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
the Sabbath yea even to the neglect of this outward rest from our owne workes on that day If you compare 2 Chronicles 36.21 with Leviticus 26.34 35. you shall finde this noted for a chiefe cause of that miserable captivity that Gods people did endure in Babylon Because the land did not rest in your Sabbaths saith the Lord when yee dwelt upon it And Nehemiah telleth them so much after their returne from that captivity Nehemiah 13.18 that God did bring all the evill that was come upon them and upon Ierusalem because their fathers had prophaned the Sabbath so as they then did How was that Surely they suffered men to tread wine-presses on the Sabbath a work that is not in use among us but our grinding of corne and making of malt is equivalent unto it and they suffered men to goe in and our with burdens and carriages and to buy and sell wares upon the Sabbath as you shall finde Verse 15 16 of that Chapter And these are the things of which hee saith Verse 18. Did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evill upon us and upon this City And looke what hath beene said of every Church and Kingdome that the flourishing estate or ruine thereof dependeth greatly upon the observation or neglect even of this outward rest the same may be also said doubtlesse of every towne and family and particular person that their welfare and undoing dependeth much upon this Never was any man made the poorer by the strict observation of the Sabbath Day by refusing to buy or sell or doe any of his worldly businesse upon that Day But the more conscionable any man is in resting from all his owne workes upon that Day the more plentifull a blessing hee shall be sure to receive from God upon the labours of his calling in the six dayes And it is not thine owne labour or toyling but the blessing of God that maketh rich when all is done as Salomon teacheth us Proverbs 10.22 I know well that the worldly man cannot believe this but thinketh this would be the way to undoe him How should I live saith he if I should do no businesse on the Sabbath Day I cannot maintaine my charge by going to Church and doing nothing for a whole day But marke I pray you how God answereth these men Leviticus 25. The Lord gave his people then a commandement to keepe every seventh yeere a Sabbath all the yeere long thus farre forth The seventh yeare shall be a Sabbath of rest to the land saith the Lord there verse 4 5. a Sabbath for the Lord thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard no nor reape and gather that that grew of it owne accord to thy private use for so the 5 verse is to bee understood And if ye shall say and object saith the Lord verse 20 21. what shall wee eat the seventh yeere As if he should say How shall wee live then that yeere seeing wee shall neither sow nor reape As indeed they had much more reason to object this against the keeping of one yeare in seaven then wee have against the keeping of one day in seven for a Sabbath the Lord answereth this verse 21. I will command my blessing upon you in the sixt yeare and it shall bring forth fruit for three yeeres So may I say to thee Keepe the Sabbath conscionably remember the Sabbath day before it come and cast for it by dispatching before hand all that thou hast to doe as neither thou nor thy servant may have any thing left to be done upon that day and the Lord will command his blessing upon thy labours in the six daies accordingly so as thou shalt not bee impoverished ever a whit but enriched by it On the other side the Lord hath beene wont to reveale his wrath from heaven upon townes and families and upon particular persons as much for this one sinne of profaning the Sabbath as for any other And namely by that fearefull judgement of consuming fire by which specially and by name hee hath in his Word threatned to punish this sinne If you will not hearken unto mee saith the Lord Ieremy 17.27 to hallow my Sabbath day and not to beare a burden even entring in at the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbath day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the pallaces of Ierusalem and it shall not bee quenthed And thus have I shewed you in this one particular how highly God is pleased with the strict observation of the Sabbath day And if it please him so well to see men rest from their owne workes upon that day which yet as I told you is but the least thing that belongeth to the right observation of it you may bee sure hee is much more pleased to see men spend that day in doing of his workes in exercising themselves in those duties of piety and mercy which hee hath appointed to bee done upon that day especially in seeing them keepe his Sabbaths spiritually and conscionably Certainely they that doe so shall bee sure to bee blessed and rewarded of God for it To this purpose it is worth the observing that as our Saviour saith Marke 2. â—7 that the Sabbath was at the first made for man for the great benefit and behoofe of man Man could not no not Adam in his innocency have beene without it but with great danger and losse unto him So the Holy Ghost saith that twice of the Sabbath Gen. 2.3 and Exodus 20.11 that hee never said of any other day that the Lord blessed that day that is appointed it to bee a meane of a greater blessing to man if hee keepe it as God hath commanded him to doe then any other day or any of the ordinary workes of any other day can possibly bee Two sorts of blessings there be which the conscionable observer of the Sabbath shall be sure to receive by it The first are spirituall And they indeed are the chiefe blessings of all because they are durable and everlasting and because they concerne the soule which is the chiefe and most precious part of man And for these was the Sabbath chiefly ordained that God might by it in the use of his ordinances inrich our soules with spirituall blessings in heavenly things So the Lord saith Ezekiel 20.12 that hee gave his Sabbaths to his people to that end that they might know that hee was the Lord that sanctified them Wee shall know and find that the Lord will sanctifie us both begin and increase saving grace in our hearts if we keepe the Sabbath conscionably Yea the Lord hath promised Esa. 56.6 7. to every one that keepeth his Sabbath from polluting it that he will make them ioyfull in his house of prayer And Esa. 58.13 14. that if a man shall keepe the Sabbath heartily and spiritually then hee shall delight himselfe in the Lord. By these two places it appeareth that God hath bound himselfe
