Reason Only in Divinity great offence is taken at the multitude of Controversies wherein yet difference of opinions is by so much more tolerable then in other sciences by how much the things about which we are conversant are of a more sublime mysterious and incomprehensible nature then are those of other Sciences 21. Truly it would make a religious heart bleed to consider the many and great distractions that are all over the Christian world at this day The lamentable effects whereof scarce any part of Christendome but feeleth more or less either in open warrs or dangerous seditions or at the best in uncharitable censures and ungrounded jealousies Yet the infinite variety of mens dispositions inclinations and aimes considered together with the great obscurity that is in the things of God and the strength of corruption that is in us it is to be acknowledged the admirable work of God that these distractions are not even much more and greater and wider then they are and that amid so many sects as are in the world there should be yet such an universal concurrence of judgement as there is in the main fundamental points of the Christian Faith And if we were so wise as we might and should be to make the right use of it it would not stumble us awhit in the belief of our Religion that Christians differ so much as they do in many things but rather mightily confirme us in the assurances thereof that they agree so well as they do almost in any thing And it may be a great comfort to every well-meaning soule that the simple belief of those certain truths whereon all parties are in a manner agreed may be and ordinarily is sufficient for the salvation of all them who are sincerely careful according to that measure of light and means that hath vouchsafed them to actuate their Faith with piety charity and good works so making this great mystery to become unto them as it is in it self Mysterium pietatis a Mystery of Godliness Which is the last point proposed the Quale to which I now pass 22. As the corrupt doctrine of Antichrist is not only a doctrine of Error but of Impiety too called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mystery of Iniquity 2 Thes. 2. So the wholsome doctrine of Christ is not only a doctrine of Truth but of Piety too and is therefore termed here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mystery of Godliness Which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Godliness since there appeareth not any great necessity in the Context to restrain it to that more peculiar sense wherein both the Greek and English word are sometimes used namely to signifie the right manner of Gods worship according to his word in opposition to all idolatrous superstitious or false worships practised among the Heathens I am the rather enclined to understand it here as many Interpreters have done in the fuller latitude as it comprehendeth the whole duty of a Christian man which he standeth bound by the command of God in his Law or of Christ in his Gospel to perform 23. Verum and Bonum We know are neer of kin the one to the other And the spirit of God who is both the author and the revealer of this mystery as he is the spirit of Truth Joh. 14. so is he also the spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. And it is part of his work to sanctifie the heart with grace as well as to enlighten the minde with knowledge Our Apostle therefore sometimes mentioneth Truth and Godliness together teaching us thereby that we should take them both into our care together If any man consent not to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is after Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6. And Tit. 1. according to the Faith of Gods elect and acknowledging of the Truth which is after Godliness And here in express termes The Mystery of Godliness And that most rightly whether we consider it in the Scope Parts or Conservation of it 24. First the general Scope and aime of Christianity is by the mercy of God founded on the merits of Christ to bring men on through Faith and Godliness to Salvation It was not in the purpose of God in publishing the Gospel and thereby freeing us from the personal obligation rigor and curse of the Law so to turne us loose and lawless to do whatsoever should seem good in our own eyes follow our own crooked wills or gratifie any corrupt lust but to oblige us rather the faster by these new benefits and to incite us the more effectually by Evangelical promises to the earnest study and pursuit of Godliness The Gospel though upon quite different grounds bindeth us yet to our good behaviour in every respect as deep as ever the Law did if not in some respects deeper allowing no liberty to the flesh for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof in any thing but exacting entire sanctity and purity both of inward affection and outward conversation in all those that embrace it The grace of God appearing in the revelation of this mysterie as it bringeth along with it an offer of salvation to all men so it teacheth all men that have any real purpose to lay hold on so gracious an offer to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godlily in this present world 25. It is not to be wondred at if all false Religions give allowance to some ungodliness or other when the very gods whom they worship give such encouragements thereunto by their leud example The gods of the Pagans were renowned for nothing so much most of them as for their vices Mars a bloudy God Bacchus a drunken God Mercury a cheating God and so proportionably in their several kinds all the rest Their great capital God Iupiter guilty of almost all the capital vices And where the Gods are naught who can imagine the Religion should be good Their very mysteria sacra as they called them were so full of all wickedness and filthy abominations as was already in part touched but is fully discovered by Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Arnobius Tertullian and other of the Ancients of our religion that it was the wisest point in all their religion to take such strict order as they did for the keeping of them secret 26. But it is the honour and prerogative of the Christian Religion that it alone alloweth of no wickedness But as God himself is holy so he requireth an holy worship and holy worshippers He exacteth the mortification of all evill lusts and the sanctification of the whole man body soul and spirit and that in each of these throughout Every one that nameth himself from the name of Christ doth ipso facto by the very taking of that blessed name upon him and daring to stile himself Christian virtually binde himself to depart from all iniquity nor so only but to endeavour also after the example of him whose
