in those torments where the worme shall never dye and the fire shall bee never quenched as our Saviour speaketh oft Marke 9.44.46.48 2. Though the ignorance of that man that wanted either meanes or capacity may find some mitigation of torments in hell yet is there no hope that thy ignorance that is willfull should doe so Secondly Knowledge I meane sanctified knowledge such as you heard described unto you the last day is a certaine signe a man is the elect child of God and in the state of grace To speake distinctly of this point 1. It is a signe of a mans election So Ananias speaketh of it as of an high favour of God unto Paul and signe of his election Actes 22.14 The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will And so doth our blessed Saviour also unto his disciples Matthew 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given As if hee had said It is a speciall favour and gift of God And verse 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your â—ares for they heare Surely it is a great blessing of God or else Christ would not have said so Yea hee rejoyceth in his spirit on their behalfe for this and said Luke 10.21 I thanke thee ô father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveiled them unto babes even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight Certainely it is a singular favour and blessing of God that our blessed Saviour made such high reckoning and account of 2. It is a signe a man is in covenant with God reconciled to him in Christ. So wee shall find it promised as a favour peculiar to them that are in covenant with God Ieremy 24.7 I will give them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall bee my people and I will bee their God And 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord. As if hee had sayd They shall not bee taught of men onely nor rest upon this outward and ordinary meanes of knowledge I will bee their teacher my selfe for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more It is a signe that God hath received thee into covenant that he hath forgiven thee thy sinnes and is reconciled to thee in Christ when hee hath given thee an heart to know him to understand what thou hearest and readest in the matters that concerne God and their owne salvation 3. It is a speciall signe of an honest and good heart a false and naughty heart cannot attaine to this What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psalme 25 1â— him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall choose So speaketh the wisedome of God likewise Proverbs 28.5 Evill men understand not judgement they have no judgement in the things that belong to God and their owne salvation but they that seeke the Lord desire nothing so much as his favour and to know how they may best please him understand all things So that if God have given thee an heart to understand his word to carry away what thou hearest to profit in knowledge and to have a cleare and setled judgement in religion it may bee a comfortable testimony to thy conscience that thy heart is upright and that thou dost indeed seeke the Lord and feare him in truth On the other side 1. It is a great judgement of God and signe of his reprobation when having the meanes of knowledge hee can learne nothing nor profit by them This our Saviour giveth for the reason why many of the Iewes profited not either by his miracles or ministery Iohn 12.40 God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and bee converted and I should heale them A signe it is God never decreed to save them whom hee so blindeth that they cannot understand and learne nothing 2. This is a signe of a man that remaineth still under Satans government and is in his power to bee led which way pleaseth him For hee is the ruler of the darkenesse of the world as the Apostle calleth him Ephes. 6.12 Therefore the Lord telleth Paul he sent him to open the eyes of the blind and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. â—8 Therefore also you shall find in the parable of the sower Mat. 13.19 that of all the three sort of bad hearers hee that understandeth and learneth nothing is the worst and most under the power of Satan The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that that was sowen in his heart 3. Lastly This is a signe of an ungracious and wicked heart when a man under good meanes can learne nothing nor get any knowledge None of the wicked shall understand saith the Prophet Daniel 12.10 hee meaneth feelingly and savingly And the Apostle speaking of certaine women 2. Timothy 3.7 that were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth giveth this for the reason of it verse 6. that thâ—y were laden with sinnes and led away with divers lusts A wicked and naughty heart is certainely the chiefe cause why many enjoying excellent meanes and frequenting them also diligently yet can never attaine to any cleare and certaine and savoury knowledge of the truth Thirdly He that hath knowledge and a well grounded and setled judgement will bee constant in religion and not wavering hee will hold fast the truth and not hearken unto or bee seduced by new opinions and doctrines of men The Apostle having prayed for the Collossians Col. 2.2 that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding giveth this for the reason of it verse 4. This I say thus I pray for you lest any man should beguile you with entising words As if hee had said The onely meanes to preserve you from being beguiled by false teachers that will seeke to draw you from the sincerity of Gods religion and worship is to get knowledge and to ground your selves well that way On the other side They are children in understanding are apt to bee tossed too and fro as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4.14 and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And what kind of persons have the seducers in all ages beene wont most to prevaile withall and to lead captive That the Apostle will tell you 2 Tim. 3.6 7. silly women that were never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such as are ignorant and have not grounds in themselves for that which they hold and professe in religion will bee apt to pinne their conscience upon other mens sleeves and to bee carried
