The end of it That we being deliuered c. Of these shall be spoken in order The beginning and fountaine of all is Gods visitation He hath visited There is a twofold visiting ascribed to God in Scripture One of displeasure In the day of my visitation I will visit their sinne vpon them t Exod. 32.34 The Lord commeth out of his place to visit the sinne of the inhabitants of the earth u Isay 26.21 The other is of mercy The Lord visited Sarah as he had said x Gen. 21.1 that is he performed the good which he had promised In this sense the day of ones conuersion is called the day of visitation y 1. Pet. 2.12 So then heere God hath visited that is he hath graciously and mercifully looked vpon his people he hath scene and beheld with a pitifull eie the miserie and bondage of his chosen and he is now as it were come amongst them to shew them kindnesse This visiting on Gods part hauing this signification and being heere put in the first ranke is the ground and spring of all which followeth The 2. Doctrine and it affoords vs this doctrine That the kindnesse and mercy and free grace of God is the beginning and the fountaine of all those good things which doe concerne eternall life Consider the place Manie things are heere spoken of Redemption of a Horne of saluation of a Couenant and oath of grace But whence proceed all these but from the sole mercie of God euen from his gracious disposition to visite his people Where visiting is there is presupposed a very wofull estate Visit now yonder cursed woman said Iehu of Iezebel meaning to respect her aboue her desert z 1. King 9.34 It is easie to shew out of the Scripture how the loue mercie and grace of God are noted as the beginning of those things which concerne saluation The Lord saith Moses to the old Israelites did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because ye were moe in number than any people but because the Lord loued you c. a Deut. 7.7.8 Now the people of Israel were a type of Gods people Canaan a type of heauen it was Gods free loue which moued him to bring them into Canaan it is his free grace for which hee vouchsafes to aduance vs to heauen When mention is made of the course and order of our saluation these and the like speeches stil come in So God loued the world b Ioh. 3.16 the good pleasure of his will c Eph. 1.5 freely by his grace d Rom. 3.24 not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie e Tit. 3.5 not that we loued God but that he loued vs f 1. Ioh. 4.10 who hath giuen vnto him first g Rom. 11.35 These speeches agree with the maner of speech heere vsed and doe shew plainly that there was nothing in man to mooue the Lord to reach out his arme of deliuerance all proceeded from the absolute and vndeserued freedome of his grace Manie things there were in man to prouoke God in his iustice finally to forsake him nothing which might induce him to shew the least degree of fauour Besides that this doth ouerthrow all Popish opinion of merit The Vse and which is the maine end of all sets out the grace and mercy of God to the full it serueth to quicken in vs that duty of thankfulnesse of which we heard before and which Zacharie did here performe A great blessing requireth great thanks but the freer the blessing is the greater should the thankfulnesse be All my fathers house sayd Mephibosheth to Dauid were but dead men before my Lord the King yet diddest thou set thy seruant among them which did eat at thine owne table h 2. Sa. 19.28 The lesse desert he found in himselfe the more deeply did hee hold himselfe bound vnto Dauid so that when we looke vpon the greatnesse of the blessing on the one side namely life eternall and a kingdom which can not be shaken and then the smalnesse of our owne desert on the other side who were but dead men before the Lord euen dead in trespasses and sinnes i Eph 2.1 we may well say with Dauid What shall wee render vnto the Lord k Psal 116.12 This must needs condemne our carnall mindednesse some things doe sometimes fall from vs by way of thankfulnesse for outward things as health peace seasonable weather and such like but the greatest blessing the chiefest fauor and to which of al other we can lay the least claime is scarsely once made mention of Blessed be God that hath visited vs when we were dead in sinne thanks be to God for his Sonne Christ Iesus How are we bound to his Maiestie who hath shewed vs this mercy to redeeme vs It is a rare thing to heare of such a speech It sheweth that we minde onely earthly things l Phil. 3.19 Corne and Wine a full basket and a ful barne these things wil affect vs but the Lords merciful visitation in his Son Christ in pulling vs out of the iawes of Sathan cannot mooue vs It is a fearefull signe euen that we are enthralled vnto Sathan and in the very bond of iniquitie m Act. 8.23 For did we feele and apprehend our owne desert to be eternally forsaken and the riches of Gods mercy in visiting vs with his saluation our spirits would be so rauished therewith that all other things would seeme vile and base in comparison of this one Thus much of the fountaine of this great worke which serueth notably to beate downe Merit and to stirre vp thankfulnesse The generall nature of the benefit is set downe in this word Redeemed To redeeme is as we know to buy out the very word in the common vsage of it presupposeth a bondage and captiuitie The 3. Doctrine Whereupon iust occasion is giuen vs to consider that miserable seruitude in which by nature we are all This seruitude is said to be vnder the power of darknesse n Col. 1.13 that is vnder the power of spirituall enemies which are three 1. Sinne. 2. Death 3. The Diuell Sinne maketh vs subiect vnto death for the wages of sinne is death o Rom. 6.23 Death brings vs into the full and absolute power of the diuell That we are naturally seruants to sinne it is plaine by the Apostles complaint I am carnall sold vnder sinne p Rom. 7.23 It is a true rule To whomsoeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are q Rom. 6.16 and whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne r Ioh. 8.35 Now it is apparent that naturally wee obey sinne in the lusts thereof and giue our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto it Å¿ Rom. 6.12.13 euery member hath his taske in the seruice of sinne as the Apostle sheweth t Rom. 3.13 c. and whereas