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas there is ever some deficiency or other in the things desired What man had ever all things so sortable to his desires but he could spy some thing or other wanting tamen Curtae nescio quid semper abest rei And many times all he hath doth him not so much pleasure as the want of that one thing tortureth him As all Hamans wealth and honours and favour with the King and power in the Court availed him nothing for want of Mordecay's knee And Ahab could not be merry nor sleep nor eat bread though he swaied the Scepter of a mighty Kingdom for want of Naboths vineyard Or if we could suppose contentment should arise from the things yet fourthly it could have no stability nor certainty of continuance because the things themselves are subject to casualties and vicissitudes And the mind of a man that should repose upon such things must needs rise and fall ebb and flow just as the things themselves do Which is contrary to the state of a true contented mind which still remaineth the same and unchanged notwithstanding whatsoever changes and chances happen in these outward and mutable things 7. We see now the unsufficiency of Nature of Morality of Outward things to bring Contentment It remaineth then that it must spring from Religion and from the Grace of God seated in the heart of every godly man which casteth him into a new mould and frameth the heart to a blessed calme within whatsoever stormes are abroad and without And in this Grace there is no defect As the Lord sometimes answered our Apostle when he was importunate with him for that which he thought not fit at that time to grant sufficit tibi gratia My grace is sufficient for thee He then that would attain to St Pauls learning must repair to the same school where St Paul got his learning and he must apply himself to the same tutor that St Paul had He must not languish in porticu or in Lyceo at the feet of Plato or Seneca but he must get him into the sanctuary of God and there become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he must be taught of God and by the anointing of his holy spirit of grace which anointing teacheth us all things 1. Ioh. 2. All other masters are either Ignorant or Envious or Idle Some things they are not able to teach us though they would some things they are not willing to teach us though they might but this Anointing is every way a most compleat tutour Able and loving and active this anointing teacheth us all things and amongst other things this Art of Contentation also 8. Now as for the means whereby the Lord traineth us up by his holy grace unto this learning they are especially these three First by his spirit he worketh this perswasion in our hearts that whatsoever he disposeth unto us at any time for the present that is evermore the fittest and best for us at that time He giveth us to see that all things are guided and ordered by a most just and wise and powerful providence And although it be not fit for us to be acquainted with the particular reasons of such his wise and gracious dispensations yet we are assured in the general that all things work together for the best to them that love God That he is a loving and careful father of his children and will neither bring any thing upon them nor keep back any thing from them but for their good That he is a most skilfull and compassionate Physitian such a one as at all times and perfectly understandeth the true state and temper of our hearts and affections and accordingly ordereth us and dieteth us as he seeth it most behoofefull for us in that present state for the preservation or recovery of our spiritual strength or for the prevention of future maladies And this perswasion is one speciall means whereby the Lord teacheth us Contentment with whatsoever he sendeth 9. Secondly whereas there are in the word scattered every where many gracious and precious promises not only concerning the life to come but also concerning this present life the spirit of grace in the heart of the godly teacheth them by faith to gather up all those scattered promises and to apply them for their own comfort upon every needfull occasion They heare by the outward preaching of the word and are assured of the truth thereof by the inward teaching of the spirit That God will never faile them nor forsake them That he is their shepheard and therefore they shall not want but his goodness and mercy shall follow them all the dayes of their lives That his eyes is upon them that fear him to deliver their souls from death and to feed them in the time dearth That he will give grace and worship and withhold no good thing from them that live a godly life That though the Lions the great and greedy oppressors of the world may lack and suffer hunger yet they which seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good and a thousand other such like promises they hear and beleeve The assurance whereof is another special means by which the Lord teacheth his children to repose themselves in a quiet content without fear of want or too much thoughtfulness for the future 10. Thirdly for our better learning besides these lectures of his providence and promises he doth also both appoint us exercises and discipline us with his rod. By sending changes and afflictions in our bodies in our names in our friends in our estates in the success of our affairs and many other wayes but alwayes for our profit And this his wise teaching of us bringeth on our learning wonderfully As for those whose houses are safe from feare neither is the rod of God upon them as Iob speaketh that are never emptied nor powred from vessel to vessel they settle upon their own dregs and grow muddy and musty with long ease and their prosperity befooleth them to their own destruction When these come once to stirring and trouble over-taketh them as sooner or later they must look for it then the grumbles and mud of their impatience and discontent beginneth to appear and becometh unsavoury both to God and man But as for those whom the Lord hath taken into his own tuition and nurturing he will not suffer them either to wax wanton with too long ease nor to be depressed with too heavy troubles but by frequent changes he exerciseth them and inureth them to all estates As a good Captain traineth his souldiers and putteth them out of one posture into another that they may be expert in all so the Lord of hosts traineth up his souldiers by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evil report and good report by health and sickness by sometimes raising new friends and sometimes taking away the old