Iob. 32.8 There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Of this knowledge our Saviour saith to Peter Matth. 16.17 Blessed at thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and bloud hath not reveiled it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Why what was it that Peter had the knowledge of Surely this as you shall find verse 16. That Iesus was Christ the sonne of the living God And could not this bee knowne without the inspiration of the Almighty Why Satan himselfe knew thus much as you shall find Marke 5.7 Yes but he knew it onely with a literall and historicall knowledge he knew it not with that full assurance with that spirituall understanding hee knew not the goodnesse the sweetnesse and power of that truth as Peter did So the Apostle saith Ephes. 4.20 21. No man hath learned Christ no man can know him rightly till he have heard him and beene taught by him Though he have heard and beene taught by the best preachers in the world if hee have not heard Christ by his spirit speaking to his heart if he have not had this inward and powerfull teacher hee can never know Christ aright And that is it which our Saviour also speaketh Iohn 6.45 It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God every man therefore saith hee that hath heard and learned of the father commeth unto me and none but he And thus have I finished the first point I propounded for the proofe of the Doctrine No man is able without the supernaturall grace of Gods spirit to attaine unto that knowledge of the truth as is sufficient unto his salvation Now for the second point That this supernaturall grace of Gods spirit is not actually vouchsafed unto all that enjoy the meanes of instruction all are not thus taught of God is alas so evident in dayly experience that it were folly to spend time in prooving of it This as it is a miraculous and extraordinary worke of God God who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ As mighty a worke as the creating of light at the first when there was nothing but darkenesse upon the face of the deepe Gen. 1.1 2. as mighty and miraculous a worke as the opening of the eyes of them that were borne blind which could never be done but by the divine power Since the world beganne saith the man that had bin blind Iohn 9.32 was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind As I say it is a mighty and extraordinary and miraculous worke of God so is it a rare worke also To you it is given saith our Saviour to his Disciples Matth. 13.11 to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given Though the Lord command us to teach all men Matth. 8.19 he will not teach all men himselfe What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psal. 25.12 him shall be teach the way that hee shall choose As if hee should say Hee will teach none but such as by his holy spirit hee doth also effectually convert and sanctifie such and none but such shall ever attaine to a certaine and spirituall understanding of Gods truth The secret of the Lord saith David Psalme 25.14 is with them that feare him and hee will shew them his covenant The mystery of God saith the Apostle Col. 1.16 is now made manifest as cleare as the light but to whom to his Saints saith hee and to none but them Certainly the Lord himselfe hath nothing so many hearers nothing so many schollers as we his poore servants have Many are called but few are chosen saith our Saviour more then once to his hearers Mat. 20.16 12.14 Now for the third and last point that I propounded That no cause no reason can be given why God by his holy spirit should teach and give saving knowledge to one rather then to another but only the good pleasure and will of God That he denyeth this mercy to the most yea if he had denyed it to all men there had bin cause and reason enough to be found for that in man himselfe But that he vouchsafeth it to some rather then to others of that no reason at all can bee found in man himselfe but of that we must say as our Saviour doth Mat. 11.26 Even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight And with the Apostle Eph. 1.9 He hath made knowne to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe Lecture CIIII. On Psalme 51.6 Novemb. 25. 1628. NOvv it followeth that wee proceed unto the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine That it is so we have heard it proved sufficiently but now why it is so yea why it must needs be so that whatsoever goodnesse whatsoever soundnes of knowledge is in any man must be ascribed wholly to Gods grace and nothing to man himselfe that remaineth to be enquired into And we shall find in the holy Scriptures two principall reasons given of this the one of them respecteth man and the other the Lord himselfe For the first Every man by nature is not onely utterly void of all true goodnesse of all sound knowledge and understanding but unable also either to doe anything that might move God to give him his grace or to desire it or to receive and accept of it when it pleaseth the Lord to offer it unto him or to withstand and repell it when God is pleased thereby to enlighten and convert his heart For in all these respects hee is neither better nor worse then a dead man Thus speaketh the holy Ghost not only of such as have bin notorious and grosse sinners of such as by their lewdnesse may be thought to have extinguished in themselves that light and goodnes that was in them by nature Such a one was the prodigall of whom his father saith Luk. 15.24 This my sonne was dead And those widowes the Apostle speaketh of 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure in wantonnesse he meaneth as appeareth ver 11. is dead while she liveth But of all naturall men indefintely the Holy Ghost speaketh so Let the dead bury the dead saith our Saviour Matth. 8.22 Even of them that God loved before all eternity and ordained unto life the Holy Ghost speaketh thus The elect Ephesians were dead men by nature Ephes. 2.1 And the elect Colossians were dead men by nature also Col. 2.13 Yea of them that have beene most civill and morall men that have lived most unblameably in whom the light of nature and the remnants of Gods image that any naturall man can have did most abound even of them I say the Holy Ghost speaketh thus that in their naturall estate they were no better
