seale of the eternall couenant and come to the word to heare the promises of life and yet depart without all comfort and assurance of Gods fauour because they came not with teares for their transgressions and rebellions against the Lord nor with that piercing sorrow which would goe as neere them and bee as effectuall in them as if they shed abundance of teares because wee will not doe the lesser which belongeth to vs God will not doe the greater which pertaineth to him Secondly Vse 2 seeing God would haue all to wash the best as well as the worst let vs be instructed if wee would haue fellowship and communion with God to search our hearts to the intent wee may finde out the hidden corruptions thereof and bewaile the same with a sound and earnest lamentation And then if wee doe but aske mercie wee shall haue it otherwise not For if one of our children haue fallen into some great and grieuous fault wee will not forgiue him till he first humble himselfe as the Prodigall sonne did if there bee in him no remorse for the offence committed but hee continue proud and stubborne still the father should spoile his child if hee should shew him fauour the best course hee can take with him then is to carrie a heauie countenance towards him and a strait hand over him that so hee may recouer him and saue his soule and euen in like sort will God deale with vs where hee loueth most hee will checke and rebuke most till they grow to that reformation which hee requireth and aimeth at in their correction Now to the end wee may the better get this holie affection of sorrow into our hearts Meanes wee must vse all helps needfull for this purpose And first because it is a supernatural worke Pray for it we must intreate the Lord according to his promise Zach. 12. to put his spirit into vs and thereby to mollifie our stonie hearts as hee hath couenanted Ezek. 36. otherwise wee may toile out our selues in vaine and after a long and tedious strife bee as farre nay farther from a tender heart then wee were at the beginning Secondly as wee must craue assistance from heauen so wee must vse the meanes that God hath appointed namely 1 First to call to minde our many and great offences against his maiestie Aggrauate our sinnes and to lay before our eies in as particular manner as we can our corruptions both originall and actuall before and since our callings considering how grieuous they haue beene many of them being commited against our knowledge and consciences yea and couenants made vnto the Lord for the resisting and forsaking of them Further we are to recount with our selues of how long continuance they haue beene how offensiue how pernicious and infectious to others how many we haue poisoned by them of whose recouery wee are altogether vncertaine some of them for ought wee know to the contrarie being already in torments in hell fire for the sinnes whereinto wee haue drawne them and others perchance likely enough to goe the same way after them if the Lord doe not in mercy preuent them by his grace c. These and the like meditations will cause our hearts if they bee not past sense and feeling somwhat to relent Thus did Nehemiah aggrauate their sinnes that liued in his time Neh. 9. and so did Dauid his own corruptions endeuouring in many words to make them odious in his owne eies Psal 51. acknowledging that hee was conceiued in sinne which was the fountaine of all and brought foorth in iniquitie that God requireth truth in the inward parts but hee had beene hypocriticall and false-hearted that God had taught him wisdome in the secrete of his heart but hee had put that out of his consideration and cast it behind his backe when it should haue restrained him from all those ill courses that hee tooke These and many other circumstances are either plainely expressed or by consequent necessarily implied in that 51. Psalme whereby hee labours to set out the hainousnesse of his offences that his own soule might abhorre them and all the world might see his vtter detestation of them Another excellent meanes is not onely with patience to endure Suffer admonition but with earnestnesse to intreate the admonitions and reproofes of those which haue beene and are acquainted with our courses for wee are so full of selfe-loue that others may easily discerne more euill in vs then wee can espie in our selues and those of all other are the best and most faithfull friends that will mercifully and wisely though sharpely and roundly tell vs of our faults as Nathan dealt with Dauid when his heart had beene a long time hardned by lying in sinnes vnrepented 2. Sam. 12. which priuate admonition of his as wee may obserue was a more effectuall meanes for his rousing out of that dead slumber then any or all the publike ordinances of God as the sacrifices of the Law and Sermons of the Prophets c. which all that while hee had frequented And sometime it is found by experience yet still that a wholesome Note and sound and wise reproofe of a Minister of God or some Christian friend in priuate throughly set on and effectually applied hath done that through Gods blessing that many holy and excellent Sermons could not effect and bring to passe for the reclaiming of diuers from the by-paths of iniquitie wherein they had a longtime wandred and gone astray Which is not spoken as if this priuate dealing were to bee preferred before Gods publike ordinances but that wee may haue each of them in due estimation that as we should not despise Prophecying 1 Thes 5.10 Heb. 13.22 but suffer the words of exhortation in the assemblies of the Saints so we should admonish one an other and be admonished one of an other Heb. 3.13 dailie in priuate lest any be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne 3 In the next place Meditate of Gods infinite mercy in Christ when wee by our owne searching and examination and by others plaine and faithfull admonition haue found out a great sea of our corruptions then let vs inwardly and seriously ponder vpon the infinite mercie of the Lord our God in giuing vs his dearely beloued sonne and the inconceiuable loue of the sonne in submitting himselfe to become a ransome for vs and that without any intreaty desert or desire on our parte yea euen then when wee were his mortall enemies This was it that caused them in the 12. of Zacherie so to mourne and lament because they considered what Christ had suffered in their behalfe And this should breake and melt our hearts as it did theirs that wee wounded and pierced our deere Sauiour by our transgressions for the Chastisement of our peace was vpon him Isa 53.5 and by his stripes we were healed If he would shedde his precious blood for vs why should we thinke it much to shedde
feelingly to poure out his heart before the Lord in praier and in thankesgiuing for when the Princes and the people had offered very largely and very willingly Dauid reioyced with great ioy and blessed 1. Chron. 29.9.10.14.18 and praised the Lord before all the congregation saying Blessed bee thou O Lord God of Israel our father for euer and euer c. Who am I and who are my people that wee should offer willingly c. O Lord God keepe this for euer in the purposes and thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee Thus may wee obserue now the good affections and desires of the people doe stire vp and strengthen the hearts of their Rulers to pray for them whereas on the contrarie nothing doth so kill the hearts and discourage the spirits of Gods seruants from praier as when they see those that are vnder them to bee wilfull and heady froward and rebellious and vtterly voide of any good disposition vnto pietie and religious exercises They scarse dare speake a good word for them vnlesse it bee that God would humble them and conuert them they cannot pray as Hezekiah here doth The good Lord bee mercifull vnto him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord c. but the good Lord giue them hearts to prepare themselues and take away the stony and vnbeleeuing and carnall hearts out of their bodies Note And indeed many times it is a iust iugement of God vpon such wretched persons that his children should haue no heart to pray for them because as it is said of Elies sonnes God hath a purpose to destroy them or at least grieuously to afflict them And therfore little doe these stubborne and obstinate children and seruants know what iniurie they doe vnto themselues by entering into and continuing in their sinfull courses for they thereby not onely prouoke Gods heauie displeasure against them which is a burden importable but also hinder and it may bee vtterly cut off the praiers of those that would otherwise crie vnto God night and day for the obtaining of his fauour and the procuring of the light of his countenance to shine vpon them Thus much for the first point Now further marke who they bee that hee praieth for not prophane or carelesse persons but for those that prepared their whole heart to seek the Lord c. that is which laboured with a true sincere heart to be partakers of the mercie and goodnes of God which he made offer of in his holie ordinances In that Hezekiah neither doth nor dares pray for a blessing vpon any but vpon such as were true-hearted The Doctrine is that Whosoeuer would haue any mercie from God in the Sacrament Doctr. 