for their strayings to bring them to repentance for their sins to make them more observant and careful of their duty thence-forward to exercise their faith and patience and other graces and the like Such as were those distresses that befell the whole people of Israel sundry times under Moses and in the dayes of their Iudges and Kings and those particular trials and afflictions wherewith Abraham and Ioseph and Iob and David and Paul and other the holy Saints and servants of God were exercised in their times 5. Both the one sort and the other are called Iudgments but as I said in different respects and for different reasons Those former plagues are called Gods Iudgments because they come from God not as a loving and merciful father but as a just and severe Iudge who proceeding according to course of Law giveth sentence against a malefactor to cut him off And therefore this kind of judgment David earnestly deprecateth Psalm 143. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for then neither can I nor any flesh living be justified in thy sight These later corrections also or chastenings of our heavenly father are called Iudgments too When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord but in a quite different notion Because God proceedeth therein not with violence and fury as men that are in passion use to do but coolely and advisedly and with judgment And therefore whereas David deprecated Gods judgment as we heard in that former notion and as Iudgment is opposed to Favour Ieremy on the other side desireth Gods Iudgment in this later notion and as it is opposed to Fury Correct me O Lord yet in thy judgment not in thy fury Jer. 10. 6. Now we see the severall sorts of Gods Iudgments which of all these may we think is here meant If we should take them all in the Conclusion would hold them and hold true too Iudicia oris and judicia operis publick and private judgments those plagues wherewith in fury he punisheth his enemies and those rods wherewith in mercy he correcteth his children most certain it is they are all right But yet I conceive those judicia oris not to be so properly meant in this place for the Exegesis in the later part of the verse wherein what are here called judgments are there expounded by troubles seemeth to exclude them and to confine the Text in the proper intent thereof to these judicia operis only but yet to all them of what sort soever publick or private plagues or corrections Of all which he pronounceth that they are Right which is the predicate of the Conclusion and cometh next to be considered I know O Lord that thy judgments are right 7. And we may know it too if we will but care to know either God or Our selves First for God though we be not able to comprehend the reasons of his dispensations the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the judgments are right it may satisfie us if we do but know that they are his Tua will infer recta strongly enough for the Lord who is righteous in all his wayes must needs be so in the way of his judgments too 1. Mens judgments are sometimes not right through mis-informations and sundry other mistakings and defects for which the Laws therefore allow writs of Errour appeals and other remedies But as for God he not only spieth out the goings but also searcheth into the hearts of all men he pondereth their spirits and by him all their actions are weighed 2. Mens judgments are sometimes not right because themselves are partial and unjust awed with fear blinded with gifts transported with passion carried away with favour or disaffection or wearied with importunity But as for God with him is no respect of persons nor possibility of being corrupted Abraham took that for granted that the judg of all the world must needs do right Gen. 18. And the Apostle rejecteth all suspicion to the contrary with an Absit what shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Rom. 9. 3. Mens judgments are sometimes not right meerly for want of zeal to justice They lay not the causes of poor men to heart nor are willing to put themselves to the pains or trouble of sifting a cause to the bottome nor care much which way it go so as they may but be at rest and enjoy their ease But as for God he is zealous of doing justice he loveth it himself he requireth it in others punishing the neglect of it and rewarding the administration of it in them to whom it belongeth The righteous Lord loveth righteousness Psal. 11. 8. And then secondly in our selves we may find if we will but look enough to satisfie us even for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too so far as is meet for us to expect satisfaction The judgments of God indeed are abyssus multa his wayes are in the sea and his paths in the deep waters and his footstops are not known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soon may we lose our selves in the search but never find them out Yet even there where the judgments of God are like a great deep unfathomable by any finite understanding his righteousness yet standeth like the high mountains as it is in Psalm 36. visible to every eye If any of us shall search well into his own heart and weigh his own carriage and deservings if he shall not then find enough in himself to justifie God in all his proceedings I forbid him not to say which yet I tremble but to rehearse that God is unrighteous 9. The holy Saints of God therefore have ever acquitted him by condemning themselves The Prophet Ieremy in the behalf of himself and the whole Church of God The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandement Lam. 1. So did Daniel in that his solemn confession when he set his face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplications with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes Dan. 9. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as it is this day to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee verse 7. and again after at verse 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice Yea so illustrious many times is the righteousness of God in his judicial proceedings that it hath extorted an acknowledgment from men obstinately wicked Pharaoh who sometimes in the pride of his heart had said Who is the Lord was afterwards by the evidence of the fact it self forced to this confession I have sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Exod. 9. 10. They are then at least in that respect worse then wicked Pharaoh that
