other is neare vnto a man when his heart is thus hardened and growne obstinate in pride or in drunkennesse or in vncleannesse or in oppression or in any other sinne that the Prophet tels Amazia to his face 2 Chron. 25. 16. He knew by that that God had determined to destroy him as you shall finde he did indeed ver 27. And though the Iewes had many grieuous sinnes yet you shall find there neuer came any strange and common iudgements vpon them till they grew to this Dan. 9. 6. We would not obey thy seruants the Prophets which spake vnto vs in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Therefore the curse is powred vpon vs. Secondly God neuer is so fierce and terrible in his temporall iudgements against any sinners as against those that haue enioyed the best meanes and obstinately neglected and rebelled against them God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal. 89. 7. Under the whole heauen it hath not beene done as hath beene done vnto Ierusalem Dan 9. 12. Wrath is come vpon them vnto the vttermost 1. Thess. 2. 16. Thirdly and principally in Gods spirituall iudgements we may discerne this 1. Such as wilfully refuse to receiue and embrace the truth when it is reuealed vnto them God is wont to take their iudgement and vnderstanding from them hearing you shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing yee shall see and shall not perceiue for this people haue closed thâ—…ir owne eyes Matt. 13. 14 15. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause God shall send them strong delusion 2. Thess. 2 10 11. 2. Such as vse obstinately to sinne against their conscience God is wont to giue them vp to a reprobate minde and vnto beastly and vile affections Maruaile not therefore to see such as haue had the best meanes if they proue bad to become of all bad men the most profane and vngracious if you see children of most godly parents people that haue liued vnder most faithfull Pastors proue such wonder not It is said of Manasse the sonne of Hezekiah that he wrought more wickedly than all the Amoritâ—…s that had beene before him 2. Kings 21. 11. 3. God hath threatned against some sinners that he will neuer comfort them nor shew mercy on them and consequently not giue them grace to repent which is the grieuousest plague of all plagues the Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord and his iâ—…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon him Deut. 29. 20. And the cause hereof you shall finde in the former verse to be the presumption and obstinacie in sinning that was in that man See this in Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. the Lord hardened his heart that he could not repent But what was the cause Exod. 8. 15. 19 32. He had hardened his owne heart and wilfully refused to hearken to the message that was brought him from God or to be humbled and moued with his iudgements The Reasons of the Doctrine are two 1. This obstinacie in sinne argues that sinne hath the full possession of the heart and that men loue it vnfainedly and that is one cause why God hates it so much Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate And 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Our sins are then become our idols and gods these men haue set vp their idols in their hearts Ezek. 14. 3. when we giue diuine honour vnto them 2. It argues a rebellion and proud contempt of God when men will not be reclaimed by his Word Iob 34. 37. He addeth rebellion vnto his sinne And 1. Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sinne of Witch-craft Yea this obstinacy will bring the heart by little and little into that impardonable sinne that is committed in meere malice against God Therefore when the nature of that sinne is described it is called a sinning wilfully Heb. 10. 26. And Dauid Psal. 19. 13. speakes of presumptuous sin as of the next step to the great transgression The Vse of this Doctrine is both for Exhortation and for Reproofe and for Comfort also We are all to be Exhorted by this Doctrine to take heed of obstinacie in any sinne and to count it a great fauour and grace of God which we should pray for and by all meanes labour to attaine vnto viz. to haue tractable and teachable hearts This is made a note of Gods Elect to receiue the Word gladly Acts 2. 41. and with all readinesse of minde Acts 17. 11. Foure notes we may try this by 1. When in going to heare the word we goe with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer God shall teach vs. Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God 2. When our reason is so captiuated vnto God that we dare not dispute nor cauill against any truth God hath clearely reuealed vnto vs in his Word seeme it neuer so contrary to our reason and affections Iob 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherin I haue erred as if he should say Reueale to me by thy Word any thing wherein I haue offended thee and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth I will not dare to reason in the defence of it 3. When we are ready to receiue Gods Word and be informed in his will by any how much soeuer he be our inferiour when we dare not reiect good counsell and admoâ—…ition from any Esay 11. 6. A little childe shall leade them 4. When the Lord hauing reuealed his will vnto vs by any meanes we shew an earnest care and endeauour to obey it Psal. 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart For Reproofe and terrour of all wicked men that liue in these daies of light Esay 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are affraid saith the Prophet And indeed no sinners vnder heauen haue so much cause to feare as the sinners in Sion haue they that haue enioyed the best meanes They cannot pretend ignorance for excuse of their sins all their sinnes will be iudged to be done obstinately and wilfully But two speciall sorts of sinners are reproued here First such as are wilfull and obstinate against the knowledge of the truth Secondly such as are obstinate and willfull against the practice and obedience of the truth Two sorts there be of them that will not know the truth as first they that refuse to heare because they thinke their ignorance will be some aduantage to them their conscience will be the quieter for it And these are like Felix Acts 24. 26. who when he felt his conscience awakened and troubled by Pauls Ministry would heare him no longer But alas this will be no aduantage to
affirmed nor is he offended with her for so odious a comparison neither doth he in plaine termes affirme himselfe to be greater then Iacob because she was not yet fit to heare that that might haue bred in her some suspition of vaine-glory in him and made her vnwilling to haue any further speech with him but he proueth the water that he had to giue viz. the grace of his holy spirit to be farre more excellent then the water of that Well or then any water Iacob had to giue by an argument taken from a farre more excellent effect that this water had aboue any other water in the world besides As if he should haue said whereas one principall vse that the water of this Well in these hot countries serueth for is to quench the thirst Iacob himselfe and his children c. did drinke of it the water that I haue to giue is farre more excellent for this vse for this water will not so quench the thirst but a man that hath drunke of it shall within a while be as thirsty againe as if he had neuer drunke because the moisture and coolenesse thereof will be by the heat that is in him consumed and dried vp but he that hath once drunke of the water that I haue to giue shall be so satisfied with it as he shall neuer thirst againe because the coole moisture that it yeeldeth can neuer be by any heat dried vp but shall be in him as a fountaine that will neuer leaue springing till it haue brought him to euerlasting life So that in these words there be three principall points that offer themselues to our consideration 1. That as the body so the soule of euery man is subiect to a kinde of thirst 2. That no wordly thing can perfectly and fully quench this thirst that the soule of man is subiect vnto 3. That the spirit of grace which our Sauiour calleth here the water of life is able fully and perfectly to quench the thirst that the soule of man is subiect vnto Of these three points we will consider in that order that I haue propounded them in And first from this that our Sauiour makes this a principall vse that the water of life the Spirit of God serueth vnto to quench the thirst we learne That as the body of man through the heat that is in it partly naturall partly accidentall is subiect vnto thirst which if it be extreme is one of the most painfull and intolerable passions that it endureth in this life so is the soule of euery man through the heat that it feeleth when it shall apprehend the anger of God due to him for sinne subiect vnto thirst that is to such a desire of comfort against Gods wrath as is neuer a whit lesse but much more painfull then the thirst of the body is For the thirst that the body is subiect vnto how intolerable it is when it groweth to extremity though I need alledge no proofe but common experience which hath found it to be more violent and intolerable then hunger is we may see it in two examples The one of Sampson who though he were so strong and valiant that he could alone with the iaw of an asse slay a thousand Philistims Iudg. 15. 15. yet could he not vanquish nor endure this passion but was afraid he should haue died of thirst and cryeth earnestly to God for helpe against it Iudg. 15. 18. And our blessed Sauiour that was neuer heard to complaine of any other bodily torment that he did endure He gaue his backe to the sâ—…iters as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 50. 6. and his cheekes to them that plucked off the haire he hid not his face from shame and spitting He was oppressed and he was afflicted Esa. 53. 7. yet he opened not his mouth he was brought as a lambe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before her shearers is dumbe so he opened not his mouth Yet feeling the extremity of this passion immediately before his giuing vp the ghost he cryed out and that with a lowd voice as may appeare by comparing Mat. 27. 48. with Iohn 19. 28. I am a thirst And that the soule euen the soule of euery man first or last shall be subiect vnto thirst that is to such a desire of comfort against Gods wrath as is painfull and intolerable is most euident See the proofe of it in three conditions and estates of men 1. All Gods Elect those poore and brokenhearted ones that Christ was sent to be a Sauiour vnto are said to haue had this thirst in them before they could haue any benefit by him Dauids soule panted after God as the chased Hart doth after the water brooks Psal. 42. 1 〈◊〉 his soule thirsted for God And euery one that thirsteth and none but he is inuited Esa. 55 1. to partake of all the comforts of the Gospell And he only hath a promise to be satisfied with righteousnes to be comfortably assured of his righteousnes before God which consisteth in the pardon of his sins the imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto him that doth hunger and thirst after it Mat. 5. 6 2. Such of the wicked as haue bin most prophane desperat deriders and contemners of al piety and religion haue ost euen in this life had such a sore and intolerable thirst vpon them that had they had all the kingdomes of the world they would haue giuen them for a little comfort against the sense of the wrath of God See the proofe of this Amos 8. 11. The Lord speakes of wicked men that shall wander from sea to sea and from the North to the East and shall run to and froto seeke some comfort out of the Word of the Lord and shall not find it In that day saith he shall the faire virgins and the young men who for the most part sinne with a high hand in open contempt of piety perish for thirst Euen such as haue most hardned their hearts against Gods feare the Lord is able to bring to this thirst The mouth of the Lord hath spoken this and his hand hath fulfilled it vpon many a one 3. Such of the wicked as neuer feele any thirst in this life but liue and die like senslesse beasts as many thousands doubtlesse doe shall be sure to feele it in so much the greater extremity in the life to come See the proofe of this in Luke 16. 24. The rich man whose life was full of pleasure and who was all that while neuer troubled with this thirst in hell was so tormented with it that he cryed for Lazarus the man against whom he had shewed most cruelty To dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue The reason of this if we will enquire into it we shall find to be this that as the extremity of bodily thirst groweth from some distemper of heat so is it also with this thirst of the soule 1. The sense of sinne and of Gods anger
