and dissimulation This was the sinne of Eli other wise a good man 1 Sam. 1. Christ our Saviour conversed much with publicans and sinners to the end he might do them good and draw them from the kingdome of sinne and Satan and make them inheriters of the kingdome of heaven a worke in all respectes most holy and righteous yet the Scribes and Pharisees judged him to be a friend and favourer of them and of their sinnes Lue. 7.34 And albeit he castout Devils by the power of his divine Majesty for the confirmation of his doctrine and edification of the weake in faith yet they said he did it by Beelzebuh the Prince of the Devils Math. 12.24 So in our dayes religion and the zealous profession thereof are reputed no better then counterfeit holinesse Let the examples of the faithfull be before us continually whensoever we find the same measure offered untous and comfort our selves with this that it hath no otherwise befallen us then to many Prophets of God and faithfull seruants of Christ Math. 5.12 who must not looke to be greater then there Master neither to finde better entertainment in the world then he did The second kinde of judgment forbidden is when men commit evill things worthy in themselves to be condemned and thereupon are judged not onely dangerous but desperate offenders past hope of repentance and recovery This is to execute indeede a right Lordship over their soules and Salvation and to step up into the seate of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Of this the Apostle speaketh Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have prayse of God and we are charged to instruct with meeknesse the contrary minded 2 Tim. 2.25 to bring them to God and not leave them in the snares of the Devill No man therefore ought to passe their doome of the everlasting estate of any man and to pronounce peremptorily and absolutely that they shall perish and cannot be saved as if they were Lords of one anothers life and death salvation and damnation or had power to bring them to heaven or cast them into hell This is beyond our reach and commission and to usurpe the office of Christ to whom all judgment is committed No man dare make himselfe a judge and sit downe in the judgement seate to give sentence of absolution or condemnation in matters of this temporall life without the Princes speciall appointment and shall any dare doe it in things of the life to come to pronounce any to be forlorne reprobates and vessels of wrath For who knoweth what one day may bring forth Pro. 24 1 He runneth farre that never returneth We see many notorious wicked men suddainly and mightily called and changed 2 Chr. 33. Act. 9. Luk. 23. We read of some standing idle all the day long called at the eleventh houre to labour in the vineyard Math. Math. 20. 20. The theefe repented and was converted at the instant of his death Let us remember that we are all brethren one no better then another and therefore we ought not presumptuously to chalenge this superiority to judge and condemne one another Christian love hopeth well of all men and so long as they live there is some hope The third kind is when we doe things which in themselues are indifferent which may be done either well or ill either with a pure or a prophane heart with faith or without faith to judge such an action wicked which indeed is to be accounted good or evill according to the intent purpose and affection of the doer whereof God alone is the discerner because he alone is the searcher of the heart he alone is the Iudge of the heart This corruption we read to have beene in Eliab the brother of David Why camest thou downe hither 1 Sam. 17 2â— and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the haughtinesse of thy heart for thou art come downe to see the battell This the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14. Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth judge him that eateth not c. The faithfull servants of God are hardly delt withall in all these respects their good things are not good or at least it is shrunke up and contracted their indifferent things are pronounced to be starke naught and if they fall into evil it is stretched and made a thousand times worse even by those of the worser sort Lastly it standeth us upon to labour to see the grieuousnesse of sinne in our selves and to feele the waight and burden thereof For commonly we are blinde and see not at all or else we are purblind and cannot see them in their right colours we be hold them as motes or strawes not as beames or if we doe ever judge them as beames How we may perceive the neinousnesse and greinousnesse of sinne Luc. 12.48 it is in others not in our selves Now that we may discerne of sinne in the nature thereof we must consider these few particulars First consider how God striveth with us by his manifold mercies and blessings to draw us to a love of Godlinesse and hatred of wickednesse now unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Secondly if we compare our sinnes with Adams first sinne considered in the fact doubtlesse we have as great in our hearts yea greater and yet by that one disobedience he brought destruction upon himselfe and all his posterity that is the first and second death Thirdly we may behold the grievousnesse of sinne by proportion with the punishment For what is the wages and reward of sinne a subjection to all woe and misery in this life to death it selfe in the end of this life and to eternall death after this life in hell with the Devill and his Angels Fourthly they were laid upon the person of our Saviour Christ who outwardly endured the torments on the Crosse in his body and inwardly apprehended the wrath of God in his soule due unto us and which we should have suffered This made him to sweat water and blood Lue. 22.44 Math. 27.46 and to cry out in the anguish of his spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. Are such sinnes to be holden as motes no doubtlesse they are great beames are they as little moul-hills no doubtlesse they be huge mountaines able to crush the sonnes of men in pieces under the heavy indignation of God Lastly the law of God is holy and perfect and forbiddeth the first thoughts and motions in the heart that arise against God or our neighbour yea though we never give consent of will to practise them Rom. 7. If then the first motions be sins in themselves deserving damnation Rom. 7.7 because the law saith
not to delay the time seing we know not what shall be on the morrow Iam. 4.14 First it is a just thing with God to contemne that man dying that despised him living He that calleth not upon God in his prosperity will God heare his cry Iob. 27.9 when trouble commeth upon him The best way to kil a Serpent is to bruise his head and when it is young so the safest and surest way to withstand sinne and Satan will be in the beginning not the latter and of our dayes in health not in sicknesse in life not in death betimes not when it is too late See this in the foolish Virgins that lingred their time of repentance but when the season was past they cryed againe and againe Lord Math. 25.11.12 Lord open unto us And what answer did they receive Verily I say unto you I know you not Luk. 13.24 verifying the saying of our Saviour Many I say unto you will strive to enter in and shall not be able because doubtlesse they strive when it is too late Secondly we must looke for a time when there will be judgement without mercy now is the time of mercy without iudgment Now are the dayes of grace now is the time of turning and repenting when this time is gone and past there will come a day of blacknesse and utter darknesse when there is no place nor time of turning For as the day of death taketh us the day fo judgment shal find us as we see in Caine Esau Iudas the rich man in the Gospell and such like Thirdly the houre of death to which the greatest sort post over their repentance hath many hindrances accompanying it that the sicke man cannot freely thinke of the state of his soule neither call to remembrance his sinnes that he hath committed Lastly beware of all lettes and impediments which as so many stumbling blockes lye in the way and keepe us from repentance Never was there good worke to be done but it hath found many oppositions Satan standeth at our right hand ready to catch hold of us The manifold impediments of true repentance when he seeth us sliding from him and resolued to leave sinne As then they that were bidden and called to the feast had all of them their excuses so such as are stirred up to repentance make not that hast which they ought but are wise to their own hurt and become the greatest enemies to their owne soules Let us therefore see their reasons or rather pretences which they use to hinder their returne into the right way First they alledge that repentance is full of difficulty a way hedged with thornes hard and painfull Be it so the harder the worke is the more excellent it is But what is the hardnesse of the worke in respect of the greatnesse of the wages and reward Besides this yoke of Christ is easie and this burden is light because the often practise thereof will make it so familiar unto us that we shall take pleasure and delight in it because we shall have God to put under his hand and assist us in the practise thereof because such vertue proceedeth from the death of Christ Rom. 6.6 that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne and we have him after a sort to draw in the yoke with us and because God powreth sweet and secret consolation into the hearts of such as resolve to turne to him whereby they find that peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding Another impediment is presumption of Gods mercy and a foolish and ungrounded perswasion that God will accept of them whensoever they returne to him True it is we have many precious promises of grace and mercy in holy Scripture Ezek. 18.32 33.11 Psal 103. 