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
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
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
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
Isaak Behold I am now old and know not the day of my death wherfore now c x Gen. 27.2.3 as if he had said There is a thing to be done which must be done before I die and I know that as the daies of my life are but few so the greatest part of them are gone and past therefore that which I intended I will hasten to doe it so should euerie Christian reason wâ—â—h himselfe My time is short my life a span my daies nor many therefore Lord frame my heart that whilest it is called to day I may turne to thee and seeke thy fauour This care is a chiefe difference betwixt the godly and the wicked For they argue cleane contrarie Let vs eat and drinke tomorrow we shall die y Isay 22.13 Therein they imitate their father the Diuell for euen of the same humor is he He hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time z Reu. 12.12 The second point now followeth For so Zachary teacheth vs that as God is to be serued in our life which is the more generall point so it must be all the daies of our life Here come to be opened two doctrines 1 That religion is to be practised euery day 2. That it is to be practised to the end of our daies The former of these requireth assiduity and dailinesse The latter perpetuity and lastingnesse I will blesse thee daily saith Dauid and praise thy name for euer a Psal 145.2 That speech may be in stead of a commentarie to this place I will speake of both seuerally The former of the two doctrines is The 2. Doctrine That a Christian man is bound by the word of God to a daily practise of religion Euery day and euery action of the day must be a witnesse of his care to approue himselfe in all holy conuersation vnto God It will not be hard to proue this by the Scripture namely that a godly life is to be brought into euery daies practise We must henceforth liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men b 1. Pet. 4.2 As much time so that no time is exempted from liuing after the will of God Let thy heart be in the feare of the Lord continually c Pro. 23.17 Toto die Tremel There is no allowance for any intermission of time to be spent as it were a little more vainely or carelesly than other Paul speakes of being giuen vnto euery good worke continually or of attending thereupon dayly d So doth the word signifie 1. Tim. 5.10 Euery good worke there is no toleration for any sinne Euery day there is no exemption of time I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleere conscience e Act. 24.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alway or thorowout that is at one time as well as at another one time of the day as well as another There are very few duties of religion but the Scripture speaketh of the dailinesse of them either by precept or example For dayly praying besides the commandement pray continually f 1. Thes 5.17 we haue Daniels example of three times a day g Dan. 9.10 and Dauids of seuen times a day h Psa 119.164 For reading we haue the charge giuen to Iosua Let not this booke of the law depart from thee i Ioâ— 1.8 For meditation we heare Dauid Oh how I loue thy law it is my meditation continually k Ps 119 97. For talking of good things My tongue shall talke of thy righteousnesse daily l Psal 71.24 For watching ouer our owne selues Keepe thy heart with all diligence saith Salomon m Pro. 4.23 Watch in all things saith Paul n 2. Tim. 4.5 Take heed lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart o Heb 3.12 For depending vpon Gods prouidence we are taught to aske daily bread p Matth. 6.11 For preparation for the crosse there is speech of taking it vp daily q Luc 9.23 For seeking to doe good to others there is a precept to exhort one another daily r Heb. 3.13 These places and many like shew that one day as well as another is to be consecrated to God and the duties of religion rending to Gods glory the edification of our owne soules and the good of others are to be performed euerie day And if it were not so why should God be so carefull in the Scripture to giue such directions for euery specialty that can be incident to any day as apparrell meat calling companie speech solitarinesse recreation health sicknes prosperity crosses friends c whatsoeuer occasion may at any time take vp a man in any part of the day the Scripture giueth a direction for it because a man is bound to make conscience of the practise of religion in euery particular Now a double reason there is for this doctrine First Gods compassions are renued euery morning Å¿ Lam. 3.23 and he ladeth vs dayly with benefits t Psal 68.19 Now sith there is no slacking of Gods kindnesse why should there be any intermission of our dutie Secondly Satan goeth about seeking to deuoure u 1. Pet. 5.8 when a man beginneth to be a little secure and to giue the raines a little to his owne heart to wander after it owne waies then taketh he his aduantage and the soule being by some intermission of a godly care thus as it were let loose doth quickly fall into his snares The 1. Vse The first vse of this doctrine is to remoue two opinions which are common in the world touching religion The one is that it is an easie matter to be a Christian a thing of no great paines to be religious some generall desires some superficiall good meanings some formall shews some deuotion now and then by fits some few actions of charity this is enough to saluation Hence commeth our common security Moiling and droiling there is for the world without measure To some carnall and carking humors the day is not long enough the weeke is too short euen some of Gods day must be borrowed for earthly occasions Godlinesse is followed but at leasure times heauen we suppose will come of it selfe without seeking How many daies passe ouer vs in a yere in which matters of the soule are not once thought vpon But how much are wee heerein deceiued Religion is a taske for euery day Hee that doeth not make conscience euery day to looke to his Religion to profit in his Religion and to shew foorth the fruits of his Religion that hee may comfortably at night say he is so much neerer his iourneies end to heauen than hee was at his first setting out in the morning that mans Religion is not as it ought and he which thinketh to come to heauen by this idle and negligent course shall be called the least in the kingdome of God x Matt. 5.19 The second opinion is
