committed in secret corners they shall be published on the house toppe The second Vse of this Doctrine is to exhort vs to nourish in our hearts continually the perswasion of the Lords presence and priuitie to all our waies to walke with him continually It is that that God required of Abraham Gen. 17. 1. and that is spoken to the praise of Enoch Gen. 5 22. Enoch walked with God For 1. This is the best meanes to purge the heart from hypocrisie and make it vpright Walke before mee and bee thou perfect saith the Lord Gen. 17. 1. And therefore vprightnesse of heart is thus described It is said of Dauid 1. King 3. 6. Hee walked before God in truth and in righteousnesse and in vprightnesse of heart and of Hezekiah Esay 38. 3. I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart That which made them so vpright and void of hypocrisie in all their waies was this that they did walke before God and had him alwaies in their eye 2. It will yeeld vnspeakeable comfort to the conscience euen in affliction This was Iobs comfort behold my witnesse is in heauen saith he Iob 16. 19. and my record is on high and also Hezekiahs Esay 38. 3. The meanes to try whether we walke with God and are perswaded of his presence is this 1. When a man is the same alone and in company when the sinne that I would not commit in the presence and knowledge of men I forbeare to do it when I am by my selfe alone and haue opportunity to commit it safely and secretly Thus Ioseph shewed that he walked with God he durst not sin against God in that sinne that he was most strongly tempted vnto though he had opportunity to haue committed it secretly enough Gen. 39. 9. 11. 2. When the good duties I vse to performe in open places in the presence of others I accustome my selfe to them in secret This our Sauiour prescribeth Matth. 6. 6. Thou when thou prayest saith he enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy dore pray to thy Father which is in secret Lecture the fifteenth Iune 6. 1609. IT followes now that wee proceed to the two last points in this Text 1. The sin he chargeth her with is the sinne of fornication she now liued in 2. Though hee knew shee liued in this sinne he reiects her not Where first it is to be obserued that though he tell her of the fiue husbands she had had yet his meaning is not to charge her with that as with a sinne but onely with this that the man she now kept was not her husband For howsoeuer it be in the iudgement of Papists who neuer giue the Ecclesiasticall blessing to second marriages and of all carnall and worldly men who are euer apt to iudge profanely and vnreuerently of Gods holy ordinance in the state of wedlocke yet is it no disgrace to a Christian woman in the sight of God if the necessity or conueniency of her state shall call her vnto it to haue had fiue husbands So that the sin that Christ chargeth her with was not that she had had fiue husbands but that the man she now had was not her husband This is euident by foure reasons First the Apostle giues liberty to euery widdow to marrie againe 1. Cor. 7. 39. The wife is bound by the Law so long as her husband liueth but if her husband be dead she is at liberty to marrie with whom she will onely in the Lord. 2. He calls the marriage of all persons honourable Heb. 13. 4. 3. He calls it a doctrine of diuells to condemne it or hold it vnlawfull 1. Tim. 4. 1. 3. And 4. He commands it in some cases 1. Tim. 5. 14. where he speakes of widdowes onely I will therefore saith hee that the younger women marrie and beare children If any shall obiect 1 Tim. 5 9. That the Apostle would haue none to be chosen for a Church-widdow that hath had aboue one husband which argueth that he esteemed it some blot or infamy vnto a Christian woman to haue had more husbands then one I answer that he excludes onely such women as being vniustly diuorced as many were in those daies were during the life of their first husband married to another man So that the fault he notes there is the same which our Sauiour speakes of Marke 10. 12. If a woman shall put away her husband and bee married to another shee committeth aduicery Now it is to be obserued that our Sauiour when hee would effectually touch the conscience of this woman with the sense of sin and bring her to repentance chargeth her not with all the sins he knew by her though vndoubtedly he knew many and intended also to draw her from all her sins as well as from one and when she repented truely of this one sin she repented of all the rest yet I say he doth not tell her here of all her sins But as he hath beene also wont to deale with other of his seruants in the like case of the huge heape of her innumerable sinnes he makes choice of one principall and chiefe one and layeth that onely to her charge presseth that onely vpon her conscience and this one principall and chiefe sin which amongst all her sins he makes choice of for this purpose is the fornication she liued in From hence then ariseth this instruction That among all the sinnes that men are giuen vnto Fornication is a principall sinne and will lie more heauie vpon the conscience and wound the soule more deepely then other sins when God shall once effectually discouer it to a man and charge him with it See the proofe of this in Iob 31. Where being driuen partly by the heauie hand of God that lay vpon him partly by the vniust accusations of his friends that charged him to be an hypocrite to enter into a serious examination of the life that he had led there is no one thing that he could finde in the whole course of his life that he tooke so much comfort in as this that he had euer made conscience of and kept himselfe free from this sin and therefore hauing begun with it verse 1. to the 4. he speakes of it againe verse 9. to 12. But marke what reasons he giues why he was so affraid of this sin aboue others verse 2. For what portion shall I haue of God from aboue and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high verse 3. Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquity and verse 11. For this an heinous crime saith hee yea it is an iniquity to bee punished by the Iudges verse 12. Yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and which shall roote out all mine increase The Reasons whereby this may appeare to be not onely a sinne but one of the heauiest and most fearefull sinnes that a man can be guilty of are principally foure 1. It
hath a burning and scorching heat in it The Lord in respect of his iust anger against sinne is called a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. and the sting of conscience which is wrought by the sense of sinne is compared to the sting of the fiery serpents Ioh. 3. 14 15. which made Iob Chap. 30. 30. say his bones were burnt with heat 2. There is no man but at one time or other here or in the life to come shall be brought to the sense of sinne and of Gods anger prouoked by his sin The most sleepy blind and senslesse conscience shall be one day awakened for so we read Eccl. 12. 14. God shall bring euery worke into iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill and Psal. 50. 21. I will reproue thee and set them in order before thee Ier. 2. 19. Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee know therfore and behold that it is an euill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God This Doctrine serueth to warne euery man to prouide against this thirst Consider thou must one day feele either the thirst of Gods Elect or that of the Reprobate Be not so foolish as to think thou shalt neuer feele any such heat in thy selfe but be assured thou must one day feele what it is to haue offended God It hath been a prouerb that men vse to put other mens faults in that part of the wallet that is before them and haue them euer in their eye but their owne in that part of the wallet that hangs behind them but be not deceiued be thou assured God will turne the wallet one day thy old sins the sins thou hast forgotten if thou haue not repented of them shall be brought into thy remembrance againe the sinnes thou foundest most pleasure in thou shalt feele the bitternesse of one day either here or in the life to come It was thus with Gods deare seruant Iob Iob 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Then thou shalt feele a thirst in thy soule and by how much the more thou hast despised piety and religion the more vehement shall thy thirst be in that day Prouide for this thirst I aduise thee choose rather to haue Dauids thirst in this life then Diues thirst in the life to come yea choose rather to bring thy sins into thy remembrance thy owne selfe then that the Lord should do it for Heb. 10 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God But alas most men instead of prouiding for the quenching of this thirst doe by desperate continuing and increasing in sin laborall they can to add fewell to this fire and increase this thirst as drunkards vse it is the comparison the Holy Ghost vseth Deut. 29. 19. by all meanes they can to prouoke thirst that they may drinke the more But know assuredly that proportionable to the number and hainousnesse of they sinnes will thy heat and thirst be and to these men I may say as Esa. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selues about with sparkes walke yee in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that yee haue kindled this shall ye haue of my hand ye shall lie downe in sorrow Say not this is a hard doctrine and tends to terrour mislike it not for that oh that the Lord would so follow it and so presse it vpon our consciences that it might worke feare in you Nothing is more wholsome and profitable for vs in this secure age then this feare Prou. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth alwayes It was profitable for Paul to be acquainted with the terrours of the Lord 2. Cor. 5. 11. And if Paul had need of them much more haue we This is the meane to keepe thee from those euerlasting feares Hab. 3. 16. I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble And thus much for the first part of this Text. The second point to be obserued in it is the Antithesis that our Sauiour makes betweene the water of Iacobs Well and the water of life and this opposition holds true not betweene the water of Iacobs Well onely but betweene all other things and the water of life for he makes it the peculiar and proper effect of the water of life to quench this thirst From whence we learne That no worldly thing can perfectly and fully quench the thirst of the soule I cannot deny but there be many wicked men who neuer tasted of other then worldly comforts that may seeme to haue as much peace and quietnesse in their conscience as any man in the world hath Iob 21. 9. Their houses are peaceable and without feare Psal. 73. 5. They are not in trouble as other men are Luke 11. 21. When the strong man keepes possession of the house all things are in peace Yea such as haue had this thirst may seeme to haue quenched it well euen by worldly meanes Neither do I deny but that there be many worldly things that for a time will seeme to slake this thirst and quiet the heart that is troubled with the sense of sinne 1. Sam. 16. 23. When Dauid played on the harpe Saul was refreshed and eased And our owne experience may tell vs of some that haue had much trouble of mind for sinne and this vehement thirst that yet now by giuing ouer their precise course and giuing themselues to worldly mirth are as quiet in their minds as any man liuing Yet can no worldly thing soundly quench the thirst of the soule nor satisfie the heart that desires comfort against the sting of conscience and sense of Gods wrath And to such as make such reckoning of worldly helpes in this case I may say as Esa. 55. 2. Why doe you labour for that which satisfieth not For as the promise is made onely to the godly Psal. 8â—… 8. He will speake peace to his people and to his Saints So of euery wicked man it is said Esa. 57. 21. There is no peace to the wicked yea of euery naturall man Rom. 3. 17. The way of peace they haue not knowne What shall we say then to the peace of wicked men Surely either it groweth from senslesnesse they neuer yet knew what sinne is they neuer felt the heat of the sting of conscience and sense of Gods anger and then how can it be said their thirst is quenched that neuer felt any thirst Their case is described Esa. 29. 8. A man dreameth and loe he is drinking but when he awakeneth behold he is faint and his soule longeth 2. Or else if euer they had this heat and felt this thirst the peace and ioy they seeme to haue is in the face onely and not in the heart 2. Cor. 5. 12. Do you not thinke that many a man that maketh shew of great iollity and mirth hath his inward stingings and gripes of
4. But let euery man prooue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another The more pretious this treasure is the more need thou hast to take heed thou be not deceiued in it As the wise Merchant did when he had found the true treasure he hideth it and for ioy thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducit sese he withdraweth himselfe to consider well and try whether it were true treasure indeed before he sells all that he hath to buy the field where it was Matth. 13. 44. 3. Thou maist if thou wilt try certainely discerne this 1. Cor. 2. 12. The Spirit is giuen vs to that end that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God Some rules I will giue thee whereby thou maist know whether the good things that are in thee be the fruits of grace indeed 1. If they be done by the direction and warrant of the Word thus is Iosias goodnesse commended by the Holy Ghost to be true goodnesse indeed it was according to that which was written in the Law of the Lord as we reade 2. Chron. 35. 26. 2. If thy intent in doing of them be to please serue and honour God not to serue thy selfe or men By this note the Apostle describeth truth of grace both in himselfe and in others Of himselfe he saith Gal. 1. 10. that he did not in his Ministery seeke to please men but that he serued God in his spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Rom. 1. 9. And of others he saith Rom. 14. 6. that he that did either regard or not regard a day was not to be despised or iudged an hypocrite so long as he did that which he did vnto the Lord and in a care to please and approoue himselfe vnto him 3. If thou doest what thou doest in loue to him because thou knowest how much he is delighted with and honoured by thy obedience For the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 6. that that is true faith and such as will auaile a man and stand him in stead that worketh by loue and causeth him to doe euery good worke that he doth out of loue vnto God And our Sauiour by this argument comforts Peter and assureth him that the fall that he had taken was not vnto perdition because as hee proueth by appealing to his own Conscience Ioh. 21. 15. there was still notwithstanding he denied him with his mouth in his heart an vnfained loue vnto him 4. Ifthou doe what thou doest of faith and the loue thou bearest to him grow from thy assurance that he loueth thee in Christ and that thou art his child that he hath forgiuen thee all thy sins this was the roote of Marios loue Luke 7. 47. shee loued much because she knew many sinnes were forgiuen her 3. To exhort such as haue receiued any grace to take heede of going backe This doctrine tends not to licentiousnesse as Papists slander it For 1. We grant the best may fall and cannot choose but fall vnlesse he take great heed 2. God will be as angry with their sins and correct them as sharpely as others God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints saith the Prophet Psal. 89. 7. as is euident in the example of his seuerity towards Dauid 2. Sam. 13. 11. 12. Though they cannot fall to death they may receiue such bruises and maimes as they shall neuer clawe of haply while they liue and loose the sense of Gods fauour which they esteeme more of then of all the world Dauid professeth Psal. 46. 7. that there was no ioy in the world comparable vnto the ioy that he found Thy loue is better then wine saith the Spouse Cant. 1. 2. 3. If euer they recouer as they that euer had truth of grace shall certaine doe yet they shall doe it with more difficulty then any other sinner as wee may see in the example of Dauid Psal. 51. Obserue therefore and take heede of those things whereby the good estate of thy soule may be impaired And those are two principally 1. As it is with the state of the body with-hold food and rest and exercise from it and the strongest body will decay so is it with the state of the soule with-hold from it the meanes of grace and it will decay 1 Thess. 5. 19. 20. If Prophecyings be despised the spirit will be quenched yea Pro. 29. 18. Where there is no vision the people will decay Yea Heb. 3. 13. If we doe not daily by all good meanes exhort and stirre vp our selues we are in danger to be hardened 2. As it is with the body by poysoning or wounding it the life of it if it be not quite taken away yet will be endangered and the health and strength of it impaired greatly so it is with the soule by sinning against conscience which is as poyson and a stabbe giuen vnto it it is greatly impaired See this in Dauid and Peter after they had yeelded once to sinne against their conscience they grew weaker and weaker more and more vngratious When Dauid had once yeelded to his lust then he cloakes it and addes sinne to sinne in a strange manner Peter when he had denyed once his Master then he doth it with oathes and execrations and strange impudency THE TWELFTH LECTVRE ON APRILL XXV MDCIX IOH. IIII. XV. The Woman faith vnto him Sir giue me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw OVr Sauiour hauing in the two former verses prooued that the Water of life which he had to giue was farre more excellent then the water of Iacobs Well this poore woman though she had before obiected and reasoned against it is now through the diuine power that shee felt in his word conuinced and beleeueth that he had indeed a water to giue that was better then that of Iacobs Well which he that hath once drunke of shall neuer thirst againe And out of this perswasion she had of the truth of that he had said shee did now beare a reuerent estimation to his person whom at first she esteemed basely of as of an ordinary Iew she desireth this water that he had spoken of and saith vnto him Sir giue me of that water yet still conceiuing that this thirst he had spoken of was but the thirst of the body and the Water of life but a materiall water she desires it onely out of a carnall respect she had to her owne profit and ease for so she saith Sir giue me of that water that I may not thirst and come hither to draw First then in that this woman being yet a naturall and wicked woman beleeues now the word of Christ likes it and was affected with it and desires this water he had spoken of and yet doth all this in a carnall respect to her profit and ease We learne That the principall thing the naturall man respecteth in the affection he seemes to beare vnto the Word is his carnall ease and contentment
is not onely a sinne but a mother-sinne a cause of many other sinnes it drawes men to many other sinnes yea to other most hainous sinnes Pro. 23. 28. She increaseth the transgressions among men Doe not prostitute thy daughter saith the Lord Leuit. 19. 29. to cause her to be a whore least the land fall to whoredome and the land become full of wickednesse 2. It is not onely a sin but a punishment of other sinnes I might alledge the punishments that God hath beene wont and will certainely inflict on this sin But I reserue that to another place Salomon in Eccles. 7. 26. speaking of the woman Whose heart is as nets and snares and whose hands are as bands he addeth He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is as a deepe pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein So Rom. 1. 24. Speaking of such as God gaue vp to their hearts lusts and to vncleannesse and verse 26. to vile affections and verse 28. to a reprobate sense hee names the sinnes that prouoked God to deale thus with them verse 28. they regarded not to know God and verse 21. when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankefull And therefore God gaue them vp to this sin Many speake much how this sin abounds in such townes where the Gospell hath beene most plentifully and powerfully preached and thinke they haue great aduantage against religion for it but indeed this makes much for the honour of the Gospell that the Lord cannot indure the contempt of it but vseth to punish it in this fearefull manner And who are they that in such places fall into this sin Surely such as either regard not to know God Rom. 1. 28. Or if they doe know him haue not glorified him as they ought Rom. 1. 21. but haue beene hypocrites and nourished vnder the profession of Religion some grieuous sinne Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her saith Salomon Eccles. 7. 26. but the sinner shall be taken by her Wonder rather there be not more tainted with this sinne seeing there are so many that regard not to heare and of those that doe heare so many that make no conscience of any thing that they heare 3. There is no sin that is so directly opposite to sanctification and holinesse as this sin Therefore as the Spirit of God is euery where called the Holy Ghost because there is no one worke wherein he shewes himselfe wheresoeuer he dwells more then in holinesse So the wicked spirit is called the vncleane spirit Matth. 12. 43. because there is no one sin whereby it may be better knowne where he dwells and raignes then vncleanesse Of all the sinnes that man committeth there is no one that hath more force to quench the Spirit to dull and banish all grace out of the heart then this sinne hath See the proofe of this 1. Thess. 4. 3. 4. 5. For this is the will of God euen your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles that know not God verse 7. For God hath not called you vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse See how sottish Salomon became after he had giuen himselfe to fleshly lusts his nines turned away his heart after other gods saith the Holy Ghost 1. King 11. 4. and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God Yea it puts out the light and iudgement that was in man by nature they that liued in lust were giuen ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostlâ—… Rom. 1. 28. in a minde voide of iudgement 4. There is no sinne that is committed with such delight and pleasure as this is and therefore it must needs bring in the end more bitternesse and anguish to the soule then other sins doe For the more pleasure men haue found in sin the more bitternesse shall they finde in their consciences one day for sin Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that laugh now for yee shall waile and weepe and 16. 25. Remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures now therefore thou art tormented Therefore the Scripture speakes so oft of the bitternesse of this sinne Heb. 12. When he had said verse 15. Let no roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you He adds verse 16. Let there be no Fornicator Iob 13. 26. When in the beginning of the verse he had said that the Lord wrote bitter things against him charged him with bitter sinnes he adds what those bitter things were Thou causest me to possesse the sins of my youth These tricks of youth will be bitter to men one day Pro. 5. 3. The lips of a strange woman drop as the hony combe verse 4. But the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword Eccles. 7. when he had said ver 25. That he had compassed about to know wickednesse and folly the foolishnesse of madnesse he adds verse 26. I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares c. Lecture the sixteenth Iune 13. 1609. IT followeth now that wee come to the Vses that are to bee made of the Doctrine we haue heard touching the hainousnesse of the sinne of Fornication which the last day being preuented by the time wee could not deliuer And this Doctrine serues To conuince the iudgement and conscience of them that liue in this sinne without feare For it is euident and all honest men complaine of it that this sin abounds euery where Yea many that esteeme themselues Christians reade the Word heare it come to such assemblies as this sit before vs and looke vs in the face when we speake against this sinne doe yet liue in this sin and liue securely in it as if all that is said out of Gods Word against it were but a Fable And what is the cause of this Surely somewhat there is that deceiues them that they cannot perceiue it is so dangerous a matter to liue in this sin as indeed it is It may truely be said of all sin that Sathan drawes a man to it and hardeneth him in it by some errour of his minde or other whereby he deceiueth him How drew he our first Parents first to sin 1. Tim. 2. 14. The woman was deceiued and found in the transgression 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least ye be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse What is that that hardens a mans heart in sin The Apostle will tell vs Heb. 3. 13. Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin What are those strong holds that keepe the Word and grace of God from entring into and conquering the heart of man The Apostle will tell vs that there are certaine imaginations
Religion all the Iewes did say so For the fifth and last question It is no maruell though she hauing the opportunity of such a Prophet desire to be instructed in this question and resolued in this doubt rather then in any other For 1. Shee might well know by the bookes of Moses that there could be no attonement made betweene God and her nor remission obtained of this hainous sinne that her conscience was now touched with remorse of but by a Sacrifice all things by the law were purged with bloud of a sacrifice and without shedding of bloud there was no remission Heb. 9. 22. 2. She might well know that God would accept of no Sacrifice that was offered to him in any other place then in that one place he had chosen to put his name in Marke how oft this commandement is repeated in one Chapter Deut. 12. 5 6 11 1 17 26 27. Yea she knew that the Lord did account of all Sacrifices that were offered in any other place besides that one place that hee had chosen to put his name there no better then of willfull murder Leuit. 17. 4. Hauing thus opened the meaning of the Text let vs now come to the instruction that the Holy Ghost intendeth to teach vs in this Verse First then in that this woman is not affraid of Christ when she had found him to be a Prophet that had searched and troubled her conscience but desires further speech with him and seekes to haue her conscience healed by that very hand that had wounded it We learne That he that hath grace will not be affraid of or shunne that ministrie in which he hath felt the power of God rebuking and iudging him ransaking and troubling his conscience for sinne but of all others will desire it most See the proofe of this in all sorts of Iohn's hearers He had preached the Law Luke 3. 7. to 9. yea Luke 1. 17. in the spirit and power of Elias Yet see Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. How all sorts seeke to him and depend vpon him See this also in such as heard Peter when by his ministry they had beene pricked in their hearts with a effectuall sight and sense of their sins and of the wrath of God due to them for the same they run to him for comfort rather then to any other man and saith vnto him and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2. 37. This will better appeare by comparing it with the contrary Vngodly men cannot endure such teachers as doe with any power reprooue sinne and preach the Law as we may see in the example of Ahab who for this cause could not endure Micaiah 1. King 22. 8. And of Felix who when Pauls doctrine made his heart to tremble by putting him in minde effectually and in a powerfull manner of the chiefe sinnes he had beene most giuen vnto and of the dreadfull iudgement he must come to for them would heare him no more Act. 24. 26. But so will not they as we haue heard that haue truth of grace in them 1. The sense of sinne and trouble of conscience which Gods Spirit worketh in the Elect is euer mixed with hope of mercy and sense of Gods loue which keepes them from flying from God or dispairing in his mercy Psalme 2. 11. Euen in trembling they haue some ioy He is called the comforter euen when he rebukes vs for sinne Iohn 16. 8 9. when he makes them mourne for their sinne as for their owne childe yet he makes them supplicate and seeke to God Zach. 12. 10. You shall see this in Peter he was deepely touched with remorse for sinne Marke 14. 75. Yet was hee of all the Apostles the forwardest in seeking to Christ though Iohn did out-run him and gat to the Sepulcher before him yet went he first into the Sepulcher to see that there that might confirme him in the faith of the Resurrection of Christ Ioh. 20. 6 7. 2. The experience he hath that God worketh with such a Minister must needs cause the childe of God to reuerence and like him and to expect a blessing from him rather then from another That is said to be the cause of the reuerence which the vnbelieuer did shew to the Prophets when hee was rebuked and iudged of them 1. Corinthians 14. 25. This makes them to acknowledge them and reuerence them as able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter onely but of the spirit and power of God 2. Cor. 3. 6. 3. He knoweth the Lords manner hath beene to heale his seruants by the very hand by which he hath wounded them The Prophet Gad was the man by whom the Lord sent such a heauy message to Dauid 1. Chron. 21. 10. 15. And he was also the man by whom the Lord gaue him comfort verse 18. Esay was the man by whom the Lord sent such a message to Ezechia as made him weepe soare Esay 38. 3. and Esay was the man by whom God gaue him comfort Esay 38. 4. to 8. 1. This Doctrine serues for a Touch-stone whereby euery one may try whether he haue any grace or be still a carnall man dead in his sinnes For by the iudgement thou hast to discerne of true preaching and of the Minister which is most to be affected thou mayest know thine owne state If grace be in thy heart thou wilt affect that ministry the most not that delighteth or tickleth the eare no nor that which onely brings thee to knowledge but that wherein thou feelest the spirit and power of God working vpon thy heart rebuking thee for sinne wounding thy conscience and giuing thee no rest till it haue reformed thy heart This Paul speakes of his owne Ministry 1. Cor. 2. 4. My preaching saith he stood not in the inticing speech of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the Spirit and of power and makes this a note of an able and sufficient Minister 2. Cor. 3. 6. And of the Corinthians he saith that they were carnall men because they affected such a Ministry as had fine words but no power in it 1. Cor. 3. 4. For though he nameth himselfe and Apollos there he doth it but figuratiuely as he saith 1. Cor. 4. 6. But the men they affected were not Paul nor Apollos but their owne vaine-glorious teachers whom he describeth I will come and know not the speech of these men that are puffed vp but the power For the Kingdome of God is not in word but in power saith hee 1. Cor. 4. 19 20. Then the hearer that hath grace when he comes to a Sermon comes not to heare man but God not to heare what a man can say or to iudge what gifts the Preacher hath but to heare what the Spirit speaketh to the Church Apoc. 2. 7. He comes with that mind that Dauid did Psalme 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake 2. This Doctrine serues for reproofe and to discouer the
the men Come see a man that hath told me all things that euer I did The word therefore implieth that somewhat that is mentioned before was the cause of her so suddaine and hasty departing from Christ and running into the Citie and what was that Surely if we looke backe into the two former verses we shall finde two causes of it 1. Because the Diâ—…ciples were now come out of the City with meat for him and she thought he would be gone as soone as he had eaten somewhat therefore shee made hast to goe and call her neighbours for feare he should be gone before they could come 2. Because Christ had plainely told her he was the Messias therefore she went her way Why but that should rather haue stayed her still with him and made her desirous of further speech No verily for she did vndoubtedly belieue that he was so indeed as he had said and her heart was so astonished with suddaine ioy and earnest desire to draw her neighbours to him that she could neither speake nor tarry any longer but away shee goeth into the City and telleth her neighbours But why did she leaue her paile behind her Surely though she came to the Well of purpose to fetch water and she had need and vse of water for some worke she had to doe at home yet the ioy she found in the knowledge of Christ and the zealous desire she had to win her neighbours made her carelesse both of the water and of her paile also and forgetfull of the worke she had to doe at home 2. She left it for haste because if she should haue taken it with her and carried it home she could not haue gone with that speed to fetch her neighbours as she thought it was needfull she should doe 3. It is to be obserued that the Euangelist saith when she came into the City she said to these men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the best translaters reade it to the men of that place that is the neighbours among whom she liued and all of them without difference she sought to draw them all vnto Christ. Hauing thus opened the meaning of this verse let vs now obserue two points in it for our instruction 1. The zeale she had to run and fetch her neighbours 2. The leauing of her paile behind her And first in that the Holy Ghost hath here obserued that this Woman so soone as she knew and beleeued in Christ was so zealous to draw her neighbours to him that for their sakes shee was content to leaue Christ though no doubt she desired much to continue with him and to depriue her selfe of the comfort and benefit she might haue found if she had tarryed longer with him 2. And made such hast to fetch them for feare he should be gone before she could bring them 3. And called them all shee saith to the men one as well as another without speciall respect to any with neglect of others 4. And thus she did being but a woman a poore and simple woman We haue this Doctrine to learne That euery one that truely knoweth Christ and findeth comfort in him will be carefull and ready to draw others to him 1. When they haue found this comfort they cannot choose but speake of it to others their hearts would burst if they should not speake of it Gods grace is like fire in their bones as Ier. 20. 9. They cannot hide it Though Christ had charged the two blind men he cured that they should say nothing of it Matth. 9. 30. Yet when they departed they could not for their liues conceale it 2. That which the Apostle requireth of all that haue receiued the wealth of this world 1. Tim. 6. 19. that euery one will doe that hath receiued the heauenly riches of Gods grace they will doe good with it to others they will be ready to distribute and communicate it to others Paul wished heartily that both Agrippa and all that heard him were altogether such as he was excepting his bonds Act. 26. 29. in this is grace not vnlike to worldly wealth no vsurer is forwarder so soone as money commeth in to put it out againe then euery true belieuer is to put out the grace that he hath receiued hee that had receiued the fiue talents went and traded with them Matth. 25. 16. See this in sundry examples Psal. 51. 13. Dauid saith he would teach Gods Wayes to others they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3. 16. So soone as Christ had found Philip Philip went and found out Nathaniel Iohn 1. 45. So soone as Matthew was conuerted he gathered together a great company of Publicans and others to meet at his house Luke 5. 29. The Reasons why it must needs be so are many 1. They know the Lord hath straightly commanded and bound them that no man should content himselfe to know belieue repent but seeke also to cause others to doe it Ezek. 18 32. Cause therefore one another to returne and liue yee Luke 22 32. When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren 1. Pet. 4. 10. Lâ—…t euery one as hee hath receiued a gift minister the same one vnto another as good disposers 2. The loue they beare to God prouoketh them to doe all they can to enlarge his kingdome Knowing the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2. Cor. 5. 11. verse 14. and the loue of Christ constraineth vs. 3. The loue they beare to their neighbours The first and chiefe worke of faith is loue faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. And there is no loue in him to his neighbour that loueth not his soule Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him Leuit. 19. 17. Count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 2. Thess. 3. 15. If the conscience of the Lepers accused them for not acquainting the City that was ready to be famished with the victuals and spoile the Assyrians had left behinde them 2. Kings 7. 9. how much more will it doe that in this case 4. They know it is the best meanes to increase the grace they haue The more they draw to knowledge and faith the more will their owne knowledge and faith increase in them I long to see you that I may impart vnto you some spirituall gift that I may be comforted together with you Rom. 1. 11 12. As the casting forth of your seed bringeth it you backe againe with great increase 2 Cor. 9. 6. Because God knew Abraham would make good vse of that he knew for the instruction of his family therefore he would hide nothing from Abraham Gen. 18. 19. 5. They know no good worke they can doe will haue the like recompence of reward as this the workes of mercy men haue done but to the bodies of others haue oft turned away Gods plagues from them that otherwise would haue fallen on them for their sinnes
belieued and receiued in religion vpon the credit and authority of any man 1â—…0 B. Baptisme It is both vnprofitable and hurtfull to the wicked 5. The whole congregation should continue together at the Administration of it 120. It should be administred in the publike assembly 12â—… Blessing The ecclesiasticall Blessing pronounced by the Minister is not to be neglected ibid. What behauiour is fittest for the people to vse then 126. Body Care is to be had euen of our body and of the body of our neighbour 256 257. The sin of them that by disorder ouer throw their health 258. God requires bodily seruice of vs as well as spirituall 189. 190. Christ in the daies of his flesh shewed his miraculous power most in curing the bodies of men 445. Brownists See Church Their sinne is great in separating from our Churches 1â—…7 C. Calling A man may be soundly religious and yet follow diligently his wordly Calling 238. Cautions for them that leaue the workes of their Calling to follow Sermons on the weeke daies 2â—…0 Calling how far it may be neglected ibid. Calling to the Ministry Wherein the inward calling doth principally consist 261. Catechising It is a profitable and necessary duty of the Minister 205. Censures of the Church The neglect of them towards scandalous sinners is a great contempt done to Gods Worship 132 133. Ceremonies Difference in iudgement about Ceremonies should not alienate the affections of brethren 301. 303. 30â—… Ceremoniall Law See Worship It was a carnall Worship 184 185. It was abrogated at Christs Passion 188. The Ceremonies were shadowes and we haue haue in our Worship the substance of that that was signified by them 186. 188. Popery exceeds iudaisme in Ceremonies and therein discouers much hypocrisie 197 198 Certainty in Religion The Elect and such as haue good hearts may attaine vnto it 140 212. 214. Meanes whereby we may attaine to it 140. Comfort for Gods people that complaine they want it 215. All men are bound to seeke for it 138. 141. They that haue historicall faith are certainely perswaded of whatsoeuer God hath reuealed in his Word 332. The faithfull are certaine that the Scripture is the Word of God and that it is God himselfe that speaketh to them in his Word 349. Certainty of saluation All the faithfull are not in the same measure certaine of their saluation 333. They that haue the greatest certainty are not without al doubts distrusts 333. 348. 349. Nor feele this certainty at all times 336. They that haue most assurance must yet liue in feare 334. Yet may the faithfull in this life be certaine of their saluation 334. 341. All are bound to seeke for this certainty 341. 342. The meanes wherby it may be obtained 343 The notes wherby true assurance may be discerned from that which is counterfeit 345 Comfort to the faithfull that complaine they want it 215 216. Cheerefulnesse Required in all the duties of Gods seruice 263 It is a sin in the faithfull to be vncheerefull â—…0 They haue iust cause to be cheerefull and to serue God willingly notwithstanding their infirmities 265 266. 461. Chambering See Dalliance Children They should seeke to requite their parents loue 391. Christ. He is the greatest gift that euer God gaue to man 11. How far He was abased for our sakes 12. Why he is called Christ and Messiah 200. 202. The benefit and merit of his death belongs not to all men 329. Yet is it necessary that the benefit men receiued by him should be expressed in most generall tearmes 330. Poore sinners should go boldly to him in all their distresses 450. We should not rest contented with any blessing till we haue Christ 14. Notes to know whether Christ be ours 15. He did constantly vse prayer and other parts of Gods worship and why 163 164. He is in the ministry of the Word to be offred vnto all in a most generall manner 330. Church Papists giue more credit to it then to the Word 150. 348. We may not separate from a true Church that enioyes the Word and professeth the Doctrine of saluation for the corruptions that are in it 165 166. 384 385. Yet may we not communicate with a true Church in any corruption 167. Euery man is bound to ioyne himselfe vnto and to be a member of the true Church 138 The profession of the true Doctrine of Christ is the only proper and certaine note of the true Church 167. How farre forth the testimony of the Church helpes to bring vs to faith 348 349. Church-Assemblies They are a meanes of our protection safety from all dangers 382. The most publike and solemne Church-Assemblies are greatly to be esteemed and frequented 129. 153. The sin of such as neglect them 128. The greatest are hound to carry themselues reuerently in them 117. Circumcision What it signified 180. Comfort To be found in Christ in all our distresses 450 No worldly thing can yeeld comfort to the distressed in minde 44 45. The Spirit of grace and regeneration is able to doe it abundantly and nothing else 46. They that feare God haue cause to be comfortable and vpon what grounds 90. Fine rules of comfort for such as are afflicted in minde 346 347. See Prayer Commonnesse of sin Sin is neuer the lesse dangerous to a man be-because it is generall 74. 384. How to carry our selues in euill times when foule sins grow common generall 428 429 It should trouble vs and cause vs to looke for some common calamity ibid. Company Haunting bad company argues a bad heart 87 What they should doe that liue in euill times and places 429. Common-Wealth The true causes why God spares our land though sin abound in it 429. Conference Cautions for them that conferre and moue questions of Religion 499 500. Confession The properties required to true confession 85. No man is bound to acknowledge all his sins to a priest 102. He that is truly penitent will be ready to acknowledge his sin euen vnto men when he is charged with it 103. It is profitable and necessary to confesse some sins euen vnto men dangerous to hide them 103 104. Conscience A good Conscience will breed vnspeakeable peace and ioy 437. 438. And assurance of a mans saluation 343. Constancie Constancie in obedience a good signe 481. Contentment Grace breeds Contentment 3. Controuersies Euery Christian is not bound to study controuersies nor to meddle with them 136. Yet some are 137. Conuersion No man by nature can doe any thing to helpe forward his owne conuersion 20. It is a miraculous worke of God 29. They that are truly religious will be carefull to wâ—…nne others to God 224. 235. Who are most charged and haue most opportunity to do good this way 236. Note of a true Conuert 239. True Conuerts shew great respect reuerence vnto their Ministers 215. Conuersion of man depends on Gods free grace 250. Foure things required in them that would win others to God 236. Priuate Christians