lest ye be condemned behold the Iudge standeth before the doore See two notable examples of this in David The one Psalm 38.12 13 14. When they that sought after his life laid snares for him and they that sought his hurt spake mischievous things and imagined deceits all the day long yet was hee as a deafe man that heard not and as a dumb man that opened not his mouth hee was as a man that heard not and in whose month there was no reproofes The other example of his is that in Shemeies case 2 Sam. 16.10 11. O how meeke was hee towards that wretched man hee would not be revenged of him hee would not suffer him to be chidden or reproved for that hee did And what was the cause of this his mildnesse of spirit towards such enemies Certainly his patience and humble submission of heart to the will of God in these judgements was the only cause of it They therefore that pretend they acknowledge God to be righteous in all their afflictions and patiently submit themselves to his hand in them but they can beare nothing at the hands of men they are apt to breake out into choler and wrath into rage and fury against men that shall doe them the least wrong they give themselves liberty to nourish in themselves desire of revenge and implacable hatred towards them these men I say doe miserably deceive their owne soules if their hearts did indeed patiently submit themselves to the will of God in any of the crosses that are upon them they would then bee more patient towards men who are but the Lords instruments and rods whereby hee afflicteth them Thus spake David of the worst enemies he had Psal. 17.13 14. Deliver my soule from the wicked which is thy sword from men which are thy hand O Lord. Certainely it is the rebelliousnesse of our hearts towards God that wee cannot stoupe to him nor humble our selves under his mighty hand in his judgements that are upon us that maketh us so froward and impatient towards men so desirous to bee revenged of them that have done us any wrong And these are the properties whereby true patience may be knowne and discerned these are the notes whereby we may try whether wee have yet obtained this grace whether wee have yet learned to cleare the Lord when hee judgeth us Lecture LI. On Psalme 51.4 March 6. 1626. NOw for motives that may perswade us to submit our selves patiently to the will of God in all things that may befall us there be very many but I will insist but upon these three considerations onely 1. The unavoidablenesse of affliction 2. The hurt we doe our selves by impatiency and the good that commeth to us by patience 3. The hand that God hath in all our afflictions For the first Every child of God must looke for affliction even for much affliction it should not seeme strange to us when it commeth upon us it should rather seeme strange to any of us that wee have beene so long free from any great affliction This motive the Apostle Peter useth 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall as though some strange thing happened unto you It cannot be avoided but if we belong to God we must endure affliction at one time or other in one degree or other This was the Doctrine that Barnabas and Paul taught in all Churches and whereby it is said they did confirme the disciples soules that is prepare them for trouble and arme them with patience to beare it when it should come Acts 14.22 that wee must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God 1. The way to heaven is through tribulation 2. Yea through much tribulation 3. Yea wee must a necessity is laid upon us either that way wee must goe to heaven or wee shall never come thither And why must wee doe so 1. Because it is the immutable decree of God it should be so 1 Thess. 3.3 No man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that wee are appointed thereunto 2. Because it is the way that all Gods people have gone to heaven by 1 Peter 5.9 Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world Yea the best and choisest of them and those that have bin most deare to God have gone to heaven through many tribulations Take my brethren saith the Apostle Iames 5.10 the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience So that indeed we have so small cause to be dismayed with our afflictions which be they what they can be are but flea-bitings in comparison of those that the choicest of Gods servants have endured that on the contrary side we should have just cause to doubt and suspect our owne estate if we were not subject to them If ye bee without chastisement saith the Apostle Heb. 12.8 whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes As they that desire to find Christ in this life where hee seedeth where hee lyeth at noone must goe their way forth by the footsteps of the flocke as our Saviour directeth his spouse Cant. 1.8 So they that would goe to heaven must goe also by the footsteps of the flocke they must goe in that way that Christs faithfull flocke and people have troden and beaten before them or certainely they shall never come there 3. and lastly Because this is the way whereby Christ himselfe our head and Saviour went to heaven even the Captaine of our salvation as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.10 was made perfect that is brought unto glory through sufferings And God hath decreed that all his members should be conformed and made like unto him in this point as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.29 Whom he did sore-know he also did predestinate to bee conformed to the image of his sonne So that in these three respects it must needs bee that through much tribulation wee must enter into the kingdome of God The second motive is the consideration of this that we can no way ease or help our selves in any crosse by impatiency and fretting the way to make our crosse easie is to beare it quietly and patiently First Impatiency will not ease us at all but make our crosse more grievous unto us as striving and strugling doth with the foule that is in the snare and with the beast that is in the yoke There is no father but if he see his child shew stubburnesse and rebellion while he is in correcting him he will beate him the more and not give him over till he see him humbled And even so is it with our heavenly father No sin will provoke him more then our murmuring against his corrections When the people complained saith Moses Numb 11.1 it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them And ver 10. Moses heard the people
