for at all they will never count a man the worse subject for breaking of them they count it a most odions thing for any man yea though he be an officer that is bound by his oath to doe it to seeke or urge the execution of these lawes against any offender And so much may serve for that part of my application which is more generall The other part I must direct to you of this Towne and Congregation more specially And yet not so to them of this Towne as if I thought none of you that heare me were to be blamed for these faults that I shall now reprove but onely they of this Towne but because my selfe have discerned them and beene grieved and troubled in my soule for them in this place more then in any other But before I begin this part of my application let me by way of preface use a word or two that it may doe you the more good I know well to some hearers all that we use to say in reproofe of sinne is wont to be very unsavoury and harsh specially if it be any whit particular and sharp But I may not forbeare it because of that Remember I pray you what a necessity is laid upon us that are Gods Ministers to reprove the sinnes that we discerne to be in any of you There is nothing we are more straitly charged with by the Lord then to reprove sin plainely and particularly and vehemently too And I much feare that wee are all to blame in neglecting this part of our duty so much as wee doe I will give you but two places for this one in the Old Testament and another in the New The first is Esa. 58.1 Observe foure points in that charge 1. Cry aloud it must be done feelingly and with affection 2. Spare not it must be done without partiality 3. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet it must be done zealously and vehemently 4. Shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes it must be done plainely and particularly The other place is 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Observe three things in this place 1. That this duty of our ministery is twice pressed upon us reprove rebuke 2. That we are charged to be instant in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand much upon it 3. With what a charge this is pressed upon us verse 1. As if he should say Thou canst never answer it unto God and unto Iesus Christ at the day of judgement if thou doe it not Ye see what a commission and charge wee have and that there is nothing more pertinent to our ministery then plainely and roundly to reprove sinne If we see any sinne among you and discover it not reprove it not the Lord telleth us plainely Ezek. 3.18 that he will require your bloud at our hands But if we discharge our duty this way though you will not be reclaimed and leave your sinne as I feare many of you whose sinne I shall now reprove will not yet we have delivered our owne soules as the Lord telleth us verse 19. Yea the Lord observeth this in the false Prophets as a chiefe note of an unfaithfull Minister Lam. 2.14 They have not discovered thine iniquity unto thee saith he Howsoever therefore you take it you see we must do our duty And of sundry of you I make no doubt but you will be ready to say of that which I shall deliver unto you out of Gods Word against any of your sins as good Hezekiah did in the like case 2 King 20.19 The Word of the Lord is good Whatsoever is taught me by good warrant of Gods Word though it be never so much to my reproach and shame is good and I will receive it and yeeld unto it And indeed if you yeeld to Gods Word and reforme your selves in those things that shall be reproved by it the reproofe that shall be given will be nothing to your reproach but to your credit and honour rather For so saith the Holy Ghost Pro. 25.12 As an earing of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient eare As if he should say No Iewell can so much adorne and beautifie a Christian as this will do when he can receive and submit himselfe to the word of reproofe that is wisely given and by good warrant of Gods Word And upon this ground I will now proceed Of this Towne my selfe can say that I have knowne the time when it did shine as a light to all the countrey and was famous among the Churches of Christ for the religious observation of the Sabbath day And to this day blessed be God for the meanes of sanctifying the Sabbath by the publique ministery in our Church assemblies I dare say it is little or nothing behind any other Church in the countrey And of many of the people also I may say that they doe as diligently frequent them and our Congregations on the Lords day both in the forenoone and afternoone too are as full and populous as can lightly bee found in any other place And yet for all that by many amongst us the Sabbath is as much profaned in all the three branches of the commandement touching the right observation of it which I told you of the last day as it is I thinke in any part of all the countrey besides The first and chiefe thing that God requireth in the observation of his Sabbath is this That we keepe his rest and performe the duties of his worship that day cheerefully and reverently and spiritually The true worshippers saith our Saviour Ioh. 4.23 shall worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him And on the other side he telleth us Matth. 15.8 9. that they who when they seeme to worship God have their hearts farre from him worship him in vaine It is but a mock worship when men will seeme to serve him and have no heart to it at all And against this first branch wee have many amongst us that doe transgresse notoriously Many that frequent our Church-assemblies on the Sabbath day ordinarily and constantly seeme to bee hearers of the Word upon that day yet make open profession when they are heere that they have no delight in it as the Prophet speaketh of them in his time Ieremy 6.10 they have no heart to it at all You shall hardly come into any Church upon a Sabbath day where you shall see so many sleepers old and young yea such as would bee thought to bee of cheefe credit among their neighbours not for morall honesty onely but even for religion too And this I have to my griefe heard many strangers observe and wonder at I know many of
thinke much to abase and humble themselves when they are to appeare before God and to speake unto him The foure and twenty Elders Rev. 4.10 cast downe their crownes when they were to speake unto God though that they were to speake were not confession of sin nor petition but praise and tanksgiving onely Yea the blessed Angels Rev. 7.11 Fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God And the more humble we are in our selves the more hope we may have to speed well in our prayers If my people shall humble themselves and pray saith the Lord 2 Chron. 7.14 and seeke my face and to turne from their wicked waies then will I heare from heaven And Iam. 4.6 God giveth grace to the humble Wee should all judge our selves unworthy to do God any service Abraham did so Gen. 18.27 Behold I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord. Iohn Baptist did so Mar. 1.7 I am not worthy to stoup downe and unlose the latchet of Christs shoe as if he had said to do the lowest or basest service about him And how may we bring out selves to this humility of heart when we go to God Surely the consideration of his greatnesse and our basenesse may be effectuall to do this This consideration humbled Abraham Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord and I am but dust and ashes And this consideration is also commended unto us by the Holy Ghost Eccl. 5 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Mistake not the meaning of the Holy Ghost he condemneth not all prayers that are long long prayers are not unlawfull specially upon extraordinary occasions for Christ we know continued a whole night in prayer Luk. 6.12 Yea our owne necessities and the necessities of the Church do sometimes impose a necessity upon us both to be more frequent and more long in our prayers then ordinary it were fit for us to be When Israel was in the field against Amalek Exod. 1â— 11 12. Moses held up his hands to God with the helpe of Aaron and Hur a whole day even to the going downe of the Sun Carnall men are not fit judges in this case they are apt to thinke the smallest time that is spent in Gods service too long and to cry out as Mal. 1.13 Behold what a wearinesse it is And as in Amos 8.3 When will the Sabbath be done But if we would not offend in the length of our prayers these foure cautions which God in his Word giveth us must be observed in them First That in these our long prayers we do not out of any respects affect to be long it is too possible for a man to use long prayers in the meetings he hath with other Christians even to get applause thereby and to shew how farre he excelleth others in this gift And fye upon pride at all times but specially in prayer The Pharisees are taxed for this fault Matth. 23.14 For a pretence they made long prayers Secondly That we be indeed enabled by God to do it with understanding and use not vaine repetitions in our long prayers This caution our Saviour giveth Mat. 6.7 When ye pray use not vaine repetitions as the heathen do Certainely this is a common fault in the long prayers of most men Thirdly That in our long prayers our hearts be able to hold out as long as our tongues do The true worshippers saith our Saviour Iohn 4.23 shall worship the father in spirit and in truth A short praier made with fervency of devotion prevaileth more with God then the longest and most eloquent prayer can do without it It is the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous man that availeth much Iam. 5.16 God cannot abide the prayers that are nothing but lip labour when men draw neare to God with their mouthes as the Lord complaineth Eâ—a 29.13 and honour him with their lips but their hearts are gon Fourthly That he that conceiveth the prayer have as well respect to them that joyne with him as to himselfe whether their hearts be like to hold out so long in that duty as his heart or his tongue is I had rather saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.19 in the Church speake five words so as I may edifie others and that that he speaketh there of teaching is as well to be understood of prayer as appeareth by the context then ten thousand words otherwise Marvell not that I say that in prayer and in all the exercises of religion respect must bee had to the ability of them that joyne with us in these duties and not to our owne only Our blessed Saviour had respect to this in his teaching Marke 4.33 With many such parables spake hee the word unto them as they were able to heare it And this the Lord had respect unto in the appointing of all the three solemne feasts wherein all the males were to assemble themselves before the Lord. Hee appointed them at such times as all the people might with most conveniency come unto Ierusalem and goe backe againe also unto their owne homes The Passeover was about the beginning of our April the feast of Pentecost in May and the feast of Tabernacles in September And in that moneth also was the day of atonement the generall fast kept as you may see Levit. 23. and Deut. 16. Certainely Gods purpose was therein to teach us that in the exercises of his worship whether ordinary or extraordinary respect must bee had to the conveniency of Gods people Decency and order is not more necessary or comely in any thing then in the matters of Gods worship Let all things bee done saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 14 40. decently and in order You see then by that place of Eccl. 5. that the consideration of Gods glorious greatnesse and of our owne basenesse may bee effectuall to humble us whensoever wee are to goe to God and to pray unto him But the consideration of the Lords holinesse and of our owne sinfulnesse may doe it much more Not onely the consideration of the foule actuall sins that we have all of us bin guilty of as wee see in that speech of Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our heads but specially the consideration of this vile nature that remaineth still in us even after our conversion whereby wee are so prone unto sin and have in us a continuall thirst unto evill according to that speech of Eliphaz Iob 15.16 How much more abominable and filthy is man that drinketh iniquity like water The third and last case wherein we are to make use of this doctrine for our humbling is in the times when wee are to renew our repentance and to humble our selves in fasting and prayer before God for our sins
and blind devotion in both these yet what great hurt was ther in them Had they not a shew of holinesse and mortification Surely if you weigh the matter well for as much as you may bee sure that neither Christ nor the Apostle could be thus vehement without just cause you will find that to be strict and precise in the observation of any thing as a part of Gods worship that God in his Word hath given us no direction for though it seeme to tend never so much unto holinesse and mortification is a most heinous sinne For 1 it is grosse Idolatry and high-Treason against God to give to our selves or to any creature this divine authority as to make him a law-giver to our conscience For this is the Lords royall prerogative in which he will endure no partner There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy saith the Apostle Iam. 4.12 I am the Lord saith he Esa 42.8 that is my name and I will not give my glory to another 2 This will quite steale and turne away the heart from God and his Word and breed a light account of the Word of the commandements and ordinances of God This is one reason our Saviour giveth for his vehemency against the Pharisaicall purifyings Mat. 15.6 Ye have made the commandement of God of none effect by your traditions And Mar. 7.9 Full well ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keepe your owne tradition Ahaz we know 1 brought his altar into Gods house and offered on it 2 King 16.12 13. 2 He set it cheeke by jowle as we say by the Lords owne altar verse 14. 3 He brought it in further and placed it above Gods altar verse 14. 4 He used it onely in the ordinary offerings and sacrifices with neglect of Gods altar verse 15. The more zealous any are for the religious observation of such things as God never commanded the lesse conscience we shall find they make of any commandement of God the lesse account they make of Gods Word When Ephraim had multiplied altars in a will worship being more abundant in sacrifices then God required Hos. 8.11 12. the great things of Gods written law were counted by him as a strange thing not belonging unto him Yea this will-will-worship will breed in the heart a hatred of God and his ordinances which is the cause why the Lord calleth the transgressours of the second commandement such as hate him Exod. â—0 5 And the Apostle saith Tit. 1.14 that the giving heed to the commandements of men in this case will turne men from the truth This experience hath proved most true not only in the Papists but in too many other fondly superstitious 2 Can any of you find in your selves a high and reverend esteeme of Gods Word doe you love it and delight in it do you depend upon it onely for direction in all your waies despising and rejecting all other rules besides it Canst thou say with David Psal. 119 113. I hate vaine inventions but thy law doe I love Certainely how ever thou maist be slouted and hated for this in the world this will one day even when thou shalt have most need of it yeeld a comfortable testimony to thee that thy heart is upright with God Remember as thou hast now heard what comfort Iob found in this Iob 33 10-12 Remember how oft David calleth him a blessed man that can doe thus Ps. 1. â— 112 1.128.1 Remember that our blessed Saviour accounteth such Luke 8.21 in respect of his deare and tender affection and respect unto them as his brethren and sisters and mother And that for this cause he professeth of Mary Luke 10.42 that she had chosen the good part which should not bee taken away from her Lecture LXXVIII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 22. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second property that is necessarily required in true goodnesse and righteousnesse it must have a good root We must therefore know that nothing that we can do is truly good and pleasing unto God unlesse the inward principle the root that produceth it and moveth us to doe it be good We read of holy Iob. 9 28. that he comforteth himselfe against the censures of his friends that judged him to be an hypocrite by this that the root of the matter was found in him he knew he had in him the root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse and therefore he was no hypocrite therefore his heart was upright And on the other side in the parable of the sower our Saviour giveth this for the reason why the hearer that is resembled to the stony ground fell quite away and so shewed himselfe to bee an hypocrite and that his heart was never upright Matth. 13.21 because hee had no root in himselfe Now if you aske me what is this root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse that a man must have in himselfe or els his heart cannot be upright I answer it is that which the Apostle speaketh of Gal. 5.6 In Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Faith that worketh by love is that root from whence all true goodnesse and righteousnesse doth spring Here are you see two graces grow together in this root faith and love 1. Nothing that we doe is truly good and pleasing unto God neither will the doing of it argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse we doe it out of love to God 2. The love that wee beare to God is not sound nor such as will argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse it proceed from faith that assureth us of Gods speciall love to us in Christ. For the first The love of God is the root of all true obedience and that heart that truly loveth God is certainely an upright and true heart Two branches you see there are of this point which I will severally and distinctly consider of 1. The love of God is the root of all true obedience 2. The heart that truly loveth God is an upright heart First Nothing that we do is good in Gods sight unlesse we do it out of love unto him This is the root of all true obedience God hath chosen us saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.4 in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love When our Saviour giveth the summe of all the foure commandements of the first table he giveth it us in these termes Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Then onely wee pray well and and heare well and preach well and receive the Sacrament well and keepe the Sabbath well yea then onely we put our trust in him aright and serve him aright when we doe all this out of love to the Lord our God So for the duties of the second table then onely we performe the duties of righteousnesse and love
love p. 609. Proleps How ever men conceit its certaine all shall not have benefit by him but few in comparison Ibid. We may know we are Christs if we have his Spirit and specially by foure effects of it p. 610 611. He that would get comfortable assurance that Christ is his must 1 Desire and thirst after him more then any thing else p. 611. 2 Bee content to buy and purchase him by parting with whatsoever is dearest to him that he may obtaine him 3 feele the burden of his sins and see how damnable his estate is without him p. 612 613. Lect 121. No man can receive comfort by the blood of Christ till he hath it sprinckled upon his heart and applyed to him p. 614. None but the Lord himselfe can thus apply and sprinkle the bloud of Christ upon the heart of any man p. 615. For 1 the more a man knoweth of Christ the more will he be vexed if he cannot know hee hath any part in him himselfe Ibid. 616. 2 mans infidelity is such he cannot apply Christ to himselfe p. 616. Popery deprives men of true comfort in foure doctrines that they teach Ibid. We should give no rest to our selves till we have got Christs bloud sprinckled upon us and assurance it was shed for us p. 617. for 1 it is possible to get this assurance in this life p. 618. 2 Great is the benefit of it pag. 619. Lect. 122. Necessary to examine well that assurance wee seeme to have that Christ is ours for 1 Many most lewd men have seemed to bee strongly assured of it in whom certainely Gods Spirit never wrought it 2 it s much better to live in continuall doubt of it then to have such false assurance p. 620. The Spirit of God only workes true assurance because he is the onely comforter the Divell also worketh a kinde of peace and assurance but he can never be a true comforter p. 621. 1 Signe of true assurance Those in whom the Spirit worketh assurance were first humbled with doubts and feares and after they have it they never have it in this life in perfection yea they are subject oft to spirituall disertions Ibid. He that never doubted of his salvation was never acquainted with any feares or trouble of mind hath just cause to doubt of his assurance p. 622. 2 Signe All true assurance is grounded upon the Word the Spirit and the Word goe alway together the worke of the Spirit to be judged by the Word Ibid. Every true Christian hath the Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of salvation p. 623. Proleps 1. A man that hath grace in him may certainely know that he hath it Ibid. 2. By the Word hee may know certainely that every grace that is in him is in him in sincerity p. 624. No trusting to any assurance but such onely as is grounded on the Word for 1 that onely is of the Spirits working Ibid. 2 by the Word only Sathan to be convinced when he shall question our assurance and â—ift us about it 3 the Lord will judge every one of us by his Word p. 625. Most men are confident they shall be saved though they have no Word of God to assure them of it nay though the Word give expresse testimonie against them Ibid. Lect. 123. The third signe of true assurance is the effects and fruits it produceth in them that have it 1 It is operative and will breed in him that hath it an unfeigned love to God and care to expresse his love by the uttermost service he is able to doe unto him p. 626. It will worke a thorow reformation in the inner man Ibid. Nothing will make the heart 1 So soft and apt to mourne for sinne 2 so fearefull to oftend God hereafter 3 So to desire and delight in the Word and meanes of grace 4 So carefull to practise what hee knowes and to please God in all things as this will doe p. 627. He that hath it cannot content himselfe to serve God inwardly and in Spirit but hee will also 1 Professe openly and declare himselfe to be Gods servant Ibid. 2 put forth himselfe to doe God in his place all the service and honour he can p. 628. Th' assurance most men have of their salvation appeares by this to be false and counterfâ—it because its idle and unfruitfull Nay it workes quite contrary effects 1 it hardneth the heart and keepeth men from sorrowing for sin Ibid. 2 it makes them bold to commit any sinne 3 it makes them despise the Word and meanes of grace 4 it maketh them utterly carelesse of practise 5 They count it their wisedome to conceale their love to God and religion and a disgrace to be noted for it 6 They have no care to honour God p. 629. 1 Masters of families may greatly honour God and their sinne that doe not p 630. 2 So may Ministers 3 So may Magistrates p. 631. Lect. 124. Though true assurance of the pardon of our sinnes bee the supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit yet doth the Spirit worke it by meanes p. 632. Great force there is in Gods solemne worship and conscionable use of his ordinances to work and preserve and recover it Ibid. and namely 1 in the Word because 1 it was given to that end chiefly p. 633. 2 God hath promised to accompany it by his Spirit in the hearts of his people 634. 2 in the use of the Lords Supper for therin Christ is 1 offered most particularly 2 applyed p. 635. 3 in prayer p. 636. Five causes why Gods people finde not the fruit of it p. 637. Lect. 125. 1 A constant care to please God in all things and feare to offend him is a singular meanes to get preserve and recover assurance and without it it will not be p. 638-641 2 If Gods people would diligently observe and examine their owne wayes they might get preserve and recover assurance better then they doe p. 641. for if we can finde that we doe any one good thing with an upright heart we may from thence grow assured that we are in Gods favour p. 642. yet a full and strong assurance will not be gotten in a day or two but by a long and constant continuance in well doing Ibid. A Christian even the meanest and when he is at the worst may by due examination finde the truth of grace in him Ibid. pag. 643. Though hee can for the present finde no goodnesse in himselfe yet it will be profitable for him to call to minde the signes of grace hee had in former times page 643. Lect. 126. 3 If Gods people would call to minde the speciall experiments they have had formerly of Gods goodnesse towards them even in temporall and common favours it would be a great helpe to obtaine and preserve and recover th' assurance of his love in Christ p. 644. But specially th'experiments of his love in spirituall things p. 645. We should take notice and
Evangelicall Prophet Esay 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes As if he had said Do it zealously and with feeling cry aloud do it boldly and without partiality spare not doe it plainely and particularly shew my people their transgressions and their sinnes Two other commandments we find for this the one Tit. 2.5 These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority the other is 2. Tim 4. â— Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Where observe both that application is made the chiefe part of preaching and that reproving of sinne is made the chiefe part of application Yea observe in what manner the Lord hath commanded his servants to preach in this manner thus plainly and boldly to reprove sinne in their ministery 2. Tim. 4.12 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdome preach the Word reprove rebuke c. And Iere. 1.17 Gird up thy loynes and arise and speake unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them Thirdly this kind of preaching is that wherein God hath beene wont to shew his power most and to worke most mightily with and wherein indeed the very life and power of preaching doth chiefly consist This is plaine in this example of David till Nathan dealt thus roundly and particularly and told him 2. Sam. 1â— 7 Thou art the man he could do no good on him By this course also Peter prevailed so with the three thousand mentioned Acts 2.36 37. And so did our blessed Saviour with that woman of Samaria when hee had effectually discovered to her her foule sinne Iob. 4.18 He that thou now livest with is not thy husband yea verse 29. He told her all things that ever she did then she that before was most secure made no reckning of him but could discourse very malaperdy with him now beganne to have her conscience awakened and to acknowledge and reverence him not only as a Prophet verse 19. but even as the Christ and Saviour of the World verse 29. This is the manner of preaching which makes men feele and acknowledge the mighty power of God in his ordinance and fall downe as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14.24 25. and worship God and say of a truth God is in you when the hearer feeleth himselfe to bee convinced of all and judged of all and the secrets of his heart manifested to him Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are principally three First Every man through that selfe love and hypocrisie that is in his heart is apt to put of from himselfe to others generall doctrines and reproofes is wont to be little moved or affected with them they make no more use of them then little children can doe of a great loafe that is set before them the Word must be cut and divided to them 2. Tim. 2.15 and every one his owne portion given unto them by a wise steward Luk 12.42 or else they will never bee able to make good use of it The generall parable whereby Nathan did notably lay open the foulenesse of his sinne made David vehement and fierce against another man that should doe so 2. Sam. 12.5 6. but it never brought him to any touch of heart for his owne sin but when Nathan applyed his doctrine to him verse 7. then he was humbled ver 13. So the Iewes while Christ spake in a parable as in generall doctrine and reproofe of their sinne they posted it of to others and gave a most sharpe censure of them that should offend in such sort Mat. 21.41 They say unto him he will miserably destroy those wicked men and let out his vineyard unto others but when he applied it unto them in particular ver 45 46. then they were moved Secondly Till mens sinnes be effectually discovered unto them they can neuer attaine to any soundnesse of faith or of any other saving grace Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith So we shall find Iohn 16.8 that this is the course which the spirit the comforter useth to take in bringing Gods elect to true comfort When he is come saith our Saviour hee will reprove the world of sinne And Esa. 61.3 None can ever attaine to the happinesse to be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord till they have first beene mourners for sinne and have had in them the spirit of heavinesse Nay till then men can never seriously desire salvation So that in this respect also the ministery whereby God useth to convert sinners must needs be such as doth plainly and boldly reprove sinne Thirdly The Lord useth to worke most mightily with and to blesse the ministery of such of his servants most as are most faithfull to him in their ministery It is the chiefe grace that God delighteth in and requireth in his stewards and servants that they be faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 It is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull Ier. 23.28 He that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully Such the Lord useth to worke most mightily by This is given for a reason why Levies ministery was so powerfull and effectuall that he did turne many away from iniquity Mal. 2.5 6. He did himselfe feare God and iniquity was not found in his lips Now the faithfulnesse of Gods messengers consisteth principally in this even in delivering his whole message Acts 20.26 27. I take you to record that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God The faithfulnesse of Gods steward consisteth chiefly in giving to every one in Gods family their owne portion in due season Luke 12 4â— The faithfulnesse of the Preacher consists in fitting his doctrine to his audience and discovering to them their speciall sinnes as Paul did when he preached before Felix Acts 24.25 He spake so of righteousnes temperance and the judgement to come that he made Felix to tremble This Doctrine serveth 1. for instruction 2. for exhortation and 3. for reproofe And it serveth for the instruction first of you that are the people of God the hearers of his Word secondly of us that are his messengers and servants And it serveth to teach you two things First What is the true cause of that bitter hatred that the World hath ever borne to Gods faithfullest ministers No people have ever beene so much hated and persecuted in the World as they Christ bids his Apostles looke for no better entertainement in the World then to be reviled and persecuted and to have all manner of evill spoken of them and tells them the Prophets of God had beene so used before them Matth. 5.11 12.