that knocketh it shall be opened But he is never so ready to be found of them in prayer as then when they are in greatest distresse Psal. 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in trouble yet he hath promised Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble any trouble whatsoever and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And no marvell for 1. the Lord beares to his people the affection of a father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him And what father is there that sheweth not most love to his child and readinesse to helpe him when he is in greatest misery 2. Gods people are then most humbled and thinke most basely of themselves and that is a great furtherance to the successe of their prayers 1. Pâ—t 5.5 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people shall humble themselves and pray then will I heare from heaven 3. Then Gods people use to pray heartily and fervently 2. Sam. 22.7 In my distresse I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God and he did heare my voice So saith Anna of her prayer 1 Sam. 1.15 I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit and have powred out my soule before the Lord. And this God greatly delighteth in Iam. 5.16 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And this readinesse they knew to be in the Lord to heare their prayer at such a time specially hath beene the chiefe thing that hath encouraged them to seeke to him in their distresse Psal. 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come and 86.7 In the day of my trouble will I call upon thee for thou wilt answere me This Doctrine concerneth every one of us for there is not one of you that heare me this day but you are in some distresse or other or have beene or at least may be And it serveth First for reproofe for the wickednesse and Atheisme of our hearts is in no nothing more discovered then in this that in our distresses we have no mind to seeke to God Hos. 7.14 They have not cryed to me with their hearts when they bowled upon their beds Three sorts chiefly are to be reproved by this Doctrine First such as so long as they can thinke of any meanes to helpe themselves by in their distresse they will never seeke to God Like to the Prodigall who while he had any meanes though it were but by tending of swine and feeding with them he never thought of seeking to his father Luk 15.16 17 This was Asaes foule sin 2. Chron. 16.12 When his disease was exceeding grievous yet he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians Whereas alas no sound comfort can be found in any meanes till we have first sought to God and appeased his anger If God will not withdraw his anger saith Iob. 9.13 the proud helpers do stoupe under him All meanes men seeke to may say as that counterfeit Samuel indeed the devill whom the witch that Saul sought to for comfort in his distresse as too many wretches do in these dayes raised up did say unto him 1. Sam. 28.16 Wherefore dost thou aske of me or seeke helpe of me seeing the Lord is become thinâ— enemy Secondly such as are most destitute of all meanes to helpe themselves in their distresses yet never seeke to God Poverty and want of all humane helpe shâ—uld drive men to God and cause them to seeke helpe and comfort from him and to give themselves much to prayer Thus it wrought with David Psal. 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was none that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soule I cryed unto thee ó Lord and said thou art my refuge and my portion So saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.5 Shee that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day But alas we find that no people under the heaven pray lesse seeke lesse to God care lesse for God then the poore and miserable people doe Miserable indeed in this respect more then for any outward want that they doe endure They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty saith Elihu Iob 35.9.10 but none saith where is God my maker that giveth songs in the night Thirdly such as when God hath begun to soften their hearts and trouble their consciences for sin as he did Davids at this time do not as David doth here seeke to God for helpe and comfort But 1. either seeke to hide themselves and flye from God by keeping themselves carefully from all such means as might touch upon that sore as Adam did Gen. 3.8 Or 2. betake themselves to mirth and all such meanes as may lull them asleepe and cause them to forget their sins and Gods anger and make them senslesse of those inward gripings and stings as Saul did and found ease by it for a short time 1. Sam. â—6 23 but alas his fitts and terrours returned and became the more extreame violent afterwards as you may see 1. Sam. 18.10 11. or else 3. fall into utter desparation of Gods mercy as Iudas did who when his conscience was deeply wounded with sense of sin could go to the chiefe Priests and Elders and confesse his sin to them but could not go to Christ himselfe to seeke mercy of him Matth. 27.3 Lecture XI On Psalme 51.1 2. Ianu. 3. 1625. THe second use now followeth which is for exhortation to stirre us up in all our distresses to seeke for helpe and comfort from God by prayer It is the Apostles exhortation Iames 5.13 Is any man afflicted let him pray Wee all have need of this exhortation For as we heard the last day there is not one of us here but either we are or have bin or may be in that distresse either through outward or inward affliction and anguish that we are ready to cry with Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe O that wee could bee perswaded when we are in that case though not then only to flye unto God One would thinke there needs no motives to be used to perswade us to this What needs any man perswade a poore wretch that hath not bread at home to seeke abroad for reliefe be he never so bashfull his necessity will perswade him to it sufficiently The poore speaketh supplications saith Solomon Prov. 18.23 You shall heare nothing from him but bewailing his wants and humble intreaties and supplications for helpe and reliefe to such as are able to doe him good But alas our hearts are so estranged from God even from the very wombe as David speakes Psal. 58.3 that no necessity no extremity will drive us to goe a begging to him We have need of strong motives to drive us to it Thinke therefore seriously of the foure reasons
