so vsing all meanes to giue him hope of recouery 6. Powerfully To humble him for his sinne by denouncing the wrath of God against the same I haue somewhat against thee that is I haue a controuersie with thee I am angrie I will be auenged of thee for it adding to our reproofe denunciation of vengeance 7. Constantly and seasonably not letting him lye in it taking the fit time c. as Abigail did 1. Sam. 25. meeting with the beginnings of euill and not giuing ouer till either wee haue reclaymed or made inexcusable 8. Impartially and sincerely not sparing the greatest nor dearest vnto vs no nor the house of Iudah Amos 7.8 1. Sam. 12. Esay 58.1 no not the most excellent Church not Dauid though a King not our children not any Eli 1. Sam. 2. Lastly heere is great comfort 3. Vse of comfort that being reprooued for sinne we are iudged in this life and so by the grace of God being brought to repentance we shall not be iudged in the life to come 1. Cor. 11.31 32. Thirdly in that the holy Ghost testifieth heere Doctrine 4. The least sin in the Saints is sufficient to make the that Christ doth come against his Church for this sin here we learne That though God loueth alwayes the person of his children yet he is displease with their sin he will come agaīst them for it and chastise them for the same Psal 89. 2. Sam. 8. c. Ezech. 18. And that because he is 1. Righteous and hateth iniquitie Psal 5.4 and therefore will not endure it in his owne 2. He is mercifull and therefore will not suffer sinne to dwell in his children but by his corrections will clense them Esay 1.25 Esay 27. Iere. 19. Psal 89. 3. The sinnes of his children doe more grieue him and indeed are more grieuous in themselues First because They haue more grace to resist Secondly doe giue more offence to the weake Thirdly open the mouth of the wicked more to blaspheme God and his truth 2. Sam. 12. 4. That the wicked may haue their vengeance hereby sealed vp in that the Lord spareth not his owne children Prou. 11.32 6 That his children might not be condemned finally 7 That he might weane them from the world and prouoke them to draw neere vnto him in prayer and so haue in our selues further experience of his loue in the issues thereof 8. Their sinne is not theirs but proceeds from Satan and the old man which he therefore remoueth by his chastisements that so he might manifest and confirme his loue more and more to their persons in fitting them to glorie But how stande it with Gods iustice to punish sinne in the Elect which he hath punished in his Sonne Answere He doth not punish sinne in vs as he did in his Sonne according to the exactnesse of his iustice and defect of our sinne for then we shall neuer be able to abide it 2. He doth not intend to punish sinne but to amend the sinner and so qualifies his corrections accordingly As accompanying them with the word giuing vs strength to beare them or framing them to our weaknesse ministring abundant consolations to conteruaile them and giuing a gratious issue out of them either taking away the rod or geuing patience to endure it And this serueth 1. Vses 1. Of conuiction to those that by reason of prosperity flatter themselues in integritie 2. Those that are impatient vnder the rod deseruing the same To condemne the wicked that flatter themselues in their righteousnesse because they prosper and are not plagued like others nor afflicted as the sinners seeing they are fatted vp hereby to the day of slaughter and the elect by afflictions prepared to happinesse Ierem. 12.3 Act. 14.23 24. Iob. 21. Psal 17.14 2. To reprooue the sinners that prouoke the Lord by their sinne to become their enemie and then being afflicted complaine of wrong and condemne the loue and faithfulnesse of God as if in chastising them he hated them seeing of very loue and faithfulnesse he doth correct them Psal 119. Psal 73. Iob 6.9 3. 3. Those that iudge peremptorily the estates of men by outward things Vse 2. Instruction how to keepe God our friend 2. To be patient vnder the rod. 3. To try our estate by the vse of the crosse To reprooue the world that iudge of men by these outward things seeing all things are alike vnto all men Eccl. 9.1 Secondly here is instruction 1. To teach vs how to keepe God to be our friend namely by keeping our selues from sinne or else by renued repentance dayly renouncing and reforming the same 2. To beare patiently the hand of God seeing we haue deserued hell and this affliction which is but for a moment will procure vnto vs an inestimable weight of glory 2. Cor. 5.16 3. To trie our estate vnder the rod namely 1. if we feele the Lords displeasure and so feare and depart from euill Prou. 14. 