so absolute a Soveraign that when he hath manifested his good pleasure all should be husht and ended and therefore after that he which will fume and take on doth offer indignity to God and neglect his due subjection to that Soveraign Prince of his life whom he ought above all things to regard And so much for the abuse of those holy things which are intermingled with our common affairs Now it follows to speak of the dishonour done to God in disordering of our common actions so far as they touch himself and the things by which he hath manifested himself to us Now these are 1. Inward 2. Outward Inward in regard of Gods Works or our own In regard of Gods works first by ascribing them wholly and principally to other causes without taking any notice of him at least any diligent notice As for example First To Fortune or Chance good or bad if a man go and finde a thing of price to his enriching or so have any other sudden and unexpected benefit coming unto him this he doth in his minde ascribe to good luck and saith that he had great good fortune Contrarily if he go on the way and there lose something of value and price he storms and saith he had bad luck or if any occurrent fals out that disappoints his present hopes he in his minde looks no higher but thinks it ill luck as the Priests of the Philistines told the Princes that if the Kine did not carry the Ark directly towards the way of Bethshemesh then all the misery which had befaln them by Mice and Emerods was but some chance that had befaln them Again men impute Gods works sometimes to the course of nature so as to thrust out him the Authour of Nature or else to tie him to any inferiour cause in nature Thus the Atheist saies it comes by nature that some years are unseasonable and some again seasonable Nature is Gods instrument being nothing else but that common course which he hath established in things if men therefore would from nature ascend higher to the Authour Maker Ordainer of nature which hath by his great wisdome established that course herein they would not sin for God doth work things according to his own determination by usual and natural means most commonly but to be so intentive to nature as to have no thought or but weak few and slender thoughts of God this is a grievous profaning of his Name A third thing which men do impute Gods works to to his dishonour is their friends and foes their benefactors out of good will and their malicious adversaries out of their uncharitableness as the Israelites looked to Assur not to God in whose hand Assur was as a rod and contrarily being succoured by their well-willers they ascribed all to their policy wisdome and friendship Lastly Men ascribe things to their own wisdome care industry pains courage thinking within themselves that their hand hath gotten much that their sword hath saved them as the King of Assur boasted what great matters he had done and Nebuchadnezzar boasted that it was great Babel which he had built Now when any of these things fortune nature our friends our foes our selves are so thrust betwixt God and us that we see not God because of our fond doating on these either feigned or subordinate causes here God is exceedingly dishonoured Another way of dishonouring God in his works is by perverting them to evil and vile purposes and ends 1. By hardening our selves in our sins from his long-suffering patience and forbearance as Solomon saith most men do because sentence against sinners is not speedily executed therefore are they fully bent upon mischief and as the Apostle chargeth them Rom. 2. to heap up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath by turning Gods grace thus into wantonness 2. When men charge Gods actions with unjustice and so either deny or blemish his providence especially in case of crosses befalling them so taking occasion to murmure and be impatient as Iob was by fits and as it is often seen in good men but most of all in bad as they said Where is the God of judgement When men take occasion from any of Gods works to repine against or entertain hard conceits of him this is a grievous sin and a dishonouring of him in his works 3. When men grow proud of his benefits thinking highly of themselves because of those good things he hath undeservedly bestowed upon them and are lifted up as if they had not received them for God gives his mercies to better purposes then to swell the heart as some man because he hath wealth thinks himself better then all that have less thinks that he may be dispensed with in sins that he should not be called upon to such and such duties and contemns others in comparison of himself So did Nebuchadnezzar abuse Gods advancement of him to be lifted up yea Davids heart was somewhat lifted up and be grew secure and therefore proud and Uzziah also for this is a disease marvellous hard to escape which is the true cause why the Lord is fain to be narrow-handed toward his servants in regard of these things because he would not have this pernicious disease to grow upon them and sees that out of abundance it would come forth such is their weaknesse The last abuse of Gods works is by hardening our hearts against them and a wilful refusing to be brought unto that amendment which we might if we would see plainly that he intends as Pharaoh hardened his heart against the wonderful works done by Moses and the wicked Pharisees hardened their hearts against all Christs miracles then which what greater despight can we offer to God to resolve we will not go though he leade and though he drive us or that we will go on though he hold us back with a kinde of violence And these be the principal waieâ— of dishonouring God in