love p. 609. Proleps How ever men conceit its certaine all shall not have benefit by him but few in comparison Ibid. We may know we are Christs if we have his Spirit and specially by foure effects of it p. 610 611. He that would get comfortable assurance that Christ is his must 1 Desire and thirst after him more then any thing else p. 611. 2 Bee content to buy and purchase him by parting with whatsoever is dearest to him that he may obtaine him 3 feele the burden of his sins and see how damnable his estate is without him p. 612 613. Lect 121. No man can receive comfort by the blood of Christ till he hath it sprinckled upon his heart and applyed to him p. 614. None but the Lord himselfe can thus apply and sprinkle the bloud of Christ upon the heart of any man p. 615. For 1 the more a man knoweth of Christ the more will he be vexed if he cannot know hee hath any part in him himselfe Ibid. 616. 2 mans infidelity is such he cannot apply Christ to himselfe p. 616. Popery deprives men of true comfort in foure doctrines that they teach Ibid. We should give no rest to our selves till we have got Christs bloud sprinckled upon us and assurance it was shed for us p. 617. for 1 it is possible to get this assurance in this life p. 618. 2 Great is the benefit of it pag. 619. Lect. 122. Necessary to examine well that assurance wee seeme to have that Christ is ours for 1 Many most lewd men have seemed to bee strongly assured of it in whom certainely Gods Spirit never wrought it 2 it s much better to live in continuall doubt of it then to have such false assurance p. 620. The Spirit of God only workes true assurance because he is the onely comforter the Divell also worketh a kinde of peace and assurance but he can never be a true comforter p. 621. 1 Signe of true assurance Those in whom the Spirit worketh assurance were first humbled with doubts and feares and after they have it they never have it in this life in perfection yea they are subject oft to spirituall disertions Ibid. He that never doubted of his salvation was never acquainted with any feares or trouble of mind hath just cause to doubt of his assurance p. 622. 2 Signe All true assurance is grounded upon the Word the Spirit and the Word goe alway together the worke of the Spirit to be judged by the Word Ibid. Every true Christian hath the Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of salvation p. 623. Proleps 1. A man that hath grace in him may certainely know that he hath it Ibid. 2. By the Word hee may know certainely that every grace that is in him is in him in sincerity p. 624. No trusting to any assurance but such onely as is grounded on the Word for 1 that onely is of the Spirits working Ibid. 2 by the Word only Sathan to be convinced when he shall question our assurance and âift us about it 3 the Lord will judge every one of us by his Word p. 625. Most men are confident they shall be saved though they have no Word of God to assure them of it nay though the Word give expresse testimonie against them Ibid. Lect. 123. The third signe of true assurance is the effects and fruits it produceth in them that have it 1 It is operative and will breed in him that hath it an unfeigned love to God and care to expresse his love by the uttermost service he is able to doe unto him p. 626. It will worke a thorow reformation in the inner man Ibid. Nothing will make the heart 1 So soft and apt to mourne for sinne 2 so fearefull to oftend God hereafter 3 So to desire and delight in the Word and meanes of grace 4 So carefull to practise what hee knowes and to please God in all things as this will doe p. 627. He that hath it cannot content himselfe to serve God inwardly and in Spirit but hee will also 1 Professe openly and declare himselfe to be Gods servant Ibid. 2 put forth himselfe to doe God in his place all the service and honour he can p. 628. Th' assurance most men have of their salvation appeares by this to be false and counterfâit because its idle and unfruitfull Nay it workes quite contrary effects 1 it hardneth the heart and keepeth men from sorrowing for sin Ibid. 2 it makes them bold to commit any sinne 3 it makes them despise the Word and meanes of grace 4 it maketh them utterly carelesse of practise 5 They count it their wisedome to conceale their love to God and religion and a disgrace to be noted for it 6 They have no care to honour God p. 629. 1 Masters of families may greatly honour God and their sinne that doe not p 630. 2 So may Ministers 3 So may Magistrates p. 631. Lect. 124. Though true assurance of the pardon of our sinnes bee the supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit yet doth the Spirit worke it by meanes p. 632. Great force there is in Gods solemne worship and conscionable use of his ordinances to work and preserve and recover it Ibid. and namely 1 in the Word because 1 it was given to that end chiefly p. 633. 2 God hath promised to accompany it by his Spirit in the hearts of his people 634. 2 in the use of the Lords Supper for therin Christ is 1 offered most particularly 2 applyed p. 635. 3 in prayer p. 636. Five causes why Gods people finde not the fruit of it p. 637. Lect. 125. 1 A constant care to please God in all things and feare to offend him is a singular meanes to get preserve and recover assurance and without it it will not be p. 638-641 2 If Gods people would diligently observe and examine their owne wayes they might get preserve and recover assurance better then they doe p. 641. for if we can finde that we doe any one good thing with an upright heart we may from thence grow assured that we are in Gods favour p. 642. yet a full and strong assurance will not be gotten in a day or two but by a long and constant continuance in well doing Ibid. A Christian even the meanest and when he is at the worst may by due examination finde the truth of grace in him Ibid. pag. 643. Though hee can for the present finde no goodnesse in himselfe yet it will be profitable for him to call to minde the signes of grace hee had in former times page 643. Lect. 126. 3 If Gods people would call to minde the speciall experiments they have had formerly of Gods goodnesse towards them even in temporall and common favours it would be a great helpe to obtaine and preserve and recover th' assurance of his love in Christ p. 644. But specially th'experiments of his love in spirituall things p. 645. We should take notice and
conscience to confesse all their sinnes to the Priest and they had directions given them to helpe them in calling to mind their sins I know God required no such thing at their hands and it was but a counterfeit humiliation and repentance that was wrought that way But surely they did not so much offend in superstition then as we do in profanesse now No man holdeth himselfe bound now to call his sinnes to remembrance and make a particular confession of them unto the Lord before he goeth to the Sacrament and that is the cause why we find no more comfort in it I therefore heartily pray every one of you that desire to receive Christ in the Sacrament to the comfort of your soules that you would hearken unto and make conscience to do as the Apostle chargeth you to do 1 Cor. 11.28 Let every man examine himselfe And verse 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. If you would receive comfort by it you must examine your selves and finde out your speciall sinnes you must judge and afflict your owne soules for your sinnes if you will not doe this you shall be so farre from receiving comfort by the Sacrament as you shall become the worse by it God will judge and afflict you for comming unworthily unto it Lecture LIII On Psal. 51.4 April 3. 1627. FIftly He that would attaine unto this grace of true patience and be able to cleare the Lord as David doth heere when he shall judge him to beare patiently and comfortably whatsoever troubles and afflictions God shall bee pleased to exercise him withall must before that time commeth get a true and a lively faith even a comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ. This power that there is in faith to make a man able patiently and comfortably to beare afflictions of what kind or degree soever they be is plentifully taught in the holy Scriptures and confirmed to us by the experience of the Saints of God The holy Apostle speaking of all the parts of the Christian armour and among the rest of that whereby the feet and legs are to be defended he calleth it Ephes. 6.15 The preparation of the Gospell of peace His meaning is that when once we are assured of our peace and reconciliation with God which is wrought by the Gospell then are we prepared to follow Christ through thicke and thin through the most hard and stony the most sharp and thorny way of any persecution and trouble whatsoever Being justified by faith saith the same Apostle Rom. 5.1 we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus And what followeth upon that Why when once we are justified from our sinnes and have peace with God then verse 3. We glory in tribulations And so doth the Apostle make this the ground of the strange patience of the Saints in the daies of the Maccabees when they were tortured and were tried with mockings and scourgings with bonds and imprisonment when they were some stoned and some sawne in sunder What made them able to endure such things and not to accept of deliverance when it was offered unto them if they would have yeelded a little Surely their faith as you shall find Heb. 11. 33.37 by faith they attained to this strength to this measure of patience I shewed you in the handling of the Doctrine that Gods servants and Martyrs could not be overcome nor made to yeeld unto adversaries when they endured such torments as were impossible for flesh and bloud to endure but became conquerours yea more then conquerours in them all as the Apostle speaketh Rom 8.37 But would you know how they came to this valour to this admirable strength to heare and to overcome such intollerable torments Surely it was their faith whereby they were assured of their peace with God that made them able to doe it as the Apostle speaketh in the same place and in the very next words For I am perswaded saith he verse 38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. He that is so confidently perswaded of Gods unchangeable and everlasting love towards him in Christ no marvell though no affliction be ever able to overcome him though he become more then a conquerour in the greatest tribulations that can befall him So when it is said of the holy Martyrs Rev. 12.11 that they overcame the great Dragon in all the bloudy and extreame persecutions that he raised up against them under the cruell Emperours and Popes of Rome the meanes is also mentioned whereby they got such strength and patience to endure and overcome him They overcame him saith the holy Ghost by the bloud of the Lambe The faith they had in the bloud of Christ which was sprinkled upon their hearts made them able to beare and overcome so bitter torments as they did endure and so will it certainely doe any of us in the like case This is the victory that overcommeth the world even our faith saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.4 And this is the promise of God wee shall find Psal. 91.9 Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge thy habitation marke what followeth ver 13. thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and adder the yong Lyon and the Dragon thou shalt trample under thy feete You see what testimony the holy Scripture giveth to this fift meanes that is to say that faith will worke patience and make a man able to endure any thing consider also three effects of it and you will easily discerne it must needs âee so For first Faith worketh in the heart that hath it a light esteeme of all worldly things and he that is brought to that once will be easily able to suffer yea even to dye it is the over-much love we beare to these earthly things that maketh us so unwilling to dye or to endure any trouble By Christ saith the Apostle Galat. 6.14 the world is crucified unto mee They in whose hearts Christ dwelleth by faith the World becommeth base and contemptible unto them they feele the love and high esteeme of worldly things decayed in them Secondly Faith certifieth the heart that hath it of Gods love and he that is sure of that will bee able to endure any thing with patience from Gods hand Thus doth Iob stop the mouth of his impatient and foolish wife Iob. 2.10 What saith he shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Shall we that have enjoyed so many moneths and yeeres of great prosperity and comfort thinke much to endure affliction and trouble for a few dayes We that have received so many demonstrations of Gods fatherly and unchangeable love shall we thinke much to receive correction from him Thus did our blessed Saviour confirme his owne heart in patience against those intollerable sufferings he was to
endure for us Iohn 18.11 The cup which my father hath given me shall I not drinke When we are once assured God is our father wee shall be made well content to take the bitterest potion from his hand And thus doth the holy Apostle reason Rom. 5. for when he had said that being justified by saith wee are able even to glory in tribulations hee giveth this for the reason of it verse 5. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost that is given unto us As if hee had said When once the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts and soaketh into them so as we have a comfortable sense and feeling of it how can we choose but beare tribulations patiently and even glory in them Thirdly and lastly Faith maketh the heart that hath it undoubtedly certaine of those promises God hath made to his people in their afflictions of which we heard when I spake of the motives unto this duty as namely 1. That they shall tend to our good in the end Heb. 12.10 Hee correcteth us for our profit And 2. that in the meane time he will not forsake us in them but assist and support us Psal. 91.15 I will be with him in trouble I will deliver and honour him These promises I say faith maketh the heart certaine of Heb. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seene And he that is sure of these promises how can he choose but beare affliction patiently And say with David Psal. 56.4 In God will I praise his word as if he should say I will praise God for his word and promise And what followeth in the same verse In God have I put my trust I will not feare what flesh can doe unto me Let me apply this briefly 1. By way of exhortation 2. By way of comfort First Seeing faith will stand us in that stead in the evill day and yeeld us that strength and comfort in all afflictions it standeth us upon to get it in time and to looke well to our selves that that faith we thinke we have be such as will abide the tryall in the fornace of affliction such as will not deceive us in the evill day It is the exhortation of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your owne selves For alas if we have no true faith no sound assurance that we are in Christ when death shall come when the troublesome time of persecution when the sword of the bloody enemy shall come what shall we doe How shall we be able to beare it What patience what comfort can wee looke to have in that day 1. Extreame affliction is wont to awaken the conscience and set it on worke to bring a mans sins to his remembrance that he never thought of nor was troubled with before As you have heard from the example of Iosephs brethren Gen. 42.21 And what will quiet the conscience when it falleth on brawling and exclaiming upon a man Certainly nothing but faith that sprinkleth the bloud of Christ upon it as the Apostle teacheth us Heb 9.13 14. 2. In the evill day Satan will be apt to cast into mens soules his darts of desperation his fiery darts as the Apostle calleth them And what is it that will quench these darts Surely nothing but faith as the Apostle teacheth Ephe. 6.16 Above all take the shield of faith whereby yee shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of that wicked one Let us therfore looke well to our faith sith our patience and comfort in affliction dependeth so much upon it Two notes I will give you to try it by First By the meanes and manner how it was wrought in thee How camest thou by it Did the Lord worke it in thee by the ministery of his word Did thy saith come by hearing Rom. 10.17 Canst thou say that before ever Christ came into thy heart Iohn Baptist came before him to prepare his way Mark 1.2 That the ministery of the law that effectually discovered thy sins and miserable condition unto thee was thy schoolemaster to bring thee to Christ Gal. 3.24 That before the Lord spake peace to thy heart by the still soft and sweete voice of his Gospel he prepared thy heart to receive it as he did Eliahs 1 Kin. 19.11 12. by great terrour This is certainly the ordinary way whereby God bringeth his elect to faith If thou came not to thy faith this way but in some other more extraordinary manner as I doe not deny but it is possible thou mightest for who can limit the holy one of Israel Psal. 78 41. or tye him to certaine rules thou hast the more cause to suspect it and to try it the more diligently by the second note and that is this Secondly Try it by the effects of it in thy selfe How hath thy faith thou sayest thou hast in Iesus Christ wrought with thee What change hath it made in thee Wee have all of us very lately renewed our faith and made solemne profession of it and confirmed it in the holy Sacrament In it we have by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus or els that bread we did eate at the Lords Table will be as gravell betweene our teeth one day as Solomon speaketh in another case Prov. 20.17 that cup we drunke of there will be as a cup of deadly poison unto us As therefore I exhorted you the last day to examine your selves well before you went to the Lords table so do I now exhort you to an after examination of your selves Hast thou Indeed by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus so lately Then certainly 1. Thou shalt find some abatement of the strength of thy corruptions and lusts Where Christ is by faith received he will purifie the heart Act. 15.9 The woman that had the bloody issue when she had by faith touched but the border of his garment she felt such vertue comming from him as dryed up stanched the issue of blood as you shall find Luke 8.44 And is it possible that wee should have by faith not only touched his garment but eaten and drunke his very body and bloud and yet feele no vertue at all come from him to dry up the fountaine of our corruption but it runneth as fresh and freely as ever it did 2. If thou hast by faith fed upon the Lord Iesus some increase of spirituall strength to resist tentation and to walke in Gods wayes is wrought in thy foule by it Didst thou ever with a good appetite eate thy corporall food but thou receivedst some refreshing and strength by it Arise and eate saith God to Eliah the second time 1 Kin. 19.7 8. for thou hast a great journey to goe and he arose and did eate and drinke and went in the strength of that meat fourty dayes and forty nights And is there not as much vertue in the body blood of Christ being fed upon by faith to give and increase
knoweth Christ to have dyed for him cannot but cast off and renounce his lusts and corruptions This is that also which the Prophet teacheth Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne aboundantly It is the spirit of grace onely that maketh a man able to know and beleeve aright that his sins pierced Christ that Christ in all that hee suffered had speciall respect unto him nothing but the spirit of grace maketh a man able to looke upon Christ whom he hath pierced to consider it to be moved with admiration and astonishment at this wonderfull love of his But when once the spirit of grace hath made a man to know and beleeve and consider this it must needs affect the heart much and make him mourne for his sins aboundantly it must needs worke in him a loathing of his sins and a resolution to set himselfe against them O that all wee that say wee know and beleeve that Christ loved us and dyed for us would thinke seriously of this Certainely thou that sayest so and findest no force in this assurance to mortifie sin in thee and to strengthen thee against thy corruptions deceivest thine owne soule and hast no true assurance that Christ bare such love to thee as to endure so much for thy sake Hereby wee know that wee know him to bee a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 4. if wee keepe his commandements He that saith I know him to bee a propitiation for my sins for that is the knowledge of Christ he speaketh of as appeareth verse 2. and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee is a ranke hypocrite and void of all truth of grace how faire a shew soever hee make in the Church of God O fearefull sentence against the most of such as say they have faith And so much shall suffice to have bin spoken of the first reason why true faith must needs mortifie corruption wheresoever it dwelleth it applyeth Christ particularly to every one that hath it The second reason of it is this because true faith joyneth and uniteth us unto Christ. This union that faith maketh betweene us and Christ is indeed mysticall and spirituall Yea this is a great mistery as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 5.32 But though it bee mysticall and supernaturall yet it is most true and reall a most neere and unspeakeable union that faith maketh betweene Christ and every beleeving soule as neere as betweene husband and wife Ephes. 5.23 as betweene the head and the members Ephes. 1.22 23. as betweene the vine and the branches Iohn 15.5 By faith we receive him and make him our owne Iohn 1.12 Nay we feed upon him and make him our owne as the meat we eate which is turned into our substance is made our owne Iohn 6.35 By faith hee dwelleth in us Ephes. 3.17 By faith wee are grafted into him Rom. 11.23 Now if faith do so joyne us unto Christ and make such an union betweene us and him it is not possible but it must needs mortifie and kill sin in us Wee cannot bee thus joyned unto Christ but wee must needs receive vertue and power from him his spirit must needs bee derived from him unto us He that is joyned unto the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 is one spirit The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the law of sin and of death The spirit of Christ must needs free him from the dominion of sinne that is thus by faith united to him And therefore to conclude this second point Certainly that man in whom sin reigneth still in whom the strength of his naturall corruption is not at all abated is not united unto Christ and consequently hath no true faith in him If wee say we have fellowship with him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth Lecture LXVII on Psalme 51.5 Aug. 14. 1627. THE third and last point which hath beene propounded for the more distinct handling of the last means of mortification is this He that desireth to get strength against any corruption must not content himselfe to have faith but hee must exercise and make use of his faith in this worke The most of us loose much of the benefit and comfort wee might find in our faith because wee doe not make use of it nay the cause why wee find it so weake and feeble to stand us in any stead when wee have most need of it for our comfort is because wee have not beene wont to exercise it and put it into action We have an old proverbe Vse legs and have legs and experience teacheth that the neglect of exercising the body is a great meanes to weaken it much This may every whit as truly bee said of the graces of Gods spirit exercise them by practise and they will increase neglect to exercise them and they will decay in thee To every one that hath saith our Saviour in the parable of the talents Mat. 25.29 that is that by making use of it and imploying it doth shew that hee hath grace more shall bee given and bee shall have aboundance but from him that hath not shall bee taken away even that which hee hath The Apostle commending the Thessalonians saith 1 Thess. 1.3 hee remembred their worke of faith their faith was ever in action ever exercising it selfe And what is the proper worke and act wherein faith exerciseth it selfe Surely in taking hold of the promises that God hath made unto us in Christ in applying them unto our selves and resting upon them Thus must wee exercise our faith if we would have it grow if wee would have the comfort of it The Apostle saith of all the faithfull 2 Cor. 5.7 that they walke by faith In our whole conversation we may and ought to make use of our faith And of himselfe he saith that hee did live by his faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith he Galat. 2.20 In all the occasions of our life we may and should exercise our faith and we loose a great deale of sweetnesse and comfort because we doe not so But in no occasion of our life can we have more use of our faith then when wee are troubled with any strong corruption which wee would faine overcome and get the mastery of Let us come then to Christ and stirre up our selves to take hold of him and confidently expect and looke for helpe and strength from him against it and wee may bee sure to bee delivered from the dominion of it Through God wee shall doe valiantly saith David Psal. 108.13 for hee it is that shall tread downe our enemies And Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Wee read
who by the restraining grace of God have bin ever kept from grosse sins is not so sensible but more secret a great deale The most Christians though they bee able to say with the blind man Iohn 9.25 One thing I know whereas I was blind now I see they know well and feele there is a blessed change wrought in their hearts yet when it was wrought or how it was wrought that they know not That which Solomon saith of other of Gods works Ecclesi 11.5 is verified in this especially As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with child even so knowest thou not the workes of God who worketh all And as our Saviour speaketh Marke 4.27 When the seed is sowen in the heart it worketh and springeth and groweth no man knoweth how And yet even in this conversion of such men though the worke of God bee more secret and insensible yet is the almighty power of God to be acknowledged as much in it as in the other As the omnipotency of Christ was as well shewed in the turning of the water into wine Iob. 2.11 and the curing of the woman that had the bloudy issue Mar. 5.29 as in the helping of him that was from his childhood possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit Marke 9.25 26. O that wee could see and take notice of this admirable power of God in the change that he hath beene pleased to worke in our hearts O that God would bee pleased according to the prayer of the Apostle for the Ephes. 1.18 19. to inlighten the eyes of our understanding that wee may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power That we may accordingly admire and magnifie it and give him the glory of it And yet his goodnesse and mercy will appeare to bee no lesse admirable in this worke of our conversion then his power was if wee rightly consider what wee were by nature Observe this I pray you in three degrees First That God should seeke out any of us that like a poore lost sheepe was gone astray from him some of us in one evill way some in another according to that parable Luke 15.4 wee being so farre from seeking him from doing any thing to further our owne conversion that we desired nothing lesse but opposed and resisted it and were in our hearts ready to say with the man that had the uncleane spirit Luke 4 34. Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth That hee would take no nay at our hands but by his most effectuall grace overcame us as hee saith Revelation 3.9 Behold I will make them that are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iewes and are not but doe lye behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feete He made us to turne hee made us to obey and follow his call This gracious favour I say that the Lord hath done us in the worke of our conversion ô it was his admirable mercy unto us Secondly That the Lord should seeke reconciliation with us when we were his enemies as the Apostle speaketh 2 Corinth 5.20 and make love to us when wee were such loathsome creatures that passing by us when wee were in our bloud even when wee were in our bloud as hee saith Ezek. 16.6.8 hee should looke upon us and that that should bee the time of his love as hee there speaketh That hee should never give over making love unto us till hee had wonne our hearts and made us able to affect and love him and to seeke him and his love unfeinedly who were by nature much more alienated from him then hee was from us even hated him in our hearts much more then ever hee did us this was I say his admirable mercy toward us And so the Apostle speaketh of it Colos. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds yet now hath hee reconciled And the Lord by the Prophet Esay 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me Even this that such as we were by nature should have the grace to love the Lord and to seeke his favour which we could never have done if he had not bin first reconciled unto us 1 Iohn 4.19 is the admirable goodnesse of God unto us Thirdly That God should thus change and convert our hearts unto him and give us any measure of grace to desire unfeinedly to feare and please him that hee should pull us out of our naturall estate and leave others in it that are farre our betters not onely in birth and wealth and wisedome and learning but even in the unblameablenesse of their conversation also that were never in their lives guilty of so foule sinnes as wee have beene That he should deny this grace to such as the young Noble man was that had lived so civilly and had so many good things in him Mar. 10.20 21. and grant it to such as that infamous harlot was Lu. 7.37 This is certainly the admirable and unspeakeable mercy of God to such a one And as the infinite power and goodnesse of God is to bee acknowledged and admired in the worke of our conversion in generall so is it also in every particular act of Gods grace in us That any of us should bee able to delight in the law of God in the inner man Rom. 7.22 to love the brethren 1 Iohn 3.14 to weepe and shed teares for our sins 2 King 22.19 to make any one prayer Psalme 17.1 to give any almes Matth. 10.42 in truth and uprightnesse of heart considering what we are by nature is to bee ascribed to the marvellous power and goodnesse of God toward us When David and his people had offered toward the building of Gods house it is said 1 Chron. 29.9 They rejoyced with great joy because with a perfect and upright heart they had offered willingly unto the Lord. And David himselfe burst out into words of strange admiration verse 14. But who am I Lord and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things come of thee Now let me apply this that hath bin said in three points and so lay it somewhat neerer to our hearts First If this be so Then let no man hearken to those that reach 1. That God hath no such powerfull hand in the worke of mans conversion but that it lyeth in every mans power and will when God hath done all his worke to turne or not to turne 2. That which God doth in the conversion of any man he doth to all men For the spirit speaketh expressely in the Scriptures 1. That the Lord is not onely a perswader but the worker and mighty doer of this worke of our change and conversion It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13
that loveth the Lord is a good man a sound elect Christian an upright hearted man Let them that love thy name all good men all sound hearted men saith David Psal. 5.11 be joyfull in thee So Psal. 119.132 Looke thou upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe to those that love thy name If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne of him As if he had said Whatsoever men may thinke of such howsoever men may account many of such to be no better then hypocrites yea howsoever they may oft times thinke so of themselves also yet God approveth and highly esteemeth of them Secondly All Gods promises are appropriated unto such as love the Lord and therfore all such must needs be upright in heart See this first in heavenly and eternall blessings Iames 1.12 He shall receive the crowne of liââ which the Lord hath promised to them that love him and 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that love him All that love the Lord shall goe to heaven and none but they See this secondly in spirituall blessings All the comforts of the Gospell righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost the fatnesse of Gods house comfort in the Word and Sacraments are promised to them that love the Lord and to none but them 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him See this thirdly in temporall blessings Because he hath set his love upon me saith the Lord Psal. 91.14 therefore will I deliver him Rom. 8.28 We know that all things worke together for the good of such as love God They that love God may be sure to be made the better by their prosperity and by their adversity by their sicknesse and by their health everything that befalleth them shall be sanctified unto them and to none but such And on the other side he that loveth not the Lord hath no right to any blessing of God no promise of God belongeth unto him but a certaine looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.27 If any man love not the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 16.22 let him bee Anathema Maranatha as if hee had said let him bee accursed even unto the comming of Christ to judgement Thirdly and lastly See this confirmed by a practicall experiment When Peter was so dejected in the sense of his fearefull sinne that hee thought himselfe unworthy ever to be imployed or to meddle any more in the worke of his Apostleship and ministery see how and by what argument our Saviour seeketh to raise him and comfort him Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me As if he had said If this bee in thee be of good comfort thou art not quite fallen from God thy heart is upright for all thy fall And thus may we comfort any poore Christian in their greatest distresse of Conscience You see then that that we doe out of true love to God will give us a comfortable testimony that our hearts are upright so will not that doe that is done meerely out of such a feare of Gods wrath as hath no mixture of love in it See an instance for this in those false hearted Iewes that perished in the wildernesse as wee shall find it set downe Psal. 78.34 36 37. When he slew them sometimes by fiery serpents sometimes by strange pestilence and other judgements then they sought him and returned and enquired early after God They made great shewes of repentance great protestations of amendment as you have knowne many lewd men in extreame sicknesses doe But what came all these shewes unto That you shall find verse 36 37. They did but flatter him with their mouth and they lied to him with their tongues for their hearts were not right with him There is no truth of heart in those shewes of repentance and goodnesse that are extorted from us onely by the judgements of God and sense of his wrath that grow out of that feare that hath no mixture of love in it Now let us make some application of this that we have heard And seeing whatsoever good thing we doe out of love to God is pleasing to him and nothing els if we truly love the Lord our hearts are upright if the love of God be not in us there is no truth in our hearts but we shall be sure to have our portion with hypocrites Let us therefore try our owne hearts by this note Let us every one of us seriously bethinke our selves if the Lord should speake to every one of us particularly and by name and aske us that question that he did Peter Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me what answer wee would be able to make unto him Certainely your answer to this question would be very indifferent Some of you that have no love of God in you at all but hate him in your hearts would be ready to answer him most confidently and some others of you that doe indeed intirely and unfeignedly love him would make a very doubtfull and fearefull answer unto this question Let mee direct my speech to you both severally and apart For the first of you I know you will be ready to say Is there any man so ungracious so lewd that he doth not love the Lord that he doth hate the Lord Yes yes alas there be many such in the world and in the Church too They hate the Lord not as he is their Creatour and preserver for in those respects they will seeme to love him but as he is a law-giver and hath given them such lawes as do curbe them and are most crosse and contrary to their nature as he is their Soveraigne Lord and King that requireth obedience of them unto those lawes as he is God the avenger as the Prophet calleth him Psal. 94.1 that will take vengeance of them for their sinnes in these respects they hate him His Citizens hated him saith our Saviour in the Parable Luke 19.14 we will not have him to reigne over us Yea they hate him with a mortall hatred Their soule abhorred me saith the Lord Zach. 11.8 and wish with all their hearts as to their most mortall enemy a fearefull thing to be spoken or thought that he had no being that he were quite rid out of the world Many such wretches I say there be in the world and even in the Church too and if thou knewest thy selfe well thou wouldst find thy selfe to be of that wretched number But though thou knowest not thy selfe the Lord knoweth thee well and will one day say to thee as he said to a great number that were members of the true Church as thou art professours of the true religion as thou
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
The seven yeeres wherein Iacob did service to Laban a very hard master seemed to him but a very few dâyes saith Moses Genes 29.20 because hee loved Rachel And surely our love to God is no lesse forcible this way if it be true it will make us willing to obey him even in his hardest commandements Of this her love to God it is that the Church speaketh when shee saith Cant. 8.6 Love is strong and irresistable as death And this is that which the Apostle meaneth 1 Iohn 5.3 4. This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grievous As if hee had said the love of God will make us carefull to keepe Gods commandements yea it will make those commandements easie to us that are most crosse to our nature they will bee nothing grievous to us if we love the Lord. And thus have I finished the first point I propounded Nothing but faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as may kindle in our hearts a true love to God The second followeth A lively faith is able to do this Faith assureth us of such a love that God hath borne to us so speciall so marvellous a love above that that hee hath done to the greatest part of the world as wee cannot choose but love him againe and love him unfeinedly that is love him for himselfe love him better then any thing else love him so as wee can bee content to goe through thicke and thin to please him Observe the proofe of this in three degrees First There is a marvellous love of God that far surpasseth all other of his loves If you aske me wherin God hath declared this his speciall and marvellous love to his people I answer in giving them his only Son to ransome them from hell and to purchase heaven for them Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 that God loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in this that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us This was a marvellous love of God all the fruits of Gods favour that worldlings doe enjoy are but shels and husks in comparison of this Secondly Whereas this love of God is not alike to all men but peculiar to a few in comparison Feare not little flocke saith our Saviour Luke 12.32 Wheras God in sending his son had not such respect to the greatest part of the world I pray not for the world saith Christ. Iohn 17.9 Faith assureth every true beleever that this wonderfull love of God belongeth to him That God in speciall love to him sent his Sonne to doe and endure all that hee did It maketh him able to say with the Apostle Galat. 2.20 Hee loved me and gave himselfe for me And with David Ps. 31.21 Blessed bee the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse He hath made me able to see that this marvellous love of his belongeth to me Thirdly and lastly When the heart of a man is once by faith assured that God hath so loved him as to send his Sonne to dye for him this must needs breed in him a love unfeined unto God and care to please him and proportionable to the assurance wee have of this love of God shall our love to God bee Mary Magdalene because shee knew by faith that Gods love to her had beene so aboundant as to forgive her so many sinnes therefore did shee love Christ aboundantly Luk 7.47 Thus David professeth of himselfe Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications And what was the prayer that he had made for hearing of which hee did so love the Lord He telleth us ver 3.4 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell got hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord. Hee was in anguish of conscience and feare of damnation and God upon his prayer spake peace to his heart and assured him of his favour in Christ therefore did hee so love the Lord. Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians 3.17 19. that they might bee rooted and grounded in love to God he meaneth and to men for his sake hee desireth to that end that God would make them able fully to comprehend and know in all the dimensions of it the love of Christ that passeth knowledge As if hee should say If men did well know this love of God to us in Christ they could not choose but be so settled and rooted in love to God as nothing could bee able to draw their hearts from him Lecture LXXXI On Psalme 51.6 Febru 19. 1627. LET us now apply this that wee have heard to our selves And that that I will say for the application of this point shall bee by way of exhortation onely even to stirre up and perswade my selfe and every one of you not to rest contented with the fruits of Gods common and generall love bee not satisfied in thy selfe till thou be assured by faith that God loveth thee with his speciall and particular love that thou art one of the world of Gods Elect whom God so loved that hee gave his onely begotten sonne for thee that thou beleeving in him mightest not perish but have life everlasting as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3.16 That God so loveth thee that hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for thee as Rom. 8.32 Till thou canst say with Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ Iesus the Sonne of God loved mee and gave himselfe for mee And with Iohn Revel 1.5 Hee loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Till thou bee assured that God loveth thee with this more then common with this marvellous love nothing should content thee but thou shouldst still cry with David Psal. 17.7 Shew me thy marvellous loving kindnesse make mee able to see and know that thou lovest me with this marvellous love And 106.4 Remember me ô Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people ò visit mee with thy salvation To bee beloved of God with that love that hee beareth to strangers or to his hired servants should not content us but that love onely that hee beareth to his owne people to his deare children None of his gifts should satisfie us without his salvation those good things that accompany salvation but wee should still cry ô visit mee with thy salvation as if hee had sayd give mee a comfortable sense and assurance of that It is said of the faithfull Bereans Acts 17.11 that they were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã better borne and bred more noble then others And as those that are nobly borne aspire after higher estates and conditions of life then other men doe they scorne to live upon a base and mechanicall trade So saith our Saviour Matth. 6.31 33. that all wee that are his Disciples should doe After all these things saith hee
God Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes saith David Psal. 26.3 therefore have I walked in thy truth If wee would set that oftner before our eyes meditate more seriously of that certainely it would make all Gods waies more easie and pleasant to us then they are On the other side he that hath no assurance of Gods love in Christ can never pray or heare or receive with any delight or comfort Wouldst thou know the true cause why it is so irksome a thing for thee to pray or to reade or to heare or to keepe the Sabbath that thou sayest of all these duties in thy heart as they did Mal. 1.13 O what a wearinesse is it Certainely thou hast in thee an evill heart of unbeliefe as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 3.12 Thou art not assured of Gods fatherly love to thee in Christ. Nor thou seekest not to be sure of it Get more faith and more assurance of Gods love and it will seeme no bondage to thee to serve God thou wilt finde ease and pleasure it Fiftly This and this only will cure us of that stone that is in our hearts and make them soft and fleshy make us able kindly to mourne for offending God by our sinnes When God once maketh thee able by the spirit of grace to see that Christ endured so much for thee that thy sinnes pierced Christ so then wilt thou bee able to mourne for thy sinnes saith the Prophet Zach. 12.10 as a man would mourne for the losse of his onely sonne When Mary was once assured by faith that her sinnes were forgiven yea how many sinnes God had forgiven unto her Luke 7.38.47 ô how she wept for her sinnes If thou wert indeed assured of the forgivenesse of thy sinnes and of Gods favour in Christ thou couldst never thinke of thy sinnes without griefe of heart And if thou desirest to grow more soft hearted labour to increase thy faith and to get more assurance of this speciall love of God to thee in Christ. Sixtly and lastly As no grace can grow in thy heart till thou have faith so as the measure of thy assurance of Gods love shall increase in thee so shall every saving grace increase and abound in thy soule Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians Ephes. 3.19 that God would make them able to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge he giveth this for the reason of it that ye might be filled saith he with all the fullnesse of God And these are Motives strong enough if God be pleased to work with them to perswade our hearts to seek to be assured of Gods love in Christ to make our calling and election sure It followeth now I should shew you the Meanes how this may be attained but those I must I see leave till the next day Lecture LXXXII On Psalme 51.6 February 26. 1627. NOw then there be five things principally to be done by them that would get and preserve in themselves this assurance of Gods favour First If thou desire to get assurance of Gods speciall love to thee in Christ assurance that Christ is thine assurance of thy salvation thou must first settle this perswasion in thy heart that it is possible to be attained By harbouring this conceit in thy heart that it is presumption for any man to say he is sure of his salvation I hope well but it is not possible for me or any man to be sure of this thou makest thy selfe uncapable of this comfortable assurance Know therefore that though 1. It be a very difficult thing to get and keepe this assurance 2. Few attaine unto it 3. Though this assurance be not perfect in any while they live here but they that have it best have it with some mixture of doubting and unbeliefe 4. They that have had it in the greatest measure have not had it at all times Yet every true beleever may attaine unto it if the fault be not in himselfe âor 1. God hath commanded the faithfull to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 2. God hath promised that he will certifie and assure his people of this Ezek. 34.30 They shall know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God 3. God hath given his people in all ages experience of the truth of this his promise in themselves Rom. 8.15 16. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare as if he should say once ye had it but yee have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father This could not be without assurance of Gods favour and this he saith not of himselfe onely but of all the faithfull of all Gods children Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hatâ sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts This spirit witnesseth with our spiritâ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.16 that wee are the sonnes of God We know saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.2 not of himselfe but of all Gods children that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like him And againe verse 14. We know we are translated from death to life And againe Chap 4.16 We have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us Nay I say more It is not onely possible for thee if thou be Gods child to have this assurance of Gods love in some measure but it is in some manner necessary thou shouldst have it thou must get it the hope thou talkest of is to little purpose without it Know ye not your owne selves saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates that is except ye be unsound and counterfait in the profession of the faith His house we are Heb. 3.6 if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end That hope that hath no confidence nor rejoycing in it is little worth Hope must bee as an anker of the soule both sure and stedfast as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.19 Well then seeing we both may and must get this assurance it standeth us upon to enquire how and by what meanes we may get it What is then next to bee done I answer Secondly We must bind our selves to a diligent and conscionable use of Gods ordinances which he hath sanctified to be the meanes whereby he will worke and increase all saving grace and consequently this in our hearts I will instance but in three and that briefly too First There is great force in the Word to worke in our hearts not onely faith Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing but this blessed fruit of faith also the assurance of Gods favour The Scriptures were written to this end to breed in us this assurance These things have I written to you 1 Iohn 5.12 that ye may know that ye have eternall life And 1.4 These things write we unto you that your joy may be full that you may have sound
Matth. 5.4 for they shall bee comforted I will dwell with him saith the Lord Esay 57.15 that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For 1. then and never till then wee will in our judgements value and prize Gods favour in Christ above all things in the world and say with David Psal. 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better then life Shew us the father saith Philip to Christ Iohn 14.8 and it sufficeth us This hee spake indeed out of ignorance and curiositie but thus speaketh the humbled soule advisedly Let mee but see my heavenly father reconciled to mee in Christ and the light of his countenance shining upon me and I have enough though I had nothing else in the world And on the other side the humbled soule doth say that without this though hee had all the world he hath nothing but is ready to say with Paul Phil. 3.8 I count all but as dung without Christ. â Then when we are soundly humbled and never till then wee will hunger and thirst after Christ and desire Gods favour in him more earnestly and eagerly then any thing in the world It was the voice of an humbled soule that wee read Psal. 42.1 â As the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee ô God my soule thirsteth for God And they that can thus thirst after Gods favour shall be sure to obtaine the assurance of it Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse saith our Saviour Matth. 5.6 for they shall bee satisfied And what marvaile is it then that there bee so few that attaine to this assurance alas there bee few that prize it as they ought few that thirst after it because few that are soundly humbled in themselves for their sinnes Lecture LXXXIII on Psalme 51.6 March 4. 1627. THE fourth thing that they must doe that desire to get and preserve in themselves a comfortable assurance of Gods favour is this They must nourish in their hearts a constant care to please God in all their wayes and a feare to offend him in anything For 1. None but such can possibly get or keepe any true assurance of Gods favour 2. All such shall certainely attaine unto it For the first You may heare some wicked men glory much in the assurance they have of their owne salvation and pronounce peremptorily of many a servant of God that all their profession is no better then hypocrisie because they are so full of feares and so doubtfull of their salvation A wise man feareth saith Solomon Prov. 14.16 and departeth from evill the godly mans doubts and feares keepe him from many a sin that otherwise he should fall into but the foole rageth and confident hee sinneth outragiously and yet is confident But this is but a vaine presumption this can be no true assurance certainely It is not possible for any man that wittingly liveth in any knowne sinne to have any true assurance of his salvation or of the favour of God Let us draw neerâ saith the Apostle Heb. 10.22 with a true heart in full assurance of faith But how may a sinfull man attaine to this high priviledge to bee able to draw neere to God with that boldnesse and full assurance of faith that God beareth a fatherly love unto him He telleth us that in the next words alluding in his speech to the manner of such as did draw neere to God under the ceremoniall law having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water As if hee had said without a man be both justified and delivered from the guilt of his sinnes by the bloud of Christ and sanctified and delivered from the dominion of sinne by the spirit of Christ it is not possible for him to draw neere unto God in full assurance of faith Let the man that hath the strongest faith and the most comfortable assurance of Gods love once give himselfe liberty to commit any grosse sinne and hee must needes loose his comfort and assurance of Gods love Certainely our iniquities as the Prophet speaketh Esay 59.2 will separate betweene us and our God and our sins will cause him to hide his face from us See the proofe of this in David Who ever had more comfortable assurance of Gods favour then hee sometimes had The Lord is my light and my salvation saith he Psal. 27.1 whom shall I feare But when hee had once given liberty to himselfe to sinne against his conscience in the matter of Vriah see how all his comfort in the assurance of his salvation and of Gods favour was quite lost Restore to mee saith hee Psal. 51 1â the joy of thy salvation But what speake I of grosse sinnes Let a Christian but grow worldly and secure let him but remit any thing of that watchfulnesse and care that was wont to bee in him to take heed to his wayes of that feare to offend God in any thing of his diligence to serve and please the Lord and his comfortable assurance of Gods favour will bee lost See an example of this in the Church the spouse of Christ. Cant. 5.2.6 It is said verse 6. her beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone shee lost the comfortable assurance of his love How lost she it Not by any grosse sin but meerely by her lazinesse and wordly security by that answer she gave him verse 3. I have put off my ââat how shall I put it on I have washed my feete how shall I defile them As if she had said I am now at ease and quiet and by opening unto thee by hearkning and yeelding unto thee in every thing I should put my selfe to a great deale of trouble and labour that I am now eased of Thus lost shee her sweete assurance of Gods love then and thus doth many a soule loose it at this day That exhortation therefore that the Apostle giveth to the Hebrewes 6.11 is necessary for every one of us Wee desire that every one of you saith he shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end As if he had said ye have good things in you now such as accompany salvation you have now much labour of love yee have ministred unto the Saints and yet do minister but if you would have full assurance of your salvation be diligent to doe so still even unto the end if you grow negligent and carelesse in these duties hereafter this full assurance of salvation you will certainly loose A full and well grounded assurance of our salvation and of the favour of God will not bee gotten in a day or two without good proofe and experience wee have had of the worke of Gods grace in us it will never be gotten And when we have gotten it we may easily loose it againe if either wee give liberty to our selves in knowne sinnes or grow secure and carelesse in taking heed
proceed unto the fourth and last of those Motives which I promised to give you to perswade you to seeke without delay to know that you are through Christ justified in Gods sight And that is this That when a man is once justified then he shall be sure to be sanctified and never till then If any man desire to get strength against any lust or corruption that troubleth him most or to obtaine any grace that he standeth most in need of let him first labour to know that he is justified and that his sinnes are forgiven him That is the onely sure way to attaine unto both till a man know himselfe to be justified let him use never so many meanes to attaine either of them he shall but loose his labour I will give you the proofe of this first in the generall by shewing you that all true sanctification proceedeth from justification secondly in both the parts of sanctification that is to say mortification of the old man and vivification of the new For the first Doe any of you desire to have a better heart and to lead a better life which wee all ought and every good heart doe desire more then any thing els in the world then labour to get assurance that Christ is thine that thy sinnes are forgiven thee that thou art through him reconciled unto God this is the onely sure way to amend both thy heart and life This will doe it and nothing but this will ever bee able to do it Two sorts of proofes I will give you for this 1. The inward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man the inward principle and root of all grace is faith that justifieth a man and maketh knowne the love of God to him in Christ. 2. The outward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell unto him For the first I will give you foure plaine places of Scripture for the proofe of it The first is that speech of our Saviour unto Paul Acts 26.18 where speaking of them that shall inherit eternall life he calleth them such as are sanctified by faith in him As if he had said It is faith in Christ such a faith as assureth a man that Christ is his and that God is through Christ reconciled unto him that sanctifyeth a man and nothing but that The second place is Heb. 9.14 Where the Apostle comparing the bloud of Christ with the bloud of the legall sacrifices and having shewed in the former verse that the sprinkling even of that upon the people did worke a kinde of externall and legall sanctification in them How much more saith he shall the bloud of Christ being sprinkled upon you and applyed to your hearts by the spirit of God purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God As if he should say so soone as the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the conscience so soone as ever the spirit of God hath by faith assured a man that the pardon which Christ by his bloud hath purchased doth belong unto him this will certainly follow of it his heart and conscience will be purged and cleansed from dead workes from those workes which while he was a naturall man dead in trespasses and sinnes he lived in and he shall be enabled to serve God in newnesse of life The third place for the proofe of this is in 2 Pet. 1.4 Where the Apostle saith that by the knowledge of Christ are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Two things are to bee observed in these words of the Apostle 1. How come Gods people to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust How come they to forsake and be preserved from those sinnes that both themselves in times past and the whole world still through the strength of our naturall concupiscence liveth in How come they to be partakers of the divine nature How come they to have the Image of God which consisteth in true holinesse and righteousnesse renewed in them Why saith the Apostle we attaine unto all this this change is wrought in us by the exceeding great and precious promises of God which are given unto us not by any thing we were able to doe by any endeavour wee could use by any penance we could put our selves unto no nor by the law or judgements of God but by receiving and beleeving the exceeding great and precious promises that God hath given us of pardon and mercy was this blessed change wrought in us But then 2. How came wee to have interest in these exceeding great and precious promises of God Surely saith the Apostle Verse 3. And in the very first words of this verse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and Vertue that is through the knowledge of Christ. By knowing Christ to be ours In whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 wee come to have Title to all the exceeding great and precious promises of God The fourth and last place of Scripture which I promised to give you for confirmation of this first point is that speech of the Apostle Eph. 3.19 Where the Apostle praying for the Ephesians that God would make them able to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge which was so infinitely great unto every poore sinner that beleeveth in him as no heart of man is able fully to know and comprehend it he giveth this for the reason of that prayer that he made for them that yee might be filled saith he with all the fulnesse of God As if he had said the more knowledge you shall have of the wonderfull love that Christ hath borne unto you the more that you shall be assured of it the more you look into it and meditate of it the more you shall bee filled with all the fulnesse of God the more shall you abound in sanctification and in every saving grace Now for the second sort of proofes I spake of the outward instrument wherby the spirit of God useth to worke sanctification and holinesse in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tydings of the Gospell the opening and applying to him the new Testament and covenant of God the covenant of grace the promises of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ. True it is the Lord sometimes by his judgements and plagues but more usually by the Ministery of the law useth to prepare men unto grace and worke a kinde of repentance and change in the heart of man But the meanes whereby he useth to sanctifie a man indeed to mortifie and kill sin in the root to worke a saving change and true grace in his heart is by preaching the Gospell and making knowne to him his mercy in Christ.
