we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
the Spirit of Christ may be known which I will not therefore now make any mention of I will instance onely in foure effects of the Spirit whereby you may be able to judge whether you have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 2.12 The first is your Charity the second is your Constancy in cleaving to the truth which you have received the third is your Taking to heart the cause of God and religion the fourth and last is your Sympathizing with the fellow-members of Christs mysticall body For the first of these There is no one grace whereby the Spirit of Christ may be better and more sensibly known to dwell in us than charity and meeknesse of spirit Iohn Baptist saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Christ as we read Iohn 1.32 I beseech you saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 10.1 by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ. As if he had said Of all the graces of the Spirit that did abound in Christ his meekenesse and gentlenesse did most excell And we shall finde that this is oft mentioned for a certaine signe of a man that is in Christ. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples saith our Saviour Iohn 13.35 if ye have love one to another As if hee should say This is so evident and conspicuous a marke of one that is in Christ as not themselves onely but others also all men may know them by this Beloved let us love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.7 for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love saith he Vers. 8. And Vers. 12. If wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us And Ver. 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him My little children saith he againe 1 Iohn 3.18 19. let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him As if he had said A man may confidently assure himselfe that hee is in Christ and that hee hath the Spirit of Christ in him if hee love his neighbour unfeignedly not in word onely but in deed if hee unfeignedly desire to doe him what good he can O that we would impartially examine our selves in this first point beloved now especially that we are to prepare our selves to the Lords Table If thou be not in charity certainely thou hast not the Spirit of Christ and consequently thou art none of his I know well that many that have not Gods Spirit but are meere carnall men use to glory much in their charity and thinke they farre excell any that professe religion in this vertue But if there could ever have beene any true love to man and such as God approveth of in any soule that is not regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God certainely neither our Saviour himselfe nor his holy Apostle would have spoâ—ken so of love as you heare they have done No no the holy Scripture is most plaine in this point that no man hath any true charity in him but he only that is truly regenerate By this we know that we love the children of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 when we love God and keepe his commandements As if he should say All true love to men proceedeth from the love we beare to God as from the root and fountain This is love saith he 2 Ioh. 6. that we walk after his commandements As if he had said We cannot love our neighbour as we ought unlesse we love him out of conscience towards God and in obedience to his commandement The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned As though he should have said No man can have true love till he have first a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned I will therfore shew you how true Charity is to be tryed how you may discern and know whether you love your neighbour as you ought to love him and as no man that hath not the Spirit of Christ was ever able to do Try this First By the love thou bearest to all men Secondly By the loue thou bearest to them that have wronged thee and are thine enemies Thirdly By the love thou bearest to them that feare God especially Lecture CXLIII On Psalme 51.7 March 23. 1629. NO man hath true charity in him First that doth not love all men Secondly that doth not love his enemy Thirdly that doth not love such as feare God especially For the first They that have the Spirit of Christ in them do unfeignedly love all men See this plainely in that prayer of the Apostle 1 Thes. 3 12. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love saith he one toward another and towards all men How can this bee will you say Must wee love such as are wicked men Doth not the Holy Ghost make this a speciall note of a lewd and gracelesse man to love them that are wicked They hate the good saith the Prophet Mica 3.2 and love the evill Was not Iehosophat though otherwise so good a man greatly blamed for this Shouldst thou love them saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.2 that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Doth not David glory in this as in one principall evidence of the truth of his heart that he did hate wicked men I have hated them saith he Psal. 31.6 that regard lying vanities that is I have hated all idolaters And 139.21 22. he appealeth to the Lord concerning this and glorieth of this even before the Lord Do not I hate them O Lord saith he that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies I answer That in all these places there is no more meant but this First That wee must hate their sinne and that that is evill in them And that we are bound to hate even in the best men and in those persons whose persons we are most bound to love Ye that love the Lord saith the Psalmist Psalme 97.10 hate that that is evill There is no love of God in that man that hateth not sinne wheresoever hee seeth it even in his owne child in them whom he doth most dearely love Secondly that we must shew our dislike even to the persons also of scaâ—dalous and lewd men For first we may give them no countenance but shew our dislike by shunning all voluntary familiarity and kindnesse unto them while they continue such Have no company with him saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 3.4 that he may be ashamed I have hated the congregation of evill doers saith David Psalme
us saith Paul Rom. 8.31 who can bee against us To hurt us hee meaneth The Lord is my light and my salvation saith David Psalme 27.1 whom shall I feare And 49.5 Wherefore should I feare in the dayes of evill when the iniquitie of my heeles shall compasse mee about Why David what maketh thee so secure in the midst of danger Hee telleth you verse 15. God will redeeme my soule from the power of the grave for hee shall receive mee On the other side hee that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ must needes bee vexed with continuall feares feare of death and feare of troubles It is Christ only saith the Apostle Heb. 2.15 that delivereth them who through the feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Thirdly This bringeth with it unto us all good things Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse saith our Saviour Matth. 6.33 As if he had said Make your salvation sure make this sure unto your selves that God is reconciled unto you that you are in his favour and all these things shall be added unto you O that men could beleeve Christ in this that this is the best way to be certaine of all earthly comforts so farre as they shall bee good for us He that spared not his own son saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Yea this sweetneth all Gods blessings to us and giveth a pleasant relish unto them when we can tast in them Gods love unto us in Christ. When Iob speaketh Iob 29.1 7. of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings in the time of his prosperity in his children and riches in that honour and esteeme God gave him among all men he giveth this for the reason of it verse 3. His candle his light the comfortable assurance of his savour shined upon my head Yea this will not onely susteine and keepe us from fainting in times of common trouble and calamity as Iob saith there Iob 29.3 By his light I walked through darknesse While the light of his countenance shined upon me I could walke cheerefully in the darkest and saddest times But it will also sweeten the bitterest afflictions that can befall our selves in particular when we know they are but the chastisements of our father that loveth us dearely though hee thus correct us The cup which my father hath given me saith our Saviour Iohn 18.11 shall I not drinke it All hope of deliverance and comfort in danger and distresse groweth from the assurance of Gods favour Vpon this David grounded his hope Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast downe ô my soule c. Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance To this he ascribeth all the deliverances the Church had received from the Lords right hand Psalme 44.3 They got not the land in possession by their owne sword neither did their own arme save them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them The sting of death saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.56 and if of death then of all other afflictions sure is sin and if the sting of them be once gone certainely there can be no deadly paine in them And thus Christ comforteth a poore man that was sicke of a dead palsy a disease that dulleth the spirits and maketh the heart as heavie as any disease can Matth. 9.2 Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes be forgiven thee On the other side he that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ what comfort can hee have in life or in death in prosperity or in adversity specially if God shall be pleased to awaken his conscience What sweetnesse can a man find in all his wealth or pleasure or good cheere when it hath this bitter tang and loose with it that his heart shall say to him I may be a vessell of wrath for all that Alas Cain had as much as all this commeth to and Esau and Dives who are all now firebrands in hell Must not the joy that all such men seeme to take in their prosperity be such as the Apostle speaketh of 2 Cor. 5.12 in the face onely and not in the heart And if this be their condition in their greatest prosperity then what comfort can they have in their affliction and in their death thinke you What is the hope of the hypocrite saith Iob 27.8 though he hath gained when God taketh away his soule Fourthly If we were once assured of Gods speciall love to us in Christ this would make us yeeld obedience unto God and do his service not grudgingly or as of necessity but as out of love and willingly and cheerefully For a good man a bountifull a kind man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 some will even dare to die And if the goodnesse and bounty of a man have such force with us that we thinke we can never do too much for him will not the assurance of this marvellous bounty and goodnesse of God to us in Christ make us to say with David Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me what might I doe to please and honour him that hath so dearely loved me This will make us pray with boldnesse and zeale O God thou art my God saith David Psal. 63.1 early will I seeke thee When our Saviour taught his Disciples and in them us all to pray Matth. 6.9 he biddeth us begin thus Our father which art in heaven Till our hearts doe thus conceive of God that he is our father that he loveth us with a fatherly love we can never pray aright We may say a prayer and that is all that the most of us doe but we can never pray with our hearts till then Therefore also the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 8.15 16. that the spirit that maketh us able to cry in our prayers unto God that is to pray fervently and earnestly is the spirit of adoption that spirit which witnesseth with our spirits that wee are the sonnes and daughters of God that assureth us God is our father and maketh us able to call him father yea to cry to him Abba father And as this will make us able to pray with comfort so will this also make us able to heare and reade and meditate in the Word with cheerefullnesse and a good appetite As new borne babes saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. desire the sincere milke of the Word if so be that yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious This will make us keepe the Sabbaths even whole Sabbaths without wearisomenesse Yee shall keepe every man my Sabbaths saith the Lord Levit. 19.3 Why so What may move us to doe this willingly and cheerefully I am the Lord your God saith he In a word this will make us walke cheerefully in every duty of obedience in every way of
The Lord hath forsaken me Thou art troubled with strong and fearefull tentations unto desperation Well for all this if thy heart bee upright though thou perceive it not nay if ever it were upright certainely they shall end in joy Marke the perfect man and behold the upright As if he had said It is our great sinne that we observe no better the manifold examples and experiments God giveth us of this for the end of that man is peace Yea proportionable to the measure of thy desertion and discomfort shall thy joy be in the end According to the comparison the Lord useth in this case Ps. 7.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart And 126.5 They that sow in teares shall reape in joy Proportionable to the seedâ—esse of their sorrow shall the harvest and crop of their joy be Now then to conclude all that I have said of these motives seeing there be so many promises made so many excellent priviledges belonging to them that are upright in heart let us not any longer content our selves with shewes of goodnesse with professing and thinking we are Christians we feare God we serve him But let us be ashamed of and bewaile and strive against our hypocrisie and our halting with God Let us labour to attaine to that uprightnesse of heart which we have heard at large described to us out of Gods Word and which the Lord our God so much delighteth in And for our helpe herein I will shew you some of the principall meanes which God hath in his Word directed us to use for the obtaining of it And I will passe over them as briefly as I can First It is not possible for a man to have an upright heart till his heart have first been truly humbled for sin Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is listed up is not upright in him It must be humbled before it can be upright As when a bell is crackt it can never be mended till it have beene first broken in pieces and melted and cast a new so before the heart of man that is so full of cracks and unsoundnesse can be made sound and whole it must first be broken David could not rid himselfe of that guile that was in his heart till he tooke this course till with an humbled soule hee did acknowledge against himselfe his wickednesse to the Lord as is plaine Psal. 32 2-5 Secondly He that would have an upright heart must labour for a true faith for assurance of Gods fatherly love to him in Christ. Let us draw neere saith the Apostle Heb. 10.22 with a true heart in full assurance of saith For it is faith onely that purifieth the heart as the Apostle speaketh Acts 15.9 as from all other corruptions so from that falshood and hypocrisie that is in it by nature When David had professed Psal. 16. â— that he had walked in his integrity he nameth this to be the cause of it and the meanes whereby hee was brought unto and preserved in this integrity verse 3. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes when wee once know that the service we doe is unto our father that hath so dearely loved us this will make us serve him heartily and unseignedly Thirdly He that would have and keepe an upright heart must take heed of living in any knowne sinne of doing any thing against his conscience Keepe thy servant from presumptuous sinnes saith David Psal. 19.13 let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and a good conscience Purity and truth of heart can never be had or preserved without a good conscience Fourthly He that would have an upright heart must thinke oft of this and keepe it in his minde that Gods eye is upon him wheresoever he is and whatsoever he goeth about This the Lord himselfe prescribeth unto Abraham Gen. 17.1 as a meane to breed and preserve uprightnesse of heart in him Walke before me saith he and be thou upright By this meanes Paul kept his heart upright in his ministery and so may we do now from seeking his owne praise or advantage or the humouring of men As of sincerity saith he 2 Cor. 2.17 as of God in the sight of God so speake we in Christ. By this meanes Noah kept himselfe upright in a most corrupt age and so may we do now as bad as the times are Noah was a just man saith the Holy Ghost Gen. 6 9. and upright in his generations Noah walked with God He looked not to the practise of men but set the Lord alwaies before him and walked as in his sight and presence and that kept him upright By this meanes the Church and people of God kept themselves upright in times of extreame trouble and persecution and so may we doe when the like times shall come upon us All this is come upon us say they Psal 44.17 18. even all that they had mentioned in eight verses before yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant our heart is not turned backe Why What was it that kept them from halting with God in such a time as that was That they tell us verse 21. even the consideration of this thaâ— they could not hide themselves from God they were ever in his eye Shall not God search this out say they for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Certainely a secret Atheisme that lodgeth in our breasts whereby either we beleeve not or remember not that Gods eye is upon us is a chiefe cause as of all other foule sins according to that Ezek. 9.9 The land is full of bloud and the city full of perversenesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not so is it a chiefe cause of all that falshood and hypocrisie that is in our hearts Fiftly and lastly He that would have an upright heart must diligently observe the falshood and hypocrisie of his own heart how apt it is to halt and dissemble with God in every service he doth unto him and out of an humbled soule for it complaine much to God of it and beg helpe of him against it By this meanes David here laboureth to get an upright heart he complaineth to God in this verse of the want of that truth in the inward parts which God so much delighteth in for as we have heard he speaketh of that here for the aggravation of his sin and then he beggeth of God helpe against this falshood of his heart verse 10. Create in me a â—leane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me And so doth he likewise Psal. 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed As if he had said O Lord give me a sound heart And certainely one chiefe cause why hypocrisie so much prevaileth that increaseth
his eyes and let him see his owne estate he found himselfe to be a most wretched man for all his morall righteousnesse O saith he there was not a viler wretch in the world than I was for all that Of all the sinners in the world saith he 1 Tim. 1.15 I was the chiefe He esteemed no better of all his civill righteousnesse than of dung that he might win Christ which he knew he could never do so long as he put any confidence in that till he renounced and loathed that And so will it be with every one of you beloved when God shall be pleased to open your eyes as he did his servant Pauls you will see then your case is most wretched for all your civill honesty you will see that you that tooke your selves to be such honest and just men are the chiefe of sinners you will see that though as you have heard your just dealing with men your fidelity your kindnesse and mercifulnesse are in themselves good things and pleasing to God yet God is never a whit the better pleased with you for them They that are in the flesh in their naturall estate unregenerated unconverted by the Word and Spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.8 cannot please God Nothing that is in them nothing that they do can please God And Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Till by a lively faith thou knowest thy selfe to be in Christ thou canst have no hope that any thing thou dost doth please God Two evident reasons there be for this First because Christ is the onely fountaine of all true goodnesse As the branch saith our Saviour himselfe Ioh. 15.4 cannot heare fruit unlesse it abide in the vinâ— no more can ye except ye abide in me And Vers. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Till by faith we are ingrafted into Christ we can beare no good fruit Secondly Because whatsoever the naturall man doth though it be for the substance of the action good as I have shewed you it is because it is commanded of God yet he doth it not well that is with a good heart and therefore cannot please God in his doing of it For the Lord is pleased with nothing that we do unlesse it be done with a good heart The Lord looketh to the heart saith he 1 Sam. 16.7 Give to every man saith Salomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple 1 King 8 39. according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest As if he had said As thou seest his heart to be for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men Now no naturall man no man that is out of Christ can possibly do any good thing with a good heart For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 And nothing is done with a good heart that is not done out of love to God and care to please him By this we know saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 that we love the children of God when we love God and keepe his commandements Observe two things in these words 1. That we can never love our neighbour aright unlesse we first love God and the love we beare to our neighbour doth proceed and grow from the love we beare to God 2. That we can never do any thing that God hath commanded us well and with a good heart till we first love God and do it out of love unto him Now no naturall man can do that that he doth in love to God and care to please him but out of self-selfe-love and by-respects For if he did he would love Gods Word he would make conscience of one commandement of God aswell as of another specially of the commandements of the first Table which are the greatest commandements Mat. 21.38 Nay it is not possible for any man truly to love the Lord till he be first by faith perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. It is faith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5.6 We love him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4 19. because he loved us first And what love of God to us is it that breedeth in us a true love to him againe Surely not his common love but when we once know by faith that he so loved us that he gave his Sonne for us then we shall truly love him and out of love keepe his commandements and never till then Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iob. 4.10 not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And thus you see no naturall man can find sound comfort in any goodnesse that is in him or done by him Lecture CXXXIV On Psalme 51.7 Decemb. 8. 1629. IT followeth now that we shew the truth of this third Motive in that goodnesse also that is to be found in many an hypocrite And in the handling of this we will observe the same method that we did in the former First It cannot be denied but there is some goodnesse to be found in many an hypocrite yea much more goodnesse is to be found in him than in the meere naturall man This will evidently appeare unto you in three points First The goodnesse of the civill and morall man is seene onely in the duties of the second Table and exercised towards man he is all for man just kind mercifull unblameable towards man but he is nothing for God carelesse of that service that is done directly and immediately unto him But the hypocrites goodnesse is seene most in the duties of the first Table and shewed in such things as do more directly and immediately concern the Lord himselfe And these are doubtlesse the chiefe duties The first Table is the first and the great commandement as our Saviour himselfe calleth it Matth. 22.38 Secondly The civill mans goodnesse is moved and guided onely by the dimme light of nature or by the opinion and custome and example of men But the hypocrite is directed and moved by a farre more cleare and excellent light even by the light of the Word The Word and the Ministery thereof hath wrought a change in him and drawne him to do that that he doth As it is said of Herod Marke 6.20 that when he heard Iohn he did many things Yea he is in some sort made partaker of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 And from hence ariseth a third difference That the goodnesse that is in many an hypocrite doth more nearely resemble the goodnesse that is in the regenerate man and is more hardly distinguished and differenced from it than the goodnesse of the civill man doth as is evident by the daily complaints of many a good foule I will instance but in five particulars wherein you may see how much goodnesse there may be in the man that is but an hypocrite above that that there is in the meere naturall man be he never so civill and morall a man The first is his affection to the Word of
estate and thou shalt finde thou art not void of grace now by five notes p. 150. From this foure conclusions may bee gathered for our comfort p. 151. Lect. 30. Take the helpe of some faithfull Minister or other friend for recovering of thy comfort p. 151. 5 Fly to God by prayer and waite on him p. 152. Five motives and encouragements to seeke to God by prayer in this and in all other afflictions p. 153. 6 Meditate of the goodnesse of God 1 towards all creatures p. 154. 2 towards thy selfe when there was no goodnesse in thee 3 towards thy selfe even now and in that state thou art now in p. 155. Lect. 31. He that truly repents cannot hide nor cloake his sin but will be ready to confesse it p. 158 This willingnesse to confesse sin will give a man great hope and assurance of mercy and pardon Ibid. p. 159. Gods servants have beene wont to confesse even the sins of others that they have prayed for p. 160. Why confession so necessary p. 161 162. Lect. 32. How far forth confession of sin in private to a Minister or other friend is not necessary p. 163 164. How farre forth it is profitable and fit Ibid 165. Lect. 33. What manner of men Ministers had need to be p. 166 167. Gods people bound to reverence our calling and take heed nothing move them to despise it p. 167. Resolve never to live without the benefit and comfort of a faithfull ministery p. 168. They that do enjoy it must labour to make their full use of it 1 by admitting that spirituall authority God hath given us over you 2 by making use of us in private and seeking resolution in your cases of conscience 3 in approving your repentance and spirituall estate unto us 4 resting upon that wee shall teach by warrant of of the Word p. 169. The peoples great neglect of the ministery Ibid. Lect. 34. David made publike confession of his sin profession of his repentance why p. 170 They whose sins are publike scandalous must be willing to make publike confession profession of their repentance p. 171 c. Three cautions to be observed Ibid. The reasons that moved Gods people to publish their repentance for publike sinnes p. 173. Lect. 35. Three great mischiefes of this that scannalous sins abound so where the Gospel is preached 1 it maketh the preaching of the Gospel odious to worldly men p. 175. 2 it hinders the successe fruit of all endeavours that the state or Gods people can use for the good of Church nation Ibid. 3 It threatneth great plagues yea a generall dissolution Great cause we should all take to heart the great increase of al grosse sins among us for they will bring Gods plagues on us And this stands well with Gods justice because we are accessary to those sins p 178. We make our selves guilty of other mens sins 1 by applauding liking them the better for them 2 by maintaining voluntary familiarity with them p. 179. 3 If we doe not professe our hatred of these sins 4 If wee be not grieved and troubled to see and heare of theÌ„ p. 180. Yet may we not absent our selves from Gods publike worship for any sins they are guilty of that joyne with us in it p. 181. Lect. 36. 5. If we neglect to do what lies in us to bring these foule sinners to open shame This is the great fault of officers that are bound by oath to detest present infamous persons They sin â— against the places they live in 2 against these lewd men themselves p. 182. 3 against God and their own soules in the light account they make of an oath When a man hath bound himselfe by oath to do that which is lawfull let him take heed how he breake that oath p. 183. The great sin of Christians in nor furthering the execution of good lawes for the detecting and punishing of lewd men Proleps Every man hath a calling 1 to oppose himselfe against sin and do what he can to suppresse 2 to reprove sin 3 to beare witnesse being required before a Magistrate against grosse sinners p 185. 4 to enforme and complaine of an offendour that 's incorrigible yet with foure Cautions p. 186. Foure true causes why men will doe nothing for the punishment of lewd men Ibid. p. 187. Lect. 37. The sinne of those that keepe men from publike penance p 187 188. The sin of such as shun and refuse publike profession of their repentance p. 189 191. Lect. 38. Confession of our sinnes to God is of all kindes of confession most necessary and usefull p. 191 192. Specially in secret for 1 that 's necessary 2 in secret we may doe it both more freely and fully and with more expressions of griefe then in publicke p. 193. 3 This most beneficiall to us for 1 it will give us best assurance of our uprightnesse p. 194. 2 it will give us best assurance to finde mercy with God p. 195. Lect. 39. The meanes whereby we may be enabled to confesse our sins aright unto God are five 1 Get knowledge in the Word p. 196. 2 Observe well and consider thine owne waies p. 197. 3 Take a daily account of thy selfe and of thy Waies p. 197. 4 Call oft to remembrance thine old sins 5 Beg grace and ability of God to do it p. 198. Lect. 40. Five properties there be of sincere confession of sin 1 It must be particular p. 198 â—99 2 It must be free and full without cloaking or extenuation p. 200. 3 It must bee hearty with feeling and affection p. 201. 4 It must be honest joyned with an unfeigned hatred of sin and resolution to forsake it Ibid. 5 It must be â—iliall not slavish out of love of God and hope of mercy p. 202. Lect. 41. Davids sin was ever in his sight They that have truly repented cannot forget but are apt oft to thinke of their sins and to be much troubled with them p. 203. for â— their conscience set in them by God to be both a register a witnesse and a censurer of their actions p. 204. 2 They more subject to affliction then other 3 This is the Lords doing for their good p. 205. Six benefits God procureth to his people this way p. 205-207 Lect. 42. Therefore be afraid to sin in any kinde or degree for 1 thy conscience will say thy secret sins in thy dish one day p. 207. 2 It will smite and wound thee for it 3 How soone it will begin to do this how long it will do it and in what measure God onely knoweth p. 208. 4 The bitternesse of this will farre exceed the pleasure of any sin p. 209. The most never troubled for any sin but strangely hardned but such have no cause to blesse themselve in their estate Ibid 214. Lect. 43. Davids sin was not against the Lord only but against himselfe and other men sundry waies p. 215. The wrong that David
Get a true knowledge and sense of thine owne sinnes p. 265. This also the best preparative to the Sacrament Ibid. Lect. 53. 5 Get before a lively faith p. 266. the reasons of this the necessity of faith in this respect p. 267. rules to try our faith by p. 268. Comfort for such as have true faith though in the least measure p. 269. Lect. 54. 6 Get before hand a sound hope and assurance that when thou dyest thou shalt goe to heaven p. 270. Notes to trie true hope by p. 271 c. 7 Get before hand a good conscience and be carefull to lead a godly life p. 272. 8 Seeke this grace of God by hearty prayer p. 273. Lect. 55. The Text 1 Psal. 51.5 cleared against the Anabaptists by answering two questions p. 275. The youngest infant is guilty of sin and deserveth to be damned p. 277. In what respect infants called innocents holy Ibid. p. 278. and some also borne in the state of grace p. 279. How severe God hath beene in his judgements towards some infants Ibid Three waies they are guilty of sinne pag. 280. Therefore 1 Anabaptists erre grossely 2. Great need they should be baptized 3 Observe and take to heart Gods judgements on them 4. The sins of little ones not to bee neglected p. 281. Lect. 56. The sinne that is in infants is derived to them from their parents Though there bee three other causes of actuall sins p. 282. yet of originall sin this is the onely cause Ibid. Why the children of the holyest parents are borne in sin p. 283. yet this doeth not excuse or extenuate their sins nor give cause to deny reverence or duty to parents Ibid. Great is the duty that children owe to their parents p. 284. For they have all received that benefit from the parents godly or ungodly rich or poore which no duty of theirs can requite Ibid p. 285. No man hath cause to be proud of his parentage Ibid. Parents should be humbled for the sinnes of their children p. 286. Lect. 57. Our originall sinne is that for which God may most justly abhorre us and for which we should be deeply humbled p. 301 303. Lect. 58. Parents should use their utmost endeavour to breed grace in their children For 1 No. way like this can we shew we love them as we ought 2 Iustice bindeth us to it 3 It will be our chiefe comfort to see grace wrought in them p. 287. 4 They will bee more dutifull to us 5 This will give us assurance that there is truth of grace in our selves 6 God hath charged us and put us in trust with their soules p. 288. 7 The hope of the Church and propagation of the Gospel depends on this 290. Lect. 59. Meanes to destroy corruption to breed grace in our children are these Wee must 1 Maintaine our authority There is an honour due to us from our childe p. 291. This we must take heed we loose not Ibid. This many loose by neglecting 1 to feare God themselves and to give good example p. 292 2 to keepe their children in awe when they are young p. 293. Correction necessary for children and three great sins parents commit in neglecting this Ibid. 294. Lect. 60. Secondly we must instruct our children 1 By teaching them the principles plainely even whiles they are very young p. 294. 2 By acquainting them with the practise of religion 3 bringing them to Church even while young 4 examining them how they profit at Church p. 295. 1 Obj. Absurd to teach little ones religion Answ. 1. No for they are capable of the feeds of grace 2 child-hood the fittest age to be wrought upon this way p. 296. 3 Though it doe them no good for the present it may prepare them for grace and doe them good hereafter p. 297. 2 Obj. No heed to be taken to the good things seeme to be wrought in children for they will loose them againe Three answers given to this Ibid. Thirdly we must give good examples to our children great force in this p. 298. Fourthly wee must take heed how wee place them at schoole or in service or in mariage p. 299. Fiftly we must bee earnest with God in prayer for them Ibid. In using these meanes wee may comfort our selves though we see them fruitlesse oft p. 300. Lect. 61 Two rules to try all doctrines in religion That Doctrine cannot bee of God 1 that gives any thing to man in matter of his salvation any cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe 2 That is agreeable to naturall reason and grounds it selfe most upon that pag. 304. The Papists errour touching originall sin p. 305. How dead wee are by nature and void of all freedome of will unto good in foure points Ibid. Concupiscence without consent is sinne p. 306 307. Lect. 62. The knowledge of our naturall corruption is of great force to humble us p. 308. viz. 1 to keepe us from priding our selves in best duties we have done p. 309. 2 to humble us when we pray Ibid. Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions p. 310. respect to be had to th' ability of them that joyne with us Ibid. 3 to humble us in our fasts Fasts are to no purpose if wee bee not humbled in them p. 311. 1 for Gods judgements upon ourselves and the Church Ibid. 2 for th'outragious sinnes committed every where that wee know or heare of pag. 312. 3 For our owne sins specially Ibid. 4 specially for our originall sin Ibid. Lect. 63. Every one should endeavour to be delivered from the danger of his originall corruption especially p. 313. Three motives to this p. 314. Meanes 1. Seeke to be justified from it by Christ. Labour to be in Christ and to know by faith that Christ is ours for then God cannot loath us for it Ibid p. 315. 2 Labour to finde that by the Spirit thou art delivered from the dominion of it and to cleanse thy selfe from it and to mortifie it This meanes more sensible then the first though not so perfect p. 316. Lect. 64. Meanes we must use to mortifie corruption in our selves 1 Observe the first stirrings of it and what sins thy heart is most inclined to p 317. 2 When thou discernest it set thy selfe against it viz. resist it hate and dislike it and grieve for it Ibid. 318. 3 Shun all occasions and provocations to it Be sober 1 in the use of the comforts of this life p. 319. 2 In following the businesse of our callings some part of every day to be spent in religious duties p. 320. Lect. 65. The fourth meanes to mortify corruption is a diligent and conscionable use of the exercises of religion p. 321. Great force in reading and hearing of the Word to mortifie corruption Ibid. Prayer hath great force to mortifie sin p. 322. The fift meanes of mortification is to beare afflictions willingly and patiently Ibid Great force in affliction this way p. 223.
