and are called with an holy calling by the voice of their Shepheard and set apart by the power of the Word as the Nazarites were by their vow To this purpose it is said of the Church Loe the people shall dwell alone Numb 23 9. and shall not be reckoned among the Nations If then we joyne our selves with the world we disjoyne our selves from the Church Secondly true holinesse is begun in their nature Wee beleeve this in our hearts and wee must practise it in our lives Tit. 3.5 Tit. 3.5 2 Pet. 1.10 Matth. 5.16 Hereby we make our election and calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Matth. 5.16 No sanctification no salvation Thirdly the holinesse of Christ and his righteousnesse is imputed unto them Heb. 10.10 being washed and bathed in his blood Heb. 10.10 These rely wholy upon his merits for their righteousnesse and salvation not upon themselves Fourthly they cleave unto such as feare God and worke righteousnesse with unchangeable affections as the onely people in the world with whom they become one body Rom. Rom. 12.5 12.5 For as they are one in Christ so they are one among themselves and love one another in deed and in truth as fellow servants of the same family as fellow berthren of the same Father and as fellow Citizens of the same City with all meeknesse patience gentlenesse lowlinesse long-suffering love concord and unity As sheepe will not be alone so neither will they sort with Swine or Beares or Lyons or Wolves Let all our delight therefore be in the Saints Psal 16. 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thes 3.14 Heb. 10.39 On the other side let us avoid the society of the wicked Come out from among them and touch no uncleane thing separate from them and have no familiarity with them Fiftly they strive with might and maine by sanctification and holinesse of life to exceed and outstrip the deeds and practices of Turkes Papists and prophane persons of the world 1 Pet. 2.9 Phil. 2.15 that these may see their good workes and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven For except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises Matth. 5.20 wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Our workes not our words onely must speake for us and witnesse with us that we are of this one Church And let us take heed lest by our sinfull lives we slander our profession blaspheme the Name of God our Father dishonour Christ our Head and disgrace the Church our Mother Ephes 1.4 Lastly wee must acknowledge our selves to be Pilgrims and strangers in this world Heb. 11.9 10. as the Patriarkes and holy men of God did For albeit we are in the world yet we are none of the world and albeit we live on the earth yet we must not be earthly-minded Phil. 3.20 but have our conversation in Heaven and from thence looke for our Saviour to change our vile bodies and to fashion them like to his glorious body We live here as in a strange Country but we looke for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God We must therefore use this world as though we used it not 1 Cor. 7.31 And thus being members of the Church militant in this life wee shall be parts of the Church triumphant in the life to come there to remaine with Christ Iesus our Head for ever Little flocke The third point of the division followeth which is the limitation it is little Though it be a flocke yet it is but a little flocke It is a company yet but a small company Touching the company or compasse of the Church we are to consider two things First the errors that stand on both sides and the strength of the reason that Christ maketh against all carnall feare of want and famine Touching the errors on both hands as well on the right hand as on the left some goe about to shrinke up the sinewes of this little flocke and so contract it into a lesser roome then Christ himselfe hath folded it into True it is hee hath shut it up into a narrow fold but many have gone about to pin it up and to tye it shorter then he hath done Thus the Iewes that were of the Circumcision offended who went about to gather it into a shorter summe then they ought to have done for they contended with Peter and tooke it grievously Acts 11.2 3. that he went in to men uncircumcised and did eate with them They falsely perswaded themselves that the promises concerning the Messiah pertained to themselves alone because they heard in the Scriptures that they were called the peculiar people to whom pertained the adoption Rom. 9.4 5. the covenants the giving of the Law and the service of God and so they dreamed that the Gentiles were quite excluded from salvation and severed from the Church of God Howbeit this is contrary to the ancient promise and prophesie that God will enlarge Iaphet Gen. 9.27 that hee shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and hereunto doe other Prophets accord Thus also did the Donatists shut up the Church into a corner of the world onely to wit in Africk August De Haeres cap. 69. as if it had beene utterly perished out of the whole earth besides Thus doe the Anabaptists and sundry of the Separation as if there were no true Church upon the earth but among themselves who in truth are the true Donatists of our time as whosoever knoweth the history of them will easily acknowledge For these Sectaries were Separatists who had their Conventicles apart under colour of great corruptions in other places persons and Churches and they imagined contagion and infection to arise by communicating with all others This is a generation that say as it is in the Prophet Esay 65.5 Stand by thy selfe Come not neere to me for I am holier then thou But here good and evill are mingled together as cleane uncleane in the Arke as wheate and chaffe in the floore and must so continue to the end of the World So likewise doe the Romanists abridge it who fasten the Church to the sleeve of the See of Rome and therefore define it to bee a company of men under one Pastor Bellar. lib. 3. De Eccles cap. 2. and subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome so that let men beleeve never so orthodoxally and soundly otherwise yet they hold them out of the account of the Church and brand them to bee no better then damnable Heretikes who doe not acknowledge their lord god the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ the head of the Church and their chiefe nay universall Pastor Thus Catholike and Romane with them generall and particular shall be all one which Church when it was at the best Rom. 1.8 and their faith spred abroad thorowout the whole world was never taken to be the Catholike Church but a part thereof which now is no sound part or
whirlewind as it fell out with the old world and the men of Soâ—ome We are here travailers when once our journey is at an end by death there is no place of turning from our evill wayes While it is day we may worke Ioh. 9. There is no working in the night when death taketh us away The day of judgement is called the day of the Lord because then he taketh an account Rom. 2.6 2 Cor. 5.10 and payeth men their wages Rom. 2.6 and giveth them their reward according to their workes for we must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Hence it is that the Apostle exhorteth us to heare his voyce to day not at our owne leysure or pleasure To day is Gods voyce to morrow is the Devils language to day is Gods perswasion to morrow is the Devils perswasion We know that Manna was gathered upon the sixe dayes but none the Sabbath the day of rest from our labours so upon the sixe dayes of our life the heavenly Manna of faith in Christ and of repentance from dead workes may be gathered but when the day commeth that we must rest from our labours faith and repentance are ceased True it is some went out to seeke Manna upon the Sabboth but they found none so the foolish virgins sought oyle for their lampes but they found none Math. 25. The life to come is the time of recompence not of repentance of wages not of working of judgment not of judging of our selues Secondly they are reprooved that thinke either of themselues or of others that they need no repentance at alâ— because they liue unblamably civilly and uprightly For what will it availe all their civill cariage that they love the Church formally frequent the word and Sacraments live in peace with their neighbours defraud no man oppresse no man pay every man his due all this outward honesty is farre from inward piety and being without faith and repentance it is no better before God then a beautifull sinne Luk. 16.15 Math. 5.20 and albeit it be highly esteemed among men it is abominable in the sight of God And therefore to such our Saviour saith Except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scrâ—bes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven Ob. Math. 5. But it may be objected upon the words of the Evangelist Luk. 15.7 There shall be more joy in heaven over one sinner that converteth then over ninety and nine just persons that need no amendment of life where our Saviour speaketh as though some were so righteous that it was needlesse and superfluous for them to repent Answ I answer the Scripture vseth to speake two wayes sometimes simply sometimes comparatively or respectively As the faithfull sometimes are said to be a great company and sometimes a little flocke many considered in themselves few compared with the rest So there are none in themselves so just that they need not repent for there is none righteous no not one but if we respect men already called and understand the words spoken comparatively in respect of sinners uncalled that never repented it is certaine they need not so much repentance as other as an house well repaired will not need so much repairing as that which hath beene let runne to decay and was never repaired For our Saviour having expressed the joy conceived by finding of the lost groate and the stray sheepe he enlargeth it by an unequall comparison wherein it is compared with the joy which is conceived for them that are now righteous and already converted as it were the greater with the losse True it is some understand the words as spoken of the Angels who need no returning to God because they never turned from him others of the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites Luk. 18.9 who thought themselues righteous men and despised others of whom our Saviour saith Math. 9.12.13 The whole need not a Physitian but they that are sicke and againe