and new functions were wont to bee confirmed by miracles 378. We need none now 378. Popish miracles are false and counterfeit 379. They are not done by the power of Christ 449 Christ shewed his power most in curing the bodies of men 445. 447. Sixe points obserued in these miraculous cures 446. Difference betweene Christs miracles and those of the Prophets Apostles 447 448 Multitude Faults that the common sort are especially addicted vnto 2â—…4 It is no safe thing to do as the most doe 427. Comfort for the godly that are scorned for their singularity because they will not doe as the most do 430. 431. N. Name A man is bound to haue care of his good name 86. Why Hebrew names are vsed in the new Testament and why we giue Hebrew names to our children 202. Nature See how void of all goodnesse and full of corruption euery naturall man is 26 28. How much goodnesse may bee in a naturall man 174. Nazaret Why our Sauiour did shun preaching in Nazaret aboue all other places 351 352. O. Obedience No seruice pleaseth God but that that is done in obedience to his Word 160. This is a certain note of an vpright heart 473 Seuen notes of sincere Obedience 474. Regenerate able to obey 473. Difference betwixt obedience of regenerate and other ibid. Others saluation to be sought 246. Obstinacie See hardnesse of heart This greatly aggrauates sin 422. Most men that liue in the Church sinne obstinately 424. Foure signes of a heart that is not hardened nor obstinate in sin 423. The fearefull state of the obstinate 423. P. Painting Painting of the face is vnlawfull 87. Papists They are like to the Samaritans in many things 36 37. They are Idolaters worship the diuell 163 Parents Great is their affection to their children 391. This should confirme vs in the assurance of Gods loue to his children 392. They must take heed of ouer louing their children and how wee may best doe them good 392. What respect is to bee had to the example of our parents in the matter of Religion 143. The hope and comfort Christian Parents may haue concerning their children 180. Their sinnes will bring Gods curse vpon their children and what sins chiefly 393. What a kind of seruice and solemnity it was 380. Patience The faithfull haue beene very patient in affliction and shewed it foure waies 398. The meanes to breed it in vs 398. 399. Peace of conscience It is a fruit of true faith 336. There is a false peace see presumption Euery affliction should driue vs to make peace with God and that three waies 404. Peace-offerings What they signified 187. People See Hearers Persecution None can be saued that is not willing to suffer and euen to die for the truth 139. To deride a Minister is to persecute him 28â—… Perseuerance The regenerate shall perseuere and are carefull so to do 481. He that is truly regenerate shall neuer fall fi nally nor totally yea he may be in this life certaine of it 339 341. Our chiefe care must be to be best at our end 274 275. Phisicke They sinne greatly that despise or neglect it 256 257. Pilgrimage Reasons against it 156. Pouertie The poore that are godly haue no cause to murmur or distrust God 33. The frequenting of religious exercises with an honest heart will begger no man 244. Prayer Helps to keepe the heart from wandring in it 198. Euery man must aske and cry for grace yea all whom God meaneth to saue shal do it 5 Obiection against the necessity of prayer an swered 5 6. All that can vnfainedly seeke to God for grace shall be sure to haue it 8. The weakest Christian should not be discouraged from prayer 9. Spirituall blessings rather to bee prayed for then temporall 9. Faith breeds boldnesse in prayer 336 337. God seemes oft to neglect the prayers of his people and that foure waies 407. Comfort for Gods people in this case 408 409 Labour to pray so as thou maist speed 411. Christ himselfe vsed much to pray 203. God delights greatly in the prayers of his people 193. Affliction driues the faithfull to it 3â—…6 Promises vpon which we should ground our faith in prayer 407. Three reasons why God seemes oft to neglect and reiect the prayers of his people 408. Signes whereby we may know God accepts our prayers though he grant not our Suit 410 411. We should inquire after the successe of our prayers 411 412. Properties requisite in the prayer that would speed well 412. Poore sinners should goe boldly to Christ for helpe in all their distresses 450. Preaching See Minisry A man may try his estate by the iudgement he hath to discerne of sound teaching 113 It is lawfull to keepe Lectures to frequent them euen on the weeke daies 243. Some are bound to goe to Sermons euen on the weeke day 242. Euen they that cannot should yet desire to do it 243. How to iudge of the best Preachers and Preaching 291. The necessity of it 278 279 280. Preparation We can do no duty of Gods seruice wel without it 487. It is a great and necessary helpe for our profiting by the Word 487. This preparation consists in sixe points 489. Thinke of the euill day prepare for it 488 Presumption Lewd men haue no cause to hope they shall repent and find mercy 82 83. They can haue no sound comfort in the knowledge of Gods mercy 99. 452. They are confident of their saluation and the notes wherby true faith may be discerned from this presumption 345. Pride Noe sin makes vs more odious to God 394. The greatest must beware they be not proud either against God or men 388. All men are strangly prone to this soule sin 295. Affliction is a singular meane to abate it 395 Prophanesse The sin of such as carry themselues prophanely in Gods publike worship 134 135. Profession We should all be willing and ready to make profession of our faith 349 350. Professours Poore men young men such as haue been formerly scandalous and women haue beene vsually most forward in Religion 222. This hath beene euer a great scandall to the Word and why 224. Preseruatiues against this scandall 225. Professours should striue to remooue this scandall and how they may do it 226. Prouidence God by his prouidence gouernes all things orders them for the good of his Elect 217. The knowledge of this is vsefull many waies 219. Psalmes It is fit they should be sung in the Congregation 121 122. How we should behaue our selues in singing them 126. Publike worship See Church-Assemblies It is necessary all should be present at euery part of it 121. 128. 129. To be preferred before any priuate 129 130. 153. All should come to the beginning and stay till the end of it 120. 131 132. Rules for reuerence in it see Reuerence All may profit by euery part of it and euery part of it hath good warrant in the Word 121. 122. The whole congregation
generally haue a reuerent opinion of such men This reason is giuen why the Pharisees durst say nothing against Iohn Mat. 21. 26. For all held Iohn as a Prophet Herod himselfe thought reuerently of him Mar. 6. 20. 2. To secure their owne hearts in their errours and sinnes The finding of this little goodnesse in themselues that they hate not all good men but can thinke and speake reuerently of them doth strangely quiet the conscience of hypocrites for a time as that little goodnesse he found in himselfe did that Pharisee Luke 18. 11. The Vses of this Doctrine are three 1. To discouer vnto vs the weake foundations of the Popish faith and religion which yet I would not be large in had I not two reasons to moue me to it 1. That though I see no cause to doubt that any of you should be inclined that way yet partly the great increase of Papists of late and partly their strange boldnesse and confidence in their religion and readinesse to maintaine and broach their opinions in euery company may cause you sometimes to stagger and thinke they haue some truth on their side if you be not the better grounded and confirmed against them 2. My text here giues me direct occasion to do it yea more direct then any other that I can thinke of in all the Scripture Consider therefore that as the Papists do resemble the Samaritans in many other things so in this point especially that is described in this text namely in aduancing the credit of good and holy men to the discrediting of the truth of God The Papists are right Samaritans and do resemble them in many things 1. The Samaritan in many points of Religion agreed with the people of God for he worshipped the true God Ezra 4. 2. 2. King 17. â—…8 He acknowledged the fiue Bookes of Moses he vsed Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the Law 2. Kings 17. 32. he looked for the Messiah that was to come Iohn 4. 25. So doth the Papist agree with vs in many points of Religion 2. The Samaritan corrupted these parts of the true Religion with grosse Superstition and Idolatry for he had many things besides the Lord that he gaue diuine honour vnto 1. Kings 17. 29. Euery nation made gods of their owne and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made euery nation in the cities where they dwelt He worshipped the true God in Images These nations feared the Lord and serued their grauen images saith the text 2. King 17. 41. And in that respect though the Holy Ghost say of them 2. Kings 17. 33. They feared the Lord because they retained many parts of Gods true worship yet in the very next verse he saith They did not feare God they did not worship the true God because they serued him not according to his Word And our Sauiour denieth Ioh. 4. 22. that there câ—…uld be any saluation had in their religion In this point also the Papist is like the Samaritan he hath many petty gods that he giueth diuine honour vnto he worshippeth the true God by Images and in that respect we may as truly say of him as it was said of the Samaritan he worshippeth not the true God at all because he worshippeth him not according to his Word how then can saluation be found in the religion of the Papist 3. The Samaritan was euer the chiefe practiser against the re-edifying of the Temple and of the holy city See some of their practises They weakned the hands of the people of Iudah and troubled them in building and hired Counsellours against them to frustrate their purpose all the dayes of Cyrus as we read Ezra 4. 4. 5. And Neh. 6. 12. 14. They made some of the Prophets and Prophetesses their instruments to hinder the worke So hath the Papist euer beene the author of all the means whereby the growth of religion hath been hindered amongst vs The strange slanders whereby many of the seruants of God haue beene discredited both with the Magistrate and with the people haue come from the Papist The domesticall dissentions and iarres we haue had among our selues haue come from the Papist also But in nothing hath he better resembled the Samaritan then in this case that is here described in this Text namely in pretending great loue and respect to the Saints departed and in aduancing their credit and authority to the discredit of the truth of God The Samaritan pretended great reuerence to Iacob they pretended for this Well from which they fetcht their water that Iacob gaue it them The Papist pretendeth for the power and authority of their Pope from whence in very deed all their religion is deriued and vpon which it is grounded that Peter gaue it him that Peter vsed it himselfe and left it to the Bishops of Rome that are his successours and for their whole religion they pretend that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church deliuered it vnto them And therefore let vs bring neuer so good euidence out of the Word of God against them they are ready to put vs off as the Samaritan doth here Are you or the founders of your religion Luther and Caluin greater then Saint Peter Are you or they better or more likely to see the truth in religion then all the Fathers who gaue vs this religion and themselues professed it and all such as were taught by them We honour the Fathers say they you reiect and despise them The ancient Doctors of the Church are for vs and against you and your new religion Now for answer vnto them we say that the very same errours will be found in this plea of theirs as wee haue found in the argument of this Samaritan-woman for 1. As Iacob gaue no such Well to the Samaritanes so it is euident Peter gaue no such power and authority to the Bishops of Rome as they pretend Marke how we proue this 2. He had no such power and authority himselfe as the Pope exercises Peter exercised no such temporall and ciuill iurisdiction nay he might not do it The king of the Gentiles saith our Sauiour vnto him and the rest of the Apostles Luk. 22. 25 26. exercise lordship ouer them and they that exercise authority vpon them are called Benefactors But yee shall not be so Peter neuer tooke vpon him nor thought hee might take vpon him to depose Princes that should abuse their authority against the true Church and Religion or to absolue subiects from their Oathes of allegiance for he taught the contrary submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake saith he 1. Pet. 2. 13. He had no such ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer the whole Church as the Pope exerciseth for all the rest of the Apostles were equall to him Paul professeth so of himselfe in nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles saith he 2. Cor. 12. 11. The same commission the same gifts of the Holy Ghost the same keyes
affirmed nor is he offended with her for so odious a comparison neither doth he in plaine termes affirme himselfe to be greater then Iacob because she was not yet fit to heare that that might haue bred in her some suspition of vaine-glory in him and made her vnwilling to haue any further speech with him but he proueth the water that he had to giue viz. the grace of his holy spirit to be farre more excellent then the water of that Well or then any water Iacob had to giue by an argument taken from a farre more excellent effect that this water had aboue any other water in the world besides As if he should haue said whereas one principall vse that the water of this Well in these hot countries serueth for is to quench the thirst Iacob himselfe and his children c. did drinke of it the water that I haue to giue is farre more excellent for this vse for this water will not so quench the thirst but a man that hath drunke of it shall within a while be as thirsty againe as if he had neuer drunke because the moisture and coolenesse thereof will be by the heat that is in him consumed and dried vp but he that hath once drunke of the water that I haue to giue shall be so satisfied with it as he shall neuer thirst againe because the coole moisture that it yeeldeth can neuer be by any heat dried vp but shall be in him as a fountaine that will neuer leaue springing till it haue brought him to euerlasting life So that in these words there be three principall points that offer themselues to our consideration 1. That as the body so the soule of euery man is subiect to a kinde of thirst 2. That no wordly thing can perfectly and fully quench this thirst that the soule of man is subiect vnto 3. That the spirit of grace which our Sauiour calleth here the water of life is able fully and perfectly to quench the thirst that the soule of man is subiect vnto Of these three points we will consider in that order that I haue propounded them in And first from this that our Sauiour makes this a principall vse that the water of life the Spirit of God serueth vnto to quench the thirst we learne That as the body of man through the heat that is in it partly naturall partly accidentall is subiect vnto thirst which if it be extreme is one of the most painfull and intolerable passions that it endureth in this life so is the soule of euery man through the heat that it feeleth when it shall apprehend the anger of God due to him for sinne subiect vnto thirst that is to such a desire of comfort against Gods wrath as is neuer a whit lesse but much more painfull then the thirst of the body is For the thirst that the body is subiect vnto how intolerable it is when it groweth to extremity though I need alledge no proofe but common experience which hath found it to be more violent and intolerable then hunger is we may see it in two examples The one of Sampson who though he were so strong and valiant that he could alone with the iaw of an asse slay a thousand Philistims Iudg. 15. 15. yet could he not vanquish nor endure this passion but was afraid he should haue died of thirst and cryeth earnestly to God for helpe against it Iudg. 15. 18. And our blessed Sauiour that was neuer heard to complaine of any other bodily torment that he did endure He gaue his backe to the sâ—…iters as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 50. 6. and his cheekes to them that plucked off the haire he hid not his face from shame and spitting He was oppressed and he was afflicted Esa. 53. 7. yet he opened not his mouth he was brought as a lambe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before her shearers is dumbe so he opened not his mouth Yet feeling the extremity of this passion immediately before his giuing vp the ghost he cryed out and that with a lowd voice as may appeare by comparing Mat. 27. 48. with Iohn 19. 28. I am a thirst And that the soule euen the soule of euery man first or last shall be subiect vnto thirst that is to such a desire of comfort against Gods wrath as is painfull and intolerable is most euident See the proofe of it in three conditions and estates of men 1. All Gods Elect those poore and brokenhearted ones that Christ was sent to be a Sauiour vnto are said to haue had this thirst in them before they could haue any benefit by him Dauids soule panted after God as the chased Hart doth after the water brooks Psal. 42. 1 〈◊〉 his soule thirsted for God And euery one that thirsteth and none but he is inuited Esa. 55 1. to partake of all the comforts of the Gospell And he only hath a promise to be satisfied with righteousnes to be comfortably assured of his righteousnes before God which consisteth in the pardon of his sins the imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto him that doth hunger and thirst after it Mat. 5. 6 2. Such of the wicked as haue bin most prophane desperat deriders and contemners of al piety and religion haue ost euen in this life had such a sore and intolerable thirst vpon them that had they had all the kingdomes of the world they would haue giuen them for a little comfort against the sense of the wrath of God See the proofe of this Amos 8. 11. The Lord speakes of wicked men that shall wander from sea to sea and from the North to the East and shall run to and froto seeke some comfort out of the Word of the Lord and shall not find it In that day saith he shall the faire virgins and the young men who for the most part sinne with a high hand in open contempt of piety perish for thirst Euen such as haue most hardned their hearts against Gods feare the Lord is able to bring to this thirst The mouth of the Lord hath spoken this and his hand hath fulfilled it vpon many a one 3. Such of the wicked as neuer feele any thirst in this life but liue and die like senslesse beasts as many thousands doubtlesse doe shall be sure to feele it in so much the greater extremity in the life to come See the proofe of this in Luke 16. 24. The rich man whose life was full of pleasure and who was all that while neuer troubled with this thirst in hell was so tormented with it that he cryed for Lazarus the man against whom he had shewed most cruelty To dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue The reason of this if we will enquire into it we shall find to be this that as the extremity of bodily thirst groweth from some distemper of heat so is it also with this thirst of the soule 1. The sense of sinne and of Gods anger
conscience 3. Or if euer they had this thirst and haue now quenched it with worldly comforts they shall surely thirst againe and that in a more vehement and intolerable manner then euer they did before See this iudgement threatned against them that make vp the breach that God hath made in their conscience with vntempered morter Ezech. 13. 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will euen rent it the wall that was thus daubed with vntempered morter with a stormy winde in my fury and there shall be an ouerflowing shoure in mine anger and great hailestones in my fury to consume it The Reasons of this Doctrine are these 1. If there were neuer so good suâ—…iciency in worldly comforts yet cannot a man be sure to haue them when he shall stand most in need of them for the satisfying of the thirst of his soule for the Lord deales oft with men in this case as he dealt with Iacob Gen. 32. 24. he wrestleth with them and smites them in the night and when they are alone when neither their companions nor other meanes of worldly comfort are at hand 2. Say a man enioy them in great abundance yet in that case a man shall not be able to relish them or feele any comfort in them See an experiment of this when God had awakened the conscience of Belshazzar and summoned him to iudgment and therby smitten his heart with deadly terrors Dan. 5. 5. 6. neither the vine nor any of the exquisite dainties nor all the pleasant compahe had at his great feast could yeeld him any comfort hee could relish no sweetnesse in them yea by how much the more a man hath delighted in them in former times by so much the more he is wont to distaste refuse and ab horre them in this case The soule in that case is apt tâ—… refuse these comforts and to loath them Psal. 77. 2. That which the Prophet saith of gold and siluer Ezek. 7. 19. that in the day of extreame anguish men can take no comfort in them but shall be willing to cast them into the streete and put them out of their sight the same may likewise be said of all worldly comforts Merry talke and musicke at that time will be but as the casting of vineger vpon nitre as Salomon speaketh Pro. 25. 20. So that a man may fitly compare all these comforts to that broken staffe or reed mentioned 2 Reg. 18. 21. Vpon which if a man leane it will goe into his hand and pierce it 3. Say a man in this case enioyed all worldly comforts and did also esteeme as much of them then as euer he did yet is it not possible they should be sufficient to quench the thirst that is caused by the sense of Gods anger for God only is able to cure the wounds that he hath made hee maketh sore and bindeth vp saith Eliphaz Iob 5. 18. he woundeth and his hands make whole So that that which is said of riches Pro. 11. 4. may be said of all other worldly comforts They auaile not in the day of Gods wrath The vse of this doctrine is not to worke despaire or dismay any whose hearts desire is to please God for to their comfort I may say as Ezra 10. 2. There is hope in Israel concerning this Zach. 13. 1. There is a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for vncleannes But to exhort euery man 1. To make lesse account of all worldly comforts and to esteeme better of the water of life I denie not but we may take comfort in these things 1 Tim. 6. 17. they are giuen to vs in abundance to enioy But wee must take heed of trusting in them or making them our onely comfort Consider what the Apostle writes 1 Cor. 7. 29. 31. They that haue wiues should be as though they had none and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that bay as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as not ouer-using it for the fashion of this world passeth away We should vse also the comforts of this life with so indifferent a minde that they be no clogs vnto vs to hinder vs in the way vnto a better life Oh the misery of them that haue no comfort but in their wealth or in their company or in their pleasures To them we may say as Psal. 4. How long will ye loue vanity and follow after leasing Ionah 2. 8. They that obserue these lying vanities forsake their owne mercy 2. To get without delay assurance to our soules of our interest in Christ from whom onely this water of life which quencheth the thirst of the soule is to be had according to the counsell of the Psalmist Psal. 2. 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him Lecture the tenth Aprill 4. 1609. IOHN IIII. XIIII IT followeth that we proceed to the third point which I told you was to be obserued in this and the former verse namely That the Spirit of grace which our Sauiour here calleth the water of life is able fully and perfectly to quench this thirst that the soule of man is subiect to for our Sauiour here saith that whosoeuer drinketh of the water that he would giue him should neuer thirst and giueth a reason why he can neuer be a thirst againe The water that I shall giue him shall be in him a Well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Now that we may build vpon a sure foundation we must call to mind that which I told you in the handling of the 10. Verse that by this water of life is meant the Spirit of God This was then proued euidently by two places Esa. 44. 3. I will powre water vpon the thirsty and flouds vpon the drie ground I will powre my spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon thy buds and Ioh. 7. 38. He that belieueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life Verse 39. This spake he of the spirit which they that belieued in him should receiue So that when our Sauiour saith here whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst it is as if he should haue said thus in plainer termes Whosoeuer shall receiue the Spirit of regeneration which I shall giue him and which none can receiue but by me and through my merits shall neuer be more a thirst that is he shall not onely obtaine sound and perfect peace in his conscience against the apprehension of Gods wrath due to his sinnes but this peace and comfort of his conscience shall neuer die nor decay in him he shall neuer fall into a deadly thirst againe nor into that painefull and intolerable desire of comfort against Gods wrath that he was subiect to before For that seed of God and Spirit
his Disciples here verse 32. so may a Christian say to these I haue ioy that you know not of Pro. 14. 10. No stranger can meddle with or skill of our ioy The man that truely feares God hath that ioy that he would not giue a dragm of it for a pound of thy ioy as you may see in that speech of Dauid Psal. 4. 7. thou hast put gladnesse in my heart saith he more then they haue then worldlings haue in their time that their corne and their wine increased It is true that the godly haue their dumpes sometimes and fits of heauinesse but 1. Though they doe not for the present ioy yet they shall be sure to finde comfort in the end Psal. 97. 11. Light is sowen for the righteous and gladnesse for the vpright in heart 2. When they bethinke themselues well of their owne estate and by due tryall of themselues finde that they haue in themselues this Well of water that Christ here speakes of that the seed of God abideth in them then doe they checke themselues for being so vncomfortable as Dauid doth Psal. 42. 11. and finde they haue iust cause not to be sad but to reioyce and to be of good cheare That whereas wicked men the lesse they looke into their owne hearts and thinke of their estate the merrier they are it is quite contrary with the godly man Gal. 6. 4. Let euery man proue his owne worke and then he shall haue reioycing in himselfe alone and not in another Thus I haue made this second point plaine vnto you let vs now prooue and confirme it in a word or two The Spirit of God is called Psal. 45. 7. the oyle of gladnesse because it makes a man to looke cheerefully therefore also it is said Pro. 29. 6. In the transgression of an euill man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and reioyce See an experiment of this in Paul 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world yea he saith 1 Cor 9. 15. Hee would rather die then loose this reioycing that he found in the testimony of a good conscience The third and last point wherein the truth of this doctrine appeareth is this that euen in the euill day when all other comforts will faile a man when most tokens of Gods anger shall be vpon a man and Sathan shall be busiest with him and his owne weake heart shall bee most subiect to feare and to that thirst we heard of the last day euen in that day this water of life an vpright heart and a godly life will yeeld vnspeakeable boldnesse and security peace and comfort to the conscience of a man And well fare that comfort that will sticke by a man and shew it selfe most when a man shall haue most neede of it Salomon commendeth a true friend by this note a friend loueth at all times saith hee Prouerbs 17. 17. It is much to the commendation of good workes that that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar when hee would direct him how to escape that temporall iudgement and fearefull plague that God had threatned hee telleth him this was the way Daniel 4. 24. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore if it may bee a lengthening of thy tranquillitie Good workes will preuent and keepe off Gods iudgements But good workes will doe much more then so they will free the conscience from feare in the euill day they will worke peace and comfort in the heart in the day of anguish and tentation Psalme 112. 4. Vnto the vpright there ariseth light in darkenesse Prouerbs 28. 1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous is bold as a Lyon Such a one is like a house built vpon a rocke no winds nor flouds can hurt him Matthew 7. 24 25. Therefore Paul speaking of the spirituall armour whereby wee may bee made able to stand in the euill day nameth righteousnesse for the brest-plate Ephesians 6. 14. See the experiment of this in Iob 6. 10. Yet this comfort I haue though I burne with sorrow and hee spareth mee not that I haue not denyed the words of the holy one And that maketh the Apostle say Iames 2. 13. Mercy reioyceth against iudgement The Reason why the water of life hath such vertue to quench the thirst of the soule Is for that the spirit applyeth the merits of Christ vnto the conscience A godly life assureth vs that Christ and his merits belong vnto vs indeed For to speake properly Christ onely is the refuge against this tempest and shadow against this heate as he is called Esay 25. 4. and his blood is that drinke that quencheth this thirst and satisfieth the soule Iohn 6. 55. My Flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed and verse 35. Hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in mee shall not thirst It is not our owne righteousnesse that can shade vs from the heate of Gods wrath but the righteousnesse of Christ onely Therefore Paul desired that he might bee found in him not hauing his owne righteousnesse Phil. 3. 9. and Nehemiah 13. 22. Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy But forasmuch as Christs righteousnesse is without vs the spirit is that that applyeth it to vs and vniteth vs to him and a godly life is that that assureth vs that our faith is a true and liuing not a false and dead faith 1. Iohn 3. 7. Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous euen as hee is righteous Therefore this also is said to quench the thirst In which respect good workes are also called a foundation 1. Tim. 6. 19. The Vse of this Doctrine is First for the satisfying of all men in the question betweene vs and the Papists touching good workes and for the conuincing them of slander you heare what we grant 1. That good workes are marueilously profitable godlinesse is profitable vnto all things saith the Apostle 1. Timothie 4. 8. 2. That they are also so necessary that no man can be saued without them Onely we deny first that they can iustifie vs before God secondly that they can merit heauen or a farre meaner reward then heauen is at Gods hands 2. To admonish all men to seeke grace and the feare of God 1. All men desire ioy and esteeme it the onely felicitie they abhorre sadnesse and sorrow as the diuell but be not deceiued doe what thou canst hunt after these delights as greedily as thou canst yet will God make thee one day know and feele what thou hast done for all these things God will bring thee vnto iudgement Ecceles 11. 9. and then shall thy heart be made sad Luke 6. 25. Woe bee to you that laugh now for you shall mourne and weepe 2. Oh seeke for sound and true
the Thessalonians ' 2 Thes. 1. 5. that all the sufferings he did endure were for the kingdome of God that they might not misse of that 3 When our care is to make vse of all that we heare and learne for the edifying of our selues in faith and a good conscience not to feed any humour of our corrupt nature or that we may be able to talke well but that we may practise that we heare Desire the sincere milke of the word saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 2. that ye may grow thereby That is the onely right vse that should be made of the Word to be edified in our faith as the Apostle teacheth vs 1 Tim. 1. 4. Thy word haue I hid in my heart saith Dauid Psal. 119. 11. that I might not sinne against thee In which respect also the whole truth of God reuealed in his Word is called 1 Tim. 6. 3. The doctrine which is according vnto godlinesse it tends wholly vnto this to make men godly And they that vse it to any other end peruert it dangerously vnto their owne destruction 4 When thou so receiuest the loue of the truth that thou canst resolue to suffer any thing rather than thou wilt renounce or fall from any part of Gods truth that thou knowest and art perswaded of True it is 1. A man may haue a good heart and yet use wisdome in shunning persecution and disgrace 2. The Lord in his goodnesse tendereth the weaknesse of some of his seruants so farre as that he neuer brings them to any trouble for his sake But euery one that hath a good heart resolueth with himselfe and is willing to suffer any disgrace and losse for the truths sake if God shall see good to call him to it Yea we must all be willing to contend earnestly for the maintenance of the faith Iude 4. And without this willingnesse to suffer none can be saued If any man will come after me and enioy heauen where I am to be saith our Sauiour Luke 9. 23. Let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me And Luk. 14. 26 27. Whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse and come after me cannot bee my Disciple THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE ON MAY II. MDCIX IOHN IIII. XVI XVII XVIII Iesus saith vnto her Goe call thy husband and come hither The Woman answered and said I haue no husband Iesus said vnto her thou hast well said I haue no husband For thou hast had fiue husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband in that saidest thou truly WE heard the last day out of the former Verse that this Woman though now she began to conceiue better both of the person and speech of Christ than she had done before and did not only giue credit to that which Christ had said touching the water of life but was also so affected with his speech as she did desire him to giue her of that water yet did she not vnderstand his meaning but thought still that Water of life he spake of had been no other than a materiall water and therefore desired it onely in a carnall respect she had to her ease and profit Two causes there were of this her blockishnesse First That she knew Christ no better but tooke him to be an ordinary man The other that she knew her selfe and her owne estate no better but liued securely in knowne and hainous sinne Our Sauiour for all this giues her not quite ouer because of her blockishnesse and vncapablenesse but now leauing the speech of the water of life he begins to make himselfe and her owne estate better knowne vnto her To this purpose he discouers to her the most secret things that euer she did especially such as might stirre vp in her a thirst after the water of life For it appeares by her owne words to her neighbours Verse 29 39. That he had told her many other things that were vnknowne to all men But the Euangelist mentions this onely of all the secrets that he told her because in this the infinite mercy of Christ did most shine that had such respect vnto and was so carefull of the saluation of so vile a woman Now he doth not charge her with her sin in plaine termes nor deale roughly with her he cals her not Whore nor tels her at the fiâ—…st that she liued in filthy adultery for he knew in his diuine wisdome that this sharpnesse would not be needfull but hurtfull rather but first bids her go and call her husband and come againe And though he knew it well she had no husband yet did he thinke it fit to draw out so much from her owne mouth which when she had confessed then did he plainely discouer how priuy he was to the whole course of her life and tels her for the further aggrauating of her sinne that though she had had fiue Husbands yet she kept one now that was not her Husband So that these words affoord foure principall things to our consideration 1. That our Sauiour thirsting after the Saluation of this poore Woman discouereth to her her sinne and that nothing he had said before could work vpon her conscience till he tooke this course with her 2. That the sinne he did discouer vnto her was a secret sinne vnknowne to all men 3. That of all the sinnes she was guilty of when he would touch and awaken her conscience he makes choice of this sinne of Fornication and chargeth her with that 4. That notwithstanding she liued in so hainous a sinne yet he reiects her not nor deales roughly with her but he deales most tenderly with her and shewes much care and desire of her saluation First then in that our Sauiour seeking the saluation of this Woman that he might make her more capable of that he had said concerning the water of life and worke in her a true desire of it tels her of the hainous sinne she liued in We learne That they that would win soules to God must plainely and particularly discouer to men their sinnes Before I confirme this doctrine two cautions and rules are to be obserued from this example for the better vnderstanding of it 1. A Minister is not alwayes bound in plaine termes imperiously sharpely and bitterly to reproue the sinnes he knoweth by his hearers but he is bound to take that course which he seeth to be most likely to preuaile and do them good For our Sauiour here cals not this woman whore nor at the first directly tels her of her sinne that might haply haue driuen her from him but goeth about her and vseth a holy craâ—…t and cunning with her So speakes the Apostle of himselfe 2. Cor. 12. 16. For as much as I was crafty I tooke you with guile Thus dealt Nathan with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 1. 4. He vseth a Parable and long circumlocution to make way into his heart for his reproofe He that winneth soules is wise saith Salomon Prouerbes 11. 30. And Prouerbes 15.