doth the spirit of God also in his ordinary manner of teaching the heart of man by the holy Scriptures which the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.19 calleth a more sure word of prophesy then any of those extraordinary revelations were speake so expresly as the people of God that have beene taught by him have beene so certaine of the truth that they have beene willing to seale it even with their dearest bloud So the Evangelist saith Luke 1.1 that all the parts of the Gospell all the articles of our faith were most surely beleeued among the faithfull And Peter saith of himselfe and the rest of the elect Apostles Ioh. 6.69 We beleeve and are sure that thou art that Christ the sonne of the living God And our Saviour saith of them all Ioh. 17.8 that they knew surely that be came out from God and beleeved that God did send him The people of God by the teaching of the holy spirit do attaine you see not unto a probable opinion onely but to an undoubted certainty of knowledge and faith And from this certainty hath growne that marvellous courage and comfort that the holy Martyrs have expressed in all their sufferings They were âlaine for the Word of God saith the Apostle Revel 6.9 and âor the testimony which they held They did professe and give testimony to the truth of God which they had learned in his Word and they did hold fast this their testimony and would not by any meanes be drawne from it and therefore they were slaine If a man have no certainty in the matters of religion but is wavering and unsetled in it certainely he was never yet taught of God Fiftly No man can attaine to this undoubted certainty in religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the spirit of God Though a man be a constant hearer of the most excellent teacher and enjoy all other the best meanes of knowledge that are upon earth yet shall he never bee able to attaine to a cleare and certaine knowledge in the matters of his salvation till the spirit of God doe teach and instruct him When Peter had made this confession of his faith Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the sonne of the living God Iesus answered and said unto him verse 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Marke two things in this speech of our blessed Saviour 1. That till a man be taught of God he can never understand and know no not thus much 2. That he is a blessed and happy man that can find in himselfe that hee is taught of God Why but may you say May not flesh and bloud reveale so much to a man May not a naturall man be perswaded of this that Iesus is Christ the sonne of the living God I answer that he may say so and he may thinke so and he may in some sort know it to be so and be able to prove it to be so but he cannot be fully perswaded of this article he cannot beleeve it with all his heart as Philip speaketh Acts 8.37 till God by his holy spirit have revealed it unto him and perswaded his heart of it No man can say that Iesus is the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.3 but by the Holy Ghost As if he had said He cannot say and professe it from the full perswasion of his heart till the Holy Ghost hath taught it him that hee is so indeed No man can have a cleare and certaine perswasion in matters of religion but onely he that hath the spirit of sanctification and is instructed and guided by it Certainely saith Elihu Iob 32.8 there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the almighty giveth them understanding There bee many arguments whereby a man may bee convinced and forced to acknowledge that the holy Scripture is undoubtedly the Word of God 1. The marvellous consent of all the holy Writers that penned it 2. The certaine fulfilling of all the Prophesyes contained in it 3. The strange miracles that have confirmed it 4. The admirable providence of God in preserving of it 5. The testimony that the Church and Saints of God in all ages have given unto it 6. The divine and supernaturall doctrine contained in it But none of all these arguments can undoubtedly perswade the heart certitudine fidei that the holy Scripture or any doctrine contained in it is the Word of God till we be taught it of God till the holy spirit of God have inwardly certified and assured us of it Therefore is this knowledge this cleare and certaine knowledge in matters of faith and religion called Pro 30.3 the knowledge of the holy and 9.10 The knowledge of the holy is understanding A carnall man by his naturall parts and by the helpe of learning of hearing of study and conference may know much in religion and teach it also excellently and maintaine it strongly against any adversary but this cleare and certaine knowledge this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that carryeth with it as with full saile the whole man to the love and obedience of it that makes a man able and willing to suffer and die for the truth can no man have till the holy spirit of God have sanctified his heart and perswaded him in the truth Sixtly and lastly Proportionable to the measure of the spirit of grace and sanctification that any faithfull man hath received shall the measure of his knowledge and certainty be in the matters of his faith and religion He that is spirituall saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.15 by whom though he oppose him to the naturall man he meanes not every one that hath the spirit and is regenerate but him that hath the spirit in a greater measure then many other of the regenerate have as appeares by the opposition he makes Chap. 3 1. betweene them that are spirituall and them that are âaâes in Christ. He that is spirituall saith he judgeth all things that is to say is not only certaine of the truth that himselfe holdeth but can judge and clearely discerne and reject any errour that is held by other men yet he himselfe is judged of no man As if he had said He is so certainely assured of the truth that hee holdeth that the contrary judgement of other men whatsoever they bee cannot over-sway him or cause him to stagger Grow in grace saith the Apostle 2 Peter 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. The holyer and more spirituall a man is the more hee growes in grace in the feare of God in sorrow for sinne and hatred of it and in the love of goodnesse the better and with the more certainty of assurance shall hee know the mystery of Christ the clearer and more certaine assurance shall hee have in spirituall things And thus having opened and confirmed this first reason of the Doctrine I come to answer a maine objection which the Papist
CLII LECTVRES VPON PSALME LI. PREACHED At ASHBY-DELAZOUCH in Leicester-Shire By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESVS CHRIST Mr. ARTHUR HILDERSAM Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile LONDON Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewster at his shop at the great North doore of PAULS as the signe of the Bible MDCXXXV TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND RELIGIOVS LADY KATHARINE COVNTESSE OF CHESTERFIELD âAMUEL HILDERSAM presenteth this Book in testimony of his humble and thankfull acknowledgement of her noble favour and respect shewed to the Author both living and dying The Contents of the whole Booke collected by the Author Lect. 1. IN the expounding of the Psalmes the Titles ought not to be omitted as superfluous Page 1. No part of the Word is to be neglected but reverently to be esteemed of though we cannot at first discerne what use is to be made of it and thus our reverend esteeme of it is to be shewed six waies p. 2 3. Why this Psalme was committed to the chiefe Musician p. 4. To sing Psalmes even Davids Psalmes in Gods solemne worship is an ancient and excellent ordinance of God Ibid. How Psalmes should be sung p. 6. They that have grace and have truly repented dare not speake broadly nor immodestly of filthy actions Ibid. The hainousnesse of Davids sins both in respect of the nature and circumstances of them p. 8. The truly regenerate may fall fearefully into grosse sins p. 8. Therefore 1 feare thy selfe p. 10. 2 bee willing to die p. 11. 3 strive to hold out to the end p. 12. 4 Despaire not if thou fall Ibid. Lect. 2. No man when he is fallen is able of himselfe to rise up agaâne p. 13. Therfore 1 Embolden not thy selfe to sin upon hope of repentance p. 15. 2 Feare hardnesse of heart as the greatest judgement p. 16. 3 Be thankfull for a penitent and humbled heart p. 17. Lect. 3. The ministery of the Word is the meanes which God hath sanctified and by which he is wont to worke repentance and saving grace p. 18 viz. 1 an effectuall sense of sin Ibid. 2 a comfortable assurance of pardon p. 19. 3 a true change in the heart Ibid. For 1 God accompanies it with his divine power and blessing p. 20. 2 that so he might grace and dignifie his owne ordinance p. 21. 3 it pleaseth God to shew his power in this rather then in stronger meanes Ibid. Therfore esteeme highly of this ordinance reverence the faithfull Minister and how far forth Ibid. and p. 22. Some we may reverence above others Ibid. and p. 23. yet the meanest faithfull Minister is to be reverenced Ibid. Lect. 4. Most men 1 esteeme not of the Ministers of the Word at least not for their workes sake p. 24. 2 Few esteeme rightly of the ministery of the Word for 1 they care not what ministery they live under 2 in placing themselves and children they have no respect to that 3 they will be at no cost 4 they will take no paines for it 5 though they may have it freely and without labour they care not for frequenting it 3 Few or none are thankfull for it or count it a blessing p. 25. Their great sin that care not for the ministery of the Word p. 26. Their great sinne and danger that heare much and are never the better p. 27. Lect. 5. The ministery of the Word is âor fruitfull and three causes of it 1 Want of due inspection 2 A secret curse of God p. 2â 3 The hearers fault p. 30. Preparation is necessary to the profitable hearing of the Word viz. Come with an heart that is 1 penitent Ibid. 2 freed and emptied of worldly cares 3 that hath a good appetite and desire to learne 4 humble and sensible of the need it hath of the Word p. 31 5 open and ready to receive whatsoever God shall teach 6 resolved to obey and practise p. 32. 7 Come in faith 8 Pray earnestly for the teacher and themselves p. 33. Lect. 6. To heare the Word profitably is a laborious and painefull thing p. 34. In the hearing of the Word 1 We must set our selves as in Gods presence for as the Word is his so is he in a speciall manner present where it s preached p. 35. 2 attend diligently unto it p. 36 37. 3 labour to understand what we heare p 38. Lect 7. 4 Labour to heare with affection and delight Ibid. 5 Take every thing as spoken to thy selfe p. 39. After hearing we must 1 Be carefull to keepe what we have heard Ibid. 2 Meditate and thinke seriously of it p 40. 3 Conferre of what we have heard and repeat it among our selves Ibid. p. 41. This repetition conference examining chiefly required of such as have families Ibid. Foure benefits of it Ibid. p 42. 4 Resort to the Minister for resolution if we doubt of ought we heare p. 43. 5 Set presently upon the practise of that we have heard Ibid. Lect. 8. The ministery that God useth most to worke by is that that is most particular in application that doth most plainely and boldly reprove sin p 44 1 The Ministers that God hath given best testimony to preached thus Ibid. 2 God hath commanded his servants to preach thus p. 45. 3 In this kind of preaching God hath beene wont to shew his power most Ibid. Application of the Word necessary in preaching because 1 Men so apt to put off all that they heare from themselves p. 46. 2 till mens sins be effectually discovered they cannot attaine to soundnesse in faith and grace Ibid. 3 the more faithfull a Minister is the readier is the Lord to worke with him and his faithfullnes consists in this chiefly Ib. Therefore 1 No marvell though the best Ministers be so much hated and this should not alienate but increase the love of the godly towards them Ibid. p. 47. 2 profitable for the people that their Ministers may know them well Ibid. p. 48. Lect. 9. Therefore the Minister had need be one 1 that knowes well the estate of his people Ibid. 2 that is of an unblameable life Ibid. 3 that is wise for in reproving sin he must not taxe every fault he knoweth but forbeare and passe by smaller offences he must be able substantially to proove and convince it to be a sin which he reproves hee must have due respect to the persons that he reproves p. 49. he must be able to discerne when its fit to reproove sin and when to forbeare It s the Ministers wisdome not to reprove when either he seeth more danger of doing hurt and dishonour to God by reproving then by holding his peace or when he can see no hope of prevailing or doing good by his reproofe p. 50. 4 that is a peaceable man and not given to suits and contention p. 51. 5 that
by his sin did to men even his owne subjects and servants though he were a King did ought to trouble him p. 217. Even the consideration of the evill consequents and punishments of sin should make us feare hate and mourne for sin p. 218. and the consideration of the hurt we have done to other by out sin specially by making our selves guilty of the bloud of their soules which is done three waies p. 219 Yet the consideration of the offence and dishonour done to God by it is the chiefe thing should make us hate and mourne for sin Ibid p. 220. Lect 44. For 1 Every sinne is a transgression of the law of God an offence against him p. 220. 2 By every sin we despise the Lord and do an injury and contempt unto him p. 221. 3 The Lord whom we do this offence unto 1 is present every where and privy to all our waies 2 Infinite in holinesse and hatred of sin p. 222. 3 Infinite in greatnesse and majesty p. 223. Lect. 45. 4 Infinite in goodnesse and bounty towards us This expressed six waies in the things that concerne this life p. 224 225. and three waies in the things which concerne our soules viz our redemption conversion perseverance p. 225 226. The sinning against so good a God should most trouble us p. 227. Lect. 46. No sinne is small or lightly to be accounted of as appeares 1 By the father that begets and engendreth it in us 2 By the punishment that the righteous God hath inflicted upon the least sin p. 228. 3 By the price whereby we were redeemed from the least sir. â By the person whom by the least sin wee doe contempt unto p. 229. Yet are some far greater then others viz. as are most directly committed against God p. 230. 1 Sins of the highest degree against the first Table 2 Sins against knowledge p 231. 3 Sins of such as are of speciall note for profession p. 232. Sincerity of repentance to be judged by 1 our sorrow for and forsaking of sin chiefly for this cause because God is offended and dishonoured by it 2 When our sorrow for sin and forsaking of it groweth from faith Ibid. Lect. 47. Take heed of giving liberty to our selves to commit any sin or making light account of it when wee have committed it upon this conceit that it is but a small sin three Motives to this p. 233 234. Yet doth not this precisenesse make the yoake of Christ intollerable p. 235. None are to be blamed for being precise in small matters 1 Though there be a precisenesse in small matters that is to be blamed as a certaine signe of hypocrisie p. 236. 2 Yet all precisenesse even in small matters is not to be blamed Ibid. for 1 We may not commit the least sin for preventing the greatest danger 2 Nor for the preventing of a far greater sin 3 We may not dare to do ought that we see cause to doubt God hath forbidden p. 237. How to carry our selves towards them whom we thinke too precise in trifles Ibid. Lect 48. The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken How the Lord speaketh to his people and how he is justified therein p. 238. 1 We must undoubtedly beleeve and give credit to every thing God hath spoken p. 239. 2 We must also approve it as most just equall without all murmuring against it 3 We must receive take to heart and submit our selves to ât p. 240. Because 1 of the authority of the Speaker 2 because all spoken for our good p. 241. Though it be not a signe of a faithlesse heart 1 Not to beleeve that which the best man teacheth till we have tryed it Ibid. 2 to make questions and mooâe doubts of something wee read and heare 3 to have sometime thoughts of infidelity and atheisme p. 242. yet it s a dangerous signe 1 not to bee able to beleeve the Word nor troubled with infidelity Ibid. 2 to gaine say and dispute against the Word 3 not to endure the word of reproofe p 243. 4 to take nothing to heart that they heare p. 244. Lect 49. Davids meaning in these words That thou mightest bee cleere when thou judgest p. 244. The humbled sinner will cleere in Lord from all aspersion of injustice or extreamity in any of his judgements inflicted on himselfe or others p 245. Foure degrees of this passive obedience 1. We may not in word or thought murmure against any of them p. 245. 2 We must give testimony to the righteousness of them 3 We must bee willing to beare them patiently p. 246 247. 4 Even in those wee can conceive no just cause or reason of p. 247. Reasons of this 1 respects the judge himselfe Ibid. 2 them that are judged and corrected by him p. 248. Lect. 50. We have all need to seeke the grace of patience for 1 Crosses daily to be looked for 2 we in this land have cause to looke for evill times 3 a very difficult thing to the flesh to beare crosses well p. 250. Notes of true patience 1 its a fruit effect of repentance and humiliation 2 and of faith 3 and of our obedience p. 251 4 It maketh us willing to beare that crosse whatsoever it be that God seeth sit to exercise us by 5 It maketh a man more desirous to profit by his affliction then to be rid of it 6 It maketh a man unwilling to ease himselfe of his crosse by unlawfull meanes 252. 7 It will moderate our passions and make us meeke spirited even towards men p. 253. Lect. 51. Motives unto patience 1 Every childe of God must looke for aââliction even for much affliction no possibility of going to heaven but this way p. 253. 2 We can no way ease our selves by impatiency but make our crosse more grievous but the contrary by patience in three respects p. 254 255. 3 God hath a speciall hand in all our crosses this consideration hath great force to preserve from feare of troubles and to keepe us from fainting under them p. 256. For he doth afflict us alwaies in love as appeares in five points 1 He doth it not willingly but when need requires 2 The end he aimeth at is to doe us good yea some speciall good that could not otherwise be done p. 257. 3 He will recompense whatsoever loffe wee sustaine by it p. 258. 4 He moderates all our afflictions both for time and measure 5 He will bee with them in their affliction to strengthen and comfort them p. 259. Lect. 52. Meanes 1 Thinke often of the evill day and prepare for it p. 260. These thoughts would 1 keepe us from surfeting of our pleasures 2 restraine us from sin 3 make affliction lesse bitter to us when it shall come p. 261. A great mercy that God giveth us such warnings p. 262. 2 Weane thy heart before hand from the love of earthly things Ibid. 3 Acquaint thy selfe well before hand with the Word p. 263. 4
The sixt meanes labour to bee willing to die Ibid. There is in the best great unwillingnesse and feare to die but for this cause we should be willing because till then wee shall never be rid of our corruption p. 324 325. Lect. 66. The seventh meanes Hie to Christ by faith for strength against it Till one have faith he can mortifie no corruption p. 326. True faith will mortifie sin Ibid and two reasons for that p. 327 c. Lect. 67. For the mortifying of sin faith a most be exercised we must put it forth and make use of it p. 330. Christ cured all that came to him for help and the cure is still ascribed to their faith Christ required nothing else of them to make them capable of cure p. 331. Goe to Christ likewise for helpe in all diseases of thy soule and with faith as they did Ibid foure grounds wee have for our faith in this 1 Christ is able to cure out soules as bodies 2 He is as willing 3 This is the chiefe work he came into the world to do p. 332. 4 Hee hath bound himselfe by promise for this We have his promise for curing us of 1 our ignorance 2 hardnesse of heart 3 profanesse 4 inconstancy p 333. 5 every other sin p. 334. We should stirre up our selves to lay hold on these promises Ibid. Objections against this answered 1 I am so unworthy I dare not go to Christ 2 my faith is so weake I cannot say hold of these promises 3 None of the godly though they have faith can thereby mortifie their corruptions p. 335. Lect. 68. The consideration of the vilenesse of our nature should cause us to admire Gods goodnesse towards us p. 336. Even in his restraining grace towards others that men being so lewd we live so safely and peaceably by them yea that many of them are so kinde to us p. 337 338. Secure thy heart in Gods providence in the worst times and places Ibid. But specially in his restraining grace towards our selves 1 many foule sins that we have the seeds of never shew themselves in us 2 Many foule sins we have felt our selves inclined to have not set upon us with their full force p. 339. 3 God lets us not know all the vilenesse that is in us but hideth a great part of it from us p. 340 341. How farre forth the discovery of sin to us is a blessing Ibid. Lect. 69. The wonderfull power and goodnesse of God is seene in our conversion p. 342. 1 that he sought us out and made us turne when we drew back 2 that he made love to us and sought reconciliation 3 that he should so change us and worke any goodnesse in such hearts as ours p. 343. Errors touching mans conversion p. 344. God hath set a just time for nations and particular persons and wee must count the present time to be that p. 345. Rejoyce if thou have any grace in truth though in the least measure p. 346. Lect. 70. It s an admirable worke of God that any of us should be able to persevere for any time in the state of grace viz. either 1 in the profession of the truth or 2 in the comfortable assurance of Gods favour or 3 in a Christian course of life p. 347. Considering 1 what a world age we live in 2 what the malice power and subtlety of Sathan is Ibid. 3 How fearefully others have fallen 4 what corrupt hearts we have p. 348. Our Perseverance to bee ascribed onely to God viz. 1 to his power 2 to his goodnesse p. 349. Therefore 1 Seeke saving grace its th' only durable riches 2 if thou have it blesse God for it and admire his power and goodnesse in it 3 be not proud of thy standing but ascribe it to God 4 Be not secure but watchfull and fearefull least thou fall p. 350 351. Lect. 71. The faithfull apt to thinke they have lost al grace because they have lost their first love delight and fervency in good duties 2 their faith and assurance of Gods favour 3 their strength to overcome tentations to sin Two preservatives against this tentation 1 The best of Gods servants have beene thus subject to variablenesse in their spirituall estate p. 352. God seeth it good they should bee so p 353. Object Wicked men will bee apt to stumble at this Ibid. 2 Though thou thinkest in this case thou hast lost all grace yet it is not so 1 if thou wouldst examine thine heart well thou wouldst finde grace in it still 2 though thou cannot another may 3 Though neither thy selfe nor another can discerne it yet certainely it is in thee for no elect childe of God called according to his purpose can so fall as utterly to loose all grace p. 354. This evident in all the three degrees of their spirituall decayes p. 355. Obj. But though I be now in the state of grace I feare when the fiery tryall shal come I shall fall I shall not be able to stand in the last and sharpest combat I shall have with Sathan at my death Answ. Certainely thou shalt not perish irrecoverably if there be the fruit of Gods eternall love and election in any truth of grace in thee two pillars thou hast to uphold thee 1 Gods power 2 his will p. 355 356. Lect. 72. Admirable it is that God should respect any service commeth from such as wee are that have so filthy and corrupt hearts considering 1 how corrupt we and our best services are a how pure and holy the Lord is p. 357. 3 Yet 1 he taketh notice of all the poore services we doe 2 winks at and passes by the staines and blemishes of them p. 358. 3 delights in them 4 rewards them p. 359. Reasons why he doth so 1 Because he seeth our hearts are good and upright in them 2 They are fruits of his owne Spirit 3. They are in Christ p. 360. Lect. 73. Carnall men have no just cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to winke at and passe by the slips of his children for 1 They are not his children p. 361. 2 If they were he would not beare with such faults as theirs no not in his children Ibid p. 362. 3 To theÌ that are wicked he will bee every whit as rigorous as he is indulgent to his children for 1 he will not beare with the least fault in them 2 he will take nothing in good part they do Ibid. 3 he liketh the worse of them even for the service they presume to doe unto him p. 363. Yet must the most wicked men pray and do other duties for all this and may receive good thereby three waies for 1 this will lessân his condemnation 2 This will procure him temporall blessings and deliverances Ibid. 3 He may thus further his own salvation p 364. It s the fault of Gods people 1 that they of all other have the saddest hearts most subject to feare whereas they have three
him to heare him And our Saviour was so farre from blaming them as if they neglected their worldly businesse this way that hee defendeth and praiseth Mary for doing this Luk. 10 4â though happily she had some whatelse to do at that time Thirdly few or none are thankefull to God for this ordinance of his nor do in their hearts esteeme it any such blessing to the land or towne that enjoy it as for which they should thinke themselves much bound to praise God They can be thankefull for peace and for health and for seasonable times but for a goâd ministery few or none can be thankefull to God whereas we should account it our chiefe blessing from God for so the Lord speaketh of this as his chiefe blessing bestowed upon a people Iere 3 15. I will give you Pastors according to mine owne heart that shall feed you with knowledge and understanding And Amos 2.11 I raised up of your sonnes for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites And Mic. 6.4 I sent before thee and Moses Aaron Miriam Yea such a blessing it is as should abundantly content us and assure us of Gods favour even in the want of all other blessings For so speaketh the Lord of it Esay 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers 2. We should account a faithful ministery the very glory and strength of our land When the Arke of God was gone the glory was departed from Israel 1. Sam. 4.31 And the true ministery of the Lords Levits is said to be that that strengthened the kingdome of Iudah 2. Chron. 11.17 And Abijah makes this a maine ground of his confidence and hope of successe in his battell against Ieroboam that he in his kingdome had a true and faithfull ministery which the other had not 2 Chron. 13.9 10. Have not ye cast out the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron and the Levites and have made you priests after the manner of the nations But as for us the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken him and the Priests which minister unto the Lord are the sonnes of Aaron and the Levites waite upon their businesses Now to this first sort of persons that this Doctrine reproveth I have no more to say but this that I would have them to thinke seriously of two things First That they have cause to suspect whatsoever grace or goodnes seemes to be in them while their heart tells them they make no more reckoning of the ministery of the Word but despise it rather Two good things such men use to put most confidence in 1. They find some devotion in themselves they love prayers well and can say their owne prayers sometimes 2. They beleeve in Christ. Foolish man let not Satan deceive thee certainly while thou makest no reckning of the ministery of the Word they faith is nothing worth thy prayers will do thee no good For thy prayers know all the service thou seemest to doe unto God is no better then the sacrifice of fooles till thou be more ready to heare Eccles. 5.1 To hearken is better then the fat of Rammes 1. Sam. 15.22 And for both thy praying and thy beleeving in Christ marke well that knowne place well knowne indeed ô that it were aswell beleeved Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved and how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher How canst thou pray that hast no faith how canst thou have faith that camest not to it by hearing the Word preached that art no hearer But me thinks I heare many of you say this toucheth not me for I am a hearer I have heard many a Sermon O but marke what followeth in the next verse verse 15. and thou shalt find thou art no such hearer as Paul speakes of the hearers that Paul speaketh of are such as can cry O how beautifull are the feete of them that doe preach the Gospell of peace But thou seest no beauty in their feete thou hearest them but thou joyest not in them thou countest them no blessing nor art thankfull to God for them thou seest no great need of hearing of them thou art weary of them and how shouldest thou have any true faith how shouldest thou be able to pray aright The second thing I would have these men to consider is this that the holy Ghost speaketh of this as of a fearefull sinne and signe of a most gracelesse heart to be unwilling to heare the word to have no mind unto it 1. Such a one hath no care of his soule what becomes of it whether it sinke or swimme as we say whether it be saved or damned Pro 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soule Nay 2. more then that such a one careth not for God or the things of God regardeth him not feareth him not is in his heart a very Athiest they that desire not the knowledge of his wayes say in their hearts unto God depart from us Iob 21.14 My people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me saith the Lord Psal. 81.11 Nay 3. to refuse to heare the word preached when wee may and God offereth it unto us to have no mind to it no love to it is a greater sin if Christ be to be beleeved then the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrah Mat. 10.14 15. When all is done and the time of reckoning shall come this will be found to be thy chiefest sinne The second sort that are to bee reproved by this Doctrine are they which heare often seeme also to delight in the best ministry yet profit not at al by it but remaine as ignorant unreformed profane as they that never heard Sermon If tryall were taken of the most hearers they would be found such as the Apostle speaketh of 2 Tim. 3.7 ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such hearers I desire to consider and weigh well with themselves these sixe points First That it is no great matter of comfort to a man nor thing wherein any should blesse himselfe that he is a hearer a constant hearer a hearer of the best teachers and that with delight also This testimony the Lord gives of notorious hypocrites Esa. 58.2 They seeke me daily and delight to know my wayes and Ezech 33 3â 32. They come to thee a faithfull Prophet as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words with their mouth they show much love praising the faithfull minister greatly and loe thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument No musicke did ever delight them more then a good Sermon Yea of Herod himselfe it is said
to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honey and the honey combe 2. Who knowes how soone you may be deprived of it 3. As in all other the parts and faculties of mans body and soule there is a naturall aversnesse and indisposition to that that is good so it is in the eare there is a marvellous unaptnesse and untowardnesse in it to hearken to the Word it is not so soone weary of hearing any thing as of Gods Word Mat. 13.15 This peoples heart is waxen grosse and their eares are dull of hearing Yea we are by nature deafe as well as blind Esa. 43.8 Bring forth the blinde people that have eyes and the deafe that have eares So that it is noted for a speciall worke of Gods Spirit which every one of you which find it in your selves may take great comfort in to be able to mind the word and to attend unto it Esa. 32.3 The eares of them that heare shall hearken And Act. 16.14 It is said of Lydia that the Lord opened her heart that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul If the Lord had not opened her heart she could not have done it this is not every mans case Our Saviour speakes of some that hearing heare not Mat. 13.13 How can that be will you say Yes very well Men may heare and not mind nor regard what they heare and so in hearing not heare The hearing eare and the seeing eye saith Solomon Pro. 20.12 the Lord hath made even both of them To have an eare able to hearken and attend to the Word is a rare gift of God which made our Saviour say to his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for they heare Observe then another cause why the Word is so unfruitfull in Many 1. Some thinke it enough that they come to Church though they shew no desire to heare at all though they sit so as they can heare nothing True it is that it is fit there should be a decent order in the Congregation and above all other places there should there respect be had unto seemelinesse every man and woman should be placed there according to their yeares and degree and should keepe their places 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Paul joyed in the seemely order be beheld in the Church-assemblies of the Colossians Col. 2.5 Among other things the Queene of Sheba observed and admired in Solomons house the sitting of his servants in that decent order was one 1 King 10.5 and if it were fit they should fit in such a decent order in Solomons house much more is it fit they should doe so in Gods house as that decent order did so much commend Solomons house so would it doe our Church-assemblies certainely It is a fault I observe amongst you here that many of you use to stand up upon your formes and seates For 1. It is an unseemely sight and decency becomes Gods house 2. It hinders their hearing that sit behind you and so it is not onely against decency but against edification also 3. You do it without any just cause at all when you may heare well enough though you sit or stand downe All this notwithstanding if you cannot heare where you sit the poorest or yongest of you should not be ashamed or afraid to come up higher and sit or stand nearer to the pulpit You should straine curtesie in this case What a disorder was in that congregation mentioned Luk. 12.3 they trod one upon another and yet because their desire to heare and to be edified by his doctrine forced them to it our Saviour never blamed them for it It is said of Christs hearers that they were wont to Sit about him Mar. 3.34 and Luk. 15.1 that they drew neare to him to heare him and Mary sate downe at his feet when he preached that she might be sure to heare him Luk. 10.39 Yea to helpe their attention and keepe their minds the better from roving they were wont to fixe their eyes upon him Luk. 4.20 Secondly Of them that do heare us few are able to hearken or attend to that they heare Esa. 43.20 Seeing many things but thou observest not opening the eares but he heareth not So that we may justly take up the complaint of the Prophet Ier. 6.10 To whom shall I speake and give warning that they may heare behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken Thirdly we should heare the Word with understanding and judgement 1. We must labour to conceive and understand what we heare Christ calls upon his hearers earnestly for this Mat. 15.10 He called the multitude and said unto them heare and understand How should we els profit by any thing we heare Acts 8.30 Vnderstandest thou what thou readest saith Philip. So say thou to thy owne heart in hearing els it is not possible for thee to profit by that thou hearest Mat. 13.13 In hearing they heare not neither understand they that understand not what they heare in hearing heare not Ps. 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider and incline thine eare 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say Yea 2. We should be able also to judge of that we heare 1 Coâ 10.15 Iudge yee what I say Iob 21.11 Doth not the eare try words and the mouth tast his meate 1 Thes. 5.21 Prove all things not by thy proud fansy and conceit indeed but by the Word in reverence and humility hold fast that which is good Christs sheepe can put a difference betweene the voice of their true Pastor and of a stranger Ioh. 104 5. Take notice of this for one chiefe cause why the Word is so unfruitfull ye heare without understanding 1. Many understand not what they heare but that heavie judgement is upon them that is mentioned Mat. 13.14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esayas by hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and yet they neither bewaile nor feele it No marvell therefore though they profit not Mat. 13.19 When one heareth the Word of the kingdome and understandeth it not then commeth the wicked one and catcheth away that that was sowne 2. Many that understand well what we say yet here without all judgement can put no difference twixt truth and error Pro. 14.15 The simple beleeveth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his going They cannot judge when the Scripture is wrested and when it is well applyed Vnskilfull they are in the word of righteousnesse for they are babes Heb. 5.13 Lecture VII On the Title of Psal. 51. November 30. 1625. FOurthly labour to heare with affection and delight It was the charge Moses gave to Gods people Deut. 32.46 Set your hearts unto all the words that I testifie among you this day and he gives the reason vers 47. For it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life It is said of Gods people in the primative Church that they received the Word
Evangelicall Prophet Esay 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes As if he had said Do it zealously and with feeling cry aloud do it boldly and without partiality spare not doe it plainely and particularly shew my people their transgressions and their sinnes Two other commandments we find for this the one Tit. 2.5 These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority the other is 2. Tim 4. â Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Where observe both that application is made the chiefe part of preaching and that reproving of sinne is made the chiefe part of application Yea observe in what manner the Lord hath commanded his servants to preach in this manner thus plainly and boldly to reprove sinne in their ministery 2. Tim. 4.12 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdome preach the Word reprove rebuke c. And Iere. 1.17 Gird up thy loynes and arise and speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them Thirdly this kind of preaching is that wherein God hath beene wont to shew his power most and to worke most mightily with and wherein indeed the very life and power of preaching doth chiefly consist This is plaine in this example of David till Nathan dealt thus roundly and particularly and told him 2. Sam. 1â 7 Thou art the man he could do no good on him By this course also Peter prevailed so with the three thousand mentioned Acts 2.36 37. And so did our blessed Saviour with that woman of Samaria when hee had effectually discovered to her her foule sinne Iob. 4.18 He that thou now livest with is not thy husband yea verse 29. He told her all things that ever she did then she that before was most secure made no reckning of him but could discourse very malaperdy with him now beganne to have her conscience awakened and to acknowledge and reverence him not only as a Prophet verse 19. but even as the Christ and Saviour of the World verse 29. This is the manner of preaching which makes men feele and acknowledge the mighty power of God in his ordinance and fall downe as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14.24 25. and worship God and say of a truth God is in you when the hearer feeleth himselfe to bee convinced of all and judged of all and the secrets of his heart manifested to him Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are principally three First Every man through that selfe love and hypocrisie that is in his heart is apt to put of from himselfe to others generall doctrines and reproofes is wont to be little moved or affected with them they make no more use of them then little children can doe of a great loafe that is set before them the Word must be cut and divided to them 2. Tim. 2.15 and every one his owne portion given unto them by a wise steward Luk 12.42 or else they will never bee able to make good use of it The generall parable whereby Nathan did notably lay open the foulenesse of his sinne made David vehement and fierce against another man that should doe so 2. Sam. 12.5 6. but it never brought him to any touch of heart for his owne sin but when Nathan applyed his doctrine to him verse 7. then he was humbled ver 13. So the Iewes while Christ spake in a parable as in generall doctrine and reproofe of their sinne they posted it of to others and gave a most sharpe censure of them that should offend in such sort Mat. 21.41 They say unto him he will miserably destroy those wicked men and let out his vineyard unto others but when he applied it unto them in particular ver 45 46. then they were moved Secondly Till mens sinnes be effectually discovered unto them they can neuer attaine to any soundnesse of faith or of any other saving grace Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith So we shall find Iohn 16.8 that this is the course which the spirit the comforter useth to take in bringing Gods elect to true comfort When he is come saith our Saviour hee will reprove the world of sinne And Esa. 61.3 None can ever attaine to the happinesse to be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord till they have first beene mourners for sinne and have had in them the spirit of heavinesse Nay till then men can never seriously desire salvation So that in this respect also the ministery whereby God useth to convert sinners must needs be such as doth plainly and boldly reprove sinne Thirdly The Lord useth to worke most mightily with and to blesse the ministery of such of his servants most as are most faithfull to him in their ministery It is the chiefe grace that God delighteth in and requireth in his stewards and servants that they be faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 It is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull Ier. 23.28 He that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully Such the Lord useth to worke most mightily by This is given for a reason why Levies ministery was so powerfull and effectuall that he did turne many away from iniquity Mal. 2.5 6. He did himselfe feare God and iniquity was not found in his lips Now the faithfulnesse of Gods messengers consisteth principally in this even in delivering his whole message Acts 20.26 27. I take you to record that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God The faithfulnesse of Gods steward consisteth chiefly in giving to every one in Gods family their owne portion in due season Luke 12 4â The faithfulnesse of the Preacher consists in fitting his doctrine to his audience and discovering to them their speciall sinnes as Paul did when he preached before Felix Acts 24.25 He spake so of righteousnes temperance and the judgement to come that he made Felix to tremble This Doctrine serveth 1. for instruction 2. for exhortation and 3. for reproofe And it serveth for the instruction first of you that are the people of God the hearers of his Word secondly of us that are his messengers and servants And it serveth to teach you two things First What is the true cause of that bitter hatred that the World hath ever borne to Gods faithfullest ministers No people have ever beene so much hated and persecuted in the World as they Christ bids his Apostles looke for no better entertainement in the World then to be reviled and persecuted and to have all manner of evill spoken of them and tells them the Prophets of God had beene so used before them Matth. 5.11 12.