slaues and bondmen doe their seruices and base offices grudgingly and discontentedly we doe the businesse of sinne willingly readily and ioyfully Againe that wee are slaues to eternall death it cannot be denied For what was it which God said to Adam In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death u Gen. 2â— 7. Assoone as hee had sinned that sentence laid hold vpon him and death eternall became his portion Now lastly for bondage vnder Sathan the Apostle saith that so long as we are the children of disobedience x Eph. 2.2 he worketh in vs wee are in his snare and are taken of him at his will y 2. Tim 2.26 This is the common slauerie of all there is not the greatest nor noblest nor mightiest nor fairest nor wealthiest among the sonnes of men but he is in his naturall estate thus enthralled Let men boast neuer so much in outward respects as sometimes the Iewes did We were neuer bond to any z Ioh. 8.33 yet till the Sonne shall make them free a vers 36. this is their captiuitie We read of the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt there they were kept vnder with burdens and made weary of their liues by sore labour b Exod. 1.11.14 vnder the Philistims c 1. Sam. 13.19 vnder the Midianites d Iud. 6.3.4 vnder other nations e Psal 66.12.78.60.61 c. of the slauery of Samson bound with fetters and made to grinde f Iud. 16.21 like a horse These particulars were grieuous to be born but to this spirituall captiuitie they are nothing When basenesse and crueltie and spight are ioyned together in an oppressour how heauie must the yoke needs bee Now what baser thing than sinne what more cruell than death what fuller of venom than the diuell Who is able to describe the miserie of that bondage where there is such a concurrence of such a threefold extremitie This is our slauerie this is that from which we are redeemed from sinne vnto holinesse from death vnto life eternall from the power of Sathan into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For this purpose a Price g 1. Cor 6.20 was paid but of no common value for we were not redeemed with corruptible things h 1. Pet. 1.18 hee gaue himselfe a ransome i 1. Tim. 2.6 he tooke on him the forme of a seruant k Phil 2 7. to free vs from this eternall slauerie We may truely saie This was the Lords doing and I pray God it may be maruellous in our eies l Psal 118.23 The 1. Vse Here is first a good lecture of humilitie the best and the hardest lesson of all others the best because I may say of it as Iacob did of Bethel This is the gate of heauen m Gen. 28.17 the hardest because we are full of selfe-loue and there will be no small a doe to make vs low in our owne sight n 2 Sam. 6.22 and as nothing in our owne seeming Let vs in this word Redeemed as in a glasse behold what wee are and what iust matter we haue of humilitie and how little reason to be secure The very name of a seruant or bond-man or vassall were enough to put a man downe in his owne conceit but to be seruant to so base a thing as sinne to so hatefull a person as the diuell to so terrible a thing as eternall death I do not see how any man may be able to expresse it Whosoeuer therefore thou be who hast beene foolish in lifting vp thy selfe o Prou. 30 32. thinking better of thine own soules estate than there is cause henceforth lay thine hand vpon thy mouth learne to abhorre thy selfe in dust and ashes p Iob 42.6 remember that whatsoeuer opinion thou hast conceiued of thy selfe yet the verdict of the Scripture which is the voice of God is that thou art by nature a slaue vnder the power of darknesse Satan is the prince of darknesse thou art his subiect hell is the kingdome of darknesse and that is thine inheritance When thou considerest this smite thy brest with the Publican q Luk. 19.13 pray the Lord to humble thee that the glad tidings of saluation in Christ may be welcome to thee The 2. Vse Secondly heere is also a good lesson of obedience Ye are bought for a price therefore glorifie God c. r 1. Cor. 6.20 It is a very direct inference God hath redeemed vs freed vs from thraldome and from captiuitie what should we refuse to do for him euen by way of thankfulnesse Besides it is a matter of great equitie Ye are not your owne sayth the Apostle Å¿ vers 19. wee are not in our owne power his wee be who hath redeemed vs and wherefore hath he redeemed vs what that we should still serue sinne that we should follow the vaine conuersation of the world and bee led by the swaie of our owne hearts Surely no. But to be zealous of good wonks t Tit. 2.14 I say then with Paul How shall we who are thus redeemed and to this end redeemed liue yet in sinne u Rom. 6.2 Shall we liue to the dishonour of God to the shame of religion seruing our owne