lesse then rebellion and stubbornesse then witchcraft and idolatry You will say then that by this doctrine all sins are alike Hee that to relieve his extreme necessity stealeth a sheepe breaketh Gods commandement aswell as he that killeth his owne father And is there no difference betweene these sins I answer Yes verily some sins are farre greater then others are 2 King 3.2 Iehoram the son of Ahab wrought evill in the sight of the Lord but not like his father and like his mother His sins were great but not so great as theirs Our Saviour telleth the Pharisees that some sins in comparison of others are like gnats and some like camels Mat. 23.24 And though the least in it owne nature doe deserve eternall torments and foolish man cannot comprehend how there can be any degrees any Magis or Minus more or lesse in those torments that are eternall and infinite yet the eternall God knoweth how to make degrees and differences even in those eternall torments And though the torments that the least sinner shall endure in hell be infinite and such as no tongue can expresse no heart can conceive how great and intollerable they will bee There shall bee nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Luke 13 28. There the worme never dyeth nor the fire never goeth out Mar. 9.44 Yet will the Lord inflict greater torments on such whose sins have beene like camels and lesser upon those whose sins have beene like gnats Hee knoweth how to beate the servant that knew his masters will and did it not with many stripes and him with fewer that did it not because he knew it not Luke 12.47 48. to make the torments of Chorazin more intollerable then those of Tire and Sidon Mat. 11.22 Some sins yee see then are greater then other some But what is it that putteth the difference betweene sins What are the weights and ballances wherein sins are to bee weighed if wee would know which are the heaviest and which are the lightest sins Not the opinion of men of the world of the multitude of the time nor the censure and punishment that men doe passe and inflict upon sin For so in times past it should have beene a greater sin to eate flesh upon a friday then to breake many of the commandements of God and in any man not to keepe the day of Christs birth holy in a solemne manner should be a greater sin then to break any one of Gods commandements as than to steale to commit adultery or idolatry or blasphemy either These are therefore false weights and ballances to judge of the greatnesse or smallnesse of sins by But by the weights of the Sanctuary by the word of God onely this is to bee judged of And this is the rule that Gods word giveth us to judge which are the greatest sins The more directly any sin is committed against God the more contempt is done to God by it the greater the sin is As the sin against the holy Ghost is the greatest sin of all sins because it is most directly committed against God hee that committeth it sinneth of meere malice and despite against God Hee doth despite unto the spirit of grace as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.29 So every other sin the neerer it commeth to it the more directly it is committed against God the greater the sin is And from this generall rule these three particulars will follow First That the sins of the highest degree against the first table are greater then those of the highest degree against the second So Samuel speaketh of witchcraft and Idolatry as of the greatest sins 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornesse is as iniquity and idolatry So our Saviour calleth the first table the first and the great commandement Mat. 22.38 Secondly That sins committed against knowledge are greater sins then those that are committed out of simple ignorance because there is greater contempt done to God by them then by the other See this in a sin of omission Iames 4.17 To him that knoweth to do well and doth it not to him it is sin As if he had said to him it is sin with a witnesse See it also in sins of commission Pauls blasphemy and persecution was in respect of the deed it selfe a farre greater sin then the sin of that man was that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day And yet Paul found mercy with God because he did it ignorantly as himselfe saith 1 Tim. 1.13 Whereas the other found no mercy with God as we see Numb 15.35 because he did it against his knowledge presumptuously How may that appeare will you say Surely he and all the congregation knew well how strictly a little before God had enjoyned a precise rest even from gathering of Mannah upon the Sabbath day Exo. 16.23 yea from doing any worke even about the making of the tabernacle yea or kindling a fire in any of their tabernacles upon the Sabbath day Exod. 15. â— 3. And yet would he doe this he sinned against his knowledge he sinned presumptuously Therefore is this story brought in by the holy Ghost immediatly upon the law that God had made against presumptuous sinners as a sanction and ratification of that law Numb 15.30 32. O thinke of this you that at this day do so presumptuously profane the Lords Sabbaths not by gathering a few sticks but by following your profits and pleasures on that day with the neglect and contempt of Gods house and worship The spirit of God wrought that love in Davids heart to the house of God that he professeth Psal. 84 10. He had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of his God then to dwell in the tents of wickednes And what spirit is it that maketh you to hate and loath the house of God as you do that maketh you so farre in love with the tents of wickednes I mean the ale-houses the most of which if any houses under heaven may well be called the tents of wickednes as you are that you cannot be drawn from these tents of wickednes into the house of the Lord no not upon the Lords day you cannot pretend ignorance for your sin no more then he that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day could you sin against your knowledge as he did you sin presumptuously as he did yea your sin is worse then his was 1. Wee read not that he did this in the time of Gods publike worship as you do 2. He spent not his time so ill in gathering sticks as you do in swilling and gaming upon the Sabbath day 3. He drew not other lewd companions to joyne with him in his sin as you do And yet God met with him he died without mercy as you have heard for his sin be you sure the Lord will meet with you also one day and unlesse you repent and forsake this sin you shall find no more mercy with God then he did Well because I see many of you my
shall serve for that part of the application of this point that concerneth the naturall and carnall man Secondly This point is also to be applied to the people of God for their comfort and encouragement and they have great need of it Two faults there be in the best of Gods servants that they are much to be checked and blamed for First That they of all others have the saddest hearts and are subject to most feares David complaineth of himselfe that he went mourning all the day long Ps. 38.6 And they are called such as are of a fearefull heart Esa. 35.4 Their frailty is like a cloud Esa. 44.22 Whereas indeed those that do unfeignedly feare God and have set their hearts to please him are the only men of the world that have just cause to be cheerefull and comfortable Psal. 105.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. And 32.11 Shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce Yea though his frailties were farre greater then they are yet hath he much more cause to rejoyce in the Lord then to be sad for them 1. His sins are forgiven him and that is a just cause of joy Son be of good cheere saith Christ Mat. 9.2 thy sins are forgiven 2. God is reconciled to him in Christ and delighteth in him as you heard the last day and that is another just cause of joy Let him that glorieth saith the Lord Ier 9 24 glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse 3. And lastly His name is written in heaven and that is also a just ground of unspeakable joy Rejoyce in this saith our Saviour Luk. 10.20 that your names are written in heaven So that I may boldly say to every poore Christian thou art more bound to rejoyce in these things then to mourne for thine own infirmities yea it were not so great a sin in thee not to mourne at all for thine infirmities as it is not to rejoyce in the Lord. Secondly There is yet another fault that Gods people are much to blame for that because they cannot performe any service to God in that manner that they should therefore they have no heart at all to serve him but performe every duty in Gods worship so heartlessely heavily and uncheerefully whether they heare or pray or receive the Sacrament or sing Psalmes as if it were the greatest slavery and drudgery in the world to serve God Whereas indeed we have just cause to performe these duties with more alacrity and gladnes of heart then any other thing in the world Serve the Lord with gladnesse saith David Ps. 100. 2. We should count the Sabbath a delight Esa. 58.13 I will make them saith the Lord speaking of his people Esa. 56.7 joyfull in my house of prayer True it is Gods people have just cause of mourning and feare in the best services they do unto God in respect of the unworthinesse of them to be presented unto God and the untowardnesse of their hearts in them Good Hezekiah went sore when he prayed Esa. 38.3 and his prayer was never the worse for that But yet there must be in every acceptable service we do unto God a mixture of joy with that sorrow and feare Serve the Lord with feare saith David Psal. 2.11 and rejoyce with trembling When we consider how bad servants we are we see just cause of sorrow and feare but when we consider how good a master it is that we do service unto there is more cause of joy and comfort in that then there is of sorrow and feare in the other Certainely if we did rightly know the disposition of this master of ours that we do service unto it would put life into us and make us serve him with more gladnesse of heart then we do Consider therefore and thinke oft for thy incouragement of the disposition of thy Lord and master in these five points First His eye is continually upon thee to take notice of that thou dost in his service And the laziest servant that is will ply his worke cheerefully while his masters eye is upon him That the Apostle plainely intimateth Ephes. 6.6 Not with eye-service as mem-pleasers Secondly In whatsoever service he injoineth us to do unto him he seeketh not any profit to himselfe but yeeldeth it all unto us As if a master should injoine his servant to take paines in tilling sowing husbandring a piece of ground and when harvest commeth should bid him go and reape for himselfe If thou be righteous saith Elihu Iob 35.7 what givest thou to him or what receiveth he at thy hand And Deut. 10.13 These commandements and statutes I command thee this day for thy good We do no faithfull service unto him but it yeeldeth us fruit even in the doing of it besides that it will yeeld us when the harvest commeth that is at the end of the world Being freed from sin saith the Apostle Rom. 6.22 and being become the servants of God ye have your fruit in holinesse and in the end everlasting life It is joy to the just saith Solomon Pro. 21.15 to doe judgement Even the very doing of good duties with a good heart yeeldeth that joy and comfort to a man as will abundantly recompense all the paines and service we can do The people rejoyced for that they offered willingly 1 Chron. 29.9 because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord and David also the King rejoyced with great joy Thirdly The Lord is no such hard and rigorous master as will beare with no faults or that will strictly marke every defect that is in our services but most easie to be pleased and willing to accept of our poore endeavours A father indeed it is rather then a master that we serve I will spare them saith the Lord Mal. 3.17 as a man spareth his owne son that serveth him And this maketh the Prophet to cry out Psal. 130 3 4. If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities ô Lord who shall stand but there is forgivenesse with thee that thou maist be feared As if he had said Who would not feare that is serve and worship such a God as is so easie to be pleased so apt to forgive the slips and frailties of his servants in whom he seeth there is truth of heart Fourthly He is such a Master as standeth not so much upon our actions in his service as upon our affections Though we be able to do very little yet if he discerne in us an unfeigned desire to do well he is ready to accept it If there be a willing mind saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 a man is accepted Because he was willing to have done it God saith of Abraham Heb. 11.17 that he did offer up his onely sonne Fiftly and lastly He is such a Master as when he seeth us willing and desirous to doe his will and sorry we
driveth him to despaire in himselfe and to seeke helpe in Christ Yet in the Gospell Christ requireth nothing of the faithfull that is impossible for them to do His yoke is easie and his burden light as he saith Mat. 11.30 Secondly The faithfull may be in this life certaine of their salvation They may be sure of their justification Surely shall one say it is the promise made to the faithfull that should live in the daies of the Gospell Esa. 45.24 in the Lord have I righteousnesse They may be sure of their adoption Doubtlesse thou art our father say the faithfull Esa. 63.16 though Abraham be ignorant of us They may be sure of their perseverance in Gods favour unto the end Surely saith David Psal. 23.6 goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life They may be sure that after this life they shall inherit eternall glory We know saith Paul 2 Cor. 5.1 not speaking in his own person but in the person of all the faithfull that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens And we know saith Iohn 1 Ioh. 3.14 we are translated from death to life How knew he that By revelation No but by such an evidence as is common to all the faithfull Because we love the brethren saith he Now there could be no such assurance of their salvation in any of the faithfull if they knew not undoubtedly that their hearts were upright that they have truth of grace in them How could any conclude thus to the comfort of his soule I know I am translated from death to life because I love the brethren if he could not certainely know that he doth love the brethren and that in truth and sincerity and not in shew onely Hereby we know saith he 1 Ioh. 4.13 that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The spirit of sanctification and the truth of grace wrought in us thereby is the only thing that can assure us that we have any communion with God or are in his favour Thirdly and lastly That it is possible for us to know certainly that our hearts are upright is evident by the experience of Gods faithfull servants whose examples are recorded in the word for our comfort and incouragement We have a proverbiall speech probatum est Iob knew that his heart was upright or he would not have said as he did Iob 27.5 God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me As if he should say I will die rather then beleeve you that would perswade me I am an hypocrite And 12.4 The just upright man is laughed to scorne And 16.17 19. There is not any injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure O earth cover thou not my bloud and let my cry have no place Also now behold my witnesse is in heaven and my record is on high Yea the poore soule had then beene in a most wofull case if he had not beene so certaine of the uprightnesse of his heart as that all those learned and worthy men could not make him to doubt of it David likewise was certaine of the uprightnesse of his heart or he durst never have said as he did Psal. 26.1 2. Iudge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity examine me ô Lord and prove me try my reines and my heart Hezekiah even in the time of his great affliction knew assuredly and was able to call God for a witnesse to his conscience Esa. 38.3 that he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart Yea Peter even then when he was so exceedingly dejected in himselfe for his fearefull fall knew so assuredly that his heart was upright that he did unfeignedly love Christ above all things in the world as that he durst confidently avouch it unto Christ himselfe and was grieved that Christ should question that the third time Lord saith he Iohn 21.17 thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And to conclude the Apostle Iohn speaking in the name not of himselfe onely or of some rare and extraordinary persons saith 1 Iohn 5.19 We know that we are of God that is borne of God truly regenerate as appeareth by the former verse Thus you see there is no such impossibility no such difficulty in the matter but we may know and be certaine whether our hearts be upright or no. True it is the best Christian that is may be at some times doubtfull and uncertaine in this point unable to discerne that there is truth of grace in him If he could rightly examine his owne heart and waies he might find it out But he is not at all times in case to examine himselfe thus The best are subject 1 to spirituall desertion sometimes through their owne sloth and negligence as the Church was Cant. 3.1 and 5.6 2 To such tentations and sorrowes as doe even overwhelme their spirits Psal. 142.3 In such a case it is good 1 to call to mind the times that are past and the evidence thou hast formerly had of the uprightnesse of thy heart Psal. 77.5 6. 2 Even then cast not away thy confidence but having lost thine evidence seek and sue and cry to God for a new copy of it as David did even in that case Psal. 77. ◠3 Vse the helpe of some faithfull and experienced Christian who in this case may be better able to judge of thee then thou art thy selfe And that is the second Motive that may perswade us to examine our selves diligently in this point The third and last is taken from the benefit and comfort we shall receive in this when by diligent triall and examination of our selves wee can find that there is truth of grace in us that our hearts are sound and upright with God O the comfort that this will yeeld us will abundantly recompence all the paines wee can take about it This will appeare to be so in two points First This will make every duty every service we doe to God sweet and comfortable to us when we can know we have performed it in truth and uprightnesse of heart This motive the Apostle giveth us Gal. 6 4. Let every man prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another When the people in Davids time contributed largely towards the building of the Temple it is said they rejoyced and found great comfort and the reason is given 1 Chron. 19 9. because they did it with a perfect and upright heart So when all Iudah in Asa his time renewed their covenant and bound themselves by solemne oath to cleave unto the Lord and to the purity of his religion and worship it is said 2 Chron 15.15 they rejoyced at the oath and the reason is given because they had sworne with all their heart So Paul professeth of