that knocketh it shall be opened But he is never so ready to be found of them in prayer as then when they are in greatest distresse Psal. 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble yet he hath promised Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble any trouble whatsoever and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And no marvell for 1. the Lord beares to his people the affection of a father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him And what father is there that sheweth not most love to his child and readinesse to helpe him when he is in greatest misery 2. Gods people are then most humbled and thinke most basely of themselves and that is a great furtherance to the successe of their prayers 1. Pât 5.5 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people shall humble themselves and pray then will I heare from heaven 3. Then Gods people use to pray heartily and fervently 2. Sam. 22.7 In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God and he did heare my voice So saith Anna of her prayer 1 Sam. 1.15 I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit and have powred out my soule before the Lord. And this God greatly delighteth in Iam. 5.16 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And this readinesse they knew to be in the Lord to heare their prayer at such a time specially hath beene the chiefe thing that hath encouraged them to seeke to him in their distresse Psal. 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come and 86.7 In the day of my trouble will I call upon thee for thou wilt answere me This Doctrine concerneth every one of us for there is not one of you that heare me this day but you are in some distresse or other or have beene or at least may be And it serveth First for reproofe for the wickednesse and Atheisme of our hearts is in no nothing more discovered then in this that in our distresses we have no mind to seeke to God Hos. 7.14 They have not cryed to me with their hearts when they bowled upon their beds Three sorts chiefly are to be reproved by this Doctrine First such as so long as they can thinke of any meanes to helpe themselves by in their distresse they will never seeke to God Like to the Prodigall who while he had any meanes though it were but by tending of swine and feeding with them he never thought of seeking to his father Luk 15.16 17 This was Asaes foule sin 2. Chron. 16.12 When his disease was exceeding grievous yet he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians Whereas alas no sound comfort can be found in any meanes till we have first sought to God and appeased his anger If God will not withdraw his anger saith Iob. 9.13 the proud helpers do stoupe under him All meanes men seeke to may say as that counterfeit Samuel indeed the devill whom the witch that Saul sought to for comfort in his distresse as too many wretches do in these dayes raised up did say unto him 1. Sam. 28.16 Wherefore dost thou aske of me or seeke helpe of me seeing the Lord is become thinâ enemy Secondly such as are most destitute of all meanes to helpe themselves in their distresses yet never seeke to God Poverty and want of all humane helpe shâuld drive men to God and cause them to seeke helpe and comfort from him and to give themselves much to prayer Thus it wrought with David Psal. 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was none that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soule I cryed unto thee ó Lord and said thou art my refuge and my portion So saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.5 Shee that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day But alas we find that no people under the heaven pray lesse seeke lesse to God care lesse for God then the poore and miserable people doe Miserable indeed in this respect more then for any outward want that they doe endure They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty saith Elihu Iob 35.9.10 but none saith where is God my maker that giveth songs in the night Thirdly such as when God hath begun to soften their hearts and trouble their consciences for sin as he did Davids at this time do not as David doth here seeke to God for helpe and comfort But 1. either seeke to hide themselves and flye from God by keeping themselves carefully from all such means as might touch upon that sore as Adam did Gen. 3.8 Or 2. betake themselves to mirth and all such meanes as may lull them asleepe and cause them to forget their sins and Gods anger and make them senslesse of those inward gripings and stings as Saul did and found ease by it for a short time 1. Sam. â6 23 but alas his fitts and terrours returned and became the more extreame violent afterwards as you may see 1. Sam. 18.10 11. or else 3. fall into utter desparation of Gods mercy as Iudas did who when his conscience was deeply wounded with sense of sin could go to the chiefe Priests and Elders and confesse his sin to them but could not go to Christ himselfe to seeke mercy of him Matth. 27.3 Lecture XI On Psalme 51.1 2. Ianu. 3. 1625. THe second use now followeth which is for exhortation to stirre us up in all our distresses to seeke for helpe and comfort from God by prayer It is the Apostles exhortation Iames 5.13 Is any man afflicted let him pray Wee all have need of this exhortation For as we heard the last day there is not one of us here but either we are or have bin or may be in that distresse either through outward or inward affliction and anguish that we are ready to cry with Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe O that wee could bee perswaded when we are in that case though not then only to flye unto God One would thinke there needs no motives to be used to perswade us to this What needs any man perswade a poore wretch that hath not bread at home to seeke abroad for reliefe be he never so bashfull his necessity will perswade him to it sufficiently The poore speaketh supplications saith Solomon Prov. 18.23 You shall heare nothing from him but bewailing his wants and humble intreaties and supplications for helpe and reliefe to such as are able to doe him good But alas our hearts are so estranged from God even from the very wombe as David speakes Psal. 58.3 that no necessity no extremity will drive us to goe a begging to him We have need of strong motives to drive us to it Thinke therefore seriously of the foure reasons
I cannot I want the spirit of prayer for I have no faith and the spirit of prayer in the spirit of adoption that perswadeth us of Gods fatherly ãâã and witnesseth to our spirits that wee are his children Rom. 8.15 16. Now I have no such witnesse in mee My heart is so oppressed with sorrow that it is even utterly dead and indisposed to prayer Certainely this hath beene the case of many a good soule A tentation indeed it is but ãâã one as the best either have or may be subject unto The Apostle acknowledgeth it in the name of all the faithfull Rom. 8.26 Wee know not what to ãâ¦ã For answer to this objection I have two things to say ãâ¦ã What we are to judge of them that are in this estate 2. What ãâã they are to take that are in this case For the first we must know two things First They that have any truth of grace at all in them have in them certainely the spirit of prayer though it may bee they ãâã it sad they ãâã it not in themselves As the first thing the childe be in to speake is to cry my father and my mother Esa. 8.4 For this is given by the Holy Ghost as the common badge to know all Gods servants by that they are able to pray Thus Paul discribeth Gods people 1 Cor. 1.2 All that in ãâã place call upon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord. And 2 Timothy 2.12 For ãâã righteousnesse with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart ãâã 4.6 Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father So that I may reason thus with the weakest of Gods servants that are in this case thou art poore in spirit and ãâã for nothing more therefore thou hast truth of saving grace on thee for Christ calls thee blessed Matth 5.3 4. Thou lovest such as are godly even because they are godly therefore thou hast truth of grace in thee For so saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.14 Wee know that we have pâââed from âââth to life because wee love the brethren Thou art afraid to doe any thing that might offend God therefore thou hast truth of saving grace in thee For the Holy Ghost saith Psalme 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord. Why then from hence thou maist undoubtedly conclude thou hast in thee the spirit of prayer And whereas thou ãâã than thou hast it not because thou feelest not in thy selfe the spirit of adoption thou feelest ãâ¦ã in thy selfe I answer 1. Thou maist leave saith though thou seek it ãâã for a time neither maist thou judge of thy state by thy feeling In the Churches ãâ¦ã her beloved had with drawne himselfe and ãâã gone Cant. 5.6 Nay in Christâ owne feeling his father had forsaken him Matth. 37.46 â Thou hast said though thou feelest it not 1 If thou mourne for nothing ãâã thou for the ãâã of it as that poore man did Mar 9.24 as the ãâã that cryeth was not borne dead or the man that feeleth himselfe sick hath life in ãâã If there ãâã nothing so much as to beleeve and to be rid of thy infidelity For Christ saith such are blessed Mat. 5.6 which they could not be if they had not saith Even the will is of grace Phil. 2.13 As lusting after a woman is adultery âat 5.28 so on the contrary lusting after faith is faith The second thing we must know touching the state of these men that complaine they cannot pray is this That a man may not onely have in him the spirit of prayer though he feele it not but he may also have the use of it and pray most effectually and acceptably when in his owne feeling his heart is ãâ¦ã indisposed unto prayer when he is to overwhelmed with griefe and his thoughts to distracted and troubled that he is unable to utter or conceive a prayer in any fit words or method at all this is evident both by examples and by reason also When Dâvidâ spirit was overwhelmed when he was so troubled that he could not speake as he complaineth Psal. 77.3 4. yet even then he prayed and prayed most effectually as he saith verse 1. I cryed unto God with my voice even unto ãâã with my voice and he gave care unto me How could that he ãâã ââ such verse 4. he was so troubled that he could not ãâã He ãâ¦ã could not doe it distinctly and orderly but he could cry to God ãâ¦ã make a noise as he saith Psal. 38.8 I have rowed ãâ¦ã oâ my heart and 55.2 I mourne in my complaint and make a noise yet God gave care to that prayer When Hezechiah was so oppressed with sorrow that he could not speake he could but chatter like a ãâ¦ã mourne like ãâã as he complained Esa. 38 14. yet eveâ then the spirit of prayer was in ãâã and ãâã effectually in him that chattering and mourning of his was a prayer and ãâ¦ã unto God as appeareth by verse 5. I have heard thâ prayer ãâ¦ã apostle tells us Rom. 3.26 27. that the spirit it selfe maketh ãâ¦ã in according to the will of God when wee are in that case that we know not what to pray when wee can doe nothing but sigh and groane unto God and can utter no requests unto him And David even when he had strong motions unto despaire prayed yet most acceptably Psal. â1 22 And to ãâã for the Lord is able enough to understand our desires though we expresse them not to him in words You that are tender mother ãâ¦ã Doe you never understand what your little ones doe ãâã and what they would have Doe you never relieve nor succour them till they can speake to you O the Lord doth as much and ãâã more ãâã you this way then you do the Dragons and Ostriches This made ãâ¦ã thus to God Psal. 38.9 Lord all my desire is before thee and ãâ¦ã not hiâ from thee and ãâã 7 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the ãâ¦ã 145 19. He will ãâ¦ã of them that feare him ãâ¦ã cry and will save them ãâ¦ã you that are tender ãâ¦ã moved with the groanes ãâ¦ã of your children ãâ¦ã is with the Lord the ãâ¦ã of his children ãâ¦ã much more and give in ãâã to our prayers then any ãâ¦ã wee can ãâã Thâ Lârd is said Psalme 102.20 to ãâã the groaning of the ãâã And when Hezechiah in his prayer could but chatter God ãâã him word not ââely that hee heard that prayer but tells him what it was that made that prayer so effectual with him Esa. 5â 5 I have seene thy teares ãâ¦ã faithfull themselves have had more comfort and confidence in their ãâ¦ã in their prayers they could ãâã unto God then in any words ãâ¦ã use in prayer Psalme 39.12 Hold not thy peace ãâ¦ã My friends scorne mee but mine eye ãâ¦ã is he prayed and that way sought comfort ãâ¦ã expressed the desires of his heart to God by ãâ¦ã by words O happy soules
that can expresse the desires of their hearts God ãâã way for God maketh precious account of their ãâã of his children ãâã one of them shall fall to the ground Psal. 56.8 ãâ¦ã are they not in thy ãâã And this is the first part of mine answer to this ãâã objection Now ãâã show you what they must do that we in this case that finde their spirits so ãâ¦ã with sorrow and their hearts so deadred as they are utterly indisposed and unable to pray Two things we must doe when we are in this case First we must bewaile it and mourne for it If the one side of thy body or thy tongue were taken with a dead palsy so as thou couldst not goe or speake to thy friend thou wouldst think thy case to be very heavie and thou wouldst much bewaile it But this is a farre heavier case and more to be bewailed when such a deadnesse hath taken thy soule that thou canst not goe nor speake unto thy God Complaine to God and crave helpe of him against it as David doth Psal. 119.25 My soule cleaveth to the dust quicken thou me according to thy Word and verse 159. Quicken me ô Lord according to thy loving kindnesse Complaine to Christ the heavenly Physitian of this thy disease he is able to helpe thee For 1 Cor. 15.45 the last Adam is made a quickning spirit Cry to him when thou art most indisposed and unable to pray as his Disciples did Luk. 11.1 Lord teach me to pray Nourish in thy heart the feeling and sense of this thy disease so as thou canst mourne for it and bewaile it to God and thou art safe Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that can mourne for this for certainely they shall be comforted Secondly seeing thou hast heard that when thou feelest thy selfe most unable to pray yet thou hast even then in thee the spirit of prayer therefore stirre up that grace that excellent grace of God which is in thee I dare not denie but a weake Christian may use the helpe of a good prayer booke in this case better to pray on a booke then not to pray at all Certainely it is a spirit of errour that hath taught the world otherwise 1. Our blessed Saviour prescribed to his Disciples a forme of prayer not onely to be to them and his whole Church a rule and sampler according to which all our prayers should be framed as appeares when he saith Mat. 6.9 after this manner pray ye but even for them and to say tying themselves to the very words of it as appeareth Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say our father c. By which answer of our Saviour to his Disciples it may also appeare that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray by giving them formes of prayer to say yea even in secret prayer Mat. 6.6 2. All the best reformed Churches do now and ever have used even in publicke Leiturgies and prescript formes of prayer and have judged them of great use and necessity for the edification of the Church And surely this argument is not to be contemned by any sober Christian as appeareth by the Apostles speech 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God So doth he againe presse the example and practice of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 3. This is no stinting nor hinderance to the spirit of prayer in any of Gods people no more then the singing of praise to the Lord in the words of David is now and was in Hezechia's time 2 Chron. 29.30 or the joyning in heart with the words that another uttereth in conceived prayer which yet is Gods ordinance 1 Cor. 14.16 Though this I say be lawfull and may be used for a helpe yet seeing every Christian even the meanest and weakest hath the gift and spirit of prayer I may say to every one of you in this case as the Apostle doth in another to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee and 2 Tim. 1.6 Stirre up the gift of God that is in thee When thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to it but strive and indeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray If we should never pray but when we feele our selves apt to it alas how seldome should many of us pray Therefore when thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to this cursed humour but strive and endeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray The Church complaineth Esa. 64.7 that no man stirred up himselfe to take hold of God we should stirre up our selves to this worke For I we must take notice of this that Satan hath a chiefe hand in hindering us from prayer in causing this deadnesse and indisposition of our hearts unto it When Iehoshua stood before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3.1 And which of Gods servants find not this to bee true in their owne experience This I say we should take notice of that he get not advantage of us by our yeelding unto him as Paul saith 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Sathan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices The more Satan hateth this duty the better we should love it the more basie he is to hinder and interrupt us in it the more earnestly should we bend and set our hearts unto it Iam. 4.7 Resist the Divell and hee will flee from you 2. Consider how much God is delighted in the labour of our love Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love that is those duties which out of love to him we performe with labour and striving Thinke not beloved that those prayers onely are pleasing to God wherein we please our selves best or which we performe with most facility and aptnesse of mind and speach No no when we can performe this duty in obedience unto God even against our owne disposition and the mighty conflicts and oppositions that we find in our own hearts against it these are the prayers that are most acceptable to God As Abrahams obedience was in offering up his sonne of which the Lord saith Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne from me 3. By using and exercising that little grace that small ability to pray that thou hast thou shalt increase it and grow more able to do it with comfort For so runneth the promise Mat. 25 29. To every one that hath that is by imploying and exercising of it doth shew that he hath for otherwise the unprofitable servant had a talent also shall be given and he shall have abundance Let us therefore do as they that through sicknesse and weaknesse have lost their appetite yet by eating provoke and recover their appetite one morsell drawing downe another so let us carefully and conscionably
us in his eternall counsell to be of that small number that should receive benefit by him Iohn 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine Thirdly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us the grace to receive Christ by faith being offered to us in the ministery of the Gospell and to obey him Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Fourthly It was the wonderfull mercy of God and nothing else that moved him to accept of the satisfaction which Christ our surety hath made for us and not to exact it at our owne hands For nothing bound him to it but his owne free promise In which respect all the Elect that shall have benefite by Christ are called heires of promise Hebr. 6.17 And therefore the Apostle saith Ephesians 1.6 It was to the praise of the glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in his beloved As though he should say the glory of his grace is wonderfully set forth in this that hee will accept of Christs satisfaction for us Fiftly and lastly It is his wonderfull mercy and nothing else that moveth him to performe this promise and to keepe covenant with us considering how weake and staggering our faith and obedience is and how oft we breake covenant with him And this made Solomon to fall into that admiration 1 Kin. 8.23 O Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepeth covenant and mercy with thy servants that walke before thee with all their heart As if hee had said It is the mercy of God that he keepeth Covenant even with such And thus have I finished the answer to the first objection and shewed you that it doth no whit derogate from the mercy and free grace of God but amplifieth and advanceth it greatly that wee obtaine pardon of our sins by the merit of Christs bloud and no other way The second objection is How can it bee said that wee have no ground of hope to find favour with God and the pardon of our sins but onely in Gods meere mercy and free grace Will a mans good workes do him no good in this case Is there no ground of hope and comfort for us in that goodnesse and grace that God hath wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit The Scripture teacheth us that there bee sundry graces and good workes that may give us much comfort in this case and bee good grounds of hope unto us that wee shall finde favour with God As 1. If a man can find hee doth truly feare God Proverbs 14.26 In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge 2. If a man can find hee hath bin of conscience towards God given unto works of mercy Psal. 18. â5 With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull and 41 1. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble and Iam. 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth against judgement 3. If a man can find that of conscience towards God he can forgive his enemies Matth. 6.14 If yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father also will forgive you 4. If a man can find that he is able with an upright heart to confesse his sin unto God even that is a good ground of hope that God will forgive it For thus David reasoneth here verse 2 3. Cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledge my transgressions 5. and lastly If a man can but humble himselfe and mourne before God for his sin even that will give him good hope of comfort For Christ saith Mat 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted And the Publican doing so went home justified Luke 18.14 My answer to this objection shall consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how much is to bee ascribed unto good works and to that goodnesse and grace that Gods children may find in themselves 2. I will let you see that this doth nothing derogate from the truth of my Doctrine concerning the reposing all our hope in the mercy of God only For the first I say first of all that these good works and graces we find in our selves though they bee not the causes why God pardoneth our sins yet are they certaine and infallible signes that wee have found mercy with God and that our sins are pardoned For thus runneth the covenant of God Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane and then followeth verse 26. A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you And thus speaketh our Saviour of Mary Lu. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she hath loved much As if he had said shee could not have had this grace to love me as she doth if her sins had not bin forgiven Secondly This grace and goodnesse which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a ground of hope unto him that God will respect his prayers Iohn 9 3. Weâ know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever wee aske we receive of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The Angell telleth Cornelius Acts 10.4 thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Certainely his almes made his prayers more effectuall with God Thirdly The goodnesse and grace which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a sound ground of comfort unto him even in greatest affliction So was it to Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world So was it to Iob the testimony that his owne heart gave him of the conscience hee had made of all uncleannesse of dealing equally with his servants of his mercifulnesse to the poore of his freedome from covetousnesse and maliciousnesse Iob 31. And of his hearts love to the Word and pure worship of God Iob 23.12 susteined and yeelded him great comfort in his extreame affliction as you may see Iob 31.35 36. If mine adversarie man or Satan had written a booke against mee surely I should take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne to mee So was it to Hezechiah when he had received from God the message of death Esay 38.3 Remember ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Fourthly These good works this goodnesse and grace that a man findeth in himselfe are foundations upon which a man may confidently ground and build
confession and aggravating of the sinnes of that Church and Nation And thus have you heard the Doctrine confirmed to you in both the branches of it Now for the grounds and reasons of it they are worth the enquiring into why have Gods servants beene wont thus to confesse their sinnes and that so fully and at large unto God Yea why hath God required them thus to do it and delighted in it Surely the Lord knoweth all our sins better then our selves and neede not have them discovered to him by us O God saith David Psalme 69.5 thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee And 1 â9 2 4. Thou art acquainted with all my wayes there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether thou knowest my thoughts afarre off And why have Gods people so openly before men discovered their owne shame seeing wee are bound to have a care even of our neighbours good name and not to publish his faults Matthew 18.15 Tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone much more are wee bound to have care of our owne credit I answer Three reasons principally have moved Gods people to doe this First The fulnesse and aboundance of their hearts Their hearts have beene so full of the sight and sense of their sinnes that they could not containe themselves they must needes give a vent to their heart by confessing of them Out of the aboundance of the heart saith our Saviour Matthew 12.34 the mouth speaketh This appeareth to bee one reason why David here bursteth forth in this confession his sinne was ever before him And this was one reason doubtlesse why Iohn Baptists hearers could not hold but must needes in so publike an assembly burst foorth into a confession of their sinnes Matt. 3.6 Affection if it be full and vehement cannot bee kept close but it will out as wee see in the example of Ioseph Genesis 45 1. Hee could not refraine himselfe before all them that stood by but hee must utter his affection to his brethren Secondly They have done this and God would have them do it to testifie the sincerity and unfeinednesse of their repentance For as it is a signe a man loveth his sin and it is sweete to him when hee hideth it under his tongue and spareth it as Zophar speaketh Iob 20.12 13. So is this a good signe a man hateth his sinne and is desirous to leave it when hee is willing to disclose and confesse it freely The sicke man that will not bee content to tell his Physician what the meate was that hee surfetted of never meaneth to forsake that meate and that is the very cause why hee will not discover it So is it in this case Men by nature are full of selfe-love and cannot abide to heare any evill of themselves from their dearest friends much more to speake any thing to their owne disgrace And this hypocrisie and selfe-love is a chiefe cause of mens unwillingnesse to confesse their sinnes So Tremellius and others render that clause of Iobs words Iob 31.33 Hiding out of the love of my selfe my sinnes So that this argueth a man hath more in him then nature when hee can freely confesse his sinnes This is Davids meaning Psalme 32.2 Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile As if hee should say While I kept silence I had a false heart my spirit was full of guile but when I became able fully to acknowledge my sinne then was my heart purged from that guile and hypocrisie that was in it before So Iob reckoneth this among the best arguments of his sinceritie and uprightnesse of heart that he could freely confesse his sins Iob. 31.33 He covered not his transgressions as Adam did hiding his iniquity in his bosome Thirdly and lastly They have done this and God hath required them to doe it that they might give glory unto God This reason Ioshuah giveth to Achan Iosh 7.19 My sonne give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from mee 1. In confessing our sinnes to God we give glory to him For wee acknowledge the righteousnesse and equity both of his commandements and threatnings and this reason David giveth verse 4. why he doth thus confesse his sins here That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgest 2. In confessing our sins before men we give glory to God For he is greatly glorified by our profession of repentance when just occasion serveth Matthew 5.16 And therefore when Luke had said Act. 19.17 that the Name of the Lord Iesus was magnified in Ephesus he bringeth this for the proofe of it verse 18. And many that beleeved came and confessed and shewed their deeds Lecture XXXII On Psamel 51.3 Iuly 18. 1626. IT followeth wee proceed to the uses that are to the be made of it which are principally two 1. To exhort us to seeke for this grace 2. To direct us how to try and examine our selves whether wee have yet attained to it or no. The first use I say is to exhort us to seeke for this grace that is here commended to us in the example of David he when God effectually touched his heart with true sight and sense of his sins did breake forth into a free and full confession of it so shall wee bee ready to doe if ever wee attaine to true repentance hee tooke this course to finde mercy with God in the pardon of his sins and so must wee doe if ever we will hope to obtaine mercy and comfort Now in this example of David we have three sorts of confession of sin propounded and commended to us for our imitation 1. Hee confessed his sin to Nathan 2. Samuel 12 13. David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. 2. He confessed his sinne to the congregation and Church of God for hee directed this Psalme that containeth the discovery and confession of his sin to the chiefe Musician for the use of the Temple verse 1. and publisheth it for the vse of the Church to the end of the world 3. He confessed his sin chiefly and most fully to the Lord himselfe as appeareth verse 4. and sundry other verses of this Psalme For the first Why did he confesse his sin unto Nathan his owne subject and servant Why did hee not rather when his sin was effectually discovered unto him betake him unto some secret place and confesse and bewaile his sins unto God I answer He saw it necessary to do it 1. To make knowne and approve his repentance unto the Prophet who was better able to judge of it then himselfe 2. That hee might receive comfort from the Prophet in the distresse and anguish of his conscience And surely every Christian when hee is in Davids case must if he be wise do as David did Concerning this confession of our sin in private
others at least not aggravate it by the circumstances of it as we shall heare it is fit we should doe There is therefore a necessity we should doe it in secret The second motive is from the conveniencie of it For we make confession of our sins in secret unto God much more effectually then any other way wee can doe And that in two respects First We may powre out our hearts more fully and freely unto God in secret then we can doe in the presence of any other man For we are all of us apt to thinke that if we should in a particular manner utter and expresse how vile wretches we are before those that love vs and thinke best of us they would never thinke well of us againe while we live but account vs ranke hypocrites And indeed it may be so they would In which respect we reade Zach. 12.12 that the husband should mourne apart and the wife apart they should not disclose their sins one to another But there is no such thing to stay or hinder us from being free and open hearted in secret For 1. we can say no worse by our selves then the Lord knoweth already better then our selves according to that speech of David Psal. 69.5 O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sins are not hid from thee and 139.2 3. O Lord thou understandest my thought afarre off thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes 2. We may be sure he will not like the worse but the better of us for confessing and opening of our sins unto him if we accuse our selues he will be the readier to absolve us According to that we have heard 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us and 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves wee should not bee judged Yee people saith David Psal. 62.8 powre out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us As if he had said ye have no cause to feare or be ashamed to open your hearts to him the more you can lay to your owne charge and accuse your selves of the more ready you shall finde him to bee a refuge and a comfort unto you There is no cause of feare for an humbled soule to goe to him Will hee plead against me with his great power saith Ioh 23.6 no but hee would put strength in mee Iames 1.5 Hee giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not The second respect wherein the conveniency of secret confession may appeare is this That wee may in secret use more helpes of voice and gesture and confesse our sins and make our complaint against our selves with more expressions of griefe then we can doe in the presence of others A man that would be ashamed to shed teares before men in the acknowledgment of his sins may be bold to doe it before the Lord. As Iob speaketh of himselfe Iob 16.20 Mine eye powreth out teares that is weepeth aboundantly unto God Thus did Iacob when he was alone Hos. 12.4 And I tell you even this maketh our confession of sins the more effectuall with God when we can doe it with teares As appeareth by that speech of God to Hezekiah 2 King 20.5 I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares And this second respect may seeme to have moved David when he fasted and prayed for the child to goe in to doe it 2 Sam. 12.16 and both other of Gods servants and our blessed Saviour himselfe too make choice of a secret place for their devotions So did Elizeus 2 King 4.33 So did Peter Act. 10.9 So did our Saviour Mar. 1.35 They knew they might have more liberty for voice and gesture and teares there then they could have had in the company of men The third and last motive that may provoke us unto this duty is the consideration of the fruits and benefits that are to be received by it And those are two principally First This will give a man farre greater assurance of the truth and uprightnesse of his heart when he can confesse and bewaile his sin in secret unto God then any confession of his sin in the presence of others is able to doe This is one of the arguments wherby Iob proveth himselfe to have bin no hypocrite as his friends charged him because he had not been wont to cover his transgressions from God as Adam did not to hide them in his bosome but had beene wont freely and ingeniously to confesse them unto God Iob 31.33 This argueth there is no guile in the spirit when a man can acknowledge his sins unto God and confesse his transgressions unto him Psal. 32.2 3.5 And our Saviour perswading his disciples to take heed of hypocrisie in performing religious duties prescribeth this for an antidote to preserve them from it to learne to make conscience of doing them in secret Mat. 6.5 6. Be not as the hypocrites for they love to pray in open places where they may be seene of men but thou when ãâã prayest enter into thy closet For it is strange to see how far an hypocrite may go in performing religious duties in the presence of others as our Saviour there sheweth they love to pray saith he standing in the Synagogues They will seeme to shew great delight and zeale in good duties so long as they have men to be witnesses of it Yea in this very point of making confession of their sins before men hypocrites and gracelesse men have gone very far Pharaoh did this to Moses and Aaron sundry times Exod. 9.27 and 10.16 and Saul unto Samuel 1 Sam. 15 24.30 auricular confession unto a Priest you see a rancke hypocrite may make and Iudas made confession of his sin before the Priests and Elders publikely in the Temple Yea to the party he hath wronged an hypocrite will be able to confes his sin as Saul did to David 1 Sam. 24.17 18. and 26.21 But of none of these you can read that ever they could go to God in secret and powre out their hearts before him So that you see this is one benefit a man shal receive by it it will give him a coÌfortable assurance of the sincerity uprightnes of his heart before God Secondly It will give great assurance to a man of mercy from God in the pardon of his sins Gods people have bin wont to find as great ease to their consciences by confessing their sins to God as ever stomack that was sick and oppressed did by casting up the meat that offended it or sore that was impostumated by giving vent to the filthy matter that put it unto paine David professeth of himselfe Ps. 119.25 26. that when his soule cleaved to the dust that it was quite cast downe and dejected as one foyled and wounded by his enemy and ready to give up the Ghost he tooke this course to relieve himselfe and found comfort in it hee declared his wayes unto God and he heard him And in another place
on me and on my fathers house but not on thy people that they should bee plagued And see how long and how heavily the wrong that he had done lay upon Pauls conscience he could never forget it 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a persecutor and injurious And so it will do upon every one of our consciences one day if we have bin injurious to any man howsoever we sleight it now and make nothing of it upon pretence either of the basenes or of the badnes of the parties we have done wrong unto Remember what I told you of the Gibeonites and how Davids heart smote him for wronging Saul as bad a man as could live 1 Sam. 24.5 But of all the hurts and wrongs we have done unto men by our sins the hurt that we have done them in their soules if we have bin any way the cause of their eternall perdition that may be to us a just cause of sorrow and trouble of mind for our sins O the bloud of soules which wee have destroyed by our sins will lye heavy and give an intollerable weight to our sins when God shall charge us with it And that we may and many doe make themselves guilty of diverse wayes Not only 1. by drawing and forcing others to sin by our authority as David did here both the messengers he sent to bring Bathsheba unto him 2 Sam 11,4 and Ioab whom he commanded to make away Vriah 2 Sam. 11.15 and as Absalom did his servants to murder Amnon 2 Sam. 13.28 and as Paul had done upon whose conscience this lay a long time that he had compelled many to blaspheme Act. 26.11 And 2. by drawing others unto sin either by our example or perswasion as David and his messengers did Bathsheba here 2 Sam. 11.4 and as full many a one dayly doth by being the authors beginning of sin unto others as the Prophet speaketh Mica 1.13 But even 3. by with-holding from any the helpe and meanes that God hath charged us to afford them for the preserving of their soules from perdition As you all will account that nurse that famisheth the child by with-holding the breast and food from it to have bin a murderer of it as much as if she had poisoned or cut the throat of it And surely many of us have just cause to feare God will one day say to us concerning the soules of any that have perished in our flocks that are ministers or in our families that are parents or masters as he doth to the Prophet Ezek. 3.18 His bloud will I require at thy hand Now for the second branch of the Doctrine Though our sins may justly trouble us in all these respects yet the chiefe thing above all others that should move us to hate sin and to mourne for it is the consideration of that offence we have committed by our sins against the Lord our God Observe the proofe of this in three points First This is that that hath had chiefe force in keeping Gods people from sin when they have bin tempted unto it As we see in the example of Ioseph Genes 39.9 How can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God He considered not so much the wrong he should do his maister though that he knew was very great as the offence he should coÌmit against God So David professeth Ps. 19.11 I have hid thy word in mine heart that I might not sin against thee The cause why he loved Gods word so much and tooke such paines by meditation prayer to make it his owne was that he might bee kept from sinning against God Secondly This is that that hath broken the hearts of Gods people and caused them to melt in sorrow for sin after they have committed it that they have done the thing that God is displeased with that hee is grieved and dishonoured by This was Davids maine griefe here And so in the confession he maketh to Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord. And Psal. 41.4 Lord be mercifull unto me heale my soule for I have sinned against thee This was the maine thing that troubled the prodigal child that he had displeased his father Lu. 15.18 I will go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Against thee thee only have I sinned and done evill in thy sight Thirdly and lastly this is the principall thing that distinguisheth the obedience repentance and sorrow for sin which is sincere from that that is counterfeit An hypocrite we know may make great shew of obedience of doing the will of God 2 Chron. 25.2 Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart The main thing that approveth the truth sincerity of our obedience is this when in doing the good things we do we respect the Lord himselfe we doe that that we doe because we would not offend him because we desire to please and honour him When we live not to our selves but to the Lord Rom. 14.7 8. Thus the Apostle proveth the sincerity of heart that was in those weak Christians that did make conscience both of using not using the meats prohibited by the law of Moses that both of them did it to the Lord Rom. 14.6 So an hypocrite may be able to mourn deeply for sin and wish with all his heart it were undone in respect of the mischiefe punishment of sin that either he feeleth or feareth As we see in the examples of Cain Saul and Ahab Iudas But this is a certaine note of Gods child when the chiefe thing that maketh us mourne for sin is that we have displeased grieved our father by it Therfore is true repentance called by the Apostle Act. 20.21 Repentance toward God Such a repentance as the respect we have unto God hath wrought in us And the sorrow for sin that causeth repentance unto salvation is called 2 Cor. 7.10 A sorrow that is according to God So it is said of Gods people that they lamented after the Lord. 1 Sam. 7.2 This sorrow proceedeth not from selfe love as the other doth but from love to God when though a man know himselfe to be reconciled to God and delivered from the wrath to come yea because he doth so and hath the spirit of grace that assureth him of Gods favour therfore he mourneth is troubled in heart that he hath by his sins offended grieved so good a father This is that sincere sorrow that God promiseth to worke in the hearts of his people Zac. 12.10 I will powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him not for themselves as one mourneth for his only sonne Lecture XLIIII On Psalme 51.4 Decemb. 26. 1626. IT Followeth now that wee proceed unto the grounds and reasons of the
admit of no duty to be enjoyned us but that which is easie we must never looke to come to heaven Wee know who it was that said Matth. 7.14 Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it And though it be an evill temper and constitution of the body to be too tender yet cannot the conscience be too tender the best temper and constitution of the conscience is to be sensible of the least sin Keepe my law saith the Lord Proverbs 7.2 as the apple of thine eye The conscience of Gods child towards Gods commandements is as tender a thing as the apple of the eye the least thing will offend it 2. This precisenes in making conscience of the least sin will not make a Christian life wearisome and uncomfortable unto him nay it is the onely way to make our lives comfortable unto us indeed if we could bring our hearts to this to make conscience of the least sin It is a certaine truth which Solomon speaketh of all the wayes of true piety Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace Certainly every yoke of Christ is easie and every burden that he layeth upon us is light as he telleth us that cannot deceive us Matth. 11.30 His commandements are not grievous saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.3 The strictnesse and precisenesse of obedience that the Lord requireth of us in this case is not a legall strictnesse and precisenesse of obedience but an Evangelicall 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted God requireth no more of us but that we wittingly give not our selves liberty in the least sin but that we doe our unfeined endeavour to keepe our selves from the least sin and not to suffer the least of our corruptions to passe without a censure no not a thought no not a dreame that favoureth of corruption as it appeareth by the equitie of that law which wee find Deuteron 23.10 11. This precisenesse and nothing without this will give us assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts and this assurance will breed that peace and soundnesse of joy in us as nothing in the world besides is able to doe So it is said of the people in Davids time 1 Chron. 29.9 The people rejoyced for that they had offered willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly This is that that worketh true confidence and security in the conscience of a Christian as David speaketh Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandements Such need not feare their sins nor the curse of the law due to sin For against such there is no law as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.23 The fourth and last use that this doctrine serveth unto is for reproofe of such as blame many of Gods servaÌts for nothing more then this that they are so precise in trifles in matters of very small moment This they taxe them for as for a very foule fault They love say they to be singular and to shew themselves more holy then all other men in matters of nothing Forsooth they will not do as other men do Nay they will not speake as other men speake O they may not sweare no not by faith troth This ridiculous precisenes in toyes trifles say they we cannot abide And this is certainly one chiefe ground of all the contempt hatred that most men do beare unto the servants of God they esteem us all to be no better then hypocrites because of this Now unto these men I have three things to say 1. That there is a kind of precisenes in smal matters that is indeed to be blamed as a certain note of hypocrisie 2 That all precisenes is not so 3. How men should carry themselves towards such as they so much mislike And for the first I will give you two notes to try it by 1. Why men are strict and precise and place religion and holinesse in such things as God hath given no such commandement nor direction for in his word The strictnesse and precisenesse of the Pharisees in observing their purifications our Saviour calleth hypocrisie because they had no ground for their conscience therein but onely the commandement and traditions of men Matth. 7.6 7. The precisenesse of the Papists in keeping their Lent and abstaining from meat upon opinion of holinesse the Apostle calleth hypocrisie because there is no warrant for it in the Word For every creature of God is sanctified and the use of it allowed unto us by the Word 1 Timothy 4.2.5 And certainly there are a world of such Popish hypocrites that are exceedingly scrupulous and precise and zealous in observing the traditions of men that doe observe sundry rites and customes of the Church not onely out of obedience to the authority whereby they are enjoyned but even out of conscience to the things themselves and perswasion that neither of the Sacraments would doe them or their children good if they should be received without those ceremonies that the Church hath enjoyned their feare towards God is taught by the precepts of men as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 29.13 that will urge and presse their ministers much more for the observation of these things then either for preaching or any other dutie of his ministery that God hath enjoyned him These precisians are grosse hypocrites certainely 2. Admit we have a commandement of God against these things that we are so scrupulous and precise in yet if we make more conscience of the commandements of God touching these smaller things then we doe of the greatest and weightiest of them this is also a certaine note of an hypocrite For so our Saviour proveth the Pharisees to be hypocrites because they were so precise in tithing of Mint and Annise and Cummin which yet they had a commandement from God to doe and yet omitted the weightier matters of the law as judgement and mercy and fidelity they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camell Mat. 23.23 24. And this is the first thing I have to say unto these men there is a kind of precisenesse in small matters that is no better then hypocrisie Secondly I say that all precisenes even in small matters is not hypocrisie It is no folly nor fault in a Christian to be precise in avoiding and making conscience of the least thing that God hath forbidden us Nay it is certainly the fault of the best of us that we are not so strict and precise that way as we ought to be This I will make plaine unto you both by examples and by precepts The examples are three Daniel was precise even in a matter of ceremony Dan. 1.8 Hâ purposed in his heart that he would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meate Our Saviour was so precise even in a matter of circumstance in Gods worship as that because God had commanded the passeover should bee