2. The tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright To the application of the Word a speciall Wisdome is required 1. Corinth 12. 8. The Pastours gift whose worke stands principally in application is called there the word or vtterance of wisdome 2. Sinne must so be reproued as that the credit and estimation of the person that sinneth may be preserued as much as may be Priuate sinnes must not be made publike Our Sauiour therefore here when he discouers to this Woman her secret sinne doth it in secret betweene them two hee would not haue so much as any of his Disciples by This our Sauiour giues for a rule to be obserued by all that desire to win their brother Mat. 18. 15. Goe and tell him his fault betweene him and thoe alone Yet neuerthelesse this must be done by all that would win soules to God they must plainely and particularly discouer to them their sinnes Let them do it with as much wisdome as they can and with as much loue as they can so they do it This must needs be done This is made a chiefe part of the office and dutie of a Minister when the Apostle had deeply charged Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 12. to preach the word and to be instant in season and out of season he tells him how he should performe that duty to doe it well reproue saith he yea rebuke exhort c. and the contrary noted as the most proper mark of a false Prophet Lam. 2. 14. Thy Prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee they haue not discouered thine iniquity Yea this must be done 1. Particularly and plainly that the party may feele himselfe and his owne sin touched as plainly appeareth by the Prophet Nathans dealing with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 12. Thou art the man yea 2. If they be publike and scandalous sins they must be reproued publikely 1. Tim. 5. 20. 3. It must be done effectually and zealously Cry aloud saith the Lord Esa 58. 1 2. lift vp thy voice like a trumpet Yea 4. In some cases with sharpnesse and bitternesse also Tit. 1. 13. Rebuke them sharply This sharpnesse Christ himselfe vsed sometimes Mat. 23. 33. Ye serpents ye generation of vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell The Reason of this is the benefit that comes to Gods people by hauing their sinnes thus plainely and effectually discouered vnto them 1. Till men haue the true sense and knowledge of sinne they can neuer vnderstand rightly or clearely belieue any thing in Religion with any certainty or assurance This we haue an experiment of in this poore woman how blockish was she till Christ reuealed vnto her her sin and one chiefe reason why she was so vnable to vnderstand the Word of Christ was because she liued securely in a grieuous sin As the earth cannot receiue the seed till it be plowed vp so the heart of man cannot receiue the Word till the Lords plow haue been in it This comparison the Holy Ghost vseth Ier. 44. A kind of knowledge in Religion I grant is in many that liue securely in grieuous sinnes and neuer had their consciences touched with an effectuall knowledge and sense of sinne but you neuer knew any such that did attaine to a cleare and certaine knowledge The Lord will teach sinners saith Dauid Psal. 25. 8. that is such as know and feele themselues to be most miserable and grieuous sinners in the way and vers 9. The meeke such he means as are made meeke this way such as through pouerty of spirit and mourning for that are made meeke and humble according to that gradation our Sauiour vseth Mat. 5. 3 4 5. will he guide in iudgement and the meeke will he teach his way And of the rest the Apostle Paul saith that such as haue pleasure in vnholinesse and vnrighteousnesse cannot receiue the loue of the truth no nor belieue the truth but shall be apt to belieue lies and to be seduced 2. Thess. 2. 10 12. 2. Till men haue the true knowledge and sense of sinne they can neuer know Christ to the comfort and saluation of their owne soules Of this also we haue an experiment in this poore Woman of Samaria She neuer knew the gift of God nor who it was that spake vnto her she knew not Christ aright nor esteemed of him till he had discouered to her her sinne Such onely are fit to come to Christ Matth. 11. 28. Such and such onely shall be refreshed by him as are weary and heauy laden this way And indeed that no man can come to true comfort till he haue the true knowledge and sense of his sinne is euident by this that no man can find mercy with God for the pardon of his sinne till he can with a penitent and humbled heart confesse his sinne vnto God Prouerb 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy And therefore Dauid vseth this as a reason to moue God to mercy Psalme 51. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is euer before me Many thinke that the Ministry that plainely and powerfully rebuketh sinne serues to no other vse then to bring men to despaire and to fill them with melancholy but this is a fond conceit The true knowledge and sense of sinne is the onely way to comfort Iohn 16. 7 8. Christ saith the Spirit the Comforter which he would send should reproue and conuince the world The Spirit of God neuer comforted any till he had first reproued and conuinced them Therefore Paul reioyced greatly to heare of the Corinthians sorrow 2. Cor. 7. 7. and tels them ver 8. That he repented him not that he had made them sorrowfull and saith ver 9. That he had done them no hurt at all in reprouing them so sharply and bringing them to such heauinesse and giues this for the reason of it ver 10. Godly sorrow causeth repentance neuer to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death And the Apostle Iames when he had exhorted them to humiliation for sin and said Iam. 4. 9. Be afflicted and mourne and weepe let your laughter be turned to mourning and your ioy into heauinesse He preuents this obiection and tels them ver 10. if you be once thus humbled then he will lift you vp as if he should say that is the way to sound comfort according to that promise he had spoken of ver 6. God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble 3. Till men haue the true knowledge and sense of sin their hearts can neuer be subdued to the obedience of God nor come to a true reuerence and feare of God This also may be seene in this poore woman till Christ told her of her sin she answered him scornfully and reiected him and obiected and reasoned against him What was it in the Ministery of Peter that wrought that wonderfull conuersion when about three thousand soules receiued the word gladly and were
baptized and added to the Church Act. 2. 41. euen such as had before mocked and scorned the Apostles ver 13. Surely it was this plaine and effectuall discouery of their sin God hath made saith he to them ver 36. that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this saith the holy story ver 37. they were pricked in their heart What was that in the Ministry of the Prophets that wrought such a change in the man that was before ignorant and an Infidell of whom we read 1. Corinth 14. 23. Surely it was this plaine and effectuall discouery of his sinne vnto him he was conuinced of all saith the Apostle ver 24 25. he was iudged of all All the Preachers that he heard as if they had conspired together did discouer to him his sinne and damnable estate and euen conuinced his conscience of it And then were the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling downe on his face he worshipped God and reported that God was in them of a truth The man that knoweth sin aright and the burthen and danger of it will be desirous to know what he may do to please God he will be obedient and tractable ready to do any thing that God shall require of him and till then men will heare what they list and do what they list See this in the fruit of Iohn Baptists Ministry when he in the spirit and power of Eliah had sharply reproued his hearers and denounced Gods vengeance against them and so humbled them deeply with sense of sinne and feare of Gods wrath then euen the Publicans and soldiers also as we read Luke 3. 12 14. came to him and said Master what shall we doe And in Saul Act. 9 6. When he trembled and was astonished by this means then he was ready to say Lord What wilt thou haue me to doe If any man shall obiect and say what need Preachers trouble themselues with this seeing there is no man so simple but he knowes himself to be a sinner yea his owne conscience will tell him that it will tell him that these and these things that himselfe hath done are sinnes as well as the Preacher can tell him I answer yes sometimes it will doe so indeed But yet this is the ordinary meanes to bring a man to an effectuall knowledge of his sinne This Woman was not so simple but she knew that she liued in adultery and that that was a sinne but she came not to remorse and repentance till Christ had told her So also was Dauid brought to a sauing knowledge of his sinne euen by Nathans plaine and effectuall reprouing of him 2. Sam. 12. 12 13. True it is the conscience of euery man will when God shall awaken it tell a man of his sinnes plainely and roundly seuerely and sharpely as we may see Rom. 2. 15 16. But it lyeth a sleepe for a time and will either say nothing or flatter a man and is therefore compared to a Band-dogge that lyeth at the doore Gen. 4. 7. The Ministry of the Word is the effectuall and mighty or dinance of God to awaken the conscience Rom. 3. 20. By the Law comes the knowledge of sinne The vse of this Doctrine is first for the Minister 1. To exhort him not to neglect this part of his Ministry by the consideration 1. Of the great charge that is laid vpon him and the danger he is in if he neglect it Thinke seriously of these two places If thou do st not speake to warne the wicked from his way saith the Lord Ezek. 33. 8. that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at thine hand And Ier. 1. 17. Speake vnto them all that I command thee be not dismaid at their faces least I confound thee before them 2. Of the small cause he hath to despaire of good successe in it if he performe it with a good heart How forcible are right words Iob 6. 25. See an example of this in 2. King 5. 13 14. what successe the admonition and reproofe euen of a seruant had through the blessing of God with a great Lord that was but a heathen man 3. Of the recompence and supply God will make of any friends he shall lose thereby There is no man that hath left willingly lost house or brethren or sisters or father saith our Sauiour Mar. 10. 29 30. or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue a hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren c. and in the world to come eternall life 4. Of the reuerence and estimation that is gained by it vsually euen in the hearts of such as at first most distasted it Pro. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more fauour then he that flattereth with the tongue 2. To exhort him that sith he must be a reproouer of sin in his people he vse all means and carry himselfe towards them so as his reproofes may preuaile with them And those are chiefly two 1. He must so carry himselfe towards them in his whole course that it may appeare he loueth them vnfainedly See the force of this in the Apostles speech Rom. 15. 14. I am perswaded of you my brethren that ye also are full of goodnesse that is of kindnesse and readinesse to do good to them you liue with filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another Teaching vs that no man is so fit to admonish another as he that is both full of knowledge and able thereby to conuince him and also full of goodnesse and one of whom the party may be perswaded that he beares a kind and louing affection toward him 2. He must so liue as by his vnblameable and holy conuersation he may gaine authority in their hearts See how this will preuaile It is said of Herod Mar. 6. 20. that he feared Iohn the Baptist and obserued him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly And the reason that moued him so to do is said to be this because he knew him to be a iust and an holy man And for this cause the Apostle giues that charge vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of the belieuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith in purity as if he should say if thou be such a one they will neuer despise thee no not when thou shalt command and teach when thou shalt teach and reproue them with boldnesse and authority though thou be so young a man The second vse of the Doctrine is for all Gods people 1. To admit and accept of this part of Gods ordinance euen of the word of reproofe as well as of instruction or comfort receiue with meeknes the ingrafted word which is able to saue your soules Iam. 1. 21. that is euery part of Gods Word
as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 4. 5. in another case And euen in this life God doth strangely discouer many vncleane persons that haue liued long in secret Salomon brings in the fornicator complaining and bewailing his misery euen in this respect Pro. 5. 14. I was almost brought into the extreamity of misery in the midst of the congregation and assembly And obserue this in them that are the cunningest in this sinne that though no body peraduenture can conuince them euidently of the fact yet euery body through this iust iudgement of God condemnes them for it As the Lord seeth their secretest villanies so euen in this life oft times hee vseth to testifie against them Lecture the seuenteenth Iune 20. 1609. THe third errour of minde whereby Sathan deceiues men and drawes them to this sinne and hardens them in it is the hope of impunity For saith he admit thou doe slip and haue the ill fortune to be discouered what shalt thou be the worse for it 1. With men thou shalt not fare much the worse for this The ciuill Magistrate will not meddle with thee All the punishment is if thou bee a poore body but to stand a while in the Church and say thou art sorry for it and if thou be rich thou mayest auoid that too but what is that And secondly as for thy credit thou shalt not lose much vnlesse it be with a sort of Precisians whom euery man despiseth But for the most thou seest they will like neuer the worse of any for this not of a seruant nor of a neighbour Nay thou mayst see that men that make most open profession of this sin are esteemed and desired by many as the best companions and professors also will be as ready to shew any kindnesse to such as are noted for this as to any other And thirdly as for the Lord thou canst see no cause to thinke that he likes much the worse of a man for this If he did neither thy selfe nor many others that thou knowest could prosper as they doe This as both experience and the Scripture teach vs preuailes marueilously with most men Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill See also the force that is in this to harden men in all kind of sin Mal. 3. 15. We call the proud happy say the prophane of that age yea they that worke wickednesse are set vp yea they that tempt the Lord are euen deliuered Certainely if the law had as well prouided for and the sword of the Magistrate were as ready to be drawne out for the punishment of this sin as of theft we should haue as few whoremongers as theeues Or if in the want of the law in this case all such as are esteemed honest and free from this sin themselues would but hate it in others and discountenance it as they might doubtlesse they might restraine many from it But first the law hath not appointed any punishment for it that is any way proportionable to the hainousnesse of the sin And secondly the ciuill Magistrate almost euery where is vnwilling to vse that authority that the law hath giuen him for the punishment of this sin but counts it as a disparagement vnto him to meddle with it at all And thirdly the punishment of carting and whipping which was wont to be inflicted especially in Market townes is growne out of vse And fourthly some Magistrates and priuate persons doe make so light account of this sin that it is not to be wondred at that this sin is growne so common as it is For the conuincing of this error and preseruing men from it two things are to be considered First that though the Magistrate doe not yet it is his duty to punish this sinne as farre as law giues liberty and his great sinne that he doth not And though priuate Christians doe not yet it is their duty to shew detestation to this sinne Secondly though men faile in their duty yet is there no cause any should commit this sin vpon hope of impunity for though men doe not yet will God certainely punish this sin For first as for the Magistrate we know that by his calling he is Custos vtriusque tabulae and charged with the law of God to see it kept by those that are vnder his authority He is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Rom. 13. 4. The authority he hath and the preheminence God hath giuen him aboue other men is giuen him to that end And the Magistrate is bound by Gods law to punish this sinne as well as any other Iob 31. 11. This is a wickednesse and an iniquity to bee punished by the Iudges And both of the Magistrate and of euery priuate Christian this is required as he desireth that Gods mercy should be vpon him and his posterity that he abhorre this sinne and doe that that in him lieth to bring it vnto shame and punishment Amos 5. 15. Hate the euill and loue the good and establish iudgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be mercifull to the remnant of Iacob I know it is esteemed by many a signe of a good nature and disposition to be kind to all persons how lewd soeuer they be But marke what the Holy Ghost in the Scripture speakes of this kindnesse 1. He makes it a signe that a man hath no feare of God in him when he cannot abhorre sin Psal. 36. 1 4. 2. He saith that that man makes no conscience of sin himselfe that is ready to speake in fauour of a lewd man Pro. 28. 4. They that forsake the law praise the wicked and are apt to speake for them and to take their part but they that keepe the law set themselues against them 3. He makes it a greater signe of an vngracious heart for a man to fauour sin in others then to commit sin himselfe Rom. 1. 31. Which men though they know the law of God how that they that commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also fauour them that doe them And whereas on the other side it is counted pride and malice and cruelty for a man to seeke the disgrace or punishment of any lewd person the Holy Ghost saith there is no true loue in any but in such onely 1. There is no true loue to God in any that cannot vnfeinedly hate sinne whereby he is dishonoured Psal. 97. 10. Yee that loue the Lord hate the thing that is euill 2. There is no true loue to our selues to our families and the place wee liue in vnlesse we hate such sinnes as will bring Gods curse vpon vs. Till Achan was punished Gods curse was vpon the whole host of Israel Iosh. 7. 12. Neither will I bee with you any more except ye destroy the excommunicate from among you And
Christ through whom onely we hope to finde mercy with God hateth sinne with an infinite hatred Exod. 23. 21. Prouoke him not for hee will not spare your misdeeds because my name is in him And it is a farre more fearefull thing for a wicked man though not for such a one as Dauid was to fall into his hands to haue his displeasure then the displeasure of all the men in the world Heb. 10. When the Apostle had said verse 30. Uengeance is mine I will recompence saith the Lord. And againe The Lord shall iudge his people Whereas some desperate sinner might haue said as now many doe if that be all I care not let me shunne the shame and punishment of the world and as for the Lord I shall doe well enough with him he addeth verse 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Psal. 75. 7. Thou euen thou art to be feared and who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry This the Elect haue felt This made Dauid cry out Psal. 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I shunned and done this euill in thy sight His worldly punishment and shame neuer troubled him in comparison of this And this shall the wickedest man in the world feele one day when God shall awaken his conscience He shall wish rather hee had to deale with all the men in the world then with the Lord he will make no reckoning of the displeasure and contempt of the whole world in respect of the Lords wrath See an experiment of this in Iudas he cared not for displeasing the chiefe Priests and Elders nor for shaming himselfe so publikely but the wrath of God which he had the sense of was intolerable to him Mat. 27. 4 5. And if the wrath of God be so intollerable in this life to the wicked what shall it be in the day of wrath as the day of iudgement is called Rom. 2. 5. Surely the stoutest and most profane sinners that in this life haue made so small account of Gods displeasure and thought they could doe well enough with him and haue gloried so much in Christ Apoc. 6. 15. 17. Euen Kings and Captaines and euery bond man and euery freeman shall cry to the mountaines and rocks fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sits on the throne from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand 2. As ready as the Lord is to forgiue sinne and easie to be intreated yet can he not pardon any but vpon their vnfained repentance It is as possible for a woman to be deliuered of a child in her sleepe as for a man to be deliuered from the guilt and punishment of this sin before he haue vnfainedly repented Christ is called a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance vnto Israel and remission of sins Acts 5. 31. He can giue remission of sins to none but such as he hath giuen repentance vnto 3. Though the Lord be so mercifull that vpon repentance he giueth pardon to euery sinner yet such a mans sin may be that the Lord will most seuerely and sharpely correct and scourge him for it euen after he hath repented and obtained mercy and pardon For though when God pardoneth sin he remit not onely the guilt of it but the punishment also yet he chastiseth oft times very sharpely such as he hath pardoned See an excellent experiment of this in Dauid when Nathan had dealt particularly with him he repented and God pardoned his sin 2. Sam. 12. 13. But did he heare no more of his sinne after he had repented yes the outward miseries threatned by the Prophet 2. Sam. 12. 10 11. fell all vpon him for all that And he endured such inward anguish of conscience as put him to such paine as if all his bones had beene broken with it Ps. 51. 8. And in comparison whereof all his outward miseries seemed but as flea-bitings to him And if thou belong vnto him be sure he will deale with thee also after this manner Let no man therefore say howsoeuer I haue liued if I repent I shall neuer be damned and so long I care not For though thou may be sure thou shalt neuer be damned if thou can vnfainedly repent yet mayst thou for al thy repentance fall into many great miseries in this life such as may make thy hart to ake and such as if thou couldest beleeue and thinke vpon thou wouldest be loath to buy thy sweetest sins at so deare a rate The Magistrate thou seest hath many punishments for sin besides death he hath the stockes and the gaole and the whip and the pillorie c. and so hath the Lord. Now come I to the second preseruatiue against this tentation which is the true knowledge of our selues and of that estate we come into when once we fall into such sins for euery vncleane person hath iust cause to feare that when once he hath committed this sin he shall neuer be able to repent of it This I prooue by foure reasons 1. No man is able to repent of himselfe but it is a great and supernaturall grace of God whereby any man is made able to repent 2. Tim. 2. 25 26. In meekenesse instruct those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the diuell who are taken captiue by him at his will Obserue in those words 1. This comes of Gods gift onely 2. That euery sinner is in Satans snare out of which it must needs be hard to get out When once a man hath fallen into any sin against his conscience it is naturall for him to go on in it further and further till his heart be hardened in it Eph. 4. 18 19. The Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind Hauing their vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse It is naturall for sinne to harden the heart and to depriue a man of that sense and trouble he found when he first committed it Heb. 3. 13. Take heed least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Yea when a man hath once accustomed himselfe to any sinne he cannot leaue it or repent of it though he would no more then the Leopard can change his spots Ier. 13. 23. 2. God hath threatned to punish such as sinne against the light of their hearts presumptuously by withdrawing his grace from them and hardning their hearts Deut. 29. 19 20. He will not spare that man that blesseth himselfe in his heart Because I haue purged thee saith the Lord Ezek. 24. 13. and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till
I haue caused my fury to rest vpon thee When Pharaoh had hardened his heart first by continuing in sinne and resisting the worke of Gods grace in him Exod. 8. 15. then did God harden his heart in a supernaturall manner Exod. 9. 12. 3. Aboue all sinnes God hath specially threatned to punish this sinne with hardnesse of heart and impenitency Prou. 2. 19. None that goe vnto her the strange woman returne againe neither take they hold on the paths of life And Prou. 23. 27. An Whore is a deepe ditch and a strange womâ—… is a narrow pit Of these sinners chiefly it is said that God reserueth them to the day of iudgement to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9 10. 4. Experience proueth this also For 1. Obserue it and you shall find that they that are once giuen vp to this sinne are more impudent then other sinners more gracelesse prophane and blasphemous deriders and contemners of all piety Therefore impudent sinners are said to haue a Whores forehead Ier. 3. 3. And that is thus described Pro. 7. 13. She caught him and kissed him Therefore are they compared to dogs Deut. 23. 18. 2. Sam. 3. 8. Therefore they are said to be destitute of vnderstanding and to haue lost euen the light of nature Pro. 6. 32. and 7. 7. and Prou. 9. 13. the whore her selfe is said to be simple and to know nothing And the lewd man that is allured and ouercome by her vers 16. is said to be simple and void of vnderstanding 〈◊〉 We haue knowne many that haue fallen into this sinne and liued in it but how many haue we knowne that haue truly repented It is a strange speech of Salomon Eccl. 7. 28. One man among a thousand haue I found but a woman among all those haue I not found I cannot deny but we may haue knowne many that haue come thus farre as to confesse this sinne and to shew sorrow for it and to leaue it also but alas there is more required to true repentance then this comes to 1. Not euery sinner that can confesse his sinne may be said to repent for then Pharaoh repented Exod. 9. 27. And Iudas also Mat. 27. 3 4. But he that confesseth it 1. Particularly as Achan vpon Ioshuahs fatherly counsell did Iosh. 7. 20. 2. Freely without extenuating of it or excusing it as Paul did his 1. Tim. 1. 13. 15. Dan. 9. 4. 19. Of the sixteene verses that containe his prayer foureteene of them are spent in confessing and aggrauating of their sinnes 3. With griefe and shame as Gods people did 1. Sam. 7. 6. when in their fast they shed teares so abundantly as if they had drawne buckets full of the water and powred them out before the Lord. 2. Not euery sinner that sorroweth for sinne may be said to repent for so much is also said of Iudas Mat. 27. 4. And of Ahab too 1. King 21. 19. But he that sorroweth 1. Deeply and seriously as a man would mourne for the losse of his onely sonne or of his first-borne Zach. 12. 10. And proportionably to the quality of his sinne as Manasses did 2. Chron. 33. 12. 2. Constantly suffering sorrow to abide vpon his heart and not seeking to put it off by worldly comforts before it haue had a good worke in him It is not enough to hold downe our head for a day like a bulrush Esa. 58. 5. This is but a dawbing vp of the breaches God hath made in our hearts with vntempered morter as the Prophet speaketh Ezek. 13. 11. that had not time enough allowed in the making and tempering of it and therefore could not last 8. Not for any worldly shame or hurt that his sinne already hath or is like to bring vpon him nor for the feare of Gods wrath onely but chiefly for that he hath sinned against and offended God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned saith Dauid Psal. 51. 3. Therefore true repentance is called repentance toward God Act. 20. 21. 3. Not euery sinner that hath left this sinne may be said to haue truly repented for a man may grow weary of sinne in carnall respects she hath wearied her selfe with lies saith the Lord Ezek. 24. 12. and sinne may haue left him But he that 1. Leaueth sinne vpon a detestation to sinne and a godly sorrow that he hath offended God by it 2. Cor. 7. 10. 11. 2. Leaueth all knowne sinnes as well as some whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend wittingly and willingly in one point hee is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. 3. Shunneth carefully all shewes and appearances of euill 1. Thess. 5. 22. all occasions and prouocations to the sinne he hath left true repentance hath in it carefulnesse to shun all prouocations and feare to fall into the same againe as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 7. 11. And the true penitent will make a couenant with his eyes as Iob did Iob 31. 1. 4. That hates it in others and is carefull to draw others from the sinne that himselfe hath left Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shal be auerted vnto thee saith Dauid Psal. 51. 13. Specially those of his owne family and such as he may most preuaile withall Iob 11. 14. Let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles The third preseruatiue against this tentation is the considering of the danger we haue brought that party vnto with whom we haue committed this sinne For though the Fornicator were sure God would giue him grace to repent yet must it needs be a great cause of feare and trouble to his conscience vnlesse he be also sure that the party whom he hath drawne to this sinne hath truly repented as well as himselfe In this respect this sinne is worse then either theft or murder in those the wrong that is done vnto another may be done without any hurt or danger to his soule but so it is not in this sinne In which respect we know this badge of Gods indignation is set vpon Ieroboam oft after his death Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne Now the vse and end of all this that I haue spoken is not to driue any to despaire For 1. Though it be so hard a thing truly to repent and impossible to man yet is God able to giue repentance to him that hath committed and liued long in this sinne All things are possible with God Mat. 19. â—…6 27. 2. Though few haue obtained this grace to repent after they haue committed this sinne yet some haue Yea some examples God hath giuen vs in his Word for it as Luk. 7. 37. 50 least any humbled sinner should despaire 3. Though God had neuer yet giuen to any this grace yet is he able to do it now to thee But I haue thus farre vrged this point 1. To perswade such as doe offend this way to seeke betimes with all earnestnesse and importunitie for this grace of vnfained repentance and not to grow secure vpon hope that they may haue it hereafter