1 Tim. 2.4 But these men do abuse them and build upon a weake foundation they dreame of a God made all of mercy and forget his justice which is to set up an Idoll in their hearts they dwell so much upon the promises of the Gospell that they cast from them the curses of the law These are like to the Spider that gathereth poyson out of the sweetest flowers The goodnesse of God is published and Proclaimed so often for the comfort of the weake not for the encouragement of the wicked to raise up the penitent not to hearten or harden the obstinate it is bread for the Children to eate not for dogges to devoure To conclude Nah. 1.3 let us remember that as the Lord is slow to anger so he is great in power and wil not surely cleere the wicked The third impediment is contrary to the former and that is despaire of Gods mercy The former hoped too much this sort hopeth too little and both of them without cause This possessed the heart of Caine despairing of Gods goodnesse as if it were lesse than his sinnes Thus also Iudas perished who saw his sinne in the glasse of the Law but could not lay hold on Gods mercy and therefore died without hope Sathan hath two deceitfull glasses and brast asunder through despaire Thus doth Satan shew forth two false glasses to deceive the sight of sinners before sinne is committed he sheweth them his mercies greater than they are and his justice lesse than it is but after the committing thereof he maketh his mercies to appeare lesser and his justice greater than indeed it is But he is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lies trust him not beleeve him not the contrary to that which he speaketh is commonly true God hath mercy in store for all that doe repent from the bottome of their hearts Ezek. 18.21.22 and hath promised to put all their sinnes out of his remembrance To deny the infinitenesse of his mercy is to deny him to be God Remember the examples of old how he hath dealt with penitent sinners with Rahab the harlot with Manasses the King with Peter that denyed him with Paul that persecuted him with such as crucified the Son of God and delivered him into the hands of murtherers Luk. 7.38 with that woman which washed the feete of Christ with teares and wiped them with the haires of her head To conclude let us call to minde the description of the name and nature of God The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in truth Exod. 33.6.7 reserving mercy for thousands for giving iniquity transgression and sinnes The next impediment is the cares of this life and the deceitfulnesse of riches the pleasures of this world These are dangerous snares and baites of Satan wherewith he hunteth after the soules of men and catcheth them as fishes are with an hooke Luk. 14.17 Math. 13.22 Luk. 12.19 2 Tim. 4.10 and as corne is choked with thornes Luk. 8. For as full hands are able to hold and receive nothing no not the purest gold when they are
the punishment the sin would never trouble or torment them but thus Caine repented Gen. 4.13 who cryed out My punishment is greater then I can beare Besides what contrition or compunction of heart soever they may have it is but as a flash of lightning it is not constant it is not constant it is not joyned with an unfained desire to forsake sinne and to turne unto the Lord neither with any perswasion of Gods goodnesse and mercy in Christ Iesus To conclude we may be assured of true repentance and of our turning to God by these three infallible tokens first when we can say before the Lord How to be assured that our repentance and sorrow are true that there is no sinne but we doe as heartily desire never to commit it and as unfainedly crave of God to give us strength to leave and forsake it as we desire he would not plague and punish us for it Every man desireth to be freed and exempted from the punishment happy are we if we have as great a desire to be freed from the sinne Secondly when we as earnestly crave and covet to forsake sinne as we desire that God would forgive us our sinnes and not impute them unto us Lastly when we as truly hate sinne as we desire to be partakers of eternall Glory in the kingdome of heaven These are unfallible signes of true repentance and turning unto God which were never found in any wicked man in any age of the world neither indeed can be Secondly must all repent and amend their lives as the onely meanes and remedy which God hath appointed to turne backe his judgments then it is necessary for us to know what we are by nature or of our selues that we may learne what is our owne and what is not our owne For we shall never returne unto God untill we know how far we are turned from him neither come into the right way till we heare how farre we are gone out of it nor will we labour to reforme our lives untill we know how much we are deformed nor become wise in God untill we see our owne folly Math. 9.12 The whole saith Christ need not the Physition Rules touching tonuersion but they that are sicke Now that we may search throughly into our selues and make an Anatomy of our soules and plowgh up the ground of our hearts let us obserue these few rules following The first rule First every man that commeth of Adam and issueth out of his loines as all mankind doth is guilty of his sinne and disobedience in eating of the forbidden fruit And if we had no inherent sinne of our owne this imputed sinne of his were enough to condemne us for we even we our selues in his loynes did eate of the forbidden fruit we beleeved not God we hearkned to Satan we were seduced and deceived as well as he In this the proverbe holdeth true Ezek. 18.2 which is justly reproved in the Iewes The fathers have eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge This the Apostle teacheth at large Rom. 5. Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world death by sinne Now this sinne of Adam passeth to his posterity be two meanes by imputation and propagation The punishments which all men suffer do plainely argue that the sinne of Adam is imputed to us therefore he addeth in the next wordes Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned to wit in him But because this rule is not easily yeelded unto but we are ready to say with Nicodemus How can these things be Iohn 3. and with the Disciples that followed him This is an hard saying who can here it Iohn 6.60 We will propound and answer a few objections Ob. that may seeme to stand in the way contradict the former rule First it may be alleaged We were then unborne and lived many thousand yeares after him how then can his sinne be ours more then ours be his How then can we be guilty in that respect before God I answer Answ that the sinne of Adam was not onely personall neither did he sinne as a singular person but as carrying all mankind in the stocke and originall no otherwise then our Saviour satisfying for us on the crosse hath not satisfied for us as a private person but as sustaining and representing the whole Church in the head as 2 Cor. 5. If one died for all all likewise were dead 2 Cor. 5.15 Rom. 6.6.8 and Rom. 6. We are dead with Christ crucified with him If then we died in Christ dying and were likewise crucified with him who can doubt but it may be said that we sinned in Adam For if the righteousnesse and satisfaction of the second Adam be imputed to us why shall not the sin of the first Adam in like manner be imputed especially seeing the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us that the sin of Adam might not be imputed unto us And besides the sacred recordes of holy Scripture doth not this accord with good reason For inasmuch as Adam received good things not for himselfe alone as we do but for his posterity it is not to be marveiled at if being spoyled