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
for carrying his Arke in a cart which by his ordinance should have beene carried on the Priests shoulders only Was Vzza the worst man in all the company No verily we have rather cause to judge he was a good man though he transgressed Gods law in that point Was God displeased with Vzza onely or had he respect to his sin only in that judgement No verily For because yee did not carry the Arke at the first saith David to the Priests 1 Chron. 15.13 because yee set it on a cart the Lord our God made a breach upon us All the congregation were as deepe in that sinne as Vzza the Lord was as much displeased with them all as with him onely he made him an example to them all that they might see what was due to them all in the judgement that fell upon him and David made that use of it as you may see 1 Chron. 13.11.12 David was displeased that is grieved and troubled in mind because the Lord had made a breach upon Vzza and David was afraid of God that day In like manner did the Lord deale with the yong Prophet that we read of 1 Kings 13 24. he made him an example to Ierohoam and to all Israel Alas may you say was there never a greater sinner in Bethel nor in all Israel never a fitter man to be made an example of Gods severity then this poore man I answer Greater sinners there were many wee may not doubt but that Prophet was a good man and Gods deare child though being deceived by the old Prophet hee did eate and drinke in Bethel contrary to Gods commandement and so did justly deserve to dye Neither had the Lord in that judgement so much respect to the sinne of that good man as to the sin of Ierohoam and all Israel that by his severity toward his owne servant for so small a sin they might either learne how much more was due to them for their grosse idolatry and so feare and repent or else by the fall and inconstancy of the Prophet be brought to esteeme the lesse of his prophesie against them and so be further hardened in their sin And that the Lord had this respect in his judgement on the Prophet may appeare by that which the holy Ghost saith verse 33. of that chapter After this thing that is to say After the Prophet had so sinned and was so plagued of God for it Ieroboam returned not from his evill way but made againe of the lowest of the people Priests of the high places As if he had said thus He received no good by this example as he should have done but became the worse by it And certainely thus are we to judge of the marvellous severity God hath of late shewed towards his people in the Palatinate and other parts of Germany and towards the poore Rochellers thinke not beloved that they were greater sinners then any other or then we are Onely the Lord hath made them examples of his severity to us and to all men and we may say of them as the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things happened unto them for ensamples And thus it hath seemed good unto God onely wise who is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 145.17 to make his deare servants spectacles and examples of his severity against sin rather and oftner then he doth the lewdest men that live though sometimes he bring them upon the stage also as he did Korah and his company Numb 16. and 26.10 The fourth and last way whereby God doth in this life shew more hatred to the sins of his owne people then of any other men is this That though hee doth in this life execute his judgements also upon some wicked men as well as upon his owne God is angry with the wicked saith the Prophet Psalme 7.11 and plaâ—ueth one or other of them every day Yet are not his judgements usually when they doe fall so heavy so sharpe and extreame upon them as they are upon his owne people God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints in his true Church among his owne people saith the Prophet Psalme 89.7 And of his judgements that he executeth upon wicked men in this life if they be compared with those whereby he scourgeth his owne people it may be said as it is of the misery and oppression the people endured vnder Solomon compared with that they should suffer under Rehoboam 1 Kin. 1â— 11 Hee chasteneth them with whipâ— but his owne people with Scorpions Therefore when the Lord threatneth extreame affliction he expresseth it thus Micab 6.16 Yee shall beare the reproach of my people As if hee should say I will so afflict you as I use to afflict my people when they provoke mee See an experiment of this in both the destructions of Ierusalem Never did any people in the world endure so great miseries as Gods people did there in both of them Of the first the Church thus complaineth Lamenta 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Vnder the whole heaven it hath not beene done saith Daniel 9 12. as both beene done upon Ierusalem And such a destruction the Lord himselfe foretold it should be as never came upon any other people such as all other nations should even wonder to see and heare of and be astonished at it This house which I have sanctified for my name saith the Lord 2 Chron. 7.20.21 will I cast out of my sight and will make it to be a proverbe and a by-word among all nations and this house which is high shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it And Ezek. 5.9 I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like And of the latter destruction of Ierusalem our Saviour prophesieth Mar. 13.19 In those dayes shall bee affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God made unto this time neither shall be And thus have we heard the Doctrine confirmed sufficiently That the sins of the regenerate are in sundry respects more hainous and dangerous then the same sins are being committed by other men And this we have had proved both by the testimony of the regenerate themselves and by the Lords owne testimony he can as ill abide sin in his owne people as in any other yea he hath shewed more hatred in this life to their sins then to the sins of any other men Let us now come to enquire into the reasons of this And first let us enquire what should be the reason why the Lord is so severe against them above all other men For it may seeme strange that having freely pardoned the sins of his people and being fully reconciled to them in Christ and loving them dearely with an everlasting