when they will 2. To perswade such as hauing heretofore liued in this sinne do now think they haue truly repented to examine their repentance carefully 3. To teach and perswade all men that whereas Satan vseth to draw men to this and all other sinnes by this hope that they may be able to repent this aboue all things should terrifie and restraine men from sinne that they are vncertaine whether they shall be euer able to repent yea that they haue so great causes to feare that they shall neuer be able to repent and that they know the least sinne they commit will damne them if they do not repent Lecture the nineteenth Iuly 4. 1609. IT remaineth now that we come to the second vse of the former Doctrine That forasmuch as fornication and all vncleannesse is proued to be so hainous and dangerous a sinne we would therefore euery one of vs hearken vnto and embrace that exhortation of the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. 18. Flie fornication and 2. Tim. 2. 22. Flie also from the lusts of youth Which is more then if he should haue said abstaine from fornication abstaine from the Lusts of youth His meaning is that no Christian should too farre presume of his owne strength in this case but to shew his detestation of this sinne and care to auoid it he should flie as farre from it as he can So that the exhortation consisteth of two branches 1. That we should shun all shewes and signes and appearances of this sinne 2. That we should shun all occasions and prouocations to this sinne No Christian must thinke it sufficient to abstaine from this sinne but euery one is bound so farre to detest it as to shun all shewes and appearance of it that may giue men occasion to suspect vs of it Tush will some say what care I what men thinke of mee so long as God and mine owne conscience can witnesse with me that I am free from sinne And in this many doe maruellously flatter and deceiue themselues Some that are indeed free from the sinne it selfe and some that are guilty of the sinne please themselues in this that men can charge them no further then with appearance and shewes of this sinne and what care they for that But marke what the Holy Ghost saith in this case 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of euill Exod. 23. 7. Thou shalt keepe thee farre from a false matter And the Apostle saith that true repentance will worke in a man a care to cleare himselfe from the sinne he had committed 2. Cor. 7. 11. And whereas they say they care not what men thinke of them It is certaine that he that careth not what men specially good men thinke of him hath no true feare of God in him Prouerbes 22. 1. A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches And the Apostle would needs haue Titus and two other chosen by the Church to ioyne with him in carrying the beneuolence of the Church of Macedonia to Ierusalem because he was carefull to auoid all suspition of dealing ill in that businesse 2. Cor. 8. 20. Auoiding this that no man should blame vs in this abundance that is ministred by vs. Ver. 21. Prouiding for honest things not onely before the Lord but also before men And on the contrary it is noted as a signe of extreme vngraciousnesse in the vnrighteous Iudge that he neither feared God nor reuerenced men Luke 18. 2. So that it is plaine euery Christian should so hate this sinne as to shunne all signes and shewes whereby hee may giue men occasion to suspect him of it or to thinke he doth not much dislike it This reprooueth fiue sorts of men First such as entertaine familiarity with such as are infamous for this sinne Euery ones heart and disposition may be knowne by his company Dauid takes comfort in this as a speciall note of the vprightnesse and innocency of his heart That hee had not haunted with vaine persons nor kept company with the wicked Psal. 26. 4 5. And on the contrary it is made a signe of a wicked man Psal. 50. 18. to be partaker with Adulterers And Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they should not keepe company with fornicators 1. Cor. 5. 9. There be some men so infamous for this sin that there is none how honest soeuer whom they are familiar with but they must needs incurre a blot in their reputation by them Let none such comfort themselues in their innocency for if they did flie fornication and hate it as they ought they durst not seeke or desire the familiarity of such persons Secondly Such as haunt suspected houses Salomon speakes of such a one Pro. 7. 8 9. Who passed through the street by the corner where the harlot dwelt and went toward her house in the twilight of the euening when the night began to be darke Loe he haunted a suspected house at a suspicious time Therefore he calleth him a foole a youth void of vnderstanding And therefore he giueth euery one counsaile Pro. 5. 8. Keepe thy way farre from her and come not neare the dore of her house I deny not but some that vse such houses may be honest they may haue other intents in going to them but surely such as haunt them doe not flie fornication nor detest this sinne as they ought to doe 3. Such as vse light and immodest attire and setting out of their beauty It is a fond and prophane conceit to thinke it mattereth not how men and women goe attired so that their mind be honest For the Holy Ghost commandeth all specially women to shew modesty and shamefastnesse euen in their attire 1. Timothie 2. 9. I will that the women attire themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie And there is a kind of attire and setting forth the beauty which is called an harlots attire because harlots first deuised it and doe most vse it Prouerbs 7. 10. Behold there met him a woman in an harlots attire ornatu meritricio as the word in the originall signifieth and all the best Interpreters reade it And to this the Lord alludeth Hosea 2. 2. Let her take away her fornications from her face for so it ought to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and her adulteries from betweene her breasts How could there be fornication in her face and adultery betweene her breasts Truely the meaning is she wore the badge and cognisance of that sinne in those parts The laying out and painting of the breasts is called the adultery of the breasts and the painting of the face which is noted by the Holy Ghost 2. Kings 9. 30. Ieremie 4. 30. to haue beene the practice of harlots is called the fornication of the face I make no doubt but many that are honest vse this now a dayes yet can I not nor dare I excuse them that vse it but I must needs say that though they sin not in fornication yet they sinne in immodesty Though
they seeme to make conscience of this commandement thou shalt not commit adultery yet there is another commandement Flye fornication auoide all appearance of euill which they make no conscience of at all and therefore they are guilty of hainous sinne Such as vse filthy talke and filthy songs It is strange to see what liberty many euen some that in many things will seeme religious will pray dayly and heare deuoutly will giue to themselues this way Though they haue no other exercise of their wit if their company serue them but in scurrulous iests and filthy communication no such musicke in their mirth as amaroas and filthy songs yet if they can say they are honest for all this they thinke they are well These men I would haue to obserue these things 1. Filthy words whatsoeuer thou sayest doe argue a filthy heart Matthew 15. 18. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile the man Matthew 12. 34. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Yet haue we many old fornicators whose bodies are disabled to this sinne that haue yet as bad hearts as euer they had and shew that by the delight they take in speaking filthily And yet silly fooles they slatter themselues in this that they haue left that sinne 2. Say thy heart were cleane that is not enough thou must also make conscience of thy words The froward mouth doe I hate saith the Lord Pro. 8. 13. 18. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue Matth. 12. 37. By thy words thou shalt bee iustified and by thy words thou shalt bee condemned Iames 1. 26. If any man among you seeme to bee religious and bridle not his tongue but deceiues his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine Ephes. 4 29. Let not corrupt rotten communication come out of your mouthes And 5. 4. Let no filthinesse nor foolish talking nor iesting be once named among you Marke how iesting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ioyned to filthy talking because men are wont to excuse it thus they speake in iest they meane no hurt we must giue them leaue to be merry Such speech though it be vsed but in iest is condemned This is one kind of that mirth that Salomon speakes of Eccl. 2. 2. I said to laughter thou art mad Pro. 26. 18. 19. Like mad men they cast about them firebrands and deadly things and say they are in sport 3. Our tongue of all the members of our body is giuen of God to be the principall instrument whereby we may glorifie God Therefore it is in the Hebrew Phrase called our glory Psal. 30. 12. Therefore shall my glory praise thee and not cease Iames 3. 9. Therewith blesse we God That is the cause why the Lord can worst endure to be dishonoured by that member Therefore Diues is said to haue felt a speciall torment in his tongue Luke 16. 24. Send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame To conclude pretend and glory neuer so much of thy honesty certaine it is if thou didst flie fornication and hate it as thou oughtest thou durst not accustome thy selfe to thy filthy talke Such as delight in or can endure filthy talke such as will prouoke filthy persons to speake filthily such as will call to the Musitians for the filthiest songs they haue For this is a shrewd signe of a filthy heart specially in women because modesty is chiefely required of that sex it argueth an vncleane heart to delight in the lewd speech of others Pro. 17. 4. A wicked doâ—… giueth eare to a naughty tongue 1. Certainely it will grieue and vexe an honest heart to heare such things Ephes. 4. 29 30. Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth verse 30. grieue not the holy Spirit of God It is said of Lot his righteous soule was vexed with hearing such things as he heard in Sodome 2. Pet. 2. 8. 2. There is a speciall force in such speech to corrupt them that heare it 1. Cor. 15. 33. Be not deceiued euill communications corrupt good manners 3. The eare is giuen of God to another end that is to heare the Word and to be sensus disciplinae that sence whereby knowledge should be conueyed into the heart he that hath eares to heare Gods Word he meanes let him heare saith our Sauiour Matth. 11. 15. 4. A good man should not endure him that vseth to bring lies to him and raise slanders Psalme 101. 7. Hee that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight much lesse should hee endure them that talke filthily 5. If any shall obiect How can I let lewd men from speaking lewdely It is to no purpose to reproue such they would be the worse for it I answer that if honest men would shew that dislike as they might they would not be much troubled with such varlets That which Salomon saith in another case Pro. 25. 23. An angry countenance driueth away a backebiting tongue would hold in this also They might euen with a countenance restraine or chase them away And that which hee speaketh Pro. 20. 8. Is not true of Kings and great men onely though in them principally but of all Christians They may scatter away euill and lewdenesse euen with their eyes and countenance Lecture the twentieth Iuly 11. 1609. IT remaineth now that we come to the second branch of the Apostles Exhortation of which we haue already heard and that is this We are bound out of a holy feare least we should at any time fall into this sinne and out of that detestation we should beare vnto it to shunne all occasions and prouocations that might draw vs to it and to vse all good meanes that may be to preserue vs from it True it is that it is God onely that preserues any of vs from this or any other sinne Psalme 18. 35. Thy right hand hath stayed me and 56. 13. Thou hast kept my feet from falling But the meanes whereby he doth it is by working in vs a feare of falling which makes vs carefully to shunne tentations See how this feare is commended to vs in Gods Word as a wise man feareth and departeth from euill Pro. 14. 16. And blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Pro. 28. 14. and worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. 2. An endeauour to vse all meanes that may preserue and strengthen vs from falling I kept my selfe saith Dauid Psal. 18. 23. from mine iniquity and 1. Iohn 5. 18. Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not There is none so strong or full of grace but he may fall into the most fearefull sinnes that are if he be not carefull to shunne temptation and to vse the meanes God hath appointed to preserue him from sinne Therefore Christ chargeth his Disciples both to watch and to pray against
describing vncleane persons saith They haue eyes full of adultery and that could not cease to sinne 2. Pet. 2. 14. He that hath an vncleane eye that giues liberty to his wanton eye cannot cease to sin And Salomon makes it a chiefe cause of all the outragious lusts of youth that they walke after the sight of their eyes Eccl. 11. 9. And it is noted in the Gospell that the beholding of Herodias daughter when she danced did so strongly inchant and bewitch the vncleane heart of incestuous Herod that like a mad-man he had her aske what she would and he would giue it her and not contenting himselfe so he did sweare to her that whatsoeuer shee should aske he would giue it her euen to the halfe of his kingdome Mar. 6. 22. I will not take vpon me to say that all dancing is vnlawfull but this I will boldly say that that kind of dancing that is now in vse is now and euer hath beene a strong prouocation to this sin If I should relate vnto you what many of the ancient Fathers haue spoken and written of it you would not thinke as many of you are apt to do that none but foolish Precisians doe mislike it but you would rather wonder as I my selfe haue oft done to see many Diuines who seeme to be the greatest admirers of the Fathers who were indeed holy and reuerend men worthy for their piety and learning of great esteeme in the Church of God shew so little zeale and detestation against this heathenish custome To conclude this point we reade of Iob that by reason of the danger that he knew was in the eye to corrupt the heart hee made a couenant with his eye and bound it to the good behauiour Iob 31. 1. Let him that is sure he hath more strength of grace in him then Iob had giue liberty to his eye to reade what he lists and behold what he lists but if he haue no more strength then Iob had let him take heed how he doth it 3. He that would keepe himselfe from this sinne must make conscience of and restraine his thoughts hee may not take pleasure in nor seeke to nourish vncleane thoughts in his heart When Iob had said he had made a couenant with his eyes he adds Why then should I thinke of a maide Why should I giue liberty to such thoughts Iob 31. 1. For 1. All vncleanenesse begins there Matth. 15. 18 19. Those things that proceede out of the mouth of man come from the heart and they defile a man For out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications c. Therefore when Salomon would giue a Preseruatiue against this sinne he saith Pro. 6. 25. Desire not her beauty in thy heart 2. No man can be sure he shall stay himselfe there but from his mentall and contemplatiue fornication he will be in great danger to fall vnto that which is actuall Iam. 1. 15. Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne Pro. 14. 22. Doe not they erre that imagine euill 3. If a man could stay himselfe there though among men he might bee esteemed honest yet God counts him a filthy wretch He seeth and abhorreth and iudgeth these vncleane thoughts and lusts of the heart Pro. 15. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are abominable to the Lord. And Matth. 5. 28. I say vnto you that whosoeuer looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart 4. He that would keepe himselfe from vncleanenesse must vse the comforts of this life meate and drinke I meane soberly and moderately and not pamper the flesh too much Among the causes of the Sodomites beastly lust fulnesse of bread is named Ezek. 16. 49. And when Salomon had said Woe to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixtwine no drinke is strong enough for them Prou. 23. 30. Hee giues this for a reason verse 33. thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women though thou haue a wife of thine owne and thine heart shall speake lewd things True it is that God hath giuen vs liberty to vse his good creatures not onely for our necessity but liberally and for our delight also The Lord allowed and commanded his people three times of the yeare in publike profession of their thankefullnesse for certaine excellent and publike benefits he had bestowed on them to meete together and at such meetings to keepe a feast seuen daies together Deut. 16. 15. And in this feast they might eate of the best and drinke of the best and please their appetite Deut. 14. 26. Thou shalt bestow thy money for whatsoeuer thy heart desireth whether it bee oxe or sheepe or wine or strong drinke or whatsoeuer thy heart desireth And though Christs friends that were married in Cana were not very rich yet had they a feast at their wedding and wine and such like extraordinary fare yea our Sauiour was not onely present at the feast but miraculously prouided them great plenty of wine and though the feast was almost done and they had drunke well before Iohn 2. 6. 10. But though this be so yet is it not lawfull for any man to vse these creatures of God so liberally euery day the Apostle saith they are as bruit beasts led with sensuality and made to be taken and destroyed that count it a pleasure to liue deliciously euery day so it is to be translated 2. Pet. 2. 12 13. And our Sauiour notes it to the shame of Diues though he were a rich man that he fared well and delicately euery day Luke 16. 19. And Eccl. 10. 17. Blessed art thou O Lord when thy Princes eate in time for strength and not for drunkennesse And it is noted Matth. 24. 28. as a sinne in the old world that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giuen to eating Now if this be vnlawfull for any then much more for such whose calling and condition binds them to leade a single life If such giue themselues to such excesse and their ordinary diet will not content them though it be good and plentifull but they must goe euery day to the tauerne or to the ale-house these men proclaime to the world that they feare not this sin To conclude this point marke what the Apostle Iames saith of these men Iames 5. 5. Yee haue liued in pleasure and in wantonnesse But how proues he them wantons Yee haue nourished your hearts as in a day of sacrifice or feasting They that keepe feasts so oft must needs be wantons 5. He that would keepe himselfe from vncleanenesse must take heed of idlenesse and sluggishnesse Among the causes of the Sodomites sinne this is reckoned by the Prophet for one Ezek. 16. 49. Yea the Holy Ghost speaketh of these as of the causes of Dauids fall he grew idle and neglected his calling At the time of the yeare when Princes goe forth to battell he sent Ioab and tarried at home himselfe 2. Sam. 11. 2. And
such a one as he can find in his heart to loue and delight in aboue any other he shall neuer be able to keepe himselfe chaâ—…t reioyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and be thou rauished alway with her loue And why wilt thou my sonne be rauished with a strange woman and embrace the bâ—…some of a stranger saith the wisedome of God you see it is not so much the hauing of a wife as the hauing of her and delighting in her that is the meanes that God hath sanctified to preserue a man from whoredome Pro. 5. 18 19 20. And that is the chiefe cause why the Popish Clergy through the iust iudgement of God doth so abound in all vnnaturall vncleanenesse because they doe not onely forbeare marriage but binde themselues by vow against it and condemne it in their doctrine and both thinke and speake dishonourably of it Lecture the One and twenty August 8. 1609. WE haue oft heard that these words from the 16. verse to the 18. do offer vnto our consideration foure principall points 1. That our Sauiour thirsting after the saluation of this poore Woman discouereth vnto her her sin and nothing he had said before to her could worke vpon her conscience till he tooke this course with her 2. That the sinne he discouereth to her was a secret sinne vnknowne to all men 3. That among all the secret or open sinnes which he knew by her when he would touch and awaken her conscience he makes choice of the Fornication she liued in and chargeth her onely with that 4. That though he knew she liued in so hainous a sinne he reiects her not for all that The three first points we haue already spoken of it remaineth now that we come to the last though he knew she liued in so hainous a sinne he reiects her not for it From whence that we may the better receiue that comfortable instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to giue vs in this example Let vs consider 1. What a manner of person this Woman was 2. The gracious respect Christ had vnto her Shee was 1. An Idolater and what sinne is more odious to God then Idolatry 2. She was an Idolater of that nation which of all others was most odious to Gods people Among them it was the most odious tearme of reproach to call one a Samaritan Iohn 8. 48. 3. She was a filthy harlot And yet see how Christ respected her 1. He seekes her conuersion 2. He beares with her blockishnesse and frowardnesse in reiecting that offer of grace hee made vnto her and giues her not ouer for that 3. When he saw there was no way to doe her good but by charging her conscience with the sin she liued in he doth it most gently and louingly for feare of discouraging of her he called her not harlot but onely intimates to her that hee knew how shee liued and that in most secret manner also while his Disciples were away and no body by but they two onely Now then the Doctrine that we learne from hence is this That the sinnes of Gods Elect how many or how hainous soeuer they be cannot hinder their saluation nor separate them from the loue of God after they once repent of them Before I confirme this vnto you three things are to be promised to preuent the mistaking of this Doctrine 1. It is certaine God hates all sinne in all men as well in the Elect as in the Reprobate with a perfect and infinite hatred aboue that that any tongue can expresse or heart conceiue of Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse 2. If any of Gods owne people fall into grosse and scandalous sinnes he is wont to correct and scourge them shapely for them Dauid may be an example of this 2. Sam. 12. 10 11. 3. He is wont to beare lesse with his owne people in this life then hee doth with the wicked and to correct them for such small faults as he vseth to passe ouer in the vngodly Amos 3. 2. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I visit you for all your iniquities Moses did but omit and delay the circumcision of his child and the Lord met him and would haue slaine him for it Exod. 4. 24. Yet can no sinne of Gods Elect how hainous soeuer cause God to hate or reiect them though he hate sinne in them he cannot hate them for sin though he correct and scourge them for sinne yet he cannot hate them for sinne but notwithstanding their sins be neuer so many neuer so hainous he loueth them neuer the lesse with the loue of a father with a most tender and vnspeakeable loue The truth of this Doctrine may appeare vnto vs in foure principall points 2. He is neuer a whit the more vnwilling to offer his grace vnto them and to seeke their conuersion for any hainous sinne they liued in before their calling 2. He thinkes neuer a whit the worse of them for that they haue beene or for any sins they haue liued in before their conuersion after once they haue repented of them 3. He likes neuer the worse of the good workes done by them after their conuersion because of the corruption that is mingled with them 4. He makes their very sinnes turne to their good and to the furtherance of their saluation Of these foure point I will speake in order as briefely as I can For the first Mans reason can conceiue cause why God should haue some respect vnto vs after our conuersion but that he should regard vs so farre as to seeke our saluation with such endeauour care and patience when we were vtterly without grace children of wrath enemies to all goodnesse specially so notorious sinners as many of vs were this argueth a speciall and wonderfull loue indeed and yet so he did What a one was Paul one that breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Acts 9. 1. one that was not a blasphemer and threatner himselfe and iniurious that is such a one as cared not what wrong he did the faithfull though he had no colour of right or law for that he did against them 1. Tim. 1. 13. But one that did also counsell others to blaspheme the name of Christ against their own knowledge and consciences Acts 26. 11. And what were those whom Christ shewed most kindnesse vnto most care to winne Surely the most notorious and infamous sinners that liued in the world See this here in the example of this woman see it also in another woman an infamous and notorious sinner Luke 7. 39. see it Matth. 9. 10. Many Publicans and Sinners came and sate downe with him at Matthewes feast Insomuch as lewd hypocrites tooke great offence at this Matth. 9. 11. 11. 19. Luk. 7. 39. 15.
