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
The end of it That we being deliuered c. Of these shall be spoken in order The beginning and fountaine of all is Gods visitation He hath visited There is a twofold visiting ascribed to God in Scripture One of displeasure In the day of my visitation I will visit their sinne vpon them t Exod. 32.34 The Lord commeth out of his place to visit the sinne of the inhabitants of the earth u Isay 26.21 The other is of mercy The Lord visited Sarah as he had said x Gen. 21.1 that is he performed the good which he had promised In this sense the day of ones conuersion is called the day of visitation y 1. Pet. 2.12 So then heere God hath visited that is he hath graciously and mercifully looked vpon his people he hath scene and beheld with a pitifull eie the miserie and bondage of his chosen and he is now as it were come amongst them to shew them kindnesse This visiting on Gods part hauing this signification and being heere put in the first ranke is the ground and spring of all which followeth The 2. Doctrine and it affoords vs this doctrine That the kindnesse and mercy and free grace of God is the beginning and the fountaine of all those good things which doe concerne eternall life Consider the place Manie things are heere spoken of Redemption of a Horne of saluation of a Couenant and oath of grace But whence proceed all these but from the sole mercie of God euen from his gracious disposition to visite his people Where visiting is there is presupposed a very wofull estate Visit now yonder cursed woman said Iehu of Iezebel meaning to respect her aboue her desert z 1. King 9.34 It is easie to shew out of the Scripture how the loue mercie and grace of God are noted as the beginning of those things which concerne saluation The Lord saith Moses to the old Israelites did not set his loue vpon you nor chuse you because ye were moe in number than any people but because the Lord loued you c. a Deut. 7.7.8 Now the people of Israel were a type of Gods people Canaan a type of heauen it was Gods free loue which moued him to bring them into Canaan it is his free grace for which hee vouchsafes to aduance vs to heauen When mention is made of the course and order of our saluation these and the like speeches stil come in So God loued the world b Ioh. 3.16 the good pleasure of his will c Eph. 1.5 freely by his grace d Rom. 3.24 not by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie e Tit. 3.5 not that we loued God but that he loued vs f 1. Ioh. 4.10 who hath giuen vnto him first g Rom. 11.35 These speeches agree with the maner of speech heere vsed and doe shew plainly that there was nothing in man to mooue the Lord to reach out his arme of deliuerance all proceeded from the absolute and vndeserued freedome of his grace Manie things there were in man to prouoke God in his iustice finally to forsake him nothing which might induce him to shew the least degree of fauour Besides that this doth ouerthrow all Popish opinion of merit The Vse and which is the maine end of all sets out the grace and mercy of God to the full it serueth to quicken in vs that duty of thankfulnesse of which we heard before and which Zacharie did here performe A great blessing requireth great thanks but the freer the blessing is the greater should the thankfulnesse be All my fathers house sayd Mephibosheth to Dauid were but dead men before my Lord the King yet diddest thou set thy seruant among them which did eat at thine owne table h 2. Sa. 19.28 The lesse desert he found in himselfe the more deeply did hee hold himselfe bound vnto Dauid so that when we looke vpon the greatnesse of the blessing on the one side namely life eternall and a kingdom which can not be shaken and then the smalnesse of our owne desert on the other side who were but dead men before the Lord euen dead in trespasses and sinnes i Eph 2.1 we may well say with Dauid What shall wee render vnto the Lord k Psal 116.12 This must needs condemne our carnall mindednesse some things doe sometimes fall from vs by way of thankfulnesse for outward things as health peace seasonable weather and such like but the greatest blessing the chiefest fauor and to which of al other we can lay the least claime is scarsely once made mention of Blessed be God that hath visited vs when we were dead in sinne thanks be to God for his Sonne Christ Iesus How are we bound to his Maiestie who hath shewed vs this mercy to redeeme vs It is a rare thing to heare of such a speech It sheweth that we minde onely earthly things l Phil. 3.19 Corne and Wine a full basket and a ful barne these things wil affect vs but the Lords merciful visitation in his Son Christ in pulling vs out of the iawes of Sathan cannot mooue vs It is a fearefull signe euen that we are enthralled vnto Sathan and in the very bond of iniquitie m Act. 8.23 For did we feele and apprehend our owne desert to be eternally forsaken and the riches of Gods mercy in visiting vs with his saluation our spirits would be so rauished therewith that all other things would seeme vile and base in comparison of this one Thus much of the fountaine of this great worke which serueth notably to beate downe Merit and to stirre vp thankfulnesse The generall nature of the benefit is set downe in this word Redeemed To redeeme is as we know to buy out the very word in the common vsage of it presupposeth a bondage and captiuitie The 3. Doctrine Whereupon iust occasion is giuen vs to consider that miserable seruitude in which by nature we are all This seruitude is said to be vnder the power of darknesse n Col. 1.13 that is vnder the power of spirituall enemies which are three 1. Sinne. 