Certainly the ground of this disobedience and rebellion is grosse infidelitie even a resolute unbeliefe of Scripture Had the Iewes beleeved Moses then would they also haue beleeved Christ. But if they beleeved not his writings they could not beleeve Christ his preaching how truely may we apply this sentence of our Saviour to this unbeleeving generation Had you beleeved Christ you would haue beleeved us for he spokâ— of us and hath told you He that heareth you heareth me But if you beleeve not his writing how should you beleeve our preaching If you despise his word in his hand you will easily scorn it in our mouthes And indeed this unbeliefe is more apparent because the more men urge and presse the Scripture on the conscience and practise of men observing the rule of his Spirit in preaching to edification and labouring to beat downe whatsoever exalts it selfe against Christ that everie thought may be subjected to his Scepter the lesse credit estimation and good opinion they gaine among men the lesse their doctrine and persons regarded But if neglecting the evidence of the Spirit they sticke their sermons full of Rhetoricall flowers and witty conceits of men if they come in ostentation of much reading stored with the citations of Poets Rabbies Schoolemen and with the sentences of ancient Doctors of whom there is no doubt very good and much profitable use in their season the more they goe on in this course where the conscience is not stirr'd as being altogether loose from man the more are they admired reputed and followed Oh this word of God is sharpe a two-edged deepe-cutting sword whose downe-right blowes cleaue the heart of our sinfull nature when those vaine flourishes never moue us hence it is feared and hated by those who liue in sinne and resolue to rest in the forme of godlinesse Therefore that most fearefull judgement fals often upon them there shall bee like people like priest The people rise up earely to follow drunkennes and the Priests ready to invite them Come I will bring wine and we will fill our selues with strong drinke when the people are deafe the pastor is blind they desire to be soothed he fills his tongue with flattâ—ry The people desire Cause the holy One of Israell to cease from us and the Lord justly giues them up to the doctrines of men and vaine flourishes of humane wisedome In a word as they wish so they receiue from God in his just judgement Ministers not after Gods but their owne hearts that they who haue no pleasure in the truth may beleeve lies and vanities and putting from them the power of Gods salvation may sinke in their owne perdition 3. Those are here sharpely to be rebuked who haue no relish in the word of God noâ— finde any sweetnesse in it The complaint of the Prophet is now verified in many who make no question but they are Christians good enough They haue uncircumcised eares they cannot heare the word os the Lord is unto them as a reproach they haue no delight in it How woefull is their estate if they had any sense to apprehend it and how much more woefull that they haue no feeling of this their woefull miserie That man is farre spent who being diseased cannot abide either good physike or wholesome meat but wholy delights in such a diet as is prescribed him by his distemper and how neere is that soule to hell who loathing all remedie cannot tast any thing which should doe it good but longs for all sinfull matter whereby it is every houre made riper for hell Certainely where the conscience cannot but confesse a life to come how fearefull is this condition which evidently shewes the soule to be dead unto that life dead in sinnes and trespasses for what life can be in any creature which desires not and that necessarily the meanes whereby this life is maintained thriues and prospers what affection of life where we delight not in that which preserues it Now were this death as in the death of beasts the deprivation onely of life and so a perpetuall sleepe without dreams a senselesnesse without any either pleasure or trouble it were the lesse miserable But when the heart knowes that after this life so short there succeeds another which is endlesse where both soule and body againe united shall continue for ever either in a most joyfull glory or an hellish torment no hope of change how miserable is this estate which testifieth to our face that we haue no signe of this life but are marked to that endlesse and fearefull perdition Now how soveraign a cordiall is this doctrine to those who can truely apply it to their owne soules If thou findâ—st thy heart take pleasure in this word thou canst say as the Prophet and as he truely say Thy word was found by me and I did eate it and it was the joy and rejoycing of my heart thou shalt finde the same comfort which is there given to that Saint and assure thy selfe that God will make good to thee what here he promiseth Thou shalt be blessed Surely even then when thy disquiet soule working in thee boiles in griefe and vexation to see that law of thy members rebelling against the Spirit and so strongly opposing that thou canst not do the good thing which thou wouldest then this delight in the law concerning the inward man will be a soveraigne comfort to thy afflicted spirit so that thou wilt be able with peace to say It is not I but sinne that dwells in me neither shall it be imputed to me but to the enemie prevailing against me Suffer then the words of exhortation and labour for this delight in the law of God Striue with thy dead heart to bring it to this dutie that thou mayest take pleasure in pleasing thy Lord. And to quicken thee in it consider seriously the equitie of it Can there be a more easie command then this namely to delight in thine owne good and happines Now there is nothing in the word of God but that w ch wholy tends this way nothing in the yoke of Christ but that which is sweet and easie Remember how sweet the mouth of Christ is to those who haue beene acquainted with his word and exercised in it But what meanes should we use to worke our soules unto this delight in the word of God 1. Thou must purge thy tast from delight in sin when wickednesse is sweet in thy mouth and thou hidest it under thy tongue when thou favourest it and wilt not forsake it thou canst not possibly favour the word of God 2. Thou must earnestly intreat the Lord to open thine eyes that thou maiest see thy estate how naked blind poore and miserable thou art in nature that so thou mayest haue more sense how necessary this Ordinance of God is and how wretched thou art without it Be instant therefore with the Lord to giue thee this hunger
our judgement partly to our will and affections we might be reformed let vs see what vse we may make of this point and first for our instruction Instruction 1. Learne then here that man is of an indocible nature especially in things spirituall hard to conceive prone to forget why else should God himselfe vndertake this Office Why should he employ so many Writers so many Speakers furnish them with all multiplicity of learning great variety of gifts singular and divers vtterance Had we a good capacity to conceive the lessons of the Spirit were we of firme memory to retaine what we had rightly conceived all this labour had bin in vaine and needlesse No surely our vnderstandings are over-whelmed with a thicke mist an AEgyptian palpable darkenesse not easily dispelled by this glorious light well may the beames of Gods word shine round about vs but vntill the Spirit of God shine in our hearts and opens a window for it not one sparke of light can enter Oâ—r affections are stones our hearts nether-milstones Adamants not without much labour and difficulty broken with that hammer of God vnlesse also his Almighty hand hold the hands of his workemen and strike with them How justly doth our Master complaine of vs Whom shall I teach knowledge and whom shall I make to vnderstand the things that he heareth them that are weaned from the milke and drawne from the breast for precept must be vpon praecept praecept vpon praecept line vpon line line vpon line here a little and there a little for with stammering lips and with another tongue will he speake to this people Looke as we tâ—ach our Infants to speake we meet them halfe way by descending to their stammering speech we speake like children that they may learne to speake like men wee frame our words and fit them to their tongues we beate speech into thâ—m by a continuall and never weary repetitionâ— Thus the Lord must deale with vsâ— He comes downe to our infant capacity he speakes milâ—e to vs not as he is able to vtter but as we are able to beare Secondly by many blowes and often itâ—rations redubling his praecepts he driues in and fastens instruction into vs. We are dull of hearing when we ought for our time to be teachers we had neede to be taâ—ght againe which be the â—irst principles of the oracles of God When the Lord layd downe the doctrine of regeneration though we are teachers in Israâ—ll as if we had no spirit in vs we dreame of a carnall re-entrance into the â—omb and when it is further opened and explained we conceive an impossibility in it and aske how these things can be When Christ so plainely and frequently vnfolds the mystery of his death and resurrection wee though his Apostles so long conversant with him vnderstand none of these things nâ—ither perceive the things which are spoken If Christ warnes vs of Pharisaicall leaven our mindes are presently thinking of want of bread Yet are we not more hard to conceive then easie to forget How easily doe wee forget the consolation which speakes to vs as children How easily doe we forget the workes which we haue seene with our eyes True it is things doe not sinke so deepe into our minds through our eares as through our eyes but how soone did the people of God forget his workes which they saw Certainely had those actions beene not Gods but some mans things which concerne our temporall not spirituall life it had beâ—ne impossible so soone to haue razed them out of our mindes Oh! how often by this our vntowardnesse doe we compell our most patient Doctour to chide with vs Can a maid forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people haue forgotten me dayes without number O you of little faith why doe you thinke thus Doe you not yet perceiue nor remember Nay many times we inforce him When God speaks once or twice and we attend not to open our eares by corrections and by smart to quicken us Consider here as well Gods wonderfull patience compassion and goodnes to us in admitting to his schoole such untoward scholars and our happinesse in such a Teacher Happy is the child who being rude and unteachable dull and blockish meets with a Master skilfull to handle him and patient in his defects Our Doctor hath the keyes of David not onely to unseale the booke but to unlock our mindes able to make poore Fishermen instructors to the wisest most learned of all the world Admiâ—â—ble is his patience with what great forbearance did he instruct the old world by Noah How long did he suffer the indocible Israelits in the wildernes See also Esay 30. 18. As a man who meets with an unapt Scholar plies him early and late and supplies with his owne diligence what the childe wants in parts so the Lord rises vp early every day applies himselfe to us in all manner of teaching speaking to our eyes in his workes Scripture and Sacraments to the eares by preaching in season and out of season mingling even pleasure with profit instructing with delight and builds vp our soules with songs If wee count our selues happy when we haue placed our childe with a skilfull honest patient and painefull man who will teach him in any trade infinitely happy are wee that we are entred into his Schoole who is the onely Doctor Verily that which the Heathens fained of their Amphion we finde true in our selues by experience that this heauenly musicke of our diuine Singer gathers together stony hearts quickens and fits them to the Temple of Gods Spirit The consideration of the writer should waken our eare and raise up our hearts to diligent attention Doest thou heare him take out any lesson for thee of instruction shewing thee what is good or evill what way leads to happines what carries thee to perdition what thou must choose and practise what thou must reiect and avoid Remember then and say with thy selfe It is that Divine wisedome that Spirit of Truth who can neither lye nor erre purposely sent to lead me into all truth it is even he that reades this Lecture to me and he hath chosen the mouth of a Kingly Prophet to utter it who having past through all estates and by continuall study and practise in the word of God being growne wiser then his enemies then the ancient of more understanding then all his teachers from his experience and by his example can yeeld me excellent direction and shall not I attend him I will say Speake Lord for thy Servant heareth Doest thou heare him reproving openly those that sinne sharply rebuking that men may be sound in the â—aith Oh then thinke with thy selfe Is not this that most pure Spâ—rit whose eye cannot endure sinne and iniquitie and who was purposely sent to reproue the world of sinne and doth he not call to me by such
these wicked spirits in this heavenly tillage to make thee a fruitlesse and so an accursed ground How lamentable were the estate of a Towne halfe affamished and round beleagred with a strong enemy who kept them from all succour that they might see even at their gates store of corne sent by their friends but no entrance for it by reason of the enemy This is their condition The food of eternall life is sent by Christ brought by his messengers stands ready at the eare to enter but the devill barres the gate and turnes it from them In respect of God the danger is yet greater for he hath protested to yeeld us the like measure as we shall see more largely hereafter if we suffer him thus to goe after us intreating us to turne and be reconciled and we are carelesse the tide shall change when we shall as earnestly cry and howle for mercy and he will laugh at our destruction see his word Prov. 1. 24 26 28. and the deed answering it Zach. 7. 12 13. Exhortation Let us therefore shake out this spirituall drowsinesse wake our eares and watch them to keepe them waking let this thought be ever in thy heart to hold them open I see indeed a man but I heare the Lord the voice is mans but the word is Gods whether I consider the power and authoritie or the loue of the speaker or matter of the speech necessity of attention lies upon my soule He is my soveraigne Lord in whose hand is my life and death temporall and eternall his loue wonderfull passing the loue of all creatures passing knowledge the subject of his speech is my happinesse laying downe plainely before mine eyes the way of my eternall life and should I neglect such a speech and such a speaker Thus when we haue provoked our hearts to this dutie let us inquire the meanes enabling us to performe it and constantly practise them Meanes 1. Labour to emptie thy heart and to cast out the ignorant conceit of knowledge he feedes the hungry Away with that proud opinion of goodnesse and abilitie 2. Consider the necessitie and the nature of the word purposely sent to supply it being the wisedome and power of God to saluation Verse I. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornfull The body of this Psalme hath these two especiall members 1. The double estate of man 2. The cause of it both which the Holy Ghost propounds as the strongest incentiues to godlinesse The first is as a cord of loue to draw the second as a whip to driue us The estate of man is either blessed and happy or cursed and miserable The blessed described first more confusedly and generally in that word Blessed or as in the Hebrew blessednesses where thus God reasons with us Thou desirest to be blessed all thy actions all thy wishes tend to this issue but loe yonder is true blessednes and I am here ready to be thy Guide and haue to this end lent thee my word to be a lampe to thy feete and a light to thy pathes up then follow me and I will certainely bring thee to all thy wishes Secondly he points out the way to attaine it and first that which must be left and forsaken which is three fold 1. the counsell of the ungodly 2. standing with sinners 3. sitting with the scornefull Then he sets out the path which we must take and walke in namely the Word this we doe as well by delighting as meditating in it these are the two feete which carry us in the way to happinesse and this meditation amplified by the time day and night so thus God pleads with us would'st thou goe in the strait way to happinesse the shortest cut nay the onely tract is by holinesse take heed therefore of those three left-hand paths thou shalt see ungodly men walke in evill counsell obstinate sinners stand in perverse wayes mockers sit downe in the chaire of scorning all these may seeme to flesh and bloud faire and likely but take thou heed turne aside and enter not into them and know that they lead thee through vanity to destruction but loe there lies directly before thee a narrow path of meditating and delighting in the word of God set in thy foot here take this strait way and it shall certainly bring thee to thy desired ends and know howsoever it seemes at first hard and much about thou shalt finde it pleasant and the neerest way to thy home Thirdly this happy condition of man is more particularly set out to the view and clearely revealed unto us 1. by a most elegant similitude of a tree 1. planted 2 watered 3. fruitfull 4. ever flourishing 2. by some part of it namely Prosperitie where thus againe our Guide confers with us Lift up thine eyes now and behold right before thee the joy of life the crown of thy labours the haven of all thy desires see how directly this path leads thee to the true vine Christ Iesus and grafts thee in him in whom onely thou art blessed with all spirituall blessings behold how these waters of the Sanctuary flowing from the well of life fill thee with fruit and sustaine thee in a most flourishing estate consider from the time thou hast constantly set thy foote in this way I will blesse thee and make aâ—l thy wayes to prosper In the next place the cursed state of man is laid downe 1. negatiuely not so the wicked that is not blessed but cursed not planted but wilde not watered but parched not fruitfull but barren not â—lourishing but withering and blasted not prospering but confounded 2. positiuely 1. by a comparison of chaffe driven by the winde 2. by a double consequent they cannot stand in the day of judgement nor in the congregation of the just Lastly he shewes the cause of bothâ— namely the Providence of God over-looking and over-ruling all creatures where yet further we may heare our gracious God instructing us Looke yonder and view well the issue and end of these men which take the other way â—â—e further they goe the further they wander from that which they seeke they are in a very wildernes wilde dry and barren see there how they are stubbed up and cast into the fire how sodainly are they destroyed perished horribly consumed Know then the pathes of men are directed by the Lord waite thou therefore on the Lord and keepe his way and hee shall exalt thee and thou shalt inherit the Land when the wicked men shall perish thou shalt see it Now in this first verse obserue 1. the way 2. those that goe in it 3. their proceedings or journies every one of these expressed in three severall degrees In the way marke 1. the entrance counsell 2. the continuance or progresse the habituall practise of sin more specially here called the way 3. the uttermost extent
his word That Angell of God to whom he hath given great power hath cried out mighâ—ily it is fallen it is fallen Babilon that great Citie aâ—d the often-doubled voyce of God from heaven hath called Goe out of her my people that yee bee nâ—t partakers of her sinnes Revel 18.4 And yet how many still cleaue unto her and dote upon her wrinkles Surely if Christ had not so painted out to us his Rivall the Antichrist almost in every limbe by that un-erring finger of his Spirit or had not wee lived in those times when the accomplishment of those predictions hath given broad light to these misteries did not that Man of sinne with a whorish and shameles forehead stand out to accept and avouch those blasphemous titles the Monarke Spouse and onely head of the universall Church from whom it receiues even spirituall influence did hee not make good the flatteries of his slaues in receiving and justifying the Papall Omnipotencie challenging to be Vice-God there might bee some shew of excuse in these blind wretches But alas what hope is there to pull them from the embraces of this spiritual strumpet when they are so strangely bewitched with her painted face that they make and imagine the beames of the Sunne to borrow light from her eyes even the Scriptures to receiue authoritie from the Church and that the Pope only must giue the sense which is the light of them There is no other meanes but onely prayer to that incomprehensible light that he would annoint their eyes with eye-salue that they may see and being mercifull unto them would catch them by the hand and lead them out of Sodome So likewise halfe Christians halfe Antichristians some that would be Mediatours betwixt Christ and Antichrist and bring them together to make them friends which still are sicke of the dregges which they haue drunke in her cup of fornications They put religion in superstitious abstinence from meates and drinkesâ— They cannot approue the marriage of Ministers many such dreames trouble them all which God himselfe hath branded as Antichristian merchandise and doctrines of Divels And how many besides these who haue not yet made any separation in judgement will affection or practise from ungodly men minding earthly things despising the riches of Gods mercy luke-warme and key-cold heartlesse to any good dutie and even frozen in their dregs whose mouthes are ever vomiting unsauorie and rotten speech hands full of oppression bribery and gifts feete swift to evill having not so much as a shew of godlines whose sinnes goe before into judgement Nay I would there were not too many who having beside these outward warnings inward checkes of conscience shewing the scarres of former wounds received by wicked companie and their experienced weakenesse not able to stand out in tentation calling to them to avoid these occasions yet still linger and make no haste to get away Hence it comes that they are first bruised with some open shamefull fall before they free themselues but oh remember if thou canst not hate father mother wife and children brethren and sisters credit nay living and life for Christ thou canst not bee his Disciple Those reputed Christians are heere condemned and may iudge how farre they are from that estate they professe and boast of who finde no relish of happines in this separation but rather delight themselues in worldly and sinfull pleasures As for that libertie of Christ his easie and sweete yoake they esteeme it a burden and â—ccount that strictnes of holy life and waynednes from this world a discomfortable ioyles condition Hence is it that abusing Christian libertie unto fleshy license they condemne revile and scoffe such as will not runne with them to the same excesse of riot This their behaviour openly proclaimes them Infidels and those fooles which say in their hearts there is no God For a Christian beleeuer knowes that the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie That bond therefore which drawes them neerest and ties them fastest to the Lord Iesus they account a most happy and pleasant knot And contrary the rebellious dispositions of their nature yet cleaving to them which as uneaven nooks and corners suffer them not to lie so close to the foundation they deadly hate lament and giue them vp to the hammer of Gods word to be hewen off I cannot therefore but marveile which way these men goe about to make their hearts beleeve that they are Christians Can they be ignorant that in the death buriall and resurrection of Christ not some but every member of Christ descended into his graue and rose againe Why do they or how can they thinke that man a member of Christ who was never conformable to his death by dying to sinne nor felt the power of his resurrection through that quickning Spirit renewing him in all holinesse and righteousnes Every member of Christ is crucified to the world and the world to him They that are risen againe with Christ haue taken off their affections from earthly things and removed them to their due place even where Christ sits at the right hand of God and as Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem haue there their conversation Traveling through this world and wildernes to their Canaan they use the world as not abusing it Let these men therefore cast their counters againe and consider well how farre they are short of their account Oh whosoever thou art that goest vnder the name of a Christian and yet shakest off that bond of strictnes and power of Godlines which turneth the fountaine in the heart and the streame of mens actions from this world toward heaven despising such a course in thy selfe deriding it in others doe but a little yet seriously consider how base account thou makest of heaven and much more of the Lord of heaven Surely if a willing restraint from sinfull delights as fooles esteeme and call them is a miserable estate the heavenly Saints are more wretched then earthly men and the God of heaven blessed for ever is of all most miserable whose very essence and nature doth necessarily free him from all sinfull inclinations and know that cannot be in the least degree miserable which is in him in the highest degree who is infinitely blessed Consolation Whosoever art hated in this world separated reviled despised and reiected of earthly men whosoever art esteemd a strange creature in that thou runnest not into the same excesse of riot with the wicked comfort thy selfe Open thine eare and let in that heavenly voyce lay it up in thy heart as a cordiall Blessed are you when men hate separate and reproach you and cast out your name for evill for Christ and for the Gospell rejoyce in that day and leape for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven Harken unto me you that know righteousnesse the people in whose heart is my Law feare you not
a strong witnesse for it The grounds or reasons may bee first in God his infinite grace which opens a posterne vnto his favour for those that unfainedly returne unto him and forsake their evill wayes hee covers all their past rebellions and imputeth not sinne unto them Secondly in the Prophet his knowledge of Gods goodnesse as well by an outward and ordinary revelation in the word as by an inward experience in himselfe He had walked in some counsels of the ungodly but yet considering his wayes and turning his feete into the testimonies of his Lord he found mercy and favour The Prophet therefore first knowing blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiven to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Secondly being assured by an infallible and inward experience that when we hide not our iniquitie but acknowledge and confesse our sinnâ— the Lord forgiveth the punishment and compasseth such about with joyfull deliverance upon these grounds builds this certaine truth that the man is blessed who although he haue walked in the counsell of the ungodly yet being reproved stands not in the way of sinners but turnes his feet into the old and good way Gather hence first these instructions Instruction 1. The heart of man as it is in nature is not onely prone to evill but resolute in it resisting all meanes of recalling and hating to be reformed See Psal. 50. 17. Rom. 2. 5. Men will harden their hearts and make them as an Adamant Zechar. 7. 12. and by no meanes will yeeld to God in his word Some perhaps will object wee may see many wicked men of better temper then so Thus Rehoboam obeyed the word of the Lord by the Prophet Semajah Thus Amaziah hearkened to the voice of God and sent away the Israelites and Herod heard the word gladly reverenced the Preacher of it and did many things But we must know that the action of God bending men to subjection may be double either by a common grace of restraint or particular of the sanctifying Spirit Thus the Lord workes in Heathens I kept thee that thou should'st not sinne against mee bowing them to some kind of yeelding to some parts of his will for the good of the faithfull peace of the Church and other ends best knowne to his wisedome Secondly he plants obedience of faith in his children and brings their wills and affections under the yoke of Christ creating in them a new heart and conforming them to the divine nature But when both of these are wanting doe but obserue how men rush into all impietie breaking thorow all lets never regarding threatnings of the Law of God promises of the Gospell shame of men their own future or present good or hurt no better then mad men worse indeed then bruit beasts CoÌ„sider Pharaoh God coÌ„maÌ„ds him to let his people go serue him he defies God questioÌ„s who he is he sees divers miracles but is moved nothing at all At length his owne Inchanters tell him this is the finger of God hee relents not hee sees himselfe annoied with vermine and his Countrey destroyed yet will not stoope his owne servants intreat him to dismisse them yet still he refuseth when he was compeld to seeke vnto God by Moses and promises obedience no sooner had he rest but instantly breakes promise and furiously threatens Moses At length when affrighted with instant feare death and horâ—our he was enforced to thrust them out of his Land yet presently after he aâ—meth all AEgypt to fetch them backe againe and perisheth but yeeldeth not But he was an Heathen looke then to Professours God shewes the Iewes by a palpable demonstration that they were in his hand as clay in the Potters they deny it not hee cals them to repentance and tels them a plague else was neere them they speake desperatly surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations and doe euery man after the stubbornesse of his wicked heart The Prophet still followes them with admonition they acknowledge him a Prophet a Priest a Wise-man yet obstinately conspire against him and against the word Haue not wee such liue among us Yes thousands of swearers drunkards covetous who stand out against God his word their owne conscience their owne good and happines and scorne all stoppage Neither is there any meanes without the power of God concurring and working with it which can prevaile Are they smitten they fall away more and more they breake out to blasphemie but mend not Are they kindly intreated and waged with blessings The fatter they grow the more they kicke Deut. 32. 15. Seing man is not onely borne in sinne but bred in iniquitie there is now no way left him to come forth unto a blessed estate but onely by the path of repentance turning the heart to God and becomming a new creature See Luk. â—3 3.5 Vnlesse you repent you shall all likewise perish All men naturally are going in the broad way to destruction All haue sinned and are deprived of the glory of God This broad way therefore must bee forsaken and we must entet into that narrow tract if we meane to attaine a blessed estate Certainely as the Israelites could not enter into the Land of promise till those Rebels were consumed among them so till these cursed affections which by continuall rebellion labour to vexe the Spirit begin to die and drop away from us we are not fit to enter into the Kingdome of God Those Galileans whose bloud was mingled with their sacrifices and those who perished by the fall of the tower in Siloam were no greater sinners then others hence that woe pronounced to those vnrepentant sinners Hence our baptisme wherby we are entred into the Covenant of grace is called the baptisme of repentance and as Iohn the Baptist so also Christ begins his sermons The Kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell Nothing is availeable to this end but the new creature neither iâ—deed can we be in Christ till we are newly created and moulded For repentance is that saving grace of God whereby we are changed and become other men altogether contrary to our former estate The word of God is as a mould in which the image of Christ is liuely graven by the finger of the Spirit into which when the holy Ghost hath cast us we are transformed into the same fashion Read and consider well that similitude where the Gospell is compared to a mirrour in which beholding the image of the Lord we are transformed into the same likenesse The first alteration is in the mind from darkenesse to light Before so perverse in our judgement that wee esteemed spirituall even Gods wisedome as folly but after this new birth we discerne in this folly for so foolish men count and call it no lesse then a divine and heavenly wisdome The second change is