2 Sincerity requisite in all communicants must come with a sincere and vpright heart thereunto That howsoeuer hee cannot put away all sinne for who can say his heart is cleane yet hee may and must put away the liking of all sinne and the purpose of sinning So far as any man hath a loue vnto iniquity and an intent of committing iniquitie he is tainted with hypocrisie and doth pollute and defile euery good thing that he medleth withall and so can haue no benefit but much hurt therefrom If then wee would haue God to meete vs in mercy we must meete him in sincerity and if wee would haue him to come vnto vs in goodnesse wee must draw neere vnto him in vprightnesse Agreeable to this point is that exhortation to the Hebrewes Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water As if hee should haue said except you come fitted and prepared with a heart voide of guile and deceit as good not come at all For God will bee so far from giuing countenance or comfort vnto such that hee will assuredly plague them for their fraud and falshood that they haue vsed with him This wee may plainely see in that which befel the ill grounds there are three sorts of them mentioned all professors that came to the word of life and yet had no benefit by it and therefore by a necessarie consequent Note they could reape as little fruit by the Sacrament For the word must giue life and strength before the Sacrament can nourish and increase the same What was the reason why they profited not because they came not with a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 as the fourth sort of hearers did who receiued instruction and comfort and the power of godlinesse by the conscionable hearing of the word But what is that good and honest heart which they are commended for it is a heart that doth fullie purpose to doe well though it faile much in that which it performeth that resolueth before hand to auoide the euill that shall bee reproued and to doe the good duties that shall bee commanded and to beleeue and rest vpon the promises that shall be pronounced as farre as God shall giue abilitie c. Now wheresoeuer there is such a ready inclination vnto goodnesse there will be a bringing foorth of fruit though not in all alike yet euery one will doe somewhat and God will acknowledge them for good ground and honest-hearted Christians that yeeld him but thirtie fold as well as those that yeeld him sixtie fold or an hundred fold for a lesse measure of fruitfulnes is an argument of truth as well as a greater measure and therefore shall bee respected and rewarded but as for those that haue naughtie and deceitfull hearts they shall goe away as bad or worse then they came and whatsoeuer faire colours they set vpon their profession for a time yet sooner or latter their hollownesse shall appeare to their shame and punishment Now the reasons that make for the confirmation of this doctrine That if we would finde acceptance with God we must bring sinceritie with vs are these First without this wee can haue neither remission Reasons 1 nor sanctification and therefore are so farre from hauing interest in Gods mercies through Christ his merits Without vprightnesse there is no remouall of sin Psal 32.1.2.3 that wee are liable to his wrath and lie open to the stroks of his reuenging hand None are pardoned and blessed but those in whose spirit there is no guile Secondly except there bee vprightnesse wee can haue no hope of good successe in any seruice of God that wee take in hand Iohn 9 31. Psalm 66.18 there being no promise made vnto vs for as God heareth not sinners in praier so he doth not helpe sinners by the word or Sacrament This is for the terror of those Vse 1 that when they come to the Lords Table Against vnprepared receiuers neuer examine themselues nor looke into the state of their soules at most they come but with a Pharisaicall washing of the outside of the cup and of the platter As if
seruant which I pray before thee daily day and night for the children of Israel thy seruants O Lord I beseech thee let thine eare now hearken to the praier of thy seruant c. 5 Fiftly and lastly this is a very great meanes to glorifie God God is glorified thereby Iosh 7.19 in which regard Ioshua saith vnto Achan my sonne I beseeth thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew me what thou hast done hide it not from mee Now if any inquire how wee by this meanes should glorifie God I answer that wee giue him the glorie 1. of his truth in acknowledging that which his word chargeth vpon vs 2. of his iustice if he should proceed against vs and 3. of his mercie in that wee thereby imply we haue hope that hee will forgiue vs. For if wee did expect no fauour we would neuer discouer our filthie nakednes before the eies of the righteous Iudge of heauen and earth Sith then that without this confession there is no promise made vnto vs no sound repentance in vs no abilitie to resist corruption for the time to come and wheresoeuer this is on the contrarie side it puts life into our praiers and brings honour vnto Gods name the point is cleere and euident that this confession is so necessarie that without it there is no mercie to be looked for from God Which maketh for the iust reproofe and condemnation of those that faile in this dutie Vse 1 They preteÌ„d they would fain haue God to pardon their sins but they will bring no bill of inditement against theÌ„selues only in generall they wil acknowledge themselues to be sinners as all are but will grow to no partion lars at all They haue some wit and skill to set out other mens sins to the view of the world in euery branch circumstance therof Note so that many times they make them greater in appearance then they are indeed but come to any offence of their owne if you cannot proue it they will not confesse it if you can proue it they wil excuse it It was not long of them such such prouoked them or intised and allured them but that would not serue Adams turne that Eue perswaded him to eate of the forbidden fruit neither would that cleere Ahab that Iezabels hand was chief in the murdering robbing of Naboth They should rather haue harkened to Gods voice then vnto the wicked counsels and perswasions of any and if they had any worke of Gods spirit in their hearts they would charge themselues and not others For grant that the occasion of their fall was more from them yet the cause was in themselues euen their own cursed corruption and rebellious disposition And therefore their labouring to put off the blame and shame of their sinnes vpon others euidently proclaimeth that they haue not an vnderstanding minde nor a broken and humble and penitent heart And the like may bee said of those that howsoeuer they will come to a recitall of diuers misdemeanors either before God or men or both as the qualitie of their offences requireth the same yet they doe it so slightly and coldly that though they name particulars it is sure they are not touched with them such a cold confession will bring as cold consolation their faint and carelesse sueing for a pardon is the next way to procure them a deniall Secondly this is for instruction Vse 2 that we doe our best indeauour to learne this Art of acknowledging our sinnes aright let vs leaue off aggrauating of other mens faults and passe a hard censure and sentence vpon our one for that will procure vs most fauour and the largest measure of mercie from the Lord. With earthly Iudges the more is confessed by a malefactour the worse it 's likely to goe with him Note but it is otherwise with the great Iudge of heauen the larger and freer our confession is the easier and surer and speedier 1. Cor. 11. shall our remission be if wee iudge our selues wee shall not be condemned of the Lord. Now to th' intent we may performe this dutie the better it will not be amisse to set downe some rules for our direction heerein We must know therefore that in a sound confession Rules for confession these things are requisite 1 That it proceed from a good roote 2 That it be performed in a good manner 1 For the first if the roote be rotten and corrupt the fruit springing from thence cannot but bee distastefull to the Lord. Now that the rotte may be sound these things must be looked vnto in our confession 1 That it proceed from a hatred of sinne 2 From hope of mercie 1 Concerning the former whersoeuer the hatred of sinne is wanting The roote of confession as it was in Saul and Pharaoh when they made acknowledgement of their offences it is plaine that the parties confessing are not wearie of their sinnes It must proceed but of their plagues as Pharaoh was that their acknowledgement proceedeth not from inward remorse for their faults but from some sudden passion From hatted of sinne and from the force of their naturall conscience as in Saul it is euident for both of them fell presently to their old works and waies againe and returned with the dogge to their vomit and with the sow to their wallowing in the mire and so it is with many when the snares of death lay hold of them or some heauie plague lies vpon them or the flashings of a guiltie conscience begin to scorch them When and why hipocrits confesse they are in great perplexitie and anguish euen at their wits end and know not what to doe nor what course to take for the obtaining of some ease And then euen as a dogge that hath ouergorged his stomack will vomit vp that which paineth and troubleth him so will they in like case vomit out some passionate confession looke what comes first to their minds and most troubleth and frighteth them out it shal to one or other But as the dogge when he is eased of his former paine will returne againe to his lothsome vomit and eate vp that which before he had ridde his stomacke of so will they betake themselues to their old custome and fashion of life againe and fall to the fresh practise of those odious monstrous euils which vpon the bedde of their sickenesse or in the day of their heauines they in word acknowledged and renounced as vile and abominable If now of dogs they had beene made sheepe they would neuer haue lapped vp their filthy vomit againe that were enough to poison a sheepe that pleaseth a dog And as Saul and Pharaoh dealt so did the Israelitet in the same sort Psal 78.33.34.36.37 when the wrath of God lay heauy vpon them and hee consumed their daies in vanitie and their yeeres in mourning c. they returned and sought God earely but how â—
a few teares ouer him and so the meditation of the seuerall sufferings of Christ and of Gods gracious promises made vnto vs in and through him should cause our hearts to be dissolued into teares 4 Fourthly we must as often as fit occasion is offered goe vnto the house of mourning Make vse of others crosses where we may be put in minde of our wofull estate by reason of our wicked nature and sinnefull cariage in violating the Lords holy precepts and commandements and this is commended as the parte of a godly wise man by Salomon in Ecclesiastes where it is said Eccles 7.6 The heart of wise men is the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth And the reason why this is a part of wisdome is rendred in the 4. verse It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart And if others chastisements should affect vs Of our owne much more should Gods correcting hand vpon our selues mooue vs and and when he smiteth vs wee should ioyne with him and take his part and smite our owne hearts and then if Gods stroakes on others or on our selues doe make vs mourne for our rebellious behauiour against the Lord happie and blessed are wee for so saith the Prophet Blessed is the man O Lord Psal 94.12 whom thou chastisest and teachest in thy Law and our Sauiour also Blessed are those that mourne Mat. 5.4 c. therefore when we finde our selues inclined to heauines in respect of any outward scourge that lieth on vs or on our friends let vs take hold of the occasion and turne the course of our griefe another way which if we can attaine vnto and make our sin to be our greatest sorrowe Christ Iesus shall bee our greatest