds not How farre examples binde conscience A man is said to make sinne many waies How Christ had no sinne Guile in words many waies Guile in Hypocrisie many wayes What reviling is Who are guilty of reviling Esay 5.20 Motives to patience In what cases it is not fit to complaine unto the Magistrate In what cases men may lanfully seeke redresse from the Magistrate Thâ—t God is a Iudge is terrible to wicked men and that in many respects God is comfortable to godly men How Go◠〈◊〉 rigâ—tâ—oâ—â—â—y Use. Rules in committing our cause to God In what respects Christ bare our sins Christs sufferings â—itted to the circumstances of sin 1 John 2.1 Rom. 3.26 Reasons why Christ suffered on a tree Men die divers wayes Naturall men aâ—e said to be alive to sin in divers respects Great is the misery of such as live in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divers things in Christs death that ought to be in our repentance Signes of true mortification The happinesse of such as live spiritually A religious â—sâ— is the best liâ—e for 6. reasons Signes that describe a righteous mâ—n in himsâ—lâ—e Sixe other signes of righteousnesse as it groweth How the righteousnesse of a godly mâ—n disfers from that of the Scribes and Pharisees Why so many do not imbrace a righteous life Helpes unto righteousnesse Phil. 3.3 1 â—or 7.23 Defects of a righteous life of two sorts First in tâ—e parts of it And 〈◊〉 in respect of the fâ—rst table Psal. 27.3 5. Pro. 2â— 3. Psal. 55.22 Psal.
him of nothing But by renovation conscience is good for the time of this life but imperfectly and increaseth in good men by degrees and so because man is renewed but in part it is a part of the goodnesse of the conscience to accuse for sinne especially if it be presumptuous after calling as well as to excuse from faults while the man keeps his uprightnesse That a good conscience should only excuse is true in this world onely of conscience as it was good by creation Now concerning the goodnesse or badnesse of conscience these seven things are to be considered of First that all mens consciences by nature are evill Secondly the difference of evill in mens consciences Thirdly the signes of an evill conscience Fourthly the hurt of an evill conscience Fiftly the meanes how evill consciences may be made good Sixtly the signes of a good conscience Seventhly the great happinesse of the man that hath a good conscience For the first that all mens consciences are by nature evill is manifest because all have sinned in Adam and lost their originall righteousnesse in all the faculties of the soule and so every man in his naturall condition is in every point uncleane and to the impure all things are impure even their consciences are polluted saith the Apostle Tit. 1.15 For the second evill is not in the same degree in all mens consciences but after a different manner in divers men for First in most men wee see that conscience is so feeble and works so little that it seemes to be but a small sparke or like a bubble which riseth now and then and presently vanisheth Now the reason why conscience stirs so little in the most men is not to be taken from the nature of conscience for that can worke all workes mentioned before but from divers things in man For first Adams sinne as it deprived all mens consciences of originall righteousnesse which was the life of the conscience so it brought such a depravation and evill disease upon the conscience that it was never healed nor cured in the naturall man to this day but the weaknesse arising from the infection holds him downe still Secondly the generall ignorance and darknesse which is in the world is one great cause why conscience lieth so miserably weake and neglected For it cannot worke for want of light For in the mind it findes only a few naturall principles or some generall truths of religion which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of mens lives Thirdly besides the law of nature is corrupted in man and so those principles are very muddy and uncertaine and the generals of Religion are poysoned with secret objections gathered from the controversies of so many false religions Fourthly further it is manifest that the cares and pleasures of life oppresse conscience in many and in them conscience stirs not not because it cannot stir but because there is no leasure to heare what it saith men are so violently carried to the pleasures and busines of this world As a man that runs in a race many times runs with such violence that he cannot heare what is said unto him by some that he passeth by though it were counsell that might direct him in the right way of the race so is it with men that haste to be rich conscience often cals to them to take heed of going out of the way by deceit or lying or oppression or the like but they pursue riches so violently that they cannot heare the voice of conscience And so is it with the voluptuous person and with the most men that live in any habituall gainfull sinne Fiftly yea this weaknes comes upon the conscience of some by custome of sinnes that are not sinnes of gaine or pleasure as the sinnes of negligence sloathfulnesse passion or the like in which men are wilfully confirmed and will not regard the checks of their owne conscience Finally one great reason why the most of us feele so little of conscience is the evill hearing of the Word of God for the Word of God powerfully preached would awake the conscience but that most men set themselves to neglect it by a willing wilfull entertainment of distractions and in voluntary forgetting of what they have heard and so hood-winking themselves it is no wonder they cannot see Secondly some mens conscience is starke dead it stirs not at all The conscience is compared to a part of the body that is not only without sense and rotten but is feared with an hot iron and this is the case only of some notorious either Hereticks or malefactors that have lived a long time wilfully in some monstrous wickednesse either knowne or secret 1 Tim. 4.2 This seared conscience is either joyned with a greedinesse to commit speciall wickednesse or with a reprobate minde that is so horrible stupid that it judgeth evill to be good or at the best not dangerously hurtfull Ephes. 4.18 Rom. 1.28 Thirdly in some men the evill of conscience lyeth in this that it is over busie and sinnes too much and so in two sorts of men first the superstitious or secondly the desperate The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his conscience in doing well or when he doth that which is not unlawfull as the Popish Priest is troubled for comming to our Churches or the Christian that is carried with preposterous zeale is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in using his liberty in things indifferent in the desperate the evill of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience and that in two things First in that it presents the wrath of God to them without the hope of mercy in Christ as did the Conscience of Cain Secondly in that it drives them to doe that against themselves which is desperately wicked as to make away themselves as the desperate Conscience of Iudas and Achitophel did Fourthly in some men there was a temporary goodnesse in the Conscience of which they made shipwracke and so utterly lost the goodnesse they had for a time And thus many hypocrites doe that for a time get the forme of Religion even into their Consciences but afterward falling into the immoderate love of the world or the lust of some particular sinne fall cleane away from Religion and so lose the goodnesse which they had 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus of the differences of evill in the Consciences of divers men the signes of an evill Conscience follow But before I give the signes wee must take notice of a distinction and that is that the Conscience may have evill in it and not be an evill Conscience Conscience in this life in men regenerate is renewed and restored but in part and so may erre sometimes and in some cases and yet be no evill Conscience As for instance in certaine weake Christians in the Primitive Church who yet were godly men the Apostle shewes Rom. 14. that some Christians for Conscience sake did
restlesnesse by the grievous distempers of the body or failing of their senses being for the time as Iob saith brought under the king of terrours Iob 18.14 What a wofull case Belshazzar was in you may reade Dan. 5.9 These terrours are the fansies the Gentiles so much dreamed of The fourth is desperation An evill Conscience in sinne many times brings them to hellish despaire of all mercy and pardon thus Cain rageth and blasphemeth like a frantick man And these effects of an evill Conscience are so muâ—h the more great 1. Because the Conscience can lash a man without noise it can secretly inflict torments when no eyes shall pity him 2. Because there is no escape from Conscience a man can neither drive it away nor run from it it cleaves to the offender inseparably From a tyrant or ill master some men run away but from an ill Conscience there is no flying 3. Because Conscience it selfe is a thousand witnesses to prove the fault though never so secret and the offender is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himselfe and goes up and downe with a heavie sentence upon him in his bosome though all the world should account him innocent 4. Because an evill Conscience is such a damnable disease and the griefe raised by Conscience is such and so lasting that the grieved dies before the griefe can be removed yea so violent is the confusion which despaire bringeth into the thoughts that out of the grievous mistaking and impatience many times the offender makes away himselfe as Saul Achitophel and Iudas did and many in our times doe 5. Because death it selfe doth not abate the torments of an evill Conscience but the living worme gnawes them even in hell for ever and with so much strength and power there that one said wittily Hell were not hell if it were not for the gnawing of this never-dying and never-ceasing worme 6. Because unto the making up of the compleat misery of the impenitent sinner the sentence of Conscience and the testimony of it shall be heard and admitted at the last day before the Tribunall of Christ. For though an evill conscience shall never disgrace for some effects as for that of working despaire of mercy yet for the maine body of the proceedings of Conscience it shall be not only allowed but justified by the voice of Christ to the eternall shame and confusion of the offender And though it be true that the worst of the effects before mentioned arise from a stirring Conscience yet is not the man safe that hath a still Conscience if it bee evill For first hee is in continuall danger of the awaking of that conscience of his that now is asleep What ease can that mans heart be at if he had all pleasures round about him if he were tied to a Beare or Lion or mad Dog though he were then asleep for hee may awake every moment and then where is hee The stilnesse of an ill conscience is but like the sleep of a frantick man Secondly there can be no true peace unto the man that lieth in sinne without repentance Isa. 57. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Though hee bee friends with himselfe for a time yet God is not friends with him nor is sinne and Satan at peace with him though there be an uncertaine truce for a time Thirdly the danger of a still conscience is the greater for the terrours of a troubled conscience may prepare a man for Christ and compell a man to seeke helpe from Christ but in the case of a still conscience there are these two usuall miseries the one that men take a still conscience to be a good conscience and the other is that a man runnes onely blindefolded so long till death and hell may seaze upon him Thus of the effects of an evill conscience the meanes how conscience may be made good follow That an evill conscience may be made good two things must bee looked into first that wee get a right medicine to heale it secondly that we take a right course in application of the medicine First the medicine for the curing of an ill conscience is onely the bloud of Christ the disease of conscience is of so high a nature as all the medicines in the world are insufficient nothing but sprinkling it with bloud will serve the turne and it must be no other bloud than the bloud of the immaculate Lambe of God as the Apostle shews Heb. 9.14 The reason of this is because conscience will never be quiet till it see a way how Gods anger may be pacified and sinne abolished which cannot be done any way but by the bloud of Christ which was powred out as a sacrifice for sinne Now unto the right application of this medicine foure things are requisite First the light of knowledge Secondly the washing of regeneration Thirdly the assurance of faith Fourthly the warmth of love First knowledge a man must have both Legall and Evangelicall for they must know by the law what sinnes lie upon the conscience and trouble it and they must know by the Gospel what a propitiation is made by Christ for sinnes And for the second an evill conscience will never bee gotten off unlesse our hearts be sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sinnes which did lie upon the conscience Heb. 10.22 1 Tim. 1.5 Now unto such removing of such sinnes from the heart two things are requisite First that by particular confession wee doe as it were scratch off the filth of those sinnes that soule the heart and trouble the conscience Secondly and then that wee wash our hearts and daily rinse them with the teares of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sinnes Thirdly assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill conscience because faith is the hand that layes on the medicine A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himselfe and beleeve that Christ did satisfie for those sinnes that lie upon the conscience and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that bloud of Christ and then of an evill conscience it will presently become good but men must looke to one thing and that is that their faith be unfained For conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith they must beleeve indeed and with their hearts and with sound application of the promises of the Gospel concerning the bloud of Christ or else conscience will not be answered Heb. 10.22 1 Tim 1.5 Fourthly the heat of love must be added a man must so apply the bloud of Christ as that his owne bloud be heated in him affection with both towards God and Christ and Christians Christian love doth put as it were naturall heat into the conscience and makes it now receiving life by faith to bestirre it selfe in all the workes either of service to God or duty to men 1 Tim. 1.5 Heb. 9.24 knowledge bringing it light mortification making it cleane faith