prosperous Commaunder Alexander the great brought into subjection the greatest paâ—t of the earth then knowne But what beast what fowle must this Papisticall Aâ—tichrist be How many feete must he haue How many wings Who in much lesse then halfe this time shall bring under his yoake and raigne over many moe Countries and people then ever Antichrist â—new Is it possible in reason that any who hath not pluckt out his eyes should thinke the Pope Christ his subject nay Deputie who opposeth and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God Doth he not challenge to be unto the Vniversall Church an head to giue influence a Monarch to giue Lawes nay a Spouse to giue and receiue benevolence so that to be subject to the Pope is of necessitie to salvation nay doth he not usurpe and with all tyrannie maintaine a Monarchicall Omnipotencie Surely that judgment mentioned by Tertullian is fallen upon them They beleeve without Scriptures that they may beleeve against Scriptures We evidently see the Prophesie of the Apostle fulfilled in them Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God hath sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies that all they might be damned which beleeved not the truth But the Popish Faction aâ—firme that they cannot bee accounted heretickes because they haue never beeâ—e convicted nor condemned by a generall Councill But first it is suâ—ficient conviction to proue an hereticke that his errour is manifestâ—d unto him by the Scripture unlesse wee will thinke Simon Magus no hereticke untill hee was dead and rotten because no Councell before his death condemned his errours Againe the Papists maintaine things openly interdicted in generall Councels Thus they use defend in their Pope the title of chiefe or highest Priest censured and forbidden by the 3. Councell of Carthage so also the worship of Angels is by them stiffely maintained yet condemned plainly by the Apostle in the old heretickes Colos. 2.18 and after by the Councell of Laodicea They set up images in Churches prohibited by the Councell of Eliberis But what hope is there that this harlot will reforme any errour who in her head Paul 4. in his Epistle to Gropper condemning certaine abuses doctrines as being such which could not by that way that is by Scripture be defended yet never reformed any either abuse or doctrine nay who in her whole representatiue bodie the Councill of Trent is not ashamed to confâ—sse that Christ ordained and distributed to his Apostles non conficientibus not adâ—inistring the Sacrament both bread and wine and cannot deny but that it was so continued in the primitiue Church yet take upon themselues power to determine that whole Christ the true Sacrament is received in the bread alone and that the Church hath authoritie to alter this institution of Christ with a most brasen face challenging right to change any thing in the Sacrament excepting the substance and so consequently denying the bloud of Christ reprâ—sented and presented in the Cup to be of the substance of the Lords Supper Let every soule try here his claim to this true blessing Two notes â—re here offered unto us by which we may come to an infallible knowledge of our estate 1. How art thou disposed to that word of God which cals thee out of thy sinne be it either some gracious promise or sharpe reproofe how standest thou affected to it The word is a fire to melt and soften the iron heart of man that it may be fit to receiue the impression of Gods image Thus Iosiah melted the hearts of Gods people tremble at his voyce and when they profit are pricked in hearing Either thou standest in the way of sinners or else it is thus with thâ—e Amaziah can with some patience heare and follow the commaund but hate the reproofe of the word Ahab can approue and obey the counsell of God in ordering his Armies but hates Michaiah who would order his conversation according to the rule of God Oh! then considâ—r how thou art disposed to the rebuke of Christ as Moses who preferred it before the treasures of AEgypt or as Herod who beheaded his messenger How ofâ—eÌ„ hast thou heard that gentle reprehension joyned with a gracious invitaton O yee disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellions doth thy heart then answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God we lie down in our eonfusion and our shame covereth us Hast thou lamented with Ephraim Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised Convert thou me and I shall be converted for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I converted I repented c. Thus doe these heires of happinesse they will lament they will mourne as for an onely sonne they will abhorre themselues and lye downe in ashes 2. Examine thy estate by thy care and endeavour to rise after thou art slipt and fallen Dost thou consider thy wayes and turne thy feete into the testimonies of the Lord Dost thou make hast and delayest not David strucken downe with that sinne of adulterie and murder and benummed with so many blowes of Satan lay a while as dead but when the rebuking voyce of God called unto him and testified Thou art the mâ—n how soone did hee awake from his swoone and expressed a whole world of griefe in one word I haue sinned As thou hast fallen with that Saint so hast thou risen with him and renewing strength hast fortified thy selfe and art become even impregnable on that side The more foule thy sinnes are the more are thy teares and sorrow the more thy loue to thy gracious Lord pardoning such and so many offences Obserue every where this disposition in the Saints and happy art thou if thou canst finde it in thy selfe But thou shalt see Ahab humble himselfe in sackcloth but still proudly and rebelliously disposed in heart Thou shalt heare the sinner say They haue stricken mee but I was not sicke they haue beatâ—n mee but I knew not when I awoke therefore will I seeke it yet still If it be thus with thee if thou confessest thy sinne with thy lippes but forsakest it not in thy heart how shouldest thou find mercy If thou tremblest for feare of judgement as Felix and yet nourishest in thee a corrupt heart and puttest off the word I will heare another time what art thou better nay how much worse then that Heathen Consider what strâ—ames of teares flowed from the eyes of Mary Magdalen What fire of loue burned in her heart How did Paul humble himselfe in respect of his persâ—cution How ardent his loue to Christ flaming out in all his actions Thus will thy heart be affected thus thy actions directed if thou art in the same estate Here come under reproofe 1. Those rebels which wilfully set themselues to resist the word of God and put it from them Two sorts may we
find among this kind of people One which more openly other that more secretly oppose it Of the one more grosse opposers we read in the old Testament Prophesie not say they to them that prophesie they shall not prophesie to them that they shall not take shame This is a rebellious people lying children children that will not heare the Law of the Lord which say unto Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceit Goe out of the way c. And the like we find in the new They commaunded them not to speake at all nor teach in the name of Iesus But when the Iewes saw the multitudes they were silled with envie and spake against those things contradicting and blaspheming Againe they opposed and blasphemed Such we see every where corrupt men sold under sin and heardned in it some drowned in a senselesse ignorance that neither doe nor will know any necessitie of this light and therefore wholy despising all prophecying And to cover their shamefull Atheisme they stand much upon prayer and doe not a little magnifie it in word But their words are wind they doe as much despise prayer indeed and as openly expresse the contempt of it in their actions as of preaching Some againe of more knowledge will not deny the necessitie of it as knowing it too shamefull to affirme there is no need of that which Christ openly testifies to be the one needfull thing Luk. 10.42 they will therefore come to it perhaps frequent it it may be pay for it but then they must haue preachers accoâ—ding to their owne not Gods heart If he will spend an houre in the pulpit in vaine flourishes of humane wisedome keepe off from their conscience and two or three houres in the Ale-house or Wine-Taverne this is the good Church-man nothing to deare for him But if he be such as dares not please men least he be turned out of Christ his service who would rather seeke their good then their good will if he bring home the rebuke of Christ to their hearts labour to beat downe their rebellion and draw them to the obedience of the Lord Iesus they will not abide him but devise an hundred slanderous discouragements and use all even the most wicked meanes to stop his mouth Many other are there which not so openly resist the word yet in some private and retired actions stand out in rebellion against the Lord. How many thousands liue among us convinced of their sinnes yâ—t living in them and following them with greedinesse Doth not the covetous know that he is an Idolatâ—r that extortioners usurers and oppressours shall not entâ—r into the Kingdome of God doth not the drunkard swearer curser Sabboth-breakâ—r know he liues in sinne and is under the curse and wrath of God yet doe they reforme their wayes and make conscience of dutie when they haue warning from God How farre are thâ—y from it Looke to the meaner sort they harden themselues in ignorance looke to the great ones they haue altogether broken the yoke Oh! that these would turne into their hearts and consider what they doe that they would well ponder first the folly then the heinousnesse and hatefulnesse of this their behaviour certainely nothing can be invented more fooliâ—h no marveile if the Wisedome of God continually debaâ—es these men with the title of fooles in the Proverbs for can any naturall folly be compared with this Find in all thâ— world such a foole that wilfully will runne into knowne and confessed destruction that will struggle with his Master whom he knowes stronger and able to over-master him And doe not men know and acknowledge God to be Almightie not to be resisted yet will they provoke him Are we not naturally afraid of those who can kill the body and where is the feare of him who can kill body and soule Now how odious it is and hainous may appeare in two circumstances first the greatnesse secondly the goodnesse of the person whom we offend provoke The Lord is the great King and his name dreadfull even among the heathen the pure Angels nay the rebellious devils tremble at his presence His goodnesse to us is unutterable he is our Father the fountaine of our life and all blessings which we enjoy expect or desire How great an offence is treason against a King the Lords annointed how hainous the rebellion of a child against a father how detestable the insurrection of unnaturall Absolon against David his King and Father so compleate a King so loving a Father how grievous to thy soule is the rebellion of thy wife child or servant hence God compares it to witchcraft for in it as in witchcraft the Covenant is broken God renownced and the Devill acknowledgâ—d for God and Lord our vowes of obedience to God utterly broken our soules delivered up unto the service of the Prince of darkenesse and disobedience What tongue can sharpen it selfe sufficiently vpon this occasion to cut a passage through rockes and Adamants unto the secure and carelesse hearts of men what trumpet can sound loud enough to awake their dead spirits God created us most blessed and gaue us power to stand in that happy estate we wilfully forsooke the meanes and it Since when we were carried downe in the torrent of our lusts into utter destruction and are even sinking into that bottomlesse pit he casteth out to us the cords of his loue to draw us haleth to us with a loud voyce to looke about to see and consider our danger betimes to take hold of mercy before we sinke and are past recoverie In the meane time as if we were rather bathing in the very fountaines of all felicitie then swallowed in these whirl-pools of death and hell we passe along plesantly never oâ—ce respecting his voyce or dreaming of any danger The Lord hath sent in among us his Heralds never so many never so loud they haue cryed out to us they haue lifted up their voices like trumpets and haue shewed us our crying sinnes what hath followed Some few as the shaking of an Oliue tree two or three berries in the utmost boughs haue hearkened and trembled at the word and taking hold of the rocke of their salvation haue tuâ—ned their feete into the old and good way some haue obtained but the rest are hardened How lamentable a spectacle is ready to meete us at every turne numberles numbers of men and women young and old rich and poore running a vie who shall safest plie himselfe in the wayeâ— of sinne and who shall first deepest plunge himselfe into hell Surely as the men of God were wont to go to the house of the Lord Psal. 42. 4 so go these men to the chambers of death with the voice of singing as a multitude that keepeth a feast how truly may God expostulate with us as once with his people by swearing lying and killing
stealing they break out and bloud toucheth bloud how often loud hath God by the voice of his Embassadors cried in the cares of earthly Gods how long will you judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Doe right to the poore and fatherlesse doe justice to the afflicted and needie If not I haue said you are Gods and the children of the most high but you shall die as a man and you Princes shall fall like other But may we not still complaine In thee haue they oppressed the stranger in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse and widdow How frequently and earnestly hath the great Iudge of all the world in his Law charged Lawyers Thou shalt not overthrow the right of the poore in his suit Thou shalt keepe thee from a false matter Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise perverteth the way of the righteous If you goe on shall they not take up a taunting proverbe against you and say hoe they increase that which is not their owne how long and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay yet still is it true in thee haue they taken gifts to shed bloud and they loue to say with shame bring you they eate up the people as bread they build plant purchase and make no end till their heires spend it as ill as they got it How straitly hath God commaunded the rich thou shalt open thy hand to thy poore brother and lend him sufficient for his need Thou shalt not giue to vsury to thy brother vsury of money vsury of meat or vsury of any thing that is put to vsury thou shalt releeue thy brother thou shalt take no vsury nor vantage He that was infinitely rich became poore for our sakes that we through his povertie might bee made rich Sell that you haue and giue almes make you bags which wax not old a treasure that can never faile in heaven If not know the Vsurer or Extortioner shall never enter upon my mount Know that thou shalt weepe and howle and the rust of thy treasure shall eate thy soule like fire and so thou hast heaped up goodly treasure for thy selfe against the last day even treasures of wrath against the day of wrath Yet to how many thousands may we say thou hast taken vsury and increase thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion and hast forgotten me saith the Lord God How many that buy the poore for silver and the needie for shoes How continually hath the Lord called upon us Take not my name in vaine sweare not at all aboue all things sweare not O doe not this abominable thing which my soule hateth Is it not enough that thou refrainest prayer and prayse but thou wilt blaspheme Wilt thou turne those calves of thy lippes my due sacrifice to dogges or hell-hounds barking against thy Creatour Remember thy selfe and me and know I will not hold thee guiltlesse my curse shall here light vpon thee how much more hereafter Yet still the Land mournes for oathes Men haue made a conspiracie all sorts sexes ages haue whet and set their tongues against heaven hardly one of an hundred that feares an oath How loud hath God thâ—ndered his woes against iâ—temperate persons Woe to them that rise up earely to follow drunkennesse and continue till night vntill the wine doe inflame them woe to them that are mightie to drinke wine and strong to powre in strong drinke woe to the drunkards of Ephraim Hee counselleth looke not on the wine when it is red and sheweth his colour in the cup. Take heed least your hearts be oppressed with surfeting and drunkennesse If not know that day will come upon you unawares no drunkard shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven â— yet what place is there where this devill of drunkennesse hath not entred into the swine and carried them headlong into destruction Court Citie Country nay even the Vniversities all haue erred because of wine and are out of the way because of strong drinke for all their tables are full of filthy vomiting and no place is cleane the Dutch manners haue followed the Dutch errours and the stench of it is gone vp to heaven incessantly cals vpon the justice of God for vengeance Even then when all Religion and Charitie lamentably implored our helpe in fasting praying and humbling our soules to intreat the Lord for his afflicted Church when the Adversaries roared in the midst of the Congregation and set up their banners for signes we were so farre from fearing that curse of Meroz for not going to helpe the Lord against the mighty or at least striving for them by prayers hâ—miliation that when God called to weeping and mourning behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen killing sheepe eating and drinking for to morrow we shall die Doth not the word daily sound in our eares Drinke the waters of thine owne cistern rejoyce with the wife of thy youth let her breasts satisfie thee at all time but keepe thee farre from the strange woman and come not neere the doores of her house desire not her beautie in thy heart else shalt thou bee brought to a peice of bread Thou shalt mourne in the end when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy body yet what fruit haue we returned to God from the fulnes of our long peace but this I have fed them to the full yet committed they adulterie and assembled themselues by companies in harlots houses They rose up like fed horses every one neighed after his neighbours wife and what followes but even that threatning shall I noâ— visit for these things shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this To draw a little neerer to our selues in particular doe not the Messengers of Christ sojourning among us as his Leigers daily call intreat and invite us to repentance Turne you cast away all your transgressions make you a new heart aud a new spirit for why will you dye When God hath allotted you six dayes and appropriated but one to himselfe when he doth not challenge two or three houres but the day to be separated to his holy service when hee hath hedged and and walled in this his peculiar with so many cautions motiues why will you thus transgresse against the Lord why will you or how dare you make it common by doing your owne workes and speaking your own words on the Lords day When the Lord hath so fearefully adjured us I charge thee by God and the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ preach the word be instant in season out of season and so often and strictly charged you bee slow to speake but swift to heare long for the sincere milke of the Gospell that thou mayest grow by it Take heed how thou hearest why doe wee nâ—glect Christ Iesus speaking
to us in these glad tydings of salvation Why doe we turn away our eares say in heart as those wretched Iewes we are Lords wee will no more come at thee When we admonish you Speake every man the truth unto his neighbour let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which tends to edifying Put away bitternesse anger and all evill speaking let no uncleannes be so much as named among you as becommeth Saints for none such haue inheritance with God Clense thy heart from the leaven of maliciousnesse purge thy tongue from railing reviling slandering when wee are thus earnest with you what fruit reape wee from all our labour we speake in the ayre we see these sinnes and many other spring grow and flourish among you Some very few haue their hearts opened but most shut up their eares and hearts least Christ knocking by his word should enter and while wee mourne for them in secret they openly laugh at us while we pray for them they mocke and flout us But what will you doe in the end thereof Know assuredly and oh that he who hath the keyes of David would let this knowledge into thy heart Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee and thy turnings backe shall reproue thee Know therefore and behold it is an evill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee saith the Lord of Hoasts Hence may the contrite and broken heart gather strength and comfort it selfe in the Lord God hath not cast away sinners but hath purposely sent his sonne to heale and saue them Therfore he is annointed and made the Christ of God that he might heale the broken hearted that he should preach deliverance to the Captiues should set at libertie them that are bruised Therfore Christ sends his Messengers and his word to open mens eyes that they may turne from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith The Lord hath opened unto us a passage to returne to his grace by Christ and to eternall happinesse But some dejected soule will say O I haue walked in the counsell of the ungodly I haue not onely delighted in wicked companie but all my life haue I spent in vanitie and noisome lusts I haue greedily followed the pleasures of youth and haue not with-held from mine eyes whatsoever they haue desired when my pleasures grew loathsome then with as much violence I pursued the world and the covetous desires of it and all my care and delight was here on earth to plant build and purchase for my selfe an earthly convenience As for those fruits of the Spirit that house made without hands eternall in the heavens the inheritance of the Saints in light I seldome dreamed of it but neglected the gracious offers of God But let me aske thee Dost thou not still persevere in the way of sinners Now that thine eyes are opened to see thy vanitie dost thou lament thy folly turne thy feet with hast into the good way Dost thou cry uncessantly O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and direct his steppes O therfore turne thou mine eyes away from vanitie and quicken thou me in the way Dost thou labour to redeeme thy lost time know then all is safe with thee Some will reply O but my sins are an heavie burden too heavie for me pressing downâ— my soule to hell Then hast thou right unto Christ therâ—fore be of good comfort arise he calleth thee Come unâ—to me all you that are wearie and heavie laden and I will ease you Cast away this cloke of sâ—ame and come unto thy Saviour But I am the chiefe of sinners Another claimes this precedencie who was yet the chiefe of Saints For this cause heinous offenders haue beene received to mâ—rcie that that for thy example Christ should shew all long suffering to those which should beleeve in his name beleeve therefore and thou shalt be saved O but my time is past I haue not regarded God heretofore in his word and now I am shut out foe ever No time is past while thou hast any time God hath not tied himself unto thy times but hath put theÌ„ into his owne hand So long as he lends his voyce to call thy time is not past But alas I feele a world of sinful filthines still dwelling rebelling in me now more then ever Know this is rather a symptome of health then sicknes Thou feelest sinne more now not because it but because thy health and sense of Spirit increases diseases in their strength dead the senses so that little paine is felt but when life prevailes and begins to expell the sicke matter our paine with our sense returnes Know assuredly he that hath dethroned sinne raigning in thee can easily subdue sinne fighting against thee Look then into thy bosome if thou findest there an heart melting and trembling at the word thrusting it selfe with all humble subjection into the yoake of Christ answering to his call Seeke my face Lord thy face will I seek thou art then in that true way which leads to blessednes nay that way which is blessednesse even Iesus Christ thy head Let every soule therefore stirre up it selfe and first weighing that warning given us by the wisdome of God If sinners entise thee consent thou not walke not thou in the way with them c then take words of exhortation and lay them to heart say unto thy soule Thou hast wearied thy selfe in thy wayes and hast found nothing thou hast hunted for the delights and pleasures of the sons of men thou hast â—â—ken pleasure in pleasant things thou hast proved thy selfe with joy and when thou hast caught it thou hast found it vanitie thou hast said of laughter thou art mad and of joy what is it that thou doest thou hast gathered to thy selfe silver and gold and chiefe treasures thou art wonderfully increased and behold all is vanitie and vexation of spirit Say unto the world so many yeares haue I served thee in all thy profits and pleasures I was in the day consumed with heat and with frosts in the night my sleep departed from mine eyes and thou hast changed my wages tenne times Gen. 31. 7 40. my childhood I gaue thee for babies my youth for wantones my riper age for riches behold all is vanitie and now except my God had beene with mee thou hadst sent me away empty Gen. 31.42 Say unto sinne O thou wicked and bewitching strumpet thus long haue I waited upon thy pleasures and fulfilled thy sinfull lusts I haue polluted my selfe and am become as an AEthiopian I haue doted upon thee served thee with greedinesse for thee had I forsaken all those rich graces and hopes layd up for me in heaven and what
any man he driues him thâ—ough all the degrees of sinne carries him headlong and suffâ—rs him not to stoppe unlesse the Lord over-rule him till hee bee plunged in the bottomlesse pit Hence it is that the faithfull are first awaked and commaunded to stand up to receiue light and being once raysed and quickâ—ed with Christ they goe from strength to strength till they appeare all of them before the Lord in Sion They mend their speed and runne in the way of Gods commandements burning in loue they forget what is behind reach forth to that which is before presse hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Hence is it that wicked men wax worse and worse rush into all impietie as an horse to the battell and being caught and violently driven as a ship in a storme with the tempest of their sensuall desires never stop but in eternall death So as the godly goe on from faith to vertue from vertue to knowledge from knowledge to temperance c. so the wicked man laying a foundation in ignorance buildeth upon it wilfulnesse wilfull darknesse growes up to obstinacie and hardnesse of heart hardnesse procures senslesnes want of feeling ushers into wantonnes and delight in sinne and this delight brings in greedinesse O there is in the sinfull heart of man a praecipice and strange downefall in the desire and practise of iniquitie which will not indure any stay till it be cut off by God being either stopped by his grace and turned into the good way or stroken with death and sent to their place hurried with sensualitie they cannot cease to sinne drinke iniquitie as a thirstie man water as it drawes them so they draw it with cart-ropes they will take great paines to doe â—ickedly And as a man that wilfully flings himselfe from an high rocke or steeple cannot stay but still fals and the further hee goes sinkes with more force and speed so is it with our sinfull nature altogether like those swine in the Gospell which being left to the Devill were carried by him and could not stop till they came to those steepe rockes nor stay there till they had cast themselues downe into the sea and were stifeled Obserue it in some particulars When Satan had kindled in the heart of Cain that hellish brand of anger it could not be quenched with the neerenesse of bloud and deere relation of an onely Brother till anger had enflamed it with hatred and hatred broke out into actuall murder So in Sodome fulnesse of bread or luxury breedes idlenesse idlenesse lust and lust rushes into that bestiall filthinesse against nature And would to God some remnants of this cursed disposition remained not still in the faithfull howsoever it be over-mastered by his Spirit dwelling in them and raigning for Christ. When David gaue his eyes leaue to wander in wanton lookes his eyes draw his heart to wanton thoughts and desires and his heart driues on his body to actuall uncleannesse Thus was he carried headlong to adultery adultery puls him on under pretence of saving his credit to make Vriah drunke and at length to murder him Consider this with feare and not onely know the falsenesse and cunning deceiveablenes of the heart but remember that when men even Gods chosen giue way to sinne God often suffers them to be carried down in the current of it that before they can thinke of it they are almost sunke and swallowed in death and despaire There is that vnmeasurable pride in the heart of man that it will with no great difficultie be brought to mock God in his word in his works in his Saints For as God is denied so is he derided eyther in word and open profession of Atheism or more secretly in rebellious actions proceeding from inward contempt of God As there are some which haue denied God in words through feare and weakenes which yet confessed him in their heart so are there many who professing God in their words deny him in workes being altogether abominable disobedient and to every good worke reprobate Neither are these Atheists to be found among Heathens onely but every where swarme in the visible Church of God How often doth the wisedome of God complaine of and threatens the despisers of his word How often doe the Prophets cry out of them I am in derision daily every one mocketh me the word of God was made a reproach to me and a derision daily see the manner of their skosting They say unto me where is the word of the Lord let it come now Thus Ezekiell chap. 33. 32. So likewise God is mocked in his workes by those Atheists which being foretold by the Apostles wee see daily walking after their lusts Numberles are they that mocke God in his Saints see Psal. 14. 6. and 69. 7. 9. 11. 12. It might seeme a strange and marveilous thing that even those who professe Christ should mocke him should mocke him in his word and despise his wisedome in those ordinances which himselfe appointed and commended to his Church unlesse the Spirit had shewed us the cause of it namely the naturall man discernes not the things of God but judges them folly now we know that folly is the most proper object of scorne And many hipocrites are in the visible Church who haue Lord often in their mouthes yet never in their hearts but are in deed howsoever in shew they seeme otherwise naturall sensuall and divellish Doe but obserue the ordinarie behaviour of men in this open light how common is it for men to absent themselues from the publike service of God in the Sabboth never blushing in plaine termes to prefer their owne vaine conceits before the ordinances of God affirming and maintaining that they can serue God as well at home and in the chimney corner by reading some good booke c. as in the Church by hearing the Preacher And so wilfully blind are they that they cannot see how basely in this they esteeme of Gods wisedome who continually employes his servants and commands them to be instant the wisedome of God sends them Prophets Apostles wise men c. If God send them dare wee thinke it needlesse were hee not more then fond who would send a Guide with a man who without any direction can as well come to his journeyes end How ordinary is it to draw neere to God in his word to set before him yet openly by sleeping reading nay many times talking proclaimâ— the contempt and scorne in which they hold that Ordinance the power of God to salvation This behaviour were intollerable toward men yet God must take it at our hand Offer such service to thy Prince and try whether he will be content with it and accept thy person If he commaund thee to attend his pleasure at the Court and sets thee a day darest thou breake day with him darest thou
refuse and answer that thou canst doe him as good service at home If thy father be in conference with thee direct thee how to assure to thy selfe and thy posteritie thy inheritance were it not an impudent contempt in the meane time to stand prating with some servant or lye downe and sleepe How palpable then is our base conceit of God and his words that when we heare his Wisedome affirming blessed are they that heare me wait upon the posts of my doors Get thee forth if thou wouldest finde me by the steppes of the flocks and feed thy kids by the tents of the shepheards warnes us not to forsake the Assemblies dare reply againe I shall doe as well at home in mine owne house as in his Courts I shall as soone finde him in my private walkes as among the flockes and shepheards The cause of this contempt questionlesse is that soveraigntie and dominion of lust in the heart which swayeth the whole man yea even rides him as with a snaffle turning him from the way it liketh not and driving him as with a spur to any action though never so unreasonable This the Apostle intimates where he giues a generall cause of this action in scornfull men namely their following of lusts more particularly those worldly lusts of covetousnesse are most strong this way to draw the heart unto this despising of the word All this heard the Pharises who were covetous and they mocked him Thus those mockers Ezâ—k 33. 31. Howsoever it pleaseth the Lord sometimes even out of the chaire of scorning to bring some home to his own dominion so to manifest the power of his word and the wonders of his grace yet certainly such are farthest off from his kingdome and in a more remote distance from happinesse then other degrees of sinners For in some kindes it is not with sinfull dispositions as with these postures of the body the body which walkes neither stands nor sits the body which stands neither sits nor walkes and that which sits neither walkes nor stands but that soule which stands in the way of sinners walks in the counsell of the ungodly and hee which sits with scorners both walkes and stands with sinners For as a reasonable creature includes and comprehends both vegetation and sense and as higher degrees of holines containe the lower so in sin he that sitâ— in the seate of mockers in the same instant walkes in the counsell of the ungodly and stands also in the way of sinners Mocking of Gods Messengers and despising the word is expressed by God to be the last and lowest degree of sinne in his people immediately going before destruction 2 Chron. 36. 16. scorners are an abomination to men therefore Sarah could not indure mocking Ismael to stay in her house with her son Gen. 21.9.10 How much more detestable are they in those most pure eyes of God and shall be thrust out of his house A fearefull curse God pronounceth upon any child that shall mocke his Father in the flesh or despiseth his Mothers instruction the ravens of the valley shall picke out his eyes Surely then that soule which mocketh his Creatour and despiseth the instruction of the heavenly Ierusalem that fowle of the ayre who pickes up that good seed shall devoure it Try here thy wayes see and consider how far thou hast proceeded in the paths of death hast thou hearkned to the counsell of the ungodly hast thou stood with sinners so that after conviction and checks of conscience thou hast still gone further and sate downe among the despisers and mockers Thou art even at the pits brinke there is but a step betwixt death and thee and if thou dost not quickly draw backe thy foote thou wilt soone fall into a bottomlesse perdition Now because every one flatters himselfe and drawes out his name from this number remember as before was shewed that God is mocked in his workes in his word in his Saints For even he that mocketh the poore reprocheth his Maker and all these kinds of mocking are either inward by despising see Prov. 1. 22. 24. 25. thus Michal despised David in her heart or outward partly by word injesting flouting scornfull speaking thus Elisha was mocked come up thou bald head come up thou bald head or by actions and gestures as Christ was derided by the Souldiers they cloth him with purple they crowne him with thornes they bend the knee c. Now then consider thy wayes The Lord in the Sabbath calls thee to remembrance of that great worke the creation of thee and all the world that greater of thy redemption by Christ hast thou not here sate with scorners For hast thou neither in thy heart lightly esteem'd nor in thy words jested nor in thy actions slighted this solemne day and so scorned that great work of God offering grace unto thee in his Ordinances How many must confesse themselues guiltie of this sinne For the word when thou hast heard it sometime threatning sometime promising hast thou not set it at thy heeles hast thou neither in thought word or action sleighted it When thou hast conversed with the Saints hast thou not despised that holy fellowship and skoffed like profane Ismael Common and ordinary is this abuse and too few who can exempt themselues from this sinne Looke therfore about thee and quickly retire thy seâ—fe least thou fall into that pit whence there is no returning for if thou continuest to goe on in this last degree thou maiest soon proceed so farre that thou shalt never be able to retire Certainely to crucifie Christ againe to make a mocke of him to forsake the holy fellowship of the Saints and after knowledge wilfully to plunge our selues into sinne not some particular sinne but that generall renounciâ—g of our holy profession which will easily and soone insue upon this scorning and is but the last degree of it is a state not onely dangerous but desperate see Heb. 6. 6. and 10. 25. 26. 27. How sharply then are all scorners to be rebuked as 1. Those who inwardly despise or outwardly deride God in his workes Do but consider how generall this sin is by some few particulars for how doth the pridâ— of the rich and wealthy carry them in heart to despise the poor and to expresse it in their words and actions How basely do they account of them as if they had no fellowship with them in the same nature and grace Let a man converse with us who bâ—ares an high sail whose lands wâ—alth friendsâ— apparrel are fair he hath all respect and curtesie from us be he never so poor in grace nay openly known to be a bondslave to sin and Satan But if a man of meane parentage and estate though indeed a sonne of God rich in grace and heire of glory have any thing to do with us we will hardly afford him a kind looke or word How common is this vanitie