I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Howbeit the first interpretation seemeth to me to be most proper and naturall according best with the words of our Saviour in other places Lastly it is the duty of naturall men to use the meanes appointed of God to bring them to repentance Happy are all such as have repented they are entred into the way of Salvation and have one foot in heaven On the other side they lye in the state of damnation that have not wrought in them a true conversion It behoveth them therefore to learne and consider how God hath ordained to bring us to repentance The Apostle teacheth that we are borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever It is a common thing for every one to boast of repentance but how came they to attaine unto it for they regard not the word the law they account too bitter a Pill to swallow and the Gospel or grace of God they turne into wantonnesse It is the voyce of our Saviour Except ye repent Luk. 13.3.5 ye shall all likewise perish but if the repentance of every one ware measured by their conscience to the word I feare we should not have much repentance found among us When the Prophet had threatned Nebuchad-nezzar Dan. 4.25.27 that he should be driven from men and have his dwelling with the beastes of the field he counselled him to breake off his sinnes by righteousnesse and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore as the meanes and ready way to lengthen his tranquillity so may I say to all naturall men that have their dwelling shall I say with the beasts nay with the Devill and his Angels who rule in them let my counsel be acceptable to you hearken to the word be swift to heare it let it dwell plentifully in you and be doers and practisers of it that ye may feele the power of it being conuerted by it and so glorifie God in the day of your visitation Turne every one from his evill wayes Here is the substance of the Kings Proclamation wherein one thing is expressed and under it an other is comprehended For it is â—o onely required of us to turne from evill Doct. but to returne to the Lord and to do good Repentance stands in turning from our euill wayes to God This teacheth the nature of true repentance that it standeth in turning from our evill wayes to God For the better understanding of this point we must obserue why it is called a turning and what manner of turning repentance is The Metaphor of turning is drawne from a traveiler in the way who missing the path and going astray hath no remedy but he must come backe againe and returne into the right way if
take away comfort from every Christian soule and leaue them in state no better then the damned nay then the Deuils Difference betweene the faith of Devils and true beleevers To this purpose I pray you consider briefely what is the faith of the Deuils and what is the faith of true beleevers touching the Articles of the Creed For the Devils beleeve and man beleeveth But as Christ telleth his Disciples Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen so may I say Except our faith exceed the faith of the Deuils and of all the Romanists and Reprobates we cannot be saued For there is no faith taught in the Church of Rome but a man may have it and yet be damned Now I will shew what the Devils beleeve and how farre they proceed They beleeve there is one God that God is a Father that Christ Iesus is a Saviour and Redeemer and the holy Ghost a Sanctifier they beleeve there is now hath beene before and euer shall be a Church a true Church they beleeve the Communion of Saints and forgivenesse of sinnes they beleeve there shall be a resurrection of mens bodies and everlasting life All these they steadfastly beleeve without any wavering or doubting Obiect But some will say Is not this enough is not this faith sufficient Answ what is then wanting I answer A man may beleeve all these and yet goe to hell as a damned creature that it had beene better hee had never beene borne as it is said of Judas For this is but the historicall faith to beleeve the Scriptures to be true The Devill himselfe doth this and yet hath no benefit by it Obiect nor comfort in it What then Is this common faith to be condemned because the Devils have it Answ No in no wise For albeit wee cannot be saved by it yet we cannot be saved without it and therefore it is not to be condemned nay the Apostle James commendeth it Iam. 2.19 Thou beleevest one God thou dost well in it This indeed must be embraced but there is more then this not to be omitted Christ our Saviour saith If yee love them that love you Luke 6.32 what thanke have yee for sinners also love those that love them What then doth he forbid us to love such againe as love us or doth he reiect this as euill No but he meaneth this is not sufficient if we proceed no further as Lots wife is punished not because she went out of Sodom not because she pased it for a time with her husband not because she went so farre but because she stood still and looked backe Gen. 19.26 and went no further So then where the Devils end we must begin or rather proceed True it is wee must haue this common faith not because the Deuils haue it but because God hath commanded it as Peter confessed Christ to be the Sonne of God not because the Deuils confessed it but because the Father had revealed it unto him This common faith is a good preparative to saving faith and layeth after a sort the foundation thereof and we must have it not because of it selfe it is sufficient or we may not rest there as if wee were come to our iournies end but must proceed forward in our way For we must beleeve not onely that there is a God but likewise that he is our God not onely that he is a Father but that he is our Father not onely that Christ is a Saviour but that he is our Saviour not onely that there is a Church but that we are parts and members of it that we are of the Communion of the Saints and that our sinnes shall be forgiven that our bodies shall be raised and that we shall have eternall life given unto us This truth the grounds before delivered are sufficient to manifest if any thing can bee sufficient and to shew that there must be of necessity an application Obiect But the Romanists alledge against these things that in the Gospell all runneth in generall and that it is not therein written that such a man is Gods and such a man shall haue his sinnes forgiven and have benefit by Christ I answer Answ whereas they confesse there is a generall in the Gospell we conclude that therefore there is of necessity a particular included in the generall As for example the Gospell teacheth this Whosoever beleeveth and repenteth Mark 16.16 hath Christ Iesus for his Saviour therefore there is this particular Peter Paul Cornelius and the rest did beleeve and repent therefore certainely they are saved by this their application The Apostle Paul saith to the Iayler Act. 16.31 Act. 16. If thou beleevest in the Lord Jesus thou shalt be saved and all thine house But he might presently have rejoined by the doctrine of these doting Doctors to the Apostles Sirs how doe you know this is my name written in so many letters and syllables in the Scripture But doubtlesse Paul and Silas would have shaped him this answere This is as true and certaine by the generall rules as if thy name were written therein As for the particular faith it is written in our hearts not in the Scriptures But let us deale with them according to their owne practice The Romish Priests take authority to themselves to forgive sinnes to binde and to loose Aske any particular Priest for his warrant Ioh. 20.23 Matth. 18.18 hee will alleadge a generall Commission Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained John 20.23 And he supposed this to be sufficient albeit his owne name be not read and registred therein So then if a man should demand by what authority they absolve or who gaue them this authority they thinke they have answered fully that they are the successors of the Apostles and that therefore whatsoeuer they did they also have power and authority to doe the same and yet neither their names nor of such as are absolved by them neither of the pardoners nor of the pardoned are written in holy Scripture What then May not we apply to our selves and to our comfort and salvation that which they doe to others for gaine and for money Lastly this objection overthroweth all piety and Religion For if we be not bound to be assured of our salvation because it is not said in the Scripture by name that we shall be saved then it wil follow that we are not bound to be holy nor to feare God nor to be religious because it is said in Scripture by name that we ought to be so O but it will be said Obiect Many are deceived that apply the promises to themselves when indeed and in truth they doe not belong unto them Answ I answer Be it so yet a false claime cannot barre by any Law the true owner from his right This ought to drive us to take heed wee doe not deceive our selves but