or rather spoyling himselfe of these good things he lost them for himselfe his posterity If a man be capitally punished for high treason against his Prince and forfeit his estate and be thereby brought to poverty his children also have their blood stained and loose their nobility Even as he that is borne of Parents infected with the Leprosie draweth from them like contagion so it is with such as are borne of Adam out of his loynes issueth a naturall deprauation and contagion So then we must consider that we are all Adams seed and posterity he was the common father of us all whatsoever he receiued it was for himselfe and his posterity and whatsoever gift he lost he lost them for himselfe and all his posterity Calu. justit lib. 2. cap. 1. as it is said that Levi payed tithes in Abraham albeit by his office he received tithes Heb. 7.9 Religion and the image of God in which he was created if he had stood fast in his estate had beene hereditary and entailed to his posterity as an inheritance to be conveied from the father to the children but when he fell from God Gen. 5.3 he is said to beget a sonne in his owne likenesse after his owne image not in the image of God This the Apostle toucheth in many places Rom. Rom. 1.14.15 16.17.18.19 5. Death riegned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And againe Through the offence of one many be dead And againe The judgment was by one to condemnation And againe by one mans offence death reigned by one And againe By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation And againe by one mans disobedience many were made sinners
1 Cor. 15.55 all things fall out alike to the godly and ungodly to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath so that no man knoweth love or hatred by these outward things yet the venome and poyson is pulled out from these Scorpions so that albeit they may hisse at us yet they shall never hurt us Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Death is of it selfe the wages of sinne Gen. 2. Rom. 6. It came into the world by sinne and is the last enemy that shall bee subdued howbeit it hath already received his deaths-wound and the nature of it is quite changed to the godly Indeed death remaineth as a cup that all must taste off but behold the difference to the ungodly it is the reward of sinne the suburbs of hell the separation of the soule from God and the guide that conducteth them into everlasting torments To the godly it is no punishment of sinne but the abolishing of sinne the path and passage to a better life the haven of our rest the end of all our labours and the way by which we must come into the presence of Christ He is become the death of death so that they are bold in him to looke death in the face because they looke beyond death For he that will not feare it must cast his eye further then it as they feared not the fiery Serpents that lifted up their eyes to the brazen Serpent Thirdly if any meanes to uphold their life be wanting the Lord doth strengthen arme those that are his with patience contentednesse and inward comfort and consolation that he maketh them able to beare them he layeth heavy burdens upon them yet he supporteth theÌ„ with his hand that they sinke not under the waight thereof Albeit famine doe pinch and presse hard upon their bodies hee feedeth their soules with the precious food of his Word to eternall life and they are ready to answer with their Lord and Master Ioh. 4.32 I have meant to eate Iohn 4 32. that yee know not of Albeit they be vexed with warre yet he giveth them peace of conscience that passeth all understanding even peace with himselfe which the world cannot take away from them Albeit they fall into times of perils and dangers yet are they made to dwell in the secret place of the most high Psal 91.1 and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91.1 The name of the Lord is a most strong tower and place of refuge the righteous flie unto it and are preserved Albeit they be sometimes enforced to endure nakednesse yet even then hee clotheth them with the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse Psal 45.8 all whose graces smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia whereby they are more adorned then with all the silver and gold in the world Lastly if he take away this temporall life he recompenseth the losse thereof with eternall life and happinesse We learne from hence first of all Vse 1 what need we have all of us of faith to lay hold on the promises of God made in Christ Iesus to such as are in him and have him dwelling in them For what is there can drive us out of this feare 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 but faith Indeed godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come Of this life with condition so far as it shall be good for us of the life to come without any condition This godlinesse is great gaine nay the greatest of all other But what of all this if wee have not the hand of faith to receive them Offer meat never so much to the hungry soule yet if the hand be closed and the mouth stopped hee can receive nothing Powre water upon a Vessell all the day long it remaineth empty if the entrance thereof bee shut up so let us heare of the promises of God to sustaine us in times of famine want losse and necâ—ssity yet it is all one as if you spake to a dead man except wee have faith to quicken us and to put life into the soule For as the Apostle concludeth from the suffring of the Saints Hebr. 10.34 who endured with ioy the spoyling of their goods knowing they had a better inheritance reserved for them in the Heavens that we have all need of patience that after we have done the will of God wee may receive the promise Hebr. 10. So from this consideration that wee are ready every foot to faint and to feare want and beggery or else this dehortation were vaine and needlesse we are to gather that we may not cast away our confidence in God which hath great recompence of reward The just shall live by faith Hebr. 11.1 which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Take heed therefore and beware of infidelity For as covetousnesse is the root of all evill 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6.10 so is infidelity the root of covetousnesse What is the cause that we feare the lacking of earthly things which the greatest sort doe more feare then the lacke or losse or lessening of the feeding of the love and favour of God Doubtlesse this is nothing but the want of faith Let them lose but a trifle or the least pinne and profit that commeth to the purse what crying and complaining have wee how much adoe have wee to perswade them to bee contented to bee resolved to submit themselves to the pleasure of Almighty God and to beleeve that hee is able to give them more then that All the armor and furniture that wee can bring out of the Store-house of the Scripture is too little to settle their unbeleeving hearts upon the promises of God But these men can bee content without any scruple or touch of conscience to absent themselves from the house of God to lose many Sermons and much wholesome doctrine which is according to godlinesse many exhortations many instructions many comforts nay they may apparently feele their decaying and declining in knowledge in faith and in obedience yet it troubleth them no more then it did that prophane Esau Gen. 25.34 who when hee had sold his birth-right contemned and despised it The true cause of our carnall and corrupt feare is this want of a true lively faith when we dare not believe him that hath promised who yet is able to performe and is not as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should deceive Hence proceedeth feare of the losse of life and living that we are afraid to commit our state and standing to the safe garding of God as manifestly appeareth by the contrary Psal 27.1 2. Psal 27. The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host shall encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against mee in this will I
desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat If then we finde and feele these assaults these tentations these buffettings it is a plaine proofe that we have received faith which maketh the Devill so earnest and diligent to interrupt us and intercept us Secondly if we have faith applying the promises it will purge the heart and mortifie the corruptions thereof the death of Christ crucifieth the flesh and all worldly lusts our best beloved sinnes our dearest sinnes and most desired and those whereunto we are most enclined and wherewith wee are most infected as most consonant and agreeable to our corrupt natures This is one infallible token that we are true beleevers and this rule is taken out of the words of Peter Acts 15.9 Gal. 5.6 Hee put no difference betweene Jewes and Gentiles purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. which worketh by love Gal. 5. Thirdly Christ giveth himselfe to the beleever so that his holinesse belongeth to him Never any husband could endow his wife with such a dowry to say as Christ Iesus doth Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth them to me for ever in righteousnesse in faithfulnesse in judgement in loving kindnesse and in mercy Thus they are married to him in holinesse and they become to be the members of Christ for Christ cannot be the head of a polluted body or of defiled members As from a corrupt head proceed corrupt things to the members so from a pure and holy head which is Christ must necessarily proceed holinesse to all those that are his members The Vine cannot but communicate of his juyce or sappe to the branches There was never any that did truely apply Christ but Christ truely applyed himselfe to him againe neither was there ever any that embraced him but he likewise by and by tooke hold of him His left hand is under his head Cant. 2.6 8.3 and his right hand doth embrace him The beleever applieth Christ and Christ holdeth the beleever so that as the beleever saith I am Christs and Christ is mine so on the other side Christ saith I am the beleevers and the beleever is mine This application is mutuall and mysticall there is a double worke in it one is of the beleever the other of Christ A man layeth hold upon a staffe that he carrieth in his hand to stay himselfe up from falling but the staffe cannot lay hold upon him againe Or a man claspeth and embraceth the tree with both his armes but the tree cannot embrace him againe but it is not so betweene Christ and the true beleever we hold him fast but he holdeth us faster and giveth unto us of his holinesse even grace for grace even as the childe holdeth the Father fast that leadeth him howbeit the father holdeth him faster and stayeth him up from falling away from him otherwise he were every foot in danger True it is we cannot say that all our blacknesse of sinne is quite gone and removed but that we have still many spots and wrinkles wee have not yet received perfect holinesse from him The Moone receiveth all her light from the Sunne yet is not her body without some spots so it is with us though we be blacke Cant 1.5 yet he accepteth us as comely Lastly we have the true faith if we hold fast the promises and cleave close to him even then when he seemeth to frowne upon us and to be angry with us to hide his face from us and to with-hold his loving countenance as the Sunne that is hid in a cloud out of our sight We must rest upon him in time of affliction We must see hope through despaire and Heaven through Hell we must behold his mercy through his indignation yea life through death and salvation through damnation Iob 13.15 as it was with Job Though he slay me yet will I trust in him though he hide his face for a time frō us yet the bright beames of faith will shine thorow the thickest fogs and mists that arise in us Thus we may by these notes prove our faith and try the truth thereof But if these be not in us but the contrary we cannot assure our selves that we are yet come to a true faith For first of all if we live in quiet and at rest at peace and ease all our dayes without any feares doubtings wrastlings bruisings buffettings and assaults of Satan we have cause to feare we have a false faith This rule is grounded upon the Words of Christ Luke 11.21 Luke 11. When a strong man armed keepeth the Palace his goods are in peace If Satan never assault us to pull downe the buttresse and fortresse of our faith wee are at peace and league with him and hee with us and we have just cause to suspect our selves True it is there may be many doubts and tentations and yet no faith but there can be no faith where are no doubtings or tentations at all If we have faith Wheresoever there is true faith there will be doubts and tentations there will arise doubts yea albeit we have a great and a strong faith for it is not so strong but That strong man armed will try the strength thereof and so much the rather because it is ever mingled with some infidelity Such then as can cry out What a doubt touching my salvation Out upon it O it is a great sinne once to make a doubt I thanke God I never doubted any whit of my salvation since I can remember neither yet of Christ to bee mine I doubt not to pronounce of all such without any doubting at all they never knew what faith meaneth it is an evident demonstration of great and grosse infidelity Againe if sinne be living in us that there be no mortification at all 2 Cor. 7.1 no cleansing of our selves from the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit we can have no true faith It is open impiety to imagine that the death of Christ truely applied to any soule should not bee of force to kill sinne in it and therefore it is great folly to say We can rightly apply Christ and the promises of the Gospell Col. 3.3 4 5. and yet can shew never a sinne mortified in us No man is come to that height of sinne that he dareth either speake or thinke that there wanteth power in the death of Christ to kill sinne in us and therefore we must needs hold him for an unbeleever that talketh of particular application and yet hath sinne as a tyrant raigning in him Besides if Christ have not united us to himselfe in holinesse we are yet faithlesse men For he uniteth himselfe to none but he putteth holinesse in some measure into them This rule is expressed by the Apostle Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh 2 Cor. 4.17 with the affections and lusts and are become new creatures Lastly if we rely upon God and upon his love and favour no longer then
beleeve and be saved seeing they are not capable of this hearing through weakenesse of nature or if they heare they cannot understand which is all one as not to heare at all Answer I answer the doctrine is to be understood of such as are of yeares of discretion as also other precepts are to be taken 2 Thess 3.10 Math. 24.15 We must therefore answere this Objection as the former For deafe men and children are in this point alike God supplying their wantes so that all of them that are elect are taught inwardly and engraffed into Christ for salvation effectually as it is said of Iohn the Baptist He shall be filled with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe Luk. 1.15 and thus as the Spirit supplieth the want of Baptisme in like maner it doth the want of faith But cannot God save without preaching Object 3 or must all heare Sermons that will be saved Can he not save them that heare seldome or neuer as well as those that doe heare often What say you of them that have not the word Answ I answere we speake not of the power of God what he can doe but of his will what he promiseth and purposeth to do We doe not deny but he can save without the preaching of the word yea without the word but when he sendeth the ordinary meanes it is great folly to reason what he can do for then he tieth us to the word and we may be wel assured he will save us no otherwise He can preserue life without meat as we see in Moses and Elias but when we have plenty of foode at hand and yet refuse to eate we tempt God and shorten our daies and must needes perish without using the meanes As he fed Israel with Manna in the wildernesse where they had neither seed time nor haruest But when once they came into the land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and honey Iosh 5.12 then the Manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corne of the land neither had they it any more but they did eate of the fruit of the land of Canaan So in the times of the ruines of the Church and desolations of Sion when the word is precious hee giveth it food which the world knoweth not of and feedeth as it were with hidden Manna and setteth up a light in their hearts to guide their pathes in the way of peace as it were in the darkenesse of the world but when he hath sent a plentifull haruest and labourers to gather in the corne and when he hath set up a candle upon the candlesticke to give light to all that are in the house woe unto them that despise the provision he hath provided for them and shut their eyes in the cleere light of the Gospell and so sit in the shadow of death these doe no better than murther their owne soules For they tempt God who have the word and will not heare it and make a needlesse triall of his absolute power what in himselfe he is able to doe God could have taught the Eunuch without the ministery of Philip Act. 8.26 and 10.4.5 as he could have instructed Cornelius by the Angel that appeared unto him but the Angel directed him to Peter to teach us that it is his Ordinance we should submit our selues unto it if we would attaine to saluation for that is the