Christ through whom onely we hope to finde mercy with God hateth sinne with an infinite hatred Exod. 23. 21. Prouoke him not for hee will not spare your misdeeds because my name is in him And it is a farre more fearefull thing for a wicked man though not for such a one as Dauid was to fall into his hands to haue his displeasure then the displeasure of all the men in the world Heb. 10. When the Apostle had said verse 30. Uengeance is mine I will recompence saith the Lord. And againe The Lord shall iudge his people Whereas some desperate sinner might haue said as now many doe if that be all I care not let me shunne the shame and punishment of the world and as for the Lord I shall doe well enough with him he addeth verse 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Psal. 75. 7. Thou euen thou art to be feared and who shall stand in thy sight when thou art angry This the Elect haue felt This made Dauid cry out Psal. 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I shunned and done this euill in thy sight His worldly punishment and shame neuer troubled him in comparison of this And this shall the wickedest man in the world feele one day when God shall awaken his conscience He shall wish rather hee had to deale with all the men in the world then with the Lord he will make no reckoning of the displeasure and contempt of the whole world in respect of the Lords wrath See an experiment of this in Iudas he cared not for displeasing the chiefe Priests and Elders nor for shaming himselfe so publikely but the wrath of God which he had the sense of was intolerable to him Mat. 27. 4 5. And if the wrath of God be so intollerable in this life to the wicked what shall it be in the day of wrath as the day of iudgement is called Rom. 2. 5. Surely the stoutest and most profane sinners that in this life haue made so small account of Gods displeasure and thought they could doe well enough with him and haue gloried so much in Christ Apoc. 6. 15. 17. Euen Kings and Captaines and euery bond man and euery freeman shall cry to the mountaines and rocks fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sits on the throne from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand 2. As ready as the Lord is to forgiue sinne and easie to be intreated yet can he not pardon any but vpon their vnfained repentance It is as possible for a woman to be deliuered of a child in her sleepe as for a man to be deliuered from the guilt and punishment of this sin before he haue vnfainedly repented Christ is called a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance vnto Israel and remission of sins Acts 5. 31. He can giue remission of sins to none but such as he hath giuen repentance vnto 3. Though the Lord be so mercifull that vpon repentance he giueth pardon to euery sinner yet such a mans sin may be that the Lord will most seuerely and sharpely correct and scourge him for it euen after he hath repented and obtained mercy and pardon For though when God pardoneth sin he remit not onely the guilt of it but the punishment also yet he chastiseth oft times very sharpely such as he hath pardoned See an excellent experiment of this in Dauid when Nathan had dealt particularly with him he repented and God pardoned his sin 2. Sam. 12. 13. But did he heare no more of his sinne after he had repented yes the outward miseries threatned by the Prophet 2. Sam. 12. 10 11. fell all vpon him for all that And he endured such inward anguish of conscience as put him to such paine as if all his bones had beene broken with it Ps. 51. 8. And in comparison whereof all his outward miseries seemed but as flea-bitings to him And if thou belong vnto him be sure he will deale with thee also after this manner Let no man therefore say howsoeuer I haue liued if I repent I shall neuer be damned and so long I care not For though thou may be sure thou shalt neuer be damned if thou can vnfainedly repent yet mayst thou for al thy repentance fall into many great miseries in this life such as may make thy hart to ake and such as if thou couldest beleeue and thinke vpon thou wouldest be loath to buy thy sweetest sins at so deare a rate The Magistrate thou seest hath many punishments for sin besides death he hath the stockes and the gaole and the whip and the pillorie c. and so hath the Lord. Now come I to the second preseruatiue against this tentation which is the true knowledge of our selues and of that estate we come into when once we fall into such sins for euery vncleane person hath iust cause to feare that when once he hath committed this sin he shall neuer be able to repent of it This I prooue by foure reasons 1. No man is able to repent of himselfe but it is a great and supernaturall grace of God whereby any man is made able to repent 2. Tim. 2. 25 26. In meekenesse instruct those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the diuell who are taken captiue by him at his will Obserue in those words 1. This comes of Gods gift onely 2. That euery sinner is in Satans snare out of which it must needs be hard to get out When once a man hath fallen into any sin against his conscience it is naturall for him to go on in it further and further till his heart be hardened in it Eph. 4. 18 19. The Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mind Hauing their vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse It is naturall for sinne to harden the heart and to depriue a man of that sense and trouble he found when he first committed it Heb. 3. 13. Take heed least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Yea when a man hath once accustomed himselfe to any sinne he cannot leaue it or repent of it though he would no more then the Leopard can change his spots Ier. 13. 23. 2. God hath threatned to punish such as sinne against the light of their hearts presumptuously by withdrawing his grace from them and hardning their hearts Deut. 29. 19 20. He will not spare that man that blesseth himselfe in his heart Because I haue purged thee saith the Lord Ezek. 24. 13. and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till
I haue caused my fury to rest vpon thee When Pharaoh had hardened his heart first by continuing in sinne and resisting the worke of Gods grace in him Exod. 8. 15. then did God harden his heart in a supernaturall manner Exod. 9. 12. 3. Aboue all sinnes God hath specially threatned to punish this sinne with hardnesse of heart and impenitency Prou. 2. 19. None that goe vnto her the strange woman returne againe neither take they hold on the paths of life And Prou. 23. 27. An Whore is a deepe ditch and a strange womâ—… is a narrow pit Of these sinners chiefly it is said that God reserueth them to the day of iudgement to be punished 2. Pet. 2. 9 10. 4. Experience proueth this also For 1. Obserue it and you shall find that they that are once giuen vp to this sinne are more impudent then other sinners more gracelesse prophane and blasphemous deriders and contemners of all piety Therefore impudent sinners are said to haue a Whores forehead Ier. 3. 3. And that is thus described Pro. 7. 13. She caught him and kissed him Therefore are they compared to dogs Deut. 23. 18. 2. Sam. 3. 8. Therefore they are said to be destitute of vnderstanding and to haue lost euen the light of nature Pro. 6. 32. and 7. 7. and Prou. 9. 13. the whore her selfe is said to be simple and to know nothing And the lewd man that is allured and ouercome by her vers 16. is said to be simple and void of vnderstanding 〈◊〉 We haue knowne many that haue fallen into this sinne and liued in it but how many haue we knowne that haue truly repented It is a strange speech of Salomon Eccl. 7. 28. One man among a thousand haue I found but a woman among all those haue I not found I cannot deny but we may haue knowne many that haue come thus farre as to confesse this sinne and to shew sorrow for it and to leaue it also but alas there is more required to true repentance then this comes to 1. Not euery sinner that can confesse his sinne may be said to repent for then Pharaoh repented Exod. 9. 27. And Iudas also Mat. 27. 3 4. But he that confesseth it 1. Particularly as Achan vpon Ioshuahs fatherly counsell did Iosh. 7. 20. 2. Freely without extenuating of it or excusing it as Paul did his 1. Tim. 1. 13. 15. Dan. 9. 4. 19. Of the sixteene verses that containe his prayer foureteene of them are spent in confessing and aggrauating of their sinnes 3. With griefe and shame as Gods people did 1. Sam. 7. 6. when in their fast they shed teares so abundantly as if they had drawne buckets full of the water and powred them out before the Lord. 2. Not euery sinner that sorroweth for sinne may be said to repent for so much is also said of Iudas Mat. 27. 4. And of Ahab too 1. King 21. 19. But he that sorroweth 1. Deeply and seriously as a man would mourne for the losse of his onely sonne or of his first-borne Zach. 12. 10. And proportionably to the quality of his sinne as Manasses did 2. Chron. 33. 12. 2. Constantly suffering sorrow to abide vpon his heart and not seeking to put it off by worldly comforts before it haue had a good worke in him It is not enough to hold downe our head for a day like a bulrush Esa. 58. 5. This is but a dawbing vp of the breaches God hath made in our hearts with vntempered morter as the Prophet speaketh Ezek. 13. 11. that had not time enough allowed in the making and tempering of it and therefore could not last 8. Not for any worldly shame or hurt that his sinne already hath or is like to bring vpon him nor for the feare of Gods wrath onely but chiefly for that he hath sinned against and offended God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned saith Dauid Psal. 51. 3. Therefore true repentance is called repentance toward God Act. 20. 21. 3. Not euery sinner that hath left this sinne may be said to haue truly repented for a man may grow weary of sinne in carnall respects she hath wearied her selfe with lies saith the Lord Ezek. 24. 12. and sinne may haue left him But he that 1. Leaueth sinne vpon a detestation to sinne and a godly sorrow that he hath offended God by it 2. Cor. 7. 10. 11. 2. Leaueth all knowne sinnes as well as some whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend wittingly and willingly in one point hee is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. 3. Shunneth carefully all shewes and appearances of euill 1. Thess. 5. 22. all occasions and prouocations to the sinne he hath left true repentance hath in it carefulnesse to shun all prouocations and feare to fall into the same againe as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 7. 11. And the true penitent will make a couenant with his eyes as Iob did Iob 31. 1. 4. That hates it in others and is carefull to draw others from the sinne that himselfe hath left Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shal be auerted vnto thee saith Dauid Psal. 51. 13. Specially those of his owne family and such as he may most preuaile withall Iob 11. 14. Let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles The third preseruatiue against this tentation is the considering of the danger we haue brought that party vnto with whom we haue committed this sinne For though the Fornicator were sure God would giue him grace to repent yet must it needs be a great cause of feare and trouble to his conscience vnlesse he be also sure that the party whom he hath drawne to this sinne hath truly repented as well as himselfe In this respect this sinne is worse then either theft or murder in those the wrong that is done vnto another may be done without any hurt or danger to his soule but so it is not in this sinne In which respect we know this badge of Gods indignation is set vpon Ieroboam oft after his death Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne Now the vse and end of all this that I haue spoken is not to driue any to despaire For 1. Though it be so hard a thing truly to repent and impossible to man yet is God able to giue repentance to him that hath committed and liued long in this sinne All things are possible with God Mat. 19. â—…6 27. 2. Though few haue obtained this grace to repent after they haue committed this sinne yet some haue Yea some examples God hath giuen vs in his Word for it as Luk. 7. 37. 50 least any humbled sinner should despaire 3. Though God had neuer yet giuen to any this grace yet is he able to do it now to thee But I haue thus farre vrged this point 1. To perswade such as doe offend this way to seeke betimes with all earnestnesse and importunitie for this grace of vnfained repentance and not to grow secure vpon hope that they may haue it hereafter
