suspect it Lastly this joy in the holy Ghost in some is an habituall gladnesse of heart which constantly after assurance is found in them though they feele not the passions of joy but in others there is felt at sometimes the vehement passions of joy but not the constant gladnesse Now eyther may be the true joy of the holy Ghost if it agree to the former signes But what should wee doe to get the joyes of God 1 Thou must be in the generall Gods servant and devote thy selfe to holinesse else thou canst never feele them Esay 65.13 2 Thou must voluntarily seeke godly sorrow for thy sins for these joyes are promised to and most felt by such as mourne for sin Psal. 126.2 3 5 6. Esay 61.3 Prov. 14.10 Mat. 5.5 3. Thou must labour after the affections of godlinesse till thou come to love Christ and the Word and holy exercises thou canst not get the joy in the holy Ghost if we did once love to be Gods servants the Lord would refresh us with the joyes of his presence Esay 56.6 7. But what should we doe to preserve the joyes of God that'wee might more constantly rejoyce in the holy Ghost Observe these rules 1. Thou must get a meeke spirit For passion and pride hinder the refreshings of God wonderfully Esay 29.19 2. Preserve uprightnesse the upright shall have an harvest of joy But if thou nourish the love of any sinne it is impossible to keep the joyes of God Psal. 96.11 Prov. 29.6 12.20 3. Lose not Gods presence but set him in thy sight and walk before him There is fulnesse of joy at his right hand Psal 16.11 4. Be much in well-doing For that will make our joy abound Col. 1. 9 10 11. 5. Hang upon the brests of the Churches consolation and sincerity Esay 66.11 6. Take heed of much carnall or outward reioycing For the immoderate liking of earthly things hardens the heart in the things of God Hence wee may briefly note the causes why many professors have no more ioy 1. Some neglect the meanes 2. Others are mastered by strong affections as Envy or Passions c. 3. Others have neglected mortification 4. In many their very unprofitablenesse is the cause 5. In some the love of some secret sinne blasts all grace and joy Thus of the 8. verse Verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules THis Verse is a ratification of the former in which the Apostle labours to assure salvation to all such as have the former signes 1. The matter assured is the salvation of our soules 2. The certainty of the assurance is in the word receiving which imports it is as sure as if we had received it already 3. The instrumentall cause is faith for salvation is the end of faith Receiving If this word be marked in it selfe and the coherence foure things arise to be observed 1. First that wee should receive the graces and blessings of God with much joy and love of Christ who is the foundation of the merit of all This I note from the coherence with the former Verse 2. Secondly we are seldome glad at heart longer then we are receiving some blessing or promises from God Note that he joyns this word to the joyes of the holy Ghost in the end of the former Verse 3. Thirdly that salvation is received even in this life received I say 1. In the promises of it 2. In the graces which begin eternall life in this life 3. In the certainty of the assurance of it 4. The word in the Originall signifies to carry back againe or to fetch out of the field which imports we cannot get salvation nor any promises or graces that concerne it but we must fight for it there will be some bicketing before it can be carried away out of the field Of your faith Faith is here expresly made the instrument of our salvation This is a principle and should be unmoveable in the heart of every Christian that without faith our religion is to no end For wee cannot be saved without it which should teach us both to seek this faith and to account of it as most precious and to this end to make sure that our faith be right wee cannot be too oft urged hereunto I will instance but in foure signes of a true perswasion For I take it for granted that the most of us say we are perswaded God loves us and Christ died for us Now wee may try whether this perswasion be right foure waies 1. First if it will endure the tryall of manifold tentations as the coherence shews a true perswasion will If it will support us in adversity of all sorts in some measure especially if it will fence us against the scornes and oppositions of the world this will prove it to be a true perswasion 2. Secondly if it be such a faith as will beleeve all that is written Act. 24.14 so far as it sees it to be the will of God though it be against reason or affection or profit or the opinion of any other 3. Thirdly if it have the seale of the spirit For hee that truely beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe even the witnesse of the spirit of adoption testifying by unspeakable joyes the assurance of Gods love Eph. 1.14 1 Ioh. 5.10 4. Fourthly if it be accompanied with a sincere life and love of all that truely feare God for the image of God in them True faith will shew it selfe by this love Gal. 5.6 The end of your faith The word here rendred the end doth further signifie a reward or wages which is given at the end and so these things may be observed 1. First that in the end the Lord will take account of the use of all gifts or graces in men 2. Secondly that unlesse we hold out to the end we can never have reward 3. Thirdly that true faith will hold out to the end if it be true it will abide 4. Fourthly Faith it selfe will once have an end and therein love excels faith because that will never end 5. But the last and chiefest point is that it will be a glorious time when the end comes that God disposeth the rewards of beleeving which may serve for foure uses 1. First it may comfort Gods afflicted servants For the expectation of the poore shall not perish for ever Psal. 9.18 and God will certainly give an end and expectation Ier. 29.11 And have we not seene the end of the Lord in many things in our temporall troubles and can we doubt him for our last end why should any feare death Is it not the time of receiving wages No hireling is afraid of the time of receiving his wages 2. Secondly it should teach us therefore to wait upon God and possesse our soules with patience holding fast our confidence of assurance For the end shall come and it will not be long before it shall be 3. Thirdly for information we
Psal. 31.22 Secondly this should teach us to looke to our faith and to provide for the daily use of it to live by it that if it might be we might be so ready and prepared that Christ when hee came at any time might find us so doing Now that we might attaine unto this daily use of our faith divers rules must be observed 1. We must be more afraid of doubts and cavils against our faith making conscience of unbeliefe to avoid it as a grievous sinne and to see manifest reason from the Word before we doubt 2. We must more study the promises of God and shake off the slaggishnesse of our natures especially wee should be more carefull to attend upon the carefull application of them 3. We should speedily run to Christ when we find any disease or neglect in our faith whose glory it is to be the finisher of our faith 4. We should often think of those that have been examples of much faith that have been full of faith Heb. 11. 12.1 5. We should watch against all things that might slacken our love to the meanes For it is certaine the love of the means is strong like death 6. If we find we have offended God let us not goe long without humiliation but quickly run and confesse our sins and not be quiet till we be reconciled It is dangerous to defer our repentance and neglect our communion with God long 7. Especially we should study for businesse to be imployed in well-doing in our generall or particular calling 1 Cor. 15.18 Hitherto of the sixt point Who raised him from the dead and gave him glory These words containe the seventh motive in the doctrine of redemption namely the ratification of it God himselfe was pleased after an admirable manner to ratifie the work of our redemption and therefore it should much work upon us for holinesse of life Now God ratified it two waies First by raising Christ from the dead Secondly by giving him glory in heaven 1. Of the resurrection of Christ from the dead divers things may be here noted 1. That Christ was amongst the dead this may shew the hatefulnesse of sin when Christ became a surety for it it divided his soule from his body and chased him downe among the dead Hath Christ been among the dead then let us beleeve him in all the comforts he hath taught us against death For he speaks by experience we may trust what he saies for he hath been there himselfe 2. Therefore dead men have a being it were good for us so to live as we may have comfort in our being after death For Christ found a world of dead men with whom he was after his death 3. How worthy is Christ to be loved that thus adventured himselfe for us how is it meet he should reap of the travailes of his soule 2. That Christ was raised from the dead Therefore it is not impossible for dead men to rise we see the proofe of it in Christ Secondly we should never be out of hope in the desperatest afflictions if we were brought as low as ever Christ was 3. God raised Christ from the dead Therefore it is wonderfull evident that our debt is paid in that the creditor came himselfe and set open the prison doore and released our surety especially in the time of distresse wee should know that God doth not require our debts at our hands For he hath hereby acknowledged ful payment by our Saviour and we did owe nothing but unto God Secondly this imports that the righteous God may sometime forsake us for a time and leave us to our thinking in unmedicinable distresses so as we should cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet hee will returne speedily to our succour and put to the proofe of his greatest power rather then abandon those whom he loves 4. That the resurrection of Christ is a great wonder therefore it is here mentioned as a marvellous course that God held in the ratification of our redemption The Use is Therefore cursed be those mockers that scoffe at the resurrection of the dead and let us glory in the faith knowing the victory of our Messias as also that the time will come that God will glorifie us also before men and Angels by mising our bodies also from the grave Rom. 8.11 1 Thes. 4.14 5. God lookes we should be specially affected with his glory in this great work of raising Christ from the dead The Use is Therefore let us be humbled before the Lord for the deadnesse of our spirits and slownesse of our hearts and beg of him pardon and the renting of the cursed vaile of ignorance that lets us from beholding the great glory of God herein 6. Lastly we see that the exaltation of Christ stands of two parts viz. Resurrection and Glorification and that all works of humiliation ended with his comming out of the sepulchre And thus of his resurrection And gave him glory This is the second part of the ratification The glory God gave unto Christ shewes that he is fully pleased with him and that Christ hath perfectly paid our ransome Quest. What glory did God give unto Christ upon his death for us Answ. Great and greatly to be praised and admired For 1. He assigned him all the honour of a triumph is his ascension when â—ee led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4.7 Col. 2.15 2. He removed from him all infirmities both of body and mind 3. He gave him all power in heaven and earth even preeminence in all things Mat. 28. Col. 1.18 For he made him 1. Prince of Angels Col. 2.10 2. Head of the Church Col. 1.18 3. Heire of all things Heb. 1.3 4. Iugde of the world Act. 17.30 4. He assigned him his owne best house to dwell in and that with equall honour with himselfe at his right hand in heaven 5. He bestowed all the Elect upon him Ioh. 17. 6. He commanded all creatures to worship him This was the grace of adoration Phil. 2.10 7. He gave him promise to grant whatsoever he asked Psal. 2.8 9. 8. He proscribed all his enemies and undertooke to make them his footstoole Psal. 110.1 The Use may be first for consolation All these honours done to Christ may assure us of our reconciliation with God and that our redemption is accomplished and it may encourage us to goe unto God trusting in his mediation for God can deny him nothing yea his glory is our glory The crowne is set upon our head when Christ is exalted and therefore being his members we should rejoyce as if it had beene done to us and the rather when he appeares we shall appeare with him in glory Col. 3.4 Secondly in all affliction it should teach us to live by faith and with patience to run the race that is set before us thinking upon the end of our faith the salvation of our soules which
into the actions of three severall daies 1. Some things were to be done the first day verse 4. to 9. 2. Some things the 7. day ver 9. 3. Some things on the 8. day ver 10. to 32. These severall daies noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner In the first dayes worke we may consider 1. what the Priest doth ver 8. 2. what the Leper to be clensed was to doe ver 8. In the first consider the things prepared ver 4. and the application of them or use of them ver 5 6 7. LEVITICUS 14. VERSE 4. The things prepared were two live cleane birds cedar wood byssop and scarlet 1. The two live birds did signifie the twofold estate of Christ his suffering estate and his triumphing estate as will appeare more plainlie after 2. And Christ is shadowed out in the likenesse of birds first then of lambs after and then of a bullocke at last to note the degrees of the revelation of Christ in the heart of a sinner at the first though he have true grace yet he seeth Christ but in a little forme as it were afterward God revealeth his Son in him more and more manifestly 3. The cedar wood hyssop and scarlet might signifie the graces of Christ with which he was to enrich and sanctifie the sinner viz. Faith Hope and Love Faith signified by the high growing cedar which though it have a root in earth yet it aspires towards heaven above all other trees Hope was signified by the Hyssop which though it grow low and secret as it were in the heart yet it is alwayes greene according to the severall seasons of Gods providence and Love was signified by the scarlet the double dye whereof might note our double love to God and men all sanctified and inflamed in the bloud shedding of Jesus Christ. 4. The summe of all then in the signification of the things prepared is that wee need two things for our clensing viz. Christ and the graces of Christ Faith Love and Hope 5. Now it is to be observed that these are to be taken not for the whole congregation of Christ or Israel at once but for him that is to be clensed alone to signifie that there must be a particular application of Christ and sanctification with the graces of Christ in every beleever or else it will not serve the turne that there is a Saviour provided for the Church in generall which is further shadowed out in the particular taking of the birds for this use and gathering of the cedar wood and hysop and providing of scarlet 6. It is further to be noted that the Priest is said to command the taking of these things not to prescribe them only which might shew Gods willingnesse to bestow Christ and his graces he doth not only offer him but commands us also to take him by faith he is ready to give and reproacheth no man yea this command might enforce some care and terror into the penitent sinner not to dare to neglect the time in this great businesse of purifying the soule and it might also incourage the fearefull for God is not only contented that they rest upon Christ but shewes himselfe to be discontented if they doe not seeke unto Christ when they finde need of him Thus of the things to be prepared the application or use of them followes in the three next verses VERSE 5. The application concerns either the dying bird or the living bird The dying bird in this verse the living bird in the two next 1. The one of the birds must be killed to note that without the death of Christ there can be no purging for sinne and that in the conversion of a sinner the onely thing the soule of man lookes upon is Christ slaine for sinne 2. This bird is to be killed by commandement to note that Christ was by speciall appointment from the Father set apart unto death 3. This bird was to be killed over running water This running water was a signe either of the Gospell or of the grace of sanctification The bloud falling into the water either did signifie that the Gospell of Christ crucified should be preached all over the world or else it noted that the bloud of Christ should then onely be effectuall to the sinner when the fountaine of grace was opened and both bloud and water met together that is the merit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ There ran out of the side of Christ both water and blood which it seemes was to signifie the same mystery 1 Iohn 5. 4. It is the more comfortable also that by the running water is signified the continuall flowing of the fountaine of grace dyed in the blood and merits of Christ in the heart of a sinner 5. This water was to be in an earthen vessell to note 1. That God did measure unto every Christian according to his proportion Rom. 12.6 2. That the Ministers of the Gospell should have the power of dividing this treasure unto men and that God would glorifie himselfe by the service of men otherwise contemptible in the world 2 Cor. 4.6 VERSE 6. 1. The living bird signifieth Christ alive from the dead and who cannot die but ever liveth at the right hand of God 2. The Cedar wood hyssop and scarlet signified the graces of Christ Faith Hope and Love 3. The joyning of both these together shewes that we cannot bee saved by Christ without the grace of Christ. It is to no purpose to thinke of Christ without care to receive his graces also 4. All these must be dipped in the blood of the bird that was slaine over running water to teach us three things 1. That it is the merit of the death of Christ that makes the presence of Christ in heaven acceptable for us 2. That all the graces we are to receive from Christ must be dipped in his blood also for by his blood it is that we have accesse unto grace or acceptation for any grace in us though received from him 3. That by the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ all this good is conferred unto us from Christ out of heaven VERSE 7. 1. The sprinkling upon him that is to be cleansed notes 1. Application There must bee a particular application of Christ to the beleever 2. Imputation For this sprinkling is the worke of God imputing Christ and his passion and holinesse to the beleever 3. Valuation of the worth of the least drop of Christs blood His blood though but sprinkled justifies a sinner 4. Lesser manifestation For sprinkling imports not so much a restraint in God as a defect in us that doe not so fully discerne our interest in Christ. 5. Strong consolation For if we can by faith lay hold but upon a drop of Christs blood it sufficeth if we discerne but sprinkling though we are farre from powring out it is sufficient 2. When he adds from his leprosie it is to assure us this comfort that in the justification
Church is thankfull for it to God Revel 2.6 and 5.10 And the rather should we rejoyce in it because God hath promised to take us to himselfe as his portion and peculiar treasure Exod. 19. 6. And it is his promise also to satiate the soules of his Priests with fatnesse Ierem. 31.14 And what a priviledge is it to have accesse unto the Lord and to stand before God daily which the Priests not onely might but were tyed to it by their office But then for conclusion of this point let us all be sure we have our part in the first resurrection Revel 20.6 and be carefull to be like the Priests for obedience and sanctity Exod. 19.5.6 and to get knowledge plentifully into our hearts Col. 3.16 and in the cause of God to blowe the trumpets of zeale and resolution carrying our selves with all humility and readinesse to doe good and so becomming instruments of blessing to the people And which I had almost forgotten we must remember to be like the Priests for teaching and confuting and reproving and informing our Familiars and friends as we have fitnesse and occasion Thus of the Priest-hood of Christians in generall In particular hence is further to be considered first their worke secondly their honour Their work is To offer up spirituall sacrifices their honour is Acceptation and high account with God through Iesus Christ. First then of the work of Christian Priests which is To offer secondly what they must offer viz. sacrifices thirdly the difference of those sacrifices from those in the Law of Moses they are spirituall which word notes both the substance of Christian sacrifices viz. that they are such sacrifices as were not according to the letter but according to the mysticall significations of the sacrifices of Moses Law and withall the manner how they must be offered up viz. spiritually or after a spirituall manner The maine thing here intended then is To avouch that Christians have their sacrifices which they must offer and that in a spirituall manner Now for the clearer opening of this doctrine two things must be distinctly considered of First what sacrifices can remaine to Christians since the Law of Moses is abrogated and secondly what things are requisite to the offering up of these sacrifices For the first There are divers sorts of sacrifices among Christians Some are proper to some Christians onely some are generall to all The sacrifices that are proper to some Christians are such as three sorts of men must offer First Ministers secondly Martyrs thirdly rich men First Ministers have their sacrifices which they must with all care offer to God and their sacrifice is the soules of the hearers Thus Paul was to offer up the Gentiles to God Rom. 15.16 And thus it was prophecied that in the time of the Christian Church the Elect should be brought in as an offering to God out of all Nations Esay 66.20 Ministers sacrifice their people either in this life or at the day of â—udgement In this life in generall when they perswade them to their attendance upon the House of God and breed in them a care to come before the Lord in â—erusalem Esay 66.20 In particular when they work repentance and true conversion in their hearts and when they make them goe home and mortifie their sinnes and tender their vowed service to God And thus two things are implyed for our information The one concernes Ministers the other concernes the hearers First Ministers may hence take notice of it that there can never be hope they should perswade with all their hearers for sacrifices were here and there once taken out of the whole Herd And besides the hearers may hence see that they are never so effectually wrought upon till they can give themselves over to their Teachers and to God to obey in all things though they perswade them to leave the world and binde them to the cords of restraint in many liberties they tooke to themselves before yea though they let their hearts blood by piercing their soules with sorrow for their sinnes even to the death of their sinnes 2 Cor. 8.5 and 7.15 Secondly At the day of â—udgement also Ministers shall offer up their hearers to God so many of them as are found chaste virgins unto Christ to whom they had espoused them before in this life 2 Cor. 11.3 And thus Ministers before they dye must make ready their accounts for the soules of their people Heb. 13.7 And thus of the sacrifices of Ministers Ministers have another sacrifice too viz. the particular texts or portions of Scripture which they chuse out and divide to the people as consecrated for their use For divers think that that phrase of cutting the Word of God aright is borrowed from the Priests manner of dividing the sacrifices and especially from the Priests manner of cutting the little birds The little birds is his text chosen out of the rest and separated for a sacrifice which he must so divide as that the wings be not cut asunder from the body that is he must so divide his text that no part be separate from a meet respect of the whole Leviâ— 1.17 and 5.8 2 Tim. 1.15 Secondly The Martyrs likewise have their sacrifices and that is a drink-offering to the Lord even their owne bloud this part is ready to be powred out as a drink-offering to the Lord for the Church Phil. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 and though wee cannot be all Martyrs yet wee should all denie our owne lives in the vowes of our hearts to performe our covenant with God if ever we be called to die for Christs sake and the Gospel Thirdly The sacrifice of rich men is almes and well-doing and those sacrifices they are bound unto to offer them continually Heb. 13.16 Phil. 4.18 Pro. 3.9 Almes is as it were the first fruits of all our encrease But then we must remember that our almes be of goods well gotten For else God hates robbery for burnt offering Isaiah 61.8 And in giving wee must denie our selves and not seeke our owne praises or plenary merit in it for it is a sacrifice cleane given â—way from us and consecrated onely to God and the use of his spirituall house the Church And thus of the sacrifice proper to some Christians There are other sacrifices in the Gospel now that are common to all Christians And these are divers For first Christ is to be offered up daily to God as the propitiation for our sinnes God hath set him forth of purpose in the Gospel that so many as beleeve may daily runne unto him and in their prayers offer him up to God as the reconciliation for all their sinnes and this is the continuall sacrifice of all Christians Without this there is the abomination of desolation in the temple of our hearts This is the end of all the ceremonious sacrifices the substance of those shadowes Those sacrifices served but as rudiments to instruct men how to lay hold upon
