life Joh. 6.47 A justification to life Rom. 5.18 So is there repentance unto life Act. 11.18 Ezek. 36.25 26. With Gods sprinkling clean water there 's a taking away the stony heart where God gives repentance he also gives forgiveness and appoints his Appostles to preach repentance and remission of sins together Luk. 24.47 Some doctrines of these latter times suppose a forgiveness not onely before repentance but also before the sinner was born nay some go as high as to say from eternity if it was so to what purpose was it then for Christ to preach repentance and remission together Reasons why pardon follows upon repentance 1 Faith that looks on Christs blood shed for us looks at the same time on its own sin as the cause of its shedding and every believing sinner is at the same time a repenting sinner Zach. 12.10 Thou sayest thou hast faith that apprehends pardon and applyes Christ if thou doest this rightly thy faith is a repenting and a mourning faith Zach. 13.1 There 's a Fountain set open in that day in what day not simply in that day when they see him but when they see him and mourn for him 2 God walks by his own rule now Christ bids that upon a brothers repentance we should forgive him Luke 17.3 4. So upon our repentance God will forgive 2 Sam. 12.12 13. 3 From the rule of justice it stands not with justice for God to forgive sin to a man that goes on in a purpose of sin therefore at the time God gives pardon he gives repentance 4 The want of assurance of pardon doth greatly disquiet as well as the want of pardon Suppose a person upon believing have his pardon yet is it but dim he cannot lightly be assured of it until he do repent upon repentance God gives the assurance and seals it to the conscience Zach. 2.3 4. As the Lord takes away the filthy garments from Joshua so to Joshua's conscience hespeaks I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee Preachers must take heed they do not preach remission to faith without repentance The summe of the Gospel is that whereas we are all dead men in Adam remission of sins is tendered to all that do believe and repent this is signified in baptisme and the supper which are signes on Gods part to confirme unto us his faithfulness in remission and signes on our parts to binde us to believe and repent We see in this petition 1 who forgives even God He to whom a debt is own can onely forgive it Esa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy sins for my own Name sake Others may remit the wrongs that concern themselves or they may remit declaratively they are to preach deliverance to captives Esa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 The state of a man unpardoned is like the state of a man imprisoned as the words shutting and opening and keyes Matth. 16.19 import now when persons repent preachers say to souls as Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12.7 The Lord hath put away thy sin The Lord hath done it I onely declare it Christ spake to his Apostles whose sins ye remit they are remitted but first he said receive ye the Holy Ghost for it is the Holy Ghost puts away sin and not you God onely forgives authoritatively Christ gave the power of teaching to his Disciples but kept the power of forgiveness to himself Now for the ground upon which pardon of sin is founded it is the meer mercy of God it s for his own Name sake the graces that are in us are not causes that God forgives fin to us but evidences thereof for the onely groundis mercy which is seen 1 In that he hath found out and appointed a way to satisfie his justice even Christs satisfaction Rom. 3.25 Esa 53.6 2 In his acceptation of that satisfaction and not requiring the debt of us Esa 53.11 3 In giving us to Christ Joh. 6.37 4 In giving us grace to receive Christ so tendered in the Gospel Joh. 1.12 5 In that there was nothing in us to move him thereto but our misery so that as tender hearts show mercy to persons in misery so did God What was there in Paul when he was going to Damascus to persecute For Application 1 begg forgiveness of sins of God Reprobate men may have other mercies this onely belongs to the elect Esa 33.24 The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Though Saints have prayed for removing judgements yet have they specially prayed for pardon of sin 2 Sam. 24.10 Grounds of begging pardon 1 From the painfulness and anguish that is in unpardoned sin lying on the conscience compared to a thorne in the flesh Ps 38.3 There 's no rest in my bones because of my sin to a heavy burthen Psa 38.4 To the breaking of the bones Psal 51.12 To a Serpents sting 1 Cor. 15.56 Yea to the stinging of an adder Prov. 23.32 To a scorching heat Psal 32.4.5 Freedom from wrath law sin death are easily spoken but to feel the fruit of it in agony of conscience and to apply it to a mans self is very hard Luth. Tom. 4. Fol. 149. 2 The comfort and content that is in the soul when sin is pardoned it is as if you should take off a talent of lead or a heavy weight from the soul Matth. 9.2 Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Look upon a poor debtor that ought a thousand pound and was ready to be cast in prison for it the creditor shall not onely forgive the debt but cancell the bond how doth this cheer the debtor so did Christ for us Col. 2.14 Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us he took it out of of the way and nayled it to his Cross so that it can never be pleaded against us Hence when God would comfort Mary Magdalen weeping he doth it from this ground because her sins were forgiven Luk. 7.38 9 49 50. Matth. 9.2 To the Palsey man Christ saith Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Esa 40. Comfort ye my people but how tell them their iniquity is pardoned Object But drooping souls cry out Hence I doubt my sins are not pardoned because I have so little peace in my soul Answ 1 Though comfort arise from pardon yet must God make us to hear the voice of it Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear the voice of joy and gladness God makes the voice to speak higher or lower as he thinks good 2 The more even the soul walks without back sliding the more doth the Lord speak peace to the soul Psalm 85.8 The Lord will speak peace unto his Saints but let them not turn again to folly as if he should say If they relapse or turn to folly their peace will be interrupted 3 Observe whether thy conscience speak truly or scrupulously If thy trouble come from thy conscience witnessing that thou livest in sin as Cain's conscience did Gen. 4.13 this must needs destroy