it yet is there not any of Gods people among you but may have need of this comfort you know not how soone you may loose the sensible assurance you have of Gods favour in Christ and have the light of his countenance hidden from you In which respect I may say to you all of this use of comfort as the Prophet doth of another matter Esa. 42 23. Who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for the â—â—me to comâ— As if hee had said who is there among you all that hath not just cause to give eare and hearken unto it if not for the present need you have of it yet because of the need you may have of it in time to come Two things there bee that I have to say for the comfort of such of Gods people as being humbled for their sinnes and carefull in all their wayes to please God cannot yet attaine to a sensible assurance of the favour of God in Christ. The bloud of Christ may be sprinkled upon thee and applyed uâ—to thee by the spirit of God though thou perceive it not 2. The bloud of Christ is certainely sprinkled upon thee and applyed unto thee by the spirit of God though thou perceive it not if thou have any measure of true faith in thee First A man may bee in the favour of God in the state of grace a justified man before God and yet want the sensible assurance of his salvacion and of the favour of God in Christ. For this wee have an evident example in David here So soone as ever hee had humbly confessed his fouâ—e siâ— and repented he presently obtained pardon of it from God and consequently hee was justified from it in Gods sight For so Nathan the Prophet doth in the name of God assure him 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye And yet though hee were now reconciled unto God and in the state of grace it appeareth plainely by many petitions in this Psalme and specially by the next words to my text that hee had not now the comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God in his owne heart It falleth out oft with Gods servants as it did with the two disciples that were travelling toward Emaus Luke 24.14 15. Christ drew neere unto them and was with them and that in a most gracious manner and yet they perceived it not Their eyes were holden saith the Evangelist that they should not know him And as it was with Mary Magdalene Ioh. â—0 14 15. Christ was with her and stood by her and spake to her and she perceived it not but sought for him and wept because she could not find him Many a good soule have Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and yet perceive it not their eyes are holden so as they know him not to be with them they have him already yet they seeke for him with Mary and weep because they cannot find him As in the bodily senses it is one gift and blessing of God to have them and another to have ability to make use of them and to exercise the operation of them for our comfort The bearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them saith Solomon Pro. 20.12 Where God giveth the one he denyeth the other sometimes Those that were in Pauls company when Christ strucke him down spake to him from heaven had at that time the faculty of hearing but God suspended the exercise and operation of it so that though Christ spake many words to Paul in a most audible voice yet they could not heare them as you may see Act. 22.9 And Hagar had her eye-sight well enough when the water being spent in her bottle and her child ready to perish with thirst she sate her downe in the wildernesse of Beersheba over against the child as you may read Gen. 21.16.19 but God with held from her the use of her sight so at that time as though there was a wel in the place and she had doubtlesse sâ—ught about every where for water yet she could not see it till the Lord upon her owne and the childs vehement crying unto him had opened her eyes And even so it is in the sanctifying and saving graces of Gods spirit Having eyes see yee not saith our Saviour to his owne Disciples Mar. 8.18 and having eares heare ye not Gods owne people oftentimes though they have eyes yet see not though they have eares yet heare not though they have faith yet want the comfortable use and operation of it for a time It is one grace and mercy of God to have true faith repentance love and the like and another to know and perceive sensibly in our selves that we have them So speaketh the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God He maketh the things that are freely given us of God under which words doubtlesse all saving graces which God worketh in us are comprehended one thing one gracious worke of the spirit of God and the knowing and perceiving that wee have these things freely given us of God that he maketh another distinct worke grace of Gods spirit And where the Lord doth give the one of these graces he is sometimes pleased to deny the other for a time At that day meaning after his ascension into heaven saith our Saviour to his elect disciples after Iudas was gone from them Iohn 14.20 Ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Christ was already in them they in him as he plainly telleth them Ioh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches But they knew it not yet they had no feeling no comfort of it to speake of It is therefore evident you see that a man may have saving grace in him and not perceive it himselfe a man may have true justifying faith in him and not have the use and operation of it so farre as to worke in him a comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God Nay I will say more a man may bee in the state of grace and have true justifying faith in him and yet bee so farre from sensible assurance of it in himselfe as in his owne sense and feeling hee may seeme to bee assured of the contrary I will give you three most plaine and pregnant examples for this and so conclude this first point Iob was certainly in this case when hee cryed thus unto God Iob 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest mee for thine enemy And 16.9 Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon mee Hee saw not Gods loving countenance at all hee apprehended him as a mortall enemy And David was in this case when hee cryed unto God Psal. 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken mee And He man was in this case when he prayed thus Psalm 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soule
