borne anew Iohn 3.6 Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 none but such as do repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus and bee the true and liuely members of his Mysticall Body And to the end that wee bee not deceiued in so weighty a matter but that wee may assuredly know whether Christ dwell in our hearts by his Spirit and we dwell in him by faith so as we be true and liuely members of his mysticall Body let vs try it by these two waies First by the power of Christs death Secondly by his resurrection If thou bee a member of Christ thou shalt finde the power of Christs death daily crucifying the old man and eating out the corruption of thy nature for as wee see in a mans body when there is much dead flesh in a wound they lay corzie medicines to it to eate it out so the death of Iesus Christ applyed to our hearts by faith doth fret and eate out as a corzie the corruption of Nature Rom. 6.1.23 Rom. 6. 7.8 our dead flesh So as Christ by his death maketh all his members die vnto sinne so as they can not liue in the bondage and slauery of sinne Now then proue your selues you hope to bee saued by Christ Iesus But bee not deceiued Christ died for none but such as bee vnited to him his true and liuely members And none are his members but such as find and feele the power of his death to mortifie kill and weaken the power of sinne and naturall corruption Doe you then find sinne to die in you Doe you finde the strength of your corruption to bee abated the heate of it to bee alayed Doe you feele Christes death fretting it out so as you can say I hate sinne I abhorre sinne It is as bitter as Wormewood vnto mee Doe you finde this change in your liues that you leaue your old sinnes labouring to get out of ignorance to leaue swearing lying stealing drinking whooring c. then your case is good it is an euident token that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ But if on the contrary part you finde that sinne is as strong now as euer it was and that you are the same now that you were seuen yeares agoe now dying to sinne and rising to newnesse of life Oh deceiue not youe owne soules any longer your case as yet is fearefull you bee not the liuely members of Iesus Christ but wilde Oliues dead branches good for nothing but fewell for the fire The secoÌ„d property of this tree Which bringeth forth her fruit in due season This Tree whereunto the godly man is compared is most like to bee the palme tree Maler in Psalm 1. THis is the second property of that Tree whereunto a godly man is compared namely as it is wel planted and seated by the Riuers side where it hath continuall iuice and nourishment and is well watered Euen so likewise it is fruitfull and yeeldeth sweete and pleasant fruit to him that planted it And that In due season Euen so the godly man being ingrafted into Iesus Christ Palma gaudâ—â— rignis totoque animo bibere gaudet Pli. lib. 13.4 Psal 92.12 as by a riuers side and being a liuely member of his Mysticall Body hee bringeth forth much good and pleasant fruite and that in Due season When as it may best stand for the glory of God and the good of man Heere wee see then who are the true and liuely members or Iesus Doctr. 5. Members of Christ are euer fruitfull Christ who is a true godly man and who is planted as this good Tree in Iesus Christ the true Vine Namely such as bee carefull and endeuour themselues continually to bring forth the blessed fruite of a godly and Christian life Euery Tree is knowne by his fruite A Tree is not knowne by his rhinde nor barke nor branches nor yet by his leaues But euery Tree is knowne by his fruite Matthew the twelfth chapter and the foure and thirty verse a good Tree cannot but bring forth good fruite and a bad tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit So euery man is knowne by his fruite Hee that is a godly man and a true and liuely member of Iesus Christ can not but bring forth good fruite euen the fruit of good workes and a godly life so a wicked man cannot but bring forth bad fruit the workes of darkenesse of a wicked and vngodly life We see if a grift or sciene bee set into a good Stock and take aright it will appeare by the yeelding of fruit But if it doe not prosper then it withers and dies and is good for nothing but the fire So if any man seeme to bee a Christian and to be a member of Christ Iesus and yet bring not forth good fruite Surely his estate is fearefull while he is vnfruitfull he must be pulled away as a withered branch and to the fire he must go Mat. 21.19 A true Christian must not be like the tree which Christ Iesus cursed which had leaues and no fruit but he must be like to the Tree planted by the riuers side that will bring forth fruit in due season Yea that which is more They bring forth fruit in their age Psal 92.14 whereas euill men as the Apostle S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.13 wax worse and worse and fall away from God daily more and more this was the summe of the Doctrine of Iohn Baptist to his hearers that they would Bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Mat. 3.8 And the like is vsed by the Apostle Let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell thing else but that grace of God in a mans heart whereby he beleeues the promise of saluation and the promises of the Gospell and applies them to his owne soule and therfore Saint Iames saith Iames 2. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes Dost thou delight in the Law of God and loue his Word Dost thou delight in his worship and calling on his Name Dost thou find thy faith to Purifie thy heart Acts 15.9 This is some part of that fruite which God requireth of thee This fruite Peter brought forth Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Math. 16.16 This was the fruit that the Disciple Iohn brought forth Ioh. 6.69 Ioh. 11.27 Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And indeed this is the first stone that is to bee laid in the building vp of a Christian and therefore very fitly called a Foundation and the Collossians are said to bee Rooted and Built and Stablished in the Faith Col. 2.27 And indeed this is that sure foundation that shall beare vp the whole frame of our soules against all windes and weathers It is the first worke of change in the heart and the first difference betwixt man and man when God by faith purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 It will suffer no vncleane thoughts vnlawfull lusts Note or wandring motions to