Was it not the sin of his parents in begetting and conceiving of him that he heere complaineth of rather then any sin of his owne that he was guilty of in his first conception And doth not the word in the originall imply so much And in sin did my mother being in heate of lust as Gen. 30.38 39 41. that which is translated conceiving is in the originall being in heate conceive me I answer no. It was not his parents sins but his owne that he here confesseth unto God For First It was no sinfull act in his parents to beget and conceive him For as marriage it selfe is no filthy and sinfull estate but reverend and honorable according to that speech of the Apostle Heb. 13.4 Yea it is commanded of God to them that have not the gift of continency 1 Cor. 7.2 To avoid fornication let every man have his owne wife and let every woman have her own husband So neither is the use of it in the marriage bed a filthy or sinfull act but honorable and undefiled as the Apostle there speaketh Heb. 13 4. Yea commanded also of God 1 Cor. 7.3 5. And though originall corruption be derived by it unto the child yet is not the pollution and sin the parents so much as the childs own neither doe the parents so much defile and pollute the child in the begetting and conceiving of him as the child doth the parents In which respect there was no such uncleannesse by the ceremoniall law imputed to the man or woman that had knowne one another in lawfull matrimony as there was to the woman that did beare and bring forth a child Levit. 12.2 Secondly Admit that his parents had sinned in begetting and conceiving of him yet would he never have been so humbled nor so earnestly have begged of God the forgivenesse of their sin as he doth heere for he knew God would not impute unto him the sin of his parents according to that Ezek. 18.20 The soule that sinneth it shall die the son shall not heare the iniquity of the father It is therefore his own sin and corruption that he bewaileth certainely and not the sin of his mother that conceived him Now the words of this verse being thus cleared two things are principally to be observed in them 1. The doubling of the words of this complaint he maketh of his naturall corruption I was borne in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me As if he had said so soone as I was borne yea before that so soone as I was conceived or had any being in my mothers womb I was a wretched sinner I had in me iniquity and sin that is all manner of sin the seeds of all sin were in me 2. The word and note of attention he setteth before this acknowledgement of his originall sin and naturall corruption Behold As if he should say this this is it that abaseth and humbleth me most of all that doth much aggravate both my adultery and my murder that they proceeded from so filthy and corrupt a fountain that I have not only thus sinned against thee and done this evill in thy sight but that I have been wholly corrupted from the very womb of my mother and brought with me into the world a very fountaine of all sin and corruption And the Text being thus opened doth offer unto us three speciall points for our instruction First That the youngest infant is guilty of sin 2. That the sin that the infant is guilty of is derived to it by the parents 3. That this sinne that every infant is guilty of and which it derived from the parents is the chiefe sin of all others and that that maketh us most odious unto God The first Doctrine that we have to learne from hence is this That the youngest infant originally so soone as it is borne or conceived is guilty of sin in the sight of God and deserveth to be damned Every infant is even by nature a filthy loathsome creature and in himself by reason of his sin odious unto God Now before I come to the proofe of this point three objections must be answered and removed that may breed in you a prejudice against it First All infants even the infants of idolaters most wicked men are called innocents in the holy Scripture For the Prophet Ierâ—my speaking of those infants whom their parents being wretched idolaters offered in sacrifice to Baal and Molech saith Ier. 19.4 They have filled this place with the bloud of innocents I answer They are so called not because they were without all sin in the sight of God but First In respect of men that shed their bloud for they had deserved no such things at their hands that put them to death And so speaketh the Prophet Psal. 105.38 They shed innocent bloud even the bloud of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the Idols of Canaan So the Scripture calleth all such innocents and their bloud innocent bloud that men have put to death without just cause And not only such as private men have slaine so Pro. 1.11 Let us lurke privily for the innocent without cause but even such as the Magistrate hath unjustly put to death Exod. 23.7 The innocent and the righteous slay thou not And so we say of sundry that have been unjustly condemned and executed for murders or robberies that they never committed that they died as innocents though they were otherwise most lewd and wicked men Secondly Infants may bee called innocents even in the Lords account in comparison of other men for they are not guilty of so much sinne as men and women are 1. Though they have much corruption in them yet is no corruption so strong in them as in us In which respect Christ propounded them as patternes and examples even to his Elect disciples and Apostles Matth. 18.2 3. Iesus calleth a little child to him and setteth him in the midst of them and said Verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven And the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.20 bids us to be as children in maliciousnesse 2. Sin in them is but in the seed or bud in us it is growne to further ripenesse and perfection And it is a greater degree of sinne to breake forth into bad words and actions then to have evill thoughts only Pro. 30.32 If thou hast thought evill yet lay thy hand upon thy mouth 3. The sins that wee commit are in one degree or other against knowledge We hold the truth in unrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1.18 Wee violently and unrighteously suppresse and smother the light that God hath given us So do not infants of them it is said Deut. 1.39 that they have no knowledge betweene good and evill Secondly The infants of the faithfull yea where but one of the parents is a beleever are said not to be uncleane but holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Else