strength in the soule as ever there was in any corporall food to strengthen the body My flesh is meat indeed saith our Saviour Ioh. 6.55 57 and my bloud is drink indeed he that eateth me even be shall live by me Wilt thou say then thou hast fed on Christ that hast received no strength by this food to resist tentation that hast not bin able to go in the strength of that meat forty dayes nor forty houres No no trust not to such a faith as this this will never abide the fornace of affliction nor beare thee up in it Secondly Let me apply this to the comfort of the weakest soule among you even to thy comfort that because of the weaknesse of thy faith tremblest when thou hearest of the troublesome times we are to looke for tremblest when thou thinkest of death ô sayest thou I shall never be able to endure in the evill day Yet hast thou truth of faith in thee though in great weaknes For 1. thou mournest unfeinedly for the weakenes of thy faith and desirest to beleeve all the promises of God and neglectest no meanes wherby thy faith may grow like to that poore man Mar. 9.24 2. This weake faith of thine hath drawne vertue from Christ whereby the issue and fountaine of thy corruption beginneth to be dryed up and is not so strong as once it was and wherby also thou hast received some strength even to resist tentation as Ioseph did Gen. 39.9 Be thou of good comfort certainly if thou hast the least measure and degree of true faith in thee thou shalt be able to beare troubles when they come much more patiently and comfortably then thou thinkest For be thou assured 1. That Christ will not so overcharge thee with tryals and afflictions as to smother and put out those weak beginnings of grace that he hath wrought in thee but will tender nourish them Mat. 12.20 2. The strength wherby any of Gods people are enabled to stand in the day of tryal is not their own but the Lords only Be strong in the Lord in the power of his might Ephe. 6.10 In the deepest sense of thine own weaknes learn to flie out of thy selfe to rely wholly upon the Lord on the power of his might Know his grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Yea thou shalt be holden up for God is able to make thee to stand Rom. 14.3.3 Remēber the promises God hath made unto his people in this case Ps. 29.11 The Lord will give strength to his people The Lord delighteth to shew his might most in them that are weakest in their owne sense 2 Cor. 12.9 Gods power is made perfect in weaknes So it is said of the holy Martyrs in the dayes of the Maccabees Heb. 11.34 that by faith out of weaknes they were made strong And that made the Apostle say from his owne experience 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weake then am I strong And if Peter had bin weaker in his owne sense before-hand he had had more strength in the day of triall then he had Mar. 14.31 Lecture LIIII On Psalme 51.4 Aprill 17. 1627. THe sixt meanes to attaine unto true patience is Hope He that would with patience comfort stand in the evill day must get assurance before-hand that when he dyeth he shall go to heaven He that knoweth not what shall become of this soule when he dieth whether it shall go to heaven or to hell can never endure any great afflictions and troubles with patience and comfort Such men must needs be through feare of death as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 2.15 all their life time but specially when any great troubles shall come upon them subject unto bondage miserable slavery But on the other side he that knoweth death is the worst that can befall him in the most troublesome times and that death will make him a happy man he that can say to his soule as Pro. 23.18 Surely there is an end and thine expectation shall not be cut off that man must needs be patient and comfortable in any affliction that can befall him We rejoyce even in tribulations saith the Apostle Rom. 5.23 in hope of the glory of God And 12.12 Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation What maketh Gods people not onely so patient but even so comfortable and full of joy in all tribulations Surely the hope they have of the glory that is prepared for them they know the end will pay for all This made Moses to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and to esteeme the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt For saith the Apostle Hebrewes 11.25 26. hee had respect to the recompense of the reward Heaven was ever in his eye and that made him to endure the reproach of Christ so comfortably And of the faithfull Hebrewes hee saith 10.34 that they tooke joyfully the spoyling of their goods knowing in themselves inwardly assuredly feelingly that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance In which respect this hope of heaven is compared to an helmet Ephe. 6.17 that defendeth the head and keepeth us from the most Capitall tentations and dangers Heb. 6.19 The Apostle calleth it the anker of the soule both sure and stedfast It will stay the soule and make it steady against all waves and tempests And in the same chapter verse 18. he compareth it to a place of refuge Wee have strong consolation saith he who have fled for refuge to take hold upon the hope that is set before us If a poore man that had all his wealth about him should fall into the hands of theeves and be robbed and rifled by them he must needs cry and take on pitifully for alas he is cleane undone he hath nothing left at home to succour him and his family withall But a rich man that hath store of money at home safe lockt up in his chest unlesse he be a base and miserable wretch will never complaine much nor be disquieted when he hath twenty or forty shillings taken from him For worldlings to rage and take on when they must loose their life or their peace or their wealth it is no marvell for alas when these things are gone they have nothing left they are quite undone But a Christian that knoweth and considereth what hee is borne unto and what hee shall enjoy when hee comes home so soone as he dyeth hee cannot doe so O then to apply this in a word as wee desire to endure with patience and comfort the troublesome times that are at hand let us in time make this sure to our selves that when we shall dye we shall go to heaven I know most men will say they hope well to do so but it standeth us upon to examine our hope whether it be such as will abide the tryall when we shall come into the fornace of affliction The hypocrites hope