ioy and wee being mourners of Sion shall be comforted in due season our iniquities shall be remoued as a cloud and scatered as a miste and wee receiued into euerlasting fauour Thirdly Vse 3 this is for the singular comfort of Gods children What though they haue been like the people of Sodome and of Gomorrah and haue liued like beasts all their life long yet is there hope that they shall not be cast off nay if they can once beginne to rinse and purge their hearts though their sinnes haue beene neuer so horrible and odious and abominable they may be assured of the free and ful pardon of them al neither need they make any doubt at all hereof for if such kind of sinners might not attaine to this it were in vaine for the Lord to exhort them to repentance but wee see heere that though these Iewes had receiued many blessings heard many instructions and threatnings out of the word and felt many corrections from Gods owne hand and nothing would driue them from their accustomed course of rebellion yet notwithstanding all this if now at last they would grieue their hearts in good earnest and not passe ouer the matter with some sleight mourning for so farre wicked Saul went when Dauid had told him of his fault in pursuing him that was innocent but striue for a soaking and working sorrow if I say they would labour for this the Lord offers them mercie so that they should foorthwith bee disburdened of the guilt and freed from the punishment of all their former wickednesse For when sinne is once cast out of the heart God hath no quarell against the partie and it can neuer lurk there long except it be fedde with excuses and allowance It neuer stickes so close nor cleaues so fast but godly sorrow will make a separation betwixt it and the soule Note and crush the very head thereof That giueth life and roote vnto it and makes it grow and bring foorth abundance of fruite when wee loue it and can say somwhat for it but if we do not nourish it in our souls but ba nish it thence we shall bee accepted whatsoeuer our life hath formerly beene for as God will neuer sprinckle the blood of his owne sonne vpon a carnall and proud and prophane heart so hee will neuer denie to giue the merits of his sonne vnto an heauie and sorrowfull and contrite spirit Take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies As if hee should haue said hitherto you haue but dissembled in the duties performed by you which hollownesse of yours though men could not so well see and discerne yet the Lords eies haue been and are still cast vpon your doubling and halting and false dealing and therefore if you would haue him to looke fauourably vpon you take away from his sight that which causeth him to frowne vpon you not onely your euill workes for so hypocrits may doe but the euill of your good works for heere wee must vnderstand God did not aime at the subuersion and ouerthrow of the former duties of religion but wisheth them to doe the same workes of pietie still but in a better sort then they were wont to doe them whence this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning that A Christian must not onely doe good things Doctr. 2 Good things must be done in a good maner but must doe them in a good manner otherwise God may and will reiect the works and confound the doers of them This people here had many ontward obseruations as doth appeare from verse 12. to the 16. Yet because their seruices were not performed in faith and loue God did vtterly abhorre and detest them They would keepe the Sabbaths and frequent the solemne assemblies but they would learne nothing at all though their bodies were there their hearts were not there but either about their busines in the familie or their affaires and dealings in the world thinking how to reuenge such or such an iniurie how to releeue themselues in such or such a necessitie or the like or perchance worse matters They would make long praiers but their hearts were full of wrath and their minds full of doubting and so in other exercises of religion still they mingled their owne corruption in so much that God could haue no liking of them Such were the Scribes and Pharisies also who vsed to preach to giue much almes to pray and fast often and had a verie smoth outside for so much Christ grants them that they were painted Sepulchres faire to behold and looke vpon and graues so couered ouer with greensward that one might walke ouer them againe and againe and yet neuer perceiue any rotten bones therein Notwithstanding all this the vengeance of God is denounced against none more often and earnestly by our Sauiour then against that kinde of people as appeareth plainely in the Gospell Mat. 23. And why because they tooke not away the euill of their works for which cause the Lord Iesus tels them Luke 16.15 Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but
vs put away from vs that vnlouing dispositiō that is naturally ingrafted in euery mans heart and striue to get in our soules and to expresse in our liues a true loue and Christian affection And to the end wee may shew indeed that wee haue this excellent vertue in vs let vs practise these 2. rules 1 First Rules of charitie Matth. 18.35 if thou haue a grudge against any labour from thy heart to forgiue and for euer to forget whatsoeuer iniurie or indignitie hath been offered vnto thee 2 Secondly if thou thy selfe hast done wrong to any other seeke to vndoe it againe Many when they haue beene iniurious vnto their neighbours and reuenged themselues vpon them will bee ready to plead for themselues and say I am satisfied I hope I need not seeke reconciliation with him for I beare him no malice But haue you not giuen him cause of griefe Note haue not you spoken wordes that sticke in his stomacke and wound his heart if you haue goe and reconcile your selfe vnto your brother Math 5.23 else your sacrifice cannot be accepted though you haue nothing against him yet if hee haue somewhat against you the rule of loue requireth that you should seeke peace with him if hee will not seeke it of you The like might be said for singing of Psalmes Singing of Psalmes men will vse it for a fashion sake because they would not seeme to reiect any religious seruice But if they would haue any edification or consolation thereby they must sing with the heart as well as with the voice and make melody to the Lord as well as outwardly before men And as these and the like corruptions are to bee separated from the workes of pietie towards God so Secondly there are other euils to bee remoued from our workes of mercie and of loue towards men Workes of mercie As in the matter of almes if wee thinke to merit thereby as Papists doe or seeke vaine glorie thereby as Pharises doe wee put not away the euill of that worke and therefore God will reiect the work itselfe So for admonition and reproofe Admonition they are very necessarie to be giuen yet if men doe these duties in wrath and distemper they shall doe more hurt by their bitternesse and passion then they can possibly doe good by their admonition Thirdly concerning the workes of our ordinarie callings we must cast off those euils that vsually cleaue vnto them Workes of our callings as First for masters to touch that part immediately before mentioned The masters dutie as it concerneth them more particularly in their places it is their dutie to deale with their seruants by admonishing them and by reprouing them yea and if need bee by correcting them also Reproouing which is as necessarie for them as their meate and drinke but then they must beware of wrath and outrage of bitternes crueltie and do as the Lord doth here he telleth the Iewes that they were worse then bruit beasts and nothing inferiour to the Sodomites in sinne and impiety but how doth hee leaue them here Oh no he deales mercifully with them and shewes them how they may amend all for otherwise they would haue fretted or dispaired So must masters deale not minister a sharpe and biting reproofe and then fling away from their seruants in a passion for that were not to deale as a Surgeon that comes to heale but as a robber Note or a theefe that comes to kill that giue a gash or a wound and so away nay as wee must shew them their sickenesse so we must giue them a medicine tell them where they goe out of the way and direct them into the right way yea and beseech the Lord also of his owne mercie and goodnesse to guide and order them better hereafter for else our admonitions will doe them more hurt then good a great deale They will hate the reproouer and despise the reproofe but neuer leaue the fault reprooued And thence it is that there are so manie complaints neuer man or woman was troubled with such children or such seruants Why what is the matter Oh wee haue reprooued them and told them of their faults so often and so earnestly and yet there is no reformation nor amendment of any thing but looke backe to your selfe now and perhaps the greatest blame will lie vpon you You are still exhorting Note and still crying out against them for their misdemeanour but how is it not done in a passion to ease your selfe and not in compassion to helpe them you haue giuen them diuers biting and cutting speeches but how many feruent praiers haue you made for them in secret you haue often beene greeued and rebuked them and doe still chide them verie sharply for failing in your worke but how many teares haue you shedde for their failing in Gods seruice and their grieuous offences against his holie maiestie if you cannot bee thus spiritually affected nor affoord them your praiers as well as your rebukes you may spare a labour for any good that is likely to come of all that you doe Therefore let masters of families and parents and likewise husbands when they are to deale this way with their wiues be carefull to do this dutie in wisdome and moderation in loue and tender affection to the soules of the parties offending If the faults bee priuate let the admonition bee priuate if they be great bring strong arguments to conuince the offender and to beate downe his sinne but spare tart and bitter and reuiling speeches that will rather exasperate then worke any cure vpon them that are faultie and blame-worthie So for labouring in our vocations It 's good to rise earely and to goe to bed late Labour and to eate the bread of painefulnesse so that a moderation bee kept that masters and seruants bee not oppressed but then we must take heed that we labour not for couetousnes nor in desire of filthie lucre but in conscience and obedience to God Note for otherwise wee shall bee froward and distempered when things goe crosse with vs and luste after the world and dote vpon the vanities of the world when things goe well with vs. If we serue the world or our selues in the paines that we take we shall be vexed and disquieted with continuall discontentment and euer turmoyled tossed with some inordinate affection or otherwise if we can get aduantage by doing of wrong we shal not much sticke at it and if a commoditie lie in our way wee will bee sure our neighbour shall be a looser rather then our selues Whereas if wee aimed at Gods glorie in our dealings and affaires of this life wee would rather suffer wrong then doe wrong and helpe others then hurt them knowing that when we doe best we alwaies speede best And as masters must heerein looke to themselues so must seruants in their places they must beware of eie-seruice Seruants dutie for many there are who when