are ravished with that beautie of his holinesse and in their prayse double this propertie Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts In man it is the very image when hee is begotten unto God as his child through the immortall seed of his word hee doth resemble his heavenly Father which therefore the Lord commaunds us to follow and to labour for it and sets downe the penaltie of our neglect wee shall never see his face but shall bee banished from his presence It is the very end why God hath chosen us why Christ hath given himselfe for us yea the effect of his bloud the especiall worke of Gods Spirit dwelling in us In a word it is the very nature of God communicated to us There is no sinne therefore which more evidently exalts it selfe against Christ none that reacheth so high toward heaven in defiance of God as this when men despise in heart this image and nature of God and in despitefull termes and gestures publish themselues the scornefull enemies of holinesse How common this divellish profanenesse is may easily bee seene first in fastning the odious name of Sectaries and Heretickes upon those which desire and endeavour to flie the corruption which is in the world through lust and in truth of heart to follow after righteousnesse for if a man with feare and trembling striues to eschew evill and doe good and hath set up his resolution to walke godlily righteously and soberly in this present world how soone is hee branded by worldly and wicked men with the name of a Puritane Which being ancient Heretikes sheltring their ranke and stinking sinnes under that abuse of Scripture To the pure all things are pure pretended themselues to be cleane pure and holy in the practise of all filthinesse Nay they are not afraid if they discerne in any more shewes of godlinesse then ordinary to deride him by applying to him that title which is the most honourable that belongs to a Christian as This is one of the holy Brotherhood one of the holy Sisters Surely if they think them not such and speake ironically accounting them hipocrites of whome they thus speake for thus they excuse themselves then are they most vnexcusable who dare abuse to mockery the greatest honour that ever God vouchsafed the creature to be a Brother and heire with Christ and to apply a name appropriate to Gods Saints unto such as they esteeme no better then whited tombes and painted sepulchers And because folly is the especiall object of contempt they are come to that height of bold Atheisme that they will impudently terme such Gods fooles But as the Apostle affirmes the folly of God to be farre aboue the wisedome of men so these fooles as they call them of God are farre aboue these worldly wise Achitophels who with all their policie can never escape nay by it runne into destruction and perdition of body and soule That these should be Christians who mocke Christianitie that these should bee children of God who scoffe at the Brotherhood of Christ let them beleeue who can for my selfe I cannot see how the greatest charitie which is alwayes joyned with wisedome can otherwise account of these men then of most wretched Infidels filled with contempt of Christ and hellish Atheisme well therefore may we pray against their wickednesse let the lying lips be made dumbe which speake grievous things proudly contemptuously against the righteous We are a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and derision to those that are round about us Render seven fold into their bosome the reproch wherewith they haue reproched thee O Lord. Those that despise the word of God and him in this his Ordinance are here evidently condemned Let such know it is impossible to separate the despising of the meanest in Gods Ministrie from the contempt of Christ and God his Father he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee where Christ in generall speaketh of all Ministers whom hee employeth in the glad tydings of salvation and particularly of such as were not Apostles but the seventie Disciples who if we consider them at that time in the knowledge of Christian mysteries of faith were farre inferiour to the most ordinary Professours at this day In vaine therefore shall men plead before the tribunall of Christ Lord when did we heare thee preaching unto us and scorned thy word for he will nay hath already answered he that heareth whom I send heareth me and therefore what you haue done to the lowest of these my messengers you haue done unto mee Moreover there is nothing more certaine then this judgement of God that hee will mockâ— and scorne thy word when thou with as much earnestnes shalt sue to him as he now to thee Bâ—cause you despised all my counsell I will laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commâ—th See also Psalme 2. vers 4. And herein the Romish Church manifesteth her whordome in that shee hath and still doth make a mocke of that most holy word of Christ. Surely that which Pope Leo 10. spoke the rest of that Hierarchie thinke and are not dainty to expresse their thoughts in their actions who blasphemously boasted that the fable or tale of Christ had brought them no small advantage Evidently in those two actions doe they discover themselues what they thinke of Religion 1. That they turne the whole streame of it into the bottomlesse gulfe of their covetousnesse and ambition frame it wholy to earthly ends accepting no doctrine nor allowing it as good which tends not to the advancement of the Clergie and either directly or by some fetching about brings them in profit or honour This cannot but appeare to any man who doth not winke or lookes not through Iesuiticall spectacles 2. In that they equall such humane writings with the divine in which shines no sparke of divine light but are branded with manifest untruths and impossibilities and ascribe such workes to the holy Ghost wherein the Authour protests his end of writing to delight the eare of the reader nay desires to be excused for slender and bare speaking Hence arises much consolation to an afflicted soule which having a deepe sense of sinne speakes as the Apostle I am chiefe of sinners How farre soever thou hast gone in evill if thou turne from it and â—efusest any longer to sit in the chaire of scorning thou shalt be accepted and blessed There are three degrees of men departed this life the first when a man is newly dead and layd out another cosâ—in'd and going to the graue a third buried and stinking in the tombe Christ raised all these Iairus daughter in the house the widowes son upon the beare going to the graue Lazarus in the sepulchre he quickens by his spirit not only those that are dead but buried also in sinnes and trespasses Feare not therefore but come unto Christ or rather
we may more then probably gather from one to another but especially to the Patriarchs by inspiration and gift of Prophecie But in processe of time when he had called out a Nation sanctified them to himselfe to be his Church and people he contracted this spirituall light into the body of the Scripture and appointed not onely the people in his Chuâ—ch but even the Starres the Ministers to take from it what they brought to us and to shine with no other beames to the people then which they drew from the word Hence the Prophet recals the people to this fountaine of light to the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no lightâ— in them Hence so often called Light and the Apostle as before witnesseth that the Minister is made wise to salvation and perfect to every good worke by it As therefore the Creatour framed one great originall light to rule the day so that by the beames of it the creature might haue power to discerne all things necessarie to be seene so to this end he calleth the Scripture light because he hath given it a lightsome qualitie whereby it discovers unto us whatsoever is necessary to eternall life and it might direct and instruct us in every good way and worke for surely words are to the eare the same that light is to the eye the eye by light discerneth things visible and distinguisheth every creature which it seeth so the word of man opens his intention to us which else lieth hidden in his heart and is altogether imperceptible Thus the word of God doth manifest unto us the will and purpose of God and cleerely reveales to all and every one what is necessary for them to know as being all plaine to them that will understand Now then seeing God cannot dissemble and it were blasphemie to affirme that he who hath given us Christ would giue us an obscure light which should make us doubtfull in seeing and should utter words to discover his minde which wee cannot understand this he doth in judgment to the reprobate but he deales not so with his children see Mar. 4. 11. 12. How lewdly doth he thinke of God who should affirme that he giues to his children a word cals it light commaunds them so to use it and continually to converse with it which yet is darke and imperfect and may easily deceiue them 2. The word whether that which God hath written downe for our eyes by the hands of his Secretaries or that which he speaketh to our â—ares by the mouth of his Messengers is the very law doctrine and word of that great Iehova the Lord of all and therefore so to be received with more reverence and subjection then any word or law of any creature The first of these is evidently affirmed here namely that this doctrine is the law of the Lord the second necessarily deducted that therfore it must bee received with all submission and obedience which becomes us servants to so great a Lord. Neither can this doctrine be confined to the Scriptures onely seing God doth not onely by writing but by preaching teach us the way to happinesse and lead us in it Hence is it that as the Scriptures are sayd to be inspired of God and by the moving of the holy Ghost so our Saviour without any ambiguitie plainely testifies that he speakes and is heard in his Ministers Flesh and bloud stands out against this truth and by no meanes will yeeld to it that the Ministers who now liue speake the very word of God and that the word which they heare is indeed not mans but Gods The Prophets say they and Apostles were extraordinary men and furnished with peculiar gifts for such a calling and with an unerring spirit therfore their word was infallibly Godâ— message and so to be received but not so the Ministers of our times who haue not the same gifts but may erre and be deceived True it is that the Prophets and Apostles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so infallibly assisted by the Spirit that they could not erre in their preaching and therefore their word without skanning might be safely received by those who knew them to be such But because even the faithfull themselues did not at the first thus know them therefore they examined their preaching by the touch-stone of the Scripture Paul was a singular Apostle in doctrine and miracles c. yet did not the faithfull take his word at adventure but tryed it by the Scripture and then gaue credit to it Acts 17. 11. Nay certainly had even these men though knowne Apostles preached other doctrine then was revealed in the written word it might not be received And therefore though the Ministers of these times are nothing comparable to them in gifts yet being Messengers of the same God sent by him when they speake the same doctrine which was before by them published and after left in writing they speake no lesse the word of God then they unlesse we thinke the qualitie of man can alter the truth of God When Satan spoke Thou art the holy one of God was it not the truth When Balaam a false Prophet over-ruled by God prophecied was not the prophecietrue because the tongue was false and might nay often did speake lies How much more is that word to be received as the truth of God which being spoken by his Messengers is no other then himselfe hath written In the time of the Law as there were some extraordinary Ministers as Prophets so were there ordinary Teachers the Levites who expounded the Law instructed the people and dare any man deny their preaching to be the word of God So was it likewise in the times of the Apostles They ordained Ministers in every congregation and was not their word the embassage of God Epaphras no Apostle and as farre as wee can gather no inspired Preacher yet planted the Church of the Colossians and the word preached by him was the word of Christ the Gospell the word of truth To conclude this point Hence the word delivered by Timothy an inferiour Minister was equally the word of God as if it had beene uttered by the Apostle see 1 Thes. 2. 13. Nay it must be remembred that those words of our Saviour he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me were not spoken to the Apostles but to the seventie Disciples and then when as yet the holy Ghost was not given nay when as yet the Apostles themselues were altogether unacquainted with the chiefe mysteries of salvation even the death and resurrection of Christ. But if any man reply that he cannot giue so assured assent unto the word now preached as to that of the Apostles let him know the fault is in himselfe not in the word and Ordinance of God for he ought to be so stedfastly grounded in the truth that if Angels from heaven
should preach otherwise he should bee able to distinguish and accurse it know therefore Pastors and Teachers are as well given by Christ to his Church as Apostles and Evangelists both are his Messengers and these speake no lesse the word of God then the other so farre as they mingle not their own inventions but keep themselues to their commission and instructions delivered to them in the packet of the Scripture How therefore this word is to be received with what reverence and subject obedience judge thy selfe and consider the example of Cornelius see Acts 10. 33. nay even of that Heathen King who rose up from his Throne to receiue a message sent from God but delivered by a subject 3. The Law or word of God is full of sweetnesse and pleasure containing in it whatsoever may giue content or joy to the heart of man This truth evidently appeares in this place seeing delight in it is here required of all those which shall be blessed The experience of Gods Saints and their profession approues it They rejoyce in heart Sweeter then the hony or the hony combe They are the joy of our hearts The words of truth are pleasant words Hence the Church of Christ affirmes the mouth of Christ to be as sweet things And the reason is evident For as nothing is more grievous to the nature of man then darkâ—nesse imprisonment death so nothing more cheerefull then the contrary light liberty and life Now the word of God is the very light of our eyes not onely as the bodily light which is but a medium or meane of seeingâ— but first opening the eye and giving it inward light and then as a meane and outward light revealing other things to us So is it also called the meanes of libertie as well discovering unto us our naturall bondage and slaâ—very and how we are freed by Christ as also bringing us out of the chaines of Satan into the libertie of Gods childâ—en Hence it is called the Law of libertie So Christ is sent to preach libertie to the captiues Certainely the word of God is to the soule of man as the Angell to Peter It findes him in prison bound with divers chaines in a deepe sleepe in a darke Dungeon but it wakes him stirres him vp shakes off his bonds brings him out opens the iron gate and leaues him not till he is come to himselfe and feeles he is delivered by Christ. Nay it is his life by which being dead in sinnes and trespasses by nature he is quickned and raised up not to a corruptible but eternall and glorious life Therefore is it called our life that is the meanes which God hath appointed as well to giue us life as here to continue it therefore compared to seede and foode Looke then as light is a pleasant thing and it is a good thing to the eyes to see the Sunne so much more the soule which hath beene long held in miserable blindnesse and darkenesse cannot but rejoyce in the word which brings him that true light As a man being held in fetters and restraint is in a new world when he enjoyes his libertie so likewise that captiue soule which hath long beene bound and held fast by Satan in those heavie chaines of sinne is wonderfully ravished with the joyfull message of that glorious libertie Or as a man dying and ready to drop into the graue is not a little revived with the promise of a skilfull Physitian assuring him life so the soule that is now drawing neere to the gates of Hell and almost swallowed up in eternall death how is hee refreshed with the glad tydings of Salvation Therefore in all the historie of the Apostles travels and publishing the Gospell we shall ever finde that this word preached fild the Cities houses and hearts of men with rejoycing and gladnesse see Act. 8. 8.39 and 13.48 and 16. 34. And indeed as Corne Wine and such creatures were purposely created by God to strengthen and cheere up the body of man and by his ordinance not of themselues haue this power force to worke to that end to which he ordained them so this food of the soule is that creature appointed by God to fill the soule with gladnes strength to life eternall and therefore shall not misse of this end where God employeth it Even in earthly affaires heavinesse in the heart of man doth bring it downe but a good word reioyceth it how much more true is this of the word of God If that friendly word of Boaz fill'd the heart of Ruth with comfort and joy that being a stranger and having forsaken her friends and Country she found new friends good words and usage in a forraine place how much more must the cordials of that great Comforter in his word cheering our hearts and assuring us that though we haue forgotten our owne people and our fathers house yet of strangers and forreiners we are entred into the household of God and haue found the Lord Iesus so sure and fast a friend to our soules how much more joy and cheerfulnesse will this put into us How doe coole waters refresh a wearie Pilgrime toiled in dust and travaile so is glad newes from a farre Countrey Surely when the soule hath wearied it selfe and found nothing when it is tired in the travaile dust and sweate of the world and hath found all to be vanitie and vexation of spirit how welcome are those waters of life flowing from the Sanctuary how ravishing those glad tydings of pâ—ace sent downe from heaven by the Lord Iesus Christ and brought home to â—his heart by the blessed Spirit in the ministerie of the Gospell which is the power of God to salvation 4. It is not onely the dutie of such who desire happinesse to exercise their senses in the word of God but to doe it with delight that their hearts should stand so affected to the word as to their refreshing and pleasure for here is the feast of fat things which the Lord maketh for all nations and therefore inviteth to come cheerefully unto it being free and costing us nothing and willeth us to delight our soules in fatnesse verily the promise of delighting our selues in the Lord is confined to that dutie of delighting in these duties And indeed this delight being nothing else but that willingnesse of minde pleasing it selfe in this action infinite passages shall we finde in the scripture bending this way and exhorting us to embrace the word with this willing cheerefulnesse Bee swift to heare Be more ready to heare c. And the practise of the Saints is evident to this end as was before proved Reason will further enforce this affection upon us for 1. It is an Ordinance of God purposely set out by him for this end even to solace the heart and fill it with true joy and comfort as was before shewed and hence is it
of the Lord is perfect 2. By many necessary arguments it may be proved for that is perfect to which nothing may be added or from it detracted and thus is it with the Scripture Deut. 4.2 and 12. 32. Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22. 18. 19. And very idle is the cavill of the Papists who affirme that the Prophets and Apostles added many things But first for the Prophets it is cleere that they added no new doctrine as was said before but in their prophecies largely expounded further enforced the duties before coÌ„manded not the most prying â—apist is able to shew any new doctrine in any Prophet which before by Moses was not delivered The Apostles disclaime all addition as before we saw Act. 26.22 Againe that w ch is able to make wise to salvation through faith that is a perfect rule doctrine such is the Scripture Nay that which is inspired by God to this end that the man of God even every faithfull Minister may be made perfect in his office to instruct refute exhort c. that surely is a perfect rule but such is the Scripture see 2 Tim. 3â—15 16.17 Let contentious heretickes search their braines to finde out thorny distinâ—tions and subtile shifts to delude the truth But farre be it from any who truely feareth God and hath tasted his loue once to imagine that he hath given to the wicked world a perfect light beside the lesser lights that he madâ— al things eveÌ„ the most abject creatures perfect in their kind but gaue his Elect an imperfect light not able to direct them sufficiently to lifeâ— that he made his word so excellent a creature lame and imperfect Surely though the Lord hath appointed Ministers as lesser lights and left some glimmering traditions to cleare some darker poynts yet he is wilfully blind that will not confesse the Scripture to be that great and set light from whose beames all other receiue their lustre so that whatsoever shines not with this light is but as rotten wood glaring in â—he night to such as erre in darkenesse bnt when it is brought to the light is indeed very dirt and of no use for any direction see Esay 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 1. Those are here reproved who in practise of religion will either adde to this Law or diminish for many will put religion in many things which haue no warrant from this Law and other as farre wide on the other hand will take libertie to detract from it making no conscience of duties there commanded This fault is not onely palpable among the Antichriâ—stian Papists who haue addâ—d Lawes of perfection and rules of religion which they magnifie and extoll aboue the rule of Christ as of Dominicke Francis c. and place the top and pitch of their devotion in abstinence from meatâ—s marriage and other lawfull and holy ordinances of God lâ—aving the meaner degrees of holinesse to Laiks which consisteth in keeping the commandments of God but challenging the height of perfection to their religious orders Friers Nunnes c. standing only in wil-worship and devices of men So also they make light account of many precepts insomuch that they place among their veniall sins divers grievous and enormous transgressions of the Law as well against God as man affirming that they need no repentance but are taken off by sprinkling holy water the Bishops blessing saying a Pater noster although the person mindeth not what he sayes Thus it seemes that with them one grosse sinne may take away another But this offence is common also among many other ignorant people who are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth Thus some put all their religion into their good meaning some place it in the outward and formall performance of some duties Many savoring strongly of the old leaven imagine they doe not a little please God in abstaining from some meates in the time of Lent They will serue God at home when they should be employed in his publike service by reading some good booke and saying some good prayers in their chimney corner nay even in the place and season of hearing they will be reading and so plucke down that curse on their heads He that turneth away his eare from hearing even his prayer shall be abominable There is no more common sinne thâ—n this presumption to prescribe unto God a worship of their owne devising and despise that wisedome of God in his perfect law by preferâ—ing their owne conceits before it curtailing his worship and cutting it off at their pleasure and piecing it out and lengthning it againe with their owne inventions This rebelâ—ioÌ„ as it raigned among the heathens so it prevailed even among Gods people so farre that it made all their service and their persons also most odious and abhorrâ—d to God as we may see Psal. 106. 29. 30. Esay 1.11.12.13.14.15 What Prince will endure lawes to be by his subjeâ—ts prescribed to him what Father or Master will be obeyed at his childs or servants discretioÌ„ How strange is this pride that we should disdaine to receiue from a fellow-creature whom we wage for a fâ—w pâ—nce that usage service which we wil put upon God what madnâ—s in men to thinke that either they should know better then God how he should be worshipped or that God will take this insolent carriage at their hands to giue him what they list 2. Here comes under censure that impudence of men w ch deny God in his word some more grosly in speech others little lâ—sse palpably altogether as lewdly in their workes Oh! how many are there in every Congregation which deny the Lord and say It is not he The Prophets shall be as the winde and the word is not in them The generalitie of men are like Ahab 2 King 22. greedily they drinke in any flattery of Sycophants but if any speake to them that which is evill that is if we tell them they shall not proâ—per in their wickednes in their swearing oppression drunknes preseÌ„tly they hate both the word speaker and are ready to reply with those proud men thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee It is with the Ministers of Christ as sometimes it was with his owne person Luke 4. 22.23.24 c. At first they all gaue witnes to him wondered at the gracious words which he spake but when he came neere the quicke and began to grate upon their galled consciences presently they thrust him out of their Citie would haue slung him headlong from the brow of the hill Thus also inâ—inite numbers of people deny him in their workes utterly refusing to square their life practice according to this rule of Gods word whereby the Lord is manifestly denied For when they confesse with their tongues that it is Gods will yâ—t resolue in their hearts to doe their own their practice is as an hundred tongues to proclaime their deniall of God
the Spirit resembles the word to an hammer that breaketh the stone and doctrine to morter which holds us in this building so is it that meanes whereby God builds further When our happinesse is compared to an harvest then the word is called seed the Prâ—achers of it sowers The word likewise is raine thâ— Preachers those that water When the blessed estate of man is compared to an inheritance the word is not onely made the meanes whereby we become Sonnes but is said to giue us inheritance with the Saints Very frequent are these similitudes in the Scripture Looke therefore as in all creatures God hath ordained the fruit and therâ—fore appointed the meanes which being blessed by him bring forth their â—ffâ—cts so in this kinde whom God hath ordained unto eternall life to them he sends his word blesseth it and so produceth the effect purposed by himselfe As when he created the first Adam he created no more though he were Almighty to haue of nothing framed many millions but appointed all other men yea even Eve her self to flow from his loynes so when he gaue our Lord to be the second Adam he decreed that all his Elect should flow from him sâ—t out this immortall seed to this end though he be able of stones to raise up childreÌ„ unto Abraham yet doth he use no other means then this appointed by his own wisdom either to giue this life or to nourish it 2. Seing the word of God is the Guide which leades us to happinesse we learne also hence one of the most principal duties of man namely to heare read record and converse with it imploying his time in it Art thou a Minister of the word then hast thou this precept from God giue attendance to reading take heed unto learning continue therein Art thou an hearer Thou must be swift to heare It in authoritie then Gods charge lies upon thee He shall write him this law repeated in a booke and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord. The like command is given to Ioshua Whatsoever thou art hearken to that generall commandement All these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually My sonne hearken unto my words incline thine eare unto my sayings Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thy heart Let the word of God dwell in you richly The practise of the Saints answereth this precept Thus David he loves the Law this constant love brought forth continuall meditation So Ieremie and Iob Ier. 15. 16. Iob 23. 12. And even our reason it selfe if we hearken to it will strongly enforce this dutie upon us Our owne sense will tell us that an excellent object of the eye is the writings of mâ—n skilfull wittie and learned whereby with little paines we come to know all the fruit of their studies and reape in a few houres what they haue laboured many yeares Now if the writings of prudent and understanding men in which all their wisedome and their very soules are opened and discovered to us be the most noble object of a reasonable creatures eye then certainely the most excelling object of a Christian eye is the written word of God which unlocks and brings forth unto our view the glorious wisedome of our God Thy reason therfore will frame this argument Every creature ought principally to employ it selfe in that which is the most excellent object of it but the Scripture is the most excellent object of the eye therefore the eye must especially busie and employ it selfe in conversing with the Scripture So likewise the most proper object of the eare is sound the most excellent object of the eare is the voice of man and words expressing their notions but that which infinitely excells it is the word of God and his voice unfolding his gracious purpose towards us and therefore aboue all other to be most attended followed The most proper object of the understanding is truth the most excellent then must be the truth of God Certainly the highest degree of happinesse consisteth in our likenesse to God and therefore our beholding him as he is being the meanes whereby we are conformed to his image is of all other things most to bee desired When therefore we shall see him face to face and know him as we are knowne then shall we in our measure be perfected after the similitude of his glory see 1 Iohn 3. 2. Thus when Moses desired to see the glory of God though hee could not see him face to face which no man living on earth can doe but the backe parts alone that is discerned so much onely of his glory as our imperfect nature can receiue as when we see the backe of a man our knowledge is but imperfect yet his face shined so gloriously that the people yea his owne brother Aaron feared to come neere him Our imperfect happinesse then to which we may attaine on earth is to bee imperfectly conformed to his likenesse in some degree of holinesse which is effected by beholding him in his word For now in the prâ—ached word of God we see him not indeed face to face yet not as the Iewes veiled but with open face and so by looking into that perfect myrrour wherin he shines forth unto us in his grace we are changed into the same image by the spirit of the Lord. Looke as the eye receiues into it selfe the object or thing it sees so that it may be seene in the eye so the understanding being as the Philosopher speakes all to all taking into it selfe the image of God expressed in his word is more more conformed unto it A seale joyned to waxe brings forth the same impressure when therefore the Spirit having graven this image of God in his holy word thâ—n applies it effectually to the understanding it cannot but produce the same image and stampe If therefore we would diligently consider and compare those places Iâ—r 9.23.24 and Rom. 10. 14. we would soone confesse 1. that all our good consisteth in the knowledge of God and 2. that the knowledge of God depends on his word and then necessarily acknowledge that it is a maine dutie of every man to converse with the word of God and continually to meditate in it 3. It is also a second dutie belonging to every Christian to bring forth this word which he hath layd up in his heart for the edification of others as occasion shall bee offered this is especially intended by the Apostle Let every man as he hath received the gift minister the same one to another If thou art in the Ministerie then hast thou a strict charge from God to feede the flocke and to be instant in season and out of season If thou art one of