or for any of his judgements then must our originall sin this fountaine of corruption that wee have within us come into our remembrance to further us in our humiliation before God The keeping of fasts is no better then grosse hypocrisie and will but provoke the Lord further against our selves and all wee pray for if our soules bee not humbled and afflicted in us when we fast You know the fearefull sentence of God against such keepers of fasts Levit. 23.29 Whatsoever soule it bee that shall not bee afflicted in that same day hee shall bee cut off from among his people And the more wee can bee humbled in our fasts certainly the more hope we may have to prevaile with God in them He putteth his mouth in the dust saith the Church of an humbled sinner Lam. 3.29 if so bee there may bee hope As if hee had said if any thing will give him hope of mercy that will doe it And because so few keepe fasts with humbled soules even when they make so solemne profession of their humiliation before God and his people therefore see we so little fruit of our fasts now adayes But Gods people have now cause if ever to complaine unto God as they did Psal. 80.4 O Lord God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people Certainely God seemeth even to bee angry with the prayers of his people Yet must wee not give over our fasts and dayes of humiliation for God calleth us to fasting and prayer now if ever hee did Esay 22.12 But our care must bee to keepe our fasts with more humbled soules then wee have beene heretofore First Wee must be humbled for the tokens of Gods anger that are upon all the Churches and upon our owne land If ones father have spit in his face saith God to Moses Numb 12.14 should he not be ashamed Certainely our heavenly father hath spit upon our faces and disgraced us in the sight of all nations The Lion hath roared saith the Prophet Amos 3.8 who will not feare The Lord threatneth terrible things against this nation such as if we would give our selves leave seriously to think of would make the stoutest heart among us to quake and tremble And surely such as will seeme to keepe fasts and are not in their fasts affected with nor humbled for the judgements of God upon all the Churches especially upon our owne land are no better then gracelesse hipocrites Ier. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a a rock These are they that the Prophet speaketh of Esa. 29 15 18. Secondly We must be humbled in our fasts for the outragious sinnes that are committed every where specially such as our selves heare and know of When blasphemy was supposed to have beene spoken by Naboth against God and the King a fast was proclaimed in Iezreel for that 1 King 21.9 10. which doubtlesse Iezabel had learned from the example of Gods owne people that had beene wont to do so in such cases And the Apostle blameth the whole Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5.2 because they had not at all mourned for that foule incest that had beene committed among them What would he have done if so desperate a murder had beene committed there as was here the last weeke Certainely we should all mourne and be humbled for it and be glad we have opportunity to do it with fasting and prayer It is made a note of Gods people whom he will marke for himselfe and take care to provide for in times of common calamity Ezek. 9.4 that they are such as sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst of the place they live in If we cannot be humbled for the sins of the land of the place we live in certainely we can never be humbled aright for any judgements of God that are either presently upon us or threatned against us We read of Nehemiah that when he heard of the great affliction and reproach Gods people were in at Ierusalem Neh. 1.4 He wept and mourned certaine daies and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven But what was the thing that most humbled him in that fast Surely not so much the judgements whereby God shewed himselfe to be angry against Ierusalem as the sins of Ierusalem whereby it had provoked God unto this anger as you may perceive by the confession he maketh of their sins in the sixt and seaventh verses of that Chapter Thirdly We must in our fasts be humbled for our owne sinnes especially Thus is the humiliation of Gods people for sin set forth Ezek 7.16 They shall be on the mountaines as the doves of the valleyes all of them mourning every man for his iniquity And therefore also we ought in our fasts to call back into our remembrance the foulest and grosest of all the sins that ever we committed in our lives though they were done long ago Because the heart will sooner be brought unto remorse and sorrow by the remembrance of these then of smaller sins Remember and forget not saith Moses unto Israel Deut. 9.7 how thou provokest the Lord thy God in the wildernesse He that bringeth not to the fast an heart humbled for his owne sins that hath no sense of the beames that are or have beene in his owne eye as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 7.5 is but an hypocrite in pretending that he is humbled for the sins of the land Fourthly and lastly We must in our fasts be humbled for our originall sinne for the foule corruption of our nature So was David we see heere in this his solemne profession of repentance and humiliation he was humbled not onely for his adultery and murder but for the corruption of his nature also wherein he was conceived and borne yea more for that then for the other for he ascendeth in his confession as we have heard as to an higher step and degree of sin and setteth an Ecce before this Behold I was borne in iniquity c. Thus was Paul humbled even after his regeneration for this corruption of his nature It was no actuall sin no corruption that reigned in him or that he did obey in the lusts thereof that he complaineth so of and prayeth so against 2 Cor. 12.7 8. It was nothing els certainely but the corruption of his nature the motions and strong inclinations he found in himselfe unto some foule evill and this he said put his heart to that paine and anguish as a thorne in the flesh would put a mans body to This was that that made him cry out so of himselfe Rom. 7.24 Owretched man that I am this was that that he calleth his death who shall deliver me from the body of this death And why were David and Paul being in the state of grace and having no actuall sin in them that they had not repented of in whom