2. Death 3. The Diuell Sinne maketh vs subiect vnto death for the wages of sinne is death o Rom. 6.23 Death brings vs into the full and absolute power of the diuell That we are naturally seruants to sinne it is plaine by the Apostles complaint I am carnall sold vnder sinne p Rom. 7.23 It is a true rule To whomsoeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are q Rom. 6.16 and whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne r Ioh. 8.35 Now it is apparent that naturally wee obey sinne in the lusts thereof and giue our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto it Å¿ Rom. 6.12.13 euery member hath his taske in the seruice of sinne as the Apostle sheweth t Rom. 3.13 c. and whereas
slaues and bondmen doe their seruices and base offices grudgingly and discontentedly we doe the businesse of sinne willingly readily and ioyfully Againe that wee are slaues to eternall death it cannot be denied For what was it which God said to Adam In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death u Gen. 2â— 7. Assoone as hee had sinned that sentence laid hold vpon him and death eternall became his portion Now lastly for bondage vnder Sathan the Apostle saith that so long as we are the children of disobedience x Eph. 2.2 he worketh in vs wee are in his snare and are taken of him at his will y 2. Tim 2.26 This is the common slauerie of all there is not the greatest nor noblest nor mightiest nor fairest nor wealthiest among the sonnes of men but he is in his naturall estate thus enthralled Let men boast neuer so much in outward respects as sometimes the Iewes did We were neuer bond to any z Ioh. 8.33 yet till the Sonne shall make them free a vers 36. this is their captiuitie We read of the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt there they were kept vnder with burdens and made weary of their liues by sore labour b Exod. 1.11.14 vnder the Philistims c 1. Sam. 13.19 vnder the Midianites d Iud. 6.3.4 vnder other nations e Psal 66.12.78.60.61 c. of the slauery of Samson bound with fetters and made to grinde f Iud. 16.21 like a horse These particulars were grieuous to be born but to this spirituall captiuitie they are nothing When basenesse and crueltie and spight are ioyned together in an oppressour how heauie must the yoke needs bee Now what baser thing than sinne what more cruell than death what fuller of venom than the diuell Who is able to describe the miserie of that bondage where there is such a concurrence of such a threefold extremitie This is our slauerie this is that from which we are redeemed from sinne vnto holinesse from death vnto life eternall from the power of Sathan into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For this purpose a Price g 1. Cor 6.20 was paid but of no common value for we were not redeemed with corruptible things h 1. Pet. 1.18 hee gaue himselfe a ransome i 1. Tim. 2.6 he tooke on him the forme of a seruant k Phil 2 7. to free vs from this eternall slauerie We may truely saie This was the Lords doing and I pray God it may be maruellous in our eies l Psal 118.23 The 1. Vse Here is first a good lecture of humilitie the best and the hardest lesson of all others the best because I may say of it as Iacob did of Bethel This is the gate of heauen m Gen. 28.17 the hardest because we are full of selfe-loue and there will be no small a doe to make vs low in our owne sight n 2 Sam. 6.22 and as nothing in our owne seeming Let vs in this word Redeemed as in a glasse behold what wee are and what iust matter we haue of humilitie and how little reason to be secure The very name of a seruant or bond-man or vassall were enough to put a man downe in his owne conceit but to be seruant to so base a thing as sinne to so hatefull a person as the diuell to so terrible a thing as eternall death I do not see how any man may be able to expresse it Whosoeuer therefore thou be who hast beene foolish in lifting vp thy selfe o Prou. 30 32. thinking better of thine own soules estate than there is cause henceforth lay thine hand vpon thy mouth learne to abhorre thy selfe in dust and ashes p Iob 42.6 remember that whatsoeuer opinion thou hast conceiued of thy selfe yet the verdict of the Scripture which is the voice of God is that thou art by nature a slaue vnder the power of darknesse Satan is the prince of darknesse thou art his subiect hell is the kingdome of darknesse and that is thine inheritance When thou considerest this smite thy brest with the Publican q Luk. 19.13 pray the Lord to humble thee that the glad tidings