build thy faith and Religion upon this foundation thou art sure enough But yet there is another doubt apt to rise in your mindes and you will aske me this third and last question How can I be certaine that that which I hold in Religion is grounded upon the holy Scripture rightly understood The Scripture is obscure and hard to be understood and all religions Papists and Pelagians and Anabaptists all do alledge Scripture for that that they hold To this I answer First that there are indeed some things in the holy scriptures hard to be understood as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3.16 there are in that Epistle that Paul wrote unto the Hebrewes Secondly there is nothing no one Article of faith so plainly set downe in the holy Scripture but wrangling and prophane wits have beene apt to pervert and wrest the words to a quite contrary sense unto that that the Holy Ghost intended You shall see the Prophet Ieremy 23.36 charge the Prophets and Priests of his time with this and I pray you marke how emphatically he expresseth the heinousnesse of this their sinne Ye have perverted saith he the words of the living God of the Lord of hosts our God But yet for all this every point of Religion the knowledge whereof is necessary to the salvation of Gods people is so plainly expressed and taught in the holy Scripture in one place or other that not only learned men but the simpliest Christian may clearely understand it and be undoubtedly certaine that it is indeed the infallible truth of God I pray you marke the proofe of this point in five dgrees First in all these necessary points of Religion the Scripture is in it selfe most cleare and lightsome The Commandement is a lamp saith Salomon Prov. 6.23 and the law is light Yea the Apostle calls the very Scripture of the old Testament which yet was much darker then the new is 2 Pet. 1.19 a light that shineth in a darke place Secondly It is not only lightsome in it selfe as you know the Sun is though they that are blinde have no benefit by it but it doth also give light unto us and make us who are all of us blinde by nature able to see clearely the true meaning of it This is therefore noted to expresse the divine excellency of it Psal. 19.8 The Commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes It giveth light and sight to the eyes of Gods people that were dimme and blind before Thirdly It is not only lightsome and cleere in all these necessary points of Religion to Schollers and learned men but even to the simpliest Christian that brings a good heart to the reading and hearing of it Psal. 119.130 The entrance into the word giveth light Marke it is not only light but it giveth light yea so soone as a man with a good heart is entred into it he shall receive that light by it But to whom gives it this light It giveth understanding to the simple Fourthly what kinde and measure of understanding will the Scriptures give to them that with honest hearts will exercise themselves in it Surely a cleere a certaine and undoubted knowledge My people they that belong to me my elect saith the Lord Esa. 52.6 shall know my name my word and will they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. The sheepe of Christ know his voice Ioh. 10.4 they understand his language well and understand his meaning too You know the truth saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.21 not to the clergy but even to the meanest Christian such as Verse 18. he had called little children you know the truth saith he and that no lye is of the truth The meanest Christian being one of Gods elect and having a good heart may clearely understand the Scriptures in those points that are necessary unto salvation and attaine to a certaine knowledge of them as the Apostle saith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 1.5 that the word came unto them and was received by them in much assurance Fifthly and lastly The Lord hath so revealed his will in his holy Word that an unlearned man that feareth God and hath a good heart may in these necessary points understand the Scriptures better more feelingly and effectually and attaine to more certainty of knowledge in them then the greatest Schollar in the world with all the helpes of art and learning and interpreters that he hath shall doe if hee want grace For so stands the promise Psal. 25.12 What man is hee that feareth the Lord Him shall hee teach in the way that he shall choose If any man will doe his will and resolve to practice what he knoweth saith our Saviour Ioh. 7.17 he shall know of the doctrine concerning the Doctrine which I teach whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe So that to conclude my answer to this third and last question let no man pretend for his profane ignorance and unsetlednesse in the matters of religion the obscurity of the holy Scriptures or say thus in his heart I meane well and I will do well and I will hope well but I will never trouble my braines with the matter of religion to that side that I see to be strongest and that the times shall favour most I will most incline but to attaine to any setled judgement in these matters I need not I cannot Our Preachers and learned men cannot agree about points of religion and I am glad with all my heart that it is so for that will be a good excuse for me I hope Let no man I say please himselfe in these conceits For thou hast heard that the Scripture is not so obscure in these necessary points as thou wouldst faine have it to be but if thou hadst any true feare of God in thee if thou didst belong to God thou mightest clearely and certainly know the truth And it is a more fearefull signe against thee than thou art aware of that the Word of God is so obscure to thee that thou canst attaine to no certainty of knowledge in the matters of religion by it To them that are without that belong not to Gods kingdome saith our Saviour Mar. 4.11 all these things are done in parables All the Doctrines of Gods Word are parables and hidden mysteries to them that are without and shall never go to heaven And now having removed these doubts and taken away these stumbling blocks out of your way I will come to the proofe and confirmation of the Doctrine that I propounded That he that hath the Spirit of Christ will be constant in the religion of Christ he will firmly cleave to the truth that he hath learned out of Gods Word Two evident proofes I will give you for this and then I will shew the reason and ground of it for so must I lay the foundation of that application and use that we must make of this so necessary a truth to be insisted