should this be the resolution of every true Christian if wine and strong drinke if such company and recreations as I have been wont to use cause me to offend I will never use them againe while I live Secondly To labour in our callings and to follow diligently the meanes of our thrift is in it selfe a most lawfull thing For God hath expressely allowed it Exod. 20.9 Six daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke And he that is not carefull to provide for his family is worse then an infidell 1 Tim. 5.8 But a man may easily surfet and take more of this also then will do him good For the cares of the world and the deceitfullnesse of riches saith our Saviour Mat. 13.22 choke the word and make it unfruitfull even under the best ministery in the world Nay it is not possible but the best man under heaven must needs surfet and take hurt by it if he keepe not a measure in it Therefore the most wise God that knoweth us better then we doe our selves hath seene it necessary to injoine unto his people one day in every weeke to be kept as a Sabbath a day of rest from our worldly labours and affaires and spent in spirituall duties Exod. 20.8 Yea he saw it necessary even for Adam before his fall that he should not continually be imployed in dressing of Paradise but that one day in seven he should rest from that labour and be imployed wholly in spirituall duties Gen. 2.3 Yea he hath ordained that no one of the weeke daies should be wholly spent in our wordly affaires but that some part of every morning and of every evening should be spared from them and imployed in spirituall duties As appeareth plainely in those two lawes the one for the sacrifice Exod. 29.38 39. the other for the incense Exod. 30.7 8. which every morning and evening was to be offered up unto the Lord. If any man shall say Tush those were but ceremoniall lawes what tell you us of them I answer They were so indeed but yet there is a morall equity of them which is perpetuall And of them I may say as the Apostle doth of another of the same kinde 1 Cor. 9.10 For our sakes no doubt this is written to teach us that it is the will of God that every morning and every evening we should spend some time in his service If any shall object againe Tush those lawes concerned the Priests onely in the Temple and serve well in the morall equity of them to prove that Ministers should do so but what is that to the people I answer That these lawes concerned the people as well as the Priests as appeareth Luke 1.10 The whole multitude were praying without that is in the courts of the Lords house which was the place allotted to them in the Temple 2 Chron. 22.5 at the time of incense You see then how dangerous the Lord seeth it is for us to be alwaies imployed in the affaires of our worldly callings be our callings what they may be for some are certainely more toilesome then others are how necessary it is for us to be oft taken off from them and to have our hearts and minds turned another way And certainely the man that hath most imployment in the world hath of all other men most cause to love the Sabbath and praise God for it and long for it and acknowledge the necessity of it yea to keepe his times constantly for religious duties every morning and every evening and to account it an happinesse if his occasions will also permit him to frequent Lectures and to say with David Psal. 84.4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will still be praising thee Because he of all others is in most danger to have his heart corrupted and glued to the world See a notable proofe of this in that straight commandement that is given unto the King Deut. 17.19 and Iosh. 1.8 to read every day some part of the Bible And Daniel would not omit his constant course of praying three times a day though he knew he was in danger to bee cast into the Lyons den for it Dan. 6.10 And therefore those men that never have enough of toiling and moiling about the world but as Solomon speaketh Eccl. 4.8 There is no end of their labours neither is their eye satisfied with riches they thinke they never have enough These long daies are not long enough for them to do their businesse in they can spare no time morning nor evening for religious duties nay six daies in a weeke is not time enough for them but they must needs take some part of the Lords day to imploy in their worldly occasions that see no necessity at all of spending any part of the weeke daies in religious duties either in hearing or reading of the Word or praying with their families but are apt to say of them that use it as Pharaoh did Exod. 5.8 They are idle and have nothing to do and therefore they cry saying let us go and sacrifice unto our God yea that see no necessity of the Sabbath it selfe specially not of those meanes God hath ordained for the sanctifying of it but think they can do well enough without them and are apt to say of it as those did Mal. 1.13 Oh what a wearinesse is it And such men as I have described the world yea the Church of God is every where full of Such men I may boldly say have no mortification and consequently no true repentance in them at all no care to keepe under the corruption of their own heart such men certainely care not how strong it grow how much it increase in them And hee that hath no care of that he that doth not study and practise mortification certainly hath not the spirit of Christ in him as you have heard and therefore is none of his hee cannot possibly be saved Take a notable proofe for this in the speech and example of the blessed Apostle who when he had said 1 Cor 9.25 Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things And so hee that striveth to get the mastery over his owne corruption must be temperate in all things and not take too much either of meate or drinke or of company or of recreation or of worldly businesse He addeth verse 27. I keepe under my body and bring it into subjection lest by any meanes when I have preached unto others I my selfe should bee a cast away If Paul had not bin temperate in all things taking no more of them then would stand with the health of his soule Paul himselfe had bin a cast away and could never have bin saved Lecture LXV on Psalme 51.5 Iuly 24. 1627. THE fourth meanes whereby the corruption of our nature is to be mortified is a conscionable use of the exercises of religion I know there bee many that use religious duties both publique and private ordinary and