wisedome of God unlesse we account our selues wiser than God and know a nearer way to the kingdome of heaven than he hath shewed us But let such as follow their owne way take heede they neuer come there and so in the end while they professe themselues wise prove themselues to be starke fooles Vse Vse 1 1. This reproueth sundry sortes First of all the Recusants among us and the Popish rabble of that Antichristian generation which stoppe their eares like the Adder Psal 58.5 and will not hearken to the voice of Charmers charming never so wisely and withdraw themselues from our Church-assemblies and so forsake their owne mercy To these we may joyne the cursed crue of damnable Atheists who binde themselues in a league of infidelity and barre themselues of the meanes of faith and saluation let them feare least one day they roare in hell where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and their Elysian fields proue hellish flames This is Gods deepe iudgement upon them to revenge the contempt of his holy word and for this cause he sendeth them strong delusions that they should beleeue a lie 2 Thes 2.11.12 that they all might be damned who beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Both those sortes refuse to ioyne with us in the seruice of God in the word in praiers and in the Sacraments Such may be compelled by the magistrate to the exercises of religion Recusansie and rebellion came in together And the rather because Recusancy came in with treachery and Rebellion For untill treason beganne to be plotted called to this day the rebellion in the North and the Bul of Pius Quintus was published recusancy was not practised nor the name heard of but as they began together so they have growne up and continued together and I am perswaded so long as the one remaineth the other will not be forgotten This is the sottishnes that is found in that Synagogue which hath euermore hatched rebellion in her bosome and shewed her selfe an enimy to princes and their Scepters Hence it is that ignorance is made the mother of devotion Hence it is that Images are made lay-mens bookes But God hath appointed his Church to be instructed in the faith not by looking upon an image Non oculus spectaculo sed animus verbâ— pascenduâ— est Lactant. but by hearing his own ordinance not by feeding the eye with Pictures but the heart with the Preaching of his word Secondly it condemneth the corrupt practise of the Separation who deny to our Church the name of a true Church and Ministers thereof to be lawfull Ministers and as they teach that our Church is false and Antichristian so they charge us to be false Idolatrous and Antichristian ministers no better than the Priestes of Baal These are they that under colour of zeale are revolted from us which say stand by thy selfe come not neere to me Esay 65.5 for I am holâ—eâ— than thou But I would aske the Question of them In what Church they had faith wrought in them and by what Ministers as it were by spirituall fathers they were begotten againe to a lively hope of the heavenly inheritance If there be any faith or grace in any of them as I trust there is in many of them howsoever they iudge uncharitably of us where had they it or how obtained they it but by the Ministery of the Church of England So that we are a true Church and have true ministers even our enimies being iudges I may therefore demand of these as our Saviour did of
the Lord will both we shall live and doe this or that But on the other side it should hasten and further our repentance and cause us to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God as the Ninivites did who hearing their end was neere at hand they proclaimed a fast they put on sack-cloth they cryed unto God from the greatest of them to the least of them And who knoweth how nigh at hand our time may be are not many gone and swept away that seemed before as safe as we The Sodomites thought themselves as free from judgement and as farre from their end as we doe Gen. 19.23.24 the Sunne shined upon them they promised to themselves a faire day but before night they suffered a perpetuall night and darknesse of death they were destroyed with fire and brimst one from heaven So it was with the Egyptians they went quietly to bed and slept soundly but it came to passe at midnight Exod. 12.29 the Lord smote all the first-borne in the land of Egypt c. The like I might say of Belshazzar Dan. 5. and of Anarias and Sapphira Act. 5. Now is the time of our acceptance of turning and changing after death there is no change at all Thirdly learne to content our selves with every estate and condition whatsoever shall befall us Our life is vaine and suddainly gone we have a short journey to make Cicer. de Senectute and therefore the lesse provision will serve our turne It is great folly for a man that hath a short way to goe and a little iourney to take to carry greater provision with him for it A little will serve to bring us to our iournies end 1 Tim. 6.7 Heb. 13.5 Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6. We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment let us be therewith content Lastly let us be wise to number our dayes and to measure out the length of our time that we may know how fraile we are There is a great art and skill required to doe this aright few have learned this knowledge Hence it is that the Prophet himselfe turneth himselfe to God to be instructed of him as one that was not able of himselfe to conceive it without such a master Lord teach me Psal 39.4 90.12 Lord make me to know mine end c. This is the best art of numbering and skill of mensuration It is a vaine thing to be able to measure our land and to number our sheepe and other cattell and yet have no knowledge how to number our dayes The numbring of our dayes aright hath many branches A man may seeke the register and know his age and not number his dayes but suffer whole yeares to passe over his head and the greatest part of all his life without heavenly wisedome This point hath many branches first account the present time and day to be as the last and so live as if every day we should die that we may prepare our selves for the day of our dissolution Luc. 12.10 when we must go hence be no more not as the rich man that numbred falsely and deceived himselfe in his accounts Thou hast much laid up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry and therefore is worthily called a foole for his labour There can be no worse deceit then when a man deceiveth himselfe in his reckonings Secondly we number our daies when we looke backe and remember the miserie into which sinne hath brought our nature Gen. 2. Must not that needs be bitter which hath brought forth such bitter fruit Gen. 3.17.18 the ground was cursed to bring forth thornes and thistles but man bringeth forth more sowre and unsavery fruits of ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse and hath pulled down that goodly building which God had set up that only a little rubbage therof remaineth An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit so man drinketh iniquity as water and cannot bring that which is cleane from the fountaine that is uncleane Thirdly we learne thereby to dy daily 1 Cor. 15.31 This the Apostle practised 1 Cor. 15. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dy daily We must exercise and enure our selves in dying by little and little so long as we live here upon earth before we come tody indeed and then I doubt not but we shall depart hence in peace dye well in the end Every afflictiō is a preparation to death and a putting of us in minde of our dissolution For he died daily not onely because he was often in danger of death that there was often but a steppe betweene death and him but because in all his troubles and dangers he made himselfe ready not knowing when God might call him He that will inable himselfe to beare the crosse of all crosses I meane death Iob. 18.24 called the King of terrours must first of all learne to beare smaller lesser crosses patiently and meekly as sicknesse of body trouble of minde anguivh of conscience losse of goods greatnesse of paines death of friends burdens of poverty lacking of maintenance crosses in our affaires and many such like which are as the harbingers or messengers of death making the way before it Learne we therefore to entertaine them and make good use of them that when death the end of all commeth indeed to cut off our dayes as the sickle reapeth downe the corne that is ripe and ready to be carried into the barne we may looke it in the face bid it welcome and prepare to meete it halfe way O how bitter and distastfull is death to them that live in the pleasures of sinne and how sweet to the distressed Fourthly labour to take away the power and sting and strength of death It is as a Scropion that carrieth poison in the taile of it and therefore we must deale with it as they doe with a venimous beast pull out the sting of it then it cannot hurt What is that may some say 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle as the strength of sinne is the law Or let us deale with it as the Philistines dealt with Sampson they never rested but laboured day and night to know wherein his strength lay Iudg. 16.5 that they might weaken him and make him like to one of them So ought we to doe If any aske wherin lyeth the strength of death that it beateth downe so many to the ground nay throweth and thrusteth them headlong downe to hell I answer it lyeth altogether in our sinnes and therefore we must labour earnestly to take away the strength of them by repentance from dead workes and faith in Christ Iesus So many sinnes as we maintaine and cherish in our selves so many stings of death be in us the least whereof is able to wound our soules to eternall death The venime of