by the bodily eyes The fourth thing to be proved is that the soule is immortall it cannot die when it is once kindled it will never goe out or be extinct as the Sadducees wickedly imagined and some Athiefts still thinke the contrary This is a point necessary to be knowne as for the truth it selfe so for the use of it in our lives For to doubt of immortality makes us miserable and to beleeve the soules are mortall makes men Epicures Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die But to be fully assured of an estate after life makes a man carefull so avoid sinne lest his soule live for ever miserably and to serve God that hee may live for ever happily Now things may be said to be immorrall two waies either absolutely and in their owne nature and so God onely is immortall or else they are so by the will and pleasure of God and not by their owne nature and so the soules of men and so the Angels are immortall There have beene two sorts of men that have denyed the immortality of the soule the one were the Sadducees among the Jews who held that in death the soule of man is utterly extinct as the soule of a beast the other were certaine Arabians of whom Eusebius and Saint Augustine make mention who said that the soule died with the body and so remained dead till the day of Judgement and then they revived with the resurrection of the body Now against the first sort may be produced many reasons as also evident Scriptures The reasons are such as these 1 The providence and justice of God proveth the immortality of the soule For here in this life good men have not all their happinesse and evill men live in prosperity so there must be another life where justice must be done 2 Religion confirmes this for to what end were religion and serving of God if the soule died like the soule of a beast seeing in this life the most godly are outwardly in great misery many times For if S. Paul say If the dead rise not then of all men are we most miserable it will hold much more strange if the soule live not at all after death 3 The wisedome of God proves it for else man were not in better case than the beast yea in some cases worse For man from his infancie to his death is liable to many diseases subject to cares and griefes which the beast is free from yea this addes to mans misery that he knowes he must die which the beast doth not Now shall man that was counted like God be thought to have no better end than the beast that did exalt himselfe so much in the glory of his beginning 4 The conscience of malefactors proves this who feare a judgement after this life and an estate of misery 5 The nature of the soule proves it for it is simple and void of all contrariety and accidents and causes of corruption or putrefaction and is besides the Image of God Now no mortall thing can be the image of that which is immortall These reasons make it exceeding probable But I am of their mindes that thinke it may be beleeved by faith but not be proved by reason The Scripture therefore onely makes this point cleere such as these First our Saviour proves it out of the Word of God saying I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. Secondly it is most plaine Mat. 10.28 Thirdly eternall life is every where promised to them that beleeve Fourthly such places as treat of the Resurrection last Judgement and the Glory of heaven prove it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the soule after the last Judgement but deny that the soule lives after death till then there are divers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The soule cannot be killed at all Matth. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then living and for eternall life it is not said He shall have but He hath eternall life that beleeveth Secondly Christ said to the theese This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Ro. 8.38 Death cannot separate us from God in Christ as it would if the soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enjoy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Rev. 14.14 Fifthly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in joy and alive after death so was the soule of Dives in hell Sixthly Iohn saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Jesus and they cryed with a lowd voice O Lord how long c. Revel 6. Seventhly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1 Pet. 3.19 Before I leave this point of the immortality of the soule it is profitable briefly to answer certaine objections which may be brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The soule that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. Therefore it seemes the soule is mortall or at lest for sinne it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures evidently shew that since the fall and sinne yet the soule doth not die as the places before alledged prove But the answer is That this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the beeing of the soule but the depriving of it of the grace and savour and presence of God Ob. 2. Eccles. 3. It is said that there is one end of the man and of the beast As dieth the one so dieth the other Sol. These are not the words of Salomon but of the Epicure who is here as in other places of that booke brought in declaring his mind of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth evidently that the soule returneth unto God that gave it as in the last Chapter The other objections are the objections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Judgement and perceives nothing and is without operation which is to say it is dead seeing life is nothing else but the continuall motion and action of the soule Object 1. It is said that man when hee dies sleepeth as Christ said of Lazarus He sleepeth Ioh. 11. and Stephen slept in the Lord Act. 17. Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the grave or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psal. 78. sleeping in their graves but it is evident that the soule cannot sleepe in the grave but the body only And Stephen delivered his Spirit to Christ. Object 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannot be true if the soule enjoy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body are conjoyned For the Soule without the body can bee
evill of godly men as a dog or an oxe is when he is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leave their wickednesse He doth not say that by well-doing they may win ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conversation may win them as 1 Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse â—2 yet ordinarily they will doe wickedly even in the land of uprightnesse Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God IN the two former verses hee confirmes the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an objection The objection seemes to bee that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subjection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not use their freedome as a cloake of maliciousnesse and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still Gods servants and bound to doe what hee would have them to doe and so consequently to obey Magistrates since God requires them so to doe So that in this verse he intreats of Christian liberty And so first he grants the use of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly â—ee removes the abuse of it in these words Not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse And thirdly he gives a reason of his removall Because they are the servants of God still In the first part you must consider what hee granteth viz. that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either civill or spirituall Civill freedome is when a servant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentice or bond-slave before so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians doe enjoy by Gods favour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedome that is here meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that wee have onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enjoyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed upon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon up all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appeare The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed upon Christians are these First their ransome paid unto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which he sends into their hearts Fourthly their justification imputing his owne righteousnesse and procuring forgivenesse of all their sins Fifthly their sanctification by which he gives them new natures Sixthly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seventhly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enjoy great priviledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eighthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseverance by which they are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and undefiled inheritance in heaven after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concernes either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all sinne and misery and the setting of it in the possession of that blessed immortality in heaven The liberty of the body is the freeing of it from the bonds of death and bowels of the earth by enduing it with a glorious resurrection part of which freedome they enjoy even in the grave For though they bee buried yet they are not damned to hell there but rest in hope of their finall deliverance and with this liberty of glory both soule and body are made heires of heaven Rom. 8.21 It is the liberty of grace is here meant And that this part of the Christian happinesse may the better appeare I will consider first what he is freed from and secondly what he is freed to For the first there are divers things he is freed from as First from the rigour of the morall Law hee is delivered from the most rigid and severe execution of absolute and perfect obedience so as being now under grace he is not bound to fulfill the Law perfectly but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the uprightnesse and sincerity of his heart though he have many frailties and infirmities God hath now tempered that rigour of exaction which he justly stood upon in his first agreement with man in Paradise and did with terrour againe proclaime in giving his Law in Sinai so as now in Christ our yoke is easie and our burden light Matth. 11.29 Rom. 6.14 Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exact righteousnesse of the Law for us Rom. 8.3 Gal. 4.24 26. Heb. 12.18 Rom. 7.6 c. Secondly for the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sinnes hath cast us our expiation being made in the bloud of Christ who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for us that wee might be justified from these things from which by the Law of Moses wee could never bee absolved Rom. 8.1 Gal. 3.13 Thirdly from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwels in us the force of it being mortified by the spirit of Christ and so weakened that though it may rebell yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before Rom. 6.14 Ioh. 8.34 2 Cor. 3.17 Rom. 6.6 18. Fourthly from bondage under divels those spirituall wickednesses that had their strong holds in the hearts of every man by nature and ruled effectually in all the children of disobedience who had possession in our hearts and kept us in their power as most cruell Jaylers Ephes. 2.2 4. by Christ they are throwne out of possession they may tempt still but the gates of hell shall never prevaile againe over the godly Col. 2.15 Fifthly from the Lawes of Moses The ceremoniall and judiciall Lawes which Lawes were a yoke that neither the Jewes nor their fathers were ever able to beare Acts 15.10 The ceremoniall Lawes were a very seale of our condemnation a hand-writing against us wherein men many wayes acknowledge their guiltinesse besides they were extremely burthensome in respect of the rules of them and the strict observation required from them Our deliverance from these lawes these places prove Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1 19. 2 Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 Col. 2.17 There were foure respects which the ceremoniall Law had or foure uses First these ceremonies as I said
visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heaven But we have learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeve three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subject to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subject for he did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but he suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subject to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subject to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are under the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction only Christ is subject to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence we learne a plain demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ He had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterwards Fourthly hence we may be informed of the excessively vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednesse that the very Saviour of the world if he come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly we may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his own accord For in that he that is God suffered it shewes he had power to preserve himselfe so as all the world could not have forced him to suffer and therefore we have cause so much the more to admire his love to us that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly we may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Son of God suffer miserable things if he become a surety for sinne Seventhly we may hence learne to know the inevitable destruction and fearfull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his owne Sonne that was but a suretie for sinne and did none himselfe will hee ever spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did even Christ suffer then we should evermore arme our selves with the same mind and provide to suffer in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for us to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our salvation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should we be confirmed to suffer in willingnesse in this life because God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered we may hence gather comfort to our selves in his passion all the dayes of our life because his sufferings must needs be of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom he suffered follow For us The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no use nor were they deserved by himselfe For he never offended God nor did hee seeke his own peculiar good in them but he suffered all he did for our sakes Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of Gods people and as the Apostle saith he was delivered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 Hee was sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 He gave himselfe for us Ephes. 5.2 Now he suffered for us in divers respects as First to make satisfaction unto the justice of God for our sinnes and to appease the wrath of God toward us as the former places shew His sufferings were a sacrifice for sinne He bare the curses of the Law which were due to us Gal. 3.10 And thus he paid our ransome and pacified God especially in his death and buriall He nayled the hand-writing that was against us to his crosse Col. 2.15 And as Ionas was cast into the bowels of the sea to still the raging of it so was Christ cast into the bowels of the earth to make the seas of Gods wrath quiet for us Secondly he suffered as to make satisfaction for our sinnes so together with that satisfaction to remove from us the many miseries might have falne upon us for our sinnes Thus he was judged and condemned at the barre of Pilate that we might be acquirted at the barre of God He endured all sorts of paines and torments in soule and body that wee might be delivered from eternall torments in hell He died that hee might deliver us from death and the feare of it and from him which had the power of death which is the divell Heb. 2.13 He was crucified that he might abolish the power of sinne in us Rom. 6.10 Thirdly he suffered for us that so by his sufferings he might merit the supply of our wants and the possession of happinesse Hee suffered to make us blessed Thus he died to ratifie the eternall counsell Heb. 9.15.16.17 He was poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 He was bound to make us free Hee was unclothed to cover our nakednesse He was forsaken of God for a time that we might be received to everlasting mercy Hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes that he might merit for us a crowne of glory Hee found no mercy from the Priests and Jewes that we might finde sure mercy with God He was cast out of the earthly Jerusalem and suffered without the gates that he might provide a place for us in the heavenly Jerusalem Fourthly he suffered for us in this that he suffered that so he might have a sympathy of our sufferings and have a feeiing of our miseries He suffered being tempted that he might be able to secure us being tempted Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 The consideration hereof may serve for divers uses Uses First it should breed in us an admiration of the love of Christ to us that could ever be willing to become surety for us and suffer for us especially considering what we were viz. unjust men 1 Pet. 3.18 wicked men Rom. 5.6 enemies to him Rom. 5.8 10. That one should die for a good or righteous man or for one that is a common good for or to other men is very rare But it might be Ionathan might die for David or a subject be willing to die for a good Prince about no man would die for his enemies as Christ died for us Secondly it should worke in us sorrow and hearty griefe for our sins wee should now mourne as heartily for piercing Christ by our sinnes as if we had lost an only childe c. We complaine of the Jewes and Iudas and Pilate for
of his that we might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time love and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually unto us rejoycing in such meetings above the joy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly we should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies bâ—â— make conscience to serve God both in body and Spirit and say with David and Christ Lord a body thou hast given me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that reare the body of our Lord with their cursed oathes and rake their nailes in his wounds with their blasphemies On the tree The originall word signifies sometimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a paire of stockes Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Rev. 2.11 usually wood â— Cor. 3.12 here a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sins on the tree because he did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which he suffered as our Suretie and for our sins for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is every one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts for he lived in paine three houres in the dâ—rke and had not the light of the Sunne Thirdly in that darknesse he was put to the most fearfull conflict with the Divels which at that time did with their utmost fury assault him and sight against him Col. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grievous paines and torments of body and the effusion of his most precious bloud Fiftly he was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly he was reviled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.39 to 45. Seventhly God his Father poured out upon him the fearfull vials of his wrath in with-drawing for a time the sense of his favour Mat. 27.46 Eighthly his whole body was offered up on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the Sacrifices in the Law Uses We have therefore cause to rejoyce in the crosse of Christ above all things for on the tree he freed us from the curses of the Law and purchased for us the blessings promised to Abraham as the father of the faithfull Gal. 3.13 14. and besides by suffering so shamefull a death he hath sanctified all sorts of wayes of inflicting death upon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults even suffer that death on a tree with joy And we should the more praise God for his favour if he suffer any of us to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then we may againe see the hatefulnesse of sin in that God punishing our sins in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his justice exacting not onely death but that painfull and ignominious death on the tree Lastly hence we may see how little cause there is for Christians to plead merit if they think how fearfully sinne hath angred God and withall how senselesse the best of us are when wee heare reade or thinke of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for ever to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing hereby we proclaime our selves to be worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his sufferings Thus of the matter of Christs sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of us are named to be three first the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die divers wayes First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolved by the pâ—â—ting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnesse and favour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1 Tim. 5.6 〈◊〉 in respect of the world when a man is overwhelmed with crosses 〈…〉 as are 〈◊〉 wit◠〈◊〉 in his reputation he is said to be dead and his life to be hid under 〈…〉 being despised and 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 mâ—n oâ—t of â—inde Col. â— 3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sin as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly here To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take God from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To be dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sin Sin is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance only it is dead in such as have their sins only restrained for a time eâ—â—her by Gods owne strong hand or else by themselves kept downe for certaine hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sinne thus sinne was dead in Paul when he was unregenerate and revived when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sin is dead indeed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they be wholly rid of many sins yet some corruptions are not wholly removed yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a dying but in the life to come they shall be wholly and fully delivered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many Doctrines may be hence observed as Doct. 1. First it is evidently here implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are alive to sin or live to sin and in sinning they may be said to live or be alive or live to it in divers respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sin sin infecteth their persons and their workes 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are servants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sin to be the life of their lives they could not esteeme life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to live restrained of sin as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doe not destroy sin in letting it live they are guilty of the life of sin in them because they will not use the means to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone unresisted 5. Because they have most life or are most lively when they have most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sinne they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend everlasting