till the euill day is That no man can tell how long he shall enioy the meanes of grace no man can meet the Bride-groome vnlesse he haue oyle in his lampe and that he cannot haue but of them that sell it Mat. 25. 9. No affliction or sicknesse is able to saue a soule without the Word that made the Prophet say Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Psal. 94. 12. Nay euery Preacher will not serue the turne but he had need to be a rare man that should do good in such a case Iob 33. 23. If there be then a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand he had need haue the tongue of the learned that should know to minister a word in time to him that is wearie Esa 50. 4. And who can assure himself to haue such a man to be with him in his last sicknes They only that haue esteemed the Word in their health may assure themselues to haue it for their comforter in sicknesse But the wicked man that hath despised the ministry of the Word in the dayes of his health and prosperity hath iust cause to feare God will depriue him of the comfort of it in his sicknesse and affliction For so God hath threatned such contemners of his Word Amos 8. 12. They shall wander from sea to sea and frâ—… the North euen to the East shall they run to and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord and shall not find it and Ezek. 7. 25 26 When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and shall not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsell from the ancient q. d. O then let euery man make his benefit of the means of grace now while he doth enioy them while Gods merchant men are among you make you prouision of oyl for your lamps No man can be sure to haue the like means when he would himselfe 2 Cor. 6. 2 Behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation The third reason to perswade men to reconcile themselues to God and to get assurance of their saluation presently in their youth and in their best health is this that though a man were sure he should haue as good means for his instruction and conuersion and comfort in his last sicknesse as he hath now yet he shall find himselfe most vnfit at that time to make his benefit of them Sicknesse and extreme affliction will so dull the mind and make the heart so heauy yea a man shall then haue so many meanes to trouble and distract him as he shall not be able to relish any sweetnesse in the best counsaile that is giuen him in the holiest praiers that are made by him These are the daies which Salomon speakes of Eccl 12. 1. Wherein a man shall say I haue no pleasure in them Remember what case the best of Gods seruants haue beene in in their extreme affliction They haue been vnable to pray they haue been astonied and could not speake Psal. 77. 4. yet thou saist thou wilt then pray They haue beene vnable to relish or profit by the best meanes They harkened not vnto Moses for anguish of spirit Exod. 6. 9. Yea their soules haue refused comfort Psal. 77. 2. and thou saist then thou wilt send for the Preacher and take his counsaile They haue beene oppressed with the burden of their sinnes Dauid saith of himselfe at such a time that his iniquities had taken such hold vpon him as he was not able to looke vp that they were more in number then the haires of his head and that therefore his heart failed him Psal. 40. 12. and thou saiest then thou wilt cast off all thy sins and get assurance of the pardon of them They haue been faine to spend vpon the old stock and to comfort themselues not with that which they haue found in themselues for the present but by calling to mind the good things they knew were in them in former times Iob seeks to recouer his comfort this way as is plaine Chap. 29. 30. 31. and so did Dauid likewise when his spirit was ouerwhelmed within him his heart within him was desolate then he remembred the dayes of old Psal. 143. 4 5. They haue sowne before vnto themselues in righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh Hos. 10. 12. And all thy hope is in the comfort you shall find then Thou deferrest to sow till that time when thou shouldst reape O foolish man deceiue not thine owne heart any longer do not imagine thou shalt be in better case when sicknesse and extreme affliction shall come than the best of Gods children haue been Whilst thou art now in health get assurance of thy saluation for thou wilt be then vnfit to do it Seeke and lay vp knowledge now for that will be a time of spending thy stock that thou hast gotten not of increasing it Giue thy selfe much to prayer now and get assurance that thou hast the spirit of prayer for then thou wilt be hardly able to do it The fourth Reason to disswade a man from putting off his repentance till sicknesse is this That though he were sure to haue neuer so good meanes of repentance and though sicknesse and griefe it selfe had no force to hinder him from profiting by them yet shall he be vnable to receiue good by them vnlesse the Lord be pleased to worke with them O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Ier. 10. 23. And euery man that hath wilfully deferred and put off the time of his repentance hath iust cause to feare that God will not then worke with the meanes to doe him good For first as God hath in his counsell set and determined the day of euery mans visitation the iust time and moment of euery mans conuersion which if he passe he shall neuer be conuerted So is euery man to account not the time to come but the present time when God by his Word and Spirit moues him to repent to be his day the time of grace and repentance to him Therefore Heb. 3. 4. this is foure times repeated To day if you will heare his voice Secondly the nature of sinne is to harden the heart and the longer that any sinne is continued in the harder it will make the heart and the more vnable to repent No man that once giues libertie to himselfe in any sinne is able to say Thus far will I go and then I will stay my selfe thus long will I continue in it and then I will repent The longer a man continues in this net and snare the more he shall be intangled in it and with the more difficultie get out the deceitfulnesse of sinne will harden the heart Heb. 3. 13. Thirdly the Lord hath threatned to punish the presumptuous sinner
haue many waies whereby they may ◅in others 245. All men are bound to doe what they can to win others to God 3◅4 Gods manner of working in mans conuersion is diuerse and wonderfull 325. 326. Country Euery man owes a duty to the place of his birth and breeding 351. Credit A great sin for a man to be carelesse of it 86. Custome The good customes of a Church are not to be broken or neglected 143. 144. Yet it is dangerous in matter of Religion to ascribe too much vnto it 144. Most men make common custome the rule of their conscience 426. Remedies against this corruption 427. D. Dalliance Wanton dalliance is dangerous sinfull 90. Death Faith will make a man willing to die 337. Euery man should looke and prepare for sudden death 44◅ 443. Delay It is dangerous to put off the making of peace with God till sicknesse 442. 443. Delight Naturall and worldly meanes of delight are not vnlawfull and what cautions are to be vsed in this 439. 440. Desire An vnfained desire of grace is a singular grace 9. Fiue differences in this desire betweene the naturall man and the regenerate 9. He that hath sauing knowledge will feele the want of it and desire it 22. Disputing It is dangerous to dispute against knowne truths 151. Dissention How far forth Ministers should seek to agree and the meanes how that may be 301. Difference in iudgemēts should not alienate godly mens affections one frō another 302 Domesticall Instruction and Worship We should vse the exercises of Religion in our families 157. How and by what meanes a man should best instruct and win his family vnto God 241 Doubting Doubtfulnesse and vnsetlednesse in matters of our faith religion is dangerous 137. 140 Euen the doubting of the truth of ought God hath said is a dangerous sin 413 414. E. Examination Christians should examine that that is taught them 151 152. And the good things seeme to bee in our selue 53. Euery affliction should driue vs to examine what it is that hath thus prouoked God ◅04 Examples The examples of some men doe great hurt in hardening of others 74. Many make this the rule of their conscience and remedies against this corruption 426. It is not safe to make the best mans examples the rule of our conscience 428. Exercises of Religion See Christian domest◅call worship Euery man is bound to spend some part of euery day in them 241. The conscionable vse of them will preserue vs from sin 93. Eye A couenant is to be made with our eye 91. F. Faith Motiues and encouragements to beleeue in Christ 13 14. How to know whether wee haue truly receiued Christ 15. In it there is a particular application of Christ 310. There is great certainty and assurance in true saith 3. 8. 332. It workes 1 peace of conscience 2 ioy in the Holy Ghost 3 boldnes in prayer 4 willingnesse to die 335 336 337. True faith is grounded vpon the word only neither vpon sense or experience 348 349. Most men ground their faith not vpon the Word but vpon sense onely 420. He that hath true faith hath an vpright heart and none but he 484. Foure notes to trie it by 484. It is imperfect in the best 333 334. It breeds in the heart true ioy and that vpon fiue grounds 436 437. Falls of the godly How farre the regenerate man may fall from grace 50 51 54. Great difference betweene them and the sins of the wicked 455. 471. 473. Family See Domesticall Sin will bring Gods curse vpon the house and place where it is committed 158. Piety will bring Gods blessing vpon our houses and dwellings ibid. Fasting Christ put no holinesse in fasting nor was giuen vnto it ◅56 Fathers No cause why we should so relie vpon the Fathers as many doe 39. The Papists giue not more due honour to them then we 38. What respect is to be had to our Fore fathers in the matter of Religion 142 143. We do not condemne our Fore Fathers 145. Feasting Though it be lawfull yet it must not be ordinary 92. Fewnesse of Beleeuers Comfort for the faithfull that liue where they haue few or none that ioyne with them in piety 430 431. Fornication It is a most hainous sin 71. Foure causes of the commonnes of it now 74. Both Magistrates and priuate men should shew their zealous hatred to it 78 79. Fornicators must looke for Gods iudgements euen in this life 79 80. They haue also cause to feare the iudgement of finall impenitency hardnes of heart 84 We may not giue men cause to suspect vs to be giuen to this sinne and that is done foure waies 87. Seuen Preseruatiues from this sin 90. Frugality A Christian should be frugall and seeke to increase his worldly estate 238. G. Gestures Rules for bodily gestures in Gods worship 118 119. Gifts All difference in gifts among Ministers doth not make an inequality betweene them because one may excell in one gift and one in another 307 308. The variety and difference among Gods seruants makes much for his glory 308. They should bee teachable and receiue the word with all readinesse and wherein it consisteth 312 213. God hath giuen a variety of gifts to all men not all to any one man 308. Variety of gifts and graces increases loue and vnity among men 319. It is a sin against God and contempt done vnto his good gifts not to make vse and profit of them 320. Gods children ought to make vse of their Ministers gifts in priuate 321. That gift is to be esteemed best which edifies most 287. 291. God Why he euen the whole Trinity is called Father 148. His loue is vnchangeable 180. 340. The knowledg of his omni-presence omniscience is of great necessity and vse 67. 70. He hates and is seuere against the sins euen of his owne people 95. Gods seruants in priuate may forbeare to reprooue some 293. Grace The loue of God in Christ to vs is most free 14 Grace and the meanes therof is highly to be esteemed 53. Grace may be knowne 463. Notes whereby grace may be knowne 468. The diuersity of the gifts of God in men commeth of his free disposition 308. H. Hardnesse of heart Wicked men harden themselues in sin euen by the Word 57 58. They are apt to harden their owne hearts against Gods corrections 402. Hearing A great sin to heare with delight filthy songs and talke 88. The necessity of constant hearing of the word 278. Cautions and encouragements for them that follow Sermons on the weeke daies 240. Heare as oft as thou mayst 172. What behauiour is fittest at the hearing of the Word preached 125 126. 134. The best way to win others to God is to draw them to heare 246. Hearers Be willing to heare one truth as well as another 59. A good signe to like that Ministry best that doth most effectually discouer to a man his sin 112 113. Examine that that is taught