his works 2. We dishonour him in our works by mis-intending them either to ends lawful in excessivenesse or to unlawful ends as for example when men labour in their calling onely or chiefly to be rich when men do eat onely to fill the belly most of all if men do these for wrong ends as to do a work in ones calling to anger another or the like for herein we do sinfully pervert the order that should be observed and cast our eyes from him upon whom they should alwaies be fixed as Iehu in exalting of justice in Ahabs family aimed at nothing but the lifting up of himself and establishing the Kingdome to his own house This is a living to ones self and a serving of ones self whereas we ought no longer to live to our selves but to him which hath redeemed us The common sin of mankinde and that which doth stain and defile all the Moralities of unsanctified men causing that those things of theirs are abominable before God which to men carry the most glorious appearances
Conversion and Free-will I. Of Conversion COnversion is a coming back again to God from whom one departed by sin Hos. 14. 1. Turning is a word borrowed from Travellers who being out of the way get into it again by turning that is by leaving the way in which they did walk and taking another different way from it contrary to it if one have gone the quite contrary way There is first Habitual Conversion the first infusion of life and habits of grace conversion from a state of sin Act. 3. 19. Secondly Actual the souls beginning to act from that life and those habits a conversion from some particular grosse acts of sinne Luke 22. 32. It is so called because of the great breach grosse sins make on ones Justification 1. Puts a damp on all his graces Psal. 51. 10. 2. There is a suspension of all the comforts of grace vers 12. so that one may be said Quodammodo excidere in respect of the use and comfort Isa. 63. 10 17. Mans aversion from God by sinne and conversion to God by grace is the summe of all Divinity A sinner departs from God two wayes 1. As the chief good 2. As the utmost end therefore conversion is a change of these two when one makes God his chiefest good and his glory his utmost end A man in turning to God First Makes God the chief good 1. If he make him the chief object of his contemplation Psal. 139. 17. Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also 2. If he choose him as his portion Iosh. 24. 22. Psal. 119 57. 3. If he desire all things else in subordination to him Prov. 30. 8. sine summo bono nil bonum 4. Judgeth of all times or persons according as they have this good or are serviceable for it 5. Fears sin above all things which will separate between God and him Secondly He makes Gods glory his chiefest end this is Gods end Prov. 16. He makes God the utmost end of his being Rom. 14. 8. and acting 1 Cor. 10. 31. Rom. 11. 30. From him as the first cause To him as the last end God is our chiefest good therefore must be our utmost end See Psal. 73. 25 26. It is the first Question in the Assemblies Catechism What ought to be the chiefest and highest end of every man in this life The Properties and Qualities which ought to be found in true Conversion It must be 1. Present and seasonable While it is called to day call upon the Lord while he is near and seek him while he may be found The present time is the only time of converting not the future now at this instant time God offers mercy exhorts cals To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts the future time is uncertain we cannot assure our selves of another hour We have many examples daily of the falshood of late repentance The longer we defer it the more difficult it will be as a sore without a plaister the more hardly it is healed 2. Universal or General we must turn from all sinne without exception or reservation of any and chiefly from our own sins Grace is called Light Leaven The Law of God forbiddeth all sinne God hateth all sin Christ died for all sin the conscience condemneth all sin and in our Covenant with God we renounced all sinne Cast away all your transgressions hate every false way 3. It must be hearty sincere unfeigned God complains of some that turned unto him feignedly 4. Constant persevering to the end a continuing still more and more to convert a daily renewing these acts and reforming our faults we must cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart The order and manner of this work how and in what measure it is wrought in the Saints First The Doctrine of the Gospel is propounded and made known in both the parts of it viz. that which concerns mans misery in himself and the perfect and only remedy in Christ to all penitent sinners Secondly The soul is enlightened and enabled to assent unto this Doctrine Thirdly It is yet further stirred up to consider of this Doctrine so beleeved and to give heed to it as Lydias minde was wrought upon when Paul preacht Fourthly It begins to apply that Doctrine to it self so farre as to be affected with the sense of its misery but so as there is wrought also a hope of getting out of this misery and a perswasion that he shall be accepted and hereupon follows conversion For he that sees himself in an ill state and sees also a certain way out of it being perswaded that he may by such and such means escape and avoid will undoubtedly apply himself to seek his own good and the Spirit of God by working this perswasion converts the soul We may plainly see this order in Davids renewing of his conversion after his sinne and in the hearers of Peters Sermon Act. 2. where first they heard and marked Peter then were pricked in heart then asked What they must do to be saved and being instructed by Peter to convert did so and were saved Marks or Signs of Conversion 1. Such a one hath had experience of the discovery of sinne as the greatest evil and of misery to himself by sin Sin revived and I died 2. The Lord hath wrought in him a glorious discovery of Christ and an instinct after union with him which is faith Phil 3. 