there haue beene brawles betweene man and man there shall bee some idle and formall reconciliation they will be friends and forgiue one another before they receiue the communion but if there be any difference betwixt God and them they neuer looke to the inward parts such can expect no blessing vpon their comming but may iustly feare some greeuous iudgement because their hearts are vnsound and vnfaithfull before the Lord. Secondly sith none haue any praier made for them but such as bring with them to the Lords house a single sincere heart therefore if we would haue benefit by any of the meanes of saluation let vs be sure that though we bee burdened with many corruptions yet wee seeke the Lord with an vnfaigned desire of profiting by his ordinances Now that wee may not deceiue our solues but may satisfie our consciences in full assurance that our hearts are right towards God A triall of an vpright heart let vs take this direction following First vse diligently to finde out as by searching wee may our speciall sinnes Renouncing of sinne Iam. 4.8.9 greiue heartely for them and put them a-away by true repentance So saith Iames Purge your hearts yee hypocrites but what must bee the purgation and receit which they must take sorrow and weepe That man or woman that hath neuer done so is not onely stained with hypocrisie but is a sinfull hypocrite All men by nature are full of deceit and guile and till they sit as Iudges vpon their owne soules they cannot bee clensed from the same but when they haue once throughly sifted themselues and by godly sorrow laboured to purge their consciences as neere as possibly they can from all secret sinnes then though they cannot say I haue no sinne yet they may boldly say I allow no sinne and therefore I am assured that I am no dissembler and that Gods iudgments shal neuer light on me because I haue preuented the same by abandoning those corruptions which might procure his wrath and displeasure against me Secondly let vs vse the meanes whereby our hearts may be made pure and vndefiled namely the word Sacrament Vsing the meanes Ier. 4.4 and praier for though wee mourne neuer so much that is but as it were a plowing of our hearts Note if there bee not good seede also sowen thereupon we cannot expect any crop of grace all the sorrow and affliction in the world without that can doe vs no good but rather much hurt therefore it is set downe in the text as a note of a true heart in those Israelites that came to receiue the Passouer That they did seeke the Lord God of their Fathers in that meanes which hee had ordained for the helping and healing of them wherein if we can imitate them we shall speed as they did all our breaches shall be made vp and al our deadly diseases shall be by degrees healed and at length fully and perfectly cured Thirdly we must not onely haue recourse vnto Gods ordinances but set downe our reckoning before hand Expectation of a blessing that we shall assuredly finde the efficacy and powerfull operation thereof and that God will not mocke and delude vs with vaine hopes but looke what promise he hath made in his word hee will accordingly make good the same and not one word shall fall to the ground of all the good thinges that he hath couenated to bestow vpon vs. And therefore as wee are exhorted in the former place to the Hebrewes Wee must draw neere in assurance of faith Reuel 3.18 and then according to our faith it shall be vnto vs. And the like wee haue in the Reuelation I counsell thee saith Christ to the luke-warme Laodiceans to buy of me Golde tryed by the fire c. teaching vs heereby that wee must highly esteeme and hartily desire the holy thinges of God and be at cost to part with our corruptions and make account that we shal not be disappointed when we come thus affected vnto Christ Iesus And then he will enrich vs that before were poore and cloath vs that before were naked and enlighten our eyes that before were altogether shut vp in blindnesse and ignorance Thirdly Vse 3 heere is matter of consolation for them that can approue the sincerity of their hearts by the forenamed trials Who before they dare present themselues at the Lords table or presume to aske any comfort from Iesus Christ doe first afflict themselues and before they intreat the Lord to bind them vp doe first seeke to breake their owne hearts by inward remorse and contrition for all their offences and yet content not themselues thus to breake vp the fallow ground of their hearts but come vnto the Lord as hee commandeth them to beseech him to sow his precious seede vpon them and doe rest and relie on him for the doing of it Let such be of good comfort for vndoubtedly the Lord will not send them emptie away their labour shall not bee lost nor their hope be disappointed but they shall certainly haue good successe according to their expectation 1. Because they haue done what they could for their part 2. Hezekiahs praier standeth in as good force yet still as it did at that time when it was made and the same in effect is continually offered vp vnto God by many of his elect for such as are so humbled and fitted for that worke yea and Christ Iesus also in his owne person hath sanctified and blessed that Sacrament to all beleeuers that shall worthily partake of it vnto the end of the world and therefore comming thus affected and prepared they cannot misse of the promised blessing Though hee bee not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary In these words hee preuenteth that feare and doubt of good successe that might arise in their hearts for want of preparation for the Law was that no vncleane person should haue anything to doe with the Passeouer now diuers of them were in their vncleannesse because they had not time to purge themselues according to the legall rites therefore Hezekiah here seeketh to help the matter and in effect he saith thus I confesse Lord there are diuers ceremoniall circumstances wanting in our preparation to the Sacrament but so the case stood with vs that wee knew not how possibly to helpe it and therefore Lord be mercifull vnto vs in that regard In that he prateth thus for thē albeit they had so failed in want of due preparation that they might iustlie haue been cut off from Gods people if they had had time to haue done better and had not this beene an extraordinary case the Doctrine hence arising is this that So long as wee labour to keepe the substance of Gods worship though wee faile in some circumstances thereof Doct. 3 Failing in circumstances of Gods seruice hinders not the blessing Iam. 5.11 hee will be mercifull vnto vs. If wee embrace the substance thereof willingly and faile in the
that doe spring vp in our hearts Mat. 6.14 Forgiue saith our Sauiour and yee shall bee forgiuen and therefore being able to doe thus in some small measure wee may bee assured that the Lord is appeased towards vs and that wee are in his fauour and therefore haue hearts without guile in his sight Note for a mercifull heart is alwaies a sincere heart whereas hypocrites are of a cruell and implacable nature so that when any iniury is done vnto them either in truth or in their imagination they will swell and fret and chafe and vow and protest or at least determine and resolue in themselues that they will not put it vp but one way or other at one time or other requite it at the full euer an euill heart is a proud and froward heart and can endure nothing lesse then wrongs and indignities Therefore if God hath wrought such a great worke in our soules as that our hearts are inclined to forgiue and forget abuses that are offered vnto vs and can pray for our enemies and long for their conuersion and reconciliation first vnto God and then vnto vs it is a notable testimony that wee are truely regenerated and sanctified in the inward and outward man There are none but they are apt to be angry with sin either in themselues or others but if wee can spend our anger at home vpon the euils of our owne nature Note and be more peaceable and quiet abroad not storming so much that others are so bad as greeuing that wee our selues are no better happy and blessed are wee that haue gotten such a conquest of our owne hearts wee may cheerefully and comfortably communicate at the Lords Table expecting from Christ Iesus a further increase of all holy and heauenly graces And albeit others haue greater gifts and fewer infirmities then we yet seeing we joine with them in the maine matters wee shall be ioyned with them in the fruition of that blessing which God vseth to bestow vpon his people though we bee but buds Iohn 15. yet being in the true vine we shall receiue sap and iuice from the root as well as the fairest and goodliest and fruitfullest branches that are in it And thus much for Hezekiahs praier and the parts thereof Now the successe followeth to bee spoken of Verse 20. And the Lord heard Hezekiah c. It being a praier of faith that hee made for such things as God had promised and for such persons as to whom the promise did belong hee receiueth an answer to his request for so it is said the Lord heard Hezekiah that is accepted and granted his suit whence this doctrine may bee gathered that The Lord doth accept Doct. 4 and will fulfill euery faithfull praier that is made vnto him Praiers of faith granted either for our selues or others For this fauor that hee shewed to Hezekiah and to them for whom hee praied is written for our instruction and consolation to assure vs that vsing the like meanes wee shall find the same good effect that they did 1. Ioh. 5 14.15 This is promised in the Epistle of Iohn where the words of this Text are expounded and the doctrine confirmed This saith hee is the assurance that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. But what is it to bee heard hee telleth vs in the next verse If wee know that hee heareth vs whatsoeuer wee aske wee know that wee haue the