gifts of God as accompany an effectuall calling are without repentance Euery good and perfect gift saith the Apostle I am 1. 17. and what he meanes by the perfect gift hee expounds verse 18. viz. the grace of regeneration is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadâ—…w of changing Though wee be wonderfully vnconstant and changeable yet is there not so much as a shadow of changeablenesse in the Lord in this case Insomuch as we may conclude this first reason with the words of the Psalmist in Psalme 118. 2 3 4. Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for euer Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for euer Let them now that feare the Lord say that his mercy endureth for euer 2. The power that is in God to performe what hee hath promised 1. Peter 1. 5. Wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation And this reason our Sauiour giueth in Iohn 10. 28. They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands verse 29. My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hands For any strength that is in vs alas we might fall quite away euery day considering the temptations that wee are subiect to but this power of God is that that keepes vs from falling irrecouerably Psal. 37. 24. Though hee fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Wee our selues are apt enough alas to lose that grace wee haue receiued but the power of God preserueth vs and the weaker we are the more is Gods power glorified in preseruing vs. To which purpose that may bee applyed 2. Cor. 4. 7. But wee haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of vs and 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse 3. The prayer and continuall intercession that Christ maketh for vs. For as he prayed for Peter and that was the cause why he though he fell grieuously yet he lost not all grace Luke 22. 31 32. so he hath prayed for all the faithfull Iohn 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on me through their word And this is a principall part of the prayer that he made for them verse 11. Keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou hast giuen mee verse 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou keepe them from euill And this intercession is continuall Heb. 7. 28. Hee is able perfectly to saue such as come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them And these are the Reasons why though we fall we cannot loose quite that grace that we haue receiued The Vse that this Doctrine serueth vnto is 1. To worke in vs a loue and desire of grace and the meanes of grace In worldly things we loue certainties and perpetuities therefore though there be more vse of ready money for the present yet men rather desire land then money Behold there is no certainty nor durablenesse in any blessing but this Our Sauiour cals all the profits of this life another mans goods because we haue no certainty but they may we know not how soone be taken from vs and bestowed on another but grace he cals our owne Luke 16. 12. Therefore nothing but grace onely can be called durable riches Prou. 8. 18. Therefore our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life Indeed if it were true as the Papists and some others say that grace may be lost there were the lesse cause to desire it for what inward peace or ioy could wee haue in this case without certainety but this ministers vnspeakeable comfort to the soule that when we once know we haue grace we may be sure we shall neuer loose it And as I said this should make vs in loue with grace so should it with the meanes of grace euen the ministery of the Word which is called the ministration of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 8. We reade of the foolish Virgins when they came to their fellowes to aske some oyle they receiued this answer Matth. 25. 9. Goe yee to them that sell and buy for your selues Behold we are they that fell this oyle there is no man here so void of grace but may conceiue assured hope to obtaine it if he can submit himselfe as he ought to the meanes of grace Esay 55. 3. Heare and your soules shall liue And therefore if God shall begin now or at any time to touch and draw thine heart struggle not against this worke of his as many doe Heb. 3. 7 8. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation in the day of temptation in the wildernesse Stand not our against God but yeeld thy selfe and say to him as Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will runne after thee 2. To exhort euery man to try the good things that are in him whether they be of nature or grace This duty we are oft exhorted to 2. Cor. 13. 5. examine your selues saith he whether ye be in the faith proue your selues especially when we are to renew our Couenant with God in the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11. 29. To perswade thee to this duty Consider 1. There may be good things in a naturall man Say not with thy selfe I haue some good things in me and therefore I haue the Spirit of God because the Scripture saith of them that are meere naturall men that of them there is not one that doth good no not one Rom. 3. 12. that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. And the Apostle saith of himselfe that he knew that in him that is in his flesh in his vnregeneratc part and so farre forth as he was a naturall man there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. Deceiue not thy selfe by the mis-vnderstanding of these places For though it be true that no naturall man can doe any thing that is truely good pleasing vnto God a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith our Sauiour Matth. 7. 18. yet may there be in a meere naturall and carnall man such things as are naturally and in themselues good things and commanded of God I tell thee there may be good things in a naturall man who besides the corruption of nature hath also some remnants of Gods Image in him Euery man that commeth into the world hath some light in him Iohn 1. 9. Euery man is made after the similitude of God Iam. 3. 9. 2. It will yeeld thee vnspeakeable comfort if thou canst finde by due triall that thou hast indeed receiued the Spirit of God Gal. 6.
is not onely a sinne but a mother-sinne a cause of many other sinnes it drawes men to many other sinnes yea to other most hainous sinnes Pro. 23. 28. She increaseth the transgressions among men Doe not prostitute thy daughter saith the Lord Leuit. 19. 29. to cause her to be a whore least the land fall to whoredome and the land become full of wickednesse 2. It is not onely a sin but a punishment of other sinnes I might alledge the punishments that God hath beene wont and will certainely inflict on this sin But I reserue that to another place Salomon in Eccles. 7. 26. speaking of the woman Whose heart is as nets and snares and whose hands are as bands he addeth He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is as a deepe pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein So Rom. 1. 24. Speaking of such as God gaue vp to their hearts lusts and to vncleannesse and verse 26. to vile affections and verse 28. to a reprobate sense hee names the sinnes that prouoked God to deale thus with them verse 28. they regarded not to know God and verse 21. when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankefull And therefore God gaue them vp to this sin Many speake much how this sin abounds in such townes where the Gospell hath beene most plentifully and powerfully preached and thinke they haue great aduantage against religion for it but indeed this makes much for the honour of the Gospell that the Lord cannot indure the contempt of it but vseth to punish it in this fearefull manner And who are they that in such places fall into this sin Surely such as either regard not to know God Rom. 1. 28. Or if they doe know him haue not glorified him as they ought Rom. 1. 21. but haue beene hypocrites and nourished vnder the profession of Religion some grieuous sinne Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her saith Salomon Eccles. 7. 26. but the sinner shall be taken by her Wonder rather there be not more tainted with this sinne seeing there are so many that regard not to heare and of those that doe heare so many that make no conscience of any thing that they heare 3. There is no sin that is so directly opposite to sanctification and holinesse as this sin Therefore as the Spirit of God is euery where called the Holy Ghost because there is no one worke wherein he shewes himselfe wheresoeuer he dwells more then in holinesse So the wicked spirit is called the vncleane spirit Matth. 12. 43. because there is no one sin whereby it may be better knowne where he dwells and raignes then vncleanesse Of all the sinnes that man committeth there is no one that hath more force to quench the Spirit to dull and banish all grace out of the heart then this sinne hath See the proofe of this 1. Thess. 4. 3. 4. 5. For this is the will of God euen your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles that know not God verse 7. For God hath not called you vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse See how sottish Salomon became after he had giuen himselfe to fleshly lusts his nines turned away his heart after other gods saith the Holy Ghost 1. King 11. 4. and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God Yea it puts out the light and iudgement that was in man by nature they that liued in lust were giuen ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostlâ—… Rom. 1. 28. in a minde voide of iudgement 4. There is no sinne that is committed with such delight and pleasure as this is and therefore it must needs bring in the end more bitternesse and anguish to the soule then other sins doe For the more pleasure men haue found in sin the more bitternesse shall they finde in their consciences one day for sin Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that laugh now for yee shall waile and weepe and 16. 25. Remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures now therefore thou art tormented Therefore the Scripture speakes so oft of the bitternesse of this sinne Heb. 12. When he had said verse 15. Let no roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you He adds verse 16. Let there be no Fornicator Iob 13. 26. When in the beginning of the verse he had said that the Lord wrote bitter things against him charged him with bitter sinnes he adds what those bitter things were Thou causest me to possesse the sins of my youth These tricks of youth will be bitter to men one day Pro. 5. 3. The lips of a strange woman drop as the hony combe verse 4. But the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword Eccles. 7. when he had said ver 25. That he had compassed about to know wickednesse and folly the foolishnesse of madnesse he adds verse 26. I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares c. Lecture the sixteenth Iune 13. 1609. IT followeth now that wee come to the Vses that are to bee made of the Doctrine we haue heard touching the hainousnesse of the sinne of Fornication which the last day being preuented by the time wee could not deliuer And this Doctrine serues To conuince the iudgement and conscience of them that liue in this sinne without feare For it is euident and all honest men complaine of it that this sin abounds euery where Yea many that esteeme themselues Christians reade the Word heare it come to such assemblies as this sit before vs and looke vs in the face when we speake against this sinne doe yet liue in this sin and liue securely in it as if all that is said out of Gods Word against it were but a Fable And what is the cause of this Surely somewhat there is that deceiues them that they cannot perceiue it is so dangerous a matter to liue in this sin as indeed it is It may truely be said of all sin that Sathan drawes a man to it and hardeneth him in it by some errour of his minde or other whereby he deceiueth him How drew he our first Parents first to sin 1. Tim. 2. 14. The woman was deceiued and found in the transgression 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least ye be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse What is that that hardens a mans heart in sin The Apostle will tell vs Heb. 3. 13. Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin What are those strong holds that keepe the Word and grace of God from entring into and conquering the heart of man The Apostle will tell vs that there are certaine imaginations