3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to God for the good they receive daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publikely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to Gods service Zech. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should be admonished to mind their wayes and their workes and to strive to walke as becommeth the Gospel and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of living to righteousnesse Now followes the third forme of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrowed from the Prophet Esay ch 53.5 who doth chiefely understand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sins as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Evangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and understands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule divers Doctrines may be observed Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature even the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased divers wayes especially by sorrowes and sins it is the disease by sin is here meant Quest. It would be inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sin is called sicknesse in the soule Ans. This spirituall sicknesse comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath infected all his posterity and every man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sin is called sicknesse because it doth worke that upon the soule which sicknesse doth upon the body for sin hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discerne and observe in themselves by nature Besides it causeth spottednesse and deformity in the soule as sicknesse doth in the body and therefore sin was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds and diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrours Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknesse will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Use. The Use may be to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but never think of the poore soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this evill in men natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionate when they see the grievous diseases in the natures and lives of other men remembering that they also were by nature subject to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very grievous which is here also implied in that God was faine to send his owne Son to help and heale us Now that the diseases of mens soules are so grievous may appeare many wayes First because such a multitude of men are infected not some one person in the whole world in the body of mankind not on some part but from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot all full of sores and diseases There is no man that sinneth not and so no man that is not sick and that is the reason why men feare the pestilence because it makes so many sicke Secondly because the soule of man by nature is sicke of a multitude of diseases at once for even sin is a sicknesse and so our sicknesses are innumerable because our sins are so And hence it is that in Scripture so many metaphors are used to expresse the sicknesse of the soule as leprosie wounds plagues poyson gall c. Thirdly because the disease lieth in the soule it selfe Of diseases those are most mortall that get into the spirits and doe most enfeeble man how much more when it is in the soule Fourthly because in respect of our selves our sins or our diseases are incurable we can give our selves no remedy that can help us Ier. 30. Fiftly because in the Colledge of spirituall Physicians there is scarce one of a thousand that can help the poore soule out of these diseases Iob 33. Sixtly because there be but certaine seasons onely in which men can be healed as it was with the lame man at the poole of Bethesda and if men misse these seasons they are in danger to dye of these sicknesses There be seasons of grace and dayes of salvation and men must not harden their hearts while it is called To day Use. The Use should be to awaken wicked men to a serious consideration of their danger and at length to thinke of helpe for their soules being thus diseased as they would doe for their bodies if they were desperately sicke Ob. We feele no such diseases in our soules Sol. First wicked men have a kinde of spirituall lethargie upon them and so are in grievous danger but by reason of their spirituall sleepinesse they feele it not Secondly though they feele not their diseases now they shall doe hereafter and then thinke what a paine it will be unto them when God awakens them whether they will or no. It may be it will be in this life as it was with Cain and Iudas and then a wounded spirit will ake so who can beare it Thirdly the matter is not altogether so easie with wicked men as they pretend fâ—r they doe feele so much as may shew they are very sicke Sometimes they feele their consciences galling and paining them at the very heart for the time and what are the passions and perturbations of their soules but as so many fits ofâ—a Feaver And that they are grievously sicke may appeare by the want of their spirituall senses they can hardly see or heare any thing Besides they may know they are sicke by the potions of afflictions which God gives them who doth nothing in vaine Doct. 3. That in Christ the diseases of our soules may be healed Esay 53.5 Mal. 4.2 Luke 4.18 He is a sure Physician for our soules God hath undertaken it that he will cure and heale us he challengeth it as a glory to himselfe which he executes by Christ Iob 5.17 18. Deut. 32.39 Now in as much as our diseases may be healed by Christ and that he is our Physician appointed by God we may gather many arguments of great comfort even from hence that he is the Physician First because
to be considered of 1. What need our spirits have to be sanctified 2. Wherein lyeth the sanctification of the spirit of man Our spirits have great need to be sanctified 1 By reason of the first sin they want originall righteousnesse and they are corrupt and infected with a generall leprosie 2. By reason of the steine and uncleanenesse all our actuall sins have added to the former corruption 3. By reason of the inhabitation of uncleane spirits our spirits have in them trenches cages forts and strong holds of Sathan 2 Cor. 10.4 and therefore had neede to bee cleansed after such soule spirits have been there 4. The naturall spirit of man frames nothing but evill and that continually this makes God so weary Gen. 6. In particular all the faculties of the spirit of man need sanctification 1. The minde is covered with a vaile wrapped in an ugly mantle of darknesse distracted with errour coupled with a thousand formes of evill thoughts 2. The memory performes no service to God it should be Gods Treasurer and Register but no body is in the office to keep record 3. The Will is grievously diseased and with sicknesse so distempered that it will not be ruled by any not by God not by men not by reason not by religion nor doth it agree with it selfe For man wills not alwayes the same thing 4. The affections out of the first poyson of naturall corruption have such monstrous births of evill that the spirit by them is set out of all order They are compared to beasts Esay 11. To fighting soldiers 1 Pet. 2.12 To tyrants making cruell lawes and leading into bondage Rom. 7. 5. The wretched Conscience then which there was once no diviner thing on earth is now in miserable case For either it is sick of a Lethargy and sleepes or if it waken it is like a mad Dog or Lion or a Iudge transported with rage It is ignorant without light it is soiled or â—teinâ—d with a thousand sinnes It is impure and exceeding base and without all properties of a divine Iudge For it is blinde and will be corrupted and will deferre the Affise c. Insteed of a throne of judgement it is thrust into a hole and horrible dungeon of darknesse where the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth not and there for the most part as if it were still night it lieth obscure and sleepeth And thus of the need we have of sanctification in our spirits The sanctification of the spirit lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing the spirit from sinne 2. In adorning the spirit with graces In the cleansing of the spirit consider both from what and how For the first if any aske what there is in our spirits needes cleansing away I answer That besides what hath been shewed many more particulars may be set out thus There are vile both impieties and unrighteousnesse in our spirits must be done away For impieties There is ignorance errour atheisticall thoughts pride hypocrisie inconstancy hardnesse of heart and division of heart conceitednesse vanity selfe-love hatred of goodnesse false feares carnall confidence forgetfulnesse doubts unsetlednesse unbeliefes of all sorts and love of the world For unrighteousnesse There are evill cares covetousnesse lusts of all sorts hatred malice desire of revenge anger fretting worldly griâ—fe bitternesse discontentment vaine-glory emulation inordinate affection and evill concupiscence as good as men thinke their hearts and meanings are they may by this taste see how foule their spirits are Now for the second The spirit is cleansed from these sins by degrees and to that purpose the spirit of God worketh and useth 8. distinct new qualities which have not place in the soule but upon occasion of this service against sin And these are 1. Spirituall poverty or sense of sin and misery 2. Base estimation viz of the world with the pleasures profits and lusts of it Phil. â— 8 Esay 30.22 3. Hatred of sinne 4. Shame for sin Rom. 6.21 5. Godly sorow 6. Feare 7. Indignation 8. A purpose and inclination to forsake sin Thus of the cleansing of the spirit The adorning of the spirit followes The spirit of man in sanctification is adorned with holy graces and here I consider of the adorning 1. of the minde 2. of the heart 3. of the conscience The minde is adorned with three things which come new into it 1. The first is a heavenly light 2. The second is humblenesse of minde 3. The third is purity of imaginations 1. This light comes in by the illumination of the spirit setting in the minde a celestiall kinde of knowledge and this stands in two things For first this sanctification breakes open a way and sets at liberty the light of nature which was imprisoned and withheld in unrighteousnesse and then there is besides infused a new light from above and this light hath in it 1 1. A holy discerning of good and evill truth and falshood by which the minde in a measure discerneth a general course of avoiding the waies of death and the 〈◊〉 of hell 2. A holy inquiry by which the minde aspireth after God and truth and tryeth things that differ 3. Wisdome from above by which the minde is caried not only to a foresight and forecast for the things of the soule and a better life above the things of the body and this life but is furnished with certaine feedes of discretion for practise with observation of the circumstances of time place persons maner end occasions c. 4. A sacred frame of piety and patterne of godlinesse and truth and this patterne is so communicated to the understanding that it is indelible no dangers sin or death can ever utterly abolish it This frame of truth is perfected by degrees 5. There is planted in the minde Gods watch by the light whereof all the wayes of the heart and life are over-looked 2 2. The second grace planted in the minde is humblenesse of minde 1 Pet. 5.5 and this hath in it 1. A sense of the wants of the soule and life of man 2. A lowly kinde of forecast in all things to glorifie God and profit man accounting it no abasement to serve and please with all readinesse 3. A thankfull acknowledgement of the mercies of God infinitely above desert by which a man holds himselfe not worthy of the least of Gods mercies 4. A freedome in matters of opinion from selfe-conceit by which a man attaines to that not to be wise in himselfe or to rely upon his owne reason or judgement Thus a man is not high minded 5. An accounting of others of Gods servants better then our selves 6. A pronenesse to humiliation for sin and humility in cariage 3. The third thing brought into the minde is purity of imaginations holy thoughts by which the minde converseth as it were in heaven already and feedeth upon the fairest objects in heaven and earth Prov. 14.22 Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3.1 Thus much of the
as turne to him with fasting weeping and mourning Quest. But doth the Lord shew no mercy to wicked men Answ. Yes he doth but deceive not thy selfe he doth not shew them this mercy to forgive their sins or save their soules and that thou mayest know distinctly what mercy God doth shew I will instance in one onely place of Scripture and that is the 9. of Nehemiah for there thou maist see what mercy the Lord shewed to the wicked and rebellious Israelites To omit the extraordinary he gave them good lawes ver 13. and made known to them his holy sabbaths ver 14. and forsooke them not when they dealt proudly against him ver 16 17. and gave his good spirit to instruct them ver 20. and for a long time multiplied his outward blessings upon them ver 21 25. and when they wrought great provocations he sent them enemies to afflict them ver 26 27. and when they cryed sent them Saviours to deliver them ver 27. and after often revoltings he was often intreated ver 28. and did withhold his worst and consuming judgements for a long time ver 30 31. these and such like mercies the Lord may and doth shew to wicked men Hath begotten us againe c. Hitherto of the mercy of God now it followes that I should intreat of the regeneration of man As for the necessity and honor of the worke of the new birth I have touched it before I onely here propound three things to be considered of 1. The meanes 2. The lets and 3. the signes of the new birth For the first the ordinary meanes by which God doth beget us againe is the word preached as these places doe evidently shew Rom. 10. 14. 1 Pet. 1.23 1 Cor. 1.21 Gal. 3.2 Esay 55.4 For the second this great worke is marvellously hindered and that diversly For first many men are seduced seduced I say either with hope of mercy howsoever or with the colours of civill honesty and some good they doe or with pretence of after-repentance or with the examples of wise learned and great men or with prejudice conceited by reason of slanders cast upon such as are converted or with the common charity of the world 〈…〉 when they die or with false opinions as that men have all their regeneration by Baptisme or that reformation will prove an enemy to their credit or profit or contentment or else that they are as they should be because they are better then they were and have more liking of Sermons or care of religion or such like Secondly multitudes of men are senselesse and ignorant and through wretched inconsideration weare out their dayes without care or conscience they never consider either the number filth or guilt of their sinnes or the greatnesse and fiercenesse of Gods wrath and threatnings against their sins or of the certainty and dreadfulnesse of the vengeance to come or of the nearenesse of death or terror of judgement nor consider they the very effects of sin that are already upon them they perceive not their death in sin and the sleep of their conscience and the inefficacy of all Gods ordinances and the absence of Gods spirit and the impotency of all the faculties of their soules unto that which is good Thirdly many are hindered through irresolution and sluggish inconstancy they have many pangs of remorse and are neare the birth and give it over againe For either they forget it or neglect it upon experience of difficulties or objections against it or else because they finde more required then stands with their ease or credit c. Fourthly worldlinesse is a monstrous let in many I say not covetousnesse which is an excessive desire of having superâ—luities but a vaine over-loading of the minde with continuall cares about businesses in the world The love of earthly things and the cares of life choake all the sense they get in Gods house For they suffer their businesse to eate up their thoughts and consideration whence flowes forgetfulnesse and hardnesse of heart Fifthly this worke hath many and great adversaries if wee respect it in the truth and sincerity of it It is opposed mightily by devills invisible and by wicked men of all sorts visible sometimes by learned men sometimes by the prophane multitude Satan strives to overwhelme the beginnings of it in many with the floods of reproach and disgracefull oppositions Lastly it is hindered in the most men by the perverâ—e love of some speciall sin with which men are besotted and unto which they are so ingaged as God must have them excused till they finde time to give it over Thus much of the lets 3. Now for the signes of new birth amongst many I instance in foure The first is the washing of mortification by which I meane a serious secret and unfeigned voluntary godly sorow for all sin striving in particular to bewaile those sinnes unto which they have been most prone or in which they have most corrupted themselves This is to be borne of water and of the holy Ghost This is the washing of the new birth The second is the imitation of Christ by which we follow him in the regeneration Now this imitation of Christ must have in it three things First a willingnesse to deny our ease profit credit will or what else can be taking up any crosse that we may shew our desires to be like him in sufferings secondly humility and lowlinesse which will shew it selfe not onely in a continued base opinion of our selves by reason of our corruptions but also in the meeknesse and quietnesse of our affections and in readinesse to doe the meanest office in the service of Christ or his members thirdly innocency of life or a constant care to be holy as he is holy hungring after righteousnesse and loving purity and seeking the contentment of all wel-doing The third signe is the love of all such as are begotten againe of God For whosoever is borne of God loves all those that are borne of God but this love of Gods children is such a love as shewes it selfe first by a desire to love God and keep 〈…〉 godly doe secondly by a willing and ready Apology for such as feare God thirdly by fellowship with them in the Gospell fourthly by sympathy or compassion in their joyes or sorowes and fifthly by an estimation of them as the onely excellent ones The fourth signe is the inbred native desire after the sincere milke of the word By the desire to suck you may discerne a living childe from an abortive birth but then it is to be observed what kinde of desire it is For the comparison sheweth it must be a constant desire such as is renewed every day as we see it to be in the infant and besides it must be such a desire as is joyned with a secret and sound contentment in the word The childe doth almost nothing else but suck and
to such an estate as they should neither see nor understand the Lord being as it were made unwilling that they should bee converted yea this very unbeliefe may cause God to repent of his mercies and destroy men even after many singular favours bestowed upon them what shall I say if we out of this text consider the use and need of faith may not Christ wonder at our unbeliefe if still we will goe on in security Secondly we should all then be perswaded to settle about this work of faith and assurance knowing the singular worth and use of it and to this end pray unto God to shew us the greatnesse of his power in them that beleeve and withall make use of the light while we have it to walke in it that â—o the Lord may still owne us as the children of light c. Lastly it may be a great comfort to all that have gotten assurance Hee that beleeveth is in such an estate for happinesse as he needs not be ashamed no the Lord will so performe all things according to his faith that he shall never be ashamed A man need be ashamed of nothing but his unbeliefe and of every such Christian it may be said as once it was of one Blessed is she that beleeved For there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Vnto salvation This is the end of our preservation From the coherence and generall consideration of the words three things may be noted First converted Christians shall be saved Secondly unlesse we endure to the end all is vaine It will not profit us to be kept for a time or a long time but it must be till the very moment of salvation Thirdly here we may note a lively difference betweene a temporary faith and a justifying faith This is best at last the other is most lively when it is first hatched This is sorowfull at first but leads to joy The other is joyfull at first but leaves men in such a case as they must lye downe in sorow This is onely in such as shall be saved the other in such as may be damned note I say may may be not shall be This is a strong garrison to guard us in the evill day the other is confident till evill come and then it betrayes men This will not rest without assurance of salvation to come the other is secured with probabilities and hopes and conjectures present This is a great discerner of wants and therefore beares it selfe upon Gods power The other lookes chiefly outwards and considers not his fall till he be falling Thus in generall Vnto salvation Salvation is threefold 1. Corporeall 2. spirituall in this life or 3. eternall in heaven It is eternall salvation is here meant and so salvation properly notes the negative part of our happiness in heaven that is that there we shall be made safe that is we shall be out of the reach of Satan evill men the flesh sinne infirmity sorow paines reproach evill example discouragemeÌ„t death hell but by synecdoche it notes the whole happinesse of a Christian for ever in glory but this is named because it is easier to tell what shall not be in heaven then what shall be there The Uses are both for instruction and terror For instruction this may teach us two things first to acknowledge Gods great mercy in that hee gives us the meanes of salvation which was wont to be the sole honor of the Jewes If carnall men had such availeable meanes for earthly things how would they esteeme them how rich and great would they be secondly our hearts desire and prayer unto God should be that we might be saved even that we might have it as well as heare of it and to this end First we should shake off that naturall security and drowsie sleep that is upon our hearts especially we should not deceive our selves For many a man thinks he should be saved when he hath little reason for it Secondly wee should use all diligence to get the knowledge of heavenly things For Christ will never be salvation where he is not first light Thirdly we should be especially carefull to seek the knowledge of Gods favour in the remission of our owne sins For God giveth knowledge of salvation by remission of sinnes and to this end wee should imploy our selves in repenting us of our sins Fourthly as a singular furtherance hereunto wee should be wise in discerning the seasons fearfull to stand out the day of salvation For our repentance and assurance might be at some times speeded with singular successe whereas delay may breed either losse or difficulty Fiftly our hearts should be so set upon heaven that we should alwaies be ready to obey both present and absent working out our salvation with feare and trembling Those daring venturous bold spirits that dare live in any evill so it stare not in their faces and have not a heart fearfull of the last evill aspire not to immortality they expresse not the care or hope of heaven And as it serves for instruction so it may serve for terror and great reproof to all wicked persons that doe shift off and neglect so great salvation and frustrate the meanes of saving their owne soules Prepared Salvation is prepared five waies 1. By preordination and so it was prepared before the world was as Topheth was prepared of old for the wicked 2. By creation and so it was prepared when the Lord made of nothing that gloriâ—us place above these visible heavens 3. By the mission of Châ—ist who by his obedience and sacrifice merited for the elect this eternall salvation 4. By regeneration for so we are said in the verses before to be begotten againe to an immortall inheritance for therein the Lord breaths into us that lively hope and other immortall graces 5. And lastly by justification forgiving us all our sinnes that might keep us out of heaven and clothing us with the righteousnesse of Christ and accepting us thereupon as his adopted children in Christ. 2. Preordination is the fruit of Gods counsell Creation of Gods power regeneration of Gods word Christs mission of Gods love and justification of Christs resurrection Preordination and creation and Christs mission are past and so salvation is prepared Regeneration and justification are present and so it is preparing now there is a preparation which remaines yet and that shall be in the last time by the citation of the world by the last trump by the collection of all Nations from the foure winds of heaven after they are raised But I think this is not meant here The Use is threefold First wee should acknowledge Gods great love that thus provideth for us so long before and say with the Prophet Lord what is man that thou art so mâ—ndfull of him Secondly we should kindle our desires