lusts and drowning our selues in the pleasures of sinne who haue receaued so great a deliuerance God forbid What shall we thinke of the vnthankfull Israelites who being mightily deliuered out of bondage yet cryed it had beene better for vs to serue the Egyptians x Exod. 14.12 We must needs say they were vnworthie of so great a blessing Take heed wee doe not make it our owne case God hath sent his Sonne to redeeme vs and to free vs from the thraldome of death of sinne and of Sathan We professe that we reioice in this yet when we be called vpon to shake off the yoke of sin to become the seruants of righteousnesse y Rom. 6.18 we seeme to say as those Israelites did Let vs be at rest we would be content to be freed from death the wages of sinne but the businesse of sinne we would rather than our life we might continue in Wee haue some corrupt humour or other that let the Lord say what hee will wee must needs giue satisfaction to Men would serue God and Mammon too z Luk. 16.13 God and their bellies too a Phil. 3 19. God and drunkennesse too God and whooredome too God and their pleasures too This is a poore religion this is a slender requitall for so great a benefit as redemption Those which are redeemed are redeemed from their vaine conuersation b 1. Pet. 1.18 If thou bee ensnared in the sensuall delight of thine owne sinnes I cannot see how it can bee said of thee that thou art one of Gods redeemed When a battle is ended can it bee said that such a one is ransomed from the enemie who still followeth his campe and willingly doth whatsoeuer
and walketh about seeking to deuoure a 1. Pet. 5.8 Another enemie is sinne a dangerous enemie lurking in our bosome and still labouring the ruine and ouerthrow of the soule It fighteth against the soule b 1. Pet. 2.11 and lusteth against the spirit c Gal 5.17 A third enemie is death so entitled by the Apostle d 1. Cor. 15.26 and is therefore said to haue a Sting e Verse 53. by which it wounds the soule and bringeth it within the compasse of eternall misery A fourth enemie is the world that is wicked vnregenerate godlesse men These be the enemies and haters of Gods people The world hateth you saith our Sauiour to such f Ioh. 15.19 and In the world you shall haue affliction g Ioh. 16.33 and Yee shall be hated of all nations for my names sake h Math. 24.9 Now let vs also see how true this is that Christ bringeth Deliuerance from these Enemies First for deliuerance from Sathan it is plaine For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the works of the diuell i 1. Ioh. 3.8 and God hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse k Col. 1.13 Christ hath spoiled the principalities and powers l Col. 2.15 Secondly for deliuerance from sinne the words are expresse The sting of death is sinne c. But thanks bee to God that hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ m 1. Cor. 15.56.57 Thirdly for deliuerance from death Death saith the Apostle is swallowed vp into victorie n 1. Cor. 15.54 Lastly touching deliuerance from the World Be of good comfort saith our Sauiour I haue ouercome the World o Ioh. 16.33 Let vs proceed yet further and enquire into the maner of this deliuerance Concerning which I will briefely open two things 1. The substance and ground of the deliuerance 2. The maner of declaring it The ground of the deliuerance is the merit of Christs death Hee was made sinne p 2. Cor. 5.21 and so died and in death encountred with him who had the power of death the diuell q Heb. 2.14 By being made sinne hee tooke away sinne by dying hee ouercame death sinne being abolished and death subdued the kingdome of the diuell was vtterly ouerthrowne As for the maner of declaring and manifesting this deliuerance it is either in this life or heereafter In this life he deliuereth from Satan by restraining his rage by limiting his malice by not giuing vs ouer to his assaults I haue praied that thy faith faile not r Luc. 22.32 He deliuereth from sinne by sanctifying vs by his spirit by killing the strength of our corruption by transforming vs more and more into the image of God Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you Å¿ Rom. 6.14 He deliuereth from death by taking away the naturall feare of it by assuring that it shall be a passage into glorie Thus Paul knew that being loosed he should be with Christ t Phil. 1.23 He deliuereth from the world by ordering the rage of euil men by giuing constancy to maintaine and professe the truth vnto the death To you it is giuen to suffer for his sake u Phil. 1.29 In the day of iudgement he will further manifest this deliuerance for then all teares shall be wiped away there shall be no more death c. x Reue. 21.3 The diuell with all his angels and wicked instruments shall bee sent away eternally into hell The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder our feete shortly y Rom. 16. Many things might heere be handled as of the Excellencie of our redemption farre exceeding that of Moses Deborah Gedeon and others of our securitie who hauing so many enemies yet take no thought to withstand them and such like points But the chiefe thing obseruable heere is The certainty of the saluation of Gods chosen The 4. Doctrine If any thing could endanger them and worke their ruine it must be one of these foure Sathan Sinne Death the World no fift can be thought vpon But none of these foure can The reason is It was Gods intent by Christ to deliuer them from all these Thinke wee that God did faile in the prosecuting his intent did he either not follow it