that we may truely say that though we our selues are bound to account the corruption that remaineth in vs an intolerable burden which we must be continually humbled for and groane vnder and striue to lessen and desire to be eased of as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. because our most holy and heauenly Father is grieued and offended by it and because it is euer budding and bringing forth in vs such fruits as are most bitter vnto vs and breed vs much woe yet the infinite wisedome and power and goodnesse of our God maketh this a great benefit to vs that we are not in this life perfectly regenerated but that the Lord suffers sinne to dwell in vs so long as we abide in this tabernacle If any man shall demand of me the reasons of this Doctrine the cause why the Lord should thus loue his Elect and be so partiall towards them that though he hates sinne in all and hates the Reprobate and damnes them for their sinne yet he hates not his Elect for their sinnes but loues them euen before there is any grace in them at all euen before they haue repented of their sinnes I can giue no other reason of it but his own good will and pleasure onely he hath mercy on whom he will haue mery saith the Apostle Rom. 9. 18. and Ephes. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And in this it becommeth euery mortall man to rest without inquiry any further and to say with the holy Apostle Rom. 9. 21 22. Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay What if God will doe thus 2. The respect God hath to the Sonne of his loue to whom he gaue them before the world was He hath chosen vs in him saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. 4. before the foundation of the world and verse 6. He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Now of this Doctrine I may say as the Prophet doth in another case Esay 28. 9. To whom shall we teach this Doctrine Who is fit to heare and receiue it The Apostle speakes of some that stumble at the Word 1. Pet. 2. 8. and such there haue euer beene in the Church But there is no part of the Word no truth of God that so many doe stumble at as at this Doctrine of the infinite mercy of God vnto sinners For where shall we finde a man almost that doth not abuse this Doctrine to the incouraging of himselfe to sin and to the hardening of his heart against all checke of conscience for sin yet must this doctrine so cleerely and plentifully deliuered in the holy Scripture and tending so much to the comfort of Gods people be taught though there be neuer so many wicked men that will take hurt by it The childrens bread must not be kept from them because of the dogges that will be ready to snatch it out of our hands when we breake it to them Yet before I giue the children their bread and apply this Doctrine to them vnto whom it onely belongeth I will endeauour to driue away the dogges by shewing that the profane and impenitent sinner that turnes Gods grace into wantonnesse and encourageth himselfe to sinne by the knowledge of Gods mercy hath nothing to doe with this Doctrine nor any cause at all to take comfort in it For 1. All this that is spoken in the Word of Gods mercy belongs onely to the Elect which are therfore called Uessels of mercy not to the Reprobates which are called Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. 23. If thou say I may be one of Gods Elect too I answer thou mayest indeed but till thou knowest thy selfe to be so and canst finde the markes of Election in thy selfe thou canst take no comfort in this Doctrine Therefore euery where in Scripture this mercy of God is restrained to them that feare him the Scripture euery where teacheth that none else haue cause to glory in it or trust to it Psal. 118. 4. Let them that feare the Lord now say that his mercy endureth for euer And 115. 11. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. 2. This is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a fearefull signe of reprobation and that thou shalt neuer tast of Gods mercy because thou stumblest and takest occasion of being more wicked euen from the pure and holy Word of God and from the doctrine of his mercy 1. Pet. 2. 8. 3. This God whose mercy thou so much gloryest in and the doctrine of whose mercy thou dost so much abuse and Christ Iesus through whom thou trustest to finde him so mercifull will appeare vnto thee one day so terrible as thou shalt cry to the hils and rocks to fall vpon thee to hide thee from his presence Apoc. 6. 15 16. Yea this shall increase thy horrour at that day that thou hast sinned against so mercifull a God and when thou shalt discerne that he that is so infinite in mercy toward others yea haply toward such as were more notorious sinners then thy selfe hath no mercy for thee at all Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out But to let them passe and to apply this Doctrine to such as to whom indeed it onely belongeth First it serueth for the vnspeakeable comfort of all such as can finde in themselues the assured tokens that they are the Elect of God And indeed this Doctrine is to such the foundation of all true comfort If thy sinne cannot hurt thee nothing can hurt thee neither prosperity nor aduersity life nor death the world nor the diuell For as sinne is the sting of death 1. Cor. 15. 56. So is it of euery other thing that thou hast cause to feare Now if thou be Gods Elect thou mayest be thus secure that though thy sins may make thee subiect to many a correction and scourge in this life yet shall they neuer bee able to separate thee from the loue of God or hinder thy eternall happinesse Euery man therefore that desireth to enioy this comfort must labour to make his election certaine to himselfe and that shall he doe by making his effectuall calling certaine to himselfe 2. Pet. 1. 10. And this is an argument of an effectuall calling when hee findes that through Gods grace he is able vnfainedly to repent of all his sinnes that is so to grieue for offending God by them that he can hate and forsake them For this grace of vnfained repentance is giuen to none but them that are of the Israel of God the Elect of God Acts 5. 31. And the departing from iniquity is made a certaine note of Election 2. Timothie 2. 19. So that if thou finde thy selfe able through Gods grace to repent of thy sinnes there is no cause thou shouldest feare damnation for thy sins or the losse of Gods fauour For if
with God for the recouery of their credit with men Who thinks the worse of Dauid or Paul for the publishing of their sins nay who thinkes not much better of them for it and it must needs be so because of the promise of Christ He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted saith our Sauiour Luke 14. 11. For as he that looseth his life for Christs sake shall finde it Matth. 10. â—…9 So he that of conscience towards God can be content to neglect his credit and estimation with men shall be sure to loose no credit by it On the other side he that hides his sinne shall not prosper Pro. 28. 13. Either the trouble of his guilty conscience shall be increased thereby Psal. 32. 3. When I held my tongue my bones consumed when I roared all the day Or 2. he shall be further hardened and made more prophane and more gracelesse more vnable to repent Therefore Salomon when he had spoken of the benefit of confessing and danger of hiding sinne adds immediately Pro. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway that hath a tender conscience as he hath that is apt to confesse his sinne but hee that hardneth his heart as he vsually doth that vseth all the wit and learning he hath to hide his sin shall fall into mischiefe For 3. nothing that he takes in hand shall prosper not his prayers not his meditations Gods graces shall not prosper nor thriue in him See an example of this in Dauid who though doubtlesse he vsed to pray and frequent Gods worship during the space of that yeare which passed betweene his sinne and his repentance yet all did him no good till he had confessed his sinne To exhort vs that we therefore would seeke to get our selues this testimonie of our vnfained conuersion that when we are reprooued for our sinnes we can confesse them When the Lord in the Ministery of his Word meetes with thee particularly and thou hast such secret sinnes discouered vnto thee as neither the Minister himselfe nor any other can charge thee with as oft it falls out for the Word is liuely in operation and of a searching nature as the Author of it is Heb. 4. 12 13. if I say when thou art thus met with thou wouldst presently acknowledge thy sin vnto God in secret as he did of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. when the secrets of his heart were made manifest vnto him by the Ministery of the Word he fell downe on his face and worshipped God no doubt thou mightest finde much comfort in it 2. Yea we should desire that we may be thus met with euen to heare that that particularly toucheth our selues as Iohn Baptists hearers did Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. That minde should be in euery one of vs that was in Dauid Let the righteous smite me saith he Psal. 141. 5. it shall be a kindnesse and let him reproue me it shall be as excellent oyle 3. When thy sin is knowne and is become offensiue vnto men thou must be willing to confesse it euen vnto men Remember the danger and curse of God threatned to them that hide their sinne and take heed of it Now there be many waies whereby men hide their sins 1. By iustifying and defending them As Ionah 4. 9. Doest thou well to bee angry for the Gourd he answered I do well to be angry to the death As many delight to shew their wits in defending many sinnes that the word condemnes 2. By denying them as Cain Gen. 4. 9. and Gehezi 2. King 5. 25. And Ananias Acts 5. 8. 3. By excusing and extenuating their sinne as Adam For saith Iob Iob 31. 33. Adam hid his sinne and that was onely this way he excused and extenuated it and so did Eue hers he laid the fault vpon the woman which God had giuen him and she vpon the Serpent Gen. 3. 12. 13. and thus did Saul seeke to hide his sin by excusing it and laying the fault vpon the people 1. Sam. 15. 21. 4. By senslesse silence not acknowledging them or being affected with them as Iudas did who though he heard our Sauiour in great trouble of spirit speake plainely of his sin Iohn 13. 21. and particularly pointed him out to be the man Iohn 13. 26. 27. though he had heard the fearefull words he denounced against him for it Mat. 26. 24. though he saw how much all the elect Apostles were moued and troubled with it Matth. 26. 22. yet could not he confesse his sinne nor seeke mercy nor was once moued or troubled with it for this Lecture the three and twenty August 22. 1609. IT followeth that we proceed to the second signe of grace and fruit of true conuersion in this woman she esteemed better of Christ after he had thus touched and reproued her then euer she did before She now in her heart esteemes him and with her mouth acknowledgeth him to be a Prophet of God and from hence we learne That he that is truely penitent will not hate or storme against him that shall admonish or reprooue him for sinne but loue him the better rather He that is poore in spirit and mournes for sin will be meeke also Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Pro. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee and 25. 12. As an earing of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprouer vpon an obedient eare he counts it no disgrace but an ornament and honour to him to be thus faithfully dealt with Dauid esteemed better of Nathan after he had so plainely rebuked him then euer he did before see the reuerent respect he shewed vnto him when he came to speake with him he had present accesse to him 1. King 1. 23. and you shall find verse 27. that the King was not wont to conceale from him but to aduise with him about all his affaires of greatest moment so Acts 2. The same men that had mocked the Apostles before verse 13. when by their ministry they were plainely rebuked they esteemed reuerently of them Acts 2. 37. So did he also of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. he reported to all men and vpon all occasions that God was of a truth in that Ministery Reasons 1. Because they know God is the Author of that reproofe that is giuen them according to his word whosoeuer be the instrument 2. Chron. 35. 22. Though Pharaoh Necho were Iosias enemy yet the counsaile and reproofe he sent him came from the mouth of the Lord and it was his ruine that he hearkned not vnto it He that reprooues me for any sinne according to the word speakes to me on Gods behalfe This is not his word but Gods and so to be receiued not as the word of an inferiour but as the word of God be that despiseth despiseth not man but God 1. Thess. 4. 8. And when we haue to deale with God the greatest must lay aside his dignity and thinke he can neuer be humble enough Iudges