Christ are truely blessed let vs consider a little what great and incomparable benefites we receiue by this our planting and ingrafting into Christ his Mysticall Body First hereby it comes to passe that euery true Beleeuer hath sweet vnion and communion with God the houre and which shall one day as certainely be executed vpon the wicked as now they liue Now in Iesus Christ by being vnited to him and being members of his Mysticall Body we haue three wonderfull remedies against these three fearefull miseries First for the bond of obligation against vs Hee hath taken it away Col. 2.14 and nayled it to his Crosse and crossed and canceled the same with his owne Heart Bloud Secondly for the stinking filthinesse and corruption of sinne Christ hath both perfectly obeyed the Law for vs Rom. 8.1 and also couered vs in his owne righteousnes as Iacob in Esaus garment Thirdly for the most iust and intollerable punishment Esay 53.5 Gal. 2.20 Reu. 1.6 Hee stood in our steed vpon the Crosse and paid the full price and punishment for our sinnes for when Christ suffered in our steed it was as much as if we had suffered The fourth maine benefite which euery godly man hath by being one with Christ is Sanctification which is a wonderfull and supernaturall worke of Gods holy Spirit whereby euery godly man that is a true and liuely Member of Iesus Christ is freed both in mind will and affection from the bondage and slauery of sin and sathan and is by little and little inabled and strengthened by the Spirit of God to will desire and approue that which is good and holy and to walke in it And this Sanctification hath two parts Mortification and Viuification by the former is sinne euery day more and more mortified weakned and consumed by the later inherent righteousnesse is put into them whereby they walke with God in newnesse of life Now both these parts of Sanctification are wrought after this maner First after the Christian man is vnited to Christ planted into him as into a Stocke and become a liuing member of his mystical body Christ Iesus then by his Spirit workes in him two blessed workes First the godly man ingrafted into Iesus Christ receiueth power and strength from the death of Christ to die to all sinne So as the power of Christs death and passion doth kill sinne and mortifie their corruptions For as many as are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised into the similitude of his death Rom. 6.4 So as the death of Christ is as a corrasiue to eate vp and to consume all rotten flesh and the corruptions of our hearts it eates out sinne and frets it away by little and little till it bee vtterly abolished by death when our Sanctification shall be perfected Secondly euery godly man receiueth power and strength from Christs resurrection to rise out of the graue of sin to newnesse of life to walke with God in holinesse and righteousnes Euen as we see all the parts of the body being ioyned to the head receiue life motion from it Euen so euery Christian as so many parts and members of Christ Iesus the Head receiue from him spirituall life and motion whereby they walke with God in new obedience Vse 1 This doctrine doth first of all condemne the doctrine of the aduersary That man hath free-will in himselfe wee see here that this mysticall Tree Man must bee planted hee can not plant himselfe Indeed man at his first creation had free-will in himselfe but since his fall that blessing is now fallen away and vtterly lost in man And the proofe of this point may appeare vnto vs if we will rest vpon the testimony of God himselfe who professeth thus of man that The imagination of mans heart is euill Gen. 8.21 from his youth vp Now what good can bee willed of him who is first euill Secondly whose heart is a fountaine of all euill Thirdly whose imaginations as streames of that fountaine are euill and that not for a time but euer from his youth vp So that now since the fall of man the freedome of mans will to goodnesse is so inthralled and eclipsed as that of our selues wee cannot plant our selues into grace or into Christ for wee are as Trees not planting our selues but must bee planted by God For hee shall bee as a Tree planted This magnifieth the free grace of Vse 2 God aboue mans free-wll or merit for whereas we do faile to plant our selues yet Lam. 5.21 as it appeareth by the Text wee are planted It is the Lord that must worke in vs both the will and the deed he must turne himselfe vnto vs before wee can turne vnto him This is acknowledged by the Prophet Daniel in that worthy prayer of his when hee saith Dan. 9.9 Rom. 6.23 Ephes 2.8 Luk. 12.32 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue sinned against him This is taught by the Apostle when hee saith that Eternall life is the free gift of God Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe doth confirme the truth of this when hee saith Mat. 15.13 Ephes 1.6 1. Pet. 2.10 Euery plant which my heauenly Father hath not planted shall bee rooted vp Yea it is worth our best obseruation That the whole worke of mans saluation is called by the name of the worke of Grace or of Mercy And therefore on what part soeuer we cast our eies we shall see the free grace and mercy of God Beginne wee at the foundation of all Gods eternall election and come from thence to the period of all Mans glorification and still aske the question from what root each part springeth The answere must bee From the free Grace and Mercy of God It was the free grace and mercy of God that he should elect vs It was the free grace and mercy of God that hee should send Christ to redeeme vs It was the free grace and mercy of God that he should call vs that he should iustifie vs that hee should sanctifie vs and what can it be but the free grace and mercy of God that wee shall be admitted to an Inheritance immortall and vndefiled 1. Pet. 1.4 So that wee see here in the whole work of mans redemption by Christ There is no footing left for humane merite For the free grace and mercy of God and mans righteousnesse cannot possible stand together they will neuer admit any composition and therefore we must conclude for the whole worke of mans Redemption and say Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glory Lastly seeing all men out of Vse 3 Christ bee miserable and those onely that bee in Christ be blessed let vs labour while wee liue to bee assured of this that wee are regenerate that wee are the true and liuely members of Iesus Christ All men say they hope to bee saued but those that be planted and ingrafted into him none but they that bee regenerate and