And 2 where true religion is professed and practised there God is in his kingdome and receiveth more honour then he doth from all the world besides I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory saith the Lord Esa. 46.13 his Israel is his glory And those that are his people are to him for a name and for a a praise and for a glory as he speaketh Ier. 13.11 As if he should say were it not for them I should have no name no honour and glory upon earth at all So speaketh our blessed Saviour likewise Ioh. 17.10 All mine all that I make intercession for and am to ransome and redeeme that are to have benefit by me are thine thine elect and chosen people and thine are mine all thine elect shall have benefit by me and I am glorified in them the glory and honour that I have in the world is in and by them and them only And thus have I given you the reasons and grounds of the point the application of it I must deferre till the next day Lecture CLII. On Psalme 51.7 Decemb. 27. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to make some application of it unto our selves And that by way of confutation first 2 Of exhortation 3 Of reproofe An errour there is in judgement which men do hold against the necessity of preaching Some men are strongly perswaded that much preaching is not in these daies in such a state of the Church as ours is so necessary as wee pretend whatsoever it hath beene formerly it is not so now And that they may seeme to have good reason for this that they hold foure things they alleadge for this their conceit which I will answer in order yet with as much brevity as I can First Prayer say they is to be preferred before preaching It is written saith our Saviour Mat. 21.13 my house shall be called the house of prayer Lo say they prayer is the chiefe duty that is to bee performed in Gods house and consequently the chiefe work that the man of God the Minister of God hath to do Now for answer unto this first argument of theirs in particular I have three things to say First That prayer is indeed a chiefe worke of the ministery The duty of taking care to provide for the necessity of the poore Saints was a duty well beseeming the holy Apostles themselves to be exercised in All that was given to that use was laid downe at the Apostles feet Acts 4.35 and by their direction distribution was made unto every man according as he had need None that are Church-Wardens and overseers for the poore in our Parishes now a dayes should thinke much to bee imployed in this office to enquire into the estate of the poore and into their wants and necessities and with care and compassion to provide for their reliefe it is an office that the blessed Apostles did not disdaine to bee imployed in But yet prayer I meane publique prayer is a greater duty and more proper to the Minister then that is And therefore the Apostles gave over that duty and caused seven Deacons to be chosen that being eased of that duty they might the more freely exercise themselves in this for this reason they give for it Acts 6.3 4. Those seven men whom you shall choose wee will appoint over this businesse But wee will give our selves continually unto prayer and to the ministery of the Word Neither can it bee denyed but prayer is a chiefe part of Gods publique worship a chiefe duty to be performed in all our Church-assemblies When the Apostle giveth direction unto Timothy touching the Church meetings he beginneth it thus 1 Timothy 2.1 I exhort saith hee that first of all supplications under which word hee comprehendeth confession of sins and craving pardon for them prayers that is petitions for blessings of all kinds that wee stand in need of intercessions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which he meaneth deprecation of those evills and judgements which wee see cause to feare and giving of thankes bee made Prayer you see is a chiefe part of Gods publique worship not to bee neglected in any of our Church-assemblies yea long prayer too The prayers cannot bee very short that consist of all those parts which the Apostle prescribeth specially seeing hee will have all those parts of prayer to bee used for all men for kings and all that are in authority especially It is therefore no marvell though our Saviour saith that Gods house should bee called the house of prayer No wise man misliketh the prayers that are used in our Church-assemblies no not the reading of prayers no not the reading of many prayers neither so that reading of prayers may not thrust out nor hinder preaching no wise man will mislike it But though prayer bee a chiefe worke that the Minister hath to doe yet it is not I take it the chiefe of all that he hath to doe though it bee a chiefe duty to bee performed in all our publique assemblies yet it is not the chiefe duty of all Preaching was the chiefe worke of all that Christ the chiefe Pastour of his sheepe was sent to doe in his ministery Hee hath anointed mee saith hee Luke 4.18 to preach the Gospell and verse 43. I must preach the kingdome of God that is the Gospell the Doctrine that will bring men to Gods kingdome to other cities also for therefore am I sent Neither was there any one worke of his calling that he did so much and so diligently exercise himselfe in as in preaching He taught daily in the Temple when he was at Ierusalem saith the Evangelist Luke 19.47 Never would he neglect any opportunity of preaching but hee was ever ready to neglect all other things for that See two notable examples of this The 1 is Luke 9.10.11 when he had retired himselfe of purpose and sought to bee private that hee might have speech with his Apostles alone and heare them relate what they had done in that embassage hee had sent them about the people hearing which way hee was gone followed him and found him out hee perceiving that brake of his speech with his Disciples and received the people embraced this opportunity and spake unto them of the kingdome of God The other example is Iohn 4.31 34. Though hee were weary with travell verse 6. and hungry also as appeareth by his sending his Disciples into the towne to buy meat verse 8. yet knowing that many of the Samaritans were comming to heare him he was so taken up with joy for this opportunity of teaching them that he quite forgat both his wearinesse and his hunger and saith in effect to his Disciples that it was meate and drinke to him to preach yea he saith verse 34. that this was to doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke So preaching was the chiefe worke that the holy Apostles were sent to doe Christ ordained twelve Mar. 3.14 that they might bee