darknesse d Ioh. 12.46 neither in the darknesse of Ignorance nor in the darknesse of discomfort nor in the darkenesse of eternall death Now for the maner and meanes of imparting this Light Hee who is the Sunne of Righteousnesse e Mal. 4 2. conueieth the beames of this Light by two instruments 1. The Word 2. The Spirit To assure vs that the Word is the Instrument to conuey the Light of Knowledge it is said to giue Light to the eies f Psal 19.8 and the Ministrie of it is called the Light of the World g Matt. 5.14 the Ministers themselues are said to bee Starres in Christs right hand h Reu. 1.20 they haue committed vnto them the Key of Knowledge i Luc. 11.52 and it is their office to giue Knowledge k Luc. 1.77 Againe that we may know the Word to be the Instrument of comfort it is said to reioice the Heart l Psal 19.8 and to be a Comfort in trouble m Psa 119.50 Thirdly to certifie vs that it is the Instrument of Life it is called the Word of Life n Act. 5.20 and a quickning Word o Psa 119.93 Touching the Spirit asmuch is testified also By it God giues Knowledge It is the Spirit of Truth and leadeth into truth p Ioh. 16.13 The worke thereof is called the opening of the Heart q Act. 16.14 and the opening of the vnderstanding r Luc. 24.45 Secondly by it commeth Comfort therefore he is called the Comforter ſ Ioh. 14.26 and The oyle of gladnesse t Psal 45.7 Thirdly by it commeth Life for which cause it is called The spirit of Life u Rom. 8.2 Thus we see Christ the Day-spring for what end he came euen to giue Light namely the Light of Knowledge the Light of comfort and the Light of Life We vnderstand also how he sendeth foorth these his beames vpon vs Outwardly by the brightnesse of his Word Inwardly by the shining of his Spirit The 1. Vse The first vse is to make the tidings of the Gospel to be as in their owne nature they are tidings vnto vs of great ioy x Luc. 2.10 They should bee as the newes of Iosephs life to Iacob at the hearing whereof his Spirit reuiued y Gen. 45.27 But why so The substance of the Gospell is Christ Iesus and the summe of his office is to giue Light What one thing is there in the world more comfortable When Paul and the rest were in danger of shipwracke they wished saith the text that the day were come z Act. 27.29 The darknesse of the night added to their danger and doubled their feare Euerie houre seemed two vntill the day were broken Indeed that saying is true of euill doers The morning is to them as the shadow of the death a Iob 24.17 but to them of honest cariage the light of the day is exceeding welcome Therefore Dauid setteth foorth his longing after God by the watching of the morning watch for the morning b Psal 130.6 It is said of Abraham that hee reioyced to see Christs day c Ioh. 8.56 A little glimpse of this light was the very ioy of Abrahams heart How great therefore and intolerable is our dulnesse who take no contentment in the beames of this Light which shine vnto vs A great blessing it is which is reported of Zabulon and Nepthalim The people which sate in darknesse saw great Light and to them which sate in the Region and shadow of death light is risen vp d Matt. 4.16 Wee by the goodnesse of God enioy the like blessing and yet in the opinion of the most it is nothing lesse than a blessing Men had rather lie wallowing in the darknesse of Ignorance than open their eies to receiue that light which is offred vnto them by the Gospel This is that which will bring hell and iudgement vpon this generation according to that speech of Christ This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men loue darknesse rather than light e Ioh. 3.19 A maruell it is that men should reiect such a blessing But Christ hath told the reason It is because their deeds are euill This Light of doctrine discouereth their sinnes for it is Light which maketh all things manifest f Eph. 5.13 it bewrayeth the grossenesse of their courses and layeth open many a mans hypocrisie who seemed to himselfe and was reputed by others to be such an one as he ought to be There cannot be a greater vexation to men of corrupt mindes than to be met with in their sinnes they cry then with Ahab Hast thou found me O mine enemie g 1. Kin. 21.20 This is the cause that the Light of grace which wee ought of all other things most to reioice in is become such a burthen vnto vs it discouereth that which we desire by all meanes to keepe close The world hates me saith our Sauiour because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are euill * Ioh. 7.7 Remember we therefore Christ is the Light we are they to whom he offreth Light he hath sent his word to enlighten vs. If wee reioice not in this Light but wish rather it were euen blowne out that wee might sleepe freely in our sinnes it sheweth vs to be the heires of darknesse and that the shadow of eternall death must bee our portion The 2. Vse The second vse standeth thus Sith Christ as he is Light himselfe so imparts his Light vnto vs by his Word and the Ministerie thereof we must remember the counsell which Christ giueth Walke while ye haue light h 1. Ioh. 8.35 We haue no assurance of the continuance of that Light of the Gospell which we now enioy Our sinnes may bring a storme vpon vs in which the Sunne shall goe downe ouer the Prophets and the day shall be darke ouer them i Mic. 3.6 Our vnthankfulnesse and barrennesse in our profession our lothing of the heauenly Mannah hath deserued this and more It is holie wisedome therefore for vs to take the benefit of the light whiles it yet shineth lest such a iudgement should come vpon vs as Christ spake of namely that we should desire to see one of the daies which we now see and value not but thē shall not see them k Luc. 17.22 Perhaps in the opinion of some this is no iudgement nay it is the very thing they desire being like those who when the Prophets of God were slaine reioiced ouer them and sent gifts one to another l Reu. 11.10 But let them heare what Christ saith He that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth m Ioh. 12.35 He that iourneieth not whiles it is day at last when he is benighted hee loseth his way falleth into the hands of theeues rusheth into some downe-fall where hee casts away himselfe Such is the state of men without the