these sticketh deeply in us it must be the labour of our whole life to pull it out Fiftly whatsoever a man would do when he is dying and departing out of this world let him doe the same every day while he is living and what he would doe when he sicke let him doe it while he is in health The most wicked Exod. 8.8 1 King 13.4 when he is dying will pray and desire others to pray for him So I haraoh did in his troubles so did Ieroboam that made Israel to sin when his hand was withered and dried up that he could not pull it into him againe Sixtly he that would live when he is dead must die while he is alive namely to his sinnes If we would die the death of the righteous we must have the conversation of the righteous otherwise it shall goe no better with us then it went with Balaam Num. 23.10 he would have his soule dy the death of the righteous but he would not live the life of the righteous A profitable meditation in these dangerous times we know not how soone we may be called to give an account of our stewardship Lastly let us begin our eternall life here upon earth Phil. 3.20 and even now have our conversation in heaven Col. 1.13 and seeke those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God So the Apostle describing the estate of the faithfull saith God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse Col. 3.1 and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne It behoveth us therefore to be watchfull and in a readinesse like the wise Virgins against the comming of the bridegroome lest we be taken unawares and swept away from his presence as the chaffe which the winde driveth away To this purpose Christ exhorteth Mar. Mar. 13.35.36 13. upon this ground to watch pray to take heed lest he comming suddainly to us or calling us suddainly to come to him doe find us sleeping Of that houre and that day knoweth no man no not the Angels that are in heaven neither the Sonne but the Father onely take ye heed therefore watch and pray for ye know not the time when the master of the house commeth at even or at midnight or at the cocke crowing or in the morning lest comming suddainly he find you sleeping and what I say unto you I say unto all watch thus heteaceh thus to apply generall commandements particularly to our selves and this was never more necessary then in these present daies of affliction Whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices Doct. The vvicked are by nature cruell and bloody See here the violent practise of Pilate behold a matter of great impiety without having respect to persons to time place or action whereabout they went that offered sacrifice He was the governour and judge in Iudea he should have preserved peace and prohibited others from such outrage This teacheth us that wicked and ungodly men are bloody and cruel without mercy or naturall affection See this at large Amos 1. Amos. 1.3 Obad. ver 12.13 describing the enemies of the Church They have threshed Gilead that is the inhabitants of Gilead with threshing instruments of iron they pursued their brethren with the sword and cast off all pitty they have ript up women with child c. This is to be noted in the Edomites against their brother Iacob they rejoyced in the day of his destruction and laid hands on his substance in the day of his calamitie and stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape c. Behold the truth of this farther confirmed in the examples of Caine of Nimrod of Esau of Pharaoh of Saul of Hazael of Agag of Herod of infinite others whose tender mercies have beene terrible cruelties as Salomon speaketh Pro. 12.10 The reasons are evident for first who ruleth in them Reason 1 and who carrieth them with might and maine and hath the sway and swing of their whole life Doubtlesse they are led by the spirit of Satan Ioh. 8.44 who was a murtherer from the beginning 1 Pet. 5.8 and the great Dragon that persecuted the woman that brought forth the man-child the roring Lyon that walketh after his prey and seeketh whom he may devoure For that which is said of Caine is true of all the company of the ungodly he was of that wicked one and slew his brother because his owne workes were evill and his brothers good This our Saviour also teacheth Revel 2. Behold the devill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried not that Satan was incarnate and become a layler in his owne person but he understandeth the instruments of the devill such as obeyed him as the servant his master Secondly by the names given to them in holy Scripture we may see and judge of their natures For they have the names of such beastes given unto them as are given to spoiling and ravening as Lyons Beares Bulls Dogs Leopards Psal 22.12.13.16 Wolves such like of which the Scripture is full in every place that we should not be ignorant of them This serveth to reprove all such as are guilty of violence and cruelty Vse 1 Severall sorts of cruelty of oppression and unmercifulnesse toward others and hereof there are sundry sorts and herein we may offend sundry waies First when we goe beyond the bounds of justice For extremity of justice is injustice or a kind of cruelty so that we offend by exercising heinous tyranny in inflicting punishment even against offenders and malefactours If too much mercy be a kinde of cruelty much more over much rigour of justice There is mercy to be shewed in justice there is justice to be shewed in mercy In the law of Moses the Iudge is charged to iustifie the righteous and to condemne the wicked and if he be worthy to be beaten he shall receive according to his fault Deut. 25.3 fortiâ— stripes he may give him and not excâ—ed So then these are to be punished but not with cruelâ—y Secondly by fighting and quarelling beating or maiming our neighbour in his body reprooved by Moses Levit. 24. Levit. 24.19.20 if a man cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it be done to him c. as he hath caused a blemish in a man so shal it be done to him againe True it is many carnall men of this world know no other valour or vertue then hurting laming quarelling and desire of revenge which breath forth cruelty are often times the forerunners of bloody murther Such as have neither hand nor heart to fight against the enemies of their soules and against spirituall wickednesse in high places to fight the battels of the Lord against sinne Satan and the world but are ready as cowards and dastards to yeeld unto them the field yet are never well but when they are
fighting and quarreling chalenging and provoking others contrary to the earnest persuasion of the Apostle As the elect of God Col. 3.13 holy and beloved put on tender mercy and kindnesse hum blenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and for giving one another if any man have a quarell to an other even as Christ forgave you even so doe ye And doubtlesse if the spirit of the Lord were in us and we had any feeling of his love in sparing and forgiving us we could not but expresse the power thereof and the spirit of meeknesse would mortifie in us more and more this thirst after revenge and we would learne of our Saviour Math. 11.29 who hath said I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souleâ— Thirdly to procure any way the death of others and the shortning of their dayes What cruelty is shewed in infectious times This may be done many wayes either by the sword or by famine or by false accusations and such like But not to speake of all these meanes it is done in these infectious times when the pestilence walketh in darknesse destruction wasteth at noone day three wayes especially by such as restraine them by such as are restrained and by such as are appointed to attend them that are restrained First they offend that restraine them but doe not relieve them that are very carefull to shut them up and then shut up their compassion from them and their farther care of them like those that bind a man hand and foot and then beate him This is extreme cruelty that a naturall man would not shew to his bruit beast If a carnall man have any of his cattell sicke and he shut them up he will use all meanes to recover them and ought we not much more to supply the wants of our poore brethren made after the jmage of God and for whom Christ Iesus died shall we adde affliction to them that are afflicted and make the heavy burden they beare more heavy and cause them to breake out into unlawfull and ungodly courses which may not be warranted Secondly when such as are infected goe about to infect others These are unruly persons the very sons of Belial that breake all lawes of God and man that cry out shall we be restrained cooped up as it were imprisoned like malefactors we will breake their bands and cast away their cordes from us We will have our liberty and who shall hinder us we will have what we list or else we will make those rich grubbers repent it These are impatient under the hand of God and will not stoope downe at his correction but as refractary beasts lift up the heele against him whereas they should consider that it is God which restraineth them and not man Hence it is that the Lepers in the law were shut up Levit. 