Proleps and notwithstanding he say he cannot beleeve for 1 hee hath foure just causes and encouragements to beleeve 2 He doth indeed truly beleeve though weakely and though hee perceive it not p. 682. Lect. 132. We should all highly esteeme of Christ and hunger and thirst after him and his righteousnesse labouring above all things to win him and to be found in him p. 683. 1 Motive else our state will bee wofull when extreame affliction and death shall seize upon us Six things to bee distinctly considered in this 1 Motive 1 Certaine it is a change affliction sicknesse and death will come 2 how soone none knowes 3 nor in what kinde and measure p. 684. 4 when it commeth it will awaken the conscience and that being wakened will bring into our remembrance our sins and the judgement wee must goe to 5 If we have not gotten Christ before we are in danger then to bee made uncapable 6 our case will bee most wofull if we be without him then for there 's no hope of mercy or comfort from God without him p. 685. On the other side they that have Christ may be safe and comfortable in any affliction nay never so comfortable as then p. 686. 2 Motive He that hath not Christ can have no sound comfort in his prosperity nor in any of Gods outward blessings for 1 though they be blessings and good things in themselves yet to him they are not He had better be without them they shall doe him no good but much hurt Ibid. For they are none of their owne they have no spirituall sanctified or comfortable title to them p. 687. 2 God hath not given them any thing in love Though these things be fruits of his common love they are no signes of his speciall love And no man can have any sound comfort in the common love of God but in his speciall love onely Ibid. p. 688. On the other side he that is in Christ may have sound comfort even in the outward and common blessings of God for 1 they are his owne and he hath the highest title to them 2 They are good to him and shall doe him good and no hurt p. 688. 3 They are to him pledges of Gods speciall love p. 689. Applic. Great folly and danger of such as preferre worldly things before Christ Ibid. p. 690. Lect. 133. None are fit to receive Christ nor can thirst after him but the poore and such as feele themselves utterly void of all goodnes p. 691. The civill honesty and those morall parts that are in many naturall men are in themselves good things pleasing to God and such as he useth to reward and the reasons of it p. 692 693. Professors should walke honestly and the greatnesse of their sinne that doe not set out in three points p. 694 695. Yet there is no sound comfort to be found in it the Lord is never a whit the better pleased with a man in resepct of salvation for his civill honesty unlesse he be in Christ p. 695 696. Lect. 134. There are sundry good things to be found in many an hypocrite and better things then in any meere naturall man and that in three respects p. 697. There is in many an hypocrite 1 a kinde of love to the Word and the ministery thereof he will heare constantly and with delight hee will commend and professe much love to the teacher so doth not the civill man 2 he will keepe a constant course in praying not ordinary onely but extraordinary so doth not the civill man 3 He is a strict observer of the Sabbath so is not the civill man p. 698. 4 Hee hateth Idolatry and the monuments of it and loveth the sincerity of religion so doth not the civill man 5 He is reformed not only from grosse sinnes but even from the least sins so is not the civill man p. 699. These things are not therefore to bee misliked because they are to bee found in some hypocrites neither may wee despise and scorne any for any of these things for though they be found in many hypocrites yet are they no signes of an hypocrite Ibid. 1 It s a singular good thing to love the Word and he can have no true goodnesse but is in a wofull estate that doth not 2 to keepe a constant course in prayer is a very good thing and such as God will blesse and he can have no true goodnesse in him but is in a wofull state that useth not to pray p. 700. Lect. 135. Though 1 the bodily observation of the Sabbath and such as may bee performed by th' outward mâ—n be nothing in Gods account in comparison of the spirituall 2 The bodily test from our owne workes bee the leaft part even of that the spending of the day in holy duties is a farre greater matter then that p 701 702. yet God is highly pleased with that and hath promised great reward unto it p. 702. and a chiefe cause of common calamities hath beene the neglect even of that p. 703. No man can become poorer by the conscionable keeping of the Sabbath day Ibid. Man receives a greater blessing by the Sabbath then by any other day specially in spirituall things but also in temporall p. 704 705. Lect. 136. We have all cause to praise God for the good lawes have beene made to provide for the better observation of the Sabbath and the hypocrisie and profanesse of the people generally appeares in seeming so zealous for the lawes and neglecting these so much p. 706. Every Minister is bound to reproove sin p. 707. The â— and chiefe thing that belongs to the right observation of the Sabbath is the keeping of the rest and performing the duties of the day cheerefully and spiritually and against this they offend that sleepe ordinarily at Church this sin is worthy of open reproofe p. 708. This is more then a sin of infirmity Foure notes given to discerne a sin of infirmity from a raigning sin p 709. The second duty required in the observation of the Sabbath is to spend the day in religious duties specially publike against this they transgresse that absent themselves from the Church p 710. The third and last thing is that we rest from al our own works on that day against this the profanesse and open contempt of the Sabbath by children and youth is a grosse sin Ibid. God will not endure profannesse and open contempt of religion no not in children yet will he lay this their sin to the charge of Masters and Parents and Governours chiefly p. 711. Lect. 137. It is a good thing and highly pleasing unto God to love the sincerity of Gods worship and to do nothing in that but what he can see warranted by the Word p. 71â— It is also a good thing to â—ate all Idolatry and every thing that belongeth to it and proceeds from it p. 712. It s no signe of an hypocrite to make conscience of the least sin p 714. Answer to
hath given to them that cleave constantly to his truth p. 769. The faithfull themselves have found much comfort in this p. 770. Lect. 145. The Spirit of God wheresoever he dwellâ— will teach and effectually perswade the heart in the truth of religion p. 771. No man can grow to certainty in matters of religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the Spirit and proportionable to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification that a man hath shall his certainty be p. 773 774 Yet is not this to be accounted every mans private Spirit p. 775. The Spirits teaching to be judged by the Word Ibid. The ministery of the Word is the meanes whereby the Spirit useth to teach men p. 776 They whom the Spirit hath once taught and perswaded will certainely persevere in the truth Ibid. Lect. 146. Th'exhortation to constancy in the truth is very needfull and that even in these daies p. 777. by reason 1 that Papists increase 2 the multitude of other erroneous spirits 3 the generall decay of the zealous love of religion and of the life power of it p. 778. 1 Motive to constancy Corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all other p. 779 780. 2 Motive He that falls from the truth and embraceth errour was never taught of the Spirit p. 780. Though in some things of smaller moment the faithfull may be subject to errour and errors of that nature should not alienate Christians one from another yea in fundamentall points for a time Ibid. 781. Lect. 147. Though our perseverance in the truth be to be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this work our selves p. 782 783. 1 We must carefully shâ—n all things whereby we may be in danger to be corrupted and drawne from the truth viz. 1. We must shun the hearing and conferring with them that are hereticks and seducers and the reading of their books We should not long to heare what they can say for their errors or against the truth p. 784. 2 Wee must take heed of affecting the knowledge of intricate curious and unprofitable points p. 785. There is a desire of knowledge which is commendable and no Minister should mislike in his hearers p. 786. Yet is there a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous Ibid. 1 When wee desire to know more of Gods matters then hee hath pleased to reveale in his Word Ibid. 2 When neglecting other things we seeke the knowledge of those high points onely that are above our capacity to understand and busie our selves in matters of controversie p. 787. 3 When wee desire knowledge onely for knowledge saâ—e without respect to the use and profit we may make of it for our edification in faith and holinesse p 788. Lect. 148. He that desires to hold fast his profession must use the meanes whereby hee may bee established in the truth and preserved from falling away from it foure directions are given us in Gods booke for this p. 788. 1 Hee must ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that it is indeed the truth he holdeth Ibid. 1 Hee must acquâ—â—nt himselfe with the maine principles of religion and seeke to be perfect in them p. 789. 2 examine by Scripture what ever hee heareth or readeth and labour to get good proofes of Scripture for whatsoever he holdeth p. 790. 2 He must labour to take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practise it He that by reading or hearing seeketh knowledge with an honest and good heart shall hold fast that which he professeth and none but he p. 792 793. Lect. 149. 3 He must take heed of declining from or forsaking the least truth his conscience hath beene convinced in Two things there bee that deceive men in this case p. 793 794. Though some truths be of greater moment then others yet it s a dangerous sin to be willfully ignorant of any truth God hath revealed or forsake it when we know it upon conceit that it is but a trisâ—e for 1 nothing that God hath revealed is of small moment or lightly to be accounted of 2 a man may make himselfe abominable to God by forsaking wittingly the least truth or receiving the least errour p. 794. 3 the best way to keepe us from falling from the truth in the maine points is to make conscience of falling from the least truth p. 795. 4 He must be constant in a conscionable use of all Gods ordinances 1 the ministery of the Word p. 796. 2 the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3 prayer p. 797 798. Lect. 150. Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ will take to heart the cause of God and his holy religion p. 798. 1 No man can have the Spirit of Christs unlesse he love God unfeignedly above all things els Ibid. 2 He that doth thus love God must needs be zealous for God grieved and troubled to see him dishonoured 3 He that hath any true zeale to God in him will shew and expresse it principally towards the house and worship of God p. 799. More particularly 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ must needs rejoyce to see or heare that the true religion of God doth prosper and that the purity of it is restored or set up any where p. 800. 2 He that hath the Spirit of Christ will rejoyce in the frequencie and fullnesse of Church-assemblies 3 In the plentifull and free preaching of the Word p. 801. 4 Hee will rejoyce to see and heare that the ministery of the Word is fruitfull among them that enjoy it and powerfull to reforme their hearts and lives p. 802 803. Lect. 151. Three Reasons and grounds of the former doctrine 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ cannot but love the persons of all men and we love no man unlesse wee love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation grieve to see his soule in danger of perishing p. 803. He that desires the salvation of all will joy in the plentifull and sound preaching of the Word p. 804. Though God can save men without preaching yet he doth not ordinarily without it and its a fearefull signe hee meaneth not to save them he denieth preaching unto Ibid. 805. Though all bee not saved that have preaching yet it s a cause of comfort to see sound preachers abound p. 805. A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may yet be a meanes of conversion to others Ibid. 2 The respect wee have to the state and Church wherein we live which we are bound to love p. 806. 1 Nothing will make the state and Church so honourable as the liberty of the Gospell 2 nor so strong and peaceable 3 nor so prosperous and plenteous in blessings p. 806 807. On the other side nothing will sooner deprive it of all blessings then the neglect and opposing of religion p.
want it Pro. 23.23 Buy the truth and sell it not How may that bee Hee answereth in the next words Also wisedome and instruction and understanding We should be content to take paines to goe abroad to it Marke 8.3 divers of Christs hearers came from farre Admit you have knowledge yet have you need to live under a continuall ministery David had more understanding then all his teachers Psal. 119.99 yet you see how hee resolved hee would not live without Gods ordinance For 1. the knowledge of the best is unperfit and wee have all need to learne and know more then we doe 1. Cor. 13.9 for we know in part 2. We are apt to forget that we have knowne and learned and the continuall ministry of the Word is needfull in that respect 2. Pet. 1.12 I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth 3. Knowledge is nothing worth without feeling and holy affections without conscience and care to practise what wee know 1. Cor. 8.1 We know that we have all knowledge knowledge puffeth up Of many that have a high conceit of their knowledge it may be truly said as verse 2. They know nothing yet as they ought to know And you have all need to live under a continuall ministery even in this respect â— Pet. â— 13 I thinke it meete to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance It serveth not onely to breed knowledge but to stirre us up to the exercise of that we know Admit you have attained to a great measure of Grace and sanctification yet have you need to live under a continuall ministery For 1. Faith and sanctification are weake and imperfite in the best and the ministery of the word is needfull in that respect 1 Thess. 3.2 Timothy was sent to establish the Thessalonians concerning their faith and verse 10. Paul prayed exceedingly that he might come to them to perfit that which was lacking in their faith 2. Grace will decay in the best if we live without the meanes specially if we willingly live without the meanes Pro. 29.18 When there is no vision the people perish or are made naked Followeth the second use of this Doctrine which is for reproofe of two sorts First Of such as despise this ordinance of God and make no reckoning of it 1. They esteeme not nor love the persons of Gods faithfullest servants For 1. they shew no kindnesse to them though they know that commandement Gal. 6.6 Let him that iâ— taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things 2. They make no conscience of with-holding from them their due though they know this is a robbing and stealing from God himselfe Mal 3.8 3. They are apt to thinke they have too much and to envy their welfare 1. Cor. 13.4 Love envieth not 4. They are apt to receive any slanderous report against them though they know the commandement 1. Tim. 5.19 Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before tâ—o or three witnesses But if you esteeme not nor reverence our persons you cannot esteeme or profite by our ministery When the Nazarenes are taxed for their unbeliefe which was such as Christ by his ministery could doe little or no good among them Mat. 13. â—8 this is given for the reason of it verse 57. that they could not honour nor reverence his person Secondly Many that seeme to esteeme well of and to love the persons of Gods servants doe it not for their ministery and works sake as they should 1. Thess. 5.13 They receive not a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mat. 10.41 they esteeme and love them in some carnall respect either to their credite for I tell you Saul himselfe may sometimes get credite and honour before the people by Samuels meanes 1. Sam. 15.30 or to their advantage and gaine like those that our Saviour speaketh of Iohn 6.26 Verily verily I say unto you ye seeke me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Thirdly The ordinance of God in the ministery of his Word few or none do make any reckoning of nay they despise it in their hearts For 1. most men care not what ministery they live under they will not live without a minister For a forme of godlinesse they must have 2. Tim. 3.5 they must go to Church sometimes they must needs have their children christened they must needs receive the Sacrament at Easter But whether their minister be good or bad they are indifferent a profitable and sound ministery they desire not nay they rather desire to have either an ignorant one or one that makes no conscience of his wayes for such will never trouble them nor have any authority in their hearts Iere. 5.31 The Propets prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so Whereas the sound ministery will bite and trouble their lewd hearts Such as Eliah are troublers of Israel 1. Kings 18. â—7 They count such a ministery no blessing at all but a burden and would faine be rid of it as the Gadarenes would be of Christ Luke 8. â—7 Secondly few even of the better sort can be perswaded of the necessity of it For 1. In placing their selves or their children they have little or no respect to this what ministery they shall live under But do even as Lot Genes â—3 10 11. If the place be likely to yeeld them profit or pleasure though it be otherwise as bad as Sodome it pleaseth them well 2. They will bee at no cost for the ministery of the Word but count it a chiefe priviledge to live tythe-free where as David professeth 2. Sam. 24.24 I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing I like not to enjoy the worship and ordinances of God without charge 3. They will take no paines if they have no ministery at home to goe abroad for it Whereas our Saviour tells the Iewes they should be condemned for not doing as the Queene of the South did Mat. 12.42 And Christ sheweth his approbation and special respect to them that came from farre to heare him Mar. 8.3 4. Though they may have it without cost or labour they care not how seldome they heare it They confesse it is good sometimes to heare a Sermon when they have nothing else to doe but to heare it constantly every Sabboth twice and on the weeke day too that is more then needs a great deale as they are perswaded Whereas wee should count it our happinesse if we might heare daily Pro. 8 34. Blessed is he that heareth mâ— watching daily at my gates And as it is said of our Saviour that he taught dayly in the Temple Lu. 19.47 So of his hearers it is said Lu. 21.38 that all the people came early in the morning into the Temple to
serve to be spoken of the first duty that is to be performed by us in this case The second thing we must doe is this when we have prayed long and have received no answer from God This must not discourage us nor cause us to give over praying but we must pray still for all that Continue in prayer saith the Apostle Col 4.2 Ephes. 6.18 Pray alwaies watching thereunto with all perseverance To this end our Saviour gave us the parable of the unrighteous judge and the widow to teach us that we ought to persevere in prayer and not waxe faint Luke 18.1 When the woman of Canaan had cryed unto Christ for mercy and he answered her not a word Mat. 15.23 that did not discourage her but she prayed and cryed still to him for all that Marke what effectuall motives the Scripture giveth us to perswade us unto this First it is a duty and service God requireth of us that in all our necessities and the necessities of our brethren we should seeke unto him nay there is no duty more often and more strictly pressed upon us in the Word then this 1 Thess. 5.17 Pray without ceasing Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made knowne unto God That which God commandeth we must do though we see no likelyhood that any good will come of it yea that is the best obedience of all others God commandeth Abraham to sacrifice his owne sonne and he obeyeth Gen. 22.3 and Mordecâ—i openly to deny to Haman the Kings favourite that honour that all other men did unto him and he obeyeth Est. 3.2.5 What good could either of them hope would come of this Surely none at all but the contrary yet in obedience unto God they both did that that was injoyned them It belongeth to us to pray to heare and give answer to our prayers that belongeth unto God we must do our part and duty and leave to the Lord that that belongeth to him We must in this case say as Ioab doth in another case 2 Sam. 10.12 Be of good courage and let us play the men and the Lord doe that which seemeth good unto him And certainely even this the doing of our duty in obedience unto God will yeeld us much comfort though we get no other good by our prayers So saith Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 that the testimony that his conscience gave him that he had done his duty was his rejoycing So that a Christian in this case hath just cause to say though I have long begged such a thing of God and have not obtained it yet I thanke God that in conscience of my duty and in obedience unto God I have prayed and can pray for it still Secondly we may be sure that though God do not grant us the things wee pray for yet he is well pleased with this that we do pray and persevere in prayer 1. He useth to take speciall notice of them that pray and of every prayer that his children make Acts 9.11 Arise Ananias and go to Saul for behold he prayeth 2. Yea he taketh great pleasure in them they are compared to sweet odours Rev. 5.8 and that sweet incense that was used in the Temple Psal. 141.2 To whom are they so sweet Who accounts so of them Surely not themselves but the Lord. 3. Yea he will doubtlesse at one time or other reward and that openly so as not themselves onely but others shall take notice of it every prayer that any faithfull soule poureth out unto him Mat. 6.6 Enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Thirdly Wee may bee sure that as the Lord doth heare and regard every prayer we doe make so he will certainely give us a gracious answer in due time 1. No tender mother is so wakefull and apt to heare her infant when it cryeth as the Lord is to heare his children whensoever they cry unto him Psal. 34.15 His eares are alwaies open to their cry and 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 2. And as he is apt to heare so is he to give answer and to grant the suits of his children Sometimes he hath done it so soone as ever they had done their prayer as Act 4.31 When they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all â—illed with the Holy Ghost Sometimes before they had done praying Dan. 9.20 â—1 While I was speaking and praying yea while I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel came c. Somtimes before they could speake a word when it was but in the purpose of their hearts to pray God hath prevented them and granted them that that he knew they would have begged of him Esa. 65.24 Before they call I will answer 3. Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to grant us whatsoever we aske that is good for us 2 Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Ps. 145.19 He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Esa. â—0 19 He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee 1 Iob. 5.14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us And if we know that he heare us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Vpon these promises we may safely build our assurance that in praying we shall not beate the aire and loose our labour an answer will come in due time Esa. 45.19 I said not to the seed of Iacob seeke ye me in vaine God would never by so many commandements have injoyned us this duty and by so many promises allured us to it if he had meant we should have lost our labour in it Fourthly and lastly it becomes us to wait the Lords leasure and wee shall loose nothing by doing so Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast saith the Prophet Esa. 28.16 He that beleeveth these promises you have heard of will be content to tarry the Lords leasure It becomes not us to appoiâ—t the Lord his time when he shall answer us nor the meanes how he shall helpe us Beggers must be no choosers It is noted for one of the chiefe sins of the Iewes that they limited the holy one of Israel Ps. 78 41. There are divers waâ—es whereby men take upon them to limit the Lord and this is one Who will appoint me the time saith the Lord Ier. 49.19 It becomes us I say to wait and attend upon the Lord. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him saith David Ps 37.7 And Lam. 3.6 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. That speech of Iehoram 2 King
that he was in the time of his banishment like a broken vessell that none could make any use of And certainely the poorest servant and drudge that is may have more comfort in his estate then the greatest Gentleman that doth nothing but eat and drink and play nay then the greatest Scholler or Divine in the world that doth no good to others with the knowledge and learning that God hath given him 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit with all And that is the reason why the Apostle preferreth prophesying before all other gifts because it tendeth most to the benefit and profit of others 1 Cor. 14.4 Fiftly Such as are all for themselves and have no care of the common good This is the common sinne of our times 1. In any businesse that concerneth the good of a whole towne how hardly are men drawne to yeeld their helping hand any way 2. In bearing the common burden and charge of a towne how ready are all men to withdraw and exempt themselves 3. Such as are put in trust to deale in businesses of the country or towne they live in are a great deale more carelesse and more lavish in expences then they are wont to be in their owne businesses These men I would have to remember 1. The expresse commandement of God 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man seeke his owne but every man anothers wealth 2. That the good men have done to others and the care they have had that way will yeeld more comfort to their conscience and give them more assurance that they are now in the state of grace and shall hereafter come to the state of glory then the care they have had and paines they have taken to gather to themselves 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Charge rich men that they do good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on etrnall life For the more good we doe to others the liker we are to our heavenly father as we have heard now 3. This will get us a good name and esteeme both while we live and when we are gone For this was Iehojada so honoured at his death 2 Chron. 24.16 because he had done good in Israel And a good name is more worth then all our wealth Pro. 22.1 A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches 4. This is the best way to assure us of Gods blessing even in these outward things Ps. 37.3 Trust in the Lord and doe good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Lecture XXIIII on Psalme 51.1 2. May 2. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the second sort of duties that we are to be exhorted unto from the consideration of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy and those are such as we owe unto the Lord himselfe There be then two other duties that from this Doctrine wee are to bee exhorted unto The first of them doth most properly respect our selves and I will propound it unto every one of you in the words that Eliphaz in another case useth unto Iob 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is heare thou it and know it for thy selfe Observe this well that you have heard of the marvellous mercy of God towards poore sinners it is a most certaine truth as by diligent searching of the holy Scriptures we have made it evident unto you heare thou it whosoever thou art and know it for thy selfe beleeve it and apply it to thine owne soule Seeing the Lord is abundant in loving kindnesse so plenteous in mercy labour thou to know that he is so unto thee that thou maist be able to say as David doth twice in one Psalme Psal. 59.10.17 He is the God of my mercy As if he had said his mercy is mine it belongeth unto me Rest nor content till thou find that his mercifull kindnesse is for thy comfort as David prayeth Psal. 119.76 I speake not of the common mercy of the Lord. I know you can all even the most wretched creature of you all say you have and doe daily tast of that Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being Lam. 3.22 23 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faâ—lâ— not they are renewed every morning And so doth every creature the Lord hath made Psal. 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes and 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and to thâ— yong ravens that cry And this common mercy of God is that which most men content themselves with that they may live and live long and live in health and quietnesse and pleasure though this be no other mercy then the bruit beasts enjoy as well as they But the mercy that I exhort you to make your owne to get assurance that it belongeth to your selves is the speciall mercy of God the mercy of David as Solomon speaketh 2 Chron. 6 4â— Remember the mercies of David thy servant The mercy that David obtained the mercy that David beggeth heere Psal. 51.1 According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions That mercy that reacheth unto the pardon of thy sinnes and salvation of thy soule that is the mercy that thou shouldst labour to know it belongeth unto thee Rest not in nor satisfie thy selfe with any other mercy that thou hast received but seeke carefully to make this thine owne Five notable differences there be betweene this mercy of the Lord and the other which may serve for so many motives to provoke us not to rest in the other but to seeke for this First those are such mercies as God casteth upon his enemies and such as he maketh no reckoning of yea more abundantly then upon his owne As it is said of royalty and kingly state one of the chiefe of them Gen. 36.31 Many Kings reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel But these are peculiar to Gods Elect his dearly beloved ones In which respect Christ calleth those not ours but others goods but these mercies he calleth our owne peculiar unto us Luk. 16.12 If ye have not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your owne And wilt thou content thy selfe with these mercies rest in them dote upon them which Cain and Iudas and sundry others that thou art perswaded were abhorred of God and fry now in hell had as great a portion of as thy selfe O do not so but cry as Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people ô visit me with thy salvation Secondly Those mercies though God bestow them on his elect also and we could not live without them yet they are in his account but trifles and such
thy heart a sorrow for all such as are corruptions in deede specially in the worship of God and professe also outwardly upon all just accasions thy dislike unto them or else thou wilt be in danger to be defiled by them as the Apostle telleth the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5.6 that the whole lumpe was in danger to be leavened because they did not mourne for the sin of the incestuous person and for the want or neglect of the discipline of the Church in that case as appeareth in the fourth verse Lecture XXXVI On Psalme 51.3 Octob 10. 1626. FOlloweth now the fifth and last way whereby we make our selves guilty of all the grosse sins committed in the places where we live and that is by neglecting to doe our best endeavour to bring these scandalous sinners to open shame and punishment for their sins We reade of Ely that the Lord pronounced him guilty of all those foule sins which his sons Hophny and Phinehas had committed 1 Sam. 2.29 Wherefore kicke ye at my sacrifice and at mine offerings to make your selves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people How could that be was Ely so prophane himselfe No but because his sons did so and he brought them not to that open shame and punishment which their foule sins deserved God imputeth their sinnes to him If any man shall object and say What it that to us Ely was a Iudge and magistrate he judged Israel 1 Sam. 4 18. and therefore had power to have restrained them from these sins by deposing and punishing them This the Lord chargeth him with 1 Sam 3.13 His sons made themselves vile and hee restrained them not He had a calling to doe it but we are no magistrates wee have no power to restraine or punish these lewd persons we are private men wee have no calling to doe it There are officers that haue a calling and are bound by their oath to present such offendours let them looke unto it It is through their negligence and default that these sinnes doe so much abound amongst us My answer unto this objection that hath as you see great colour of reason in it shall coâ—sist of two parts 1. I will grant that these officers are indeed in greatest fault or this and shew you reasons why it must be so 2. I will shew you that not they alone are in fault for this but that Christians of all sorts are deeply guilty this way First therefore they that by their office and oath stand bound to detect unto authority and to present these infamous persons if either out of negligence or partiality they wincke at any of them stand guilty of greater sin then they are aware of This we shall finde spoken of as one great cause of the captivity Ier. 5.28 that they did overpasse the deedes of the wicked they winked at them and made no reckoning of them and what followeth in the next verse 29. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule be avenged on such a nation as this See the hainousnesse of their fault in three things First They sinne against the place where they live because they are a chiefe cause of the encrease of those foule sins in it that will provoke God to wrath against it If sinners were brought to open shame and punishment sin would not be so rise as it is This the Lord expresly teacheth oft in his Law when he commandeth open punishment to bee executed upon open offenders hee giveth this reason for it Deut. â—9 9 10. So shalt thou put evill away from among you and those which remaine shall heare and feare and shall henceforth commit no more any such evill among you The sparing of those whom God would have to be punished is a great wrong to the whole towne and countrey where they live even a meanes to bring Gods wrath upon it This is plaine Num. â—5 4 Take all the heads of the people and hang them vp that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel and verse 11. Phinehas hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie And how can they be punished and brought to open shame if these officers winke at them and present them not Secondly They sinne against the soules of those poore sinners whom they seeme most to favour and love For the bringing of them to open shame and spâ—cially to confesse their sin and professe their repentance publikely is a meanes appointed of God to bring them unto repentance and so to obtaine of God assurance of the pardon of their sins That which Solomon saith of one kind may be said of all kinds of correction which God hath sanctified Pro. 22.15 Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction will drive it away And of the censures of the Church which Christ hath appointed it may most truely be said as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.5 They tend to the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. In winking therefore at such offendors they deprive them of the meanes ordained of God for their repentance and so for the salvation of their soules And what love call you this This is indeed hatred and not love Levit. 19.17 Hee hateth his brother in his heart that letteth his sinne to lye upon him Thirdly and lastly They sin against God and against their owne soules in that light account they make of the oath that they have taken 1. Let all men take heed before they take an oath that they binde not themselves thereby to doe that that is evill as they did that bound themselves by an oath that they would neither eat nor drinke till they had killed Paul Acts 23.12 An oath must not be Vinculum iniquitatis 2. When any man hath bound himselfe by oath to doe that that is evill let him repent of that sin and not double it by keeping that oath When the wise men had bound themselves to Herod if not by an oath yet by a very solemne promise certainely for Herod said they had mocked him and was in exceeding rage for that Mat. 2.16 to bring him word where Christ was yet perceiving afterward that the performance of that oath or promise was against the will of God and tended to the hurt of Christ they durst not performe it Mat. 2.12 And when Herod had unadvisedly taken an oath which afterward he perceived tended to the destruction of one whom in his conscience he knew to bee a good man it is noted to have beene his great sin that he made such conscience of keeping that oath Mat. 14.9 For we ought not to doe any thing to the open hurt of those whom God hath commanded us to be a shelter and a covert unto Esay 16.3.4 Hide the
faults they sin against the congregation and Church of God in depriving it of that right that by the ordinance of God is due unto it namely that they that have wronged given offence to it by their sin should give it satisfaction by their repentance This right these men spoile and rob the congregation of And as the Pharisees taught children to say to their parents that required any reliefe of them Marke 7.11 It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mayest bee profited by mee as if he should say I have given to the treasury and therfore looke for no duty from me so these men teach grosse sinners to say to the ministers and congregations that require satisfaction from them by their publike repentance I have satisfied the Court and to you I will give no satisfaction at all If in any other Court of justice it should bee said to any that were impleaded for wrong done to any one man in his body or goods or good name give somewhat to the Court and care not for the party that thou hast wronged hee shall have no satisfaction from thee all men would cry out and say this were extreame wrong and injustice and is it no sin thinke we for any man to wrong a whole Church and congregation thus Thirdly They sin against the soules of poore sinners whom by this means they deprive of a speciall means appointed of God to bring them to repentance and so unto salvation The corruption and injustice that is done in other courts toucheth but the goods or good names or bodies of men these are called and should bee indeed spirituall courts but if corruption be used in them there is merchandise made of the soules of men And of all covetousnesse of all filthy lucre that is most damnable that is gotten by the sale of the soules of men as the holy Ghost mentioneth it for the last and worst of all the commodities that Antichrist did traffique in Revelation 18.13 He made merchandise of the soules of men And thus have I done with the second sort of men that are to bee reproved by this Doctrine The third and last sort that by this Doctrine of publike confession are to be reproved are such as having sinned publikely scandalously refuse to make publike acknowledgement of their sin and profession of their repentance when they are required to do it It is strange to see what paines men will take yea what cost and charges they will be at to avoid this And that not the richer sort only but even the poorest and basest of the people Now these poore men in doing thus offend three wayes First and chiefly against the Lord in refusing to give glory unto his name and submitting themselves unto his ordinance For by confessing our sins even before men when God would have us to doe it wee give glory unto God as wee have heard in that speech of Ioshuah to Achan Ioshuah 7.19 And it is his ordinance that you should obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves hee meaneth the ministers and governours of the Church Heb. 13.17 Secondly they sin against the Church and people of God in refusing to give them satisfaction by their repentance when they have given them offence by their sin When Gods people had but taken offence at Peter without any just cause of offence given unto them when hee had by the commandement of God gone to Cornelius and there conversed with the Gentiles see how that great Apostle doth not scornefully resolve them and aske them what had they to doe with his actions but is very carefull to give them satisfaction and to recover their good opinion by shewing them at large the reason why he did so Actes 11.4 It is a perilous signe of an ungracious heart to make no reckoning what Gods people thinke of him Do you not know saith the Apostle speaking of this very sin even of making light account of the judgement of Gods people 1 Cor. 6.2 that the Saints shall judge the world It is a great meanes of peace to our consciences when wee can approve our selves our repentance and conversion not unto God and our owne consciences onely but unto the Church and people of God Shew unto them saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 8 24. that is to Titus and the brethren that are with him and before the Churches the proofe of your love And on the other side it is a great trouble to the heart that hath grace in it to have the censure and hard opinion of Gods people So it was to Anna to be ill thought of by Ely ô how carefull was the poore soule to give him satisfaction 1 Sam. 1.15 16. And it was a great trouble to that good woman that powred the box of precious ointment on Christs head when she saw that the Apostles were much offended with her for it Why trouble yee the woman saith our Saviour Matth. 26.10 And should it not then trouble any such sinner as hath grieved all Gods people in the congregation by his sin and caused them to thinke ill of him Will he not desire if he have any grace in him to recover their good opinion by making knowne unto them his repentance If thou have given offence to any one of thy neighbours even the meanest of them thou art bound in conscience to make him satisfaction and to seeke reconciliation with him Matth. 5.24 Goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother c. Neither is he bound to thinke well of thee againe till thou hast professed thy repentance unto him Luke 17.4 If thy brother that hath trespassed against thee turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him And are not men much more bound to give satisfaction to a whole congregation whom they have offended and to seeke reconciliation with it then with any one man Is the congregation bound or can it thinke well of him that hath given publike offence unto it till hee turne againe unto it and professe his repentance This despising of the congregation and the people of God is a greater sin then most men are aware of Take heede saith our Saviour Mat. 18.10 that yee despise not one of these little ones What saith the Apostle speaking of a particular Congregation 1 Cor. 11.22 despise ye the Church of God for the contempt done to Gods people thus resteth not upon them but reacheth unto Christ himselfe as the Apostle plainely teacheth 1 Cor. 8.12 When ye sin so against the brethren ye sin against Christ. Thirdly and lastly These men that refuse to professe their repentance before the Congregation sin therein against their owne soules and as the Prophet speaketh in another case Ion. 2.8 forsake their owne mercie that is the meanes to assure them that notwithstanding their sins the mercy of the Lord belongeth unto them For 1. no man can ever obtaine the assurance of the pardon of his sin till he have repented