or in following it did he not accomplish it Farre be it from vs so to thinke Hence commeth that boasting vsed by the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Who shall condemne Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ z Rom. 8.32.33.34 c. Sathans head broken sinne destroied death swallowed vp the world vanquished the happiest and most absolute victory that euer was This is a point of much comfort to all the godly The Vse Sathan rageth sinne striueth death looketh terrible the world opposeth it selfe fearefull are these things at the first beholding Looke we to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith a Heb. 12.2 the Prince of our saluation b Heb. 2.10 he hath to euery of these giuen their mortall wound and they shall neuer preuaile against any of his chosen This doctrine is health to the nauell and marrow to the bones c Pro. 3.8 Yet lest any should abuse it remember that one of the enemies is sinne and one of the deliuerances from sinne is from the dominion thereof A slaue to sinne a seruant to his owne lusts he which maketh a mocke of sinne d Pro. 14.9 he that taketh to himselfe the liberty of grosse euils such a one hath no right vnto this comfortable deliuerance his condemnation without speedy repentance is as sure as the saluation of the elect is certaine THE FIFTH SERMON VERS 72. That he might shew mercy towards our Fathers and remember his holy Couenant 73. And the oth which he sware to our Father Abraham NOw followeth the inducement or Reason moouing God to vouchsafe this great Deliuerance and that was the manifestation and discouerie of two things 1. His mercie That hee might shew mercy c. 2. His truth And remember his holy Couenant The 1. Doctrine c. In the former of these two things must bee handled 1. That the worke of Redemption by Christ was intended by God as it were a stage in which the Fulnesse and euen the riches of his mercy might be seene 2. A question how this worke now wrought as it were in the worlds last quarter might be said to be a worke of mercy to the Fathers who liued in the prime daies of the world long before Christ was exhibited in the flesh To manifest the first of these two this first is in generall to bee noted that the Elect of God which are redeemed by Christs precious blood are called Vessels of mercy e Rom. 9.23 because in the eternal counsel of God they were chosen to this end that the Lord might declare the riches of his glorie and that their saluation
then eternall life The second part of our naturall miserie is The 2. Doctrine The want of true comfort There is no peace to the wicked saith God f Isay 57.21 The conscience naturally being not yet renued and purged by Christs blood hath in it one of these two euils Senslesnesse or Amazednesse Either it is blockish and benummed and feeleth nothing and so passeth on in a kinde of drowsinesse and securitie like an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter g Pro. 7.22 or els it is perplexed and distracted with inward horror not knowing which way to turne it selfe for any true refreshing And the reason is this In euery naturall heart Sathan reigneth and worketh h Eph. 2.2 and Christ is a stranger from it Now where the King of confusion reigneth and where the Prince of Peace i Isay 9.6 is a stranger what comfort can bee looked for Againe the foundation of all true comfort is the perswasion of Gods loue in the forgiuenesse of sins but this I am sure doth not grow in natures garden And thirdly let a soule be wounded a heart pricked a conscience astonished with the apprehension of sin and with the Terror of the Lord k 2. Cor. 5.11 all the wit of all the wisest men in the World out of their owne reason cannot comfort it This is a lim of our natural darknesse Let vs once be touched with inward sorrow let nature doe her best let carnall reason stretch it selfe to the vtmost pin yet shall we be swallowed vp with dismaiednes This teacheth vs what we must doe The Vse when as in sicknesse losse disgraces and in any other sadnesse and sullennesse of spirit we desire refreshing If wee aske counsell of Nature or of carnall friends what direction shall we receaue Companie Musicke discourse gaming and things of the like nature which are like to water taken by one sicke of a burning feuer which cooleth a little at the first but after encreaseth the heat or to stickes catched at by a man readie to be drowned which promise some hope of helpe but yet faile in the vse and perish with him that trusted to them If wee desire true comfort we must goe out of our selues and looke vpward to him who is the God of all consolation l 2. Cor. 1.3 In his word we must meditate Except saith Dauid thy Law had been my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction m Ps 119.92 The cause of mens deadnesse in the day of sorrow is their dependance vpon carnall meanes the reed of Egypt n Isay 36.6 while in the meane time they neglect the principall The 3. Dotrine The third part of our naturall miserie is subiection to eternall death Death is gone ouer all men o Rom. 5.12 and The wages of sinne is death p Rom. 6.23 God told Adam that in the day that hee did eat the forbidden fruit hee should die the death q Gen. 2.17 Now inasmuch as wee haue all taken part with this disobedience we haue all a share in this punishment This punishment is called Death not because it is an vtter abolishment of the Being of the creature happie were it for the wicked if it were so but it is so called because the soule is eternally separated from God