petitions that we haue desired of him This Gods children may build vpon that if they aske of God lawfull things for righteous persons in that manner as the word prescribeth they shall haue a comfortable answer and speed according to their hearts desire The reason heereof is Reason because God is delighted with the faithfull supplications of his deare children It is musicke to God to heare Christians praiers Cant. 2.14 as may bee collected from the words of Christ to his spouse in the songs of Salomon Shew me thy sight let mee heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight is comely So that there is reason why Christians should looke vp to God rather then be beholding vnto men and that they should vtter their complaints before his throane rather then before mens iudgement seat for whereas they many times cannot away with vs and our suits God delighteth to looke vpon vs and there is no melodious harmony so pleasant in our eares as a praier proceeding from an humble and broken heart is in the eares of the Lord of hoasts Let vs present our petitions with our soules full of griefe and our eies full of teares vnto men and we shall bee teadious and troublesome vnto them for the most part as the woman of Canaan was vnto the disciples Mat. 15.23 Send her away say they to our Sauiour for shee crieth after vs Note But Christ hath no greater ioy then to heare and releeue such worthy beleeuers as shee was that can spend so many holy praiers vpon him after so many repulses as shee had receiued Now sith it is a thing so well pleasing vnto him hee cannot but grant and satisfie the desires of such as faithfully and feruently call vpon him Heere may that folly Vse 1 and wretched vnbeliefe that is in our nature bee iustly reprooued which appeareth in this that wee are ready to runne to any one rather then vnto God and to seeke to them that are not able or not willing to heare and helpe vs Iam. 4.2 rather then vnto the Lord that hath ability and readinesse to doe both Iames blameth those to whom hee writeth for that they would bee in wants Yee lust and haue not c. yee fight and warre and get nothing and what is the reason because yee aske not As if he should haue told them you need many things and so you are likely to doe still except you take a better course for the way to obtaine good things is not to lust after them and to brawle and contend for them but to become petitioners vnto God for them Note If children will be so foolish so slothfull or so proud that they will not sue to their louing and kind parents that haue abundance for things necessarie it is iust they should goe without them and endure the smart of their owne folly and stubbornnesse and the like may bee said of vs if our necessities spirituall and corporall bee many and great and wee will not bemone our case vnto our heauenly father that is al-sufficient to helpe vs and most willing to accept of vs and to releeue vs in all our distresses it is a righteous thing with the Lord that wee should liue and die in our miseries and calamities and so sustaine the due punishment of a wretched distrustfulnesse and sluggishnesse in not repairing vnto him Secondly Vse 2 heere is matter of maruellous great comfort to them that betake themselues to this course that Hezekiah did
such things as lie hidden in obscure and darke corners Heb. 4 13. To the same purpose is it said that all things are open and naked to his eies and that his eies are a flame of fire noting vnto vs that hee pierceth and looketh through and through euery mans heart euery mans conscience and euery mans conuersation Reasons First Reasons 1 the Lord hath vndertaken to bring euery secret thing into iudgement therefore must hee needs take notice thereof 2 Secondly See Master Cleauers Sermon on Ioh. 6. Doct. 2. where this point is more largely handled it is his office to reward euery one as he knoweth his heart and his workes and therefore must hee of necessitie search into the same for otherwise hee could not proceed like a righteous Iudge to giue to euery one an equall and perfect reward First for reproofe of those that because they are admitted by the Minister and allowed amongst men and iudged to bee Christians as men that can bee touched for no grosse sinne Vse 1 haue a very good opinion of themselues as if there were nothing else required of them but let such know Note that there must bee a second suruey and search and where the Minister ends God will begin and if they cannot hold out in the second examination and triall made by the Lord their case will bee little better then his who is found sitting at the table without a wedding garment therefore it stands men vpon to see that they bee fitly qualified before they intrude themselues into the Lords presence for he hath firie eies to looke quite through them and pure cies that can endure no iniquitie in them and therefore before they come to this great Supper they must by searching finde out their speciall sinnes and bewaile them determining to leaue and forsake them and repairing to the meanes to get strength against them Secondly for consolation Vse 2 seeing wee shall not meet the Minister onely at the Lords table but God himselfe in his own person this may comfort the hearts of those that haue examined their soules and lamented their sinnes and haue a true desire to bee reconciled vnto the Lord and to obtaine such mercies as doe belong to penitent persons they shall receiue according to their harts desire and expectation euen strength against their corruptions and temptations and freedome from or abilitie vnder all maner of crosses and afflictions for there the Lord of glory will manifest his presence in giuing to euery one as he knoweth the integrity of their hearts Earthly Kings though they bee present cannot looke on euery guest nor examine of what country or condition euery one of them is Note but the king of heauen hath an eie to euery particular person considering what they are and how affected and prepared what they did the day before what thoughts they had what praiers they make the night before and that very morning hee marketh and obserueth what their hopes are what their desires are what they expect for the present and what they purpose for afterwards in a word hee taketh particular notice of euery good thing in his Saints to reward it and of euery infirmity to helpe them out of it And saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment In that the King seeing this man at his table doth reproue him and condemne him for his want of good preparation the doctrine is that It is not sufficient to come to Gods wedding feast Doct. 3 but wee must come as fit guests for so great a banquet Fitnes requisite in Gods guestes and such a glorious presence Iudas ate and dranke the blessed bread and wine as well as Peter yet because hee had a cursed and carnall heart it was his bane and laid him more open to euery hellish temptation and made him more liable to euery curse and plague of God this was all that hee got by it Matth. 25. So the foolish virgins went to meet the bridegrome with lampes in their hands making a glorious shew and doing many things in the worship and seruice of God yet because they had not oyle in their vessels as well as in their Lampes that is had not inward graces in their hearts and consciences as well as outward semblances and shewes thereof in their carriage and behauiour therefore their lights were quickly out and when others were receiued as fit and meet guests they were reiected and excluded as vnfit an vnworthy of the Bridgroomes feast and company so that outward tearmes and colours of Religion will not serue the turne many shall crie Lord Lord who yet shall bee bid to depart from Christ Mat. 7.22.23 because they are workers of iniquitie They bragge they haue Propheced and cast out diuels and done many great works by his name but they did nothing for his name but for their owne credit or gaine or for some carnall respect or other and therefore seeking and seruing themselues the Lord esteemeth them wicked and vngodly persons and punnisheth them accordingly Now the reason of this point is because the Lord comman deth vs as well to come worthily as to come and as the praiers of the wicked are an abomination vnto him so are all other seruices of theirs to the vncleane all things are vncleane if men bee dead in sinnes and trespasses and liue vnder the power of presumptuous sinnes the things that are most helpfull and profitable in themselues are made hurtfull and pernicious vnto them so that they are thereby made more impure and more vnholy Vse 1 Sith there will be such strict examination and such a sharpe sentence of condemnation past vpon those that doe not get them wedding apparell when they come to this wedding feast this serueth to humble euery one that hath at any time come to this roiall feast without his wedding garment as euery one hath so often as he came to any of the meanes of saluation before hee was effectually called Note It was Gods wonderfull mercie that wee were not destroied in the time of the vnregeneracy for abusing his gracious and glorious presence and that hee did so patienly forbeare vs and at length put it into our hearts to put off our foule garments and to sue vnto him for white and pure raiment And albeit the Lord haue graciously spared vs yet should wee iudge our selues worthy to haue beene destroyed and be cast downe for our old sinnes lest they bring vpon vs new iudgements Secondly let vs labour to put on this wedding garment Vse 2 seeing it is so requisite and needfull for euery worshipper of God to be cloathed therewith What the wedding garment is Now if wee would know what it is the Apostle describeth it in part Coloss 3.12 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy c. As if hee had said sith God hath chosen you to eternall glorie in the heauens and proposed vnto you a kingdome that