or abroad could do what they list how could Gods people have any quietnesse in their minds But blessed be God they can do nothing without our heavenly father hee sitteth at the sterne he hath both their hands and their hearts in his power This is that glad tidings that God hath commanded us his servants to publish to his people Esa. 52.7 Say unto Zion thy God reigneth when all is done Wicked tyrants may threaten us and brag of their power what they can do unto us as Pilate did to our blessed Saviour Iob. 19.10 Speakest thou not to me makest thou no more reckoning of me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and I have power to release thee They may threaten I say and brag what they can doe but they can do nothing of themselves And so our Saviour answered Pilate there Iohn 19.11 Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Thus doth our Saviour teach his disciples to arme themselves against the feare of trouble that might come to them through the malice of men Mat. 10 29.31 Not one sparrow falleth to the ground without your father but the very haires of your head are all numbred feare ye not therefore for ye are of more worth then many sparrowes And as this knowledge of Gods speciall hand and providence in all the troubles that can befall them hath quieted Gods peoples hearts from feare of troubles before they come so secondly It hath kept them from dejectednesse of spirit and impatiency when they have come Nothing hath more force to quiet the heart in affliction then this This was that that quieted Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord. And Iob 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away And David 2 Sam. 16.10 The Lord hath said to him curse David And Ps. 39.9 I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Will you see the ground of this I will not mention now neither 1. his soveraigne power he hath over us to do with us what pleaseth him nor 2. his justice whereby it is impossible he should do us any wrong nor 3. his wisedome whereby every thing that he doth must needs be so well done that it cannot be bettered these points you have heard of in the handling of the doctrine I will give you but this one ground why the knowledge of Gods providence and the hand that he hath in all our afflictions should quiet our hearts and cause us to beare them patiently because though to our feeling it doth not alwayes appeare so yet to our faith it doth that whatsoever he doth to any of his children he doth it in love unto them All the pathes of the Lord saith David Psal. 25.10 are mercy and truth unto such as keepe his Covenant and his testimonies In which respect David professeth this as a maine ground of his patience in all his afflictions Psal. 119.75 I know ô Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me This will appeare to us in five points principally First He doth not afflict any of his people willingly he taketh no pleasure in it hee never doth it but when need requireth it but when he is even forced unto it Hee will not afflict saith Elihu Iob 37.23 hee hath no will to it Hee doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Lamenta 3.33 He of his owne disposition delighteth in mercy as the Prophet speaketh Mic. 7.18 It is not with him as with earthly parents they oft correct their children for their pleasure but so doth not our heavenly father at any time as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.10 he hath no such pleasure his pleasure and delight is rather to be shewing mercy then to execute judgements upon them How can that be will you say If he be not willing to afflict us how can it bee with us as it is Who can compell him to it Surely the need he seeth we have of it and his love to us compelleth him to afflict us Now for a season saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.6 if need be yee are in heavinesse through many tentations As if he should say you should never be in heavinesse no not for the shortest season if need did not require it Vnlesse hee would see us perish everlastingly hee must needs a flict us When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not he condemned with the world saith the holy Apostle 1 Corinth 11.32 See this unwillingnesse of the Lord to afflict his but only that the need he seeth we have of it and his love to us compelleth him to it notably expressed Iere. 9 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people As if he should have said how shall I save them how should I keep them from perishing everlastingly if I should not correct them and this is the first point wherein his love in afflicting us doth appeare And who would not beare patiently the stripes of such a father that is so unwilling to beate us that never beateth us but with teares in his eyes according to that Esay 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted Secondly The end he aimeth at in afflicting us is to do us good yea some speciall good that could not be done so well any other way Time will not permit me to handle this point distinctly particularly shew you how many wayes the Lord useth to do his people good by affliction This in generall is certain 1. that God doth by al outward crosses sorrowes intend to make us partakers of some spirituall blessings comforts Heb. 12.10 He chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment in comparison worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Every crosse will bring with it some blessing or other if the fault be not in our selves yea the greatest crosse will bring the greatest blessing And experience hath proved this to be true that such of Gods servants as have beene most exercised with afflictions have usually abounded in more holines and comfort then any other As the sufferings of Christ abound in us saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2. True it is indeed that this fruit of affliction doth not presently appeare alwayes in Gods children while the crosse is upon them though in hypocrites all the good that affliction doth them appeareth presently and vanisheth as soone as the crosse is gone as you may see Psal. 78.34 neverthelesse afterward saith the Apostle Heb. 12.11 it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnes unto them that are exercised therby The Lords manner is to leave a blessing behind him as the Prophet speaketh Ioel 2.14 He humbleth us to do
the Scriptures and bringing the Word unto their remembrance he should be their Comforter 2. And for a conclusion of my speech touching this third meanes of patience let me say to such as are despisers of the Word that have not so much as a Bible in their houses or if they have take no delight in the reading or hearing of it but say unto God in their hearts with the Atheist in Iob 21.14 Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies if persecution should come and the sword of the enemy with what patience and comfort will you suffer that have no grounded knowledge out of the Word whether the religion you professe be the truth or no No man can with comfort suffer for the truth that is not certaine it is the truth When Paul prayeth for the Colossians that their hearts might be comforted Col. 2.2 he prayeth that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledging of the mystery of God He that is fully assured with understanding that that is the truth of God that he suffereth for he may suffer with comfort and none but he Nay I will say more unto you what patience or comfort can such as you that make no more reckoning of the Word have on your death beds whensoever that houre shall come Certainely none at all for as you have heard there is no true patience nor comfort nor hope to be found but in the knowledge of the Scriptures And therefore it is spoken of as the very upshot of the misery of a wicked man Pro. 5.23 He shall die without instruction O they are in a miserable case that die without instruction and alasse how many thousands are miserable this way Let me therefore say to every one of you as Solomon doth Pro. 19.20 Heare counsell and receive instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end If nothing else will cause you to esteeme of the Word yet let this do it that you may die with comfort that you may finish your course with joy Fourthly He that would be able patiently and meekely to beare afflictions and to submit himselfe obediently to the will of God in them must labour to get a true knowledge and sense of his owne sinnes Nothing hath more force to tame the heart of man and to breed patience in it under the crosse then this hath I will beare the indignation of the Lord saith the Church Mic. 7.9 Because I have sinned against him This is also plaine in the order of the three first Beatitudes Mat. 5.3 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit and then blessed are they that mourne and then blessed are the meeke Poverty of spirit sight and sense of sin will cause mourning and humiliation and these two will make us as meek as lambs under the corrections of the Lord. It is the privie pride of our hearts and the having too good a conceit of our selves that is the chiefe cause of all our impatiency and murmuring under the crosses that lye upon us If we knew our sins well and were truly humbled for them we would easily acknowledge that that which we endure is nothing to that that we have deserved at Gods hands we would say with David Psal. 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities And with holy Ezra 10.13 Thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve It was the sense that David had of his sins that made him thus to cleare the Lord when he so sharply judge and corrected him and to beare it so patiently as we have heard he did Let us all therefore when Gods judgements lie heavie upon us hearken to that counsell which the Church in her extreame affliction from her owne experience doth give us Lam. 3.39 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our waies and turne againe to the Lord. But some will object This is bad counsell certainely If when the Lord hath cast me downe by any of his judgements I should also cast downe my selfe by calling my sins to remembrance this were the way to bring me to despaire to make me utterly unable to beare any thing to make me to faint and to sinke under mine affliction And from this conceit it groweth that men cannot abide no not upon their death beds that either themselves or their friends should be put in mind of their sins But to these I answer that the sight of sin when it is joyned with true sorrow and humiliation of soule for it is not the way to despaire it is the onely way to bring us unto true comfort He is worthy to be beleeved that said so Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for the poverty of their spirits he meaneth for that want of grace and aboundance of corruption they find in themselves for they shall be comforted God that comforteth those that are cast downe saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.6 comforted us Let me apply this in a word or two to you al that are now shortly to go to the Lords Table This holy Sacrament is a Feast wherein every Christian soule may receive more sound joy and comfort then by any meanes that God hath given us under heaven besides It is said that at the receiving of the Passeover in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30.25 26. all the congregation rejoyced and there was great joy in Ierusalem And yet that Sacrament was not so effectuall a mean to breed joy and comfort in the hearts of Gods people as ours is It is also said of the noble Eunuch that he found great comfort in the Sacrament of Baptisme Acts 8.39 He went away rejoycing And yet there is not so much comfort to be received by that Sacrament neither as by this This is the Supper of the Lord wherein the Body and Bloud of our blessed Saviour is represented and exhibited by the elements of Bread and Wine creatures that God hath given above all things to strengthen and make glad the heart of man Ps. 104 15. But alasse how few are there that receive any sound comfort by this holy Sacrament or that go away rejoycing from it Would you know the true cause of it Certainely this it is we go not to it with soules humbled and mourning for our sins and how then should we go away comforted from it Christ was anointed and appointed of God to bind up the broken-hearted to comfort such as mourne Esa. 61.2 3. and not such senslesse creatures as we are He biddeth such to come to him as labour and are heavie laden Matth. 11.28 and promiseth to give them rest He never promised to give rest and comfort to such as we are that when we come to him never feele our sinnes to be any burden unto us In time of Popery at this time of the yeare all men held themselves bound in
extraordinary constantly who yet cannot master nor subdue any one lust but if they did use them conscionably and in a spirituall manner certainely the strength of their corruptions would bee abated by them Walke in the spirit saith the Apostle Galat. 5 16. and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh If in this as well as in other parts of our conversation wee could walke in the spirit performe spirituall duties in a spirituall manner wee could not fulfill the lusts of our flesh as wee doe See the truth of this but in two exercises of religion not to trouble you with more that are in most dayly use with all Christians and that is the Word and Prayer First There is great force in reading of the Word and hearing of it to subdue and mortifie sin in us if it be used conscionably Now yee are cleane saith our Saviour to his Apostles Iohn 15.3 through the word which I have spoken unto you The conscionable hearing of the Word is able to cleanse the heart from the corruption that is in it It is therefore called Iamesâ 21 because as the sciense of a good fruit that is grafted into a crab-tree-stocke will change the nature of the juyce and sap of it so the Word is able to change our natures quite See two notable instances of the power the Word hath this way 1. In the young man in whom wee know all kinds of lusts are most strong and violent and yet of him David saith Psal. 119.9 that if he would but conscionably exercise himselfe in the Word if he would take heed to his way according the Word he might be able to cleanse his way to cleanse his heart even from those unruly lusts of his 2. In a King who of all men in the world is in most danger as of other sins so specially of this to have his heart lifted and puffed up with pride and contempt of them specially that are his owne subjects and yet of him the Lord saith that if he will but exercise himselfe conscionably in the reading of the Word hee shall obtaine power over this corruption For giving the reason why hee would have him every day to read some part of the Bible he saith thus Deut. 17.20 That his heart bee not lifted up above his brethren and that he turne not aside from the commandement to the right hand or to the left As if hee should say this will subdue both the pride of his heart and every other corruption that is in it And two reasons there are why it must needs be so First Because the Word is able to discover every corruption to us how closely soever it lurke in our hearts and the loathsomnesse and odiousnesse of it also by the law commeth the knowledge of sin saith the Apostle Rom. 3.20 It is a discerner and discoverer of the very thoughts and intents of the heart as he saith Heb. 3.12 Compared therfore to a glasse Iam. 1.23 and to the light that maketh all things manifest as the Apostle speaketh Eph. 5.13 Secondly Because there is also a divine spirit life and power in it to work upon the heart to conquer and kill sin in it The words that I speake unto you saith our Saviour Iohn 6.63 they are spirit and they are life I have hid thy word in my heart saith David Psal. 119.11 that I might not sin against thee How could that keepe him from sinning Surely when any lust began to rise in his heart when he was tempted to any sin if he could then but remember some sentence of Gods word that condemned that sin that would be of force to stay him from it That even as our blessed Saviour himselfe did overcome Satan with Scriptum est It is written Matth. 4.10 so may the members of Christ bee able to overcome Satan and their owne corruptions by calling to mind and meditating and applying to themselves that which is written in the Word against them So saith David Psal. 17.4 By the words of thy lips I have kept mee from the paths of the destroyer For it is the sword of the spirit as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 6.17 It is the weapon of our warfare mighty through God to cast downe our imaginations and every thing in us that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor 10.4 5. This Divine power that is in the Word to bridle and subdue their corruptions Gods people have alwayes felt and found by experience in themselves and doe all of them to this day and that is the cause why they doe take such paines for it and esteeme more of it as Iob speaketh Iob 23.12 then of their necessary food They that regard not the Word exercise not themselves in the reading and hearing of it or if they doe read and heare it yet have no care to hide it in their hearts and to use it as the sword of the spirit against their owne corruptions certainly such are farre from mortification any have no desire at all to mortifie and kill sin in themselves The other exercise of religion that hath such force to master and conquer our corruptions is prayer if it be used conscionably and spiritually This was the meanes that Paul used when hee was troubled with the thorne in his flesh and sought to be rid of it 2 Cor. 12.8 and by it he obtained though not a full deliverance from it yet strength sufficient to master it so as he was not overcome by it That which David saith of his worldly enemies Psal. 56.9 every Christian may say of these lusts that warre against his soule When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turne backe When we can pray we may be sure to become conquerours over any of our lusts By our faithfull prayer we may be able to deliver any brother from the bondage of any sin that he is fallen into if it be not the unpardonable sin For so saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.16 How much more may wee have confidence to obtaine by prayer deliverance from the dominion of any of our owne corruptions For of all suits we can make to God we have greatest assurance to speed in this when we pray for grace How much more saith our Saviour Lut 11.13 shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Certainely this is one chiefe cause why the most of us can no better prevaile against our corruptions because we doe not more heartily complaine unto God of them and pray against them And wee may say as the Church doth Esay 64.6 7. Our iniquities like a wind have taken us away they carry us headlong whether they please And the reason is given in the next words There is none that calleth upon thy name or that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee The fift meanes the spirit of God in the word hath
all other meanes do faile Now for the more plaine and profitable handling of this last meanes these three points are distinctly to be considered 1. That till a man hath true faith he can mortifie no corruption 2. That true faith wheresoever it is will mortifie sin 3. That for the mortifying of sinne faith must be exercised and put forth and how that is to be don First Till a man be by a lively faith knit unto Christ and so reconciled unto God it is not possible that any one corruption should be truly mortified in him True it is a man that hath no faith in Christ may seeme to be most free from many sins he may live most civilly and unblameably That which the Pharisee said of himselfe Luk. 18.11 it may well be was truly said he was no extortioner no unjust man no adulterer and that also Mat. 19.20 All these things have I kept from my youth up And Paul saith of himselfe Phil. 3.6 that his life had beene blamelesse even before he knew Christ. But yet neither in the Pharisee nor in Paul nor in any other that is not in Christ was ever any sin truly mortified and subdued Some corruptions may lurke and lie very close in him and not breake forth nor shew themselves in outward actions but mortified they cannot be Neither the Fox nor the Wolfe nor the Lyon nor the Beare will do any hurt or shew what they be so long as they are either a sleepe or tyed up Sinne shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom 6.14 for yee are not under the law but under grace Till a man be under grace in the estate of grace reconciled to God in Christ sin must needs have dominion over him For mortification is a part of sanctification and a man must first be justified before he can be sanctified Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them he glorified All true sanctification proceedeth from faith and is a fruit thereof As our Saviour speaketh to Paul Acts 26.18 of such as shall have inheritance in heaven he calleth them such as are sanctified by faith in him As the branch saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee The good things you see in any man that is not by a lively faith ingrafted into Christ are no better then wild grapes or figs unacceptable to God and unprofitable to themselves And therefore it is a pitifull thing to see how men content themselves with this that they have reformed their lives and find some good things in themselves though they have no true faith at all nor ever seeke after it We should first labour to make the tree good or els the fruit can not be good as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 12.33 Secondly True faith wheresoever it is will mortifie sin it will abate and weaken the strength of every lust By faith God purifieth the heart as Peter speaketh Acts 15.9 Yea nothing hath that force to strengthen a man against any of his corruptions and against the strongest tentations he can have unto any sin as true faith hath This the Apostle teacheth 1 Iohn 5.4 5. This is the victory that overcommeth the world even our faith who is he that overcommeth the world but he that beleeveth He and none but he See the force of faith both these waies in an instance or two First For purifying the heart and killing of our lusts see the force of faith in foure of the strongest and most unconquerable of them all 1. In maliciousnesse and desire of revenge When our Saviour had said Luk. 17.3 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee seuen times in a day and seven times in a day turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him The Apostles said unto the Lord verse 5. increase our faith As if they had said unlesse we have faith we shall never be able to abstaine from revenge so oft but if thou wilt increase our faith we shall be able to conquer even this sin 2. Zacheus had beene a most covetous man and that you know is a most strong corruption and hardly subdued and yet so soone as he had received Christ by faith into his heart he overcame this lust presently as you may see by the bountifull restitution he was content to make Luk. 19.8 He would restore fourefold 3. Sundry of the Corinthians had beene outragiously filthy given not only to fornication and adultery but even to Sodomy and unnaturall lust 4. They had beene also given to drunkennesse as the Apostle telleth them 1 Cor. 6.9 11. and these are sins you know that are hardly left and overcome and yet so soone as they had obtained grace to beleeve in Christ aright they were presently delivered from the dominion of these sins Such were some of you saith he 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God And as for the force that is in faith to make us overcome the world and the strongest tentations unto sin we can meet with in it we have a notable example in Gods people that lived in the daies of the Maccabees of whom the Apostle saith Heb. 11.33 37. that though they were tempted and urged by most cruell tortures and persecutions to sin against God yet by faith they overcame them all Yea as he saith verse 34. out of weaknesse were made strong that is though they were in themselves at first as weake and timerous as any of us can be in the like case yet their faith in the end made them strong to overcome all And blessed be God no age no place hath wanted examples of such as through faith have overcome and vanquished as strong corruptions and as violent tentations as ever any of us can be subject unto This force of faith to mortifie corruption will yet be further evident unto us if we will consider two reasons and grounds of it First True faith applieth all that Christ did and suffered particularly to every beleever and perswadeth his soule that out of his love to him and care to keepe him from perishing everlastingly he endured all that he did endure No tongue can expresse nay no heart can conceive what torment and misery our blessed Saviour did endure for them that he did undertake for Looke but to his corporall sufferings to that that was outward and open even to the view of men and he was even in that respect more wretched and contemptible then ever any other man was Well might the Apostle say Phil. 2.7 that he made himselfe of no reputation Many were astonied at thee saith the Prophet Esa. 52.14 his visage was so marred more then any man and his forme more then the sonnes of men And 53.3 We even his owne people and Disciples hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we
that ever they desired that ever it came into their thought to doe us any hurt Shall wee impute this to any goodnesse of nature that is in them No no this is to be ascribed to the powerfull restraining grace of that God who made this promise to his servants that were compassed about with most wicked people on every side Exod. 34.24 No man shall desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in a yeere Secondly Whereas we know there be many lewd men amongst us not Papists onely but others to whom we are an extreame eye-sore that do with all their hearts desire to do us a mischiefe and have even in their words oft bewraied as much Of whom we may say with David Psal. 57.4 My soule is among lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire How commeth it to passe that they have yet done us no hurt nor so much as attempted any thing against us Surely that God that restrained Laban from hurting Iacob though hee had pursued him sixe dayes journey with a great power and full purpose to bee revenged on him and continued in this purpose till the very night before hee overtooke him as you shall find Gen. 31.23.29 that God I say is he that hath kept all these lewd men from doing us that hurt that they have desired and purposed to doe Hee that when the Sunne ariseth Psal. 104.22 23. maketh the Lyons to gather themselves together and lay them downe in their dens that man may goe forth to his worke and to his labour untill the evening Hee that shut the mouthes of the Lyons from hurting Daniel 6.22 doth curbe and muzzle these men from hurting us and let him have the glory of all that safety wee live in Thirdly and lastly Whereas every wicked man doth naturally hate us according to that sentence of God Genes 3.15 I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed How commeth it to passe that many wicked men we live by are not onely harmelesse and void of malice towards us but neighbourly and courteous and kind unto us Surely of this wee may say as the Prophet doth in another case Psalme 118.23 This is the Lords doing and it should seeme marvellous in our eyes Hee that made Esau run to meet Iacob and to embrace him and fall on his necke and kisse him Gen. 23 4. Hee that gave his people such favour in the sight of the Egyptians Exod. 11.3 that they thought nothing too good for them is the only cause of all this And certainely if the Lord should not thus restraine wicked men if hee should set their hearts at liberty and let loose all that wickednesse that is in them wee might with much more safety live among Lyons and Beares then among them When our Saviour had told his disciples Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you forth as sheepe into the midst of wolves hee addeth presently verse 17. but beware of men As if he had said What speake I of wolves you have more cause to feare danger from men then from wolves or from any other creature whatsoever Let us therefore beloved 1. Among other mercies of God take notice of this and bee thankefull for it that in so wicked a world wee live in such peace and safety as wee doe 2. Let us in these dangerous times wherein wee see cause of so great feare on every side by reason of the multitude and cruelty and strength of our enemies both at home and abroad learne to secure and quiet our hearts in the providence of this mighty God that can thus command and rule the hearts of the vilest men upon earth yea though they were the mightiest Princes that can turne them whether soever he will as Solomon speaketh Prov. 21.1 Let us seriously meditate of that which the Prophet speaketh Psal. 76.10 Surely the rage of man shall turne to thy praise the remnant of the rage thou wilt restraine 1. God can and will in his time restraine the remnant of the rage that the bloudy enemies of his Gospel are apt to shew still against his people 2. And surely the rage that they have already shewed shall in the end tend to his praise or else it should not have proceeded so farre as it hath done That wee may bee able thus to quiet and secure our hearts in the providence of this mighty God 1. Let us never give our selves rest till wee be able through a lively faith to say with Gods people Psal. 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide and shepheard even unto death 2. Let us live in his feare and labour to please him in all our wayes For when a mans wayes please the Lord as the holy Ghost saith Prov. 16.7 hee maketh even his enemies to bee at peace with him Then may wee bee secure and void of feare though the times were much worse and our enemies many more and stronger then they are then may we say as David doth when his heart was made glad with the light of Gods countenance Psal 4.8 I will both lay me downe in peace and sleepe also for thou Lord only makest mee to dwell in safety And so much shall suffice to bee spoken of the benefit wee receive by the worke of Gods restraining grace in the hearts of other men But yet in the worke of Gods restraining grace in our owne selves we have much more cause to admire the goodnes of God towards us By the former he hath provided for our outward security and safety in the world but by this hee doth procure and maintain the inward peace tranquilitie of our consciences For seeing as wee have heard wee are all of us by nature as bad as any other Wee are all by nature the children of wrath even as others as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.3 Wee have all of us still even after our regeneration the whole body of sin not one member of it wanting in us the seeds of all sins as appeareth plainly by that complaint of the Apostle Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death How commeth it to passe that wee are not in our lives as well as in our natures as bad as any others Surely the Lord by his restraining grace suffereth not all the corruption that is in our nature to breake forth in us as hee said to Abimelech Genesis 20.6 so may hee-say to every one of us I have kept thee that thou shouldst not sin against mee in these and these kinds Why but will you say this is true indeed of heathens and naturall men they are kept from sin by restraining grace but there is more in us that are regenerate then so we have sanctifying grace also I answere This is true and of that I shall speake in the next place but yet the best of Gods servants are much bound to him also
with can do when ye leave holding of it In which respect the Lord compareth himselfe to a nurse that dadeth a child Hos. 11.3 I taught Ephraim to goe taking them by their armes We can neither goe nor stand any longer then the Lord doth uphold us This is the inference that the Apostle himselfe maketh Phil. 2.12 13. Worke out your owne salvation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do even of his good pleasure Because we have no ability to preserve our selves in the state of grace but all dependeth upon the power and goodnesse of God therfore we must feare Continue in his goodnesse as the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.12 keepe in favour with him otherwise thou also shalt bee cut off But you will say that is not possible whom God once loveth in this kind he loveth for ever I answer First Whom God doth love in this kind them he maketh fearefull to offend him fearefull to fall and to decay in grace and this feare is a principall meanes whereby he doth preserve them from falling away This is plaine Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them and I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that by this thou shalt know whether thou be indeed converted whether there be any truth of grace in thee if God have put this feare into thy heart there is otherwise there is none at all Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Secondly Though those whom God loveth according to his good purpose he loveth to the end and therefore will never disinherit them nor utterly cast them off yet if they be not fearefull to offend him though he love them yea because he loveth them he will chasten them as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.6 and he scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth And in what kind he will scourge them how long his scourge shall lie upon them how deepely he will wound them with the lashes that he will give them with his scourge that the Lord onely doth know Admit that if ever we had the spirit of God and truth of grace in us it will never depart from us we can never loose it utterly but yet if we grow secure and neglect the meanes whereby we may preserve grace in our selves and keepe it alive whereby wee may preserve our selves from falling away we may quench the spirit in our selves This is plaine by the Apostles speech 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the spirit despise not prophesyings Even the despising of hearing the Word will quench the spirit that is deprive us of the operation of the feeling of the comfort of Gods grace in us Be it he that is once in the state of grace shall be preserved by God from falling totally from taking such falls as should break his neck and quite deprive him of the life of grace and from falling finally from falling into such pits as he should never be able to get out of againe from taking such falls as the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 6.6 which they that take them can never after be renewed againe by repentance Yet if he grow secure and looke not well to his feet if he nourish not in his heart the feare of the Lord he may fall fearefully he may take such falls as may breake his bones as may put him to such anguish of soule as if he had a kingdome he would give it to be eased of it This is plaine by the words of David in the 8. verse of this Psalme Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce His fall into adultery and murder had broken his bones that is had put him to more anguish and griefe then ever man felt that had his bones broken in his body Lecture LXXI On Psalme 51.5 October 9. 1627. THe fift and last point of application is to comfort and strengthen those poore soules that being indeed in the state of grace are yet much perplexed that either they are already or shall and may hereafter fall fearefully from it Two tentations there be whereby the best of Gods servants are often troubled greatly in this point of their perseverance in grace First Some of them are apt to conclude that they are already quite fallen from grace because 1 They have lost their first love that delight and fervency wherewith they were wont to serve God 2 They have lost their faith and cannot be assured of Gods favour as once they were 3 They slip ever and anon into the sins they have repented of and find no strength to overcome them Against this first tentation there is notable comfort and strength ministred to Gods people in the Word of God and even in that which we heard the last day of the admirable worke of God in the perseverance of his Saints And for the comfort and strength of Gods people against this tentation the Scripture giveth us two notable preservatives First The choisest of Gods servants and such as unto whom the Lord hath given the best testimony in his Word have beene in this case that thou art in subject to this variablenesse to these alterations in their spirituall estate They have not stood alwaies steady in one state but have beene of and on with the Lord. 1. For their delight and fervencie in good duties You shall read of David that sometimes hee did service unto God with marvellous alacrity and cheerefullnesse of spirit When hee contributed to the building of Gods house he did it with exceeding joy 1 Chron. 29.9 David the King rejoyced with great joy You shall also read of his going to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise as one that were going to a feast Psalme 42.4 And sometimes againe you shall heare him complaining of the deadnesse of his heart that he could serve God with no life or cheerefullnesse at all Psalme 119 25. My soule cleaveth to the dust quicken thou mee according to thy Word 2. So it is with them for their faith and confident assurance of Gods favour David that one while glorieth The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare Psalme 27.1 At another time you shall finde him quite void of this assurance Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes You shall heare him complaining Psalme 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted And blessed Paul who at one time speaketh so triumphantly Romanes 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ At another time 2 Cor. 7.5 you shall heare him complaine of inward feares and terrours 3. For their conscionable care to please God in all their waies they have shewed great inconstancy in that also 1. Abraham was sometimes so obedient unto God so carefull to
words this comfortable sentence verse 18. Wee know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not This wee know and are most certaine of that hee can never fall into that sinne Insomuch as that which the Apostle speaketh of the whole Church of the Iewes Rom. 11.11 may be truly said of every elect child of God Have they stumbled that they should fall that is that they should fall finally and for ever for in the next verse 12. hee granteth they are fallen God forbid saith hee See this also plainly taught us Psal. 15. where the Prophet having described the upright hearted Christian by sundry properties and actions hee concludeth verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall never bee mooved never bee utterly and finally overcome by any tentation And this is that which our Saviour teacheth also Mat. 7.24 25. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock and the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was built upon a rock And that which hee saith of a godly life hee saith Matth. 16.18 of a lively and true faith also Thou art Peter a rocke impregnable whom Satan with all his might shall not be able to overcome though thou shalt fall thou shalt not fall utterly and upon this rocke this faith that thou hast made confession of I will build my Church and the gates of hell all the cunning all the power of Satan shall not prevaile against it If any man shall aske me and why cannot a chosen vessell and true beleever what tentations soever shall assault him perish irrecoverably I answer There bee two pillars that uphold him and make it impossible for him to fall in that manner of which I spake the last day 1. The almighty power of God 2. The unchangeable love of God Both fitly typified by those two pillars we read of 1 Kin 7.21 that were in Solomons Temple which was also it selfe a type of the Church and people of God the one was called Iachin that is to say he will establish the other Boaz in him is strength First Let us begin with Boaz. In the Lord is strength enough to keepe us from falling totally or finally Vpon this pillar our Saviour lyeth this Doctrine Iohn 10.28.29 None of my sheepe shall perish my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand No no man if hee bee once one of Christs sheepe a true beleever no man can plucke him away Vpon this pillar doth Paul ground his confidence 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Yea upon this pillar hee groundeth the confidence even of the weakest Christian that is having an honest heart Rom. 14. For speaking of one that is weake in the faith verse 1. he saith thus of him verse 4. Yea he shall be held up for God is able to make him stand Now for the second pillar lachin hee will establish The Lord not only hath strength to keepe his people but wee are also sure he will establish them that they shall not perish This pillar God giveth his Church to ground and build upon Esa. 54.10 The mountaines shall depart and the hills bee removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Vpon this pillar doth the Church ground her confidence Esa. 64.5 Behold thou art wroth for wee have sinned in those is continuance and wee shall bee saved And so doth David Psalm 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Lecture LXXII On Psalme 51.5 Octob. 16. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the fourth and last point wherein the admirable goodnesse of God is set forth by the Doctrine of originall sin and that is this That the sinfulnesse and corruption of our nature being so great as it is it should doe us no more hurt then it doth And surely this is a thing that wee can never sufficiently admire that wee not onely slipping and falling oft into many actuall sins but having also still in us so vile a nature such a fountaine of corruption that maketh us wee cannot cease from sin any one moment and like the troubled sea that cannot rest it is the Prophets comparison though in another sense Esa. 57.20 is ever casting up some filthy myre and dirt or other to defile our best actions by that wee being such I say the Lord should not loath and abhorre both our selves and every thing that proceedeth from us That the Lord should notwithstanding all this have so gracious respect unto us and to our poore service as he hath this doth notably set forth his admirable goodnesse and mercy towards us This will the better appeare unto us if wee shall distinctly consider these three things 1. What wee and our best actions and performances are 2. What the Lord is in the holinesse of his owne nature 3. What the respect is that the Lord notwithstanding doth shew to us and to the service we do unto him For the first Our flesh and corrupt nature is such as it will not suffer us to doe any one duty in that manner as wee ought This blessed Paul complained of Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee this was doubtlesse the speech of a regenerate man but how to performe that which is good I find not And that that hee saith of himselfe there hee saith of all the faithfull Galat. 5.17 Yee cannot doe the thing that yee would Nay it doth so palpably corrupt and defile every good thing wee desire to doe as our selves cannot choose if there bee any truth of grace in us but discerne and bee ashamed of it and complaine of it also as the Church doth Esa. 64.6 Wee are all as the uncleane man the leper and all our righteousnesses not one but all are as filthy rags So that when wee have done the best service that ever wee did to God wee have cause to cry God mercy for it and to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 Lord pardon mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy And if we as blind and senselesse and full of selfe-love as we are can discerne so much filth our selves in them what can the Lord doe Who is greater then our heart as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3.20 and knoweth all things For the second point The Lord wee know is so infinitely holy that hee cannot abide to looke upon hee cannot but detest all filthinesse and sin Thou art of purer eyes saith the Prophet Hab. 1.13
thee to have my best services washed and cleansed from their filthines and seekest thou to mee for such poore services as I am able to doe Fourthly and lastly Hee doth also reward every service wee doe unto him notwithstanding all the imperfections and staines of it Whatsoever good thing any man doth saith the Apostle Ephes. 6.8 the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Not onely great services and such as much glory redoundeth to his name by but even the meanest and poorest and such as may seeme to bee of least use unto him See what Christ saith of the poore widdowes two mites Luke 21.3 of a cup of cold water given to one of his little ones in the name of a Disciple Matth. 10.42 and what the Apostle saith Colos. 3 24. of the conscionable service that a poore drudge that had an infidell to his master did Know that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance Therefore when Christ speaketh Matth. 25. of the good workes that shall bee rewarded in heaven hee speaketh not of Martyrdome nor of building of Colledges nor fighting the Lords battell nor redeeming of impropriations and such like great and excellent workes but of such as the meanest Christian almost may bee able to performe The poore mans sacrifice who was able to bring but a turtle Dove or a young Pigeon was an offering of as sweet a savour unto the Lord as you shall find Levit. 1.17 as the rich mans was that brought never so many sheepe or oxen either Yea those very services that have beene apparantly polluted with mixture of corruption have beene rewarded by him neverthelesse Because the mid-wives feared God saith Moses Exodus 1.20 21. and saved the childrens lives therefore God dealt well with the mid-wives and made them houses though they in doing this service had excused themselves by a lye as yee may see verse 19. Yea those services that we do unto God with sensible untowardnesse unwillingnesse and reluctancy of our flesh against them those God will bee most sure to reward God is not unrighteous saith the Apostle Heb. 6.10 to forget your worke and labour of love Now if wee will search the Scriptures and enquire into the reason of this admirable goodnesse of God and demand how it commeth to passe that so perfect and pure and righteous a God should so farre respect so imperfect and impure services as we are able to doe unto him we shall find three reasons given of it in the holy Scriptures First In these poore services that the faithfull doe unto God their heart is set to please him that is the end they aime at They would faine doe them in faith and love to God with fervency and vigour of spirit To will is present with them as Paul speaketh Rom. 7.18 They would faine doe better They would faine serve God even in that exact manner that hee requireth Their spirit is willing as our Saviour saith Matth. 26.41 though the flesh be weake And they oft-times pray unto God as David doth Psal. 119.5 O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes And can say as Esa. 26.8 The desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee They that are after the spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.5 doe mind the things of the spirit The poore servants will was to pay his master even the ten thousand talents that he required of him Matth. 18.24 16. The faithfull doe not please themselves in any of their failings but are troubled with them and mourne for them As the poore man in the Gospell was that hee could beleeve no better Mar. 9.24 In all their coldnesse in prayer in all their wandrings and evill thoughts they find then they can say with the spouse Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh And this is a thing that highly pleaseth God hee will beare with much when hee findeth this If there be a willing mind saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 a man is accepted according to that that a man hath The good Lord pardon every one saith good Hezechiah in his prayer 2 Chron. 38.18 19. and the Lord hearkened to him verse 20. that prepareth his heart to seeke God though hee bee not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary The Lord will pardon and passe by much where he seeth the heart is thus set to please him Secondly These poore services that we doe are for the substance of them the fruits the thoughts and desires the words and actions of his owne spirit in us It is God worketh in us both to will and to doe as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2.13 In those poore prayers that the faithfull soule maketh when his spirit is overwhelmed so that hee knoweth not what to pray as hee ought the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot bee uttered as the Apostle speaketh Rom 8.26 And though God dislike never so much that that is ours the corruptions and staines that cleave to our best works yet that that is his owne the worke of his owne spirit hee cannot but like and delight in This reason wee shall find given by David Psal. 37.23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and hee delighteth in his way Therefore hee delighteth in the good mans way because hee by his spirit doth order and direct it And thus the Church reasoneth Esay 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us Thirdly and lastly The faithfull are in Christ and God beholdeth them in him and because hee is in Christ well pleased with and loveth them therefore doth he take in good part their poore services He hath made us accepted saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.6 in the beloved And when we our selves are once reconciled unto God and in favour with him it is no marvell though he take our poore services in so good part The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering saith Moses Genes 4.4 Wee that are evill ye know can beare with much in them that wee love dearely Yea the services that the faithfull doe unto God they doe not present them to him in their owne name but in Christs onely they doe not looke to have them accepted for their owne but for the Lords sake as Daniel speaketh Dan. 9.17 18. And Christ hath borne all these our blemishes and defects and fully satisfied for them As it is said of Aaron the high Priest Exod. 28 38. that he did beare the iniquity of the holy things that Gods people did offer in all their holy gifts Our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2 5. For he presenteth them to his father in the merit of his sacrifice and in presenting them casteth of these his sweete odours and incense into them as you shall read Rev. 8.3 And being so perfumed it is no marvell though our
not that the thing thou lookest after in all the workes of men in all the services they doe unto thee The true worshippers saith our Saviour Iohn 4 23. shall worship the father in spirit and truth for the father seeketh such to worship him Hee even longeth for such servants as will worship him in that manner Secondly This is that that the Lord delighteth in Such as are upright in their way saith Solomon Prov. 11.20 are the Lords delight I know also my God saith David 1 Chron. 29.17 that thou hast pleasure in purightnesse We can by nothing we are able to doe gratifie and please the Lord so much as in this Thirdly This is all in all with God the onely thing that hee requireth of us let our hearts bee true to him and hee hath enough Indeed this comprehendeth much as wee shall heare and where this is nothing can be wanting and therefore the Lord asketh no more but this This is all that God required of Abram in that covenant that he made with him Genes 17.1 Walke before mee and be thou upright So speaketh Samuel also to the people when hee would renew the covenant betweene God and them 1 Sam. 12.24 Only feare the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart So runneth the covenant also that God made with David and his posterity 1 Kin. 2.4 If thy children take heed to their wayes and walke before me in truth with all their heart and all their soule there shall not faile thee a man upon the throne of Israel Fourthly The Lord valueth and esteemeth of us and of all our words and actions according to this this is the very ballance of the Sanctuary whereby hee weigheth them all 1. Thus the Prophet describeth a good man Psal. 125.4 Doe good ô Lord to those that be good Who are they And to them that are upright in their hearts 2. A little grace a small measure of knowledge and faith the meanest and poorest service we doe unto God is of a great price and worth with him where hee seeth uprightnesse of heart Philadelphia is said Revel 3.8 to have had but a little strength and yet of all the Churches Christ wrote to hee findeth least fault with her shee pleased him best 3. Nay the Lord will beare with many frailties and faults where hee seeth there is truth in the inward parts See three notable examples of this 1. Asa had sundry great faults which you shall see recorded 2 Chron. 16.10.12 And yet because of this see what a testimony the holy Ghost giveth of him 1 Kings 15.14 Neverthelesse Asaes heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes As if hee should have said for all his slips and frailties hee was a good man because his heart was upright 2 The second example is of Iehoshaphat his sonne of whom also we read that hee had many great frailties Hee made a league of great amity with Ahab 2 Chron. 18.3 Hee went with him to battell against Ramoth Gilead though hee had heard what Micajah the Prophet spake against it 2 Chron. 18.27 28. Though hee had beene reproved for this by Iehu the Prophet 2 Chron. 19.2 yet doth he after that againe joyne himselfe in speciall league with Ahaziah Ahabs sonne a most wicked man 2 Chron. 20.35 And he bestowed his sonne Iehoram in marriage upon Ahabs daughter 2 Chron. 21.6 And yet for all this God accounted him a good man all his dayes 1 King 22.43 Hee turned not aside from doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And why did God so esteeme of him Surely because his heart was upright with God For saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.3 Neverthelesse there are good things found in thee in that thou hast prepared thine heart to seeke God And as it is said 2 Chron. 17.6 His heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord. He was unfeinedly and zealously bent in the purpose of his heart to please the Lord. 3. The third and last example is of the people that received the passeover in Hezechiahs time of whom it is said 2 Chron. 30.18 that they did eate it otherwise then it was written they swerved in that holy service from the expresse direction and commandement of God For they had not cleansed themselves according to the purification of the Sanctuary they came not so prepared to the Sacrament as they ought to have done And yet did God passe by this fault and imputed it not unto them but at the prayer of Hezekiah healed and forgave them made his Sacrament effectuall to their comfort for all that And why so The reason is given verse 19. They had prepared their hearts to seeke God in that his ordinance the bent of their heart was upright with God in that service You see then what account God maketh of the uprightnesse of the heart 4 On the other side The greatest shewes of goodnesse that can be in a man the best workes he can doe are of no worth with him if this be wanting Iudas repented confessed his sinne in particular and made restitution also of that hee had unjustly got Matth. 27.3 4. and all to no purpose because his heart was rotten and unsound The Pharisee led so civill and honest a life that he justified himselfe before men and was highly esteemed for it as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 16.15 but was of no reckoning with God And why Our Saviour telleth us Matth. 23. â8 Ye outwardly appeare righteous to men but within ye are full of hypocrâsie and iniquity The people in Ezekiels time frequented his ministery diligently tooke as great delight to heare him as as ever they did in any musicke yet were they starke naught in Gods account And the reason is given Ezek. 33.31 their heart was false their heart went after their covetousnesse Iehu shewed great zeale for Gods glory and did much for the advancement of it and gloried of it unto good Iehoâadab 2 King 10.16 Come with me saith he and see my zeale for the Lord. And yet did the Lord account of him no better then of a murderer I will avenge saith hee Hos. 1.4 the bloud of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu And why Because in doing that excellent peece of service his heart was not right as you shall see 2 King 10.31 Fiftly and lastly The Lord so highly esteemeth of this truth of heart that hee counteth him that hath this a perfect man a righteous man as if hee had no sinne no defect no frailty in him at all For in the phrase of the Holy Ghost an upright hearted man and a perfect man are all one So God calleth Iob 2.3 A perfect and an upright man So speaketh David Psal. 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright So Psal. 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous Why who can say he is righteous Hee answereth in the next words Shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart And 97.11 Light is sowen
