bring good out of it This consideration is of great use we will a little look into it All the creatuets both in heaven and earth act go and come at Gods command When we see men bold in their opposing the wayes of God we many times are troubled we do not consider that as in wisdom he made all things so in wisdom he ordereth all things excellently Gen 45. ver 5.7.8 saith Joseph there God did send me before you to preserve life c. And Gen. 50.20 but as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring it to pass as it is this day to save much People alive And so for lusts and temptations God suffers them sometimes in his own children either to teach us to observe his rules better or to humble us that we may cleave closer to God and that graces may grow Humility saith one is the Nurse of graces or that we may know God and our selves better or that we may be the more thankfull when victory comes but yet all this while God is bringing good out of it and that Oracle worthy to be remembred that all things shall work together for good to them that fear God c. Rom. 8.28 will be found in the end to be gloriously true Vse 3 Therefore let us learn to take notice of the power wisdom and goodness of God that can and doth thus bring good out of evil good effects out of evil causes Mot. 1 This will confirm us in the truth of Gods goodness and other attributes And Secondly It will teach us in evill times instead of murmuring to bless God for his providences and goodness and power in thus converting of evil to good And Lastly It will make us to walk confidently and to lie down confidently and to put our trust in God and in nothing to be carefull Though we meet with afflictions yet we shall not be much troubled because we shall by taking notice perceive that these are to nurture us Deut. 8.2.5 that we may learn to know him better and to know our selves Therefore it is good I say to take notice of Gods dealing in this kind So much for this point From the word of command Go ye we may learn Doct. That Christians must do warrantable actions They must have a care to do what they have a word of command for at least what is neither directly nor indirectly forbidden in the word of God For there are some actions which are called indifferent as 1 Cor. 7.28.30 If thou marry thou hast not sinned c. and to weep as though we wept not and to rejoyce as though we rejoyced not Such things are not a transgression of a Law for so sin is 1 Jo. 3.4 they are indifferent in themselves Though every particular determined thought word or action be either good or bad a step either to heaven or to hell yet for the actions themselves there are some that are neither good nor bad But to the point I say Christians must do warrantable actions Reas 1 For first they are Gods Servants Servants must attend upon the commands of their Masters And Secondly We have all the ancient practices of the Saints to look upon As first of Noah Gen. 7.14 and cap. 8.1 〈…〉 In both which chapters he had a word 〈…〉 mand both for his making and also for 〈◊〉 entring into the ark and ver the 8. for his taking in accordingly clean and unclean beasts as he was commanded c. 8.12 and 16. he staied other seven dayes that is he would have a warrant for his comming out of the Ark. And Abraham Gen. 12.1 had a command to go out of his country from his kindred and from his fathers house c. And Jacob Gen. 31.3 must be bid to return unto the Land of his fathers and to his kindred And in his old age though he resolve to go to Egypt Gen. 25.28 yet he must have and had a warrant cap. 56. ver 1.2.3 and 4. And Numb 9.18 At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched c. Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto him to wit of the priesthood but he that is called of God as was Aaron Vse 1 Therefore such as do unwarrantable actions can have no comfort in their doings For they sin though they think not so Sin is not defined to be a thing against the Law only in regard of the actions of sin but even sinfull habits are forbidden in the Law therefore mans nature being out of tune is not so ready to do good nor so knowing what good is God therefore hath given rules to be observed which not to observe is a sin Mot. 1 And indeed well done will be pronounced only to those that have done what they have been bidden and warranted to do Neither will Conscience be so well satisfied with doing naked actions that are destitute of command and example and every thing that might be a ground of comfort to the conscience of the doer Neither will God have any glory from unwarrantable actions it is as if God were not wise enough to give rules or as if we had not a perfect rule to walk by Lastly It is an evil example to walk in this liberty of doing what is right in our own eyes as if we had no Law-giver this brings in boldness among men and makes them fearless But blessed is he that feareth allwayes I omit the School utrums upon this point as not being so usefull to this auditory Go ye therefore into the high wayes From the word of command we come to speak of the place where they they must go Luk. 14.23 hath it thus Go out into the high-wayes and hedges The mind of the spirit is to shew us Doct. That God in the offer of grace is altogether without respect of persons For all mankind are alike to him Reason Job 31.15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb cap. 34.19 He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor for they are all the work of his hands Therefore are the Commissions so large Mat. 28.19 and Mark 16.16 All Nations must be taught every creature must be preached unto Acts 10.34.35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Read Acts 13.46.47 And mark the last words of the latter of those verses I have thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldst be for Salvation unto the ends of the Earth Mat. 11.25.26 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Even so father for so it seemed