the sheepe of Christ yet common is this precept to be in some kinde a builder But you Beloved build up your selues in youâ— most holy faith The word must dwell richly in us that wee may teach and admonish one another we must exhort one another and edifie one another Reason also will enforce it For in common good workes evâ—ry one should put to his helping hand Children and women may forward a building and thâ—ugh the Masons and Carpâ—nters be the principall yet the house will sooner be finished where many hands make light worke why are we called members one of the other if not in this respect The principall mâ—mbers are especially appointed for the good of the rest but no member unprofitable in the coâ—mon good of the bodie The head conveyes sense and motion the heart life to the more speciall parts but these deriue it to others and those other to the rest Thus is it in the mysticall body Againe the more we build up others the more our selues are builded up in faith and every grace Thus the Apostle knew that by strengthning the Romans himselfe should receiue further strength and comfort As a good Prince the more he inriches his Kingdome the more he encreaseth his owne revenewes and fils his Exchequer The Saints also regulate their practise by this precept Thus Aquila and Priscilla take home unto them Apollos an eloquent Teacher and instruct him more perfectly in the way of the Lord. David and Bathsheba instruct Salomon their sonne Abraham his houshold nay even a woman feares not to admonish David Therefore as the Minister being appointed by God and set over any flocke is bound by the Lord to employ the gifts bestowed on him to the building of that people to bring forth old and new as a good Scribe to shew the light of the word to those that sit in darkenesse for instruction to the ignorant for refutation to those that erre for reproofe against such as sinne for comfort to the afflicted for exhortation to the sloathfull so likewise is every Christian bound as God giues abilitie and opportunitie to apply the same word to the same ends where they see need of it Surely if men that are rich in this unrighteous Mammon are charged not to store it up in chests but in those living bags even everie needie Christian how much more doth the Lord require it as an especial dutie at our hand to succour any Brother distressed in any spirituall want so far as he enableth us with the riches of his grace 4. It is not enough for a Christian to heare and read the word frequently to thinke and speake of it to apply it to others but he must also bring it out into his practise and must in all his carriage and conversation shew forth the fruit of this good seed Thus the Apostles are commaunded both to haue this light kindled up in their own hearts and to set it out in their good workes So the Apostles commaund others not onely that it must dwell richly within them but also to hold forth the word of life Doing is frequently in the Scripture and in our practise ought ever to be coupled with hearing See Iam. 1. 22. Mat. 7. 24. Luk. 8.21 Iohn 13.17 Reason will also further presse this dutie For 1. God therefore reveales and teacheth us his will to that very end that wee may doe it See Deut. 6.1 and 29. 29. Now then seeing the end of any action is the accomplishment and perfection of it that man is an unreasonable creature who would doe a thing to no end and no better then a foole that will doe it but to a wrong end 2. It is not the hearing but the doing of the word which makes us blessed see Mat. 7. 21. Iam. 1. 25. hearing indeed is the way to doing but doing the way to happinesse 3. Learning without doing will heape up more vengeance Luke 12. 47. For when we know the will of our Prince Father Master this makes our negligence to bee contempt not onely unexcusable but heynous It was a good advice of a Morall Philosopher who counselled not onely women but even men also to carry a looking-glasse continually about them but to this end that often beholding their feature and forme in it if they found the outward proportion comely then to labour that the inside might be correspondent but if they perceived any naturall deformitie in the body then to striâ—e to hide or out-shine it with inward beautie How good counsell is this for a Christian with a little change wee should ever haue this excellent mirrour about us to this end that by it we might mend all our imperfections and take away the spots of our defiled nature For certainely to little purpose doth that man behold himselfe in this Glasse who when he hath seene any blots or filthinesse in himselfe doth not presently employ his best endevors to wash and clense his soule Verily there is nothing that settles and rootes the word in the heart of man but this practise For as in any other trade or Art when any precept is layd downe to us and we presently put it in practise we make it our owne for ever but if our practise follow not our Masters instruction we soone forget it so is it here see Iames 1. 23. 24. 5. A Christian that intends to come to this happy estate must continually meditate in the word of God that is he must heare read thinke of speake and practice this word frequently at all occasions not neglecting any opportunitie sometime he cannot heare but then hee may read sometimes he may not read but then he may heare sometimes neither of both but then hee may thinke of it recall it into his memorie and even digest it sometime he hath fit opportunitie to speake of it conferring with others when none of the other can bee used All these haue or ought to haue their seasons For the former we must set out some times for them but in practice no time omitted This part of meditation in the word must be without intermission Thus are we commaunded Read all the dayes of thy life Deut. 17. 19. Rehearse them continually Talke of them sitting downe rising up lying downe walking abroad Deut. 6. 7. Meditate day and night Ioshua 1. 8. Heare as new borne babes 1 Pet. 2. 2. Doe and keepe them all the dayes of our life Deut. 6. 1. 2. Thus likewise the Ministers are commaunded to bee instant in season out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. In the morning to sow their seede and in the evening not to cease Eccle. 11. 6. Our reason also will perswade this frequency and continuance For 1. We know not which the Lord will blesse which shall prosper whether this or that or whether both shall be good a-like Wee know not the way of the Spirit Eccles 11.5 6. 2. We are very forgetfull in nature even in civill
their season And wilt thou take from one businesse to giue to another and yet so little regard this dutie as to make it waite vpon thy leasure nay utterly neglect and exclude it Lastly thine owne heart tells thee it is false when thou pleadest thou hast no time youth will finde time enough for their sports elder men to confer of worldly affaires and the oldest to prattle of things long since out of remembrance and hadst thou as much will as time thou wouldest finde sufficient leasure for this dutie But there is something to be gotten by diligence and labour in our earthly callings True The soule of the diâ—â—gent shall haue plentie But what Is there nothing to be gotten by this spirituall diligence by a frequent conversing with God in his word no riches no honour or prefâ—â—mâ—nt Is Christ no riches is it no honour to be the Sonne of God an heire with Christ And is not this obtained by the word and by it onely Search all the earth and see if thou canst find one faithfull Christian who when thou hast gottâ—n all the world before thee will change the least portion of grace gotten in the use of the word for all thy honour and wealth For that other part of meditation most properly so called that is recollecting and recalling to â—ur mindes what we haue read or heard which settles the other and is as the covering this good seed in our hearts and hiding it vp for fruitfull practise it is hardly thought on How few account it needful how very few that practise it For the most part as soone as men come out of the Church they fare as boyes that come out of Schoole The younger sort fall to sport and play the elder to confer of some weekely matters and thus if any of that good word cleaâ—e unto them they cast it out and giue it up as a prey to the Devill Surely as those greedy and noisome fowles wait upon us in our seed times and lie by shoals upon our Lands to devoure the good seed which is cast into the â—urrow so these foule spirits then especially by legions waite and watch us when we come to this seed time of eternall life and being full of envie and malice labour with all their craft either to turne away our eares from it or else by vaine thoughts or other idâ—e matters to steale it away froÌ„ us that we may be wholy barren and unfruitfull Now then how lamentable is it to see men so carefull in this earthly seed which sustaines their temporall life and estate so very carefull that they set up sâ—arcrowes they watch their lands they haue children with clacks and slings to fright the ravening fowle and keepe off the vermine but for this heavenly fruit wherâ—by they enter and grow in life eteâ—nall they are wholy carelessâ— of it sâ—me by sleepe and drowsinesse invite the Devill to come upon them some by stubbornes stonines of heart joyne with the Devill to keepe it out from the soule â—specially by neglect of meditation they betray themselues and even offer up this precious seed to that foule Spirit 3. Those are here reproved who instruct not others as they are able in the word If they haue knowledge they laugh and despise but teach not the ignorant Haue they servants grosly blind so let them lie they will never offer to bring them out of this darkenesse nay even wiâ—es and children they instruct not hence God curseth them with eye-servants untoward and froward women disobedient children If they see a Brother sinne doe they apply a seasonable and loving reproofe or admonition when they see men over-seene in drinke heare others sweare doe they reproue the offender that he may be found in the faith No such matter They make themselues merrie with such enormous sins by which God is made angry his wrath provoked by w ch they evidently discover themselues that they are not seasoned with any one graine of true and saving grace which is as a leaven spreading and catching like fire ever communicating it selfe as it hath power to any with whom we liue and converse If wee see a man able though not bound to it neglect a common worke we will thinke and judge hardly and how are we to be blamed who neglect this common worke belonging to all Christians especially being bound to it as well in charitie to our Brethren as by the evident and peremptory commaund of God Levit. 19. 17. When we see any dejected with the sight of sinne we will either jest at it or perswade him it is melancholie draw him to companie so to driue out the worke of Gods Spirit with some worke of Satan Thus we are so farre from provoking such as goe slowly by exhortation to mend their pace that rather we discourage them in their beginnings and by opposing our selues would stop and turne them backe to their former deadnesse Oh! if men especially those who are of more knowledge and greater place would joyne in this worke of God with his builders how fast would the Temple of the Lord rise aud goe forward how blessed would this Nation and Church be But now when the Minister is forsaken and left alone to all this busines having so many lets and opposites it is no marvaile if the building goe on very slowly But let us take good heed to our selues marke the cheerfull disposition of the people toward the rearing up the Tabernacle Such was their willing liberalitie that Moses was enforced by proclamation to restraine their readinesse in offering Compare Exod. 35. 5. 6. 21.22 23. with chap. 36. 5. 6. How shall they condemne this generation who utterly withdraw their hand from this holy worke and will not so much as lend us a copie of their countenance toward the rearing of Gods living Temples How lewdly doe many neglect the practise of this divine law Certainely as any dutie is more for Gods honour and their profit so is it by them more despised they will read rather then heare heare rather then practise the corrupt nature of man detesteth this subjection Rom. 8. 7. If God commaund any thing be it never so easie or delightfull it is hated so the Sabboth but what he forbids be it never so grievous they will doe it as kill themselues sacrifice their children to Divels Very many are open Rebels and though they are called and would be counted Christians yet resolutely refuse to yeeld subjection to the law of Christ and will not sticke plainely to proclaime it The word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee but wee will doe whatsoever thing goeth out of our mouth and so palpably doe they trangresse that when they haue sworne obedience and professe it in generall they will utterly deny it in the particulars compare Ier. 42. 5. 6. with that 43. 2. 4. especially where they are crost in those things which their
another or when a sience is cut off from one stocke and grafted into another Thus in the Scripture we shall find that men are taken out of the world and removed to the house of God and especially we shall often read the similitude of grafting applied to the Saints because growing naturally in the first Adam we are cut off from that wild stocke and are implanted into the second â—dam Christ Iesus 3. Lastly waters may be here taken for the word of God the water of the Sanctuary such as is drunke downe into the soule by the eare So againe Apollos is said to water 1. Cor. 3. 6. Againe water may here signifie the Spirit not as there is in water a power to wash and clense as sometimes it is taken but as moisture is an especially principall of life the word and Spirit being to a Christian for eternall life as moisture to a plant or palme So the sense of the point is Whosoever forsaketh the way of wickednesse and constantly delights in the word and meditates in it is like to a palme which a man transplanteth into a fertile soile hee shall bee nourished with those pure rivers of the Sanctuary hee shall be watered by the Spirit of grace Proofe Ier. 17â— 7. 8. and Rom. 11. 23. As for grounds we shall not need to insist on any Sufficient is it to name those which the Spirit himselfe hath mentioned the bountie and goodnesse of God Rom. 11.22 Apply this 1. for Instruction 1. As a tree transplanted or a sience grafted into a new stocke is altogether altered in the qualitie so whosoever is ordained to a blessed estate must bee and in due time is wholy changed and entred into a new condition much differing nay indeed quite contrary to the former This alteration is expressed in Scripture many wayes sometime we are commanded in plaine words to be changed or metamorphosed as Rom. 12. 2 even moulded or stamped and so to be fashionâ—d after the image of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. So likewise that word which is used most commonly for repentance as Mark 1. 15. signifies a change of the mind that as repentance is the first evidence of our happinesse so it consisteth of a through alteration both of the inward and outward man Thus also by metaphors and many full similitudes it is frequently described by the Spirit The former estate of man is called darkenesse the new light so that as palpable as the change is from night to day and as contrary as darkenes is to light so is it here Now this darkenesse intends 1. A grosse ignorance of God and of his will which is the cause of all miserie For as to know God is the onely happinesse and nothing else worth the rejoycing it is eternall life so ignorance of God must of necessitie be miserie and death eternall Thus the Apostle describes this difference plainly The naturall man doth not cannot discerne the things of God as being spiritually discerned the spirituall man discerneth all things 2. Darkenesse is taken in the word for that sinfull filthinesse which abhorres the light and for all manner of hatefull and abominable iniquitie see Ioh. 3. 19. called therefore the workes of night and of darkenesse So againe the Spirit resembles this estate to a new man and a new creature Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 24. Colos. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Foâ— as when some excellent Artificer hath framed a statue of gold and silver and employing all his cunning hath made it goodly and beautifull to the eye if by any mishap if fall is broken and defaced he causeth it againe to passe through the fire and casting it into the former mould brings it out perfect and as or more faire then ever So when the Lord saw us whom he had formed after his owne image by our fall bruiâ—ed broken and altogether deformed he melts us againe and renews his glorious likenesse upon us so that now wee are not the same men or creatures which we were before But as that frame of the workeman when it is broken is the same for substance but in shape contrary so here the bodies and soules are the same in their essence but altogether contrary in qualitie So likewise this difference is resembled to life and death Colos. 2. 13. Ephe. 2. 1. 5. Now therefore as the same body when it is dead hath no sâ—nsâ— in it or motion belonging to life but rots stinks and is most loathsome so that men not onely stop their noses but shut their eyes and even tremble to behold it but being aliue was moveable sensible amiable and excâ—eding beautifull even to ravish the eye so that state of sinne that body of death from which we are changed if we could throughly looke into it is more foule and loathsome then any corporall pollution but that life of Christ more louely and ravishing then wee in this glimmering light can possibly conceiue and imagine But to passe by very many similitudes none is more frequent then this of grafting And as grafting is double either by implanting a base sience into a noble and generous stocke or letting a good and pleasant sience into a base and sower stocke so in this spirituall planting we shall find sometime the stocke to be Christ the true vine and naturall Olive sometime our cursed nature is compared to the body of tree and the word of God resembled to the graft as Iam. 1. 21. so then as a wild oliue grafted into a true is partaker of the sap and fruit of the good Oliue and is utterly changed and becomes of another nature and tast so when we are grafted into Christ wee receiue all spirituall influence from him whereby ws are fruitfull for without him we can doâ— nothing Iohn 15. 5. Likewise as when a good graft is let into a wild crab-stocke the sience so alters and sweetens that sower and harsh juice of the stocke that the fruit becomes altogether contrary to the former and is very pleasant so when the word is grafted into us it so changes our affections and all the inward man that we bring forrh cleane contrary to our corrupt natureâ— the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse There must bee therefore and certainely is a change in man before he can attaine any happinesse What it is may be gathered by that which hath beene spoken and specially from this comparison for when we transplant any tree wee doe it to this end that wee may enjoy better fruit of it as disliking that which is naturall to it To open it yet morefully the former similitudes excellently set it out unto our eyes As first that metaphor of light that by nature wee are even naturalls or mad men in respect of spirituall understanding hauing the eye of supernaturall reason in the knowledge of God quite put out and in the stead of that lightsome eye representing spiritualll things an hellish darke and
divelliâ—h eye full of lies succeeds it The losse of the former necessarily inferres ignorance of good the other presents to us evill in the forme and appearance of good As fooles by want of naturall wisedome know not the worth of things excellent and by a childish folly esteeme highly of vaine uselesse and unprofitable things or as mad men that haue no knowledge of their friends but esteeme them enemies and desperately in spight of all good counsell runne into any danger or mischiefe so senselesse man hating indeed God himselfe and all the meanes and offers of life willingly followes the Devill through sinne unto hell can discerne no goodnes in that which is truely good but seemes to see much content in vanitie and that which leads him to destruction In a word before our transplantation our fruits are described by the Spirit namely adulterie fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse Idolatry withcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revilings and such like after our implanting we may see the spirituall fruits set out in the same place love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperanee and such like see also 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. 11. Necessary is this change seing we are all naturally accursed but without it there can be no passage from cursing to blessing from one contrary to another Againe God the Father hath decreed for the honour of the Sonne that all nations shall bee blessed in him and none saved but by his name that he shall bee the head of every creature Now then wee must of necessitie be cut off from the first Adam before we can be grafted into the second Adam and cannot be blessed in him till we be grafted into him 2. Whosoever forsakes his sinne and with delight meditates in the word of God day and night that word shall bee to him as water to a plant it shall continually nourish him in the life of grace and that gracious and holy Spirit shall as a River feede and sustaine him in this blessed life that he may continue and daily encrease in this spirituall fruitfulnesse This is here evidently aâ—firmed by the Psalmist often and strongly confirmed by other Scriptures and the examples of the Saints He that heareth me hath everlasting life He makes them to rest in green pastures and leads them by the still waters They shall bee as a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not And againe Their soule shall be as a watered garden Certainely that holy Spirit himselfe enters into us by his word Gal. 3. 2. Acts 10. 33.44 And even hence is it that the Spirit compareth the word so often to seed and food as the meanes whereby life growth and strength spirituall is given us Every severall creature hath his peculiar nourishment but this onely is the food which nourishes the new creature to life eternall True is it of the bodily much more of spirituall life that man liues not by bread onely but by every word that commeth out of the mouth of God Thus when the Thessalonians received the word not as mans but Gods it was effectuall and wrought mightily in them â— Thes. 2.13 Thus whensoever the Prophet â— found himselfe dull heartlesse and dead in performance of any dutie he had recourse to this word and found quickning grace Psal. 119. 50.93 And indeed as every creature hath his force and worke by Gods appointment and ordinance and not by any thing of it selfe and therefore worketh only to that end which he hath set out for it so this word is by him ordained to this purpose namely to giue and maintaine spirituall life and hence it powerfully worketh and misseth not this effect Manifest is it that in the word written the image of the essentiall word even of Christ is engraven and figured by the Spirit of God and evident that our soules are as waxe liable to any impression good or bad Now then when that blessed Spirit applieth this word to our hearts having before prepared and fitted them for it and often by delight and meditation renewes this impression hee will bring in us still continue and daily renew the same forme and image in our soules 3. Wheresoever this word hath made an effectuall entrance and brought in with it the spirit of grace that word and Spirit shall be not onely as water but as rivers of water Standing waters will soone be corrupt stinke and become unhealthfull and noysome to the body but running waters are ever sweete and wholesome Standing waters will dry up and faile but the Rivers fed with living Springs continue and endure even in heat and drought Such as forsaking this word follow their owne devices are like those who make pits and forsake the rivers their pits yeeld unwholesome and poysonous waters and soone are dryed up and faile but hee that cleaues to the word and Spirit working in it shall be certaine to finde health and continuall supply This comparison is used by the Spirit Ier. 2. 13. Obserue those words in the Prophet Ezek. 47. 8. 9. 11. There we shall perceiue that those running waters of the Sanctuary are very healthfull but when wretched men mingle them with their owne mire their owne muddie braines and inventions they shall be as salt pits not healed There is no doubt but these waters are the Apostolicall doctrines delivered by them first in preaching secondly in writing This is that wholesome doctrine so often commended to the Ministers of God 1 Tim. 1. 10. and 6. 3. 2 Tim. 1.13 Tit. 1.9 and 2. 1. So likewise it continues and stayes by us when this seed is sowen it abideth in us It shall not be taken from us Marke the covenant of God He puts his law into the hearts of the faithfull and writes it in their inward parts so that this law shall not be razed out nor the Covenant broken as the former but such a feare of his name there setled that they shall never depart from God Read Ier. 31. 33. and 32.40 It shall be as a living fountaine in the heart springing up to life eternall See Iohn 4. 14. and 7. 38. 39. The word of God is an immortall seed and abides for ever not as earthly seed which when it is sowen and is fruitfull dyeth and emptieth it selfe to fill up the eare but this still continues and is a living roote ever sending forth the fruits of spirituall life Men perish the best of men faileâ— The very Prophets which are vessels bringing this word are as speakes the Apostle earthen vessels and are broken but the word which they bring surviues them and thousand generations after them Read Zach. 1.5.6 To shut up this point for continuance both of the word and Spirit we haue that faithfull promise made to our head As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is upon thee and my words which
which thus we acknowledge should call for it and there were no other end but onely the honour and glory of our Creatour and Redeemer were not this sufficient nay abundant to draw us to a diligent performance of this dutie Heâ— hath made us the most excellent creatures upon earth and out of the dust hath promoted us to this dignitie redeemed us from a woefull captivitie into which we were fallen by our owne folly in us and our rebellion against him and would not this challenge a much greater matter at our hand then to come into his presence there to honour him there to heare him informe us in his will and to put up our complaints and petitions to him by which we acknowledge him our Lord and Soveraign which indeed is rather a grâ—at privilâ—dge then any burdensome service But when our profit is joyned with his glory and as he receiues some honour from us so we receiue infinite blessings from him when our necessitie if we haue any sense of it the most miseâ—able povertie of our soules so many grievances nakednesse blindnes nay a very hell upon earth thrusteth us forward and tels us to our face there is no helpe in us but points us out to him and to his Courts which he hath made his Store-house there to cover our filthy nakednesse by putting on Christ so glorious cloathing there to giue light to our eyes there to poure out to us the great riches of his grace there by waiting on the posts of his doores to make us blessed and happy In a word by observing a temporall rest of grace to bring us to his eternall rest of glory what contempt of God what cursed Atheisme nay what spirituall madnesse drawes away our hearts from this dutie It is indeed no marvaile to see a foole or distracted man neglect those persons and duties in which consists their well-being for the cause is evident the want or deprivation of that reason which should guide them in such actions but to heare a man confesse my experience teacheth me that all earthly things so farre as I haue enjoyed them are vanitie and vexation the Scripture teacheth me that there is no happinesse no nor content for man but onely the enjoying God who is indeed the onely supreme good I cannot enjoy God nor ever see him with comfort but onely by holinesse Heb. 12. 14. I cannot attaine to holinesse but onely by the truth which is the word of God Iohn 17. 17. and aboue all things I desire to be happy to see now this man despise the word of God and set more light by it then by his old shooes how can we wonder enough at such a disposition Oh you heavens be astonied at this be afraid and utterly confounded saith the Lord for my people haue committed two evils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and digged them pits even broken pits which will hold no water What creature even the heaven it â—elfe may not wonder and tremble to thinke that those who professe themselues Gods people and confesse him their fountaine of all life and comfort should yet forsake him even in those Ordinances whereby as by pipes he conveyes his grace and imparts himselfe to them drawes them home and unites them to himselfe and should cleaue unto their vanities which their owne sense and experience will tell them are but meere deceits and lyes promising much happinesse performing all miserie here vexation hereafter damnation 4. The beginning weake and distressed Christian hath here an handle offered him to take hold of comfort and apply it to his troubled soule Many a weakling who sees in himselfe nothing but a delight in the law of God in the inward man and rather a desire then a power to meditate in it is not a little grieved yea amazed He lookes into his soule findes there many sinfull infirmities nay fleshly rebellions against the Spirit standing out and not yeelding to the law of God sometime leading him captiue to the law of sinne and in this particular although he find a thirst of the word before he come comfort and delight in hearing yet both when hee is in the house of God many times distractions of vaine thoughts withdraw his eare and when he is gone waut of memorie makes the word nothing so fruitfull as it should be and to weigh downe all this evill he sees no other good but onely his delight in the law of God and some fruits of it as lamenting his sinfull estate wrastling against his cursed nature and hence he is not a little troubled and many times grievously affrighted But know 1. it is thus with Gods dearest children as with the Apostle He could not doe the good thing he would That measure of obedience in hearing and doing the will of God which he desired to giue he could not giue it the evill which hee would not doe hee did perhaps vaine thoughts in hearing God and speaking from him and such like sinfull infirmities faine he would haue utterly cast off but could not he saw much miserie in his nature sinfull rebellion against the law of God to answere all this he found nothing but his delight in the law of God yet was hee a most deere child of God and in an happy estate 2. Remember that where once the Spirit hath made a channell to convey into any heart his word and grace he never leaues it dry This good part shall not bee taken from thee This seed shall remaine in thee This water shall spring to everlasting life Remember that promise Esay 59. 21. and waite upon the Lord with patience As the Minister is commaunded to suffâ—r in preaching 2 Tim. 4. 2. so you in hearing Heb. 13. 22. and to bring forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. How long doth many a good Minister preach with diligence before he sees the least hope of fruit At length some few blades spring up here and there why then shouldest thou expect seede time and harvest all in a day Consider the exhortation Iames 5. 7. The Husbandman waiteth for the precious yet corruptible fruit of the earth and hath long patience shouldst not thou with more comfort and patience wait for that incorruptible and heavenly fruit promised in fulnesse to those that hunger for it Dost thou then find that good seed cast into thy heart Dost thou feele it begin to roote it selfe in a constant delight Doth it send forth any fruit and shew it selfe though yet weakly Remember thy harvest is but in the blade as yet and thy faith a graine of mustard seed the least of seeds but when once growne the greatest among hearbs Mat. 13. 32. 5. Let us be exhorted to forsake this barren and dry wildernesse where no water is this accursed estate of sinne and come out to this land flowing with milke and honey Leaue this AEgypt the place of bondage and oppression and come out to this true Canaan And
