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
It behooueth vs therefore to be as wise as Serpents Mat. 10.16 and as innocent as Doues to the end wee may stoppe the mouthes of gaine-sayers and cut off occasions from them that seeke occasions And to this end wee must euermore bee mindfull in our prayers to pray vnto God to be deliuered from them for vnlesse we be armed from aboue we shall easily be ouertaken by their assaults and through the corruptions of our owne hearts which are prone vnto all sinne they deale warily and circumspectly they worke by all meanes to peruert our waies and to make vs two-fold worse then themselues the child of Satan How much more carefull ought we to bee to preuent them which we shall do the better by shunning the occasions of sinne Secondly wee are taught heere Vse 2 that if we labour to bee the Disciples of Christ and to bee blessed what entertainement we shall finde in the world namely to haue wicked and vngodly men to stand in our way and hinder vs as they did stand in Zacheus way when hee went forth to see Christ Luk. 19.3 If thou bee once in Gods presence and dost beginne to call vpon him for mercy Luk. 18.39 they will rebuke thee as they did the poore blind man in the Gospel If thou bee sicke yea dead in trespasses and sinnes and Christ doth beginne to come home to the house of thy Soule to heale thee and to raise thee vp from the death of thy sinnes they will stoppe his passage and entrance in if possibly they can As they did when Christ came to the Rulers Daughter that was dead Matt. 9.23 But as Christ turned them out of doores saying Get yee hence So must thou shake them off and not communicate with flesh and bloud in matters that concerne eternal life and the saluation of thy soule For if thou doe thou canst neuer be saued Neyther must we look after the loue and liking of the world nor hang vpon men for their applause and fauour for where there is not the feare of God surely such men are most vnconstant in their wayes turning vpon euery small occasion yea and the loue and fauor of such men must needes be bent towards the worst seeing themselues are bad and set themselues in no good way Remember what Christ said vnto his Disciples Ioh. 15.19 If yee were of the world the world would loue his owne But because yee are not of the world But I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Wherefore as they that run at tilt looke not to the vulgar people what they say but to the Iudges so care not thou for the world But looke euer what the Iudge of heauen and earth doth allow and approue of That hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked By Counsell hee heere meaneth the subtilties and crafts of the wicked by which they push themselues forward and labour to draw others to be like vnto themselues according to that of Salomon My sonne if sinners intice thee Prouer. 11 consent not vnto them From whence wee gather a fourth poynt of Doctrine Namely that it is a most horrible Doctr. 4. To giue euill counsell is an horrible sinne and grieuous sin to giue euill counsell To commit sinne is that which highly offends the Maiestie of God and draweth downe vpon vs all punishments both temporall and eternall but to counsell others to commit sinne is the very height of sin This is noted in the Scripture to be the sinne of Iezabell who was a furtherer of Ahabs winkednesse 1. Reg. 21.7 for when hee could not by any lawfull meanes attaine the Vine-yard of Naboth shee said vnto him Dost thou sway the Scepter rule the Kingdome and manage the State Arise and eate bread I will giue thee the vineyard This was the counsell of Achitophel vnto Absolom 2. Sam. 16.21 fearing his reconciliation to his father Dauid and therein his owne iust confusion hee giues such counsell whereby hee might take away all hope of agreement Go into thy fathers Concubines which hee hath left to keepe the house and when all Israel shall heare thou art abhorred of thy father the hands of all that are with thee shall bee strong This is likewise set downe by Salomon in the Prouerbes where he expresseth the sin of seducers Prou. 1.11 saying Come with vs let vs lie in waite for the bloud of the innocents wee will swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole as those that go downe into the pit Cast in thy Lot amongst vs we will all haue one purse their feet runne to euill and they make hast to shed bloud And this doth appeare in the brethren of Ioseph when they purposed the ouerthrow of their brother Gen. 37.10 Come say they let vs slay him and cast him into some pit and we will say a wicked beast hath deuoured him And this appeared to bee the malice of the High Priests and Elders of the people who moued the people to desire that Barrabas might bee deliuered rather then CHRIST Mar. 15.11 and perswaded Iudas for a summe of mony to betray him Mat. 28.12 Inticed the Souldiers with a great summe of money to noise it abroad that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept All these testimonies and many more may serue for the confirmation of this doctrine that it is a most horrible and grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell Seeing that it is a most great and Vse 1 grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell this teacheth vs our duety that whensoeuer they shall set vpon vs to draw vs away from GOD that wee bee carefull that wee consent not vnto them It is not enough for a man to say Alas I deuised it not neither am I the first that haue committed the like for this shall excuse no man that hee was not the author of an euill For surely if it bee so great a sinne to seduce it is no lesse sinne to bee seduced and GOD will one day finde them no lesse guilty but shall partake with them of the same punishment if a man should haue about him a great summe of money or other treasure and should willingly and wittingly put himselfe into the companie of thieues and will be drawne by them out of the way were this man to be pittied if hee should loose all that he had Euen so is it with a Christian that doth carry daily about with him a rich Treasure his Soule and conscience which hee must keepe vnspotted of the world If he listen to the charmes of the wicked and will be drawne out of the way of Gods commaundements to commit sinne and so make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience is it not iust with God that this man should perish for the same So then wee see it standeth vs in hand to beware of consenting to sinne and counselling others to commit sinne For
cut off before it can bee remoued So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant the Lords Husbandmen which are his Ministers they must bring the Axe of Gods Word and lay the same to the root of our consciences and wee must haue many an vnprofitable sprout of nature cut off before wee can be taken out of nature and ingrafted into Iesus Christ the rootes that is thy affections that haue taken such deepe rooting into thy profits into thy pleasures and the like All these must bee cut off before thou canst be planted into Christ Doctr. 3. All men that are not ingrafted into IESVS CHRIST are miserable Hence marke in that the Prophet Dauid compares a godly man thus to a Tree not wilde but Planted and that by the Riuers of water and that this is a signe of our insition or ingrafting into CHRIST his Mysticall Body whereby we are made Members of the same Hence I say we are taught that all men out of CHRIST are miserable onely they be blessed that be vnited vnto IESVS CHRIST and ingrafted into his mysticall body Our Sauiour speaketh of this when hee compares his Father to a Husbandman himselfe to a Vine and all of vs to Branches Now hee shewes that those that bee not ingrafted into him that they bee but dead and withered boughes and therefore they must bee burned in the fire We are all by nature wilde Oliues Ioh. 15.1.2 Rom. 11. that bring forth nothing but sowre and vnsauoury fruit till wee bee transplanted by the Spirit of God and ingrafted into the sweet Oliue Iesus Christ Wee see this plaine by common experience take a sciene from a Tree and vnlesse it bee ingrafted into another Stocke it will die and neuer beare fruite So vnlesse wee bee grafted into Iesus Christ by faith Ephe. 2.1.2.3 Iohn 5.6 Iohn 8.35 Rom. 3.13 Eph. 4.18 and the Spirit of God wee must needs wither and come to nothing but proue fewell for the fire of Gods vengeance And Paul shewing the estate of all men by Nature out of Christ saith that wee are all dead in trespasses and sinnes The children of wrath Ioh. 3.3.5 1. Cor. 4.4 2. Tim. 2.26 Ioh. 8.33 yea the very vassals of the deuill and limbes of Sathan heires GODS vengeance and eternall damnation wee are without GOD in the world strangers from the common-weale of Israel in a cursed and damnable estate Vnlesse a man bee borne anew hee can neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Yea the Deuill is called the God of this world because all men by Nature are