idolaters and enemies to God as lived upon the earth Alas he he being of a soft and flexible disposition was naturally inclined and had more strong tentations to that then to other sinnes But herein the truth of his heart appeared that when God had by his Prophet reproved him for helping Ahab his heart relented and he became after that more zealous for God then ever he had beene before as you shall see 2 Chron. 19.2 11. and being againe after that reproved for helping Ahaziah more sharpely 2 Chron. 20.37 he could never be drawne to offeâ—d that way any more 1 King 22.49 You see then a man may have an upright heart though he do seeme to make more conscience of some commandements some duties and some sinnes then of others But I say further a man cannot have an upright heart if he doe not shew more care and conscience in some duties commanded and in some sinnes that are forbidden then in other some Though all the commandements be equall in respect of the authority and soveraignty of the commander yet in respect of the things commanded or forbidden and in respect of the strictnesse of the charge laid upon us by the Lord for the doing or not doing of them some are greater then others are Yea there is no surer note of an upright heart then this when we do make more conscience of those things that God hath laid most speciall charge upon us in then we do of any others If you aske mee Which are those I answer They are of three sorts First God hath given greater charge to us concerning the substantiall points of piety and charity then concerning any matters of circumstance and ceremony Christ calleth the inward worship of God prescribed in the first commandement The first and the great commandement Mat. 22.38 greater then any of the nine that follow God delighteth much more in the inward then in the outward worship we doe to him Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15 22. as in obeying the voice of the Lord I desire mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord Hos. 6.6 and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Yea he calleth mercy and justice and fidelity which are substantiall duties of the second table the weightier matters of the law Matth. 23.23 weightier then the matters of ceremony and circumstances of Gods owne worship prescribed in the first table Goe yee and learne saith our Saviour Matth 9.13 what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice It is therefore a certaine note of an unsound heart when men 1. Put all their religion in outward duties and services to God and regard not those weightier matters of the law that I told you of mercy and justice and fidelity no nor the inward worship of God neither 2. Stand more upon ceremonies and circumstances of Gods worship then upon the substance would be greatly troubled if they should not receive now at Easter or not receive with that gesture that they have beene accustomed unto but to come without all knowledge to discerne the Lords body to come without charity without all preparation of heart troubleth them not at all What is this els but to straine at a gnat and swallow a camell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 23.24 Secondly God hath given speciall charge to us concerning the duties of our particular callings that he hath set us in more then of those that are generall duties of Christianity belonging to all men and every tree must be knowne by his owne fruit as our Saviour saith Luk. 6.44 This we shall see in that direction Iohn Baptist giveth to the Publicans and Souldiers Luk. 3.13 14 and in those directions the Apostle giveth in his Epistles Ephes. 5. 6. Col. 3. 4. and by the charge he giveth to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.2 and to Titus Tit. 2.15 It is therefore a great signe of unsoundnesse when men seeme very forward in the common duties of Christianity but neglect their callings are bad husbands and wives and masters and servants bad Magistrates and Ministers like a blind eye or lame hand in the body that have life and sense and motion as all the members have but can doe nothing that belongeth to their particular office Thirdly and lastly God hath given us more speciall charge to looke to our selves to reforme our selves then concerning other men Examine your selves saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.28 and 2 Cor. 13.5 prove your owne selves Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his owne worke Rom. 14.22 Have â—aith to thy selfe before God Therfore David professeth this of himselfe Psal. 18.23 I was upright before him and I kept my selfe from mine iniquity It is therefore a great signe of unsoundnesse when a man busieth himselfe more with censuring and seemeth to hate sinne more in others then in himselfe This our Saviour noteth for the tricke of an hypocrite Mat. 7.3 that he beholdeth the mote that is in his brothers eye but considereth not the beame that is in his owne eye Lecture LXXXVI On Psalme 51.6 April 1â— 1628. NOw it followeth that wee proceed to the second part of my answer to the Question and shew you How and wherein the upright hearted man doth and must shew an equall respect unto all the commandements of God Now this doth appeare in three points principally 1. He desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne him in one point as well as in another 2. He maketh conscience of every sinne God hath forbidden 3. He maketh conscience of every duty God hath commanded him These three points I will speake of in order and make application of them also as I go over them severally For the first The upright hearted man sheweth thus farre-forth an equall respect to all the commandements of God that hee desireth to know the whole will of God in all things that doe concerne him to know in one thing as well as in another In all things I say that concerne him to know For it is no signe of sincerity but of the contrary 1. When a man desireth to know more of Gods will then hee is pleased to reveale and to pry too farre into his secrets When the Lord was pleased to reveale his glory unto his people at the delivering of the law he set bounds unto them and charged them upon paine of death as you shall find Exod. 19.12.21 not to passe those bounds to gaze and pry too farre 2. When a man is too inquisitive to know that that concerneth other men O how perfect are many men in the knowledge of those things that concerne the duty of their Ministers and superiours and of their neighbours also Like Peter Iohn 21.21 Lord what shall this man do whom our Saviour reproveth in the next verse for this and saith What is that to thee follow thou me 3. When a man seeketh knowledge in those things most that are no way
it was God alone that begot us by it This made that Convert mentioned 1 Corinthians 14.24 25. when hee had felt in the hearing of Gods Prophets and Ministers the searching and piercing power of the Word in his heart to fall downe on his face and to worship God and to professe God is in you of a truth As if he had said Certainely God is in your ministery it is not in the words that I have heard you speake nor in your manner of uttring and delivering of them that my heart hath beene so mightily wrought upon but in the divine power of God that speaketh in and by you So the Apostle telleth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13.3 it was Christ that spake in him who to them-word was not weake but was mighty in them As if he should say It was not I nor any thing that I said when I preached to you but Christ that spake in me that was so mighty in your hearts to convert them But then from hence there ariseth a second Question What Is the Word and the ministery thereof in it selfe but as a dead instrument or toole that God worketh by Is it but as a truncke through which Christ speaketh Is there no more vertue and power then so in the Word it selfe My answer to this Question must have two parts For 1. I must shew you what vertue and power the Word hath in it selfe 2. What vertue and power it hath not For the first It cannot be denied but that there is some vertue and power in the Word it selfe and in the ministery thereof For First There are in the Word most strong and effectuall arguments to move and perswade men both unto repentance and unto faith It setteth before men life and death blâ—ssing and cursing as Moses speaketh Deut. 30.19 And Agrippa was almost perswadad to be a Christian by hearing of that which Paul spake concerning Christ Acts 26.28 Secondly Some doctrines that Gods Ministers teach out of Gods Word are more effectuall to perswade and move and worke upon the affections then other some are Which maketh the Apostle give speciall charge both to Timothy and to Titus also for teaching and pressing some Doctrines above others These things command and teach saith he 1 Tim. 4.11 and Tit. 2.15 These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority Thirdly and lastly There is much force this way even in the manner of handling and delivering of the Word Some of Gods servants are men of so excellent gifts such as Apollos was said to have beene Acts 18.24 25. so eloquent men and mighty in the Scriptures and fervent in spirit that no man almost can heare them but he must needs understand them and be affected with that that they teach But the second part of my answer to this second Question is That the power to convert the soule of any man lieth neither in the excellency of any teachers gifts no not in the Doctrine and Word of God it selfe but in the spirit of God onely that worketh by these meanes And thus the Apostle who had said as you have heard that he was the Corinthians father he had begotten them to Christ they were his worke interpreteth himselfe in other places He ascribeth all the power that was in his ministery though both his doctrine doubtlesse and his manner of deliuering it his ministeriall gifts were most excellent yet he ascribeth all I say to the worke of Gods spirit onely My preaching was saith he 1 Cor. 2.4 in demonstration of the spirit and of power As if he had said It was such as the power of the spirit was evidently to be seene and felt in it all the power that it had was from the spirit And 2 Cor. 4.7 he saith that the excellency of that power that was in his and his fellow Apostles ministery was wholly of God and not of them The weapons of our warfare saith he 2 Cor. 10 4. are mighty through God As if he had said All that mighty power that is in our ministery to pull downe strong holds and cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is from God alone Yea he professeth in another place that he durst not for his life ascribe any thing to himselfe in this worke of converting men to God by his ministery I will not dare saith he Rom. 15.18 to speake of any thing which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient both in word and deed As if he had said That the Gentiles that heard me were brought to that obedience and reformation God forbid I should say or thinke it was my doing I dare not for a world say so No no it was Christ and hee alone that did worke it by me as by his poore instrument Nay when he had said 1 Cor. 3.6 that he as an Apostle and master workman had planted and Apollos as an Evangelist and under workman had watered the plants that he had set he addeth not onely that it was God that gave the increase all the successe and fruit of their labours was from God alone but he addeth further verse 7. so then neither is he that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase As though he should say As excellent as the gifts of these men were they did nothing in this worke the whole glory of it was to be â— given unto the Lord alone And thus have you seene the first point I propounded confirmed unto you that it is of God onely that the meanes of grace become effectuall unto the conversion of any man And now let us come to the second point which I propounded unto you for the proofe of the Doctrine This worke of Gods spirit in making the meanes of grace effectuall in them that enjoy them is no common worke This powerfull and effectuall grace is not given of God to every man to profit by the Word unto his conversion For first It is expressely said of some Iohn 6.41 45. that this was the cause why they profited not by Christs ministery but murmured against him and his Doctrine because his father did not draw them because they were not taught of God And Iohn 12.38 They beleeved not that the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fufilled which he spâ—ke Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed 1. The arme of the Lord was not revealed to them no not in Christs ministery the mighty spirit of God did not work with the Word in their hearts 2. That was the cause why they did not beleeve and profit by the Word 3. That the onely cause why they were not converted was not because they would not themselves but because the Lord did not give them that grace whereby they should be converted Secondly It is expressely said that Gods intent and
all his haire and wash himselfe in water that hee may bee cleane Yea he that had but touched a dead body or but beene in the tent where any man was dead which was one of the least pollutions that one under the law could be subject unto could not be cleansed till he had washed himselfe in water He shall purifie himselfe saith the law Numb 19.19 and wash his cloathes and bath himselfe in water and shall be cleane at even No man could be purged from any legal uncleannesse were it greater or smaller unlesse hee were washed Secondly A bunch of hysope was also used for the cleansing of them that were any way defiled under the law The bloud and water whereby the Leper was to be purified must be sprinkled upon him with hysope or els it could doe him no good as you shall see Levit. 14.6 7. Yea in the least pollutions the party that was to be cleansed must have the water of separation sprinkled upon him with a bunch of hysope as you shall find Num. 19.18 19. But then it is secondly to be demanded what reason David had to beg this of God to purge him with hysope and to wash him seeiâ—g he might easily have beene thus purged and washed when he would himselfe To this I answer That he did not here beg of God the benefit and use of the outward ceremony but of that inward and spirituall grace that was signified by it These ceremonies were but shadowes and figures the substance and body of them as of our Sacraments now was Christ and his merits They are a shadow of things to come saith the Apostle Col 2.17 but the body is of Christ. The water of separation and all other waters wheâ—â—y the uncleane were purified under the law as well as that we use in baptisme now was a type and figure of the bloud of Christ which is said by the Prophet Zach. 13.1 to bee a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem to all the faithfull for sinne and for uncleannesse And the sprinkling of the water with hysope was a type and figure of the sprinkling and applying of the bloud of Christ to all them that are to have benefit by it Which is therefore called by the Apostle Heb. 12 24. The bloud of sprinkling So that when David prayeth here Purge me with hysope c. his meaning is as if he should have said thus Lord wash me from the filthinesse of my sinnes in thy sonnes bloud Lord sprinkle and apply that unto my conscience by thy holy spirit and then I shall bee cleane in thy sight yea not cleane onely but whiter then any snow But then yet a third Question remaineth Why did not David expresse his request in such plaine termes but thus darkly under the shaddow and veile of these legall ceremonies I answer That he did so out of these two respects 1. Out of the reverend esteeme he had of the ceremony it selfe because it was the ordinance of God 2. Because the remembrance and thinking of that ceremony was an helpe to his faith and made him the better able to conceive of the benefit he desired to receive by the bloud of Christ Namely that it was as water able to cleanse his soule from all her filthinesse and that before ever he could have benefit by it it must bee sprinkled upon his soule by the spirit of Christ as that water was wont by the priest to bee sprinkled upon the bodies of them that were to bee cleansed under the law The words being thus opened doe yeeld unto us sundry very profitable instructions Consider the verse first in the lump altogether and there be two things to be observed in it 1. The reverend account that David a great Prophet maketh of a small ceremony used under the law and the use he made of it the helpe he received by it by the washings and by the bunch of hysope they used in the sprinkling of them that were to be cleansed 2. That he understood the spirituall meaning of it and rested not in the outward ceremony in that which hee might receive from man but seeketh to God to doe his worke upon him and to bestow upon him that inward grace that was signified by this ceremony Secondly Consider this verse particularly in the severall branches of it and there be three other points to be observed in it 1. That the meanes whereby he desired and hoped to be cleansed from his sins was by washing him with water which signified the bloud of Christ. 2. That the meanes whereby this water this bloud of Christ was to be made effectuall to him was by the Lords sprinkling it upon him as with a bunch of hysope 3. The benefit he was assured he should receive by this washing and purging he should be cleane yea he should be whiter then the snow Of these points I will speake in order And first mark here That David a great Prophet esteemed reverently of and received helpe to his faith by a small ceremony appointed of God by the washings used under the law and the sprinkling with hysope that was then in use Which teacheth us That the outward helps that God hath appointed us in his worship yea the least ceremony or circumstance of his worship that he hath ordained seeme it in it selfe never so meane and of little worth may not be neglected but is reverently to bee esteemed of and observed by us Before I come to the proofe of the Doctrine two things I must premise to prevent the mistaking of it First These are not the chiefe things that God standeth upon or requireth at our hands Thou desirest not sacrifices saith David here verse 16. thou delightest not in burnt offering that is in comparison of other duties thou carest not for these things There are weightier matters in Gods law then these as our Saviour teacheth us Matth. 23.23 The piety of a Christian doth not consist chiefly in these outward things The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke saith the Apostle Rom. 14.17 18. about which much of the ceremoniall law is spent as the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 9.10 but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ it acceptable unto God and approved of men Secondly If these outward things be performed never so constantly without the inward and spirituall worship of the heart they cannot please God nor doe us any good as we shall heare in the next Doctrine Nay they are most loathsome unto God as the body that hath beene most beautifull is unto a man when the life and soule is departed from it Incense is an abomination unto me saith the Lord Esa. 1.13 the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquitie even the solemne meeting as at your generall fasts and such like But though this be so yet is the Doctrine that