and he should not love him faithfully but foolishly if he should out of fond indulgence let him go on in an evil way without due correction He that spareth the rod hateth his childe saith Solomon he meaneth it interpretativè that is he doth his childe as much hurt out of his fond love as he could not do him more harm if he were his enemies childe whom he hateth Will not a mother that loveth her childe with all tenderness if it have got some hurt with a fall lay on a plaster to heal it though it smart and though the child cry and struggle against it all it can yet will shee lay it on for all that ey and binde it too to keep it on and all out of very love and faithfulness because she knoweth it must be so or the childe will be the worse for it I use these comparisons the rather not onely because they are familiar and the more familiar ever the better if they be fit but because the Lord himself also delighteth to set forth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love to us by the love of a discreet father and the affection of a tender mother towards the fruit of their own loins and womb And the Apostle at large prosecuteth the resemblance and that in this very matter whereof we now speak of our heavenly Fathers correcting his children in love and for their good most accurately and comfortably in Heb. 12. 22. But to return back to the relation of friendship from which yet I have not disgressed for can we have any better friends then our parents If any of us have a friend that is lethargique or lunatique will we not put the one from his drousie seat and shake him up and make him stir about whether he will or no and tie the other in his bed hamper him with cords ey and with blows too if need be to keep him quiet though it be death to the one to be stirred and to the other to be tied Or if we have some near friend or kinsman that we wish well to and partly dependeth upon us for his livelyhood that will not be advised by us but will flee out into bad company drink and quarrell and game will we not pinch him in his allowance refuse to give him entertainment set some underhand to beate him when he quarrels in his drink or to cheat him when he gameth too deep and if he will not be reclaimed otherwise get him arrested and laid up and then let him lie by it till shame and want give him some better sight and sence of his former follies Can any man now charge us truly with unfaithfulness to our friend for so doing Or is it not rather a good proof of our love and faithfulness to him Doubtless it is You know the old saying Non quòd odio habeam sed quòd amem it hath some reason in it For the love and faithfulness of a friend is not to be measured by the things done but by the affection and intention of the doer A thing may be done that carrieth the shew of much friendship with it yet with an intent to do the party a mischief Eutrapelus cuicunque nocere volebat c. As if he should put his friend upon some employment he were unmeet for of purpose to disgrace him or feed him with money in a riotous course to get a hanck over his estate like Sauls friendship to David in giving him his daughter to wife that she might be a snare to him to put him into the hands of the Philistines This is the basest unfaithfulness of all other sub amici fallere nomen and by many degrees worse then open hostility Let not their precious balmes break my head Let the righteous rather smite me friendly saith David There may be smiting it should seem by him without violation of friendship And his wise son Solomon preferreth the wounds of a friend before the kisses of an enemy These may be pleasanter but those will prove wholsomer there is treachery in these kisses but in those wounds faithfulness 23. You may perceive by what hath been said that God may cause his servants to be troubled and yet continue his love and faithfulness to them nevertheless yea moreover that he bringeth those troubles upon them out of his great love and faithfulness towards them It should make us the more willing whether God inflict or threaten whether we feel or fear any either publick calamity or personal affliction any thing that is like to breed us any grief or trouble to submit our selves to the hand of God not only with patience because he is righteous but even with thankfulness too because he is faithful therein Very meet we should apprehend the wrath of God and his just indignation against us when he striketh for he is righteous and will not correct us but for our sin Which should prick our hearts with sorrow nay rend them in pieces with through-contrition that we should so unworthily provoke so gracious a God to punish us But then we must so apprehend his wrath that we doubt not of his favour nor despair of staying his hand if we will but stay the course of our sins by godly repentance and reformation for he is faithful and correcteth us ever for our good Doth he take any pleasure think you in our destruction He hath sworn the contrary and dare you not believe him Doubt ye not therefore but that humility and confidence fear and hope may consist together as well as justice and mercy may in God or repentance and faith in us Presume not then to continue in sin but fear his judgments for he is righteous and will not acquit the guilty Neither yet despair of finding pardon but hope in his mercy for he is faithful and will not despise the penitent I forbid no man but charge him rather as he meaneth to build his after-comforts upon a firm base to lay a good foundation of repentance and godly sorrow by looking first upon Gods justice and his own sins that he may be cast down and humbled under the mighty hand of God before he presume to lay hold of any actual mercy But after he hath by this means assured the foundation let him then in Gods name proceed with his work and bring it on more and more to perfection by sweet meditations of the great love and gracious promises of our good God and his undoubted stedfastness and faithfulness therein Never giving it over till he come to that perfection of art and skill that he can spy love even in the very wrath of God Mel de petra suck honey out of the stony rock gather grapes of thornes and figs of thistles Till we attain to this I say not but we may have true hope and comfort in God which by his mercy may bring us to salvation but we have not yet