after an estimation of this salvation for certainly it must needs be excellent that is so long in preparing But thirdly and principally we should learne to prepare for it For if God prepare it for us wee should much more prepare our selves for it yea it may be that God writes this for our instruction we heare what God doth that we might learn what to doe our selves Now if any should aske what we must doe in preparing for salvation I answer we must prepare five waies 1. By repentance for our sinnes 2. By procuring the assurance of it in the signes seales and pledges of it 3. By the labour of love endevouring with speed to dispatch Gods work even the taske that God hath set us to 4. By laying up treasures in heaven both by sending our prayers thither before and by conversing in heaven by meditation and desires 5. Lastly by speciall preparation for death waiting till the time of our changing doâ— come Thus of preparation The revelation followes To be revealed Two thingâ— are here implied and one expressed The things implyed are first that the salvation of the soule is a hid mysterie It is not yet revealed and so it is first in the doctrine of it to Pagans secondly in the assurance of it to wicked men in the Church they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death sometimes for want of meanes but alwaies for want of faith to beleeve it in their owne case nay they see not clearly the happinesse of the elect in general for the glory of their salvation is darkned by their afflictions and disgraces in the world thirdly it is in some respects hid and not yet revealed to the faithfull For first many of the children of God want the knowledge of it which they might have through neglect either of the means of assurance or the order of life For God doth in the brightnesse of it shew his salvation to them that dispose their waies aright Secondly none of the children of God know it as it shall be and that if we respect either the instant of time when God will accomplish it or the full perfection of the glory of it 2. That it shall never be fully revealed till the last time But is it not at all revealed in this life I answer it is But then consider to whom and how and in what things It is revealed to the godly in a more particular manner for the wicked have but a generall glimpse of it It is revealed by the word which teacheth it by the spirit which sealeth it and causeth us by the word to understand our right in it and by the graces of Christ which as signs prove iâ— And for the last it is revealed three waies 1. by way of negation for in this life wee see by the word what shall not be in heaven as not sinne sorrow sicknesse death c. 2. In respect of the assurance of faith and hâ—pâ— 3. In â—â—spâ—â—t of the fâ—â—st fruits and pledges and beginnings of salvation in saving graces The doctrine expressed is that salvation shall be revealed at the last day and that three waies fiâ—st by the voice of Christ who in the last sentence shall set out the glory of Gods mercy before men and Angels describing the worth of the Kingdome of God which he hath prepared for the elect 2. God will then inlarge and perfect the understandings of the faithfull in full conceiving of the worth of eternall things 3. It shall be revealed in that it shall be enjoyed The revelation of it shall be the possession of it and this is principally meant here The Uses of this doctrine concerning the revelation of salvation are divers First it is exceeding comfortable unto Gods children and thiâ— comfort may be concluded out of this doctrine three waies First from the generall they may hence be greatly heartned that those great things which are promised shall one day be revealed They are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what they shall be their miseries are revealed now but their salvation is but prepared to be revealed Secondly here is comfort in particular against slanders and reproaches and the evill censures and surmises of men and wretched imputations Their innocencie shall one day be revealed and the sinnes and secret plots of adversaries shall one day be discovered There is nothing covered that shall not then be revealed that day shall try mens works And also against all sorts of erosses might this doctrine comfort us For if we did thinke of the things that are not seene as yet they would make us hold all our afflictions light and momentary in comparison of what we expect And thirdly from the lesse to the greater they may hence deduce singular comfort For if now at some times when it is but in preparation to be revealed Gods people doe find so much comfort what shall that superabundant happinesse be when that Abyssus shall be broken up and the mines of treasure shall be discovered and possessed Here is also implyed by the contrary wonderfull terror to the wicked men they little know what shall befall them the Lord now treasures up much for them and a day will come when it shall be revealed If that anger that God in this world doth reveale from heaven by his threatnings or by his judgements be so terrible oh what shall it be in the last day they shall call for the mountains to cover them when the Lambe shall sit upon his throne to open the mysterie of their iniquity and Gods anger and it is a misery added to their misery that they cannot discerne it but for the most part die without knowledge and sinke into perdition before they be aware But especially woe shall then be to the hypocrite for his maske shall then be pulled off Thirdly this doctrine may serve for instruction and that two waies First we should be thankfull if God have in any measure revealed unto us his love and this mysterie of our salvation For there are many wise men and great men to whom in the secrets of his judgement that knowledge is denied Secondly we should with earnest expectation waiâ— for the revelation of the sons of God seeing that that is the time of glorious and unexpressible liberty And thus of the revelation of salvation In the last time These words are diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes they note in definitely any time that is far off sometimes they note the whole space of time from Christs first comming to the second sometimes they note the later age of the world neerer the second comming of Christ sometimes it notes the time after the resurrection till the end of the judgement and so it is here Before I come to the particular consideration of these words there are divers things may be noted in
for no threatnings nor makes any great reckoning of any truth of God But all this is but within 10. The tenth degree is outward Apostacy and this is when a man at length growing audacious in sinning gives over even outwardly all care of honesty or religion openly shewing himselfe to be fallen away from all care of the profession of the truth or respect of godlinesse further than the lawes of men or other carnall respects may lead him 11. The eleventh degree is tradition to Sathan which is done either secretly the Lord giving the sinner up to Sathan or openly where the sinner is delivered to Sathan by the censure of the Church It is true that sometimes Sathan hath possession at consent before practice For then he entred into the heart of Iudas It is true also that the censures of the Church fall upon many after practice before Apostacy But if men doe tarry out all these degrees in this place they will be given up if they prevent not death or death prevent not them c. 12. The twelfth degree is a reprobate sense when a man having been under the power of the devill and not escaping out of his snare by repentance iâ— most fearfully forsaken of God and with unspeakable spirituall wicâ—edâ—esse besotted by Sathan so as all sense and remorse is wholy extinguished iâ— him so as neither the light oâ— Nature nor the light of Scripture can worke upon him 13. The last degree is death even death eternall Thus we see the staires that descend downe to hell and the severall step◠〈…〉 staires Saint Iames makes but 6. degrees For the first motions hee suppresseth Then the first degree is drawing away now that containes the 2 3 and 4. degree as it is here in our reckoning viz. liking delight and security The 〈…〉 â—irth that is practice the fift the finishing of sin which hath in iâ—â—â—stome inâ—â—r◠〈◊〉 outward Apoâ—â—acie tradition and a rebrobate minde the 〈◊〉 iâ— death Thus of the second point 〈…〉 the third wee must understand that the tentations of concupiscence 〈◊〉 the â—entations of Sathan differ thus 1. First the tentatations of Sathan are usually to things against nature or against the God of nature and so the temptations of Blasphemy as they are teâ—med are from Satan or they are against the constitution of nature aâ— the 〈…〉 which a man is moved to kill himselfe or destroy or betray his Câ—untry or Prince or to commit â—â—â—â—mitry Buâ—â—â—râ— or 〈◊〉 2. Secondly the tentations of Sathan are usually sudden and fierce and violent like lightning that leaves not a man time for deliberation Thus he 〈◊〉 CHRIST with the glory of the world but it is in a moment lest ouâ— Saviour by deliberation should finde our reasons of exceptions against earthly glory and so when the devill would perswade to sinne that is grosse and mâ—nstrous hee labours to confound a man with the suddaine fiercenesse and flame of the tentations whereas concupiscence is more lingring and flower 3. Thirdly those evils that are instantly disliked and in no measure consented to or approved are from Sathan and not from concupiscence For concupiscence works by the naturall pronenesse to the evill which cannot be without all desire or liking and these tentations may be none of our sins The first motions are not alwaies to be counted our sinnes For Christ was tempted not onely for the matter but for the manner in all things like unto us yet without sin he had monstrous things cast into his mind by the devill yet he sinned not so likewise it is not our sinne simply that tentations are there For a man doth not sinne in the tentation till hee be in some degree drawne away by it Now for the fourth thing there are many comforts against tentations diversly to be raised out of the Scripture First from example and that both of Christ and Christians Of Christ for he was tempted so the Apostle useth this argument as a comfort Heb. 2.16 and 4. â—5 now there is a threefold comfort from Christs example 1 First that he was tempted as well as wee 2. Secondly that wee see by his example one may be tempted yet without sinne 3. That he was tempted that he might succour us when we are tempted And as we have the example of Christ so we have the example of Christians For as the Apostle Peter saith The same afflictions are accomplished on your brethren that are in the world 1 Pet. 5.12 Secondly from the meditation of the helps in tentations 1. First Gods Spirit is within us to lust against the flesh even to assist with grace and strength against the workings of Sathan 2. Secondly the good Angels invisibly and insensibly are as ready to help and succour as the evill Angels are to tempt and devoure 3. Thirdly Christ is a present cure for the stings of this serpent as the brasen Serpent was to cure the stings of the bodily serpents Now Christ cures us when we looke upon him by faith partly by his intercession and partly by a vertue flowing out of him to us For it is certaine he prayes for us as well as he did for Peter Luk. 21.31 Ioh. 3.14 4. Fourthly Gods care is for us so as no temptation shall befall us but by his sufferance and besides he will have respect to our strength and thirdly hee will give issue with the temptation as is excellently shewed 1 Cor 10.13 Thirdly â—rom the consideration of the effect of tentation For though Sathan would faine carry us away with the whirlewinds of his suggestions yet indeed it is but to winnow us And although it seemes to be against all reason that tentations should purge us yet it is certain Gods children are made more cleare and pure by the very experience in the conflict with inward evils It doth winnow them and drive away a great deale of chaffe even of lightnesse and vanity out of their mindes Againe temptations are but to hide their pride and to keepe them that they be not exalted over-much Lastly we may greatly comfort our selves if we consider the promises the Lord hath made to us in tentations Hee hath promised that hee will tread downe Sathan and that speedily under our feet Hee hath in the Apostle Paul answered and assured us that his grace shall be sufficient for us and his power shall be made knowne in our weaknesse yea and Christ hath promised when we enter into the combat that he will pitch his Tabernacle by us Besides it is an old and ancient promise made long since that if the Devill for terror shew himselfe like the great Leviathan or for fraud like a crooked and piercing serpent or for violence and fury like the dragon in the sea yet the Lord will smite him with his great and sore and mighty sword Thus much of the comforts against temptations The fift and last thing I propounded to be observed was the rules to be
a while and heard her speak with such affection and admiration they are turned and will now goe seek Christ as well as shee Cant. 5.9 to the end and 6.1 3. Thirdly such as have felt this love of Christ should be carefull to keep it now there are seven things to be observed if wee would preserve the love of Christ in our hearts 1. First we must establish our assurance of both our loves to Christ and his love to us we must labour our owne edification in the faith if wee would keep our selves in the love of God Iud. 20. 2. Secondly if we would preserve this love we must keepe uprightnesse For if we relapse to the love of sin the love of Christ will decay in us 3. Thirdly we must keep our selves out of the company of such as might intice us from the love of Christ namely out of the company of Idolaters and all profane persons 4. Fourthly we must take heed of worldlinesse for the love of God and the love of the world will not stand together The cares of this life will be a snare and bait to draw us away 5. Fiftly we must take heed of security after feelings For if the Church be so sleepie after communion with Christ that when he comes again she will be slumbring and not rise when he calls Christ will be gone and not answer no though afterwards she call Cant. 5.2 6 7. 6. Sixtly we must walke in the steps of the flock and feed our kids neere the tents of the shepheards we must converse with holy Christians and keepe our selves under the powerfull instructions of profitable Ministers Cant. 1.7 c. 7. Seventhly wee must be much in the preparation for the second comming of Christ. To be much in thinking of or praying for the comming of Christ will preserve us from declination in our affection to Christ Iud. 20 21. The doctrine implyed in these words is that when we shall come to heaven and shall see Christ face to face we shall love him and admire him wonderfully For the Apostle takes it for granted that it is no hard thing to love Christ if we once saw him And thus of the first signe The second signe is the joy of the holy Ghost expressed in these words In whom though you see him not yet beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious There are six kind of joyes 1. Some are unnaturall such is the joy of those mentioned Iob 3.22 that are glad at heart to find the grave 2. Some are naturall such are the joyes Solomon commends Eccles. 8.15 Prov. 15.13 3. Some are sensuall such are the joyes Epicures conceive in the pleasures and sports of this life Eccles. 11.9 Iob 21.12 4. Some are fantasticall when men rejoyce upon meere conceits and fancies without any ground For as in some diseases there are abundance of sorrowes without cause so are there also joyes without reason in divers 5. Some are diabolicall and there are three sorts of devilish joyes 1. The first is to joy in sinne 2. The second is to joy in the misery of Gods people Ezech. 25.6 3. The third is the joy we call illusion when Sathan to feed the security of men doth tickle their hearts with a great deale of joy and ravishing of the heart 6. Lastly some joyes are spirituall joyes and these are either 1. Temporary or 2. Eternall Temporary joyes are those which wicked men may feele in the hearing the word Mat. 13. Eternall joyes are such as onely the Elect feele I call these Eternall not because they are felt without interruption for ever but because they are so now in the hearts of Gods children that they shall never either totally or finally be lost but shall be felt againe Now there are two sorts of this joy in Gods elect The one is a duty the other is a signe the one man brings to Gods service the other God gives as a token of his acceptance of mans service The joyes given of God are here meant these are here called unspeakable and glorious But how may we discern these joyes of the holy Ghost from all the other sorts especially the temporary joyes and illusions of Sathan The true joy in the holy Ghost may be known by these marks 1. It is given of God in the due use of some ordinance of God the soule being retired into Gods presence especially these joyes are felt in prayer this joy is drawne out of the wells of salvation 2. It usually follows humiliation for sin Esay 6.2 3. Ioh. 16.20 22. 3. It may be felt in adversity as well as prosperity Hab. 3.17 18. Rom. 5.3 Phil. 2.17 4. It is accompanyed with righteousnesse It can never be felt of any in whom the love of any sin raignes Rom. 14.17 5. It ratifies the written promises and doth assure nothing but what the word assures Eph. 1.14 6. It is kindled upon the sense of Gods favour it followes here beleâ—ving 7. It is unspeakable and glorious above all carnall or earthly joyes it doth ravish the heart as if a man were already in heaven 8. Lastly it may be knowne by the effects For 1. It will make a man more humble and apt to acknowledge his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse 2. It will make a man lesse censorious of others and with more compassion to tender the wants and sorrowes of others 3. It will marre the taste of carnall joyes it causeth us to find lesse rellish in the taste of earthly delights 4. It breeds a great love of God and godliness and quickens to diligence in well-doing Whereas the joyes that are illusions or temporary joyes will make men more proud and carelesse and contemptuous and more negligent in the use of the meanes and the care to doe good But are these joyes felt of every Christian Distinguish of Christians and of feeling and of joyes 1 Some are Hypocrites and so have not any power of godliness at all but onely a shew 2 Some have temporary grace onely these have joy but not such as will abide the tryall For 1 These joyes are not accompanyed with humiliation for sinne or not for all sinne 2 They arise not from any grounds of particular assurance 3 They are not felt in the time of temptation 3 Some Christians are alwayes diseased with some spirituall malady and that many times till death as with passion or with strange effects of melancholy these may possibly dye without any evident comfort Some fall after calling into some grosse sinne for a time and these may so lose the joy of their salvation as they may never recover it till their very end Againe distinguish about feeling 1 Some have those joyes but observe them not eyther through ignorance of the doctrine of the joy of the holy Ghost or through neglect 2 Some haue this joy and observe it and are affected established with it for the time but presently eyther forget it or
the Papists for 1. This word of God was afterwards written and so written as nothing must be added Rev. 21.18 2. The doctrine here reported was delivered by the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven as the coherence shews Therefore unlesse they can shew the like authority for their traditions they say nothing 3. Their traditions were of the first sort and so condemned in Scriptures Secondly we may note that Christians when their hearts are turned unto God doe see a wonderfull glory in spirituall things They see that which the Prophets desired to see and could not Mat. 13 16,17 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. which is one difference betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked For wicked men have but a dark glimmering knowledge that tends to basenesse and bondage and this should teach us to pray for the spirit of wisdome and revelation to know the riches thaâ— is in Christ Jesus being daily carefull that the god of this world doe not hide the glorious Gospell of Christ from us But have we the will of God onely by report This word report belongs principally to the first times before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written and so the word was sure enough being delivered by Apostolicall men who confirmed it by miracles And if the word doe also belong to our times then Godâ— Ministers are said to report Gods will unto us as Embassadors doe the wills of Princes by the instructions given in their commissions or as Lawyers report the law out of their great Charter or Statute-books or as Physitians report their remedies out of the books of practice and tryed experiments It is true that the doctrine of holy things is like unto a report 1. In respect of wicked men who passe all over as a tale that is told or respect it at best but as a nine dayes wonder 2. In respect of godly men who receive it but by peeces and degrees not as one continued story but as a report 3. In respect of the matter of happinesse it is so removed from our natures and we have so little right unto it that it comes to us as a report not aâ— any thing we knew before or could expect or looke for 4. In respect of the opportunity of it if wee take not hold of it in the very season it will be gone The Lord doth not every day set before us life and death but onely at some times and then how soone is the voice gone if our hearts open not to receive it Thus of the things contained in Gods answer as they are barely propounded Now in the words that follow they are further commended to us First by the efficient causes of them By them which preached the Gospell unto you The Gospell is diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes it signifies the history of the life and death of Christ so in the title of every Evangelist his booke and so 2 Tim. 2.8 Mat. 26.13 Sometimes it signifies the glorious tidings of Christ come in the flesh and of salvation in him so it was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 Act. 13.32 but most usually it signifies in generall the joyfull newes of happinesse eternall through the favour of God in Christ Jesus notwithstanding our misery in our selves and this was called the promise in the Old Testament and the Gospell in the new The Greek word properly signifieth good newes and in the New Testament the word is used to expresse that most happy newes of God reconciled in Christ and of perfect happinesse in him Now because this newes contains the more excellent part of Gods word therefore I will consider of it more exactly This heavenly newes is the more admirable if we consider 1. What it is that the Gospell doth signifie 2. How we are assured of the newes in the Gospell 3. What are the effects of it 4. What is required in the persons that have any part in this newes Then I would resolve certaine questions and lastly make some use of all For the first the Gospell brings newes unto forlorne men 1. Of peace and reconciliation with God The Gospell of peace 2. Of remission and forgivenesse of our sins Act 10.43 3. Of freedome from death and condemnation 4. Of a divine and most sufficient righteousnesse to be revealed from heaven Rom. 1.16 17. 5. Of eternall life The Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 9.35 and all for Christ Jesus sake the son of David Rom. 1.23 But how can we be certaine of this newes 1. By the testimony of the Spirit 2. By the vaticinies of the Prophets 3. By the miracles that first confirmed it 4. By the testimony of Christ himselfe that in our nature preached it Mat. 4.13 5. By the word of God or of the Apostles The effects of the Gospell are 1. It brings life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 2. It melts the hearts of Gods elect more then any thing with voluntary griefe for sin it makes men condemne themselves in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.6 3. It revives and refresheth with wonderfull encouragements 1 Pet. 4.6 4. It makes a man sacrifice himselfe to God Rom. 15.16 5. It is the ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. It fenceth the affections against the love care after worldly things Hence we are said to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 7. It establisheth hope Col. 1.23 8. It is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Fourthly there are eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospell 1. Reformation of life 2. Faith and trust in it Mat. 16.15 16. Eph. 1.13 Heb. 4.2 and to this end get evidence and seale to it Eph. 1.13 3. A singular estimation of it so great as 1. Our chiefest praise should be in the Gospell 2. We should be content to suffer any thing for it and not be ashamed of the afflictions or bonds of the Gospell Marke 8.35 10.29 1 Thes. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.8 Philem. 13. 4. Poverty of spirit Esay 61.1 5. A diligent strife and constant endevour to attend upon it wee should presse to it Luke 16.16 6. Professed subjection to it 2 Cor. 9.12 7. We should endevour to live so as might become the Gospell Phil. 1.27 8. We should continue in it and not be moved away from the hope of it Col. 1.23 a vile offence to be turned from it Gal. 1.6 But was the Gospell never preached till now that hee saith it is now reported Distinguish If the Gospell be taken for the newes of Christ come in the flesh then it was not preached till the times of Christ and the Apostles But if it be taken for the promise of grace and pardon in Christ it was given in Paradise to Adam and continued by the Patriarks and Prophets Act. 10. 43. Heb. 13.8 Moses wrote of Christ Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ two waies 1. By writing the promise concerning