neglect any one of the rites and ceremonies of it Yea the Lord had said Numb 9.13 that he that observed not the just time that God had set for it should bee cut off from his people So dangerous a thing it is to swerve from the direction God hath given us in his Word even in the least circumstance of his worship The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are principally two First The respect wee owe to the commandement and ordinance of God The least thing in Gods worship that hee hath appointed must not bee neglected even because hee hath ordained it Circumcision is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.19 and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Though wee could see no other reason for them at all nor had any hope to receive good by them yet this is sufficient reason to move us to observe them because God in his Word hath given us direction so to doe In observing of them wee doe our homage to God and shew our obedience unto him This reason prevailed with our blessed Saviour 1. Hee received the Sacrament of circumcision in his infancy Luke 2.21 and afterward the Sacrament of baptisme too Luke 3.21 2. He submitted himselfe to the law of purification Luke 2 2â— 3. He received the Sacrament of the passeover Luke 22.15 4. He frequented the Church assemblies constantly upon the Sabbath Luke 4.16 and all upon this ground that these were Gods ordinances and hee must shew his obedience to God in all things Thus it becommeth us saith hee to Iohn Matth. 2.15 to fullfill all righteousnesse There were other purifications that were in use in that Church and much stood upon in those daies which hee made no such reckoning of though in themselves a man would have thought they had beene every whit as good as these that hee made conscience of upon this ground that they were not of Gods ordaining they were but the precepts of men Mat. 15.9 Secondly These things are ordained of God and enjoined us to observe for our owne good Keepe the commandements of the Lord and his statutes saith Moses Deut. 10.13 which I command thee this day for thy good That which is said of the Sabbath Marke 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man for mans great benefit and helpe hee could not have beene without it the same may bee said of every thing in Gods worship that hee hath ordained hee hath ordained it for our good even to further and increase the worke of his grace in our hearts And wee may confidently expect a blessing from God in observing the least thing that hee hath appointed us to use in his worship that God will give it vertue and make it effectuall to doe our soules good if wee use it aright See in three examples what vertue and force there was even in very small things that were of Gods ordaining 1. Numb 21.9 The very looking up to the brasen serpent cured all that were stung with fiery serpents 2 Iosh. 6.20 At the blowing of the trumpets of rammes hornes and shouting of the people the walls of Iericho fell downe flat to the ground 3. 2 Kings 5.14 By dipping himselfe seven times in Iordan Naaman was perfectly cured of his Leprosy See what force there was in small things that are of Gods ordaining and how undoubted a truth that is which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.25 The weakenesse of God is stronger then man The ceremonies and religious observations that are of mens devising as crucifixes to pray before crossing of our selves observing of popish fasts and superstitious holydayes sprinkling with popish holy water and such like though they carry great shew of helping us in devotion yet of them all it may bee said as our Saviour said of the Iewish purifyings Matth. 15.9 they are a vaine worship there is no force nor vertue in them to further the soule one jot in true piety and devotion Yea those very things that were once Gods owne ordinances as these washings and sprinkling with hysope that David alludeth to here and such like when they grew out of date and ceased any longer to bee commanded of God even they then lost that vertue and strength that once they had and became weake and beggerly elements as the Apostle calleth them Gal. 4.9 The uses that this Doctrine serveth unto are two principally 1. For instruction 2. For exhortation For the first Two things we are to learne from this Doctrine First That wee are bound to follow the direction that God hath either by precept or example given us in his Word even in the least circumstance of his worship wee may not say that in matters of substance wee must follow precisely the direction but in matters of circumstance wee are not bound so to doe The direction that God hath given us in his Word for the least thing that is to bee done in any part of his worship may not bee neglected without great sinne and danger Admit it were but a matter of circumstance what day wee keepe our Sabbath on so we keepe one in seven as some have conceited it to bee yet because God hath given us expresse direction in his Word by the example and practise of the Apostle and of those Churches that were planted by him Acts 20.7 1 Corinthians 16.2 to keepe it on the first day of the weeke the Church may never keepe it on any other day then that See thou make all things saith the Lord to Moses as you shall find it Hebrewes 8.5 according to the patterne shewed unto thee in the mount The written Word is unto us in stead of that patterne that was shewed unto Moses in the mount In every thing wee doe about Gods tabernacle and worship wee must precisely looke unto and follow that patterne observe what hee commands Secondly This teacheth us how to judge of that imputation that is put upon many of Gods faithfull servants and that maketh them as odious in the world as any other thing doth that they are held to bee more precise then wise that they are too strict and singular in matters of small moment And surely such as are indeed more precise and singular then they ought to hee doe justly deserve to bee blamed for it And I will tell you who they bee that are so 1. Such as are strict and zealously superstitious in the observing of their owne fancies and the customes and traditions of men Such a one was Paul before his conversion exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers as hee saith Galathians 1.14 Such were the Iewes that pressed with great heate and contention both Christs Disciples Marke 7 2 3. and Iohns Iohn 3.25 to observe their purifyings 2. Such as seeme to bee very precise in smaller things as in matters of ceremony and some outward observations which indeed God requireth them to make conscience of but make no conscience of the weightier points of Gods law This precisenesse our
unlesse he understand what I say as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 14.16 so neither can I have confideâ—ce to receive any good by mine own prayer unlesse I know I pray according to Gods will as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 5.14 Therefore hearing is the first duty that is injoined to them that goe into Gods house When thou goest into Gods house saith Solomon Eccl. 5.1 bee more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles As though he should have said All our prayers and other services we doe to God in his house are but the sacrifice of fooles till we have first by hearing beene instructed how to doe them according to Gods will For God hath no pleasure in fooles as he there saith verse â— hee taketh no pleasure in the prayers or other services that fooles and ignorant sots doe offer unto him Fiftly Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God nor can doe us any good unlesse we endeavour to understand what we sing Sing ye praises with understanding saith â—â—avâ—â— Psal 47.7 Sixtly and lastly No man can please God in taking of an oath which is also a part of Gods worship and a duty iâ—joined in the first table but he onely that can doe it with understanding Thou shalt swear in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse saith the Lord Ier. 4 2. As if he should say Though it be never so true that any man sweareth though the oath be taken in righteousnesse and no man wronged by it 〈◊〉 if it be not taken also iâ— judgement with good advisednesse and understanding it is an unlawfull oath Therefore in one of the best oathes that ever was taken wherein men women and children did bind themselves to walke in Gods law Nehemiah 10 28 29. there was care taken that this holy and necessary oath should yet be taken onely of every one having knowledge and having understanding You see then in all these particulars that we must labour to understand what we do in every part of Gods service and that no ordinance of God will do us any good unlesse we use it with understanding The reason of this first branch of the Doctrine is this That as God is a spirit and therefore delighteth in that service that is spirituall The true worâ—â—ippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth saith our Saviour Ioâ— 4 23 for the father seeketh such to worship him he longeth for such worshippers as worship him with feeling and affection and they that doe not so worship him not in truth are no better then hypocrites So is it not possible to serve God spiritually and with feeling in any part of his worship if wee doe not understand what we doe in it For the devotion and good affections that grow not from knowledge are vaine and of no worth in the sight of God Knowledge is the root and foundation of all holy affections This I pray saith the Apostle Phil. 1 9. that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement And this shall suffice to have beene spoken of the first branch of the Doctrine David did understand the meaning of the ceremoniall worship and so must we labour to understand what we do in Gods service Now wee must proceed to the second branch of the doctrine and for the plaine and distinct handling of it we must observe these foure things First Every part of Gods worship is spirituall and there is in it both an outward and bodily action done by man and an inward and spirituall worke that is done by the Lord himselfe In these purifications that David here alludeth to man did wash the body and sprinkle with hysope the water blood upon it for the legall purging and cleansing of it and God did wash the soule in the bloud of Christ and sprinkle it upon the consciences of his people So in circumcision man did cut of the fore-skin of the flesh and God did circumcise the heart Deut. 30.6 In baptisme Iohn baptized the body with water as hee saith Matth. 3.11 and God himselfe baptized the soule with the holy Ghost So in the ministery of the word man speaketh to the eare and outward man and God openeth the heart to attend unto that that is taught and beleeve it as we see in the example of Lydia Acts 16.14 Lastly In prayer man worketh and God worketh too The spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.26 Secondly The Lord hath bound himselfe by promise to his people that hee will thus accompany his owne ordinances and worke with them in their hearts God will worke with us in every part of his worship he will doe his part if we doe ours This promise God made concerning that worship of his which he ordained under the law Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my name where I establish my publique worship I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee saith the Lord to his people And this promise he hath likewise made concerning his worship under the Gospell Matth. 28.19 20. Goe and teach all nations baptizing them c. preach my word administer my sacraments and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Where men do their parts in the use of any of his ordinances God will not faile to doe his part also Thirdly Whatsoever man can do in Gods worship is nothing worth unlesse God worke with it All the outward parts of Gods worship are indeed great helps to us and the least of them as we heard the last day may not be neglected by us for they are the meanes and instruments that God hath sanctified and appointed to worke by in our hearts But if God withdraw his hand and refuse to worke by them they can do us no good at all no more then the best toole that is in the world can if the workemâ—n doe not put to his hand I have planted saith Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 7. and Apollo watered but God gave the increase so then neither is he that planted any thing neither he that watered but God that giveth the increase And verse 9. Wee are labourers together with God ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building And that which the Prophet speaketh of the materiall building Psalme 127.1 may much more truly be said in this case Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it All that the best man can do in Gods worship is nothing worth unlesse God do his part if he worke not with him The inward vertue and power that God by his blessing and worke doth give unto it is the very life and soule of every part of Gods worship without it it is no better then a dead and loathsome carkasse The kingdome of God saith the Apostle speaking of preaching a chiefe part of Gods outward worship 1 Cor. 5 20 is not in word but in power As if he had said That is the right
sanctifieth the gift So may I say to these men ye fooles and blind whether is greater the Sacrament or the word that sanctifieth the Sacrament The seale or the covenant of God that is confirmed by that seale Thirdly and lastly Whereas they seeme to love those other parts of Gods worship well yet in this point they are like unto those the Lord speaketh of Ps. 50.17 They hate instruction Not generall instruction it may be but to be dealt withall particularly in this kind which is certainely of all other the best way to bring an ignorant soule unto knowledge this was that reasonning which the Apostles used so much in instructing such as they sought to bring unto knowledge of which you may read Act. 17.2.17.18 19.19.9 and in other places to be instructed I say thus particularly they hate it cannot abide it If a master of a family shal constantly use to catechise his servants and examine them particularly concerning their knowledge and what they have learned ô how will they hate such a service If a minister shall examine them concerning their knowledge before they come to the sacrament and finding them ignorant keep them from it till they be better instructed they will hate him for this more then for any indignity or wrong he can do unto them They hate teaching they hate the best means that can be used to bring them unto knowledge O that these men would well consider of two places of scripture that do notably set forth their sin and danger The first is Pro. 5.12 Where the wisedome of God speaking of that anguish of soule that many lewd men feele on their death-bed bringeth them in complaining of this as of a chiefe cause of it Oh saith he how have I hated instruction As if he had said In my youth and health I could not abide to be taught and now this is that that of all other my sins lyeth most heavy upon my conscience Certainly all places do afford daily examples of this And who knoweth how soone this may be his owne case The second place is that in Pro. 1.27 28 29. When distresse anguish commeth upon you then shal they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge Observe foure things in these words 1. Distresse and anguish will come one day upon the most secure and senslesse sinner and who knoweth how soone this distresse and anguish of soule may come upon him 2. In distresse and anguish the most secure and senslesse sinner such as care least for God and goodnesse are wont to seeke unto him then they will pray and cry unto God they will make shew of much goodnesse they will desire the helpe of good men in prayer 3. God useth to despise and reject the prayers that such men make unto him in their greatest distresse or that others do make for them 4. The maine sin that provoketh the Lord so against such men that causeth him thus to reject their prayers is this because they hated knowledge in the dayes of their health and peace they had hated and despised the meanes of knowledge and grace And so much shall serve for the first exhortation The second exhortation which riseth from the second branch of the Doctrine is this That seeing no ordinance of God no part of his