for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Yea Hezekiah in his sicknesse when hee thought there was no way with him but one 2 King 20.3 could say of himselfe and that was strange that hee had walked before God with a perfect heart because his conscience witnessed with him hee had walked in truth his heart was upright with God The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are foure principally three of them taken from the nature of God and the fourth from the nature of this grace of truth and uprightnesse of heart First The Lord wee know is a spirit and therefore looketh for the service of the heart and spirit his eye is upon that rather then upon any outward thing So the Lord telleth Samuel 1 Samuel 16.7 This reason our Saviour giveth Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit and therefore they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Secondly The Lord is a God that knoweth is able to search the heart all the corners and windings of it and it is to no purpose therefore to double with him I know Ephraim saith the Lord Hos 5.3 and Israel is not hid from me All things are naked opened saith the Apostle Heb. 4.13 unto the eyes of him with whom wee have to doe This reason the Lord giveth Iere. 17.9 10. The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it I the Lord search the very heart and try the reines And therefore to thinke wee can flatter the Lord and please him with good words and shewes as it is said the Israelites that perished in the wildernesse did Psalme 78.36 37. They flattered him with their mouthes for their heart was not right with him is even to lye unto the holy Ghost as Peter charged Ananios Actes 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye unto the holy Ghost a dissembling with him that cannot bee deceived by us Thirdly The Lord is the God of truth and so is called Psal. 31.5 and the spirit of God is called the spirit of truth Iohn 14.17 In this grace specially consisteth the image of God in this wee most resemble him God made man upright Eccle. 7.29 So the Apostle speaking of the image of God according to which we were first created and unto which wee are renewed by the spirit of regeneration Ephes. 4.24 Hee calleth it righteousnesse and holinesse of truth And our Saviour describing the fall of the Angells the devills falling from God and loosing of his image he describeth it thus Iohn 8.44 Hee abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him If there bee truth in our inward parts wee resemble God our heavenly father if there bee no truth there we resemble Satan and therefore it is no marvell though the Lord take such pleasure and delight in uprightnesse Fourthly and lastly The uprightnesse of the heart will command and carry the whole man with it This reason the holy Ghost giveth Prov. 4.23 Keepe thy heart with all diligence looke that that that bee sound and upright for out of it come the issues of life Vprightnesse in the hid man of the heart is like unto the leven it is our Saviours comparison Matth. 13.33 hâd in three measures of meale the whole lumpe of dough will savour of it A good man cut of the good treasure of his heart saith our Saviour Matth. 12.35 will bring forth good things If the heart bee upright and good the speech will bee good and the actions also The mouth of the righteous saith David Psal 37.30 31. speaketh wisedome and his tongue talketh of judgement Why so The law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide If grace and uprightnesse be in the heart it will make the speech gracious it will keepe a man from sliding and falling from God in his whole conversation It is therefore no marvell though the Lord desire that above all things and so much delight in it Lecture LXXV On Psalme 51.6 Novem. 13. 1627. IT followeth now that we proceed to shew you the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto and those are principally two 1. For examination and tryall of our selves whether wee have this grace or no. 2. For exhortation to stirre us up to seeke for it if wee want it and to make much of it to maintaine and strengthen it if wee have it already for as for the uses both of reproofe and comfort they will fitly be comprehended in these two The first use I say it serveth unto is for examination for every one of us to try our owne hearts whether there be that truth and uprightnesse in them that the Lord taketh so much delight in Now for the more orderly and profitable handling of this use I will shew you 1. The Motives that may stirre us all up to take paines in this tryall and examination of our selves 2. The Notes and Markes whereby this tryall is to bee made and whereby the truth and sincerity of the heart is to bee judged of The Motives are three principally 1. From the necessity of this worke in respect of the difficulty of it 2. From the possibility of it 3. From the benefit and fruit of it when it is well done First it is a difficult thing to find out whether our heart bee upright or no. This is evident 1. By common and daily experience all sorts of people are apt to deceive themselves in this point The worst men that are as they are the most confident people in the world and the best perswaded of their estate towards God according to that of Solomon Pro. 14.16 A wise man feareth and departeth from evill he is afraid of Gods wrath and apt to doubt much of his owne estate and that keepeth him in awe and maketh him carefull to depart from evill but the foole rageth and roareth and swaggereth and yet is confident So do they build their confidence upon this perswasion principally that though they speake foolishly now and then and do amisse through frailty yet they have as good as true hearts to God as the best There is a generation saith Solomon Pro. 30.12 that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse As if he had said though their lives be most filthy yet they are thus conceited of their owne purity Every way of man saith Solomon Pro. 21.2 is right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts As if he should say Why doe men please themselves in their owne waies and are deceived in them The reason is they cannot ponder nor know their hearts they thinke better of their hearts then they should do On the other side the best men that are are apt to charge themselves that their hearts are false and unsound that they have no more in them then may be in an hypocrite The good things that are in the regenerate are so mixed and intermingled with their owne
corruptions yea that little fire they have is covered in them with such an heape of ashes that little corne that is in them is hid in them in such a deale of chaffe as they can hardly discerne that truth of grace that is them To this case that proverbe may fitly be applyed Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches See an example of this in David in that prayer he maketh ver 10. of this Psalme Create in me a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me He had certainely at this time a cleane heart and a right spirit but he could not perceive nor discerne it in himselfe at this time and therefore prayeth God would create it and renew it in him as if it had beene quite gone It is a farre easier thing for a regenerate man to see and discerne the corruption that is in him then the truth of grace that is in him When the Apostle speaketh of the fruits of the flesh he saith of them Gal 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest but when he commeth to speake of the fruits of the spirit ver 22. he saith not so of them The grace of Gods spirit is an hidden and secret thing called therefore that hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 and cannot be certainely knowne unlesse a man take paines to search into it In this respect it is said the wise merchant Mat. 13.44 when he had found the treasure hid in the field withdrew himselfe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as merchants use to do that have great accounts to make that he might try whether it were the true treasure or no. 2. The difficulty of this worke may appeare by the expresse testimony of the Lord himselfe Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it It is so deceitfull this darke den hath so many corners and turnings in it that the wisest man in the world by the strength of nature is not able to find it out to know whether it be true or false sound or rotten A man may be an hypocrite and have a false heart and himselfe not know it though some hypocrisie be grosse and palpable yet all is not so This is plaine by that which our Saviour speaketh to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked 3. The difficulty of this worke is evident by reason also For there be many good things so like unto true grace that may be in a meere naturall man as it is no easie thing to discerne and put a difference betweene them but a man may easily be deceived and think he hath truth of saving grace when he hath nothing but nature in him 1. There are certaine remnants of Gods image in many naturall men that are very like unto true grace The Gentiles that know not the law saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things contained in the law They make conscience of and hate many sinnes they may practise many morall vertues as justice mercy and fidelity which our Saviour Matth. 23.23 calleth the weightier points in Gods law And these are certainely in themselves and materially good things and it is said Mar. 10.21 our Saviour looking upon the rich man that had these things in him loved him So that it is no marvell though so many be deceived in them and take them for true grace 2. There are certaine common graces and beginnings of sanctification in many hypocrites that live in Gods Church and in the profession of the Gospell which are yet more like to saving grace then the other are Some of those that fall into the unpardonable sinne have beene inlightned as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 5. and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost Some such have escaped the pollutions of the world left their knowne sinnes even through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour as the Apostle Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.20 3. Yea it is certaine there is a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in many a man that never had any truth of saving grace in him I know saith the Lord to Abimelech the King of Gerar an heathen man Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart Paul even whilst he was a persecuter had a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in that which he did I have lived saith he Acts 23 1. in all good conscience before God unto this day He did nothing but that which he was perswaded in his heart he ought to doe I verily thought saith he Act. 26.9 with my selfe that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth The intent and purpose of his heart was to please and honour God in it In all these three respects it is certainely an hard thing for a man to know whether his heart be right or no if he doe not carefully and diligently observe his owne heart and examine it he will never be able to know it It behoveth us to use all diligence in this businesse it will never els be well done Give diligence saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 to make your calling and election sure And by making this sure unto our selves that our hearts are upright wee shall make both our calling and election sure And this is the first Motive The second is from the possibility of this worke Though most men be deceived in this point though their heart be so deceitfull though there be so great a resemblance betweene those good things that may be in naturall men and hypocrites and the truth of grace yet if we will take paines to examine our selves well we may certainely know that our hearts are upright if they be so that there is truth of grace in us that there is more in us then can be in any naturall man or hypocrite in the world This also shall be made evident to you in three points First Because the faithfull are exhorted so oft and earnestly to prove and examine themselves whether they be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 To prove every man his owne worke Gal. 6.4 To make sure to themselves their owne calling and election 2 Pet. 1.10 Now these exhortations had beene in vaine if it were not possible for the faithfull to know they have true faith that the workes and duties they doe are done in uprightnesse if a man might not be certaine and sure that he is effectually called For though God in his law require that of the naturall man which it is impossible for him to do as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.3 and may justly do it 1 because when God first gave the law to mankind in Adam he made him able to keepe it 2 because by exacting this of him which he is not able to do he
driveth him to despaire in himselfe and to seeke helpe in Christ Yet in the Gospell Christ requireth nothing of the faithfull that is impossible for them to do His yoke is easie and his burden light as he saith Mat. 11.30 Secondly The faithfull may be in this life certaine of their salvation They may be sure of their justification Surely shall one say it is the promise made to the faithfull that should live in the daies of the Gospell Esa. 45.24 in the Lord have I righteousnesse They may be sure of their adoption Doubtlesse thou art our father say the faithfull Esa. 63.16 though Abraham be ignorant of us They may be sure of their perseverance in Gods favour unto the end Surely saith David Psal. 23.6 goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life They may be sure that after this life they shall inherit eternall glory We know saith Paul 2 Cor. 5.1 not speaking in his own person but in the person of all the faithfull that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens And we know saith Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.14 we are translated from death to life How knew he that By revelation No but by such an evidence as is common to all the faithfull Because we love the brethren saith he Now there could be no such assurance of their salvation in any of the faithfull if they knew not undoubtedly that their hearts were upright that they have truth of grace in them How could any conclude thus to the comfort of his soule I know I am translated from death to life because I love the brethren if he could not certainely know that he doth love the brethren and that in truth and sincerity and not in shew onely Hereby we know saith he 1 Ioh. 4.13 that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The spirit of sanctification and the truth of grace wrought in us thereby is the only thing that can assure us that we have any communion with God or are in his favour Thirdly and lastly That it is possible for us to know certainly that our hearts are upright is evident by the experience of Gods faithfull servants whose examples are recorded in the word for our comfort and incouragement We have a proverbiall speech probatum est Iob knew that his heart was upright or he would not have said as he did Iob 27.5 God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me As if he should say I will die rather then beleeve you that would perswade me I am an hypocrite And 12.4 The just upright man is laughed to scorne And 16.17 19. There is not any injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure O earth cover thou not my bloud and let my cry have no place Also now behold my witnesse is in heaven and my record is on high Yea the poore soule had then beene in a most wofull case if he had not beene so certaine of the uprightnesse of his heart as that all those learned and worthy men could not make him to doubt of it David likewise was certaine of the uprightnesse of his heart or he durst never have said as he did Psal. 26.1 2. Iudge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity examine me ô Lord and prove me try my reines and my heart Hezekiah even in the time of his great affliction knew assuredly and was able to call God for a witnesse to his conscience Esa. 38.3 that he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart Yea Peter even then when he was so exceedingly dejected in himselfe for his fearefull fall knew so assuredly that his heart was upright that he did unfeignedly love Christ above all things in the world as that he durst confidently avouch it unto Christ himselfe and was grieved that Christ should question that the third time Lord saith he Iohn 21.17 thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And to conclude the Apostle Iohn speaking in the name not of himselfe onely or of some rare and extraordinary persons saith 1 Iohn 5.19 We know that we are of God that is borne of God truly regenerate as appeareth by the former verse Thus you see there is no such impossibility no such difficulty in the matter but we may know and be certaine whether our hearts be upright or no. True it is the best Christian that is may be at some times doubtfull and uncertaine in this point unable to discerne that there is truth of grace in him If he could rightly examine his owne heart and waies he might find it out But he is not at all times in case to examine himselfe thus The best are subject 1 to spirituall desertion sometimes through their owne sloth and negligence as the Church was Cant. 3.1 and 5.6 2 To such tentations and sorrowes as doe even overwhelme their spirits Psal. 142.3 In such a case it is good 1 to call to mind the times that are past and the evidence thou hast formerly had of the uprightnesse of thy heart Psal. 77.5 6. 2 Even then cast not away thy confidence but having lost thine evidence seek and sue and cry to God for a new copy of it as David did even in that case Psal. 77. â 3 Vse the helpe of some faithfull and experienced Christian who in this case may be better able to judge of thee then thou art thy selfe And that is the second Motive that may perswade us to examine our selves diligently in this point The third and last is taken from the benefit and comfort we shall receive in this when by diligent triall and examination of our selves wee can find that there is truth of grace in us that our hearts are sound and upright with God O the comfort that this will yeeld us will abundantly recompence all the paines wee can take about it This will appeare to be so in two points First This will make every duty every service we doe to God sweet and comfortable to us when we can know we have performed it in truth and uprightnesse of heart This motive the Apostle giveth us Gal. 6 4. Let every man prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another When the people in Davids time contributed largely towards the building of the Temple it is said they rejoyced and found great comfort and the reason is given 1 Chron. 19 9. because they did it with a perfect and upright heart So when all Iudah in Asa his time renewed their covenant and bound themselves by solemne oath to cleave unto the Lord and to the purity of his religion and worship it is said 2 Chron 15.15 they rejoyced at the oath and the reason is given because they had sworne with all their heart So Paul professeth of
6.25 It shall be our righteousnesse if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as hee hath commanded us When Gods materiall house was to bee built God gave to Moses for the Tabernacle Exod. 25.9 and to David for the Temple 1 Chron. 28.12 a patterne according to which hee would have every thing made and done And of this patterne that God gave to David for the Temple it is expressely said 1 Chron. 28.19 that God gave it him in writing Nothing might bee done either by Moses or by Solomon though they were two of the wisest men that ever lived about the Tabernacle or Temple nor about the whole service of God that was used in them but according to that patterne that God had given them And this charge the Lord did repeate unto Moses to shew the importance and necessity of observing it foure severall times Exodus 25.9.40.26.30.27.8 And so the Apostle also mentioneth it Hebrews 8.5 See saith hee that thou make all things according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the mount And even thus hath the Lord done in the building of his spirituall house hee hath given us a patterne according to which hee would have all our good workes done and he hath given it us in writing in the holy Scriptures and he hath given it us with this charge that whatsoever wee do we doe it according to this patterne See this charge expressely given Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you yee shall not turne aside to the right hand nor to the left As if hee should say ye shall neither doe more nor lesse then that When one asked our Saviour this question Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life He answereth him thus Luke 10.25 26. How is it written in the law How readest thou As if he had said In the written law of God and there only thou shalt find what those good workes are that God will reward in heaven And that you may the better see what a perfect and absolute patterne and rule this is that God hath given us in his written Word and what necessity there is that we should follow the direction of it in every thing wherein wee desire to please God I will manifest it unto you in six points which I must desire you to attend unto First There is no good worke any man can doe no good thing at all that any man can take in hand to please God with whether it concerne the worship of God or his conversation with men or the carriage of himselfe any manner of way no duty either of holinesse towards God or righteousnesse towards men or sobriety towards himself but he may have cleere direction for it in the Word of God I grant that this cleere direction in every thing is not easily found in the Word much diligence in reading and studying of the Word in attending upon Gods ordinance in the Ministery of his servants and in humble and fervent prayer is required hereunto yet may we certainely if the fault be not in our selves find cleare and certaine direction in the Word for all these things As there was nothing to be done about the Tabernacle not so much as the snuffers or curtaines or rings or pins that were to be used about it but they were all set downe in the patterne that God gave to Moses in the mount See this plainely proved Pro. 2.1.9 My son if thou wilt receive my words saith the wisedome of God and hide my commandements with thee then shalt thou understand righteousnesse and judgement equity yea every good path And indeed how els could the holy Scripture be âo profitable and sufficient not only to teach and convince in all matters of Doctrine but also to correct and instruct in righteousnes that by it the man of God may become perfect throughly furnished unto every good work as the Apostle saith it is 2 Tim. 3.16 17. if there were any one good duty which the Minister of God might not be able out of the holy Scripture to give Gods people cleere direction in Therefore the Lord giveth this testimony of David 1 King 14.8 that he kept his commandements and followed him with all his heart to do that only that was right in Gods eyes As we do that which is right in Gods eyes then only when we keepe his commandements and follow the direction of his Word so then only do we follow the Lord with all our hearts we serve him with honest upright hearts when we do that only that is right in his eyes that only that we have the direction of his Word for Secondly Nothing that God hath commanded or approved in his Word can be a sin but must needs be lawfull and good how unreasonable or inconvenient or void of good successe soever it may seeme unto flesh and bloud Every creature of God is good saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.4 5. for it is sanctified by the Word and prayer As if he should say Whatsoever God hath allowed and sanctified in his Word that must needs bee good Nay to account any thing evill or to make scruple of doing any thing that God in his Word hath approved is doubtlesse a great errour and sinne Be not righteous overmuch saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.16 neither make thy selfe over wise As if he had said Be not holier then God make no more sins then God hath made Our Saviour calleth the Ruler of the Synagogue hypocrite Luke 13.14 15. for holding it unlawfull to doe workes of mercy on the Sabbath day Why Was it not a good thing in him to be so zealous for the observation of the Sabbath or was it a good thing to doe such cures upon the Sabbath Yes verily because God had not in his Word forbidden but allowed and commanded works of mercy to be done then at all times this man in being so hot zealous against it shewed himselfe to be no better then an hypocrite See in a notable example what the danger of this is 1 King 20.35 36. A Prophet said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord and his neighbour knew him to be a Prophet and that it was the word and commandement of the Lord which hee spake smite mee I pray thee and the man refused to smite him hee made scruple to doe it because hee thought it unjust and unreasonable to doe it But what saith the Prophet to him Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord but wilt be more righteous and mercifull then God would have thee as soone as thou art departed from mee a lion shall slay thee And so it fell out Hee had not sinned in smiting and wounding the Prophet as verse 37. you shall find another upon the same warrant and commandement did yea hee sinned in not doing it in making a scruple of it when he had Gods Word and commandement for it So it
and blind devotion in both these yet what great hurt was ther in them Had they not a shew of holinesse and mortification Surely if you weigh the matter well for as much as you may bee sure that neither Christ nor the Apostle could be thus vehement without just cause you will find that to be strict and precise in the observation of any thing as a part of Gods worship that God in his Word hath given us no direction for though it seeme to tend never so much unto holinesse and mortification is a most heinous sinne For 1 it is grosse Idolatry and high-Treason against God to give to our selves or to any creature this divine authority as to make him a law-giver to our conscience For this is the Lords royall prerogative in which he will endure no partner There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy saith the Apostle Iam. 4.12 I am the Lord saith he Esa 42.8 that is my name and I will not give my glory to another 2 This will quite steale and turne away the heart from God and his Word and breed a light account of the Word of the commandements and ordinances of God This is one reason our Saviour giveth for his vehemency against the Pharisaicall purifyings Mat. 15.6 Ye have made the commandement of God of none effect by your traditions And Mar. 7.9 Full well ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keepe your owne tradition Ahaz we know 1 brought his altar into Gods house and offered on it 2 King 16.12 13. 2 He set it cheeke by jowle as we say by the Lords owne altar verse 14. 3 He brought it in further and placed it above Gods altar verse 14. 4 He used it onely in the ordinary offerings and sacrifices with neglect of Gods altar verse 15. The more zealous any are for the religious observation of such things as God never commanded the lesse conscience we shall find they make of any commandement of God the lesse account they make of Gods Word When Ephraim had multiplied altars in a will worship being more abundant in sacrifices then God required Hos. 8.11 12. the great things of Gods written law were counted by him as a strange thing not belonging unto him Yea this will-worship will breed in the heart a hatred of God and his ordinances which is the cause why the Lord calleth the transgressours of the second commandement such as hate him Exod. â0 5 And the Apostle saith Tit. 1.14 that the giving heed to the commandements of men in this case will turne men from the truth This experience hath proved most true not only in the Papists but in too many other fondly superstitious 2 Can any of you find in your selves a high and reverend esteeme of Gods Word doe you love it and delight in it do you depend upon it onely for direction in all your waies despising and rejecting all other rules besides it Canst thou say with David Psal. 119 113. I hate vaine inventions but thy law doe I love Certainely how ever thou maist be slouted and hated for this in the world this will one day even when thou shalt have most need of it yeeld a comfortable testimony to thee that thy heart is upright with God Remember as thou hast now heard what comfort Iob found in this Iob 33 10-12 Remember how oft David calleth him a blessed man that can doe thus Ps. 1. â 112 1.128.1 Remember that our blessed Saviour accounteth such Luke 8.21 in respect of his deare and tender affection and respect unto them as his brethren and sisters and mother And that for this cause he professeth of Mary Luke 10.42 that she had chosen the good part which should not bee taken away from her Lecture LXXVIII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 22. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second property that is necessarily required in true goodnesse and righteousnesse it must have a good root We must therefore know that nothing that we can do is truly good and pleasing unto God unlesse the inward principle the root that produceth it and moveth us to doe it be good We read of holy Iob. 9 28. that he comforteth himselfe against the censures of his friends that judged him to be an hypocrite by this that the root of the matter was found in him he knew he had in him the root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse and therefore he was no hypocrite therefore his heart was upright And on the other side in the parable of the sower our Saviour giveth this for the reason why the hearer that is resembled to the stony ground fell quite away and so shewed himselfe to bee an hypocrite and that his heart was never upright Matth. 13.21 because hee had no root in himselfe Now if you aske me what is this root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse that a man must have in himselfe or els his heart cannot be upright I answer it is that which the Apostle speaketh of Gal. 5.6 In Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Faith that worketh by love is that root from whence all true goodnesse and righteousnesse doth spring Here are you see two graces grow together in this root faith and love 1. Nothing that we doe is truly good and pleasing unto God neither will the doing of it argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse we doe it out of love to God 2. The love that wee beare to God is not sound nor such as will argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse it proceed from faith that assureth us of Gods speciall love to us in Christ. For the first The love of God is the root of all true obedience and that heart that truly loveth God is certainely an upright and true heart Two branches you see there are of this point which I will severally and distinctly consider of 1. The love of God is the root of all true obedience 2. The heart that truly loveth God is an upright heart First Nothing that we do is good in Gods sight unlesse we do it out of love unto him This is the root of all true obedience God hath chosen us saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.4 in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love When our Saviour giveth the summe of all the foure commandements of the first table he giveth it us in these termes Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Then onely wee pray well and and heare well and preach well and receive the Sacrament well and keepe the Sabbath well yea then onely we put our trust in him aright and serve him aright when we doe all this out of love to the Lord our God So for the duties of the second table then onely we performe the duties of righteousnesse and love
this naturall weakenesse there is a sinfull weakenesse also in the best of Gods children even weaknesse of faith which maketh them subject not to naturall feares onely but to sinfull feares also There is much lacking in their faith as the Apostle said of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 And this is a chiefe cause of all their feares Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 8.16 pointing at the chiefe cause of all our feare When are apt to doubt of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and who can choose but bee much disquieted in his heart with âeare when he doubteth of Gods favour When the Prophet complained Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted he telleth us verse 14. what was the cause of those terrours he felt in himselfe Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me Hee could not be perswaded of Gods love hee thought God had cast him of And can you wonder then though his heart were full of terrour The second cause of these feares is the Lord himselfe Certainely his holy hand is to be acknowledged in this kinde of affliction as well as in any other These feares are therefore called the Lords terrours Psal. 88.15 and 2 Cor. 5.11 because they come from him And the Lord seeth it to bee good and profitable many waies for sundry of his servants to bee much exercised by them 1. This maketh them carefull by repentance to purge themselves from all their knowne sinnes So the Lord speaketh of the feare which they that travell by sea are in when they see the strange breaches which the whale by his rising doth make in the sea Iob 4â 25 When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty and most stout hearted are afraid by reason of his breakings they purifie themselves As wee see the mariners that carryed Ionah did Ionah 1.5 The mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Every one sought to make his peace with God in the best manner that he could This effect wee know feare usually hath even in all men but much more certainely in Gods children 2. This keepeth them humble fearefull to sinne tractable and willing to obey God in all things This is also a naturall effect of feare to abate the pride of mans heart and to make it humble and tractible Put them in feare ô Lord saith David Psal. 9.20 that the nations may know themselves to bee but men Certainely if the Lord should not now and then visit them with inward terrours and gripes there be many in the world would even forget themselves to be men But this effect it hath in Gods children especially O that there were such a heart in them saith the Lord of his people Deut. 5.29 that they would feare me keepe my commandements alwaies As if he had said Now they are fearefull to offend me in any thing now they are willing to doe any thing I would have them as they protested verse 27. But when was that Surely when by seeing the law delivered in that terrible manner they were brought into a wonderfull feare 3. Lastly This prepareth them and maketh them fit to receive comfort from God Thus the Lord hath beene wont to prepare his servants whom he meant to give most comfort unto Before the Lord delivevered that large and comfortable promise unto Abram Gen. 15.13 21. it is said verse 12. Loe an horrour of great darknesse fell upon him Before Elijah could heare that still and small voice that spake so much comfort unto him concerning himselfe and the whole Church the Lord first affrighted him with a great and strong wind that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces and then by an earthquake and after that by a fire 1 King 19.11 12. hee deepely humbled him by feare and terrour first that he might prepare and make him fit to receive that comfort You see then that this may bee the case of them that are most upright hearted and such as truly love the Lord they may bee much subject to these feares And this is the first thing I told you I had to say for the comfort of such poore soules The second is this That it is not onely possible that thou maist love God unfeignedly though thou be so subject to these terrours but even while thou art in this case thou hast evident signes in thee that thou dost so and if thou couldst observe thine owne heart well thou wouldst be able to discerne that thou dost love God indeed For First Thou desirest Gods favour above all things in the world and no crosse afflicteth thy heart so much as this that thou thinkest thou hast lost it thou canst not be assured of it this is a certaine signe thou lovest him When the Churches diligence in seeking after Christ when she had lost him is described Cant. 2.1 4. she expresseth the cause that moved her so to seeke after him by calling him him whom her soule loved and this title she repeateth in every one of those verses Certainely if her soule had not dearely loved him she could not in that manner have sought after him So that this griefe and trouble thy heart is in because thou canst not be assured of Gods favour argueth plainely that thou art sicke of love as the Church saith she was Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 Thy love to God is the cause of thy sicknesse and griefe O how happy a thing would it be with many if they were sicke of this disease Secondly Thou darest not doe any thing that thou thinkest would offend God but makest conscience to doe his will therefore thou lovest God Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is hee that loveth me And 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements we could not els do it constantly nor conscionably Thirdly When thou hast through infirmity done any thing to offend God thou grievest unfeignedly and art troubled with it This argueth that thou lovest the Lord. It was love that made Mary Magdalen to weepe so abundantly for her sinnes as our Saviour testifieth of her Luke 7.47 And this was the onely thing whereby Peter did expresse that though he haâ so shamefully denied Christ yet he loved him above all things when he had so offended hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Fourthly Thou lovest the Word and ordinances of God and the sincerity of his worship Therefore thou lovest God For the Lord calleth them that keepe the second commandement specially and above all others such as love him Exod. 20.6 And David professing himself Psal. 119 132. to be one of those that did love Gods name declareth it by no argument so much as by this throughout that Psalme even by that love hee bare unto and that delight hee tooke in the Word of God Fiftly thou lovest the children of God even because of the
is so farre from keeping all the commandements of God that he breaketh them all he keepeth none of them as they ought to be kept Thus speaketh holy and zealous Nehemiah of all Gods people and putteth himselfe in the number Neh. 1.7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee and have not kept the commandements nor the statutes nor the judgements which thou commandedst thy servant Moses Yea be hath certainely a false heart no uprightnesse no truth of grace in it that saith in his heart of the commandements of God as that rich young man did Mat. 19.20 All these things I have kept from my youth up or that thinketh himselfe to bee free from the transgression of any one of the commandements of God Secondly I answer Though this be so no man keepeth all no man keepeth any legally that is so as the law requireth so as to satisfie the law and to free himselfe by his obedience from the curse of the law yet is there never an upright hearted man in the world not the weakest of them all but he keepeth all the commandements of God evangelically that is so as in the new covenant of grace he is in Christ accepted of and accounted to have kept them all For this is the new covenant that God hath made with his people Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my juâgements and doe them David did so as we have heard Zachary and Elizabeth did so yea the Apostle saith thus of all faithfull 1 Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because wee keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight For 1 there is no one commandement but in his minde and judgement he consenteth unto it and saith of it as Rom. 7.12 The commandement is holy and just and good He can say of himselfe as David did Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right 2. There is no one commandement of God that he doth wittingly dispense with himselfe in but he maketh conscience of it and it hath a divine authority in his heart He can say with David Psal. 119.6 that he hath respect to all Gods commandements And with Paul Rom. 7.15 That which I doe when I transgresse any commandement I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. As if hee had said I would faine keepe every commandement of God though I doe it not my desire is to doe the will of God in all things I dislike in my selfe and hate every transgression of the law of God And he that doth thus approve in his minde and set his seale unto every commandement of God he that doth thus make conscience of and unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things is certainely an happy man Never did any hypocrite or naturall man in the world goe thus farre He is not thus subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 neâther indeed can be He cannot esteeme in his mind all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right but he hath in himselfe secret reasonings and imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 10.5 against some part of Gods will revealed in his Word neither can he make conscience of or in his will unfeignedly desire to doe the will of God in all things but doth willingly dispence with himselfe in some things and say with Naaman 2 King 5.18 In this thing the Lord beare with thy servant No no never could hypocrite goe thus farre Thou that canst thus consent unto Gods law and approve of Gods will revealed in his Word in all points and dost unfeignedly desire to doe every thing the Lord requireth of thee thou hast certainely notwithstanding all thy failings an upright heart yea thou art a righteous man in Gods sight not onely by imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse unto thee but by an inherent righteousnesse which the spirit of Christ hath wrought in thee The righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.4 Thou dost keepe all the commandements of God though not legally or so as to be justified thereby yet Evangelically and so as by the new covenant of grace through Christ thou art esteemed by God as a fullfiller of them all And this made Paul to say Rom. 7. â7 It is no more I that doe it as if hee had said I am not a transgressour of the law And verse 25. I my selfe serve the law of God as if he had said I do keepe and observe Gods law And so much may serve for the answer to the first question The second question is this Hath no man an upright heart that maketh more conscience of some of Gods commandements then of other some My answer to this question must consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how farre forth an upright hearted man may and ought to shew more respect to some of Gods commandements then to other some 2. How and wherein hee doth and must shew an equall respect unto them all For the first A man may have an upright heart and yet be more slacke and carelesse in some duties then in other in his obedience to some of the commandements of God then in other more apt to offend in some sinnes then in other This may arise 1. Sometimes from this that he hath more light and knowledge of his duty in some things then in other So it was with Iacob and the Patriarchs who being most holy men in other things yet made no conscience at all of Polygamy because though it was ever a sinne yet it was not knowne by them to be so 2. Sometimes from this that their tentations are stronger to some sinnes then to other and their pull-backs stronger to with-hold them from some duties then from other Of both these cases we have an example in Iehosaphat Iehosaphat was as zealous as any King of Iudah for the planting of true religion throughout his kingdome as you may see 2 Chron. 17.6 9. and yet in the abolishing of the reliques of idolatry he shewed nothing so much zeale as Hezekiah and Iosiah did Alas it was with him as with our good King Edward he did what he could but was not able to doe it as you shall see 2 Chron. 20.33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers The backwardnesse of the people did hinder him he could not doe as he would So in another case he that shewed in all his other courses such a deale of piety and zeale how great want of zeale and piety did he shew in that league and affinity that he made with Ahab and being so ready to helpe both him and after him his two sonnes Iehoram and Ahaziah three as grosse
usefull not fit to edifie himselfe in faith and obedience unto God For as it is an argument of a vaine and unsound heart in a Minister to teach any thing that tendeth not to the edifying of the people in faith and godlinesse as the Apostle telleth Timothy some did in his time 1 Tim. 1.3 4. This the Apostle saith was the rule that he followed in teaching Acts 20.20 he taught them not all that he was able to teach but he kept backe nothing that was profitable for them So it is a signe of a vaine and unsound heart in an hearer to desire to know more in religion then may be of use unto him for his owne practise The wisdome of the prudent saith Solomon Pro. 14.8 is to understand his way how hee may walke to please God This was the knowledge that David desired Psal. 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge As if he had said such as may doe me good and make me better Now the upright hearted man to the end he may not offend God in any thing but obey his will in all things he desireth to know the whole will of God so farre as it concerneth him and may be profitable for him to know it I opened my mouth and panted saith David Psal. 119.131 for I longed for thy commandements as if he had said to know them that I might not breake them And thus he saith Psal. 18.22 23. that he approved to his owne heart his uprightnesse and integrity For all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes any of them from me I was also upright before him As wee see it is with wise men specially with justices and officers they will acquaint themselves well with the statutes that they may doe nothing in their office that is against law and so bring themselves into danger So is it with the wise and prudent hearted Christian in this case I am thine save me saith David Psal. 119.94 for I have sought thy precepts And indeed how is it possible for him to be afraid to offend God in any thing or desirous to doe the will of God in all things that is not carefull to enquire and know what the will of God is in all things So it is said of Ezra 7.10 that hee had prepared his heart to seeke the law of the Lord and to doe it Thus David charged his Princes and Nobles and Commons in that great Parliament and common Councell that he summoned not long before his death 1 Chron. 28.8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the Congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keepe and seeke for all the commandements of the Lord your God As if he had said You cannot keepe them unlesse first you seeke to know them If this be so then is there certainely no truth of grace no uprightnesse of heart in many men First What truth of grace can there be in them that professe to all men by their despising the meanes that they desire not the knowledge of the will of God of which sort notwithstanding there bee many that are passing well perswaded of the uprightnesse of their owne hearts Of these men the Holy Ghost hath given sentence long since Iob 21.14 They say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies As though he should say They that doe not desire the knowledge of his waies how honest men soever they seeme to be do certainely in their hearts say unto God depart from us they would have nothing to doe with him by their good will And Ps. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes As if he should say They that never seek to know what God hath either forbidden or commanded them in his Word are farre from salvation Secondly Such as though they seeme to love the meanes and so to desire knowledge of Gods will yet never seeke to know the will of God in those cases that concerne their owne practise in particular It is the ordinance of God ye know Mat. 2.7 that his people should seeke his law at the mouth of his messenger And Iohns hearers did so his ministery wrought feares and doubts in them and both the people and the Publicans and the souldiers came to him as you may see Luk. 3.10.12.14 to be resolved in their doubts and said unto him What shall we do But our hearers have no doubts no cases of conscience to be resolved in No man ever asketh the question whether that that he hath gotten by usury or by gaming or by filling in of pots to men till they be drunke and have made themselves beasts be lawfully gotten or no. No man asketh is God pleased with the gaine that I get thus Will God blesse it to me and mine Thirdly and lastly Such also have cause to suspect the truth of their owne hearts that wittingly and purposely shun the knowledge of some parts of Gods will that concerne their owne practise because if they should know them and not doe accordingly their conscience would be disquieted and if they should practise them they must incurre danger and trouble and it is good sleeping thinke they in a whole skin Let none that are such flatter themselves in this that they thanke God they doe nothing against their conscience they doe nothing that they know to bee evill and displeasing to God For if thou wilfully close thine owne eyes against any part of Gods will that thou mayest not see it as those Iewes did that our Saviour condemneth Matth. 13.15 if there bee any truth of God concerning which it may bee said of thee as the Apostle speaketh of some wicked men in his time 2 Peter 3.5 this thou art willingly ignorant of certainely thy heart is unsound and the Lord will judge thee as one that hath sinned not out of ignorance but wilfully And so much shall serve to bee spoken of the first of these three points that I propounded touching the equall respect that the upright-hearted man beareth to all the commandements of God He desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne him in one point as well as in another Secondly Hee maketh conscience of every sinne that God hath in his law condemned of one as well as of another It is no argument of sincerity to make conscience of and to hate some sinnes The Pharisee you know could say Luke 18.11 God I thanke thee I am not as other men are I am not so bad as such and such are I am not extortioner no unjust man in my dealings with men no adulterer But this is oft made in Scripture a note of uprightnesse to make conscience of every knowne sinne of one as well as of another Thus David describeth them that are undefiled in the way Psal. 119.3 They also doe no iniquity As if hee had said Not wittingly as giving themselves liberty in any sinne By