2. If wee can finde comfort in the word 3. And wait patiently on our God in our greatest afflictions 4. Not seeking so much the remoueall as to haue the corrections sanctified vnto vs. 5. Either by bringing some sinne past to light and iudging for it or else preuenting sinne to come 6. Making vs more tender in conscience 7. More compassionate to our brethren 8. More out of loue with the world 9. More to long after heauen 10. More zealous in holy duties more iealous of our selues more confident on God more readie for death And thus doth the holy Ghost amplifie the sinne of this Church by signifying that the Lord is angrie with her for the same 1. But let vs consider what this sinne is namely That she hath left her first loue a sinne of omission she hath failed in that zeale c. How the saints though leauing their first loue yet may be iustified that they faint not Quest But how may she be sayd to haue left her first loue seeing she hath formerly the testimonie that she endured patiently and did not faint Answ She might faile in the measure of her loue though not in the substance and trueth thereof 2. She might faile in the outward action though not in the inward purpose 3. She might haue been formerly zealous but now she was decayed and her present decay might not being preuented breed a further relapse and so threaten either some grieuous scourge to pluck her out of this pit or else might occasion finall Apostasie 4. She might maintaine the doctrine of the Gospell though to the enduring of manifold afflictions for the same and yet neglect the holie discipline and so grow remisse and carelesse in the practice of godlines 5. She might not be so zealous as she was and yet haue so much zeale as not to giue ouer finally for a time she might be cooled but not quenched in her zeale c. And yet wee see the Lord is not satisfied herewith but she must recouer what
as before they were fierie rash indiscreet c. Vse 2. Of instruction how to increase Meanes of Apostasie 1. Corrupt iudgement Secondly here is instruction and that first we must labour to increase and grow constant in godlinesse and that by these meanes 1. By auoyding the meanes of Apostasie which are 1. Corruption of iudgement and that First concerning Holinesse 1. We may be too holy 2. That our forefathers were saued with lesse and therefore what need we striue for more 3. That wee haue beene too forward already and therefore it is now wisedome to abate to be more indifferent 4. Or measure the worship of God by prosperitie 5. That seeing we cannot be perfect therefore it is in vaine to labour thereto 6. That there is no time past to serue God If wee can doe it on our death beds it will serue the turne 7. That the best and freest seruice of God is to make no bones of sin because this is true peace of Conscience liberty this argues the abolishing of sinne by his death to commit it greedily without remorse 8. That wee may serue God and the world too Luke 16. 9. That lesse will serue the turne because many doe lesse and we hope are saued Acts 14. 10. That Gods mercie doth more abound in our failings Rom. 6.1 11. That we need not to be so perfect seeing Christ hath finished all for vs seeing Christ hath therefore perfited all things that we might grow to perfection Heb. 12.1 2. Iohn 15. 12. That the seruice of God is a matter of indifferencie if we doeit it is well but if we faile God will be mercifull Secondly Wee must take heed of corrupt iudgement concerning Apostasie And that on the right hand As that 1. Decay in former zeale and measure of sanctification is not Apostasie but rather a reedifying of former rashnesse and ignorance by spirituall wisedome teaching vs more moderation and humility not to presume aboue others to maintaine society and peace by returning rather vnto others then to be so strict as to bring them vnto vs. 2. That it is Apostasie to admit any change of iudgment seeing we know but in part and so are subiect vnto error and therefore we may be and are often deceiued and therefore must change our opinions and this change is not a decay but rather meanes to increase in godlinesse 3. Thar it is Apostasie to differ in iudgement and so in practise from a Church otherwise truely grounded and established seeing the Lord giues not to all a like measure of light neither to all at one time what is necessary And therefore either we may not yet see what is fit and so are not to bee condemned Apostates for what wee know not And can wee consent with good conscience to what we know not or else it may please God to let vs see more then happily is discerned or will be acknowledged Rom. 14. for what Church is without it imperfections And shall we shut our eyes against any light that shineth ought wee not to practize as we are conuinced and being conuerted ought wee not to strengthen the brethren ought wee not to grow vp to perfect holinesse And therefore seeing we forsake not the society for it imperfections but rather walke therewith in the common light and if we differ from it wherein it is short of perfection do we not hereby let it see it imperfection and so by our wise difference lead it to perfection and shall wee then be accounted reuolters from the Church Especially if Bethel become to be Bethauen if in the beginning it was not so if Ephesus haue forsaken her first loue If the faithfull Citie whose faith was once published through the world bee now become an harlot shall wee bee condemned as Apostates from that cursed Synagogue which is so fallen away from it former purity Ought wee not rather to prouoke her to doe the first workes and if shee will not hearken shall wee not still protest against her shall wee now measure our selues by her crooken lines that so being partaker with her in her sinnes wee may bee partaker with her in her plagues But of this more hereafter Secondly Wee must auoyde