of the whole Sciptures it shall make this Doctrine so much the more apparant vnto vs that is That wheresoeuer there is a comfort laid downe in the Word the same comfort is still restrained to the godly As that of the holy Apostle Saint Paul in the eight chapter and first verse of his Epistle to the Romans There is no condemnation A maruellous comfort to heare that wee are freed from that heauy and grieuous curse which wee had incurred by reason of sin yet lest the wicked should presume hereby and take it vnto themselues vnto whom in no wise it doth belong The Apostle restraineth the comfort in the same Verse to them that are in Christ Iesus and lest men should deceiue themselues to take this comfort to themselues vnto whom it doth not belong hee marketh them out as it were in their fore-heads saying They are such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The like of Dauid Lord who shall enter into thy holy Tabernacle Psalm 15. c. Hee that hath cleane hands and pure heart c. Besides none are blessed but such as bee in the fauour of God as the Prophet Dauid saith In thy fauour is life such as bee reconciled to God in Iesus Christ As for such as be out of his fauour they be cursed and miserable bee they what they will bee Now onely the godly man that is humbled that is sanctified that is borne anew is hee alone that is in the fauour of God therefore onely the godly man is blessed Obiect Wherein stands the blessednesse of Gods children of a godly and a righteous man Answ I answere in this that a godly man that is humbled for his sins is now reconciled to God so as God the Father becomes his Father Wherein the godly man is blest adopts him to be his Childe loues him and delights in him as his Childe Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vs that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God And hereupon come the amiable and loue-Titles that Christ giueth vnto his Church Cant. 5.2 Psal 105.12.13 Deut 7.6 Psa 91.1.2.3 Open vnto mee my Sister my Loue my Doue my vndefiled Great are the affections of feruent loue that parents beare towardes their Children which none can expresse but they that feele and yet all their loue is nothing in comparison of the loue of God towardes his children this the Prophet teacheth Can a woman forget her childe Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe yet will not I forget thee Another part of the happinesse of a godly man doth consist in this that hee hath assurance of the pardon of his sinnes that they are all done away and shall neuer be layd to his charge but are washed away in the bloud of IESVS CHRIST according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 32.1 Actes 3.26 Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiuen Hee hath all his sinnes originall and actuall Rom 8.1 1. Pet. 2.24 Rom. 4 5. 2. Cor. 19. with the guilt and punishment belonging vnto them freely and fully forgiuen vnto him And all the righteousnesse of CHRIST freely and fully imputed vnto him and so GOD is reconciled vnto him and approueth him as righteous in his sight And thus the Apostle reasoneth Rom. 8.33 Heerein was that loue of GOD made manifest amongst vs because GOD sent his onely begotten Son into the world that wee might liue through him Heerein is that loue not that wee loued GOD but that hee loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes An other part of the happinesse of a godly man doth consist in this that hee hath peace of Conscience whereas the wicked and vngodlie man hath a dead and sleepie conscience or else an accusing conscience There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esay 57. But the godly man that is reconciled to God in Christ Iesus hath the free pardon of al his sinnes hee hath sweete peace of conscience Rom. 4.17 which doth not accuse but excuse him to God yea hee hath exceeding ioy in the HOLIE GHOST that hee knoweth his sinnes are pardoned Pax est hereditas Christianorum Aug. Serm. de temp according to that of the Apostle The kingdome of God standeth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the HOLIE GHOST And indeed whom should hee feare Perfecta absolata uiusque exusatio testimonium conscientiae suae Bern. or whereof should hee be afraide God is become his Father the Angels are become his attendants they pitch their Tents round about them and haue a charge of them the Saints of Heauen and Earth are their fellow Brethren the Creatures of Almightie God are their friends yea their seruants to do them good al their daies The diuells nor all the powers of darkenesse shall not hurt them Psal 37.25 Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 Hosea 2.18 Col. 2.15 For Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them vpon the Crosse yea that which is more the Lord Iesus Christ to whom all Iudgement is committed is become their Lord and Sauiour So that they shall neuer come into condemnation but shall passe from death vnto life Ioh. 5.24 Lastly the godly man is assured that the kingdome of Heauen and eternall life belongs vnto him And that hee shall be partaker of Eternall glorie life and saluation and shall liue in the presence of God the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost for euermore Non arrogantia est sed fides c. Aug. Serm. 8. and this assurance in the godlie is no presumption but Faith for euery godly man hath in him the Spirit of Grace and Adoption and he that hath the Spirit of Adoption knowes that hee hath it and is able through the same Spirit to say Gala. 2.20 2. Cor. 13 5 I liue and Christ liueth in me This was in Iob when he said I know that my Redeemer liueth c. This was in Saint Paul Rom 8. I am perswaded that neyther heighth nor depth c. In these and the like Priuiledges stands the happie and blessed estate of Gods children Vse 1 The vse of this Doctrine is most excellent for seeing the priuiledges of Gods ehildren are so great and so excellent that therefore they must needes bee most happie and hlessed For howsoeuer the world accompt them miserable grinning at them with their teeth 1. Pet. 1.18 nodding at them with their heades hissing at them with their tongues and euery way most contumeliously reproaching them with their wordes yet wee see heere how deere and precious they are with God and in the reputation of Iesus Christ who bought them at a price and redeemed them euen with his owne bloud 1. Cor. 3.21 Beholde what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God And