had not knowne sinne effectually for doubtlesse hee did by nature know many sins or to my good and comfort but by the Law The word is a lampe unto our feete and a light unto our pathes as David calleth it Psalme 119.105 It is a glasse that will discover unto us what manner of men wee are Iames 1.23 24. Let us therefore even for this cause desire not onely to live where wee may have this light but to increase also in the knowledge of the Word Let us therfore make this use of the light we live in and use the word as a glasse that we may know our sins better the more light wee have the better we may discerne what is amisse about us It is made the property of a wicked man to hate the Word for this and refuse to come at it because it discovereth to him his sins Iohn 3.20 Every one that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth bee to it lest his deeds should be reproved And on the contrary it is said of every one that hath grace that he loveth the Word the better even for this cause Iohn 3.21 He that doth truth that is practiseth what he knoweth and maketh conscience of his waies commeth to the light that his deeds may be made manifest Secondly He that would be able to confesse his sins unto God aright must observe his own waies well bethink himselfe well before hand or when he doth ought whether it be lawfull or no. He that never mindeth nor regardeth what he doth whether it please God or no how should he ever know his sins or confesse them aright unto God We are therfore oft commanded to set our minds and hearts upon that wee doe Pro. 4.26 Ponder the path of thy feet Hag. 1.5 Consider your wayes And the godly man is described by this property Pro. 14.15 The prudent looketh well to his going Yea this is spoken of as a speciall mean and help unto repentance Ps. 119.9 Wherwith shall a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word ver 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feete unto thy testimonies And on the other side this is made a chiefe cause why men commit many sins and never see them nor are troubled with them that they go rashly on in their waies at all adventures Keri Levit. 26.21 that they never consider what they do Esa. 1.3 that they despise their wayes regard them not as if they should never be called to account for them Pro. 19.16 And yet as light account as thou makest of them know God will reckon with thee for them one day Matt. 12.36 If men would thinke and consider what they do it would either keepe them from doing evill or when they had done amisse they would be able to discerne it and make their peace with God Solomon saith of the wise man Eccl. 2.14 that his eyes are in his head and in your worldly businesses when you buy or sell or do any worke in your calling you will mind that you goe about that you receive no hurt by your carelesnes and want of taking heed O that wee could learne to bee as wise for our soules to mind and set our hearts upon every thing wee doe least wee offend God by it This is required of us not only in our recreations and in the ordinary affaires of our calling but even in the services we doe unto God Take heed how you heare saith our Saviour Luke 8.18 Take heed to thy foote saith Solomon Eccle 5.1 when thou entrest into the house of God As if hee had sayd Marke what thou dost and consider whether thou performe thy service to God as thou shouldest doe and be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they consider not that they doe evill As if hee should say this is the cause why most men offer such foolish sacrifices unto God they consider not what they do Thirdly He that would be able to confesse his sins unto God aright must use to take a dayly account of himselfe and of his wayes This examination of our selves wee find oft prescribed in the word as a speciall meanes and helpe to bring us unto true repentance Lamentati 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe unto the Lord. Psalme 4.4 Tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart upon your bed And on the other side the neglect of it is mentioned as a chiefe cause and signe of impenitency Ieremy 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done And as this examination of our selves is profitable and necessary so the oftener wee use it the more profitable it will be Three notable benefits wee shall receive by it if wee would accustome our selves to use it every day 1. It would be a good meanes to bridle us and restraine us from sin when wee considered this with our selves this I must account with God and mine owne conscience for before I sleep As the dayly thinking of the generall account wee must one day come to is most effectuall this way as is plaine in that speech of the Apostle 2 Corinth 5.10 11. so would the thought of this particular account wee bring our selves to doe us great good also 2. It would free us from the feare of sudden death which may befall any of us and we would be prepared for it when we suffer no sin to lodge with us all night that we have not repented of Watch yee therefore saith our Saviour Marke 13.35 36. for yee know not when the master of the house commeth lest comming suddenly hee find you sleeping When a man hath made his peace with God he may sleepe quietly he need not feare death Psal. 4 8. I will both lay me downe in peace and sleepe 3 By this meanes a man may remember his sins and the circumstances of them much better and so more fully and effectually confesse them unto God Whereas if wee suffer our selves to runne long upon the score wee shall bee apt to forget much and not bee so sensible as when our sins were fresh in memory In this case we may say as Iob. 13.12 though he speaketh it there in another sense our memories are like unto ashes Fourthly Hee that would confesse his sinnes in an effectuall manner unto God must not onely observe and call himselfe to an account for his daily sins which happily will not much affect him but keepe in mind and call oft to remembrance his old sins such as he hath most fouly offended God by in times past that he may renew his repentance for them Deut. 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord to wrath in the wildernes Thus doth David remember the sins of his youth Psal. 25.7 Fiftly and lastly He that would fully and effectually confesse his sins to God must beg grace and helpe of God to doe it For wee have heard it is a
great pleasure or great advantage if we would yeeld unto it Sinne deceived mee saith Paul Rom. 7.11 and so slew me But when it shall be brought againe by our conscience into our mind and set before us it will appeare unto us as an enemy and a tormentor and the sight of it will be grievous and terrible unto us It is therefore fitly resembled by the harlot Solomon speaketh of Proverbs 5.3 4. The lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe there is the first comming of sin when it commeth to tempt and allure us but what followeth Her end is bitter as worme-wood sharpe as a two edged sword There is the second comming of sin into our mind when it commeth to accuse and torment us It is like unto those locusts Iohn saw in his vision and whereby he doth testifie and represent the Popish fryers and Iesuites Reve. 9.7.8.10 Their faces were as the faces of men and their haire as the haire of women There is the shape that sin appeareth in when it first representeth and offereth it selfe unto us but their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons and they had tailes like unto Scorpions and there were stings in their tayles There is the latter comming of sin and the bitternesse and anguish it will put us unto when our conscience shall set it before us and accuse us of it And certainly no paine or anguish in the world in comparable to that which the strokes and wounds of the conscience will put a man unto A wounded spirit who can beare Pro. 18.14 To have unquietnes at home to have her unquiet with thee that is continually with thee at board and in bed is justly estemed one of the greatest miseries in this life Solomon compared it Pro. 19.13 to a continuall dropping that will wast the hardest stone in the world But to have our own conscience brawle and exclaime and be unquiet with us is a misery unspeakably greater then the former can be O then let us be afraid to sin even in this respect because our conscience will be so apt to fall out and be unquiet with us if wee do so apt to cast it in our teeth to accuse yea to smite and wound us for it Thirdly The time when our conscience will begin thus to set our sins before us thus to rebuke to check and wound us for them or when it hath once begun when it will make an end or in what degree or measure it will doe it no man but God alone that setteth it a worke doth know This kind of affliction as all other is is compared to a cup or potion Mark 10.39 Ye shall indeed drinke of the cup that I drinke of Now this cup the Lord keepeth in his own hana as it is said Ps. 75.8 he powreth out of the same Every man shall drinke of this cup when the Lord seeth good to minister it and hee shall drinke of it in that measure as the Lord shall see good to appoint But no man hath cause to looke for any long truce with his conscience or that i will give him any long day If thou dost not well saith the Lord to Cain Gen. 4 â— sin that is the punishment and sting of sin lyeth at the doore that is is neere even at the doore as the same phrase is rendred Mat. 24.33 Fourthly and lastly There is no comparison betweene the pleasure or profit that any sin can yeeld us and the anguish and paine which our conscience will put us unto when it shall accuse and smite us for it 1. The pleasure and joy that sin yeeldeth us is but overly in the faâ—e rather then in the heart as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5 1â— There is no soundnesse in it it is mixed for the most part with inward gripings Pro. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull But the sorrow and anguish that our conscience will put us unto when it accuseth and smiteth us for si◠ô that is a soaking and deep sorrow It is bitter and reacheth unto the heart as the Prophet speaketh Ieremy 4.18 2. The pleasure or profit that any sinne can yeeld us is but momentany and of very short continuance That made Moses make so light account of all the pleasures of sin because he knew they endured but for a season Heb. 11.25 They are therefore compared Eccl. 7.6 to the crackling and blaze that thornes make under a pot But the sorrow that sin will bring us unto when our conscience shall charge us with it is durable and no man knoweth how long it will last That sin that may bee committed in an houre or in farre lesse space may cost a man deepe sorrow and griefe of mind all the dayes of his life after For a conclusion therefore of this first duty that from this doctrine wee are exhorted unto certainly if we could rightly consider of this worke of our conscience how apt it will be when God shall awaken it to bring our sins to our remembrance in this manner as you have heard of it would make us afraid to sin See the truth of this in three notable examples The first is of Iob. My righteousnes saith he Iob 27.6 I hold fast and will not let it go yea he professeth ver 3 4. All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God 〈◊〉 in my nostrils my lips shall not speake wickednes nor my tongue utter deceit And why so My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live As if he had fail I will not give my conscience occasion to brawle with me whatsoever I doe I will have care to keepe peace there The second is of Abigal that wise and gracious woman who perswadeth David not to revenge himselfe of her husband Nabâ—l by this argument 1 Sam. 25.30 31. It shall come to passe when the Lord shall have apâ—ointed thee ruler over all Israel that this shall bee no griefe to thee nor offence of heart unto my Lord either that thou hast shed blood causelesse or that my Lord hath avenged himselfe As if shee had sayd if thou shou'dst doe it thy conscience will be apt one day to checke and smite thee for it even when thou shalt be King and in thy greatest pompe doe it not therefore that thou mayst prevent the accusation of thy conscience The third is of Paul who giveth this reason why he was so afraid of every sin whether it were against the first or second table even the care he had to keepe his conscience cleare and quiet Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men And so much of the first use that this Doctrine serveth unto Secondly it serveth for reproofe of such as never thinke of never are troubled with any of their sins they could never say as David doth here my sin is ever before me Of this sort the world is full in all places Observe
the truth of this in three degrees First the greatest part of men were never troubled in their mind for any sin in all their lives yea the greatest sinners are of all men least troubled in mind for sin They are not in trouble saith the Psalmist Psal. 73.5 as other men Nay their conscience is so senslesse so fast asleep as nothing will waken it Such thundring Sermons they oft heare as one would think might break the rockiest heart that is and yet they never stirre these men But they are like Iudas who though he heard Christ so speake of his sin as made all his fellowes exceeding sorrowfull Mat. 26.22 though he heard him so particularly apply his speech as he could not choose but understand hee was the man hee meant for our Saviour said Iohn 13.26 Hee it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it and when hee had dipped the sop hee gave it to Iudas And when hee asked Christ as the rest had done Master is it I Christ said unto him Thou hast said Mat. 26.25 Though he had heard Christ with his powerfull voice denounce that fearefull woe against him Mat. 26.24 Woe unto the man by whom the sonne of man is betraied it had beene good for that man if hee had never beene borne Yet did not all this move him one whit but hee became worse and worse after all this Iohn 13 27. After the sop Satan entred into him And alas how many have we that are like to Iudas in this point No sermon will move them nay the Lord oft times layeth such stroakes upon them scourgeth them with such afflictions as one would thinke might pierce the most seared conscience in the world and bring their sins unto remembrance and yet you shall see these men when they are most vexed with paines and diseases in their bodies with troubles and perplexities in their outward estate yet as quiet in their consciences as free from all remorse and trouble of mind for sin yea as confident of Gods love toward them in Christ as the holiest man in the world So God speaketh of Israel Hos. 8.2 3. When they had cast off the thing that is good and for that cause the enemie the Assyrian should pursue them yet even then in that great affliction they should crye unto God My God we know thee Certainely this is the case of many a man no afflictions will awaken their consciences even upon their death beds you shall not be able to perceive that any of their sins doe trouble them but even as Iob speaketh Iob 21.23 they are wholly at ease and quiet that is wonderfully quiet in their conscience The strong armed man keepeth the pallace as our Saviour speaketh Luke 11.21 and all his goods are in peace Secondly Nay many though they can be content in generall to confesse that they and all men are sinners yet can they not discerne any particular sin to charge themselves withall and if any other man should charge them with it they would be ready to justifie themselves as Ephraim did of whom the Prophet speaketh Hos. 12.7 8 who though he were as a false merchant and the ballances of deceit were in his hand he used deceit in his weights and in his measures yet he justifieth himselfe and saith in all my labours and tradiâ—g they shall finde none iniquity in me which is sin As if he had said Though I have done a little wrong sometimes to men in my trading in my weights and measures and shewed my selfe my crafts-master in making my wares seeme better then they were tush that is nothing all of our trade doe so and must doe so or else we could not live tush that is no sin Alas the world is full of such blind wretches as being notorious sinners yet doe secure and blesse themselves in their estate even upon this ground that they know nothing by themselves that deserveth to be counted a sin at least a mortall sin They are Papists in this as in many other point either they have no sin at all or if any none but veniall sins These mens case is notably set forth by the Lord Ier. 2.34 35. In thy skirts is found the bloud of the soules of the poore innocents I have not found it by secret search but upon all these As if he had said Every thing that was about them their garments their houshold-stuffe their faire houses c. were monuments of and carried the print of their oppression see how grosse sinners they were and yet in the next words marke their extreame blindnesse and security yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turne from mee In times of greatest danger they feared nothing out of this conceit that they were so innocent But what followeth Behold I will plead with thee because thou saist I have not sinned Nay thirdly The most men count it a great happinesse to forget their sins and never to thinke of them and therfore they even study the art of oblivion in this point shunning all meanes carefully that might bring their sinnes into their remembrance as Ahab did Micajahs ministery 1 Kings 22.8 and Felix Pauls Acts 24.25 and they greedily hunt after all the meanes they can devise or thinke of that they may put their sinnes out of their thoughts According to that speech of Solomon Ecclesiast 7.4 The heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Now unto these men I have three things to say First If Iob and David and Paul were in a blessed estate then must the case of these men surely be most miserable Their sin as we heard the last day was ever before them came oft into their remembrance troubled their minds much and thou never thinkest of any of thy sins art never troubled with any such matter They counted it a great happinesse to have such friends to heare such ministers as would rouse and waken their sleepy consciences put them in mind of their sins Ps. 141.5 Let the righteous smite me and let him reprove me Yea they prayed to God for this Iob 13.23 Make me to know my transgression and my sin And thou cryest God blesse me from such preachers that should so disquiet my mind Secondly the blindnes and senslesnes of thy conscience is no such benefit as thou imaginest O no it is a fearefull judgement curse of God upon thee for it maketh thee unable to repent it keepeth thee from all comfort and benefit by Christ Ioh. 12.39 40. Therefore they could not beleeve because as Esaias saith he hath blinded their eyes hardned their hearts left they should be converted and I should heale them This is a judgement wherby God punisheth other grievous sins and of all punishments the most fearefull Psal. 81.11 12. My people would not hearken unto my voice Israel would none of mee so I gave them up to the hardnes of their hearts As they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge saith
Ieremy 2.19 and thy backslidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee saith the Lord God of hostes Be thou sure conscience will find thee out and reprove thee sharply for thy sins sooner or later at one time or other Shall Gods people thinke we and his dearest servants be the only men whose sins shall be set before their eyes who shall be vexed and disquieted with the sense of their sins whose consciences shall accuse and smite wound them for sin No no if David and Iob and Peter have bin so troubled and put to such anguish of mind for their sins bee ye sure the reprobate and sinner shall feele much more If this be done to the greene trees that had much sap of grace and goodnesse in them what shall be done to the dry As our Saviour speaketh Lu. 23.31 The sorrow that Gods people endure for their sinnes it is nothing if it be compared with that that the reprobate shall feele The dregs of the cup of the Lords wrath all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drinke them as the Psalmist speaketh Psalme 7.5 8. As senslesse and benummed as Iudas his conscience was before he had betrayed Christ so as Christs powerfull ministery as you heard could not awaken it yet did it not alwayes continue so but presently after he had committed his sin it was awakened with a witnesse and did his office upon him as you may see Matth. 27.3 5. This the Lord threatneth to such sinners as have beene least troubled with their sins and most confident of his love Psalme 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes And when God shall set thy sins before thee thou shalt not be able to avoid the looking and thinking of them no more then Belshazzar was the hand writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 And when will God doe this may you say When shall the consciences of all wicked men be awakened I answer 1. God can do it even in the time of our best health and greatest jolitie as he did with Belshazzar 2. He doth it usually in the time of sicknesse or some sharpe affliction as he did with Iosephs brethren Genes 42.21 And 3 If thy conscience doe not awaken before certainly so soone as thou commest to judgement either generall or particular thy conscience will then awaken and doe his office upon thee even the office of an accuser of a witnesse and of a tormentor At the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God the conscience of every man will doe his office as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.15 16. Then the bookes shall bee opened Revelat. 20.12 Every mans conscience wherein as in a booke all the actions of his life and words of his mouth and thoughts that have beene in his heart are faithfully recorded and which were in many men all the dayes of their lives like such a clasped or sealed booke as is spoken of Esa. 29.11 that they could never read nor see what was written in it shall then be layd open before him that he may read yea hee shall then be compelled to read what is written in it Then will the Lord bring the hidden things of darkenesse to light as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 4.5 and will make manifest the counsels of mens hearts unto them Then shall all men clearely see not onely what they have done but also whether it have bene good or evill lawfull or unlawfull that they have done The eyes of their consciences are now so blind that they cannot see nor perceive by the clearest light of the Word in the plainest ministery that is that to neglect prayer in secret and in their families to spend the greatest part of every Sabbath irreligiously to neglect the hearing of the Word upon the Lecture day upon every trifling occasion to live in malice to use fraud in their dealings with men to spend their time unprofitably c. are any sinnes but when that day commeth the scales will fall from the eyes of their consciences and they shall clearely see that they are sinnes and grievous sins too Then their conscience will beare witnesse according to the worke of the Law that is written in their hearts Romans 2.15 16. And that which he saith of the knowledge of the Elect in that day is true also of the knowledge that the reprobate shall have then 1 Corinth 13.12 Now they see but as through a glasse darkely but then face to face now they know but in part but then they shall know even as they are knowne And as the Lord speaketh in another case Ier. 23.20 it may be said unto all men in this case In the latter dayes ye shall understand it plainly which now you cannot be perswaded of that these are sinnes LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 4 Lecture XLIII on Psalme LI. 4 Decemb. XII MDCXXVI Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and bee cleare when thou judgest WEe have heard that in the former verse David maketh confession of his sin in generall it followeth now that we proceed to shew how he doth it in this and the next verses more fully and particularly For 1. Hee maketh confession of the speciall actuall sin that he had offended God by at this time and which Nathan had charged him with in this verse I have done this evill 2. He amplifieth and aggravateth this his sin by three arguments 1. By the person against whom this sin was committed in this verse Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. By the fountaine and roote from whence this sin did spring that is to say his naturall corruption verse 5.3 By the knowledge and truth of grace that he had received from God before he fell into this sin in the sixth verse Now in this verse that I have now read there are two things principally to be observed 1. How David accuseth himselfe before God heere and amplifieth his sin against himselfe in these words Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. The reason why he doth so in the last words of the verse That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest and be cleare when thou judgest Now then to begin with the first part of the verse for the opening of the words that the Doctrine may the more cleerely arise from them for our instruction and lest he should seeme by this manner of speech to extenuate rather then to aggravate his sins foure questions must be briefly resolved First was this foule act that he committed an offence against God onely was it not
Doctrine so unto the uses that are to be made of it Now the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine are principally two The one taken frō the consideration of the nature of sin the other from the consideration of the nature attributes of the Lord himselfe And in the nature of sin two things are to be cōsidred 1. that every sin is a transgressiō of the law of God 2. that every sin is a contēpt done unto God For the first What is it that maketh any thought or word or action to be a sin Not the offending or hurting of our selves or any other man by it but the offending of God and breaking of his Law As no good duty I performe to any man is a good worke unlesse in doing it I respect the Lord and do it in obedience to him As Paul saith to Christian servants Colos. 3.23 24. Whatsoever ye doe doe it as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. So no wrong I can do to any man is a sin but in respect of the disobedience contempt I shew unto God and his Law by doing of it This is plain Lev. 6.2 If a soule sin commit a trespasse against the Lord lie unto his neighbour in that that was delivered him to keepe or in fellowship or in taking away by violence or hath deceived his neighbor No sin can be more directly committed against our neighbour then cosenage theft and robbery are and yet ye see that that maketh a man a sinner in these things is this that in doing of them he hath cōmitted a trespasse against the Lord. Thus the Apostle when he had said every one that hath a true hope to be saved to go to heaven doth purifie himselfe from all sin corruption so maketh himselfe fit to go thither giveth this for the reason of it 1 Ioh. 3.4 because sin is a most hainous dangerous thing and why so Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression of the law That that maketh sin so dangerous a thing that that maketh Gods people so fearfull to sin so careful to purifie cleanse themselves from their corruptions is this that by sinning they transgresse the law of God So the Apostle Paul teacheth us 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law What is it that maketh death so painfull terrible as it is unto men Surely nothing but sin that giveth the sting unto it and what is it that maketh sin so strong to condemne them and cast them into hell to sting and torment the conscience as it doth Surely nothing but the law that giveth the strength to sin that the law of God hath bin transgressed by it This is the plain meaning of that which the same Apostle saith Rom. 4.15 The law worketh wrath for where no law is there is no transgression What is it that brings Gods wrath upon man in this life or in the life to come that stingeth the conscience with the sense of it Why sin you will say and in saying so you say truly for so saith the holy Ghost Ephes. 5.6 Because of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Yea but what is the cause that sin bringeth the wrath of God upon man Surely nothing but this because by it Gods law is transgressed the law worketh wrath saith the Apostle Secondly this is also to be considered in the nature of sin that by every sin that we cōmit we do not only transgresse Gods law but we also despise him do an injury and contempt unto him For as it is among men when ye invite a man of worship and worth unto a feast if you give him not his due in placing of him though his cheere be never so good though the place he sits in be otherwise never so convenient though in words entertainment you neglect no cōplement towards him yet if you place him not according to his degree if you set one that is known to be his inferior above him in stead of a kindnes that you have pretended he wil esteeme that you have done a great disgrace indignity unto him So is it much more in this case If we set not the Lord in the highest roome of our hearts if we prefer our owne will before his as in every sin we do if we sleight any commandement of his thinke it is no great matter to transgresse it this is a plain contempt done unto God a despising of him So the Lord doth not only esteeme of grosse sinners that they cast him behind their backs as he tells Ieroboam 1 kin 14.9 But even of his own people whē they sin against his law So he telleth David twice that in cōmitting these sins of adultry murder 2 Sā 12.9 10. he had despised his cōmandement he had despised him So he telleth Ely that in neglecting to shew that severity to his lewd sons that he ought to have done he despised him 1 Sam. 2.30 And he telleth Moses Aaron that they had rebelled against him Nū 20.24 And so much for the first reason ground of the doctrine The second reason is taken from the consideration of the nature and attributes of God the person whose law is transgressed by our sins Foure attributes there be in the Lord which if we consider well we shall easily beleeve that we are to hate our sins and mourne for them out of this respect chiefly that we have offended God by them The first is his omnipresence omniscience he is present with us whersoever we are his eye is upō us he beholdeth us whatsoever we are doing Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord Ier. 23.24 do not I fill heaven earth saith the Lord Pro. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill the good This was a main thing Nathan laid to Davids charge whereby he aggravated his sin 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherfore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to do evill in his sight And this was it that at this time lay so heavy upon Davids conscience O Lord I have done this evill in thy sight As if he had said all my care was to be secret to hide my sin from the eyes of men thou didst it secretly saith the Lord to him 2 Sam. 12.12 but all this while thine eye was upon me when for the committing of my filthines I had shut all out of my chamber I could not shut out thee when I did it in the darke the darknes hid me not from thee as he speaketh Ps. 139.12 but the night shineth as the day the darknes and the light are both alike with thee This is that that did even fil his heart
that is in reputation for wisedome and honour And this must needs be so 1. Because in giving our selves liberty in the least thing that we know God hath forbidden we break the bond cord that should restraine us from any sin namely the conscience of the commandement of the Lord against it If this yoke be once shaken off if once this bond be of no force with us but we grow in the least thing to say as Psal. 2.3 Let us breake their hands asunder and cast their cords from us what can be of force to hold us fast to the Lord or to bind or restraine us from the foulest and grossest sins 2. Because it is the naturall effect of sin specially being wittingly committed to make a man apter to sin to go further in sin Rom. 6.19 You have yeelded your members servants to uncleannes and to iniquity unto iniquity 3. Because God in his just judgement is wont to punish sin by sin to punish mens carelesnes and loosenes and security in smaller sins by leaving them to themselves giving them up to grosser sins 2 Thess. 2.10 11. Because men received not the love of the truth professed it formally but joyed not tooke no comfort in it a common sin God knoweth in these dayes and such as most men count a very small sin if any sin at all for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie For this God giveth men up to popery The surest way then for a man to keepe himselfe from falling into grosse sins is to be afraid of and make conscience of the smallest sins This is plaine in that prayer of David Psal. 19.12 13. Cleanse thou me from secret faults keepe back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression So Iob to preserve himselfe from fornication and adultery made a covenant with his eye and with his thought also bound them to the good abearing Iob 31.1 resolved with himselfe to make conscience of and to abstaine from all wanton lookes and thoughts also and so long as he did so hee was safe enough from falling into those grosse sins On the contrary David giving himselfe liberty in idlenesse and wanton lookes 2. Sam. 11.1 2. was left to himselfe to fall to those foule sins he so much bewaileth and complaineth of in this psalme This is then the first motive to perswade us to make conscience even of the smallest sins because else we shall bee in danger to fall into grosse and most hainous sins The second motive unto it is this that by these small sins we bring our selves into greater danger in some respects then by committing of those that we do account greater For great sins are more easily discerned and felt and repented of and consequently pardoned then these smaller sins are These without great circumspection and watchfulnesse we shall hardly take notice of or be troubled at all for them but go on in them without repentance and consequently without any assurance of the forgivenesse of them In this respect we find that the civill honest and morall man that hath lived unblamably in respct of any grosse sin all his life time is in farre worse case then many a one that hath bin a notorious evil liver as our Saviour telleth the Pharisees Mat. 21.31 Verily I say unto you that the Publicans and the harlots go into the kingdome of God before you The third and last motive is this that hee that giveth liberty to himselfe in the least sin doth not abstaine from the grossest out of conscience towards God because God forbiddeth it and is offended with it but out of some hie respects Thus the Apostle proveth that he that giveth himselfe liberty to offend against any one point of the law though he seeme to keepe all the rest is guilty of all and doth not indeed with any uprightnes of heart keep any one of the commandements of God Iam. 2.10 11. Because he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill He that said Levit. 24.16 Hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death sweare not great oathes hath said also Matt. 5.34 Sweare not at all He that hath said Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart hath said also Col. 3.8 Put away anger yeeld not unto please not thy selfe in this that thou art so apt to be angry He that hath said Exo. 20.10 on the Sabbath thou shalt doe no manner of worke hath said also Esay 58.13 Thou mayest not follow thy pleasures on my holy day nor speake thine owne words He that hath said we must use to pray and God will powre out his wrath upon the families that call not on his name Ieremy 10.25 hath said also Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and Exodus 20.17 The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine He that hath sayd Esay 1.16 Cease to do evill do nothing that is evill do no hurt to any hath said also in the next verse Esay 1.17 Learne to do well and Matthew 25.30 Cast the unprofitable servant him that hath done no good whose life hath beene no way usefull nor profitable unto others into utter darkenesse and Ephes. 5.16 Redeeme the time make conscience of spending it unfruitfully Lastly He that hath said 1 Pet 1.15 Bee ye holy in all manner of conversation that is in all outward actions and words hath said also Prov. 2.23 Keepe thy heart with all diligence So that if a man make no conscience of his thoughts how vaine wanton malicious worldly they bee that never troubleth him certainly he is not restrained from any wicked speeches or actions out of conscience to Gods commandement but out of some other respects and consequently there is no truth of heart in him One thing there is that our foolsh hearts art apt to object against this exhortation We are apt to thinke that this precisenesse this strictnesse to watch and take heed to our selves that wee offend not in the least thing putteth such a yoke upon a Christians necke as no man is able to beare maketh the life of a Christian a meere drudgery a most painfull and uncomfortable life Wee have an old proverb Qui medicè vivit miserè vivit If a man have so crazy a stomack that if in eating or drinking he swerve never so little from the rules of Physicke or from his ordinary dyet hee will straight be much out of temper surely that mans life must needs be very uncomfortable unto him And so many men thinke it is with them whose consciences are so tender and nice that the least sin will trouble them To this I answer 1. That a Christian life is certainly very painfull to flesh and blood and if we
drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God They that will not or cannot forsake their sinnes how can they hope to go to heaven They that spend all their time in providing for this life but make no provision for heaven have no care to doe that that may yeeld them profit and increase when they shall come thither what hope can they have to go to heaven when they die Be not deceived saith the Apostle Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall be also reape he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape everlasting life Seaventhly He that would with patience and comfort beare troubles and afflictions when they shall come and stand in the evill day must be carefull before hand to lead a godly life and to get a good conscience The godly man that maketh conscience of all his waies may seeme to get no good by it at all but to be rather a great looser by it in the world while the daies of peace and plenty and jollity do last Long peace and plenty hath in all ages bred in worldly men a humour to hate and scorne true piety Ye have shamed and dashed out of countenance saith the Lord Psal 14.6 the counsell of the poore and humbled Christian because the Lord is his refuge And Esa. 59.15 He that departeth from evill and dareth not do as other men do maketh himselfe a prey every body will be apt to do him wrong But shall we thinke that piety will never stand a man in more stead then thus even in this life Yes yes beloved When the evill day shall come the godly man shall find his labour hath not beene in vaine he shall certainely find more strength and comfort in that day then any other man can do Riches profit not in the day of wrath saith Solomon Pro. 11.4 but righteousnesse doth righteousnesse delivereth from death Vnto the upright saith David Psal. 112.4 there ariseth light in the darknesse comfort in time of greatest heavinesse Thy light shall rise in obscurity saith the Lord Esa. 58.10 When there shall be a palpable darknes in all the land of Egypt Gods people shall have light in their dwellings Exod. 10.22 23. and thy darknesse thy trouble and affliction shall be for comfort and joy as the noone day The Apostle mentioning the meanes whereby he was enabled to beare with such patience such afflictions necessities distresses stripes and imprisonments among others reckoneth this 2 Cor. 6.7 by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left And speaking of all the parts of the Christian armour Ephes. 6.14 he calleth this the brest plate Certainely the testimony that our conscience shall give us that we have endeavoured in all our waies to please God will be as armour of proofe unto us in the evill day It will be so to us that are Ministers as we shall find in two notable examples The first is Ieremies Ier. 17.16 17 I have not hastened from being a pastour to follow thee as Ionah did neither have I desired the wofull day this wofull captivity that thou hast caused me to denounce that which came out of my lips was right before thee As if he had said I have dealt faithfully in my ministery And what followeth Be not a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evill God will not be a terrour to such Ministers but their hope and comfort in the evill day The other example is Pauls 2 Cor. 1. Who having spoken of the troubles he had in Asia wherein saith he ver 8. we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life telleth you verse 12. what it was that yeelded him comfort in that great distresse even the testimony of his conscience that in simplicty and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome as the flaunting Corinthian preachers did he had exercised himselfe in his Ministery And as this will be a great supporter to us that are Ministers in all our afflictions so will it certainely be to you that are Gods people also See this in the example of good Hezekiah who when the dolefull message was brought him from God by the Prophet to set his house in order for he must die and not live comforteth himselfe in this testimony of his conscience Esa. 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart This will comfort a man on his death bed And so our Saviour assureth us Matth. 7.24 25. that he that heareth the Word and doth it maketh conscience to practise what he knoweth is like the wise man that built his house upon a rock and though the raine fall and the winds blow and the flouds beate upon him that is the most sore and violent tentations or afflictions come that can come yet shal he be able to stand and abide them all O thinke of this you that are so carelesse of your practise carelesse of your consciences whose religion standeth onely in hearing and in a profession of the truth certainely when the evill day shall come you will be found to be foolish builders that have built upon the sand when the raine shall fall and the winds blow and the flouds beate upon you when great troubles and afflictions shall come upon you you will never be able to stand out you must needs fall and sinke under them and your fall will be great as our Saviour speaketh there Matth. 7.26 â—7 The eight and last meanes whereby this grace of Christian patience to beare all troubles and afflictions comfortably may be obtained is prayer If any man lack wisdome saith the Apostle Iam. 1.5 and by wisdome he meaneth patience in that place let him aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Heere is a plaine promise you see And the Apostle when he had exhorted the Romanes Rom. 12.12 to be patient in tribulation he addeth immediatly continuing instant in prayer Instant and earnest prayer and continuing in it is the meanes to make us patient in tribulation So speaking of the compleat armour whereby a Christian may be made able to beare and stand out in the evill day he nameth this as a principall part of it Ephes. 6.18 Praying alwaies not by fits and starts with all prayer and supplication according as our own and the Churches various necessities shall require in the spirit fervently not formally and with lip labour onely watching thereunto against distractions and wandring thoughts with all perseverance holding out and not giving over when we speed not at the first This was the way whereby Iob sought strength to beare his afflictions Iob 16.20 My friends scorne me but mine eye poureth out teares unto God And David when many of his mortall enemies compassed him about
his mother and 17.25 A foolish son is a griefe to his father and bitternesse to her that bare him Yea certainely it ought to be so we should bewaile it before God 1. In respect to our children themselves For the root from whence all this their lewdnesse springeth they had it from us We were they that first infected and poisoned them If any parents should see their child loathsomely consumed with the French disease which he had received from them in his birth would it not thinke you be a matter of much shame and humbling to them to behold it If any of us in the time of the great plague should at unawares have brought the infection into our house and set it upon all our children would not this have beene a marvellous affliction unto us And yet we have all done worse to our children then so we have set upon them a farre worse more dangerous more deadly infection we know then either the French disease or the pestilence They endanger but the body and this mortall life these the soules of our children everlastingly And shall not this then be a matter of shame and humbling before God 2. In respect unto God The Lord was angry with the Serpent and laid his curse upon it because it was but an instrument used by Satan for the corrupting of our first parents though it were no cause at all of it Gen. 3.14 And may not the Lord much more be angry with us and lay his curse upon us that have not onely beene the instruments to convey this cursed poison and corruption of nature into our children but the principall agents and causes of it Lecture LVIII On Psalme 51.5 May 22. 1627. FOlloweth the second use that this Doctrine serveth unto which is the use of exhortation to exhort and stirre us up that are parents to do the uttermost of our endeavour to worke grace in our children and so to cure that deadly wound that we have given them and to preserve them from perishing by that poison and infection that we have conveyed into them Now for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation 1. I will give you certaine motives that may provoke us all to this care 2 I will shew you the meanes that we must use to this purpose And for the motives they are of three sorts 1. Some of them respect our children and our duty towards them 2. Some of them our selves and our owne comfort 3. Some of them concerne our duty towards God and the respect we should have unto his glory Of the first sort of motives there are two principally First Our love to our children bindeth us to it Nature moveth us to love them and hath given bowels of pity and compassion towards them when we see them in any misery Insomuch as the Lord hath beene pleased to set forth his mercy and compassion towards his children by this By the compassion of a mother Esa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe And by the compassion of a father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him He is worse then a beast that loveth not his children and grieveth not to see them in misery Lam. 4.3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast they give sucke to their young ones And the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 1.31 that they that are without this naturall affection have extinguished in themselves the very light of nature and are in Gods just judgement given up unto a reprobate mind And what love can we beare to our children if we have no care of their soules the nature of true Christianity is to seeke the good of their soules whom we love Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 See how Abraham expressed his love to Ishmael Gen. 17.18 O that Ishmael might live in thy sight Thus did Solomons parents Pro. 4.3 4. I was my fathers sonne tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother He taught me and said unto me Let thine heart retaine my words keepe my commandements and live Nay this is the onely way to expresse true love to their bodies and their outward estate also No lands or possessions we can leave thâ—â— can give us that assurance that they shall live comfortably even in this life as this will do if we can be a mean to breed saving grace in their hearts For 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promises even of this life Secondly Admit we were not bound to love them above others yet are we bound in justice to make them amends for the wrong we have done them There is no man whom we have hurt in his body or goods or good name but we are bound in conscience to do what we can to make him satisfaction See the equity of Gods law in this point Exod. 21.19 He that smote him shall pay for the losse of his time and shall cause him to be throughly healed How much more are we bound to take care that our owne children may be throughly healed of that wound that we have given them in their soules of that filthy disease that wee have infected them with Now for the motives that concerne our selves and our owne comfort they are three principally First It will be a matter of singular comfort unto us to see the corruption of their nature healed and saving grace wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes A great comfort it is to a Minister to see any of his people reformed and woon to God by his labours Ye are our glory and joy saith Paul 1 Thess. 2 20. I have not greater joy saith the Apostle 3 Ioh. 4. then to heare that my children walke in the truth But this must needs be much more comfort to a parent to see this in his owne child A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 10.1 maketh a glad father And 23.24 25. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Secondly When grace is wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes they will be farre more loving and dutifull unto us then otherwise they can be A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 15.20 maketh a glad father How by his dutifull and respectfull carriage towards him this is his meaning there as appeareth by the last words of the verse but a foolish man despiseth his mother Se this in the sons of Isaack Esau cared not for grieving his parents by matching with the daughters of Heth but Iacob did Gen. 26.34 35. and 27.46 See it also in the sons of Iacob of all his sons Ioseph that had most grace was also the most loving and dutifull child unto him Genesis 45.11 This will make a man love him dearely that otherwise was a meere stranger unto him if hee
or doctrine of their mothers Pro. 1.8.6.20 which sheweth plainely it was the practise of Gods Church then that even mothers were teachers of their children even when they were very young and under their government they were wont to teach them good things Yea there is an expresse commandement for this not onely that we should teach our children but that we should teach them even when they are very young Teach a child in his way saith Solomon Pro. 22.6 that is that way that is fit for him according to his capacity as he is able to receive it by a little at once as you poure liquor into narrow mouthed bottells As you do when first you begin to feed their bodies with the spoone so must you do when first you begin to feed their soules with instruction Secondly You must betimes acquaint them with the practise of religion as reading of the Word and prayer and giving of thankes at their meat and singing of Psalmes We shall find Mat. 21.15 that the little children had learned of their parents to sing Hosanna part of the 118. Psalme to the praise of Christ. Yea more then this parents should endeavour to restraine their children from evill and to breed in them a conscience of sin even while they are very young You know the fourth commandement enjoyneth us that not our selves onely rest from all our own works on the Sabbath but that our children do so too Exo. â—0 10 Ezekiel professeth unto God Ezek. 4 14 that from his child-hood from his infancy as some read it he had not eaten any thing that Gods law had forbidden His parents had taught him even then and yet then we know the appetite to meate is most strong and unruly to make conscience of it Parents therefore must joyne instruction with corrections that may breed in their children a knowledge and conscience of the sinne for which they correct them Reproofes or corrections for instruction saith Solomon Pro. 6.23 are the way of life Without instruction correction will do little good And one fault amended by a child out of conscience that it is a sin is worth the amending of an hundred out of the feare of the rod onely That which David saith of Gods corrections may fitly be applyed to this Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law Few or none are the better even for the Lords rods if they be corrected onely by him if they be not instructed also Thirdly You must bring them with you to the Church to the publique worship of God betimes even while they are very young even so soone as they can come and be there without disturbance of the Congregation that they may be acquainted with Gods worship and ordinances betimes Moses told Pharaoh Exod. 10.9 they must have their little ones with them to the solemne worship they were to do unto God in the wildernesse and would not accept of liberty for all the rest unlesse they might have their little ones with them And when Ioshuah according to Gods commandement read the law of God solemnly to the Congregation of Israel Ioâ—â— 8.35 they had their little ones with them in that solemne assembly And when Christ was preaching in the Congregation the people brought their little children unto him Mat. 19.13 that their little ones might have the benefit of his prayers Fourthly and lastly You that are parents must examine your children how they profit by the meanes of grace try how they understand what they heare repeate it and make it plainer to them and in repeating it apply it also Moses requireth the people Deut. 6.6 7. to teach that to their children which they had heard of him They might have objected what needeth that seeing they being present in the congregation heard what thou taughtest as well as we Yes but thou must teach it them againe saith hee for all that more plainly more familiarly Teach these things diligently to your children saith hee yea wheâ— and sharpen them upon your children for so the word there signifieth that is so repeat and make things plainer to them as you may apply them also labour to bring them to some feeling and conscience of that that is taught them O how would Religion flourish how would knowledge and grace grow in your children if you that are parents would thus doe your duty would bee teachers as well as wee and lay to your helping hand to this worke And the best ministery in the world will doe little good while you hang off and will doe nothing Two objections there be that some parents are apt to make against this First It is an absurd thing say they to teach children religion for them to meddle with the Scriptures or for them to bee taught to say either their Catechisme or prayers or grace A Parrat may as well be taught these things as a little child For alas they have no capacity to understand and bee sensible of such matters and therefore it is but a taking of Gods name in vaine to teach them such things Indeed this hath ever beene the conceit of carnall men Pharaoh could not abide to heare Moses say they must have their little ones with them to serve God Exodus 10.10 And Matth. 21.15 When the high Priest and Scribes heard the little children meddle with the Psalme and sing Hosanna they were sore displeased Yea when the disciples themselves Mar. 10.13 carnall men also in this as appeareth by the rebuke they received for it from their master ver 14. he was much displeased with them for it when they saw men bring their children to Christ they rebuked them for it But this is but a carnall conceit as shall appeare by three things that I have to answer unto it First Children when they are very young are capable of the seeds and beginnings of regeneration and saving grace See a notable proofe for this in the example of Iohn Baptist Luk 1.44 Assoone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eares saith his mother to Mary the babe leaped in my wombe for joy There were certainly in that babe the seeds and beginnings of saving knowledge and faith of saving grace both in his understanding and in his will and affections also But you will say that case was extraordinary and miraculous I grant it was so indeed yet is it to the purpose for all that For it sheweth that the youngest infant is not so uncapable of saving grace but that God is able to worke it even in them And that this should encourage us to use all the meanes wee can to breed grace in them betimes because wee know not how soone God may bee pleased to worke with the meanes and blesse them unto them According to that of Ecclesi 11.9 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that But heare now
must carefull to give good example unto your children cause it to appeare unto them in your whole conversation that your selves doe unfainedly feare God and love good things See three notable presidents and examples of this care 1. In Abraham of whom God giveth this testimony Gene. 18.19 that hee knew him that he would command his sons and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord hee would goe before them himselfe in that way 2. In Ioshua I and my house saith he Iosh. 24.15 will serve the Lord. 3. In David Ps. 101.2 I will walke in the uprightnesse of mine heart in the midst of mine house Without this neither your commandements nor correction nor instruction will doe them any good Therefore Paul requireth this even of Timothy and Titus men of such rare and extraordinary gifts to see they gave good example as well as teach well 1 Timothy 4.12 Bee thou the example of the beleevers And Titus 2 7. In all things shew thy selfe a patterne of good workes As if hee had said you shall hardly doe good upon the people by your doctrine if they shall not discerne in your lives that your selves do beleeve and make conscience of that which you teach and perswade them unto On the otherside there is great force in example to draw others either to good or evill See the force of a good example even in an inferiour specially such a one as we love They that obey not the word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.1 may without the word be wonne by the good conversation of the wives And the example of a superiour of one whom we not only love but reverence in our hearts is of more force then any inferiours can be The Apostle saith Galat. 2.14 that Peter by his example compelled the Gentiles to doe as the Iewes did But domesticall examples specially the example of parents is of more force with their children to do them either good or hurt then all other examples are See the force it hath to draw our children to goodnesse at least in outward conformity in three notable examples It is said of Amazia King of Iuda 2 Kin 14.3 He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet not like David his father he did according to all things as Ioash his father did And of Azaria or Vzziah his son â— Kin. 15 3. Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that Amaziah his father had done And of Iotham his son 2 Kings 15.34 Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord he did according to all that his father Vzziah had done And on the other side see the force that the parents example hath to corrupt their children in three other examples The first of Zacharia the King of Israel of whom it is said 2 Kings 15.9 Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Ieroboam hee would be of his fathers religion The second is of the Samaritans of whom it is said 2 King 17 41. These nations feared the Lord made some kind of profession of the true religion as the ten tribes had done and served their graven Images too both their children and their childrens children did thus as did their fathers so doe they unto this day The example of their fathers drew them unto that idolatry and rooted them in it The third is of the kingdome and Church of Iudah of which wee read Iere. 17.1 2. that the maine reason why they were so setled in their idolatry that there was no hope of reclaiming them it was graven upon the table of their heart as with a pen of Iron or with the point of a Diamond the reason of it I say is rendered to bee this that their children remembred their altars and their groves by the greene trees upon the high hills And certainly so it is also in these dayes A chiefe cause why profanesse and impiety doth so cleave to the hearts of most men that no meanes are powerfull enough to reclaime them is the evill example of parents O thinke of this you that are parents and if nothing els will reclaime you from lewdnesse and make you carefull to take heed to your wayes yet let your love to your children doe it that you may not corrupt them by your evill example Is it not wrong enough that you have done unto them in conveying into them so corrupt and cursed a nature but will you also by your evill example make them two-fold more the children of hell then they were by nature The fourth meanes parents must use for the saving of their childrens soules is this They must take heed how they dispose of them when they place them abroad from them And as every true Christian will bee carefull of placing of himselfe that however he do for other commodities and conveniences he will not live where hee shall want the meanes of grace but resolveth with David Psal. 23.6 I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life So will hee in placing of his children be carefull that they may doe so too They must take heed what schoole-masters and tutors they send them to what services and what marriages they place them in 1. The Apostle Paul reporteth Act. 22 3 that he was sent by his parents to Ierusalem the best schoole the best Vniversity the best colledge to Gamaliel the best teacher the best tutour there where he was was taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers and learned to bee to zealous towards God 2. As for services it is threatned as a great curse to Gods people that their children should serve the greatest Noble man yea the greatest Prince in the world if he be a wicked man and enemy to God yea though they serve him in the highest offices that may be Thy sons that shall issue from thee saith the Lord to Hezechiah Esa. 39.7 shall be Eunuches in the palace of the King of Babylon 3. For marriages we see the care of Abraham first Gen. 24.3 4. and of Rebecca after Gen. 27 46. that their children might by no meanes match with the Canaanites Certainly in this point most parents do evidently bewray they have no care at all of their childrens soules In placing of their children any of these three wayes they aime at nothing but this that they may get that that may make them able to live and to live in credit but as for living under the meanes of grace for living so as they may live eternally that they have no respect at all unto Whereby they shew themselves to be wholy sensuall not having the spirit as the Apostle speaketh Iude 19. The fift and last meanes without which all the former are to no purpose is prayer Parents must be earnest with God in prayer for their children Solomons mother calleth
poore services be as a sacrifice of a most sweet smelling savour unto God Lecture LXXIII on Psalme 51.5 Octob. 30. 1627. THis point may not be passed over without some application And it is to bee applied 1. By way of prevention unto carnall and wicked men who are apt to draw that comfort unto themselves from it that belongeth not unto them 2. By way of incouragement unto the people of God who receive not that comfort from it that they ought to doe First Many a carnall man is apt to stumble at this Doctrine and to blesse himselfe in his grosse sins by it after this manner The Lord saith he you see is not so strict and rigorous as to marke every thing that his people doe amisse hee is apt wee heare to passe by their slips and infirmities but the good things they doe at any time those hee taketh notice of and remembreth and taketh delight in and will undoubtedly reward And therefore saith hee why should my slips and infirmities disquiet mee And what are these slips and infirmities I pray you that he speaketh of Surely swearing ordinarily making himselfe merry now and then with deriding religion and good men breaking the Sabbath wantonnesse drunkennesse and such like Why should I saith hee suffer my mind to be troubled for these things Nay why should I not rather comfort my selfe and rejoyce in those good things I doe For I thanke God I am no Papist but professe the true religion I goe to Church I pray I heare the Word and receive the Sacrament I give to the poore I make conscience of my word I doe no man wrong And these are things I know that God liketh and delighteth in This was just the presumptuous conceit and perswasion of that Pharisee our Saviour speaketh of Luke 18.11 12. And certainly the world is full of such Pharisees even in these dayes Now to beat downe the presumption of these Pharisees I have three things to say First Consider who they are that the Lord standeth so graciously affected unto whose slips and infirmities hee useth thus to winke at whose imperfect services hee is wont thus to delight in and reward Not every one but such onely as are in Christ. Such onely are his children by adoption and grace But what is that to thee Seeing it is certaine thou art not in Christ. Because thou walkest and goest on impenitently in knowne sinnes There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Rom. 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus But who are they Hee answereth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit It is certaine thou art not the child of God because thou art not led by the spirit of God For so saith the Apostle likewise Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and none but they Secondly Admit thou wert the child of God admit thou wert in Christ yet could not God beare with such faults as thine are nor take in good part such service as thou usest to doe unto him The Lord hath promised Mat. 3.17 To spare and beare with his children as a man spareth his son that serveth him In those good duties wherein he seeth our heart is set to serve him he wil beare with many defects and failings But he will not beare with the dearest child he hath in any grosse sinne Did he beare with David when he fell to adultery No no he beat him so sore for it as David complaineth heere ver 8. that he brake his bones with beating of him For such sinnes God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints especially as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 89.7 Nay I say more the Lord will not passe by nor winke at in the dearest child he hath those very defects and failings that are in their best duties if they be reigning corruptions and not infirmities that is if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for Therefore we are required in doing of good duties to watch and observe our owne hearts Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith the Apostle Colos. 4.2 And to strive against our owne corruptions therein Strive with me and for me in prayer saith he Romanes 15.30 And to bewaile unto God our failings in them Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy saith Nehemiah 13.22 And if God will not winke at such faults as thine are in his dearest children canst thou hope that he will winke at them in thee that art still a child of wrath If God will not accept of the services that his dearest children doe unto him unlesse they be sensible of those corruptions wherewith they are stained canst thou hope that he will accept of thine And what talkest thou of thy serving of God or of any good thing that ever thou didst Alas thou couldest never serve God nor doe any good thing in thy life That which the Prophet saith Ieremie 6.10 of such as thou art their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken thou couldst never in thy life heare one Sermon to any purpose the same may be said of all other duties of Gods service thou couldst never pray nor receive the Sacrament in thy life Yee cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshuah 24.19 to them that lived in idolatry And that which I say of the duties of Gods worship the same I say likewise of all other good workes Thou never didst worke of mercy in thy life thou didst never make conscience of dealing justly and truly with thy neighbour Matthew 12.34 How can ye being evill speake good things Luke 6.43 A corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit They that professe that they know God saith the Apostle Titus 1.16 but in their workes denie him being abominable and disobedient are reprobate unto every good worke The good things that such men seeme to doe are not onely defective in the manner or in the measure or in matter of circumstance as the best workes of the faithfull may be but they are utterly void of that which is the very substance and that giveth life and being to a good worke that is faith that worketh by love Gal. 5 6. The third and last thing I have to say to this man is this Thou not being Gods child nor being in Christ but living in the state of impenitency as thou dost and continuing therein shalt find the Lord every whit as austere and rigorous towards thee as he is indulgent and gracious towards his owne children This will appeare in three points First Though he beare with so many faults and frailties in his own children he will not beare with the least fault in thee But thou shalt give account even for every idle word that thou hast spoken at the day of Iudgement as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.36 Yea the Lord will bring every secret thought of thine into judgement Eccl. 12.14 Secondly Though he take the poorest and weakest services that his children doe him in
corruptions yea that little fire they have is covered in them with such an heape of ashes that little corne that is in them is hid in them in such a deale of chaffe as they can hardly discerne that truth of grace that is them To this case that proverbe may fitly be applyed Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches See an example of this in David in that prayer he maketh ver 10. of this Psalme Create in me a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me He had certainely at this time a cleane heart and a right spirit but he could not perceive nor discerne it in himselfe at this time and therefore prayeth God would create it and renew it in him as if it had beene quite gone It is a farre easier thing for a regenerate man to see and discerne the corruption that is in him then the truth of grace that is in him When the Apostle speaketh of the fruits of the flesh he saith of them Gal 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest but when he commeth to speake of the fruits of the spirit ver 22. he saith not so of them The grace of Gods spirit is an hidden and secret thing called therefore that hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 and cannot be certainely knowne unlesse a man take paines to search into it In this respect it is said the wise merchant Mat. 13.44 when he had found the treasure hid in the field withdrew himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as merchants use to do that have great accounts to make that he might try whether it were the true treasure or no. 2. The difficulty of this worke may appeare by the expresse testimony of the Lord himselfe Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it It is so deceitfull this darke den hath so many corners and turnings in it that the wisest man in the world by the strength of nature is not able to find it out to know whether it be true or false sound or rotten A man may be an hypocrite and have a false heart and himselfe not know it though some hypocrisie be grosse and palpable yet all is not so This is plaine by that which our Saviour speaketh to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked 3. The difficulty of this worke is evident by reason also For there be many good things so like unto true grace that may be in a meere naturall man as it is no easie thing to discerne and put a difference betweene them but a man may easily be deceived and think he hath truth of saving grace when he hath nothing but nature in him 1. There are certaine remnants of Gods image in many naturall men that are very like unto true grace The Gentiles that know not the law saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things contained in the law They make conscience of and hate many sinnes they may practise many morall vertues as justice mercy and fidelity which our Saviour Matth. 23.23 calleth the weightier points in Gods law And these are certainely in themselves and materially good things and it is said Mar. 10.21 our Saviour looking upon the rich man that had these things in him loved him So that it is no marvell though so many be deceived in them and take them for true grace 2. There are certaine common graces and beginnings of sanctification in many hypocrites that live in Gods Church and in the profession of the Gospell which are yet more like to saving grace then the other are Some of those that fall into the unpardonable sinne have beene inlightned as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 5. and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost Some such have escaped the pollutions of the world left their knowne sinnes even through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour as the Apostle Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.20 3. Yea it is certaine there is a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in many a man that never had any truth of saving grace in him I know saith the Lord to Abimelech the King of Gerar an heathen man Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart Paul even whilst he was a persecuter had a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in that which he did I have lived saith he Acts 23 1. in all good conscience before God unto this day He did nothing but that which he was perswaded in his heart he ought to doe I verily thought saith he Act. 26.9 with my selfe that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth The intent and purpose of his heart was to please and honour God in it In all these three respects it is certainely an hard thing for a man to know whether his heart be right or no if he doe not carefully and diligently observe his owne heart and examine it he will never be able to know it It behoveth us to use all diligence in this businesse it will never els be well done Give diligence saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 to make your calling and election sure And by making this sure unto our selves that our hearts are upright wee shall make both our calling and election sure And this is the first Motive The second is from the possibility of this worke Though most men be deceived in this point though their heart be so deceitfull though there be so great a resemblance betweene those good things that may be in naturall men and hypocrites and the truth of grace yet if we will take paines to examine our selves well we may certainely know that our hearts are upright if they be so that there is truth of grace in us that there is more in us then can be in any naturall man or hypocrite in the world This also shall be made evident to you in three points First Because the faithfull are exhorted so oft and earnestly to prove and examine themselves whether they be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 To prove every man his owne worke Gal. 6.4 To make sure to themselves their owne calling and election 2 Pet. 1.10 Now these exhortations had beene in vaine if it were not possible for the faithfull to know they have true faith that the workes and duties they doe are done in uprightnesse if a man might not be certaine and sure that he is effectually called For though God in his law require that of the naturall man which it is impossible for him to do as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.3 and may justly do it 1 because when God first gave the law to mankind in Adam he made him able to keepe it 2 because by exacting this of him which he is not able to do he
was no sinne in the Disciples that were eye-witnesses of Christs transfiguration to bee so silent as they were They kept it close saith the Text Luk. 9.36 and told no man in those daies any of those things which they had seene Was this well done to conceale such things as might have tended so much to the glory of God and to the confirming of the faith of Gods people To say nothing of that glory they saw Christs body in of the voice they heard from heaven of Moses and Elias appearing and conferring with him Yes verily this silence was lawfull they did well to say nothing then of those things because Christ had commanded them to bee silent Matth. 17.9 Iesus charged them saying tell the vision to no man untill the sonne of man be risen againe from the dead Wee may not take upon us to judge what is spiritually good and what may tend to Gods glory the Word of God onely must bee judge of that You see then we may account nothing unlawfull or unfit to bee done that God in his Word hath commanded or allowed us to do Thirdly Whatsoever God in his Word hath commanded or appointed us to doe although the thing may seeme unto us never so small a trifle yet the doing of it is a good worke in Gods account and our precisenesse in making conscience of it is a thing highly pleasing unto God The Church in Ezraes time is commended Ezra 3.4 because they kept the feast of the tabernacles as it is written And Moses is praised for this by the Holy Ghost Heb. 3.2 that hee was faithfull in all Gods house because in the least thing that was done about the making of Gods house he precisely followed the direction that God had given him as it is expressely noted of him Exod. 40.16.19.21.23.25.27.29.32 Yea we read Exod. 39.43 that when Bezaleel and Aholiab and the rest had finished the making of the Tabernacle Moses did looke upon all the worke and when he saw they had done every thing just as the Lord had commanded then he blessed them Why What if they had missed in a cord or a pin or in some other such like trifle Surely hee blessed them for making every thing even these small trifles according to their patterne So the Holy Ghost praiseth Daniel for this as for a thing wherein his piety and the uprightnesse of his heart did greatly appeare and wherein he highly pleased God Dan. 1.8 that he purposed in his heart that hee would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he dranke nay though this his strictnesse was likely to endanger the life of the prince of the Eunuches his noble friend verse 10. Why how could this have defiled him Surely either for this cause because the portion of the Kings meat was of such things as God in his law had forbidden his people to eat of Levit. 11. or rather for it is not likely that all the Kings meat was of such creatures as were by that law prohibited and if all the meat were yet the Kings wine certainely was not because they were things offered unto Idolls and used to the honour of them as we may see Dan. 5.4 Certainely if flesh and bloud might have had the censuring of this fact of Daniel they would have counted him a precise foole for standing upon such a trifle as this specially in a case of so great danger yet doth the Lord you see commend him for it Fourthly No worship we can doe unto God though it carry never so great a shew of devotion and zeale no good worke we can do though it seeme to tend never so much to the profit and benefit of men can be acceptable unto God unlesse it be done by the direction of the Word See this confirmed by the direction the Apostle giveth the Corinthians touching the esteeme they should have the Ministers of the Gospell in 1 Cor. 4.6 Learne saith he not to thinke of men above that which is written As if he should say Though this carry a great shew of zeale in it yet know that even in this point you must follow your rule or you may sinne dangerously See one notable instance for this which may serve in stead of many The building of a Temple for God to be solemnly worshipped in was as good a worke one would have thought as it was possible for any man to doe David it appeareth by the vow hee made in his affliction Psalme 132 1 5. and by his speech to Nathan 2 Sam. 7.2 thought he could not do a better worke then this nor honour God any way more Nay Nathan himselfe thought so too as appeareth by the incouragement he gave to David in it 2 Sam. 7.3 And yet if any of the Iudges or if David himselfe should have done it this had not beene a good worke they had not pleased God in it Shalt thou build me a house saith the Lord to David 2 Sam. 7.5 for me to dwell in And why had not this beene a good worke Why would God have rejected it Surely because they had no Word of God that required or directed them to doe it and the Temple was to be built by speciall warrant For this reason the Lord himselfe giveth for it 1 Chron. 17.6 Spake I one word to any one of the Iudges saying Why have yee not built me an house Fiftly Admit the worke it selfe be such as God hath commanded and wee doe it also with a good mind yet if in the least circumstance of it we swerve from this patterne the worke is not good in Gods strict account nor fully acceptable unto him See a plaine instance of this 2 Chron. 30 18-â—0 because they did eate the Passeover otherwise then it was written though they did for the substance of it do an excellent service unto God and such as he had commanded yet was God not pleased with them nor their service for it is said Hezekiah prayed earnestly to God to pardon them and that upon his prayer God healed the people Sixtly and lastly God is so farre from accounting any thing we doe a good worke though we have never so good a meaning and intent in it if it bee not done by direction of his Word that he is highly provoked by it and cannot endure it If a subject should lend or give to his Prince a great summe of money yet if either all or any part of it did appeare to his prince to be of his owne coining he would be so farre from thanking him that he would rather araigne him as a Traitor for it And even so it is with the Lord he cannot abide but is highly provoked with our will worship and when we thinke to please him by doing of that which is good in our owne eyes without direction of his Word Take two notable examples for this The one in Nadab and Abihu who because they offered incense unto God with strange fire that