promised to heare us Ob. we obey and yet we are not heard I answer God never commanded thee to pray Answ God never commanded a wicked man to pray he never made promise nor halfe a promise nor peece of a promise to a wicked mans prayer so long as he continueth so Search the whole booke of God and tell me where the Commandement or promise is to be found I can produce a thousand curses against the soule of the ungodly and where he expresâ—y threatneth he will not heare them and that his prayer is abominable but I cannot find either Commandement for the ungodly to pray or comfort for them that they shall be heard and helped in their prayer He that bringeth his gift to the Altar and there remembreth his brother hath ought against him Math. 5.23.24 must leave his gift before it and goe his way to be first reconciled to his brother and ought not they when they come to pray before the Lord the searcher of all hearts and remember the Lord hath a controversie against them leave his worship for a time and go first to be reconciled to him and that much more before they presume to call upon him with their wicked hearts How many are there that thinke it enough to come to the house of prayer as if there were some vertue or inherent holinesse in the place but be not deceived when we tread in the Lords Courts if we leave not our sinnes behind us we were better leave our selues behind also forasmuch as he that maketh prayer without repentance is as if he mingled wholesome meat with ranke poyson Secondly it behoveth us to love the righteous and esteeme well of them because such God heareth and they are much beloved of God For though they be little in their owne eyes yet are they highly regarded of him and much in his favour And though they be never so poore in the sight of the world they are in truth and in Gods account greater then any worldling nay one of them the least the lowest the simplest is in more estimation with him then all the world of the ungodly Heb. 11.38 These are such as the Apostle speaketh off Heb. 11. The world was not worthy of them They are the favorites of the king of heaven the King of Kings and have free accesse to him at all times which no man can have to earthly Princes How great an honour is it in Princes Courts to have an easie entrance to come into their presence and to be in their favour that they hold out their golden Septer unto them but how much grearer dignity is it to have recourse to the Almighty and whensoever we will to put up our petitions before him with assurance to be heard As therefore we have benefit by the prayers of the faithfull whom God accepteth so we are bound to love them by whom we have such benefit Lastly from hence comfort and encouragement ariseth to the Godly to pray often and as the Lords remembrancers to give him no rest seeing they have promise of good successe He will not be wanting unto us if we be not wanting to our selues Let us joyne repentance unto our prayer and he will joyne helping to his hearing but if we separate our repentance from our requestes he may well heare us but we may not looke for deliverance or acceptance at his hands If then we turne unto him we may be well assured he will turne unto us Great is the force of true prayer but it must be seasoned and sharpned with repentance if both these go together like a bird that flyeth with both winges they ascend up to heaven and his blessings descend to the earth and fall upon our heads as a shower of raine that falleth upon the ground and maketh it fâ—uitfull Prayer without repentance is like a Dove that flyeth with one wing or like a cripple that halteth with one foote happy are they that joyne them together as it were to draw in one yoke Hence it is that the Apostle knitteth them in one Act. 8. Repent of wickednesse and pray unto God What had his repentance availed him without prayer or his prayer without repentance as therefore both are commanded so both of them must be practised of us Let them turne every one Doct. Marke in the next place the generality of the Commandement Repentance belongeth to the naturall man who must turne to God Repentance is shewed to belong to all of them These men were meere carnall and naturall men such as were not regenerate by the Spirit of God This teacheth us to whom repentance belongeth that the naturall man not yet called must repent and turne unto God True it is the regenerate must repent also because he hath many corruptions remaining in him and he sinneth daily the image of God in which man was created was lost in a little space yet to repaire it againe perfectly requireth the whole time of mans life as houses may be overturned in an instant as the house that fell upon Iobs children Iob. 1.19 which are long in building againe The regenerate man therefore must still exercise repentance howbeit properly this is renewed repentance rather then the first act of repentance and a proceeding in it unto perfection then the first beginning of our conversion The point then to be considered in this example is that the naturall man hath need of repentance Math. 3.2 This Iohn the Baptist preached Act. 2.23.38 Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Thus Peter exhorted the Iewes that with wicked hands had taken and crucified the Lord of life to repent and to be baptized in his name 2 Tim. 2.25 So the man of God is charged to instruct with meekenesse the contrary minded if God peradventure will gâ—ve them repentance The reasons hereof are plaine Reas 1 First the naturall man cannot enter into Gods kingdome Ioh. 3.5 except he be borne again It is as unpossible for a man unregenerate to possesse the joyes of heaven as it is for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle The penitent person hath the gate of the kingdome set wide open to him but no other For such as have not the spirit of God are none of his Secondly such are nothing else but a lumpe of sinne no one part good in them their consciences are impure Tit. 1. Repentance is the life of a sinner without this we are as a dead man that can stirre neither hand nor foot Eph. 2.1 By nature we beare the image of Satan and are more like to him then any child is to his father or can be Let us come to the uses This teacheth us that this present life is the time of our repentance Vse 1 Let us make peace with God and be reconciled unto him while we are yet in the way It had been to late for these Ninevites to think of repentance when desolation had come upon them as a
ever he intend to attaine the end of his journey This unproper speech is very proper to expresse the nature of repentance because we are all traveylers toward heaven we are all gone farre out of the way like sheepe going a stray from the fold therefore we must turne backe againe and as we were going to hell so we must turne our feet toward heaven and as we have turned our backes to God so we must set our faces toward him This is repentance And touching the manner of turning we must obserue there are foure sortes of substance of quantity of place of quality Change of substance is when one substance is changed into an other as Lots wife was turned into a Piller of salt Gen. 19. Gen. 19.26 Exod. 4.3 Ioh. 2.9 The rod into a Serpent and the Serpent into a rodde Exod. 4.3.4 And water into wine at the feast in Canna of Galilee Ioh. 2. But repentance is not such a change because before and after repentance our substance is the same we have the same bodies and the same soules Change of quantity is either by encreasing or diminishing as when Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes Math. 14.15 and 15.32 and foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes but repentance is not such a change by encreasing from few sinnes to moe or from lesser to greater neither contrary wise a diminishing from moe to few or from greater to lesser but rather this is a turning from one sinne to another whereas true repentance is a turning from all sinne to God in our whole life Change of place or local mutation when we passe out of one place into another as Peter out of prison into a place of liberty Act. 12. But repentance is not such a change because a sinner may change his soile and not his soule he may go from place to place yea from Countrey to Countrey and change ayre yet not let go one of his sinnes as a sicke man doth he may change his chaire and his Chamber and be carried from bed to bed but this cannot free him from his sicknesse and restore him to his former health so it is with sinne Change in quality is when things change from once condition to another as when the leper was clensed or the dead raised Such a change is repentance when new qualities or properties or put into the soul and body when they are altered from unrighteousnesse to righteousnesse from all sinne to the living God In this the nature of true repentance consisteth as Hos 6.1 14.2 Ezek. 18.30.32 36.26 Ier. 4.1 Luk. 1. Act. 26.20 in which places repentance is expounded to be a turning to God a doing of workes meete for amendment of life In this turning obserue these particulars first it is a turning of the whole man both of soule and body both of the outward man and the inward Iam. 4. Secondly it must be constant and continued not flitting or starting backe like a deceitfull bow or vanishing like the morning dew Hos 6.4 Thirdly It must be a turning from all sin to God for one knowne sinne wherein we live without resistance separateth from God as well as many Devâ— 30.2 Ier. 4.4 This appeareth first because the word here used importeth that we are gone out of our way Reas 1 we would travail toward heaven and we take the right course that leadeth to hell we would seeme desirous of Salvation but we go in the broad way that bringeth to destruction Math. 7.13 we make as though we would go to God and we follow after the Devill Math. 7. Secondly we were made according to the image of God in holinesse and true righteousnesse Eph. 4. and had fellowship with God man delighting in his Creator the Creator in his creature but sin hath turned all upside down man had no sooner fallen transgressed Gen. 3.8.10 but he fled from the presence of God as an evill servant from his Master or a malefactor from the judge for feare of punishment and was afraid of his comming into the Garden Thus we became the children of wrath Eph. Eph. 2.3 4.18 2.3 But when once we have grace to repent then we begin to repaire and recover the image of God and to be reconciled to him againe Repentance therefore is as a miracle of the Gospel the quickning of a dead man and the raising of him up from death to life or as the reedifying and repayring of a royall Pallace that was fairely builded but foully battered and decayed The image of God is as a faire Pallace the transgression of man is as the ruine thereof repentance is nothing else but a raising again of that image which is to be done all the dayes of our life This is in a manner a miraculous worke in regard of the greatnesse of our fall that in regard of our spirituall estate which we recover we may say as Math. 11.5 Math. 11.5 The blind receive their sight the lame walke the leaprs are clensed the deafe heare and the dead are raised up to life Happy are we if this spirituall miracle be wrought upon us Let us apply these things to our selues First Vse 1 hereby it appeareth The first reproofe that many men are greatly deceived both in the doctrine and practise of repentance in the doctrine because they thinke that to be which is not repentance and in the practise because they perswade themselues that they have it when indeed they want it Some are so silly and sotish that they presume they need it not and that it belongeth not at all to them no more then physicke to a whole or sonnd man or a plaister to him that hath neither wound nor hurt like the young man in the Gospel Math. 19.20 All this have I done from my youth up what lacke I yet or like such as suppose Christ came not to call them but other notorious sinners Others slight and slubber over this matter with a little sorrow and sighing with Esau Ahab and Iudas and if they live and have leisure to say Lord have mercy upon us like those that in the end of the world shall say Lord Lord open unto us they thinke they shall undoubtedly be saved never remembring the words of our Saviour Not every one that sayth unto me Lord Math. 7.21 Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Secondly The second reproofe it condemneth all wretched and prophane persons that lie wallowing and weltering in their sinnes like Swine in the mire or dogges in their vomit who as they were once so they are still They were horrible swearers and common blasphemers so they are still They were scoffers and scorners mockers and deriders of all good things and all good men so they are still they are no changelings They were contemners of Gods word and prophaners of his