themselues to nothing but eating and drinking and all excesse till the floud came and swept them clean away This is cleare likewise by the example of Pharaoh Exod. 9.10 vpō whom all means were assaied for his conuersion for what could the Lord do vnto him that he did not He sent Moses and Aaron vnto him warning him from God to let the people of Israel go and to that end sent iudgement vpon iudgement one vpon the necke of another euen ten in number yet for all this Pharaoh chose rather to continue still in his owne way and would none of the Lords So true is that saying of Salomon Bray a foole in a mortar Pro. 27.22 yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him And no maruell for the spirit of slumber hath so couered their eyes that they cannot see and their hearts are so possest with spirituall fornication which makes them thus to goe a whooring from God euen haled with the fury of their owne affections snared of the Diuell and taken of him at his will Acts 7.51 Esay 63. Eze. 13.3 Oh miserable and vnhappy condition Fearefull is the woe that lies vpon all those that thus walk in their owne waies For most certaine it is that they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts so far as that they haue made choice of the Lords way howsoeuer many times they may stumble fall in walking therein But of the wicked it may truly be sayd of them the way of peace haue they not knowne Vse 2 We heard before that wee ought not to proceed so farre with any as to iudge of their finall estate and condition for that were to sit in Gods Chaire and to take his office vpon him Yet to say of some that they are in the state of damnation and vnlesse they repent shall perish for euer doubtlesse this is not vnlawfull for as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to be abused too late God bids me looke vpon the tree and iudge of the fruit I may say thou art in the state of damnation for I see thy heart through thy hand But whether thou shalt finally be damned there I leaue thee for God may haue mercy vpon thee vpon thy last repentance I may come to a tree and say Here is little fruit or Here is no fruit or Here is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on it more But alas alas this is not all this is not al that wicked men are thus discouered to men but that the Lord wil find them out giue them their portion in the lake of fire And indeed this is that that ought to bee a terror to all the wicked and vngodly to consider that as their hearts are hardened and their consciences seared so the plagues and punishments of God attend vpon them If thou walke stubbornly against mee Leuit 26. and wilt not obey mee I will bring seuen times more plagues vpon thee according to thy sinnes Let vs all then as wee tender the saluation of our owne soules take heed vnto our paths that wee stand not in the way of sinners that wee sinne not with delight and deliberation it is the very brand of a reprobate and such a one as God hath forsaken Take heede therefore that there bee not in any of you an euill heart to depart from the liuing God And thus much for the first poynt of Doctrine that there is a way of sinners in which the wicked walke which leadeth vnto death The second point of doctrine that Doctr. 2. Godly man sins not with deliberation doth now offer it selfe to our consideration is this That a godly man doth not settle himself to liue as the wicked doe nor frames his life after his lewd example which is heere meant when the Prophet saith Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners Yea it is altogether impossible for a godly man and one that is truly regenerate to haue in him a full purpose to sin and to liue in sin with deliberation and to delight in the same For a purpose to liue in any knowne sin is a signe of a wicked man and a gracelesse heart as when a man is tolde of his sin of his ignorance and carelesnesse in Gods seruice praying hearing c. yet still he wil be carelesse and negligent in the same So when a man is reproued for his swearing yet still will sweare when a man is reproued for prophaning the Sabaoth yet will prophane it when a man is reproued for his vncleannesse drunkennes malice c. and yet for all that will continue in those sins Surely this purpose to stand in the way of sinners is a fearefull signe of a wicked man and is farre from a godly man and one that is truly sanctified which shall be blessed for euermore It was a cursed speech of a cursed wretch Exod. 5.12 I know not the Lord neyther will I let the children of Israel goe This was the case of those rebellious Iewes spoken of by Ieremy Ier. 44.16 we will not heare nor do but as we lust and as we haue done And this was that that made the case of Herod so fearefull Mar. 6.20 that notwitstanding hee heard Iohn Baptist willingly and did many things at his request all which were good things in him yet for all that hee would not leaue his adultery but continue in it which purpose to sinne of all things is farre from a godly man 1. Ioh. 3.9 as Saint Iohn saith Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is with whole consent but in part and man being partly flesh and partly spirit as he is regenerate sinne proceedes not from him but as he is flesh As for the wicked it is not so with them for it is meate and drinke to a wicked man to doe the workes of the Diuell It is worth euen our best consideration what is sayd of the Apostle Paul that hee once Breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. Acts 9.1 But when was this Euen in the time of his ignorance but afterwards hee preached the same Gospell which before hee persecuted and laboured euer after all the dayes of his life to build vp the Church of God which before hee laboured to pull downe And this appeares in Dauid in Peter Luke 7. in Mary Magdalen c. who after they had once escaped the snares of the Diuel dedicated euer after their whole life to the seruice of GOD. This exhortation doth the Apostle giue to the Ephesians Col. 3 7. Ephes 5.8 Yee were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord walke as children of the light By these and the like examples it doth appeare that the godly stand not in the way of sinners that is take no liberty to themselues to liue in the custome and practise of any knowne sin This may serue in the first place