10. 3. He is brought under the guidance and power of the Spirit Ioh. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Mat. 11. 5. Gospellized brought under the power of it hath a spiritual bent in his soul a new principle new ends 2 Cor. 5. 17. He sees things with another eye He hath a new law planted within him which will make all duties easie and sweet to him Ier. 31. 33. 4. He is made like to God every Saint is a living Image of God He will love persons the more he seeth of God in them and Ordinances the more pure they are 5. Where there is life there will be growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. they will grow up as willows as calves of the stall Mal. 4. True Conversion differs from false 1. In the efficient cause for first the true spring comes from the Spirit of God by means of faith in the Gospel stirring up a desire of Gods favour and freedome from sinne for attaining that favour the false from a natural desire of ones welfare that he may escape the punishment of sin 2. In the formal or manner of doing true Conversion is a willing and deliberate act out of choice false a forcible act done out of compulsion 3. Final the true seeks to please God the false to ease it self Motives to and Means of Conversion By Motives I mean certain considerations and arguments that in all reason should prevail to make men resolve upon the work By Means some things tending to enable men the better to do it when they have
it come to enjoy God which doth eminently contain all good in him it can never come to have full satisfaction Light was the first thing in the Creation and so in the new Creature Eph. 4. 23. he hath a new judgement speculative and practical 1. Speculative he apprehends and discerns those Reasons and Arguments against sin and for grace more then ever he did he is amazed to consider what darknesse and folly he lived in before 1 Cor. 2. 15. 2. Practical He applies the things he knows for his humiliation and exercise he so knoweth truths that he loves them and delights in them he knows them experimentally Conversion of a man is a Divine teaching of him Isa. 54. 13. Ierem. 31. 44. Iohn 6. 45. The Properties of this teaching 1. It is necessary without this all other teaching is in vain David often prayes that God would teach him his statutes open his eyes the Ministers teach the ear God the heart 2. Efficacious Iob 36. 22. 3. Clear and distinct hence Gods Word is called a Light and it is called the riches of the assurance of understanding 4. Practical it is an acknowledgement after godlinesse Verba Scripturae non sunt verba legenda sed vivenda said Luther 5. Abundant under the Gospel All shall know me from the greatest to the least Knowledge shall cover the earth as the waters do the Sea A great part of Conversion lieth in the renewing of the minde Rom. 12. 2. Ephes. 1. 17 18. Phil. 1. 4. This renewing consists First In Knowledge and that 1. Doctrinally of the truths to be beleeved this is the very foundation and that which is called historical faith that is a knowledge with an Assent to those truths which are recorded in Scripture many may have this and more which yet are not converted but yet where Conversion is this must necessarily precede 1 Cor. 2. 2. Whom God converts he enlightens Iohn 6. 45. 1 Cor. 8. 2. mans whole Conversion is called a teaching 2. Practically partly of our own filthinesse Iohn 3. it was necessary for Nicodemus to know his natural filthinesse partly of Christ sinne will overwhelm the soul without this Rom. 7. 24 25. Ephes. 1. 19 20. one must know his own poverty and Christs riches his own guilt and his satisfaction 3. It makes the heart beleeve and assent to these truths the understanding doth not only need converting grace to turn but to assent and firmly to adhere to the truths revealed to the promises manifested for the heart doth not turn to God by knowing the promises but by firm relying on them and this is that which is called trusting so much in the Psalms 4. The judgement is induced to approve of Gods Word his precepts and promises aâ— the best He accounts those things best and worst which the Word doth The converted man esteems of Gods favour and freedom from corruption more then all the glory and riches of the world 5. The minde is in part sanctified in regard of the thoughts they were roving distracted impertinent and very frothy now the minde is renewed about them so that it hath more holy thoughts more composed more profitable and united in all duties and performances more low thoughts of our selves and high thoughts of Christ. 6. It looketh then only to Gods Word My sheep hear my voice To the Law and the Testimony 7. Their minde is renewed in respect of consultations Paul consulted not with flesh and bloud he subjects all to the glory of God and this Word 8. He invents holy purposes means and wayes to propagate Gods glory 9. He discerns things that differ Rom. 12. 7. CHAP. XV. Of the Sanctification of the Will GODS great work in Conversion is in the Will Isa. 1. 19. Revel 22. 17. Ps. 110. 3. Ephes. 1. 19. when ever he converts the soul he subdues the Will 1 Chron. 28. 9. Phil. 2. 13. Grace is a resignation of our selves to the will of God Rom. 6. 17. 2 Cor. 8. 