of saluation in Christ may be welcome to thee The 2. Vse Secondly heere is also a good lesson of obedience Ye are bought for a price therefore glorifie God c. r 1. Cor. 6.20 It is a very direct inference God hath redeemed vs freed vs from thraldome and from captiuitie what should we refuse to do for him euen by way of thankfulnesse Besides it is a matter of great equitie Ye are not your owne sayth the Apostle Å¿ vers 19. wee are not in our owne power his wee be who hath redeemed vs and wherefore hath he redeemed vs what that we should still serue sinne that we should follow the vaine conuersation of the world and bee led by the swaie of our owne hearts Surely no. But to be zealous of good wonks t Tit. 2.14 I say then with Paul How shall we who are thus redeemed and to this end redeemed liue yet in sinne u Rom. 6.2 Shall we liue to the dishonour of God to the shame of religion seruing our owne lusts and drowning our selues in the pleasures of sinne who haue receaued so great a deliuerance God forbid What shall we thinke of the vnthankfull Israelites who being mightily deliuered out of bondage yet cryed it had beene better for vs to serue the Egyptians x Exod. 14.12 We must needs say they were vnworthie of so great a blessing Take heed wee doe not make it our owne case God hath sent his Sonne to redeeme vs and to free vs from the thraldome of death of sinne and of Sathan We professe that we reioice in this yet when we be called vpon to shake off the yoke of sin to become the seruants of righteousnesse y Rom. 6.18 we seeme to say as those Israelites did Let vs be at rest we would be content to be freed from death the wages of sinne but the businesse of sinne we would rather than our life we might continue in Wee haue some corrupt humour or other that let the Lord say what hee will wee must needs giue satisfaction to Men would serue God and Mammon too z Luk. 16.13 God and their bellies too a Phil. 3 19. God and drunkennesse too God and whooredome too God and their pleasures too This is a poore religion this is a slender requitall for so great a benefit as redemption Those which are redeemed are redeemed from their vaine conuersation b 1. Pet. 1.18 If thou bee ensnared in the sensuall delight of thine owne sinnes I cannot see how it can bee said of thee that thou art one of Gods redeemed When a battle is ended can it bee said that such a one is ransomed from the enemie who still followeth his campe and willingly doth whatsoeuer
nothing of his owne may be once thought vpon in this busines hee shall straight see such a breadth and length depth and height z Eph. 3.18 of comfort which will bee as colde waters to his wearie soule a Pro. 25.25 Thus this doctrine is matter of instruction to ground vs in knowledge and matter of refreshing to furnish vs with comfort The soule of a Christian is as the Done which went out of Noahs Arke b Gen. 8.9 It findes no footing but vpon the rocke of Mercy and it is but an imagination of mercie when any thing is coupled thereunto This truth hath forced euen the greatest aduersaries to acknowledge it according as wee finde that no meane Papist after long labouring against the doctrine of Iustification by only Faith doeth in the end confesse that yet it is the safest way to place a mans trust vpon Gods onely mercy and fauor c Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustif c. 7. The next matter to bee treated is the Question How the worke of Redemption wrought by Christ can be said to be a worke of mercy to the Fathers For the resoluing of this question this is to be knowne that there is but one way of saluation to the Fathers before and vnder the Law and to vs which haue liued since the reuelation of Christ in the flesh Iesus Christ yesterday to day the same for euer d Heb. 13.8 Heereupon Christ is said to be the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world e Reu. 13.8 whereof this is the meaning that albeit he was manifested in the flesh in the latter end of the world and not slaine before yet all the holy men and women euen from Adam were saued by his blood The most persons of note vnder the Law were types of Christ and all their sacrifices and ceremonies tended to this one thing to cherish in them the hope of the Messias and to acquaint them with the whole mysterie of Redemption which was wrought by his meanes There is not one little circumstance in the carriage of our saluation by Christ but the same was shadowed out in the ancient complements of the Law Euen Abraham saw the day of Christ f Ioh. 8.56 To them that liued before Christ Christ was crucified in the Sacrifices and bloodsheddings of the Law among vs he is crucified g Gal. 3.1 by the preaching of the Gospell They beleeued on Christ to come we beleeue on Christ already come Zeeharie therefore doth heere mention the Fathers to teach The 2. Doctrine That the efficacie of Christs death is not restrained or limited to one point of time but is stretched euen to the ages by-past and that the Fathers from the beginning of the world came within the compasse of this mercy which God shewed to mankind in