his vassals and slaues hee reignes and rules in them Rom. 7.23 Exod. 1.11 Colos 2.3 Wee are in the deuils clawes and taken in his snares to do his will This is the common slauery of all high low rich poore noble and simple Let men boast neuer so much in outward respects as sometimes the Iewes did wee were neuer bound to any yet vntill the Sonne of Righteousnes Christ Iesus doe make them free this is their captiuitie We reade in what an intollerable bondage the people of Israel were in in Egypt vnder Pharoah But it can no way figure out vnto vs the miserable slauery and bondage that euery man is in vnder the spirituall Pharaoh Sathan for heere the soule the will the affection and all are captiued and held in his snares To doe his will The vse hereof may serue to humble Vse 1 vs and to cause the lofty to strike saile which ioy so much in outward things riches honour beauty strength authority c. Alas what of all these when in the meane time thou thy selfe art but a slaue vnto sinne and sathan a dead and withered Tree reserued for the fire of GODS wrath eternal death is thy surest inheritance If thou hast thy right what canst thou expect but the fire of hell It is Natures desert and that which Nature doth aime at Why art thou then O man so secure when thy sinnes haue cast thee into such a dismall estate Oh let vs labour to come out of it let vs not suffer our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-lids to slumber till wee haue got the assurance that wee are taken out of the state of Nature into the state of Grace and to be by faith ingrafted into this true Stock Christ Iesus Vse 2 Secondly this shewes that all those that liue and die in the estate of Nature vnregenerate not borne anew not ingrafted into Iesus Christ must needs perish and bee damned for euer The Apostle shewes that all men by Nature bee starke dead in trespasses and sinnes Ioh. 3.3 5. Eph. 2.1.2.2 and that all by Nature are the children of wrath as well as others high low rich and poore old yong learned and vnlearned This is that our Sauiour saith Vnlesse yee repent yee shall all perish Luke 13.5 And againe If any man abide not in Mee hee is cast off as a withered branch Iohn 15.6 and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne Oh! how should this admonish all men to look about them It is wonderfull to see how men go on from day to day securely in their sinnes and neither thinke of heauen nor hell but perseuer and continue in their ignorance vnbeliefe and hardnesse of heart in swearing contempt of the Word prophaning the Sabboth in lying stealing adultery c. Psalm 50. O consider this yee that forget GOD Oh consider the woefull and fearefull estate of all such as liue and die out of Christ in the estate of nature they must needs perish and for euer bee damned Oh thinke of this and the LORD giue thee vnderstanding in all things that euery day thou risest thou art in danger to loose thy owne soule and therefore lay this doctrine to heart and know that it is not good to dally in such points God will not bee mocked And therefore now beginne to repent and turne vnto God while it is called to day Deferre no longer but repent and seeke to bee reconciled to God while it is called to day The second part of this doctrine is that as all those that bee out of Christ are miserable and cursed and if they liue and die in the state of Doctr. 4. Onely the regenerate man is happy blessed Nature cannot bee saued So on the other side all those that are Regenerate and borne anew that bee ingrafted into Iesus Christ by Faith and the Spirit of God so as they be the true and liuely Members of Christ his Mysticall Body they are blessed and happy Now that these are blessed it may appeare in that blessed prayer Christ made a little before his passion Hee begs this at his Fathers hand Iohn 17. That all the Elect might bee one in Him and Hee in them And this Hee begs often and earnest vnto his Father for which shewes that it is a matter of endlesse moment and great importance Now that such as be one with
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
Iewes our Sauiour Christ Elymas the company of Paul And on the contrary part how one wicked man doth loue the company of another like himselfe Psalm 50. common experience doth proue it And heere wicked men bee noysome and troublesome to the godly as Goats to sheep they tread downe their pasture they trample in their water Ezek. 34. and they push them with their hornes Christs sheep now sustaine sundry wrongs and iniuries and are much annoyed and vexed by those stinking and vnruly Goates But there will come a day of separation Mal. 3.18 to the horror of the wicked and comfort of the godly Further in these words wee may consider the estate of the righteous at the last iudgement that is of the elect of God such as haue truely repented of their sinnes by faith beleeue and embrace Iesus Christ and are iustified through his obedience in the sight of God surely their estate shall bee blessed and happy and so great that the very wicked shall be ashamed and astonied to behold it First they shall be set on Christs right hand which is no small honour and ioy for poore silly soules to bee aduanced to sit on the right hand of Iesus Christ the Son of God and the great Iudge of the world Secondly they shall heare the blessed sentence Come yee blessed c. Mat. 25.34 Thirdly they shall be put in reall possession of eternall saluation of the kingdome of Heauen and liue in the blessed presence of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Reuel 21. 13.14 the elect Angels and blessed Saints where there shall be no sorow paine sicknesse c. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours So then after death they haue a sweet quietus est and a generall discharge and freedome from all enemies of soule and body from all trouble paine and griefe Whereas the wicked and vngodly shall bee in a cleane contrary estate and condition for they shall not come into the company of the righteous nor shall haue no part in that place of their Comfort Honour Ioy and Dignity but shall be set on Christs left hand a place of exceeding sorrow and griefe shame and confusion horrour and trembling This might admonish all wicked Vse 1 and vngodly sinners to repent in time to turne to God by true repentance and amendment of their liues to esteeme better of the company of Gods faithfull seruants and righteous Children in this world and to make much of them But if they will still proceed to hate them to set themselues against the godly to shunne their company and to hate them aboue all the things in the world Well yet remember the time will come that yee shall thinke it the greatest misery in the world that they shall be seuered and sundred from their company and in so being they shall be seuered and sundred from the company and society of Iesus Christ himselfe of God the Father and all the blessed Saints and Angels of God in heauen Wis 5.1.2.3.4 Then in that day shall the righteous stand in great boldnesse before him that persecuted him c. Thus yee see the madnesse and extreme folly of wicked men they hate them whom they ought most to loue and loue them whom they ought most to dislike Vse 2 Let men take heed with whom they ioyne themselues in society Seeing with whom they keepe company in this life in death they shall pertake with them and after at the last iudgement shall be ioyned with them Hee that now is familiar and a companion of vngodly men Athiests Papists Swearers Drunkards Scorners c. certainely in death he shall bee punished with them and after death haue his abode with them for euer Reu. 18.4 So he that is now a companion with all those that feare God surely hee shall haue a part with them in death and at the last iudgement shall bee placed with them in ioy and happinesse for euermore Heb. 11.25.26 It is thought to be a matter of little or no moment what company a man keepes to liue amongst Swaggerers Swearers Drunkards Athiests Papists c. But the truth is it is a fearefull signe of a reprobate and he that is now a companion with them in their sins shall after death take part with them in their plagues The first Psalme VERSE 6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous But the way of the vngodly shall perish HItherto the Prophet hath described the wonderfull blessed estate of a godly man The secōd generall part of the Psalme As also the fearefull and cursed estate of the wicked Now in this sixt verse which containes in it the second generall part of the Psalme is laid downe a reason both of the happinesse of the one and also of the misery of the other The godly man is a blessed man why Because the Lord Knoweth that is approueth of the way of a righteous and godly man hee likes it and directs it yea takes care of it and doth blesse the way that is the life and conuersation the actions studies and endeuours of the righteous Secondly the wicked are cursed and miserable why Because the Lord doth not thus Know that is the Lord doth not like nor allow of the wicked man hee doth not loue nor approue of his life nor dealings but rather dislikes him and all hee doth yea hee hates and abhorres his vile and abhominable and wicked life And therefore both hee and his waies that is his studies labours and enterprises shall perish and come to destruction In that the Lord is said to know the way of the righteous that is to like it to loue and to be well pleased with it so as hee will direct and blesse Doctr. 