God had not commanded were suddenly consumed with fire from heaven Levit. 10.1 2. The other is in Vzzah who because in a right good intent hee put forth his hand to stay the arke from falling which hee had no calling nor warrant from Gods Word to do the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and strucke him dead suddenly 2 Sam 6.6.7 And thus have we seene what is the rule and patterne of all true righteousnesse and that nothing can be a good worke that is not done by the direction of Gods Word which is the first generall poiâ—t I propounded in handling the first property of true goodnesse Let us proceed now to the second of them That the cleaving unto the word and following the direction of it in all that we doe is a good note of an upright heart To make Gods Word the onely guide of our life to make conscience of nothing as in it selfe sinfull or holy but onely of that which God hath commanded or forbidden in his Word is a singular note of an upright heart See the proofe of this first in the description the Holy Ghost maketh of the man that hath an upright heart Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled or the perfect and sincere in the way Yea but how shall we know who are such Who walke in the law of the Lord saith hee As if hee should have said that is the note to know them by So verse 7. I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements And Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Yea but how shall we know him That delighteth greatly in his commandements That is the way to know who truly feareth God Secondly See the proofe of this in foure notable examples 1. Iob was an upright hearted man Iob 1.1 Yea himselfe was very confident of the uprightnesse of his heart as you may see Iob 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth like gold And what made him so confident of this That he telleth you in the next words verse 11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food 2. Of David likewise God himselfe giveth testimony 1 King 9.4 that he had walked before him in integrity and uprightnesse of heart But how did that appeare That he telleth you in the next words by doing according to all that I have commanded 3. Of Iehoshaphat God giveth testimony 2 Chron. 19.3 that he prepared his heart to seeke God he had an upright heart How did it appeare Surely when he shewed most frailty in taking part first with Ahab then with his sonne Ioram yet even then the uprightnesse of his heart appeared in his dependance upon the direction of Gods Word and the high account he made of it 1 King 22.5 Enquire I pray thee at the word of the Lord saith he to Ahab And verse 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that we may enquire of him And the same you shall see noted of him also when he went with Ioram 2 King 3.11 Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord that we may enquire of the Lord by him And when he heard that Elisha was there The word of the Lord is with him saith he ver 12. so he and by his meanes the other two Kings likewise sent not for the Prophet though that they might well have done but went downe to him The fourth and last example is Iosiah of whose goodnesse the Holy Ghost makes honourable mention even after his death 2 Chron. 35.26 Now the rest of the acts of Iosiah and his goodnesse As if hee should say There was goodnesse indeed and truth of grace in him But how is that proved According to all that is written in the Law of the Lord saith the Text As if he had said His goodnesse appeared in making Gods written Word the onely rule of his life Now let us make some application of all this that wee have heard touching this first property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse and that 1 by way of exhortation 2 by way of tryall and examination of our owne hearts For the first If this be so that the written Word of God is the onely rule of true righteousnesse if it be so perfect a rule and patterne as we have heard if the following of the direction of it in all things be so sure a note of an upright heart then what a necessity is there laid upon every one of us that desire to please God to exercise our selves with all diligence in the reading and hearing and meditating of it What marvell is it though not onely Kings and Magistrates Deut. 17.18.19 Iosh. 1.8 be commanded daily to read and meditate in it but that the Holy Ghost describeth the blessed and good man Psal. 1.2 by this that his delight is in the law of the Lord and in it he doth meditate day and night O with what certainty and security and comfort might we walke in all our wayes if we had that knowledge in the Word and were so well acquainted with it as in these daies wherein we live and under such meanes as we enjoy we might be Secondly Let us all examine the uprightnesse of our hearts by this note 1. Certainly if we make no reckoning of the Word delight not in it desire not the knowledge of it but have other rules to guide our lives and consciences by beside the Word how much devotion so ever seemeth to be in us how good so ever our lives are there is no truth nor uprightnesse in our hearts If either we make the commandements and customes of men or our own heart and good meaning the rule of our spirituall life or if we make conscience of and be religiously strict in the observation of such things as God in his Word hath given us no direction for we are no better then hypocrites See how bitter our Saviour is against the Pharisees for the great conscience they made themselves and for the great zeale they shewed in pressing others to the observation of their purifyings as a point of holinesse which they had no other warrant for but the tradition of their elders and the commandements of men Mar. 7.6 and so forward For this he calleth them hypocrites and saith they did worship God in vaine And the Apostle likewise against such as did forbid marriage and the eating of meates that Gods Word did allow 1 Tim. 4.1 3. he saith this was a doctrine of divels that they that taught it taught lies through hypocrisie and had their consciences seared with a hot iron Marke well I say the vehemency and bitternesse of them both against these men and you will see cause to wonder at it For admit this was an errour
that loveth the Lord is a good man a sound elect Christian an upright hearted man Let them that love thy name all good men all sound hearted men saith David Psal. 5.11 be joyfull in thee So Psal. 119.132 Looke thou upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe to those that love thy name If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne of him As if he had said Whatsoever men may thinke of such howsoever men may account many of such to be no better then hypocrites yea howsoever they may oft times thinke so of themselves also yet God approveth and highly esteemeth of them Secondly All Gods promises are appropriated unto such as love the Lord and therfore all such must needs be upright in heart See this first in heavenly and eternall blessings Iames 1.12 He shall receive the crowne of liâ—â— which the Lord hath promised to them that love him and 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that love him All that love the Lord shall goe to heaven and none but they See this secondly in spirituall blessings All the comforts of the Gospell righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost the fatnesse of Gods house comfort in the Word and Sacraments are promised to them that love the Lord and to none but them 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him See this thirdly in temporall blessings Because he hath set his love upon me saith the Lord Psal. 91.14 therefore will I deliver him Rom. 8.28 We know that all things worke together for the good of such as love God They that love God may be sure to be made the better by their prosperity and by their adversity by their sicknesse and by their health everything that befalleth them shall be sanctified unto them and to none but such And on the other side he that loveth not the Lord hath no right to any blessing of God no promise of God belongeth unto him but a certaine looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.27 If any man love not the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 16.22 let him bee Anathema Maranatha as if hee had said let him bee accursed even unto the comming of Christ to judgement Thirdly and lastly See this confirmed by a practicall experiment When Peter was so dejected in the sense of his fearefull sinne that hee thought himselfe unworthy ever to be imployed or to meddle any more in the worke of his Apostleship and ministery see how and by what argument our Saviour seeketh to raise him and comfort him Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me As if he had said If this bee in thee be of good comfort thou art not quite fallen from God thy heart is upright for all thy fall And thus may we comfort any poore Christian in their greatest distresse of Conscience You see then that that we doe out of true love to God will give us a comfortable testimony that our hearts are upright so will not that doe that is done meerely out of such a feare of Gods wrath as hath no mixture of love in it See an instance for this in those false hearted Iewes that perished in the wildernesse as wee shall find it set downe Psal. 78.34 36 37. When he slew them sometimes by fiery serpents sometimes by strange pestilence and other judgements then they sought him and returned and enquired early after God They made great shewes of repentance great protestations of amendment as you have knowne many lewd men in extreame sicknesses doe But what came all these shewes unto That you shall find verse 36 37. They did but flatter him with their mouth and they lied to him with their tongues for their hearts were not right with him There is no truth of heart in those shewes of repentance and goodnesse that are extorted from us onely by the judgements of God and sense of his wrath that grow out of that feare that hath no mixture of love in it Now let us make some application of this that we have heard And seeing whatsoever good thing we doe out of love to God is pleasing to him and nothing els if we truly love the Lord our hearts are upright if the love of God be not in us there is no truth in our hearts but we shall be sure to have our portion with hypocrites Let us therefore try our owne hearts by this note Let us every one of us seriously bethinke our selves if the Lord should speake to every one of us particularly and by name and aske us that question that he did Peter Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me what answer wee would be able to make unto him Certainely your answer to this question would be very indifferent Some of you that have no love of God in you at all but hate him in your hearts would be ready to answer him most confidently and some others of you that doe indeed intirely and unfeignedly love him would make a very doubtfull and fearefull answer unto this question Let mee direct my speech to you both severally and apart For the first of you I know you will be ready to say Is there any man so ungracious so lewd that he doth not love the Lord that he doth hate the Lord Yes yes alas there be many such in the world and in the Church too They hate the Lord not as he is their Creatour and preserver for in those respects they will seeme to love him but as he is a law-giver and hath given them such lawes as do curbe them and are most crosse and contrary to their nature as he is their Soveraigne Lord and King that requireth obedience of them unto those lawes as he is God the avenger as the Prophet calleth him Psal. 94.1 that will take vengeance of them for their sinnes in these respects they hate him His Citizens hated him saith our Saviour in the Parable Luke 19.14 we will not have him to reigne over us Yea they hate him with a mortall hatred Their soule abhorred me saith the Lord Zach. 11.8 and wish with all their hearts as to their most mortall enemy a fearefull thing to be spoken or thought that he had no being that he were quite rid out of the world Many such wretches I say there be in the world and even in the Church too and if thou knewest thy selfe well thou wouldst find thy selfe to be of that wretched number But though thou knowest not thy selfe the Lord knoweth thee well and will one day say to thee as he said to a great number that were members of the true Church as thou art professours of the true religion as thou
is so farre from keeping all the commandements of God that he breaketh them all he keepeth none of them as they ought to be kept Thus speaketh holy and zealous Nehemiah of all Gods people and putteth himselfe in the number Neh. 1.7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee and have not kept the commandements nor the statutes nor the judgements which thou commandedst thy servant Moses Yea be hath certainely a false heart no uprightnesse no truth of grace in it that saith in his heart of the commandements of God as that rich young man did Mat. 19.20 All these things I have kept from my youth up or that thinketh himselfe to bee free from the transgression of any one of the commandements of God Secondly I answer Though this be so no man keepeth all no man keepeth any legally that is so as the law requireth so as to satisfie the law and to free himselfe by his obedience from the curse of the law yet is there never an upright hearted man in the world not the weakest of them all but he keepeth all the commandements of God evangelically that is so as in the new covenant of grace he is in Christ accepted of and accounted to have kept them all For this is the new covenant that God hath made with his people Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my juâ—gements and doe them David did so as we have heard Zachary and Elizabeth did so yea the Apostle saith thus of all faithfull 1 Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because wee keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight For 1 there is no one commandement but in his minde and judgement he consenteth unto it and saith of it as Rom. 7.12 The commandement is holy and just and good He can say of himselfe as David did Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right 2. There is no one commandement of God that he doth wittingly dispense with himselfe in but he maketh conscience of it and it hath a divine authority in his heart He can say with David Psal. 119.6 that he hath respect to all Gods commandements And with Paul Rom. 7.15 That which I doe when I transgresse any commandement I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. As if hee had said I would faine keepe every commandement of God though I doe it not my desire is to doe the will of God in all things I dislike in my selfe and hate every transgression of the law of God And he that doth thus approve in his minde and set his seale unto every commandement of God he that doth thus make conscience of and unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things is certainely an happy man Never did any hypocrite or naturall man in the world goe thus farre He is not thus subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 neâ—ther indeed can be He cannot esteeme in his mind all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right but he hath in himselfe secret reasonings and imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 10.5 against some part of Gods will revealed in his Word neither can he make conscience of or in his will unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things but doth willingly dispence with himselfe in some things and say with Naaman 2 King 5.18 In this thing the Lord beare with thy servant No no never could hypocrite goe thus farre Thou that canst thus consent unto Gods law and approve of Gods will revealed in his Word in all points and dost unfeignedly desire to doe every thing the Lord requireth of thee thou hast certainely notwithstanding all thy failings an upright heart yea thou art a righteous man in Gods sight not onely by imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse unto thee but by an inherent righteousnesse which the spirit of Christ hath wrought in thee The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.4 Thou dost keepe all the commandements of God though not legally or so as to be justified thereby yet Evangelically and so as by the new covenant of grace through Christ thou art esteemed by God as a fullfiller of them all And this made Paul to say Rom. 7. â—7 It is no more I that doe it as if hee had said I am not a transgressour of the law And verse 25. I my selfe serve the law of God as if he had said I do keepe and observe Gods law And so much may serve for the answer to the first question The second question is this Hath no man an upright heart that maketh more conscience of some of Gods commandements then of other some My answer to this question must consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how farre forth an upright hearted man may and ought to shew more respect to some of Gods commandements then to other some 2. How and wherein hee doth and must shew an equall respect unto them all For the first A man may have an upright heart and yet be more slacke and carelesse in some duties then in other in his obedience to some of the commandements of God then in other more apt to offend in some sinnes then in other This may arise 1. Sometimes from this that he hath more light and knowledge of his duty in some things then in other So it was with Iacob and the Patriarchs who being most holy men in other things yet made no conscience at all of Polygamy because though it was ever a sinne yet it was not knowne by them to be so 2. Sometimes from this that their tentations are stronger to some sinnes then to other and their pull-backs stronger to with-hold them from some duties then from other Of both these cases we have an example in Iehosaphat Iehosaphat was as zealous as any King of Iudah for the planting of true religion throughout his kingdome as you may see 2 Chron. 17.6 9. and yet in the abolishing of the reliques of idolatry he shewed nothing so much zeale as Hezekiah and Iosiah did Alas it was with him as with our good King Edward he did what he could but was not able to doe it as you shall see 2 Chron. 20.33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers The backwardnesse of the people did hinder him he could not doe as he would So in another case he that shewed in all his other courses such a deale of piety and zeale how great want of zeale and piety did he shew in that league and affinity that he made with Ahab and being so ready to helpe both him and after him his two sonnes Iehoram and Ahaziah three as grosse
usefull not fit to edifie himselfe in faith and obedience unto God For as it is an argument of a vaine and unsound heart in a Minister to teach any thing that tendeth not to the edifying of the people in faith and godlinesse as the Apostle telleth Timothy some did in his time 1 Tim. 1.3 4. This the Apostle saith was the rule that he followed in teaching Acts 20.20 he taught them not all that he was able to teach but he kept backe nothing that was profitable for them So it is a signe of a vaine and unsound heart in an hearer to desire to know more in religion then may be of use unto him for his owne practise The wisdome of the prudent saith Solomon Pro. 14.8 is to understand his way how hee may walke to please God This was the knowledge that David desired Psal. 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge As if he had said such as may doe me good and make me better Now the upright hearted man to the end he may not offend God in any thing but obey his will in all things he desireth to know the whole will of God so farre as it concerneth him and may be profitable for him to know it I opened my mouth and panted saith David Psal. 119.131 for I longed for thy commandements as if he had said to know them that I might not breake them And thus he saith Psal. 18.22 23. that he approved to his owne heart his uprightnesse and integrity For all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes any of them from me I was also upright before him As wee see it is with wise men specially with justices and officers they will acquaint themselves well with the statutes that they may doe nothing in their office that is against law and so bring themselves into danger So is it with the wise and prudent hearted Christian in this case I am thine save me saith David Psal. 119.94 for I have sought thy precepts And indeed how is it possible for him to be afraid to offend God in any thing or desirous to doe the will of God in all things that is not carefull to enquire and know what the will of God is in all things So it is said of Ezra 7.10 that hee had prepared his heart to seeke the law of the Lord and to doe it Thus David charged his Princes and Nobles and Commons in that great Parliament and common Councell that he summoned not long before his death 1 Chron. 28.8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the Congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keepe and seeke for all the commandements of the Lord your God As if he had said You cannot keepe them unlesse first you seeke to know them If this be so then is there certainely no truth of grace no uprightnesse of heart in many men First What truth of grace can there be in them that professe to all men by their despising the meanes that they desire not the knowledge of the will of God of which sort notwithstanding there bee many that are passing well perswaded of the uprightnesse of their owne hearts Of these men the Holy Ghost hath given sentence long since Iob 21.14 They say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies As though he should say They that doe not desire the knowledge of his waies how honest men soever they seeme to be do certainely in their hearts say unto God depart from us they would have nothing to doe with him by their good will And Ps. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes As if he should say They that never seek to know what God hath either forbidden or commanded them in his Word are farre from salvation Secondly Such as though they seeme to love the meanes and so to desire knowledge of Gods will yet never seeke to know the will of God in those cases that concerne their owne practise in particular It is the ordinance of God ye know Mat. 2.7 that his people should seeke his law at the mouth of his messenger And Iohns hearers did so his ministery wrought feares and doubts in them and both the people and the Publicans and the souldiers came to him as you may see Luk. 3.10.12.14 to be resolved in their doubts and said unto him What shall we do But our hearers have no doubts no cases of conscience to be resolved in No man ever asketh the question whether that that he hath gotten by usury or by gaming or by filling in of pots to men till they be drunke and have made themselves beasts be lawfully gotten or no. No man asketh is God pleased with the gaine that I get thus Will God blesse it to me and mine Thirdly and lastly Such also have cause to suspect the truth of their owne hearts that wittingly and purposely shun the knowledge of some parts of Gods will that concerne their owne practise because if they should know them and not doe accordingly their conscience would be disquieted and if they should practise them they must incurre danger and trouble and it is good sleeping thinke they in a whole skin Let none that are such flatter themselves in this that they thanke God they doe nothing against their conscience they doe nothing that they know to bee evill and displeasing to God For if thou wilfully close thine owne eyes against any part of Gods will that thou mayest not see it as those Iewes did that our Saviour condemneth Matth. 13.15 if there bee any truth of God concerning which it may bee said of thee as the Apostle speaketh of some wicked men in his time 2 Peter 3.5 this thou art willingly ignorant of certainely thy heart is unsound and the Lord will judge thee as one that hath sinned not out of ignorance but wilfully And so much shall serve to bee spoken of the first of these three points that I propounded touching the equall respect that the upright-hearted man beareth to all the commandements of God He desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne him in one point as well as in another Secondly Hee maketh conscience of every sinne that God hath in his law condemned of one as well as of another It is no argument of sincerity to make conscience of and to hate some sinnes The Pharisee you know could say Luke 18.11 God I thanke thee I am not as other men are I am not so bad as such and such are I am not extortioner no unjust man in my dealings with men no adulterer But this is oft made in Scripture a note of uprightnesse to make conscience of every knowne sinne of one as well as of another Thus David describeth them that are undefiled in the way Psal. 119.3 They also doe no iniquity As if hee had said Not wittingly as giving themselves liberty in any sinne By
this David approveth to himselfe and to the Lord the uprightnesse of his heart Psalme 119.101 I have refrained my feete from every evill way And by this property doth the Prophet describe the blessed man Esa 56.2 Hee keepeth his hand from doing any evill Let every one of us make triall of our hearts by this note Doe we make conscience of every sinne This may best be discerned in three sorts of sinnes especially First In the conscience wee make of our beloved and darling sinnes viz. such as our naturall inclination or custome or the profit or pleasure they yeeld us have made dearer to us then other sinnes Iehu seemed in many things a very zealous and good man but there was one sinne he could not leave and the hypocrisie of his heart was discovered by that 2 Kin. 10.31 But Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the law of the Lord with all his heart that is with an upright heart How did that appeare that his heart was unsound for hee departed not from the sinne of Ieroboam Why could hee not leave that sinne Oh that was a sinne that the custome of his countrey had by long use made most familiar and it was also a very profitable sinne hee thought it may seeme and so did the rest of the Kings of Israell as Ieroboam did when first hee erected that idolatry 1 Kings 12.26.28 that if hee should have abolished the idols of Dan and Bethel and let the people goe according to Gods ordinance to worship at Ierusalem onely it would have cost him his kingdome Herods example also is notable to this purpose How many good things are noted in him Mar. 6.20 yet was the hypocrisie of his heart discovered in this he could not leave his incest Why not that as well as other sinnes that Iohn reproved He was more strongly inclined by nature unto that sinne that sinne yeelded him more pleasure then other sinnes did it was his darling sinne It is not the conscience a man maketh of some sinnes that will assure him of the uprightnesse of his heart but when thou canst make conscience of hate and strive against the sinne thou art most inclined to by nature the sinne thou findest most sweetnesse in the sin of which thou canst say as Demetrius said of his Acts 19.25 by this craft I get my wealth this will give thee a comfortable assurance of the uprightnesse of thy heart Secondly Try thy heart in the conscience thou makest of secret sinnes A man that maketh no conscience of any sin may yet bee able to bridle himselfe from open sins If one know them saith Iob 24.17 they are in the terrours of the shadow of death The feare of shame and discredite with men hath great force to restraine them but in secret they care not what they doe It is a shame even to speake saith the Apostle Ephesians 5.12 of those things which are done of them in secret But hee that maketh conscience sinning even in secret he is the upright-hearted man he disliketh sin because it is sin even out of conscience towards God 1. When a man maketh conscience of speaking or doing any thing that is evill even at home in his owne family as well as abroad among strangers and can say with David Psalme 101.2 I will walke within my house with a perfect heart 2. When a man maketh conscience of sin even there where hee may doe it so secretly as no man can know of it as Ioseph did Gen. 39.11 and David that was greatly troubled and beggeth pardon for his secret faults Psalm 19.12 3. When a man maketh conscience even of sinfull thoughts which of all secret sins are most secret The thoughts of the righteous are right saith Solomon Prov. 12.5 Thus Iob gathering together all the evidences hee could of the uprightnesse of his heart doth mention this as one of the first and chiefest of them that hee durst not give liberty to himselfe no not in unchast and uncleane thoughts I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke upon a maid saith hee Iob 31.1 And hee that maketh no conscience of the wickednesse of his thoughts the vanity maliciousnesse worldlinesse of them certainly hath no truth of grace in him Evill thoughts are set in the first ranke of those things that defile a man and make him loathsome to God Mat. 15.19 Thirdly and lastly Hee that desireth to know whether hee doe indeed make conscience of all sinne let him try his heart by the conscience hee maketh of the smallest sins Of foule and grosse and palpable sins there is no civill man nor hypocrite almost but hee seemeth to make great conscience but they hate precisenesse in trifles as they call them in matters of circumstance and ceremony and gesture in small oathes in merry talke in restraining men of their Christian liberty in matter of their attire or diet or recreations this they say is grosse hypocrisie And indeed so it were as I told you the last day if 1. these things they make such conscience of be not forbidden of God 2. or if though they be so they make more or as much conscience either of them as they doe of the weightier points of Gods law But bee not deceived it is no signe of an hypocrite to make conscience of the least sin God hath forbidden nay hee is certainely an hypocrite that doth not so nay I say more it is a surer note of uprightnesse to make conscience of the smallest sinnes then of the greatest only For there it will bee hard to discerne whether the shame of the world or the conscience of Gods commandement onely moved us In this Davids uprightnesse of heart appeared 1 Samuel 24.5 His heart smote him for cutting off Sauls skirt And Paul in the conscience hee made of a private promise hee had made to the Corinthians to see them in his journey towards Macedonia See what a protestation hee maketh 2 Corinth 1.18 that he did not use lightnesse in making that promise nor when he had made it was careles of his word As God is true saith hee our word to you was not yea and nay that is light and wavering And marke his reason verse 19. For the Sonne of God Iesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by mee and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea As if he should say as I have made conscience in my preaching to you to speake nothing but the certaine truth so doe I in my private speeches and promise also If wee that are ministers be vaine and light persons in our private conversations it is much to bee feared if the Apostles reason bee good that though wee teach the truth yet wee doe it not in uprightnesse of heart and out of conscience towards God But I will conclude this point with those two sentences of our blessed Saviour Matthew 5.19 Whosoever shall breake one one I say of these least commaundements
this Neh. 1.11 that he desired to feare Gods name The third example is the Apostle Pauls who desiring the prayers of Gods people for himselfe Heb. 13.18 mentioneth this for their encouragement therein and for his owne comfort that hee had a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Rom. 7. he professeth verse 20 It is no more â— that doe it he did not transgresse Gods law Why so Because as he saith ver 15 hee did not in his mind allow himselfe in any evill that which I doe I allow not And because whatsoever evill he did was against his will verse 16 I doe that which I would not And verse 19. The evill which I would not that I doe and verse 15. What I hate that doe I. So on the other side hee professeth verse 25. that hee himselfe did serve the law of God hee kept Gods law How could that bee when hee confesseth verse 18. that hee found no ability in himselfe to performe that which is good Yes he telleth us how he kept the law for all that Because 1. in his mind hee did consent to the law that it is good verse 16. and verse 12. The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just and good and verse 25. With the mind I my selfe serve the law of God 2 In his will he did desire to obey God in every commandement To will is present with me saith he ver 18. and ver 19. The good that I would I doe not and verse 21. When I would doe good evill is present Certainely these holy men would never have made such mention of the goodnesse of their minds and desires if they had not held this a certaine evidence that they were in the state of grace if they had not beleeved that no sinne shall bee imputed to us which wee doe not allow our selves in and which wee commit against the desire and purpose of our hearts if they had not beleeved that that man hath truth of grace in him that doth unfeinedly desire grace hee doth truly beleeve that doth thus desire to beleeve hee doth truly repent that thus desireth to repent hee doth obey God in all things and lead an holy life that doth thus unfeinedly desire to doe so But see a second proofe of this in the sentence and testimony that God in his word hath given of such men Of this sort I will alleage but two only The first is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 If there bee first a willing mind a man is accepted it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man have a mind unfeinedly willing to doe good hee is accepted of God and that that is said of doing good may bee sayd likewise of beleeving of repenting and of every other grace if a man have a mind unfeinedly willing and desirous to beleeve to repent to love and feare God hee is accepted of God And how could he bee accepted of God if hee had not these graces in him indeed The second testimony is that which our Saviour giveth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse And how could they be blessed that hunger after righteousnesse if they be not righteous how could he that hungreth after faith or any other saving grace be a blessed man â—f this unfeined desire were not a certaine evidence that there is truth of saving faith and grace in that man The third and last proofe is taken from the reasons and grounds of this and those are two First Because this unfeined desire of grace cannot grow from nature seeing while wee were in the state of nature wee were like to him which had a spirit of an uncleane Devill who cryed out with a loud voyce saying Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God Luk 4.34 but is the worke of Gods sanctifying spirit It is God that worketh in us saith the Apostle Phil. 2 â—3 to will as well as to doe and that of his good pleasure his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his speciall favour and love Secondly This is a speciall part of that purchase that Christ hath made for us That whereas in the first covenant that God made with man no obedience pleased him but an exact doing of whatsoever hee commanded and the sentence of the law raâ—ne thus Galathians 3 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them Christ by performing in his owne person this exact obedience to the law for us hath procured that our poore and imperfect obedience which standeth more in an unfeined desire and endeavour to doe the will of God then in any performance we are able to make should be acceptable unto him as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2.5 Yet is there a third objection that these poore soules are apt to make against themselves and my desire is to give them as full satisfaction in all their doubts as I can I grant all this saith one that if I had a true and unfeined desire of grace then I had truth of grace in mee indeed I had all the signes of uprightnesse in mee if I did indeed unfeinedly desire them But alas the good desires that seeme to bee in me are most hypocriticall and unsound If I did unfeinedly and with a good and upright heart desire grace I could not be so void of grace as I am For the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psalme 145.19 Hee filleth the hungry with good things Luke 1.53 To this I answer Take heed of denying the work of Gods grace in thy selfe It is an high degree of unthankefulnesse to doe so But take these for certaine evidences that the desire of thy heart is right First Thou esteemest more of the favour of God and of his grace then of any thing else in the world and canst say with David Psalm 4.6 I would joy more in the light of thy countenance then ever worldling or Epicure did in his wealth or pleasure Secondly Thou allowest not thy selfe but strivest against every sinne and corruption thou findest in thy selfe and feelest in thy selfe that blessed combate that Paul speaketh of Galath 5.17 The spirit lusteth against the flesh Thirdly Thou seekest by prayer and all other good meanes to get more grace and cryest with that poore man Marke 9.24 Lord helpe mine unbeliefe Lord helpe my impenitency my worldlinesse c. Yea even when thou hast hardest conceit against thy selfe that thou art but an hypocrite but a cast-away yet thou cryest and prayest still to God for grace as David did Psalme 31.22 Fourthly and lastly Thou mournest and grievest unfeinedly that thou hast no more faith no more grace Thou dost as that poore man Marke 9.24 hee cryed out of his infidelity and watered