for motiues consider the diâ—ference betwixt these conditions and estates of men excellently resembled in those two types those two Countries so contrary AEgypt and Canaan Read it set out to thee Deut. 11. 10.11 12. 2. Consider the disposition of every creature No man will refuse to flit from a dwelling in which he sees and findes many discommodities to a place wher he shall enjoy an happy estate and liue in health and plentie If thou desirest to know the meanes it is by receiving the word grafted with meekenesse Iam. 1.21 Now this meeknesse is that Christian vertue which proceeding from humilitie and being opposite to frowardnesse and stubbornnesse of heart bends and bowes our soules in all gentlenesse to the yoake of Christ as acknowledging him the just Commaunder our selues his subjects and servants Proposition 2. The second proposition in this verse drawne from the properties is Hee that delights and meditates in the word of God day night is like to a tree that bringeth forth fruit in season whose leafe shall never fade In which are two especiall things making up and accomplishing the happinesse of the faithfull soule which seekes the Lord in his word 1. The effects and fruits following this planting and watering 2. The perseverance or continuance in this estate The effects are two 1. in this life the fruit of grace 2. in the other the fruitioÌ„ of glory For I take it as certaine that the Spirit here intendeth both as well because glory is the especiall part of our blessednesse here described as also because this bringing forth fruit in season will rather agree to that perfect fruit which we receiue in glory then the other No sooner is the tree transplanted but fruit instantly followes but the perfection and full ripenesse of it is not here gathered but hereafter in heaven Some here resemble faith to the leafe but that being the speciall fruit of grace cannot fitly be thus compared The purpose of the Spirit without all question by the never-fading leafe is to expresse the ever-flourishing estate and life of the godly It is not therefore necessary to descend to any particular and in this similitude to liken any one thing in the faithfull to this leafe but sufficient that as the tree whose leafe is ever green continually flourisheth and even in the midst of winter liues and prospers so the godly in the most troublesome stormes of all tryall and tentation shall pâ—rsevere in this spirituall life and even then shall sucke that heavenly sap from Christ and openly flourish in an holy profession Now I see not any difficultie in these words but onely it may seeme doubtfull in what sense these fâ—uits of grace and glory are said to bee produced in season For that of glory the season is only knowne to God who hath put the times and seasons in his owne power and brings forth this fruit in some sooner in some later as seemes best to his owne wisedome onely this may bee observed that as the Palmâ— ripens his fruit not suddainely but is three yeeres longer then any tree concocting and mellowing it before it come to full maturitie so it pleaseth the Lord not instantly to ripen this fruit of his Spirit and perfect us in compleat holinesse but often by a slow progresse and no hasty growth brings us to that supreame happines and full perfection For that other fruit namely of grace ordinarily it is interpreted as opposed too those to hasty fruits which suddainely ripening and before due time are of no use but sowre and unsauorie of which we use to say in the proverbe soone ripe soone rotten Leaving to every one his owne sense so farre as it is not repugnaâ—t to the rule of faith I doe not willingly consent to this interpretation First because I cannot easily beleeue that any spirituall fruit can either spring grow or ripen too soone and am perswaded that it is the proverbe of Satan hatched in hell A young Saint an old Divell Secondly because even that caâ—kasse of faith which is in hypocrites who are the stony ground is but a blade no fruit a blade without a roote as is evident in the parable I would rather â—nderstand it as thus intended As there are many fruits of the Spirit so are they not all producâ—d at one time some presently shew themselues but other some spring not till a long time after onely the seed and roote of them is in the heart but the fruit appeares not and yet in due time the fruit shall follow The sense then is this He that delights and meditates in the word shall not onely fructisie in grace and attaine in good time every good gift of the Spirit but shall certainly in Gods season grow to a further degree of ripenesse and at length to a full maturitie and glorious holinesse and this fruitfull and glorioâ—s estate shall not decay the fruit of grace shall not utterly perish but shall surely end in endlesse and perfect glory See for proofe Ierem. 17. 8. Thus when the word is rightly heard fruit followes Luke 8. 15. no lesse fruit springs from this seede then life yea everlasting life Iohn 4. 24. The grounds or reasons may be 1. The grace of God in electing you haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained that you should bring forth fruit and your fruit shall remaine 2. The blessed Spirit working in it Gal. 5.22 3. The nature of the word which God hath made to be as seed now every seed hath a vertue and force to produce the like 4. The materiall and maine cause is the roote that beareth us even Christ Rom. 11. 18. see Iohn 15.4.5 Looke then as the tree such is the branch thus the Lord Iesus being full of grace which was delt unto him not by measure Iohn 3. 34. distributes to every one which is grafted into him that measure which is requisite for that part which he holds in his body Iohn 1. 16. Ephe. 4. 16. And seeing himselfe being risen from the dead dieth no more Rom. 6. 9. he giues this never-fading life to those who are his members Iohn 6. 37. 56. 57. 58. Learne then here for instruction that it is altogether impossible that soule should be barren in spirituall fruit which delights and meditates in the word of God Now as in earthly so in these heavenly fruits there are many kindes and every kind diversified into other The chiefe of the spirituall are godlinesse righteousnes and sobrieâ—ie In godlinesse sundry and divers particulars some which we receiue and returne not some which we both receiue and returne Of the first sort the chiefe is peace a fruit wonderfully pleasant I haue read of some fruits which haue so affected the tast that the whole body hath instantly felt a sudden alteration and even shook and shuddered with the delight it received Sure I am no fruit in earthly Paradise could compare with this peace Oh when an
afflicted soule which hath beene long schorched with that hellish flame the sense of Gods wrath for sinne drinkes downe this peace in a full draught of that bloud which is drinke indeed it is impossible for any man to utter nay to conceiue the content it enjoyes but onely those who by experience haue felt it How sweetly doe they rest as new borne babes in a delightfull cradle of heavenly ease and tranquillitie leaning themselues as the beloved Disciple on the bosome of Christ while glorious Angels sing about them Peace on earth good will toward men Another of those fruits is joy springing from the former nothing inferiour nay aboue the other It is unspeakable and glorious It remoues all sense of corporall evill changes scourges rackings and all manner of torment so that as things very tart bitter by being boyled in sugar become very sweete and delightfull so all these grievances seasoned by this over-ruling joy are wholy altered and the most extreame pangs are turned into ease and pleasure Oh how the soule by it is delighted ravished and even here on earth transported for a time into a third heaven In the second kind are knowledge loue feare of God faith and delight in him with many other In righteousnesse brotherly loue patience gentlenesse goodnesse and many such like comming from the same stocke In sobrietie temperance in meats and drinkes modestie in apparell and moderation in all bodily comforts and refreshings Now in none of these is that soule barreÌ„ which effectually converseth with the word of God For the grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny ungodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue godlily righteousty soberly in this present world Let us descend to the particulars 1. Peace is brought home to us by the word preached Ephe. 2. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 19. so likewise joy instantly followes the word and accompanies it and enters with it into Cities Families and the hearts of people see Acts 8. 8. 39. and 16. 34. Iohn 15. 11. So also for the knowledge oâ— God it comes onely from the word and our exercising our selues in it hence called the word of knowledge Thus the Scripture of the Prophets made knowne the misterie of Christ but much more cleerely the preaching of the Gospell Rom. 16. 25. 26. see Iohn 17. 6. 7. 8. Thus meditation in the word teacheth us the feare of the Lord Deut. 17. 19. and 31. 12. 13. So to loue the Lord is the maine lesson which is continually pressed upon us by the word and which enters with it where it is effectually received see Iohn 15. 10. so Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word And when we delight in the Sabboth wee come to delight in God Esay 58. 13. 14. Thus brotherly loue and all the fruits proceeding from it come by the word 1 Thes. 4.9 Thus likewise that sobrietie and temperance in the use of the creature is taught us by that word and he that is taught as the truth is in Iesus cannot liue wantonly Ephe. 4. 19. 20. 21. So when the Gospell had a right passage in the Colossians it was fruitfull among them and all that heard it see Colos. 1. 6. He that heareth and understandeth the word will be fruitfull Mat. 13. 23. Sure it is that every naturall cause will bring forth his ordinary effect if it be not over-ruled by some higher power or hindered in working by some defect in it selfe or want of some helpe necessary to concurre with it Now then this seed of Gods word being his power to salvation and used by his Spirit not onely as seed but as water nay as fire also to caâ—l forth â—he vertue of that which is sowen being assisted by such an Husbandman who both knows how to use it and can resist all impediments cannot but yeeld that fruit which hee intends and appoints Esay 55. 10. 11. Iohn 15. 1. 2. Theâ—e is no study but will to a man very dull if he employ his time much in it bring some profit certaine therefore it is that the heart which with delight and continuall meditation doth exercise himselfe in that word which God hath given to bee his wisedome to traine us up in the right knowledge of God and in the practice of a Christian life will bring us though in nature dull of hearing and very fooles in understanding to some good measure of knowledge and by continuall use increase that wisdome which it hath begun to worke in us Psal. 19. 7. and 119.98 99. 2. In that the spirituall fruit is compared to the fruit of the Palme let us especially learne in this similitude that as the fruit of that tree is some yeares before it come to perfection and is much longer ripening then any other so the fruit of the Spirit doth not presently attaine to maturitie but very often incrâ—aseth very slowly and is long before it come to that full growth and perfection to which it is ordained in which respect the Kingdome of God is compared to a graine oâ— mustard seed the least of seeds and the greatest of herbes the beginnings of it are but weake and yet by little and unsensible degrees it growes to wonderfull strength even in this life see also that parable Mark .4 26. 27. 28. Surely the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receiue the former and latter raine well therefore may we waite upon our God expect his leasure with patience for the fruit of heaven The Apostles had faith to forsake all and follow Christ yet when they had long followed him and had seene his glory in so many miracles so powerfull preaching nay even simple in it owne shape and much excellence upon the mount they had but little faith when we heare the Prophet David after so long study in the law still call for knowledge and opening his eyes Psal. 119.18.27 when we see the Apostle professe that he had not attained but followes hard this truth is manifestly cleered unto us Let none marveil at this for we see the like in all creatures As any is more excellent then other and longer lived so is he more slow in growing and attaining his perfection Those beasts which liue but a shorter time sooner come to ripenesse but as man is farre beyond them so is hee more slow of growth and even in man we may obserue that in the beginning when they lived eight or nine hundred yeares they slowly attained to ripenes and full age and were commonly an hundred or sixtie yeares before they had any childreÌ„ Gen. 5. Seing therfore this new creature is far the most excellent of long life even for ever and ever we cannot wonder if it come on in some very slowly Again as any creature receiveth digesteth more or lesse sustenance so is it more or lesse speedy in growth now the word of
strongly enough in that filiall awe which is due to his parent and shall not the feare of Gods anger hiding his face shall not his threatning word at which the hearts of his children melt like wax nay shall not his roddes so many so smarting hold our slippery neckes in his yoke from such a desperate and finall contempt of his authoritie see Iob 33. 16. 17. 18. and Psal. 89. 31. 32. 33. To conclude how shall he runne into all disorder whose steppes are ordered by God Psal. 37. 23. how shall he lose his way whose wayes are preserved by God Prov. 2. 8. and to whom purposely is given wisedome and knowledge to keepe him in the good way and to deliver him from evill wayes and evill men Pro. 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Try we here whether we are transplanted from our natiue soile that dry wildernesse of sinne into the Paradise of God They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of the house of our God they shall bee fruitfull c. Looke now into thine heart and consider what fruit thou findest there Doth that peace of God rule in thy heart Hast thou striken a covenant with the Lord Art thou washed in the blood of the Covenant so hast received reconciliation This is a sure fruit of thy transplantation But take heed least thy peace bee with Satan thy covenant with hell if thou art at peace with the world and the world with thee if thou art in league with sinne thou hast no peace with God 2. See where thy joyes are seated If thy joy haue the root in the Spirit it is busied in spirituall objects Obserue then what is that w ch stirs up thy heart to rejoyceâ— if the loue of God to thee in Christ if the loue of thy soule to God if other gifts of the Spirit if the promises of God in Christ applied and brought home to thy heart by faith this joy is a fruit of the Spirit but if thy joy be earthly so art thou if thy joy sinfull thou art no other thou rejoycest because the world comes in upon thee it makes thee to smile to see the world smile on thee thou rejoycest when thou dost evill and when thou prosperest in the evill which thou dost thy joy is sensuall and divellish Thus is it in the rest Dost thou cry for knowledge dost thou blow up thy loue to God labouring to fasten thy soule to Christ in that feare the bond of our covenant Dost thou sigh and grone under the burden of unbeliefe Dost thou stirre up thy soule to hold Christ and rest upon him Dost thou bring on thy soule to delight in the Lord These are the fruits of the Spirit the contrary certaine signes of a naturall man So is it in those fruits of righteousnesse and sobrietle If thou findest thy soule make on in this way all is well but if thou flatterest thy selfe in thy sinne if thou livest in thy unrighteousnesse in intemperance thou canst not inherite the Kingdome of God 1. Those are here censured who giue no credit to this testimony of God that by a constant delight and meditation in the word they shall assuredly be fruitfull as well in grace as in glory Neither are Papists here onely to be abhorred and accursed who revile and blaspheme this holy word openly and commonly aâ—firming that the reading it by ignorant men is dangerous the way to make them heretickes as the Rhemists say and all the whole Rabble of them without feare giving the lie to the Spirit who testifies that it giues wisedome to the simple Nay further write that to giue this generall libertie to people of conversing with the Scripture is to shew our selues friends to heresie that it is pernicious and impious But our carelesse Professours negligent in this duty are here to consider their folly and hypoâ—risie dissembling with God and man professing that with their mouth which is farre from their heart For aske them doe you desire to be fruitfull in grace and glory Truth will make them confesse the oneâ— and shame the other and doe you beleeue God witnessing that by delight and meditation in the word of God you shall attaine this fruit this they dare not deny and why then doe you not use this meanes why are you so negligent and averse from this practice that you cannot be drawne to it that so many exhortations haue beene spent in vaine upon you Is not this most grosse hypocrisie Should a man make solemne protestation of earnest desires to doe us good yet if some easie meanes were shewed him of doing what he promises and he neglects them will not every man know his former words were nothing but complement and dissembling And is it not so with these who affirme that they indeed desire to be fruitfull in grace but yet when the Lord propounds so easie a way through his blessing to obtaine it neglect this meanes and goe on in a contrary course Oh this is not our practice in earthly affaires and profits The Husbandman upon hope of fruit will take sore paines and tarry long the Merchant will venter life and goods upon likelihood of increase Men will labour hard in studying Physicke Law or other Arts by which they may reape knowledge and profit in those sciences Had therefore thy heart received this truth of God with as much faith as the Devils that thou thoughtest it true and then there were grounded in thee a desire of this fruit it were not possible but thou shouldest set thy selfe to this endeavour especially knowing the fruit is everlasting and glorious the meanes easie and certaine 2. Here many of the Saints are to be reproved whose longings make them so hastie in these fruits that they expect a full growth as soone as they are blossomd or knit that they should be ripe before they are growne But why doth the Lord so often and almost continually compare them to fruits but to teach us that they must haue time to grow up and ripen Now then as he would shew no little folly who as soone as his corne is put into the ground expects it should presently be fit to reape so men shew more passion then wisedome who are ready to repine that the graces of Gods Spirit are not growne and come to maturitie in them when indeed they haue had no time for this fulnesse of growth and are yet but newly enâ—red and grafted into Christ Hee that beleeveth will not make hastâ— This over-hastinesse in setting God his time for accomplishment of his promises is presumptuous and proceeds from unbeliefe and impatience Faith breeds patience we must not therefore limit the holy one of Israell but wait upon the Lord. We our selues will make our children attend upon our leasure especially in those gifts which are of any moment because our experience teacheth us when it is most fit for us to bestow and
when they can best use them Bee not thou therefore of an hastie spirit But much more are those to be rebuked who when they perceiue a man turned from his former course of life and now to frame his heart and actions to his profession they instantly expect an Angelicall puritie in such and an heavenly estate without sinne or blemish Hence is it that if they find any the least infirmitie they presently breake out into tauntings not onely of the person but the profession and into revilings no better indeed then blasphemies against the Lord and that holy calling which themselues professe In the meane time like grosse hypocrites they neither doe nor will see their notorious dissimulation and the foule deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts for themselues liue in sinne delight in sinne resolue to goe on in grosse sinnes and though there be nothing in them like a Christian yet will they be called and counted Christians 3. Here are refuted and reproved Papists and all other ungrounded Christians who deny the perseverance of the Saints and affirme that even those who by a true faith are entred into Christ and are now in the Covenant of grace may yet fall backe againe and become utter Apostates from the truth of grace which they haue received and so finally bee damned This errour a rag of Pelagianisme newly washed and worne by the Papists confuted and condemned by the primitiue Church and especially by that learned Saint Augustine is so palpably contrary to this and many other Scriptures that it cannot be defended without manifest and grosse impudence and contradiction to Christ and his Spirit But they object to what end are those many cautions in the word Let him that standeth take heede least hee fall c. We must know for answer that this Scripture speakes onely to such as thinke they stand and indeed such warnings of God are not onely given that we may know there is a possibilitie in man as of himselfe to fall but for divers other ends 1. Some of them are spoken not of utter or universall falling from God or from faith but into some sinne noâ—withstanding which fall he may still retaine communion with God and faith in Christ unlesse we thinke that every minute the Saints are out and in with God 2. Such warnings are given to humble us by knowing that not onely our lapsed nature but even in this new life of regeneration there is a power utterly and finally to fall awayâ— much more in this then in that state of innocency so that our standing is onely by the Covenant of God his mercy and truth that we continue in this grace is not from any principle in us but from that infallibilitie of Godâ— grace seaâ—ed up in his Couenant 3. Such admonitions are meanes whereby the Lord exciteth our hearts to watchfulnesse and all other duties by which he hath decreed to support us nay whereby we aâ—â— upholden For when God commaunds to stand fast he giues power to stand as he commaunds As in the word of Creation when the Lord commanded Let there bee light there was light so in our renovation what hee commaunds in his Elect he performes and makes his word powerfull to actuate what he perswades Againe they object many passages of Scripture They haue made shipwracke of faith c. Know that in faith there are many things 1. A knowledge and profession of the truth 2. A consent to that doctrine both being actions of the understanding 3. There is an action of the will which not onely chuseth Christ as a great blessing so may a reprobate who hath set his heart upon the world but as the supreame and onely blessednes in whom alone without any addition he is happy and therefore resteth upon him and acquieteth himselfe in the enjoying him The other two are often called faith and are in part yet not without that third action of the will that true faith whereby wee liue in Christ but the other separated from the last are but the Devils faith now this may be lost without any prejudice to this cause But further they say as did their Predecessours the Pelagians this is a key to open a way to all licentiousnesse Answer them not onely as before in the fourth Instruction but 1. That there is no doctrine which crooked men may not pervert to wicked ends 2. Deny that there is any just cause for a reasonable man to take liberty from hence of sinning Should a weake man know that by eating this or that meate he should not dye but yet be grievously sicke and lye in much and long torment were not this sufficient to keepe him from eating it But as hee of whom the Poets write that was made of mortall immortall yet subject to disease being wounded with a poysoned dart earnestly wished a possibility of dying so let us know that the stings and sorrowes and many most smarting effects of sinne are such that they will sufficiently fright the faithfull from falling backe and revolting to sinne though they know they shall not be utterly or finally cut off from Gods favour Beside how shall they which are dead to sinne liue yet therein nay where this hope is which maketh not ashamed there will follow a continuall purifying and cleansing from sinne Let every weake soule apply this soveraigne medicine to it selfe thou shalt not utterly fall away the same God who hath called thee and begun this good worke iâ— thee shall perfect and continue it to the day of the Lord Iesus Thou shalt bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ. For faithfull is he that hath promised who will also doe it Be not too much discouraged with thy slow growth for know he surely growes who feares that he stands at a stay and is jealous of himselfe and of his deceitfull heart The sense with griefe that thou so little thrivest is an evident signe that thou increasest Ground therefore and stablish thy soule on the truth of God and remember his promise The mountaines shall depart and the hils bee removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee oh thou afflicted and tossed c. Labour for those never-fading fruits and giue no rest to thy soule till thou hast obtained them Oh how is it that we are so slothfull in matters concerning our eternall happinesse If we plant an Orchard how diligent are we by all meanes to fill it with the best and choicest fruit if a garden we will be sure to get the faireâ—â— flowers if wee desire increase of Cattell sheepe bullockes horses c. we will dearely buy and by price or friends labour to stocke our selues with the best breed Shall we suffer then our soules to bee barren or bee content with those wild grapes those rotten figs which the Lord abhorres
according to his pleasure all in all things This as it is intimated by the Psalmist when he aâ—firmes that the man who departs from evill delights and meditates in Gods word shall every way prosper so is it in many other scriptures confirmed It is the Lord not our owne might which giveth us power to get wealth The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrowes to it Honour comes not from East West North or South but God is Iudge who maketh higb and low Therefore hee promiseth these things to those who honour him with-holds them or rather heaps on them disgrace who dishonour him Thus even in these meaner blessings which earthly men call account prosperity the Lord hath the chiefe hand work much more that true good in which consisteth our onely happines is wholy framed and ordered by him The Lord was with Ioseph and hee was a man that prospered and so palpable was this worke of God that even his heathen Maister could not but discerne it and the Iayler himselfe easily observed it Now then if God causeth men to find favour in the eyes of men as Gen. 39. 21. so that even wicked Ahab makes Obadiah who greatly feared God Governour of all his house 1 King 18. 3. how much more is it hee alone who causeth us to find favour in his owne eyes in whose loving favour is all our happinesse But even wicked men the enemies of God and his truth prosper Of this we shall speake more fully hereafter for the present this may suffice They obtaine many things which they ayme at but the maine to which they intend all the rest namely to be happy they never attaine but lose all their paines and labour To conclude this point As all good gifts come downe from the father of lights so especially eternall life without which no man can be blessed is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Now therefore as a statuâ— of man when it â—tands farre off or when we are in the darke may easily seeme to bee a very man though it hath nothing indeed of a man but a shâ—w and some outward proportions so rich men and such as flourish in this world seeme in carnall eyes to prosper but try their successe and bring it to the touchstone and you shall find it nothing but a deepe miserie cloathed with a shew and idle oâ—tentation of happinesse The Heathen are the best witnesses of this truth Thus Dionysius the Tyrant fitly described his estate so much praysed by his flatterer Damocles by placing him in a chaire of state furnishing a table with all delicates commaunding many noble Attendants to waite on him he had wine musicke and what his heart could wish in the meane time a sword hangs over his head held up by a weak threed ready to fall upon him Thus another rightly answered a flattering Courtier who therfore accounted him happy because he wore the Diadem that if he knew how many cares were tyed up in it hardly would he stoope to take it out of the durt And surely whosoever is most enamoured on this painted happinesse and prosperitie of wicked men if he seriously consider what vexing cares usher it what vanitie accompanies and what miserie followes it he would not a little scorne to employ any of his desires or endevours about it 2. Here also is fit occasion of tâ—yall If thou art of the number of the faithfull thou shalt prospâ—r now then examine whether all things worke together for the best to thee Doth every thing helpe thee onward to God when a man giues up himselfe to the Lord in his word every thing shall draw us neerer to him even affliction and trouble Psal. 77.2.3 Nay even hypocrites at such times come in and approach unto him A man in danger will catch hold of any thing especially they will cleaue to those whom they most trust Thus prosperitie and blessings worke thankfulnesse Psal. 103. 1. 2. 3. and make them study for recompence Psal. 116. 12. In feare they cleaue to him by faith Psal. 56. 3. In griefe they seeke to him the onely Comforter The word when it promiseth drawes them when it threatens humbles and driues them to grace and mercy nay even sinfull actions enforce them to God begging pardon and when they haue obtained it knitting their soules to him in ardent loue sinfull infirmities fill them with hungâ—r and thirst of him their righteousnes And this is the cause why they call God their portion because wholy resting on him they make all other things but meanes to inrich themselues in him and get into his favour Now then try here thy estate thou findâ—st many troubles in the world doe they wayne thee from this bewitching life and draw thy thoughts to a better world Thou art faint with sicknesse dost thou find that as the outward man perisheth so the inward man is renewed daily Thou enjoyest health and other blessings doe they worke upon thy heart to kindle more zeale to God more loue to his name and children doe they quicken thee to thankfulnesse thus doe all things worke on those whom God hath loved at least dost thou find in generall that though some things hinder yet when they all meete together they worke to the best for thee yea even sinne it selfe makes thee 1. see thy corrupt heart and sinfull nature 2. provokes thy loue to thy gracious Father who pardoneth so many offences and whets thee to all thankfulnesse and loue of Christ who hath satisfied for thee so that because mâ—ch is forgiven thee thou lovest much doth it more fill thy heart with loathing sinfull filthinesse and thy selfe for it awake thee to more care and watchfulnes and lastly wearie thee with the loathsome companie of it that thou desirest and criest to be delivered from this body of death If thou findest these fruits thou mayest comfort thy selfe in the Lord for he that thus worketh for thee and in thee hath ordained thee to life But if thou findest that outward prosperitie blowes up and bladders thy heart with pride that thou despisest God in his service that it workes thee to more securitie and carnall libertie if thou findest that trouble sicknesse c. bring forth impatience blaspheming or although for the present it worke a little and by the smart of the conscience and agonies terrifying the soule with present judgment stirre up thy heart to promise reformation and a better course of life judging and condemning thy selfe yet upon recovery thou fallest backe againe to thy former vomit thou art not in the number of those who feare aud loue the Lord and for whom all things shall worke for the best 1. Those blasphemers of the Gospell are here condemned who impute evill and the sinnes of men to the word of God upbraiding the Professours of it in any affliction with the loue and meditation of it Looke out and behold the