be said which the Prophet speaketh of Israel Hos. 10.1 Israel is as an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himselfe As if hee had said In all good things he doth as he doth them out of selfe-love so he seeketh himselfe onely in them The meanest worke we doe in our calling if we doe it to the Lord and serve him in it will yeeld us assured comfort and reward also the best Sermon we can preach or heare if we do it not to the Lord but to our selves will yeeld us no comfort or reward from God Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour Mat. 6.2 they have their reward And so much for the first property that is required to the right manner of performing of all good duties they must be done to the right end In the other two I will be very briefe The second property required to the right manner of performing good duties is this they must be performed not with the outward man onely but with the heart See this 1 in the generall and 2 in some particular and speciall duties No obedience or service pleaseth God unlesse it be done feelingly and with the affection of the heart That is the thing God calleth for principally My sonne give me thy heart saith he Pro. 2â 26 Fervânt in spirit serving the Lord saith the Apostle Rom. 12.11 As if he had said No service pleaseth God unlesse it be done with fervencie of spirit This was the thing that God so much commendeth in the obedience of Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 that his heart was lift up in the waies of the Lord. As though he should say Hee stirred up himselfe to walke in Gods waies with zeale and affection This also the Lord praiseth Hezekiah for 2 Chron. 31 21. In every worke that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandements to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered See this also in sundry speciall parts of our obedience and service unto God First No mans preaching pleaseth God unlesse hee preach with affection and zeale I serve God saith Paul Rom. 1.9 with my spirit in the Gospell of his sonne Secondly No mans hearing pleaseth God or will doe him any good unlesse he heare with affection If God open not your hearts as he did Lydias Act. 16.14 and make you able to heare with affection though you had as good preachers as Paul was your hearing would be to no purpose Thirdly No mans praying pleaseth God or will doe himselfe any good though his words be never so many or so good unlesse he pray with his heart with feeling and affection of heart The effectuall âervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much saith the Apostle Iames 5.16 As if he should have said The most righteous mans prayer that is will not be effectuall nor availe much with God unlesse it be fervent Fourthly Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God unlesse it be done with affection and feeling Our singing saith the Apostle Eph. 5.19 must be a making of melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if he had said The Lord regardeth no melody but that Fiftly The duties we performe to men in our callings please not God unlesse we doe them with affection of heart Whatsoever ye doe saith the Apostle to the servant Col 3.23 doe it heartily as to the Lord. As if hee had said Els you serve not God in any thing you do nor must looke for any acceptance or reward from him Sixtly and lastly The workes of mercy that wee doe though wee should give all wee have to the poore please not God unlesse they be done with affection and with a compassionat heart Whosoever hath ability and seeth his brother hath need saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.17 and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him though he open his purse and give him never so much how dwelleth the love of God in him Let every one of us apply this to our selves for the time will not permit me to doe it The third and last property required in the manner of that obedience and service wee doe to God is this if we desire to doe it in the right manner we must doe it in humility In the best duties wee doe wee must find cause of humbling in our selves because wee have done them so poorely and so corruptly When yee have done all those things that are commanded you saith our Saviour Luke 17.10 say wee are unprofitable servants As if hee had said Say this is nothing to that that I should have done Whatsoever ye doe in word or deed saith the Apostle Col 3 17. doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus As though he should say Acknowledge and feele the need you have of Christ to make the best things that you doe acceptable unto God Thus did Nehemiah when he had done a better worke and service to God then any of us are ever like to doe while we live yet see how he was humbled in himselfe Neh. 13.22 Remember me ô my God concerning this also and spare me pardon me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Without this there can be no uprightnesse of heart in us how good duties soever we performe Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is listed up is not upright in him Lecture LXXXIX On Psalme 51.6 May 13. 1628. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last signe and note whereby uprightnesse of heart and truth of saving grace may bee discerned and judged of namely The bent of a mans mind and will the purpose and desire of his heart towards God We must therefore know that one of the surest notes of uprightnesse of heart and truth of grace is this when howsoever wee faile in our practise and obedience yet God hath our heart Yea that is such a signe as a poore Christian may find comfort in when he cannot in the most of them that you heard of before In the handling of this signe I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory observe this order 1. I will shew you what I meane by it 2. I will confirme it unto you 3. I will answer that which may bee objected against it 4. I will make some application of it First therefore the Lord is then said to have our heart when the two principall faculties of our soule that is to say our mind and our will are for God 1. When in our mind we allow and consent to the will of God in all things and can say as David doth Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right And even in those things wherein through our corruption and weaknesse we do offend against the law yet we can say of the law with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just good 2. When our will is to please God in all things we desire nothing
elect Apostles themselves were able to beare Now if a Papist who holdeth and beleeveth that this is not only possible but very easie also for every regenerate man to keepe all the commandements of God so perfectly as he may bee justified thereby in Gods sight and merit also eternall life if such a one I say shall object against this proofe that the Apostle speaketh not there of the morrall but of circumcision and of the ceremoniall law I answer Hee calleth circumcision and the ceremoniall law an intollerable yoke not in respect of it selfe for the ceremoniall law was much more easie to bee kept then the morall was but because by urging the observation of the ceremoniall law then when it was abrogated by Christ they did deprive men of all benefit by Christ and bound them to the observation of the whole morall law and to seeke salvation by it This the Apostle plainely teacheth us Galat. 5.2.3 Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie againe to every one that is circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole law The observation therefore of the morall law in that manner that the law required that is exactly in all points and perfectly was such a yoke as no Prophet nor Apostle was ever able to beare This the Lord taught his people by delivering the law unto them in so terrible a manner as he did The sight was so terrible saith the Apostle Hebr. 12 â1 that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake and all Gods people were in that terrible feare that they intreated as the Apostle saith verse 19. that the word might not bee spoken to them any more that they might heare no more of it in that manner and the reason is given verse 20. why they were in this horrible feare For they could not endure that which was commanded saith the Apostle The commandements of God in that manner that the law enjoyneth them have nothing but terrour in them the perfect observation of them is so intollerable a yoke as Moses himselfe was not able to beare Thirdly and lastly To observe the commandements of God even in such a manner as the Gospell requireth that is to say in truth and sincerity of heart is a very difficult and painefull thing to the best of Gods servants in respect of those reliques of naturall corruption that doe remaine in them besides the manifold and strong pull-backs and oppositions they shall bee sure to receive from Satan and the world This the faithfull find to bee too true by daily experience The same combate and warre that they find oft in themselves in every good duty and service they would doe unto God betweene the flesh and the spirit the law of their mind and the law in their members the regegenerate and unregenerate part of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.23 Galat. 5.17 certainely putteth them to no lesse paine then Rebecca was in when the two children strugled together within her Genesis 25.22 and as the paine she was in then made her cry out in a sudden fit of impatiency If it bee so why I am thus would I had never conceived would I had never married So doth the paine that this intestine warre putteth them in make the best of Gods servants often times not onely to sigh and grone and cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am but even to entertaine such motions as Rebecca did If it bee so why am I thus If it bee so hard and painefull a thing to serve God would I had never entred into his service but contented my selfe to live as other men doe This tentation we know the Prophet himselfe was subject unto when he cryed Ps. 73.13 Verily I have clensed my heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocency Let papists say what they will how easie a thing it is for a regenerate man to keepe all the commandements of God and to keepe them perfectly it is certainely a painfull thing for such as the best of us are that have so much flesh and corruption remaining in us to doe any service unto God even in that manner as the Gospell requireth of us without labour and paine no service can bee done to God acceptably That which the Apostle saith of prayer Strive together with me in prayer saith hee Rom 15.30 faithfull prayer can never bee well made without striving and labour the same our Saviour saith of all the wayes of God that leade to life faith repentance love keeping of the Sabbath every other good duty and service Lu. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate As though he should say every way of God is strait and uneasie to our flesh and therefore without striving and labour there is no possibility of walking in it All this notwithstanding to come now unto the second part of my answer the commandements of God are not so hard the service he requireth of us is not so difficult and paineful as need to discourage any of us or make us afraid of it For First Though the commandements of God bee impossible to the naturall and wicked man to the regenerate and true beleever they are possible enough All things are possible saith Christ Mar 9.23 to him that beleeveth Nay as it hath beene truly said of the wicked man hee cannot possibly keepe them he cannot but breake them so may it bee as truly said of the regenerate man he cannot but keepe them he cannot breake them as the other doth How can I saith Ioseph Gen. 39.9 do this great wickednesse and sinne against God Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.9 and he cannot sin because he is borne of God Secondly Though the commandements of God and the observation of them as Moses enjoyned them be an intollerable yoke even to the regenerate themselves yet as Christ enjoyneth them they are not so Though that perfect and strict obedience which the law requireth be utterly impossible for the strongest Christian under heaven to performe yet Evangelicall obedience to the commandements of God an unfeined love to them all and endeavour to keep them which is all that the Gospell requireth is no more then the weakest Christian is able to performe For so saith our Saviour to the poore Christian that is most wearied and over-burdened and broken-hearted Matth. 11.30 My yoke is easie and my burden light Thirdly and lastly Though to the best of the regenerate the coÌmandements of God even as Christ enjoyneth them be difficult cannot be performed without labour and paine in respect of the flesh and the remnants of corruption that are in them yet are they unto them in respect of the inward man and the regenerate part most easie and sweet I delight in the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 7.22 after the inward man And for this wee have not only the expresse testimony of the holy Ghost 1
to be good for thee he will be a sheild to thee when the evill day shall come In the time of trouble he will hide thee in his pavillion as David speaketh Ps. 27.5 When a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand and at thy right hand as the Prophet speaketh Ps 91.7 he can so hide thee that the judgement shall not touch thee Thus he did hide diverse when he sent his destroying Angell to smite the city and other parts of the land with the pestilence and thus he can hide thee when he shall send his destroying Angell to smite our land with the bloudy sword if it please him Nay thus he will hide thee if he shall see that good for thee he will be a sheild unto thee Pro. 2.7 He is a buckler to them that walke uprightly But if he will not be a sheild he will certainely be a sunne unto thee he wil be a comforter to thee in that day Vnto the upright there ariseth light in the darknesse saith the Prophet Psal. 112.4 As when there was palpable darkenesse in all the land of Egypt all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Exod. 10.23 So in times of greatest misery and perplexity that shall come upon the land certainely God will be a sunne to them that walke uprightly to the upright there shall arise light in darkenesse they shall find comfort in God even in that day yea more then then ever before Thus you have seene how God will doe good to them that are upright in heart in outward things But that is not all he will be better to them then so he will do good to them also in spiritual things Three speciall blessings of this kind hee hath promised them First Such shall never fall away nor loose his favour and grace O continue thy loving kindnesse saith the Prophet Psal. 36.10 and a propheticall prayer hath the nature of a promise as I told you before unto them that know thee and thy righteousnesse to the upright in heart And Psal. 112.6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever Thou art oft much disquieted with the feare of this that thou shalt never be able to hold out to the end thou fearest that thou maist fall that thou shalt fall before thou dyest labour to be upright in heart and God will continue his loving kindnesse unto thee he will love thee to the end surely thou shalt never be moved Though the seed was lost upon all the other three sorts of hearers though they all fell away and lost those beginnings of grace they had received yet he that had an honest and good heart as our Saviour speaketh Luke 8.15 he kept it If thy heart be not âound thou that makest profession of the truth with greatest forwardnesse and zeale maist become a Papist before thou diest and a persecuter of that truth which thou now professest and thou that seemest to be most reformed and sanctified in thy life maist prove a most profane and debaushed man The Prophet speaking of those Israelites that perished in the wildernesse who though they had made a most zealous profession as you may read Deut. 5.27 Speake thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speake unto thee and wee will heare it and doe it yet afterward became some of them grosse Idolaters some of them beastly adulterers the Prophet I say giveth the reason of this Psal. 78.37 why they were not more stedfast in his covenant for their heart saith he was not right with him and verse 8. They were a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God even then when they made the best shewes their heart was never right Thou canst not be sure to be preserved from any sinne how foule soever it be and how much soever thy heart seemeth now to abhorre it pay thou shalt be sure to fall fearefully one way or other if thy heart be not upright 2 Chron. 12.14 He did evill because hee prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord that was the cause of all Rehoboams lewdnesse he professed the true religion and made excellent shewes of goodnesse for three yeares 2 Chron. 11.17 but he fell fearefully hee had no care of his heart his heart was never right The Apple that is rotten at the Core though it seeme never so beautifull will quickly putrifie and so will every professour that is unsound at the heart But if thy heart be upright feare not certainely thou shalt hold out and persevere to the end Secondly Such as are upright in heart shall have strength given them of God to endure any tryall he shall be pleased to bring them unto The eyes of the Lord saith the Prophet Hanani 2 Chron. 16.9 run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him When thou thinkest of the fiery triall that all Gods people may be brought unto thou tremblest much and fearest that so weake a wretch as thou art shall never be able to endure it But looke thou to thy heart that that be upright and sound and certainely though thou be so weake God will shew himselfe strong in thee when that triall shall come What a measure of strength and courage shall we find in the booke of Martyrs that a number of weake and simple women and children did shew in the time of that fiery triall More a great deale it is to be feared then would bee found now if the like triall should come Wee have much more knowledge now then they had but they had better hearts then we have Feare not thine owne weaknesse if thy heart be upright For as it is not any strength that is in thee that can make thee stand in such a triall In his owne might shall no man be strong saith Anna in her song 1 Sam. 2.9 if ever we be strong at such a time it must be in the Lord onely and in the power of his might as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.10 so the sense we have of our owne weakenesse is no hinderance to the Lords strengthening of us but a furtherance unto it rather His power is made perfect in weakenesse 2 Cor. 12.9 As if he had said it useth to shew it selfe most in them that have most sense of their owne weakenesse Out of weakenesse saith the Apostle of the Martyrs in the time of Antiochus Hebrewes 11.34 they were made strong Thirdly and lastly Such as are upright in heart shall be sure to have a comfortable issue and a joyfull deliverance out of all their tentations Marke the perfect man saith David Ps 3â 37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Thou art oft subject to grievous tentations and spirituall desertions that maketh thy life wearisome and burdensome unto thee Thy well-beâoved is gone thou hast no sense of Gods favour Thou art apt to say with Zion Esa 49.14
in our hearts is because we observe it no more nor take our selves with it we feele it no burden nor trouble to us we complaine not more to God of it nor cry more earnestly to him for helpe against it We have not because we aske not as the Apostle speaketh in another case Iam. 4.2 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6 Lecture XCV On Psalme LI. 6. August XIX MDCXXVIII And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WE have already heard that David suing unto God for mercy in the pardon of those heinous sinnes hee had falne into doth make humble confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God for it not onely in grosse and generall ver 3. but more fully in the three verses following For 1. He acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan had charged him with ver 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. He aggravateth his sinne by foure arguments that is to say 1. From the consideration of the person against whom hee had sinned verse 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. From the consideration of the fountaine and root from whence this his sin did spring even his vile and cursed nature ver 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that delight the Lord taketh in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart which hee found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of these foule sinnes in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. Lastly From the consideration of that truth of saving grace which God had wrought in him before he fell into these sinnes in these last words of the sixt verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome For so I read the words 1. Because the originall will beare this sense as well as the other as might be shewed by many other places of Scripture where words of the future tense are put for the preter-perfect tense and as appeareth by the judgement of the most and best interpreters that is to say the Septuagint the vulgar latine Pagin Vatablus Tremellius Calvin Bucer the Geneva translatours who all understand the words to be meant of the time past not of the present or future time 2. Because this sense doth best agree with the scope of the place for David doth yet continue in the aggravation of his sinne and in professing his humiliation and sorrow for it The summe then of these words is an aggravation of his foule sinnes from the consideration of that sound conversion and truth of grace that God had wrought in him before hee did thus fall And in the words there are these three principall things to bee observed 1. The description David maketh of his owne true conversion and regeneration In the hidden part he had knowne wisedome 2. The author and worker of this his conversion In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome 3. The end and purpose David had in mentioning the truth of his conversion in this place that is to say to aggravate and increase his sinne by the consideration of it And for the first of these three points before we can receive that instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to give us in them three questions must first be moved and answered for the opening of the words First What meaneth he here by Wisedome I answer By wisedome he meaneth true religion and piety the knowledge of the right way how to serve God and to save our owne soules This onely the Holy Ghost calleth true wisedome Vnto man he said saith Iob 28.28 the feare of the Lord that is wisdome Teach us so to number our daies to be so perswaded of and to thinke of the uncertainty of our lives saith Moses in his prayer Psal. 90 1â as we may apply our hearts unto wisedome As if hee had said As we may seriously study and endeavour to please thee and provide for the salvation of our owne soules But wisedome is justified of her children saith our Saviour Matth. 11.19 As though he should say Though the right way of salvation which Iohn Baptist and I doe teach be despised and rejected by the world yet by all those that God hath appointed unto salvation it is approved of and received Secondly What meaneth he here by the hidden part I answer By it he meaneth the heart which he called before the inward parts Thus the Lord himselfe expoundeth it Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart So the Apostle calleth the regenerate part the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 because it is hidden and concealed from all men Who can know it Ier. 17.9 Thou even thou onely saith Solomon 1 King 8.39 knowest the hearts of all the children of men Thirdly And how is hee then said here to have knowne wisedome in the hidden part I answer He did not onely see and discerne in his judgement the right way of salvation but God had made him able also with his heart and in affection to approve and like of it to know it feelingly experimentally effectually And indeed this is the onely right and saving knowledge This was the knowledge of Christ that the Apostle made so high account of Doubtlesse saith he Phil. 3.8.10 I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ that I mây know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings that is experimentally and effectually And they that know not God and his waies thus in their heart but in their braine onely know him not aright As it is said of the Priests Elyes sonnes 1 Sam. 2.12 and may be too truly of many a Minister now even of such as can preach well that they knew not the Lord. The words then being thus opened we see this Doctrine doth naturally arise from them for our instruction That true and saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of a man See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First In every one whom God doth convert and regenerate hee worketh saving knowledge spirituall understanding This is the tenour of the new covenant Ier. 31 3â 34. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Every one whom God receiveth into covenant and to favour whose sinnes he forgiveth even the least the weakest of them all
are the works which as they be proper and peculiar to the Gospell and such as popery could never skill of so are they of all other the best works most acceptable unto God and most profitable unto men And certainly to conclude this first branch of my exhortation of all good workes of all workes of charity that any man can doe this is the best and that that will yeeld him most comfort when he hath beene the instrument to provide the meanes of knowledge and instruction for a people to settle and establish a sound ministery among them that had none before and to maintaine and so to give incouragement to an able and conscionable minister that is already setled and placed among a people It is said of good Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 7.6 that his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord. As if the holy Ghost had said thus of him Hee did most zealously seeke to promote and advance the true religion of God And how did hee most shew his goodnesse and zeale That you shall see in the three next verses Hee provided carefully that all his people might bee well taught and instructed he sent teaching Levites and able ministers into all parts of the land and magistrates also with them to protect and encourage them in their ministery And this is noted for one of the best works that ever Hezechiah did 2 Chron 30.22 He spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 1. he encouraged and heartned he spake to the heart saith the originall of all the Levites 2. hee encouraged them because they were able and conscionable teachers because they taught the good knowledge of God to the people And hee did not so himselfe onely but it is said further of him 2 Chron. 31.4 Hee commanded the people to doe the like to give the portion of the Priests and the Levites that they might bee encouraged in the Law of the Lord. Hee knew they could never doe their duty with any heart and encouragement if due maintenance were with-held from them See yet a third example for this in King Iosiah of whom wee read also 2 Chron. 35.2 3. that hee encouraged the Priests and Levites to the service of the house of the Lord. No good worke wee can doe will better argue that wee are truly religious and feare God indeed then the kindnesse and bounty wee shew to Gods faithfull ministers Obadiah feared God greatly 1 Kings 18.34 and marke the reason is given to prove this for when Iezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord Obadiah tooke an hundred Prophets and hid them and fed them And it is worthy further to be observed in the example of Iehoshaphat 2 Chron 17.7 that hee is said to have sent his princes to teach in the cities of Iudah They were not preachers certainely hee sent them onely to countenance and encourage the Levites and even for that cause they are said to teach in the cities of Iudah And so all you that doe encourage the ministers of God that doe comfort and protect them in their ministery are your selves doers of this blessed worke So saith our Saviour Matth. 10.41 Hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward A Prophets reward is due to him that doth the worke of a Prophet but every one that doth entertaine and encourage the faithfull ministers of the Gospell any way doth the worke of a Prophet for he shall receive a Prophets reward I know well this is a great paradox to many now a dayes 1. they thinke they may bestow their bounty twenty wayes better then in placing and maintaining of able ministers 2. they thinke there is no want of preaching there are preachers enough and too many too every where 3. they thinke it a great priviledge to give nothing to the maintenance or to increase the maintenance of a preacher 4. they are so farre from encouraging the minister by any free gift for the increase of his maintenance that by spoyling and with-holding from him that which is his due they discourage him in his ministery all that they can But to these men I have foure things to say First That in the judgement of those three worthy Kings nay in the judgement of the holy Ghost who noteth and commendeth them for this to place and maintaine able ministers is a chiefe good worke a principall worke of mercy above all others Secondly That notwithstanding the plenty of teachers they talke of yet there bee still a great number of congregations that want able teachers whose case is extreamely to bee pitied thinke of their case and judge of it by the Prophets words Now for a long season saith he 2 Chron. 15.3 Israel hath beene without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without law Thirdly That the want of sound knowledge and instruction is the chiefe cause of all the wickednes in the land and that so many perish in their sins as appeaâreth by that complaint the Lord maketh Hos. 4.6 My people perish for want of knowledge Fourthly and lastly To him that is still resolved notwithstanding all that hath beene said it is no good worke no deed of charity to place and maintaine able ministers it is no sinne at all to shew no kindnesse to give no encouragement that way to his teacher no nor to with-hold from him what hee can I can say no more but what the Angell of God saith Revel 22.11 Hee that is unjust let him bee unjust still But let him withall blot out of his Bible and so his owne name also out of the booke of life that expresse commandement of God Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate with him that teacheth in all good things And this shall suffice for the first branch of my exhortation that concerneth the duty wee owe unto other men wee are bound to desire and procure so farre as in us lyeth that all men may have the meanes of knowledge Secondly If knowledge bee both the foundation and the seed also of all other graces as wee have heard it is then such of us as have charge of others as all we that are parents and governours of families have are bound to use our best endeavour to bring them to knowledge that are under our charge It is a vaine thing for us to hope that either by correction or example or by any other meanes of civill education they can bee brought to grace till the knowledge of religion bee first wrought in them This is plaine by that direction the Apostle giveth unto parents Ephes. 6.4 and that that he saith to parents of their children may as well bee said to masters of their servants And yee fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the instruction and information of the Lord. To this end 1. We must hold our selves bound to teach them our selves God established a testimony in
in those torments where the worme shall never dye and the fire shall bee never quenched as our Saviour speaketh oft Marke 9.44.46.48 2. Though the ignorance of that man that wanted either meanes or capacity may find some mitigation of torments in hell yet is there no hope that thy ignorance that is willfull should doe so Secondly Knowledge I meane sanctified knowledge such as you heard described unto you the last day is a certaine signe a man is the elect child of God and in the state of grace To speake distinctly of this point 1. It is a signe of a mans election So Ananias speaketh of it as of an high favour of God unto Paul and signe of his election Actes 22.14 The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will And so doth our blessed Saviour also unto his disciples Matthew 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given As if hee had said It is a speciall favour and gift of God And verse 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your âares for they heare Surely it is a great blessing of God or else Christ would not have said so Yea hee rejoyceth in his spirit on their behalfe for this and said Luke 10.21 I thanke thee ô father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveiled them unto babes even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight Certainely it is a singular favour and blessing of God that our blessed Saviour made such high reckoning and account of 2. It is a signe a man is in covenant with God reconciled to him in Christ. So wee shall find it promised as a favour peculiar to them that are in covenant with God Ieremy 24.7 I will give them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall bee my people and I will bee their God And 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord. As if hee had sayd They shall not bee taught of men onely nor rest upon this outward and ordinary meanes of knowledge I will bee their teacher my selfe for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more It is a signe that God hath received thee into covenant that he hath forgiven thee thy sinnes and is reconciled to thee in Christ when hee hath given thee an heart to know him to understand what thou hearest and readest in the matters that concerne God and their owne salvation 3. It is a speciall signe of an honest and good heart a false and naughty heart cannot attaine to this What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psalme 25 1â him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall choose So speaketh the wisedome of God likewise Proverbs 28.5 Evill men understand not judgement they have no judgement in the things that belong to God and their owne salvation but they that seeke the Lord desire nothing so much as his favour and to know how they may best please him understand all things So that if God have given thee an heart to understand his word to carry away what thou hearest to profit in knowledge and to have a cleare and setled judgement in religion it may bee a comfortable testimony to thy conscience that thy heart is upright and that thou dost indeed seeke the Lord and feare him in truth On the other side 1. It is a great judgement of God and signe of his reprobation when having the meanes of knowledge hee can learne nothing nor profit by them This our Saviour giveth for the reason why many of the Iewes profited not either by his miracles or ministery Iohn 12.40 God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and bee converted and I should heale them A signe it is God never decreed to save them whom hee so blindeth that they cannot understand and learne nothing 2. This is a signe of a man that remaineth still under Satans government and is in his power to bee led which way pleaseth him For hee is the ruler of the darkenesse of the world as the Apostle calleth him Ephes. 6.12 Therefore the Lord telleth Paul he sent him to open the eyes of the blind and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. â8 Therefore also you shall find in the parable of the sower Mat. 13.19 that of all the three sort of bad hearers hee that understandeth and learneth nothing is the worst and most under the power of Satan The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that that was sowen in his heart 3. Lastly This is a signe of an ungracious and wicked heart when a man under good meanes can learne nothing nor get any knowledge None of the wicked shall understand saith the Prophet Daniel 12.10 hee meaneth feelingly and savingly And the Apostle speaking of certaine women 2. Timothy 3.7 that were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth giveth this for the reason of it verse 6. that thây were laden with sinnes and led away with divers lusts A wicked and naughty heart is certainely the chiefe cause why many enjoying excellent meanes and frequenting them also diligently yet can never attaine to any cleare and certaine and savoury knowledge of the truth Thirdly He that hath knowledge and a well grounded and setled judgement will bee constant in religion and not wavering hee will hold fast the truth and not hearken unto or bee seduced by new opinions and doctrines of men The Apostle having prayed for the Collossians Col. 2.2 that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding giveth this for the reason of it verse 4. This I say thus I pray for you lest any man should beguile you with entising words As if hee had said The onely meanes to preserve you from being beguiled by false teachers that will seeke to draw you from the sincerity of Gods religion and worship is to get knowledge and to ground your selves well that way On the other side They are children in understanding are apt to bee tossed too and fro as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4.14 and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And what kind of persons have the seducers in all ages beene wont most to prevaile withall and to lead captive That the Apostle will tell you 2 Tim. 3.6 7. silly women that were never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such as are ignorant and have not grounds in themselves for that which they hold and professe in religion will bee apt to pinne their conscience upon other mens sleeves and to bee carried
purpose in giving his Word to some is that some should be made inexcusable by it When the Lord sent the Prophet Ezekiel to preach he did not absolutely intend in sending him that all to whom he should preach should profit by him for hee telleth and assureth him of the contrary Ezek. 3.7 The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted What was the Lords intent then in sending him unto them That is expressed Ezek. 2.5 Yet they shall know that there hath beene a Prophet among them As if he had said To make them without excuse to make their condemnation more just the Lord sent his Word unto them So when our Saviour saith Matth. 24.14 that before the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached in all the world hee declareth that the intent of God in sending his Apostles to preach to all nations was for a witnesse to all nations that is to make them without excuse And our Saviour himselfe speaking of his owne ministery saith Iohn 9.39 For judgement am I come into this world not onely that those that see not might see but also that they which see might be made blind Thirdly and lastly It is expressely said that this grace of Gods spirit whereby men are made to profit by the meanes to repent and beleeve is peculiar and proper to the elect of God and not common to all men As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved saith the Holy Ghost Acts 13.48 And Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them hee also called that is to say with an inward and effectuall calling And 11.7 The election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded And thus you have seene also the second point proved that every man to whom God giveth the ministery of the Word hath not so powerfull and effectuall grace given him as whereby he shall be converted Now let us come to the third and last point I propounded for the proofe of the Doctrine namely That the worke of Gods spirit whereby he maketh the meanes of grace effectuall to the conversion of any is most free it proceedeth meerely from Gods free grace and good pleasure The sonne quickneth whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth Of his owne will saith the Apostle Iam. 1.18 begate he us by the word of truth So when our Saviour fell into an admiration at the worke of God in this case that he should hide the mysteries of his kingdome from the wisest men in the world and reveale them to babes Luke 10.21 hee could find no other reason of it but onely the good pleasure of God Even so ô father saith hee for so it seemed good in thy sight The conversion of a man you see dependeth wholly on the will and good pleasure of God upon the will of man it dependeth not at all They that beleeve in Christ saith the Evangelist Iohn 1.13 are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This will appeare clearely to us in two points First Nothing that is in man before his conversion can moove or procure God to convert him Hee hath called us with an holy calling saith the Apostle 2 Timothy 1.9 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace Even when wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes hee quickened us saith the Apostle Ephesians 2.5 and addeth these words upon it By grace yee are saved As if hee should thus say Nothing but Gods free grace could bee the cause of the conversion of a man that had no goodnesse in him to move God to it but was dead in trespasses and sinnes Secondly Nothing that is in man before his conversion can hinder Gods worke in his conversion True it is the best of Gods Elect have beene apt to draw backe and to resist Gods grace in the worke of their conversion and even of them the Lord may complaine as Rom 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gaine-saying people But when God is pleased to convert them hee doth by his grace overcome this rebellion that is in their will that they resist no longer Yet doth hee not convert any man against his will nor force the will of man to obey his call but hee changeth the will of man and taketh from it that frowardnesse and rebelliousnesse that was in it by nature and maketh it heartily willing to yeeld unto God I will take the stony heart out of them saith the Lord Ezek. 11.19 and will give them an heart of flesh God worketh in us to will of his good pleasure saith the Apostle Phil. 2.13 This may fitly bee resembled by the change that God wrought in the heart of Esau toward his brother Iacob Esaus heart and will was most strongly bent against Iacob he came against him with a great power and with a most cruell mind Genesis 32.6 yet when hee met him hee had no power to hurt him what was the cause of this Did God by force restraine him or bind him from hurting Iacob No verily God changed his will and heart that he was naturally affected towards him Gen 33.4 Hee ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his necke and kissed him and wept in kindnesse over him And even so is it in this case The Lord in converting of a man doth not onely perswade him by effectuall arguments out of the word to repent and turne to God nor onely give a man so much grace as hee may bee able to repent and turne to God if hee wiâl himselfe but hee doth also infuse and worke the grace of repentance in him hee doth so change his will that hee doth most willingly repent and obey the call of God A new heart will I give you saith the Lord Ezechiel 36.26 27. and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my judgements and doe them And so saith the Apostle of Christ Act. 5.31 God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour not onely to perswade men to repent or to give them power to repent if they would themselves but to give repentance unto Israel to infuse this grace into them and to worke this change in their hearts So that you see the worke of mans conversion is wholly to bee ascribed to the grace of God to his will and good pleasure not to the naturall will of man at all It lyeth not in man either to further or absolutely to hinder it In which respect we shall find it is compared to the worke of creation 2 Cor. 5.17 and to the worke of raising men from death Iohn 5.25 and to the worke of generation Iohn 3.5 And what use had man of his owne will in any of these works What power
transgresse maliciouslly saith David Psalme 59.5 Peter tansgressed but not maliciously he did unfeinedly love Christ in his heart even then when hee did so deny him No regenerate man committeth any sinne so sinfully with so bad an heart as the unregenerate man doth nay he cannot sinne with the full sway and consent of his will Whosoever is borne of God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.9 doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God As though he should have said Hee cannot sinne as the other man doth In every sinne that through frailty he falleth into the spirit will lust against the flesh as the Apostle speaketh Galat. 5.17 The seed of God that remaineth in him the regenerate part will make some resistance to the flesh certainely though it be sometimes so weake as the party himselfe can scarcely be able to discerne it So that you plainly see that though in respect of the outward act of sinne there be no apparent difference to be discerned betweene the regenerate the wicked man yet certainly in the manner and inward disposition of their hearts in sinning there is a great wide difference betweene them And thus I have proved to you the first point I propounded unto you That the sins of the regenerate are not nor can be in themselves and in their owne nature so great and hainous as the sins of the unregenerate and wicked men are Secondly The sins of the regenerate man are not in sundry respects so dangerous unto him as the sins of the unregenerate and wicked man are Foure notable differences there are in this respect betweene their sins First Whereas the least sinnes of the wicked and unregenerate man shall be laid to his charge and hee shall give account unto God for them For all these things saith Solomon Eccles. 11.9 God will bring thee into judgement For every idle word that they speake saith our Saviour Matth. 12.36 they must give account at the day of judgement The infirmities the daily and small offences of the regenerate such as the best are subject to and cannot in this life be freed from In many things saith the Apostle Iam 3.2 we offend all such as either through ignorance or frailty they are apt to slip into such as themselves discerne and bewaile and strive against the Lord is so farre from entring into judgement with his servants for such as that hee will never impute them or take notice of them Of these sinnes it is that David speaketh Psalme 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities ô Lord who shall stand And the Prophet Micah 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage And the Lord himselfe Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him Secondly Whereas none of the sinnes of the unregenerate if he so continue shall ever bee pardoned He that beleeveth not saith our Saviour Iohn 3.18 is condemned already because hee beleeveth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God The most grosse and hainous sinnes that any man that is truly regenerate doth commit for them there is hope and promise of pardon There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Romans 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus And 1 Iohn 2.1 2. If any man sinne wee have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Thirdly Whereas no regenerate man can be assured that he shall ever be able to repent of the sinnes he hath committed For 1. He hath in himselfe no principle of repentance I meane hath in himselfe nothing that may helpe him to recover himselfe when hee is fallen repentance is not in his owne power but is the speciall gift of God Christ is hee onely that giveth repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins as the Apostle speaketh Act. 5.31 2. He hath no certain promise that God wil ever give him grace to repent after he hath sinned For being without Christ he is a stranger to the covenants of promise and hath nothing to doe with them as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2 1â It is farre otherwise with the regenerate man No such child of God being regenerate can fall so fearefully or dangerously but hee shall certainely rise againe and be renewed againe by repentance Of him that may truly be sayd that David speaketh in another sense Psalme 37 24 Though hee fall he shall not be utterly cast downe For 1. He hath in him the principle of repentance that that will helpe him to recover himselfe The seed of God remaineth in him as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 3 9. That seed that habit of grace is immortall and incorruptible as the Apostle calleth it 1 Peter 1.23 It is living water it is in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 4.14 2. The Lord whose onely worke it is to raise up them that are bowed downe as David singed to his praise Psalme 145.14 hath promised that hee shall not dye in his sinnes but he will restore him and raise him up by repentance I will heale their back sliding saith the Lord. Hosea 14 â and againe verse 7 they that dwell under his shadow that ever were in his favour if they happen through frailtie to goe astray from God they shall returne they shall revive as the corne which though it seeme sometimes by water sometimes by frosts to be quite dead yet in due time it reviveth againe and becommeth fruitfull The unbeleever shall dye in his sinnes as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 8 24. but so can hee never doe that truly beleeves I am the resurrection and the life saith he Iohn 11 25 6 hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live and whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall never dye Which though it were spoken by him upon the occasion of the bodily death and resurrection of Lazarus yet is not to be restrained unto that but is to be understood of the spirituall life and resurrection also Marke three things I beseech you in this speech of our blessed Saviour 1. Whosoever beleeveth in mee saith hee shall never dye As if hee had said that spirituall life that life of grace which hee hath received from mee is permanent â That hee saith Hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall he live As if he had said If it were possible for such a one to become starke dead utterly to loose the life of grace if this I say were possible yet shall hee live and bee revived againe 3. Lastly Marke the reason that Christ giveth for it I am the resurrection and the life saith hee As if he should say I am able to raise and restore unto life both the body and the soule yea it is mine office and honour to doe it Hee that