thee unto me for ever c. Therefore come away marry this Kings son forsake not your mercy do not overstand your Market You will never have such an offer again I mean not of another opportunity for what am I to limit the Holy one of Israel But of another happiness for in this seed of Abraham alone blessedness is to be had I say you cannot possibly speed your selves better There is none so lovely none so able to make you every-way happy none so willing to do every body good These expressions of ours are to your capacity These glorious beams of Christ shine brightly the Lord open your eyes to see them seek by Prayer wait upon Ordinances argue upon promises And the Lord strike hands with you in much mercy Amen Amen It remaineth that something be spoken of the means Ordained by the Lord to attain this assurance of Union with Christ to wit the Preaching of the Gospel signified by these words The Kingdom of Heaven for by it is saving Grace conveyed Gospel preaching is Ordained and appointed of the Lord to that end that men may hear of Christ believe in Christ be saved by Christ and be glorified with Christ So in that the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Gospel Preached is compared to a Marriage-making I observe this last Doctrine The end of the Preaching of the Gospel is to prepare People for a Marriage with Christ the Son of God Reason And the Reason is because it is that very instant of Grace which God who hath appointed a time for every action hath appointed for his Elect to come and joyn hands with Christ in the Act of believing It is the means of faith Rom. 10.17 So then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God The Lord hath appointed that the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached over all the World for a witness unto all Nations That the Elect in every place may be brought in according to Gods eternal purpose of Love to communion with the Church and Union unto Christ Vse 1 We may hereupon conclude in the first place the necessity of the Preaching of the Gospel contrary to their vain conceit that think it needless they see not the end of it to wit a Marriage with Christ Or if they do yet they mean not to be divorced from their wicked Lusts unto which they are already Wedded But yet lodge this truth among the Oracles of God That Gospel Preaching is necessary And that it is the ordinary and usual means to obtain Faith Vse 2 O Therefore what a happiness do those people enjoy if they had eyes to see it that have the Gospel faithfully preached unto them to prepare them for a Marriage with Christ Vse 3 And how shall they escape which neglect so great salvation Which to do is a greater sin then to break the whole Law The punishment shews the greatness of the sin a double curse is pronounced against them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.22 that is against those that neglect Gospel offers and Ordinances in which Christ goeth 〈◊〉 wooing to the children of men If any one therefore here present be an Enemy to the dispensations of the Gospel or a neglector of this gracious offer of Christ therein let him look upon himself as on an execrable thing which God hates and let him see God even stretching out his power to confound him and the Gospel cursing him Vse 4 Be exhorted therefore to improve this appointed imployment This concerns both Preacher and Hearers Motive Motive It is the best preferment a man can come unto to be United and Married to Christ And therefore no small preferment to be imployed in this high work of bringing People to Salvation And to move other People let this be weighed well that to lose all things in the world to gain Christ is the best bargain that ever man made Phil. 3 7. 8. But what things were gain to me these I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Quest But how shall Ministers improve this benefit Answ I answer by Preaching Christ unto the People Plainly Powerfully in the evidence of Gods spirit not in the enticing words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver 1. c. Object But if a man do not Preach eloquently he shall lose his repute and the Grace of his pains Sol. I answer No for although some that know not God will be prating yet he is the best schollar that edifies most 1 Cor. 14 v. 12.18.19.21.22 To excell to the edifying of the Church to speak five words with understanding that others may be taught to Prophesie so as men may believe are special Phrases in those verses A man that speaks pithily to the conscience will shew himself a scholler besides his purpose to all judicious hearers Such men shew themselves to have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 And yet further ver 5. For we Preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake And then note I said not only plainly but powerfully We should have such a spirit as Paul who out of the abundance of his Zeal was stirred in spirit Acts 17.16 And so Philip. 3.18 He told them WEEPING of their faults that were Enemies to the Cross of Christ This proceeded out of the abundance of his Love to Christ and mankind And this was a sign of Lots sincerity that his righteous soul was grieved and vexed c. 2 Pet. 2.7 And to hate the work of the Nicolaitans which God hateth is very commendable Rev. 2.15 To hate them that hate God Psal 139.21 and to be grieved with those that rise up against him Now for Hearers They must improve this benefit and blessing of Gospel Preaching 2. Hearers By striving and labouring hereby to be prepared for a Marriage with Christ By putting off the old man and putting on the new man Ephes 4. ver 16. to the 25. People must forget their own People and their Fathers house and labour to be clothed with clothing of wrought Gold Psal 45. ver 10.13 Labour to get Oyle in your Vessels as well as in your Lamps Mat. 25.4 That ye may enter in with him to the Marriage when the door shall be shut against such as have neglected these opportunities ver 10. You must labour to make your selves ready for the Marriage of the Lamb to put on Christ who is the clean and white and fine Linnen of the Saints Rev. 19.7.8 O that you would know now even now in this your day the things that do belong to your