Christs incarnation And this to bee true hath beene prooued in the opening and clearing of this question Paul said that the Christian Religion which hee professed was the Hope of the promise which God made to the Fathers h Act. 26.6 and Peter in his Oration made in the Synode at Ierusalem speaking of beleeuing to be saued through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ ioyneth the Fathers with them who then liued We beleeue euen as they i Act. 15.10.11 This is first matter of Resolution in a needfull doubt The 1. Vse I am taught if I will be saued to beleeue onely in Christ Iesus the Ministry of the word doeth still like Iohn Baptist point out him vnto me as the onely person which taketh away the sinnes of the World k Ioh. 1.29 it saith that he is the only way l Ioh 14.6 and that there is no saluation in any other m Act. 4.12 It telleth mee moreouer that this Christ was crucified manie hundred yeeres since and that now in respect of his bodie Heauen must containe him n Act. 3.21 till the end of all things But now heere my faith wauereth and is in doubt asking how his blood which was shed so long since can bee of force for the purging and cleansing of my sinne This scruple is taken away by considering that which is heere said Zecharie affirmeth that the mercy of God in Christ did concerne euen the Fathers which had long before gone the way of all flesh and which were asleepe in the dust of the earth Now then looke how the Fathers so long before might haue benefit by his death to come by the same means may we now so long after receaue comfort by his death past By faith they beheld Christ to be offered and are now entred into rest by faith we may also looke backe vpon Christ already sacrificed and be admitted into the fellowship of eternall happinesse The two Cherubins placed at the two ends of the mercie-seat had their Faces one to another o Exo. 25.18 c. and both vpon the Arke So the age by-past and the age after looke either on the other but both vpon Christ The 2. Vse Secondly this is matter of much contentment to a true beleeuer For heere he may see that be he neuer so poore or despised or base though he lie among the pots p Psa 68.13 or bee behinde the Ewes with yoong q Psa 78.72 yet he is by Christ called into the fellowship and partaking of the same saluation which the holie Fathers and Prophets doe now enioy Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Moses c. these were woorthy men and in great account with God How truely maiest thou say with Dauid t 1. Sam. 18.18 What am I that I should enioy that mercy which God hath prepared for them In such a maner doeth our Sauiour describe the happinesse of the saued They shall sit downe with Abraham Izhak and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen Å¿ Matth. 8.11 and it is one circumstance of the torment of the wicked yee shall see Abraham Izhak and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of heauen and your selues thrust out at doores t Luk. 13.28 What shall then become of vs who neglect so great saluation u Heb. 2.3 Who when God hath promised such glorious things x Psal 87.3 for vs euen the same saluation and mercy which the chiefest of his Saints do now enioy yet had rather be malicious with Cain tyrannizing with Nimrod profane with Esau scoffing with Ishmael extorters with Ahab proud with Iesabel superstitious with Ieroboam catching with Iudas playing the belly-gods with Diues resisting the trueth with Elymas rayling with Rabshakeh murmuring with Core vicious with the Sodomites of which persons we haue no other testimonie but that they are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day y Iude 6. than seeke to raigne with Abraham Izhak Iacob and the Prophets If wee desire the same happinesse wee must goe by the same way It is vnpossible to haue the Pleasures of sinne z
that if there bee some shew of deuotion and care to serue God on the Sabbath day then vpon other daies men may be left free to themselues and may take a little more libertie to be secure If matters of godlinesse be banished from their thoughts and tongues and liues all the whole weeke long they thinke it to be no great offence This opinion is ouerthrowen by this place Wee were redeemed to serue God euery day Though the Sabbath bee to be imploied more especially God then vouchsafing more plentifull helpes to godlinesse yet all euill is to bee auoided euerie day and all such good is to be done as in our callings and liues we shall be occasioned Endeuour wee must to walke in the sanctification of our hearts and innocency of life in other daies as well as on the Sabbath day Secondly this must be a motiue to vs euery day The 2. Vse euen at our first awaking to deuote and consecrate our selues to the Lord and to arme our selues with a holy resolution to striue against sinne This will be a matter of no little benefit For by this meanes God will enable vs to be blamelesse and pure without rebuke y Phil. 2.15 and we shall be kept from presumptuous sinnes z Psal 19.13 The want heereof draweth manie of Gods children sometimes into great inconueniences