1. A great comfort to the godly that God doth approue of them it Here is matter of exceeding comfort to euery poore childe of God to euery godly and righteous seruant of God that being iustified by faith in Christ Iesus and sanctified by the Holy Ghost liue well and leade a godly and righteous life that howsoeuer the world contemnes them scoffes and scornes them mockes and mowes at them reuile and raile vpon them esteeme them as base and vile yet here we see that the Lord loues them and esteemes highly of them approues them as his delights in them to blesse them and prosper them Touch not mine Annointed 2 Cor. 4.13 Mat. 23.37 Psalm 105 Psalm 17. Ps 142.3.4 Nah. 2.7 1. Tim. 4.8 and do my Prophets no harme yea he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of Gods eye no assaults whatsoeuer shall bee able to hurt them For godlinesse hath the promise of this life and that which is to come And therefore let vs labour to plant godlinesse in our hearts and store them with the true feare of God and in so doing the Lord will both blesse vs and our poore endeuours This may serue to
all godlinesse and euen to bleare out the tongue at Religion and Christian piety so that as they are wicked in heart and lewd in life so be they also hardened and confirmed in both of them for by Seate he noteth the fellowship and society with the vngodly Psal 26.4 Their actions described Secondly concerning the action the first is to walke in the counsell of the wicked To walke is to liue and frame his life to affect and approue of the waies and counsels of wicked men neither will hee once listen or lend his eare to the peruerse and naughty counsell of vngodly men much lesse will hee bee brought to frame his life after their wicked waies The second action or proceeding of a sinner is Standing as the former is in heart to like loue and approue of the waies of the wicked this is to obey them and follow them into the same excesse of riot So that the meaning of the Prophet is that a godly man doth not like loue nor follow that kind of life or conuersation which wicked men do vse and such as be giuen to sinne according to that of the Apostle Rom. 12.2 Fashion not your selues like vnto the world but doth by all meanes possibly shunne and auoide it The third euill which the godly man doth most carefully auoide is in these words and hath not sit in the assembly of the scorners that is will not bee familliar and haue acquaintance with such as bee mockers of God and all good duties hee will not bee their companion nor keepe them company who do openly professe impiety who make a scoffe at all Religion scorne the word of God and contemne the Seruants of God These be the three euils which the godly man doth most carefully shun and auoide In the whole wee may obserue the wonderfull growth that sinne hath in the heart of a sinner it stands not at a stay but is euer growing and neuer suffers any wintertide of blasting but euer prospers It first beginneth in the heart of the sinner with a doubtfull walking wandring as it were vp and downe as being vncertaine what to do the next step that it maketh is from Walking to Standing which signifies a determination after the former vncertainety and where sinne is not stayed neither in the conception nor in the birth Iam. 1.15 When it is finished it brings forth death euer ending in hardnesse of heart obstinacy of minde and obduracy of both Oh that all wicked and vngodly men would lay this to heart that making once shipwrack of faith and a good conscience and wounding their soules by sinne this spirituall disease of sinne growes daily to bee more incurable and the more sin groweth to bee a head the more the Spirit of God is quenched in a man and the worke of grace is diminished It behoues vs all therefore to keepe a dilligent watch ouer our owne waies to cut off the occasisions of sinne and to stay the beginnings of iniquity for a fire new kindled may easily bee quenched when the Ship beginnes to leake it may easily bee stopped and at the first sinne and sathan may easily bee resisted and wee may with the lesse difficulty withstand the force of it whereas the more it is practised the more the heart is hardned and sinne growes stronger and the sinner himselfe weaker according to that of the Prophet Ier. 13.23 Can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also do good which are accustomed to do euill And therefore to this end the Lord laboured with Cain to stoppe his sinne in the conception or at least in the birth when that hee saw that his countenance was cast downe and that he had conceiued some euill against his brother the Lord tels Cain If thou dost well shalt thou not bee rewarded if thou dost euill sinne lyeth at thy dore q. d. Cain Cain bee warned betimes ere it be too late there is a reward that will follow thy righteous dealing but if thou go on to kill thy righteous brother thou shalt find that thy condition will bee farre worse then now it is This is the wofull and miserable condition of those that runne from euill to worse as it were adding drunkennesse to thirst and may bee a warning to vs to take heed least at any time wee giue any entertainement to sin And so our last end bee worse then the first Mat. 8. In the second Verse the Prophet describes a godly man affirmatiuely shewing what he doth most carefully embrace and follow The godly mans description affirmatiuely As if hee should say Hee is a blessed man that abstaines from euill if so be withall hee delight to doe good so hee doe willingly yeeld himselfe to performe obedience to the will of God and conforme all his thoughts wordes and deeds to the will of God Now the good things which hee must do are contained in two words First His delight must bee in the Law of the Lord Secondly Hee must meditate therein day and night But his delight that is the godly man who is truely happy and blessed indeed doth wonderfully loue the Law that is the word of God and that heauenly doctrine wherein is reuealed the will of God whereunto all our thoughts words and workes must bee conformed and which maketh knowne vnto vs the way to eternall life and saluation Secondly In this Law hee meditates day and night That is the godly man doth set his heart and mind vpon the word and doctrine of God so as hee doth thinke often and much muse vpon it it is his daily meditation so as hee sets some time apart euery day to study it Both to learne out of it how God must bee purely worshipped his owne life ordered as also to learne thereby how to mainetaine and keepe faith and a good conscience before God and man And thus the godly man is described by both parts of his life his eschewing of euill and his carefull and religious performing of good duties Secondly as wee haue seene a godly man described so now followeth wherein the happinesse of this man consists This happy man is described two waies First by a similitude The happinesse of a godly mā wherin it consists Secondly by the prosperous and good successe of all hee doth The happinesse of the godly man is described by a similitude whereby a godly man is compared to a tree which tree is described First by the place namely that it is a tree planted not of it own growing By the waters side Euen by the fresh and springing riuers which is a resemblance of our ingrafting into Iesus Christ by faith and the Spirit of God so as wee receiue and draw iuice and nourishment from him continually Secondly it is described by an effect namely That it brings forth fruit in due season And this is a resemblance of our regeneration or of our obedience because the godly man being