more refreshing then all those troubles could work him vexation Psal. 94. And S. Paul found that still as his sufferings encreased his comforts had withall such a proportionable rise that where those abounded these did rather superabound 2 Cor. 1. 34. These inward comforts are sufficient even alone Yet God knoweth our frame so well and so far tendereth our weakness that he doth also afford us such outward comforts as he seeth convenient for us A small matter perhaps in bulke and to the eye but yet such as by his mercy giveth us mighty refreshing For as any little affliction scarce considerable in it self is yet able to worke us much sorrow if God meane to make a rod of it so any otherwise inconsiderable accident when God is pleased to make a comfort of it is able to cheer us up beyond belief The coming of Titus out of Achaia into Macedonia seemed to be a matter of no great consequence yet coming at such a time and in the nick as it were S. Paul remembreth it as a great mercy from God and a great comfort to him in 2 Cor. 7. He was much distressed it seemeth at that time with fightings without and fears within insomuch as he was troubled on every side and his flesh had no rest at the fifth verse there Nevertheless saith he God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus at ver 6. 35. Thirdly God manifesteth his love and faithfulness to his children in their troubles by the issues that he giveth out of them Deliverance and Honour Deliverance first That God hath often promised Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee Psal. 50. And he hath faithfully performed it Many or great are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all Psalm 34. And he delivereth him safe and sound many times without the breaking of a bone yea sometimes without so much as the loss of a haire of his head How oft do we heare it repeated in one Psalm and made good by sundry instances So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble he delivered them from their distress 36. Some evidence it is of his love and faithfulness that he delivereth them at all but much more that he doth it with the addition of honour Yet hath he bound himself by his gracious promise to that also He shall call upon me and I will heare him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliver him and bring him to honour Psalm 91. As gold cast into the furnace receiveth there a new lustre and shineth brighter when it cometh forth then it did before so are the Saints of God more glorious after their great afflictions their graces evermore resplendent and many times even their outward estate also more honourable We may see in the examples of Ioseph of Iob of David himself and others if we had time to produce them that of Psalm 113. verified He raiseth the poore out of the dust and listeth the needy out of the mire and from the dunghil that he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his people But we have an example beyond all example even our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ. Never any sufferings so grievous as his never man so emptied and troden down and made a man of sorrows as he Never any issues so honourable as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the Name of Iesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess to his honour And what hath befallen him the head concerneth us also his members not only by way of merit but by way of conformity also Si compatimur conregnabimus If we be partakers of his sufferings we shall be also of his glory God as out of very faithfulness he doth cause us to be troubled so will he out of the very same faithfulness give an honourable issue also to all our troubles if we cleave unto him by stedfast faith and constant obedience possibly in this life if he see it useful for us but undoubtedly in the life to come Whereunto c. AD AULAM. Sermon XI WHITE-HALL July 5. 1640. 1 COR. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me But all things are not expedient All things are lawfull for me But all things edifie not 1. IN which words the Apostle with much holy wisdom by setting just bounds unto our Christian Liberty in the Power first and then in the exercise of that power excellently preventeth both the Errour of those that would shrink it in and the Presumption of those that would stretch it out more then they ought He extendeth our Liberty in the Power but restraineth it in the use Would you know what a large power God hath permitted unto you in indifferent things and what may be done ex plenitudine potestatis and without scruple of conscience For that you have Omnia licent All things are lawful But would you know withall with what caution you ought to use that power and what at all times is fit to be done ex intuitu charitatis and for the avoiding of offence You have for that too Non omnia expediunt All things are not expedient All things edifie not If we will sail by this Card regulate our judgement and practise by our Apostles rule and example in the Text we shall neither dash against the Rock of Superstition on the right hand nor fall into the Gulf of Profaneness on the left we shall neither betray our Christian Liberty nor abuse it 2. In the words themselves are apparantly observable concerning that Liberty two things the Extension first and then the Limitation of it The Extension is in the former clause Wherein we have the Things and the Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things lawful and All lawful for me The Limitation is in the later clauses wherein is declared first what it is must limit us and that is the reason of Expediency But all things are not expedient And secondly one special means whereby to judge of that Expediency which is the usefulness of it unto Edification But all things edifie not I am to begin with the Extension of which onely at this time And first and chiefly in respect of the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are lawful 3. What All things simply and without exception All What meant Iohn Baptist then to come in with his Non licet to Herod about his Brothers Wife It is not lawful for thee to have her Matth. 14. Or if Iohn were an austero man and had too much of Elias's spirit in him Yet how is it that our blessed Saviour the very pattern of love and meekness when the Pharisees put a question to him Whether it were lawful for a man to put away his Wife for every cause resolveth it in effect as if he