you may raigne with his owne sonne therefore doe you lead such a life as becomes heires of such a kingdome and adorne your selues with such graces as may beseeme the spouse of Christ and those that are the chosen people of the Lord euen such as are called vnto holinesse and vnto whom God hath manifested his loue and seeing hee hath forgiuen you so many sinnes and doth continually passe by so many of your infirmities doe you put on tender mercy c. he reckneth vp diuers of those particular vertues whereby hee would haue them shine forth before men and first he willeth them to put on tender mercy not only to haue but to put on a mercifull heart many haue this grace which doe not put it on that is doe not stirre vp their hearts nor make them sensible of the wants and necessities and distresses of their poore brethren the bowels of compassion are not so moued within thē that they out of a fellow-feeling of their griefes doe proceede from pitying of them to releeuing of them but the Apostle would haue men so to be indued with these graces that they put them forth for the vse of others as occasion is offered The next vertue which wee must put on is kindnesse wee must not be fierce nor froward tart nor sower in our speeches or cariage but be affable and amiable in our conuersation that so we may not discourage nor discountenance those that haue to speake or deale with vs. But how may we attaine to this kindnesse get humblenesse which is the next vertue for whence commeth it to passe that men are so harsh and rough so loud and full of crying in their speeches that very true reason is because they are proud therefore the same mind should bee in vs that was in Christ Iesus who was still ready to beare with infirmities and to pray for his sorest aduersaries The next grace is meekenesse which consisteth in this that wee bee not busie and violent in our owne priuate matters but content to part with our owne right so farre as Gods glory and a good conscience doe require Another vertue is long suffering which is fitly ioyned with the former for some might say Obiect I haue shewed meekenes and peaceablenesse in my behauiour but all will not serue the turne I am still vexed with vnkindnesse and indignities and must I still put vp all yes surely you must suffer long Answ therein imitating the Lord himselfe for hath hee not borne long with you did not he spare you many yeeres before your conuersion and are you so reformed now that you neede not his long suffering and patience Oh Obiect but those with whom I haue to deale are very full of infirmities and defects Beare with them then vers 13. Answ you are not without imperfections your selfe they put you to the triall now you know not how soone you may put them or some others to the like and therefore seeke rather to mend faults then to finde faults and to helpe men out of them rather then to bee imbittered against them for the same But there is a quarell betwixt vs and what shall wee make of that The Apostle telleth you how to make briefe worke how to make the best cheapest most Christian end of all controuersies that is freely to forgine one another Obie Obiect But who could euer put vp such wrongs and sit downe by such iniuries Answer Answer Christ Iesus could and therefore it is added Euen as Christ Iesus forgane you euen so doe ye There is none of the elect of God but must be driuen to confesse that our Sauiour hath passed by farre greater matters in him then hee can doe in any man yea and doth so still euen euery day and houre or else it would goe full ill with him which being so they would not sticke to forgiue and forget one anothers trespasses and offences of what kind and of what degree soeuer These vertues if wee can get and exercise it is certaine that we haue the wedding garment and therefore may boldly and comfortably stand before him that hath pure and fiery eies for say that he hate all iniquitie as indeede hee doth with a deadly hatred if we do so too God and we are of one mind and of on side he will neuerlay any of our sins vnto our charge Thus haue wee heard what the wedding garment is now it is further to be considered Who must bestow the wedding garment Reuel 19.7.8 how we may come by it and the way is to goe vnto Christ Iesus for it for his spouse must be cloathed and decked by himselfe who is the Bridgrome and therefore he exhorteth the Church of the Laodiceans that was poore and miserable and blind and naked to buy of him white raiment Reu. 3.17.18 which is the righteousnesse of Saints Renel 19.8 that their filthy nakednesse might not appeare but bee couered through the righteousnes of Christ which maketh vs as righteous heere Psal 31. as we shall bee when wee come to heauen though we cannot see it so clearely nor apprehend it so fully Now we see where it may be bought the next question will be how it must be bought And for answer thereunto How it must bee gotten we must know that three things are to be performed The first is Put off our ragges that we must put off our owne filthy and ragged cloathes to wit our sinfull and corrupt natures and our bad and vile conuersation as the Apostle willeth the Ephesians Cast yee offeoncerning the conuersation in time past Ephes 4.22 the old man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts This then is the first dutie by sound and hearty repentance to make a riddance of all grosse sinnes and to purge our selues as much as possibly we can from all infirmities for certaine it is that the wedding garment can not be obtained vntill wee bee fit for the same The old man and the new will not agree together Wherefore when the Prophet Isaiah exhorteth men to come and buy Isa 5.5.7 c. he saith Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his own imaginatiōs c. now then we forsake them when with purpose of heart wee cleaue vnto the Lord and depart from iniquitie and that is as farre as any man huing can goe to intend and desire to doe all good duties and to leaue the contrarie euils The next thing required of him that would buy this white raimēt is Desire it that he must much esteem and desire it for the thirstie soule alone shall be satisfied with good things Now that we may get this spirituall affection Isa 55.1 we must labor to haue a sight of our miserable estate while we are naked and destitute of this raiment and of our happy case when we shal be adorned therwith which being well considered of will make vs more to affect it then all the treasures of
the world Thirdly he that would bee a good chapman and procure himselfe these heauenly robes Seek it where it may be had must come to the places and shops where he may buy and haue choice for his mony which are where the word is powerfully preached and the Sacraments duely administred Thence must these robes be fetcht whereby all naked soules may be couered and the most deformed creature may be beautified Iames 1.18 1. Cor. 10.16 the word is it which worketh grace and together with the Sacraments doth continually increase the same so that thereby the Lord conueieth vnto vs whatsoeuer legacies Christ hath deserued for vs. And thus we see how the wedding garment may bee come by our owne ragges must be reiected this must be desired and sought for where it is to be found A third vse of this point Vse 3 may bee for an exceeding great comfort vnto them that haue put away their sinnes by godly sorrow and haue gotten an appetite to the food of their soules they may come as welcome guests and such as haue put on the wedding garment This is for terror vnto those hypocrites Vse 4 who though the Lord doth call vpon them and profer them his sonne and his spirit and his kingdome yet they will not part with any sinne for the obtaining of these excellent things but haue their appetites so taken vp with earthly things that they haue no mind to spirituall things neither wil they come to the meanes nor repaire to the market where this royall cloathing is to be had but abstaine from the word and especially from the Sacarment These are much to be condemned and sharply to be rebuked as despisers of the holy things of God Oh but one liues in malice an another in vncleanesse c. Obiect and therefore they forbeare comming This is the most wretched excuse of all Answ why doest thou not get out of thy malice and leaue thy filthinesse wilt thou preferre the satisfying of thy lust before the sauing of thy soule what is this but plainly to refuse and to reiect the Lords banquet Note and can such looke to escape the heauie hand of the Lord if they were worthy to be destroied that staied away vpō this pretence I haue married a wife and therefore I cannot come I haue bought oxen and therefore I cannot come What then do they deserue that will absent themselues vnder this colour I liue in malice and therefore I cannot come I must follow my sensual and diuellish lusts and therefore I cannot come if the workes of our callings may not in any case keepe vs from the Lords feast then much lesse may the works of the flesh and of the diuell Verse 12. Doct. 4 Friend how camest thou in hither Doctrine When God hath to deale euen against sinners God deales in a peaceable manner euen with sinners yet hee dealeth in good and peaceable termes Friend saith hee how camest thou in hither what warrant hadst thou thus to abuse my presence and mine ordinances Thus God debateth the matter with him peaceably and quietly and conuinceth him of his fault before he condemne him for it So hee dealt with Adam when hee had eaten the forbidden fruit and thereupon fled from God and hid himselfe amongst the trees of the garden Adam saies he where art thou Gen. 3.9 q. d. why dost thou flie from mee and leaue the place of thy calling Hast thou not eaten of the tree whereof I commanded that thou shouldest not eate Hee comes not vpon him in violence or furie but quietly cals him by his name and in coole maner reasons the matter with him In like manner deales Christ with Iudas Friend betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse as if he should haue said Iudas howsoeuer this kisse may seem to proceed from your loue yet indeed it is otherwise as being appointed as a token to destroy me that so I may be apprehended and condemned and put to death this is not plain faithfull dealing with your master The reasons why God taketh this course are First Reasons 1 because this milde and gentle dealing maketh men see their faults more euidently whereas passionate hastie and violent speeches doe either discourage or imbitter the heart Secondly if there be proceeding to punishment the punisher is much cleared by this meanes for when the offence is quietly laid open to the view of the offender so that hee cannot but confesse his guiltinesse then must hee needs acknowledge that hee is iustly and equally dealt with when punnishment is inflicted vpon him This is for our imitation that if wee would haue any partie set downe and humbled for his sinne we should endeauour in the quietest and best maner to conuince him of his fault Vse as hard arguments as we will for so the Lord doth but withal look that we vse soft speeches for that is the way to make men thinke hardly of themselues whereas the contrary will cause them to thinke hardly of vs. And heere are such to be blamed as when any thing is distrustfull vnto them are presently hot and boisterous and loud and crying and so rather hurt the eare by the loudnesse of their voice then helpe the