corrupt iudgement on the left hand concerning Apostasit As 1. That euery fayling in Religion euery breach of Gods holy will is properly Apostasie for then the best must be Apostates all will bee subiest hereunto Because though euery sinne yea the least makes way for Apostasie if we lie therein without repentance and fall to excuse and allow our selues therein yet by the mercy of God the Saints recouer and so their faylings by the speciall indulgence of the Almighty are meanes of their more sound and speedy proceeding in the worke of grace 2. And therefore farre bee it from vs to conclude That any the most grieuous sinne in the Elect is Apostasie That is such as excludes all hope and meanes of repentance seeing though in it selfe it deserue that God should vtterly forsake vs and so giue vs vp vtterly to forsake him and fall away from him yet because God is our father and wil not reward vs after our sins nor deale with vs after our iniquities but howsoeuer he forsake vs for a while leauing vs to these corruptions yea to be chastened for them yet in wrath hee remembers mercy sanctifying these corrections to bring vs to repentance by opening our eyes to see our sin and humbling vs with the sense of them hereby that so wee might deny our selues and hunger after mercy in Christ Iesus Doeth hee not now returne vnto vs in great compassions enabling vs by faith to lay holde vpon Christ in him to apprehend the pardon of former sinne through him to obtaine grace to preuent future sinnes and so to walke more humbly and constantly with our God and so by him to perfect the worke which he hath begun in vs. A second meanes of Apostasie is Corrupt practize 2. Corrupt practize And that on the left hand 1. When either wee liue by examples of the greatest 2. Or by the louer of the word of God Matth. 5. 3. Or by the streame of the time 4. Or onely by the lawes of men 5. Or follow the most in religion Secondly On the right hand 1. When we grow spiritually proud of well doing 2. Or grow to singularitie and so to forsake the fellowshippe vpon pretence of their corruptions that wee may not bee defiled with them Esay 65.5.6 Hebr. 10.23 3. Or affect curious and vnnecessarie knowledge to puffe vp and not to edifie 1. Cor. 8.2 4. Or studie onely to know making no conscience to practize as we know 2. Col. 4. 5. Or stand more vpon trifles and circumstance then many matters 6. Or serue God onely so farre as we gaine thereby auoyding afflictions as hinderances thereto 7. Or pretending because of afflictions that either now we haue no leasure or else it is in vaine or too late to serue him 8. Or
the Lords and depend only vpon him Mat. 11. 4. If we cannot become all vnto all that so we may win some vnto Christ 1. Cor. 9. Thus may we discerne some footsteps of spirituall pride thus haue you heard how to master the same Secondly touching policy by it 2 Policie a meanes of cooling our first loue I meane that wisedome which ciuill gouernment discouereth in managing it affaires for the adorning preseruing thereof This how soeuer it may be an handmaid to Religion yet carrieth some sway in the manner thereof as 1. In ordering the time and place Policy how a friend to Religion and outward decency for the diuine worship 2. In compelling the outward man to the outward forme and meanes of religion 3. As also in executing the holy censures of the Church vpon the refractary and obstinate 4. And in protecting the innocency and vprightnesse of the Saints from the rage and wrongs of the wicked and 5. Punishing the enemies of the Church Yet may it also proue an enemy to sincerity and so be an occasion if we be guided thereby to leaue our first loue and that in these respects As First How an enemy and so a meanes of leauing our first loue when it vndertakes to iudge and authorize the rule of religion namely the word of God 2. When it adioynes to the same the inuentions of man making it equall with the word of truth 3. When it stands more vpon the forme then the power of godlinesse 4. When it excludes the substance of religion for the outward complement thereof The practise of popery in maintaining their religion 5. When it becomes a meanes to iustifie the wicked and condemne the righteous Esay 5. Mat. 27. 6. When it presumes to limit sincerity to times persons and 7. When it insulteth and lords it ouer the conscience by inquisition into the secrets of the heart and violent forcing the same contrary to the tendernesse and true information thereof 8. When it fashions the forme of religion according to the frame of worldly gouernment as Antichrist patched vp his anarchy partly from the Iewish Synagogue partly from the forme of the heathnish Empire Thus may policy be an enemy to Religion and so a meanes of the leauing of our first loue And thus may we learne to preuent this great mischiefe 1. That in matter of religion we consult not with flesh and blood pinning neither our iudgement nor practise vpon the sleeues of men Gal. 2. 2. That we admit no humane inuention as part of Gods worship Mat. 15. 