that we may truely say that though we our selues are bound to account the corruption that remaineth in vs an intolerable burden which we must be continually humbled for and groane vnder and striue to lessen and desire to be eased of as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. because our most holy and heauenly Father is grieued and offended by it and because it is euer budding and bringing forth in vs such fruits as are most bitter vnto vs and breed vs much woe yet the infinite wisedome and power and goodnesse of our God maketh this a great benefit to vs that we are not in this life perfectly regenerated but that the Lord suffers sinne to dwell in vs so long as we abide in this tabernacle If any man shall demand of me the reasons of this Doctrine the cause why the Lord should thus loue his Elect and be so partiall towards them that though he hates sinne in all and hates the Reprobate and damnes them for their sinne yet he hates not his Elect for their sinnes but loues them euen before there is any grace in them at all euen before they haue repented of their sinnes I can giue no other reason of it but his own good will and pleasure onely he hath mercy on whom he will haue mery saith the Apostle Rom. 9. 18. and Ephes. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And in this it becommeth euery mortall man to rest without inquiry any further and to say with the holy Apostle Rom. 9. 21 22. Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay What if God will doe thus 2. The respect God hath to the Sonne of his loue to whom he gaue them before the world was He hath chosen vs in him saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. 4. before the foundation of the world and verse 6. He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Now of this Doctrine I may say as the Prophet doth in another case Esay 28. 9. To whom shall we teach this Doctrine Who is fit to heare and receiue it The Apostle speakes of some that stumble at the Word 1. Pet. 2. 8. and such there haue euer beene in the Church But there is no part of the Word no truth of God that so many doe stumble at as at this Doctrine of the infinite mercy of God vnto sinners For where shall we finde a man almost that doth not abuse this Doctrine to the incouraging of himselfe to sin and to the hardening of his heart against all checke of conscience for sin yet must this doctrine so cleerely and plentifully deliuered in the holy Scripture and tending so much to the comfort of Gods people be taught though there be neuer so many wicked men that will take hurt by it The childrens bread must not be kept from them because of the dogges that will be ready to snatch it out of our hands when we breake it to them Yet before I giue the children their bread and apply this Doctrine to them vnto whom it onely belongeth I will endeauour to driue away the dogges by shewing that the profane and impenitent sinner that turnes Gods grace into wantonnesse and encourageth himselfe to sinne by the knowledge of Gods mercy hath nothing to doe with this Doctrine nor any cause at all to take comfort in it For 1. All this that is spoken in the Word of Gods mercy belongs onely to the Elect which are therfore called Uessels of mercy not to the Reprobates which are called Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. 23. If thou say I may be one of Gods Elect too I answer thou mayest indeed but till thou knowest thy selfe to be so and canst finde the markes of Election in thy selfe thou canst take no comfort in this Doctrine Therefore euery where in Scripture this mercy of God is restrained to them that feare him the Scripture euery where teacheth that none else haue cause to glory in it or trust to it Psal. 118. 4. Let them that feare the Lord now say that his mercy endureth for euer And 115. 11. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. 2. This is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a fearefull signe of reprobation and that thou shalt neuer tast of Gods mercy because thou stumblest and takest occasion of being more wicked euen from the pure and holy Word of God and from the doctrine of his mercy 1. Pet. 2. 8. 3. This God whose mercy thou so much gloryest in and the doctrine of whose mercy thou dost so much abuse and Christ Iesus through whom thou trustest to finde him so mercifull will appeare vnto thee one day so terrible as thou shalt cry to the hils and rocks to fall vpon thee to hide thee from his presence Apoc. 6. 15 16. Yea this shall increase thy horrour at that day that thou hast sinned against so mercifull a God and when thou shalt discerne that he that is so infinite in mercy toward others yea haply toward such as were more notorious sinners then thy selfe hath no mercy for thee at all Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out But to let them passe and to apply this Doctrine to such as to whom indeed it onely belongeth First it serueth for the vnspeakeable comfort of all such as can finde in themselues the assured tokens that they are the Elect of God And indeed this Doctrine is to such the foundation of all true comfort If thy sinne cannot hurt thee nothing can hurt thee neither prosperity nor aduersity life nor death the world nor the diuell For as sinne is the sting of death 1. Cor. 15. 56. So is it of euery other thing that thou hast cause to feare Now if thou be Gods Elect thou mayest be thus secure that though thy sins may make thee subiect to many a correction and scourge in this life yet shall they neuer bee able to separate thee from the loue of God or hinder thy eternall happinesse Euery man therefore that desireth to enioy this comfort must labour to make his election certaine to himselfe and that shall he doe by making his effectuall calling certaine to himselfe 2. Pet. 1. 10. And this is an argument of an effectuall calling when hee findes that through Gods grace he is able vnfainedly to repent of all his sinnes that is so to grieue for offending God by them that he can hate and forsake them For this grace of vnfained repentance is giuen to none but them that are of the Israel of God the Elect of God Acts 5. 31. And the departing from iniquity is made a certaine note of Election 2. Timothie 2. 19. So that if thou finde thy selfe able through Gods grace to repent of thy sinnes there is no cause thou shouldest feare damnation for thy sins or the losse of Gods fauour For if
notwithstanding the grosse sins thou liuedst in before thy calling when there was in thee no grace at all nor loue to God he then loued thee so far forth as to giue thee his Word to offer his Son to thee to giue thee his spirit how canst thou doubt but he will much more loue thee and not cast thee off for thy sinnes now he hath giuen thee a heart to loue and feare his name Secondly this Doctrine serueth for our instruction and imitation that professe our selues to be the children of God we should be followers of God in this as deare children Ephes. 5. 1. 1. As the hainous sins of his Elect doe not hinder God from seeking their calling and conuersion so we should not be discouraged from endeauouring with all long sufferance by all meanes especially by prayer vnto God the conuersion of such as are yet without grace be they neuer so wicked specially such of them as God hath tyed vs vnto by any speciall bond when the Apostle had charged Timothy to take principall care of this that in the Church assemblies prayers of all sorts may be made for Kings and all in authority whereof at that time there few or none that professed or fauoured the truth 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. he tells him vers 3. that this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour and giues this for the reason of it vers 4. because hee will haue all men of all sorts and conditions of men some to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth And 2. Tim. 2. 24 25. he saith the seruant and minister of the Lord must be gentle vnto all men apt to teach patient instructing with meeknesse euen them that oppose themselues And Tit. 3. 2 3. he requires of all the faithfull that in their whole conuersation they shew all meekenesse to all men considering how bad themselues euen the best of them were before their conuersion 2. As the Lord loueth no man the worse for that he hath beene after once he hath vnfainedly repented no more should we See this in the Apostles charge concerning the incestuous person Yee ought saith he to forgiue him and comfort him lest peraduenture such a one should be swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirme your loue toward him 2. Cor. 2. 7 8. 3. As the infirmities of Gods children doe not cause the Lord to despise them or dislike their good workes no more should the infirmities we discerne in them that feare God cause vs to despise them or minish that reuerence and loue that we owe vnto them Despise not any of Christs little ones Matth. 18. 10. Honour all that feare God Psal. 15. 4. THE TWO AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE ON AVGVST XV. MDCIX IOH. IIII. XIX XX. The Woman saith vnto him Sir I perceiue that thou art a Prophet Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and yee say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship WEe haue heard that in the former verses our Sauiour seeking the conuersion of this poore woman and finding she could not or would not vnderstand what he had said vnto her in the commendation of the water of life which he had to bestow vpon her discouereth to her the secret whoredome that she liued in Now in these words the Euangelist setteth downe the effect which this reproofe did take in her heart and how the grace of true conuersion did now begin to worke and shew it selfe in her And this he noteth in three singular effects and fruits of grace that did appeare in her First she denied not nor excused or extenuated the sin which he had charged her with though she might well think he was neuer able either by witnesse or presumptions to conuince her of it Secondly neither doth she like euer the worse of him for dealing thus with her though if she had had in her no better a spirit then she had at the first she would haue scorned and defyed him that he being so meane a person as his habite did giue him to be should thus controll her she would haue told him that he spake this but out of a malicious and hard conceit that he had either against her nation because she was a Samaritan or against her person because she had denyed him water This I say she had beene likely to haue done if she had had nothing but nature in her but she doth not so but out of a tender conscience which the word of Christ and his Spirit had wrought in her she freely acknowledgeth her sin yet doth not the Euangelist who sets downe but the briefe summes of those things that were spoken and done report that she confessed her sin in plaine tearmes but that she did it in a far more effectuall manner to expresse her repentance then could otherwise haue beene done in so few words more effectually then if she should plainely haue said It is true indeed Sir that man that I keepe is not my husband but I liue in shamefull Whoredome with him For in these words Sir I see that thou art a Prophet She doth not onely confesse the truth of that which he chargeth her with but she doth also professe the reuerence and honour she bare to his person and that she esteemed now of him much better then she did before And this is the second fruit of her conuersion which the Euangelist doth record The third is this that perceiuing him to be a Prophet and one that through the diuine knowledge and holinesse that was in him was not onely priuy to her secretest sins but ready also to charge her with them yet she doth not out of a seruile feare and guilty conscience shrinke away from him and shun his company but desireth further communication with him and seekes instruction and resolution from him in a case of conscience that did most neerely concerne her For being touched in conscience with remorse for her sin and carefull to seeke peace with God shee desireth to be resolued by him in the right way how she may seeke the Lord and do him that seruice that may be acceptable vnto him Now of these three signes of grace and fruits of a true conuersion that are noted in this poore Woman let vs consider in order so as we may receiue instruction and comfort by them And first in that it is noted as a fruit of true conuersion and repentance in this Woman that being charged with her sin though it were secret she presently acknowledgeth it and saith as one being out of all doubt and fully resolued Sir I see that thou art a Prophet Wee learne That hee that is truely penitent for any sinne will bee ready to acknowledge his sinne euen to men when hee is charged with it He will be ready to acknowledge his sinne euen vnto men when he is charged with it I doe not say that a man is bound to acknowledge all his
secret sinnes vnto any Priest as the Papists teach without all warrant of Gods Word For 1. A man may obtaine comfort and assurance of the pardon of many sinnes onely by confessing them vnto God though he neuer acquaint any man with them for so Dauid professed he did Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest c. 2. The party that is required by the Apostle Iames 5. 16. to acknowledge his secret sinnes vnto men is he onely that is afflicted in conscience and cannot by his secret confession of them vnto God finde comfort as is plaine by the context vers 13. 14. for he requires him first in euery kind of affection to seeke comfort from God by his owne prayer before he aduiseth him to send for the Elders of the Church 3. The Apostle doth not inioyne there that the party that is so afflicted should goe to the Priest onely but leaues him to his liberty to make choice of any other who for his wisedome and faithfulnesse experience and loue is fittest to yeeld him comfort in that case and therefore it is to be obserued that whereas he directs them to seeke for helpe against the sicknesse of the body from the Elders of the Church to whom God had giuen that extraordinary gift of healing verse 14 15. when he comes to giue them direction to seeke for helpe against the sicknesse and affliction of the mind he bids them not acknowledge their faults to the Elders of the Church but one to another verse 16. 4. This course of theirs is most opposite to Gods will for that which he would haue kept secret they will haue to be reuealed and those things that he would haue published they teach that secret confession will serue for and those sins that are discouered to the Priest vnder the seale of confession though they tend to the dammage of a whole state they teach may in no case be discouered But such sinnes as being either openly committed or any way brought to light by the hand of God men shall be able to reprooue vs for and charge vs with if God haue giuen vs hearts to repent of those sinnes we will bee willing to acknowledge them euen vnto men This we shall finde prooued by many examples in the Word of God 1. In a priuate man when God had discouered Achans sinne and Ioshuah charged him with it and requires him not onely to confesse it to God but to him Shew me and hide it not Iosh. 7. 1 19. He confesseth it not to God onely but to Ioshuah and the people of God that knew of his sinne and he doth it freely fully and particularly for hee confesseth more then they could charge him with Iosh. 7. 20. 21. So when Iohn had sharpely reprooued sinne and preached repentance to his hearers it is said Matth 3. 16. They came and were baptized of him confessing their sinnes The like we reade of the Ephesians Act. 19. 18. Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes 2. We haue the example of the Prophets and Ministers of God for this The Lord bids Samuel a child charge Eli with his sinnes and that in a very sharpe manner the old man yeelds presently It is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good 1. Sam. 3. 18. The Lord discouered the sinne of Ionah by a lot vnto the Marriners they charge him with it he confesseth it to them and tells them more then they could charge him with Ionah 1. 9. 10. he told them his country and his religion and how he had fled from the presence of the Lord. 3. We haue the example of great men and chiefe Magistrates for this The Prophet Nathan comes to Dauid and reprooues him for his sinne he presently confesseth it to him and that in so penitent a manner as the Prophet was faine to comfort him presently 2. Sam. 12 13. and not contenting himselfe to confesse it to him because his sinne was growne publike and scandalous he make the 51. Psalme publikely to be sung in the Temple and left to all posterity and in the very title of it confesseth his sinne and that hee could not repent of it till the Prophet Nathan had come to him The reasons why they that haue grace and are truely penitent are thus willing to acknowledge their sin euen to men are diuerse 1. It is a meanes to giue satisfaction to men whom by our sinnes we haue offended For no man is bound to thinke well of a sinner till he heare him professe his repentance in that place where our Sauiour presseth this duty of charity most he doth it vpon those tearmes if he turne againe to thee saying Irepent thou shalt forgiue him Luk 17. 4. And we are bound to giue satisfaction vnto men this way that haue beene offended by our sinne first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Matth. 5. 24. And it is noted as a chiefe cause of Zedechias confusion that he did not humble himselfe before Ieremiah the Prophet 2. Chron. 36. 12. Who knew his sin and had charged him with it 2. It is a meanes to giue glory to God My son giue I pray thee glory to the Lord and make confession vnto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me saith Ioshuah to Achan Iosh. 7. 19. For as by our sins we haue dishonored the Lord so by professing our repentance we greatly glorifie him That is the reason why Gods seruants haue published such shamefull sinnes against themselues Moses reports of himselfe how hardly he was drawne to goe on Gods errand vnto Pharaoh and how oft he drew backe Exod. 3. 4. Ieremiah reports how that in impatiency seeing the opposition he found in his Ministry hee cursed the day of his birth Ier. 20. 14 c. Paul reports not onely before Agrippa and many profane men Acts 16. 11. How he had beene mad against Gods seruants and compelled them to blaspheme Christ but to the whole Church of God 1. Tim. 1. 13. 15. And why did they this they knew that this publike acknowledgement of their sins would gaine much glory to God and they cared not how much they disgraced themselues so they might honour God 3. It is a meanes to giue themselues assurance of Gods mercy Pro. 28. 14. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy 1. In respect of the assurance of pardon That was the cause why Ioshuah though he knew Achans sinne and was resolued he should die for it yet is so earnest with him to confesse it because he would haue him die with comfort Iosh. 7. 19. My sonne giue I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me 2. It is a meanes to finde mercy
with God for the recouery of their credit with men Who thinks the worse of Dauid or Paul for the publishing of their sins nay who thinkes not much better of them for it and it must needs be so because of the promise of Christ He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted saith our Sauiour Luke 14. 11. For as he that looseth his life for Christs sake shall finde it Matth. 10. â—…9 So he that of conscience towards God can be content to neglect his credit and estimation with men shall be sure to loose no credit by it On the other side he that hides his sinne shall not prosper Pro. 28. 13. Either the trouble of his guilty conscience shall be increased thereby Psal. 32. 3. When I held my tongue my bones consumed when I roared all the day Or 2. he shall be further hardened and made more prophane and more gracelesse more vnable to repent Therefore Salomon when he had spoken of the benefit of confessing and danger of hiding sinne adds immediately Pro. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway that hath a tender conscience as he hath that is apt to confesse his sinne but hee that hardneth his heart as he vsually doth that vseth all the wit and learning he hath to hide his sin shall fall into mischiefe For 3. nothing that he takes in hand shall prosper not his prayers not his meditations Gods graces shall not prosper nor thriue in him See an example of this in Dauid who though doubtlesse he vsed to pray and frequent Gods worship during the space of that yeare which passed betweene his sinne and his repentance yet all did him no good till he had confessed his sinne To exhort vs that we therefore would seeke to get our selues this testimonie of our vnfained conuersion that when we are reprooued for our sinnes we can confesse them When the Lord in the Ministery of his Word meetes with thee particularly and thou hast such secret sinnes discouered vnto thee as neither the Minister himselfe nor any other can charge thee with as oft it falls out for the Word is liuely in operation and of a searching nature as the Author of it is Heb. 4. 12 13. if I say when thou art thus met with thou wouldst presently acknowledge thy sin vnto God in secret as he did of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. when the secrets of his heart were made manifest vnto him by the Ministery of the Word he fell downe on his face and worshipped God no doubt thou mightest finde much comfort in it 2. Yea we should desire that we may be thus met with euen to heare that that particularly toucheth our selues as Iohn Baptists hearers did Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. That minde should be in euery one of vs that was in Dauid Let the righteous smite me saith he Psal. 141. 5. it shall be a kindnesse and let him reproue me it shall be as excellent oyle 3. When thy sin is knowne and is become offensiue vnto men thou must be willing to confesse it euen vnto men Remember the danger and curse of God threatned to them that hide their sinne and take heed of it Now there be many waies whereby men hide their sins 1. By iustifying and defending them As Ionah 4. 9. Doest thou well to bee angry for the Gourd he answered I do well to be angry to the death As many delight to shew their wits in defending many sinnes that the word condemnes 2. By denying them as Cain Gen. 4. 9. and Gehezi 2. King 5. 25. And Ananias Acts 5. 8. 3. By excusing and extenuating their sinne as Adam For saith Iob Iob 31. 33. Adam hid his sinne and that was onely this way he excused and extenuated it and so did Eue hers he laid the fault vpon the woman which God had giuen him and she vpon the Serpent Gen. 3. 12. 13. and thus did Saul seeke to hide his sin by excusing it and laying the fault vpon the people 1. Sam. 15. 21. 4. By senslesse silence not acknowledging them or being affected with them as Iudas did who though he heard our Sauiour in great trouble of spirit speake plainely of his sin Iohn 13. 21. and particularly pointed him out to be the man Iohn 13. 26. 27. though he had heard the fearefull words he denounced against him for it Mat. 26. 24. though he saw how much all the elect Apostles were moued and troubled with it Matth. 26. 22. yet could not he confesse his sinne nor seeke mercy nor was once moued or troubled with it for this Lecture the three and twenty August 22. 1609. IT followeth that we proceed to the second signe of grace and fruit of true conuersion in this woman she esteemed better of Christ after he had thus touched and reproued her then euer she did before She now in her heart esteemes him and with her mouth acknowledgeth him to be a Prophet of God and from hence we learne That he that is truely penitent will not hate or storme against him that shall admonish or reprooue him for sinne but loue him the better rather He that is poore in spirit and mournes for sin will be meeke also Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Pro. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee and 25. 12. As an earing of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprouer vpon an obedient eare he counts it no disgrace but an ornament and honour to him to be thus faithfully dealt with Dauid esteemed better of Nathan after he had so plainely rebuked him then euer he did before see the reuerent respect he shewed vnto him when he came to speake with him he had present accesse to him 1. King 1. 23. and you shall find verse 27. that the King was not wont to conceale from him but to aduise with him about all his affaires of greatest moment so Acts 2. The same men that had mocked the Apostles before verse 13. when by their ministry they were plainely rebuked they esteemed reuerently of them Acts 2. 37. So did he also of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. he reported to all men and vpon all occasions that God was of a truth in that Ministery Reasons 1. Because they know God is the Author of that reproofe that is giuen them according to his word whosoeuer be the instrument 2. Chron. 35. 22. Though Pharaoh Necho were Iosias enemy yet the counsaile and reproofe he sent him came from the mouth of the Lord and it was his ruine that he hearkned not vnto it He that reprooues me for any sinne according to the word speakes to me on Gods behalfe This is not his word but Gods and so to be receiued not as the word of an inferiour but as the word of God be that despiseth despiseth not man but God 1. Thess. 4. 8. And when we haue to deale with God the greatest must lay aside his dignity and thinke he can neuer be humble enough Iudges
4. 13. By this the Prophet knew that the Lord had determined to destroy Amaziah 2. Chron. 25. 16. because he scornefully reiected his admonition and would not receiue it And this is giuen as an vndoubted signe of the vtter ruine of the kingdome of Iuda 2. Chron. 36. 15 16. that when God sent them his messengers to admonish and reprooue them they mocked his messengers and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people till there was no remedy Dauid committed two hainous sins but was Gods child and found mercy Why being admonished he tooke it well and profited by it 2. Sam. 12. 13. But let it be the least sin that can be committed if being admonished a man will not be reclaimed he is to be esteemed as a Heathen and a Publican Matth. 18. 17. The highest degree of sin is the sitting in the seate of the scorner Psal. 1. 1. and who is a scorner he that will not endure admonition but hates him that reprooues him Pro. 9. 8. THE FOVRE AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE ON AVGVST XXIX MDCIX IOH. IIII. XX. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and yee say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship WE haue already heard that the Euangelist in this verse and the former doth set downe the effects of that speech whereby our Sauiour did discouer to this poore Woman her secret sin and reprooues her for it and this he setteth forth in three notable fruits and signes of a true conuersion which it brought forth in her 1. She acknowledgeth her sin 2. She esteemeth farre more reuerently of Christ then she did before 3. She seekes to him for instruction and resolution in a doubt that troubled her conscience The two first we haue spoken of in the former verse Now it remaines that we proceed to the third and last as it is set downe in this verse For this must needs be acknowledged another notable fruit of Gods Spirit and signe of her conuersion that perceiuing him to be a Prophet and one that through the diuine knowledge and holinesse that was in him was not onely priuy to all her secretest sins but ready also to charge her with them yet she shrinkes not from him nor leaues his company but desireth further communication with him and seekes instruction and resolution of him in a case of conscience that did most neerely concerne her Now before we can well receiue that instruction which the Holy Ghost intended to giue vs in this verse fiue questions must be answered for the opening and vnfolding of the meaning of the Text. 1. What the worship was that she here speakes of 2. What mountaine was that she here speakes of 3. Who were these Fathers that she saith did worship in that mountaine 4. What mooued her to make any doubt of this matter 5. Why seekes she to be instructed in this question rather then in any other For the first the word that is heere vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly Adoration euen a bodily and outward worship when by some reuerent gesture of the body we testifie the inward subiection and honour that in our hearts we beare vnto God Now because we can doe no part of worship and seruice vnto God well but there must be in it euen some bodily signification of reuerence vnto him therefore also the whole worship we doe vnto God is oft called adoration yet in this place it is not put for the whole worship of God but onely for the most publike and solemne worship which stood in sacrifices and ceremonies appointed by the Lord. For she knew well that there were many parts of Gods Worship which the Iewes did vse as well in any other place as in Ierusalem They vsed to pray in the Synagogue Matth. 6. 2. Yea and in their priuate houses also Dan. 6. 10. They vsed to read and preach the Word in their Synagogues Acts 15. 21. And they had Synagogues not in Ierusalem onely but in all parts of the world at Damascus Acts 9. 2. at Salamis Act. 13. 5. at Antioch Act. 13. 14. at Iconium Act. 14. 1. at Thessalonica Act. 17. 1. at Corinth Act. 18. 17. at Ephesus Acts 18. 19. 2. The mountaine that she speakes of here was Mount Gerizim as appeares not onely because both Iosephus and the author of the Macabees 2. Mac. 6. 2. doe affirme that the Samaritans Temple stood vpon that mountaine whose authority though it be meerely humane and therefore such as the conscience of man cannot rest vpon nor be conuinced by in the matter of faith or manners either because we know all men are subiect vnto errour Rom. 3. 4. yet in a matter of fact and story is of some vse as those ciuill stories and Chronicles were that we reade of in the holy Scriptures namely that booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned Num. 21. 14. and that booke of Iasher Iosh. 10. 13. and that booke of the acts of Salomon mentioned 1. King 11. 41. But specially because it is plaine by Iudg. 9. 7. that Mount Gerizim was the Mount that stood by this towne Sychem 3. By their Fathers shee meanes not onely the true Ancestours of the Samaritans which were Heathens and Infidells as yee shall reade 2. King 17. 24. But Iacob also and the Patriarches as ye shall finde in the 12. verse For the fourth question The reason of her doubt and scruple was this 1. For Mount Gerizim she had reason to thinke it was as holy a place as Ierusalem not onely 1. because her true Ancestours had worshipped there and in the Temple that stood there but 2. Specially because it was the place that the Patriarches and Iacob himselfe had worshipped in for it is said Gen. 33. 18. 20. that Iacob hard by Sichem built an Altar and called it The mighty God of Israel and it is very probable that the place vpon which he built that Altar was this Mount Gerizim which stood hard by Sychem for the Patriarches before the Temple was built were wont to make choise of mountaines to serue God on for the better stirring vp of their affections by the contemplation of Gods workes and that by Gods owne direction also 1. This is noted of Abraham Gen. 12. 8. and 22. 2. Of Iacob Gen. 31. 14. of the Israelites the posterity of Iacob Exod. 3. 12. and in a fond imitation thereof that seemes to bee that the idolatrous Iewes did offer incense and powre out their drinke offerings vpon the roofes of their houses Ier. 19. 13. 3. Besides vpon this mountaine the Lord had appointed that the Priests and Leuites should stand to blesse the people so soone as euer they were come to the Land of Canaan Deut. 11. 29. and 27. 12. On the other side she had reason to doubt that Ierusalem was the place where this solemne seruice should be done vnto God because hee whom shee found to be a Prophet of God and all of his
buttery or a seller or ale-house in drinking of healths they can neuer be seene to kneele in the House of God in prayer to him I know what men pretend for this if the person to whose health they drinke be such as to whom in the ciuill custome of our country the knee is due it cannot be say they vnlawfull and vnfit in drinking to their health to kneele downe But how wittie soeuer these men be to excuse their sinne it is certaine this vse was first taken vp in scorne and contempt of prayer And therefore it is not to be maruelled if they that haue thus abused their knee in doing homage to the diuell be so void of grace as neuer to bow their knee to the honour and seruice of God But let them that vse so oft to drinke healths vpon their knees consider what they will answer to the Lord for so great prophanenesse 3. The third and last sort of them that I told you are to be charged with this sinne of not shewing due reuerence to Gods worship when they are present at it are they that though they will come sometimes to the House of God specially if they haue the example of their betters to draw them vnto it yet carry themselues so as if they did study to shew that they despise our assemblies and the worship we doe to God in them As many Papists that are present when we giue thankes to God in our meales will by some outward behauiour witnesse their dislike so do these men being in heart either Papists or Atheists which is worse carry themselues in our publike assemblies By prating and laughing and playing the parts of iesters and prophane fooles they do purposely both hinder themselues and all that are neere vnto them from profiting by any thing that is taught yea indeauour all they can to make the Word and seruice of God ridiculous and contemptible vnto others Surely the sinne of these men is exceeding great before the Lord. Our Sauiour calls these despisers and scorners of holy things dogs Matth. 7. 6. When the Holy Ghost would shew that Nimrod was an oppressor in high contempt of God he calls him A mighty hunter before the Lord. Gen. 10. 9. And surely these that dare be thus prophane euen in the place of Gods speciall presence before the Lord may well be said to be prophane in the highest degree prophane in high contempt to God himselfe It were to bee wished such men would keepe themselues away from Gods Sanctuary or that we had such porters to keepe them away as they had vnder the law 2. Chron. 23. 19. For they doe enough to bring Gods vengeance on vs all by their sinne But to conclude I will say to these men though I hope there be none such here and if there were I haue small hope to doe them good as the Apostle doth 1. Cor. 10. 22. Doe you prouoke the Lord vnto anger are you greater then he Ier. 7. 19. Doe they prouoke me to anger saith the Lord doe they not prouoke themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Didst thou neuer feele the terrour of the Lord Did the feare of his glorious power and maiesty neuer strike thine heart and make it to tremble How hast thou beene affected in the thunder and lightning this last summer If thou hast let this restraine thee from this prophanenesse and teach thee to adore and doe him reuerence specially in his Sanctuary See how this reason is vrged by the Prophet Psal. 29. when he had exhorted the greatest verse 2. to giue vnto the Lord the glory due vnto his name which they could neuer do vnlesse they did worship and adore him in his glorious Sanctuary he speakes much vers 3. 9. as an effectuall reason to moue them to it of the glory and greatnesse and power of God that appeares in the thunder and lightning and vers 9. concludes his speech in it thus and in his temple doth euery one speake of his glory as if he should say in his temple his glory appeares much more then in that and the greatnesse and glory of God that appeares in that makes men giue the more glory to God in his Sanctuary and shew the more reuerence in it Lecture the thirtieth October 24. 1609. IT remaineth now that we come to the question it selfe which this woman propoundeth to our Sauiour wherein that we may the better receiue our instruction from it these three things are to bee obserued 1. That perceiuing him to be a Prophet and one that could tell secrets she sought not to know her fortune as we say how long shee should liue how many more husbands she should haue or how many children what manner of ones they would prooue or such like matters which if shee would haue yeelded to that curiosity that is in vs all by nature she would haue questioned with him about but being effectually touched in conscience by the Spirit of God with remorse for her sin and desire of saluation she seekes onely to be instructed by him in a chiefe ground of Religion and case of conscience 2. Though she were but a woman and a Samaritan and an harlot yet did she take notice of a maine controuersie that was betweene the Iewes and Samaritans about the right way to saluation and true manner of seruing God yea she was acquainted also with the chiefe reason that the Samaritans alledged for themselues 3. She satisfieth not her conscience in the long custome of all her neighbours and antiquity of their Religion neither feares the imputation of lightnesse and inconstancie amongst her neighbours but calls in question the Religion which her selfe and all her ancestors had profeâ—…ed and earnestly desires to be resolued by Christ whether it were the true Religion or no. And from this example thus considered we haue this Doctrine to learne for our instruction that Euery Christian euen women are bound to seeke to be resolued and setled in the knowledge of the true Religion of God Before I come to the proofe of this two things are to be premised for the right vnderstanding of the Doctrine 1. I doe not say that euery one is bound to studie the controuersies so as to be able to answer an aduersary For this is a speciall gift required of the Minister to be able to conuince the Aduersary Tit. 1. 9. And to stop his mouth verse 11. Yea it may doe hurt to a weake Christian to busie himselfe much with controuersies to reade the books of aduersaries to the truth or conferre with them Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weake in the faith receiue but not for controuersies in disputation 2. I say not that there is the like measure of knowledge required of euery Christian. For 1. Of vs that liue in these dayes in which the light is so cleerely reuealed in which besides the Ministry of the Word there are bookes of all sorts written more knowledge is required thâ—…n was of our
and by himselfe Luke 5. â—…6 He kept himselfe apart in the wildernesse and prayed he vsed this kind of praying in the morning Maâ—…e 1. 35. In the morning very early before day he arose and went out into a solitary place and there prayed He vsed it also in the euening Matth. 14 â—…3 Hee went vp into a mountaine alone hauing no house of his ownâ—… he was wont to goe abroad into the most solitary place to pray and when the Euening was come hee was there alone Yea this was his custome Luke 22. 39. Hee went as he was wont to the Mount of Oliues 5. He was wont to performe this worship of God with gestures and signes of as much reuerence humility and submission as we shall read any of Gods seruants haue beene wont to doe Luke 2â—… 41. He knecled downe and prayed Matth 26. 39. He fell on his face and prayed The Reason why he was thus diligent in worshipping God waâ—… not so much for his owne sake as for vs. For he had no need to pray for hee had all creatures in heauen and earth at command and by his word was able to doe what pleased him Matth. 8. 8 9. Speake the word onely and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be healed For I am a man also in authority c. Why then did he thus vse to worship God surely for our sake onely and not for himselfe but in respect of vs. Three Reasons there were for it 1. That he might purchase to vs eternall life it was necessary he should perfectly keepe the law for thus runs the Couenant Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe thâ—… commandements yea perfectly Gal 〈◊〉 1â—… This we were not able to doe therefore he Gal. 4 4 5. Was made vnder the Law that he might redeeme them that are vnder the Law that we might receiue thâ—… adoption of sonnes Therefore it became him to fulfill all righteousnesse Matth. 7 5. And this is a chiefe part of that righteousnesse God requireth of vs in his law that we worship him Mat. 22. 38. This is the first and the great commâ—…ndement 2. That he might giue vs an example for that which he speaketh of one of his actions may be said of all that he did in obedience to the morall Law Iohn 13. 15. I haue giuen you an example that you should doe as I haue done 3. That he might obtaine for vs the Spirit of God whereby we may be made able to doe the like For as the disobedience of Adam deserued that all his posterity should loose the Image of God and become like vnto him Rom. 5. 22. By one man sinne entered into the world so the actiue obedience of Christ hath deserued that God should renew his Image in all the faithfull and giue them his quickning spirit Rom. 8. 2. the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and of death The Vse of this Doctrine is to stirre euery one of vs vp to a greater conscience and diligence in all the duties of Gods worship specially in prayer For if the Sonne of God that had not such need to doe it in respect of himselfe yet vsed it so constantly and vsed it onely because the Law requires it of vs and that he might make himselfe an example to vs and that he might obtaine grace for vs to doe it what excuse can we that are bound vnto it by Gods Law and stand in such need of it haue for our ordinary neglect of publike prayer of prayer with our family of secret and priuate prayer 2 The second thing we are to obserue here is this that our Sauiour in commending the worship and Religion of the Iewes makes himselfe one of their number acknowledgeth himselfe a member of their Church professeth that himselfe did worship God as they did from whence this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That those assemblies that enioy the Word and Doctrine of saluation though they haue many corruptions remaining in them are to be acknowledged the true Churches of God and such as none of the faithfull may make separation from We shall need no further proofe of this Doctrine then the example of our Sauiour himselfe If we consider on the one side how corrupt the State of the Iewes Church was in his time and on the other side how farre forth our Sauiour did communicate with them in the seruice of God 1. For the first what the state of that Church was in his time we may know if we consider 1. What the Priests and teachers were themselues that had the ordering of Gods worship 2. What the people were with whom he was to ioyne in Gods worship 3. What the worship it selfe was wherein he was to communicate 1. The Priests and teachers 1. Were ignorant and vnlearned Matth. 23. 16. 2. They were wicked and vngodly Matth. 23. 3. 3. They had a corrupt and vnlawfull enterance into their calling yea euen the high Priest himselfe For whereas by Gods ordinance he was to hold that office during his life this office was bought and sold and made annuall Iohn 11. 49. Caiphas was high Priest for that yeare 2. And what were the people Surely the most of them in all places where he conuersed were notoriously and obstinately wicked In Nazaret where he had liued most see what they were Luke 4. 28 29. All that were in the Synagogue when they heard this Doctrine were filled with wrath and rose vp and thrust him out of the Citie and lead him to the edge of an hill to cast him downe headlong But were they better in other places No he vpbraided all the Cities where most of his great workes were done Woe bee to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida Matth. 11. 20 21. And were the people of Ierusalem any better you shall perceiue that by that affection they shewed at the Passion of our Sauiour When Pilate a Gentile had made such an offer to them Luke 23. 18. All the multitude cryed at once not him but Barrabas and Matth. 27. 25. When Pilate had washed his hands and protested for Christ innocency then answered all the people and said desperately his blood bâ—… on vs and our children 3. The worship it selfe that was vsed in that Church had many corruptions in it 1. They vsed many superstitious ceremonies the obseruation whereof they vrged more strictly then the commandements and ordinances of God Mar. 7. 9. 2. The Temple was prophaned and made a den of theeues Matth. 2â—… 12 13. 3. The discipline and censures of the Church were shamefully abused Iohn 〈◊〉 22. The Iewes had decreed that if any did confesse that Iesus was the Christ he should bee excommunicated ipsofacto 4. The Doctrine was corrupt in many points as you shall finde Matth. 5. 2â—… 48. 5. Some corruption also was crept into the administration of the Sacraments For they kept it a day after our Sauiour who obserued the
God then for him that is vtterly irreligious and profane Therefore the Lord condemnes the very Atheist because he did not pray Psal. 14. 4. 2. The wicked by the seruice he doth to God doth oft obtaine freedome from temporall iudgements that otherwise would fall vpon him and gets temporall rewards 1. King 21. 29. Ahab did so 3. Many a wicked man by comming into Gods House yea euen when he hath come with a wicked intent hath beene effectually called as the vnbeleeuer that Paul speakes of 1. Cor. 14. 25 26. And those messengers that were sent to apprehend Christ Iohn 7. 46. In which three respects it may be thought good policy for the wicked man to pray and heare and serue God 4. No sinne that any man hath liued in in former time can make his prayers or seruice euer a whit the lesse acceptable to God if he doe now repent the Publican vpon his vnfained humiliation and repentance went home iustified Luke 18. 13 14. So that this Doctrine tends not to the terror and discomfite of any the most notorious sinner that is penitent but to the impenitent sinner to the man that continues in sinne it is indeed a fearefull doctrine and if it be not fearefull now being vttered by a weake man yet it will certainely be fearefull to thee when the Lord shall charge it vpon thy conscience God regards not any seruice thou doest to him nay he would not haue thee to doe him any seruice nay he abhorres whatsoeuer seruice comes from thee Lecture the two and fortieth February 20. 1609. ANd thus haue I finished the first Reason that our Sauiour here bringeth for the confirmation of this Doctrine his second Reason is this God is a Spirit Now in this second Reason we must consider first the meaning of the words then the force they haue to conclude that for which Christ alledgeth them First then we must not take these words as a perfect definition of the nature of God For that that is here spoken of God agreeth also to the Angels and to the soule of man The Angels are spirits Psal. 104. 4. He maketh thâ—… 〈◊〉 his messengers and Heb. 〈◊〉 14. Are they not all ministring spirits The soule of man also is a spirit Eccles 12. 7. The spirit shall returne to God who gaue it Aâ—…s 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit But because of all the creatures God hath made these doe most fully and liuely resemble the diuine nature it hath pleased the Lord hauing respect therein to the weakenesse and shallownesse of our capacity to call himselfe a Spirit both here and in other places of the holy Scripture 2. Cor. 3. 17. The Lord is a Spirit Heb. 9. 14 Christs God-head is called the eternall Spirit 1. As they are immortall so the Lord is immortall yea he onely hath immortality 1. Tim. 6. 16. of himselfe 2. As they are wise and vnderstanding natures so the Lord is of himselfe infinite in wisedome In which respect he is called God onely wise 1. Tim. 1. 17. 3. As they are simple inuisible incorporeall not hauing 〈◊〉 mixture nor consisting of any corporall substance And therefore 〈◊〉 â—…oues himselfe after his Resurrection not to be a spirit by this reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold my hands and my feet handle mee and see for a spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d bones as yee see me haue so is the Lord and in this respect principally is the Lord called a Spirit in this place because he is not a visible sensible corporall but a spirituall nature Now for the force that is in this reason to conclude that for which Christ bringeth it the true worshippers must worship the Father in spirit and truth not with a ceremoniall and outward worship because God is a Spirit The force I say of this reason is euident His worship must be answerable to his owne nature Such as himselfe is such must the worshippers be that he delighteth in According to the Prouerbe like will haue like like master like man Such as a mans owne disposition is such he desireth they should be that serue him Dauid had no better an argument to prooue that he did vnfainedly feare God then this that all his delight was in godly men Psal. 16. 3. Specially that his care was to seeke out such to serue him as feared God Psal. 101. 1. Mine eyes shall bee to the faithfull in the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee This reason the Lord oft vseth Leuit. 19. 2. Yee shall bee holy for I the Lord your God am holy As if hee should say because you are my seruants my people you must frame your selues to my disposition and seeke to be like me The Lord therefore being a Spirit himselfe sets his eye vpon the spirit and heart of man to see how he is serued there 1. Samuel 16. 7. The Lord looketh not as a man looketh for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart His delight is to haue seruice done to him with the spirit and heart Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts saith Dauid Psalme 51. 6. Let the adorning of a Christian saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 3. 4. bee the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible euen the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price So that he that thinketh a ceremoniall and bodily worship will content the Lord doth iudge erroniously of his nature and indeed maketh an Idol and a false God of him But it may bee obiected that there seemeth to bee no consequence in this Reason the true worshippers must now after Christs Ascention worship God in a more spirituall manner then they haue done vnder the Law because God is a Spirit for God was a Spirit then also as well as now To this I answer that it is true indeed and therefore he alwaies required to be worshipped in spirit for euen to them vnder the Law it was said Deuteronomie 10. 16. Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts and Hosea 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings But as the Lord hath more cleerely reuealed himselfe now to bee a Spirit to be of a spirituall nature then he did vnder the Law so hee requireth spirituall worship of his people now more then he did vnder the Law Then God reuealed himselfe to his people in many sensible apparitions visions and voices hauing respect therein to the infirmity of his Church while she was in her child-hood We know the Lord appeared to Abraham in the body of a man and talked familiarly with him as one friend doth with another Gen. 18. 28. And in a vision to Ezekiel he appeared in the similitude of a man sitting vpon a throne Ezek. 1. 26. So with an audible and sensible voice he deliuered the Law vnto his people Deut. 5. 26.