the worship and seruice of God to reade pray and meditate and at the least twice a day to call vpon his Name to reade the word of God and to study therein This is that the Lord commandeth his people to offer vnto him euery day the morning and the euening sacrifice at the least twice euery day they were commanded to worship God and so the holy Patriarchs were wont to worshippe God morning and euening So wee reade in Gen. 24.63 That godly Isaac went out into the fields in the euening to pray or meditate to make himselfe fit to pray And Iob 1.5 Acts 10.2 Iob rose vp earely to offer sacrifice and called his family together and this did Iob euery day and Dauid in many Psalmes sheweth that he did set some time apart euery day to worship God in praying reading meditating c. Cornelius worshipped God continually 1 The. 5.23 that is euery day according to the rule of the Apostle Pray continually And that we should not be weary of well-doing Christ spake the parable of the vniust Iudge and poore widdow to this end that we ought alwayes to meditate pray c. and not waxe faint and wearie Luke 18.1 The meaning is not that men should leaue their callings and other businesse altogether to attend vpon hearing reading meditating c. but that wee should bee much and often in meditating in prayer in reading c. and in performing these blessed dueties vnto almightie God And at the least three times a day to pray and call vpon the name of God In the morning when wee doe arise to giue vnto God hearty thankes for keeping vs the night past and to craue for a blessing at his hands ouer the day following At noone againe when when we receiue his good Creatures And at night when we go to rest And this godly practise the word of God prescribes vs and the examples of the godly doe teach vs Dan. 6.10 Daniel prayed three times a day vpon his knees vnto God and praised him as his manner was though the King had made a strict Law against it Euening morning and at noone will I pray vnto thee Psal 55.17 And againe Seuen times a day will I praise thee Psal 119.164 That is many times For the morning Earely in the morning will I direct my prayer vnto thee Gen. 22.2 Iob 1.5 And thus did Abraham Isaac Iob. Secondly at noone or mid-day so did Peter Peter went out to prayer about the sixt houre Actes 10.9 That is about twelue of the clocke or noone-tide Thirdly at night in the euening when wee goe to bedde to take our rest Genes 24. Psa 139 11 Psal 19.5 Mat. 13.23 Esa 28.3.4 wee must then remember likewise to render the Lord thankes for the comfort of the day and to craue his blessing for that night Neyther is this all but in the night time when sleepe is departed from a man and Nature is sufficed with rest he doth euen then call to minde the heauenly Doctrine of the word of God and doth muse and meditate therein as the Text saith heere euen day and night For God which hath bounded the day with the night hath set no bound to a godly mans meditation It is nothing to be first one that heareth the word secondly one that receiueth it thirdly with ioy if fourthly it shal be but for a time onely if he shall not also continue and constantly perseuer to meditate therein day and night So as we see this is our duety to set some time apart euerie day to worship God as to heare reade pray meditate c. We see men doe set apart depute and ordaine some certaine time euery day for the food of the body at the least twice a day to eate and drinke how much more then should wee bee carefull for our Soules euery day to reade meditate and to pray Of all the time we spend in this world none will be more comfortable vnto vs in death when wee shall goe the way of all flesh then that which wee haue bestowed in the seruice and worship of Almightie God There is not now one houre spent in the seruice of God but will then minister cause of ioy and reioycing neither is there now one houre spent in the seruice of sin and of Satan but the remembrance thereof will then be a terrour vnto the soule Oh that men would be wise then would they vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 This seemes to reproue the common carelesnesse of the world most Vse 1 men and women spend al their daies in delights and vanities in sports and pastimes in scraping and raking together the things of this life and in the meane time finde no time at al to serue God that in twenty foure houres hardly can spare one to serue God one to reade heare pray meditate yea how many be there that neuer open their books to reade one chapter in the Bible all the Weeke long How many be there that neuer spend one quarter of an houre in Meditation which neuer call vpon GOD from Sonday to Sonday doth not this proue men to be carnall and vngodly Do not these men do nothing of conscience or with delight and loue to GOD and his worship but all for fashion sake or feare of the Law What difference is there betwixt those men who seldome or neuer call on the name of GOD and the beast they ride on The beast arises in the morning out of his den and streakes himselfe goes to his meate and so to worke Euen so do they neuer call on the name of God In this thing wherein do such men differ from a very beast How can such look for any blessing from God vpon their labours Yea how can they chuse but feare some fearefull iudgement and curse of God to ouertake them And no doubt the cause why many ride and run earely and late and do not call on God for a blessing vpon their endeuours cannot prosper and thriue in the world No God sends sometimes iudgements plagues and punishments vpon them and all for the neglect of this godly and Christian duety it is iust with God both to crosse and to curse both them and their labours Psal 14. Againe by the rule of this doctrine they are no lesse to be reproued Note who can bee content now and then to Heare Reade Pray and Meditate c. But this must bee at their leasure when they haue nothing else to do bur to keep certaine times Mornings Noones euenings to leaue all sports pastimes delights and businesse to go to GOD and serue him and call vpon his name they cannot abide that they will not bee so tyed and restrained but as the man in the Gospell when CHRIST called him first he must go bury his father and him that would go Bid his friends fare-well So many could be content to serue God and to pray vnto him but they