13.46 and dwelt apart by themselves as Levit. 13. All the dayes wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled 2 Chro. 26.21 he is uncleane he shall dwell alone without the campe shall his habitation be yea even Kings and Princes dwelt in sever all houses and were cut off from the house of the Lord. This rule holdeth by proportion in contagious diseases Therefore when God visiteth us and striketh us we must not strike others and when we are infected we must not infect others for then we make our selves guilty of blood in Gods sight Be it that we may goe away scotfree and not be accounted as murtherers in the courts of men yet we shall be arriagned as guilty in the high court of heaven and albeit the lawes of men should not take hold upon us yet the law of God will find us out wherein we are commanded to preserve life and therefore much more forbidden to shorten the dayes of any bring them to an untimely death This is an heinous crime and horrible cruelty and bringeth a blot upon our own soules True it is we may hurt their bodieâ— but we hurt our own soules wound our consciences more then we can annoy others and we may carry the plague into their bodies but we admit a greater plague into our owne soules Thirdly when such as are appointed or hired to looke to such as are infected doe not only shew no mercy but rather cruelty and rather regard to enrich themselves then recover the diseased The properties required in Church-widdowes that were to attend the sicke and the poore ought to be found in these that they be such as be well reported of for good workes and have relieved the afflicted washed the Saints feete and have diligently followed every good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 This is a glasse wherein such should behold themselves and their office that are called to looke to others in their extremity to exhort to counsell and comfort them to support them to feed them that are not able to helpe themselves An other branch of cruelty is by using any of the creatures of God hardly This doth Salomon reprove Pro. 12.10 a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast how much more ought he of his servant though he be never so meane poore or simple In the institution of the Sabbath the Lord had regard and reference to the servant Deut. 5. Deut. 5.14.25 That thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt c. And wherefore did the God of all mercies forbid in the law to kill the damme when they had taken her young ones away Deut. 22.6 but that he would have it known that he alloweth cruelty wrong to be offered no not so much as to the seeliest birds or beastes It is true that the mercies of the wicked are cruel and it is true that many wicked men regard the liues of their beasts and provide plenty of fodder for them but wherefore doubtlesse it is not simply in mercy and love to the creature but in love to themselves covetousnesse and desire of their owne gaine either that they may doe them the more worke or carry them the better on their backes or live the longer to doe them service or be more sailable to yeeld them mony and not to obey God therein that made them The mercies of the wicked how they are cruell True it is the wickedst man will pretend mercy but their mercy pretended is cruelty extended for first they are or would seeme to be very carefull that their people and families should have their recreation and refreshing their liberty from their labour and times for their sports and delights yea they pretend necessity and plead their cause that they must have it What say they would you not have them take any pleasure what nothing but droyling and moyling and never be at rest But when shall this be if at any time I warrant you upon the Lords day
to repentance to bring forth good fruit They shal have God himselfe to helpe strengthen and assist them to cause them goe through with that worke If any aske what is the way and what be the meanes to attaine unto it and to lead us by the hand to enter into that course I answer First to account no sinne in it owne nature light or small This is that withholdeth us from repentance and draweth iniquity with cords of vanity Esay 5.18 and sinne as it were with a cart-rope to suppose it to be a slight thing that we may doe a little that we neede not be so precise to sticke at a little like the sluggard that giveth way to a little sleepe a little slumber Pro. 6.10 a little folding of the hands to sleepe but we must assure our selves that though there be difference betweene sinne yet all finne is heinous none to be accounted little Rom. 6.23 as Rom. 6. the wages of all sinne is death Secondly to avoyde all occasions and allurements that may draw and entise us to sinne as we are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of evill and Iude saith Others save with feare 2 Thess 5.22 Iude vers 23. pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh Thirdly to accustome our selves to subdue the smaller and lesser sinnes that at the last we may subdue and overcome the greater like a captaine who to hearten encourage his souldiers bringeth them where the weakest enemies are encamped Fourthly to oppose the law the curse the last judgment and such like against all sinne whatsoever and therefore Salomon saith Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Lastly to remember that the least sinne cost the blood of Christ our Saviour to make satisfaction and brought him from the bosome of his father to take our nature upon him and in that nature to dye for us Psal 49.7.8 No man can by any meanes redeeme his brother neither give to God a ransome for him so precious is the redemption of the Soule And if not then after that thou shalt c. This latter clause of the sentence is defective in the former part as the former was in the latter part The meaning is if this fig-tree will not bring forth fruit that is of repentance after all the labour of digging and dunging bestowed upon it after this thou shalt cut it downe Doct. This teacheth that all trees which are in the Vineyard are not fruitfull trees All that are in the Church are not true members of the true Church neither are all which are in the Church members of the Church but many hypocrites in it as there are evill humours in the body which are no parts of the body So it was in the house of Abraham so it was in the house of Isaac for all are not Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6.7 2.28 neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called So there is a Iew which is one outwardly and there is a Iew which is one inwardly as there is a circumcision which is in the flesh and a circumcision of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God This will farther appeare by the title given to the Reason 1 visible Church It is the garden of God in a garden all are not good and wholsome herbes and on the tree all is not fruit but some leaves The Church is the floore where in is both corne and chaffe Mat. 3.12 13.24.47 the field wherein groweth both wheat and tares the net that catcheth all sorts of fishes both good and bad the pasture where in feed both sheepe goates some are sheepe in shew and semblance that inwardly are ravening wolues in sheepes clothing others are sheepe indeed and in truth some by outward calling and profession and in the eye of the Church others by grace and inward regeneration and in the eye of God Secondly all that be within the Church be not the elect of God Math. 20.16 therefore all cannot be beleevers for many are called but few are chosen It is the house of God in a great a great house 2 Tim. 2.30 there are not onely vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour Thirdly it is compared to the Arke of Noah wherein as there were both cleane beasts and uncleane and men cleane and uncleane So all that are in Church are not by and of the Church 1 Ioh. 2.19 as 1 Iohn 2. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us c. This serveth for reproofe Vse 1 and that of sundry sorts First it confuteth them that hold the godly alone to be members of the visible Church whereas the barren fig-tree was planted in the vineyard as well as the other trees Secondly it reproveth such as forsake the visible Church for the wickednesse of them that live in it and doe in that respect condemne it for no Church Thirdly it convinceth such as dreame of perfection in the Church The floore cannot be throughly purged in this life that there should be nothing but wheat in the Church of God the servant cannot plucke up all the tares in this life Math. 13.28.29 lest while they gather up the tares they root up also the good seed with them This serveth to pull up by the rootes the dotage of the Anabaptists and familie of Loue for never was there such a Church in this life as they dreame off neither shall there be hereafter Secondly see here the difference betweene the Church in this life and that in the life to come betweene the Church militant triumphant For here the Church complaineth that it is blacke both in regard of the affliction and infirmities therof in this life albeit it be also comely Cant. 1.5 blacke in respect of it selfe but comely or lovely in respect of Christ But after this life all blacknesse and imperfections shall be done away when Christ Iesus shall present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 but that it should be holy without blemish No unrighteousnesse then shall enter therein Revel 21.27.4 neither any thing that is uncleane or any thing that defileth then God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away Lastly it exhorteth us never to give rest to our soules until we become the Israel of God true members of the visible Church because to such to none others the promises of
Professors of it And who are they Verily not onely such as are wise in their owne eyes but also such as cannot themselves give the meaning of one Precept of the Law or of one Petition of the Lords Prayer such as cannot render any account of their faith neither an answer to any that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them through want and contempt of knowledge yet have they knowledge enow to deride such as labour earnestly after knowledge Every base and deboshed fellow full of prophanenesse and impurity hath learned to upbraid such with purity that any way love Religion so that we may see with our eyes and heare with our eares such as are truly religious no lesse scoffed and scorned even at home among their owne brethren neighbours acquaintance and friends then if they lived among the very Savages It is well knowne to those that are but little conversant in History how the Christians are taunted and reviled that live among the Turkes and Sarazins for the Christian Religion and what an heavy burden they beare But is it much better thinke you with many poore Christian soules though they live among their owne people if they be any whit zealous in the Truth and will not runne riot with the multitude if they will not sweare commonly and be drunke for company if they will once fall to reprove sinne in others what is this reckoned but flat or ranke Puritanisme and such are no lesse hated and persecuted no lesse taunted and traduced then if they lived among the Infidels and Barbarians the Paganes and open professed enemies Nay I would this were all For Religion it selfe to set aside mens persons becommeth in very many places a very by-word and a matter of reproach True it is the Iewes sinned with an high hand against God they loved not the Oracles of God neither walked they worthy of his calling and chusing of them before other Nations and therefore worthily deserved to be forsaken of God who had first forsaken him howbeit they never proceeded to this top of sinne to make a mocke of their Religion it selfe they never scorned the Word of the ever-living God But we have learned to sticke at nothing wee are come thus farre to treade under our feete like Dogs and Swine the precious Iewell of the Gospell as if it were a curse rather then a blessing unto a Kingdom O how happy were it for these men that God would give them eyes to see these their sinnes and hearts to bewaile them betimes which now are hidden from them before the time of Iudgement come which doubtlesse cannot bee farre off from every one of them Thirdly let us all account that our happinesse standeth above not beneath in heaven not upon the earth in being partakers of the Kingdome and enjoying the blessed presence of God not in riches or abundance not in honour or worldly dignity Such as will have true comfort in this life must learne to looke beyond this life Heb. 11.27 that he may see him that is invisible as the Scripture speaketh of Moses Heb. 11. For albeit a man flow in wealth so much as heart can wish albeit he abound in honour and glory and estimation that the world esteeme him the onely happy man yet shall he finde in the middest of all sundry discontentments perplexities crosses and vexations and himselfe far from true happinesse so that he must not onely behold the things present and before his feete but must looke further then this life Hee that will not feare death the king of terrour Iob 18.14 as Job calleth it must looke beyond death and see the Land of Canaan before he come into it as Moses did from the mount Death is dreadfull and fearefull to the flesh when we see no more in it but the dissolution of the soule and body but if we have the eyes of faith to looke further and consider both from what evils it freeth us and to what good it bringeth us we have great comfort and consolation in it so that we may triumph over it So he that will have true and sound joy in this world must looke beyond it to the joyes of the World to come He that would have comfort in trouble must cast his eyes beyond trouble and looke up to this Kingdome which Christ Iesus promiseth in this place like the Mariner who being tossed in the Sea comforteth himselfe with the remembrance of the desired Haven where he would be Now this point to wit of esteeming our happinesse to consist in heaven hath many particular branches First we must long earnestly for it If the Saints account them blessed that dwell in the house of Prayer and of his worship how much more to dwell in the house of his glorious presence He that loveth the Kingdome of Heaven will long for it he that loveth it not longeth nor for it The Crowne of righteousnesse is laid vp for such as love the appearance of Christ For whiles we are at home in the body 2 Tim. 4.8 2 Cor. 5.2 we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. He that is from home longeth greatly to be at his house This body is but a poore cottage that must shortly be dissolved and laid downe our chiefe mansion and habitation is above in the heavens Secondly we must pray for this Kingdome of glory It is the meaning in part of the second Petition Thy Kingdome come For we pray therein not onely for the Kingdome of grace but for the Kingdome of glory also This is the prayer and request of all the Saints Come Lord Jesus Revel 22.20 1 Cor. 15.25 Heb. 1.13 Acts 2.35 The Kingdome is as yet come onely in part we see not all things put under his feete sinne and Satan are not yet subdued many oppositions are made against it have we not just cause therefore to crave both the enlarging of the territories and stretching the Curtaines thereof and likewise the finishing of these dayes of sinne Thirdly let us endure with joy all sorts of afflictions whereunto we are called and which it shall please God to lay upon us and to try us withall considering that they are no way comparable to the glory that shall be revealed to the sonnes of God We are all that will be the Disciples of Christ forewarned of troubles and afflictions that abide us and that we shall be hated for his Names sake howbeit the next life will make amends for all we shall have a super-abundant recompence for all our sufferings It is our Fathers pleasure to bestow upon us the Kingdome He that loseth his life for his sake shall finde it Fourthly let us rejoyce and comfort our selves daily in the expectation of our full and finall deliverance and Redemption at the last day Many defects and many sinnes doe yet hang about us many wants and workes of darknesse compasse us on every side all these together with the remnants of sorrowes shall quickly be