10. Though the will of man be subdued in conversion and made free yet it is not perfectly made free as a degree of blindnesse that remains in the Understanding so a degree of bondage in the Will The work of Conversion is never perfected till the will be gained it begins in the mind Ephes. 4. 23. but ends in the will Deut. â—0 6. All liberty must proceed from Liberum judicium a judgement of the understanding not mislead by sensitive objects Aquinas The Will is renewed in a godly man in these particulars 1. It is made flexible so Paul when he was converted Lord what wilt thou have me to do Psal. 40. 8. 143. 10. This Will is broken which before was contumacious and stubborn Isa. 11. 6. 2. Tender it was hardened before this is implied in that a fat heart that hath no sense or feeling either of Gods displeasure or the fearful eâ—â—aâ—e it is in the man converted hath a heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. which is opposed there to a stony heart that is senslesse and stupid 3. It is moved upon pure motives for the holinesse of the precepts David prizeth Gods Word above thousands of Gold and Silver for the spiritual profit of it it would quicken and enlarge his heart support him in afflictions 4. It is established and setled in a good way the honest heart holds fast the Word of God cleaves to the Lord with full purpose of heart 5. It is made efficacious and fervent in holy things their services are free-will offerings 1 Chron. 29. 14. Rom. 7. 18. 6. In regard of its acts 1. In its election and choice it is sanctified preferring holy and eternal things before sinne and temporal Heb. 11. Moses chose the reproaches of Christ before the treasures of Aegypt Election is an act of the Will about the means and answereth to consultation in the Understanding 2. In its consent it consents to God and Christ Isa. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rom. 7. 16. 3. In regard of the power it hath over the other faculties for it commands the other powers of the soul as on the understanding to make it think and reason about this or that 2 Pet. 3. 5. it sets the understanding on searching the truth and finding it out and the Will delights it self in good things 7. It is adorned with those habitual graces which are necessary for it 1. Fiducial recumbency and trusting in God the Will renewed rolâ— it self upon Jesus Christ and hath confidence and boldnesse 2. Love to God above all other things therefore he saith I will circumcise you that you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart 3. A divine hope which keepeth up the soul in all difficulties Lam. 3. 13. Obedience is the vertue of the will by which it is flexible to Gods will in all things and for his sake Here Coeca obedientia blinde absolute obedience is as necessary and commendable as in Friars to their Superiours it is
innocency and compass thine Altar A man must bring an undefiled spirit if he will pray he must work his heart to sorrow and resolution to amend his late sins for he cannot be welcome into Gods presence that is not cleansed from his wickedness or hateth to be reformed we must be pure if we will come into Gods presence 3. Prayer to God for his blessing must be prefixed to all religious services for our better inabling thereto for of our selves we can do nothing all our sufficiency comes from him who hath promised to hear us when we pray and to grant our petitions so that without seeking a blessing we cannot expect to finde it and therefore the Apostlē saith that all things are sanctified unto us by prayer even exercises of Religion the Word the Sacraments and the like yea and Prayer too by praying God first for his Spirit of Prayer Therefore he that will serve God aright must first crave his help and grace to serve him The fourth and last part of common preparation is by a preconsideration of the exceeding greatness of the Lord before whom we come and of our vileness baseness unworthiness to come before him that so we may be rightly affected with the regard of him Levit. 26. 2. So Cornelius saith that he and the rest were all there before God to hear what Peter should say unto them they had considered with themselves that God came to speak unto them and that they came to hear him for in what service we do not make account that we have to deal with the Lord our God and Maker and do not put our selves in minde what a one he is we shall not carry our selves aright towards him Abraham said he was dust and ashes when he prayed to God therefore the Lord hath set down a Preface before the Lords Prayer acquainting us what a one God is because by the thinking of him and striving to bring our hearts to conceive of him as such a one we should be better fitted to make the requests and supplications following the heart then must put it self in minde what it goes about and to whom it tenders a service I come before the Lord Almighty that hath my soul in his hand to hear him speak to me or to speak to him I draw near to the King of Heaven and Earth I present my self before his face let me frame my self so as befits his holy and all-searching eyes And this is the common preparation for our religious duties Now special preparation for special services follows to be spoken of that is to the Word to Prayer to the Sacraments and to a Vow For the Word The heart is to be framed to a resolution of obeying it in all things this is the honest and good heart whereof our Saviour makes mention in describing the good ground concerning this it is that our Lord saith again If you will do my will you shall know it This will give a man a good memory and a good judgement and the Lord to recompence this obedient resolution will become as he hath promised a Teacher to the humble so shall he be taught of God that comes with