to be considered of 1. What need our spirits have to be sanctified 2. Wherein lyeth the sanctification of the spirit of man Our spirits have great need to be sanctified 1 By reason of the first sin they want originall righteousnesse and they are corrupt and infected with a generall leprosie 2. By reason of the steine and uncleanenesse all our actuall sins have added to the former corruption 3. By reason of the inhabitation of uncleane spirits our spirits have in them trenches cages forts and strong holds of Sathan 2 Cor. 10.4 and therefore had neede to bee cleansed after such soule spirits have been there 4. The naturall spirit of man frames nothing but evill and that continually this makes God so weary Gen. 6. In particular all the faculties of the spirit of man need sanctification 1. The minde is covered with a vaile wrapped in an ugly mantle of darknesse distracted with errour coupled with a thousand formes of evill thoughts 2. The memory performes no service to God it should be Gods Treasurer and Register but no body is in the office to keep record 3. The Will is grievously diseased and with sicknesse so distempered that it will not be ruled by any not by God not by men not by reason not by religion nor doth it agree with it selfe For man wills not alwayes the same thing 4. The affections out of the first poyson of naturall corruption have such monstrous births of evill that the spirit by them is set out of all order They are compared to beasts Esay 11. To fighting soldiers 1 Pet. 2.12 To tyrants making cruell lawes and leading into bondage Rom. 7. 5. The wretched Conscience then which there was once no diviner thing on earth is now in miserable case For either it is sick of a Lethargy and sleepes or if it waken it is like a mad Dog or Lion or a Iudge transported with rage It is ignorant without light it is soiled or â—teinâ—d with a thousand sinnes It is impure and exceeding base and without all properties of a divine Iudge For it is blinde and will be corrupted and will deferre the Affise c. Insteed of a throne of judgement it is thrust into a hole and horrible dungeon of darknesse where the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth not and there for the most part as if it were still night it lieth obscure and sleepeth And thus of the need we have of sanctification in our spirits The sanctification of the spirit lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing the spirit from sinne 2. In adorning the spirit with graces In the cleansing of the spirit consider both from what and how For the first if any aske what there is in our spirits needes cleansing away I answer That besides what hath been shewed many more particulars may be set out thus There are vile both impieties and unrighteousnesse in our spirits must be done away For impieties There is ignorance errour atheisticall thoughts pride hypocrisie inconstancy hardnesse of heart and division of heart conceitednesse vanity selfe-love hatred of goodnesse false feares carnall confidence forgetfulnesse doubts unsetlednesse unbeliefes of all sorts and love of the world For unrighteousnesse There are evill cares covetousnesse lusts of all sorts hatred malice desire of revenge anger fretting worldly griâ—fe bitternesse discontentment vaine-glory emulation inordinate affection and evill concupiscence as good as men thinke their hearts and meanings are they may by this taste see how foule their spirits are Now for the second The spirit is cleansed from these sins by degrees and to that purpose the spirit of God worketh and useth 8. distinct new qualities which have not place in the soule but upon occasion of this service against sin And these are 1. Spirituall poverty or sense of sin and misery 2. Base estimation viz of the world with the pleasures profits and lusts of it Phil. â— 8 Esay 30.22 3. Hatred of sinne 4. Shame for sin Rom. 6.21 5. Godly sorow 6. Feare 7. Indignation 8. A purpose and inclination to forsake sin Thus of the cleansing of the spirit The adorning of the spirit followes The spirit of man in sanctification is adorned with holy graces and here I consider of the adorning 1. of the minde 2. of the heart 3. of the conscience The minde is adorned with three things which come new into it 1. The first is a heavenly light 2. The second is humblenesse of minde 3. The third is purity of imaginations 1. This light comes in by the illumination of the spirit setting in the minde a celestiall kinde of knowledge and this stands in two things For first this sanctification breakes open a way and sets at liberty the light of nature which was imprisoned and withheld in unrighteousnesse and then there is besides infused a new light from above and this light hath in it 1 1. A holy discerning of good and evill truth and falshood by which the minde in a measure discerneth a general course of avoiding the waies of death and the 〈◊〉 of hell 2. A holy inquiry by which the minde aspireth after God and truth and tryeth things that differ 3. Wisdome from above by which the minde is caried not only to a foresight and forecast for the things of the soule and a better life above the things of the body and this life but is furnished with certaine feedes of discretion for practise with observation of the circumstances of time place persons maner end occasions c. 4. A sacred frame of piety and patterne of godlinesse and truth and this patterne is so communicated to the understanding that it is indelible no dangers sin or death can ever utterly abolish it This frame of truth is perfected by degrees 5. There is planted in the minde Gods watch by the light whereof all the wayes of the heart and life are over-looked 2 2. The second grace planted in the minde is humblenesse of minde 1 Pet. 5.5 and this hath in it 1. A sense of the wants of the soule and life of man 2. A lowly kinde of forecast in all things to glorifie God and profit man accounting it no abasement to serve and please with all readinesse 3. A thankfull acknowledgement of the mercies of God infinitely above desert by which a man holds himselfe not worthy of the least of Gods mercies 4. A freedome in matters of opinion from selfe-conceit by which a man attaines to that not to be wise in himselfe or to rely upon his owne reason or judgement Thus a man is not high minded 5. An accounting of others of Gods servants better then our selves 6. A pronenesse to humiliation for sin and humility in cariage 3. The third thing brought into the minde is purity of imaginations holy thoughts by which the minde converseth as it were in heaven already and feedeth upon the fairest objects in heaven and earth Prov. 14.22 Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3.1 Thus much of the
acceptation and use of them Thirdly he loseth all reward of his good workes Mat. 6.1 An hypocrite may doe good workes though he never doth them well and for the good he doth may have his reward with men but this is all for from God he shall have no reward The Positive effects of hypocrisie may be referred to two heads For some effects may fail upon him and some effects must and will befall him The effects that may follow his hypocrisie are three For first he is apt to be seduced by evill Spirits and the doctrine of Devils An hypocrite is in the greatest danger of most men to be seduced into vile opinions 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Secondly he may fall into a spirit of slumber his conscience may be â—â—ared with â—n hot iron Thirdly he may fall into most woâ—ull terrors such a fearefulnesse may surprise the hypocrite that God may be to him as devouâ—â—â—g fire and as everlasting burnings Esay 33.14 Job 18. 14. The effects that will certainely fall upon the hypocrite are these which follow 1 Judgement in his owne conscience He goes about as a condemned man for he is alwayes condemned in himselfe 2. The discovery of all his villany for there is nothing had in his intents and dealings but all shall be laid open Luke 12.1.2 3. The miscarying of his hope The hope of the hypocrite shall perish Job 8.11 to 16. and that with these aggravations that his hope will perish first easily secondly speedily thirdly unrecoverably Easily for God can destroy his hope as easily as the maid can sweep downe the house of the spider with her beesome Speedily for it will wither while it seems rooted and is yet greene before any other herb yea though it grow up yet it is like grasse on the house top Vnrecoverably for his hopes being but as the house of the spider they will be dashed downe for ever and though he would leane to his house and take hold of it yet his hopes shall perish for ever and when this day comes his hopes shall be as the giving up of the ghost 4. Strange punishments in his death and condemnation And therefore when our Saviour Christ would expresse a speciall terror in the plagues of especiall sinners he saith they shall have their portion with hypocrites and workers of iniquity Mat. 24. and the last verse Job 27.8 And these effects will appeare the more terrible if we consider that the Scriptures take off all the objections of hypocrites to shew that they bee left naked to the fury of God for all this will come upon them Though they be many in number Iob 15.34 Though they be rich Iob 27.8 Though they triumph in all jollity now Iob 20.5 Though they be yong or widowes or fatherlesse Esay 9.17 Though they cry at their later end Iob 27.9 Though they doe many good deeds Mat. 6. Though their wickednesse be yet hidden Luke 12.1 2. The use may be first for information secondly for instruction and thirdly for consolation First for information and so it may shew us First what to thinke of the great shewes of holinesse and mortification made in the Church of Rome Their fastings and their prohibition of mariage vowes of chastity and wilfull poverty have a shew of wisdome and piety in not sparing the flesh but the holy Ghost tells us that all this is but hypocrisie 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4. Col. 2. ult 2. How miserable the estate of multitudes of our owne people is by these signes we may perceive that the plague is wonderfully spread in Israel There are whole congregations of Hypocrites that is of men that say and doe not that come neere to God with their lips and their heart is far from him that seldome or never pray but when they be sick that regard not the inward soulenesse of their hearts so their lives be either civill or evill but in secret Iob 15.34 Esay 9.17 Secondly for instruction and so it should teach us all to beware of this leaven of Hypocrisie Luke 12.11 and if we would be thought to have the true Wisdome from above then let us shew it by our fruits that they may be without Hypocrisie Jam 3.17 And for the better enforcing of this use I will put you in minde of two things First the sorts of hypocrisie you are most in danger of Secondly the remedies or preservatives against hypocrisie The sorts are chiefly these 1. The distraction in Gods worship which is a most wofull fault aâ—d most common This was it was shewed before that so angred God Esay 28.13 2. Secondly the omission of private worship I meane to make a shew of Religion and the love of God and yet neglect reading of the Scriptures prayers conference and secret communion with God This as was shewed will provoke God to stop his eare at our cry because we doe not pray at all times Iobâ—7 â—7 8 9. 3. Neglect of mortification of inward sins and secret faults taking liberty so it be but sin in the heart or in secret This will undoe thee for ever if thou looke not to it in time 4. Affectation of praise and credit with men to doe our workes to bee seen of men Now there are divers rules to be observed if we would not be poysoned with the raign of hypocrisie 1. Keep thy selfe in Gods presence forget not God remember alwayes that his eyes are upon thee Thus David set the Lord alwayes before him Psal. 16.8 And this God commandeth Abraham to doe if he will be upright Gen. 17.1 2. Thou must pray much and often to God to create a right Spirit in thee For by nature wee have all double and hypocriticall hearts Psalme 51. â—0 3. Keepe thy heart with all diligence watching daily and resisting distractions wavering thoughts and forgetfulnesse And to this end mortifie the first beginnings of this sinne in thy heart mourne for it as soone as thou discernest it and judge thy selfe seriously before God Iames 4.8 Matt. 23.26 4. In all matters of well doing be as secret as may bee Mat. 6. both in Mercy Prayer Fasting Reading and the like 5. Be watchfull over thy owne wayes and see to this point that thou be as carefull of all duties of godlinesse in prosperity as in adversity in health as in sicknesse Iob 27.9 10. 6. Converse with such as in whom thou discernest true Spirits without Guile and shun the company of open and knowne hypocrites 7. Be not rash and easie to condemne other men for hypocrites onely because they crosse thy opinions or humours or will or practise It is often observed that rash censurers that usually lash others as hypocrites fall at length into some vile kinde of hypocrisie themselves But may we not call an hypocrite an hypocrite Hypocrites are not all of one sort Some are close hypocrites some are open The open hypocrite thou maist shew thy dislike of his
an egge they savour not the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2.13 Of this afterwards But yet it may not be denied but that some wicked men may goe so farre as to taste of the good VVord of God and of the powers of the life to come and of heavenly gifts as the Apostle granteth Heb. 6.5 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question what should bee the difference betweene this taste in wicked men and the true taste in godly men Answ. For answer hereunto divers differences may be given First in the things tasted there is a difference For wicked men may have common graces yea and miraculous gifts too by imposition of hands and these are a great taste given them of the glory of Gods Kingdome but they never taste of saving graces or if a taste of saving graces were granted yet they taste as it were of the River running by them but not of the Fountain whereas the godly have the very Spring of grace flowing in them Secondly in the time of tasting This taste in wicked men is but for a season it cannot hold long in them and therefore is their faith and joy said to be temporary whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying daies not only in the gifts of saving graces but in the very sense of the sweetnesse of Christ and the word too c. Thirdly in the manner of tasting For wicked men may taste of the Gospell and Religion by senses or by a dimme kind of contemplation or by a sudden illumination as by a flash of lightning but they cannot taste with their hearts clearly by Faith Or thus wicked men may in the generall taste that is know and believe that the Mystery of Christ is true but they cannot taste or know this Mystery with particular and sound application as theirs Fourthly in the grounds of this taste or delight For a wicked man perswaded by false reasons setled in the common hope or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and graces may be much delighted and joyed in the word and the thought of going to heaven for a time but he never rightly applyed the promises of grace in Christ nor doth he ever possesse so much as one infallible signe of a child of God Fiftly in the effects and consequents of tasting for 1. A wicked man may taste but he never digests an evill conscience casts up the food againe or choakes and poisons it whereas in godly men their taste abides in them and they digest the food they receive The vertue of it continues with them 2. A godly man is transformed and made another man by this taste so is not the wicked man it is not a savour of life to the wicked 3. A true taste in the godly workes as is before noted a high estimation and sound contentment so as the godly place the felicity of their lives in this communion with God and his word But that can never a wicked man doe Sixtly and lastly wicked men may seeme to taste and yet doe not Many men professe Religion and delight in the word and in Religion and so religious duties who yet never did attaine to it but constantly found a wearinesse secret loathing and many times a secret and inward ill savour in the word and in the duties of Religion so as the taste is more in their mouthes when they talke with others then in their hearts when they are afore God It will not be amisse particularly to cleare that place in the Hebrewes in all the three instances of tasting First they are said to taste of heavenly gifts so they doe when they have common graces as sometimes some kindes of faith joy hatred of some sinnes love of Ministers or some godly praises for some ends c. Or when they have miraculous gifts confirmed by imposition of hands or otherwise as they had in the primitive times and these gifts are excellent and heavenly because they are mighty by the Spirit of God and came downe from the Father of spirits but saving graces they cannot have Secondly wicked men may taste of the Spirit and good Word of God by feeling some sudden flashes of joy either out of admiration of the meanes of delivering or froÌ„ some generall conceit of the goodness of Gods praises Iob 23.12 and the happiness of the godly Psal. 119.23 24 50. But they can get no such taste of the word as to desire it as their appointed food constantly Psal. 119.14 72. Or to make it their greatest delight in affliction or to love it above all riches 1 Thes. 1.5 or to receive it with much assurance in the holy Ghost or to redresse their wayes by it Ps. 119. 9 45 59. so as the taste of the word should put out the taste and rellish of sinne For let wicked men be affected as much as they will their taste of sinne will remaine in them I meane the taste of their beloved sinnes nor can he deny himselfe and forsake his credit friends pleasures profits much lesse life it selfe for the Gospels sake Mark 10.29 Thirdly wicked men may taste of the powers of the life to come by joying at the thoughts that they shall goe to heaven and pleasing themselves in the contemplation of it But it is still a false taste for they have no sound evidence for their hope nor doe any marks of a child of God appâ—are in them nor can they alledge one sentence of Scripture rightly understood for the meanes of it The use of all this may be threefold First for Tryall All men should seriously try their estates in respect of this taste by pondering upon what is before written concerning the nature and differences of it Secondly it should worke exceeding thankfulnesse to God if wee have found this sound and secret taste in the Word we should every one and for ever say In the Lord will I praise his Word Psal. 56. Thirdly Here is matter of terror unto wicked men and that first to such of them that never felt any sweetnesse in the Word How should they be amazed to thinke of it that God doth from Sabbath to Sabbath restraine his blessings from them and as contemning them to passe by them and take no inward notice of them 2. But especially here is unspeakable terror to such as have had that taste in the sixt to the Hebrewes if they should ever fall from it as is there mentioned For if this taste goe out of thine heart take heed of the sinne against the holy Ghost For at the losse of taste begins that eternall ruine of these men If thou be not warned in time thou maist come to such a condition as it will be impossible for thee to bee renâ—ed by repentance Heb. 6. 5 6 7. But least this doctrine should be misapplied as it is sometimes by such as are distressed with Melancholy or vehement affliction of Spirit I will a little more