or else publike with others The counsell of the wicked which is priuate in themselues is a rumination Doctr. There is a counsel of the wicked as of the godly or some other preparation in euery wilfull and intended sinne And hence it is that the Schoole-men affirme that consilium actus exitus must concurre in euery wilfull intended sinne And this is very apparant by the example of Iesabel 1. Reg. 21.8 that when she perceiued the King to bee so heauy for that he could not get the vineyard of righteous Naboth shee counselled with her selfe what she might doe to the end she might obtaine it and at last determined to write to the Gouernours of the Citie in Ahabs name to proclame a fast 2. Sam. 12. and to cause Naboth to bee brought forth before the Assembly and stoned to death This is cleere againe by the example of Dauid when hee walking vpon the roofe of his Palace had cast his eyes vpon the beauty of Bathsheba hee did first take this counsell within himself concerning an enquiry what she was secondly sent messengers vnto her to moue her to lie with him and lastly committed the act it selfe This might bee further cleared by the example of Cain Iudas and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Besides this priuate there is a councell of the wicked publique with other Mich. 6.16 as in the daies of Omri when cruell and wicked Statutes were made against the Lord and his people 1 Reg. 12.28 So in the daies of Ieroboam how did he take counsell and at last concluded to make two Calues for Diuine worship the one wherof he set at Bethel the other at Dan And in the daies of Nabuchadnezar what a Decree was gone forth by the King the Lords and Nobles Dan. 3.1 touching the worship of the golden image that was set vp in the plaine of Dura in the Prouince of Babylon So in the time of our Sauiour CHRIST Iohn 9.22 vnder the new Testament the Iewes had agreed together that all that confesse CHRIST should bee excommunicate Acts 4.18 and forbad the Disciples from Preaching any more in his Name And also in their Councell was our Sauiour CHRIST condemned to death Mat. 26.66 And the reason is cleere for the further manifestation of the truth of this point Reason for as no man doth gather Grapes of Thornes or Figs of Thistles so what other fruite can bee expected from such an vnsauory roote whose very Mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.13 but that all their whole consultations and actions should be impure vnholy and vncleane Vse Hence then we may obserue that the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching this point is most false That Generall Counsells can not erre But wee haue cleared this before that they may erre and doe erre for what should I speake of the second Nicene Councell which set vp Idolatry and gaue bodies to Angells and the soules of men Councells therefore haue beene mis-led and may erre Now the Prophet proceedes further to shew who is a godlie man and what be his properties and teacheth vs in these words that the first step and entrance to the leading of a godly life is to renounce the counsel and company of lewd wicked and vngodly men whence wee obserue this doctrine Doctr. 2. The occasions ef sin are to bee auoyded That hee that would preserue himselfe from sinne must carefully auoide all the occasions thereof The Wise-man teacheth this Doctrihe That he that walketh with the wise shall be wiser But a companion of fooles shall be worser This doth appeare by the example of Ionathan who by the friendship and familiarity which he had with Dauid changed his life to better Pro. 1.13 whereas Salomon by societie and coniunction with the idolatrous wiues fell into idolatry 1. Reg. 11. and Rehoboam by walking with his yong Councellours and following their aduice became worse and worse If then we would auoyde euill we must beware of all occasions and no occasion more daungerous then euill company euery man therefore must take heede to himselfe and beware how hee ioyneth himselfe with acquaintance with al men indifferently lest by their meanes hee bee corrupted For euery man by nature is like dry wood which is apt to kindle so soone as fire is put to it so giue a man the least occasion and presently hee yeeldeth to sinne Mecum est quicquid mihi nocere potest Bernar med 11 There needes not indeede anie Diuell to tempt vs but let the least occasion that is bee offered vnto vs and straitway man becommeth a tempter vnto himselfe And this is that which the Apostle saith Iam. 1.14 Euerie man is tempted when hee is drawne away and enticed by his owne concupiscence The enemy by which wee are ouercome is in our owne bosome that is mans naturall corruption Genes 36. which is fewell for the kindling of the fire of Sathans temptations This appeares in Euah the Mother of vs all in the first transgression first shee sawe the fruit secondly shee conceiued a liking of it thirdly shee desired it fourthly shee eate of it Dinah the daughter of Iacob wandring abroad laid her selfe open vnto sinne and so fell which might haue been preuented had she auoyded the occasions thereof And Dauid a man after Gods own heart hauing set open the casements of his soule his eyes by the which the Diuell did easily winde himselfe into his heart and beheld Bathsheba washing her selfe 2. Sam. 11. but by by he lusted after her sent for her and lay with her So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending euery occasion that may draw him to sinne It is therefore a point of great wisedome to discerne betweene the deceipt of sinne and the fruite of sinne before it bee committed O flattering enemy In the action of committing it is as sweete as poyson after it is committed a biting serpent It comes to a man with a smiling countenance as Ioab to Amasa Art thou in health my friend but with all it strikes to the heart and woundes vnto death This doctrine serueth for the reproofe Vse 1 of those who are so farre from the auoiding of the occasions of sinne as that they do freely and of their owne accord seeke and follow after them they will not tarry with Ioseph till they bee tempted by others but they seeke all occasions and watch all opportunities to tempt others Neuer rauenous beast did more eagerly pursue the prey then some doe hunt after the occasions of sinne which is madnesse with a witnesse as if the flesh were not proue enough of it selfe vnto that which is euill but that paines must bee taken to helpe it forward to sinne Oh then how carefull ought wee to bee to watch ouer our waies and to auoide all the occasions of sinne Countergard thy heart saith Salomon and keepe it with watch and ward Prou.
as much familiaritie and shew as good a countenance to the worst and make them as welcome as the best be they what they will be Papists or Atheists yea let them bee as prophane as Esau hee is notwithstanding for their company but by this meanes they do little thinke that they do hazard both faith and a good conscience and cause the godly themselues to suspect them that they are but prophane And indeed it cannot otherwise bee but if they themselues did make any conscience of sinne they would likewise make conscience of the occasions of sinne whereof what can bee worse then lewd company who are ready to make a mocke at euery good dutie and whose nature is to haue other men to runne into the same excesse of ryot with themselues 1 Pet. 4 4. yea when a man or a woman hath some good things in them as to loue the word of God to like of Gods faithfull Ministers to delight in prayer c. In comes a wicked man and breathes out his poison seeking by bad counsell and lewd perswasions to disswade them and draw them backe Oh you loue the Minister too much he wil make you precise you need not to take such paines but take your libertie what need you bee afraid of them Oh when such wretches step in and thus poure out their lewd counsels and perswasions what doe they else but draw men to perdition especially when they do deale with such as be young Christians but comming on in the wayes of godlinesse And when they speake that to great Personages who by nature are most inclined to libertie O what le ts are these to a young Christian in the wayes of godlinesse And when the Lord leaues a man or a woman to listen to such cursed counsell Note it is a great signe that the Lord loues them not So it is said that the Lord left Absolom that hee should not receiue the good counsel of Achitophel because the Lord would destroy Absolom So it is said of Rehoboam that he listned onely to the counsell of his young men because the Lord would bring his iudgements vpon the house of Salomon This should admonish all men to take heed of such kind of men as the Vse 2 very limbs of the diuel and the messengers of Sathan who seek to draw men from God from Iesus Christ and from a godly life to stoppe our eares at their lewd and damnable counsels not to heare them nor to listen to them yea if it lie in our power to remoue them and to banish them our presence as the greatest enemies of our Soules and the messengers of the Diuel seeking to peruert and poison our poore soules to put our mouthes out of taste and to make vs dislike those that are sent of God who ought to bee most deare vnto vs. Obiect It will bee here obiected whether it be not lawful vpon some occasion to be in their company or to haue dealing with wicked men Respons Answ In some case it is lawfull as thus First that it bee onely for necessitie as that we cannot auoyd it in ordinary matters of this life vnlesse we should go out of the world secondly that we haue a due calling thereunto thirdly that we be not silent at the committing of sin but that euer we shew our dislike of their vaine courses and lastly that we labour with out selues to bee grieued at their sinnes as Lot was at the Sodomites In the counsell of the wicked c. THe original word signifies such wicked men as are neuer quiet in their mindes but euermore musing and deuising some mischiefe which they may vtter and practise as occasion serues And in this note the very propertie Doctr. 