a firm purpose to be guided by God and that in all things Before you come to Church you should spend some time with your hearts to encline them and bow them to the testimonies of God and to say unto your selves I am going to hear what the Lord will say unto me seeing he is my Maker I will not harden my heart against him but I will be ready to know what he teacheth and not gainsay any thing that shall to my conscience appear truth and I will undoubtedly yeeld to that I know in practice for it is the word of him that is Lord of the spirits of all flesh then will the Word be powerful to make us able when we resolve before whatever it be to be willing 2. Before Prayer a threefold consideration is necessary of our special wants and sins and benefits that we may accordingly mention them in our Prayers The Lord hath promised he will grant us whatsoever we shall ask we must bethink our selves therefore what be those things that for our present estate we do stand in need of What sins had need to be pardoned and healed what benefits continued or new given and what we have already to give thanks for that we may with more earnestness pray when we know for what we will pray In the next place we must consider of Gods gracious promises that he hath made unto us to help and of his exceeding mercy goodness and power by which we are sure he is able and willing to help even of those Excellencies of God which the title Our Father which art in Heaven doth offer unto our consideration but principally Gods promise to hear and accept is to fill our mindes when we come before him as suppliants Thirdly For the Sacraments the special preparation is 1. By examining and judging our selves as the Apostle speaks that is a more narrow and diligent search for our estate and for our particular offences if we have forgotten any if through carelesnesse or guile we have let passe the sight and acknowledgment of any that now the old leaven may be cast out So saith the Apostle Examine your selves and again If we would judge our selves God would not judge us 2. We must labour to get a good appetite to this spiritual food to stir up in our selves an earnest hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits there God cals all that thirst to come and eat As a good stomack is a necessary preparation to our natural meals so to these spiritual meals is a good desire and longing for the grace there offered remission of sinnes past and power to live more blamelesly and holily hereafter Then when a man hath by special examination and judging himself found out his faults and humbled himself for them and also hath brought his heart to long for Christ Jesus to be his Saviour and to save him from the punishment and power of them by his body and bloud he is now fit to come to the Lords Table 3 He must meditate on Christs sufferings Lastly For a vow because this is a very solemn bond betwixt God and us I speak it not of imposed vows but assumed wherein we enter it behoves us very carefully to weigh the nature of the thing and our sufficiency for the same that we may not be rash with our lips to speak before our Maker which is principally spoken of vowing by Salomon for better not vow then not perform for want of which care many men have so intangled themselves as their vows have been occasion of exceeding much misery unto them as we have one fearful example for all in Iephta who though he did not so bad as is vulgarly thought for can any man imagine that the newly reformed Church of Israel at that time after so
excogitatum est commentum nullius momenti ponderis ubi enim in tota Scriptura reperient aliquid esse peccatum quod sit praeter legem nisi fortè opera supererogationis esse peccata venialia censeant quae praeter legis mandata esse dicunt Certè furari obolum quod exemplum Bellarminus affert directè pugnat Contra mandatum non furaberis Mentiri vel jocosè vel officiosè est contra mandatum non dices falsum testimonium Johannes Fisherus Roffensis Episc. planè Luthero concessit peccatum esse veniale tantùm ex misericordia Dei. Venialia appellantur quaedam peccata ab eventu quia condonantur non quod per se venia digna sint Agnoscimus Joannem 1 Io. 5. 17. distinguere inter peccatum ad mortem non ad mortem sed in hac oppositione per peccatum ad mortem non intelligit quod mortem non meretur sed in quo aliquis non moritur vel quod taâ—c non est ex quo peccator non possit revocari ad meliorem mentem Si autem intelligi hoc deberet de peccato mortali quod Pontificii à veniali distinguunt sequeretur nullas preces fieri debere in Ecclesia nisi pro iis qui vemaliter peccaut quod ipsi absurdum judicabunt ut contrarium sua praxi confirmant Riveti Cathol Orthod Tract quart quaest 13. This place Bellarmine urgeth De amiss grat statu peccati l. 1. c. 9. Bellarmin ubi supra The Papists have devised smoaky distinctions of peccatum simpliciter and secundum quid they say Venial sinne is not properly sin but imperfectly and analogically no transgression but praetergression of the divine Law and that it is pardoned without repentance even by the outward sprinkling of holy water Omnis transgressio legis est quiddam admissum contra legem sed omne peccatum est transgressio legis divinae 1 Joan. 3. 4. Peccatum est dictum vel factum vel concupitum contra legem Dei Augustinus contra Faustum lib. 22. cap. 27. Sic Bernardus Omne peccatum contra legem Dei praesumitur de praecepto dispens cap. 14. Sic inter ipsos Pontificios Durandus Gerson Vega aliique Vide Bellarm. de Iustif. l. 4. c. 13. 