divers consolations 1. Christ our Ioseph whom our fathers sold into Aegypt hath provided for us before we came into the world 2. God hath promised to go down with us and to soiourn with us there Gen 45.4 3. Ever the more we are oppressed the more we may grow the godly lose nothing by their troubles Exod. 1.8 4. God is I am still ever the same howsoever the world use us Exo. 3.14 5. God can give us favour in the sight of the Aegyptians when and as often as he will Exod. 3.22 6. God hath promised covenanted yea sworne that he will bring us home and take us to himself be our God he will surely bring us up againe 7. God hath given us Moses and Aaron even his two witnesses daily to comfort us with the glad tidings of his Gospell even the good newes of our departure hence 8. The very time is appointed and at the very self-same time without faile we shall depart out of Aegypt Exod. 12. 9. God can and doth work many wonders for the proofe of the love of his people and his power to subdue the mightiest adversaries 10. Our part we have in this world is the best part of the world wee dwell in Goshen in comparison of the servile estate of the rest of the Aegyptians we are free from many a misery lights upon them And if Goshen bee so good what is Paradise If there be some comfort sometimes on earth oh how doth milke and hony flow in heaven 11. In all our distresses our cries are heard to heaven and God pities us with wonderfull compassion Exod. 2.23 3.7 Onely this is our misery in this world that many times if the very godly enjoy not the ministry of Moses and Aaron they grow very secure and are much infected with the manners of the world And againe if they have them and they tell the world Gods message if any trouble follow they are too often ready to murmure as if they had much hurt by the ministry of Gods servants Thus of the first point namely that we are sojourners The second followes namely that there is a time of our sojourning here Time Duration or the continuance of a thing is either infinite or finite The one is the continuance of God the other of the creatures â—he measure of the one is eternity absolutely considered the measure of the other is time Time may be considered in the meanes of it either the meanes of effecting or appointing which is the decree of God with all the meanes of execution of it or else the meanes of declaring or numbring which is the course of the Sun and Moone our continuance on earth is not disposed by the course of the heavens but by the decree and providence of God By time here is meant that space of continuance on earth which God in his counsell hath set us and is numbred by the motion of the Sun or Moone This time we may number as it is past but know it not as it is to come it being ordinarily hidden from the sonnes of men Neither may we reckon of the time of man upon earth as we doe of the continuance of heaven and earth for the time of man is wonderfull short in comparison of many other creatures This time also once set is unchangeable we cannot passe it Iob 14.5 The maine doctrine is that God hath unchangeably set us a time for our continuance here knowne unto him though unknowne unto us The Uses may be divers 1. It may comfort us against the inconveniences of our sojourning our time is set we shall not alwayes be from home we shall shortâ—y be gathered to our fathers and the afflictions of this present condition are not worthy the joy and glory we shall enjoy for ever Rom. 8.18 2. This should the rather make us willing to have little to doe with this world but use it as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 3. This should order us to a care of our preparation for death and lessen in us the feare of dangers and adversaries and make us resolve never to use ill meanes to save or prolong or shorten our lives say with David My times are in Gods hands Psal. 31. and with Christ I will worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall c. The third thing is that this time passeth it runneth out it is continually going away and therefore the use should be 1. To doe good while we have time Gal. 6.10 2. To redeeme the time past ill spent by providing by forecast for the more fruitfull employment of the time to come The more of this time past that hath been spent on sin or the world the more resolute we should be to be conscionable in the strict use of the time that yet we are to remaine in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Col. 4.5 3. Especially we should be carefull that we discerne and use the opportunities of grace the accepted times the dayes of our salvation they may passe and never returne againe 2 Cor. 6.1 Mat. 16.3 4. Since the godly are sojourners here but for a time and this time passeth too let us entertaine them as the Princes of God and make all possible use of their fellowship in the best things for they will be gone they will not abide with us long In feare This word expresseth how we should spend the time of our sojourning viz. with all carefulnesse and due respect But that wee may reach the meaning of this feare we must know that there is a worldly feare a servile feare and a godly feare There is also a vaine feare as in the melancholy of thingâ— that are not The worldly feare is about things of the world as reproaches losses dangers adversaries c. this is a wicked feare and the godly are commanded not to feare the feare of the wicked Esay 8. A servile feare is chiefly in spirituall things called the spirit of bondage such was the immoderate feare of the law or justice of God such is also that feare of traâ—sgression where Gâ—d hath given no law The godâ—y feare iâ—â—ither restrained unto our respects of God only and so it is a part of his inward worship or elâ—e it is that feare which is required all parts of holy life and so it iâ— taken here It may not be denied but that this feare may be referred in part to wicked men the Apostle warning them to be afâ—â—aid lest this day come upon them before they have repenâ—ed of their sinneâ— and so they fall into Gods eternall wrath Wickâ—d men have goâ—d cause to â—eare for the threatnings of God are against them the wrath of God hangs over their heads sinne lyeth at the doore their owne conscieâ—ce will witnesse against them the devill is ready to devâ—ure them death may fall 〈◊〉 upon them and then they must beare the open and eternall shame and confusion of
preaching of the Gospell he being diversly shaked to and fro in the divers manners of propounding of Christ in the Gospell 3. The moving of the lips of the sinner in his confession and prayer before God 4. It might note the trembling of the Christian when hee comes first unto God and the various conflicts in his soule with which he is shaken and yet Christ is accepted as an offering for them before the Lord for all their feare and doubtings and tossings of temptations for the Christian holds his sacrifice in his hands for all his feares 3. The pinte of oyle that was to be waved also may note 1. That there is abundance of joyes will follow care and conscience in faith and repentance for trespasses 2. That before we can get abundance of joy it must be waved before the Lord that is Christ must beg it for us in heaven and preach it often to us in earth we must heare joy and gladnesse 3. It may perhaps note that marvellous feare and sorrow of heart for sinne which a Christian feeles when he is most joyed by the holy Ghost He rejoyceth with trembling Psal. 2.11 VERSE 13. The killing of the lambe followes amplifyed by the place and the person to whom it belonged and the worth of it Foure things were here signified 1. That Christ must be killed for us and in his death is our sacrifice 2. That the place where being the holy place notes 1. That Christ was slaine onely by and for the Elect. 2. That Christ crucified is taught and knowne onely in the Church 3. In that the Priest must have all the offerings is noted 1. That Christ onely can make an atonement 2. That the honour of our sanctification belongs to the Ministers 4. In that it was most holy is noted that this way of holinesse in Christ is an absolute way as ever was devised VERSE 14. The sprinkling followeth and is twofold 1. Of the bloud ver 14. 2. Of oyle ver 15. to 19. 1. The sprinkling of bloud noted the worke of God and the Gospell applying CHRISTS bloud to the distressed sinner 2. The sprinkling of the eare hand and toe noted that our hearing of the Word the principall meanes is sanctified by the bloud of Jesus Christ so as our unworthinesse shall be no barre to our successe in the meanes Secondly that our practice likewise is sanctified in the bloud of Christ. Thirdly that our progresse also and perseverance depends upon the merit and vertue of Christs passion and these are the three things Christ undertakes for the penitent sinner VERSE 15 16 17 18. The sprinkling of oyle followes where note 1. Who doth it viz. the Priest 2. How he doth it He poureth into his left hand and dippeth his finger 3. How many wayes he doth it 4. Where he doth it 5. Whâ—t he doth with the remainder 1. The Priests sprinkling of the oyle noted that Christ and his Ministers are the chiefe fountaine of our joy 2. The warinesse of the Priest in the manner shewes that God would have his consolations warily propoundâ—d unto men 3. He was to sprinkle both before the Lord and upon the party 1. The sprinkling before the Lord noted the joyes of Gods presence and that he is privie to all the comforts befall us 2. In that it was done many times is noted 1. The perfection of the joyes God hath prepared c. 2. Our imperfection in beleeving it 3. The sprinckling upon the partie noted the particular interest of the penitent in the joyes of Christ. 4. The sprinkling of the eare thumb and toe assured comfort in hearing practice and perseverance and in that it must be put upon the bloud of the trespasse offering it signified that wee cannot have true joy but in the sacrifice of Christ and the application thereof It is all merited in his death and to be applyed by Pâ—ith 5. The remainder was to be poured out upon the head of the person which might note either 1. The fulnesse of joy which Christ our head hath in heaven the same with ours saving in the measure 2. That our consolations are given us that we might comfort others by the running downe of our c. 3. That we were abundantly consecrated unto God and annointed as Priests Kings and Prophets unto the Lord and shall have everlasting joy in our callings Esay 35. ult So that that joy upon their heads was shadowed by this type Quest. But why joy upon their heads Answ. Though the seat of joy be the heart yet the cause of joy is in the head and that is the understanding of our happy estate in Christ. Where he addes that the Priest shall make an attonement for him wee must understand it thus that the Priest hereby shall ratifie the attonement 〈◊〉 in the sacrifice of Christ c. These joyes shall abundantly settle his heart in the assurance of Gods favouâ— in Christ and so it notes that usually Gods servants have not that setled peâ—swasion of their happinesse in reconciliation with God untill they have had abundance of experience of the joyes of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of their calling in Jesus Christ. VERSE 19 20. Quest. Now that the 〈◊〉 iâ— satisfied in Gods goodnesse and favour what is more to be done Answ. There must be yet a sinne offering and a burnt offering For after he hath taken a course for outward sins by which he trespassed against God and man he returnes and finds a marvellous deale of drosse in his nature and of secret corruptions that hang upon him daily and therefore now he needs a new application of the sacrifice of Christ to comfort him against his sinnes that hang on so fast though he be freed from grosse sins or outward trespasses that men take notice of The repetition of his clensing from his uncleannesse imports that for sinnes after calling a child of God is afresh humbled with a loathing of his impurities of heart as he was at his first setting out his daily corruptions and frailties make him seeme wonderfull uncleane in his owne eyes and therefore he seeks a new atonement Now when he addes And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering it was to signifie either 1. That God in this life after long conflicts doth at length reveale Jesus Christ in a great measure so as the Christian is fully satisfied in the application of all the merits of Jesus Christ as knowing his discharge from all his sinnes in him 2. That at our death Christs sacrifice shall fully free us from all the guilt and staine of sinne The repetition that the Priest must offer all these offerings shews wee need still both Christs intercession in heaven and the ministery of Christs servants to preach him crucified while we live in the world The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering shews either that Christians grow marvellously in this life after they have full assurance of their pardon for all sins or else that Christ will
son of God had no priviledge from death he was put to death in respect of the flesh 1 Pet. 3.21 Therefore this may serve first for singular reproofe of that unspeakable beastlinesse that is in wicked men that will not be moved with the contemplation of the ruine of the whole world oh the unutterable Lethargy of these mens hearts that will not consider their latter end when so unchangeable a decree is prest upon all men that at their appointed time they must once die This very doctrine may shew the horrible effect of sinne in the hearts of men that can extinguish a consideration so universally obvious to every mans sense oh yee brutish amongst the people when will yee understand Secondly this may informe us that multitude is no prerogative multitude cannot protect men against the stroke of God and death Though hand joyne in hand yet sinne cannot be unpunished It is as easie for God to smite all flesh as any flesh It is as easie for him to destroy the whole world as to destroy one man All flesh is grasse If the sithe can with few strokes move downe thousands of formes of grasse how much more easie is it for God with the sithe of his judgements to cut downe multitudes of men And besides that may informe us that the doctrine of death must be sounded in the eares of all men there is no man but this doctrine belongs to him and therefore woe unto him if he make no good use of it yea so necessary is this doctrine that the Ministers of the Gospell are commanded not to write it onely but to speake it nor that onely but to cry it out with all possible both affection and power of inforcement Cry all flesh is grassâ— Esay 40.6 Thirdly this may teach 1. Rich men in speciall to lay this to heart For God hath given them this doctrine to humble them and to teach them not to glory in their wealth but if they have gotten grace let them rejoyce that God hath provided better things than the things of this life for them They are more happy that God hath made them low by giving them a sight of their sins and so to be humbled for them then that he made them great in the world for their flesh is but grasse and all that glory must vanish as will be shewed afterwards The Use is urged Iam. 1.10 11. Ps. 49. 2. Strong men to whom God hath given helps of nature or arte Use thy strength but rejoyce not in it Use thy Physicke but trust not upon it For for all that thou must dye there is no arte nor remedy against death 3. All men and so we should all learne two things especially 1. To put our trust in God which liveth for ever since all men must perish and wee cannot continue here it is the best relying upon God and his favour and helpe who liveth ever to performe his promise and to provide for his servants thus David useth this consideration Ps. 102.12 13. 2. To be patient when we feele the walls of our earthly house begin to moulder down when we feele death beginning like a moth to feed upon us we should be patient seeing it is not onely unavoidable but that it is the case of all men as well as ours Thus of the extent of the affirmation The time followes Is grasse This mortality may be said to be so presently It is so in divers respects 1. It is so â—n the cause which is sin the cause of death is in us already it hath infected our very bones 2. It is so in the sentence the doome is already gone out upon all flesh It is appointed that all men shall once die The very sentence uttered in Paradise of dying the death stands still unrevoked in respect of our flesh 3. It is so in experience all flesh is dead never any scaped 4. It is so in respect of dâ—sposition to death we are all but dying men death hath taken hold of us and doth every day feed upon us insensibly To live is but to lie a dying The disposition to death is inflicted upon all men for all tend to death 5. Lastly it may be said all flesh is grasse for certainty that is we shall as certainely vanish hereafter as if it were now presently done The use should be the more to inforce upon us the care of providing for a change since death is so many waies made fast unto us and withall it may serve to confute the vaine hope of long life here seeing we are all but as so many dead men here to day and to morrow cast into the grave and wee should also learne hence to be continually thinking of death must we not do the worke that is present to us why death is before thine eyes why then dost thou not the thing of the day in the day It is thy every dayes worke to die to learne to die seeing we die daily Hitherto of that branch of the proposition that concerns the body of manâ—noâ— followeth the vanity of mans condition in this world The glory of man is as the flower of grasse Here first the sâ—â—se of the words is to be considered By the glory of man he meaneth whatsoever it is in outward things which man glorieth in any thing that man rejoyceth in admireth praiseth seeketh as an ornament or happinesse to himselfe such as are riches strength honour high places and command over others beauty praise of men excellency of naturall gifts noble birth calling multitude of attendants and such like By man he meaneth here the naturall man or the outward man for of the spirituall man it is not true because he glorieth in that shall never fade nor be taken away from him Now this glory is compared to the flower of grasse for transitorinesse because it will fade and fall away as the repetition sheweth and that speedily too as the uses of this similitude in divers scriptures shew as will afterwards more appeare The doctrine then is that all the outward glory of man in this world is exceeding vaine and so it may appeare for six causes or considerations for I omit many other reasons First for the most part these things so much desired cannot be had or not as they are desired and therefore their glory is vaine because they are sought in vaine 2. If they be obtained yet the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with bearing of them they cannot fill the heart of man 3. Many times it fals alike in these things to the foole and to the wise both in having them and in losing them and this is a miserable vanity and vexation of spirit 4. The glory that is placed in these things is liable to be interrupted with a thousand crosses either they expire the vanity or are taken away by violence 5. If they could make us happy yet death will not let us enjoy them many men spend
necessity of the doctrine when God saith a thing over againe it shewes us that that point must be knowne we must take notice of it it is a doctrine cannot be missed in the Church no worke of God will well go forward without it He must cry aloud that all flesh is grasse God loâ—g◠〈◊〉 it were to have this doctrine take in our hearts He knowes a great part of the hardship of godlinesse were over if this were soundly digested oh that they were wise and would consider their latter end men would apply their hearts to wisdome if they had once learned to number their daies Thirdly it imports that God finds us wonderfull dull of hearing and forgetfull and carelesse of this doctrine and that naturally we are wonderfull impoâ—â—nt in these considerations The Lord doth reproach us as it were for negligence that a plaine point should need to be repeated And therefore we should examine our selves seriously herein and not vexe God with our unteachablenesse in this point Oh how might God be displeased with us if he should call us to account herein have we not heard have we not seene from the beginning that all flesh is grasse yea hath not God heard our attestations we shake our heads we confesse it is true we are sometimes comforted and conceive some weake resolutions to thinke better of it and provide for death when God hath us here in the Church as it were in his schoole wee seeme as if wee had learn'd this lesson perfectly and yet miserable wretches that the most of us are we go home and forget all as if wee had never bin taught it nay is it not needfull for the most of us to be taught againe the same doctrine which the very last Sabboth we heard of this argument oh who is effectually perswaded amongst us indeed to lay it to his heart doth not this repetion smite us all certainly if we be not warned death may come before wee are aware and surprise us when wee shall not have time to learne to die There are many incoveniences come from this forgetting of the doctrine of our latter end and suffering it to runne out 1. Mens sins cleave fast unto them their filthinesse is in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 men live securely while they keepe out the thought of death 2. This brings many miseries upon men For when God cannot prevaile by doctrine he wil set upon us by judgment and then we may come downe wonderfully Deut. 32.29 30. whereâ—s we might avoid our distresses by thinking of death voluntarily 3. We keep our spirits void of true magnanimity we can never tell our strength till we know whether we can die or no one would chase a thousand one I say of these that will consider of their latter end Deut. 32.30 4. We can never tell whether our knowledge bee right or no till wee have tryed it with thoughts of death they are a people without understanding that consider not their latter end Deut. 32.28 29. 5. Our hearts will grow harder and harder if we put out these remorses wrought in us concerning death as â—ron is harder the oftner it is heated and cooled 6. We keepe our selves without those joyes would come of the frequent contemplation of the glory of heaven we dare not thinke of heaven because we would avoid the thought of death 7. We give wonderfull advantage to the temptations of life 8. We keepe our selves without the comfort of one excellent signe of our salvation viz the love of the appearance of Christ we pray not that Gods kingdome may come wee desire not to be dissolved we dare not say with the Church Come Lord Iesus come quickly wee are loth to pray God to teach us to number our dayes for these things which have beene the excellent praises of the Saints we suffer not to be found in us 9. Lastly as I touched it before death may come suddenly and then what case are we in that suffer the thoughts of death thus to go out and be lost in us so as they produce no sound effect of preparation in us But what must we doe that wee might bring our selves to a more serious consideration of our mortality vanity how may this fault in us be helped Goe to God by prayer to forme this in thee strive with God by importuning his assistance in teaching thee to number thy dayes it is Gods worke we see the Israelites sentenced to death yet could not mind it and therefore Moses makes that prayer Ps. 90.12 2. It is an excellent helpe to inure our selves to die dayly to trie how wee could die by the most effectuall supposition of our present death compelling our selves to put the case what if I should now die 3. The thought of death would not be so put off if we had got a sound assurance of our salvation and of the remission of our sins it is want of assurance that makes many so afraid of dying And thus in generall In particular these words of the repetition afford us some observations that are common to both some speciall to each in which they differ one from another The observations that are common to both are these 1. That men both in their bodies and glory will decay man continueth not in one stay if you looke either upon his person or his estate 2. That man in both decaieth speedily he is of few daies in his body and full of trouble in his estate he commeth up like a flower and fleeth away as a shadow Ioh 14. 1 2. it shall be accomplished before his time that is before the time he fancieth to himselfe Ioh 15.33 The glory of may shall flee away as a bird from the birth and from the wombe and from the conception Hosh. 9.11 3. That man decaies insensibly he goes away by degrees both in his body and honor he declineth like a shadow and is consumed as it were by the moth 4. That man would come to this decay even without violence as the grasse and flowers perish though they were never cut downe 5. That when man is decaied either in body or estate he growes extreamely base vile he is but as a little stubble or as a rotten leafe or flower And all this should the more force upon man the care to provide for immortality and not to glory in or trust upon his outward condition especially it should make every one of us affraid of procrastination death doth not alwaies give warning nor can we alwaies foresee our ruine or losse of outward things And thus of what is common to both Now in speciall we may note 1. That the text acknowledgeth more stability in the body of man than in his glory For the flower falleth off or fadeth immediately after the spring usually whereas the stalke is greene long after and therefore it shews the vanity of such men as so greedily pursue the getting of outward