justice when hee judged the cause of the afflicted and poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord Settle this then in thy heart the Lord promiseth and the Lord shall make it good 5. Let us then bee exhorted in the words of God himselfe to Ioshua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe all that is written therein or of this dying Prophet to his Successour and Sonne Salomon Take heed to the charge of the Lord to keepe his testimonies and commandements as it is written c. Say unto the Lord Oh my Saviour hast thou made thy yoake so easie and thy commandements so farre from grievous and shall not I take it joyfully upon me hast thou promised prosperitie and happinesse to all that beare it and should I refuse it Say unto thy soule aske and enquire of the Saints and with one voice thou shalt heare them testifie Thy word is more sweet then hony more precious then all riches more necessary then our daily food the joy and rejoycing of their heart a rich portion helping thee to that most rich inheritance of glory a joyfull Guide leading to joyes unspeakable and glorious and shall not I cleaue unto it that I may prosper Let great men seeke wealth by oppression the meaner by fraud and imposture flatterers by fawning Epicures by surfeiting in riot and pleasure but oh my God I will follow thy way in thy word looke my soule looke unto that Guide and depart not from his direction and it will cause thee to prosper and conduct thee to that eternall rest and peace the end of all thy ends and the onely true prosperitie Psalme I. Verse iiij The ungodly are not so but as the chaffe which the winde driveth away TRue is it that one contrary will not a little illustrate another In colours when blacke and white in our estate when miserie and felicitie are compared together their proper nature will more evidently appeare to any who will heedfully obserue it Therefore when in the former verses the Spirit had set out the godly both in their course and successe in these verses he describes the condition of the wicked that so both their estates may more cleerely bee discerned by those who will with any diligent eye consider it ayming both to this end that as the happinesse of the one might allure and winne us to the same practice so the miserie of the other might affright and driue us from the evill way This misery of ungodly men is liuely pourtrayed and set out to the eye from the contrary and 1. By negation of all that blessednesse mentioned in the former verses in which the godly are instated by the Lord even in this present life 2. By a contrary curse and that curse expressed 1. by a comparison of chaffe 2. by the consequent and conclusion of all wicked courses in the 5. verse The negatiue argument propounding the contrary estate of wicked persons includes all these Propositions 1. The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed 2. The same Spirit concludeth that a wicked man is not a planted and watered tree 3. The Prophet testifieth that ungodly persons are not as a fruitfull tree ever flourishing 4. The Lord by the Prophet assures us that an ungodly man shall not prosper in all his wayes The first then is this The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed The words haue before beene opened sufficiently and the meaning of them is briefly this Whosoever delights not nor meditates in the word but rather with pleasure followes the counsell of ungodly persons walking in their disobedience and scorning neither is nor can be happy in this estate The proofe is evident and frequently confirmed there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked Esay 48. 22. and againe 57. 21. And the curse continually applied to them in Scripture The grounds are 1. the justice of God who cannot by any meanes cleere the guilty 34. 7. The Lord is knowne by the judgement which hee executeth the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands Psal. 9. 16. 17. Vpon the wicked God shall raine snares stormes and tempests Psalme 11. 6. 2. The very nature of blessednesse for blessednesse is that estate wherin we enjoy good without evil or at least a measure of good out-weighing evill but wickednesse considered of it selfe without the punishment due to it is to a man such an evill as weighs downe any good hee possesseth in this life as being most contâ—ary to his nature in which he was created and to his end unto which he was ordained Learne here 1. That the happinesse of man consisteth not in the fruition of any one or all outward blessings nay some inward and some spirituall also may be cast in to a wicked man and hee still continue most wretched Should riches honour power glory pleasure bee all heaped upon one man in that measure his owne heart desired should wisedome courage health strength beautie and other such endowments of body and mind be added to the other nay the word Sacraments and some illightnings c. bee adjoyned all these could not make up this blessed estate nor seat this man in a throne of happinesse necessarily this followes for all these things may belong to a man drown'd in sinne and hellish wickednes who contemnes and hates the word of God and God himselfe and therefore cannot bee blessed But because this truth doth not easily sinke into flesh and blood it will be needfull as well by evident testimonie of God to confirme it as by reason also and experience to settle it in our mindes First therefore God testifieth of these things that they are not worthy our rejoycing Let not the rich man rejoyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that hee under standeth and knoweth mee where purposely the Lord chuseth out such blessings as being of all naturall things most excellent comprehend the rest By riches which are most embraced by earthly men he intends all the goods of estate in strength all bodily in wisedome all gifts of the mind are included yet in all these we may not rejoyce or glorie but only in the knowledge of God Many spirituall gifts may also be annexed to the former as some knowledge some kinde of faith baptisme whereby we are entred into the Church yet all these meeting in one man cannot giue him this happines Simon Magus beleeved was baptized yet still was drowned in the very gall of bitternesse No testimonie can bee of more or equall force then that of Salomon whom God purposely called out from the sonnes of men as the foreman of all the Iurie to giue in his verdite
concerning this truth He was the wisest that ever lived the Commaunder and Soveraigne of a great Kingdome wonderfully rich gaue his heart to pleasure joy and all outward blessings till he might finde out that good of man Now after he had passed through all outward good things and had tasted the uttermost sweetnesse of them the Lord brings him forth as the most able Iudge and witnesse and by his mouth giues us to understand and leaues it upon record to all ages that they are all vanitie and vexation of spirit and that the feare of God and walking in his commandements is the All of man Eccles. 2. 17. and 12. 13. Certainely if any outward thing could make blessed then as that woman in the Gospell Blessed were it to bee the Mother of him who is the Father of all to beare him who beares up all things by his mighty word to nurse him who nourisheth every creature But even of this the wisedome of God aâ—firmes that they rather are blessed who heare the word of God and keepe it on which words rightly builds that holy Father Augustin Mary therefore was more blessed by receiving the faith of Christ then conceiving the flesh of Christ her motherly neerenesse had nothing profited unlesse shâ—e had more happily borne Christ in her heart then in her wombe And againe My mother whom you call happy is therefore happie because shee kept the word of God not because the Word in her was made flesh Now as the Lord himselfe is a witnesse beyond all contradiction so even reason it selfe especially as it is setled upon confessed grounds of the word will further convince our understanding and inforce our judgement to witnesse this truth For first whereas it is knowne and acknowledged by all that because the soule is immortall and the body mortall there must bee a double life of man one present while the body and soule are conjoyned another to come after that separation whereof the former is short a span a vapour appearing for a moment the oâ—her lasting and everlasting and againe that both of these haue certaine peculiar blessings annexed which make that estate comfortable and pleasant it cannot be denied but that these fading things perishing in the use can by no meanes helpe us in that other estate which is for ever and howsoever they may bee some poore comforts and refreshings to this momentarie life yet to that other they are altogether dead Now as wee neither doe nor can account that man rich who dwels in a faire house but yet a Farme hath much cattell money and goods but another mans and at the yeares end must bee turned out naked without a ragge to his backe so all these temporall blessings cannot make us happy because howsoever we haue a short use of them yet it is manifest that as we came in so shall we goe out of the world naked and stript of all earthly goods and not onely the things themselues but all our thoughts about them perisâ— utterly Secondly Those things cannot of themselues blesse us which unlesse they are blessed by some other fill us with curses and bring us to destruction But thus is it with all these they are sanctified by the word and by prayer and againe To the pure all things are pure but nothing pure to them that are dâ—filed and unbeleeving Doe not wee see by experience â—hat riches turne to the hurt of the owner see also Prov. 1 19â— Consider it exemplified in that wicked Ahab and Naboths vineyard 1 King 21. Thus also honour to those who by want of grace dishonour God is a burden which presseth them body and soule to utter ruine as wee see in Ieroboam and all his Successours So we finde that strength beautie health worke to the destruction of the owners by intemperance wantonesse murthers oppressions nay even wisedome it seâ—e in Achitophel wrought to the ruine of himselfe and many others Lastly Those things cannot make a man happy which neither are any part of our supreame good nor yet singly or joyntly of themselues any helpers to advance him to that highest good unto which he is created But all these things are no other For first they are all desired for some farther end and no man doth or can rest in them and the highest good is the divine and glorious conformitie to God which is not helped forward by any of these Earthly riches are commonly snares to inveagle and entice us from him but of themselues neither they nor any such as thâ—y helpe us to enjoy him onely as they are sanctified by grace and over-ruled by it they giue some opportunitie to expresse our loue to him in his Saints Even our wisedome in this case is folly and enmitie and must bee utterly cast out and wee become fooles before wee can enter into this estate Thus both God himselfe and our reason also will readily testifie unto us that there is no happinesse in any outward blessing 2. Learne we here what is the most and onely accursed odious thing which makes a man miserable There is nothing but sinne and wickednesse which can bring the curse and miserie upon man Sinne is the breach of Gods Law and cursed is every man which continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And whereas miserie consists in the deprivation of good things and pressure of evill evident is it that sinne of it selfe is a meere privation of all true good belonging to man and the greatest evill that is or can bee to him For that good of man which enobles him aboue the common ranke of ordinary creatures is holinesse and righteousnesse that image of God in which we were created now sinne is the privation of holinesse as darkenes of light Doe but consider what is the excellence of man exalting him aboue other creatures Other creatures haue strength and continuance as stones some haue life as trees some a soule sense and motion as beasts some singular understanding and knowledge as Devils yet a man may excell them all if his excellencie stood in strength and durance the very stones went beyond him if in life many trees would justly claime prioritie if in sense dogges eagles apes yea spiders were more eminent if in understanding he were inferiour and worse then those cursed spirits the worst of creatures yet the faithfull apparantly excell all these there is nothing therfore but holinesse whereby he out-goes other creatures Now sinne is the privation of this holinesse nay not only a meere privation as darkenesse of light but a deâ—truction as ruine of an house or death of life Againe sinne it selfe is the greatest evill the most filthy and detestable evill of all the world the abominable thing which God hates Ier. 44. 4. continually therefore compared by God to things most abhorred to clutterd bloud to mire and mud to a vomite so loathsome that if it were
thy selfe as the onely happy man who followest thy lusts in all their commaunds know thou art in a spirituall phrensie Satan hath gotten possession of thy heart and holds thine eyes that thou should not see nor seeke salvation 3. That strange senslesnes of heart is here fearefully noted and to be taxed in men which feele no burthen nor load of sin which is a plaine evidence that they are dead in it and liue to it A dead man feeles not the earth that lies upon him nor the many wormes which gnaw his flesh but a lesse waight presseth a living man and one worme be it in the tooth or any part torments him Hence is it that they count those blessed who are proud and them that worke wickednesse and such as tempt God for looking only on things present and considering even them onely by their sense they are ready to condemne the generation of Gods children as being often under the rod and to magnifie their owne estate and others like themselues who liue at ease But had they ever beene in the Sanctuary of God and there beheld the end of these men they would soone change their thoughts How suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed True it is that the wicked can discerne the death of the righteous to bee happy and can wish it but he will not see his life to be so the reason is because he liues to sinne and knowes not the life of righteousnesse and hence though a legion of Devils possesse his heart and bursting all bonds of pietie carries him headlong into destruction yet hee feeles no miserie in all this Doe we thinke that a swearers or cursers mouth is not inhabited with a devill of blasphemie Doth not an uncleane spirit dwell in wanton and adulterous eyes Is not the throat of a drunkard held by a Devill of excesse and surfeting Doth not a Devill of profanenesse possesse thy heart when thou neglectest God in his Ordinances a Devill of pride keepes the soule of him which is filled with despising of God and man jesting mocking and skoffing at religion and even at God himselfe in it Doe but obserue the difference of men Some feele a great burthen of sinne and cry out of it Psal. 38. 4. some feele a great burthen in the law of God and cast it from them Psal. 2. 3. some feele the yoake of Christ sweet and pleasant and are wonderfully delighted in the word of God others find the service of sinne delightfull full of pleasure and sweetnesse and are carried headlong in it some thirst for the Lord his righteousnesse and the meanes which bring them to it Others long to fulfill their lusts and drinke iniquitie like water Now how easily may we here see what is the reason of all this They are two differing nay contrary creatures the one light the other darkenesse the one dead the other living the one all earthly the other heavenly the one flesh the other spirit 3. Hearken therefore to those frequent invitations Let the wicked forsake his way Cast away from you all transgressions Ezeck 18. 31. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body that you should obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. And consider 1. that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodlinesse Rom. 1. 18. so that though hand joyne in hand the wicked shall not goe unpunished Againe thou canst not possibly obtaine what thou seekest that is happines so long as this companion is with thee A man cannot bee established by wickednesse for our wickednesse shall correct us and our backe-slidings shall reproue us but every man shall eate the fruit of his owne way and be filled with his owne devices for even ease slayeth the foolish and his prosperitie is his destruction Proposition 2. The second Proposition in this verse is The Spirit affirmes the wicked not to bee as a tree planted by the rivers of water The words haue beene opened before verily in nothing doth the Palme resemble a wicked person but their contrarietie is evident The one is ever the other never fruitfull the one flourishes the other perishes in winter the one thirsteth after living springs the other abhorres the waters of life For proofe of this point although very cleere in it selfe and frequently confirmed read Ier. 17. 5. 6. And in testimonies the grounds must be first the truth of the matter and loue of the truth in the speaker Now the holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth who infallibly knowes and constantly testifies all truth especially being sent by the Father and the Sonne to beare witnesse of the truth and to lead us into all truth 1. Seing wee are here taught that wicked men continuing in their sinfull estate are not transplanted nor graâ—ted but still remaine in the old soile of the earthly Adam and in their wild Olive we may thence learne that no wicked man hath any right or claime to Christ nor any benefit from his resurrection death intercession or any other his workes to salvation so farre forth as he is such and so continues The faithfull and godly are transplanted into the house of God grafted into Christ and from him draw the nourishment of eternall life that precious sap springing from his death and killing sinne in them so also from his resurrection quickning and strengthning them in the life of God But the wicked not so Therefore our Saviour excludes them from his prayers and confineth the fruit of his death to his sheepe Hee sanctified himselfe for them which are sanctified by the word He came indeed to be a Saviour but to his owne people Mat. 1. 21. see also Iohn 8. 21. 23. 24â— Sense reason and experience will confirme this For first it is apparant to sense that as a tree drawes no juice from any soile but that onely in which it is rooted nor a twig can haue other sap then that which it receiues from the roote to which it is united so worldly wicked men being still rooted and defixed in the world and being not united to Christ by faith nor transplanted into the house of God can haue no other affections or actions then are in the wicked world they cannot haue that life which springs from Christ alone Againe even reason will confirme it For when through the intercession of some speciall Favourite satisfaction is received and pardon proclaimed to all who renowncing their rebellion and laying downe their armes come in acknowledge their fault submit themselues and giue their oath of allegiance those haue no benefit of this pardon who performe not these conditions but continue in their treason thus our reason will assure us that the faithfull and they only turning from sinne and subjecting themselues to the word haue benefit from the death life and intercession of Christ. And will not our experience also testifie it For what fruit hath he of Christs
death whom wee see liue to sinne Rom. 6. 2. 7. 8. what benefit of his resurrection who hath no life of the Spirit what good by his intercession which are condemned with the world see Psal. 9. 17. 2 Againe in that a wicked man is not as a tree planted by the rivers of water nourished by that moisture of life in the word learne here that the word of God doth not profit the vnfaithfull and wilfull sinners such as go on in their sin They may hear know and vnderstand what is spoken be able to discourse of it and dispute by it but it brings home no life to them no saving grace The word doth not profite them because it is not mixed with faith Looke as in earthly treasure we may see great summes heare the ring of it see it told out know the worth and quantitie of it nay hold it in our hands and carry it to others yet be no whit the richer by it unles we own it our selves and purse it vp to our owne use so in the riches of the Gospel wicked persons may hear read discern the particulars and excellencie of it convey it to others and be themselues poore and naked Men may fit at table see much varietie of meate smell it know the sweetnes of it tast the goodnesse of it but if they doe not swallow reteyne and digest it it profits nothing Thus many sit as the people of God have some savour and smacke of some grace tast the good word but casting it out againe and not incorporating it into their soules by an unfained faith through obedience it doth them no good So in that parable where the Lord compareth the word to seede the wicked are resembled to such grounds as are either stony and resist it or haunted with ravenous fowles which devoure it or over-runne with thornes and briars which choake it And as moisture is sucked and drawne in by the rootes of trâ—es plâ—nted by the rivers but a stone though whelmed in water yet is wet onely in the superficies or out-side but within is as before it was so the heart which is prepared for the word drinkes in this water of life prospers flourishes and growes fruitfull by it but a wicked man though hee may seeme to haue his out-side washed by it yet it never sinkes into his heart nor soakes into him The reasons of this are manifest 1. There is no passage for the word to enter into the hearts of wicked men an hard fore-skinne stops up the dooâ—e that the word should not get in see Ier. 6. 10. Their eares are uncircumcised and they cannot hearken in which respect that phrase of boaring the eare is used by this Prophet Psal. 40. 6. There is a deadly feod and open warre betwixt the word and the wicked It will not spare them nor they it it is a word to wound a mighty weapon to subdue them accuses reproches vexes them they abuse reject and slander it hence the Minister is of all other most hated and opposed by them reviled and contemptuously abused and abased Compare Ier. 15. 10. with 18. 18. Nay the word is so farre from bringing them life that it hurts and kills not of it selfe but through their default They pervert it to their owne destruction For as good meate breedes good nourishment in a good but noisome humours in an ill stomacke so the word is the savour of life to the Elect bâ—t to others the savour of death When a pipe lies in a cleere fountaine it carries along the pure waters to the cisterne which thence are distributed to every office iâ— the house so a sanctified eare conveyes the word to the heart which thence is sent forth into every action But as when wholesome water is brought into a filthy pit the stinking slime infects it with a noysome and poysoning qualitie so when that pure and precious word the water of life enters into a wicked and rebellious eare it proues deadly and as Physicke that never worketh the destruction of him who taking it into his understanding resists it and suffers it not to worke upon the will and affections see Ezek. 47. 11. The raine which falleth from heaven and watereth the earth bringeth out both good seed and weed with it so the word doth not onely nourish good things that are planted in us but accidentally through the perversnes of men sometimes their mis-construing sometimes their opposition lusting against it produceth their filthinesse and consequently worketh their perdition 1. Now heere is fit occasion to rebuke that presumptuous conceit of wicked persons who being still naturall men and in nothing changed from their first estate yet make full account to finde mercie in Christ and never question nor indeed try their hopes of salvation by him God forbid say they that every ignorant person should be damned God is more mercifull then so more gracious then you would make us beleeue True it is God is more gracious mercifull then either we can utter or they conceiue And that his infinite grace hath he especially declared in that wonderfull expression of it giving his sonne to sinfull man that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have life everlasting But his mercies are not disposed according to mensfansies but according to his owne will and wisdome And he hath suâ—ficiently opâ—ned this dispensation of his grace that all men might take notice of it True also that God hath given Christ but onely to beleevers neither haâ—h any man any interest in him or right to that attonement made by him but onely by faith in him Christ is receiued by faith Iohn 1. 12. and continues in us by faith Ephe. 3. 17. therefore by faith in him we have life Gal. 2. 20. and whosoever giues not him that obedience of faith shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Iohn 3. 36. But knowledge must goe before faith and obedience will surely follow it we cannot beleeue what wee know not therefore hearing is necessary and not every hearing but hearing Gods word preached by his messengers makes Christ knowne to us and so works faith Knowledge is the first step to eternall life so that we are strangers to the life of God through ignorance Ephe. 4. 18 For how should Christ who is light haue fellowship with darknesse and not expell it And obedience doth infallibly attend this saving faith called therefore the obedience of faith Rom. 1. 5. and 16. 26. see also Rom. 6. 17. Hence salvation in Christ is onely given unto those who obey him Heb. 5.9 and the ignorant and disobedient utterly cut off from all hope 2. Thes. 1.9 Certaine also is it that God offers grace to sinners nay gives eternall life to sinners and promiseth pardon of sinne but onely to those who take hold of these offers and turne away from sinne by repentance forsaking the world and their owne wayes and cleaving to the Lord walking
me I will bring in life to thy soule Heare and thou shalt liue I will bring in all blessings blessed are they that heare mee but if thou sinnest against mee thou hatest thine owne soule and all that forsake mee loue death Let us seat our soules by these waters of life bee not foolish consider that the wisedome of God calleth thee as fast to this dutie as thine owne flesh from it shew now thy selfe to be a Christian in following Christ and his advice Search the Scriptures in them you thinke you haue eternall life if thou deniest not all the world and thine owne selfe to follow Christ thou art none of his If thou art therefore the servant of God as his servants cleaue to his word Psal. 119. 31. choose it as thine inheritance Psal. 119. 111. Remember for motiues to provoke thee to this duty 1. The practise of all wise men who if they may choose their dwelling will looke first to health and with it if it may bee profit and pleasure This affords thee all and hence is it that never any forsooke it who were once throughly seated by it 2. The infinite commodities which wee shall reape from thence and many inconveniences following upon the rejecting of it before mentioned And remember how steadie a comfort it will bee to thy soule as at all times so especially in the evill day when thou canst say with that holy Patient I haue not departed from the commandement of his lips haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then my appointed food And as the Prophet Remember and visite mee for thy words were found by mee and I did eate them and thy word was to mee the joy and rejoycing of my heart Proposition 3. 3. The Prophet affirmes that an ungodly man is not like a tree fruitfull in her season and ever flourishing The words haue beene sufficiently opened before we must remember that by fruit here is not onely meant the increase of grace in this life but of glory also in the life to come And indeed even these of grace differ from those of glory rather in measure then in kind the first being yet in growth and unâ—ipe the other perfect and mature surely the highest pitch of mans happinesse even in glory consists in his perfect conformity to the image of God by seeing him as he is some other complements are added but this is the substance and this estate of grace is but a contiâ—uall reforming and transforming more and more to this image by beholding him in that mirrour of his word So the seâ—se is The Prophet affirmes that the ungodly man never attaines either any true saving grace of Gods sanctifying Spirit in this life or that perfection of glory in the life to come but whatsoever hee seeâ—es to haue falls and perishes The proofe is here sufficiently cleered and may bee further confirmed concerning grace thus in duties to God they haue no feare of God but are full of Atheisme and contempt of God for righteousnesse see Psal. 10. 7. 8. 9. for glorie see Psal. 9. 17. how farre from flourishing and continuing in it read Psal. 37. 35. 36. Grounds are here as before partly that knowledge which he had gotten in the Sanctuarie partly loue desiring to turne men from death and destruction to life and salvation the first gaue him power to discerne the second will to speake this truth 1. It is altogether impossible that ungodly or wicked persons such as follow evill counsels stand in the way of sinners sit with scorners neglect the word and meditation in it should be â—ruitfull in grace those saving and sanctifying gifts of Gods Spirit This truth as it is evidently affirmed by the Prophet so hath it a cloud of witnesses to ratifie and confirme it Let favour bee shewed to the wicked he will not learne righteousnesse in the land of uprightnesse hee will deale unjustly and will not behold the majestie of the Lord. Can the AEthyopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may you also doe good which are accustomed to evill They are dead in sinnes cannot perceiue cannot repent cannot beleeue Therefore the Lord compares them to such grounds as either betray resist or choake the seed Reasons further to assure this point are many and evident For 1. These graces doe not nâ—y cannot spring from nature but are planted by Gods Spirit and called his fruits Gal. 5. 22. Now not the Spirit of God but the Spirit of rebellion worketh in the disobedient that Prince of the ayre Ephe. 2. 2. And certainely as the sower first with the plough cuts up the weedes by the roote before he casteth in any good seed into the land so this great Husband man mortifies in us these earthly members before he creates the new man he therefore that continues still in his wickednesse cannot haue this fruit of the Spirit Secondly True saving grace as it is planted so is it nourished by the word of God It is a right hearing of the word and receiving it with obedience which makes us fruitfull Colos. 1. 5. 6. Faith comes by hearing The word sanctifies Ioh. 17. 17. and indeed is the very seed of those fruits Luke 8. 11. Now then as since the curse which the Lord layed on the earth we find by experience that our grounds without tillage and seed bring forth no other fruit but weedes and nettles briars thornes and thistles so even reason will teach us that since the curse hath devoured our Fathers we cannot without this spirituall tillage and seed of Gods word be fruitfull in this harvest for God hath appointed seed for every fruit and although he can yet will not worke without it where he giues it now we know that wicked persons haue no loue to this truth hate it reject it and will not yeelde their strength unto it Thirdly The heart of a wicked man so farre forth as it is wicked is incapeable of these fruits of holinâ—sse for whereas all these graces consist in subjection and conformitie to the law of God our flesh cannot bee subject to this Law Rom. 8.7 It is with our barren nature as with some hungry soiles they must be mended nay new moulded before they can be fruitfull that salt of the Sanctuarie must be cast into us as into the waters of Iericho before we can be healed Looke as that water received into the suspected wife if shee were defiled entered into her bowels and rotted her if innocent hurt her not but made her fruitfull Numb 5. 27. 28. so this water which we drinke in the house of God when wee receiue it into a polluted soule workes to our destruction but when we cleered by our high Priest and by him justified receiue it with a pure affection it fills us with the blessed fruit of all holinesse Fourthly Wheresoever is this spirituall life of holines it
washes and clenses it will not suffer any sinfull wickednesse to dwell peaceably in the heart much lesse beare rule or haue dominion there The Spirit lusteth against the flesh The strong man is cast out by the stronger and his goods spoiled They therefore who liue in rebellion under the dominion of sinne where wickednesse keepes quiet possession as it is in all ungodly persons cannot possibly haue any fruit of the Spirit For as where health and life by receit of some good Physicke begin to grow more strong there nature wrastling with the disease workes to cast out the sicke humour so when the death and resurrection of Christ are effectually ministred unto us this life of God being planted in us struggles against this death of sinne and will not cease till it haue expelled this hellish infection Lastly wickednesse is that qualitie which is altogether contrary and irreconcileably adverse to these fruits of the Spirit and therefore wheresoever predominant keepeth out and driues away that by which it selfe is â—tterly destroyed Now in every wicked man sinne hath the upper hand whence they haue their denomination the kingdome of God cannot bee setled in the heart so long as sinne and Satan haue the scepter But as when Ierobam had usurped the Kingdome over the tâ—n Tribes he would not suffer the sonnes of David or any of their favourers to stay in his jurisdiction and was jealous of every occasion which might giue them any hope or advantage to returne to the Scepter and for this cause cast out the Levites and worship of God least the people by such meanes might haue beene drawne from his obedience so where wickednâ—sse hath dominion it keeps out the Kingdome of Christ resists the word of the Kingdome and is jealous of every occasion which might bring in the government and dominion of the Lord Iesus 2. It is altogether impossible that wicked persons such as despise God in his word and embrace the wayes and counsels of the ungodly should enter into the glory of God This the King of glory often avoâ—cheth Not they that say Lord but they that doe the will of the Father shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Vnlesse a man bee borne againe of water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into Gods kingdome There shall enter into it no uncleane thing c. see also 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10â— Ephe. 5.5 6. And our reason will manifestly confirme it especially helped by Gods Spirit For First God is of pure eyes and cannot behold wickednesse but is a consuming fire to such Looke as in God is unspeakable mercy and grace which hath opened a way by faith and repentance to this his kingdome through Iesus Christ so likewise is in him a most pure nature infinitely averse nay adverse to all sinfull uncleannesse a righteousnesse which cannot justifie the wicked and revenging justice persecâ—ting the disobedient sinner and eternally punishing unrepentant wickednesse Thus hee makes himselfe knowne to us Exod. 34.6.7 Nahum 1.3.2 Thes. 1.7 8. 9. Secondly The wicked follow such guides and goe on in such wayes as are altogether opposite to this kingdome of God they follow the world the flesh and the Devill carnall worldly and devillish men in the wayes of rebellion which lead to destruction thus they are here and every where described and when they are called to the narrow gate and the old and good way they desperately refuse to walke in it Now every one shall eate the fruit of his owne wayes see Rom. 3. 16. His owne iniquitie shall take the wicked and he shall be holden in the cords of his owne sinne 3. The glory of Gods kingdome which wee shall enjoy with him consists principally of righteousnesse holinesse and joy of the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And these in their perfection make up the especiall part of our blessed estate But these are infinitely and unreconcileably contrary to wickednesse and cannot possibly stand together Fourthly Whosoever enters into the Kingdome of God must passe through Christ who is the doore and the way neither is it possible to come to salvation by any other name or meanes But the wicked haue nothing in Christ no part or portion he prayes nor for the world but for the faithfull that they may bee where hee is and the glory which God hath given him hee giveth them nay they haue no faith by which onely they are entred into Christ seing faith purifieth the heart Lastly Holinesse is necessarily required to that glorious vision of God whereby consists our perfect happines not onely as a condition but as that nature which enableth us to see him The superiour and transcendent nature cannot bee perceived by the inferiour a beast may see the shape but not the reasonable nature of a man whereby hee farre surmounteth such creatures a bodily eye neither doth nor can perceiue spirituall substances not so much as the soule which dwels with it and in it and by which it seeth whatsoever it seeth Now holinesse is that nature of God in man 2 Pet. 1.4 which giues him power to behold God in his divine nature and it is confessed that wicked persons are altogether void of holinesse and that without holinesse no man shall see God 3. Learne here not onely that wicked persons abiding in the visible Church and making an hypocriticall profession shall by some notable fall discover themselues and be uncased that all the world may know what they are but the cause also why thus they fall off and goe away they are not planted by the rivers those running and living waters which continue with them They forsake the fountaine of flowing waters to digge themselues pits which will hold no water Whosoever hath saith our Saviour to him shall bee giuen nay hee shall haue abundance and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to haue and therefore addes that caveat Take heed how you heare Thus Dâ—mas at length was discovered 2 Tim. 4. 10. As pits get in a little water in the time of raine which when hot weather comes is instantly exhausted and dried up so these men take in some of the word but not the fountaine it selfe the whole word Necessarily must offences come â— yea to this end that those whom God approues might bee knowne and others also might be layd open certaine it is that no hypocrite doth constantly delight in the whol word or meditate in it nor intirely giue up himselfe to it For either because it is new and fresh they rejoyce in it for a season Mat. 13 20. 21. Iohn 3. 35. or because their hearts are parched and tormented with the tâ—rrours of the Law they will then desire this water of life as when men are in a fit of an Ague but after the fit is off nothing regard it Thus was it with Pharaoh so with Zedikiah Ier. 37. 17. And that little which they