2. Omnia peccata venialia â—ege divina prohibentur ergò sunt contra legem 3. Rectae rationi adversantur recta ratio enim dictat verba otâ—â—sa cogitationes inordinatas esse mala illicita fugiâ—uda ergo contrariantur legi divinae Episc. Dav. de justitia actuali c. 48. Vide plura ibid. Perkins Cas. of Consc. In peccato nihil positivum say the Schoolmen Vide Calvin Institut l. 2. c. 4. God is not the Author of that whereof he is Ultor Fulgentius Actor in malo not Author mali Vix ullus unquam extitit adeò superlativè impius qui asseruit Deum esse authorem peccati seâ— mali moralis ut sumitur pro malitia ipsa nec Ethnicus quidem nedum Christianus Barlow Exercit. 2. * Bellar. de amissâ—grat statu peccati lib. 2. cap. 2 3 4 c. Rhem. Annot. in Mat. 6. 13. Jam. 1. 13. Papistae clamitant à Catholicis sieri Deum authorem peccati maximè Calvino Martyre Beza hos enim docuisse illum authorem esse omnium scelerum flagitiorum Bellarminus praesatione in controversias quidem ita authorem ut cor hominis impâ—llat incitet ad malefaciendum adeò ut incestus Absolomis verè uerit illius opus Chamier â—om 1 lib. 3. cap. 1. de Script Vide Whitak c. 1. q. 5. controv c. 7. Non est eadem ratio futurorum bonorum malorum bona enim sunt ex vir tute positiva quae semper cum suis effect is ab efficaci Dei voluntate fluit sed mala ex defectu sunt oriunda atque adcò quà talia non pendent ab efficaci aliquo decreto Quicquid haâ—ent entis positivi ab efficaci decreto pendetâ— quicquid purae negationis ex ejusdem decret negatione sequi-i tur quicquid verò prâ—â—ationis pravitatis in sese continent peccatoribus ipsis debetur in solidum Rescrip Ames ad responsum Grevinchov c. 13. Vide plura ibid. Malâ—m esâ—e bonum est saith Austinâ— And again Non fit aliquid nisi omnipotens fieri velit vel sinendo ut fiat vel ipse faciendo Peccatum sieri Deo permittente bonum est saith Bellarmine The Arminians have blasphemous expressions Qui non vetat peccaâ—â— cum potest jubet say they Why doth God complain of sin he might have kept it out of the world See Mâ— Manton on Iam. 1 13. from p. 100. to 105. God hardened Pharaohs heart Exod. 4. 21. 10. 1. 1. He infused no hardness nor stirred up the inward propension in him to evil neither did he harden him by bare prescience or by an idle permission it was Gods will that Pharaoh should be hardened and he disposed all his providences to that end He withdrew his grace and left him loose to the swinge of his own heart Psal. 81. 1â— 1 Sam. 16. 14. He delivered him up to the power of Satan 1 King 22 22. Hic nodus sic solvetur si dicamus per mala statuta vel intelligi leges Ethnicorum quibus Deus iratus popuiam suum subjecerat idque videtur innuere oppositio versus vicâ—simi tertii ubi Deus dicit se dedisse populo suo statuta quae quisquis impleverit vivet per ea opponens malas istas leges suae legi vel si dicamus per mala statuta intelligi legem Dei moralem caerâ—monialem quae quidem mala vocari potest accipiendo malum non pro injusto sed pro noxio in perniciâ—m cessuro Huic interpretationi adstipulatur subjecta clausula Additur enim Statuta per quae non posâ—ent vivere Nam per legis impletionem nemo unquam salutem adeptus est Molin Enodat gravis Quaest. 1. cap. 2. de Dei Providentia Mentem iis ademi ita ut meis legibus contemptis ipsi sibi leges facerent duras atque mortiferas ita Chaldaeus hic Grotius Mr Arâ—her indeed saith That God is not only the Author of sin but also of the sinfulnesse the very Formality the Anomy the Ataxy the Pravity of sinne whence his Book was burnt Numb 31. 16. Dan. 3. 4 5. 1 Sam. 22. 18. Act 23. 23. 1 Sam. 11. 15. 1 King 21. 10. 1 Sam. 22. 18. Hab. 2. 15. Athaliah counselled her son to do evil Communicating in our Congregations with ignorant and prophane people makes us not partakers of their sins Communion is a common union their sins are not the common thing we are united then in Vide Bellarm. de statu peccati l 6. c. 9 10 11 12 13 14. Poena est aliquid damnosum quod infligitur ob peccatum Cameron dâ— Eccles. â—ain is so allied to sinne that in the Hebrew Tongue one word signifies both that in
brought to a sense of his sin and to repentance for it Matth. 21. 31. 2. In the life to come because they have sinned against greater means and light they shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 11. 24. Many an hypocrite will 1. Constantly hear and frequent the best Ministry Isa. 58. 2. Ezek 33. 31 32. 2. Will keep a constant course in prayer and that not in ordinary prayer only but even in extraordinary too Luke 18. 12. compare Zach. 7. 5. 8. 19. together 3. Is a strict observer of the Sabbath day Luke 13. 14 15. Iohn 5. 10. 4. Loveth the sincerity of Religion and hateth Popery will-worship and idolatry with all the reliques and monuments of it Rom. 2. 22 23. 5. Goeth a great deal farther in the reformation of his life then the civil man doth 2 Pet. 2. 20. Luke 11. 42. We should labour for a spirit without guile Psal. 2. 2. That spirit is 1. An humble spirit before in and after duty 2. An honest spirit carried equally against all sin 3. A plain spirit Idlenesse Idlenesse is a vice of spending time unprofitably It is vivi hominis sepultura Salomon often condemneth sluggishnesse Prov. 6. 9 10 11. which saying he repeats again Proverbs 24. see Proverbs 20. 13. An idle man is a burden to himself a prey to Satan the devils cushion semper aliquid age ut te diabolus inveniat occupatum A grief to Gods Spirit Ephes. â— 28. 30. Bodily sloth you cannot bear and soul-sloth Christ cannot bear Matthew 25. 26. Sins accompanying idlenesse 1. Inordinate walking 2 Thess. 3. 11 12. 2. Talebearing 1 Tim. 5. 13. Prov. 11. 13. 3. Theft Ephes. 4. 28. 2 Thess. 3. 12. 4. Drunkennesse Amos 6. 1. 5. Filthinesse see 2 Sam. 11. Ezek. 16. 