view of our owne naturall dispositions to bee able to discerne distinctly what it is the flesh usually is prone to or imployed in 2. We must bee sure to commit our selves to God and by faith lay hold upon Jesus Christ and settle our selves in our assurance for that cuts off many of the maine advantages of the flesh especially it quencheth all those hellish darts that arise from doubtings and despaire which is to discerne the flesh 3. Wee must quicken in us our hope of a better life for that will shew us so much glory to bee had in the service of Christ as all the motions of the flesh will seeme vaine in comparison wee are never allured by the lusts of the flesh but when wee have forgotten heaven or are destitute of the lively hope of it 4. We must bee sober in the use of outward things 1. Pet. 1.13 and remove from the flesh those things wee observe the flesh to bee apt to dally withall if the flesh could be divorced from the world there were little or no danger 5. We must with all readinesse upon all occasions entertaine all good motions any way cast into us by Gods Spirit for as those are set up and nourished the flesh is subdued and kept under 6. We must daily commit our selves and our soules to God by prayer and beseech him to keepe us and accordingly to begge strength to avoid those evils which by nature wee find our selves most prone to 2. Tim. 1.12 Now if the flesh notwithstanding doe on the sudden either provoked by the world or entised by the devill make assault and lust after evill things then in the conflict our armour must be 1. Contrary lustings Gal. 1.17 The Spirit must lust against the flesh by raising up holy desires and loathing of those base affections of the flesh 2. Prayer we must crucifie them drag them before the Crosse of Christ and there accuse them shame them judge them condemne them and begge vertue from the death of Christ to kill them 3. The Word of God For as Christ beat away the devill by alledging what was written so should wee get store of places of Scripture which wee might alledge to our owne hearts when wee are entised to any sinne and so the promises of the Gospel would bee as shooes to our feete that neither thorny care prick nor vaine pleasures defile us and so those promises are because they both shew us greater things then fleshly pleasures can bee and withall shew us such treasure in Christ as may free us from living in care Two rules are of excellent use for this purpose 1. To silence the flesh When it assaults not to suffer it to plead much but presently resist it 2. To looke to the beginnings of any corruption not to dallie with it and give it way upon pretence of safety for it may strangely provoke and beyond expectation if it bee not looked to at first After the conflict wee must remember two things 1. To give thanks to God for the help of his presence as accounting it a singular favour to be protected against so vile an enemy 2. To take heed of our security so to consider of present deliverance as to for more conflicts In the frft place it is profitable considering what reasons Christians have to be carefull of themselves and attend their soules in respect of the flesh For 1. This combate is a daily combate the warre is never at an end it is an adversary that never takes so much as a day of truce 2. There is no safety or help by running away for thy adversary is seated within thee and thou canst not runne from thy selfe 3. The flesh hath might and continuall aid from the divell and the world which almost with infinite variety of occasions ministers obstinacy to the flesh 4. For want of care many worthy Champions have beene for the time foiled shamefully as were Noah Lot David Peter and others 5. No Christian can avoyd it but hath this combate within him Gal. 5.17 And as these or the like reasons may breed care and watchfulnesse so hath the true Christian no cause of despaire but rather many arguments of hope of good successe and daily victories and triumphs over the flesh if he be watchfull For 1. God hath provided him of armour against those kindes of assaults and it is mighty to preserve and subdue 2. Cor. 10.3 4. 2. Christ in his power doth rest in us for this end to assist us in the combate as we cry for help 2. Cor. 12.10 3. We fight against an adversary hath beene often foiled by all sorts of Godly Christians and by our selves in divers particular combates yea against an adversary that hath received a deadly wound that cannot bee cured for so the flesh the first day of our conversion was mortified All that are Christs have mortified the flesh with the Insts thereof 4. Wee have assurance of victory if wee resist Rom. 8.38 5. An incorruptible Crown is laid up for all that overcome 2. Tim. 4.7 8. Re. 2. Now for the seventh point wee obtaine victory against the flesh divers waies as 1. In our justification when wee by faith obtaine the pardon of our sinnes committed and a righteousnesse able to cover us notwithstanding all the spite the flesh doth us This is our victory in Christ Rom. 7. 2. In our sanctification and so wee get victory 1. When we conquer some sins wholly so that we never commit them again 2. When we turne and subdue the power of the sins that remain so as they cannot reigne though they rebell 3. We shall have our finall and full victory in our glorification in the day of Christ when the flesh shall be utterly abolished for ever Now for the eighth point wee may knowe that wee are not at any time overcomne by these signes if we finde them in us 1. If wee judge our selves for all knowne sinnes so as there be no sin arising from the flesh but wee condemn it and keep our selves as men condemned in the flesh being grieved at the rebellion of the flesh in us Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.7 2. If we hold fast our assurance of faith we are safe so long as we keep the faith 2. Tim. 4.7 3. If wee goe on in our Christian way or course and doe not give over the practice of knowne duties against the light of our consciences if we finish our course 2. Tim. 4.7 Use. The use of all should be First for information and so two waies for 1. It shewes the miseries of such persons as never feel this combate that have all quiet in them it is a signe the flesh and the divell rule all and there is no sanctified Spirit to resist 2. It shewes the folly of some godly persons that are troubled as if their states were not right because they finde such a combat in themselves whereas they should rather conclude the contrary that therefore there is some workmanship
Men must be subject because God hath taken mens consciences bound to subjection Rom. 13. 3 Because Kings are heads of the people and therefore as members it is agreeable that they should submit and bee ruled and guided 4 In respect of the benefit men receive by Magistrates both in outward things and in matters of Religion For outward things men enjoy publike peace and quietnesse and protection by the help of the power of the Magistrate And for matters of Religion earthly Common-wealths are as it were Innes to lodge the Church in and Princes power affords protection so as Christians may more safely follow their calling and if they be godly Kings they are the very nurses of Religion And thus of the reasons For the second this Submission hath in it sixe things the first is obedience to their lawes and commandements Tit. 3.1 The second is honour Rom. 13.7 for they are principalities and powers as the Angels shine in heaven so doe Princes on earth Yea they are called gods and so in two respects first as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroyes God executes a part of his Kingdome by Kings Secondly as they beare the image of God and his authority and soveraignty Now wee must performe this honour by reverence and by feare of them and by judging the best of them and their actions without conceiving suspitions of them or receiving evill reports against them or daring to speake evill of those dignities and Rulers of the people and by all thankefulnesse for the good wee receive by them acknowledging to the full all their praises The third is loyalty by which wee resolve and endevour to the uttermost of our powers to maintaine and preserve the persons rights prerogatives crownes and dignities of Princes If wee must lay downe our lives one for another then much more for our King and Country The fourth is piety we must pray for them with all manner of prayer wee must make supplications for Gods blessing upon them and deprecations for the removing evils from them and if they should sinne and God bee wroth with them wee should stand up in the gap and make intercession for them and we should give thanks for all the mercies the Lord shewes unto them 2 Tim. 2.1 The fift is maintenance tribute must bee paid Rom. 13.7 Christ himselfe submitted herein The last is subjection to their punishments Rom. 13.4 yea to their injuries as David Christ and the Apostles did submit themselves to the injurious dealing of Saul Pilate and the Tyrants when perhaps they could have made resistance Use 1. The use may be first for terror to the seditious great hath beene the vengeance of God upon Traytors the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion Absolon was hanged up by the haire between heaven and earth as unworthy both of heaven and earth The words of our Saviour Christ are in an high degree true in this case Hee that taketh â—up the sword shall perish by the sword And S. Paul saith They shall be damned that resist the power Secondly it should much humble the better sort of men for divers 〈◊〉 that are too common such as are the receiving of evill reports and speaking evill with too frequent intemperancy grudging at the payment of tribute and taxations evill surmises of the actions of Princes and the aptnesse â—o fâ—vour themselves in the liberty of doubting concerning obedience to them in things indifferent Thirdly all good Christians should be perswaded to make conscience of this submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to study this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Your selves These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selves that is yeeld obedience uncompelled doe it of your selves stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should thereby import that our submission even to men should bee performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their lawes honour and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selves to their punishments yea cheerefully beare their injuries and so it removes grudging and force from our submission But I rather understand the words to note the matter to bee submitted and that is our selves not our goods onely for tribute or custome but our persons also must bee at the Princes service our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour thaâ— belongs to the beating of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to be inflicted upon the body and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kingâ— person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent wars in the Old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the New Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First It was Christ's maine intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God he left the state of earthly Kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doe in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in warre or otherwise it is manifest that they leave them to the lawes of nature and the lawes of God before Thirdly even in the New Testament this is implyed by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luk. 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34 In which place also is a manifest proofe for subjection even in our bodies to the sentences of Magistrates whether just or unjust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of justice upon malefactors in his owne land but of revenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that saying of our Saviour to Peter He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not delivered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates have to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastour of soules Put up again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to use Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selves that is all of all sorts no man can bee exempted from subjection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-borne while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subject to secular Princes The Papists deny it but wee affirme it and have reason so to doe First because the precept is generall without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1
Scapul faith We reverence the Emperour as a man second to God and the onely one that is lesse than God and also Tertullian de Ido Capite 18. Nazianzen orat ad subdit Imperat. All men must bee subject to higher powers The expresse testimonies of Chrysostome and Bernard upon Rom. 1 3. have beene quoted before read Bernard de consid lib. 2. Capite 4. Hilar. ad Anx. Chrysost. homil 42. in Ioan. Ambrose in 2 Tim. 2.4 Secondly this should confirme every good subject to acknowledge and maintaine the Kings supremacie and willingly to binde himselfe thereunto by oath For the oath of supremacie is the bond of this subjection and this oath men must take without equivocation mentall evasion or secret reservation yea it should binde in them the same resolution was in Saint Bernard who faith thus If all the world would conspire against me to make me complot any thing against the Kings Majesty yet I would feare God and not dare to offend the King ordained of God Or unto governours By governours he either meanes all other sorts of Magistracie besides a Monarchie or else such Magistrates as in a Kingdome have commission from the King to heare and determine causes or any way to rule and exercise any Lawes of the King and it is the Apostles meaning that Christians should be subject to all sorts of Magistrates of what forme or dignity soever from the highest to the lowest so as it should be no more lawfull for them to disobey an inferiour Magistrate than to disobey the King so far forth as the inferiour Magistrate hath authority and doth proceed according to his commission in lawfull things This point needs not to be further handled having beene intreated of in the generall doctrine in submission to all Magistrates before And thus of the exposition the confirmation followes Verse 14. Or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well THe Apostle in this verse and the next confirmeth the exhortation partly by reasons and partly by answearing an Objection the reasons are in this verse and the next and the prolepsis verse 16. The reasons may be referred to two heads the one taken from the calling of Magistrates verse 14. and the other from the will of God verse 15. The calling of Magistrates is considered two wayes First either in the author of it and so they are sent of God Secondly or in respect of the end of it which is partly the punishment of the wicked and partly the praise of them that doe well As they that are sent of him Of him either may be referred to the King or to the Lord If it be referred to the King then it shewes that all inferiour Magistrates receive all their authority from the King they have no more authority than other subjects but as it is bestowed upon them by the King and withall it shewes a secret in all well governed Monarchies which is that the King reserves the giving of honours and offices to himselfe which more obligeth the Under-officers and Magistrates to him and he is thereby the better acquainted with the State of the Kingdome But I am rather of the minde of those Interpreters that refer it to the Lord. And