worship can doe us any good unlesse the Lord worke with it that his co-operation and blessing in the very life and soule of every ordinance of God that therefore we would not rest in our performance of any duty of Gods worship but make this our chiefe care to find that God is with us in it that hee worketh with every ordinance of his in our hearts and blesseth it unto us Wee that are preachers should labour so to preach as wee may find God working with us and blessing our labours This was Pauls maine desire to see fruit of his labours Hee longed to be with the Romanes as hee saith Rom 1.13 that he might have some fruit among them also as hee had among the other Gentiles And hee professeth Phil. 1.22 that this fruit of his labour which hee desired and looked to find in his ministery was the only thing that made him willing to live And you that are Gods people should looke unto and desire this chiefly in your hearing that you may find God in this ordinance that you may heare the Lord speaking to your hearts and feele his arme revealed in it I will heare saith the Psalmist Ps. 85.8 what God the Lord will speake And all of us should strive to find God with us in our prayers not onely by the helpe hee yeeldeth us in them by quickning and assisting us This is that which the Apostle Iude 20. calleth praying in the holy Ghost But also wee should observe what answer the Lord returneth to our prayers what fruit wee have of them In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answere mee saith David Psalms 86.7 O hee stood much upon this and could not bee satisfied without it Hâ—are me ô Lord saith he Psal. 27.7 when I cry with my voice have mercie also upon me and answer me Certainely so should every one of us doe likewise But for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1. I will give you some motives to stirre you up to seeke this 2. I will direct you to some meanes whereby you may obtaine it 3. Lastly I will answer an objection that many of Gods people are apt to make against themselves in this case because they do not profit by Gods ordinances nor find his presence in them For motives therefore consider First That as it is a curse and great signe of Gods displeasure when a man using and enjoying all outward meanes of health and strength of body or of wealth and increasing in his worldly estate cannot find that hee is ever a whit the better by them because God with holdeth his blessing from them and so it is spoken of Haggi 1.6 when a man eateth and drinketh that that is wholsome and good but it neither nourisheth nor satisfieth him when a man laboureth hard in his calling and getteth well by his labour but is never the richer at the yeares end As this I say is a sensible judgement of God and such a one as every one will acknowledge to bee a signe of Gods displeasure So is it certainely as evident a curse and signe of Gods wrath when a man enjoying and using all outward meanes of grace he â—â—adeth and heareth the word he prayeth and receiveth the Sacrament ordinarily yet thriveth not one jot in grace by them because God worketh not with any of these meanes nor giveth his blessing to them And so is this spoken of as of a great curse of God Matthew 13.14 Hearing ye shall heare that is yee shall heare my Prophets mine owne sonnes for of such hearing hee speaketh
Sacrament that hath not care before hee goe to it to purge and cleanse himselfe from his sinnes 2. For the ministery of the word Every one saith the Lord Eze. 14.7 8. which separateth himselfe from mee and setteth up his idols in his heart every mans lust wee know is his idoll covetousnesse is idolatry Col. 3.5 and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face affecteth it loveth it cannot looke of on it and commeth to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning mee seeketh to know my will out of my word I will set my face against that man saith the Lord. Certainely that man that bringeth to the hearing of the word any knowne sinne with him in his heart affecteth it loveth it is not willing to part with it separateth himselfe from God can have no hope that God will joyne or worke with him in this his ordinance nay hee highly provoketh God by comming to it in this manner Wherefore saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.1.2 laying aside all malice all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby As if hee had said There is no hope wee should ever grow in grace or thrive by the word in the best ministery under heaven if our care bee not before wee come to it to lay aside all our knowne sinnes with full purpose of heart never to take them up againe 3. Lastly For prayer If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him saith Zophar Iob 11.13 14. if iniquitie bee in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles As if hee had said If a man before hee goe to prayer bee not carefull to cast away all his knowne sinnes nay if hee winke at or beare with any sinne that hee knoweth to be in his family he can have no hope to find audience or acceptance with God in any prayer that hee maketh unto him So that you see how undoubted a truth it is which the Prophet speaketh Esay 59.2 Our iniquities will separate betweene us and our God Certainely this is the maine cause why all Gods ordinances prove so fruitlesse to us wee read and heare and receive the Sacrament and pray ordinarily yea wee sometimes keepe fasts too and yet are never the better Though God have promised hee will meet with his people in his publique worship There that is in the tabernacle of the congregation I will meet with the children of Israel saith the Lord Exodus 29.43 And hee hath bound himselfe every whit as much to meet with his people in his publique worship under the Gospell as hee did then as is plaine Matth. 28. â—0 yet wee frequenting the tabernacle of the congregation ordinarily can seldome or never meet the Lord there nor find his gracious presence there What is the cause of this Surely some knowne sinne we harbour in our selves and which wee have no care to purge our selves of when we should goe to God breaketh the meeting and seperateth betweene us and our God So that to conclude the third Meanes If it bee indeed a trouble to us that we feele no more life and power no more fruit and comfort in any of Gods ordinances let us learne of Saul and do as he did 1 Sam. 14.37 38. When he had sought to God and the Lord answered him not he resolveth to search and find out by the best meanes that he could the speciall sinne that was the cause of it And so should we do Fourthly and lastly If wee doe indeed desire that God would accompany his ordinances and worke with them in our hearts we must beg this of God by fervent prayer This course wee should take in all things we are troubled with the want of in every thing wee doe desire Bee carefull for nothing saith the Apostle Philip. 4 6. but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your request bee made knowne unto God As if he had said Acquaint God with all your desires But in our spirituall wants especially we should doe this No suit we can make to God pleaseth him so well as this when we beg grace of him It pleased the Lord saith the Text 1 King 3.10 that Solomon had asked this thing that is to say Wisedome and grace to governe well Neither is there any suit that we may be so sure to speed in as this How much more saith our Saviour Luk. 11.13 shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him And thus have I finished the two first things that I promised to handle in the enforcing of this exhortation it followeth that I proceed to the third and last thing that is to say To answer that which many good hearts are apt to object against themselves in this case There is no one thing that many of Gods servants doe more complaine of and mourne for then this that in no action or occasion of their life they are so heartlesse or uncomfortable as in the duties of Gods worship they profit not by any of Gods ordinances the Lord worketh not with them in their hearts For this they mourne and vexe themselves as judging it to be a certaine signe that they are forsaken of God and out of his favour yea they are even apt to resolve with themselves as good never a whit as never the better it is to no purpose for them to frequent the ordinances of God any longer seeing they are never the better for them To these good soules I have two things to say 1. Somewhat for their direction 2. Somewhat for their comfort First For thy direction I must say unto thee that 1 Seeing thou art expressely commanded of God to read and heare the Word to receive the Sacrament to pray 2 and that these are the meanes he hath ordained to work grace in thee and to save thee if ever thou be saved Therefore thou must 1 hold thy selfe bound to use them still even though yet thou think thou dost receive no good by them 2 strive to use them in obedience to God 3 use those foure meanes thou hast beene directed 4 wait for Gods blessing in the use of them Remember what the Apostle saith Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary of well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if we faint not Thou must do as those poore impotent persons did Ioh. 5.3 they came to the poole of Bethesda and lay waiting there for the moving of the water So must thou still bring thy selfe to these ordinances of God and wait till God shall be pleased to stirre and move thy heart by them We read of Iacob that when the Lord had wrastled with him and seemed desirous to leave him and be gone Gen. 32.26 Iacob resolved he would not let him goe till hee had blessed him So should all true Israelites doe follow the Lord constantly in the use
Nehemiah knew that God was his God and would remember him in goodnesse as is plaine by his prayer Neh. 13.22 because he had shewed such zeale in punishing the profanation of the Sabbath day And what shall we say then of such Magistrates as having good law and authority to punish swearing and whoring and profanation of the Sabbath have no zeale at all for the execution of such lawes but when any come to them for justice against such offences they are ready to put them off as much as is possible and to extenuate such faults and to say with Gallio Acts 18.15 I will be no judge of such matters and verse 17. Gallio cared for none of those things Certainly these men whatsoever they say have no true assurance that Christs bloud was shed for them if they had they would shew more love to God and care of his honour Lecture CXXIIII On Psalme 51.7 August 4. 1629. NOw concerning the meanes whereby we may attaine to a particular assurance of the pardon of our sins we must first understand that this is a supernaturall worke of the spirit of God and that no man is able of himselfe and by his owne endeavour in the use of any meanes whatsoever to attaine unto it It is the spirit that beareth witnesse saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.6 And againe The spirit it selfe saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.16 beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sons of God Yet doth the spirit worke this assurance in the heart of man not by immediate and extraordinary inspirations and revelations but by ordinary meanes And he that shall with an honest heart use these ordinary meanes hath no cause to doubt but that the Lord will be pleased by his holy spirit to work it in him And these meanes we find are of two sorts The first are more outward and bodily the second more inward and spirituall The first are those ordinances of God and exercises of his holy religion which he hath appointed and sanctified which as they were all ordained for this end principally to bring us unto salvation and to worke in us a comfortable assurance of it so he that useth them diligently and conscionably may obtaine it by them Of them all in generall specially of all the parts of Gods solemne and publique worship it is to be observed that David professeth this to be the cause why he was so in love with it why he desired the comfort and benefit of Gods worship and ordinances more then he did any thing in the world besides why he resolved to make this his only suit unto God that he might never be deprived of them One thing saith he Ps. 27.4 have I desired of the Lord that will I seecke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life It is to be observed I say that he professeth this to be the chiefe cause why he was so highly in love with Gods house and ordinances That I may behold saith he the beauty of the Lord and visit his temple And what meaneth he by beholding the beauty of the Lord That he expoundeth himselfe in Ps. 48.9 We have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God in the midst of thy temple The loving kindnesse of God and his speciall mercy to his elect in Christ his favourable and cheerefull countenāce upon his servants that is the Lords beauty that is it that maketh him amiable to his people and that Gods people do behold they do think and meditate upon it farre more cleerly and comfortably in his house and temple in the use of his ordinances then any where els or by any other meanes in the world besides This made him in his troubles and banishment thirst and long after the sanctuary of God so as he professeth he did Psal. 63.1 Every place he lived in where he was deprived of the liberty and comfort of the sanctuary was unto him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is he could find nothing in it to refresh and satisfie the thirst of his soule And verse 2 he giveth the reason why he did so long after the sanctuary To see thy power and thy glory saith he so as I have seene thee in the sanctuary As if he had said I shall never see it so as I have seene it there And what meaneth he by the power and glory of God which he had seene in the sanctuary That he expresseth verse 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better then life He had seene the mercy and loving kindnesse of God toward him in Christ he had obtained a more comforaable assurance and feeling of it in the Sanctuary in the use of Gods solemne worship and ordinances there then ever he did or could do in any place or by any meanes in the world besides All other places were to him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is in comparison of the sanctuary And certainely they that beleeve this to be so as David did they that know this to be so in their owne experience as he did and as many of you I doubt not have done will stand affected to Gods house and ordinances as he was will highly prize and esteeme of a sound ministery as he did will desire this above all things as he did that they may never want the benefit and comfort of it But to speake of this point distinctly I will instance in three parts of Gods worship onely for this and shew you what force there is in them to breed in the heart of Gods child the assurance of his favour to make him able to behold the beauty of the Lord and the light of his countenance The first of them is diligent and conscionable use of the Word of God both in the reading and hearing of it Two things there be which God hath spoken concerning his Word and the ministery thereof that may give a Christian good ground of hope that by a diligent and conscionable attendance upon this ordinance he may be able to attaine unto a comfortable assurance of Gods favour in Christ. The first is this That the Lord gave his Word and the ministery thereof to that end principally The maine thing that the Lord aimed at both in writing his holy Word and in sending of preachers to his Church is that he might by this meanes bring his people to the knowledge of himselfe and of his mercy in Christ. The second is this That the Lord will by his spirit accompany his Word and the ministery thereof in the hearts of his people and make it effectuall in them unto this end that he hath ordained it for For the first Of the Word in generall it is said that it was written principally for that end to breed in the hearts of Gods people sound comfort Whatsoever things were written asoretime saith the Apostle Rom. 15.4 were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope These