so vsuall a course with them that when our Sauiour saw them conferring and questioning among themselues about somewhat that he had taught touching his Ascention it is said that he knew they would aske him and therfore he preuented them and told them vn-asked Ioh. 16. 19. When he had taught the parable of the sower they when he was alone asked him the meaning of it Mar. 4. 10. So when teaching against the Iewish purifications he had said that that entreth into a man defiles him not but that that comes from within him when he came into the house away from the people they asked him the meaning of it Marke 7. 17. So when he had taught the Doctrine of diuorce very plainely yet when he came into the house they asked him againe of the matter they would needs haue a repetition of that Doctrine Mar. 10. 10. 3. He had made himselfe so familiar to them that way that they were bold to make all their doubts knowne vnto him though in some of them they could not doe it without incurring iust blame for their shamefull ignorance and infidelity When they saw the man that was borne blinde they aske him a strange question Ioh 9. 3. Was it this mans sinne or his parents that was the cause When they saw he had cast Sathan out of one that had beene possessed from his childhood Marke 9. 28. When he was come into the house his Disciples asked him secretly why they could not cast him out Such questions they durst neuer haue mooued if they had not beene very familiar with him But indeed though he were their Lord and Master and tooke it vpon him and knew how to maintaine his honour in their hearts well enough Iohn 13. 13. Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am yet did he giue them great encouragement and made them very bold with him that way One notable example more I will giue you for this Iohn 16. 5. Now I goe my way to him that sent me and none of you aske me whither goest thou 1. He blames them for not asking him 2. Yet they had asked him that very question before Peter Iohn 13. 36. And Thomas Iohn 14. 5. Lord wee know not whither thou goest But his meaning is they had not asked him often enough of that matter Whereas friends are wont to mooue many questions to a friend that is going from them into a farre country they were so ouercome with griefe by hearing of his departure that they were too mute and mooued not halfe questions enough to him about that matter A notable patterne for euery faithfull Minister of Christ not to shew himselfe stately or austere or churlish or strange to any of his hearers that shall be willing to make vse of him that way This being so that at other times and in other cases they were so ready to aske him any thing they doubted of how falls it out that at this time though they maruelled at it yet no man asked him why he talked with this woman Might not this haue beene as profitable a question as many other that they propounded to him Surely they knew they had offended in entertaining in their minds the least dislike of that that Christ did or doubt of the lawfulnesse or fitnesse of it and they knew that by vttering their dislike they should haue offended in a further degree and therefore they durst not do it though they had offended in thinking irreuerently and vndutifully yet they durst not speake And why durst they not doe it What restrained them from vttering that which they had conceiued in their minds Surely the reuerence they bare to his person because they knew him to be the Son of God the feare of God restrained them Here then we haue to obserue two notable effects and fruits of the true feare of God 1. Generall it restraines the corruption of the heart and keepes it vnder 2. In speciall it restraines a man from calling into question or speaking irreuerently of any of the words or works of God The first Doctrine then is this That it is an increase and a further degree of sinne and a worse signe of a gracelesse man to speake then to thinke euill True it is that euery man must make conscience of his thoughts Keepe thy heart with all diligence Pro. 4. 23. For 1. Men may be condemned for their thoughts The thoughts of the wicked are abhomination to the Lord Pro. 15. 26. 2. No man can make conscience of his words or workes that makes no conscience of his thoughts Matth. 12. 34. How can yee beeing euill speake good things Ier. 4. 14. Oh Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayst bee saued how long shall vaine thoughts lodge within thee 3. Good men that obtaine strength from God to restraine the outward man yet are vexed and humbled much for the euill thoughts they are subiect to But yet euill words and actions are worse then euill thoughts and it is an increase and a further degree of sinne a greater signe of a gracelesse heart to speake then to thinke euill Certaine it is there is a latitude in sinne there are degrees in it Foure degrees are mentioned Iames 1. 14 15. 1. The motion and suggestion vnto sin which proceedeth from our own lusts and concupiscence 2. The consent that is giuen vnto that euil motion when a man is drawne away by it and entised finding a kinde of pleasure and contentment in it which the Apostle calls the conception of sin 3. The committing of it actually which he calls the bringing forth and birth of sin 4. The getting of a habit by continuing and persisting in it which he calls the finishing of sinne While sinne is in the thought it keepes it selfe within the two first degrees Pro. 30. 32. If thou hast beene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp viz. in choller or desire of reuenge verse 34. and if thou hast thought wickedly lay thine hand vpon thy mouth So is it spoken of Esay 59. â—…3 Wee haue spoken crueltie and oppression conceiuing and vttering out of the heart false matters This is noted for a high degree of sinne in great men Micah 7. 3. The great man speaketh out of the corruption of his soule They tempted God in their hearts by asking meate for their lust Yea they spake against God they said Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse Psal. 78. 18 19. Reasons of the Doctrine why it must needs be a great increase of sinne and worse signe of a gracelesse man when the corruption of the heart breakes out into wordâ—… action are chiefly these two First it argueth that sinne hath got a more full dominion and soueraignty ouer a man is riper and perfecter when it commands the body and outward man then when it rests within the heart There is no man can possibly free his heart from corruption in this life Pro. 20. 9. Who can say I haue made my
condemnation If 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 4 11. let him speake as the oracles of God 〈◊〉 is vsually a slander Many will obiect against the Preacher thus I know he meant me yea he soâ—…spake as many in the Church knew hee meant me and what call you this but malice if he had loued me he would haue told me in priuate To these men I say 1. A Minister is not bound in reproouing sinne to beate the ayre but he may in his reproofes meane and intend to touch such as heare him yea it is his duty to bring his doctrine home as particularly as he can to the conscience of euery one that heares him like a good steward to giue vnto euery one his owne portion Luke 12. 42. 2. Admit he had spoken out of malice yet if he haue spoken nothing but vpon good warrant of Gods Word and thy heart be so disquieted by it surely thy case is fearefull Gods people haue euer beene wont to finde comfort in his Word euen in that part of it that hath most galled them by discouering to them their sinnes Let the righteous smite me saith Dauid Psal. 141. 5. it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprooue me it shall be as an excellent oyle And thy heart tells thee thou feelest no comfort in it but it vexeth thee so that were it not for such and such an alehouse where thou mayest finde company of thine owne minde that will take thy part in railing and scorning of the Preacher thou shouldst not know what to doe surely thy case is fearefull If thou hadst any grace in thy heart the Word of God would not be so bitter vnto thee Doe not my words saith the Lord Mic. 2. 7. doe good to him that walketh uprightly Doe they not doe him good at the heart do they not cheere and comfort him and because thou maist the better discerne of thine owne case in another mans person then in thine owne I will shew thee in a few examples what thy state is Cain was such a one as thou art for he because he could not be as well accepted as well thought on for his Religion as his brother was Gen. 4. 5. went away from Gods worship in a rage and hiâ—… countenance fell downe Ahab was such a one as thou art for he because Eliah and Micaiah dealt faithfully with him in their Ministry and effectually discouered to him his sins went neuer from their Ministry but with a discontented and vexed heart he counted them his enemies and hated them 1. King 21. â—…0 and 22. 8. The man that was possessed with a Legion of diuels was in thy case for he being in the Synagogue where Christ preached was tormented by his Ministry Luke 4. 33 34. Mar. 5. 79. Though Christ had not spoken to him in particular euer a word or once medled with him Finally the cursed Iewes that stoned blessed Stephen to death were in thy case for when they heard Stephen Acts 7. 54. They were cut to the heart and they gnashed vpon him with their teeth Lastly this serueth to discouer the sinne of such as are alwaies discontented with the length of the Sabbath and grudge that the Lord should haue one whole day in a weeke allowed vnto him That would haue the Sabbath day but foure houres long at the most euen no longer then the time is that is spent at Church vpon that day That say in their hearts as Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be done that wee may set forth wheat making the Ephah small and the Shekell great and with them Mal. 1. 3. Behold what a wearines is it What a tedious thing is it to keepe a Sabbath for a whole day whereas God hath expresly commanded Exod 20. 10. That on the seuenth 〈◊〉 should doe no manner of worke but keepe it holy vnto him 〈◊〉 giuen sixe dayes to doe all that we haue to doe in and euen on the Sabbath on his owne seuenth part of the weeke allowed vs to doe workes of present necessity And what is the true cause why the Sabbath seemes to vs so long a day aboue any other Surely because we take no delight in it nor in the workes and duties of it we doe not call the Sabbath a delight as we ought to doe Esay 58. 1â—… The second Vse that this which we haue heard of the second property of 〈◊〉 zeale serueth vnto is to exhort all Gods seruants to striue against that vncheerefulnesse that they are so much subiect vnto and to labour to serue God with ioy and gladnesse of heart Say vnto thy soule as Dauid did Psal 42. 11. Why art thou so heauy O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Know thou that euen when thou hast most cause to be humbled and deiected in thy selfe through any affliction either outward or inward yet euen then thou art bound to striue against thy vncheerefulnesse when thou goest to doe any seruice vnto God euen in thy trembling thou shouldest reioyce Psal. 2. 11. Consider with thy selfe how great reason thou hast to doe so 1. No seruice pleaseth God so well as that which his people doe performe cheerefully and with ioy Deut. 28. 47 48. Because thou seruedst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serue thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee 2. The Lord is not so strict and seuere as to reiect the seruice that with a good heart we doe vnto him for the infirmities and failings that he doth discerne in it but delights in it notwithstanding Let me heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice Cant. 2. 14. And this is a iust cause of encouragement to all that feare God not onely to doe seruice vnto him but to doe it cheerefully and with gladnesse of heart As for me saith Dauid Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and 130. 3. 4. If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who should stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou maist be feared 3. Thou hast cause to doubt the soundnesse of thy heart if thou canst finde no sweetnesse nor comfort in Gods Word and worship for of the godly and vpright-hearted it is oft noted that the Word of God was sweeter to them then the hony or the hony combe Psalme 9. 10. That they reioyced because with an vpright heart they had offered willingly vnto the Lord 1. Chron. 29. 9. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in him and all the vpright in heart shall glory Psal. 64. 10. Lecture the eight and fiftieth Iuly 17. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXII XXXIV FOlloweth the third Property of true zeale to be obserued in this example of our blessed Sauiour He that hath true zeale reioyceth in the zeale and forwardnesse of others For this was as we heard one cause that made our Sauiour to forget both hunger
able and a faithfull Ministrie That is the reason why the Prophets of God are wont to be called the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel 2. King 2. 12. the chiefe strength and munition that Israel had So when the Leuites that fled from the ten Tribes receiued entertainement vnder the gouernement of Rhehoboam and exercised their ministrie there it is said expresly 2. Chron. 11. 17. that they strengthened the Kingdome of Iuda and made Rhehoboam the sonne of Salomon mightie And when Iehosaphat had sent Preachers to all the Cities of Iuda to teach the people 2. Chron. 17. 9. it is immediately added Verse 10. that the feare of the Lord fell vpon all the Kingdomes of the lands that were round about Iuda and they fought not against Iehosaphat And there be two reasons for this that no wit of man is able to gaine-say First the sinnes of the land are the bane of the Common-wealth the onely things that bring ruine vpon a state for the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof Pro. 28. 2. And there is no such meane to restraine men from sinne as the Ministry of the Word No law of man can doe it because it cannot work vpon the conscience the ministry of the Word will do it when it is backed and countenanced by the authority of the Magistrate Secondly the strength and prosperity of a kingdome consists in this when superiours rule well and inferiours obey well and equals liue iustly and louingly together Now the Ministry of the Word where it is backed and countenanced by the Magistrate will cause men to do this and to do it euen out of conscience to God which is the strongest band of all other yee shall feare euery man his mother she is named first because children are most apt to neglect their duty to her and his father and as a meane thereof keeping my Sabbaths Leuit. 19. 3. And therefore to conclude Magistrates and great men can no way better shew themselues to be indeed fathers of their Countrey and good common-wealths-men than first by placing able Ministers in all places where they haue to doe as Iehosaphat did 2. Chron. 17. 9. and secondly by countenancing and giuing incouragement to good Ministers by all good meanes as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 30. 22. The third Vse of this Doctrine is for exhortation that euery one of vs would submit our selues in practice to this ordinance of God and be perswaded it is a matter of great necessity to liue vnder a good ministrie to heare and to heare often Three reasons there be which if we could weigh them well would mooue vs to it First that the Holy Ghost maketh it a marke whereby hee may be knowne whom God hath elected vnto life to be willing and desirous to heare my sheepe heare my voice Iohn 10. 27. and the contrary a marke of a reprobate yee therefore heare not Gods Word because yee are not of God Ioh. 8. 47. a greater sinne than the sinne of Sodome Matth. 10. 14 15. Secondly because euery man hath cause to suspect that the good things that seeme to be in him be but the fruits of the flesh and not of the spirit if he came not by them by this meanes For a meere naturall man may haue many good things in him as remnants of Gods Image and doe many good things the Gentiles which haue not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law Rom. 2. 14. but the onely meanes of regeneration is the Word preached being borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. and this is the word which by the Gospell is preached vnto you ver 25. Therefore is it so expresly noted of those Churches and persons whose conuersion the Holy Ghost giueth testimony vnto that they were conuerted by preaching Obserue this in all the Churches and persons that the Apostles wrote their Epistles vnto The Romanes were in the number of those that were conuerted by Peters Ministry Acts 2. 10. the Corinthians were begotten anew by Pauls Ministry 1. Cor. 4. 15. the Galatians receiued the spirit by the hearing of faith the doctrine of faith preached Gal. 3. 2. the Ephesians trusted in Christ after that they had heard the word of truth and not before Ephes. 1. 13. the good things that were in the Philippians they had receiued by hearing of Paul Phil. 4. 9. the Colossians brought forth no fruit vnto God till the Gospell came to them and they had heard it preached by Epaphras Col. 1. 6 7. the Thessalonians were won to God by Pauls Ministry 1. Thess. 2. 13. Timothy was begotten to God by Pauls Ministry 1. Tim. 1. 2. and so was Titus Tit. 1. 4. and so was Philemon Phil. 1. 9. the Christian Hebrewes were required to follow the faith of them that had spoken to them the Word of God Heb. 13. 7. and they to whom the Apostle Iames did write were begotten by God through the Word of truth Iames 1. 18. and so were they to whom the Apostle Peter wrote 1. Pet. 1. 23. and those to whom Iohn wrote had that grace which he desires should abide in them by hearing 1. Ioh. 2. 24. the good things that were in the Elect Lady and her children were wrought in them by Iohns Ministry 2. Iohn 8. and Gaius was one of his children also 3. Ioh. 4. and the faith full vnto whom Iude writes had been hearers of the Apostles Iude 17. Thirdly whatsoeuer a mans state and condition be he hath neede to heare First such as are both ignorant and void of sense and care of their saluation for this is the meanes to open their eyes and bring them out of the power of Sathan Act. 26. 18. Secondly such as haue already good affections and desires for they are in danger to perish not withstanding their good desires if they be not instructed as appeareth by the comparison our Sauiour vseth here Ioh. 4. 35. which I opened vnto you euen now Thirdly such as haue attained to a good measure of knowledge for knowledge without faith auaileth not and this is the onely meanes to make vs beleeue that we know Rom 10. 14. Fourthly such as haue both knowledge and good affections and true faith and sanctification because these graces are imperfect in the best and will dye if they grow not and be not nourished and this is the meanes of growth and perseuerance it is ordained for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. The fourth Vse is to stirre vp the Minister to diligence in his calling to which he is tyed by a double bond first in respect of the commandement of God necessity is laid vpon mee yea woe is vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 16. secondly in respect of the necessity of the people he is set as a watchman ouer Gods people c. Ezek. 33. 6. To this end it is
God he is a iealous God he will not forgiue your transgressions nor your sinnes durst neuer speake thus boldly and familiarly vnto God if they were not certaine of his fauour and of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes for that is the onely ground of this boldnesse and familiarity with God Heb. 10. 22. Let vs draw neare with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience 4. The fourth is willingnesse and desire to dye Faith freeth the heart from the feare of death and makes a man willing yea desirous to dye This we shall obserue in sundry of the Martyrs that when death hath come to them in his most ougly shape they haue not feared him but insulted ouer him and as Eliphaz saith Iob 5. 22. They haue laughed at destruction Thus Paul brings in the faithfull defying and insulting ouer death 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory verse 57. Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea they haue beene so farre from fearing death that they haue imbraced it when it came and desired it earnestly This we shall see in Simeon so soone as he had seene Christ he bursts out into this prayer vnto God Luk. 2. 29. Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy Word And Paul Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ which is best of all Yea he makes this the disposition of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 Therefore wee sigh as those that beare a great burden vers 4. desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen And indeed there is neuer a faithfull man but though he find in himselfe sometimes a feare of death yet before he goes from hence his Faith will free him from this feare and make him willing and desirous to dye marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37. 37. Now it were not possible the faithfull should thus be freed from the feare of death should thus desire to die seeing they know Heb. 2. 14. that Sathan hath the power of death and Heb. 9. 27. After death comes iudgement if they were not fully assured of their saluation and this reason the Apostle giues 2. Cor. 5. 6. 8. therefore we are alwaies confident knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Lecture the seuentie foure December 4. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLII I Haue already proued vnto you that by Faith a man may be assured and certainely perswaded of his saluation both by the confession of the faithfull and by the effects it workes in the heart that hath receiued it Now let vs vs come to the reasons why they that haue Faith may be so certaine and assured of their saluation yea cannot but be certaine of it And the first Reason is because this perswasion is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Word that cannot deceiue them therefore there is certainty in it May not a man be fully assured of that which he hath Gods Word for There is no such certainty in the knowledge that is gotten by sense obseruation experience or any other way as in that that is grounded vpon Gods Word â—…sal 93. 5. Thy testimonies are very sure saith Dauid Now the true beleeuer doth not build his perswasion vpon any deceiueable fancy but vpon Gods Word onely the Faith of the Elect is therefore called the Faith of truth 2. Thess. 2. 13. and the Word is called the Word of Faith Rom 10. 8. Therefore saith David speaking of the ground of his confidence Psal. â—…0 10. I will reioyce in God because of his Word in the Lord will I reioyce because of his Word And Psal. 130. 5. I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his Word If a man cannot proue by Gods Word that Christ dyed for him that his sinnes are forgiuen that he is one that shall be saued his perswasion of it is but a fancie it is no Faith he can haue no assurance or certainety of it specially in the time of tentation Saâ—…han will be beaten backe no way but by this sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. As Christ resisted him Matth. 4. 4. 7. 10. so must we But if a man can proue by the Word that Christ dyed for him that his sinnes are forgiuen him that he shall be saued then may he be fully assured indeed then shall he haue no cause to doubt of it Now God hath giuen vs his Word to assure vs of this and put vs out of doubt in this matter The Apostle makes this the reason why God made a new Couenant with vs abolished the Couenant of workes and gaue vs the Couenant of grace and promised eternall life vpon condition of Faith and not of workes that the promise might be sure to all the seede of Abraham Rom. 4. 16. Not sure in respect of God for so it was in the old Couenant but sure to the beleeuers And Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5. 13. These things haue I written to you that beleeue that you may know you haue eternall life And 1. Iohn 1. 4. These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be full Why but will you say who can bring any Word to proue that he shall be saued I answer that it is written that whosoeuer beleeues in Christ shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. And verse 36 He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And therefore he that can say he is sure he doth beleeue in Christ as euery faithfull man can hath Gods expresse Word to assure him that he shall be saued Now a man that hath Faith may by the fruits of it certainely know that he hath it indeed This is euident by 2. Corinthians 13. 5. Proue your selues whether yee are in the Faith examine your selues know you not your owne selues how that Christ Iesus is in you except yee be reprobates The second Reason why they that haue Faith may be so certaine of their saluation is because their Faith is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Spirit that cannot deceiue them 1. Iohn 2. 27. The annointing which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and it is truth and is no lye Now the Spirit of God is giuen to the faithfull to assure them of their saluation the spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom 8. 16. 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know that we are passed from death to life because we loue the brethren He that hath but that one grace may be sure of his saluation how much more he that hath many and more speciall graces of God Therefore the Spirit of God is called
giue a sweet rellish to all Gods blessings Ioh. 29. 3. 7. Iob speaking of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings in the time of his prosperity in the recreations and delights of his youth in his house in his children in his riches in the honour that God gaue him he alledgeth this for the reason of it Verse 3. His light shined vpon my head Yea euen in affliction it would make vs comfortable Rom. 5. 3. Neither doe we so onely but we reioyce in tribulations and without this we can haue no true ioy but eyther 2. Cor. 5. 12. reioyce in the face not in the heart or for a very short moment our ioy will be as Eccles. 7. 8. like the noise of thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of fooles Thirdly it would make vs able to go to God in prayer at all times with boldnesse and delight Iob 23. 26. Thou shalt then delight in the Almighty and lift vp thy face vnto God But on the contrary he that wants this assurance can take no comfort or delight in prayer will he delight himselfe in the Almighty will he alwaies call vpon God Iob 27. 10. Fourthly to conclude we haue no true Faith vnlesse we striue for this assurance and what haue we to yeeld vs comfort in life or death if we be without Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now though a man may haue a true Faith and yet so weake that he may want this assurance for a time or haue it in great weakenesse yet without a mourning for and striuing against our doubtings without a seeking for this certainety there can be no true Faith in vs the poore man whose childe was possessed had much vnbeliefe and doubting in him but he wept for it and cryed to Christ for help against it Mar. 9. 24. For Gods Spirit wheresoeuer it is lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. That makes the Apostle say Heb. 3. 6. His house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the reioycing of our hope vnto the end Now if we desire to attaine to this certaine assurance of Gods fauour and of our saluation to keepe it when we haue it to recouer it when we haue lost it I will shew you some of the principall meanes whereby this may be obtained The first is to esteeme highly of it and account it our chiefe treasure and happinesse for then our heart will be euer vpon it then we will looke to it and be affraid to lose it where your treasure is there will your heart be also Matth. 6. 21. the wise Merchant when he had found the treasure and resolued to purchase it by parting with all that he had did hide it so that he might not lose it Matth. 13. 44. The chiefe cause why many haue so little assurance of their saluation is for that they make no reckoning of it there be a thousand things they regard more than it Dauid made another manner of reckoning of it Psal. 4. 6. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. As if he should say Let me see it and be assured of it that will suffice me And 63. 3. Thy louing kindnesse is better than life And 80. 7. Cause thy face to shine and wee shall be saued The second meanes is to vse diligently and conscionably the exercises of Religion and parts of Gods worship for they are all ordained of God to worke this assurance in our hearts First the reading of the Word 1. Iohn 1. 4. These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be fuâ—…l Secondly the hearing of the Word Luke 1. 77. The ministry of the Word is ordained of God to giue knowledge of saluation to his people for the remission of their sinnes Thirdly the receiuing of the Sacrament for euery Sacrament is ordained to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Fourthly Prayer Iohn 16. 24. Aske and yee shall receiue that your ioy may bee full And this may be said generally of all the exercises of Religion Therefore Dauid giues this for one reason why he did so desire to dwell in Gods house that he might behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. A chiefe cause why many want this assurance is for that they vse not these parts of Gods worship constantly and conscionably The third meanes is to keepe a good conscience carefully Pro. 15. 15. A good conscience is a continuall feast Peace and confidence is oft ascribed to the practice of piety Matth. 7. 24. Hee that heareth of me these words and doth the same is like to him that builds on a rocke Experience and practice of godlinesse are chiefe meanes to worke this full assurance 1. Tim. 6. 18 19. Charge them that are rich that they doe good laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life 2. Pet. 1. 5. Ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse loue Then followeth verse 10. Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things ye shall neuer fall And verse 11. For by this meanes an entrance shall bee ministred to you aboundantly into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. On the other side the chiefe cause why many can neuer grow to any assurance and many hauing had it haue lost it is the neglect of a good conscience their falling into sinnes against their conscience Me thinkes this should haue great force to restraine men from sin see what adoe Gods deare seruants haue had to recouer their certainty and comfort when they haue falne into foule sinnes Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence Verse 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation The fourth meanes is to obserue our owne waies diligently and when we haue slipped into any sinne to humble our selues speedily before God in the sense and acknowledgement of it and to seeke peace with him This is a sure way to preserue our assurance Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay me I will put my trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Psal. 32. 5. Then I acknowledged my sinnes vnto thee neither did I hide mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And this all Gods children haue oft found by experience that they neuer had a more sweet sense and assurance of Gods loue than when they most deepely humbled themselues before him in the free acknowledging and bewailing of their sinnes When they haue sowed most teares this way they haue reaped most ioy Psal. 126. 5. When they haue beene most ready to accuse themselues the Lord hath beene most ready to iustifie them as we see
in the example of that Publican Luk. 18. 14. When they haue cast themselues lowest the Lord hath lifted them vp highest this way Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you vp Iam. 4. 10. The more humble and poore we are the fitter we are to trust in God I will leaue in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. The last meanes to maintaine this comfortable assurance of our saluation is to make continuall obseruation of the experiments of Gods fauour we daily receiue and of the vndoubted fruits of Gods grace we finde in our selues for experience breeds hope Rom. 5. 4. So saith Dauid Psal. 71. 5 6. Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth my praise shall bee alwaies of thee 2. Cor. 1. 10. Who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that hereafter hee will deliuer vs. And for obseruing the fruits of Gods grace in our selues see what stead it stood Iob in Chap. 29. and 30. and Gal. 6. 4. Let euery man prooue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe alone and not in another And thus much for the first Vse Lecture the seuentie sixe December 18. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLII THe second Vse of this Doctrine is for the examination and tryall of that confidence and assurance we seeme to haue of Gods fauour and of our owne saluation For it is certaine that many a man hath had a false peace and perswasion of Gods fauour and of his owne saluation 1. Cor. 10. 12. A man may thinke he stands that doth not To most wicked men God saith Ier. 3. 4. Didst thou not still cry vnto me Thou art my father and the guide of my youth Micah 3. 11. Yet they will leane vpon God and say Is not the Lord among vs no euill can come to vs Yea they count them beasts that make any doubt of this they wonder to see Gods children so full of doubts and feares and conclude from thence That either they haue beene notable hypocrites and more notorious sinners than other men or else that they are madde and franticke And for one that Sathan hath ouerthrowne by desperation there are twenty whom he hath ouerthrowne with this false assurance We are therefore to be exhorted to examine our assurance Pro. 8. 26. Hee that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole For as the true assurance of Gods fauour is a comfortable thing so is a false peace and assurance one of the most grieuous iudgements that can befall a man Esay 29. 9 10. When he had said Stay your selues and wonder he addes this to bee the iudgement they should wonder at The Lord hath couered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut vp your eyes Of the two it were better for a man to be vexed with continuall doubts and feares than to be lulled asleepe with such an assurance For besides that it keepes a man from seeking to God it will not hold but faile him when he shall haue most need of it Iob 11. 20. Their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde As the Apostle saith of true confidence Heb. 10. 35. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward So may I say on the contrary side to wicked men Cast away this your confidence for it shall haue no recompence of reward I will therefore giue you some notes whereby you may try whether the assurance you haue of Gods fauour and the peace you finde in your selues be from faith or from presumption 1. From the time when first we came vnto this assurance They that haue this false assurance haue had it from their Mothers wombe they were neuer of other minde they were neuer troubled with any feares or doubts this way But the faithfull can say there was a time when they had the spirit of bondage in themselues which wrought much feare and after that had soundly humbled them then they came to this comfortable assurance This is the ordinary way yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 2. From the meanes whereby it was wrought in vs. For the assurance that the faithfull haue was first wrought in them by the Ministry of the Word and is thereby daily increased I create the fruit of the lips peace peace Esay 57. 19. They that haue this false assurance neuer found comfort in the Word neuer cared for it nay if any thing euer interrupt their peace it is that the seldomer they heare it the more quiet they are in their minde Apoc. 11. 10. These two Prophets vexed them that dwelt on the earth 3. From the grounds whereupon our assurance is founded and built For their assurance that haue this false peace is grounded 1. Eyther vpon Gods temporall blessings Hos. 12. 8. I am become rich I haue found me out substance in all my labours they shall finde none iniquitie in mee that were sin Or 2. Vpon a generall perswasion of Gods goodnesse and Christs merits Ieremie 3. 5. Will hee keepe his anger for euer Will he reserue it to the end Matth. 7. 2â—… Not euery one that saith Lord Lord. Or 3. Vpon some ciuill vertues that they discerne in themselues which many other doe want as that proud Pharisee did God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican Luke 18. 11. Whereas the faithfull as you haue heard in the Doctrine ground their assurance vpon Gods Word vpon the Testimony of Gods Spirit vpon the Vnchangeablenesse of Gods Loue and All-sufficiency that is in him to keepe that that is committed to him 4. From the measure of this assurance For the faithfull haue not this assurance so perfect but they are oft troubled with doubts and feares Gal. 9. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another They finde cause to cry as Marke 9. 24. Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe But they that haue this false assurance are most confident and neuer haue any doubts Luke 11. 21. When the strong man armed keepes his pallace the things that hee possesseth are in peace 5. The fift and last difference is from the effects and fruits of this assurance For in the naturall man his assurance of Gods fauour workes no change at all in his life makes him neuer the better He hath no more feare to offend God because of this no more care to please him He can commit very hainous sinnes and neuer be troubled with them they neuer interrupt the peace of his conscience Psal. 64. 4. They shoote in secret at the perfect suddenly doe they shoot at him and feare not Yea his very assurance