3. Wicked men are euer deuising of mischiefe of a wicked and gracelesse man He is neuer at rest but still plotting and deuising some mischiefe against God or good men This we may see by diuers examples 2. Sam. 16. Achitophels coūsell was esteemed like as one had asked counsell at the Oracle of God The like we may see in Herod when hee heard of the birth of Christ Math. 2.7 as of a new-borne King what policy did hee vse to destroy the Sauiour of the world The Scribes and Pharisees Math. 26. how carefully did they consult and take counsell together against Christ to put him to death yea they brake their sleepe about it Ier. 18.18 When the Iewes could not endure Ieremie to preach plaine and to tell them of their sinnes they therfore by and by say thus Come let vs deuise and imagine some mischiefe against the Prophet of the Lord Let vs smite him with the tongue Let vs take no heede nor giue any eare to his preaching Hest 3. So Haman deuiseth how to put Mordecai and the Iewes out of fauour by deuising a most vile accusation So Deog that blacke mouthed Dog 1. Sam. 22.9 Dan. 3. deuiseth how to accuse Dauid to Saul So those wicked Rulers did deuise to inuent some mischiefe against Daniel And the Prophet Michai sheweth that it is an old practise of wicked men to deuise wicked things In the Primitiue Church the enemies of Gods children that persecuted the Christians deuised this shamefull slaunder That they worshipped an Asses head c. So in these dayes it is manifest that the Diuell stirres vp wicked men to accuse Gods children to deuise slaunders and false accusations against them The Diuell hath one Doeg or other to accuse Dauid to Saul to thrust him out of fauour and to bring him into disgrace And when as they can say nothing iustly against them then they beginne to deuise how they may raise vp some false report or other to smite them with the tongue And the reason of this is because they are foolish and ignorant For they not knowing the Lord nor vnderstanding his waies aright but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner And the Asse that knoweth his maisters Cribbe as the Lord doth complaine of them they cannot but doe as S. Paul did in the time of his ignorāce Esay 1.3 euen oppose themselues against God and his children And for this cause the Lord doth make his mone for the foolishnesse and ignorance of his people as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him in these words For my people are foolish they haue not knowne mee they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding They are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Vse 1 Seeing wee are taught here what is the nature of wicked men namely that they haue in them a restlesse desire to peruert the wayes of the godly and to doe some mischiefe This must teach vs first of all to deale wisely and warily with them least wee bee corrupted by them Wee are here set as vpon a hill or a stage and professing Iesus Christ a small spot will bee seene in our garment
all that God could do vnto her And this was the case of cursed Pharaoh who seemed to mocke God to his face when he said I know not the Lord neyther will I let the children of Israell goe Exodus chap. 9. So then the doctrine that wee gather hence from the Text is this That euill men Doctr. 1. Wicked men proceed by degrees to be exceeding sinful doe not vsually make a stay in sinne when at first they haue committed it but they proceede by degrees to bee worse and worse Falling from one mischiefe to another First the Diuell will suggest euill thoughts into a man his euill thoughts doe tole on consent consent breedeth action action bringeth custome and custome begetteth a necessity in sinning which is the fore-runner of death This appeareth in Caine in Pharaoh and in Iudas who by steps and degrees in sinning came at the last to bee hardened in sinne Mat. 26.8 Iohn 12.5 Mat. 27.5 As in Iudas who was at the first a cunning Dissembler secondly a secret Thiefe thirdly a bold Lyer fourthly a Traytour and lastly a Reprobate And thus a wicked man as it is in the Psalme They fall from one wickednesse to another And as wee see it cleere heere in the wordes of this Text from walking to standing and from standing stocke still in sinne at length through custome come to lie downe and wallow in sinne Oh happie then is that man that sinneth least next hee that returneth vnto God soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that goeth on in sinne that with Ahab Hath solde himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord Psal 69.17 Iere. 13.23 Heb. 10.26 Heb. 12.17 Roman 2. For marke what followeth Can the Blacke-Moore change his skinne or the Leopard his spottes Then may they doe good who haue accustomed themselues to doe euill Where the Prophet sheweth That custome in sinning is almost an incurable disease This is a lamentable estate and this is a fearfull iudgement of God for a man thus to be left ouer to himselfe to fall thus from one euill to an other and to heape together a great measure against the day of wrath Psalme eighty one verse eleauen And the cause of all this in a man is his disobedience towards his God For this doth the Prophet make cleare when he saith My people would not heare my voyce and Israell would haue none of mee So I gaue them vp vnto hardnesse of heart and they haue walked in their owne counsells Where the Prophet Dauid sheweth That seeing they would not be reclaymed and reformed as in mercie towardes them the Lord vouchsafed them the means of reformation his word therefore the LORD gaue them ouer to the hardnesse of their owne hearts that so they might fill vp the Measure of their iniquities 1. Thessalon 2.16 and that the iust wrath and vengeance of the Lord might then fall vpon them Hence wee are taught how dangerous Vse 1 a thing it is to giue any entertainement vnto sinne at the first it will bring a man to the height of sinne in the end euen openly to professe it and to practise it with delight and greedinesse custome in sinne taketh away all sence of sinne so as by custome men come to iudge of sinne to be no sinne yea it makes it very naturall to a man so as such men who at first would haue beene ashamed to haue beene seene amongest lewd company yet by custome haue gotten such an habite of sinne that they haue growne to bee verie impudent and shamelesse like Thamar who at the first did play the whoore with a vaile as being ashamed to bee seene but afterwards grew more impudent Iere. 6.15 so many a man would haue blushed to haue beene heard sweare to bee seene drunke to bee found in vnchaste companie but through custome haue growne so impudent that afterwards would blush at nothing And when a man takes the chaire of sinne and sits downe in it and hath got a custome and taken delight in sinne how hard a thing is it for a man to leaue that sinne Iere. 13.25 Hee that hath got an habite and custome of swearing as hee growes shamelesse in it so how hardly doth he leaue it euen so of drunkennesse c. A nayle knockt into a post with many blows is hardly pulled out and sinne often committed and growne familiar with a man through custome is hardly left Custome is like a strong streame it carrieth a man into all sinne with violence And as a man by continuall labour so hardeneth his hand that it becommeth sencelesse so custome in sinne so hardneth the heart that a mans conscience becommeth sencelesse This must teach vs to repent betimes not to suffer sinne to come to such an head that it is more likely to master a man then a man it For if thou doost not repent this day thou wilt finde it harder to repent to morrow thy selfe growest weaker Note thy sinne stronger and Custome is a tyrant which will hardly be resisted therefore it shall be thy wisedome to repent with speed to delay no longer but while it is called to day to breake off thy sinnes and to turne to God for mercy Vse 2 Wee are taught hence that seeing wicked men grow worse and worse adding sinne vnto sinne and committing all iniquitie euen with greedinesse so their damnation doth not sleepe 1. Pet. 2.3 but they draw nearer and nearer their destruction yea the iudgements of almightie GOD follow them at the heeles and in the end will ouertake them Thus it was with the old world What an heap of sinnes had they gathered together adding sinne vnto sinne as drunkennesse vnto thirst Genes 6. But when the measure of their iniquity was full the Lord God was at hand with his iudgements and they could not escape This was the case of the sinfull Sodomites Genes 18. whose sins cryed vp to Heauen for vengeance howsoeuer they might glut themselues with sinne and drinke downe iniquitie like water it was but for a season the Lord would bee no longer prouoked by their wicked and sinnefull liues but sent downe fire and brimstone from Heauen vpon them euerie sinne doth helpe somewhat to increase the weight and to fill vp the measure of a wicked mans iniquitie Mat. 12.36 And that God which keepeth a Register of the workes of all men Reu 20.12 will one day giue vnto euerie man according vnto his workes And when they shall goe the way of all flesh they shall then say what hath pride profited vs and what hath the pompe of riches brought vs to 2 Cor. 5.10 When they shall see that all the dayes of their life they haue vvearyed themselues in vaine and then shall be plunged into irreuokable and intollerable torments This may serue to reprooue such Vse 3 as relying vpon their owne wittes knowledge strength and goodnes dare conuerse and keepe companie with notorious Atheistes