holy Sabboths so they are still They were drunkards and filthy livers ignorant and blind in matters of faith and religion so they are still Are these humble and repentant sinners do these turne to God where you saw them long a goe and where you left them twenty or thirty yeares a goe there you shall be sure to finde them never a whit changed unlesse happily from evill to worse But let such marke how it hath beene with other penitents and in them behold themselues as in aglasse I meane Paul the woman of Samaria Lydia the jaylour Zacheus the Iewes that crucified Christ the Lord of life Let him that talketh of Repentance boasteth of it and chalengeth it to himselfe even for his owne assurance shew the like fruites in himselfe for it worketh such a change and alteration that both our selues and others may discerne it as easily as light from darknesse So then as the Apostle saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes Iam. 2.18 so may I say shew me thy repentance by thy change For what shall it profit a man to say he hath repentance when he hath no friutes can such a repentance comfort him The third reproofe Thirdly it condemneth civill men that remaine in the state of nature and glory in their outward vertues that they are alwayes the same but these glory in their owne shame These cannot say they are become new creatures they cannot say they were ever borne againe yet without the new birth they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Ioh 3.3 They cannot say Old things are passed away 2 Cor 5.17 behold all thinges are made new yet no other are in Christ and made members of his body Such civill men that content themselues with civill honesty and have nothing wherein to rejoyce but nature stand as yet in a dangerous and damnable estate neither can they come out of it untill they begin to deny themselues and to loath and detest even these outward vertues forsamuch as the trust and confidence in them is no better then a selfe deceiving Secondly it serveth for information in other truthes First that no sinne is great and heinous but there is place for repentance if they can repent This was the end of Christes comming to call sinners to repentance Math. 9.13 he sayth sinners without exception This we see in Manasses a Sorcerer an Idolater a murtherer and almost what not yet he humbled himselfe and obtained mercy according as he prayed 2 Chr. 33. 2 Chro. 33.19 Paul confesseth that he was sometimes a blasphemer and a persecutour and an oppressour yet he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 1. The conspirators against Christ and his kingdome are called to kisse that is Psal 2.12 to embrace and obey him and his doctrine and accordingly they which shed his blood by murthering of him did drinke his blood by beleeving him Act. 2. Act. 2.37 A singular comfort for such as feele the burden of their sinnes lying heavy upon their consciences that they goe mourning all the day long and cannot lift up their heads to God unto such the Lord speaketh Esay 1. Come let us reason together Esay 1.16 if ye will wash and clense your hearts though your sinnes were as red as crimsin they shall be made white as wooll And Christ our Saviour calleth such as are heavy laden Math. 11.28 and promiseth to give them rest Math. 11. Sinne often bringeth us to the brimme or border of hell but it cannot bring us so low but Christ Iesus is able to bring us backe and to raise us vp againe by repentance Secondly there in no sinne so small and little though it seeme in our eyes as a more but it is able to bring to hell and therefore craveth repentance The world of naturall men judgeth that repentance is proper to none but to heinous and hideous sinnes as murther theft periury treason rebellion whordome and such like and that if they be free from the outward act of these they justifie themselues like the Pharisee and thinke repentance belongeth not to them as for others if they have any they hope to be dispenced with all It is nothing so with Gods children they have beene touched to the heart for such sinnes as the world taketh no notice off and never sticketh at as for the evill which appeareth in their best workes that they cannot do them as they would but infirmities creepe upon them and defile them not onely for committing evill but for omitting good things Rev. 2.4.5 the Church of Ephesus is called to repentance for leaving their first love they watch over their idle thoughts and idle words Gen 6.5 remembring that every imagination of the heart is onely evill continually and the threatning of Christ that for every idle word that men shall speake Math. 12.36 they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement Davids heart was smitten for cutting off the lappe of Sauls garment privily 1 Sam. 24.4 1 Sam. 24. Every thing is layd to heart of Gods children which he hath softned by the touch of his holy spirit by giving unto them an heart of flesh they will be troubled for the least sinnes accounting no sinne little which is committed against so great a God which offendeth so holy a law which deserveth eternall death as the just wages thereof and brought Christ Iesus from the bosome of his Father to suffer death for them and lastly they are grieved touched to the quick because they encrease not in grace according to the good meanes and occasions that God hath given knowing that the more is given and committed unto them the more is required at their hands and the streighter shall their account be Lastly let us examine our selues whether we be turned from evill to good and from the power of Satan to God This will appeare by these signes and tokens First there is a turning of the heart upward to heaven and a fastning of the eye upon God that it may be sayd of every true repentant that his behaviour is as of one that is journying going up to the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of us all Luk. 9.53 as it is said of our Saviour that his face was as though he would go to Ierusalem Phil. 3.20 So our conuersation must be in heaven and our whole life a travelling thither and a wandering in the wildernesse of this world untill we be brought into the true Canaan that is aboue But if the hearts of all were tried by this rule it would shew how little repentance is in the world when in all our thoughts workes and employments we are carried wholly downeward which way will bring us to hell in the end forasmuch as we have prophane hearts not savauring the things that are of God like prophane Esau Secondly we grow every day better and better when once we
sackcloth God deferred his judgment threatned how much more shall true repentance obtaine the love and favour of God and blot out all our offences out of his sight From hence arise sundry uses Vse 1 First from the nature of contraries we learne that to such as continue in sinne and have hearts that cannot repent there is no mercy to be looked for because they treasure up vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds And therefore the Apostle saith Vnto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Revel 2.5 tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile Woe then to all such as lie in sinne and please not God they fill up their sinnes alway and his wrath shall come upon them to the uttermost True it is every unrepentant sinner can say the Lord is mercifull and Christ is the Saviour of the world but to whom is he mercifull and whom will he save Not every one that can say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of the father which is in heaven To this purpose consider these few rules First God hath made no promise in all the Scripture to impenitent persons Search the Scriptures for in them ye looke to have eternall life but in the whole volume of that booke ye shall not find one line or letter that will minister comfort to the soule that continueth in evill doing Secondly they deceive themselues that looke for mercy that lie under wrath and see not their owne misery Indeed there is promise of mercy yea sundry promises in every Prophet and in the writings of the Apostles but they are made to the penitent The Lord God hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die but then they must returne from their owne waies Ezek. 18.21.23 that they may live he will put all their wickednesse out of his remembrance but first they must turne from all their sinnes that they have committed and do that which is lawfull and right he hath promised to draw neere unto them Iam. 4.8.10 but then they must draw neere unto him yea they must clense their hands and purifie their hearts he hath said he will lift them up but first they must humble themselues in the sight of the Lord. Thirdly Christ Iesus is a Saviour but he saveth none but such as are his people none are his people but such as beleeve in him and none beleeve in him but those whose hearts are purified by faith Except we be new creatures let us never say we are in Christ or that he is a Saviour unto us he hath wrought the great worke of redemption and paid a deare price to ransome us his own pretious blood but let us remember and never forget that he gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2. Lastly consider that notwithstanding the shield sheiter of the mercy of God to which every man runneth he hath brought sundry both generall and particular judgments upon the children of disobedience and his wrath hath beene revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men Rom. 1.18 who no doubt builded with the untempered