Prophecies the darkest part of all yet are not without some degree of lustre they shine saith S. Peter though but as a candle in a dark place But then the light of the Gospel that is a most glorious light shining forth as the Sun when he is in his greatest strength at noon day in Summer 11. Hence also ariseth as one light commonly begetteth another a third light the light of grace and saving knowledge wrought in the hearts of men by the holy word of God set on by his holy Spirit withal accompanying it God who bringeth light out of darkness hath shined in your hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 12. And where the light of grace is there is another light also fourthly that alwayes attendeth thereupon the light of comfort For Grace and Comfort are Twins the blessed inseparable effects of one and the same blessed Spirit Lux orta est justo there is sprung up or as some translate it there is sowen a light for the righteous and joyful gladness for such as be true hearted Psal. 97. The true heart that is the light heart indeed Light in both significations light without darkness and light without sadness or heaviness 13. There is yet remaining a fifth light the light of Glory Darkness is an embleme of horrour We have not a fitter similitude whereby to express the miseries of the hell within us that of an evil conscience or of the hell without us that of eternal torments then by inner and outer darkness But light is a most glorious creature then which none fitter to express to our capacities either the infinite incomprehensible glory and majesty of God He clotheth himself with light as with a garment and dwelleth in the light that no man can approach unto or that endless glory and happiness which the holy Angels do now and all the Saints in their due time shall enjoy in heaven Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 14. In these respects he that hath the honour to be styled a Christian in any degree hath also a title so far forth to be styled a childe of light Whether it be by the outward profession of the Christian faith only or by the inward sanctification of the Spirit also Those are nomine tenùs Christiani Christians but in name and shew equivocal Christians these only are Christians indeed and in truth Of these is made up the Church of Gods elect otherwise called the invisible Church of Christ and not unfitly because the persons appertaining to that Church as members thereof are not distinguishable from others by any outward infallible character visible to us but by such secret inward impresses as come not within the cognisance of any creature nor can be known by any creature otherwise then conjecturally only without special revelation from God The foundation of God standeth firm having this seal Dominus novit The Lord knoweth who are his Should we take these here meant the opposition between the children of this world and the children of light would be most perfect Those who remain in the state of depraved nature and so under the dominion of Sin and Satan being the children of this world in the strictest notion and those whom God hath called out of darkness into his marvellous light that is brought out of the state of nature into the state of grace and translated into the kingdom of his Son Iesus Christ being the children of light in the stricter notion also 15. But forasmuch as we who cannot look beyond the outside are no competent judges of such matters it will best become us to make use of that judgment which alone God hath allowed us I mean that of Charity And then it will be no hard business for us to pronounce determinately applying the sentence even to particular persons who are to be esteemed the children of light Even all those that by outwardly professing the name and faith of Christ are within the pale of the visible Church of Christ. The holy Apostle so pronounceth of them all 1 Thess. 5. Ye are all the children of the light and of the day And Eph. 5. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are light in the Lord. our very baptism entitleth us hereunto which is the sacrament of our initiation whereby we put on Christ and are made members of Christ and children of God Whence it is that in the Greek Fathers Baptism is usually called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an enlightning and persons newly baptised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an office in the Greek Church to whom it belonged to hear the confessions of the Catechumeni and after they were approved to present them to baptism with many other phrases and expressions borrowed from the same metaphor of light and applied in like manner to Baptism 16. Now to bring all this long and as I fear tedious discourse home to the Text the question here resolved seemeth in the right stating thereof to come to this issue whether natural and worldly men in the managery of their worldly affairs to the best temporal advantage or they that profess themselves Christians in the business of their souls and pursuit of everlasting salvation do proceed the more rationally and prudentially in their several wayes towards the attainment of their several ends How the question is resolved we shall consider by and by In the mean time from this very consideration alone that the children of light and the children of this world stand in mutual opposition one to the other we may learn something that may be of use to us We would all be thought what I hope most of us are not nomine tenùs only by outward profession and at large but in very deed and truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Christians and children of light in the stricter and nobler notion Yet were it but the other only our very baptism and profession of Christianity would oblige us to a holy walking sutable to our holy calling and profession and to the solemn vow we took upon us at our baptism It were a base yea a very absurd thing for us to jumble and confound what we finde here not only distinguished from but even opposed against the one the other Children of God and of the Church by profession and yet children of Satan and of the world in our conversation Children of light and yet hold fellowship with and take delight in the unfruitful works of darkness Quae communio saith S. Paul It astonisht him that any man could think to bring things so contrary as Light and Darkness to any good accord or but tolerable compliance When we were the children of this world and such we were as soon as we were born into the world by taking Christendome upon us at our