doth these things shall live by them and live in them Gal. 3.12 Contrarily fail in one point and be under the curse Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them A sinner is not justified unless he be condemned viz. by the Law he is not quickned unless he be slain he doth not ascend to heaven unless he descend into hell Luth. Tom. 2.57 Thus no man was ever justified save Adam in his state of innocency and Jesus Christ and the Angels By this righteousness no man living is justified Job 9.20 If I justifie myself my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Also v. 30.31 If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and my own clothes shall abhor me The meaning is if I were the purest man alive and God should call me to his tribunal I must needs condemn my self and whatsoever is near unto me would condemn me Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest be exeream to mark what is done a miss who might stand Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified We are not able to fulfill one branch of any command by reason of indwelling corruption so that I appeal to the conscience of any man whether in the perfectest action that ever he did he durst stand to Gods severe trial thereof much less are we able to fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness by it as the Prophet saith in another case Esa 28.20 The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it So say I of mans righteousness We cannot fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness from it The Law requires a two-fold righteousness 1 Habitual in the inherent holiness of a mans whole person 2 Actual in the exercise of all good works enjoyned by the Law and Gospel and forbearance of the contrary evil works both in the thoughts of the heart words of the mouth and actions of the whole life so that every man in the world incurs damnation by his deeds and therefore cannot remain justified by his habits Nay he is more guilty that having an habit of inherent righteousness produces acts of unrighteousness as we see in the fallen Angels and Adam What man is there can perform these two commands to love God with all the heart and not to covet Yea look upon man in a state of regeneration we shall see weakness in his faith Mark 9.24 sinkings in his hope Psalm 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul Esa 64.6 The Prophet doubts not to pronounce of all our righteousnesses which were inherent in our persons compared with the righteousness of God and his law they were as filthy rags Obj. If our best performances be stained Esa 64.6 Why should we perform any good work Answ Though they be stained there is some good in them there is gold in the oar There is so much good that God pardons the ill and accepts the good a sick man must eat to strengthen nature though much of what he eats turns to putrifaction This righteousness of works cannot justify us 1 Because it s not so large as the Law of God so that he that hath the greatest measure of it hath much indwelling corruption 2 Saints ascribe all to the mercy of God in Christ Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath See we are not justified by inherent holiness but by his blood Inherent righteousness is not a cause of our son-ship but onely a consequent of it Gal. 4.6 he sayes not ye are received for sons because the spirit hath stampt upon you inherent holiness but because by and in Christ ye are received for sons ye are indued with the spirit and graces thereof 3 No man in pangs of conscience and agony of death can trust to his own righteousness Psalm 130.3 4. 4 Because the law promises life upon an impossible condition Rom. 10.5 and so leaves the conscience doubtfull and trembling 2 The second righteousness whereby persons stand righteous is the righteousness of Christ which is when God declares men who are wicked and sinners by nature but by grace true believers to be freed and absolved from eternal death and to have right to eternal life for the righteousness of Christ Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. 1 Thes 5.9 When that mercifull father did see us to be opprest with the curse of the Law he sent his son into the world and cast upon him all the sins of all he means the elect saying Be thou Peter that denier Paul that persecutor David that adulterer that sinner that are the apple in Paradice that thief on the cross Luth. Tom. 4.94 Let the Law rule over the Flesh and the Promise sweetly reign in the conscience Now concerning Justification consider 1 The efficient cause 1 Generally the whole Trinity Rom. 3.30 It is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Uncircumcision through Faith Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness In particular the Father justifies us pronunciatively because we have imputative Righteousness and his Justice is thereby satisfied for a sinner is not just before God because he is justified but he is therefore justified because he is some way or other just for upon the creatures righteousness the act of God in Justification proceeds For upon the beholding of a righteousness for us the Father justifies us pronunciatively the Son justifies us meritoriously being made unto us of God righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 Ephes 5.2 The Spirit justifies us by applying unto us Christs satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 2 The material cause of our Justification was the Bloud and Death of Christ Matth. 20.28 He gave his Life a Ransom for many Luke 22.20 This Cup is the New Testament in my Bloud Acts 2.28 The whole Church is said to be purchased with the Bloud of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be the Propitiation for our sins through Faith in his Bloud When we teach we do no other thing than that we scatter and divide the virtue of Christs Bloud among the People Luth. in Gen. 49. Col. 1.14 20. In whom we have Redemption through his Bloud and having made peace by the Bloud of his Cross Also v. 22. You that were Enemies hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Heb. 9.12 speaking of the Levitical Priests he saith They entered into the holy place by the bloud of goats but Christ entered into Heaven by his own bloud having obtained eternal Redemption for us yea