The seven yeeres wherein Iacob did service to Laban a very hard master seemed to him but a very few dâ—yes saith Moses Genes 29.20 because hee loved Rachel And surely our love to God is no lesse forcible this way if it be true it will make us willing to obey him even in his hardest commandements Of this her love to God it is that the Church speaketh when shee saith Cant. 8.6 Love is strong and irresistable as death And this is that which the Apostle meaneth 1 Iohn 5.3 4. This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grievous As if hee had said the love of God will make us carefull to keepe Gods commandements yea it will make those commandements easie to us that are most crosse to our nature they will bee nothing grievous to us if we love the Lord. And thus have I finished the first point I propounded Nothing but faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as may kindle in our hearts a true love to God The second followeth A lively faith is able to do this Faith assureth us of such a love that God hath borne to us so speciall so marvellous a love above that that hee hath done to the greatest part of the world as wee cannot choose but love him againe and love him unfeinedly that is love him for himselfe love him better then any thing else love him so as wee can bee content to goe through thicke and thin to please him Observe the proofe of this in three degrees First There is a marvellous love of God that far surpasseth all other of his loves If you aske me wherin God hath declared this his speciall and marvellous love to his people I answer in giving them his only Son to ransome them from hell and to purchase heaven for them Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 that God loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in this that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us This was a marvellous love of God all the fruits of Gods favour that worldlings doe enjoy are but shels and husks in comparison of this Secondly Whereas this love of God is not alike to all men but peculiar to a few in comparison Feare not little flocke saith our Saviour Luke 12.32 Wheras God in sending his son had not such respect to the greatest part of the world I pray not for the world saith Christ. Iohn 17.9 Faith assureth every true beleever that this wonderfull love of God belongeth to him That God in speciall love to him sent his Sonne to doe and endure all that hee did It maketh him able to say with the Apostle Galat. 2.20 Hee loved me and gave himselfe for me And with David Ps. 31.21 Blessed bee the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse He hath made me able to see that this marvellous love of his belongeth to me Thirdly and lastly When the heart of a man is once by faith assured that God hath so loved him as to send his Sonne to dye for him this must needs breed in him a love unfeined unto God and care to please him and proportionable to the assurance wee have of this love of God shall our love to God bee Mary Magdalene because shee knew by faith that Gods love to her had beene so aboundant as to forgive her so many sinnes therefore did shee love Christ aboundantly Luk 7.47 Thus David professeth of himselfe Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications And what was the prayer that he had made for hearing of which hee did so love the Lord He telleth us ver 3.4 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell got hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord. Hee was in anguish of conscience and feare of damnation and God upon his prayer spake peace to his heart and assured him of his favour in Christ therefore did hee so love the Lord. Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians 3.17 19. that they might bee rooted and grounded in love to God he meaneth and to men for his sake hee desireth to that end that God would make them able fully to comprehend and know in all the dimensions of it the love of Christ that passeth knowledge As if hee should say If men did well know this love of God to us in Christ they could not choose but be so settled and rooted in love to God as nothing could bee able to draw their hearts from him Lecture LXXXI On Psalme 51.6 Febru 19. 1627. LET us now apply this that wee have heard to our selves And that that I will say for the application of this point shall bee by way of exhortation onely even to stirre up and perswade my selfe and every one of you not to rest contented with the fruits of Gods common and generall love bee not satisfied in thy selfe till thou be assured by faith that God loveth thee with his speciall and particular love that thou art one of the world of Gods Elect whom God so loved that hee gave his onely begotten sonne for thee that thou beleeving in him mightest not perish but have life everlasting as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3.16 That God so loveth thee that hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for thee as Rom. 8.32 Till thou canst say with Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ Iesus the Sonne of God loved mee and gave himselfe for mee And with Iohn Revel 1.5 Hee loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Till thou bee assured that God loveth thee with this more then common with this marvellous love nothing should content thee but thou shouldst still cry with David Psal. 17.7 Shew me thy marvellous loving kindnesse make mee able to see and know that thou lovest me with this marvellous love And 106.4 Remember me ô Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people ò visit mee with thy salvation To bee beloved of God with that love that hee beareth to strangers or to his hired servants should not content us but that love onely that hee beareth to his owne people to his deare children None of his gifts should satisfie us without his salvation those good things that accompany salvation but wee should still cry ô visit mee with thy salvation as if hee had sayd give mee a comfortable sense and assurance of that It is said of the faithfull Bereans Acts 17.11 that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better borne and bred more noble then others And as those that are nobly borne aspire after higher estates and conditions of life then other men doe they scorne to live upon a base and mechanicall trade So saith our Saviour Matth. 6.31 33. that all wee that are his Disciples should doe After all these things saith hee