Christ and to carrie him into the presence of God and laying hands upon his head to plead their interest in his death who was offered up as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sinnes Wee are Christs and Christ is given unto us as our ransome we must every day then lay hold upon him and see him bleed to death for our sinnes and be consumed in the fire of Gods wrath for our sinnes Secondly A broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially calls for from men He ever loved them better then all the outward sacrifices in the Law Psal. 51.17 It is the heart God calls for and yet not every heart but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification that is cut and bleedeth in it selfe with godly sorrow for sinne and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sin This is required of all Christians and this very thing makes a great deale of difference betweene Christian and Christian. Thirdly Prayer and thanksgiving to God are Christian and holy Sacrifices as many Scriptures shew Psal. 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos. 14.4 Psal. 51.21 Fourthly We must offer our selves our soules and bodies as a living sacrifice to God Rom. 12.2 2 Cor. 8.5 and that First in respect of obedience devoting our selves unto God living to him and wholly resolved to be at his appointment Psal. 40.6 Loe I come to doe thy will this is instead of all burnt offerings Secondly in respect of willingnes to suffer affliction of what kind soever as resolving that through many afflictions as through so many flames wee must ascend up to heaven as the smoake of the incense or sacrifice on the Altar Acts 14.21 Hence are tryals called fiery tryals 1 Pet. 4.12 Thus of the kinds of sacrifices which remain unto Christians The lawes about those sacrifices follow For there bee many things to bee observed by Christians in their sacrifices if they would euer have them acceptable to God which the shadowes in the old law did evidently signifie as First the sacrifice must be without blemish Malach. 1.7 which the same Prophet expounds Malaâ—h 3.11 Our offrings must bee pure offrings wee must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts Our sacrifices are without fault when we judge our selves for the faultinesse of them and desire they might have no fault Secondly it must be presented before the Lord and consecrated to hâ—m which signified that we must walk in Gods presence and do all in the sight of God devoting all to his glory Gen. 17.1 Mic. 6.8 Thirdly our sacrifices must be daily some kindes of them There were Sacrifices every day in the Temple and it was an extreme desolâ—tion when the sacrifices ceased so it must be our every daies work to imploy ourselves in some of those spirituall sacrifices Heb. 13.15 Fourthly There must bee an Altar to consecrate the gifts Matth. 23.19 This Altar is Christ who is the onely Altar of Christians Heb. 13 1â— Rev. 8.3 No service can be acceptable to God but as the Apostle here faith by Jesus Christ We must doe all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Fiftly there must be fire to burne the sacrifice This fire is holy zeale and the power and fervencie of the spirit in doing good duties The fire on the Altar first came downe from heaven to signifie that true zeale is kindled in heaven and comes downe from above It is no ordinarie humor nor a rash fury It is no wilde fire And it was required about this fire that they should preserve it and never let it goe out but put fuell still to it and so it was kept for many yeares so must wee doe with our zeale wee must labour by all meanes to preserve the fervencie of our hearts that wee never want fire to burne our sacrifices Our zeale should be as the love mentioned Câ—â—t 7.10 that much water could not quench it Every sacrifice must have fire Mark 9. Sixtly the sacrifices must be salted with salt so must our Christian sacrifices as our Saviour Christ shewes Mark 9.49 50. And thus we must have the salt of mortification and the salt of discretion and we must looke to it that our salt lose no his faltnes but that it have a draining power in it to extract corruption out of our sacrifices our words to God and men must bee powdred with salt Col. 4.6 and so must all our actions Seventhly the Sacrifices must bee without leaven Levit. 2 1â— Leaven in wickednes or malice or sowrenes or deadnes of heart or worldly griefe even whatsoever leaveneth that is infecteth or maketh the meat offring to be heavie or sowâ—e 1 Cor. 5.8 Eighthly in the same place of Leviticus 2.12 Hony likewise is forbidden to be mingled with their sacrifices and by bony may be meant our beloved sinnes or particular corruptions wee should especially watch against them in the time of 〈◊〉 of holy duties that they miâ—gle not themselves with our sacrifices by infecting our â—â—gitations Ninthly the offring must be waved and shaken to and fro before the Lord Levit. 7.3 And this signified the waving of our lips in praier to God for his acceptation our sacrifices should be soundly tossed to and fro in praier before the Lord Iob praied before he sacrificed Iob 42. Tenthly on the Sabbath the sacrifices were to be doubled to signify that in a special manner wee should consecrate our selves to piety and mercy on the Sabbath day Eleventhly our sacrifices must be offred upwith all gladnes of heart and spirituall delight Thus Gods people were said to bee a free-hearted and willing people Psal. 47.9 110.3 And this was shadowed out partly by the oilâ— that was poured into the meat offrings which is expounded to be the oile of gladnes and partly by the feast they made at the end of their solemne sacrifices unto which they invited their friends to joine with them in rejoicing before the Lord and it is likely David alludes to this feast when hee faith hee would take the cup of salvation and praise the name of the Lord For as yet the Lords Supper was not instituted nor do we read of any use of a cup in the sacrifices or Sacraments themselves Ex. 18.12 1 Chron. 16.1 2 3 4. Psal. 116.13 Twelfthly if we be called to it we must not deny unto God thâ—fat of the kidneis and the inwards By the fat was meant the things which are dearest to us most beloved and that most delight us and if the service of God and the Church and the poore require it we must deny our selves and sacrifice what is most deare to us Thirteenthly the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13.13 addes that wee must not leave off well-doing for reproach sake but be contented to be like Christ who suffered without the gate as scorned of men and like the sacrifice was burnt without the campe Though all men hate us and speak evill of us and
them for the love hee beares to his Sonne And thus wee read in Scripture that Christ presents the prayers of the Saints Besides that the Christian may not thinke too vilely of his workes but be comforted in the Lord concerning them let him further consider these things First that his good workes have the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is in him for the fountaine of them 1 Cor. 12.11 Esa. 26.12 Secondly that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed not onely for his justification but also for his sanctification Heb. 9.14 Thirdly that though his workes are not good effectu yet they are good affectu they are good in desire his desire was to have them as good as God himselfe did require And this God is pleased to accept as if the worke were perfectly done Quest. 2. What are workes good for in that they are called good workes Answ. I answer first affirmatively they are good 1 To testifie our thankfulnesse to God for all his benefits in respect of which we are debteâ—s unto God Rom. 8.12 2 To assure the truth of our faith as the fruits of faith Mat. 7.17 1 Tim. 1.19 Iames 2. 3 To witnesse our election and to make our calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 4 To discharge our duty of obedience unto which we are bound even in the covenant of grace 5 To further the edification of our brethren whom we helpe both by example and by well-doing to them 6 To winne wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion and to stop their mouthes as here so vers 15. 7 To glorifie God as is in this place mentioned 8 They are good to make us capable of rewards from God in heaven Heb. 10.36 Rom. 2.7 8. yea and in this life too 2 Tim. 4.8 Secondly I say they are not good 1 To justifie us before God as it is at large proved by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians onely they are good to justifie us before men Iam. 2. 2 Not to merit or deserve heaven by them mens evill workes do merit punishment for the wages of sinne is death but our good workes cannot merit both because the Scripture denies it expresly Eph. 2.8 as also to omit other reasons because the nature of merit casteth away our workes for there must be three things in a worke that must merit First it must be a free worke that was not due by any debt whereas our workes are a part of ouâ— duty and we owe more to God than we can doe Luk. 17.9 Rom. 11.35 Secondly the worke that should merit must be profitable to him of whom wee would merit but no goodnesse of ours can reach to God to profit him Psal. 16.3 Iob 22.2 Thirdly the worke that must merit must be of equall value with the thing that is given for it but neither our sufferings nor our deeds in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to be revealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore is eternall life called The gift of God Rom. 6 2â— The uses follow and are especially for instruction for this doctrine of good workes should teach us First to take notice of this doctrine and as we are carefull to beleeve so to be carefull to maintaine good workes and hereby to confute the malicious Papists that falsly charge us to deny and disgrace good workes Tit. 3.8 14. Secondly every man should bee ready to doe good workes yea to every good worke since they are required of God and are so many waies good and serve us for such excellent uses yea wee should bee zealous of good workes wonderfull eager and desirous to inrich our selves that way Tit. 3.1 2.14 yea wee should hereby shew that wee are indeed wise Christians and well skilled in the use of our Religion Iam. 3.13 and not men onely but women also should be forward in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 It is their best apparell which should be a speciall motive to them that are so carefull of their attyre And indeed good workes are to be desired and laboured for as the best apparell of any Christian yea they are his armour too Rom. 13.13 yea they are a principall way for his inriching and preferment 1 Tim. 2.20 so as it is a great curse upon a Christian to have no minde to do good workes to bee reprobate to every good worke Tit. 1. ult Thirdly since there are so many things necessary to the constitution of a good worke Christians should in stead of prying into the lives of others every one trie his owne workes and turne often to the light that it may bee indeed manifest that his workes are wrought in God Gal. 6.4 for one day every mans workes shall be tried in the fire when times of triall by great afflictions either upon mens Consciences or otherwise come that mans workes that never seeme glorious and praise worthy will be rejected and cast away even by our selves as vile and unprofitable Besides at the best in our prosperity if the most of our workes be tried by the fire of these rules of Gods Word it is much to be doubted that our workes will burne though upon our repentance for the evill that cleaves to our best workes our selves may bee saved in the day of the Lord. Let Christians therefore be carefull that they lose not the things which they have wrought Now a Christian may lose his workes divers waies First if he be but a Christian in shew he may nay he shall lose all he doth The Pharisees lost all their workes because they were done in hypocrisie Secondly the Christian that hath some kindes of heavenly gifts and temporary graces by falling away in the time of temptation loseth all that hee had wrought before God requires patient continuance in well-doing Rom. â— 8 Thirdly the true Christian may lose what hee wrought if he doe his workes without respect of these Rules If it be not manifest that his works are wrought in God they are lost to him so many of his workes as are so wrought Besides he loseth the comfort of all that he hath wrought and the sense of it if he fall into grosse sinne after calling for so long time as he continueth in sinne without repentance Thus of good workes Which they shall behold It is manifest from hence that good workes may and ought to be so done as that men may see them It is not true that all good workes must be hid from the view and beholding of other men This may seeme strange because the Pharisees were blamed for doing their workes to be seene of men but yet it may be easily and plentifully proved I will first prove it and then explaine it For proofe our Saviour Christ requires that the light of mens good workes should shine that men may see their good workes Mat. 5.16 Christians in respect of their practice should be as shining lights in the midst of a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.15 16. They must
the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to heare prayer in the case of infirmities a God that takes away iniquity and passeth by transgression and in cases of great difficulty he is conceived of as Almighty and so forth Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God is a Judge and this point is both terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly It is terrible to the wicked many waies First because he is Judge of all the world all must bee judged by him Gen. 18.25 Heb. 12.23 1 Sam. 2.10 He is not a Judge of some one circuit as Judges amongst men are Secondly because hee is a Judge that needs no evidence be brought in for hee knowes all causes and is witnesse himself Ier. 29.23 and so Judges among men are not Thirdly because he judgeth for all offences he tries the hearts and the reines as well as the words and works of men Psal. 7.9 11. Earthly Judges try malefactors but in one or some few cases Fourthly because hee hath Armies of executioners hee can call to the heavens or speake to the earth and have hostes of servants to doe his will and execute his judgements Dan. 7.9 10. Psal. 50.4 22. so as none can deliver out of his hands Fiftly because hee is Judge himselfe Psal. 50.6 and 75.8 He doth not doe justice by Deputies but will heare all cases himselfe Sixtly because his judgement is the last and highest judgement and therefore there lieth no appeale from it Seventhly because he can bring men to judgement without any warning hee standeth before the doore and often seizeth upon the offender without serving any writ or giving him any summons Iames 5.9 And therefore wicked men doe very foolishly that ruffle here in the world and lift up their hornes so high and speake with such a stiffe neck and walke on in their sinnes and injuries so securely Psal. 75.5 6 7 8. Againe if God be Judge it is comfortable to penitent sinners First because repentance will alter the judgement if it be after the fact and before the sentence even in such offences as deserve everlasting death as appeareth in the case of David and the Ninivites is notified to the world Act. 17.31 whereas earthly Judges must proceed in their judgement whether the parties be penitent or no. Again it is the more comfortable that God is Judge because all parties wronged or grieved may have accesse to God and put up their supplications at any time he is ready to be found and willing to hear which is seldome true of earthly Judges Thirdly because godly men know their sentence already God hath acquitted them by his Word and by his Sonne and by his Spirit and therefore they need not feare his last judgement Doct. 5. God will judge righteously Gods judgement is a most righteous judgement Psal. 9. 8. Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 4.8 Hee is the righteous Judge by an excellency because there is no Judge but misseth it some way only Gods judgement is alwaies righteous and it must needs be so for many reasons First because he judgeth the high as well as the low Iob 21.22 Secondly because his judgement extendeth to every offender in the world Iude 15. Earthly Judges may punish some malefactors but they leave thousands of men that are as great as they I meane as great offenders as they as for other reasons it is because they cannot apprehend them Thirdly because he judgeth for the breach of most righteous Lawes Fourthly because he will take no gifts Iob 36.18 19. Fiftly because he hateth heartily what he condemnes severely so the day of judgement is called A day of wrath Rom. 2.5 whereas man may censure other men for such faults as they themselves commit or at least are not moved to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault Sixtly because he is not deceived with shewes and outward appearances but his judgement is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Seventhly because it is generall according to mens works 2 Cor. 5.10 Eighthly because in the day of his judgement hee will specially honour the righteous Rom. 2.7 c. Ninthly because when a man can have no justice from men hee shall be sure to have justice from God and this is especially here intended Tenthly because he doth not judge rashly but as we see after wonderfull patience and the many daies men have had of sinning he appoints his day of judging Uses The Uses may be divers for First it shewes the wofull case of wicked men that forget God and in the hardnesse of their hearts runne on in sinne and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Secondly it should teach all men that have any care of themselves to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 13. Thirdly it should be a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and injuries in this world whether in their names or bodies or states or any way let them but be patient God will doe them justice as these places shew 2 Thes. 1.5 Psal. 4.5 Iam. 5.6 7 8. Iude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of Gods servants in all distresses to commit themselves and their causes to God and to his righteous providence and judgement This the example of Christ here shews us there is reason for it First because God requires we should doe so as these places shew Psal. 37.5 6. Prov. 16.3 1 Pet. 4. ult Secondly because it is not in man to direct his owne way Ier. 10.23 Thirdly because God never disappointed the trust of them that committed themselves to him Nabum 1.7 Pro. 16.3 The Use should be to teach us as we would shew our selves to beare the image of Christ and to be true Christians to practise this duty in all cases of wrong danger affliction or temptation But then withall when we have committed our cause to God we must remember these rules First never to use ill meanes to get out of distresse Esay 28.16 Secondly not to limit God but to let him doe whatsoever pleaseth him Thirdly not to be impatient or troubled but quiet our selves in God and waite and trust in him and if we finde any difficulties wee must then roule our way upon the Lord as the Psalmist saith Psal. 37.5 6 7. Fourthly we must acknowledge him in all our waies and give him glory when he doth us justice Pro. 3.6 Verse 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes you were healed HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now follows in the fift place the matter he suffered viz. He bare our sinnes amplified by shewing how and that three waies first his own selfe secondly in his body thirdly on the tree He bare our sinnes Christ may be said to beare our
sinnes in two respects chiefely First because he did undergoe the imputation of all our sinnes our faults were charged upon him as our surety He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 He stood before Gods justice in our roome Secondly because hee suffered the malediction due to our sinnes by the Law Hee bare our sinnes in being made a sacrifice for sinne He became indebted unto the justice of God as our surety to beare the curses of the Law which our sinnes deserved Esay 53.5 8. Gaâ— 3.10 And as this is true in generall of all the wrath of God and the fearfull things due to our sinnes so if we marke the story of Christs sufferings wee may observe how the sinnes of our first parents and our owne light heavily upon his backe God suffering our sinnes to be charged upon him in a speciall fitnesse of the judgement to our sinnes and that wee may note both in the circumstances of our sinning and in the sorts of sinnes For the circumstances The first Adam sinnes in a garden the second Adam suffers fearfully for sinne in a garden The second Adam suffers on a tree and so beares the sinne of the first Adam eating the forbidden fruit of a tree For the sorts of sinne Why was Christ betrayed by Iudas denyed by Peter forsaken by all his Disciples refused by the Priests and people but because wee had betrayed denied forsaken and refused God in Paradise And many of us are now guilty of the same or the like sinnes in the course of our lives He was charged to bee a seducer to satisfie for our being seduced for our evill words and sinfull excuses he was silent because wee and our first Parents have preferred the Divell before God therefore was a malefactor preferred before him Why was he mocked buffered and spit upon but to beare the shame was due unto us for our filthinesse and vile conversation Why drank he gall but to pay for our sinfull pleasures Why suffered he reviling and scoffing but to satisfie for our sinfull words Many other things might be observed The consideration whereof should serve for many Uses and so it should teach us divers duties as Uses First since he hath borne our sinnes in the imputation of them and the malediction due unto them wee should bee most ready and willing to beare his crosse as accounting it a great shame to bee unwilling to suffer a little and for a little while for his sake that hath borne such strange things for us we should be content to forsake all for his sake Secondly it should grieve us at the heart for our sinnes considering the fearfull imputation of our faults charged upon him and the bitter things hee suffered to make amends to Gods justice for our wickednesse Zach. 12.10 Thirdly hath Christ borne our sinnes and can wee finde in our hearts to sinne any more shall he againe be charged with our faults shall we againe crucifie him Rom. 6.6 Heb. 10.24 c. and as followeth in the next words of this Text. Fourthly Oh how should we love the Lord Jesus that holy One that bare the imputation of such base crimes and endured such grievous things for us before wee ever knew him or cared for him even for us that were enemies to him Deserve they not to bee accursed that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 1.9 â— Cor. 16.22 Fiftly we should therefore eat the Passeover with sowre hearbs we should remember his grievous sufferings with hearty affection and melting of soule before the Lord when we come before him to celebrate the memory of his Passion in the Sacrament Sixtly we should no more stagger or waver in faith but with all peace and joy in beleeving rest upon the propiriation made by Christ for our sins wee should therefore confidently beleeve the pardon of all our sinnes because he hath borne ouâ— iniquities If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Seventhly we should never more bee afraid of death and hell for our debt being paied by the surety the hand-writing that was against us is now cancelled Col. 2.15 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Heb. 2.14 Eighthly we should not be so much troubled to be unjustly traduced seeing Christ beyond all example suffered most unspeakable ignominie bearing the iâ—putation of the sinnes of all the Elect. Ninthly seeing he hath beene made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and suffered for sinne in the flesh wee should strive to bee made the righteousnesse of God in him and as he hath borne our sins so should we strive to beare his vertues Who his owne selfe It is emphaticall that the Apostle saith He bare our sinnes his owne selfe for there be two things which are here imported First that he had no partners there were none with him He bare all himselfe Esay 59.16 He trod the wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to our selves or to any Saint or Angel Secondly it imports that therefore his suffering is of infinite value in that he bare all his owne selfe in person who was God and man Then it will follow that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world 2 Iohn 2.1 2. In his body Quest. Why did he not suffer in his soule Answ. Yes for so saith the Scripture He made his soule a sacrifice for sin Esay 53.10 and the Son of man came to give his soule a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 Markâ— 10.45 This was shadowed out by the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering for it noted that the whole man should suffer So in the Sacrament the breaking of the bread is not referred so properly to his body for there was not a bone broken of him saith the holy text but fitly to his soule which was broken with sorrowes and heavinesse for our sakes So that by the body he meanes synechdochically whole Christ but yet the body is named because that was the outward sacrifice that was offered for our sins on the tree Christ then bare our sinnes in his body What may wee learne from thence First we see a manifest difference betwixt Christs Priesthood and theirs in the Law For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowles but Christ offered his owne body Secondly we may take comfort in the assurance that he is the Saviour of our bodies as well as our soules Thirdly seeing such grievous things befell the body of Christ why seeke we so much ease for our bodies why pamper we our flesh so and why are we so impatient in the paines of our bodies and remember not what Christ suffered in his body Fourthly we should therefore esteeme his body to be a precious body above all bodies seeing it was laid downe as a price for our sinnes yea we should long to see that glorious body