that he pretends he hath of Gods fauour emboldneth him to sin Ieremie 3. 4 5. Didst thou not still cry to me Thou art my Father c. but thou doest euill euen more and more They are wicked therefore can they haue no true peace there is no peace saith my God to the wicked Esay 57. 21. But on the other side the true assurance that Gods Spirit workes in the faithfull makes them carefull to please God fearefull to offend him Psalme 26. 3. Thy louing kindnesse is before mine eyes therefore haue I walked in thy truth Psal. 119. 166. Lord I haue trusted in thy saluation and haue done all'thy comman dements 1. Iohn 3. 3. Euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure And indeed none can haue any true trust in God but such as feare him Psalme 115. 11. Yee that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. For God vseth not to speake peace to any but to his Saints and such as he doth withall by his grace restraine that they turne not againe vnto folly Ps. 85. 8. The third Vse of the former Doctrine is for the comfort of such as doe vnfainedly feare God and haue sometimes had an vndoubted assurance of their saluation and haue now lost the feeling of it This hath beene the case of many of Gods seruants and may be the case of euery one of vs. You know the Church complaines of this I sought him whom my soule loueth I sought him but I found him not Cant. 3. 1. And how oft doth Dauid complaine That his soule cleaued to the dust Psal. 119. 25. That is melted for heauinesse verse 28. That his spirit was in perplexity and his heart within was amazed Psal. 143. 4. Lord why doest thou reiect my soule and hidest thy face from mee Psal. 88. 14. Hee said in his haste hee was cast out of Gods sight Psal. 31. 22. Yea secondly sometimes he continued in this estate a great while together Psal. 13. 1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord how long wilt thou hide face from me Psal. 119. 82. Mine eyes faile for thy promise saying When wilt thou comfort me And thirdly he had these fits oftentimes also Psal 88. 16. From my youth I suffer thy terrours Seeing therefore the dearest of Gods children doe oft lose this comfortable assurance and when they haue lost it are so apt to conclude against themselues that they were neuer in the state of grace they neuer had true faith I will therefore giue you fiue Rules for the comfort of such as are thus distressed 1. The first is to search out the speciall sinne that hath depriued thee of this comfort and repent of it This Rule is prescribed why is liuing man sorrowfull Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe vnto the Lord Lam. 3. 39 40. Thus did Dauid recouer his comfort when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long and I acknowledged my sin vnto thee c. and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne Psalme 32. 3 4. 5. 2. To call to minde the grace that in former times thou hast felt in thy selfe whatfaith and feeling and comfort in prayer what care of a good conscience thou art sure thou hast had in thee heretofore for from thence thou mayest boldly conclude That there is grace in thee still though thou canst not now feele it the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. This rule Dauid followed when he had lost his feeling of Gods fauour and grace Psal. 77. 5 6. Then I considered the daies of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to my remembrance my songs in the night And 143. 5. Yet doe I remember the time past 3. To search thine owne heart diligently and thou shalt obserue euen when thou art at the worst certaine notes of grace in thee Now there is no Christian but when he is at the worst and hath least feeling of his Faith and of the certainety of his saluation but if he would looke into himselfe he should finde these graces in himselfe 1. That hee yeelds not to his infidelity but striues against it and grieues vnfainedly that he hath lost the assurance of Gods fauour Psalme 77. 2. His soule refused comfort Uerse 3. His spirit was full of anguish Verse 10. And I said this is my death 2. That he desires aboue all things and seekes vnfainedly and earnestly to recouer his feeling of Gods fauour againe Cant. 3. 1 2 3. The Spouse sought her Beloued in her bed verse 1. about in the City by the streets and by the open places verse 2. enquired of the Watchmen for her Beloued verse 3. So saith David of himselfe when his spirit was in perplexity within him Psalme 143. 6. I stretched forth mine hands vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirsty Land 3. That though he haue no feeling of Gods loue to him yet he loues God and desireth to please and honour him is affraid to doe any thing that might offend him Psalme 44. 18 19. Our heart is not turned backe neither haue our steps declined from thy way though thou hast smitten vs downe to the place of Dragons and couered vs with the shadow of death Now if any one of these graces be in thee thou maist be sure thou art aliue As if we discerne in one that by many likelihoods seemeth to be dead that he eyther breatheth or moueth or heareth we are sure there is life in him So is it in this case And euery Christian is bound in the affliction of his conscience to take notice of that grace that is in him as well as of that corruption that is in him that he may be as well thankfull to God for the one as he is humbled for the other 1. Thess 5. 18. In all things giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus toward you This rule Dauid followed Psalme 77. 6. I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently 4. Vse the benefit of their aduice that can better iudge of thine estate than thou thy selfe for the present canst This rule the Apostle prescribeth Is any sicke among you Let him send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if hee haue committed sinnes they shall be sorgiuen him Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another Iames 5. 14 15 16. and this course the Church tooke when by her secret and priuate endeauours in her bed by night she could not finde her beloued she went out into the streets of the City among her godly acquaintance for their helpe and when that would not serue she sought helpe of the watchmen and Ministers of the Church Cant. 3. 2 3. 5. Lastly rest assured that though thou haue for the present lost it yet thou
that men shew such contempt to the Word that euery meane man scorneth to be admonished and reproued by it Ior. 13. 15. Heate and giue eare be not proud for the Lord hath spoken it Yea the best of Gods children are extreamely prone to this sinne to thinke too well of themselues if they enioy prosperity but a while When other sins decay in vs this groweth and increaseth and a man will be proud of grace nay proud euen of this because he is more humble than other men It is said of good Hezekiah 2. Chron. 32. 25. that when vpon his repentance and humbling himselfe God had restored him and added fifteene yeares to his life that his heart was lifted vp Many thinke they haue no great neede of affliction for this they are not proud because they are not curious in apparrell nor of their bodies But alas that is but one fruit of pride a man may be a proud man though he be a very slouen this way Now affliction will humble a man and abate this pride of heart and nothing but affliction will doe it Elihu noted this to be one end that God aymeth at in correcting man Iob 33. 17. That he might hide the pride of man For the pride we haue in our beauty and strength of our body a little sicknesse will abate it and cause vs to acknowledge it to be indeede as the Apostle calleth it Phil. 3. 21. Avile body vnworthy of the cost and care and time that we haue bestowed vpon it And what end would there bee of this vanitie if God should not now and then visit his Children with some correction or other But let vs consider more distinctly the benefit and fruit of affliction this way 1. It abateth the pride that is in man toward man It daunteth the spirit of the proudest and cruellest oppressour as we shall see in Iob 31. 13 14. If I did contemne the iudgement of my Man-seruant or of my Maid when they did contend with me what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when hee shall visit me what shall I answer Dauid in his prosperity cared not what wrong hee did to his faithfull seruant and deare friend Uriah but in his aduersitie hee durst not doe the least harme to his mortall enemie he durst not put forth his hand against Saul 1. Sam. 24. 10. Ye haue seldome seene any that had any minde to wrong others when Gods hand hath beene heauie vpon them On their death bed you shall heare the cruellest Oppressors relent and talke of a desire and purpose they haue to make satisfaction to them that they haue wronged this way But if men should now liue to that age that they did before the floud oh how would the earth be filled with crueltie and violence as the Lord complaineth it was in those daies Gen. 6. 13. 2. It abateth the pride that is in man toward the Lord himselfe If there bee then a Messenger c. saith Elihu Iob 33. 23. as if he should say Then may Gods faithfull seruant finde audience euen with the proudest man And how doth affliction abate thus the pride of man Surely it maketh a man to know himselfe and of how little worth he is how vnable to helpe himselfe 1. Whereas in prosperity we are apt to aduance and thinke highly of our selues It was so euen with good Hezekiah himselfe as we reade 2. Chron. 32. 25. affliction makes a man know himselfe and of how little worth he is how vnable to helpe himselfe Ps. 39 11. When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for iniquity thou as a Moth makest his beau ty to consume surely euery man is vanity 2. Whereas in prosperity our sins are neuer wont to trouble vs but we are apt to thinke our state good enough affliction vseth to awaken the Conscience and to bring those sins into their remembrance that were vnknowne or forgotten before It summoneth them to appeare before God and constraines them to thinke of God and of his anger due to sin So saith Elihu Iob 36. 8. When men are tyed in the cords of affliction that is haue some such extreame affliction vpon them as they know not how to get out of it then will he shew them their worke and their sin A notable example we haue of this in Iosephs Brethren The grieuous sin they had committed many yeares before and when they committed it it neuer troubled them Gen 37. 24 25. When they had cast him into a pit they sate downe to eate bread But when grieuous affliction came vpon them and they were taken for spies and cast into prison then their conscience was awakened and their sin came into their remembrance and the iustice of God also which they had prouoked thereby Then they could say one to another Gen. 42. 21. We haue verily sinned against our Brother in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. See this also in Dauid Psal. 40 12. when innumerable euils had compassed him about then his iniquities tooke hold vpon him And this is the first Reason why affliction is so profitable and necessary for all Gods children Secondly affliction maketh a man seeke to God it wrought so we see here in this Ruler In prosperity while we can helpe our selues or can finde helpe any where else we seldome or neuer seeke seriously to God we seldome pray or if we doe sometimes we doe it full coldly and drowsily with great vnwillingnesse and tediousnesse This corruption is in euery one of vs. Rom. 3. 11. There is none that seeketh after God This is notably set forth in the Parable of the Prodigall Luke 15. First while his purse was full and he in his iollity he cared not for his Father he cared not though he neuer came at him verse 13. Secondly when he began to be in necessity he claue to a Citizen in that Countrey verse 15. and thought not yet of returning to his Father Thirdly when he came into extreamity then he said verse 18. I will goe to my Father This fruit of affliction is so generall that the Prophet saith Esay 26. 16. as if it wrought so in all men Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastisement was vpon them So doth Dauid also speake of it then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble Psal. 107. 6. and repeats it often verse 13. 19. 28. as if it were the ordinary vse of all men to doe so Two notable examples we haue for this the one in Psalme 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was none that would know me all refuge failed me and none cared for my soule Then cryed I vnto the Lord and said Thou art mine hope As if he should haue said I cryed not to the Lord till all other refuge failed me The other in 2. Chron. 33. 12 13.
other is neare vnto a man when his heart is thus hardened and growne obstinate in pride or in drunkennesse or in vncleannesse or in oppression or in any other sinne that the Prophet tels Amazia to his face 2 Chron. 25. 16. He knew by that that God had determined to destroy him as you shall finde he did indeed ver 27. And though the Iewes had many grieuous sinnes yet you shall find there neuer came any strange and common iudgements vpon them till they grew to this Dan. 9. 6. We would not obey thy seruants the Prophets which spake vnto vs in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Therefore the curse is powred vpon vs. Secondly God neuer is so fierce and terrible in his temporall iudgements against any sinners as against those that haue enioyed the best meanes and obstinately neglected and rebelled against them God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal. 89. 7. Under the whole heauen it hath not beene done as hath beene done vnto Ierusalem Dan 9. 12. Wrath is come vpon them vnto the vttermost 1. Thess. 2. 16. Thirdly and principally in Gods spirituall iudgements we may discerne this 1. Such as wilfully refuse to receiue and embrace the truth when it is reuealed vnto them God is wont to take their iudgement and vnderstanding from them hearing you shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing yee shall see and shall not perceiue for this people haue closed thâ—…ir owne eyes Matt. 13. 14 15. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause God shall send them strong delusion 2. Thess. 2 10 11. 2. Such as vse obstinately to sinne against their conscience God is wont to giue them vp to a reprobate minde and vnto beastly and vile affections Maruaile not therefore to see such as haue had the best meanes if they proue bad to become of all bad men the most profane and vngracious if you see children of most godly parents people that haue liued vnder most faithfull Pastors proue such wonder not It is said of Manasse the sonne of Hezekiah that he wrought more wickedly than all the Amoritâ—…s that had beene before him 2. Kings 21. 11. 3. God hath threatned against some sinners that he will neuer comfort them nor shew mercy on them and consequently not giue them grace to repent which is the grieuousest plague of all plagues the Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord and his iâ—…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon him Deut. 29. 20. And the cause hereof you shall finde in the former verse to be the presumption and obstinacie in sinning that was in that man See this in Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. the Lord hardened his heart that he could not repent But what was the cause Exod. 8. 15. 19 32. He had hardened his owne heart and wilfully refused to hearken to the message that was brought him from God or to be humbled and moued with his iudgements The Reasons of the Doctrine are two 1. This obstinacie in sinne argues that sinne hath the full possession of the heart and that men loue it vnfainedly and that is one cause why God hates it so much Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate And 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Our sins are then become our idols and gods these men haue set vp their idols in their hearts Ezek. 14. 3. when we giue diuine honour vnto them 2. It argues a rebellion and proud contempt of God when men will not be reclaimed by his Word Iob 34. 37. He addeth rebellion vnto his sinne And 1. Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sinne of Witch-craft Yea this obstinacy will bring the heart by little and little into that impardonable sinne that is committed in meere malice against God Therefore when the nature of that sinne is described it is called a sinning wilfully Heb. 10. 26. And Dauid Psal. 19. 13. speakes of presumptuous sin as of the next step to the great transgression The Vse of this Doctrine is both for Exhortation and for Reproofe and for Comfort also We are all to be Exhorted by this Doctrine to take heed of obstinacie in any sinne and to count it a great fauour and grace of God which we should pray for and by all meanes labour to attaine vnto viz. to haue tractable and teachable hearts This is made a note of Gods Elect to receiue the Word gladly Acts 2. 41. and with all readinesse of minde Acts 17. 11. Foure notes we may try this by 1. When in going to heare the word we goe with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer God shall teach vs. Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God 2. When our reason is so captiuated vnto God that we dare not dispute nor cauill against any truth God hath clearely reuealed vnto vs in his Word seeme it neuer so contrary to our reason and affections Iob 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherin I haue erred as if he should say Reueale to me by thy Word any thing wherein I haue offended thee and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth I will not dare to reason in the defence of it 3. When we are ready to receiue Gods Word and be informed in his will by any how much soeuer he be our inferiour when we dare not reiect good counsell and admoâ—…ition from any Esay 11. 6. A little childe shall leade them 4. When the Lord hauing reuealed his will vnto vs by any meanes we shew an earnest care and endeauour to obey it Psal. 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart For Reproofe and terrour of all wicked men that liue in these daies of light Esay 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are affraid saith the Prophet And indeed no sinners vnder heauen haue so much cause to feare as the sinners in Sion haue they that haue enioyed the best meanes They cannot pretend ignorance for excuse of their sins all their sinnes will be iudged to be done obstinately and wilfully But two speciall sorts of sinners are reproued here First such as are wilfull and obstinate against the knowledge of the truth Secondly such as are obstinate and willfull against the practice and obedience of the truth Two sorts there be of them that will not know the truth as first they that refuse to heare because they thinke their ignorance will be some aduantage to them their conscience will be the quieter for it And these are like Felix Acts 24. 26. who when he felt his conscience awakened and troubled by Pauls Ministry would heare him no longer But alas this will be no aduantage to
Lord saith Gen. 18. 20. The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great and their sinne exceeding grieuous But what made the cry of their sinne so great Looke Gen. 19. 4. and yee shall finde it was this The men of Sodom compassed Lots house from the young euen to the old all the people euen from all quarters they were all corrupted with that beastly filthynesse they did all burne with that lust The third example is that of the captiuity in Babylon before it fell out when the causes of it are laid downe by the Prophets nothing is so much stood vpon as this that all sorts and conditions of Gods people had corrupted themselues See this in Ier. 5. 7. How should I spare thee for this And verse 9. Shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation as this Why What was the cause verse 7. They assemble themselues by companies in Harlots houses And verse 8. Euery man neighed after his neighbours wife Adultery was growne to be the sin not of a few but of all sorts See this also the children gather the wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the Queene of heauen c. Ier. 7. 18. 20. A conspiracie is found among the men of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the house of Israel and the house of Iuda haue broken my Couenant therefore behold I will bring euill vpon them c. Ier. 11. 9 11. The like complaint we shall finde Ezek. 22. 6. Behold the Princes of Israel euery one in thee was ready to his power to shed bloud And verse 11. Euery one hath committed abomination with his neighbours wife and euery one hath wickedly defiled his daughter in law and in thee hath euery one forced his owne sister euen his fathers daughter And after the captiuity was come you shall see it was imputed to this chiefly Dan. 9. 11. Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy Law and haue turned backe and haue not heard thy voice therefore the curse is poured vpon vs. In all these examples we see that whiles sinne kept it selfe within any bounds the Lord did forbeare to bring these common and generall calamities vpon men but when like a floud it ouerflowed the bankes and ran ouer all then could God forbeare no longer The first Vse of this Doctrine is for Reproofe most men count this a sufficient excuse and defence for any thing they hold or for any thing they do that they are not alone they hold as most men doe and doe as most men do they make the example of men the rule of their conscience First the good things they doe they do vpon no other ground but because it is the custome they hold this Religion to be the truth they keepe the Sabbath they come to Church only vpon this ground All men do so euen the wisest men we know thei Faith stands in the wisedome of men as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 2. 5. Secondly let all the Preachers in the world speake neuer so much against some sinnes as the resting vpon a dumbe Ministry the superstitious obseruations of many Popish customes giuing and answering of challenges following the newest fashions the immodesty of women in their apparrell and attire yet will they not be perswaded that these are sinnes onely because they are so generall and in fashion euery where In this point our people are like those we reade of Ier. 44. 17. We will burne incense to the Queene of heauen And why so We haue done so both we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Thirdly let vs out of Gods Word neuer so clearely proue the necessity of sundry duties as to haue prayer in our families c. yet can they not be perswaded to it And why I pray you who doth so a few precise fooles whom euery body derides Iohn 7. 48 49. Doe any of the Rulers and Pharises beleene in him but this people that know not the Law are cursed Fourthly in such things as they know to be sinnes as swearing whoredome drunkennesse c. they blesse and secure and quiet their consciences by this that they are not alone Ezek. 16. 54. Thou hast comforted them of Sodome saith God to the Iewes And who is not in some degree or other guilty of this corruption I will therefore giue you some remedies against it out of Gods Word 1. Consider that we haue iust cause to suspect that that way which the most men take is not the right way that if we doe as the most doe surely we doe not well Matth. 7. 13 14. It is the broad way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that goe in thereat but the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life and few there bee that finde it The most haue euer swarued from the right way yea euen the most of them that haue professed the true Religion many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. 14. Christs true flock hath euer beene a little flocke Luke 12. 32. Therefore Christ hath a strange speech Luke 6. 26. Woe be to you when all men speake well of you 2. If we do swerue from the right way and sinne against God it will not auaile vs to haue all the men in the world on our minde or to take our part they cannot pleade for vs. 1. Sam. 2. 25. If a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him Those which by their example or otherwise haue drawne vs to sin will be farre enough from pitying or speaking a word for vs when God shall call vs to iudgement What comfort can the companions of wicked men yeeld to them when they are on their death-bed Surely as much as the Priests and Elders did to Iudas when they had drawne him to betray his Master when he in the anguish of his soule cryed to them Mat. 27. 4. I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud They say What is that to vs see thou to it But say they were willing to take our part alas they can do vs no good when God shall call vs vnto an account they cannot shrowd vs from Gods wrath Earthly Princes are faine oft to spare malefactors because they are too strong and haue many to ioyne with them as Dauid did Ioab 2. Sam. 3. 39. But the Lord will not doe so Pro. 11. 21. Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not goe vnpunished What is the example of the whole world to stand against God It 's as easie for him to destroy a whole world of men as one man behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh vp the iles as a very little thing All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Esay
strength of his Spirit support and enable him to beare it the spirit it selfe will helpe his infirmities Rom. 8. 26. 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull that will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able Fourthly he is assured that whatsoeuer affliction God layeth vpon him it shall in the end tend to his good and to the furtherance of his saluation Rom. 8. 28. Fifthly he knowes the end will pay for all and that after a while all teares shall be wiped from his eyes and he shall enioy vnspeakeable comfort Psal. 27. 13. I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing Now on the other side the man that wants this assurance of his saluation though he haue all the meanes in the world to secure and quiet his heart and to make it merry yet can he neuer attaine vnto true ioy and comfort nor keepe off extremity of griefe when the euill day shall come vpon him If any shall obiect against this that many of Gods children that are assured of their saluation are yet much oppressed with heauinesse and their liues are very vncomfortable and on the other side that many who want this assurance are knowne to haue the lightest and merriest hearts of all other men I answer For the faithfull first That they haue much inward ioy though they shew it not as other men yea oft times when their life seemes most vncomfortable to the worldly man and most full of misery Yea as Salomon saith of wicked mens ioy Pro. 13. 14. Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so of the heauinesse of the godly it may be said oft times that euen in weeping their heart is full of comfort 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowing yet alwayes reioycing That as Christ said Vers. 32. of this Chapter I haue meat that ye know not of so haue the godly much comfort which worldlings haue no skill of Pro. 14. 10. The stranger shall not meddle with his ioy 2 Though they be sometime in great heauinesse indeed yet it is not possible they should be ouercome of it but they shall certainly recouer themselues as 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse in pouertie yet not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but perish not Because they haue euer in them the seed and root of true ioy Psal. 97. 11. Light is sowne for the righteous and gladnesse for the vpright in heart So that as it is not possible for him that is once truly regenerate to sinne as other men do because the seed of God and Spirit of Sanctification abideth in him 1 Ioh. 3. 9. So it is not possible for him that hath once attained to true assurance of his saluation to sorrow as other men do or to perish in despaire because the seed of God the Spirit of Adoption which is called the oyle of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. abideth in him For this is that that Christ saith of this ioy Ioh. 16. 22. Your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you And that makes Dauid say so confidently Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace And as for that which is obiected concerning the ioy of them that haue no assurance of their saluation I answer First that many times their mirth is but forced and counterfeit and when outwardly they make shew of much mirth their hearts within them are as heauy as lead 2 Cor. 5. 1â—… They reioyce in the face and not in the heart Pro. 14. 13. Euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull And secondly though they seem very secure and pleasant in the time of prosperity while like drunken or mad men they haue no apprehension nor sense of their own estate yet in the euill day when their conscience shall be awakened their ioy will faile them and stand them in no stead That which is said of riches Pro. 11. 4. may be said likewise of merry company good cheare pastimes and musick They will not auaile in the day of wrath While they are out of Gods presence and forget him and their owne estate they are quiet and merry but when Gods glory shines but a little in their soules they are troubled out of measure as we see in the example of Balthazar Dan. 5. 6. O consider this ye that forget God esteeme not of the ioy of worldly men giue no rest to your selues till you haue gotten good assurance of your saluation and of the fauour of God in Christ For without this nothing will be able to giue you content and comfort in the houre of death and in the euill day Let this be thy desire and daily prayer to God that was Dauids Psalme 106. 4 5. Remember me O Lord with the fauour of thy people visit me with thy saluation that I may see the felicity of thy chosen and reioyce with their ioy The second preseruatiue against excessiue sorrow is the care of a good conscience That man that in all things is carefull to please God and to keep his conscience pure that he fall not into any knowne and grieuous sinne shall euer haue a quiet and chearefull heart 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse we haue had our conuersation in the world Yea this will make a man chearefull at all times and preserue him from sorrow not in prosperity only but euen in aduersity he that is of a merry heart he meanes whose heart is made merry this way euen with the testimony of a good conscience hath a continuall feast Pro. 15. 15. And in this respect the Apostle Ephes. 6. 14. cals righteousnesse the Brest-plate that will defend the heart euen in the euill day But on the other side the man that hath no care of a good conscience but giues himselfe liberty to liue in any one knowne sinne can neuer haue any sound ioy in his heart but must needs be ouer-come of sorrow and swallowed vp with heauinesse when affliction shall come vpon him For sinne certainly will bring sorrow sooner or later not onely in the life to come There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8. 12. but euen in this life sinne will bring sorrow it is the proper and naturall effect of sinne and cannot be auoided Pro. 29. 6. In the transgression of an euill man there is a snare that is matter of sorrow and teares as appeares by the other part of the Verse But the righteous doth sing and reioyce They that haue multiplied their sinnes shall haue their sorrowes multiplied yea great sinnes will bring great sorrowes as we see in the example of Iudas Mat. 27. 3 5. And many such examples God giues men in euery age Neither hath it beene so with such as Iudas onely but euen with