who is the fountaine of life and happinesse and by that meanes it is euer dying but dieth neuer wishing a dessolution but can neuer obtaine it The Vse The vse heereof is to humble vs and to abate our naturall pride Among men if we see one that is a begger by birth to be proud and lifting vp himselfe wee account it intolerable Put case some one were borne to bee a slaue or a drudge we would thinke such an one had little cause of boasting Yet such is the naturall condition of vs all The shadow and darknes of eternall death is our best inheritance Let God giue vs our right and what portion can wee expect but the fire of hell It is natures desert nay it is euen the desire of nature to be plunged into it Why are we secure whom our sinnes haue cast into such a dismall estate Thou pridest thy selfe in thy birth thou in thy wealth thou in thy wit thou in thy painted sheath and gay clothing and considerest not thy best desert what it is and whereto it tends whereas thou oughtest rather to powre out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord r Lam. 2.19 and to crie with Dauid Saue me O God Deliuer me out of the mire that I sinke not Let not the pit shut her mouth vpon me Å¿ Psal 69.1.14.15 Thus much touching the state of the parties vpon whom Christ bestoweth the benefit of saluation where we see what we are all by nature without Christ without the light of knowledge without the light of comfort ready to be swallowed vp in the darknesse of eternall death The right vnderstanding of this point when it workes to the humbling of the soule is the very first step to happinesse and the first fruits of true godlinesse The second thing to be handled in this Text is the nature of the benefit which is heere declared in two things 1. To giue light 2. To guide our feet into the way of peace Of these two in their course In discoursing vpon the former I must shew first what is meant by Light and then how this Light is giuen The word Light is opposed to the former miserie Whatsoeuer is vnderstood by Darknesse and the shadow of death the contrarie thereunto is intended by this word Light as namely Light of knowledge Light of comfort and Light of life The 4. Doctrine All these three are meant by the word Light and into the world Christ came to impart these three First to giue the Light of Knowledge I am come into this world that they which see not might see t Ioh. 9.39 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne c. hee hath declared him u Ioh. 1.18 In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and Knowledge x Col. 2.3 and of his fulnesse we must all receiue y Ioh. 1.16 Secondly to giue the Light of comfort The spirit of the Lord is vpon mee the place is meant of Christ to giue beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse z Isay 61.1.3 And thence commeth that offer made by Christ Come vnto mee all that are wearie c. and yee shall finde rest for your soules a Matt. 11.28.29 Thirdly to giue the Light of Life He that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the Light of Life b Ioh. 8.12 Hee hath brought Life and Immortalitie to Light by the Gospell c 2. Tim. 1.10 And thus is that fulfilled which Christ spake Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee shall not abide in
is it our chiefest dignitie to be true limmes of that societie Hence was Dauids desire to haue the Lord to lift vp the light of his countenance vpon him t Psal 4.6 and to be though but a Doore-keeper in Gods house u Psal 84.10 Out of the Church there is no saluation and What shall it profit a man to winne the world if hee should lose his soule x Matt. 16.26 The Vse Many are wont to say Who will shew vs any good y Psal 4.6 To those which so demaund I answer Behold heere the chiefest good the best and most absolute preferment Seeke the kingdome of God z Matth. 6.33 labour to be one of Gods people thou canst not haue a greater dignitie THE SECOND SERMON Because he hath visited and redeemed his people WE haue heard of the Proposition that the Lord God of Israel is to be praised Now followeth the proofe thereof For he hath visited and redeemed his people c. The summe of the proofe is that God is therefore to be praised because of that great worke which he hath wrought for the good and saluation of his Church Heere we haue two things to speake of 1. The parties to whom the benefit of this great worke appertaines and for whose sake it is wrought 2. The worke it selfe Touching the first they are Gods people that is those which belong vnto the election of grace and which are in Gods eternall counsell ordained vnto life Hence we are taught That the blessings which doe directly immediately concerne life eternall onely those are interessed in them The 1. Doctrine which are Gods people This is plaine in this place For if the question be whom the Lord did visit and redeeme It is answered by the spirit of God speaking in Zacharie that he visited and redeemed his people so speaketh the Scripture It was the saying of the Angell He shall saue his people from their sinnes a Matth. 