so the sense and doctrine is That both the Kings and the Governours are sent of God it is God that prefers them whatsoever the second causes be Though election or succession seem to make a King and Kings make Governours yet have wee beene taught that none of these come to their places without the providence of God Prov. 8.15 Now God keepes this businesse in his owne hands to see to the calling of Magistrates because of the service by them he can execute For a great part of his Kingdome is managed by their deputation By them God scourgeth the sins of the wicked yea of the whole world either by suffering them to bee publike miseries or by guiding them to punish offenders by the sword of justice and by them he many times brings many common blessings upon worlds of people as the next words shew Uses The uses are divers some particular some generall In particular it should teach us First by prayer to seeke Magistrates of God subjects might get great blessings of this kinde if they would pray hard for them For God it is that sends Magistrates Secondly with patience to beare the wrongs of evill Magistrates seeing there is a hand of God in it Thirdly with thankfulnesse to give the praise to God for good Magistrates seeing it was he that sent them as a common blessing Fourthâ—y in all suits about the lives or duties or successions of Magistrates to trust unto God For though we know not where to be provided in earth yet God can send one from heaven as it were The word sent imports that God can raise him up beyond expectation In generall it should stirre us up in all things done by outward meanes in this world to strive for the skill to finde out and acknowledge Gods hand and providence in it seeing in these things which are apparently done by meanes for the most part yet Gods providence is in it Thus of the Author of their calling the end followes For the punishment of evill doers Divers things may be noted from hence First that in all Common-wealths in the world there will bee evill doers though there bee a King and Governours and Gods Commandements lye hard upon mens consciences yet there will bee evill doers And the point shewes the horrible strength of the poison of naturall corruption which no Lawes of God nor man nor experience of evill nor example can restraine or dry up and withall it shewes their solly and weaknesse that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes whereas the Apostle improves that even in Christian Common-wealths there will bee this part of a Magistrates vertue to punish the evill doers such as are knowne to be so and therefore such curious persons must goe out of the world if they will goe from evill doers And withall it should breed in men a greater care to looke to themselves that they bee not infected by them since there is no society of men in which this plague-fore of sinne runneth not we must redeeme the time because the dayes are evill And further it should breed in us a loathing of this wicked world of this present evill world and a desire of heaven since we shall never live in a place where the people will be all righteous till we come to heaven And finally it confutes their folly that from the vitiousnesse of some men conclude the faultinesse either of the doctrine lawes or government Secondly that evill doers must be punished Rom. 15. and great reason for first evill doers in any society are infectious many may be defiled by them Secondly they work much disquietnesse and trouble humane societies Thirdly if they escape
be praised of God If it be such a comfort to be praised by a Magistrate before the Countrey what is it to bee praised of Christ before all the world at the greatest and last Assises If praises be good in this world where there is mutuall vaunting and they may bee blemished what is it to have praise in that day that shall last for ever unstained If it be such a comfort to be praised of a Magistrate for some one good deed what shall it be to be praised of Christ for all that ever was good in thoughts words or works Secondly it should teach men to seeke a good report and to doe all things that might have a good report Phil. 4.9 As a man may seeke riches so hee may seeke and desire a good name Prov. 22â— But the praise of men is then unlawfull and unlawfully sought First when men doe things onely to be seene of men and have no better respects than applause Mat. 6. 1 Thess. 2.6 Secondly when a man praiseth himselfe with his owne mouth Prov. 27.2 Thirdly when it is challenged of others and men will not stay till God give them a good report Ioh. 8.49,50 Fourthly when men seeke praise onely for the shew of goodnesse and are not good in deed Fifthly when men seeke praise of men but seeke not the praise of God or the praise that comes from God onely which is tried in this that they will not doe duties that God onely cares for or that are disgraced in the world Rom. 2.28 Ioh. 5.44 and 12.42 43. Otherwise it is lawfull to seeke praise and there is an infallible signe to know whether praise be not ill for â—s and that is if praise make us more humble and more carefull of sound holinesse and doe refine us then praise is lawfull and a great blessing when it is like the refining pot it melts us and makes us better Prov. 27.21 Further if praise be so great a blessing then an evill name must needs be a great curse when it is for evill doing and if it be so evill to be dispraised of men what shall it be to be dispraised of God not for one but many sinnes not before a few but before all the world when it shall bee not to mend a â—â—n as the Magistrates reproofe may be but to his eternall confusion Thus of the third Doctrine Doct. 4. It may hence be noted that the best men need praise and therefore God provides that they shall be praised even such as doe well need to be commended And this may appeare both by the comfort they take if they be commended Prov. 15.30 and by their earnest desires to cleere themselves if they be dispraised as we see in David Christ himselfe and the Apostles especially the Apostle Paul Use. And therfore the use should be to teach men to acknowledge the good things done by others and to give them praises especially if they bee godly and humble men it may doe them much good and greatly both comfort them and incourage them This made the Apostle Paul so rejoyce in the Philippines Phil. 3. ult It was no flattery It is flattery in some other men if they doe commend others for their owne ends or with selfe-praises or without daring to reprove their faults or to get praise to themselves or for any other corrupt end especially when our praises are to such as are publike instruments of good in Church or Common-wealth And it is a course of singular use to be held in private families if such as doe well might have praise as well as such as doe evill dispraise Use. 2. Secondly it may much condemne the corruption of heart which appeares in many men in this point in sinning against the just praises of others either by speaking evill of them and blemishing their good names which is to steale their riches from them or by withholding due praise which is to withhold the good from the owner thereof It should much affright such as are guilty of this fault that our Saviour Christ measures our love to God by our readinesse to praise for the works of God done by another Ioh. 5.41 42. It is a signe that men love not God when they love not goodnesse in others which sure they doe not if they commend it not Doct. 5. Well doing ought to be esteemed wheresoever it is found in a subject as well as a Prince in a servant as well as a Master in all estates and conditions of men For God doth so as may appeare Ephes. 6.7 8. and grace and goodnesse is alike precious wheresoever it is in the like degree which serves to rebuke that secret corruption in the natures of men that are apt to observe and praise good things in greater persons but withhold the incouragement is due to other men onely because they are poore and because they are worser Iam. 2.1 2 3. You may now by this doctrine try whether they be good themselves For it is a signe of goodnesse to observe and love goodnesse wheresoever he seeth it in a servant as well as in a friend and in a poore Christian as well as a rich Doct. 6. It may bee yet further observed that if men would bee praised they must doe well praise is onely due to well-doing Rom. 2.10 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. 1 Thess. 4.4 Rom. 13.5 And therefore it is a poore praise that men raise to themselves for other things all that same which is raised for any thing but well-doing is externall and vaine and therefore they are greatly deceived that rest in the report that is raised from their wit or beautie or birth or preferment or sumptuous buildings or the like Those may cause a great fame but onely well-doing can cause a good fame Secondly it shewes that hypocrites that have gotten reputation onely because they are thought to be good have but built in the sands For when in time it shall appeare that their owne works doe not praise them they shall finde that the praise of men will not last It is not saying well that works a durable good name but doing well It is but complementing at the best to professe and promise great care of practice and praising and yet be barren and unfruitfull Use. 3. Thirdly this shewes the great corruption of their nature that so unquietly seeke after praise and complaine how much they be neglected and yet their owne consciences know how idle and unprofitable they are and which is worse that they not onely doe not well but manifestly doe evill and sin daily in pride and envie in passion and wilfulnesse or other open transgressions This thirst after respect above others is a signe of a great strength of hypocrisie when they are more desirous to be thought good than indeed to be so and more carefull of the praise of men than of God Fourthly they sinne shamefully that praise the wicked and justifie him that God condemneth but Salâ—mon hath set
it is not unprofitable to consider some motives that might beget in us an earnest desire after it and care for this true pious and filiall fearâ—of God First if we respect our selves we should strive to be such as feare God For if we were never so good subjects to Princes or never so courteous and faire-dealing men in our carriage towards all sorts yet if wee did not feare God we were but vile creatures that had not the qualities of a man in us For to feare God and keep his commandements is the whole property of a man Eccles. 12.13 And the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Hee is not a compleat man that doth not feare God that is all in all Iob 28.28 Secondly if we consider what God is Hee is our Master and therefore where is his feare Mal. 1.6 He is our praise our good God hee worketh fruitfull things and wonderfull and shall we not feare him Ier. 5.22 Deut. 10.20 Thirdly if we consider but the benefits will come unto us if we be religious persons and truly fear God Great is the Lords mercy towards them that feare him Psal. 103.11 whether we respect this life or a better life whether we looke for temporall or spirituall things For temporall things such as feare God have a promise of great prosperity Deut. 5.29 Eccles. 8. 13. If any thing be welcome as prosperity in this world it is Religion and the fear of God For to him that feareth God is promised wealth and riches Psal. 112.1 3. and honour and long life Pro. 10.27 and 22.4 protection from the pride of men and the strife of tongues Psal. 31.19 and strong confidence Pro. 14.26 and they shall want nothing Psal. 34.9 And for spirituall things the secrets of the Lord are with them that feare God and he will shew them his covenant Psal. 25.14 and the Sun of Righteousnesse shall rise unto them that feare God and there shall bee covering under his wings and they shall goe forth and grow as fat calves Mal. 4.2 and the Angels of the Lord shall pitch their tents round about them that feare him Psal. 34.7 And for eternall things there is a booke of revelation to such as feare God where God keeps the records of them and all the good they say or doe Mal. 3.16 and at the day of Judgement they shall have a great reward Revel 11.18 Great are the priviledges of such as feare God in this life but who is able to expresse how great the goodnesse is as the Psalmist saith which God hath laid up for them that feare him Psal. 31.19 And if it should so fall out that God should not see it fit to give us any great estates in this world yet a little is better with the feare of God than great treasures and those troubles therewith which the sinne of man or the wrath of God will bring in with them But if we would have these benefits wee must be sure that we doe indeed and truly feare God For there are many men in the visible Church that beare the name of Gods people which yet God protests against as such as doe not feare him indeed as First they that pity not men in affliction feare not God Iob 6.14 Secondly they that oppresse their neighbours by any cavill or unjust dealing as by usury or the like feare not God Levit. 25.17.36 Thirdly they that make no conscience to pay their tithes or at least will not give first fruits or free will offrings such as will pay no more for religious uses than they are forced unto these feare not God Deut. 14.23 Mal. 1. Fourthly they that account it a burthen and a course of no profit to serve God or to be so religious Mal. 3.14 15. Ios. 24.14 Fiftly they that make no conscience of secret sinnes or hypocrisie in Gods worship these feare not God because they set not the Lord alwayes before them nor feare to omit or doe such things as the world cannot take notice of Sixthly they that meddle with the seditious or changers how forward soever they seeme in religion yet such as are set to be so inclinable to be led by changers have not the true feare of God in them Pro. 24.21 Seventhly they that live in any knowne sinne and make no conscience to depart from iniquitie Prov. 3.7 and 14.2 Such are they that are mentioned in the Catalogue Mal. 3.5 Sorcerers Adulterers c. especially the men that blesse themselves in their hearts when they are guilty of hatefull sinnes Psal. 26.1 2 4. On the other side such as truely feare God may bee knowne by these signes First they make conscience to obey God in their lives and keepe his ordinances Deut. 6.2 They shew that they feare him by serving of him Secondly they doe beleeve God and his servants speaking to them in his name This was a signe the Israelites feared God because they beleeved God and his servant Moses Exod. 14.31 Thirdly they that truely feare God doe depart from evill and dare not live or allow themselves in any knowne sinne whether it be sin in opinion or in life In opinion they that fear God will give him glory though it be to change for the opinions not only they but all the world have held Revel 14.7 And so in practice he that truly feares God hates all sinne in some measure It is a foule signe one doth not fear God when he will not forsake his errours or faults though he be convinced of them Fourthly they that make a conscience of it to obey God in all soundnesse of practice in their conversation and so not only in worshipping him with reverence Psal. 5.8 but in striving to doe all the good duties God requires Psal. 5.8 And that this signe may bee applyed effectually wee may try our selves by our obedience to God whether our feare of him bee right or no First if wee obey in secret and dare not leave undone such things as no man can charge us withall and doe withall strive against and resist the very hypocrisie of the heart and stand infeare of Gods offence for the evilâ— are found in our very thoughts this will prove us to feare God soundly in truth and uprightnesse of heart Ios. 24.14 Col. 3.22 When we set the Lord alwayes before us and with desire to approve our selves to him it is an excellent signe Secondly when we heare the Word of God and are told what to avoide or doe we are then tried whether we feare God soundly or no. For if wee dare not delay but make Conscience of it to practise Gods will as fast as we know it it is a good signe but otherwise it is a foule signe that many Christians that make a faire shew are not found because they are not afraid to live in the sinnes God reproves by his Word nor to leave still unperformed the precepts counsels and directions are given them from day to day The Religion of