carefull of the performance of our dueties herein as wee are in our owne affaires In our plowing and sowing our reaping and gathering in our putting off of our cattell and tilling our ground men know their times and take their opportunities euen then when it shall stand with their best aduantage Oh that wee could bee as wise for our soules to purchase the true treasure which wil make vs rich vnto saluation as wee are for these temporall things which doe last but for a time surely it is the care of the godly man Esay 1. Gen. 43. as the mariner watches for the winde and when it comes hoyses vp saile as the Captaine and Souldier in the field waite their time yea and as the Birds Swan and Crane the beasts Swallow and Pismire waite their times and then take the occasion and season offered so the childe of God doth in his heauenly wisedome waite the time and take the occasion to doe good As Ioseph in the seuen yeares of plenty prouided for the seuen yeares of dearth so the godly man bringeth forth fruite in due season that is in time conuenient As when the Lord cals man to repent hee repents when occasion is to pray hee will pray when the season is to heare hee will heare when to reproue hee will reproue when to giue to the poore hee hath his hand ready so as when occasion is offered hee takes it Yea hee waits and watches for it as Lot did to entertaine strangers at his Tent doore Gen. 17. and as that poore man in the Gospell who lay at the poole of Bethesda waiting for the mouing of the water Ioh. 5. This reproues the folly and carelesnesse Vse 1 of most men who neither wait the time nor yet take the occasion offered The Lord cals men to prayer to calling on his Name they make light of it the Lord cals men to heare his Word men contemne it the Lord offers occasion to reproue sinne they will not open their mouth to reproue the swearer blasphemer cursed speaker c. The Lord offers occasion to releeue the poore they shut vp the bowels of mercy against them In the matters of the world Oh men are wise to take their time the merchant the mariner the Husbandman c. But in the matters of God which concerne the saluation of our soules we are like that sicke man that let euery man step in before him Well if we belong vnto God it will grieue vs at the heart that wee haue not done our duety that wee haue omitted our occasions of doing of good whether to heare reade pray reproue or to giue vnto the poore Well let vs now seeke the Lord while hee may bee found let vs not with the slouthfull seruant deferre till our Maisters comming How many bee there that say that they will now liue in ease in ioy and will take their pleasure and follow their sports and when they be old then they will repent and serue God and giue themselues to prayer but let none thinke if they do spend the flowre of their youth in lusts and pleasures Eccl 12.1 in the seruice of sinne and sathan that God will accept of their rotten old age no the deuill shall haue the dregs as well as the wine Hence wee obserue in the second Vse 3 place that Gods children are neuer voide of the fruites of faith but haue them in them continually to their endlesse comfort Other Trees oftentime fall to degenerate and to grow out of kinde and if they doe hold out a long time yet age at the last makes them to decay and to die albeit you dig and dung and water them neuer neuer so much it cannot keep them from wasting and withering but it is not so with the godly men which are planted by the riuers of water in Gods Church for euen in their old age they bring forth aboundance and store of friute albeit they be neuer so old yet whensoeuer the Season requires some fruit of a godly man hee is euer ready to performe the same being that hee is continually watered by the working of his Spirit and this is confirmed by that of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 15.1.2 I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman euery branch that beareth no fruite in mee hee taketh away and euery branch that beareth fruite hee purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite So that being once Planted by these Riuers of waters wee shall then incontinently bring forth fruite The third propertie of this tree wherunto the godly man is cōpared His leafe shall not fade THis is the third point of the description of this Tree to the which a godly man is compared namely by the flourishing estate of it That her leaues do not fall They wither not nor dry not but alwaies flourish and are greene of this sort is the Oliue tree the Bay tree the Lawrell tree and the Box tree they are alwaies greene and flourishing the heate of the Sommer nor the cold of the Winter doth not parch or wither them but they keepe their vigor and colour at all seasons Now this doth signifie vnto vs the constancy and the perseuerance of the godly Psal 92.12 For as the Tree planted thus by the fresh springing waters doth alwaies flourish and is euer greene neither is it nipped either with the heate of Sommer or cold of Winter So the godly man that is truely regenerate hee is constant and doth perseuer euen vnto the end Hence wee learne that it is not enough Doctr. 7. Perseuerance required in each child of God for a man or woman to begin well or to take some liking of Religion to haue some good motions as to reuerence Gods Ministers to desire to heare them to ioyne with the people of God in prayer to bring forth some good fruit in outward reformation of life c. vnlesse he perseuere persist and go on vnto the end Mar. 24 13 He that indures to the end shall be saued Reu. 2.10 And Bee thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life Eze. 18.24 If a righteous man leaue his righteousnesse c. Hee that puts his hand to the Lords Plough Luk. 9.62 and looketh backe is not worthy of the Kingdom of Heauen Againe 2. Pet. 2.21 it had beene better for them that they had neuer knowne the waies of godlinesse then afterwards to fall away And therefore in the Scriptures such as haue had some beginning and after fallen away are noted to haue beene exceeding wicked men As wee see in Iudas first a Preacher and an Apostle Math. 27. a man well esteemed that had excellent giftes to Preach Pray and cast out deuils afterward an hypocrite a thiefe a traytor a reprobate Mar. 6.20 Herod had many things in him at first reuerenced Iohn Baptist heard him gladly did many things at his request 2. Tim. 4.10 yet afterwards a