my God and â—or the offices thereof And indeed there is no way whereby we can expresse our love to God so well as by loving and delighting in and taking care for the house and pure worship of God Therefore in the reason of the second commandement as I told you the last day they that make conscience of that commandement that use and love that worship onely that he hath in his Word appointed are called such as love God Exodus 20.6 and they that are addicted to will-worship and care not for the true worship of God are called ver 5. haters of God Thus did David expresse his love to God Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth He that careth not for the house and worship of God whether it be maintained in purity or be corrupted whether it prosper or no certainely hath no love of God no zeale of Gods glory in his heart And this shall serve for my first sort of proofes which I told you should be more generall Now you shall see the point opened and confirmed unto you in foure particulars First He that hath the spirit of Christ will rejoyce to see religion prosper to see the purity and sincerity of Gods worship restored and set up See what Ioy there was in Ierusalem in the daies of David when the Arke of God was brought to Ierusalem 1 Chron. 15.28 And in the daies of Hezekiah when the Sacrament had beene celebrated according to the first institution of it which it had not beene of a long time before in such sort as it was written saith the Text 2 Chron. 30.5 and verse 26. from Salomons raigne to that time there had not beene such a Passeover kept it is said ver 25 26. All Gods people did marvellously rejoyce in it So when Nehemiah had reformed and purged the house and worship of God from sundry corruptions and restored it to the primitive purity and sincerity thereof It is said Neh 12.43 That Gods people did rejoyce for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy their wives also and their children rejoyced so that the joy of Ierusalem was heard even a farre off Nay he that hath the spirit of God in him will rejoyce to see any beginnings of reformation in places that were rude before to see religion get any entrance or footing any beginnings of a Church in such places It is said Ezra 3.11 that all Gods people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid On the other side he that hath the spirit of God in him cannot chuse but grieve to see or heare that the true religion and worship of God is banished from any place and that Idolatry and a false worship is set up in it Old Ely is noted by the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 4.17 18. to have grieved much more deepely for the taking away of the Arke of God then either for Israels flying from before the Philistines or for the great slaughter that had beene made of Gods people or for the death of his two sonnes Hophâ—i and Phineas It came to passe saith the Text that when the messenger made mention of the Arke of God hee fell from of his seate backward and his necke brake and hee died And this is also noted to have beene the chiefe griefe of his daughter in law and maine cause of her death too verse 22. this would never out of her mouth in all the extreamity of her paine and anguish while breath was in her body the glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken away And this was that that troubled that zealous man of God Eliah and made him even weary of his life through griefe and discontentment 1 King 19.10 The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant saith he they are fallen from thy holy religion they have throwne downe thine altars that is they have abolished and shewed contempt and hatred to thy true worship and why should I desire to live any longer in such a time Hee that hath any love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve to see or heare that idolatry is set up in any place that it groweth and increaseth any where specially in any place where God was truly worshipped before We read of blessed Paul Acts 17.16 that when hee saw even the city of Athens where God had never beene truly worshipped wholly given unto idolatry his spirit was stirred in him he was incensed with zealous griefe and indignation to see it O how would it have troubled the good man to have seene or heard of such a thing in Corinth or Galatia or Ephesus that were true Churches of Christ where the Gospell had beene and still was faithfully and plentifully preached Nay hee that hath any true love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve at the least Eclipse that religion suffers in any place though the substance of it doth still remaine yet if it have lost any thing of that luster of that purity sincerity and power that once it had even that is sufficient cause of griefe to every good man Wee read that when in the dayes of Zerubbabel the foundation of the second Temple was laid and Gods people that had seene no better did greatly rejoyce in it Ezra 3.12 Many of the Priests and Levites and chiefe of the fathers who were ancient men that had seene the first house wept with a loud voice even when the rest shouted for joy and the noise of their weeping was as great every whit as the noise of the others rejoycing And why did they so Surely it grieved their hearts to see how farre the house that God was now to have in Ierusalem was short in beauty and glory of that that God had had before in that place Secondly He that hath the spirit of Christ in him will joy in the frequency and fullnesse of the Church-assemblies When David to aggravate the misery of his present estate Ps. 42.4 speakes of the joy and comfort that he had formerly taken in going to the house of God he names this twice in that verse as a maine cause of that great joy he tooke in going to the house of God that there went such a multitude with him And this is noted for one cause of that great joy the people of God expressed at the celebration of that Passeover in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30.26 that the number of the communicants was so great as it is said verse 13. There assembled to Ierusalem much people to keepe the Passeover a very great Congregation On the other side even this hath grieved Gods people to see the Church-assemblies neglected and unfrequented to see the Congregations much thinner then they had wont to be I wil gather them saith the Lord Zeph. 3.18 that are sorrowfull for the solemne assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was
a burden Observe in the Lords speech five things 1. This was one of the greatest sorrowes of Gods people in their captivity that they wanted then their solemne assemblies Though they might have some religious meetings for Gods morall worship yea they had publique fasts then foure times a yeare as appeares Zach. 8.19 yet their assemblies were nothing so solemne so populous as they were wont to be at Ierusalem 2. The Caldeans their enemy were wont to reproach them for this and to say to them to this effect where are your solemne assemblies now as it is said Lam. 1.7 they did mocke at their Sabbaths they joyed to see they could have no such solemne assemblies as they were wont to have as indeed the solemnity and greatnesse of the Church-assemblies hath ever beene a great eye-sore to wicked men 3. It was a burden to Gods people to have this reproach cast upon them they could have twitted them with nothing that would have grieved them more 4. That the Lord saith to his Church of these that were so sorrowfull for the solemne assembly these are of thee these are indeed naturall and kindly children and members of the true Church that do stand thus affected 5. And lastly The promise that the Lord makes to such I will gather them saith the Lord. I will have a speciall respect unto them and though they be thus scattered and dispersed not one of them shall be lost but I will bring them back againe to their own land Thirdly He that hath the spirit of Christ any true love or zeale of God in his heart will joy in the plentifull and free preaching of the Word which is a chiefe part of Gods worship a principall occasion of our most solemne assemblies All that have true hearts to God doe and ought to desire heartily and to pray to God for this When our Saviour had complained Matth. 9.37 that there were so few labourers about Gods harvest he commands his Disciples Verse 38. To pray unto the Lord of the harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he would cast forth speedily and without delay send forth or by a strong hand as in a case of present necessity thrust forth labourers many labourers labourers indeed he would have them to be not loiterers or such as should doe the worke of the Lord negligently into his harvest Brethren saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 3.1 pray that the word of the Lord may have a free course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may run freely that preaching of it may not be hindred or interrupted by any meanes And Col. 4.3 Pray for us saith he that God would open to us a doore of utterance that we may have free liberty to preach the Gospell And as all men you see are bound to pray to God for the increase and liberty of faithfull preachers so will every one that truly loves God and hath any zeale for his glory rejoyce greatly in the liberty of the Gospell and when the truth is plentifully preached Wee reade in the reformation that Nehemiah wrought Neh. 12.44 That Iudah rejoyced for the priests and for the Levites that waited that stood saith the originall They joyed in this as in the chiefe part of the reformation of Religion that they had store of faithfull and able Priests and Levites and that they also stood and were setled and established in their places with liberty and maintenance and all good encouragements And the Apostle Paul was so zâ—alous for much preaching and rejoyced so much in the glory he knew redounded to God by it that speaking of some in Rome that preached the truth and sound Doctrine without all truth and soundnesse of heart he saith Phil. 1.18 Nothwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and I therein doe rejoyce and I will rejoyce saith he Surely they were very bad men of whom he saith Verse 15.16 that they preached Christ even of envy and strife even to adde affliction to his bonds to increase his griefe and trouble who was then in bonds and prison for the Gospell How could Paul rejoyce in such mens preaching will you say Certainely he knew that though they were so bad in themselves yet their Doctrine which was both for matter and manner sound might through Gods blessing upon his owne ordinance become effectuall to the conversion and comfort of Gods elect For be you sâ—re of this that if Paul had beene of that minde that he that is a wicked man himselfe cannot by his Ministery be the instrument of the conversion of another he would never have said of such men as these I doe rejoyce that Christ is preached by them yea and I will rejoyce in it On the otherside he that hath any true love or zeale of God in his heart cannot but grieve for the want of preaching that preaching should be hindred that good Preachers and such as God hath made able and willing to doe him and his Church service should have cause to complaine as Paul doth 1 Thes. 2.18 that Satan hinders them No good man will rejoyce in this but grieve and mourne for it It is said of out blessed Saviour Mat. 9.36 that when he saw the multitude to be like sheep without Shepheards that the harvest was great and the labourers so few that there was such want of preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Holy Ghost his bowels eraned in him with inward griefe and compassion of their misery And which of us should not desire to be affected as our blessed Saviour was When Eliah would give unto the Lord himselfe a reason of that griefe and passion he was in which made him weary of his life he alleadgeth this for one chiefe cause of it and healledgeth it twice in that one Chapter 1 King 19.10.14 They have slaine thy prophets with the sword and it was a death to the good man to thinke of that Fourthly and lastly He that hath the spirit of Christ in him will rejoyce to see the Ministery of the word fruitfull in them that doe enjoy it and powerfull to bring them to the obedience of it when it goeth forth conquering men and to conquer more as it was Revel 6.2 said to doe in the primitive Church in those Apostolicall times This made Paul to rejoyce and praise God for the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 1.5 6. For our Gospell came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and yee became followers of us and of the Lord. This is that that every good heart ought to desire and begge of God not only that the word of the Lord may have a free course but also that it may be glorified as the Apostle speaketh 2 Thes. 3.1 that it may have good successe and prosper in that that God sent it for that is to reforme the hearts and lives of men He that hath any true love or zeale of God in him will rejoyce to see this When the
state wherein we live First All men are bound to love their country dearely and heartily to desire the peace and prosperity of it for in the peace and prosperity thereof consisteth every mans owne peace and welfare The country that God hath made the place of our dwelling and abode though it were not our native country yea though it were a most wicked place yet are we bound to desire the welfare and prosperity of it as is plaine by that charge that God gave unto his people concerning Babylon Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the city whether I have caused you to be caried away captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace But we are more bound to desire the peace and prosperity of our owne country specially of the Church of God in it Pray for the peace of Ierusalem saith David Psal. 122.6 they shall prosper that love thee Let no man looke to prosper that loves not the Church of God unfeignedly that doth not heartily desire that it may flourish and prosper Secondly He that doth love the Church and land he liveth in unfeignedly must needs desire and joy to see the Gospell freely and plentifully preached in it to see Gods pure religion professed and maintained in it For nothing can make a state and Church so happy every way as this will do See the truth of this in three particular degrees of outward and worldly happinesse for of that happinesse that is spirituall and eternall no man will doubt 1 Nothing will make a nation so honourable and full of glory 2 Nothing so strong and peaceable 3 Nothing so prosperous and plentifull in all outward blessings as religion will do For the first The Apostle saith of the Israelites Romans 9.4 that to them pertained the glory that nation excelled all the nations of the earth in glory and honour And what was it that procured them that honour Surely this they onely enjoyed the Word and true worship of God This was their chiefe honour and preferment saith the Apostle Rom. 3.2 that unto them were committed the oracles of God and 9.4 they had the glory because they had the covenants of God to them the law was given they had the service of God And therfore when the ark which was then the principall means of Gods worship was taken from them then was the honour of that nation gone the glory was departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 And they are now by rejecting of the Gospell and persecuting of the true religion of God become the most contemptible nation under heaven Nothing will make a person a family a State so honourable as religion will do nothing so contemptible and vile as irreligiousnesse and profanenesse Since thou wast precious in my sight saith the Lord to his people that feared his name Esa. 43.4 For all such are his jewels Mal. 3.17 thou hast beene honourable and 1 Sam. 1.30 Them that honour me will I honour and they that despise me shall be despised though all the world say nay to it Secondly Nothing will make a kingdome so strong and free from all danger of enemies as religion will do no policy no munition no bulwarks are such a strength to a kingdome as it is There was a time when Israel excelled all the nations of the earth in strength and puissance God is knowne in her palaces for a refuge for loe saith the Psalmist Psal. 48.3 4 5. the kings were assembled many great Kings oft joyned together in battell against it they went together they saw it and so marvelled they well discerned how invincible that nation was and they wondred at it Never was any nation so admirable in victories and deliverances as Israel was And what was the strength of Israel Surely the Sanctuary of God the true worship and religion of God which they and they onely did enjoy was the excellency of their strength as the Lord cals it Ezek. 24.21 The faithfull Prophets and Preachers were the strength of the kingdome the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof as the King of Israel himselfe acknowledged Elizeus to be 2 King 13.14 So it is said 2 Chron. 11.16 17. of those godly Levites and people that would not conforme to Ieroboams idolatry but came to Ierusalem where they might enjoy the pure worship of God that they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah and made Rehoboam strong three yeares for three yeares they walked in the wayes of David and Salomon Observe two things in this example 1. The Levites and people that set their hearts to seeke the Lord that were zealously religious they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah and the King such Levites and such people are the best subjects that any King can have the best members that any common-wealth can have they are the very props and pillars of the State and Kingdome 2 Though Rehoboam himselfe was not soundly religious nor the most of his people neither yet so long as he walked in the wayes of David and of Salomon professed and maintained the true relion he was strong and his kingdome was strong So long as the Gospell is soundly and freely preached in a nation and the pure religion of God professed and maintained in it though many or most that profâ—sse it have no truth of heart in them that nation will be strong the Lord will be as a wall of fire round about it as he promiseth Zach. 2.5 On the other side Nothing can make a nation strong or secure from danger that shall forsake or decline from the true religion of God They chose new gods saith holy Deborah of Israel Iud. 5.8 then was warre in the gates While Israel was without the true God without a teaching Priest and without the Law as the Prophet Azariah told king Asa 2 Chron. 15.3.5 in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexation was upon all the inhabitants of the countrey Every one then that desireth that the strength and peace of the king and kingdome may continue will joy in the liberty that the Gospell hath in it in the store of able Preachers and Prophets that are in it that the pure religion of God doth prosper in it and will mourne to see the course of the Gospell hindred any way to heare of any declining in it from the sincerity of the holy religion of God Thirdly and lastly Nothing will make a kingdome so prosperous and plenteous in outward blessings of all sorts as religion will do When Iehoshaphat had reformed religion in Iudah and established it in sincerity and purity it is said of him 2 Chron. 17.5 that therfore God established the kingdome in his hand and that he had riches and honour in abundance And when he had taken order that there might be a preaching ministery in all Congregations within his kingdome and that they might have also all good encouragement given them in their ministery He