beloved so many of you as have given your names unto Christ looke unto this Count it a foule shame for thee that art a Christian when a naturall man or one that thou takest to bee farre short of thee in religion shall justly taxe thee with dishonesty in any kind When Abimelech had told Sarah of her fault in dissembling her husband thus was shee reproved saith Moses Genesis 20.16 As if hee should have said That was a shamefull reproofe indeed for a woman of her note to bee taught her duty and upbraided with her fault by an heathen man Surely it cannot but grieve every good heart to heare that which is too truly spoken to the shame and reproach of the Gospell that there is more truth and fidelity more just dealing more care of their word more good neighbour-hood and kindnesse more charity and mercifullnesse among a number of meere naturall men nay among Papists nay among Turks and infidels then among a great many that are of chief note for the profession of the gospell O that God would be pleased to open the eyes of such professors to see how great their sinne and danger is To this end consider with thy selfe these three things First that for thee to faile in these duties which are cleare not by the light of the Word onely but even by the light of nature also is a greater sinne than for thee to faile in those duties onely that are cleare unto thee by the light of the Word onely I know well that the sinnes against the first Table are in some respects greater than the sinnes against the second are But in this respect it is certaine that some sinnes against the second Table these sinnes against common honestly are more hainous than the most sinnes against the first that they are committed against greater and clearer light than the other are And the greater the light is against which any man offendeth the greater is his sinne To him that knoweth to do well and doth it not to him it is sinne saith the Apostle Iames 4.17 Secondly Consider that these faults of thine will be imputed by the world not to thy self only but to all that professe that religion that thou dost they will be ready to say these are your professours they are all such Remember what Iacob said Gen. 34.30 to Simeon and Levi Ye make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land And should not this trouble thee much Let not them that wait on thee O Lord God of Israel saith David Ps. 69.6 be ashamed for my sake Let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel See how earnest he was with God to keep him from doing any thing that might bring reproach upon Gods servants or make the professours of his name odious to the world And so wouldst thou be too if thy heart were truly religious as Davids was Thirdly and lastly Consider that the shame of thy sinnes resteth not upon thy selfe nor upon all men that professe as thou dost but it reacheth unto the Lord himselfe and to his holy religion which thou dost professe and causeth men to say Lo this is their religion this they learne by going to Sermons Is not this a goodly profession The name of God is blasphemed through you saith the Apostle Rom. 2.24 And doth this seeme a small thing in thine eyes Will ye pollute me among my people saith the Lord Ezek. 13.19 for handfuls of barley and for peeces of bread As if he should say thus Will ye for the gaining of a trifle make my name and religion odious and loathsome to the people When Iacobs sonnes had given that occasion to the Canaanites to reproach religion he cryeth out unto them Gen. 34.30 Ye have troubled me It was a great trouble of mind to the good man that any occasion should be given to wicked men to hate or speake evill of religion specially by him or any of his And certainly if the glory of God and the credit of his gospell be not dearer to thee than any thing in the world if thou hadst not rather die than bring reproach upon the Gospell thou canst have no comfort in thine estate If thou canst not say with David Psal. 69.9 The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me As if he had said The words that are spoken against thee and thy holy religion are a greater burden to me and trouble me more than any thing that can be said against my selfe doth certainly thou hast no zeale of God in thee at all Now though all this be true that you have heard though the civill virtues and morall parts that are in thee be good things in themselves and pleasing unto God yet cannot all thy civility thy just dealing thy care thou hast of thy word thy kindnesse and good nature thy mercifulnesse and readinesse to helpe them that have need yeeld thee any true comfort at all till thou be in Christ and knowest that through him thy sinnes are pardoned and thou art in favour with God For this we have evident proofe in the example of sundry who though they had these civill vertues in them yet are branded by the Holy Ghost for most unhappy men and such as none of us would be in their case for all the world The Pharisee could boast Luke 18.11 that he was neither extortioner nor unjust in his dealings with men that he was no adulterer nor filthy person How dutifull a child was Esau to his father how carefull to please him how fearefull to offend him As you may read Gen. 27.31 41. and 28.8 Of how bountifull a disposition and free from covetousnesse When Iacob brought him a royall present he refused it and said Gen. 33.9 I have enough my brother keep that thou hast unto thy selfe And where shall we read of such an example of kind-heartednesse and pitifulnesse and aptnesse to forgive an insolent and proud and inveterate enemy as we have in Ahab towards Benhadad 1 King 20.31.34 And what man in the world could ever live a more unblameable and honest life than that rich man Mat. 19.20 that had kept all the commandements of the second Table from his very youth to that day Of whom yet our Saviour giveth us just cause to judge by that fearfull sentence he giveth upon that occasion of all that trust in their riches that he could never get to heaven But the example of the Apostle Paul may serve instead of a thousand for this point Never did man live a more unblameable life nor excell in all civill and morall righteousnesse than he did when he was a naturall man Insomuch as he saith of himselfe Phil. 3.4 If any other man thinketh he hath whereof he may trust in the flesh much more I. And Verse 6. he saith that touching the righteousnesse which is in the law he had been blamelesse But did he find any sound comfort in all this No no when God opened