10. which on the other daies they are not 3. It is not to be denyed but some Christians may and ought to spend more time in the exercises of Religion then other some Such as are of wealth and ability to liue of themselues are more bound to frequent the publike exercises on the weeke day then poorer men Such as by their callings haue more leisure and freedome from worldly employment then such as haue more necessary and important businesse Of rich men it may be said There is a price put into their hands to get wisedome Pro. 17. 16. That maketh the Apostle speake as he doth of the priuiledge that the single person hath aboue the marryed the vnmarried man careth for the things that belong to the Lord how hee may please the Lord The vnmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that shee may bee holy both in body and in spirit 1. Cor. 7. 32 34. and the widow also shee that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day 1. Tim. 5. 5. Whereas verse 14. Other women haue other imployments Such a widdow was Anna Luke 2. 37. she departed not from the Temple but serued God with fasting and prayer night and day Lecture the one and fiftieth Aprill 24. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXVIII XXIX IT followeth that we come now to shew what is to be said for the defence and encouragement of those men that not contenting themselues to serue God vpon the Sabbath do vpon the weeke daies leaue their worldly businesse and spend much time in Gods worship And that I will deliuer for the better helpe of your memory and mine owne in fiue principall and chiefe points 1. Euery Christian is bound to serue God not vpon the Sabbath onely but to spend some part of euery day in Gods worship This was signified in the Law 1. When God commanded there should be a morning and euening sacrifice offered euery day Exod. 29. 39. And the King is commanded notwithstanding all his weighty imployments to reade some part of Gods Word euery day Deut. 17. 19. and that we should pray euery day it is euident by the fourth petition of the Lords pray Therefore we reade that Gods seruants did set themselues certaine times for prayer euery day and obserued them precisely Psalme 55. 17. Dan. 6. 16. and yet both these were men that had much businesse Reasons for this are these 1. Though the Sabbath in a speciall sort be called the Lords day yet is euery day his too Psal. 74. 16. Therefore as the Apostle prooues we must glorifie and serue God with our bodies as well as our soules because they are both his 1. Cor. 6. 20. so may we prooue that God is to be serued euery day as well as on the Sabbath day because euery day is his 2. If we do not by this meanes euery day stirre vp quicken and nourish Gods grace in our selues The deceitfulnesse of sinne and Sathan and worldly occasions will by little and little harden vs and steale away our hearts from God security will creepe vpon vs before we be aware Heb. 3. â—…3 And the more dealings a man hath in the world the greater cause he hath to feare this That is the reason that is giuen why the Lord will haue the King to read euery day Deut. 17. 20. That his heart bee not lasted vp and that he turne not from the commandement 3. The little time spent in Gods seruice euery day will bring Gods blessing vpon the whole day and vpon the businesse and occasions of that day As the first fruits that Gods people gaue to him brought his blessing vpon all the rest Deut. 26. 10 11. It is that that giueth vs a sanctified vse of the day and of all the comforts of it of our owne labours and of the labours of our seruants 1. Tim. 4. 5. So that when a man shall remember how many houres in euery day he hath spent in sleeping eating drinking and sporting and how few houres yea minutes of the day he hath bestowed on the Lord and on his owne soule he shall haue cause to complaine as Iob 7. 6. My dayes are swifter then a Weauers shuttle and are spent without hope 2. It is lawfull to haue publike assemblies to keepe Lectures and Exercises not on the Sabbaths onely but on other daies also and for Gods people to frequent them This is euident in the practise and example of the Primitiue Church and of our Sauiour himselfe It is spoken to the praise of Gods people in the Primitiue Church that they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Acts 2. 46. And Luke 19. 47 Christ taught daily in the Temple and had a great audience verse 48. All the people hanged on him and 21. 37 38. In the day time he taught in the Temple and at night hee went out to the mount of Oliues and in the morning all the people came to heare him in the Temple Mar. 8. 13. We read that a very great multitude had followed him and continued with him three daies and some of them came from farre so that besides those three daies they spent some good time in comming to him and going backe If it had not beene lawfull to keepe Lectures and exercises vpon weeke dayes doubtlesse he would not so vsually and often haue preached on those dayes and if it had not beene lawfull for Gods people of all sorts to frequent them surely he would not haue suffered them to doe it he would haue reprooued them for it So that he that shall reprooue or deride or blame Gods people for this out of doubt he hath not the spirit of Christ in him 3. Though no man be so expresly and particularly commanded to goe to Sermons on the weeke day as on the Sabbath yet all that are able to doe it whose necessities will permit them are as well bound to goe to Sermons on the weeke day as on the Sabbath God requires more seruice of euery man then he hath expressely and particularly commanded Besides the sacrifices that God had expresly commanded there were free offerings vnder the Law which men of their owne voluntary will did bring vnto God Leuit. 1. 3. and 7. 16. None were expresly commanded to goe vp to Ierusalem at the three feasts but onely the males Exod. 34. 23. nor among the males any that were vnder 20. yeares of age for such onely were wont to be numbred Exod. 30. 4 and yet we finde that Elkanah was wont to take with him all his family his wiues his sonnes and daughters euery yeare to those feasts 1. Sam. 1. 4. 21. So did the blessed Virgin euery yeere keepe the Passeouer at Ierusalem with her husband And our Sauiour himselfe when he was but twelue yeares old was wont to goe with them Luke 2. 41 42. If any shall obiect and say that God alloweth no will-worship but hath straightly charged vs in his worship
certaine signe of Gods fauour for the Reprobate as well as the Elect are subiect vnto it But there is a maruellous difference betwixt the afflictions of the Elect and those of the Reprobate Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him saith the Prophet Esay 27. 7. As if he should say Hath the Lord smitten Israel as he smote them that were the enemies of Israel And this is a principall difference that the children of God are made the better by their afflictions but the reprobates and vngodly are not made the better but the worse rather by their afflictions Of the one it is said Rom. 8. 28. All things worke together for the good of them that loue God Of the other Ier. 12. 13. They were sicke and had no profit Let euery one of vs therefore labour to find in vs this marke of our Election this difference betwixt our selues and the Reprobate that God hath not smitten vs as he smote them that our affliction hath been sanctified vnto vs we haue profited by it we are able to say with Dauid in the truth of our hearts Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue been afflicted In all our afflictions let vs do as Iacob did Gen. 32. 26. that is we must not let the Lord go till he haue blessed vs. Weep and pray for that blessing which as I told you the last day the Lord is wont to giue vnto his children when he hath wrastled with them and afflicted them as the Prophet saith Iacob did Hos. 12. 4. And for your helpe and mine owne in this examination of our selues I will giue you out of Gods Word sixe Notes whereby we may try whether our affliction hath been sanctified vnto vs. And those are as it were sixe degrees whereby the Spirit of God proceedeth in sanctifying the afflictions of all his children and teaching them to profit by them 1 He causeth them by all their afflictions to take notice that God is displeased with them God hath some matter against them In all extraordinary and strange iudgements that are vpon vs euery one of vs should say to his owne heart as God saith his people would say Deut. 31. 17. Are not all these troubles come vpon me because God is not with me because God is offended with me yea this should we do also in the most ordinary and small afflictions that do befall vs. When God had taken away from Naomi her two sonnes though by an ordinary and vsuall death she saith Ruth 1. 13. That the hand of the Lord was gone out against her We can neuer profit by affliction till we can resolue vpon this in euery sicknesse in euery crosse that God is the Author of it God visits vs the hand of God is vpon vs and that he vseth not to strike any till he be angry with them When we are iudged saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 32. though it be but with such iudgements as he there speakes of Verse 10. sicknesse and weaknesse we are chastened of the Lord. And though the Lord do sometimes afflict his children rather for their triall than for any displeasure he hath conceiued against them as in Iobs case it was yet vsually he neuer strikes till he be angry So the Lord speakes of the afflictions of his deare children Esay 54. 8. For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee And 57. 17. For his wicked couetousnesse I was angry with him I hid me and was angry We should therefore in the least affliction vpon vs labour to take notice of this and do as we are required Micah 6. 9. Heare the rod and who hath appointed it There is neuer a rod of God but it hath a voice by it as by a Herauld God proclaimes and testifieth against vs that he is offended as it is said Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with pestilence and with bloud we should therefore heare the rod. Let vs then examine our selues by this first Note and we shall finde that there be very few of vs that receiue any profit by our afflictions for we neuer take notice of Gods displeasure in them It may be in some suddaine and extraordinary iudgement we will but in ordinary diseases and other crosses we neuer discerne the hand that smiteth vs but harden our selues to beare them off with head and shoulders by these and such like conceipts There is no man but shall haue crosses none but they shall be sick sometimes such and such haue had this Ague and done well enough and so I hope shall I. Thus God brings in his people reporting how they had hardened their hearts against his corrections Ier. 10. 19. I thought it is my sorrow and I will beare it Should any man be so foolish say they as to thinke that God is angry with him because he afflicteth him sometimes Why the best haue had their afflictions and whom God loues he chastens And with these conceipts many that haue no one good argument of Gods fatherly loue harden themselues against the sense of his anger in their afflictions For this senslesnesse God checketh his people Hos. 7. 9. Strangers haue deuoured his strength and he knoweth it not gray haires are here and there vpon him and he knoweth it not As if he should say Extreme misery and griefe had brought gray haires vpon him and yet remained he senslesse and neuer tooke notice from whence this came Esay 42. 25. He hath powred vpon him the fury of his anger and yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart The second Note to try whether our affliction be sanctified to vs whether we haue profited by it is this If it haue caused vs to humble our selues vnder the hand of God that is vpon vs if it haue made vs sorrow and grieue that we haue offended God This is a singular fruit of affliction and he hath begun to profit by his affliction that finds this in himselfe for God is maruellously pleased with this to see men humbled when he hath shewed himselfe angry See the respect he had to Iosiah for this 2 Kings 22. 19 20. Because thy heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardst what I spake against this place behold therefore thine eyes shall not see all the euill that I will bring vpon this place Nay see what respect God had to Ahab for this or rather for an outward shew of this 1 Kings 21. 29. Seest thou bow Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring euill in his dayes This is the way to be rid of affliction 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time And on the other side God cannot endure the contempt of his iudgements to see vs merry and iocund when he is angry or to set light by his corrections Esa. 22.