many that seeme to be of the better sort is a meere formality as this very signe proves Psal. 86.11 Isaiah 50.10 Thirdly a great ghesse may be had at mens feare of God by their care and conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling A man may have comfort that his feare of God and profession of Religion is right if he hate idlenesse lying covetousnesse deceit frowardnesse and unjust dealing in his calling For though to deale justly with all men be no infallible signe of the true feare of God yet it is a probable one and where it is not there can be no true feare of God Thus Magistrates must prove that they feare God 2 Chron. 19.27 Exod. 18.21 and thus every man in his place yea if women would have the reputation to be such as feare God they must let their workes praise them If they be idle froward undutifull busie-bodies and carelesse of their domesticall duties what feare of God can be in them Fourthly it will be manifest that our obedience flowes from the true feare of God if we will obey against our profit or ease or credit or our own carnall reasons or affections Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him because he spared not his owne sonne Gen. 22.12 And thus of the feare of God The last part of the charge concernes our loyalty to the King Honour the King The Apostlè intends in these words but briefly to urge the practice of their duty urged in the exhortation Ver. 13. fave that the termes have something in them of explication of that doctrine and something for confirmation for we must honour the King 1. In our hearts 2. In our words 3. In our workes First we must honour him in our hearts and shew it two wayes 1. We must not curse the King no not in secret no not in our thoughts we must not entertaine impatient and vile thoughts of the King but from our hearts esteeme him for his greatnesse authority and gifts 2. When the King commands any thing that seemes to others or to us harsh inconvenient or doubtfull we must honour the King by interpreting his Lawes in the best sense If love must not thinke evill but hope all things of all sorts of men then much more of Kings It were greatly to be longed for that this note might enter into the breasts of some men they would then be afraid to charge so much evill of the Kings ordinances not only when they might finde a fairer sense but oftentimes expresly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance Secondly we must honour the King in our words three wayes 1. By reverent speeches to him and of him 2. By a thankfull acknowledgement of the good is in him and we receive by him 3. By praying to God with all manner of prayer for him 1. Tim. 2.1 Thirdly we must honour him in our workes 1. By paying him tributes and customes 2. By submitting and yeelding to his ordinances preferring the obedience thereunto before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soever And this is the maine thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place Verse 18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward HItherto of the duties of subjects and so of the exhortation as it is politicall and concernes the Commonwealth Now the Apostle proceeds to give directions oeconomicall that concerne the family or houshold government Before I consider of the particular exhortations some thing would bee said in generall concerning a family A family is the society of divers men dwelling together in one house for preservation and happinesse Where three things are to bee explicated First what the persons are that take upon them to constitute this societie Secondly what is the difference between this society and their humane societies Thirdly what is the end of this societie First the persons that constitute a family or families societie are to bee considered either as the family is perfect or unperfect 1. A perfect familie consists of a triple societie first the one betweene man and wife secondly the other between parents and children thirdly and the third between Masters and servants 2. The unperfect is when any of these societies are wanting as when there are not either children or servants or wives or husbands in it The Apostles directions here do forme only an unperfect familie For he gives not directions about parents and children Secondly the difference of this society from others is in those words dwelling together in one house For thereby is imported that this is the first society of all others and the foundation of all the rest For a City comprehends many families a Countrie many Cities a Monarchie many Nations and the World many Monarchies Thirdly the end of a fraternity is preservation and happinesse and so to speake distinctly there are three things requisite to make this society happy and to preserve it so namely first commodity secondly delight and thirdly Religion Unto commoditie is requisite possession of goods and the mutuall lawfull labour of the persons in the family unto delight is requisite quietnesse and love unto Religion is required the constant and right serving of God If commodity be wanting the family cannot bee at all If delight be wanting it cannot be well and if religion be wanting it cannot be for ever Thus of a family in generall and two things may be in generall noted from the Apostles charge about the family First that God himselfe doth binde all sorts of persons as strictly to the good behaviour in their owne houses or towards one another as he doth toward those in his house Secondly that the conscience is bound immediatly from God to nourish all good duties And this is proved by the fift Commandement and Pro. 14.13 with many other places of Scripture There may be divers reasons assigned why God gives Commandement to binde us to domesticall duties First from his owne right For though there be many Administrators as of a Church a Common-wealth a Family c. yet there is but one Lord God is the Head of this society as well as of any other 1. Cor. 12. Secondly because this is the first society God brought into the world and therefore he would have it honoured and carefully preserved to the end of the world The first society in Paradise was this and Religion was professed for many hundred yeers by this society only even till the people came out of Egypt Thirdly because the persons we live withall in the family are the neerest companions of our lives and therefore we should live with all due respect one of another Fourthly because the family is the Seminarie both of Church and Common-wealth Fiftly because the family is the most usuall place for us to practise our Religion in
witnesse if we doe that which conscience thinks well to comfort us and if we doe that which conscience thinks ill to discourage us Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 Yea conscience is the guide of our lives We are here pilgrims and strangers farre from our home and in journey continually now God hath set consciences in us to be our guides that in all things we are to doe we may be directed and incouraged by conscience taking the direction and warrant of conscience as a speciall ground of our actions so as to doe contâ—ary to what conscience bids us is a sin for it doth not only witnesse about what is past but it directs us about what is to come as now to be done But the principall worke of conscience whether we respect God or man is to keepe court in the heart of man There is in man Forum Conscientia a Court of Conscience a secret Tribunall is set up in the heart of man and therein fits conscience and arraigneth accuseth bringeth witnes sentenceth and doth execution Now concerning the judgement of conscience keeping an Assise in the heart of man two things are to bee considered first the law by which conscience judgeth secondly the manner of the proceeding in judgement For the first Conscience judgeth of the actions of men by vertue of certaine principles as I said before which it findeth in the understanding gathered either from the law of nature or from experience of Gods providence or from the Scriptures Now the manner how it proceeds in judgement is in forme of reasoning as I said before for in the minde the conscience findes as it were a booke of law written which is in the keeping of the faculty they call it in schooles Syntâ—resis from hence the conscience takes the ground of reasoning and from the memory it takes evidence of the fact or state of the man that is arraigned and then by it selfe it judiciously concludes and passeth sentence and so it proceeds whether it condemne or absolve In the judgement of condemnation it proceeds thus First it cites or calls for the soule to be tried then it accuseth in this forme out of the body of the law kept in the minde it takes the conclusion it meanes to workes upon and then useth the memory to testifie of the fact as for instance Every murderer is an offender thou art a murderer therefore thou art proved to be an offender Then comes the sentence in the same order Hee that commits murder without repentance shall be damned thou committest murder without repentance and therefore art a damned creature So likewise it proceeds in absolving For evidence it proceeds thus He that hath such and such marks as godly sorrow the love or feare of God c. he is a childe of God but thou hast these marks therefore thou art a childe of God and then it goeth to sentence He that is the childe of God shall bee saved but thou art proved to be the childe of God therefore thou shalt be saved Nor doth it rest in the sentence but immediatly doth it selfe begin the execution for laying hold upon the guilty person it presently buffets him and terrifies him and pricks him at the very heart and gnawes him many times with unspeakable torments and tortures And so contrariwise in the sentence of absolution it proceeds with comfort settleth and quieteth the heart of the absolved and many times makes it able with joy to stand undaunted against all the powers of hell and the world of which more afterwards when I come to intreat of the sorts of conscience Observe by the way the difference between the court of conscience within us and mens courts of Justice without us For in mens courts they proceed secundum allegatae probata according to allegation and proofes but God hath appointed another judgement in the heart of man there God judgeth not according to allegation and proofes but according to conscience and hath associated to every man a notary of his owne and a witnesse of his owne which he produceth out of his very bosome so as man shall bee made to confesse what he hath done though all the world excuse him and shall have comfortable testimony in himselfe though all the world beside accuse him The glory of the power of conscience appeares by the third point and that is the prerogatives and properties of conscience in a man for 1. It keeps court in the heart of a man without limitation of time it will call a man to answere and heare judgement at any time it is not limited to any terms nor can the sentence be delaied it hath power to examine testifie and give sentence at any time of the yeere at pleasure nor will it admit any appeal to any creature 2. It is subject properly only to God no earthly Prince can command the conscience of a man as will more appeare afterwards 3. It keeps continuall residence in the heart of man it is alwaies with him at home and abroad it observeth and watcheth him in all places in the Church at his table in his bed day and night it never leaves him 4. God hath subjected man to the obedience of conscience if it command erroneously if it be in things indifferent as in the case of meats and daies in the Apostles time if the conscience doubted or forbade the use of them which yet in themselves might be used the man was bound to follow his conscience though the conscience erred and so sinned in doubting or forbidding Rom. 14.14.23 5. Yea so much honour doth God give unto the conscience that he suffers his owne most holy Spirit to bring in evidence in the court of conscience for so we read that the Spirit of Adoption doth beare witnesse before our spirits that is before the conscience that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 6. It is a great prerogative that God hath granted immortality unto conscience Conscience never dies no not when we die Every mans conscience shall bee found no lier at the day of Judgement in so great request with Christ as that dreadfull Judgement shall be guided according to the evidence and verdict of conscience Rom. 2.15 16. For the fourth point Conscience is not all of a sort in all men some have good consciences and some have ill consciences and both these kindes of consciences must be considered of Conscience considered as good comes to be so either by creation or by renovation By creation Adam had his conscience good but by the first sinne conscience became evill in him and all his posterity so as all men naturally have evill consciences and no men have their consciences good but as they are renewed The difference between a good conscience by creation and renovation is this that by creation conscience was perfectly good from the first moment it was infused till the fall and did discover it self by excusing and comforting alwaies for Adams conscience till his fall could accuse
curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the bloud of Christ and love infusing or rather inflaming it with the heat of life All these things are requisite though I stand not upon the precise order of the working of every one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great use for the guiding of a good conscience First that in all her proceedings she must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that she doe not mistake in judging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty for unlesse the conscience discerne that wee are freed from the malediction of the law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and have restored unto us a free use of all things indifferent and the like shee may be over-busie and troublesome disquieting the heart and restraining the joyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how conscience may be made good the signes of a good conscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintaines a constant combating against the law of the members having at command the law of the minde It doth not only resist grosse evils but even the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himselfe Rom. 7. of doing God service Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good conscience First doth incline a man to doe good duties not by compulsion but a man shall find that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good conscience abhors all cold and carelesse or luke-warm or counterfeit serving of God it puts life into all good dutes it exacteth attendance upon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth God than all the world or the man himselfe and therefore will compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an universall obedience it would have all Gods commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sin shewes the depravation of the conscience if it bee a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie though many living flies may light upon a boxe of oyntment and do it no great hurt so a godly man may have many infirmities and yet his conscience be sound but if there be one corruption that lives and dies there that is such a corruption as is knowne and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best conscience of the world and doth usually argue a conscience that is not good Fiftly a good conscience doth require obedience alwaies thus Paul pleads I have served God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Acts 23.1 A third signe is that a good conscience is alwayes toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes Gods presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not live as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conversation with God A good conscience is like a good Angell it is alwayes looking into the face of God Acts 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good conscience are many and great for First it is the best companion a man hath all the daies of his life it is ever with him and speakes good unto him and comforts him A man that hath no company needs not to be alone for he may converse with much delight with his owne conscience and it is the surest friend a man can have for it will neither hurt him by flattery nor forsake him for any carnall respects and being an internall agent is out of the watch of all outward hinderances and is alwaies a messenger of good things to a man and fits him and fills him with peace that passeth all the understanding of all men that want a good conscience Secondly it gives a man assurance of the best treasures it makes a man certaine of his salvation for a good conscience will not be quiet till it know the love of God and the promises of grace in Christ and the assurance that conscience gives is a better assurance than any man can have for his lands or any estate on earth because it is so highly honoured that Gods owne Spirit doth not disdaine at any time to witnesse with it and to it Rom. 8.15 16. Thirdly by reason of that new acquaintance and affinity it hath with the holy Ghost it brings us into a familiar friendship with God as being an immediat Agent with the holy Ghost in all things that concerne us for Gods Spirit treates with the conscience and the conscience treates with the Soule Fourthly it is a continuall bulwarke against the divell and all his fiery darts whether he tempt us to sinne or to feare and doubting for so soone as the temptation is cast in a good-conscience by her reasoning presently throwes it out reserving principles both of precept and promise alwaies in a readinesse to that end so as by contrarious reasoning within us it both hinders us from yeelding to sin and supports us against all doubts and feares Prov. 28.1 Fiftly against all afflictions and disgraces and reproches of the world a good conscience still comforts a man and makes him rejoyce by the force of the testimony thereof 2 Cor. 1.14 So as it is most true that a good conscience is a continuall feast he never fares ill that hath a good conscience Psal. 7.8 Acts 24.16 Rom. 9.10 Sixtly and the greater is the comfort of a good conscience because it will comfort us and stand by us and for us when all other comforts faile It will never leave us in sicknesse or in death and so is better than a thousand friends or wives or children yea it will goe with us to the Judgement feat of Christ with this assurance that as a good conscience speakes to us now so will Christ speake to us at that day Rom. 2.16 Thus of the sorts or kindes of consciences The last point is about the bond of conscience what it is that can binde a mans conscience and the doubt ariseth from this and other Texts because here a servant is bound in conscience to submit himselfe to a froward master both to his command and to his punishments and other Scriptures speake of his obedience to superiours for conscience sake For answer hereunto we must know that God and his law have power simply and absolutely to binde conscience that is to urge it to require obedience of a man or to accuse