shoes Matth. 3.14 Luke 3.22 4 Spiritual conviction that the spirit let us see our worthlesseness Rev. 3.17 q.d. thou art but thou knowest it not that thou art poor and blinde and naked Joh. 16.10 he shall convince of sin so that as the sun gives a light whereby we behold as the gloriousnes of the sun so the loathsomness of the dunghil so the spirit convinces of our own vileness and his own fulness 5 Present to your selves abasing considerations as What was I before I had mercy how unprofitably spent I my time what will these glorious things of the world be in time to come wherein we are apt to be conceited when heaven and earth shall be on fire since we were called how have we discredited our profession how barren and watchless are we how short are we of that we might have been 6 Believe the promises made to souls poor in spirit I will look to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit Esa 66.2 Yea dwell with him and revive him Esa 57.15 yea Christ came to preach glad tidings of the gospel to such Luk. 4.18 Matth. 11.3 Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but thou art rich God will feed such souls with grace and comfort Zach. 11.7 Luke 1.53 yea God will be a strength to such in their distress Esa 25.4 Psal 69.33 7 Look upon thy own wants and weakness the more thou seest them the more wilt thou trust in God Zeph. 3.12 From heaven did the Lord behold the earth to hear the groaning of the prisoner Psalm 102.19 20. I am poor and sorrowfull let thy salvation set me up on high Psalm 69.29 For theirs is the Kingdome of heaven That is both kingdome of grace Esai 61.1 For the poor have the Gospel preached to them Mat. 11.3 but especially the kingdome of glory is meant Luke 12.32 Matth. 25.34 though such persons are beggarly in their own feeling being sensible of their lack of faith love joy hope yet have they an interest in the riches of grace and glory We may apply this to comfort the poor in spirit who are full of miseries inward and outward The worlds proverb is Blessed are the rich because theirs is the kingdome of the earth but Christ pronounceth Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven V. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted By mourning Christ means such mourning as is for offending God whether it be by sighs groans or an inward grief of heart such persons though they may seem miserable in the eys of the world yet are they blessed 1 God is wont to make comforts to abound according to their sorrows 2 Cor. 7.6 God comforts them that are cast down and this proportionable to our sorrows 2 Cor. 1.5 7. 2 God is wont to bottle all their tears and sorrows Psa 56.8 Psalm 55. Consider how I mourn in my complaint 3 There 's a time coming when God will turn the mourning of Saints into dancing and their sackcloth into gladness Psalm 30.11 John 16 20. Ye shall weep and lament but your sorrow shall be turned into joy There is not onely a fountain of justification set open for such mourners now but a state of glorification hereafter Zach. 12.10 11 12 13 compared with Chapter 13.1 Hence see 1 The mistake of the world who think happiness to be placed in delights and pleasures and shun those things which may procure any sorrow or cross as confession of persecuted truths against this Christ saith Mourners shall be comforted 2 It 's consolation for distressed consciences If thou canst truly mourn for thy transgressions thou shalt be comforted Let what ever distress come upon an afflicted heart yet if thou canst mourn for offending God thou shalt be comforted 3. It 's consolation to persons who have afflicted estates in this world there 's a day coming when comfort shall come provided that with mourning for thy miseries thou specially mourns for thy sin Luke 16.25 Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Though thy comfort come not yet yet in Gods time it shall come They are not blessed who mourn for the loss of their wealth or death of their friends but they who mourn for offending God 4 In all our confessions and professed humiliations see that you do not declare them onely historically but mourn for them Psalm 38.17 I will declare mine iniquities and will be sory for my sin When thou prayes let thy heart mourn in prayer Psalm 55.2 When thou speaks of sin speak mournfully of it Now to move us hereto consider 1 God hath the joy of the Holy Ghost in store for mourners Esa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord is upon me to give the oyl of joy for the spirit of mourning and heaviness Saints seldome finde such comfortable revivings as when they are most mournful 2 This mourning is more comfortable then the lowd laughters of the world Properties of Mourning 1 Let it be continued that length of time may not wear it out length of time eats out worldly griefs 2 Universal That King that was sory for his consent to Daniels death Dan. 6.14 was not sory for his denial of the truth in refusing to venture all in a good cause Herod was sory for Johns death but could rejoyce in Herodias 3 After conversion as well as before It 's a vain opinion to think we need not sorrow after conversion and that a Christians state is altogether a state of joy Joy and sorrow may stand together in the soul but not about one and the same object joy in God and sorrow for sin 4 Let thy mourning be not onely in regard of the damning power of sin but principally in regard of the contrariety thereof to the nature of God and to the nature of him that loves thee Luke 7.38 compared with v. 48. Mary having a sense of Gods love weeps bitterly and washes Christs feet with her tears 5 Let it be joyned with faith First Christ looks upon the soul and gives some testimony of his love to it and then the soul looks on Christ with a sad heart Matth. 26.75 Christ first lookt on Peter then he went out and wept bitterly It s the nature of faith to apply the wounds and sorrows of Christ unto it self Esa 53.5 thence follows mourning Zach. 12.10 6 This mourning for sin is the greatest hence resembled to the mourning for an onely son when dead Zach. 12.11 to the drawing of water 1 Sam. 7.6 as if it had been in buckets The ground whereof is because they apprehend sin as the greatest of evils 1 Because it is the cause of all evils Deut. 28. 2 It keeps off the greatest good 3 It cannot be purged away but with the greatest price even Christs bloud 4 There 's more evil in sin then in any thing hence followes 1 A resolution not to meddle with sin as Jehoshaphat when he had smarted by joyning with Ahab in sending out a