bad we proue fewell for the fire A man hauing a tree in his Orchard if it bring forth nothing but leaues he will cut it and prune it and dung it but if after all this cost and labor it remaine still barren hee will then hew it downe as good for nothing but fewell for the fire Hereby wee may see how God will deale with vs Wee bee all Trees here planted in the Lords orchard he doth water vs with the preaching of the Word hee cuts vs and prunes vs. Esay 5. Luk. 8.4.5 Now if after much cost and labour wee shall remaine barren still if the Lord come three or foure yeares and still no fruite will be found Hee will then bethinke him to stub vs vp that wee couer not the ground So by Sowing of corne into the ground to mainetaine mans life our Sauiour leades vs to consider of another thing for as the Sower casts his Seede abroad into sundry sortes of ground and they according to their nature bring forth fruit accordingly Euen so the Minister of the Word scatters and sowes the seede of Gods word into the ground of mens hearts and as they be prepared so they bring forth fruit So by a Weauers shuttle wee see the shortnesse of mans life gone in a moment Dost thou see how the winde driues the chaffe and dust of the earth about giuing it no rest vntill it be cleane dispersed away Oh! consider then how the curse of God shal follow and torment the wicked Verse 4. of this psalm and neuer let their soules be at rest till it consume them Dost thou lie downe into thy bed euery night oh remember that thou must shortly lie downe in thy graue be couered with dust and therefore prepare to die in the Lord. Dost thou see the beautifull grasse and hearbs of the earth cut downe and wither away Esay 60. so thy beauty and riches shall fade and perish When thou seest a stinking carion there behold a picture of thine owne selfe for no carion is so loathsome to man as a rebellious sinner to God Dost thou put on thy cloths to couer thy nakednesse Oh labour for the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse That thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare Reue. 3.18 Dost thou but wash thy hands in water oh labour for the bloud of Iesus Christ to wash away the spots of thy sins Psal 51.15 Dost thou but sit downe to eate and to drinke to nourish thy body without which it could not liue Oh consider that thy soule doth much more stand in need of the bread of Life the food of thy soule Dost thou see sometimes brimstone burning oh consider and quake for feare of the dreadfull iudgement of God vpon Sodome and Gomer that were burned with fire and brimstone and how all sinners shall haue their portion in the Lake of fire and brimstone Gen. 19. Dost thou but take a booke into thy hand and open it leafe by leafe Oh consider that the time will come when the Bookes of thy conscience shall be opened Reu. 20. wherein all thy sinnes are written one by one and thou shalt then receiue according to thy workes And thus wee see that of all the creatures of God there is a double vse to be made of them The one Naturall the other Spirituall one Temporall the other Eternall Hee shall bee like a Tree planted by the Riuers of water THIS part of the similitude doth signifie vnto vs our implanting and ingrafting into IESVS CHRIST his Mysticall Body by the worke of GODS Spirit and by the meanes of a true and liuely Faith This word Planted it is a Metaphoricall speech and borrowed from the practise of Husbandmen who first take vp their plants out of the nurcery or place where they first spring vp and then Plant them in the Orchard or Vineyard So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant. And the comparison holds good in diuers things First for the circumstance of time when the plants of the earth are thus remoued and that not vsually in Sommer when the heate of the yeare is vp and the sap is gone vp into the plant but in the winter time this is vsually to bee seene for the most part Euen so the time in the which the godly man is planted it is in the winter time that is the time of sorrow and sore affliction not in the Sommer of peace when all things outwardly may seeme to go well with a man he saith peace peace but when God doth giue vnto a man the sight of his sinne and lets him see the reward of sin euen eternall death Oh Rom. 6. when a mans sins doe thus muster themselues before vs and against vs Oh this winter time this time of affliction and sorrow now is the season of the remouing of this heauenly Plant Man Secondly as a Plant is remoued not when it is fruitfull but remoued to that end it may be fruiefull So fareth it with man this Mysticall Tree Wee are not fruitfull by nature before such time as we are planted and ingrafted into Iesus Christ for till then wee bring forth nothing but bitter and vnsauory fruite but wee are planted to that end we may bee fruitfull and being once in Christ we shall then as liuing Plants of that liuely Stock bring forth fruit incontinently In particularly this Planting hath in it two things 1 Plucking vp 2 Setting downe The plucking vp shadowes out vnto vs three things in the conuersion of a sinner First our separation from the world hee cannot be in Christ that hath his rooting still in the earth amongst the men of the world and therefore as wee haue heard before wee must be carefull that wee walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the sconnefull They are as so many noysome shrubs that will be ready to fret the tender Plants of the Lord and to annoy them and therefore wee must bee remoued from amongst them that is must haue no secret society with them Secondly it signifies our deliuerance from the power of originall sinne thus For as a Plant once remoued receiues no more iuice nor nourishment from the old earth from which it is remoued but from that soyle into the which it is planted So fareth it with this heauenly Plant being regenerate and ingrafted into Iesus Christ there will follow such a change of will affection vnderstanding and the like faculties of soule and body that whereas before they were altogether earthly carnall and vaine so now they minde heauenly things being sanctified by the Spirit of Grace and the power of Nature Rom. 6. that is that old sap of sinne being done away Thirdly it signifies a Christian mans sorow for sinne for as no Plant can bee remoued from one place to another but the axe and other instrument of the Husbandman must bee laid vnto it and many a roote must bee
harbour there it guideth the affections loue hatred sorrow c. Such a man loues nothing more then God hates nothing more then sinne reioyceth in nothing more then in doing the will of God and sorrowes for nothing more their that hee should offend so good and gracious a God Againe it is the foundation of all our obedience For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And without it wee can neither pray heare or performe any duety that shall bee acceptable with God 2 Of repentance The second is the fruite of Repentance whereby a man is humbled for his sinnes past and is affraid of sinne in time to come This fruit of Repentance is of absolute necessity to saluation according to that of our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish Luk. 13.5 And onely godly sorrow must worke this true repentance in a man Godly sorrow causeth repentance in a man to saluation 2. Cor. 7.10 And therefore in the Scriptures are recorded the mournings of the godly in the daies of their humiliation Dauids Fainting Psal 6.6 Ezechias chattering like a Crane Esay 38.14 Iob abhorring himselfe in dust and ashes Peter weeping bitterly Math. 26.75 Mary Magdalene washing Christs feete with her Teares Luke 7.38 And Paul crying out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 Wee must mourne with these heere Psal 126.5 if wee will reioyce with them heereafter And surely if there were neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet the godly would sorrow for sinne for offending their good and gracious God and louing Father Besides this sorrow in a godly man for his sins past he is exceeding affraid of sin in time to come as Dauid was who prayed vnto God so earnestly that hee would Stablish him with his free Spirit Psalme fifty one and