morter of supposed mercy but were swallowed up with his justice Such were the old world who no doubt set up an Idol all made of mercy but they found him to be a God of justice Such were the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah with the rest of the plaine Gen. 19. Such were Pharaoh and the Egyptians that pursued Israel to the red Sea and infinite others Nay see how God hath whipped his owne children Pro. 11.31 1 Pet. 4.17.18 and scourged them with greevous chastisements as we see in David and other Saints if judgment have begun at Gods owne house what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare Secondly hence ariseth matter of much comfort to the humble and contrite spirit that is weary and heavy laden with the waight and burden of his sinnes lying heavy upon his conscience Math. 11.28.29 Nothing indeed can come hereby to the impenitent that is to the obstinate and wilfull offender thaâ— resolveth to continue in his sinne neither can he looke for any thing but judgement that hangeth over his head and lyeth at the dore but to the humble and repentant sinner there are a thousand comforts a treasury of mercies laid up in store for him to keepe preserue him from doubting and despaire Such Christ Iesus calleth unto him embraceti them in the armes of his mere that they should not be dismaied all the multitude or greatnesse of their sinnes but rather lay hold upon the multitude and greatnesse of his mercies which are infinite higher then the heavens broader then the Seas deeper then the earth and surmount all the sinnes which they have committed O what comfort is it to a sicke man lying and languishing upon the bed of sorrow to heare of a certaine and Soveraigne medicine a present and effectuall remedy of his discase and ought it not to find rest in our soules when we are willed to come to Christ the Physitian of the soule ought it not to be as marrow unto our bones and bring peace to our soules forasmuch as his yoke is easie and his burden light Who ever came penitently unto him and weat away heavily or discomfortably Suet. in vita Titirespatâ—c If it were the saying of a great Prince that none should depart from his presence heavy-hearted how much more may we be assured it is the voyce of the King of kings that no penitent person shall ever go from him without grace and favour comfortlesse Repentance is a salve that healeth all the woundes of the soule Search into the examples of all the Saints from the beginning of the word What was it turned Noahs drunkennesse into sobriety Gen. 9.25 19. cum 2 Pet. 2.8 1 Tim. 1.13 2 Chro. 33.12 Esay 11.9 Repentance What changed the unnaturall lust and excesse of Lot into eleannesse and purity repentance What was it that cast Manasseth Paul and many others into a new mould and of oppressors persecuters blasphemers made them meeke and gentle as Lambes repentance No man was ever saved without repentance for finall impenitency bringeth damnation Damnation is a necessary effect of divine justice from the just God brought upon vniust offenders Such sinners and transgressours can have no peace with God without reconcilement there is no reconcilement without remission no remission without Christ no Christ without faith no faith without repentance Woe
and dissimulation This was the sinne of Eli other wise a good man 1 Sam. 1. Christ our Saviour conversed much with publicans and sinners to the end he might do them good and draw them from the kingdome of sinne and Satan and make them inheriters of the kingdome of heaven a worke in all respectes most holy and righteous yet the Scribes and Pharisees judged him to be a friend and favourer of them and of their sinnes Lue. 7.34 And albeit he castout Devils by the power of his divine Majesty for the confirmation of his doctrine and edification of the weake in faith yet they said he did it by Beelzebuh the Prince of the Devils Math. 12.24 So in our dayes religion and the zealous profession thereof are reputed no better then counterfeit holinesse Let the examples of the faithfull be before us continually whensoever we find the same measure offered untous and comfort our selves with this that it hath no otherwise befallen us then to many Prophets of God and faithfull seruants of Christ Math. 5.12 who must not looke to be greater then there Master neither to finde better entertainment in the world then he did The second kinde of judgment forbidden is when men commit evill things worthy in themselves to be condemned and thereupon are judged not onely dangerous but desperate offenders past hope of repentance and recovery This is to execute indeede a right Lordship over their soules and Salvation and to step up into the seate of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Of this the Apostle speaketh Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have prayse of God and we are charged to instruct with meeknesse the contrary minded 2 Tim. 2.25 to bring them to God and not leave them in the snares of the Devill No man therefore ought to passe their doome of the everlasting estate of any man and to pronounce peremptorily and absolutely that they shall perish and cannot be saved as if they were Lords of one anothers life and death salvation and damnation or had power to bring them to heaven or cast them into hell This is beyond our reach and commission and to usurpe the office of Christ to whom all judgment is committed No man dare make himselfe a judge and sit downe in the judgement seate to give sentence of absolution or condemnation in matters of this temporall life without the Princes speciall appointment and shall any dare doe it in things of the life to come to pronounce any to be forlorne reprobates and vessels of wrath For who knoweth what one day may bring forth Pro. 24 1 He runneth farre that never returneth We see many notorious wicked men suddainly and mightily called and changed 2 Chr. 33. Act. 9. Luk. 23. We read of some standing idle all the day long called at the eleventh houre to labour in the vineyard Math. Math. 20. 20. The theefe repented and was converted at the instant of his death Let us remember that we are all brethren one no better then another and therefore we ought not presumptuously to chalenge this superiority to judge and condemne one another Christian love hopeth well of all men and so long as they live there is some hope The third kind is when we doe things which in themselues are indifferent which may be done either well or ill either with a pure or a prophane heart with faith or without faith to judge such an action wicked which indeed is to be accounted good or evill according to the intent purpose and affection of the doer whereof God alone is the discerner because he alone is the searcher of the heart he alone is the Iudge of the heart This corruption we read to have beene in Eliab the brother of David Why camest thou downe hither 1 Sam. 17 2â— and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the haughtinesse of thy heart for thou art come downe to see the battell This the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14. Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth judge him that eateth not c. The faithfull servants of God are hardly delt withall in all these respects their good things are not good or at least it is shrunke up and contracted their indifferent things are pronounced to be starke naught and if they fall into evil it is stretched and made a thousand times worse even by those of the worser sort Lastly it standeth us upon to labour to see the grieuousnesse of sinne in our selves and to feele the waight and burden thereof For commonly we are blinde and see not at all or else we are purblind and cannot see them in their right colours we be hold them as motes or strawes not as beames or if we doe ever judge them as beames How we may perceive the neinousnesse and greinousnesse of sinne Luc. 12.48 it is in others not in our selves Now that we may discerne of sinne in the nature thereof we must consider these few particulars First consider how God striveth with us by his manifold mercies and blessings to draw us to a love of Godlinesse and hatred of wickednesse now unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Secondly if we compare our sinnes with Adams first sinne considered in the fact doubtlesse we have as great in our hearts yea greater and yet by that one disobedience he brought destruction upon himselfe and all his posterity that is the first and second death Thirdly we may behold the grievousnesse of sinne by proportion with the punishment For what is the wages and reward of sinne a subjection to all woe and misery in this life to death it selfe in the end of this life and to eternall death after this life in hell with the Devill and his Angels Fourthly they were laid upon the person of our Saviour Christ who outwardly endured the torments on the Crosse in his body and inwardly apprehended the wrath of God in his soule due unto us and which we should have suffered This made him to sweat water and blood Lue. 22.44 Math. 27.46 and to cry out in the anguish of his spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. Are such sinnes to be holden as motes no doubtlesse they are great beames are they as little moul-hills no doubtlesse they be huge mountaines able to crush the sonnes of men in pieces under the heavy indignation of God Lastly the law of God is holy and perfect and forbiddeth the first thoughts and motions in the heart that arise against God or our neighbour yea though we never give consent of will to practise them Rom. 7. If then the first motions be sins in themselves deserving damnation Rom. 7.7 because the law saith