their names to Christ who afterwards when they were to take vp the Crosse of Christ haue gone out and turned their backes vpon Christ Saul beganne well but afterwards he waxed worse and in the end became an open persecutor Ioash behaued himselfe vprightly all the dayes of Iehoiadah and repaired the house of the Lord but after his death hee fell to idolatry What did it profit Lots wife to goe out of Sodome insomuch as afterward she looked back and was turned into a Pillar of Salt So then we see here that it is not enough to purpose well it is not enough to begin well neither is it enough to proceede well it is required of vs to perseuere well and to continue in a constant and setled course euen vnto the end Doctr. 8. By our vnion with Christ we are made sure of perseuerance Last of all in that it is said heere that the Leaues that is to say the faith of a Christian shall neuer fall Hence I gather that no elect Childe of God that is truly regenerate and borne anew and a liuely member of Christs mysticall body can perish and finally fall away For whom God predestinateth him hee calleth whom hee calleth he iustifieth whom he iustifieth he glorifieth Rom. 8.30 The gift and calling of God is without repentance My sheep heare my voyce and follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man take them out of my hands Ioh. 10.27 28.29 And the reason is Wee beare not the roote but the roote beareth vs. Our saluation doth not depend vpon our selues for then indeed wee were in danger to fall away euery moment of an houre but it dependeth vpon him because we are in him and through him we grow and increase yea the older wee bee in Christ the more doe we fasten our roote and flourish They which are planted in the Courts of the Lord shall flourish in their old age and bring forth much fruit And whereas other Branches are many times pulled from their stocke either by the violence of the wind by the hands of men or at the least consumed by length of time It shal not bee so with them that are in Christ for they are kept by him as the root bearing branches Because I am not altered nor changed therefore are you not consumed Oh yee sonnes of Iacob And therefore right happy is the state of that man who is in Christ Iesus For neither life nor death things present nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God Rom. 8.38 And this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure Arguments Argumēts to proue a Christians perseuerance Phil. 1.5.6 The first is taken from the Nature of Almightie God Hee is faithfull which hath promised And I am perswaded saith the Apostle that hee who hath begun this good worke will performe it vntill the day of Christ The second is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members Rom. 6.5 We know that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more this life of Christ is communicated to vs so that it is not we that liue now but Christ that liueth in vs. The third is taken from the nature of that seed whereof we are begotten 1. Pet. 1.23 Wee are borne anew not of mortall seede but of Immortall Now as the seed is so is the life that comes by that seed our life therefore must needs bee immortall This confuteth a damnable Doctrine Vse 1 of the Papists who hold and teach That a man elected called iustified and sanctified may for euer fall away and bee damned That hee which to day is the deere childe of God to morrow may become the childe of the deuill To day a member of Christ to morrow a limb of the deuill to day an heire of saluation to morrow an heire of damnation Now what doctrine can bee more deuilish and vncomfortable this is nothing else but to set vp a gibbet to torment the poore soules of Gods children to ouerthrow the nature of Faith to make God feeble and weake or foolish and vnwise which is manifest Blasphemy 2. Pet. 1.10 Psa 15. vlt. Rom. 8.1 8.36 but we see heere the Word of God tels vs this cannot bee For what shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Nothing Vse 2 This may serue to reproue another sort of men who are ready to abuse this doctrine Tush saith the carnall and loose Christian it skils not then how a man liues whether well or ill hee that is Elected and is a Member of CHRIST shall bee saued and hee that is reiected shall bee damned though hee liue neuer so well therefore they take liberty to sinne and make conscience of no sinne whatsoeuer But they must know that God decrees a man as well to the meanes as to the end And it is impossible a man should be Elected and Called but hee must liue well so he that is not Elected and Called cannot liue well And it is all one as if a man should neuer eate or drinke and yet hope to liue and like well or lying in the fire or water and vsing no meanes to come out should not perish But we must know that the end and the meanes must go together And for a man to neglect or reiect the meanes it is in vaine for him to hope to bee saued For if thou belong to God thou shalt in time bee Called and Sanctified And where this work is not as yet already wrought that man is as yet in the state of damnation Heere is matter of endlesse comfort Vse 3 to euery true child of God that truely repents and beleeues in Iesus Christ that howsoeuer through the malice of Sathan and the temptation of the deuill the allurements of the world and the corruption of our flesh we may grieuously sinne and fall yet There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 The gates that is all the power of hell shall not preuaile against vs Math. 16. If euer thou foundest the sound worke of grace in thee foundest Iesus Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith so that thou hatest all sinne and desirest in all things to please God though sathan rage and storme and all the gates of hell rise vp against thee yet thou maist comfort thy selfe in the Lord and say with Paul There is no condemnation to mee that am in Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thou maist triumph with Paul and say Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen And if God bee with vs who can bee against vs And a gaine I am perswaded nothing can seuer mee from the loue of God in Christ Iesus No not sinne nor death it selfe Oh happy then and blessed is the estate of that man who is in Christ Neither life nor death things present nor things to come shall separate