in Christ Iesus That hee telleth us in the next words verse 22. that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse As though he had said Every one that hath learned Christ aright and is taught of God hath true and sanctified knowledge in him cannot but forsake his old sins and become a new man It is such a knowledge of God as whereby wee are changed into the same image as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.18 from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. See this briefly confirmed in both the parts of true godlinesse that is to say both in eschewing of evill and in doing of good For the first Heare what the Lord saith Iob 28.28 To depart from evill is understanding As if he had said This is the onely right knowledge sanctified and saving understanding that hath power in it to kill sin in a man to make him forsake all knowne sins Yea the knowledge of Gods Word if it be a Gods teaching will make a man not onely to eschew evill but to doe it out of a zealous hatred of sin Through thy precepts I get understanding saith David Psal. 119.104 therefore I hate every false way As if he should say The more my knowledge in thy Word increaseth to more my hatred to every sinne increaseth likewise See this also in the other part of godlinesse In doing of good A man of understanding walketh uprightly saith Solomon Pro. 15.21 If wee know any duty God requireth of us with a sanctified knowledge we cannot but make conscience of the practise of it yea practise it with uprightnesse and sincerity of heart A good understanding saith David Psal. 111.10 have all they that doe his commandements As if hee had said That and that onely is good understanding sanctified and saving knowledge that draweth a man to obedience to the practise of that he doth know So the Lord speaketh of the knowledge that was in good Iosiah Ier. 22.16 He judged the cause of the poore and needy was not this to know me saith the Lord As if he should have said This was sound and sanctified knowledge indeed that made him conscionable in the duties of his particular calling This wisedome that commeth from above as the Apostle speaketh Iames 3.17 this knowledge that is of Gods teaching is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Let me now make some application of this in two points First To stop the mouthes of Papists and others that object our religion cannot be the truth because it bringeth forth no better fruits it reformeth not the lives of them that professe it most and have most knowledge in it that cry out against all profession and following after the meanes of knowledge because many that know most are worse men then any other To these men I have three things to answer First That our religion may be the true and holy religion of God though they that professe it bee most lewd and wicked men For so was the religion that Christ and his Apostles taught though Iudas who was both a professour and a preacher of it were so lewd a man Secondly That our religion and every principle and doctrine in it even those that are most slandered to tend unto licentiousnesse the doctrine of predestination of conversion by grace onely of justification by faith alone of certainty of salvation of finall perseverance is so holy such an enemie to all sin so effectuall to reforme the heart and life of a man as it is not possible for him that truly understandeth and beleeveth it but his heart and life must needs bee reformed by it Even such a religion as the Apostle describeth and calleth 1 Tim. 6 3. A doctrine which is according to Godlinesse Thirdly That such professours of it at whose lives they stumble so what shew so ever they make of knowledge in it though they professe it yet they doe not indeed understand and beleeve it they have no true and sound knowledge in it for they are sensuall and not having the spirit Iude 19. And it is not flesh and bloud that can reveile these things unto a man as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 16.17 But there is a spirit in man saith Elihu Ioâ— 32.8 and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding He that liveth in any knowne sinne understandeth nothing aright in our religion Of every such a one be he never so learned that may be said which the Holy Ghost speaketh of the harlot Pro. 9.13 He is simple and knoweth nothing He that maketh not conscience of every commandement and duty that God hath enjoyned him in his generall or particular calling hath no sound and true knowledge of God or of religion in him He that saith I know him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.4 and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Secondly Let me apply this by way of exhortation unto every one of you Labour to feele the knowledge thou hast gotten out of Gods Word to bee a powerfull and effectuall knowledge in thee that it ruleth and mastereth thee so as thou darest not goe against it darest not but obey it Not onely in grosse and great sins but even in smallest even to the reforming of thy choller and moderating of thy passions He that hath knowledge spareth his words saith Solomon Pro. 17.27 and a man of understanding is of a coole spirit Els 1 thou canst have no comfort in all thy knowledge if it be not powerfull to restraine thee to reforme thee Iohn 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them As if he had said not els It is no happinesse to have knowledge carnall knowledge naturall knowledge that is not sanctified not effectual 2. The more thou hast of it the more it will increase thy sinne Iames 4.17 He that knoweth to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne And consequently the more thou hast of it the more extreame shall thy condemnation and torment be You know the saying of our Saviour Luke 12.47 The servant that knoweth his maâ—sters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And so it is with Saâ—an who as he knoweth more in religion then any man and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall his torments be greater then any mans both in the life to come Matth. 25.41 those unspeakable torments are prepared chiefly for him and his angels and even in this life also his knowledge increaseth his torments The divels beleeve and tremble saith the Apostle Iames 2.19 The certaine knowledge he hath of things revealed in the Word worketh unspeakable horâ—ours in him O glory not in that knowledge that hath no power in it to reforme thee but tremble to thinke how
give you Pastours according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding It is the Lord of the harvest that sendeth forth labourers into his harvest as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 9.38 And even as hee did at the first in the Primitive Church not onely send forth his Apostles his chiefe labourers into his harvest but did also appoint them the speciall field and part of the field where they should worke Goe not into the way of the Gentiles saith our Saviour to them Matthew 10.5 6. and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not but goe rather to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And after when hee did send them to the Gentiles to worke in that field hee still had a speciall hand in appointing them what part of the field they should worke in He forbad them to preach the Word in Asia Acts 16.6 and verse 7. Hee suffered them not to goe into Bythinia and verse 10. hee called and commanded them to goe into Macedonia and to preach the Gospell there And even so now also though not so sensibly as then because visions and revelations are now ceased yet as truly and powerfully the Lord hath still a speciall hand in disposing the ministery of his Word who shall enjoy it and who shall want it how long it shall continue where it is and when it shall bee removed from thence It is hee that holdeth the seven starres that is all the starres of the Churches in his right hand as our Saviour speaketh of himselfe Revel 2.1 he disposeth of them as it pleaseth him And hee also protecteth and maintaineth them no man shall bee able to plucke them out of his hand or to remove them till they have done the worke that hee hath appointed them to doe and hee lay them downe himselfe And so the Lord speaketh of his two witnesses that is of that competent number of faithfull teachers that God said hee would raise up to his Church to discover and oppose Antichrist Revel 11. not onely that the just period of time even to a day was determined by him how long they should prophesie verse 3. even a thousand two hundred and threescore daies but also verse 7. that till they had finished their testimony and done that work which the Lord had appointed them the beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit should not make warre against them nor overcome and kill them Let no man impute it either to chance or to the goodnesse or policy of man that the Gospell which is banished out of the Palatinate and many other places is preached in this land and among us so plentifully that it hath continued and made it abode with us for so long a time No no let us acknowledge Gods speciall hand and goodnesse towards our land and towards our selves in this and let him have all the glory of it Certainely if wee had hearts rightly to consider and weigh this with our selves wee would find just cause to say of this as the Church doth in another case Psal. 118.23 This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes It is of the Lord certainely and of his speciall goodnesse that any man doth enjoy the benefit of a sound ministery whereby hee hath his outward calling unto grace and which is the ordinary meanes of his conversion And even in this first respect the conversion of a man is to be ascribed unto God alone Secondly As God giveth the meanes of grace to all such as doe enjoy them it is of his gift and goodnesse onely that they have them so is this a speciall and rare favour of God not common unto all men All men have not meanes given them of God sufficient to convert them and bring them to saving grace This is a peculiar favour that God vouchsafeth but unto some it is not common to all men It is an errour to thinke that God doth in this respect love and desire the salvation of all men alike that hee giveth to one as well as to another without difference the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation These two things indeed cannot be denyed 1. That God doth vouchsafe the meanes of saving grace yea as excellent means to many a reprobate as hee doth to any of his elect When the sower went forth to sow Matth. 13.3 8. there fell every whit as good seed upon the high-way side and upon the stony and thorny land as upon the good ground But his maine aime is for the elects sake that live amongst them as our Saviour also teacheth us in another case in the Parable of the tares Matthew 13.29 30. 2. To all men even to all the reprobate God vouchsafeth some meanes of grace some meanes to convert them and bring them unto repentance Christ lighteth every man that commeth into the world saith the Apostle Iohn 1.9 Every man hath received from him the light of nature and doth in many things know what is good and what is evill and that which may be knowne of God saith the Apostle Rom. 1.9 that is to say that there is a God and that hee is to be feared and worshipped is manifest in them in their very hearts and consciences for God shewed it unto them even unto all men by nature God hath given this knowledge unto them And they that have this light and knowledge cannot bee denyed to have meanes given them of God to bring them unto grace and unto repentance Nay the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 2.4 that the goodnesse of God whereof all men living doe taste leadeth them unto repentance is a notable meanes to turne and convert their hearts unto God Yea he telleth us ver 15. that the Gentiles have the worke of the law that is to say that which the law requireth written in their hearts and that thereupon they doe by nature the things contained in the law verse 14. But all this that men have by nature these helpes that God thus vouchsafeth unto all men are not sufficient meanes of grace and conversion They are sufficient indeed to make them without excuse and to that end they serve as the Apostle expressely teacheth us Rom. 1.10 By giving unto all men this light and these meanes God hath not left himselfe without witnesse against them as the Apostle speaketh Act. 14.17 But to breed saving grace and to worke sound conversion in the heart they are not sufficient No no it is not the light of nature not that knowledge of God that is gotten by the contemplation of the creature nor the worke of the law that is written in all mens hearts but the Gospell onely that is a sufficient meanes of grace and conversion The Gospell is the ministration of the spirit as the Apostle calleth it 2 Corinth 3.8 And therefore hee telleth the Ephesians 2 12. that while they were without Christ while they were strangers from the covenants of promise they were without hope Till Christ
neglect any one of the rites and ceremonies of it Yea the Lord had said Numb 9.13 that he that observed not the just time that God had set for it should bee cut off from his people So dangerous a thing it is to swerve from the direction God hath given us in his Word even in the least circumstance of his worship The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are principally two First The respect wee owe to the commandement and ordinance of God The least thing in Gods worship that hee hath appointed must not bee neglected even because hee hath ordained it Circumcision is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.19 and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Though wee could see no other reason for them at all nor had any hope to receive good by them yet this is sufficient reason to move us to observe them because God in his Word hath given us direction so to doe In observing of them wee doe our homage to God and shew our obedience unto him This reason prevailed with our blessed Saviour 1. Hee received the Sacrament of circumcision in his infancy Luke 2.21 and afterward the Sacrament of baptisme too Luke 3.21 2. He submitted himselfe to the law of purification Luke 2 2â— 3. He received the Sacrament of the passeover Luke 22.15 4. He frequented the Church assemblies constantly upon the Sabbath Luke 4.16 and all upon this ground that these were Gods ordinances and hee must shew his obedience to God in all things Thus it becommeth us saith hee to Iohn Matth. 2.15 to fullfill all righteousnesse There were other purifications that were in use in that Church and much stood upon in those daies which hee made no such reckoning of though in themselves a man would have thought they had beene every whit as good as these that hee made conscience of upon this ground that they were not of Gods ordaining they were but the precepts of men Mat. 15.9 Secondly These things are ordained of God and enjoined us to observe for our owne good Keepe the commandements of the Lord and his statutes saith Moses Deut. 10.13 which I command thee this day for thy good That which is said of the Sabbath Marke 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man for mans great benefit and helpe hee could not have beene without it the same may bee said of every thing in Gods worship that hee hath ordained hee hath ordained it for our good even to further and increase the worke of his grace in our hearts And wee may confidently expect a blessing from God in observing the least thing that hee hath appointed us to use in his worship that God will give it vertue and make it effectuall to doe our soules good if wee use it aright See in three examples what vertue and force there was even in very small things that were of Gods ordaining 1. Numb 21.9 The very looking up to the brasen serpent cured all that were stung with fiery serpents 2 Iosh. 6.20 At the blowing of the trumpets of rammes hornes and shouting of the people the walls of Iericho fell downe flat to the ground 3. 2 Kings 5.14 By dipping himselfe seven times in Iordan Naaman was perfectly cured of his Leprosy See what force there was in small things that are of Gods ordaining and how undoubted a truth that is which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.25 The weakenesse of God is stronger then man The ceremonies and religious observations that are of mens devising as crucifixes to pray before crossing of our selves observing of popish fasts and superstitious holydayes sprinkling with popish holy water and such like though they carry great shew of helping us in devotion yet of them all it may bee said as our Saviour said of the Iewish purifyings Matth. 15.9 they are a vaine worship there is no force nor vertue in them to further the soule one jot in true piety and devotion Yea those very things that were once Gods owne ordinances as these washings and sprinkling with hysope that David alludeth to here and such like when they grew out of date and ceased any longer to bee commanded of God even they then lost that vertue and strength that once they had and became weake and beggerly elements as the Apostle calleth them Gal. 4.9 The uses that this Doctrine serveth unto are two principally 1. For instruction 2. For exhortation For the first Two things we are to learne from this Doctrine First That wee are bound to follow the direction that God hath either by precept or example given us in his Word even in the least circumstance of his worship wee may not say that in matters of substance wee must follow precisely the direction but in matters of circumstance wee are not bound so to doe The direction that God hath given us in his Word for the least thing that is to bee done in any part of his worship may not bee neglected without great sinne and danger Admit it were but a matter of circumstance what day wee keepe our Sabbath on so we keepe one in seven as some have conceited it to bee yet because God hath given us expresse direction in his Word by the example and practise of the Apostle and of those Churches that were planted by him Acts 20.7 1 Corinthians 16.2 to keepe it on the first day of the weeke the Church may never keepe it on any other day then that See thou make all things saith the Lord to Moses as you shall find it Hebrewes 8.5 according to the patterne shewed unto thee in the mount The written Word is unto us in stead of that patterne that was shewed unto Moses in the mount In every thing wee doe about Gods tabernacle and worship wee must precisely looke unto and follow that patterne observe what hee commands Secondly This teacheth us how to judge of that imputation that is put upon many of Gods faithfull servants and that maketh them as odious in the world as any other thing doth that they are held to bee more precise then wise that they are too strict and singular in matters of small moment And surely such as are indeed more precise and singular then they ought to hee doe justly deserve to bee blamed for it And I will tell you who they bee that are so 1. Such as are strict and zealously superstitious in the observing of their owne fancies and the customes and traditions of men Such a one was Paul before his conversion exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers as hee saith Galathians 1.14 Such were the Iewes that pressed with great heate and contention both Christs Disciples Marke 7 2 3. and Iohns Iohn 3.25 to observe their purifyings 2. Such as seeme to bee very precise in smaller things as in matters of ceremony and some outward observations which indeed God requireth them to make conscience of but make no conscience of the weightier points of Gods law This precisenesse our
set down in Psalme 6. For when hee made that Psalme it is evident that hee was in great anguish of heart by the losse of his assurance of Gods favour as appeareth by the seven first verses To recover his comfort hee falleth to servent prayer And before hee had ended his prayer hee was so filled with the assurance of Gods favour that he breaketh forth into these patheticall expressions of his joy Verse 8 9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer The second experiment of this in him is in Psalme 31. Where wee finde that when hee had so farre lost his assurance that hee thought as hee saith verse 22. he was quite cut off from God as a dead and rotten branch he betooke himselfe to prayer hee cryed and made many supplication unto God and had such successe in this course that hee bursteth forth into these words verse 21. Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse as in a strong city And how falleth it out then wilt thou say that I have beene so long a suiter to God for this and cannot yet obtaine it I answer thee in the words of the Apostle Iam. 4.3 Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse Five defects there be in thy prayer that this is to be imputed unto First Either thou prayest not fervently and earnestly for this but there are some other things that thou dost more affect and more earnestly desire then thou dost this Whereas thou shouldst seeke and desire this above all things in the world and say of it as David doth Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better then life A second defect in thy prayer may bee this that thou livest in some knowne sin unrepented of If thou prepare thine heart saith Zophar Iob 11 13 14 and stretch out thine hand towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles Hee whose conscience telleth him he doth somewhat daily and purposeth still to doe that he ought not or somewhat he daily omitteth to doe and doth not yet resolve to doe which he ought to do can have no hope to find comfort by his prayer A third defect in thy prayer that may bee the cause why thou speedest no better may bee that thou art not humbled enough in thy prayers for this I tell thee this is a suit worth the setting of a day apart and keeping of a secret fast for Of this spirit of infidelity that possesseth thee and whereby thy poore heart is so vexed and tormented it may bee Christ hath said as once he did of another spirit Mark 9 2â— This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Remember what I told thee out of Levi. 23.27 Of all the dayes of thy life the day of humiliation wherin thou afflictest thy soule in prayer and fasting will prove the day of atonement betweene God and thy soule thou canst use no meanes to get assurance of thy atonement and reconciliation with God better then that A fourth defect in thy prayer that may perhaps bee the cause why thou speedest no better is this that thou prayest not in faith for this blessing Thou usest to pray out of this perswasion that thy heart telleth thee that thou must doe it God hath commanded thee to pray thy conscience will checke and smite thee if thou doe neglect it But thou dost not when thou prayest set before thy mind the promises of God Such as that is Iohn 16 22. Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever yee shall aske the father in my name hee will give it you And that Luke 11.13 If yee beeing evill know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him And this holy spirit is the spirit of adoption that witnesseth with our spirit that wee are Gods children as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.16 These and those other promises we heard of before wee should thinke on when we pray and verily expect the performance of them Thus did David I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed saith hee Psalme 119.147 I hoped in thy word As if he should say The gracious promises thou hadst made in thy word encouraged mee to it So dost not thou Thou prayest for comfortable assurance of Gods favour but thou dost not looke to obtaine it by thy prayer nay thou hadst no hope to obtaine it And so by this thy infidelity when thou prayest thou setttest up a wall of partition betweene God and thy prayer to keepe it from having any accesse unto him Let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord. The Lord useth to answer his people in their suites as hee did the two blind men Matthew 9.29 According to your faith bee it unto you The fift and last defect in thy prayer that may bee the cause why thou receivest no comfort by it is this that thou faintest in prayer Because thou hast so long sued to God for assurance and comfort and canst yet receive none thou hast beene weary of prayer and given it over and so hast limited the holy one of Israel as they did of whom the Prophet complaineth Psalme 78.41 whereas our Saviour hath taught us by the parable of the unrighteous judge and the widow Luke 18.1 that wee ought alwayes to pray and not to faint Blessed are all they that wait for him saith the Prophet Esa. 30.18 As if hee had said They that wait shall not loose their labour they shall certainly obtaine their suit in the end This is a blessing I tell thee worth the waiting for Many a Saint of God hath waited many yeares for this suit before they have obtained it and when they have obtained it at the last have thought themselves happy men And thus much shall serve to have beene spoken of the first sort of meanes the other we must leave till the next day Lecture CXXV On Psalme 51.7 Aug. 11. 1629. THE second sort of meanes which I call more inward and spirituall then the former are foure principally The first is care to keepe a good conscience in all things The second a diligent observation of our owne wayes The third a consideration of the experiments wee have had of Gods favour The fourth a renouncing of our selves and resting only upon the free grace of God in Christ. First Hee that would get a comfortable assurance of the favour of God in Christ and feele that the bloud of Christ is sprinkled by the spirit of God upon his heart hee that desireth to keepe and preserve in himselfe this assurance or to recover it when hee hath lost it must nourish in his heart a constant care to please God in all his wayes and a feare to offend him in any thing The worke
righteousnesse And this is that that I desire to exhort and perswade both my selfe and every one of you that you would be of the same mind that blessed Paul was of account of Christ as he did account of him labour as he did to win Christ and make him our own strive that we may be found in him covered and clothed in the robe of his righteousnesse And for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation I will 1. Give you some Motives that may be forcible and effectuall to provoke and quicken your appetite unto Christ and to move you to hunger and thirst after him and his righteousnesse 2. Because nothing doth so much dull and deaden mens appetite unto Christ and keepe them from hungring and thirsting after him as doth this perswasion that they have him already sure enough they have already fed sufficiently upon him I will therefore shew you some Signes and notes out of Gods Word how this may be knowne 3. Lastly I will direct such as would faine win Christ as doe indeed hunger and thirst after him and his righteousnesse what Meanes they should use to get him and make him their own And for the Motives I will give you they are foure principally First Consider how wofull thy case will be when extreame affliction or death shall seize upon thee if thou be not in Christ if thou have not gotten this robe of righteousnesse before that time come Consider I say distinctly of this point First Certaine it is we shall not alwaies live in health and peace and prosperity as we now doe but a change will come affliction will come and cannot be avoided Man is borne unto trouble saith Eliphaz Iob 5.7 as the sparks flie upward Yea death will come certainely and cannot be avoided It is appointed saith the Apostle Heb. 9.27 decreed unto men unto all men that they shall once die Secondly How soone affliction and death will come or how suddenly no man can tell Man knoweth not his time saith Salomon Eccl. 9.12 as the fishes that are taken in an evill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare while they think least of it and are skipping and eating their meat securely so are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly upon them Thirdly In what kind or measure any of us shall bee afflicted or by what kind of disease or death any of us shall end our daies is also most uncertaine to any of us and knowne onely to the Lord. The cup of affliction is in the hand of the Lord saith David Psalme 75.8 and it is he that mixeth and tempereth and poureth it out also as seemeth good unto him Fourthly The naturall and ordinary effect of extreame affliction is to awaken the conscience how sleepy or dead soever it had beene before And it will then bring a mans sins into his remembrance and the judgement that he is to goe unto When men are bound in setters saith Elihu Iob 36.8 9. and holden in the cords of affliction then hee showeth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded in As if hee should say Then his manner is to set their sins in order before them and all the foule circumstances whereby they may bee aggravated See an example of this in Gods owne people When Iosephs brethren saw themselves taken for spies in Egypt and so in present danger of death Genesis 42.21 the sinne that they had committed against their brother many yeeres before came as fresh into their remembrance and lay heavy upon their conscience as if it had beene but newly done See also an example of this even in an heathen man When Adonibezek was in extreame paine and misery and saw he must dye then commeth his sinnes into his remembrance Iudges 2.7 Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great toes cut off saith hee gathered their meate under my table as I have done so God hath requited mee I know well that affliction nor sicknesse nor the grisly visage of death it selfe doth use to awaken the conscience of every man some through the fearefull judgement of God goe to hell in a sleepe The Lord hath powred upon them as the Prophet speaketh Esay 29.10 the spirit of dead sleepe and hath closed their eyes But yet this is the ordinary effect of extreame affliction and that that every one of us must looke for when the evill day shall come upon us our consciences will put us in mind of our sinnes as you see yea it will put us also in mind of the judgement we must goe unto and ever be ringing that in our eares that Salomon speaketh Ecclesi 11.9 Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Fiftly If a man have not gotten faith and comfort in Christ before then he is in danger through extreamity of anguish and feare to be made utterly uncapable and unfit to receive comfort by him then though the best of Gods servants use their uttermost skill and endeavour to offer Christ and his merits unto them and to give them comfort in him When Moses came from God to the children of Israel with a most comfortable message it is said Exodus 6.9 they could not hearken unto him for anguish of spirit and for crueâ—l bondage Sixtly and lastly The man that is then without Christ without any assurance that hee is his must needs be in a most wofull estate For hee can have no hope of mercy from God For Christ is our onely hope as the Apostle calleth him 1 Tim. 1.1 And they that are without Christ have no hope saith hee Ephes. 2.12 O then let us count it our wisedome to seeke without delay to make Christ our owne before the evill day before death do seaze upon us This Motive the holy Ghost oft useth to rouze wicked men out of their carnall security And what will yee doe saith he Esay 10.3 in the day of visitation To whom will yee flye for helpe And Ieremy 13.21 What wilt thou say when hee shall punish thee Shall not sorrowes take thee as a woman in travaile And so may I say to you all beloved though you can be quiet and comfortable enough now in the dayes of your health and peace without Christ without all assurance that he is yours how will you do for comfort when affliction and death shall come What comfort can you have then without you have him made sure unto you Psal. 2.12 Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him On the other side The man that is in Christ and hath through him gotten his pardon and made his peace with God and that is cloathed with the robes of his righteousnesse may bee comfortable in the greatest affliction and even in the houre of death The raine descended saith our Saviour Matth
that he doth enjoy Not of works saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.9 good works he meaneth least any man should boast As if he should say A man is exceeding apt to boast of his good workes though not outwardly in words yet inwardly in heart he blesseth himselfe and secureth his heart in nothing so much as in his good workes in any good worke he knoweth by himselfe And when he had said 1 Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made unto us of God wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption As if he had said We have all in him he giveth this for the reason of it verse 31. that hee that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. As if he should have said If we had any of this without Christ we would be apt to glory in it and care but a little for him And therefore it is so oft said that the poore and such as find themselves to be utterly destitute of all goodnesse are the onely men that are fit to seeke and receive comfort by Christ. The Lord hath anointed me saith our Saviour Luk. 4.18 to preach the Gospell to the poore As if he should say Small hope there is that any but they will receive it Ho every one that thirsteth saith he Esa. 55.1 come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Where it is to bee observed that hee maketh the man that thirsteth and the man that hath no money all one As if he had said None will thirst after Christ but only those poore wretches that have no money nothing of their owne to take unto So he saith likewise Zach. 11.11 that they were the poore of the flocke that waited on him And who are meant by these poore ones in all these places Surely not such as lived in the want of bodily and worldly wealth but such as are poore in spirit and feele an utter want of all goodnesse in themselves these are the onely men that will thirst after Christ and are fit to receive him And so the Apostle interpreteth that metaphor when he saith Romanes 4.5 to him that worketh not that hath no worke no goodnesse at all to trust unto but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly knoweth himselfe to be void of all goodnesse full of ungodlinesse and therefore flieth to Christ and beleeveth in him to him his faith is counted for righteousnesse Yee see then how apt we are to be kept from Christ from prising him and desiring him as we ought even by those good things that are in us This impediment will easily be remooved if we consider well the force of this third Motive wee can have no true comfort of any good thing that is in us till we bee in Christ. To speake distinctly of this point you shall see the truth of it 1 In those good things that are in many a naturall man 2 In those good things that are in many an hypocrite 3 Lastly In those good things that are in the regenerate man himselfe And in handling these three I will observe this method 1. I will shew you that there are in every one of these some good things 2 That there is no true comfort to be found in any of this goodnesse till we be in Christ. For the first It cannot be denied but there are many good things in some naturall men That that we call civill and morall honesty is certainely in it selfe a good thing That many men live so unblameably free from any open or knowne offence specially against the second table The care that many naturall men have to keepe their word to deale justly with all men to bee helpfull and mercifull to such as stand in need of them and many such like things that may bee discerned in them are doubtlesse very good things The conscience that Abimeleâ—h the King of Gerar made of adultery and that integrity of heart that was in him that way of which wee read Genesis 20.5 was a very good thing Yea those are good things not onely in the esteeme of men but even in the account of the Lord himselfe We read Marke 10.20 21. when our Saviour heard the young man say that he had observed all the commandements of the second table from his youth and knew well that in respect of the outward observation of them be had spoken the truth that beholding him he loved him for this Certainely God loveth and liketh well of these moralities and civill vertues that are in naturall men Yea and he useth to reward them also Let me shew you the proofe of this in three degrees First Many a naturall man by the care hee hath to deale justly with men and by his good workes the workes of charity that hee doth avoideth many temporall judgements of God that doe fall upon other men That is the reason why the Prophet having threatned desolation against the Moabites Esa. 16.3 adviseth them that by executing judgement and shewing mercy to the oppressed they would labour to prevent it And the Prophet Daniel Daniel 4.27 giveth hope unto Nebuchadnezzar himselfe that by righteousnesse and shewing mercy to the poore he might obtaine a lengthening of his tranquillity Secondly It is not to bee doubted but that many naturall men prosper much the better both they and their posterity in their outward estate even for the morall parts that are in them It is said Exodus 1.20 21. that God dealt well with the midwives of Egypt and made them houses because of the mercy they shewed to the Hebrew infants they feared God so farre that they durst not make them away though the King so straitly commanded them to do it Thirdly and lastly The Lord hath been wont to reward these civill vertues and morall parts that are in some naturall men even with spirituall blessings also in some sort For even for this cause by his restraining grace he keepeth them from some sinnes that otherwise they were in danger to fall into I know saith the Lord to Abimilech Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart for I also withheld thee from sinning against me therefore suffered I thee not to touch her Two evident reasons there are why the Lord must needs love and reward these morall parts these civill vertues that are in many naturall men First Because of the good they doe to others thereby even the service they doe to his good providence in preserving society and peace among men This civill honesty and these good morall parts that are in many naturall men where there is no religion are the very sinewes and bonds of humane society and there were no living or conversing among men without them This reason the Lord giveth why hee would reward Nebuchadnezzar and his army for the service they did against Tyrus Ezekiel 29.20 Because they wrought for me saith the Lord God As if he had said They were instruments of my good providence in the just ruiâ—e and destruction of that wicked people And if God doe
reward them oft that serve his providence in his justice for the ruine and destruction of men though they have no goodnesse in them at all it is no marvell though he reward them much more who by some goodnesse that is in them doe serve his providence in the preservation and welfare of men Secondly These civill vertues must needs be good things and such as God doth love and will reward because they are such things as God hath in his law commanded The Gentiles saith the Apostle Romanes 2.14 15. doe by nature the things contained in the law and shew the worke of the law written in their hearts As if hee should say These things doe evidently shew and declare that the law of God is written in their hearts You see then Beloved wee doe not discommend civill honesty wee doe not discourage naturall men from doing good workes wee doe not condemne all the workes of naturall men nor say that whatsoever they doe that are not religious is abominable and naught Nay wee heartily wish there were much more civill honesty in the world then there is Hee that is truly religious would bee ashamed that any naturall man should bee more honest then hee True religion is no enemy to civill and morall honesty nay it is a great nourisher and increaser of it It is a dangerous errour that most men are growne now unto to thinke it indiscretion and want of learning and judgement in a Minister to stand much in pressing of points of morality in his Sermon or in particular reproofe of such faults as are committed by men in their buying and selling and such like passages of their ordinary conversation and dealings one with another It is thought now adayes there is no divinity in this they goe besides their Text when they deale in these things No no beloved bee not deceived Those points that God in his Word standeth most upon wee must presse most in our ministery and those are these matters of your common practise It is a strange thing to observe how plentifull and particular and precise the Holy Ghost is in pressing men to deale justly in all their dealings with men even in weights and measures of all sorts You shall doe no unrighteousnesse in judgement saith the Lord Levit. 19.35 36 in mâ—â—eyard in weight or in measure Iust ballances just weight a just Ephah and a just Hiâ— shall ye have I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt And againe Deut. 25.13 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights of one kind hee meaneth a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures a great and a small one to buy by another to sell by But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and just measure shalt thou have that thy daies may bee lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For all that doe such things and all that doe unrighteously marke it I pray you all that doe unrighteously in what kind soever are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Marke also I pray you how much the Apostles in the New Testament doe presse upon Gods people in their exhortations that they would bee carefull to walke honestly Walke honestly towards them that are without saith the Apostle Paul 1 Thess. 4.12 And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles And the Apostle Paul againe Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are honest think on these things As if he had said Be not forgetfull or carelesse of such things And Rom. 13.13 Let us walke honestly as in the day And in the following words he instanceth in some speciall points of dishonesty he would have them to take heed of It is dishonesty to be drunke yea to use rioting idle-company-keeping haunting and sitting at the ale-house to drinke or to game though a man bee never drunke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he It is dishonesty to use chambering and wantonnesse secret familiarity and dalliance with a woman lascivious speeches and gestures though a man never commit whordome Yea it is dishonesty saith the Apostle for a man to live in strife and envying to be a contentious person unpeaceable unquiet though he never oppresse or defraud or wrong his neighbour any other way Provide things honest saith he againe Rom. 12.17 In the sight of all men The word he useth there is worth the observing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if he had said Cast for this before hand take care of this that you do nothing that is dishonest that you faile not in any point of honesty by no meanes And he professeth Heb. 13.18 that this was a thing himselfe tooke much comfort in that he had a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly And what meaneth he by honesty Surely such duties of the second table which the light of nature teacheth men to make conscience of And why I pray you doe the Apostles stand so much upon commending honesty unto Gods people Surely for two causes First Because they knew that nothing would grace religion so much and win it credit in the eyes of all men as this would doe when they see that they that professe it are of honest conversation just men and faithfull and courteous and meeke and patient and humble and kind and mercifull men This reason the Apostle giveth 1 Pet 2.12 Having your conversation saith he honest among the Gentiles that where as they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold that is by your honesty such workes as they by the light of nature know to be good workes glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly Because they knew that on the other side nothing doth make religion so odious and contemptible in the world nor so much harden the hearts of men against it as the want of honesty in such as doe professe it that they are guilty of such things as even by the light of nature all men may discerne to bee grosse and vile When the Canaanites and Perizzites had seene what the sonnes of Iacob had done to the Shechemites how they had broken their promise and covenant with them how cruelly and barbarously they had used them and all under a colour of zeale for their owne religion this made Iacob and his religion though alas he was farre from approving or consenting to this that they had done stink among the inhabitants of the land as himselfe saith Gen. 34. â—0 You see beloved what moved the Apostles to commend honesty so much unto Gods people in their times and surely the same reasons have moved mee to speake so much in the commendation of it unto you at this time Never was it more neglected by some professours of religion then now it is never did the Gospell receive more dishonour and reproach through the neglect of it then now it doth I beseech you