with him God hath made a faithfull promise to us to care for us and shall not we cast all our care upon him or shall wee thinke he will or can falsifie his Word True it is the chiefe promise that we lay hold upon is touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life but when by a true faith we lay hold upon the principall promise of God and beleeve it touching salvation in Christ we apprehend by vertue thereof the promise of God for temporall blessings also as food raiment health peace liberty all which depend upon the former maine promise of Christ so farre forth as God seeth them behoovefull for us This wee see in Abraham who beleeving in God and having his faith imputed unto him for righte-ousnesse doubted not of the particular promise that God would give him a Sonne Gen. 15.6 Heb. 11.12 and that his seed should be as the Starres in Heaven for multitude and as the sand upon the Sea-shore that cannot be numbred The heart that hath truely learned to say by faith God will pardon my sinnes and save my soule will easily also say by force of the same faith God will give mee food and raiment provide things necessary for my body and sufficient for this present life If we have not learned to beleeve in God touching his mercy in feeding and in clothing of us which are matters of farre lesser moment and importance we have not yet learned to depend upon him for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which are of infinite more price and value then the other If we will not trust him for our bodies how should wee trust and rest in him for our soules And if we commit not to him the things of this life how can we credit him with heavenly things Wee must all therefore learne to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2 Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Lastly seeing we ought not to feare at all touching earthly things we may be well assured hee will give us all things needfull for our soules which are of an higher nature and of a greater price If hee that sitteth in the Heavens vouchsafe to looke downe so low and to abase himselfe to order every creature serving for the safety of our bodies doubtlesse hee will not passe over the provision for our soules he I say who hath forbidden to tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbes Matth. 23.23 and then passe over iudgement and the waightier matters of the law If he will not deny us the lesser certainely he will bestow upon us the greater blessings without which it cannot goe well with us For as hee knoweth what we have need of so he knoweth wee may better bee without earthly then spirituall blessings What folly were it for a man to be carefull for the garment and carelesse of the body it selfe to respect the shoo and to neglect the foot Wee must therefore all of us from this fatherly care of God for our bodies which are transitory and must turne to dust learne to ascend higher to see his care toward our soules which beare the lively prints of his image and come neerer to his nature Earthly blessings indeed are speciall pledges of his loue whereby he taketh us by the hand and leadeth us farther to behold his eternall favour in his owne Sonne but if we doe not make this use of them his blessings cease to bee blessings to us whatsoever they are in their owne nature Flocke In this word we have the second point in the Counsell which is the appellation or title of the people of God being called the Sheepe of God Properly a Flocke is a company of Sheepe gathered together into one pasture A Flocke presupposeth a Shepheard a Sheepfold and the Sheepe themselves The Shepheard is God the Sheepfold is the Church the Sheepe are the faithfull Christ Iesus is the dore of the Sheepe by him if any man enter he shall bee saved Ioh. 10.7 9. Ephes 3.12 and shall goe in and out and finde pasture Ioh. 10.7 9. The wrath of God against sinne hath clozed up against us all entrance into Heaven and hath shut us up under sinne and damnation The death of Christ hath opened the dore and not onely satisfied the wrath of God but merited for us mercy and forgivenesse grace and favour for ever This is the preeminence of the passion of Christ Now they enter by him that beleeve in him The Sheepe of Christ are of two sorts one outward in the account of the visible Church consisting both of good and bad the other inward consisting onely of the Elect being members of the invisible or Catholike Church Doct. 2 Hence wee learne that all the Elect are the Sheepe of Christ and his Flocke beloved of him deare to him as his portion and possession and in the account of him his chiefe jewels and principall substance Cant. 1.7 Joh. 10.14 Heb. 13.20 many other testimonies doe follow after The reasons are plaine First Reas 1 Christ Iesus paid a deare price and gave his life for them for it cost him much to redeeme the same Act. 20.28 as Act. 20. He purchased the Flocke with his precious blood precious indeed because it was the blood of him that is God as well as man and therefore of infinite value and estimation sufficient for the whole world Secondly because they resemble Sheepe and that in many particulars First Sheepe are by nature straying and wandring out of the way and ready to bee made a prey to the Wolfe so it is with men yea even the Elect and such as are called in which respect the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.25 Ye are as Sheepe going astray through ignorance of the doctrine of salvation and prone to be surprised by the Devill that great wolfe but are now returned to the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules Act. 20.28 29. Secondly Sheepe oftentimes wander out of the right way so that there seemeth small hope of their safety and in the judgement of man they are estemed to bee as good as utterly lost without any redresse or recovery so it is among such as are the Sheepe of Christ some doe so farre swarve and are so intangled in the snare of the enemy as a Sheepe in the brambles that their estate seemeth desparate and forlorne Hereunto commeth the parable Matth. 18. How thinke yee Matth. 18.22 Luke 15.4 If a man have an hundred Sheepe and one of them be gone astray doth hee not leave the ninety and nine which went not astray and goe after that which is lost till he finde it Such a Sheepe was Manasseh that filled Ierusalem with innocent blood 2 King 21.16 2 Chron. 33.6 and did much evill in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger yet he found mercy upon his
after their Master They are chosen out of the world no marvell then if the world hate them Ioh. 15.18 19. which hated Christ before ever it hated them The world loveth onely her owne the godly must be ready to be under the crosse and to suffer persecutions 2 Tim. 3.12 Acts 14.21 knowing that through manifold tribulations they must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven The Head is gone before that way and all the members must follow after him bearing his Crosse Thirdly the way to godlinesse is unknowne to the naturall man and to carnall reason Hence it is that few embrace it and entertaine it any further then standeth with their owne pleasures honours humors profits preferments or corruptions 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man knoweth not the things of God but whatsoever we are ignorant off we doe not heartily desire or earnestly delight in Matth. 10.37 Luke 14.26 whereas wee should bee willing to leave and lose all when the Lord calleth and commandeth us as Abraham did Gen. 22.4 rather then forsake him and the Gospell Lastly few carry about them the markes of Christs sheepe before spoken off which are to heare the voice of the Shepheard to obey him and follow him to account themselves never better then when they feed in his greene pastures Psal 1.2 23.2 27.4 119.24 26.8 to delight in the Word above all things to bee patient in adversities and toward their adversaries and to call upon God in the day of trouble When a sheepe sticketh in bushes and brambles and is any way holden in thornes and thickets it bleateth and cryeth and the Shepheard hearing the voice thereof soone delivereth it so when wee are in any distresse and calamity or want of earthly things we must shew our selves the sheepe of Christ by calling to our great Shepheard if he once heare us cry unto him out of the depths he will deliver us out of our distresse and set us in safe places If it be objected Obiect that many are said to bee redeemed by Christ Matth. 26.28 Revel 7.9 Matth. 26. and that an infinite number not to be reckoned are sealed up for the Lords servants Revel 7. Now many are not few a great multitude is not a little company Esay 53 1â— if no man can number them they cannot bee a small number How then can these things stand together Answ I answer briefely The faithfull are both many and few Many being considered simply in themselves moe then the sand upon the Sea-shore and the starres in the Firmament as I have shewed more at large else-where and they are few in respect of the reprobate and both these are taught in this title for the Word flocke importeth that they are many the word little that they are few First Vse 1 this serveth for reproofe of the Church of Rome The first reproofe which standeth upon outward pompe and glory upon universality and multitudes of men all which are no sure and certaine markes of the Church of Christ Bellarmine lib. 4. De Eccles cap. 4. but rather badges of the synagogue of Satan and his eldest sonne Antichrist For why may not Turkes and Infidels boast of this as well as the Romanists In all societies for the most part the least number is the best the greatest number is the worst Secondly The second reproofe it checketh such as are offended with the fewnesse of the godly because they are no moe in number as if Adam should repine that the Garden wherein God had planted and wherein hee was placed was no greater or the Iewes murmure that the Church was bounded within the Territories of Iudea or as if earthly men should complaine that the world was created in no greater compasse These would as soone bee offended with Christ himselfe if hee were among them and lived upon the earth for in the dayes of his flesh few followed him and his doctrine Hee came to his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne received him not but for the most part rejected him nay in the end they crucified the Lord of glory and preferred a robber and murtherer before him Iohn 18.40 Luke 23.19 And those few that did cleave unto him as wisedome is alwaies justified of her children what I pray you were they were they Kings and Princes and Potentates and Priests and Prelates were they the chiefest the choicest the highest the noblest the richest and those in greatest authority was it Herod or Pilate or the Scribes and Pharises the Rabbies and great Doctors of the Law No no these above all others were his deadly enemies and persecuted him and his Disciples unto death Who then were his followers Verily the poorest the lowest Matth 11.5 and such as were the basest in the eyes and estimation of the former fellowes these were they that received the Gospell these were they that beleeved in him Matth. 