especially if we find the hand of the Lord with them that is an expression Acts 11.21 Question But how is that to be known I answer It is to be known by the effects there mentioned And a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. O 'T is a mercy to live under the sound of the voice of a servant of the Lord. Gods immediate voice no man is able to hear Exod. 20.19 And they said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die So Deut. 5.25 the presence of God is terrible who may abide it Therefore God hath appointed our brethren to teach us familiarly and to be in his stead among us and it is our happiness to enjoy them if we could see it Vse 3 And lastly to end this point it serves to teach us that these men whom the Lord imployes as his special servants ought to be esteemed although it be their portion to be as David was the song of the drunkards Psal 69.12 And to be despised by yong children as Job was cap. 19.18 Yea by yong men whose fathers he would have disdained to have set with the dogs of his flock cap. 30.1 All the silly yet proud fools and all the knaves in the country think that Gospel-Preachers are fit to be made a Parable of reproach and object of despight O how do some among us ruffle it in the second and third Generations whose Ancestors infamously scrapt a little dung together and ended their dayes remarkably I But this ought not so to be neither will it be so among them that fear God Neither let it be so among you For Mot. 1 First To dishonour them is to dishonour God Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ to his Disciples and this is to despise him that sent Christ as it is in the same verse Secondly If you carry your selves respectfully towards them it will encourage them in the Lords work And Thirdly It will be for your own benefit Both these are to be proved Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And indeed experience teacheth that when the persons of Ministers are out of esteem their Doctrine lies the more open to prejudice and misconstruction Quest Question But how shall I know whether I esteem them as I ought to do or no Answ I answer If thou look upon them as Ambassadours sent of God for this very end that People may believe in Christ and dost so come to hear what they say c. this is a good note of such as are sound Christians and have the spirit of God 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. And no doubt such as are spiritual will so acknowledge and in their eyes the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things will be beautifull Rom. 10.15 Thus I have finished the second particular observed in the first offer of Christ to the Jews his Ancient acquaintance I now come to the third and last to wit the ground and Original of this action of calling people to come to Christ And that is a Commission given he sent forth as it is in the Text. The Servants go not untill God whose messengers they be sends them These words he sent forth his servants are not only in this third vers I am now upon but also in the next the fourth and likewise ver 9. a Commission is expresly given unto them So that we may have good ground for this Doctrine Doct. That such as take upon them to invite â—â—ople to Christ and to Preach are of Gods â—ending in a speciall manner if they be of the right stamp I will give them Pastors after mine own heart Jerem. 3.15 Such as run before they be sent have success accordingly But they have somewhat else to do and all trades must 〈◊〉 as we say and so must they And this â—ort of men though called Ministers are the very tail of men It is the part of a servant to have the word from his Muster first and then to do faithfully what they are Commissionated and commanded to do It was the Lords complaint by the Prophet Jer. c. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they rann I have not spoken to them yet they Prophesied And when the spirit of a man hath received a Call from the spirit of Christ and knows it self to be sent of God it will put him upon strict duty First To deliver nothing but what is warranted 1 Cor. 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you And. 1 John 1. ver 3. And Secondly To extend his gifts to the utmost advantage of the giver and benefit of those that a man is sent unto 1 Pet. 4. ver 10. As every one hath received the gift so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Lastly He must and shall know on whose arrand he goes whose Messenger he is So 1 Pet. 4. v. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man Minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth Vse 1 Know therefore for the first use that the Call and comming of Ministers of the Gospel is of God it is not without Authority They are in Gods stead they must give account to him that hath sent them Vse 2 And therefore they should not be despised and opposed as they are by foolish proud People It is thought now among us to be a sufficient cause of injustice iniquity and oppression because Ministers shall not be masters of the Town because they shall not have their will which yet indeed is Gods will Alas neighbours are we not men as well as you Why then should we not enjoy our common priviledges as well as you are we unworthy to be heard because we are Ministers how low would ye bring us But I desire not to provoke but rather to convince that you might not be found despisers of God in despising contradicting and opposing of us in the way of our well doing Vse 3 But Thirdly You that obey the Lords Call to you by us doubt not of kind wellcom We call not of our own heads He sent us forth that will make good whatsoever we promise you according to our instructions that we have received from him Vse 4 And lastly be perswaded to hearken to our Call in regard of the authority of the Sender It will not be well taken under any pretence whatsoever to slight the Lords gracious offers to trample under foot his