49. Idlenesse is the mother and nurse of lust Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est desidiosus erat Otia si tollas periere cupidinis arcus Ovid. Water standing still will putrifie and breed toads and venemous things so ease will breed diseases The punishments of idlenesse 1. Diseases Cernis at ignavum corrumpunt otia corpus 2. Dulnesse idlenesse is the rust of wit 3. Poverty Prov. 10. 4. 20. 13 19. 6. 10 11. 24. 34. 4. Shame Prov. 10. 5. 6. 6. 12. 11. It is against the order of nature which God set in all his creatures at the first the heavens stand not still but by miracle Adam laboured in Paradise much more since the fall Iob 5. 7. The rust fretteth unused iron and the mothes eat unworn garments This is the sin of great persons who â—â—ve received great mercies from God Cretians idle slow-bellies This sin is condemned 1. Exceedingly in the word by Salomon Prov. Eccles. Isaiah and by Paul and in morall Philosophy 2. It is a mother-sin as was shewed before 3. Produceth many plagues rheums obstructions and other inconveniences as hath been also shewed and exposeth one to great danger A good remedy against idlenesse is diligence in some honest calling Iacob and his sons Moses and David were shepherds 1 Sam. 12. 1 2. Let him that hath an office wait upon it This humbleth the minde profits the estate and makes a man able to do good to himself and others interests a man to the things of this life he that labours not must not eat in all labour there is abundance It fits him for religious duties if it be moderate makes the life cheerfull prevents evil fancies Impenitence Impenitence is a great sin under the Gospel Acts 8. 22. The longer one lies in any sin the more is the heart hardened Ier. 16. 1. Ephes. 4. 18 19. He which hardeneth his heart against many reproofs shall surely perish obstinate impenitent sinners shall be destroyed 1 Sam. 12. 25. Impenitence perfectly conforms one to Satan who is in malo obfirmatus and sins without remorse In malo perseverare diabolicum Reasons 1. Repentance is Gods gift therefore denying of it is Gods curse 2. Hereby the highest favour of God is despised the offering of repentance is a mercy that belongs to the second Covenant obstinacy in sinning is a denying of Gods justice and abusing his mercy 3. So long as one lives in any sin without repentance so long God looks on him as continuing in that sin his minde is not changed 4. Without repentance there is no remission Acts 5. 31. Luke 24. 47. therefore the sin against the holy Ghost is unpardonable Heb. 6. 6. because one cannot repent 5. Final impenitency is a certain evidence of ones reprobation Rom. 2. 5. Heb. 12. 17. 6. Under the Gospel there are the greatest arguments and motives to repentance Matth. 3. 2. Acts 17. 30. Christ himself sent Iohn before him to preach the doctrine of repentance and he himself did also preach it he bad men amend their lives because the Kingdom of God was at hand and his Apostles also preacht the same doctrine of repentance He is a wilfull sinner which either holds in himself a purpose that he will sin or is irresolute and not settled in a firm purpose of not sinning or that purposeth to mend but not till hereafter Injustice Injustice is a sin Every man is to have his own and to be permitted the quiet enjoyment of that wherein he hath interest They execute no judgement Salomon saith in the place of judgement there was iniquity I looked for judgement and behold oppression Isaiah Reasons 1. The excellency of the thing abused judgement is a part of Gods authority It is Gods judgement which you execute saith Iehosaphat therefore it is a foul thing to abuse a thing so sacred and of such high respect 2. The causes of it are covetousness distrust of Gods providence shaking off the fear of God and extinguishing the light of nature denying Gods Lordship over the whole world 3. The effects of it are bad 1. It defiles a mans conscience Iudas cast away the thirty pieces which he came unjustly by 2. It will ruinate his state and family A man shall not rost what he caught in hunting 3. It blemisheth the name and stains a mans reputation The Publicans were in such hatefull esteem among the Jews that they were ranked with the very harlots and most notorious sinners because they cared not what nor from whom they gat 4. Riches deceitfully gotten is vanity tossed to and fro by them which seek death a man shall be damned for unjust gain unlesse repentance and restitution come between The Apostle saith God is an avenger of all which do such things Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Intemperance It is an inordinate appetite or immoderate desire and use of meat and drink and this is when a due mean is exceeded either in the costly preparation of them for our selves or others or in the too liberall and excessive use of them so prepared Degrees of intemperance 1. More secret
deliver our selves out of his hand and worthy to be subject to him in the lowest degree Thirdly The effects of this fear are most excellent 1. It interests him in whom it is to all the gracious promises of God for this and a better life it plainly proves a man to be regenerate and sanctified and to be Gods true childe and faithful servant 2. It worketh a great tranquillity of minde and a most setled quietnesse of heart it armeth the heart against all carnal and inordinate fear of other things Exod. 1. 17. Isa. 8. 12 13. Luk. 12. 4 5. and strengthens against all temptations There is a double fear 1. Of Reverence a reverent respect to God this is kept up by considering Gods Attributes discovered in the Word Psal. 16. 8. Iob 31. begin Isa. 6. 3. Exod. 23. 11. Hab. 3. 16. 2. Of caution or circumspection in our conversation This is stirred up by considering 1. The strictnesse of the Law Psal. 19. 