3. And considering that the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God resolue we to endure the contradictions of the world in the worship of God and that that is sincerest which the word most condemnes 4. That in all matter of diuine worship we be ordered and informed according to the word as well for matter as manner agreeable thereunto 5. That we do all things as in the presence of God out of the good purpose of our hearts to be approued of him in the inward man and not with bodily seruice to be seene of men Mat. 6. 6. That we are more conscionable in priuate duties in the closet family sanctifiyng the publike worship by priuate preparation and trying the publike worship by priuate examination 7. That we measure not the worship of God either by any measure we haue already attained as if we had holinesse enough or by any outward successe thereof in the world 8. As by the acceptance of men by prosperity or by any particular issue 9. For the present that in the greatest measure of sanctification we stand not vpon the euidence of our owne conscience As to be iustified thereby though we know nothing by our selues but still deny our owne righteousnes that we may be found in Christ to be still enabled by his righteousnesse to haue the testimony of the acceptance of our persons and so to haue the comfort not only of the acceptance of present seruice but to be enabled by Christ to constant obedience 1. Cor. 4.4.5 Phil. 3.10.11.12 10. That in the worship of God we be not misled by carnall ends as profit pleasure vaine-glory c. But that in all things we purpose the glory of God and the saluation of our soules subordinate thereunto 1. Cor. 10.31 11. That in our best measure we acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruants and so cast our selues vpon the meere mercie of God in IESVS CHRIST Luke 17.10 Thirdly And so may also Prosperity coole first loue 1. If either hauing much we set our hearts vpon it Prosperity an occasion to coole our first loue and how Psal 62.10 and so are withdrawne to execute the lusts of our hearts 2. Or are afraid of afflictions and decline them by carnall meanes 3. Or measure our estate in grace by our prosperity 4. Or are not willing to be abased as we do abound 5. Or grow secure and vncharitable hereby either despising our poore brethren or insulting ouer them 1. Pet. 5. much lesse being inlarged in compassion of their affliction Psal 30.6 or open handed to relieue them or promise constancy of this ticklish estate vnto our selues 6. Or grow to despise the simplicity of the Gospell as if it were then but in it infancy And so as power is in our hands adorning the worship of God with vaine pompe and outward complements As if this were an argument of the increase and perfection of religion that it is now more glorious acceptable to the world 7. Lastly whereas prosperity vsually puffes vp with a conceit of goodnes if now therfore being aloft when we haue brought religion to our lure as to countenance our greatnesse and sort with our excesse we shall now as the manner is grow to esteem basely of religion as stooping to our lusts and so either neglect the power thereof in our obedience thereunto or rest in the forme thereof contenting our selues with carnall and corrupt meanes will not this corrupt the iudgement and so make way for apostasie will not this coole our zeale and dead our hearts making vs confesse indifferent lukewarme c. And therefore that prosperity may not work these effects in vs 1. Know we that where God giues more there he requires more at our hands 2. That hereby we are preuented of many lets which might hinder our proceeding and supplied with many helps to do more good to abound in thanksgiuings And therefore carry we our selues thus in our outward encreasing 1. Acknowledging that from God we haue receiued it and therefore shame we to honour God with our substance and with the first fruits of our increase 2. Be we alwaies jealous of estates especially when we most aboūd that so being humbled in our outward measure we may grow in the inward 3. Imploying our Talents now more plentifully to the good of others especially to further them to grace not contenting our selues to giue almes for bodily
before we are healed And do not our great sinnes require a sharpe corrasiue can we be brought to sound repentance till we be cast out of our selues and but by a sentence of death euen by the terrors of hell must we not haue some sence of what we haue deserued that so we may by repentance auoide the vengeance to come And may it not now so fall out that the Lord will not heare our prayers because we regard iniquity in our hand shall Israel preuaile while the excommunicate thing remaines Are we fit for the comfort and ioy of Gods fauour so long as our sinne stands before him to grieue his spirit must he not goe vnto his place that we may seeke him diligently 8 God knoweth what is fittest for vs and he doth what is best for our present condition to bring vs to repentance And therefore in stead of complaining on God that he hath done vs wrong herein let vs in the name of God complaine against our selues What is it which he could haue done which he hath not done vnto vs And what haue not we done against him which we should not doe how haue we not in all things requited him euill for good And therefore in stead of desiring comfort let vs search and trie our hearts how we haue offended our gratious God let vs iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of