of these are called the hoast of heaven Deut. 17.3 Now Hoast is the same with Army We finde the Lord making use of this hoast Joshuah 10.12 13. And he to wit Joshuah said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon And the Sun stood still and the Moon staid c. Thirdly he hath his Armies of men Exod. 12.51 The Lord did bring the children of Israel out of Egypt by their Armies Yea even evil men wicked men are Armies that God sometimes makes use of Isaiah 10.5.6 7. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets How be it he meaneth not so c. And so Jer. 25.9 Behold I will send and take all the families of the North saith the Lord and Nebuchadnezzar my servant c. Thus ye see the Armies of men good and bad are all the Lords Fourthly The Lord hath his Armies of water Gen. 6.17 The Lord prepares waters to drown the whole World for the wickedness of it And Exod. 14.27 28. The Lordoverthrew the Egyptians in the middst of the Sea And the Waters returned and covered the Charets and horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh c. So Judges 5.21 sings Deborah and Barak The river Kishon swept them away that Ancient River the River Kishon Fifthly The Lord hath an Army of fire Gen. 19.24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorra brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven So 2 Kings 1.10 Eliah is sent for but fire comes down from Heaven and consumes that Captaine and his fifty men that were sent to take him and another in like manner and his fifty ver 11. Sometimes the ayr is imployed as Gods Army to let flie its arrows of the pestilence Numb 16.46 Or of hailstones as Joshua 10. ver 11. Seventhly the Lord hath the Farth also to make use of for the destruction of his Enemies Numb 16 3â— The earth opens her mouth to swallow up Korah Dathan and Abiram Yea even the meanest creatures Lice Frogs Worms the Lord hath to fight against Pharaoh and Herod Exod. 8.6.8.16.17 and Acts 12.23 Lastly the Lord doth sometimes make a mans own Conscience a terrible Army against himself O when God shall fight against a man with terrors of Conscience he will be weary of his life as Judas was Mat. 27.3.4.5 These Armies are all at a minutes Call when God doth but say the word they go Vse 1 Now for the first use learn we hence that God wants not power to punish his adversaries Did folk consider Gods Armies they would not dare to go on in sin Men foolishly think earthly powers are above the powers of the Allmighty This is a great sin against the first Commandment Yet is it common that men fear earthly powers and fear not God who is the Lord of Hoasts and in comparison of whom all the Nations are as the drop of a bucket Vse 2 I will declare in the next place in the name of the Lord of Hoasts a woe to all those that are adversaries to this heavenly King God Allmighty He hath Armies to execute vengeance upon his Adversaries Surely they are not like to escape his wrath There is no sleeing from Gods Armies nor from his presence who is himself a consuming fire Whither shall I go saith David from thy presence Psal 139. Vse 3 Thirdly Stand in awe of the Allmighty be carefull not to displease him he is a great General he hath many Armies as you have heard Men of power are feared how much more ought God Quest But how may a man know whither he fear God or no Answ I answer By his diligent departing from evil and constant cleaving to that which is good Psal 34.11.12.13.14 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile depart from evil and do good seek peace pursue it Pro. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy the evil way the froward mouth do I hate And so I come to shew you the nature of the sin that is here laid to the charge of Gospel opposers and neglectors that you may see the greatness of it and the more abhor it Murder is laid to the charge of the Jews They were guilty of murder many ways First Minister Murther In that they murdered Gods Messengers Now this again is done First By taking away their lives So Stephen was murdered Acts. 7.58.59 So in Queen Maries dayes Cranmer Ridley Latimer Philpot Bradford Saunders Rogers Julius Palmer were cruelly burned because they wit nessed for Christ Secondly Gods Messengers are sometimes Murthered in their good name and in their reputation He that shall say to his brother Raca Mat. 5.22 is in Gods account a Murderer We know our times are in Gods hands and our reputation riseth and falleth even as the Lord will Yet those evil tongues that speak such devouring words of us are murtherous tongues before the Lord. And so also Thirdly When people are causelesly angry with any much more with Ministers and swell in their pride and passion Mat. 5.22 aforenamed the former part of the verse Lastly To detain from them that whereupon they and their families should live It is a sin to withold goods from the owners though there be power in mens hands so to do But blessed be God who hath granted us meat to eat some other way and wherewith to live Yet give me leave to tell you that sit here before me and are guilty of this crying sin that you must answer for it before that God whom we serve The second sort of Murder is Soul-murther Soul murther I mean of their neighbours All that oppose the wayes of God do by consequence make themselves guilty of their blood that perish in their sins They shall perish but their blood shall be required as at the hands of careless Ministers so at your hands that either neglect to do your best to procure Preachers or which is far worse oppose them that God hath sent among you Thirdly Ye are guilty of self-murther Self-murther in regard of your poor souls And for a man to be found in this sence felo de se will procure a sentence not only to be cast out to a dog-like burial in the high way 4. Christ-murder but to be cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Fourthly Such will be found Murtherers of Christ also Heb. 10.29 They tread underfoot the son of God c. they are guilty of