God and the Ministery therof Many an hypocrite will constantly heare and frequent the best Ministery Yea he will heare with joy and delight in the best means whereby he may come to the knowledge of Gods will They seek me daily saith the Lord of such Esa. 58.2 and delight to know my wayes as a nation that did righteousnesse as if they were the uprightest hearted people in the world they aske of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approching unto God Yea he will commend and extoll the best Preachers and professe great love unto them They come unto thee saith the Lord to Ezekiel Ezek. 33.31 32. And he was certainly no flatterer no man-pleaser he was a most faithfull and powerfull Teacher They come unto thee saith the Lord as the people commeth as farre as any as constantly as any of my people use to come and sit before thee as my people yea they shew much love with their mouth and thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice As if he should say O how they will admire thee with what delight they will heare thee Thou art never tedious unto them though thou be never so long Now there is no such thing as this in the civill man He careth not a rush for the sound Ministery of the Word nay he despiseth it and counteth them all fooles that make such reckoning of it The second point wherein he sheweth his goodnes is his constancy in prayer You shall see how many an hypocrite keepe a constant course in prayer and that not in ordinary prayer onely but even in extraordinary too Of the Pharisee we read Luk. 18.12 that he fasted twice a weeke And for seventy yeares together the hypocriticall Iewes keep a solemne fast constantly foure times a yeare as you may find by comparing Zach. 7.5 8.19 together And in this point also the civill man commeth farre short of him He seldome or never prayeth unlesse it be in his bed when he is between sleeping and waking ye shall have no prayer in his family you shall see him sit down and rise up from his meat like a bruit beast without ever lifting up his eyes or heart unto him in prayer that hath given him his food and without whose blessing when he hath eaten it it can do him no good Much lesse doth he ever use to pray in secret unto God and as for keeping a religious fast he knoweth not what belongeth to it Thirdly Many an hypocrite is a strict observer of the Sabbath Day he will not travell he will not do any worldly businesse of his calling upon that Day The Ruler of the Synagogue whom our Saviour himselfe calleth hypocrite Luke 13.15 with great indignation and zeale reproveth the people for travelling and comming to be healed on the Sabbath Day and telleth them Luke 13.14 that there were six dayes in which men ought to worke in them therefore they should come to be healed and not upon the Sabbath Day And the hypocriticall Iewes blame the poore man greatly whom Christ had cured at the poole of Bethesda for carrying away his bed upon the Sabbath Day It is the Sabbath Day say they to him Ioh. 5.10 It is not lawfull for thee to carry thy bed On the other side the civill honest man careth not for the Sabbath at all Though the respect he hath to his credit and because he will be neighbour-like bring him to Church sometimes if he live where the fashion is to do so yet hath he no zeale for the Sabbath it never troubleth him to see it profaned by others nay he putteth no difference betweene it and another day for any businesse he hath so farre forth as he may do it without discredit and danger And as for going abroad to visit his friends or to send his servants forth about any businesse he thinketh it the fittest day in all the weeke Fourthly You shall have many an hypocrite that loveth the sincerity of religion and hateth Popery will-worship and idolatry with all the reliques and monuments of it Thou abhorrest idols saith the Apostle to the hypocriticall Iew Rom. 2.22 On the other side He loveth the sincerity of religion and gloryeth greatly in this that he professeth the Gospell and serveth God according to his Word Thou makest thy boast of the law saith the Apostle of such Rom. 2.23 But so doth not the morall man all religions are alike to him if they be commanded by authority He willingly walketh after the commandement as the Prophet speaketh of Ephraim Hos. 5.11 He seeth no great hurt in Popery he loveth their rites and inventions with all his heart And of all religions he liketh that best that hath most of them In which respect the Apostle calleth Gods owne ceremoniall law a carnall commandement Heb. 7.16 and carnall ordinances Hebr. 9.10 because they are so agreeable to the disposition and liking of a carnall and naturall man Fiftly and lastly Many an hypocrite goeth a great deale further in the reformation of his life than your civill man doth Many of them have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2.20 As if he should say even that superficiall knowledge they have of Christ and of the Gospell hath made them leave many sinnes not grosse sinnes but even such as are small in comparison of others as the least oathes wanton words games that are doubtfull or of evill report c. The hypocriticall Pharisee as our Saviour telleth us Luk. 11.42 would not faile in the tything of mint and rue or the least herbe that grew in his garden and stood much upon this made great conscience of it as you shall find Luke 18.12 I give tithes saith he of all that I possesse Whereas your civill man maketh no bones of such petty sinnes as he calleth them but counteth them all precise fooles that make any scruple of them Now all these things that I hvae noted to be in some hypocrites are certainly all of them in themselves excellent good things 1. To frequent constantly the sound Ministery of the Word 2. To heare the Word not drowsily and heavily but with delight 3. To love and commend good Preachers 4. To use prayer constantly 5. To be zealous for the Sabbath and make conscience of travelling or doing any worldly businesse on that day 6. To love the sincerity of religion and hate will-worship and idolatry 7. Lastly To abstaine from the smallest sinnes and even from all appearance of evill All these I say are very good things Neither may any man dislike and despise these things as alas too many doe because they have beene found in the practice of some notorious hypocrites Let no man that hath heard mee this day teach that these things are to bee found in some hypocrites rejoyce in his heart as I feare some of you will and say these gadders
it and thou shalt utterly abhorre it for it is a cursed thing As if he should say any idoll set up by idolaters we must utterly detest and abhorre it for it is a cursed thing and if any of Gods people receive it it will make him a cursed thing like unto it as the Lord speaketh in that place Ye see what a strange precisenesse this way God requireth of his people he would not have us so much as to name an idoll without expressing our detestation to it Make no mention of the name of other gods saith the Lord Exodus 23.13 neither let it be heard out of thy mouth He would have us doe what lieth in us that the very names the termes and phrases that idolaters have used might bee utterly abolished and remembred no more Thou shalt destroy the names of them out of that place saith the Lord Deut. 12.3 And the Lord promiseth this as a great mercy to his Church Hos. 2.17 I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall be no more remembred by their names And according to this commandement we read that when the children of Reuben came to take possession of certaine cities of the Amorites that had borne the names of their idols it is twice said of them in one verse Numb 32.38 that they changed the names of those cities and gave other names unto them Thirdly Wee shall find this oft noted by the Holy Ghost for a property of one that is truly converted and woone unto God that hee hateth idolatry Yea this is mentioned for one of the first and chiefe signes wherein the truth of his conversion hath manifested it selfe Through thy precepts saith David Psalme 119.104 I have gotten understanding therefore I hate every false way As if hee should say So soone as ever Gods people have gotten any saving knowledge of the truth they grow to a dislike and hatred of Idolatry and false worship presently Two places onely I will name for this though I might do many The first is that Esa. 30.22 Where after the Lord had spoken of the effectuall calling and conversion of his people in the two former verses he mentioneth this as the first fruit and worke whereby it should shew and declare it selfe Ye shall defile also saith the Lord the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornament of thy molten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence As if he had said Thou shalt loath them and shew utter detestation unto them The other place is Ezek. 11.18 where when the Lord had promised that hee would gather his people againe into Israel and give them a new spirit and a new heart And they shall come thither saith he And what is the first thing they shall doe when they come thither They shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence And what meaneth he by these detestable things and abominations the abolishing whereof should be the first thing they would doe after their second conversion Surely their idols as you shall find the same Prophet interpreteth himselfe Chap. 7.20 37.23 Fourthly and lastly This hatred of Idolatry doth so please the Lord wheresoever he seeth it as he hath been wont to reward it even in such as have beene no better then hypocrites And for this we have a notable example in Iehu unto whom the Lord promised 2 King 10.30 that his children should sit upon the throne of Israel to the fourth generation because of that zealous detestation hee had shewed unto the Idolatry of Ahab And yet it is evident both by the next verse 31. and by Hos. 1.4 that therein his heart was not upright in him You see then beloved that no man is to bee blamed for the hatred hee beareth unto popery and to all kind of idolatry no no our generall coldnesse and luke-warmenesse this way is much to bee blamed rather And if wee did zealously love the Lord and his Gospell indeed we could not choose but hate all popery more then wee doe And the world is fouly deceived in judging the precisenesse or strictnesse of any man in this kind to be a certaine signe of hypocrisy in him We come now unto the fift and last of those good things that may be found in some that are hypocrites that is to say to that measure and degree of reformation of life that some of them have attained unto not only to leave grosse and open sins but even the smallest also and such as most men account to be no sins at all Wee must therefore know beloved that though you have observed great precisenesse and strictnesse this way in some that have discovered themselves to be no better then hypocrites they would not sweare the least oath they would not give that liberty to themselves for company and recreations that they might lawfully doe c yet are they not hypocrites because of this nay this is no fault in them neither oughtest thou to blame them or hate them for this For 1 it is a good thing and highly pleasing unto God to make conscience even of the least sin and a man cannot be too precise in that case In all things that I have said unto you saith the Lord Exodus 23.13 bee circumspect and wary And I say unto you sweare not at all saith our Saviour Matth. 5.34 Yea it is a good thing for a man to make conscience of that that hath but the appearance of evill Abstaine from all appearance of evill saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.22 2 Hee that maketh not conscience of the least thing that hee knoweth to be a sinne and forbidden of God maketh not conscience of any sinne beause it is sinne and forbidden of God This is the Apostles reason Iames 2.10 11. Whosoever shall keepe the whole law and yet offend in one point that is wittingly and willingly give himselfe liberty to do so he is guilty of all For he that said doe not commit adultery said also Do not kill That is true will you say every man must make conscience of the least thing that hee knoweth to be a sinne neither would any man blame them for doing so But this is their odious hypocrisy that they make more sinnes then God hath made they must be so precise and scrupulous forsooth in indifferent and lawfull things in such things as wiser men and godlier men then they make no scruple of at all This singularity of theirs this judging and condemning by their example the practise of other men is the thing that proveth them to bee hypocrites and maketh them so odious to all men as they be To this I have three things to answer First The things that they are so scrupulous in and which they dare not doe may bee in their owne nature not indifferent but unlawfull and sinfull yea well knowne unto them to bee so
undone As we must take heed what we teach Eccles. 12.9 and looke that wee have good ground in Gods Word for all that wee teach you and performe the worke of our Ministery not without feare and trembling 1 Corinthians 2.3 So you must take heed what you heare Marke 4.24 You must prove all things that wee teach you 1 Thessal 5.20 Examine the proofes wee bring out of Gods Word whether wee alledge them rightly or no as they of Beraea did Acts 17.11 We may none of us deny you liberty to come and question with us about any thing wee teach if you understand it not nor can conceive how it should be found seeing our Saviour allowed that liberty even to his hearers Matth. 13.36.19.10 Luke 18.26 Iohn 16.19 Provided alwaies you doe it in humility and reverence to the holy function of your faithfull Teachers that you do it as disciples not as judges and controllers of your Teachers But whatsoever we teach you by good warrant of Gods Word if you obey it not if it be not of divine authority in your hearts certainly you will be found to be no better than hypocrites For while we do thus thou art charged to obey us as much as if we were Prophets or Apostles either Obey them that have the rule or oversight of you saith the Apostle Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves And even of the Scribes and Pharises while they sate in Moses chaire and taught nothing but the doctrine of Moses our Saviour giveth a charge to his Disciples Mat. 23 3. All whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do And our Saviour saith of the meanest Minister that he sendeth while he doth thus Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And the Apostle 1 Thess. 4.8 He that despiseth despiseth not man but God To conclude therefore this third note By your care to obey and practise what you heare take notice of the soundnesse of your own hearts It is the note that our Saviour giveth us to trie uprightnesse and hypocrisie by Mat. 7.24.26 Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them is like the wise man that buildeth his house upon a rocke and every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not is like the foolishman that built his house upon the sand Lecture CXXXIX On Psalme 51.7 Febr. 2. 1629. IT followeth now we proceed unto the two last defects that the Holy Ghost noteth to have been in the goodnesse that hath been found in any hypocrite The fourth is this That though some of them have beene free from all grosse and scandalous sinnes and have also seemed to be much reformed by the Word and to have made conscience of practising and obeying that which they have beene taught by it yet their obedience hath never beene universall but partiall onely In some things the Word hath seemed to have great power and authority in their hearts in some other things none at all Take a proofe of this in those Iewes whom the Apostle taxeth for their hypocrisie Romans 2.22 Thou that abhorrest idols saith hee dost thou commit sacriledge Who would not have taken these Iewes that did thus abhorre idols and were so zealous against idolatry for right good men But see how they discovered the falshood of their hearts they hated one sinne but not another idolatry but not sacriledge And yet sacriledge was a grosse sinne as well as idolatry and such a sinne as God straightly charged his people to take heed and make conscience of as well as of the other When the people were to bring their first fruits unto God he commanded them to make this solemne protestation Deut. 26.13 14. I have brought away the hallowed thing out of my house As if he should say I durst not keep any part of that which is dedicated to God consecrated for the maintenance of his worship I have not eaten therof in my mourning As if he had said what want soever I have been in how wofull and distressed soever my state hath been that way yet durst I never relieve my necessity by robbing God of his part by appropriating to my selfe or imploying to mine own private use any thing that did belong unto him And yet you see those Iewes that seemed so zealous against idolatry they abhorred idols had no zeale against sacriledge at all they were so farre from abhorring it that they lived in the daily practice of that sin and thereby discovered the hypocrisie of their hearts As alas many in our Church have also done not onely in the beginning of our reformation but at this day they seeme to be very zealous in the hatred of Popery but of sacriledge of spoiling the Church and robbing God of his part of that that was given to him and dedicated to the maintenance of his service they make no scruple no conscience at all Take another example of this in Herod Marke 6.20 Who would not have hoped well of him and highly commended him too when he saw him being a King 1 Frequent constantly such a Ministery as Iohn Baptists was 2 Heare him so gladly with such delight and joy as it is said there he did nay 3 he feared Iohn and observed him reverenced and highly esteemed of him and that upon this ground too because he knew him to be a righteous and a holy man 4. He was much reformed also by Iohns Ministery he did many things left many sins performed many good duties in obedience unto Iohns Ministery the Doctrine of Iohn had great power and authority in his heart and life and yet the Holy Ghost hath detected him to have been no better than an hypocrite in all this Why what was the thing that did discover the falshood and hypocrisie of his heart Surely this that though he went thus farre and though he left many of his sins yet there was one sin as grosse as any of those that he had left which he could not forsake he could not leave the incest he had lived in with his brothers wife nay in the end he could not indure though a great while he did that Iohn should speak against that sin Onely one other example I will give you for this that the living in any one sin though he forsake all the rest and forsake them also out of conscience and obedience to the Word as it may seem though the sin he liveth in be nothing so great as those that he hath forsaken yet even the living in any one sin is sufficient to prove a man to be no better than an hypocrite Take an example for this in Iohn O how farre did he go 1 He destroyed the idolatry of Baal and rooted it quite out of Israel as it is said of him 2 King 10.28 2 He did it with a marvellous zeale even with the zeale of God Come with me saith he to good Iehonadab 2 King 10.16 and see my zeale for the Lord. 3 He did it as it
true Religion is a sure argument that he hath indeed the Spirit of Christ and that that may give him great comfort in his estate Lecture CXLV On Psalme 51.7 August 16. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to the reasons and grounds of this point shew you why it must needs be so that he that hath the Spirit of Christ is constant in his religion he cannot be like the reed shaken with the wind variable and wavering in his religion nor apt to be drawn away by any means from the truth that he hath learned and received from the Word of God Two evident reasons there be for this 1. The Spirit of Christ wheresoever it dwels will teach and perswade the conscience effectually in the truth of God 2. He that is taught his religion by the Spirit of God will certainly be constant in it The first reason because it is of great importance and concernes the maine ground of that certainty that any of Gods people have in their faith and religion I will distinctly and plainely for the helpe of your understanding and memory declare and confirme unto you in six severall propositions and then I will answer the maine objection that is made against it First the Lord hath promised that he will by his holy Spirit instruct and teach his people in the way to life See this promise Ioh. 14.26 The comforter which is the Holy Ghost saith our blessed Saviour whom my father will send in my name through my merit and mediation he shall teach you all things All things he meanes that are necessary unto your salvation for you to know and to be perswaded of And if any man shall say as the Papist doth tush this promise was made to the Apostles onely who represented the whole Church of Christ and that therefore from hence it may be well concluded indeed that to the whole representative Church in a generall Councell lawfully assembled the Spirit is promised to teach and guide them infallibly in all things but can every private man or woman conclude from hence that the Spirit of God will teach them all things I answer That though these words were spoken to the Apostles onely for they were spoken in that Sermon our Saviour made at his last Supper where none were present but they yet doth it not follow from thence that they were spoken of the Apostles onely as not concerning any other but them for there were many things spoken in that Sermon that do undoubtedly concerne all the faithfull as much as them viz. that which is in Chap. 13.34 â—5 14.21 23 24. 15.1 10. 16.23 24. But for further answer unto this I add this second proposition That the promise is made not unto the Apostles and Teachers of the Church onely but unto all the faithfull All thy children saith the Lord to his Church to his Catholique Church the whole company of his elect and called ones Esa. 54.13 all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And our Saviour citing this place Iohn 6.45 delivers the promise in these generall termes It is written in the Prophets saith he and they shall be all taught of God He is then no member of the Catholike Church out of which as out of Noahs Ark there can be no salvation hee is none of Gods elect that in the matters of his religion hath no other teacher then man that is not therein taught of God and instructed by his holy spirit Ye have an unction saith the Apostle in his generall Epistle that he wrote to all the faithfull 1 Iohn 2.20 Yea even to such among them as verse 18. he calls little children the weakest and meanest of all the faithfull ye have an unction from that holy one saith he even unto them and know all things that is ye have received from Christ the Holy Ghost the Comforter and hee hath taught you and instructed you in all things that are necessary to the salvation of your soules for you to know and to be instructed in Thirdly Of all the workes of the spirit of God in the soule of man this is the first and principall to inlighten the mind and to give a man a good understanding and judgement in those things that concerne his salvation As light was the first of all Gods workes in the Creation of the world Gen. 1.3 so is it also in the new creation Be ye transformed saith the Apostle Romanes 12. â— by the renewing of your mind So soone as a man is transformed and hath that blessed change wrought in him his minde will bee renewed and his judgement cleered in spirituall things When their heart turneth unto the Lord saith hee 2 Cor. 3 16. so soone as a man is once converted by the spirit of God the vaile that darkned the understanding and kept a man from seeing and discerning the things of God shall bee taken away That man whom Gods spirit hath not enlightned to see the truth in some comfortable measure in the matter of religion that is ignorant therein or hath no knowledge but such as he hath received by tradition from men had never any other teacher then man holds nothing in religion but humanafide upon that credit that hee gives unto man it is the religion of the time of the state and countrey hee lives in it is that which he knowes many learned and good men doe teach and hold and therefore hee holdeth and professeth it but he was never inwardly and firmely perswaded in his conscience of these things that man certainely never had the spirit of Christ It cannot be idle wheresoever it is it will be working and if it have not renewed thy mind and judgement if it have not taught instructed thee which is the right way to heaven which is the true religion it never had any work in thy heart at all thou hast certainely no one work of saving and sanctifying grace wrought in thy soule Fourthly The knowledge that this heavenly teacher worketh in us is a cleare and certaine knowledge And even as Gods people when the spirit of God spake unto them in visions and dreames and other extraordinary revelations were undoubtedly certaine of that that he revealed unto them they needed not the testimony of the Church to assure them that it was indeed the will of God that was so revealed unto them If Abraham had not beene undoubtedly certaine of that he would never have beene so ready as hee was Gen. 22.2 3. to sacrifice his own sonne Neither would Ioseph being a just man have taken Mary his wife after she was found with child as he did Matth. 1.20 24. nor would he have taken her and our blessed Lord immediatly after he arose by night and have fled into Egypt as he did Mat. 2.13 14. if hee had not been certainely assured that that was the will of God that was so revealed to him the spirit spake expresly in those cases as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Tim. 4.1 So
acquainted with the holy Scriptures and could remember what ye have learned there ye should not much be moved with that that any either Hereticke or Atheist could say against the truth Thirdly and lastly By this we shall be able to convince and stoppe the mouth of any caviller and seducer if we can alleadge a direct place of Scripture for that truth that we hold The Scripture is profitable and hath great efficacy and force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to convince saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.16 it is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6.17 the weapon whereby the spirit of God fighteth with great power and efficacy against every adversary Thus did our blessed Saviour put to silence the tempter himselfe the grand Master and father of all Hereticks and seducers with Scriptum est by alleadging plaine places of Scripture against him Matthew 4.4 7 10. And therefore there is in it a more divine power to convince the conscience of any gaine-sayer and to stop his mouth then in all the testimonyes of counsells or fathers that ever lived in the world And therefore to conclude this first direction as this may discover to us what small hope there is of the greatest number of those that professe the truth in these dayes of peace and joyne with us in the use of all Gods ordinances that they should ever persevere and hold fast their profession being so extreamly ignorant and unacquainted with the principles and grounds of the Religion that they doe professe strangers in the holy Scriptures so may this assure the best of us all beloved that if ever a time of tryall shall come our hearts will smart and ake for this that we have not grounded our selves better in the knowledge of the truth that when we shall heare what the adversary will object against it wee shall find our selves so apt to stagger for want of grounded knowledge when we shall find so small comfort in suffering for it which wee have so small assurance whether it bee the truth or no. Certainely hee that desires to persevere and hold fast the truth hee must while hee hath time and meanes ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth by acquainting himselfe and seeking to be perfect in the principles of Religion and points of the Catechisme and by getting good proofes of Scripture for every thing that hee doth hold and professe The second is this He must take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practice it or he will never continue constant in the profession of it This is given for the reason why the elect hearers who are in the parable Luke 8.15 resembled unto the good ground did keepe the word and bring forth fruit with patience did persevere and hold out to the end and none but they because they and they only did heare the word with honest and good hearts The man that heares the word and useth the meanes of knowledge with an honest and good heart that is with desire and purpose of heart to practice that which he knowes with such a heart as was in David Psalme 86.11 Teach mee thy wayes ô LORD and I will walke in thy truth And 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart He I say that hath such an honest and good heart he shall certainely keepe it and hold out to the end Many promises are made to such The righteous is an everlasting foundation saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 10 25. And the Prophet having spoken Psalm 112.1 5. of many priviledges that belong to the man that feareth God to the good and upright hearted man he adds this to all the rest Verse 6. surely hee shall not be moved for ever no temptations no perswasions no persecutions shall ever be able to remove him If yee will feare the Lord saith Samuel to Israel 1 Sam. 12.14 And serve him and obey his voice and not rebell against the commandement of the Lord then shall both yee and also the King that reighneth over you continue following the Lord your God Bee you confident in this beloved even such of you as when you forecast the prevailing of Popery and danger of persecution have beene most apt to feare and doubt your selves that you shall never be able to hold out to the end if you truly feare God and make conscience to practice whatsoever he hath taught you be you confident I say in these promises and how weake soever you feele your selves know that the Lord will shew his strength in your weakenesse he will certainely uphold you The eyes of the Lord saith the Prophet to King Asa 2 Chron. 16.9 runne too and fro throughout the whole earth every nation every Towne every family to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him This the faithfull have ever had good experience of in the times of most fiery tryall What an admirable strength and constancy shall we read of in the Booke of Martyrs to have beene in sundry simple men and women whose knowledge was very weake and meane A well grounded knowledge is a notable meanes to helpe unto constancy as we have heard But there is more force this way in one ounce of true piety and uprightnesse of heart then in a pound of knowledge without this Let a man abound in knowledge never so much if he feare not God if he makes not conscience of his wayes he may turne Papist before he dye notwithstanding all the knowledge that he hath Hold faith and a good conscience saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwracke of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander A pure conscience is that golden Pot wherein this heavenly Mannah of faith and sound judgement in Religion must bee kept Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience saith hee 1 Tim. ◠9 This golden Pot this precious cabinet will keepe it safe and sure so as we shall never lose it and nothing else but this will doe it And what meaneth he by a pure conscience Surely such a one as doth not willingly admit of the least spot the least sinne that may defile it A good conscience in all things as Paul calls it Heb. 13.18 He that dares not give liberty to himselfe to offend God in any thing he and he only shall hold fast the mystery of faith That Alexander which the Apostle speaketh of had not only beene a constant hearer of the Apostle but had been his constant companion in travell a zealous professour of the truth and very neare unto Martyrdome for it also as it may appeare Acts 19.33 34. yet fell this man so fearfully from the truth that he became a blasphemer of it as is plaine 1 Tim. 1.20 and a most bitter enemy and persecutor of it one of the greatest enemies that ever Paul had Alexander the copper-smith saith he 2 Tim. 4.14
15. did me much evill the Lord reward him according to his works of whom he thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our words And what was the cause of his falling thus fearfully That the Apostle hath told us he forsook a good conscience He gave liberty to himself to sinne against his conscience to live in some knowne sinne Corruption in manners will breed corruption in judgement A man that hath once knowne and professed the truth is seldome knowne to fall into Popery or any other heresie till he had first forsaken a good conscience and by living in knowne sinnes provoked God to give him over thus farre So among other judgements this is one whereby God threatneth to punish the disobedience of his people Deut. 28.36 Thou shalt serve other gods of wood and of stone thou shalt become a grosse and senslesse idolater And the Apostle speaking of them that in this last age should be drawne unto Popery 2 Thes. 2. he speakes of it Vers. 11. as of a fearefull judgement of God upon men for some sinnes they had beene guilty of For the cause saith he God shall send them strong delusiâ—â—s that they should believe a lie They shall be strongly deluded How By the learning or holinesse or miracles of their Priests No but by the most just hand and curse of God upon them God shall send them strong delusions that there shall be no errour in Popery so grosse no lie so palpable but they shall verily and undoubtedly believe it Marvell not then at their confidence For this cause saith the Apostle For what cause What is the sinne 〈◊〉 provokes God to plague men in this manner He nameth two one in Vers. 10 because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved the second Vers. 12. because they tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse To conclude then this second direction what hope can there be that many common Protestants though they be willing to heare and make profession of the truth should ever be able to continue constant in the truth in the time of tryall but that they will be apt to turne Papists blasphemers and persecutors of the truth when a time of tryall shall come seeing 1 they beare no love to the truth at all take no delight in it love every trifle and vanity better than it 2 they give liberty to themselves to live in knowne sinnes and take pleasure therein 3 they content themselves with a forme of godlinsse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 but deny and renounce the power of it and hate it mortally wheresoever they see it casting the most odious aspersious upon it Lecture CXLIX On Psalme 51.7 Nouem 1. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the third Direction and that is this He that would preserve himselfe from falling quite away from the truth and forsaking his religion must take heed of declining from or forsaking of the least truth he must not give himselfe liberty to shrink and fall from the least truth that God hath revealed unto him and wherein his conscience hath beene convinced that it is indeed a truth of God Two things there be whereby men do falsly warrant themselves to take this liberty and they be both of them certaine and undeniable truths First That there be many good and worthy men that see not nor make any reckoning of such truths as themselves have been convinced in And indeed a man may bee a right good man and indued with a great measure of saving grace and yet he cannot see nor be perswaded of some truths that God hath taught us in his holy Word but his judgement is erroneous and unsound in some points yea though he hath had great meanes to informe him in the truth yet he cannot see it And that therefore difference in judgement in some things which cannot be without errour on the one side should not alienate the hearts of brethren one from another as I shewed you in my last lecture but two out of Rom. 14 1-6 Secondly That on the other side there be many in whom no life nor power of godlinesse can be discerned that busie themselves altogether and glory in these points And indeed it is an ill signe in any and a shrewd note of an hypocrite to busie his braines about truths of lesâ—e moment with neglect of greater when a man shall seeke to be expert and cunning in those truths which concerne the ceremonies and discipline of the Church and be stiffe in the holding and maintaining of them and yet be ignorant and void of all desire to learne the doctrine of faith and repentance of mortification and newnesse of life the meaning of the ten commandements and articles of our faith of the Lords Prayer and doctrine of the Sacraments For such persons are doubtlesse under that wo that Christ denounceth Mat. 23.24 against them that straine at a gnat and swallow a camell But though these two things I say be so yet for a man to be wilfully ignorant of the truth of God in any thing wherein he is pleased to reveale his will unto us in his holy Word or to forsake it when he hath once beene convinced of it out of this conceit that it is but a small matter a trifle a man may be saved though he never know nor hold such a truth is a very dangerous sinne Observe I pray you the proofe of this in three points First Though some truths of God be comparatively greater than others as our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 some matters of the Law and Word of God are weightier than others yet is not any one truth of God to be accounted small or of little or no moment even of those points of the law which he cals but gnats in comparison of others our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone even those small things ought not to be neglected ought not to be left undone I have written to them saith the Lord Hos. 8.12 the great things of my Law They are all great things that God hath written and revealed to us in his holy Word All the truths of God which the Apostles when the Spirit fell upon them in cloven tongues like fire did utter and teach are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2 11. Magnalia Dei the great things of God Yea the least truth of God that he hath revealed in his Word is to be esteemed of greater moment and weight than heaven and earth and all the creatures contained in them It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luk. 16.17 than that one title of the law should faile It is therefore a great contempt done unto Gods Word to think so lightly of any thing he hath taught us in it as if it were not worth the knowing or not worth the holding and sticking to when we do know it When David hath professed his high esteeme of Gods Word