sinne of Simeon and Levi and beene esteemed with God as one of their counsell if hee should not have professed his detestation to it Gen. 49.6 I hate the worke of them that turne aside saith David Psal. 10â— 3 It shall not cleave to me As if he should say If my heart rise not against such sinnes if I should not hate them and shew my dislike to them certainely they would cleave to mee I should become guilty of them And when the Lord describeth them that were not partakers in the sins of Ierusalem and should not be partakers in their plagues though they lived there he describeth them by this property that they did not onely inwardly mourne but cry out exclaime and protest against the abominations that were done in the midst thereof Ezek. 9.4 And where is the man that sheweth dislike to these foule sins that are committed among us Fourthly If we be not troubled and grieved to see and heare of these sinnes if we cannot mourne for them we make our selves guilty of them It is noted oft and commended as a speciall grace in sundy of Gods Saints that they haue beene greatly troubled in themselves at the dishonour done to God even by the sinnes of others See this in Christ himselfe Marke 8.12 See it also in his servants Deut. 9.18 19. 2 King 18.37.19 12. Ezr. 6.3 Psal 119 1â—8 â—59 2 Cor. 2.4 Ier. 23.9 None of us can doubt but that these men did well and therefore wee may be sure that we ought also to bee thus affected and though we cannot attaine to that measure of grace that was in them yet we should endeavour and strive after it I shewed you at the last Fast that no man ever mourned sincerely for his owne sins out of a respect to God that could not mourne for the dishonour that is done unto God by the sins of other men I say more now he that cannot grieve for the dishonour that is done to God by the foule sins of others maketh himselfe guilty of their sins Why was not Lot consumed in the destruction of Sodom though he sinned greatly in leaving Abrahams family and going to dwell in so wicked a place yet the righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deedes as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2.8 And why were not the grosse sins of Ierusalem immediately before the captivity imputed to the faithfull that lived there at that time They were such as used to sigh and mourne for all the abominations committed in it as we have heard Ezek. 9.4 Wee reade 1 King 21.12 of a Fast was proclaimed in Iezreel upon occasion of a foule sin Naboth was charged to have committed there I know this came from the devilish policy of Iezabel that wicked woman but surely that pretence of holinesse that she then made argueth it had beene a custome in Israel for Gods people when any had sinned among them in any outragious and extraordinary manner to humble themselves in this extraordinary manner to put away from themselves the guiltinesse of such a sinne And if this were ever a just cause for Gods people to keepe a Fast how can Gods servants wheresoever they live want just occasion to keepe fasts in these dayes It is a chiefe reason as we have heard why open and notorious sinners should make open and publike acknowledgement of their sins and profession of their repentance that the Congregation and people of God whom by their sins they have grieved and offended might have satisfaction given unto them But alas if there were no other reason for it but this this publike repentance might well enough bee as it is for the most part quite laid downe now a dayes For where shall wee finde a Congregation or any members of it almost that are offended or grieved at these things that have any need of satisfaction to be given unto them such a coldnesse and deadnesse of heart is fallen upon us as no dishonour that wee see done to God doth trouble us at all Well let every one of us labour to recover our selves out of this fearefull disease If wee doe not grieve unfainedly for these sins that breake out among us wee make them our owne If we can grieve unfainedly for them God will not impute them unto us Many have made scruple to bee present in our Church assemblies where the Minister hath worne a surplice or used the signe of Crosse in Baptisme because they have thought their presence hath beene an approbation of these things and so a partaking in those supposed corruptions And some there are that doe applaud these men in this and say they are farre honester men then such as disliking these Ceremonies will yet joyne in Gods worship with our Congregations that use them But both these are greatly deceived For admitting these Ceremonies which the Minister doth use to be monuments of Idolatrie and as great corruptions in Gods worship as any man can imagine them to be admit I say this yet so long as the worship I goe unto is for the substance of it pure and according to Gods ordinance and such as I am bound by the commandement of God to use the corruptions and sins which another brings into it cannot defile it unto me nor shal be imputed unto me at all so long as I shew my dislike unto them so far as I may keeping my selfe within the compasse of my calling and do unfainedly grieve and mourne for them This is evident in the example of Elkanah and Anna the parents of Samuel who did constantly worship God in the Tabernacle at Shiloh when Hophne and Phinehas were Priests there 1 Sam. 1.3.7 who not onely were themselves most wicked men 1 Sam. 2.22 but did also bring into the very worship of God as you shall find 1 Sam. 2.13 16. such corruptions and direct violations of the Lords ordinance as were farre greater then thanks be to God any of our ceremonies are supposed to be even in the judgement of them that are greatest adversaries unto them I pray you therefore hold fast this truth that another mans act which is not in thy power to hinder specially in the worship of God which is not left free to thee to use or not to use can never defile thee so long as thou professest thy dislike to it and mournest for it And that which the Prophet speaketh to them that for some blemishes and faults they discerned in their wives would put them away and give them a bill of divorce Mal. 2.16 The Lord God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away may by good proportion bee truely said of this leaving any part of the true worship of God or any true Church for those corruptions wherein other men onely are agents not wee our selues The Lord God of Israel saith that he hateth this seperation and never gave the least allowance to it But in any case nourish in
thy heart a sorrow for all such as are corruptions in deede specially in the worship of God and professe also outwardly upon all just accasions thy dislike unto them or else thou wilt be in danger to be defiled by them as the Apostle telleth the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5.6 that the whole lumpe was in danger to be leavened because they did not mourne for the sin of the incestuous person and for the want or neglect of the discipline of the Church in that case as appeareth in the fourth verse Lecture XXXVI On Psalme 51.3 Octob 10. 1626. FOlloweth now the fifth and last way whereby we make our selves guilty of all the grosse sins committed in the places where we live and that is by neglecting to doe our best endeavour to bring these scandalous sinners to open shame and punishment for their sins We reade of Ely that the Lord pronounced him guilty of all those foule sins which his sons Hophny and Phinehas had committed 1 Sam. 2.29 Wherefore kicke ye at my sacrifice and at mine offerings to make your selves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people How could that be was Ely so prophane himselfe No but because his sons did so and he brought them not to that open shame and punishment which their foule sins deserved God imputeth their sinnes to him If any man shall object and say What it that to us Ely was a Iudge and magistrate he judged Israel 1 Sam. 4 18. and therefore had power to have restrained them from these sins by deposing and punishing them This the Lord chargeth him with 1 Sam 3.13 His sons made themselves vile and hee restrained them not He had a calling to doe it but we are no magistrates wee have no power to restraine or punish these lewd persons we are private men wee have no calling to doe it There are officers that haue a calling and are bound by their oath to present such offendours let them looke unto it It is through their negligence and default that these sinnes doe so much abound amongst us My answer unto this objection that hath as you see great colour of reason in it shall coâ—sist of two parts 1. I will grant that these officers are indeed in greatest fault or this and shew you reasons why it must be so 2. I will shew you that not they alone are in fault for this but that Christians of all sorts are deeply guilty this way First therefore they that by their office and oath stand bound to detect unto authority and to present these infamous persons if either out of negligence or partiality they wincke at any of them stand guilty of greater sin then they are aware of This we shall finde spoken of as one great cause of the captivity Ier. 5.28 that they did overpasse the deedes of the wicked they winked at them and made no reckoning of them and what followeth in the next verse 29. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule be avenged on such a nation as this See the hainousnesse of their fault in three things First They sinne against the place where they live because they are a chiefe cause of the encrease of those foule sins in it that will provoke God to wrath against it If sinners were brought to open shame and punishment sin would not be so rise as it is This the Lord expresly teacheth oft in his Law when he commandeth open punishment to bee executed upon open offenders hee giveth this reason for it Deut. â—9 9 10. So shalt thou put evill away from among you and those which remaine shall heare and feare and shall henceforth commit no more any such evill among you The sparing of those whom God would have to be punished is a great wrong to the whole towne and countrey where they live even a meanes to bring Gods wrath upon it This is plaine Num. â—5 4 Take all the heads of the people and hang them vp that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel and verse 11. Phinehas hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie And how can they be punished and brought to open shame if these officers winke at them and present them not Secondly They sinne against the soules of those poore sinners whom they seeme most to favour and love For the bringing of them to open shame and spâ—cially to confesse their sin and professe their repentance publikely is a meanes appointed of God to bring them unto repentance and so to obtaine of God assurance of the pardon of their sins That which Solomon saith of one kind may be said of all kinds of correction which God hath sanctified Pro. 22.15 Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction will drive it away And of the censures of the Church which Christ hath appointed it may most truely be said as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.5 They tend to the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. In winking therefore at such offendors they deprive them of the meanes ordained of God for their repentance and so for the salvation of their soules And what love call you this This is indeed hatred and not love Levit. 19.17 Hee hateth his brother in his heart that letteth his sinne to lye upon him Thirdly and lastly They sin against God and against their owne soules in that light account they make of the oath that they have taken 1. Let all men take heed before they take an oath that they binde not themselves thereby to doe that that is evill as they did that bound themselves by an oath that they would neither eat nor drinke till they had killed Paul Acts 23.12 An oath must not be Vinculum iniquitatis 2. When any man hath bound himselfe by oath to doe that that is evill let him repent of that sin and not double it by keeping that oath When the wise men had bound themselves to Herod if not by an oath yet by a very solemne promise certainely for Herod said they had mocked him and was in exceeding rage for that Mat. 2.16 to bring him word where Christ was yet perceiving afterward that the performance of that oath or promise was against the will of God and tended to the hurt of Christ they durst not performe it Mat. 2.12 And when Herod had unadvisedly taken an oath which afterward he perceived tended to the destruction of one whom in his conscience he knew to bee a good man it is noted to have beene his great sin that he made such conscience of keeping that oath Mat. 14.9 For we ought not to doe any thing to the open hurt of those whom God hath commanded us to be a shelter and a covert unto Esay 16.3.4 Hide the
preaching where Gods power appeareth wherein God preacheth aswell as man God teacheth the heart inwardly aswell as man doth teach the outward man And that that he saith of preaching may bee said of every other ordinance of God That is only true compleate baptisme wherein God hath baptized the party aswell as man that a true and compleate communion which God hath administred aswell as man that a true and compleat prayer when the spirit of God hath joyned with mee and prayed aswell as I. 1. Then and then onely shall wee have comfort in our baptisme when wee can find that wee have beene baptized of God Hee shall baptize you saith Iohn baptist speaking to the faithfull Matthew 3.11 with the holy Ghost and with fire Happy is that soule that can find hee hath beene baptized by that hand that can say thus As by Gods minister I had water sprinkled upon mee by the ordinance of God in mine infancy when I knew it not so now I doe verily know and feele that the Lord himselfe hath by his spirit sprinkled upon my soule the bloud of his deare Sonne that blood of sprinkling as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 12.24 hath assured mee that it was shed for mee and I doe verily know and feele that he hath saved me as the Apostle speaketh Tit. 3.5 by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost 2. Then and then only shall we have comfort in the Lords supper when we can find that as Gods minister hath by his appointment given us the bread and wine so the Lord himselfe hath given us the body and bloud of his owne son and commanded us to feed upon him Moses gave you not that bread from heaven saith our Saviour Iohn 6.32 but my father giveth you the true bread from heaven and he sheweth what hee meaneth by that verse 35. I am the bread of life No minister can give thee that true bread from heaven the body and bloud of Christ to feed upon the Lord onely can give thee that And as when thou goest to the sacrament at any time thou must seeke and expect to receive this from him thou must cry to God as they did there ver 34. Lord evermore give us this bread So if thou canst find that thou hast in the Sacrament by the eye of thy faith discerned God giving thee this bread and by the hand of thy faith received it of him ô happy thou it was the comfortablest supper that ever thou wert at in thy life 3. Then and then only can wee have comfort in our preaching and you in your hearing when we and you can find that the Lord is with us worketh with us in this ordinance of his When we that are preachers can find that our ministery is not in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thess. 1.5 when we see God worketh with us and blesseth our ministery and it may be said of us as of them Actes 11.21 The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number beleeved and turned unto the Lord. And when you that are hearers can find that in your hearing the Lord openeth your hearts to attend with diligence and delight to that that you heare as hee did Lydias Actes 16.14 when ye can find that in the hearing of the word ye are taught of God drawne and effectually perswaded to beleeve and obey the truth that you heare as our Saviour saith all the Elect shall bee Iohn 6.44 45. when in the hearing of the truth of God delivered by any of his servants you heare withall that word behind you that is spoken of Esay 30 21. saying this is the way walke ye in it when in the ministery of the Word you can feele that mighty power of God that the Apostle speaketh of 2 Cor. 10 5. casting downe your imaginations and every high thing in you that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every one of your thoughts to the obedience of Christ finally when we can say of your teachers as that man did 1 Cor. 14.25 Of a truth God is in you certainly God worketh with you then I say and then onely can you have comfort in your hearing 4. Lastly Then and then onely can wee have comfort in our prayers when we can find the Lord hath bin with us in prayer And when is that 1. When wee find the Lord hath prepared our hearts to pray Lord saith David Ps. 10.17 thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare When the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us quickneth our prayers prompteth us in them How may we know that will you say Surely by two notes 1. When in our prayers we can cry Abba father for this is made a certain note of the spirits helping us in prayer Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 2. When even then when we know not what to pray we can say nothing almost but grone sigh it out yet even the requests that we make are according to the will of God we desire nothing so much as mercy and grace this second note also of the spirits helping us in prayer the Apostle giveth Rom. 8.26.27 From hence now the foorth and last point will necessarily follow for you had the Reason of it already That a Christians chiefe care should be in every duty of Gods worship to find that God is with him in it that God worketh with him Purge thou mee with hysope saith David here wash thou mee And as Moses did in another case Exodus 33 15 16. so should wee all importune and expostulate with the Lord in this case If thy presence goe not with us saith hee carry us not up hence for wherein shall it bee knowne that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight Is it not in that thou goest with us So may we say Lord if thou accompany not thine ordinances and worke not with us in them to what purpose should we performe them How shall it appeare that we have found grace in thy sight The uses that this Doctrine serveth unto are two principally 1. For instruction 2. For exhortation And first this teacheth us the true cause why in this time of so long continuall use of all Gods ordinances there is so little fruit to be seene This is the generall complaint of these times 1. Gods faithfull ministers complaine of this and cry as Esa. 49.4 that they have laboured in vaine they have spent their strength for nought and in vaine they see no fruit of their labours And 2. the carnall man and enemy to the Gospell every where casteth this in our teeth Woe be to the world because of offences saith our Saviour Mat. 18 7. and surely this is a chiefe offence that many do miserably stumble at These that heare so much say they and read so much pray so much what