that he was never guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to be a maker of sinne As it was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chiefe Doctrine and plaine in the Text He was not only free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but he was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity he was that just One by an excellency Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Jesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sinne with them into the world and daily sinne Answ. He was sanctified from the wombe being conceived by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in upon him in his conception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holinesse from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sin because his humane nature was to be a tabernacle for the Deity to dwel in Col. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow unto us life and all good things and therefore he must needs be undefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace unto us Besides his sufferings could not be availeable if he were not innocent himselfe The Uses follow and so Uses First we see the difference between the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it the other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sinne so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not only a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not only as they say in Schooles Posse non peccare but also Non posse peccare Secondly we may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnesse the world stands when this most innocent Man that never did any sinne that never offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is he despised and rejected of men Who looked after him unlesse it were for his miracles few honoured him for his holinesse How is the world set on wickednesse that it should account him without forme or handsomenesse that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that never did man wrong or sinned against God Isa. 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly we may hence see cause to wonder at the love of Christ to us Oh how is it 〈…〉 of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe never knew sinne What heart of man can sufficiently admire his love unto us that can abase himselfe to be made sinne for us that never did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that impenitent sinners shall not be spared or pitied of God Did not God spare his owne Son that never offended in all his life and shall he spare them that never left offending of him Oh what madnesse hath besotted men so as with stubborne wilfulnesse still to trust upon an unknowne mercy in God yea such a mercy as God could never conceive in the case of his Sonne that was not to him as they are in any respect Were these men but throughly beaten from this sinfull plea of mercy in God they would repent of their sins in time and seeke true mercy from God which never is with-held from penitent sinners Lastly Did our Saviour Christ suffer so patiently such extreme things that never deserved any evill in himselfe What a shame is it for us to be so unquiet and dejected or so froward or so unsettled when any crosses or afflictions fall upon us who yet have deserved at Gods hands to suffer a thousand times more and worse things than those that doe befall us In his mouth was found no guile We reade in the Scripture of guile in the spirit when we have false hearts and guile in the hands by false weights and ballances and guile in the mouth in deceitfull words Guile in words is committed many wayes First by lying when men speake what they thinke not Secondly by flattering when men praise others after a corrupt maner or for corrupt ends Thirdly by backbiting when men censure others behind their backs of malice or whisper evill against others Psal. 41.7 Fourthly by wresting the words of others to their hurt Psal. 56.11 and 52.1 2. Fiftly by with-holding the just praises of others or Apologie Sixtly by fearefulnesse in evill times when men will not stand for the truth or speake against their Consciences Seventhly by disgracefull jests Ephes. 5.4 Eighthly by telling the truth of malice 1 Sam. 22.9 10. Ninthly by boasting of a false gift Pro. 27.1 Tenthly by hypocrisie and dissimulation and that divers wayes as 1. When men speake faire to mens faces but reproach them behinde their backs or flatter them meerely to catch them and intangle them in their talke as the Pharisees often tempted Christ. 2. That reproveth sinne in others and yet commits it himselfe Rom. 2.19 3. That colours sin under pretence of Religion Marke 12.40 4. That professeth Religion in words and yet denieth it in his heart 5. That hideth his sin by deniall or excuses to avoyd shame and punishment 6. That gives good words to men in affliction but relieves them not 1 Iohn 3.17 18. None of these nor any other wayes of guile were found in Christ though they called him a deceiver and sought all occasions against him Thus of the sense the doctrines follow Doct. 1. Guile in words is a vice that wonderfully dishonours a man it was a fault would give great advantage to the enemies of the truth As it is a sinne which is in a speciall manner hatefull to God Psal. 5.7 so it is shamefull amongst men and therefore as any man would enjoy good dayes let him refraine his tongue from evill and his lips that they speake no guile Psal. 34.13 Doct. 2. When he saith that they found no guile in his mouth it imports that they sought it And so we learne that the godly are so hated of the wicked that they seeke occasion against them when they see not or heare not of any faults in them they search and inquire and lie in waite
the mysteries of Religion in that first moment than they did all the dayes of their life before This is that new spirit the Prophet speaks of He that sate in darknesse before now sees a great light he sees and wonders at divine things in Religion whereas before he was a â—ot and understood nothing with any power or life and by the comforts of this light he can heare as the learned understands doctrine in a moment which before was altogether harsh and dark unto him 2 Pet. 1.19 Ezek. 36.28 Psal. 119.130 Mat. 4.16 Esay 50 4. Thirdly by his vehement desire to righteousnesse or after righteousnesse Mat. 5.5 Which he shewes many wayes as by the loathing of himselfe for his want of righteousnesse and for all his wayes that were not good Ezek. 36.35 and by his estimation of righteousnesse above riches and all worldly things Psal. 3.8 9. and by his affectionate enquiry after directions for righteousnesse Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Act. 2.37 and by his longing after the Word of truth by which he may learne righteousnes Fourthly by his estimation of righteousnesse in others he honours them that feare the Lord as the only Noble Ones all his delight is in them and he loves them and longs after them for righteousnesse sake Fiftly by the covenant he makes in his heart about righteousnesse he not only consents to obey Esay 1.19 but hires himselfe as a servant to righteousnesse resolving to live to righteousnesse and spend not an houre in a day but a life in the service of righteousnesse Rom. 6.13 18. And as the righteous man growes more strong and better acquainted with God and his Ordinances and the workes of righteousnesse other signes break-out upon him which doe infallibly prove the happinesse of his condition such as are First vexation in his soule at the wickednesse and unrighteousnesse of others 2 Pet. 2.8 Secondly rejoycing with joy unspeakable and glorious when he feeles the comforts of Gods presence and begins to see some evidence of Gods love to him in Christ 1 Pet. 1.9 Thirdly the personall and passionate love of the Lord Jesus Christ the fountaine of righteousnesse though he never saw him in the flesh esteeming him above all persons and things 1 Pet. 1.9 Phil. 3.8 9. longing after his comming with great â—rivings of affections 2 Cor. 5. 2 Tim. 4.8 c. Fourthly flourishing like a Palm-tree when he is planted in the house of the Lord and enjoyes powerfull meanes in the house of his God growing like the Willowes by the water-courses Psal. 92.12 13. and 1.3 Fiftly resolution to suffer any thing for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5.12 so as he will forsake father or mother house or lands yea life it selfe rather than forsake the truth and the good way of God Mat. 16.23 Mark 10.29 Sixtly he lives by faith The just lives by faith In all estates of life hee casâ—eth his cares and himselfe upon God trusting on the merits of Jesus Christ and is in nothing carefull but patienâ—ly waits upon God Gal. 2.2 Heb. 10.38 Gal. 3.11 And thus he is described in himselfe Now his righteousnesse is distinguished from the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees by divers signes and markes as First in the ends of it His righteousnesse is not intended for the praises of men for his praise is of God Rom. 2.26 He doth not his work to be seen of men Mat. 6.1 c. He had rather be righteous than seem so Secondly in the parts of it The Pharisees righteousnesse is outward his is inward also The very thoughts of the righteous are right Pro. 12.5 Hee strives to get a cleane heart as well as cleane hands and is as well grieved for evill thoughts and lusts and desires within as for evill words or works whereas the Pharisee is but like a painted sepulchre all full of rottennes and filth within his soule desires evill when he dares not practise it in his life Pro. 21.10 Againe the Pharisee makes conscience of great commandements but not of the least Hee refraines whoredome murder perjurie swearing by God sacriledge c. but makes no conscience of filthy speaking anger swearing by that which is not God or by lesser oathes deceit covetousnesse or the like whereas a righteous man indeed makes conscience even of the least commâ—ndements Mat 5.19.20 Again a Pharisee may be good abroad but is not usually so at home but he that is truly righteous is so at home as well as abroad hee becomes a good husband master father friend c. as well as a â—â—od man Finally the righteous man hath respect to all Gods Commanâ—ements whereas the Pharisee in some one or other of the commandements lives in the breach of it wilfully and without out desire of râ—formation some in covetousnesse and extortion some in lust and filthinesse Thirdly in the degrees or measure of righteousnesse The Pharisee is carefull of some few workes of which he seekes glory but the righteousnesse of the just man is as the waves of the sea he is industrious to increase in all well-doing and to bee filled with the fruits of righteousnesse every day Esay 48.18 Fourthly in the continuance of righteousnesse The just man doth righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.2 Luke 1.75 his desire is for ever to bee imployed in good workes whereas the Pharisâ—â—s righteousnesse is but by fits and as the morning deaw and if trouble come for righteousnesse he fals away and forsakes his righteousnesse c. And thus of the Use for triall Use 2. Secondly the excellent living of such as live righteously may greatly reprove such as cannot be stirred with these things to a conscionable care of forsaking their sinnes and of living righteously Quest. What should be the cause that such men as heare so much of the excellent estate of righteous men are not perswaded to convert and embrace that kinde of life Answ. The cause is divers in divers men as First in some it is long of certaine corruptions that discover themselves about the hearing of the doctrine of righteousnesse For either mens hearts are like a beaten path in the high-way that the sound of doctrine cannot enter into their understanding Mat. 13. Or else they understand not with application to themselves but thinke only how the doctrine may fit others Luke 13.1 2. Or else they meet with some hard condition that they are not willing to observe as the rich young Pharisee did or some other harsh doctrine as they account it which doth so vex and offend them that they fall cleane off from the respect of Christ and holinesse as Iob. 6.59.66 Or else they have some vile opinions that let them in the time of hearing as to thinke that one is not bound to doe as the rules of Scripture doe require or that if one be not a grosse offender God will not impute lesse faults contrary to our Saviours doctrine Mat. 5.18 19 20. Or else their
they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be 3. Sound mortification and judging of our selves for what impurity we finde cleave to our workes 't is Christian perfection to judge our selves for our imperfections 1 Iohn 3 3. 4. Freedome from the grosse impurities and vices and vanities of the time God accounts us pure when our spot is not as the spots of the wicked and when we are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Freedome from the reigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to be pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation he is a pure man that is like Iacob a plaine man without fraud trickes or dissimulation 6. Precisenesse circumspection or exactnesse of conversation when a man sheweth respect to all Gods Commandements and makes conscience to avoide lesser sins as well as greater Eph. 5.15 Mat. 5.19 7. Devoutnesse and zeale in matters of religion and Gods worship and glory and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation that expresseth zeale and conscience in the things of Gods service in a speciall manner seeking Gods Kingdome first and above all other things 2 Tim. 2.22 Titus 2.14 8. Chastitie in keeping the heart and life cleane from the impurities condemned in the seventh Commandement is one great part of Christian purity But before I come to entreat of chastity in particular I would apply this doctrine of purity in generall first to the Text and then to the times As for the Text a pure conversation is here considered only so far as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Use. Now for the Use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and profane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practice of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to be some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sins of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1 2. and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not only the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to be opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that find these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended Chastitie is either of the mind or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chaste minde as well as a chaste body and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires aâ— well as unchaste words or deeds For unchaste thoughts and desires are first foolish and noisome 1 Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2 Timâ— 4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of soule desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the lâ—sts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne them in perdition 1 Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers wombe and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chaste persons who by a godly care and watchfulnesse keepe themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse as well as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sins of fornication were so rife and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sin or a very small sin But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should be in resisting sinne as here even the more filthy the lives of others were the more chaste should the conversation of godly Christians be because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sin and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may be the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idols This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the streame of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons as well as in single persons as here wives are said to be chaste in conversation though they with-hold not