my God and â—or the offices thereof And indeed there is no way whereby we can expresse our love to God so well as by loving and delighting in and taking care for the house and pure worship of God Therefore in the reason of the second commandement as I told you the last day they that make conscience of that commandement that use and love that worship onely that he hath in his Word appointed are called such as love God Exodus 20.6 and they that are addicted to will-worship and care not for the true worship of God are called ver 5. haters of God Thus did David expresse his love to God Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth He that careth not for the house and worship of God whether it be maintained in purity or be corrupted whether it prosper or no certainely hath no love of God no zeale of Gods glory in his heart And this shall serve for my first sort of proofes which I told you should be more generall Now you shall see the point opened and confirmed unto you in foure particulars First He that hath the spirit of Christ will rejoyce to see religion prosper to see the purity and sincerity of Gods worship restored and set up See what Ioy there was in Ierusalem in the daies of David when the Arke of God was brought to Ierusalem 1 Chron. 15.28 And in the daies of Hezekiah when the Sacrament had beene celebrated according to the first institution of it which it had not beene of a long time before in such sort as it was written saith the Text 2 Chron. 30.5 and verse 26. from Salomons raigne to that time there had not beene such a Passeover kept it is said ver 25 26. All Gods people did marvellously rejoyce in it So when Nehemiah had reformed and purged the house and worship of God from sundry corruptions and restored it to the primitive purity and sincerity thereof It is said Neh 12.43 That Gods people did rejoyce for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy their wives also and their children rejoyced so that the joy of Ierusalem was heard even a farre off Nay he that hath the spirit of God in him will rejoyce to see any beginnings of reformation in places that were rude before to see religion get any entrance or footing any beginnings of a Church in such places It is said Ezra 3.11 that all Gods people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid On the other side he that hath the spirit of God in him cannot chuse but grieve to see or heare that the true religion and worship of God is banished from any place and that Idolatry and a false worship is set up in it Old Ely is noted by the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 4.17 18. to have grieved much more deepely for the taking away of the Arke of God then either for Israels flying from before the Philistines or for the great slaughter that had beene made of Gods people or for the death of his two sonnes Hophâ—i and Phineas It came to passe saith the Text that when the messenger made mention of the Arke of God hee fell from of his seate backward and his necke brake and hee died And this is also noted to have beene the chiefe griefe of his daughter in law and maine cause of her death too verse 22. this would never out of her mouth in all the extreamity of her paine and anguish while breath was in her body the glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken away And this was that that troubled that zealous man of God Eliah and made him even weary of his life through griefe and discontentment 1 King 19.10 The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant saith he they are fallen from thy holy religion they have throwne downe thine altars that is they have abolished and shewed contempt and hatred to thy true worship and why should I desire to live any longer in such a time Hee that hath any love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve to see or heare that idolatry is set up in any place that it groweth and increaseth any where specially in any place where God was truly worshipped before We read of blessed Paul Acts 17.16 that when hee saw even the city of Athens where God had never beene truly worshipped wholly given unto idolatry his spirit was stirred in him he was incensed with zealous griefe and indignation to see it O how would it have troubled the good man to have seene or heard of such a thing in Corinth or Galatia or Ephesus that were true Churches of Christ where the Gospell had beene and still was faithfully and plentifully preached Nay hee that hath any true love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve at the least Eclipse that religion suffers in any place though the substance of it doth still remaine yet if it have lost any thing of that luster of that purity sincerity and power that once it had even that is sufficient cause of griefe to every good man Wee read that when in the dayes of Zerubbabel the foundation of the second Temple was laid and Gods people that had seene no better did greatly rejoyce in it Ezra 3.12 Many of the Priests and Levites and chiefe of the fathers who were ancient men that had seene the first house wept with a loud voice even when the rest shouted for joy and the noise of their weeping was as great every whit as the noise of the others rejoycing And why did they so Surely it grieved their hearts to see how farre the house that God was now to have in Ierusalem was short in beauty and glory of that that God had had before in that place Secondly He that hath the spirit of Christ in him will joy in the frequency and fullnesse of the Church-assemblies When David to aggravate the misery of his present estate Ps. 42.4 speakes of the joy and comfort that he had formerly taken in going to the house of God he names this twice in that verse as a maine cause of that great joy he tooke in going to the house of God that there went such a multitude with him And this is noted for one cause of that great joy the people of God expressed at the celebration of that Passeover in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30.26 that the number of the communicants was so great as it is said verse 13. There assembled to Ierusalem much people to keepe the Passeover a very great Congregation On the other side even this hath grieved Gods people to see the Church-assemblies neglected and unfrequented to see the Congregations much thinner then they had wont to be I wil gather them saith the Lord Zeph. 3.18 that are sorrowfull for the solemne assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it
affected with the miseries of the Church and bow 562 c. Pray for the Church 567 Onely the Church hath benefit by Christ. 744 Nor all within that Ibid. Church-Assemblies Being come into them we must set our selves as in the presence of God 35 Their sin which behave themselves unreverently in them 36 That sleepe ordinarily there 708 709 That absent themselves from them 710 Reverence due in them in three regards 709 The fulnesse of them a comfort to Gods children 800 Civill-honesty In it selfe a good thing pleasing to God and such as he useth to reward 692 693 The great sinne of Professors that are defective in that 694 695 Yet no sound comfort to be found in this alone 695 696 Comfort Ministers must take care to comfort such as are afflicted in conscience though the greatest part of their audience stand not in need of the word of consolation 135 136 459 649 650 Reasons to perswade such as are afflicted in mind to give way to comfort 137 God intends good to his children by with-holding comfort from them for a time 142 Comfort for those that complaine and mourne for their unprofitablenesse in the use of Gods ordinances 595 Of their doubtings and infidelity 647 648 654 680 682 Common-wealth A great sin to be all for ourselves and to have no care of the common good 125 We must seeke the good of it 806 The Gospell brings blessings to it 806 807 Communion Their sin that forbeare it because they are out of Charity 113 Because we come not to it rightly humbled wee depart without comfort 265 266 There 's great force in that to work assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 635 And constancy in the truth 797 Concupiscence without consent is sin 306 Conference We should conferre of what we heare specially in our owne families 40 41 Good in trouble of mind to make knowne our case to some faithfull friend or Minister 151 Confession He that truly repents will willingly confesse and bewaile his sin 158 He that can rightly and truly confesse his sins may be sure to find mercy in the pardon of them 159 160 The Reasons why Gods people have beene so willing to confesse their sinnes and why the Lord hath so much delighted to see them do so 161 162 How farre forth confession of sinne in private to a Minister or other friend is not necessary 163 164 How farre forth it is profitable and fit 164 165 Those whose sinnes are publike and scandalous must be willing to make publike confession and profession of their repentance 171 c. Three cautions touching this 171 Confession of our sinnes to God is of all other most necessary and usefull 191 192 Five meanes whereby we may be enabled to confesse our sinnes aright 196 c. Five properties of sincere confession of sinne 198 203 Conscience Thy conscience will one day bring thy secretest sinnes to thy mind 207 And smite thee for them 208 No comparison betweene the pleasure of sinne and that 209 A good conscience a speciall meanes to make us beare affliction comfortably and patiently 272 And to get assurance of Gods favour 409 410 638 641 Make conscience of every truth 793 794 Conversion The power and goodnesse of God to us in it is admirable 342 c. God hath set a time for every mans conversion we must count the present time that 345 Reioyce in the truth of grace wrought in thee 346 In it a change and reformation wrought in the whole man 414 Three cautions 415 416 Conversion is to be ascribed wholly unto God and the mighty working of his grace 503 c. 519 The work of grace in the conversion of man is most free 510 511 God in denying the meanes of conversion or grace of conversion to any doth them no wrong because he is a solute Soveraigne 519 520 In that he denies effectuall grace to profit by the meanes to most he manifests his free grace and mercy to his elect 520 God in conversion not onely offers grace but conâ—ers and inâ—useth that grace into the will that actually inclines it 524 Covetousnesse True saith will subdue it 733 Curiosity Take heed of affecting the knowledge of curious intricate and unprofitable points 785 This discerned three wayes 786 788 D. Death ONe chiefe thing that should make the faithfull willing to die is that then they shall sin no more but be freed from all possibility of falling away 11 324 325 In the best an unwillingnesse to die 325 Delay Presently set upon the practice of what you have learned out of the Word 43 Seeke speedily the pardon of sin 9â— Without delay make thy best use of the meanes of conversion 346 Desire Vnfained desire to please God a signe of uprightnesse 438 439 463 Five differences between the desires of the godly and the wicked 442 443 Signes to know a true desire of grace 465 Doubting All doubting is not a signe of infidelitie 242 Yet a dangerous signe not to bee able to believe the Word nor to be troubled with infidelity Ibid. Or to dispute against the Word 243 Comforts for such of Gods children as doubt they are hypocrites 461 A man may be in the state of grace though hee perceive it not 650 651 He that finds least comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ. 653 E. Enemies WE must love them and expresse it in eight duties 752 753 Errours Corruption in iudgement the most dangerous corruption 779 780 The faithfull may erre in matters of smaller moment 780 781 Yea in fundamentall points for a time 782 We must shun the hearing and conâ—erring with seducers 784 Examination Christians should daily examine their wayes 197 198 A meanes to get and increase assurance of Gods favour 641 643 Example Great force in example 298 Experience It is profitable to call to mind the signes of grace we had in former times 643 And the speciall Experiments wee have had of Gods love in temporall blessing 644 But specially in spirituall things 645 Exercises of Religion Every man is to spend some part of every day in them 320 Conscionable use of them is a meanes to mortifie corruption 321 F. Faith WIthout faith we cannot beare afflictions patiently but having it we may 266 267 How to trie it 268 Diverse effects of it 627 True faith is operative 626 Comfort for such as complaine of the weaknesse of it 269 Till faith come into the heart no sin can be mortified but when it commeth it will mortifie sin 326 327 Two reasons of that 327 330 We must exercise and make use of our faith 330 Faith the root of all true piety and love to God 397 There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation 411 650 652 Wherein the nature of true faith consisteth 411 413 653 It will bring comfortable assurance in the end 413 The inward instrument to sanctifie the heart 731 All men by nature unable to believe 746 Falls of the godly The truly
so carelesly and making so little conscience in keeping it 184 Occasions of evill to be shunned 318 Officers Bound to present infamous and scandalous persons 182 They sin that keep men from publike pennance 187 188 Obedience Be willing to yeeld passive obedience unto God 245 249 Conscionable care to please God a sure note of uprightnesse 378 True obedience is universall 419 c. 724 726 Yet speciall care to be had of those things God hath given us speciall charge of 422 The onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word 380 c. How the upright man sheweth equall respect to all the commandements 423 c. Forth the root of it 737 741 Five notes of Evangelicall obedience 754 Obedience must be done in a right manner 433 c. Oppression Against such as are undoers of others 124 Originall sinne Is derived from the parents and why 282 283 For this sinne above all others God may justly abâ—orre us and we have most cause to bee humbled in our selves 301 303 Three motives to perswade us to seek deliverance from it and two meanes 313 317 Consider Gods mercy and goodnesse towards us in that regard 336 P. Papists THeir errours touching originall sinne 305 c. Touching justification 662 c. Parents To be humbled for the corruption and sinne that appeares in their children 286 Parents should use their utmost indeavour to breed grace in their children 287 c. Diverse motives Ibid. Means Parents must use to save their childrens soules 291 c Parents must maintaine their authority over their children 291 How they come to lose it 292 Their sin in neglecting to keep them in awe 293 294 They must instruct their children 1. Instilling betimes the beginnings of knowledge 294. 2. Acquainting them with the practice of Religion 295. 3. Bringing them to the publike worship 4. Examining them how they profit Ibid. They must be carefull to give them good example 298 They must take heed how they place them at schoole in service in mariage 299 They must pray for them Ibid. Parents using these meanes need not doubt they shall lose their labour 300 Patience We have need of it 250 Seven notes of it 251 c. Motives to it 253 c. Meanes 260 c. Perseverance Study to persevere unto the end 12 The marvellous mercy of God to bee acknowledged in the perseverance of any in the state of grace 347 352 Take heed of declining and falling fâ—om grace 431 432 The regenerate elect child of God caâ—â—ot sin so hainously as every unregenerate man may do 533 c. Constancy in the true Religion is a signe a man hath the Spirit of Christ. 766 c. God hath given great testimony to this 76â— The faithfull have found much comfort in â—t 〈◊〉 They whom the Spirit hath taught 〈…〉 persevere in the truth 〈◊〉 Motives to constancy in the truth 7â—â— 7â—2 Meanes to it 782 Though it be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this worke 783 Predestination Gods decree of Predestination is most righteous 248 249 Prayer Gods people in all distresse must seeke for comfort from God by prayer 59. c. Extremity of affliction should not keepe us from it 63 64 Nor sense of our owne vilenesse 64 65 Nor inability to pray 68 69 c Nor a conceit that it 's to no purpose to pray 69 c. Prescript and set formes of Prayer may bee used 68 Why God delayes to answer the prayers of his servants 75 76 What we must then do 78 c. God gives often a gracious answer to the prayers of his servants though they perceive it not 76 Five severall wayes God shewes respect unto and gives a gracious answer to his peoples prayers 76 77 Six principall faults that use to blemish and weaken our prayers 81 c. 637 Five notable encouragements to prayer specially in inward afflictions 153 Prayer a speciall meanes to get grace to beare afflictions comfortably and patiently 273 Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions 310 Prayer a meanes to conquer corruptions 322 And to get assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 636 A singular good thing to keep a constant course in prayer 700 Faith eâ—ableth us to pray well 743 Practice Presently set upon the practice of what wee have learned 43 Making conscience to practise what we have learned meanes to establish us in the truth 792 Preaching of the Word Is a meanes to bring men to Christ. 19 The godly man will rejoyce in the plentifulnesse of it 801 for three reasons 803 809 Preaching necessary now 813 Obiections against it answered 810 c. Preparation To the hearing of the Word wherein it consists 30 c. Presumption Take heed we sin not presuming that we shall repent before we die 15 The vanity of those conceits which keepe many from being troubled with their 〈◊〉 89 93 Hypocrites use to be confident 377 Presume not to sin because of the fals of Gods people 554 c. The danger of Presumption 620 625 744 Signes of it 628 629 Private duties Secret confession of sinne most necessary convenient and beneficiall 193 195 Psalmes The titles of them not to be omitted as superfluous and impertinent 1 Why committed to the chiefe Musitian 4 Singing of Psalmes an ancient and excellent ordinance of God 4 How Psalmes should be sung 6 Punishment The consideration of punishment may cause a faithfull man to mourne and grieve for sinne and to be afraid of it 218 Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as eternall punishment due to our sinnes 662 663 Though the afflictions men induce be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Profanenesse In some respects the open profane persons case is worse than the hypocrites 718 Profession Live so as men may be witnesses of thy goodnesse 418 He that hath assurance that Christ is his will proâ—esse and declare himselfe openly to bee Gods servant 627 We may hate the sinnes of professors but not hate them for any goodnesse they professe Three notes whereby we may see many hate professors for their goodnesse 716 717 Prosperity He that hath not Christ can have no comfort in his prosperity 686 Great is their folly that preferre worldly things before Christ. 690 R. Regenerate THe sinnes the regenerate fall into are in sundry respects greater than the sinnes of others 539 542 548 552 God will plague sinne as much in them as in any other in the world 540 541 In this life he sheweth more hatred to the sinnes of such than to the sinnes of other men 542 c. The goodnesse in the regenerate man in three respects surpasseth the goodnesse in the morall man or hypocrite 729 730 Religion That 's the true Religion that gives the whole glory of mans salvation to the free grace and mercy of God 110 523 The truth we have received by warrant of
the Word and teaching of the Spirit we should be constant in 525 c. 766 767 A grievous sinne to insult against Religion for the faults of the professours of it 553 554 True Religion grounded on the Word 767 No certainty in Religion but by the teaching of the Spirit 773 774 True Religion brings great blessings to the Church and State 806 807 Repentance A great comfort that thou hast repented 17 The sin of such as keep men from publike pennance 187 188 The sin of such as sin and refuse publike profession of their repentance 189 191 They that have truly repented them of their sinnes cannot easily forget them but are apt to think of them 203 c. The chief thing that should make us hate sin and mourne for it is the offence and dishonour done to God 219 220 The sinning against so good a God should humble us 227 Notes of sincere repentance 232 Five things required in true repentance 605 Faith the root of repentance 740 Reproofe The Minister must plainely and particularly reprove sin 44 c. 707 The reasons for the necessity of reproofe 46 In foure things the Ministers wisdome in reproving sinne must appeare 49 50 And his love in three 51 Reasons why men cannot indure reproofe 52 Their folly appeares in â—oure things 53 Five Obiections answered against such Ministers 54 57 Dangerous not to indure the Word of reproofe 244 Righteousnesse Five things to be granted touching inherent righteousnesse 667 668 Yet cannot a man be iustified by that 669 Inherent righteousnesse a great ground of comfort 677 678 S. Sabbath THough the outward observation of the Sabbath be the least yet God is highly pleased with it and promiseth to reward it 701 705 The things required for the right observation of it 708 710 Sacriledge Is a great sinne 724 Sadnesse Christians should beware of sadnesse and feare 137 Salvation The whole glory of mans salvation is due to the Lord alone and his free grace 521 522 Though it be free to us Christ paid deare for it 600 601 Sanctification Whom the Lord iustifies he sanctifieth though this be not so perfect as the former yet is it more sensible to us because we are agents in it our selves 316 Foure maine differences betweene sanctification and iustification 656 659 Sanctification is not in the same measure in all true believers 657 Nor perfected in this life 658 None can be sanctified till he be iustified 730 Faith the inward instrument whereby God sanctifieth the heart 731 Reasons of it 738 739 Scandalous sinners We should do our best indeavor to bring scandalous sinners to open shame and punishment 182 c. Officers chiefly Ibid. How â—arre private Christians may go in this 185 c. Scripture We must esteeme reverently of every part of Scripture though we cannot at first reading or hearing profit by it 2 The duty we owe to those parts of the Word we cannot understand standeth in six points 2 3 The holy Scripture of the Old Testament was kept in the Sanctuary and Temple 4 It is the onely rule of true righteousnesse 380 c. The absolute perfection of the Scriptures appeares in six particulars 381 384 All Gods people have equall interest in the holy Scriptures 493 All truths necessary to salvation are plainely and clearely set â—â—wne in the Scriptures 512 513 768 Security Against secure sinners 209 214 Selfe-denyall To renounce our selves and with humbled soules to cast our selves upon the â—ree mercy of God in Christ is the way to obtaine comfort 647 Service of God Their solly which reâ—use Gods service because it is an heavy bondage 444 c. Reasons why men reâ—use Gods service 445 c. Gods service the most comfortable life 448 Foure things to be considered in the gracious disposition of our Master that maketh us chearfull in his service 451 Sight of sinne How far forth the discovering of sin to us is a blessing 340 How far forth a judgement 341 Sincerity The Lord desireth and highly esteems truth and sincerity of â—eart and â—oure reasoâ—s for that 368 371 It stands us all upon to 〈◊〉 diligently whether our hearts 〈◊〉 upâ—ight and thâ—ee motives to that 372 376 466 He that hath any one sâ—ving and sanctifying grace hath certainly an upright heart 376 Even the aptnesse that is in us to suspect our selves least our hearts should be unsound is a good signe of uprightnesse 376 719 So is the conscience we make of Gods commandements and to lead a godly life 378 Meanes to attaine sincerity and uprightnesse of heart 469 470 Care to keep our selves unâ—potted of every sin is a signe of sincerity 726 So is this when our maine intent and aime is to please God 728 Sinne. One sin drawes on another 14 Pardon of sin is more to be desired than deliverance from any outward misery 84 c. Sin the greatest evill 85 Sinnes are debts 86 Sin is filthenesse 87 Motives to seek pardon of sin 94 95 Pray daily for it though we be justified 666 Comfort from the pardon of sin 677 Meanes to obtaine it 96 97 98 Notes whereby to know sin is pardoned 100 101 How the assurance of pardon is lost 99 The godly man remembreth his sin with griefe 203 c. Three great mischiefs of scandalous sinnes that abound where the Gospell is preached 175 178 Learne to be afraid of sin 207 569 Every sin is a transgression of Gods Law 220 A contempt done unto God 221 Foure attributes of God by which it appeares that we are chiefly to mourne for our sinnes because God iâ— offended 22 c. No sin veniall or lightly to be accounted of 228 229 233 234 Yet are some greater than others 230 c. 549 552 Three causes of actuall sinnes 282 The godly man hath most cause to be afraid of sin 571 Foure things to be observed in the passion of Christ that do notably set forth the odiousnesse of sin 601 604 Five meanes to make us esteeme sin as it ought to be esteemed of 605 606 Speech Filthy speech becommeth not Christians 6 7 Spirit of God Five notes of the holy Spirit dwelling in us 150 151 The Spirit is the mark on Christs sheep whereby they may know they are his 747 By the fruits of the Spirit they may know they have the Spirit Ibid. Where the Spirit dwels it perswades them in the truth of religion 771 This no private Spirit 775 Strictnesse Maketh not Christs yoke intolerable 235 All precisenesse and strictnesse in small matters is not hypocrisie 236 581 714 Answer to them that blame professours for their scrupulousnesse 715 T. Trouble of mind Diverse obiections of men in that case answered 139 c. Take heed of seeking helpe in this case by false wayes 144 145 Tentations to despaire to be resisted and how 145 146 How to recover our selves and to overcome such tentations 148 c. Truth When a thing is said to bee done or spoken in truth 368 W. Watchfulnesse A
Meanes to get assurance of Gods favour 641 c. Wicked men Lâ—wd persons are a curse to the place they live in 124 Have no cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to passe by the sâ—ips of his children 361 363 Wicked men must pray and do other good duties and they may receive good theâ— by three wayes 363 364 We must love their persons and yet shew detestation to their vices 749 Works Good works the fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit in us good grounds of hope and comfort 104 105 The maine foundation of any comfort in them is wholly in Gods mercy 106 Why no man can make them the maine ground of his comfort Ibid. God doth greatly respect the poore and imperfect services of his people and three reasons for that 357 361 Good works must be performed in a right manner 433 438 Word of God The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken 238 We must believe it 239 Allow and approve of it as just 240 Take it to heart Ibid. The Word a speciall meanes to enable us to beare afflictions christianly 263 To mortifie our corruptions 321 322 Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selâ—e and to the Ministry thereof 507 509 The least thing God hath appointed in his Word may not be neglected 577 579 Try our estate by the Word of God 624 625 The Word a speciall meanes to get comfortable assurance that Christ is ours an 〈◊〉 633 634 A singular good thing to love the Word 700 Worship of God We must depend upon the direction of the Word for 〈◊〉 581 Conscience to be made of the outward parts of Gods Worship and exercises of Râ—ligion 581 582 We must labour to understand every thing we do in the service of God 583 589 Els we shall receive no good by it 584 585 In every part of Gods Worship labour to find God with us in it 587 588 591 Foure motives to stirre up this â—are 591 Foure means to make Gods Ordinances effectuall 592 593 We must not neglect Gods Ordinances though we find no fruit 594 Gods solemne Worship and conscionable use of his Ordinances a meanes to worke 〈◊〉 and recover assurance that Christ is ours 632 True love of God will appeare towards his Worship 799 Z. Zeale EVery one that 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ must needs be zealous for God and his worship 799 FINIS Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. Vse 1. 2. The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understaÌ„d not Doct. 2. Reason Vse Doct. 4. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. Doct. 5. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doct. 6. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 7. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Sort. 2. 3. Vse 3. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic Applic * So it is in the margent Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Doct. 8. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Vse 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Answ. Object 5 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nota. Doct. 9. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. Vse Vse 2. Motive 1 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. Reason 1 Aâ—sw Reason 2 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Answ. 2. Nota Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 10 Reason Vse 1. Quest. 1 2. 3. Object 1 Answ. 1 Object 2 Answ. Applic. Object 3 Answ. Vse 2. 1 Sort of Motives 2 Sort of Motives Meanes Signes Applic Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 11 Object 1. Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason Object Answ. Vse Vse 2. 1 Duty Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 2 Duty Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. 1. Duty Object Answ. Duty 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object Answ. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ 2. Object Answ. 1. Object Nota. Doct. 12. Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2 Reason 3 Vse 1. Three sorts of conâ—ession of sin Object Answ. Appli 1 Appli 2 Appli Quest. Answ. 1 2. Doctr. Proofe Reason Appli Object Answ. Object Answ. Answ. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 13 Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason Reason 2 Reason 3 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1 Answ. Object Answ. Object 3 Answ. Quest. Answ. Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ. Doct. 14 Branc. 1 Branch 2 Reason Reason 2 Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3 Attribute 4 Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Vse 4. Nota. Doct. 15 Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 16 Reason 1 Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Object 1 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Quest. 2. Answ. Doct. 17 Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3 Answ. Proofe 1. Proofe 2. Object Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 18 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. First sort of Motives Second sort of Motives The third sort of motives Meanes Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 2. Applic. Object 1. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 2. Answ. Means 3. Applic. Means 4. Applic. Means 5. Applic. Nota. Doct. 19 Branc. 1 Branc. 2 Reason Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Motives Means Means 1. Applic. Mans 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Ans. Meanes 4 Applic. Applic. Means 5 Applic. Meanâ— 6 Means 7 Applic. Applic. Quest. Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. 1 2. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 4. 1 Restraining grace Applic. Object Applic. Applic. Object Answ Applic. 1 CoÌ„verting grace Applic. 3 Confirming grace Applic. Object Answ. TentatioÌ„ 1 Preservative 1. Object 1 Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Preservative 2. Quest. Answ. TentatioÌ„ 2. Preservative Quest. Answ. 4 Saving grace Applic. Object Answ. 1 2. Doct. 20 Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Vse 1. Motive 1. Motive 2. Motive 3 Applic. The first signe of uprightnesse of heart Applic. The second signe of uprightnes of heart Object Answ. The first property of obedience and true righteousnesse Applic. The second property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Branch 1 Object Answ. 1 Answ. 2 Branch 2 Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Doct. Reason 1 Reason 2 Object Answ. Applic. Motives Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4. Motive 5. Motive 6. Mean 1 Mean 2. Means 3 Means 4. Means 5 Object Answ. Object Applic. The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse 1 The subject of sancâ—â—fying grace Caution 1â— Caution 2 Caution 3. Applic. The 〈…〉 Quest. 1 Answ. 1. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Applic. Applic. Answ. 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. 2 The continuance of saving grace Applic. 1 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. The â—ourth property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Applic. Applic. Applic. The third signe of uprightnesse of heart Answ. 1. 2. Applic. 1 Quest. Answ. 1 Answ. 2. Applic. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Applic. 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Motive Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Nota. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Doct. 21 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Object Answ. Vse 1. Applic. The object of true knowledge The properties of saving knowledge The effects of saving knowledge Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object Answ. Applic. Means 4 Means 5 Means 6 Means 7 Nota. Doct. 22 Branch 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Quest. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Branch 2 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Answ. Answ. 2. Reason 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Vse 2. Caution 1 Caution 2 Applic. Nota. Doct. 23 Caution Object 2 Answ. Proofe Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Applic. Applic. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quâ—st 3 Answ. Nota. Doct. 24 CautioÌ„ 1 CautioÌ„ 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Nota. Doct. 25 Branch 1 Reason Branch 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Object Answ. Nota. Doct. 26 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Object Answ. Signe Meanes Nota. Doct. 27 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Signe 1. Applic. Signe 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Signe 3. Applic. Means 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Quest. Applic. Object 1. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. 1. 2. Nota. Doct. 28 Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3. Vse 1. Applic. Errour 1 Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Reason 2 Object Answ. 1. 2. Reason Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Vse Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 3. Answ. Vse 2. Motive 1 Contrâ— Motiv 2 Applic. Motive Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. Applic. Motive 4 Signes Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Aplic Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Proof 1 Proofe 2 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Aplic Object Answ. Motive 1 Motive 2 Object Answ. Meanes Doct. Reason 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason 2 Reason 3. Applic. 1 Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Object 4. Answ. 1. Answ. 2.
judgement or practise Give thy strength unto thy servant saith David Psal. 86.16 and 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe So Cornelius when his mind was much perplexed and troubled with the great difference of opinion and doctrine which he found among the teachers in his time took this course to settle himselfe in the truth hee gave himselfe much to fasting and prayer as you may read Acts 10.30 31. Yea see what confidence and boldnesse they have used in their prayers in this case You heard even now out of Cant. 1.7 how familiarly and boldly the Spouse of Christ finding her selfe to be in danger to be seduced expostulateth with him and teacheth us by her example that we may and should doe so in the like case O thou whom my soule loveth saith she why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flockes of thy companions As if shee had said Why shouldst thou suffer me to be mislead by any false teacher or seducer whatsoever The like familiar expostulation you shall find David using in this case Psalme 56.13 Thou hast delivered my soule from death wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling that I may walke before God in the light of the living As if hee should say Thou hast redeemed me and effectually called mee and justified and sanctified mee in some measure and wilt not thou keepe mee from falling from thy truth into any damnable errour And thus have I finished that which I have to say touching this second fruit and effect whereby a man may know himselfe to have the spirit of Christ that is Constancy in the true religion of Christ. Lecture CL. On Psalme 51.7 Novemb. 15. 1631. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the third principall effect and fruit whereby a man may know that he hath the spirit of Christ. The point then that we have now to handle is this Hee that hath indeed the spirit of Christ in him and is in the state of grace will take to heart the cause of God and of his holy religion nay he cannot choose but doe so I will give you both the explication and the proofe of the point together that is I will both shew you what it is to take to heart the cause of God and religion and also prove that he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but doe it And this I will doe first generally and then more particularly And my generall proofes shall be an introduction unto the particulars In my generall proofes I will observe three degrees First then he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but love the Lord unfeignedly yea love him above all other things even better then his owne selfe This is made the summe of the first Table of all the duty and worship we owe unto God Mar. 12.30 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. If any man come to me saith our Saviour Luk. 14.26 and â—ate not that is love not lesse then me as it is to be interpreted out of Mat. 10.37 his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot be my Disciple He cannot be in the state of grace he cannot have the spirit of Christ that doth not thus love the Lord. And on the other side he that can find in himselfe that he doth thus love the Lord though he have otherwise many defects in himselfe may be assured that he is in the state of grace that he hath the spirit of Christ in him If any man love God 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne of him hee is approved and beloved of God Therefore when Christ would comfort Peter after his grievous fall he examineth him thrice and by his examining of him so provokes him to examine himselfe about this Ioh. 21.15 Simon sonne of Ionas lovest thou me As if he had said then all is well be of good comfort thou art in a happy state Secondly No man can thus love God but he must needs have the zeale of God in him he cannot but be zealous for God grieved and troubled in himselfe to see God dishonoured When David had said Psal. 119.158 I beheld the transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy word He gives in the next words the reason of it verse 159. Consider how I love thy precepts Because he loved God and his Word he could not but grieve to see him dishonoured See an example of this in Eliah I have beene very zealous for the Lord of hoasts saith he 1 King 19.10 He was so troubled for the dishonour he saw done to God under the governement of Ahab and Iezabel that it made him weary of his life as you may see verse 4. See it also in David Psal. 69.9 His zeale had even eaten him up he saith and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me as an intollerable burden that I cannot beare See lastly an example of this in Hezekiah and his Nobles 2 King 19.1 4. We read that Hezekiah rent his cloathes and clad himselfe in sackcloth and so did his Princes too they were in great griefe and trouble of mind And what was the cause of it Not the extreame danger they were in of the sword of Sennacherib who had proclaimed warre against them and had already taken all the defensed cities of Iuda Chap. 18.13 and was so potent an enemy that he was able to besiege Ierusalem with an army of above an hundred fourescore and five thousand Chap. 19.35 No no the blasphemy that Rabshakeh had belched out against God and the reproach and dishonour he had cast upon him troubled them more then all the danger they were in In craving the Prophets prayer he mentioneth this more then the other This is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy saith he ver 3. and ver 4. It may be the Lord thy God will heare all the words of Rabshakeh whom his master hath sent to reproach the living God And in his prayer unto God verse 16. he complaines most of this Heare the words of Sennacherib who hath sent him to reproach the living God Thirdly and lastly He that hath any true zeale of God in him will shew and expresse it towards his house and worship especially Thus did David shew his zeale for God The zeale of thy house saith hee Psalme 69.9 hath eaten mee up And so did Iehojada 2 Chron. 24.16 the cause of that great honour that was done him after his death is said to be this Because hee had done good in Israel towards God and towards his house hee had restored and established the pure worship of God in Iudah And so did Nehemiah expresse his zeale for God and tooke great comfort in expectation of reward from God for it Remember me saith he Neh. 13.14 ô my God concerning this thing and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of