that is meat and drinke and clothes doe the Gentiles that are borne to no better hope seeke that is onely or chiefely but seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And certainely if wee bee borne of God wee shall not bee so base minded as other men are but find in our selves such high and generous spirits as nothing but the reward of the inheritance as the Apostle calleth it Colos. 3.24 nothing but the kingdome of heaven will content us And thus are all they that shall bee saved described Rom. 2.7 They seeke for glory and honour and immortality And this is that Holy ambition that I desire to stirre up in my selfe and in every one of you that wee would strive to bring our hearts to this that wee may bee able to say life is sweete and a good blessing of God and so is health and so is peace and so is a plentifull estate and so is credite and so is mirth but all these things are nothing unto mee without the assurance of Gods speciall love unto mee in Christ. Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 and yet that was a great and a rare gift of God but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven That even as Absalom 2 Sam. 14.32 thought it nothing to bee restored from his banishment and to bee admitted to live in Ierusalem unlesse hee might see the Kings face so should we esteeme all other comforts and contentments whatsoever as nothing unlesse wee may see the light of Gods countenance see him looke cheerefully upon us and shew himselfe to bee reconciled unto us This is that that David preferred before all the World Psalm 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good who will shew us how wee may get wealth and credite and pleasure and such things but As if hee should say but I am not of their mind Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us upon mee and upon thy people this is all in all unto mee This this is that I desire to perswade you unto to get assurance that God loveth you with this speciall love Get assurance of it I say unto your selves Make your casting and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Peter 1.10 Content not your selves with an uncertaine hope in this case but seeke to bee sure of this Yea hee that is most sure of this let him seeke to bee more sure still as the Church doth Canticles 1.2 Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth as if shee had sayd Let him still give mee more evidences of his love for thy love is better then wine Now for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1. I will give you some motives that may provoke you to seeke this assurance of the speciall love of God 2. I will shew you the meanes how you may attaine unto it Wee have all need of motives yea of strong motives to perswade us a strange thing to consider of to seeke Gods favour to seeke assurance that hee loveth us For 1. The most men are like the prodigall of whom wee read Luke 15.16 17. who so long as hee could have enough to fill his belly though it were but the huskes that the swine fed on never thought of his father nor sought for his favour And like profane Esau that despised his birthright Genesis 25.34 If God will but love them so farre as to let them live in wealth and peace and credit and mirth heere his speciall love that reacheth to the forgivenesse of their sinnes and life everlasting they care not for they seeke not after 2. Many that are possessed with the spirit of bondage and often vexed with terrible doubts and feares about this matter yet never seeke for this certainty 3. Many that thinke they have faith content themselves with an uncertaine opinion and wavering hope of Gods favour and never seeke to make this certaine unto themselves Hearken therefore unto sixe Motives I will give you out of Gods word to stirre you up to this First This love of God is an everlasting love I have loved thee saith God to his people to his elect in Christ Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love And of Christs love the Evangelist saith Ioh. 13.1 Having loved his owne that is such as his father gave him such as beleeved in him unto the end he loved them I am perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 8.38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Then get once the assurance of this love of God in Christ and thou maist bee certaine thou shalt never loose it Thy assurance of it I grant thou mayest loose for a time through thy owne folly but this love of God canst thou never loose if ever thou hadst it The Moone is subject to change and so are all things that are under it but the Sunne though through the interposition of somewhat betweene it and us it doe not alwayes shine upon us yet doth it never change So though our sinnes may raise up a thicke cloud as the Prophet speaketh Esay 44 22. betweene the Lord and us that keepeth the light of his countenance from shining upon us yet is there in this father of lights as the Apostle saith Iames 1.17 no variablenesse at all nor so much as a shadow of turning or changing his affection towards us This is a love therefore worth the having worth the seeking even the seeking to bee sure of it This property of Gods love hath made Gods people highly to esteeme of it O give thanks to the Lord saith David Psalm 118.1 for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever Yea see how the Prophet followeth this and insisteth upon it verse 2.4 This speciall love of God to us in Christ is called Esa. 55.3 The sure mercies of David All the other mercies of God and fruits of his love without Christ which yet men so much dote upon are transitory and such as wee can have no certainty of these only are sure mercies this only is an everlasting and unchangeable love Secondly This would free the heart from those feares that doe so vex and torment us if wee were once sure of this speciall love of God to us That even as when Christ was come into the ship where his Disciples were Marke 6 5â— the wind ceased presently and there was a â—alme so will it bee with thy heart get Christ once into it and it will bee quiet So David professeth that when he had seene the light of Gods countenance and rejoyced in it Psalme 4 8. I will both lay mee downe in peace and sleepe saith he And indeed what need wee to feare if wee have Gods favour If God bee for