is needful let us avoid wicked suspicions of others concerning us and our received opinion of them is to be tried envy not any man who is dearly loved before others Just Mart. ad Zenam Serenum p. 390. Let no worldly conference flow from us but that which fits us for virtue Our neighbour speaking let us not laugh at him nor hinder him until by our silence he be ashamed and be silent Ibid. p. 391 392. 2 Exhortation to Christians to be like unto salt 1 As salt draws out putrifying humors out of meat and makes it rellishable for the palate so Christians by their doctrine and examples and in particular Preachers draw out the rottenness in the hearts and tongues of men and makes them fit for society of Christians hence they are called the salt of the earth to show that they should not season one or two or a few but even the whole earth and to press it the more upon them he used this similitude not once but often as Mark 9. ult John 14. ult 2 For profitableness Sale sole nihil utilius salt is most profitable called by some the balsome of nature it is mingled with all mixt bodies and preserves them from corruption So Christians are very profitable Philemon 11. Formerly unprofitable now profitable to thee and me 3 Christians are like salt for wisdom salt was an embleme of wisdome as salt seasons meat so wisdom seasons the mindes of good men Hence Sapientia is derived à sapore from savor because wisedome is the savor of the minde that which the soul is in the body that are Christians in the world 4 Salt is of a hot and fiery nature because cast it into the fire it kindles and of a watry nature because if you pour water upon it it turns into water So the Disciples of Christ should be hot and zealous for God yet should this heat be mingled with knowledg and discretion lest we fly out as those Luke 9.53 who called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritans or those who out of zeal to God persecuted Christ and his Righteousness Rom 10.2 5 As Salt stirs up Thirst so Christians should stir up others to thirst after Christ and heavenly things John 7.37 Revel 22.17 We should not so much look for Examples from others as give Examples to others Lyvy called Greece the Salt of the Nations it is more truly said of Christians 6 As by Salt Meat is made fit for our Taste so by the Salt of an holy Conversation the Word is made fit for the Rellish of others 1 Peter 3.1 Hence Christians are called the Salt of the earth that is of earthly minded men 7 As for preservation of Meat and other things from putrifaction there must be a just measure of Salt neither too much nor too little so Christians in general nor Teachers in special ought by an unseasonable application of the Law to swallow up afflicted Consciences Psalm 69.26 They persecute him whom thou hast smitten and talk to the grief of him whom thou hast wounded nor by an unseasonable application of the grace of God to encourage impenitent persons Rom 2.4 5 8 As Salt brings Desolation and a Curse to that which is not seasoned by it Gen 13.3 Zeph 2.9 so the Word in the Mouths and Lives of Christians to whom it is not a savour of life is a savour to death 2 Cor 2.16 2 Exhort to live savoury Lives our selves else how can we season others If the Salt have lost its savour what is it good for Take heed therefore of all scandalous sins for 1 By these the Name of God is blasphemed Ezek 36.20 The Babylonians seeing the loose lives of the Jews cried out These are the people of the Lord these are come out of the Lords land Rom 2 24 The Name of God is blasphemed by you Loose Christians are called Spots Jude 12 Deut 32.19 When David committed folly with Bathsheba by that thing he made the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam 12.14 When the strong despised the weak and the weak judged the strong they caused their good to be evil spoken of Rom 14.16 How carefull are we to preserve the name of a Friend how carefull should we be to preserve the Name of God 2 An holy savoury walking free from scandalous sins is a mans glory 1 Sam 12.3 4 Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass or of whose hand have I received a Bribe and they said Thou hast not defrauded us nor taken any thing of any mans hand 1 Cor 9.15 It were better for me for to dy than that any man should make my glorying void See 2 Cor 1.12 1 Thess 2.10 Contrarily it 's a dishonour to a Christian to be guilty of a spot of uncleanness c. Demetrius had a good report of all men yea and of the truth it self 3 Epist of John v. 12 3 Scandalous sins are worse to keep men off from embracing the truth than persecutions for by scandals men are hardened from embracing the truth Rom 14.13 Let no man lay a stumbling block or a scandal to another for sometimes persons were made by the contentions among strong and weak to stumble and so not to joyn to Gods people sometimes they were made to fall yea to fall off from Christian Assemblies Holy example is a duty we ow to the whole world and as by holy examples persons are built up towards Heaven so by wicked words and works yea by indifferent things done unseasonably persons are made worse and built up towards destruction Lev 19.14 Thou shalt not lay a stumbling block before the blinde Scandals are as Pits and Snares to catch living creatures wherein the unwary and blinde are taken 4 A savoury Life free from Scandals is a special means to stop the mouths of wicked men Dan 6.4 they found nought against Daniel but for the Law of his God 1 Peter 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Peter 3.16 having a good Conscience whereunto an holy Life is joyned that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ Titus 2.8 They that are of the contrary part will be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you contrarily when persons that profess shall fall into scandals wicked men draw these Conclusions as 1 Because some professing persons are bad therefore their Religion is bad 2 Because one is bad thus they are all 5 By an unsavoury scandalous Life thou hast a hand in other mens damnation A mans own personal guilt is heavy enough he need not add the weight of other mens sins Matth 18.6 Wo to the World because of offences there is not onely a Wo to the person that gives the offence but to the World This is a Rock on which thousands dash their souls Therefore as