life in sinne Use. And so from hence by way of use men may discerne whether they live in sin or not for he that is a servant to his corruptions and esteemeth them as the happinesse of his life and resists them not and hath a desire to sin ever iâ— without doubt alive in sin and dead to righteousnesse And so contrariwise where these things cannot be found there the person is not alive to sinne Doct. 2. Hence is implied also that to live in sin is but miserable living and therefore those whom God loveth he changâ—th from that condition and maketh them die to sin Now this may be shewed out of other Scriptures briefly for 1. Sin infects a man and all he goes about it staines his very conscience and like the leprosie will pollute his clothes his flesh his house and whatsoever he toucheth almost Titus 1.15 It maketh all things impure 2. To harbour sinne is to harbour the divell too who alwayeâ— takes possession of the soule that is given over to sin so as the heart of the sinner is the Fortresse of the Divell Eph. 2. â— 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Cor. 10.5 Eph. 4.26 3. While a man lives in sin he is in danger to be crossed and 〈…〉 in every thing he doth he shall have no portion from God nor inheritance from the Almighty Iob 31.2 Good things will be restrained from him Esay 59.2 and he may finde himselfe cursed in every thing he sets his hand unto Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. his very blessings may be cursed Mal. 2.2 his very table may be a snare For certainly God will be revenged of the sinfull man that is alive in sin Nah. 1.2 3 6. 4. His soule is dead within him while he is alive Eph. 2.2 1 Tim. 5.6 And how can it be otherwise when God which is his life is departed from him and with God all spirituall blessings are gone from his soule too The end of this life is to die miserably Rom. 8.10 and 6 2â— Gal. 6. and to perish for ever with the Divell and his Angels Revel 21.8 Mat. 25.45 And in a speciall mâ—ner it is a miserable living to be lively and joviall as they call it in sin such men are worse than the generall sort of sinners For these wretched men that are so lively in sin have a most miserable heart in them a heart like an Adamant like a very stone within them are senselesse and brutish like the very beasts that perish Psal. 49. ult Besides in many of these God scourgeth sin with sin and giveth them up to such a reprobate mind that their wickednesse oftentimes exceeds the wickednesse of the wicked Ier. 5. Rom. 1.26 28. And further many times strange punishments light upon those workers of iniquity Iob 31.3 To which may be added that oftentimes such wretched creatures conclude in most wofull and hellish terrors so as they howle for vexation of spirit while Gods servants sing for joy of heart Esay 65.13 14. Rev. 6.15 16. But in generall of all that live in sin it is manifestly here implied that they have no part in Christ Christ in respect of them and as they are in their present condition died in vaine Use. The consideration whereof should awaken men from that heavie sleep in sin unto an earnest care to live righteously it should warne men every where to repent Eph. 5.14 and the rather because this very patience of God in bearing thus long with them and the mercy offered them in the Gospel will increase to greater wrath and condemnation if men will not be warned Rom. 2.4 5. 2 Thes. 1.8 9. Doct. 3. Hence also it is cleere that Gods Elect before their Calling have lived in sin as well as others Eph. 2.3 Tit. 3.3 Col. 3.6 Which is fit to be noted for divers uses For first it sets out the rich mercy of God and his free grace in election and manifestly shewes that we merit not the blessing Eph. 2.3 4 c. And secondly it should teach the godly divers duties as first not to be proud or high-minded but rather remembring what they were to make them the more humble all their dayes Secondly to despaire of no man but rather to shew all meeknesse toward all men 2 Tim. 2.25 Tit. 3.2 3. Thirdly to cleave fast unto Christ in whose only propitiation they can be saved from their sins 1 Iohn 2.1 2. God forbid we should rejoyce in any thing more than in Christ and him crucified Gal. 6.16 Lastly we should think it more than enough that we have heretofore lived in sin we should henceforth resolve to spend that little time that remaineth in a carefull obedience unto Gods will ceasing from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. Thus of the Doctrines implied in the Text. The Doctrines that may be gathered more expresly follow Doct. 1. None but mortified Christians are true Christians It is manifest thâ—t none have part in Christ but such as are dead to sin such men only doth Christ acknowledge for he is a Redeemer to none but such as turne from transgressâ—â—n in Iacob Esay 59.20 All that are in Christ are new creatures their old thiâ—gs are past and all things are new 2 Cor. 5.17 None are Christs but such as beare the similitude of his death in their dying to sin Rom. 6. Men lose their Baptisme if they be not baptized into the death of Christ. Such men as place their happinesse in worldly things are not the right seed but such onely as are borne by promise that is that received life by the promises of grace and a better life Rom. 9.8 Christ was sent to preach glad tidings to such as mourne in Sion Esay 61.1 2 3. The mourners in Jerusalem were the onely men that were marked for God Ezek. 9. Christ will have no Disciples but such as will deny themselves Luke 9. and are not fashioned according to this world Rom. 12.2 And this should teach men to have mortified Christians in greater honour and to esteeme highly of such as will not be corrupted with the excesse of the times and doe shew by a sound conversation that they are weaned from the lust after earthly things and are consesecrated to God and his service We should honour and acknowledge such above all other men in the world yea in the Church It should â—lso compell upon us a care of a mortified life and a daily resisting of sin and the Divell and striving to be made like to Christ. Finally if the count must be made by mortification there will then be but a short count upon earth For looke into Christian Churches and cast out first all open profane persons such as are drunkards fornicators swearers murderers railers against goodnesse such as serve vanity and shew it by strange apparell and such like men secondly all open idolaters and superstitious persons and such as hold damnable opinions thirdly all civill honest men such as have only the praise of men for a harmelesse
conversation in the world but have no taste of religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heavenly things and savour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlinesse Till our sins be soundly crucified and dead no worke of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefore Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdome of heaven because else sin unrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron till it be softned no impression of grace can be fastned upon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed up the seed of the Word cannot but be lost Ier. 4.4 The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowles of the aire and not grow or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choake all as is evident in seed sowne iâ— thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And fâ—â—ther while the person is evill the worke will be vile and abominable An evill tree canâ—ot bring forth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and thinke it is no more but to give-ovâ—r ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceived for if by â—ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed and they soundly humbled either their sins will after a while grow and revive againe or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them or else the Divell on a sudden may seize upon them with deâ—paire having so manifest a reason against them that they did never practise mortificâ—tion for their sins Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they leade their lives in a dull course of profession and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-hearted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Is. 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion And further it may be noted in the best of those that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall workes of men or for the help of the Church of God they are called upon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to be a dead man not only in respect of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselves For first by the assise a man must keep upon himselfe he will be found dead by sentence when he judgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh he sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what he meriteth 1 Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly repentance destroyes the senses and affections and conceits and reason that were wont to be alive in men it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation The word rendred dead signifies to undoe what was done about the life of man to unmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1 Iohn 3.8 In the new Convert there is not left the savour sent lust or affections after sin and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world he doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from evill example or the glory of the world or evill compaâ—y or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in Thus he is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could be well contented to forget that ever he had beene such as he was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may be said to be dead in repenting because repentance is never fully finished till their naturall death sin sticks so fast as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree and it will never be gotten wholly out till they be indeed dead men though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right as they That doe nothing at all about their sins That excuse their sins and hide them and favoâ—r them and cast the fault upon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselves in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more That say It is no profit to walke humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and revile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good workes and finde a deadly savour in the Word That have sense and savour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that mind their owne salvation to looke carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to thinke it is such a sleight and easie worke but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must never cease till they be like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before given So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes divers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes be voluntary not inforced he gave his life it was not taken from him we must not tarry till the Divell fire us with the terrors of despaire 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins so was Christ it must be a hearty griefe 3. That wee shew forth the fruits of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That he suffered by degrees and ceased not till he died so must we by degrees resist sin and never cease untill it be quite abolished Hence also we may know whether we have truely
repented It is a signe of true mortification when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himselfe before God for his sin 2. When he feeles the wonted violence of affections after sinne and the world to be deaded and his heart growne dull and out of taste in matters of sin and the world He is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified Gal. 5.24 3. That he is weary of life is selfe by reason of the remainders of sin in his flesh Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrowes for his sinnes as he was wont to doe for his crosses sorrowes I say that are voluntary and for sinne as it is sinne Doâ—t 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sin in us he died that we might die to sin There is a vertue in the death of Christ to kill sin Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may be said to kill sin First in respect of the guilt of sin Christ in his death paid all that was needfull for satisfaction and â—o destroyed the imputation of it and stilled the clamour of it It cannot cry against us in heaven because God is fully satisfied and the bond discharged and cancelled the plea of our sins died in the Passion of Christ. Secondly in respect of the hatefulnesse of it or the demonstration of the hatefulnesse of it The Passion of Christ gives all men occasion to see how unworthy sin is to live that made him die when it was only imputed to him and not done by him Thirdly in respect of the power of it in us actually There is a secret vertue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin and in the death of Christ to kill sinne and therefore the Scripture speakes not only of the merit but of the vertue of his death Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which vertue is secretly derived unto the penitent sinner by the ordinances of Christ his Word Prayer and Sacraments Uses The Use should be for triall men may know whether as yet they have any part in the death of Christ by inquiring whether they be dead in their sins First they have no interest in the merit of his death that have not experience of the vertue of his death in killing their corruptions Secondly for instruction When godly men find any corruption begin to be too strong for them they must flye to Christ for this medicine and then there is no sin so strong in them but by constant prayer to Christ for the vertue of his death will be subdued if they pray in faith Prayer gets the medicine and faith applies it to the disease Doct. 5. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only but sins in the plurall number and indefinitely It notes that in true repeâ—tance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins To amend only one or two faults is not true repentance for he that is truely dead is dead to sins there is no sin but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it so far as hee knowes it to be a sin Herâ—d did mend in some things but yet was not sound because in one sin he minded no repentance And this point doth give an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ for no wicked man on earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin There be some corruptions he knowes that he would upon no conditions part with To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins is an infallible mark of a child of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties Heb. 9.14 nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper or the parts of his body but his sin only nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the use of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sin only Might live unto righteousnesse These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of us unto a righteous life his death makes us live and live righteously Divers Doctrines may be hence observed Doct. 1. First that men truely mortified shall live happily These dead men will live there is no danger in great sorrow and the other workes of mortification It kils sin but the soule lives by that meanes He is sure to live that is dead to his sins Rom. 8.13 Esay 26.19 1 Pet. 4.6 Ezek. 18. Hos. 14.2 The reasons are first because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sin Mat. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge given him to looke to those mourners that they miscarry not Esay 61.1 2 3. Thirdly they are freed from eternall death they cannot be condemned 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Iob 33.27 28. Fourthly because the fruit of the lips is peace to these they are ever after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57. 15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is only to tend to repentance it is worldly sorrow that tends to death 2 Cor. 7.10 Sixtly they that are conformed to the similitude of Christs death by mortification shall be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 6.5 8 11. Uses The Use may be first for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger and makes many men come to great extremities whereas they may here see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kinde of diseases may make strange effects in some men but never was any hurt by godly sorrow for sin if we will beleeve the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to worke soundly about searching their wayes and confessing their sins and judging themselves in secret for their sinnes Iames 4.7 2 Cor. 7.10 11. But here men must looke to some few rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay up such promises made to the duties of mortification as may uphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they have found true humiliation for their sins and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into joy and their prayers into thanksgiving and spend their dayes alwayes rejoycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne unlesse wee also live to righteousnesse it is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our dayes in good workes we are so charged to cease to doe evill as withall we are charged to learne to doe well Esay 1.16 we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life as well as confesse our sinnes Matth. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruit though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any
Secondly the persons that need returning Thirdly the time when men must returne Fourthly the false wayes men must avoyd in returning Fiftly what a number of lost sheep doe usually returne Sixtly the aggravations against certaine persons for not returning Sevently the means of returning Eightly the manner how we must returne or the rules to be observed in returning Ninthly the signes of a lost sheepe returned Lastly the lets of returning For the first I meane not to insist upon all sorts of motives but to follow the word Returne as it is used in Scripture and take a few of the fittest motives as it is used in this place And so divers things should make a man to returne as First the consideration of Gods marvellous goodnesse and amiablenesse of nature to all such as turne unto him he is wonderfull gracious to them and mercifull and will repent him of the evill Ioel 2.12 13. Ier. 3â— 19 20. The parable of the lost sheepe shewes this fully Secondly the great danger that men are in if they returne not God is angry with the wicked every day Psal. 7.12 And his fury may breaks forth suddenly upon them like fire Ier. 4.4 For the words of his servants will certainly take hold upon them Zech. 1.4 6. And iniquity will be their ruine Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent they must perish Luke 13.5 And therefore if we warme men of their sinnes and they will not return we are delivered and their blood will be upon themselves Ezech. 3.19 Thirdly if a man consider but the happinesse of such as doe returne God will forgive them all their sinnes he will aboundantly provide for them Esay 55.7 If they return they shall live and not die Ezech. 18.23 and 32.11 And everlasting joy shall bee upon their heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Esay 51.11 And in this verse the Apostle shewes their happinesse For they shall alwayes live under Jesus Christ as the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules For these and many other reasons it is the only wise course to returne Luke 1.16 And there is not one wise man amongst all them that returne not Iob 17. And thus of the motives The second point is the persons that need returning It is certaine that those that live out of the visible Church or in false Churches need returning As Pagans Turks Jewes Papists Schiâ—maticks and all Hereticks Yea Juda and Jerusalem need repentance Ier. 4.4 and 26.2 3. Men that live in the visible Church and are baptized need to returne or else they will perish Luke 13.5 Iohn 3.3 The third point is the time of returning and in short the best time to returne is the present time while it is called to day while we have the means of returning when God calls upon us by the ministry of his servants especially when he knockes at the doore of our hearts and layes the axe to the root of the tree It is wonderfull dangerous to defer repentance for even the longer thou livest in sin the more hard will thy heart be Heb. 3.13 and the meanes of grace even the Kingdome of God may be taken away or God may cut thee downe even by sudden death or may cast thee into a reprobate sense and give thee up to a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4 5. The fourth point is the false wayes to be avoyded in returning and these are first to returne with despaire or to goe backe without the guide faith in in Gods mercy or to goe the way that despaire leades In this way Cain and Iudas perished Secondly to returne fainedly and not with a mans whole heart to make a shew of returning when men doe not returne indeed Ier. 3.10 Thirdly to returne but part of the way and to repent by halfes as Ahab and Herod did Fourthly to returne when it is too late even when the doore is shut to repent when it is too late Iob 27.9 The fift point is the aggravations that lye against divers persons about their not returning For if it be evill in it selfe for any not to returne then how fearefull is their case first that are proud of their skill in going out of the way that are wise to doe evill Ier. 4.22 Secondly that are deeply revoiced that is that are such as live in horrible and fearefull sins Esay 31.6 Thirdly that will not returne though their transgressions be upon them and they pine away in them Ezek. 33.10 They will not give over though they have no peace and are daily buffered for their evill-doing and their consciences beare the shame and trouble of their offending Fourthly that will not returne though the servants of God openly testifie against them Neb. 9.29 2 Kings 17.13 14. Fiftly that will not returne though the hand of God he upon them even to consume them Ier. 5.3 Sixtly that are turned backe by a perpetuall backsliding Ier. 8.4 that hold fast their sins and refuse to returne Ier. 8.5 The sixt point may be this viz. what number of lost sheep doe usually returne Not all that goe astray our Saviour tels us of a parable of one lost sheep returning and the Prophet Ieremie tels us of one of a Tribe and two of a Tribe Ier. 3.14 Multitudes of men perish and never returne The seventh point is the meanes or cause of our returning and these are either Principall or Instrumentall The principall causes are God and Christ that good Shepheard It is God that turneth backe the captivity of his people Psal. 14. ult and three times in one Psalme the people pray God to turne them againe Psal. 80.3 7 19. This is Ephraims suite Turne thou me O Lord and I shall be turned Ier. 21.18 So the Church faith Lam. 5.21 And Christ is that good Shepheard that seekes that which is lost yea layeth downe his life for his sheep Iohn 10. The instrumentall causes of returning are either externall or internall The externall meanes of returning is the Word preached and so both the reproofes of Gods servants testifying against the wicked to make them turne from their sins Nehem. 9.26 29. as also the promises of the Gospell by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and intreated to returne with assurance of salvation The internall meanes is Faith for that is it which turnes a man cleane about and causeth him to set his face upon God and Jesus Christ and to leave all his old courses and by-wayes Acts 15.9 The eight point is the manner how we must returne and so we shall find in Scripture divers things urged upon us First that we in returning make a thorow search and triall of our wayes to finde out distinctly in what particulars we have gone astray Lam. 3.40 They must remember and be thinke themselves and turne Psal. 23.28 Secondly we must with true sorrow bewaile our former wandrings and judge our selves for them going and rejoycing we must goe with