thee from being King Mens unworthiness is the common cause of all calamities Health wealth the Gospel it is unworthiness of them deprives you robs you of them all Vse 1 If this Doctrine be true if not any defect in God or want in the merits of Christ but unworthiness be the cause of rejection if our sins be the cause of all our sorrows we lie under then God is not to be blamed when we are deprived of his benefits men may thank themselves for misery in any kinde Friends you should never live one sad hour more if you would accept of Christ if you would be ruled by God T is true Joseph was in prison yea but God was with him What care I may a Saint say where I am whither in a Palace or a Prison if God be with me Reason Surely this use may be made good upon this Reason God is rich in mercy and of a liberal disposition to bestow his grace and good things therefore saith Isaiah cap. 59.1 2 3. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear c. It shews also the greatness of mans sin that will not open his mouth to be filled though God bid him to open it wide and hath promised to fill it Vnto us a child is born and unto us a son is given Here is a Christ offered to you all to save you from your sins O what a sin is this men will not thankfully accept of Gods offers Consid 1 Consider 1. This provokes the Lord wonderfully it moves him to take away his offers 2. It is a greater sin to refuse Christ then to break all the ten Commandments He that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16.16 If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him be cursed and cursed over and above This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light Joh. 3.19 3. Men sin against themselves they rob themselves undo themselves cast themselves away this is a sin of a high nature it is a sin against nature Men bring misery upon themselves through their foolishness Beasts that we are to deprive our selves of the means of grace of the fruit and benefit of them of health friends wealth every thing Christ hath provided all things O what pitty t is so much good chear should be lost Surely it is a very sinfull sin so to forsake our own mercies and to be guilty of our own misery Next for Counsell Seeing there is no defect in God or Christ seeing mans own unworthiness deprives him of good are you loth to be deprived of Gods benefits be carefull to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Col. 1.10 Otherwise we may be justly deprived of good Q. But what is it to walk worthy of the Lord It is for a man to improve to Gods glory and to the good of his own soul all those vouchsafements and enjoyments which the Lord hath bestowed upon him Say thus God hath given me wealth I will use my wealth to his glory the Lord hath given me opportunities of grace I will improve them to the utmost The talents which God hath given us we must imploy them trade upon them we must not wrap them in a napkin Have we riches honours children lands large possessions any thing Let us improve all to Gods glory let God be first in our thoughts let us exalt him in all things Servants Children Housholders Parents Constables Magistrates use your Talents your Relations improve your Interests to the glory of God this is to walk worthy of the Lord. And this is the way or rather a sign that God hath been will be and continue to be your God unto death We come to the matter of the Commission Ver. 9 Go ye therefore into the high ways and as many as ye shall finde bid to the Marriage In which words we may observe 1. The ground and occasion hinted Therefore 2. The word of command go ye 3. The place whither they must go viz. into the high ways 4. The work to be done As many as ye find bid to the Marriage From the first besides what hath been said already we may learn this Lesson Doct. The refusal of some is an occasion of the offer of grace to other some So Acts 13.46 47. The refusal of the Gospel by the Jews is an occasion of the offer of it to the Gentiles So Rom 11.11 Through the fall of the Jews Salvation is come to the Gentiles if one will not another shall Reason For God will have his full number whom he hath chosen to life to be called in spight of all opposition Yea to see a People given up to obstinacy and hardness of heart is but to see Gods punishment on such to make way for the calling of others The Lord will not have his Gospel to be preached in vain if the Jews reject it the Lord will incline the hearts of the Gentiles thankfully to embrace it Acts 13.48 And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed And so also Rom. 11.25 Blindness is hapned to Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in Therefore go ye out c. Vse 1 Then we may learn for our instruction That the coming and going of the offers of grace is not limited or disposed according to mens wills but according to the minde of the Lord. If men seek never so much to stop the current they labour in vain God alone doth all in this as in other things If Gods elect be but few or none in one place they be the more in another If the word want good success in this town it will find better in the next And yet let such places take heed as will not receive the Gospel as will not hear our words It shall be more tolerable for such as never enjoyed the word It shall be easier for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for those places Read Mat. 10.14 15. It is a monstrous absurdity to think that the removal of Ministers is in the power of two or three addle-headed fools Surely it is a business of a higher concernment then so Davids times were in Gods hands and so are the times of all and therefore no question Gospel preachers go and come by Gods special will Vse 2 Next we may learn that the Lord is able to bring good out of evil which may comfort Gods servants They that profit not by the means offered shall smart for it as the Jews do even to this very day But yet God will