the detraction from another mans reputation is an addition to their own but Christ here tells them the contrary Use Caution against rash judgement Beware we neither lessen things well done or well spoken nor interpret doubtfull things in the worse part nor aggravate light infirmities nor be ready to receive scattered reproaches Obj. But is all judging here condemned Answ No to judge a tree by the fruits is lawfull It 's not the minde of Christ that his Disciples should be blinde towards the evils of others and not to censure and punish them but that we bridle the corruption of our hearts which is much inclining to rash judgement Our hearts are like crooked rules that are ready to pervert straight things Neither is credulity here commended such as was in Jacob who erred in too much charity thinking the wild beasts had devoured Joseph when his sons onely shewed him a blooded Coat which Joseph wore Neither the judging in Churches 1 Cor. 5.4 5 12. or in Commonwealths 2 Chron. 19.6 is forbid Neither the judging of private persons betwixt brethren 1 Cor. 6.5 is forbid But that judging is here condemned which arises 1 From pride and domination Jam. 3.1 2 From spleen discontent envy passion and hatred whence mens narrow inspection ariseth 3 From hypocrisie when men endeavour to cover their own vicious practises by judging others so the Pharisee Luke 18.12 13. 4 To judge finally of any mans reprobation having not committed the sin against the Holy Ghost 5 To be Lord and Law-giver to and of another mans conscience Jam. 4.12 13. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another thus the strong and weak did Rom. 14.3 4. Thou art onely a fellow servant therefore not a judge 6 That judging which is used to get an opinion of holiness Obj. But we finde even godly men and professors to judge others Answ It 's possible even for godly men to judge amiss as Abraham Gen. 20.10 11. and Eli 1 Sam. 1.14 and to insult too much over unregenerate men but usually either 1 They judge themselves or 2 To preserve themselves from being accessary to other mens sins by a secret invisible allowance of them 3 Lest Knaves should go for honest men 4 When men merely civil or formal or such as live in some sin are cried up by some time-serving flatterer for good men here a godly man may pass his judgement of this wicked man lest ignorant persons hearing him so commended might gather such a dangerous principle viz. That a man may be a good man and yet live in some way of wickedness That silence is no less sinfull which suffers a profane man to carry away the repute of a godly man then that silence which suffers a godly man to be charged with hypocrisie provided there be time and place for a wise and charitable contradiction V. 2. For with what judgement ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again The second reason why we must not rashly judge others because God by his providence will afford us the like V. 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Here 's a third reason against rash judging taken from the adjunct Such persons have beams or gross sins in themselves who are prone to censure motes or infirmities in others Self love blindes many that they cannot see gross sins in themselves but can see supposed sins in others V. 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye A fourth reason taken from unprofitableness and dishonesty such judgings do not tend to the amending but to the hardening of the sinner He that will judg others had need examine himself Quest Whether may not a Judg condemn those sins in another which he knows himself to have committed or at present knows he liveth in Answ Yes because every Judg is bound to judg according to Law where evils are prosecuted and witnessed in any outward Court of men but not where they are prosecuted and witnessed in the inner Court of conscience for that Court onely belongs to God and though the Apostle Rom. 2.1 say that such men are inexcusable who judg others for those things themselves do it 's meant onely in the Court of conscience or the Court of Heaven not in the Courts of men which looks upon all men as innocent against whom there is no witness of guilt Besides how wilt thou say to thy Brother that is with what face upon what ground of conscience or honesty wilt thou say Let me pull out thy Mote when thou hast the Beam of a reigning sin in thee Luke 13.14 15. Obs All sins are not equal some are reigning sins some are sins of infirmity 2 Many persons though guilty of great sins yet are not sensible of them some have beams yet see it not 3 Men that would reform small sins in others must first reform great sins in themselves V 5. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam out of thine own Eye and then thou shalt clearly see to cast out the Mote out of thy Brothers Eye The words are an Answer to an Objection It seems then I need not care how my Brother lives whether well or ill Answ Yes thou must Hence Christ adds v. 5. that we should perform towards them the duty of admonition See Levit. 19.17 But Hypocrites upon pretence of admonition sometimes exercise a masterly power of judging contrary to the Rule of Charity which requires with all tenderness that we inquire into and deal with the weaknesses of our Brethren with a desire of healing of them but this cannot he do who hath greater faults of his own Thy Brother whom thou reproves cannot learn a better amendment by thee than that he sees in thee Reproof is so to be ordered that not onely the faults of our Brother be blamed but that reproof may attain the true end thereof to wit the amendment of the sinner which will be brought about the better when thy life reproves him as well as thy words As it 's impossible for him that hath a beam in his eye to pull out a mote out of another mans because the beam blindes him that he cannot see the mote so a man blinded with any reigning sin he cannot see infirmities in others to amend them Object But what Beam is it that is to be cast out Answ 1 Reigning sin Rom. 6.12 2 The beam of scandalous sin This was in Davids eye when he so severely judged him to death that took the the Ew-lamb 2 Sam. 12.5 6. Quest But how shall we come to see the greatness of our sins that they are beams 1 Consider the infinite majesty against whom committed 2 Consider the great knowledg thou hast sinned against 3 The length