1.21 there the benefit of saluation is restrained onely to Gods people So againe I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be to all the people The birth of Christ is a message of ioy but to whom not to all for all doe not reioyce therein but onely to the chosen of God The people The is a word of speciall distinction b Luk 2 10. Peace shall be vpon them and vpon the Israel of God c Gal. 6.16 Who be the Israel of God but only those which are here termed his people Aske then to whom belongs Peace and mercy what to all without distinction No but to the Israel of God Consider the course of the Apostles words Tit. 2.14 For whom did Christ giue himselfe whom hath hee redeemed from iniquitie whom hath he purged onely those whom he hath chosen out to be a peculiar people to himselfe Christ speaking of his death tieth it to his sheepe I lay downe my life for my sheepe d Ioh. 10.15 but who be his sheepe euen those which are giuen to him of his Father e vers 29. It is a speciall speech of limitation which Christ vsed in his prayer I pray for them I pray not for the world f Ioh. 17 9. Many such places might bee gathered together We heard how God is the God of Israel the God of his Church Hee is so the God of his Church as that none els can haue anie interest in his loue The Vse We heare much of saluation of life eternall of the glorie to be reuealed heereafter These things are great and onely they are happie which shall enioy them All men almost promise these things vnto themselues there is not amongst vs the veriest drunkard or swearer or vicious person or Vsurer or despiser of good things but if you talke with him he will make shew of a hope and expectation to bee saued of all other things he maketh himselfe beleeue that he is surest of that But let vs learne this one thing and meditate wel of it That eternal mercy the benefit of redemption by Christ the deliuerance from the bondage of spirituall enemies these things belong not to all Many euen of those which professe Christ and which say Lord Lord g Matt 7.21 yea and which preach Christ shall be thrust out at the day of separation They be Gods peculiar people onely to whom these things appertaine Looke to it bee sure thou art one of Gods people otherwise when mention is made of the things which concerne eternall life I say to thee as Peter did to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this businesse h Act. 8.21 But how shall I know wilt thou say that I am one of Gods people I will tell thee plainly How is a man knowne to be one of the Kings subiects one as we say of the Kings liege people Euen by this his obedience to the holesome lawes of the kingdome So in this holie obedience is the marke and badge of Gods people My sheepe heare my voice i Ioh. 10.27 Yee are my friends if you doe whatsoeuer I command you k Ioh. 15.14 It is not the twanging of religion vpon the toong but the practise of holines in the life which sheweth a man to be a Christian Gods peculiar people are zealous of good works l Tit. 2.14 To this therefore we are now come Wouldest thou bee sure that the treasures of happinesse which are stored vp in Christ belong to thee enquire into thy selfe whether thou be one of Gods people Remember how Gods people are discerned They heare my voice saith our Sauior If Christs voice in his word be not euen musicke in thy eares yea sweeter than honie and the honie combe m Psal 19.10 dearer than thousands of gold and siluer n Psal 119.72 the ioy and reioycing of thy heart o Ier. 15.16 If the fruits of holinesse appeare not in thy life but rather the vnfruitfull works of darknesse p Eph. 5.11 those works of the flesh which S. Paul speaketh of q Gal. 5.19 thou art none of Gods people no subiect to his kingdome but a very rebell traitor to his Maiesty and when thou thinkest to thrust in among Saints to enioy the felicitie of his chosen r Psal 106.5 thou shalt heare that heauy sentence passe vpon thee and such as thou art Those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me Å¿ Luk. 19.27 Now wee are come to the worke it selfe where manie things come in order to be touched 1. The fountain beginning therof He hath visited 2. The generall nature of the worke it selfe Redeemed 3. The meanes of it And hath raised vp the horne c. 4. The euidence of it the testimonie of the Prophets in whom the couenant of grace and the oath of God to Abraham are at large recorded As he spake by the mouth c. 5.
I do commeth from the spirit of bondage and God esteemes it not THE SEVENTH SERMON VERS 75. All the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before God THe next point to be handled is the Time to which our seruing of God without feare is limited All the daies of our life Heere I will handle two points 1. That this life is the time of our seruing God 2. That it must not bee done in some part but in all the daies of our life Touching the first this is the doctrine The 1. Doctrine That the time of our liuing here in the world is the alone time in which those duties are to be done which ought to be performed by vs in token of thankefulnesse to God for our redemption and in respect of the hope which we haue of life eternall This plainly followeth hence for if the question be when and at what time the duty of seruing God which is the end of our redemption must be done the answer is it must be done in the daies of our life while we liue heere or not at all This is agreeing to the Scriptures in other places While we haue time let vs doe good c c Gal. 6.10 that is while we liue here for when that time is gone we haue no further opportunity In this present world saith the same Apostle elswhere d Tit. 2.12 The time of our dwelling heere saith Peter e 1. Pet. 1.17 During my life saith Dauid f Psal 116.2 I haue finished my course said Paul when he was neere his death g 2. Tim. 4.7 He could not haue so spoken truly if after his departure hence there had bene any thing further to be performed Thus all is confined to the compasse of this present