heart by the force of their reproofe whence arise these two inconueniences First that the partie lookes not so much to his owne failing as to their passion and secondly as hee is vnconuinced so they are not esteemed but though they haue the right on their side yet they loose the due regard of their cause reuerence of their persons And therefore the Apostle telleth Timothy that the seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle towards all men hee must not be clamorous and violent 2. Tim. 2.24.25 but suffer euill men patiently instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded c. for this is the way if there bee any to bring them to sound repentance that they may come out of the snares of the diuell This I say is the way to let them see good reasons against their sins and a good affection towards their persons these are the best helps and hereby we shall be sure to please God and if the partie will euer bee broken it must be by the weight of good arguments pressed in meekenesse of wisdome and proceeding from a mercifull heart But they are vile and wicked persons with whom I am to deale such as deserue little mildnesse Bee it so Obiect Ans yet wee see here when God was to reason with a reprobate that was ready to bee turned into hell hee proceedeth calmly and quietly against him And so dealt Ioshua with Achan that had committed such execrable wickednesse as that the whole host of God sped the worse for him Ioshua 7.19 My sonne saith he I beseech thee giue glorie vnto the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him c. Secondly this is for consolation Vse 2 Will the Lord giue such
the meat that c. q. d. You cannot doe both together you cannot seeke the things of this life and the things that pertaine to a better life both at once whence this doctrine ariseth that A man cannot bee both a wordling and a Christian Doct. these two are opposed and set one against the other as things that cannot stand together A men cannot be a worldling and a Christian one can not labour for these transitory things that is set his whole desire vpon them and bend his whole indeuour for the obtaining of them and withal labour for better matters and religiously and vnfainedly seeke after them He that persueth after earthly things cannot follow after heauenly things and he that followeth after heauenly things will not persue after earthly things Not but that one may be truly religious and yet enioy the commodities of this life but he cannot set his heart vpon them and vpon matters of godlines also no mā can be earthly minded and spiritually affected at one the same time nor seek that happines which is aboue that which is beneath at once in which regard the holy Ghost maketh an opposition betwixt them 1. Iohn 2.15.16 saying Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him Whence it is euident that a mans affections cannot be fastened both on the world and on God He may vse the world and yet loue God but he cannot loue the world but it will exclude the loue of God he that maketh it his felicity to enioy the things of this life the loue of the father is not in him neither doth he loue the father nor apprehend the Fathers loue vnto him But what are those things of the world which we must not loue he telleth vs in the verse following The lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life Where by the lust of the flesh are all kindes of concupiscence meant as in eating and drinking 2. By the lust of the eyes are meant al such things as content the eyes as faire houses goodly pastures great store of cattell gorgious furniture c. 3. By the pride of life is meant aduancement and dignity c. or great men in the world any way either in place or in estimatiō for any speciall parts or endowments All the things of the world may be drawne vnto one of these three heads of pleasure profit or credit And concerning all these he saith that they are not of the Father honest delights wealth and preferment are frō the Father but the loue of these is not frō the Father but from the world therefore whosoeuer inordinatly affecteth them is a worldling not a Christian Therefore the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians If ye be risen with Christ Col. 3.1.2 seeke those things which are aboue and set your affections on things which are aboue and not on the things which are beneath implying that they could not do both It is as possible for a man to rise and fall to climbe vpward and to descend downeward at the same instant as to be godly and worldly to ascend to heauenwards and to grouell to the earthwards they cannot bee verified of the same person at one and the same time And the reason is taken from that of our Sauiour Reason Mat. 6. No man can serue two maisters for being of contrary dispositions and affections as God and the world or rather the Prince of the world are either of them would be whole maister and requireth the whole man Doth voluptuousnesse take place in the heart it will not endure any matters of religion to bee thought of or spoken of but that must haue the ordering of the cogitations of the mind and of the speeches of the mouth and of the actions of the body Doth worldlinesse or hautinesse beare sway then will they extinguish all the sparkes of goodnesse that are in a man and quite put out the light of religion carying all the meditations and practises of the party towards the obtaining of that which is aymed at On the contrary if religion once get the better and begin to rule in the heart it will root out sinne and make those that were Sathans bondslaues before to become Gods free men it will by degrees kill lust and couetousnesse and pride grace will be stil increasing and corruption decreasing so that they can neuer agree together no more then can fire and water Which is for the confutation and ouerthrow of that dangerous errour that is in the most part of men Vse 1 that take it to be a notable point of wisedome to ioyne these together to be reoters in the earth and yet prosessors of the Gospell so ordering the matter that they will neither be so apparantly prophane as others that notoriously practise impiety and wickednesse neither be so strict as others that exercise sound mortification and holinesse And herein they glory that they can carry the credit both of husbands for the world and of wise dealers for their soules that they can enioy a present happinesse in this life beyond the best and yet liue in hope of blessednesse in the life to come as well as the best and therein they applaud their owne wisedome and haue themselues in admiration and for want of this they censure their betters of folly and haue them in derision But of all silly men these are the silliest that thinke they can serue both GOD and Mammon the Lord and the world Christ had not found out the depth of that wisedome he professeth that his kingdome was not of this world and biddeth vs labour for the foode that endureth to eternall life and not for that which perisheth And therefore howsoeuer these vaine men blesse themselues in the high estimation of their great policy yet they do very palpably bewray their grosse ignorance and simplicity as all shall do that will try conclusions contrary to Christs conclusions whatsoeuer they dreame of in seeking for both they lose both they haue neither found comfort in God nor true contentment in the world Yet how generall is this errour amongst the sonnes of men they make some reckoning that there is a God and therefore they will now and then heare a Sermon sit at it and speake of it but neuer make vse of any thing that crosseth them in their pleasures or profites they will make a shew of keeping the Sabboth by frequenting the publike exercises of religion but when they are ouer they betake them to their sports and recreations But what will be the issue of these things Our Sauiour telleth vs in the Gospell for when men shall say vnto him Lord Lord and bragge of the workes they haue done in his name he will professe vnto them I neuer knew you or acknowledged you for mine depart from me ye that worke iniquity Matth. 7.22.23 Therefore it standeth
and kingdome to be established vnto him yet notwithstanding all this kindnes whē he fel from God and from religion 2. Chron. 24.20 21.22 he forgot Iehoiada and cruelly murdered his son Zecariah an holy Prophet of God for doing the message of the Lord vnto him in reprouing him and his princes for their idolatry To this point our Sauiour giueth further testimony telling his Disciples what should fall out vpon the preaching of the Gospell Mat. 10 21. The brother shall betray the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall rise against their parents and shall cause them to dye What nearer bonds then these especially that of children to their parents who haue bene the meanes of their life of their education and in a word of all the good things that they either do or shall enioy and that not without great paines and charges and troubles vnto themselues yet for all this if children be impious and their parents religious they will not sticke to betray them and to put them to death So that by these proofes it is cleare and euident that no bands of kindnesse or of nature will hold where the bands of religion are wanting And there is reason for it for First Reasons the Diuel hath the disposing of al vngodly mens hearts and therefore vntill such time as he grow kinde vnto Gods children nothing in the world but Gods ouerruling hand can make his lims true and trusty friends vnto the members of Christ for Sathan hauing the command of them will enforce them will they nill they to be vnkind vnthankfull and vncourteous vnto Gods seruants that haue bene most beneficiall vnto them Secondly there is in all vnregenerate men abundance of pride which maketh them to thinke that whatsoeuer is done for them either by GOD or men it is due debt and nothing more then their deserts do require and therefore when they are sat and full they spurne with the heele against the giuers And this let vs set downe for a certaine ground that they which shew themselues vnfaithfull and disloyal vnto GOD notwithstanding all his benefites will neuer be true and firme friends vnto vs how nearly strongly soeuer they are linked vnto vs in outward respects he that is not Gods friend can neuer be our faithfull friend Thirdly wicked men do loue sinne better then any benefite and therefore will they fall out with their kindest friends rather then with their beloued corruptions and be discourteous vnto any yea aduenture the damning of their own soules eternally rather then crosse their wretched lusts and set themselues against their