receiue of it they doe not receiue with sincere affection as the word of God but keepe themselues free from it where they list yeelding some obedience in some particulars nay indeed not at all obeying but rather following some naturall inclinations of restraint put into them by God Thus doe we see some of them at this day plainely uncasing themselues and professing Christ liue like beasts Others when they haue for some sinister ends as Demas followed the truth for a time fall cleane off revolting either to Antichrist or to the world in covetousnesse and notable profanenes But many as the Iewes in Iohn Baptist can for a time rejoyce in the Minister and the word while they are fresh or as Herod till they come crosse of them but being not planted by the rivers of water onely for some respects using a while but not constantly conversing with the Gospell in a short space they wither and fall from their profession 1. Here first may those wilfully and even desperately blind persons be censured who being sunke in a deepe securitie against the light of Gods word and their owne reason will perswade themselues and presume that although they grow old in their wickednesse and liue in open grosse filthy sins yet haue they faith as good as the best as true a loue to God as any of them all a strong hope of their salvation they haue as much feare of God and more then these sermon-men c. Now as a man who being to travaile by night in a dangerous way where on the right and left hand are many steepe rockes and fearefull downefalls should yet refuse a skilfull guide with a lanterne or torch and further because he would not see his danger would shut his eyes and winke were but a foole worthy to bee begged and no better then a mad man and though hee should boast much of his skill and knowledge in the passage that he could blinde-fold and in the darke goe as safely and come as securâ—ly to the end of the way as he that journyed at mid-day with open eyes this bragging would make him but more ridiculous in the eye of any reasonable man such are these God hath given them the lanterne of his word and direction of his most wise Spirit to guide them the way is darke if they stray but a little on the right or left hand they are dashed in peeces against the stumbling stone and fall into perdition but they refuse the word hearken not to their owne reason but following their sense like bruit beasts wilfully proceed till they fall headlong into everlasting destruction both of body and soule would they take the word along with them they would soone perceiue their wilfull errour That would tell them Faith purifieth the heart Every man that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as hee is pure Purge out therefore the old leaven that yee may bee a new lumpe It will teach us This is the loue of God to keepe his commandements If any man loue mee hee will keepe my word The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Our reason if we would open the eyes of it would shew us that when wee trust upon any for matters of great importance and haue hung our hopes upon him wee will set our selues to please him and will do nothing which may kindle his anger and breed dislâ—ke of us that if we loue and feare our Prince wee will liue in his subjection and obedience to his lawes that if our children loue and feare us they will obserue what we commaund and deny their owne wills to content us Now what pleaseth our Lord Will he be pleased with thousands of rammes will hee be pleased with saying Lord Lord and calling our selues his servants He hath shewed thee oh man what is good in his sight and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God to doe the will of thy Father in heaven Mat. 7. 21. That humble and subject denying thy selfe that is thine owne wisedome to bâ—e governed by his word thy lusts to bee ruled by his will this is that which God delights in Now then when men will folâ—ow their owne conceits and deceits in matter of religion without the word when they will walke after their owne hearts when they cannot bee brought to forsake so much as open grosse and palpable sinnes knowne and confessed but still walke in them is this to walke with God or can any man who hath any light from God in his word nay from his owne reason not see here his wicked and deceitfull heart that perswades him all is well when hee is yet in the very bond of iniquitie and gall of bitternesse The carelesnes of men in the weightiest matter which can concâ—rne them must heere be rebuked They make no doubt at all of obteining the kingdome of God There is no question they thinke and say of all this well what is the ground of this so strong confidence Certainly it is a Castle in the ayre without any foundation but onely a presumptuous conceit of an idle braine Had the Spirit planted in them this perswasion the flesh would lay batterie to it and labour to weaken it objecting an hundred feares and shaking it with wavering nay the Spirit also would make this advantage of the enemie to use more diligence to make their calling and election sure by fortifying that which is weake and adding grace unto grace But this is the device and worke of Satan that strong man who having possession keepes all in his peace The Devill having got them in this his cradle of presumptuous securitie rockes them in sleepe of sinne by this pleasing dreame and were their eyes never so little open that one sparke of spirituall light might enter they could not but see how they are besotted For aske them Is not eternall life the gift of God They cannot deny it And on whom doth hee bestow it but on his faithfull servants And how doe wee serue him but in holinesse and righteousnesse Doe you thus serue him Is swearing profaning the Lords day by doing our owne will neglecting nay despising the word Sacraments prayer publike and private are these any parts of holinesse Is lying railing cursing spightfull dealing stealing c. any part of righteousnesse Doe you not liue in these or some of these sinnes doe you keepe your mouth as with a bridle feare an oath detest a slander as well as a slanderer Doe you tremble and rejoyce in the word do you coÌ„tinue in prayer c. Here they haue no other refuge but those miserable fig-leanes which cannot hide their nakednesse Are you say they without your faults wee cannot be Saints on earth c. To reply to these poore shifts No man liues without sinne but thousands even all the faithfull liuâ— not in sinne they serue not sinne in the lusts of
and called honest men hence thinke all safe though in the meane time they liue in many actuall sinnes both of commission omission yea such as are palpable For aske even one of these Indeede I perceiue you doe not fill your mouth with the grosser oaths nor abuse the wounds bloud and body of your Saviour to his dishonour as too many but doe you not sweare at all Doe you not vse the Masse our Lady your faith and troth in oaths Well now And hath not Christ commanded Sweare not at all Is not this then a confessed breach of Gods commandement and doe you not liue in this and refuse to be reformed So againe I see you are no common druâ—kard to abuse your selfe as many doe who are every weeke and most dayes in the weeke distempered and are turned into beasts with drinke But doe you not spend too much time in the Ale-house doe you not ordinarily drinke more then is suâ—ficient nay tipple when you haue no need at all But especially if you question them in sinnes of omission Doe you not leaue undone many necessary duties doe you not continually neglect reading and private meditating in the word doe you not let passe private and Houshold prayers and the like Aboue the rest negligence in performance of dutie they account as nothing as demaund of them what zeale haue you in prayer what hnnger for the word what diligence in service what thirst of righteousnesse what longing after God They cannot denie that they are very deficient nay indeed that they haue no sense of these things And alas dost thou not know that sentence is past for sinnes of omission Mat. 25. Dost thou not know that the curse belongs to those who doe the worke of God negligently Ier. 48. 10. But what marvaile if these flatter themselues when even the most enormous livers sing peace to their owne soules and make no doubt to goe to heaven through the midst of all profanenesse For aske them Is it not sinne to breake the Sabboth to doe thine owne worke upon Gods day to absent and with-draw thy selfe from the Assemblies Is it not sinne to sweare to curse to raile to slander to speake basely of those that desire to feare the Lord what wretch can deny this who yet practiseth it continually and fouly scornes to amend and repent or to heare of repentance but hates his reprover and deteâ—ts any admonition though spoken from the mouth of God Learne here to know thy estate and thy selfe and shake off that securitie of men in a matter of such importance goe upon sure grounds and such as cannot deceiue thee And for motiues remember First That a wise-man will bee diligent to know the estate of his flocke and of his heards a man that is carefull to thriue in the world must often cast up his account and is it not more needfull to know the estate of thy soule Secondly Thou knowest not how suddainely the day of thy account shall come or whether then the Lord will giue thee any leasure or heart to doe it or whether hee will then suffer thee to come nigh him But what meanes are to bee used First learne not to trust in thine owne heart for it is deceitfull aboue all things Remember Prov. 12. 15. and 14. 12. The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but hee that heareth counsell is wise Secondly take the word of God in thine hand and apply thy heart to that rule It will discover thy heart to thy eyes for God hath purposely given it to this â—nd It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Psalme I. Verse VI. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish IN the former verses the Prophet having discovered the good and evill way and the issue of both now in the conclusion by a necessarie argument confirmes all that truth and giues an evident reason why the godly who seeke the Lord in his word and wayes cannot but prosper and be blessed and the wicked that despise God and walke after their owne lusts cannot but come to confusion namely because God knowes the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly shall perish The first proposition is Because God knowes the wayes of the righteous therefore shall they prosper and bee blessed Two words must be opened first what is ment by the way of the righteous secondly what kinde of knowledge is here intended For the former though there is here a double figure â—irst a metaphor where the soule directing the continuall course of our actions according to the rule of God is resembled to the body walking in some tracke or path and a metonymie where the way is put for a continuall walking or stepping in the way yet is so ordinary not onely in the Scripture commonly used by the Spirit but in our speech to compare the life or practise of any man in any trade temporall or spirituall to a way and so to call it that it shall need no further labour in explication The other what this knowledge is in God hath more difficultie and needs more unfolding Knowledge â—s it is very frequently used in Scripture is not confined to the undâ—rstanding but more largely extended to other faculties of the soule even the will and affections In which generall acception it may be described that action of any of the reasonable faculties namely understanding will or affection whereby that facultie apprehends any thing and applies it selfe unto it For looke as in the bodily senses they are then said to heare or see when the object of the eare and eye entring into them is by them apprehended and applied For example The â—are is said to know what is spoken when it apprehends the words applies it selfe in the facultie of hearing unto the voice the eye to know the colour which it lets in and exerciseth it selfe in beholding so when the understanding will and affections busie their severall offices in applying their powers to any thing they may not bee unâ—itly said to know it Now therefore as when the understanding apprehends any intelligible object and applies the facultie of discerning unto it it is said to know it so when the will whose oâ—fice is to choose or refuse applies it selfe to the object in chusing then the will may bee said to know So likewise wee may say the affections know that which they loue or honour Thus man is said to know God 1. when the Lord having revealed himselfe and his will in his word the understanding applying it sâ—lfe to this object and receiving into it selfe this revelation perceiues it Thus it is used Psal. 9. 10. They that know thee will trust in thee c. Thus it is said The heathens know not Gods judgements as being never revealed to them nor they perceiving them Psal. 147. 20. 2. When he chuseth the Lord to bee his God So
33.4 5. Nothing is a more effectuall motiue of loue then the likenesse and neerenesse of qualitie and studies even neerenesse of blood yeeldeth to this and stronger amitie hath beene contracted by likenesse of manners then by any other respect Secondly Righteous persons and wayes are the principall workes of God we are his new creatures and all our good workes are wholy framed by him He makes us know what is good he giues us a good will to good and then perfects it in good actions Now God loveth all his workes If we looke over all the holy histories wee shall find this truth wonderfully confirmed in the dealing of God with his people especially in that of David who being after Gods heart and bending all his studie to magnifie the name and advance the worship of God was againe magniâ—ied and much loved and honoured see 2 Sam. 7. 8. 9. 4. We learne here the infallible happinesse of the righteous for seâ—ing this knowledge of God is the cause of their blessâ—dnesse it evidâ—ntly followes that as sure as God knowes thâ—m and all their wayes so certainely shall they aâ—taine the state here mentioned and promised Psal. 112. 1. so Mat. 5. 3.4 5. 6. c. As thâ—refore Isaack speakes concerning Iacob I have blessed him therefore hee shall bee blessed Gen. 27.33 Or as Iacob of his beloved Ioseph Gen. 49. 26. The blessing of thy father shall be stronger then the blessing of mine elders unto the ends of the hills of the world shall they be upon the head of Ioseph c. so much more strong much more lasting are the blessings of God upoÌ„ his beloved childreÌ„ for who shal or can curse wher God hath not cursed Num. 23.8 such places are infinite especially obserue that sentence Prov. 3. 13. Blessed is hee that findeth wisedome Consider the words before and followingâ— the meaning is As a Merchant who by continuall travell and trafficke hath found and gotten for himselfe much gold and silver and all manner of earthly goods is alreadie rich and in the supposall of earthly men well to passe so that man who hath laboured in the word and trading with it hath attained that true wisedome consisting in holinesse is blessed in his worke see Iam. 1. 25. And the same reason setleth this their blessednesse for the Lord is unchangeable his seeing them loving their wayes is unalterable therefore so must their estate bee which as before is manifest fadeth not 2 Tim. 2. 19. The reasons also manifesting this truth are divers as First That absolute decree promise and truth of God which every where hee hath published in his word who cannot lie or dissemble and will not reverse any thing hee hath spoken Hath hee sayd and shall not hee doe it Numb 23. 19. Secondly That constant and unchangeable loue of God Ioh. 13. 1. who repents not of his gifts Rom. 11. 29. but bestowes one that he may make way for another and delighteth to heape upon him abundance who hath received any grace Mat. 13. 12. Blessings indefinitely are upon the head of the righteous Prov. 10. 6. Thirdly That permanent grace of God that remaining seed 1 Ioh. 3. 9. which according to the tenor of the new Covenant is not fading nor subject to losse They shall not depart from God therefore received that last bond of the covenant the feare of God which endureth for ever Ps. 19.9 Certaine is it that as worldly man thirsting for gaine when hee hath betaken himselfe to some good trade and findes it sweet is now and every day more eager of the world then before so where God hath seasoned the heart with this spirituall and heavenly covetousnesse of the world to come the riches of grace and glorie the more he employeth his labour in Gods ordinances and faithfully seekes the more according to Gods promise he findes the more he findes the sweeter still it feeles and this sweetnesse is a more sharpe spur to his hungry soule hence he is whetted more earnestly to pursue hence the more hee obtaines and growes every day more blessed 1. Now therefore not onely wicked and profane persons are here reproved such who because they haue not God before their eyes thinke not that God hath them in his eyes such as say God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will never see such as despise God and say hee will not regard Psal. 10. 11. 13. such fooles as confesse God made their seeing eyes and hearing eares yet thinke he never sees nor perceiues see Psal. 94. 7. 8. 9. But as these so many other holy and faithfull Christians are here to bee chidden who are often deepely plunged into many bottomlesse tentations and even swallowed with griefe because they forget this comfortable truth and doe not consider in the evill day that the Lord hath seene and written up for them all their labour of loue hee hath recorded and keepeth tale of their sighs and bottles up their teares as a memoriall for them For in the cloudie and darke day when Satan drawes their eyes wholy either to the sinfull actions which they haue committed or to their sinfull affections yet remaining and fighting and oft prevailing in them they make no question but God sees all their misdeeds and sinnes but that the Lord should behold their spirits sighing under the burthens groaning under this oppression of Satan that hee should in mercie compassion and loue behold the wrastlings struglings and the bitter griefe of their hearts thus yoked with the body of death they utterly forget But because they despise their owne poore and weake endeavors as being low in their owne eyes they suppose they are also despised by God This we must carefully amend fasten this truth in our memories that the Lord cannot despise his owne worke in his creatures but sees perfectly knowes all the thoughts of our heart so that our desires thirsting for his righteousnesse and our cries calling out to bee delivered from this woefull yoke-fellow of sinfull corruption are all heard and noted by him So likewise are here many to be rebuked who make no good use of that doctrine so plainly and comfortably layde down by the Spirit and frequently handled in the scripture namely the election and predestination of the Saints Some are so impudent that they would wholy silence this truth not considering that things revealed belong to us and our children Some even devillishly blaspheme it as a dangerous and desperate doctrine which driveth men to hell and desperation Others eschew it as a rocke and dare not touch or meddle with it and very few who make right use of it Certainely as it is very full of use for the faithfull for humiliation as remembring that God chuseth their persons yet not being before they are called before they know him that he predestinates all their workes for them and ordereth them to their handes that he giues wil and deed in a word that he foresees us
there should bee a God and that ungodly persons counsels and actions should prosper but seing God his counsell decrees and honour must stand theirs must fall Haman and Mordecai cannot stand together much lesse God and ungodly persons They are but as a potters vessell and he crushes them with a scepter of iron they cannot therefore but be broken in peices 1. Here may we admire and detest that strong folly of men which desire resoâ—ue and delight to bee in their societie and condition which is thus hated rejected and scorned by God For doe they not know that wicked persons living in open rebellion against the lawes of God are by God rejected and hated are they ignorant that they liue and so purpose to liue in this estate they can denie neither yet shall no perswasion bring them out from their resolution but thus they haue and thus they will continue They heare the threatning and thundring word of God The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord and all their wayes The froward in heart are abomination to the Lord therefore though hand joyne in hand they shall not be unpunished They heare their owne souâ—es testifie while thou livest in this rebellion neglect and restraint of prayer contempt of the word breach of the Sabboth swearing lying drinking thou art a most accursed creature They heare the gâ—acious promise of God I Haue no desire that the wicked should die shall he not live if he returne from his evill way and that loving invitation Why will you die yet are they so bewitched with the harlotry of sinne and so besotted in their miserie that neither Gods word nor their owne reason can perswade them to forsake their confessed but plâ—asing death and miserie for a confessed life and happinesse This wretched behaviour hath no other fountaine but either Atheisme or unbeliefe For either they denie God in their hearts or at least which is all one fancie him idle and not regarding without any care or providence or else they giue no credit in heart to those threats and promises of God Certainely many delude themselues with a conceit of mercie even in the highest rebellion and especially with the thought of turning at better leasure nothing doubting but that if they haue time to say Lord haue mercie on mee all will be well with them In humane affaires because the displeasure of the Prince is as the roaring of a Lion hence whatsoever may bring them into disgrace they will carefully avoid and if they haue incurred his anger what will they not doe to appease his wrath and procure his favour But their contrarie behaviour to God cannot but argue a contrary perswasion 2. The vaine labour of worldly men hunting so hotly and eagerly pursuing wicked Mammon It is wonderfull to see the brutish nay more thâ—n beastly sencelesnesse of professed Christians this way with what incredible paines and delight they follow after the fading world If either the word had not made them know or their owne experience confirmed to them the vanity and vexation of all earthly things if they knew not they should carrie nothing away with them there might bee some shew of excuse in such people But when they denie not that truth yet to take such paines for a fading vexing vanitie which even now in it selfe is nothing worth but in the eyes of fooles and instantly will bee nothing at all is more folly then can sute with a reasonable creature For to seeke and search for wicked riches and pleasures that is to pursue our owne destruction what madnesse is beyond it what marvaile to see a foole child or Lunatike to delight in some hurtfull thing Alas they want the use of that reason which should direct them But for a creature able to use his reason for a Christian that enjoyes the light of understanding nay of the word and Spirit thus to do at it passeth the conceit of a man how they should bee wrought to it Can any man plead ignorance and say I knew not that I should forsake this life and the appurtenances of it I knew not that riches haue wings as an Eagle I knew not it was as a spiders webbe Esay 59. 6. Iob 8. 14. 15. that my honours profits pleasures should perish and all my thoughts and labours vanish like a cloud What Christian but must confesse I know that good men shall leaue an inheritance to their childrens children but the riches of the wicked are layd up for the just If the wicked heape up silver as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the just shall put it on and hee shall divide the silver The riches of vanitie shall diminish Nay the happinesse of the wicked shall destroy them yet will they by fraud cousonage oppression lies perjuries and all manner of wickednesse labour to inrich themselues and bee loaded with thicke clay How true and fearefull is that saying That gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue is vanitie tossed to and fro of them that seeke death Our experience of Gods curse upon such wicked substance hath begotten a proverbe that ill got goods never prosper yet as if joy comfort life and happinesse wholy consisted in earthly things so doe men runne and poast after them To shut up all in a word of exhortation use all diligence and labour to come out of this cursed estate I do not wish thee to looke out and long for happinesse nature and selfe loue will enforce this desire and thou canst as well remoue hunger and thirst from thy body as this wish of happines from thy soule But as thou desirest to be blessed so seeke it in the right way Hearken not to ungodly counsels giue no credit to the vaine perswasions of unexperienced guides never acquainted with true blessednes or the way that leads to it Trust in the Lord thy God and thou shalt be assured beleeve his Prophets and thou shalt prosper Say to thy soule Art not thou spirituall and immortall aâ—d are not all these things in this world in which ungodly persons place their happinesse carnall sensuall and perishing in the use and is it possible that an immortall Spirit can be blessed by enjoying things fleshly and fading Doth not thy excellencie consist in likenesse to thy Creator and Redeemer and in his divine nature and how then should sinfull men and counsels directing thee or rather plunging thee in the mirie wayes of worldly Mammon wicked riches advancements and pleasures bring thee to this thy happinesse When I heare or read of an humane creature mingling himselfe with a beast I disdaine loath I detest his filthinesse and account him for the greater beast of the twaine eveâ— an abominable monster If thou then an heavenly and glorious substance shalt dote upon earth and dung canst thou esteeme thy selfe any other then a prodigie or monster in nature Oh then learne with an
Grace as it is planted so nourished by the word 200 The heart of a wicked man so farre as it is wicked is incapable of the fruits of Grace 201 Grafting How used and what is implyed by it 131 Signes of being truely engrafted into Christ. 132.133 Growth A full growth of grace is not gotten as soone as it is planted 154. H Happinesse Whosoever desires to be happy must avoid the companie of the wicked 26 Reasons for it ibid Must delight in Gods Law 97 How to know whether we be entred into that way of happines 98 It is the word of God that makes men happy 109 The happines of man consists not in any one outward blessing 176 Reasons for it 178 Hearing A reproofe of our negligence in Hearing in that wee consider not that God speakes by his Ministers 15 The danger of not being diligent in hearing 16 A perswasion to this diligence ibid Hearing and doing must goe together 114.115 Of our strange neglect of Hearing with an answer to those frivolous excuses which men make for the same 118.119 120 When the word is rightly heard fruit followes 144 Holinesse The wicked cannot discerne any beautie in holinesse 185 A wicked man so farre forth as he is wicked is incapable of the fruits of holinesse 200.201 Where true holinesse is it will not suffer wickednes to dwell in the heart peaceably 201 I Ignorance Wilfull stubbornes is worse then grosse Ignorance 50.51 How hereby a man may judge of a knowing Papist 52 Ignorance expressed by the word darkenes 129 Infidelitie An vnreverend estimation of Scripture is a sure signe of Infidelitie 11 Iudgements The cursed securitie of our sluggish nature will never tremble at the judgements of God vntill they attach us 227 The vngodly shall not stand in judgement 229 The signification of the word judgement 230 The judgement of the wicked 231 In all the judgements of God the wicked shall fall 234 The fearefull securitie of such as prepare not for the judgement Day 235.236 â—37 Motives to mind that Day 239 Iust Sinners shall not stand in the Congregation of the just 240 Proved 241 K Knowledge What knowledge is said to be in God 252 The sweet comfort of Gods knowing vs. 261 Wee should labour for such wayes as those by which God may know vs. 261.262 L Law The Law of the Lord how taken 88.89 Delight therein causeth blessednes 89 The Lawes sweetnes 94 A censure of such as find no sweetnesse in the Law 105 A pressing motive to take delight in the Law 106 Leafe The life of the godly is expressed by the never-fading leafe 143 Learne Man is indâ—cible till God doth teach 6 Life The word is compared to many things tending to life 110 The Ever-flourishing Life of the godly is expressed by the never-fading leafe 143 M Meditation What it signifieth pa 107 Reasons pressing Meditation on the word 116 Meanes to make our hearts fit for Meditation 124. 125 Mercy Gods mercies are not disposed according to mans fancies 193 Mocke vid Scorne How God is mocked both in his word in his workes in his Saints 74 75. â— Mocking what a high degree of sinne it is 77 A sharpe reproofe for mockers 79. 72 It is devillish profanenes and how it appeares 83 The fearefulnes of the sinne of mocking of the meanest of Gods â—â—nisters 84 Wherein the Papists mocking of God and Religion appeares 85. 86 N. Nature Grace doth not neither can spring from nature 200 Natures cursed securitie in that it will not tremble at the Iudgements of God till they attach vs. 227 Neglect Of our neglect in hearing the word with all the frivolous excuses made for the same 118.119.120 O. Outward The happines of man consisteth not in any one outward blessing 176 P. Palme-tree what and why the godly are compared to it page 128.129 As the fruit of the Palme-tree is long in growing so the fruites of the Spirit come not presently to maturitie 147 The wicked are in nothing like the Palme-tree 189 Confirâ—ed by Reason 190 Papists Their abhominable abuse of Scripture 11.12.13 A rule whereby to judge of a knowing Papist 52 Wherein the Papists mocking of God and Religion appeares 85.86 A layiâ—g open of the hypocrisie of that false Church of Papists 145 How they subvert the inward and outward parts of Gods worship 245.246.247 Perseverance Stubborne perseverance in a wilfull course after warning from Gods word is a state farre worse then grosse ignorance 50 A refutation of the opinion of them that denie the perseverance of the Saints 155 Objections thereof answered 156 157. c Plant The examination of our plantation transplantation in Gods Garden 135.152 Policie No Policie can prosper without counsell from the word 212 Reasons 213 Practice It is the fruit of that good seede of Gods word 114 115 Reasons why hearing and practice must goe together 115 Preaching It being true and sound ought to bee received with reverence and subjection aboue any word or Law of any creature 91,92 c. Promise The faithfull must not limit God his time for the accomplishment of his promises 155 Prosperitie what it is 159 Whom it shall follow 160 161 Objections on instances against the prosperitie of the godly 162.163 How the wicked prosper 166 The ungodly doe not alwayes prosper 198.199 Reasons 200 The wicked are but woefull in their most prosperous condition 209 Reasons to confirme it 210.211 What prosperitie it iâ— which evill men so hunt after 214 A reproofe of such as desire prosperitie and yet take the way that leads to destruction 215 An Exhortation to take the right path-way to prosper 216 Psalme This first Psalmes Summe 3 With its division into generall parts ibid David and in him the Holy Ghost is the Authour of this first Psalme 4 Proved by reasons 5 R Repentance It is the onely way to blessednes 48 Repentance defined 49 The manifold change that is in it 49.50 A sweet comfort to sinners in their penitent estate 86 Resist Two kinds of Resisters of God and his word one open another private 56 Divers instances of stout Resistâ—rs of Gods word 60.61 Their wickednes that resist the word 117 Resolution That the heart of man is not onely prone to sin but resolutâ— in it 47 Righteous what is meant by the way of the righteous 251 The Lord chuseth out the righteous for himselfe and their paths for them 255 Reasons for it ibid c. The Lord loveth not onely the persons of the righteous but their wayes also 256 Their infallible happines 256 The endlesse comfort which the righteous have of this that God knâ—weth them 261 We should labour that he might so know us ibid S Sabbath Sabbath-breakers reproved 138 Saints A Saints estate blessâ—d even in his rebukes 29 His estate at the worst is most happie 29 30 He is all glorious within ibiâ— The tryall of being a Saint 32.33 Salt Grace fitly resembled to Salt 24 Salvation the words power to Salvation