namely when as not considering the slippery path which they walke in heere in the world and being without feare of their owne frailtie they doe not couenant with themselues to bee very watchfull and to commit their way vnto the Lord and to stand vpon their guard against euerie sinne We haue an example of this in Peter Doubtlesse hee had no setled purpose to denie his Master yet to what a case did his owne rashnesse bring him while he did not seriously cast with himselfe what danger might arise by the place and persons neither yet waighed his own weaknesse how easily he might be snared hauing no warrant to bee there This draweth many into ill company to swearing drinking gaming c. I will not say that these euils in some do alwaies proceed from a purpose so to do but rather from the want of a purpose to withstand them and to giue vp themselues vnto God I would this were written in euerie ones heart that euery day must be consecrate to God euerie day must be a holy day to a Christian though not according to our sense in respect of cessation from labour yet in respect of watching and striuing against sinne The 3. Vse Thirdly if euery day must be giuen to God what shall we say of those which spend so many whole daies in the seruice of Sathan who le daies I say or the better part of the day in drinking and reuelling in sports in pranking vp themselues in plotting to defraud reuenge and eat out others How doe these consecrate their daies to God What religion or godlinesse is in these fashions When men make euery day either for vaine pleasure or sensualitie or Epicurisme or worldly benefit what is become of Gods part Thinke vpon it I doubt not but the serious thinking vpon this that God challengeth euery day will reforme many corruptions Thus much touching the dailinesse of seruing God Now followeth the perpetuitie The 3. Doctrine The doctrine then is this That as we must make conscience of diligence in good duties for the present time so we must haue a care of continuance and perseuerance also All the daies of our life saith Zachary therefore the last day as well as the first The Scripture is full in this point Christ expounds the seede which fell into good ground of those which bring foorth fruit with patience a Luc. 8.15 That only is good fruit which is accompanied with continuance Often times we shall find the condition of perseuerance put in He that endureth to the end he shall be saued b Matt. 24.13 In due season we shall reap if we faint not c Gal. 6.9 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life d Reu. 2.10 The laborers in the vineyard none of them had wages vnlesse he wrought vntill the euen e Matt. 20.8 We must not only obey the call of Christ Come to me f Matt. 11.28 but the charge also which he giueth Abide in mee g Ioh. 15.4 If ye continue in my word then are ye verily my disciples h Ioh. 8.31 The vse is to mind vs of the Apostles counsell which is The Vse not to be wearie in well doing i 2. Thes 3.13 Our nature is apt to recoill and to fall backe like a broken bow k Psal 78.57 A kind of sacietie will quickly creep vpon vs and those good duties which at the first seeme pleasing will without great care be a wearines l Mal. 1.13 vnto vs according as we see in many I haue knowen some to whom the preaching of the word was more welcome than now it is who were more carefull to vse priuate meanes to profit by it than now they are who had a little restrained some corruptions to which now they are caried with full streame They looke backe vpon Sodom and they could almost be content to be in Egypt againe Looke to it thou which art guilty to thy selfe of thine owne backesliding remember thou owest vnto God All thy daies The trees planted in the Lords house bring foorth fruit in their age m Ps 92.13.14 and they which doe not so shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire n Matt. 3.10 It must not be in religion as in bankets In the beginning good wine and then after that which is worse o Ioh. 2.10 but rather like those of Thyatira our Workes must be moe at last than at the first p Reu. 2.19 The fourth generall point in this passage of speech is what be the special duties in which this our seruing of God stands In holinesse and righteousnesse These two words answer to the two tables of the morall law By holinesse are vnderstood those duties which are owing immediately from vs vnto God and are set downe in the foure first commandements namely a holy regard to the truth and maiestie of his Godhead in the first commandement a holy maner of worshipping him according to his will in the second a holy vsage of his name in the third a holy keeping of his sabbath in the fourth By righteousnes are meant those duties which we owe to our neighbor of all which the summe is to giue to euery one his due to wrong no man in his honor or in that precedence which God hath giuen him in the fift precept nor in his life in the sixt nor in his chastity in the seuenth nor in his goods in the eight nor in his good name in the ninth nor to entertaine a thought which may draw to any of these breaches in the