their trust in God Fiftly for the effect of it it adorned them Sixtly for the matter of it viz. they were obedient to their owne husbands Thus of the order of the words Before I enter upon the particulars divers things may be noted in generall about examples of goodnesse in others First we may hence evidently gather That it is not enough for us to doe good but we should strive so to doe it that we might be examples to others 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 and that for divers reasons For first God is interessed in us and our workes and there is a glory due to God which must be collected from our workes doâ—â— before men Mat. 5.16 Secondly we must so act our parts in godlinesse upon the Stage of this world that we may thereby silence and convince wicked men that out of their hatred to the truth and frowardnesse of hearts would else take all occasions to speake evill of us and the good way of God Phil. 2.15 Thirdly our Teachers have a part in our workes and we should hold forth the patternes of sound practice that they might be comforted in our learning from them and graced in their Ministerie Phil. 2.16 Fourthly by this meanes we may doe much good in helping forwards weake Christians For as the wicked take fire from evill examples so doe the godly from good examples both in piety 1 Thes. 4.7 and mercie 2 Cor. 8.16 c. Which should worke aâ— effectuall care in all godly Christians to strive to expresse such conscience and power of godlinesse as may be profitable to others and so chiefly in such things as may most grace thâ— profession of religion or profit others as wisedome mercie meeknesse just dealing contempt of the world affectionatenesse in Gods service patience undauntednesse or the like especially those that be Parents Masters Magistrates Ministers that have charge of others And this greatly reproves such Christians as undoe the soules of those that belong to them as much as lies in them by their wicked examples as Ministers that are examples to their people of drunkennesse usury covetousnesse pride or the like and Masters of families or Parents that give such wretched examples to their children and servants in swearing vanitie of apparell filthinesse of life passion or the like Secondly we may hence note two singular vertues in a good example the first is That it may profit a world of people 1 Thes. 1.7 Rom. 16. It is like the fire you may light many candles at it and yet it is neither the worse nor the lesse Many that we know noâ— of may receive good from our good conversation and example in well-doing as was true in the case of those holy women And the reason is because men are more apt to understand things when they are practised than when they are taught And besides good examples are so rare that they shine as a Beacon on fire in a darke night Phil. 2.15 And therefore one Use should be to teach Christians by an humble acknowledgement of the praises of others to spread abroad the light of good examples â—s far as they can 1 Thes. 1.7 8. And withall he shewes the horrible sin of those wretches that strive to blemish the good conversation of the godly and so rob the world of the profit of their examples The second vertue in a good example is the lasting of it It may doe good for a long time after yea in some cases to the worlds end The sweet savour of it may be freshly sented many yeeres after which was never true of any perfume in the world It is a light that will not out of a long time as here the example of these holy women and Sarah in particular have a fresh power to doe good many hundred yeares after it was given and will still have to the worlds end The memoriall of the Just is blessed They that are to live hereafter may praise God for the good they receive from the examples of those that are long since dead in their graves Their workes live long after they are dead Which should be a wonderfull consolation to eminent Christians that excell in gifts and good workes and have held forth a good profession before many witnesses And in as much as God by his providence keeps burning so long the light of the good examples of his children it will make the more to encrease the condemnation of such persons as will not learne goodnesse from such examples Especially their case is fearefull that have had this light in such as have beene neere to them as in Parents Masters Ministers â—pâ—ciall acquaintance kindred or the like and yet make no good use of it Thirdly we may hence gather That a good example ought to be given and may be taken from women as well as men Pro. 31.28 29. Mat. 26.13 Tit. 2. 3 4. And the reason is because God is no respecter of persons but gives his gifts and graces to women as well as men as Scripture experience shews And besides as their ill example may make the word of God to be blasphemed Tit. 2.5 so why should not their good example become godlines profit others And this point should teach women if they will professe Religion to looke to their waies and strive to give good example especially aged women Tit. 2.3 And withall it may be a comfort to that Sexe that God should use their service to doe his worke and many times to teach men by their waies and works God hath raised up the glory and light of many worthy women and they have bin as eminent for holines good workes as men have bin Thus in generall In this manner The first thing in the description is the manner of the pattern about which we may note three things 1. That the patterns of well-doing or the rules of life have beene the same in all ages There is no more required of Christians now than was required of Gods servants in former time which should make us the more willing to beare Gods yoake and to doe the taske that God sets us 2. That an example is then of power to bind when it agrees to some precept as here the example of holy women is urged because it did agree to the doctrine of the exhortation before named This rule is of great use in ordering of conclusions taken from examples in Scripture examples have but the power of illustration of what was before in the precept And againe it should teach us not to esteeme of any men above what is written but to follow them as they follow Christ or as their actions are warranted by the Word of God 3. God did ever stand upon subjection and an amiable and meeke behaviour in women in all ages Which should much prevaile with Christian women to teach them to make more conscience of their carriage towards their husbands seeing God had ever required such a behaviour in all holy women of
this duty of prayer Hence it is that where we reade of any commandement to pray in Scripture usually it is as large as any of the ten Commandements even such as bindeth all persons to the performance of it which should serve greatly to shew the profanenesse of most families that have no prayer A familie without prayer and the exercises of religion in it is a very den of wild beasts and a cage of impure birds and the wrath of God hangs over those families that have not prayer used in them as these places shew Psal. 79.6 Zeph. 3.1 2. Dan. 9.13 Ezek. 22.30 Doct. 4. Yea in that he takes for granted that Christian husbands and wives did pray onely admonishing that they looke to it that their prayer be not interrupted it shewes That every godly Christian can pray and doth make conscience of it to doe it Psal. 32.6 for every Christian that is a true Christian hath the spirit of adoption by which he cries Abba Father Rom 8. 16. And it is made a signe of a wicked man not to call upon the name of the Lord Psal. 14.4 Doct. 5. In that prayer may not be interrupted or hindred it shews plainly That this is an exercise for every day constantly while we live in this world which these places confirme 1 Thes. 5.17 Col. 4.2 Rom. 12.12 Psal. 105.4 praying by fits will not serve turne Doct. 6. Wives and husbands though they had never so many praises other wayes or for their carriage one towards another yet if they be not religious persons and in particular such as serve God by daily and devout prayer they are not true Christians nor accepted of God The Apostle takes it for granted that all Christian men and women doe make conscience of daily prayer to God Which serves notably to conâ—ure the vaine trust in civill honesty and the fairenesse of domesticall conversation which bewitcheth many persons in the world Doct. 7. When the heart is not right towards man it is not right towards God as here domesticall disorders hinder the exercises of religion towards God That husband that loves not his wife hath no great mind to pray Wives that make no conscience to live quietly and obediently with their husbands suffer a like alienation from God both in their ability to serve him and in his acceptance of it Doct. 8. In that he saith your prayers it shewes That every Christian must make prayers of his owne As the just man lives by his owne faith so must the true Christian thinke of getting his living under God by his owne prayers 'T is not enough that he partake of other mens prayers in publike or that he can get others to pray for him in private God lookes for prayers from himselfe Doct. 9. In that he saith prayers it imports That there be divers kindes of prayer and that private Christians must make not onely a prayer but prayers to God Eph. 6.18 Phil. 4.6 Col. 4.2 The sorts of prayer and differences arise 1. From the instrument by which it is formed for there is the prayer of the heart onely such was Hannah her prayer 1 Sam. 1. There is a prayer of the mouth only such is the prayer of hypocrites Esay 29.13 There is the prayer both of heart and mouth and such is the prayer ordinarily of all the godly 2. From the place of prayer some prayers are publike some private and a Christian must use both Some are alone some with others 3. From the forme and so we have the prayer of Christ as the patterne and rule for all prayers and the prayers of Christians agreeable to that patterne We must not râ—st upon saying over the words of the Lords prayer and neglect all other prayers Againe some prayer is conceived some is in a set 〈◊〉 used A set forme is 〈◊〉 for the publike and for such weake Christians as are not yet able to expresse their owne desire to God in their owne words No◠〈◊〉 conceived formes unfit or unlawfull for such as are able and desirous to performe prayer according to the rules of prayer as is apparent by the examples of all sorts of prayers in both Testaments 4. From the object of prayer and so some prayers are made daily at set times and thence it was that the Chuch of the Jewes had their houres of prayer Acts 3.1 and some are uttered suddenly according to some speciall occasion And of this sort are ejaculations short petitions put up to God expressing the present motion in the heart Doct. 10. It is a great losse or inconvenience to have our prayers interrupted This is plaine from the Text. And there may be many reasons assigned of it I will instance but one or two first because for that time a man is thrust out of the presence of the King of heaven To pray is to stand before his face Secondly because while prayer stands still our spirituall trade stands still while we pray not we thrive not Thirdly if it were nothing else but the respect of others it must needs be a great inconvenience to omit prayer because thereby we withdraw our aides from the Church and that is as bad as in evill times of war to withdraw our succours from the house of Israel Quest. But how many waies can prayer be interrupted Answ. Prayer may be interrupted either in heaven or in earth either in the hearing of it or in the making of it Prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it or God will not heare prayer 1. If the person making it lie in any sin without repentance Pro. 15.8 Esay 59.2 Lam. 3.44 Psal. 66.18 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Iohn 3.22 2. If it be not made in faith that is if we beleeve not that we shall have what we aske Mat. 11.24 Iames 1.6 3. If not made in the name of Christ Iohn 16.23 4. If it be made carelesly and coldly if a mans head be full of distractions so as he regards not what he prayes he is not likely to be heard for how shall God heare him when he heares not himselfe and how shall God heed what he saies when he heeds not what he saies himselfe 5. If a man aske amisse that is aske for carnall and corrupt ends Iames 4.3 6. If a man be not in charitie with his neighbour and will not forgive him his trespasse Mat. 6.14 7. If a man be unmercifull and will not heare the cries of the poore Esay 58.7 Pro. 21.13 Thus prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it Prayer is interrupted in the making of it when men are indisposed to prayer and so omit the performance and thus prayer is interrupted Sometimes by the violence of wordly cares and businesse the heart of man being overcharged with these cares of life Sometimes by domesticall discords and private passions which it seemes the Apostle especially meanes in this place Sometimes by the love and lust after some particular siâ— for while mens hearts run after sin they