brought to light none can reach to it but such as God endues with speciall wisedome for Solomon long since had observed that life is above to the wise only Pro. 15.24 The things I would consider of about this life are these 1. The degrees of it 2. The originall of it 3. A ghesse at the nature of it 4. The things that nourish it 5. The differences betweene this life on earth and as it is in heaven 6. The meanes to attaine it or what we must doe if wee would enter into life 7. The signes to know whether it be in us 8. The properties of it 9. Lastly the Uses of it 1. For first we must understand that this life hath three degrees into which we enter in at three gates as it were The first degree of eternall life begins at the first spirituall acquaintance with God in this life when his favour is made knowne to us in Jesus Christ by the Gospel so as we are truely justified and sanctified being reconciled unto God having all our sins forgiven us and our natures made new and into this degree we enter by the gate of regeneration Thus our Saviour saith This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Thus he that heareth Christs words and beleeveth is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 The second degree begins at our death and continueth the life that the soule separated from the body enjoyes till the resurrection at the last day And concerning the estate of the soule in this degree of life we have no absolute revelation but yet are taught in Scripture that it returnes to God that gave it to the body at first Eccles. 12.7 and that it is with Christ Phil. 1.23 that it is in the hands of God and in Paradise Luke 23.43 and lives in unspeakable joy Luke 16.25 and is freed from all miseries of this life and enjoyes the honour of all good workes Rev. 14.13 the bodie resting in the grave from all paine and labour as in a bed of rest till the resurrection Esay 57.2 And into this degree of life eternall we enter in by the gate of death The third degree of life eternall begins at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and is enjoyed by body and soule for ever comprehending all possible consummation of felicity and glory in the heavens And into this we enter by the gate of resurrection which is a kind of new begetting of us and therefore is called the resurrection of life Iohn 11.25 and so the blessed in heaven are called the children of the resurrection and by that way the children of God Luke 20.36 In the first degree life is imperfect in the second it is perfect in the third it is consummate And the Use of this first point should be to warne men to looke to it that they enter into the first degree of eternall life while they are in this world or else they shall never get to heaven when they die and therefore should strive for saving knowledge and to become new creatures or else it is in vain to hope for heaven 2. For the second which is the originall of life it is greatly for the praise of it that it flowes from that life which is in God himselfe which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it With thee is the fountaine of life saith David Psal. 36.9 So he calls him the God of his life Psal. 42.8 Naturall life is but a sparkle that flowes from the life of our Parents but spirituall and eternall life is kindled from that infinite light and life of God but yet not as Christ received we this life for he had it by naturall generation we have it by a way unspeakable from God but yet by Jesus Christ. In him was life as the life was the light of men Iohn 14. He that hath the Son hath life Iohn 5.12 and he it is that is eternall life viz. to us ver 20. As there is no light in the visible world but from the Sun in the firmament so there is no life in the spirituall world but from God in heaven which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Thus our life is called the life of God Ephes. 4.18 and Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 Which should teach us greatly to admire and adore the excellency of Gods goodnesse and make us to rest our selves for ever under the shadow of his wings Psal. 36.7 8 9. But that this point may be more cleerely understood we must consider of the originall of this life from God three waies First in respect of ordination and so it flowes from Gods decree he hath ordained us unto life Acts 13.48 and our names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 Secondly in respect of merit it was bought of God by the death of the flesh of Christ. I give my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.51 This life will not be had without his death that we might live in eternall life he must die a temporall death And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Jesus that gave himselfe for us that we should not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly in respect of operation or inchoation and so the fountaine of life is either without us or within us without us is the Word of Christ that is the immortall seed by which we are begotten unto life 1 Pet. 1.24 and so is called the Word of life Phil. 2.15 And the Word is so as it is the Word of Christ that is Gospel My words saith he are spirit and life Iohn 6.63 And that Word considered as it is preached to the dead soules of men the dead shall heare the voice of Christ and live Shall heare it note that Iohn 5.25 which should make us greatly to esteeme the preaching of the Gospel Within us the fountaine of life is the Spirit of Christ which is called the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 Now the Spirit of Christ that we may live doth two things viz. it quickens the seed of the Word and unites us unto Christ as members of the mysticall body and then looke how the soule of man doth give life to every member of the body so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soule as a severall member of the mysticall body 3. For the third Wee shall not exactly know what the nature of eternall life is still it be perfected in us or consummate yet by divers words God hath let fal in Scripture we may ghesse at the nature of this life and in generall I thinke it is a kind of celestiall light falling into the soule that doth to it that which naturall life doth to the body This Saint Iohn shewing how Christ was the life of men saith he was the light of men Iohn 1.4 And David having said
concerning the practice of true Christians it shewes That the rules of holy life have beene the same in all ages of the world before the Law and under the Law and now under the Gospel We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law that they walked by such rules as these and the reason is because the rules of a religious and vertuous life were in the minde of God from all eternity and so given to men from the beginning and cannot change in as much as God is unchangeable in the formes of things And this point may shew us how hard the world is to learne in that these lessons have beene taught from the beginning and yet the most men have not learned them And besides godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule and to walke circumspectly seeing this is no harder a taske required of them than what hath beene required in all ages Thirdly it is worth the observing who the persons are that give this counsell to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble and to lead a quiet life They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves Peter I meane and David and yet we see they presse other men to seeke to live as quietly as is possible and thus did Paul doe also 1 Tim. 2.2 1 Thes. 4.11 Heb. 12.11 Now one maine reason why they doe so is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beat crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Aâ—imâ—lech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to be thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and works They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhorrâ—s a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one such as will love life the other such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever be said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sin To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know and beleeve those glorious things God speakes of a better life they would loath this present life and long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are ingaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an inâ—â—rable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to be so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any termes The first reason may bee taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And be so gives this in charge as he seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Ioh. 12.25 The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iobâ— Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Ecclesiastes and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying down their lives willingly when they have beene calâ—â—â— to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iames 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is he loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot be sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many wayes for life to goe out at though but
to carry themselves to God 351 352 How many wayes Gods People are the only beloved oneâ—â— 361 S. Peter what he was by name and office 1 2 Plagues Spirituall Plagues are worse than â—â—mporall 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 reasons 302 Power Questions concerning Gods Power in keeping of us 43 Excellent uses of it 44 Prayer What we must doe that God may answer our Prayer 85 Prayer how it may be hindred both in the bearing and making of it 671 The excellencie of Prayer in 〈◊〉 respects 669 From whence its 〈◊〉 doe arise 670 Praise Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the Praise of men 448 If 〈…〉 would be praised they must doe well 449 〈◊〉 to get Praise from men 450 Pâ—ecious Christ is so 〈…〉 wayes 254 255 The reasons why he is 〈…〉 with men â—55 What uses are 〈…〉 〈◊〉 256 Prescience Prescience 1. Absolute 2. Speciall 3. Of approbation 8 How God forâ—knoweth 9 How his Foreknowledge may comfort us in our distresses 9 10 What it may teach us 10 Terrible to the wicked in foure respects 11 Preservation Faith doth ten things to further our Preservation 45 46 Presumption How to know whether we sin presumptuously or no 115 Priests The godly are Priests in many respects 264 265 The uses of it 265 The Priesthood of Christians is a singular priviledge 320 Princes All good Christians must be obedient to their Princes 422 Ministers should teach and presse this duty 423 The submission that belongs to them hath sixe things in it 425 Pure In what respects godly men may be said to be Pure 597 A Christians Puritie hath in it many things 597 598 Q QUicken What we must doe to Quicken our hearts 260 Quiet Sixteene helps to a Quiet life in marriage 576 Five speciall causes of their unquietnesse 577 Helpes to cause them to bee Quiet 578 Helps to attaine quietnesse 616 〈◊〉 things of singular use to keepe us quiet in trouble 673 R RAiling Reviling The wicked are prone to it 687 It is a great sin ibid. Though we be reviled we must not revile againe ibid. Excellent uses of it ibid. c. Reason The facultie of Reason in the soule and wherein it excels 382 Recreations Rules for them 104 105 Redemption Of all other doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our Redemption 137 138 Wee are redeemed from sixe things 139 Five degrees of Redemption from vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Two wayes our Redemption is ratified 159 Refuse Christ many waies refused 298 Regeneration How it depends on Christs resurrection 38 Rejoice Rejoicing Vide Joy 54 55 56 72 c. Religion How hard a thing it is to reduce a man from his Religion though it be never so absurd 390 A religious life is the best life 541 Repentance Against such as presume on late Repentance 417 Their vaine objections for it answered ibid. c. Repentance of sin doth in divers respects kill a man 538 Divers things in Christs death which ought to be in our Repentance 539 Why Repentance is called a new birth with five differences betweene false and true Repentance 184 Report The lot of the righteous is to be evill spoken of 393 The causes and causers ibid. c. How hurtfull it is to report evill of the good 394 Reasons against it ibid. c. In what cases it is odious 395 Helps to beare them 396 To have a good Report among men is a great blessing of God 447 Reproaches They are to be avoyded as much as in us lies 457 That onely fooles reproach good men 465 Reprobation Proofes of Reprobation 311 Observations for consolation in the point of Reprobation 312 Resurrection Foure benefits of Christs Resurrection 35 Christ risen in the Old Testament three waies 37 How our regeneration depends on Christs Resurrection 38 It is a great wonder with an excellent use thereof 159 The glory given to Christ after his Resurrection shewed in eight things 160 Revelation A twofold Revelation of Christ 69 God hath revealed his will three waies 1. By the light of nature 2. By the booke of the creatures 3. By his word 77 And by that many wayes ibid. Distinctions of Revelations 86 A difference betweene Revelation and Knowledge ibid. We have sixe sorts of Revelations under the Gospel 87 Why the day of judgement is called The Revelation of Iesus Christ 111 Revenge It is unlawfull 686 Reviling What it is 526 Who are guilty of it 527 Not to render Reviling for Reviling 528 Rich Riches The wofull estate of Rich men 138 139 Vertue and grace are a Christians best Riches 618 Righteous Righteousnesse Signes that desery a Righteous man in himself 542 Sixe other signes of Righteousnesse as it groweth 543 How the Righteousnesse of a Righteous man differs from the Righteousnesse of a Pharisee ibid. Why so few embrace Righteousnesse 544 Helps thereunto 545 Defects of Righteousnesse 546 Defects in the manner of doing Righteously 547 Royall Christians are Royall many wayes 318 S SAcrifices Christians have divers sorts of Sacrifices 266 Speciall lawes to be observed in offering our Sacrifices 268 269 The use of it ibid. What to doe to make our Sacrifices acceptable 270 271 Three comforts from an acceptable Sacrifice 271 Saints Saints are strangers 4 In foureteene things they should be strangers 4 5 See more 132 Salvation What it imperteth in the originall 48 Salvation may be said to be prepared for us five wayes 49 50 To whom revealed 50 In the last day revealed three wayes ibid. Excellent uses of this revelation of Salvation ibid. c. Foure signes of the perswasion of our Salvation 75 76 Such as have the Assurance of Salvation should looke to foure things 77 Why such a multitude of men enquire so little after Salvation 81 We ought to devote our selves to the study of it ibid. We must study our Salvation with diligence 82 Divers wayes from God to further our Salvation 594 Salutation Of the usuall forme of Salutations 27 Sanctification Man is sanctified three wayes 1. Ex non sancto privativè 2. Ex minùs sancto 3. Ex non sancto negativè 14 What need our spirits have to be sanctified 15 This lyeth in two things 1. In cleansing it from sin 2. In adorning it with grace ibid. The Spirit is cleansed by eight things 16 Three things which adorne the mind in Sanctification 1. A heavenly light 2. A humble mind 3. A pure imagination ibid. The nature subject forme cause and end of our Sanctification 162 163 164. c. Two things in our Sanctification 1. Healing 2. Cleansing 164 Scandall It is defined 302 Christ a Scandall to the wicked many wayes 304 Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men 305 In what things we may be guilty in giving Scandall to wicked men 306 Rules for the preventing of a Scandall ibid. c. Rules for it in matter of Ceremonies 436 Scripture Proofes of doctrine are to be fetcht from Scripture 124 The Scripture why so
thoughts of Gods glory â—â—o waies established Note A double caveat in glorifying God Foure things must be done by us to make others glorifie God 1 Men are said to visit diversly 2 God doth also visit many waies 1 The creatures But especially men and so either as â—e visits all men in generall or some men in speciall God visits men two waies especially 1 In justice What kind of men in particular are in danger of this kind of visitation 2 God visits in mercy and so either in temporall things as in the case of blessings or in case of afflictions God visits in spiritual things diversly Signes of such as are truly visited in mercy with true grace 1 Hee hath a new Lord. 2 New acquaintance 3 A new language 4 A new heart Speciall signes of a new heart 1 It hath no guile 2 It is void of malice 3 It is void of covetousnesse A new mind New affections A new behaviour discovered divers wayes Many sorts of daies noted in Scripture Note How the day and season of grace may bee knowne Note Against such as presume on late repentance First objection answered Note Second objection answered Third objection confuted Note Note What glorious things the day of visitation brings forth Use. Note Use 1. Use 2. Note Doct. 8. Note What Submission hath in it viz. six things Siquis tentat excipere conâ—tur decipere Agnoscit dominum suum â—â—erâ— Aâ—â—â— Ezra 1 Subjectivè 2 Objectivè 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In what things the Magistâ—ate is not to be obeyed In what things they are to be obeyed In what matters ecclesiastiâ—â—ll â—he Magistrate hath no power In what things he hath power ecclesiasticall Actions about Gods wâ—rshâ—â— of two sorts Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether any inventions of men ought to be obeyed Gal. 5. Mat. 15. Command 2. Circumcision was a burthen Acts 5 10 and these burthens 〈◊〉 necessary things v. 28. and they were 〈◊〉 to doe well if they observe them v. 29. Pretended inconveniences by humâ—ne Lawes surveyed Acts 15.1 Rules about taking and giving scandall at humane ceremonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocrisie Originall of Kings Homo naturâ est animal politicum Divers kindes of societies Pagus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellencie of Kings above others 1 Tim. 1.12 Bernard Epist. 170. Who are branded for evill doers Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the praise of men 2 Cor. 12.11 Ioh. 5.36 37. Helps to get praise from men Ier. 8.18 21. Vide Ephes. 4.17 18. Signes of spirituall folly Prov. 17.16 Signes of spirituall madnesse Wherein godly men sometimes shew folly Why it is so hard to cure ignorance and silence ignorant men Speciall gifts of Christ bestowed on the godly Quanquam humantur non tamen damnantur From what a Christian is made free Electi sunt liberi à damnatione legis à dominatione regis peccati To what a godly man is made free In what respects we are but as free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men may use their liverties as a cloake of maliciousnesse five wayes 2. Pet. 2. 19. 20. How Christian liberty is made a cloake of malice in things indifferent How we must serve God Rom. 12.45 Heb. 9.14 Who are rejected from the number of Gods servants Deut. 28.47 Prerogatives of Gods servants By what wayes we may expresse our honouring of men How we shew our love to the brother-hood In what respects godly men are brethren The Apostle doth especially urge the inwarâ— worship of God The fear of God what it is It is twofold Sixe things in God we are to stand in awe of Motives to get the feare of God What kindes of men do not fear God Signes of Gods feare Pro. 31.30 Note What a family is Three things required to make a society happy We are bound of God to the care of domesticall duties for divers reasons Why inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties Servants of men are of divers sorts For what causes servitude came in Gen. 12.16 and 32.5 Eccles. 2.7 How a godly servant may comfort himselfe in that estate Servants must be subject three wayes Helps for servants to yeeld subjection The originall of masters The name father given to divers sorts How many waies servants shew the feare of God in their 〈◊〉 Signes of good masters Reasons 〈◊〉 frowardâ—â—â—â— Prov. 10.32 Prov. 16.28 Helpes against frowardnesse Reasons why men ought to be instructed about conscience What conscience is Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 The proper worke of Conscience These principles in the minde shâ—w a keeper they call Synteresis How consciâ—â—ce is imployed in us Chirâ—graphia Deâ— Prâ—râ—gatives or pâ—â—pertâ—â—s of conscience Kindes of conscience Difference of evill in mens consciences Note The signes of an evill Conscience 〈…〉 Signes of an ill stirring Conscience Hurt of an evill conscience Foure ill effects of an ill conscience Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience What must bee done to make an ill conscience good Two things for the guiding of conscience Signes of a good conscience Acts 23.1 Benefits of a good conscience How far conscience may be bound Use. Wherein vaine-glory is seene 1 Thes. 2.6 Wherein true glory consists Divers wayes of suffering Christ suffered for us in divers respects Ten things for us to follow in the example of Christs sufferings In what things Christs example binds not How farre examples binde conscience A man is said to make sinne many waies How Christ had no sinne Guile in words many waies Guile in Hypocrisie many wayes What reviling is Who are guilty of reviling Esay 5.20 Motives to patience In what cases it is not fit to complaine unto the Magistrate In what cases men may lanfully seeke redresse from the Magistrate Thâ—t God is a Iudge is terrible to wicked men and that in many respects God is comfortable to godly men How Go◠〈◊〉 rigâ—tâ—oâ—â—â—y Use. Rules in committing our cause to God In what respects Christ bare our sins Christs sufferings â—itted to the circumstances of sin 1 John 2.1 Rom. 3.26 Reasons why Christ suffered on a tree Men die divers wayes Naturall men aâ—e said to be alive to sin in divers respects Great is the misery of such as live in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divers things in Christs death that ought to be in our repentance Signes of true mortification The happinesse of such as live spiritually A religious â—sâ— is the best liâ—e for 6. reasons Signes that describe a righteous mâ—n in himsâ—lâ—e Sixe other signes of righteousnesse as it groweth How the righteousnesse of a godly mâ—n disfers from that of the Scribes and Pharisees Why so many do not imbrace a righteous life Helpes unto righteousnesse Phil. 3.3 1 â—or 7.23 Defects of a righteous life of two sorts First in tâ—e parts of it And 〈◊〉 in respect of the fâ—rst table Psal. 27.3 5. Pro. 2â— 3. Psal. 55.22 Psal.