of his fauour in the pardon of their sin Iob 9. 15. Esay 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastisement was vpon them Thirdly by forsaking their sinne whereby they had prouoked him and so remouing the cause of his displeasure Esay 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquitie of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of his sinne This course the Niniuites tooke Ionah 3. 8. The contrary is obserued as a note of a desperate sinner when in his affliction he neuer seekes to God Hos. 7. 14. They haue not cryed to me in their hearts when they howled vpon their beds Esay 9. 13. The people turneth not to him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hosts And 57. 17. I hid me and was angry yet they went away These men are like vnto vngracious Absolon 2. Sam. 13. 38. when his father was iustly prouoked he neuer sought to him but fled and went to Geshur and was three yeares there his father was readier to seeke to him than he vnto his father The fift note If it haue brought vs to vow vnto God greater obedience and care of our waies for the time to come Psalme 66. 14. Dauid speakes of vowes which his lips had promised and his mouth had spoken in his affliction And 61. 8. and 132. 1 2. Remember Dauid Lord with all his afflictions who sware vnto the Lord and vowed vnto the mighty God of Iacob c. and 119. 7. It is said of our blessed Sauiour himselfe Heb. 5. 8. Though hee were the Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered that is to say he shewed his obedience more then than before how much more should we Of Hezekiah it is said 2. Kings 20. 8. that he asked the Prophet What is the signe that the Lord will heale mee and that I shall goe vp the third day to the house of the Lord and the reason of the demand was because God had promised him verse 5. that he should doe so But if we compare that with Ezekiahs prayer Esay 38. 20. it will appeare that God had respect in that promise to the desire that Hezekiah had had and the vow that he had made in his affliction that he would loue the house of the Lord the better while he liued yea this the very light of nature hath taught men to doe the mariners that carried Ionah did so they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vowes Ionah 1. 16. The sixt note is If we be carefull to performe the vowes we haue made when our affliction is gone and past Most hypocrites haue many good motions and purposes and seeme to be new men in their afflictions but when Gods hand is remoued they returne to their old byas againe yea become worse than before An example we haue of this in Pharaoh oft times specially when he saw that the raine and the haile and the thunder were ceased he sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his seruants Ex. 9. 34. and in the wicked Israelites when he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God Psal. 78. 34. But on the other side the Elect are able to say they are the better for their afflictions afterwards as Dauid did Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue kept thy word Psal. 119. 67. And of all the chastisements God layeth on his children it is said that afterward they bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Heb. 12. 11. Let euery one therefore consider what he promised to God in the time of his affliction and how he hath kept promise with God since and thinke well of that speech of Salomon Eccles. 5. 3 4. When thou vowest a vow vnto God deferre not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fooles pay therefore that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than vow and not pay it THE EIGHTIE EIGHT LECTVRE ON APRILL XXIII MDCXI IOHN IIII. XLVIII XLIX L. Then said Iesus vnto him except yee see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue The Noble man saith Sir come downe ere my childe dye Iesus saith vnto him goe thy way thy sonne liueth and the man beleeued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and hee went his way WE haue already heard that from the beginning of the 46. verse to the end of the Chapter the Euangelist sets downe the History of the first miracle that our Sauiour wrought after his returne out of Iudea into Galile And that this History stands vpon foure parts first the occasion that was offered vnto Christ to doe this miracle secondly the manner how Christ wrought this miracle thirdly the fruit and effect of this miracle fourthly the conclusion of the story The occasion is set downe in the 46. and 47. verses which I finished the last day It followeth now that we proceed to the manner how this miracle was wrought which is contained in these words I haue now read vnto you And in setting downe this the Euangelist obserueth three things First the checke and reproofe that Christ gaue vnto this great man and to his whole Nation verse 48. Then said Iesus vnto him except yee see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue Secondly the answer this great man made to Christ when he had beene thus rebuked by him verse 49. The Ruler said vnto him Sir goe downe before my sonne dye Thirdly the comfort and satisfaction that Christ gaue vnto the Ruler after he had thus reproued him and receiued this answer from him verse 50. Iesus saith vnto him goe thy way thy son liueth First then we must obserue here the course that our Sauiour tooke with this great man Then when he saw him to be in great heauinesse for the extremity that his sonne was in Then when he saw him come in this humble manner vnto him to beseech him for helpe when one would haue thought he should haue pitied his case and spoken comfortably vnto him and commended and fostered those good beginnings that he saw in him and reioyced that he had so great a man come to him for helpe euen then I say doth hee take a quite contrary course with him he seemes to be not at all moued with his misery nor to regard his suit but in stead of comforting of him and helping him he checkes and rebukes him Then said Iesus vnto him except yee see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue As if he should say I can doe you no good except you had Faith and you neither thou nor thy Countrey-men haue any Faith no you will not beleeue you are obstinate in your infidelity God hath by his Word and by the Ministry of Iohn the Baptist sufficiently manifested me to be the Messias yet you will not beleeue his Word vnlesse you may haue miracles to confirme it yea I haue already by
reads in the Word though he see or feele little to perswade him to it yet he hath the promise Godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of the life to come this is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation for therefore we labour and suffer reproch because vpon this ground we trust in the liuing God c. 1 Timothie 4. 8 9 10. And this promise is of great force and account with him Hauing these promises let vs cleanse our selues 2 Corinth 7. 1. The third Vse of the Doctrine is for comfort to the godly that know they feare God vnfainedly and yet are often perplexed because all sensible tokens of his fauour both inward and outward are taken from them First in thy outward affliction and distresse acquaint thy selfe well with Gods promises made vnto thee namely such as that they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing Psalme 34. 10. Secondly assure thy selfe God with-holds from thee the sensible performance of them to prooue whether thou canst belieue though thou see not To humble thee and to proue thee and to know what was in thy heart whether thou wouldst keepe his commandements or no Deut. 8. 2. Thirdly giue thou glory to God in belieuing and say as Iob 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And all will be well assuredly If thou canst belieue all things are possible to him that belieueth Mark 9. 23. In the affliction of thy mind and losse of the feeling of Gods fauour first acquaint thy selfe with the promises Whom Christ euer loued he loues to the end Ioh. 13. 2. The gifts and callings of God such gifts and graces of God as do accompany an effectuall calling are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. He hath said I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Secondly rest assured God doth this for thy profit he alwayes chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Thirdly consider not too much of nor reason too much with thy temptation Abraham considered not thought not much vpon nor reasoned with or obiected against the promise of God his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred yeare old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe Rom. 4. 19. Fourthly though thou feele nothing yet say with Dauid Psal. 56. 10. In God will I praise his word in the Lord will I praise his word Lecture the ninetie one Iune 25. IOHN IIII. XLVIII IT remaines now that we proceed to the two last points obserued in this Verse The first thing then that we are now to obserue is this That our Sauiour chargeth the Iewes with obstinacy and aggrauates their infidelity by their wilfulnesse Ye will not belieue saith he And this ye shall find oft charged vpon them and made the chiefe cause of their reiection Iohn 5. 40. But ye will not come to me that ye might haue life And 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father you will doe Matth. 23. 37. How oft would I haue gathered you together as an Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings but ye would not Rom. 11. 25. Obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in They had had all good meanes to perswade them to belieue in Christ the Scriptures did beare witnesse vnto him and so did the Shepheards and Simeon and Anna and Iohn the Baptist and the miracles that Christ himselfe had wrought therefore it must needs be wilfulnesse and obstinacy in them that they did not belieue From hence then this Doctrine ariseth That this greatly aggrauateth euery sinne in the sight of God when it is committed with wilfulnesse and obstinacy When men sinne not of simple ignorance but God hauing giuen them the ordinary meanes of knowledge and faith and reformation of life they stand out against the meanes and will not be reclaimed Obserue the proofe and demonstration of this Doctrine in all the wayes whereby the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen and ye shall euer find he hates the man that sinnes wilfully against the meanes aboue all other First in the euerlasting punishment and torments of Hell Though Turkes and Pagans that neuer sinned wilfully against the meanes of grace shall be damned and therefore it is said Mar. 16. 16. He that belieueth not not he that will not belieue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be damned And 2 Thes. 1. 8 In flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that do not know God And Rom. 2. 12. As many as haue sinned without the Law shall perish also without the Law yet shall there be certainly in those euerlasting torments the least measure whereof shall be such as no heart of man is able to conceiue and because the least shall be vnconceaueably extreame and euerlasting it passeth mans reason to imagine how there should be any degrees in it great odds and difference And the Lord who is infinite in wisdome and iustice and power hath appointed farre more grieuous and fearefull torments in that Lake for them that haue sinned wilfully and obstinately against the means than for any other sinner This is plaine by that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 10. 15. of euery City that refuseth the Word Truly I say vnto you it shall be easier for them in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement than for that City And of Capernaum that did not refuse to heare but did wilfully refuse to belieue and obey the truth which they heard Matth. 11. 24. I say vnto you it shall be easier for the Land of Sodom in the day of iudgement than for thee And that of the Apostle Rom. 2. 8 9. Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Grecian And why of the Iew first or chiefly Because as I haue shewed you obstinacy is come vpon Israel their obstinacy against the meanes of grace which they had aboue the Grecian is the cause of it 2. In those corporall and temporall plagues that God is wont to bring vpon men in this life God shewes this also euidently in those he inflicteth vpon wicked men in their bodies and goods and good name in their children and posterity For first though God in this life shew wonderfull patience in bearing with sinners yet some he cannot forbeare till the life to come but Iames 1. 15. sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And the thing that makes vp the measure and perfection of sinne is this when men grow obstinate in sinne and will not be reclaimed Thus saith Daniel to Belthasar of the King his Father Dan. 5. 20. When his heart was puffed vp and his mind was hardened in pride he was deposed from his Kingly Throne and his heart was made like the beasts And this is so certaine a signe that some iudgement or