life After death commeth the iudgement h Heb. 9.27 then is a time of reckning not of practise Besides death being come the time of grace is expired the ministry of reconciliation ceaseth therefore now is the accepted time behold now the day of saluation saith the Apostle i 2. Cor. 6.2 The 1. Vse This serueth first to batter downe the wals of the Popes supposed purgatorie the ground whereof is this that there is a place for repentance after this life and that as some which are perfit Christians goe directly after death to heauen and others which are extreamely wicked go straight to hell so there are a middle kind who hauing not perfited their obedience in this world nor made full satisfaction for all their sinnes must stay by the way in a place of torment where the reliques of sin must be purged out and the full summe of their duty made vp before they can be admitted into heauen This is held as an article of faith and they are said to be certainly damned so many as doe not beleeue it k Bellar. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. Indeed Papists haue reason to maintaine it it is a fire which hath well heated the Popes kitching and the conceit and feare of it together with an opinion that the offerings of Priests can helpe to shorten a mans time in it hath brought them in no small reuenue they may truly say that by this craft they haue their goods l Act. 19.25 Now the opinion is plainly confuted by this place For whatsoeuer is required of vs either toward God or toward man is to be done in the daies of our life or neuer The dead in the Lord doe rest from their labours m Reu. 14.13 This could not be true if they were either busied in doing good workes for the getting to heauen or were tormented in fire They sweat much to make good this fancie but in vaine sure we are the Scripture maketh mention of two only places for the dead n Luc. 16.22.23 neither was there in Moses law appointed any sacrifice on the behalfe of the dead The thing it selfe came first from the heathen was vnknowen to the world vntill the Councell of Florence o Anno Dom. 1439. and therefore though they threaten the blacke curse to those that denie it yet let vs not feare it the curse that is causlesse shall not come p Pro. 26.2 The 2. Vse Secōdly this maketh against those who are of that swinish disposition that they neuer thinke vpon doing good vntill they die while they liue they rake and catch and extort and oppresse A man may as soone wring water out of a flint as draw ought from them to a good purpose then they grumble like Nabal shall I take my bread c. and giue it to men whom I knowe not whence they bee q 1. Sam. 25.11 But when they come to the knife and die they must and leaue their goods behind them then it may be shall some drop or two be giuen to the poore or to some good seruice I doe not condemne it if any man by will bequeath ought to the Church or poore this I condemne when such things are neuer done tell then It is an argument that that which is then done is but a formall and extorted beneuolence Formall men therein will doe as others doe Extorted because it is done most commonly to stop the mouth of an accusing conscience Remember we therefore that the obedience which we owe to God or to man for Gods sake reacheth it selfe to the whole life and is not to be restrained to the last act That knowledge which wee will learne and that good which we will doe let vs applie it now It is a miserable thing when men must be catechized in principles and must first begin to exercise charity when they are going to appeare before God to giue account of their life Thirdly The 3. Vse this doth presse a kind of hastning in the duties of godlinesse without delaying or putting off For marke how the spirit of God speaketh He saith that the life present is our only time of well doing but how doth he define life not by moneths or yeeres but by daies which is also the vsuall maner of the Scripture r Gen. 47.9 Psal 90.9.12 This speech argueth the shortnesse of our life being nothing but a composition of a few daies which how soone they may be swallowed vp by that long night of death we cannot tell This should make vs to make haste with Dauid ſ Psal 119.60 and to worke while it is day t Ioh. 9.4 It was the very thing intended by Moses in that sute of his Teach vs to number our daies c u Psal 90.12 that is enable vs O Lord so to summe vp the time of our life that considering the shortnesse of it we may learne this wisedome to doe that first which most concerns vs so that if by the sudden comming of death any thing for lacke of time be left vnperformed it may not be that the not doing whereof will be the vndoing of our soules Memorable is the speech of