their death-beds you have kept your Church and been good to the poor and peaceable among your neighbours 10 Vain-glory also is a fruit of a false Prophet John 7.18 He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory Contrarily faithfull Teachers preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4.5 John 3.30 11 Also dissimulation is a fruit of a false Prophet he endeavours to make persons to believe otherwise of things then he himself doth as of the Scriptures that they are of God but yet onely for such a time not for a constant rule of faith he believs the resurrection but he means a spiritual resurrection not a bodily of the same body committed to the earth 12 Also bitter invectives against instrumental teaching that they may draw Disciples after themselves Acts 20.30 31. 13 Also they carry you from the light of the Scriptures to the light within you contrary to Esai 8.20 to the law and to the testimony If they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them Thou hast no light within who carriest persons from the Scriptures how can the light within thee check thee for any thing but from the light of Gods word The Word used thirty times in the New Testament for Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a knowledge together with this conscience together with God witnesses all our purposes words and actions whether good or evill Rom. 9.1 But whence doth it witness for or against us even from the light of the Word A man might commit idolatry and persecution every day and yet not be troubled at it if he do not know the Law of God Unless the knowledge of Gods word be in our mindes the conscience cannot exercise its judicial act in determining of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our actions Hence when the Scripture would stir up a mans conscience it appeals to his knowledge 1 Cor. 6.15 16 19. 1 Cor. 9.23 24. 14 Also the denying of Ordinances upon pretence of immediate communion with God These false Prophets cast off the Ordinances wherein God and the soul of a believer have communion they throw down Christs ordinances and institutions that Satans inspirations and revelations may be instead of them Because there are some Allegories in the Scriptures they turn all into Allegories that they may carry us into a Wood whence we may not finde our way out and all to stablish these fooleries and yet these men judge themselves to have come into a state of perfection judging others to be children who use ordinances But that they may not seem to be mad without reason they bring some arguments as 1 The distinction put betwixt the Law and Gospel called Letter and Spirit 1 Cor. 3.6 by Letter is meant the Law by the Spirit the Gospel The Gospel is called Spirit comparatively because there is a greater powring out of the Spirit now then formerly Some by Letter understand the Law and by Spirit the gifts of the Spirit as tongues prophesie c. but I lean to the former because so expounded Rom. 7.6 where by oldness of the Letter the Apostle understands a principle of natural conscience and by newness of the Spirit a principle of regeneration For these Ordinances of Baptism and Supper God appointed them as helps to our faith through which is livelily held forth a crucified Christ for remission of sins to a believing soul for not divers things but one and the same is signified in both those ordinances of Baptism and the Supper to wit remission of sins to believers and repentants For the duration and perpetuity of ordinances till the end of the world take these reasons 1 Because there hath been since the Apostles times throughout all ages a Church therefore Ordinances Eph. 3.22 Unto him be glory in the Church throughout all ages therefore in every age there will be both Church and Ordinances 2 Because there is a command of our performance and observation of them to the end of the world and a promise of Gods presence with us in so doing Matth. 28.19 20. Make Disciples in all Nations Lo I am present with you to the end of the world 1 Cor. 11.26 So oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come What warrant have any believers to make a change till the Lord come No more warrant to put an end to Baptism then to making Disciples or the teaching the observation of Christs Commandements I can well nigh trace this delusion to the beginning In the year 1644 divers Books were printed against Infant-baptism the arguments whereof prevailed against Infant-baptism that many Commanders in the Army were against it but the Parliament and times being much for it these Commanders were troubled to keep in with conscience and with the times sundry persons disputing that these Officers were bound to take up the Baptism of Believers In this juncture of time comes a Chaplain to the Army who being forced out of the County of Kent was in the same condition with these Gentlemen he comes and preaches a doctrine that Baptisme and the supper were onely carnal ordinances and types and that they ended in the first age or to that effect so this doctrine being received with great applause this preacher formerly of little acquaintance came in one month to be one of the most eminent preachers in the army and these Gentlemen formerly troubled might now by the arguments of Mr. J. S. easily bundle the times and their principles against infant Baptisme together whiles hereby they were kept from the principles of the Anabaptists Though the said Mr. J. S. had formerly conferred with me to Baptize him which I was willing to do onely through worldly prudence he desired a place to be digged first in his own house to escape the odium of the times but at the end of four dayes when he had appointed me to come to dispense it he came to question the power of the dispenser so I departed home and left him About six months after I being with him reasoned so far that in one after-noon I answered his arguments and wifes being many till they had no more to say save this they were convinced but they must stay till God did perswade after which time he speedily went into the Army the product and spawn of whose preachings and printings were these delusions about denying ordinances which groundedly may be suspected was both to speaker and hearers the punishment for dallying with truth and denying submission to it after conviction My conscience tells me that the thing I write of him was truth and he was my intimate friend whom I should in no wise have cited so publick but that conscience to God for the undeceiving of others urgeth me 15 The last sort of fruits by false Prophets is that the Scriptures have their period and time of expiration and that every less light is swallowed up by a greater