you shall say I haue no pleasure in them q. d. Thou shouldst think of thy Creator and make thy peace with him serue and feare him now presently euen in the dayes of thy youth for the euill day will certainly come vpon euery man he speakes properly there of age and sicknesse but the same may be said likewise of all times of bitter affliction for at that time thou shalt haue no lust or pleasure to think or do any thing And this is that also which the Apostle meaneth Ephes. 6. 13. Take vnto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist in the euill day When should they thus prouide themselues of armour Why now before the euill day commeth What means he by the euill day Certainly the day of affliction and temptation which euery man must looke for What man will haue his armour to seek when he is to go into the field and buckle with his enemy This is the wisdome we are taught to learne of the silly Pismire Pro. 6. 7. She prepareth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in haruest And indeed there is not one of a thousand but he is thus wise for his body He makes prouision for his corne and fodder and fewell now in summer and harnest and layes it vp against winter Who is so mad as to haue his prouision to make in winter or his seed to sow in haruest when he should reape And thus wise should we be for our soules Prou. 10. 14. Wise men lay vp knowledge before-hand he treasures vp such grounds of comfort through the knowledge of the Word as he may not be to seeke in time of need What man will haue his cuidence to seeke when his cause is to be tried And what man is there that hath not need of this exhortation What man is there that playes the good husband for his soule that labours and takes paines to prouide for it in the summer time when the weather is faire I meane in the dayes of his youth and health and peace and chearefulnesse that doth not fully purpose and resolue with himselfe to goe about his businesse farre more seriously and carefully when he shall be old or when he shall be sicke on his last sicknesse than euer he did yet Nay it is certaine there is many a man that would not for all the world die in that state that now he is in hauing no better assurance of his saluation than yet he hath hauing no better repented than yet he hath done and yet he neuer takes any course to better his estate because he is perswaded in his heart he may do that soone enough hereafter and that the fittest time of all for this businesse will be the time of sicknesse and affliction And quite contrary to Salomons counsaile he saith this to his owne heart I will not remember my Creatour in the dayes of my youth before the euill day come and the yeares approach wherein I shall say I haue no pleasure in them But then loe will I prepare my selfe for God and make my peace with him then will I send for the Preacher and he shall giue me good counsaile out of Gods Word and pray for me then will I repent me of all my sinnes and take order by my Will for restitution of all that I haue vniustly gotten then will I become a new man I will therefore giue you some reasons out of Gods Word that may enforce this exhortation vpon the conscience of euery man The first reason is the vncertainty of this life There is no man but he may die suddenly And it is certaine that no man can be assured when he laies him downe at night that he shall rise in the morning when he riseth in the morning that he shall euer go to bed againe Therefore remember thy Creatour now presently without delay repent and seeke assurance of his fauour put it not off no not for a day for no man knowes what may befall him before to morrow Iames 4. 13 14. Go to now saith the Apostle ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow For what is your life it is euen a vapour Confider with thy selfe that thou maist die suddenly For first what yeare is there wherein thou hast not heard of sundry good men and bad of all sorts whom God hath taken away suddenly and not giuen them one dayes nor one houres respit to prepare themselues for him And what assurance hast thou that he will deale better with thee This Salomon speaks as of a thing that hath fallen out in all ages and whereunto all sorts of men as well good as bad haue been subiect Eccl. 9. 12. For neither doth man know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in a snare so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falls vpon them suddenly But as euery man euen the best may die suddenly so the carnall and wicked man that presumptuously puts off his repentance vpon this hope that God will not take him away so suddenly but he will giue him space and time of visitation before his death as he doth to most men hath iust cause to feare he shall die suddenly For God hath oft smitten many such men in the act of their sinne he did so to Zimri and Cozby Num. 25. 8. and with Elah the king of Israel 1 King 16. 9 10. and with king Herod also Acts 12. 23. and hath oft threatned this vnto vngodly men Psal. 64 7. God will shoot an arrow at them suddenly their strokes shall be at once and 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed perished and vtterly consumed 1 Thes. 5. 3. When they shall say Peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction If any shall obiect that if this were so then most men should die suddenly whereas experience shewes that not one of an hundred doth so I answer that as no godly man may be said to die suddenly that feareth alwayes and is at peace with God and euer prepared for death so there is not one wicked man of an hundred but he dies suddenly for though the Lord giues him a great space and he be neuer so long sicke before his death yet he is still ready to think he shall liue a little longer and so death comes vpon him before he looked or prepared for it This is that the Apostle teacheth 1 Thes. 5. 4. But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come vpon you as it were a thiefe q. d. To no true belieuer it comes as a thiefe but to euery one that is in darknesse it doth The second Reason that may iustly make a man affraid to put off the care of prouiding for the saluation of his soule
I said in my haste I am cast out of thy presence and 116. 11. I said in my haste all men are lyars The purpose and desire and resolution of the heart in euery regenerate man is to please God in all things Esay 26. 8. The desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee See an example of this in two that fell into the foulest sins of any regenerate man we reade of in Scripture Dauid and Peter What the purpose and full resolution of Dauids heart was you may see Psal. 119. 106. I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements How fell he then into so foule a sinne Surely he was suddenly ouertaken with some passion of lust before he was aware and so he fell So likewise of Peter we may see what the full purpose and resolution of his heart was Matth. 26. 33. 35. Though all men should be offended by thee yet will I neuer bee offended though I should die with thee yet I will not denie thee How fell he then into so foule a sin Surely he was suddenly ouertaken with a passion of feare before he was aware and so he fell Now it is quite contrary with the vnregenerate man For he feares not to sin Pro. 14. 16. The foole rageth and is carelesse he commits sin with prepensed purpose and determination of heart Psal 364. He imagineth mischiefe on his bed he setteth himselfe vpon a way that is not good and doth not abhor euill Rom. 13. 14. He takes thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Yea as if their inclination to euill by nature were not strong enough They draw on Iniquity with cords of vanity and sinne as with cart ropes Esay 5. 18. The second difference is in the diuers disposition of their heart euen at that time when they doe sinne The regenerate man neuer falls totally into any sinne nor commits it with the whole sway of his soule with full consent of his will But when the flesh tempteth and draweth him to sinne the spirit resisteth the motion and drawes another way euen when they sleepe their heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. 1. Iohn 3. 9. Hee that is borne of God sinneth not neither can hee sinne because the seede of God remaineth in him Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flâ—…sh and these are contrary one to another so that yee cannot doe the same things that ye would He obeyes sin as the slaue doth his master Rom. 7. 14. This though it be not alwaies felt by himselfe yet to another that is a spirituall man it will appeare by two notes 1. Try them euen when they are at the worst and some grace will appeare in them blow away the ashes and yee shall discerne some sparkles of grace in them see this in Dauids readinesse to yeeld to the reproofe of Nathan and to confesse his sinne euen when he had fallen so fearefully and lyen so long in his sin 2. Sam. 12. 13. And in praying and crying to God and calling him most affectionately his God euen when he thought in his passion and tentation that God had forsaken him Psal. 22. 1. As if thou come to the poore distressed Christian that complaines he is but an hypocrite and vtters many words sauouring of nothing but infidelity and despaire and aske him whether he be not affraid to offend God and loue not his children c. and he cannot deny this or if he do yet maist thou euidently discerne that he speaketh falsly against himselfe 2. Obserue them and thou shalt finde their ioy is not as it hath bin after once they haue yeelded to the temptation that made Dauid cry Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones that thou hast broken may reioyce Psal. 51. 8. so we shall finde the two Disciples that were going to Emaus when they began to doubt and wauer were made sad in heart by it Luke 24. 17. It is with them in this case as it was with Rebecca when she felt the two twins strugling with her Gen. 25. 22. When they say they haue no Faith nor Grace in them aske them whence then comes this sorrow and palenesse and losse of sleepe c. Now the wicked man is of a quite contrary disposition for he is all flesh and hath no such resistance in himselfe vnlesse it be first from the light of his naturall conscience for the effect of the Law is written in their hearts as the Apostle speaketh Romanes 2. 15. or secondly from the repugnancy of his lusts betweene themselues their lusts war in their members Iames 4. 1. Luke 11. 27. All things are at peace he sins willingly and with all his heart Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Diuell and the lusts of your father you will doe A third difference is the diuers disposition of heart after they haue committed sinne For the godly is wont to finde much paine and griefe in his heart much remorse of conscience euen for the smallest sinnes he hath committed against God as we see in Dauid his heart smote him for cutting off the skirt of Sauls garment and for giuing commandement for the numbring of the people 1. Sam. 24. 6. 2. Sam. 24. 10. and in Paul the remnants of originall sin in him made him cry out ô wretched man that I am c. Rom. 7. 24. If sinne be an infirmity it will put the heart to this paine as all bodily infirmities will the body And though Dauid lay long in his sin before he could recouer himselfe by sound repentance yet from the day he committed his sin this remorse began in him and he neuer found true ioy againe till he had effectually repented Psal. 51. 8. Now it is not so with the wicked but after many foule and haynous sins their hearts are as quiet and as iocund as before An example of this we haue in Iosephs brethren after they had conspired to slay him and being disswaded from it had stript him of his cote and cast him into a pit they sate downe to eate bread Gen. 37. 24 25. Another difference there is in the diuers disposition of their hearts after they haue committed sin which is the fourth and last difference The godly cannot continue in sin but after he hath falne he riseth againe yea he obtaineth further strength against his corruption and power to forsake his sin so that he will not be so apt to fall into it againe as he was before True it is a regenerate man may fall into the same sinne againe neither can any man define how oft and into how hainous sins a man that is soundly regenerate may fall yet doe we not finde that any childe of God hath falne oft into the same haynous and scandalous sinnes Indeed in a smaller slip of concealing his wife and causing her to say she was his sister we finde Abraham taken twice Gen.
vnsound iudgement in some cleare and manifest truths or other full of reasoning and oppositions against it 1 Tim. 6. 5. If any consent not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and vseth vaine disputations he knoweth nothing saith the Apostle his mind is corrupt and destitute of truth Fourthly the knowledge of a regenerate man may be discerned by this It hath power to reforme and rule his heart and workes in him a care of practice and obedience Luke 8. 15. They that with an honest and good heart beare the word keepe it and bring forth fruits with patience 1 Iohn 2. 3 4. Hereby we are sure we know him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I know him and keepes not his commandements is a lyar Esa. 2. 3. He shall teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Yea sanctified knowledge makes a man strong to resist and stand against tentation The feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iob 28 28. Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong for a man of vnderstanding increaseth his strength He that can say as Psal. 17. 4. By the word of thy lips I haue kept me from the path of the destroyer is a happy man he knowes the truth with a sauing knowledge On the contrary side the naturall mans knowledge swimmeth in his braine and hath no power in his heart It is said of the sonnes of Eli They were wicked men and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. They had no iot of sanctified knowledge in them Fiftly and lastly the regenerate man though he find himselfe wanting sometimes in these properties of sanctified knowledge yet feeles he this ignorance and bewailes it and what measure of knowledge soeuer he hath attained to he satisfieth not himselfe in it but the more he knowes the more he desires to increase in knowledge This you shall see in Dauid Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law teach me thy statutes make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts Psalme 119. 18 26 27. On the other side the naturall man is well perswaded of his owne knowledge thinkes he knowes enough and is full Woe be to you that are full Luke 6. 25. The second grace wherein I told you we were to make triall of the soundnesse of our hearts is Repentance by which I mean in this place onely the forsaking of sinne Now there is no one grace in soundnesse and vprightnesse in that mans heart that hath not vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sinnes Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Vnlesse we can be able to say These and these sinnes I know I haue left surely we haue not repented Wee were sometimes foolish disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuy hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. And the man that hath vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sins doubtlesse hath an vpright heart Thus saith Dauid of himselfe Psal. 18. 23. I was vpright before him and kept my selfe from mine iniquity for he that hath repented is iustified and hath his sins forgiuen him Act. 5. 31. Christ is called a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance and forgiuenes of sins If yan man shall aske May not some naturall men forsake and leaue the sins they haue liued in I answer Yes Peter speakes of some temporaries and hypocrites that had escaped the filthinesse of the world 2. Pet. 2. 20. and our Sauiour of one that had the vncleane spirit cast out of him and his house swept and garnished Matth. 12. 44. But these differences there be betwixt the repentance of the regenerate and naturall man 1. The regenerate man forsakes sin of conscience to God euen because he knoweth God hath forbidden it is offended and dishonoured by it as his sorrow for sin is according to God 2. Cor. 79. so is his forsaking of sin also 2. Cor. 7. 10. Yea his forsaking of his sin growes though not only yet chiefly from the knowledge he hath of Gods mercy and from the loue he beares to God for his goodnesse he forsakes his euill way and returnes to the Lord out of this hope and perswasion that he will haue mercy vpon him and that our God will abundantly pardon Esay 55. 7. He feares the Lord and his goodnesse Hos. 3. 5. The grace of God that bringeth saluation the Gospell which makes knowne to vs Gods loue in Christ hath taught him to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. On the other side the hypocrite forsakes his sins or rather seemes so to do first for that he wants meanes to follow them as of old or secondly no occasion is offered to shew his corruption in thirdly or out of respect he hath to his credit with men fourthly or out of the apprehension of Gods wrath only 2. The regenerate man forsakes not one or two but all knowne sins Why then there is no man regenerate will you say For in many things we sinne all Iames 2. 3. But my meaning is though he cannot shake off euery sin yet there is no knowne sin that willingly he giueth liberty to himselfe in be it small or great when once it is discouered to him to be a sin he makes a conscience of it as Daniel did of defiling himselfe with the Kings meat Dan. 1. 8. he kept Gods law and his conscience to obey it as the apple of his eye which the least more will offend Pro. 7. 2. This is called precisenesse and foolish nicenesse I grant that it is indeed a note of an hypocrite to be precise and strict in small matters and make no conscience of grosse sins to tithe miâ—…t and cummin and to neglect the weightyer points of the law to streine at a gnat and to swallow a cammell Mat. 23. 23 24. yet he that shall say of the least sin Tush that is nothing If I neuer do worse I shall do well enough doubtlesse that man hath no soundnes in his heart Iames 2. 10 11. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law yet faile in one point is guilty of all For he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Thou shalt not kill The least sin committed wilfully and presumptuously becomes dangerous and damnable the soule that dâ—…th ought presumptuously shall be cut off from among his people as the man was by Gods expresse commandement that had in that sort but gathered a few sticks vpon the Sabbath day Num. 15. 30. 32. On the other side no naturall man or hypocrite euer made conscience of all sin but either he hath some one sin that is his beloued sin which he will not part with as Herod had Mar. 6. 20. or of many sins which he counts small he makes no conscience at all but euen despiseth his waies in them as Salomon speaketh Pro. 19. 16. 3. The regenerate man though he slip often yet
secondly so soone as he was called he shewed strange diligence and zeale in executing on Ahabs house and friends the commandement he had receiued 2. Kings 9. 7. compared with verse 14 18. 24. 33. 2. Kings 10. 6. 11. 14. 17. thirdly he destroyed Baals Priests and Images and purged the land of that Idolatry 2. Kings 10. 21 28. fourthly he did all this in a zeale for God 2. Kings 10. 16. in so much as the Lord himselfe commended him for it 2. Kings 10. 30. fifthly he bore a notable hatred to the foule sinnes of Iezabel 2. King 9. 22. sixthly he bore a reuerend regard to Gods Word which he shewed by remembring it so long and acknowledging the certainety and righteousnesse of it and his care to see it performed and by doing that he did by direction of it and in obedience vnto it 2. King 9. 25 â—…6 36 37. and perswading others to acknowledge the certainty and righteousnesse of it 2. King 10. 10. seuenthly he had a reuerend respect to good men 2. King 9. 36. and 10. 10. he mentioneth not Eliah's name without title of reuerence he shewes great respect to Iehonadab 2. Kings 10. 15 16. yet this man was no better than an hypocrite his heart was not sound Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart 2. King 10. 31. and therefore God esteemed no better of all that he did than of murder I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu Hos. 1. 4. And the principall if not the onely thing whereby his hypocrisie was discouered was this He did not in all points follow the direction of Gods Law nor make conscience of it though he hated some Idolatry as that of Baal yet he hated not all Idolatry he departed not from the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2. Kings 10. 29. 31. So Herod went very far Mar. 6. 20. but in this his hypocrisie was discouered he could not make conscience of all that Iohn taught him nor forsake all his knowne sins The third note of difference is this The regenerate man though he make conscience of euery duty God hath enioyned him yet makes he most conscience of and is most carefull to obserue the greatest commandements and such duties as God hath most straitly enioyned This note we shall finde giuen by our Sauiour Matth. 23. 24. he makes it a propertie of hypocrites to straine at a Gnat and swallow a Camell this is oft noted for a property of the hypocrite The Pharisees were exceeding precise for the externall rest of the Sabbath euen more than any Law of God required them to be Luk. 13. 14 15. They tithed Mint and Annise and Cummin but they neglected the waightiest matters of the Law Matth. 23. 23. If you aske me which be those waightier matters of the Law I answer They be chiefly of three kinds first the inward worship of God thou shalt shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde this is the first and great commandement Matt. 22. 37 38. secondly iudgement mercy and fidelitie towards men Matth. 23. 23. thirdly the duties of our particular and speciall callings this may appeare Esay 1. 17. Learne to do well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow Who must do this Verse 10. Ye rulers of Sodome yee people of Gomorrah And by the Apostles oft beating vpon this point in all their Epistles the duties of Masters Seruants Husbands Wiues Parents Children Subiects Pastor Flocke and by that conclusion Paul makes to this Doctrine Tit. 2. 15. These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority On the contrarie side the hypocrite is more carefull and busie about other mens duties and the reformation of other mens faults than his own he can see the least mote in his brothers eye but cannot discerne a beame in his own he seemes very carefull to reforme the least fault he sees in another but hath no care of reforming himselfe Matth. 7. 3 5. He bindes heauy burdens and grieuous to be borne and laies them on other mens shoulders but himselfe will not mooue them with one of his fingers Matth. 23. 4. Herein then I pray you make tryall of your selues if you desire to know the soundnesse of your owne hearts Lecture the hundred and three October 1. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT followeth that we come now to shew you the difference betwixt the good works of the regenerate and naturall man in the manner of their doing and performing of them And indeed this is a principall thing we must haue respect vnto if we desire to know whether the good duties we do proceed from true grace yea or no. See this in that direction the Apostle giues he that giueth let him doe it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse Rom. 12. 8. For the Lord hath oft noted the false and counterfeit obedience of the hypocrite by this property that though he haue done such workes as for the matter of them haue beene right and good yet he hath neuer done them in a right manner not with a right affection as it is said of Amazia 2. Chron. 25. 2. He did vprightly in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart And on the other side it is noted for a property of true and sauing obedience when there is care not only to doe the thing God commandeth but to doe it also in that manner and with that affection of heart that God hath commanded as we shall see in the example of the children of Israel Exod. 39. 42 43. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the worke And Moses looked vpon all the worke and behold they had done it as the Lord had commanded And in the speech and example of our Sauiour Iohn 14. 31. That the world may know that I loue the Father as the Father hath commanded me so I doe not onely what the Father hath commanded that I do but I do as he hath commanded I finde therefore in Gods Word foure euident notes of difference betweene the good duties that are performed by the naturall man and by him that hath a sound and sanctified heart euen in the manner of doing of them The regenerate man intends and the end he aimes at in doing good duties is to please and honour God he hath a single and sincere respect to God and nothing else he doth that which he doth because he knowes God hath commanded it he is pleased with he is honoured by that which he doth The notice he knowes God will take of it his allowance and reward contents him and he seeke no more The regenerate man serues God euen in those duties he performes to men euen in the duties of his calling Rom. 12. 11. Not sloathfull to doe seruice he meanes one
duties which are the fruits of true grace be discerned from such as proceed from some other root If a man doe truely loue the Word and the profession of it he will perseuere in his loue and profession and neuer forsake it Matth. 13. 20 21. of that hearer that heard the Word and incontinently with ioy receiued it and endured but for a season our Sauiour saith the cause was because he had no roote in himselfe He neuer had sound heart And 1. Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. So is it likewise in all other good duties which any man hath beene giuen to if they were the fruits of grace if euer a man did vse to doe them with a good heart he will doe them still I cannot stand vpon all good duties in particular I will instance but in one whereby we may iudge of all the rest for there is the like reason for all If euer a man were wont to be mercifull and liberall in relieuing Gods poore seruants out of a good heart he will be so still You shall see this Esay 32. 8. The liberall man will deuise of liberall things that is he will studie and thinke with himselfe which of Gods seruants stand in neede and how he may shew himselfe mercifull to them and he will continue his liberalitie Another notable place there is for this Heb. 6. The Apostle saith of the Hebrewes verse 9. He was perswaded there were better things in them than in such hypocrites as he had spoken of before and such as accompanied saluation And verse 10. he giues this for the reason in that saith he yee haue ministred to the Saints and yet minister and he adds verse 11. We desire that euery one of you shew the same diligence to the end And why so To the full assurance of hope saith he As if he should haue said There is no full assurance of hope no not in so excellent a fruit of faith as this is vnlesse yee continue to the end Two obiections you may haply make against this which I must giue you to answer to That in many that haue beene truely regenerate great intermissions and giuing ouer of good duties haue beene found the fruits of grace haue beene strangely interrupted and broken off in them He that had come to Dauid at that time when after his adultery hee practised the death of Uriah or to Peter when he forsware his Master and with such direfull curses denied that he knew him would haue beene able to discerne no more fruits of grace nor conscience of their dutie to God in them than in Saul or Iudas A man therefore you will say may be Gods childe and haue a sound heart though he be not thus constant in his obedience as you haue said To this I answer first That though in the time of temptation or of some spirituall desertion the case may be thus with Gods childe for a time yet he cannot continue so but he shall recouer himselfe and doe his first workes againe according to that Psal. 55. 22. Hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer Secondly that during the time of this his fall and giuing ouer the practise of those good duties hee was wont to performe the childe of God hath lost the assurance of his hope and of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of his owne heart neither can any other man or himselfe say that any good thing he did before was done in truth now he hath giuen it ouer And indeed if thou obserue it thou shalt finde that none such take any comfort at all to heare or thinke of any good thing he did in times past Heerein I may appeale to the consciences of euery one of you if any such be here that were in times past diligent zealous and conscionable Preachers or such as vsed conscionably and carefully to pray in priuate or such as were carefull to haue the exercises of Religion in your families and haue now quite giuen ouer these things is it any comfort to you that you were such kinde of people in times past Nay is it not rather a vexation to your mindes to thinke of those times because your hearts are apt to tell you all that was done but in hypocrisie Certainely till you recouer your selues and doe your first workes againe you cannot haue any assurance that there was euer any truth or soundnesse in your hearts Yea but will you say though they that are quite falne from the good duties they were wont to performe can haue no assurance of the truth of their hearts yet there is many a one that hath a good heart that yet findes great inconstancy in himselfe and that he oft omits the good duties he should performe and hath not at all times that aptnesse and alacrity in prayer and such like holy exercises as he hath at some times Can such a one haue no assurance of the vprightnesse and soundnesse of his heart I answer First that it is certaine that many a good man may decay in the measure of his practice and doing of good duties euen through a naturall decay of his spirits by age or sicknesse Secondly he may also lose that heate and feruency of spirit that sometimes he had This is plaine in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 4. He had left his first loue and yet had much grace in him still verse 2. I know how thou canst not forbeare them that are euill And verse 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate Yea without daily watchfulnesse and stirring vp of our selues it will not be possible to keep our selues from this decaying in our first loue and feruency in good duties if we do not exhort and stir vp our selues daily we shall be in danger to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. But yet this you shall finde in euery regenerate man ordinarily vnlesse it be in that case of tentation and spirituall desertion that I spake of in the former obiection First he doth still performe good duties of conscience toward God though not with that chearefulnesse and aptnesse as at other times He keeps his way still and goes on though not so fast and comfortably as he was wont grieuing for his decaies and striuing against his dulnesse and this God greatly delighteth in euen in this Labour of loue as the Apostle calls it Heb. 6. 10. Secondly he rests not in any thing he hath done but is carefull to perseuere and continue to the end For this we haue two notable examples First in Dauid Psal. 146. 2. I will praise the Lord during my life as long as I haue any being I will sing vnto my God And 101. 2. I will do wisely in the perfect way till thou commest to me And Psal. 119. 11â—… I haue applied my heart to fulfill
cast off by vnfained repentance all our knowne sinnes before we come In this respect the wisdome of the Church is to be commended in beginning our publike worship with a holy and good confession of sins it were to be wished that men would make more conscience to ioyne with the congregation in it and to do it with feeling and vnderstanding hearts than the most do This is that that was signified by putting off the shoes and washing of the clothes Exo. 3. 5 and 19. 10. and is more plainly taught I am 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of naughtinesse and receiue with meeknesse the ingrafted word In this respect it is worthy to be obserued that Ezek. 23. 38 39. the Lord notes this for a circumstance that greatly aggrauated their whoredomes and murders That they came the same day into Gods Sanctuary And what maruell is it then that so many receiue no profit but hurt rather by the Word being guilty of hainous sinnes they come to Gods house without the least motion of remorse for them or purpose to forsake them Yea many come on the Lords day to Gods house hauing spent the greatest part of the night before some in drunkennesse some in gaming and other disorders We must labour to bring our hearts to a religious feare of the Maiesty of God with whom we haue to deale and in whose presence we are to appeare in a speciall sort Set thy selfe as in Gods presence and that will keepe thy heart from wandring Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God saith Cornelius to heare all things that are commanded thee of God That which Salomon vseth as a reason to restraine men from rashnes and irreuerence in prayer serues as fitly to restraine from rashnesse and irreuerence in hearing for reuerence is as well required when God speakes to vs as when we speake to God Eccl. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauens and thou art on the earth This feare of God rising from the apprehension of his glorious presence is a singular means to prepare the heart to heare well Thus God prepared Abraham Gen. 15. 12. A fearefull darknesse fell vpon him first and then the Lord deliuered to him the word of promise Serue the Lord with feare Psal. 2. 11. and 5. 7. I will come to thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple No maruell then though many profit so little both in their comming into Gods house and sitting in it The very triall of their countenance testifieth against them as Esa. 3. 9. that there is no feare nor reuerence of Gods presence in their hearts Thou must rid thy heart of all preiudice and hard conceit of him thou art to heare and labour to be well perswaded of thy Teacher This hath great force to further our profiting by that we heare This was that that made Herod himselfe not onely to heare Iohn gladly but also to practise many things he taught Mar. 6. 20. This made Paul so earnest in protesting his loue and declaring his affection to them he wrote to that he might winne them thereby to haue a good opinion of him because he knew how much this would auaile to their profiting by his Doctrine See how many words he vseth to perswade both the Romanes and Corinthians of this in the beginning of his Epistles vnto them Rom. 1. 8 15. 1 Cor. 1. 4 8. This made him so earnest with the faithfull in that exhortation And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you and esteeme them very highly in loue for their works sake 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. We must bring with vs an appetite euen an earnest desire to profit by that we shall heare As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. This will greatly further our profiting for the Lord vseth to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away Luke 1. 53. We must bring with vs an honest heart euen a sincere purpose and resolution to obey the Word in all things and to learne to know the will of God to no other end but that we may direct our liues according to it resoluing as Esay 2. 3. Come ye and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths And as Psal. 119. 34. I will obserue thy Law with my whole heart Such shall be sure to profit If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God Ioh. 7. 17. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose Psal. 25. 12. We must vse to pray before we come We must Pro. 2. 3. call vnto God for knowledge and cry for vnderstanding Verse 5. Then shall we vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God And the reason is added Uer. 6. For the Lord giueth wisdome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding As if he should say it comes not out of the mouth of the excellentest man that thou canst heare it comes from the Lord onely and therefore thou must seek to him for it THE HVNDRED AND SEVENTH LECTVRE ON OCTOBER XXIX MDCXI IOHN IIII. LI LII LIII And as he was now going downe his seruants met him and told him saying Thy sonne liueth Then enquired he of them the houre when he began to amend and they said vnto him Yesterday at the seuenth houre the Feuer left him So the father knew that it was at the same houre in the which Iesus said vnto him Thy sonne liueth and himselfe belieued and his whole house WE haue already heard that from the beginning of the 46 Uerse to the end of this Chapter the Euangelist doth set downe the History of the second miracle that Christ wrought in Galile in curing of the sonne of a certaine Ruler And that the History stands vpon foure parts First the occasion that was offered vnto Christ to do this miracle Uers. 46 47 Secondly the manner how Christ wrought this miracle Vers. 48 49. and the beginning of the 50. Thirdly the fruit and effect of this miracle from the latter end of the 50 Verse to the end of the 53. Fourthly the conclusion of the story in the 54 Uerse And in the fruit and effect of this miracle which is the third part of the story we haue heard there be three principall things to be obserued First the beginning of the faith and conuersion of this Ruler in the words of the 50 Verse And the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his way Secondly the means whereby this faith that was begun in him was