assured Peter before his fearefull fall Luke 22 32. not to make him lesse fearefull of falling but that it might be an helpe to his repentance after hee was fallen and as it were a cord for him to catch at and take hold of to keepe him from sinking in the guise of despaire and to draw him out of it hee I say that did then give assurance unto him that his faith should not faile nor utterly dye in him but he should certainely find mercy with God to rise againe by repentance for so his words plainely import When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren hee hath given the same assurance to every elect and beleeving man that his faith shall never utterly faile but he shall certainly find mercy with God to rise againe by repentance For he prayed so for every beleever as well as for Peter as is plaine Iohn 17.15.20 And he hath said of every true beleever Iohn 5 24. Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death into life The fourth and last difference betweene the falls of the wicked and of the regenerate man in respect of the danger of them is this That whereas wickked men being the people of Gods curse as the Lord calleth them Esay 34.5 and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the children of the curse as the Apostle speaketh 2. Pet. 2 14. every thing that belongeth unto them but specially every sinne they commit is accursed unto them and tendeth to make their state worse and worse and to make them more and more apt to sinne more and more unable to repent They yeeld themselves servants to iniquity unto iniquitie as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6.19 As if hee had said this is all the good they shall get by their service of sin that by committing one sin they shall become more apt to commit another and so by filling up a great measure of sin which is said to have beene the cause why the Amorites were spared so long Gen. 15.16 they might heape up wrath as Elihu speaketh Iob 36.12 against the day of wrath It is quite contrary with the regenerate For as they are called to be heires of blessing as the Apostle speaketh 1 Peter 3.9 so all things shall worke together for their good Rom. 8.28 Every thing that befalleth them yea even their foulest sins that God permitteth them to fall into shall by the grace of repentance make for their good they shall tend to the bettering of them and making of them more happy men then otherwise they would have beene Insomuch as that which David saith of his affliction Psal. 119 7â It is good for me that I have beene afflicted that both David and all the faithfull have cause to say of their grievous falls Gods grace turning them to matter of greater repentance it is good for me that God did leave me to my selfe This is an incredible thing and dangerous also to bee taught you will say for this seemeth to give great encouragement unto the committing of any sinne and what need men bee afraid of sinne their sinnes shall doe them good that they shall become by them the better and more happy men But to this I answer That their damnation is just that make such inferences and conclusions from this Doctrine as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 3.8 that say let us therefore doe evill that good may come of it And who will therefore desire and runne into any affliction or misery because hee hath heard that it shall bee good for Gods children that they have beene afflicted It is no naturall effect of sinne to doe any man good that committeth it nay nothing is more contrary to the nature of sinne then this is sinne is a most deadly poison and the most naturall effect of it is to destroy him that committeth it and to make him miserable everlastingly The good that commeth to the faithfull this way is to bee imputed not unto their sinnes but to the infinite power of God that was able to make the light to rise out of darkenesse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 4 6. And to the wisedome and goodnesse of our heavenly Physitian that maketh a soveraigne medicine of this deadly poison This he is able to doe and this he doth to al his children he sanctifieth unto them their falls and maketh them meanes of their good and that sundry wayes First By this meanes hee humbleth them more soundly and so maketh them more capable of comfort and of every other grace For as none doe ever attaine to any comfortable communion with Christ or great measure of any other saving grace that have not first beene humbled in sense of their owne sinnes I dwell with him saith the Lord Esa. 47.15 that is of a contrite and humble spirit And God giveth grace to the humble Iames 4.6 So the Lord knoweth that many would never bee soundly humbled if hee should not leave them sometimes to themselves and let them take such falls Thus was Hezeckiahs fall sanctified unto him For when God had left him as wee read hee did 2 Chron. 32.31 and he fell in that height of pride that provoked God highly not onely against himselfe but against all his kindome as wee read verse 25. this fall of his had more force to humble him and did him more good that way then that great affliction hee had had a little before either through the extreame feare hee was in of the host of Senacherib verse 1.2 20. or through that mortall sicknesse wherby the Lord had visited him verse 24. was able to do and so the holy Ghost saith verse 26. Hezechiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart And so was it also with David heere Hee was more soundly and deeply humbled by this when God left him to himselfe to fall into these fearefull sins then by all the afflictions hee had endured under Saul He was never able to offer unto God the sacrifice of so broken and contrite an heart which he speaketh of verse 17. untill now Secondly By this meanes God maketh his servants more fearefull to offend him more watchfull over their wayes more carefull to please him to love him and to cleave close unto him then otherwise they would have beene if they had never so fallen The burnt child we say will dread the fire And as Paul saith of Onesimus Phil. 15. Perhaps hee therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him for ever As if he should say It may bee God in his providence so disposed of his sinne in running away from thee and absenting himselfe from thee for a time that even this sinne of his his former unfaithfullnesse will be a meane to make him a better servant unto thee and so thou shalt have more cause to love him and take comfort in him while hee liveth So may it bee truly said of many
word and prayer never so long First He that would know indeed that Christ is his and undertooke for his sinnes must be able to desire and long after Christ more than after any thing in the world besides and be able to say in truth of heart to him as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 42.1 2. As the hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God And as the Church Esa. 26.9 With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within we will I seek thee early Such as these are Christ inviteth and biddeth come and welcome and take their part in him and all his merits Esa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Vpon such as these he hath promised to bestow himselfe and all his merits Rev. 21.6 I will give to him that is a thirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely But so long as thou desirest many other things as much as Christ or more than Christ thou shalt never have sound assurance that Christ is thine that he hath undertaken for thy sinnes Secondly He that would faine know indeed that Christ is his and hath made his peace with God must shew the truth of this his desire and longing after Christ by being content to buy and purchase him by parting with whatsoever is dearest to him in the world rather than he would want him Come buy and eat saith our Saviour in that gracious invitation I told you of Esa. 55.1 and he repeateth it againe and saith yea come buy wine and milke and so he speaketh againe Revel 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me gold and raiment and eye-salve Nothing will be had of him but it must be bought And what must we pay for it Surely all that we have as you may see in the Parable of the wise merchant Math. 13.46 When he had found one pearlâ of great price he went and sold all that hee had and bought it And in the example of blessed Paul For him saith he Philip 3.8 I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Why Paul Couldst not thou have won Christ unlesse thou hadst suffered the losse of all things No verily saith he unlesse I had counted all things but as dung in comparison of Christ and had beene willing to lose all rather than him I could never have wonne him Hee that loveth father or mother saith our Saviour Matthew 10.37 more than mee if not worthy of mee And hee that loveth sonne or daughter more than mee is not worthy of mee Of thee then that saist Christ is thine let mee aske this one question I pray thee what did hee cost thee What payedst thou for him What didst thou ever part with that was deare unto thee that thou mightest win him Sure I am thou must buy him before thou hast him or els thou never camest honestly by him thou canst have no just title to him And to thee that complainest thou hast no assurance that Christ is thine I say and what marvell is there in that Thou that wilt part with nothing that is deare unto thee for his sake with no one of thy lusts with nothing that may yeeld thee either profit or credit or pleasure Nay that art willing with Iudas to sell Christ for a little credit or profit or pleasure in the world what hope canst thou have to win Christ or ever to have any sound comfort in him Thirdly and lastly No man can desire and thirst after Christ more than after any other thing in the world much lesse be willing to purchase him at such a rate as you have heard and consequently no man can have any sound assurance that Christ is his till he feele the burden of his sinnes and know himselfe to bee in a damnable and desperate state without him Till wee can apprehend our owne extreame danger as the Disciples did when they were at the very point of drowning and cry as they did Matth. 8.25 Lord save us we perish These are they whom Christ inviteth and promiseth to refresh Math. 11.28 even such as are ready to faint and sink in despaire through the intolerable burden of their sinnes Yea he professeth none els shall have benefit by him but such onely I am not come to call the righteous but sinners saith he Mat. 9 13. and whom he meaneth by sinners he had expressed Verse 12. such as are even sicke and pained at the heart for their sinnes Certainly no man is so fit to receive comfort from Christ as he that is most deepely humbled in the sense of his owne unworthinesse and is even apt to judge himselfe unworthy of mercy and to say to God as Mephibosheth did to David 2 Sam. 9.8 What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke upon such a dead dog as I am Three notable examples we have to prove this The one of the Centurion Matth. 8.8 that judged himselfe unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe The second of the woman that had the bloudy issue who judged her selfe unworthy to aske helpe of Christ Luke 8.44.47 but came stealing behind him in the throng to touch but the border of his garment and when she found her selfe discovered came trembling and fell downe before him The third of the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.27 who judged her selfe to be no better than one of the dogs which eat of the crummes that fall from their masters table Alas then so long as thou remainest so heart-whole and art never sicke of thy sinnes never pained or troubled with them thou canst run and skip and dance with thy sinnes on thy backe and feelest them to be no burden at all unto thee how shouldest thou ever come to a sound and comfortable assurance that Christ is thine And thus have I finished this use of exhortation and should now come to that of comfort which is the third use I promised to make of this Doctrine But I must be your debter for that till I come to the next Doctrine whereof I shall have every whit as fit occasion to handle that Vse Lecture CXXI On Psalme 51.7 Iune 23. 1629. WE have already heard that in this petition of David that God would purge and wash him from his sinnes which is the first part of this Verse two things are to be observed 1. The matter the thing that he desired to be purged and washed with that is to say the bloud of Christ which was represented and signified by all that water and bloud that was used under the Law for the purifying of them that were legally uncleane 2. The manner how he desired to be purged and cleansed with it Purge me with hysop saith he The former of these two points we finished the last day and now it followeth that we proceed unto the latter of them And that we may the better receive the instruction that the
to it cannot have it all times nor when they do enjoy it can have it in perfection but with some mixture of doubting and unbeleefe as I shall shew you when I come to the use of comfort yet may the poorest and weakest Christian attaine to it in some measure if he be not wanting to himselfe if he will use the meanes and do what in him lieth to obtaine it See two proofes of this First We have Gods expresse promise for this that all the faithfull shall attaine unto this assurance Esa. 60.16 Thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy redeemer Secondly We have the experience of Gods people in all ages for it Iob had this particular assurance that Christ was his I know saith he Iob 19.25 that my Redeemener liveth And so had David Psal. 6.1 O God thou art my God Yea he had it even then when he was most strongly assaulted with a tentation of infidelity Ps. 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And so had Paul He loved me saith he Gal. 2.20 and gave himselfe for me And 1 Tim. 1.15 He knew certainly that he was one of those sinners Christ came to save yea a chiefe one amongst them And though these were rare persons indeed and had a grââter measure of faith and so of this particular assurance haply then any of us yet is the faith of the meanest of us the same in nature with theirs we have obtained the like precious faith with the best of them as the Apostle teacheth us 2 Pet. 1.1 we have the same spirit of faith with them saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.13 But least we might think that none but some rare persons have ever attained to this assurance the Apostle speaking in the name of all the faithfull saith 1 Ioh. 3.14 Wee know that we are translated from death to life and 5.19 We know that we are of God And the Prophet maketh this the profession of all the faithfull Esa. 45.24 Surely shall one say one as well as another even all the seed of Israel as he expresseth himselfe ver 25. in the Lord have I righteousnesse the righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus belongeth unto me I have it it is mine own Yea this is the profession of the whole Church the mother of us all Cant. 2.16 My well-beloved is mine and I am his And this is the first Motive If the popish conceit were true and we are all by nature in this and sundry other points rank Papists that we may hope well that Christ died for us and we shall be saved but sure of it we cannot be it is presumption for any man to say he is certaine of his justification then were we not to be blamed for neglecting to get this assurance but seeing it may be had how can we be excused that make so light account of it Secondly Consider the great and unspeakable necessity and benefit of it See this in three points First This and this only will free thy heart from all those changes and armies of fâares that are wont to torment it What assurance hath the yongest strongest of us that we shall live till to morrow For what is our life saith the Apostle Iam. 4.14 ât is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vaniââeth away And if we be without this assurance when death commeth how full of terrour must our hearts then needs be Whereas if we were once sure that Christ is ours this would quiet our heart from this and all other feares So soone as Christ was come into the shiâ Mar 6.51 the winde ceased presently and there was a calme Get Christ once into thine heart and it will be quiet For what need we feare any thing if we be once assured of Gods favour in Christ. The Lord is my light and my salvation saith David Ps. 27.1 whom shall I feare The destroying Angel might smite none in any house where the bloud of the paschall lamb was sprinkled Exod. 12.23 Come not neare any man saith the Lord to the destroyer Ezek 9.6 upon whom is the marke If once this bloud be sprinkled upon us if this mark be upon us we need feare no destroying angell We may be cast down but destroyed we cannot be as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 4.9 Whereas on the other side though we be of the number of those that Christ shed his bloud for and so God hath decreed never to lay our sins to our charge yet till we know so much till the spirit of God have sprinkled Christs bloud upon our hearts we can never be freed from the accusations and terrours of a guilty conscience Our hearts must be sprinkled from an evill conscience saith the Apostle Heb. â0 32 Nothing will free us from an evill and guilty conscience but onely the sprinkling of Christs bloud upon it Secondly This and this only is able to make our hearts lightsome and comfortable in every estate when we know our selves to be in Gods favour through Christ. For 1 this giveth assurance we shall not want any thing that shall be good for us He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 2 This will give a sweet rellish to every comfort of our life They did eat and were filled say the holy Levites in their thanksgiving Neh. 9.25 and became âat and delighâed themselves in the great goodnesse So David professeth Psal. 4.8 when he had seene the light of Gods countenance and rejoyced in it I will both lay me downe in peace and sleepe saith he this would make his sleepe sweet unto him Yea 3 this will make the bitterest afflictions sweet unto a man Son be of good comfort saith our Saviour Mat. 9. â to the poore man that was sicke of a cold palsy a most heavie and uncomfortable sicknesse thy sins are forgiven thee On the other side what true sweetnesse can that man find in any pleasure or wealth that doubteth of Gods love in Christ when his conscience being awakned by God as that may fall out in the midst of his greatest jollity as it did with Baltasar Dan. 5 5. shall tell him thou maist be a vessell of Gods wrath and damned when thou diest for all this Thirdly and lastly This and this only will give a man boldnesse and liberty of spirit in prayer and every service he doth unto God and make it acceptable unto God Neither Aaron nor his sons could be consecrated nor made fit to serve God in the priest-hood till the bloud of their sacrifice was sprinkled upon them Exod. 39.21 And the Apostle telleth us Heb. 10.22 we can never draw neere to God with a true heart till our hearts be sprinkled from an evill conscience Lecture CXXII On Psalme 51.7 Iuly 7. 1629. NOw for the signes of true assurance it is necessary that every one of us should
healing in his wings This sunne did never arise and shine upon any heart but it brought an healing vertue with it See the proofes of this in foure particulars First This will soften the heart more and make it apter to mourne for sin then any other thing is able to doe I will powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem saith the Lord Zach. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne As if hee had said thus When the spirit of grace hath made a man able to see that his sins pierced Christ that Christs bloud was shed for his sins this will breake his heart and make him mourne and grieve more for his sins then for any other thing in the world Secondly this will make a man more afraid to sin to offend God then any other thing is able to do The children of Israel shall returne and seek the Lord their God and David that is Christ the sonne of David their King and they shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes that is in the dayes under the Gospel saith the Prophet Hos. 3.5 As though he should say When Gods people have once by seeking found the Lord their God and Christ their King know him to be their God and their King and tasted of his marvellous goodnesse and love unto them this will make them ever after more fearefull to offend him then any other thing can possibly doe Thirdly This will breed in a man a greater delight in the word and meanes of grace a greater desire and appetite unto them then any other thing is able to doe As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby saith the Apostle 1 Peter 2.2 3. if so bee that yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if hee should have said The man that knoweth the Lord is gracious and gracious to him and that hath also tasted the sweetnesse of this assurance of Gods speciall love to himselfe must needs desire and long after Gods word as much as ever babe did after the mothers breast Fourthly and lastly This will make a man more carefull in all his wayes to please God then any other thing is able to doe I have walked in thy truth saith David Psalme 26.3 and made conscience to doe and practise what thou teachest me in thy word and he had given this for the reason of it in the beginning of the verse For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes As if hee should say I know and am fully assured as if I saw it with mine eyes of thy loving kindnes and speciall favour towards me and that maketh me walke in thy truth And these are the effects that the true assurance will worke in the heart and inward man But secondly It will not rest there hee that hath it cannot content himselfe with the reformation of his owne heart and life hee cannot but declare openly and professe himselfe to bee Gods servant hee cannot but put forth himselfe to doe him all the service and honour that hee is possibly able to doe 1. For profession it is to be observed that those whom Gods spirit sprinkleth the blood of Christ upon whom he setteth this marke and seale upon he setteth it not upon their hearts only but upon their fore-heads also as you may read Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 7.3 so as those among whom they live may discerne and take notice that they are Gods people When once God hath said to any mans heart by his spirit as he doth to his people Esa 43.1 I have called thee by name thou art mine that man cannot choose but say to him againe as David doth Psal. 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Nay what he hath heard in the eare as our Saviour speaketh in another case Matth 10.27 he cannot but preach on the house tops He cannot but declare and professe himselfe openly to bee Gods servant and one of his people Thus the Prophet Esa. 44.5 bringeth in the faithfull glorying in this open profession of their homage One shall say I am the Lords another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. As if he had said Every one shall be ready upon all occasions and by all meanes to declare himselfe to be one of Gods people of his Church and houshold And 2. for that care that all such have to doe God all the honour that possibly they can in the places and callings that God hath set them in wee have three notable examples The first is of Ioshuah as hee was the master of a family Who as he was a man that had obtained this particular assurance that God was his God God had said unto him Iosh 1.15 As I was with Moses so will I be with thee I will not faile thee nor forsake thee So doth hee professe not onely that hee would be Gods servant and at his command but that his whole family should be so too As for me and mine house saith he Iosh 24 15. we will serve the Lord. The second example is of Paul a minister and preacher of the Gospel Who when he had spoken of his marvellous diligence and faithfulnes in his ministery giveth this for the reason of it 2 Cor. 5.14.15 For the love of Christ constraineth us saith he because we thus judge that one dyed for all then were all dead we were all by nature dead and damned men and that hee dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe As if hee had said I that know I was a dead and damned man and that Christ dyed for mee to save and deliver mee out of that estate hold my selfe bound to doe him all the honour and service that I can by enlarging his kingdome and know I can never doe enough for him that hath done so much for mee as hee hath done The third and last example is of David a magistrate of whose noble resolution you may read Psal 1 18.28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee saith he thou art my God and I will exalt thee As hee was confidently assured that God was his God out of the aboundance of his heart his mouth speaketh thus once and againe so was he resolutely determined to improve his power and authority to the uttermost in standing for God and advancing of his honour Let us now make some application of this and examine our selves by this third and last signe and we shall find that the assurance of their salvation that most men glory in is vaine and counterfeite such as Satan or their owne deceitfull hearts not the holy spirit of God hath wrought in them Because they are so barren and
unfeinedly and serve him with upright hearts that yet doe not know they doe so And though such may bee sure as you have heard in the former direction to attaine vnto assurance of Gods favour in the end yet would they certainly attaine unto it sooner and in better measure if themselves did know that they doe unfeinedly feare God and serve him with upright hearts Hereby wee know saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 3.19 that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts When once we know we are of the truth of the number of those that are sincere and upright hearted then shall we assure our hearts even before God Now no man can know this well that is not carefull to observe consider and examine his owne waies Ponder the path of thy feet saith the Holy Ghost Pro. 4.26 and let all thy waies be established As if he had said By pondering and considering our doings well we may have them established make them stable and firme such as we may build sound comfort and assurance upon Hee that doth truth saith our Saviour Ioh. 3.21 that is hee that is indeed and in his practise not in profession onely a godly man commeth to the light that his deeds may bee made manifest that they are wrought in God As if hee should say Hee doth by the Word examine his deeds whether they bee so performed as God may bee pleased with them Certainely there is never a good duty wee performe at any time never a prayer wee make never a Sermon wee preach or heare never an almes wee give nay I say more never a bargaine wee make never a duty wee performe even towards men in our particular callings but it may give us assurance of Gods love if we can find it hath beene wrought in God that is done by the guidance of his spirit and with an upright heart For no man can doe any thing with an upright heart that is in faith and obedience and love to God till he be in Gods favour till he be in the state of grace and a justified man A corrupt tree saith our Saviour Mat. 7.18 a man that is in his naturall estate cannot bring forth good fruit As many as are led by the spirit of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.14 they are the sons of God certainely Therfore also he telleth poore servants Col. 3.24 that did their service to their idolatrous and bad masters in singlenesse of heart fearing God that they knew even by this that they should receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance They might grow assured of their salvation even by doing the duties of servants with good and upright hearts And as any one duty performed with a good heart will give assurance of this in some measure so the more good works any man knoweth he hath done the longer he knoweth that he hath continued in a constant care to please God in all his waies the stronger his assurance shall be A strong and full assurance of salvation will not be gotten in a day or two by one or two good actions but by a constant continuing in wel doing and by long proofe and experience of the working of Gods grace in our hearts We desire saith the Apostle Heb. 6.11 that every one of you doe shewe the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end As if he should say You have good things in you now and such as accompany salvation such as may give you good assurance of your salvation you shew much labour of love ye have ministred to the Saints and yet do minister but if you would get full assurance of hope you must hold out and doe so still to the end Two things there be that are wont to be objected by many a good heart against this First If a man could certainely know that the duties hee performeth were done with an upright heart that in his conversation and course of life he were led by the spirit of God then he might indeed thereby get this assurance But there is all the difficulty every man may find by experience the truth of that which the Prophet speaketh Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things and desparately wicked who can know it To this I answer that though this be indeed an hard thing yet this is not impossible The Lord that knoweth our hearts as deceitfull as they be as the Prophet there speaketh verse â0 maketh his children also able to know their owne hearts and the uprightnesse of them Hezekiah knew he had walked before God in truth and with an upright heart as himselfe professeth Esa. 38.3 And Peter certainely knew that hee did unfeignedly love the Lord and durst call the Lord himselfe to witnesse for this Ioh. 21.17 And there is no Christian but if hee would ponder the path of his feet and take heed to his to his waies according to the word and take paines to examine them by the rules thereof he might know the uprightnesse of his owne heart in them it might be made manifest unto him that they are wrought in God as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3 2â Yea when he is at the worst and most destitute of his assurance if he could examine his owne heart he should find in it evident arguments of uprightnesse as feare to offend God in any thing longing after his favour and prizing it above all things love of the brethren poverty of spirit and griefe of heart for it upon which he might ground good assurance that he is in the favour of God O the wrong we doe to our selves in the carelesse neglect of observing and examining our own waies This is a maine difference betweene the upright hearted Christian and the naturall man The one is ever best perswaded of his own estate when he thinketh least of his owne waies and doings he cannot abide to examine his owne waies or to thinke seriously of his owne doings If by any hand of God upon him or by a searching ministery they bee brought into his mind it is a death unto him Like unto the broken merchant that cannot abide to goe into his counting house to cast over his bookes On the other side The upright hearted Christian is never so comfortable as when he hath most seriously coâsiâered his owne waies when his heart hath beene so searched as he can looke into the bottome of it Let every man prove his own worke saith the Apostle Gal 6.4 and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe saith Solomon Pro. 14.14 He shall if he will take paines to examine his owne heart find sufficient ground of comfort in himselfe The second thing that many a good soule will object against this is That hee hath done what hee can to examine his owne heart and hee can find no truth of grace in himselfe nothing to ground any good assurance upon To this I
saith the Prophet Habacuk 2.4 It is not our feeling but our faith that wee must live by Take two examples to perswade and encourage thee to this The one in David the other in Abraham What time I am afraid saith David Psalme 56.3.4 whensoever I am most disquieted with doubts and feares in my selfe I will trust in thee How could he doe so will you say That hee will tell you in the next words In God saith hee I will praise his word In God have I put my trust As if he had said What cause of feare soever I find in my selfe yet I thanke God I have the word and promise of God that hee will bee mercifull to mee and that I will trust unto Our other example is in Abraham recorded by the Apostle Romanes 4.19 10.21 Hee beleeved that hee should have a sonne by Sarah in whose seed himselfe and all the nations of the earth should be blessed though hee saw and âelt in himselfe great cause to doubt that this could never possibly bee For his body was now dead that is the strength and vigour of it was quite gone and so was Saraâs too How could hee then beleeve this Why hee had Gods word and promise for it and that though it were contrary to his sense and reason he gave credit and trusted to He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe saith the Apostle being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was able also to performe And in thus doing the Apostle saith hee gave glory to God By how much the more matter of doubting and feare and despaire wee feele in our selves by so much the more glory wee give unto God when notwithstanding this wee can give credite unto and rest upon the word and promise of God O but you will say Abraham was strong in saith he staggered not through unbeliefe as the Apostle saith of him there No marvell though his faith were imputed to him for righteousnesse though it justified him in Gods sight What speake you of his example to such a one as I am that am so weake in faith and am ever staggering through unbeliefe can such a faith as mine is justifie me in Gods sight and make Christ and all his merits mine I answer yes the weakest faith will do it if thou can receive Christ rest upon him even with the weakest faith it will serve thy turne The weake faith of the poore man that came to Christ for his child that was possessed Mar. 9.24 though he staggered much through unbeleefe which made him cry with teares Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeliefe yet this weake faith of his served his turne and obtained mercy from Christ. Take heed thou thinke not that it is the strength of thy faith that justifieth thee no no It is Christ and his perfect righteousnesse which thy faith receiveth and resteth upon that doth it He that hath the feeblest and weakest hand may receive an almes and apply a soveraigne plaister to his wound as well as he that hath the strongest and receive as much good by it too Thy blessed Saviour that gave that charge concerning such as thou art Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones will not despise or reject thee for the weaknesse of thy faith which thou mournest for and strivest to amend but will have tender respect to thee in it A bruised reed saith the Evangelist Mat. 12.20 shall he not breake and smoaking slax shall he not quench This is a comfortable speech indeed will you say for them that can beleeve and trust in Christ though but with a weake faith But alas I find my selfe to be âouâworthy a wreth so oppressed many times with the sense of my unworthinesse that I cannot beleeve I cannot rest upon Christ nor hope and look for mercy through him When thou art so yet lift up thy heart to God crave helpe of him in this case beg of him that he would make thee able to go to Christ and to rest upon him Do as David did When my heart is overwhelmed saith he Psal. 61.2 lead mee to the rocke that is higher then I. And what was that rocke I pray you Surely the Lord Iesus of whom himselfe saith Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Was the rock that David desired God to lead him unto when thy heart is overwhelmed with feares and doubts and thou canst get no sensible assurance of Gods favour nor comfort in thy selfe nor hast power to goe unto Christ pray thou likewise to God with David that he would lead thee to this rocke that he would make thee able to stay and rest thy selfe upon Christ and then the gates of hell all the subtiltie and power of the divell shall never be able to prevaile against thee This is all true indeed If I could pray I were happy when I find my selfe able to pray then am I safe but alas my heart is so overwhelmed many times that I cannot pray To this I answer First That it may well bee so with thee for so it hath beene with many a good servant of God Thus David complained Psalme 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speake Thus good Hezekiah said of himselfe Esa. 38.14 Like a craâe or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a dove And the Apostle telleth us Romanes 8.26 it is thus oft with Gods people in extreame affliction Wee know not hee putteth himselfe in the number what wee should pray for as wee ought But then I say secondly When thou findest thy selfe thus unable to pray yet doe what thou canst pray as well as thou canst chatter unto God as Hezekiah did sigh and grone unto God as the Apostle there saith the faithfull oft doe they pray with gronings which they cannot utter and even this will prevaile with God as much as any prayer which with the greatest liberty and freedome of spirit thou ever madest unto him in all thy life David found it to be so for hee saith Psalme 77.1 the Lord gave eare unto him even when he cryed to him in such a troubled manner And Hezekiah found it to be so for he saith that after that chattering prayer of his hee found abundance of comfort Thou hast saith hee Esa. 38.17 in love to my soule delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backe And the Apostle giveth us this reason why it must needs be so Romanes 8.27 Hee that searcheth the hearts saith hee knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints acrording to the will of God As if hee should say Those prayers that are made with sighs and grones which wee cannot utter proceed from Gods spirit as well as any other that ever wee made and the Lord that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of his
onely cause of all the evills and miserie that can befall a man In them all it may bee said as the Church speaketh Lamentations 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne 2. Sinne is the onely thing that maketh all miserie to bee miserie indeed all crosses and afflictions so intolerable to us as they be Ieremy 8.14 The Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drinke because wee have sinned against the Lord. The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 15.5 6. Neither poverty nor sicknesse nor death it selfe could sting and paine us as they doe if our sinnes were pardoned 3. If all the crosses and miseries of the world should fall upon us the burden and bitternesse of them could not bee so intolerable unto us nor torment us so much as our sinne will doe when God shall charge it upon us O that will bite like a serpent saith Salomon who spake this from experience too Prov. 23.32 and sting like an adder A wounded spirit saith he Proverbs 18.14 who can beare 4. Lastly Sinne and nothing but sinne separateth betweene God and us Your iniquities saith the Prophet Esay 59.2 have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will not heare You see then how sound a ground of true comfort this is and how just cause every humbled soule hath to rejoyce in Christ in respect of this first benefit wee receive by him that through him our sinnes are pardoned that the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed us from all our sins As the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 1.7 And for the second of those benefits which every true beleever receiveth by Christ see also how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soule Esay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the true beelever my soule shall bee joyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation hee hath imputed and given unto mee the perfect holinesse and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine hee hath covered mee all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewells Great is the comfort that the soule of a Christian findeth in that inherent righteousnesse which God by his spirit hath wrought in him though it bee so poore and unperfect and maimed and slained as it is When he can find that he hath been able to pray or to confesse and mourne for his sinne or to do any other service to God with an honest and upright heart O what a comfort it is unto him And certainly if Christians did thinke well of this it would make them looke better to their hearts when they performe good duties and take heed of slubbering them over it would make them carefull to performe spirituall duties spiritually The people rejoyced saith the Holy Ghost 1 Chronicl 29.9 for that they had offered toward the building of Gods house willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. And our rejoycing is this saith the Apopostle 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And it is joy saith Salomon Proverb 21.15 unto the just man to doe judgement As if he had thus said He joyeth not so much in all the gaine that he getteth by his trading his buying and selling and dealings with men as he doth in this that his conscience beareth witnesse with him that he hath dealt justly with all men he hath gotten it justly whatsoever he hath But if this poore and imperfect righteousnesse that is in us will yeeld us such comfort how just cause of comfort and rejoycing hath every true believer in this that he hath another manner of righteousnesse than this is the perfect righteousnesse of Christ Iesus is his Iob saith of his inherent righteousnesse whereby hee had beene so rich in good workes so abundant in the workes of mercy to all that stood in need of him Iob 29.14 that he put on his righteousnesse and it cloathed him my judgement saith he this care I had to deale justly and uprightly with all men was as a robe and a diademe unto me And a goodly garment and robe doubtlesse that was As comely apparell is knowne to set forth much and adorne the person of a man O that men and women specially knew not this too well O that by their pride in this by their over-much care to adorne and decke their bodies this way they did not make both their bodies and soules loathsome unto God as comely apparell I say if it be used in sobriety and moderation doth much set forth and adorne the body in the eye of man so doe those graces of the Spirit that Iob speaketh of even our inherent righteousnesse much more beautifie and adorne us in the eye both of God and man Be ye cloathed with humility saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.5 to all Christians As if he had said That is a goodly garment a goodly robe for any Christian to weare And speaking of Christian women he saith 1 Pet. 3.3 4. their adorning should not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire no nor of cutting and shearing it would he have said if he had lived to see the fashions of these dayes nor in wearing of gold or jewels saith he nor in putting on of any apparell Why how then should a Christian woman dresse and decke her selfe will you say Surely with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit saith he which is in the sight of God of great price Grace is a goodly garment certainely But if this garment of inherent righteousnesse that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorne us so much if that be so much to be joyed in what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us wretched sinners in cloathing us with the robe of Christs righteousnesse In that he hath not onely taken from us our owne filthy garments as he did from Iehoshua Zachary 3.4 but cloathed us with change of raiment with a righteousnesse sufficient and more than sufficient to make us comely and beautifull in his eyes In graunting to us that wee should bee arrayed in that fine linnen cleane and white as wee heard the last day out of Revelation 19.8 This robe the Lord hath put upon thee beloved I speake to the poorest to the weakest of all Gods servants that heareth me this day this perfect righteousnesse of Christ is thine O that thou hadst eyes to see thy happinesse in this O that thou hadst an heart to be affected with it and rejoyce in it as thou oughtest to doe Great was the glory of man in his first creation and in that righteousnesse wherewith hee was cloathed
God The âncense which they offered was an abomination unto him as the Lord speaketh Esa. 1.13 14. their new moones and their sabbaths and their solemne assemblies all good things in themselves commanded of God his soule hated they were a trouble to him he was weary to beare them Yea the more good things the hypocrite doth the more odious he maketh himselfe unto God The hypocrites in heart saith Elihu Iob 36.13 not the grosse hypocrites onely and such as whose life discovereth them to be so but the most close and secret ones if their hearts bee false and unsound heape up wrath Yea in some respects certainely his case is more wofull then the case of the most profane man both in this life and in the life to come also How can this be will you say can the profane mans case be worse then the hypocrites both in this life and the life to come also as you have taught us now and yet the hypocrites case be worse then his both in this life and in the life to come Are not these propositions directly contradictory and therefore impossible that both of them should be true I answer No. But as the sinnes of the one are in one respect greater and in another lesser then the sinnes of the other are so the Lord in the infinitenesse of his wisedome and power can and will make this possible which to our shallow understandings seemeth to bee most impossible And this wee are sure of that both these propositions that seeme so contradictory are undoubtedly true because God hath in his word taught us both What he hath said touching the open prophane man you have heard before and that the hypocrites case is in some respects worse then the state of the most prophane man both in this life and in the life to come is evident by these two proofes First in this life he is hardlier brought to the sight of his sinne and to repentance for it without which there is no possibility of salvation then the prophane man is The Publicans and Harlots goe into the kingdome of God before you saith our Saviour to the Pharisaicall hypocrites Matth. 21.31 See an example of this also in Iudas And secondly In the life to come because they have sinned against greater meanes and against greater light they shall receive the greater damnation as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 23.14 It shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom a farre more prophane people then they were in the day of judgement then for thee saith our Saviour unto Capernaum Matth. 11.24 In which respect we shall finde there is no one sinne that our Saviour did more bitterly inveigh nor denounce more woes against then he did against hypocrisie and though the Pharisees were guilty of many other foule sinnes as appeareth by that which our Saviour saith of them Matth. 23.3 Yet he taxeth them for no sinne so much as for their hypocrisie Matth. 23.13 and in many other places So that to conclude this point I must say unto you all as our Saviour spake unto his Disciples first of all in a mighty audience Luk. 12.1 Beware yee of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie As if he had said yee that are the Disciples of Christ and professe Religion above all other men and above all other sinnes beware yee of hypocrisie content not your selves with any good things that bee in you with any good things that yee doe that you love the word that you use to pray that you observe the Sabbath that you hate popery and all will worship that you are strict in the smallest things but take heed that you doe these things in truth and soundnesse of heart remember that hypocrisie is the leaven of the Pharisyes it will make all that you doe sowre and unpleasing unto God Alas will you say wee know this is most true but how shall wee know whither wee be hypocrites or no If the hypocrite may goe so farre as you have taught us out of Gods word he may we see just cause to feare we are no better then hypocrites And I know well that some of you that are freest from hypocrisie ever since you heard me prove how farre the hypocrite may goe have longed much to heare this how the true Christian may be distinguished and knowne from the hypocrite in these things and what it is wherein he goeth further then any hypocrite in the world can goe Now to give satisfaction to these good soules First of all I say that this is a good signe thou art no hypocrite because thou art so fearefull least thou shouldst be one because thou art so desirous to get good evidence to thy selfe that thou hast more in thee then an hypocrite can have To feare our selves least our hearts should be unsound is part of that poverty of spirit of which our Saviour saith Matth. 5.3 that they are blessed that have it in them David suspected his heart to be unsound when he prayed as he did Verse 10. Create in mâe a cleane heart ô Lord and renew a right spirit within me And so did all the elect Apostles when Christ having told them that one of them should betray him there was a false hypocrite among them every one of them was exceeding sorrowfull and cryed to him Matth. 26.21 22. Lord is it I But secondly I will for your further satisfaction give you some notes whereby you may discerne whither you be hypocrites or noe And I will go no further for them then to these very examples I instanced in for the five good things which I told you have beene found in some hypocrites I will shew you plainly what the things were wherein they though they went so far were defective and did bewray the falshood and hypocrisie of their hearts And when in the hearing of them you shall finde your selves and that goodnesse that is in you free from these defects from these notes of hypocrisie which the Holy Ghost hath observed to have beene in them not from one or two of them but from them all you may be able confidently to conclude unto your comfort that certainly you are no hypocrites you shall be easily able to judge of the soundnesse or unsoundnesse of your owne hearts The defects that were in the goodnesse of these men whereby their hypocrisie was discovered were five principally First some of them when they seemed to have most goodnesse in them and made greatest shew of it they lived in grosse sinnes neverthelesse Take a proofe of this in the example of those hypocrites that I told you were so given to prayer They made many prayers as the Prophet speaketh of them Esay 1.15 they used to pray often yea they did spread forth their hands in prayer and seemed to pray with great zeale and fervency of spirit but their hands were full of bloud As if he should say they were savadge bloud-suckers and most cruell oppressours of poore
yeeld universall obedience to the will of God in one thing as well as in another as there is no doubt but there is many a one that thinketh so of himselfe that is perswaded hee liveth in no knowne sinne his life is in all respects such as it ought to bee There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes saith Salomon Proverbes 30.12 In all my labours saith Ephraim Hosea 12.8 they shall find no iniquity admit I say that this were so yet is there this defect in the goodnesse of the best hypocrite in the world hee doth nothing with a good heart Every way of man saith Salomon Proverbes 21.2 is right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts As if hee should say Man is apt to flatter himselfe and to thinke passing well of every thing hee doth but the Lord in weighing and valuing the actions of men hath an eye alwaies to this with what heart every thing is done When the counsels of the hearts shall bee made manifest saith the Apostle 1 Cor 4.5 As if he had said With what intent and purpose of heart men have done that which they did then and not before shall every man have praise with God Now no hypocrite did ever any good thing with a good heart hee abstaineth from no sinne nor performeth any good thing hee doth out of obedience and love to God but out of some by respect or other Take a proofe for this in the example of those Iewes that we read of Zachary 7. for seventy yeares together during the whole time of the captivity they kept a solemne fast foure times in the yeare Was not this a singular good thing And yet the Lord plainely telleth them that the most of them in doing of this were no better then hypocrites And why so will you say What defect was there in this goodnesse of theirs What was it that did discover the falshood and hypocrisy of their hearts in this holy and good action Certainely no outward thing nothing that the eye of man was able to discover as in the foure former sorts that I have spoken of the Lord that pondereth the hearts hee found that they had not done this with a good heart As he telleth them verse 5. When yee fasted and mourned saith he in the fift and seventh moneth even these seventy yeares did yee at all fast unto me even unto me Which interrogation hath the force of a vehement denyall As if hee had said Ye did not at all fast unto me And hee enforceth this deniall with a most emphaticall repetition appealing withall to their owne conscience Did ye at all fast unto me even unto me No you did not and that your owne consciences doe know full well To whom then did they keepe these fasts Surely to themselves as it appeareth in the next verse They kept them not to please the Lord to shew their love and obedience unto him to testifie their obedient submission unto his correcting hand and their griefe for offending and provoking him their unfained desire to recover his favour But they kept them meerely out of selfe-love to please and give contentment to themselves They grieved for the destruction and burning of the Temple and City which was in the fift moneth as you may read Ier. 52 12 13. and for the slaughter of Gedaliah which was in the seventh moneth as you may read Ier. 41.1 2. upon whose death followed the utter dispersion of the remainder of the Iewes they mourned and tooke on for the ruine of their state and sighed under the burden of their present misery they thought their fasting to bee a satisfactory worke that would merit Gods favour But for offending God by their sinnes they mourned not they did not in their fasts by unfeigned repentance and reformation of their lives seeke attonement and reconciliation with God and therefore the Lord saith they did not at all fast unto him but unto themselves onely Heere then you see is another note of difference betweene that goodnesse that seemeth to be in the best and most glorious hypocrite and that which is in the weakest and poorest Christian under heaven The hypocrite in the best duties that he performeth serveth not the Lord at all but himselfe only in seeming to serve the Lord hee still seeketh himselfe onely and not the Lord. Thus God taxeth the hypocrisy of Israel Hos 10.1 Israel is as an empty vine hee bringeth forth fruit to himselfe As if he had said All good things that he doth hee doth them out of selfe-love hee seeketh himselfe onely in them In doing of any good he seeketh 1 Either the good opinion of men and the advantage that may grow to him thereby as the hypocriticall Pharisies did All their workes they doe to be seene of men saith our Saviour Matth. 23.5 Or 2 out of hope to merit somewhat of God and to bind him thereby the rather to beare with him in some other things as those hypocrites did Esa 58.3 Wherefore have wee fasted say they and thou seest it not Or 3 at the best hee doth it to avoid Gods wrath which hee knoweth is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men as those did which the Prophet speaketh of Psal. 78. â4 When hee slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God On the other side the true hearted Christian even the weakest and poorest soule amongst them though in eschewing evill and doing good he have some respect to himselfe the feare of hell and of the wrath of God due to sinne and the desire he hath to escape damnation hath great force to restraine him from sinne Knowing the terrours of the Lord saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 5.11 we perswade men and the hope and desire of the reward that God hath promised to a godly life hath great force to perswade him unto godlinesse Moses had respect unto the recompense of reward as the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 11.26 Yet the chiefe thing that moveth him to hate sinne and to love goodnesse is the desire hee hath to please and honour the Lord. Every good thing he doth he doth it to the Lord he serveth God in that he doth the maine intent of his heart in doing it is that hee may be accepted of God and please him It is said of Iosiah 2 Chron. 35.1 that hee kept a passover unto the Lord As if he had said his care was that it might be so administred and received as God might bee pleased in it And the Apostle professeth of himselfe 1 Thess. 3.4 that in preaching his care was so to speake not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts His maine care in preaching was not to doe his taske to get the credit and reputation of a diligent preacher or to obtaine a good applause among men but to preach so as hee might please God and approve his heart unto him Yea hee telleth us that even in