of its own nature holds a man under condemnation and cannot of it self bring any to life 16 The intolerable misery of those who receive not the word it will be more tolerable for Sodom then such Matth. 10.14 15. 1 Pet. 4.17 Such ground as receives seed and brings not forth fruit is nigh to cursing Heb. 6.7 8. 17 Take heed of loathing the Word To this they are tempted who are puft up with the perswasion of their own knowledge contempt of the Word follows loathing and this contempt makes God to take away his Word Luther in his time said heretofore I prefer'd one Psalm well understood before all the wealth of the world but the heaven was then brass and the earth shut up but now the cataracts of heaven are powred out we begin to loath it Luth. Tom. 3.344 V. 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the windes blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Christ here showes the wofull condition and punishment of such as build not upon the rock Christ but content themselves with bare hearing without faith and repentance as soon as they come to be assailed with rain floods and windes inward and outward temptations they fall how much more will they fall in judgement Psal 1.6 The wicked shall not stand in the judgement when a fire shall go before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him Psal 50.1 And it fell Here 's the ruine of those who build upon sandy foundations whether civility self-righteousness great friends large estates professional sanctity self comparisons good meanings moral righteousness such in time of trial fall And great was the fall of it They fall into sin shame and punishment Their fall was great 1 Because it made a great noise as things that fall from high so Professors who profess to draw near to God but do not in truth their fall is heard far and near 2 Because they fall finally and totally Good men sometimes like Nebuchadnezzar fall fearfully but they have a stump in the ground which sprouts forth again Dan. 4.26 The seed of God abides in them 1 John 3.9 But carnal Professors they fall wholly 3 Because the devil will be sure to hold such faster by how much he saw they had well nigh got out of his clutches As a Jaylour will be sure to lay bolts enough upon a prisoner that had well-nigh made an escape Matth. 12.43 44 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man by an outward profession the devil seeks rest there but findes none but when the devil sees such a man is a meer out-side professor then he saith I will return into my house whence I came out then goeth he and taketh with himself seven spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there 4 Because they fall into the condemnation of the devil 1 Tim. 3.6 To fall from riches to poverty from honour to disgrace is great but it 's a far greater fall from being lifted up to heaven to fall down to hell as Capernaum did Matth. 11.23 Obs It 's an insufficient foundation for a soul to build upon any thing without Christ it 's onely a sandy foundation 2 Sooner or later men that are unsound must look to be assaulted with temptations Prov. 10.9 He that perverts his wayes shall be known Num. 32.23 But if ye will not do so be sure your sin will finde you out 3 When unsound men are assaulted with temptations then they fall and shew their rottenness as Achan Joas Saul Jehu Ananias and Saphira 4 The fall of professing hypocrites will be a great and a fearful fall If the falls of godly people when they fall onely from the comforts of the Spirit and measures of their graces into decays and discomforts be so fearful how fearfull will their fall be who like the rebellious Angels Having left their first estate are reserved in everlasting chains Jude 6. V. 28 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine V. 29. For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes Here is the effect of Christ his sermon that the hearers were astonished at his doctrine Doctrine hath sometimes that effect among hearers that are not soul-savingly wrought upon Matth. 13.54 the people were astonished and cried out Whence hath this man this wisedome Is not this the Carpenters son Christ is not compared with the old Prophets whom they had never seen but with the present Scribes the interpreters of the Law whom they heard daily These taught frivolous trifles and vain rites of washing pots and cups and Corban but Christ taught with authority 1 He taught serious things as how to be builded upon a solid foundation when storms came who were blessed persons c. 2 Christ taught by his life as well as by his doctrine It is a long way to holiness by precepts it is short by example As we speak the Gospel so let us live it People loath doctrine when the man that preaches it is wicked people say if it be necessary to live as he saith why doth he not live so himself 3 Christ taught with a mighty zeal and fervor and not coldly such teachers were Elias 1 Kings 19.14 John Baptist Who came in the Spirit and power of Elias Epaphras Col. 4.12 There is in doctrine not onely the light of the Word but the fire of the Word The Word is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 John Baptist was a burning and a shining light John 5.35 when he taught the people they cried out What shall we do And so did the souldiers Luke 3.12 13. And so when Peter preached Acts 2.37 the people cried out what shall we do The Word is fire he that delivers it coldly delivers it otherwise then it is Were it not ridiculous when an house were on fire to say Friends we had best get water to quench it or else all our goods will be burnt but when a house is a fire we cry fire fire for the Lords sake bring water bring Ladders Buckets untile the House cut down the Beams c. Here 's the affection of the Word so should a Preacher stir up the people the fire of Gods vengeance is coming oh bring the tears of repentance The affection of the truth must be delivered as well as the body of the truth the Word is compared to fire which is the most piercing element of all 4 The Scribes taught as the interpreters of the Law but Christ as a Prophet sent from heaven as when a Constable comes in the name of the Prince I charge you in the Princes Name so Preachers when they speak to men should speak to their consciences I charge you in the name of the God of heaven that you leave off your pride lying uncleanness c. Preach Christ crucified in a crucified phrase not with wisdome of words lest the