of the wicked but they shall after death never die Yea euery word of the sentence seemes to be most fearfull terrible First what they shall do Depart Secondly how they shall depart Cursed Thirdly from whom From me Fourthly whither Into fire Fifthly into what fire Euerlasting fire Sixtly by what right Prepared Seuenthly with what company The Diuell and his Angels Hitherto and thus farre the wicked must arise and stand in Iudgement but after this sentence is once giuen they shall neuer rise vp to appeare in Iudgement any more But where it is said They shall not stand in Iudgement This is meant onely in respect of Gods fauour For this is proper onely to the godly thus to stand in iudgement who are bold in respect of Iesus Christ their elder Brother in whose righteousnesse they appeare Oh that all men would consider Vse 1 this high low rich poore noble and simple That no wicked man shall stand in iudgement but shall heare the fearefull sentence of eternall vengeance Depart from mee yee cursed O how ready are men to put from them this day of reckoning They seeme to haue made a league with Death Esay 28.15 and to bee at an agreement with the Graue But the Lord will disanull this their agreement and the time will come when these wicked wretches will bee glad to put their heads in an awger hole when they shall cry vnto the rockes and hils to fall vpon them to hide them and to couer them from the wrath of God the angry Iudge whom they are not able to endure Who would buy gold at such a rate or pleasures so deere to loose his soule in hell fire for euer for the pleasures of sinne for a season heere Secondly we are taught here that Vse 2 as all wicked and vngodly men bee wretched and miserable in their life So at the day of Iudgement their estate is much more fearefull for it is said here They shall not stand in iudgement but shall quake and tremble as not being able to endure the angry countenance of the Iudge Reu. 20.14 For now they shal see the books brought forth and their sinnes laid open O good Lord what shall vngodly men do then which way shall they turne them when they shall see the Iudge stand aboue them with a naked sword to cut them off and the deuils ready to execute Gods eternall iudgements on them poore soules what shall become of them How can they stand how can they endure it And yet they must vndergo it and endure it But more then this they must receiue that fearefull sentence of eternall vengeance Depart yee cursed c. So as now they must remaine in perpetuall prison in the darke dungeon of hell for euer where the paines are endlesse easlesse and remedilesse They shall haue no ease no not one drop of water to coole their tongue And this word euerlasting Torment doth euen kill the heart of the damned for if a man in hell torments might lie in torments so many thousand yeares as bee Starres in the firmament or sand on the Sea shoare Esa 30.30 it were some comfort to a damned soule that once there might bee an end thereof But alas when he hath suffered torments so many yeares the number to suffer still will euer remaine infinite God giue vs grace that we may become righteous that so wee may stand in iudgement The second part of the misery of a wicked man in the life to come is Hee shall not stand in the assembly of the Iust IN these words is noted out vnto vs a second branch of the iudgement of the wicked in the life to come That they shall be seuered and secluded from the company of the Iust Heauen is called the New Ierusalem wherein enters no vncleane thing onely this is the place where the iust do abide Heere are all the holy Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob heere are the Apostles heere are the holy Martyrs and constant witnesses of CHRISTS truth here are all the Saints that sleepe in Christ heere they rest and sing continually Praise honour and glory vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne heere they enioy the presence of God and see his face continually Now to bee depriued of this place and to be seuered from this company it is a misery with a witnesse And this is that misery heere pointed out in this second place They shall not stand in the Assembly of the Iust The Church is to bee vnderstood two wayes Militant and Triumphant and from both of these the wicked are excluded for howsoeuer the wicked liue amongst the godly as Tares amongst the good Wheate as Cain and Esau and Iudas did amongst the godly yet they were not of the godly They went out from vs because they were not of vs But this is not directly intended in this place But of the Church Triumphant in the kingdome of heauen where the godly enioy Iesus Christ Psal 16.12 In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand is pleasure for euermore heere the wicked shall not stand in this Assembly Exod. 3. For if Moses might not stand vpon the holy ground before he had put off his shooes Oh how much lesse shall sinfull wretches stand in the presence of the euerliuing God hauing on the shooes of their sinfull affection Yea it is now most iust with God that such should be shut from Heauen the Church Triumphant seeing they neuer warred in the Church Militant Neither the sinners in the assembly of the iust Doctr. 2. All Mankinde diuided into two ranks HEere then we learne that there are two sorts of men in the world Good and Bad Sheep Goates Elect and Reprobate and heere in this world they liue together but after death in the last iudgement there shall bee two places appointed for them Mat. 25.34 one on the right hand another on the left one in honour the other in shame one in ioy and comfort the other in feare and horror And as wicked men in this life could neuer abide the company and society of the godly but did mock and scoffe at them and shun their company as much as they could so in the great day of account in that great and generall separation The sinners shall not appeare in the assembly of the righteous but shall bee seuered and sundred by the great Shepheard of the sheepe the Iudge of the whole world Now that wicked men shun and auoid the company of the godly and do desire and seeke the company of the wicked it is plaine by experience and therefore it is iust with God that at the last day they should bee seuered and secluded their company and as they loued and delighted in the company of wicked men and such as haue no feare of God before their eyes so now they shall haue their belly full of their company How did Cain hate Abel Pharaoh Moses and Aaron Saul Dauid the