sinfull affections For instruction Vse 1 to teach vs a point of wisedome that seeing all sinners are so vnfaithfull therefore we should beware how we trust them and how we commit our selues or our secrets vnto them for albeit their lookes be faire and smooth and their speeches and outward cariage seeme louing and kind yet if they feare not God they will lye in waite for an aduantage and do vs a mischiefe before we be aware if we take not the better heede of them and therefore let vs not expose our selues vnto them Indeed our Sauiour did lay open himselfe vnto Iudas because he knew that Iudas was appointed for that work and the will of his Father must needs be fulfilled but we not hauing the like reason must not imitate our Sauiour herein nor acquaint such persons with our counsels much lesse let vs prouoke them and cast our selues into their danger for if they haue vs once in the snare there is no hope of mercy except the Lord worke for vs extraordinarily Let men therefore looke heedfully vnto themselues and beware as of others so of vntrusty seruants of vngodly children yea of vnholy yoke-fellowes for there is no fidelity to be expected where the true feare of God is not planted in the heart They are bound to pray for them to instruct them and shew them any kindnesse that ciuility or Christianity bindeth them to performe but herein their wisdome must appeare that they bee not too open-hearted vnto them nor too ready to put them in trust in matters of great importance Secondly Vse 2 here is matter of comfort to all such as are faithfull in their dealings that would rather lay downe their liues then deale dishonestly or discourteously this is a great grace of God to require friendship to their friends to shew themselues thankfull for benefites receiued And indeed true and sound thankfulnesse can be in none but onely in those that are truly gracious wicked men may be glad of a good turne and in outward complement of words and behauiour make a semblance and shew of thankfulnesse but to be truly ioyfull as seeing GODS hand in a kindnesse receiued and heartily and in conscience to loue the party whom God hath made an instrument of that good with a desire and indeauour to requite the same this cannot possibly be in any but in GODS people Verse 21. Truly the Sonne of man goeth his way as it is written of him but woe be to that man by whom the Sonne of man is betraied The death of Christ and the manner and meanes of it were prophesied of before yet is not Iudas therby excused Whence ariseth this point that A wicked man may fulfill the will of God to his owne condemnation Doct 4 The wicked ful fill Gods will to their ruine and do that which God hath foretold to his vtter destruction God had said that Iudas should be a traitour he is a traitour God had determined Christ had cōfirmed it that he should be a diuel he is such an one yet al to his wo. So was it declared before vnto Abraham that Pharaoh should grieuously afflict the Israelites he did accomplish Gods will in that behalfe and verified that which God had forespoken but to his owne vtter ruine 2. Sam. 12.11 In like sort the Prophet Nathan in Gods name denounced before hand this iudgement against Dauid that he would raise vp euill against him out of his owne house Absolon effected it accordingly but to his owne ouerthrow So Herod and Poutius Pilate the high Priests and the Gentiles consulted together Act. 4.27 28 to put to death the holy Sonne of God and therein did nothing more then Gods hand and his counsell had determined before to be done yet notwithstanding they perished in their sinnes as many of them as repented not And to heap together no more proofes in a matter so euident we may note in the Scriptures how the enemies of the Church are compared to Goldsmithes Dan 11.31 Zach. 13 9. for that they purged Gods people from their drosse and to Launders because they washed away their spots c. and yet heauy iudgements are denounced and haue bene from time to time executed vpon them for such works And good reason it should be so First Reasons because they are not allured vnto it by vertue
for vs. Secondly that Testament was apropriated to a few and did belong properly to the nation of the Iewes alone and if any other nations would haue their part in it they must vnite themselues vnto the Iewes but this hath a larger extent and pertaineth to all Gods elect throughout the whole world Thirdly that conueied vnto men a smaller measure of grace this offereth great plenty and store thereof Fourthly that was temporary and to endure but a while this is perpetuall and shall last to the ende of the world and thus much for the differences betwixt the old Testament and the new Now in that our Sauiour saith This is my bloud of the new Testament c. the Doct. is that Faithfull communicants at the Lord table come not onely to be refreshed at a feast Doct. 9 Faithfull communicants inriched but to be inriched by a legacy Christs will and Testament being there confirmed vnto them The particular legacies with Christ Iesus hath bequeathed vnto them are specified in the Epistle to the Hebrewes This is the Testament that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord Hebr. 10.16.17 I will put my lawes in their heart and in their minds I will write them And their sinnes and iniquities wil I remember no more The substance of which couenant is this that all their sinnes shall be forgiuen and both the guilt and punishment thereof wholy remoued yea they shall not onely be iustified but also sanctified the lawes of God and his promises shall be written in their minds so that they shall haue the knowledge of them and in their hearts so that they shall haue the comfort and feeling and fruition of them they shall not onely haue interest in all Gods graces and blessings but according to their neede shall haue the vse and enioyment thereof And what treasures are comparable vnto these if we should receiue many ten thousand pounds at euery Sermon and Sacrament it were nothing to this legacy which is sealed vnto vs in the Lords Supper the worth whereof is so much the greater by how much it hath more excellent appurtenances annexed vnto it beyond that which other Wils haue for First when other legacies are paid they can be no more demanded but this is still due vnto vs it is as it were a continuall rent and the more we receiue the greater assurance haue we of a larger portion both of grace and glory Secondly whereas when men haue bequeathed any thing vnto vs we must stay for it till their breath be out of their bodies here it is otherwise when once we haue this Testament sealed vnto vs we shall haue present participation of the things therein made sure vnto vs because the Testatour is already deceased Thirdly whereas others leaue executors to performe their Wils the Lord liueth for euer so that he himselfe that made it will also execute it and therefore as it is called a Testament so is it also elswhere tearmed a couenant for the fulfilling whereof the Lord hath entered into bonds Ier. 31.31 and pawned his word and promise his truth and fidelity his oath yea himselfe his nature and all that he hath so that it is impossible he should faile in performing the lest clause therof The vse thereof shall be First for instruction Vse 1 that seeing there is such a rich treasure offered vnto worthy receiuers of the Lords Supper Luke 14 therefore we should not suffer any earthly commodities as oxen farmes or the like to keepe vs from the same Secondly here is a comfort for Gods poore seruants Vse 2 albeit they haue but a small quantity of earthly things seeing they haue such interest in Christ his Will their state is happy they haue a faire liuing and a goodly heritage the Lord himselfe is their portion and therefore though they haue not these outward things themselues yet seeing they haue the owner and giuer of them to bee theirs they are richly prouided for Christ being theirs all is theirs And as in respect of themselues so also of their children this offereth them matter of consolation Alas poore creatures say many we haue little or nothing to leaue them but haue you procured them a legacy in Christ his will if you doe so though you haue little he hath much and therefore neuer be afraid they shall be sufficiently prouided for Thirdly Vse 3 by this point all such as haue bene Cōmunicans at the Lords table may make triall of themselues whether they haue bene worthy receiuers or not hath the Lord imparted his graces vnto them haue they gotten assurance of the remission of their sinnes and the power of the word in their hearts to quell the strength of their corruptions c. if they find this in them selues they may be assured that the Lord hath graciously receiued thē into his fauor but if they find no increase of knowledge nor desire thereof no vertue of Christ to crucifie their lusts to quicken them to good duties c. they may as certainly conclude on the other side that they came vnworthily and vnpreparedly and therefore speede accordingly being sent away altogether barren and empty For concerning those that are within the couenant it is said Ier. 31.34 They shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord they were past that for saith the Lord they shall all know me in a competent measure from the least of them vnto the greatest The end of the tenth Sermon A profitable Metaphrase vpon the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians CHAP. 1. I Paul vnderstanding that there are that go about to spoile you and to make a prey of you partly by shew of wisedome and Philosophy and partly by the beggerly Elements of the world or Ceremonies of the Iewes thought it needfull to write vnto you that according as ye haue receiued Iesus Christ at the first euen so that you would both abide and proceede further in him that you may be rooted and further built in the faith Vers 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother ANd that I write vnto you know that I do it with warrant for I am an Apostle of Iesus Christ and not tied to any particular congregation or to one prouince yea or to one kingdome but am an Ambassadour and haue commission to all the world Neither do I come to this charge of mine owne will or of the will of any other man but by the will of God and the same his reuealed will And albeit my authority herein be sufficient to conuince all men of the truth I write of yet for further and stronger confirmation thereof I haue ioyned Timotheus my welbeloued brother to beare record with me that in the mouth of two witnesses the truth may be more surely established Verse 2. To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ Grace be with