unless he finde his heart doing of them as well as his outward man so though his outward carriage be blameless yet is he not satisfied if there be distempers of pride revenge earthliness c. within till he have in some good measure pray'd down these distempers Psalm 19.12 saying Cleanse me Lord from my secret sins Contrary unsound men make clean the outside of the cup and platter Matth. 23.25 But the inside is full of rapine and excess Their chief care is to have a smooth carriage to the world 6 Sincerity is moved by a command Other men are moved by credit profit but sincere men might they have never so much credit or profit yet having a contrary known command they will not move contrary where they have a plain command though they have no secondary motives of favour credit profit yet are they moved to act thereby as we see in Queen Hesters case who went unto the King Abraham Heb. 11.8 Compared with Gen. 12.1 Yea though to tell a Prince of Gods wrath as Micaiah to Ahab John Baptist to Herod Gad and Nathan to David Therefore forasmuch as Saints out of the sight of their indwelling corruption are ready to condemn themselves and so walk heavily and Satan labours if he cannot take their uprightness from them yet to take the comfort of it from them they may by these and such like signs know their uprighness which faithfull Preachers are to declare unto them It is indeed far more dangerous to hope without a cause then to fear without a cause yet when an upright soul counts it self not upright there are many inconveniences thereby as he can neither rejoyce in living nor think comfortably of dying he is backward to prayer he can hardly give thanks for any thing because he knows not but God may be his enemy in time to come and may damn him he cannot long for the coming of Christ nor delight himself in the contemplation of the good things laid up in heaven hence though these fears may be let in by God to beat down our pride yet are they apt to hinder us in our course 7 When a man hath an open heart to receive every truth of God though such a truth may prove prejudicial to his outward advantage When any truth of God whispers to an unsound man something that may be contrary to his temporal being or may bring him to hazard he doth as Herod did with the Baptist first puts it in Prison and after kills it Contrarily sincere men are like Cornelius Acts 10.33 We are here to hear all things that are commanded us from God so far as they can be convinced herein But unsound men apprehending the truth will part them from some lusts they are not willing to leave that it will be a bar to advantage and a companion of persecution especially in such times and places that it will lose them friends and procure them enemies They say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not Isai 30.9 10. Though they perhaps said not so in words they said so in their carriage Unsound men keep at a distance from truth as Travellers do from persons whom they suspect comes to rob them 8 Universal obedience Thou art no better than an Hypocrite till thou findest that every Truth thou readest or hearest in the Word hath an authority and power over thy will let the command be for doing or suffering yet art thou not sincere but shalt one day be ashamed if thou hast not respect thereto Psalm 119.6 Matth. 7.24 In something or other the Hypocrite discovers himself if not to the observation of others yet to the conviction of his own conscience The Prophet proves himself upright that he did not spare his sin Psalm 18.23 which he was most inclined to Psalm 119.3 compared with v. 1. Upright men they do no iniquity that is not wittingly and knowingly Isai 56.2 Acts 23.1 Hebr. 13.18 To do some good things the Master requires doth not argue a good Servant 9 A sincere man makes conscience of small sins No Hypocrite almost but makes conscience of gross and notorious evils but they hate preciseness in smaller matters They count such preciseness hypocrisie which indeed is so if it be in things not commanded of God Matth. 15.5 6. or if it be commanded of God we shall make more conscience of them than we do of the weightier points of the Law When a man makes conscience onely of the great things of the Law it may be a question whether conscience to God or credit to men be a mover herein Hence sincere men set themselves not onely against Murder but also causless anger not onely against Adultery of body but against looking upon a woman to lust after her The sons of Jehonadab did not onely refrain drunkenness but also tasting of Wine Jer. 35.6 not onely they forbear false witness in a Court of Justice but also jeasting Lyes he keeps himself not onely from thieving but from deceiving a penny or two They do not onely refrain from the more abominable and full-mouth'd oaths but from faith and troth not onely from abjuring Gods truth before a Magistrate but from being ashamed thereof 10 A suffering out of conscience towards God Hypocrites may suffer out of praise of men as some think Alexander did Acts 19.33 Ananias and Sapphira parted with their goods but sincere men 1 They do not onely suffer which seldom Hypocrites come to but they suffer out of conscience to God 1 Peter 2.19 This is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully As a man will venture the losing of a member for the saving of his life so will a sincere man lose all for the saving of his conscience as we see in Queen Hester John Baptist those Worthies Heb. 11.35 Daniel cap. 6.10 11 An habitual intention to confess the truth of God though with the loss of all Matth. 19.17 Matth. 10.32 Contrarily Hypocrites have an implicite intention to deny Gods truth rather than to own it with sufferings sincere persons will stick to Gods truth notwithstanding mocks and scoffs as David before Michal and Nehemiah notwithstanding the mocks of Tobiah Nehem. 4.1 2 3 4. Hypocrites may sometimes stand for Justice and be a while importunate for it yet be overcome as that King that would fain have delivered Daniel and stood for him to the going down of the Sun Dan. 6.14 16. and Pilate would fain have delivered Christ John 19.12 but when he saw if he stood any further for him that he must be counted an Enemy to Caesar then he delivered up Christ The stony ground entertained the Word with joy but when tribulation and persecution arose for it they were offended Matth. 13 21. Contrarily sincere men they have a purpose to own Christ though to loss of life Heb. 11.35 others were tortured not accepting deliverance they know the danger of the contrary that if they deny Christ he will deny