so many Gentiles there were many that wanted the wedding garment for there be many hypocrites in every visible Church Many people came in Isaiah 2. ver 2.3 among which there could not but be many unfound ones But it is spoken in the singular Number to shew the strictness of the search He saw a man not one can escape the eyes of the Lord. Hence observe Doct. When the Lord comes to view his Church and to see his Guests he will sind out every unsound one in it Reason And the reason is Deus est totus oculus because he is an al-seeing God none can go from his presence Psal 139. from the 1. to the 6. verse read Jer. 23.23.24 Dan. 2 22 Heb. 4.13 And yet more evidently because in him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.28 I might heap up places of Scripture to shew how God hunteth out sinners * Gen. 3.8.9 Adam †Cap 4 9.10 Cain ‖ Exod. 32.1.6.7 Joshua 7.10.11.20.21 2 Kings 5.20 Mat. 26.14.15.16.21 Acts. 5.1.2.3 the People of Israel when they had worshipped the calfe which Aaron made the Lord knows it And sacrilegious Achan is found out by this al-seeing God And Gehazi And Judas And Annanias and Saphira all these were spied out by the Lord. The darkness is no darkness with him the night is as clear as the day c. But I hasten to the Uses Because I chiefly look upon the next Verse to speak of the fault charged upon him that is here spied out Vse 1 Vse 1. They are fool-deceived that think their wayes and works are hidden from the Lord. Yet this is not only the fault of hard-hearted sinners but even of Jacob and Israel Isai 40.27.28 We think God sees not or regards nor our misery this is our folly But on the other side What a poor thing it is to think to slie from the presence of the Lord yet so foolish was Jonah cap. 1.3.4 He paid the fare of a ship and went into it to go to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord but could he O no it followeth vers 4. God sends after him with a witness Vse 2 And certainly wofull is the case of all sinners yea of the closest and best coloured Hypocrites they shall be seen in their proper colours by the Lord. Isai 29.15.16 Wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potters clay For shall the work say of him that made it he made me not Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it he had no understanding It is a notable place Vse 3 And therefore Lastly to end this point and ver Be advised to take heed of sin no corners are darke enough to commit sin in God will see as well at midnight as at noon day Pray to God to unite your hearts that you may fear his name it is a good expression when our hearts are united to God we shall stand in awe and shall not sin Especially take heed of Hypocrisie for the danger is great of that sin as may be gathered out of Mat. 25.41 their portion of misery is none of the least as you may see by the Lords dealing with this poor wretch which is next to be handled Verses 12.13.14 And he saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a Wedding garment and he was speechless Then said the King unto his servants Binde him hand and foot and take hiw away and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth For many are called but few are chosen HAving finished out of the foregoing verse the manner and issue of the trial of this unworthy Guest I now come to the third particular noted in the Lords proceeding against him Wherein three other things are observable 1. His examination about his offence Secondly His conviction thereupon both which are in the 12. ver Thirdly His condemnation or the Lords Commission and warrant for his execution with the ground or reason thereof ver 13.14 of which afterward In his Examination we have 1. The matter laid to his charge 2. The manner of Gods dealing How camest thou hither not having a Wedding garment is his charge This man came with others to the marriage of the Kings son but he came unprovided he was without a Wedding garment and this is the summ of his accusation and the fault that is laid to his charge aggravated by his impudency in daring to come in that trim How camest thou in hither c. that is how didst thou dare be so bold to come hither unprepared The great question is what is meant here by the Wedding garment The Papists understand hereby love and good works but they miss the mark By the Wedding garment we are here to understand the righteousness of our Lord Jesus put on by the hand of a true saving and justifying faith and manifested by a holy sincere and upright walking in the wayes of godliness and therefore the Apostle Paul speaking to this purpose and somewhat altering this phrase wills us to put off the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light Rom. 13.12 And in the next two verses he expounds his meaning viz. Not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but putting on Christ c. where Christ and a mans own lusts his sinfull lusts are opposed read ver 13. and 14. and he doth more fully mention this Ephes 4.21 22 23. In these words and phrases To hear him to be taught by him as the truth is in Jesus To put off the old man to be renewed in the spirit of our minds to put on the new man All which is performed by the power of sound and saving faith For ye are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ saith Paul Gal. 3.26 And again For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ ver 27. By all which you may see plainly what it is to have or to want the Wedding garment The sum of the Charge brought against this Professor in my Text was that he wanted sincerity he was not that he professed himself to be He drew no vertue from Christ he had not put on Christ by Faith and therefore could not walk in sound and sincere obedience I observe this Doctrine Doctr. It is a shamefull thing for any to make profession of Religion and not to walk in truth and sincerity As on the other side It is most glorious and comfortable to have honest and good hearts and such are comely creatures such have the Wedding garment and shall stand with boldness before God in all Trials You may read for proof of the Doctrine Isaiah 1.1 2 3. and verses 10 11. where the Lord by Isaiah keeps wofull doings