that there is no estate of man which may not there find what soever is comfortable and usefull 2. Even heathen wise men acknowledged that in wisedome there were admirable pleasures and could perceive and professe him to be the wisest happiest who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most godly wise 3. Especially the very object of delight being goodnes hence the wil is necessitated to take pleasure in it It proceeds from God the infinite goodâ— it is in its kind infinitly good therfore called the good word of God the end effect of it to lead us to our supream good happines But is it not the savour of death No otherwise then Christ is a rocke of stumbling not in it selfe but by the perversnesse of man Nay rather this argueth the goodnesse of it because as a thing is more good so the abuse of it is more dangerous In a word whatsoever goodnesse is in any creature whereby the bodily sense and life is refreshed all this in a farre more excellent manner and measure is comprised in the word The fleshly eye is ravished with beautifull colours and corporall fairenesse but the understanding is that eye of the soule to which truth is the most proper and pleasing object and therefore the feete beautifull that bring it The eare is pleased with sweete words and â—loquent speeches but how pleasant to a spirituall eare is this upright writing the words of truth The tast is delighted with sweet meats but the word is hony and â—he hony combe to the mouth of the soule How delightfull is gaine and profit to a worldly heart But this word is the currâ—nt coyne of that heavenly Kingdome which stocketh the heart with the treasures of grace and bringeth us to those full riches and inheritance of glory It is therefore our dutie to draw our averse hearts to delight in it and not onely necessarily but joyfully to converse with it Try here and proue thy selfe whether thou art yet entred into this way of happinesse See here the happy or blessed man delighteth in the law of God as well the word it selfe as the way set him downe in that word is pleasant and delightfull Obserue therefore the worke wisedome of our Creator and thou shalt find that as he hath allotted to the creatures severall beings and natures so hath he filled every nature with severall affections dispositions Among the sensible some take their pastime in the ayre some in the water nay some within the earth In the vegetatiue we see some trees and herbs delight and thriue in waterie and marish grounds other in dry and rockie some in hot and others in cold some in a fat others in a barren soile Thus in the food and nourishment of sensible bodies what a strange difference doe we see That is pleasant and wholsome to one which to another is loathsome and a deadly poyson Thus hath that all-wise Creatour disposed that there shall be a kind of aptnesse and affection in one creature to sustaine and beare up the nature of another Now as he hath given to the creatures severall natures and fitted them with severall nourishments answearable to their constitutions so also hath he so tempered their complexions that they are necessarily and strongly carried by their appetite to desire those things whereby their nature is sustained and comforted applying their tast to delight in those nourishments Thus in thy bodily life he hath given bread and wine for thy sustenance and so ordained that by his blessing there is in this food a power of increasing and strengthning the body and in the body a necessary and earnest desire of these aliments and in the tast a pleasure to receiue them Thus now is it with thy soule If thou art entred into this new life Christ Iesus is that bread which came downe from heaven the bread and water of life the true vine which cheeres up thy soule hee is brought home to thee in his word which word God hath purposely given to be the meanes of spirituall life and hath put into it his power to salvation therefore as he hath given to the spirituall man an unseparable appetite to hunger and thirst after it so likewise hath he given a spirituall tast to which this good and wholesome word is as hony and the hony combe so that they are not a little delighted and pleased with it If therefore thou canst finde in thee this spirituall tast constantly delighting in the word it is a sure note of life But had not Herod and haue not temporary beleevers a tast yea a delighting tast in the word Yes but 1. not constantly no not in the promise 3. The delight which they haue is not indeed in the word but in their owne conceits falsly drawne from it as remission of sinnes at all adventure mercy and grace without any true change or repentance and such like yea even then many things of Gods law they spit out as bitter and unsavory But the true Beleever hath this tast in him constantly though sometimes dulled by tentation and rejoyceth not onely in those sweet promises which nourish him but even in those bitter reproofes as in sowre but wholesome salets provoking to appetite and clensing the stomacke So likewise all the wayes of heauenly wisedome pointed out to him are wayes of pleasure The way of godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie are all delightfull This is not so with the wicked man who may please himselfe or at least seeme so in some of these but hath no heart to many necessary duties nay utterly dâ—tests and abhors them The most civill man will take much libertie not onely in omission of pious duties as of prayer in his closet and familie breach of some part of the Sabboth but â—steems it a light matter to breake out into commission of some ungodlines as oaths so they be not frequent nor of the greater size in his measure but especially in shaping a religion and worship of God after his owne fancie neglecting nay even despising the rule of God at least precisenesse of that rule The hypocrite will gild over his out-side with a faire resemblance of pietie to God and the eye must be very sharpe to spie out a fault in the outward forme of his profession but is far from that seeming care of righteousnesse and just dealing with men but that we may easily discerne grosse neglect of such duties But he that delighteth in the Law of God cannot be thus disposed But as he loues the Lord for himselfe and delights his soule in rendring to God that which is his so doth he loue his brother for God and will carefully obserue his respects unto him 3. Seing the Lord giues this name of Law to the Scripture hence is just occasion to refute that blasphemous errour of Poperie that the written word is not a perfect rule or direction But 1. God in evident termes contradicts it The Law
I haue put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed sayth the Lord from henceforth and for ever 2. Try here thy estate search and consider what interest thou hast in this blessed condition of the faithfull If thou belongest to the Paradise of God thou art planted thou art transplanted Since Adam was rooted out of it never any man grew there but was translated cut off from the old and grafted into a new stocâ—e Thou arâ— wholy changed art a new man a new creature renewed in thy understanding from darkenesse to light renewed in thy conversation walking not in deeds of darkenesse but the paths of light not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse strife and envying Rom. 13. 12. 13. If thou liest in ignorance thou hast not the life of God If thou liest still in wickednesse thou art yet of the world But dost thou find the word of God spring in thy heart dost thou feele that holy Spirit continually sending forth those streames of grace nourishing thee to life then hast thou right to this happy estate but take good heed least thy falâ—e heart beguile thee perhaps some fits pangs of conscience haue for a season made thee more temperate more carefull of dutie to God and man This may be in an hypocrite and was in those false-hearted Iewes When God slew them then they sought him then they remembred God was their strength but they did but â—latter and dissemble Thus their children when the feare of the Babylonians pressed them they obeyed as soone as they departed they repented of their obedience and returned to their sinne but the faithfull haue this water of life flow in them nay in the day of tentation they faile not but then often abound more plentifully then at any other time It is recorded of Iordan that even in harvest he over-flowed all his bankes so is it with those waters of the true Israell of God they flow even in the time of heat and drought in tryals of affliction even the most fierie tryals the word and Spirit leaue them not but with more full tides water and comfort their soules Thus was it in Iob thus with this Psalmist see Psal. 119. 92. 143. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Know then that as long as wee retaine the old leaven loving the world and cleaving in heart unto it and the sinfull profits pleasures and affections of it we haue no signe of this happinesse in us If this blessed word Spirit doe not flow into us wash out our uncleannes drunkennes covetousnes all such corruptions nay if that holy Spirit leads us not forward into the good way and causeth us cheerefully to goe on in every path of holinesse wee haue no title to true blessednesse 1. How can we sufficiently admire the impudence of those men who are not and professe they are not changlings Consider them and you shall finde that as they were twenty yeares agoe so are they now Ignorant then without any knowledge of God and now as ignorant they come to Church they heare the word but the Prince of darkenesse holds their eyes that they should not discerne the light of God Others perhaps attaine more knowledge but walke still in darkenesse the same cursed wayes they followed before they still go on in them they were swearers cursers Sabboth-breakers drunkards covetous oppressours extortioners railers uncleane so remaine they still and increase perhaps somewhat changed but for the worse one sinne for another one Devill cast out and seaven other entred dead were they in nature dead in sinnes and trespasses and what now but more rotten and stinking the very wormes of hell crawling upon them and eating their soules Before they neglected goodnesse in themselues now they despise and deride it in others When they are called to come out of this miserable estate and the Spirit in the Ministery of the word cryes aloud unto them Turne you why will yee dye they desperately answer not in their hearts onely and in secret but openly in their rebellious actions nay some impudently in their words Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations and doe every man after the stubbornesse of his owne wicked heart Oh woefull oh miserable and desperate estate when wee read of those poore wretches possessed with legions of Devils carrying them from Cities the companie of their friends and all living men to the dead there to lodge in graues beating and striking themselues with stones and breaking all bonds we even tremble to thinke of their fearefull estate But wee are blinde to see our owne miserie nay though we cannot but see it here pictured out unto us we haue no sense of it who once thinkes with himselfe Is not this my condition Am I any thing better How many uncleane Spirits possesse this miserable soule and body A spirit of ignorance and blindnesse even the Prince of darkenesse holds my understanding captiue in the chaines of darkenesse A spirit of profanesse possesseth my heart and prisoneth it in unbeliefe benumbes it with securitie and deadnesse A lying Spirit holds my tongue and makes my mouth a very shop and forge of slanders and reproaches against the Saints of God and his truth A spirit of blasphemie possesses my lippes and thence continually shoots out lewd and horrible oathes against heaven A spirit of covetousnesse a spirit of drunkennesse a spirit of lust and uncleanesse a very hell is in this wretched heart These cursed spirits cause me to breake all bonds of sense reason religion of dutie to God and man and carry me headlong from my friends to mine enemies from the land of the living to the chambers of eternall death They use mine owne hands against my selfe and make every member a weapon of unrighteousnesse against mine owne soule and life nay against God whose loue is better then life And now see yonder the Lord Iesus offereth himselfe unto me for my salvation Shall I be worse then that Daemoniake Shall I not flye to him for succour Nay he invites me and shall I refuse him Alas we haue no sense thus to put on our soules but while the strong man holds possession all is at peace Those likewise are here sharply to be rebuked who esteeme little of the Sabboth and those holy duties belonging to it even the service of the most holy God and thinke nothing else of it but of a custome and common use of men As many who come to the Courts of earthly Lords for fashion and feare of amercement or some like respect so doe most Christians draw neere to the Courts of the Lord of heaven many seldome nay most never considering the cause of this Ordinance either why or by whom it was commanded Surely if onely our service and homage
Christ aâ—firme that hee leaues not the worlds peace with the faithfull The Lord doth not there deny to giue peace but affirmes he giues it after another manner then the world Worldly men wish their friends prosperitie and perhaps would but cannot giue it and if they doe it lasteth a short time but Christ giues it effectually and keepes it to them This text much confirmes this point but yet further Doe we not see many true servants of God who tremble at his word liue not prosperously I answer No if we weigh well what is prosperitie and then compare their estate with it They liue in honour or riches it may well be so but honour and riches are no part of prosperitiâ— and but by accident no helps toward it For 1. They are vanitie and vexation of spirit how then can they bee any part of prosperitie 2 Riches and honours are often reserved to their owners for their evill No qnestion these things are to a man as a saile to a boat if the saile bee too great it sinkes the vessell but when it is fitted in a just quantitie then it causeth a swift and safe passage Thus wee often see when God giues a man riches honour c. in great quantitie but not grace and wisedome to manage this estate they are in continuall danger by every blast to sinke into some mischiefe Prosperitie therefore is such an estate when all things together worke for the best now this estate is promised by him that cannot lye to all them that loue him Rom. 8. 28. And obserue that God alway thus worketh Ioseph is sold into AEgypt and made a Bond-man but prospers in the house is put in prison but prospers there is brought out unto Pharaoh prospers with him is preferred to great dignitie prospers in that and becomes a meanes to saue much flesh Daniell is taken carried captiue and made a servant to an Idolatrous Prince prospers and findes favour with the chiefe Eunuch prospers with Nebuchadnezzar is accused and cast into the Denne of Lyons but prospers in all this for all these things tend to his advantage with God and men Yea so mightily doth God worke for them that even sinne also through his grace workes for their good Sinne workes godly sorrow godly sorrow care c. What thankfulnesse loue nay labour of loue and diligence to please did the sinne of Mary Magdalen and Paul worke in those Saints This then is a sure truth where the word is received with obedience prosperitie certainely followes it 2. Afflictions and troubles of the faithfull who heare and obey the word are if not parts yet meanes of their prosperitie this evidently followes from hence For if hee prosper in all things even afflictions shall tend to his good and worke for him that successe which his soule wishes for howsoever affliction as flowing from evill and ebbing againe into it of it selfe is evill yet as it is sanctified to those who loue God it cannot bee reckoned among evils but rather blessings Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord. Count it exâ—eeding joy when you fall into divers tentations Wee glory intribulation Paul esteemes the fellowship of Christ his afflictions aboue all earthly things so that hee accounts of all other things as dung and losse in comparison sorting this fellowship with the knowledge of Christ and the vertue of his Resurrection For enlarging this point a little further let us consider 1. What successe or good it brings in to us 2. How being evill in it selfe it is turned to our good It is a meanes of good 1. by preventing evill 2. by working out for us things profitable It prevents destruction of body and soule Man is chastened with paine upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine so that his life abhorreth bread and his soule daintie meate Loe all these things worketh God with a man oftentimes that hee may bring backe his soule from the pit c. Thus God commaunds earthly Parents With-hold not correction from the childe if thou smite him with the rodde hee shall not dye Thou shalt smite him with the rodde and shalt deliver his soule from hell so also hee practiseth with his owne children And as it prevents destruction so also sinne the cause of it and keepes us from our owne wickednesse It workes many good and profitable things in us By afflictions wee are partakers of the holinesse of God and this bitter roote shootes forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse The sappe of a Crab-stocke of it selfe is sower and distastfull but when it is digested in a good sience it makes the fruit so much the more pleasant It breedes patience Rom. 5. 4. It purgeth from sinfull evill without and within Prov. 20. 30. and this knew that holy Patient Hee tryeth mee and I shall come forth like gold Looke as silver and golden vessels if they gather rust must be rubbed with something which is rough and harsh before they can be cleered so is it with these precious vessels It teacheth us the way of God and putteth us into it Psal. 119. 67. 71. and as it helpes us in all grace so it furthers us in glory see Mat. 5.11.12 2 Cor. 5. 17. But how comes it to be good unto us which is so evill in it selfe 1. By the over-ruling hand of God who brings light out of darkenesse good out of evill 2. By the correcting nature of grace which not onely tempers the evill and noysome qualitie of it but makes it medicinable and wholesome Hence where this grace doth not over-rule the cursed nature of affliction it brings forth murmuring as in the Israelits falling away more and more Esay 1. 5. and open blaspheming Revel 16. 9. So that as in many Antidots the hand of a cunning Apothecary tempering some poysons and correcting them with other ingredients makes a most wholesome receit so the hand of God seasoning afflictions with grace brings them to bee of great use and profit to every Christian. But beside all this good which it brings with it it selfe also as sanctified is an evident testimony of our adoption that we belong to the Lord who corrects not bastards nor suffers any child to be uncorrected In all which respects it may be justly accounted not onely a meanes to further and prosper us in our hopes but not the least part of our prosperitie 3. Prosperitie and successe comes not from any other cause but from God For howsoever it pleaseth the Lord to employ and use divers gifts in man as meanes for working successe as wisedome courage strength diligence yet it is he who first bestowes these gifts and then workes by them so that we could neither attaine these parts whereby we worke nor by them effect any thing without him It is nothing therefore in man neither in body or soule which can bring about his hopes and purposes but onely the Lord worketh
loues us out of his loue prepares us for grace and then giveth it when he hath fitted us for it and all this without promeriting nay any concurrance on our part that after he worketh in us and perfits what hee begins and crowns what he hath perfited and for our consolation that it is not in him that willeth or runneth but in God that shewes mercie and not for our righteousnes but because he hath chosen us that his purpose according to election may stand not of workes but of him that calleth so is there great use of it in wicked persons for warning and caution Neither can I see how any desperate person can pervert this but in the like manner he may abuse any other doctrine to his destruction as the Papists this day abuse that point of justification by faith and not by workes and many other we must therefore not onely retaine this truth but apply it to that end for which it was given by God making our calling and election sure 3. So also the neglect and despising of that truth namely that the Lord doth loue and honour the persons and wayes of godly men is here reproved Hence might wicked men tremble to see how hatefull and abominable their wayes and persons are in his sight who can recompence and surely will reward them according to their workes And how justly might thousands of Christians tremble when they see their affections in this particular so contrary to Christ For they account basely of those whom God honours hate those whom God loues shew to them all contempt and malice in reviling slandering or any abuse that they can or dare offer What member of Christ art thou who despisest such as thy head hath crowned with his heavenly Kingdome How farre from a Christian who hast no loue to such whom Christ hath loved beyond his life So also by forgetting this lesson many depriue themselues of much comfort For how much joy might the weake Christian gather here if hee did continually remember He that hath given mee an heart to loue him he first loved me he hath set his heart upon me for good and therfore hath drawn me from my wicked vaine conversation to serue him and if he hath loved me when I was an enemie will he forsake me now he hath seasoned my heart with some measure of loue and desire of his service What a cordiall would this bee against all the revilings contempts and despitefull usage of the world we are therefore much to blame that we make no better use of a truth so full of profit and consolation Hence may the faithfull soule in any necessitie and upon all occasions draw endlesse comfort How did this hearten David in all persecution of Saul and slanders of his enemies Psal. 18. 10. c. Psal. 7. 3. c. yea indeed in all his trouble nay when he found his tongue unable in that dutie of thankfulnesse to poure out his heart 2 Sam. 7. 20â— this yet offered him much consolation Thou Lord knowest thy servant The like see in Ieremie in much tentation and many grievances Ier. 12. 3. Especially remember Iob who when hee was assaulted on everie side without and within his friends accusing him of hypocrisie and fighting craftily against his faith the enemie bringing all the terrours of God in a full armie against him and making him possesse the iniquities of his youth yet could uphold his soule and keepe it from sinking in this storme with the remembrance of this truth and strongly applying it to his heart found powerfull consolation in this He knoweth my way and tryeth me That excellent Apostle persecuted by bloodie Infidels Iewes and Heathen slandered and wronged by false Brethren nay too little esteemed by his owne children in the Spirit accounted the off-scouring of all things could fully satisfie his owne soule and comfortably wait on God on this knowledge God was his witnesse 1 Thes. 2. 13. and could therefore â—light that censure of man 1 Cor. 3. 3. 5. Wee should therefore apply this for comfort when we are reviled as hypocrites by the world or inwardly accused by Satan that God sees and will judge when we are despised by men that God hath chosen us when we and our actions in Gods service are hated and abased that God hath loved and honoured both Labour for such wayes as are acceptable to God such as he hath chosen and commended such as he loues and honoureth For motiues oh remember thy heart is very deceitfull and will easily blind thee with counterfeit shewes and false hopes if thou lookest not very narrowly to it Learne therefore of this Saint to consider thy paths and with hast putting away delayes to turne thy feete into the wayes of God Say with thy selfe All the wayes of man are cleane in his owne eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits Every way of man is right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts Now what shall it profit mee if I as those vaunting Pharises justifie my selfe when the Lord knowes and condemnes me what good shall I reape from man that my actions are highly esteemed in the world when they are abomination to God Let mee never forget that there is a way seeming right unto man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death thinke with thy selfe what horrour will assaile and daunt thee in that day when having securely trusted in thine owne heart and wayes thine eyes are at length opened to see thine errour that thou and all thy workes are hated and detested by the Lord. Consider what infinite comfort and joy will spring in thy heart in all estates yea the most afflicted when thou canst say in truth that thou hast tryed and weighed thy pathes before they come to that great tryaâ—l to bee pondered by the Lord and hast unfainedly taken up those wayes and walked in them uprightly with thy best endevour which God himselfe hath chosen and set for thee and will accept in his mercie Learne therefore to trust in the Lord with all thy heart and leane not to thine owne wisedome in all thy wayes acknowledge him and hee shall direct thy wayes Proposition 2. But the way of the ungodly shall perish In the former words the Prophet giues an infallible reason why the faithfull shall prosper in their wayes and bee blessed here also he useth a necessary argument why the ungodly cannot haue good successe nor ever attaine to happinesse Now how soever he leaues out the Antithesis or opposite axiom to the former God knowes not the way of ungodly men yet is it here without question to be understood I will therefore handle it fully and annexe the cause with the effect in this intire proposition God knowes not the way of the ungodly therefore they their wayes shall perish The words haue beene before sufficiently cleered as well who are the ungodly what also is ment by their wayes
is evident enough their thoughts counsels enterprises nay also their outward dignitie glory authoriritie c. So likewise what this knowledge is may be easily discerned namely the Lord indeed knowes to take notice of them for their confusion but to approue or respect them knoweth them not Lastly that is said to perish which attaines not the end to which it is aymed but comes to nothing The meaning is The Lord also sees all the devises and plots of wicked persons rejects despises and hates them and their wayes therefore they shall certainely bee destroyed and consumed Proofe Mat. 7. 23. and 25. 12. Psal. 9. 17. Grounds as in the former proposition so here are First the over-ruling power of God who doth whatsoever he will Secondly the weakenesse of his enemies not able to resist as being even the proudest of them and most rebellious â—his foot-stoole Thirdly his infinite justice which cannot hold the guiltie innocent Exod. 34. 7. 1. Whatsoever is in the wicked whatsoever belongs to them or is done by them is rejected despised and even scorned by God For their persons Hee that dwells in heaven shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision The foole shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie With the scorner he scorneth For their estate Hee casteth away the substance of the wicked for the lust of the eyes the pompe and splendour of the wicked and the pride of life is of the world hatefull therefore to God Nay if we looke to their religion it is a burden and hatefull Incense is abomination to mee I hate your new moones c. their sacrifices abominable their best workes bâ—t glittering sinnes as sayes truely that good Father in which respect our Saviour aâ—firmes that which is highly esteemed among men to bee abomination in the sight of God Hence God more commends a poore child then an old King which refuses admonition Verily even in that most meeke Lambe of God we cannot but see a wonderfull hate and scorn of reprobate wicked persons even of those which were most magnified among men either in regard of their temporall or spirituall estate How contemptuously doth he speake of Herod Tell that Fox how sharpely and bitterly doth hee abase the Pharises Mat. 23. from the 13. verse to the 34â— especially in that comparison verse 27. where they are resembled to white graues swarming with wormes and stinking with rottâ—nnesse Aboue all the rest how zealous an indignation doth he expresse verse 33. you serpents you generation of vipers how should you escape the damnation of hell The reasons also necessarily concluding this truth are evident for if we consider the ungodly either in their persons estates or actions there is in them all the true object of rejection hate and scâ—rne and if we looke upon God as he hath described himselfe in his word wee cannot but see in him those excellent properties w ch necessarily thus worke upon such an object For what is the object of rejection but evill Now the ungodly are evill in their persons states actions There is no good in them Rom. 7. 18. but a continuall course of evill Gen. 6. 5. So what is the object of hate but contrarietie And wicked men are in all things contrarie to God contrary to his holinesse hee light they darkenesse hee infinitely pure they wholy and extreamly polluted contrary to him in his rule and government ever resisting and rebelling What is the object of scorne but folly and proud beggerie Such are all the wicked continually called fooles by the wisedome of God and most justly for certainely naturalls are not so sottish in things temporall as they in spirituall and eternall They are beggars having nothing but almes from God not a bit of bread not a mouth to put it in yet so brutishly proud that they despise the Giver Psal. 10.4 Now in God there is an infiâ—ite purenesse goodnâ—sse wisedome and majestie in whose eyes therefore such persons and all their wayes cannot but be abominable The persons of wicked men their thoughts enterprisâ—s honours and whatsoever most shines and glitters in carnall eyes shall come to nothingâ— perish and consume For their persons Thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation How suddainly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed Lo they that with-draw themselves from thee shall perish see Iob. 21. 17. 18. and Ier. 17. 5â— 6. For their thoughts counsels and enterprises The Lord breaketh the counsel of the heatheâ— and bringeth to naught the devises of the people His braeth departeth he returneth to his earth and his thoughts perish so likewise see Esa. 8. 9. 10. For their pomp honour and glory They thinke their houses shall continue for ever and call their landes by their names but mad shall not continue in honour he is like the beasts that dy He shall take nothing a way when he dieth his pompe shall not desend after him Hell hath enlarged it selfe and hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glory and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioiceth among them shall desend into it Nay all their hopes die with them When a wicked man dies all his hope perishes This truth is very frequently exemplified in the scripture especially in those wicked Kings and many other persons see also Ier. 22. from the 13. verse to the 20. Consider the rich man in the Gospell Luk. 12. 18. 19. and 1 Thes 5. 3. Herod in all his pomp is smitten and dies eaten with lice Act. 12. 23. Reason also will strongly backe this truth For first the very nature of all these things is earthly and therfore turning againe to earth 1 Pet. 1. 24. made to perish and perishing in the use The uery use of life and all things perteining to it consumes it so that the more it growes the more it decreases Now the life of a wicâ—ed man and all that belongs to him are eaâ—thly There is no price to make it liâ—e for ever Psal. 49. 8. 9. were there nothing then to further it did not the vengeance of God wait on it it would fall of it selfe Secondly as their persons so their counsels and enterprises and all their authoritie is set against God and are contrary to him now two contraries cannot consist together but one shall fall but as God himselfe lives for ever so his counsell shall stand for ever Pro. 19. 21. and Ier. 44. 28. Ezech. 1. 6. And evident is it that their wisdome is enmitie with God it cannot therefore but perish For as when an earthen pot will dash it selfe against a rock or an iron uessell it will soone be cracked and broken So when we earthen wormes fall upâ—n this stone we shall be broken and on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grinde him to powder see Psalm 2. 9. It is therefore impossible