Two plaine testimonies I will give you for this and trouble you with no more The first is that in 2 Cor. 3.6 8. where the Apostle having spoken of the fruit of his Ministery in the hearts of the Corinthians he telleth them God had made him and his fellow Apostles able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit As if he had said by my preaching of the new testament the new covenant the covenant of grace you were converted the spirit of God was conveied into your hearts And making a comparison betweene the Ministery of the law and of the Gospell in the next verses he calleth the preaching of the Gospell in the new Testament the ministration of the spirit that ministery whereby the spirit of grace is infused into the hearts of men The other testimony which I will bring you for this is that of the Apostle Gal. 3.2 where appealing unto their owne consciences he asketh them how and by what meanes they first received the spirit of God This only would I learne of you saith he received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith that is by the hearing of the doctrine of faith the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth justification by faith only And thus have I confirmed this fourth Motive unto you in the generall that we can never be sanctified till we be justified first that the man that desireth to amend his heart and life must first seeke to know that his sins are forgiven that he is reconciled unto God in Christ Followeth now that we shew you this likewise in both the parts of sanctification more plainly and particularly And first for mortification of the old man the best way that any man can take to mortifie and subdue any lust and corruption that is strongest in him and that troubleth him most is to get assurance by faith that Christ is his that his sinnes are forgiven him and God is reconciled unto him in Christ and when he hath once got this assurance to make use of his faith in this worke to stirre it up and exercise it by thinking and meditating oft of the marvellous love of God to him in Christ and by making claime to the promises of God which through Christ he hath just title unto Faith purifieth the heart saith the Apostle Acts 15.9 It purgeth out the corruption that it findeth in it it killeth sinne wheresoever it commeth Not all at once indeed but by little and little so soone as ever it entreth into the heart it giveth sinne the deathes wound so as it shall languish ever after and never recover the strength and vigour againe that it had before Every faithfull man hath this promise given him of God Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the Law but under grace So that the man that knoweth himselfe to bee in Christ and so within the covenant of grace may goe boldly to the throne of grace when he findeth himselfe unable to subdue any strong lust and corruption and even ready to be mastered and overcome of it nay he ought then to exercise and make use of his faith by challenging and making claime to this promise of God and say Lord thou hast promised that no sinne shall have dominion over them that are not under the law but under grace and I know that thou art faithfull that hast promised this and able to performe what thou hast promised Lord make good this promise of thine now unto me let not this lust and corruption have dominion over me But I shall make this plainer to you and shew you what force there is in justifying faith that assureth us of Gods favour in Christ to mortifie sinne by instancing in foure of the strongest lusts and corruptions that the faithfull are wont to bee cumbred with all The first is covetousnesse and the love of the world And for the force that is in justifying faith to mortifie this corruption wee have an example first in Abraham and Sarah and some others of whom the Apostle speaketh Heb. 11.8 14 15. of whom the Apostle saith that they willingly forsooke their owne country and all the comforts that they had there and went willingly upon the Lords call they knew not whither and had no desire to returne to their owne country againe nor were so much as mindefull of it they never thought of it nor looked backe as Lots Wife did and he telleth us plainly it was nothing but faith that did thus weane their hearts from the world and made them so willing to part with it See an example of this in Zachâus like wise Luke 19. Of him we reade Verse 2. That he was the chiefe among the Publicans and Verse 7. That he was a sinner a noted and infamous man And for what sinne Surely for covetousnesse for getting his wealth by extortion and such like unjust meanes And yet so soone as this man had received Christ not into his house only but much more into his heart when he considered and weighed with himselfe the wonderfull love and goodnesse of Christ towards him that was so vile and unworthy a wretch how Christ tooke particular notice of him and called him by his name how he offered himselfe unsought to to bee his guest to abide in his house which was no more then he hath done for every poore soule amongst us that truly beleeveth in him when Zacheus I say saw and considered this wonderfull love of Christ towards him see what a change it wrought in him how it mortified that lust that had so raigned in him before he became presently a most liberall man as you may see Verse 8. both by his bounty towards the poore and by his readinesse to make restitution to all such as had beene wronged by him And thus doth the Apostle teach us to mortifie this corruption Heb. 13.5 6. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man shall doe unto me As if he should say If thou wouldest purge thy heart from covetousnesse and get strength against it make use of thy faith remember the promises that thou being in Christ hast title unto If thou hadst no body to take care for thee but thy selfe thou hadst some reason to toile and moile to carke and care for this world as thou dost but being in Christ and having these promises it is madnesse for thee to doe it A second strong corruption and lust that Gods people are troubled with is uncharitablenesse towards them that have done them wrong How may a Christian best mortifie and get strength against this corruption Surely by getting assurance to his heart of Gods love in Christ and making use of his faith This is evident by that
speech of the Apostles unto Christ Luk. 17.5 where when they had heard our Saviour teach if a brother trespasse against us seven times in one day and what hope will you say can a man have of such a one yet upon profession of his repentance wee must forgive him and when they heard him presse this with such earnestnesse as Verse 3. he did take heed to your selves As if he should say I know well how heard and difficult a thing it is to flesh and bloud that I shall now require of you but take heed you doe so your case is wofull if you doe not this the Apostles all of them with one voice cry unto Christ Lord increase our faith As if they had said he had need have a great deale of faith that should be able to doe this and yet Lord if thou wilt be pleased to increase our faith we shall be able to doe it Why How can a mans faith helpe him in this case Surely two wayes First if a man would stirre up and exercise his faith by considering what the Lord for Christs sake hath done for him how he hath forgiven him a debt of tenne thousand talents and how apt he is still upon his repentance to forgive him though he trespasse against him more then seven times every day this will make a man able and willing to forgive his brother upon his repentance any wrongs whatsoever which are but as a debt of an hundred pence in comparison of that which God hath forgiven him and make him say to his owne heart as wee reade Matth. 18.33 the wicked servant should have said Should not I have compassion of my fellow servant even as the Lord hath had pitty on me Therefore the consideration of that which God for Christs sake hath done for us is also used by the Apostle Col. 3.13 as the strongest motive to make us willing to forgive wrongs Secondly if a man would make claime to that promise that hee being in Christ hath just title to which we finde made Esa. 11.6 9. to all the subjects of Christs kingdome The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine The effect of which promise is this that all that belong to Christs kingdome shall have the spirit of meekenesse given unto them and though they were by nature like Wolves and Leopards and Lions and Beares and Aspes and Cockatrices that is fierce and cruell apt to doe hurt and mischiefe when once they beleeve in Christ their natures shall be quite changed all bitternesse of spirit shall be taken from them they shall have no desire to hurt to be revenged of any that have done them wrong If I say a Christian that findeth himselfe troubled with maliciousnesse and bitternesse of spirit would in humble and faithfull prayer make claime to this promise and challeng it at Gods hands doubtlesse hee might have more power over that corruption then he hath A third corruption that troubleth much the people of God is slavish feare which is indeed one of the greatest tormenters of the heart that can be Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 And there is scarce any one corruption that the dearest of Gods servants are more subject to then to this slavish and distrustfull feare In which respect the Lord Esa. 35.4 calleth them such as are of a fearefull heart And upbraideth them with this as with a great sinne Esa. 51.13 Thou hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if hee were even ready to destroy If they heare of any troubles approaching of any practises of the enemy either at home or abroad their hearts are surprised with strange feares continually every day as if the enemy were already entred into their houses and ready to cut their throates Alas my weakenesse is such saith this poore soule as I shall never bee able to abide such a triall I shall be apt to deny God or doe any thing when such a day commeth This is too true and this is my very case will many a one of you say and I know it is my great sinne to be so fearefull as I am but how should I helpe it How may I bee able to mortifie and subdue this corruption I answer get assurance by faith that thou art reconciled to God in Christ that thy sinnes are forgiven thee and that will free thee from thy feares and make thee strong against them See an experiment of this in them that endured as great tryalls as thou shalt ever indure and felt themselves before their tryall as fearefull and weake every whit as thou art I meane them that the Apostle speaketh of Hebr. 11.33 37. Observe these foure things distinctly in that example First How great their tryals were Verse 37. They were stoned sawne asunder tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Is it possible that thou canst ever be brought to greater tryals than they were Secondly How strong and resolute how void of feare they were even in this fiery tryall Vers. 35. not accepting deliverance they had deliverance and peace and freedome from all these miseries offred them upon condition that they would yeeld a little and forsake their Religion but they would not accept of it Thirdly Consider how weake and fearefull they had beene before the very time that they came to this tryall Vers. 34. Out of weakenesse they were made strong Fourthly Lastly What it was that made them thus strong Vers. 33. Through faith they attained to this strength The assurance they had of their reconciliation with God in Christ and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes was that that made them overcome their fearefulnesse and become so strong And no marvell for all the faithfull in this case have these promises of God to rest upon 1. That God will certainly have an eye to them and a care of them in the worst times that can come When he maketh inquisition for bloud saith David Psal. 9.12 when he commeth to visit a land for the murders and other horrible sinnes committed in it he remembreth them And 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints He maketh precious account of them The haires of their head are numbred as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 10.30 and therefore much more their lives They shall not lose their lives unlesse God shall see that will be most for his glory and their good 2. The Lord will certainly proportion their tryals to their strength and as their tryals shall increase so shall their strength increase to beare and get through with them The Lord will give strength unto his people saith the Prophet Psal. 29.11 Feare thou not for I am with thee saith the Lord Esa. 41.10 be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will helpe thee yea I will uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousnesse And Vers. 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob thou that art so base and contemptible in thine owne eye I will helpe thee saith the Lord. Yea of all the faithfull those that are now before-hand so fearfull and weake have most promises of God that he will give them strength sufficient when the time of tryall shall come Out of weakenesse they were made strong as you heard Hâb 11.34 My grace is sufficient for thee saith the Lord to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse He giveth power to the saint saith the Prophet Esa. â0 29 and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Certainly if Gods people would make use of their faith in making claim to these promises of God and challenging of him in humble prayer the performance of them unto themselves they could not be so tormented with slavish feares as they are The fourth and last corruption that much troubleth the best of Gods people is the hardnesse of their hearts they cannot mourne they say nor weep for their sinnes they are not sensible either of the judgements or mercies of God they cannot pray nor heare nor read nor receive with any feeling or affection at all See how Gods people complaine and were afflicted with this Esa 63.17 Why hast thou hardened our heart from thy feârâ Now the best way that any soule can take to cure this stoninesse of the heart to make it soft and tender able to mourne kindly for sinne and to serve God with feeling and affection is to get assurance by a lively faith of Gods love to him in Christ and of the forgivenesse of his sinnes Foure notable experiments we have for this two in the old Testament and two in the new The first is that of Gods people mentioned in Ezek. 36.28 31. after that they were become Gods people and God was become their God and he had saved them from all their uncleannesses as you read Vers. 28 29. that is after that they were entred into the covenant of grace assured of Gods favour and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes then shall ye remember saith the Lord of them Vers. 31. your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquity and for your abominations Nothing hath that force to make a man loath himselfe for his sinnes as the knowledge and consideration of Gods love in the pardoning of his sinnes and the receiving of him into a covenant of grace and mercy that hath beene so extreamely unworthy of it The second experiment of this force of faith to soften the heart is that of Gods people whom the Prophet speaketh of Zach. 12.10 that they should mourne as one mourneth for his onely sonne and be in bitternesse as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne And the Prophet alledgeth two causes of this 1. The Spirit of grace that God had powred upon them that is the Spirit of adoption whereby God had assured their hearts of his favour and love in Christ. 2. The looking upon Christ whom they had pierced that is the weighing with themselves seriously what Christ had done and suffred for them And therfore also it is said they mourned for him they were in bitternesse for him It is the Spirit of grace and adoption assuring us of Gods fatherly love to us in Christ it is the weighing with our selves seriously how dearely Christ hath loved us that will make us mourne for sinne more than for any thing in the world all the terrours of the law all the judgements of God are of no force to soften the heart in comparison of this The third experiment of this is in Mary Magdalen Luke 7. Of her we read Ver. 38. that she had a very soft heart she was able to weep abundantly for her sinnes so abundantly as she could wash Christs feet with her teares And what was it that made her heart so soft Surely the knowledge and assurance she had of Christs marvellous love to her in pardoning her sinnes her so many and so hainous sinnes was that that did it as our Saviour plainely telleth us Vers. 43 48. The fourth and last example is that of Peter of whom we read Luke 22.62 that he had a most soft heart he was able to weepe bitterly for his sinnes And what was it that wrought so upon his heart That the Holy Ghost telleth us Vers. 61. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the Word of the Lord how he had said unto him before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice When he considered the marvellous love of Christ to him that though he had so shamefully denied and forsaken him yet he was pleased still in the midst of all his troubles to think upon him to have care of him to turn himself about and cast a gracious eye upon him this brought Peter to remember what he had done this even broke his heart and made him weep abundantly And surely look what force a true and lively faith had in all these examples the same it would have in us if we did stir it up and make use of it as they did The true cause why our hearts are so hard is this that either we have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in Christ or if we have it we make not use of it unto this work of softning our hearts For all that are in the covenant of grace reconciled to God in Christ have this promise given them of God Ezek. 11.19 which is also repeated 36.26 I will take saith the Lord the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh And if any of the faithfull when they are most troubled with the hardnesse of their hearts could make claime unto this promise and presse the Lord with it as he loveth to be importuned as you may see Luke 18.1 7 certainely they might have helpe against it And so much for the force that faith hath in the first part of our sanctification for the mortifying of sinne The second part I must leave till the next day Lecture CXLI On Psalme 51.7 Febr. 23. 1629. IT followeth now that I shew you likewise the force of justifying faith in the second part of true sanctification in making us partakers of the divine nature and renewing the image of God in our hearts in producing the fruits of the Spirit in us in the breeding and working of every saving grace When a man is once justified by faith in Christ is reconciled unto God through his bloud then shall he bring forth fruit unto God and never till then This will make the heart of a man fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and nothing but this will ever be able to doe it For the first that is to say that faith will make the heart fruitfull we have a plaine proofe in that speech of the
in meditating and feeding upon the goodnesse and love of God towards him in Christ and of those promises of God which through Christ hee hath title unto doth quicken and increase every saving grace in his heart And nothing hath that force to quicken and increase grace in us as this hath The better wee know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge the more assurance wee have of it the more oft and seriously wee thinke of it and meditate upon it the more we shall bee filled with all the fullnesse of God that is with all spirituall and saving and sanctifying grace as I shewed you the last day out of Ephes. 3.19 And the apprehending and beleeving of the promises of God these exceeding great and precious promises that God hath made to us in Christ hath great force to quicken and increase grace in the heart of man By them saith the Apostle 2 Peter 1.4 wee are made partakers of the divine nature O Lord saith Hezekiah in the prayer that hee made after that God had given him a promise to restore him to life Esa. 38.16 ô Lord saith he by these things by these gracious promises of thine men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit so thou wilt recover mee and make mee to live As if hee should say Though I be not fully recovered yet having thy promise for it I am revived in my spirit by these promises of thine thy people doe live thy promises are the life of their spirit If you aske mee what promises of God they bee that are so effectuall to breed and quicken grace in the heart of man I answer All Gods promises are very forcible and effectuall that way for in them all Gods marvellous love and goodnesse towards us is manifested And these bands of love as the Lord calleth them Hos. 11.4 have great force to draw the heart of Gods child unto him By them thou hast quickned mee saith David Psalme 119 93. But yet there is a speciall promise which above all other is most effectuall this way and that is that God hath promised to all them that are in the covenant of grace that are reconciled to him in Christ that hee will give them his holy sanctifying spirit A new heart will I give you saith the Lord Ezekiel 36.26 27. and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes As if hee had said Hee will by his holy spirit worke sanctifying and saving grace in his people And yet more particularly God hath promised that as wheresoever Christ came when hee was upon earth he restored the deafe to their hearing and the blind to their sight and the lame to their lims and even the dead to life as wee read Matthew 11.5 Yea hee made that woman goe straight and upright that had had a spirit of infirmity eighteene yeeres and was so bowed together that shee could not lift up her selfe of whom wee read Luke 13.11 13. Even so the Lord hath promised to worke the same mighty workes in the hearts of all his people that have by a lively faith received and entertained Christ. The eyes of the blind shall bee opened saith hee Esa. 35.5 that is they that were ignorant shall have knowledge wrought in them and the eares of the deafe shall bee unstopped they that could not heare heavenly things with any affection or fruit shall bee made able to heare the Word feelingly and fruitfully the lame man shall leape as a hart they that were before reprobate to every good worke shall bee made able cheerefully and willingly to walke in Gods waies and the tongue of the dumbe shall sing they that could not speake of any goodnesse before shall bee able to speake graciously for in the wildernesse shall waters breake forth and streames in the desart they whose hearts were most barren before of all goodnesse shall bee made most fruitfull in grace and good workes Now the promises of God all that are reconciled to God in Christ all true beleevers have just title unto they are all heires of the promises of God as the Apostle calleth them Hebrewes 6.17 the promises of God are their chiefe inheritance They are set downe in Christs testament and wee may challenge them as our legacy And if wee would make use of our faith when wee find in our selves most want of any grace or are most troubled with the poverty of our spirits and lay claime to these promises of God that in Christ wee have so just title unto certainely wee might bee farre more rich in grace then wee are Why are wee still so blind and so deafe so dumb and so lame so barren and unfruitfull Surely because though God have made us promises to helpe us in all these things wee doe not stirre up our faith to lay hold of and make claime unto them and therefore wee have so little benefit by them That as wee read Christ did not many mighty workes in his owne countrey Matthew 13.58 nay it is said Marke 6.5 hee could doe no mighty workes there and the reason is given because of their unbeleefe so it may truly bee said that the true cause why the Lord hath not in all this time wrought more spirituall miracles in our hearts is because of our unbeleefe either wee doe not at all beleeve these promises or at least wee doe not stirre up our faith nor make use of it in making claime unto them and challenging our right in them as wee ought to doe But I shall make this plainer unto you by handling it more particularly and distinctly and shewing you the force that is in justifying faith 1 to breed every saving grace in the heart 2 to enable a man unto every good duty And for the first I will instance but in foure particular graces by which you may easily judge of all the rest The first of them is saving repentance What is it that maketh a poore sinner when hee hath offended willing and able to turne unto God againe and seeke reconciliation with him Not the knowledge of Gods justice and power to consume him though I know there is a kind of repentance a legall repentance such a one as Iudas his was of whom wee read Matthew 27.3 that when hee saw Christ was condemned and what a gulfe of misery hee had cast himselfe into by his sinne hee repented himselfe that is wrought thereby But this will never worke saving repentance in a man it will never cause him to turne unto God and seeke reconciliation with him no no it will make a man hide himselfe from God and flie from him if possibly hee could as Adam did Genesis 3.8 It is the apprehension and perswasion the heart hath of the mercy of God and of his readinesse to forgive him upon his repentance and turning to him and that onely that giveth a man a heart to repent and turne unto God when
the Spirit of Christ may be known which I will not therefore now make any mention of I will instance onely in foure effects of the Spirit whereby you may be able to judge whether you have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 2.12 The first is your Charity the second is your Constancy in cleaving to the truth which you have received the third is your Taking to heart the cause of God and religion the fourth and last is your Sympathizing with the fellow-members of Christs mysticall body For the first of these There is no one grace whereby the Spirit of Christ may be better and more sensibly known to dwell in us than charity and meeknesse of spirit Iohn Baptist saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Christ as we read Iohn 1.32 I beseech you saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 10.1 by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ. As if he had said Of all the graces of the Spirit that did abound in Christ his meekenesse and gentlenesse did most excell And we shall finde that this is oft mentioned for a certaine signe of a man that is in Christ. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples saith our Saviour Iohn 13.35 if ye have love one to another As if hee should say This is so evident and conspicuous a marke of one that is in Christ as not themselves onely but others also all men may know them by this Beloved let us love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.7 for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love saith he Vers. 8. And Vers. 12. If wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us And Ver. 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him My little children saith he againe 1 Iohn 3.18 19. let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him As if he had said A man may confidently assure himselfe that hee is in Christ and that hee hath the Spirit of Christ in him if hee love his neighbour unfeignedly not in word onely but in deed if hee unfeignedly desire to doe him what good he can O that we would impartially examine our selves in this first point beloved now especially that we are to prepare our selves to the Lords Table If thou be not in charity certainely thou hast not the Spirit of Christ and consequently thou art none of his I know well that many that have not Gods Spirit but are meere carnall men use to glory much in their charity and thinke they farre excell any that professe religion in this vertue But if there could ever have beene any true love to man and such as God approveth of in any soule that is not regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God certainely neither our Saviour himselfe nor his holy Apostle would have spoâken so of love as you heare they have done No no the holy Scripture is most plaine in this point that no man hath any true charity in him but he only that is truly regenerate By this we know that we love the children of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 when we love God and keepe his commandements As if he should say All true love to men proceedeth from the love we beare to God as from the root and fountain This is love saith he 2 Ioh. 6. that we walk after his commandements As if he had said We cannot love our neighbour as we ought unlesse we love him out of conscience towards God and in obedience to his commandement The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned As though he should have said No man can have true love till he have first a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned I will therfore shew you how true Charity is to be tryed how you may discern and know whether you love your neighbour as you ought to love him and as no man that hath not the Spirit of Christ was ever able to do Try this First By the love thou bearest to all men Secondly By the loue thou bearest to them that have wronged thee and are thine enemies Thirdly By the love thou bearest to them that feare God especially Lecture CXLIII On Psalme 51.7 March 23. 1629. NO man hath true charity in him First that doth not love all men Secondly that doth not love his enemy Thirdly that doth not love such as feare God especially For the first They that have the Spirit of Christ in them do unfeignedly love all men See this plainely in that prayer of the Apostle 1 Thes. 3 12. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love saith he one toward another and towards all men How can this bee will you say Must wee love such as are wicked men Doth not the Holy Ghost make this a speciall note of a lewd and gracelesse man to love them that are wicked They hate the good saith the Prophet Mica 3.2 and love the evill Was not Iehosophat though otherwise so good a man greatly blamed for this Shouldst thou love them saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.2 that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Doth not David glory in this as in one principall evidence of the truth of his heart that he did hate wicked men I have hated them saith he Psal. 31.6 that regard lying vanities that is I have hated all idolaters And 139.21 22. he appealeth to the Lord concerning this and glorieth of this even before the Lord Do not I hate them O Lord saith he that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies I answer That in all these places there is no more meant but this First That wee must hate their sinne and that that is evill in them And that we are bound to hate even in the best men and in those persons whose persons we are most bound to love Ye that love the Lord saith the Psalmist Psalme 97.10 hate that that is evill There is no love of God in that man that hateth not sinne wheresoever hee seeth it even in his owne child in them whom he doth most dearely love Secondly that we must shew our dislike even to the persons also of scaâdalous and lewd men For first we may give them no countenance but shew our dislike by shunning all voluntary familiarity and kindnesse unto them while they continue such Have no company with him saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 3.4 that he may be ashamed I have hated the congregation of evill doers saith David Psalme
50.19 when they feared he would have beene revenged of them for the wrong they had done him Feare not saith he I dare not doe it for am I in the place of God Secondly But I hope then I may lawfully wish and desire that God would revenge my cause and plague mine enemy that hath wronged me I may rejoyce and be thankfull to God for it when I see it I answer No that thou maist not neither We may not rejoyce in any evill that befalleth our enemy though our selves have no hand in it at all Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 24.17 18. and let not thine heart bee glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne away his wrath from him Thirdly We must also forgive our enemies whatsoever wrong it be that they have done unto us Forgive one another saith the Apostle Coloss. 3.13 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã freely forgiving If any man have a quarrell or cause to complaine and finde fault against any whosoever he be what wrong soever hee hath done even as Christ forgave you so also doe yee If we doe not thus forgive Christ hath assured us Matth. 6.15 that God will never forgive us our sinnes Nay if we doe it not from our hearts So likewise saith he Mat. 18.35 shall my heavenly father doe also unto you that is he shall in his wrath deliver you unto the tormentours unto hell if yee from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses Fourthly We must strive to forget and be unwilling to think of the wrongs that any man hath done unto us Thou shalt not avenge saith the Lord Leviticus 19.18 Nor bee mindefuâl of wrong against the children of thy people As if hee should say thou must both forgive and forget If thou strive not to forget and put quite out of thy minde the wrongs that hath beene done unto thee thou wilt hardly bee able to forgive them but thy heart will be apt to rise against thine enemy and to boile in revenge against him Fifthly Wee must unfeignedly desire to bee at peace with him that hath done us most wrong to bee friends with him and to love him and therefore also wee must bee willing to seeke peace with him and to use all meanes of reconciliation that wee can Seeke peace and ensue it saith the Psalmist Psalm 34.14 Study to bee quiet saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 4.11 As if hee had said cast about which way thou mayst best compasse it strive earnestly for it Sixthly If when we have sought peace and used the best meanes of reconciliation that we are able we cennot obtaine it it must grieve us it must be a trouble of minde unto us to bee at odds and variance with any man My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace saith David Psal. 120.6 7. I am for peace saith hee I seeke it and use all meanes I can to bee reconciled but when I speake they are for Warre But looke backe to Verse 5. and you shall see what a griefe and vexation this was to the good man Woe is me saith he that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar that is with such inhumane and savage people that will by no meanes be woone to peace Seventhly Wee must pray heartily to God for them that have done us most wrong that hee would turne their hearts and give them more grace Pray for them saith our Saviour Matth. 5.44 that despitefully use you and persecute you Eightly and lastly We must be willing to doe our enemy good if he stand in need of us If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray saith the Lord Exod. 23.4 5. Thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe If thou see the Asse of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldst forbeare to helpe him thou shalt surely helpe with him Nay we should be glad of such an opportunity to overcome the malice of our enemy and to win him unto peace If thine enemy hunger saith the Apostle Rom. 12.20 21. feed him if hee thirst give him drinke Bee not overcome of evill but overcome evill with good Oh let us think seriously of these things beloved and examine whither we can in this sort love our enemyes I know well you will be apt in your hearts to say at the hearing of this Doctrine as the Disciples did Mat. 19.25 Who then can be saved If none can have benefit by Christ but they that have the spirit of Christ and none have the spirit of Christ but they that have true charity and none have true charity but they that can in this manner love their enemies Who then can be saved It is impossible for flesh and bloud to love an enemie in this sort But to this I answer that it is true indeed that hee that hath no more in him then flesh and bloud can never doe it and hee that hath no more in him then flesh and bloud can never be saved Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.50 Except a man bee borne againe saith our Saviour Ioh. 3.5 of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God And every one that is regenerate by the spirit of God is made thereby able thus to love his enemy Though not legally according to the rigour of the law yet in an Evangelicall manner so as God in Christ will accept And thou canst never have comfort in thy estate beloved unlesse thou finde thy selfe able in an Evangelicall manner to keepe this commandement of loving all men even thy greatest enemy in this sort as I have described unto you In an evangelicall manner will you say how is that I will expresse it unto you in five particulars If thou have the spirit of Christ in thee 1. Thou wilt bee made able in thy minde to serve the Law of God as the Apostle professeth of himselfe Rom. 7.25 that is thou wilt consent to Gods Word in this and acknowledge that indeed thou oughtest to doe thus Verse 16. The Commandement is holy and just and good as he saith there Verse 12. 2. To will is present with thee as hee also saith there Verse 18. Thou dost unfeignedly desire and strive to love all men even thine enemies in this manner 3. Thine own heart will smite thee for thine uncharitablenesse thou wilt finde thy selfe able to mourne and to be troubled in thy minde for it and even to cry out against thy selfe for it as he doth there Verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this froward envious revengefull malicious heart 4. Thou wilt use to cry to God for helpe and strength to vanquish and mortifie this cankred humour and corruption in thee as the Disciples to Christ when he had pressed the Doctrine of forgiving such as had wronged them Luk. 17.5 Lord increase
into the true Church are not yet called to the knowledge and profession of the truth them also I must bring they must needs bee brought into this fould they must needs bee made members of the true Church and brought into the number of them that professe the truth And how must that be done And they shall heare my voice saith he If Christ intend to bring them into his fould to save them they shall heare his voice And how shall they heare without a Preacher Saith the Apostle Rom. 10.14 So that when God with-holds from a people the Preaching of his word though we may not presume to judge of his secret counsell and decree concerning any man or to limit his power yet may we boldly say that this is a fearefull signe that Christ hath no sheepe there whom he meanes to bring unto his fould no elect people there whom hee meanes to save And when God restraines preaching and takes it away from a people for whosoever be the instrument this is his doing certainly Is there any evill in a city and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 we may take it for a signe that the Lord hath no more sheep there whom he means to bring into his fold If God should send upon a land such weather either in seed-time as should rot all the seed in the ground and make it unfruitfull or in the harvest as should rot all the corne when it is come even unto ripenesse or if sending a plentifull and seasonable harvest he should send such a generall mortality and sicknesse among men as none could be got to reap and gather it all men would take this for a signe that God meant to bring a famine upon that land and destroy both man and beast by it yea they would be much affected and mourn extreamly for such a judgement it would be a day of griefe and of desperate sorrow as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 17.11 And yet men know well enough that God can keep men from famine and feed them sufficiently though they have no corn at all as he did all Israel for forty yeares together in the wildernesse Even so it is in this case the Apostle speaking of the state that the Athenians and all other Gentiles had been in before Christs ascension into heaven saith Acts 17.30 that the time of that ignorance while God with-held from the Gentiles the means of knowledge the Ministerie of his Word God regarded not as the old translation well rendreth it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he did looke over it he did not vouchsafe to looke or set his eyes upon it that is regarded them not cared not what became of men that lived in those dayes For that this is the meaning of the phrase appeares by the contrary Psal. 34 5. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous that is he respecteth them and hath a care of them in a speciall manner The people that God denieth his Word unto it is a fearefull signe that they are such as God regardeth not cares not what becomes of them And have not we just cause then to mourne when we see preaching restrained Surely if our Saviour had not thought so his bowels would not so have yerned in him to see so few Preachers to see the people like sheepe scattred upon the mountaines without Pastours to looke to them and feed them to see the Lords harvest like to be lost for want of labourers as we see he did Matth. 9 36. But you will object againe It is no marvell sure you should so plead for preaching We have preaching enough in these dayes if that be good Are all saved that have preaching Where have you worse people then where is most preaching I answer That though all be not saved that have preaching but preaching is sent to some obstinate people and continued to them onely to be a witnesse against them and to increase their condemnation as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 24.14 yet is it a just cause of comfort and rejoycing to all Gods people to see sound preaching abound to see store of good Preachers raised up by God Preachers of Gods sending For how can they preach saith the Apostle Rom. 10.15 that is preach profitably and effectually except they be sent of God Yea will you say it is indeed a just cause of joy to see store of those Preachers in the Church that are of Gods sending For those surely are not onely good Preachers but good men too I answer none are Preachers of Gods sending so qualified in all points as he requires but such as are orderly approved to be 1 men able to teach profitably 2 men of unblameable lives But a man may be a Preacher of Gods sending though he be an hypocrite and have no truth of grace in his heart as those were I told you of the last day out of Phil. 1.18 and as Iudas was he was sent of God to preach Matth. 10.4 7. yea and God wrought with him âoo as is plaine by that we read Luk. 9.6 and yet he was but an hypocrite in heart he never had truth of grace in him when he was at the best When therefore we see store of such Preachers as are men able to teach profitably and we may be sure such are of Gods sending and we have just cause to rejoyce in it For it is a certaine signe not onely that God hath a true Church among us a company of elect ones but also that he hath among us more people to be gathered and brought into his fold that he meanes not yet to remove our candlestick but to continue and inlarge the bounds of his Church amongst us For God did never send the Ministery of the Word to such as were all reprobates or for the reprobates sake onely or principally to harden them and increase their condemnation but for his elects sake principally he sends his Word to any people This was the cause saith the Apostle Eph. 4.12 why God gives Preachers For the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ. So the Apostles were sent Mat. 6.10 to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel to bring the Lords sheepe his elect that were in Israel into his fold So when God sent Paul to Corinth and maintained his liberty there a yeare and a halfe he gives this for the reason of it Acts 18.10 For I have much people in this city saith he It is a signe God hath much people there where he placeth able and good Preachers and maintaineth them in peace and liberty for any time So you see to conclude this first reason of the point that in respect of the love we owe to all men and the desire we should have of their salvation we are bound to rejoyce in the liberty of the Gospell and grieve to see it hindred and interrupted any way The second reason is the respect we owe unto our selves and to the Church and
goodnesse thou seest in them therefore thou lovest God If we love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.12 God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us As if he had said That is a signe of a sound and perfect love of God So Christ will acknowledge at the last day that the love that was shewed to the least of his brethren was shewed unto him Matth. 25.40 If thou lovest the brethren thou lovest the Lord. Sixtly and lastly Thou dost unfeignedly desire to love the Lord and strivest against these feares that trouble thee and wouldst faine doe God service out of love and not out of feare Therefore thou lovest him For even as hee that doth unfeignedly desire to feare God doth feare God Neh. 1.11 And hee that mourneth for his infidelity and striveth against it hath true faith as it appeareth in that example of the poore man mentioned Mar. 9.24 So hath hee the true love of God in his heart that doth unfeignedly desire to love the Lord. But how can this be will you say Could I be so afrraid of God as I am if I did truly love him Is it possible for a man to be so afraid of him whom hee doth love Doth not the Apostle say 1 Iohn 4.18 That there is no feare in love but perfect love casteth out feare I answer 1. It is true that in love there is no such feare nothing is more contrary unto the nature of love then these feares are But in the person that hath true love these feares may be As though there is no infidelity or doubting of Gods favour in faith nothing more contrary unto faith then doubting and infidelity yet in the person of a true beleever there may be much infidelity as we have heard out of Mar. 9.24 2. Perfect love will cast out all these feares and the perfecter our love to God is the more it will cast out these feares and deliver us from them But the love of the best of Gods servants is imperfect and will be till we come to heaven for there and there onely are the spirits of just men made perfect as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.23 The third and last thing I have to say unto these poore soules that are so much disquieted with feare is this They must strive against these feares and labour to rid their hearts of them as David did Psal. 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee For 1 A trembling heart is in it selfe a judgement of God and part of that curse that God hath threatned in his law against sinne as you shall find Deut. 28.65 And Iob 18.11 Terrours shall make him afraid on every side Yea it is the greatest tormentour of the heart and enemy to the peace and tranquillity of it that can be Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 He that is afraid to die must needs live in continuall and extreame bondage as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.15 2. It is not onely a judgement but a sinne also For it is oft forbidden and condemned in the Word Esa 8.12 Feare not their feare nor be afraid And Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith Yea it is a cause of many other sinnes The feare of man bringeth a snare saith Solomon Pro. 29.25 1. It maketh a man apt to hide himselfe from God and run away from him I was afraid saith Adam Gen. 3.10 because I was naked and I hid my selfe 2. It maketh a man unprofitable and heartlesse to every good duty I was afraid saith the unprofitable servant Matth. 25.25 and went and hid thy talent in the earth 3. It keepeth a man from loving God as he should The more servile feare of God is in the heart the lesse love of God must needs be in it These are so contrary that they doe mutually diminish and expell one another as the Apostle hath taught us 1 Iohn 4.18 All this is true will you say but by what meanes may I rid my heart of this servile feare I answer These be the meanes First Consider wherein thou hast offended him and seeke peace with him seeke his favour seeing thou canst not flee nor hide thy selfe from him It is the course Solomon would have us take when a great man is offended with us Eccle. 8.3 Be not hasty to goe out of his sight It is good for me saith David Psal. 73.28 to draw neare unto God to get within him when he is most angry and to fall downe at his feet If thou returne to the Almighty saith Eliphaz Ioh 22.23.26 then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God Secondly Nourish in thy heart a child-like feare to offend God and it will banish out of it these slavish feares Feare not their feare nor be afraid saith the Lord Esa. 8.12 13 Alas how should wee helpe that might they say He answereth Sanctifie the Lord of âosts himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread In the feare of the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 14.26 is strong confidence Thirdly Pray earnestly unto God against these feares This was Davids practise Psal. 34.4 I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my feares Pray as Ier. 17.17 Be not thou a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evill As if he had said If I be afraid of thee what hope can I have in the evill day Fourthly Frequent Gods Sanctuary and in his ordinances there behold oft and meditate of the beauty of the Lord how amiable he is and worthy to be loved One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord saith David Psal. 27.4 Fiftly Seeke assurance by faith that Christ is thine and give thy selfe no rest till thou canst be able to say as Psal. 48.14 This God is my God for ever and ever he will be my guide even unto death In him saith the Apostle Ephes. 3.12 wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by faith in him Sixtly and lastly Acquaint thy selfe with the promises God hath so oft made his people to free them from these feares Iob 11.15 Thou shalt lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not feare Psal. 112.7 8. He shall not be afraid of evill ridings his heart is fixed his heart is established he shall not be afraid And Pro. 1.33 Who so hearkneth unto me shall dwelt safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill These and such promises thou shouldst by faith give undoubted credit unto and apply them to thy selfe and rest upon them and make claime and challenge unto them Remembring how able the Lord is to performe them how faithfull also and true of his word Lecture LXXX On Psalme 51.6 February 5. 1627. IT followeth now that