respect to my Name that it should not be polluted before the Heathen 2. God hath still a great people in the Land that feare him vnfainedly It is true that in many places he hath not so many as he hath had their numbers decrease very sensibly in sundry places yet hath he still a great people in the Land And this is another chiefe cause why the Lord spares the Land Gods people are a blessing vnto it thou shalt be a blessing Gen. 12. 2. As bad as Potiphars house was Gen. 39. 5. The Lord blessed it for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in the house and in the field Yea as bad as Sodome was if there had been but ten righteous men in it they had saued it Gen. 18. 32. And certainely of our Land it may be said that neither the wisedome of our Counsellors nor the valour of our Souldiers but as Iob 22. 30. The innocent haue deliuered the Iland and it hath beene preserued by the purenesse of their hand 3. There be many of Gods faithfull seruants that pray vnto him feruently day and night and so stand in the gap to keepe out Gods iudgements from the Land It is true fasting and prayer is not so much in vse as of old it was yet still is it vsed by many and this hath great force to keepe away Gods iudgements Psal. 106. 23. The Lord minded to destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach to turne away his wrath and Exod. 32. 10. the Lord saith vnto Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them 1. Euery man the more he sees iniquity to abound the more feruent should he be with God in prayer that so he may be one of those that stand in the gap to turne away his wrath The encrease of sin in the land should increase our feruency in prayer So did it in Moses Exod. 32. 11. and Num. 16. 4. And this the Lord lookes for at the hand of all his people Esay 59. 16. When he saw there was no man he wondered that none would offer himselfe Ezek. 22. 30. I sought for a man among them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I might not destroy it but I found none And this is the first thing we must doe in such euill times 2. Take so much the more heede to thy selfe that thou be not plucked away with the common errour 2. Pet. 3. 17. and that thy heart be not by little and little drawne to the liking of sin This is pure religion indeed to keepe our selues vnspotted from the world Iam. 1. 27. For it is a maruellous hard thing for a man not to receiue infection where sin is common Experience shewes how hard it is for a man that liues where swearing and drunkennesse or filthy talke or Sabbath breaking are in continuall vse to keepe his heart in the detestation of those sins Yea men shall be apt to thinke a sin to be no sin when he sees it to be in generall vse See the danger of this in two examples Ioseph had learned in Egypt to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15. And the Prophet complaines he was a man of vncleane lips because he dwelt among a people of vncleane lips Esay 6. 5. This must therefore cause vs to take the more heed to our soules Ephes. 5. 15 16. Take heed you walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the times because the dayes are euill Men must do in this case as they that liue in London when the plague is very rife they seeke preseruatiues and go not abroad without their Pomanders nor till they haue eaten and drunke some thing that may preserue them The worse the times are and the lesse comfort thou hast in them the neerer shouldst thou draw to God when the Prophet had spoken in the two former verses of the extreme badnesse of the times he liued in see what vse he makes of it therefore will I looke vnto the Lord I will wait vpon the God of my saluation My God will heare me Mich. 7. 7. the worse the places are thou liuest in the more diligently shouldest thou giue thy selfe to reading and hearing and prayer Obadia liuing in Ahabs house made vse of Gods Prophets in priuate 1. King 18. 4. And Daniel while he liued in the Court of Darius was giuen much to secret prayer Dan. 6. 10. They that liue now in such like places and giue themselues neuer the more to praying or reading declare plainely they haue no care of their soules 3. The third duty is that the worse the times are and places we be in the more carefull we should be to preserue others from the common infection Ministers must so much the more vehemently reproue sin by how much the more common it growes to be in the place where they liue Titus 1. 12. The Cretians are alwaies lyars euill beasts c. It is Vitium gentis Therefore vers 13. rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the Faith Parents and Masters should do in such times as Ioshua did he resolued thus with himselfe but as for me and my house we will serue the Lord Iosh. 24. 15. So one Christian should the rather stirre vp another as they that feared God did Mal. 3. 16. The third and the last Vse of the Doctrine is for comfort and encouragement of the godly that are euery where hated for nothing so much as for this that they will not be content to do as their neighbours do they thinke it strange that yee run not with them into the same excesse of riot speaking euill of you 1. Pet. 4. 4. and good soules they are oft ready to faint and giue ouer an holy course euen for this as euen Elia himselfe was 1. King 19. 10. because they are alone I will therefore giue vnto such some encouragements out of Gods Word to confirme and comfort them against this temptation 1. Remember the Commandement of God so oft giuen to his people in his word to separate themselues from the world and be vnlike to them The Lord instructed me that I should not walke in the way of this people saying Say not yee a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say A confederacy Esay 8. 11 12. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2. Cor. 6. 17 18. 2. Remember the necessity that lieth vpon thee that thou must do otherwise than they do or thou must perish Better it is to go to heauen alone and with the ill will of all thy neighbours than to go to Hell with company and with the loue of all men Indeed you should desire their loue and to haue
with hardnesse of heart Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would haue purged thee from thy filthinesse and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee The fifth and last Reason to disswade from this putting off our repentance is this That though a man were sure God would both giue him as good meanes of grace as euer he had in his age or last sicknesse and also worke effectually with them to his vnfained conuersion yet can he not ordinarily haue that comfort in it as he might haue had if he had been conuerted sooner First in respect of the cause and fountaine from whence this change of his doth spring For he shall haue cause to doubt and feare that his repentance proceeds rather from a seruile feare of Gods iudgements than a sincere loue of God himselfe Many we know haue seemed in affliction very penitent whose hearts haue proued very vnsound When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied vnto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his couenant Psal. 78. 34 37. Secondly in respect of the fruits of repentance which are a singular testimonie and euidence of the sinceritie thereof and consequently a principall means of comfort Bring forth fruits meet for repentance saith Iohn Baptist to his hearers Mat. 3. 8. This was Pauls great comfort Our reioycing is this euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this he saith will be a great comfort to euery man when he can approue the truth of his repentance by his works and conuersation Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe alone and not in another Gal. 6. 4. A great part of this comfort they are depriued of that die so soone as they haue begun to repent Thirdly in respect of the Lords acceptance for he shall haue cause to doubt and fear lest when he hath bestowed on Sin and Satan all the best of his time the Lord should refuse to accept of the dregs and refuse of it according to that If ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not euill and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not euill ye brought that which was torne and the lame and the sick thus ye brought an offring should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord Mal. 1. 8 13. Lecture the ninetie sixt August 11. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. WE haue already heard that in this Verse is set downe the comfort and satisfaction it pleased Christ to giue to this Noble-man after he had rebuked him in these words Iesus said vnto him go thy way thy sonne liueth And herein the goodnesse of Christ is to be obserued in two points First that he shewed his diuine power in the cure euen of a bodily infirmitie Secondly that he did it at the request of a man that was so weake in Faith as this Ruler was This is I say first to be obserued that our Sauiour here shewed his Diuine power in the cure of a bodily disease And because this is the first time that mention is made of a miracle of this kind in the harmony of the Gospell and it is afterward oft spoken of we will here once for all consider and handle this point as the Doctrine which this Text giues vs direct occasion to obserue That our Sauiour in the dayes of his flesh shewed his diuine power no way so much as in curing the bodies of men This is a point worthy to be obserued That whereas our Sauiour was sent into the world not to doe the office of a Chyrurgion or Physitian to the bodies of men but to giue life and saluation to their soules God sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that whosoeuer belieues in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3. 16. and had the name of Iesus a Sauiour giuen vnto him in no other respect but because he should saue his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. and therefore also when he giues himselfe the title of a Physitian he expounds himselfe and saith he was a Physitian not for the body but for the soule the physick he had to giue serued to cure the soule of sinne by calling men to repentance Mat. 9. 12 13. Yet for all that if we looke into the story of his life we shall find that for one man whose soule he cured by bringing him vnto repentance there were many whose bodies he helped and restored vnto health yea that the most of all the miracles that he wrought vpon earth were done in the curing of the bodies of men Indeed after his resurrection and ascension he declared his power wonderfully in curing and conuerting the soules of men as Peter speaketh Acts 3. 26. God hath raised vp his Sonne Iesus and hâ—…â—…e hath sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities Aâ—… 〈◊〉 31. Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes But in the dayes of his flesh he did performe the part of a Physitian for the body rather than for the soule for he did most diligently and carefully exercise himâ—…e in dâ—…ng cures vpon the bodies of men This you shall the better vnderstand if you will marke sixe points which I haue obserued in these cures that ouâ—… Sauiour wrought which I will run ouer as fast as I can First the persons whom he cured he refused none that came vnto him for helpe he excepted against none Mat. 12. 15. Great multitudes followed him and he healed them all Yea Luke 4. 40. He laid his hands on euery one of them and healed them Secondly the diseases themselues that he cured Agues Mat. 8. 15. palsies Mat. 9. 2. dropsies Luke 14. 2. leprosies Luke 5. 12. issues of bloud Mat. 9. 20. blindnesse Iohn 9. 1. deafenesse Mar. 7. 32. dumbnesse Matth. 15. 30. lamenesse Mat. 21. 14. lunacy Mat. 4. 24. In a word there was no kind of disease whatsoeuer that he refused or failed to helpe men of that came vnto him for helpe Mat. 4. 23. He healed euery sicknesse and euery disease among the people Thirdly obserue the time he tooke for curing of men he neglected no opportunity to do it he cured very many on the Sabbath dayes Luke 13. 14. yea after he had spent himselfe by preaching in the Synagogue at Capernaum vpon a Sabbath day yet when Euen was come and the Sun was downe they brought to him all that were diseased thereabout and he healed them Mar. 1. 32. Yea the Euangelist Luke speaking of that very miracle Luke 4. 40.