him so shall we take Satans office out of his hands in accusing of our selues 9 The way to preuent satans accusation is to accuse and iudge our selues so shall we stop his mouth and confound his malice and making hereby our way vnto the throne of grace we shall find the blood of Iesus to speake better things for vs then the blod of Abel first to wash vs thorowly from our sinnes and then to minister ioy and gladnes vnto our soules 10 That we are not the greatest sinners For our further comfort herein because when we are about this practise of iudging of our selues and the Lord by this inward rod drawes vs thereto It is now Satans policie to keepe vs in these distractions and so to sucke vs in despaire by perswadings that our case herein is singular Either none are so grieuous sinners as we are or else none so deeply plunged in this extremity as our selues Therefore learne we this to resist his fiery darts First though we should be the greatest of all sinners yet shall the mercy of God appeare the greater in pardoning so grieuous a sinner more glory shall redound to his name in being so incomparably mercifull more loue is due from so great a sinner more care to please so bountifull a Father Secondly it will not appeare that we are greater sinners then any so long as we feele our sinnes and desire to be eased of them seeing these two things make vp the measure of sinne Who is the greatest sinner either not to feele sinne at all by reason of hardnesse of heart and the conscience being past seeking or else to despise and reiect the remedy against sinne though we haue some sense thereof either through Pride that we need it not or through despaire that we thinke it will doe no good Thirdly though we are not the greatest sinners in comparison of others 11 It is not vnprofitable to commence our selues to be the greatest sinner yet shall it not be amisse to comence our selues to be such partly because we know our owne estate best and not others and therefore in this respect we may esteem our case more hainous then any other and partly because we are more enflamed with the loue of Christ and so in the abundance of his loue doe discerne our vnworthinesse and corruptions more and more in our selues That so still we may more deny our selues and labour to be found in Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse ought we not in charity to thinke others better then our selues may we not hope the best of the worst because the Lord may recouer them And is there any outwardly so vile but that our hearts tell vs we find far more fearfull corruptions within vs then possibly we can challenge others by that which appeareth outwardly and shall not our charity to others call vs more into our selues that so we may more narrowly search our owne hearts more iudge our selues that we may not be iudged of the world shall not the sence of our vilenesse make vs more compassionate vnto others that so the Lord may haue compassion on vs And can we be too vile in our eies that so we may hunger more earnestly after the mercy of God And therefore though others may be greater sinners then we yet is it wisedome for vs to feele our selues to be the greatest that so there may be no place left for going further on the score that we may now thinke it sufficient that we haue spent the time past yea too much that we haue already so prouoked our God that we may not differ our repentance any longer that the meanes of God may not be reiected of vs. If we wisely consider the policy of satan herein howsoeuer he lay to vs that we are the greatest of all sinners yet hereby he intends to plunge vs deeper in sinne to driue vs to despaire that so we may despise mercy so depriue our selues of the possibility of it And therefore to admit wee were the greatest sinners though we feele our selues to be in worse case then any this shall be a meanes to be more emptied in our selues the more to faint after the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Nay is it not satans policie by perswading vs that we are of all sinners the chiefe if he cannot plunge vs in despaire yet to make vs secure and carelesse We know the worst and therefore let vs make no bones of sinne let vs not trouble our selues with any such reckoning Gods mercies are greater Christ merit is sufficient doe we what we can Gods purpose can not be altered Thus doth satan play vpon the left hand and on right now vrging to despaire because neuer any so bad as we then prouoking to presumption be we neuer so bad And doth not our wise and gracious God bring light of this darknesse that because we are so vile therefore we not presume any further It is the wonder of Gods loue to tender grace to so great sinners and shal be the glory of our father to giue hope to such castawayes it shall be our greater comfort that he accepts such forlorne wretches It shall be our greater care now to redeeme the time and to labour more abundantly in more powerfull obedience to testifie againe our loue to so exceeding bountifull a Sauiour And shall we then doubt that our God will againe receiue vs into fauour who hath so freely loued vs being his enemies And therefore To this end call to mind former mercies Be we wise now to call to mind the dayes of