2.16 Indeed one Herod wished to finde him but it was not to worship him but to kill him Luke 23.8 Another of them had desired of a long time to see him and when he saw him rejoyced but it was for his miracles not for his doctrine The Pharises indeed came unto him to heare him but it was to tempt him and entangle him in his words so that they say and not onely confesse Iohn 7.48 49. but glory in it Ioh. 7. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharises beleeved in him but this people that knoweth not the Law are cursed Blessed are they therefore that are not offended at him Matth. 11.6 The third reproofe Thirdly they are reprooved which are troubled and disquieted at the great company and prosperity of the ungodly whereat the faith of the Elect hath oftentimes staggered and started backe never remembring that God is ever good to Israel Psal 73.1 12 13. even to the pure in heart though they be very few in number as Psal 73.12 13. and Jer. 5.1 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherfore are all they happy that deale very treacherously Ier. 12.1 So Hab. 1.13 Wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe Hab. 1.13 Howbeit they are set in slippery places albeit for a time they may flourish and spread themselves like a greene Bay tree Psal 37.35 The fourth reproofe and in the end shall bee horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh Fourthly such as lay the fault where it is not and not where it is Some upon Christ as Adam did upon God as if hee were tyed to give repentance who notwithstanding offereth the meanes to draw them but they will not be drawne Matth. 23.37 hee would but they would not albeit hee bee bound to none Some upon the Word as if it were of no force and power or at least not sufficient to convert the soule which notwithstanding hath the working of the Spirit
mell with Christians as it was in the Apostles times for we are all Christians we have beene all baptized we meet in the House of prayer Answ we come freely to the Lords Table and wee looke for salvation in Christ Iesus True it is wee are all Christians by outward profession but wee doe not all shew it as we ought to doe by an holy conversation For doe we not practise the quite contrary What profit is it to beare the name of Christ in words and to deny him in our workes Tit. 1.16 to be washed with water and not to bee clensed from our wickednesse to come to the Lords Supper and yet to cleave to our sinnes to looke for salvation from Christ and never labour for true sanctification of the Spirit For if he be made to us justification he must also be made to us sanctification and if he be our righteousnesse it cannot bee but he worketh also righteousnesse in us The Iewes were a separate people from the Nations yet if there were not a further separation among them even Iew from Iew the holy from the prophane the cleane from the uncleane and one of Abrahams seed from another they could not be the people of God Rom. 9.6 7. They were not all the Israel of God that were of Israel according to the flesh because even among the Iewes themselves were many found that did iustifie the Gentiles Ezek. 16.51 52. and lived more prophanely and abominably then they So must it in like manner be with us the Word if once it bee sincerely embraced and received will fanne away the chaffe from the wheat and sever Christian from Christian yea neighbour from neighbour acquaintance from acquaintance Gen. 21.10 Gal. 4.30 and friend from friend so that the Bond-woman and her sonne shall be thrust out of the house of Abraham and finde no more place in it Thus much touching our duty respecting God Our duty tovvard our selves learned out of this Title the next concerning our selves For hence also we must learne to beware of excessive cares for earthly things and to have our conversation without covetousnesse which is the maine scope of Christ our Sauiour in all these words that we should not feare want because God is our Father And doubtlesse if we had hearts to beleeve and could haue this comfortable assurance that he is indeed our Father and we his children we need no more we could not but rest in his care and providence over us and provision for us We cannot be ignorant that in the family the father provideth for all If then we be of his family we shall be assured to have him our Father and to spread the wings of his protection over us Will the father suffer his children to starve when he hath store in his owne hand and can give the staffe of bread Matth. 6.25 When Christ our Sauiour sheweth that our heauenly Father feedeth the Ravens and clotheth the Lillies of the field which is the doctrine here deliuered he draweth this exhortation from thence Be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or drinke or put on Math. 6. O the folly therefore of such as haue their hearts oppressed and ouer-charged with the cares of this life and so forget the Kingdome here promised by our heauenly Father The danger of covetous persons may be considered in these particular points First it is a sinne alive when other seeme mortified as appeareth in the example of Judas and by lamentable experience of many Professours wholly addicted to the world For when other sinnes have left them this sticketh fast unto them as a disease bred in the bones Secondly it is a sinne seldome repented of because it is so close and secret that it is hardly discerned and therefore Christ himselfe saith Matth. 19.23 A rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heauen Many there are that follow after it but few confesse it For where shall you have a rich man though covetous in the highest degree that will acknowledge himselfe to be covetous The rich man that had many possessions came to Christ and seemed no doubt to himselfe and to others very religious and a diligent obseruer of the Commandements yet when he detected him of his couetousnesse he went away sorrowfull and repented of nothing but happely that he had gone so farre We haue particular examples of many grieuous sinners that haue turned to God and not beene ashamed to lay open their sinne to their owne shame * Gen. 19.33 with 2 Pet. 2.8 2 Sam. 12.13 2 Cor. 2.7 Acts 3.15 Gen 9.21 2 Chron. 33.6 12. Numb 12.1 Matth. 26.75 1 Tim. 1.13 Luke 23.40 Matth. 21.29 Philem. 18. some adulterers and incestuous Gen. 19. 2 Sam. 12. 2 Cor. 2. some murtherers 2 Sam. 12.9 Act. 3.13.19 some drunkards Gen 9.21 Some Idolaters sorcerers enchanters witches and wizards 2 Chron. 33.6 12. Some envious and murmurers Numb 12.1 Some cursers swearers and denyers of Christ Math. 26.75 Some persecuters blasphemers and oppressours 1 Tim. 1.13 Some stubborne and disobedient to Parents Matth. 21.29 Some theeves and injurious persons that robbe other men of their goods Luke 23.40 Philem. 14. but among all these very few that are covetous enter into the Kingdome of God who blesse themselves when God abhorreth them Some examples indeed we may finde of Gods mercy vpon them that none should despaire but they are very few that none should presume For when or where almost shall you haue a covetous person repent and confesse with his owne mouth I haue beene covetous And how can they repent of their sinne who doe acknowledge themselves to be sinners we may therefore say of such as Christ speaketh of the High-priests and the Elders Matth. 21.31 Verily I say unto you that the Harlots goe before you into the Kingdome of heauen Math. 21.31 They heare the Scriptures againe and againe threatning and thundring against this sinne to beware and take heed of covetousnesse and the Ministers laying it open but they have neither eares to heare nor hearts to beleeve and therefore they regard them as the Pharises did Christ himselfe who being couetous heard all these things Luke 16.14 and they derided him Thirdly these men so much as lyeth in them doe cancell the whole Law and abrogate it and therefore it worthily may be called the roote of all evill Let us briefely runne ouer the Commandements Covetousnesse the breach of the whole Law They breake the first Commandement because they make their Mammon to be their Master they love their money above God and put their trust in their treasure and so make to themselues a strange God and commit Idolatry unto it worshipping it as an Image Marke 10.24 Ephes 5.5 Psal 62.10 Marke 10.24 Ephes 5.5 Touching the second it keepeth the heart so inthralled to the World that they have no leisure to intend the worship of God What a deformity were it in
the very Haven so have we a Kingdome promised of another nature not earthly but heavenly and we have an vnction from the Holy one also 1 Ioh. 2.20 that perswadeth us of the certainty of the promise to be performed neverthelesse Hos 2.6 Acts 14.22 the way to it is hedged with thornes and we must through manifold tribulations enter into the Kingdome of heaven and wait with patience the Lords leisure till we may enioy it in the meane season let us say with the Prophet Why art thou cast downe Psal 42.11 O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I will yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God The summe of that which wee have shewed is this Christians have not their perfect estate in this present life This is their property and the voyce whereby they are knowne they say My conversation is in heaven my hope is in the next life I looke for better things For albeit God often blesse them with honour with riches with friends and all that heart can desire yet doe they not place their happinesse in these they looke still for better things then these They cannot find any contentment in the world to rest in their greatest profits and pleasures have their satiety they alwaies ayme at higher things even when they are at the highest The worldly man thinketh he is well enough here hee accounteth a bird in hand better then a thousand in the bush he saith Give me things present let them that list take things to come let us eate and drinke while we may for to morow we shall die I give me to day let him that list take to morrow A most prophane speech of prophane men whereby they may be knowne what they are if there were nothing else Worldly men deride the faithfull and laugh them to scorne for contemning earthly things but on the other side the faithfull which hope for things not seene mourne for these worldly-minded men because they set light by heavenly things Give you the Kingdome Thus much of the strength of the reason the ruth of the words followeth as they are set downe without reference to the point that is argued Doct. 13 Now as they are taken in themselves they teach us this point that God will bestow upon all his Children after all their labours sighs and sorrowes the Kingdome of glory God promiseth not to every one an earthly Crowne and Kingdome nay this befalleth to a very few howbeit that which is better is assured them to wit an heavenly even to all that are his Children Iam. 5.7 Neverthelesse with the Husbandman we must labour before wee can bee partakers of the precious fruits of the earth 2 Tim. 2.3 6 11 12. as good Souldiers we must fight the Lords battels before we can get the victory we must here weare a Crowne of thornes before we can weare a Crowne of glory we must dye with Christ before we can live with him and we must suffer with him before we can raigne with him For as it was with the Head so it must be with the members Luke 24.26 the servant must not be above his Master he first suffered and so he entred into his glory It is an honour unto us to be made conformable unto his image He was made like unto his brethren that he might make them like unto himselfe This truth of doctrine that is here delivered is confirmed unto us by all the testimonies and consents of holy Scripture alleadged before Luke 23.43 Besides which observe the words of Christ to the penitent theefe Luke 23. Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise This is the promise made to the Disciples and to all that cleave unto him Rom. 2. Matth. 10.42.32 So Rom. 2. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory Ioh. 10.27 28. and honour and immortality eternall life And Christ teacheth the same John 10. My sheepe heare my voyce and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands This is an Article of our Christian faith set downe indeed in the last place because it is last of all to be accomplished that eternall life shall be given to us and to every true member of the Church and is therefore firmely to be holden and beleeved of us without any doubting or wavering Reas 1 For first of all Christ Iesus is ascended and gone up into heaven farre above all Principalities and Powers and hath taken possession of the Kingdome in their names as he saith to his Disciples Ioh. 14. â— In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 Secondly it is a just thing with God to give deliverance to his Servants peace for their trouble joy for their sorrow and glory for their shame But wee see not this in this present life 2 Thes 1.6 7. for here they are troubled and the ungodly are exalted as 2. Thess 1. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thus Abraham answereth the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Thirdly if our happinesse were in this life we were of all other men the most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 1 Cor. 15.19 32. For what were our happinesse but a very unhappinesse It were better we joyned with the world and said with the Epicures Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye And the life of the rich man were rather to be chosen who was clothed in purple and fared deliciously every day then of the begger that lay at his gate full of sores and desired to be fed with the crummes onely that fell from the rich mans table Howbeit the future estate of them both altereth the case for the rich man after all his pompe and glory was cast into torments Luke 16.19 20 22 23. and the poore man after all his want and misery was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. True it is the Infidels Pagans Epicures and such like that live without Christ are wretched and miserable that have no hope of eternall life howbeit of all others Christians should bee most miserable for whereas the other enjoy the profits and pleasures of this present life and suffer not hatred banishment persecution and martyrdome for Religion but florish in the wealth honour power and estimation of the world these are hated of all men for Christs sake and live in continuall disgrace and affliction wayting patiently for the hope of reward to come
done away in the great Day of the Lord when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of God 2 Thes 1.11 then indeed he shall be made marveilous in all them that beleeve And as the ends of the world are come upon us and the Day of our perfect reconciliation draweth neere so ought we to rejoyce the more and to lift up our heads the higher that as we have said in our trouble Psal 22.15 Thou hast brought us into the dust of death so we may say againe with joy of Spirit Thou Lord hast drawne us out of many waters His right hand hath done great things for us for which we reioyce Lastly it is our duty to walke worthy of such a Kingdome and to live godly in Christ Iesus that so wee may have comfort in that Day Such as looke and hope hereafter to be made like unto Christ must wash their hands 1 Ioh. 3.3 and clense their hearts and purifie themselves even as he is pure But it may be said Wee may repent at leisure and at the last Day and that is farre off Nay the Scripture putteth such foolish conceits from us and telleth us that the Lord is at hand 1 Pet. 4.7 the comming of the Lord draweth neere Besides then is not the time of mercy but of justice to the impenitent For as death leaveth us so shall the Iudgement Day finde us Rom. 2.5 Rom. 2.5 Wee must all appeare before the Judgement Seat of Christ But wherefore to bring us to repentance and to see whether we will turne from our sinnes to him No that is not the end but to receive the things which we have done in our body whether good or evill The old world no doubt when they saw the raine that fell were desirous to enter into the Arke but the flood was come and it was too late Exod. 14.23 25. The Egyptians pursuing Israel into the middest of the Sea were desirous to turne backe and to flye from the face of Israel but the Lord tooke off their Chariot wheeles that they drave them heavily and it was too late The foolish Virgins cried Lord Lord open unto us Matth. 25.11 12. but the doore was shut and they received this uncomfortable answer Verily I say unto you I know you not which verifieth the saying of Christ elsewhere Many Luke 13.24 I say unto you will seeke to enter in and shall not be able Such as can wish for Heaven should also study to learne the way to Heaven It was the wish of Balaam the false prophet though himselfe were unrighteous that hee might dye the death of the righteous Numb 23 10. For albeit hee regarded not to lead the life of the righteous yet hee could be content to die their death though he were at warre with God yet he was desirous to enter into their peace and though he would not be like them in the beginning of his daies yet he was willing his latter end should be like theirs But as hee was ignorant of the way so he was as carelesse to enter into it This putteth us in minde of sundry meditations First it is our duty to consult with the Word and to try all our actions by it whether they please God as the gold is tryed by the touch-stone whether it bee currant or counterfeit and as the worke is tried by the rule whether it be right or crooked Hence it is that Christ teacheth Ioh. 3.21 He that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God but he that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth to the light lest his deeds should be reproved For naturally men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill 1 Cor. 11.31 Secondly we ought to iudge our selves here that so we may escape the Iudgement of God hereafter If we will not judge our selves we shall be condemned with the wicked world for the Lord himselfe will enter into Iudgement with us We must to this purpose summon accuse examine convince and condemne our selves that he may acquit us discharge us and absolve us Wee must try and examine our selves by the Touch-stone of the Law and looke into it as upon a glasse whereby wee may see the least spot and wrinkle Thirdly we must watch and pray alwayes Luke 21.36 that wee may bee found so doing when the Lord commeth Luke 11. and be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that wee may stand before the Sonne of man But if the evill servant say in his heart My master deferreth and delayeth his comming Luk. 12.45 46. and shall begin to beate his fellow servants and to eate and drinke and to bee drunken the Lord of that servant will come in a day when hee looketh not for him and in an houre when hee is not ware and wil cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbeleevers Fourthly we must practise the workes of mercy toward the members of Christ and bountifulnesse to the godly in all their distresses Happy will that Day be and joyfull to them that have fed and clothed and visited Christ in his members that have come to such as have beene sicke and in prison which workes of mercy the Lord Iesus will account accept and reward as done to himselfe But woe shall it be to such as shall have this charged upon them by Christ himselfe the Iudge of quicke and dead Matth. 25 4â— I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate I was thirsty and yee gave me no drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me not in naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not Neither will it serve their turne to excuse their want of charity to say Lord when saw we thee an hungred or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison and did not minister unto thee For then it shall be answered them Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Lastly let us hold fast the faith and the heavenly graces given unto us and not give over neither suffer them to be wrested from us by any illusion of Satan for then wee lose all our labour and all the paines that we have taken Let us stand out to the end Revel 3.11 and be faithfull unto the death and then we shall receive the Crowne of eternall life This is the exhortation to the Church in Philadelphia Hold fast that which thou hast that no man take away thy Crowne from thee And the Apostle John Looke to yourselves 2 Iohn 8. 1 Cor. 15.58 that ye lose not the things that yee have done that so ye may receive a full reward The Lord God Almighty who hath promised to reward our service even to a cup of cold water grant that we may be steadfast and unmovable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as wee know that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord Amen FINIS