the tenth verse That seeing hee had such woefull experience of his owne weakenesse he prayes vnto the Lord that hee would giue him his preuenting grace that hee might neuer fall into the like sin againe So the godly Israelites in Ezra his time Ezr. 9.10.3 when they had with griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes vnto God they resolue to make a Couenant with God and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues whereby they had so much dishonoured him And so it is with all the faithfull euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his father is carefull afterwards to please him againe by all meanes possible Well then dost thou finde these fruits of true repentance in thee art thou grieued and euen payned at thy heart for thy wicked life for thy ignorance vnbeleefe hardnesse of heart thy neglect of prayer and calling on Gods Name Art thou grieued for want of reuerence in Gods worship for thy abusing Gods Name by swearing cursing and banning for contempt of his Word and Sacraments for prophaning of his Saboaths carelesse gouerning of thy Family for thy malice vnbeleefe vncleane proud and couetous thoughts drunkenesse vncleanesse and the like Againe dost thou finde in thee an earnest desire to walke with God in obedience to all his Commandements to liue in no knowne sinne but in all things to please God to the vtmost of thy power These be the fruites of righteousnesse whereby wee are knowne to bee of God The third is the fruite of New Obedience or of a godly life 3 Of Obedience both in the obedience of Gods Lawes in the first and second Table Christ makes this the eare-marke of his sheepe To heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10. And wee are willed by the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews to cast away euery thing that presseth downe Heb. 12.1 and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and to runne with patience to the race that is set before vs. This was godly Dauids resolution I will runne the way of thy Commandements Psa 119 32 and Dauid describing the true worshippers of God Psa 119.1 Psal 15.2 saith They goe on from strength to strength seruing God in truth of heart without hypocrisie And it is said here That the fruit of a godly man doth neuer fade And howsoeuer the worke of mortification is neuer perfected in this life but that the remnants and reliques of sinne will still remaine euen in the godly themselues yet they euer sinne with griefe of heart and CHRISTS death doth set such a worke-against all sinne that the regenerate man can truely say It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee So then if thou desirest to please God in all his Commandements at all times and in all places and to doe all duties of loue vnto men required in the Commandements of the second Table shewing thy fruites in doing good to the poore distressed Members of Iesus Christ feeding cloathing and comforting them in their need In thy generall calling to bring forth the fruit of godlinesse to bee much and often exercised in Prayer Hearing Reading Meditating c. As also in thy particular calling to do thy duety with faith and a good conscience without fraude guile deceipt c. These be the fruits that are required in all those that are the Members of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body This Doctrine doth flatly condemne Vse 1 all such as vnfruitfull and barren Trees as bring forth no fruit of a godly righteous and religious life such as liue in continuall ignorance blindnesse hardnesse of heart in contempt of the Word prophanation of the Sabaoth our ciuill honest men which are so much admired if they bee not good Christians who should And if they bee not saued I know not who should goe to heauen Well euery good Tree brings forth good fruite Math. 7.17 Where bee your good fruites No fruit of faith no fruit of repentance nor new obedience but in stead thereof the fruites of infidelity hardnesse of heart and disobedience Alas that poore soules should thus goe blinde-folde to hell to thinke that such should be saued what then should become of hell As though a man might be a true member of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body and yet bee barren of good fruite No no it cannot bee for there is such a liuely power in this stocke of life Christ Iesus That they who are once ingrafted into him bring forth fruite incontinent As wee may see in the Theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 9. what fruite hee bare in an instant of time confessing first his owne sinnes secondly reprouing the sinnes of his companion Thirdly cleering Christ to be innocent Lastly praying that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome And this wee may see in Zacheus Lydia c. Math. 22. Actes 16. Who were no sooner conuerted but brought forth fruit incontinently And yet wee see how many dry fruitlesse and barren trees deceiue the world as the figge-tree Christ Oh hee is a very honest man keepes a good house Math. 3.10 doth
Salomon saith The hope of the wicked shall perish Wherein the wicked are accursed But it wil be asked Wherein stands their misery and cursed estate I answere First in this that they be out of Gods fauour God hates them and all they doe And is not this a misery of all miseries to be cursed and miserable indeed to haue God our enemy to haue Iesus Christ the Iudge our enemy to haue all the creatures in heauen and earth against vs For as those be truly blessed that God loues and be in his fauour So they be most cursed and miserable that be out of his fauour whom his soule abhorreth and such are the wicked according to that of the Prophet Psal 5.5 The foolish shal not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Secondly they haue no pardon of their sinnes Luke 13.5 and so lie vnder the curse of God in danger of eternall death euery day they rise without repentance there is no pardon But the wicked cannot repent being hardened in sinne and delight in sin yea all their sinnes stand in account against them the Lord keepes them in remembrance and one day hee will bring out his Booke of reckonning I will reproue thee Psal 50.17 18. and set before thee the things thou hast done Oh full little doe wicked men thinke of this that their secret sins in hugger-mugger in darke corners committed shall one day come to reckoning and they called to a reckoning for the same and then their owne consciences will they nill they shall cry out and say Righteous is the Lord and true are his iudgements Thirdly they haue no peace of conscience Esay 57. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God but a Hell in their conscience hauing in them either an Accusing Conscience like Cain Achitophel Saul Iudas and the like or else a dead and sleepy conscience like Nabal which iudgement is no way inferiour to the former This fearfull iudgment of God vpon the wicked is nothing else but a fore-runner of those paines which are prepared for the wicked and are as it were the smoake of that fire which hereafter shall torment them Fourthly a wicked man is the heire of vengeance and the firebrand of hell and shall as sure bee damned as if hee were in hell alreadie and therefore CHRIST saith that The wicked are damned already Ioh. 3.18 and that fiue wayes First in Gods counsell before all worlds Secondly in the Word wherein their sentence of condemnation is read already Thirdly in their owne consciences which is a fore-runner of the finall iudgement Fourthly by the iudgements begun already vpon them as hardnesse of heart blindnesse of minde hatred of the light and the like means of saluation Fiftly by the horrible torment of the soule which it doth assuredly expect when the full viall of Gods wrath shall be powred vpon it O miserable and vnhappy condition woe worth the time may such say that euer they were borne Who is a wicked man Answer A wicked man described in generall Hee that liues and lies in sinne without repentance But such a man is a wicked man as Doth walke in the counsell of the wicked that doth stand in the way of sinners that doth sit in the seate of the scorners For as hee is a godly man that is carefull to shunne and auoide the bad counsell and lewd company of wicked vngodly men so he is a wicked man that loues and likes their bad counsel lewd company And as a noble mans seruant is knowne by his liuery so we may certainly iudge of men by their companie A good man loues good companie a godly man makes much of them that feare the Lord. Psal 16.3 Psal 101.6 7. Gen. 37.2.4 My eyes saith Dauid shall bee vpon the faithfull in the Land This we may see in Iacob who loued Ioseph aboue all his brethren because he had grace in him All my delight is vpon thy Saints But wicked men are like Birds of a Feather which flie together and like will to like So that if you wold aske a certaine rule how to iudge of men whether they bee good or bad godly or wicked I know not any rule more sure for a mans outward life