9. it condemns not only acts but sinfull lusts and motions Psal. 119. 96. 1 Cor. 2. 3. 2. The sad fals of the Saints when they have laid aside the fear of God Peter fell by a damsels question There is a servile fear of God as a Judge and a filial fear of him as a Father the one is ne puniat the other ne deserat Aug. Courage or Boldnesse It is a passion quite contrary to fear which stirreth up and quickneth the minde against evil to repel or bear the same without dejectednesse Saul David and Davids worthies Ionathan Caleb and Ioshua were couragious A godly man is bold as a young Lion Be of good courage Be strong saith God to Ioshua Caleb and Ioshua would have gone up to possesse the Land notwithstanding the strength of the Canaanites There is a double Resolution 1. In sinne and iniquity Ier. 18. 12. The devils are consirmed in wickednesse 2. In the truths and wayes of God Dan. 3. 18. This is an almighty work of Gods Spirit whereby a Christian is able to do and suffer glorious things for God and his cause Dan. 1. 8. Act. 21. Nehemiah Esther Athanasius Luther and others were thus couragious There is boldnesse with God that flows from innocency Iob 11. 15. and that flows from slattery a boldnesse that ariseth from a seared conscience Deut. 29. 19. and from a reprobate conscience Heb. 6. 1. Iohn 14. 17. It must be well ordered First For the Object of it it must be exercised against all sorts of evils Natural which may come upon us in the way of our calling and duty as David used courage against Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 34. Ionathan against the Philistims and Esther against the danger of death the Judges of Israel were couragious and Paul in his sufferings and chiefly Christ Jesus when he set himself to go up to Ierusalem and to bear the curse of the Law It must be withdrawn from unfit objects we must not be couragious against Gods threats nor great works as thunder nor against our betters nor against the evil of sinne and damnation To be bold to do evil and to despise Gods threats is hardnesse of heart This was the sinne of the old world and the Philistims when the Ark came against them and of Pharaoh Secondly For the measure of our courage it must be alwayes moderate so as to resist and bear such evils as do necessarily offer themselves to be resisted and born not to provoke danger 2. It must be used more against publick enemies and evils then private and against spiritual evils then natural we must resist Satan strong in the faith Motives to true Christian Courage 1. It is both munimentum the armour of a Christian and ornamentum the honour of a Christian. 2. Consider what examples we have in Scripture of this vertue Moses Exod. 10. 26. Ioshua Daniel Esther Peter Paul Means of getting Courage 1. See your fearfulnesse with grief and shame and confesse it to God with sorrow for in the acknowledgement of the want of Grace begins the supply thereof 2. Consider of the needfulnesse worth and excellency of this Grace 3. Beg of God the Spirit of Courage 4. Take heed of self-confidence Heb. 11. 34. Frustra nititur qui non innititur Bern. Remember Peter and Dr Pendleton In the last place I shall handle some compound affections Anger Reverence Zeal It sutes well with Gods Attributes and his Dispensations that we should Love Joy and be confident and yet fear Psal. 11. Matth. 8. 8. God discovers different Attributes of Mercy and Justice on which we are to exercise different affections His Dispensations also are various as there is a fatherly love so there is ira paterna Deut. 26. 11. Jude 11. See Phil. 2. 13. Of Anger Anger is a most powerful passion and hath by an excellency engrossed the general name of passion to it self The most usual name used by the Hebrews to signifie Anger is Aph which signifies also the nose and by a Synecdoche the whole face either because in a mans anger the breath doth more vehemently and often issue out of the nose which is as it were the smoke issuing from the flame kindled about the heart or else because in the face anger is soonest discerned The Grecians used two names to expresse this affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Latine it is called ira because it maketh a man quasi ex seire as it were to go out of himself Ira furor brevis It is the rising of a mans heart against one that behaveth himself amisse to punish him It is a mixt affection compounded of these three affections Hatred Desire Grief 1. There is hatred in pure just and innocent anger of the sinne and fault principally and a little for the present of the faulty person but in corrupt anger of the fault little or nothing of the person most of all 2. There is Grief in pure anger at the dishonour done to God in corrupt anger at the wrong done to ones self or his friend 3. There is desire in pure anger of using means according to our vocation of bringing the party to repentance and hindering the infection of the sinne in unjust anger of revenging our selves upon the party and delighting in his smart therefore it is so violent a passion because it is composed of those three all which affections are fiery It is easie to perceive all these three concurring in every angry person Therefore such as are in love or in pain or in sorrow or hungry in deep studies are very teachy and soon moved to anger for in all these there is an excessivenesse of some one or two of these passions whereof anger is made and therefore anger is soon provoked seeing that these will soon breed a third as wood and fire will cause a slame with a little blowing The formal cause of it is when any thing is highly esteemed by us and that is contemned by