must know that in the first sense none enjoy good daies but good men Now good daies in the sense of the Scripture must be considered either in generall or in particular In generall and so first all the daies of Christ after he is revealed in a Christian are good daies and so all the daies of a true Christian from his conversion to his death are good daies Which appeares thus Saint Paul saith that Christ is our Passeover and the Passeover is a feast which we must keep 1 Cor. 5.8 and such high festivall daies are good daies especially the first and last daies of the Passeover were good daies in a speciall solemnity that is the day of thy conversion to spirituall life and the day of thy death which is the beginning of the day of eternall life Secondly all the daies in which Christians enjoy the preaching of the Gospel in the power of it and other ordinances of Christ in their glory all these daies be good daies for they are daies in which God makes rich feasts unto all Nations as is effectually described in the Allegory Esay 25.8 Thus David saith One day in Gods courts is better than a thousand any were else Ps. 84.10 The righteous flourish when Christ comes down upon their souls as rain upon the mowne grasse Ps 72.6 7. Thirdly those be good daies in which we see the Church of God in generall to prosper when God keeps his Church as his vineyard waters it every moment and watcheth it night day and destroieth every thing that might annoy it In particular a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies as first the Sabbath daies well sanctified are good daies above all other daies of the weeke when his body enjoyes rest and his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spirituall rest and grace in Jesus Christ. Secondly the daies in which the soule of a Christian after sin and the judgement of God for it is humbled soundly and anew admitted into Gods presence and reconciled to God those daies when God entertaines the repenting sinner that prayes unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luke 4.21 with Esay 61.1 2 10. Thirdly all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods Word and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome are all good daies for this knowledge is that wisedome Solomon speakes of which makes a man so happy Pro. 3.18 2 16. Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man God is pleased also to grant such good daies as are or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man and so First the daies of youth in which a man hath strength of body and vigour of mind to fit him not onely for the comforts of life but for the service of his Creator are good daies Eccles. 12.1 it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth Secondly the daies of speciall prosperity in the world which sometime God grants unto his people are also good daies when God gives his people aboundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect with all sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which he describes in the whole 29th Chapter of his booke but then it must have this indeed that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well-doing and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob. Thirdly such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estare free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods afflicting hand or mans injurious dealing are good daies and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be observed from hence 1. That the daies of men usually are evill which is true not onely of the wicked but of the godly also This Iacob said long agoe his daies were few and evill Gen. 47.9 but of this point before Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life and so willingly love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying and make no conscience to provide for a better life 2. It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether he live happily or miserably yet his life is reckoned by daies not by longer measures of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives This is expressely affirmed in other Scriptures Iob 10.20 Iob saith his daies were few and of all men that are borne of women that they have but a short time to live Iob 7.1 And this is resembled by divers similitudes so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 to a Post for swift running out Iob. 9.25 to the grasse of the field Iob 7.12 Esay 40.6 to an hand breadth so as he saith his age is as nothing Psal. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleep ver 5. to a tale that is told ver 9. Thus the life of man is said to be short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand yeares are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90.4 or in his owne account if he measure time to come as he measures time past and in plaine reckoning let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten and if he live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should be the cause that mens lives are so short Answ. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times and seasons in his owne power yet that might satisfie us but we may ghesse at other causes as both the mercy and justice of God This world is so bad to the godly that it is Gods mercie to take them quickly out of it and contrariwise it is so good to the wicked considering their desects that it is justice in God to take them hence and send them to their owne place which is hell Besides many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their owne ill courses or by sinning against their owne bodies by lewd courses and by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sin to provoke God to cut them off or by falling into such disorder as the Magistrate cuts them off or by laying of violent hands upon themselves or by getting their goods unlawfully to bring upon themselves that curse Ier. 17 11. Finally in this last age of the world there may be this reason assigned that the Lord makes haste to have the
might give over our trades c. For answer hereunto let all such know that though it be true that some men are waxt great rich by such courses yea though they be fat and shine yet the Lord will visit them his soule will be avenged upon them Jer. 5.28 29. For wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished Prov. 13.11 and the tabernacles of bribery and deceit shall be desolate Mic. 6. 10. to the 16. All such as conceive with guile by that time they have reckoned their moneths aright though they grow never so big shall bring forth nothing but winde and vanity Job 15. ult What shall be given thee or what shall be done unto thee O thou lying and deceitfull tongue thou shalt be smitten with some strange and strong hand of God as with the arrows of the mighty so as thy stroke shall be incurable and deadly and thy destruction shall be as with the coales of Iâ—niper that is both fierce in respect of thy selfe and pleasing in respect of others For men are wonderfully well pleased when they observe that ill gotten goods doe not prosper This hand of God smells like the burning of Juniper Some others might say we are servants and we must lie and defraud others to satisfie our masters The Prophet Zephany reports that the Lord will punish all those very servants that fill their masters houses with violence and deceit the servants I say as well as their masters But might some others say my courses are so secret that my deceit shall never be found out Let such mâ—n learne that the Lord found out this sinne in Ephraim Hos. 11. and will punish it though Ephraim said he was growne rich and in all his labours they should finde none iniquity in him that were sinne Hee thought himselfe sure enough for being discovered and therefore he would contest vehemently and cry out upon such dishonesty in men as to use false words and waights besides it is worthy to be observed that God many times doth not onely discover these secret fraudulent courses but discovers them openly so as their wickednesse is shewed before the whole congregation Prov. 26.26 But others may say in others things am I just and besides I am forward in religion and therefore this offence is not so great Shall I account thee pure saith the Lord with wicked ballances Mic. 6.12 as if he would say all the shewes of religion in the world will not serve the turne if sinnes of deceit raigne in a mans dealing And therefore the consideration of all this should in the second place instruct us and that three wayes First to look to our owne cariage and as we desire to live long and to see good dayes to refrain our tongues from evill and our lips that they speak no guil in all our dealing to detest lying and deceit Psal. 34.13 and so to live as we may be alwayes ready to put our selves upon Iobs triall Iob 31.4 5. Secondly to lay to heart the consideration of the horrible inundations of deceit that hath over-flowed all states and callings of men and so it should work in us both lamentation and supplication before the Lord. For lamentation we may take up all the old complaints of the Prophets Our times have reacht to the measure of iniquity then reproved or rather men now overpasse the deeds of those wicked men wickednesse is in the midst of us deceit and guile depart not from our streets Psal. 55.11 Treasures of wickednesse are in the house of the wicked wicked ballances the bagge of deceitfull waâ—ghts and scant measures which are an abomination to the Lord and for which he threatneth vengeance every where to be found Mic. 6.10 11. Men lay waâ—t as they that set snares they let traps to catch not beasts or fowle but men As a cage is full of birds so are mens houses full of deceit and deceivers It is now the usuall course for men to waxe great and rich withall Ier. 5.26 27. yea this sinne so spreadeth that we may truly say From the least of them to the greatest of them they are given to deceit and will deale falsly Jer. â— 13. Every brother will supplant and every neighbour will walke with lies and slanders They will deceive one another and not speake the truth A man can dwell no where but his habitation is in the midst of deceit and therefore certainly God hath a resolution to stretch out his hand still by publike judgements How can it be but God must visit and be avenged for these great abominations What should be else doe but melt his people in the common furnace of great judgements for such common sins Ier. 9.3 to 10. And as it should teach us lamentation so it should teach us supplication too even to goe to God and that in two respects First to implore his help and mercy for the Church that he would be pleased to spare his people and keepe them from the infection of these vile sins and if it may stand with his good pleasure to worke a repentance in mens hearts that are guilty of these crimes and withall to beseech him for our selves to keepe us that wee fall not into the hands of deceivers for as it is a sinne to deceive so is it a misery to be deceived Psal. 12.1 2 c. and to give us wisdome to beware of men Jer. 9.4 Mat. 10.17 and to deliver us from the men of deceit Psal. 43.1 Thirdly it should teach us seeing the world is so full of guil that it is so hatefull a sin therefore to honour and esteeme such as wee finde to bee true hearted Plaine men with Iacob without tricks and subtlety and true Israelites with Nathaniel in whose hearts and mouthes is no guile Wee should I say love them delight in them and stick to them never to forsake them but to account them the very ornaments of the world and great lights in this great and generall darknesse and to account our selves wonderfull rich and happy in their fellowship and friendship Thirdly this prohibition of Guile may informe us and by intimation shew us the hatefulnesse of the doctrine of the Papists and practise in the point of aquivocation contrary to the expresse Scripture that forbids all lying and deceiving of others and commands us to speake truth and that every one Priest and people and that so his neighbour how much more to the Magistrate Ephes. 4.25 And Iob sheweth that we ought not to talke deceitfully no not for God to speake for him what is not right Iob 13.7 Lastly this may be implicitly a singular and secret consolation to honest and upright hearted men that hate this hatefull sinne of Guile that speake the truth in their hearts and make conscience of their words I meane those true Nathaniels of whom Christ speakes And for the better imprinting of this use I will shew
you two things First the signes and markes of a man without Guile even of a true Israelite Secondly the encouragement and comforts that belong to such men c. For the first a true Nathaniel hath these praises and especiall markes 1. He shunnes Guile in his spirit as well as in his words or workes Psal. 32.2 What hee accounts vile to speake hee accounts vile to thinke 2. His praise is of God and not of men Rom. 2.26 Hee more strives to doe good then to get credit and applause and if God accept him hee cares not though all the world deride him 3. When he confesseth his fault to God he will not hide his sinne but confesseth all his sins that is all sorts of sins and his sin without extenuation or excuse Psal. 32.2 5. 4. If he offend it is of ignorance and he will not receive doctrine of trust and if he be shewed the truth he quietly yeelds and gives glory to God Iohn 1.46 47 48. 5. He is a plaine man and speakes the truth in his heart What hee saith he saith without fraud or dissembling he saith it from his heart his heart and his words agree he hateth lying and all deceit Psal. 15.2 Zeph. 3.13 though he might gaine never so much yet will he practise no untruth 6. He is a constant man just of his word he will performe his promise though it be to his owne hinderance Psal. 15.4 He will not deny the truth though it be to his extreame danger Such men as these have many encouragements to hold on their courses It was a chiefe praise of Christ that he was without Guile 1 Pet. 2.7 and so was it in the Martyrs and Saints Rev. 14.15 It is one of the signes and markes of Gods houshold servants Psal. 15.2 Of a true Convert Zeph. 3.13 These men are faithfull with the Saints and rule with God Hos. 11. 12. Such as these will abide the Balance to be weighed and God will acknowledge their integrity Iob 31.5 The wealth of these men gotten by labour and just dealing shall increase when riches gotten by vanity shall diminish Prov. 13.11 And those lips of Truth shall be established for ever when lying tongues shall be but for a moment Prov. 12.19 And thus much of Guile Onely before I passe further it is worthy the noting that he sayes of these two first sins that all Malice and all Guile must be laid aside which imports that howsoever some other infirmities bee in the godly yet they should be found farre from all Malice and Guile not a jot of either of them should be found in them Malice must bee in them in no kinde nor in no measure neither secret nor open Malice neither grudge nor desire of revenge neither at home nor abroad neither in civill things nor in matters of Religion neither in any of the aggravations nor in the least drop of it And the like may be said of Guile It were a shamefull thing that any kinde of Guile should be found in a Christian in any of his dealings at any time with any sort of men or in any measure For if but a drop of Malice or Guile bee left in us it may breake out againe and our hearts prove like a festered sore Malice is like leaven a little of it will sowre the whole lumpe It is like Poyson a drop may spoile us It is like a coale of fire within it wants nothing but the devill to blow it and then into what a flame may it kindle And therefore we should all looke to our hearts to see that we be free from Malice and look to our wayes that we be guilty of no kinde of Guile Such as are reconciled should note this point to see to it that they keepe not the least drop of the poysonfull grudge in their hearts It is not enough that they say daily they will forgive or can receive the Sacrament For if they cannot respect them with a free heart without reservation they are still infected with the disease of Malice Hypocrisie The third sin to be avoided is Hypocrisie Concerning Hypocrisie I propound two things to be considered First how many wayes men commit Hypocrisie Secondly what reasons there are to disswade us from Hypocrisie For the first the Scriptures discover many wayes of the practise of Hypocrisie In the 23. of Matthew our Saviour notes eight wayes of being guilty of Hypocrisie 1. To say and not doe ver 3. 2. To require much of others and plead for great things to be done by others and not at all doe it our selves as we prescribe it to others ver 4. 3. To doe what we doe to be seen of men ver 5. This is at large opened Mat. 6.1 to the middle of the chapter 4. To affect greatnesse in the respects and entertainments of others ver 6. to 12. 5. To doe duties of Religion of purpose to hide some soule sinne ver 14. 6. To be curious and strict in small matters and neglect the greater duties ver 23 24. 7. To be carefull to avoid outward faults and to make no conscience of the inward foulnesse of the heart ver 25 27. 8. To commend and magnifie the godly absent or of former ages and to hate and abuse the godly present and of our owne times verse 29. to 36. There are divers other Hypocriticall practices noted in other Scripture As 9. To serve God outwardly and yet our hearts to be caried away with vile distractions Esay 28.13 This is a chiefe Hypocrisie to be avoided in such as come to the word 10. To pray onely in the time of sicknesse or danger when we are forced to it and to shew no love of prayer or delight in God in time of prosperity or deliverance Iob 27.8 9. 11. To judge others severely for smaller faults and to be guilty themselves of greater crimes Mat. 7.5 12. To be just overmuch I meane to make sins where God makes none Luke 13.15 13. To be convinced in his owne conscience and yet not confesse it nor yeeld though they know the truth Luke 12.56 57. c. Thus of the divers wayes of Hypocrisie There are many reasons to declare the hatefulnesse of this sin of Hypocrisie I will instance onely in the reasons from the effects The effects of Hypocrisie are either first to others Or secondly to the Hypocrite himselfe First to others the Hypocrite is a continuall snare He walkes in a net that converseth with an Hypocrite Iob 34.30 Secondly to himselfe the effects of Hypocrisie in the Hypocrite are both privative and positive The privative effects which the Scripture instanceth in are chiefly three The first is that the Hypocrite loseth all his service of God In vaine doe Hypocrites worship God Mat. 15. Secondly hee infecteth all his gifts and praises Hypocrisie is like leaven Luke 12.1 It sowreth all gifts and graces a little of it will marre all his praises and gifts whatsoever for the