to iudge of him then by his company And therefore as S. Iohn makes it a marke of Gods childe and a certaine signe of the loue of God to vs If we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3.14 so on the other side it is a fearfull note of a wicked man when hee hath no delight in the companie of Gods children and faithful seruants Psal 50.17 18. but delight onely in the company of the wicked and vngodly Vse 1 Let all wicked men lay this Doctrine to heart and be affected with it and let me say to them as Dauid said to the vngodly Psa 50.16 vnto the vngodly said God what hast thou to do to take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my word behind thee When thou sawest a thiefe thou consentedst vnto him and hast beene partaker with the adulterer c. These things hast thou done and I held my peace and thou thoughtest that I was like thee But I will reproue thee and set before thee the things thou hast done Oh consider this yee that forget God lest I teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you Oh that the wicked vngodly of the world would consider in what a cursed state they stand in what extreame danger to loose their owne soules cleane out of Gods fauour so as hee hates and abhorres them and all they do Now as Salomon saith if the wrath of the King bee as the roaring of a Lyon how much more the wrath of the eternall God who is able not onely to kill the body but to cast both soule and body for euer into hel fire Oh then be admonished say you had a farre warning repent in time liue no longer in sin turne to God with all speed while it is called to day Say with Dauid Away from me yee wicked I will keepe the commandements of my God And this remember that as bad company and the society of wicked men is a fearefull signe of a wicked man so it is most dangerous for sin is as a spirituall plague or leprosie it is of a spreading and contagious nature Prou. 6. Can a man touch pitch and not bee defiled Then may a man keepe company with the wicked and not bee corrupted Gen. 41.15.16 Ioseph liuing in the Court of Pharaoh how soone had he learnd to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Besides we shal be compelled to winke at the sins of those whom wee loue and so consenting to them are guilty of them 2. Pet. 2.8 Psal 12.5 Againe wee cannot but bee vexed with them and greeued at the heart as Lot was yea and in danger to bee
punished with them as Lot in Sodome was taken prisoner and all his houshold and therefore as men doe shunne a house infected so let vs shunne such company as most dangerous pernitious and hurtfull And heere wee are to wonder at Vse 1 the palpable blindnesse of wicked men at their blockishnesse and senselesse security that though their estate bee as wee haue heard out of the word of God and testimonies of holy Scriptures so cursed miserable wretched and damnable yet they see it not they feare it not they beleeue it not they feare no danger they desire no remedy their mindes are so blinded through selfe-loue and so hardned in all kinde of sinne that nothing can moue them and do them good They bee like the Smiths dogge no strokes nor sparks can awake them Of all diseases they be most dangerous that be least felt as the Apoplexy dead Palsie Lethargie c. So when a man is sicke euen soule sick and sick vnto death and feeleth no paine his case must needes bee dangerous Many men complaine of the stone in the kidny and ride and runne night and day to find ease for it but few complaine of the stone in the hart men haue hard stony and flinty hearts And neither loue of heauen nor feare of hell neither mercy nor iudgement can moue them or make them to repent Well to conclude this point let men take their courses runne on in sinne walke in the counsell of the wicked stand in the way of sinners and sit in the seate of the scornefull Let them refuse the counsell and the company of Gods seruants and when they haue done all that they can they are but cursed caitifes and the time will come that they will curse the day that euer they were borne and say Woe worth the time they kept bad company Wised 5. Reue. 6.13 Oh what fooles and mad men were wee When they shall wish the heauens to fall vpon them and the rockes to crush them in peeces for feare of the anger of God And thus much for the generall description of a wicked man in these words The wicked are not so But as the Chaffe which the wind driueth away THe Prophet Dauid hauing shewed the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked by a generall Introduction It is not so commeth now to set out their estate by a Similitude and Comparison where hee compares the wicked to Chaffe And it is all one as if hee should say The wicked and vngodly man is not like a tree well planted and watered that beares good fruit and alwaies flourisheth but like vnto Chaffe which hath no root at al in the earth no iuice nor sap but wants all kinde of good fruit and greenenesse so as it is easily scattered and dispersed with euery blast of winde Euen so the wicked are not rooted nor grafted into Iesus Christ and are altogether voide and destitute of all fruite of good workes and of all sauing grace haue no iuice nor sap of goodnesse in them and in time of trouble and temptation they fall away yea euery blast of false doctrine euery storme of temptation triall or persecution yea the least blast of Gods anger driueth them hither and thither they know not which way to turne them So that in this Similitude or Comparison there are two things to bee considered of vs. First the matter whereunto the wicked are compared vnto Chaffe Secondly the condition of Chaffe which the winde driueth away In the former of these wee are to consider how the wicked resemble Chaffe naturally and accidentally Wicked compared to Chaffe How Naturally Chaffe is light and vnprofitable First it is light containing in it no solide and weighty matter but a very sleight and frothy substance 1 Light subiect to many alterations euen so the wicked are not solide in their purposes enterprises weighty in their carriage and courses but as Chaffe light easily tossed blowne away It may appeare vnto vs that the wicked are as Chaffe light because they bee light of their words Ecclesiastic 12.26 they haue not their mouth in their heart like a wise man but they haue their heart in their mouth like a foole Do they promise any thing their words are as wind as the Prouerb is Doe they vow any thing they keep their vowes like those that vowed Pauls death Do they sweare any thing they are but as belles and bubbles in the water broken in a moment of time So that the wicked in respect of their words vowes or othes may well be compared to Chaffe light Againe the wicked may well bee cōpared to chaffe light because they are light of their minds entertaining and excluding one while admitting another while reiecting infinite purposes and thoughts of heart Againe they are light of their bodies by cōmitting many fornications Yea let their vertues be compared with their vices it will then appeare That they are lighter then vanity it selfe Secondly as the wicked are like Chaffe light so are they vnprofitable and that two waies First in matters temporall concerning this life wherein though they haue ability as they haue for the most part yet they want wil to do good with the same Secondly in matters spirituall wherin though they haue a will which is a rare thing to bee found in the wicked yet they want ability Vnprofitable First the wicked are as chaffe vnprofitable in regard of matters temporall For who doth regard the afflictions of Ioseph For either their will is wholly bent vpon Couetousnesse or Prodigality This is an euill which the Preacher saw vnder the Sunne Eccl. 6.2 A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honours and he wanteth nothing for his Soule of all that he desireth but God giueth him no power to eate thereof but a strange man shall eate it vp Yea such is the case of many a man that where hee locks vp his riches from others with one locke hee lockes them vp from all power is of God Hee doth bring downe the mightie from their seate Yea hee hath all creatures at a becke and at a call to humble man yea and the least of all creatures when it is armed and sent of God is sufficient to destroy the wicked as Frogges Lice Flies and the like creatures did Pharaoh and the Egyptians Exod. 10. and as the Palmer-worm and the like kind of Caterpillers did the men of Iuda and Israell Ioel. 1.3.4 And therefore this must needes bee a terrour vnto the wicked who are no stronger then the chaffe to resist the wind of Gods iudgements This may teach them humllity and pull downe the haughtinesse of their hearts when they shal heare the irreuokeablenesse of their destruction Secondly seeing the destruction Vse 2 of the wicked are irreuokeable and that the iudgements of God come suddenly we are taught heere that it is our dutie to awake out of sinne and to bee watchfull ouer our owne soules