white still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12.10 Thou fool which art without understanding thou witless fellow as the word in the Original signifies in Luke dost thou think God will cease to be God and deny himself as he must do if he should not avenge himself and vindicate his Gospel from those horrible neglects contempts and abuses which it is even as it were overloaden with by ungodly men No no. Thou shalt find he hath red colours as well as white he will tumble and rowl his garments in blood O consider this ye that cozen deceive oppress that flea off the skin of the necessitous man and chop his flesh and the flesh of his hunger-starved children as pye-mear or hearbs for the pot and are no more moved then the stones of the Wall You that live in pleasures and satisfie your sensual appetites dost thou think God made thee for nothing else but to play the fool to ride or run after a Hound or a Hawk Buzzard that thou art The Lord set home what I say at this time And you that trample the sweet Ordinances of breaking bread c. under the feet of your Superstitious Ignorance Pride Passion or Worldliness know that the Ordinances which we hold forth are the Ordinances of Jesus Christ And though we are earthen vessels yet the Gospel is a treasure And you that creep in among Gods People and yet are strangers to the life of grace and want the wedding garment know for certain that that God that bid me not along ago to woo you and even to compell you to come in hath now bid me tell you that you shall be bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth How dare men slight the hot thunderbolts that are now darted out of his word against them I am sent to every blasphemer of God hinderer or slanderer of his word to every adulterer to every one that is in malice and envy to every despiser of Gods Church with heavy tidings Psal 35.4 5.6 They shall be confounded and put to shame they shall be turned back and brought to confusion They shall be as chaffe before the winde the Angel of the Lord shall chase them Their way shall be dark and slippery the Angel of the Lord shall persecute them Of all the judgements that came upon the Jews I find this to be the chiefest that whereas they were once the children of the Kingdom they are now in outer darkness Matthew 8.12 that is whereas in the Church there is light they are now cast out of the Church and others from the East and West are got into their priviledges viz. to sit down in the Kingdom out of which they are banished And a curse of contempt upon them is fallen on them Whereever they come they are a despised People But yet this is their greatest unhappiness that they are the greatest Enemies in the World to the Christian faith through the blindness of their mind for they are in outer darkness even as it were in Hell This makes them to gnash their teeth at Christ and Christians This is the fruit of their rejecting Christ This plague falls many wayes Sometimes he blinds mens minds and hardens their hearts that they cannot profit by them though they live under them Sometimes they shall be so wicked as not to come to the places where the Ordinances are or if they come there they shall like the spider suck out poyson instead of hony And so their table is made a snare unto them and the word which should be the savour of life unto them becoms the savour of death unto death Let my counsel be harkned unto Vse 2 Take heed of abusing the means of Grace any way Causes of this evil I have mentioned many in my former use But now upon this use of advice I shall enquire after some causes of this epidemical evil One would think men should not be so foolish First therefore we shall find deadness of heart Pray therefore for quickning Grace Say which David Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Psal 143.11 Say to the Lord I have a dead heart I do not consider thy rich offer or thy severe justice keep a groaning and crying to the Lord. But secondly People press exceedingly upon the mercy of God Therefore it is that the worst of People love to hear discourses of Gods mercy T is true we cannot look too much upon Gods mercy Psal 90.11 We may say of it as David doth of Gods anger Who knoweth the power of thine anger c. So who knoweth the highth and dephth length and breadth of Gods mercy it hath sour dimensions in that place Ephes 3.18 We cannot think of it any way answerable to the truth of it Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Psal 36.5.6 7. Thy righteousness is like the great Mountains thy judgements are a great deep O Lord thou preservest man and beast How excellent is thy loving kindness O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings And again The Lord is graciand full of compassion 〈…〉 slow to anger and of great mercy The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works But yet for remedy and advice we must know that Gods mercy doth not destroy his justice Where you have a glorious discovery of Jehovahs back-parts Exod. 34.6.7 this is among That will by no means cleer the guilty visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and to the fourth Generation Hear what is written Deut. 29.19.20 And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkness to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealouste shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot his name from under heaven O it is a fearfull thing to sin against the riches of Grace Rom. 2.4.5 saith Paul there Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God It is a sign such souls are not partakers of mercy which are upon Gods mercy bold to sin O hard-hearted soul thou art telling of Gods mercy why dost thou not tell of his Justice the Apostle tells thee The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord
confusion I had rather call it a binding then a cutting off Because it is an Ordinance of the Lord to be used for the good of an offending brother 1 Cor. 5.5 That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And we find that it was so by Gods blessing to the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2.6 7. Sufficient to this man is this punishment or censure which was inflicted of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that contrary wise ye ought rather to forgive him comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with over much sorrow This is a strong Medicine by which a fallen brother grosly and that is hardned in his sin may yet be recovered And if it do not then he is thereby bound over to everlasting burnings T is true in some sence they are said to be cut off from the Church namely in a threefold respect First Perk. Cases of Conscience 3. Quest of the 8. c. They are excluded from Communion with the Church by the censure of the Church Secondly From God for what the Church rightly doth on Earth God doth in Heaven If the Church bind on Earth God binds in Heaven and so for Loosing also Thirdly In regard of themselves for a time they are cut off because they want the power and efficacy of the spirit untill they be throughly touched with repentance and begin as it were to live again Take heed ye that are bound with this Cord of God and his Church and labour to be unbound again There is a third Cord wherewith men are bound even in this life and that is the Cord of Conscience As this unworthy Guest here was bound he had not a word to say for himself He was bound hand and foot he was haltered as it were that he could not stirr So Judas was so haltered with the Cord of his Conscience that he could not chuse but halter his neck too For he went away and hanged himself Mat. 27.5 This is a sad Cord when God is pleased to make use of it O when a mans Conscience shall tell him that he hath no part nor portion in this business that his heart is not right in the sight of God as Peter told Simon Magus Acts 8.21 that he is in the Gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity This will be black News to that poor wretch whosoever he be Friends you are crank and merry but look oâ—â—… this cooling carde ye are farr on to the â—…aâ—ing of this sad story told by your consciences to you that ye are the Enemies of God And note hereupon that men come not to be bound with this Cord by and by they usually come to a high degree of sin first They do the same things and commit the same sins for which they judge others They despise the riches of Gods goodness and forbearance and long suffering They have hard and impenitent hearts in a word they sin with a high hand against Conscience and begin to be careless and fearless and desperately secure And then commeth this â—ord of the Lord this whip of Conscience Judas his Cord I may call it Read 1 Thes 5.3 For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Such fellows come in sometimes among the People of God to make a faction and to do mischief But though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished Prov. 11.21 But they are bound together to be the Servants of sin shall be bound with Cords which shall not be broken It is storied of Julian the Apostate That after all his wicked behaviour against the Christians he was strock in a battle thorow the left arm into the short ribbs with a 〈◊〉 or Javelin in pulling which out and casting it into the air with his blood he uttered these blasphemous words being bound with this Cord of Conscience I am now speaking of Thou hast overcome me O Galilean Zosimus lib. 6. cap. 2. and Theod. lib 3. cap. 25. The second particular is in these words Take him away Hence observe Doctr. That it is a great punishment to be separated from God and from the comfortable society of Gods People It will be a principal part of the punishment of ungodly men hereafter to be turned out to be bid to depart and get packing from God and his People Mat. 7.23 Depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 13 ver 30 aâ—d 41. The tares must be bound in bundles that is as Christ himself expounds it the Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that work iniquity They must out of Gods Kingdom there is no place for them they must depart And so ver 49. of that same chap. The Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the justâ—… And Mat. 25.32 And he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the Goats and ver 41. He shall say to them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed c. they must depart upon which place saith one whom I heard many years agone Methinks I hear these Castawayes pleading and begging to this effect O Lord If we shall not sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in thy Kingdom if we shall not sit on thrones yet let us stand in thy sight though but at the door or let us but peep into the presence of thy People No saith God depart ye shall not see my face get out of my sight Ye shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous Ye scorned them once ye shall not be troubled with them now Depart Yet may these poor wretches say if we must needs depart thy presence O God and be thrust out from thy People yet remember we are thy creatures O Lord and bless us before we go No saith God depart ye cursed Away with my curse upon your back Why yet Lord may they say send us to some silent Corner where we may lie only under the paena damni or dissolve us to nothing out of which we were taken No that shall not be granted neither Depart into fire Happy should they be if they might cease to be but they must depart into hell torments Part is this all Heare one imaginary petition more to set forth the truth of the future condition of ungodly men Lord how long Lord how long Let it be but a thousand years may they say or if that cannot be obtained yet but as many years as there be stars in heaven drops in the Sea sands on the shore or under the Seas and let us come out then No It is everlasting fire O rocky heart tremble But yet once more Must we depart and be accursed and be in fire and that eternally Yet Lord may they say let us have a little good company to help wear along that which shall be without end