dealing with the Iury perhaps get one packt for his turne tampering with the witnesses tempting the Iudge himself it may be with a Letter or a Bribe he will leave no stone unmoved no likely means how indirect soever unattempted to get the better of the day and to cast his adversary You may observe it likewise in Church-affairs A regular Minister sitteth quietly at home followeth his study doth his duty in his own Cure and teacheth his people truly and faithfully to do theirs keepeth himself within his own station and medleth no further But schismaticall spirits are more pragmaticall they will not be contained within their own circle but must be flying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must have an Oar in every Boat offering yea thrusting themselves into every Pulpit before they be sent for running from town to town from house to house that they may scatter the seeds of sedition and superstition at every table and in every corner And all this so wise are they in their generation to serve their own belly and to make a prey of their poor seduced proselytes for by this means the people fall unto them and thereout suck they no small advantage You may observe it also in most other things but these instances may suffice 29. The point thus proved and cleared that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light that we may make some use of it briefly First let me say with St Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marvel not my brethren when you see an evil cause prosper it may be for a long time together and the better side go down as if some strange thing had happened unto you and such as never had been heard in the word before neither be troubled or scandalized at it Fret not thy self saith David at him whose way doth prosper against the man that doth after evil counsels If you would but well consider how solicitous how industrious how smooth and cunning how unanimous they are on the one side how far short they on the other side are in all these and all other like advantagious respects you would soon finde that in the saddest events that ever your eyes beheld there is no matter of wonderment at all Yea did not the powerful hand of Gods over-ruling providence sometimes interpose giving the enemy now and then a sudden stop when they are in their full cariere in the height of their pride and jollity and making good his promises to his poor distressed Church by sending unexpected help and deliverance when they are brought very low both in their estates and hopes we might rather wonder that it is not even much worse with the people of God then it is and how they should be able at all to subsist their enemies having all the advantages in the world against them 30. Let not their successes therefore trouble us Rather in the second place let their wisdome quicken us to a holy emulation Not to imitate their wayes nor to joyne with them in their wicked enterprises God forbid no nor so much as to encourage them therein by any unworthy compliances It was not the stewards injustice but his wisdom that his master commended him for in the parable and that our master in the application of the parable intended to commend to us for our imitation His example should kindle a holy zeal in us and an endeavour to be as wise for spirâ—â—uals and in the business of our souls as he was and as the children of this world usually are for temporals and in the affairs of the world It is no shame at all for us to learn wisdom of any whomsoever 1. Of a poor irrational contemptible Creature Vade ad formicam Goe to the pismire O sluggard and learn her wayes learn wisdom of her 2. Of an Enemy Books have been written by Moralists de utilitate ab inimicis capienda We curse our Enemies many times unchristianly whereas did we seriously consider how much we are beholding to them for the greatest part of that wisdom and circumspection we shew in the managery of our affairs we would not only bless them as we are in Christian charity bound but heartily bless God for them also by way of gratitude for the great benefit we reap by them 3. Yea of the Devil himself Watch saith St Peter for your adversary the Devil goeth about c. as if he should say He watcheth for your destruction watch you therefore for your own security and preservation Thus may we from the worldlings wisdom learn something that may be of use to us and that in each of the fore-mentioned particulars 31. From their Sagacity learn to forecast how to please God to fore-arme our selves against all assaults and wiles of Satan to fore-think and to be in some measure provided before hand of needful and proper expedients for any exigent or cross accident that may probably befall us 2. From their Industry learn not to be slothful in doing service nor to slack the time of our repentance and turning to God to run with constancy and courage to the race that is set before us to think no pains no travail too much that may bring us to heaven to work out our salvation to the uttermost with fear and trembling 3. From their Hypocrisie and outward seeming Holiness learn to have our conversations honest towards them that are without not giving the least scandal in any thing that may bring reproach upon the Gospel to shun the very appearances of evil and having first cleansed the inside well to keep the outside handsome too that by our piety devotion meekness patience obedience justice charity humility and all holy graces we may not only stop up the mouth of the adversary from speaking evil of us but may also win glory to God and honour and reputation to our Christian profession thereby 4. From their Unity learn to follow the truth in love to lay aside vain janglings and opposition of science falsely so called to make up the breaches that are in the Church of Christ by moderating and reconciling differences rather then to widen them by multiplying controversies and maintaining hot disputes to follow the things that make for peace and whereby we may edify one another Thus doing we may gather grapes of thorns make oyl of Scorpions extract all the medicinal vertue out of the Serpent and yet leave all the poisonous and malignant quality behinde 32. Emulate them then we may may we ought It is the very main scope of the parable to provoke us to that But sure envie them we must not indeed we need not if we will but take the Limitation along with us which now only remaineth to be considered and that the time so requiring very briefly How much wiser so ever these worldly-wise men seem to be or indeed are as we have now heard it is but quadantenus and in