that if there bee some shew of deuotion and care to serue God on the Sabbath day then vpon other daies men may be left free to themselues and may take a little more libertie to be secure If matters of godlinesse be banished from their thoughts and tongues and liues all the whole weeke long they thinke it to be no great offence This opinion is ouerthrowen by this place Wee were redeemed to serue God euery day Though the Sabbath bee to be imploied more especially God then vouchsafing more plentifull helpes to godlinesse yet all euill is to bee auoided euerie day and all such good is to be done as in our callings and liues we shall be occasioned Endeuour wee must to walke in the sanctification of our hearts and innocency of life in other daies as well as on the Sabbath day Secondly this must be a motiue to vs euery day The 2. Vse euen at our first awaking to deuote and consecrate our selues to the Lord and to arme our selues with a holy resolution to striue against sinne This will be a matter of no little benefit For by this meanes God will enable vs to be blamelesse and pure without rebuke y Phil. 2.15 and we shall be kept from presumptuous sinnes z Psal 19.13 The want heereof draweth manie of Gods children sometimes into great inconueniences namely when as not considering the slippery path which they walke in heere in the world and being without feare of their owne frailtie they doe not couenant with themselues to bee very watchfull and to commit their way vnto the Lord and to stand vpon their guard against euerie sinne We haue an example of this in Peter Doubtlesse hee had no setled purpose to denie his Master yet to what a case did his owne rashnesse bring him while he did not seriously cast with himselfe what danger might arise by the place and persons neither yet waighed his own weaknesse how easily he might be snared hauing no warrant to bee there This draweth many into ill company to swearing drinking gaming c. I will not say that these euils in some do alwaies proceed from a purpose so to do but rather from the want of a purpose to withstand them and to giue vp themselues vnto God I would this were written in euerie ones heart that euery day must be consecrate to God euerie day must be a holy day to a Christian though not according to our sense in respect of cessation from labour yet in respect of watching and striuing against sinne The 3. Vse Thirdly if euery day must be giuen to God what shall we say of those which spend so many whole daies in the seruice of Sathan who le daies I say or the better part of the day in drinking and reuelling in sports in pranking vp themselues in plotting to defraud reuenge and eat out others How doe these consecrate their daies to God What religion or godlinesse is in these fashions When men make euery day either for vaine pleasure or sensualitie or Epicurisme or worldly benefit what is become of Gods part Thinke vpon it I doubt not but the serious thinking vpon this that God challengeth euery day will reforme many corruptions Thus much touching the dailinesse of seruing God Now followeth the perpetuitie The 3. Doctrine The doctrine then is this That as we must make conscience of diligence in good duties for the present time so we must haue a care of continuance and perseuerance also All the daies of our life saith Zachary therefore the last day as well as the first The Scripture is full in this point Christ expounds the seede which fell into good ground of those which bring foorth fruit with patience a Luc. 8.15 That only is good fruit which is accompanied with continuance Often times we shall find the condition of perseuerance put in He that endureth to the end he shall be saued b Matt. 24.13 In due season we shall reap if we faint not c Gal. 6.9 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life d Reu. 2.10 The laborers in the vineyard none of them had wages vnlesse he wrought vntill the euen e Matt. 20.8 We must not only obey the call of Christ Come to me f Matt. 11.28 but the charge also which he giueth Abide in mee g Ioh. 15.4 If ye continue in my word then are ye verily my disciples h Ioh. 8.31 The vse is to mind vs of the Apostles counsell which is The Vse not to be wearie in well doing i 2. Thes 3.13 Our nature is apt to recoill and to fall backe like a broken bow k Psal 78.57 A kind of sacietie will quickly creep vpon vs and those good duties which at the first seeme pleasing will without great care be a wearines l Mal. 1.13 vnto vs according as we see in many I haue knowen some to whom the preaching of the word was more welcome than now it is who were more carefull to vse priuate meanes to profit by it than now they are who had a little restrained some corruptions to which now they are caried with full streame They looke backe vpon Sodom and they could almost be content to be in Egypt againe Looke to it thou which art guilty to thy selfe of thine owne backesliding remember thou owest vnto God All thy daies The trees planted in the Lords house bring foorth fruit in their age m Ps 92.13.14 and they which doe not so shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire n Matt. 3.10 It must not be in religion as in bankets In the beginning good wine and then after that which is worse o Ioh. 2.10 but rather like those of Thyatira our Workes must be moe at last than at the first p Reu. 2.19 The fourth generall point in this passage of speech is what be the special duties in which this our seruing of God stands In holinesse and righteousnesse These two words answer to the two tables of the morall law By holinesse are vnderstood those duties which are owing immediately from vs vnto God and are set downe in the foure first commandements namely a holy regard to the truth and maiestie of his Godhead in the first commandement a holy maner of worshipping him according to his will in the second a holy vsage of his name in the third a holy keeping of his sabbath in the fourth By righteousnes are meant those duties which we owe to our neighbor of all which the summe is to giue to euery one his due to wrong no man in his honor or in that precedence which God hath giuen him in the fift precept nor in his life in the sixt nor in his chastity in the seuenth nor in his goods in the eight nor in his good name in the ninth nor to entertaine a thought which may draw to any of these breaches in the