that fulness of joy and peace which because of Gods grace if our own endeavours be not wanting it is attainable in this life we should press hard after of rejoycing in tribulation and counting it all joy when we fall into divers temptations 24. Somewhat a hard lesson I grant yet if we can but learn some of Davids knowledg it will be much the easier He speaketh not here you see out of a vain hope because he would fain have it so nor out of some uncertain conjecture as if perhaps it might be so but out of certain knowledg gotten by diligent and attentive study in the word of God and by his own experience and observation I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled For the former branch of this knowledg that concerneth the righteousness of Gods judgments it is a thing soon learned I have shewed you the course already There is no more to be done but to examine our own cariage and deserving and we shall finde enough I doubt not to satisfie us fully in that point and therefore there need no more be said of it All the skill is about the later branch how we may know that it is done out of very love and faithfulness whensoever God causeth us to be troubled 25. For which purpose the best help I can commend unto you for the present is to observe how variously Almighty God manifesteth his love and faithfulness to his children in all their tribulations especially in three respects every one of which marvellously setteth forth his gracious goodness towards us First the End that he aimeth at in them secondly the Proportion that he holdeth in them and thirdly the Issues that he giveth out of them 26. For the End first He aimeth alwayes at our good Our earthly friends do not ever so no not our Parents that love us best The Apostle telleth us and experience proveth it that they chasten us sometimes for their own pleasure He meaneth that sometimes when they are distempered with passion and in an outragious mood they beat the poor childe either without cause or more then there is cause rather to satisfie their own fury then to benefit the childe But he doth it alwayes for our profit saith he Heb. 12. If I should enter here into the Common-place de bono afflictionis I should not well know either where to begin or when to make an end In the whole course of Divinity I finde not a field of larger scope then that is I shall therefore bring you but into one corner of it and shew you how God out of very faithfulnesse maketh use of these troubles for the better draining out of some of those evil corruptions that would otherwise so abound in us like noysome humours in the body that they would endanger a plethory in our souls especially these four Pride security worldly-mindednesse and In-compassion 27. Pride must be first else is it not right And we have store of that in us Any toy puffeth us up like a bladder and filleth us full of our selves Take the instance but in our knowledg A sorry thing God knoweth he that hath most what he knoweth is not the thousandth part of what he knoweth not and yet how strangely are some overleavened with a very small pittance of it Scientia inflat the Apostle might well say knowledg puffeth up So doth riches and honour and praise and valour and beauty and wit or indeed any thing A bush of hair will do it where it groweth ey and where it groweth not Now prosperity cherisheth this corruption wonderfully as ill humours abound most in full bodies and ill weeds grow rankest in a fat earth and setteth a man so far from God and above himself that he neither well knoweth the one nor the other Our Lord then when he seeth us thus high set sendeth afflictions and troubles to take down these unkindly swellings to prick the bladder of our pride and let out some of the winde and so he bringeth us into some better acquaintance with our selves again King Philip had a cryer to put him daily in remembrance that he was but a man lest he should forget it and think himself a little God as his son Alexander did soon after But there is no remembrancer can do this office better then afflictions can Put them in fear O Lord that the heathen may know themselves to be but men Psal. 9. If afflictions were not would not even that be soon forgotten 28. Security is next Ease and prosperity fatteneth the heart and maketh us drousie and heavy in Gods service It casteth us into a spiritual Lethargie maketh us settle upon our lees and flatter our selves as if we were out of gun-shot and no evil could reach us Soul take thine ease eat and drink thou hast provision laid up before-hand for many years yet to come Marvel not to hear ungodly men vaunt it so in a vapouring manner Psalm 10. Tash I shall never be removed there shall no harm happen unto me when holy David upon some little longer continuance of prosperity then usual did almost say even as they he thought his hill so strong that he should never be removed Psalm 30. When God seeth us thus setling upon our lees he thinketh it high time to pour us from vessel to vessel to keep us from growing musty He laieth his hand upon us and shaketh us out of our dead sleep and by laying trouble upon our loynes driveth us to seek to him for remedy and succour He dealt so with David when in his prosperity he had said he should never be removed as we heard but now out of Psalm 30. the next news we hear of him is He was removed God out of very faithfulness caused him to be troubled and he was the better for it Thou didst turn away thy face from me and I was troubled Then cried I unto thee O Lord and gat me to my Lord right humbly as it there followeth in that Psalm In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord saith he elswhere Belike in the time of his ease he either sought him not or not so carefully In their afflictions they will seek me diligently Hosea 5. but negligently enough out of affliction Absolon had a mind to speak with Ioab but Ioab had no mind to speak with him Absolon sendeth for him one messenger after another still Ioab cometh not Well thinketh Absolon he will not come but I will fetch him and so he sendeth some of his people to fire his corn-fields and that fetcheth him then he cometh running in all haste to know what the matter was So God sendeth for us messenger after messenger one sermon after another to bring us in we little regard it but sit it out and will not come in till he fire our corn or do us some